Finish Well Together: Keep the Faith
2 Timothy 1:1-18
This morning we begin a seven-part study in Paul's second letter to Timothy. We encourage all our small groups to use this sermon-based study in your small group over the next seven weeks. Discussion questions are in your message guide and the sermon recordings will be online.
Our text this morning is 2 Timothy 1:1-18 (Let me read it for us ... ).
Paul writes from a Roman prison cell. He is imprisoned because of his faith in Jesus Christ. History records that sometime after this letter was written, the Roman Emperor Nero had Paul executed.
Paul wrote with a deep concern for Timothy, the young pastor in Ephesus. Paul alerted Timothy of the coming persecution. He also alerted Timothy to other troubles he would face as a Christian.
Paul wrote to encourage Timothy to finish well. In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul described himself finishing well: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
Paul finished well. But he didn't finish alone. He helped other Christians to finish well, also. And Paul encouraged Timothy to finish well together with other Christians.
From time to time, our family reads from Our Daily Bread devotional. Here is an excerpt from a reading: An anthropologist was winding up several months of research in a small village. While waiting for a ride to the airport for his return home, he decided to pass the time by making up a game for some children. His idea was to create a race for a basket of fruit and candy that he placed near a tree. But when he gave the signal to run, no one made a dash for the tree. Instead the children joined hands and ran together to the basket.
When asked why they chose to run as a group rather than each racing for the basket, a little girl spoke up and said, "How could one of us be happy when all of the others are sad?" Because these children cared about each other, they wanted all to share the basket of fruit and candy.
This story doesn't describe most children when it comes to candies. But it should describe those who have been loved by God. For God's children, finishing alone is not winning. Finishing together is winning.
This morning we will look at finishing well together by keeping our faith. Paul said "I have kept the faith." In other words, we finish well together if we and others keep on believing and trusting there is a God who loves us enough to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. That's what the Christian faith is about.
Maybe you've heard about the little boy who came home from Sunday school. His mother asked what he had learned. His eyes lit up and he said, "The Israelites were backed up against the Red Sea. They were being chased by Pharaoh's army. And then the helicopters came down and killed all the Pharaoh's bad guys, and the helicopters took the good guys to the other side of the ocean."
The Mom asked, "Son, is that what they taught you?"
The little boy said, "Well, not exactly. But you wouldn't believe what they taught me."
What Christians believe is so incredible that sometimes it's hard to believe and to keep believing. We believe that there is a God who loves us enough to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. The rest of the world believes there is no God or that God doesn't love us unless we work very hard to please Him.
So what does it take to keep the faith? To keep on trusting in God's love shown through Jesus Christ? Paul gives at least three considerations. Let's look together.
First, Paul says keeping your faith in Jesus involves God and others. verses 1-7
Paul reminded Timothy that God gave Timothy his Spirit, a Spirit of power and love and self-control. And he reminded Timothy that his faith was passed down from his grandmother to his mother to him. Timothy had faith in Jesus as a gift from God and nurtured by those who believed.
We believe not because we are smarter than others or are better than others who don't believe. We believe because God gave us his Spirit. And we believe because those who believed loved us enough to tell and show us God's love.
But what happens when our faith is tested? When we doubt the existence of God. Or when we doubt God could love us. Then it's helpful to have someone to talk with who has kept the faith when tested in a similar way.
What happens to your faith in God who loves you, when you pray and God doesn't answer your prayer?
Then you might want to talk to my friend Michelle. Michelle's first choice of pharmacy school was UCSF. Her second choice was UOP. She prayed hard that God would help her get accepted to one of the two.
When she got rejected from both schools, she asked why didn't God answer her prayers? She eventually went to Purdue for pharmacy school. It was at Purdue where she met the love of her life and her now husband.
Only by looking back could she see that God answered her prayer. But not her way. Michelle could help college freshmen keep their faith in God who loves them even when they didn't get into the school of their choice.
What happens to your faith in God who loves you, when you can't believe God would love you, because of your repeated sin?
Then you might want to talk to me. I've tried to be a good father for as long as I've had children. But I constantly jump to conclusions. I'm sarcastic and I raise my voice when I could be more caring.
I remember one of my daughters saying to me, "Dad, I know God is patient. If He weren't, he would've struck you with lightning by now." If God can love me, he can love you.
