Titus IV: to be obedient

Titus IV

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.  (Titus 3:1-3 ESV)

to be obedient

Our society has elevated the rebel (with or without a cause) to a high position.  We smile at the independent, disobedient toddler.  We cheer on the television character who fights against ‘the man.’  We admire the finger-gesturing speeder who evades a traffic cop.  We turn rebels into heroes, disobedience into nobility, and self-rule into a desirable status.

But we are not our own masters.

We serve Christ… our King… and He notices our disobedience.

In fact, He died because of it.

In fact, He purchased our forgiveness that our disobedience causes.

In fact, Paul’s reminder to be obedient… maybe even to be KNOWN in our culture as obedient… should not need to be said.

Obedience does not lead to salvation.  But Christian’s obedience stems FROM our salvation.

We obey to show we love the Law giver.  But we also obey because He has loved us.

It is not a restraint.  We get to do what He made us to do.

Titus III: to be submissive to rulers and authorities

Titus III

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.  (Titus 3:1-3 ESV)

I intended to move on from this verse, on to the next key verses in the remaining books of the New Testament.  But the more I thought about it, the more strange these reminders of Paul to Titus sound to our western, modern, quick-minded overly clever world.

So while still TECHNICALLY following the “Key Verse” paradigm… we will spend a few days looking at THESE key reminders and verses from Paul.

to be submissive to rulers and authorities

When we modern, particularly conservative, Christians, think about submitting to rulers and authorities we get our backs up right way.  Delightful democratic ideals have taught us, incorrectly, that WE are our own masters.

But we are not.  God is God.  Jesus, particularly, is King.  And His reign is over every aspect of our lives.  Not a moment, not an idea, not a sphere, not a decision is made, under our own authority.

We do have authority… but only as God (King Jesus) has delegated it.  In fact, this is so true, and so ignored, that I feel the need to state it very clearly.

All authority on earth comes from God.

Whether the earthly wielders admit it, notice it, adhere to is, or act like it.

Our place in this delegation of authority is to submit. 

That is hard to hear.

It does NOT mean we are ordered by God to obey unGodly commands.  But those actually occur in our society a lot less often than we like to think.

We are not, in Paul’s reminder to submit, supposed to submit ONLY to this commands we agree with politically, emotionally, and personally.

Think of Daniel and his friends.  The government which ruled the exiles had MANY commands that these young Hebrews disagreed with.  But the place they made a stand was only where the King’s commands demanded that they purposefully and openly serve false gods.  I imagine they made their discontent with the other, smaller laws, well known.  Daniel was not ever a quiet man.  But they submitted.  Notice, they called the human leader KING.  (They did not post ‘not MY king’ on their websites…)

Submitting to the uncomfortable, the different, the other, the impractical, the silly, the hard, the selfish, is EXACTLY what we are reminded to do.

This is exactly what Christ Himself did… submitting to Judaism.  Submitting to the Romans.  Submitting to the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees.  All the way through a crown of thorns, and death on a cross.  He did not compromise His principles.  But He saved His people.

Because in submitting like THAT… Jesus obeyed God, the delegator of all authority.

Remember to do likewise.

Titus II: Weird

Titus II

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.  (Titus 3:1-3 ESV)

Weird

These reminders sound old-fashioned, simplistic, un-modern, and maybe not very American.  But these statements of Paul’s to Titus’s church-folk are undoubtedly exactly what they needed to hear.

And we do, too.  Paul here takes potshots at his readers… and this mind sound like potshots against us, too.

So be it.  Let’s apply these reminders to US.  Not to our neighbors, or frenemies, or enemies.

Think about how more righteous, peaceful, and joyful our society would be if we submitted to our God-brought authorities.  Obviously not when authority goes against God’s word.  But both conservative and liberal Christians are often only willing to think submission when OUR party is in power.

And obedience? In situations where public obedience is asked, we obey when convenient, easy, or what we would have done anyway.

These days we seem ready to do every self-protective work… and do not pay attention to simply doing the obvious good thing.

