II Timothy 3:14-17 * April 25, 2009 * Confirmation * Pastor Pagels
In the name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear
friends, family, and especially you, the members of
It is a tradition at many colleges and universities for retiring professors to give what is called a “last lecture.” Hypothetically, the speaker is asked to address the people in the audience as if his/her life is coming to an end, and the last lecture gives the professor one last opportunity to educate and motivate and inspire.
A couple years ago something that was supposed to be hypothetical became all too real for a Carnegie Mellon computer science professor named Randy Pausch when he was was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. As far as cancers go, pancreatic cancer is among the worst. And even though he saw all kinds of specialists and received many different forms of treatment, he was given only a few months to live.
Instead of feeling sorry for himself, instead of feeling cheated because he wouldn’t be able to grow old with his wife or see his three children grow up, Randy Pausch accepted his diagnosis… and his school’s invitation to give one last lecture. That lecture has been downloaded millions of times on the internet, and the book it inspired has become a New York Times bestseller. I mention this because Randy Pausch’s last lecture has quite a bit in common with the text I have chosen for your confirmation sermon today.
The apostle Paul had not been diagnosed with cancer, but he knew that the end of his life was near. He accepted it. He embraced it. He was ready to go to be with his Lord, but before he did he had some parting words of encouragement for his young friend and colleague Timothy.
II Timothy is the last of Paul epistles. II Timothy reads like Paul’s last will and testament. Paul had many years of experience under his belt as a Christian missionary, and he wanted to share some of the spiritual insights he had gained with others. He shared what he had learned with Timothy in the form of a personal letter, a letter that was inspired by the Holy Spirit, a letter that continues to educate and motivate and inspire God’s people today, a letter that could be called…
A LIFE-EVERLASTING LECTURE
Paul wrote to Timothy (and he says to each of you): “As for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from who you learned it” (14). The white robes you are wearing today make a statement. They remind us that this day is special. They remind us of the white robes that the Lord promises to give us in heaven.
But the fact that you are wearing robes today might also lead you to think of your confirmation day like you might think of a graduation ceremony. Graduation signals the successful completion of something. Graduation means that you are finished with one phase of your life and that you are moving on to something new.
Don’t think of this day that way. Don’t think of your confirmation as your spiritual graduation. At your public examination on Thursday you demonstrated that you have learned many things. You know the books of the Bible, the ten commandments and the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. You have learned the difference between justification and sanctification. Through your study of the Bible the Holy Spirit has convinced you that God’s Word is true, that God’s promises are true.
You have learned so much in your catechism classes, but there is so much more to learn. Your faith has grown, but there will be always be room for it to grow. It doesn’t matter if you are four or fourteen or eighty-four. God encourages all of us to continue in what we have learned, to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:18).
And remember that this ongoing spiritual growth is possible because you have been given a solid foundation. For Timothy that foundation was laid by his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois (II Timothy 1:5). For you the names are different, but the foundation is the same. You might not have time to do it today, but some day in the near future make a special point of thanking the Loises and Eunices your life, loved ones like your parents and your godparents, teachers like Mrs. Leyrer and Mr. George, people God used to nurture and strengthen your faith.
Remember them and remember “how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (15). The faith that you will confess today isn’t something brand new to you. You have had it for years. You had it before you ever memorized John 3:16. You had it already when you sang those simple words: “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
Most of you were infants when it happened. Many of you were right over there when Jesus washed away your sins. In Holy Baptism the Holy Spirit gave you the gift of faith. In Baptism God the Father made you his child. Through your baptism the Lord gave you the blessings of forgiveness and life and salvation.
And when you were baptized, the pastor made the sign of the cross on your head and heart to remind you how all of those blessings became yours. Your salvation comes through faith in Christ Jesus. Jesus was born into this sinful world for you. Jesus lived a sinless life on earth for you. Jesus suffered and died on the cross and rose from the grave, and everything he did, every step he took, every tear he shed, he did it all for you.
Before he ascended into heaven, the Lord told his disciples: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). If Jesus was telling the truth (and he never lied), that means Jesus is still with us. That means Jesus is by your side. You can’t see him like the disciples did. You can’t touch the scar marks in his hands and side like the disciples did. But he is here. He comes to you every time you open your Bible. He speaks to you every time you listen to his Word.
It was no accident that in the opening verses of his gospel John referred to Jesus as the Word made flesh (John 1:1,14). Through the Word God has given you eternal life, and Paul’s words remind you that the same Word will equip you for every challenge you will face in this life.
What are you going to do when some of your friends try to convince you to do something that you know is wrong? What are going to say when your college professor insists that the Bible is more fantasy than fact? Where are you going to go when someone hurts you, when you hurt someone else, when you feel like you are all alone?
Those aren't hypothetical questions. They are very real. If you haven't been confronted by them yet, I can guarantee that you will be in the not-so-distant future. When you are going through those tough times, when you are asked those tough questions, remember this day. And remember Paul's last lecture.
He reminded Timothy that "all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may
be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (16,17).
The Bible isn't just a book of rules for right living. The Bible was never meant to self-help guide for spiritual enlightenment. The Scriptures are the very words of God revealed to man. The Bible was written thousands of years ago, but it is still relevant and meaningful today. God’s Word is a road map to heaven and at the same time it provides you with the tools you will need for life on this earth.
In another letter (Ephesians 6) Paul describes those tools as weapons, and he describes the Christians who wield them as soldiers. That makes you young Christian soldiers. You are preparing for battle, and you know who your enemy is...
The devil is a roaring lion, the father of lies, and he will do everything in his power to make you to forsake the vows you will make today.
The unbelievers in this sinful world probably think that there are more fun and interesting things you could be doing on a Saturday afternoon, and they will try to convince to blow off the vows you will make today.
And then there is your sinful nature, that dark shadow that follows you around wherever you go. It knows what you are capable of. It knows what you are guilty of. And it will try to make you doubt that you will be able to live up to the vows you will make today.
Your spiritual enemies are strong (no doubt about it), but you have an ally who is even stronger. You have a living Lord who will never leave you or forsake you. You have a Savior who has forgiven and forgotten all your sins. You have God's promise that he will give you everything you need to take your stand: the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God). With these weapons you will stand firm. With the strength God provides God will help you keep the promises you make today.
In preparation for this sermon, I read "The Last Lecture." Personally I liked the book. There were some humorous anecdotes, some good life lessons to be learned. Some parts of the book were even inspiring.
But at the end of 200 plus pages, I realized that something was missing. Randy Pausch made almost no references to God. And when he did broach the subject at the end of the book, it was to say that he was raised by parents who believed that faith was something very personal, and as a result he consciously chose to not talk about his personal beliefs.
We can be grateful that the apostle Paul didn’t think like that. Paul wore his faith on his sleeve. Paul talked about Jesus with anyone who would listen. And his last lecture was no different. At the end of his life Paul boldly proclaimed the truth, God’s truth, inspired words that give you comfort and peace and hope as you make a public declaration of your faith today.
May God bless you on this special day. May God be with you as you pledge to be faithful to the Lord for the rest of your life and as you anticipate the joy of everlasting life. Amen.