Passing on the Good Deposit

This morning we celebrated the baptism of Tiffany and Richard’s son Connor, next Sunday we will celebrate the baptism of Ben and Liz Menhart’s son Ezra and in four weeks we will celebrate the baptism of John and Amber Warren’s daughter Adalyn. We have a lot to celebrate as a congregation! This is why I was excited to see that in God’s providence he has ordered things in such a way that we have before us our passage in 2 Timothy chapter one.

Second Timothy, like First Timothy is concerned with guarding the church from unsound doctrine and unsound behavior, but in this second letter Paul adds the emphasis of passing on the “good deposit” of sound doctrine and practice to the next generation. The calling of an apostle, a pastor and a parent have much in common. All three calling have a “flock” to oversee and care for. For the apostle it is the whole church of Christ. For the pastor it is one or more local congregations. For a parent is it a single household. In addition, all three callings include the task of passing on the Christian faith to those under their care. Every father, mother, grandfather and grandmother is a “pastor” to their family. This is why we saw earlier in our study of 1 Timothy the requirement for elders and deacons to “manage their households well.” If a person is unfaithful to their calling in the home, they will be unfaithful in their calling in the church.

As an example to Timothy of faithfulness to their call, Paul uses the example of Timothy’s mother and grandmother. Let turn our attention to this portion of Scripture.

2 Timothy 1:3–14 ESV

I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, 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 am 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 of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 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, 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, for which 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. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

In this passage we find three imperatives that Paul gives to Timothy that lead to fruitful ministry in both the home and the church. The first of these is found in verse 6.

Fan Into Flames Your Gifts and Calling

Verse six is a reference to Timothy’s ordination to the office of Teaching Elder. What an honor to have been ordained to office through the laying on of hands by the apostle Paul. Perhaps those of you here today who are parents and grandparents might think your calling to the ministry of parent or grandparent is less honorable and less important than the office of elder or deacon. If this is what your are thinking your are greatly mistaken. Your calling and ordination are like that of an apostle, for like an apostle you were ordained into your ministry by the hand of God. Paul reminds us that the apostolic office is give directly by God, without human ordination in his letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 1:1 ESV

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

To all parents and grandparents I want to say to you that you have received a very high and holy calling. Notice how Paul attributes Timothy’s sincere faith to his mother and grandmother.

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV

I am 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.

Also notice that Paul says nothing about Timothy’s father. This is because from Acts 16, we learn that Timothy’s father was an unbelieving Greek who was so hostile to the faith that he did not allow his son to be circumcised. This teaches us three things:

First, although it is God’s plan for the home to be lead by both a believing father and mother, God can still bless the faithfulness of one parent.

Second, reminds us of the importance of godly grandparents. Grandparents have a unique relationship to their grandchildren that parents to not. It is sad that in our culture grandparents squander that relationship by “spoiling” their grandchildren rather sanctifying their grandchildren in godliness and faith.

Third, while circumcision in the Old Covenant and baptism in the New Covenant are means of grace that we should not be neglected, in and of themselves these sacraments will not save or damn a child. The clear emphasis is on the faithful teaching of parents and grandparents. This is why Paul commands Timothy, who acts like a father to the Ephesian church to “fan into flames his gift and calling.”

Why do we let the flames of our gift and calling grow cold? Verse 7 tells us—fear, timidity and cowardice!

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Why were some people being filled with a spirit of fear, timidity and cowardice? Because they where ashamed of the gospel and the suffering that faithfulness to the gospel leads to. Paul continues:

2 Timothy 1:8 ESV

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,

So we see that the second key to passing on the good deposit of the gospel to those under our care is this:

Do Not Be Ashamed of the Gospel

In the eyes of the world, the message of the gospel appears as foolishness.

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

In choosing to not make Christian instruction a priority in the life of their child, parents thinks they are making just another choice. For example: Shall Johnny play Little League or not? Shall Susie take dance lessons or piano lessons? What they don’t realize is this: God is not just another choice, he is God and demands he be first in all of our choices! When asked what is the most important commandment to rule our lives by, Jesus gave this answer:

Mark 12:29–30 ESV

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

Let me illustrate this another way: Most parents would not dream of defying the authority of the state by withholding academic education from their children. These same parents think it a small thing to defy the authority of God by withholding spiritual education from their children! Clearly by their actions they reveal that they see the authority and power of God as less than the state. They see the promises of an academic education as more sure than the promises of a Christian education. They see the riches and rewards of this present world greater than the riches and rewards of the next world. In short they are ashamed of the gospel!

