A Secure Deposit
1 Timothy 1:3-7
2 Timothy 1:3-4 (ESV)
3 I (Paul) thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you (Timothy) 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.
There is a lot happening in these verses. Paul was in prison when he wrote this. And what we see here is Paul starting out by first thanking God for this relationship that he has with Timothy. This is huge. This is like a father and son relationship. Paul and Timothy did ministry together, belly to belly, and rubbed shoulders with each other. They experienced hardships, joys; they experienced what it was like to be men of action alongside each other.
But what is happening as we read these verses is Paul has written to Timothy, probably for the last time before he is put to death. And as Timothy is reading this letter, I’m wondering what he was feeling. Paul, who has invested so much of his life into Timothy, and Timothy reading this letter knowing he is in prison and knowing he might not see him again. And so, I want us to pause for a second and think about that.
As a father and son relationship, what would that be like? As a mother and daughter relationship, what would that be like for you to know as you’re reading something, this might be the last time that you hear from your father or your mother, and you won’t be able to say goodbye? That’s hard. And that is where Paul and Timothy are at. And that has a lot to do with why Paul is going to encourage Timothy in the way that he does.
What this shows us, is that their relationship is a vital reminder of our need for connection. We’re created for connection. We were meant to be with people. That’s why we were created. Paul shows us, in these verses, his deep gratitude for Timothy and reminds us that God places these types of relationships in our lives for specific purposes.
For Paul, we see in these verses a prayer life continually saturated with words of remembrance and reflection of Timothy.
2 Timothy 1:3 (ESV)
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.
I want to focus on the last part of that verse. This isn’t to say there isn’t ever a moment where Paul isn’t thinking about Timothy. That would be really hard to do, right? I don’t know about you guys, but it’s really hard to have somebody constantly on your mind unless you’re like in a relationship. You’re like, “Oh, I just want to see her,” or “I just want to see him.” Or in my marriage, I’ve been married to Meredith for about two years now, and there are moments where I’m just driving, and I’m like, man, I miss my wife. I just want to be with my wife. So, obviously, there are moments where we are thinking about others.
But what this is showing us is that when Paul goes to the Lord in prayer, Timothy is being lifted up in Paul’s prayers. Now, this is huge for us. As I read through this, I was challenged by this. And I asked myself these questions. I want to share these questions with you guys now, specifically related to your prayer life.
1). What does my prayer life look like? What does my daily prayer life look like?
2). What and who am I specifically thankful for?
3). How often do I let God’s Word direct my prayer life?
4). When do I pray?
5). Do I keep a record of unanswered and answered prayers?
6). In fact, what is my response to those unanswered and answered prayers?
7). Am I actively asking the Holy Spirit to lead me to others so that we can disciple and be discipled?
There’s this really neat movement happening here. I saw it when I first came here; there’s like a gathering of the next generation, of people coming here. It’s the craziest thing because they’re like, “I just felt like I was supposed to come here.” And when I’m hearing that, I’m thinking, a movement like that can only be attributed to someone’s prayer life. And guess what? I know two people, probably more, who have been praying for that to happen. God answers prayers. He is pleased when we pray. And I think we see that in the passage.
The last question I asked myself, and this is a challenge for you guys,
8). How much of what I believe about God is seen in my prayer life?
I think this last one is huge. When I was reading through this and studying this, I think Paul understood the power and the responsibility of prayer in his life, specifically related to Timothy.
One thing is certain, we are to be men and women of prayer, and I know that you guys here at Calvary Nuevo are family, are powerful prayer warriors. I sensed that the moment I stepped on this campus. I sense it now. We cannot stop praying.
One other thing that is interesting that we see in these verses that Paul reminds us of is this. He reminds us of where he came from. So, what was Paul’s name before he was Paul? It was Saul. What did Saul do? He annihilated Christians. And he actually was proud of that. He thought what he was doing in killing Christians was right. But he, later on, would find out that not only was he persecuting Christians, but he was persecuting Jesus. And then what happened is he had this life-changing transformation as a result of his relationship with Jesus. And I think that is so powerful for us this morning because had Saul not been transformed to Paul, we would not be given this opportunity to see an active prayer life at work in his life and for the life of Timothy.
