Paul’s final letter introduced the manly enterprise of Christian pastoring uncomfortably near younger Timothy. Uncomfortably shut, because the entrance line to the soldier.
The warmth of “fanning his present into flame” made his palms sweat; was he keen to pastor at Ephesus in any case that has occurred . . . would quickly occur? Timothy didn’t want a reminder about the price of ministry; his tears had been memorial sufficient (2 Timothy 1:4). Paul, his father within the religion, wrote him as soon as extra earlier than his execution: “The time of my departure has come” (2 Timothy 4:6). Lastly, they had been placing down the lion.
Paul welcomed the price of management. He lived able to undergo for Christ in no matter metropolis the Spirit directed (Acts 20:22–23). “I’m prepared not solely to be imprisoned however even to die in Jerusalem for the title of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). As Jesus made good on his promise — “I’ll present him how a lot he should undergo for the sake of my title” (Acts 9:16) — Paul acquired his orders manfully. Right here on the finish, he writes to Timothy, “I’ve fought the great battle, I’ve completed the race, I’ve stored the religion” (2 Timothy 4:7). Triumph.
However what of Timothy? With shackles round Paul’s wrists, a blade above his neck, would he level his expensive son away from the battle? Simply as Timothy appears to flinch and takes steps again, Paul stops him: “Don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, however share in struggling for the gospel by the ability of God” (2 Timothy 1:8). Mount the horse, Timothy. Lead God’s individuals ahead — come what might.
Pastoring, my son, is a manly enterprise.
Fraught with Hazard
The context of Timothy’s ministry — the context of ours — was (and is) a crucified Messiah. Jesus promised his first preachers, “In the event that they persecuted me, they may even persecute you” (John 15:20). As Timothy enters his ministry, he associates the pastorate not a lot with microphones as with martyrdom; not merely with preaching however with persecution for that preaching. He hesitates to train his items amongst a public who crucified his Lord, stoned the prophets, and hunted the apostles, as we would hesitate to minister within the coronary heart of a Muslim nation.
Fellow shepherds, have you ever thought of the bodily menace of our calling? I, for one, by no means had till a possible hazard lingered across the flock. The gravity of what-ifs fell upon me. However what startled me most was not questioning whether or not I — father to 4 younger kids — ought to rush in if the worst got here, however realizing that I had already chosen to by changing into a pastor. I enlisted to show, preach, shepherd, and information — but in addition to undergo, defend, and die, if the Lord ought to select. As a son along with his mom, a husband along with his spouse, a father along with his kids, so a pastor along with his sheep. I’m to defend them towards all enemies international and home — non secular and bodily.
Brothers, obtain it now: “Share in struggling as a superb soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3). But like younger Timothy, we ask Paul, How? Contemplate his counsel:
I remind you to fan into flame the present of God, which is in you thru the laying on of my arms, for God gave us a spirit not of worry however of energy and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:6–7)
Sure, Nero. Sure, false academics. Sure, a church gradual to help you. Sure, youth and inexperience. Sure, persecution and probably martyrdom (2 Timothy 3:12). However I name heaven to witness my cost to you: preach the phrase, Timothy (2 Timothy 4:1–2). Or have you ever forgotten your God-given Spirit?
Spirit of the Pastor
Pastors, think about your Spirit. Interpreters debate whether or not the given “spirit” is barely new the Aristocracy in our personal spirits or consists of the Holy Spirit himself. I take it to be the latter, which forges the previous (see 2 Timothy 1:8, 14). Regardless, we all know this: the brand new spirit of a person in Christ depends totally on the Spirit of Christ in that man. Each have to be in view.
Right here is the purpose: Shepherds, keep in mind that the Spirit of God empowers you to your life’s work. Your Spirit is one in all braveness, energy, love, and self-control. Brothers, think about your Spirit.
Spirit of Braveness and Energy
God gave us a spirit not of worry however of energy . . .
Paul first reminds Timothy what Spirit he doesn’t have: one in all worry, or extra precisely, cowardice. In extrabiblical literature, the Greek phrase (deilia) “refers to 1 who flees from battle, and has a powerful pejorative sense referring to cowardice” (The ESV Research Bible). God’s Spirit doesn’t ship him fleeing as a coward however makes the person the very sculpture of braveness. And he bestows energy and makes the person greater than a person — even when, like Paul, he goes forth to die like a person.
As an example, think about the impact of God’s Spirit upon three males within the Previous Testomony — Samson, Saul, and David — and the apostles within the New.
SAMSON
Discover the Spirit’s affect on Samson. First, “the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and though he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in items as one tears a younger goat” (Judges 14:6). Subsequent, “the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went all the way down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty males of the city and took their spoil” (Judges 14:19). And larger nonetheless,
the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that had been on his arms turned as flax that has caught fireplace, and his bonds melted off his arms. And he discovered a recent jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 males. (Judges 15:14–15)
The Spirit of God rushes upon him, and he rushes upon the enemy — lions, cities, legions.
SAUL AND DAVID
Or think about the Spirit’s affect on goatish Saul. Whereas the Spirit was with him, he was “changed into one other man” (1 Samuel 10:6–7). The Spirit straightened his again and rushed upon him, and he bellowed a warfare cry to rally the twelve tribes collectively (1 Samuel 11:5–7). Saul was mighty, for a time, however which may got here from the Holy Spirit, and when Saul rejected the Lord and his phrase for worry of the individuals, the Spirit flew, because it had been, to David.
