Agony for Him—Life for Us

Posted on March 29, 2021 by drgause@agause.com

Each of the four Gospels records the agony of Jesus’ crucifixion. Today, medical science gives further insight that far exceeds the observable anguish and sheds light on suffering beyond our comprehension. When Jesus completed the Passover meal, He led His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed, aware of the anguish He would endure that day.

His agony began in the Garden. He knew He must drink a cup containing two bitter components: the sins of the world He would take upon Himself and the bodily torture. And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44 NIV). A rare phenomenon called hematidrosis occurred. It happens only during times of extreme psychological distress. The surface capillaries dilate, burst, and mix with sweat. The blood coagulates. This made Jesus appear as if He was sweating blood. This mass loss of blood caused His skin to become extremely tender and heightened the pain for His scourging.

A mob came, seized Jesus, and led Him away to Caiaphas the High Priest and the religious leaders. After they accused and grilled Him, Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him (Matt. 26:67). When the day dawned, the soldiers led Him to Pilate. Following an interrogation, Pilate conceded to the Jews and delivered him for crucifixion. The Romans scourged those condemned to crucifixion—it intensified the pain. Soldiers fabricated scourges from strips of leather and wove in jagged fragments of lead or sharp pieces of sheep bones. Stripping off Jesus’ clothes, they stretched His hands above His head to tighten the skin on his back. The executioner began his work. With each strike, the lead-laced strips of leather gouged out deep gashes in His already sensitive skin. Blood puddled at His feet. This proceeded until completing the prescribed number of lashings (if anyone was counting). Soldiers then began their ‘fun’ time with the man who claimed He was the King of the Jews. They cut Jesus down and draped a purple robe worn only by royalty over His body, then placed a reed in His hand for a mock scepter. The one object missing for their ridicule was a King’s crown. A soldier ran out to a euphorbia bush and fashioned a crown from the branches. This common plant grew razor-sharp thorns two to three inches long. They . . . took the reed and smote him on the head (Matt. 27:30 NIV). The scalp bleeds easily; each blow drove the thorns deeper bringing more blood streaming down His face coating His hair and beard.

When the soldiers tired of their game, they snatched off the robe, now stuck to the lacerations, reopening His wounds. The half-mile walk to Golgotha began. They placed the 100-pound patibulum (crossbeam) of the cross on His raw shoulders. Jesus started His journey, but He was too weak and fell under the weight. A soldier grabbed a bystander, Simeon, and compelled Him to carry Jesus’ cross for the remaining distance. Upon reaching Calvary, they stripped off Jesus’ clothes, again stuck to His back, and threw Him to the ground, caking the wounds with filthy dirt. The executioners knew their task with thoughtless precision. One held His arm; another took a pointed square spike. With a single blow of his mallet, they secured the nail in the wood. This severed the median nerve of Jesus’ hand. Doctors say the most severe pain anyone can experience occurs when anything damages this nerve. Unimaginable pain shot through His arm. They proceeded to the other arm—Jesus knew the pain to expect. A soldier laid one of Jesus’ feet over the other; a few strikes fixed the nail. This time it severed two median nerves. Searing pain surged up both legs.

Beyond the torture, He had endured; the greater suffering was still to come. The Romans designed crucifixion to create extended brutality—not a swift death. When they lifted the cross, Jesus’ body sagged and increased pressure on the raw nerves against the nails. The slightest movement multiplied His pain. Because He was drooping, His lungs filled with air resulting in asphyxiation. The one-way air could escape came by pushing up on the nail through His feet. However, at the cost of intensifying the pain as the nail pushed against the median nerves. This continued for six hours.

Hours without food or drink, He thirsted. Doctors describe another trauma—the effects of dehydration. This caused His muscles to contract, increasing until every muscle in his body cramped. Now after the human agony, His final suffering awaited. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — Which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). Forsaken by His Father was something that had never occurred in eternity. His spiritual agony began. He was bearing the once for all penalty for the sins of the world—yours and mine. With agony in His body, the sins of the world on His sinless self, and the horror of being abandoned by His father, He cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit (Mat 27:50).

Sustaining Word for the Week: Why? He suffered this agony to pay the debt of our sin and give us life. It’s free!

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Spring Cleaning

Posted on March 22, 2021 by drgause@agause.com

Landing safely in a country where I’d never traveled brought both excitement and apprehension. A missionary acquaintance alerted me to be prepared to experience a radically different culture. And it didn’t take long to appreciate his advice. A long dark hallway leading to the exit presented my first cross-cultural lesson. “Why is it so dark?” The 20’ walls were made of glass, but it appeared they were painted black on the outside. To my surprise, when I looked closely, I realized it wasn’t layers of paint shutting out the sunlight—it was dirt, thick black dirt.

