Essentials of Discipling (2 Timothy 1:3-7)
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Essentials of Discipling ()
Grace Church at Willow Valley (09/16/2018)
Intro: When Jesus left this earth, he gave his followers their mission. You and I know it as “the Great Commission”
Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Last year, we as a church made the decision to intentionally focus on understanding and practicing our obedience to this mandate from Jesus to be “making disciples.”
We have defined this process of discipling as (in its most basic essence) as “helping another to follow Jesus” (for their good and God’s glory, of course). It is because of our desire to intentionally work on discipling that we find ourselves in 2 Timothy this morning. How so?
As we saw last Sunday, the letter of 2 Timothy is the Apostle Paul’s “swan song.” He wrote it during his second of two Roman imprisonments while waiting for his execution which was rapidly drawing near!
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close.
In this letter, Paul’s focus is on Timothy. It is arguably the most personal of Paul’s 13 NT letters. And as his final letter, many consider it his last will and testament.
Quote: This letter was “written not merely in ink, but in Paul’s life blood.” (John Calvin)
And in this final communication with Timothy, Paul urges Timothy to:
Guard the gospel ........ persevere in the gospel … proclaim the gospel (show chart of book)
So what we have here in this rather brief letter is Paul calling his young metee to action!
Guard the gospel ........ persevere in the gospel … proclaim the gospel (show chart of book)
BTW -
Quote: “In this letter to Timothy, the apostle used no less than thirty-three imperative verbs in twenty-seven commands. His time grew short, and he had a lot of urgent information to tell his friend.” (Chuck Swindoll)
Swindoll, Charles R.. Insights on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus (Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary Book 11) (Kindle Location 3639). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
Swindoll, Charles R.. Insights on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus (Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary Book 11) (Kindle Locations 3638-3639). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
As we work thru this letter, we will have a front row seat to observe Paul, the aged veteran of many spiritual battles, discipling Timothy, his young protege, helping him to follow Jesus!
READ 1:1-7
PRAY
Now Paul opens this letter as he does with most of his letters after the customary practice of his day. He identifies himself as the writer, Timothy as the recipient and then offers this greeting expressing his desire that Timothy would enjoy grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now as he moves on … in vv. 3-7 - we can see three essentials of the discipling process. To help us get a handle on these … I am going to use three phrases:
A strong bond
Some warm words
A pointed reminder
A Strong bond
To Timothy, my dearly loved son.
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
We noted last week that Paul id’s the recipient of his letter as “Timothy, my dearly loved son.” Now contrast this with how Paul id’ed Timothy in his first letter to him.
To Timothy, my true son in the faith.
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 ti 1
One writer commenting on this difference (which is more than just mere semantics) writes:
Paul
“Timothy, my dearly loved son” is much stronger than “Timothy, my true son in the faith.” It is not that Paul loved Timothy less when he wrote that first letter, but that Paul was now expressing it more. As Paul’s life drew to a close, he realized in a deeper way how dear Timothy was to him.” Warren Wiersbe, p. 124
And just how dear can be seen in
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. Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 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.
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. Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.
1 ti
2 Timothy
Paul here offers thanks for the recipient of his letter (in this case, Timothy). This is his usual practice. And note that he thanks God when he CONSTANTLY remembers Timothy in his prayers NIGHT AND DAY. Paul closes his eyes at night … he thinks of Timothy. He awakens in the morning … Timothy is on his heart. And so he is praying off and on throughout his long days and nights sitting in a Roman prison cell praying for Timothy.
He also thinks of Timothy’s tears - probably shed when they parted for the last time. The picture in Paul’s mind of Timothy weeping … just made him long all the more to see him again. A desire that not only does he express here, but as we saw last Sunday - he expresses twice toward the close of his letter:
Make every effort to come to me soon,
Paul here offers thanks for the recipient of his letter (in this case, Timothy). This is his usual practice.
Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.
,
So … are you feeling this strong bond which existed between the two? And its not just Timothy’s tears that Paul is reflecting on … but also his sincere (literally ‘unhypoctrical’) faith which he has seen in Timothy and which had first been in his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. Later in the letter, Paul makes an indirect reference to these two when he writes:
2 Timothy 1:3-
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. Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.
Note that
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
So not only do we see the strong bond between Paul and Timothy .... but also the strong bond which existed between Timothy’s g-mother and mother and Timothy!
All this to say this about the discipling process: the context for effective discipling is genuine relationships.
ILL --- And how we need to hear this! In this digital age in which we live … our lives are increasingly dominated by Facebook rel’ships .... which are miles wide and inches deep! But if we are going to become the disciplers God wants us to be … then we need to do a lot more “face time” with each other … and I am not talking about face time on the iphone! We need to come alongside of each other and begin to cultivate authentic, genuine, deep relationships.
Some warm words
Let’s look again at
2 Timothy
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. Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 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.
Not only do these words convey much affection which Paul had for Timothy, they also drip with affirmation for Timothy!
