Sunday 10/02/22 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Guard The Good Treasure!” (“2 Timothy Series”: Part 1 of 4)
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 137
New Testament Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1-14
Gospel Lesson: Luke 17:5-10
Many of us can think of those times in
our lives, when our parents, our grandparents, a family member, a teacher, a
friend, or a total stranger gave us a good word of wisdom. Some of us might
say, “My late Grandma used to say this all the time, and boy was she right!” As
I am talking, I would encourage you all to think about the stories, the words
of wisdom, and or the things that the various people in your lives have taught
you.
For example, my late Grandpa Winkelman
taught me in regards to working too much, this, “Paul you can have a lot of
money and no time, or a lot of time and no money”. My late Grandpa Winkelman
would also always joke with me when I did something right, “Well Paul, a broken
clock is right twice a day!” It is fair to say that we all have been given
individual and collective wisdom and beliefs. We have all been given and taught
things that were not just for us, but things that have been given and taught
for centuries.
I remember my father telling me that
when I give my word to someone, I need to follow through on it. I remember my grandpa
telling me that when you shake a person’s hand, look them in the eyes, and be
honest. These are not just things I was given and were taught; I think that
these are things that many of us were taught and were given. Are there then
some universal values in our culture that we have shared for many years? I
think so. We were not all necessarily taught these values or beliefs, but
respect for your elders was one that I was taught. I was taught that my Grandpa
Winkelman worked hard his whole life, lived through the Great Depression, wars,
the farm, raising kids, etc. Therefore, he should be respected, and he was seen
as a source of knowledge and wisdom. I was taught to respect my mother and all
women. I was taught the value of hard work, loving others, being generous, and of
course being a Cubs fan.
I worry that sometimes in the United
States, and in Western Culture in general though, that these great values and
beliefs that we have shared for centuries are fading. Or worse in some cases
are not even being taught at all. It would seem to some that truth is
subjective, not objective. By this I mean, we are living in era where some
would say, “Pastor Paul there is no such thing as absolute truth”. To which I
like to ask in reply, “Are you absolutely sure about that?” What do we teach,
what do we belief? Further, is there room for change? Of course, there is room
for change! I hope we can all agree that slavery in this country was a bad
idea, and that it was a bad idea, until recent years that women were not
allowed to get the same job as man when they worked hard for it. Some changes
are indeed good and needed.
While society makes some changes, and
while the world changes, are there any absolute truths? Is there objective
truth, or it all subjective, or whatever you say truth is? Further, what happens
to a society, to a culture, to a church that has virtually no objective truths?
As the Christian Church, or in this
case the Sidney United Methodist Church, we have existed as a congregation going
on almost 200-years. Are there things that we have collectively believed within
this congregation, whether it was the original house church, the old torn down
church that was on main street, or in this present building that we have served
and worship in since the early 1930’s? If there are not some objective,
universal truths that we share as Christians, or as a nearly 200-year-old
Sidney United Methodist Church, then why are we hear?
Are we here only for the community,
the ministries, and or the coffee hour? All of these are not bad things to want
to come to the church for, but for nearly 2,000 years the vast majority of
Christians the world over has gathered to come closer to Jesus Christ. I mean
after all; he is the very center of the stained-glass window overlooking the
altar of our church. Given this, who Jesus is, and his significance in our
lives, this church, in Christianity, and our culture is massive. It is true to
say that some people in our country and in Western Culture have differing views
of who Jesus is, but the majority of Christians the world over, for almost
2,000 years, have said that Jesus is the risen Lord and Savior. Jesus died for
us, rose again, and is coming back in glory. The church, the Sidney United
Methodist Church, and most churches do not stand upon a hill of sand, instead
we stand upon the solid and unchanging rock of Jesus Christ. This is the spirit
of this World Communion Sunday. We gather to worship and to celebrate Holy
Communion, as we invite our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ deeper into our lives.
Christians of many stripes gather to worship this day, all over the world, as
celebrate Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper together.
This morning the Apostle Paul is attempting
to convey truths and beliefs to his young friend and protégé Timothy. In fact,
for the next four weeks I will be preaching a sermon series on our 2 Timothy Sunday
lectionary scripture readings. Today my sermon is called “Guard The Good Treasure,”
next week my sermon is called “The Word Of Truth!”, then “Proclaiming The
Message!”, and finally in the fourth and last week of this sermon series, “Fought
The Good Fight!”
You see, the Apostle Paul was a
teacher, a pastor, a friend, and a mentor. This morning he wants to be sure
that his young friend Timothy really understands who Jesus is, and what the
gospel is. Paul is very specific in all of his letters of books in the New
Testament about what to teach, what truth is, and why it matters.
