2 Timothy 1:1-2. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I would again remind you, as I have often done before, that the apostle Paul, when he is writing to a minister, invariably begins his epistle with the triple greeting, «Grace, mercy, and peace,» but when he is writing to a church, he commences with the double benediction, «Grace and peace.» You will find that this is his wish for the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, «Grace be unto you and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.» This is also his form of greeting to Philemon, who was a private Christian, not a minister; but when the apostle is writing to Timothy and Titus, his own sons in the faith, and his fellow-ministers of the gospel, he says, «Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.» It seems as though, guided by the Holy Spirit, he thought that the office of the Christian ministry is of so weighty and responsible a character that the man who rightly fills that honourable position not only needs the grace and peace that are necessary for all believers, but that he must in addition have a special supply of mercy; and, truly, no one needs mercy more than the preacher of mercy. Note, too, that the «grace, mercy, and peace» are to come «from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.» Father and Son are united in the gracious act of bestowing «grace, mercy, and peace.» The Father is the great eternal fountain of all these blessings, but the son is the divinely appointed channel through whom they flow down to us.
2 Timothy 1:3. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
Thank God that Paul had such a sympathetic spirit, and that Timothy's needs so continually rose before his supplicating eye, and that Paul was able to pray for Timothy, not with anxiety, not in doubtfulness, but with thankfulness. Oh, that all young Christians might be such consistent Christians that those who have brought them to Christ might always be able to pray for them with thankfulness!
2 Timothy 1:4. Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
I suppose that Timothy was very tender-hearted, and that he had been grieved because of Paul's many afflictions; and, on his part, the apostle greatly missed his dearly-beloved son in the faith. In the latter part of this Epistle, Paul writes, «Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: for Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world;» and again, «Do thy diligence to come before winter, « Looking forward to his impending martyrdom, Paul longed for the companionship of the one who was so specially dear to him.
2 Timothy 1:5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
Grace does not run in the blood, but it often runs side by side with it. The «grandmother Lois» and the «mother Eunice « had the true grace of saving faith dwelling in them, and Paul was persuaded that it dwelt in the son and grandson Timothy.
2 Timothy 1:6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance-
Paul had been speaking of his own remembrance of Timothy, and of Timothy's faith, and now he says, «Wherefore I put thee in remembrance»--
2 Timothy 1:6. That thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
The best of fires need stirring sometimes; and the best gift of God, even the sacred fire of the Holy Spirit, may sometimes burn low in the heart; so that we have need to stir up the gift of God that is within us. There are some brethren, also, who have more God-given gifts within them than they know of. They have never searched for them, so they allow them to lie hidden away unobserved and useless. We have need to stir up our gifts as well as our graces, and to use to God's glory all the powers with which he has entrusted us.
2 Timothy 1:7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
What a boon this is to all who can truly say, with Paul, «God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind!»
2 Timothy 1:8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,--
There is need to say this today, for many are becoming «ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,» that old-fashioned gospel which Paul received by direct revelation from his Lord, and for which he laid down his life. It is fashionable nowadays to put on the furbelows of modern philosophy rather than to be robed in the snow-white garment of truth. Paul says to Timothy, «Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,»--
2 Timothy 1:8-9. Nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling,
Salvation comes first, and calling afterwards; at least, so it is in the great plan of redemption. We are saved by the death of Christ before we are effectually called by his grace. The great work of our salvation was wrought for us on Calvary, and now we are made to know and to partake of that salvation by the effectual calling of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel.
2 Timothy 1:9. Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,--
What a blessed doctrine this is! Some people cannot endure even to hear or read of it, but it is full of comfort and joy for the Spirit-taught people of God. God's grace was «given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,--
2 Timothy 1:10-11. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
How Paul gloried in this triple divine appointment! He commenced this Epistle by writing, «Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God; «and here he says of the gospel, «whereunto I am appointed a preacher.» I see that some tradesmen put up a notice over their shops stating that they are so-and-so «by appointment to Her Majesty,» but Paul had the highest honour under heaven in being « appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.»
2 Timothy 1:12. For the which cause I also suffer these things:
And I expect that his eyes glanced round on the walls of his dungeon, and that he rattled the chains that bound his hands to those of the soldiers who had him in their charge.
2 Timothy 1:12-15. Nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
Probably these were leaders who ought to have acted differently, and to have stuck by the apostle; but when he was in prison, and likely to be put to death by Nero, many, who had been his former companions, forsook him, and were ashamed to own him, for which we also are ashamed of them. It is the same now, if the servant of God shall fall into the disfavour of the great ones of the earth, many will be ashamed of him. Paul mentions these who turned away from him, for their unfaithfulness evidently grieved him sorely; but he also mentions another case of quite a different sort:--
2 Timothy 1:16-17. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
He did not know exactly where the apostle was, in which prison he was confined; but he went from place to place until at last he lighted upon him, and then he was not ashamed to be seen ministering to the poor chained prisoner. We read of various corporations spending a great deal of money in buying chains of office for their mayors; but this chain, worn by the apostle in his prison-cell at Rome, was far more valuable than any of them. What an eternal honour it will be to him, and how and it is that anyone should have been ashamed of his fetters when he was so bravely suffering for Christ's sake! There was more value in those chains on Paul's wrists than in all the chains that were ever worn on the necks of the great ones of this world.
2 Timothy 1:18. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day:
He came to Paul, and talked with him and probably sang with him, and prayed with him, I have no doubt. He often refreshed the apostle in Rome; and then Paul added:--
2 Timothy 1:18. And in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
This happy Onesiphorus, was a true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved to minister to the apostle when he was in suffering and sorrow.
This exposition consisted of readings from 2 Timothy 1:1; and 2 Timothy 2:1-13.