The Word of God is not chained.
Paul sends this liberating message about the Word of God while in prison. Paul, who is in chains, means his soul and his service to Jesus is free, empowering, and joyful. He is not chained in spirit because of the Word of God.
This is true for us! Whatever burden or barrier we face is broken when we enter the Word of God!
Enter the Word of God here in our lectionary text for Sunday, October 9. Note that Paul claims a personal ownership in his relationship to Jesus, a descendant of David, when he says that this is his gospel (emphasis mine).
Smile. Breathe. Rejoice. This is Paul’s gospel, his message.
Smile Breathe. Rejoice. This is our gospel, our message, too.
Our text Sunday is 2 Timothy 2:8-15.
______________
2 Timothy 2:8-15
2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel,
2:9 for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.
2:10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
2:11 The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
2:12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us;
2:13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful-- for he cannot deny himself.
2:14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening.
2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, we hear our Your eternal glory here in Paul’s gospel. This message of Yours through Paul makes it easy for us — obvious — to die to You so that we may also live with You, our Lord and King. Amen.