October 13, 2019 Text: 2 Timothy 2:8-13
Dear Friends in Christ,
Do you remember the story about the roly-poly pigs? If you’ve never heard it, here it is: “A farmer had a herd of swine that was highly admired by other farmers. They were sleek and roly-poly. When it came time for feeding, the farmer would go to the edge of the pasture and knock sharply with a stick on the trough that was filled with grain. Scattered throughout the pasture the pigs, hearing the farmer’s knock, would lift their snouts and then run in the direction of the sound, squealing all the way. This went on for some time. All was well until some woodpeckers began to make their homes in the dead trees scattered all over the pasture. The pigs mistook the pecking on the dead trees for the farmer’s knock on the trough. They would run, squealing all the way, from one dead tree to another. Soon, the roly-poly pigs became weak and scrawny.”
You are wondering, where is he going with this? He’s not calling us pigs, is he? No, but we can act like the pigs. Our spiritual lives can be weak and scrawny as we chase after things or deal with things. A serious illness, the death of a loved one, a threatening national or international catastrophe, a marriage upheaval, and family dysfunction can all test our spiritual health. This morning then . . .
“ALL SQUEALING ASIDE”
The text begins, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel.” (v. 8) Paul says, “Remember Jesus Christ.” Some might say, “How could we forget?” Friends, there is along line of people who have become or are becoming, so distracted that Jesus and what He gives fades.
The only people who can fall away from the faith are those who were in the faith in the first place. Many who identify as atheist or agnostic today were people who at one time were part of the Christian faith. Oh, how the devil works. Remember Jesus. We need this each and every day. We need constantly the reminder that God did and does everything for us in Christ while we were and still are sinners.
We spend a lot of time squealing for our wants and desires. We have our moments as weak and scrawny Christians. “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.” It needs to be a constant in our lives. A reminder of guilt removed, love that died for us and the promise of eternal life.
Look where Paul is writing this from, “I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!” (v. 9) Paul is not under house arrest like he was in the Book of Acts. He is in a dungeon, shackled, movement restricted.
Paul suffered for the gospel. How far will you go in your suffering? American Christians will suffer up to a point. We read the books and see the movies but we can’t really relate to the martyred Christians in other nations. We may be heading to being homeless in our home sweet home. Could it happen to us? History says it could be coming.
The streets were lined with crowds, cheering the marching troops about to leave for overseas. A recruit, who had watched the crowd for some time, asked, “Why are all these people cheering?” A veteran standing next to him replied, “They are the people who are not going.”
We are not cheerleaders for Jesus, brothers and sisters. We are part of His army. You know, “Like a mighty army, moves the church of God.” Not an army to spill blood, but the army proclaiming the love of God in Christ to a world headed for eternal darkness. The moment is now. Paul goes on to say . . .
“The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also love with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful – for he cannot deny himself.” (v. 11-13)
Biblical commentator P.E. Kretzmann wrote this: “If we are faithful to the Lord, even unto death…then we shall also become partakers of the reward of mercy which he has reserved for us in heaven…if we are faithless, if we are not true to him…if we lose the faith of our hearts by neglecting the Word and Sacraments, God will be faithful to His threat of punishment, for He cannot be untrue to His essence; He is the Eternal, Immutable (that is, without change).”
Salvation is ours. We suffer the consequences of bad decisions, hasty words and actions with little thought of the outcome and a lot of squealing about nothing of importance. Yet, Jesus has paid for our debt of sin on the Cross. Removes our guilt. Forgives and loves us. Quells our squealing and shepherds us to eternity.
As God’s forgiven children, the Holy Spirit lets us love others regardless of how they see us or understand us – regardless of their hatred of God’s Word. We’ve spent much of our lives running and squealing for this world’s trough of grain. It’s passing away. God help us. All squealing aside!
Amen.