THE SUFFERING SERVANT

 

The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ by Edit Voros

Christ’s salvation for mankind has been taught through the prophets from the beginning of time. This is called the Messianic Hope. And hope it certainly is…hope of redemption from the fall, sanctification from sin, justification to reconcile us with the Father. Isaiah prophesied of the Messiah in a dualistic manner which the Jews either didn’t understand or they ignored because their ignorance brought the Saviour to the cross.

Isaiah prophesied of the ‘suffering servant’ in Isaiah 53 who would be a ‘man of sorrows’ (v3); one who stands ‘as a sheep before her shearers’ (v7); and one who takes our transgressions upon Himself. The ‘suffering servant’ foretells the first advent and mortal life of Christ which was to offer spiritual deliverance of His people.  

The other picture of the Messiah that Isaiah painted was the “King of Glory”. This title promises physical deliverance, political power, and the destruction of Israel’s enemies.  The “King of Glory” prophecies foretell His second coming when He will subdue all Israel’s enemies under His feet; put down all kingdoms; will sit on the throne of David; and ‘the government shall be upon his shoulder’ (Isaiah 9:6).

The Jewish nation missed the importance of these two time periods and here is why. As Israel toiled under the oppression of different ruling powers such as Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Ptolemies and Seleucids from 586 B.C. until 70 A.D., they hungered for liberation and their hope of the Messiah gained political overtones. They wanted a Moses and a David, both of whom had delivered them from their enemies and thus they discounted the prophecies of the ‘suffering servant’. When Jesus came they recognised Him as the rightful heir of David’s throne due to His lineage, but when He refused to take up the sword against the Roman Empire, they used His refusal as proof that He could not be the promised Deliverer.

This is what blows my mind: the mortal life of Jesus was prophesied in such detail that it is hard to believe the Jews were so blinded that they ‘looked beyond the mark’ (Jacob 4:14) awaiting another Messiah.  Among many here are some details of His mortal life contained in ancient prophecies: he would be born in Bethlehem; He would be preceded by a forerunner; His ministry would begin in Galilee; He would teach in parables; He would perform miracles; His message would be rejected; He would enter Jerusalem in triumph on the back of an ass; He would be sold for thirty pieces of silver; smitten, spat upon and rejected. And the details of His crucifixion in ancient prophecies are staggering.

The Saviour’s death is a complex necessity to contemplate. I read a comment the other day on social media which was accusatory of the Jewish nation and which said: Jesus didn’t want to die. He was only 33 years old!”  I suppose there are people in the world who view the Saviour’s death as an unjustified murder because of our modern-day standards. And unjustified it was but yet the most sacred, dignified and necessary death in the history of mankind. I wondered what the person who made that comment would think of Isaiah saying that it ‘pleased God to bruise His Son and put him to grief ’….(Isaiah 53:10). Maybe she would be horrified at that and would miss the rest of the scripture that says ‘his soul was made an offering for sin’.

Elder Melvin J. Ballard explained that it was not a pleasure on the Father’s part but a sacrifice like no other to allow the murder and death of His Beloved Son:

“In that hour I think I can see our dear Father behind the veil looking upon His dying struggles until even he could not endure it any longer, and like the mother who bids farewell to her dying child, has to be taken out of the room, so as not to look upon the last struggles, so he bowed his head, and hid in some part of his universe, his great heart almost breaking for the love that he had for his Son.

“Oh, in that moment when he might have saved his Son, I thank him and praise him that he did not fail us, for he had not only the love of his Son in mind, but he also had love for us. I rejoice that he did not interfere and that his love for us made it possible for him to endure to look upon the sufferings of His Son and give him finally to us, as our Saviour and our Redeemer.

“Without him, without his sacrifice, we would have remained, and we would never have come glorified into his presence. And so this is what it cost, in part, for our Father in Heaven to give the gift of his Son unto men.” (Bryant S. Hinkcley, Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin Joseph Ballard, 154-155)

 

I carry my cross every day to the foot of Calvary

Where You carried yours so valiantly to the top;

I wait for You there to lift me

To the foot of Your gilded throne.

