2 Timothy 1:1-12

The Olympic Torch was first introduced into our Modern Olympics at the 1928 Amsterdam Games. Since then, the flame has come to symbolize “the light of spirit, knowledge, and life.” The Torch Relay also began in the Ancient Olympics and was revived at the 1936 Berlin Games

Paul is telling Timothy, keep feeding the flame of God’s gift in you, the unashamed courage to speak the gospel and suffer for Christ!  Keep feeding the white hot flame of God’s gift in you Christian!  This is gained from verses 6-8.  Let’s pick apart verse 7.

God gave Timothy a gift, if Timothy is obedient to verse 6, his gift will light a fire for Christ.   Let’s unpack verse 7.

The Flame is Courageous “for God gave us a spirit not of fear…”

v.8 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.”

Speak openly of the greatness and glory of Christ, how?  By His power!

The opposite of fear is courage.  Unashamed courage.  Look at verse 12. “which is why I suffer as I do.  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.”

Acts 4:13 shares the courage of Peter and John when God used them to heal the lame man. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”   Timothy was maybe timid, maybe a momma’s boy.  His dad was not influential in his faith, his mother and grandmother were. 

Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

The Flame is Commanding “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power…”

Everything about you will be directed by the power of Christ, the Holy Spirit is Commanding us toward a mighty movement to make disciples.  This power is the same supernatural power we see in Acts 1:8.

In Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Romans 8:11 “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

The Flame is Compassionate “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love…”

You love others when the power of God causes you to love the unlovable!  You love crackheads, because God causes you to love crackheads!

1 John 3:14 “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.”

The Flame Gives Birth to Commitment “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

How do you fan your flame for Christ?

A fire needs three items to burn- oxygen, fuel, and heat.  So what is needed for us to burn for Christ?

The answer is found at the end of verses 8 “…by the power of God.”

Every letter by Paul, all 13, begins with some form of the saying, “grace be with you.”  What is grace?  It is a gift that we do not deserve that Christ has given us.  Rest in grace!  Run toward grace!  Recline in grace! Grace- God’s riches at Christ expense!

By faith you will fan the white hot flame of Christ!  You will be so on fire that others will come to watch you burn for Christ, either in joy or in suffering!

“Light yourself on fire with passion and people will come from miles to watch you burn.” ― John Wesley