I’ve underappreciated the Spirit within the David story. Simply earlier than the legend of his giant-slaying is born, we learn, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him within the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day ahead” (1 Samuel 16:13). David is admirable in some ways, however what’s David other than God’s Spirit? With out the Spirit, his braveness is folly, his story unremembered, his songs unsung. However the Lord’s Spirit was with David: writing, worshiping, warring. And David knew what made him nice. When he too sins horribly, he pleads mercy from Saul’s destiny: “Take not your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11).
APOSTLES
On to the New Testomony. What are the apostles other than God’s Spirit? Sheep, who in their very own spirits flee from their Grasp within the backyard after which bleat timidly behind locked doorways. However these sheep turned lions at Pentecost. They obeyed their Lord: “Keep within the metropolis till you’re clothed with energy from on excessive” (Luke 24:49). When Christ baptizes along with his Spirit, tongues of fireplace fill their mouths, Peter stands to evangelise, and 1000’s are saved. Right here, a mighty Samson slays the enemies of God with the sword of the phrase — not one thousand, however three.
Spirit of Love
God gave us a spirit . . . [of] love.
When the Spirit of energy leads males, they go away behind a holy legacy. One unsought expression of that is the ability to undergo. It takes one type of braveness to journey forth to slay; it takes one other to journey forth to be slain. The ability of a lion to lie down as a lamb.
“Stephen, stuffed with grace and energy, was doing nice wonders and indicators among the many individuals” (Acts 6:8). Filled with grace, stuffed with energy, he preached mightily: “They might not face up to the knowledge and the Spirit with which he was talking” (Acts 6:10). And when that speech activates them, they grind their enamel and rush upon him. So he dies the primary Christian martyr. Notice his last prayer: “Falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, don’t maintain this sin towards them’” (Acts 7:60). The Spirit, not simply of energy to evangelise, however of affection to wish for the hearers murdering you.
This Spirit should empower the mission: “The purpose of our cost is love that points from a pure coronary heart and a superb conscience and a honest religion” (1 Timothy 1:5). A love that preaches, a love that serves, a love that’s keen to be “poured out as a drink providing upon the sacrificial providing of your religion” and “rejoices” to be so slain if it means others’ good (Philippians 2:17–18). Timothy, writes Paul, “I endure the whole lot for the sake of the elect, that in addition they might receive the salvation that’s in Christ Jesus with everlasting glory” (2 Timothy 2:10). His wounds are usually not for his salvation however theirs.
Keep in mind, brothers, we have now Christ’s Spirit to like his individuals with Christ’s love (Philippians 1:8). When confronted with imprisonment or execution, the person of God is divinely resourced to reply as John Buyan did whereas he sat in jail for preaching: “I did typically say earlier than the Lord, that if to be hanged up presently earlier than their eyes [his church’s] could be means to awake in them and make sure them within the fact, I gladly ought to consent to it” (The Pilgrim’s Progress, xxvii). No larger love exists than this: that somebody lay down his life for his buddies or his sheep. That’s the love of Jesus wrought by God’s Spirit.
Spirit of Self-Management
God gave us a spirit . . . [of] self-control.
The Spirit of God and the spirit of evil is contrasted within the story of Saul. The Spirit of God rushes away at Saul’s sin, changed by a tormenting spirit from God. It makes him rabid.
The subsequent day a dangerous spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved inside his home whereas David was enjoying the lyre, as he did daily. Saul had his spear in his hand. And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” However David evaded him twice. (1 Samuel 18:10–11)
He goes on to throw a spear at his personal son.
The Spirit of God works self-mastery in these he masters. God’s energy is aimed toward a person’s dearest lusts. And the flesh dies arduous. He bears his fruit in our lives — fruit deadly to the deeds of the physique. Younger Timothy must justify his ministry by the Spirit’s affect in his life: “Let nobody despise you to your youth, however set the believers an instance in speech, in conduct, in love, in religion, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). Samson slayed a thousand with a jawbone, David killed his ten thousand on the sector, but even each of those males fell at dwelling to lusts of the flesh.
The minister of Christ, the conqueror in Christ, the sufferer for him, can be a self-controlled man. When he hears threats close by, he won’t panic or surrender Christ or flee from his individuals. He can be collected, calm, a presence that has his wits about him when the wolves come round. Our individuals want our self-control: “Hold a detailed watch on your self and on the educating. Persist on this, for by so doing you’ll save each your self and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16).
Good Shepherds
Pastoring is a manly enterprise. Possibly delicate males slipped in in the course of the twentieth century. It won’t be so within the many years to return. Pastors put the goal on their backs. Males, manly males, should preach as a result of they assume the violent responses to their preaching that may come. Egalitarian fantasies and feminist fictions would return to the darkish chasm whence they got here if extra pastors had been dragged mid-sermon into the city sq. and flogged with 39 lashes for his or her testimony (2 Corinthians 11:24), or if we held in our arms last letters from now martyred pastors. Girls “pastors” are a luxurious of peacetime.
Pastor, it’s a arduous phrase, but when the Lord Jesus desires to make you his paper and write his sermon in your flesh, we could not bless his holy title? If, like Paul, you bear in your physique some marks of the Lord (Galatians 6:17), then “share in struggling for the gospel by the ability of God” — sure, and go away “rejoicing that [you] had been counted worthy to undergo dishonor for the title,” should you nonetheless can go away (Acts 5:41).
Flesh and blood can not abide this phrase. We shouldn’t count on it to. Pastoring isn’t merely a manly enterprise however a non secular enterprise.
Brothers, we have to keep in mind our Spirit — the Holy Spirit of braveness, of energy, of affection, and of self-control. Comply with Christ into struggling, if it involves that. Keep in mind: a superb shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. By the Spirit he has given, we can be good shepherds till the Nice Shepherd returns.
