1. The Essence of Christ's Suffering and LoveDuring the Lenten season, we are called to meditate more deeply on the suffering of Christ. Particularly when we examine John chapters 13 through 19 during Holy Week, we discover how profoundly Christ's suffering is rooted in love. In church tradition, Lent has long been established as a time to reflect on Christ's suffering. People often associate "suffering" with curses or judgment. However, the Bible frequently emphasizes that suffering can at times be God's discipline or the path of the cross we share with Christ. In many of his sermons and teachings, Pastor David Jang has also mentioned that "suffering is a critical channel through which we can experience profound love," stressing how Christians should view and accept suffering.
Why should we understand suffering, and why do we need to meditate on it deeply rather than superficially? Scripture gives a clear answer: it teaches that suffering is not a curse but rather an expression of love. Without love, we cannot know eternal life; and if we fail to understand the love that is revealed through suffering, our faith and hope easily lose their foundation. The Apostle Paul says, "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). Faith and hope are important, but it is through love that eternal life is given to us, and the core of that love is found in the cross and suffering of Jesus Christ. Pastor David Jang has proclaimed, "The path to knowing God's love made manifest in Christ's suffering is indeed the shortcut to beholding the glory of the resurrection." In the end, eternal life-that is, life born of love-opens up to us through suffering.
However, as we look at our daily lives and the world around us, too many people dislike suffering itself, fear it, and try only to avoid it. In Korean society, there has long been a culture of avoiding the so-called 3D (Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous) jobs, and parents often go to great lengths to prevent their children from experiencing any hardship. Naturally, we should not invite unnecessary suffering, but the old saying "buy hardship while you are young" carries weight: it implies that suffering can sometimes be an essential process for our maturity. The Bible clearly speaks of the benefits learned through suffering. For example, Psalm 119:67 and 71 says, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word ... It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes." In Romans 5:3 and the following verses, the Apostle Paul explains in detail how suffering shapes our character and our faith: "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
Pastor David Jang often cites Romans chapter 5 in his sermons. He advises us on how we should respond to tribulations and suffering, saying, "When you enter the tunnel of suffering, walk with the Lord's love. Do not think you are going through it alone; remember that God does not give a burden that you cannot bear." This is not just a passive exhortation to "endure suffering," but a compelling message that shows how suffering itself can be a pathway to a new life and the hope of resurrection.
The Bible also declares, "Suffer with Christ" (Philippians 1:29), "Share in suffering for the gospel" (2 Timothy 1:8), and "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:3). Furthermore, "If when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God ... For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example" (1 Peter 2:20-21). In other words, suffering is emphasized as the way to become more like Christ, following in His footsteps. The apostles did not teach people to flee from suffering; instead, they taught that suffering "fills up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions" (Colossians 1:24). Likewise, Pastor David Jang, based on these passages, often remarks, "All forms of suffering in each of our lives can be used as instruments for expanding God's love. The key question is where we direct our gaze."
Nevertheless, if we look at reality, even in today's church, there are times when people seem to regard a Christian life without suffering as the mark of true faith. Some still see a person's suffering as the curse or judgment of God. Of course, it is foolish to bring about pointless suffering upon oneself. Yet the Bible teaches that if we are Christians, we should experience the love of Christ by participating in His suffering. When the church denies suffering and tries to present the gospel only as "freedom from hardship," faith becomes shallow and love remains superficial. In reality, we see that even within the church, if something just slightly difficult happens, people easily turn away or complain. This prompts us to reflect on whether the crimson love of Christ, the profound sacrificial and dedicated love revealed through suffering, is truly alive in us.
Pastor David Jang has pointed to the church's lack of teaching on "the suffering of the cross" as one of the primary reasons for what he calls the church's "levity" and "shallowness." Christ's suffering is not merely about God's judgment or legal punishment; it is the most dramatic expression of God's love confronting human sin. He states, "Suffering is a testing ground where one can realize genuine love." He urges that the church must not forget that when this aspect is reclaimed-when we restore the right understanding and teaching on suffering-the genuine power of resurrection appears. We should move beyond a simplistic viewpoint that interprets Jesus' suffering merely in terms of personal guilt or punishment, and together experience the profound impact of the sacrifice on the cross and the glory of the resurrection that bears fruit through that sacrifice.
In John 13:1, as it describes the point where Christ's suffering begins in earnest, we read, "Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." The Gospel of John recounts Jesus' passion narrative in more detail than the other Gospels. Chapters 13 to 16 contain Jesus' lengthy Farewell Discourse, chapter 17 is His High Priestly Prayer, and from chapter 18 onward, the actual passion events unfold. But at the very starting point of all this suffering, John highlights the word "love": "He loved them to the end." In some sense, love can be our greatest source of suffering, because walking in love often requires us to be prepared for hardship.
