“TRUE AND BLESSED ASSURANCE”

LAMENTATIONS 1:1-6
II TIMOTHY 1:1-14

A man once visited a renowned jewelry store in Paris, France. He was shown a magnificent diamond
with its gleaming yellow light, and then he was then shown many other beautiful gems.

But he noticed one that was completely without any glow and sparkle and why is it placed together with
other sparkling gems and said that it had absolutely no beauty at all. The friend who was with him took
the stone and held it in the hollow of his hand for a few minutes. When he opened it the man was
totally surprised.

There was not one place on it the size of a pinhead that did not glitter with the splendor of the rainbow.
"What did you do with it" he asked? The friend said, "This is an opal. It is what we call the sympathetic
jewel. It only needs contact with the human hand to bring out its wondrous beauty.

Spiritually speaking, I believe we have many in our congregation who are like this stone. Inside there is
something that is even far more valuable than an opal, but you need the touch of the Savior's hand to
bring out what is hidden inside. Those hidden gems inside are the gifts that each of us, as Christians,
have been given. Let me ask you. Are you ready to shine? Why won’t you shine?

Let us pray…

These days, we are taken over by the fast turn of events that made us slide back and somehow caused
us to slow down and sometimes having second thoughts of standing upfront. Fear has overtaken our
faith. Depression has emerged rather than determination. Worry takes center stage rather than comfort
and assurance.

Our Old Testament readings is one of the poems in Lamentations about the grief and misery Jerusalem
experienced in the hands of Babylon. From the good old days to a grief-stricken city. The once full of life
city is turned into an uninhabited and abandoned place. From freedom to captivity. The once full of
riches and rest became a place of restlessness and was deprived of wealth and resources. Affliction
abounds.

And in our New Testament text in II Timothy 6, the apostle Paul, at the time of writing to Timothy is on
the verge of death and is now giving Timothy another shot of faith rather than fear, a reminder of the
faith that has been passed onto him and is now taking its fruits from his roots.

And here we are now, entering another phase and taste of the new normal. The virus is still here. And
another virus is creeping in. Natural calamities are fast coming in. Even the church is not spared from
these. With all these going on, tell me who will not worry, tell me who will not be discouraged, tell me
who will not fear.

But Jeremiah, the Prophet who witnessed all those things that happened to Jerusalem has this to say
and even to us now, “Yes, the thought of pain, the homelessness is bitter poison. I think of it constantly
and my spirit is depressed.” Here’s the big word: “Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing...”

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Hey brother, hey sister- just only one thing: “The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue. Fresh as
the morning, as sure as the sunrise. Great is God’s faithfulness.”

Yes, it is a stated fact that Fear, whether real or imagined, can discourage us, overwhelm us, strangle us.
And fear is widespread in our society, from the personal - fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of
not being loved -- to the social - fear that war and disasters will go on forever, fear that society will
collapse, fear that the pandemic will continue to be here with us, and so on and on.

And in the church too, there is fear. The personal fears. The fear of serving. And the spiritual fears.

There a lot of people who feel - that they are not able to do anything important - that they cannot and
do not make a difference to anyone, - that they are unable to do even a part of what it is that God asks
them to do, - and that the great work that obviously needs to be done will never be done, and that they
will let God down, and that God will let them down.

Many Christians are in a mess, they have forgotten what their faith is about and have forgotten what it
is that God can accomplish. Do these feelings describe your life today - fear, despair, a sense of futility, a
sense of hopelessness?

Do you feel unexcited by your worship of the Lord? Unsure of just what the good news of the gospel is?
Burdened by life and by what is it that God asks of you? And yet wanting to believe - wanting to do
what is right - wanting to have the life that God has promised us even in the here and now?

Timothy is somewhat feeling the same way in this situation. Paul knew it. And that is why Paul needed
to remind Timothy about his faith and not about his fear. The good news of the gospel rather than the
current events that is trying to shape him.

One writer-theologian intertwined what Timothy is feeling and experiencing to that of the disciples
when they cried out to Jesus – “Lord, increase our faith… Lord, help us believe enough so that we can do
what it is that You have commanded us to do - help us to trust You enough so that we can live as You
say we should be living. Lord, take away our fear.” The disciples experienced these feelings. And so did
Timothy.

How about you? How about us? Pareho lang di ba especially these days.

But Paul has this to say to Timothy and is seen as trying to boost his courage in the face of difficulties…
and now also to us. Paul may have heard of the news that Timothy had some of the excuses we use for
not getting involved in God's work. Yes, he had some shortcomings or things that could possibly hinder
him... and there was opposition within the church as well as outside the church.

But Paul is saying to look at it from a different perspective...God's!

And I believe he is saying that to us as well. That God has called us to be part of His body – the church,
and He has given us all the resources of heaven to carry out that task. God has given us something to
do... a place to be... and gifts to give. But there's more. Because if we have a spirit only of power, it is
not enough.

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I have known people who've had great spiritual power... they had tremendous gifts... but they became
"Christian bulldozers" who would roll over other people so easily, no longer conscious of others needs or
hurts. Yes, God has given us a spirit of power... but also a spirit of love. This is loving in the practical ways
that God provides for us. And when this spirit of love is let loose in the world it will cast out all fear.

The spirit of love will allow you to do things that once you could never do. If you can truly begin to love
the unsaved, as Christ does, you will find ways to reach them that once would have scared you to
death.... Love will cast out fear, and free us up to serve.

We are also called out from fear to faithfulness. The description of the spirit that comes last in Paul's list
is translated several different ways. One writer says "a spirit of a sound mind" another "self-control" and
my teacher says, "self-discipline." All of these are one and the same. And we need each part in our lives.
Self-control literally means to stand firm in a time of panic or passion. And how many times have you
needed to stand firm when faced with either of these situations?

The spirit of discipline... keeping on with things that we know are right to do... even when the results are
not coming in. Continuing to be on our knees in prayer when we're tired of being on our knees in prayer.
If we just maintain the discipline, the results will come.

Yes, God has given us all the time and even resources to do what God wants us to do. And when we face
the truth that we cannot go any further because of our limited time and resources, need we worry, need
we panic? God will do the rest - that is His promise - God will work in us and through us and bring His
word to completion for us. He will pluck up the mountains and fill in the valleys. He will bring about
giving us provisions to carry out things for Him.

What I am saying today is not - "have more faith" - but rather - "work with the faith that you already
have".

The Chinese proverb tells us that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. I challenge you
to take the step; follow the commands of God - hear His advice found throughout the scriptures and
believe - that what God has promised, He will do it.

When you exercise the faith, when you pray and participate in God’s ministry, when you believe and
when you do, then, in the language of the story that I began with, you will really shine for God. Thus, the
reminder of God’s great love for us through the Holy Communion will then shine through us in our day
to day living. Have faith, do not fear for God in Jesus Christ is our true and blessed assurance. Amen.

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