‘Tis the Season...for Suffering?

Thanksgiving is over. The relatives have all gone home.  The turkey and dressing is but a memory but the holidays are far from over.  There is much to do in anticipation of Christmas, so 'tis the season...for suffering?

What do Christmas and suffering have to do with each other?  Isn’t Christmas to be a time of joy and celebration, gifts and family?  One might possibly entertain the idea of “suffering” in relation to the holidays if you count fighting the crowds at the after Thanksgiving Day sales or attending the endless holiday activities that plague one’s calendar.  But other than that, why would Christmas be considered the Season for Suffering?

James Montgomery Boice, former Pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Philadelphia and now a saint worshipping God face to face in glory, once made the following comment on suffering:

When Life is smooth it is easy to say, as we often do, “all things work together for good to them that love God.”  It is easy when you have everything you want, when God blesses you and your family.  But it is not so easy at the grave.  It is not so easy in the face of bitter disappointment and pain.  If you are to have confidence in God in such moments, you must learn to trust Him in the small disappointments of life. (Commentary on Philippians by James Boice, p. 66).

What is ironic about this statement is that James Boice made it in connection with Philippians 1:19-20 where Paul says,

¹⁹ for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,  ²⁰ according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. – Phil 1:19, 20 (NASB)

Boice points out that, “Paul recognized that Christ would be magnified in him whether he lived or died.  This means Paul was so confident that God’s will for him was perfect—that it was the best possible thing for him—that he was able to accept it willingly even if it meant death at the hands of a Roman executioner” (Philippians, p. 66).  Paul trusted God in the disappointments of life; both small & large!

Not only did Paul face suffering confidently because of his trust in God, but just one chapter later in Philippians we read,

⁵ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,  ⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  ⁸ Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Phil 2:5-8 (NASB)

 Jesus emptied Himself, being made in the likeness of men; being born as a baby in the cattle pen and lying in a manger.  Jesus grew to manhood; obeying God in everything even to the point of death; death on a cross.

The incarnation of Christ that we celebrate at Christmas reminds us that we have a God who has suffered on our behalf! And the reality that Christ suffered as we suffer gives us great comfort.  Paul could stand firm even in the face of death because he knew that he could trust His God.  God is not a God who calls us to do something that He is unwilling to do.  God is a God of comfort; especially in difficult times (Psa. 23:4; 119:50; Isa 12:1; 2 Cor 1:3-7; 2 Thess 2:16 & 17).

What is the suffering of Christmas that I mentioned earlier?  It is the loneliness of a widow that misses the warm embrace of her husband as well as the lengthy conversations that she used to have with him; even if he has been gone for 20 years and people think that she “should be over it by now.”   It is the heartache that wells within the soul of a family that is being torn apart by infidelity, constant bickering or the ripping apart of divorce.  It is the bondage that comes as a result of financial irresponsibility or maybe even the loss of a job and the weight of more and more bills that will soon be due.  It is the sense of hopelessness that occurs watching one’s adult child turn against God and indulge themself in a life of sin.  It is the loss that is felt in the recent death of a loved one, or the anniversary of a death around the holidays.  ‘Tis the season for suffering!

As Boice reminds us, Christians cannot erase the suffering or wish it away by telling people that “all things work together for good to them that love God.” (Rom. 8:28).  No!  We must resist the temptation to “fix” people and give them glib answers to difficult questions. Trusting God comes as one trusts in God in the small disappointments of life.  Then, as greater suffering occurs, one will be more likely to stand fast in Him! 

So what are we to do when we encounter those suffering souls this holiday season?  We must remind them of the truths of Scripture.  We must share with or remind them that there is a God who understands their suffering; a God who, Himself suffered on their behalf that they might be set free to trust Him even in the midst of the suffering that they currently encounter.  That He is the God of all comfort.  That He did not carry out His plan of salvation from afar, but He came to earth, suffered the injustices of a fallen people and fallen world, and rose victorious that we might be set free from sin and death and instead have new life!

This Christmas season, let us all remember that for many around us, ‘Tis the Season for Suffering.  But also let us remember that Jesus came to earth, suffered on our behalf to set us free from the power of sin that we might trust Him; even in the midst of suffering!

Let me close with the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7,

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 affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  ⁵ For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.  ⁶ But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;  ⁷ and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort. – 2 Cor. 1:3-7 (NASB)

May God use us this holiday season as instruments in His hands to bring the hope of the gospel to those with whom we come in contact.

