Something to ponder from The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper. This Lenten devotional book gives 50 reasons why Christ suffered and died. The 50th reason is entitled To Show that the Worst Evil is Meant by God for Good.

“There is no greater sin than to hate and kill the Son of God. There was no greater suffering nor any greater innocence than the suffering and innocence of Christ. Yet God was in it all. ‘It was the will of the Lord to crush him’ (Isaiah 53:10). His aim, through evil and suffering, was to destroy evil and suffering. ‘With his stripes we are healed’ (Isaiah 53:5). Is not then the passion of Jesus Christ meant by God to show the world that there is no sin and no evil too great that God, in Christ, cannot bring from it everlasting righteousness and joy? The very suffering that we caused became the hope of our salvation. ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34).”