Latest revision as of 15:24, 28 May 2025

Theological Proposition/Focus: Our legacy is defined by how we invest in the lives of others, particularly in discipling the next generation to know and follow Christ, who empowers us for this crucial task.

Christ Focus: Jesus is the ultimate disciple-maker, exemplifying the importance of teaching and nurturing the next generation of believers. In Scriptures, He invests deeply in the lives of His disciples, setting a model for us to follow in our own discipleship efforts.

Homiletical Proposition/Application: Discipleship is an essential part of the Christian life, not just a suggestion. Believers should actively engage in discipling others, recognizing that their influence on children and younger generations can bear lasting fruit for God's Kingdom.

Introduction

Image: Promotion Sunday

Today we are also celebrating Promotion Sunday, as many of our children will move into a new Sunday school class.

So here is my question: Is it worth it? Is it worth all the work?

Need: We need to invest well in those God has entrusted to our care.

Subject: We must consider our role in the spiritual development of the next generation.

Preview: Today we will look at legacy, investment, and duty.

Text: 2 Timothy 1:3-5; 2 Timothy 1:13-14; 2 Timothy 4:1-2, read with each main point.

Setting the Stage:

Today we are going to look at the book of 2 Timothy. Usually, I pick a chunk of Scripture and look at it all together but also in isolation. I think that is the best practice most of the time, but on occasion, we miss the forest through the weeds. So today, instead, I want to take a broad look at the book of 2 Timothy.

Paul wrote 2 Timothy from a Roman dungeon around A.D. 67 to encourage Timothy in his ministry, emphasizing faithfulness amid hardship. The letter aims to encourage Timothy in his ministry amidst challenges. It is structured around themes of endurance, doctrinal soundness, and personal appeals.

Paul emphasizes the qualities necessary for effective ministry, such as courage and a willingness to suffer, and he uses various metaphors—teacher, soldier, athlete, and farmer—to illustrate the traits needed for effective service. He warns Timothy against false teachings and encourages him to remain steadfast in the truth of the gospel. Paul reflects on his own experiences, highlighting his sufferings and the strength he received from the Lord, which enabled him to proclaim the gospel even in difficult circumstances. He urges Timothy to continue in the teachings he has received, particularly the Scriptures, which are described as God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.

In the latter part of the letter, Paul makes personal requests, expressing a desire for Timothy to visit him soon. He mentions the desertion of some friends and warns Timothy about Alexander, who opposed him. Paul concludes with a benediction, wishing grace and strength for Timothy and the church, emphasizing the importance of God's support in facing trials. Overall, the letter serves as a heartfelt encouragement for Timothy to remain faithful and diligent in his ministry, drawing strength from both his mentor's example and the Scriptures.

Today I want to dig into this theme by carefully exploring three short passages that contribute to the overall feel of the book.

Body

Legacy — Every one of us can have an eternal legacy (1:3-5).

Paul fondly remembers Timothy's sincere faith and the role of his mother and grandmother in instilling this faith, showcasing the profound impact of investing spiritually in the younger generation. There is a familial aspect of discipleship, but that relationship is not bound only by blood. As we live life in our church, we need to consider the rich legacy left when we nurture faith within our homes and communities.

Having an eternal legacy will demand an ongoing prayer life.

Paul begins by telling Timothy that he thanks God for him. This is no surprise, as it was a standard way of greeting people. Paul goes on to draw an explicit connection to his heritage. If we are careful in our reading, then I think what we see is that Timothy matters to Paul in an incredibly significant way. Paul sees Timothy as his heir.

Paul's emphasis on his heritage tells us that when he considers Timothy, it brings about for him his own heritage. What we see right here is that Paul is connecting his work with Timothy to something huge: his eternal legacy.

