Readings:
Sermon:
I’m going to focus on the reading from Paul’s second letter to Timothy.
It is believed that it may have been Paul’s last known letter, written whilst he was imprisoned in Rome, when Paul knew he did not have long to live. Whether or not that it is the case, the letter is about preserving and passing on a heritage of faith. It is a gentle way of handling his death. He is planning ahead and addressing unfinished business and passing on the baton of faithful ministry to Timothy.
Timothy was a friend who had worked alongside Paul for many years in ministry and evangelising, and who Paul had since sent to work in the city of Ephesus. Paul’s opening words of thanksgiving show the closeness of that friendship. Paul was Timothy’s Christian mentor.
Timothy has, according to Paul, a ‘sincere faith’. A faith which is rooted in his upbringing.
Timothy had been brought up as a Christian by two generations of Christians, we know this because Paul names Timothy’s grandmother Lois, and mother Eunice, whose reliable and proven faith lived in them first.
So, let’s think for a moment about our own faith journey. Some may, like Timothy, have been born into a Christian family and brought up in the faith. Others may be more like Paul and have had a ’road to Damascus’ awakening to faith. Some may have been encouraged by others and come to faith through their support and guidance.
Being ‘in Christ Jesus’ involves a relationship with Christ’s saving power. It is through Christ that we receive faith and love, and it is Christ who enables us to express that faith and love to others.
And in order for that faith to grow, it has to continue to be nurtured and developed.
There are people who are able to help this nurturing and development in us, whether it is through sustained encounters, or simple companiable chats over coffee, through small acts of kindness and possibly through prompting and challenging us. Those are the people who have been significant in our faith journeys. Through their faithful ministry, our faith is sustained.
Paul also reminds us that what is important is that faith is not an add on part of our identity. Our faith and calling are a part of us. And if that is the case, how do we allow our faith to shine through every facet of our lives -our working lives, our social lives, as well as our church lives? How do we live and share our faith 24/7? What aspects of our faith are we living and passing on to others?
Paul’s call as apostle and teacher has led to his imprisonment. We are fortunate that we are not imprisoned for our faith. But Paul remains resolute, because of his trust in God and his faith in the gospel he has preached to so many. Paul is passing on the baton. He is passing on to Timothy that which Christ passed on to him. And we are privileged to receive that teaching too.
Whilst confident that God’s power brings life from death, none the less, Paul still urges Timothy, and us, to guard and remember his teaching ‘in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus’. It is all too easy for our faith to be swayed by outside influences and for us to become distracted by the minutiae of life both within and outside our church setting, that we forget to trust and love one another.
At the start of the passage, Paul reminded Timothy that he received the gift of the Holy Spirit through Paul laying his hands on him. Now Paul reminds him again, as a part of ‘getting his house in order’ and preparing Timothy for life without his guidance, that the Holy Spirit lives in him. It is a timely and welcome reminder for us too, that because the Holy Spirit of God thorough Christ Jesus dwells within us, we are never alone in our journey of faith.
Questions:
- Do you have a Christian mentor – someone, possibly older, who has helped you on your journey of faith?
- Could you be a mentor to someone else on their faith journey?