From our Pastor

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Come Suffer with Me:  Dying and Living with Jesus

        2 Timothy 2:1-13                                            October 13/14, 2007

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                    Have you ever received a card from someone on vacation saying something like, “We’re having a wonderful time.  We wish you were here.”  Someone invites you to a party.  ‘We’ll have a great time,’ they’ll say.  ‘Everyone will be there.  We’ll have good food, good times, don’t miss it.  You’ll have a wonderful time.’  The idea is to convince people that they will enjoy themselves, and then maybe they might come. St. Paul says, come suffer with me.  It doesn’t seem like St. Paul ever read “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”  He says, come suffer with me. (3) At first it seems so ridiculous.  Who would willingly suffer?  Yet, St. Paul gives us some examples of people who do.

          The soldier forgoes the things of the world in order to be a good soldier.  I saw parts of the movie on PBS about World War II.  It was very well done.  You got a glimpse into how soldiers, and their families back home, suffered in the war.  But the soldiers were willing to go through great suffering for the sake of their families, their country.  Another example St. Paul gives is the athlete.  In order to win a trophy, the athlete will put himself through much training which seems to me like a lot of suffering.  But he’ll do it to for the sake of victory. 

          Finally Paul gives the example of the farmer, who works hard to produce a crop.  By the sweat of your brow, God told us, we’d have to work to raise food.  Farming is hard work, especially before modern day air-conditioned combines.  The suffering, the hard work was worth it for the sake of food.  So when St. Paul encourages us to come suffer with him, it’s not quite unprecedented.  Although again, how often do you hear army recruiters say come let’s suffer together. They say things like "see the world," and other things that sound like what they think recruits would like to hear.  They don’t say, “come let’s suffer together.” 

          How are we to understand this?  Before going on, St. Paul seems to acknowledge that this is difficult to understand.  He says, “Understand what I’m saying, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.”  (7) As strange as this may seem, God will help you wrap your mind around it. 

           So Paul, a messenger of God, begins to explain.  He says, “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead. (8) There’s a reason that would motivate us to suffer.  After what Jesus has done for us, we’re ready to suffer for him.  That World War II movie brought out how medics risked their lives for soldiers who were hurt.  No small risk.  They were often under fire as the scrambled to help the wounded.  Do you suppose those who had been so treated by a medic would be inclined to help out the medic if he was in need?  How much more are we motivated to be willing to suffer for our Lord, who went through the greatest of all suffering for us, for our salvation?  He gave his life for us.  Surely we’ll be willing to suffer for him. 

          St. Paul goes on to say that he is suffering for the good news of Jesus to the point of being chained up as an evildoer.  He goes on to say, “But the word of God is not bound!” (9) It’s true, like Paul, sometimes we might have to suffer.  Sometimes we can bring suffering on ourselves because of our sins and the natural consequences that follow sin.  But sometimes when we stand up for the good news about Jesus, we’ll suffer too.  But our suffering is not in vain.  God’s word is never chained.  The messenger may even be bound.  But God’s word continues to go forward.  God’s word is heard in prison cells.  God’s word spreads as one person tells another.  God’s word goes forth with power, when one who is imprisoned for God’s word continues to speak it, even in such difficulties.  When you are going through hard times, say a hospital stay, or other difficulty, and even though you are suffering, yet you still cling to the love of Jesus: that speaks loudly to those around you.  You can’t chain God’s word.  The more people try, the more his word spreads.  God’s word spreads in suffering.  It’s clear.  Our own faith is strengthened in suffering.  Not that we seek out suffering, but when we go through suffering we’re reminded of our absolute need for God, our dependence on him. 

          Here’s another big reason we’d be willing to take St. Paul up on his offer to come suffer with me.  St. Paul says that he endures all things for the sake of those who will believe “so that they might receive salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (10) So that people might receive salvation.  So that more people might be saved from their sins, so that more people might know Jesus and his love, so that more people might experience eternal glory… that’s why Paul is willing to suffer.  That’s why we’re willing to suffer: to save lives. 

          Imagine you could make a difference in someone’s life, maybe with some medical need, or addiction or something.  Imagine you could help someone turn their life around.  Wouldn’t you do it?  Wouldn’t you put yourself out to help another person in need?  What if you could make a difference in someone’s life so significant, that through your actions their eternal life would be drastically different?  You can make that kind of difference.  God has given you his Holy Spirit.  God has given you his word.  You have the power to talk to people about Jesus.  Don’t worry about what to say, it will be given to you, says God.  You can make a difference in someone’s life.  Won’t you do it?  Surely you’re ready to suffer even, if necessary, to get God’s word out to people.  Aren’t you? 

          Come let’s suffer together!  It doesn’t sound so inviting, but when God can do such powerful things through that suffering to bring about everlasting life in heaven for people, surely the suffering is worth it.  God has promised.  “If we have died with him, we will also live with him.” (11) We have died with Jesus in baptism, and through his death and resurrection we will live with him in heaven.  “If we endure, we will rule with him.” (12) Our God is so good to us.  Can you imagine: we get to rule in heaven with God?  That is so far beyond what we deserve.  We have the privilege to be involved in others being saved.  Who wouldn’t be willing to suffer to make that happen?  Who wouldn’t be willing to endure and hang on through all sorts of difficulties looking forward to that wonderful conclusion?  Come let’s suffer together!  With all our hearts, with all our lives, let’s be dying and living with Jesus, being willing to suffer so that other might have the very same everlasting glory.

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