H HIGHLIGHT: 2 Timothy 1:1-18 (NLT) 1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 I am writing to Timothy, my dear son. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. 3 Timothy, I thank God for you the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again. 5 I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. 6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don t be ashamed of me, either, even though I m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. 11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News. 12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return. 13 Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. 14 Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you. 1 of 6
15 As you know, everyone from the province of Asia has deserted me even Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains. 17 When he came to Rome, he searched everywhere until he found me. 18 May the Lord show him special kindness on the day of Christ s return. And you know very well how helpful he was in Ephesus. E EXPLAIN vv.1-7 Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy probably 2 to 3 years earlier. It was concerned more with coaching the young pastor as to carrying out his responsibilities. The tone of 2 Timothy is different. It may be the most intimate letter of Paul that we have. That it is his last letter is almost certain (2 Tim. 4:7-9). When a man knows he is dying he often opens the door to the innermost part of his heart. Paul had discipled Timothy for about 15 years. Timothy had been with him on his 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys; he accepted special assignments from the Apostle (1 Thess. 3:1; 1 Cor. 4:17); he had been with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment (Phil. 1:1; 2:19-24; Col. 1:1; he had been been left in Ephesus and appointed by Paul to be in charge and carry out the Christian work there. Here is one of the finest demonstrations of catch and release discipleship on record. He took a young man and poured himself into him and said, Now you go and do the same (2 Tim. 2:2). But now we see more than just a mentoring relationship between a father and son in the faith (1 Tim. 1:2). We see Paul s heart that could be tough as nails (Acts 13:13; 15:36-40) thanking God for Timothy, remembering his tears when they were separated, anticipating their coming together again. Hopefully before the Apostles execution (2 Tim. 4:9, 21). Some things are more important than others. Paul begins to reflect on, perhaps, what is most important in his and Timothy s relationship the genuineness of Timothy s faith. Paul knew this young man; he had planted part of himself in Timothy. Before that, Timothy s grandmother and mother had built a foundation for his faith a faith that was genuine and sincere. But Paul recognized that Timothy didn t quite have his game on. The spiritual gift that God had given Timothy was going to waste. We don t know for sure what that gift was. It probably had something to do with administration or teaching. Whatever, it was not being used to build up the Body of Christ. These gifts are not given to be hung on a wall like an achievement award. They are to be well-used (1 Cor. 12:7; Romans 12:6-8). So Paul tells Timothy to fan his spiritual gift into flames. Stir up (KJV) the embers gets closer to the point. Rearrange it. Shake the ashes off this gift. Come on, Timothy. I don t know for sure what is going on, but I know you are not supposed to be sitting in the stands. You didn t join the team just to get your picture in the 2 of 6
yearbook. Now get out of the stands and onto the playing field. God didn t give you a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power and love and self-discipline. Shake of the ashes and stir up your heart. We re in a life-and-death game come down here and help us win it! Paul loves Timothy too much to let him wilt on the vine. vv.8-11 In these verses we perhaps catch a glimpse of what prompted Timothy to hide his light under a bushel (see Matt. 5:14-15) the cost of identifying with Jesus and with Paul who was suffering in prison for the sake of Christ. Timidity (v.7) and the testimony about our Lord (ESV) do not make good bedfellows. Sooner or later, one will kick the other out. Like a loving father, Paul primes the pump of Timothy s memory. Timothy, I m not in prison to prove how courageous I am. I m not in prison because I like the philosophy of Christianity and other people don t like me because of that. I m in prison for Jesus and the sake of the Good News the Gospel. We have been graced to run this race not because we deserved it, but because He called us. Will you join me, Timothy, and suffer with me for the sake of the Good News? Stir up those embers which burned so brightly for years; throw some kindling on them and quit acting like a mere man (1 Cor. 3:3). vv.12-14. Here we see the character of this mighty man of God. What it was that made him tick. It was the advancement of the Gospel (Phil. 1:7). He the worst of all sinners (1 Tim. 1:15-16) had been saved by God s marvelous grace. And he wanted all people to know how they could be at peace with God. That is why he is suffering in prison. That s why he suffered throughout his ministry (see 2 Cor. 11:23-29). But he was never ashamed of Jesus. I know the One in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until the day of His return. Timothy got it! Fox s Book