Building the Fire

“and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 3:15).

We’re a real fire in the fireplace kinda family. I’ve got nothing against folks who want the no-fuss and no-muss of gas logs. But a stack of ceramic logs that never moves with flames in the same place just doesn’t cut it at our house.

Real fires with real wood take time. You don’t just flip a switch. You don’t just flick your Bic on a big log and start the blaze. You need some paper, a little kindling, and smaller pieces of wood. It takes preparation before you light things up. But when all conditions are perfect, you stand a great chance of a great fire.

Did you know that raising your child to be a follower of Jesus is similar? Let me be straight up about this idea. It belongs to Matt Chandler. But I know a good line when I steal one. Matt says parents should stack all of the spiritual kindling around their kids in the hopes that when the Holy Spirit ignites them, they will burn hot and bright.

Flipping through the Spiritual Scrapbook

Paul says something very similar to Timothy in the very last letter of his life. On Death Row in a Roman prison, who could blame the apostle for reminiscing with one of his favorites? He looks back on Tim’s explosive growth as a follower of Jesus. The former Pharisee knows it goes way back before the young pastor came to place his faith in Christ. “And now from childhood you you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v15).

The man from Tarsus is flipping through the pages of Tim’s spiritual scrapbook. He recognizes how God used his protege’s family to expose him to Scripture from the time he was an infant. They stacked the kindling. They got the wood ready.

No parent can make their kid a follower of Christ. Only God can do that. But we can stack the kindling. We can make things flammable. That’s what the people did for Timothy as he was growing up. They stacked the kindling. And Once God lit the match in Tim’s life, look out!

Baby Talk

Just how old was Timothy when this began? Was it when he was big enough to go to Sunday School? Surely he had to be mature enough to understand the big ideas of the Bible, right? Would you believe it began when he was a baby? Dare I say, Tiny Tim? Okay, probably not.

Paul reminds him “how from childhood” (v15) the process began. He uses a Greek term we translate “childhood” (Gr. βρεφος/brephos) that describes baby, a very small child, infant, even an unborn child or fetus. It implies the time a child before they are finished nursing.

Check out the other uses of βρεφος/brephos in the NT. Dr. Luke purposely selects this word when telling the story of John the Dunker in utero (Lk 1:41, 44). The good doctor also describes the newborn Jesus when retelling the story of the angel’s instructions to the shepherds to look for a “Baby (Gr. βρεφος/brephos) wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Lk 2:12). Sure enough, the shepherds found the proud parents and their “Baby (Gr. βρεφος/brephos) lying in a manger” (Lk 2:16).

Paul’s buddy Peter uses the term when talking about immature followers of Jesus. “Like newborn infants (Gr. βρεφος/brephos), long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1Pet 2:2). Proper nutrition is critical for the early childhood development. That includes proper spiritual nutrition of God’s truth. And that’s exactly the kind of nourishment Tim received when he was still an itty bitty baby back in Lystra.

Mom and Memaw

This backs up what we read in the opening lines of this letter. Paul recalls Tim’s spiritual heritage when he writes about how the young pastor has “a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure dwells in you as well” (2Tim 1:5). He points out how both Mom and Memaw spiritually invested in Tim’s life. They started early. VERY early!

What a powerful reminder that it’s never to early to start stacking the spiritual kindling in the life of child. Can’t you just picture what it was like in his earliest days? His mom singing sweet worship songs to her newborn baby. Grandma Lois telling her grandson all about the goodness of his gracious Heavenly Dad. Growing up Jewish themselves, they were simply doing what God had commanded through Moses. When it comes to passing along God’s Word, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Dt 6:7).

Don’t get all freaked out and think you need to come up with some sort of formal Bible study or daily devotion for your kids. Just make it a regular part of your everyday life. While you’re sitting around. While you’re riding in your car. While you’re putting them to bed. While you’re at breakfast in the morning. You see, we can build the fire anytime and anywhere.

Thanks to both Eunice and Lois, Tim has “been acquainted with the sacred writings” (v15) since before he could walk. The language here in the original language points to something more than general awareness of Scripture. Tim and his Bible are much more than casual acquaintances. The Greek word οιδα/oida points to an intimate relationship with someone or something that leads to appreciation and respect. Let’s just say the Bible at Tim’s house didn’t spend much time on the bookshelf.

Mad Skills

Tim’s mother and grandmother saw the incredible value in the Scriptures “which are able to make you wise” (v15). Paul uses a word here (Gr. σοφιζω/sophizo) which means a whole lot more than just stuffing your head full of facts, dates, and meaningless details. This is all about pursuing knowledge which can be applied. It’s becoming skilled.

God’s Word is not some dusty book full of weird fairy tales. It’s incredibly practical. First of all, it’s God’s written revelation of Himself. The more we learn about Him, the deeper our relationship grows with Him. The result is the realization of just how desperately we need Him. That’s the kind of wisdom it provides. These are the kind of mad skills we all need.

Sure there’s all sorts of very practical tips in places like Proverbs. But Jesus is so much more than an awesome life coach. He’s my Savior. He’s my Lord. He’s my God. Scripture provides the most practical wisdom I’ll ever find anywhere. My need for Jesus. My need for His grace. When I’m regularly exposed to God’s Word, there’s a really good chance that everything will eventually all click together.

When the Lightbulb Comes on

The lightbulb that eventually turns on is actually the Light of the World. That’s what Paul means when he says Scripture is just what Tim needed “for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v15). Jesus is the exclusive source of salvation (Acts 4:12). The one and only access to our Heavenly Dad is through His one and only Son (Jn 14:6). There may be a single point of spiritual rescue but it’s available to anyone and everyone. Because of God’s overflowing love for us, anyone who goes all in on Jesus gains immediate access to eternal life (Jn 3:16). He welcomes all comers.

We place our “faith in Christ Jesus” (15), not in ourselves. I can’t save myself. It’s just not possible. Don’t believe me? God invites us to take a shot at self-salvation by following His rules. You’ll find them listed in painful detail in what we call the Old Testament. It would have been the only Bible people like Lois, Eunice, Tim, and Paul had back in the day.

Saving Yourself by Following the Rules

The rules God gives in Leviticus alone are so complicated it will make your head hurt. I can barely read through the levitical laws much less obey them. So let’s just cut it back to what we call the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:3-17; Dt 5:7-21). I may think I’m a good person because I’ve never killed anyone or had an affair. But that’s only two out of ten. Give me a polygraph on the other eight and I’m in a world of hurt. I’m a train wreck when it comes to God’s Top Ten.

But hey, that’s the Old Testament. It’s all about a mean ol’ God full of judgment and wrath. Surely the God of the New Testament has softened up in His old age. Isn’t that where we find all that talk of love, mercy, and grace? Isn’t Jesus all warm and fuzzy? For Pete’s sake, you’ve seen the pictures of Him carrying a lamb on His shoulders, haven’t you?

Jesus Raises the Bar

There’s just one problem with that. It’s called the New Testament. In His most famous sermon of all time, Jesus doesn’t lower the bar but raises it so high that we could never dream of clearing it (Mt 5:1-7:29). In His Sermon on the Mount, our Savior tells the crowd to not make the mistake of thinking He’s tossing the OT in the trash can (Mt 5:17). Think the Law was impossible? Take a run at these new rules!