I am reminded here of something very important: You can have a legacy. Let me address some painful realities here. Some of you do not have physical descendants, and some may never have physical descendants. Some of you are in a situation where your physical descendants have broken ties with God or maybe even with you. I know the pain of having no physical descendants; I get it. But that does not mean you cannot have a legacy. In fact, you can have something truly incredible—an eternal legacy. This is where Paul found himself. Traditionally, we know of no physical descendants that Paul had. Historians are mixed on whether Paul was ever even married. What we do know is that Paul was one of the most influential individuals in the history of our planet!

So, what is the key step to having an eternal legacy? I am convinced that prayer plays an incredibly important role. In verse 3, Paul reminds Timothy that he spent time praying for him. The use of the phrase "night and day" further reminds us that this was no minor prayer life. Paul had an ongoing prayer life and did not hesitate to bring Timothy into his prayers.

Step 1 to having an eternal legacy: develop your prayer life.

Having an eternal legacy will demand deep relationships with some who are not yet your peers.

Timothy was not the same age as Paul, probably lacked the pedigree of Paul, and had a Greek father, as described in Acts 16:1. If you were to take a guess as to who would make friends at a party, Paul and Timothy would not be your pick. Timothy was hardly Paul's peer.

Yet I want you to look closely at verse 4. Everything Paul says is intended to convey a deep emotional intimacy between Timothy and Paul. We don't know exactly what event Paul is referring to, but we know that it was emotionally hard for Timothy and that Paul had a deep longing to reconnect with him, going so far as to say it would fill him with joy. These are not high school friends meeting at a reunion or even war buddies. Timothy is not, from outward appearances, in the same social class as Paul; he is not Paul's peer. But that doesn't seem to matter. Paul has something far grander in mind, and earthly classes have nothing to do with it.

The reality is I don't know how old Timothy was or exactly what happened, but when I read the text, what I imagine is that as a young boy, Paul came to visit the church where Timothy's mom attended and Paul paid attention to this young boy. Over time, Paul began to train Timothy, and eventually, Timothy became Pastor Timothy.

Consider this: Paul's decision to work with someone who was not his peer resulted in the development of someone who would become more than just a ministry partner for Paul, but a true friend. People often talk about ministry being lonely, but I am going to come out and say that ministry does not have to be lonely. You can have an eternal legacy by investing in those who are not your peers!

Having an eternal legacy can be genetic but can also transcend genetics.

Finally, in verse 5, Paul addresses Timothy's training. Paul states that Timothy's faith started with his grandmother and mother. Here we have what I call the perfect picture of a legacy of faith. We have a mix of genetic legacy together with non-genetic legacy. Paul has entered into this family, and by working together with mom and grandma, Paul has been able to pour into this man and develop Pastor Timothy.

You can and should invest in your genetic offspring; it matters. You can and should invest in others; it matters. Who is ultimately responsible for discipling? The family or the church? The answer is that we are all responsible, and the church functions best when families work in unison with others in the church to build an eternal legacy.

MTR: Consider the question, "Am I building an eternal legacy?"

Investment — Every one of us represents the investment of someone else (1:13-14).

In verses 13 and 14, Paul makes a strong exhortation for Timothy to guard the good deposit entrusted to him with the help of the Holy Spirit. It is a call to keep the legacy of faith alive through steadfastness and reliance on God's Spirit to guide and sustain our efforts in discipling others.

We must not forget that which has been passed down to us.

Back in verse 6, Paul had called on Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God. Now here in verse 13, Paul reminds Timothy how to do that: by keeping the pattern of sound teaching. Timothy was not an apostle; you are not an apostle; and I am not an apostle. However, we do have the apostolic message, that which has been passed down first through oral tradition and then very early through the writing of the New Testament. This apostolic message is to be the foundation of what we do and what we teach.

When I mentored PhD students, my call on them was to go on and do bigger and greater things. My call on my students was to take what they had learned from me and to move on. This is very different. Paul does not tell Timothy to add to the body of knowledge or change with the culture. No, Paul tells Timothy to take what he had learned from Paul and to keep doing it, to keep following it, to keep it.

Timothy was to ensure that at all times the purity of the Gospel was preserved.