1 Timothy1:12-14 (NLT)
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,
13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.
14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
That last part is huge because when we get to the for God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind, Paul is reflecting that to us. He literally shows on display what a spirit in Christ looks like and how it is operating in power, love, and a sound mind. Because of the Spirit of God at work in Paul, he is able to intercede on behalf of Timothy. Not only in prayer but by reminding Timothy (and us) of the remarkable truth that Christ is the fulfillment of all the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament.
So, there’s a story in the Bible found in Luke 24, verse 27, and there is this really neat picture. Jesus has been resurrected. And he meets these two individuals on the road. And these individuals are actually talking about him. They’re talking about how, in their minds, Jesus Christ – the Messiah – had essentially not fulfilled all of what they thought he should have fulfilled. And Jesus walks up, and he joins them, and he literally works through the Old Testament in partnership with who he is, and shares with them all the prophecies old and new, and how they have been fulfilled in him. And then, as he is talking to them, these two individuals, their hearts are like, warmed. Like, we want to be with this person. And so, they ask him to stay, and he stays with them. And then finally he has to leave, and when he leaves, they’re like (I’m paraphrasing – I encourage you to read the story) in awe because they were in the presence of the Messiah, the Christ.
I think that’s so powerful because for us in our relationship with Jesus Christ, there was a moment in our lives where we understood that we needed Jesus. And we want to continue to be in Jesus. We want to continue to abide in Jesus. Because how can we go back to where we were before having tasting him as so good and so sweet?
2 Timothy 1:5 (NLT)
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.
So, after reading these verses, I think the first question we need to ask ourselves is, what is the faith that Paul mentions here a number of times? I think it’s a valid question to ask because not only is he saying it’s attributed to your grandmother, but also your mother. And then he attributes that faith to Timothy. And so, it’s like, what is this faith in the first place?
This faith is a gift from God. I love John 3:16.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting (eternal) life.
That is a gift that you cannot earn that we cannot earn. It is literally a gift. It’s like you getting a Christmas present from your parents, or your grandma, or brother or sister, or whoever, and you open it, and you say, “This is awesome. Uh, I don’t want this. Let me give it back to you. And then I’ll give you something, and then you give me that gift.” No. It’s a gift. Receive it.
Ephesians 2:4-5 (NLT)
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved! God saved you.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
I love how it says you can’t take credit for that because isn’t so much in our nature to actually want to take credit for something we don’t actually do? I mean, I do it. “That was a great idea.” “That was my idea.” And they say, “No, that was your wife’s idea.” “Don’t tell anybody! Okay, fine.”
8 …And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
This faith that Paul is talking about – it’s a supernatural deposit. What do I mean by that? Well, let’s read.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NLT)
21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us,
22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
Over the years that I have been allowed to be in academics, I have seen this gradual pull-away from the recognition of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I think someone once said that the Holy Spirit is the forgotten Godhead of the Trinity. And it’s so true. But what is so powerful here is that the Holy Spirit is the seal upon which guarantees and showcases our salvation in Jesus Christ. But not just that, but it is because of the Holy Spirit that we are able to operate in power, and love, and a sound mind.
Finally, this faith that Paul talks about, it’s a demonstration of faith in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 2:16 (NLT)
16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
So, there is this contrast. It’s not about the good things that you do that save you. No. It’s literally the free gift of God. It’s literally faith in Jesus Christ that will save you.
I think the second question we need to ask ourselves in why Paul brings up the faith that Timothy’s grandmother and mother have is this. Why is the faith of Timothy’s grandmother and mother so important to Timothy, and why does Paul make mention of it here?
So, this blows my mind. It literally is an example of spiritual heritage. It really is. I mean, as I was reading through this, I stopped. I was like; this is huge! Because literally, these women invested their life into Timothy by their faith. These women deeply loved and cherished Timothy through their faith. These women raised up Timothy through their faith.
And I can’t help but remember in my own life, my grandma or my wife’s grandma who literally prayed her entire family would be saved, and the majority of her family is saved. I can’t help but think about my own mom. (You guys, I wasn’t born from my mom. My birth mom left me. But God gave me Carrie, my mom.) And she has loved me as if I was her own child. And as I think about that, I think about the sacrifice, and the care, and the compassion, and I see how God has used her to really produce in me a sensitive, compassionate, and emotional spirit. That’s huge. She was the reflection of Christ in my life when I needed it the most.
