A little bit of context, as usual, before we move on.
It was in the Lausanne Congress held last month, when we heard inspiring quotes, to the tune of moving away from saying ‘I don’t need you’, to ‘we need each other’. We touched on topics such as ministry in the workplace, staying steadfast in areas of persecution and violence, as well as considering new tools to use to celebrate the privilege of evangelism and discipleship.
It was in the Lausanne Congress Philippines Reunion, held a couple of weeks ago, where we made a more specific determination; That is, out of all the many opportunities and resources available for today’s believer, it was of the highest priority that we disciple the nations, and keep a watchful and loving eye on our next generation.
Drilling down even further, we saw that it was more practical and more effective for us, as individuals, to take on the admittedly gargantuan task of discipling entire people groups, by way of ministering to our own families first – and, while every generation matters and is equally valued by our God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), we would be fooling ourselves if we didn’t think that the generations that succeed us need all the attention we could give them.
And now that I think of it, I believe we automatically honor the generations that precede us, by ministering to the generations that follow us. Disciples would be secured, and the mentors would be at ease – and those of us at our ‘prime’ are… what, validated?
For lack of words, when the youth is blessed, the community is blessed.
This is the reason for the push to go through 2 Timothy. Why 2 Timothy, and not 1 Timothy first? Simply because there are only 4 Sundays for November, just enough to go through all 4 chapters of 2 Timothy, versus the 6 chapters of 1 Timothy.
We’ll see more as we go along. Let’s look at the context surrounding 2 Timothy in particular.
The Olive Tree Bible App is nice, in that it has an Introduction to each book of the Bible, before going into the first chapter. It’s through this Introduction that we read that 2 Timothy was written, from an aging Paul to his disciple (or, his ‘spiritual son’) Timothy, in the face of darkness greater than was present during his first epistle to him.
Indeed, Paul saw a great darkness for him: The threat of imminent death of his mortal body, the consequent and very possible end to his personal ministry, and his being abandoned by a significant number of his associates and friends for fear of similar or matching persecution.
This was Paul: Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee of the finest degree, from the tribe of Benjamin, persecutor extraordinaire – Now in chains in a foreign land, devoid of any of the authority once given him, alone, and himself persecuted…
…And yet, in this, what we can imagine as his pathetic state, there remains hope in Christ, unto faithfulness – Faithfulness, that is, to not only direct Timothy accordingly, but also to exhort to him to boldness and to endurance; Faithfulness, not only to encourage the young lad, but also to remind him sternly of the value of keeping the faith in the face of false teaching, and to maintain (as Paul maintained) concern for sound doctrine.
2 Timothy is therefore a means for us to (1) stir up boldness and endurance, to shine the light while the rest of the world hides, even revels in darkness, and to (2) encourage an increase in effort for us to focus on sound doctrine, for us to discern the will of God apart from earthly, demonic wisdom and false teachings.
By the end of this series, it is our prayer that the younger generations who come to our fellowships would be stirred to seek (1) security in a world where their peers have trouble enduring, and (2) timeless, divine wisdom as only the Holy Spirit can breathe upon them.
By the end of this series, it is also our prayer that our elder generations would also be stirred to (1) minister as mentors to the youth, and also to (2) not hold back in sharing what timeless, divine wisdom they have received through the Word and/or by way of God’s goodness experienced through all their years.
May our good and glorious God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) be glorified to the utmost, in this endeavor. Amen.
2 Timothy 1
Greeting
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
As is his custom, Paul identifies himself before greeting the recipient, Timothy. Before he speaks blessing over Timothy, he declares – to Timothy, to anyone else who would come to read this, and even to himself – that, besides all other titles that could be given to him, he is an apostle…
…and not just any apostle. Paul states he is an apostle ‘of Christ Jesus’, who is therefore: (1) Reconciled to the Father (by the divine, perfect will of God), and (2) Righteous unto eternal life (according, on the authority of, corresponding to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus)
And with this in mind, he greets Timothy, his ‘beloved child’, with blessings from the Father, and His Son, our Lord; Blessings of grace, mercy, and peace.
As early as the first couple of verses of this wonderful epistle, we’re reminded, as Paul does in every relative and relevant communique – Remember how you were blessed, how you were encouraged, how you were validated, before you bless, encourage, and validate others.
Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You
3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
Immediately following the greeting Paul proceeds with the pleasantries, telling Timothy of how he thanks God upon remembering him in his prayers. He tells the young lad that he continues to be most aware of his ‘tears’ – his sorrows, his troubles, the causes of his grief, perhaps – telling him he looks forward to seeing him all the more, that he ‘may be filled with joy’.
