The church is full of stories about the faith of those who have gone before us. WE have talked about letting go of the past and living free and apart from this world. We have talked about living in this world but not being a part of this world. This week I want to conclude this series by discussing how to live today while at the same time always living for the future. Christ himself is an example of faith that went before us, although he lives again today being raised from the dead and through the life of the Holy Spirit who is here with us now. We are called to have a life, living the faith of the dead, not to have a dead faith of the living. The bible, not to mention church history, is full of examples of just this process…one generation articulating and practicing the way of the Gospel, then passing it on to the next, with encouragement, warning, and passion.

There are few better examples of this than that of the Apostle Paul and his young friend and protégé, Timothy. The New Testament provides much information about their ministry together and their shared commitment to Jesus Christ. You heard earlier a passage from 2 Timothy, Paul’s farewell charge to his partner in the gospel, Timothy. There is little doubt that in spirit and content, it captures Paul’s love for Timothy and his passionate hope that the young disciple will continue into the future and expand the work of the gospel he had previously started.

Look again at the character and life of young Timothy, and ask whether we too in our generation are called to walk in his steps:

1. The Spiritual life of Timothy actually predates him; it is rooted in the call of God, and learned from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice.

2. But it isn’t enough for Timothy to rely on the faith of his family. “Fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…” exhorts Paul. Family faith, the religion of the saints before us, is of little value

unless we say our own personal “Yes” to it. If it excites you to see the next generation come to faith, it breaks that same heart when they reject it. I say the same is true for anyone who comes to faith, not just the young.

3. Thirdly, Timothy may be struggling with the burden, the expectation Paul is laying on him. “Don’t be afraid,” urges Paul; “God has given us the Holy Spirit, a spirit of power, of love, of self-discipline.” I don’t think for one moment that St. Paul is minimizing the weight and even the danger of the task at hand.

There will be difficult days ahead; because in the church we are fighting against the mainstream of society. We are called to lend a helping hand and not turn a blind eye. We are called to hear the cry of those in need and turn a deaf ear. We are called to expand our boarders and not build high walls of seclusion. The stronger the opposition, the more you are to live in the faith and love of Jesus.

So there is Timothy’s Mandate:

Celebrate the faith of our ancestors.

Make their faith your own personal faith.

Be prepared to live your life and exercise your ministry with courage, love even in the face of opposition.

But … Timothy is not simply a cookie-cutter copy of the Apostle Paul. He has his own unique personality, his distinctive gifts for ministry, and he will have to work out that ministry in the particular circumstances and situations he will face. And he will have to do it without the benefit of Paul looking over his shoulder. What united Paul and Timothy, and indeed unites us with them across the ages, is a common foundation in the gospel, the Good News of God in Jesus Christ. What is that common foundation, that commonality in the Gospel?

Our text highlights three dimensions of the Good News of Jesus that unites us – Purpose – Grace - Divine Call.

Purpose.

In a day and age when “givens” are replaced by “relatives”, and “absolutes” are replaced by “conditionals”, it becomes increasingly difficult to speak of Divine Purpose in any meaningful way. In our

desire not to exclude, offend, or evaluate, we avoid much talk of God’s Purposes, because they appear to encroach on others’ rights, freedoms, or choices. After all, if we shouldn’t impose our wills on others, should we then suggest there might be a higher will and purpose over all of us? The political correctness of the world tells us today that it is better to settle for being Cosmic Orphans, than children of an Infinite, Good, Personal, Creator of the Universe.

And yet…Christians as well as people of other faith traditions have resisted the pressure to make all things “relative”. They have declared their convictions that we are not drifting meaninglessly through the universe. Indeed we are the subjects of a good and gracious Creator-God who invites us into a conscious

Relationship.

Grace.

The second of these gospel dimensions is Grace, perhaps even more difficult to grasp and practice than Purpose. Listen again to our text:

“Rely on the power of God 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 has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

For Paul…and Timothy…and us, Jesus was the agent, the instrument of God’s Grace. It was Jesus, whose life, death, and resurrection revealed the Father’s love, made forgiveness possible, and established the victory of life over death. No wonder we call it Good News!

Why is Grace such a difficult concept? Because in a society that teaches self-reliance, rewards personal achievement, and despises any sort of weakness, the notion of the Grace of Jesus Christ calls us to be humble co-operative members of the Body of Christ, and willing servants to a needy world.

Divine Call.

But we need to be careful not to limit our notion of the call upon our life to be limited to individuals only. It is one thing to declare yourself Called to be a ….preacher, teacher, professional, etc…but Christian Calling must always be rooted in the mission of the community, the church. True, Paul declared “God chose me to be a herald (or a preacher), an apostle, and a teacher of the Good News.” But what Paul – and subsequently Timothy – did as individuals, they did because of the mission of the church which was established by Jesus Christ, its Head. Our Calling, therefore is not just our individual jobs or tasks within the church or community; our Call is to live and do everything that is consistent with the Purposes of God for all of God’s creation. Whether it be seeking peace, promoting justice, healing the injured, feeding the hungry, or preaching, pastoring, or leading a church as one of its members, it needs to fit into the larger picture of God’s will, and therefore contribute to God’s greater Glory.

God’s purpose in us (Living free). God’s Grace for us (Letting go). God’s Call on us (Looking ahead).

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