We speak evil of others frequently… whether justified or not… which is SO different than Paul’s reminder here.

We do not avoid quarreling… we seek it, and elevate it as a civic (or religious) virtue. 

We choose defensive or offensive mindsets rather than gentleness.

And courtesy… I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes:  Manners are things we do to make OTHERS feel comfortable.  We do not do that.

I think Paul is reminding us of these things, too.

Titus I: Remembering

Titus I

 For we ourselves were once foolish, (Titus 3:2 ESV)

Remember

I had a celebrity for a guitar teacher in my youth.  At least a celebrity for me.  He played the guitar on a radio show, The Children’s Bible Hour.

He was a rare breed, as a music teacher.  He never rolled his eyes at my mistakes.  He never guilted me into practice.  He did not criticize my repeated ignorance or backsliding of knowledge.  He was patient while still being exact.  He was understanding while still asking dedication.  He smiled a lot, I thought, for what looked like a grumpy old man.

When I eventually stopped taking lessons from him, I asked him why he acted so different than my other teachers.

He replied that he remembered what it was like to learn.

We Christians need to remember that teacher’s outlook.

Maybe you are not a teacher, a preacher, or a spiritual guide.  But you still teach, present the gospel, and point people to Christ every day… whether you are aware of it or not.

And our gospel-ing is better when we remember our own sin, both past and present.

Our gospel-ing is better when we remember our own struggles, both past and present.

Our gospel-ing is better when we remember all the ways WE needed Jesus… as well as the ways we still do.

Call it remembering. I call it remembering Paul Storm.

II Timothy IV: Rescue

II Timothy IV

The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom (II Timothy 4:18 ES)

Rescue

I have been involved, on both sides of the equation, in some rescues.  And these rescues tend to have three things in common.

First, the person in trouble must realize they are in trouble.

Second, the rescuer should have the necessary abilities to rescue.

Third, a rescue has to be successful to be called a rescue.

I recall a small sailboat on the other side of a wind-whipped lake.  I and a friend took a speed boat through the storm, and helped the sailor stave off disaster.  He needed help, and he knew it.    My friend and I were well prepared.  We had the right equipment, and both of us knew how to handle a boat.  And in the end, the sailor (and his boat) were rescued.

Those same three elements are involved in Christ’s rescue of His people.  We have to realize that we need help, and that we need help ONLY from Him.  He, alone in the universe, has the ability to rescue His people through His life, death, and life again.  And His rescue of His people worked.  We are rescued.  We are heaven bound, instead of hell bound.

Christ rescues because of all three parts.

II Timothy III: Always

II Timothy III

 …preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (II Timothy 4:2 ESV)

Always

We do not plant flowers in January.  That would be planting out of season. 

When I was growing up, my mom would take us clothes shopping at the end of August.  Just in time for school to start.  We did not generally buy new clothes in February.  That would be out of season.

I do not usually start watching a movie at 11:00 pm.  That would be out of season.

I rarely make a tasty unhealthy snack at 11:55 am.  That would be out of season.

But Christians preach the Word of God w seems like a good time, or not.  Whether our desires, energy, and perceived opportunities make us say, “NOW” or not.

Whether it is the time that seems right to us… in season… or not… out of season.

And preaching the word does not only mean speaking words.  It is always the right season for gospel-ing through acts of kindness, through forgiveness, through patience, through generosity, through protecting the defenseless, through copying Jesus, through smiling warmly often, through remembering the richness of God’s Grace to us... and acting graciously, too.

In season or out of season.

II Timothy II: Rightly

II Timothy II

…rightly handling the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15 ESV)

Rightly

I rejoice that the Bible is available in almost every language.  I even have a Pirate Talk Bible.

But the commonness of Scripture sometimes leads to an unfortunate attitude.  Since we all can read, since we all have the Bible in our language. since the message of the gospel IS clear and understandable…

We begin to think that we get to read and use the Bible in any way we desire… and make it say whatever fits our own worldview.

But Paul, in saying that it is important to RIGHTLY handle the Bible, implies that there are WRONG ways to use it.

