2022.10.02 - Legacy: Lois and Eunice
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Legacy: Lois and Eunice
Legacy: Lois and Eunice
Psalm 137:1-6 • 2 Timothy 1:1-14
This is a new series. In October, I’ll be using the Lectionary passages, but I’ll tie them together around the concept of a Legacy of Faith. What is the “legacy of faith” left behind by others, and what do we do with it today?
In today’s passage, Paul, after his extended “Paul-like” introduction, reminds Timothy that he has a sincere faith within, that was handed down as a legacy from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Timothy is a third-generation Christian.
Paul basically tells Timothy, “Don’t be ashamed of me, or of your ‘hand-me-down’ faith, and don’t let the legacy die with you.”
I was talking with a friend this week about the difference between being ignorant and being stupid. I found a pretty cool website called differencebetween.net. According to that site:
“The intrinsic difference is that ignorance simply implies lack of awareness about something, while stupidity denotes the inability of a person to understand something due to insufficient intelligence, thus leading to the misinterpretation of a fact.
Read more: Difference Between Ignorance and Stupidity | Difference Between http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-ignorance-and-stupidity/#ixzz7gI7o7su3”
During our conversation, I suggested to my friend that there is a space “in-between” stupidity and ignorance that involves neglect! Some people have the knowledge available, and they’re intelligent enough to process it, but they REFUSE to process it, or stop using it. I know full-well how to multiply fractions. But I haven’t had to use that much since High School … so my intelligence is limited when multiplying fractions by neglect of the knowledge. I’m not ignorant of the process. I’m not stupid about multiplying fractions … I was very good at it back in the day. But I have certainly neglected the practice, so that knowledge is harder for me to access in my present state.
Paul is telling Timothy: “Look, you’re not ignorant. You’re not stupid. Don’t be negligent either! You’ve been given a great faith from your mom and from your grandma and from me. Don’t put it on a shelf and let it collect dust.”
In the middle of this section, Paul makes a statement that is easily missed, but I think is very important.
read
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,
9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
We easily recognize our own works are not the reason for the Lord saving and calling us, don’t we? The Lord doesn’t save us or call us because of the things we’ve done … Heard? But we often ignore the purpose Paul gives us! God saved and called us … according to His own purpose and grace.
Paul doesn’t use the phrase: “For this reason ...” but we are facing a “for this reason” statement!
God provided salvation and a calling for the reason of HIS OWN PURPOSE! But it’s always about us, isn’t it? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Paul is reminding us … it’s NEVER about us … EVER! NONE OF IT!
read
15 and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.
As we prepare to come to the Lord’s Table this morning, Why did Jesus die?
He died, so your life and mine would no longer revolve around ourselves, and would instead revolve around HIM! How you doin’ with that? I’ll confess I struggle with this just like you do. I want what I want, and I’m often willing to go toe-to-toe about what I want, aren’t you?
But the legacy of faith we’ve been given says that’s not right. We should be busy fighting for what He wants instead!
“But, Pastor Chris, it’s hard to figure out what he wants a lot of the time.” MAN ALIVE … AIN’T THAT THE TRUTH!
And if we don’t understand what Jesus wants, we spend more time trying to figure it out before we fight over stupid issues, right? Well, that’s right, but it’s not usually what we do.
Legacy: Lois and Eunice
Legacy: Lois and Eunice
When we don’t know what Christ may want, we usually take the easy road and fight over what we want instead. It’s just easier, so we neglect paying attention to what Jesus may want. But is that the legacy we were handed?
When I was a child, my family was Catholic. Some of the theology is different, and some of it dramatically. But human nature is not different. In my family’s home church, people griped about the decorations around the altar, because it didn’t “look the way I wanted it to look”. They complained if the service was longer “than I wanted it to be”. They complained when a guitar service was introduced because “I like piano better.” Of course, the last generation complained about the piano because they wanted everything played on organ. They complained when a new choir director was hired … and then complained when that choir director left because they’d grown accustomed to them. They complain when a new person sits in “their seat”.
Why on earth are we here?
Jesus can tell us plainly why he came to us ...
10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Can we tell him plainly why we come to him … or why we come here?
The legacy of faith we’ve been given would remind us ...
None of this is about us! None of it!
Jesus said:
23 But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
“But ‘true worshipers’ would only sing old hymns, right? Or maybe they’d only sing newer choruses. Or maybe they’d only sing in Latin. Or maybe they’d only this or that...” Here’s an idea … let’s fight about it awhile.
We were not given the legacy of faith to defend what we want … because what we want does not matter…
“...His own purpose...”
9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
Lois and Eunice handed down their faith, and Paul strengthened their legacy in Timothy.
Legacy: Lois and Eunice
Legacy: Lois and Eunice
Let me ask you...
Your faith in Christ … whose legacy is that a part of?
What are you doing with it? Are you fighting for what you want? Or are you trying to figure out what he wants?
[Brad takes slides from here]
Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.
Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.
MERCIFUL GOD,
WE CONFESS
THAT WE HAVE NOT LOVED YOU
WITH OUR WHOLE HEART.
WE HAVE FAILED TO BE
AN OBEDIENT CHURCH.
WE HAVE NOT DONE YOUR WILL,
WE HAVE BROKEN YOUR LAW,
WE HAVE REBELLED AGAINST YOUR LOVE,
WE HAVE NOT LOVED OUR NEIGHBORS,
AND WE HAVE NOT
HEARD THE CRY OF THE NEEDY.
FORGIVE US, WE PRAY.
FREE US FOR JOYFUL OBEDIENCE,
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
AMEN.
[All pray in silence.]
Hear the good news:
Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;
that proves God's love toward us.
[Leader to people:]
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
[People to leader:]
IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, YOU ARE FORGIVEN!
[All:]
GLORY TO GOD. AMEN.
[THE GREAT THANKSGIVING]
The Lord be with you.
AND ALSO WITH YOU.
Lift up your hearts.
WE LIFT THEM UP TO THE LORD.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE OUR THANKS AND PRAISE.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life.
When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.
You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God,
and spoke to us through your prophets.
And so,with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
--
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY LORD,
GOD OF POWER AND MIGHT,
HEAVEN AND EARTH
ARE FULL OF YOUR GLORY.
HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.
BLESSED IS HE
WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.
HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.
--
Holy are you,
and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people.
He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always, in the power of your Word and Holy Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this is remembrance of me."
When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
CHRIST HAS DIED;
CHRIST IS RISEN;
CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
all honor and glory is yours,
almighty Father, now and for ever.
AMEN.