Suffering for Being a Christian
That is the heading that proceeds 1 Peter 4:12-19 and the text for Pastor John's sermon yesterday. I find myself paying a little bit extra attention to John, maybe because he's our newest Pastor, maybe it's because I like to think I'm a lot like him (even if he is smarter than I am), maybe it's because I'm not running sound when he preaches and can actually pay attention to him and not worry about where that buzzing is coming from. No matter the why, the fact is God has been using John to shake me up and Sunday was no exception.
Peter writing to the churches in Asia Minor tells them at the end of Chp 4 to not be surprised to suffer for being a Christian and to actually be glad. If you read the text you can almost sense the sarcasm "don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.(v12, NLT)"
Here is the jolt that hit me sitting in the pew yesterday, what suffering have I experienced because of the my relationship with Jesus Christ? The answer, quite frankly, is not very much. It has not cost me anything to believe in Jesus Christ. I grew up in a Christian home, I professed faith at an early age, everyone knew I was the "Preacher's Kid" and yet it was never a problem for anyone. Yeah, I was different and I think that the various peer groups throughout my life knew that. At most it cost me some invites to parties during my High School years, that I shouldn't have been at anyway.
Peter is not talking about being different here in Chapter 4, he is talking about suffering because of that difference. As John correctly pointed out yesterday not many if any 21st Century American Christian can relate to that. Unlike Christians in the Sudan, China and North Korea or any Islamic country I really risk nothing by being a Christian. So I am left to ponder this, am I really all that different from the rest of society? Is my being a Christian any different from my friend who's a member of the Lion's Club? The answers actually worry me and I think they should worry you too!
Peter writing to the churches in Asia Minor tells them at the end of Chp 4 to not be surprised to suffer for being a Christian and to actually be glad. If you read the text you can almost sense the sarcasm "don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.(v12, NLT)"
Here is the jolt that hit me sitting in the pew yesterday, what suffering have I experienced because of the my relationship with Jesus Christ? The answer, quite frankly, is not very much. It has not cost me anything to believe in Jesus Christ. I grew up in a Christian home, I professed faith at an early age, everyone knew I was the "Preacher's Kid" and yet it was never a problem for anyone. Yeah, I was different and I think that the various peer groups throughout my life knew that. At most it cost me some invites to parties during my High School years, that I shouldn't have been at anyway.
Peter is not talking about being different here in Chapter 4, he is talking about suffering because of that difference. As John correctly pointed out yesterday not many if any 21st Century American Christian can relate to that. Unlike Christians in the Sudan, China and North Korea or any Islamic country I really risk nothing by being a Christian. So I am left to ponder this, am I really all that different from the rest of society? Is my being a Christian any different from my friend who's a member of the Lion's Club? The answers actually worry me and I think they should worry you too!
Jeff,
I'm not smarter than you!! I just have more time to study these things... it's my job. As I've noted before, I don't even UNDERSTAND the words you use when you talk about work, let alone grasp the ideas!
Anyway,what's bothering you is bothering me, too. I was convicted by my own words. We need to be a different kind of community - and one that cares about our North Korean brothers and sisters!
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