The cross where Christ died (and rose again) demonstrates the overwhelming love of God for sinners, as well as the horrible grief and suffering this entailed. As we read in this ever so familiar passage: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). There we see the love and suffering fully combined. There are millions of words that have been uttered on all this. Here I simply want to offer thoughts from two famous preachers – one older and one newer.

Yesterday I wrote about how love and suffering of necessity go together. I mentioned that God’s love for us is a suffering love and a costly love. No one has loved more – and suffered more. And he did it for us. While we were still rebels shaking our fists at God, he sent his only son to die a cruel death for us that we might be reconciled to him.

The cross where Christ died (and rose again) demonstrates the overwhelming love of God for sinners, as well as the horrible grief and suffering this entailed. As we read in this ever so familiar passage: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). There we see the love and suffering fully combined.

There are millions of words that have been uttered on all this. Here I simply want to offer thoughts from two famous preachers – one older and one newer. The first is from the great English preacher Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892). The sermon is called “God’s Memorial Of His People” and is based on Isaiah 49:16: “Behold I have engraved you upon the palms of My hands.” He says in part:

The next word I shall give you after this one of personal is painful. I have engraved you on the palms of My hands.” I may be permitted to illustrate this by our Savior’s hands. What are these wounds in Your hands, these sacred stigmata, these ensigns of suffering? The engraver’s tool was the nail, backed by the hammer. He must be fastened to the Cross, that His people might be truly engraved on the palms of His hands. There is much consolation here. We know that what a man has won with great pain, he will keep with great tenacity. Old Jacob valued much that portion which he took out of the hand of the Amorite with the sword and with the bow, and so truly does Christ value that which He has conquered at great expense! Child of God, you cost Christ too much for Him to forget you! He recollects every pang He suffered in Gethsemane, and every groan that He uttered for you upon the Cross. The engraving upon His hands brings to His recollection the redemption price which He paid down that you might be set free! Oh, what better ground can you have for believing that Christ remembers you than this—that He loved you and gave Himself for you? Treasure up that thought.

The other word is practical. “I have engraved you upon the palms of My hands.” As much as if God would say, “I can do nothing without remembering My people.” If He creates the world, it is with the hand that has His people engraved on it. If He puts forth His hand to uphold all things, that upholding hand upholds His saints. With His left hand He smites the wicked. But He cannot smite His people, for He sees them in the palm of that very hand! All that God does has an eye to His people. When He divided the nations, He divided them according to the number of the children of Israel. The world stands for their sake—’tis but a stage for the display of His Grace to them. And when the number of His elect is accomplished, He will take it all down and put it away.

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