On the hour ride to my downtown hotel, I noted that every building, every window, and even the streets were filthy. That evening I dined with my host, a good friend from the country I’d known for years. I felt comfortable asking about the dirty buildings. He laughed and told me this culture didn’t clean things like windows and buildings. Their reasoning, if they cleaned them, they would only get dirty again and need to be cleaned again. So why waste the time? Certainly the opposite of my mom’s yearly spring cleaning. “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” she would always say. Whether something is considered clean or unclean [dirty] is a universal matter. Every culture has various objects, actions, ceremonies, food, and morality they deem as clean or unclean.

The Lord chose the metaphor of clean and unclean to teach, first Israel and then the Church, spiritual lessons about Him. People worldwide understand in their culture when something is clean or has become unclean. This analogy is prominent throughout the Scriptures. Clean is mentioned in 88 verses and unclean in 114 verses. These categories first appear when Noah selected animals for the ark. They were divided as clean or not clean. You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female (Gen 7:2). The last use is in Revelation 19. The Law focuses on the ceremonial aspect of clean and unclean. Why? What is God trying to teach us?

Through the Ceremonial Law, He was teaching Israel how to be a holy nation for Him—a Holy God. Holy isn’t a scary theological word but simply means separate from anything unclean, defiled, corrupt, or impure. He chose Israel to become a holy nation set apart for His specific purpose amid a sinful world. To approach the Lord, the worshipper must be ceremonially clean. The Law showed the children of Israel all that made them unclean and the ritual they must perform to be clean again and able to come to the Lord. The list of things that would make an individual unclean was vast. Anything to do with death, certain foods, sexual relations, women’s menstruation, touching something unclean, etc. made them unclean. But this required a person to constantly consider if what they were doing, eating, or touching would make them unclean. Thus, reminding them continuously of how holy God was. 

The Law proved that man through his flesh, and own effort could not keep all the rules. This shows us our need for help and pointed to what Jesus would do for us. The ceremonial law ended with Jesus’ resurrection. We no longer have to be concerned if we eat a pork chop or have sex with our spouse, or attend a funeral, etc. So, you might ask, “Ok, what does clean and unclean have to do with me a Christian?” Satan tells us we are unclean and can’t approach God. When we repent, God brings about conversion. That includes receiving the Holy Spirit, our Helper. God declares us holy. God always sees us as holy because He sees us through Christ and His finished work. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1Jn 1:9 HOL).

We live in a morally dirty, unclean, filthy world and are exposed to it every day. We see unclean acts, hear unclean jokes, work around sinful people, etc. and may feel unclean and guilty. Remember this is a tactic of Satan. He wants to disrupt our fellowship with God. The devil reminds us of sinful and unholy events that we were exposed to at work. He causes us to feel guilty about the corrupt language we endured during a business meeting. This is when this lesson is so important. Until I learned this, I would withdraw from God, feeling I was unclean, and mentally punish myself because of guilt. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). He cleanses me by the washing with water through the word (Eph 5:26 NIV). At any moment we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus . . . let us draw near (Heb 10:19, 22).

Sustaining Word for the Week: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Pet 2:9 NIV).

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Faith to the Last Breath

Posted on March 15, 2021 by drgause@agause.com

I try to avoid writing about myself and my troubles, but sometimes it’s all I have. This will give those who have inquired why I hadn’t written in three weeks some insight, and hopefully, God will encourage all of you going through personal struggles. I’ve always assumed life would become easier the older I got and the more I grew from the Word and life experiences. Boy! Was I wrong? In my mind, I had reasoned when I retired I could escape all the pressures of ministering and teaching and the bureaucracy of working in a Bible college. I would have the freedom to study all the questions I’d stored away until I had the time. However, none of my thoughts factored in health and declining abilities to do the things I’d always done. Thankfully, for some of you, that’s not the case, and you continue to live a healthy life. For me, my world turned upside down. I finally accepted I could no longer maintain part-time work climbing radio towers but did that have to include step ladders? It appears my balance decided it didn’t want to work any longer at any height, including the floor.

I’ll admit a fast pace life staying on the road hasn’t helped. That lifestyle demands eating lots of fast food on the go and then too much rich food when I could sit down—usually a business meal. Factor into that much of this was in third-world countries on hundreds of miles over rough roads. Twenty-five years ago, to further complicate my life, doctors diagnosed me with diabetes, which has progressed to insulin injections twice a day.

Several other challenges have taken place in the last three years, but the hardest struggle began a year ago through a severe bout of pneumonia. This put me in the hospital for eight days and doctors battled to keep me alive. We concluded it probably came from a bacteria that killed one of my rabbits. The problem was it left my lungs in a mess with ongoing inflammation recently diagnosed as interstitial pulmonary fibrous. Steroids for the last year have helped, but the side effects have almost killed me. After this three-week shutdown with breathing problems, I’m trying to write. It troubles me when I am unable to write the Sustaining Word meant to encourage you the readers. So, rather than miss another week, I am writing this to share with you a few of the struggles I have and let you know you are not alone in your journey of faith.

