Jesus’ example of self-sacrifice is important for Christians, because we know that God must love us so much, for he gave up a part of himself, to draw us back to him. Christians believe that Jesus sacrificed himself because he could not stop preaching about the Kingdom of God and could not stop healing and helping others. He sacrificed himself so other people could have eternal life with God. To follow Jesus’ example, Christians, should put themselves last and others first. They should preach and care, for others, no matter what. Also, because we know that , Jesus is completely God and complete man (human and divine) that Jesus could have stopped this happening, but to have done so would have meant stopping his mission and message to mankind. This shows Christians today, that to spread the message, you need determination but that Jesus will be with us through it. Jesus was human and divine, so his sacrifice was accepted. Christians celebrate Jesus’ self-sacrifice, by the Holy Communion, which is where they can experience the presence of Jesus with them, and they can remember, and give thanks for his death and self-sacrifice.
Jesus’ example of suffering, as presented in Mark’s gospel, mostly started when Jesus was baptised (Mk 1:9-11). As soon as Jesus came out of the water, he saw, the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. There was a voice from heaven “You are my own dear son, the beloved, my favour rests on you.” This was the experience that commenced Jesus’ mission. The words from heaven claim that Jesus is God’s servant for God is pleased with him. These words, also, indicate the type of Messiah Jesus was to be. He was to be a servant. This is based on the Suffering Servant songs of Isaiah (52:13; 42:1). But the servant in Isaiah’s mind has a difficult task: he is to suffer for other people. Nowadays, in some countries in Asia, Girls who are raped and become pregnant, who then decide to have an abortion are sent to jail because it is illegal to have an abortion. They suffer for what someone else did. But Jesus had the choice to suffer or not. For Christians, they believe that, the baptism joins the baptised spiritually to Christ.Baptism is the beginning of a Christian’s mission and those who receive it acquire responsibilities to live as a Christian by avoiding sin and living in love and justice.
Another story, in Mark’s gospel, that show suffering is in the garden of Gethsemene (Mk 14:32-42). Jesus told his disciples that his heart was breaking with grief. He asked for the ‘cup’ to be taken away from him . The cup stands for suffering and death. This story reveals that the events about to take place are not easy for him to contemplate. Yet, he knows, he must do his fathers will. Jesus is now fully prepared to suffer and die. This story conveys a feeling of absolute horror and suffering .
This passage shows us, what is expected of Christian disciples: they are expected to follow God’s will, even if this means death. The key verse to how Christians see Jesus’ suffering and death is Mk 8:31. We, as Christians, believe that Jesus’ death was inevitable. Even though we see the suffering as an experience we all go through, we also see that he had to suffer opposition, rejection, hatred and death because of who he was and what he taught. This helps Christians, because they know that, whenever they are feeling that they cannot cope, they know that Jesus will be there for them and will understand them because he has suffered like them and more. Christians believe that Jesus did not slip away from the cross because he was obedient to what God wanted from him. This obedience resulted in death because of the wickedness or sin of humanity.
Jesus’ death, as presented in Mark’s gospel, is the central part of the Good News. For Christians, there are many ways of seeing Jesus’ death. One way is they see his death as a ‘Ransom’. Mark talks about Jesus giving… ‘His life as a ransom for many’ (10:45). This word means a ‘belonging to God’. Christians claim that God showed such a great love for people, that he even allowed Jesus to die on the cross in order that his love might persuade them to return and belong once more to him.
Another way that Christians believe in, is the same as that of Jesus, who saw himself as a ‘sacrifice’ that signed a new covenant. We know this from the Last Supper (14:22-26) when Jesus says “Eat this bread, this is my body. Drink this wine, this is my blood.” His blood left a new covenant to sign. In the Old Testament they used to sacrifice lambs as an offering to God. Jesus was then called the ‘Lamb of God’. At the Last Supper, Jesus is inviting his disciples, to share this covenant with him. This is important for Christians because, every time they go to a Eucharist, they pledge themselves to him; they re-covenant with him.
Jesus’ death broke the power of sin and evil. Jesus then rose to a new life, which could never die. Jesus shares his risen life with Christians. When they are baptised in his name they receive his risen life.
Jesus’ resurrection, as presented in Mark’s gospel, is central to the belief in Christianity and is the reason that Christianity came into existence in the first place. In the light of the resurrection, Christians, see that victory has triumphed over death. Just as God freed the slaves from their captivity in Egypt at the time of Moses, so through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God frees people from the slavery of sin and evil. Humanity is now united to God, even if some people are not sure about the Good News.
For Christians today, they know that their Lord is alive, and that they can talk to him. Christians know that they are forgiven because Jesus died for their sins and that also because we are in the land of the dying, on our way to the land of the living, that death is not the end. They believe in life after death. From Mark’s gospel, we know that his readers lived in the time of the resurrection. They suffered persecution in the name of Jesus. They longed for the Second Coming of Jesus, when suffering, would be no more. Mark writes encouragement for them to prepare them for the moment when “they will see the son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”(13:26). This is why Mark’s account of the resurrection has different endings. There is no historical evidence for the resurrection other than the fact that the disciples believed it happened. Nobody witnessed the resurrection itself, yet the Christian faith stands or falls with the resurrection. As Paul says in his first letter to the church at Corinth: “If there be no resurrection, then Christ was not raised; and if Christ was not raised, then our gospel is void and null, and so is your faith.” (1 Corinthians 15:73)
Jesus’ example of self-sacrifice and his suffering, death and resurrection, as presented in Mark’s gospel, are important for Christians. The way we see Jesus through these times, is why we believe, we can see the eternal God through Jesus as we see him in no other place. We should follow his openness and compassion (to suffer along side) and be there for others as he will always be there for us, because he had been through it all too!
By Sophie Birkett
Bibliography
- The life and teaching of Jesus – James and Audrey Bentley
- Saint Mark – D.E Nineham
- GCSE Religious studies
- The Bible
- Mr Poor – Reverend of the Shepshed Methodist Church
