The Gospel Across the Generations

Jacob Winters

1 Tim • Sermon • Submitted 7 months ago • Presented 7 months ago

2 Timothy 1:1–14

0 ratings

· 2 views

Notes

Transcript

Introduction

Scripture

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can more like You, and more made into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much, that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all to often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possible can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, for the sake of the promise of life in Christ Jesus:

2 To Timothy, my dearly loved son.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. 4 Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also.

6 Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power,, love, and sound judgment.

8 So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. 10 This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher, 12 and that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me, until that day. 13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Context

This week we are turning our attention to the 2ndletter of Paul to Timothy. This letter, or epistle of the Bible was itself written very near the end of The Apostle Paul’s life, as he knew that his current condition of being a prisoner in Rome would soon likely lead to his death. So, this letter would be the last one that Paul would write that we have included in our Bible’s; and is a sort of final encouragement and exhortation of his Spiritual Son Timothy.

This letter was very serious, and at times, very somber, all mixed in with the joy of receiving correspondence from a loved one you haven’t heard from in a while with fond memories. This mix of emotions in this letter, reminds me much about the wide range of emotions that both men and women can feel on this day, this day where we celebrate mothers. For mothers and people with mothers, it is a day of joy as you celebrate someone very special for you. For those that have lost their mother, or are astringed to their mother, or never had a mother, it is a day where something doesn’t feel quite right; and the feeling of loss lingers over your head. For those that wanted to become mothers and could not or did not or lost a child it has a piercing hurtfulness to it. I would even say, there is probably other categories that I have not thought of, and if that is you let me say that I am sorry and ask that you would make me aware of your situation.

As you can see, and as I know in this room; is a wide range of feelings. I want to take a moment to acknowledge and validate what you are feeling. It is ok to feel joy, it is ok to feel loss, it is ok to feel sadness, it is ok to feel honored; because your Heavenly Father created you and those emotions/feelings, and the situations that put you into them for a reason. So if you want to smile, please do. If you need to weep, please do.

No matter your situation, the mother relationship is very important and special to us. If you don’t think so, just look at the example of Timothy that we will get to in just a little bit. Whether you are a mother of children, or grandmother, or great grandmother, or maybe you have not been blessed with children yet, all Christian women are called to be mothers in one way or another. As, if you do not have or rear children yourself, you are none the less called to mother, to raise up, the women or girls to the high and important office of spiritual mother; just as the men are called to be spiritual fathers (so men don’t just think because this is mothers day that you are off the hook!). Hear the words of the apostle Paul to another Spiritual son, Titus, in the book of Titus Paul writes that, “ 3 older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered. Women are to be raising up, or mothering the next generation of believers.

Of course, the first step in training up the next generation of Christian Believers, is sharing with the information that they need to be Christian Believers, The Gospel or the Good News of Jesus Christ. You share your faith with them. Mothers do this all of course in the Great Hope we have in Christ, but also in the selfless manner that mothers do, in the hope that their children and spiritual children will themselves be followers of Christ and know an eternity of peace in God. Doing so, we know has huge power and huge effects on the future both in heaven and on earth. What I’m trying to say is that The sharing of The Gospel and your faith will have an effect on many generations.

So, lets jump in and From the text, I want you to see that the Gospel is:

Message

A Message to Receive (1-2)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, for the sake of the promise of life in Christ Jesus:

2 To Timothy, my dearly loved son.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

One very important thing to know about the Epistles in your New Testament, is that the letters and books weren’t just to the original person it was written to. In this case, this letter wasn’t just for Timothy. On top of it being for all Christians everywhere through all of time, it was to be read out loud to the congregations, so the church in Ephesus would have had this letter from Paul to Timothy read out loud to them. With that knowledge, you will notice that this has to be true. See how Paul starts the letter, giving his title; an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s worll, for the sake of the promise of life in Christ Jesus. Paul was writing to Timothy and the church, giving first his credentials as an apostle appointed by Jesus; he was saying, “Hey, I’m someone you need to listen to.” Of course, Timothy would have known that and wouldn’t have needed reminding or telling, but others in the audience might have. So, the whole crowd, the whole church was to know from the reading of this letter, that it was from an apostle of Jesus and was thus a letter and message that we are to hear and receive as disciples of Christ. Paul then gives a warm and fatherly greeting to Timothy and the church, wishing Grace, Mercy and Peace upon them.

