C, Post-Pentecost 18, Proper 23 - 2 Timothy 2:8-15 "Chewing the Fat of Faith"

Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, “chewing the fat”. This is what people do when they sit round the campfire, the bar with a beer, or at the kitchen table — killing time, talking, perhaps gossiping, or just discussing the day’s events in a bid to overcome boredom. One chews the fat by having a chat with someone else. Chewing the fat is usually done with friends.

But from where did such a saying arise? Is chewing the fat a healthy thing to do, or not? Or is chewing the fat neither good nor bad — just a way of remembering and reminding, a mental regurgitation, coughing up what was once buried deep within the mind?

There are a number of legends that seek to explain how the phrase “chewing the fat” entered common speech. However, in recent times there’s an army of health experts warning people off eating fat. To eat lean, they say, is to live a serene, healthy life. One must deny oneself fat, let alone chewing the fat.

Yet this is what soldiers would do to pass the time of tension and boredom before battle broke out. They would chew on tough salted meat or fat to distract the mind and socialise with one another — in the calm before the storm, to keep calm.

Or “chewing the fat” may have been a saying that arose from people doing so in times of food scarcity or on long voyages across the ocean, chewing the fat to get every last morsel of goodness out of a limited supply of food. Even so, it was still a communal activity.

Another possibility is that the saying came from a Native American cultural practice where, during peace talks, “chewing the fat” was a ritual.

Another possible derivation is that “chewing the fat” may have come from another saying, “chewing the rag”, where musket ammunition was kept in paper or cloth soaked in animal fat, which was bitten off when loading the musket. It is thought that the bitten‑off ends of rag or paper soaked in fat would then be chewed to reduce nerves amid the battle. Here again, chewing the fat was a communal exercise amongst comrades.

Saint Paul calls himself a soldier bound in chains as he encourages Timothy also to be a good soldier. He says to Timothy, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!” (2 Timothy 2:3,8–9 ESV)

Chewing the fat, like chewing gum, requires muscle memory. Paul encourages Timothy to chew over the word of God, which is not bound as he is bound. Remember Jesus Christ, remember his resurrection, remember he is the offspring of David, remember my preaching of these things — which is my gospel, for which I am suffering. Make it yours too! Chew over the word of God, remember the word of God.

Although “chewing the fat” of God’s word is not literally tearing pages from the Bible and eating them, the symbolic saying does bring to light an issue from Old Testament law. The fat was the most valuable part of a sacrificial animal; eating it, let alone constantly chewing it, was forbidden. The fat and the blood belonged to God:

“And the priest shall burn them (that is, the fat on the entrails, together with the kidneys, the liver, and the fat covering them) on the altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the Lord’s. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.” (Leviticus 3:16–17 ESV)

There would be no literal eating or “chewing of the fat” in Jewish practice. Yet today we eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. We remember what Christ did to be our Saviour at the cross as we eat his physical and spiritual body and drink his physical and spiritual blood, hidden in the elements of bread and wine. In this we gather as congregation to remember Jesus Christ, to chew the fat, one could say!

Paul, imprisoned, encourages Timothy to share in these things with him despite being separated by prison bars and fifteen hundred kilometres as the crow flies — and further if on foot. Likewise, we gather not just here, nor just at this time, nor just as a parish, nor as a Lutheran denomination, but with angels, archangels, and the whole company of heaven as we are faithfully gathered by the Holy Spirit to “chew the fat” of God’s word, and his Word made flesh in the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

This is a mystery that takes Holy Spirit‑given faith to grasp, and it also takes Holy Spirit‑given faith to pass on to others so they too can “chew the fat” of this faith mystery and receive salvation.

Paul also reminds Timothy of this, since he is a minister of these mysteries at Ephesus. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul lists what is required of Timothy and others who serve, saying: “if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15 ESV)

Then Paul calls Timothy to chew over the following trustworthy saying: “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” (1 Timothy 3: 16 ESV)

Now in his second letter he gives Timothy another piece of truth to chew over as he says: The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:11–13 ESV)

On hearing this saying at first you might hear the law of God, as Paul says, “if we deny Jesus, Jesus also will deny us.” This certainly is a dire place to be! I imagine none of us want to be denied by Jesus Christ. Chewing the reality of being Christless is more hopeless than an Anzac assault from the trenches of Gallipoli.

