itching ears

Good evening friends,
Today's reading comes near the end of Paul's second letter to Timothy. Paul urges Timothy to be patient, but also firm in his teaching. Often the truth is hard to hear, so Paul knows Timothy's work will be difficult sometimes. I'm grateful to you for making my work as a minister joyful.
Blessings on your evening and on the new week,
Sam

2 Timothy 4:1-8

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: ²proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. ³For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, ⁴and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 

⁵As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. ⁶As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

persistent prayer

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Jesus tells a simple parable to remind us why we need to keep praying, even when it doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere. Persistence is an important part of prayer; as we persist in our prayers we may find ourselves changed too. Another part of the parable that Jesus doesn't comment on is that the widow prays for justice when she is oppressed. What we pray for matters, and part of growing in faith is learning how to pray in a way that reflects Christ's spirit within us.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 8:1-8

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. ²He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. ³In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ ⁴For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, ⁵yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’”

⁶And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? ⁸I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

persistence and scriptural guidance

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Our reading from Timothy is one of my favorite statements on scripture. Paul reminds Timothy to strengthen himself in the scriptures because they instruct in Christ's salvation. He also reminds him to dedicate himself to scripture in his teaching because "All scripture is inspired and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness." He also warns Timothy that people will be drawn away by teachers they choose for themselves who simply tell people what they want to hear, rather than keeping the challenge and demand of the gospel in front of them.

Our reading from Luke reminds us to keep praying, even when it seems like God isn't listening. God hears us, and God wants to hear us. Never give up because God's final victory of love is certain.

On a (sort of) separate note, we are starting a new series at the Boulevard Wednesday evening at 8pm. The focus of the series is getting back to the basics of who God is and what the story of faith is about. My hope is to invite people who don't go to church to join the conversation. If you have someone in your life who doesn't believe, or believes but doesn't go to church, this may be the series for them. It's less intimidating than a Sunday school class because it's at a bar instead of the church.

God bless,
Sam

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 5As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

*Sunday

Luke 18:1-8

1Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Grant me justice against my opponent.' 4For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, 'Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'" 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

persecuted for the truth

Good morning friends,
Today's reading gives us another glimpse of the hardship of Jeremiah's ministry. The priest hits Jeremiah and puts him in the stocks for his prophecy. Jeremiah responds with God's word of judgment for Pashhur, the priest who is persecuting him. It's interesting that Jeremiah renames Pashhur "terror all around" because the same title was used for Jeremiah for his constant prophecy of doom. Imagine how difficult it would be for Jeremiah to continue in his ministry: he seeks to warn the people he cares about of the danger ahead, but they take his words as treasonous and anti-religious. Despite the hardship, Jeremiah keeps on going because he trusts in God. May we have the same courage.

God bless,
Sam

Jeremiah 20:1-6
Now the priest Pashhur son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. 2Then Pashhur struck the prophet Jeremiah, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the Lord.

3The next morning when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, The Lord has named you not Pashhur but “Terror-all-around.” 4For thus says the Lord: I am making you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies while you look on. And I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon; he shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall kill them with the sword. 5I will give all the wealth of this city, all its gains, all its prized belongings, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies, who shall plunder them, and seize them, and carry them to Babylon. 6And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, shall go into captivity, and to Babylon you shall go; there you shall die, and there you shall be buried, you and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely.