II Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

II Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 (NRSV)

⁶ As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

¹⁶ At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! ¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.  

Year C

October 23-29

October 23, 2016

Cross~Wind

Title: Running the Race

Introduction

A couple of years ago, I was at Anytime Fitness, preparing for a run in the Indianapolis Mini-marathon. They have a stepper there, and I was stepping away. One of the workers told me she had entered a race in Indianapolis that year, not going horizontal, but going vertical, up one of the high-rise buildings in downtown Indy. I was quite amazed. She said she loved it.

Around the same time, I came across an article[1] that said some long-distance runners were shifting to running up the stairs of tall buildings. One reason is the importance of cross training. You strengthen a different set of muscles as you train for different sports. You can actually make yourself better in one sport by training in another.

Welcome to the sport of professional stair climbing.

Kristin Frey (b. 1984) is a 32-year-old environmental scientist who turned to stair climbing[2] after qualifying for the Boston Marathon 10 times and running in many others. She turned to tower running after a friend encouraged her to try it. She became hooked on running up the stairs. Kristin is now the best female U.S. athlete in the sport. In one team event, her team logged 5,880 floors over a 24-hour period.[3] On the stepper at Anytime Fitness, it took me 20 minutes to do 60 floors. She has run up most of the tall buildings in the United States, including the Sears Tower in Chicago and the Empire State Building.

Most of us would consider running up 5,880 floors to be insane. Most of us take the elevator if we have just two or three floors. As for me, I like to find the stairs. Kristin says that the recovery time for running all those stairs, mostly two at a time, is longer than that of a marathon. She will feel sick for two to three days afterwards. She has tasted blood near the top of a race. Once she passes the timing mat, she usually falls and crawls out of the way. Her legs get that Jell-O feeling. When she first ran, she got blisters on her hands from grabbing the rails, so she got some football gloves.[4]

Point is, running vertical can be tough, but it is also a great way for all of us to achieve good health, a sense of satisfaction and a stronger desire to keep moving. It can help us keep going in the race of life. The American Lung Association, not surprisingly, is sponsoring many of these events as fund-raisers.[5]

           Paul refers to the analogy between sports and faith, especially in II Timothy 4 and I Corinthians 9. To be in sports is to suffer and struggle in order to attain a goal. It requires training, dedication, and commitment. It requires giving your life and time to it. In order to become great, it will take a team of people. Pondering what it takes to be good in a sport can teach us about living our faith, if we let it.

Application

“I am already being poured out as a libation.” II Timothy 4:6

Paul knew that a life worth living is one spent in serving and giving of our lives to something greater than is the self. He wants us to remember the fight, the finish, and the faith. With whatever time we have on this earth, have we lived for something that is worth pouring out our lives in sacrifice. We will die. Will we die well? Will we live in such a way that we prepare ourselves for eternal life with God? If we answer these questions, we are starting a process of simplifying and focusing our lives. A danger for all of us is to fritter away our lives by details.[6]

To avoid the temptation to lead an unfocused life, let us tease out of this passage some advice for how we can lead our lives today.

First, keep running up, fighting the good fight.

Very few tower runners have the nagging injuries of marathoners, so long as they keep running up. Running down the stairs, on the other hand, can lead to a wide variety of injuries and potential for falls.

The effective Christian climber gains strength by always focusing upward -- staying in God's Word (3:16), lifting our hearts in prayer, lifting up others through service. The daily discipline of looking up through cultivating our relationship with God and serving others helps us to keep moving toward the finish line one-step at a time.

We should enjoy the life God has given us.

Yet, life lived well is a fight and a battle. Life is not a stroll in the park. We are in a good fight. We are not in the bad fight, not the ill-chosen battle, or the unrighteousness fight. Sadly, Christian history includes people who have used the faith as an excuse for an ungodly, unbiblical, unrighteousness fight.

To fight the good fight today could mean taking a stand against the moral decline of our culture, a protest against an unjust governmental action, or working quietly in the community for affordable housing. It might mean refusing to identify Christian faith with a particular political ideology or refusing to treat those who differ from us politically as evil. It might mean showing concern about the damage that credit card debt does to individuals, families and society. It might mean working on local government to improve its services. One might offer guidance and love to youth who are at risk. One might work to bring healing and liberation. You have spiritual gifts that you may exercise within the church or in the community to fight, the good fight.

Second, use the rails, relying on faithful people.

not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. II Timothy 4:8

The best tower runners, like Kristin, use the handrails to their advantage, grabbing the rail and pulling themselves up like yanking on a rope. The rails provide the helping hand that gets the runner to the next level.