We here today represent a chain of nearly 2000 years of Gospel preservation.

Image: Church History

From Pentecost onward, the Gospel has been preserved by God's providence through faithful believers, despite persecution, doctrinal confusion, and institutional failure. Nevertheless, the Gospel was preserved.

1. The Early Church (ca. 30-313 AD)

• Pentecost (Acts 2): The Church is born with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The apostles preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and thousands are converted.

• Apostolic Era: The apostles spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire. The New Testament begins to be written.

• Persecution: Christians face persecution from Jewish leaders and later from Roman authorities, but the Gospel spreads rapidly.

• Church Structure Emerges: Elders (presbyters), bishops, and deacons take on leadership roles in local churches.

2. The Imperial Church (313-500 AD)

• Constantine & Legalization (313 AD): The Edict of Milan legalizes Christianity. Eventually, Christianity becomes the favored religion of the Roman Empire.

• Councils & Creeds: Key doctrines are affirmed (e.g., the Trinity and the deity of Christ) at councils like Nicaea (325) and Chalcedon (451).

• Canon of Scripture: The books of the New Testament are gradually recognized and affirmed as inspired Scripture.

3. The Medieval Church (500-1500 AD)

• Fall of Rome (476): The Church becomes a stabilizing force in the chaos of the early Middle Ages.

• Missionary Activity: The Gospel spreads to the Germanic tribes, Anglo-Saxons, and Slavs.

• Rise of Papal Power: The bishop of Rome gains increasing authority. The Church becomes highly institutionalized and political.

• Corruption and Decline: Doctrinal errors (e.g., indulgences, veneration of relics) and moral corruption increase, obscuring the clarity of the Gospel in many places.

• Faithful Witnesses: Despite darkness, individuals like Augustine, Bernard of Clairvaux, and later John Wycliffe and Jan Hus seek to reform and clarify biblical truth.

4. The Reformation (1517-1648)

• Martin Luther (1517): Posts 95 Theses, challenging corruption and calling for a return to biblical teaching—justification by faith alone, Scripture alone as the authority.

• Other Reformers: Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, and others lead reform movements across Europe.

• Translation of Scripture: The Bible is translated into vernacular languages (German, English, French), making it accessible to ordinary people.

• Confessions & Creeds: Doctrinal summaries like the Augsburg Confession and Westminster Confession articulate Reformed theology.

• Persecution: Protestants are persecuted by both the Roman Catholic Church and often by the state, but the Gospel continues to spread.

5. Post-Reformation to Modern Day (1648-present)

• Puritan Movement: Emphasizes personal piety, sound doctrine, and biblical worship.

• Great Awakenings (18th-19th centuries): Powerful revivals in Britain and America renew Gospel preaching and missions.

• Global Missions: Men like William Carey and Hudson Taylor take the Gospel worldwide. The church grows rapidly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

• Modern Denominations: The Protestant world diversifies into many denominations—some remain faithful to Scripture, others drift into liberalism.

• Evangelical Resurgence (20th-21st centuries): Renewed focus on biblical authority, evangelism, and discipleship among many Protestants.

We must not forget that ultimate truth rests in Christ.

One of the most significant events in history was the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a key moment in recovering the clarity of the Gospel—salvation by grace through faith in Christ, grounded in Scripture. Despite widespread corruption within the Church, dedicated men were able to bring the Church back from that corruption, and the Gospel continues to be preached, believed, and lived out by millions today. How is this possible? Because ultimate truth rests in Christ. The reformers did something significant; they went to Scripture to uncover the truth. We must not forget that no matter what we have been told, the truth comes from Scripture.

Paul reminds Timothy in the second half of verse 13 that as he keeps the pattern of sound teaching, he must at all times fall back to faith and love in Christ Jesus. What Paul is saying here, I think, is that our pursuit of truth is not just an academic exercise or an exercise in power or control. Our pursuit of truth, our pursuit of the pattern of sound teaching, is rooted in our faith and love of Jesus.

