What is Suffering for Christ all about?

As I continue forward in this stewardship Champaign I want to look to answering the age old question which seems to always be rooted in why. What would Christianity look like if we all better understood what suffering for Christ looked like?
I remember watching a video about this man who loved his son so much (his son was disabled from birth)that he did things with his son that he would not have been able to do without his acting on his son's behalf. The story is the story of team Hoyt. I want to encourage you to google the name and then watch the video about their story.
Long story short we often need to see these heroic stories because first of all we need to be inspired to act out in our own lives. Secondly we need this because we often times do not have the courage nor the discipline it takes to make this kind of suffering a reality. I do seem to be coming across hard about this subject and I will admit that it is harsh but true.
This next Sunday I will be putting this idea of suffering into a stewardship message that I feel we all need to hear, including myself. You see stewardship often times if not most of the time, lends itself to the idea that the church needs to be better givers of their money. Often times our churches are short on funding and we like to blame the lack of opportunities on the lack of funds. What I want you to know is that the blame is often placed wrongly. I would tell you that the fall of our churches can often times be placed on other stewardship issues that more strongly effect the growth of the church and the lack of growth contribute greatly to funding issues.
1Peter 4:1-2 says, "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin), so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God ." So we should have the same intentions. This means that although we are not the first to suffer for something but because he set the bar we must follow with the same desire to serve fellow man and not just serve but suffer for them.
I will tell you right now that if we would do this as one of our first attitudes of stewardship so many of our other troubles would melt away or become insignificant in the picture of Christianity.
Verse 3 of this same passage tells us that we have spent enough time doing the things the Gentiles do. It is time to recognize that the end is near and we must turn away from evil ways and turn towards long suffering through love for each other. Jesus set the example when he died on a cross for those who crucified him for their selfish and short-sighted sinfulness. We must take this as a discipline much forgotten because we never look at the end as being close but yet still far off. It is the wise disciple that sees the benefit of being aware of the short time left to us.
We need only look to our most recent deaths in our own congregation to know that time is short and tomorrow is never promised, but a gift of God's love to us. We must, while it is not too late, suffer for our neighbor, our friend, and most importantly for those whom we rarely care for or think of much at all. Peace be to you.