WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.019 Chapter 1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus. 00:00:09.019 --> 00:00:17.660 To Timothy, my dear son, grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:00:18.780 --> 00:00:23.119 I thank God whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:26.600 As night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 00:00:27.539 --> 00:00:31.559 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:37.980 I'm reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice. 00:00:38.939 --> 00:00:41.319 And I am persuaded now lives in you also. 00:00:42.179 --> 00:00:47.839 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. 00:00:48.119 --> 00:00:50.039 For the Spirit of God gave us. 00:00:50.339 --> 00:00:55.099 The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 00:00:55.659 --> 00:00:55.819 Amen. 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:00.339 Great. Thank you so much, Rebecca, for reading for us. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:03.299 But we're going to be looking at those verses in 2 Timothy this morning. 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:05.979 Let me pray as we come to God's Word. 00:01:07.980 --> 00:01:12.460 Heavenly Father, we do pray now and ask for your help. 00:01:12.459 --> 00:01:16.219 We thank you that you're a good God. 00:01:16.979 --> 00:01:20.259 We thank you that you're a God who loves to speak to your people. 00:01:21.219 --> 00:01:29.339 We thank you that you have not entrusted salvation to our works, but you have done all that needed to be done through the work of the Lord Jesus. 00:01:29.340 --> 00:01:42.840 So that gathering in his name, we come as forgiven people to a loving Father, expecting you and asking you to speak to our hearts that we might love you and trust you and live for your glory. 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:44.200 So bless us. 00:01:44.340 --> 00:01:46.180 Bless our time in your word this morning, we pray. 00:01:46.379 --> 00:01:47.000 Jesus name. 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:48.120 Amen. 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:48.260 Amen. 00:01:50.040 --> 00:01:56.760 Well, as you look down at those verses, you'll perhaps notice that there is only one instruction in the verses. 00:01:56.960 --> 00:01:59.299 It's there at the beginning of verse 6. 00:01:59.379 --> 00:02:00.140 Just take a look at it. 00:02:00.180 --> 00:02:03.500 It's the instruction to fan into flame. 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:10.180 For this reason, says Paul, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God. 00:02:11.020 --> 00:02:17.479 Literally, it's just one word there, and the word is kind of put life back in the fire, to rekindle, perhaps. 00:02:18.699 --> 00:02:24.379 Now, one of the downsides of living in London is that you're not actually allowed to burn stuff to stay warm in London, are you? 00:02:24.379 --> 00:02:27.400 So this is perhaps a bit lost on us. 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:33.439 This would be like keep the gas boiler going or keep the electric fan heater on, whatever it is. 00:02:33.879 --> 00:02:36.599 But the sense is, don't let it get cold. 00:02:36.859 --> 00:02:38.079 Don't let it go cold. 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:45.120 The other thing to notice about the command as well is if you look at it, it's not actually just a one-time instruction. 00:02:46.019 --> 00:02:47.599 Instead, this is a reminder. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:53.800 Notice it says, for this reason, I remind you to fan into flame in verse 6. 00:02:54.379 --> 00:03:03.840 This is an ongoing responsibility that Paul is giving to Timothy to keep it warm, keep fanning into flame. 00:03:04.659 --> 00:03:09.699 This is, if you like, a responsibility that's being given to Timothy, not just a job. 00:03:10.199 --> 00:03:11.280 This is his duty. 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:15.939 His duty is to keep it warm, to keep the fire burning. 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:18.340 It's not just a one-time job. 00:03:18.900 --> 00:03:21.079 Which means the important question is, what is the fire? 00:03:21.859 --> 00:03:22.599 So have a look at it. 00:03:23.019 --> 00:03:24.180 Again, look at all of verse 6. 00:03:24.180 --> 00:03:31.960 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. 00:03:32.840 --> 00:03:34.780 Now that is perhaps a little bit more complicated. 00:03:34.980 --> 00:03:40.040 I think it's deliberately vague in order to give it a broad application for us this morning. 00:03:40.379 --> 00:03:42.520 But just remember where Timothy is. 00:03:43.379 --> 00:03:46.120 Timothy is the pastor of the church in Ephesus. 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:50.480 He's working there as an overseer to take care of the church and its ministry. 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:53.280 Paul gave him that role, that job. 00:03:53.280 --> 00:04:00.179 A job which, if you look at 1 Timothy, seems to have been given to Timothy by the laying on of hands. 00:04:01.019 --> 00:04:07.000 Now if you bring that back to verse 6, you'll see that the fire is in some sense this gift of ministry. 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:11.840 It's the responsibility that Timothy has in the church for pastoring. 00:04:12.039 --> 00:04:18.459 It's this calling to lead, to encourage, to preach, to serve, to love, to care for the church. 00:04:18.899 --> 00:04:25.879 It's a gift which has been given to him by God through the laying on of Paul's hands as he commissioned Timothy to that task. 00:04:26.939 --> 00:04:29.000 Now just bundle all this together with me for a moment. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:30.639 Here's the one instruction in the passage. 00:04:31.180 --> 00:04:31.860 Something like this. 00:04:31.980 --> 00:04:36.300 Remember your duty not to give up in the work God has given you to do. 00:04:37.339 --> 00:04:38.379 Remember your duty. 