October 2, 2011
Morning Worship
Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-7
Subject: The Christian Faith
Title: Living the Truth
For three days last week I spent time finding out who I am and seeking to sense the presence of God more in my life. For three full days we sat on a front porch of a cabin in the little unincorporated town of Wears Valley in eastern Tennessee – a town that stretches out for a couple of miles along Highway 321 on the valley floor beneath the Smoky Mountains. The view from the front porch was magnificent, looking down across a meadow to a tree line that kept the highway out of sight. And then as you gazed upward the magnificence of the mountain in its finest greenery came into full view, dotted here and there by splotches of color from the trees that are sensing the approaching change of seasons.
We have been to the Rocky Mountains five times, and as beautiful and majestic as they are, they are not the same as the Smokies. This was our fourth time in the Smoky Mountains. I know it won’t be our last. There is something about those mountains that when I am there, tells me that I am at home. It is not my home, yet it is. I don’t know if I can explain it to you in any other way than that. For when I am there a sense of the tangible reality of who God is comes into focus, and an overwhelming sense of the peace of God fills my soul. It is a place where I can go to be rejuvenated and prepared for the task that God has set before me here in Palmyra.
Here is the lesson I learned the very first night that we sat on the front porch of the cabin - all the things that we worry ourselves about, all of the concerns of life that I have as a pastor, all of the struggles that we go through as we attempt to do the work of God in our calling, have no valid place in our lives, for God has given us everything we need in order to know that He is God, that He is in control, and that He is building a church that we are fortunate enough to have a part in as pastors. This Creator God, who has now, once again, manifest Himself in our lives through His creation, has given all of us what we need to be the ecclesia - “”the called out- in the world, and to be a force against the spiritual powers that are at work in the world.
In our passage today I want you to notice something – Paul not only recognizes Timothy’s call to pastor a church, but he also recognizes the role of his mother and grandmother as those who taught him about God’s Word. It is not something that is genetically transferred through bloodlines, but it is something that is passed on through teaching and encouraging and confessing… And that is what I want to do for you today. I want to show you that God has given you what you need to be a strong and life giving influence in this community and in your families.
I want to read to you the first six verses of 2 Timothy as a foundation, but it is verse seven that I want to share with you today as the means by which you can be everything that God has called you to be.
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Verse seven in the NKJV reads this way – a way you are probably more familiar with,
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Hold your bibles up…
I believe this is God’s Word…
I believe all of it…
I stand on it…
I confess it…
And I take ownership of every promise in it…
I. REMEMBER WHAT GOD DID NOT GIVE YOU… I believe that one of the biggest problems in the church today is the real lack of understanding concerning God’s nature when it comes to His word. Many in the church today believe that God doesn’t heal, God doesn’t work miracles, God doesn’t intervene in the lives of people, God doesn’t answer prayer… Here is the problem with that theology – it radically contradicts the entire teaching of the whole bible. From Genesis to Revelation God is seen as interacting with and intervening on behalf of His people. The truth of that is seen in the very names of God given – all of them refer to a self existent supreme God who by the titles given Him in the OT refer to a God who heals, provides, brings peace, or saves… Now that we have established the nature of God, let us look at what Paul says this self-existent and eternal God did not give us. For God has not given us a spirit of fear… The word “fear” is translated as “timidity” in the NIV. Both translations are accepted. But let me show you something. The root word that the Greek word originates from means “faithlessness”. God has not given you a spirit of faithlessness, but he has given you a spirit that enables your faith in every area of your life if you let it. It is the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead in power. It is the same spirit that is at work in us in power according to Ephesians 3:20, 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Faith is the opposite of fear. … Hebrews 11:6 tells us that, Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. God has not given you a spirit of fear, or timidity or faithlessness, but a spirit by which you can have the faith to trust God for every promise in every circumstance at all times. In the book of Joshua, after God called Joshua to be the leader of His people he assured him by telling him three times, “Be strong and courageous…” What is it the God has not given? He has not given a spirit of fear… Not let’s look at the three things that God has given for your benefit to enable you to be all He wants you to be.
II. GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A SPIRIT OF POWER… in the bible there are 17 times where the phrase “in power” is used. In 13 of those instances it has a direct reference to God. In 7 of those 13 references it is the Holy Spirit who is the enabling force given to men. God has not given us a spirit of fear … but a spirit of power… Again, going back to Ephesians 3:20 it is God’s power that is at work within us. In Jesus’ earthly ministry when the word “power” is used it was connected with healing and casting out demons. Jesus told the seventy that HE sent out that he had given them authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. When I was much younger I worked as a supervisor in a furniture factory. I was actually a manager over a small plant with about 50 people working under me. As the plant manager I was supposed to have the authority and power to hire and fire. There was a time when I tried to fire an older woman who just seemed to be one who constantly was stirring up trouble and spreading rumors in the plant – and who was notorious also for not doing here work. I tried to fire her. After a meeting with my immediate boss and the union representative she got to keep her job. The authority and power that I thought I had was not really what I had been led to believe. But as a child of the Living God the power that He has promised is exactly what you have. God doesn’t change His mind. He never turns back on His promises. If Jesus said you would receive power when the Holy Ghost comes upon you, then I think He meant that you would receive power. I tell you this often, but I only do so because I want you to get it. The word translated “power” in verse 7 means supernatural, superhuman, explosive power, to do what the natural says you can’t – miraculous power… and it often refers to the miracle itself. But if you allow a spirit of fear or timidity or faithlessness to overwhelm you, that kind of power can never manifest itself in you. It can only happen by faith in the power of God. Psalm 106:8, Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known. That is in reference to the miracles that God did in Egypt to deliver Israel. That same spiritual power is at work in His people who believe today so that His mighty power would be known. For you to be what God desires you to be today, you must accept the spirit of power that is at work within you and use that power to glorify God.
III. GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A SPIRIT OF LOVE… When you think of love how do you describe it? There are all kinds of love in the world. There is family love, which would be phileo love or brotherly love. There is eros , which is sensual love – the kind of love where the flesh is stirred in an emotional response. This Spirit of love that God has given you is the same love that He has for you – in the Greek agapeo. For God so loved the world… God demonstrates His own love for us… It is the kind of love that He expects from us toward Him. In John 21 when Jesus asked Peter if he loved him (agapeo) Peter responded, “Lord you know I love (phileo) you. Peter didn’t really distinguish the difference between the two. It is in the same spirit of love that God told Jeremiah in 31:3, “I have loved you with and everlasting love…” So why did Paul place such and emphasis on this type of love? In order to really understand we need to look at a couple of things. First, what was the context of the entire letter from Paul to Timothy? It was about Timothy’s ministry as a pastor to the church in Ephesus and about Timothy’s relationships with others in the church. In regard to the ministry, Timothy should never be fearful, should never be timid, should never have a sense of dread, should never be faithless, but should always be willing to stand in God’s power on God’s promises according to Gods Word. Secondly, in regards to Timothy’s relations within the church, it should always be in a spirit of love. That is why 12 times in the New Testament we are told to “love one another” and the word used in each one is agapeo – the same love that God has for us regardless of how badly we mess up, how far we stray, how wrong we are, or how faithless we become… God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love… For you to be the church Jesus has called you to be you must learn to love that way.
IV. GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A SPIRIT OF SELF-DISCIPLINE (SOUND MIND) … There is a great theological discussion to be had here. What does it mean to have a sound mind or to be self-disciplined? Many think that this is talking about the fact that a Christian should be able to do what seems right – that God gives Christians a special ability to know right from wrong. While that is true there is a deeper supernatural aspect to having a sound mind. That sound mind or self-discipline can only come through that ever-deepening relationship with Christ. It is not talking about human wisdom. Proverbs 14:12, There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. It is however talking about the kind of wisdom that James says, that if we lack it (spiritual wisdom) then all we have to do is ask God. It is talking about the kind of understanding we have even though in the natural many things do not make sense. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. Paul goes on to say in the rest of 1 Corinthians 2, The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.£ 14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. At no place in scripture are we ever told to do what seems right. Isaiah 5:21, Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. It was that attitude that got Israel into trouble. Judges 21:25, 25In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. But the bible is full of passages that encourage us to seek God’s will, God’s Word, and God’s way in all things. Seek the Lord while He may be found… Call to me and I will answer you… for you to be the church God wants you to be you need to think God’s thoughts. Romans 12:2, 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
This past week has brought me to the point where, even more than ever, I can know the power, and love and sound mind that God has endued me with. And I know that I can live that chosen life without fear, timidity, or faithlessness. God told Moses, “I AM who I AM…” Today as an heir of God and co-heir with Christ I can say I know who I Am without any fear or doubt.
Let me close by saying this. I am learning how to make violins. It is time consuming and tedious work. This is my second effort. I took this with us on vacation last week to show my brother-in-law John, just because he has been sick and I thought he would enjoy seeing it. John insisted that we take it to a friend of his who owned a music store and who also plays the violin. I didn’t want to do that because I knew there were flaws and I didn’t feel like I wanted anyone pointing out things that I knew I needed to work on. John insisted that we take it anyhow, so we did. And I was right – there was plenty of criticism – but it was constructive criticism – you know, the kind that if you put your pride aside it can make you better?
Interestingly enough, while we were in the music store a young man walked in and saw my violin and commented about how beautiful it was. He didn’t see the flaws… The whole process reminded me of how God deals with me. He looks at me and knows that I am trying hard to be the instrument that He wants me to be. All the while He knows my flaws and is making corrections in my life.
Is He doing the same with you today?
If you have a spirit of fear, timidity or faithlessness, He wants you to know that is not what He has given you. He’ll take it away if you will give it to Him.
He has given you instead a spirit of power… Are you looking for the supernatural in your life?
He has given you a spirit of love… Does your love for brothers and sisters line up with the scriptural admonition to “love one another”?
He has given you a spirit of “sound mind”… are you seeking God’s will, God’s mind, God’s wisdom for the answers to questions in your life?
These are the qualities that God desires to see active n your life. Two out of three won’t work. He has given them all to you for your benefit.
What will you do with them?
