The Promise of Life
2 Timothy 1:6-12
Introduction
The Gospel is the Good News that through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus we have the assurance of eternal life. This is not just to get us to the Christian life. It is the sustaining power of the Christian life. The Gospel-powered life will see us through our troubles, help us grow in discipleship, overcome fear, and face our eternity. The Gospel-powered life is the Jesus-centered life.
2 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy is likely Paul’s last letter, thought to have been written just weeks before his death at the hands of Emperor Nero. He is grateful for young Timothy’s faith, but knows he is going to face some difficult challenges. All of us face life challenges that impact our faith. The promise of life in Christ Jesus will give us the strength we need for each of the day’s challenges. In the verses that follow we have three qualities of the life to be found in Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 1:6-12 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 the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
A Bold Life (1:6-8)
Fan into flame - AMP= “rekindle the embers, keep burning” - Don’t let the fire go out! What are some things that can extinguish the fire? Shame Guilt Doubt Fear Failure- Not ONE of these come from God’s Spirit.So where do they come from? The THEIF who comes to steal and kill and destroy! (John 10:10). 4th Century Church Father John Chrysostom wrote: "For it is in our power to kindle or extinguish this grace.… For by sloth and carelessness it is quenched, and bywatchfulness and diligence it is kept alive."
The Spirit-led life is one of Power, Love, and Sound Mind (AMP= Calm and well-balanced mind). Power comes from God, not ourselves. Love comes from God, we give to others. Sound Mind comes from God through His Word, following His eternal truths. This is a bold life in terms of how we relate to God within ourselves, and also how we relate to the world around us.
Never be ashamed to be a follower of Christ! (8) Three times in this letter Paul tells Timothy not to be ashamed. There will always be those who mock Jesus and those who follow him. The earliest known picture of a crucifixion
comes from Rome. Called “The Alexamenos Graffito” the sketch is of a human figure on a cross, but the crucified man has the head of a donkey. A young man is beside the cross looking at the crucifixion and the caption reads, “Alexamenos worships God!” (Merida).
Mark 8:38 “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
We are called to live a Bold Life as Followers of Jesus!
A Holy Life (1:9) (a holy life is focused on a Holy God!)
He saved us & called us - our life is all about what God has done and not our list of great deeds and accomplishments.
“Our only hope is grace. We cannot make ourselves alive; we cannot atone for our sins; we cannot cleanse ourselves. We need that which we do not deserve - saving grace. We cannot ‘do it,’ but there is One who has already ‘done it!’ (Merida)
2:1 “…Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” To be strong in grace is to know that all we have is from him.
“God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be.” ? Brennan Manning, All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir
This leads us to love him deeply and pursue the life He has taught us. A Bold Life and a Holy Life, and also …
An Eternal Life (1:10, 12)
Focus on the Gospel (vs 10). Good news that death has been destroyed. Not just news for us but for the world! 1 John 2:25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. Gospel not only empowers us to be bold but to be bold in sharing Good News.
When we talk about the destruction of death, it’s hard to embrace because we see so much death.
1 Cor 15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
1 Corinthians 15:54-56 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” …
The end of life is one of the most important issues we face - when we place the meaning of that into the hands of a grace-filled and loving Father, we can have the confidence Paul spoke about.
1:12 “…Know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” We have entrusted everything into the hands of the Risen Savior. God alone can give us this assurance.
Conclusion
In the last hours of Deitrich Bonhoeffer’s life he gathered some prisoners and held a worship service. He spoke from Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 1:3, two passages that speak of God’s glorious salvation and the perfect work of Christ. After his prayer, two men came and said, ‘Prisoner Bonhoeffer, Get ready and come with us.” All the prisoners knew what this meant. Bonhoeffer told his friend, “This is the end. For me the beginning of life.” (Metaxas via Merida). Though he was hanged by the Nazis, Bonhoeffer had faith for eternal life ahead.
Near the end of his life Paul wrote to Timothy, ““I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
Paul wrote to Timothy “in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.” The promise of life - this is what God has given to us.
2 Corinthians 1:20a For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.
When teaching the Gospel to thousands of people, Peter told them to repent and be baptized and said …
Acts 2:39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 3,000 people accepted the promise of God on that day.
He described that life as …A Bold Life, A Holy Life, An Eternal life. Is that the kind of life you have today? Have you trusted Him? Do you believe what Jesus has to say? Follow Him today!
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Discussion Questions
1. 2 Timothy is a very warm and personal letter. In the first five verses of chapter 1 take note of some of the ways Paul speaks of Timothy - what do we see there that tells us about Timothy? In verse 5 he talks about Timothy’s family. How does Acts 16:1 fill in the picture of Timothy’s upbringing?
2. What is the gift of God that is within you? What does it mean to ‘fan into flame’ that gift?
3. Why might a modern Christian be tempted to be timid toward testifying about Jesus? What, in our culture, might tempt us to be ashamed of our calling?
*J. Peter Holmes notes that “There may have been a temptation to wonder about a leader who ended up in prison.” What is our first reaction when a Christian religious leader is imprisoned?
*What kinds of cultural realities are we facing today that may make teaching about ‘not being ashamed’ very important for the church in the coming decades?
4. Why is it crucial that God “saved” and “called” us not because of anything we have done (1:9)? See Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5.
5. Of all that Paul says in 1:1-12, does anything encourage you to dare to fan the flame of your faith into greater exercise? If so, what encourages you?
6. How does Paul’s attitude and expressions about the end of life compare to your own? Do you find it easy or difficult to embrace his perspective?
7. Was there anything else in this text/sermon you wanted to talk about?
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Video of this message can be found by searching the YouTube channel for Forsythe Church of Christ.
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Resources
Gorday, Peter. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament IX Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon. InverVarsity Press, 2000.
Merida, Tony. Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary), David Platt, ed.
2 Timothy: The Lifechange Bible Study Series. Navigators.