In Buddhist teachings, there is a notion that "Love not, for attachment (愛) is suffering (苦)." They arrive at this conclusion from the perspective that love leads to attachment. However, the Christian perspective differs. The cruel death on the cross was undoubtedly the most intense suffering for Jesus, but it was simultaneously the greatest act of love. Hence, we are not merely spectators of Christ's suffering; we are called to "participate" in His suffering. As the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:10-11, there is a path before us that leads to the resurrection when we share in Christ's sufferings and know the power of His resurrection.
When we find ourselves in hardship, our human nature often makes it difficult to pay attention to others. In that situation, love seems like a luxury, and we are prone to self-pity and self-centered thinking. However, Jesus loved His disciples to the very end, even in the final moments overshadowed by death (John 13:1). This reveals that "the more difficult the circumstances, the more love for others is needed." Pastor David Jang frequently references this passage, particularly emphasizing the phrase "Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, but He loved His own to the end." He explains that from a human perspective, this seems unimaginable, yet that is exactly where we see the zenith of agape love.
To gain a deeper understanding of John 13, many people also turn to Matthew 20 and Luke 22. These chapters record instances where the disciples squabbled about who would be served or who was the greatest, which connects directly to the foot-washing incident in John 13. In Matthew 20:20-23, the mother of the sons of Zebedee comes to Jesus, asking Him to grant that her two sons sit one on His right hand and one on His left in His kingdom. Jesus essentially responds by saying that such positions are not simply "given" but must be "obtained," and He asks if they are ready to drink the cup He is about to drink.
In this scene, the other ten disciples become indignant at the two brothers (Matthew 20:24). They may have been outraged by their "arrogance" in seeking such high positions. Yet Jesus points out that this is the way of worldly rulers and that His disciples should not follow such worldly patterns. He says, "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant" (Matthew 20:25-27). Then He declares, "Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28), revealing that His entire life was one of service. When Pastor David Jang discusses this passage, he states, "The only one whose words and actions regarding service were perfectly united is Jesus Christ. The moment our love remains only on our lips, we have already strayed from the way of the cross."
In Luke 22:14-15, as Jesus prepares the Last Supper, He says, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." Even at that meal, a dispute arises among the disciples about who is the greatest (Luke 22:24). Luke straightforwardly records, "A dispute also arose among them." Historically, this becomes the backdrop for Jesus washing the disciples' feet in John 13. Pastor David Jang notes, "Even though the disciples were close to the Lord, they still desired positions of honor from a worldly perspective. Instead of rebuking them harshly and giving up on them, Jesus used the extreme form of love-washing their feet-to teach them about service."
Toward the end of the meal, Jesus takes bread and wine and gives it to His disciples, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19). Concerning the wine, He says, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:27-28). These are symbols foreshadowing the profound meaning of His sacrifice on the cross. Yet even after Jesus speaks these words, the disciples continue to argue about who is the greatest. This scene blatantly exposes the sinfulness and foolishness of humanity while simultaneously accentuating the unwavering, extreme love of Jesus, who continues to love them "to the very end."Pastor David Jang describes the deeper truth behind the disciples' quarrel: "Ultimately, human sinfulness reveals itself at the final moment, even when God's love is shown in the most dramatic way. However, the light that overcomes that darkness is the Lord's act of service. That service reaches its completion through the suffering of Christ." In this sense, suffering functions as a "measure" of love. Suffering both discerns whether love is genuine and refines that love, deepening it.
Instead of merely scolding the disciples for quarreling, Jesus quietly takes off His outer garments, wraps a towel around His waist, pours water into a basin, and begins to wash their feet (John 13:4-5). In Palestine at that time, the roads were dusty, and people typically wore sandals similar to those we have today. Because people mostly lived in near-barefoot conditions, their feet became very dirty after a day of working outside. In a wealthy household, servants would wash the feet of the host's guests, but here, the Master Himself washes the feet of His disciples. The disciples assumed they were in a position to be served, yet Jesus, who was their Lord, lowered Himself to the status of a servant to serve them.This act reveals true love-He "loved them to the end." Today's church must recover precisely this kind of love, characterized by humility. Quoting this passage, Pastor David Jang laments how Christians often talk about "love" superficially but fail to practice anything akin to washing each other's feet. Instead, they end up competing for recognition or regard within the church, seeking to be affirmed as more "spiritual." True love does not depend on the other person's response or attitude; it remains committed to the very end. That is the essence of love flowing from Christ's suffering.