Suddenly getting angry is equal to murder (Mt 5:21-22). A wandering eye is equal to an affair (Mt 5:27-28). Get the idea? The good news is that Jesus also says that while He’s not rewriting the rulebook, He is going to obey all of them for us. “I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Mt 5:17). The Rule Maker becomes the Rule Keeper.

The CT Scan Can’t Cure

So what does all of this have to do with Paul’s words to Timothy about “salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v15)? The big idea is that God’s story that we read throughout the Bible is all about how desperately we need a Hero and God’s promise to send Him. Both the OT and the Sermon on the Mount are like spiritual CT scans that reveal my sin. No matter how often they’re used, they can’t heal. They only diagnose.

The Gospel is the cure. The grace of Jesus is the remedy. He does for us what we can never do for ourselves. He lives the perfect life of obedience to God’s Law that we fail to live. He dies the death for our sin on the cross that we should have died. He rises to the glorious resurrection life that we certainly don’t deserve. We also place our trust in His loving leadership as our Lord.

Caution: Flammable!

When we see Jesus as the Hero of God’s story in Scripture, the fire ignites in a big way. It takes time to stack the kindling in people’s lives. Instead of driving folks away with a long list of rules, begin carefully building spiritually flammable materials in their lives. Tell them about God’s incredible goodness. Point out how He loves us so much that He sent His Son for us.

Do this for your kids. For your grandkids. For your neighbors. For the weird guy in the next cubicle at work. For golf buddies. Will it seem weird and awkward at times? Probably. But take the time stack the kindling. Take the time to build the fire. Don’t be surprised when God lights them up! Watch out! Caution: Flammable!

The New Neighbor

“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish” (Jn 1:14 The Message).

Who Are They?

A moving van rumbles past your house and down the cul-de-sac. It pulls up in front of the house that sold last month. Yup, you’ve got new neighbors. 

What will they be like? Noisy? Nosey? Kind? Quiet? Do they have kids? Are they teenagers? Do they own a dog? Can you trust them? 

These are just a few of the questions that run through your head. New neighbors can change everything in the neighborhood.

A Big Change in the 'Hood

A couple of thousand years ago, a Galilean fisherman named John remembers the day he got a new Neighbor. This new Neighbor changed everything in the ‘hood. In a good way. A VERY good way. 

And when he says “neighborhood,” he means the entire world. Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to this neck of the woods.

So what exactly did John say? Here it is as we find it in The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible. “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish” (v14).

The Why of Christmas

Believe it or not, John is writing about Christmas. You’ve probably heard the other more popular versions of Jesus’ birth as told by a former tax collector (Mt 1:1-25) and a first century physician (Lk 2:1-20). 

These guys tell us the play-by-play of how God uses a young carpenter and his pregnant teenage fiancee to bring His one and only Son into the world. John backs up and explains the story. Matthew and Luke give us the what. John gives us the why.

Before the Big Move 

First of all, we read about what our new Neighbor was doing before the big move. “The Word became flesh and blood” (v14). John’s referring back to what he had to say at the very beginning of this document we’ve come to call the Gospel of John. “The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word, in readiness for God from day one” (Jn 1:1). 

This is his way of saying the Son of God was hanging out at the heavenly palace with God the Father from the very beginning. God’s mansion is so upscale that it makes Beverly Hills and Palm Beach look like the projects.

Packing for the Move

But Jesus is about to pack up and move. Instead of packing boxes and calling the movers, something else happens. Something amazing! “The Word became flesh and blood” (v14). The Second Person of the Trinity took on human form. 

The One who was already 100% God also became 100% human. The math doesn’t make sense, but as one of God’s spokespersons told Jesus’ mom, “Nothing, you see, is impossible with God” (Lk 1:38).

Putting on His Earth Suit

In order to make the move, the Son of God puts on His Earth suit. He becomes the God-Man. Theologians, preachers, and a long list of smart folks have been trying to wrap their brains around this one for several hundred years. 

Some like to call it the Incarnation. That basically means God with meat. Don’t believe me? Ever have chili con carne or chili with meat?

Hypostatic What?

Another term we’ve cooked up to describe this divine/human combo is hypostatic union. It’s a high fallutin’ way of saying nobody can really figure out how Jesus did this. 

The writer of Hebrews points out how this gave God the opportunity to fully experience what it’s like to be mortal with one important exception. “He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin” (Heb 4:15). Let’s break down the divine math this way: 100% God + 100% Man = 100% Savior.

The Ultimate Missionary

After the Son of God packed Himself in a human box, it was time to hit the road from Heaven to Earth. That’s when He “moved into the neighborhood” (v14). It’s because Jesus is the ultimate Missionary. 

Just like missionaries move right into the heart of the communities they will serve, so did our Savior. He buy a McMansion in a gated community and swing by to slum with us a couple of times a year. Jesus moved in.

One-of-a-Kind Glory

Because the Son of God lived just down the street, He gave folks a a glimpse of who He really was. “We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son” (v14). 

John’s not talking about Jesus’ baby pictures. He’s probably describing the time on a mountain when Christ let us Godness shine to John, his brother James, and their buddy Peter (Mt 17:1-8; Mr 9:2-8; Lk 9:28-36).

Like Father, Like Son

Just to make sure these three are sure of what they’re seeing firsthand, Jesus’ Heavenly Dad connects the dots for them. “This is My Son, marked by My love, focus of My delight. Listen to Him” (Mt 17:5). That’s why the apostle likes to say, “Like Father, like Son.” (v14). 

Want to know what God the Father looks like? Take a long look at the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee. They share a glory you don’t see anywhere else. “Like Father, like Son” (v14).

Generous Inside and Out

John says our new Neighbor is the kind of person you hope moves in just down the street. He’s “generous inside and out” (v14). Jesus isn’t the stingy guy on the block who never loans any of His tools, keeps a death grip on His wallet, or is too busy to talk. 

He’s generous with everything He has whether we deserve it or not. ESPECIALLY when we don’t deserve it. That’s the definition of grace. He gives. And it’s not phony. Need anything, just ask. Our new Neighbor’s “generous inside and out” (v14).

A Straight Shooter

Jesus is also “true from start to finish” (v14). He’s the one guy in the neighborhood we can always trust. Christ didn’t move in and immediately start complaining to the HoA. He’s true to His word. 

If He says, He does it. He’s a straight shooter and not afraid to say what needs to be said. No hidden agenda. Our new Neighbor has been that way ever since He rolled into town. There’s no reason to think He’ll ever change.

John wants us to know there’s no reason to worry. You’re going to love our new Neighbor. Why don’t you go say “hello”?

©2016
Jay Jennings

Jesus Pitches a Tent

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14).

The One who spoke the entire universe into being made a decision to rough it.  As the Second Person of the Trinity, the Son was 100% God.  Then something absolutely crazy happened.  Somehow, someway, He added to His 100% Godness.  He took on 100% humanity too!  That’s the new math.  The new DIVINE math. 

          100% God+100% Man=100% Savior!

But the Son didn’t sit back and chill out after taking on His brand new humanity.  He was about to make a road trip.  He had mission.  The Son packed up and headed to Earth.  He headed into the very creation He shaped and formed.  But when He left the lap of heaven’s luxury, He didn’t check into the Four Seasons or the Plaza.  He “dwelt among us.”  

