2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-11
MARCH 30, 2007
VICTORY OVER SUFFERING
3 Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and
God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we
may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort
with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of
Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6
Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and
salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we
also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation
and salvation. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we
know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will
partake of the consolation.8 For we do not want you to be ignorant,
brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened
beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9
Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust
in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us from so
great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still
deliver us, 11 you also helping together in prayer for us, that
thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift
granted to us through many. 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (NKJV)
When we think of suffering we often limit it to illness, grief, and
disappointments. Yes, all of us suffer during these stages of life, and
most people recover from such suffering and go on with a relatively
happy life.
When we read the Bible, we hurriedly go over passages that we think do
not apply to us today. A passage like this one today, we might skip over
because we don’t think that the kind of suffering St. Paul is talking
about exists anymore.
Always in the back of my mind is a statement that was made by Dr. Alfred
Ewald, the President of Wartburg Seminary when I attended. He would meet
with each senior after they received their first Call to serve a
congregation. After discussing the future work in the Parish where we
would serve, he made this statement to each of us, "In your lifetime you
will experience the persecution of Christians." In 1962, persecution for
being a Christian was far from the thinking of any Christian in the
United States.
Suffering continues when a person deals with illness, death and
disappointments. But suffering is MORE than that.
We still skip by the suffering passages. But the Bible speaks to us
today in EVERY passage just as it did to the people of Corinth.
We may not read of it in the paper and rarely see a story about it on TV, but suffering because of persecution DOES EXIST today, not only in foreign countries, but also right where we live.
People ARE suffering because they believe in the Triune God.
People ARE suffering because they stand up for what they believe.
People ARE being persecuted and suffering in ways beyond our
imagination.
This is not limited to people in other nations, it happens right here.
Think about this the next time you hear of a hate crime. Think of this
the next time a bomb is set off to destroy something that someone is
opposed to. Think of this the next time you hear of the activities of
hate groups, even those that call themselves Christians. They can’t be
Christians because there is no love in what they do.
Are these thoughts meant to be depressing? No, that is not why St. Paul
made them. He wanted the people of Corinth to remember that Jesus
suffered and was victorious. He wants them to remember that he, himself,
had been persecuted and suffered and was victorious. He wanted them to
know, AND he wanted you and me to know ,that there will be victory over
suffering and persecution if we only follow Jesus. Not can be, WILL be.
It might be good to memorize a verse and refrain from a hymn we don’t
hear sung very much. It might make a difference in your life some day.
No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast,
God will take care of you.
God will take care of you,
Through every day, over all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
"God Will Take Care of You" from cyberhymnal. org
WE PRAY: Father in Heaven, be with people everywhere who are suffering because they stand firm in their faith. Send your Holy Spirit upon me that I might be filled with your love and strength to show others that You have won the victory over persecution and suffering. Help us to understand that we need not fear, we only need to live surrounded by your Love. In this coming week, help me to grasp the fact that all of the suffering you did, even the pain and humiliation on the Cross, you did it for Me. Thank you Lord. Amen
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE GOSPEL
Between now and Easter read the Passion History of Christ several times.
You can do this by reading the Gospel accounts of the time from Palm
Sunday to Easter. Some hymnals of the past have included the Passion
History and pamphlets have been printed. If you search the Internet, be
careful of what you select.