of Martyrs, p.7, says that Timothy, some 30 years after getting this letter from Paul, was beaten to death in Ephesus for severely reproving the pagans ridiculous idolatry during the Feast of Catagogion ( feast honoring Diana, the goddess of the Ephesians). Timothy stirred those embers and held to the pattern of teaching that he had received from Paul the precious truth that had been entrusted to him. Your true vocation is ministry if you are a Christian. Using all your gifts to the glory of God wherever you are even at work (your other vocation). We may not suffer like Paul and Timothy, but our ministry usually has a cost. But he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose (Jim Elliott, missionary). vv.15-18. These verses reveal the human side of Paul. We often see him as bigger than life. v.15 doesn t need comment. Read it slowly, and listen to the hurt in this veteran warrior s voice as he dictates his final words. 3 of 6
Here are three people mentioned nowhere else in the N.T.: Phygelus, Hermogenes, and Onesiphorus. While we know nothing of these first two men besides the fact that they had deserted Paul, it appears that this was a tremendous disappointment even Phygelus and Hermogenes. We should not write off these two as men who turned their backs on the faith. It is more likely that they were among the many who abandoned Paul when he was hauled off to his final imprisonment in Rome (see 2 Tim. 4:9-11a, 16). In that day and time, it was dangerous to be friendly to a man in jail especially if it was Nero who put him there. While we cannot do anything about the decisions of others that affect us adversely, we can refuse to camp out there. Paul immediately turned his thoughts to an encouragement: Onesiphorus and all his family. Tom Wright suggests three things we can learn from this man who, also, is mentioned only here. (1) He did what Paul was urging Timothy to do a few verses ago: he was not ashamed of Paul as a prisoner, and he was prepared to act on that stance. (2) He didn t just stumble on the opportunity; he searched everywhere until he found Paul. He took the initiative. (3) Onesiphorus help was practical. He visited and encouraged (refreshed [ESV and NIV) Paul. He probably brought food and drink. He may have even brought money to buy more after he had gone. People in jail in the first century were not provided for by the state. They were entirely dependent on friends and family to provide the base necessities of life (see 4:13, 21a). A APPLY 1. What stuck out to you or challenged you in what you heard in the sermon or read in the text? 2. What fears (the idea of losing something you have) or lusts (the desire for something else/ more) might keep you from applying the principles of this Scripture? 3. Paul bares his soul in this last letter to Timothy. We might be surprised that this giant of faith could struggle with some of the things he writes about. Paul doesn t surrender to those frustrations and disappointments, but he admits that they are there (1:15; 4:10, 14, 4 of 6
16). When is a time you were in one of those pits, feeling like the walls were collapsing and threatening to bury you, but you never reached out for help? Why? 4. Some of us sang as kids, This little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine. Then we declared that we would neither let Satan blow it out nor would we hide it under a bushel. Timothy may never have sung that song, but Paul was concerned that the fire was dying (1:6). Timothy s faith was strong (1:5), but the gifts and passion that make the faith glow had ashes all over them. Paul told Timothy to fan the flame, stir the embers, rearrange the wood so that the fire would return. What tends to dampen your fire? It s very important to remember that Jesus will not snuff out a smoldering wick (Matthew 12:20). So, run to Jesus. What is He telling you to do to become a blazing disciple again? R RESPOND Three characters dominate 2 Timothy 1 Paul, Timothy, and Onesiphorus. With which of these three do you identify most? Paul, with his physical, mental, and emotional needs? Timothy, with his discipleship (faithfulness) issues? Or Onesiphorus, with his keen eye to see a need and meet it? Me: 5 of 6
Maybe you need to stir up the embers and strengthen your walk with the Lord. Your Life Group is a great place to begin. Adult Electives are offered all during the week (see sohillscc.com). Maybe you are at the stage of your life where being the hands and feet of Jesus is a perfect fit for you. Sometimes we need an Onesiphorus. But if you don t need an Onesiphorus right now, BE ONE! You may find your opportunity in the church or community on the giving end! Or maybe you just need to open your eyes and walk where the Lord is pointing you. Remember the words of Jesus, It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35; see Luke 9:24). Whoever you are, don t get stuck where you are. Take the first step this week. If you need someone to walk with you through some difficult times, remember: God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity (v.7), so, lean on those in your Life Group: do life together, not alone. Join one of our Care Groups if you are dealing with a divorce, the loss of a friend or loved one, or a special needs child. Or consider entering into our Soul Care program. You can find information about these opportunities at sohillscc.com. After doing this lesson, what action(s) do I need to take? 6 of 6