Setting up Camp

John tells us that the Son of God went camping.  The original text tells us us that He literally “tabernacled” (Gr.σκενοω/skeno’o) once He got to earth.  In other words, Jesus set up camp and pitched a tent.  The Message describes how Christ “moved into the neighborhood.”  For the Second Person of the Big Three, His accommodations were just a bit less posh than the glorious palace He enjoyed back home in heaven.  

Jesus pitches a tent.  God is roughing it.  And if you have any doubts about all that, remember where Jesus made His arrival.  In a stinky old barn behind the Motel 6 in Bethlehem. 

Eyewitness to Glory

At this point, John jumps into the story and tells us what he saw.  “We have seen His glory.”  Since we know Jesus’ buddy wasn’t hanging out with the shepherds when the angels lit up the sky in glory, that can’t be what he’s talking about.  

Most likely, the apostle is talking about that crazy day Christ took him, his big brother Jim and their fishing buddy Pete mountain climbing.  Once they arrived at the summit, something wild happened.  Jesus started changing and glowing!  Their Leader pulled back the curtains of heaven to let them know just who He really was.  

Or John could be describing Jesus’ appearance after His resurrection.  And their’s a chance that this is his way of summing up all of their experiences with the remarkable Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilean.  His teaching exposed God’s glory.  His miracles revealed God’s glory.  His love disclosed God’s glory.  John and the boys saw Jesus’ glory with their own eyes.  They didn’t get this crazy stuff second hand.

The One and Only

John and the rest of the posse realized Jesus was more than Mary and Joe’s kid from Nazareth.  He was the one and only Son of God.  While Joe was a great dad, he was Jesus' adoptive father.  He and his wife had other kids.  But Christ was an only Child.  

His Dad in heaven had just one Boy.  Jesus was someone special.  That’s the meaning behind the term we translate “only.”  This is μονογενες/monogenes, which means unique, one of a kind, the one and only or the only one like it.  Jesus is unique.  He’s one of a kind.  He’s the one and only.  He’s the only one.  There was and is NOBODY like Him.  Ever.  

It’s interesting to understand that the word “Son” isn’t there in the original Greek text.  You can actually write this phrase in English as “the Unique of the Father.”  The First Person of the Trinity had only one Son.  There was and is no one else like Him in the history of the universe.  Jesus, the one and only. 

Grace and Truth

One of the things that makes Christ unique is the fact that no one who was so overflowing in goodness spoke so bluntly.  Jesus was “full of grace and truth.”  Everywhere He went, He opened up the fire hose of God’s blessing.  Healing.  Teaching.  Loving.  Caring.  

But Christ also pulled no punches when it came to telling the truth about sin.  Just ask the lady caught in adultery.  Or the woman sitting by the well in Sychar.  Or the religious bullies known as the Sanhedrin.  He told them the truth.  He made it perfectly clear that they needed a Savior.  One way to understand John’s wording is that Jesus made the Good News REALLY good because the bad news is REALLY bad.  

That’s what happens when you experience the one-of-a-kind Son of God.  
          100% God+100% Man=100% Savior!

Somebody's Comin'!

Getting Ready for Christmas

Over in the book of Matthew, we see folks getting ready for Christmas (Mt 1:1-25).  Getting ready for the FIRST Christmas.  As a matter of fact, God is the One making all the preps.  Unlike me, He didn’t wait until the last minute.  

God has been getting things ready for a few thousand years.  I need to remember that the first Christmas wasn’t just this cute, quaint, one time event.  It was thousands (if not millions) of years in the making!  And God was behind it all.

Jesus' Family Tree

Before we read of His birth, we get a meticulous telling of Jesus’ family tree through His adoptive dad Joe.  It’s VERY interesting and important for a couple of reasons.  

First, this establishes the Child as coming through the line of Abraham and David on Joe’s side.  God had made super specific promises to Abe and Dave about one of their descendants (more on that later).  

The Hero of the Story

Take a moment and check out some of the names of Jesus’ ancestors.  Holy moly!  There are double dealers, cheaters, backstabbers, hookers and a wide variety of knuckleheads.  

Not exactly a list of hall of famers.  That’s because this story isn’t about them.  It’s about the one and only Hero of the story.  Christ Jesus.

Jesus' Real Dad

Second, Matt never refers to Joe as Jesus’ dad.  He makes it very clear here in chapter one that he’s “the husband of Mary” (v16) and “her husband Joseph” (v19).  

On the other hand, Matt clearly wants us to be sure Who the real Dad is, the “Holy Spirit” (v18, 20).  Wait, what?!?  Yup, that’s right.  Not the heavenly Father.  But the Third Person of the Big Three.  

Joe is a blue collar laborer from the backwater boondocks of Nazareth.  He might be a descendant of the great King David, but he swings a hammer for a living.  You can bet his kids will grow up with a strong work ethic.

Jesus' Teenage Mom

Third, we read that despite the supernatural influence from His Dad’s side, this Baby has a human mom.  Matty lets us know that after that spectacular conception, Mary experienced a pretty normal pregnancy.  It became clear that “she was found to be with child” (v18).  

She would go into labor and give “birth to a Son” (v25).  Mary was the one chosen by God to carry and nurture the Christ.  She was the one “of whom Jesus was born” (v16).  

Mary is almost certainly a teenager, maybe as young as 13 or 14.  Joe the carpenter has popped the question and they plan to marry.  But plans change when God gets involved.

The Math of the God-Man

This amazing combination of divine paternity and human maternity comes together in a way no one expected.  He’s not some 50/50 combo of supernatural and mortal.  

Nope.  He’s 100% God.  He’s 100% Man.  How does that all work?  Don’t have a clue.  It’s all part of the miracle of the One we’ve come to call the God-Man.  

The funny thing is that one of my pet peeves is when an athlete says they’ve given 150% effort.  It’s not possible.  The most anyone can give is 100%.  

Well, anyone except Jesus.  He can give 200%.  100% God.  100% Man.  And it took every bit of that to save my sorry self. 

Naming the Baby

Fourth, there’s the Child.  An angel gives Joe instructions on naming this Baby.  “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save people from their sins” (v21).  This is the Greek form of the ancient Hebrew name Joshua which literally means “Yahweh saves.”  

When you look closely at verse 21, you see that this Child isn’t just some sort of undercover operative sent by God.  He’s the One who’s coming to do the saving.  

He’s flesh-wrapped incarnation of Yahweh.  He’s coming on the greatest rescue mission the universe has ever seen.  This One who’s coming to save will have a name to match. 

Our Hero's on the Way

Matt tips us off to a second title for Joe and Mary’s Boy: “Christ” (v1, 16).  This is the Greek version of the OT title Messiah.  In other words, Jesus is the One everybody’s been waiting thousands of years for.  

God first promised our first parents of this Hero back in the garden (Gen 3:15).  He pledged to Abraham that One of his descendants would be a blessing to the entire planet (Gen 12:2-3).  Yahweh assured King David that a Member of his family line would sit on the royal throne for eternity (2Sam 7:13-14).  

The Messiah's Search-and-Rescue Mission

These are just three of the hundreds of predictions of this God-sent Hero who would come to not just save the day but our very souls.  This Child is the long-promised, long-awaited Messiah.  

He’s the Christ.  This term means “Anointed One.”  He’s anointed by God the Father for this incredible search-and-rescue mission.  He’s anointed with God the Spirit in order to have the supernatural power to accomplish it.

