Christ's Suffering: The Path to Relationship with God

Devotional

Day 1: The Decisive Act of Christ's Sacrifice

Christ's suffering was a singular, decisive act that accomplished the necessary work for our salvation. This once-for-all sacrifice is central to the universe and our faith, highlighting the depth and completeness of His love for us. It was not a recurring event but a definitive moment that bridged the gap between humanity and God. This profound truth should lead us to a deep appreciation of Christ's sacrifice and inspire us to live in gratitude and reverence for what He has done. [03:54]

Hebrews 10:10-12 (ESV): "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God."

Reflection: How can you express gratitude today for the completeness of Christ's sacrifice in your daily actions and thoughts?

Day 2: The Sweetness of Substitutionary Atonement

The heart of the gospel is the substitutionary atonement of Christ, where the righteous suffered for the unrighteous to bring us to God. This substitution is the sweetest news, as it bridges the gap between us and God, offering us a path to reconciliation and relationship with Him. Understanding this profound truth should fill us with awe and gratitude, recognizing the immense love and grace that Christ has extended to us through His suffering. [05:58]

Isaiah 53:5-6 (ESV): "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Reflection: In what ways can you share the sweetness of Christ's substitutionary atonement with someone who may not understand its significance?

Day 3: The Ultimate Purpose: Relationship with God

The ultimate purpose of Christ's suffering is to bring us to God. While forgiveness, justification, and freedom from wrath are benefits, the true goal is a relationship with God, where we find our deepest joy and satisfaction. This relationship is the evidence of being born again, as it transforms our desires from seeking the benefits of salvation to desiring God Himself. [09:06]

Psalm 16:11 (ESV): "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God today, seeking His presence and finding joy in Him rather than just His benefits?

Day 4: Evidence of Being Born Again

Being born again is evidenced not by a desire for the benefits of salvation but by a desire for God Himself. A true Christian delights in God, finds joy in His presence, and longs to be with Him. This transformation is what Christ's suffering and sacrifice aim to achieve in us, leading us to a life that honors Him and seeks His presence above all else. [09:21]

1 John 5:1-2 (ESV): "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments."

Reflection: Reflect on your current spiritual desires. Are they aligned with a longing for God Himself, or are they more focused on the benefits of salvation?

Day 5: Honoring Christ's Sufferings

We must honor Christ's sufferings by seeking God earnestly and praying for a heart that finds its ultimate satisfaction in Him. This is the transformation that Christ's sacrifice aims to achieve in us, leading us to a life that is centered on God and His presence. By earnestly seeking Him, we honor the depth of His sacrifice and allow His love to transform our hearts and lives. [09:47]

Jeremiah 29:13-14 (ESV): "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to seek God more earnestly and find your ultimate satisfaction in Him?

Sermon Summary

In our exploration of 1 Peter 3:18, we delve into the profound truth of Christ's suffering and its purpose. The verse states, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God." This passage is central to understanding the heart of the gospel, which is the substitutionary atonement of Christ. Christ, the righteous one, suffered for us, the unrighteous, to bridge the gap between humanity and God. This act of suffering was not a recurring event but a decisive, once-for-all sacrifice that accomplished what was necessary for our salvation.

The significance of Christ's suffering is not just in the act itself but in its purpose. It was to bring us to God, not merely to offer forgiveness, justification, or escape from wrath and hell. These are indeed glorious benefits, but they are not the ultimate goal. The ultimate purpose is to bring us into a relationship with God, to enjoy His presence, and to find our deepest satisfaction in Him. This is the evidence of being born again—not just desiring the benefits of salvation but desiring God Himself.

The world may desire forgiveness and freedom from guilt, but it does not naturally desire God. The true mark of a Christian is a heart that delights in God, finds joy in His presence, and longs to be with Him. This is the transformation that Christ's suffering and sacrifice aim to achieve in us. Therefore, we are called to honor Christ's sufferings by seeking God earnestly and praying for a heart that finds its ultimate satisfaction in Him.

Key Takeaways

1. Christ's suffering is central to the universe and our faith. It was a decisive, once-for-all act that accomplished the necessary work for our salvation. This truth should lead us to a profound appreciation of the depth and completeness of His sacrifice. [03:54]
2. The heart of the gospel is substitutionary atonement. Christ, the righteous one, suffered for us, the unrighteous, to bring us to God. This substitution is the sweetest news, as it bridges the gap between us and God. [05:58]
3. The ultimate purpose of Christ's suffering is to bring us to God. While forgiveness, justification, and freedom from wrath are benefits, the true goal is a relationship with God, where we find our deepest joy and satisfaction. [09:06]
4. Being born again is evidenced not by a desire for the benefits of salvation but by a desire for God Himself. A true Christian delights in God, finds joy in His presence, and longs to be with Him. [09:21]
5. We must honor Christ's sufferings by seeking God earnestly and praying for a heart that finds its ultimate satisfaction in Him. This is the transformation that Christ's sacrifice aims to achieve in us. [09:47]
** [09:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:15] - Introduction to 1 Peter 3:18
[00:30] - Context of Suffering for Good
[00:48] - Christ's Suffering for Sins
[01:14] - The Purpose of Christ's Suffering
[01:42] - The Great Purpose of Christ's Death
[02:27] - The Centrality of Christ's Suffering
[03:38] - The Universality of Christ's Suffering
[04:08] - The Decisiveness of Christ's Sacrifice
[04:54] - The Righteous for the Unrighteous
[06:19] - The Benefits of Christ's Suffering
[07:23] - The Desire for Salvation's Benefits
[08:11] - Evidence of Being Born Again
[09:06] - The Ultimate Purpose: Bringing Us to God
[09:47] - A Call to Delight in God