Service is never easy, for love invites suffering. When Jesus washed the disciples' feet, they must have felt both shame and enlightenment. Thus He said, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet" (John 13:14). Service is the practical expression of love; anyone who desires greatness in Christ must humble themselves and become a servant. We must reinterpret our Christian life from this perspective. Any believer might desire comfort, recognition, and honor, but at such moments, we should remember Jesus' suffering and service demonstrated on the cross. Pastor David Jang emphasizes, "If we truly yearn for love that aligns with the heart of the Lord, we must walk the path of service, the path of humility. The moment we evade suffering, love also drifts away."
In this way, suffering proves love, and love is perfected in suffering. The foot-washing scene in John 13 ultimately points to the love of the cross. The cross was an event of cosmic suffering and cosmic love. And Scripture calls us to "share in this suffering." When the church teaches about suffering, it becomes a community that practices not shallow, superficial love but profound, sacrificial love. In doing so, the church will eventually experience the glorious resurrection in Christ and display its true value to the world.
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2. A Faith That Participates in Suffering and the Renewal of the Church
In our journey of faith, to participate in Christ's suffering means to take up our cross with Him. Superficially, this seems very painful and difficult. Yet paradoxically, it leads to true freedom and joy. In Philippians 3:10-11, Paul confesses, "I want to know Christ-yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow attaining to the resurrection from the dead." It is striking that he mentions "the power of his resurrection" and "participation in his sufferings" in the same breath. It means that the power of the resurrection is not a separate event removed from Christ's suffering but is experienced more concretely precisely through our participation in suffering.
Throughout church history, countless believers have walked this path without fearing suffering, convinced of the spiritual benefits and resurrection power gained therein. The history of martyrdom powerfully shows us the ultimate fruit of suffering. Those martyrs never sought pain for its own sake or glorified death. Rather, they proved that for the sake of the gospel, they feared no tribulation. In Colossians 1:24, Paul says, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church." This confession reveals that serving the church often entails unavoidable suffering.
Pastor David Jang emphasizes that this theology of suffering plays a decisive role not only in personal spirituality but also in the renewal of the church. "If the church shuns suffering, closes its eyes to pain, and refuses to bear the weight of life, it will fail to testify to the cross in this world. If the church truly aims to be the salt and light in society, it must boldly walk the narrow way Jesus spoke of," he teaches. The more the church compromises with the world and avoids suffering, the more it loses its spiritual power. Therefore, how we approach suffering is not just an individual matter of faith; it reflects directly on the state of the church.
When we say the church should display the love of Jesus Christ in the world, it must be manifested in tangible ways. We face conflicts when we share the gospel; we encounter friction when we stand against worldly values that contradict Jesus' teachings; we may face opposition or disadvantage when we strive to do good works. These are examples of the "small crosses" we inevitably bear in our workplaces, families, or society as we attempt to live according to the Spirit of Christ. If we do not reject but willingly carry these crosses, in a sense we are participating in the sufferings of Jesus-and in turn, we experience the "power of the resurrection" along that path.
In John 13, the foot-washing event goes beyond simple etiquette or a moral lesson; it carries deep symbolism. By washing the disciples' feet, Jesus said, "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you" (John 13:15). Thus, the practice of serving one another-washing one another's feet-should spread within the church community. If arguments and rivalries about who is more important arise in the church, that is simply a replay of the disciples' error at the Last Supper. Yet we must follow the path Jesus showed us. The principle that the one who humbles themselves first is ultimately the greatest should become established in the church. Only when the eschatological reversal of values permeates the church do we witness genuine revival.
Hence, hoping for glory without suffering or demanding only peace and prosperity is essentially a stance that departs from the essence of the gospel. Scripture tells us, "Enter through the narrow gate" (Matthew 7:13). The wide gate and easy way lead to destruction. This narrow gate and path inevitably involve sacrifice and hardship. Consequently, the disciples initially fled when faced with the path of the cross, but once they understood its meaning through the power of the Holy Spirit, they willingly faced martyrdom. They realized the honor and value of participating in Christ's suffering.
