Part of Timothy’s responsibility as a teacher is not only to introduce new things but to remind people of what they already know. Most of us already know enough new things but we need to be reminded of what we know already – and we don’t always appreciate it. I need to be reminded constantly to take out the garbage, keep doctor appointments, change the oil on the car, and a host of other small things that make up a normal life. Sometimes I need to be reminded of larger things just like the people of Israel. They needed to be reminded they served one God and him alone. They…

Paul is in the final years of his life when writing to Timothy. They have been hard years filled with persecution, prison, suffering, deprivation, endless travel, argument, and controversy. Yet, they have also been years of deep and long-lasting relationships with friends, converts, churches, and disciples like Timothy. But Paul’s life has been one of extremes. His deepest friendships remained intact but some who have been friends and supporters have abandoned or turned on him. We can read about those in the other letters but it is clear here that “everyone in the province of Asia has deserted him.” That’s not the way to finish life, is it? But, as…

There are times I wish Paul had been content with giving Timothy sermon tips but, instead, he has tackled some of the major areas of controversy today. A few weeks ago, it was the role of women in church. Today, it is three in a row: slavery and freedom, false teaching, and wealth. I’ll be glad when we are done and we can move on to 2 Timothy and Paul’s final words to his beloved friend. ”All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. Those who have believing masters should not…

If you wanted a neat summary of these two chapters it would probably be: character. We might call it godliness, or setting an example, or virtue.  Both of these chapters are concerned with the development of character. First, in the life of Timothy himself because the character of the leader is critical to the character of the organization.  How does he develop character? Having a good conscience – not an overactive conscience that results in losing all the joy in life by eliminating as much as possible that might lead to sin.  That is why we have the picture – although often false – in our minds of the old…

We should have had this lesson last week when Franklin Graham’s call to pray for President Trump specifically was all in the news.  As you would expect, I had trouble with that because of Franklin’s deep partisanship and attachment to this particular President.  I don’t recall his asking for special prayer for President Obama, President Clinton or President Bush but I should probably leave that one alone and just focus on the text that calls for us to pray for all people as well as authorities. It’s easy to concentrate on our American authorities and only reinforce our narrow identity as American Christians.  It’s almost as easy to hold up…

Having just turned over the leadership of The Gathering, I am reading Paul’s letters to Timothy with a new interest and perspective. What does the older man say to the younger that is helpful but not micromanaging? What are the few things the younger man needs to hear and what will be useless until he has been in the job for a few years? What is wisdom gained from experience and what is meddling? What is the difference between waiting to give advice when it is wanted and jumping in with it? Paul and I are probably different in our approach but we have the same desire – to help…

I like to think that all of us are living in a gradual revelation of Jesus in our lives of one kind or another. We never get there completely but I think what we experience over time is probably better than getting everything at once. Everything at once would overwhelm us. Emily Dickinson said this: “Too bright for our infirm delight The truth’s superb surprise; The truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind.” That’s what we see when we look at the story of the resurrection from the perspective of Mary this morning. It was a gradual revelation from darkness to being dazzled. Let’s look at the passage…

In the four Gospels, some stories are only told once – like the lost sheep and lost coin – while others are repeated in more than one – like the feeding of the five thousand, the widow’s mite, or the birth of Jesus. The story we are looking at this morning must have been important in the early church because it is found with some variation in all four of them.  Not even the Resurrection is in all four gospels.  “While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive…

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” There are many stories of giving in Scripture.  This is one of three we have looked at.  The…

For years, I thought the introduction to their request for Jesus was strange and totally out of place. But then I started looking at the context and now realize it may be simply their inability to process two different messages at the same time.  They had heard one thing Jesus said and missed the rest of it.  It’s all about context.  Jesus confused them more than once, didn’t he?  Even with the clearest messages he would have to take them aside and explain it to them.  They did not do well with nuance or ambiguity. On the other hand, we have had thousands of years of interpretation and commentary about…