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May 15, 2011 John 10:1-10 1 Peter 2:19-25 Unjust Suffering

Dr. Ted H. Sandberg

David Hartsough, who is white, was sitting in with a small group of civil-rights activists at a

segregated lunch counter in Virginia in the early sixties. They had been sitting there without getting

service for close to two days, and being harassed almost without letup by an increasingly angry crowd.

As neither the sitters nor the proprietors backed down, tension increased. Suddenly Davis was jerkedback off his stool and spun around by a man who hissed at him, You got one minute to get out of

here, nigger lover, or Im running this through your heart David, who had had his eyes closed,

repeating the twenty-third Psalm up on his stool, stopped staring at the huge Bowie knife held at his

chest and slowly looked back up into the mans face, to meet the worst look of hate I have ever seen

in my life. The thought that came to him was, Well, at least Ive got a minute, and he heard himself

saying to the man, Well, brother, you do what you feel you have to; and Im going to try to love you

all the same. For a few frozen seconds there seemed to be no reaction; then the hand on the knife

started shaking. After a few more long seconds it dropped. The man turned and walked out of the

lunchroom, surreptitiously wiping a tear from his cheek.1

We read in 1st

Peter, For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while sufferingunjustly. Most of us dont like to think about pain and suffering, any kind of pain and suffering, but

certainly not pain or suffering that we feel is unfair or unjust. We dont want to place ourselves for

whatever reason in situations like David Hartsough voluntarily placed himself. We understand that

pain is a part of life, something that must be endured when were sick, for example, or when weve

been injured, but its not something we seek. Even when the pain is the result of something weve

done, we dont like it.

When we lived in North Dakota, the stairs into the basement werent built properly. There was only

about 6' between the basement ceiling and the next to last bottom stair, so I had to duck down

whenever I went into the basement. I dont know how many times I forgot that and banged my

forehead into the ceiling rafter. And naturally, I forgot when I was in a hurry and going as quicklydown the stairs as I could. A couple of times, I almost knocked myself out hitting the rafter. Needless

to say, I was less than thrilled when that happened. We rail against even our own actions that cause us

pain, dont we, because we dont like to suffer.

We complain about pain and suffering, and well do most anything to avoid it, both individually and as

a society. Got a headache? Take this pill. Cant sleep? Take this drug. Having trouble at work?

Have a drink. Losing weight too painful? Lipo-suction is the thing for you. The future too bleak?

Try a little crack to help you forget. The news too dark. Theres always something else on TV to

entertain.

Im not suggesting all these alternatives are wrong. Theres no point in suffering needlessly. Itsmedically true, for example, that we heal faster following surgery when were not in pain. Rather than

causing the surgery patient to become addicted to painkillers, when given properly, pain medications

allow the patients energy to go into healing rather than into dealing with the pain, and that promotes

1. Nagler, Michael N., Is There No Other Way? The Search for a Nonviolent Future, Berkeley HillsBooks, Berkeley, California, 2001, pp. 90-91

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faster recovery. Further, pain can be good when it warns us not to walk on the ankle that weve just

twisted because it could be broken. But pain can be a pain, too. I doubt if any of us like pain or

suffering, and well do most anything to get rid of it and rightly so.

However, sometimes were called to suffer. When I planned this sermon, I borrowed the title from our

text from 1 Peter and called it, Unjust Suffering. As Ive worked on the sermon more, Ive decided

that a better title would be something like Christian Suffering, or Faith-based Suffering. There are

times, Peter tells us, that were called to suffer as Christ suffered, or at least there are times whenwere to be prepared to suffer as Christ suffered, just as David Hartsough was prepared to suffer sitting

at that lunch counter during the civil-rights protest.

So often, the church likes to preach the Joy of the Lord, as we sometimes sing. We like to talk about

walking in the garden with Jesus, and being comforted by Gods love. We like to preach the love of

God and the peace that is ours when we know Jesus as our personal savior. And these things are true.

Knowing Jesus Christ as Savior does bring us a peace that the world can not give. Following Jesus

does give meaning to our lives, brings a hope and joy that money or success or worldly power can not

bring.

But its also true, that because the teachings of Jesus Christ are dramatically different from what theworld teaches, there will be not can be, but will be there will be conflict between following Jesus

Christ and living in the world. Again, Peter writes, For to this you have been called, because Christ

also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. Peter is

teaching us that as followers of Jesus Christ were called to obey Christs teachings, even if obeying

those teachings means that well suffer.

Those of you who opened the pew Bible and read along with me as I read the sermon passage, may

have seen that this passage is specifically directed to slaves, to Christian slaves. Slaves, accept the

authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who

are harsh, verse 18 reads.