Thanksgiving 2009

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

-- Psalm 107:1

New Addition to Our Blog List

Thank you so much for stopping by Frankly Speaking!  We hope that while you are here that you will not only take time to read our posts, but also to check out some of the blogs on our blog list.  These blogs have been an encouragement to us and we think that you may profit from them as well.  We have a new blog on our list that we commend to you called Heidelblog (catchy name isn't it).  Also, do not forget to check out their podcast entitled  Heidelcast.

The Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism

Among Christians, and especially Christians of the Reformed stripe, few issues are as hotly debated as baptism. Much ink (not to mention much blood) has been spilled over the proper understanding of this sacrament. With so much debate and so many resources it can be incredibly difficult to decide what to read about this important issue. In my own quest to understand baptism I picked up The Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism edited by Gregg Strawbridge.

In this work Strawbridge compiled essays from sixteen influential paedobaptist writers (many of whom are presidents at reformed seminaries) such as Bryan Chapell, Daniel Doriani, Richard Pratt, and Cornelius Venema. The book is divided into fifteen chapters with each writer covering a different aspect of the case for paedobaptism.

Herein lies this books strengths and weaknesses. The unique format of the book allows the reader to see the paedobaptist argument in different ways. For example: Bryan Chapell gives a pastoral introduction to infant baptism while Jeffrey D. Niell, Richard L. Pratt, Cornelius Venema, and Randy Booth argue from the basis of the covenant. Lyle Bierma and Peter Leithart argue from church history, and Mark Ross explains the idea of baptism as a sign and seal. As you've probably picked up, these authors are able to cover a lot of territory because of the format. However, this approach also has its weaknesses. Because of the layout there isn't as much time to develop any one argument or approach. It might also make things disorienting for someone new to the debate. Although all the authors bring tremendous gifts to this work the varied nature of the writing serves as both a strength and a weakness.

In the end, I think The Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism is a worthwhile investment. Strawbridge's brief introduction alone provides a clear presentation of the issues from a biblical perspective. The authors unite in making a passionate and scholarly (yet movingly pastoral) argument for paedobaptism. If you're looking for a good book to add to your library on the topic of baptism, this would be a good choice.

The Virtue of Being Precise

I'm a musician. Well, sorta. Perhaps I should say that I am becoming a musician. Allow me to explain. I've studied piano off and on for the last few years and can play moderately well. I've also tinkered with both the violin and the Irish penny whistle. Yet at the end of the day I'm not sure that I'm willing to call myself a full-fledged musician just yet, and here's why: I cheat. That's right, I admit it, sometimes when I'm playing Mozart and I come to a difficult passage I fudge it a little. In fact, I've skipped entire lines of music to avoid difficult or demanding passages and I've often tweaked the music to make it easier. In a word I'm imprecise.

Now you may be wondering why this should be such a big deal. After all, who cares if we don't strive for perfection and precision? Aren't people who fuss over precision (whether grammatically or musically) missing the big picture? Besides, it's the heart that matters right?

In his book Worldly Saints: The Puritans as they Really Were, Leland Ryken tells an interesting story about precision: "When the English Puritan preacher Richard Rogers was lecturing at Wethersfield, Essex, someone told him, "Mr. Rogers, I like you and your company very well, but you are so precise." To which Rogers replied, "O Sir, I serve a precise God.""
I think the Puritans were on to something here. You see, they understood that getting things half-way right, or even mostly right, is no guarantee. Especially where the gospel is concerned. Details matter. The Puritans were famous for the precision of their theology. Many of them were willing to die over issues that many in today's church would consider trivial or secondary. Why was this? Were the Puritans just being too picky? Were they simply making a mountain out of a mole-hill?

I don't think so. The Puritans understood that we are called to be like God, and God is precise. When we say that the details of theology don't matter we aren't been magnanimous, we are denying a part of God's character. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we need to go around picking fights in the name of "precision" nor am I arguing that we break fellowship with believers that disagree. What I am saying is that those disagreements do matter. We can disagree about a detail of God's character without declaring a brother to be anathema, but we must never say that that detail of God's character is unimportant.

The christian, like the musician, knows that the details are important.
So I think I'll keep practicing my piano. After all, I serve a precise God.