Who, Whose and What - 1 Timothy 1: 12-18

This Sunday past it was my joy to bring a 'charge' to the new candidates being ordained into the deacon ministry of ParkwayHills. My text was not my usual one for such occasions, but it was nonetheless appropriate. I chose a passage from Paul's 1st letter to Timothy, as he wrote an encouraging word to this young pastor by testifying of things he had learned personally.

First, Paul wrote concerning who he was - saying he was a sinner saved by God's grace.  He wrote, 'even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. ...I received mercy.  And the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.' Paul made no bones about this. He was clear as to his former self, going on to say that 'Christ came to save sinners of whom I am foremost.'

Second, Paul wrote concerning whose He was - by adding, 'I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience.' Paul joyfully believed He was the possession of Christ. Though we might say I possess Christ, Paul would say, "Christ possesses me." (cf. Acts 17:28, 2 Cor. 6:16, 2 Cor, 13:5, Gal. 4 et.al, Eph. 3:17) And that he was no longer slave to the flesh, but a slave (bond-servant) of Christ - one given a new life, bought with a price and now to be borne with honor.

But finally, Paul wrote a word to remind Timothy (and us) of what we are to do - as any Christian being set apart to serve the task God has called us to. Paul shared that Christ had made him an example (v. 16) 'to those who would come to believe,' and charged Timothy to 'fight the good fight.' (v. 18) All of this reminded me on Sunday of who we are, whose we are and what we are called to do. With Paul I concur that we are sinners saved by grace, Christ's very possession bought with a price, and called to be an example by fighting the good fight - never giving up.

As I went home to turn on my TV, I saw that Russel Wilson, the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, had thrown 4 interceptions to come to the 4th quarter facing a deficit of 12 points against the Green Bay Packers. Yet, with but 2 minutes left to play, his team tied the game and won the NFC championship in overtime. When interviewed, he was asked how this happened. His reply was, 'we never gave up - we just kept believing.'

Indeed, in Christ we need never give up! We've been assured victory by our Lord. Consequently, by remembering 'who' and 'whose' we are this enables us to live the 'what' of our Christ-life, too - one standing as an example to others.

Blessings,

Pastor Sam

MOM - One, Three, Thirty One

January 3, 1931 - 84 years ago today - was when my mother, Anna Beth Sellers, was born. She was the 2nd of four children born to her parents, Alvie and May Sellers; and was possessing of gangly stature, dish-water blond hair, sad, penetrating eyes, and a bright mind. In her early days her father farmed but later became an independent insurance agent. Her Mother was a homemaker - seeing daily to home, hearth and children - and, when the family was not serving at community events or with friends and family nearby, they were at church, where her Dad led the singing and served as Deacon Chair.

Mom lived her entire childhood in the same farm-house in a community called Pt. Enterprise, nestled quaintly - both then and now - between the Farm to Market Roads which ran east and south between Mexia and Teague, Texas. People there - if not employed as merchants, shop-owners or a professionals in the city - were either farmers, ranchers, workers in the oil fields or growers of peaches. She attended the Pt. Enterprise community grade-school, which had been built by her grandfather, Macon Thornton, and distinguished herself as top of her class. After the 8th grade she attended High School in nearby Mexia, graduating in the spring of 1948 as 'Blackcat.'

As a child Mom enjoyed her family, her favorites being her mother's sisters and best friend, Berniece - who still lives in Pt. Enterprise. However, come summer after High School, at just 17, she was ready to move on, and did, by striking out by bus for the big city to the north - Dallas, where a friend had offered a place to live and a job with a company called Dallas Linen.

Mom worked as a book-keeper at Dallas Linen and it was her duty to check the route-men in as they came in from their routes of delivering clean linen. On her first Friday the office was a-buzz with activity. Friday was a busy day for several reasons for, not only was it pay-day, it was the day when the 'out-of-town' routes came in - increasing the work of the office. On this first Friday, then, Mom was to have something happen that would change her life forever, for Delmer Dennis, a handsome young route man, with looks and a personality that was the envy of all, came into the plant to check in. As this happened, Mom along with her friend Lawana, had happened to come back by the plant on their way to a movie. Dad climbed out of his truck and walked up to the window, with Mom asking, "who is that man?"  Her friend replied, "that's Delmer Dennis."  To which Mom replied with a smile, "I'm going to marry him." Their first date was on July 5th and they were married on August 8 - in her Mom and Dad's home - 5 weeks after that.  So... Mom was right - and as long as I knew them they were this much in love, never tiring of one another, cherishing all of ife together.

Dad passed away in July of 1989, the year we planted ParkwayHills. The next year, PawPaw (Mom's Dad) passed. Ten years later - in 1999, Mama May (my Mom's mother) passed - but they all had been there at the first church service of ParkwayHills, the one held under the tent. I loved them all - and speak of them often, but it has been Mom who has remained to encourage me all these years since. As I think of how they lived and loved, the memory of those days provides a wonderful benchmark for my own life. Pictures remain, of course, but the truths learned from them are now lived in the generations that have followed. Faith, family and love - these are the greatest gifts of my life, and they were given by them. Mom is still living, and Dad lives on in my heart - and oh... how I do love them so!

Last night Mom spent the night with B and me here in Plano. B made her a chocolate cake, and we exchanged cards and quiet talk while watching Cannon, our grandson, crawl about on the floor.

It has been a good day.  

Happy Birthday, Mom

Sam