Thuffering Pathta...

Perhaps I should explain that title... It is inspired by Sylvester the Cat of Looney Tunes fame.  For those not familiar, Sylvester had a lisp and always said "Suffering Succotash", which, with his lisp, came out "Thuffering Thuccotashth"  This week's lesson was about suffering, and so my brain immediately went to Sylvester.  But I had to type the title with a lisp to make the connection authentic.  Now, aren't you glad you asked?  What?  You didn't ask?  Oops.  I am just glad this is a blog and not Twitter- I would have burned my 140 character limit just explaining the title.

Ok, if you are still here...

There are a few thoughts still rolling around in my head from yesterday's study/discussion, (which I thoroughly enjoyed). 

For those unable to attend, the passage under discussion is 2 Corinthians 1:1-11.  In the passage, Paul greets the Corinthian church in his usual style, and proceeds to write about how he and his companions have suffered.  Now, when we first hear that, our minds want to go straight to "Oh great, here we go... we are going to hear all about how bad Paul has had it.  Well, you want to know about bad?  I'll tell you about bad!"  For me, Jerry Seinfeld's dad just pops into my head.

But here is the thing- although Paul does try to express the extent of his suffering, it is not anything like Seinfeld's dad.  In fact, when you read those 11 verses, there are two things that stand out- at least for me.

One is that, yes, Paul did suffer greatly.  He used phrases like, "far beyond our ability to endure", and "we despaired even of life" and "our hearts felt the sentence of death".  Sometimes it is hard for us to catch the intensity of the scripture when it is black letters on a white page, (or iPad, or Kindle...)  But this is one time when we really need to try to understand the depth of Paul's suffering in order to catch the significance of this passage.  I think that what Paul is trying to get across is that there have been times in his ministry when he was sure he was going to die.  There was absolutely nothing he could do to save himself and he was to the point of thinking, "This is it.  It is over."

I have been through some difficult things and I am sure you have too, but I have never been to a point in my life when I was sure I was going to die.  But it happened to Paul on more than one occasion.  And it came from every angle.  Some of his suffering was physical, some emotional, some from rejection and hatred- much more than I have ever endured.

So, one thing that we must grasp here is the depth of Paul's suffering.  It was bad.  And it does not hurt to note that most of this suffering is happening BECAUSE Paul has chosen to carry the gospel to the world.  But that leads us to the second thing that you cannot help but notice when you read this passage- and that is the undeniable tone of worship in his words!  Look at the phrasing... 

"...the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles..." (v. 4),  

"On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us" (v. 10)  

These are not the words of Seinfeld's dad!  These words are not bitter or resentful or indignant.  These words are grateful and respectful and full of worship!

And so we come to the "tension" or the challenge of the passage:  How can one who has suffered so deeply continue to praise God even more deeply?

That is one of the challenges of the Christian life, and everyone, in their "inner-selves" is at a different place with the issue.  For some it is not hard to understand, but for others the question of suffering is really hard to resolve.  But I think we do see one important key in this passage, and it has to do with Paul's mindset toward suffering.

When you read his words, you get the idea that all the suffering he has endured has been for the good of others.  He doesn't see it as "bad things have happened to me", he sees it as "I have endured these difficulties for the sake of others".  Look at his phrasing:

"...so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God" (v. 4)

"If we are distressed it is for your comfort and salvation..." (v. 6)

"...our hope for you is firm because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort." (v. 7)

There is no other conclusion except to say that Paul has an outwardly focused view of his own suffering.  Now, that is one that I have not mastered.  Not even close.

At the end of yesterday's class I shared a list of five things about suffering that I think are good for helping us to build the kind of mindset we see in Paul.  I want to offer them again here- mostly for those who could not be with us yesterday.

1. Suffering is Divine

It is not that God causes suffering, but suffering does occur within God's context.  He has it contained in his hand.  It is not a separate event in our lives that has no connection with God.  In that respect, suffering is divine

2. Suffering Brings Expanded and Expressed Faith

We are human.  And although we are thankful always, it is not our testimony when things are fine that impacts the world.  It is the times when we are stretched that show the true depth of our faith and belief.  Our suffering lets the world see God at His best- if they have eyes to see.

3. Suffering Brings About Closer Communion with God

Again, we are human.  We always appreciate what God does for us, but lets face it, when things are easy, we don't draw as close to God as we do when things are difficult.  Suffering reduces that amount of "me" and increases the amount of "Him" in the equation of our lives.

4. Suffering Equips Us

Things fall in our laps.  We don't ask for them.  They are not "fair".  But there they are.  However, after it is all over, you suddenly find yourself with some understanding and some, (shall I say it this way?) some skills that you did not have before.  By skills I mean the ability to understand and talk to someone on a level that you previously could not.

5. Suffering is a Bonding Element in the Church

It sure helps to know that you are not the only one fighting the battle.  It sure helps to know that you are not the only one who struggles.  It helps to know that when you fall, someone will come pick you up and say, "Come on- no one quits here- lets keep going."  Anyone who is an athlete and has endured rigorous conditioning knows that one of the things that gets you through is that your teammates are doing it too and you have each other and you need each other.  The same is true for the church.

