A Soul-Stirring Reminder

2 Timothy 1:3–7 “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Tonight brothers, I feel lead by The Lord to preach a sermon of encouragement to you. When I was just beginning my ministry I didn’t understand pastoral burnouts. I would hear my Father in law say things like: “It’s about time for me to take off a couple of weeks, go to the river and relax a little bit.” Or I would hear pastors say things like: “I love The Lord so much, but I need a break from the His Pulpit, and His people.” To be honest, I thought that they were so wrong. I thought that was so rude until… Until I became a pastor. Now I’m fully aware that burnouts are real. Discouragement is real. Heartbreak is real. Mental and physical exhaustion is real. In that, The Lord has deeply burdened my heart to encourage you here tonight.

The Context:

Paul has left Timothy, a young pastor behind to pastor the people in Ephesus. And False teachers has invaded the church with strange doctrines, with myths, and endless genealogies.

Timothy has fallen under attack. He’s out numbered, he’s out smarted, and inexperienced.

The weight of ministry is starting to crush him.

2 Timothy 1:3–5 “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

So Paul began to write Timothy a letter, encouraging Him to continue, to not stop, to take courage. And that’s what I would like to do tonight. I would like to encourage everyone here to continue. Keep pushing, keep serving, keep preaching, keep teaching...

How Paul DID NOT encourage Timothy:

He Didn’t say: “Hey Bro. Timothy! This to shall pass.”

He didn’t say: “Hey Bro. Timothy! Everything is going to be okay.”

How Paul DID encourage Timothy:

By reminding Him of what God has already done in Him.

Paul offers up several reminders here for the instruction and encouragement of Timothy. In that, God would have us to be encouraged by them as well.

Revive The Gift! V. 6

2 Timothy 1:6 “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

Wherefore- Pointing to Vs. 1-5… Here “therefore” acts as a result. Paul is saying “since something has happened in you, that result is for you to stir up the gift of God which is in you.” Well, what happened in Timothy’s life that would result in Him stirring up the gift of God which is in Him?

2 Timothy 1:1–5 “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

So the results of Genuine Faith in Christ produces in you faithful service.

Name one person in the New testament that after salvation had NO DESIRE to serve faithfully.

Sincere Faith Produces a sincere ministry.

That’s all of us in this room. The reason you’re in the church position that you’re in is due to a desire to serve faithfully; birthed by your faith in Christ.

I Remind you- “Put thee in remembrance.” The encouragement came in the reminding.

Stir up- Kindle afresh, keep the fire alive. To fan the embers into the flame it once was, and don’t let them die out.

Paul reminds also that this is a daily thing.

1 Corinthians 15:31 “I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”

1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Do not quench the Spirit.”

The gift of God which is in you- “Charisma” Literally translated as “gift.”

God, in His grace has given Timothy a gift.

He didn’t earn it. He didn’t buy it. He didn’t deserve it.

Jeremiah 1:4–10 “Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord. Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.””

As Paul reminded Timothy of His faith and His Gift from God; i’m reminding you here tonight. Your Gift is to be continually exercised.

Remember Your Resources. V. 7

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Paul reminds Timothy of the resources that God has given him. But first, he makes sure to remind Timothy of what God HAS NOT given him.

Has Not Given- Greek verb is in the aorist active indicative tense. What that means is that it shows past completed action. So God already provided for us theses resources.

Spirit of Fear- Cowardliness, Timid… Paul tells Timothy that The Lord is never responsible for our cowardice, our lack of confidence, or our being shameful of Him.

Paul then reminds Timothy of the resources that God has indeed given to him.

Power- “Dunamis” Great force, or energy. It is where we get our english word “dynamite.” It carries the idea of effective, productive energy.

Paul tells timothy that God gives us great, effective, productive energy to fulfill the gift that He has given us.

Colossians 1:28–29 “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”

Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”

Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

Acts 4:8 “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:”

Example:

Older Billy Graham barely walking but taking the pulpit and preaching like he was 19 years old again.

Bro. A.V. Stockstill and Bro. Albert Bond standing up to the school over practice on Wednesdays.

Love- “Agape” God’s love toward us. The most extreme form of Love. Paul reminds Timothy that the force behind our is not only the power of God, but also the Love of God.

God loves us = We love Him...

God loves others = We love others...

God loves His Son = We love His son…

Romans 5:5 “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Ephesians 2:4–5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”

1 John 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us.”

1 Peter 1:20–22 “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,”

Example:

Old Lady kisses the cheek of the man who viciously murdered her grandson.

Gods Love towards us is what motivates our ministry to love God and others.

Sound mind- Discipline, self control. It means that God gives us a properly prioritized mind. Paul reminds Timothy that we ought to have self control, discipline to control every element of his live.

1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

God gives us the ability of self control in order to fulfill the Ministry that He has given us.

Closing Statements:

Time wouldn’t permit me to preach this next section but I wanted to at least read it to you.

2 Timothy 1:8–17 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who 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, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. This you know, that all thos…”

Example:

John Huss, a Pastor in Prague was burned at the stake in 1415 for his refusal to stop preaching The one True Gospel. In His dying breath he quoted Ps. 25: 2.

Psalm 25:2 “O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me.”

May God help us to be as bold as Paul, as powerful as Peter, and as unashamed as John Huss.