"Fight or Flight"

A Sermon Preached by

The Rev. Mike Elliott

July 18, 2010

II Tim 4:6-8, 16-18

Adrenaline.... If you remember your High School biology, then you will recall that when there is a threat of danger, then our bodies produce the hormone adrenaline.  The purpose of adrenaline is to give us that extra energy we need to either stand and fight or run away.  Adrenaline is one way that our body uses to protect itself from danger.  You know that feeling when adrenaline courses through your body?  The rapid heartbeat and fast breathing.  The tingling muscles.  The revved up metabolism.  It’s all your bodies way of making you better able to stand and fight against a threat or to run away to safety faster.

Do you suppose that maybe our bodies make a spiritual type of adrenaline when we face things that threaten to destroy us spiritually?  Do you suppose that our spirits have a way to protect us from harm or destruction when trouble comes our way? 

Now, understand where I am coming from here.  We just had a few weeks of several very difficult funerals that really took a lot out of me and all of the staff.  In preparing for two of them, I spent a lot of time pondering this morning’s passage from second Timothy.  It dawned on me though that perhaps the Apostle Paul was not just talking about physical death to his friend Timothy.  There is a whole lot more going on here.  So let me quote Paul’s words to his friend Timothy for you… Hear the word of the Lord…..

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

     For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

     At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me.  May it not be held against them.  But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.  And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.  The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.  To God be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

So do you suppose that we do indeed have a spiritual hormone that our spirits release when we are in danger or deep trouble?  There certainly have been a lot of times in my life when I sure could have used it!  How about you?

This notice appeared in the window of a coat store in Nottingham, England: "We have been in business for over 100 years and have been pleasing and displeasing customers ever since. We have made money and lost money, suffered the effects of coal nationalization, coat rationing, government control and bad payers. We have been cussed and discussed, messed about, lied to, held up, robbed and swindled.  The only reason we stay in business is to see what happens next."

Does that statement pretty much sum up your life also?  You've been through thick and thin.  Good times and bad times.  Rich times and poor times.  Happy and sad times.  And anymore, you're just hanging in there out of curiosity.  Curiosity for what's going to happen next.  A quiet, resigned kind of desperation about life?

Dr. Hal Brady of Dallas, Texas, tells of comedian Sir Harry Lauder as he faced the news of the death of his only son, who was killed in World War I.  The famous Scottish comedian said to a friend: "When a person comes to a thing like this, there are just three ways out of it -- there is drink; there is despair and there is God.  By God's grace, this last is for me."

Paul was in prison as he wrote these words to his dear friend Timothy.  He was in prison for the last time and would soon be facing his death.  For him, there was no way out.  And nothing that anyone could do to save him.  And as he sat in that dirty prison cell, slowly rotting to death, he began to reflect on his life.  

Now, you would expect that Paul would be bitter.  Angry.  Upset.  Mad as a wet hornet.  I mean, after all, here was a guy that had given his heart and soul to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He had given up the best years of his life for God.  He had endured beatings.  Prison.  Hunger.  Being run out of town on a rail.  Humiliation.  Stoning.  Things too horrible to even imagine.  Paul had endured it all for the sake of the Gospel.

How would you feel if it was you?  How would you feel if it was you rotting in that cold dark prison cell waiting to be put to death?  What thoughts would be running through your head as you sat there, cold and hungry?  Would you be mad?  Would you be angry?  Would you have a few choice words for God? 

Well, I'll let Paul tell you his thoughts there at the end in his own words… 

"At my first defense, no one came to my support, but all deserted me.  May it not be counted against them!  But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed…"

So do you suppose that we do indeed have a spiritual hormone that God has given us to protect us through the bad times in our lives?

I’m sure you have seen the bumper sticker favored by owners of old, beat-up cars.  It says: "This is not an abandoned vehicle."  These words form Paul remind me of that very same bumper sticker.  Maybe what we would have seen if we had looked into that prison cell would have been nothing more than a tired old man ready for death.  Maybe we would have seen a body that was all but abandoned.  Just like that old heap of a car that I saw the bumper sticker on.  But, Paul's words remind us… This is not an abandoned vehicle!  Me and my life have not been abandoned by God.  God is still in my life for the fight.  Maybe you can’t see it, but I sure can! 

