Christmas 2
Dear friends in Christ. Today we have come to the 12th and final day of Christmas, the day, according to the song, that my true love gave to me: 12 Drummers Drumming. According to the “hidden meaning” of this Christmas carol, which arose as a “catechism song,” the 12 Drummers Drumming stand for the 12 statements of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed.
Looking out around us today, we see that for most Christmas is already past or at the very least a fading memory. The trees are mostly long gone. Even that little interlude between Christmas and New Year’s is past. Now begins the long wait for many for spring time and the warm sunny days of summer.
But Christmas and the joy and certainty of Who Jesus is and what He came to do give form, focus and certainty to our lives. Our lives now are much like the shepherds who, after the angel’s announcement, came to worship the newborn Baby Jesus then afterward did what? They [Luke 2.20] returned [back to their fields, back to their daily lives] glorifying and praising God for all the things we that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. Their lives were the same but quite different/ completely changed. That’s also us: we heard the announcement of our Savior’s birth and in faith knelt and worshipped Him at His manger this past Christmas. But life returns to normal; and we have been strengthened for it by Christmas!
But again—life returns to normal. And daily life is far too often not pretty. With all these glorious and miraculous events surrounding Jesus’ birth we read of the blessed virgin [Luke 2.19]: But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Christmas meant something to her. It was something special that was to be pondered, mulled over in heart and mind. But again—normal daily life returned.
Today’s Gospel reading is part of the “back to reality” daily life and a rather ugly account at that: the holy family had to flee to Egypt to avoid Jesus’ death at the hand of Herod as he slaughtered the boy children in and around Bethlehem. Although our lives—by God’s grace and mercy—are not marked by such ugliness, we, too, will often face the ugliness of life in the world. We all will have our various trials and temptations that will make the joy and peace of Christmas seem like a long time ago, a different world. On this last day of Christmas, let us be reminded of that so that we take with us, for our comfort, into the days ahead the message of the Christmas season: There is born for you a Savior—Christ the Lord.
Our text from St. Peter is also an encouragement to us as we, as it were, leave the joy and peace of Christmas to face the often ugliness of everyday life—its various trials and temptations. Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.
1. The fiery trials that we face in life should not be a surprise to us because we are sinners living in a sinful world. We will suffer various trials and hardships because the world is no longer perfect as God had first created it. There is no way we can insulate ourselves from the results and consequences of sin—be it our own or the sin of another.
Because we have all “made bad choices”—that is because we followed our own sinful desires, because we have followed the call of the world, because we have “gone along with the crowd”—we have rejected the will and way of the Lord and sinned and suffer the result of that sin. Sometimes that result could be very drastic—spending time in jail; sometimes the result could be a broken friendship or relationship; sometimes it could be a bad name/ reputation and people no longer trusting us. These—and a whole bunch of other things, and here we can all fill in examples from our own lives—are the various results of our own sin. In short, by our own sin we bring a whole bunch of trial and hardship on ourselves.
Also because of the sins of others we suffer various trials and hardships. Because of the greed, pride and arrogance of some leaders, millions of people suffer and die because of war—this 100th anniversary year of WWI. Because someone else lies and slanders us, we suffer as we lose that promotion at work or people no longer trust us. Of course, there is a whole list of sufferings that we suffer because of the sin of others—and I’m sure you can fill in many examples. But the point is—we just shouldn’t expect to be free from trial, hardship or suffering in this world. There have been those that tried to set up their utopia—a perfect place where everyone is free and equal, living in love and harmony. They never last—sin always destroys. Even for a short time we read in Acts that the early Church in Jerusalem was “communistic”— neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common [Acts 4.32]. But because of sin—even in the Church, among seemingly well-intentioned Christians—it did not last.
Our Gospel of our Lord’s flight to Egypt is a very stark reminder that suffering is part and parcel of life here on earth; that we will suffer because of the sins of others. Here is our Lord Christ—the very God Himself, holy and sinless. If anyone should not suffer in this world, it would be Him because He is wholly and completely without sin. Certainly He does not suffer on account of His own sins, but here He suffers as He is forced to go into exile in Egypt to avoid the sin of Herod—his wrath, pride, murderous intent. The holy sinless God, suffers while here on earth. Let us not be surprised when we suffer. Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.
