Christmas 2 January 2, 2022
1 Peter 4:12-19
Christ-mas(ian) Suffering?
v.15-16 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
Dear friends in Christ, at first glance this text from St. Peter seems at odds with the church year. After all, we are still in the midst of the great joy that is Christmas—the 12 day celebration of the Holy Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We just brought in the secular New Year! This is a time of fun and festivity—so why bring up a difficult subject like this, now? Well, beloved, perhaps it is because suffering and persecution are never really very far away for the Christian—just as they were never far from our Lord Jesus.
In our Gospel reading from St. Matthew we see how the hatred and jealousy of King Herod was roused against the infant Jesus—how Herod sought to kill and destroy the baby Jesus, whom he saw as a threat to his own power and position. Indeed, to make sure that Jesus was killed, Herod ordered all the male children of Bethlehem and the surrounding area who were two years old and under be put to death! This horror illustrates the level of malevolence that exists in the world against Jesus and those who bear His name.
Jesus was temporarily rescued at that time because God warned His stepfather Joseph in a dream to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt for a time. Of course, you and I know that this reprieve for Jesus from hostility truly was only temporary. For He would face widespread persecution and hatred for most of His public ministry, which would culminate in His suffering and death on the cross. And so you and I will also face persecution and suffering, for as Jesus said in John's Gospel (15:20-21), "Remember the Word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my Word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know Him who sent me."
At the time Peter is writing his first epistle, Christianity is experiencing fairly widespread persecution within the Roman Empire. In this letter, Peter is encouraging all Christians not to be discouraged by what is happening to them on account of their faith. He reminds the Christians over and over again of Christ's shining example of suffering, and of the riches of the inheritance of heaven that is promised to all those who remain steadfast in the one true faith. Indeed, Peter goes so far as to instruct Christians to rejoice when you share in Christ's sufferings, echoing Jesus' own words from the Sermon on the Mount when our Lord said (Matthew 5:11-12), "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
So, beloved, be not dismayed at the persecution you may face on account of your faith in Christ Jesus and His Word. "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." Do you sometimes face persecution for your belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior? Do people mock you for celebrating the birth of Christ at Christmas, rather than magical snowmen or fat men with flying reindeer and presents? Maybe...maybe not.
But how many of us do face ridicule and mockery from friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, etc. for our adherence to God's Word regarding the biological reality of male and female among humans? How long will the goodwill of our neighbors last when we refuse to use their preferred pronouns that contradict the truth of their own body? How long will the world smile down upon us when they discover that we regularly give of our time and treasure to support crisis pregnancy centers—advocating that no one—man or woman—has the right to choose to end the life of an unborn child? Indeed, the suffering and grief that King Herod caused in Bethlehem so many years ago is but a tiny drop in the ocean of the dead of the unborn that we experience in our country and around the world every year.
How do people respond to you when they discover that you as a Christian believe that marriage should only exist between one man and one woman? Will they rage against you? Will they berate you? Or how about when they find out that you don't believe in Critical Race Theory that seeks to destroy all commonality between human beings and instead divide us up in terms of our skin color—seeing certain people as being wicked and evil simply on account of the color of skin with which they were born? How will they seek to "cancel" you when they discover that you instead believe what the Bible plainly teaches about humanity's common origin from Adam and Eve—that we have all been made in the image of God and so are to be viewed with respect and love, as a special part of God's creation—regardless what we may look like on the outside? Will you lose your job? Your family? Your friends? Your savings? Will they eventually come for your house, your possessions—your good name?
Beloved, suffering comes to every Christian as we live out our faith in the world. We are tempted sometimes to shrink away from publicly living our faith—thinking it is better—less offensive—if we just live quietly, under the radar as much as possible. For we do not want the fiery trial to come upon us—it is painful and hard. Nonetheless, Christ calls us to be faithful. To speak the truth in love, in season and out of season—whether people want to hear it or not.