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 1 Peter 3:18
- Hebrews 7:27
- Psalm 16:11

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Observation Questions:

What does 1 Peter 3:18 reveal about the nature of Christ's suffering and its purpose? How is this central to the message of the gospel? [01:14]
According to Hebrews 7:27, how does Christ's sacrifice differ from the sacrifices made by high priests in the Old Testament? [04:08]
In the sermon, what is described as the ultimate purpose of Christ's suffering? How does this purpose go beyond just forgiveness and justification? [06:19]
How does Psalm 16:11 relate to the idea of finding joy and satisfaction in God's presence as discussed in the sermon? [08:54]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of substitutionary atonement, as described in 1 Peter 3:18, challenge or affirm your understanding of the gospel? [05:58]
What does it mean to be "born again" according to the sermon, and how does this differ from simply desiring the benefits of salvation? [08:11]
How does the sermon suggest that a true Christian's desire for God should manifest in their daily life? [09:21]
In what ways does the sermon encourage believers to honor Christ's sufferings, and how might this look in practical terms? [09:47]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your personal relationship with God. Do you find your deepest satisfaction in Him, or are you more focused on the benefits of salvation? How can you shift your focus if needed? [09:06]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of desiring God Himself rather than just His gifts. What steps can you take this week to cultivate a deeper longing for God's presence in your life? [09:21]
Consider the idea of substitutionary atonement. How does understanding Christ's sacrifice as a once-for-all act impact your view of forgiveness and grace? [04:38]
How can you practically honor Christ's sufferings in your daily life? Are there specific actions or attitudes you need to change to align more closely with this calling? [09:47]
The sermon mentions that the world does not naturally desire God. How can you be a witness to those around you who may not yet know the joy of a relationship with God? [09:31]
Psalm 16:11 speaks of fullness of joy in God's presence. What are some practical ways you can seek and experience this joy in your everyday life? [08:54]
Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. What contributed to that feeling, and how can you actively work to draw closer to Him now? [09:06]

Sermon Clips

"Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. And what makes this worth looking at with such great attention is that it tells you how you know if you've been born again. Now you may not see that here but stick with me or it tells us what the great purpose of the death and the sufferings of Christ are." [00:39:84]

"Christ suffered. How central is that? We need to just pause sometimes and let the most common sayings give us a sense of profound seriousness about how central they are. Look at chapter 1 verse 11 the prophets inquired what person or time the spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ." [00:158:959]

"The point is simply that when it says Christ suffered, this is not only central to the book, it's central to the universe. So just constantly remind yourself my God sent his son to suffer he suffered he suffered we cannot think too long or deeply on the sufferings of Christ and he did it once, not many times which stresses how decisive and complete this suffering was." [00:221:68]

"Christ suffered once for all because his suffering did the work that needed to be done oh what a glorious truth that there is no repeated sacrifice not at the table of the mass or anywhere else Christ once for all has suffered and we get the benefit by looking to that and what happened when he suffered." [00:270:88]

"Namely a righteous one suffered for unrighteous this is us and this is Christ so he was perfectly righteous we are thoroughly unrighteous therefore we will never be able to be brought to God come to God except as judge unless someone somehow deals with our sins who has no sins and that's the mystery of the gospel." [00:297:28]

"Sweetest news in all the world is that one who was righteous and had no sins loves us and put himself forward to take our place the righteous for the unrighteous so the the heart I think it would be fair to say the heart of the gospel is substitution substitutionary atonement the righteous for the unrighteous." [00:336:4]

"Now what what are the benefits that come from the sufferings of Christ let's let's write them down do you want to be forgiven for your sins that was purchased forgiven do you want to be justified stand righteous and just before God you want to be free from wrath no wrath against us free from hell no hell escape from hell free from guilt glorious freedom from guilt." [00:389:6]

"All of this can be desired and lived for and died for by people who are not born again think of it you don't need to be born again to want to be forgiven you don't need to be born again to want to be justified you don't need to be born again to want to be free from hell and wrath and guilt and to have eternal life." [00:449:12]

"Being in love with forgiveness and justification and freedom from hell and guilt and wrath forever doesn't make you a Christian what what shows that you're born again is not that you want to be forgiven what shows that you born again is that you want to be with God God he died so that he might bring us to God." [00:488:8]

"The best evidence for being born again is not that you want to be forgiven or all the things the world wants but you want to be with God the world doesn't want to be with God they don't they don't love God they don't delight in God they don't take pleasure in God they get no satisfaction from God." [00:556:0]

"The evidence of being born of God is that we love God we delight in God so honor the sufferings of Christ and pray earnestly that God would awaken a delight in God satisfaction in God a desire to be with God." [00:581:44]

"Christ suffered once for sins the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God for our everlasting enjoyment which means that the the the best evidence for being born again is not that you want to be forgiven or all the things the world wants but you want to be with God." [00:545:279]

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Christ's Suffering: The Path to Relationship with God

Devotional

Day 1: The Decisive Act of Christ's Sacrifice

Day 2: The Sweetness of Substitutionary Atonement

Day 3: The Ultimate Purpose: Relationship with God

Day 4: Evidence of Being Born Again

Day 5: Honoring Christ's Sufferings

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Christ's Suffering: The Path to Relationship with God

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