Relevant Sayings from the First Century about this life and the life to come

2 Timothy 2:8-15  “ A Christian Saying and Its Continuing Relevance to Us Today”

    “ It is a faithful saying : For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer , we shall also reign with him..”  These are some words addressed to Timothy by the Apostle who wishes to encourage Timothy  in his Christian faith and heritage---“ When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice” 2 T 1:3  Apparently the Apostle Paul is quoting from the words of a well known hymn of the Christian era.  Let me take the second part first.

     We are hearing about suffering.  “ Endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”  He tells of how the soldier wishes to please his commanding officer and the sacrifices associated with that which come undoubtedly to any soldier.  Suffering is a part of the Christian life. Matthew 5:10 tells us “ Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” Perseverance in all of the times of life is what is being talked about.  Charles Dickens said, “ It was the best of times; It was the worst of times” A Tale of Two Cities.

  “ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” Jn 15:20  “ If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.”  There is joy there. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY-Sermon Illustrations:

“I heard a story of a ship that was sinking in the middle of a storm, and the captain called out to the crew and said, "Does anyone here know how to pray?"

One man stepped forward and said, "Yes sir, I know how to pray."

The captain said, "Wonderful, you pray while the rest of us put on life jackets--we're one short."

In a more serious vain, “Someone asked C.S. Lewis, "Why do the righteous suffer?" "Why not?" he replied. "They're the only ones who can take it." From sermon suffering illustrations.

“Untold suffering seldom is. “

Franklin P. Jones in The Saturday Evening Post

We do not know why things happen the way they do and why even a priest in our own diocese who I spent time with when I was in CA is going through some intense family conflict ,not of his own making , where lawyers and law suits are involved with the family trust.  I told him we would pray for him as he came home to his mother who was ill after his father died , and then his brother proceeded to sue for the whole financial amount.  He had to leave a valuable ministry to go to court!  Yet we know God has a reason for what happens to us.  We shall reign with Him!

   The first part of this saying which I am taking now is about our death to sin and our eventual death of our own bodies.” It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.”  We should be dead to sin so that we can live daily with Christ. Romans 6:5 “ For if we have been planted together in the  likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” 

   Of course we all face the death of our bodies which are but a home for our souls now.  When we die our souls go to be with God, and our bodies are celestial bodies in heaven, that is new bodies that will never wear away.  There will be no more crying , nor death there, nor any more pain . Revelation 21:4  “ for the former things are passed away”  This past week this was brought home to me in the words of our Burial at Sea in the 1928 BCP,”  Unto Almighty God we commend the soul of our brother departed, and we commit his body to the deep; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection unto eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the sea shall give up her dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in him shall be changed, and made like unto his glorious body; according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.”

“ For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.”