october 23 2022
October 23rd 2022
Old Testament: Genesis 4:1-15 “Am I my brother’s keeper”?
Psalm: Psalm 5 “Evil may not dwell with You”
Epistle: 2nd Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 “I have fought the good fight … kept the faith”
Gospel: Luke 18:9-17 “God, I thank You … I am not like other men”
Sermon Text: 2nd Timothy 4 and Luke 18:9-17
Sermon Title: “I Have Kept the Faith”
Grace to you and peace, from God the Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
As we have been talking about for several weeks now; the Apostle Paul is very near the end of his life as he writes this letter to Tomothy. These are his last recorded words, and he makes that very clear in our text this morning saying; “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, (meaning, he is already suffering for Christ, for he is comparing his life to one of the sacrificial offerings of the Old Testament) and the time of my departure (meaning his death/martyrdom) has come”. (2nd Timothy 4:6)
Paul speaks quite openly about how things are coming to an end. He knows his blood will soon be shed like so many of the saints and prophets of God over the centuries; past and present. He has nothing in himself in which to boast, but can only cling to Christ in faith. Yet Paul also is certain of eternal life, confident that nothing, not even death, “will be able to separate him/us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”. (Romans 8:39b)
“The time of his departure”, his death, is all in God’s good timing, for He is the One who determines such matters. We too have the same certainty and comfort from God as Paul did; by faith in God’s promises; for the Psalmist declared, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints”. (Psalm 116:15)
Paul wrote that it is only by the grace of God that, “I have fought the good (beautiful) fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith”. (2nd Timothy 4:7) Since his call into the ministry, Paul has been faithful to preach the Gospel wherever God called him to go; and rebuking those who taught falsely about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; but his race is almost over. Interestingly, the word “good” here could also be translated “beautiful”; as in “the beautiful fight”.
This “beautiful” fight is the Christian’s daily struggle with sin, the new creation in us, that wants to do what is right, fighting with the old sinful nature that clings so tightly to us. Paul spoke of this at length in the book of Romans confessing, “I do not do the good that I want, but the evil I do not want to do, I keep on doing … Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord”. (Romans 7:19, 24-25a)
One of our Lutheran church fathers, Martin Chemnitz, who wrote part of our Formula of Concord, put it this way; “we fight against sin with repentance”. This “beautiful fight” continues in the life of the Christian until the day of their death, which is why Luther urged us to remember our baptism; “by daily contrition and repentance”. We find the strength to fight this daily battle, only by the grace and mercy of God; received in Word and Sacrament; here in this place. This is where God has promised to be with His gifts.
“Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, (eternal life) which the Lord, the righteous judge will award me on that day; and not only to me, but to all who have loved His appearing”. (2nd Timothy 4:8) Paul and all Christians received this crown by grace, when we were justified through faith; knowing that God has promised to be with His people, until we die or until He comes again in glory.
Therefore, we are awarded this crown “not because of our merits, but because of God’s promise”. (Apology IV, par. 363) He will give eternal life to Paul and to all who have trusted in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. As Jesus promised to His disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you”. (John 14:3a)
The missing verses in our text today (verses 9-15) include some personal instructions to Timothy as well as recounting many who had done him wrong or had deserted him. Paul also wrote about this earlier in the letter; as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. Here he recounts how, “At my first trial/defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me”. (2nd Timothy 4:16a)
Paul does not dismiss the sin of those who opposed him or deserted him, but he also does not have any ill will towards them either saying; “may it not be charged against them!” (2nd Timothy 4:16b) Here we are reminded of Christ’s own words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. (Luke 23:34) If Christ had not died to atone for our sins, or if He continued to hold our sins against us, we would all be lost eternally.
So, we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. (Matthew 6:12) We do not hold grudges against those who have sinned against us, refusing to forgive as we have been forgiven. Or do we? If you think about it, if you are refusing to forgive someone and pray the Lord’s Prayer, you are actually asking God NOT to forgive your sins, since you have refused to forgive others.
Even though he was abandoned by almost everyone, by the grace and mercy of God working through the Word, Paul remained firm in his faith saying, “the Lord stood by me and strengthened me”. (2nd Timothy 4:17a) The Lord promised to His disciples before His ascension, “I am with you always”. (Matthew 28:20b) He certainly was with the Apostle, even though nearly every human rejected him. By the way, this was also true of the other Apostles, all of whom died as martyrs or in prison.
Why did the Lord stay with Paul? First, because of His promise which we just mentioned, but also for the sake of the Gospel; “So that through me, the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it”. (2nd Timothy 4:17b) Paul knew that he had been called by God to preach the Gospel and that He was working through him, “chief of sinners” though he was. In the same way, God works even today through pastors who are poor, miserable, sinners; just like their hearers. For, we all alike confess our sins and receive absolution at the beginning of the service.
Therefore, the Word and the Sacraments are effective, on account of Christ, not on account of the worthiness of the minister/pastor. According to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, which all pastors in our denomination pledge faithfulness to at their ordination, “every pastor has the power to preach the Gospel, forgive sins, and administer the sacraments … in addition it confers on them what Walther calls, “the power of spiritual judgment”; the power to judge doctrine. This spiritual judgment involves not just proclaiming correct doctrine, but also condemning and refuting the false doctrine. As Paul said to Titus, “give instruction in sound doctrine and rebuke those who contradict it”. (Titus 1:9) Please do not ever tell a pastor, they need to spend less time in God’s Word.
Walther also declared, “It involves warning against the wolves in sheep’s clothing … and unmasking them … (he wrote, the pastor who does not do these things) is not a faithful steward of God’s mysteries (His Word), nor a faithful shepherd of the sheep entrusted to him”. Luther also states; “true shepherds are to do both; to feed the sheep and to ward off wolves”. (F of C; Solid Declaration Introduction, paragraph 14) Contrary to popular opinion, which seeks to compromise God’s Word in many and various ways, Christ tells us to avoid all who teach anything contrary to His (perfect, inerrant) Word.
St. Paul continues, “So, I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom”. (2nd Timothy 4:17c-18a) The Lord will continue to be with Paul until the end, just as He has promised to be with all of His servants; pastors as well as everyday saints; until the end of their lives. Therefore, our trust is in the Lord Jesus Christ alone; “who redeemed us from the curse of (keeping) the law, by becoming a curse for us”. (Galatians 3:13) He conquered sin, death, and the devil for us by His atoning death on the cross and bodily resurrection.
But, Jesus warns us in the parable from the Gospel reading about arrogance and pride. We dare not “trust in ourselves, that we are righteous and so treat others with contempt”. (Luke 18:9) What the Pharisee did was not even really a prayer to God, for he was taking credit for what he thought were his own righteous deeds. These (kinds of) words should never be on the lips of any professing Christian; “I thank You God, that I am not like other men” (Luke 18:11b). Even if we can’t think of anything that we have done wrong (which is highly unlikely), the Scriptures still declare, “Who can discern his errors, declare me innocent from hidden faults”. (Psalm 19:12b)
Therefore, we should humbly confess with the tax collector and with Paul; “God be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13b) for it is then we will go “down to our house justified”. (Luke 18:14a) “For if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all righteousness”. (1st John 1:9) Knowing this, you can be sure that our gracious and merciful God will deliver you (and me) from every evil when our “time of departure draws near”. (2nd Timothy 4:6b) “To Him be the glory, forever and ever. Amen”. (2nd Timothy 4:18b)
The peace of God …