When we do experience suffering—fiery trials and persecution—we remember the words of St. Peter, "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed." Rejoice as you are called to share in Christ's sufferings—when you are insulted for the name of Christ—you are blessed—for it is evident that the Spirit of God rests upon you. For, if you held to the spirit of the age in which you simply accepted and promoted the ideas of this current time, contrary to what the Word of God teaches, you would not be mocked—you would not be persecuted. But because you are, then you may know that God's Spirit rests upon you, and that He will strengthen and preserve you through these challenging times.
"But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler." That is, do not suffer for doing wrong and evil. Keep all of God's commandments and Word. "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." As you suffer for your faith in Christ, rejoice and be glad—give God glory and praise! For to be counted worthy by God to suffer as Jesus did is a great honor for the Christian. For it is an opportunity to confess Christ to the unbelieving world. The same Christ who suffered and died for the sins of the whole world—for your sins and mine—and for our persecuting neighbors.
These things that happen to Christians are not anything strange. Even Christ our Lord was persecuted—He suffered more horribly on the cross than you or I ever will—for He suffered the full wrath of God for the sins of the world. Yet by that suffering, Jesus released us from our sins—earned forgiveness and life by His name. Furthermore, by His suffering, Jesus has also hallowed—made holy—the suffering of all those who follow Him—who are persecuted for His name's sake. So, fear not, beloved. "Let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."
You who bear the name of Jesus in your Baptism entrust your souls to your faithful Creator God. He has redeemed you by the blood of Jesus. He has guaranteed that on the Last Day you will be with Him in paradise—that your steadfast faith will be publicly vindicated and rewarded. Therefore, you can continue to do good—to love your neighbor—your friends—your family—even your enemies. For you know the outcome. You know that Christ is victorious, and you know that He loves you to the end.
What have you to fear from the unbelieving world? Nothing! Instead, you take every opportunity to boldly confess Christ and the whole counsel of His blessed Word—so that all people might hear, repent, and believe. Be not ashamed. Rather, glorify God whose name is upon you in Baptism—and rejoice that you suffer for His name's sake. For He who suffered for you on the cross has guaranteed you a place by His side in everlasting glory. Merry Christmas—Merry Christian—Suffering. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
1 Peter 4:12-19
Christ-mas(ian) Suffering?
v.15-16 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
Dear friends in Christ, at first glance this text from St. Peter seems at odds with the church year. After all, we are still in the midst of the great joy that is Christmas—the 12 day celebration of the Holy Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We just brought in the secular New Year! This is a time of fun and festivity—so why bring up a difficult subject like this, now? Well, beloved, perhaps it is because suffering and persecution are never really very far away for the Christian—just as they were never far from our Lord Jesus.
In our Gospel reading from St. Matthew we see how the hatred and jealousy of King Herod was roused against the infant Jesus—how Herod sought to kill and destroy the baby Jesus, whom he saw as a threat to his own power and position. Indeed, to make sure that Jesus was killed, Herod ordered all the male children of Bethlehem and the surrounding area who were two years old and under be put to death! This horror illustrates the level of malevolence that exists in the world against Jesus and those who bear His name.
Jesus was temporarily rescued at that time because God warned His stepfather Joseph in a dream to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt for a time. Of course, you and I know that this reprieve for Jesus from hostility truly was only temporary. For He would face widespread persecution and hatred for most of His public ministry, which would culminate in His suffering and death on the cross. And so you and I will also face persecution and suffering, for as Jesus said in John's Gospel (15:20-21), "Remember the Word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my Word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know Him who sent me."
At the time Peter is writing his first epistle, Christianity is experiencing fairly widespread persecution within the Roman Empire. In this letter, Peter is encouraging all Christians not to be discouraged by what is happening to them on account of their faith. He reminds the Christians over and over again of Christ's shining example of suffering, and of the riches of the inheritance of heaven that is promised to all those who remain steadfast in the one true faith. Indeed, Peter goes so far as to instruct Christians to rejoice when you share in Christ's sufferings, echoing Jesus' own words from the Sermon on the Mount when our Lord said (Matthew 5:11-12), "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
So, beloved, be not dismayed at the persecution you may face on account of your faith in Christ Jesus and His Word. "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." Do you sometimes face persecution for your belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior? Do people mock you for celebrating the birth of Christ at Christmas, rather than magical snowmen or fat men with flying reindeer and presents? Maybe...maybe not.
