“Take Hold of the Eternal Life”

Meditation on 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Sept. 29, 2013

***

     Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

        As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life. (I Timothy 6:6-19)

***

        At a wedding reception not long ago, I had to smile when I saw that beside each dinner plate was an unusual gift from the bride and groom.  A little jar of honey! A piece of knotted twine circled the lid and on the label were two contented-looking bees gazing into one another’s eyes. Printed in yellow above the bees was the message, “Thanks for bee-in with us.  Katy & Brian.”

        The gift went perfectly with a wedding in a barn.

        The honey jars would be a reminder of that crisp fall day when I was honored to preside over another wedding of two young people, pledging their constant faith and abiding love as long as they both shall live.

        The message on the honey jar also reminded me of some of the premarital conversations I have had with young couples. Along with money management, family and career planning, communication, recreation, and other topics, we talk about the importance of faith, taking time away from work to honor the Sabbath, and also making sure to spend time together—just to enjoy “being with one another.”

         The financial pressures some young couples face are great. They have to find jobs where they can make enough money to pay off school loans if they have them, be able to buy a home, and provide for their growing family’s needs, including food, clothing, and medical care.

      When I was in my 20s and 30s, it always seemed like we didn’t have quite enough money. We always seemed to need a little bit more.  Things were more expensive than we budgeted for; unexpected expenses often came up.  And sometimes we just felt we needed to have something because a friend, neighbor, or family member had just bought one—and we wanted one, too.

       I look back on the years when my kids were growing up, and I remember being busy, tired, rushed, and working a lot. Yes, I enjoyed my family and have memories to cherish, but I wish I could have enjoyed my family more.  

       I wonder why I never seemed to learn to be content, to be at peace, no matter what my circumstances.  I wonder why I often focused on what I didn’t have rather than being grateful to God for his many blessings. 

       For the Lord always provided for our needs.  And the Lord always will.

*** 

        Ever notice how the Bible seems to talk about money a lot? Jesus often criticized rich people who led lavish, selfish lifestyles, neglecting the needs of the poor.  In Mark chapter 10, Jesus tells a man who asks the way to eternal life that he needs to sell what he has and give his money to the poor so he will have treasure in heaven. The man, who was rich, just walks away sadly, because he has many possessions.

        In today’s gospel, Luke chapter 16, a rich man who feasts sumptuously every day refuses to help a poor man begging at the gate of his home.  Lazarus is starving and covered with sores.  When Lazarus dies, the angels carry him away to live with Abraham in heaven; but when the rich man dies, he goes to Hades and begs for Lazarus to come help him when the flames torment him. Abraham tells the rich man that he already received all his good things in his lifetime; Lazarus greatly suffered.  So Lazarus will be comforted in heaven, while the rich man will be in agony in Hades.

        In today’s epistle, Paul tells his younger colleague Timothy at the church in Ephesus that those who pursue riches will eventually be plunged into ruin and destruction. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” he says.  “In their eagerness to be rich, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.”

     Most of us reading about the rich people in the Bible ignoring the needs of the poor find it hard to understand such callousness.  Why don’t they care about their poor neighbors?  How can they be so cruel?

      We think in terms of “they” for rich people because none of us would consider ourselves rich; nor would we fit the description of the rich person dressing in expensive clothing and feasting sumptuously every day.  Yet compared to the way that many needy people in other countries live, such as the poor of Bangladesh and those in the isolated villages of Nicaragua, we live very comfortable lives. It is good for us to examine our hearts regularly, asking ourselves if we are being faithful to care for our needy neighbors around the world.  And, are we neglecting the poor at our very gates?

     Today’s reading is a warning not just for people who are wealthy; it is a warning to all of us not to love money and possessions and to be eager to be rich. “For there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment,” Paul says, “for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it.”  He uses battle imagery to describe our inner struggle against the temptation to covet the things of this world. “Fight the good fight of faith,” he urges. Don’t set your hopes on the uncertainty of riches. Don’t place your trust in your own provision. Place your hope in the One who richly provides us with not just everything we need—but everything for our enjoyment.

      Pursue righteousness and godliness. Faith and love. Endurance and gentleness. Be rich in good works, generous and ready to share.

     “Take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called,” Paul says. “Take hold of the life that really is life.”

***

       Thinking about my mistakes in the past—all the wasted hours worrying about money and not being grateful enough for God’s blessings—I will share with you what I often tell couples about to be married. 

       And I want you to know that this message that I am sharing today is one that I need to hear, too.  Because it is a battle that goes on inside of us every day—the battle against loving and wanting the things of this world too much and worrying about tomorrow.  As long as we are in the flesh, the battle will rage on.