What follows is a revelation to us – The faith that Paul is sure ‘dwells’ in Timothy was actually a faith possessed not only by his mother Eunice, but also his grandmother Lois. What this tells me is that Paul may be ‘filled with joy’ if or when he sees Timothy again…
…but I believe there is a peace in Paul that is already present, a peace that rests on the high possibility that this sincere faith which has passed on and ministered to generations prior, is now dwelling in the young lad.
Yes, I suppose I’d be referring to Timothy as ‘the young lad’ a lot in this series.
After greeting and further encouraging him, Paul moves on:
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 God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
I have reason to believe that the flaming ‘gift of God’ Paul refers to here is the Holy Spirit poured upon Timothy (which may have consequently convinced him that the faith of the young lad’s grandmother and mother has been authored and now dwelling in him, indeed).
The ESV points us to from 2 Timothy 1:6 to 1 Timothy 4:14, where it is revealed that this ‘gift’ was given to him ‘by prophecy when the council of elders (including Paul) laid their hands on (him)‘, and we are directed from 1 Timothy 4:14 to 1 Thessalonians 5:19, which simply states, ‘Do not quench the Spirit.‘
Perhaps while keeping his sincere faith and his tears in mind, Paul reminds Timothy to ‘fan’ this gift of the Holy Spirit into flame – so that, in place of fear and anguish, he moves in ‘power and love and self-control.‘
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
You know, before I go any further, I just want to share here, as I’ve probably shared before – when we do get to heaven (as the song goes) what a great and a joyous time it’ll be, and when we all see Jesus… I’ll also take some time to go to brother Paul, and berate ask him to explain his preference for insanely long and winded compound sentences.
Anyway, on top of ‘fanning into flame’, or stirring up the gift of God (the Holy Spirit of power, love, and self-control/a sound mind), Paul encourages Timothy that he consequently (1) should not be ashamed of the testimony ‘about’ our (common) Lord. (2) He shouldn’t be ashamed of Paul being His prisoner.
…and, due to Paul’s apparent penchant to making it so difficult for those of us reading his epistles so many generations later, I’m going to have to dissect and deconstruct that monster of a compound sentence he composed:
(3) In place of shame, Timothy ought to ‘share in suffering’ (that is, to endure suffering).
Why? For this same Gospel for which Paul was appointed as preacher and apostle and teacher… which is why he suffers as he does.
How? By the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling – not because of what we have done, but by His own purpose and grace, given to us in Christ before the ages began, and only now manifested through the appearance of Christ. Yes, the Christ who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.
Just so we’re clear: Paul identifies himself and greets Timothy, and then goes straight to business telling him:
- The Spirit which he received through Paul and the elders is not a spirit of fear, but a Spirit of power, love and self-control.
- Because of this gift, the Spirit who dwelt in him, he ought not be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor should he be ashamed of Paul being His ‘prisoner’.
- By the same Spirit who dwells in him, Paul reminds him to share in suffering, to endure with the rest of the body of Christ, who suffers.
13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
He adds a fourth item from hereon, that (4) by the same Spirit, he should guard the ‘good deposit’ entrusted to him. And from here, Paul sort of wraps up before beginning what we’re calling the next chapter of 2 Timothy:
15 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
One final detail – Paul took a little time to express his frustrations towards Phygelus and Hermogenes, who turned away from him. He put in a good word for Onesiphorus, who ‘refreshed’ Paul, and intentionally looked for him in Rome.
So, as you can see, as early as the first Chapter, Paul encourages Timothy (and us consequently) that we’re able to move forth, beyond shame; We’re able to endure through suffering, and we are able to stay in tune with the word of our mentors, in faith and love… all because of two things: Faith in Jesus Christ that rises in us, and the consequent Power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us.
As such, I believe our mentors should continue going through the Word, in order that their faith is constantly renewed, ready to shine for our younger generations to see.
I also believe that we should continue to pray, and, in so doing, involve the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us according to God’s will. We partner with the Holy Spirit in praying for our younger generations.
I’m still in the dark as to how to end these messages every Sunday – I mean, we usually end with asking them to choose a partner and to declare the Aaronic blessing, but I think we should take some time to have mentors partner with younger folks, and bless them accordingly.
Until the next post, may God continue to bless and direct us, in all our endeavors.
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