Brookhaven's youth group is coming. What an exciting week that will be! They plan to be here for a week in late-July/early-August. Boy do we have work for them!
We're hoping to do a mini-VBS and have them help with whatever remodeling is happening at the time. This is another prayer request for us. Pray that logistics will all work out for each person who needs to come. Pray that God would prepare the team for what may not seem like a "mission trip." Pray for the team as they raise funds to come. And pray for God to use them when they're here.
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Monday, March 26
Friday, March 23
Life in March
We're alive! See subtitle of our blog if you're wondering why we haven't updated lately. Okay, really we've just been busy and are slacking. So this post might be a little longer than normal.
The snow is definitely gone. We're loving the early spring weather and we're excited to take advantage of the state park. We just need to purchase the year pass. We're also going to become members of a fitness center that's just a few blocks from our house. Jamie's been there once and loved it. With our health insurance we save 20% off the normal rate and they pay you to work out (kind of like IWU does). One of the ladies at our church works out there, so we'll be able to spend time with her and hopefully meet some new people too.
Maddie, our cat, is at least three times as big as when we got her. The vet says she'll always be a little on the small side though. We can't wait to get her de-clawed. What a menace! If she's not clawing up the furniture, it's the curtains. If she's not jumping on the kitchen table, she's trying to climb our picture window (with a good amount of success). Her favorite activity is to lay on our couch staring out the picture window. She'll fall asleep there for hours on end.
Enough about the cat....
We're are also volunteering at the local kindergarten a couple days a week. It's been fun meeting kids and getting to know the teachers we help out. Hopefully we'll be able to someday meet their parents as well.
Other big news (no, we're not expecting) is that we're looking into remodeling/updating the church building this summer. Jamie now works part-time for a construction company in town. She shoots nail guns and is learning to roof houses. I wonder how many of you I had going there?
She really does work for the construction company, just as their financial guru. She keeps the checkbooks in order and has been getting things ready for tax time. All this to say her boss is DeLon Davis, an IWU grad! He and his family had been attending our church back in the early 90s but stopped because they were immediately asked to volunteer for every ministry position possible. Now we're at least hoping they can help us figure out what can and can't be done to improve the building. Please pray we'll have wisdom to know how much we can spend, what's essential and what's not, etc.
Hope life back in Indiana (or wherever you're reading from) is going well.
The snow is definitely gone. We're loving the early spring weather and we're excited to take advantage of the state park. We just need to purchase the year pass. We're also going to become members of a fitness center that's just a few blocks from our house. Jamie's been there once and loved it. With our health insurance we save 20% off the normal rate and they pay you to work out (kind of like IWU does). One of the ladies at our church works out there, so we'll be able to spend time with her and hopefully meet some new people too.
Maddie, our cat, is at least three times as big as when we got her. The vet says she'll always be a little on the small side though. We can't wait to get her de-clawed. What a menace! If she's not clawing up the furniture, it's the curtains. If she's not jumping on the kitchen table, she's trying to climb our picture window (with a good amount of success). Her favorite activity is to lay on our couch staring out the picture window. She'll fall asleep there for hours on end.
Enough about the cat....
We're are also volunteering at the local kindergarten a couple days a week. It's been fun meeting kids and getting to know the teachers we help out. Hopefully we'll be able to someday meet their parents as well.
Other big news (no, we're not expecting) is that we're looking into remodeling/updating the church building this summer. Jamie now works part-time for a construction company in town. She shoots nail guns and is learning to roof houses. I wonder how many of you I had going there?
She really does work for the construction company, just as their financial guru. She keeps the checkbooks in order and has been getting things ready for tax time. All this to say her boss is DeLon Davis, an IWU grad! He and his family had been attending our church back in the early 90s but stopped because they were immediately asked to volunteer for every ministry position possible. Now we're at least hoping they can help us figure out what can and can't be done to improve the building. Please pray we'll have wisdom to know how much we can spend, what's essential and what's not, etc.
Hope life back in Indiana (or wherever you're reading from) is going well.
Monday, February 26
SNOW
If only we had a camera. That's what we've been saying since we came back home Saturday.
Last Thursday Jamie and I made a quick trip to Indiana. Jamie's dad had hip and knee replacement surgery on the 12th and is recovering at home now. It was hard enough staying in Wisconsin for the surgery, and he hadn't been feeling well, so we went down. The physical therapist says he is coming along well, and will only need 2 weeks of therapy instead of the 5 weeks he had planned.
We had a great though short time there, and wished we could've stayed for the World Impact Commissioning Service at IWU Saturday night. We're now glad we didn't. If we had, there's no way we could've made it home.
We now have over a foot of snow. It's still falling as I'm writing. Our church parking lot finally was plowed this morning because it's been a constant downpour since Saturday night. If only we had a camera. Needless to say, church was canceled on Sunday. I didn't want any of our people having to wake up to shovel their drives and then drive on semi-plowed roads.
Woohoo for snow!
If I didn't have to work this week, I'd be out in the snow making a fort or something.
Last Thursday Jamie and I made a quick trip to Indiana. Jamie's dad had hip and knee replacement surgery on the 12th and is recovering at home now. It was hard enough staying in Wisconsin for the surgery, and he hadn't been feeling well, so we went down. The physical therapist says he is coming along well, and will only need 2 weeks of therapy instead of the 5 weeks he had planned.
We had a great though short time there, and wished we could've stayed for the World Impact Commissioning Service at IWU Saturday night. We're now glad we didn't. If we had, there's no way we could've made it home.
We now have over a foot of snow. It's still falling as I'm writing. Our church parking lot finally was plowed this morning because it's been a constant downpour since Saturday night. If only we had a camera. Needless to say, church was canceled on Sunday. I didn't want any of our people having to wake up to shovel their drives and then drive on semi-plowed roads.
Woohoo for snow!
If I didn't have to work this week, I'd be out in the snow making a fort or something.
Monday, February 5
Avoidance
Ok . . . This is a first attempt at writing again--so it's rough & raw. Anyone willing to take a shot at editing/critiquing is welcome.
Avoidance
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
--James 1.5 (TNIV)
I must have Avoidant Personality Disorder . . . I read the description of it in a psych book once—the one that all the doctors use—it was my college roommate’s textbook. And the description seems to fit. You see, I get scared by the littlest things—like seeing a friend by chance at the grocery store. I hide if I can, sneaking around the next aisle just so I won’t have to say, “Hi, How you doing?” and start a conversation from there. Throughout most of my life, it has been easier to avoid conversation starters than have to frantically think up the words that become small talk. Perhaps because I am not a “think on your feet” kind of communicator. Or perhaps because small talk eventually becomes deeper conversation, the kind where you place your heart on your sleeve and hope the other person accepts you. And I have deep expectations for friendship—some that I won’t be able to fill, and others that I don’t expect anyone else to fill either. So, instead of talking to that person in the next aisle, I walk the other direction, intent on looking for the right brand of . . . something.
This avoidance disorder doesn’t just happen when I’m faced with unplanned conversations . . . My self-diagnosed psychosis has a hand in nearly every area of my life—except maybe for brushing my teeth and eating breakfast—you know, the usual out-of-bed routine.
My family labels me a procrastinator, and that label would apply, for I’m writing this three hours before my new writer’s club meeting . . . but I’m discovering that this need to avoid goes beyond procrastination’s normal realm. While I wait until the last minute do some routine things, the tendency to avoid begins when I am face to face with personal opportunities for success and failure. Decisions to volunteer my time, to start healthy eating habits, and especially, to write again. And while I hate to admit it, my avoidance has a lot to do with doubt.
Doubt in my God-given abilities to try—and to succeed. Succeed not just once but over and over again. It’s one thing to write for a college assignment. It’s an entirely different thing to write for the sheer fun and work of writing. What if I actually write something of value and people read my words—and then want me to speak on that subject? What if I have no words left to say than those already on the page? Or—and this may be my worst fear—what if my words are valuable to no one but myself?
I’ve taken a break from writing—The last three years I’ve only written emails and grocery lists; I haven’t even journaled. Nothing creative or reflective has graced my computer screen or paper. And I wonder, have I buried the gift God gave me? Buried it so deep that the gift is now lost? Do I have the courage to see if it is still there—hidden and waiting to be born one more time? Am I ready to birth whole essays, poems and stories not just for myself, but for others’ eyes and hearts, as well? And what words will come first? Words that will cut or heal?
And so I stand here with my doubts, wondering and waiting, and a little bit believing too. And I think I'd like to make a choice.
Avoidance
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
--James 1.5 (TNIV)
I must have Avoidant Personality Disorder . . . I read the description of it in a psych book once—the one that all the doctors use—it was my college roommate’s textbook. And the description seems to fit. You see, I get scared by the littlest things—like seeing a friend by chance at the grocery store. I hide if I can, sneaking around the next aisle just so I won’t have to say, “Hi, How you doing?” and start a conversation from there. Throughout most of my life, it has been easier to avoid conversation starters than have to frantically think up the words that become small talk. Perhaps because I am not a “think on your feet” kind of communicator. Or perhaps because small talk eventually becomes deeper conversation, the kind where you place your heart on your sleeve and hope the other person accepts you. And I have deep expectations for friendship—some that I won’t be able to fill, and others that I don’t expect anyone else to fill either. So, instead of talking to that person in the next aisle, I walk the other direction, intent on looking for the right brand of . . . something.
This avoidance disorder doesn’t just happen when I’m faced with unplanned conversations . . . My self-diagnosed psychosis has a hand in nearly every area of my life—except maybe for brushing my teeth and eating breakfast—you know, the usual out-of-bed routine.
My family labels me a procrastinator, and that label would apply, for I’m writing this three hours before my new writer’s club meeting . . . but I’m discovering that this need to avoid goes beyond procrastination’s normal realm. While I wait until the last minute do some routine things, the tendency to avoid begins when I am face to face with personal opportunities for success and failure. Decisions to volunteer my time, to start healthy eating habits, and especially, to write again. And while I hate to admit it, my avoidance has a lot to do with doubt.
Doubt in my God-given abilities to try—and to succeed. Succeed not just once but over and over again. It’s one thing to write for a college assignment. It’s an entirely different thing to write for the sheer fun and work of writing. What if I actually write something of value and people read my words—and then want me to speak on that subject? What if I have no words left to say than those already on the page? Or—and this may be my worst fear—what if my words are valuable to no one but myself?
I’ve taken a break from writing—The last three years I’ve only written emails and grocery lists; I haven’t even journaled. Nothing creative or reflective has graced my computer screen or paper. And I wonder, have I buried the gift God gave me? Buried it so deep that the gift is now lost? Do I have the courage to see if it is still there—hidden and waiting to be born one more time? Am I ready to birth whole essays, poems and stories not just for myself, but for others’ eyes and hearts, as well? And what words will come first? Words that will cut or heal?
And so I stand here with my doubts, wondering and waiting, and a little bit believing too. And I think I'd like to make a choice.
Saturday, February 3
Hilty January Update
So it's been a little while since we've posted. Oops. Here's an update on the month of January for us.
The kitten. Maddie (we call her Madeline more often because it's her I'm-in-deep-trouble name), is getting bigger. She enjoys playing with her yarn, cardboard boxes, our feet, getting onto the table and countertop in the bathroom, and drinking the leftover water in the tub after a shower. Don't ask me why she does the last one...I don't know. But everytime we take a shower, she jumps in immediately after the water is off and lays down, gets wet and laps up the puddles. Goober. We love her and wouldn't know what to do without her. Right after Christmas our neighbors brought us another kitten, because they knew we wanted one. But they didn't ask if we still wanted one with Maddie in the house. So we took it. For one day. It was sick, with junk running out of its eyes, and it wouldn't eat. We took it to the humane society because right now we can't afford to keep two cats.
