For Your Benefit...

• I have reprinted the July Calendar. The print was too small on the first copy. I have also figured out a way to fit the monthly duties at the top of the calendar. I will start putting that on each monthly calendar in the future.
• Remember Ben Price who is in London, England for the next few weeks.
• Have you thanked a Bible class teacher recently for the good job they do with the kids here at Eastland! We have terrific teachers! Praise God!

Calendar

• Tonight — Kid's Singing @ 4:25.
• July 8-12 — High School Road Lectures (Indianapolis).
• July 15-20 — Overland VBS (Lawrenceburg.
• July 20 — Taylorsville Rd Singing.
• July 20-22 — Hodgenville.

A favorite cartoon from "The Far Side" shows two sailors sitting in a tavern swapping sea-faring stories. As the first man finishes his tale, the second man, says, "Well, I guess that ain't a bad story — but let me tell you about the time I lost this," pointing to his peg leg. The punch line? The first man has a peg head.

Christians may sometimes tend toward the same spiritual one-upmanship as they swap stories of suffering. I have actually heard Christians argue about whose suffering was worse. They say, without actually saying it, "Your suffering may be bad, but mine's worse." More bluntly, "My sufferin's bigger'n yours!"

One fact about suffering is undeniable: Anyone who follows Jesus will suffer. Jesus warned, "You will be hated by all because of My name… If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household" (Matthew 10, 22, 25). Paul said plainly, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12).

Scripture abounds with illustrations of this fact: Noah, Elijah, Daniel and his three friends, Stephen, James, and Paul. Of course, the supreme example is Christ himself (Hebrews 12:1ff; 1 Peter 2:21ff).

But the very example of these ancient saints creates a problem for many of their modern counterparts. Their examples cause some to conclude, "We certainly don't suffer like that anymore! That was real suffering!" They seem unwilling to say, even think, that their sufferings actually count for anything. This is reverse one-upmanship. It says, "Their sufferin' was much bigger'n ours!"

There are two problems with this mindset. First, it ignores the multidimensional nature of persecution. While some forms of persecution are more extreme, cruel or costly than others, nothing in Scripture equates the intensity of persecution with the quantity of one's righteousness. The Bible speaks of those who were tortured, sawn in two, put to death, scourged, beaten and imprisoned. It also speaks of those who suffered in less physical ways: ridicule, ostracism, social pressure and slander. (See, for example, Hebrews 10:32-39; 11:32-12:4; 2 Corinthians 11:21-33).

We have no indication that Noah was beaten or imprisoned — but we can well imagine the ridicule, scorn, and harassment he and his family endured during the construction of the ark (Genesis 6-7; Hebrews 11:7).

Saints, throughout history, have been ridiculed and slandered by others (Matthew 5:11f). Family and friends have ostracized them (Matthew 10:34ff; 1 Peter 4:1-5). Employers have discriminated against them (1 Peter 2:18ff).

Beyond this active persecution is suffering originating in our circumstances. Illness, war, famine, poverty, and any number of life settings can challenge the most devout believer's faith (Romans 8:31-39). This exposes a second problem with the "we-just-don't-know-what-real-suffering-is" mentality.

When we constantly hear from well-meaning Christians that our 21st century sufferings are somehow inferior to first century sufferings, we begin to doubt. We doubt whether or not we have really suffered, and whether or not we have a genuine faith. Others have marginalized our suffering, so we are left to wonder if our faith is marginal as well.

Perhaps as bad, or worse, we become reluctant to confide in one another, to confess to one another, and to trust one another. God intends otherwise for his people. We are to confess to one another and pray (James 5:13-18). We are to sympathize with one another in our suffering (Romans 12:15; Hebrews 3:12f; 10:32ff; 13:3). We are to draw comfort from the commonality of our suffering (1 Peter 5:9). Our comfort comes not from experiencing exactly the same thing; it comes from knowing that we all suffer because we are Christians. In that is great comfort.

So then, like Paul, let us boast in our weaknesses and suffering (2 Corinthians 11:30; 12:10) — not in their size, but in their significance; not in their uniqueness, but in their ubiquity. Most of all, let us encourage and sympathize with one another, knowing that in common suffering we find common faith and common hope.



For this week…


Paul said, "So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10).

We seem to be pretty good with the first part. That is, we are willing to help our fellow-Christians in crisis. We seem to lack in the second part. We seem reluctant to become too active (if at all) in community.

Why not? God told the Babylonian exiles that they should "Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare" (Jeremiah 29:7).

Likewise, if we are concerned with the moral quality of our communities, we must become part of those communities.

So, for this week, get involved!