It was important for the spiritual health of the members of this church to hear this message, as it touched to important matters to the church body it was delivered to; just as it is important for believers to hear the message from God that Christ’s under shepherd delivers each week; as it is to come from the Holy Spirit and His guidance and is delivered to the church body regarding something about God and ourselves that we need to know and apply. So, it is important 1, for that under shepherd to deliver it and 2, for everyone to hear it. After all, a message not given or not received, is a message that is lost. What good is it to want or mean to write a nice card or text message to your mother, but not actually do it? None, and the fact that you didn’t or won’t do it is likely hurtful and damaging for both the person that should have sent it and the person that should have received it.

Believers, hear me. There is one message that you have already received that you must share with others. This is the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that though we are yet sinners, Christ died for us so that we be restored before God if only we would accept His sacrifice and Lordship of over ourselves. This is a message that you are commissioned and commanded to share. Non believers, hear me, that message is true, and you have to receive it. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, and without Him it is impossible for you to get to God. If you don’t have Jesus, you don’t have God; pure and simple. So, what are you waiting for? You know you need God, everything about you is screaming it all the time, even in your rebellious thoughts and actions, you see and feel the need and hate the separation. Why not put that aside and instead take on a saving and life giving message? Then, as you grow and accept it, remember this truth, that the peace that you feel from following Christ can be yours as well; as The Gospel and your faith will have an effect on many generations. So, accept Jesus, accept the Gospel; which is a message you need to receive.

Next, from the text, I want you to see the Gospel is:

A Message to Accept (3-7)

6 Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power,, love, and sound judgment.

Paul begins here by telling Timothy of his thankfulness for him, remembering him often in his prayers. Paul remembers the last time he saw Timothy, and the painful parting that they had; which many commentators believe was because of Paul’s arrest, the reason he was in prison now and shares how seeing Timothy would bring him much joy. Then he recalls the sort of watching and progression of Timothy’s faith, as Paul got to watch it happen in grow in both his grandmother Louis who then shared it with her daughter Eunice. Eunice then, shared her faith with her son Timothy. Timothy now, being a pastor himself was sharing his faith with many people and encouraging their growth in The Lord. As Paul has watched this, he encourages Timothy to use and exercise the gift and anointing from God he has received for the Kingdom of God, a gift that I Paul got to be a part of and a gift that many many many for a long time will benefit from.

Earlier this week, while driving home from Clarksville, I was listening to the local Christian Radio channel, WNKJ. If you listen to this channel, then you know that they have very regular programing, you can expect music to happen at certain times, you can expect pastors and teachers to come on at certain times. Well, this was the mid afternoon, and what was on was the regular Women’s teaching called, “Revive our hearts.” Probably on purpose, that day’s program was a special teaching from a conference regarding mothers and the deep impact they had on the generations to follow them.

You see, in the old testament, in Deuteronomy chapter 23, God’s word speaks on how during the temple period, that no one was to come before God who was not one of the chosen children of God, even 10 generations behind them. We know, that as children of God, we know that God desires to bless and not punish those that are his objects of his affection, the saved, so we can from their figure out that God want’s to bless even 10 generations and more behind a believer in Christ. Does that mean you are saved by your family or lineage, of course not, because your faith is a unique and personal thing between you and God; whether you are saved or not has everything to do with you and God, not anyone else. But, it does show that when someone takes on the cross of Christ, your family tree is changed forever. Why? Well on top of God’s rule in your life, you then believer are tasked with the pleasure and duty of sharing your faith with the generations behind you, not just sharing but also equipping them for success as well.

Just look at Timothy. His father was a Pagan Roman, usually boys of this era would take on the faith of their fathers, and this remains true even today. However, His mother and grandmother as believers in Christ knew that sharing the precious gift of the Gospel that they had accepted was one to share with their sons and daughters. This of course, would lead to one of the greatest pastors that the world has ever known, Timothy, coming through their family line. And Timothy would go on to do great and important works for the early church. They knew and were experiencing what we are to know also, that The Gospel and your faith will have an effect on many generations. This Gospel is a message to accept, but people can only accept it if they have had it shared with them. So believer, let me charge you, to do your best to see the Gospel followed and believed through the generations behind you.