Pulling Back the Curtain

The angel tells Jesus’ adoptive dad Joe about one of the many predictions about this Boy.  He’ll be called “Immanuel, which means, God with us” (v23).  God first shouted this promise through the prophet Isaiah a few hundred years before (Is 7:14).  

Matt pulls back the curtain and sheds a little more light on the name.  It “means, God with us.”  He doesn’t want Joe to miss the point.  He doesn’t want us to miss the point.  This is not going to be just another Jewish baby.  

When Jesus makes the scene in that smelly barn, God will have come down in a way the universe has never seen.  He is God with us.  He is Immanuel.  

God Is STILL with Us

And what I need to always remember that He wasn’t just with us for a short 33 years.  God is STILL with us!  God is STILL with me!  Just before His breathtaking liftoff back to His Dad, Jesus promised that He wouldn’t ever truly leave us alone again.  

God is STILL with us.  God is STILL with me.

©2016
Jay Jennings

God's Right Here!

"'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)" (Mt 1:23).

A teenage girl getting pregnant usually is bad news.  Even in First Century Galilee.  But this time it was news.  This time it was GOOD News.  And the cool thing was that it was Good News almost 700 years before it happened.  

Here in his Gospel, Matthew makes the connection between what's happening to Mary and her carpenter/fiance Joe and the promise God made through Isaiah the prophet seven centuries before.  "'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)" (v23).

Immanuel Explained

Matt directly quotes the prophets words almost exactly.  "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Is 7:14).  He simply adds his own divinely inspired study notes when he explains the meaning of the name: "which means, God with us" (v23).  For those of us who don't have a huge knowledge of the Torah, we need to know that this name Immanuel is a REALLY big deal.  It's the promise that God is not some far off deity who doesn't really care what's going on.  He's "God with us" (v23).

Teenage Pregnancy

First of all, Matt confirms what Isaiah said about the girl who give birth to Immanuel.  She is a "virgin" (Gr. παρθενος/parthenos).  This is not just a young unmarried girl, but someone who has never had sex.  When we look at the Hebrew term used by Isaiah in his book, this is confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt.  

We find the same word describing a virgin throughout the OT (Gen 24:43; Prov 30:19; SoS 1:3; 6:8).  The LXX, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, makes it VERY clear that Mary wasn't just a young girl who got herself preggers.  She had pledged to keep herself pure until marriage and never had sex.  Clearly, God had other plans.

It's a Boy!

Both Isaiah and Matt make it clear that this young girl will be pregnant without having intercourse.  God tells the engaged couple that they are going to be the proud parents of "a son" (v23).  But He doesn't stop there.  This Boy has a unique and divine title.  "They shall call His name Immanuel" (v23).   

This is the Greek word ‘Εμμανουελ/Emmanouel. It's prophetic title of the promised Messiah which means "God with us."  This name comes from a compound Hebrew word: with, among, between, in spite of ('im) and mighty, powerful God ('el).  This mighty and powerful God has come to be with us.  He's come to walk between us, in the midst of us.  He's come IN SPITE OF US!  Talk about grace!!!

Jesus is 100% God

Jesus was and is God.  Fully God (Col 2:9; Jn 1:1).  He was right there with God the Father from the start (Jn 1:1).  If we want to know what God looks like, look at Jesus (Col 1:15).  Jesus said when we see Him, we see His Dad (Jn 14:9).  And as Immanuel, Jesus would ultimately fulfill the first promise by God of One who would come and bust Satan in the head (Gen 3:15).

As Immanuel, this wasn't some random, one time, limited engagement in first century Palestine.  Jesus is STILL with us!  He may have risen bodily back home to His heavenly Dad, but He's still with us thanks to His Spirit (2Cor 2:16-17; 6:19).  And Jesus personally promised that when the Spirit unpacks His bags and moves into each believer, He and His Father are there too (Jn 14:23).  God is STILL with us.  "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27).

God's right here.  He's STILL with us!

God Went Camping

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (Jn 1:14).

Not everybody loves camping.  However, there are some who love the thrill of leaving the comforts of home and pitching a tent for a few days.  

But even the most enthusiastic of campers are ready to strike camp and head home after a few nights on the cold, hard ground.  Ready for a hot shower.  Longing for that warm, familiar bed.

Did you know God went camping?  Yup.  It's true.  That's what the Apostle John tells us.  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (Jn 1:14).

Leaving the Palace

Here in John's magnificent prologue, the apostle paints one of the most breathtaking pictures of Jesus incredible expedition from heaven to earth.  We read that God Himself left the opulence and comforts of His royal home and made the descent onto the disgusting, sin-filled swamp we call Earth.  

We simply cannot comprehend the level of what He left and what He came to.  Imagine Donald Trump leaving Manhattan to live in the stinking slums of Mumbai...willingly!  But that doesn't even scratch the surface.

The Word Became Flesh

John tells us that "the Word became flesh."  The word-for-word Greek reads "the Word flesh became."  Word is λογος (Gr. logos).  This is Jesus.  As the Word, Christ is God's full self-revelation and declaration of who He is.  

Paul tells us, "For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col 1:19).  This Word became flesh.  This is the Greek noun σαρχ (Gr. sarx).  This is the muscular part of the human body which covers the bone.  

Elsewhere in John, Jesus clearly says, "God is Spirit" (Jn 4:24).  So for God to take on muscle, flesh, tendons, ligaments and organs, this must be something very special.  VERY special.  This was no ordinary camping trip. 

Dwelt among Us

John goes on to say that the Word "dwelt among us."  The original text uses the verb σκενοω (Gr. skeno’o).  It certainly means to live somewhere.  

But the idea is much deeper and richer.  It's the thought of not only taking up residence, but actually camping in a tent.  Some translations render this as He "tabernacled among us.”  

Remember the tabernacle?  That's the tent God ordered Moses to construct as the portable dwelling place for His divine presence among His people.  

From this God tent, Yahweh would live among the Israelite people.  Many times His glory would fill and overflow His royal campsite.  

Finding a Campsite

That's EXACTLY what's happening all over again!  Except this time God would show up as both fully God and fully Man.  

God was going camping.  And His first campsite was a filthy manger in the podunk town of Bethlehem.  Not a prime location.  There in the middle of a stinky stable, God went camping.  

Aren't you glad He did?

©2016
Jay Jennings

From Bad to Worse

“while evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2Tim 3:13)

These are amazing days. It makes my head hurt when I think about all the advancements over the past few years. The Internet. Smartphones. GPS. Decoding the human genome. The Segway. (Okay, maybe NOT the Segway. By the way, weren’t we promised flying cars by now?)

While the field of science and technology seems to have made the jump to light speed, there’s just one little problem. It’s clear that not everything is headed up and to the right. Have you seen what’s going on out there? A quick Google search of “Darwin Award nominees” will prove the point. Go ahead. Check it out for yourself. Not a pretty sight.

Religious Quacks and Con Artists

Let’s be honest. Religion may have cornered the market on quacks. You’ve probably heard of that weird cult started by a dead science fiction writer made famous by an actor who danced in his underwear. And don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because a church mentions the name of Jesus that everything is on the up and up. An endless parade of con artists and hucksters have realized there’s no business like God’s business.