The fellowship of this community can be like the rails, encouraging others to keep moving, pulling them up when they are sagging and strengthening each other for the climb. Even the strongest will sometimes need something or someone to lean on. In 4:9-11, Paul recounts that most of those who had traveled with him had deserted him, except for Luke. Paul then asks Timothy to bring Mark with him "for he is useful in my ministry" (v. 11). Paul understood that the church is to be the support for every individual to hang on to as he or she runs the race. If you let it, this congregation will be that source of encouragement to you.

The point of this encouraging from the community is that we will keep the faith.[7] The temptation to leave the faith can draw us at any moment. Keeping the faith is the key, according to Paul — trusting God to be with us through every good fight, through every tough race, through every illness, tragedy, conflict and crisis. Paul himself tells the story of how he was abandoned by others in a time of need, but 

 “the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it” (II Timothy 4:17). 

Third, it is all about finishing well by keeping the faith. 

I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day II Timothy 4:7-8 

The point of every race is to finish. Some will finish faster and stronger than others do, but everyone who undertakes a race does so to do their best. We know that tower running is becoming more popular because it is something all of us can do, even if they will never be as fast as Kristin will. In fact, tower running is never about racing directly against your opponent. All tower runners compete against themselves and the clock, doing their best to finish the race in their own best time.

The vertical race of following Jesus is about encouraging each other to do the best we can in running the race to achieve the prize -- the upward calling of God in Christ.[8]

For people near the end of life finishing the race involves the spiritual discipline of “letting go.” We can selfishly cling to finite things to the end of our lives. We can also learn generosity with those who continue here when we are gone. I am not just referring to family. We can learn generosity with the causes that matter to us.[9]

If you are a follower of Jesus, you are not just waiting around for the prize. You are now fighting the good fight and participating in the race. You are moving with each step toward the prize of eternal life with God. As you believe in Jesus, grow in your love, go forth to serve in this world, we have the opportunity to bring more of Christ into this world. We have the opportunity to bring the healing and liberation that people need.[10]

Conclusion

Many of us may never see the results of our work. Any success we might enjoy often defers until later, maybe even after we are long gone.

Nevertheless, the goal for us is to live faithfully. Our call is to do our very best and leave the results to God.

You may not be running in a marathon soon, but you can take the stairs to your office tomorrow. When I have the opportunity, I still prefer to take the stairs rather than the elevator. When you do, think about those who race to the top and about how you can keep moving toward the best prize ever! 

Going deeper

II Timothy 4:6-8 has the theme of presenting Paul as a model. These verses are the true conclusion of the letter.  Here is the author's final tribute to Paul.  Paul's own life becomes the organizational framework upon which the author builds this final section of exhortations to Timothy. As I read this passage, it has a sobering, almost melancholy feel. If you have lived life well and in the service of a noble purpose, it would not be easy to see its end near. Yet, he faces its end with calm and confidence. He will compare discipleship with sports and athletic competition. As athletic competition includes a prize (World Series championship, super bowl, and so on), faithful discipleship includes the “prize” of eternal life with God. The hope of this life with God empowers Paul to endure hardship and suffering. In verses 9-15, it gets him through times when friends desert him. In verses 16-18, this hope is for all those who engage in discipleship. Some people who started well did not end well. They deserted Paul, but even then, Paul prays for them. Some remained with him, of course. Most importantly, the Lord stood with him. Psalm 22 provides many of the images we find in these final verses.

II Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 (NRSV)

[While Timothy’s future is to be preoccupied with faithful service as a minister, the foreboding nature of Paul’s future is unmistakable when he writes] ⁶ As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, [spendomai A libation, or drink offering, was a common ritual in Greek piety and cult. It entailed the pouring out of a liquid, usually wine, onto the ground or an altar at some solemn point in a ceremony, whether private (e.g., a dinner party) or public (e.g., the ratification of a treaty). Paul uses the same image in Philippians 2:17 (“even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith ...”).] and the time of my departure [(analusiz) death In fact, a further possible influence of Philippians on this verse is in the reference to the imminent “departure” of Paul, which may echo the use of the cognate verb analuw in Philippians 1:23 to describe Paul’s desire “to depart and be with Christ.” ] has come. [Timothy can expect to share in the final glory if he endures until.  Having offered his advice and directives to Timothy, Paul finally turns to the task of bidding farewell. The circumspect quality of Paul’s letter reaches a crescendo as he contrasts Timothy’s future with his own. There is a calm and confidence in the face of a martyr-like death reminiscent of Jesus in the gospel of John 12:23, 13:1.  Paul casts his impending death in sacrificial terms. Given the connections with Philippians, I am uncertain why some scholars think that this verse is not suitable to Paul as an author.] ⁷ I have fought the good fight, [kalo agwna hgwismai] would a wrestling or boxing match, a race of any kind, a gladiatorial contest] I have finished the race, [ton dromonteteka] is the long distance race.  We find the use of two athletic metaphors to describe Paul’s faithful adherence to his missionary efforts. [The image of faith given in these verses is an image borrowed from the world of athletic competition. The comparison of challenging aspects in life to athletic competition was a common trope among Greco-Roman philosophers and rhetoricians, but in this particular case the metaphor was more likely inspired by 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, where Paul likens his work for the gospel to an athlete in training for a competition.

I Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. 25 Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. 26 So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; 27 but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.]

I have kept the faith. [thn pistin tethrhka, see I Timothy 1:18, 6:12] could mean the athletes promise to keep the rules.  It could be shorthand for the entire contents of Christian teaching (see I Timothy 4:1) or Paul's own careful preservation of right doctrine. Alternatively, it could be more of an expression of loyalty and fealty than of theology (e.g., having "kept faith"). He has faithfully executed the mission God gave to him and is handing on this same ministry to Timothy. These images may derive from the arena. Though Paul’s frame of mind is certainly ominous, he is not without hope. Paul’s death wonderfully completes his life.]

            [The apostle did not believe he had "kept the faith" without the constant presence and protection of God. Indeed, if Paul had not first been God-filled to overflowing with the spirit of faith and love, there would be nothing left in him to "pour out as a libation." The almost exclusively personal focus of this message to Timothy has led some to read this epistle as Paul's final word, a last will and testament, to his dear companion.]

⁸ From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness,  [o thVdikaiosunhV stejanoV] [The crown is the recognition of a righteous life.  Others can have the same wreath. The athletic imagery spills over into this verse, where the “crown of righteousness” is set forth as the prize that Paul will be awarded by God on “that day” (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:25). Paul declares that he has endured the rigors of a life of faith (pouring himself out like a libation offering of wine or water), and expects to be rewarded for his faithfulness, just as an athlete who has trained for and endured arduous physical competition hopes to win the contest and be awarded the crown of victory. Like a runner, or a boxer, who competes at the top of his sport at the cost of physical pain and fatigue, one can have satisfaction once the event is over, in spite of the personal cost of competition. The crown that awaits Paul, however, is not the laurel or flowered crowns awarded to the winners of Greco-Roman stadium competitions. His is a crown of righteousness, which one can read as a crown, composed of righteousness, or a crown awarded FOR outstanding righteousness. Included in the hope for this crown also, however, are all those who await the return of Christ, who is the best judge of who is worthy to be called righteous.] which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, [(also found in 1:12, 18) is a shorthand way of referring to what in other places in the New Testament is called “the day of the Lord” (e.g., 2 Peter 3:10), “the day of Jesus Christ” (e.g., Philippians 1:6), or “the day of judgment” (e.g., 1 John 4:17). In each of these cases, he refers to the return of Jesus and the accompanying judgment of humanity. One can find the background of this idea in the Old Testament prophetic tradition (especially in Isaiah, Joel and Zephaniah) of a coming day on which God would judge either the nations, or Israel, or both. In early Christianity the expected parousia of Jesus was collapsed into this prophetic “day of the Lord” and thus emerged the belief that Jesus’ return would entail a comprehensive judgment. Pannenberg discusses this notion of an epiphany of the presence (parousia) of Christ in the context of the multiplicity of biblical ideas of revelation, which in this case means the apocalyptic understanding of revelation as a frame of reference for the New Testament statements about revelation.[11]] and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.  

