The Greatest Gift of All Time: To Be Known By Someone
Subject: Friendship
Theme: Friendship with God and Others
Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-18
Time: Sunday Morning March 11, 2001
Question: Have we realized this Greatest Gift?
Introduction:
In Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel The Brother’s Karamazov, the story of a drunken debauched Father and his three sons who have been dislodged from each other most of their childhood now come back together to try and forge a relationship out of the great dysfunctional family they were raised in: Listen to the conversation between two of the brothers - Ivan - the middle brother who is typically in limbo as far as life is concerned and an agnostic - and Alyosha - the youngest who is a novitiate in the monestary and a believer in God - the scene takes place in a tavern not too far from their paternal home:
Ivan says to Alyosha, “To ask me, ‘what do you believe, or don’t believe at all? That’s what your eyes have been meaning for these three months, haven’t they?”
“Perhaps so,” smiled Alyosha. “You are not laughing at me, now, Ivan?”
“Me laughing! I don’t want to wound my little brother who has been watching me with such expectation for three months. Alyosha, look straight at me! Of course I am just such a little boy as you are, only not a novice. And what have Russian boys been doing up till now, some of them. I mean? In this stinking tavern, for instance, here, they meet and sit down in a corner. They’ve never met in their lives before and, when they go out of the tavern, they won’t meet again for forty years. And what do they talk about in that momentary halt in the tavern? Of the eternal questions, of the existence of God and immortality. And those who do not believe in God talk of socialism or anarchism, of the transformation of all humanity on a new pattern, so that it all comes to the same, they’re the same questions turned inside out. And masses, masses of the most original Russian boys do nothing but talk of the eternal questions! Isn’t it so?”
“Yes, for real Russians the questions of God’s existence and of immortality, or, as you say, the same question turned inside out, come first and foremost, of course, and so they should,” said Alyosha, still watching his brother with the same gentle and inquiring smile.
“Well, Alyosha, it’s sometimes very unwise to be a Russian at all, but anything stupider than the way Russian boys spend their time one can hardly imagine. But there’s one Russian boy called Alyosha I am awfully fond of.”
“How nicely you put that in!” Alyosha laughed suddenly.
“Well, tell me where to begin, give your orders. The existence of God, eh?”
“Begin where you like. You declared yesterday at father’s that there was no God.” Alyosha looked searchingly at his brother.
“I said that yesterday at dinner on purpose to tease you and I saw your eyes glow. But now I’ve no objection to discussing it with you, and I say so very seriously. I want to be friends with you Alyosha, for I have no friends and want to try it. Well, only fancy, perhaps I too accept God,” laughed Ivan, “that’s a surprise for you, isn’t it?”
“Yes, of course, if you are not joking now.” Alyosha exclaimed!
The disire for friendship goes hand in hand with accepting the reality of God in life! The Greatest gift given to us is the opportunity to be known by someone. The reason the world has difficulty accepting that there is a God in this world is because they are alone - There is a connection here in this story that emphasizes the deep need to be wanted - desired by another!
*Now I want to read you another conversation - well at least one side of it - notice the key element of friendship that empowers Paul to be confident that he is known by God and in that relationship also known by others as well.
This is the second time he writes to Timothy knowing that his jail sentence will probably end in death. In 2 Timothy 1:1-18 we read:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God in keeping with the promise of life that Jesus conveys - To Timothy, my son, Grace, mercy and peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I’m so thankful to the God I serve, as my forefathers did, having my conscience clear as I constantly remember you in prayer night and day. I remember your tears and I desire to see you so that I may be full of joy. I remember your sincere faith which I saw in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am convinced is in you as well.
Remember to fan into flame the Spirit of God, that is in you when we laid hands on you and prayed for you. God doesn’t give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful Spirit that loves and helps us live controlled lives. Don’t be ashamed to speak of Jesus because I’m in prison. Rather join with me in suffering the insults and imprisonment for the good news given to us by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to live a holy life - and not because of what we have done - but because of his purpose and grace. This grace comes from Jesus way before time began - and is now revealed to us through Jesus who came to earth and destroyed death, shining upon us the life that endures death - what good news! And I was chosen to proclaim the good news as an apostle and teacher. That is why I’m suffering the way I am. But I’m not ashamed, because I know whom I’ve believed in and He has convinced me that He is able to guard what He has given me until the very end!
Keep what I’ve told you as a way of telling others about the faith and love of Jesus. Guard what God has given you by trusting the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Everyone has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May Jesus show mercy to Onesiphorus and his family, because he often visited me and wasn’t ashamed that I was in prison. I pray that God will be merciful to him at the end! You know how he helped me out in Ephesus as well!
Objective: In a day and age where people evaluate each other by what they know, God has revealed to men and women the privilege of being Known by someone!
Transition: And this is felt the deepest in us by:
1. FIRST AND FOREMOST: BEING KNOWN BY GOD
a. Decartes - a 17 century philosopher thought that he had recovered the certainty of reality when people,thinkers, religious leaders began doubting the centrality of God in life. 17th century society had accepted the notion that everything must first be doubted and then proved by reason to be true. Decartes thought that he had saved the day when he discovered , “I think, therefore I am.” The justification of his own existence was determined to be in the fact that he knew himself.
This opened the door to doubting God’s very existence and became the precursor to the Atheism that was so prevelant even up to this last century!