However, I want us to hear the inclusive language of Paul to Timothy: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:11–13 ESV)

One might think the last statement, “he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself”, is not inclusive. However, Paul wants Timothy to chew over the richness that has been given to all: to him, Timothy, the congregation at Ephesus, and to us as well. Even though Jesus can deny us when we deny him, and leave us to our own devices, to discipline us, he will always be faithful to us, because the Holy Spirit has been planted in us in baptism. The Holy Spirit reminds us to remember and endure — or remain — in Jesus Christ, and to chew over the truth that allows us to reign with Jesus. Although it is hidden and only seen by faith this side of our physical death and resurrection.

Where Paul calls Timothy to remember Jesus, his works of denying and being faithful, now he encourages Timothy to continue being faithful to his call as pastor at Ephesus, saying: “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:14–15 ESV)

Paul calls Timothy to rightly handle the word of truth, by remembering and reminding. Like a cow chewing its cud, Paul remembers and reminds as he “chews the fat of the faith”. He calls Timothy to do so too. And Paul does this so the church can continue to be gathered and pass on the faith, chewing the fat of God’s richness in Jesus Christ, given and shed for the salvation of souls, so people might participate in the reception of God’s peace. To “chew the fat”, to receive the peace of God.

As we hear Paul speak to Pastor Timothy too, we’re called to chew the fat of faith for our eternal peace as well. We’re called to remember and remind others of God’s faithfulness to us. To gather with our friends and family, our colleagues and neighbours, to chew the fat of our faith and peace. Be it sitting round a campfire, at the bar with a beer, or at the meal table — killing time, talking, demonstrating our desire to glorify God, as we discuss the day’s events in the light of our salvation from sin as we patiently wait for Jesus’ return.

Amen. 

C, Post-Pentecost 16, Proper 21 - Luke 16:19-31 & 1 Timothy 6:12 "Remember and Repent"

We have all done things in our lives that, the moment we’ve done them, we regret. In a second everything changes. Over and over in our minds we remember with such clarity, bit by bit, blow by blow, what occurred—but now it’s too late. It matters not how much we replay in our head how the events unfolded; we can’t take them back, nor the consequences, which after the fact cause so much torment in our remembrance. If only I hadn’t done this, then that wouldn’t have happened! The remembrance of deeds done wrong, whether deliberately or accidentally, makes the pain all the more hellish.

Jesus tells a parable about a nameless rich man and a remembered poor man, Lazarus—named and remembered by God, the angels, and Abraham. This parable reveals heaven and hades, before and after death; before and after the moment death stops us doing anything. In that second, we give up the fight and everything we once had control over.

Today we hear Saint Paul’s words to young pastor Timothy at the church in Ephesus. This is a church that is being tempted to return to Judaism and the synagogue, to the rigours of the law and circumcision, to put off the Holy Spirit and forget the work and reproach of Jesus Christ—to return and remember human works once again. But it’s also a church aroused by pagan Ephesian society, tempted to rethink the faith in Jesus Christ, to believe it is missing out on something, so it flees to the ways of the Greek goddess Artemis (or the Roman goddess Diana) and the temple priests who encourage female worship and idolatry.

To Timothy, Paul says: “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12 ESV)

One can fight for the faith, or fight against the faith. Similarly, one can flee to the faith, or flee from the faith. This is the plight of all human beings, as God watches to see if we remember and allow ourselves to be daily returned to the way of Jesus Christ and the cross—before that moment or second in time when our body can no longer take a breath and we take our last.

Picture your life as it is today. Now imagine your country, your town, your home being invaded by an aggressor. Everything you have, in the blink of an eye, becomes someone else’s property.

