Soldiers, Athletes, and Farmers

Reading:  2 Timothy 2:1-13
    
    Paul continues to encourage Timothy to overcome his fear.  “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also”(2 Tim 2:1-2).  Knowing that suffering is coming (2 Tim 2:3), Timothy needs to prepare for the possibility that others will need to carry on teaching tasks in his absence.  Just as Paul taught him, he teaches other faithful men, who then go on to teach others.  The messengers change and die, but the message multiplies.

    Three images dominate this section:  soldiers, athletes, and farmers.  “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him”(2 Tim 2:3-4).  Soldiers embrace suffering as part of their duty; Timothy must learn to think of himself as a dedicated soldier of Jesus.  “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules”(2 Tim 2:5).  Even remarkable athletes do not receive a prize if they fail to compete in the time and way prescribed; Timothy must seek the prize by focusing on God’s expectation for him.  “It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops”(2 Tim 2:6).  Farmers eat what they grow as the fruit of their labor.  Paul occasionally uses this picture to argue that preachers deserve pay for their work (1 Cor 9:7).  I suspect that here he means that as Timothy teaches others to serve Jesus despite suffering, so he will suffer too.  He must prepare himself to experience first what other Christians will endure after him.  Meanwhile, Paul himself is in a similar position, bound in chains but passing the word on to others (2 Tim 2:9).

    Soldiers, athletes, and farmers all demonstrate dedication, discipline, and diligence.  They work hard to achieve important goals.  They suffer, but they suffer for a purpose.  God wants us to embrace the challenge of living for him and see the nobility of wholehearted service.

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One Thing to Think About:  Am I “entangled in civilian pursuits”? 

One Thing to Pray For:  Diligence to keep serving Jesus, even when it’s hard
 

I Am Not Ashamed

Reading:  2 Timothy 1:8-18
    
    Timothy appears to be struggling with discouragement, fear, and timidity.  Paul exhorts him:  “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God”(2 Tim 1:8).  Timothy must embrace the shame and suffering that accompanies the gospel.  Paul also wants Timothy not to be ashamed of him, a thought he brings up repeatedly throughout this letter (1:15, 16; 4:10, 15-16).  Perhaps other Christians were distancing themselves from Paul as he suffered in prison, fearing a similar fate for themselves.  Paul wants better from Timothy.  He mentions Onesiphorus as a notable exception of someone who was not ashamed of him, but sought him out in his imprisonment to serve him (2 Tim 1:16-18).  

    For his part, Paul is unfazed.  “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”(2 Tim 1:12).  No matter his sufferings, Paul does not balk or quiet down.  He knows Jesus and is confident that he will repay Paul’s faithfulness.  Jesus has entrusted Paul with a stewardship and Paul will faithfully serve until his time comes; Jesus won’t disappoint.  Paul’s confidence is not himself and his speaking skills, but in Jesus.  He urges Timothy to similar faithfulness: “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you”(2 Tim 1:13-14).  Timothy has a similar “good deposit” given by Jesus; he must rise to the occasion and “guard” it.

    Jesus and his teaching have always been surrounded by controversy.  Often those who follow him suffer for their connection to him.  It is possible for us to distance ourselves from Jesus and his people in such situations, allowing our fear to control us.  Paul urges us to place our confidence in Jesus rather than ourselves or the prevailing opinions.  Jesus won’t disappoint.

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One Thing to Think About:  In what situations am I tempted to be ashamed of Jesus?

One Thing to Pray For:  Confidence because I know whom I have believed
 

Unfeigned Faith

Reading:  2 Timothy 1:1-7
    
    Paul writes this second letter to Timothy to encourage him during a time when he appears to have lost heart.  Surprisingly, Paul is building up Timothy even though he is the one in Roman custody.  “I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.  As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy”(2 Tim 1:3-4).  Paul remains thankful for Timothy in his prayers, especially mindful of their tear-filled parting.   His frequent use of “remember”(v. 3, 4, and “reminded” in v. 5) tells Timothy that he is still thinking about him though miles separate them.  “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”(2 Tim 1:5).  Raised by a godly mother and grandmother, Timothy now shares their “sincere” or “unfeigned”(KJV) faith.  An unfeigned faith has no hypocrisy or fakeness in it; it is exactly what it appears to be.  Paul is calling on Timothy to live up to the tremendous examples he knows so well.

    After talking about his remembering and reminding, Paul has something he wants to remind Timothy of:  “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 God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control”(2 Tim 1:6-7).  Timothy has a gift from God, but he must “fan” it “into flame.”  He must nurture and use his gift rather than growing timid or reluctant.  God does not want us to live in fear, but through his presence to have “power and love and self-control.”  Timothy needs to rise beyond his fear in the confidence of faith.

    We cannot force anyone to believe, but faith can be passed down as children see their parents demonstrate a pure, conscientious trust in God.  It is easy for us to become jaded about faith.  Corruption among religious leaders and personal slights from fellow Christians can convince us the whole enterprise is mistaken.  We need examples of sincere, pure, real-deal faith to pull us out of our doldrums and inspire us to serve Jesus afresh with “power and love and self-control.” 

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One Thing to Think About:  What examples of “unfeigned faith” have I seen?

One Thing to Pray For:  God’s help as I pass down my faith to the next generation
 

Devote Yourself to Good Works

Reading:  Titus 3:8-15
    
    Paul is serious about Christians doing good works.  He wants Titus to “remind them…to be ready for every good work”(Titus 3:1).  Good works cannot always be planned, but often we miss opportunities because we have not made ourselves “ready” for them.  After Paul has stressed that we are saved “not because of works done by us in righteousness”(Titus 3:5), he turns around and reiterates the point.  “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.  These things are excellent and profitable for people”(Titus 3:8).  Our works can never save us, but that does not mean they are unimportant.  Titus should “insist on these things” because the only proper outgrowth of the gospel is doing good to bless others because God has done so much for us.  At the end of the letter, Paul brings it up again:  “Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful”(Titus 3:14).  Good works ensure that others are cared for, especially in moments of immediate distress.  Good works are the “fruit” the gospel produces.

    Paul’s wording is especially noteworthy.  He wants us to be “ready” and “devote (ourselves)” to good works.  These terms imply continual focus and attention.  They also leave us open to the reality that most needs are unscheduled and outside the budget.  Urgent needs crop up in countless situations.  People need money, rides, comfort, company, physical help, babysitting.  It is only when we are ready and fully devoted to such works that we will see them as a blessing rather than an inconvenience.

    Faith is shown through works.  This is not a point for doctrinal discussion; it is our marching orders.  While I may not be able to plan all my works, I should be able to look back at my life and see actual good deeds done for others.  

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One Thing to Think About:  What will I do today that is good?

One Thing to Pray For:  A heart devoted to good works
 

The Washing of Regeneration

Reading:  Titus 3:1-8
    
    Paul wants Titus to emphasize certain attitudes that grow out of our redemption story.  “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient…to show perfect courtesy toward all people.  For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another”(Titus 3:1, 2-3).  Our humble, respectful, careful disposition is rooted in our past.  We used to be a different kind of person.  Not only have we been changed, but we also have compassion on those who are presently where we used to be.

    So what is our story?  We were slaves to sin (v. 3) but something changed.  “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit”(Titus 3:4-5).  Our story is not the story of how we saved ourselves—how we deserved better than we got—how we pulled ourselves up by our own bootstraps.  It is the story of God revealing his kindness and saving us despite ourselves.  “He saved us” and he did it by means of “the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”  We underwent a washing that gave new life through the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.  Now we are “justified by his grace” and have “hope of eternal life”(Titus 3:7).  

    The “washing of regeneration” is very similar to Jesus’ statement that we must be “born of water and the Spirit”(John 3:5) to enter the kingdom.  Water is involved, but not because there is magical power in water.  The power is in the Spirit, God’s active agent to enliven, remake, and renew us.  This makes baptism essential in the salvation process, but not as an act of merit.  Instead, we stand in awe of a God who can use something so simple and basic as a means of effecting a change so seismic and eternal.  

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One Thing to Think About:  What difference has God’s salvation made in my life?

One Thing to Pray For:  A tender heart toward those still in sin