Latter in the book of 2 Timothy we will meet a man by the name of Demas. Demas was one of those who abandoned and betrayed Paul. This is what Paul says of Demas.

2 Timothy 4:10 ESV

For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

The cure to not being ashamed of the gospel is to remember the gospel’s power. In verses 7-8, Paul twice reminds us of the power of the gospel:

2 Timothy 1:7–8 ESV

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 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,

This of course bring to mind one of Paul’s most famous statements found in the letter to the Romans.

Romans 1:16 ESV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Just like an explosive, the gospel is most powerful in its pure form. This leads us to the third imperative Paul gives Timothy:

Follow the Pattern of Sound Doctrine

Let us read this command once again.

2 Timothy 1:13 ESV

Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

The last several weeks we have been learning much about sound doctrine and unsound doctrine in Paul’s first letter to Timothy. We have learned that unsound doctrine finds its source in the teachings of demons.

1 Timothy 4:1 ESV

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

Sound doctrine finds its source in the teachings of God himself as revealed in Scripture. In chapter three, Paul once again urges Timothy to follow the example of his mother and grandmother.

2 Timothy 3:14–17 ESV

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. One of the great “Solas” of Reformation was “Sola Scriptura”. Many have misunderstood or purposefully distorted the teaching of the Reformers in regards to Scripture. They did not mean that a private individual could take their bible and interpret it any which way the want. They all insisted that Scripture be interpreted according to the “pattern of sound doctrine” as taught by Paul and the other apostles.

This phrase “pattern of sound doctrine,” in verse 13, implies there is an interpretive standard by which we understand Scripture. This standard is what Timothy “heard from (Paul)”. Paul himself insisted that his teaching came directly from Christ himself.

Galatians 1:11–12 ESV

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Jesus and his teaching as taught by the apostles, is the interpretive standard by which we are to read Scripture and judge doctrine. Drawing from Galatians 6:16, the early church called this standard the Rule of Faith. Where the Reformers differed from their opponents is this: They insisted that this Rule of Faith is found in its totality in the pages of the New Testament. We don’t have to rely on an undocumented oral tradition, supposedly passed on by apostolic succession. In fact, what is documented is that this supposed “oral tradition” changes from generation to generation. Whatever oral tradition is, it is most certainly is not “the faith once delivered to the saints”!

What does this mean in practical terms for a parent? It means that they don’t just read the bible to their children, but they interpret the bible for their child—they teach their child the doctrine of the church. Where is this doctrine found? In the bible of course, but in a more convenient form in the Creeds and Confessions of the church. Scripture interprets scripture, especially the New Covenant Scripture interpreting the Old Covenant Scripture. The Creeds and Confessions are where the church has placed scripture alongside scripture in an organized “pattern” so we can better understand the bible.

The following picture illustrates the role of Creeds and Confessions in “guarding the good deposit”.

The creeds and confessions serve as guard rails, preventing us from falling off the “deep end.” In the Presbyterian church we uses the Westminister Shorter Catechism to guide us in our instruction of children. To all parents and grandparents here, I urge you to obtain a copy and study it so you can make sure you are a sound teacher of the Word of God for your child or grandchild.

Conclusion:

Let’s review what we have learned today: Parents and grandparents have a calling like apostles and pastors to preach the gospel to the flock under their care. To do this effectively they must first Fan into Flames Their Gifts and Calling. They do this by reminding themselves that they need not be Ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation. Convinced of the power of the gospel, parents use the Word of God as interpreted according to the “pattern of sound doctrine” preserved in the pages of the New Testament and organized in the Confessions and Creeds of the church.

This is a daunting task, but remember, you don’t do it alone. As we saw at Connor’s baptism the whole church of God stands with us, but more importantly God stands with us. Let us pray for ourselves and especially the parents and grandparents who are here today that they may know “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe.” Let us pray...

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