A Chapel Homily at the Austin Graduate School of Theology
April 25, 2011
I was prepared today to definitively make the case once and for all that Paul, without a doubt, was a librarian. Only a librarian, nearing the end of his life, would ask for his books to be brought to him. Furthermore, only a librarian would know that books are best preserved at a cooler temperature; thus, he also asks for his coat. I was prepared to make this case today, but, perhaps, there are more important matters to which we must attend.
Growing up I always thought it was unfair that I had to wake up early, go to school to think and learn and work hard, and then come home and most of the time do much of the same in order to complete hours of homework. And our school system even assigned readings and papers over the summer to be due on the first day of school! At the time it seemed I never got a break! And the unfair part was that I thought my parents had it easy. All they had to do, after all, was go to work and come home. They didn’t have to bring work home with them. As far as I was concerned, their day ended at 5:00 and relaxation began at 5:01. They could go to work, come home, and be finished with it for the rest of the night. That’s what I thought—and then a couple of years ago I got married and began working full time while attending school, and I had what I like to call a “great awakening.” This is something many of you are realizing at this point in the semester. At the end of the day, there is still work to be done.
I do not think my “great awakening” was an idea that was foreign to Paul. Throughout this letter, it appears that Paul is preparing to pass the torch to Timothy. Just prior to this passage, he writes, “I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Paul certainly believes himself to be nearing the end of his life. In these few verses, Paul writes to Timothy on a few personal matters and recalls how he has been left alone and, at times, totally betrayed. Some near to him have moved on, some have turned to the ways of the world. Others have sought to cause him great harm. At one point he says that all deserted him. And we know of the many sufferings Paul has already faced in his life from other letters; arrest, imprisonment, beatings. Still, in the midst of suffering, betrayal, and even death, Paul asks for his coat and books. I may be speculating, but I believe Paul knew that there was still work to be accomplished.
However, Paul is not the first to realize this. We can read of followers prior to Paul who knew this to be true and whose end of life appears similar to Paul’s situation. In Acts 6 and 7, Stephen is approached because of his preaching about Christ. In the face of certain death, he stands and proclaims the story, and with his last breath he says, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Knowing the end has come, his work continues to his final breath. And we know that Paul was present, witnessing and even taking part in this event.
We look back a little further and see Jesus himself, having just been betrayed by those closest to him, now facing death on the cross. As he hangs looking out at the crowd, with the betrayers, mockers, and executioners present, he says, “Father, forgive them.” Even to the very end, he knew there was work to be accomplished.
We return to Paul’s words in 2 Timothy as he says of those who have deserted him in, perhaps, his most desperate time, “May it not be charged against them.” Then he continues in proclaiming the good news that God is faithful in his promise. He reminds Timothy of how God has been with him and how he has given him strength to continue proclaiming the message even through the betrayal, through the suffering, in order that the mission may be fulfilled. Just as he has been rescued before because of God’s faithfulness, he can say without a doubt that God will remain faithful. He will deliver him from evil and into his presence.
This is not a pretty or clean image, but it is certainly an honest picture of ministry and the work of a disciple. Ministry is often made out to sound romantic. After all, we get to help people and serve the poor and hold little orphans as they fall asleep. We get to stand and proclaim the good news of Christ. It really seems beautiful, mysterious, and adventurous, and perhaps it is. However, when dealing with real people facing real life head-on while facing trials of our own, perhaps even betrayal, one begins to relate to responses like Moses’ “Who am I,” Jeremiah’s “I’m too young,” and Isaiah’s “Woe is me! I am ruined!” I sometimes wonder at what point reality hit the apostles; when did the cost of the great victory that had been promised come to a complete realization? Do you suppose at times they reflected upon Jesus’ words, “Take up your cross,” and thought that it would’ve been nice to have understood the full meaning of this much sooner! And, yet, that is part of the message of the gospel. God came in Christ to face the cross, and in being called to discipleship, one is being called to “Come and die.”
Still, we know, just as Paul knew, that the cross is only part of the story. The story does not end in death but in Christ’s victory over death. And so Paul can say, and so we must also continue proclaiming, “To God be the glory.” At the end of the day, in the midst of trial, betrayal, and death itself, there is still work to be done.
Ministry is a daunting task, and, yet, day after day, God continues to choose to work through the lives of humans for the sake of humans and all of his kingdom! Let us not give up the mission and the call to ministry, though it is difficult. Let us not give up proclaiming the gospel of Christ. Let not death win the day. There is still work to be done. To God be the glory forever and ever.
Grace to you,
Matt
