What God Gave 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. 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.
~ 2 Tim 1:3-7 ESV
What God Gave You
(2 Tim. 1:3-7)
Intro:
A. It was Feb. 16, 1997 when I stood behind this pulpit to “try out” and see if you all would wanted to hire me as your preacher. In the process of coming here for that try-out I was assigned a passage from which I was to preach the morning sermon. The passage assigned were the last two verses of our text this morning.
B. Obviously, 23 years later, that must have been a good enough sermon to get hired by you all. What I said, I don’t remember, so I had to come up with a new sermon for today.
C. Each month this year I have been trying to do a one month theme. In January it was Paul’s teaching for us to inventory our mind and think on good things. In February it was different aspects of what it means to love. This month I want to take a look at the last words of Paul as recorded in 2 Timothy. While we won’t walk through the book verse by verse we will take an look at five thoughts Paul wanted to set before Timothy before Paul died.
I. Bring Your Past To Today
A. Paul tells Timothy (vs 3) “as did my ancestors” and reminds Timothy of his past (vs 5) your grandmother…mother.” Here is the concept I want you to grab on to – everyone in this room has a great past. You disagree? You had bad parents, sinful upbringing, a bank robber gangster in your past? Me too (John Dillinger). But you just missed Paul’s point.
B. Paul deals with two past that impact the present. For Paul, he mentions nothing about his parents. Paul is a Hebrews 11 kind of guy. He’s the guy that looks at the stories of people of faith in scripture and knows they are more than a fable or myth. He knows those were real people who lived lives of faith as examples he can follow today. So for Paul, he talks about the great spiritual past of the Jewish people and is excited that he gets to serve God like they did.
C. But Timothy had a different past, a past that may not have been completely devoted to the Judaism, but a past that was devoted to Jesus. It was heritage of faith that Paul knew in Timothy’s grandmother and mother. But Paul’s prayer was that Timothy would make sure to make that past his present.
D. Some of you have a wonderful spiritual family and past. Parents, grandparents, aunt and uncles of faith that love or loved Jesus. People who raised you to know Jesus, it’s time you really make your past your present.
E. But even if you didn’t have the blessed past, like Paul you have God’s word of people of faith and in many ways you can look to them as spiritual mentors and find within this congregation others to help you walk along the narrow road that leads to life. Make the God’s people your example and let their past become your present.
F. Look with me at the beginning of verse 6, “For this reason I remind you…” Just stop for a moment, Paul took the past to remind Timothy what is important about his present spiritual life. He lays it out in a comparison format. I want you to see that what Paul said God gave Timothy is the same gift that God has given every one of us. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of Power, Love, and Self-Control
II. Enabled By God
A. Think about the concept of “power” that Paul speaks of. There is power in preaching. When God’s word reaches the heart of a person it goes to work transforming that individual. The message of God has great power in it. But there is more here than Timothy and his Bible.
C. When you study the entomology of the English word “dynamite” you will find this word as its origin. The power of dynamite lies in you. I don’t mean explosive, I mean power that is great. What Paul reminds us of is that God has enabled us with power to do His will. I don’t get an excuse as a Christian for not doing what God’s word lays out for me. God gave me the power, the ability, do His will. What keeps me from doing is often fear. Which is why Paul quickly starts by saying we don’t have the spirit of fear, but the spirit of dynamite.
D. God has enabled you to be more than what you often allow yourself to become. Take hold of the power and be the creation of God’s design that touches lives around you.
III. Unconditional Kindness
A. We spent the last four weeks looking at different aspects of love. As Paul lays out to Timothy, God has recreated us as people of love. The word that heads most lists of things in which we are to do or grow in is love.
B. The word the writers of the KJV used was of “charity.” That concept that God has given us the spirit of charity is that we love others without regard for who they are, but with regard for what they need. It makes no difference if they are my enemy, neighbor, fellow Christian or spouse. I am reminded that each of them needs my unconditional kindness and respect.
C. Instead of waiting for someone to show this type of love to you, let Paul teach you to start showing charity to all with whom you come in contact. It’s going to start by a change of attitude and mind, it’s going to start feeling forced and maybe the emotion isn’t pure, but the calling is for me to be the person who exemplifies love for all.
IV. Self-Control
A. The last concept that Paul reminds Timothy and us is that God has given us the spirit of self-control. It’s the only time this particular word is used in the NT. The concept is that of a “regulated life.”
B. To have the spirit of self-discipline means you need to think about your actions. It is why the KJV chose to translate this word “sound mind.” There is a calling to think before you speak or act. To put your life in the context of Jesus and be the ambassador you are called to be.
Conclusion:
A. Here’s his point. Timothy, God has been working on by giving you a great spiritual foundation, but it’s time you take that to the next level. It’s time for you to put aside the fears that come by living the Christian life and take hold of the dynamic power God has put in you’; to show unconditional kindness in your ministry and to walk in a life style the shows God is your guide – not your feelings, not your desires, but God directing your path.
B. It’s a high calling. Paul believes this is his last shot at helping Timothy and us know what is expected by God. Here the calling to put fear aside and live in power that only comes when God’s Spirit is at work in you and you are keeping in step with Him.
C. If you desire to grow in your walk with the Lord and are willing to let us pray for you, then come as we stand and sing.
Because of Jesus,
Jeffrey Dillinger, minister