Women's ministry. I may not be best qualified to write this, but here goes. The women have been meeting bi-monthly for Bible study and monthly for fun nights. In January they made take-home shower sundaes. They put bath poofs and salts and foot massage stuff into a sundae glass. They also had Mary Kay facials. They've been averaging about 5-8 women per time. I'll let Jamie fill you in more about this and about writing later.
Men's ministry. The men of our church have been going out for breakfasts bi-monthly for prayer, a short devotional, and fellowship. Some of the guys who are normally shy have started opening up. And the food's good too!
Snow/weather. It hasn't been much worse than an Indiana winter. Today we had temps around zero and below. I guess they're calling for 30 below in a few days. They wait to close schools here until it gets 50 below. I wonder if IWU would close for that....probably not. We had two good size snowfalls earlier with a total of 8 inches or so. There's still a few inches on the ground now. We still haven't tried skiing. Maybe someday.
Ministers and Mates Retreat. What a wonderful time! We were so excited to meet lots of the other pastors and wives. I don't think we could ask for a better district all around. Dr. Jerry Pence was our speaker. We felt like he was speaking directly for us and our church. It was neat to meet the pastor who fixed up our parsonage, and one of the former ministers of our church (Alan Tripp, who was here in the 70s. The parsonage was built under his leadership and almost split the church). It was extremely encouraging to hear we were being prayed for over and over.
Right now we're getting ready for Lent, a Valentine's Day party, and Jamie hopes to head down to Indiana to help take care of her dad after his surgery (Feb. 12). He's having his other hip and knee replaced. If you think about it, pray that it would work out logistically for her to go down (me without a car). She also hopes to make it to the World Impact Commissioning Service.
We'll try to update more regularly from now on. If we don't, just smack us.
The kitten. Maddie (we call her Madeline more often because it's her I'm-in-deep-trouble name), is getting bigger. She enjoys playing with her yarn, cardboard boxes, our feet, getting onto the table and countertop in the bathroom, and drinking the leftover water in the tub after a shower. Don't ask me why she does the last one...I don't know. But everytime we take a shower, she jumps in immediately after the water is off and lays down, gets wet and laps up the puddles. Goober. We love her and wouldn't know what to do without her. Right after Christmas our neighbors brought us another kitten, because they knew we wanted one. But they didn't ask if we still wanted one with Maddie in the house. So we took it. For one day. It was sick, with junk running out of its eyes, and it wouldn't eat. We took it to the humane society because right now we can't afford to keep two cats.
Women's ministry. I may not be best qualified to write this, but here goes. The women have been meeting bi-monthly for Bible study and monthly for fun nights. In January they made take-home shower sundaes. They put bath poofs and salts and foot massage stuff into a sundae glass. They also had Mary Kay facials. They've been averaging about 5-8 women per time. I'll let Jamie fill you in more about this and about writing later.
Men's ministry. The men of our church have been going out for breakfasts bi-monthly for prayer, a short devotional, and fellowship. Some of the guys who are normally shy have started opening up. And the food's good too!
Snow/weather. It hasn't been much worse than an Indiana winter. Today we had temps around zero and below. I guess they're calling for 30 below in a few days. They wait to close schools here until it gets 50 below. I wonder if IWU would close for that....probably not. We had two good size snowfalls earlier with a total of 8 inches or so. There's still a few inches on the ground now. We still haven't tried skiing. Maybe someday.
Ministers and Mates Retreat. What a wonderful time! We were so excited to meet lots of the other pastors and wives. I don't think we could ask for a better district all around. Dr. Jerry Pence was our speaker. We felt like he was speaking directly for us and our church. It was neat to meet the pastor who fixed up our parsonage, and one of the former ministers of our church (Alan Tripp, who was here in the 70s. The parsonage was built under his leadership and almost split the church). It was extremely encouraging to hear we were being prayed for over and over.
Right now we're getting ready for Lent, a Valentine's Day party, and Jamie hopes to head down to Indiana to help take care of her dad after his surgery (Feb. 12). He's having his other hip and knee replaced. If you think about it, pray that it would work out logistically for her to go down (me without a car). She also hopes to make it to the World Impact Commissioning Service.
We'll try to update more regularly from now on. If we don't, just smack us.
Sunday, January 28
Ministers and Mates Retreat
In a few minutes Jamie and I are leaving for Warrens, WI about an hour north of us. There is a Jellystone Park/Hotel/Resort there. Each year the Wisconsin District has a pastors' retreat, and this year we get to hear Dr. Jerry Pence, one of our general superintendents speak. We look forward to a nice relaxing time away.
For those of you wondering where the Hilty's have gone, it's my fault...not Jamie's. I'm the one who mainly updates both blogs and have neglected this one this month. Oops. When we get back we'll update you on the kitten (rascal!), Jamie's potential job, our church, and all the other fun stuff in Baraboo.
For those of you wondering where the Hilty's have gone, it's my fault...not Jamie's. I'm the one who mainly updates both blogs and have neglected this one this month. Oops. When we get back we'll update you on the kitten (rascal!), Jamie's potential job, our church, and all the other fun stuff in Baraboo.
Tuesday, January 9
Josh's New Blog
If you are interested in seeing Josh's sermons and Parkway happenings specifically, check out his new blog--click on Jesus and Josh at the left of this page.
Monday, January 8
So, You Want to be a Writer
Had an interesting week...a very good week, actually. We brought Tiffany, my sister, home with us after Christmas, and we had a great time. Not only did we hit the Chula Vista Resort Indoor Water Park on New Year's Day (awesome place), but Tiff and I also did some of the more touristy things that the Dells offer...like invade all the little shops in the River District and take in an IMAX movie in Madison. It was so nice not to be alone in the house all day...and to share some chic flics with my sis.
Maddie has been a fun addition to the family. I wouldn't call myself an animal lover by any means, but I wouldn't trade our little cutie for the world...she is so feisty and such a "Kitten" in every sense of the word. And she loves to be with people...laying on us, and playing around us whenever we're in the room.
Yesterday, we introduced the concept of donuts and coffee to our congregation...we're calling it the Parkway Refinery. I think it was a hit, as most of the donuts were eaten up, and people seemed to enjoy chatting together before and after service. We moved the back pews around in our sanctuary so that they were against the walls...it made the whole room seem so much larger...and placed our breakfast table in the back there...if we get any complaints, it might be that we allowed food in the sanctuary...but overall, I think it was a good idea.
My dad and mom came up for the weekend to pick up Tiff...it was soo good to be with them. I am understanding just how precious time with my family has become. Mom & Dad sang a duet at the church, and it was really special to sit with my family and listen to my husband preach (a great sermon, by the way). I'm sure he'll post it soon.
We are starting a women's ministry up this week. Hopefully, several of our ladies will join us for a Bible Study on the women in the Bible...we'll be meeting every other Thursday at our house...and then the 3rd Fridays of each month we'll be having a Girls Night Out, with opportunities to just have fun. I hope these events are well-received...and I'm very thankful to have been on the women's committee at Brookhaven for a few years...I still need to learn so much as I try to lead these women in Bible Study and and fellowship. Ya'll know I am not an initiator and definitely not vocal in big groups, so tackling & leading this project has been a huge prayer request of mine.
Today, I also took a stroll out of my comfort zone and attended the Sauk County Writers' Meeting. I found an ad for it in the newspaper this morning, and I think I was desperate enough to get out of the house and be with people that I jumped on it. I even took some writing to share ("Firefly Parade"...about single motherhood, a creative non-fiction essay I'd written in college). Lo and behold, I was the youngest person there (again!), as every other member had gray hair. :) I had a good time, and heard some very nice pieces, and I'm pretty sure I'll attend again, maybe even join. I definitely need some sort of discipline to get me writing. I guess that is my resolution for this year: to actually sit down and write--consistently. And perhaps even submit some of my pieces for publication. We'll see where that goes.
Hope you all have had a good start to this new year...I am finding over and over that I need more of the Holy Spirit in my life, not just a sprinkling of Him, but an overflowing waterfall. Perhaps you've found the same too?
Love and miss you all,
Jamie
Maddie has been a fun addition to the family. I wouldn't call myself an animal lover by any means, but I wouldn't trade our little cutie for the world...she is so feisty and such a "Kitten" in every sense of the word. And she loves to be with people...laying on us, and playing around us whenever we're in the room.
Yesterday, we introduced the concept of donuts and coffee to our congregation...we're calling it the Parkway Refinery. I think it was a hit, as most of the donuts were eaten up, and people seemed to enjoy chatting together before and after service. We moved the back pews around in our sanctuary so that they were against the walls...it made the whole room seem so much larger...and placed our breakfast table in the back there...if we get any complaints, it might be that we allowed food in the sanctuary...but overall, I think it was a good idea.
My dad and mom came up for the weekend to pick up Tiff...it was soo good to be with them. I am understanding just how precious time with my family has become. Mom & Dad sang a duet at the church, and it was really special to sit with my family and listen to my husband preach (a great sermon, by the way). I'm sure he'll post it soon.
We are starting a women's ministry up this week. Hopefully, several of our ladies will join us for a Bible Study on the women in the Bible...we'll be meeting every other Thursday at our house...and then the 3rd Fridays of each month we'll be having a Girls Night Out, with opportunities to just have fun. I hope these events are well-received...and I'm very thankful to have been on the women's committee at Brookhaven for a few years...I still need to learn so much as I try to lead these women in Bible Study and and fellowship. Ya'll know I am not an initiator and definitely not vocal in big groups, so tackling & leading this project has been a huge prayer request of mine.
Today, I also took a stroll out of my comfort zone and attended the Sauk County Writers' Meeting. I found an ad for it in the newspaper this morning, and I think I was desperate enough to get out of the house and be with people that I jumped on it. I even took some writing to share ("Firefly Parade"...about single motherhood, a creative non-fiction essay I'd written in college). Lo and behold, I was the youngest person there (again!), as every other member had gray hair. :) I had a good time, and heard some very nice pieces, and I'm pretty sure I'll attend again, maybe even join. I definitely need some sort of discipline to get me writing. I guess that is my resolution for this year: to actually sit down and write--consistently. And perhaps even submit some of my pieces for publication. We'll see where that goes.
Hope you all have had a good start to this new year...I am finding over and over that I need more of the Holy Spirit in my life, not just a sprinkling of Him, but an overflowing waterfall. Perhaps you've found the same too?
Love and miss you all,
Jamie
Friday, December 29
Christmas Fun at New Paris, IN
Here are some random photos of us at Josh's mom's house this week.
Josh, Jamie, Dan, Zeeke, Jessi, Andrew, Olivia, and Nate.
A little DDR fun. I'm not that good at it, but people laugh when I try, so that's good.
Jessi, my brother Dan's wife, and Jamie.
Somehow the kids never seem to look at the camera.
You may wonder what in the world is going on. And I would too if I wasn't in the picture. We're attempting to swat a ball out of a tree. It took us only two tries to get it. How many Hilty's does it take....?
Olivia. That baby doll is the new tickle-me doll...you pick it up, and it tickles you.
Okay, just kidding.
