Text: 2 Timothy 1:3-10
SN: 0083 06/22/2025
There’s something magical about a good campfire. The flickering flames and smell of woodsmoke make for a wonderful evening of sharing stories, eating s'mores, and enjoying fellowship. But what happens if you stop putting wood on the fire, or it starts to rain? The fire that was once a roaring blaze can be reduced to a bed of smoldering coals and even go out completely. But it's also amazing how you can sometimes take a fire that seems to be completely burned out and get it to restart. As you slowly add fuel and air to the fire, the fire that had guttered out and almost died roars back into flame.
This is the picture that Paul wants us to have in mind with the words of encouragement he shared with his dear friend Timothy. Paul had known Timothy for a long time. He had met Timothy as a young man on his Second Missionary journey when he went to Lystra and Derbe. Timothy had an excellent reputation, and Paul decided to take him along on his journey. Over the next few years, Paul trained Timothy as a pastor and at times sent him to various churches on Paul’s behalf. Timothy was a good and faithful student, and Paul viewed him as a son.
Word had now reached Timothy that Paul had once again been imprisoned in Rome and was facing the threat of execution. Paul knew that this turn of events had discouraged Timothy in his faith and ministry. Paul did not want the fear and shame caused by the news of his imprisonment to cause Timothy to stumble in his faith. Instead, Paul wanted Timothy to remember the power of the Gospel, which had created that faith within him. He wanted Timothy to fan into flame the fire of his faith by remembering the faith taught to him by his mother and grandmother. Paul encouraged Timothy to remember that God had not given him a timid spirit, but a spirit of power. Paul wanted to fan the fire of Timothy’s faith and remind him of the power and certainty of God’s word. For this reason, I am reminding you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a timid spirit, but a spirit of power and love and sound judgment. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, join with me in suffering for the gospel while relying on the power of God.
There may be times in our lives when we find ourselves feeling like Timothy. We may become discouraged and filled with fear. Our faith is like a campfire that has burned down to embers and may even be close to going out. This can happen for a number of reasons. Perhaps we have allowed a certain favorite sin to take hold in our lives. We let anger or rage, or lust dominate our lives. We let a loose tongue spread gossip and lies about others. We may always be filled with discontent and constantly complain that nothing ever seems to go our way. We know that these sins are wrong, but we love the feeling of false joy when we commit those sins. But sin is harmful to our faith. If we continue finding joy in those sins, the fire of our faith may eventually be snuffed out.
Perhaps the fuel for our fire is being consumed by worry, doubt, and fear. The relentless attacks of the world against our faith can be a constant struggle. We feel drained and exhausted knowing that each day we have to face a world that is hostile to our faith. The constant barrage of mockery can leave us feeling drained and depressed. This is what Satan wants. He wants the fire of our faith to grow low, to begin to flicker and fade. He wants us to neglect adding fuel to our fire by reading and studying God’s Word and refreshing ourselves with the sacraments. He wants us to put other priorities before going with others in worship, so he can isolate us and attack us. Satan wants nothing more than to snuff out the fire of our faith.
That is why Paul reminded Timothy and us to fan into flame the gift of God. Think of the times you have gotten a fire going. What have you done? You blow on the embers to get them to glow hot again. The Holy Spirit blows on the embers of our faith through the Word of God. When we are tempted by sin, we can turn to the Word of God to be strengthened in our faith. When we are filled with guilt and shame for the sins that we have committed, we can read and hear the sweet words of the Gospel. We remember the glorious truth that God loved us so much that he sent his one and only perfect Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for our sins. By his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus has paid the debt our sins deserved and removed our guilt and shame.
When we are troubled by the assaults of the world or are plagued with doubts, the Holy Spirit works through the power of the Word to fan our faith into flame. We are reminded that our faith is not based on made-up stories, but on the very Word of God. We are assured that even though it seems at times that we are facing overwhelming odds; our enemies have already been defeated. On the cross, Jesus destroyed the power of the devil, and by his glorious resurrection from the dead, he removed the sting of death. Our victory is assured, and we know that when we die, we simply fall asleep and wake in the glorious joy of our Savior’s presence. This is the certainty of the faith that has been handed down to us, which Paul reminds Timothy of: He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, and it has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
The power of the Gospel is the flame that burns within us. Just like fire gives light and life in the cold and dark. The fire of the Gospel gives light and life to a world that is lost in the darkness of sin. Christ has given each of us a mission to share that fire with others. When we hear the word “mission,” we can be tempted to think of something that is far away. Mission work is something that is done by the church in a faraway land. And that is certainly true, and it is certainly good and right for us to support those efforts by our offerings, but we also need to remember that we have a mission field right in front of us.
Paul praises Timothy’s mother and grandmother because they shared their faith with Timothy. They taught and instructed him in the Word of God and shared the fire of their faith with him. God has called each of us to different roles in our lives. In each of those roles, we have opportunities to share the fire of our faith with others. If we have been called to be parents, then we can teach our children the Word of God. We can model for them what a Christian life looks like. We can do this as grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Many of us have members of our family who do not know the peace and joy of forgiveness that is found in Christ alone, so we ask God to give us a spirit of boldness to proclaim the message of the Gospel.
Our Synod is emphasizing every member outreach as a reminder that we have all been called to serve in the mission field. Think of the demon-possessed man from our Gospel lesson, whom Jesus told to go to his hometown and tell his friends and neighbors what God had done for him. We know the impact that Christ has had in our lives. We know the joy of forgiveness and the relief of being freed from our burdens of guilt and shame. Outreach doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be as easy as inviting your neighbor over for a beer or talking to your friend about what you learned at church.
I think one of the biggest obstacles we face in sharing our faith with others is a spirit of timidity. It is hard to share our faith with someone else. I encourage you to find opportunities to have a conversation with your friends, family, or neighbors. Share with them your story, and more importantly, listen to their stories. Help them know the peace and joy that you have found in your savior. Maybe at some point this summer, you’ll have a chance to be sitting around a fire talking about life, and maybe you’ll be able to use your faith to fan into flame the fire of someone else’s faith. Amen.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.