Passing the Baton

If you watched the 2024 Paris Olympics, you probably remember two races that told two very different stories about the same event—the 4x100 relay.

The men’s relay was supposed to be electric. Team USA came in as favorites. They had world-class speed; the kind of talent that makes you lean forward in your seat. The stadium was buzzing with anticipation. The gun fired, the first leg blasted forward, and you could feel momentum building. And then it happened.

The first handoff fell apart.The timing was off. The exchange wasn’t clean or completed within the 30-meter exchange zone. And before anyone could process it, the Americans were disqualified. Not because they lacked speed. Not because they weren’t skilled. But because the baton—the very thing the race depends on—never made its way cleanly from one runner to the next.

All that preparation, all that potential, all that power… lost in the handoff.

Just a few nights later, the U.S. women stepped on the track—Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas, Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha Terry. And from the very first stride, something felt different. They ran with unity. Each handoff was crisp. Each exchange was confident. Each runner trusted the one before her and the one after her.

And as Sha’Carri Richardson crossed the finish line, baton raised triumphantly, they secured the gold medal. Their victory wasn’t just about speed—it was about synchronization, teamwork, and precision in the handoff.

Two races. Same event. Two radically different results. And the lesson is simple and powerful:

A relay is not won by speed — it is won by a making a clean pass of the baton!

Our impact in the kingdom of God isn't measured simply by how we run our race, but by how faithfully we hand the baton to those who come behind us.

That is exactly what the apostle Paul was doing with Timothy and Titus. As a  part of our Blueprints for Life series, we look at what Scripture calls us to build: a lifestyle of intentional, relational, generational —passing of the baton.

Passing the baton symbolizes the transfer of a belief, a responsibility, a tradition, leadership from one person to another. It means that a person is handing over their duties or knowledge to a successor, who will carry on the work, the faith, the mission.

Mentorship not as a program or an initiative, but as a way of living and passing on the content of our faith and life.

Our big idea this morning is straightforward but profound:

Slide We are called to pass on the life we possess!

Understanding how to mentor—and be mentored—is essential to living a life that truly matters.

We live in an age of:

Information without formation

Content without character

Connection without community

We have more access to sermons, podcasts, devotionals, and books than ever in history—and yet fewer people have a spiritual mentor in their lives. Many are running without a baton in hand or without reaching for a baton that is wanting to be passed to them.

What they need is someone to say: “Come walk with me. Let me show you how to follow Jesus in real life.”

In a relay, the leading runner stretches the baton forward; the next runner reaches back. In mentorship, both are required:

Someone willing to pass

Someone willing to receive

Mentoring is never accidental. It requires initiative and intentionality.

We can only mentor others to the extent that we ourselves are being transformed by God's truth.

Let's dive into two key passages that give us a blueprint for passing on what truly matters or as we are saying … passing the baton.

Slide Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.    2 Timothy 2:15

This verse sits in the middle of Paul's second letter to Timothy, written from a Roman prison as Nero's persecution is in full swing. Paul knows his time is short. He knows he's about to be executed. And what does he write about? He writes to Timothy about becoming the kind of person worth following. He's not writing theory—he's passing the baton to his spiritual son, Timothy, who will carry on the ministry after Paul is gone.

Paul gives Timothy three instructions:

Slide Do your best!

The Greek word translated "do your best" means to be diligent, to make every effort, to be zealous. This isn't casual suggestion; it's urgent instruction. Paul is saying, "Timothy, strain every fiber of your being for this."

Paul isn't just telling Timothy to work hard for his own sake. He's preparing Timothy to be someone worth following, someone who can mentor others. Mentoring or being mentored is not about perfection but rather pursuing. Dallas Willard said it this way ….

Slide Grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.    Dallas Willard

We don’t strive for God’s approval—we strive because we already have it. The second thing he tells Timothy is …

Slide Build something that lasts!