You no longer have control over yourself. You are taken by force and, having lost your identity, you are given a new one. It’s impersonal: a number is tattooed on you for identification. Your identity has no name, no gender—just a number in a vast expanse of other numbers. You’re used for whatever purpose your controller sees fit.

Your life today is gone in the blink of an eye; in an instant it is different. Freedom is gone. No longer rich or poor, you are someone else’s possession.

This very thing has happened throughout history as nations invade nations. It doesn’t even need to be annexation by another country. It has happened within countries where culture convulses and a revolution in ideals changes everything in a second. Last century the Bolsheviks overran Russia, and Fascists overran Germany. People lost everything—their property, their identity, and their freedom. Jews in Germany and Christians in Russia were considered second-class citizens, or worse, lower human lifeforms. Picture this against yourself, your time, and your possessions today. Would you survive?

The rich have a lot to lose. If the thought of loss like this frightens you, then perhaps you might consider yourself to be like the rich man in Jesus’ parable. He was tormented, having lost his riches in hades or hell. He was caused to remember what he had, what he lost, and this caused him to be tortured with torment. In that moment he went from wealth to wanting, from succulence to suffering, from delight to desperate desire—making it all the things hell and hades are: remembering in eternal separation. The eternal, “if only I had done that, then this would not be the reality!”

This is the picture of the rich man in the parable who eternally remembers and cannot repent, nor cross the chasm to comfort.

Opposite the rich man in the parable is Lazarus. Lazarus is known by the rich man, because he names him as he cries out from hell. But the rich man didn’t sustain Lazarus in his sumptuous and succulent lifestyle, even though he knew Lazarus was just outside his gate. Lazarus now stands with Abraham.

Abraham is the rich man of the Old Testament. Yet his wealth was more than his many possessions and people.  Rather, Abraham’s true wealth was his faithfulness towards God.  So, Lazarus stands in richness with Abraham who once was rich towards God but is now in God’s eternal richness. Abraham sought the kingdom of God and received it and more while he was alive.

Abraham calls the rich man to remember everything changes once death is in place. What carried the rich man while alive does not carry him anymore. His aggressive nature bound in human sin and self-centredness was not put aside to trust, give thanks, and supply those in need. Now he has an eternity, to remember the earthly opportunity he had to repent, to remember with regret that he chose not to repent, and to eternally remember his separation from God and God’s word of salvation and peace.

So how do I not become like the rich man with all the gifts God has given me? How do I become like Abraham, who trusted more the richness of God than the possessions he had? How can I be eternally comforted like Lazarus?

Notice the reality of Lazarus! Lazarus lay at the rich man’s gate. He could do nothing for himself. He desired what fell from the rich man’s table but lay outside without access. He was covered in sores, and they were licked by dogs.  He was doubly unclean. This poor Jew had no way of working his way into the richness of the rich man.

But not only notice Lazarus—notice you have need like Lazarus too. Despite the many riches you have, using them for security in this life or the next makes you doubly unclean. Like the rich man in the parable, trusting your earthly riches and not remembering from whom they came makes you poor.

Remembering and repenting now is better than remembering with regret in hades that “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:3,6 ESV)

Today we all have many possessions, choices of identity, and ways to spend our time. All of them tempt us to build our own kingdoms, full of unclean idols leading to eternal death. How does one prepare themselves so there is no regret once death comes and our earthly choices are translated into an eternal and holy reality?

We return to what Paul instructed the Ephesians to do before Timothy was sent to be their pastor. He says: “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:11–13 ESV)

Like Lazarus, who lay at the gate unable to do anything, Paul calls the church to stand in the active victory of Christ, in God’s armour. He continues: “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:14–18 ESV)

God gives you the privilege to remember, reflect in his richness, repent, and stand in his armour before death comes and all is eternally set. Instead of failing in your poverty for eternal sustenance, allow the Holy Spirit to dress you with armour, allowing Christ’s victory to do its work. We stand in the good fight already fought and won at the cross.