Proof texting… lucky dipping… rarely opening it… reading ABOUT the Bible more than reading the Bible… all of these might be wrongly handling the Word of God.

Note… that the Bible will still touch us even if we use it wrongly.

It IS the Word of God.

But using it rightly is just as important as using our phone’s features rightly, or our ice skates rightly, or our engineering caliper rightly, or our espresso machine rightly, or our car’s brakes rightly.

Maybe more so, in fact.

II Timothy I

II Timothy I

…if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (II Timothy 2:13 ESV)

UNEXPECTED

Not only do we humans tend to like someone who first liked us… but we STOP liking someone who first stops liking us.  Whether it is a third-grade crush, a politician, or a dog… we respond to dislike with our own dislike.

More than that, when someone else breaks their word to us, we write them off.  When someone else lies, we write them off.  When someone else shows themselves to be other than what we first hoped or believed, we write them off.

When someone is unfaithful to us, we feel completely justified in breaking off all relationship with them.  They broke the deal first, after all.

It seems just and right for us to act like that.

But that is not how God reacts to our unfaithfulness!

In fact, it is part of who He is… He is faithful to His people, even when we are unfaithful to Him.  He is faithful to His people even though we are unfaithful to Him.

If God acted like us, none of us would survive.

God would respond to our unfaithfulness with a breaking of His salvific promises to us.  It would be fair, after all, by our standards.

But instead… He is faithful to His promises to us… even when we are not.

He does it through the life and work of Christ, the Messiah.

I Timothy IV: Sin-Wrecked

I Timothy IV

For everything created by God is good. (I Timothy 4:4 ESV)

Sin-Wrecked

When things break, I like to know how and why.

It is not enough to know which bolt broke, which electric circuit fizzled, or which bit of plastic wore away.

To fix the broken, it helps to know how and why the broken thing broke.

This is true in auto mechanics, cell phone repairs, gardening, and relationships.

So it matters that when we notice (how can we not?) that our world is broken, that we understand how and why it broke.

What is the origin of bad weather patterns?  What is the origin of increased violence?  What is the origin of society’s polarization?  What is the origin of prejudice, hatred, impatience, and suspicion?

God created everything good.

What happened?

While we might like to blame other folks’ bad decisions, or natural decay of all things, or some particular political group, or strangers… none of those things broke our world.

Sin broke our world.  Breaks our world.  And will continue to break it, for a while.

And knowing that, we know the real solution to what is broken.

The only solution to sin is the Christ.

Of course, I realize that the practical steps needed to fix our broken world take time, understanding, wisdom, and care.

But until the reason for the problem is acknowledged, we will not fix anything.

I have a friend who signs every email, “Jesus fixes everything.”

Because He does.

I Timothy II: King's Job

I Timothy II

 …for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (I Timothy 2:2 ESV)

King’s Job

In society, we usually expect our National Government to model our goals, priorities, and ideas.  If we seek profit, we want our leaders to bring our nation to profit.  If we desire power, we like our leaders to act powerfully.  If we value education, we want our leaders to prioritize education.

It just makes sense.

Notice that Paul prays for his kings to enable citizens to have peaceful and quiet life… more than that, Godly and dignified lives.

Because Paul, not just as a preacher and Bible-writer… but as a Christian, yearns for a peaceful, quiet, Godly, and dignified life.

He does not yearn for power, because Paul knows Christ IS power.  Paul does not yearn for profit because Paul knows Jesus’ words:  "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36)

He does not yearn for vain knowledge, because he seeks wisdom… in Christ.

So Paul prays that the King, his King, his leaders, will bring to reality what Paul knows society needs.

Let’s join him in that prayer, even in these later years.  We still need it.

I Timothy I: Foremost

I Timothy I

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (I Timothy 1:15 ESV)

Foremost

I have bragged about being the best swordfighter (in seventh grade) using yardsticks as broadswords.  I have bragged about performing many, many weddings.  I have bragged about watching every episode of every Star Trek series.

And I expect people are very impressed with at least some of these.

