Study Guide: Discomforted by the Silent Christ

Sunday September 5, 2010 | Greg Boyd

Focus Scripture:

Luke 23:1-12
Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king."

So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man."

But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here."

On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.

Brief Summary:

Jesus’ silence before his accusers surprised everyone. Rather than defend himself, he suffered unjustly for the sake of the Kingdom of God. By doing this, he demonstrated faith in a higher court that would ultimately judge all.

Extended Summary:

Greg made three primary points in response to Jesus’ behavior in Luke 23:1-12.

1. Jesus didn’t take political sides. Even though many of Jesus’ followers were convinced that Jesus was there to overthrow those who oppressed the Jews, Jesus did not encourage or own this point of view. In fact, he clearly communicated that he was going to suffer and die—not conquer and win by force. Just like today, people were energized around national and political interests and tried to drag God and Jesus on to their side in those debates. The Kingdom of God is not of this world and no political party can rightly claim that it is the party of Christianity. All politics are corrupt and Christianity suffers severely from association with any of it. Vote your conscience, but don’t claim Jesus is in your political camp.

2. Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world. This means that if we are comfortable in this world, we may be in spiritual danger. We are called to honor, serve and love those that this world neglects. This is not glamorous or comfortable work, but it is our calling. Rest assured, if you suffer much in this world, God’s desire is for your restoration, healing and comfort. But if others suffer because of what you acquire and your life is soft and comfortable you need to know that Christian discipline means being on the lookout for how God wants you to use the blessings you have for the benefit of others.

3. Suffering for the sake of the kingdom. Just as Jesus died unjustly, so Peter and many other followers of Jesus died unjustly for the sake of the Kingdom of God. The witness that they were to the world is unimaginably powerful and contributed much to the growth of the early church. When people see that someone is willing to die for what they believe in, it is a clear testimony that what they envisioned was more important than any other consideration. It demonstrates that this martyr trusts more in God than in life itself. In America it is unlikely that Christians will face persecution that results in martyrdom, but we still have opportunities to choose to suffer for the sake of the gospel so that Christ will be glorified. Consider 1 Peter 2:19-25.

Reflection Questions:

What stood out to you most from this message and the supporting texts?
In what ways have you seen politicians or political groups try to claim Jesus for their political advantage? What are the consequences for faith when this happens? Would Jesus have willingly associated with any of our political parties today? Consider how Jesus related to the politics of his day. Discuss these things with your group.
When you hear that Jesus came to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable”, what is your initial emotional reaction? Do you see yourself as the afflicted or the comfortable? Why? How can you help Jesus comfort those who are worse off that you? How can this group help bring comfort to those who need it in our community?
It is easy to confuse suffering for the sake of Jesus with other sorts of suffering. Not all suffering glorifies God. When we suffer as a result of outside forces (like getting sick, having an accident, getting mugged, etc.) this is terrible, but it is not the sort of suffering 1 Peter 2:19-25 is referring to. All people suffer from outside circumstances in their lives. But when someone makes a decision to accept negative consequences to remain faithful to what God is calling them to do, then they are suffering for Jesus. All they would need to do to avoid the suffering is not do what God is calling them to do. And typically there are no worldly consequences for avoiding this sort of suffering. Many people throughout history have died for their faith as martyrs. Others have been imprisoned for refusing to denounce their faith or refusing to preach the gospel. What are some examples of suffering for Jesus that we see in the world today? What would it look like for this group to suffer for Jesus?