Now let’s consider what Jesus’ death has to do with our depression.
No one understands our depression more than Jesus.
On the cross, the sun turned completely dark, it was “darkness at midday” (Amos 8:9). Jesus, the “Light of the World” (John 8:12) was dying, and God was blotting out the sun at the same time. Jesus was enveloped in physical darkness and as God put our sins on His Son, He was swallowed up in spiritual darkness.
Christ suffered through the utter darkness of His soul. After He died as payment for our sins, a Roman soldier stabbed a spear into Jesus’ side, splitting open His heart. “One of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water” (John 19:34 NIV) so that the saying “He died of a broken heart” was literally true. This was foretold in the Old Testament which says, “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me” (Psalm 22:14 NIV). Jesus’ heart had melted within Him; and so when He was stabbed, it came out as blood and water.
Rob writes, “Thank you for this beautiful picture, I'm crying yet again with tears of joy and amazement that he lifted me out of that deadly black hole and entered it for me.”
So it was through Jesus’ heart being broken and pierced, as He hung on the cross, that He heals and mends our broken hearts making them whole and healthy.
He heals our broken hearts through His broken heart.
Please notice this passage of Scripture and answer the questions below:
“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”
Isaiah 53:4-5 NIV
Question 3. From Isaiah 53:4-5 quoted above, how are we healed?
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Paulina writes, "His punishment brought us peace Every beating signalled our victory. He can wash and cleanse our heart and cut out the root of depression. When we consider him we build courage and acknowledge the healing of our wounds. All transgressions were nailed to the cross. pardoned.
We are healed by Jesus’ wounds, that is, at the cross. And therefore, the purpose of this course is to take us to the cross, to gaze on our Perfect Sacrifice, to see and experience the love flowing from Him to us so that our hearts might be healed and become whole. The purpose of this course is for you to find healing for your heart as well as freedom from depression (which is the subject of the next lesson).
Oh, yes, the cross of Jesus does indeed heal. If you had seen me years ago, living under the cloud of darkness, feeling so entirely hopeless, the fog of despair setting in so heavy around me, you’d have thought something was really wrong with me, and you’d be right. My wife will tell you that she wondered if I would make it out, I was in such bad shape.
But the gospel! Oh, the love of Jesus Christ as shown to us at the cross! It has changed me at the core of my very being! This gospel is powerful enough to change our hearts, set us free from depression and fill us with joy. Jesus came to heal our hurting hearts, take off the spirit of heaviness and despair and put on us the clothing of praise and worship. I believe you will experience Him doing this as you continue on in this study.
Question 4. Is the above statement what you are looking for as you spend time with us in this Bible study? That of having your heart healed, being set free from depression and experiencing real praise and worship? Please explain here:
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Marie-Louise shares, "...The work is starting in my heart. I can feel it. Because the negative thoughts are getting less.. I slept last night 10 hours. I didn't experienced that for months!!"
Harris writes, "Yes this is what I am looking for to happened in my life. I desire a life that is clothed with praise and worship to the King. An Attitude that is praise for His grace."
Tori writes, "1000%, the joy, peace and fruits of the Spirit Jesus has gifted us through his death, I truly want to experience this. I am tired of the cloak of despair, I ask God to remove it and take me into the life Jesus died for us to have. I feel it already deep in my heart."
Raph writes, "... I desperately need a healing at this time of my life. I life which is so messed up that I never stop asking myself what I should do (a male of 40, no wife, no kids, no projects, lost my job and no more strength to find one, not knowing what to search and where),, yea, hard to describe everything in a short summery here. MY ONLY HOPE IS HIM to come and save me and heal my heart through His word.."
Let's make this practical:
You are home alone and you have some tasks to do around the house. You feel low as the day seems long and empty and your feelings speak loudly to you: “I feel so isolated and alone. There seems to be nobody around who really cares about me nor knows how badly I am feeling”. The idea of crawling back into bed seems the only comfort and pulling the blankets over your head and drifting back to sleep for hours.
But now, you've come to understand that your old self died with Christ on the cross. The old you that was drawn to the isolation of darkness, has been crucified with Christ and no longer lives (Galatians 2:20). The old you that would have hidden away from the Light of Christ is now dead to self and alive to Christ. You want to live transparently with Jesus, talking and sharing your heart with your closest and most compassionate Friend who is always with you, less than a breath of prayer away. You remember that Jesus said "And once that person is with me, I hold on and don't let go." (John 6:37)
So you take your lonely thoughts and feelings to the cross and pour them out at Jesus' feet. You learn to "cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). You see and consider Jesus at the cross when He was forsaken by His friends all the way through to Calvary. He fell back into the arms of His Father and said “Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.” (John 16:32b). You find He loves and accepts you just as you are, and your spirit is calmed, your heart is soothed and loved, and you are able to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). You feel God’s loving, strong, and compassionate presence carrying and lifting you up through the day.
Do you see the value of the cross here? Jesus died for you, but your old self that was lonely and covered in darkness was nailed to a tree and buried in a tomb. The new you, the ‘resurrected you’ does not respond like the ‘old dead you’ did. Do you see it?
Question 5. Did you identify in any way with this scenario? Please share it here:
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