THE VALLEY OF BACA
THE VALLEY OF TEARS AND SUFFERING
Psalm 84

OUR COMPANION IN OUR SUFFERING - OUR SYMPATHETIC SAVIOUR

Hebrews 4:15

Introduction: What a promise that we find in this verse! It points to the fact that we have a sympathetic Saviour. This truth is seen in much of the accounts of the life of our Lord Jesus.

Some people try to say that we are so valuable to God that is the reason why He loves. Nothing is further from the truth. There is no reason why we should feel that we are valuable to God. Martin Luther said the reason we are loved by God is only what makes us valuable.

It would take hours to show all of the accounts in which our Saviour shows that He was and still is the Sympathetic Saviour. The writer of Hebrews, which I believe is Paul, records these precious words also in this book. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:7)

This message is the final about the valley of Baca. This is the valley of tears and suffering. We looked at many issues in regards to suffering. We saw the causes of suffering. Some suffering that we as believers go through are preventable because we sinned. Some suffering that we go through is for the glory of God.

Then we looked at the consequences of suffering. There are times we become biting when we suffer. Other times we become bitter. But the consequence that brings glory to the Lord is the times when we become better because we become more like the Lord Jesus.

To become better, we have to go through a construction program. It is designed with one goal in mind and that is that we become like the Lord Jesus. Most of us are unfinished works or works in progress. Our Lord is the master potter. The way that vessels are made in the shape that they are in is that pressure is applied. If you want to see the finished product, read through the book of 1st Peter again and it shows the results of suffering.

Then we saw the critics in our suffering. We took a very quick trip in the book of Job. His three friends came and stayed. They did not comfort. They were critical of Job and tried to find fault and sin in his life when we know that this came from the hand of our good hand of our Lord. Isn’t funny that when we are suffering that is because we have sin in our lives and when others are suffering it is a trial from the Lord?

In the last message, we saw some truths on how to be a comforter. Let me highlight this quick and move forward with today’s message. We have many God given tools in our arsenal to be comforters. We have our Bible. We have prayer. We have our songbook. We have the touch our hand. All of these are given by the Lord to be used for His glory and honor.

Let's look at “Our companion in our suffering- Our Sympathetic Saviour”! I will not be able to read the entire passages of scripture for time’s sake but I will make reference to them.

I. JESUS IS SEEN AS THE SYMPATHETIC SAVIOUR IN THE TRAGEDY OF THE BEREAVEMENT OF DEATH AND HE IS OUR COMPANION IN THE SAME.

A. Why is death here? The sin of Adam plunged mankind into death.

Romans 5:12

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”

Death is a valley that all will have to go through one day.

Hebrews 9:27

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

Death is the reality of nondiscrimination. Death knows no color, race, sex or age. He is there because Adam sinned and plunged man into his realm.

B. Who in the New Testament knows that we have a sympathetic Saviour in regards to death?

1. Jairus and his daughter Mark 5:22-24; 35-42

“And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.” “While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.”

One of the most precious commodities that we have is our children. This man had a sick daughter. She is dying. I know that if Jairus could, he would trade places with his child. Since he could not, he did the best thing he could. He went to the Lord Jesus. As Jesus was coming to his house, his daughter died. But this is not any ordinary doctor; this is the Great Physician.

One of the most ironic parts of this whole account is the crowd at the house. They are mourning one minute and laughing to scorn the Lord Jesus. That is fickled.

But our Sympathetic Saviour told her by the hand and she was alive. He understood the pain of the parents.

2. Mary, Martha and Lazarus John 11

Jesus is sent a message that his friend Lazarus was sick. His friends, Mary and Martha knew Jesus could heal Lazarus. But Jesus delayed His arrival. When His disciples asked about this, Jesus told them that Lazarus was died. Then Jesus came to Bethany. When Jesus came nigh Bethany, Martha came unto Him. She wanted to know why Jesus did not come sooner. But He reminded her that He was the Resurrection.