       We always think that we need a little more money, no matter how much we have. We will always have bills, and some will be unexpected. But when we are tempted to worry about money and pursue the things of this world, rather than seek to be pleasing to God…

         Let us recall the words of Paul: fight the good fight for the faith. Take hold of the eternal life, to which we were called. Take hold of the life that really is life.

         Seek help from Jesus Christ, our blessed and only Sovereign, our King of kings and Lord of lords, who was tempted in every way that we are tempted, but still did not sin.

        And may all the husbands and wives gathered here remain true to the promises you made on your wedding day.

       Remember to make time to just enjoy “being with one another.”

       And take time away from work each week to honor the Sabbath.

       May God grant you His peace as you give Him thanks for His many blessings.

      For the Lord has always provided for all our needs.  And the Lord always will.

Let us pray.

Eternal God, we thank you for your mercy and love.  Thank you for your Son, the King of Kings and our Lord of Lords, who died and rose from the dead to show us the way to eternal life.  Help us not to worry about money, Lord, and to trust you to provide for all our needs.  And if we are tempted to pursue riches or covet what our neighbor has, remind us that building our treasure in heaven is what we are called to do.  We came into this world with nothing and we will take no possessions into the world to come. Help us to remain focused on our gospel mission and be rich in good works. Move us to compassion so that we are generous with people in need.  Give us passion to fight the good fight of faith, pursuing righteousness and godliness, and resisting the temptations of this world.  Lead us to find contentment and peace in You… To take hold of the eternal life…and take hold of the life that really is life. In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

  

           

“Our Mediator”

Meditation on I Timothy 2:1-7

Sept. 22, 2013

***

      “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and human beings, Christ Jesus, himself a human being, who gave himself a ransom for all—this was attested at the right time. For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” (I Timothy 2:1-7)

***

      “The words were printed in large letters on bright fluorescent colored signs: Frost Heaves.  They looked like placards from a low-budget political campaign stuck in the snow.  Some guys named Frost and Heaves were running for national office.

       “People who live in northern New England,” continues Jim Van Yperen in his book, Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict, “know that frost heaves are not the names of politicians or a type of ice cream.  The two words describe what happens to our roads in March and April.  They freeze and they heave.

       “Frost heaves are caused during winter by thawing daytime temperatures followed by freezing nighttime temperatures.  When water that has collected in pockets underneath the road surface freezes, the expanding ice forces the road upward, often cracking open the surface an inch or two at the peak.

      “Frost heaves can cause roads to rise as much as six inches and they usually damage road surfaces permanently.  Driving a vehicle too fast over a frost heave can damage your shocks and shock your nerves.

      “One nine-mile stretch of road between our home and the next town must be one of the world’s worst roads for frost heaves.  In some sections of the roads, drivers who hit the heave just right can serve dinner, view an in-flight movie, and earn five hundred frequent flier miles before landing on the other side.  Well, so it seems.

       “People complain a lot about the roads and those who crew them.  But the real problem,” Van Yperen writes, “is underneath.  And that’s the way it is in most churches.  The real conflict lies below the surface. 

       “What is presented as the ‘problem’ is usually a symptom of what lies underneath.  As long as we treat the symptom, not the underlying problem, the conflict will always return.  It may lie dormant for a time, but it always comes back.  Always.”

       Van Yperen’s book was one of about a dozen I read for a class I took at Bethel Seminary in July.  The class was called “Understanding and Managing Conflict.”

       I can honestly say that when I registered for the one-week intensive course last spring, I wasn’t thrilled about it. The thought of conflict brought to mind angry people, drawing lines in the sand, insisting on their way or the highway.  I wasn’t convinced that a class about conflict would prevent conflicts or help me to better handle them.

     Still, I went to the class with hope, wanting to learn to be the peacemaker God has called me to be. As followers of Christ, we are all called to pursue lives of peace and godliness, as we learn in today’s reading in I Timothy, as well as other Scripture, such as Hebrews 12:14, which admonishes, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

      Encouragement from an older, more experienced colleague in ministry helped strengthen my resolve to learn more about handling conflict.

      Sister Donna Wermus, formerly of Holy Redeemer parish, said the class sounded very practical.

     “Conflict,” she said, “is something from which we never escape.” 

***

       In our epistle today, Paul also encourages a younger colleague in ministry when he writes to Timothy at the church in Ephesus.

        Paul emphasizes, first and foremost, the need for prayer.  Pray for everyone, he says!  “On behalf of all people—on behalf of kings, and all who hold high office, so that we may lead a tranquil and peaceful life, in all godliness and holiness.”

        But what should we be praying for? 