Like Paul says: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith…" 

Paul reminds us that that is what our lives should be about.  That is the business of our lives.  To keep the faith.  Not just to sit back and wait to see what happens next, but to keep the faith.  To fight the good fight.  Not to just resign ourselves to fate, but to fight.  Faith, faith is that spiritual hormone that we need when we face the tough, times of our lives.

Faith is the one thing that keeps us from giving up on life and giving up on ourselves.  Paul learned that through the circumstances of his life.  No matter what the circumstances, he never gave up on himself.  He refused to just sit down and give up.  He refused to take on the role of victim.  He refused to sit back and pity himself.  Maybe he wasn't the most eloquent speaker or a very strong or forceful man, but he did what he could.  Maybe everyone had given up on him and wrote him off as being a goner, as he sat rotting in that prison cell, but Paul knew who he was and he what he was worth.  He knew that he was a child of the Living God.  He knew that his life had been bought with the blood of Jesus Christ himself.   No matter what, Paul always remembered who he was and what he was worth.  And, he never forgot those things, no matter what other people may have thought of him.  No matter who hated him or feared him or thought that he was stupid or worthless or evil, Paul never gave up on himself.

Norman Vincent Peale was passing a tattoo parlor in Hong Kong one day and stopped to look at some of the examples of the artist’s work in the window.  One tattoo said "Born to Lose".  Out of curiosity, he went inside and asked the owner of the shop if anyone really had that tattooed on themselves.  The old man nodded.  Peale asked why anyone would want to have that tattooed on their body.  The old man quietly answered, "before tattoo on chest, tattoo already on mind."

We all fall.  We all lose our way.  Sometimes life isn't fair.  Paul would be the first to say that as he sat in his prison cell.  But we don't have to settle for staying down.  For just sitting back and giving up.  God doesn't give up on us.  Ever.  Other people may give up on us, but God never does.  And that is exactly what kept Paul going through all the tough times in his life, that he knew that God would never give up on him.  And sometimes that may be all that we have to keep us going.  To know that the Creator of all loves us, values us and never gives up on us.  That should be tattooed on our chests.  But most of all, to fight the good fight, to keep the faith means that we don't give up on God.  Even in his darkest hour.  Even in his longest and coldest night, Paul never gave up on God.

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed…"

And for Paul, even in prison.  Even facing his own death, Paul kept on fighting the good fight of the faith.  Even in the face of death, Paul refused to give up on himself. 

Maybe you are ready to give up on God at this point in your life.  Maybe your faith is wavering.  Maybe you've already given up on God.  Maybe your prayers seem to have gone unanswered for too long now.  Perhaps the tough times just seem to get tougher and tougher and God doesn't seem to know or care or see at all… Maybe life is getting the better of us these days…

But don't give up.  We have a spiritual hormone at our disposal that helps us to face up to our fears.  To hold steady when our lives are shaken.  To stand firm when common sense tells us to turn and run away.  Call it faith.  Call it trust.  Call it hope.  Call it perseverance of the saints if you want a good Calvinistic term for it.  Call it whatever you want.  Just stand firm.  Let that spiritual hormone carry you and your faith through the tough times of your life. 

As marathon runner Peter Strudwick puts it, "Call me a fanatic, if you will, but I'll be out there running for as long as the challenge exists.  And when I face my final race, if I can't run, I'll jog; if I can't jog, I'll walk; if I can't walk, I'll crawl on all fours if I have to; and if I can't crawl, I'll die with my face to the finish line."

So, fight the good fight.  Keep the faith.  Because the Lord, your God has reserved for you and for all who finish the race, the Crown of Righteousness.    

At the Olympic Games held in Mexico City back in 1968 - Out of the cold darkness came John Stephen Akhwari, of Tanzania.  Entering at the far end of the stadium, pain hobbling his every step, his leg bloody and bandaged.  The winner of the Olympic marathon had been declared over an hour earlier.  The award ceremony had concluded some time ago and the crowds had left the stands.  Only a handful of spectators remained in the stadium to witness John’s lackluster finish.  Nevertheless, the lone runner pressed on.  As he crossed the finish line, the small crowd roared out its appreciation.  Afterward, a reporter asked the runner why he had not retired from the race, since he had no chance of winning.  He seemed both confused and offended by the question.  Finally, he answered: "My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race.  They sent me to finish it."

You see, no one ever said you had to win the race of faith, Paul only said we had to run it for all we are worth. 

Amen.