Fan into Flames
Notes
Transcript
Claim: Because the Holy Spirit gives power, love and discipline to gospel ministers they are called to fan into flames their gift of preaching the word.
Focus: What to look for in, and how to pray for Gospel ministers.
Function: to really pray for gospel ministers to fan into flames their duties, to be wise about choosing churches and ministers in the future, and to consider that you could be being called to ministry if you have sincere faith and a gift for teaching.
Now I always say I don’t have favoutirte bible verses of books of the bible - but, if you were to ask me
‘what is one of the first books I’d encourage a Christian to study and take to heart and apply to their lives - well this - 2 Timothy would be it.
And that’s becasue this book bigs up the whole bible!
It will be a reminder for us all of us how absolutely central and essential the whole Bible is to our faith in Jesus.
And if there is 1 sentence within 2 Timothy that would be invaluable for us all to learn, study and consider - it would be this:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
God speaks to us his people through His Word the bible! Everything you need to know for salvation, godly living and every good work is right here in the Bible!
If we get this verse right then, we’ll not go wrong in faith and life
- becasue we’ll be drawn back to God speaking to us as we open and read the rest of the bible in any and every situation.
As a church, we’ll get things wrong, not everyone will be happy with everything
- but one thing the elders here at GC are absolutely committed too without question
- is living under the authority of and in obedience to God’s Word in the bible.
This is the issue that will make or break a church - we must never take it lightly.
SOme of you here are from all sorts of different church backgrounds,
different amounts of flag waving, robes, liturgies,
congregational participations,
socials, hands in the air and so forth
Those things are normally secondary -
What is essential in a healthy church
is that we can unite in the gospel of Jesus becasue we take the Word of God seriously.
SO this book is not any more important or better than any other book
- but it does give us a basis for our use of and trust in the rest of the bible.
And as such it’s going to help us in all sorts of ways.
It will prepare us so we know how to choose a good church in the future - if your;e going off to university, or moving.
It will help preparing some of you to consider going into F-T word ministry,
and others to serve as future church elders, or Sunday School teachers.
It will help all of us to know how to pray for our elders and staff in our church.
And it will renew a gret love for and appreciation for the bible - God’s revelation of Himself by His Holy Spirit.
So let us begin…
these opening few verses give us various themes that we’ll unpack over the coming weeks.
1 - Give Thanks for the Apostles
1 - Give Thanks for the Apostles
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
Our author of this letter is Paul - an apostle.
An apostle is someone who is chosen, or set aside by God
- to teach the truth of Jesus’ resurection,
and as such had to be an witness of Jesus’ resurection.
Not literally someone who watched him rise from the dead - as no-one was there at that very moment in the tomb - but someone who met the risen Lord Jesus in person.
With the exception of Judas who betrayed Jesus, The 11 other disciples were all apostles.
And in Acts 1 21-23 they appoint a replacement for Judas - someone who had walked and talked with Jesus - and who had been a witness to his resurection.
There were hundreds of people with the 11 at the time, presumably many who could have been chosen, but it was shortlisted to a Jospeh and Matthias. After prayer they cast lots and Matthias was chosen.
Paul at this point isn’t on the scene - and if he is - he’s already began his campaign against the first Christians
- persecuting and even sentencing to death those who he believed were blaspheming against the Jewish religion for claiming that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, the promised saviour.
But later in Acts - Paul in Chapter 9 is met in person by the Risen Jesus.
He is rebuked for his persecution of Christians and temporarily blinded until he received the Holy Spirt and is commissioned as an apostle to the Gentiles - the non-Jews.
Paul is not just some guy who pops up with a message of his own thinking.
No - he is an apostle - a special role for a special time, never to be repeated in history -
he met the risen Jesus - he is an eyewitness, who witnesses under the authority of God himself.
He was given the specific task by God the Holy Spirit to spread the good news of Jesus’ salavtion to all nations - in fact - you and I believe today becasue of the work of God through the apostle Paul.
So when he writes a letter - it doesn’t come with the same authority that a tweet from your favourite pastor might - it comes with the authority of God.,
God breathed and inspired words that cannot be ignored.
That’s an important principle to remember generally as we read the bible
- these are not man inspired words that might offer a little helpful advise
- these are God inspired, commands and instructions that are the only way to salvation and only good way to live life.
LIberal Christians will tell you the bible is helpful not essential,
some Charismatic teaching will tell you it’s essential but we need a bit more.
But 2 Timothy is clear - this letter is written by an apostle - he was met and commisined by the risen Lord Jesus in person, to teach with God’s authority, everything we need for salvation and good works.
Don’t worry as you go to universty and some tell you you must speak in toungues to be a full Christain,
or others seem to have extraordinary revelations about the future or your life - you are not lacking anything that God’s Word says you need.
Don’t be persuaded by those saying the bible is not authoritative it’s just useful moral teaching.
Don’t be pursaueded that the Bible is out of date, or that other religions can also lead to God and salavtion.
You have the apostles words - the witnesses commisioned to teach us all we need to know of Jesus - you have the HS revealing in HIs Word the bible everything you need.
Look for a church that believes the bible is our highest and only authority,
We thank God for the apostles and God’s Word.
2- Joy in The Promise of Life
2- Joy in The Promise of Life
Notice Paul is not just doing his ‘duty’ in this letter.
he is acting as an apostle (end of v1) according to God’s will and in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
Ît would be ‘right’ simply to obey God Alimighty just becaseu of who he is! Creator, Judge, owner of all.
But, Paul doesn’t just obey Jesus becasue he’s told to,
he does it becasue he is in relationship with him.
He trusts God’s will for him as an apostle.
and he is certain of all that Jesus promises those who have faith in Him!
Jesus promises ‘life’.