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:43.600 Now you might be sitting there this morning thinking, well this is all very interesting Steve, 00:04:43.699 --> 00:04:47.899 but that sounds very specific to somebody in pastoral ministry. 00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:49.660 You know, I'm not Timothy. 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:51.819 I'm not pastoring a church in Ephesus. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:54.639 I'm not even an elder or a leader of the church here. 00:04:55.240 --> 00:04:57.339 Steve, are you just preaching to yourself this morning? 00:04:57.339 --> 00:04:59.560 Does it matter that any of us are here? 00:05:00.359 --> 00:05:02.560 Well, in a sense, I am always preaching to myself. 00:05:02.659 --> 00:05:03.479 I hope you know that. 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:05.319 I don't sit above God's word. 00:05:05.379 --> 00:05:06.879 I sit under it like you do. 00:05:07.399 --> 00:05:10.399 But this morning actually has something to say to all of us. 00:05:10.459 --> 00:05:14.219 Because I want to suggest to you, if you're an honest Christian this morning, 00:05:15.219 --> 00:05:20.099 you will have to admit that you also need encouragement to keep going. 00:05:20.579 --> 00:05:20.939 Don't you? 00:05:21.819 --> 00:05:23.859 If you're an honest Christian this morning, 00:05:23.860 --> 00:05:30.900 you will know that you have at times been tempted to give up, to give in, and to tap out. 00:05:31.460 --> 00:05:32.819 All of us have felt like that. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:37.920 I was talking to a friend from out of town a few months ago who was trying to come to terms 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:41.259 with the bad behavior of some church leaders and Christian friends of theirs. 00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:43.120 They'd let her down. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:49.240 And she said to me, she said, it just makes me feel like giving up. 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:54.420 What is the point when people who call themselves Christians behave so badly? 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:56.199 What is the point? 00:05:57.439 --> 00:05:58.420 Do you know how she feels? 00:05:58.819 --> 00:05:59.939 Perhaps you felt like that. 00:06:00.540 --> 00:06:02.879 Perhaps you two have been badly treated by a church. 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:09.100 Or perhaps you know what it's like when the Sunday school wrote her and the kids are a nightmare in Sunday school. 00:06:09.100 --> 00:06:10.939 You just think, what is the point? 00:06:13.520 --> 00:06:19.879 Or when you're running a community group and that string of WhatsApp messages comes just like half an hour before it starts. 00:06:19.980 --> 00:06:20.800 Oh, I can't come tonight. 00:06:20.900 --> 00:06:21.620 Can't come tonight. 00:06:21.740 --> 00:06:22.480 Can't come tonight. 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:22.939 Can't come. 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:23.460 Oh, goodness. 00:06:23.540 --> 00:06:24.140 What's the point? 00:06:25.320 --> 00:06:31.000 Or maybe you spend a week of annual leave running a camp only for the parents to pick up their kids and be ungrateful. 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:33.420 Or for the camp leader to be a tyrant. 00:06:33.420 --> 00:06:42.000 I remember one Sunday in our church in Liverpool, we were, at the time, the church had about as many children as it had adults. 00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:48.580 So we did the thing of sending the adults out for the sermon instead of the kids out for Sunday school because that was just much easier. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:52.300 So we used to walk down the road to another community hall for the sermon. 00:06:52.700 --> 00:06:54.480 And that room was quite tightly packed. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:07:01.980 So what it meant was that I was preaching to a group who were very close by me and I could see pretty much everything that was going on. 00:07:01.980 --> 00:07:09.680 I think if you're in a church, you perhaps don't realize that the person preaching can tell quite a lot about what it is that you're doing and what you're perhaps thinking. 00:07:09.900 --> 00:07:10.759 You don't know that, do you? 00:07:10.780 --> 00:07:12.360 But let me let you into that secret. 00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:16.960 And in this room, it was particularly pronounced because we were all so close together. 00:07:17.100 --> 00:07:21.580 So I could literally see the phone screens of the people who were sat there in front of me. 00:07:21.579 --> 00:07:28.699 And so as I was pouring out my heart, preaching God's word, I could see that the guy on the front row, and I always tempted to give you his name, but I won't. 00:07:29.300 --> 00:07:32.879 He was shopping for shoes on the clerk's website. 00:07:34.899 --> 00:07:39.139 What's the point of pouring out your heart and preaching God's word? 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:41.579 I mean, who buys shoes online anyway? 00:07:41.620 --> 00:07:42.819 You don't know whether they're going to fit. 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:43.659 What's the point? 00:07:43.660 --> 00:07:56.140 And Paul says, listen, in the midst of all that, Timothy, in the midst of all those discouragements, don't let the fires go out. 00:07:57.300 --> 00:07:59.040 Keep doing your duty. 00:07:59.200 --> 00:08:01.720 Your duty is to keep going. 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:06.040 There is a nuance to this that we must take notice of, though. 00:08:06.100 --> 00:08:16.360 So turn over the page to chapter 4, and notice in chapter 4, verse 9, that Paul says to Timothy there, do your best to come to me quickly. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:18.560 Do your best to come to me quickly. 00:08:19.060 --> 00:08:27.300 In other words, put these things together, because you've got this instruction for Timothy to fan into flame, to not give up, to do his duty, to keep going, to not be discouraged. 00:08:27.300 --> 00:08:36.320 Whilst at the same time, Paul is writing to Timothy to tell him to come to him in Rome and to leave behind the ministry in Ephesus. 00:08:36.940 --> 00:08:37.899 It's interesting, isn't it? 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:49.120 I think what it means is this instruction to fan into flame is not an instruction to keep going in one particular task, never giving up and never moving on. 00:08:49.180 --> 00:08:54.159 It's not an instruction to say you must never change church or you must never step back from leading a camp. 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:56.159 You must never retire from youth work. 00:08:56.259 --> 00:08:58.179 You can never retire as pastor. 00:08:58.279 --> 00:08:59.279 It's not saying that. 00:08:59.779 --> 00:09:07.079 The fire is not so much one particular task as it is really, in a sense, your identity as a servant of the Lord Jesus. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:09.839 Someone zealous to please Christ. 00:09:10.259 --> 00:09:14.100 Someone working in the harvest field, wherever that might be, to follow his leads. 00:09:15.100 --> 00:09:19.600 Now, of course, that means, doesn't it, not giving up on individual tasks just because they're difficult. 00:09:19.720 --> 00:09:21.179 We're not to be flaky like that. 00:09:21.179 --> 00:09:32.419 But still, there's no contradiction for Paul to say to Timothy, fan into flame, keep fanning into flame and also leave Ephesus behind and come and join me in Rome. 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:37.579 I wonder, actually, if that's a little bit more difficult, isn't it? 00:09:37.599 --> 00:09:43.899 Because sometimes it is just quite easy to keep going with a job, especially if you're one of those duty driven kind of people. 00:09:43.899 --> 00:09:45.860 But that's not the instruction. 00:09:46.079 --> 00:09:53.539 Keep the fire going does not mean don't ever think about what you're doing and just keep doing what you're doing or keep mindlessly carrying on in a certain manner. 00:09:53.620 --> 00:09:54.399 That would be easy. 00:09:55.120 --> 00:09:56.959 Rather, this is about where your heart is. 00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:00.659 The sense here is more like keep your zeal alive. 00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:12.600 Even if that means leaving Ephesus, even if it means standing down as a pastor, even if it means retiring from camp, watching someone else do what you were doing, still keep the fires burning. 00:10:13.379 --> 00:10:15.839 Perhaps you could summarize the instruction as something like this then. 00:10:16.219 --> 00:10:21.199 Remember your duty to not lose heart as the worker God has made you to be. 00:10:22.459 --> 00:10:23.219 Keep going. 00:10:23.699 --> 00:10:24.500 Don't lose heart. 00:10:25.079 --> 00:10:25.860 Fan into flame. 00:10:26.419 --> 00:10:27.699 Don't let the fires go out. 00:10:27.700 --> 00:10:32.300 Now, with that in mind, let me just give you two headings for the rest of our time in our passage. 00:10:32.420 --> 00:10:37.600 I want us to see the challenge of Christian living and I want us then to see the fuel for Christian living. 00:10:38.160 --> 00:10:42.080 So let's start firstly with the challenge, the challenge of Christian living. 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:46.740 We've thought about this in general terms, but Paul here is quite specific. 00:10:47.259 --> 00:10:51.140 He outlines, I think, two big challenges to Christian zeal and enthusiasm. 00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:57.100 Two things which, if you like, pour water on the fires of Christian ministry and Christian living. 00:10:57.100 --> 00:10:59.360 And the first one is circumstances. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:01.139 Take a look at verse three. 00:11:01.460 --> 00:11:02.519 Let me read it to you again. 00:11:03.820 --> 00:11:04.019 Paul says, 00:11:04.019 --> 00:11:32.620 Now, there is a pattern to those verses that I'm going to try and show you. 00:11:32.620 --> 00:11:35.840 It's called a chiasm, if you're interested in the technical words. 00:11:36.419 --> 00:11:38.419 It begins and ends with ancestry. 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:42.759 So if you notice at the beginning, Paul starts off with his own ancestry. 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:45.879 He says that he stands in line of the prophets of old. 00:11:46.580 --> 00:11:51.399 He says, I serve the same God, the same gospel as my ancestors. 00:11:51.860 --> 00:11:59.840 There is no difference, says Paul, between his New Testament ministry and the ministry of the Old Testament in terms of the God who they're worshipping. 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:04.540 And then at the end of the section, you find Timothy and his ancestry. 00:12:04.800 --> 00:12:07.000 He's standing in line with his mother and his grandmother. 00:12:07.700 --> 00:12:08.500 They were believers. 00:12:08.680 --> 00:12:12.920 Chapter 3, verse 15 tells you they taught Timothy the scriptures, even from an early age. 00:12:13.899 --> 00:12:15.840 Next thing you hear about Paul's clear conscience. 00:12:16.800 --> 00:12:26.340 Might be a slightly weird comment, but the point seems to be that Paul has no qualms about following Christ, being the fulfillment of the Old Testament law. 00:12:26.340 --> 00:12:33.220 Therefore, the freedom that Paul has in Christ is consistent with an Old Testament believer. 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:35.980 It's remarkable when you think about it, isn't it? 00:12:36.259 --> 00:12:39.519 That faith in Christ has given Paul a clear conscience about the law. 