Live Fearlessly

Significant Lessons from Second Letters

Picking up the series from spring.

Second, we think second best, second priority, second place is first loser, not as important as the first.

In studies, often we study or read the first then move to a different book w/out studying the second.

In the spring, I started this series with 2 Thessalonians.

Today, I pick up the series and we start in 2 Tim. After, I’ll teach thru 2 Peter which will get us to Thanksgiving and the holiday season.

Here’s where we’re starting today:

What Scares You?

Snakes? I get a little weird around snakes. I don’t know the difference between good ones and bad ones by just looking at them. I know there are markers that will tell you. I just don’t know what they are.

So, I avoid all of them.

Once, while trimming a hedge in our back yard in LR I discovered a little 3-foot snake stretched out, resting in the branches of the hedge.

There are lots of good snakes that eat rodents and you want them around your house in LR, but there are also copperheads that will hurt you, bad.

Odds were it was a harmless snake that was a good. I didn’t stick around to find out. I found something else to do around the house. Came back later to the hedge and it was gone.

Spiders? Barb was in cleaning this week and came into my office dusting talking about this very thing.

Lots of spider webs in corners and she was talking about not liking spiders and snakes. I was agreeing w/ her.

She picked up my trash can in my office to empty it and she jumped higher than I’ve ever seen her jump before.

There was a spider up against the wall that was probably about 3 inches, leg to leg, hanging out in the shadows.

Again, there are only a couple of bad spiders. Most are good and keep the bug population down around the church.

I’m not a fan. She found a cup in my trash and I caught it and threw it outside. God eat bugs outside. Key word: outside.

Clowns? Not Cliff. But the clowns in movies that show up in storm drains. And your night mares.

These are the things that cause nightmares. Legitimately scary things.

But, what about those things that you’re really afraid of, that stress you out, and don’t let you get to sleep to even have a nightmare about a bug.

Things that might happen.

Things that have happened and you need to respond to.

Where doing something, doing the right thing has consequences and will cost you, maybe a lot.

Relationally, emotionally, financially.

Something really hard needs to be done and you’re afraid of what it will cost. you. Will it be worth it?

Not doing anything has a cost. And it’s eating at you, slowly. But doing something has an intense cost. Even though it might bring resolution. Some of the cost you may not recover.

Or, it might not bring resolution and still bring the intense cost.

A pastor I worked w/ years ago used to say your kids will keep you awake at night all their lives, just for different reasons.

We have 3. 2 are single. They’re good kids, but like all 20-somethings not all their decisions are what we might like. And, they might make lifestyle decisions that could change the course of their lives significantly.

1 of our kids is married. They are expecting our 2nd grand child in October. They want to deliver him at home. In the bathtub. Not a hospital. Anything about that give anyone reason t/b a little afraid?

Afraid of going to the doctor? It will cost you financially and may cost you even more depending on what the doctor says.

To a guy, if the doctor never tells me I’m sick then I’m never sick. So, it I never go to the doctor, I’m never sick.

But, you’re afraid of what the doctor might say and what that might mean.

We’re dealing w/ Sara’s aging parents and we are afraid about how things might play out. And, the consequences of conversations that need to be had so we kids can be better prepared as the inevitable events do play out.

There is a cost w/ Sara’s dad to having conversations like this. And a cost w/ Sara’s mom when in-home care decisions need t/b made that she’s not on board w/.

Ever have to quit a job b/c there was some shady bsns going on? Or, ever been tempted to take a high-paying job where you suspected there were shady things going on?

There’s a cost to doing the right thing, even if the right thing is to do nothing and let things play out until the right things is to do something that will cost you more.

So, what are you afraid of? What situation scares you?

What about control? Are you losing control of a situation that you want to go a different way.

Doing the right thing may cost you, a lot.

But, you don’t need to live in fear.

That’s b/c God promised that what you’ll get from Him will make you forget about what it cost you to do for Him.

Can you do the right thing? Yes. Will you?

If you have faith in Jesus to save you, He’s given you a gift to use while you’re here until He does. It includes courage, strength, self-control, endurance, and the ability to do what’s best for you and everybody else even when it costs you.

If you have faith, you have these things now. It’s just a matter of putting them to use.

2 Timothy 1 NIV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 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. 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. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 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. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

If you brought your bible, open up to 2 Tim.

2 Timothy 1

First Things First

2 Timothy 1:1–2 NIV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul wrote this letter to Timothy

This is the last letter Paul wrote. He’s in a Roman prison, a short time until his execution.

Everything in your NT that he wrote, it was written earlier than this.

He has the most experience to draw on as he wrote this. All the things that have happened to him, things he saw, and everything he has learned in his lifetime are resources for this letter.

He was a leader among leaders in the Jewish movement.

He executed Christians, believing he was doing the right thing by defending his God from this upstart sect. Guilt.

He had a dramatic conversion experience on the road to Damascus.

Jesus met him in the wilderness and for several years taught him Christianity from the OT.

3 missionary journeys, church planter, evangelist, discipler.