What happens to your faith in God who loves you, when your loved one suffers a difficult illness before he dies. Then you might want to talk to Stephanie Louie. She kept the faith, and she may be able to help you too.
Our faith will be tested. How can we keep our faith in God who loves us? Remember that God is with you. And talk with someone who has kept the faith when tested in a similar way.
Talk to your Mom or Dad, who is a Christian. Your Sunday school teacher or sponsor. First, Paul says keeping your faith in Jesus involves God and others.
Second, Paul says keeping your faith in Jesus includes more challenges. verses 8-14
Paul was imprisoned for his faith in Jesus Christ. He was suffering for telling others about Jesus. And he encouraged Timothy to be faithful through the suffering and persecution.
Most Christians believe that life should be easier because we have faith in God. Even nonbelievers think that the Christian faith is a crutch so believers can live an easier life. But the Bible teaches that the Christian life is more challenging because of the expected persecution and the call to holiness.
Yes, Jesus paid it all on the cross. We now have peace with God and the gift of eternal life. But those who are at odds with Jesus are also at odds with believers in Jesus Christ.
Americans live in a more civil society where Christians are not beheaded. But we are belittled. We are sometimes portrayed in mass media and in virtual media as outdated ignorant bigoted hypocrites. We need to be careful not to contribute to this false portrayal of Christians.
Not many would like to associate with people portrayed this way. I remember a botany professor at UC Davis asking how many are Christians in the lecture hall, and only a few hands went up. As a Christian for only three years at the time, I don't even remember if my hand went up. I was afraid that the professor might follow up his question with other questions I could not answer.
1 Peter 3:14-18 gives us guidance on how to face challenges to our faith:
"But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God,
Peters says you cannot make sure that you will not suffer. But here is what you want to do. Make sure that when you suffer, it is for doing good and not for doing wrong.
Here's what else Peter says. To always be prepared to give a reason for why you believe what you believe. And do this with gentleness and respect. So that those who try to shame you will themselves be ashamed.
Charles Bradlaugh, the famous English atheist, once challenged the Rev. H. P. Hughes to a debate. Rev. Hughes accepted the challenge with the condition that he could bring with him 100 men and women who would tell what had happened in their lives since trusting Christ as their Savior. They would be people who once lived in deep sin. Hughes said they would not only tell of their conversion, but would submit to cross-examination by any who doubted their stories. Then Rev Hughes invited his opponent to bring a group of non-believers who could tell how they were helped by their lack of faith.
When the appointed day arrived, Rev. Hughes came, accompanied by 100 transformed persons. But Bradlaugh never showed up. The meeting turned into a testimony time and many who had gathered to hear the debate put their faith in Jesus.
When we expect more challenges and prepare to face them we will more capably keep the faith in the face of opposition.
Third, Paul says keeping your faith in Jesus influences others to keep their faith. verses 15-18
The apostle Paul tells of the two who left, Phygelus and Hermogenes, as well as the one who stayed, Onesiphorus. He writes with great gratitude for Onesiphorus. Onesiphorus was not ashamed of Paul being in prison for Jesus Christ. He gave Paul much help.
Our unfaithfulness can deflate another's faith . On the other hand, our faithfulness can fan into flame the faith of another. When we read verse 18, we can see Paul's faith strengthened by Os faithfulness.
We can read between the line. Paul is writing to Timothy: Follow the example of Os. Be a positive influence on others to keep their faith.
Robert Robinson, the author of the hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, was an English pastor who lived in the 18th century. Not only was he a gifted pastor and preacher he was also a highly gifted poet and hymn writer. However, after many years in the pastorate his faith began to drift. He left the ministry and finished up in France, indulging himself in sin.
One night he was riding in a carriage with a lady friend who had recently been converted to Christ. She was interested in his opinion on some poetry she was reading: Come thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing thy grace, Streams of mercy never failing, Call for hymns of loudest praise.
When she looked up from her reading the lady noticed Robinson was crying.
“What do I think of it?” he asked in a broken voice. “I wrote it. But now I’ve drifted away from him and can’t find my way back.”
“But don’t you see” the woman said gently, “The way back is written right here in the third line of your poem: Streams of mercy never ceasing. Those streams are flowing even here in Paris tonight.”
That night Robinson recommitted his life to Christ.
We don't have to be a longtime Christian to help someone keep their faith. Our own faithfulness can be a positive influence. Because keeping the faith is part of finishing well together.