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:43.420 Faith in Jesus has satisfied the moral requirements of the Old Testament. 00:12:43.940 --> 00:12:45.340 So Paul is not hung up with guilt. 00:12:46.600 --> 00:12:49.500 And that's mirrored, I think, with Timothy's sincerity of faith. 00:12:49.500 --> 00:12:54.620 A faith which is consistent with the faith of his mother and his grandmother, but is now his. 00:12:55.279 --> 00:13:00.440 You know, he's not a Christian because his mother was a Christian or a Christian because his grandmother was a Christian. 00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:05.600 He's a Christian because he now has a sincere faith of his own in the Lord Jesus. 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:09.879 After that, you have the clear consciences. 00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:10.960 You have the reminder. 00:13:12.139 --> 00:13:14.399 Paul remembering and being reminded. 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:17.439 Remembering in prayer and reminded of his faith. 00:13:18.100 --> 00:13:23.779 Which leaves right in the middle the focus of these verses, which is Timothy's tears and Paul's desire for joy. 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:30.620 It seems that the last time Paul saw Timothy and said goodbye to him, there was lots of sadness. 00:13:32.199 --> 00:13:33.340 Timothy was weeping. 00:13:33.980 --> 00:13:35.439 And Paul was sad. 00:13:36.179 --> 00:13:41.299 So much so that the anticipation of seeing him is an anticipation of great joy. 00:13:41.299 --> 00:13:47.039 But I long to see you because I want to be full of joy and not the sadness of our parting. 00:13:48.319 --> 00:13:53.019 And that means, doesn't it, that in the context of this instruction to keep going and to fan into flame, 00:13:53.379 --> 00:13:58.559 it's in the context of sadness of partied friends. 00:13:59.500 --> 00:14:01.740 Paul's point is fan into flame. 00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:02.879 Keep going in ministry. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:04.059 Don't lose your zeal. 00:14:04.059 --> 00:14:13.960 Because part of following me and living for me will involve saying goodbye to people you love and care for and would love to be with. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:16.500 And weeping over the loss. 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:19.460 Perhaps we could put it this way. 00:14:19.559 --> 00:14:23.179 Your duty is to not lose heart in the work God has given you to do. 00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:29.519 Because that work in itself will bring relational pain. 00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:33.479 Relational pain that will make you want to give up. 00:14:34.739 --> 00:14:37.500 This relational circumstances all the way through the letter. 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:39.419 Paul and Timothy weeping at their parting. 00:14:40.079 --> 00:14:43.000 Onesiphorus searching long and hard for Paul in Rome. 00:14:43.579 --> 00:14:45.739 Philegius and Homogenes deserting Paul. 00:14:45.839 --> 00:14:47.299 Demas falling in love with the world. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:49.959 Alexander the metal worker doing him much harm. 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:53.580 So let me speak to you if you're a Christian this morning. 00:14:53.680 --> 00:14:55.800 Can I ask you whether you've ever experienced this? 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.180 Have you seen that zeal for Jesus? 00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:01.240 Passion for the gospel. 00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:04.540 A commitment to live for Christ and his glory. 00:15:05.040 --> 00:15:11.540 Will not only be in the shadow of ordinary relational pain that everybody feels and faces from time to time. 00:15:11.540 --> 00:15:17.600 No, there will be a particular aspect to that because you are following Jesus. 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:22.500 There will be a relational cost to keeping the fires burning. 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:25.340 Timothy has to say goodbye to Paul. 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:29.639 Demas fell in love with the world and caused Paul great pain. 00:15:30.060 --> 00:15:32.180 Because Paul didn't fall in love with the world. 00:15:33.659 --> 00:15:35.120 And maybe you're not a Christian this morning. 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:38.120 And perhaps I'm doing a really bad job of commending the Christian life to you. 00:15:38.420 --> 00:15:42.259 It seems to me, Steve, as if you're saying become a Christian and it will be really difficult. 00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:47.500 Well, let me tell you, there is here a window into what being a Christian is really about. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:16:00.700 The Christian is somebody who has discovered that following Christ, living for his glory, is worth more than even the great treasures of this world. 00:16:00.700 --> 00:16:07.320 It's not someone who is kind of just running at a brick wall over and over again trying to hurt themselves. 00:16:07.460 --> 00:16:18.879 No, they have found in Christ something so precious and so wonderful that they can keep going even through the relational pain that is caused by it. 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:24.820 So perhaps for you this morning, and you're not a Christian, and you think, being a Christian makes perfect sense to me, Steve. 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:27.279 I can see that Jesus is alive. 00:16:27.419 --> 00:16:30.120 I can see that the Bible is worth trusting. 00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:33.120 I can see that I need a saviour. 00:16:33.419 --> 00:16:36.860 I can see that I am guilty before God and I need salvation. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:42.980 But do you not realise the thing that's stopping me becoming a Christian is that it will be costly for me relationally. 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:46.120 I will lose friends. 00:16:46.860 --> 00:16:48.480 Maybe even family relationships. 00:16:49.460 --> 00:16:51.559 I'll lose a lifestyle I would enjoy. 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:54.399 And Paul says it's always like that. 00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:56.299 It's always like that. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:59.439 But that doesn't make the gospel untrue. 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:08.839 In fact, being a Christian is finding in Christ great treasure that keeps fanning into flame even through the relational cost. 00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:15.740 That's what Paul is anticipating when he says about a day when the Lord will put right all wrongs. 00:17:15.740 --> 00:17:19.519 It's what he says about Alexander the metal worker in chapter 4, verse 16. 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:24.440 But if you look down at chapter 4, verse 8, you'll see it there in great detail. 00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:25.440 He says, Paul says, 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:32.019 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day. 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:36.240 And not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearing. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:39.500 There's a life to come, a glory to come. 00:17:39.500 --> 00:17:42.059 An end to all the goodbyes. 00:17:42.059 --> 00:17:43.019 So don't give up. 00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:44.759 Keep the fires burning. 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:51.359 The other challenge, I think, then to enthusiastic Christian living here is cowardice. 00:17:51.879 --> 00:17:52.400 Cowardice. 00:17:53.059 --> 00:17:58.900 If you look at verse 7, I think that's the implication of it, where timidity, or literally cowardice, gets mentioned. 00:17:59.539 --> 00:18:01.579 It's the opposite of fanning into flame. 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:03.279 Let me read it to you again. 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:11.240 For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:15.059 Now, we don't actually know how this worked out for Timothy. 00:18:15.259 --> 00:18:18.740 Some have suggested that Timothy was a kind of timid kind of guy. 00:18:19.220 --> 00:18:21.900 But I don't think Paul is making an accusation here, is he? 00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:22.900 He's giving a warning. 00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:28.319 The point is that fanning into flame the gift of God will take courage. 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:30.079 It will take courage. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:35.059 Courage that will not come naturally, and we'll consider in a moment where courage comes from. 00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:38.799 But before we consider that, it's worth just pressing into this, 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:44.299 that keeping going in the Christian life will be requiring courage. 00:18:44.299 --> 00:18:46.700 It will be in the face of timidity or cowardice. 00:18:47.579 --> 00:18:52.599 That not only will living zealously for Jesus involve relational pain and relational cost, 00:18:52.659 --> 00:18:57.279 it will involve saying goodbye to people that we love as we follow the calling of the Lord Jesus 00:18:57.279 --> 00:19:00.799 to live and work and praise him somewhere else. 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:09.839 It will also involve a personal cost because it will be done against an internal difficulty as well as an external one. 00:19:11.539 --> 00:19:17.079 I'm kind of waffling a little bit, but what I'm trying to say is that as well as being counter to some relationships, 00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:20.639 it will be counter to some internal instincts as well. 00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:25.240 There is a part of us that does not want to persevere in the Christian life. 00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:30.160 You know, giving up, checking out, dropping out, those things will be natural to us and seem to make sense. 00:19:31.299 --> 00:19:34.099 And again, if you're a Christian this morning, I wonder if you've reckoned with this, 00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:36.819 that it's not an error in your Christian life, that it's hard. 00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:42.279 It's not a mistake in the gospel that means perseverance requires courage. 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:43.720 It's a feature. 00:19:44.579 --> 00:19:45.559 It's not a bug. 00:19:46.539 --> 00:19:52.500 Gospel service, fire-burning passion for Jesus will pull against an internal desire to give up. 00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:59.200 Martin Lloyd-Jones, the great London preacher of the 1940s and 50s, 00:19:59.299 --> 00:20:03.559 used these verses to diagnose what he called spiritual depression. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:09.859 He said spiritual depression is unlike ordinary depression because it is unique to a Christian. 00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:15.180 This, he said, was not some sort of general feeling of malaise that comes on all of us at times, 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:16.859 some of us severely. 