Scripture Reading: Psa. 69
Ⅰ
Psalm 69 is on the suffering of Christ typified by the suffering David— vv. 1-3, 19-20, 26:
A
David was a warrior who won victories and gained territories for God's kingdom, yet his life was a life of suffering, and in his suffering he was a type of the suffering Christ.
B
David trusted in God and walked according to God's sovereignty in all his trials; under God's sovereignty, David took the lessons of the cross—1 Sam. 17:36-37; 23:14-16; 30:6b-10.
C
We all need to learn two vital lessons—the lesson of God's sovereignty and the lesson of taking the cross with the power of resurrection—Rom. 8:28; Phil. 3:10.
Ⅱ
In contrast to Isaiah 53, which speaks of Christ's sufferings in a general way, Psalm 69 speaks of Christ's sufferings in a detailed way:
A
Christ was hated by many without cause—v. 4a; John 15:25.
B
Christ suffered in bearing reproaches for the sake of God—Psa. 69:7, 9b; Rom. 15:3.
C
Christ was devoured by the zeal of God's house—Psa. 69:9a; John 2:17.
D
Christ suffered much, and no one took pity on Him—Psa. 69:29a, 19-20; John 16:32.
E
Christ suffered in His weeping and entreating God to deliver Him out of the waters of death—Psa. 69:10, 13-17, 1-2; Heb. 5:7.
F
Christ was given gall as His food while suffering on the cross—Psa. 69:21a; Matt. 27:34.
G
Christ in His thirst was given vinegar to drink—Psa. 69:21b; John 19:28-30.
H
Christ was stricken and wounded by God—Psa. 69:26; Isa. 53:10a.
I
Christ was betrayed by one of His disciples—Psa. 69:25; Acts 1:16-20a.
J
Christ's suffering was for Zion and for the building of the cities of God's people—Psa. 69:35-36; Eph. 5:25b.
Ⅲ
The Lord Jesus has set His suffering life before us so that we can copy it by tracing and following His steps—1 Pet. 2:21-23:
A
The Lord kept committing all His insults and injuries to Him who judges righteously in His government, the righteous God, to whom He submitted Himself; this indicates that the Lord recognized God's government while He was living a human life on earth—vv. 22-23.
B
To follow His steps does not refer to a mere imitation of Him and His life but to a reproduction of Him that comes from enjoying Him as grace in our sufferings, so that He Himself as the indwelling Spirit, with all the riches of His life, reproduces Himself in us—v. 21.
C
We need to see that we are under God's governmental dealing for a positive purpose and that anything and everything that happens to us, including any kind of suffering, is part of God's precious governmental dealing.
D
To live a life that follows the footsteps of Christ, we need a renewed mind to understand and realize the way Christ lived to fulfill God's purpose—Rom. 12:2:
１
We should have the same mind that Christ had in His suffering—1 Pet. 3:18.
２
We need to arm ourselves with a sober mind to endure suffering—4:1.
Ⅳ
Christians may experience at least three kinds of suffering:
A
The first kind of suffering is that which is common to all human beings in the fallen, corrupt, and decaying old creation.
B
The second kind of suffering is suffering that comes from sins and mistakes.
C
The third kind of suffering is the putting to death of Jesus—2 Cor. 4:10-11, 16.
Ⅴ
The ministry of the new covenant is produced in the new covenant ministers by the experience of the riches of Christ gained through sufferings, consuming pressures, and the killing work of the cross—1:8; 4:8-12:
A
The genuine ministry stirs up our love for the Lord Jesus as our Bridegroom so that we may enjoy Him to the uttermost as our Husband—11:2-3.
B
The genuine ministry strengthens us to follow Christ in the fellowship of His sufferings for the sake of His Body—vv. 23-33; Phil. 3:10; Col. 1:24.
Ⅵ
The apostles and the believers need to fill up "that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ…for His Body, which is the church"—v. 24:
A
The afflictions of Christ are of two categories: those for accomplishing redemption and those for producing and building up the church through the release of the divine life—John 12:24.
B
We cannot have fellowship (participation) in Christ's sufferings for redemption, but we need to have much fellowship in Christ's sufferings for the church—Phil. 3:10:
１
We first receive the power of Christ's resurrection; then by this power we are enabled to participate in His sufferings and live a crucified life in conformity to His death.
２
The sufferings in which we participate are for the building up of the Body of Christ.
C
We are fellow partakers in the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance in Jesus; this indicates that we are suffering as we follow Jesus the Nazarene—Rev. 1:9.