He Left Heaven For Us (and others)

He Left Heaven For Us (and others)

"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24).

Let the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, work us into a gracious willingness to embrace sufferings for His sake, and cheerfully and resolutely to take up his cross and follow Him. Did Christ suffer - who knew no sin; and shall we think it strange to suffer - who know nothing but sin? Shall He lie sweltering under His Father's wrath - and shall we cry out under men's anger? Was He crowned with thorns - and must we be crowned with rose-buds? Was His whole life, from the cradle to the Cross, made up of nothing but sorrows and sufferings - and must our lives, from the cradle to the grave, be filled up with but pleasures and delights?

Was He despised - and must we be admired?

Was He debased - and must we be exalted?

Was He poor - and must we be rich?

Was He low - and must we be high?

Did He drink of a bitter cup, a bloody cup - and must we have only cups of consolation?

Let us not think anything too much to do for Christ, nor anything too great to suffer for Christ, nor anything too dear to part with for such a Christ, such a Saviour - who thought nothing too much to do, or too grievous to suffer - so that He might accomplish the work of our redemption. He left heaven for us! - and shall not we let go this world for Him? He left His Father's bosom for us - and shall not we leave the bosoms of our dearest relations for Him? He underwent all sorts of sufferings for us - let us as readily encounter with all sorts of sufferings for Him.

~Thomas Brooks~
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The Envy Of Devils

"For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham's descendants" (Hebrews 2:16).

Stand still, and admire and wonder at the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners - that He should rather die for us, than the fallen angels! They were creatures of a more noble extract, and in all probability might have brought greater revenues of glory to God. Yet that Christ should pass by those golden vessels, and make us vessels of glory - Oh, what amazing and astonishing love is this!!

Why didn't Christ suffer for their sins - as well as for ours? Why, if He suffered for any sins - why not for theirs, rather than ours? This is the envy of devils, and the astonishment of saints!

~Thomas Brooks~
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Christ, By His Death

"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree" (1 Pet. 2:24).

Certainly the whole punishment of body and soul which was due unto us - Christ our Redeemer suffered. Our blessed Saviour bore all the sins of the elect. He suffered the whole punishment which was due unto us - which we would have endured, if He had not atoned for our sins. He felt the anguish of soul, and horror of God's wrath, and in soul experienced the torments of hell for us - and sustained them and vanquished them.

All the pains, torments, curse, and wrath which were due to the elect - fell on Christ, until divine justice was fully satisfied. Though Christ did not suffer eternal death for sinners - yet He suffered that which was equivalent, and therefore the justice of God is by His death wholly appeased. Christ's infinite excellency and glory, made His short sufferings to be of infinite worth, and equivalent to our everlasting sufferings.

Jesus suffered that which was necessary for our redemption, namely, that torment of hell which we had deserved, and which the justice of God required that He should endure for our redemption. He endured that bitter pain which we deserved to suffer eternally.

Christ, by His death satisfied divine justice, pacified divine wrath, brought in an everlasting righteousness, accomplished the eternal salvation of His people!

~Thomas Brooks~