        Not just peace and tranquility.  Pray for all to be saved!

For “God our Savior … wants all people to be saved and to come to know the truth!”  And the truth is that “there is one God and also one mediator between God and human beings—Christ Jesus, himself a human being.”

        Friends, without faith in Jesus Christ, we don’t have peace with God!  And we cannot pursue a life of peace and godliness if we neglect prayer and simply focus on good works and trying to help people in need. The promise of peace is there for all who daily pursue the Lord Jesus, our mediator, in prayer and seek to walk with Him.

       And this next part might be the hardest for those who are shy about sharing their faith.  If we want to pursue a life of peace and godliness, according to Paul, we must also look for opportunities to lead others to the Lord. Listen to what may be his strongest argument for universal salvation.  God wants “all people to be saved and to come to know the truth!”  Jesus “gave himself as a ransom for all!”  It’s as if Paul is saying, “What are you waiting for?  God wants everyone to be saved! So pray for everyone and get out there and share the gospel with the entire world!”

***

           Well, the summer class turned out to be amazing.  The Holy Spirit ministered to me through my classmates and instructor.  The class was small and intimate. The best part was when people openly shared about their struggles in ministry; even the teacher shared from his experiences.  

         We laughed.  We cried. And we prayed.

         When the week was over, I wasn’t ready for the class to end. I felt that I still had more to learn about understanding and managing conflict. But I had learned at least one very important thing; we must first deal with the conflict within ourselves before we can begin to address the conflicts going on all around us.  We must first look inside ourselves for our own brokenness, hurt, and sin—and then seek the Lord, our mediator, the one who has made peace between God and human beings, for His healing.

         I didn’t realize how broken I was until I took the time away from my ministry and caring for others.  I find it much easier, at times, to pray for the needs of other people, than to ask for the Lord’s help with my own needs.  My needs are small compared to someone who is struggling with cancer, recovering from surgery, or mourning the loss of a loved one. I forget sometimes that God is equally concerned about all our needs—and that we all need Him just the same.

       I know that there are other people here, like me, who enjoy caring for other people—and praying for other people—but sometimes you, too, may be reluctant to seek the Lord’s help for your own needs—for your own healing and wholeness.  You might even feel guilty about bothering God for help with a need so small.  And yet the need is a real need—something that causes emotional hurt or physical pain and keeps you from living the way the Lord wants you to live.  Maybe it’s just a sin that you are reluctant to confess because you don’t want to even think about it. And yet our gracious God longs to forgive you and reassure you of His love.

         Like Van Yperen says in his discussion of frost heaves, what lies beneath the surface of a conflict is the real problem.  The root is a spiritual problem, a deep down brokenness that only prayer, confession, and the Holy Spirit can repair.

         As a follow-up to my summer class, I am required to engage in a project that will apply my learning to my ministry. The first part of my project was a sermon series on the Epistle of James, whose church struggled with conflict and whose message is still relevant and inspiring to Christians today.  In a couple of weeks, I will begin the second part of my project when I will offer 5 or 6 classes in personal peacemaking for adults. It is my prayer that God will use this group of peacemakers as examples to others and so that others may be encouraged to be peacemakers, too.

       My hope for us all is that the Spirit empowers us to do as the Apostle Paul teaches—that we pursue a life of peace and godliness.  That we pray for all and share the gospel with all.

          Because God our Savior “desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

          “For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and human beings, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as a ransom for all.”

Let us pray.

     God, our Savior, thank you for Christ Jesus, who is our mediator, the one who reconciled us with you when He died on the cross for our sins.  Forgive us when we forget how much we need You and we don’t pray enough.  Forgive us when we have neglected to seek You for help with our own needs because we think you don’t need to be bothered with such small things.  Forgive us for not understanding how much you love us—and how you are always waiting to graciously and mercifully forgive us through Jesus Christ. Thank you for your desire that all the world be saved. Please help us to be bold in sharing the gospel and to be peacemakers like your Son, the one who gave his life as a ransom for all.  In His name we pray.  Amen.

      

    

Amazing Grace

Meditation on Luke 15

Worship in Renvilla Chapel

                                        Sept. 15, 2013

       Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

       So he told them this parable: ‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

       ‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.'" (Luke 15:1-10)

***

     My friend Lou Ann brought me a photograph this week to copy for our church newsletter.  It was one of those days when my church work was busier than usual, and I was not multi-tasking very well.

    The photograph was probably more than 60 years old.  It was an original, and I am pretty sure there are no copies or negatives.  If something happened to it, it could not be replaced.  It was a picture of a child—one that would bring a smile to anyone who saw it. 

