The Wednesday after Populus Sion Sunday, The Second Sunday in Advent
Posted on December 11, 2024 by under
Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (NKJV)
3:10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Devotion
Yesterday, we discussed the awesome wonder of the conception of our Lord Jesus Christ as told in Luke’s Gospel, and how no one, no matter the intention, should distract from the first priority of the text itself. In today’s passage we see the Apostle Paul teach this principle as he prepares young Timothy for the ministry.
God’s Word is the only thing that is sure in the Church. It is the only reliable narrative we have to know God is with us. The Scriptures do not just contain the promises of God, it is the promise delivered to us perfectly and without error. Even as evil men and impostors grow in their defiance of the Scriptures, Timothy is taught to be steadfast and to rebuke from the authority of the Scriptures.
Our prayer as Christians is to always see the great treasure we have in God’s Holy Word and to rely on it as the ultimate authority for doctrine. Without the Scriptures, we have no surety of what God says to us and what he has promised us. This is why it is so important to prioritize the plain text of the Scripture first, so we can be sure of everything God has given to us in His Word. We pray that we are not led astray by distractions or falsehoods, but that we love God and enjoy His work in our lives.
Collect: Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Thine Only-begotten Son, so that by His coming we may be enabled to serve Thee with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Advent
Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