00:20:17.420 --> 00:20:20.740 Rather, this is a spiritual malaise for the Christian, 00:20:20.740 --> 00:20:24.980 a sense of discouragement, that the Christian life is too difficult, 00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:27.680 that progress in the Christian life is not being made, 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:29.059 that it wasn't worth carrying on, 00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:34.059 that Christian joy is sort of disappearing behind the clouds of discouragement and despair. 00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:38.680 And you can see how and why he'd use these verses to expose that, wouldn't you? 00:20:39.140 --> 00:20:42.779 Christian living takes courage, power, love and self-discipline, says Paul, 00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:45.160 and that implies that it's going to be difficult. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:46.559 It's not a walk in the park, is it? 00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:47.740 It's a marathon up a hill. 00:20:48.879 --> 00:20:52.480 I will come to the cure in a moment, but just let's stay in triage for a moment. 00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:57.980 It's worth thinking if you're a Christian this morning and you're struggling emotionally, 00:20:58.759 --> 00:21:04.059 it's worth considering that what you might be feeling might have a spiritual element to it, 00:21:04.059 --> 00:21:07.619 as well as just a psychological one or a physical one. 00:21:07.619 --> 00:21:13.719 It might not just be that work is hard or the kids are complicated and the future is uncertain. 00:21:14.459 --> 00:21:19.379 It might also be that it is a battle to live the Christian life. 00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:23.519 It's difficult to keep going with Christian zeal. 00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:27.819 It might be that you're not just down or depressed. 00:21:28.199 --> 00:21:30.799 You might also be discouraged. 00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:34.359 Discouragement is a genuine and real thing. 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:38.839 That perhaps deep down you know that your Christian life is not what it once was, 00:21:39.399 --> 00:21:42.740 or not perhaps what it could be, or not maybe what it should be. 00:21:43.859 --> 00:21:44.939 We've all been here. 00:21:45.019 --> 00:21:46.779 I've been here on more than one occasion. 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:51.079 You know, that kind of failure of courage at moments when the Christian life has been hard. 00:21:51.439 --> 00:21:55.359 When I realise that I've not made as much progress as I would have liked to have done, 00:21:55.419 --> 00:21:56.959 or as even I felt I should have done. 00:21:57.379 --> 00:22:01.219 The battles with sin that I thought I'd have put way behind me are still present with me. 00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:05.920 When the relationships are hard and the cost of Christian living is biting. 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:08.380 Perhaps that's you this morning. 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:13.759 Perhaps the circumstances that you find yourself in are not ones that you would have chosen or can easily change. 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:15.640 Jesus, I've followed you. 00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:17.160 I've lived for you. 00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:19.339 And now this is what is before me. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:24.579 Perhaps you've not had the opportunities that you would have hoped to have had. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:28.259 Perhaps the gifts that the Lord has given you are not ones that you'd wished for. 00:22:28.259 --> 00:22:30.559 Perhaps it all just seems too hard. 00:22:31.819 --> 00:22:38.619 Well, listen, if that's you this morning, Paul says first, listen, that does not mean your Christian life is broken. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:39.920 It's not broken. 00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:45.579 It's because the Christian life requires courage to live it. 00:22:46.460 --> 00:22:50.700 Which means the important question that we need to ask this morning is where is courage going to come from? 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:54.119 Look with me then next at the fuel for Christian living. 00:22:54.900 --> 00:22:56.400 Look again at verses six and seven. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:57.599 Let me read them to you again. 00:22:58.259 --> 00:23:05.900 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. 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:13.019 For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:21.359 What I want to show you here is this brilliant combination between Timothy's responsibility to keep fanning into flames, the ministry, 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:25.759 but also this promise of God to help and to give him the resources. 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:29.500 If verse six tells Timothy, listen, don't give up. 00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:30.399 Keep going. 00:23:30.579 --> 00:23:31.019 Press on. 00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:31.699 It's your duty. 00:23:31.919 --> 00:23:34.259 Keep fanning into flame the gift that's been given to you. 00:23:34.599 --> 00:23:37.099 Then verse seven tells you, no, God's involved in this. 00:23:37.479 --> 00:23:38.339 God is with you. 00:23:38.339 --> 00:23:42.000 Now, really, the NIV doesn't translate verse seven very well. 00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:51.559 It gives the impression to you, I think, on first reading that it is the spirit of God, as in God, the Holy Spirit, who is not timid, but is powerful, loving and self-discipline. 00:23:51.859 --> 00:23:54.099 Which, of course, is absolutely true, isn't it? 00:23:54.419 --> 00:23:55.879 Praise God that he is like that. 00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:59.420 But it's not actually that helpful, and it's not, I don't think, Paul's point. 