133

Title: 133
Date: 05 Nov 2023
Preacher: Rev Enoch Keong

Introduction
How many of us like cars? Cars provide convenience for us commuters. Imagine walking under our 33 feels like 37-degree Celsius heat, coupled with high relative humidity that melts away all foundations. Cars are nice, but car ownership can be a problem in Singapore simply because, “Singapore is the most expensive place in the world to own a car.” 【1】

In the eyes of the government, car ownership is certainly a problem. Carbon emissions from cars affect global warming, trade agreements and so on. The 33 years old COE system is our government’s solution to this long drawn and thorny problem. But in recent weeks, the problem seems to have mutated to having more cars on the road and higher COE at the same time.

When we turn to 2 Timothy, we find this big chuck of scriptures on false teacher and their teaching. Paul had already addressed the topic on false teachers and false teaching in 1 Timothy 1, 4 and 6. But much like car ownership in Singapore, false teachers and false teaching is a long drawn and thorny problem in the church of Ephesus. So, in this letter, likely the last one Paul wrote before his death, he gives his one final shot in guiding Timothy and the church on handling the problem.

The title of today’s sharing is 133. Not a bus number nor that I am sharing with us the CVV at the back of my credit card. 133 because for this 1 long drawn and thorny problem, Paul supplied 3 images for readers to think about, and attached with each image a solution or a set of solutions on how to go around the problem. So 133. The images are unashamed worker, clean vessel, and gentle servant. We will go through them one at a time.

I. Unashamed Workman
The first image or metaphor is given in verse 15, ”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.” says Paul. The background to urging Timothy to make himself an approved worker is given in verse 14. People in the church were quarrelling about words, a lot of debates on the Christian belief was going on. The understanding of Christianity was getting fuzzier as the debates multiplied, so much so that it was like a thick forest where people were lost within it.

An approved worker, rightly handling the word of truth, was much needed in such a situation. Rightly handling translate a word with literally mean “to cut straight”. To cut a straight road through a thick and dense forest, so that people can walk through safely on a straight path and reach the intended destination. In actual terms this means that part of the job of a teacher, including bible study leaders and parents leading family quiet time, is to clear whatever blockages there may be, so that God’s word can reach and connect with the hearts and minds of the learners.

What might happen when there are no approved workers to cut out the straight paths? People might take in errant beliefs and and go about in life based on those beliefs, which was the case in the Ephesian church. A group in the church believed that general resurrection, that is the resurrection of all believers, had taken place. How did it come to this? Well, it is challenging for us and likewise for the people back then to believe that a dead person can come back alive. So, quite likely, Hymenaeus and Philetus suggested that there was no such thing as bodily resurrection. It was not possible for they themselves, and even for Jesus. Yes, there is resurrection, but it refers to a spiritual experience, where for believers, the future is now, as in there is no longer any condemnation. The future has come, God has issued to believers eternal forgiveness. So, they are free, totally free, they can do whatever they want.

Wrong beliefs spread like gangrene, says Paul. Gangrene, a disease that keeps progressing and eats away healthy fresh. In the Ephesian Church, gangrene refers to believing that general resurrection had happened, and with that, the license to live however one wishes.

For us, I don’t suppose things can ever be that extreme. Yet, beliefs inform lifestyle. If we believe that God is all forgiving, we will be lax with things. If we think that God is a disciplinarian, we will tend to be hard on ourselves and others. Beliefs informs lifestyle, having beliefs that are sound and biblical is a crucial thing.

Hence, Paul calls for approved workers who can cut a straight path to let God’s word speak to and take effect in us. What this means is that we teachers – again, teachers would include cell group leaders and parents leading family devotion; and of course, pastors, and anyone trying to share the faith – we are to be diligent in clearing blockages and let the bible speaks. To do this involves learning and to communicate as correctly as possible what the bible is saying.

There are a lot of good books, and more are produced by the day, yet there are fewer and fewer readers these days. Not a good sign, especially when the Chrisitan faith calls for clear understanding and not superstition. I like to suggest, to add to our schedule a time to learning. We can do so through books, audio books, trusted video sources, bible study discussions, whatever that suits us better. What is material is to heed Paul call, to give our best to be an approved worker.

II. Clean Vessel
The second image, clean vessel. We find it in verse 21. Washing oneself and be a clean vessel is the response Paul suggest in countering 2 groups of people. We covered the first group. They are the ones that generated empty talks and went as far as to suggest that general resurrection had happened.

The second group are the ones described mainly in chapter 3. Though being described as people who will turn up in the last days, exploitation of women was something already happening in the church of Ephesus. So, these people were there already, only that more are expected to show up in time.

