Feed the Flame of Gods Gift by John Piper

would you pray with me Father in heaven I believe that in this conference you do mean to set some young men mainly man I think perhaps some women to free you mean to set them free from some longtime bondages thinking particularly now in this message about bondage to fear so deeply rooted they don't know where it came from mother perhaps maybe like Timothy or grandmother like Timothy maybe so deep they don't know why they act the way they act why they turn away from opportunity why they won't take stands why they don't make themselves clear they don't know they're enslaved they don't know they're slave master so god I believe that now and throughout this conference you mean to arrive show up in power through your word and set people free amazingly free they will date from these days liberation to come do that may there be a touching of our tongues like that dumb man you spit you touched his tongue and he spoke clearly so God come touch tongues touch hearts I asked for your help now to be faithful to this paragraph in second Timothy in Jesus name Amen let's go to 2nd Timothy chapter 1 my assignment is verses 1 through 12 so I'm going to read it with you and then we'll we'll chew on it like a dog where is second Timothy by the way I can't there it is here we go Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus 2 Timothy my beloved child grace mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord I thank God whom I serve as did my ancestors I would rather they translate that as or from my parents because I think there's a leak a link with the mother and grandmother here I thank God whom I serve as did from my parents with a clear conscience as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day as I remember your tears I long to see you that I may be filled with joy I'm reminded of your sincere faith a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now I am sure dwells in you as well for this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on in my hands for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and of love and of self-control therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord nor about me his prisoner but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God who saved us and called us to a holy calling not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began in which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle a teacher 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 Amen so I'm going to do is begin by stating the main point of the paragraph when I say main point I don't mean most important point I mean the point which everything else supports and explains if I say I'm hungry because there's a great famine it's much more important to that there's a great famine that I'm up then that I'm hungry but the famine is explaining my hunger the main point of that sentence is I'm hungry so know what I mean by main point I'm looking for that in every text what is everything arguing for even if the arguments are massively more important than the point you going to the point so here's the point in my words and then we'll unpack it the point of this paragraph is Timothy so I'm just going to be Paul here now I'm going to you're Timothy I'm Paul even if you're old you're you're Timothy I'm Paul Timothy keep feeding the flame the white-hot flame of God's gift in you namely the gift of unashamed courage in speaking about Christ and suffering for the gospel that's the main point of this paragraph I'll say it again Timothy keep on feeding the white-hot flame of God's gift in you namely unashamed courage to speak out of Christ and to suffer for the gospel that's the point of this paragraph everything else is arguing for it or explaining it so here's what we're going to do I'm going to open four parts four aspects of this passage I'm going to lay it out for you in four steps Rouen where does that point come from number two is it the point only of this paragraph or the whole book three how does Paul intend for us to feed the white-hot flame of his gift in us and fourth let's do it let's take how he did it and do it okay that's where we're going for four steps number one seeing the main point in the text you just heard me say what I think the main point is you shouldn't give a rip what I think the main point is and you should preach in such a way so that people don't give a rip what you think the main point is all that matters is if they can see it okay preach that way preach that way you people get bored because they hear you generalized generalized generalized uu you show me the text like a dog or whatever so where do I get it I get it from verses six through eight I'll read it then show you all the pieces of the of the point in the text for this reason verse six for this reason I remind you to fan the flame of the gift of God which is in you through the laying on in my hands for God has given us a spirit not a fear but of power and of love and of self-control therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God Timothy first part keep on feeding the white-hot flame that's verse 6 first part of the verse I remind you to fan the flame all I do is airing a couple of words to draw out what's here namely I'm adding the words white-hot there's hot and then