Talking Points with Pastor Woodford - Don't be Surprised

Beloved do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Pet. 4:12).

“Beloved” is a strong word. It includes love, affection, protection, and compassion all rolled into one word. Peter wrote to those who were beloved by God, particularly because so many were enduring suffering on account of the faith and virtuous life they lived in Christ.

Nero and the imperial government of Rome were taking a hostile attitude toward Christianity. Many suffered physically, some were put to death, others were slandered, still others lost their place in society - all on account of their faith in Christ. Peter calls them “beloved” to remind them they were precious in the sight of God, that their suffering would not go unnoticed.

It is the same today. Each of you are the beloved, baptized children of God. Of course, our circumstances are not the same as those first century Christians. Suffering for the faith does not look the same among American Christians, but hostility toward the Christian faith and especially toward the truth of God’s Word has steadily been growing for some time.

To be sure, Peter offers an apt word for us still today. Yet sometimes I think the American dream works its way into our mind as the defining point of our lives and, wittingly or unwittingly, pushes back against this verse. The American guarantee of the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is a formidable promise. As a result, when suffering rears its ugly head, we are often shocked by its appearance.

But Peter says, “do not be surprised.” It’s like dropping a pen and being outraged that gravity is still in effect, where you are somehow incredulous that it has the audacity to pull your pen to the floor.

Peter reminds us that if our Lord suffered, we who follow Him are called to anticipate that as well. For Americans, that means we must remember salvation does not arrive on Air Force One. Rather, as we confess in the creed, salvation comes by way of our Lord Jesus Christ suffering on the cross—crucified, died, and was buried, for the sins of the world—yours and mine included. We who call ourselves Christians are called to pick up our cross and follow him.

In other words, as Peter says, we fellowship in Christ’s sufferings when we suffer for His name’s sake, when the hatred that struck Him strikes us because of Him. That’s part of what it means to be a Christian, what it means to be the church.

In fact, despite the miserable nature of it, suffering is a purifying fire that can deepen our faith. It purges us from the distractions and false hopes that tempt us and puts Jesus Christ front and center! Seen this way, suffering is a gift. But let’s be honest, who among us wakes up each morning saying, “Lord I can’t wait to suffer! What do you have in store for me today?”

Here’s the point: Peter calls us to confidence despite the forces aligned against us. Christian suffering in nearly all its forms joins us to Jesus in the most intimate of ways—through the bond of shared pain. It binds us together, where the Lord draws us closer and closer to Himself, taking us deeper and deeper into His own sufferings.

What is more, despite its form, we must remember that the hostility we face is not primarily cultural or political, but flows from the principalities and forces of Satan and the spiritual evil that he sows to inspire hatred and cruelty in this world. Yes, even in the church, too. In fact, Martin Luther said where the Lord builds his Church, there the devil builds a chapel. It shouldn’t surprise us, therefore, that we endure challenges even in the church. The devil’s every desire remains to thwart your faith and destroy the church through whatever means possible.

However, we resist evil by remaining faithful to Christ and His teaching, even as we anticipate His return where we will one day see with our own eyes His ultimate victory over evil. Until then, we show His love, not through rebellion, not by getting even, and certainly not by turning the church into a political party, but by resisting evil the same way Jesus did, and by showing love and generosity to our enemies, even as we honor those in authority. This is why Peter is adamant:

Rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Pet. 4:13-14).

To be clear, rejoicing in suffering itself is nearly impossible. I realize you may have endured deep suffering in your life. But Peter is not asking you to rejoice in suffering itself. He’s calling you to rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ—the one who will one day remove all suffering. And should suffering come because of your faith in him, don’t be surprised – rather, count it all an honor.

Here is my point. We are in this together. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we encourage one another in this faith through all the ups and downs. Along the way, know that you are beloved by the Lord. As one of our hymns say, In him is gladness amid all sadness. (LSB 818 “In Thee is Gladness”).

Yes, there is something immensely powerful about a Savior who walks through death, comes back to life, calls you by the Gospel, baptizes you in His name, wraps the arms of His Holy Spirit around you and says, “I know you. I know you inside and out! I know every secret you won’t let out and all the hurt you can’t keep in, and I love you. I laid down my life for you. Come what may, you are mine!”That’s the glad tidings of the Gospel—Christ for you. In Jesus there is gladness!

In Christ,