But why should Timothy and the church avoid these 2 groups of people, rather than to lead them onto the right path? The reason is that these people had too much of a bad thing and could be beyond help. Quoting Thomas Oden, these people were “too fond of money, too narcissistic, swollen with pride and self-importance, that lack self-control, that gossip, that do not know how to love, that do not respect their parents, that have no vital piety or genuine religion… `And] why is it so important to keep distance? Because they are treacherous. They know how to exploit idealism. They will find an avenue to captivate naivete. If you are tempted by sensory pleasure or sexuality or your own unexamined passions, they will learn how to exploit. So stay away.”[2]

The way to avoid these people is to wash oneself clean. Clean vessel is an image Paul that uses to crystallize the exhortation given in verse 19, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

To be sure, there are treacherous people in every era, and there are dangers lurking. Yet, do not fret, says Paul. Because, for one, God knows the one who are his, he protects those who are his and he will grant the strength and wisdom needed.

Yet, at the same time, we the believers has our part to play. We are to stay away from the wicked. Something not always possible, our colleagues, project mates, churchmates, platoonmates and maybe even family members may be the exploiters. At times we really are not able to stay far away from such people

What we can do, is to stay away from wickedness, as in not to think, and not to have anything to do with things done to benefit oneself while exploiting and short-changing others. Not to forget, we are also to stay away from teachings that confuses and distort the gospel. When a believer does this, he or she “will be a clean vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”

Notice that Paul does not give pride of place to the gold and silver articles. To Paul, vessels qualified for honorable use include clay pots for storing water and wooden barrels used as rubbish cans. To bring this to today’s context, we can think of a mop or a door stopper. This goes to say, it is not how we see ourselves or how others see us that matters, it is not our income bracket, eloquence, looks, stature or popularity that counts. And should we find ourselves not much of a vessel of gold or silver, the thing not to do is to try gold or silverplating, we get what I mean, what truly counts is the purpose we seek to fulfil. Some of us might be prone to ‘think small’ of ourselves when it comes to God’s service, when invited to serve in certain area, we say, “I cannot one lah” Friends, the humblest yet most honored of all prophet is Moses, when God wanted him to go and free his people, in his language he replied, “I cannot one lah.” Friends, the work to be done is after all God’s work, we are told to be clean vessels, ready to be use when the need arises.

We will close our reflection on the second image with Oden’s word once again, “There will be no rebirth of Christianity in the modern world without a rebirth of ministry, and no rebirth of ministry without a purification, a cleansing which we have not even began to see. The positive focus is upon the development and nurture of good habituation, the remedy for the deficits of just and vice. This the life that shares in God’s own righteousness through faith that becomes embodied in acts of compassion.”【3】

III. Gentle Servant
The third and final image comes from these verses. The image of a gentle servant patiently enduring evil go head-on against the instruction to stay away from the wicked. However, as mentioned, we are to stay away from people who are too fond of money, too narcissistic and treacherous; not self-seeking people in general. Humans are, if I may, powered by our selfish desires and unkindness in doing many of the things that we do, but not so many of us are treacherous and out to exploit. This third image therefore goes to inject a balance to things and calls for discernment on our part.

When not in harm’s way, we are to engage others with gentleness and patience. And when to run away? When we sense that things are getting toxic, or the other person is trying to make us accomplices.

Otherwise, we know from personal experiences that the gaining of spiritual sight takes time, and growth happens in time, and calls for patience. When we teach and we care, we might have met with indifference and cold-shoulders. Teachers here who have encountered that please raise your hands. Some would even argue ferociously when we share certain biblical values.

What Paul is urging us to do is never to take opposition and indifference more personally than necessary. Our example and model would be our Lord himself. His opponents, friends, disciples, and family members had all contributed to his frustrations when he proclaimed to them the kingdom of God. His usual response was to tell them a parable to help them consider a different angle, gently helping them to see things from God’s perspective.

I had this encounter in a church I served previously. I was the chairperson of a conference held in the church. At one point, after I had done the initial part and the speaker was giving his address, a church leader came up to me and said, “do not pray when you go back up on stage”. I believe he said that because he was more concerned with the duration of the conference than to commit the people’s learning to God. I was flabbergasted and angry on hearing that. Reflecting on the incident as I prepare this message, I realize that should I have exercised what Paul is nudging us to do here, that encounter could have been made an occasion for learning and growth for the leader and myself.

But I missed that window of opportunity, my prayer is that you and I shall cease such opportunities for growth when they are opened to us, and I am sure there will be. What is needed is that we love God and others with gentleness and patience.

Closing
So here are the 3 images and the solutions Paul suggests for us to adopt. Oh, there’s actually 1 more. As we aim at righteousness, faith, love, and peace, don’t go solo, whether we are new to Jubilee or we are die-hard Jubileans, what Paul suggests is something to be done together with “those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (v.22) Following the lead of these images and doing so with our brothers and sisters should be concomitant projects, if we don’t already have people who can come alongside, let’s begin praying for some.

[1]https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/singapore-coe-system-scrap-record-premiums-expensive-private-hire-3857871
[2]Thomas C. Oden, Interpretation: First and Second Timothy and Titus, 7 Louisville: WJK, 1989. p.77.
[3]Ibid., 72

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