PASSING YOUR SPIRITUAL TORCH

(2 TIMOTHY 1: 1-5)

 

THIS EPISTLE IS THE MOST TOUCHING AND PERSONAL OF ALL PAUL’S WRITINGS. IT IS HIS FINAL LETTER AND HAS, THEREFORE, BEEN CALLED HIS LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT. IN THIS BOOK, PAUL PASSES HIS SPIRITUAL TORCH TO A NEW GENERATION OF BELIEVERS, ESPECIALLY TO YOUNG TIMOTHY, WHO IS THE LEADER OF THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS.

 

PAUL WROTE THIS LETTER IN A.D. 66 OR 67, DURING HIS SECOND IMPRISONMENT IN ROME. DURING THIS TIME, THE ROMAN EMPEROR NERO BLAMED CHRISTIANS FOR THE BURNING OF ROME AND MADE CHRISTIANITY AN ILLEGAL RELIGION. SOMETIME AFTER THAT, PAUL WAS LATER EXECUTED.

 

QUESTIONS:

​

• WHO IN MY LIFE AM I INVESTING IN?

• WHAT RESPONSIBILITES CAN I START ENTRUSTING TO YOUNGER MEMBERS?

• WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS I CAN TAKE TO ENSURE MY KNOWLEDGE AND FAITH ARE PASSED ON?

• WHAT ARE MY SPIRITUAL GOALS AND HOW CAN I SHARE THEM WITH THE NEXT GENERATION?

 

IN THE FIRST FIVE VERSES OF THIS LAST EPISTLE, PAUL REVEALS FOUR PRINCIPLES REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVELY PASSING YOUR SPIRITUAL TORCH.

​

• PASS IT WITH PURPOSE (2 TIMOTHY 1: 1).

 

PAUL BEGINS THIS LETTER: PAUL, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST. THOUGH LIFE SEEMS SO UNFAIR AT THIS POINT, PAUL HAS NO MISGIVINGS ABOUT GOD’S PURPOSE FOR HIS LIFE. THEREFORE, HE REMINDS HIS READERS HE IS AN APOSTLE, WHICH MEANS, “ONE SENT FORTH WITH A MESSAGE.” THE MODERN EQUIVALENT IS THE WORD “MISSIONARY.” PAUL WAS NOT ONE OF THE ORIGINAL TWELVE DISCIPLES, BUT HE WAS PERSONALLY CALLED AND COMMISSIONED BY THE LORD. AS WITH EACH OF US, GOD HAD A SPECIAL PURPOSE FOR PAUL’S LIFE.

ACTS 9: 15

 

PAUL WAS AN APOSTLE NOT BECAUSE HE SOUGHT THE POSITION BUT BY THE WILL OF GOD.

 

QUESTION:

DO YOU KNOW GOD’S PURPOSE AND WILL FOR YOU?

SUFFERING IS NOT AN INDICATION WE ARE OUT OF GOD’S WILL BECAUSE DOING GOD’S WILL USUALLY REQUIRES SACRIFICE AND SUFFERING.

HEBREWS 11: 25

 

WHEN PASSING YOUR SPIRITUAL TORCH, REMIND YOUR SUCCESSORS THAT CHRISTIANS HAVE THE MOST IMPORTANT PURPOSE IN THE WORLD BECAUSE THE GOSPEL IS THE PROMISE OF LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST.

• PASS IT WITH PARENTAL AFFECTION (2 TIMOTHY 1: 2).

 

PAUL PROBABLY FIRST MET TIMOTHY WHEN HE AND BARNABAS VISITED LYSTRA ON THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY (ACTS 14: 8-21). ON THE SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY, PAUL AGAIN MEETS TIMOTHY AND IS SO IMPRESSED WITH HIM THAT HE GETS TIMOTHY TO ACCOMPANY HIM AND SILAS ON THEIR JOURNEY (ACTS 16: 2-3).

 

TIMOTHY’S FATHER WAS NOT A BELIEVER, SO PAUL BECAME TIMOTHY’S SPIRITUAL FATHER. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF GOD’S SPECIAL WAY OF FILLING THE VOIDS IN OUR LIVES.

“ONE BLESSING OF BEING A CHRISTIAN IS BELONGING TO A SPIRITUAL FAMILY WITH SPIRITUAL PARENTS, BROTHERS, AND SISTERS.

MARK 3: 31-35

WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE A SPIRITUAL FAMILY, WITH SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN THE FAITH TO WHOM WE WILL ONE DAY PASS OUR SPIRITUAL TORCHES.

THEREFORE, PASS YOUR SPIRITUAL TORCH WITH PURPOSE, AND PARENTAL AFFECTION.

• PASS IT WITH PRAYER (2 TIMOTHY 1: 2,3).

 

PAUL IS EXPRESSING HIS GENUINE DESIRE FOR GOD’S BEST IN TIMOTHY’S LIFE. GRACE IS THE REQUEST FOR SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH, LIKE GOD GAVE PAUL TO ENDURE HIS THORN IN HIS FLESH (2 CORINTHIANS 12: 7-9). MERCY IS A REQUEST FOR KIND ACTS BEYOND WHAT IS EXPECTED OR DESERVED. GOD’S PEACE REFERS TO INNER TRANQUILITY THAT ONLY COMES FROM EXPERIENCING GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY.

JOHN 17: 13-17

 

AS JESUS AND PAUL PRAYED FOR THOSE WHO WOULD FOLLOW THEM, WE ALL NEED PEOPLE FOR WHOM WE PRAY AND TO WHOM WE WILL ONE DAY PASS OUR SPIRITUAL TORCHES.

 

QUESTION:

ARE YOU PRAYING TO PASS ON YOUR SPIRITUAL TORCH?

PASS YOUR SPIRITUAL TORCH WITH PURPOSE, PARENTAL AFFECTION, AND PRAYER.

• PASS IT WITH PRAISE (2 TIMOTHY 1: 4-5).

                                                                                                             

THERE IS NO GREATER PRAISE THAN LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THEIR PRESENCE BRINGS JOY TO OUR LIVES. HOWEVER, AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE A COMMON RELATIONSHIP THAT DOES FILL US WITH JOY.

PSALM 16: 11

 

IN OUR LIVES, THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE FOR WHOM WE WEEP WHEN WE HAVE TO PART FROM THEM. PAUL’S LIFE IS AN EXAMPLE THAT THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM WE HAVE THE STRONGEST BONDS ARE THOSE WE HAVE HELPED FIND AND PREPARE FOR GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THEIR LIVES.

 

THE BEST WAY TO HELP SOMEONE DEVELOP AN UNFEIGNED, OR AUTHENTIC, FAITH AND PREPARE THEM TO CARRY THE TORCH IS PRAISING THEM REGULARLY. THE EVIL ONE USES DISCOURAGEMENT, WHICH IS OFTEN THE RESULT OF A LACK OF PRAISE, TO LEAD MANY BELIEVERS INTO TEMPTATION.

 

CLOSING

A MAJOR PART OF HAVING A FAITHFUL FINISH IS PREPARING OTHERS TO ACCEPT YOUR SPIRITUAL TORCH. PASS YOUR TORCH WITH PURPOSE, PARENTAL AFFECTION, PRAYER AND PRAISE.