As I read history, something that strikes me about the reformers is that they recognized the quest for power that so many were exercising and sought something other than power: Jesus. As we move forward entrusted with that which has been passed down to us, we must remember that it is not the tradition that is of value; it is the Savior that is of value!

We must not forget that others have poured themselves into each of us.

I want you to take a minute and think about someone who has invested heavily in you. Take a minute and remember that investment. In verse 14, Paul calls on Timothy to "guard the good deposit." Throughout the history of the church, one thing that has been a constant problem is the risk of distortion, dilution, deletion, and addition. We must constantly be ready to guard the truth that others have invested in us.

But we are not alone in this. Here is a really cool reality: We are to guard the truth along with the help of the Holy Spirit. This certainly involves prayer and time spent listening for the Spirit's leading, but I also think this brings up a really important reality: the "gut check" is a real thing that we should employ when we are looking at our beliefs. What I mean by that is if something sounds wrong or feels wrong, we should carefully evaluate it with the help of the Holy Spirit because it might just be wrong. Ultimately, we should test everything against Scripture.

But back to the earlier point: Others have invested highly in us, and we should make sure to guard that investment against corruption. Something to think about as you go through life: ask yourself, "Would they be proud of me?"

MTR: Ask yourself, "Would they be proud of me?"

Duty — Every one of us can honor that investment by sharing the truth (4:1-2).

Paul's charge to Timothy to preach the word, be prepared in season and out of season, correct, rebuke, and encourage is a strong charge. Here, discipleship is portrayed as an active, ongoing pursuit. We need to be proactive in both teaching and living out the Gospel and understand our role in shaping the spiritual trajectory of those around us, particularly the younger generation.

Life should be lived against the backdrop of Christ's appearing and kingdom.

In verses 1 and 2 of chapter 4, Paul issues a charge, but his charge begins by presenting Timothy with the gravity of the situation. Paul starts this with a statement of solemnity: in the presence of God and Christ Jesus. He then goes on to give the backdrop. There is a day coming when Christ will judge, appear, and establish His kingdom.

Regardless of what happens in life, we need to have an eternal perspective, and looming on that eternal perspective are two complementary realities associated with the parousia, or appearing, of Christ. First, Christ is the just judge who will one day judge the living and the dead. This is supposed to evoke feelings of urgency. As we walk through the world, we should see people as those who are unaware of the judgment coming and then have a strong desire to tell them the truth of the Gospel.

The second perspective we need to take is the kingdom perspective. As we walk through life, we must realize that this is only a glimpse of what awaits us, and so we should live in light of that!

What Paul has constructed is a motivational reason for the charge because on the negative side judgment is coming, and on the positive side, eternal blessings are coming.

We each can and should preach the word.

So, what is the charge? To preach the word. Paul makes "the word (λόγος)" the object of the command. It is an interesting choice. Paul does not say preach the Gospel, he does not say preach the truth, and he doesn't say preach Christ. Paul says preach the word. Why? Because I think Paul is including all of those things—Gospel, truth, Christ—in his metaphor. What Paul is saying by using the phrase preach the word is that the message Paul has passed onto Timothy—the message of salvation, the Gospel, truth, and Christ—can all be poetically captured as the Word.

Think about it this way: Paul has just given Timothy all sorts of directions, and now he says, "Do it!" I don't need to tell you again what "it" is; I just told you. Now it is time to start doing: Preach the word. This command given to Timothy is just as applicable to each person here today. Preach the word.

A proper response to the investment of others is to just do it.

Paul calls on Timothy to preach the word whether in season or out of season. What I think Paul is doing here is telling Timothy that whether or not people are ready to hear the word doesn't really matter; Timothy's job is to preach the word.

What might this look like? Well, it could involve correcting, maybe even rebuking, and some encouragement. The command was to preach the word.

And oh yeah, Timothy, you are going to need some patience if you are to do this, and one final note: Be careful with the job. You are not to take it lightly, but you are to just do it.