there's hot you say I got a fever I'm hot I touch your forehead you're not hot put my hand in a fire that's hot you're not hot the fire is hot this is the flame here Jesus spits luke warm preachers out of his mouth there's hot and then there's hot and Jesus hates lukewarm they gag him he spits him out so I add the words white-hot just to get it hot I'm saying hot not just hot it's white hot he is Timothy stir this thing breed on this use oxygen do what you have to do to make this thing burn with white-hot hot Paul said in Romans 11 chapter 12 verse 11 do not be slothful but boil in the spirit Zann tez boil in the spirit don't fizzle boil in the spirit same idea so the second thing I do is add the words keep on keep on feeding Timothy the white-hot flame why do I say keep on because the problem here in in this paragraph is not the Timothy's having a sudden once-in-a-lifetime lo which needs a single thinning he's having a typical repeated low and unitive and the present tense of this infinitive means keep on Fanning it Timothy keep on Fanning it do whatever you have to do get up every morning and do this don't die in the ministry don't go cold in the ministry so you just had a few words white-hot keep on and you see where I'm getting the point from verse 6 so Timothy keep on feeding the white-hot flame of what the gift that is in you God's gift is in you for this reason I'm still in verse 6 for this reason I remind you to fan the flame of the gift of God God gave Timothy a gift it includes fire the ongoing existence of that fire depends on Timothy's obedience to verse 6 that's the way the gifts of God are they're not automatic if you obey verse six my gift in you will burn if you don't it won't unless you think that God is held hostage by Timothy's weakness such that he can't make his gift effective or successful in blessing Timothy's Church and reaching the lost I'll just remind you and then we'll see it in the text in a few minutes that God makes the flame of his gift dependent on the feeding of the flame the Timothy does and he makes the feeding of the flame dependent on his grace he's not held hostage by Timothy's weakness but I haven't shown you that yet so you shouldn't believe it that's just Augustin that's all that is who cares about him Timothy keep feeding the the white-hot flame of God's gift namely the unashamed courage to speak openly and to suffer for the gospel that comes from verses seven and eight let's start reading in the middle of verse six the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands for God has given us a spirit not of fear but of power love self-control therefore don't be ashamed to God's given our spirit and the Spirit is not a fear but what's the opposite of fear courage yes it's powerful courage loving courage self-control or sober minded courage but the focus here is on the courage because of what follows namely therefore don't be ashamed don't be ashamed have unashamed courage that's the gift God gave Timothy verse 8 therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner but share in the suffering for the gospel so don't be ashamed of speaking about Christ and don't be ashamed of the circumstances of others who've spoken about him and are in shameful situations like jail and be ready to suffer because you will suffer second half of verse 8 share in suffering for the gospel embrace this Timothy to walk away from this brace it walk into it God's given you a gift for this he's given you a gift of unashamed courage to speak openly and suffer well notice the last phrase of verse 8 by the power of God so when all you're feeding this flame this white-hot flame of God's gift and all you're feeding is done and your flame burns brightly and you are speaking boldly and you are suffering well know where it came from came from God God did this in you he didn't just start it way back there in the ordination service he's doing it by God's power you are suffering and thus the feeding that is Fanning that suffering sustaining flame is God's work know that Timothy you're not left to yourself here when I'm telling you to feed that flame I'm telling you to depend on power it's coming from outside you how does Timothy get the gift of this power we're still unpacking the main point we're still on point one in the outline it's read verse six again get it through the laying on of my hands this is where the gift came from through the laying on in my hands for this reason I remind you to fan the flame of the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands this is almost the same as first timothy 4:14 do not neglect the gift you have which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you so paul and the elders are laying their hands on this young man setting him apart for ministry and here's my picture of what happened and this picture is created not out of my imagination but out of pieces of the text which i think you'll hear Timothy maybe kneeling there gathered around him and they've put their hands on him and they start praying that God would come it's not automatic there's nothing this is like some kind of artificial ceremony God come come gift this man beyond anything he's known in his life so far he's a we all know Timothy's weaknesses he needs a fresh unusual gifting come to the praying and God speaks to Paul