Stand Fast, Hold Firm, Be Loved - 22nd Sunday After Pentecost
Author: Pastor Carolyn Hetrick
November 09, 2025
Years ago, I let our daughter Alex talk me
into running the Army Ten Miler. I trained and trained and committed myself to
running it in honor of my Dad’s service. Several things made the race far more
daunting than I planned. First, the humidity in October was 94% that day. And I
had trained on trails not pavement. They told us we could not run with
earphones and so all I had for the race was the sound of my breath and all
those feet. At mile 8 I was about ready to chop off my right foot and was clearly
overheated when an elderly man ran by in a kilt and yelled, “remember why
you’re here and the sacrifice they made.” Dang. I can’t quit now. It felt like
forever until the race would be done, but quite soon that I might be done. In a
pack of thousands of runners and their chatter, I felt so alone and all my
training felt in vain. And perhaps most importantly, the water stations ran out
of water and only had Gatorade which does not agree with my stomach at all.
‘Nuf said there. Now I was uncomfortable and it made me angry.
The believers of Thessaloniki were facing the
weight of the world. They were suffering and feeling afflicted, and truth be
told they may have even been longing for those who were making their lives
miserable to get theirs. Perseverance and endurance were becoming things in
short supply. And in their case, they found themselves surrounded by lots of
competing movements and voices, religiously and culturally. They felt like a
minority and like at times they were screaming into the wind.
Their concerns were much more monumental but
ones perhaps we can relate to when the world around us feels so heavy- Why isn’t
God returning as Jesus said? And what should we do when faced with people who
are distorting God’s word for their own purposes? And will the return of God
bring judgement and if so, what kind?
How long do we wait, and how long can we? We
are growing weary of doing what is right.
There are two letters to the Thessalonians.
The first is believed to be the oldest letter the apostle Paul wrote to a
church. The second one, we hear from today came later. Just before this passage, we hear that some
are mistreating the Thessalonians.
They are characterized as those for whom there
was no place in their hearts for the truth that saves us. I want to hold
onto that for a moment. There was no room in their hearts.
What there was seemingly no room for was the
truth that the good news of Jesus Christ is intended to save us from our worst
selves and help us resist the ease with which we can just give up. The God who
loves us wants to save us from our worst selves so we can be our best selves as
God created us.
The gospel, God’s good news, news of a God
with us, is life giving. It is not news of tearing down and death dealing. It
is news that we have a living Lord, not a God “has beens” or “impossible futures.”
The present may be daunting, but we are
called to live in the present and will be given what we need to keep this focus.
I say that as someone who suspects that you,
like me can use a pep talk.
The word we are given in Thessalonians, as we
read it, hear it, and share it, is a word given so that its truth can renew
and redirect our hearts for the here and now. So where are hearts become
hardened or filled with animosity or bitterness, we can be restored by love.
And for this reason, Beloveds, remember what
is shared in this word:
God chose you from the beginning and God calls
you into this good news story unfolding.
This does not mean that we deceive ourselves
claiming that the world would somehow be better if we just had more faith. We
are being transformed by God’s hand and in God’s time.
We do not deceive ourselves that any earthly
person or force will hasten God’s hand to act. We do not deceive ourselves into
believing that our worst adversaries face a day of judgment the likes of which
our undisciplined hearts are sometimes prepared to afflict them with.
No matter how tempting, our God wants to lead
us away from temptation and deliver us from evil, wants to stop us in those
moments when we too do not find a place in our hearts for the truth of Jesus.
While our frustrated thoughts are not as bad as the actions that are afflicting
others, we must not simply allow affliction. And we know that hearts and minds grow weary
in a constant onslaught of bitterness and anger and fear just as much as they
are injured by the insults and deprivations and judgements others heap upon us when
we reflect the love of Jesus for every body.
Remember in the eyes of God in Christ, all
God’s children are seen through the lens of the cross- with the eyes and heart
of God’s grace and mercy, forgiveness, and belovedness. Let that sink in for a
moment for YOU.
Beloveds, I thank God for you. I invite you
to repeat after me:
God chose me God called me here Stand
firm Hold fast
Do not be easily shaken from your composure
or disturbed. Let no one deceive you in any way, no matter what so called signs
or miracles or false wonders there may be.
Love, comfort, hope, encouragement and
strength are what Jesus wants us to know and experience. AND this is what we
ourselves are to embody just as Jesus did in this life and ministry and in his
death and resurrection. This is what those early disciples and we ourselves are
given to go and tell, teach and embody in our words and our actions.
Remember that Jesus told us he would be with
us to the end of the age. Whenever that is, and until that is, Jesus is with
us.
We thank God for you because you are loved by
the Lord
God chose you from the beginning for
salvation and in the work of the Spirit, to be given faith in the truth.
God called you through this good news to this
reality so you may possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Stand firm, hold
fast.
Stand firm, hold fast.
Hold onto what you have been given and taught
in actions and words about Jesus Christ.
May God who loved us and by grace gave us
eternal comfort and good hope, encourage your hearts
And strengthen you in every good thing.
Did it feel good to hear those words of
encouragement earlier?
I bet there are others who could use a dose
of this truth for their weary hearts that find it hard to hold onto the truth.
Let’s practice again.
I invite you to turn to the person next to
you and look them in the eye and repeat after me:
God chose you God
called you here I thank God
for you Hold
fast to this love
Stand firm.
Amen.
Copyright Rev. Carolyn K. Hetrick, 2025 All rights
reserved. May not be reproduced in whole or in part without written
permission.
Sermon
Text: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
13 But
we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the
Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through
sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 For
this purpose he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory
of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So
then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you
were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself
and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and
good hope, 17 comfort your hearts and strengthen
them in every good work and word.
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