Zeeke. He reminds me of what I think God was trying to do 2,000 years ago. Send us a present in His Son, Jesus. Have we taken the bow off the top and said, "Thanks God"?
A little DDR fun. I'm not that good at it, but people laugh when I try, so that's good.
Jessi, my brother Dan's wife, and Jamie.
Somehow the kids never seem to look at the camera.
You may wonder what in the world is going on. And I would too if I wasn't in the picture. We're attempting to swat a ball out of a tree. It took us only two tries to get it. How many Hilty's does it take....?
Olivia. That baby doll is the new tickle-me doll...you pick it up, and it tickles you.
Okay, just kidding.
Zeeke. He reminds me of what I think God was trying to do 2,000 years ago. Send us a present in His Son, Jesus. Have we taken the bow off the top and said, "Thanks God"?
Maddie...Our New Cat
Meet Maddie, one of our Christmas presents this year. My mom and Carl got her for Jamie, and I get to share her.
Our new kitten, Maddie. She's a little white furball full of energy. Mom and Carl gave us her and some money to get her de-clawed and neutered. The next one is of her and Nick, my mom's dog. I think he will be sad to see her go.
And Jamie will be happy to get her home. Who knows how we'll do that though. Seven hours in a car. We'll see :).
Our new kitten, Maddie. She's a little white furball full of energy. Mom and Carl gave us her and some money to get her de-clawed and neutered. The next one is of her and Nick, my mom's dog. I think he will be sad to see her go.
And Jamie will be happy to get her home. Who knows how we'll do that though. Seven hours in a car. We'll see :).
Saturday, December 23
Pray
Please pray for a man in our church who just lost his mother yesterday morning. She had been in and out of the hospital the last few months, but death is never easy to deal with. Pray for Jamie and I as we will be here trying to comfort him and his family. The funeral is Tuesday the 26th. Pray for me as this is my first funeral.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Monday, December 18
68
Sixty-eight. Random number any other day...but yesterday that was our morning worship attendance. Double what we average. As a pastor, I'll admit that although I'm not supposed to worry about numbers, I do. To see 68 people there was great. Our kids put on their Christmas musical during service, so I didn't preach. They did an amazing job! We weren't sure how it would work out, especially since a few in particular were overly sugar-loaded. They all remembered lines and songs.
Also on Saturday our nursery area was painted a bright blue and white. It looks 100 percent better.
Yesterday after service a couple from our church and their 10-year-old daughter took us out to see Charlotte's Web. It was a good movie! Within five minutes, Jamie said, "We have to buy this!" She was impressed with how good they made Charlotte look. It's hard to make a spider look beautiful, you know. After the movie we went to Uno's Chicago Grill. Awesome restaurant! Equivalent to an Outback or Texas Roadhouse.
Now we're looking forward to the last week before seeing family. The schedule looks like this:
24th PM Warsaw Wesleyan Christmas Eve Service
25th Christmas at Janofski's
26th Christmas with Hilty's/time with Josh's dad
27th Time at Hilty's
28th Janofski's
29th Going home
We'd like to make a Marion stop in there sometime. So if anyone has an open day and wants to get together, respond to this post and we'll try to rearrange the schedule. We may try and stay thru Friday and leave Saturday, it all depends.
Merry Christmas!
Also on Saturday our nursery area was painted a bright blue and white. It looks 100 percent better.
Yesterday after service a couple from our church and their 10-year-old daughter took us out to see Charlotte's Web. It was a good movie! Within five minutes, Jamie said, "We have to buy this!" She was impressed with how good they made Charlotte look. It's hard to make a spider look beautiful, you know. After the movie we went to Uno's Chicago Grill. Awesome restaurant! Equivalent to an Outback or Texas Roadhouse.
Now we're looking forward to the last week before seeing family. The schedule looks like this:
24th PM Warsaw Wesleyan Christmas Eve Service
25th Christmas at Janofski's
26th Christmas with Hilty's/time with Josh's dad
27th Time at Hilty's
28th Janofski's
29th Going home
We'd like to make a Marion stop in there sometime. So if anyone has an open day and wants to get together, respond to this post and we'll try to rearrange the schedule. We may try and stay thru Friday and leave Saturday, it all depends.
Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 17
Hospitals
I've been in hospitals this week much more than I ever imagined possible for a person who hadn't been admitted to one. In fact, its mainly just been the last two days. Friday one of my members had surgery in Madison to remove two aneurisms. God was good, and he is recovering. It sounds like the doctors were able to take care of both aneurisms in one shot. Jamie and I left Baraboo at 5:00 AM to get there and stayed until 1:00 PM. Not too long. Except I was dead tired and felt like I was worthless to the family.
Then Friday night I got a phone call telling me to come to Baraboo's St. Clare Hospital. One of my members was back in the ICU. This was her second trip there in a week, and her fourth in two months. She's 88 and has a failing heart and lung damage. She's been fighting this for so long and it's been hard to see her in pain all the time. Her family has been at her side through all of it. They keep saying they hate to see their mom suffer like this.
Friday night was especially hard because the doctors informed us that they will not perform CPR or do anything to resuscitate her if she slips again. They feel that it will not improve her quality of life, and will actually only prolong her suffering. So her sons and daughter grudgingly agreed to sign a "do not resuscitate" paper.
I wish I had more experience, more wisdom to offer. Yes, "just being there" is what matters. But at times like Friday night, I again felt worthless to the family. My greatest fear is about the time she passes away. It could happen on Christmas. It could happen on Christmas Eve. No matter what, it seems like this could be a situation which prevents us from seeing family this Christmas. I don't want to be selfish. And yet I am.
My prayer is that whatever happens we will get to travel home and stay at home without a funeral in the middle.
I would ask that whoever reads this in the coming days pray for God's will to be done in this situation...not mine. Pray for me as I go through my first funeral. Pray for the family as they will soon be grieving the loss of their mother. Thank you.
Then Friday night I got a phone call telling me to come to Baraboo's St. Clare Hospital. One of my members was back in the ICU. This was her second trip there in a week, and her fourth in two months. She's 88 and has a failing heart and lung damage. She's been fighting this for so long and it's been hard to see her in pain all the time. Her family has been at her side through all of it. They keep saying they hate to see their mom suffer like this.
Friday night was especially hard because the doctors informed us that they will not perform CPR or do anything to resuscitate her if she slips again. They feel that it will not improve her quality of life, and will actually only prolong her suffering. So her sons and daughter grudgingly agreed to sign a "do not resuscitate" paper.
I wish I had more experience, more wisdom to offer. Yes, "just being there" is what matters. But at times like Friday night, I again felt worthless to the family. My greatest fear is about the time she passes away. It could happen on Christmas. It could happen on Christmas Eve. No matter what, it seems like this could be a situation which prevents us from seeing family this Christmas. I don't want to be selfish. And yet I am.
My prayer is that whatever happens we will get to travel home and stay at home without a funeral in the middle.
I would ask that whoever reads this in the coming days pray for God's will to be done in this situation...not mine. Pray for me as I go through my first funeral. Pray for the family as they will soon be grieving the loss of their mother. Thank you.
Friday, December 8
Christmastime in Baraboo
Christmas is coming, and the temperatures show it. We've been down in the single digits the last few days (still no snow, though). Church has been going well. Last Sunday we had 39 people, with 19 of them being age 30 or younger! Jamie and two others are planning a Christmas kid's musical for the 17th. Right now 14 kids are participating! Jamie is going to have them to our house next Friday for a movie night.
On Wednesday the 13th we're having the first annual Hilty Christmas Open House. Jamie has been hard at work baking and decorating. The menu for the night includes two cheesecakes, angel food cake, fudge, oatmeal, chocolate chip, mint, peanut butter, and pumpkin cookies, snickerdoodles, ham roll-ups, veggies, chips, and reindeer made of pretzels. I know I forgot some, but this is most of it. She's got all the cookies prepared and frozen...just needs to bake them (my wife is such a great cook!). We sent out invitations to our congregation and some other friends, so hopefully we'll have around 40-50 people come.
We plan to go Christmas caroling on the 20th and have a candlelight/communion service on the 22nd. So, add one man's surgery, another woman in the hospital now, 3 more sermons to prepare, dinner with the whole church on the 16th, and all that's missing is the partridge in a pear tree.
We will get to see family this year, and Tiffany is coming up with us when we return so Gale and Janet can go to The Gathering.
I know I'm excited for all that December has. I think that God allows special things to happen at a greater frequency around this time. I don't know why, but for some reason God's presence and power is more visible to me in December than at any other time of year. Maybe it's because I'm expecting it. Maybe I don't take enough time to "look for" God January through November. It's not like God is silent or taking a break at other times, so it must be me.
My prayer for this December is that I would expect God to be God in 2007. Every day. Advent literally means "arrival." What better way to celebrate than to expect God to work now that He's here?
On Wednesday the 13th we're having the first annual Hilty Christmas Open House. Jamie has been hard at work baking and decorating. The menu for the night includes two cheesecakes, angel food cake, fudge, oatmeal, chocolate chip, mint, peanut butter, and pumpkin cookies, snickerdoodles, ham roll-ups, veggies, chips, and reindeer made of pretzels. I know I forgot some, but this is most of it. She's got all the cookies prepared and frozen...just needs to bake them (my wife is such a great cook!). We sent out invitations to our congregation and some other friends, so hopefully we'll have around 40-50 people come.
We plan to go Christmas caroling on the 20th and have a candlelight/communion service on the 22nd. So, add one man's surgery, another woman in the hospital now, 3 more sermons to prepare, dinner with the whole church on the 16th, and all that's missing is the partridge in a pear tree.
We will get to see family this year, and Tiffany is coming up with us when we return so Gale and Janet can go to The Gathering.
I know I'm excited for all that December has. I think that God allows special things to happen at a greater frequency around this time. I don't know why, but for some reason God's presence and power is more visible to me in December than at any other time of year. Maybe it's because I'm expecting it. Maybe I don't take enough time to "look for" God January through November. It's not like God is silent or taking a break at other times, so it must be me.
My prayer for this December is that I would expect God to be God in 2007. Every day. Advent literally means "arrival." What better way to celebrate than to expect God to work now that He's here?
Saturday, December 2
So, I Guess We are Weird
So, apparently we've been tagged by Amy to list 6 weird things about each of us . . . but there's two of us here, and we might just have to confess 12. I might have to confess our oddities for both of us. (We'll see what Josh has to mutter when he reads this!)
1. I sing in my sleep . . . the alto harmony of the Indiana Wesleyan University Chorale songs. At least that's what my college roommate reported to me, especially after returning from strenuous Praise Gathering weekends in Indianapolis. When I'm not belting out the alto lines of "Now Shout" & "Betelehumu" I like to create my own Russian Peasant Woman melodies with various sleepy oohs and aahhs.
2. My knees have always been and will always be "dirty" from childhood scars. One dark spot on each knee causes onlookers to question if I've been playing in the dirt recently.
3. Nine times out of 10, if I see you in Wal-Mart and you haven't seen me yet, I'll hide. Not because I don't like you, but because I'm just plain scared to say Hi and start a conversation.
4. I hate talking on the phone, unless it is work-related or I'm talking with my immediate family.
5. I love to cook and bake, and in general, be completely creative with construction paper or any other childhood art supply . . . but don't count on me cleaning up my mess for at least 6 days. (I am trying to grow up and fix this messy fetish.)
