Have you ever been ready just to give up - especially when it comes to serving the Lord. You’ve learned about Him, given your heart to Him, then stepped out either to hare the Lord with someone or in some kind of ministry and nothing seems to be going right. You are ready to throw in the towel and say "I’ve had enough."
Timothy is obviously upset about how things are going in Ephesus. In his second letter, the Apostle Paul encourages him in several ways:
- Have a clear conscience (vs 3) that you are doing the right thing just as those who came before me.
- (vs 4) I want you to think about us being together - filled with joy (look forward to that through your tears - even if it isn’t going to be till we get to heaven)
- (vs 5) You are a true believer (no matter what anyone says) and don’t forget those that came before you in that faith.
- Don’t let discouragement drown out the Spirit (vs 6)
- (vs 8) Don’t think of your situation as punishment but as an opportunity to suffer for Jesus with me.
- (vs 9) Because it’s not yours to decide what happens - everything is happening according to what the God you serve wants to happen.
- (vs 10) Remember that Jesus overcame every obstacle that faces you.
- (vs 11-12) And also know that the work you are doing is for Him and will stand in Him - no wasted effort.
- No matter what anyone says: don’t let go of what I shared with you in how to be a good pastor and help heal your flock (vs 13-14)
- (vs 15-18) I too have felt deserted like you - but although there are some who cause harm, there are also those who bring comfort - even as I am giving you comfort.
Chapter 2: Remember your place (you are a soldier) and remind your people of the truth
Chapter 3: Realize the times and the flesh of men, what they are capable of - but know that God will rescue you from them all.
Chapter 4: Be Ready - no matter what: preach the Word, keep your head, and come comfort me soon!
Paul is reaching out to his troubled protégé out of his own hardships and tears. This is a very personal letter - Paul opens up to Timothy about his own difficulties and how it makes him feel I think in an effort to identify with Timothy and let him know that despite the hardships he is trusting that God will deliver him.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
You can just picture Paul - two to four years after writing his first letter - in his Roman dungeon - on his knees, praying for Timothy. This letter contains the last words we have from Paul - written about 66 or 67AD.
This was Paul’s second imprisonment - and he knew that he was likely going to be executed - as part of a severe persecution from the Roman emperor Caesar Nero, who transferred blame from himself to Christians for a massive fire in Rome.
The persecution included social ostracism, public torture, and murder.
But Paul is not crying in his soup - he is praying for his son in the Lord - Timothy. Paul has far worse problems to worry about - his own life - but he is concerned about how this young man is faring in a church troubled by false doctrine and misbehavior.
Often times the best antidote to our own problems is to pray for someone else’s.
4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I 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. 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 did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
This paragraph describes a man who has been beaten to a pulp by church difficulties. Many times we don’t realize how much pressure there is on church leaders. Timothy had even broken down and wept to Paul.
But instead of focusing on that, Paul reminds Timothy that there is real work going on through him. Often times in the Bible we are encouraged by remembering what God did in those who came before us. That’s why you have so many retellings of the Exodus story. Paul wants Timothy to remember that he comes from faithful stock. How often do we remember what God has done for us and for others?
Paul is saying - "I know you are afraid and feel timid, but you don’t have to get upset, get Spirit filled instead - let the Spirit do the work - in power, but with love and a cool head.
The fire is already there - smoldering. It’s hard to start a fire from nothing - but if there are embers it is pretty easy to get it going - all you need is a gentle but persistent breath.
8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who 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 I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
Paul doesn’t want Timothy to feel sorry for himself - but to feel the honor of suffering for Jesus.
Philippians 1:28-29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him
Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Jesus destroyed death - so what else can make me fearful?
I love this statement: "I know whom I have believed." That can be our affirmation as well when we are questioned about our silly faith in Jesus.
And further - the work Paul, and Timothy, and you - have done will be guarded. "entrusted" means to have made a deposit. Everything you do for Jesus in His strength is like taking money down to the bank.
And it cuts both ways - even as we entrust to God to take what we do for Him and make it live and deposit in Heaven Savings & Loan - so too He deposits things in us:
13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
"Sound teaching" in the Greek means an outline or sketch. Paul wanted Timothy to remember what Paul taught to get the outlines of good doctrine. You can see the pattern - like a coloring book - and you just make sure to draw within the lines - but Paul didn’t need to tell him what color or stroke to use - Burnt Umber was my favorite color - even as for us there is great freedom to teach and apply Paul’s teaching in a variety of settings - yet keeping the framework intact.
It’s like when we went through 1 Timothy 2 about women in worship - we looked at the context in which it was written, then translated that to our modern context and applied it to mean we should act appropriately for our culture and make sure our freedoms don’t turn someone else off to Christ.
The idea being conveyed here seems to be a passing on of truth. Paul got the framework from Jesus, he taught it to Timothy, who now holds this treasure - but what is he going to do with it? He could just keep quiet, not stir up trouble or controversy - but instead he needs to pass on those truths to other faithful men and women.
What has been given to you? What truths has God taught you? What trials has He brought you through? As long as it fits within the framework of Paul’s gospel, are you holding on tight to it or passing it on?
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort , 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Don’t hide your light under a basket - but let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and praise your Father who is in heaven (Matt 5:6, 15).
Next Paul divulges some personal hurts - I think to help Timothy deal with his own struggles and to share his burden in his last days.
15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
We don’t know anything about Phygelus or Hermogenes - but apparently Timothy must have. It’s possible that they were even in Ephesus and might have even been leaders in the church. Paul wanted Timothy to know that they apparently purposefully did not support Paul in his hour of need.
He doesn’t mean "everyone" as in every living soul - but as a euphemism for how it made him feel - totally abandoned. Maybe Timothy was feeling that way too. Have you ever felt like you are going it alone and no one supports you in your hour of need?
But then Paul talks about Onesiphorus. The name means "help bringer." This man, who was in Ephesus and I’m sure Timothy was well acquainted with - not only didn’t let Paul’s arrest change his attitude towards him - even searched high and low in Rome until he found him.
The prayer in verse 18 suggests that Onesiphorus was dead - and that Paul prayed for his family to be blessed in the present, and for Onesiphorus to be blessed by the Lord on the Day of Judgment.
Perhaps this was also a way that Paul was showing to Timothy that there are those around him (Onesiphorus’ family) that could and would bring him comfort. If you seek out fellowship - of like minded people - in times of stress it can be an incredible comfort and help.
Conclusions
- Don’t be ashamed of suffering - it doesn’t mean you are a bad person, but following in the footsteps of the patriarch’s, of the Apostles, of Timothy, and of Jesus Himself. You know whom you have believed!
- Is there a spiritual gift that has died down in your life? Let the Spirit fan it again into flame.
- Are you going through tough times? Seek out others who you know have also experienced pain for prayer and fellowship. And if you have gone through stuff in your life - be open to sharing about it so that when others experience similar things they know who to turn to.
- Looking back at the overview at the beginning of the chapter - review who you are, where you’ve come from, and where you are going! Then rejoice - its going to be okay.
Please go to www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org for more Bible studies and an audio copy of this message.
