提摩太后书［第一章］
Book of 2 Timothy 1
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提摩太后书［第一章］|Book of 2 Timothy 1【忠心持守、活出真道】
30/05/2024
使徒保罗在主后62年上诉凯撒成功，从罗马监被释放后重返亚细亚、马其顿。坐船经过克里特岛时把提多留在那里设立长老；之后又把提摩太留在以弗所处理教会内部的假师傅和设立领袖团队。最后，回到马其顿，在主后63-64年冬天之前，写了提摩太前书。
主后64年7月，一场大火席卷罗马全城。民间谣传是尼禄皇帝下令纵的火，但却嫁祸给基督徒。许多k基督徒在死前受尽凌辱。他们被逼披上兽皮上斗兽场，惨遭恶犬撕裂、被钉在十字架、或被人活活烧死。学者认为，使徒保罗很可能在第四次宣教旅程后，在这段迫害时期再次被捕入狱。并在被囚即将殉道之前写了提摩太后书。写完了这封信的几个月后，使徒保罗就被砍头了。所以，虽然被归纳在教牧书信里，但信中的内容更像是保罗给提摩太的属灵遗嘱。鼓励提摩太，纵使他不在了，仍然要保持忠心、活出神所托付的真道。
一、身份的认定（v1-2）
保罗的书信中，每逢提及他的使徒身份时，总是带着坚定的语调说明自己是奉神旨意，被神差遣的。因为他看重这身份是神对他生命的拣选，是一个荣耀的呼召。
神从80多亿人中呼召你出来成为祂的儿女，你珍惜这荣耀又宝贵的拣选吗？如果我们认定这身份是基督耶稣连生命都献上，倾倒一切为我们换回来的，我相信我们每一天的生活就不会草率和随意的度过。
二、信仰的传承（v3-5）
v5无伪之信说的是真实不虚假、不装做的信心。这里指的是对耶稣的信心。
提摩太的父亲是希腊人，母亲是犹太人。保罗说提摩太生命里那真实不虚假的信心，在他那信主的外婆罗以和母亲友尼基的生命里也看得到。可见得她们两人给提摩太信仰的传承不止透过教导真理，更是活出真理，以身教来影响提摩太。
弟兄姐妹，我们身旁的人看得出我们是基督徒吗？你将信仰传承给孩子了吗？
三、忠于神托付（v6-10）
1.挑旺神的恩赐（v6-7）
面对以弗所教会的内忧外患，再加上作为属灵父亲的保罗被抓，关在监狱里，试想年轻的提摩太怎么会不胆怯、惧怕、信心动摇呢？保罗很理解提摩太的心情，因此鼓励他，神所赐的不是胆怯的心，乃是刚强、仁爱、谨守的心。且要将神给他的恩赐再如火挑旺起来。
挑旺的原文由再次、生命、燃点3个词组成。
恩赐是神给我们服事的本钱。当我们看到被服事的人得着突破，信心便会越来越大，原本枯干、胆怯的生命，便会再次被点燃的。
2.不以福音为耻（v8-10）
使徒保罗鼓励提摩太不要以为耶稣作见证感到羞耻。也不要因为他为了传福音被关在监牢里而感到羞耻。保罗因知道他所受的苦是为了成就神的旨意，所以没有感到羞愧。
现实生活中很多基督徒因为怕同辈压力、怕被拒绝，所以不敢传福音。有些连提自己是基督徒都不敢。
今天，这个世界需要福音！这世界需要看见神的能力和拯救。 如果我们活得与世人没有两样，以福音为耻，那这世界就没有盼望了。神儿女要去传福音彰显神的能力，为世界带来安慰与盼望。
四、至死都跟随（v11-18）
1.知道所信是谁（v11-14）
V12b保罗告诉提摩太，他能心甘情愿地为主受苦，是因为他“知道”自己“所信的是谁”。所以能毫无保留的把自己交付基督，直到在永恒里与主面对面的那日。
弟兄姐妹，你知道自己所信的是谁吗？你把什么交给了神呢？是我们的计划？我们所爱的人？甚至我们自己的生命？
如果我们知道所信的是谁，并深信耶稣必会保全我们所交付的一切。我们就能像使徒保罗那样毫不疑惑的信到底，就是连死都不怕！当我们连死都不怕时，仇敌的计谋在我们的生命里起不了作用。
2.忠心跟随到底（v15-18）
徒19记载，当时以弗所许多行邪术的人信了主后把他们行邪术的书都拿出来焚烧。烧掉的书共五万块钱。但是，这一度福音非常旺盛的地方，此刻却面对非常大的逼迫。只要有人公然自认是基督徒，就有被捕及折磨至死的危险。因此很多以前与保罗同工的人，怕被连累而与他保持距离，离弃他。
但是，V16偏偏就有一个叫阿尼色弗的人，惟独他长途跋涉，从以弗所到罗马，冒着生命的危险，到处殷勤的寻找保罗，几经周折终于找到了。
弟兄姐妹之间要建立真关系。在患难中彼此扶持，同心同行的与牧者同工，忠心的跟随主到底。
总结：活出信仰
今天，提摩太后书也是圣灵给我们这些被神拣选的儿女的遗嘱。求圣灵帮助我们：
•认定自己被神所呼召的身份，好好的来认识真理，装备自己。
•知道自己所信的是谁。带着圣灵所赐的恩赐和能力，活出不以福音为耻的信仰
•持守真道、忠心跟随主到底。
1 Timothy Chapter 7: Observe Faithfully, Living the Truth
GK611 Morning Devotion
30 May 2024
The Morning Devotion Speaker: Ps Deborah Tan
Background: In the midst of turmoil and persecution
The apostle Paul successfully appealed to Caesar in the 62nd year of the Lord’s reign, and returned to Asia and Macedonia after his release from the Roman prison. He left Titus in Crete to set up elders, and then left Timothy in Ephesus to deal with false teachers in the church and to set up a team of leaders. Finally, returned to Macedonia and wrote 1 Timothy before the winter of AD 63-64.