6. I, too, am a packrat and save everything from old school work and class notes, to empty pasta boxes with lasagna recipes, to birthday cards from way back when I was 2.
Odd Things About Josh:
1. He sees a pediddle car on the road, knows what the heck a pediddle car is, but refuses to pound his hand on the roof of the car and yell out, "Pediddle!"
2. He likes to start long projects, but very rarely finishes them.
3. (Exception to #2) He's organized the 1300 fonts on our computer, and created a binder full of 1300 "samples" for us to search through when choosing good ones to use.
4. He dislikes when the clocks in our house are on different times; they must all be on the same time (digital satellite time).
5. He loses his sanctification when driving on the 90/94 tollway through Chicago . . . or when driving the Marion, Indiana bypass. (We've since figured out new and holier ways to travel home, avoiding Chicago traffic at all costs.)
6. He gets frustrated with most Christian television (at least the ones on our cable network).
So, now, Stephen and Michelle, it's your turn.
1. I sing in my sleep . . . the alto harmony of the Indiana Wesleyan University Chorale songs. At least that's what my college roommate reported to me, especially after returning from strenuous Praise Gathering weekends in Indianapolis. When I'm not belting out the alto lines of "Now Shout" & "Betelehumu" I like to create my own Russian Peasant Woman melodies with various sleepy oohs and aahhs.
2. My knees have always been and will always be "dirty" from childhood scars. One dark spot on each knee causes onlookers to question if I've been playing in the dirt recently.
3. Nine times out of 10, if I see you in Wal-Mart and you haven't seen me yet, I'll hide. Not because I don't like you, but because I'm just plain scared to say Hi and start a conversation.
4. I hate talking on the phone, unless it is work-related or I'm talking with my immediate family.
5. I love to cook and bake, and in general, be completely creative with construction paper or any other childhood art supply . . . but don't count on me cleaning up my mess for at least 6 days. (I am trying to grow up and fix this messy fetish.)
6. I, too, am a packrat and save everything from old school work and class notes, to empty pasta boxes with lasagna recipes, to birthday cards from way back when I was 2.
Odd Things About Josh:
1. He sees a pediddle car on the road, knows what the heck a pediddle car is, but refuses to pound his hand on the roof of the car and yell out, "Pediddle!"
2. He likes to start long projects, but very rarely finishes them.
3. (Exception to #2) He's organized the 1300 fonts on our computer, and created a binder full of 1300 "samples" for us to search through when choosing good ones to use.
4. He dislikes when the clocks in our house are on different times; they must all be on the same time (digital satellite time).
5. He loses his sanctification when driving on the 90/94 tollway through Chicago . . . or when driving the Marion, Indiana bypass. (We've since figured out new and holier ways to travel home, avoiding Chicago traffic at all costs.)
6. He gets frustrated with most Christian television (at least the ones on our cable network).
So, now, Stephen and Michelle, it's your turn.
Monday, November 20
Hilty Happenings
Here's what's been happening this last week (I know, what a boring opening line). I promise this post won't put you to sleep.
1. Josh's family visiting. My family—Dad, Dan and Jessi with Olivia and Zeeke, Andrew and Nate—came late Friday night and stayed until Sunday afternoon. We had a good time seeing the Dells and Devil's Lake State Park. Jamie cooked an amazing meal (homemade mac 'n' cheese, white chicken chili, corn, Josh's favorite broccoli-olive salad, a pumpkin roll, and dump cake with ice cream)! And we watched Ohio State beat Michigan...go Bucks!
2. Meeting some Mormons. Jamie and I met with two Mormon girls our age last week for a second time. We had the chance to share with them about salvation through faith alone. They are coming to our house tomorrow night for dinner, and expressed an interest in learning about John Wesley/Wesleyan theology. Pray for them and us.
3. Preparing to paint. The painter, whose wife just got saved, is busy now but will work on our entire basement soon. His name is Rick, and he's seen the need for updating the church building and wants to help. He doesn't understand why his wife has accepted Christ, though he's not completely opposed to the gospel. We all watched "The DaVinci Code" last night. Pray for us as we try to work through misconceptions about the movie with them. Praise God we will have the basement of the church painted for free!
4. Church health surveys. Our church will be taking church health surveys put out by New Church Specialities soon. We will rate ourselves on eight different areas described in Christian A. Schwarz's book Natural Church Development. I recommend the book to any pastor wanting to improve the overall health of the church. This will be one of the first steps involved in getting to be a healthier church.
5. Going home. We get to see Jamie's family this week as we go to Warsaw late Wednesday. We'll be there from then until early Saturday morning. Hopefully we'll get to see some Janofski's from Marion too (Craig and Renee? Ken and Tina?). Let us know if you can get together.
Hope you all have a great turkey day!
1. Josh's family visiting. My family—Dad, Dan and Jessi with Olivia and Zeeke, Andrew and Nate—came late Friday night and stayed until Sunday afternoon. We had a good time seeing the Dells and Devil's Lake State Park. Jamie cooked an amazing meal (homemade mac 'n' cheese, white chicken chili, corn, Josh's favorite broccoli-olive salad, a pumpkin roll, and dump cake with ice cream)! And we watched Ohio State beat Michigan...go Bucks!
2. Meeting some Mormons. Jamie and I met with two Mormon girls our age last week for a second time. We had the chance to share with them about salvation through faith alone. They are coming to our house tomorrow night for dinner, and expressed an interest in learning about John Wesley/Wesleyan theology. Pray for them and us.
3. Preparing to paint. The painter, whose wife just got saved, is busy now but will work on our entire basement soon. His name is Rick, and he's seen the need for updating the church building and wants to help. He doesn't understand why his wife has accepted Christ, though he's not completely opposed to the gospel. We all watched "The DaVinci Code" last night. Pray for us as we try to work through misconceptions about the movie with them. Praise God we will have the basement of the church painted for free!
4. Church health surveys. Our church will be taking church health surveys put out by New Church Specialities soon. We will rate ourselves on eight different areas described in Christian A. Schwarz's book Natural Church Development. I recommend the book to any pastor wanting to improve the overall health of the church. This will be one of the first steps involved in getting to be a healthier church.
5. Going home. We get to see Jamie's family this week as we go to Warsaw late Wednesday. We'll be there from then until early Saturday morning. Hopefully we'll get to see some Janofski's from Marion too (Craig and Renee? Ken and Tina?). Let us know if you can get together.
Hope you all have a great turkey day!
Sunday Sermon: Responding to Suffering, Part 2
As promised, here is part two of the sermon from 1 Peter. Stephen Mowat, I used you as an illustration in preparation, but forgot to mention it when I preached. So you get to read what I almost said.
Introduction: Review From Last Week
Last week we looked at 1 Peter 4 and talked about persecution and our response to it. Peter tells us that we are to expect suffering—it should not come as a surprise. If we aren’t being persecuted, then we should be surprised.
Then Peter tells us that we should rejoice in our suffering. There’s no point in getting down and out about it…we ought to rejoice, and for two reasons. First, because if we suffer now for a little while, we will be exceedingly joyful when Christ returns. And second, we are blessed right now as the Spirit of God rests on us. God has sent His Holy Spirit to us so we won’t have to walk the Christian walk alone.
This week we’re going to look at the other two responses. But before we do that, we need to remember why Peter was writing. Like we said last week, Peter was writing to Christians in Rome right after it burned to the ground. Nero blamed them for starting the fire and began killing Christians. To be a Christian meant being hated, insulted, and killed. Whether it was being lit on fire or thrown into the arena with a gladiator or torn to bits by wild animals, you were most certainly dead. So Peter writes to these people to give them a proper perspective on suffering and their response to it.
If it were me, I would be tempted to renounce Christ and say forget it. And I’m sure that was what was going on in many of their minds as well. That’s why Peter’s letter is so important. So, let’s look at what he has to say.
Again, turn to 1 Peter 4:12-19. It says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”
Evaluate Its Cause
So our third response is found in verses 15 and 16. Peter says you shouldn’t suffer for reasons other than being a Christian—for bearing the name of Christ. So, our third response is to evaluate the cause of our suffering. When we’re suffering, we ought to take a look at why. And this response, I believe is the most key and one we should take time to understand. Lots of people think they are being persecuted for Christ, when really they’re not. These are the same types of people who write letters to the editor trying to persuade people to vote “yes” for the marriage amendment. They’re anti-abortion, so they stand in front of abortion clinics and picket. Or they’re anti-Democrat—because all Democrats are liberal and all Republicans are conservative Christians—so they only vote Republican and judge others who don’t. Or, they go witnessing and tell someone, “You’re going to hell if you don’t repent right NOW!” That person cusses them out and they think they’re being persecuted for Christ’s sake. As we’ll see these people are a little off the mark, a little misguided.
Verse 15 says, “If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.” There are four evils mentioned that are typical of a sinful lifestyle and they are used to illustrate the character of unacceptable suffering. They're very obvious, at least the first three. Don't suffer as a murderer. I mean, if you murder somebody and you suffer and they put you in prison or take your life, don't moan and complain. You should be ashamed. Same thing with being a thief, someone who steals in stealth and gets caught. You should be ashamed. Or an evildoer. The word "evildoer" covers all the crimes not mentioned in the first two words. Those first two are pretty broad...murder and thievery. And then summing up all the rest, don't suffer as an evil doer, all other forms of wickedness and sin. If you do, you should be ashamed.
Then he adds one other very interesting word, as he says, "a troublesome meddler." You say, "Well how in the world did you get a troublesome meddler in there with a murderer, a thief and an evildoer?" Because this is a very interesting word. By the way, it's only used here in the whole New Testament, so it is harder to define it. Some say it means a busybody, someone interfering in the affairs of others. It could also mean one who is unfaithful with goods committed to him—a bad steward. Or it could mean one who has his eyes on others’ possessions, a coveter. The word comes from two different words: “episkopos,” which is the word for overseer; and “allotrios,” which means stranger. And if you combine the two words together it means someone who looks over or someone who intrudes into things that belong to someone else. Someone that looks over or intrudes into things that belong to someone else. It is a sort of "mind your own business" word.
The question is, why does Peter say this word along with a murderer, thief and evildoer? This type of sin doesn’t seem to fit in well; it’s not as extreme as killing a guy. The reason he includes meddler is because Christians weren’t supposed to act like that. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, Paul says, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” You are to attend to your own business and to work with your own hands, do your own trade, stay out of other matters.
Whether that’s in the areas I spoke of above—the social issues, or issues within the church. We tend to meddle in each others’ business in the church too. We always want to know about every little detail, and we gossip about other people. Or we complain about other people. I have a pastor buddy who I graduated college with. He pastors a small church in Indiana, and he says people from his congregation will drive by his house frequently during the week. And his house is on a road that’s out of the way. So he knows they are driving by just to “check up” on him. They are meddling. Peter lists this in the same breath as murderers and thieves. It’s a serious sin! We’d like to think that just because there’s no criminal penalty for gossiping that it’s okay for us to do it. And we’d like to think that we are called to transform the government. But it’s not, and we’re not.
In his book, The Contemplative Pastor, Eugene Peterson explains what it means to be subversive, a big word for the opposite of meddling. He says that by being subversive, we take our message of Christ crucified and resurrected seriously, and we know that the gospel is offensive. If we are to have long-term effectiveness, the route to take is not to argue with the government and push our agenda on society. Rather, it is to, as Paul said, live quietly so you will win the respect of outsiders.
