Christ shows the disciples his wounds. Even in his resurrected body he carries the scars of sacrifice and atonement for our sin; the signs of his suffering. Charles Spurgeon wrestled with the question “what does Christ mean by showing to us his hands and feet?” in his sermon “The Wounds of Jesus” and concluded: “He means this that suffering is absolutely necessary. Christ is the head, and his people are the members. If suffering could have been avoided, surely our glorious Head ought to have escaped; but inasmuch as he shows us his wounds, it is to tell us, that we shall have wounds too.”

We live in a culture that is all about the avoidance of suffering and the minimization of pain. Suffering avoidance (physical, emotional, spiritual) can easily become a pursuit of selfish protection that does not emulate the life of Jesus, where comfort is our God and anything that might impinge on that is pushed aside or rushed through. Biblically, Christ suffered in many ways and embraced it as part of his life, calling, and mission. Real men expect suffering as imitators of Jesus.

The teaching audio from our second gathering of Real Men (entitled “The WOUNDS”) is available HERE (right-click and choose “save as” to download) or press PLAY AUDIO below to listen.

For the first Real Men teaching – The WAR – click HERE.

For more MHC | Lake City Sermon and Teaching material, check out the media library.