55 Preaching/Teaching 2 Timothy 1:1-7

Legacy Living

Why do we do this?

Because of what Christ did for us on the cross.

We value a relationship over religion

We have an open table which means if you are a believer in Jesus Christ you can partake in the elements.

But as we pass them, search your heart. Ask God some areas that you need to bring to them.

Luke 22:19–20 NASB95

And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.

EOT-2 Timothy Overview

EOS-Qualities of a life that leaves a legacy

DDS-Identify and plan how you can live out (PAUL- BARNABAS- TIMOTHY)

Intro:

Today I want us to leave here with a passion to give our lives for making disciples.

We are all going to leave a legacy.

What kind of legacy will you leave when it is all said and done for you.

What will you leave behind to your family, your loved ones, your close friends?

What will be on your tombstone when your time here on earth is up?

The Last Dance was popularized about MJ and the Chicago bulls last championship run, a multi series show.

I loved it because you learned more about the whole team:

One of my favorite parts in the show was when Steve Kerr

A lot of people have been asking about the shot and their have been some misconceptions about what happened. Where we called time out and went into the huddle, Phil told michaeld to take the last shot and Michael said I don’t feel comfortable taking the last shot, he said why don’t we go to Steve. The shot went in and that is my story and I am sticking to it.

Jordan and the Bulls

I loved watching the last dance,

What will Michael Jordan’s tombstone say today if he were to die.

Greatest NBA player of all time

People wanted to be like Mike

He shaped the culture during his time

There is no doubt he has already left a legacy.

What will be on your tombstone when your time here on earth is up?

but the last dance is nothing compared to reading Paul’s manifesto Of 2 Timothy

Paul was on his last dance when he wrote his final book of the Bible. Notice who do you think he wrote it to-

If you were Paul and your life was about to be over who would you write to.

A big church

An influential person

No he wrote it to his closest disciple: Timothy

2 Timothy 1:1 (NASB95)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,

As Paul himself says, the book that holds the promise of life.

This was his manifesto put in a book four chapters long.

A book at one time I memorized, a book you can read in ten minutes in one setting.

Picturte Pauls Tombstone:

Molding lives for Jesus for 2000 years.

Pauls life still lives on today

Paul even though he is in the grave his life still lives on today. Why?

He gave his life to making disciples.

Church are we going to be a church that will do the same. That we will give our lives to making disciples.

Their are a lot of things we can measure A church by

How many people showed up

How our offering is doing

How many people were baptized

How good are our events

These are all means to the goal of the church.

But you know what the greatest measuring stick is as a church should be:

How are we doing at making disciples?

This vision of making disciples is big enough to give our lives to.

This is why this church even exists

Share how I shared the vision of making disciples with Drew, and they decided to move their entire family to Houston.

ILLUSTRATION OF MULTIPLICATION-IF I DISCIPLED ONE PERSON

Today God wants your life to live beyond the grave. In the portion of scripture we are looking at Paul is about to die: literally get his head chopped off and he has lived a life for God, and more than anything he wants to see that the men and women he invested in are going to continue to bring the love of God to the ends of the earth. And the way this is going to happen is through disciple making

Today I want to challenge us to have four traits that are non negotiable if we want to make disciples.

Remember this acronym: RIDE

We are going to look specifically at two of these traits today.

1. A life that leaves a disciple-making legacy is Relational (2-5).

One of our core values is relationships over religion.

If we want to make disciples we have to be people who strive for authentic relationships.

Paul had a authentic relationship with Timothy.

2 Timothy 1:2 (NASB95)

To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul-Spiritual Father

Paul was not Timothy’s biological father, but he was something even greater his spiritual father.

We will see that Paul’s mom and grandmother were believers but his dad was not. Paul was Timothy’s spiritual father.

He had an authentic relationship with him. Because of that look at what he did.

2 Timothy 1:3 (NASB95)

I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,

He was thankful for his son in the faith. And he prayed for all the time night and day. Paul knew how hard it was to walk with God for a lifetime so he gave Timothy the greatest gift, he prayed for him night and day. And he knew Timothy needed his prayers, Timothy was no longer going to be able to rely on him. Isn’t this what discipleship is about, we disciple people so they will not rely on us any more but on God.

Kids-eventually the goal is that they will go off and be able to make it on their own.

2 Timothy 1:4 (NASB95)

longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.

Even though Paul was his father, he did not have to act like he had it all together, he was vulnerable and the greatest gift he could have right now was not a vacation, it was the presence of his spiritual son before he would be executed. It brought great joy to him.

Just because Paul was his spiritual father did not mean that he had it all together. It was a two way relationshp.

Do you have relationships like this?

Is this how your relationships are with other believers?

Are they authentic?

Church I know we want this.

