2 Timothy 2:8-15 CEB
I’m going to talk today about torture and death and suffering. But not to the extent that we need to turn off the TV, so to speak. You know, during October, all the Halloween horror movies run nonstop, and it makes me want to turn off the TV. I’m not a big blood and gore fan. And I don’t think Paul was a big blood and gore fan. The beauty of Paul’s letters to Timothy are that while he points to Christ’s suffering, he does it in a way that always points to the light…the resurrection. To begin, we’re going to look at the apostle Paul’s opening verse for today’s epistle reading from 2 Timothy. Paul is never one to shy away from speaking about suffering, and yet, in verse 8 here, he doesn’t need to delineate the gory details of the torture that Jesus endured on the cross. Nor the immense sorrow and grief endured by those followers who witnessed this horrific death. He simply requires the reader, in this case, Timothy, to “remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead…” which leaves one to put together the rest of the story from memory.
We all know the story all too well. The betrayal by one of his own disciples. The mocking. The beating. The public humiliation of carrying one’s own instrument of death. Nails ripping through flesh and bone. More mocking. And then, just when the suffering must have seemed as if it would go on forever, Christ died on that cross. That instrument of torture was reserved for criminals, and yet, he was no criminal. Jesus Christ did not get to die in his old age, surrounded by those who loved him. Jesus Christ did not succumb at a young age to death by illness, nor death by accident. He died a slow, tortuous death, that nobody should have to experience.
When Paul urges Timothy to remember Jesus Christ’s resurrection, must we dwell of that horrific suffering..and why he went through that suffering? Isn’t it easier to just focus on the resurrection, and not worry our hearts about the tough stuff? But Paul needs Timothy to acknowledge that “tough stuff”…that sacrificial love. So that Timothy, and all believers, can see how it is that God’s Word overcomes all. All the pain, all the suffering, all the evil, all the corruption of this world. We honor this incredible gift that is our Savior’s sacrificial love for each one of us, throughout time, when we “remember Jesus Christ , who was raised from the dead.” Remember that Christ came to be with us to know our suffering, and to break us free, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Free! At great cost to him, for us, who never asked him to suffer like that. For us, who surely don’t deserve such grace and mercy and, yes, eternal life. Eternal life!
So how do we honor the memory of such suffering and sacrifice? Sure, we can tell stories. About an infant born by holy prophecy and mighty miracle. About a man who healed people no matter what obstacles authorities tried to put in his way. About three years of teaching which led to such enormous crowds, he resorted to teaching from a boat offshore. Teaching that made the listeners hungry for more. Teaching about a God who wants to bless the people and love the people and invite them into a completely new way of life. But the stories of how he suffered for us? We aren’t fond of talking about the suffering, are we?
It's not easy to talk about suffering. It brings up uncomfortable, painful memories. It’s hard to look at what Christ suffered for us, because we are then posed with a hard question…are we ready to follow Jesus if the job description of Christian life and service involves suffering?
We know that as Christians, when we suffer for our faith, we do not suffer in vain. We suffer for the sake of the gospel. And such suffering has its own rewards. God does not abandon us in our suffering. God was not about to allow Jesus to be “chained” to the tomb. The Greek word for “being chained like a criminal” is “kakourgos.” God’s Word overcomes death and resurrects Christ, and in that resurrection, we are freed.
We, as followers of Christ, can take comfort and courage from knowing that God’s word can never be chained or detained, bound, or proven unsound. God’s word always overcomes!
The apostle Paul suffered unjustly, being imprisoned, yet by the grace of God, we know that he had the freedom to send letters while he was in prison, to help the faithful persevere. His 2nd letter to Timothy gives Timothy deep and lasting hope, in that one verse alone, verse 8, as he is encouraged to “remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead…”
With Timothy’s 2nd letter in our hands, and knowing that we, too, have this deep and lasting hope that the truth of the resurrection gives us, let us now consider, my brothers and sisters in Christ, what is it that we suffer, as followers of Christ, in order to share God’s word freely with others? We know, for instance, that we have what is called “separation of church and state.” Some people say this is restrictive, and we should be able to bring religion into our schools. But that is a slippery slope, as we know from history, and when governing parties require that citizens worship a particular god, we’ve completely lost our way. Forcing people to worship is not the life God wants for God’s children. And so, instead of seeing separation of church and state as a burden that limits evangelizing, why not instead celebrate that there are plenty of other avenues to share God’s word, and trust that the Holy Spirit will make way open for us to do so?!
When we freely offer the gospel when and where we can, there is this amazing joy that we experience. The Holy Spirit enters into our hearts, helping us to overcome all obstacles, to share the gospel. I met a young boy years ago, who used to travel with his family, singing gospel music in churches around the country. Before he joined the family’s singing group, he was required to join family members who led worship at their local church. Understandably, as a very young boy, he was painfully shy in front of a large group. He struggled with a stutter, and so, to read even the simplest verses from the Bible, he would stutter and stumble and was simply miserable.
His great grandmother watched him struggle with those verses, but she also watched him in the very same worship service, singing hymns smoothly and joyfully, with no stutter at all.
God’s Word overcame his stutter through the gift of gospel music. The great grandmother persuaded the traveling gospel music family members to take him with them, even though he had not fulfilled the requisite year of serving in the local church. That little boy was able to share God’s word through song, overcoming the limitations of his stutter by God’s grace.
My friends, do you suffer any hardships when you endeavor to share God’s word, God’s mercy, God’s love? Perhaps you struggle to find the right words? Even though your personal faith is strong? Perhaps you find witnessing to your faith such a personal experience that it is hard to be vulnerable and share such a personal witness about what Christ has done for you in your life. Perhaps you fear that people will ridicule you, or worse, ignore you, if you share how your faith gives you strength for each new day, or share that your faith family loves you just the way you are…you know, sort of echoing Mr. Rogers, who told millions of children he loves them just the way they are. That’s an invaluable message, my friends, knowing in our hearts that God loves us and wants to bring us through any challenge or suffering, to a new life in Christ.
Do you notice that Paul gives Timothy a little song, to encourage him if the going gets tough, as it will, inevitably. The world does not understand this Christ who has conquered death itself, to offer us eternal life. Yet Timothy no doubt found this little song remarkably inspiring and sustaining.
If we die with Christ, we will also live with him.
If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.
If we deny him, he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
This little song has parallels in scripture. “If we die with Christ, we will also live with him.” This line reminds us of Colossians 2:13, “13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,”
“If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.” This line reminds us of Revelation 3:21, ”21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.”
“If we deny him, he will deny us.” This line reminds us of Matthew 10:33, “33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”
“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.” This final line reminds us of Joshua 1:5-6, “5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.”
So you see, God’s word does, indeed, overcome all things. God is with us, and will never leave us or forsake us. We may endure suffering for a time, but thanks be to Christ, for God’s gift of eternal life. God never indicated the road of discipleship is an easy path. Just that God is prepared to love us no matter where we are on the journey. Amen.
Pastor Elizabeth Bailey-Mitchell