2. The other point to remember with today’s Gospel, with Jesus suffering, is because Jesus suffered we too will suffer. That’s not the same thing saying that suffering is the common part and parcel of life in this world. It’s more than that! It’s suffering because of our connection with Christ; it’s what we suffer on account of our Christian faith. By baptism and faith we are connected with Jesus— [Galatians 3.26] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. We are in closest, most intimate connection with Him. Since He suffered—like we see in today’s Gospel—we too will suffer. Remember, also, what Jesus said to Saul on the Damascus road as He was turning Saul, the great persecutor of the Church into Paul, the great apostle [Acts 9.4]: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? So close/ intimate is that relation between Jesus and His Church/ His dear Christian that what the Christian suffers, Jesus suffers. And we share in what Jesus suffers! Our text: but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings.
So what are our sufferings/ those fiery trials that come upon us that St. Peter here talks about? They are not just any suffering; they are not the suffering as a result/ consequence of our sin. Our text: But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Instead, the sufferings that St. Peter talks about in our text are the cross of the Christian, namely, what we suffer on account of our faith in Christ.
The people that Peter was first writing to were suffering bloodshed, loss of property, etc. because of their faith in Jesus. Their suffering was for doing what is right. In the world today, many of our brothers and sisters in the faith are suffering the same things because of their Christian faith. Our cross, that is, what we suffer on account of our faith in Jesus may be different; for us in 21st century America it is more subtle. We may endure strain and difficulty even within our own families; we may be looked upon as the religious “kook” in the family or at work for our beliefs; we may not be “ruthless enough” at work and may be passed over for a raise or promotion; we may be ridiculed as “narrow-minded” and a committer that most heinous of sins to 21st century western world: “intolerance.” What we endure as Christians faithful to our confession of faith may even be becoming not so subtle as our religious liberties are increasingly being eroded.
But, as Christians, striving to live faithful to our Lord and His will, should we expect anything different? Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings.
But, dear Christian, whatever it is that we are called upon to endure on account of our confession of faith in Jesus—whatever that cross is—let us rejoice in it. The moment we are brought to faith, be it as an infant in holy baptism or later as an adult, God does not forsake us and the faith He gave us; instead, He lays the holy cross on our back, so trial/ affliction on account of our faith.
What happens in our time of trial, when we suffer on account of our faith in Christ? We are thrown back not to ourselves and our own strength and devices; instead we are thrown back to the Gospel—God’s work and promise for us/ to us. When we are in the midst of suffering and the cross, then the Gospel can show and exercise its power. For when we are struggling against sin, struggling to do the right thing—the Lord’s will—He promises to hear our prayer as we pray to Him for strength, wisdom, guidance; He holds before us His word of promise to strengthen us; He gives us His body and blood for the forgiveness of sin and strengthening our faith. St. Paul reminds us—when we are weak, that is, in trial and not relying on ourselves and our own strength, then we are strong, that is, relying on the almighty Lord and His word and promise to bring us through—and He will. Notice the command in our text which is really more of a promise: rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. Now our joy is often hidden, mixed with sorrow, but come the Last Day our joy will be bright and untroubled.
The thing is, we do not merit glory by our suffering on account of the faith but through our sufferings the Lord is mightily working to keep us on that path leading to glory, to heaven, as that suffering keeps us close to Him. The wonderful thing is that when we suffer on account of our confession of Christ, the cross that we are enduring/ suffering is a testimony of the Holy Spirit to us and to all that we are not of the world but that we belong to Christ.
Our text: If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. In the midst of our cross, our suffering on account of our faith in Christ, we have the glorious assurance of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit with His grace and gifts and thus a peaceful conscience assured of the forgiveness of sins, peace with God and the glorious certainty of heaven. In the midst of our suffering under the cross we do not despair but commit ourselves to the Lord: Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.He will see us through.
So, dear Christian, we should not be surprised that fiery trial comes upon us as Christians. It is part and parcel of life in this sinful world; and because Jesus suffered, we, who by faith are connected to Him, can be assured of bearing the cross—suffering on account of our faith in Him. But precisely here the Lord is working mightily to purify, strengthen and preserve us in the true faith and by our sufferings keeping us close to Him and on the way to heaven. What a glorious promise we have as we live out our lives of faith filled with good works! INJ Amen.