Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
Light of Christ Anglican Church
The Rev. Mike Moffitt October 5th, 2025
Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
How Far Will You Follow Jesus?
Text: 1 Timothy 1:8–11
Last week we talked about the source of real joy that depends on our willingness to follow wherever God leads us. Of course often this requires that we are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to direct us even when the new direction requires faith in God and giving up our plans. Actually some of the examples that we looked at were those who found joy and God’s peace even in painful or heartbreaking times.
With God the joy comes from being with Him through His word, through His Holy Spirit, and sometimes through an encounter that is life changing. I have found that often God’s plan for me interferes with my plan for myself.
We considered the promise of Nehemiah to the children of Israel who were in Jerusalem rebuilding the wall around the temple which lay in rubble. Nehemiah was sent by God to restore the city and the Temple but also he was sent by God to call God’s people back to covenant renewal under the authority of the law of God. It was the law of God that set Israel apart from other nations but when they turned away from that they became like the other nations. Ultimately, God would bring judgment upon those who turned away from Him, but great blessings upon those who bowed dawn before Him in praise and worship and obedience. Unfortunately this never lasted long—and yet God always has a remnant.
The children of Israel were also in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Ezra a priest read the law of God to the people who stood listening. The Holy Spirit saw to it that the word of God brought the desired effect which is repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness. The people of God wept openly mourning as they grieved their sin and disobedience. Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites encouraged them to stop mourning their sin because this was to be a day of celebration. Listen to Nehemiah 8:9–10,
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
The rationale for not weeping and mourning is not that holiness and mourning are mutually exclusive but that the Feast of Tabernacles was a particular time that was to be a time of joy. (Leviticus 23:40; Deuteronomy 16:13–15).
Last week we looked at examples of joy being found in the midst of sorrow, grief, and trials. We considered a current example from the tragedy and sorrow of the murder of Charlie Kirk. His wife, Erika at his memorial service openly forgave Tyler Robertson the man who killed her husband. She spoke of God’s faithfulness and her desire to invite the Lord to use the tragedy by moving in power to bring healing and a revival of the Holy Spirit to move across the nation and around the world.
We looked at the stoning of the early church disciple Stephen. His focus wasn’t on the reality that he was being stoned to death but his joy in the midst of it was looking up and seeing Jesus standing beside the throne of the Father encouraging him. Like Jesus he asked the Father to forgive those who were stoning him because they couldn’t see what was so obvious to him. They were blind because they walked in darkness.
We considered Psalm 16:11 that knowing God is present with His people in any and every circumstance should bring peace and joy.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Recently I was thinking about the lives of people in the Bible who were touched by their encounter with God. They were changed forever but they were also challenged as to their willingness to follow him in complete obedience. People like Abraham who believed God and his promises that from his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Abraham was 75 at the time of the promise and his wife Sarah was 65. They were childless because Sarah was barren. So in truth the promise seemed a bit farfetched. I think we would all agree that with few exceptions you don’t see a lot of 65-year-old women giving birth, especially through the encounter with a 75-year-old man.
But God just to show His power and authority it was 25 years later Sarah gave birth to Isaac at 90 years old and there was a great celebration of gratefulness to the God who kept His promise. Approximately 12 years later God came to Abraham commanding him, “take you son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering, on one of the mountains that I will tell you.”
Most of us have heard the story over and over about Abraham going as far as lifting up the knife to kill his only son, the son of promise as God had commanded. Of course God stopped him at the last minute and provided a ram caught in the thicket. Today we understand that this was a type and shadow of what God was going to allow to happen to His son, whom He loves.
The point I want us to focus on is that even though we know the outcome, Abraham did not. Hebrews 11:17–19,
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Time won’t allow me to mention every example in the Old and New Testaments of those who encountered God in such a way that they were radically changed forever. Men like Noah, Moses, Josiah, Samuel, David, Elijah, and Elisha. Women like Hannah, Deborah, Rahab, Esther, Ruth, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene—of course I could go and on, but I think you get the point. In each of those examples they encountered God in a supernatural way that changed them completely for the rest of their lives. Their stories often change us today as their examples challenge us to a greater walk of faith hoping to encounter God in powerful ways that changes us forever.
One of the examples that I want to look at today is Timothy, the protégé of the Apostle Paul. For a long time I’ve considered the Apostle’s last letter to his son in the faith as a important example of mentorship of an older brother to a much younger. Timothy met Paul on his second missionary journey to Lystra. Paul recognized Timothy’s potential and took him as a student and disciple.
This was a relationship Paul referred to as “my son in the faith.” (I Timothy 1:2, 18, 2 Timothy 1:2) Timothy’s commitment was so strong that he allowed himself to be circumcised in order not to offend the religious Jews that they would encounter. He ended up accompanying Paul in his second and third missionary journeys. He also acted as Paul’s representative to various churches. Paul assigned Timothy to lead the church in Ephesus, which is likely where he was upon receiving Paul’s final letter.
In the introduction Paul writes of his love for Timothy and briefly recounts their first meeting. He addresses the letter to Timothy, his beloved child and remembers the tears that were shed the last time they parted. He lets him know that he prays for him day and night.
I love the affection of a father for his son that comes through this letter, and I don’t question for a minute that this is deeply felt, but I think something else is at play here too. I think there is a sense of urgency on Paul’s part. This happens very close to the end of Paul’s second imprisonment in Rome. He realizes that he will be put to death very soon, so this letter is a spiritual fathers final words to a spiritual son that he loves very much.
