Paul writes this letter from his second Roman imprisonment, and he will be condemned and executed in Rome at the command of Nero shortly. Paul senses this ahead of time; therefore 2 Timothy is not only the last letter we have from Paul, there is a note of urgency and passion we might expect from a man who knows he is on death row!
NOTE- Though this is Paul’s last letter before he dies, he is interested not in himself, but in Timothy, who will carry on the work of the ministry.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, V. 1-
Paul’s introduction here is like his other letters, with an up-front recognition that he is an apostle according to the will of God, not according to the ambition or whim of man.
Paul had a role to play in God’s plan for reaching the world for Jesus Christ, and his role was apostle – a unique ambassador from God to the world. Just as Paul had his role to play, we all have our role to play – what’s yours?
Some of us could write, “pastor by the will of God” or “evangelist ” or “pray-er ” or “encourager” or “supporter by the will of God.” We all have our role to play, and God wants us to walk in it!
How do we discover what our role is?
- What are you interested in doing?
- What have you had success at?
- When opportunities have opened up, have you stepped it and have things gone well?
- Have people commented on your ability to teach well, evangelize well, serve well, etc.
- Passages that describe different gifts.
- 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
- Romans 12:3-8
- Ephesians 4:11
The words according to the promise of life are unique in Paul’s greetings; since Paul is imprisoned again in Rome and facing execution (2 Timothy 4:6), this promise is all the more precious to him.
After Paul was released from the Roman imprisonment mentioned at the end of the book of Acts, he enjoyed a few more years of liberty until he was re-arrested, and imprisoned in Rome again.
2 To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,
Without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day: Timothy was on Paul’s “prayer list.” Paul made it a regular practice to pray with a list and to at least mention in prayer those who were precious to him.
Prayers night and day also shows us how much Paul prayed: Whenever it was night or whenever it was day! Of course, one might say this was easy for Paul, since he was in prison; but such prayer is never easy.
Yet, we admire Paul for having a heart to do the most for the Lord that he can where ever he is. So he can’t preach? He can pray, and that he will do.
4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy,
5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
Mindful of your tears:
Perhaps the tears Paul remembered were the tears Timothy shed at his last parting with Paul.
We also know that Timothy had suffered with Paul.
NOTE- being in the ministry, and following and serving God will include tears.
Paul did not rebuke Timothy for having tears in the past.
Psalms 6:6 6 I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. (David)
NOTE-Paul knew Timothy’s weaknesses and strengths; his fear and faith, his accomplishments and failings.
He still longed to see him.
He didn’t see Timothy’s tears as a failure or a disqualification.
Filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you: What made Paul really happy? To remember the faith of faithful men like Timothy, who were loving and serving the Lord.
Which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice: Timothy’s genuine faith was due, in no small measure, to his godly upbringing and the influence of his grandmother and mother.
Here we see the importance of godly parents and grandparents.
Be sure to minister not just to your church, but also to your own kids.
Timothy and his family came from the ancient city of Lystra, where Paul visited on his first missionary journey. When Paul and Barnabas were there, God used Paul to miraculously heal a crippled man – and the people of the city began to praise Paul and Barnabas as Greek gods from Olympus, and started to sacrifice a bull to them! Paul barely restrained them from doing so, and soon enemies of the gospel had turned the crowd against Paul, so they cast Paul out of the city and stoned him. But God miraculously preserved Paul’s life, and he carried on (Acts 14).
On Paul’s second missionary journey, he came again to Lystra – and there met a young man who had come to Jesus, and was devoted to serving the Lord. This young man was Timothy, and he is described as having a mother who believed, but his father was Greek. (Acts 16:1)
less than ideal (though not necessarily terrible).
But his mother and grandmother either led him to Jesus or grounded him in the faith! God wants to use parents and grandparents to pass on an eternal legacy to their children and grandchildren!
When Paul left Lystra, he took Timothy with him – and this began a mentor-learner relationship that touched the whole world.
I am persuaded is in you also: It wasn’t enough that this genuine faith was in Timothy’s grandmother and mother; it had to be in Timothy also. Our children, once of age to be accountable before God, must have their own relationship with Jesus Christ. Mom and dad’s relationship with God will not then bring eternal life.
The phrase genuine faith could be literally translated, “unhypocritical faith” -faith that is not an act.
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Timothy was a gifted, valuable man for the kingdom of God; but he seems to have had a timid streak in him, which required Paul to often encourage him to be strong and bold.
NOTE- In many ways, Timothy was courageous, because he was willing to travel with Paul, even after Paul had been stoned and left for dead on a previous missionary journey. Timothy was faithful, he was a servant, he had good doctrine, he was valuable to the kingdom of God.
But in some ways, Timothy was timid and fearful.
There are bold, strong, forward, loud pastors. There are others who are timid, quiet shy, reserved, unsure of themselves.
You may be a Timothy, and if you are, it is difficult for you to make decisions, confront people, correct problems, and assert yourself.
You may be a Timothy, and if you are, it is difficult for you to make decisions, confront people, correct problems, and assert yourself. This doesn’t mean that you are not called to be a pastor. It does mean that you need to fight through fear and insecurity, and by God’s grace and by His Spirit, be the leader that God wants you to be.
This “Timothy spirit” can be beautiful in that a Timothy is sensitive, gentle, patient.
It also means that decisions are not made, things are left undone, people are not confronted when they need to be.
By God’s grace, Timothys need to overcome their natural tendency to hold back, and they need to step forward.
These passages suggest Timothy was a man who tended to be timid, and who didn’t like to confront people or want to alienate others with a strong stand on the issues. If we were to meet Timothy, we would probably be impressed by his great warmth and love, but it would be a love that tended to be a little “squishy” – love that might accommodate what is wrong and harmful just so no one’s feelings were hurt.
On the other hand, we get the feeling Paul was a man of deep love, but also a man who never shied away from confrontation – anyone who would publicly rebuke the Apostle Peter was a man who could confront! (Galatians 2:11-21). Timothy already has a shepherd’s tender heart for the sheep; Paul wants to develop within him the boldness necessary to really lead and protect the flock.
Going through 1 and 2 Timothy, you will find no less than 25 different places where Paul encourages Timothy to be bold, to not shy away from confrontation, to stand up where he needs to stand up and be strong. This was something that Timothy, being the kind of person he was, needed to hear!
People have different dispositions. For some, the last thing they need to hear is, “You’ve got to be more bold!” because they are already obnoxious. But many others come from the place where they need to hear, “Stir up the gift of God which is in you; be bold, get going, go for it!” Timothy was of this second type.
Some who appear bold really are just full of bluster; they use a confrontational, in-your-face attitude to mask a lot of pain and insecurity. They need to become really bold and secure in the Lord, instead of full of bluster.
Timothy can’t be passive, and just let it all happen; he needs to be bold and to stir up the gift of God which is in you. God may have gifted a person, but just because someone has certain gifts does not mean that they are being used for His glory and Kingdom. Many gifts need to be stirred up!
This reminds us that God does not work His gifts through us as if we were robots; even when He gives a man or a woman gifts, He leaves an element that needs the cooperation of their will, of their desire and drive, to fulfill the purpose of His gifts.
Some are waiting passively for God to use them; but God is waiting for them to stir up the gifts that are within them! Some are waiting for some dramatic new anointing from God, and God is waiting for them to stir up what He has already given!
Stir up has the idea of stirring up a fire to keep it burning bright and strong; a fire left to itself will always burn out, but God wants us to keep our gifts burning strong for Him.
“The Greek anazopureo (stir up) means either ‘to kindle afresh’ or ‘to keep in full flame’.
There is no necessary suggestion, therefore, that Timothy had lost his early fire, although undoubtedly, like every Christian, he needed an incentive to keep the fire burning at full flame.” (Guthrie)
Which is in you through the laying on of my hands: God used the laying on of hands to communicate spiritual gifts to Timothy. This is not the only way God gives gifts, but it is a common way – and means we should never neglect. Have you had someone lay hands on you and pray God would grant you gifts to build up the family of God?
“We have no right to assume that hands were laid on Timothy once only. Thus Acts ix. 17 and xiii. 3 are two such occasions in St. Paul’s spiritual life. There may have been others.” (Expositor’s)
Invite pastors to come forward for prayer.
Lay hands upon them, Stir up gifts.
Pauls to encourage Timothys.
Timothys to receive from Pauls.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Paul sees the timidity that is in Timothy; Timothy knows the fear he sometimes feels. God wants Timothy to know that this fear isn’t from the Lord; God has not given us a spirit of fear.
We all face situations where we feel timid and afraid; for some, speaking in front of others makes them fear; others are afraid of confrontation, others of being made to look foolish, others are afraid of rejection. We all deal with fear.
The first step in dealing with such fears is to understand that they are not from God! To be able to say, “This isn’t God making me feel like this! God hasn’t given me this!” Perhaps it is from your personality, perhaps a weakness of the flesh, perhaps a demonic attack – but it isn’t from God.
The second step in dealing with such fears is understanding what God has given us: a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.
God has given us a spirit of power: When we are doing His work, proclaiming His word, representing His kingdom, we have all His power backing us. We are safe in His hands.
God has given us a spirit of love: This tells us a lot about the power He has given us. Many think of power in terms of how much we can control others; but Jesus’ power is expressed in how much we can love and serve others. Remember Jesus, on the night before the cross, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands – what did He do with all that power? He humbly washed His disciples’ feet! (John 13:1-11)
God has given us a sound mind: The Greek word here has the idea of a calm, self-controlled mind, in contrast to the panic and confusion that rushes in on us when we are in a fearful situation.
We don’t need to accept what God has not given us (a spirit of fear), and we need to humbly receive and walk in what He has given us (a spirit . . . of power and of love and of a sound mind).
Boldness matters; without it, we can’t fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. God’s purpose for you is more than making money, being entertained, and being comfortable; it is for you to use the gifts He has given you to touch His people and help a needy world.
Fear and timidity will keep you from using the gifts God has given you to touch His people and a needy world. God wants you to take His power, His love, and His calm thinking and overcome fear to be used of Him with all the gifts He has given you.