-      Cathryne Allen

EMMANUEL

 

His Mighty Hand by Yongsung Kim

Perhaps the greatest of all the prophecies of Isaiah is the birth of Christ:

“Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

There are two significant truths in this sentence, and they both confirm that the Saviour Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The first is that his mother was a virgin which some have discounted, including the Jews, whom He was sent to, and who accused Him of being born of fornication (John 8:41). The definition of ‘virgin’ seems to have become lost over time with modern translators claiming: “Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version [1952], Isaiah 7:14) The loss of Isaiah’s precise wording is also the loss of belief that Christ was divine (see also the Old Testament Student Manual Book 2, p 145)

The second truth has to do with the name Immanuel:

“This name is also a title that describes Jehovan’s mission in mortality. The New Testament provides a correct interpretation of its meaning in Hebrew. Matthew recorded: “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God With Us” (Matthew 1:22-23) (Old Testament Student Manual Book 2, p 145)

I have over the years been collecting the names and titles by which the Saviour is known. So far I have found 99 names and 16 titles. My favourite would have to be Isaiah’s name for Him which is “The Holy One of Israel”. I think one of the most known would have to be “The Prince Of Peace” because it is so relatable for people of all dispensations and walks of life. Here is something significant about this title:

“Modern Man sometimes vainly thinks that Jesus’ mission was to wipe out war; and scoffers have cried that since war still curses the earth, Christ’s mission has failed and Christianity is a blight. Yet Christ himself sent forth his Twelve, saying: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” (Matt 10:34).

“Christ did proclaim a peace – the peace of everlasting righteousness, which is the eternal and mortal enemy of sin. Between righteousness and sin, in whatever form, there can only be unceasing war, whether in one man, among the people, or between nations in armed conflict. This war is the sword of Christ; whatever its form this war cannot end until sin is crushed and Christ brings all flesh under his dominion. Righteousness is peace wherever it abides; sin in itself is war wherever it is found.” (President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., In Conference Report, April 1939, pp 104-5)

Whatever one of Christ’s names appeals to us the best, according to our understanding of Him, the name that should stand out in our minds the most is the one of salvation:

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation…..Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL in the midst of thee.” (Isaiah 12:2-6)

Your arms, so willing and so strong,

Dived into the deep and shattered my sorrow;

The depth was no match for the strength

You gained at Calvary so long ago.

Your saving grace

Has lifted me to Your cross

Becoming my mortal weakness’ greatest foe.

I now walk with You

In paths I dare not walk alone;

In the valley of shadow of death,

I rejoice to be Your own.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

WILLING TO GIVE

 

In the Wilderness by Ron DiCianni

All that is unspoken

And all that is unseen

All that I feel

In the depths of my soul

I long to give to Thee.

 

And all that You ask of me

And all that I am

I will place

On the altar of sacrifice

for Thee.

 

I give You my all

Like You gave Your all

Because hearts

Can give no more.

 

-       CATHRYNE ALLEN 

THE SON

 

Portrait of the Christ by Richard L. George

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire their great works. 

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for the only son. 

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. 

He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art." The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this." 

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gravel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted. "Will somebody bid for this painting?  Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?

Another voice angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!"

But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting."  Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?"

"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."

"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?"

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. 

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"

A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

"What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the works of art. The man who took the son gets everything."

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: "The Son, the Son, who'll take the Son?"

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son, gets everything.

- Author Unknown

HIS EARTHLY SUFFERING

 

No Greater Love by Adam Abram

I heard You in my heart today

And all You tried so hard to say.

My soul split open and I could see

What You suffered in Gethsemane.

 

My tears spilled and climbed that hill

Where Your suffering increased yet still.

My sorrow spilt, I saw my guilt

As You absolved me on that cross of Calvary

 

When one day soon again we meet

I will sorrow at Your feet.

My hands raw from clutching still

That gruesome cross of Calvary.

 

You have my heart,

You have my soul,

My purchased self is Yours to own.

In my memory, Your blood runs still

On that ruthless hill of Calvary.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

HUMILITY 2

 

My Teacher by Chris Brazelton

When Moses went up to Mount Sinai for the second time with new plates the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there and proclaimed His name:

“And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin….” (Exodus 34:4-7)

There is real significance in this. When God restores or renews covenants, He reveals himself by confirming His impeccable character so His people can know Him, trust Him and follow Him. In other words, He is saying, this is who I am, who you are covenanting with. It is meant to build faith in people and invite them back into a real relationship with Him. In this instance, Israel had broken the covenant by worshipping the golden calf.

The Gospel of John records Christ’s proclamations of who He is which identifies Him as the Saviour of all mankind. These proclamations are known as the “7 I AMs:

·         I am the bread of life (6:31,51)

·         I am the light of the world (8:12)

·         I am the door of the sheep (10:7,9)

·         I am the good shepherd (10:11,14)

·         I am the resurrection and life (11:25)

·         I am the way, the truth and the life (14:6)

·         I am the true vine (15:1,5)

I have often been amazed at the confidence with which Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Messiah. The Jews expected Him to come in the clouds of glory, not through the stench of a stable. Judging Him to be a mere mortal led some to say that He was mad because of these proclamations (John 10:20) and some that he was possessed of a devil (John 8:48; 8:52; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15). But imagine if He didn’t openly proclaim what He was like and what He had to offer as the Saviour of the world. Who would have had faith in Him if He held back and denied His attributes and characteristics and His role in the human experience? How blind the people of Jesus’s time were not to see that His confidence was grounded in humility and not pride.