And then I think about my dad. He grew up without a dad. He didn’t know how to be a father. But he looked to the Heavenly Father. And I’m sure some or many of you in here can relate to that. But he loved me as Christ loved me. And I literally stand here before you because those people prayed over me. And it’s the same for you guys. We could spend hours and hours and hours of how you have invested, how you have deposited into people’s lives your faith in Christ, and a reflection to others. And it’s all under this whole spiritual heritage. It’s so neat!
And then I have to look back and say, what about the next generation. What about me? What about you new parents? I have a seven-month-old child. And some of you guys have kids. We are responsible for the way that we teach them and raise them, showcase Christ to them. But if they choose not to choose Christ, that’s not on us. It’s not. Because they have to make a decision as well.
But I know when my son gets older, and little Joseph starts running around, able to speak, start to ask me questions about who Jesus is, I want to do everything I can to deposit in him this understanding of who Jesus is. Not that he hears it from me, but that he sees it from me., sees it in my prayer life. He sees it in the way I talk to people. He sees it in how I operate in moments of pain and suffering, and turmoil. He sees it, and he hears it. And then it results in him wanting to do the same.
This week, as I said, has really been bringing this passage to life. There are a couple of individuals who might be watching, Alan and Lori, and over the past week and a half, God has literally used Dave to put me in situations where I can see the secure deposit in action. Alan is literally getting ready to go be with the Lord. And that is both sad and joyful because here you have this practical example of a man who was born, lived his life, and now is in the process of going to be with the Lord. It’s a full circle.
And as I was with Dave last week and as we were just hanging out with Alan and Lori, I was looking at this man, it is was like, this is it. This is the completion of a secure deposit. And he is ready. His strength in the midst of death shook me. And I remember just thinking about Lori and Alan, and thinking when it’s my time, I sure hope I can have the strength and the example of faith they do because we are all going to die. But death isn’t something to be afraid of. I love, love, love how Dave coined it. He said death is the usher to meet Christ. I thought, man, that’s powerful.
This is why we are in that new Heaven series on Wednesdays. Heaven isn’t a thing to be scared of. That’s the beginning of our lives. That is the deposit of our life cashed out. That’s what we’re looking for. And it’s so real to Paul right now. Paul literally is going to be put to death in (I think) a year after he wrote this. He understands that his life is coming to an end. And so, what does he do? He writes a letter to encourage Timothy. So powerful. He could have made it about himself. He could have gone on this pity party.
But what does he do? He’s thinking about Timothy. He’s thinking about this relationship that he has had. He’s thinking about this deposit God has given him in the form of a young man. He’s thinking about all of this experience they have had together. He writes a letter to encourage him, to remind him, “Hey, God has not given you a spirit of fear. But of power, and love and a sound mind.” Because in 1 Timothy, Paul wrote to Timothy because he was literally battling false teachers. He was literally in the midst of this spiritual warfare. Guarding the gospel. And it was becoming tiresome for Timothy. He was being worn down.
Paul says God has not given us a spirit of fear. And so, I have to think, in some ways, maybe Timothy was operating out of a spirit of fear, and that was possibly causing him to forget the power, and to forget the love, and forget the self-discipline that he was given by the Holy Spirit. And so, Paul writes him this letter and encourages him by saying this.
2 Timothy 1:6-7 (ESV)
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.
There’s this really cool imagery there of fanning a flame. How many of you have built a fire? What does a fire need to actually start? Kindling, it needs stuff to ignite; it needs a spark. And then what else do you do to get that fire going? You provide oxygen and air. And so, there is this neat imagery of Paul reminding Timothy, Hey, you need to fan into flame the spiritual gift that God has given you. Because, as I mentioned earlier, he was probably just worn down.
