Freedom of speech is a topic that has been greatly debated in recent times especially with all the conflict going on around the world. People are being harassed and even stopped by police for supporting their beliefs if it goes against the popular opinion. On Australia Day we have seen people stopped by police because they are holding Australian flags because it might cause incitement against those who are gathering to protest against it. We’ve seen the same with recent conflicts of the Israel/Palestinian conflicts and the Russian and Ukraine conflicts. And so the question often arises about what if my Christian values go against the popular opinion. Should I keep my views to myself?
It’s a difficult situation because we should not purposely say things publicly to incite argument but we should be able to defend our beliefs if they come under attack. We’ve seen it in sport where some Muslim and Christian footballers refuse to wear sporting gear during Pride games. Some are criticized for their stance – others are praised for standing up for their beliefs. And once you make your beliefs public you can make yourself vulnerable. We’ve seen examples of shop fronts, politicians’ offices and places of worship vandalized and smothered with graffiti because of their public stand on an issue.
There may come a time when you are in a situation where people are mocking Jesus – mocking the church – maybe even mocking you. To defend your faith may in fact make you vulnerable. St Paul had that same risk when he converted to Christianity. He was of a sect that despised Christians. He was, in fact, appointed to go to Damascus and arrest anyone who proclaimed to be a Christians. And on the way he is met by Jesus from Heaven. He falls to his knees and is converted. He is baptized and then sent to be a missionary for Jesus. But that meant he was now going to be at odds with the sect he had previously belonged to. What should he do?
Well he says in our reading today: Just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke” —we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence.
Paul said – I believed, and so I spoke. Yes it meant he was now vulnerable but he saw the importance of sharing the good news greater than the consequence. He said – everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. And even though he faced enormous persecution for his witness he realized that he had to keep going. He said – So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
And so elsewhere he said –
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. And again, elsewhere, Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.
Even Jesus found rejection by his own people and family as we heard in our Gospel reading: When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind. Maybe some of your friends and family feel “you’re out of your mind” for believing what many believe is a lie or fairy tale. And sometimes we may even lose family and friends over it as Jesus pointed out today:
They came and said to Jesus: Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
But, Jesus says elsewhere, there are blessings for those who suffer for their faith – Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.
So Jesus recognizes that persecution may indeed come our way – but along with that eternal life, as Paul also said today: For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Speaking up is not easy as it makes you vulnerable. Some people find it easy but having said that we also need to be mindful that our first call as Christians is to example the Christian faith through love as Jesus says – love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Our calling is not to attack and retaliate. In fact James say our call is to stand firm on our faith when he says: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. And Peter says the same when he says: But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
So if you’ve missed an opportunity to stand up for your faith, don’t worry, there’ll be other opportunities. And when the time is right you’ll know it, which is what Jesus also said elsewhere: They will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
In fact Jesus said that this may even be to those closest to us, like in today’s Gospel: You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.
So, as Paul says – don’t lose heart. The Christian faith is witnessed often just by the way we live. As the saying goes – actions speak louder than words.
Remember what Jesus said – love one another as I have loved you and by this everyone will know that you are my disciples. And even if you are rejected, remember what Paul said: We know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
