The Sword of Suffering: Pathway to Healing

The sword is the pain and the suffering and the wound that's a part of advent, without which we do not get through life, which we are not healed. We're told about it in Luke the second chapter. Mary and Joseph had brought the baby Jesus into the temple, and this old man Simeon, devout, full of the spirit, sees them and he takes the child of his arm and praises God. [00:13:50]

This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, that is not unmixed good, and to be a sign that will be spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. In other words, he's going to be rejected, he is going to face opposition that would become his signature. [00:71:44]

Now this idea of Jesus bringing his swords very confusing in scripture because he's also the one who brings peace. He says, peace I give to you, my peace I give not as the world gives, give I to you. So we think, well good, he's going to bring peace, but then he says in Matthew 10, don't think I've come to give peace, I have come to bring a sword. [00:137:36]

It is not the piece of pleasant circumstances, and it is not the sword of power and vengeance. He will come not to use the sword to inflict pain but to receive the sword and bear pain for the sake of love. He will be our wounded healer and somehow by his stripes we are healed. [00:187:20]

Herod knew all about how to use the sword. Herod used the sword to inflict painting, he was very good at it. Put to death, he had like 11 or 12 wives, put to death the only wife that he ever really loved, uh the child that would have been his heir because he considered him a threat, his own mom. [00:233:84]

Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because as the Israelites are being exiled sent to Babylon, they have to march past Rachel's grave, and so it's like her voice rising up from the grave, and this is Israel now standing in for all of humanity living in exile and sorrow and mourning because of sin. [00:329:60]

God chooses to suffer for us, God chooses in Jesus, in the incarnation to suffer with us. So the word comes from old Simeon to Mary, Jesus will suffer for us, Mary will suffer for Jesus, every human life will know the sword. I suppose when you have a child one of the things that you don't know when you have it in that joy is in a way. [00:366:40]

And all of us as part of being sinful humanity are much better at remembering the wounds that we have received than the wounds that we have inflicted because we live with our wounds, and then we have to go through life trying to figure out if only what if I had done something differently, what if I had handled that phone call differently. [00:418:56]

Here is the promise he bears the pain for us, he takes the pain in our place, he knows it, he suffers for us by his stripes we're healed. I think about Mary having to live with that prophecy and his sword will pierce your own soul as well, when will it come and and then they have to flee because of Herod maybe that's it. [00:481:92]

Shared suffering makes fellowship possible, I only know that it does. I have this little book here Nancy and I pull it out in the mornings and there's a number of you who have endured the sword, are enduring it and we're praying for you, your names are, you don't want to be in this book but I'll tell you what I treasure those of you who are. [00:630:16]

A sword will pierce your soul, you don't have to run from it because, oddly enough, you find Jesus in your wounds like you don't find him anywhere else. By his wounds we are healed, so remember the sword today it is not the end of your life, you will find Jesus there I'll see you tomorrow. [00:651:44]

By his wounds we are healed, he is the wounded healer. I don't know why this is so I just know that it is so, that wounds can heal that little plant behind me there poinsettia was given to us by friends who have lived with a sword for the last couple of years. [00:572:95]