With the active sword of the Spirit—the word of God—let the Holy Spirit help you see, like Lazarus, your helplessness, so you remember Jesus Christ now; so now you remember his victory for you; so in these days before death you allow the Holy Spirit to put you in good standing with God for peace through repentance.

There are no eternal regrets remembering and repenting this side of death. Amen.

Lord God, Heavenly Father, together with your Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, you are the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. Therefore, to you, Lord God, let us give honour and eternal dominion. Amen. 

B, The Baptism of our Lord, Epiphany 1 - Acts 19:1-7 "Epiphany in Ephesus"

There were many things going on in the years leading up to Jesus’ incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension.

For two to three hundred years within “Jerusalem Judaism”, murder, scandals, power battles, and political jockeying for favourable positions were occurring at a time when big social changes outside the temple were causing much chaos and confusion in a Greco-Roman world.

Jews whom God had allowed to be exiled to the east, were now not returning to Jerusalem.  Instead, they were spreading as diaspora throughout this new world and were seeking to come to terms with paganism and the philosophical thoughts that abounded in the Hellenisation of the Greco-Roman world.  

Years before, the Greek ruler, Alexander the Great, had annexed the known world under his control.  His kingdom spanned from India in the East to Europe in the west.  He became the father of Hellenisation, which sought to integrate Persian and Greek culture, religion, philosophical thinking, language, and identity.  This was the era in which the philosophical thoughts of Socrates, Plato, and the like, spread throughout the Greco-Roman world.

There were both positives and negatives for Jews in this world.  They were allowed to practice the Jewish faith, and at this time the Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek by seventy-two translators at Alexandria in North Africa.  The translation is called Septuagint, commonly referred to as the LXX, or seventy, for its numbers of translators.  This was a notable positive for the mission of God the Father of the Jews amongst the Gentiles.  But the danger for Jewish faith was monotheism was now challenged by a pantheon of polytheistic male and female gods and ideologies.

Into this Jesus was born.  John the Baptist baptised Jews in the Jordan, preparing and refocusing the people of God, for the fullness of time came for God to fulfill his promise to Israel, made through the prophets of old.  Three full years saw the completion of God’s covenant with humanity, and then the work of the Holy Spirit continued in a new way, revealing Jesus Christ as “the way of God” for both Jews and Gentiles in Greco-Roman society.

The way of God born of one man and his remaining eleven disciples, at face value, was not going to survive, for all that long, amongst a hostile Jewish culture, from which it came.  Nor did anyone expect the “way of God” to survive the deluge of polytheistic gods and ideologies competing for people’s attention in this diverse new world.

But it did!  Why?  It was the power of God the Holy Spirit!  The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, the Son of God, who put his divinity aside, and suffered on earth as did any other person.  But he finished it without sinning!  Jesus allowed the Holy Spirit to lead him in life and death, fulfilling God the Father’s will in the fullness of time!  The Holy Spirit then raised Jesus from the dead to the right hand of the Father at his ascension after the resurrection.  Now the Holy Spirit would continue revealing the ascended Christ to both Jews and Gentiles!

The spread of the Gospel through the way of God was helped by what God allowed to occur in the dispersion of Jews in the four hundred years since the exile to Babylon before Jesus’ coming.  Jews are notable traders, and they were found along the trade routes of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the Roman Empire, that had grown and won out over all former empires.

Ephesus, once a seaport, was one of these trading places enroute to somewhere else!  But not only were goods traded, many ideas and philosophies were exchanged and intertwined along these routes that passed from the Far East to Rome and onto Western Europe.

Artemis was a female goddess in Asia Minor.  The world worshipped her.  (Acts 19:27) Ephesus housed her temple and the town relied on Artemis for its honour, as well as trade. 

To the Greeks she was known as Artemis, to the Romans, this same goddess is known as Diana.  We might consider her as a Mother Nature cult, since she was the patron goddess of nature, hunters, wildlife, and childbirth, to name a few.