and Paul speaks over Timothy words something like this Timothy in answer to our prayers God the Almighty is going to give you a flaming unashamed courage for Christ beyond anything you have ever known and at that moment I think Timothy weeps wouldn't you the reason I think he weeps is because of verse 4 Paul says to him as I remember your tears out of the blue what that come from you read commentator after commentator after coming here they all say when they said goodbye to each other to what give me one clue in the text that that's why he cried I got Clues I mean you're young this is the most authoritative human being on the planet with his hands on you telling you God just told him you're gonna be amazingly courageous and you're gonna suffer I could you not try I mean it would just be so absolutely overwhelming so I can't prove it I can't prove that's what verse 4 is talking about but I'm sure not going to jump outside the text to say whoa I think they said goodbye one time young man against all your predilections against all your weaknesses against all your timidity you're gonna speak for me unashamedly and courageously and you will suffer now this is the point in the message where I prayed God would begin if he hasn't already do that right now for you because I'm Paul and I'm old enough to be the father of most of you and I just want this to happen real bad for you I don't have my hands on you but God does and be asking the Lord in the next minutes do it I'm enslaved I'm a chicken I'm over and over again I ripped out in what I should preach and what I should say on the plane on the bus or in the classroom so there it is that's the main point of the text Timothy keep feeding the white-hot flame of God's gift in your life namely the gift of unashamed courage to speak openly for Christ and to suffer well for the gospel that's the point of the whole paragraph unpacked and that's the first point of my outline number two is that an isolated thought of paragraph number one or is it the burden of the book now my prayer here is that as I give you a litany of 14 restatements of this point in this book god will come down I'm just going to read them bullet them and they come for me like hammer blows on a nail on a cross 1/16 onesa for us was not ashamed of my chains 2/3 share in suffering as a good shoulder of Christ to 9 I am suffering for the gospel bound with chains like a criminal to 10 I endure everything for the sake of the elect to 12 if we endure we will reign with him to 15 do your best to present yourself a worker who does not need to be ashamed 224 the Lord's servant must be patiently enduring evil 3-1 in the last days will come times of difficulty 310 you have followed my persecutions and sufferings 3:12 all who desire to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted for five as for you endure suffering for six I am already on the point of being poured out like a drink offering for seven I have fought the good fight for sixteen at my first defense nobody stood by me in the book except the Lord it's the point of the book this this is what Paul is so jealous to see happen in this young man and what I am so jealous to see happen in you this way more in the book and you will hear what six messages on this and all may it never ever let you go may 2nd Timothy never ever let you go if you are in the ministry for an easy secure esteemed untroubled comfortable safe life get out of the ministry quick and if you're single don't make a woman who wants that there are a lot of glorious young women who want to partner with you in those risks if you don't have them at your church come to my church there aren't enough men to go around for these women women are more radical more mature more or everything almost it's a hard road to follow Jesus you would follow me must take up his cross deny himself whoever would save his life will lose it whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will find it the Calvary road is a hard road just happens to be the most joyful road there is Timothy keep feeding the white-hot flame of God's gift of unashamed courage to speak openly of Christ and to suffer for the gospel how do you experience let's go to number three point number three the point number three is how Paul intends for Timothy to feed the white-hot flame of this gift how do you do it we've seen the end of verse eight as the first part of the answer by the power of God you can suffer by the power of God you're going to be unashamed by the power of God this flaming is going to burn hot by the power of God and therefore your feeding of it is by the power of God and so that the question now simply shifts over how do you get that power what would you do right now we were done and it's gave you 15 minutes to get it go get it because this text says feed it by the power so go get it do it what would you do the answer comes in linking chapter 1 verse 2 with 2 verse 1 I got to sneak in to fill RIKEN 6 I'm gonna sneak out again quick don't worry won't say too much gotta get into chapter 2 look at look at chapter 2 verse 1 you then my child be strengthened that's the power of verse 8 alright you're gonna burn and you're going to speak and you're going to suffer by the power of God verse chapter 2 verse 1 says be powerful be strengthened get that by the grace