Fanning the Flame.
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· 203 viewsRekindle again the Grace of God by remembrance and reverence.
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Thank you brothers for your presence today. This journey of preaching and critiquing has been incredibly fruitful. Not only have I learned great truth from the Word of God, but I believe it’s been demonstrated by the Spirit in power and weakness. I have learned so much from your humility and desire to preach. It’s contagious. So with that, I say thank you.
This morning, let’s get into our Bibles, and I don’t just mean turn to them, but I mean let’s really dig in to what I believe God has overwhelmed my heart with for the past month or so. I am eager for the Spirit’s demonstration and the lofty perfection of God’s Word to be demonstrated. I join you in agreeing with how great a privilege it is to preach, but also how frightening it is to approach God’s Word prayerfully dividing it correctly. So with that, let’s turn our attention and desire towards the letters of 1 and 2 Timothy.
The first thing I must make clear, is that the saving Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ has been given.
The first thing I must make clear, is that the saving Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ has been given.
It wasn’t a random thought or idea by God to give us His only Son, but is entirely explained in the Bible.
Jesus Christ was sent of God to be born of a virgin, by the Holy Spirit, lived a sinless perfect life in scriptural fulfillment of the law, bore the sins of humanity on his shoulders at the cross, was the literal atoning sacrifice for a broken relationship with God, and then resurrected from the grave, by the power of God to show his defeat over death. We just celebrated Easter because of the resurrection.
After the resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven and it is written in the Word of God that He left to prepare a place.
Brothers…we are waiting for that return. Anxiously anticipating.
As Jesus left, , referencing , states that...
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” The full reference even includes...
You ascended on high,
leading a host of captives in your train
and receiving gifts among men,
even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.
Jesus’ ascension brought the descension of the Holy Spirit and the grace of His presence has graced us with gifts. I wholeheartedly believe the interchange of grace and gift here is very important to understand.
Throughout the letters of 1 and 2 Timothy, the words grace and gift are used quite frequently. In the Greek, one word is used for grace and gift. In , the Apostle Paul told Timothy to fan the flame of the gift of God. I think there is a necessary reflection on the translation of this word from Greek to English real quick. Here’s what I mean...
First off, it is grace that gifts. That is…unmerited favor…we receive from the Holy Spirit to equip the bride of Christ. Our gifts DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT lift up the recipient. We are of no use without the gifting of the Holy Spirit for the edification of the saints. So when the word is translated into gift, let’s remember the grace.
Secondly, God’s grace is affirmation of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives to accomplish His purpose and will that He promised. Remember…our best efforts are at best, filthy rags. We literally need the work of the Spirit by the Word of God to witness and accomplish His redemption. So when Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, it was after Jesus’ ascension. Therefore the gifts and grace have descended and it’s for the sole purpose of edifying the church. Brothers we are still in that time. God is still wooing, redeeming, and setting apart those whom he chooses to herald the good news.
The specific verse and minor passage God has burdened my soul with, is . Paul told Timothy...
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,
Context
Context
The author here, at one time, was blinded by the brightness and presence of Jesus. His zealous desire was questioned and overturned by the Lordship of Jesus as Paul was set apart as an instrument for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He went from profaning to proclaiming in a very short time!
Throughout this calling of proclaiming Jesus as Lord, he poured himself into certain persons, who in turn, would continue the work. In 1 and 2 Timothy, we find saturated Gospel evidence of this.
The occasion of 1 Timothy is located in 3:15. Paul said...
if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
In 2 Timothy, I think we find multiple occasions because of the very present reality approaching Paul. His execution. Paul was imprisoned in Rome and he made multiple mentions of those whom deserted him.
Some of the occasions for 2 Timothy are as stated:
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,
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,
2 Timothy 1:8
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,
Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.
2 Timothy
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
2 Timothy 4:1
And very eagerly...
Do your best to come to me soon.
Other than, perhaps, the last exhortation, do you perceive the occasion of his writing? I believe he’s urging Timothy to cling to what is pure and flee from what is vain.
My goal for us preachers as we read this precious word from an Apostle to a young preacher is to rekindle again the grace of God in our lives by remembrance and reverence.
We’ll see this in a few ways.
First off…
“Before rekindling this flame, lets gather some sticks for this fire.”
BY NO MEANS is this calling and recognition of Timothy something to be treated as general or irreverent. As in…stepping into ministry as a vocation and getting licensed or ordained is just something we “do.” Pay attention to the adjectives used to describe Timothy throughout BOTH letters. Timothy was described as...
To Timothy, my true child in the faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Timothy
This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
1 Timothy 4:14
I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
2 Timothy 3:
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.
and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Wow is all I have to say. What these verses convey is a genuine reverence. I mean just look....
From childhood, Timothy has been groomed in the Word of God. A reverent faith has been demonstrated day in and day out to him by those whom he lived with.
