LEGACY OF FAITH - Paul recalls in vv. 3-5, an authentic faith that lives in young Timothy and a living faith that was obvious in his mother and evident in his grandmother’s religious life. Faith is tradition that we live before our families and a spiritual quality that when we model our lives after it, becomes a legacy of faith passed on to the next generation.

LIKE MENTOR, LIKE PROTÉGÉ - Paul next challenges his protégé to "rekindle" that gift of faith within him and to unashamedly share in the suffering that such a faith may require. As Thomas Oden remarks, "The faithful must be ready to suffer if need be to bear witness to the truth . . . it is the most plausible and credible means by which he meaning of the Son’s death and resurrection is made clear."  [1]

WHO SAVED US AND CALLED US - The gift is that God is saving us in accordance with his eternal plan and purpose. The task is that this calls us into a life of holiness. When God calls, God enables that calling to be complete. God will enable the power to fulfill the calling (I Thess. 5:24). God intends to make holy those who are effectually called.[2]

connections

Picture yourself as a guard, like Timothy, given charge of protecting God’s truth. Who, or what, are the enemies you need to watch out for? What might cause a guard to fail-weariness, lack of attention, carelessness, distractions? What has God provided for you as you stand guard? What is the challenge of guarding "truth" as opposed to guarding a person or physical object? [3]

gambits

This passage recalls the discussion that has gone back and forth in the social sciences about nurture and nature as the two primary forces that shape our lives. Which one -family upbringing and socialization or genetic "maps"-truly impact us most?

In this passage Paul refers to three generations of Christians-Lois, Eunice, and Timothy. Seems Paul would affirm both nurture and nature in the spiritual development of young Timothy’s life.

Maybe this passage also could speak eloquently to the power of mentoring or role-modeling that is becoming such an important topic of discussion today.

Much, much more is going on in this text of course, than a few thoughts here can possibly cover, but as you engage the text for this Sunday, you may want to make sure that whatever you are hear in this lesson, you hear truth on behalf of your listeners. Listen to the text such that you can recover at least part of the genre and rhetorical function contained in the original writing.

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[1] Thomas Oden, Interpretation Series: 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (John Knox Press, 1989), p. 128.
[2] Ibid, page 129.
[3] Adapted from The Spiritual Formation Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), page 1574.