Intro: Second Timothy is Paul’s farewell address to Timothy and the church at large. Paul is in prison in Rome waiting for execution. This is one of the letters that Paul wrote called the Pastoral Epistles. That simply put is the pastoral letters. First and Second Timothy and Titus make up the Pastoral Epistles. These letters were written for instruction of young pastors that Paul had mentored in their Christian walk and work for Jesus.
You might think how can a letter written for a pastor apply to me? Well I want to give you the answer to that. This letter was also written to the church that the young pastors were leading. Not only is it written to the Church’s of that day it is written to the church of today!!
The second letter to Timothy is part of God’s love letter to all Christians. Here in this letter to the Pastor, the people, and any person that would give their life to Christ. Paul tells Timothy keep the fire burning hot!! 2 Timothy 1.6 Stir up kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you. A great translation of that is “I’m reminding you to shake the ashes off the God-given fire that’s in you.”
This is where the letter applies to all of us. What gift are we to dust off the ashes, what are we supposed to rekindle to stir up?
Romans 6.23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jess our Lord.”
Ephesians 2.8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”
Ephesians 4.7 “But to each one of us was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”
The gift is an eternal relationship with God through Jesus Christ!! Someone asked me how can we capitalize on the interest in having a new preacher. Preach the word!! Share the Gospel, challenge the people to live Godly. Anything else is just numbers!!!!!
The very purpose of Paul sending this letter to Timothy, the purpose of revival meetings, the purpose of me standing behind this sacred desk, is so that you will be encouraged and stir up the gift that is within you!!! The goal of my preaching and teaching is not to entertain you but to equip and encourage you to draw close to God and be made into Jesus’ image! As you grow in your closeness to God tell others about the priceless gift you have! How do we keep the fire burning bright?
The practical purpose of our meeting as Christians must be Godly people.
Turn with me or listen to 1Timothy 1.5
“But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
I. A pure heart (1 Tim 1.5a)
The purpose of preaching is to show people that there are lost without Christ! Even though I am not an evangelist I am called to preach the Gospel. I am called to instruct you in the ways of God’s word and work. If you never see your great need for Jesus and confess Him as savior you cannot follow Him as Lord. A pure heart comes only by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of your life.
So the purpose of my preaching is that the Holy Spirit draw you to a relationship with God that produces in your love. I’m not trying to build in you love that is loosely thrown around today!
I love pizza, I love ice cream, I love toys, I love fishing, I love football. We see true love in the Bible. God so loved the world that he gave!! Peter so loved the Lord that he gave, Paul so loved the Lord that he gave. True love is defined by giving yourself away. The love that God plants deep in your heart leads you to invest in the lives of others. That is what Paul means by love from a pure heart. Love from a heart free of hypocrisy.
This type of love
A) Is exemplified in our character
Character is what spills out when life injures us. Character is what comes to the surface when someone stirs up our life. Character is what rises to the top when the heat is on. Character is who we are. It is not built in crisis it is only displayed.
Character is who you are when no one is watching. We all put on a good face when there is an audience. What is love from a pure heart? It is God like character that can be seen in our life when no one but God is watching.
B) Is exercised toward others
Love is like muscles if they are not ever exercised they will fade and become almost useless. God’s love caused action on the part of man. Our love should be no different.
Dl Moody was a great man of God. He was used to reach maybe millions for Jesus Christ. Someone once asked him why he was used of God so powerfully. Dl Moody was looking out the window with tears in his eyes. They asked him “Mr Moody what do you see?” I see thousands of people who are headed to hell if they don’t turn from their sin and trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Love had invaded Moody and was his motivation to share Jesus. Someone once said well “Purity of heart is hungering and thirsting for righteousness. It is longing above all else to do what is pleasing to God and helpful to others.”
This is the true struggle of the Christian heart to hunger for God’s will over our own!
II. A good conscience (1 Tim 1.5b)
I am not talking about an unrealistic call for perfection. I am not trying to create guilt. A good conscience is not I have no sin and don’t face temptation. All Christians struggle. If you say you are a Christians and the devils and his demons are not resisting you then I would guess that you are moving in the same direction. (emphasis)
Listen to the wisdom of Adrian Rogers
“The conscience is an inner judge that accuses or excuses you.” Your conscience cannot make you do what is right or wrong but it shows you what is right and wrong.
Listen to Hebrews 10.1-2 (turn to and read)
You can’t get a clear conscience from what you do!!! This is the passage that tells us the blood of bulls and goats cannot cleanse us of Sin! A clear conscience does not come from what we do it comes from what Jesus has already done!! Assurance of God’s salvation His presence in our life and power over our old nature comes from the down payment of His Spirit.
When we trust in Christ alone and are in God’s will know His word and seek to do His work in order to enlarge His kingdom. What is the secret to a good conscience, His. When we are His we have a good conscience.
We rest in God’s forgiveness and know right from wrong. There are a great many people that say that there are not black and white, good and evil, right and wrong. Life is only full of shades of gray.
The Bible clearly talks about people that do not have a good conscience.
1 Timothy 4.2 “by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.” (Pharaoh)
Pharaoh would not confess God’s truth or conform to God’s word, but he was used to confirm God’s power.
If you want to keep the fire burning daily acknowledge your sin before God and your salvation through Jesus.
III. A Sincere faith
This is a faith that goes beyond formality. The word used her can literally translate as a firm conviction. This is a faith that is not merely outward show but inward substance. An outward faith will flee the church when things don’t go our way. An outward faith will use any excuse to stay away from the Body of Christ. An outward faith will not last when tested. Adrian Rogers so aptly said a faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted. An outward faith fades and inward faith blooms.
What is the result of this type of faith?
A) A firm conviction and acceptance of God’s truth
B) A personal surrender
C) A conduct inspired by surrender
What is Paul saying in his farewell address to his beloved son? Stir up fresh the gift of God in you.
Put your faith to work. The purpose of revival meetings, the purpose of preaching, teaching is to encourage us to Christlikeness. It is to put feet to our beliefs.
Paul is clearly talking about stirring up our desire.
Most of you sitting here today are as close to God as you want to be.
Paul is clearly talking about stirring up our devotion.
Most of you are probably as holy, as set apart to God’s purpose and kingdom as you want to be.
Paul is clearly talking about stirring up our determination.
Most of you are as available to God as you want to be.
Conclusion: Do you want the fire to stay fresh? The true key to keeping the fire burning is this men and women boys and girls being filled with God.
Howard spring said it this way, “The Kingdom of God is not going to advance with our churches being filled with men, but by men in our churches being filled with God.”
God’s fresh filling on a day bay day basis is the only thing that will keep the fire burning!