00:24:00.140 --> 00:24:08.740 Instead, the word spirit in verse seven should be, as it is, I think, in almost every other translation of the New Testament, should be in the lowercase s. 00:24:10.320 --> 00:24:12.560 So that God is at work in us. 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:18.500 A work that he does do by the power of the Holy Spirit, yes, but it's our spirit that's in focus. 00:24:18.860 --> 00:24:23.040 It's not that God, the Holy Spirit, is not timid, he's powerful, he's loving and self-disciplined. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:31.680 It's that God makes our spirit full of courage, full of power, full of love, and full of self-discipline. 00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:40.180 It's that God fuels in us what we need to keep fanning into flame, our passion and our zeal to live for him. 00:24:40.940 --> 00:24:47.180 In other words, this task of keeping going, of maintaining enthusiasm, of persevering through difficult circumstances, 00:24:47.180 --> 00:24:55.440 and strong internal desires to give up, that is a task that God has equipped you for as a Christian. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:58.740 What is it that God gives you? 00:24:59.299 --> 00:25:01.000 Well, it's not timidity, says Paul. 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:07.180 The failure of courage, the timidity that we feel is not a work of God. 00:25:07.740 --> 00:25:09.400 It's not his fingerprints, that's ours. 00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:12.580 Instead, God gives power and strength. 00:25:13.080 --> 00:25:14.960 The word is dunami, it's literally ability. 00:25:15.580 --> 00:25:16.440 He is able. 00:25:17.620 --> 00:25:21.400 God has made us able to live the lives that he has called us to. 00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:23.060 It's brilliant, isn't it? 00:25:23.080 --> 00:25:26.400 Because it means this instruction to keep going is a possible instruction, 00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:29.280 not because we can do it in our own strength, 00:25:29.280 --> 00:25:35.600 but because God has given us the power to make us able to keep fanning into flames. 00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:39.219 You are able to keep going because God makes you able. 00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:40.859 He gives you love. 00:25:41.339 --> 00:25:44.719 Love here, a noun describing what God has given you. 00:25:44.779 --> 00:25:49.139 So love is a characteristic of us, implanted in us by God, 00:25:49.219 --> 00:25:52.359 so that when we are pressed and squashed and under pressure, 00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:54.939 it's love that comes out of us. 00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:56.919 Love for God and love for others. 00:25:58.379 --> 00:26:03.119 It's the ability to respond to difficult circumstances and difficult people in love and not aggression. 00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:08.019 The divine strength not to lash out, but to love with kindness and gentleness. 00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:10.739 And then self-discipline. 00:26:11.619 --> 00:26:15.759 I think here in the context, it's the idea of Timothy as a leader in the church, 00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:21.659 being given a self-discipline in his use of the authority that God has given him in the church. 00:26:22.019 --> 00:26:26.419 He is to use it with restraint and with kindness and with generosity to others. 00:26:26.420 --> 00:26:31.279 It implies, doesn't it, that the work of God in us helps us to know ourselves 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:35.560 and restrain ourselves from being who we would be, left to ourselves. 00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:44.420 It means that what is going on in us is more than just our impulses of our old natures. 00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:48.060 God has given us a God-powered self-control 00:26:48.060 --> 00:26:50.779 that disciplines us to be gracious to others, 00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:53.420 to throw off hindrances and to keep persevering. 00:26:53.420 --> 00:26:57.420 This is our hope, isn't it, as Christians? 00:26:58.160 --> 00:26:59.900 This is our hope as a church. 00:27:00.340 --> 00:27:03.340 We want to keep fanning into flame what God has given us. 00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:07.640 We want the fires of enthusiasm to keep building and keep going. 00:27:08.380 --> 00:27:11.400 Fires of enthusiasm which are doused, aren't they, 00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:13.320 by the waters of conflict and timidity. 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:17.340 We want to keep going in the strength that God gives. 00:27:17.339 --> 00:27:23.799 That doesn't mean, though, does it, that we just sit back and God does this in us. 00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:26.480 It looks like remembering, right? 00:27:27.419 --> 00:27:28.959 Remembering to fan into flame. 00:27:29.939 --> 00:27:33.439 Remembering to take the gifts that God has given us and to use them for his glory. 00:27:34.159 --> 00:27:35.220 There's going to be sweat. 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:36.679 There's going to be tears. 00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:40.039 And the power to endure will come from outside of us. 00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:46.019 Perhaps I can just finish with an illustration taken from somewhere else in the Bible. 00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:50.039 I think perhaps you know the story of the feeding of the 5,000. 00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:54.720 It's coming to the evening. 