The Opposition He Endured

The Opposition He Endured

Consider Him [Jesus] who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:3

Consider this scenario….people you thought were your friends and supporters suddenly turn against you. They say horrible things about you and spread untrue and negative rumors concerning things you allegedly did. Worse yet, they turn you into the police and file false charges against you. You are found guilty…and at your trial, you say nothing in your defense! And to top it all off, you are sentenced to die! There are no appeals…your death sentence stands. No Court of Appeals…nothing…you are condemned…period.

How would any of us react to a scenario like that? It seems quite farfetched, doesn’t it? I am sure you are wondering who that would happen to or how it would be allowed to happen! Surely in our society of courts of appeals that go clear to the United States Supreme Court nothing like that would ever happen!! This is NOT a made up, farfetched story. This really happened!! Jesus Christ was scorned by even people in his own hometown. He was tried and found guilty and crucified…the most painful and shameful kinds of death! He faced opposition even though he did nothing wrong. I wonder how THAT would go over in today’s society?

As I consider what Jesus endured…the scorn, the shame and the pain, it sure makes me realize that whatever I endure in my lifetime, will not begin to compare to the horrible treatment that Jesus endured during His lifetime here on earth! Granted, we do have beautiful word pictures of Jesus with crowds surrounding Him and people hanging on every word He says…and yes, this is true…however there is also the flip side of the coin….those that wanted Him dead….and succeeded…or so they thought! And we have to also consider the scorn and persecution He endured…and the pain of the cross…and all without appealing the death sentence.

When I think of the mistreatment that Jesus who never sinned and never did even one thing wrong received, I am feel shame when I whine or complain about some sort of “injustice” that has been done to me. Nothing that could ever happen to me, no matter how severe could ever begin to compare to what Jesus endured. Additionally, He did so not for himself and not for any wrongdoing that He had done…He did so for you and for me!! He did it so that we may have eternal and everlasting life. He did so out of love!

Is there a seeming injustice in your life that you are fretting over? Does it begin to compare to the treatment Jesus Christ endured? Indeed the words from Hebrews 12:3 should bring us comfort and the strength to endure mistreatment and injustice when we think of what Jesus endured and they should allow us to not grow weary and lose heart. God knows what we are enduring….Jesus endured far worse….and He is there to comfort and sustain us.

PRAYER: Lord thank You for comforting us as You know, first hand what we are enduring….and nothing we can endure will ever compare to Your sacrifice. AMEN