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“But the Word of God Is Not Bound!” (2 Timothy 2:1-13) Do you ever feel constrained or held back, like you’re the prisoner of things that are too powerful for you to overcome? Maybe it’s age. You feel the advancing years taking their toll on you. Maybe it’s sickness. You get over one thing, and then it’s something else. More pills, more trips to the doctor. You feel like a prisoner in your own body. Or maybe it’s a guilty conscience weighing you down. You sense your own failings. Your past sins keep on dogging you. Then there’s the approach...

“Timothy and the Women Who Raised Him in the Faith” (2 Timothy 1:1-14) In today’s Epistle, Paul writes to Timothy to encourage him in his faith. Paul also reminds Timothy of the ladies who passed on the faith to him. Their names were Lois and Eunice. One was Timothy’s mother; the other, Timothy’s grandmother. Let’s see, now which one was which? Here’s the way I have of keeping them straight: “Lois” sounds like “oldest,” so she was the grandma. “Eunice” sounds like “youngest,” so she was Timothy’s mom. So now let’s hear more about “Timothy and the Women Who Raised...

“Sound Doctrine or Itching Ears?” (2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:5) Our text this morning is the Epistle reading from 2 Timothy. In his two letters to his young assistant Timothy, St. Paul emphasizes, over and over again, the importance of teaching in accord with sound doctrine. For instance, Paul instructs Timothy to “follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me” and to “guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” Likewise, today he says to “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed.” Paul puts a high priority on sound doctrine. It is in...

“Encouragement for St. Timidity” (2 Timothy 1:1-14) Fear, or timidity, can paralyze a person and render him ineffective. This is true when it comes to our life as Christians. We live in a hostile world. We’re in enemy territory. The world is not friendly to the Christian faith. Where will we find the courage we need to be faithful Christians? Faithful Christians are those not ashamed of the gospel, nor afraid of suffering for it. Not ashamed, not afraid. The alternative is that we turn into tame and timid “people-pleasers.” St. Paul addresses this issue when he writes to Timothy...

“From the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant” (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 18; Revelation 7:2-17) Today we remember our dear brother, Bill McBride. Some of you called him “Bucky.” I always called him “Bill.” Or maybe you called him “Dad” or “Grandpa,” because he was that, too. You could also call him “Soldier,” because he was proud of that part of his life, as well. As you’ve seen in the obituaries, Bill McBride proudly served his country in the U.S. Army: 37th Field Artillery Unit, Second Indianhead Division, during the Korean War. Good work, soldier! And for decades after Korea, Bill...

“Continue in the Sacred Writings” (2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:5) In our Epistle reading today, St. Paul commends Timothy--and I would commend all of us--to the word of God. More specifically, I commend you to the continued study of Scripture, to a firm faith in the word of God, and to the living out of the Bible’s teachings in the form of a righteous life. And so our theme this morning, “Continue in the Sacred Writings.” Paul tells Timothy: “As for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how...

“Remember Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:1-13)Do you ever get a little worried or fearful about what you might have to go through in order to live out your calling as a Christian? I mean, that your being a Christian and living for Christ will cause you to suffer in some way? Does that ever weigh on your mind? If so, you’re in good company. Because that seems to have been a problem for St. Timothy in the New Testament. Timothy apparently had a problem with timidity, with fearfulness, over what might happen to him because of his calling to serve...

“Teach Your Children Well” (Deuteronomy 6:1-9; 2 Timothy 1:1-14; 3:14-17)I don’t know if you noticed it, but today we’re having a Christian education emphasis in our service. Four of our hymns today are from the Christian education section of our hymnal. I’ve selected an alternate Old Testament reading, from Deuteronomy 6, which deals with teaching God’s word to our children. The Epistle reading, from 2 Timothy, mentions Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, who passed on the faith to Timothy. And to that, I’ve added a portion of a 2 Timothy reading that will come up in a couple...

“Is Paul Having a Pharisee Relapse?” (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18)Today we come to the end of our series of readings from Paul’s letters to Timothy, and with that, to the end of Paul’s letters. For almost certainly, 2 Timothy is the last letter that Paul writes in his life--at least of the ones we have in the Bible. Paul is writing from his prison cell in Rome, during the persecution under Emperor Nero, and he is awaiting execution. Paul writes to his assistant Timothy, and as he comes to the end of this letter--and to the end of his life--Paul...

“Scripture: Learn It, Love It, Live It” (2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:5)Today we continue in our series of sermons on Paul’s letters to Timothy, this morning on the Epistle reading from 2 Timothy chapters 3 and 4. In this section, Paul commends Timothy--and I would commend all of us--to the word of God. More specifically, I commend you to the continued study of Scripture, to a firm faith in the word of God, and to the living out of the Bible’s teachings in the form of a righteous life. And so our theme this morning, “Scripture: Learn It, Love It,...

“But the Word of God Is Not Bound!” (2 Timothy 2:1-13)Today we continue in our Epistle readings from St. Paul’s letters to Timothy. The first thing I want to note about this text is, it doesn’t apply to you! “What?” you say. “It doesn’t apply?” Yes, that’s right, this text from 2 Timothy does not apply to you. Not directly, that is. You see, Paul’s letter to Timothy is what we call a “Pastoral Epistle,” that is, it’s written specifically for pastors, in this case, from the Apostle Paul to his younger assistant, Timothy. He’s giving encouragement and instruction to...

“The Lystran Women’s Missionary League” (2 Timothy 1:1-14)Today is “LWML Sunday,” and so this morning I want to recognize and honor the work of the LWML, that is, “The Lystran Women’s Missionary League.” The “What” Women’s Missionary League? “Lystran”: What’s that? I thought “LWML” stood for the “Lutheran” Women’s Missionary League. Well, yeah, and we’ll get to them, but first I want to talk about this Lystran group. Not very big. Just two of them, in fact. Names were Lois and Eunice. One’s a mom, the other’s a grandma. (Let’s see, I can never remember which one is which.) But...

2 Timothy 2:22 22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.