The phrase "present yourself to God as one approved" uses a word which in ancient times referred to tested metal that had proven genuine. The word used here describes a craftsman—someone who builds something that lasts. Mentoring is sacred craftsmanship. It is soul-formation.

A mentor passes on what is biblically true. We hand off Scripture with clarity, conviction, and humility. Paul is training Timothy not just to run but to lead, to teach, to disciple, to pass the baton. The third thing Paul tells Timothy.

Slide Pay attention to what matters!

A worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. The word "rightly handling" translates literally "cutting straight." In Paul's day, this term was used for plowing a straight furrow, cutting stones to fit perfectly in construction, or a tentmaker cutting leather in precise patterns.

Paul is saying that a mentor—someone passing the baton—must handle Scripture with precision and integrity. Why? Because what we pass on matters eternally.

Now let's turn to Paul’s mentoring of Titus

Slide But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Titus 2:1-2

Paul's writing to Titus, who's dealing with a mess in Crete—false teachers, cultural chaos, churches that need serious reformation. And Paul's solution? Mentorship.

"Teach what accords with sound doctrine"—that word "sound" is a word that means healthy. It's medical terminology. Paul's saying passing the baton of healthy teaching produces healthy followers.

But watch what Paul does immediately—he moves from doctrine to character. Sound doctrine must be embodied in sound living. Paul lists six character qualities for older men who would be mentors: sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, sound in love, sound in steadfastness. Notice the repeated word "sound"—hygiēs—healthy, whole, free from defect.

What we desperately need today are living examples of what it looks like to follow Jesus in real life.

Most people would rather see a sermon than hear one. I know, don’t walk out or stop coming to church to hear biblical truth. Paul told the Corinthians, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). He had the guts to say, "Watch my life and do what I do." That requires living life with others in plain view of each other. Why? Because

Slide Character is the currency of mentorship.

Paul could have told Titus to find the smartest theologians, the most charismatic speakers, or the wealthiest businessmen. Instead, he said find people who are "sound"—healthy, whole, mature—in faith, love, and endurance.

Slide The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it's who you become. For it's your character that determines the quality of all you do.                        Dallas Willard

Slide Mentorship does what content cannot. It shapes the heart!

Paul focused on character.Why? Because …

Slide What is caught is more powerful than what is taught.

Slide Who you are speaks louder than what you know.

Look at the pattern throughout Scripture:

Moses mentored Joshua

Elijah mentored Elisha

Eli mentored Samuel

Barnabas mentored Paul

Paul mentored Timothy, Titus, and others

Jesus mentored the Twelve

In every case, mentorship was relational, intentional, and it multiplied. They were life-on-life, shoulder-to-shoulder, watch-and-learn relationships.

Jesus said it plainly in Luke 6:40: "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher." That's sobering, isn't it?

The people we mentor will become like us—not just in what they know, but in who they are. Paul understood this.

Slide What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.                            2 Timothy 2:2

Count the generations: Paul → Timothy → faithful men → others. Four generations in one verse. That's not addition; that's multiplication.

We are given a blueprint for intergenerational mentoring.

Everyone is included:

Older men → Younger men

Older women → Younger women

Leaders → Disciples

Believers → New believers

Parents → Children

Slide The church is a relay team—not a crowd!

The faith moves forward only when you and I take responsibility to pass the baton! Now some of us are struggling with this idea. So let me just say that the …

Slide Barriers to Mentoring are all in Your Mind!

“I don’t know enough.” - You don’t need a seminary degree. You need a surrendered heart.

“I’m not perfect.” - Mentorship is not perfection—it is progress.

“I’m too busy.” - We prioritize what we value. Mentorship is an eternal investment.

“I don’t know who to mentor.” - Ask God to open your eyes. The runners are lined up. Many are reaching back with empty hands.

Slide You are already passing the baton—every single day.

· At the dinner table - When you pray, you pass the baton of gratitude.

· In the bleachers - Showing up says, “You matter.”

· With your words - Speaking kindly teaches grace.