The way of God, the Gospel, first came to the Jews at Ephesus, as Paul briefly passed through its port and synagogue on his way to Caesarea.  This was his second missionary journey.  (Acts 18: 18-21) 

Next came a man named Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria in North Africa.  Being from this town named after Alexander the Great, and encouraged as a centre of academia, diversity of thought, and culture, Apollos was well equipped in the art of rhetoric and debate, and was competent in the Old Testament Scriptures, most likely the Greek Septuagint.

After Paul’s first visit, Apollos made a stand for Jesus Christ in the synagogue in Ephesus.  However, Priscilla and Aquila, known tentmakers and acquaintances of Paul, having heard him, took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately.  From there Apollos moves onto what we would know as Greece today.  (Acts 18:24-28)

After these two encounters some of the Jews begin to believe in the way of God.  They know of Jesus Christ but not of the power of God through the Holy Spirit.  We hear what happens from Acts chapter nineteen…

Paul said to the disciples in Ephesus, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”  And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.  There were about twelve men in all.”  (Acts 19:2–7 ESV)

Apollos, like John the Baptist brought a baptism of repentance, preparing for the coming of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.  Now Paul, in the fullness of time, brings Jesus Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit.  Water and the Law came through Apollos, then through Paul the Holy Spirit brought the fullness of the Gospel.  Just as Jesus has called twelve into service during his ministry on earth, God did the same through Paul’s laying on of hands at Ephesus.

Paul remained in Ephesus for about three years on his third missionary journey.  (Acts 20:31) For the first three months he boldly persuaded them about the kingdom of God in the synagogue (Acts 19:8), but then moved to the hall of Tyrannus, where for the next two years, he continued to preach and teach, not only the Jews, but the Gentiles as well. 

The Holy Spirit gave Paul extraordinary healing powers while in Ephesus.  The sons of Sceva, sons of a Jewish High Priest, sought to copy Paul with their own exorcisms, but were overcome by the evil spirits they were trying to exorcize, because they sort to do it by their own power, without the power of the Holy Spirit.  Here stands a warning to anyone who seeks to work apart from the Holy Spirit, through their own human spirit.

So extraordinary was the event, the Sons of Sceva, were wounded and fled the house naked, bringing a sense of awe upon all at Ephesus.  So much so, a greater depth of reverence for Jesus Christ was fostered.  Even believers came confessing and divulging their practices.  Imagine that!  Such was the faith generated by the Holy Spirit in this event, they made public what they were doing, rather than chance being cut off from the power of God, by continuing in their hidden deeds.

Nearing the end of three years, as the Holy Spirit grew the way of God through Paul and the gathering in Ephesus, some became concerned their livelihoods were being diminished as more and more worshippers of Artemis became believers in the way of God through Jesus Christ.  There was much chaos and controversy in Ephesus, so much so, Paul’s fellow believers would not let Paul speak to the mob for fear of what might happen to him.

So, Paul left after being in Ephesus for just under three years, to continue his third missionary journey in Greece. 

On his way back to Jerusalem from Greece, Paul stopped in Miletus, to the south of Ephesus in Asia Minor and called the elders of Ephesus to him.  Paul teaches the elders in the wake of what had occurred earlier in Ephesus, and by what power he did it. 

He says, “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,  serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;  how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,  testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.  But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.  …for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”  (Acts 20:18–24, 27b-28 ESV)

Paul knows these overseers at Ephesus will be attacked by those seeking to subvert the way of God to the ways of men. (Acts 20:29-32) In fact, Paul was so gifted with discernment in the Holy Spirit, the ministry to Ephesus continues to them through his epistle to them (the book of Ephesians) and in his encouragement for Timothy to remain at Ephesus.  (Paul’s first and second letters to Timothy)

Paul’s letters to Ephesus and Saint Timothy, give us great insight into the congregation and the pastoral care of it in the face of pagan and Jewish persecution of the way of God.

Through Paul, the Holy Spirit leads the church in this era of transformation.  As the pendulum of change swings, Paul seeks to keep the centrality of the cross before the people of Ephesus. 