And what Paul does, is he reminds Timothy, Hey, look back to what Christ has given you. Look back to the spiritual realities and truths found in Christ. Look back to your faith because God has given you not a spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit joined within you, who then allows you to operate in power to share the gospel, to stand up, to make a defense. And not only that, he has given you a spirit of love so that you can love others well. So that in the midst of your enemies coming and trying to tear you down, in the midst of people who are in your ministry who are seeking to underride you, who are seeking to stab you in the back, who are seeking to defame your name, you can love them. You can forgive them. You can show them Christ. Self-disciple so that you do not forget to spend time with God. Spiritual disciplines: prayer, Bible meditation, journaling, mentorship, discipleship, all these things are so vital for the life of a believer.
And Paul is reminding Timothy of these basic truths. Go back to your roots. Remember what Christ has done for you. Stand up, rise up from the ashes. Take up arms. Why? Because people need to hear the gospel. People are waiting to hear the gospel. And there is someone out there for you that God has specifically prepared you for so that you can testify of Jesus Christ. That’s so huge.
I’m going to close with this.
For many of us in this room and for those watching, we have been like Timothy in our ministry, needing a mentor, a friend, brother, or sister in the faith to lovingly remind us to rekindle the flame and rise up from the ashes. We are recipients of the Holy Spirit and therefore have been given spiritual gifts.
I love that Dave talked about the spiritual gifts and how you guys were operating as one Body in the midst of basically everybody getting sick. I don’t like getting sick, and I’m sure none of you guys do either. I love how he used that analogy of how you guys came together to love on each other. That was one of the reasons we chose to come here because we knew that we would be invested in, loved on, and supported and that we could do the same. It’s so huge.
Final word. I encourage you to boldly and courageously fan into flame the spirit that God has given you – this never-changing, all-consuming, victorious spirit which is found in Jesus Christ so that you can go out as warriors and soldiers (because we are all soldiers and warriors in God’s army) to share the love of Christ in a way, that people when they see you, they don’t think “Oh I want to get to know that person.” They think, “I wonder what they believe, and I wonder why they are acting this way?” so that they can get to know who Jesus Christ is.
God has not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of power to declare the gospel with God’s authority. A spirit of love that endures all things, believes all things, and hopes all things. A spirit of self-discipline that practices and produces wise character and walks in active obedience to God’s commandments. Which are, love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Those two things.
3 I (Paul) thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you (Timothy) 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.
There is a lot happening in these verses. Paul was in prison when he wrote this. And what we see here is Paul starting out by first thanking God for this relationship that he has with Timothy. This is huge. This is like a father and son relationship. Paul and Timothy did ministry together, belly to belly, and rubbed shoulders with each other. They experienced hardships, joys; they experienced what it was like to be men of action alongside each other.
But what is happening as we read these verses is Paul has written to Timothy, probably for the last time before he is put to death. And as Timothy is reading this letter, I’m wondering what he was feeling. Paul, who has invested so much of his life into Timothy, and Timothy reading this letter knowing he is in prison and knowing he might not see him again. And so, I want us to pause for a second and think about that.
As a father and son relationship, what would that be like? As a mother and daughter relationship, what would that be like for you to know as you’re reading something, this might be the last time that you hear from your father or your mother, and you won’t be able to say goodbye? That’s hard. And that is where Paul and Timothy are at. And that has a lot to do with why Paul is going to encourage Timothy in the way that he does.
What this shows us, is that their relationship is a vital reminder of our need for connection. We’re created for connection. We were meant to be with people. That’s why we were created. Paul shows us, in these verses, his deep gratitude for Timothy and reminds us that God places these types of relationships in our lives for specific purposes.
For Paul, we see in these verses a prayer life continually saturated with words of remembrance and reflection of Timothy.
2 Timothy 1:3 (ESV)
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.
I want to focus on the last part of that verse. This isn’t to say there isn’t ever a moment where Paul isn’t thinking about Timothy. That would be really hard to do, right? I don’t know about you guys, but it’s really hard to have somebody constantly on your mind unless you’re like in a relationship. You’re like, “Oh, I just want to see her,” or “I just want to see him.” Or in my marriage, I’ve been married to Meredith for about two years now, and there are moments where I’m just driving, and I’m like, man, I miss my wife. I just want to be with my wife. So, obviously, there are moments where we are thinking about others.
