WEBVTT 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:27.120 Yeah, we are celebrating the multi-generations today, really. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:40.240 And looking around our church, I mean, it's it's amazing that we have so many generations, all the way from 96 down to uh just a few months old, represented in a church. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:46.000 I mean, where else in the world do you see something like this than in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ? 00:00:46.880 --> 00:01:00.079 And today I hope that we're able to celebrate that a little bit, and even in a few weeks, as our as our seniors are going to leave the service, uh, just to be reminded of the gift of the multi-generations of our church. 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:06.400 Well, we are carrying on this morning in our series on disciples making disciples. 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:11.439 We've already talked about the cost and the call of discipleship in previous weeks. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:23.280 Uh, Pastor Bob did a sermon on the calendar of discipleship, and this morning it's the family of discipleship, mothers, grandmothers, and children of the faith. 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:32.159 So if you have your Bibles, you can turn with me to uh 2 Timothy chapter 1, as Pastor Bob has already read it. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:46.159 You know, when it comes to discipleship, I think one of the greatest examples in Scripture has to be the relationship between Paul the Apostle and his son in the faith, Timothy. 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:49.920 It's one of the most extraordinary examples that we have. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:02:01.200 And this morning we're gonna see how God has been working this plan of redemption through the challenges that Timothy, as a young pastor, has been facing. 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:21.840 Um, and in particular, how he has used Timothy's mother, how he's used Timothy's grandmother, and how he's used this spiritual adoptive father, Paul the Apostle, to redeem what was broken in Timothy's own life and to change his life as a young man. 00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:27.840 So this morning we're gonna look at how God redeems brokenness through the family of the church. 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:44.159 Then God uses how God uses the faithfulness of a mother and a grandmother in a powerful way, and then we're gonna see how God gifts us, all of us, as the church, what we need to accomplish his will or his call. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:51.840 So the first thing this morning is God redeems brokenness through the family of the church. 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:17.840 To Timothy, my dearly loved son, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:24.879 Have you ever noticed before that family can be a little complicated? 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:27.919 You ever experienced that? 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:40.639 You know, even this week talking to uh different people here in our congregation, in our church, we've been talking about some complicated pieces of family. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:48.639 And what I love too, how the Bible does this is the Bible is so truthful about this. 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:54.319 It doesn't hide from the stories of difficult family dynamics. 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:56.479 Just think about Genesis. 00:03:56.719 --> 00:03:58.800 How does Genesis start? 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:02.080 Husband and wife fall into temptation. 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:06.319 They're two sons, one kills the other, Cain and Abel. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:10.080 Oh, and the Bible's just starting to warm up from there. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:18.639 Cain is excommunicated essentially from the rest of his family because of the danger he is and the sin that he committed. 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:24.800 And then you move along through Genesis and you get to Noah and his sons. 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:32.160 And then you keep moving along and you get to Abraham and Sarah and Hagi. 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:35.040 That was complicated. 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:38.240 Isaac, Ishmael. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:40.720 I mean, it just keeps going on. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:43.120 This family, and what does it end? 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:45.040 And more family drama. 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:47.199 The end of the book of Genesis. 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:50.399 Joseph, his brothers. 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:56.959 The scripture tells us that Joseph's brothers wanted evil to be done towards him. 00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:00.800 They couldn't even think a good thought about their brother. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:03.360 And we see all that takes place. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:06.319 I mean, that's just the book of Genesis. 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:10.079 We've got a lot of Bible to go after that. 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:14.720 But you know what this does for us? 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:30.879 Is I think this reminds us that no matter what our own situation is, no matter what you might be experiencing in your own family situation, God understands. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:33.279 He understands. 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:36.240 And it's not new to him. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:48.560 He's been working his plan of redemption throughout history to ultimately culminate as the book of Revelation tells us, where Jesus says, Behold, I have come to make all things new. 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:53.759 Even families, he's going to fully redeem. 00:05:54.319 --> 00:06:01.439 Well, you see, we are introduced to Timothy in Acts 16, 1 to 3. 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:04.319 So if you have your Bibles, you can leave your finger in 2 Timothy. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:06.720 Flip back to the book of Acts. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:12.160 Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:18.480 Acts 16, verses 1 to 3. 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:20.319 This is where we're introduced to Timothy. 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:22.480 Listen to what it said about this. 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:25.040 Remarkable young man. 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:29.519 And the insight we get into his own broken family situation. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:40.000 Paul went on to Derby and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:52.720 Now, if we know our Bibles, we know history here a little bit, with Israel, you would recognize a Jewish woman and a Greek man getting married in the near ancient Middle East. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:07:00.160 That was a recipe for some fireworks, so to speak, in different ways. 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:10.560 The text goes on to say, the brothers and sisters at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him, being highly of Timothy. 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:20.560 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:33.199 And since they all knew that his father was a Greek, as they traveled through the towns, they delivered decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:38.079 So here we are introduced to Timothy and his family situation. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:42.399 You know, we know little about Timothy's dad. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:47.600 In fact, really all we know is what's there in those verses, that he was a Greek. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:52.800 And it seems as though he's not really part of the picture anymore. 00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:58.399 And so a lot of scholarship believes that Timothy's father's likely passed away. 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:04.079 And so Timothy is being raised by his mother and his grandmother. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:10.560 Which, if you just think about a single parent situation, and some of us have experienced that. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:14.399 And even in today's day and age, how difficult that is. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:29.839 But just again, remember this is the near ancient Middle East, a single mom raising a young boy who is not, he's not fully Jewish, he's not fully Greek, he's half Jewish and half Greek. 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:39.039 So his own identity within the society was up for question amongst those who were Jewish and those who were Greek. 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:46.720 And so what happens is Paul comes across Timothy and he hears about Timothy. 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:54.159 He hears about how this young man had such faith, how he had such promise. 00:08:55.279 --> 00:09:01.200 You know, we understand that Timothy's mother was a Jewish believer as her mother was. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:15.279 And so Paul sees and meets Timothy, knowing his testimony, Timothy being well respected, people seeing and recognizing that this young man is a committed young man of God. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:19.360 Paul meets him, and what does he say to him? 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:20.879 Come with me. 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:23.120 Come with me. 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:26.159 What does Timothy do? 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:27.440 Well, we know the story, right? 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:38.559 Timothy goes with Paul, and in this we get one of the most extraordinary discipleship relationships that we see in Scripture. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:44.799 Later, as Paul plants the church at Ephesus and stays there for three years. 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:47.919 Who is it that takes over for Paul? 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:56.879 At likely his most one of his most cherished church planting experiences, it's his son in the faith, Timothy. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:03.360 And by the time we get to 2 Timothy, this is the end of Paul's life. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:06.320 The last letter that we have that Paul writes. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:08.480 And who does he write it to? 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:12.240 His son in the faith, Timothy. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:21.840 As we're reading through this letter, you get a real sense of the weightiness of the love that Paul has for this young man. 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:29.759 Starting in verse 2, he calls him my dearly loved or beloved, in some translations, son. 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:32.480 My dearly loved son. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:35.759 This is not a phrase that Paul would just toss out to anyone. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:40.159 This was a unique phrase for their relationship. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:42.639 Paul and Timothy's relationship. 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:44.639 I mean, isn't that beautiful? 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:47.279 He wasn't actually his father. 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:50.799 But he calls him his dearly loved son. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:11:05.519 I mean, we can speak of how God has used men and women in the church to fill in where there's brokenness in families in some extraordinary ways. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:11.440 And that's how God used this man, Paul, in this young man Timothy's life. 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:14.799 We don't know what happened to his father. 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:17.679 All we know he's not in the picture anymore. 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:22.639 And Paul says to Timothy, Come with me, my dearly loved son. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:26.080 He calls him on basically his deathbed. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:31.279 But we get more of a gravity of this relationship. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:35.759 Again, as the book unfolds in this next phrase, it's very interesting. 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:42.720 In verse 2, Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:45.039 Grace, mercy, and peace. 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:46.000 Just think about that. 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:47.440 Grace, mercy, and peace. 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:49.759 Keep your finger in 2 Timothy. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:53.519 Flip back to the beginning of 1 Timothy. 00:11:56.480 --> 00:11:59.840 Where the greeting is to Timothy in the first book, what does he say? 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:02.960 He says, Grace, mercy, and peace. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:07.120 Flip back to the beginning of 2 Thessalonians. 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:08.080 What does he say? 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:11.120 He says, Grace to you and peace. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:16.799 Flip back to 1 Thessalonians, grace to you and peace. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:21.200 Colossians, grace to you and peace. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:25.120 Philippians, grace to you and peace. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:28.480 Ephesians, grace to you and peace. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:30.159 Let me just cut to the point. 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:39.519 The only time Paul says grace, mercy, and peace is to his beloved son in the faith. 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:48.480 Out of the 13 epistles and letters he writes to the church, only two of them hold this greeting. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:56.080 And if you're reading this in the early church and you were familiar with Paul's letters, this would jump out at you. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:59.519 There's something different about this relationship. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:06.399 There's something that God has used, this man in this young man's life, that is just special. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:11.440 Just think about it again, Timothy, raised by a single mother. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:18.480 His story being not ideal, being broken, being difficult and challenging, I'm sure at times. 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:21.519 And God brought along a Paul. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:27.919 You know, God has a way of doing this in the church through discipleship. 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:48.240 He hears us, he sees our brokenness, he sees our broken situation, and he loves us, and by his grace, mercy, and peace, and redeeming all of creation, he brings along a Paul. 00:13:51.039 --> 00:14:02.720 You know, there are spiritual moms and dads here who have been instruments of redemption in the lives of so many children. 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:07.759 Children that are not their own. 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:20.159 The church needs that. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:26.000 As the church, we are called to take care of widows and orphans. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:30.799 And Paul exemplifies this beautifully and perfectly through discipleship. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:50.879 And this is why, again, discipleship is so, so important within the church, because it's a little glimpse into the grand redemptive story, into the fullness of God, where all things are going to become new, where all things are going to be redeemed. 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:58.799 That in the church we get to experience the grace, mercy, and peace of spiritual parents. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:10.159 Then the next thing we see in the passage is this God uses the faithfulness of a mother and grandmother in a powerful way. 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:15.200 God uses the faithfulness of a mother and grandmother in a powerful way. 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.879 I came across this article this week. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.639 It was a pretty good article. 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:24.879 You can look it up if you're interested in reading it. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:32.320 But the title of the article was this Let the Little Children Hang with the Church Grandmas. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:34.960 Isn't that amazing? 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:38.480 Let the little children hang with the church grandmas. 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:52.399 And the author of the article goes on to just talk about how amazing it is for her as a parent to hear her children singing songs that she didn't teach them, but a grandma in the church did. 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:59.360 To hear her kids reciting scripture that she didn't teach them, but a grandma in the church did. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:10.639 And the article is appealing to this multi-generational discipleship that just naturally happens in the church and should be encouraged within the church. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:14.559 And again, like I said, that's why I love our church. 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:18.559 There's multi-generations exemplified here. 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:31.440 And kids get to grow up seeing the faithfulness and greatness of God's working and redemption and life and grace through all lives of all generations. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:39.759 They get to learn songs their parents may not teach them, hear Bible stories or verses that their parents may not be able to teach them. 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:44.559 But man, what a blessing it is to be a part of a church. 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:48.799 So let the little children hang with church grandmas. 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:55.759 You see, when multi-generational discipleship takes place in the church, Satan squirms. 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:01.360 Christ rejoices, and the church grows. 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:08.880 Timothy was an exceptional young man because the Holy Spirit worked in his life. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:11.599 But what does Paul say in verses 3 and 4? 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:16.799 He says this, I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did. 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:26.319 So even Paul, he's talking about his own generational faith there, as his ancestors serve God with a clear conscience. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:35.440 When I constantly remember you, he's saying to Timothy, constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:38.000 Remembering your tears. 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:56.079 And now, I'm convinced, is in you also. 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:02.240 Timothy, absolutely exceptional young man. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:10.400 A man of great faith, a man of God, a man who is seeking to serve the Lord with his life. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:13.680 But Timothy was in an interesting situation. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:19.839 You see, several times throughout 2 Timothy, and even we get a glimpse of this in 1 Timothy. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:25.839 We get this sense that ministry has been difficult for Timothy. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:32.480 Several times, especially in 2 Timothy, Paul is encouraging Timothy: don't give up. 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.920 Hang in there. 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:38.640 Remember your heritage, remember the gift of God that you have. 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:50.720 Remember how God has brought people into your life to disciple you, how I've been there for you, and how the word of God has taken root in your life, the gospel's transformed you. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:52.319 All of these things over and over again. 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:55.599 Paul's reminding him in this book don't give up. 00:18:56.240 --> 00:19:03.680 Some scholars believe that Timothy was ready to give up the ministry. 00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:10.079 He had been facing some very unique challenges, false teachers. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:17.920 And we also get this sense that the generation older in his church looked down on him for his youth. 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:21.359 They despised him for his youth. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:31.359 So there were some in the older generation that were really dropping the ball when it came to encouraging this young pastor in the faith and in ministry. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:40.160 And Paul recognizes the pain Timothy is in as he calls to remembrance Timothy's tears. 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:45.519 I'm thinking about your pain, my son, he's saying. 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:47.759 And so I'm praying. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:51.519 He's deeply concerned for his son in the faith. 00:19:51.759 --> 00:20:02.240 And in a way, what Paul does in these verses too is he works at restoring Timothy's trust in the generation that was scrutinizing him. 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:06.400 And he reminds him about his mom and his grandma. 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:20.160 There could have been all kinds of things that Paul could have started with when it came to encouraging Timothy, who is about to give up his calling as a pastor. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:22.480 But where does Paul start? 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:24.960 With mom and grandma. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:26.160 I love it. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:31.119 And what does he draw Timothy's attention to? 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:34.480 His mother and his grandmother. 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:38.880 Thankfulness, he expresses, for their faithfulness. 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:41.519 Just exemplifying this idea. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:47.759 Like never underestimate the power of the ordinary faithfulness of mom and grandma. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:52.319 Never underestimate the power of your prayers. 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:59.599 For your children, for your grandchildren, for others, other people's children, for their grandchildren. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:07.039 Lois and Eunice were vessels of God's unique grace in the life of Timothy. 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:13.599 They let the children hang with the church grandmas. 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:19.440 Mothers and grandmothers here this morning. 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:41.279 Whether you are by blood relation, mothers, grandmothers, whether you are by an example of your faith, a spiritual mother or grandmother, your own faith is a gift of God's grace in the lives of your children and the lives of the other children in this church. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:46.160 You are God's gracious gift. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:53.359 And with the apostle Paul, we pray thankful prayers of joy for you. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:22:04.960 The last thing we see Paul draw your attention to as he Draws Timothy's attention to his grandmother and his mother. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:08.160 Remember, your faith started with them. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:22.640 He gives us very well-known couple verses here, verses six and seven, where he reminds us that God's gifts are what we need to accomplish God's call and God's will. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:28.319 God gifts us with everything we need to accomplish his call and his will. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:39.680 If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ here this morning, you are supernaturally gifted with a spiritual gift to accomplish God's call and God's will. 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:48.319 Verses 6 and 7 say this, therefore I remind you, Timothy, therefore, right? 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:50.000 What's it therefore? 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:51.839 What has just been said. 00:22:52.079 --> 00:23:04.559 The faith of your mother, the faith of your grandmother, because of all this, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:13.680 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound judgment. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:20.480 God gives us and gifts us what we need to accomplish his call and his will. 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:29.519 See, verse 6, we understand that a spiritual gift or ability is part of what he does in the life of the believer. 00:23:29.920 --> 00:23:33.759 And Paul's drawing Timothy's attention to that spiritual gift. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:47.440 Now, we can just assume, likely, his spiritual gift would have been preaching, as Paul, again, later on in the book, encourages him to preach the word in season, out of season. 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:51.440 He tells him to reprove, to rebuke, to do the work of an evangelist. 00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:52.319 So we understand. 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:55.279 Timothy had the gift of pastor teacher. 00:23:55.440 --> 00:24:03.119 Timothy had the gift of pastor shepherd, but he was also called in using this gift in a unique way in the church as the pastor. 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:06.240 And so what Paul does, just think for a moment, right? 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:10.000 He's encouraging his son in the faith, who is so discouraged. 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:18.000 He's probably just like weighed down with fear and with things that are just overcoming him in his ministry context. 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:22.240 So he reminds him first of his mother and his grandmother's faith. 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:30.160 And then now, sorry, excuse me, now he reminds him of the gift of God that God has given him. 00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:33.839 God's given him a special gift. 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:46.880 And to the idea of this rekindling, as Paul's encouraging Timothy, the idea is to gain fresh life or courage in the gift. 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:50.559 Some translations put it this way fan into flame. 00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:58.319 If you've ever done that with a fire, you built a fire before, you want to give it some oxygen, you you blow on it, and what does it do? 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:03.119 It just expands, it gets hotter, it gets brighter. 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:06.000 But you know what? 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:17.279 It is difficult to get busy using our gifts that God has given us, especially when we're feeling spiritually discouraged and drained. 00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:22.160 Some of us have been there in some deep ways. 00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:25.119 It's difficult. 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:29.279 But Paul's encouraging Timothy, the calling you have is real. 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:30.400 It's sure. 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:35.759 It hasn't faded, and God has supernaturally gifted you to carry it out. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:39.519 You may feel weak, but he remains strong. 00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:45.440 Fan that gift into flame that it would burn hotter and brighter. 00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:55.359 And then we see in verse 7 a spiritually powerful disposition that he's also gifted us with. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:26:14.319 So not only has he given each of us a spiritual gift to contribute to the body of Christ to build and make disciples as a great commission has called us to, but he's also, verse seven, given us spiritually, a spiritually powerful disposition where he says, for God has not given us a spirit of fear. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:17.440 You know, fear can be so crippling. 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:22.799 It leaves us anxious, unsettled, irritable, angry. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:31.839 Fear can be way too easy to creep into our lives and even into the life of the church. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:34.640 And just think about Timothy's circumstances. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:38.480 He was weighed down by crippling fear. 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:42.319 A pastor weighed down by crippling fear. 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:49.759 A guy discipled by the Apostle Paul, who just seemed to have nerves of steel, right? 00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:55.599 Persecuted, Paul eventually being beheaded for the cause of Christ. 00:26:55.839 --> 00:27:02.079 Discipled by that guy, the guy who met Jesus on the road to Damascus. 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:04.960 And Jesus supernaturally saves him. 00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:14.400 The guy that the Lord used in such a remarkable way to start and plant the church that today we look at Paul's writings and say, we love the Apostle Paul. 00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:16.799 We love what he's written for us as a church. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:20.319 We live by the things the Holy Spirit has worked through this man. 00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:26.160 Timothy was discipled by this man, but yet fear still gripped him. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:28.640 Fear. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:47.039 It was gripping him, it was choking his ministry, it was impacting in such a way that Paul had to give him verse seven. 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:50.319 You know, we need verse seven. 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:53.920 All of us, not just Timothy. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:56.240 We need verse seven. 00:27:56.559 --> 00:28:03.359 Because Satan and the powers of darkness have a heyday when the church is listening to fear. 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:09.839 Because fear is not from God, he says. 00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:13.039 God has not given you a spirit of fear. 00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:19.519 But what is from God, he says, is power, love, and sound judgment. 00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:28.640 This idea of power, um, the the Greek word dynamos is where we get the idea or the English equivalent of dynamite. 00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:40.720 So this idea, but this is this isn't like uh uh Paul, when when it's when it's used in this context, and their understanding of that isn't like this destructive force that we would think of dynamite to be. 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:43.599 But the power here is very precise. 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:47.839 And so when he uses this word, this is what would have been coming to mind. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:52.319 But it's an effective energy, it's not a raw or unbridled one. 00:28:52.480 --> 00:29:00.319 So when he says, God has given you not the spirit of fear, but of power, this is the idea that this is the kind of power that leaves a mark. 00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:03.759 It accomplishes the task it is meant to do. 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:13.599 This is the power that comes through the Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 1, 18 to 20, to accomplish his purpose through us, Ephesians 3, 20. 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:17.680 It's precise and ooh, it's the power of God. 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:21.759 He says, God hasn't given us that. 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:27.359 I love that he says, us, includes himself, includes us, the church. 00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:30.799 God hasn't given us a spirit of fear, but one of power. 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:32.240 And he says, love. 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:34.720 This is a constant love. 00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:39.920 It's a perfect love that casts out fear, 1 John 4.18. 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:45.839 This godly love is manifested when we live by the Spirit and we walk by the Spirit. 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:52.000 Our love for God and others is our purpose for using our spiritual gift. 00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:56.160 Fear is the opposite of love. 00:29:57.119 --> 00:30:00.799 Fear is generally selfishly motivated. 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:04.880 But we're given love. 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:06.559 The love. 00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:14.960 And the last thing here, my simpathy, we're given sound judgment or a sound mind, as some translations put it. 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:23.440 This is a mind that reflects biblical, God-willed response to the situations of life. 00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:32.079 This is a mind that is shaped and transformed by godly wisdom and gospel transformation. 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:37.519 As we talked about even as we were going through the book of Philippians, this is the mind of Christ. 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:46.559 This is where we fight fear with the truth of the gospel and with God's love displayed through Jesus Christ. 00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:53.920 And Paul says, God hasn't given you that fear, but he's given us power, love, and sound judgment. 00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:56.079 Timothy, look at everything you've got. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:58.960 Listen, church, look at everything we've got. 00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:06.960 Christ has given us the gift of the church through generational discipleship. 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:21.359 The gift of the church through each, every individual in this room who claims the name of Jesus Christ that's been supernaturally gifted to make disciples of all nations. 00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:29.039 The gift of the church that is not fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. 00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:32.640 Ministry life is not easy. 00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:35.519 It's difficult. 00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:40.160 Living on mission for Christ is not easy. 00:31:40.400 --> 00:31:41.599 It's difficult. 00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:49.359 But listen, we're given the power, love, and sound mind to accomplish what he's called us to accomplish. 00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:50.880 Let's pray. 00:31:52.319 --> 00:32:00.880 Father, we thank you for the mothers and grandmothers in our life, ones that are spiritual, ones that are blood related. 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:13.599 But Lord, how you have used those adoptive even parents in our life through your church to teach us the gospel, to teach us your goodness. 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:17.279 And Lord, we recognize that none of us do this perfectly. 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:23.359 But by your grace and by your goodness, you used a Lois and a Eunice. 00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:36.000 By your grace and by your goodness, you began to redeem a difficult, broken family situation and bringing a Paul into Timothy's life. 00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:41.599 So, Father, I pray this morning we'd be encouraged in how you care for us. 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:48.480 We'd also be encouraged in all those things that you have given us to accomplish what you've called us to do as the church. 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:54.960 So, Father, I pray that we would not be a people of fear, but we'd be a people of faith. 00:32:56.000 --> 00:33:04.720 People of love, people of a sound mind, knowing that we yield and hold the power of the gospel that we are not ashamed of. 00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:10.160 God work in us this day, in the days and weeks ahead, we pray in Jesus' name. 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:11.119 Amen.