The 2nd letter to Timothy, written by the Apostle Paul, was a personal letter. Paul wrote it during the days of his house imprisonment and is the last letter or book Paul wrote. He writes to Timothy, to encourage him, for he was his son in the Gospel. So, here was Paul the aged one, encouraging Timothy, the young pastor, to go forward with his sincere faith and “fan the flames of faith”; “stir up the gift of God” (KJV) and to go forth in his ministry.
It appears Timothy was a little timid and needed this encouragement. We also, like Timothy, need to be encouraged. We need to fan the flame of our faith; we need to build confidence in God, the Father and in Jesus Christ, who gives us the gift of grace to live each day in the knowledge that God loves us and cares for us. (Read 2 Tim 1:1-14)We have heard it said of someone – “that they have the ability and the skill to do a job, but they lack the confidence to get it done”. This happens to many people, especially to someone taking a new position. They may have the background of education and experience, but they have not faced the challenge that is a head for them. For some-one in a new job still needs to gain confidence in this new environment. On the other hand, you’ve of a ballplayer who has lost confidence and is not playing up to his ability. This happens to many good hitters in baseball, to many goaltenders in hockey, and to quarterbacks in football. To regain their form and confidence they require, not physical skills, but a mental or attitude change.
It appears Timothy needed encouragement so he could gain confidence to do God’s work. Our Christian lives are the same way. When things are going good it seems as if we can do no wrong. But let the situation change – and we feel as if we can’t do anything right and it feels as if the world is against us and at times we may believe God doesn’t care.The sermon title is “A Spirit of Confidence”, and we want to see how Paul is instructing his son in the faith, to go forward in his responsibility as a pastor.
In the past, Timothy relied on Paulfor help. But with Paul imprisoned and near to death, he knew the time was coming when he would not be around to help. This may have happened to each of us. We may have lost a parent, spouse or a dear friend that was our source of encouragement and now we are on our own. Paul was writing to stir up the spirit that was in Timothy. Verse 5 of our text says: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also”. Timothy had sincere faith. His grandmother and mother were the source of knowledge and they passed it on to him.
Parents and grandparents – this is an important message to you. Your lives have a great influence on your offspring, for sons and daughters and grandchildren reflect the attitudes of their parents and grandparents.Paul saw this in Timothy. He saw his sincere faith in God and in Christ and Paul is encouraging him to go forward and serve Christ and to proclaim the Gospel. The key verses in our text is Paul’s encouragement, he says, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline”.
Paul is saying – Timothy, you need to stir up, to kindle anew, you need to fire up your life, because you need to use the gifts God has given you. As Christians, we also need to stir up our faith, and renew our hope in life. God has blessed each of us with at least one spiritual gift that he wants us to use. Do you know your spiritual gift(s)? Paul speaks of these spiritual gifts in Romans 12 and 1st Corinthians 12. These two chapters are good starting points in seeking out your gift.
In verse 7, Paul gives Timothy, and also to us, the best confidence builder we can get when he says:“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline”. As Christians, we have the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This Spirit does not make us timid, or fearful, but gives us power, love and self-discipline to live our life for Christ.
Paul says it needs to be stirred up – we need to fan into flame that gift of the Spirit. At times, our lives may be like a fire that has burned down and all that is left are the coals or embers. But if you fan the fire, you stir up the coals or embers, re-igniting the fire. (example of a blacksmith fire when he fans it)The King James Version of verse 7 says: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound mind”. At times we let fear come into our life. Fear is of the Devil. It is similar to doubt and Satan is the master of putting doubt into our mind. Fear and doubt are not from God. He gives us power, love and self-discipline. I like to think of these three characteristics as coming from the Godhead, Power, coming from the Holy Spirit, Love, coming from the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Self-discipline or sound mind coming from the Father. Looking at these we see –
POWER, coming from the Holy Spirit, in Acts 1:8 Jesus says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you”. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, putting our faith in Him, we are born again, our spirit is born, it comes to life and we receive the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. It is the Holy Spirit that teaches us about God and Christ and it does so through the scriptures. The Holy Spirit opens our mind and allows us to understand the word of God. Jesus confirms this in John 16:13, he tells us: “When he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth”. Without this power of the Holy Spirit, we would never come to really understand the truth of God. As we make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit and His power, He will give us the confidence we need to live for Him.
In John 14:26 Jesus calls the Spirit, the Counselor, He says: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”. God has given us a Counselor whose power is present within us. What a great confidence builder we have.2nd characteristic God has given us is LOVE. God’s love is is beyond our love. Our love is temporal, but God’s love, through His Son Jesus Christ, is eternal. 1 John chapter 4 is a discourse on God’s love. We read “God is love”. And God’s love for us inspires confidence. We also read, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear”. As we love God, He gives us the power to love Him in return and to love others. This discourse in 1st.John, also says: “Let us love one another, for love comes from God”, and “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him”. We build confidence by showing our love for God and to love others as God has loved us.
3rd characteristic God gives us is a SOUND MIND or SELF-DISCIPLINE. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment”. (Matt 22:37-38)With a sound mind we have the ability to think clearly and to apply the wisdom of God. Wisdom is being able to make decisions in the same manner as Christ would make them.
Paul goes on to remind Timothy in 2 Tim 3:15 about his knowledge of scripture and the wisdom in it, when he says: “From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ. All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the person of God maybe thoroughly equipped for every good work”. Self-discipline and a sound mind allows us to use the Holy Scriptures as our guide to life and to gain confidence to do what God wants us to do. Parents and grandparents teach your children about scripture as Timothy was taught – what a great challenge.
Power – Love – Self-discipline, are all given to us by God. Like Timothy, we need to fan the fire, rekindle our spirit and renew our relationship with God that we might live in confidence, knowing that God loves us and that He will keep the promises of His Holy Word.We can have A Spirit of Confidence because God lives in us. Paul ended our text with these words: “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us”. Amen.
Join me in prayer – Father, if any lack confidence, challenge them to call upon You and lead them by Your Holy Spirit to rekindle Your love in them so they will seek and find You. Amen.
2 Timothy 1: 1-14
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
New Testament Lesson: 2 Timothy 1:1-14
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
To Timothy, my dear son:Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Meditations For Your Week
Sunday, June 26~ Saturday, July 2
Sunday: “To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 2 Timothy 1:2. God offers to each of the beloved grace, peace, and mercy. Give thanks to God.
Monday: “I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.” 2 Timothy 1:3. As you pray with a clear conscience, who are you remembering in your regular prayers? Lift them up, even now.
Tuesday: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” 2 Timothy 1:5. Give thanks today for those who have passed on their faith to you.
Wednesday: “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7. Prayerfully ask God to unveil a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline in your life.
Thursday: “Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God,” 2 Timothy 1:8. Where is God calling you to rely on the power of God, not your own power?
Friday: “Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:13. Where do you receive teaching? Consider how God is calling you to attend a Bible study or Sunday School class.
Saturday: “Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.” 2 Timothy 1:14. Give thanks to God for the treasures that God has entrusted to you.