Gospel Change

II Timothy 1:6-10

For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands, for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, in the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, and this grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

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In Aurora, Colorado, around 2000 people crowded into Faith Presbyterian Church with a few hundred more outside to remember the life and legacy of John Denver, who died in a plane accident. Hal Thau, a close friend of John Denver, said, "His music sprang from his feelings of love and the world we live in." Denver's music resonated with the hearts of many as he infused his care for the environment, justice, and humanitarian issues into his music. Though Denver had his struggles, he understood that the status quo was not sustainable or suitable if we were to move forward as a human family. To move forward in this direction requires a spirit of power and love, a spirit that the Spirit of God rekindles. Is there an element of timidity or hesitation that keeps us from embracing the change that will lead to a liberation of all creation? Or will we find that we possess a heart that is open to the gospel changes that, as Denver says, are "still going down?"

II Timothy is often attributed to the apostle Paul, who wrote to Timothy, a fellow disciple or missionary. In this final letter, Paul encourages Timothy not to give into a timid spirit but to embrace a spirit of courage that testifies to the power of the gospel. Dedication to the cause requires sacrifice; one cannot be reserved in mission, for the gospel exacts a price that plays into the holy calling place upon our lives. Who saved us, and who placed this calling on our lives? Who kept us from death's cold grasp and brought us the gift of eternal life? It was God, and it was the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross; therefore, Paul encourages Timothy and spurs us on in our work to embody the transformational good news found in Christ. Our lives are rooted not in the principles of this world (countries, political parties, religion, or ethnic/cultural communities); they are instead rooted in the saving grace of God that continually challenges the order of the world. 

It takes courage to follow the gospel and a courageous spirit to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who abolished death. John Denver sings about the consequences that will befall us when we give into the ideologies that encourage us to take advantage of one another. And Paul writes to Timothy about the perils of not living the gospel message with a bold passion. Of course, the apostle Paul and John Denver are not the only ones to write about the challenges of embracing a radical call for transformation. In 1968 a group of Latin American bishops gathered to write something known as the Medellin documents, which include the following passage:

“It is the same God who, in the fullness of time, sends his Son in the flesh, so that he might come to liberate all men from all slavery to which sin has subjected them: hunger, misery, oppression, and ignorance, in a word, that injustice and hatred which have their origin in human selfishness.” 

(Medellin 1968 Documents)

Facing an authoritarian government that was not afraid to attack fundamental human rights, oppress innocent civilians, and endanger the common good, the bishops called for a radical change founded on God's saving power and love. Sometimes change (especially gospel change) requires rebuilding from the ground up from our hearts, communities, and the places where we worship. We need to listen to what the "good book says," but does it make good sense to us? If we live in positions or find that the gospel does not challenge our stations in life, perhaps we need to look at why that is. Maybe we need to readjust our comfort level to allow the Spirit of God to take us from what is comfortable and timid to what is bold and revolutionary. 

John Denver didn't actually write the song "Gospel Changes." Instead, the song was written by a man named John Williams (not the famous composer from movies such as Star Wars or Indiana Jones). Who knows if John Denver fully believed in the words of this song? What we do know is that Denver was a man who embraced a higher call to the creation and to his fellow man and all who required an advocate. As we wrap up our August series, we are reminded of our purpose here on earth, as people are instilled with a holy spark. And as we wrap up our series, we are left with a poetic dream of the change that God envisions for our lives together: 

I dream a world where man
No other man will scorn,
Where love will bless the earth
And peace its paths adorn

I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom's way,
Where greed no longer saps the soul
Nor avarice blights our day.

A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every man is free,

Where wretchedness will hang its head
And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all mankind—
Of such I dream, my world!

(I Dream of a World by Langston Hughes)

Gospel changes will keep coming; they will keep pushing us and encouraging us to dive deeper into our faith, and they will nudge us forward and onward until we break free from the cycles of oppression that normalize poverty, racism, and greed. So let us pray, pray hard, let us speak words of comfort and conviction, and let us work towards the dream of living in a better world as we live with an emboldened spirit that blazes with the love and light of God.