But what this is showing us is that when Paul goes to the Lord in prayer, Timothy is being lifted up in Paul’s prayers. Now, this is huge for us. As I read through this, I was challenged by this. And I asked myself these questions. I want to share these questions with you guys now, specifically related to your prayer life.
1). What does my prayer life look like? What does my daily prayer life look like?
2). What and who am I specifically thankful for?
3). How often do I let God’s Word direct my prayer life?
4). When do I pray?
5). Do I keep a record of unanswered and answered prayers?
6). In fact, what is my response to those unanswered and answered prayers?
7). Am I actively asking the Holy Spirit to lead me to others so that we can disciple and be discipled?
There’s this really neat movement happening here. I saw it when I first came here; there’s like a gathering of the next generation, of people coming here. It’s the craziest thing because they’re like, “I just felt like I was supposed to come here.” And when I’m hearing that, I’m thinking, a movement like that can only be attributed to someone’s prayer life. And guess what? I know two people, probably more, who have been praying for that to happen. God answers prayers. He is pleased when we pray. And I think we see that in the passage.
The last question I asked myself, and this is a challenge for you guys,
8). How much of what I believe about God is seen in my prayer life?
I think this last one is huge. When I was reading through this and studying this, I think Paul understood the power and the responsibility of prayer in his life, specifically related to Timothy.
One thing is certain, we are to be men and women of prayer, and I know that you guys here at Calvary Nuevo are family, are powerful prayer warriors. I sensed that the moment I stepped on this campus. I sense it now. We cannot stop praying.
One other thing that is interesting that we see in these verses that Paul reminds us of is this. He reminds us of where he came from. So, what was Paul’s name before he was Paul? It was Saul. What did Saul do? He annihilated Christians. And he actually was proud of that. He thought what he was doing in killing Christians was right. But he, later on, would find out that not only was he persecuting Christians, but he was persecuting Jesus. And then what happened is he had this life-changing transformation as a result of his relationship with Jesus. And I think that is so powerful for us this morning because had Saul not been transformed to Paul, we would not be given this opportunity to see an active prayer life at work in his life and for the life of Timothy.
1 Timothy1:12-14 (NLT)
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,
13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.
14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
That last part is huge because when we get to the for God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind, Paul is reflecting that to us. He literally shows on display what a spirit in Christ looks like and how it is operating in power, love, and a sound mind. Because of the Spirit of God at work in Paul, he is able to intercede on behalf of Timothy. Not only in prayer but by reminding Timothy (and us) of the remarkable truth that Christ is the fulfillment of all the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament.
So, there’s a story in the Bible found in Luke 24, verse 27, and there is this really neat picture. Jesus has been resurrected. And he meets these two individuals on the road. And these individuals are actually talking about him. They’re talking about how, in their minds, Jesus Christ – the Messiah – had essentially not fulfilled all of what they thought he should have fulfilled. And Jesus walks up, and he joins them, and he literally works through the Old Testament in partnership with who he is, and shares with them all the prophecies old and new, and how they have been fulfilled in him. And then, as he is talking to them, these two individuals, their hearts are like, warmed. Like, we want to be with this person. And so, they ask him to stay, and he stays with them. And then finally he has to leave, and when he leaves, they’re like (I’m paraphrasing – I encourage you to read the story) in awe because they were in the presence of the Messiah, the Christ.
I think that’s so powerful because for us in our relationship with Jesus Christ, there was a moment in our lives where we understood that we needed Jesus. And we want to continue to be in Jesus. We want to continue to abide in Jesus. Because how can we go back to where we were before having tasting him as so good and so sweet?
2 Timothy 1:5 (NLT)
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.
So, after reading these verses, I think the first question we need to ask ourselves is, what is the faith that Paul mentions here a number of times? I think it’s a valid question to ask because not only is he saying it’s attributed to your grandmother, but also your mother. And then he attributes that faith to Timothy. And so, it’s like, what is this faith in the first place?
This faith is a gift from God. I love John 3:16.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting (eternal) life.
That is a gift that you cannot earn that we cannot earn. It is literally a gift. It’s like you getting a Christmas present from your parents, or your grandma, or brother or sister, or whoever, and you open it, and you say, “This is awesome. Uh, I don’t want this. Let me give it back to you. And then I’ll give you something, and then you give me that gift.” No. It’s a gift. Receive it.