And this from

2 Corinthians 11:24–28 NIV

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

You see the cost Paul has paid. Financially and in status when he left his position as Pharisee. Physically and in pain. It’s cost him his freedom. And soon after will cost him his life.

He’s writing this to Timothy.

Half Jewish, half Greek

G-mother and mother believed, father didn’t

Traveling companion to Paul. Saw a lot of Paul’s experiences first hand.

Pastor of the church in Ephesus. (Ephesians & 1 Tim.)

A younger guy who had been led to faith by Paul then mentored.

He has learned a lot from Paul. Including the cost Paul has paid for doing what he believed t/b the right thing.

It’s always better to learn from other people’s mistakes than from your own. Watch and learn.

You know Timothy asked himself the question of whether or not he was prepared to pay the same price as Paul. And, if he was willing to do the same things Paul had done knowing what it had cost him.

Here is Paul encouraging him to follow faithfully in his footsteps.

Hmmm.

Why? Why would Tim do the same things Paul had done when it had cost him so much?

B/C of the promise God has made all of us.

The promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.

Doing the right things, obedience, begins w/ faithfulness.

Paul immediately commended young Timothy for his faith.

Faith

2 Timothy 1:3–5 NIV

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.

There is a centuries-old legacy of faith to stand on. This is not new and it’s good that it’s old.

The same faith that saved Abraham and Moses saved the prophets and Paul. The same faith that would save Timothy’s g-ma and mother would save him.

It’s the same faith that saves us.

There is a rich history of faith, but there is also a history of the cost of faith.

They believed the promise God had made them about life in Christ. And it affected the choices they made. They had their own faith but so many people they loved and respected had it, too.

And, clearly, Paul and Timothy shared a deep affection and respect for each other, as well. Tears of grief and joy remembered and shared publicly, unashamedly.

These relationships matter. These lifestyles matter. Some things have changed over the generations, but 2 things have not. The same faith. And, the importance of doing right things have not changed.

Paul did it and he’s encouraging Timothy to do it.

But, how do you get a young guy to do all the right things when it costs so much.

It’s one thing for an old guy to not stress over these things. But, Timothy is just getting started in his life and ministry. So, it would be natural for him to question whether or not he has the stuff to do these things.

Can he do it? Does he have the stuff?

Paul assured him he did. He had the same stuff Paul did so he could do the same things Paul did in spite of the cost.

Timothy could follow in Paul’s footsteps fearlessly.

Fearlessness

2 Timothy 1:6–9 NIV

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. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

2 Timothy 1:6–12 NIV

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. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 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.

2 Timothy 1:

2 Timothy 1:6–14 NIV

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. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 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. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

2 Timothy 1:

What gift? What gift did God give us that enables us to do the right things in tough situations? What is it that we stand on that encourages us to have those tough conversations?

It is the Holy Spirit who lives inside us.

Pauls says to fan it into a flame.

We understand, b/c we live in a forest, the energy and power produced by a fire. A small, tame fire is nice, it warms us and we can cook over it.

But, a raging forest fire will not be tamed. The roar.

It produces its own weather. It makes the wind that feeds itself and fans it even higher.

It is intimidating and fear-inducing when we have to face it. The manpower and machinery required to extinguish it is expensive and extensive.

But, when the fire is working for you, the fear and intimidation are on someone else.

The HS does not know timidity. He is not afraid. Nor is the one who meditates on the things of the Spirit and walks in lockstep w/ the Spirit.

Not afraid of tough situations. Not afraid of tough conversations. Not afraid of the cost of doing what’s right.

The cost is real. It will hurt. But, that does not stop someone who is totally dependent on the Spirit who indwells.

Fear is one thing the Holy Spirit comes w/out. There are 3 things He comes with.

Power. Power is a fundamental characteristic of God. Paul is not limiting here to one specific gift of character trait. Just broad strength to be able to do what we think we cannot do w/out it. In fact, in most cases, we can’t.

But, w/ the HS, yes you can do what you need to do.

Love. Another characteristic of authentic Christian existence. That is, doing what’s right for those around you even when they don’t necessarily deserve it. Don’t passively sit by and allow them hurt you, themselves, or others. Whatever the cost to you, help them.

Self-control. The ability to control your own words and actions that prevent rash behavior. It aids in a balanced assessment of your situation and influences your response to it.

No, those words don’t have to come out of your mouth just b/c they are on your mind. And, no, you don’t have to do it just b/c you think it.

Self-control combined w/ love and power give all of us the ability to act and respond in ways that honor God and help each other out.

And, it works even when those we are interacting w/ don’t know God nor are concerned about the same things we are.

In that day the message of the cross was still scandalous. No one wore any jewelry w/ a cross on it. We have so sanitized the cross.

If you associated yourself w/ anything about Jesus it seriously affected your reputation. Just to call yourself a Christian and go to a church would cause people to look at you in a different light b/c you are approving of the actions of criminals.

No self-respecting Jew or Greek would approve of anything an executed criminal had done nor the actions of any of his followers who were also on death-row.

