Sermon; 1 Peter 4:12-1, 5:6-11; Dcn. Sue
Suffering for Christ’s Sake
A little over three years ago, I attended a conference called Why Christian. I believe it was the third one held, and it was in driving distance. Back in the day before COVID-19, I would pick up and go to whatever workshop or training was within 600 miles of Hagerstown. As soon as I heard that two of my theological favorites were going to be at Duke, I bought a ticket, made a motel reservation, and drove 8 hours to Raleigh Durham.
One of the co-keynoters was Rachel Held Evans. I have adored her storytelling for a few years now. Her life was cut short tragically by an allergic reaction to a medication. I was introduced to her writing by Bishop Chilton. She was involved in a Blog called Dirty Sexy Ministry. Well, the blog was more about the width of your arms for the Orans Prayer Position than anything else.
The other co-keynoter was Nadia Bolz-Weber. She is quite the handful for the Lutheran Church and was the missioner for House of all Saints and Sinners. Its acronym is HFASS, which looks suspiciously like Half-Ass. I think HFASS was a surprise for her as to its success. If you have ever read her book Pastrix, you would know that there is no filter on her use of potty mouth language. I’m sure her YouTube talk, given at the Youth Gathering in New Orleans a few years back, is still available. I encourage you to watch it as she navigates better language in front of four thousand teens.
These two women organized these conferences because they wanted to make known that Jesus and the Cross are clear examples of God’s love for us and one another. Rachel and Nadia had unique call stories. They were either too progressive or not the right fit. RHE was from an evangelical church and yet couldn’t find the love that God accepts all and loves us all. Nadia was in the same boat, but her journey began, as I understand it, with a sense of not belonging to God or worthy of God’s love. We, you and I, belong to God, no exceptions.
For two days, I heard from a number of diverse speakers. My favorite was TuhinaVerma Rasche, who came from a Hindu tradition and is now a Lutheran Pastor and the Minister of Small Groups with the University AME Zion Church in Palo Alto, CA. She tells the story of her own understanding of God in the midst of social justice. There were many more speakers. All were not always welcomed by the normative church. All have stories of grace and reconciliation within the Church, and of course, the need for more. All the folks who gave witness statements proclaimed loving your neighbor as your self is difficult, and you may suffer for Christ’s sake.
In Peter’s letter, we have a world crashing around the proclaimers of Christ Jesus. The apostles were just as scorned and persecuted as those women, and a few men at the Why Christian conference were. When Peter’s letter says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you,” this message is for us today as well. We walk with God leading the way, and like Peter’s time, many destructive powers were creating stumbling blocks to thwart the good news in the crucified, risen, and now ascended Christ. In Peter’s time, it wasn’t the rise of women, gay or transgender clergy preaching the Gospel. It was more the Judeo Christian movement versus Roman rule as the destruction of the Temple occurred. Ultimately Peter will give his life for the Gospel message.
Today, we, too, have something suppressing our God-given gifts. We might not be in a fiery ordeal, but we have societal pressures to open our doors, we have government offering us mixed messages, and we have a virus that has slowed our spread of the Gospel. But we have Peter’s Letter, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast your anxiety on him, because he loves you. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.”
We are the body of Christ living in this tumultuous world. We gather online, on zoom, some face time, etc. as we can to be the Church. I’m not sure when we will have a Café, or a potluck dinner, but I am certain the Living Christ who has ascended, is still lighting the path for us to walk as the People of God.