Ephesians 2:4-5 (NLT)
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved! God saved you.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
I love how it says you can’t take credit for that because isn’t so much in our nature to actually want to take credit for something we don’t actually do? I mean, I do it. “That was a great idea.” “That was my idea.” And they say, “No, that was your wife’s idea.” “Don’t tell anybody! Okay, fine.”
8 …And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
This faith that Paul is talking about – it’s a supernatural deposit. What do I mean by that? Well, let’s read.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NLT)
21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us,
22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
Over the years that I have been allowed to be in academics, I have seen this gradual pull-away from the recognition of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I think someone once said that the Holy Spirit is the forgotten Godhead of the Trinity. And it’s so true. But what is so powerful here is that the Holy Spirit is the seal upon which guarantees and showcases our salvation in Jesus Christ. But not just that, but it is because of the Holy Spirit that we are able to operate in power, and love, and a sound mind.
Finally, this faith that Paul talks about, it’s a demonstration of faith in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 2:16 (NLT)
16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
So, there is this contrast. It’s not about the good things that you do that save you. No. It’s literally the free gift of God. It’s literally faith in Jesus Christ that will save you.
I think the second question we need to ask ourselves in why Paul brings up the faith that Timothy’s grandmother and mother have is this. Why is the faith of Timothy’s grandmother and mother so important to Timothy, and why does Paul make mention of it here?
So, this blows my mind. It literally is an example of spiritual heritage. It really is. I mean, as I was reading through this, I stopped. I was like; this is huge! Because literally, these women invested their life into Timothy by their faith. These women deeply loved and cherished Timothy through their faith. These women raised up Timothy through their faith.
And I can’t help but remember in my own life, my grandma or my wife’s grandma who literally prayed her entire family would be saved, and the majority of her family is saved. I can’t help but think about my own mom. (You guys, I wasn’t born from my mom. My birth mom left me. But God gave me Carrie, my mom.) And she has loved me as if I was her own child. And as I think about that, I think about the sacrifice, and the care, and the compassion, and I see how God has used her to really produce in me a sensitive, compassionate, and emotional spirit. That’s huge. She was the reflection of Christ in my life when I needed it the most.
And then I think about my dad. He grew up without a dad. He didn’t know how to be a father. But he looked to the Heavenly Father. And I’m sure some or many of you in here can relate to that. But he loved me as Christ loved me. And I literally stand here before you because those people prayed over me. And it’s the same for you guys. We could spend hours and hours and hours of how you have invested, how you have deposited into people’s lives your faith in Christ, and a reflection to others. And it’s all under this whole spiritual heritage. It’s so neat!
And then I have to look back and say, what about the next generation. What about me? What about you new parents? I have a seven-month-old child. And some of you guys have kids. We are responsible for the way that we teach them and raise them, showcase Christ to them. But if they choose not to choose Christ, that’s not on us. It’s not. Because they have to make a decision as well.
But I know when my son gets older, and little Joseph starts running around, able to speak, start to ask me questions about who Jesus is, I want to do everything I can to deposit in him this understanding of who Jesus is. Not that he hears it from me, but that he sees it from me., sees it in my prayer life. He sees it in the way I talk to people. He sees it in how I operate in moments of pain and suffering, and turmoil. He sees it, and he hears it. And then it results in him wanting to do the same.
This week, as I said, has really been bringing this passage to life. There are a couple of individuals who might be watching, Alan and Lori, and over the past week and a half, God has literally used Dave to put me in situations where I can see the secure deposit in action. Alan is literally getting ready to go be with the Lord. And that is both sad and joyful because here you have this practical example of a man who was born, lived his life, and now is in the process of going to be with the Lord. It’s a full circle.
And as I was with Dave last week and as we were just hanging out with Alan and Lori, I was looking at this man, it is was like, this is it. This is the completion of a secure deposit. And he is ready. His strength in the midst of death shook me. And I remember just thinking about Lori and Alan, and thinking when it’s my time, I sure hope I can have the strength and the example of faith they do because we are all going to die. But death isn’t something to be afraid of. I love, love, love how Dave coined it. He said death is the usher to meet Christ. I thought, man, that’s powerful.