It’s something Paul saw coming more than 2,000 years ago in a little letter to Timothy. He warns his spiritual son that things will eventually go into the the toilet “while evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (v13). He tells us we can expect a rapid rise of religious con artists who not only fool unsuspecting followers but also fall for their own lies. And it will go from bad to worse.

A Letter from Death Row

Don’t make the mistake of seeing Paul as some wild-eyed weirdo wearing blogging about the end of the world from his parents’ basement. Nothing could be further from the truth. The apostle writes this letter from prison. More specficially, Death Row (2Tim 1:9, 16; 2:9; 4:6-7). Knowing his days are numbered, he’s quickly scribbling down instructions and passing the torch of ministry to a young pastor in Ephesus named Timothy (2Tim 1:2; 2:1-4:5).

A Pain in the Faith

A big focus of the apostle’s epistle is a team of false teachers who’ve weaseled their way into the Ephesian church (2Tim 2:16-18, 24-26; 3:1-9; 4:3-4). These are “evil people and imposters” (v13) he’s talking about. By describing them as “evil,” he drops a word in the original language (Gr. πονηρος/poneros) that means wicked, malicious, morally corrupt, malignant, perilous, and painful. It comes from a root word (Gr. πονος/ponos) meaning intense pain.

Paul wants us to know these folks aren’t simply a pain in the neck. They are intentionally inflicting pain in the faith! Jesus uses it to describe the religious snake pit known as the Pharisees (Mt 12:34-35). A little later, Christ slaps this label on the devil as “the evil one (Gr. πονηρος/poneros)” (Mt 13:19, 38). The Lord literally calls our enemy “The Evil”! Not just any evil. We’re talking THE Evil. When someone like the apostle puts you list as religious bullies and Satan, you’re in serious trouble.

Phonies and Frauds

If they aren’t bad enough, these nasty cats aren’t alone. They’re accompanied by “imposters” (v13). Paul dusts off a word (Gr. γοης/goes) you won’t find anywhere else in the entire Bible. The word paints a picture of a deceiver, charlatan, swindler, cheater, or seducer. It’s somebody who intentionally fools others through lies and pretense. A phony. A fraud. An imposter.

Ancient Greek writers used it to describe wizards or sorcerers who loudly cast spells. Think of somebody who diverts your focus through hocus pocus. These are people who not only know every trick in book but are willing to use it to their advantage. Don’t miss the emphasis on magic. Ephesus is a historical hotbed of occult practices (Acts 19:19). And apparently they’re back in a big way and Tim’s faced with it in the church. You can bet this is a reference to his earlier comparison of them to “Jannes and Jambres” (2Tim 3:8), Pharaoh’s wicked wizards who tried to match God’s miracles through Moses with demonic black magic (Ex 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18-19; 9:11).

Hoodoo and Voodoo

While I don’t want to that guy who freaks out when their kid watches a Harry Potter movie, we do need to be aware of the dangers of dark spirituality. God makes it very clear that His people should never mess with the occult, seances, mojo, voodoo, or any sort of hoodoo (Lev 19:31; 20:6; Dt 18:9-14; Is 8:19). There are some things that seem quite innocent that could crack the door for demonic activity in your life. Why take the chance?

We mentioned before what a pain in the faith these phonies have been in Ephesus. Spiritual snake oil salesmen have been duping people with a false gospel, leading them away from Jesus (2Tim 2:16). Hymenaeus and Philetus are two prime suspects spreading this fast-growing religious cancer in the churches (2Tim 2:17). They’re freaking folks out by telling them they’ve missed Christ’s Second Coming and the resurrection of the dead (2Tim 2:18).

Paul has already warned Tim not to get sucked into word wars with these goofballs (2Tim 2:24). Instead, kill them with kindness and grace in the hope that God may use it to snap them out of it (2Tim 2:24-26).

100% Chance of Danger!

What the apostle has to say in here in verses 12 and 13 is just a restatement of his prophetic forecast of of the last days. There’s 100% chance of danger (2Tim 3:1)! We’re to steer clear of people who appear like like followers of Jesus at first but when we look closer are really self-centered, self-absorbed, self-promoting, and self-obsessed (2Tim 3:2-5).

If that’s not bad enough, some of these pseudo-Christian creeps are nothing more than sexual predators who use every trick in their abusive bag of tricks to oppose the truth (2Tim 3:6-8). Before you throw in the towel and think this is a lost cause, the apostle lets us know God will expose these slime balls for who they really are (2Tim 3:9).

From Bad to Worse
But before that happens, the whole situation “will go on from bad to worse” (v13). Paul literally writes how it will “advance to the worse.” When it comes to false teachers and spiritual hucksters, things are headed in the wrong direction and speeding up. Remember the episode of “I Love Lucy” when Lucy and Ethel are working on the assembly line in the candy factory? The conveyer belt speeds up and they get absolutely overwhelmed. Change candy to cults and that’s exactly what’s about to go down.

Does it seem like there are more and more cults and whacky religions popping up these days? Do you feel like you can’t turn on TV or surf the web without bumping into another flavor-of-the-month heresy or false teacher? Well, there’s a reason for that. This religious garbage will continue to multiply until Jesus comes back. Just one more reason to read and understand God’s Word. When we know the truth of Scripture, we’ll know the one who’s the embodiment of all Truth (Jn 14:6). That’s one way to make sure we don’t get caught into the death spiral of phony religion as things “go on from bad to worse” (v13).

If someone claiming to be a spiritual teacher never mentions Jesus, encourages you to dive into a deeper relationship with Christ, or motivates you to be a firehose of His love and grace, you probably need to drop them like a bad habit. Folks are selling a lot of self-improvement stuff and slapping a Christian label on it. Remember, following Jesus isn’t about behavior modification or becoming a better you. It’s about dying to self and placing your trust in the One who did what we could never do for ourselves.

Victims of Their Own Con

Just in case you think nobody would ever buy the religious garbage they’re selling, Paul makes it clear these con artists are “deceiving and being deceived” (v13). They are making others believe what is false and wrong is actually true and right. But they’ve become victims of their own con. These hucksters not only dupe others but they also fall for their own lies. They’re self-deceived!

When you lead people astray, you go with them. Tell a lie long enough that you eventually believe it yourself. The more you play with the lies, the more you’re comfortable with them. They become victims of their own deception. Don’t hate them. Your heart should break for them. Take Paul’s advice and be unbelievably kind to them and gently correct them when you have the chance. “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth and they may come to their senses” (2Tim 2:25-26). There’s always a chance for God to miraculously turn them around. Just ask Paul.

In the meantime, we’ll be dealing with a growing problem of false teachers and spiritual con artists. People who are a pain in the faith. People who appear to be spiritual but are actually dabbling in the demonic. It’s going to get worse. And worse. And worse. But never forget the end of the story. God’s Story. He wins. And when He wins, His people win. But until then, we can count on it to go from bad to worse.

Doubling Down on Jesus

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12).

If you live near the buckle of the Bible belt like me, you see Scripture everywhere. On coffee mugs with pretty pictures of Bambi which quote the 42nd Psalm. Bumper stickers drop Paul’s words to the Romans about God works all things together for His followers. How about patches of a football player’s eye black with “Phil” on one side and “4:13” on the other.

Before you think this is some cranky rant shouting at kids to get off his lawn, hear me out. Too many times we get super picky when it comes to the verses we wrap our arms around. Don’t get me wrong, God inspires every single thing in Scripture. But some parts of the Bible are more encouraging or applicable than others.

