October 2, 2022
St. John’s United Church of Christ, Union, Illinois
2 Timothy 1:1-14[1]
The Apostle
Paul spent much of his life travelling, spreading the gospel of Christ Jesus.
He was at times welcomed, often times not welcomed, but managed to spread the
Christian faith to churches throughout the ancient near-east. He was imprisoned
more than once, and endured much suffering because of the faith that he was
teaching. Yet Paul, for all he endured, never lost faith nor gave up his
mission. Though the message of Christ crucified and risen was strange, even
scandalous at the time, Paul was never ashamed, never lost courage, and never
failed to give credit to God.
Timothy, most
likely a minister ordained by Paul, is faltering. Troubling times can do that
to you. His mentor is in prison for preaching this same faith, and Timothy may
be wondering if he is next. All around were people who took offense at this
Christian idea of a Savior who died on a cross. Critics point to Paul and ask
what kind of Savior allows their followers to languish in prison? If Jesus
conquered death, then why hasn’t he come back to conquer Rome? Timothy is
losing the fire, is beginning to doubt, and Paul calls him away from the brink:
“rekindle the gift of God that is within you,” he writes. Don’t give up, don’t
give in to shame or fear. “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but
rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” Remember in whom
you have put your trust.
We certainly
live in troubling times. The earth is heating up and the storms are stronger, as
we’re seeing in Florida. Violence fueled by racism and hatred brings death and
destruction. War in Ukraine continues and the use of nuclear weapons seems more
likely. Protests in Iran are met with a harsh response. Our leaders accuse each
other of destroying America, and the foundations of our republic are shaken. We
too may feel the doubt and fear that tugged at Timothy.
And yet, we
remain faithful. We still rely on the power of God, “who saved us and called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to [God’s] own
purpose and grace.” We have received sound teaching from Paul and John, Peter
and Mary. We hold to the faith that first lived in our grandmothers and
mothers, and which now lives in us.
This letter
from Paul reaches out to us across time to meet our tears with a promise of
joy. In the midst of the turmoil and struggles of his day, does Paul spread
anger, resentment, or anxiety? No. How does our mentor, a great teacher of the
faith, respond in the face of difficult circumstances, hard questions, and
doubt? With gratitude. With all that Paul has endured, despite discouragement
and setbacks, Paul is thankful for Timothy and for us. Paul shares with us the
confidence that our faith is sincere, as sincere as the faith that lived first
in Lois and Eunice, the faith that lived first in Mabel and Jean, the faith
that lives now in me and in you.
There have been
times when my faith was shaken. There are times today when I feel anger at what
is happening in the world. There are religious leaders that cause me to be
ashamed of the Church and how the Christian faith is used to harm and
dehumanize people. There are days when the mountain of challenges seems
insurmountable.
And yet, there
are also days when my fire is rekindled. There are days like today when my hope
is restored, when I am grateful for this calling and the gift of faith that has
been given to me. There are days when some words written two-thousand years ago
remind me that I have received a standard of sound teaching, the grace and
faith and love of God in Christ, and I find that my tears are replaced with
joy, and my fears are replaced by courage.
What are we to
do, my friends, in these troubling times? We must carry on. Paul and Timothy
are no longer here, but they passed on their faith. Our parents and
grandparents passed on the faith that first lived in them. Now we must guard
the good treasure entrusted to us. We must rekindle our faith, and take
seriously our responsibility to pass it on. When we pass on our faith in
Worship and Fellowship, through our families and friendships, we keep the flame
of faith alive. We have our own knowledge and experiences, we have the
scriptures, and these can help us to hold and transmit our faith. We have the
help of the Holy Spirit living in us. And we have one another.
Remember.
Remember your mentors in faith. Remember what has been passed on to you.
Remember to pray for one another night and day. Remember the promise of life
that is in Christ Jesus. Remember the one in whom you have put your trust, who
is able to guard you with power and grace and love. Amen.
[1] The
scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard
Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of
the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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