"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel, the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation in Jesus Christ with its eternal glory. The saying is sure: 'If we have died with him, we also shall live with him; if we endure, we shall 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.' Remind them of this, and charge them before the Lord to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (19) But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are his,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.' In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, others for ignoble. If anyone purifies himself from what is ignoble, then we will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work." [2 Timothy 2:8-16,19-22 RSV]
Paul continues his pre-death letter from prison to his beloved friend Timothy. He warns Timothy that the gospel of Jesus Christ presents us all with a choice: either we understand the enormity of Jesus' sacrifice for us, such that we enter a joyous NEW life of purifying ourselves in order to live for God and no longer just for ourselves...OR, we disregard the enormity of Christ's gift of grace and continue on our own way, unaffected, unchanged. Paul says, "If we disown Jesus, Jesus will disown us. The Lord knows those who are his - everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." Paul points out that there are 2 kinds of people in the world - those who continue to use their bodies and lives for ignoble purposes, and those who flee from evil in order to dedicate themselves to NOBLE purposes. Paul calls Timothy and all of us to seek to be made holy, that we might, with pure hearts, pursue God's righteousness, faith, love and peace.
Here in Boston, at the Church of All Nations, let us rise up together as one people, to make our choice for God. Let us seek the path of holiness, righteousness, faith, love, and peace that we might call upon the Lord with pure hearts, and know that he will answer us. Let us choose to dedicate ourselves fully to the God who made and saved us. Let us choose God over the world, with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of God, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people.
Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my sufferings, which befell me at Antioch, and Iconium, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who decide to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." [2 Timothy 3:1-5,10-17 RSV]
Paul says there will be TERRIBLE times in the last days, when the majority of people will be lovers of pleasure and self, rather than lovers of God. Paul says these crowds will have only the FORM of godliness, but they will lack its power. Paul warns sternly: HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SUCH PEOPLE! And then Paul promises: EVERYONE who seeks to live a godly life in Christ Jesus WILL BE PERSECUTED by those in the world living only for themselves.
If this does not describe our present day and our present dilemma, then I do not know what does. Today most people love themselves, money, power, and pleasure FAR more than they love God. And as Paul predicted, these people are abusive, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, and disobedient to parents. Do not Paul's words fit our modern society? Just pick up any Boston Globe and read for 10 minutes the state of our homes, city, nation and world. People seeking their OWN pleasure are rampantly killing anyone and everyone in their way. People seeking their own pleasure are rapidly destroying this earth's capacity to sustain life as we know it. Something is VERY, VERY wrong in our world today, and I am sure our God weeps.
"But YOU," Paul says, "all of YOU who know and love God, YOU must continue even so to follow God. You must stay close the Holy Scripture, that its wisdom and teaching might direct and preserve your life. You must have the GUTS, even in the face of persecution and abuse, to remain steadfast to ways of Jesus Christ."
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.' When he saw them he said to them, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Not he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, 'Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?' And he said to him, 'Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.' "[Luke 17:11-19 RSV]
Both the good and the bad in this world are likely to cry out to God when they are in need - just as the 10 lepers cried out to Jesus, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" But then, once healed and provided for, most people will just run off to live their worldly lives, enjoying the blessings and disregarding the One who gave them. In our story today from Luke, only 1 out of 10 returned to worship and give thanks to God. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this one?"
Jesus gave his life for all people. Even today he speaks to us, "Were you not ALL cleansed by my death for you on the cross? Where IS everyone I have saved? Do only such a few return to give praise and glory to God?"
How about you? You have been cleansed by Jesus. Have YOU returned to give your life fully to God?