Sometimes we are reluctant to vocalise our good qualities for fear that people will consider us prideful. Martin Luther said: “True humility does not know that it is humble. If it did, it would be proud from the contemplation of so fine a virtue.” I do not completely agree with this statement.  We are told that humility is the mother of virtues and rightly so but I wonder if we know how to properly appreciate it for our benefit.

There is one person we should affirm our humility to and that is ourselves. There would have to be a day when our trials and obedience have humbled us enough to be able to say to ourselves: I am humble enough to be corrected, I am humble enough to admit I am wrong, I am humble enough to be teachable, I am humble enough to be chastised, I am humble enough to receive instruction, to be taught, to receive help, to apologise, to correct a wrong, to make restitution when I have caused damage. I love a person who can say, “when I’m wrong, I’m wrong”….We should be able to acknowledge humility within us when it is for our benefit and the benefit of our fellowman.

The Book of Mormon tells us that humility before God will grant us these four things (Mosiah 4:12-13):

·         We will be filled with the love of God;

·         We will grow in knowledge of Him’

·         We will retain a remission of our sins;

·         We will love our fellowman

We want this, don’t we? So the commitment should be: I choose to be humble enough to believe in a higher power than myself, to be taught about Him, to obey Him, to amend my ways and recognize I am no better than my fellowman. That’s humility – minimizing self-importance and finding a healthy place for it on your priority list.

One man in the scriptures who knew full well who he was, what he became and by what power he got there was Paul who said: “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am…..” (1 Corinthians 15:9,10). In other words, I was wrong, I was humble enough to repent and accept salvation from Him who saved me from the jaws of hell. That’s humility. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

THE VICTORY

 

The Victory by LDS Bookstore

As Golgotha raged and tore

Your flesh without mercy

The Garden sprang anew,

As from every drop You spilt

New flowers came into bloom.

How pitiful the cross that claimed You

Not knowing it sent a God to a

Darkened tomb!

-     Cathryne Allen

THE MEDIATOR

 

Advocate With the Father by LDS Bookstore

“Each of us lives on a kind of spiritual credit. One day the account will be closed, a settlement demanded. However casually we may view it now, when that day comes and the foreclosure is imminent, we will look around in restless agony for someone, anyone, to help us….

“Unless there is a mediator, unless we have a friend, the full weight of justice untampered, unsympathetic, must, positively must, fall on us. The full recompense for every transgression, however minor or however deep, will be exacted from us to the uttermost farthing.

“But know this: Truth, glorious trust, proclaims there is such a Mediator. ‘For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus’  (1 Timothy 2:5). Through Him mercy can be fully extended to each of us without offending the eternal law of justice. This truth is the very root of Christian doctrine.”

-          Boyd K. Packer, “The Mediator”  General Conference April 1977

 

Like a bird in flight

My sins ascend to Thee;

Rising from the ashes of mortality,

They seek Thy love to set them free.

- Cathryne Allen 

THE MIGHTY ELIJAH RETURNS

Elijah Appearing in the Kirtland Temple by Dan Lewis

Baptisms by proxy for the dead is not a new doctrine. It was practiced well and truly in the meridian of time (1 Cor 15:29). They are performed today in the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through the power of the priesthood conferred by Elijah upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on April 3, 1836 in Kirtland Temple, Ohio (D&C 110:13-16).

In the fall and winter of 1892-1893, another temple was being prepared for the sacred work of salvation of the living and the dead. This was the Salt Lake City Temple. One worker, a volunteer like many others, recorded an experience he had whilst engaged in this work:

“About March 1893, I found myself alone in the dining room – all had gone to bed. I was sitting at the table when to my great surprise my old brother Alfred walked in, sat down opposite me at the table and smiled. I said to him (he looked so natural): “When did you arrive in Utah?” (He had lived in New Zealand and I had not heard from him in years.)

“He said: “I have just come from the Spirit World. This is not my body that you see, it is lying in the tomb. I want to tell you that when you were on your mission you told me many things about the Gospel, and the hereafter, and about the Spirit World being as real and tangible as the earth. I realized that you had told the truth. I attended the Mormon meetings. He raised his hand and said with much warmth: “I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart. I believe in faith and repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, but that is as far as I can go. I look to you to do the work for me in the temple.” 