Before we go on to see what this passage means for us today, its worthwhile to make a comment upon

slavery itself, and the New Testaments acceptance of slavery. The NT church wasnt concerned with

changing its society. It accepted the way things were at the time rather than fighting to change things

like slavery. Just because institutions like slavery were accepted, however, shouldnt suggest to us

that slavery was right, or acceptable, or that Jesus himself didnt think that slavery was against Gods

will. The fact that slavery was accepted in the NT was used by slave owners in the South to justify the

institution of slavery before the Civil War, and from a strict interpretation of the Bible, that may have

been correct. Jesus accepted slavery. The NT church accepted slavery. There was no specific

teaching against slavery. Therefore, primarily the southern church before the Civil War argued that

slavery was acceptable.

Christians wouldnt make that same argument today about slavery. Most people today recognize the

immorality of slavery, and uphold the dignity and freedom of each individual. In fact, the NT church

also recognized that all people are created equal by God. The church never addressed the institution

of slavery in society, for it was outside its province society in that day did not claim to be

representative, and certainly not representative of Christians, concepts that arrived with the

Enlightenment but it did address the situation in the church, where no social distinctions were to be

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allowed, for all were brothers and sisters . . . however shocking that was to society at large.2

While

the NT does not speak against the institution of slavery, it does teach all are brothers and sisters in

Christ. Thats worth remembering when we move beyond slavery to address other social issues that

confront society today.

Coming back to our text, Peter specifically addresses slaves, but we dont have to go very far to

understand that all Christians are slaves in and to Christ. Paul wrote to the Romans, Do you not

know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom youobey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be

to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of

teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves

of righteousness.3

Therefore, as slaves of Christ, this teaching of 1 Peter is as much for us today as it

was for the house slaves to whom the letter was first written.

What is it that Peter teaches again? That as followers of Christ, as slaves of Christ, we will suffer

unjustly, suffer because we obey Gods teachings. Well suffer for following Christs teachings. For

it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure

when you are beaten for doing wrong, Peter writes, what credit is that? But if you endure when you

do right and suffer for it, you have Gods approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ

also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.

Our culture gives us values that we absorb before were old enough to think. Our culture teaches us

to believe in power and control. It teaches us the value of being self-made and creating our own

destiny. It teaches us the importance of education and learning. It rewards people who can create new

markets or new innovations with large amounts of money. Our culture teaches us that money can buy

us a sexy lifestyle or conspicuous consumption. It lures us with the promise that enough money can

satisfy any conceivable lust and that we can have all of this if we would.4

Peter reminds us that Jesus calls us in a whole other direction from the world. We shouldnt be

surprised therefore that, first, following the ways of the world are unsatisfying in the long run, andsecond, the world doesnt appreciate it when we follow Jesus and not what it teaches us. When we

follow Jesus, our encounters with the world are likely to be painful or frustrating. When we practice

active non-violence, when we turn the other check, the world may very well not know how to react to

us, and may strike out at us. When we return good for evil, when we seek to love our enemy, the

world may think were crazy, and may think it can simply overwhelm us, or ignore us, or by making

us suffer, make us go away.

Its difficult to endure this suffering. Its difficult to stand out from the crowd, to speak out for peace

in a time of war, to proclaim love in a time of hate. When all the country still cries out for revenge

even 10 years following the WTC destruction, its frightening to work for peace, or nonviolence, to

2. Davids, Peter H, The First Epistle of Peter, The New International Commentary on the New Testament,

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, 1990, pp. 105-106.

3. Romans 6:16-18 (New Revised Standard Version)

4. Rush, Charles, The Integrity of Enduring Character, The Clergy Journal, January 2002, VolumeLXXVIII, Number 3, p. 43.

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seek not revenge but to seek long term solutions.

When were frightened, when were suffering unjustly for following Jesus Christ, remember the words

of Peter, For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and

guardian of your souls. When we seek revenge rather than love, were acting like sheep. When we

seek power instead of love, were acting like sheep. When we seek money instead of justice, were

acting like sheep.

But were not called to go astray like sheep. Were called to turn to the Good Shepherd, the guardian

of our souls, and to find our hope in Christ Jesus. Yes there may be unjust suffering when we follow

Jesus, but were following the example of Jesus, and we may, therefore, find ourselves in situations

that are uncomfortable, and even dangerous.

A Dutch couple named Vos was among several who took in Jewish children during the Nazi

occupation, putting themselves and their own children at considerable risk. The inevitable day came

when Mrs. Voss mother came to visit, and was understandably upset to find refugees there in the

house, endangering her grandchildren. Her daughter explained, We find it more important for our

children to have parents who have done what they felt they had to do even if it costs them their lives.

It will be better for them even if we dont make it. They will know we did what we felt we had todo. This is better than if we first think of our own safety.5

For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. For to this

you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should

follow in his steps. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd

and guardian of your souls. Amen.

5. Nagler, p. 98.