Walk into any hospital waiting room and you’ll notice that administrators have tried to address a challenging problem: how to assist people who are waiting under duress. Someone in a waiting room may be preparing to receive bad news. To distract them, magazines are laid out, calming music is played, and televisions are tuned to programs that entertain. It is never easy to wait.

When Paul wrote to Titus, he understood that Christians were waiting. Jesus had ascended to heaven and promised to return, but it would not happen right away. Some Christians had already died without seeing Christ return. It was slowly becoming clear that this might take a while. Christians would have to wait.

Paul doesn’t attempt to distract Christians in God’s waiting room, rather he reminds them that they have been transformed by the grace of God (v. 11). That transformation continues as they “say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions” (v. 12). Living the way Christ commanded is one of the central ways Christians-who-wait sustain their hope in Christ’s return (v. 13). Paul reminds them that Jesus Christ gave Himself to redeem us from wickedness. He died to purify us, so that we could be His own people, ready to do good (v. 14). He gives additional guidance for waiting behavior in chapter 3: “to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone” (vv. 1–2).

Distraction may work in a hospital waiting room, but it is not fitting for Christians who wait for Christ to return. We are called to live lives that sustain our hope and enable us to do good, while we look forward to the glorious return of Christ.

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Shame is a powerful emotion. In most cultures, people work very hard to avoid shaming others or bringing shame upon themselves or their families. But shame can be a motivator. Feelings of shame might prevent us from doing bad things. On the other hand, feeling ashamed might cause us to stop doing something we should be doing!

Paul, once again imprisoned for preaching the gospel, took time to write a second letter to his spiritual son Timothy. He knew that his time on earth was coming to an end, so he wanted to impart wisdom to someone he loved dearly. Using the metaphor of fanning a fire, he challenged Timothy not to let what God was doing in his life die out, but rather to grow in strength (v. 6). God’s gift was not a fearful spirit but a powerful one, full of love and self-control (v. 7).

We can be sure that Timothy needed this reminder because living a gospel-centered life comes with risk of rejection, suffering, and shame. But because the spirit of God gives power, Timothy did not need to be ashamed or fearful. Even his association with Paul, a prisoner, wasn’t a cause for embarrassment because God is the one who empowers!

Paul understood that there were times when people should be ashamed of their sinful behavior (2 Thess. 3:14). There are also times, however, when people should not be ashamed. For example, Paul understood that his work for the gospel brought about suffering, but this was not a cause for shame because he was following Christ’s instructions. Paul had no need to be ashamed because he was obeying the One who defeated death and gave him eternal life (v. 10)! With confidence he would tell Timothy: Do not be ashamed of the gospel (v. 8).

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For years I led trips to Israel for students. Often, we traveled in buses on tight schedules. It was important for the students to be in the bus on time, not to miss opportunities to see important sites by the end of the day. Each morning began with a gentle reminder that if they were too late, they might get left behind.

In his first letter to the Thessalonians Paul addressed the issue of Christians who had perished. In his second letter Paul addressed a different problem. It seems the word went around that Jesus had already returned, and they had missed Him (v. 2)! As you might imagine this was disconcerting. To make matters worse, Paul was aware that this rumor might have been backed up by people claiming to have spoken with him and maybe bearing false letters forged in his name (v. 2).

He answers by giving them prophetic insight into the future. After his conversion, Paul received direct revelation from Jesus (Gal. 1:12). Jesus revealed to Paul that certain things must come to pass before He would come back. The details were not so specific that someone could pinpoint the day when Jesus would return. However, they are specific enough to assure his readers that God had a plan. He expected his readers to be encouraged by this. They had no reason to be unsettled, because God was in control.

The events of the future would not roll out haphazardly. God’s sovereign hand was on the future! First, the “man of lawlessness” must appear (v. 3). He must set himself up in the Temple as God (v. 4). But until the time was right, he was being held in check (v. 6). The Thessalonians could stand firm in the knowledge that they would not miss Christ’s return.

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Grief is part of the human experience. It cannot be escaped, and yet people try to conceal their grief with pleasure, mask pain with substances, or avoid it with busyness. But grief will not be denied. C. S. Lewis wrote, “No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear.” He was reflecting that grief, because it is so uncontrollable, provokes in us a terror of the unknown. We cry out: What is next?

Early Christians in Thessalonica faced a grief that required special instruction. Living a few short years after Jesus ascended, they faced the difficulty of watching their loved ones die before Jesus came back. This was disconcerting. They expected to see Jesus return in their lifetime and now faced the realization that their loved ones would not be alive to see Him.

Paul answered their grief with truth: “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (v. 14). They did not need to fear or grieve as those who had no hope (v. 13). The dead in Christ are more alive than ever! Their bodies lie in the ground awaiting Christ’s return to be reunited with their souls. And anyone alive at Christ’s return will participate in the experience (v. 17)! Together we will meet the Lord and enjoy His presence forever.

Rather than conceal, mask, or avoid their grief, Paul instructs them to be encouraged that both dead and living Christians will be reunited with Christ. While we grieve now, we are not like people who don’t know God and His plan. We grieve with hopeful anticipation of Christ’s return—the joyful reality of being reunited with believers who have died and being “with the Lord forever” (v. 17).

