When it comes to examples of people in Scripture who persevered despite trials and difficulties, there is no greater example than Christ. Christ came to earth with a specific purpose: to rescue humanity from sin and death. He never wavered from His mission, even when He faced rejection, shame, and pain. He endured an excruciating death on the cross. He persevered through it all so that we could have eternal life with Him one day. His perseverance is a model for each one of us as we run the race He has set before us.
When was a time you felt like giving up? What happened?
1. Read Hebrews 12:2b-4. Why did Jesus persevere through unimaginable suffering?
Hebrews 12:2b-4
Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
2. Describe the suffering that Jesus endured throughout His ministry on earth.
3. How did Jesus “disregard” the shame of the cross?
4. What is the result of focusing on Jesus’ perseverance and endurance, according to this passage of Scripture?
1. How does Jesus’ example give you hope and strength to persevere?
2. What is at stake if we do not choose to persevere in the race that Christ has set out for us?
3. What does it look like today to persevere in the same way that Christ did in the spiritual race we are running?
What is a step you can take toward perseverance? Maybe that step is to share your faith with someone you know who needs the hope of Christ, speak boldly about the truth of Scripture in areas where it may not always be popular, or take time to pray regularly even when you do not understand how God is working. Whatever your step is, share that with your group. As a group, commit to persevering by taking those steps this week!
Now that we have established that Jesus is the ultimate example of perseverance, let’s zoom in to some of His last moments on earth to see just how He persevered through all of the trials He endured. As we study these moments of perseverance, we can find encouragement to keep going and persevere through everything we face, knowing that our Savior persevered for us.
Shortly before Jesus was beaten, tortured, and crucified on the cross, He got away to spend some moments with His Heavenly Father. Scripture teaches us that during this time, he was greatly distressed because of what He was about to endure. Take a look at what He prayed to understand His mindset of endurance and perspective.
1. Read Luke 22:39-44.
Luke 22:39-44
39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” 41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
2. Summarize Jesus' prayer in this passage of Scripture.
3. What stands out to you regarding Jesus’ attitude as He prayed to God the Father?
4. How can we follow Jesus’ example of perseverance when we face trials and difficulties in our own lives?
In the passage of Scripture that we read in Luke 22:39-40, it is clear that Jesus felt the weight of the agony and suffering that was about to happen when he was crucified on the cross. Despite this agony, He accepted the plan that God had for Him, even when one of His disciples was trying to divert God the Father’s plan for Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world. Take a look at what happened when He was arrested in John 18.
1. Read John 18:1-11.
John 18:1-11
After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. 2 Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. 3 The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove. 4 Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked. 5 “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied. “I Am he,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) 6 As Jesus said “I Am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! 7 Once more he asked them, “Who are you looking for?” And again they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 8 “I told you that I Am he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” 9 He did this to fulfill his own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those you have given me.” 10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. 11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”
2. Compare Jesus’ reaction to His arrest versus Peter’s.
3. What does Jesus’ reaction show about his attitude toward His suffering?
Scripture teaches that Jesus was both fully God and fully man. During any point of his crucifixion, He could have used His divine power to save Himself from the agony He was experiencing. He was more concerned about saving humanity. As a result, He persevered to the very end, until His mission was complete.
1. Read Matthew 27:32-44 and John 19:28-30.
Matthew 27:32-44
32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!” 41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.
John 19:28-30
28 Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
2. What stands out to you about these last few moments of Jesus’ life?
3. How did Jesus model perseverance to the very end in these passages of Scripture?
After studying these three specific moments in Jesus’ life, reflect.
What is one way you can follow Jesus' example of perseverance? Share that with your group. After everyone has shared, pray together. Ask God to help each one of you persevere until the end, running the race He has set before you with everything you have.
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