SUFFERING SATURDAY

Snippet

Our tendency in the midst of suffering is to turn on God. To get angry and bitter and shake our fist at the sky and say, "God, you don't know what it's like! You don't understand! You have no idea what I'm going through. You don't have a clue how much this hurts."

The cross is God's way of taking away all of our accusations, excuses, and arguments.

The cross is God taking on flesh and blood and saying, "Me too.” ― Rob Bell

Scripture

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions,  he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him,  and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:3-6 NIV

Song 

Were you there by Johnny Cash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ninyTdjNjJc

Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (Mmmm.)

Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (Mmmm.)

(Oh-oooo-oo-oo, sometimes it causes me to tremble,)

(Tremble, tremble, tremble) tremble.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they took him from the cross?

Were you there when they took him from the cross?

(Oh-oooo-oo-oo, sometimes it causes me to tremble,)

(Tremble, tremble, tremble) tremble.

Were you there when they took him from the cross?

(Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?)

(Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?)

(Oh-oooo-oo-oo, sometimes it causes me to tremble,)

(Tremble, tremble, tremble) tremble.

(Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?)

Find more similar lyrics on http://mp3lyrics.com/fnk

were you there when the stone was rolled away?

Were you there when the stone was rolled away?

(Oh-oooo-oo-oo, sometimes it causes me to tremble,)

(Tremble, tremble, tremble) tremble.

Were you there when the stone was rolled away.

Sentence Prayer

When I am lost and lonely,

Jesus, remember me.

When worry threatens to crush my spirit,

Jesus, remember me.

When my words wound someone I love

Jesus, remember me.

When I treat others with contempt, disdain, or worse,

Jesus, remember me.

When you come into your kingdom,

Jesus, remember me.

Welcome me Home.  Amen!

(The Abingdon Worship Annual 2011 page 98)