00:27:55.019 --> 00:27:57.019 Jesus has been teaching all day. 00:27:58.319 --> 00:28:00.200 Told it's in a remote place. 00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:02.799 It's too difficult for this crowd of people to get food on their own. 00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:06.779 The disciples have already told Jesus, send these people home because we've got nothing to give them. 00:28:06.779 --> 00:28:10.700 And Jesus turns to the disciples and asks them to do the impossible, doesn't he? 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:12.299 He says, you give them something to eat. 00:28:12.399 --> 00:28:12.940 You do it. 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:16.720 The disciples look at Jesus and say, this is crazy, Jesus. 00:28:18.779 --> 00:28:20.539 Literally, where are we going to find that kind of food? 00:28:20.579 --> 00:28:23.460 Where are we going to find that kind of money to feed this group of people? 00:28:24.279 --> 00:28:25.460 Jesus says, well, what have you got? 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:28.779 And they offer five loaves and two fish, don't they? 00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:31.619 Not saying, hey, look, this will do it. 00:28:32.119 --> 00:28:35.119 I think just to demonstrate the ridiculousness of what Jesus is asking them. 00:28:35.879 --> 00:28:36.679 Look, come on, Jesus. 00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:37.919 This is crazy. 00:28:38.939 --> 00:28:40.159 And what does Jesus do? 00:28:41.199 --> 00:28:50.319 Well, you do realize, don't you, at that point, what Jesus could have done is make bread and fish appear in front of everybody in the crowd. 00:28:50.719 --> 00:28:51.699 But he doesn't do that, does he? 00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:58.079 Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell you that Jesus made the disciples give it out. 00:28:58.079 --> 00:29:02.960 And then at the end, he made the disciples come back and get whatever was left over. 00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:04.960 You ever thought about why he did that? 00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.359 Why did he do that? 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:10.039 Jesus had given the disciples an impossible task, right? 00:29:10.539 --> 00:29:12.179 He told them to feed this great crowd. 00:29:12.180 --> 00:29:14.820 And they said, no, Jesus, we can't do that. 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:17.320 And then he says, no, you go and do it. 00:29:17.799 --> 00:29:20.279 Keep coming back to me and I'll give you some more. 00:29:21.100 --> 00:29:22.380 Keep coming back to me and I'll give you some more. 00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:23.840 They over there have got nothing. 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:25.740 Yeah, come back to me and I'll give you some for them. 00:29:26.680 --> 00:29:32.080 And Jesus supplies them with all the bread and all the fish that they need to feed this vast crowd. 00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:37.039 And then as if in a lesson, you know, like a kind of like, let me cement the lesson. 00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:41.039 You collect 12 baskets full of leftovers as well, disciples. 00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:47.299 You know, don't you, says Jesus, that I have called you to do something which is impossible. 00:29:47.960 --> 00:29:49.819 Live for me in a fallen, broken world. 00:29:50.359 --> 00:29:54.480 Live for me at great relational cost when you're misunderstood, misrepresented. 00:29:54.819 --> 00:29:58.639 And when following me involves saying goodbye to people you love and care for. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:30:04.380 Follow me even though your strong internal desire is to rebel against me. 00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:08.740 When this instinct of yours will be to say, this isn't really worth it, is it? 00:30:09.840 --> 00:30:11.200 I've called you to do that. 00:30:11.780 --> 00:30:16.500 But you do know, don't you, if you keep coming back to me, I'll keep giving you everything you need to do that. 00:30:17.180 --> 00:30:18.280 So just keep coming back. 00:30:18.600 --> 00:30:19.480 There's plenty more. 00:30:20.080 --> 00:30:22.220 There'll be basketballs left over at the end. 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:25.640 I will give you everything you need. 00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:32.620 So remember, don't lose heart, brothers and sisters, in the work that God has called us to do. 00:30:33.300 --> 00:30:36.300 Let's keep doing it in the strength that God gives. 00:30:36.840 --> 00:30:38.620 Let me pray as we close. 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:49.420 Let's just take a moment of quiet and we can pray in our own hearts as we respond to God's word. 00:30:49.420 --> 00:30:49.480 Let's. 00:30:55.640 --> 00:31:25.620 Let's pray. 00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:55.620 Let's pray. 00:31:55.619 --> 00:31:56.439 Please, Lord, I pray. 00:31:57.279 --> 00:32:00.279 By your spirit, give them courage to keep living for you. 00:32:01.159 --> 00:32:10.739 And if there's someone here this morning, Lord, who's thinking of not becoming a Christian because they can't bear what that would mean for their relationships at home, in their community or their family. 00:32:11.879 --> 00:32:19.139 Give them the courage, we pray, to trust in Jesus and find that you give them all that they need. 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:21.379 Even as we pray in his name. 00:32:22.119 --> 00:32:22.500 Amen. 00:32:25.619 --> 00:32:26.299 Amen. 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.299 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:46.659 έ έ έ έ 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659 00:32:46.659 --> 00:32:46.659