2 Timothy 1:1-2 (ESV)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will
of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.
This letter is an
encouragement for Timothy to remain strong in God’s grace.
Paul is coming to
the end of his life and ministry, and is writing to a man he taught and
mentored (2 Timothy 4:6-8). He’s passing the baton to the next generation of
evangelist and pastor.
He also misses
Timothy, his dear friend. Paul has been isolated from his friends by being a
prisoner of Rome. Christians have community with Jesus in relationship with
each other. We long for Christian fellowship.
2 Timothy 1:5-7 (ESV)
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a
faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now,
I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 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, 7 for
God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Paul is reminding
Timothy that he has a heritage and a future. Paul also sees hope for his own
continued ministry in ministers like Timothy who will outlive him. Our faith
and practice is for the blessing and redemption of generations beyond our own.
The Holy Spirit in us enables us to serve the world and our communities. We can
bring our gifts to greater life through use. We should not be afraid to use our
gifts boldly.
Not just our
salvation, but our call to live a holy life is through grace (vv8-9). We come
to the Kingdom with nothing, and then are filled to give. It is all through the
Spirit, not our own strength. We give nothing of our own but our brokenness. We
are rewarded with resurrection life (vv10-12). It's all grace, from beginning
to end.
2 Timothy 1:14 (ESV)
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us,
guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
Paul's loneliness is
acutely felt in the last verses of the chapter. Just as he began by confessing
how deeply he misses Timothy, he tells Timothy of those who have abandoned him
and the faith in his need.
Paul's suffering is
not only in his persecutions, but his separation from the body. Still, he
believes that it is for Jesus' name he is suffering, and puts his hope in him.
2 Timothy 1:12 (ESV)
...which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not
ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to
guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.
Loneliness is a hard
burden to bear. Our hope and encouragement is that we are not alone when our
hope is in Jesus. By faith, we receive the Holy Spirit, the presence of God
dwelling within us. Jesus promised to never leave us. Even when alone, or at the
end of our journey, God is with us and will continue to use us, and keep us in
his loving will.
Read 2 Timothy 1
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