“Timothy’s
Challenge”
a condensed version of the
sermon delivered by Katie Mellentine at the Illinois Conference
Annual Meeting at Elmhurst College on June 11th, 2006.
Good Evening. My name is Katie Mellentine. I grew up in the Granville United Church of Christ. Tonight I am going to be preaching on the Epistle reading from 1 Timothy. I was baptized, confirmed, and became an "active" member in the church. I felt no real desire to go to church after I was confirmed. With encouragement, I showed up on Sunday most of the time. My relationship with God did not mature until about a year and a half ago. I was asked to attend a Teens Encounter Christ weekend that I came to know as TEC. During that weekend I heard God’s call for me like I had never heard before. During that weekend I felt a great ton of love from Christian people. God’s call during that weekend is what brings me in front of you today. One of the many reasons I am able to speak to all of you if that you are Christian people. This is not a High School English class where my peers just sit and wait to ridicule me after I am done speaking in front of the class. What do I have to be afraid of when in the company of such loving, caring, and accepting people?
~People of God~
After I heard God’s call for me, I soon noticed that I was surrounding myself with people who thought as I did. For once in my life I realized that I needed to be with God’s people, especially those who would support me in my faith. I started joining various things in church, I felt a need and want to go to church, rather than looking at church as getting up early on yet another weekend, instead of sleeping in like most of my friends.
If you listen to the scripture 1 Timothy Ch 4 vs. 11-16 you will hear 5 key words, one of which is Speech. When thinking about speech you may think about what I am doing right now. God called me to speak to you. However, God does not just call me, or the person sitting next to you, or the person sitting behind you. God is calling you.On the other hand, there isn’t a need to answer God’s call by speaking.
There are many ways to answer God’s call. One of those ways is through your everyday actions. You could call these actions Conduct. Many adults may think of youth as children on the path to their adult life, through which they might lead themselves into trouble. It’s how we all grow up, right?
There are many things that you are unaware of, my friends. I’m sure that if you looked closely enough you would see so much talent in the youth in your church that you wouldn’t know how to utilize all of it. Youth are even capable of serving on church boards and committees. Then there are those youth who have not heard the call of God just yet. Do you go out of your way to do anything about it? What could you do in order to show them God’s love?
Through your actions you can respond to God’s call. Some people may care for the sick while some may express their love for God through poetry or art.
Another way to answer God’s calling is through your Love. God loves you without conditions or limitations. Even when you’ve run through the house screaming at your children and you’re having a bad hair day, God loves you. One of the most amazing things to me is God’s love. He knows me inside and out, everything I have ever done, but he still loves me.
I remember one afternoon when we were having our ice cream social at church. Three young men came and sat in the churchyard. Living in a small town, naturally people started to whisper. Not knowing who they were made me curious so I approached them. I asked them their names and where they were coming from. They began telling me that they were from the Wisconsin area and had a job waiting for them in Arkansas. Having no other way of transportation, I was stunned to find out that these three young men had walked to the very spot they were sitting. They had told me they didn’t plan on giving up. It looked to me like a pilgrimage. Cool!
I was so amazed by their journey and the courage I saw in them. They never asked for anything, but obviously tired from walking for a week straight with little money, food, clothes, or a place to shower. I brought them inside the church where they were greeted with food and a place to shower they were very grateful and even wanted the address to the church to send us something once they got to their destination. When thinking about what I just told you, you might think to yourself "They were probably lying.....but what if they weren’t?
Which brings me now to Faith. Can you put all of your trust in God who loves you unconditionally? Faith makes me think of a song by Wayne Watson, maybe you’ve heard it. One particular line in the song says "I would rather walk in the dark with Jesus, than to walk in the light on my own." Instantly after hearing this line in the song, it’s needless to say that it was on repeat in my CD player for days. The world, even in the light, can be a scary place. Yet if you walk in the dark with Jesus, then you know you’re safe. Faith is how we describe our relationship with God. Sometimes faith is not the easiest relationship to maintain. Just a few months ago, someone very close to me, who I knew as a strong Christian young woman decided to explore another faith, very different from the one she had previously. It hurt me very much that she was straying from God and from me. I told someone in church about my friend and that I was having a hard time. She responded to me by saying "The seeds have already been planted; she knows what’s right in her heart" When you practice acts of faith, you will lead yourself and others to God. Some people may express their faith by wearing a T-shirt that has a message about God they would like to share with other people. While walking through the halls of my high school wearing my God is still speaking shirt, I would get the nickname of Comma. People might stop me in the hall, read my shirt, then look up at me and say "I don’t get it" Instead of not bothering to explain I try my hardest to let them know what it means to me.
Another one of those key words is Purity. Although none of us can live a life free from sin, striving for purity is what keeps our intentions good. The 10 commandments aren’t rules to keep you from having fun. The 10 commandments are God’s gift to you. If you think about the times that you have sinned, you will probably remember the aftermath. Whatever the negative feelings were, they were a result of sin. By living in a pure way you could save yourself some grief.
SPEECH CONDUCT LOVE FAITH PURITY
All sorts of people are called to serve. Paul wrote to Timothy when he was young. The youth of this conference set an example before you this morning similar to how Paul challenged Timothy. God spoke to Paul and God is still speaking today through our youth.
I challenge each and every one of you to take the same challenge that Paul gave Timothy. Set an example in your Speech, Conduct, Love, Faith, and Purity. Amen.