Jesus’ Suffering Was The Path To Glory
Table Of Contents
Introduction
Jesus’ suffering was not a detour from God’s plan but the path through which He entered into glory. Through His baptism, death, and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the purpose for which He came into this world. He was despised, rejected, and crucified, yet He rose again and was exalted to the highest heaven. In Luke 24:25–27, Jesus reminded His disciples that the Scriptures had already spoken of His suffering before He entered into His glory. This reveals an important truth: suffering comes before glory, just as humility comes before honour.
As followers of Christ, we are also called to follow His footsteps. 1 Peter 2:21 tells us that Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example to follow. Being born again through the Gospel of the water and the Spirit does not mean that we will be exempt from trials, pain, loss, or difficulties. Even when we remain faithful to God, we may still experience suffering in this world. Therefore, we must not be surprised when fiery trials come, as though something strange has happened to us. Instead, we are called to remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that we share in Christ’s sufferings and will also share in His glory.
When suffering comes, it can be difficult to understand why God allows us to go through such experiences. We may question whether He still cares for us or whether He has abandoned us. Yet 1 Peter 5:8–10 reminds us to remain vigilant against the devil, stand firm in the faith, and remember that God Himself will strengthen, establish, and settle us after we have suffered for a while. We are not alone in our struggles, and we can cast all our cares upon Him because He cares for us. Rather than allowing our trials to cause us to doubt God, we can learn to trust Him through every season.
God can use suffering to bring us to true repentance, teach us to find divine joy amid hardship, and prepare our hearts for eternal glory. Through these experiences, He exposes our weaknesses, strips away our self-sufficiency, and teaches us to depend on His grace. Our suffering in this present world cannot be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us. As we journey toward our eternal home, let us learn to see our trials through the example of Jesus Christ, holding firmly to our faith and trusting that our suffering is not the end of our story.
True Repentance
Suffering in Christ can lead us to true repentance by stripping away our self-sufficiency and teaching us to depend on God’s grace. Sometimes, we think we can manage our own lives and handle our problems without God’s help. We may even hold on to hidden sins, pride, or attitudes that we are unwilling to confront. But when trials come, our limitations become clear, and we are reminded that we need God every moment. True repentance begins when we humble ourselves before His Word, acknowledge our condition, and surrender our lives to Him.
In Luke 13:4–5, Jesus spoke about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them. He made it clear that they were not worse sinners than the other people living in Jerusalem. Instead of judging those who suffered, Jesus called everyone to repent. We must not assume that tragedy only happens to people who have done something worse than others. Rather, these realities remind us that life is fragile and that we should not place our confidence in the security of this world. We do not know what tomorrow holds, so we must examine our own hearts and turn to God today.
God can also use suffering to refine our character and lead us toward holiness. Hebrews 12:6 reminds us that the Lord disciplines those He loves, while Hebrews 12:10–11 teaches that His discipline is for our profit, so that we may share in His holiness. Although discipline is painful rather than joyful in the moment, it can produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness in those who are trained by it. Through difficult experiences, God may expose our arrogance, stubbornness, and sinful attitudes, teaching us to become more humble, gracious, and merciful. We must allow Him to work in us instead of resisting the correction we need.
In 2 Corinthians 4:7–12, we are reminded that we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We may be hard-pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted, or struck down, but we are not crushed, in despair, forsaken, or destroyed. Our weaknesses reveal that our strength does not come from ourselves but from God, who sustains us through the life of Jesus. When we face suffering, we can learn to lean on Him more deeply and experience His faithfulness in ways we might not have recognised when everything seemed easy.
Therefore, do not allow suffering to drive you away from God. Let it bring you to a sober understanding of your need for His mercy and grace. When His Word exposes sin in your life, do not hide from it or continue living in deception. Come before God honestly, confess your weakness, and remember the finished work of Christ through His baptism, death, and resurrection. Through the Gospel of the water and the Spirit, you have been given new life in Christ, and you can continue walking with Him in repentance and faith. As you humble yourself and rely on His grace, He can use even difficult seasons to shape your character and prepare you for His glory.
Divine Joy
Divine joy allows us to rejoice even when we face suffering for the sake of Christ. This does not mean that pain, loss, or hardship is easy to endure, but that we have a greater hope beyond our present circumstances. In 1 Peter 4:12–13, we are reminded not to consider fiery trials as something strange, but to rejoice as we share in Christ’s sufferings, knowing that we will also be glad with exceeding joy when His glory is revealed. Our joy is not dependent on having a trouble-free life; it comes from knowing that we belong to Christ and are journeying toward His eternal glory.
Philippians 1:27–28 teaches us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, standing firm in one spirit and striving together for the faith of the Gospel. Paul also encourages believers not to be terrified by their adversaries. When others oppose us because of our faith, we should not immediately assume that we have done something wrong or that God has abandoned us. Jesus Himself was mocked, humiliated, and persecuted despite His complete obedience to the Father. As His followers, we should not be surprised when we encounter opposition for standing firmly in the Gospel. Instead, we can find assurance in knowing that we are continuing to stand for Christ.
