MENTORING WITH FATHERLY LOVE – 2 Timothy; various portions
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on June 17, 2018 under 2018 |
Bethany Bible Church Father’s Day Sunday Message; June 17, 2018 from 2 Timothy; various portions
Theme: Paul’s relationship with Timothy gives us an example of how to mentor a growing fellow believer with ‘fatherly love’.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
In honor of Father’s Day this morning, I’d like to ask us to spend some time talking about one of the most famous ‘father and son’ relationships in the Bible. And as it turns out, it was between two men who were not even related to each other.
The apostle Paul deeply loved his younger ministry associate Timothy. The evidence seems to be that Paul led Timothy to faith in Jesus. Timothy eventually became a close partner with Paul in his ministry—so much so that Paul often began some of his letters in the New Testament as if he and Timothy were co-authors.
As you read through the New Testament, you will find that often Paul expressed a ‘father-like’ affection for him. He called him “a true son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2) and “a beloved son” (2 Timothy 1:2). In writing to him, Paul addressed him as “son Timothy” (1 Timothy 1:18) and “my son” (2 Timothy 2:1). And this wasn’t just when he spoke to Timothy directly. When writing to the Corinthians, Paul described Timothy to them as “my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:17). Paul considered Timothy to be so trusted a ‘son’ in the faith that he was confident Timothy would serve other people just like his spiritual ‘father in the faith.’
Now; 2 Timothy was written shortly before Paul was executed for the faith. It’s there that we find Paul’s final words to his beloved son in the faith Timothy. And in it, he seeks to ‘firm-down’—in fatherly love—much of the ‘spiritual mentoring’ that he had poured into Timothy’s life.
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Paul was Timothy’s spiritual mentor. We all need mentors in the faith. I can point to men who served in very significant ways as spiritual mentors in my walk with Jesus. Perhaps you can point to such mentors in your life too. They may not even necessarily have be men. I believe that an older woman can be the spiritual mentor to a younger woman in a way that—if you’ll allow me to say so—can be quite ‘fatherly’.
These two letters from Paul—and much of what we find in the rest of the New Testament—testify to a great deal of personal time that Paul spent with Timothy; building into his life and mentoring him in his relationship of love and service to Jesus. And now, looking at Paul’s final words to Timothy, I invite us to ask what principles of ‘fatherly’ spiritual mentoring do we find in what he seeks to ‘firm down’ in him. Are there examples he sets for us that show us how we should seek to mentor another believer in fatherly love?
In reading through this second letter, I find that seven principles of mentoring stand out. When it comes to a younger believer that God places in our lives, we should be diligent to …
1. PRAY FOR THEM WITH GENUINE AFFECTION.
That’s the very first thing we find—the very first thing that Paul told Timothy. In 1:3-5, he wrote,
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. (2 Timothy 1:3-5).
Helping someone grow in their faith in Jesus and in their service to Him is not a thing we can do in our own human power. In fact, to be honest, only the Holy Spirit can help someone grow as Jesus’ follower and servant as they should. And so, one of the greatest things we can do for someone who is growing in the faith is to pray for them constantly.
I suggest that, if God is leading you to develop a mentoring relationship with someone in the faith, you begin by praying daily for them.
But we should do more than talk to God about their growing faith. We should also talk directly to them about it. A second principle we find is that we should …
2. ENCOURAGE THEM TO PERSEVERE FOR CHRIST.
After telling Timothy that he was praying for him, Paul went on—in verses 6-7—to tell him,
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (1:6-7).
Timothy was serving as a pastor at the time. And perhaps he was becoming frightened about the challenges of such a ministry. Paul, after all, was writing from prison—and was facing execution for his proclamation of the gospel. Paul needed to encourage Timothy not to give into fear; but to trust in the enabling work of Christ in him to keep on going. In verse 8, he wrote,
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God … (v. 8).
One of the ways that we can encourage a younger brother or sister in the faith is by exhorting them to stand strong in Christ and be willing to suffer hardship for following Jesus in a hostile world. In 2:4; Paul told him,
You, therefore, must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2:4);
and then went on to give him some illustrations of such enduring. He wrote,
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops (vv. 5-6).
A soldier isn’t distracted from his duty by the ordinary concerns of life. An athlete exercises careful self-discipline in order to compete. A farmer expects results and waits patiently for the produce. That’s how a good servant of Christ is to endure. And so; Paul told Timothy in verse 7;
Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things (v. 7).
Dear brothers and sisters; we do great good to a younger believer that we’re mentoring when we speak words of encouragement to them during times when the pressure is on—and exhort them to ‘endure’ for Jesus’ sake.
Another thing we can do—and I happen to believe it’s something very necessary and very valuable—is to …
3. KEEP THEM IN GOD’S WORD.
There’s no doubt that throughout his relationship with him, Paul taught Timothy to keep himself in the Scriptures. I’m pretty sure that when Timothy thought about Paul, he almost immediately thought about the word of God. The two went together. In 1:13-14, he told Timothy to hang on tight to what he gained from Paul through the word of God;
Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us (1:13-14).