Being subversive means we assume three things to be true:
1. The status quo is wrong and must be overthrown. It is so deeply wrong that repair work will be futile. The world is, like a car, totaled.
2. There is another world that is livable. It exists, though it is not visible…it is the kingdom of God. The subversive Christian then operates out of the conviction that the kingdom of God is real.
3. The usual means by which one kingdom is overthrown and another brought to power won’t work. You can’t depose a dictator, change the constitution, elect a bunch of Republicans, etc. We must live as subversive Christians.
Jesus was subversive. He spoke in parables, which were hard to understand. Now with Pharisees and chief priests, he was up front and to the point. But with those seeking to know the truth, he spoke in parables. He healed people and told them not to tell others. He was not a meddler, and did not seek to change the government as some wanted him to. So should we live. Back to our passage, Peter says we should not suffer for being obnoxious, nosy and messing with the government. If we evaluate why we’re suffering and find it is because we are going on TV bashing our government or abortion or homosexuality or anything else, we are not being persecuted as a Christian. We are then being given our just punishment. If we take it upon ourselves to force our Christian thinking upon our culture, we've stepped beyond the boundaries.
Some of you are thinking that I’m saying we should hide our Christianity, never witness to others, etc. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying there is a way to go about it that we’re missing. Yes, share your faith regularly. Do not compromise the gospel. Don’t water it down. Don’t be afraid of being rejected. Live as Christ calls us to live, righteous and holy lives. Just don’t throw yourself into the political scene, or act like a bigot, or judge non-Christians for not behaving like a Christian does. If you do, you deserve your suffering and should be ashamed. But if you suffer for bearing the name of Christ, you should not be ashamed.
Peter goes on to say in verse 16, “If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” We must evaluate if we are suffering as a Christian. The word “Christian” was originally a derogatory term given to followers of Christ by non-Christians. Just as those who worshiped the Emperor Caesar Augustus were called “Augustinians,” so worshipers of Christ were called Christians. What Peter is saying is almost ironic. The world considered murderers, thieves, evildoers and meddlers to all be horrible people. It also considered Christians to be horrible people. So, you can be despised by the world, but it better be for the right reason. You had better be a subversive Christian.
Entrust Yourself to God
So, we should evaluate why we’re suffering. And now one final point. In verse 19 it says, “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” Entrust yourself to God: our fourth response to suffering. Perhaps this is the hardest, even harder than rejoicing. God, after all, is the One who is allowing us to endure this trial. If he would just act on our behalf and save us from whatever it is, life would be better. But instead He asks us to go to Him. To entrust yourself to God means to give Him yourself, with the thought that God will take you and sustain you. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He said, “Father into your hands I commit my spirit,” using the same word as we see here.
God is our faithful Creator. As our Creator, we know that God created all things, and that He permits and enables the events of life. Without God, we would not exist. Theologian G.K. Chesterton once said, “He who has seen the whole world hanging on a hair of the mercy of God has seen the truth.” It is precisely for this reason that Peter calls him Creator—by the way this is the only time this word is used in the NT. Entrust yourself to the one who both created you in his image, and who sustains your every breath. He is faithful to you, so be faithful to him and commit your life to Him.
John MacArthur tells of how a man named Jeffrey Bull was held for three years and two months by the Chinese communists. Part of the time he was held in solitary confinement, he was half starved, threatened, badgered, subjected to the infernal techniques of brain washing. He was desperately holding on to some power of objectivity in his brain by making at one time a special study of the six different types of mosquitoes in his cell just to keep his sanity.
In the midst of all of this he composed a long poem and I will read part of it to you. Close your eyes, and imagine yourself locked in a room just small enough to sit down in, dimly lit, alone. This was his prayer in the midst of horrible suffering:
Let not Thy face grow dim, dear God, nor sense of Thee depart.
Let not the memory of Thy Word burn low within my heart.
Let not my spirit, Lord, grow numb through loneliness or fears.
Let not my heart to doubt succumb and keep my eyes from tears.
Let not the distance come between as months and years increase.
Let not the darkness close me in, let me not lose Thy peace.
Let not the pressure of the foe crush out my love for Thee.
Let not the tiredness and the woe eclipse Thy victory.
For Thy joy is my joy and my hope, Thy day and Thy kingdom gracious God shall never pass away.
Introduction: Review From Last Week
Last week we looked at 1 Peter 4 and talked about persecution and our response to it. Peter tells us that we are to expect suffering—it should not come as a surprise. If we aren’t being persecuted, then we should be surprised.
Then Peter tells us that we should rejoice in our suffering. There’s no point in getting down and out about it…we ought to rejoice, and for two reasons. First, because if we suffer now for a little while, we will be exceedingly joyful when Christ returns. And second, we are blessed right now as the Spirit of God rests on us. God has sent His Holy Spirit to us so we won’t have to walk the Christian walk alone.
This week we’re going to look at the other two responses. But before we do that, we need to remember why Peter was writing. Like we said last week, Peter was writing to Christians in Rome right after it burned to the ground. Nero blamed them for starting the fire and began killing Christians. To be a Christian meant being hated, insulted, and killed. Whether it was being lit on fire or thrown into the arena with a gladiator or torn to bits by wild animals, you were most certainly dead. So Peter writes to these people to give them a proper perspective on suffering and their response to it.
If it were me, I would be tempted to renounce Christ and say forget it. And I’m sure that was what was going on in many of their minds as well. That’s why Peter’s letter is so important. So, let’s look at what he has to say.
Again, turn to 1 Peter 4:12-19. It says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”
Evaluate Its Cause
So our third response is found in verses 15 and 16. Peter says you shouldn’t suffer for reasons other than being a Christian—for bearing the name of Christ. So, our third response is to evaluate the cause of our suffering. When we’re suffering, we ought to take a look at why. And this response, I believe is the most key and one we should take time to understand. Lots of people think they are being persecuted for Christ, when really they’re not. These are the same types of people who write letters to the editor trying to persuade people to vote “yes” for the marriage amendment. They’re anti-abortion, so they stand in front of abortion clinics and picket. Or they’re anti-Democrat—because all Democrats are liberal and all Republicans are conservative Christians—so they only vote Republican and judge others who don’t. Or, they go witnessing and tell someone, “You’re going to hell if you don’t repent right NOW!” That person cusses them out and they think they’re being persecuted for Christ’s sake. As we’ll see these people are a little off the mark, a little misguided.
Verse 15 says, “If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.” There are four evils mentioned that are typical of a sinful lifestyle and they are used to illustrate the character of unacceptable suffering. They're very obvious, at least the first three. Don't suffer as a murderer. I mean, if you murder somebody and you suffer and they put you in prison or take your life, don't moan and complain. You should be ashamed. Same thing with being a thief, someone who steals in stealth and gets caught. You should be ashamed. Or an evildoer. The word "evildoer" covers all the crimes not mentioned in the first two words. Those first two are pretty broad...murder and thievery. And then summing up all the rest, don't suffer as an evil doer, all other forms of wickedness and sin. If you do, you should be ashamed.
Then he adds one other very interesting word, as he says, "a troublesome meddler." You say, "Well how in the world did you get a troublesome meddler in there with a murderer, a thief and an evildoer?" Because this is a very interesting word. By the way, it's only used here in the whole New Testament, so it is harder to define it. Some say it means a busybody, someone interfering in the affairs of others. It could also mean one who is unfaithful with goods committed to him—a bad steward. Or it could mean one who has his eyes on others’ possessions, a coveter. The word comes from two different words: “episkopos,” which is the word for overseer; and “allotrios,” which means stranger. And if you combine the two words together it means someone who looks over or someone who intrudes into things that belong to someone else. Someone that looks over or intrudes into things that belong to someone else. It is a sort of "mind your own business" word.
The question is, why does Peter say this word along with a murderer, thief and evildoer? This type of sin doesn’t seem to fit in well; it’s not as extreme as killing a guy. The reason he includes meddler is because Christians weren’t supposed to act like that. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, Paul says, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” You are to attend to your own business and to work with your own hands, do your own trade, stay out of other matters.
Whether that’s in the areas I spoke of above—the social issues, or issues within the church. We tend to meddle in each others’ business in the church too. We always want to know about every little detail, and we gossip about other people. Or we complain about other people. I have a pastor buddy who I graduated college with. He pastors a small church in Indiana, and he says people from his congregation will drive by his house frequently during the week. And his house is on a road that’s out of the way. So he knows they are driving by just to “check up” on him. They are meddling. Peter lists this in the same breath as murderers and thieves. It’s a serious sin! We’d like to think that just because there’s no criminal penalty for gossiping that it’s okay for us to do it. And we’d like to think that we are called to transform the government. But it’s not, and we’re not.
In his book, The Contemplative Pastor, Eugene Peterson explains what it means to be subversive, a big word for the opposite of meddling. He says that by being subversive, we take our message of Christ crucified and resurrected seriously, and we know that the gospel is offensive. If we are to have long-term effectiveness, the route to take is not to argue with the government and push our agenda on society. Rather, it is to, as Paul said, live quietly so you will win the respect of outsiders.
Being subversive means we assume three things to be true:
1. The status quo is wrong and must be overthrown. It is so deeply wrong that repair work will be futile. The world is, like a car, totaled.
2. There is another world that is livable. It exists, though it is not visible…it is the kingdom of God. The subversive Christian then operates out of the conviction that the kingdom of God is real.
3. The usual means by which one kingdom is overthrown and another brought to power won’t work. You can’t depose a dictator, change the constitution, elect a bunch of Republicans, etc. We must live as subversive Christians.
Jesus was subversive. He spoke in parables, which were hard to understand. Now with Pharisees and chief priests, he was up front and to the point. But with those seeking to know the truth, he spoke in parables. He healed people and told them not to tell others. He was not a meddler, and did not seek to change the government as some wanted him to. So should we live. Back to our passage, Peter says we should not suffer for being obnoxious, nosy and messing with the government. If we evaluate why we’re suffering and find it is because we are going on TV bashing our government or abortion or homosexuality or anything else, we are not being persecuted as a Christian. We are then being given our just punishment. If we take it upon ourselves to force our Christian thinking upon our culture, we've stepped beyond the boundaries.
Some of you are thinking that I’m saying we should hide our Christianity, never witness to others, etc. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying there is a way to go about it that we’re missing. Yes, share your faith regularly. Do not compromise the gospel. Don’t water it down. Don’t be afraid of being rejected. Live as Christ calls us to live, righteous and holy lives. Just don’t throw yourself into the political scene, or act like a bigot, or judge non-Christians for not behaving like a Christian does. If you do, you deserve your suffering and should be ashamed. But if you suffer for bearing the name of Christ, you should not be ashamed.
Peter goes on to say in verse 16, “If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” We must evaluate if we are suffering as a Christian. The word “Christian” was originally a derogatory term given to followers of Christ by non-Christians. Just as those who worshiped the Emperor Caesar Augustus were called “Augustinians,” so worshipers of Christ were called Christians. What Peter is saying is almost ironic. The world considered murderers, thieves, evildoers and meddlers to all be horrible people. It also considered Christians to be horrible people. So, you can be despised by the world, but it better be for the right reason. You had better be a subversive Christian.
Entrust Yourself to God
So, we should evaluate why we’re suffering. And now one final point. In verse 19 it says, “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” Entrust yourself to God: our fourth response to suffering. Perhaps this is the hardest, even harder than rejoicing. God, after all, is the One who is allowing us to endure this trial. If he would just act on our behalf and save us from whatever it is, life would be better. But instead He asks us to go to Him. To entrust yourself to God means to give Him yourself, with the thought that God will take you and sustain you. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He said, “Father into your hands I commit my spirit,” using the same word as we see here.