that is in Christ Jesus knows quick jump out of that text okay that's Phil's business but I'm gon back up back up to verse 2 of chapter 1 because what I want to know now is okay you're telling me that in order to feed the flame of this gift of courage I have to have the power of God and you've just told me in chapter 2 verse 1 that I'm empowered through the grace that is in Christ Jesus how do I get the grace just keep you just keep pushing me out or down or up how do I get it because you're telling me I got to have power and now you're telling me the power comes through the grace so how do I get that and verse to the key seeing it big verse 2 2 Timothy my beloved child grace mercy peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord my do we breeze over these introductions here's something I did not see what book was i working on can't you forget I didn't see it until like three or four years ago every single Epistle of the Apostle Paul all 13 of them without exception begins with some form of grace to you all of them no exceptions grace to you all of them without exception all 13 end with some form of grace be with you why why to you at the beginning of the letter and with you without exception at the end this is big here's my answer very few companies come in on this I don't know of anybody I mean I've just missed it if it's out there so it you know test all things hold fast to what is good my answer is Paul is very aware that as he begins to write or he knows they begin to read person or church as they read his oppos'd aaalac word grace is flowing to them to them grace is coming to them as they are absorbing the truths that he is saying riding their hearing and when they get to the end and he pictures the Epistle finish the church is about ready to dismiss or discuss or whatever they did after they read the the letter or the individual he says as you end my letter the grace that's been coming to you through it will go with you hold to it by faith hold to it by faith it will go with you you go back out into the world where you face all the problems been so nice here to hear the Epistle read and now you go that grace that grace will go with you so my answer to the question okay you're saying that feed the flame Timothy feed the white-hot flame of the gift of God which is unashamed courage to speak and suffer you're saying feed it by power okay where's the power you will be empowered by the grace that is in Christ Jesus okay where's the grace my word mediates the grace I'm speaking the the grace into your life my word is the grace I have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God that I might understand the things that are from God and I impart them in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Holy Spirit that's the point of verse 1 Timothy I am an apostle of Christ Jesus I am an authorized spokesman of the living raining all authoritative Christ and I didn't choose to be it I was chosen it's by the will of God and the focus of my apostolic divine inspired word is not just anything under the Sun it is life and you have that life and that life is sustained it's Fanning the flame with courage again and again and again and again as you listen to me you come back to this book again and again you and then my young pastors this is what your people need from you there's no other way to mediate grace to your people that lasts goes deep when it's done will be heard grace will be with you as you go out that's a throwaway phrase if they haven't heard the Word of God this is such a powerful summons to hear and preach the Word of God Timothy do you remember the beach of my leadeth you remember this you were there you're in the elders that were there you remember what I said don't you remember what I said I said acts 20:32 I commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is powerful to build your courage I added your courage that's all I added I'll read it without my addition just you feel the full biblical force of it I commend you to God you elders and to the word of His grace which is powerful to build you and courage is one of the things that has to be built again and again and again word grace power through word so my answer to the question how do you feed the white-hot flame of unashamed courage Timothy is that you feed it by giving heed seriously deeply meditatively contemplative ly with faith to my word which has as its central truth grace which will be the means of your power which will be the means of your courage and you will speak and suffer well last point number four okay if that's the way it happens main point keep on feeding the white-hot flame of the gift of unashamed courage to speak openly and suffer well if that how it happens then what sorts of things did Paul say in addition to how it happens to make it happen that are here and there are three and we'll we'll do them number one he said that Timothy's faith was authentic and he's speaking he says as a father loving his son your faith is authentic I'm speaking to you as my beloved child and I'm your dad I'll read that to you it's verses three through five I thank God whom I serve from my parents with a clear conscience as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day as I remember your tears how long to see you that I may be filled up with joy