      I was so busy that I set the photo aside and didn’t make a copy of it right away. Other things had to be done---our bulletin, for one, and the agenda and reports for a meeting that night.

      The hours flew by as Lou Ann, who is now our church secretary, and I worked.  I went to my meeting at 6:45 and finished around 9. I began to gather up my notebooks, papers, calendar, and books.  Finally, I could go home and rest after a long but productive day.

     But where was Lou Ann’s photograph?

    I looked through my notebooks, bags, books and calendar.  Then all through my purse, in case I may have tucked it inside. I scoured my desk and checked the copy machine.  Searched through my office and the church office, looked in the recycling box, and went through every page of the books I knew we had opened that day.

   

      No photo.

      I continued to search, alone in an empty church after dark, beginning to feel not exactly panic, but rising concern that the precious photo, the one cherished by a friend of mine and could not be replaced, was really lost.

     I felt bad. 

    Then, maybe it was the Holy Spirit trying to comfort me. Or maybe it was just the voice of reason.  In any case, I began to think that I was tired, and it was late.  It was possible that the photo wasn’t really lost.  Maybe it was right there in front of me all the time, and I would see it in the light of day.  Or perhaps I would wake up and remember where I had put it and immediately go and find it.

     Or maybe—and this thought was the one that gave me the greatest hope—maybe Lou Ann had seen the photo sitting out and had picked it up and taken it safely home.

      I suspended my search and emailed a note to Lou Ann, telling her that I could not find her photo. Could she possibly have taken it with her? I promised to keep on looking until it was found.

     I went to sleep thinking about the photo and praying that the Lord would help me find that which was lost.

***

      Jesus tells three parables in Luke chapter 15.

      

     At the beginning, we learn he is talking to the Pharisees and scribes, who are grumbling and complaining about the tax collectors and other sinners who are drawing near, hungry for Jesus’s teaching.  The Pharisees and scribes think that some people are not worthy of God’s forgiveness and love. God’s Word speaks to all of us today—all who might be reluctant to share Jesus and His love with the whole world, especially with people we find hard to like, let alone love. We might be tempted to have the same bad attitude as the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’ day.   Truth is—no one is worthy enough for God’s forgiveness and love.  Only by His amazing grace and His work through His Son are we saved. None of us deserve what our merciful God has offered to all as a free gift.

     

     The first parable Jesus tells is about a shepherd pursuing a lost sheep, though it means leaving his other 99 in the wilderness. The third story, of which you are quite familiar, is about the son who demands his inheritance while his father still lives and then leaves and squanders it on his own pleasures.  He comes to his senses, realizes he is starving because of his sinful ways, and decides to return home, beg for forgiveness, and hope to be permitted to stay as one of the hired hands.

     

    The second parable tells of a woman who has lost one of her 10 silver coins, and cannot rest until she has found it—lighting a lamp, sweeping the house, and doing an exhaustive search. 

    

    All three of the stories end with the one that is lost being found.

    

    And all bear the same Good News—that all of heaven rejoices when one sinner repents. 

***

  

    The day after the photo went missing, Lou Ann sent me a note. She assured me that she had, indeed, brought it home with her.

    

      I was overjoyed –and thanked God.  Yes, it was only a picture, but it was something precious that belonged to someone I care about.  Something that cannot be replaced if it were lost or destroyed.

     

       And I thought… Hmmmm…..  If I felt that happy about my friend’s photograph being found, just think how happy the Lord would be if His church were to go and bring into the fold that which is more precious to Him than anything. Our loving Lord longs to draw all people to Himself.  One lost sinner is one too many. He has already paid the price for the sins of every human being. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

   

      It is too easy, when we are distracted with our own cares and busy lives, to forget about the Lord’s passion for the lost—His love for all the nations.  And if we love Him, we will obey His call to love and care for all that He loves—our neighbors around the world.

     Jesus calls to us every day.  Every day we have another chance to obey and follow more closely after Him. His soothing voice rises above our tumultuous lives, if we stop and listen for Him. He calls us to walk with Him, rest and find peace in Him, place our burdens on him, and help him build His kingdom one lost soul at a time.

     Friends, hear the Good News! All of heaven rejoices when one sinner repents.

Let us pray.

Lord we come to you now, needing your love and forgiveness.  We are still sinners, Lord, saved by your amazing grace.  Open our hearts so we care more about people in other places, people who live in poverty, sickness and hunger, and in places torn apart by war. Move us to compassion for people who do not have what we have—the hope of salvation in Christ the Lord.  Empower us to be your voice and your light, sharing your grace with all the nations so that what was lost will be found and all heaven will rejoice.  In Christ we pray.  Amen.