In July, AC 64, a fire swept through the city of Rome. Popular rumor had it that the Emperor Nero had ordered the fire, but it was blamed on the Christians. Many Christians were humiliated before they died. They were forced to wear animal skins to the Colosseum, were torn apart by vicious dogs, crucified, or burned alive. Scholars believe that the Apostle Paul was probably arrested and imprisoned again during this period of persecution after his fourth missionary journey. And wrote 2 Timothy just before his imprisonment and imminent martyrdom. A few months after writing this letter, the Apostle Paul was beheaded. So, although ummarized in the Pastoral Epistles, the letter reads more like a spiritual testament from Paul to Timothy. Encouraging Timothy, even though he was gone, to remain faithful and live out the truth that God had entrusted to him.
1. Acknowledgement of identity (v1-2)
Whenever Paul's epistles mention his apostleship, he always states with a firm tone that he was sent by God at God's will. For he valued this identity as God's choice for his life, a glorious calling.
God has called you out of more than 8 billion people to be His children. Do you value this glorious and precious election? If we recognise that this identity is something that Christ Jesus gave even His life for and poured out everything to get back for us, I believe that we will not spend every day of our lives haphazardly and casually.
2. The passing on of faith (v3-5)
v5 Faith without falsehood speaks of faith that is true and not false, not pretending. Here it refers to faith in Jesus.
Timothy's father was a Greek and his mother a Jew. Paul says that the true and unfalse faith in Timothy's life was also seen in the lives of his believing grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice. It is evident that both of them passed on Timothy's faith not only by teaching the truth, but also by living out the truth and influencing Timothy by example.
Brothers and sisters, can those around us recognise that we are Christians? Have you passed on your faith to your children?
3. Faithful towards God's entrusment (v6-10)
(1) Stir up God's gifts (v6-7)
In the face of the internal and external troubles of the church in Ephesus, coupled with the fact that Paul, who was a spiritual father, was arrested and imprisoned, imagine how the young Timothy could not be timid, fearful, and have his faith shaken? Paul understood Timothy’s feelings and encouraged him that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. And to stir up again as a fire the gift that God had given him.
The word “stir up again” consists of three words: again, life, and kindle.
Gifts are God’s principal for our ministry. When we see breakthroughs in the people we serve, our faith will grow, and our lives, which were dry and timid, will be rekindled.
(2) Not to be ashamed of the gospel (v8-10)
The apostle Paul encourages Timothy not to be ashamed of witnessing for Jesus. Nor should he be ashamed that he was imprisoned for preaching the gospel. Paul was not ashamed because he knew that what he was suffering was for the fulfillment of God's will.
Many Christians in real life are afraid to preach the gospel for fear of peer pressure and rejection. Some are afraid to even mention that they are Christians.
Today, this world needs the gospel! This world needs to see the power and salvation of God. If we live no differently from the world and are ashamed of the gospel, then there is no hope for the world. Children of God need to go and preach the gospel to show God's power and bring comfort and hope to the world.
4. Follow to the end (v11-18)
(1) Knowing in whom you believe (v11-14)
V12b Paul tells Timothy that he was able to suffer willingly for the Lord because he “knew” in whom he “believed”. He was able to commit himself unreservedly to Christ until the day when he would come face to face with the Lord in eternity.
Brothers and sisters, do you know in whom you believe? What have you given to God? Is it our plans? Our loved ones? Or even our own lives?
If we know who we believe in and are confident that Jesus will keep what we have delivered. Then we can believe to the end without doubt, as the Apostle Paul did, that is, without fearing even death! When we are not afraid to die, the schemes of the enemy will not work in our lives.
(2) Faithfully following to the end (v15-18)
Acts 19 records that many of the racticing magicians in Ephesus at that time took all their books of magical arts and burned them after they believed in the Lord. The books burned totalled fifty thousand dollars. But this place where the gospel once flourished was facing very great persecution at the moment. Anyone who openly identified himself as a Christian was in danger of being arrested and tortured to death. Therefore, many of the former co-workers of Paul distanced themselves from him and forsook him for fear of being implicated.
However, V16 there was a man named Onesiphorus, who alone travelled a long distance from Ephesus to Rome, risking his life, and searching diligently for Paul, and finally found him after many difficulties.
Brothers and sisters are to establish true relationships with one another. Support each other in times of trouble, work with the pastor with one heart and one mind, and follow the Lord faithfully to the end.
Conclusion: Live out your faith
Today, 2 Timothy is also the Holy Spirit's testament to us, God's chosen children. Ask the Holy Spirit to help us:
- Identify who we are called by God, come to know the truth well, and equip ourselves. - Know in whom you believe. Live out a faith that is not ashamed of the gospel with the gifts and power given by the Holy Spirit! - Hold to the truth and faithfully follow the Lord to the end.
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