Why did he invest in Timothy-Because he knew him he knew he had sincere faith.

2 Timothy 1:5 (NASB95)

For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

Why was Timothy’s guy. Because he knew he had sincere faith. How did he know he had sincere faith, because he had a mom and a grandma who taught him about Jesus and lived it right before his eyes.

Families are God’s design to grow sincere faith.

Our church family is meant to be the place where we are making disciples.

We want to empower families to do this well.

Timothy had a great relationship with his mom and grandma. Does it get more life on life than with parents and grandparents.Then he says that he knows that he had a genuine faith, why because Timothys Mom and Grandma poured their lives into Timothy spiritually. HOw would you like the Apostle Paul to be the one who says you have sincere faith. How would you like to have Paul say, you had sincere faith. 

Illustration: Heather’s Mom

here about Heather’s mom and how she invested in Heather, I am forever grateful for that. 

Parents having a legacy that lives beyond the grave starts in our household.

Whatever else may be said about the home, it is the single most influential force in our earthly existence. No price tag can adequately reflect its value, no gauge can measure its ultimate influence, for good or ill. Charles Swindoll

Will you embrace your home for a disciple making legacy.

Application:

Paul-Timothy-Barbara’s

2. A life that leaves a disciple making legacy is Inspirational (6-7).

Paul’s life was inspiring?

Is your life inspiring?

Paul wrote one of the most famous passages of the Bible while in prison.

Philippians 4:13 (NASB95)

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Think about this when he was in prison he saw it as an opportunity to share Christ with whomever was in front of him.

Think about all the jailers who were like oh man I have to be by this man again. Johnny you come stand by Paul.

No matter where you put him and what you did with him he was unstoppable, he was inspiring.

He was left for dead

Acts 14:19 (NASB95)

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.

If anyone could have said I have done my duty today it would have been Paul. Paul was willing to give his life to this vision of making disciples.

Are you willing to give your life to this vision?

Here is how he responded to that:

Acts 14:20 (NASB95)

But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.

Why did he do this because he wanted to leave an eternal legacy by following God’s plan of making disciples:

Acts 14:21 (NASB95)

After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,

He would not be stopped.

Notice his vision-why did he preach: TO MAKE DISCIPLES

Paul knew Timothy was going to have to live inspired!!!

Because Paul knew Timothy so well he knew that as amazing as Timothy was, how sincere his faith was. He knew his strengths. But he also knew he had a weakness.

Timothy was scared!

Anyone here ever been Timid with their faith. Know that you are not alone.

Does anyone here have any weaknesses?

Now to be fair to Timothy his life was on the line. It was not like at this point in Pauls life people were lining up to follow him as he followed Christ.

He called Timothy up to his potential.

2 Timothy 1:6 (NASB95)

For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Picture this in your head-

A fire in the pit can be really strong, it can be flaming, but it can also die out.

How easy it is for Christians to let their fire die out. Has your fire dying it.

He uses the word kindle afresh the gift of God.

Does your fire need some KINDLING!

2 Timothy 1:7 (NASB95)

For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

The Spirit of God is not a timid things, it is a things that is characterized by power, love and discipline.

We are called to be dangerous disciples not comfortable Christian’s.

Right here I am looking at men and women who inspire me:

I am looking at Michael Hughes who when he was in between jobs and was in between interviews was asked what are the most important things to him about a workplace and he said unequivocally without hesitation: My relationship with Jesus Christ.

I am looking at Bill and Doylenne who are using their retirement to serving the lord. Bill just got done making some hand made pumpkins to deliver to everyone on this street.

I am looking at Wanda who serves anyone and everyone without thinking twice.

I am looking at Dan and Kay Hall who had a great career give it all away to go to the mission field, can we be surprised that their kids are world changing parents.

Leah Who has fought cancer straight on and trusted Christ in ways I adore

I could go on and on, but we probably need to get out of here so we can eat.

Paul was inspiring Timothy to live a life of legacy.

Paul was telling Timothy you are going to have to keep going. Timothy just like I inspired you, now you are going to have to inspire others. Just like I mentored you now you are going to have to mento others.

If Paul were here today I think he would tell us the same thing. You can go further, I believe in you, Fan Aflame the gift of God. For God has not given us a spirit of Timidity but of power and love and if discipline.

Who has inspired you in your faith?

Who are you inspiring?

Video of Facing the giants Clip

Drew and Tandi-

I knew Drew in Paris but really got to know him the last year I was there

Drew and Tandi, before I really knew them ran one of the best children’s ministreis I had seen, When they expressed interest I told them done, you are coming with us.

I love Drew’s love and passion for the word, he knows the word of God as good as anyone I know, I also love his ability to speak truth. I love Tandy’s love for the w