Rightfully Broken!

2 Timothy 1:15‭-‬18 ESV
You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.

As we spoke of forsakenness this morning in our Connections class and the similar words that Paul uses that Christ spoke from the cross.   My mind took me to the above verse.

Let's look at that.  I know that those who know me are saying "No, no, no, we don't want to go where your mind took you".  Trust me I get that.  I was scared at first too.  Then after some study my fears were realized.

Hang on, its an ugly ride!

Paul in 2Tim 1 is writing to encourage Timothy extolling him to pursue his ministry with zeal and passion even through suffering using his own (Paul's) account to demonstrate Christ's loving faithfulness in suffering by contrasting the actions of Christians who were not being Christ like and a Christian who was being Christ like.

Please read 2Tim 1:1-14 to get everything before the contrast.  I want to discuss the contrast here.

Paul is writing from prison and as you see in vs. 15 Paul paints a picture of Christians who have deserted him, and a little further into the verses we see its because he was in prison. But then he paints a picture of a real Christian and there is a big difference.   My first fear is that many of us, most even, fall into the first category Paul paints.   I think that if Paul where here today the conversation from vs. 15 to 18 might go something like this.

Timmy everyone ditched me.  They are gone, nowhere to be found.  Even Phy and Herm, I was closer to them than the others but they ran too.  Just because they saw I had gotten thrown in jail.  But then it happened!  Onesi to the rescue.  Wow God really built one there. He came to Rome, the same Rome that put me in jail for being a Christian.   He went from jail to jail looking to minister to me.  Talking to the jailers saying is Paul in there I'm a Christian like him and I've come to minister to him. Oh and have you heard the Good News Mr. Jailer.  He wasn't afraid of my chains or the possibility of his.  You've seen him in action at Ephesus.  Praise be to God for him.

Now I know the story in 2Tim 1:15-18 doesn't embellish quite like that.  But when I read it, that's how I feel.  Right or wrong that's how I feel.

As tears stream down my face I am driven to the same question you have heard from me before.

What would it be like if?:

We ran to those down and out with our hands open wide and our mouths full of the Good News.

We stood up in aid of those persecuted for Christ even if the cost is suffering.   Saying hello Mr. Chinese or Iranian jailer I'm looking for pastor _______ , I'm a Christian and I have come to minister to him.  Oh and by the way.  Have you heard the Good News?

We ran to the world with more than an idea that "I will just live my faith in front of them and hope that they get it".  That's a cop out!  Living it leads to speaking it.  They have to hear it. (Romans 10:14)

I say all this out of my own conviction.   I am chief of sinners on this one.  Lord forgive me for my unChristianness.  I believe wholeheartedly that there is a reason that you can't find that word (unChristianness) in the dictionary.  Sadly it isn't because it's unreal or unnecessary.   It's because we don't want to admit that it is needed.  I am living proof of its need.

I know not everyone is called to missions or martyrdom.   But are we doing all that we are called to do?  I can't say that I am.

Rightfully broken.
Colby