The Weekly Diner

Dear Weekly Readers! This week our article is written by Pastor Orval Wirkkala. Please enjoy!

Training, Teaching and Transition

2 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We recall in our school days of relay races and of the baton that was carried by the runners which was handed off by the one who was finishing to the one who would be continuing the next portion of the race. In order to make the transition, it was important that they synchronize their efforts so that the baton would not be dropped in the exchange ensuring that the race would continue on smoothly.

In our text today, we could compare this example with the "passing of the Gospel" between the Apostle Paul, who was imprisoned as he wrote this, and his young co-worker, Timothy. As Paul saw the end of his ministry in the not too distant future, he wrote a letter to his beloved son in the Lord in order to leave him with some important teachings concerning the Gospel. For he knew of the importance of making sure that the teamwork of preaching the gospel was kept intact so that the power of the Gospel would not be diminished in the transition from himself to his young co-worker.

After recounting that the authority for his call into the ministry was by the will of God according ot the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, he extended the grace, mercy and peace to him from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. He was thankful for Timothy, he remembered and prayed for Timothy, and wanted greatly to see him again, for it would bring him joy. Then Paul listed four influences that were instrumental in the life of Timothy which had brought him to the place where he was, a servant of the Lord.

1. He was nurtured in a Christian home. (5)
2. He had been befriended by the Apostle (2-6)
3. He had gifted by God with according to the measure of grace. (6)
4. He acted upon that which God had gifted him with discipline (6-7)

The Apostle sets before us the desired method of the Lord in that we would raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord so that from generation to generation the Gospel would be "handed off" to the next servants and would not be dropped. May the example of the Apostle Paul instruct us today as we consider this teaching from our place of participation in the work of the preaching and teaching of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Are we in the beginning of the race, in the middle, or are we nearing the end? May we be mindful of the privilege that is ours to be in the race as well as of the responsibility of our commitment to the continuance of the race into the future.

Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

Running with you in the Gospel,

Pastor Orval Wirkkala