Another fact to know about the Gospel is that it is:

A message to live by (8-14)

In Ephesus at the time, it’s clear that Timothy was dealing with an issue of shame, specifically shame in the truth of the gospel, and shame that, “if this was true, than why would your mentor, this apostle be arrested and probably executed soon. Furthermore, he is a criminal and why should we listen to a criminal?” Timothy was getting it from all sides, and he probably felt alone as pastors often do. Paul charges Him, be brave and instead of shying away from pain, suffer for the Gospel and rely on God; the only true savior of mankind. Everything has a purpose for God’s kingdom, and everything is going to work out the way it is supposed to, even it isn’t the thing that we would prefer. So hold on, hold onto sound teaching, not teaching that tells you everything is going to be easy and nice, hold onto the faith and love of Christ Jesus, rely on the Holy Spirit inside of you, and don’t quench Him out, let Him work in, to, and through you.

Living by The Gospel is not an easy thing to do. It is often perilous as far as we can see, but as Paul is pointing out, there is no real peril, because God will make things work out the way they are supposed to. So, we are not to be a people who live in fear. Your fear can manifest itself in lots of ways both faith and non faith related. One common fear that people often have and then they don’t once they experience it one time is flying in a plane. Yes, we aren’t designed to fly, but God gave us the knowledge and brains and ability to do it none the less, and as unknown as it may have been for you when stepping into that airport, none the less millions of people do the same thing every day and statistically speaking you were more likely to have a life threatening accident on your car ride to the airport then while in the air. So really, there is no reason to fear. Just like there is no reason fear when you share your faith, or you live your life by Gospel standards, or don’t go to things you shouldn’t. The worse you can get is a no, but on the other unseen side for us is a Loving Heavenly Father who is smiling at you adding to your crown.

Beloved, live your life by the Gospel message. Make everything you do be about glorifying God. When you go to school, make your target for that day to bring God glory. When you hop on or in a tractor, aim that God would be glorified through your farming that day. When you keep your grandkids, tell them about Jesus that your faith can be shared with the next generation. When you go the doctors, share with the nurses and doctors why you have so much hope. When your body or your heart aches to much to get out of bed, spend time with your heavenly Father and know Him more. I could go on and on. But what really needs to happen, is that you need to ask yourself, where am I not living by the Gospel and what do I need to do to make a change. We all need to do this, with not just ourselves in mind, but those behind as well because The Gospel and your faith will have an effect on many generations.

Conclusion

Beloved the Gospel is many things, but today I hope you understand that it is A Message to Receive (1-2), A Message to Accept (3-7), and A message to live by (8-14). In honor of every mother’s selfless heart, I want to do something a little different to conclude hear today. I know that each and every one of us here has a loved one, someone that we care about very very much who is either not a follower of Christ yet, or they were but now they have backslidden. Let’s come to the alter and pray for them today; asking God to draw them in so that we would know the joy of that person being saved, and Jesus being glorified through their lives. The alter is open right now, so I invite every person to take a second to think about who they want to pray for, then to come forward and pray for that person.

With all of that being said, I would be remised if I didn’t share the Gospel (or the Good News) of Jesus Christ with you today, for the benefit of both believer and non-believer in the room. This begins all the way back at the beginning, God created everything, and he created all things good. He gave His most treasured creation (us, mankind) the ability of free will, the ability to choose Him or rebellion. Man was deceived by Satan and desired to be like God and sinned (or rebelled against God). This brought the curse of sin and death into the world and it remains with us to this day; which separates us from God. God though, loved His creation (mankind) so much that He worked through history to redeem all mankind that would turn to Him from sin so that we can experience a full and perfect relationship with Him again. This was through the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the pay for sins. Accepting this free gift from God, makes you new and forgiven. All you have to do accept this free gift by repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus and you will get to experience the good side of God’s justice forever. So, now that you know this, you can no longer plead ignorance. I invite and urge you to respond today non-believer and apply this to every part of your life believers in the audience today.

With that, Let’s conclude. Brothers and Sisters, I love you all. During our last song together, if you need prayer, or want to talk more about Jesus, or have something you want to talk about, I’ll be here, don’t be afraid to come on down. Let’s pray. Father God, we thank You for who You are and what You are doing to us here in this place. May whatever it is that You are doing in each of heart here, continue as we leave go out into the world this week. Change us, mold us, make us, re-arrange us, that we can be both better lovers of You and better showers of You. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.

Related Media

Related Sermons