Later Mary comes unto Him. She falls at His feet. She is weeping and crying over the death of her beloved brother. Then we have recorded the shortest verse in the Bible. John 11:35

“Jesus wept.”

Our Sympathetic Saviour started to show His care for his friends. Mary is feels something running down her face that was falling above her. She looks up and she sees that One who had moved into her Bethany and business was about to pick up.

Jesus calls for Lazarus to come forth. If He had said to come forth without calling Lazarus’ name, the whole graveyard would have come forth. He is touch by the feeling of our infirmities.

3. Widow’s son Luke 7:11-15

“And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.”

The Sympathetic Saviour broke up this funeral. Maybe He thought ahead to his mother’s pain. He felt the pain of her infirmity. He touched just the casket. The boy sat up. The family is reunited.

Let me say this. One-day old man Death will not have a hold on us no longer. We will be taken out of here by the way of the rapture. Then Christ will reunite families who are saved.

II. JESUS IS SEEN AS THAT SYMPATHETIC SAVIOUR IN THE TIMES OF THOSE WHO ARE BROUGHT LOW BY DISEASE AND HE IS OUR COMPANION IN THE SAME.

A. Woman with the issue of Blood

Mark 5:25-34

“And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”

He knew her problem. If she lived today, she would have had a hysterectomy. But she lived in that day. She went to every doctor she knew. She spent all that she had. She is at the end of her rope. That is where Jesus needed her to be. There is an unscriptural saying that has been around for years. It goes like this. God helps them who help themselves. That is not true. If you can help yourself, then why do you need God? God helps them who cannot help themselves. This is just one of the many cases found in the Bible. Sin brought sickness. Sickness brings death. But our Saviour brings peace regardless whether or not He brings healing. He brought healing here though.

B. Blind Bartimaeus Mark 10:46-52

“And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

It was a good possible that Bartimaeus was blind from birth. How ever long that he had blind, he was ready for the Lord to help him. That is exactly how each of us was before Jesus came and gives us light and life. Jesus feels our infirmity and heals our spiritual blindness.

C. Leper Mark 1:40-42

“And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.”

Leprosy was a disease that loathsome. Its sores ran and smelled terrible. It was also contagious. To be touched by a leper would condemn a person to a life of solitary and pain. But the Master came by. He did two things. He touched him. He also spoke. Either was sufficient. I have always loved this passage. Those words “as soon as he had spoken, immediately” show the transformation that only the Sympathetic Saviour could bring.

III. JESUS IS SEEN AS THE SYMPATHETIC SAVIOUR IN THE TYING OF THOSE WHO ARE BOUND BY THE DEVIL AND HE IS OUR COMPANION IN THE SAME.

As with the other portions of this message, it is hard to pick accounts. One is plain and the other is not.

A. Maniac of Gardara Mark 5:1-19

This man was bound by the devil. However or whenever is not important. The important part is that he came to Jesus for help. He lived in the graveyard. He did not wear any clothes. No man or nothing could hold him. But when Jesus came by, the sympathetic Saviour changed his life.

2nd Corinthians 5:17

He was suited, sane and sitting at the feet of Jesus.

B. Mary Magdalene Mark 16:9

“Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.”

We know even less of what brought Mary Magdalene under the binding of the devil. But we know her life was changed when the Sympathetic Saviour came by.

Conclusion: As I was trying to think how to conclude this, I was flipping through an old Bible and this passage came to light. I think that it is fitting end when we think of our companion in our suffering our Sympathetic Saviour. Revelation 4:9-11

“And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

He is worthy to be praised as our Sympathetic Saviour. He alone is worthy. He can and does help those who need help. He is our Sympathetic Saviour. He feels our infirmities.

If you have never been saved, you need this Sympathetic Saviour to be your Saviour.

Pastor Mike Walls
Sermonsharing