· In suffering - Your response becomes someone else's blueprint.

· In your apologies - Humility is caught, not taught.

· In your devotions - An open Bible preaches louder than any sermon.

· In your service - Quiet generosity shapes hearts.

· In your finances - Stewardship is a spiritual inheritance.

· In your encouragement - A simple text strengthens a soul.

· In how you speak about the church - Your voice becomes the next generation’s view of the Bride.

· In your invitations - Every invite is evangelism.

· In how you age - Young believers need elders who finish well.

Slide The question is not whether you are passing a baton. But rather, what baton you are passing.

So how do we actually do this? Let me give you four practical steps:

Four Practical Steps to Passing your Baton to Others

Slide Never stop being mentored yourself!

Pride says, "I've arrived." Humility says, "I'm still growing." Even at 66, after forty years of ministry experience, over 41 years of marriage, 55 years as a follower of Jesus, I still have mentors—people I call when I'm stuck, people I learn from, people who challenge me. A mentor helps you see your blind spots before they become disasters.

If you don't have a mentor, pray for one. Look for someone who's where you want to be spiritually. Don't overthink it—just ask if you can buy them coffee or lunch regularly and learn from their life.

Slide Be intentional about what you pass on to others!

Remember Paul's command: "rightly handling the word of truth."

Don't pass on preferences as if they were principles. Don't pass on trends as if they were truth. Pass on Scripture. Pass on what you've tested and found faithful. Pass on what has genuinely transformed and is transforming your life.

Slide Mentor in the mess of real life!

The best mentorship happens in your living room, at the coffee shop, on the golf course, during a crisis. Paul told the Thessalonians, "We were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves" (1 Thessalonians 2:8).

Let people see how you handle conflict with your spouse. Let them see how you respond when you don't get your way. Let them see how you pray when God seems silent.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

You cannot sharpen yourself. You cannot grow in isolation.

We change best when we walk with someone who loves God and loves us enough to tell the truth. Real mentorship requires vulnerability, truth and authenticity in the mess of our lives.   Henri Nouwen says it beautifully ….

“We are called to make our own lives a gift to others — our presence, our story, our brokenness, our healing.”       Henri Nouwen

Slide Focus on faithfulness not flash!

Paul told Timothy to invest in "faithful men"—not the most talented, not the most educated, not the most naturally gifted. Faithful.

The truth is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. His goal is not to pamper you, but to perfect you. Look for people who keep showing up, who stay teachable, who pursue Jesus even when it's costly.

It is shared life. Shared Scripture. Shared struggle. Jesus spent three years walking with His disciples—day in and day out. Time builds trust. Trust builds transformation.

The Great Exchange — Jesus and Us

Jesus is not just our Savior—He is our model Mentor. He poured His life into people. He shared meals, walks, teachings, struggles. The world was changed because He passed the baton of mission to His disciples. As the father has sent me, so I send you. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Two thousand years later, that baton has made its way into your hand.

Someone handed the baton to you- a parent, a pastor, a friend, a mentor, maybe a grandmother praying over you, maybe a stranger who introduced you to Jesus.

Now it’s your turn.

Your job is not simply to run.Your job is to finish faithfully passing the baton of what God has given you to someone else.

Because in the kingdom of God, success is not measured by how fast you ran … but by how well you hand the baton off to those who are running behind you. We Pass on the life we Possess! Our love, faith, hope, joy, values, belief, convictions.

The question of the Christian life is never, “Did you run fast?” But “Did you pass the baton well?”

The foam baton you were handed when you came in is a visual reminder that you have something that needs to be handed off to another. A child, a grandchild, a friend, a neighbor,

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for those who ran before us, those who prayed for us, taught us, forgave us, and believed in us. Make us faithful runners and even more faithful baton-passers.Show us the person You want us to invest in, encourage, and love. Give us the courage to ask others for help. And may our lives leave a legacy of faith that outlives us and goes into eternity.