2 Timothy 1
Thesis: Always remember what God has given you.
Thanksgiving is coming up. The time when we stop and consider our many blessings.
Did you know that the first American Thanksgiving was not a feast, and it wasn�t where a group of Pilgrims met with a group of friendly Indians, and it wasn�t in 1621 like we normally think. The first recorded thanksgiving took place in Virginia more than 11 years earlier. The winter of 1610. Jamestown had gone from a group of 409 settlers down to 60. The survivors prayed for help, without knowing when or how it might come. When help arrived, in the form of a ship filled with food and supplies from England, a prayer meeting was held to give thanks to God.
Today in the Word, July, 1990, p. 22.
That was one of the first American thanksgivings, a real thanksgiving marked by prayer.
God doesn�t just want our thanksgiving, He expects it. In the Old Testament He established the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
And in the New Testament, Luke 17 gives a glimpse into Jesus� thoughts on the matter.
Luke 17:11
11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a]met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him�and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"
It�s like He expected more.
So why did only one cleansed leper return to thank Jesus?
They might have all had their own different excuses.
Perhaps the second one waited to see if the cure was real.
Another waited to see if it would last.
Another said he would see Jesus again sometime later and settle up then.
Another said he would have gotten well anyway.
Another gave the glory to the priests.
Another said, "O, well, Jesus didn't really do anything."
Another said, "Any rabbi could have done it."
Another said, "I was already getting better before Jesus showed up."
Another decided that he had never really had leprosy.
Charles L. Brown, Content The Newsletter, June, 1990, p. 3.
We don�t know, but we do know that we fail to go back and give credit where credit is due.
The truth is, we cheat God out of so much praise. Always remember what God has given you.
I read a story recently about an author and teacher by the name of H.A. Ironside. He was in a crowded restaurant, and just as He was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited him to have a seat. Then, as was his custom, he bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, "Do you have a headache?" Ironside replied, "No, I don't." The other man asked, "Well, is there something wrong with your food?" Ironside replied, "No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat."
The man said, "Oh, you're one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don't have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!"
Ironside said, "Yes, you're just like my dog. That's what he does too!"
Ray Stedman, Folk Psalms of Faith.
When we stop and consider our many blessings. It requires us to consider who gave us what we have, and how we got where we are.
I, for one , am thankful, but I don�t like looking back. I�m getting better. But we all have memories that hurt, that we wish we could forget. There are times or even just moments that we wish had never happened.
Here�s an entry from my personal journal from some years past that maybe some of you can relate to.
(Journal)
About a year ago, I was talking to my cousin, and she made a comment about once when she came to KC for a couple weeks to take care of my kids for me. I didn�t know what she was talking about. She was like, �Don�t you remember, about 5 years ago, when I helped you?�
The fact is, there are a lot of things I don�t remember from that time of my life. I was so consumed with my own hurt and survival that I failed to note the sacrifices made and the gifts given by those around me.
Remembering helps us to be thankful.
We finished I Timothy last week, so Today we are starting II Timothy. And I�m just looking at the first seven verses here. And I want you to notice all the references to remembering.
Here we go, II Timothy 1:1-7
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I have been 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. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Paul is remembering his forefathers and thanking God as they did. He is remembering Timothy and his tears, and he�s remembering to pray for him.
But there are three things here that he is reminding Timothy to remember. He wants him to remember the molding of his faith, He wants him to remember the gift he has been given, and He wants him to remember the spirit that should drive him.
(The Molding of His Faith)
Let�s look at the how his faith was molded.
5I have been 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.
Timothy had Lois, Eunice and Paul to learn from. If you have a Christian heritage, you are blessed.
In our American culture, we are taught to have independent thinking, be an individual, find yourself and your own way. That�s all fine and good, but don�t throw away the wealth of life experience and wisdom your family has to offer.
If I want to reach the roof of the dorm, I need the whole ladder. I can�t throw away the bottom half of the extension ladder. Build off of the tools God has given you.
And one of the greatest tools you have, whether you like it or not is your heritage. Learn from their successes and failures, and seek their wisdom with a humble heart.
Now some of you my not have a Christian heritage, but if you have accepted Christ as your savior, you have been adopted into His family. This (the Bible) is now your heritage and this (the congregation) is some of your family.
Let�s look at the next thing Timothy was to remember.
The Gift He had been Given
Timothy�s gift, as we mentioned a couple weeks ago, was public reading of Scripture, preaching and teaching.
Whatever yours is, remember that spiritual gifts are intended to produce spiritual service and to operate externally.
I Corinthians 12:12 says,
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
God has put you right here right now for a reason. You are a part of this body, and if you aren�t using your gift to bless others, the body is incomplete, handicapped.
Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, Kaspryzak. They had met in school, when the armless Mr. Kaspryzak had guided the blind Mr. Overton down a flight of stairs. This acquaintance ripened into friendship and a beautiful example of interdependence. The blind man carried the books which the armless man read aloud in their common study, and thus the individual deficiency of each was compensated for by the other.
Gary Inrig, Life in His Body.
Paul says
6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,
Remember your gift, and use it.
So how do we fan into flame the gift of God?
(The Spirit that should Drive Him)
We must remember the spirit that drives us.