God is our faithful Creator. As our Creator, we know that God created all things, and that He permits and enables the events of life. Without God, we would not exist. Theologian G.K. Chesterton once said, “He who has seen the whole world hanging on a hair of the mercy of God has seen the truth.” It is precisely for this reason that Peter calls him Creator—by the way this is the only time this word is used in the NT. Entrust yourself to the one who both created you in his image, and who sustains your every breath. He is faithful to you, so be faithful to him and commit your life to Him.
John MacArthur tells of how a man named Jeffrey Bull was held for three years and two months by the Chinese communists. Part of the time he was held in solitary confinement, he was half starved, threatened, badgered, subjected to the infernal techniques of brain washing. He was desperately holding on to some power of objectivity in his brain by making at one time a special study of the six different types of mosquitoes in his cell just to keep his sanity.
In the midst of all of this he composed a long poem and I will read part of it to you. Close your eyes, and imagine yourself locked in a room just small enough to sit down in, dimly lit, alone. This was his prayer in the midst of horrible suffering:
Let not Thy face grow dim, dear God, nor sense of Thee depart.
Let not the memory of Thy Word burn low within my heart.
Let not my spirit, Lord, grow numb through loneliness or fears.
Let not my heart to doubt succumb and keep my eyes from tears.
Let not the distance come between as months and years increase.
Let not the darkness close me in, let me not lose Thy peace.
Let not the pressure of the foe crush out my love for Thee.
Let not the tiredness and the woe eclipse Thy victory.
For Thy joy is my joy and my hope, Thy day and Thy kingdom gracious God shall never pass away.
Thursday, November 16
Sand Lake Wesleyan Church
Yesterday Jamie and I had a chance to be "youth sponsors" again. We traveled an hour and a half to Onalska, WI, (close to Minnesota) to assist with their junior high ministry. Guess what we played? Dodgeball! I got to speak about Leah and Rachel, how they competed for Jacob's love. I explained how when we try to find love only from other people, they will let us down. Only God can love us and give us the acceptance and self-worth we seek. After that we taught them Four on the Couch...not the easiest game to teach to 14 guys and 3 girls, most of whom bounced around and couldn't sit still. We had a good time though.
The pastor of the church meets in my LDJ group (a group of pastors who meet for prayer, fellowship and sharing). He invited us to help out whenever we can since we don't have a Wednesday night program at our church, and they only have a few "sponsors"....no youth pastor. Hopefully we'll be able to go back again.
Also, last night we met a guy who creates websites. It sounds like we'll be able to create a church website with him. We'll see how that goes. Its amazing how God works things out and connects us with other people. Its amazing how one night of hanging out with junior high boys boosts your spirits. Praise God for his goodness to us.
To all you Brookhaven Paradigm readers, we miss you guys and wish we could be there!
The pastor of the church meets in my LDJ group (a group of pastors who meet for prayer, fellowship and sharing). He invited us to help out whenever we can since we don't have a Wednesday night program at our church, and they only have a few "sponsors"....no youth pastor. Hopefully we'll be able to go back again.
Also, last night we met a guy who creates websites. It sounds like we'll be able to create a church website with him. We'll see how that goes. Its amazing how God works things out and connects us with other people. Its amazing how one night of hanging out with junior high boys boosts your spirits. Praise God for his goodness to us.
To all you Brookhaven Paradigm readers, we miss you guys and wish we could be there!
Sunday, November 12
Sunday Sermon: Our Response to Suffering, Part 1
I promise this time to preach the sequel sermon. Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. So I spoke about persecution and our response to it.
Since we were in Indy for part of the week, I didn't have time to study and write a fully original sermon (no, I don't plan to make this a habit). So credit goes to John MacArthur for the majority of this one. Thanks John.
Introduction: Passage Background
Open your Bibles to 1 Peter 4:12-19. As you’re doing that, I want to give you a bit of background on the passage. As you know, today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. And the book of First Peter was written to a group of Christians living in Rome who were just that: persecuted. On July 19, 64 A.D., Rome burned while Nero goofed off. That's sort of a famous point in history. Everybody remembers that Rome burned and Nero goofed off. Rome was a city of very narrow streets. It was a city of high wooden buildings. They built what would today be known as apartment houses out of wood and they were very close together. The fire spread fast and although it began on that day it lasted three days and nights and it broke out again and again even though they tried to stop it.
The Romans actually believed that the Emperor Nero was responsible for burning their great city and their homes. Why? Because Nero had this strange fixation with building and he wanted to build a new city and so they believed that he burned down the old one. He stood in his tower and watched happily as the city burned to the ground. People who put the fire out or tried to put it out were hindered by his soldiers and new fires were started. The people were absolutely devastated. They lost everything.
All the temples and shrines to their gods, their homes, all their household gods, everything was gone and they were homeless. The resentment obviously was great. The bitterness was deep and somewhat deadly. And so Nero needed to divert the attention away from himself. He needed a scapegoat. So he selected a scapegoat, the Christians. Publicly he blamed the Christians for burning Rome.
It was an ingenious choice on his part because the Christians were already the victims of hatred and already the victims of slander. They were connected with Jews in the minds of most people who were not Christians. And since there was a rather growing anti-Semitism, it was easy to have an anti‑Christian attitude as well. The Lord's Supper which Christians held was closed to pagans and so they sort of developed all kinds of strange imaginations about what happened. They heard about these Christians who were eating flesh and drinking blood and accused them of cannibalism. In fact, they began to say that they ate babies and Gentiles at the Lord's Supper. They also said that the Christian kiss of love at their love feast was about lust and orgy that took place called the Lord's Supper. Christians were also very unpopular because they split families. When a man became a Christian and his wife did not, it was an obvious fracture. Christians also used to talk about a time when the world would be engulfed in flames and so it would be easy to blame them for this fire, thinking they had tried to develop a fulfillment for their own prophecy.
This really began what later developed into a full‑blown persecution. If you go later than Nero to other Roman emperors, you find that what began here as an initial hatred of Christians became a fixed policy. And the question whether a man was a Christian became the most essential part of any charge against him. As a result of this accusation, persecution began. Tacitus, the Roman historian, reported that Nero rolled Christians in pitch or oil and then set fire to them while they were still alive and used them as living torches to light his garden parties. He served them up in the skins of wild animals to his hunting dogs to tear them to shreds. They were nailed to crosses.
Even lynching became very common. Within a few years Christians were imprisoned, racked, seared, broiled, burned, scourged, stoned and hanged. Some were lacerated with hot knives and others thrown on the horns of wild bulls. Dr. H.B. Workman in his book called Persecution in the Early Church wrote this: "For two hundred years from Nero on, the leaders among the Christians were branded as anarchists and atheists and hated accordingly. For two hundred years to become a Christian meant the great renunciation, the joining of a despised and persecuted sect, the swimming against the tide of popular prejudice, the coming under the ban of the Empire, the possibility at any moment of imprisonment and death under its most fearful forms. For two hundred years, he that would follow Christ must count the cost and be prepared to pay the same with his liberty and life. For two hundred years the mere profession of Christianity was itself a crime. ‘I am a Christian’ was almost the one plea for which there was no forgiveness, in itself all that was necessary on the back of the condemned as a title. For the name itself in periods of stress, meant the rack, the blazing shirt of pitch, the lion, the panther, or in the case of maidens, an infamy worse than death."
Now, what is interesting about that in relation to 1 Peter is that most scholars say this letter was probably written just after that all began, some time toward the end of that same year, 64 A.D. So it would be written then at a time when Christians were undergoing the beginnings of the horrors of a two‑hundred year persecution. So, Peter is writing to Christians in fear for their lives. The theme of suffering and our response to it is big in the book, and we want to focus on eight verses that speak of our response.
1 Peter 4:12-19 says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, ‘If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?’ So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”
Peter gives his readers four key features of a proper response. And if we can get a grip on these it will go a long way to helping us deal with suffering for righteousness’ sake in our own lives. It will also help us as we learn how to pray for those who are persecuted even today. We ought to respond in four ways. Number one, expect it. Number two, rejoice in it. Number three, evaluate its cause. And number four, commit yourself to God. Expect it, rejoice in it, evaluate its cause and entrust yourself to God.
Expect Suffering
In verse 12 it says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." The point here is to expect suffering. Throughout the Bible, we see that persecution is inevitable. In fact, the surprise would be if it didn't come. Matthew 5:10 says we will endure persecution for righteousness. Matthew 5:11-12 says we will be insulted and slandered. Matthew 10 says we will endure false accusations. Matthew 10:14, rejection by men. Matthew 10:17, scourging for Christ. Matthew 10:21 says that brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. In John 15:18 Jesus says that they hated Him, so they're going to hate you. Acts 5:41, we will endure shame for Christ's sake. Acts 7:58 says some of us will be martyred. Acts 12 reminds us that many Christians will endure imprisonment. According to Acts 14:19, some might be stoned. Paul tells disciples in Acts 14:22: “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” First Corinthians 4 says we will be misunderstood, we will be defamed and we will be despised. First Corinthians 4:9 says we will be made a spectacle to men. Second Corinthians 6:4-10 says we will endure bad reports, beatings, sorrow, loneliness, poverty, and riots. Paul writes to Timothy and says all that live godly in this present age will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). And in 1 John 3:13 it says, “Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.”
And so Peter is really echoing the instruction of the others who have written in the New Testament that we're not to be surprised when suffering comes. It's as if he is saying, “Suffering is the price of discipleship.” When you become a Christian, you take up a cross and the cross speaks of pain and suffering and even death. There is definitely a price to pay because if you name the name of Christ you will become a conscience—a sense of right and wrong—to an evil world which does not welcome such a conscience.
What is interesting about this passage is what it does not say. Peter never has to apologize to these believers for mistakenly telling them that God really wants to make them happy. He doesn’t have to say, “Oops. I guess I was wrong about that prosperity gospel.” How often do we hear that message preached? Just accept Jesus as your Savior and he’ll make life great. God wants you to be happy. God wants you to have that brand new car and house. He wants to bless you. God would rather see us holy than happy, and that’s why we must go through and accept suffering. And it’s not like God doesn’t love you. He does.
Just look at how Peter addresses his listeners. Dear friends—literally beloved ones—is a way of reminding these Christians God does love them. It’s a word of tenderness, a word of compassion, a word of affection, a word of care. Back in 1:22 Peter tells them to love one another deeply from the heart. Then in 4:8 he talks about the fact that we are to keep a fervent love for one another because love covers a multitude of sins. Not only are they to love each other, but they are loved by Peter. And not only that, but they are loved by God, the One our love flows from. What a comfort in a time of persecution and fear for your life. It would be very easy during suffering to question the love of God, to think, do You really love me? Do You really care? That’s why Peter stresses his love for them, which comes from God’s love for him.
Why should we expect to suffer for Christ? Because it helps us when we’re in the middle of it. If it catches us off guard, how much easier would it be to get down in the dumps about it? If you can expect it, you can cushion its initial impact. It’s part of God's design. It's the way He proves the genuineness of your faith and it's the way He purges your life. It takes out all the pride and the illusion of self‑control. It strips you and makes you totally dependent on Him. So if we expect to grow in Christ, we also expect to suffer, as that is one way God grows us and tests us. John MacArthur tells a story of speaking with a Russian pastor. He said, “It must be difficult in Russia to pastor the church.” He replied, "Not so, it must be difficult in America; in Russia we know who the true Christians are.” So it comes for your testing. It's an essential feature of God's working in you to prove you, to purge you, to cleanse you.