Paul refers to the Hebrew Scriptures, which Christians know as the Old Testament. Timothy knew these Scriptures from infancy. In the first century, a Jewish father was supposed to begin teaching his son as soon as he was able to learn, and the principal text was the Scriptures. Acts 16:1 indicates that Timothy’s Greek father was neither a convert to Judaism nor a Christian, so Timothy’s mother and grandmother assumed responsibility for his religious education. At age five he would have been enrolled in a synagogue school for Scripture study, and at age ten he would have studied the Mishnah, Jewish commentary on the Law. But Timothy’s religious education began long before that, in his own home.
Purpose
Then from there we notice the recognition by an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul was present and affirmed this young man, but not only that, Timothy demonstrated it to him.
Paul had three purposes in writing a second time to Timothy. The first was personal; he called for Timothy to come to Rome as quickly as possible (4:9, 21) and bring with him needed items, a cloak and scrolls (4:13). These things were important, but most of all Paul longed to see Timothy again (1:4). The second purpose was pastoral; Paul wrote to encourage Timothy and to steel him against the hardships that intensified persecution was sure to bring. Example of this here:
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
2 Timothy 1:8
Each scripture reference here is a small stick to throw into this holy anointing on his life recognized as grace or gift and illustrated as a flame.
The eventual report of Paul’s martyrdom would be one of those hardships, and the apostle knew how difficult that news would be for his son-in-the-faith to hear. The third purpose was practical; Paul wrote to sound another alarm about the false teachers who sought to divide the Ephesian congregation. Examples of this here:
You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
2 Timothy 3:
Their depravity was extreme, and Paul was intent on warning Timothy of the danger they posed. It would be up to Timothy to keep the church together both theologically and organizationally. The church’s integrity (literally, oneness) was at stake.
Robert Black and Ronald McClung, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon: A Commentary for Bible Students (Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2004), 133.
These references STIR reverence. As each scripture is read, the recognition on his life is moved further into our minds. As each stick is thrown on…the grace is seen as much larger and the flame much brighter and warmer.
I’m certain Timothy was aware of the grace himself.
So as preachers....here today…pastors… If we are to rekindle again the grace of God by remembrance and reverence, we must first understand why and secondly, how?
Understanding Why
Understanding Why
- False Teachers
- False Teachers
In both of these letters to Timothy, Paul made a huge deal of false teachers and as I stated earlier, the urgency to cling to what is pure and to flee from what is vain.
1 Timothy
This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
1 Timothy 4:
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
- Do Not Neglect/Grieve
- Do Not Neglect/Grieve
Paul also reminded Timothy...
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
Do not neglect! That means to consider as not as important. How dangerous.
I believe the good warfare here is just as Paul stated in the letter to the Ephesians.. he told them
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
The charge to not grieve the Holy Spirit, is similar to the rekindling of our calling as pastors and preachers, I believe.
I admit there are times I wish this whole thing will perfectly work itself out despite the chasm of depravity in my life and God’s sovereign arm will jump the chasm of sin, but no.... no. Just as the Gospel of Jesus Christ was shared with me and the Holy Spirit revealed the horror of my sin, surrender was mandatory. He saved me. But just as the scriptures declare God’s choosing and elect, the scriptures equally portray a possibility of grieving that which is holy and neglecting that which is anointed. I cannot help but agree with this word by the account of “responsibility” I am called to. If I am to rightly divide…then I must agree with these verses.
Understanding How
Understanding How
- Remembrance
- Remembrance
Notice the constant repetition of a certain phrase throughout both letters to Timothy.
Timothy’s Testimony!
Timothy’s Testimony!
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
2 Timothy 1:
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy
Paul’s Testimony!
Paul’s Testimony!
1 Timothy
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 1:
The conclusion of a testimony like this is.....
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Consider our author as I conclude. A zealous Jew, devout pharisee, murderer, blasphemer.....instrument of Jesus Christ. As he wrote these letters, he could not contain the testimony of his life. He was very quick and able to rekindle again and again and again the Grace of God in his life. How about you? I’d like to take this moment for you to consider your entrance into the ministry and when God saved you. Please, do not neglect what God has done in your life and the recognition by the Holy Spirit. OR maybe this is your first time of recognition and you need to repent. You’ve been doing the LORD’s work on your own for your own fame and he’s not set you apart for this and you’ve been fighting. Listen, don’t fight what God has not willed. I encourage you to remember the process and remember why you’re here. OR maybe…all this rekindling, remembrance, and reverence is very difficult to understand. It’s difficult to understand because maybe....the Gospel has not arrested your heart by revealing our Savior and why we need a savior.
Listen, I stated very plainly at the beginning of this message why there are pastors. It’s because of the Gospel, but pastors are believers first. Not all believers are called to ministry, but we are all called to believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and to confess our sin and agree with God - “we need a savior.” Listen, friend…God has made a way for you to know that Savior and it is His son and he’s coming again. I plead with you to forsake your sin and to confess Christ as Lord and join Him in His resurrection. Brothers…consider this time reverently and let’s pray.