Jump Start # 608

2 Timothy 1:12 “For this reason I also suffer these things, but  I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

This verse seems to sum up the life of the apostle Paul. It is a very personal verse. Notice how many times he uses the word “I”, six times. He is talking about himself, but more so, he is talking about the Lord.

• I suffer
• I am not ashamed
• I know
• I am convinced
• I have entrusted

It’s not “we”, but “I”.  This is where our faith is lived. It’s not what we are doing, it is what am I doing. It’s not what the church believes, it is what I believe. Our faith, to be real, must belong to us, to me.

I especially like the expression, “I know whom I believe.” His faith was more than just personal, it was in a person, Jesus Christ. His faith wasn’t in the system of Christianity, though, he believed in that and taught that, his faith was in Jesus. It was Jesus, not the system of Christianity that would save him, guard him and help him. He knew Jesus. He believed in Jesus. He trusted Jesus. He was not ashamed of Jesus. His faith was in the person of Jesus.

Now to that thought, “I know whom I believe…” Just what is it that one knows? It is easy for us to manufacture a Jesus that fits my needs and my liking. A Jesus that is all fun, or a Jesus that is totally cool. How about a Jesus that doesn’t mind me bending the rules now and then? Or, a Jesus that loves me even though church isn’t my thing? A rock ‘n roll Jesus? A biker Jesus? Many years ago a group called Brewer and Shipley had a hit song that said,  “One toke over the line sweet Jesus, one toke over the line.” I’m not sure what the song was about, but I expect it had something to do with smoking dope. A sweet Jesus that was ok with one toke over the line.

Paul said, “I know whom I believe…” The Jesus Paul knew came from God’s revelation. It was the Jesus of the Bible—that’s the  only real Jesus. Anything else is made up and not true. God reveals Jesus to us. No one was like Jesus. No one was as compassionate as Jesus. No one helped as much as Jesus. No one was as true and genuine to God as Jesus was. No one was concerned about keeping God in the picture as much as Jesus was.

So, what do we know about Jesus?

• We know that He loves you, not just when you are good, but at all times.
• We know that He has a plan for you
• We know that He wants you to spend forever with Him in Heaven
• We know that He wants you to follow His word, all of it, even the tough things.

Each week Christians gather to remember the Lord’s Death by taking the Lord’s Supper. It is a reminder. Without that reminder, we may forget. Yet, God doesn’t need reminders to remember us. He doesn’t have a photo album that He flips through or a ribbon from our hair or some memento from days gone by so that He would never forget. God is not like that. We need those things. God knows you. Do you know Him?

I am…is what Paul declared. I am not ashamed. I am convinced. I know… The gloom of doubt can make us wonder sometimes. Fear, worry, stress, and feeling alone all combine to chip away at what we know. Remember the one who wrote those words, was sitting in a Roman prison awaiting a trial that would probably lead to his death. Yet, those things did not take away what he knew. It’s that rock solid faith that will get us through. People raise questions. Satan fires his missiles. Some ridicule. Others mock. It’s not popular. You’ll not find Hollywood lining up for Jesus. Yet, he knew.

How about you? Can you say that? Can you live that way? What’s keeping you? Your prison walls of problems seem impossible to escape, but He is able. That’s how Paul saw it.

Roger