A promise is something that is not yet been received -
I promise to do the washing up if you cook. It’s a future thing.
And so it is with Paul’s hope and joy, and service in Jesus.
He does it joyfully becasue he knows he’s not just obeying as Almighty judge who is terrifying in power .
He is doing it with the promise of eternal reward - life, joy, peace with Jesus eternally.
Muslims obey their false god becasue they are fearful they will not get into heaven otherwise.
Athiests have no hope other than this life, so better get on a enjoy what they can now,
Some people who call themselevs Christains think they will be saved if they’re a ‘good’ enough person.
BUt True believers - What a joy we have.
We obey and follow not in terrified fear, or in vain hope,
We live knowing JEsus forgives us of our sin against God and life is yet to come and is a sure promise.
We’ll see Paul suffering in this letter he rights but,
That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
The promise Paul holds onto is not based on his performance - his performance is based on the promise.
And the promise is a free gift
To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Grace - Receieving something we don’t deserve - eternal life, forgiveness of sins, salvation, relationship with God,
Mercy - not receiving what we do deserve - spared judgement and hell
Peace - peace now and forever more, for we are known by and loved by God Almighty - we are beneficiaries of grace and mercy.
Hold onto, meditate on, pray for assurance in Grace mercy and peace -so we have joy in His pormise of life.
Come in humble daily repentance before God, and rejoice in His promise of life.
3 - Give Thanks for One Anothers Faith
3 - Give Thanks for One Anothers Faith
The next thing Paul does is Give thanks to God - not just for the pormise of life that he enjoys and that motivates his lifestyle and work,
But he gives thanks for the faith of Timothy who he’s writing too.
To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am 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.
I’m sure Paul in his morning and evening prayers made requests to God for Timothy, but how unlike us he is
- he predominantly in prayer gives thanks!
I have to work hard at praising God and giving thanks in prayer when I pray - I don’t know about you!
The easiest times to pray are when we a worried, or fearful of something, or feeling cheated or not having control over something!
But Paul gives thanks night and day in his prayers - and he’s not evening giving thanks for his own life or situation - he’s giving thanks for Timothy’s faith.
That is true Christian love towards one another isn’t it.
To be joyful and thankful to God, without tiring -constantly
- becasue God has given faith to those in our church family, our relatives, our friends.
Faith is the greatest miracle known to mankind - we can be daily amazed at God’s grace and mercy to one another.
It should not tire us to consider how awesome God has been to our friends, family and church for they have received the miracle of true life - when they were dead in their sin.
He’s also thankful for Timothy’s mother and grandmothers faith:
Praise God for these amazing women of faith - who clearly were faithful in prayer and bible teaching down through the generations.
What an exmaple they are to you if you are, or will be one day a mother.
There is nothing more important than to
4 - Pray for and Teach the Bible to your Children
4 - Pray for and Teach the Bible to your Children
, your nieces and nephews.
Don’t get distracted by careers, comfort, money, worries of life
- prioritise children’s faith.
When they are young, read them the bible, explain your faith,
explain why you think and act in line with God’s word rather than the worlds.
Pray constantly for them.
Read a children’s bible to them,
As they grow start them in their own daily quiet times of bible reading and prayer.
As they get older insist they continue in their own reading,
make church a non-negotiable for the whole family,
speak positively of the value of gathering together and reading the Word.
There are plenty of resources to help families and children of all ages learn from the word.
Visit the good book company website for ideas.
And Fathers and grandfathers?
We’re not mentioned here - as is sadly too often the case,
men are too easily distracted into thinking if they provide food on the table they can leave the rest of life to our wives.
Well we thank God for our tireless and faithful wives - but it’s no real excuse.
WHo knows what timothy’s father and grandfather believed -
perhaps they had died, perhaps they were too busy playing sport at the weekends and working too long hours to open the bible with their children.
Let’s not let that be an acusation that can be made against us.
There will always be ‘exciting’ or ‘escaping’ calls on our lives - but none can come close to the importance of our chidlrens’ faith.
Don’t let your name be missing from your chidlrens’ testimony as they are from Timothy’s.
You have eternal life to enjoy -use this life is to pass on faith to others.
And that’s are final point
Pray for and Pass on the Word of God.
Pray for and Pass on the Word of God.
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. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
These 2 verses are to prepare Timothy for the rest of the letter.
He is to fan into flame the gift of God,
and to do that he needs to remeber that The Spirit of God gives
power, love and self disicplne.
There is no place for shying away from his duty if God is to be honoured.
The gift isn’t specifically explained here, but there are clues elsewhere as to the gift he’s been given:
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
MOst of us here are not called to public word ministry - but let me assure you
- it is easy for those who are,
to shy away from teaching some of the hard truths of judgement and sin,
or the high calls to godliness and counter cultural living.
It’s probably why Paul reminds Timothy not to be timid, or soft in his teaching and preaching.
But he’s reminded that the HS is for him!
In Power - Power of the gospel to save, power of the cross of Christ to forgive his sins and raise him to new life.
In Love - to enjoy the love of God and to remember that the Spirit will help word minsters love their sheep rightly - which means warning them of danger and persevering in the truth when it’s hard.
In self-discipline. The HS will help word minister to be disciplined in teaching and preaching.
Paul knows first hand of the work of the Spirit in His life as he faces untold persecution.
SO, Word ministers must trust the Spirit of God to work - even when they are weak - and respond in self discipline, love and power.
so - if there’s application here for us all
- it’s to pray for those in word ministry to be unwavering in teaching the word of God - in season and out, not being swayed by the itching ears of some.
pray for the HS to give them power, love and self-discipline
- and for ourselevs - to submit to such teaching gladly
- even when it’s hard, or counter cultural - or doesn’t feel comfortable for us.
For it promises life in Christ Jesus
Pray