Paul places the fulfilment of God’s fatherhood in Jesus Christ before the Ephesian congregation, which is caught between, the fatherhood through circumcision in the Law and its extreme opposite uncircumcised fatherless chaos and corruption.

Through Paul and Timothy, the Holy Spirit seeks to put the brakes on the pendulum swing from Judaism to pagan chaos and disorder in the church.  He does this by encouraging faith in the complementarian order within the church, as God had originally ordained in creation and then corrected and restored in Jesus Christ at the cross.  This is done in the face of “new woman” Artemis cultic worship in Ephesus, which is not unlike the mother earth and egalitarian imbalances pushed in our society today.  Not to mention, the Artemis magic similarities with the powers and principalities of the occult.

During 2024, as the LCANZ considers the expectations put before us in the last Synod, we will do well to further investigate and listen to the work of the Holy Spirit in Ephesus in the book of Acts and through Paul’s letters to the Ephesian congregation and Timothy it’s young pastor.  We know and do this trusting the Holy Spirit will keep us in Christ Jesus so like Paul amongst the Ephesians we can be faithfully testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Further reading: Acts 18:24-20:1, 17-38, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, and letters First and Second Timothy, the pastor at Ephesus when Paul wrote to him.  

C, Post-Pentecost 14 Proper 19 - 1 Timothy 1:15-16 "Jesus' Perfect Patience"

1 Timothy 1:15–16 (ESV) The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Saint Paul’s ministry was one of patience!  Jesus had to be perfectly patient with Paul as an example to those who were to believe Jesus for eternal life.

We might think the patience needed, is what was required of Paul to perform his ministry.  He definitely was taught to be patient, but this was only secondary to Jesus’ perfect patience with him. 

After his conversion on the road to Damascus, you might expect, there was preaching to do, and people to seek, now that Saul the persecutor of Christ and his church had become Paul the proselyte of this fledgeling movement centred on Jesus’ life and death, resurrection and ascension.

However, if Saint Paul’s ministry, or any ministry is to be effective in the Lord, God’s patience needs to be demonstrated with us who share the gospel, whether we are pastors, lay leaders in congregations, youth leaders, parents and grandparents praying for their prodigals to return, or young kids telling their friends about Jesus in the playground.

When God was handing out patience, I reckon I must have been away that day!  I, like so many in our society today, desire immediate results, or I get impatient.

As I get older the need to –go, go, go– is slowing, physically!  But mentally and emotionally my patience is slowing too.  Or my impatience is growing proportionally to the years I live or the hairs that are getting greyer.  The slower I go, the slower I am at being patient.  Or the quicker I run out of puff, the quicker I expect others to pick up their act and get going.

The old Adam in us, our human spirit, turns its expectation into a god.  Unfortunately, sin has rewired our brains and hearts this way.  But the Holy Spirit leads us back to Christ’s overflowing love. 

When the god of our expectations is not met, we get frustrated and impassioned with each other.  In our minds we become impatient and secretly judge, “I expected so much more from you!  Or, I didn’t expect you to do something like that!”  Our expectations can be idols in our lives that cause us to sin against others and God.

After Saint Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, at the least, he spent fourteen years away from Jerusalem in Arabia, Syria, and Cilicia.  God was patiently preparing Paul for his ministry, and no doubt Paul too was learning patience having been shown patience.  It’s believed during these fourteen years; God was patiently preparing him as an apostle.  Saul the Pharisee who knew the Law was being patiently revealed by the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ is the only fulfiller of the Law.

Sometime later Paul confesses to young pastor Timothy, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

What a way to start off!  Confession that he is not just a sinner but the prototype of sinners!  Only through Jesus’ perfect patience does someone learn this, and, have the willingness to confess it.

Paul prefaces his confession as the prototype sinner stating, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15 ESV)

He confesses to Timothy that Jesus Christ, this Saviour of sinners, and his sinfulness, is proclaimed in faith and this deserves Timothy’s full reception.  Paul wants Timothy to perfectly understand what he is saying here! 

