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Sunday 12/8/24
Title: Paul strengthens the Testimony of Christ in Timothy Pt. 2
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Paul strengthens the Testimony of Christ in Timothy Pt. 2
Last week we cracked open Paul’s second letter to Timothy with a view in mind to better cooperate with the inward work of the Holy Spirit as He forms Christ in us and as He empowers our testimony before the world in the work of the kingdom.
This also serves the secondary purpose of addressing from scripture the admitted timidity some of you have expressed in dealing with the lost or even other believers within your own families.
Remember that Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus to deal with false doctrine.
Last night I was listening to Francis Chan, a man I very much love and appreciate in the kingdom. He has a passion for God, for sharing Jesus, for honoring them and building up the body which is infectious and the Lord uses him from time to time to give me a health check up or a spiritual shot in the arm. As I was listening to him last night it had the same effect as usual, only he mentioned a few things I cannot agree with – one of which fits in right here which is why I am mentioning it.
He went from having a huge ministry and being himself a “celebrity” pastor to doing home church since he honestly believed the impact he was having in such a large church was not only negligible, but actually feeding a problem which was hurting the saints.
I do not know if he is still personally in a home church or not, but he mentioned two things which struck me as off. One of which was an over emphasis on communion and the second was on a desire to do less teaching and more reading of God’s word in the assembly.
Now Paul told Timothy in his first letter to “give attention to reading” in his leadership role in the church of Ephesus. But he also told him to give attention to “exhortation and doctrine” which requires teaching and preaching. [See I Timothy 4:13]
In the message I was listening to, Francis had been in a conference where the night before they had done nothing else but simply read scripture from the pulpit. The next morning he asked if anyone disagreed with what the Apostle Peter had to say in his epistle. There were no takers and so brother Chan said something along the lines of, “See, if we will simply give the Word of God first place it would settle most of our differences and there would be agreement”.
The problem is that the reason no one disagreed with Peter is because they all interpret what Peter said in a way that is consistent with their already established theology. If that next morning they had conducted an open discussion on what Peter MEANT in what he wrote, I imagine it would have uncovered much DIS-agreement in that assembly.
What I am saying by all of this is that reading God’s word IS terribly important both individually and within the church. But preaching for exhortation and teaching for establishing sound doctrine are also paramount and that is what Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to do – not to the exclusion of simply reading, but together with it.
However, Timothy had obviously run into some difficulties with some of the saints there even as Paul had warned the Elders of that church would happen.
You see Paul had spent SOME time in Ephesus and at the end of his last missionary journey Paul was pressed by the Spirit to visit with the Elders of Ephesus and what he told them is recorded in Acts 20:17-38. Let’s turn there so we have a better understanding of what Timothy was facing. Because Paul’s meeting with the elders of Ephesus took place around 57 AD and Paul’s first and second letter to Timothy were after 62AD.
“(17) From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. (18) And when they had come to him, he said to them:
“You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, (19) serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; (20) how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, (21) testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (22) And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, (23) except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. (24) But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (25) “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.
(26) Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. (27) For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. (28)
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
(29) For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. (30) Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
(31) Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
(32) “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (33) I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. (34) Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. (35) I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
(36) And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. (37) Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, (38) sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.”
So Timothy was facing some difficult opposition and was clearly in danger of faltering.
However, last week I misinformed you as to the progression of this problem. I misread what Paul told Timothy – or rather I failed to look up the parts of speech so as to determine what he meant.
You see, Paul’s exhortation to, “Be not ashamed,” does not mean that Timothy was ashamed. Had that been the case, Paul would have used the present imperative, which with the negative, forbids the continuance of an action already going on. Here he uses the aorist subjunctive with the negative which forbids the doing of an act not yet begun.
“(4) As I remember your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.”
As I pointed out to you this last week, the word “tears” here literally means weeping, which is a particularly bitter and exhausting form of crying. Something had obviously rocked Timothy’s world and stood to possibly shipwreck him if Paul had not come alongside him and encouraged him – which serves as our first example.
This is a letter of mentorship and offers us a great advantage in learning how to supply strong, genuine and real spiritual support and encouragement without resorting to empty platitudes or overstated encouragements. This letter in itself IS an example of kingdom work – don’t lose sight of that!
“(5) I recall your sincere faith that was alive first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am sure is in you.