In looking at our reading from 2
Timothy 1:1-14 for this morning, once again, let us look at this scripture
again. Once again, I am going to preaching on our 2 Timothy readings, this
morning, and for the next three weeks. In looking at 2 Timothy 1:1-14 it says
starting with 1:1, once again:
1 Paul, an apostle of
Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in
Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our
Lord (2 Tim. 1:1-2, NRSV).
The
Apostle Paul is well known in his letters or books in the New Testament for his
introductions and his benedictions. In this case, he is announcing who he is,
his calling, and greeting his young friend Timothy. The Apostle Paul then offers
Timothy grace and peace.
The Apostle Paul then continues on
saying in 1:3:
3 I am grateful to God—whom
I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you
constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be
filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived
first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives
in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God
that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7 for God did not
give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of
self-discipline (2 Tim. 1:3-7, NRSV).
The
Apostle Paul tells timothy that he is grateful to God, that he worships God
with a clear conscience, and that he remembers Timothy constantly in his
prayers. Paul encourages Timothy and appreciates his sincere faith in Christ,
which was also in his grandmother Lois, and mother Eunice. The Apostle Paul then
encourages Timothy to rekindle the gift of faith with the lay of hands, and to
not have a spirit of cowardice. Instead, have a spirit of power, love, and
self-discipline. We can see a clear transmission of wisdom, belief, and teaching
from Paul to Timothy in this scripture.
The
Apostle Paul then continues on telling Timothy and us, picking up in 1:8:
8 Do
not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner,
but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9 who saved us and
called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his
own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the
ages began, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our
Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to
light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle
and a teacher, (2 Tim. 2:8-11, NRSV).
The Apostle Paul tells
Timothy to not be ashamed of Jesus or of him. Paul encourages Timothy to join
him in suffering for the gospel, while trusting God. The Apostle Paul reminds
Timothy that the grace of God has been given to us through our Savior Christ
Jesus:
who abolished death and brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel (2 Tim. 1:10b, NRSV).
The Apostle Paul tells Timothy that
God called him to be a herald, or an announcer, and an apostle and a teacher
for Jesus Christ.
Lastly, and where I get our sermon title for this morning, the
Apostle Paul finishes our scripture reading to his young friend Timothy, saying
in 1:12-14:
12 and
for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in
whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day
what I have entrusted to him. 13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard
from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good
treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us (2 Tim. 1:12-14, NRSV).
The Apostle Paul says that he suffers for Christ, for the
gospel, but that he trusts Jesus. The Apostle Paul then tells Timothy to hold
to the standard of sound teaching, and to “Guard The Good Treasure” entrusted
to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
For centuries, whatever social
and political changes have occurred in the world and in Western society, the
basic teachings of the gospel are largely still universally taught. Meaning
that when the Apostle Paul tells Timothy “Guard The Good Treasure,” he is
telling him to have faith in Christ, to teach Christ, to love Christ, to live
Christ, and to preach Christ. For the Christian Church is built not upon sand, and
not upon anything else but a firm foundation, the cross and the blood or our
Lord Jesus Christ.
From this central understanding
of the Christian faith, we all manner of expressions of Christianity that have
taken on many different forms and many different understandings. I firmly
believe though, that any Jesus Movement, and any church that seeks to be strong
and growing both now and in the future needs to be grounded in our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. If we are not grounded in Christ, then who are we grounded
in? I know Democrats, Republican, Independents, etc. that are living lives firmly
grounded in Jesus Christ our Lord.
As your appointed pastor, and
as an Elder in the church, I am called to order the life of this church, preach
and teach God’s word, administer and celebrate the sacraments of Holy Communion
and Baptism, care for the sick, visit those who need care, etc. Proclaiming the
gospel of Jesus Christ, and growing faith in him though, is the primary call
that God has placed upon my life. If you are growing closer to Jesus, then I am
fulfilling what God has called me to do. I and you are called to “Guard The
Good Treasure” that is found in Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the church.
We
see the reality of this in our gospel of Luke lesson for this morning from
17:5-10. In this passage from Luke 17 we hear about faith and duty, as well as
a couple of examples from Jesus, about the application of this faith and duty.
In looking at Luke 17:5-10, it says starting in 17:5, once again:
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? 8 Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me; put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? 9 Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’ ” (Lk. 17:5-10, NRSV).
Interesting gospel reading, for sure. Jesus
tells the disciples to grow in faith, and not to have him just give faith to
them. Of course, faith comes from God, but we have to be active participants in
this process. Faith the size of a mustard seed can be powerful, and going
beyond the bare minimum with our faith is also how we grow in faith.
This Christian faith that we share in
Christ Jesus, is one that we have shared for centuries. It sometimes has
manifested in harmful and hurtful ways. At its best it has always been focused
on the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are
commanded to as followers of Christ, follow and seek Christ, and always “Guard
The Good Treasure” that is in Christ Jesus. Praise Jesus now and always. Amen.
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