At this point Timothy was likely around 40 years old. In Paul’s first letter Timothy he was probably in his mid-thirties. Paul encouraged Timothy to not let anyone despise him for his youth (1 Timothy 4:12). I suspect that Timothy was considered young for a leadership role.
Timothy already had a shepherd’s tender heart for the sheep. Paul wanted to develop within him the boldness necessary to really lead and protect the flock.
In 1 and 2 Timothy there are no less than 25 different places where Paul encouraged Timothy to be bold, to not shy away from confrontation, to stand up where he needs to stand up and be strong. Because of the calling of God on Timothy and the responsibilities he had to bear, this was what Timothy needed to hear.
In 2 Timothy 1:6–7 Paul encouraged Timothy to not be afraid or timid but be more forceful in presenting the gospel. Paul reminds him that it was God who called him, and it was God who would move in power through him. However,
Timothy would need to stir up the fire to keep it going. The phrase, “fan into flame” brings to mind using bellows to fan the flame but it can also be translated “stir up the fire” which gives the picture of stirring up the embers to stoke the fire. Either way this was something Timothy would need to do. It would require him to be intentional, but even here Timothy could be assured that God was or had already placed in him the gifting that he needed.
To be fair to Timothy, his personality was apparently not like the Apostle Paul who seemed to be more confrontational than many. But Paul reminds him that his calling was from God but also was confirmed by the Apostle through the laying on of hands. Paul reminds him in verse 7, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love, and self-control.”
Paul saw the timidity that was in Timothy. Timothy knew the fear he sometimes felt. God wanted Timothy to know that this fear wasn’t from the God he served; he needed to know that God has not given us a spirit of fear. Let’s admit it we all face situations where we feel timid, afraid, and unprepared. For some, speaking in front of others makes them fear; others are afraid of confrontation, others of being made to look foolish, others are afraid of rejection. We all deal with fear.
The first step in dealing with such fears is to understand that they are not from God. It is a significant step to say, “This isn’t God making me feel like this; God hasn’t given me this.” Perhaps it is from personality, perhaps a weakness of the flesh, perhaps a demonic attack—but it isn’t from God.
One of the things I thought about this week as I considered this passage is that it’s important that we take a moment to consider where Timothy was a pastor. Ephesus wasn’t a town like Heathsville. Paul helped found the church in Ephesus and lived there for three years teaching, preaching, and developing those who would continue what God had built through Paul.
Ephesus was a thriving, wealthy, cosmopolitan center of trade and religion in Roman Asia Minor. The city’s most prominent civic monument was the temple of the goddess Artimus (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. One inscription described the city as the nurturer of the goddess Artimus. In turn it made Ephesus “most glorious” among all the Asian cities. Ephesus was called the “mother city” of the Roman province of Asia, one of the largest and most influential cities in the Roman Empire, rivaling Rome itself. So bear that in mind as we continue with Paul’s letter to Timothy. God sent Paul and now.
Timothy into a major battle ground. The Lord was sending Paul and others there to declare the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Satan and his minions were already there in force. Paul and those with him were few but they brought all the power of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You may have noticed that Ephesians
6:10–20 is all about putting on the whole Armor of God to resist the fiery darts of Satan and to defeat the stronghold of the enemy. It will never be possible to fight in our own strength and that was true for Timothy and for us today. Listen to 2 Timothy 1: 8–9,
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began…
This section of the story has often caused me to pause and dissect what Paul is inviting Timothy into. To see this from Paul’s perspective it helps to go back to Acts 9: 1–17 and read about Paul’s (named Saul at that point) conversion. You know the story. With the blessing of the High Priest he was traveling to Damascus to arrest those who were a part of the sect called “The Way.” He was going to bring them back to Jerusalem to be imprisoned or possibly worse. Listen to Acts 9: 3–6,
Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
For three days Saul, who was blinded by the light doesn’t eat or drink anything. I can only imagine what must have been going through his mind. Everything in his life had just been turned upside down. His passion for God’s law, his zeal for
dealing with those who were clearly teaching heresy and speaking blasphemy against the law just came to a halt.
The Lord told a man named Ananias to go to Saul and pray for him that he might receive his sight. I love the double meaning here. Saul was blinded both by his hatred of those he was pursuing and blind in his eyes. Ananias objects to this because he has heard about Saul and knew why he was in Damascus. It’s Jesus’ answer to Ananias that gives us a very helpful way of understanding our passage from 2 Timothy 1:8–9,
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
Why would Paul invite Timothy to not be ashamed of the Gospel message that Paul was imprisoned for but to join in suffering for the gospel by the power of God? That would seem to something that was hard to sell.
I think that Paul knew that if Timothy believed and acted on the calling upon his life, he would not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. I suspect that today we often fail to understand that it wasn’t easy to follow a crucified Master. Most
people who knew about the cross would assume that Jesus lost. Paul knew better because he had encountered the risen Lord.
Today, we have sanitized Jesus and disinfected the cross, making it all safe. But in the day Paul wrote this, it would seem strange indeed to follow a crucified man and call him savior.
Think of Jesus’ teaching; if you want to be great, be the servant of all; be like a child, like a slave, like the younger, like the last instead of the first. This is a testimony some would be ashamed of.
Paul knew that the plan of God in Jesus Christ seemed foolish to many; but he also knew it was the living, active, power of God to save souls and transform lives. Paul would not be ashamed of it, and neither should Timothy, nor us today.
It’s believed that Paul was beheaded around two months later. Apparently Timothy followed the exhortation of Paul in 2 Timothy. It’s said that he became the first Bishop in Ephesus until he was stoned to death at age 79. He was martyred for preaching against idolatry during a festival honoring the goddess Artemis.
Let’s pray.