On the other hand, there are passages we simply ignore because we don’t like what they say. We play a biblical version of “what I don’t know can’t hurt me.” They involve the pain, disappointment, and difficulty that comes along with following Jesus. You don’t find these verses on decorative nicknacks at LifeWay. But they do speak honestly about trusting in Christ on this side of eternity.

That’s exactly the kind of truth Paul writes here to Timothy. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (v12). Let’s be honest. Know anybody living in 21st Century suburban America claiming this as their life verse? The apostle pulls no punches. Following Jesus is no place for bumper sticker belief or coffee mug Christianity.

If anybody knows that trusting in our Savior isn’t a lifetime supply of rainbows, unicorns, and Skittles, it’s our man Paul. In one of his letters to the Corinthian church, he goes down a laundry list of hard times (2Cor 11:23-28). Prison? Check. Beatings? Check. Floggings? Check. Canings? Check. Stoning? Check. Shipwrecked? Check. Robbed? Sleepless nights? Hungry? Thirsty? Stifling heat? Freezing cold? Check, check, check, check, check, and check.

As a matter of fact, the apostle once again sits behind bars in Rome as he writes to his spiritual son (2Tim 1:16; 2:9). But this time it’s different. Very different. Paul is on Death Row and knows his date with the executioner is right around the corner (2Tim 4:6-7). He would LOVE to see Tim one last time if he can get there soon (2Tim 4:9, 21). Yeah, this is no time for bumper sticker belief or coffee mug Christianity.

In his final letter, the man from Tarsus encourages Timothy one last time for his dedication over the years. Tim is a good follower who has chosen to follow a good follower of Jesus (2Tim 3:10-11). He flips through his personal scrapbook of suffering he’s endured in places like Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. But each time, Jesus came to his rescue.

Paul then cuts to the chase. He tells Tim and everybody else who gets their hands on this little letter the hard truth of being a disciple. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (v12). In other words, what’s happened to the apostle isn’t the exception but the norm. Not just a few. Not just those who live in Third World countries. Not just those in Muslim nations. “All” (v12). Pretty sure that covers everybody who’s placed their faith in Jesus. You. Me. Us. Them. “All” (v12).

Specifically, he’s talking about every single one of those folks “who desire to live a godly life” (v12). Check out how a couple of other translations describe these people. According to the Amplified Bible, they’re “all who delight in pursuing righteousness and are determined to live godly lives in Christ Jesus” (v12 AMP). In other words, these are believers who can’t think of anything better than chasing after God’s goodness and living fully obedient lives.

You’re gonna love how the Message puts it. It’s “anyone who wants to live all out for Christ” (v12 The Message). They’re all for Jesus. They’re shoving all their chips in. They’ve doubled down on following Christ. They’re not holding anything back. Am I all in? Am I committing every part of my life to my Savior? He’s not just looking for a couple hours on Sunday mornings. He wants it all. Jesus certainly held nothing back for you and me. He doubled down on us. Let’s double down on Him.

Just what does it mean to “live a godly life in Christ Jesus” (v12)? The key to unlock the idea of all in is the little word “godly.” In the original Greek, Paul uses the term ευσεβως (Gr. eusebos), which you can translate as piously or devotedly. You might get the picture of some guy in a brown robe living in total silence with other brothers in a monastery. Call it Monk Life. While it certainly can mean that, it certainly can and should every other person who has placed their trust in the resurrected Rabbi from Galilee.

“Godly” (Gr. ευσεβως/eusebos) literally means “good (ευ-/eu-) worship (-σεβως/-sebos).” This may come as a shock to some of you, but worship isn’t just singing songs on Sunday. It’s a lot more than putting our hands in the air like we really do care while belting out the latest tune from Christ Tomlin. The good worship Paul is telling Tim about is not limited to a rockin’ worship band.

The good worship of a godly life flows out of a grateful heart and into a lifestyle of grace. Good worship is putting God’s truth into practice. Good worship is living what we say we believe. Good worship is putting others ahead of ourselves. We don’t just know God’s commands, we DO God’s commands! The big idea here? We may know all the words and sing louder than anybody without a mic, but that’s only the “appearance of godliness” (2Tim 3:5).

Doubling down on a godly life is only possible “in Christ Jesus” (v12). This is clearly one of Paul’s favorite ideas! He uses some form of the phrase a grand total of…drum roll, please…164 times in his various letters!! The apostle mentions it specifically in every epistle he writes. Every. Single. One. So yeah, it’s kind of a big deal. John Piper calls being in Jesus a stupendous reality. There’s no better way of stating our supernatural connection to Christ than the phrase “in Christ Jesus” (v12).

The apostle drops “in Christ Jesus” seven times just in this letter. He kicks off this note by saying his role as an apostle is based on “the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 1:1). God showered us with His “grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began” (2Tim 1:9). Paul encourages us to always remember “the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 1:13). We’re “strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 2:1). The apostle pours his entire life so that others “may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 2:10). A little later, Paul encourages Tim to keep digging into God’s Word “which is able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 3:15).

Everything we have from God is because we’re in Christ. We’re in Christ when we place our trust in Christ. We trust in Him because He can do for us what we could never do for ourselves. Can I live perfectly obedient to God’s commands? No, but Jesus did. He suffers the death on a cross for my disobedience and rebellion that I should have died. If that’s not enough, He rises to a glorious resurrection life I don’t deserve. That’s just a snapshot of what it means to be “in Christ Jesus” (v12).

But doubling down on Jesus comes with a cost. Paul makes it clear to Tim that those who go all in on Him “will be persecuted” (v12). Can we be honest about what kind of persecution the apostle’s talking about? Persecution is NOT someone wishing you “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” It’s NOT the portrayal of a Christian on a sitcom as narrow-minded and the butt of ever joke like Ned Flanders on “The Simpsons.” It’s NOT about being invited to a gay wedding.

Let’s take a little closer look at the term Paul uses here. To be “persecuted” (Gr. διωκω/dioko) literally means to pursue with hostility, chase, run after, or hunt down. It’s all about intensity and relentless effort. It’s systematic oppression of someone. Take the apostle who’s writing this letter. If there’s anyone who knows what persecution looks like, it’s our buddy Paul.

This part of the letter is all about Tim looking back on his mentor’s “persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured” (2Tim 3:11). Paul wants him and every other follower of Jesus to have their eyes wide open to expect no less themselves. Doubling down on our Savior will make you a target for persecution.

Real persecution of believers isn’t a so-called “war on Christmas.” It’s the bloodbath our brothers and sisters are experiencing all around the world at the hands of Boko Haram, ISIS, and the government of North Korea. That’s the kind persecution Paul knows firsthand in the First Century. Paul tells folks in Thessalonica not to be caught off guard when you suddenly become a target for doubling down on Jesus. “For you yourselves know that we are destined for this” (1Th 3:3).

It’s exactly what Jesus told His own team. Since the world hated Christ, why should we expect anything different? “If they persecuted (Gr. διωκω/dioko) Me, they will also persecute (Gr. διωκω/dioko) you” (Jn 15:20). Check this out. He actually says it’s a blessing. Yeah, you read that right. A blessing! “Blessed are those who are persecuted (Gr. διωκω/dioko) for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute (Gr. διωκω/dioko) you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted (Gr. διωκω/dioko) the prophets who were before you” (Mt 5:10-12).

Just before His own execution, Jesus warns His closest followers that really hard times are right around the corner. But whatever happens, they shouldn’t give up. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). It’s okay to check out the end of God’s Story. Spoiler Alert! Jesus wins!! And because He wins, we win!!

Doubling down on our Savior connects us with Christ no matter how bad things get. David sings about how our Shepherd sticks right by our side anytime we walk through Death Valley (Ps 23:4). And there’s an unbelievable payoff if we keep walking. Following our Lord means that “we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom 8:17). Or as Paul tells Tim a little earlier, “if we endure, we will also reign with Him” (2Tim 2:12)

Don’t buy into a phony faith where nothing bad ever happens to folks who follow Christ. There’s just one little problem with that idea. The Bible! Don’t get suckered into a bumper sticker belief. Don’t settle for a coffee mug Christianity. Following Jesus can be hard. Following Jesus will be hard. But following Jesus will be worth it. You see, doubling down on Christ is really no gamble at all.

Jesus to the Rescue

“my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me” (2Tim 3:11)

The hero to the rescue. You see it everywhere. In the movies. On TV. In literature. The Calvary thunders over the hill at the very last moment. Just when the evil genius is about to destroy the planet, (insert your favorite superhero here) swoops in out of nowhere. Just as Darth Vader is about to zap Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon save the day.

Just like the Bonnie Tyler song of the ‘80s, every one of us is holding out for a hero. Ever wonder where we get this standard storytelling cliche? I have a sneaking suspicion it’s because God has written this plot line on our very souls. Long before Marvel Cinematic Universe was a gleam in Stan Lee’s eye, we’ve longed for the Lord to save our bacon.

Jesus to the rescue!

It’s not just a mega-theme in God’s ultimate story, it’s one of the top two. Wonder what sits at number one? God getting the glory only He deserves. But a close second is Jesus to the rescue. It starts in the opening pages of Genesis when God announces to the satanic snake that a Hero is on the way to ultimately smash his sinful skull (Gen 3:15).

You know this Hero by several different names. Christ. Lord. Son of God. Son of Man. The Word. The Way. The Truth. The Life. Immanuel. The Lion of Judah. The Alpha and Omega. But these three handles best describe One coming to our rescue. Deliverer. Messiah. Savior.

The Old Testament is an endless series of announcements of Messiah’s eventual arrival. The NT reveals our Savior’s secret identity as Jesus, the humble Carpenter/Rabbi from the boondocks of Galilee. Before Christ Jesus returns to heaven, He promises to return one last time to save the day one last time.

Jesus to the rescue!

Which brings us to Paul’s second letter to his spiritual son Timothy. Talk about someone in need of rescue! The apostle is behind bars and facing capital punishment (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). While he certainly hopes Jesus will bust him out of the joint before it’s too late, he’s desperate for one last visit before execution (2Tim 4:9, 21).

They always say your life flashes before you just before you die. Maybe that’s why the apostle flips through the scrapbook of his relationship with the young pastor from Lystra who has been a huge part of his life over the past few years. Timothy’s been his apprentice during both the good times and bad. Tim knows all about Paul’s “persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from the all the Lord rescued me” (v11). Time and time again, Paul can personally testify about Jesus to the rescue.

Our Bible begins this verse with “my persecutions and sufferings” (v11). But these two are actually the last things in a list Paul started in verse 10. He encourages Tim for being such a great student and putting into practice all he’s learned from the apostle. “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (2Tim 3:10).

Thanks to those handy dandy verse numbers, many of us may have stopped before reading on and finishing the list. Don’t forget to add Paul’s “persecutions and sufferings” as God’s spokesman to most of the known world.

Did you know the authors of Scripture didn’t include these chapter and verse numbers? Scholars added those numbers so we could find specific passages more quickly. Chapters started showing up in the 5th Century. Verse numbers hit the pages more than one hundred years later in the 1500s. Think of them like street addresses that help you find your way around. Sort of a biblical Google Maps. For those of you lucky enough to grow up in a Baptist church, imagine doing Bible drills without them! Yikes!!

Most of the time, these chapter and verse numbers are a huge help to us as we find our way around God’s Word. Occasionally, they create artificial or awkward breaks in passages. This would be one of those. The apostle included his “persecutions and sufferings” (v11) in Tim’s apprenticeship checklist. We should too. Being a good follower of Jesus means following Him through the hard times.

When you first read the combo of “persecutions and sufferings” (v11), you might think it’s really two words for the same thing. Not so much. The first term in the original language (Gr. διογμος/diogmos) describes a chase, intense harassment, or an organized and planned oppression. In this situation, you’re the hunted and the hunter is in hot pursuit. It’s something that happens TO you.

This is a case of “it takes one to know one.” Paul knows what it’s like because he’s been the hunter. The apostle formerly known as Saul was on a mistaken one-man mission from God to wipe Jesus’ followers from the face of the earth (Acts 8:1). After Jesus set him straight, the tables were turned. The former Pharisee often found himself square in the sites of those who wanted to do the same to him. There was the time Jewish leaders in Pisidian Antioch “stirred up persecution (Gr. διογμος/diogmos) against Paul and Barnabas” and chased them out of town (Acts 13:50).

If “persecutions” are what happens TO you, “sufferings” (v11) are what happen IN you. The word in the original Greek (Gr. παθημα/pathema) focuses on strong inward emotions or what’s going on inside you. It’s all about pain, affliction, calamity, affliction, or something that must be endured. At dinner on the night before His execution, Jesus tells His team, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer (Gr. παθημα/pathema)” (Lk 22:15). And this passage from Luke is the source for our word describing the internal suffering or the passion of Christ. It’s something that happens IN you.

Why are “persecutions and sufferings” important when it comes to following Jesus? I don’t know about you, but it would be my personal preference to avoid these two things like a nasty combination of an IRS audit and colonoscopy! But then again, that’s why God didn’t leave me in charge.

First of all, don’t make the mistake of thinking that hard times mean Christ has turned His back on you. The apostle tells the Romans that there’s no way “tribulation, or distress, or persecution (Gr. διογμος/diogmos), or nakedness, or danger, or sword” will ever separate us from Jesus’ love (Rom 8:35). And, as they say in those Ginsu knife commercials, “But wait, there’s more!” Because God’s grace and power shines brightest in our weakness, Paul actually finds contentment “with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions (Gr. διογμος/diogmos), and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor 12:10).

Meanwhile back in 2 Timothy, the apostle takes a little stroll down memory lane and recalls all “that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured” (v11). If you’re familiar with Paul’s travel history, you probably recognize these places. They were all tour stops on his original Gospel expedition with his buddy Barnabas.

Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra are cities in the southern central part of what we know today as Turkey. So Paul’s descriptions of what went down there aren’t some generic, hard-to-pin-down generality of harassment. He is incredibly specific. In other words, these are real events involving real people at real places in real points in history. If you’re still not buying what he’s selling, Dr. Luke carefully has researched these events in one handy dandy little book known as Acts.

The apostle’s first stop in this terrible triple-header is “at Antioch” (v11). This is not to be confused with another Antioch we see in the NT, which was the capital of Syria. Syrian Antioch is the location of the multicultural megachurch that sent Paul and Barnabas on their original mission trip in the first place (Acts 11:19-27; 13:1-3). Here in 2 Timothy, he refers to another city by the same name in the region of Pisidia over in Asia Minor.

