Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C 2nd October 2022
Lectionary Readings: Habakkuk 1 v1-4, 2 v1-4; Psalm 37 v1-9; 2 Timothy 1 v1-14; Luke 17 v5-10.
Faith, Trust and Mission.
“You have been trusted with a wonderful treasure. Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit, who lives within you.” (2 Timothy 1 v14).
Paul doesn’t tell us what this ‘treasure’ is. We have to work that out for ourselves. Given the other things that Paul has said about Timothy, I think the treasure that Paul refers to is the potential to be an effective preacher and teacher, and an heir to his own work as an apostle to the Gentiles. Timothy, a young man, has doubts about his ability to be the person Paul thinks he can be.
Paul recalls the genuine faith of Timothy’s mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. (v5). Paul recognises that Timothy has inherited their faith and urges Timothy to acknowledge this together with God’s gift of the Holy Spirit. “So I ask you to make full use of the gift that God gave you when I placed my hands on you.” (v6). Paul goes on to say “God’s Spirit doesn’t make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love and self control.” (v7). Paul was speaking from experience, he also had doubts about his ability to fulfil his calling, but trusted God to supply the courage and strength to overcome them.
Paul, a former Pharisee, was well versed in the scriptures. As a young man he would have studied the words of the prophets. His faith in God and God’s purposes would have been strengthened by reading verses such as God saying, “At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time. But keep waiting – it will happen!” (Habakkuk 2 v3) and the words of the Psalmist, “Let the Lord lead you and trust him to help. Be patient and trust the Lord” (Psalm 37 v5,7a). Words that came alive and took on new meaning when the Holy Spirit opened Paul’s eyes to the truth about Jesus.
Paul viewed himself as a servant of God, commissioned by God to be an apostle. He was guided and sustained in his work by the Holy Spirit dwelling within him. Paul wanted Timothy to live in the same way, trusting in God for strength and direction.
Paul nurtured Timothy’s faith. Is there someone who needs a word of encouragement from you?
Hymn writer, Fred Pratt Green, reminds us of our calling and mission today. (Singing the Faith No 415).
The church of Christ, in every age beset by change but Spirit-led,
must claim and test its heritage and keep on rising from the dead.
Across the world, across the street, the victims of injustice cry
for shelter and for bread to eat, and never live until they die.
Then let the servant church arise, a caring church that longs to be
a partner in Christ’s sacrifice, and clothed in Christ’s humanity.
For he alone, whose blood was shed, can cure the fever in our blood,
and teach us how to share our bread and feed the starving multitude.
We have no mission but to serve in full obedience to our Lord:
to care for all, without reserve, and spread his liberating Word.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English version.