2Tim 1:6-14 The Big Picture at Your Horizon
Intro: The good reminder for ministers (6, 8a, 13)
1. The Saving Grace: A Big Picture before Us (9, 10a, 12f)
-- The Cross at The Centre
-- The picture due on Our Horizon
2. The Call for Hard Work and Suffering (8)
-- With God’s Power (7,8b)
-- With Faith and Love (13-14)
-- Suffering is Blessing
When I saw the passage of 2Tim listed in the lectionary for today’s Bible readings, I decided to pick it up for the sermon; partly because the message here means a lot to me, this was the passage I heard in my ordination. And partly also because I believe the messages here also good for all of us. For myself, I am particularly moved by a couple of verses in the passage; such as in V.6, “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God”; and V.8, “But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God”; and then V.13, “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.” Those verses are good reminders for ministers, new or old; and I am sure that not just the few verses, but the whole passage are also good for the faithful, who likes to see the flames in his heart being fanned up.
Here St. Paul puts in front of us a big picture, a picture may I call it from eternity to eternity. In one end of this picture is the beginning of time.; here the Bible reminded us that the saving grace through Jesus was planned before the beginning of time. And on the other end there is Jesus’ second coming. , here Paul leads us to think of the moment of our final hope, “that day”. But please notice the nuances of these two verses, they are not just talking about two specific moments. The first verse reminds us the time before the beginning of time, and in the second verse the context implies the time after Jesus’ coming. That’s why I called this picture “from eternity to eternity”. And at the centre of this picture there is the cross. ; here Paul reminds us the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and also reminds us its effect, it’s victory over death. So I would like to use the cross as the symbol to represent Jesus’ salvation work.
Therefore St. Paul presents to us a picture of the gospel. It carries the important messages for all human beings. With eternity at its background, this picture has highlighted the ultimate problem of human being: death and mortality. At the same time it also carries the good news, the solution of the tragedy of death, that Jesus Christ “has destroyed death”, and also brought us “life and immortality”. In other words, the picture tells us that if we receive the salvation from the cross, we will no longer live under the fear of death, which is the curse from our sins and rebellion; and we will not mind of the fleeting nature of this world, because there is the hope of eternity through the faith in Jesus. We will walk our lives bravely in God’s grace. Therefore getting old is no longer a thing to worry; material possession is no longer the way to make us feel safe; adversity is no longer the end of the world, because we Christians have the ultimate hope, and this hope will come true when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. These are the messages from this picture, and we need to put it always at our horizon, in order to help us walking steadfastly through to the end.
Unfortunately so many people have missed the salvation through Jesus Christ. So many people never heard of the good news. That’s why St. Paul worked hard for the gospel, dared to suffer the mocking, beating, jailing, and other various persecutions. And that is what he says; <8>. This calling was not only for the young minister Timothy; this calling was written in the Bible and now is also the call for all of us: “join with me in suffering for the gospel”. The Word of God calls us to work hard for the lost. In our streets there are so many Chinese, Vietnamese, and Middle Eastern people who have no hope in their lives. Some of them may indulge in consumption, some may bury their heads in temporary pleasures, and some may find for themselves a false hope from other religions. But their destiny is clear, it’s the peril for the sinful and rebellious. Then, there is no reason for our complacence and refuse to proclaim the gospel, to open our circle to accept new comers, and even to suffer for the gospel.
Lastly, St. Paul also points out that while we suffer for the gospel, we suffer in a special way. Look at <7, 8b, 13-14>. Firstly, the Holy Spirit carries the power of God to those faithful gospel workers. The Holy Spirit will strengthen and guide them, and the Holy Spirit will also move and convert people. In these two years I have personally witnessed how the power of God works in our parish, how people were converted and then gathered in our church. Secondly, we suffer with faith and love in our heart and mind. Therefore, suffering for the gospel is very much a blessing, a blessing to participate in God’s salvation work, and a blessing to experience God’s power, and also a blessing of practicing faith and love. Blessing through suffering, are we ready for this calling?
1. The Saving Grace: A Big Picture before Us (9, 10a, 12f)
-- The Cross at The Centre
-- The picture due on Our Horizon
2. The Call for Hard Work and Suffering (8)
-- With God’s Power (7,8b)
-- With Faith and Love (13-14)
-- Suffering is Blessing
When I saw the passage of 2Tim listed in the lectionary for today’s Bible readings, I decided to pick it up for the sermon; partly because the message here means a lot to me, this was the passage I heard in my ordination. And partly also because I believe the messages here also good for all of us. For myself, I am particularly moved by a couple of verses in the passage; such as in V.6, “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God”; and V.8, “But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God”; and then V.13, “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.” Those verses are good reminders for ministers, new or old; and I am sure that not just the few verses, but the whole passage are also good for the faithful, who likes to see the flames in his heart being fanned up.
Here St. Paul puts in front of us a big picture, a picture may I call it from eternity to eternity. In one end of this picture is the beginning of time.
Therefore St. Paul presents to us a picture of the gospel. It carries the important messages for all human beings. With eternity at its background, this picture has highlighted the ultimate problem of human being: death and mortality. At the same time it also carries the good news, the solution of the tragedy of death, that Jesus Christ “has destroyed death”, and also brought us “life and immortality”. In other words, the picture tells us that if we receive the salvation from the cross, we will no longer live under the fear of death, which is the curse from our sins and rebellion; and we will not mind of the fleeting nature of this world, because there is the hope of eternity through the faith in Jesus. We will walk our lives bravely in God’s grace. Therefore getting old is no longer a thing to worry; material possession is no longer the way to make us feel safe; adversity is no longer the end of the world, because we Christians have the ultimate hope, and this hope will come true when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. These are the messages from this picture, and we need to put it always at our horizon, in order to help us walking steadfastly through to the end.
Unfortunately so many people have missed the salvation through Jesus Christ. So many people never heard of the good news. That’s why St. Paul worked hard for the gospel, dared to suffer the mocking, beating, jailing, and other various persecutions. And that is what he says; <8>. This calling was not only for the young minister Timothy; this calling was written in the Bible and now is also the call for all of us: “join with me in suffering for the gospel”. The Word of God calls us to work hard for the lost. In our streets there are so many Chinese, Vietnamese, and Middle Eastern people who have no hope in their lives. Some of them may indulge in consumption, some may bury their heads in temporary pleasures, and some may find for themselves a false hope from other religions. But their destiny is clear, it’s the peril for the sinful and rebellious. Then, there is no reason for our complacence and refuse to proclaim the gospel, to open our circle to accept new comers, and even to suffer for the gospel.
Lastly, St. Paul also points out that while we suffer for the gospel, we suffer in a special way. Look at <7, 8b, 13-14>. Firstly, the Holy Spirit carries the power of God to those faithful gospel workers. The Holy Spirit will strengthen and guide them, and the Holy Spirit will also move and convert people. In these two years I have personally witnessed how the power of God works in our parish, how people were converted and then gathered in our church. Secondly, we suffer with faith and love in our heart and mind. Therefore, suffering for the gospel is very much a blessing, a blessing to participate in God’s salvation work, and a blessing to experience God’s power, and also a blessing of practicing faith and love. Blessing through suffering, are we ready for this calling?
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