After Paul announces that Jesus is the long promised Messiah in a synagogue in Antioch (Acts 13:14-41), Jewish leaders in the city lose their ever-loving minds (Acts 13:45). As a result, the apostle and his boy Barney take the message of Christ to the non-Jewish people of the city and they go absolutely gaga over it (Acts 13:46-59). That leads to Jewish leaders inciting a riot and running the two evangelists out of the city (Acts 13:50).

The second stop is “at Iconium” (v11). As a result of the persecution in Antioch, Paul and Barney hit the road and head east about 85 miles away to what we today call Konya (Acts 13:51). Once again, they head straight to the synagogue and break the news that Jesus is the Hero whom Jews have been expecting for several thousand years (Acts 14:1).

When a cross cultural stew of people place their trust in Christ, Jewish leaders begin a campaign against the Gospel and poison the minds of a many Gentiles in the city against  the message (Acts 14:2). Jesus uses the dynamic duo to save even more folks. But Iconium remains a city divided (Acts 14:3-4). When Paul and Barney get wind of plot to rock them to sleep with real rocks, they beat feet out of town (Acts 14:5-6).

From Iconium, they head south 30 miles to Lystra to the third stop in the terrible triple-header. This is where God uses Paul to heal a disabled man who had never walked in his entire life (Acts 14:8-10). Citizens are so blown away by this that they are convinced two of their gods named Zeus and Hermes have rolled into town (Acts 14:11-13). Paul does his best to let them know they’re not gods but they do know the One who is (Acts 14:14-18).

That’s when a posse of Jewish leaders from Antioch and Iconium roll into town, looking to for the two troublemakers. They fire up the crowds who hunt down Paul, stone him until they think he’s dead, and drag his unconscious body outside the city limits (Acts 14:19). Somehow, someway, the apostle survives and hooks up with Barnabas to take the Good News down the road to Derbe (Acts 14:20).

I don’t know about you, but I would totally eliminate Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra from any of my future travel plans. I certainly wouldn’t be giving them good reviews on Tripadvisor. You can take that to the bank! We’re not talking about a bad service at a restaurant or a dirty hotel bathroom. These are big time “persecutions and sufferings” (v11) that would lead most of us to put these places in our rearview mirror once and for all.

Oh, but not Paul and Barnabas! On their return trip to Syria, they hit these three cities a second time, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22). The Gospel is too important to let a little persecution stop them!

It’s likely that during those crazy days in Lystra that a young man named Timothy hears about Jesus as Messiah for the first time. A couple of years later on Paul’s second tour, he actually swings by Lystra a THIRD time! That’s when makes Tim part of his team (Acts 16:1-3). Young Tim was probably an eyewitness to the attempt to murder the apostle the first time he was in town. And you can bet he’s heard all the stories of the persecution that happened up the road in Antioch of Pisidia and Iconium.

You may be wondering how the world Paul survived three terrible tour stops where he was bullied, chased, harassed, assaulted, and left for dead. Well, he lets us know right here. “Yet from them all the Lord rescued me” (v11). While we don’t get details, the apostle gives all the credit for each one of his escapes to the one and only Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus to the rescue!

The apostle carefully selects a word here that the ESV translates as “rescued” (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai). It’s means to bring someone out of severe and extreme danger to safety. It describes deliverance…and I DON’T mean the kind with banjos. When someone comes to your rescue, there’s no doubt of the imminent danger. It’s what Michael Scott on “The Office” would call Threat Level Midnight. It’s not a matter of IF you’re in trouble but WHEN it will happen.

Check out a couple of other times NT writers use this term. The apostle and his team thought they were going to die when rioting broke out in Ephesus. Are you seeing a pattern here? But Paul writes to the Corinthians that’s exactly when God came to their rescue. “He delivered (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us. On Him we have set our hope that He will deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us again” (2Cor 1:10).

Jesus to the Rescue!

When Jesus teaches His boys to pray, He wraps up the model prayer by asking His Dad to “deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us from evil” (Mt 6:13; Lk 11:4). While Christ hangs on the cross, the crowd trash talks Him, “He trusts in God; let God deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) Him now” (Mt 27:43). Pretty sure they’d be eating those words a few days later when He came strolling out of cemetery!

As important as it is for Jesus coming to our rescue when we’re stuck between the proverbial rock and the hard place, it pales in comparison to desperate need for Him as our spiritual Savior. After we completely trash God’s perfect creation through our own sin and rebellion, Christ executes the most spectacular search-and-rescue operation the universe has ever seen. The Lord left the pleasures of the heavenly palace to dive into the dumpster of the mess we’ve made.

Jesus rescues us by doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. He lives the perfect life of obedience to God’s commands that we’ve failed to live. He dies the brutal death on the cross for our sin that we should have died. He rises to the spectacular new life that we in no way deserve. Paul says it this way in a little ditty to the Colossians. God has rescued us and “He has delivered (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13).

Jesus to the rescue!

So what do we do with all this? First of all, Timothy has learned a lot from following Paul while he follows the Lord. As an apprentice to the apostle, he’s seen first hand that the abundant life isn’t an endless supply of rainbows, unicorns, and Skittles. As a matter of fact, his mentor makes that plain in the very next verse. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12). Remember, life is messy. Even for the the followers of Jesus. ESPECIALLY for the followers of Jesus!

Our Savior warns His team before His crucifixion that we can be certain everything will go completely off the rails. “In this world you will have tribulation” (Jn 16:33). Of all the promises in the Bible, you never see anybody claiming this one. You don’t see a whole lot of “in this world you will have tribulation” bumper stickers or coffee mugs at the Christian bookstore, do you?

But if we keeping reading Jesus’ words at that Passover party, He gives us a sneak preview of it all ends. “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). Spoiler alert! Christ wins. And when we trust in Him, we win too. The apostle desperately wants the folks in Colossae to never forget the end of the story (Col 3:1-2).

We need to know that Jesus always walks with us through the trouble. That’s why the prophets like to call Him Immanuel which means God is with us (Mt 1:23). He’s not just with us in the past tense. He’s STILL with us in the present tense. Our Savior is right by your side. Right here. Right now.

Jesus to the rescue!

Sometimes He plucks us out of the storm. Many times He walks with us right through the eye. Hang onto Jesus when the hurricanes of life make landfall. And no matter bad it gets, you can be sure that He’ll never let go of you. King David sings all about that. “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” (Ps 27:14). Or as my old buddy Ross Turner always said, “Wait IN the Lord while you wait ON the Lord.”

Jesus to the rescue!

Let’s not sugarcoat things. The commercial is right. Life does come at you fast. Don’t fall for the lie that following Jesus suddenly transforms life into an all-inclusive resort on this side of eternity. Not so much. When it comes to “persecutions and sufferings” (v11), it’s not “if” but “when.” Job loss. Betrayal by a friend. Bankruptcy. Something “suspicious” on an x-ray. Death of a loved one. We can guarantee that bad stuff will happen TO us. But remember Who is IN us (Gal 2:20; Col 1:17).

Paul wants Timothy and the rest of us to know that this isn’t just any random hero coming to save the day. Yeah, He has an “S” on His chest alright. But this time it stands for Savior.

Jesus to the rescue!