Suffering as Witness
Pastoral | May 22, 2025 | By: Ethan Weaver
This weekend we set aside time to honor those men and women who have fallen as they have fought for freedom here and abroad throughout our nation’s history. Memorial Day represents countless stories of heroism and sacrifice which both inspire and humble us. These service members’ choice to willingly suffer, even to the point of death, encourages us towards sacrifice for the sake of what is good.
I often find myself much less noble in the face of opposition. My instinct is rarely to endure suffering for the sake of what is good. When I sense a personal injustice, my reflex is to immediately react and lash out. If someone encroaches on my rights or beliefs, I often want to go on the offensive—to right that wrong perpetrated against me, to set the record straight, to level the playing field. Yet the example of New Testament believers calls me to prayerfully reconsider my reactions.
The early Church emerged in a culture which mocked, persecuted, and attempted to quash her. Neither Rome’s religious system nor its government had any room for a God-man who claimed to be Lord of all—and the Jewish system of leadership, though possessing much less influence, was hardly any friendlier.
My instinct is rarely to endure suffering for the sake of what is good.
The first chapters of Acts describe the ministry of Peter who, for the simple reason of proclaiming the gospel, was beaten and imprisoned. The apostle, of course, publicly released the video footage, filed a lawsuit concerning religious liberty, and took to Facebook to decry the injustice he fell victim to—just kidding. No, rather the apostles “rejoic[ed] because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41).
Acts later follows the story of Paul, who had countless run-ins with governmental and religious leaders. And when brought to be heard before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, Paul, wrongly imprisoned, refused to criticize them as ruthless dictators or fight back against personal injustice. Rather he used those audiences for one thing—to share the gospel. Reflecting on his various sufferings, Paul tells the church at Colossae “I rejoice in what I am suffering for you” (Col. 1:24) and proclaims to the Romans “but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Rom. 5:3-4).
But perhaps the most poignant example for the American church comes in the book of Revelation. Though the reader gravitates towards reading into the apocalyptic and future meaning of John’s writing, we cannot overlook what the apostle says to his first readers. For his audience, John promises that they will be persecuted by the anti-God, pagan Roman system. Injustices, even leading to death, would be perpetrated against followers of Jesus. Yet John’s call to his readers is not to revile or revolt, but to persevere in that “subversive worship of the Lamb”[i] as they look toward that day when they will be honored for suffering well.
John’s call to his readers is not to revile or revolt, but to persevere…
Yet today, when the Church finds herself at odds with an increasingly secularized culture and its institutions, the reflex I both sense and observe is not to suffer well in the name of Jesus. We often react with caustic posts and irreverent bumper stickers. We attribute the worst motives to those with whom we disagree and often sink to name-calling and mudslinging. Believers, with good intention, seek to take the world to court in order to reverse the oppression they experience from culture.
To be fair, the Old Testament prophets often decried injustices they witnessed in their day. They scathingly criticized leaders who took advantage of the vulnerable and called out Israel when she veered in her worship of the Lord. The need for such prophetic voices has not diminished. Even Jesus condemned the religious leaders of His time for both their hypocrisy and unjust acts.
Yet as we continue to journey through an age of moral confusion, I’d like to invite us into critical reflection as we observe and experience the world around us. For Paul, his response to suffering and injustice always seemed to be guided by the desire that “Christ is preached,” and in that he rejoiced (Phil. 1:18). Throughout the New Testament the apostles most often chose to endure wrongful suffering as a witness to the truth. The desire to attract the world to Christ outweighed their longing to be vindicated.
If we believe that our culture and institutions are guided by anything other than the Spirit of God, we should not be surprised when those systems object to and even persecute those who are. And in every instance of injustice we endure, individually or corporately, would we prayerfully consider what response most brings glory to our Savior, who, “like a lamb led to a slaughter,” suffered for our redemption. Would we follow in the footsteps of the One who “endured the cross, scorning its shame,” who “endured such opposition from sinners” so that we might have life.
[1] Michael Gorman, Reading Revelation Responsibly
Ethan Weaver
Associate Pastor, Worship Arts
Together, we want to grow and become more like Jesus. What’s your Next Step to explore meaningful purpose, compassionate community, or a deeper connection with Him?
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