Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Epistle, 2 Timothy 2:1-13                          

2 Timothy 2:1-13

If we are Christians in America today and have no concept that we are at war, may our Lord awaken us to reality. It’s tragic how comfort and ease and lack of apparent opposition lull the Christian Church into near sleep. And when it is awake, it somehow feels it is doing just fine, thank you very much. We are at war. The truth is, the Christian Church has always been at war. Our epistle reading this week is all the evidence one needs. 2 Timothy 1:1 reads, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” And in verse 3, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” “Be strong.” “As a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Armor? Weaponry? Sustenance? Life from death? These are required. Do you know where to find them?

David teams with his brother over the generations, ”Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle–” (Psalm 144:1).

We are at war. Hear the call to battle?