Faith And Heritage Series

Introduction

The actor Sean Connery has had many memorable movie roles. He is best known for playing James Bond in six of the James Bond movies.

However, Sean Connery has also rejected more than a handful of now-iconic parts. Perhaps most famously, Connery turned down the part of Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Connery was the director’s first choice for the role, which would have seen the actor travel to New Zealand to portray the wizard. The producers of the fantasy series were so desperate to get Connery on board that they offered him upwards of $30 million, plus 15 percent of the box-office take (which would have been an additional $447 million for the actor). Yet, the former James Bond didn’t budge, and the actor Ian McKellen went on to become Gandalf.

Years later, Connery discussed the Lord of the Rings, revealing that he simply didn’t understand the series. He said, “I read the book. I read the script. I saw the movie. I still don’t understand it.”

Isn’t that true for some of us too? I sometimes talk with friends and they mention an iconic movie or book. They think it is an amazing piece of creative art. And I have to say, “I saw the movie. Or, I read the book. I still don’t understand it.” Do you find yourself in a situation where you think or say that too?

Fortunately, when it comes to God’s script, we don’t have to understand it completely. You may be going through something very difficult. You may feel that things are heading toward a disaster. You cannot see how things will end well.

The good news is that Christians know that the Author of the script can be trusted fully. Christians know that God is in sovereign control of all things. He is working all things for his glory and our eternal good.

The Apostle Paul knew and believed this glorious truth as well. He wrote to Timothy from prison in Rome. He knew that he was about to be executed by Nero. And Paul wanted to encourage Timothy as he carried on advancing the gospel that Paul had so faithfully proclaimed for more than three decades.

As Paul opened his Second Letter to Timothy, he wanted Timothy to understand what God used to fashion him for his service. And although Paul was writing to Timothy, the principles that Paul set down for him apply to every Christian.

Scripture

Let’s read 2 Timothy 1:3-7:

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 Timothy 1:3-7)

Lesson

2 Timothy 1:3-7 shows us what God uses to fashion us for his service.

Let’s use the following outline:

1. God Uses Spiritual Mentors to Fashion Us for His Service (1:3-4)

2. God Uses Parental Upbringing to Fashion Us for His Service (1:5)

3. God Uses Spiritual Gifts to Fashion Us for His Service (1:6)

4. God Uses Personal Discipline to Fashion Us for His Service (1:6-7)

I. God Uses Spiritual Mentors to Fashion Us for His Service (1:3-4)

First, God uses spiritual mentors to fashion us for his service.

Paul wrote in verse 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.” After the opening greeting in a letter, it was appropriate to give thanks. Paul did that here. He thanked God for Timothy constantly (“night and day”). You may recall that Paul led Timothy to faith when he met him on his second missionary journey in Lystra. He was no doubt thankful for the grace, mercy, and peace that God had bestowed on Timothy (1:2). And he was also thankful for the “sincere faith” (1:5) that Timothy possessed. By the time Paul wrote this Second Letter to Timothy, Paul had known Timothy for at least fifteen years. Timothy had served alongside Paul on several missionary journeys and was his trusted assistant, which is why Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to sort out the problems there. Interestingly, Paul’s prayer for Timothy here is not for what Timothy needed to do but for what Timothy already had—grace, mercy, peace, and faith. I am sure that Paul prayed that Timothy would be effective in his ministry. But the constant emphasis of Paul’s prayer was gratitude to God for what Timothy already possessed.