Image: Investment

Growing up, one of the most influential people in my life was a man named Paul. Paul was a helicopter mechanic, but that was only a small part of his life; it was just his full-time job. Where Paul really invested his time was in myself and my brothers. We were just kids, but Paul invested. Every Sunday, Paul spent the afternoon playing football with us in the park. On Wednesdays, Paul would make a point of helping with the kids' programs. Whenever Paul did anything fun—going to the mountains or anything like that—he always invited us along, and every chance he got, Paul told us about his walk with Jesus.

The number of kids who put God in their rearview mirror after high school is staggering, but Paul has a pretty good track record and inspired many people to remain faithful. I don't know the answer to questions like, "What if Paul had not been in your life?" My parents were also very faithful, but what I do know is that Paul had a profound effect on my life, all because he chose to invest in me, a 10-year-old boy who was part of the church he attended.

MTR: Ask yourself, "Am I honoring the investment?"

Parent & Child Dedication Service

Senior Pastor

This morning, we are all invited to take part in a meaningful moment in the life of our church—a Parent & Child Dedication. This is a special time when Christian parents publicly commit to raising their child according to the teachings of Scripture, relying on the grace of God and the support of their church family. Unlike baptism and communion—ordinances commanded by Jesus—this dedication is not a requirement but a voluntary act of accountability and commitment. It does not imply that the child is saved or entering into church membership. Instead, it reflects the conviction that parents and the church together have the responsibility to share the Gospel with the child and to pray that one day they will accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. At this time, I’d like to invite our Children’s Ministry Director, Myra Boden, to come and share with us.

Children’s Ministry Director (Myra Boden)

Life began in creation and continues through the gift of procreation. For all of us, life begins with that sacred moment of conception. Psalm 127:3 tells us, “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him.” And in Mark 10:14–15, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Because children are a gift from God, we recognize that their lives ultimately belong to Him. This dedication serves several purposes.
First, it acknowledges that children are a gift from the Lord and that parents are stewards of their child’s life. It is a moment for parents to pledge—before God and this congregation—to model Christ in the home, to teach the Word of God, to pray for their child, and to guide them toward a personal relationship with Jesus. Second, as a church, we affirm our responsibility to walk alongside these families—encouraging, equipping, and supporting them as they disciple their children. Ultimately, this is a celebration of life, a call to faithful parenting, and a recognition of our shared responsibility to nurture the next generation in the love and truth of Christ. Today, let us make a solemn promise—as parents and as a church—that, relying on the grace of God and working together as home and church, we will provide instruction, discipline, and support in the hope that these children will come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Let us also pray for God’s blessing on these families, His wisdom for the parents, and His guidance for those who will teach and disciple these young hearts.

Presentation of Families & Gifts

([Families are called forward and presented to the congregation. Gifts are given.])

Senior Pastor

Today, I am asking you—parents and church family—to make a commitment before God:
To bring up these children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Let us reflect on the instruction of Deuteronomy 6:5–7: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

To the Parents:

• Do you promise, in dependence upon God’s grace and in partnership with this church, to teach your child the truths of the Christian faith?
“We do.”
• Do you promise to set a Christian example for your child in word and conduct?
“We do.”
• Do you promise to bring your child up in the instruction and discipline of the Lord?
“We do.”
• Do you promise to encourage your child to accept Christ as their personal Savior when they are ready, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
“We do.”

To the Church:

• Do you, as members of Southview Baptist Church, promise to join these parents in the teaching and training of their children?
“We do.”
• Do you promise to proclaim the Gospel faithfully to these children as they grow?
“We do.”
• Do you promise to lovingly hold these parents accountable to the commitments they make today?
“We do.”

Then today, we dedicate these children to the Lord, asking that He would give us the grace and strength to be faithful to our commitments.

Prayer of Dedication

(Pastor or designated leader prays a prayer of blessing and dedication over the families.)