This is why we are in that new Heaven series on Wednesdays. Heaven isn’t a thing to be scared of. That’s the beginning of our lives. That is the deposit of our life cashed out. That’s what we’re looking for. And it’s so real to Paul right now. Paul literally is going to be put to death in (I think) a year after he wrote this. He understands that his life is coming to an end. And so, what does he do? He writes a letter to encourage Timothy. So powerful. He could have made it about himself. He could have gone on this pity party.
But what does he do? He’s thinking about Timothy. He’s thinking about this relationship that he has had. He’s thinking about this deposit God has given him in the form of a young man. He’s thinking about all of this experience they have had together. He writes a letter to encourage him, to remind him, “Hey, God has not given you a spirit of fear. But of power, and love and a sound mind.” Because in 1 Timothy, Paul wrote to Timothy because he was literally battling false teachers. He was literally in the midst of this spiritual warfare. Guarding the gospel. And it was becoming tiresome for Timothy. He was being worn down.
Paul says God has not given us a spirit of fear. And so, I have to think, in some ways, maybe Timothy was operating out of a spirit of fear, and that was possibly causing him to forget the power, and to forget the love, and forget the self-discipline that he was given by the Holy Spirit. And so, Paul writes him this letter and encourages him by saying this.
2 Timothy 1:6-7 (ESV)
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.
There’s this really cool imagery there of fanning a flame. How many of you have built a fire? What does a fire need to actually start? Kindling, it needs stuff to ignite; it needs a spark. And then what else do you do to get that fire going? You provide oxygen and air. And so, there is this neat imagery of Paul reminding Timothy, Hey, you need to fan into flame the spiritual gift that God has given you. Because, as I mentioned earlier, he was probably just worn down.
And what Paul does, is he reminds Timothy, Hey, look back to what Christ has given you. Look back to the spiritual realities and truths found in Christ. Look back to your faith because God has given you not a spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit joined within you, who then allows you to operate in power to share the gospel, to stand up, to make a defense. And not only that, he has given you a spirit of love so that you can love others well. So that in the midst of your enemies coming and trying to tear you down, in the midst of people who are in your ministry who are seeking to underride you, who are seeking to stab you in the back, who are seeking to defame your name, you can love them. You can forgive them. You can show them Christ. Self-disciple so that you do not forget to spend time with God. Spiritual disciplines: prayer, Bible meditation, journaling, mentorship, discipleship, all these things are so vital for the life of a believer.
And Paul is reminding Timothy of these basic truths. Go back to your roots. Remember what Christ has done for you. Stand up, rise up from the ashes. Take up arms. Why? Because people need to hear the gospel. People are waiting to hear the gospel. And there is someone out there for you that God has specifically prepared you for so that you can testify of Jesus Christ. That’s so huge.
I’m going to close with this.
For many of us in this room and for those watching, we have been like Timothy in our ministry, needing a mentor, a friend, brother, or sister in the faith to lovingly remind us to rekindle the flame and rise up from the ashes. We are recipients of the Holy Spirit and therefore have been given spiritual gifts.
I love that Dave talked about the spiritual gifts and how you guys were operating as one Body in the midst of basically everybody getting sick. I don’t like getting sick, and I’m sure none of you guys do either. I love how he used that analogy of how you guys came together to love on each other. That was one of the reasons we chose to come here because we knew that we would be invested in, loved on, and supported and that we could do the same. It’s so huge.
Final word. I encourage you to boldly and courageously fan into flame the spirit that God has given you – this never-changing, all-consuming, victorious spirit which is found in Jesus Christ so that you can go out as warriors and soldiers (because we are all soldiers and warriors in God’s army) to share the love of Christ in a way, that people when they see you, they don’t think “Oh I want to get to know that person.” They think, “I wonder what they believe, and I wonder why they are acting this way?” so that they can get to know who Jesus Christ is.
God has not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of power to declare the gospel with God’s authority. A spirit of love that endures all things, believes all things, and hopes all things. A spirit of self-discipline that practices and produces wise character and walks in active obedience to God’s commandments. Which are, love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Those two things.