The Civil Servant
(2 Timothy 1: 1-14)
We’ve all had that experience one time or another in our lifetimes when we’ve gone to the courthouse, the post office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, or any other government office and were unlucky enough to be served by someone who was either having a bad day or were terminally miserable. You don’t want to say or do anything to upset them further out of fear that they had the power to turn something simple and painless into something Machiavellian. It can be very frustrating especially when you think to yourself that some of your tax dollars are paying for this mistreatment. They seem to have forgotten that they are civil servants whose job it is to serve the citizens and hopefully do it civilly. Trust me, that concept of “civil” service wasn’t lost on me during those times I was employed as a civil servant whether it was as a police officer or a prosecutor. As difficult and frustrating the job could be, especially when dealing with an unpleasant person, it always paid off in the long run to be civil and helpful when appropriate.
And just so we don’t get a case of the big head we need to remind ourselves of what Jesus said in Mark 10: 43-45 where he said in response to the request made by James and John to sit on his right and left when he entered his glory. Jesus said: Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, for the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people. And that’s what the Apostle Paul is trying to get across to Timothy in our scripture reading for this morning. As Followers of the Way of Jesus Christ we are called to serve which, in and of itself, shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but you’d be surprised how serving others as Christ would serve them rubs some people the wrong way.
If you remember my sermon from last Sunday, you’ll recall that Paul was writing to Timothy giving him instructions on what to do and who to avoid once he got to the church in Ephesus to address the issues that were dividing the church. He’s writing this second letter to encourage Timothy who is now the pastor of the Ephesian church as it appears he is having a rough time of it. The dissension, acrimony, and division within the church is well-rooted and a bigger challenge than perhaps Timothy expected.
As an aside, things aren’t going too well for Paul either. After a brief period of freedom from his house arrest in Rome he is arrested again, but this time he is being held in a Roman jail. Paul and others were speaking the truth of the gospel to power and power didn’t like it. Emperor Nero had begun a major persecution in A.D. 64 as part of his plan to pass the blame for the great fire of Rome from himself to the Christians. What better scapegoats than a bunch of peace-loving Christians who would not fight back? This persecution spread across the empire and included social ostracism, public torture, and murder. Paul sees trouble looming on the horizon. The days are coming when heresy will be rampant and vain and counterfeit faith will be a formidable temptation. Paul was imprisoned to silence him. He knew his days were numbered and this letter to Timothy is thought to be his final correspondence.
Paul begins this letter using kind and compassionate language as Timothy was very special to him having accompanied Paul on two of his missionary journeys. Like many pastors, Paul sees Timothy as someone who can continue his work and ensure his legacy, to carry on in the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. He says he is grateful to God and that he constantly remembers Timothy in his prayers. Paul tells Timothy that he remembers his tears and that he longs to see him again so that he will be filled with happiness. To lift Timothy up Paul mentions Timothy’s authentic faith which he got from his grandmother and mother and that he is sure that their great faith is within him too. And then he says: Because of this, I’m reminding you to revive God’s gift that is in you through the laying on of my hands. God didn’t give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled. Paul knows that Timothy has had a difficult time of it and maybe thinking about giving up, finding another way to make a living that is less stressful. He tells Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony about the Lord or of him, his prisoner. Instead, he says, share the suffering for the good news, depending on God’s power. God is the one who saved and called us with a holy calling. This wasn’t based on what we have done, but it was based on his own purpose and grace that he gave us in Christ Jesus before time began. In this time of mounting persecution, Timothy may have been personally afraid to continue preaching the gospel. His fears were based on fact, because believers were being arrested and executed. Paul was confident that, though he was in prison and facing death, God would carry out the gospel ministry through others such as Timothy and those who would follow until Christ’s return.
Paul reminds Timothy that he was appointed a messenger, apostle, and teacher of this good news and that is also why he is suffering the way he does, but he is not ashamed. He is confident that the one in whom he has placed his trust is powerful enough to protect what has been placed in his trust until that day. He encourages Timothy to: Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you heard from me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Protect this good thing that has been placed in your trust through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Paul sensed that Timothy was in a time of transition. He had been Paul’s bright young helper and soon he would be on his own as the leader of a church in a difficult environment.
While insightful, I don’t think the Apostle had any idea of what the church would be dealing with two thousand years later, especially in a country that didn’t exist at the time. There are some parallel similarities with Paul speaking truth to the power of Rome and what we currently see in the rise of White Christian Nationalism. Both are diametrically opposed to the peaceful message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The message of the “woke” Jesus does not fit in with their narrative as they strive to forge a relationship with a government bent upon power, control, and retribution. Their message is far from civil. While the civil servant that Paul speaks of looks for ways to love God and neighbor, ways to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, heal the sick, welcome the stranger, and visit the prisoner, the uncivil servant does the opposite. The uncivil servant professes to love God but looks for ways to distinguish who is neighbor is and is not. The uncivil servant looks down his or her nose at the hungry holding them in contempt for not holding down a job to buy their own food. They hold in contempt the homeless who only desire decent clothing to wear and a safe place to live without fear. They feel as if providing basic healthcare for the poor somehow deprives them of affordable healthcare. They show little mercy for those who have run afoul of the law and believe their money is better spent on incarceration than restorative justice. And they view the stranger with suspicion as if they aren’t to be trusted and only want what they have. They are different and will never be accepted within their circle of society or their churches.
The civil servant does not feel threatened by a well-fed child. The civil servant does not want to see anyone suffer and desires a world free from disease and famine. The civil servant believes in justice and mercy for all. The civil servant does not fear the stranger but sees him or her as someone who can bring something new and wonderful to the table we share. And the civil servant openly and eagerly welcomes the diversity of others as it can only enrich the kingdom God intended for all of his children.
Paul was seeing a brand of Christianity arising from within the church that was working toward downplaying and dismissing the suffering of Christ and His message of inclusion, mercy, righteousness, love, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness. Our love for the other person, those who are marginalized, those who are thought to have no value, purpose, or use is seen as weakness. Empathy has become a dirty word. The civil servant of Christ is seen as woke, foolish, and naive. Rather than shrinking from adversity, the pushback of those who think they are in control, Paul is calling Timothy and us to model for all to see a confident and resilient faith, a faith that is unshakeable. Paul is encouraging Timothy and all the civil servants of Jesus Christ to stand up for the right form, the true form, of the gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ is worth suffering for.
Let us pray.
Standing on the promises of Christ my King, through eternal ages let his praises ring, glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God. Yes, gracious and all-loving God, how we praise you for your promises made to us an undeserving people mired in sin. But by and through your grace and the loving sacrifice of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, we have been saved. We just pray that your saving grace has made us a people who live our lives in the image of Jesus and that by your Spirit we will lead our lives as civil servants in your service upheld in the knowledge that you and you alone are in control. This we pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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The Civil Servant
The message of the “woke” Jesus does not fit in with their narrative as they strive to forge a relationship with a government bent upon power, control, and retribution.