Enduring Shame

What is enduring shame?
It is suffering a humiliating circumstance; it is being made lower in the eyes of others; it is being a curse to people; it is being seen as a good-for-nothing, a lowlife, an outcast, a hated-one, a reject, a despised one. It is being one who people think is worthy of disrespect, worthy of insults, worthy of beatings, worthy of mocking, worthy of derision, worthy of betrayal, worthy of punishment, worthy of death.

Mark 15:1-40
The shame of Jesus on the cross
• Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples.
• He was convicted, yet innocent.
• He was condemned, not by one person, but a crowd.
• He was mocked.
• He was beaten.
• He was unable to bear his own cross.
• He was crucified—hung in public as a criminal.
• He was associated with robbers—political thugs.
• He was publicly mocked as a false prophet, a liar and a weakling.
• He was publicly insulted.
• His prayer was ignored by God and misunderstood by the crowd.
• None of his friends would stand with him.

Hebrews 12:2
Jesus endured the cross.
He hated the shame, despised it, but he endured it.
He took on the shame for our sakes.

Mark 8:31-38
The shame of Jesus is what we should carry, too.
Jesus told us not to be ashamed of the shame that he bore and the shame we are to bear for him.
If we are ashamed of the shame of Jesus, we will be shamed on the final day.

I Corinthians 1:17-31
What is foolish about the gospel of Jesus?
• To be hung on the cross is the ultimate act of shame.
• To be shamed means that one is unfit to be the leader or authority of anyone.
• But Christians hold to a belief of the one who was most shamed is the most exalted by God.
• Followers of Jesus not only believe in him, but participate in Jesus’ shameful acts.
The gospel is opposed to worldly “wisdom”—it just doesn’t make sense!



Actions of Shame-bearing

Allowing people to deride you, despise you, reject you, separate themselves from you.
Saying nothing when people insult or humiliate you.
Crying to God alone in your shame.
Looking for no help from man-made substances to endure shame.
Waiting for God alone to vindicate you.
Martyrdom.


How the World wants to get things done

Through the political process
Through war.
Through violence.
Through hostility—yelling, “getting in people’s face”.
Through manipulation.
Through persecution.
Through taking away people’s food, shelter, warmth.
Through sending bills and adding up fines.
Through legal action.
Through stealing.
Through protesting.
Through buying and selling.
Through compromise.
Through coaxing.

The way of the cross is to speak the truth in love and to endure the shame. This is what the world cannot understand and it never will.