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Christ Church Uniting
Disciples and Presbyterians
1300 Kailua Rd.
Kailua, HI 96734
262-6911
REKINDLE THE GIFT
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Timothy, O my Timothy! Child of a child: young Eunice (she whose name means "good victory.") And were you not her victory when you first believed?
And did she not become younger still as she and her mother, my beloved Lois, spoke in hushed whispers? Could you sense the heartbreaking joy they felt when they heard you had received the Lord’s calling. It was that night I placed my hands upon your head. It was that night you received in full measure everything the Lord had given me since those days I returned from my own blindness.
Courage Timothy. Take heart. Only this is required of you. My imprisonment only confirms that we travel with Jesus, blessed be his holy name. My suffering is but the blessing God has granted me to fulfill Christ Jesus’ suffering. I gladly receive this in my own body for your sake, for your mother and grandmother, for our companions on the way, for all people they that believe.
Please Timothy, think on these things. "Be not afraid." So spoke the angels to the field shepherds when Mary cried out in the woman’s way of birth. So spoke the risen Jesus himself, "Be not afraid," when he entered the upper room. He breathed Spirit into the souls of those who had walked to Jerusalem with him.
And now Timothy, think about this. Why were these words spoken? Why "Fear not" to the shepherds? Why "Fear not" to the disciples? It was because Fear had their hearts in a death grip. They were scared silly. "Fear not" was spoken out of compassion and because fear would not help them do what lay before them on the way.
Do not be ashamed. I am not. I am not ashamed of this imprisonment any more than I am ashamed of Jesus. He was betrayed by one of his own students., He was rushed to an ignominious death on the strength of disinformation, outright lies and political calculations. No, God forbid, Timothy. I am not ashamed of Jesus. Do not be ashamed of me or of the Gospel that is the source of eternal life.
Word of your tears causes me deep anguish. I can only imagine what thoughts must run through your mind. I taught you as much as I could in the little time we had but most of what you need now can only be experienced on the fly as you run the race. Most of what you need now, perhaps everything you need, you already have but will only be able to use in the moment you need it: courage, wisdom, tolerance of pain, sense of humor.
I’m remembering how the Spirit gave me words I needed them. Words I never could have prepared. I am remembering how God saved me when the pain was too great to bear. I am remembering the healing I feel every time I remember the way your eyes suddenly brightened as I spoke of the promise of life we have from God in Jesus.
I’m rejoicing. Yes Timothy, I’m actually rejoicing. God willed that I be chained. It wasn’t a stupid mistake. It wasn’t the result of a snafu in the providence department. There are men here Timothy who might never have heard the liberating word but for my bringing it to them. Truly, now I know what it is to be an apostle, to be sent, to be an ambassador, to be a representative of our glorious Lord Jesus, our glorious Christ.
I am rejoicing too because I believe, I can see, not to frighten you, but to reassure you, that you too, my dearest Timothy, you too are truly called. You too are being sent. But the timing will be in the Lord’s hands. Do not fear. Do not be embarrassed or ashamed.
If only I could see you again, hold you in my arms. You would see it in my eyes. You would float again in the buoyant pool of God’s eternal love. But I don’t need to see you. Only to think of you, to remember you in my prayers is enough beloved Timothy. The faith that lived in your grandmother, that lives in your mother, is, I feel quite confident, living in you now. I would be filled with joy seeing you again. Yet I am filled with joy only remembering you thanking God for your faith each day.
So now the time has come Timothy. Rekindle the gift. It was power, love and self-discipline. You received it from God. It was yours in the laying on of my hands. No, I didn’t give these things to you. It was our Lord Jesus himself, through Holy Spirit who gave you everything you need for these times, everything you need as a herald, an apostle, a teacher. Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me. The time for mourning has passed. The time for confusion has passed. The time for acting out is over.
The time for thoughtful action has come. To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
As I wrote these words last night, I could hear Bill Terbeek speaking to his Timothy, to his young men and women, to his middle and older age friends, to the peers whose respect he earned. I could hear a word to myself, a word to our church: Hold to the standard of sound teaching. The time for mourning, confusion, acting out is over. This is a new day. Do not be ashamed or fearful or inconsolable. Rise up now and live as those who have been touched by love, blessed with faith, gifted with unimaginable power to create loving community regardless of the circumstance.
Today is World Communion Day, we receive the PCUSA peacemaking offering and the CC(DOC) reconciliation offering, we promise to nurture young Jordan in the faith that Paul communicated to Timothy, men and women are facing the loss of their jobs. Others try to hold on to jobs that do not meet their basic needs. Today men and women in uniform are being told, "Get prepared." Men, women and children in differently developed countries are being told, "Duck and cover." Today we ache. There is precious little to soothe our souls. How will we respond?
Hold to sound teaching. The time for mourning, confusion, acting out is over. This is a new day. Do not be ashamed, fearful, or inconsolable. Rise up. Live as those touched by love, blessed with faith, gifted with unimaginable power to create loving community regardless of the circumstance.
The Rev. Fabian M. "Buddy" Summers, Pastor,
Christ Church Uniting Disciples and Presbyterians,
Kailua, HI, October 7, 2001
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