But is not Paul a little strange to brag about being the foremost sinner?

But it is not false humility.  It is not pride in sin.  It is not self-hatred expressed in self-condemnation.

But as Paul usually does… he is bragging about Jesus.

Paul knows what Paul has done… Paul knows Paul’s sins.  Paul knows Paul’s Sin.  Paul knows that Paul’s insides are a lot messier than people might think.

But Christ is more.

Christ’s sacrificial life, and death, and life, are more.

Christ’s grace is more.

Paul is not bragging about himself, here.  He is bragging about Jesus.

We need more of that kind of bragging.

II Thessalonians III: Busy Bodies or Busybodies

II Thessalonians III

For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. (II Thessalonians 3:11 ESV)

Busy Bodies or Busybodies

The devil loves idle hands, we say.

Maybe this is a part of why we say that.  Those who are busy at real work, do not usually have time to be busybodies.

And not just ditch digging, roof shingling, laundry washing work.  Certainly, physical labor IS work.  But so is the work of reconciliation, that God calls us to.  So is the work of displaying the gospel, preaching with both words and deeds.  So, too, is work of seeking joy in all things, acknowledging and basking in our Lord’s blessings.

Elsewhere, Paul tells us to work out our salvation, and that, too is a form of work that keeps us from being idle.

Any of those kinds of work keep us from too much focus on other people’s lives.  Be busy, and be less of a busybody.

II Thessalonians II: Believe

II Thessalonians II

…in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (II Thessalonians 2:12 ESV)

Believe

My dog snores.  Without medical assistance, so did I.

The difference between my dog and me, at least in THIS case, is not which of us snores… but rather which of us believes we snore, and did something about it.

The difference between a lying politician and myself is not really the issue of honesty.  While we might differ in degree, we are both liars.  The difference is that I believe the Christ saves me from my lies.

The difference between a greedy money-grubbing thief and me is not really the issue of our greed.  While we might differ in degree, we are both greedy.  The difference is that I believe the Christ saves me from my greed.

The difference between a cursing, foul mouthed gutter dwelling merchant marine and me is not really the issue of our clean mouths.  While we might differ in degree, we both mis-use our tongues.  The difference is that I believe the Christ saves me from my crudeness and blasphemy.

God has many reasons to condemn sinners.  But because He provides a single beautiful answer to our sin, the reason that He DOES condemn is a lack of belief in His Son, the Messiah, the Interceder, the Redeemer.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

II Thessalonians I: It is YOU

II Thessalonians I

…the rebellion comes first… (II Thessalonians 2:3 ESV)

It’s YOU

I ‘inherited’ from my father an old cabinet radio that was able to tune in around a dozen bands of radio waves… from short wave to FM and everything in between.

I also, at that time, imagined myself a bit of an electronic technician, well beyond my twelve years of age. 

Two of the band-choices did not work.  Even before I started tinkering with the radio.  But I soon discovered that I could not fix it without first breaking it.

So I broke it.

As it happened, I never was able to put it back together correctly.

But the concept was still there.  To fix something, it first has to be broken.

The same is true for Christians.  While many people might read Paul’s writing here to primarily be talking about end-times, I do not.  As I read it, Paul is mostly talking about OUR need for fixing, restoration, redemption, and salvation.

And that starts, from our perspective, with an awareness that we need help.

Our rebellion against God, and our admission of it, is the starting place of our salvation.

Sure, think a bit of some sort of end-times if you want to… but far more urgent, relevant, and important is YOUR end-time.

Know you are broken, so Christ can fix you.

I Thessalonians IV: Holiness

I Thessalonians IV

For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. (I Thessalonians 4:7 ESV)

Holiness

Few people want to be known these days as Holy.

An insult for anyone, even Christians, would be to be called “holier than thou.”

But that is very strange.

Because God’s people are called to be Holy. 

Yet we do not like to be noticed for being holy.  We do not want the scowls and sneers of the world directed towards us.

Perhaps because we have so often acted UN-holy in our attitude towards those times we ‘get it right.’  We brag, we seem snooty and superior.  We forget everything about the source of OUR holiness. 

