Ministering While Suffering

Ministry While Suffering

It is Good Friday. Every year I go through the scripture recounting the Holy Week leading up to the death of Jesus.  Reading the story again, today I caught something I had not noticed before.  It was a new discovery about Jesus’ character. The man that he was. The God that he is. It is a trait I know but today is pronounced. Reading the stories from the gospels about the last hours before he willingly sacrificed his life awakened a new quality in my savior, best friend, righteous king. 

While Jesus was hanging on the cross, after being brutally beaten, ridiculed, dehumanized in every way possible he was ministering. In the midst of the worst suffering a body, spirit and soul could or should endure, he was still thinking about others. He was able to look beyond his own pain, suffering and hurt to still see the needs of others. 

John 19:25-27  Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,”  and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

I can not imagine what Mary was thinking and feeling at that moment.  Seeing the pain of her son,his hurt, the horrible death he was enduring for her.  I really don’t think she was thinking about her future or who would care for her.  But Jesus was.  As he was dying, suffering in every way possible, he noticed his mother. He wanted to make sure she was cared for.  He wanted to make sure she was provided for.  Not just her physical needs but her emotional needs.  Jesus knew she was losing a son.  Jesus knew he would never be there for her the way he had always been.  While hanging on the cross, he gave her to John.  He ministered to her in a beautiful and tangible way.  He met her needs before she even knew she would have a need. As the oldest male in the family, Jesus made provision for his mother.  He saw her hurt and her pain and ministered while he was suffering. He saw her pain through his own. 

Luke 23:39-43  One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Again Jesus is closer to his final breath. For the weight of all of the sin of humanity is on his back.  He is suffering for all of the past, present and future sins of ungrateful people. His mission was almost accomplished.  He could have ignored the entire conversation on the cross between these two criminals. But he didn’t.  While life was leaving his body, he ministered to one more person. He provided hope in a hopeless situation.  He provided an opportunity of salvation to one more person. He provided mercy and grace to the least of these.  He could have just given up, exhausted.  But he took the time to notice faith one more time. With the breath he had left, he extended hope and a promise. “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” He ministered to the person dying next to him. No platitudes or wishful thinking.  A promise of hope, restoration and peace. I can’t imagine how the criminal felt in that moment that he would be with Jesus in paradise, soon. What an unimaginable blessing. Paradise with Jesus. Today.

Jesus did not have to take care of Mary. He did not have to pay attention to the conversation the criminals were having on the cross beside him. He was suffering, dying, a horrible death with the weight of all the sins of humanity on his spirit. But even in his suffering he ministered.  He saw the needs of the mother he loved and the criminal who just had the gumption to ask to be remembered. Jesus’ character is revealed anew and again in his final moments before his death.  

It is a challenge to us. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We are going to suffer.  We are going to have trouble.  We are going to have struggles. But Jesus in his last breaths sets the example to us.  We can minister while we are suffering. We can notice what our loved ones need and meet that need to the best of our abilities.  We can notice conversations that are happening and extend grace and mercy because we can. Jesus ministered while he was suffering. He is such a beautiful savior. 

Today, on Good Friday, and every day for that matter walk in Jesus’ example of life, truth, blessing and ministry.