‘ACCEPT YOUR SHARE OF SUFFERING!’

I was a fairly timid 25-year-old theological graduate, starting out as an assistant pastor in my home city. It was my ‘induction service’ presided over by my ex theological college Principal. He preached on the apostle Paul’s charge to Timothy, ‘Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus’ (RSV). As a young man I did not at that stage grasp the full implications of that word from my mentor! At the same time I could identify with Einstein’s sentiment that ‘A ship is always safe at the shore, but that is not what it is built for…’

Christian persecution and suffering are very much with us today still. E.g. Torben Sondergaard, a Danish preacher, was recently jailed in the USA (!) for over a year simply for taking the Good News to American streets. Recently released, he’s concluded that persecution is not our enemy (as Jesus-followers) but our friend. In recent months he’s been sharing his story with rapidly-growing house church groups in Belgium, France, etc. Another example, is the testimony of paraplegic (and chronic pain sufferer) Joni Eareckson, ‘The Nearness of Christ in 50 Years of Suffering,’ accessible on YouTube (1). Third, there is the witness of the persecuted Church in China (which I witnessed first-hand), N. India, Iran, etc. Fourth, we can mention the persecution and suffering at the hand of one’s family when converting from Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Atheism, etc. Fifth, we can’t ignore the terrible loss of lives in the now 2-year-old Russo-Ukrainian war, and these past months between Gaza and Israel, in which 1,200 Israelis and 15,000 Palestinians (including 6150 children) have died. Martin of Tours (4th century AD), patron saint of France, stated ‘I am a soldier of Christ… I cannot fight the wars of men.’ Imo, nor can we. [Like most believing families, my own has not escaped opposition and suffering over the years: e.g. the clinical depression of 3 family members, our older daughter’s gang rape at knife-point (just out of school), Jezebel-like church abuse by a manipulative small group of church members, gross misunderstanding on leaving the institutional church ff 38 years of faithful pastoring, and, between my wife and I, 3 near-death hospital interventions in the last 5 years]

On an infinitely deeper level, Jesus spoke much of his own suffering for the salvation of a lost world and a called people. E.g. Lk. 12:50 (NLT), ‘I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished…’ Mt. 20:22 (NLT), “‘Are you able to drink from my bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?’ ‘Oh yes,’ they replied (James, John and mother), ‘ we are able!’ Jesus told them, ‘You will indeed drink from my bitter cup…

The apostle Paul (martyred in 64/67 AD) adds in his Philippian letter his desire to go deeper: ‘I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection of the dead’ (3:10/NLT).

The Anabaptists, persecuted terribly by the Reformers, spoke regularly about a third baptism of suffering, in addition to their water and Spirit baptism.

Having recently spent weeks reading the first letter of Peter, some personal observations. First some context: Peter, who had himself suffered much as a follower of the Messiah, in his epistles was addressing scattered faith-groups in Asia Minor, suffering persecution at the hand of Judaizers, Gnostics and chiefly Imperial Rome. Peter focused the faith of Christians on JESUS as ‘God among us in person,’ carrying out the rescue of sinners. In the early church, his influence became enormous and was acknowledged by all. The way he handled himself in a position of influence was impressive. He learned to stay out of the center. He could so easily have taken over, using his association with Jesus to promote himself, but didn’t. God shaped in him a readiness to embrace suffering rather than prestige. At the very beginning he had in him all the makings of a bully – that he didn’t become one (religious bullies are the worst) but rather a boldly confident and self-effacing servant of Jesus Christ, is a compelling witness to what he himself describes as ‘a brand-new life’ in Christ (my paraphrase of Dr. Eugene Peterson’s introduction to the Petrine Epistles). Now to the text itself… (I guarantee, one of the passages below, slowly imbibed, will speak to you and your situation, that is simply how the Scriptures and the Spirit work)

a) I Pet. 2/MSG. ‘This is the kind of life you have been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so that you would know that (1) it can be done, and also (2) how to do it…

(b) ‘He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. You were lost sheep with no idea (1) who you were and (2) where you are going. Now you’re named for good by the Shepherd of your souls.’

c) 1 Pet. 3 (in the context of suffering and persecution), ‘Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy.’

d) ‘Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick.’

e) ‘It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants… that’s what Christ did: he suffered because of our sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all – was put to death and then made alive – to bring us to God.’

f) I Pet. 4. ‘Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to (1) think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to have your own way. Then you’ll be able to (2) live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.’

(g) 1 Pet. 4. ‘Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide awake in prayer!’

Some APPLICATIONS…

a) Christ’s sufferings are hugely comforting and healing in a suffering church and shattered world. Canadian blogger, Rusty Foerger, in his most recent post (27/12/23: More Enigma Than Dogma) highly recommends Czech Tomas Halik’s book ‘Touch the Wounds.’ Halik (Catholic priest, philosopher and theologian) says: ‘The painful wounds of the world are Christ’s wounds… in the Gospels the resurrected Christ identifies himself with his wounds. They are proof of his identity. The wounded Christ is the real, living Christ. He shows us his wounds and gives us the courage not to conceal our own. We are permitted our own wounds.’ As my now 99-year-old College professor used to say, ‘Put that in your theological pipe and smoke it!’ How the wounds of Jesus relate to us and our life in this world and beyond!

b) At some stage of our journey there has to come a full surrender of ourselves to Christ as Lord. CS Lewis wrote, ‘Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms!’ Robin Marc’s song (below) has proved very meaningful to me more recently as I had to re-examine my own heart, ambitions, love of reputation, etc.

c) Then a conscious, daily application of the principles of Christian suffering ex a faith-union with Christ (Gal.2:20/NRSV) (not the gospel of ‘try harder:’ ‘the just shall live by faith’). Peter ends his first letter with much application: ‘Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another… Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.’ (4:9ff/NLT).

FOOTNOTE:

(1) British Bible scholar, Ian Paul, has helpfully blogged on coping with chronic illness as a pastoral couple: see Psephizo of 16/11/2023.