So there you have it.  Some recap and some thought on the latest episode of Closer Walk.  By no means is this an exhaustive discussion.  We have not even touched on the idea that "the value of the cause is greater than the price of the effort", but more about that later.  Comments and discussion are always welcome.  I hope your week is a good one.

Just Keep Swimming...

Jon

Choose Your Pasta...

I wanted to get some additional thoughts about the 24th chapter of Joshua out while they were still fairly fresh in my mind and before we turn our attention more directly to 2nd Corinthians.

Joshua kind of "threw it down" to the people of Israel in the final chapter of the book.  He knew his days on earth were numbered, and I guess that when the curtain is about to come down, you tend to "just say it."  Joshua was very direct in chapter 24 and he did some of those things we have seen throughout the book to try and make his words stick- things like re-write parts of the covenant in the Book of the Law of God, (v. 26) and setting a large stone out as a "witness" to all that had been said that day, (v. 26-27).  Both are very "Joshua-like" things to do.

As we leave this book, there are some things I think are worth considering about this challenge that Joshua issued in chapter 24.  Here they are in list form... sort of:

1. The Integrity of the Mediator

Joshua was not perfect, but he was certainly a man of God.  At the end of the chapter he is referred to as "Joshua, son of Nun, servant of the Lord"  That title, "servant of the Lord", had only been used in conjunction with Moses up to this point.  My point here is this- this challenge placed before the people came from someone of great integrity and faith.   The source of the challenge is important here.  This is not just bible Joe Schmoe talking.  If Joshua says these things, the people would do well to listen.

It is not any different for us.  In fact, the challenge we have as "modern day Christians" was / is issued from the Author of Salvation- from the very epitome of integrity- from Jesus Christ Himself.  We dare not pass off the challenge of living a Godly life, if for no other reason, than just for the fact that it was/is Jesus Himself who issues the challenge.

2. The Matter of Choice:

We talked about it.  Pure allegiance to God can only be by personal choice.  Of course He is powerful enough to MAKE us love Him, but what kind of love would that be?  When my children, (Christian and Sarah), were small there were two ways I could get a hug from them.  I could MAKE them do it.  I was bigger, stronger, faster... I could force them to hug me.  And it would mean nothing.  The only hugs that really meant anything were the ones that were voluntary.  "...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve..."  Choice makes all the difference.

3. The Necessity of Choice

In speaking about the matter of accepting Christ, I heard someone say once, "Not to decide is to decide."  This whole issue of what we do with God in our lives is not something that can be "tabled for later consideration".  For the people of Israel, to put off the decision was to choose against God.  We live in an age of grace, (and its a good thing we do!), and there is such thing as deferred judgement and there are "second chances", but still, not to decide is to decide.  We, and the world, either choose God or we don't.  We don't get to "sit this one out."

4. The Extent of the Conditions

Joshua told the people to get rid of all false gods several times in chapter 24.  This choice he laid out before the people had to be an all-enveloping choice.  There could be no remnant of foreign gods.  Those gods were designed by man to "rule" over specific circumstances at specific times.  With the God we know there is none of that.  God is not different for the young or the old.  God is not different for the wealthy or the poor.  God is not different for the man or the woman or the desperate or the "secure".  He is God.  To every extent.  In every circumstance.  There is no need for anyone or anything else.  And this complete devotion is what God desires.

5. The Peril of Engagement

If we humans are fallible and fickle, and God demands and desires such complete devotion, would it not be better for us not to enter this "arrangement"?  Because, after all, we know we are going to fail!  Well, that is a pickle isn't it.?  Or it would be were it not for the blood of Christ and the Grace of God.  I think we all would join our voices together to say "Praise God for the gift of forgiveness and salvation!"  But there is still this truth- especially pertinent any new convert to Christ or anyone contemplating that initial "leap of faith"-  the stakes are high.  To the new Christian, entering into this arrangement with God  seems to place much at risk- our very soul.  But as we live with God we learn that any risk or cost extended by us is guaranteed countless times over by the Creator of the universe.

6. The Serious Nature of Acceptance

Closely related to the previous item, when one enters a covenant with God, it is different than any other agreement that we will ever make and it should be treated as so.  It is alarming to see how many treat their own promises.  It seems we often say whatever is functional at the time with no real thought to the "follow through" that is required.  We dare not treat our discourse with God in this manner.  When we speak with God and we pronounce our intention to be faithful, we must not casually pass off our words at a later time.

7. The Nearness of Consequence

Time seems to drag on and on to us.  Because we do not reap the consequence for sin "immediately" we begin to think there will be no consequence.  We do it on many levels.  We do it as individuals, we do it as communities, and we certainly do it as a nation.  We tend to forget that it is what we do this day that makes the biggest difference.  To paraphrase a C.S. Lewis quote, the present is that part of time that comes the closest to touching eternity.  The past cannot be changed, the future has not come, so it is what we do now that makes the most difference.

Well there it is.  Ideas and thoughts that I stumbled upon as I prepared our discussion of Joshua 24.  Hope you find them thought provoking and encouraging!

Just Keep Swimming...

Jon