7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
History shows us that Hugh Lattimer was not a timid preacher. Once after he preached before King Henry VIII. Henry was greatly displeased by the boldness in the sermon and ordered Lattimer to preach again on the following Sunday and apologize for the offence he had given. The next Sunday, after reading his text, Lattimer began his sermon: "Hugh Lattimer, dost thou know before whom thou are this day to speak? To the high and mighty monarch, the king's most excellent majesty, who can take away thy life, if thou offendest. Therefore, take heed that thou speakest not a word that may displease. But then consider well, Hugh, dost thou not know from whence thou comest--upon Whose message thou are sent? Even by the great and mighty God, Who is all-present and Who beholdeth all thy ways and Who is able to cast thy soul into hell! Therefore, take care that thou deliverest thy message faithfully." He then preached the same sermon he had preached the preceeding Sunday--and with considerably more energy.
M. Cocoris, Evangelism, A Biblical Approach, Moody, 1984, p. 126.
Now, upon further research I found that Lattimer was burned at the stake, but he was also remembered for this great quote on the day of his execution,
�We shall this day light such a candle, by God�s grace�I trust will never be put out.�
Fan into flame your gift with a spirit of power and love.
So, speaking of power, I want to share with you another story about a new missionary, Herbert Jackson. He was assigned a car that would not start without a push.
After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years. The Jackson family was later forced to relocate, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, and to Jackson's astonishment, started it right up.
For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work.
If you want the Spirit of power, fix any loose connection in the cable of prayer.
So, I want to encourage you, not just in the thanksgiving season, but always, everyday, remember what God has given you.
Sometimes we need to stop along life's road and look back (refer to journal), and see how God directed us by His faithfulness, even when it might have been winding and steep.
Now, I understand that for some of you, it�s been a short trip; you�re only a teenager. Perhaps, not a lot has happened; You haven�t gotten very far. But your life and the molding of your faith didn�t start at your birth or even nine months before. It goes all the way back to the beginning of time. We can look beyond our lives and that of our parents and see God at work
The deliverances the Lord gave (Deut. 5:15).
The way He led (Deut. 8:2)
The blessings He bestowed (Deut. 32:7-12).
The victories He won (Deut. ll:2-7).
The encouragements He has given (Josh. 23:14).
When we face difficulties, we sometimes forget God's past faithfulness. We see only the detours and the dangerous path and our own hurt. But look back and you will also see the joy of victory, the challenge of the climb, and the presence of your traveling Companion who has promised never to leave you nor forsake you.
So, my challenge to you is this.
Learn from others� past successes and failures, and seek wisdom with a humble heart.
Put your gift to use right here right now to make the body complete.
Fix any loose connection through a strong prayer life.
Always remember what God has given you, and fan it into a flame that can never be put out.
IIII II
Leftover notes:
The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.
John Emmons.
Improving one's memory is not all that difficult. Most of us simply don't expend the time or effort required. "The true art of memory," wrote an English historian, "is the art of attention." We can improve our memories by simply putting our minds to it and by following a few simple rules: 1) Remember to remember. Telling yourself that you want to remember this or that fact and concentrating on it will improve your memory immediately. We remember what we WANT to remember. 2) Sharpen your observation. Pay close attention to what you see and hear. Use images. Shut your eyes and try to SEE it. Notice details. really LOOK at things. Few people actually do. 3) Practice recall. Forgetting is most rapid soon after learning. It helps, therefore, to make a deliberate effort to repeat and review immediately. Repetition will help fix the fact or image in our minds. 4) Concentrate. Eliminate distractions. The mind is at its best when it is centered on one thing at a time. Avoid such things as fatigue, noise, and competing visual images during the time you are trying to learn.
Bits and Pieces, October, 1989, p. 8.
A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.
Thomas A Kempis.
But we also need to keep proper perspective on the road ahead. If our rearview mirror is the size of our windshield, we�re going to crash.
The Detroit News carried a humorous little story about Bill Cosby's aged mother that illustrates how useless gifts are unless they are used. She had been raised in poverty, and the family had very little money as Bill was growing up. As a result, she never had modern conveniences and had gotten accustomed to doing things the hard way. When the children were old enough to get jobs, they often gave their mother appliances as Christmas gifts to make her life easier. But she wouldn't use them. Bill especially remembered that after a while his mother had two or three toasters. But she left them in their boxes and put them on top of the refrigerator. At breakfast she would still do the toast in the oven. If the boys protested, she would say, "Leave them on the refrigerator. I'm used to doing it the old way."
Daily Bread, March 4, 1990.
remember walking to church one winter evening to preach on the words, "He will glorify me" (John 16:14), seeing the building floodlit as I turned a corner, and realizing that this was exactly the illustration my message needed. When floodlighting is well done, the floodlights are placed so that you do not see them; in fact, you are not supposed to see where the light is coming from; what you are meant to see is just the building on which the floodlights are trained. The intended effect is to make it visible when otherwise it would not be seen for the darkness, and to maximize its dignity by throwing all its details into relief so that you can see it properly. This perfectly illustrated the Spirit's new covenant role. He is, so to speak, the hidden floodlight shining on the Savior.
(author unknown)
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