Another reason we can rejoice is that our suffering for Christ points us toward an eternal reward. Philippians 1:29 reminds us that we have been granted not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake. Sometimes, standing for the Gospel may come at a personal cost. We may lose friendships, face rejection from relatives, or experience misunderstanding from people who do not share our faith. Yet we must not abandon the truth simply to gain acceptance from others. James 1:12 tells us that the one who endures temptation will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. The sacrifices we make for Christ are not the end of our story, because an eternal reward awaits us.
Suffering can also make our weakness more visible, allowing the power of God to be seen more clearly through our lives. When we continue trusting Him through illness, hardship, and uncertainty, our testimony can speak powerfully to those around us. People may wonder how we can continue to hold on to God, serve Him, and remain steadfast despite what we are facing. The answer is not that we are naturally strong, but that God sustains us. When our lives display faith and perseverance in the midst of weakness, others can see that our strength comes from Him. Through our testimony, God receives glory as people recognise His work in us.
Therefore, do not measure your life by how popular you are, how comfortable your circumstances may be, or how easily people accept you. Continue to stand firm in the Gospel of the water and the Spirit, trusting in the finished work of Christ through His baptism, death, and resurrection. Even when suffering brings tears and uncertainty, you can still find joy in knowing that God is with you and is working in your life. Keep pressing on in faith, and do not allow opposition to silence your testimony. As you endure faithfully, your life can become a witness to the hope and power of God, demonstrating that divine joy is possible even in the midst of suffering.
Eternal Glory
The suffering we experience in this present world cannot be compared with the eternal glory that awaits us in Christ. Romans 8:17–18 tells us that if we suffer with Christ, we will also be glorified together with Him. Our journey follows the pattern that Jesus Himself established: suffering before glory. The apostle Paul understood this truth deeply, having endured beatings, imprisonment, persecution, and eventually death for the sake of the Gospel. Yet he remained focused on the glory that was to come. In the same way, we must not measure our lives only by what we experience today, but by the eternal glory God has prepared for those who belong to Him.
Hebrews 2:9–10 points us back to Jesus, who tasted death for everyone and was made perfect through suffering as the Captain of our salvation, bringing many sons to glory. Jesus endured suffering according to the Father’s purpose, and through His baptism, death, and resurrection, He accomplished the work of salvation and was exalted in glory. As Elects, we must also learn to look beyond the temporary difficulties of this world. People may consider us foolish when we surrender our lives, talents, time, and resources to serve God rather than live only for ourselves. But what the world considers a loss does not determine our future. We have a greater hope in the eternal life that awaits us with Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul describes our present affliction as momentary and light compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory it is working for us. This does not mean that our suffering is painless or insignificant to us. Rather, its weight must be understood in the light of eternity. Everything we accumulate in this world—our wealth, possessions, status, and achievements—will eventually be left behind. Therefore, we must ask ourselves how we are using the life God has given us. Instead of spending our entire lives pursuing temporary pleasures and recognition, we can surrender ourselves to serve God and live for what has eternal value.
God also uses the difficulties we encounter to shape our character. Romans 5:3–5 teaches us that tribulation produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. This transformation does not happen overnight. Through the process, God works on our pride, stubbornness, and sinful attitudes, teaching us to become more gracious, merciful, gentle, and patient. Our faith should be visible not only when we gather to worship, but also in the way we conduct ourselves in our daily lives. When we fall short, we must not make peace with our sin or continue living in it. Instead, we should acknowledge our weakness, confess our failures before God, and depend on His grace as we continue to grow in Christ.
Finally, 1 Peter 2:11 reminds us that we are sojourners and pilgrims in this world, called to abstain from fleshly lusts that war against our souls. Our true home is not defined by the things this world offers us, and our lives should reflect the hope we have in Christ. Through the Gospel of the water and the Spirit, we believe in the finished work of Jesus through His baptism, death, and resurrection, and we are called to live in a manner worthy of the salvation we have received. We may still be weak, vulnerable, and imperfect, but we must continually look to God, allowing His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us. Keep your eyes on eternal glory, remain steadfast in your faith, and live each day to honour the Lord who gave His life to save you.
Living It Out
When suffering comes into your life, do not immediately assume that God has abandoned you or that your faith has failed. Remember that even Jesus suffered while fulfilling the Father’s will. Instead of allowing trials to make you doubt God, let them bring you to true repentance, expose areas in your life that need to change, and teach you to depend more deeply on His grace. Stand firm in the faith, remain watchful against the devil, and cast your cares upon God because He cares for you. As you go through difficult seasons, remember that God can use these experiences to refine your character, strengthen your faith, and prepare you for the glory to come.
Come be part of our physical church services — we’d love to have you!