2 Timothy 1

I read a story recently about a little league coach who reminisced about his childhood years playing baseball in little league. He remember back how during his first year, his coach had called together the entire baseball team for a picnic, and he asked the team, “Who here wants to eventually play major league baseball.” Every single hand went up, as every child there dreamed about playing in a major league stadium and hitting the game winning hit. That boy grew up to become a little league coach himself, and the week before opening day his first year of coaching he did the same thing. He had a team picnic, and he asked the team, “Who here wants to grow up and play in the major leagues?” Not one hand went up on a team of twelve kids. He said he could see in their eyes that not one kid on his team believed that he had what it took to become a major league baseball player.

What a contrast between people who have vision and people who lack vision. Vision is that elusive thing that dares to dream big dreams about the future. Vision has been called hope with a blueprint. Vision is what an inventor has when he or she thinks outside the box to create something new. Vision is what a mother has as she looks at her newborn baby and imagines all that child could grow up to become.

Vision has a way of ignoring its critics and chasing its dream regardless of how many people say it can’t be done.  Yet we go through times when our vision fades. The flame of our vision begins to dim, it’s passion begins to ease, and it’s heat begins to cool.

How to maintain and rebuild Vision:

I. DRAWING ON HIS SPIRITUAL HERITAGE.

We all have a heritage. We can trace our families back to where they originated, knowing the careers they worked and the lives they lived. Our ancestors lives continue to shape our lives even today. Our last names bear our ancestors mark. Even our health is connected to that of our ancestors. Our family heritage gives us a complete picture of our identity, who we are and where we came from.

Likewise, as Christians, we all have a spiritual heritage. Our spiritual heritage consists of the people that introduced us to Christ and have helped us to mature in our faith. For some, our spiritual heritage may be linked to a specific church or a minister. It may be linked to a teacher or a friend. Or as in Timothy’s case, our spiritual heritage comes directly from our family.

Paul gives us a glimpse into Timothy’s spiritual heritage. “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.” II Timothy 1:5 Timothy grew up in a house of faith under his mother and grandmother. His mother and grandmother were both Jewish while Timothy’s father was Gentile. It was his mother and grandmother who taught him about God. In the time period of Timothy, it was common until the age of seven for a Roman boy’s mother to be his main formative influence up until the age of seven. Since Timothy’s father was not religious, being a Gentile, it was customary that boys without a living religious father learned about the law from grandmothers if they were still living. (Bible Background Commentary).

What Paul is reminding Timothy is that he comes from a great family of faith. His mother Eunice and grandmother Lois were great women of faith and Paul sees that Timothy has followed in their footsteps. Timothy needs to draw on his heritage of faith for strength and guidance in order to carry the torch of ministry that Paul is passing on to him.

II. DEVELOPING HIS GOD GIVEN GIFT.

In order for Timothy to fan into flame his gift for ministry he must draw on his spiritual heritage, but he must also develop that gift. Paul encourages him to develop his gift in verse six. “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.” II Timothy 1:6

The words “fan into flame” that Paul uses here can also mean to “stir up” or “rekindle”. The gift that God has given Timothy is like a fire. It’s burning inside of him. Paul wants Timothy to develop this gift, not to waste it. Paul wants Timothy to intensify the fire within him. Paul wants him to be overcome with passion for this gift that God has given him and use it to its fullest potential.

In the Southwest United States, there is a fire code that helps distinguish the fire danger for the day. WIMS, the Weather Information Management System collects various data and issues these ratings everyday. A low risk is coded by the color green. A moderate risk is alerted by the color blue. A high risk is issued by the color yellow. A very high risk meaning that the conditions are very ripe for a fire to start and spread quickly are indicated by the color orange. An extreme warning is issued when condition are present for a fire to start quickly, spread furiously and burn intensely. This is identified by the color red.

Paul wants the fire in Timothy to be extreme. He wants a code red. He wants Timothy to develop his gift and fan into flame his gift to the point where through Timothy the gospel spreads furiously and its followers burn intensely with a passion for serving Christ and accomplishing his mission.

III. DISPLAYING HIS SPIRIT OF GODLINESS.

Timothy has gift of ministry. It was given to him by God through the laying on of Paul’s hands. Paul has instructed Timothy to fan into flame that gift by drawing on his spiritual heritage and developing this God given gift. He now instructs him to display a new spirit- a spirit of godliness.

Timothy was known for having a spirit of timidity. He was shy and sensitive. We’ve already mentioned how he wept when Paul had left him previously. Paul reminds Timothy that God has given him a new spirit. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” II Timothy 1:7 In order for Timothy to fan into flame his gift and assume the responsibility of the ministry

The spirit of godliness consists of three different areas:

1. Power- Timothy would have to take on a more authoritative role and rely completely on the power of God to sustain him through this time. This would prove to be difficult because of Timothy’s age. He was probably in his early to mid thirties and yet was still considered a youth in the faith. This is probably why Paul wrote these words to Timothy in I Timothy 4:12, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in live, in faith and in purity.”

2. Love- The Bible declares that God is indeed love. He has given every believer His spirit of love. God’s love for man is so great that it drove him to send his Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He held back nothing for the world that he loves. Timothy must take on that same spirit of love as he fulfills his ministry.

3. Self-Discipline-In order to fully use his gift of ministry, Timothy is going to have to show a lot of self-discipline and apply himself to keeping the fire burning inside of him. He’s going to have to continually stoke the fire and keep it burning brightly and intensely.

We are no different than Timothy. We must also take on the spirit of godliness that Paul describes here. The word that sticks out in verse seven is the word “us”. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, and of love and of self-discipline.” The same spirit that was given to Paul and Timothy has been given to us as well. We must exercise our gifts with the power of God, the love of God and a self-discipline that comes from God.

How can we become effective Christians? We can fan into flame the gifts that God has given us by drawing on our spiritual heritage, developing our God given gifts and displaying a spirit of godliness.