“I think therefore I am” - in other words - the only rationale I need for my own existence is that I know I exist!
Illustration: How this has destroyed the notion that men and women need each other - how this has destroyed the power of people working, communing, living, breathing, dying together!!!!
It goes against the very principle that prompted God to create man and woman - that man might not be alone - that humanity might not live in isolation but share its life with others of its kind and even share its live with God himself!
Look at the difference we encounter in Scripture:
b. Paul here in this letter - “I know because I am known”
In the throws of hardship - prison and possibly a death sentence - the one thing that Paul seizes upon more than anything else is that God knows him - his situation and is able to sustain his life until the very end!
Paul essentially says to Timothy - here I am in this mess - chained to my cell - powerless, hungry, isolated - “But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I’ve believed [how does he know? - the promise God has given - revealed - from the beginning - the promise of grace and peace - that is in Jesus given to us as human beings] and He has convinced me that He is able to guard what He has given me [the promise of being known continually by God] until the very end!”
In essence, Paul is saying, I’m am possibly in the worst time of my life but I am not ashamed, I am not defeated, because the reason for my existence isn’t my shameful situation - my own mind, my own strength, my difficulty, my own confusion and trouble - but God himself who has made himself known to me is my reason for living - for existing!!!!!!
Application:
It may be a particularly difficult time for you right now - but what God has given to us - the opportunity to know that He knows us - that He is with us - Paul says - the gift of the Spirit - fan into flame Timothy - for there is your strength! - there is your hope!
I had a particularly discouraging day this week - a moment when I sat at my desk and wept - as I shared my sorrow with Jen - God caused a good friend to come our way - in a way that only God can orchestrate - to let us know that He knows us - that he knows where we are - what were feeling - that He is taking care of what he has given us!!!!!
I encourage you today - to know that God knows you - all the hair on your head is numbered - says Jesus - God is deeply passionate about you!!! - and will go out of his way to make you know that even though you may be going through a difficult time - He is with you and knows you and will help you through!!!!!
Transition: Like God who is thrilled to make our lives abundant and full of relationship He compliments our relationship with Him:
2. BY GIVING US OTHERS WHO KNOW US IN LIFE
a. Paul had a close relationship with Timothy and his family
Paul mentored Timothy - coached him along - and that relationship was deepen to the point that it went beyond the mentor stage - it was a close relationship - listen again to what Paul writes to him:
“I remember your tears [possibly from Timothy’s last visit with Paul in prison ] and I desire to see you that I may be full of joy. I remember your sincere faith which I saw in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am convinced is in you as well.”
I am sure that this relationship complimented - hightened Paul’s awareness of God’s care for him.
b. It wasn’t all rosy - friends deserted Paul
“Everyone has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.”
It wasn’t so popular or adventurous to be associated with Paul anymore - he was destined to die and many began distancing themselves from him. And although I am sure Paul was wounded by this - he does not show himself to be victimized as he writes to Timothy.
This is the same man that wrote to the Roman church “For you have not received a Spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba” Father.” Rom.8:15
c. One family that was especially good to him in this time of his life
Onesiphorus - “he oftened visited me and was not ashamed that I was in prison”
Illustration: Sometimes the best way to be God to someone is to be a friend! - as we saw so clearly Dostoyevsky’s characters - Ivan and Alyosha
I read the story of two friends in World War I who were inseparable. They had enlisted together, trained together, were shipped overseas together, and fought side-by-side in the trenches. During an attack, one of the men was critically wounded in a field filled with barbed wire obstacles. He was unable to crawl back to his foxhole. The entire area was under enemy crossfire, and it was suicidal to try to reach him. Yet his friend decided to do just that. The sergeant told him, "It’s too late. You can’t do him any good, and you’ll only get yourself killed." But the man went anyway. He returned a few minutes later, carrying his friend. But he himself had been mortally wounded. The sergeant was both angry and deeply moved. He blurted out, "What a waste! He’s dead and you’re dying. It just wasn’t worth it." With almost his last breath, the dying man replied, "Oh, yes it was, Sarge. When I got to him, the only thing he said was, ’I knew you’d come, Jim.’"
Application:
There is a deep connection to God in our human friendships and relationships in life. Last time I spoke I talked about how a husband and wife who seek out to love each other completely is conducive to knowing God!
I want to add today that making friendships in life with believers - how important - just as much important - with non-believers - is conducive to knowing God! We have seen how Paul’s friendships enhanced - increased - hightened - his own relationship with God
Conclusion:
Through the last little while - we have preaching about getting closer to God - cultivating our relationship with God - I think we need to now branch out as a church and cultivate more relationships in life with people we historically have shunned -
We need to take a greater step at cultivating relationships with people in our community here. - you might be thinking - what is the use - we are moving eventually to Vaughan - but you know what -
More important than our plan to move to Vaughan - is God’s will that we share our life with others - that we be Jesus to those who are close to us!!! That is our first mission - our goal - God’s desire for us!!!
I don’t think its any mistake that John Eldridge writes in his book the Sacred Romance: “It is a rare soul indeed who has been sought after for who she is - not because of what she can do, or what others gain from her, but simply for herself. Can you recall a time when a significant someone in your life sat you down with the sole purpose of wanting to know your heart more deeply, fully expecting to enjoy what he found there?”
But we can cultivate such relationships - if we first know how amazing it is to be known by God - and so how amazing it is to be know and be known by someone!!!!
