One of my neighbors asked me what the sermon will be about at church today, and I said “Suffering. Want to come?” Now, that’s one unique approach for inviting your neighbors to come to church!
Suffering is one of those subjects we usually want to avoid if we possibly can. We would prefer to think about beauty, power, happiness, and Good News.
Yet, life has its suffering. When God became human through Jesus Christ, he suffered.
The urban legend we will discuss today is that suffering is ugly. Some would look at Jesus dying on a cross and see an ugly scene. Those with eyes to see, however, can look at the same scene and see beauty.
We look around in our congregation, and we can see situations that appear to the untrained eye to be ugly stories of suffering. We’ve experienced the death of two children in recent history. What suffering it is to see a parent bury a child! Both of those funerals, however, were times of beauty because of the love we experienced toward Devin and Linsi and their families. What suffering it is for two of our wonderful Christian women to face cancer. Hualani and Nancy, however, have faced their struggles with faith that bears beautiful witness for us all. For those with eyes to see, these are lives of beauty and grace.
In our North American context and our fascination with beauty, youth, and surface appeal, we believe that the Gospel has something to say. We believe that the Spirit inspires us as readers and listeners to engage the powers of deception at work in the urban legend that says suffering is ugly.
By the way, my neighbor will be worshiping with us today. Andy said, in response to my invitation, “I have learned more in my life through the difficult times than in any other part of life. I would not trade those times of suffering for an easier life.”
Today, may we all experience the beauty of a suffering Savior and King, Jesus Christ
3 comments:
My issues in practical ministry class just got done with a section on Lamentations. We're reading from a book by Eugene Peterson and there was a quote that I have decided to memorize for my own personal reflection. He says, "Evil is not inexhaustible. It is not infinite. It is not worthy of a lifetime of attention."
Those couple of sentences hit me like a ton of bricks. God is so much more powerful than any amount of pain or grief. That is not to make light of serious suffering, but it truly gives a sense of hope to know that God will always have the last word over the pain in this world.
Emily,
Eugene Peterson is a stud in the field of practical theology. I just read "Eat This Book"--it is truly a book par excellence.
I heard the Huey's shared their powerful story this morning.
I wish I was there.
you should read "sonny's blues" by james baldwin.
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