Part 1 Introduction

Tommy, Jesus and the Mop

5-year-old Tommy had just ran through the house hit the kitchen table, knocked over a glass of water and it spilled on the floor. His mother reminded him he shouldn’t be running tin the house and then told him to get the mop off the back porch and clean up the mess he just made. Isn’t that what all mothers would do? Make sure they clean up their own mess or they won’t stop making them. Anyway, that is just an aside and has nothing to do with this message. But still parents, make them clean up their own messes. Good lesson. Now back to the story.

Now little Tommy knew that the light on the back porch had burned out because he remembered that his mom kept telling his dad, that he needed to get out there and change that bulb. It wasn’t going to change itself. Now, whereas, the mother was right when she told Tommy to clean up his mess. Now, she is completely out of bounds. Remember ladies, when a man says he’ll fix something, he will and there is no need remind him every six months.

Now back to the story, Tommy was afraid of the dark, his mother knew this but understood he needed to deal with that and the spill on the floor. She’s a good mother, except for that change the bulb thing, but no one is perfect. So Tommy’s mother said, “Remember, Tommy. Jesus is everywhere. We don’t need to be afraid. Jesus will help us.”

Tommy smiled, walked confidently to the back door. Cracked it open just a little bit, stuck his mouth to the crack and called out, “Jesus! Jesus, if you’re out there could you please hand me the mop?”

Timothy, Paul and Fear

Date: The Epistle of 2 Timothy was written by the apostle Paul around 67 AD. It is as far as we know the last letter Paul wrote. It was written in a very bad time for Christians in general and an even worse time for Paul in particular.

In 64 AD there was a terrible fire in Rome that destroyed almost half the city. Many died, there was mass homelessness and food shortages. Blame for the fire fell on the Emperor Nero, who was an elitist and many believed wanted to burn the city in order to build a new palace. Though Nero probably did not set the fire that burned the capital, when blame fell on him, he fanned another fire and began to burn Christians. Who were viewed with great suspicion throughout the Roman world.

The Roman historian Tacitus recorded this. “Wherefore in order to allay the rumor, he put forward as guilty, and afflicted with the most exquisite punishments those who were hated for their abominations and called ‘Christians’ by the populace. Christus, from whom the name was derived, was punished by the procurator Pontius Pilatus in the reign of Tiberius. This noxious form of religion, checked for a time, broke out again not only in Judaea its original home, but also throughout the city [Rome] where all abominations meet and find devotees. Therefore first of all those who confessed [i.e. to being Christians] were arrested, and then as a result of their information a large number were implicated, not so much on the charge of incendiarism as for hatred of the human race. They died by methods of mockery; some were covered with the skins of wild beasts and then torn by dogs, some were crucified, some were burned as torches to give light at night” (Tacitus Ann. xv. 44).

Place: Written from Prison

It was during this time that Paul was arrested and put in prison. We have no record in the Bible but tradition tells us that he was taken from prison shortly after writing this second epistle to Timothy and then beheaded for his faith in Jesus Christ. In this truly dangerous time, it is easy to see Paul’s purpose in writing to Timothy, and the reason for Timothy’s fear. Timothy is Paul’s son in the faith and Paul writes a very personal letter of assurance, encouragement and keeping perspective during a time of fear. It is why I have chosen this book to start our next series “Fight The Fear” because Paul’s letter doesn’t just speak to Timothy 2000 years ago, it speaks to us today and it will still speak to those who come after us.

Paul begins he letter with the Salutation: 2 Timothy 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul goes on to then remind Timothy of three things that will help him to fight the fear when there was something very real to be frightened of. And whether its Christian persecution, or Covid 19 or the hatred of our community, the same truths, the same remembrances are powerful antidotes to the fear that can and will stop us from serving Jesus Christ. Who stopped at nothing in his love for us.