Hearing the Music

Promises

As we have navigated Second Timothy, Paul has been insistent that Timothy remain rooted in the promises of the Gospel. The truth that Jesus entered this world and, though he was sinless, died a death of atonement on behalf of all those who would acknowledge their sin and need and surrender to him as Lord and Savior. It is an amazing truth filled with amazing promises. Promises that whisper to us that we are beloved in Christ (Is. 43:4).  Promises that shout to us his abiding presence with us (Matt. 28:20). Promises that reason with us that though all the evidence seems to show that we have blown it, our sins have been forgiven (Eph. 1:7).

Jack Miller, late theologian and pastor, recounts his own journey of finding his footing in the promises of God:
“Back in 1970, my life seemed to me just to fall apart: nothing seemed to be right; everything went wrong. I was so disgusted with everybody else, that I resigned from Westminster Seminary, and I did it with enough of a splash that the word got around. I was mad. And I resigned from Mechanicsville Chapel. I made a bit of a splash there too. And it was a difficult time for me. Terrible time. Seemed like the end of the world, but out of that darkness I began to study the promises of God. 

Now what I’d intended, was to see everybody as the problem. I didn't necessarily see myself as the solution, but I saw everybody else as the problem. And during that time, for several months I just studied the promises of God. And those promises made me a different person, but God had to break me. And out of it came the tremendous awareness of the power of the Gospel.

At that point I began to see that when God promised something He really meant it, and the gospel was the cutting edge by which that was realized. ... God breaks in order that He may build. 

Both Paul and Timothy know what it is to be broken and to be living in a broken world. Whether you discern your current struggle with brokenness as emanating from without or from within, you will find rest for your soul in the promises of the Gospel.

The Right Politics

You may have already heard, but in roughly five weeks our country will hold an election that will put men and women into offices ranging from the President of the United States to township commissioners. While I do not talk a lot about politics per se from the pulpit or in other public forums, I do have thoughts on the political process and on how particular policies impact our life together. But what I am more concerned about as your pastor is the place that our American politics has come to occupy, either intentionally or by default, in the hearts of Jesus' people.

Our current cultural moment would have us believe that everything that happens in our world is downstream of politics. That whoever gets elected in November will determine the course of the future.  That if you do not vote this way, or if you do not vote that way you will be letting down yourself, your children, and your nation. Now, we all should participate, as much as we feel called, in our nations' politics. It is a gift for us to be part of this republic and I would encourage you to engage the processess around you. Vote. Support specific candidates. Trumpet causes that you believe in and reflect Christian commitments. Run for office if you feel so called. These are good endeavors for believers to throw themselves into, as Christians, operating out of the mind of Christ (cf. Phil 2:5), bearing the fruit of the Spirit (cf. Gal 5:22ff). But....

But what we can never forget, is that our ultimate politics are not of this world (cf. Jn. 18:36). While in America we may belong to a Republic, as Christians we serve a King. We serve a King whose Kingdom is the cosmos. Our geographic and historical presence in this Kingdom is tiny against its immensity. The power and absolute sway of our King puts all other rulers to flight. He does reign and his purposes will come to be. Nothing that popes, peasants, princes or politicians conjure can thwart the coming of his Kingdom in his time and in his way. If we believe the above is an accurate transmission of the truths of scripture, then I would posit to you that the most important political thing we do each week is go to public worship on the Lord's Day, submit to our King, and proclaim his Kingdom as he leads us in worship. As we participate in the liturgy, pray for our enemies, confess our sins, join with Christians throughout the ages in confessing the creeds, pray the Lord's Prayer ("Thy kingdom come"), sit under the authority of the Word, partake of the Lord's Supper, and remember our baptisms; we are engaging in the politics of THE one Kingdom that truly matters. As we plant ourselves in the Gospel, things that might otherwise take hold in our lives - fearful anger, anxiety, depression, pride, disdain for others who think differently than us - begin to lose their power.

So read your Bibles. Pray. Examine your hearts. Examine the candidates. Vote. But remember, there are some ways in which the election in five weeks matters. But in most of the things that are most important, its outcome doesn’t really matter at all.

And one final thing, regardless of who you might vote for, regardless of what happens on November 5; my call to you as as your pastor on November 6, my care for you all as this particular flock of Jesus, will still be the same: let’s keep following Jesus together.

Fuel for the Race

It has been great hearing from some of our sisters and brothers in recent contributions to the Friday letter. We really do enjoy the benefits of being a part of the Body of Christ which is willing to encourage one another!

Speaking of encouragement, let me share with you an encounter I had last week. Many of you know I enjoy running. I don't run races and I am not fast. But I plod out my share of miles in a week. So, after dropping off Lydia, Noah and Tobias at the airport for a trip to Vancouver, I decided I would take their car back to their house in Alger Heights and run home. On the one hand my run home was lovely involving the Ken-O-Sha trail, but on the other hand it simultaneously turned out to be kind of miserable. What made it miserable? Well, it was early afternoon for one thing. My body is accustomed to running in the morning and seems to do better then. Plus, I had had some lunch a bit earlier and was still feeling it in my gut. Plus, it was like 87 degrees outside.  I love this spate of warmth and am banking it all against the dregs of March, but I was feeling the heat that day. Plus, I have been battling some lower leg pain that seems to be moving all around my left leg. That day for some reason it was in my foot? And to top it all off, the last leg of my run was up what is known on Strava as the Chamberlain Challenge, which is .6 miles at 2.1% uphill grade. I realize a 2.1% grade is not exactly like running in the Rockies, but I was feeling it that day! In many ways this run was a metaphor for life. A lot of beauty. A lot to be thankful for. But also doggone hard, with obstacles within and without.

Anyway, my travails had caused me to ease up and I was trying to figure out what was going on with my foot and if I could continue, when I hear a vehicle coming up behind me. I turned and was greeted by a mailman holding out a bottle of water. He was very friendly, encouraging me to take the water. His English was good, but it was not his first language so he was gesturing to me as well to take the water and even to pour some out on my head. As he made this gesture, he removed his hat and I was able to see that he also had a lovely head that did not have need of hair and perhaps he recognized a familiar sensitivity in the hot sun. As this short encounter came to an end, I gratefully took the water and he continued on his route. After a couple of swallows of the blessed elixir and a dash or two on my uncovered pate, I was able to rally, finish the Chamberlain challenge and make it home.

And so we come to 2 Timothy 1:8-18, our passage for Sunday. Paul, as it were, catches up to young Timothy through this letter.  Timothy is facing obstacles, within and without, as he runs the path the Lord has laid out for him. As Paul pulls up beside him, he extends the bottle of water, the Gospel. It is the power of God, our salvation and our holy calling, given not earned, through his purpose and grace, given through Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light (cf. 2 Tim 2:9,10). Paul calls out to Timothy, I am being poured out, but I am not ashamed. I do not lose heart. My strength does not flag. I am sustained by this gospel. Drink deeply my friend.

Photo by Photoholgic on Unsplash