In This Together

Introduction:

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with life? Maybe you feel a little terrified with the assignment God has given you.

Timothy struggled some with feeling inadequate and fearful to do what God had given him to do. He was faithful, but he often got overwhelmed.

Paul wrote to encourage Timothy and remind him that they were in this together. They had a common faith and a common heritage that they shared.

We live in a world where we are always comparing ourselves to each other. We grow competitive as churches or as believers and we start to see each other as enemies rather than blessings. Cancel culture has caused us to cancel each other if we don’t agree 100% with each other.

I heard a pastor at the Georgia Baptist convention recently make the observation that if we cancel everyone that we disagree with, it won’t be long before we cancel ourselves!

We need to look at other believers as fellow family members and realize we are all in this together.

2 Timothy 1:3–7 ESV

3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 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 gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Pray.

1. Thank God for Christian Friendships (v.3-4)

2 Timothy 1:3–4 ESV

3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.

Paul and Timothy had a wonderful relationship with each other.

Timothy was Paul’s disciple and son in the faith

He also was a travel companion and fellow missionary with Paul.

Paul regularly thanked God for Timothy.

Timothy was someone Paul could trust to leave behind at a church.

Timothy had taken it hard when Paul had left.

Acts 20:37 ESV

37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,

Paul and Timothy both longed to be reunited and it seemed more than ever that this would not happen. Paul is writing this letter while expecting that he will soon die.

2. Thank God for a Christian Heritage (v.5)

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

Timothy was taught the faith first by his mother and grandmother. It seems that Timothy’s father was not a believer and was not involved in his development of his spiritual life.

Paul actually becomes a type of spiritual father to Timothy and was probably also a father-figure for him as they travelled around.

Paul is thankful for that shared heritage that he has with Timothy.

Paul also had a legacy of faith passed down to him. Now, we have to understand that Paul was taught to be a faithful follower of the Jewish Law. Before Christ that made his family faithful Jewish believers, at least for Paul himself.

But, Paul later comes to faith in Christ. Paul learns true faithfulness and what all of the heritage that he had pointed to.

3. Thank God for the Gospel that Saves Us (v. 5)

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

Paul was saved by the same gospel as Timothy and his mother and grandmother.

We don’t preach a different gospel. There isn’t a gospel for the super sinner and one for the good person that just has a few sins here and there.

We are all desperately in need of the same gospel

4. Thank God for Equipping Us to Do His Work (vv. 6-7)

2 Timothy 1:6–7 ESV

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 gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Both Paul and Timothy shared a similar gospel calling. It is a call to preach the gospel.

Paul encourages Timothy to fan into flame, or rekindle, the gift that God had given him.

Gifts are like embers of a fire. They tend to fade if we don’t use them.

God has equipped every one of us with gifts to use for His kingdom. Some of us may need to fan into flame our gifts that God has given us.

Don’t be afraid

Go in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Exercise self control

Conclusion:

The church has to retake its God-given vision to make an impact on this world that we live in and as long as we are at war with other believers, we can never do that. We need each other and we need to fight for each other. We need to be thankful that we are in this together and know that we have each other’s back.

I encourage you to thank God every day for the church family and friends that He has given you and serve him without fear. Fan into flame the gifts God has given you and let’s make a difference for the Kingdom of God.