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Home ownership is attractive. Why pay rent when you can invest your hard-earned money into an asset that may appreciate over time? However, owning a home takes effort. The lawn must be mowed, the siding must be painted, and the roof must be repaired. But even while a rental might be easier, homeownership is considered a worthy investment.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul encourages his readers to do the hard work of maintaining the faith they have attained. They need to continue to live their lives in submission to the authority of Jesus (v. 6). He uses two images to describe the hard work they need to do. First, they need to remain rooted in Christ (v. 7). Like a plant extending roots for nutrients in the soil, they need to sink their roots deep in the knowledge of their Savior.

Second, their faith needs to be built up like a firm foundation that supports a building. They are to strengthen their faith and cultivate a heart “overflowing with thankfulness” (v. 7). Paul’s advice was important because the Colossians lived in a dangerous place, awash in “hollow and deceptive philosophy” (v. 8). These teachings were not based on Christ but on cultural practices and even the demonic world. Proponents of these ideas were always on the lookout for converts to ensnare. The Colossians needed to avoid being taken captive, and Paul’s warnings also ring true for us today!

Like home ownership, living out our faith takes work. The Colossians could not assume that just because they came to faith in Christ in the past, they would not need to expend energy on a regular basis to maintain that faith against opposition. In the same way, we need to realize that the work we do now for Christ is of eternal value.

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You might not know that The Pilgrim’s Progress was written in prison. The author, John Bunyan, was imprisoned for preaching in public without a license. At the time the local authorities banned such preachers, so they put Bunyan in jail for 12 years. But if their goal was to silence him, they failed. Bunyan used the time to write The Pilgrim’s Progress, which has become one of the most printed books in the English-speaking world.

Paul wrote Philippians under similar circumstances. He was falsely accused of bringing a Gentile into the Jewish Temple and this precipitated a series of events which led to his incarceration. One would expect this difficult situation to result in frustration and anger for the apostle, but he had a different perspective. He accepted this trial as from the hand of God and focused on opportunities it presented him.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul noted that during his imprisonment the gospel was being preached to people who would not normally hear it (v. 13). Paul would not have had access to the palace guard if he had not been placed in prison! In addition, as other believers watched him endure this trial with grace and a sense of mission, they became bolder (v. 14). Finally, Paul used his time in prison to write letters to Christian communities. These letters made an impact on early Christians and continue to do so today.

Paul’s example reminds us that we have options when enduring a trial. We can languish under the pain and a sense of injustice, or we can lean in and look for the opportunities it creates. Your accusers may intend to silence you, but they may be giving you a platform for the gospel.

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Have you ever received something in a package you didn’t expect? Occasionally a vendor will include a gift with my purchase, maybe a sticker, coupon, or a product sample. Most of the time these free gifts aren’t something I want or need, so they land in the trash.

In the opening of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul details a list of good gifts that come along with the salvation Christ won for us. The best gift we receive when we believe the gospel is a relationship with the God of the universe. That would be enough. But because God is so gracious, so generous, he bestows a wealth of incredibly valuable extras.

We are not just saved, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (v. 3). We are not just saved, we have been made holy and blameless (v. 4). We are not just saved, we have been adopted into a new family (v. 5). God has not left us in the dark, He has shown us what His plan is for this world (v. 10). All this, and so much more, comes to those who trust in Christ!

Christians should be aware of their inheritance in Christ because the world offers its own alternate list of “bonus gifts.” From the world, we are offered a sense of belonging, endless enjoyment, and a self-focused way of life. But none of these comes from God who lavished His love on us by sacrificing His Son for our sins. When we fully appreciate the blessings given to us by God, the gifts of the world begin to look like those stickers you didn’t ask for, thrown into the bottom of a box and sent by someone you don’t know.

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The sound of a siren is meant to evoke a strong and immediate response. The powerful wail means one thing: There is an emergency, so be ready to act. You may need to stop, you may need to pull over—pay attention!

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul sounds a warning siren for a theological emergency. He had received a report that the Galatians had begun to change their minds about the gospel. He taught them that Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient to secure their salvation (v. 1) but now they had begun to believe that this was insufficient. They wanted to earn their salvation. “Are you so foolish?” asks Paul (v. 3).

The Galatians had a stunning change of mind. Paul points out that they received the Holy Spirit at salvation by believing (v. 2). The Spirit was the sign of their salvation, and they received that as a gift. He sounds the alarm even louder by pointing out that God had been working among them, and this was not because they earned it by doing good works (v. 5). No, they had believed, and God saved them, so why would they try to earn those gifts now? Abraham serves as the perfect example. When confronted by God, he believed, and God made him righteous (v. 6).

The Galatians needed to pay attention and act. They needed to think differently about their situation. They needed to accept the grace of God’s gift and stop trying to work for it. Their very salvation was at risk. If they tried to earn it, they would surely fail. No one can be righteous enough to overcome their sin problem! Thankfully, there is One who has taken care of it for us.

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