That “good thing” was the message of the gospel of Jesus—as taught clearly in the Scriptures. Paul wanted Timothy to be so devoted to the Scriptures that he—like Paul—was often associated with it. He wanted him to make the Scriptures central to his ministry. He told Timothy in 2:15;
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2:15).
I love what Paul told him in 3:10-15. He wrote;
But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (3:10-15).
And just to make the value of the Scriptures absolutely clear to Timothy, he went on to say,
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (3:16-17).
A good father feeds his kids well. We do immeasurable good to another brother or sister in Christ when we teach them to feed regularly upon the word of God!
Another thing we should do for a younger brother or sister is to …
4. SET FOR THEM AN EXAMPLE OF FAITHFULNESS.
A good father doesn’t just tell his kids what to do. He also shows them. He lives consistently with what he teaches. Paul did that for Timothy. He didn’t just urge Timothy to endure. He endured right in front of Timothy. He spoke of the things he suffered for the gospel—including his imprisonment—and told him in 1:12;
For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day (1:12).
He entrusted his life to Jesus and was willing to lay it down for His sake—knowing that Jesus would keep his life for him unto eternity. And it wasn’t just for himself that he did this. He also endured hardship so that others may obtain that eternal life. He told Timothy in 2:8-10;
Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (2:8-10).
I believe that some of the most stirring words in the Bible are found in 4:6-8. They tell Timothy what Paul felt at the end of a life of serving Jesus and suffering for His cause. And what an example these great words set—not only for Timothy but for all of Jesus’ followers throughout the centuries! He wrote,
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (4:6-8).
We do great good for another fellow follower of Jesus when we not only tell them what to do, but also set the example for them to follow.
Now; a good father also tells his kids not only what to do, but also what to avoid. And that’s another thing Paul did for Timothy. His example shows us that we serve a mentee well when we …
5. URGE THEM TO KEEP THEMSELVES HOLY.
Paul warned Timothy in 2:16;
But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness (2:16).
How long has it been since you’ve heard a warning like that? ‘Stay away from discussions and debates about non-essentials and nonsense talk! It not only distracts you from the important matters, but it also leads to the harm of your soul!’ We really need a warning like that today. He also urged Timothy;
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2:22).
In our day, Christians are a little afraid of telling other brothers and sisters to stay away from sexual sin or from immoral content. But we need to say that more! And then Paul mentioned something that—quite frankly—is much needed by us today who live in an age of ‘social media’. In verses 23-26, he wrote;
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. (vv. 23-26).
We do a great deal of harm when we join in with others in this world into needless arguments and debates. As a holy people, we need to stay away from such things. We even need to stay away from certain people. Paul told Timothy in 3:1-5;
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (3:1-5).
The personal holiness of that follower of Jesus that we are seeking to mentor is a very precious thing. We serve them well when we teach them what to avoid in order to protect their usefulness to the Lord Jesus.
And speaking of that usefulness, Paul also demonstrated that we serve a younger believer well when we …
6. PUT THEM TO WORK FOR THE LORD.
Paul told Timothy—in very, very strong terms—to get to work in his ministry. He wrote in 4:1-5;
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (4:1-5).
A younger follower of Jesus may not know yet how to do everything just right. But that’s okay. The kingdom of Jesus Christ will not somehow be undone by a growing believer’s mistakes. It’s how he or she learns; and God can use us to coach them along. But that’s what a good father does for his kids. He lets them learn by doing.
And that leads us to a final lesson Paul demonstrates to us. We serve a growing brother or sister well when we …
7. TELL THEM TO PASS ON WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
Paul had spent a great deal of time pouring his life into Timothy’s. But it wasn’t meant just for Timothy. He wanted his young mentee to now become someone else’s mentor. He told him in 2:1-2;
You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that ou have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2:1-2).
I can say from personal experience that, when it comes to the faith, you learn more in a short time of pouring your life into someone else’s than you could ever learn for years on your own.
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You know; if someone has demonstrated such fatherly mentoring toward us personally, we should be very thankful. Today—Father’s Day—is a very good day to express that thanks. It’s a wonderful gift from God—a gift of eternal value—especially if we have faithfully followed through on what they passed on to us. A godly father-like mentor is not only a wonderful thing to have—but also a wonderful thing to be!
You don’t have to be a literal ‘father’ to someone to show them such fatherly love. Perhaps now, He wants you to demonstrate that same kind of ‘fatherly’ care toward another growing believer. Pray and ask God to show you if this is the case; and follow Paul’s example of fatherly mentoring toward them. Or perhaps you feel a little neglected in such mentoring. Why not pray and ask God to give you such a father-like mentor?
Timothy could certainly testify to what a blessing it is.
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