2 Timothy 2:8-15.                             Endurance in tough times!!!                                        9/10/16

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

11 Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with him, we will also live with him;

12 if we endure, we will also reign with him.

If we disown him, he will also disown us;

13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarrelling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

How do we keep going when we are under immense pressure of one sort or another? Many times in life we are faced with situations that crowd in on us and have us wondering if ever there is a way out. When it all seems too much, with no end in sight, we find it hard to keep on going. Our focus gets caught up in our dilemma and we can see little else but the problem.

Even in the church and our Christian lives these same issues are there. In the face of a church that is losing its way and continuing to decline; Is there a future for our church or will it just decline into almost nothing? In our own lives and the lives of our loved ones, is the ever increasing pressure to let go of God and have less and less to do with him, going to win out in the end? Will we too get swamped into accepting all kinds of teaching that have departed from God and his Word? Sometimes, or often even, it all seems too hard. Too overwhelming.

Here again this morning God is giving us some very important advice. Remember! Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. In that find that which enables us to lift up our heads and get on with life no matter how tough things might be.

Look to God come into our world as a human being and dying in our place and then rising to life once. There, find a hope that will enable us to stand in the midst of whatever. Because here is a God who has come into our very midst so that we can have a real and certain hope in the midst of the disasters that we face in this world that has been devastated by our selfishness and sin. He came into our world so that we can know for sure that he cares about each one of us, no matter who we are.

When it says that he descended from David, we are reminded that he came firstly as one who was promised by God himself, hundreds of years beforehand. This one who was to come would be the one who comes to save and establish God’s kingdom as a sure and certain thing. Many very specific promises were made that came true with Jesus and his coming many years later.

He came into our world and did miracles that only God himself could do – many of them. All so that we can be sure that this Jesus truly was God come into our world. Not only did he do many miracles but he taught us many things again which only come from God. So already they could see that this was the promised one that God would send.

But then he went and died on the cross, again just as was promised hundreds and hundreds of years before hand. But why would God come and die, the most cruel of all deaths on a cross? Again because God is true to his Word. He told humanity that if they go against his commands we will die. So sin has to be punished. But God in his love for us, chose to die the death we should have, so that we might be forgiven and have a sure hope for the future.

So his death on the cross is absolutely critical for us if there is to be any hope for us to be with him in heaven for all eternity. His death also helps us now as we face life in this world with all of its problems and disasters. Because of his promises we know that he loves us, forgives us and has eternal life for us.

But then so that we can be completely sure that this is all for real and that he is true to his Word, he rises from the dead three days later. There, is our absolute proof that this Jesus is who he said he is. There we can find all the encouragement that we need in order to know that there really is life beyond our present situation. That which just does not happen in our world has happened so that we can know that God has a positive future in mind for each one of us.

So in order for us to be able to endure in tough times Jesus death and resurrection is essential. Without it we would be left, in one form or another, trying to dig ourselves out of the mess; only to know that there surely will be more troubles to follow. In the end it is all futile. Then we have to face the judge knowing that we have failed to be the people he would have us be. Then eternal punishment awaits, from which there is no hope of relief.

Thank God that he came into our world, and died and rose again, so that this does not have to be the case for us. In connection with him there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. In him there is life and salvation. In his Word, the Bible, we know what is true and good.

At this point we then keep in mind Paul’s point when he says: Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him;

 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

So the call is to die with him so that we can have the certainty that we may live with him. Surely this means that we give up on ourselves and what we want. We die to the life that is touted by so many in our world today, who suggest that life is all about ‘me’ and what I think is good and right. It is to die to the idea that I can live well without taking God seriously. It is to die to any hope that we might have of being good enough to be acceptable to God on our own merits; and thereby to turn to God and receive from him the forgiveness of sins and life that he has for us.

In our baptisms we were joined to Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. That is, to each of us personally, the benefits of his death and resurrection are joined to us. Forgiveness of sins, life and salvation are ours. His death and resurrection is now ours too. Now daily we are to die to sin and our selfish way of life and daily remember that we too will rise to be with him in heaven.

The second call is to endure. That is hold fast to him and what he says, and to not give up on that. Again at a time when we are encouraged to look everywhere but God for our help: to think positively about what we can do and what our money can buy us; to look to alcohol, drugs and other things to try to bury our troubles; here we are called to endure.  

To endure is to stand firm in the face of whatever the situation is; no matter how bad. To look to Jesus Christ and know that with him and in him we have a light at the end of the tunnel. In the face of adversity to remember [as Julie’s psychologist said the other day] God is as close to us as our breath. He is with us and he will help us through; and he will bring blessing out of even the worst of situations.

So we ‘keep on keeping on’ no matter what, knowing that in the end we will also reign with him. We will be joined with him in heaven, to there enjoy the very best of everything, forever more. The sufferings of this present age are nothing compared to the glory that we will be a part of for the rest of eternity.

However, if we turn our backs on him and refuse to allow him to be Lord of our life here and now, we cannot be surprised if he disowns us in eternity. If we put ourselves at the centre of our life instead of Christ, we are reminded that we are facing disaster. We cannot think that we can live as we please here on earth and that then God will allow us into heaven in the end.

On the other hand he says; if we are faithless, he remains faithful. So yes, we may, and often will, struggle in looking to and trusting in him. We may be overwhelmed by the situation at hand and struggle to even look to him. But here he reminds us that he, nevertheless, is faithful; and so will see us through. Even though our faith is weak, he will continue to be there with us and for us. This is surely a great encouragement to us all.

He then goes on and says: Keep reminding God’s people of these things. So the call is for us to encourage one another to be mindful of all of this as we face the tough times of life. The support and encouragement of fellow believers is invaluable at these times. Not just practically and physically, but especially to remind them of God’s presence and the promises that he has for us here. We are here as God’s people to help one another in the good times and the bad.

With all of this, we are then able to endure, no matter how tough the times may be. God will help us through. He will bring blessing to us and through us to one another. But most importantly of all, with him and all that has done for us through Jesus’ death and resurrection and his many other promises, we have the sure hope of being brought safely into his glory to forever enjoy the very best of everything. There to then give him all glory and honour forever.

So may we ever look to him and trust him, enduring through the tough time. To great God, father, Son and Holy Spirit, be all glory and honour now and forevermore. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish