Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Timothy, you are constantly in my prayers. Day and night I remember you before God and give thanks to Him whom I serve with a clean conscience, as did my ancestors. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 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.
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. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
We talked last week about the first 6 verses. God had given to Timothy a charisma, a spiritual gift.[1] Paul tells him to fan it into flame, a metaphor drawn from the fanning of the embers of a fire. I suspect that the Holy Spirit takes virtually everything about life and “give gifts” of extraordinary ability to make that part of life an outpost of the Kingdom of God. “Fan these embers into flame.” How do we do this?
· Identify them (https://spiritualgiftstest.com/spiritual-gifts-test/#gf_7, which also has a personality test. Or https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/spiritual-gifts-survey/. Or
https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/women-leadership-spiritual-gifts-growth-service. This isn’t everything on the above list , but it’s a start.
· Build them. Study, learn, observe in others.
· Use them. Like, do stuff! Where do your desires, skills and opportunities intersect?
· To the glory of God. How does this build the church or make God’s name great in the community?
\This brings us to verses 7-8.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
This seems like a kindly phrased rebuke, as if Timothy had been timid with the testimony of the Gospel when he should have been bold. This is the only time this form of the word is used in the New Testament, and Strong’s Concordance says it involves “reticence”, which is silence.Timothy was a teacher who wasn’t teaching; based on verse 8, that silence had to do with being ashamed to teach about of the testimony of Jesus and apparently his relationship to Paul.
So Paul reminds him that when the Spirit of God blows over the embers of a teacher, and when a teacher fans that ember into flame, timidity or shame in talking about Jesus or his relationship with a persecuted Paul is not result. Why? Because the Holy Spirit brings three very important things to those speaking about Jesus.
Power. The commentaries are in almost unanimous agreement that this is two things, First, the Resurrection power on which we stand, the reality of placing our faith in Jesus, who has the power to conquer sin as proven by his ability to conquer death. What can separate us from the love of that kind of God? Nothing. (Romans 8) This is the rock that cannot be shaken (Psalm 62), the cornerstone, the firm foundation (Isaiah 28:16) on which our life finds stability and hope.
Second, we see the presence of God descended on Jesus with the imagery of a dove (Luke 3:22; 4:14) and on believers at Pentecost with the imagery of fire (Acts 2:1-13) as the presence of the promised Advocate or Helper who will be with us forever (John 14:16) became clear.
What happened? Well, in that case, we see 15 people groups confounded that Galileans were speaking in a language they could understand. They said, “What does this mean?” And Peter stood up immediately and preached the gospel.
God’s people stand on Resurrection power and receive ongoing power to live the gospel and share the gospel in a way that connects with people.
For Timothy, this meant living with gospel integrity and teaching with boldness, because that was his gift ‘fanned into flame’ for this purpose. For you, this means…. Well, that’s something you get to wrestle with. God has given you an ember to fan into flame; God empowers you to that which he has called you.
When God calls you, He equips you. When God places you in the world on His behalf, He fills you with the power to do what He has called you to do with your flaming ember in your sphere of influence.
I know this involves living with gospel integrity – that’s universal – but for you, this means you will _________ without being timid in using it in a way that as doors open and opportunities arise, it becomes a vehicle for the testimony of Jesus.
Love. Love is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23), without which all we do is as annoying and obnoxious as walking around banging a cymbal (I Corinthians 13). This word for love is, of course, “agape” – the plural, by the way, is “love feast” (remember Jude?) It’s not just a mindset; it’s an action.
As we walk into the doors that open and the opportunities that arise, we need love. Why? Because truth without love is just noise (see 1 Corinthians 13). Love without truth isn’t a great option either. We need both. Love and truth. And because of the nature of agape love and the Savior who embodied it, we know that this kind of love demands that we be “broken and spilled out” so the truth can be heard.
Timothy had the power to teach, but a teacher without love? Think back to your school days. Whether or not you believed a teacher cared about you made a HUGE difference between how impactful that teacher was in your life. They could be the most skilled teacher in the building, but if they were cold or uncaring, you couldn’t wait to get out of their class, and it probably tainted your view of the subject matter being taught. But that teacher that stayed after class, and talked with you about your life, and attended your games…
Our gifts need love.
A sound mind. Translations have quite a bit of variety here. A better word is “self-discipline” or “self-control”, another fruit of the Spirit. This is essential first of all so that we do not disqualify ourselves from the race God has called and prepared us to run (1 Corinthians 9:27). It’s what helps us live with gospel integrity. If you are a human being, you know that our own acts of self-discipline have a sketchy history. The promise is that the power of the Holy Spirit lies behind a supernatural strength we would never have on our own to stand firm in the faith.
However, there is more to it. According to Ellicott’s Commentary,
“sound mind” is “properly, safe-minded, issuing in prudent ("sensible") behavior that "fits" a situation, i.e. aptly acting out God's will by doing what He calls sound reasoning (used only in 2 Tim 1:7).”
I wonder if Timothy’s timidity had something to do with believing his approach or method wasn’t working. Paul is building him up: “Listen, your message has power. You have God’s heart of love. And you aren’t stupid. You know to wisely read a room or a situation and speak appropriately.”
I wonder – my speculation – if Paul is reminding him that God will help Timothy with Timothy’s gifts “fit” a situation prudently. Timothy doesn’t have to witness like anybody else. They do their thing; Timothy does his thing. He doesn’t have to use the same approach or words or system every time. There is no template. The Holy Spirit is creative – like, see Genesis.
I grew up with a lot of pressure to share the gospel ‘this way’ like ‘that person.’ (“You don’t have the 4 Spiritual Laws memorized? You don’t have that color coded wrist band? You don’t want to knock on doors? Do you even care about the lost???”) I also grew up with the idea – I don’t know if it was taught, but it was absorbed – that there were just some jobs, some talents, some gifts, some personalities – that God likes and uses more than others. If I REALLY wanted to make a difference in the Kingdom, I need to do that other thing in that other way – which usually boiled down to “be like that person over there.”
But I’m not going to stand before God and explain why I didn’t share the gospel like Billy Graham - or you. I have been given an ember that is not like yours. That is the one The Holy Spirit invites me to fan into flame.[2] You have been given an ember that is not like mine. The Holy Spirit invites you to fan it into flame.
So I don’t need to be just like you. And…. I should not demand you be just like me. What I should do is help you fan your gift into flame. I don’t feel called to do what Sal and Heather do, but I want to fan that into flame in them. They don’t feel called to do what I do, but they have fanned that into flame in me.
When God gives us the ember of a gift, He wants us to use it in the service of taking the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
He gives us power –Not coercive or destructive power, but power that stabilizes and energizes us as we live and spread the Gospel.
God gives us love. The Gospel lived and spoken from a heart of love is golden.
God gives us a sound mind- prudent sensibility so that our behavior and words fit a situation. Don’t panic. Just be present. You are filled with Resurrection power, and the love of God overflows from you. Live and speak the Gospel on that foundation and with that heart.
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[1] ‘God never commissions anyone to a task without imparting a special gift appropriate to it’ (Guthrie).
[2] “The Holy Spirit works, in those to whom it is given, power, or strength, to fight the fight of God; power, not only patiently to endure, but also to strike good blows for Christ—the power, for instance, of steadfastness in resisting temptation, the strong will which guides other weaker ones along the narrow way “of love.” It works, too, in those to whom God gives the blessed gift, that strange, sweet love for others which leads to noble deeds of self-surrender—that love which never shrinks from a sacrifice which may benefit the friend or even the neighbor. And lastly, the Spirit works in us “self-control” - that power which, in the man or woman living in and mixing with the world, and exposed to its varied temptations and pleasures, is able to regulate and to keep in a wise subjection, passions, desires, impulses.”[2]