So, he says expect it and don't treat it as though some strange thing were happening to you. That verb "were happening" is an interesting verb that means “to fall by chance.” Don't think that when you're persecuted it's something that happened by chance. No, God allowed it and designed it for your testing, your purging, your purification, your cleansing. First it proves whether you're real and then it purges the dross out of your life. Persecution, affliction, suffering are not accidental, nor do they interfere with God's plan. They are right in God's plan, should be common to all Christians, they are common to all faithful Christians. So let’s expect suffering.
Rejoice in It
The second thing that Peter wants to say to us is to rejoice in it. Notice verses 13 and 14. “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” The word “rejoice” is in a tense that emphasizes a continued action: keep on rejoicing. This is the right attitude in the midst of persecution.
And you say, “Well what's the motivation for that?” There's a future motivation and a present motivation. The future motivation is that you will share His glory at His revelation. If now, you share—a word taken from koinonia, the big fellowship word—in his sufferings, you will be overjoyed when Christ’s glory is revealed, when He returns to the world. Because what is the other option of rejoicing? It’s denouncing Christ. In the midst of seeing your children being used for Nero’s torches and your spouse torn to shreds by a lion, you can either denounce Christ, turn tail and run, or rejoice. Christ suffered so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness, and by His wounds we are healed. Sharing in his sufferings means that we have chosen to die to sin and to live for righteousness, to live for Him. Sharing in his sufferings means we get to be hated just like Him. What a wonderful privilege, to be treated like our Savior!
When you look at it like that, I’m not sure if there is much of a choice. I’d much rather be treated like Christ than have special privileges because I’m a Christian. And, I get to rejoice when Christ returns. The word translated “overjoyed” is one with more force and weight to it than the normal word for rejoice, which is used at the beginning of the verse. We rejoice now because when Christ comes back, we will rejoice even more. Our joy will increase when Christ’s glory is revealed. What is better? To suffer a little while on earth or to suffer eternally in hell? If we suffer now, we can rejoice, because our joy will increase throughout eternity.
So rejoice because of the future reality of eternal glory. But there's also a present reason for rejoicing. Look at verse 14; this is a present reason for rejoicing. “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed.” The present benefit is being blessed, right here and now. I know I said Christ didn’t come to make us happy. That’s not what being blessed is all about. Being blessed is a result of having the Spirit of God on you. It is therefore not a subjective happiness, where one person is happy and the next happier. Suffering brings God’s presence in a much stronger sense than when life is great. And so our blessing is more a benefit than anything else. We don’t have to go it alone. God is right there with us.
The thing I notice about both of these reasons to rejoice—future and present—is that it’s because of God’s presence. We obviously won’t be excited about being beaten and insulted. I don’t know anyone who wakes up in the morning and desires to be yelled at in order to get them going for the day. But with God’s presence, we have reason to rejoice.
Conclusion: The Persecuted Church Today
Okay, we’ve covered points one and two: expect suffering and rejoice in it. We’ll plan to cover the next two next week. But today, there are questions we must ask ourselves:
1. Do we expect to suffer? Are we surprised when we are insulted because of the name of
Christ?
2. How do we respond to it? Do we have joy that comes from knowing we are loved
and that Christ is with us? Do we remember we will rejoice eternally?
3. Do we take time to remember those who suffer and die each day for Jesus?
Our Christian brothers and sisters are persecuted around the world, and it is easy for us to forget that persecution isn’t just a first-century thing. The Voice of the Martyrs tells the story of a man named Andrew in Bangladesh, a country near India.
Four drivers of four different buses were hired by a militant Muslim group to crash into Andrew’s SUV on the morning of April 24th. On his way to visit 17 Muslim convert families, Andrew was rammed by a bus while in the front passenger seat of his moving vehicle. His left elbow was broken from the impact, and his right forearm was embedded with glass and severely lacerated in five places. The Voice of the Martyrs is providing continuing medical treatment for Andrew, who was attacked for his Christian witness. Immediately after the collision, the bus driver ran from the scene and reported to the leader of the hiring Islamic group that he killed the targeted Christian preacher in the red SUV. Wasting no time, two men from the Islamic group went to the accident site to confirm the bus driver’s account, but they were too late. Andrew’s driver had already driven the smashed SUV away from the scene to the nearest city, where the unconscious Andrew was later admitted to a government hospital. Once at the hospital, doctors cleaned some of Andrew’s wounds and transported him to an operating room where they extracted shattered glass from five large gashes in his left arm. Andrew later regained consciousness, bleeding and in great pain. When Andrew’s brother (a medical doctor) arrived at the hospital, he saw that Andrew’s treatment had been stopped, even though he needed more care. He quickly checked Andrew out of the hospital and took him to another doctor. Together, the two physicians extracted the remainder of the glass from the wounds and dressed them before driving Andrew over 370 miles to a large city.
While traveling to the city, Andrew received four calls on his mobile phone. Even though he was not fully coherent because of the pain during the trip, Andrew remembers callers telling him, “Now you are going to heaven with your Isa (Christ).” Andrew believes that the perpetrating Islamic group kept the hospital staff from cleaning his wounds in the operating room. During the month of June, Andrew received more threatening phone calls from unidentified people within the attacking fundamentalist Muslim group. They confirmed the premeditation of their murder plot by divulging they knew from a source beforehand that he was going to travel in a red SUV to visit a group of Muslim converts on the morning of April 24th. Andrew believes the radical group gave instructions for the first bus driver who saw him on the road to smash into his vehicle. Andrew shared that his most recent phone calls from the militant group express they still plan to kill him. They meticulously described the make, model and color of the passenger vehicle in which he was to be transported and the date and location of his upcoming medical examination. For many years, Andrew has received phone calls threatening him and his family, and this is not the first attempt on his life. But despite all of this hostility and opposition, Andrew remains determined to continue his ministry to Muslim background believers.
This is a story from Indonesia, the country with the world’s greatest population of Muslims. On October 16, 2006, Pastor Irianto Kongkoli was shot and killed by two masked gunmen. He was 42 years old. The attack happened at 8:15 a.m. local time. That morning, Pastor Kongkoli was shopping for tile with his wife, Mrs. Rita Arianti Kopa, and five-year-old daughter, Galatea. The trio took the family van to a local hardware shop. Pastor Kongkoli was browsing the store’s yard when two masked men shot him in the head at a range of two meters. According to witnesses, one of the men was on a motorbike. Following the attack, the masked men fled. Pastor Kongkoli’s wife heard the shots from inside the van and rushed to help her husband. Rita, who is a member of the East Palu police force, immediately took her husband to a hospital for aid. He died that same day. Local police are following a lead on the two men suspected in Pastor Kongkoli’s murder. The suspects are also wanted for the murder of Pastor Susianti Tinulele, a pastor shot in the back of her head during a Sunday service, and the murder of an unidentified employee at a gold shop. Pastor Kongkoli actively worked to promote peace between Christians and Muslims. His body is to be buried in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi, instead of Tentena, the Christian district, to prevent retaliation against his death. Pastor Kongkoli is survived by his wife, Rita, and three children. Rita is not seeking retaliation against her husband’s murders, but plans to let local authorities handle the case. “It is God’s will,” she said. “He gives life and then He also takes life.”
Let's pray for the persecuted church now. If you're reading this on the blog, take time to pray now.
Since we were in Indy for part of the week, I didn't have time to study and write a fully original sermon (no, I don't plan to make this a habit). So credit goes to John MacArthur for the majority of this one. Thanks John.
Introduction: Passage Background
Open your Bibles to 1 Peter 4:12-19. As you’re doing that, I want to give you a bit of background on the passage. As you know, today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. And the book of First Peter was written to a group of Christians living in Rome who were just that: persecuted. On July 19, 64 A.D., Rome burned while Nero goofed off. That's sort of a famous point in history. Everybody remembers that Rome burned and Nero goofed off. Rome was a city of very narrow streets. It was a city of high wooden buildings. They built what would today be known as apartment houses out of wood and they were very close together. The fire spread fast and although it began on that day it lasted three days and nights and it broke out again and again even though they tried to stop it.
The Romans actually believed that the Emperor Nero was responsible for burning their great city and their homes. Why? Because Nero had this strange fixation with building and he wanted to build a new city and so they believed that he burned down the old one. He stood in his tower and watched happily as the city burned to the ground. People who put the fire out or tried to put it out were hindered by his soldiers and new fires were started. The people were absolutely devastated. They lost everything.
All the temples and shrines to their gods, their homes, all their household gods, everything was gone and they were homeless. The resentment obviously was great. The bitterness was deep and somewhat deadly. And so Nero needed to divert the attention away from himself. He needed a scapegoat. So he selected a scapegoat, the Christians. Publicly he blamed the Christians for burning Rome.
It was an ingenious choice on his part because the Christians were already the victims of hatred and already the victims of slander. They were connected with Jews in the minds of most people who were not Christians. And since there was a rather growing anti-Semitism, it was easy to have an anti‑Christian attitude as well. The Lord's Supper which Christians held was closed to pagans and so they sort of developed all kinds of strange imaginations about what happened. They heard about these Christians who were eating flesh and drinking blood and accused them of cannibalism. In fact, they began to say that they ate babies and Gentiles at the Lord's Supper. They also said that the Christian kiss of love at their love feast was about lust and orgy that took place called the Lord's Supper. Christians were also very unpopular because they split families. When a man became a Christian and his wife did not, it was an obvious fracture. Christians also used to talk about a time when the world would be engulfed in flames and so it would be easy to blame them for this fire, thinking they had tried to develop a fulfillment for their own prophecy.
This really began what later developed into a full‑blown persecution. If you go later than Nero to other Roman emperors, you find that what began here as an initial hatred of Christians became a fixed policy. And the question whether a man was a Christian became the most essential part of any charge against him. As a result of this accusation, persecution began. Tacitus, the Roman historian, reported that Nero rolled Christians in pitch or oil and then set fire to them while they were still alive and used them as living torches to light his garden parties. He served them up in the skins of wild animals to his hunting dogs to tear them to shreds. They were nailed to crosses.
Even lynching became very common. Within a few years Christians were imprisoned, racked, seared, broiled, burned, scourged, stoned and hanged. Some were lacerated with hot knives and others thrown on the horns of wild bulls. Dr. H.B. Workman in his book called Persecution in the Early Church wrote this: "For two hundred years from Nero on, the leaders among the Christians were branded as anarchists and atheists and hated accordingly. For two hundred years to become a Christian meant the great renunciation, the joining of a despised and persecuted sect, the swimming against the tide of popular prejudice, the coming under the ban of the Empire, the possibility at any moment of imprisonment and death under its most fearful forms. For two hundred years, he that would follow Christ must count the cost and be prepared to pay the same with his liberty and life. For two hundred years the mere profession of Christianity was itself a crime. ‘I am a Christian’ was almost the one plea for which there was no forgiveness, in itself all that was necessary on the back of the condemned as a title. For the name itself in periods of stress, meant the rack, the blazing shirt of pitch, the lion, the panther, or in the case of maidens, an infamy worse than death."
