Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord….8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy 1:1-2 and 8-12
On December 1st, the season of Advent began, which focuses on the coming of our King, Jesus Christ. Appropriately, Advent means “coming,” and it celebrates Jesus’ first coming (His coming in the manger; past), His second coming (His return at the end; future), and how He comes to us now in Word and Sacrament (Jesus still comes to us today through those means). The season builds up to the birth of Christ on Christmas, which is one of the things it points to.
To help get us ready for that, the Church has traditionally set aside time with extra services to help us prepare, reflect, anticipate, and look forward to that. The book that will help us do that this year is the book of 2 Timothy. The book of 2 Timothy is believed to be Paul’s final letter, and it is written to his beloved son in the faith, Timothy. In it, we’ll hear about the S/spirit that we and Timothy have been given. We’ll hear about a trustworthy saying that we can build our lives around and on, and we’ll learn about the “antidote to apostasy” in an unbelieving world and age. Paul’s words to Timothy are every bit as applicable to us today! The schedule for our midweek series is as follows:
December 4: Timothy’s Story and S/spirit (2 Timothy 1:1-14)
December 11: Paul’s Trustworthy Saying (2 Timothy 2:1-13)
December 18: Antidote to Apostasy (2 Timothy 3:1-17)
I invite you to join us on Wednesdays this Advent season (11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.) as we look forward to Jesus’ coming in the manger, in glory, and in Word and Sacraments. Let these services be a time where you can slow down in the midst of a busy time, be encouraged by God’s Word, and to use a cliché, focus on “the reason for the season,” Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Pastor Kooi
(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XXVI No. 5 – December 2024.)