In naming himself a sinner, Paul does a number of things.  He’s no longer ignorant in his unbelief.  He now has faith that he’s a sinner.  His sinful being is now covered by Jesus’ death and resurrection.  His former sinful deeds are also covered by Jesus’ forgiveness.  He’s no longer a servant of his sinfulness, but rather a servant of sinners needing the same forgiveness as him.

Paul places himself under the authority of God’s word.  One might think that he was already doing this since he was a Pharisee.  However, Paul was using the Law of God to justify himself and his position.  This made him guilty of blasphemy and idolatry.   As a ruthless Pharisee he was worshipping a graven image, not made with his hands, but with his mind.  And in breathing murderous threats against the followers of Christ, he was blaspheming God the Son.  

From Pauls legal background as an Old Testament Lawyer, he knew very well that God is impartial.  And so, with sound teaching in the Law and knowledge of Jesus’ overflowing grace he knew God had to continue being patient with him because his human nature would still strive to be partial to wrongly justify or condemn those with whom God is perfectly patient. 

It was no longer about his Law or justification, but about Jesus’ fulfilment of the Law through his righteousness and our justification through his sacrificial death on the cross.  And this wasn’t done to Paul’s timeframe but in the fullness of God’s time it was finished by Jesus Christ.   This perfection continues to be finished by the power of the Holy Spirit, who seeks to bring the human spirit to the fullness of Jesus’ perfect patience.

Paul goes out of his way to embellish just who he is to Timothy, so Timothy does not place an expectation on Paul that makes Paul a god in Timothy’s eyes.  And so, Timothy does not make himself an impatient presumptuous super apostle to those to whom God calls him.

Patience goes hand in hand with forgiveness!  So too, impatience and frustration go hand in hand with unforgiveness.  Patience grows out of our judgement!  Judge one way and we forgive, judge the other way we don’t forgive.   However, Jesus’ perfect patience with Paul is an enduring lesson in love.

In his letter to the Romans Paul speaks of Jesus’ all-encompassing love.  But before he does, he speaks about the all-encompassing debased love of each human for themselves.  (Romans 1:21-32)

He says, “For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”  (Romans 3:22–24 ESV)

Impatience goes hand in hand with presumption.  Paul knew this too well when he acted with zealous fervour in ignorance under the Law.  He says, “Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?  Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”  (Romans 2:3–4 ESV)

Paul was acutely aware of Jesus’ perfect patience of him in his ministry.  There was no presumption he was any better than those he taught regardless of them being Jew or Greek, young or old, pastor or parishioner.  They all needed Jesus’ perfect patience, as did he!

Jesus’ perfect patience not only manifested itself in love at the cross.  But also, in his sending of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the helper of sinners who trust in Jesus Christ.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews says, “we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,  so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:11–12 ESV)

The writer goes on to cite Abraham as one who inherits through patience.  Abraham was patient but the greater weight of patience was from God who not only witnessed Abraham and Sarah’s disastrous affairs with Hagar and Ishmael, but also the nation that grew out of him all the way down to Paul.

Peter says in his second Epistle, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV)

Jesus’ perfect patience is also a perfect faithfulness too.  Not only does he send the Holy Spirit to give us faith, but he also remains faithful to us as well.  Rather than expectation, he serves with example and is patient with us.

He gives us the fullness of time as he peels back the layers of our sinfulness while bringing this sinfulness into the light of his revelation and his forgiveness of our sin. 

We’re all on different parts of God’s road to salvation.  Some are more mature in the faith.  Like Saint Paul, we are called to recognise with ever increasing clarity the weakness in which we walk.  But at the same time learn with increasing knowledge the overflowing grace that shows its perfection in Jesus’ patience. 

The fullness of time will come for us all.  Only then will we know who has believed they’re sinners and who trusted Jesus’ perfect patience.  Till then let us, in the complete knowledge and acceptance of our weakness, walk together sharing with each other the perfect patience of Jesus Christ, who walks in our midst as our forgiving Saviour God, and gathers us together in him with the Holy Spirit.

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever.  Amen.  (1 Timothy 1:17 ESV)