[In verses 4:16-18, if Paul had seemed overly self-reliant in verses 6-8, he now returns to the theme of God's unwavering strength and his unswerving dependence. The vocabulary Paul uses in verses 16-18 suggests that he had in mind the poetry and power of Psalm 22 as he reflected on both his experiences of suffering and of his deliverance by the Lord's strength. Psalm 22 likewise speaks of desertion (22:1), deliverance (22:4), salvation (22:5), God's presence (22:11) and even the threat of the lion's mouth (22:13). Paul sadly admits:] ¹⁶ At my first defense [This probably refers to the first hearing (rather like a modern-day arraignment) that was held to determine if there were sufficient grounds for a trial. A possible background for this reference may lie in Acts 25 and 28. Those who favor Rome as the location for Paul's imprisonment while writing the Pastorals could say that the "first defense" to which the apostle refers is his defense to Festus and Agrippa while in prison in Caesarea, prior to returning to Rome under house arrest to make his appeal to the emperor (Acts 25). Once in Rome (Acts 28), he repeats his earlier defense of his work and is allowed to continue, thus being rescued from the Roman lion's mouth. Both 2 Timothy 4 and Acts 28 also point out that the Gentiles were the intended beneficiaries of Paul's teaching, providing further connection between this letter and the events described in Acts 28. As he was at court, it seemed as if he was preaching to all the gentiles.  The speech spared him from death.  However, Paul does not allow the unpleasant circumstances surrounding his “first defense” to control his basic outlook as he nears the end of his own life. He does not allow himself to spiral down into an unproductive abyss of bitterness and self-pity.] no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! [Paul’s recitation of that prior situation partially explains this letter’s morose disposition. Paul, like Christ who pardons his persecutors from the cross, pardons those who deserted him in his hour of need. No Christians in Rome defended him in court, yet, he forgives.] ¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. [Presumably metaphorical given Paul’s status as a Roman citizen; it was typically slaves and war captives who were in danger of being exposed to wild beasts in the arena. By rehearsing this story for Timothy, Paul is assuring his son in the faith that he, too, will have the required resources to complete the ministry he has received. For, even though human associates abandoned Paul, the Lord provided him with the resources he needed so he could faithfully carry out the ministry entrusted to him.] ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. [It is not quite clear how this seemingly hopeful assertion squares with the statements about his impending death in 4:6-8. Paul confidently asserts that the divine hand that has rescued him from his enemies up to this point will continue to keep him safe. That this "safety" is not necessarily a state of physical security is evident in Paul's clear expectation of martyrdom. The safe passage he expects and eagerly anticipates is into the "heavenly kingdom" that awaits him in the future.] To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. [The doxology is similar to Galatians 1:5, “to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”]  

---

[1] Goldman, Leslie. "Kristin Frey on fast climb to the top."

[2] (also known as tower running)

[3] She ran a groundbreaking 24-hour endurance event in Jacksonville where she and three fellow climbers repeatedly scrambled up the Bank of America Tower's 42 floors. By the time they were finished, they had logged 123,480 steps and 5,880 floors.

[4] "Sometimes I'll feel sick for two or three days afterwards. A few times, I've tasted blood near the top of a race, and I've seen spots in some races when I was just five floors from the top. Once I pass the timing mat, I usually fall and will crawl out of other people's way, trying to catch my breath. I've stumbled when my legs are Jello-y but have never fallen. And I've gotten blisters on my hands from grabbing the rails, so I bought football gloves that protect the skin."

[5] Walking up the stairs has health benefits in that you can get more exercise in shorter time, you use both arms and legs, and you need no special equipment. The ALA wants to promote stair climbing not just for these athletes but for the rest of us as well. The health benefits from doing some vertical walking are many.

[6] In a sense, Paul is asking us to simplify our lives. Henry David Thoreau's well-known commentary on a disciplined life deserves to be revisited here:

 

"Our life is frittered away by detail .... Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million, count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumbnail .... Simplify, simplify, simplify! Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five; and reduce other things in proportion .... Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life?"[6]

 

Thoreau also observed that most people “lead lives of quiet desperation."

 

[7] This means finding a way to stay anchored to the ancient traditions of the faith while searching for meaningful ways to express that faith in today’s context. It means relying on Jesus as we run the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on the “crown of righteousness” that will be ours in everlasting life.

[8] We do the best we can, too. It is not about comparing ourselves to others.

[9] On one level, this means letting go of an attachment to medical miracles — making the decision not to rely on heroic measures, experimental therapies or resuscitation efforts in every medical crisis. Nevertheless, on another level, letting go means releasing our grip on money and power and control. One of the most faithful actions that the members of the older generation can perform is to share what they have with the younger generation. Within the life of the church, this can include giving a generous gift to a youth mission project, turning decision-making power over to a younger person, or relinquishing control over the music and worship programs of the church. When people near the end of life let go of these attachments, they are making the statement that they trust God even more than they trust themselves — they trust God to take care of them and all the generations that follow.

[10] Following Jesus is not about waiting around for God to take you to heaven someday. Of course, knowing that Jesus died for you so that you will not experience divine judgment on that day is good knowledge with which to live. You do not have to live in fear of that day. Yet, following Jesus is far more about the sometimes hard work of step by step movement toward the prize (Philippians 3:14). We take those steps as we come to believe in Jesus, grow in our faith through personal devotion, worship, and spiritual formation groups, and go forth to serve in in the world through compassion and justice. We have the opportunity of bringing wisdom, healing, liberation, and friendship, to a world that needs it more than it knows. Each of us has a calling to pick up the baton and continue the vertical race toward the crown of righteousness.

 

[11] (Pannenberg 1998, 1991), Volume 1, 209.