Now, what is interesting about that in relation to 1 Peter is that most scholars say this letter was probably written just after that all began, some time toward the end of that same year, 64 A.D. So it would be written then at a time when Christians were undergoing the beginnings of the horrors of a two‑hundred year persecution. So, Peter is writing to Christians in fear for their lives. The theme of suffering and our response to it is big in the book, and we want to focus on eight verses that speak of our response.
1 Peter 4:12-19 says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, ‘If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?’ So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”
Peter gives his readers four key features of a proper response. And if we can get a grip on these it will go a long way to helping us deal with suffering for righteousness’ sake in our own lives. It will also help us as we learn how to pray for those who are persecuted even today. We ought to respond in four ways. Number one, expect it. Number two, rejoice in it. Number three, evaluate its cause. And number four, commit yourself to God. Expect it, rejoice in it, evaluate its cause and entrust yourself to God.
Expect Suffering
In verse 12 it says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." The point here is to expect suffering. Throughout the Bible, we see that persecution is inevitable. In fact, the surprise would be if it didn't come. Matthew 5:10 says we will endure persecution for righteousness. Matthew 5:11-12 says we will be insulted and slandered. Matthew 10 says we will endure false accusations. Matthew 10:14, rejection by men. Matthew 10:17, scourging for Christ. Matthew 10:21 says that brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. In John 15:18 Jesus says that they hated Him, so they're going to hate you. Acts 5:41, we will endure shame for Christ's sake. Acts 7:58 says some of us will be martyred. Acts 12 reminds us that many Christians will endure imprisonment. According to Acts 14:19, some might be stoned. Paul tells disciples in Acts 14:22: “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” First Corinthians 4 says we will be misunderstood, we will be defamed and we will be despised. First Corinthians 4:9 says we will be made a spectacle to men. Second Corinthians 6:4-10 says we will endure bad reports, beatings, sorrow, loneliness, poverty, and riots. Paul writes to Timothy and says all that live godly in this present age will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). And in 1 John 3:13 it says, “Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.”
And so Peter is really echoing the instruction of the others who have written in the New Testament that we're not to be surprised when suffering comes. It's as if he is saying, “Suffering is the price of discipleship.” When you become a Christian, you take up a cross and the cross speaks of pain and suffering and even death. There is definitely a price to pay because if you name the name of Christ you will become a conscience—a sense of right and wrong—to an evil world which does not welcome such a conscience.
What is interesting about this passage is what it does not say. Peter never has to apologize to these believers for mistakenly telling them that God really wants to make them happy. He doesn’t have to say, “Oops. I guess I was wrong about that prosperity gospel.” How often do we hear that message preached? Just accept Jesus as your Savior and he’ll make life great. God wants you to be happy. God wants you to have that brand new car and house. He wants to bless you. God would rather see us holy than happy, and that’s why we must go through and accept suffering. And it’s not like God doesn’t love you. He does.
Just look at how Peter addresses his listeners. Dear friends—literally beloved ones—is a way of reminding these Christians God does love them. It’s a word of tenderness, a word of compassion, a word of affection, a word of care. Back in 1:22 Peter tells them to love one another deeply from the heart. Then in 4:8 he talks about the fact that we are to keep a fervent love for one another because love covers a multitude of sins. Not only are they to love each other, but they are loved by Peter. And not only that, but they are loved by God, the One our love flows from. What a comfort in a time of persecution and fear for your life. It would be very easy during suffering to question the love of God, to think, do You really love me? Do You really care? That’s why Peter stresses his love for them, which comes from God’s love for him.
Why should we expect to suffer for Christ? Because it helps us when we’re in the middle of it. If it catches us off guard, how much easier would it be to get down in the dumps about it? If you can expect it, you can cushion its initial impact. It’s part of God's design. It's the way He proves the genuineness of your faith and it's the way He purges your life. It takes out all the pride and the illusion of self‑control. It strips you and makes you totally dependent on Him. So if we expect to grow in Christ, we also expect to suffer, as that is one way God grows us and tests us. John MacArthur tells a story of speaking with a Russian pastor. He said, “It must be difficult in Russia to pastor the church.” He replied, "Not so, it must be difficult in America; in Russia we know who the true Christians are.” So it comes for your testing. It's an essential feature of God's working in you to prove you, to purge you, to cleanse you.
So, he says expect it and don't treat it as though some strange thing were happening to you. That verb "were happening" is an interesting verb that means “to fall by chance.” Don't think that when you're persecuted it's something that happened by chance. No, God allowed it and designed it for your testing, your purging, your purification, your cleansing. First it proves whether you're real and then it purges the dross out of your life. Persecution, affliction, suffering are not accidental, nor do they interfere with God's plan. They are right in God's plan, should be common to all Christians, they are common to all faithful Christians. So let’s expect suffering.
Rejoice in It
The second thing that Peter wants to say to us is to rejoice in it. Notice verses 13 and 14. “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” The word “rejoice” is in a tense that emphasizes a continued action: keep on rejoicing. This is the right attitude in the midst of persecution.
And you say, “Well what's the motivation for that?” There's a future motivation and a present motivation. The future motivation is that you will share His glory at His revelation. If now, you share—a word taken from koinonia, the big fellowship word—in his sufferings, you will be overjoyed when Christ’s glory is revealed, when He returns to the world. Because what is the other option of rejoicing? It’s denouncing Christ. In the midst of seeing your children being used for Nero’s torches and your spouse torn to shreds by a lion, you can either denounce Christ, turn tail and run, or rejoice. Christ suffered so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness, and by His wounds we are healed. Sharing in his sufferings means that we have chosen to die to sin and to live for righteousness, to live for Him. Sharing in his sufferings means we get to be hated just like Him. What a wonderful privilege, to be treated like our Savior!
When you look at it like that, I’m not sure if there is much of a choice. I’d much rather be treated like Christ than have special privileges because I’m a Christian. And, I get to rejoice when Christ returns. The word translated “overjoyed” is one with more force and weight to it than the normal word for rejoice, which is used at the beginning of the verse. We rejoice now because when Christ comes back, we will rejoice even more. Our joy will increase when Christ’s glory is revealed. What is better? To suffer a little while on earth or to suffer eternally in hell? If we suffer now, we can rejoice, because our joy will increase throughout eternity.
So rejoice because of the future reality of eternal glory. But there's also a present reason for rejoicing. Look at verse 14; this is a present reason for rejoicing. “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed.” The present benefit is being blessed, right here and now. I know I said Christ didn’t come to make us happy. That’s not what being blessed is all about. Being blessed is a result of having the Spirit of God on you. It is therefore not a subjective happiness, where one person is happy and the next happier. Suffering brings God’s presence in a much stronger sense than when life is great. And so our blessing is more a benefit than anything else. We don’t have to go it alone. God is right there with us.
The thing I notice about both of these reasons to rejoice—future and present—is that it’s because of God’s presence. We obviously won’t be excited about being beaten and insulted. I don’t know anyone who wakes up in the morning and desires to be yelled at in order to get them going for the day. But with God’s presence, we have reason to rejoice.
Conclusion: The Persecuted Church Today
Okay, we’ve covered points one and two: expect suffering and rejoice in it. We’ll plan to cover the next two next week. But today, there are questions we must ask ourselves:
1. Do we expect to suffer? Are we surprised when we are insulted because of the name of
Christ?
2. How do we respond to it? Do we have joy that comes from knowing we are loved
and that Christ is with us? Do we remember we will rejoice eternally?
3. Do we take time to remember those who suffer and die each day for Jesus?
Our Christian brothers and sisters are persecuted around the world, and it is easy for us to forget that persecution isn’t just a first-century thing. The Voice of the Martyrs tells the story of a man named Andrew in Bangladesh, a country near India.
Four drivers of four different buses were hired by a militant Muslim group to crash into Andrew’s SUV on the morning of April 24th. On his way to visit 17 Muslim convert families, Andrew was rammed by a bus while in the front passenger seat of his moving vehicle. His left elbow was broken from the impact, and his right forearm was embedded with glass and severely lacerated in five places. The Voice of the Martyrs is providing continuing medical treatment for Andrew, who was attacked for his Christian witness. Immediately after the collision, the bus driver ran from the scene and reported to the leader of the hiring Islamic group that he killed the targeted Christian preacher in the red SUV. Wasting no time, two men from the Islamic group went to the accident site to confirm the bus driver’s account, but they were too late. Andrew’s driver had already driven the smashed SUV away from the scene to the nearest city, where the unconscious Andrew was later admitted to a government hospital. Once at the hospital, doctors cleaned some of Andrew’s wounds and transported him to an operating room where they extracted shattered glass from five large gashes in his left arm. Andrew later regained consciousness, bleeding and in great pain. When Andrew’s brother (a medical doctor) arrived at the hospital, he saw that Andrew’s treatment had been stopped, even though he needed more care. He quickly checked Andrew out of the hospital and took him to another doctor. Together, the two physicians extracted the remainder of the glass from the wounds and dressed them before driving Andrew over 370 miles to a large city.
While traveling to the city, Andrew received four calls on his mobile phone. Even though he was not fully coherent because of the pain during the trip, Andrew remembers callers telling him, “Now you are going to heaven with your Isa (Christ).” Andrew believes that the perpetrating Islamic group kept the hospital staff from cleaning his wounds in the operating room. During the month of June, Andrew received more threatening phone calls from unidentified people within the attacking fundamentalist Muslim group. They confirmed the premeditation of their murder plot by divulging they knew from a source beforehand that he was going to travel in a red SUV to visit a group of Muslim converts on the morning of April 24th. Andrew believes the radical group gave instructions for the first bus driver who saw him on the road to smash into his vehicle. Andrew shared that his most recent phone calls from the militant group express they still plan to kill him. They meticulously described the make, model and color of the passenger vehicle in which he was to be transported and the date and location of his upcoming medical examination. For many years, Andrew has received phone calls threatening him and his family, and this is not the first attempt on his life. But despite all of this hostility and opposition, Andrew remains determined to continue his ministry to Muslim background believers.
This is a story from Indonesia, the country with the world’s greatest population of Muslims. On October 16, 2006, Pastor Irianto Kongkoli was shot and killed by two masked gunmen. He was 42 years old. The attack happened at 8:15 a.m. local time. That morning, Pastor Kongkoli was shopping for tile with his wife, Mrs. Rita Arianti Kopa, and five-year-old daughter, Galatea. The trio took the family van to a local hardware shop. Pastor Kongkoli was browsing the store’s yard when two masked men shot him in the head at a range of two meters. According to witnesses, one of the men was on a motorbike. Following the attack, the masked men fled. Pastor Kongkoli’s wife heard the shots from inside the van and rushed to help her husband. Rita, who is a member of the East Palu police force, immediately took her husband to a hospital for aid. He died that same day. Local police are following a lead on the two men suspected in Pastor Kongkoli’s murder. The suspects are also wanted for the murder of Pastor Susianti Tinulele, a pastor shot in the back of her head during a Sunday service, and the murder of an unidentified employee at a gold shop. Pastor Kongkoli actively worked to promote peace between Christians and Muslims. His body is to be buried in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi, instead of Tentena, the Christian district, to prevent retaliation against his death. Pastor Kongkoli is survived by his wife, Rita, and three children. Rita is not seeking retaliation against her husband’s murders, but plans to let local authorities handle the case. “It is God’s will,” she said. “He gives life and then He also takes life.”
Let's pray for the persecuted church now. If you're reading this on the blog, take time to pray now.
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