Let’s face it—we are bruised and bleeding people. Though our wounds have come to us in ruthless and unexpected ways—whether financial, emotional, marital, moral or physical—we have each walked our own path of pain and have our own ways of dealing with suffering. Some of us pick our scabs obsessively only to make them bleed again, while others of us try to look the other way in denial. Sooner or later we need to face the music, no matter how bad the music sounds. Wounds require attention.
It is always easier to face our wounds when we know there is a cure. The wounds of Jesus do just that. Jesus’ wounds are not for religious people but for wounded people. There is nothing religious about the cross. Jesus was not crucified in a church between two candelabras; He was nailed to a cross that stood between two thieves. For this reason, this book is not so much for religious people but for people willing to face their wounds. The words of the Hebrew prophet Isaiah explain well the truth that Jesus’ wounds were meant to heal ours: “Surely he took up our pain / and bore our suffering.... He was pierced for our transgressions, / he was crushed for our iniquities.” (Is. 53:4-5 NIV) Jesus’ wounds are our wounds, and His wounds are for our healing. Somehow as we walk the Via Dolorosa, our paths of pain converge with His path of pain. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves! We will discover our healing as we move forward one step and one wound at a time.
This book will take us on a step-by-step journey along the Via Dolorosa, where we will investigate each of Jesus’ seven wounds at the places where He received them. We will begin our discussion of each wound with a medical explanation of what Jesus experienced. Yes, a down-to-earth scientific explanation. We want to initially understand Jesus as the man of the first century in order to maintain the objectivity of our study.
Each chapter contains three parts. The first is titled Christ’s Surrender. Too often we bundle the wounds of Christ together in a single unjust violent incident and thereby miss the fuller impact of His suffering. In reality, each of Jesus’ wounds corresponds to a separate voluntary choice of surrender by Christ. He willingly submitted Himself to seven distinct experiences of extraordinary pain, each one for a distinctive redemptive purpose.
The second part is Our Healing. Every wound of Christ corresponds to a wound in you and in me. While all seven of Christ’s wounds reflect the completeness of His atonement, looking at each one individually will help us appreciate what Jesus did for us and also appropriate it.
We will end each chapter with the final part, A Twenty-First-Century Healing. This section will provide an honest and accurate real-life story to illustrate how Jesus’ wounds bring healing today. In the last book of the Bible, we are told of followers of Jesus who “triumphed over [the devil] / by the blood of the Lamb / and by the word of their testimony; / they did not love their lives so much / as to shrink from death.” (Rev. 12:11 NIV) All eight of these real-life stories dramatically illustrate that Jesus’ wounds offer us healing as well as victory. God wants to heal us, and He also wants us to be overcomers.
A person could certainly read The Seven Wounds of Christ in a single sitting—it should take less time than watching a full-length movie. I recommend, however, reading this book in just over a week, a single chapter each day. Take your time. Chew on it. Let it soak in. Don’t just read it—think! If you are in a small group and want to use the book for a stimulating eight-week study, group application questions are included at the end of the book for your convenience.
About the book
In The Seven Wounds of Christ, Fred Hartley shares how Christ’s wounds on the cross represent the fullness of His atonement and how, individually, each wound corresponds to a distinct healing for us. Using straightforward scientific explanations, real-life stories and biblical truths, Hartley teaches that no matter the depth of our wounds, the wounds of Jesus go deeper—and His wounds are for our healing.
About the Author
Fred Hartley is a Lead Pastor in Atlanta, Georgia and President of the College of Prayer International. He has written twenty books including Prayer on Fire and God on Fire. Leading people to an encounter with the manifest presence of Christ is his life’s passion. He also enjoys running, golf, and playing with his grandchildren.
*Article taken from CLC World Magazine Issue 1 / 2018
CLC World Magazine
CLC World Mission Magazine is the path that enables CLC international to share the current news, testimonies, prayer and praise throughout the world of CLC. Showcasing the ministry and how it's impacting and changing lives throughout the world every day.