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06/26/2022 "A New Urgency: The Suffering Christ" [Matthew 16:21-23]
Jesus came to be Isaiah’s Suffering Servant, bearing the sins of the whole world vicariously. For Jesus, the title of “the Christ” and “Suffering Servant” do not contradict. These two titles actually merge very well. Jesus is the Suffering Christ who bears the sins of the whole world. This great truth is what the Christian Community, HIS Church, must learn from him. Matthew takes us from the question of ‘who’ is ‘the Christ’ [Matt 16:1-20] to “How” Jesus will be the Christ. This ‘how’ is suffering.
The ‘how’ Jesus is ‘the Christ’ will be settled from this paragraph all the way to the cross. It will only be after the resurrection that the ‘who’ and the ‘how’ questions will be settled in the minds of the disciples.
Peter teaches us that it is not enough to point to Christ. This is indeed the first act that makes the Church a Church. But it is just as important that the Church follows Christ’s clear teaching … follows Christ’s WORDS. In other words, we have two requirements as Jesus’ followers.
‘Point to Christ!’ He is the rock of the Church.
‘Follow Christ!’ This is the cement of the Church, the substance that joins us to Christ, the cornerstone to form the building of God … THE CHURCH.
It is possible to be Christ-Centered without being Cross-Centered. Any faith that points to Christ without embracing the Crucifixion does not fully follow Christ and is in fact a ‘hindrance’ to Christ … is a scandal in THE CHURCH.
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By Bryant K Owens
5
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Jesus came to be Isaiah’s Suffering Servant, bearing the sins of the whole world vicariously. For Jesus, the title of “the Christ” and “Suffering Servant” do not contradict. These two titles actually merge very well. Jesus is the Suffering Christ who bears the sins of the whole world. This great truth is what the Christian Community, HIS Church, must learn from him. Matthew takes us from the question of ‘who’ is ‘the Christ’ [Matt 16:1-20] to “How” Jesus will be the Christ. This ‘how’ is suffering.
The ‘how’ Jesus is ‘the Christ’ will be settled from this paragraph all the way to the cross. It will only be after the resurrection that the ‘who’ and the ‘how’ questions will be settled in the minds of the disciples.
Peter teaches us that it is not enough to point to Christ. This is indeed the first act that makes the Church a Church. But it is just as important that the Church follows Christ’s clear teaching … follows Christ’s WORDS. In other words, we have two requirements as Jesus’ followers.
‘Point to Christ!’ He is the rock of the Church.
‘Follow Christ!’ This is the cement of the Church, the substance that joins us to Christ, the cornerstone to form the building of God … THE CHURCH.
It is possible to be Christ-Centered without being Cross-Centered. Any faith that points to Christ without embracing the Crucifixion does not fully follow Christ and is in fact a ‘hindrance’ to Christ … is a scandal in THE CHURCH.