Shepherd the Flock

Have you ever considered what an anti-suffering Christian culture we live in now days? Or rather, as I would propose to you, have you noticed how the standards of being a Christian have been lowered to the point where any real suffering (because of our faith) has almost become non-existent?

There is no doubt that we live in a professing Christian culture which sees Christ as the means for all sorts of temporal comforts. Give 10% and you will be blessed beyond measure with material prosperity in return. Invite Jesus into your heart and the problems in your marriage will be fixed. Have faith in God and you’ll be able to get through that rough trial that has suddenly come your way.

But the problem is, the scriptures teach the exact opposite in regards to the effect that saving faith has on a believer’s life. Jesus said that He came to bring a sword, not peace, and that He has come to divide families, making them enemies of one another. The apostle Paul, probably the best example we find in scripture of an obedient, New Testament Christian, constantly faced such troubles as whippings, beatings with rods, stoning, shipwrecks, dangers from nature and from robbers, hunger, sleeplessness, exposure to the elements, etc. (2 Cor 11). Did Paul just not know how to tap into that fountain of blessing? Why did his obedience constantly bring trouble of every kind?

Friends, it is with sadness that I assert that most Christians now days worry more about what they are going to do in retirement, when they’re going to have time for vacation, and or how their stocks are holding up, than they do about any of these (or similar) sufferings mentioned above. Suffering, it seems, has disappeared.
So, I ask you: has suffering now become uncommon because God now deals differently with His children than He did before? Or, as I would propose to you, has suffering disappeared because we are so poor at practicing true Christianity, being obsessed with entertainment and the distractions of this ‘playing’ culture instead?

This morning I came across this passage and it frightened me, as it should you as well:

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” - Romans 8:16-17

According to this verse, we are Children of God and heirs with Christ, but there is one condition to all of this: provided that we suffer with Him. Do you suffer with Him? Or do you just ignore this verse in the name of hyperbole or the change in cultural standards? I often ask myself where is all this suffering in my life (suffering as a direct result to my faith), and I pray that you would consider that question as well.

While thinking of this passage, I thought of a few areas that should cause suffering if we are faithful in our obedience to our Lord. Consider just a few areas where we can check ourselves for obedience when considering these things:

Suffering that should come as a result of obedience in the following areas:

• Giving: ‘Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.’ - Luke 6:30

Have you ever considered how anti-cultural this is? Who does this? Why doesn’t Jesus warn us about those who would take advantage of this kind of giving? –Because true giving is meant to lead to suffering. True giving opens us up to extortion, to abuse, to ungratefulness, just to name a few. Consider that we are to give not only because it reflects an unselfish attitude of love and service to others, but also because it keeps us from hording our possessions and then trusting in them just like the rich young ruler. Thus, we should give to the point where people take advantage of us, and to the point where our own well-being is not secure enough to place trust in. So suffering comes many ways through obdedient giving.

• Serving: ‘If anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.’ – Matt 5:40-41

Again, doesn’t Jesus see how this kind of service opens us up to extortion and abuse? Jesus is certainly aware of this, and that is one reason why I believe that these hard sayings are given –because suffering and obedience goes hand in hand. If we truly serve, we will truly suffer in the form of abuse and other things.

• Forgiveness: ‘Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.’ – Matt 18:21-22

This passage never ceases to amaze me. We have all been there –most notably with a spouse or loved one. They come to you and apologize for lying, only to lie again to you the next day. They come to you and apologize for their anger and verbal abuse, only to inflict that and worse within the next week or so. What are we to do when we know that they aren’t serious about their apology? What are we to do when we know that we cannot believe a word that they say? Are we to trust them again? Ha, how stupid; how foolish of us! But Christ says that we are to forgive them, act as if it never happened, and hold nothing against them in any regard. How ready are you to suffer? Forgive as Christ commands, and you most certainly will.

• Love: ‘Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.’ – 1 Cor 13

This is simply a rehash of things above. True love hopes and endures all things? What about those whom you know will fail again, who are not serious about the things of the Lord, who abuse you again and again without it bothering them in the slightest? Love them, and suffer for Christ’s sake. Truse love brings true suffering.

• Preaching the gospel: “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” - Luke 6:22

The prophets of old preached the Word in season and out. They were tortured, killed, and hated by those they were trying to save. Make no mistake about it: if you preach the gospel, you will indeed be hated, and you will indeed suffer. I’m not talking about having ‘conversations’ with people to see who’s version of truth is the coolest; I’m talking about challenging sin, preaching repentance, calling men to repent of their sins, proclaiming the sovereign righteousness of God. If we preach, i.e, if we are obedient, then we will suffer.

Conclusion:
Obedience brings suffering. Without obedience, we most likely will not suffer. There isn’t a mob waiting to break into your room when you pray. In this culture, there is no fear of public worship. When scripture speaks of suffering, it doesn’t just speak just of martyrdom, it also speaks of the suffering that will come upon those who obey. I trust, my friends, that you have been as challenged by this topic as I have.