I'm reminded of your authentic sincere on hypocritical faith a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and and your mother Eunice and now I'm sure I'm sure dwell see you what's all that about here's my paraphrase you you prepare sermon you you know what to say I mean good night I don't ever preach on text this long ever means just horrendously difficult for me I want a verse a phrase to to chew on I mean I'm feeling like I'm just jumping from piece to piece this is not easy so I'm reading these these these verses three through five how's that fit Ian what's why is this throw away affection or is it really really part of how a young man becomes bald so here's my paraphrase Timothy I'm Paul now you're Timothy Timothy I believe with all my heart your faith is real even though oops cool maybe that wasn't on the video now it is I just build the water start over Timothy I believe with all my heart that your faith is real even though it came from your grandmother and not your dad even though it came from your mom and not your dad I want you to know my faith too my ministry is from my parents it's okay don't don't feel bad about this glory in it glory in the lineage but I know Timothy your dad wasn't there for you in in these matters he wasn't he never believed we know that I'm not making that up that's from the book of Acts he's never mentioned there physically maybe certainly not there spiritually so that this man this young man is becoming what he is as a future minister exactly the way I did well exactly his way overstated I'm resonating with this because my dad was away from home at least 3/4 of my young life I am a mama's boy and if if Jesus were a psychologist he could explain probably most of my problems from that and I'm not kidding the kinds of fears the kinds of timidity the way I relate to my wife and my expectations are all shaped by being a mama's boy so maybe I'm reading too much in maybe I've been unable to see what's really there Paul is aware that he's got a grandmother he's got a mother they shaped this boy his timidity and his difficulty with boldness may be rooted right there mine I think probably was is so he is not simply going to say my faith is coming from my parents like yours came from your mother we don't have to be second handers because of that it's real it's authentic I'm talking about your faith being authentic on you pocket us there's no hypocrisy I'm looking at you Timothy as a mama's boy and a grand mama's boy and I'm saying you're real I'm telling you you're real my beloved son verse 2 my beloved son you didn't have a dad I'm him cannot tell you how many young men come to me standing down there or whatever and take my hand with earnestness sometimes tears you're my dad that's scary I never met this kid 22 years old 25 30 my oldest son is 36 years old so if you're under 36 such a statement is not stupid it's biblical it's heavy Timothy the grace that I'm delivering to you with my words right now as I write this letter is coming from a Heavenly Father and flowing through the words of your spiritual earthly father that's what I am that's what you are and that's grace Timothy when I speak like that to you those words to you that's Grace and power and flame encourage I think that's what's going on verses three through five second there are working on three final things that Paul says to do the word that produces the grace that produces the power that produces the courage that's where we are number two Paul gives himself as a pattern of courageous suffering with confidence in God sustaining grace verses 11 and 12 I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher 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 so Timothy when you speak as a preacher or a teacher I'm an apostle you're not but two out of three when you speak as a preacher or a teacher you're going to suffer consider my life it has not been easy but I'm not ashamed and I don't want you to be ashamed he's putting himself as an example sitting in prison shameful to be in prison shameful even if you're there for good reasons it's just don't be ashamed of me as god's prisoner I'm not ashamed I'm sitting here glorying in my king the reason we don't have to be ashamed Timothy is this the one who entrusted us with this gift and gospel the trust the deposit which you'll hear about in these next messages this deposit the reason we don't have to be ashamed is because the gospel is powerful he is let's read it verse 12 I'm not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is powerful that's the same word showing up again he's powerful to guard until that day what's being deposited which means if it takes fire to fulfill my calling to be courageous in speaking and suffering he gives it he's faithful that's how I know we don't have to be ashamed or fearful about our suffering he's put this deposit this gift in us and he's jealous for the gift of the gospel he's jealous for the gift of courage he's jealous for the gift of power he's jealous for the gift of grace he's not putting these things in us to take a vacation he's gonna be there he is powerful to guard until that day what has been entrusted to us so Timothy look at me your dad sitting in jail and not ashamed you don't have to be either you never had a dad to model this for you do it right