Can you imagine how Timothy’s own heart must have soared when he read these words from his mentor? That Paul … the great Apostle … thought of him and prayed for him night and day … and that he wanted to be reunited with Timothy just as much as Timothy so desired to see Paul? And that Paul acknowledged the reality of his faith … being CONVINCED that the genuine faith Paul knew to be in Lois and Eunice was very much on display in Timothy’s life?
This past summer as we spent 6 Sunday mornings in the OT book of Wisdom … one of the topics we looked at was our speech … and the power that exists in what we say! Consider these verses …
Pleasant words are a honeycomb:
sweet to the taste and health to the body.
The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,
a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down,
but a good word cheers it up.
Tim Keller … writes concerning this verse:
“In this proverb, however, we are told we should not try to deal with anxiety on our own. We need a kind word from others. We need people to affirm us, to relate their own experience, to point us to God, or even just to be there so we don’t feel so alone.” (Tim Keller, God's Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs, p. 105).
Timothy most likely was battling anxiety in his ministry. Some were looking down on him because he was young and inexperienced …
Keller, Timothy. God's Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs (p. 105). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.
And here in this letter, Paul urges him to . . .
Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
1 ti 4:
He was often plagued by stomach and other health issues
Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
Don’t be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder, and don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
1 ti
He appears to have been a timid sort
If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear while with you, because he is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am. So let no one look down on him. Send him on his way in peace so that he can come to me, because I am expecting him with the brothers.
1 Cor
And he had to contend with false teachers within his own church … Concerning two of these false teachers, Hymenaeus and Philetus … Paul writes:
2 ti
They have departed from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and are ruining the faith of some.
All this to say … Timothy was in need of some affirmation … and Paul was quick to give it to him. And note that Paul makes it clear that this affirmation is solidly rooted in God.
Question … just who is Paul thanking for Timothy’s genuine faith? God … right?
1 ti
As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith. Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
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. Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.
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. Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 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.
2 ti 1:
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.
Timothy needed to know that someone was seeing God at work in his life! This is what we need to affirm in others. That the gospel is changing them … slowly but surely conforming them into the image of Christ himself!
We hear way too many “put-downs” during our day. What we need to do is to refresh one another by building one another up in Christ! The Apostle Paul understood this. So he not only let Timothy know that he loved him … but that he also believed in him!
So just as the strong bond between Paul and Timothy shows us that the context for effective discipling is genuine relationships.
So just as the strong bond between Paul and Timothy shows us that the context for effective discipling is genuine relationships.
So just as the strong bond between Paul and Timothy shows us that the context for effective discipling is genuine relationships.
The warm words of Paul show us that the tone for effective discipling is God-centered affirmation.
Warm words
The warm words of Paul show us that the tone for effective discipling is God-centered affirmation.
And it is very important that we affirm one another in Christ!
Quote: “Affirmation is like an invigorating sudsy shower after a long day of manual labor. It’s like a cool rain after a long, hot dry spell. It delivers a combination of relief, respite, hope, optimism, satisfaction, and energy. It’s life-giving. It blesses. Blessing others is the very calling of the Christian: “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (). (Sam Crabtree. Practicing Affirmation: God-Centered Praise of Those Who Are Not God
Sam Crabtree. Practicing Affirmation: God-Centered Praise of Those Who Are Not God
One last phrase:
A pointed reminder
Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.
If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the good teaching that you have followed.
Having expressed his love for and believe in Timothy … Paul issues him a pointed reminder to rekindle … bring to a full flame … the gift of God that was in him through the laying on of Paul’s hands. This is most likely the spiritual gifts and authority given to Timothy at the time of his ordination which included Paul and the elders of the church of Ephesus…
Don’t neglect the gift that is in you; it was given to you through prophecy, with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.
Given all that Timothy was going thru … health issues, false teaching in the church, growing persecution from the Roman gov’t, his own personal shyness and fears … it would have been very easy for him to allow the fire in his soul to begin to die out. Paul transports Timothy back to the day his calling to ministry was confirmed by himself as well as the elders of the church . . . as if to say … Timothy … remember your calling!
And then he goes on in the very very next verse to give him some additional encouragement …
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.
Now Bible scholars are divided as to whether or not the spirit here is a reference to the human spirit or to the Spirit of God (note in the immediate context the mention of the HS in v. 14)
Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.
2 ti 1:1
Theologian Gordon Fee (teaches at Regent College in Vancouver) paraphrases vs. 7
“For when God gave us his Spirit, it was not timidity that we received, but power, love, and self-discipline.”
So Paul is encouraging Timothy that tho his calling is Big … and the obstacles at times appear overwhelming … he does not have to rely upon his own strength to carry on … to guard and persevere and proclaim the gospel … but he can rely on the very strength of the Spirit of God who indwells him!
This is a fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to his disciples (and by extension to us, his Church) .... when he gave the Great Commission … how does it begin and end?
Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”