“He continued: “You can go to any kind of sectarian meeting in the Spirit World. All our kindred there knew you were trying to make up your mind to come and work on the temple. You are watched closely, every move you make is know there, and we were glad you came. We are all looking to you as our head in this great work. I want to tell you that there are a great many spirits who weep and mourn because they have relatives in the Church here who are careless and are doing nothing for them.”  He then disappeared.” (Melvin S. Tagg, The Life of Edward James Wood, an unpublished 1959 Brigham Young University Master’s Thesis, pp 107-108)

The Jewish people still wait for Elijah to return, as Malachi promised he would (Malachi 4:5). He remains an invited guest at Jewish Passover Feasts, where an open door and a vacant seat always await him. It brings tears to my eyes because there is no need to wait for him any longer.  This became the subject of conversation between Elder LeGrand Richards and the Mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek.  Elder Richards had just dedicated the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden on the Mount of Olives.  After the ceremony, the two conversed as they ate their lunch:

Elder Richards said:  "Mayor, I want to tell you something". "What's that?" asked the Mayor.

Looking Mayor Kollek directly in the eye, the apostle said: "Ten years ago I was here in Jerusalem and one day I went into three synagogues and hanging up on the wall in one of them was a large armchair.  I asked the rabbi what it was there for (I knew but I wanted him to tell me, which he did).  He said that it was so that if Elijah comes 'we can lower the chair and let him sit in it'.  Now Mayor, I want to tell you something and what I tell you is the truth.  Elijah has already been.  On the third day of April 1836 he appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple". The Mayor said: "I guess I better tell them to take that chair down." (LeGrand Richards, Beloved Apostle, p.301)

One day in the realms of heaven, I will meet mighty Elijah, a noble man I admire so much. I will bow in adoration and thank him for his dedication to the Plan of Salvation and to the Saviour of this world.

 

ODE TO ELIJAH

You sat under the juniper tree

Sorrow spilling from

Your every memory. 

 

Valued as naught

You pleaded with God

To end your life;

But instead He gave you

Power greater than your mortal might.

 

He yielded to your words of power

And sent chariots and angels

to bring you home

In the appointed hour.

 

Dear to the heart of Him whom you served,

Your life of sacrifice and devotion

forgotten never,

Dear to our hearts in our memory,

Valued forever.

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

WILLING TO GIVE

 

All that is unspoken

And all that is unseen

All that I feel

In the depths of my soul

I long to give to Thee.

 

And all that You ask of me

And all that I am

I will place

On the altar of sacrifice

for Thee.

 

I give You my all

Because a heart

Can give no more.

 

-       CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)

HEALING IN HIS WINGS

 

Love's Redeeming Work by LDS Bookstore

When You rose from Your grave

With healing in Your wings,

Did I live on in Your heart

As you ascended to Your throne

To seal my destiny?

Did You carry us all in Your bosom

With the crucible of the cross

Forever etched in Your memory?

 

-       CATHRYNE ALLEN

 

 

 

CONSECRATION

 

The Anointed One by Joseph Brickey

I kneel before Thy throne each day

Never knowing what first to say.

Then I remember what my soul foremost needs

Is my heartfelt devotion to only Thee.

 

My thoughts, my words, my earthly deeds

I consecrate as a memorial in prayer to Thee.

I spread my heart before Thy feet,

As the Sacrificial Lamb I come to see.

 

I see You smile, I hear You say:

You are in my heart today.

The sacrifice was mine to give,

Your soul I purchased that you might live.

 

-       Cathryne Allen

 

BEING WORTHY

 

Jesus In The Garden by Pam Wenger

Did You count me amongst

Your valuable host

As we met in the councils of heaven?

Did I stand strong and ready

To defend Your godship;

To smite the enemy,

To secure Your path to my eternity?

Was I brave and willing to carry the cross

Some of the way to Calvary?

Did I weep with you in the Garden

And held You as You bore the burdens of mortality?

Did I wipe the sweat of Your brow

As I wept for You and weep even now?

Did I promise to bear Your name

Etched in my mortal heart for all to see?

Am I now worthy to carry Your sacrifice

With me into eternity?

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

SALVATION

 

I saw You today in my heart

and I wept knowing 

as more believe, the tree that bore

 Your weight keeps growing.

 

I saw the love flow from

the deepest well within Your soul –

Your salvation for us all.

 

My heart was rent knowing Your pain

And the tears You spilt on that day remain.

They are the gems I treasure in my heart…

I am one of Your many children of light.

 

-       CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Sands of Serenity by Ivan Guaderrama)