now I'm showing you what it is be a man Timothy to be a man in jail to be man shamed by everybody and not ashamed learn from me Timothy you didn't have him to learn from learn from me lastly number three you know when I started by saying I'm going to tell you the main point and it may not be the most important sentence this is the most important sentence it's not the main point and Paul's always doing this right he's always saying I'm hungry because there's a great famine they say well tell us about the famine well he does lots of times but the point is I'm hungry or fear the flame and now he's gonna he's gonna go way way back and down to put put a support under this courage that boggles your theological brain but I don't have enough time to unpack the boggling I'll just boggle you with it let's read verses 9 and 10 so the power this is the power the power of God you're going to be Fanning the flame with this power and courageous with this power and speaking with this power and and suffering with this power the power of God who saved us and called us to a holy calling not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel that's the kind of power with which you feed the flame that's the the food the Fanning that will show the grace which will produce the power which sustains the courage that enables you to speak and suffer with white-hot passion so what what does this mean what does verse as 9 and 10 mean in a few minutes listen Timothy listen very carefully the grace of God referred to in verse 1 which is the means by which you are empowered in chapter 2 verse 1 the grace of God that's coming to you through the writing of this letter the grace that makes you powerful the grace that saved you the grace that called you this grace was not given to you when you were converted it was given to you before the world was created takes your breath away creates so many problems you wouldn't believe maybe you would Timothy your name was written before the foundation of the world in the book of the life of the Lamb who was slain revelation 13:8 God set his face to make you his and to make you courageous before the stars were made this will help a mommy's boy get serious so put some steel in his spine if he starts to wimp out God Almighty set his favour on me to give me everything I needed to be saved and called and empowered and graced and made courageous and speaking and suffering before anything else was I mean Paul doesn't throw sentences like that around for nothing this is the sort of thing you're weak people need you you run away from shake them shake them they're so bored with everything shakin with the with the weight of a sentence like that now why did he say it I mean why would he stir up such a hornet's nest of controversy why does Paul talk this way he tells us why he says I want you to know with crystal clarity that your salvation your calling into a life of courage and speaking and suffering is not based on according to anything you do feel think or act now the reason I say it's erratically and rule out everything he thinks everything he feels everything he does is because of the contrast that Paul speaks in this verse the the contrast is not between not your works but your faith that's not what he says just to say he saved you and he called you not according to your works but according to your faith be a good Pauline way to talk and that's not the way he talks here he says it's not according to your works it's according to God's purpose and grace sounds like Romans nine one two thirteen sounds like Romans 11 verses five and six sounds like Ephesians 2:8 to ten the contrast is Timothy I want to strip you of every possible reliance for salvation calling power grace boldness courage shamelessness speaking I want to strip you of every expectation that those things are ultimately dependent on you in any sense at all that's a good place to stand as a mama's boy is for me when Christ died for you Timothy to become your punishment to become your perfection and then rose again and abolish death and brought everlasting life to light he manifested in that that gospel he manifested in that that his eternal purpose was to be gracious to you from all eternity what you should see in the gospel what you should see in Christ crucified covering your sins providing your righteousness triumphing over death opening eternal life what you should see in that is from this text from eternity God planned to do you good forever if you'll have it keep on feeding the white-hot flame of God's gift the unashamed courage to speak the gospel openly and to suffer for the gospel don't be afraid because I am sure that he will do for you what he's done for me Paul says and I say with him he will rescue you from every evil deed and he will bring you safely to his heavenly kingdom to him be glory for ever and ever amen let's pray so father perhaps now would be the time when the liberator comes let's just wait my clock here says I have three minutes I would like to be quiet for a little bit of that would you let's just be quiet and ask God to do what in your life needs to be done with this if grace has come to you in the Ministry of the word brothers it will go with you

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Length: 58min 27sec (3507 seconds)

Published: Fri Jul 31 2009