(6) Because of this I remind you to rekindle God’s gift that you possess through the laying on of my hands. (7) For God did not give us a Spirit of fear [timidity] but of power and love and self-control.”
Notice Paul is encouraging Timothy to not be faint-hearted for such is to ignore the influence of the Holy Spirit we have received from God.
Notice Paul did not encourage Timothy to simply “man up”, though something very much akin to that is the intended result which we will see later. Not this was more about willingly giving himself over in surrender to the inward Spirit’s influence than an appeal to make a good show of outward strength.
One thing which I know everyone stands in need of is perspective. God HAS to be our reason. His glory, His honor, His purposes and plans and if we maintain that as our focus we will not go too far wrong. It is when we allow considerations of self that we get derailed and sidelined.
Now look at what Paul was having to address in our young example Timothy.
“(8) So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, a prisoner for His sake, but by God’s power accept your share of suffering for the gospel.”
Both Paul’s boldness and Timothy’s timidness were weaknesses which needed God’s intervention! Make NO mistake – we have no strength of our own that is useful in the slightest degree for ministry!
So Paul instructs and encourages Timothy to stir up the gift within him. To not be timid but to rely upon the indwelling Holy Spirit towards power, love and soundness of mind and to never allow himself to be ashamed of bearing the testimony of Jesus or Paul himself. Notice the next thing Paul said as if it played a sizable role behind Timothy’s timidity and intimidation towards shame – Paul says, “by God’s poweraccept your share of suffering for the gospel.”
He does this by redirecting Timothy’s attention – away from considerations of self and onto considerations of God.
2 Timothy 1…
“(9) He is the One Who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not based on our works but on His Own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began, (10) but now made visible through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus.
He has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel!”
Some of the notes in the New English translation I think are helpful here and I liberally borrow from them and edit them for the sake of what I’m teaching you this morning.
But is now made manifest – The purpose of God in salvation we are told in scripture was eternally locked up and concealed in the mind of God only to be revealed to us through the Spirit in the person of Christ Jesus.
Who has broken the power of death – This is true and stand by itself as already accomplished. If it had not been so, no one could freely move from spiritual death to spiritually alive in Christ. But there are ways in which this has yet to be fully realized. Paul often, in this chapter, speaks of what God intends to do as so certain, that it may be spoken of as a thing that is already done. The meaning thus is that through the gospel, death will cease to reign, and is permanently supplanted by the reign of Jesus Messiah and King of the Kingdom of God. But that also death will eventually lose ALL grip and expression in and over those who are saved there will never again be such a thing as we now understand as death and dying.
“(11) For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher.
(12) Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do.
But I am not ashamed, BECAUSE I KNOW THE ONE IN WHOM MY FAITH IS SET and I am convinced that He is able to protect what has been entrusted to me until that day.
(13) Hold to the standard of sound words that you heard from me and do so with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
(14) Protect that good thing entrusted to you, through the Holy Spirit Who lives within us.”
Paul sees and expresses the koinonia of our walk in the Spirit. Because he knows Jesus personally, he is confident that Christ will protect what He committed to Paul’s care until the end. But that does not imply we have no role in its protection. Paul here tells Timothy himself to protect that good thing entrusted to him through the Holy Spirit.
It isn’t just one – it’s both. It’s CO-participation!
Also notice the purpose behind the strength of Paul’s convictions is personal knowledge!
“I KNOW THE ONE IN WHOM I’VE BELIEVED” therefore he was confident!
There is much here and we will explore it’s depths if we get to chapter 3 in the coming weeks, but this is the same reason Paul gives to Timothy for continuing steadfastly in the faith and it agrees with what I have taught you all for years regarding the local church.
In 2 Timothy 3:10-15, Paul tells Timothy –
“But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, (11) along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra.
What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all.
(12) In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus WILL BE PERSECUTED.
(13) Evil people and imposters will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.
(14) BUT AS FOR YOU, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, KNOWING THOSE FROM WHOM YOU LEARNED, (15) and that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Paul ends this first segment of his letter to Timothy with the sad awareness of the fact that not everyone will stay faithful to the end…
“(15) You know that everyone in the province of Asia deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
(16) May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment. (17) But when he arrived in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me.
(18) May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day! And you know very well all the ways he served me in Ephesus.”
Blessings!