And our neighbors (and the world) do take note, and it is not attractive.

Holiness is not ugly.  Not when it is really holiness… which requires humility, caring, generosity, selflessness, kindness, and Christlikeness.

When we get better at that kind of holiness, it will be grand.

And maybe our society will stop lifting up impurity.

I Thessalonians III: Not About You

I Thessalonians

 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy. (I Thessalonians 2:19-20 ESV)

Not About You

One would think that the Apostle Paul would have a few things to boast about when his life was over.  Humbly, of course… but he could point out his sacrificial missions trips.  He could recall his clever arguments before governments and hecklers.  He could remember his intelligence, his education, and his writing skills.

And of course, he could boast in the Lord, as he describes in I Corinthians 1:31.

But Paul finds glory and joy in his spiritual children.

Not in a braggy way.  But Paul, from the end of his training in Arabia after his conversion has had only one thing on his mind.  Introducing others to his savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Can’t you see him sitting around a coffee shop, describing the progress his church folk are making in walking with the Lord?  Can’t you see him praying to the boss, giving thanks for the chance to work with believers willing to learn from him?  Can’t you see him eventually smiling while watching heaven’s gates? 

I can.

Paul’s life was not about himself.  And ours shouldn’t be, either.

I Thessalonians II: Pre-Assembled

I Thessalonians II

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. (I Thessalonians 1:4,5 ESV)

Pre-Assembled

I would like to own a hurdy-gurdy.  It is an unusual instrument that could be seen as a bagpipe for strings.  A couple of drones, and a couple of melody strings. 

Hurdy-gurdies are rare… and those who own them have gotten them in one of two ways.  Most people purchase a kit, and do the difficult but rewarding job of putting their hurdy-gurdy together in just the way they desire.

But more and more, players are purchasing pre-made hurdy-gurdies.

It arrives at their door already put together, and ready to make (somewhat) beautiful music.

Many Christians attempt to put together our own faith and relationship with God.

We work hard at it, are encouraged by some gains, and struggle through many shortcomings.

But making our faith on our own like that does NOT work.

It comes from God.  And it comes pre-assembled!

We cannot, in fact, make it ourselves at all.

But we arrive in God’s family completely by God’s work, through Jesus’ life, death, and life again.  He provides the necessary changes, the power, the connection, and the foundation.

It is all Him.

And that makes beautiful music, indeed.

I Thessalonians I: Chosen

I Thessalonians I

For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you. (I Thessalonians 1:4 ESV)

Chosen

Whenever I was picked at school for the kickball team, the dodgeball team, the baseball team, or the Red Rover team, it was never because of any athletic skill I possessed.  Because I did not possess any.

I was usually picked last.  Or nearly last. 

Unless the selector was one of my particular friends.

On those occasional occasions, I was picked because I was loved.

It might not have seemed fair… early elementary school nepotism… but it warmed my heart.

God’s choice works the same way.  He does not need me on His team.  He knows my faults, my brokenness, my unreliability, my bad decisions, my sins… but He loves me.

And so He chooses me.  Not instead of anyone else.  Not in comparison to anyone else.  Not out of practical preference.

But because He loves me.

Every one of God’s people is in that exact place, on this same team.

He chooses because He loves.

Colossians VII: The Lynchpin

Colossians VI

…bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Colossians 3:13? ESV)

The Lynchpin

The most important part of my pencil is the lead.  Certainly, lead is not the only part, or the most visible part, or the most attractive part.  But without the lead, a pencil is just an empty wood sliver that you can poke things with.

The most important part of Christianity is forgiveness.  God’s forgiveness of His people.  Christ’s active forgiveness through His perfect life, and sacrificial death. And the resulting forgiveness on our part.

Other parts of Christianity are important, too, of course. 

But the lynchpin is forgiveness.

It holds our relationship to God together.  Without His forgiveness, we have no relationship. 

It holds our relationships with each other together.  Without forgiveness, we have no relationships.

Forgive.