From Iona's Winds to Paul's Last Words: A Story of Grace

How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.

In the name of the Blessed Trinity, amen.

Many of you are aware that just a few weeks ago now, about 20 of us traveled

to Scotland as we were investigating, exploring the life of Celtic saints of our faith.

It was a wonderful experience. I'm looking forward to more pilgrimage-like opportunities here at Trinity.

And a couple of days ago, someone asked me what the highlight of the trip was.

And I responded with something I didn't expect to respond with.

I don't think the questioner expected me to respond this way.

It wasn't about the stunning scenery, which was spectacular,

or the history of the land, the churches, the castles, which was moving,

nor even the camaraderie of the group, which was a blessing.

The highlight of the trip, they asked And out of me came Something I just didn't

expect I just said The realization Of how precious Faith is.

And then I had to think about why that came to me. And I thought about standing

on that windswept, nearly barren island of Iona, where St.

Columba founded his monastery and home base, if you will.

And I thought about the day we were there.

It was cold and the wind was whipping. out of, no, I took a little video of

the sound of the wind coming through a stained glass window.

It was so overbearing almost.

And I thought about being on that island with no electricity,

no trees to cut down for heat. I don't know how they did heat, but anyway.

And it made me realize what individuals are willing to go through when the gospel of Jesus grips them.

And we hear this same type of passion today in the voice of Paul as he writes

this second letter to Timothy.

You can hear it. He says, I'm grateful to God for you, Timothy.

I long to see you. I recall your tears for the faith.

Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, a prisoner,

in suffering for the gospel.

For this gospel, I was appointed a herald, an apostle, a teacher.

And for this reason, I suffer.

I am not ashamed. For I know the one in whom I have put my trust.

In this pastoral epistle, the second of them that we've been introduced to in

these latter days of the church year, as we are, believe it or not,

moving swiftly toward Advent,

we encounter one of the most personal,

and most poignant letters in all of the New Testament.

Probably the last of these pastoral letters to have been written,

It shows the vulnerability, the exhaustion of St.

Paul, though not beaten down.

By this point, he is in prison again for a second time.

And it seems from the letter that this time he's being treated much harsher

than he did the first time.

It's likely to lead to death.

Probably under Nero, perhaps, when persecutions of Jesus' followers have ramped up in the empire.

In chapter 4, we learn that everyone has abandoned him.

He writes, do your best, Timothy, to come to me soon.

For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.

Cressions has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is left with me.

And then, in that same chapter, he says even that some have turned against him.

He says, Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm.

Beware of him. He opposes our message.

And maybe the saddest piece of all, he says, at my first offense,

no one came to my support.

All deserted me. May it not be counted against them, he says.

He truly is at the end. Some call this letter his last will and testament.

It's likely he was executed soon after.

He says in this letter, As for me, Timothy, I am already being poured out as

a libation, and the time of my departure has come.

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.

What is this gospel that has gripped him so?

He tells us today, in one of the most concise tellings of the faith,

in all of the New Testament, he says simply,

Christ saved us all and calls us, not according to our work,

but according to his purpose and grace.

Grace was given to us before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through

the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,

who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light.

A Simple Telling of Our Faith,

Grace existed before the world began, but now it has been fulfilled in Christ.

God has done something for us that we could not do on our own we could not earn it,

nor work for it death has been abolished and we have a way,

to immortality not just for me or you not just for Israel,

but for all as we have heard over and again in these pastoral epistles,

the grace of God has appeared,

offering salvation for all.

When I think about the grace of God at work in this world, for you and for me,

before we ever knew to ask for it,

one of the stories that comes to mind is of the great author J.R.R.

Tolkien, who was skilled at

describing how he understood his creativity to be a gift of God's grace.

While working as a university professor, he had an experience that ended up

becoming the works that we know, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings.

He says, I was doing the dull work of correcting exam papers.

When I came upon a blank page that someone had turned in.

I turned it over and wrote on the back In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.

I had never heard of a hobbit I had never said the word before,

Later on he would go on to say I have long ceased to invest in my stories,

I wait for them to happen, and then I write them down because there's someone

else at work in this process,

someone else bringing them to life.

When I think of the monks on the island of Iona, living and working from that

barren island within a couple of hundred years of Jesus' death,

and using that as a home base to set out to tell the good news.

I think how precious faith is.

They could not do anything but. They were gripped by the truth that in Christ,

God loves them with a perfect love.

And that nothing that they do or leave undone will keep that love from having

its way with them and this world.

And that it wasn't just for them.

It was for all.

And from that barren home base they set out to tell the story to everyone,

everyone they met they met.

That same passion is alive and well today.

It is the reason why this building exists.

It is the reason why we care to get out of bed in the morning and come to a

place like this on Sunday morning.

God I pray it is the core of every sermon preached from this pulpit,

that in Christ the love of God is going out into the world to shape,

the world itself and everyone in it,

and it's extending out in the world not because we have earned it,

not because we deserve it but because God chose to love us,

and when God chooses God never unchooses.

It is the story that continues to grip my own life.

It's the story that animates everything we do here at Trinity Church.

May it continue to be the core of who we are.

Whenever we gather, whenever we sing, whenever we pray,

and when we go forth from the doors of this church,

may it be the core of every story we tell about our God the Savior Jesus,

for the grace of God has appeared,

offering salvation to all.

The homily was offered by the Rev. Dr. R. Scott White.

Introductory and closing reflections were shared by the Rev. Amy Peterson.

Musical contributions were performed by Dr. Kevin Seal.

Sermon audio was prepared by Nanette Popa. Production was guided by Karen Marie Frederiksen.