However, within many churches and among many believers today, the influences of "prosperity theology" or "success theology" remain strong, often relegating suffering to a purely negative category. People tend to see blessings only as good fortune, success, health, and wealth, while dismissing struggles or difficulties as not being blessed. Yet the Bible repeatedly shows that God's blessing can manifest itself just as powerfully in the midst of suffering. The story of Job in the Old Testament demonstrates restoration and multiplied blessings for a man who trusts God even in extreme trials, and countless passages-especially in the Psalms-testify that we come to know God more deeply through affliction.Pastor David Jang often says, "Suffering itself is never pleasant or sweet, but our perspective changes when we see it as an occasion for spiritual maturity and resurrection. It becomes another opportunity for us to understand the heart of our Lord." Thus, when the church properly teaches about suffering, believers develop an unshakable faith that is deeply rooted in the Lord, a hope firmly established in Him, and a spiritual maturity that does not abandon love under any circumstances. Such a gathering of believers will be seen by the world not as a 'lightweight body' but as a community that is serious and holy.
The narrative of Jesus' suffering that begins at John 13:1 is summarized by the statement that He "loved them to the end." That implies He loved them to the final moment and in an absolute way that nothing could disrupt. When we practice that love in our lives, both within the church and out in the world, the fragrance of Jesus will spread. The Holy Spirit constantly empowers us not to fear love-inspired suffering.
Moreover, the renewal of the church is directly tied to how deeply "a faith that participates in suffering" takes root within its community life. If a church is rife with strife, division, misunderstandings, and conflicts, with believers too busy seeking self-promotion rather than service, it is already the result of avoiding suffering and letting love grow cold. In numerous sermons, Pastor David Jang has urged, "Do not stray from the path of the cross. Though that path may be lonely and difficult, in the power of the Holy Spirit you will find freedom and peace." Whether in our communal church life or individual pursuits, our attitude toward suffering is essentially our attitude toward love. The two are inseparably linked.Ultimately, if the church truly wants to taste the glory of the resurrection, it must be a community that not only witnesses the sufferings of the cross from a distance but also participates in them. We must remember Jesus' example in washing the disciples' feet, and we must learn in small, practical ways to wash one another's feet as well. This is not merely about rituals or ceremonies inside the church building. It becomes concrete in our daily lives-at home, at work, and in broader society-where we serve those who are weak or suffering, set aside our comfort, and sometimes bear misunderstanding or loss while standing for truth. It is never an easy path. Yet this is precisely the real testimony of the church, and the holy influence the world desperately needs.
By reflecting carefully on John 13 and the subsequent chapters, we see repeated emphasis on Jesus, who "loved them to the end." By chapter 17, Jesus prays His High Priestly Prayer, asking that the disciples might remain holy even while staying in the world (John 17:15-17). That plea is that they might experience a joy the world cannot give and live as witnesses of Christ in the midst of society. For that to be possible, we must remain unshaken in the love of Christ, no matter the suffering that comes our way.
Pastor David Jang teaches that we must cling to Jesus' words in John 16:33: "In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." According to him, the command to "take heart" is not mere bravado. It is the peaceful confidence that rests on the knowledge that Christ has already overcome suffering and death. Even as we undergo trials, we remain unshaken because Jesus has already won. This is the boldness the gospel grants us, and the church is the community sent into the world with that boldness. The greatest mark of that boldness is "loving to the very end" with an attitude of service.
Suffering that arises from love is the clearest expression of the life of Jesus. Jesus chose the path of suffering out of His immense love for us. The same principle applies within the church. If we profess love for one another, that love must go beyond words and manifest itself through concrete actions of sacrifice and humility. Though it brings suffering, it ultimately reveals the glory of our Lord.
In conclusion, participating in Christ's suffering leads us onto the path of genuine love and renews the church from a superficial religious organization into the true community of God. Pastor David Jang calls this theology of suffering "the channel that brings us closer to Jesus," emphasizing that "the deeper the suffering, the more clearly Christ's love emerges, and our faith gains new strength to share in the glory of the resurrection." This is why during Lent-indeed, throughout our lifelong journey of faith-we should read John chapters 13 through 19 carefully, realizing how Christ's profound love was revealed through unimaginable suffering. And we should resolve to emulate His service, which carried Him all the way to the cross without turning back.
Jesus, who washed His disciples' feet and never gave up on loving them from the cross, still speaks to the church today: "I have loved you to the very end. Now you, too, wash one another's feet. Go out into the world, do not avoid suffering, and choose love." As we recover this serious, unfeigned love shaped by suffering, the church will once again rise up, and the world will rediscover the power of the gospel. And at the end of this path awaits the glory of the resurrection.
This is the key truth we must hold onto during Lent-and indeed all our lives-and it is also the message that Pastor David Jang repeatedly underscores. Only when we truly understand that "there is no cross without suffering and no resurrection without the cross" will the church regain the power and inspiration enjoyed by the early believers. And in our personal lives, when we participate in Christ's sufferings, we will tangibly experience just how powerful love can be.