But how many of us do face ridicule and mockery from friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, etc. for our adherence to God's Word regarding the biological reality of male and female among humans? How long will the goodwill of our neighbors last when we refuse to use their preferred pronouns that contradict the truth of their own body? How long will the world smile down upon us when they discover that we regularly give of our time and treasure to support crisis pregnancy centers—advocating that no one—man or woman—has the right to choose to end the life of an unborn child? Indeed, the suffering and grief that King Herod caused in Bethlehem so many years ago is but a tiny drop in the ocean of the dead of the unborn that we experience in our country and around the world every year.
How do people respond to you when they discover that you as a Christian believe that marriage should only exist between one man and one woman? Will they rage against you? Will they berate you? Or how about when they find out that you don't believe in Critical Race Theory that seeks to destroy all commonality between human beings and instead divide us up in terms of our skin color—seeing certain people as being wicked and evil simply on account of the color of skin with which they were born? How will they seek to "cancel" you when they discover that you instead believe what the Bible plainly teaches about humanity's common origin from Adam and Eve—that we have all been made in the image of God and so are to be viewed with respect and love, as a special part of God's creation—regardless what we may look like on the outside? Will you lose your job? Your family? Your friends? Your savings? Will they eventually come for your house, your possessions—your good name?
Beloved, suffering comes to every Christian as we live out our faith in the world. We are tempted sometimes to shrink away from publicly living our faith—thinking it is better—less offensive—if we just live quietly, under the radar as much as possible. For we do not want the fiery trial to come upon us—it is painful and hard. Nonetheless, Christ calls us to be faithful. To speak the truth in love, in season and out of season—whether people want to hear it or not.
When we do experience suffering—fiery trials and persecution—we remember the words of St. Peter, "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed." Rejoice as you are called to share in Christ's sufferings—when you are insulted for the name of Christ—you are blessed—for it is evident that the Spirit of God rests upon you. For, if you held to the spirit of the age in which you simply accepted and promoted the ideas of this current time, contrary to what the Word of God teaches, you would not be mocked—you would not be persecuted. But because you are, then you may know that God's Spirit rests upon you, and that He will strengthen and preserve you through these challenging times.
"But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler." That is, do not suffer for doing wrong and evil. Keep all of God's commandments and Word. "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." As you suffer for your faith in Christ, rejoice and be glad—give God glory and praise! For to be counted worthy by God to suffer as Jesus did is a great honor for the Christian. For it is an opportunity to confess Christ to the unbelieving world. The same Christ who suffered and died for the sins of the whole world—for your sins and mine—and for our persecuting neighbors.
These things that happen to Christians are not anything strange. Even Christ our Lord was persecuted—He suffered more horribly on the cross than you or I ever will—for He suffered the full wrath of God for the sins of the world. Yet by that suffering, Jesus released us from our sins—earned forgiveness and life by His name. Furthermore, by His suffering, Jesus has also hallowed—made holy—the suffering of all those who follow Him—who are persecuted for His name's sake. So, fear not, beloved. "Let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."
You who bear the name of Jesus in your Baptism entrust your souls to your faithful Creator God. He has redeemed you by the blood of Jesus. He has guaranteed that on the Last Day you will be with Him in paradise—that your steadfast faith will be publicly vindicated and rewarded. Therefore, you can continue to do good—to love your neighbor—your friends—your family—even your enemies. For you know the outcome. You know that Christ is victorious, and you know that He loves you to the end.
What have you to fear from the unbelieving world? Nothing! Instead, you take every opportunity to boldly confess Christ and the whole counsel of His blessed Word—so that all people might hear, repent, and believe. Be not ashamed. Rather, glorify God whose name is upon you in Baptism—and rejoice that you suffer for His name's sake. For He who suffered for you on the cross has guaranteed you a place by His side in everlasting glory. Merry Christmas—Merry Christian—Suffering. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.