I’m sure some have read SW in the past and said, “That’s easy for him to say. He doesn’t understand what I’m going through.” Well, my response would be “I’ve been there, done that, and have a closet full of tee shirts you don’t know about.” Too often I’ve ministered to believers who entered Christianity with the idea ‘it will be clear sailing now; no more troubles will come my way, and life will be one blessing followed by another.’ The Bible nowhere guarantees a life without storms or challenges. In fact, disappointment, disaster, and despair will test our faith. Do we believe God merely to receive blessings? Or do we believe in the promises of God when everything looks impossible? Do we trust in God if He does not deliver us? Do we trust in God when we do not understand His ways and working in our lives? Do we trust God that bad things are good things in disguise? Do we rest in the promise, And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

For me, this challenge to my faith has lasted a long time. But several things have kept me going. First, I wrote several weeks ago that I’m not home yet. I’m just a sojourner traveling through to my eternal home where there are no problems, no suffering, or pain. Second, God promises He will go with me to give guidance and strength. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you (Isaiah 43:2).

James tells us in our tribulations, Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4). Our tough times are leading us to perfection.

If you feel you can take no more, remember, No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it (1Co 10:13). 

Sustaining Word for the Week:

What I’ve come to understand during this trial is that serving God is a journey of faith all the way to my final breath, whether in trial or blessings. No one will coast in.

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Take It Off

Posted on March 1, 2021 by drgause@agause.com

While driving home from Church, a believer noticed a homeless man standing out in the cold asking for handouts. His only protection from the frigid wind was a filthy, worn-out lightweight jacket. The Christian sensed the prompting of the Holy Spirit to put his faith into action. He stopped, walked toward the man, and took off his new winter coat. The beggar expressed gratitude as he reached for the coat. However, the homeless man’s next action surprised the kind believer. Instead of taking off the filthy smelling jacket and throwing it away, he slipped the new warm coat over the old jacket. This puzzled the man who gave the coat. “Why didn’t he take off his old jacket and get rid of it?”

I’d read this testimony recently, and it came to mind while studying 1 Peter 2:1; Therefore, putting aside [getting rid of, laying aside], all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. The phrase that caught my attention was ‘putting aside’. The New Testament uses this word in two ways, first in a literal action to put off clothing; the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul (Act 7:58) and more often in a metaphorical sense to cleanse defilement. ‘Put off’ and ‘put on’ are common analogies in scripture to illustrate a spiritual principle through literal human activity.

Another important insight comes from the grammar Peter chose. Putting off is an action we must do for ourselves. It isn’t something God does for us. Note it does not read, let God put it aside for you. Some might already be thinking, “I can’t do that. I’ve tried and failed.” And you are right. You can’t fulfill this command by yourself in the flesh. Neither will God do it for you while you sit back and wait on Him. But He will help you. He will guide you and give you His strength. When we accept Christ as our Savior, He gives us new life and a new nature. He also gives us the Holy Spirit to help us put away our old life and grow in Christ. This is a lifelong journey.

Being saved by grace does not eliminate works. Grace sets us free so we can work. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God . . . For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph 2:8-10). Part of our good works is to become more and more like Jesus. As we grow in Christ, the Holy Spirit exposes faults that are not like Jesus and we must put them aside. My struggle was with temper. I begged the Holy Spirit for years to take it away. Nothing changed until I realize I must do something. I began following the guidance of the Spirit and the word and He taught me how to control my anger through His guidance and strength.

Why didn’t the homeless man remove his old filthy worn-out jacket before he put on the new warm coat? We aren’t told. But maybe it was sentimental because he’d had it so long, or maybe he kept it just in case he lost the new one. Whatever the reason, it still can illustrate new believers hanging on the part of their old nature. They may enjoy something they did in the past and don’t want to give it up. They believe they should keep it around just in case the new nature fails.

All these and any other reason you give are deceptions Satan puts before you and you have believed. Paul addresses our old and new nature at length in Romans 6, 7, & 8.Note 6:6 in Mounce’s translation; We know this, that our old self was crucified with him, that the body of sin would be rendered powerless, so that we would no longer be enslaved by sin. The old nature will always be with us in this life, but the Holy Spirit will be with us forever (Jn 14:16). The old nature has no power unless we allow it. The Holy Spirit is always with us, giving us His power to live free from sin and grow into the nature of Christ. The first step is to know the old self is powerless and cannot enslave us to sin anymore. It also means we can put aside any fault or sin the Holy Spirit shows us that is not Christ-like.

The second step is to make a decision. You are free to decide not to let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts (Rom 6:12). You are free to present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God (v13).

Sustaining Word for the Week: Do you know you are no longer enslaved to sin and can put aside all that is not like Christ? You can’t and God won’t, but together all things are possible.

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