† In the Lord Christ’s Name †
May Grace, Mercy and Peace strengthen you, for the are gifts from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Strengthened by Grace – but how are we strengthened
Praying for Faith and Patience
Illusion that I can conquer all
The word is not bound
What is your reaction, when someone tells you, “this will make you stronger”?
If you are really young, it may be your mother, trying to get you to each spinach, or liver and onions, or brussel sprouts. They never say eating candy, or ice cream, or potato chips will make you stronger, do they?
If you are a teen, or in your twenties, it could be a coach, or martial arts master, or a music teacher, as they give you some kind of drill that will be long, and physically challenging, or boring, or both. I mean, they never say going to the beach, or hanging out with friends, or going to the movies will make you stronger, do they?
As we get older, we hear that getting through this situation or that situation will make us stronger. Take this medication, or go on that diet, do this extra task, work with those people or that relative or that we dread. After all, if the task, or process was going to be pleasant or enjoyable, if it had no great cost, they wouldn’t have to try to convince us that it was somehow beneficial, would they?
Paul writes Timothy today, be strengthened by grace, and I know that God directs these words to us as well. Even as I thank God for this strength, yet, I cynically wonder, for what will I need the strength? It’s like the older pastor’s warnings about praying for patience, because God will provide new and exciting ways by which you have to trust in Him, and therefore your patience will increase!
In all three of our readings today, we see people that are struggling with life, much as we do. They struggled with health issues, they struggled with relationships, they struggled with circumstances, they struggle with doubt and fear. Struggles we all have, or have had, or will have, someday. Struggles that seem to take over our lives, and have made us their captive. In order to deal with them, we are tempted to sin, and if we are honest, we often do. Tempted to find some pleasure to replace the suffering, tempted to find a way out, tempted to forgo trusting in God, and play God ourselves.
We feel like we are captives, like we are bound by strong ropes, or steel cables to our struggles. To the Leper, to Naomi, to Paul and Timothy, to us, the message of Hope is clear. The word is not bound.
Bound by health?
The word is not bound
In our gospel today, we see a man who suffered from leprosy. Like so many that suffer illness, the leprosy was like a prison sentence to the man. It dominated every aspect of life, it separated him from those he loved, and it forced him to abandon so many things that he enjoyed. It changed his life.
Of the struggles we shall see in today’s sermon, I think I understand this one the most of all. Things that were joys in my younger and healthier days, like playing full court basketball, or being in Taekwondo tournaments, are no longer possible. Certain things I would love to share doing with Will as he grows older, like surfing and diving, and even rollercoasters, cannot be done because of my artificial valves, and the meds they require. It is depressing, knowing this. It would be easy, to wonder why God allowed this genetic disorder, and be mad that He allowed me to be bound to this challenged body. It would be easy, far too easy, to lose all hope, to not trust God, to just give up. But…
The word is not bound!
Jesus met that leper, and by His word healed him and nine others! The power of God interceded in this leper’s life, and cleansed him. The man realized that God had rescued him from something, and returned to praise and adore his Savior. While some are healed physically by Jesus, then and now, others are not. I do not have the answer to why one and not another, save what I have learned in my life. Because the word is not bound, things that I have suffered through, have become blessings. To hear men in jail praise God for three hours, while I played the piano – 18 days after the valves were replaced is beyond comprehension. Interestingly enough, the same disorder that caused the heart valves to need replacement, also is incredibly beneficial to a pianist. I have been able to see people blessed as they realize the gospel is their gospel; that Jesus is their Messiah, and that is incomparable. To see an unbound word of God, penetrate the dark places of our lives, and bring His light, and love.
That is what I want my son to know; how Kay and I have seen our Lord’s love, and grace and mercy, in every aspect of our lives.
Bound by Relationships
The word is not bound
Health is not the only things that binds us tightly, that holds us captive. For some of us, it is relationships, as it was for Naomi and her daughters. Relationships are complicated things, whether with family, or with friends. We both can either enjoy them, and praise God for the people in our lives; or we can play God, and separate ourselves from the very people that He has given to us.
I wish we knew more about Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law. After the deaths of her husband and sons, she decides to shut her daughter in laws out of her life. Stay here, don’t come with me – it won’t be pleasant. Naomi’s words are clear, she finds herself cursed by God for some sin, and the deaths should be blamed on her. So often we do that, as relationships become challenged – we separate ourselves, not wanting to curse others. We play God, and bind ourselves to some guilt, or some hidden shame. Bound to that guilt, we cannot see God…
Or we do the opposite, and bind ourselves to resentment against those who have sinned against us. Rather than see them in need of the forgiveness of God, of being rescued from the guilt and shame, we judge them and pour out our wrath on them, desiring to see them suffer. We bind ourselves to revenge, or hatred, and resentment.
The word is not bound!
People like Ruth, are sent into our lives. People that know our God is not one to abandon us, that guilt and shame should not separate us from God, for Christ already freed us from that to which we were bound. They share the gospel with us, to encourage us! This is what Ruth did, binding herself to Naomi, knowing Naomi’s God! This is grace that strengthens us, the gift of the gospel! The word is not bound, it penetrates our lives, and our relationships. Because of that, we know the promises of God, which not only frees us from our own sin, but from the resentment towards those who have sinned against us!
The word is not bound!
Bound by circumstances
The word is not bound
The word of God is not bound!
How well the Apostle Paul understands this. Bound by circumstances from proclaiming the gospel to the masses, from establishing communities of faith all over the Mediterranean, he sees God’s hand working non-the-less!
How often do we get blinded from seeing that hand of God by circumstance? How often would we rather not see it, for then we could do what we please? Disappear for an hour God, and we can fix everything! Maybe it is a circumstance beyond our control, punishment for something, like Paul we don’t deserve. Or maybe it is something we deserve! The temptation to sin is incredible – as we want the power of God, without the wisdom and responsibility of it.
Yet, even in the most dire of circumstances, Paul declares, with great joy, the word is not bound! Even as he sits in jail, he hears words of the gospel being proclaimed. Some even proclaim it, so that he gets in more trouble! We also hear that many in Cesar’s own personal guard believed, after having been bound to Paul for 12 hour shifts. The word is not bound, it penetrates jails, and relationships, and lives.
The Trustworthy Word
The word is not bound,
But it binds us, to Christ
The word is not bound – he reminds Timothy. Remember – the gospel of Christ – there is nowhere on earth it cannot bring life, and hope and mercy, and love. That is the word to pass on to other men, that they too, might bring the message to the world! Men that know what it means to trust in God. Men who trust God in good times and in times of challenge. Men who know that God is there with them, redeeming them, and desiring to redeem their friends, families, and communities!
Hmmm – train up men who will be faithful to teach others? Is that part of our ministry? Yeah, more on that to come in the weeks and months to come!
The word of God is never bound, but it is a binding agent! Look at the end of our passage.
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live 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.
We know that we are united with Christ in His death, and with the hope of His resurrection through our Baptism – Romans 6 and Colossians are so clear. The word of God binds us to the Lord Jesus, who has saved us, and strengthens us, that we can endure. That is His faithfulness, the faithfulness that encourages our trust. He cannot lie, he cannot change His nature.
That is hope, and that is how we are strengthened. Not to overcome or endure on our own strength, but to realize that we can endure, because we have been united, bound to Jesus.
That is why we gather, to hear these precious promises, to know that He is with us, no matter our health, no matter how dysfunctional our relationships, or how hard the circumstances. To know we are bound to Him for eternity. And that He strengthens us, with grace, mercy and peace, that we shall endure.
May the grace, mercy and peace of God, all beyond measure be yours, and may they guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus!
AMEN.