And, here, Paul is calling on Timothy, and us, to join him in the same style of life that led to Jesus’ death and his punishments.

Are we sure we want to do that? Is there any reason not to?

Paul reminded Timothy of 2 things God has done for him which would help follow thru on what Paul is encouraging him to do.

First, God had already saved him. It was a done deal. Salvation does not begin when we leave this earth. We come to life the second we come to faith. You’re different immediately and you’ll feel it.

Second, God has called us to a holy life. We’re supposed to look different. He has commanded us to join Him in how we live our lives, what we say and what we do.

He did these things, not b/c we’re worth it. It takes our behavior, past and present, out of the equation.

He did it b/c he He has a purpose for us and He functions in the realm of grace. He does good things for us we don’t deserve all the time.

W/out grace, it’s simply manipulation. Not for our good. But He does it for us and Himself.

Results achieved. Death was destroyed. Any fear of what’s on the other side is erased.

He revealed immortality when Jesus walked out of his grave.

This kind of assurance lessens the negative experiences in this life know the greater experiences of the next.

So, whatever hurts you living the right way in this life will be eliminated from your memory when when you get to heaven. So, don’t let it have too much of an impact now. It will be gone in time.

If there’s one experience we can all relate to, it’s forgetting things. You will eventually forget what you lie awake being afraid of now.

Trust in the power of God that resides inside you and the promise of God to get you to heaven when you die.

One of the things to always keep in mind is when God provides us something we will need it. It’s not made a habit of giving us things we don’t need.

So, since He gave us such power, love, and self-control you can bet you will need to use it. And, there are those who are not so successful in their choices.

Not everyone can follow directions and use the tools God made available to us.

The stress is real and some don’t stand up to it.

For Real

2 Timothy 1:15–16 NIV

You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.

2 Timothy 1:15–18 NIV

You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

This is reality. Not everyone will take advantage of what God provides. It’s real. It’s hard. It may be the hardest thing you ever do in your life.

It doesn’t mean you’re not a Christian. Or, if someone doesn’t do what’s right it doesn’t mean they don’t have the HS inside them. It just means, for whatever reason, they didn’t take advantage of what they have.

2 Timothy 1:

These are all Christians. But, several, including 2 that Paul names let their fears overwhelm them.

1 did not, and stayed faithful to Paul, risking his own freedom and reputation.

It’s not like this is easy. A holy lifestyle, doing what’s right, requires supernatural strength. But, the good news is we have it.

Fear does not have to paralyze us. We have the strength to do what needs to be done. We have the self-control do or say it the right way at the right time. And, we have the ability to do what’s best for everyone else.

Doing the right thing may cost you, a lot. It may be incredibly hard.

But, you don’t need to live in fear.

You can do whatever it is you need to do b/c God has given you everything you need to do it.

Can you do the right thing? Yes. Will you?

If you have faith in Jesus to save you, He’s given you a gift to use while you’re here until He does. It includes courage, strength, self-control, endurance, and the ability to do what’s best for you and everybody else even when it costs you.

We face situations all the time that, in order to get thru them they require what we don’t naturally have. But, the good news is when God saved us He gave us all the resources we need to do everything He’s called us to do.

If you have faith, you have these things now. It’s just a matter of putting them to use.

Applications

Faith

First and foremost. These resources are available to everyone who is a follower of Jesus.

That means, you have decided to believe that Jesus is your Savior and you have received him as your Savior.

If that describes you, then everything Paul wrote about and everything I’ve talked about is possible for you.

If this does not describe you, then the first thing you need to do is consider believing in and receiving Jesus.

You know right now if God is calling you. Just say Yes.

What is it?

What is it?

What is it that’s bugging you that you know you need to do but you’re afraid to do?

What are you afraid might happen?

What will it cost you?

The right time and the right way are critical to getting it done.

But God has given you a gift and you don’t need to be afraid.

You have the ability. You have the right motivation. And, you have the self-control to do or say enough, not too much, at the right time, and in the right way.

When leave here today, what do you need to do even though it scares you?

Legacy

What legacy are you leaving your family?

Paul wrote about the faith of his ancestors and he wrote about the faith of Timothy’s grandmother and mother.

Not only did they believe, their reputation was that they did the right thing, the hard thing when it needed to be done even when it hurt them.

One decision does not make a legacy. A lifetime makes a legacy. A life of faithful obedience characterized by power, love and self-control and not paralyzed by fear.

What is your legacy. And, what can you do today to improve it for the people who will follow you in your family and in this church?

Doing the right thing may cost you, a lot.

But, you don’t need to live in fear.

That’s b/c God promised that what you’ll get from Him will make you forget about what it cost you to do for Him.

Can you do the right thing? Yes. Will you?

If you have faith in Jesus to save you, He’s given you a gift to use while you’re here until He does. It includes courage, strength, self-control, endurance, and the ability to do what’s best for you and everybody else even when it costs you.

If you have faith, you have these things now. It’s just a matter of putting them to use.