Do you know the apostle Paul? He was the man God used to write many of the books in the New Testament. He was also the one who started many of the churches that we read about in the New Testament. But the apostle Paul did not work alone. God gave him friends who helped and worked with him. “Labourers together with God,” Paul liked to call them. And one of these friends was a young man named Timothy. Timothy actually wrote some of the Bible books along with Paul! (Here’s a challenge: Go and read the first verse in every Bible book that the apostle Paul wrote, and see how many of them Timothy helped him write! How many can you count?).

How did Timothy become the apostle Paul’s friend and work together with him in the gospel? One big reason is that Timothy had a very special childhood.

When Timothy was still a young man, he became a Christian. He had saving faith (Paul was convinced of this; you can read about it in 2 Timothy 1:5). We know that whenever someone is saved, they are only saved because God sovereignly chooses to save them. But we also know that when God saves people, He often uses other people who speak and teach the gospel to them. And this is why Timothy had a very special childhood. He had three treasures: he had a Christian family, he had a Christian church, and he had Christian preaching. Now you may scratch your head and think, “That’s not so special because that’s exactly what I have.” But I assure you, it is special. And if you have what Timothy had as a child then you too have a treasure that God has given to you. Let’s look at these three gifts more closely.

Timothy had a Christian family⤒🔗

His grandmother and mother believed. God likes to work in families and it often happens that when a mother or a father believes, then many or all of their children will become believers, too. This doesn’t happen automatically Timothy wasn’t saved simply because his grandmother and mother were Christians. He had to put his faith himself in Jesus Christ to be saved. But a believing grandmother and mother meant that Timothy grew up at home, being taught about God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. And he would have been taught about his sin, and how God planned and brought about salvation for sinners just like him. Do you have this at home? Many children do not, and they grow up never hearing about the Lord Jesus Christ. If you do in your home, it’s a great gift from God. You should thank God for your special home.

Timothy had a Christian church←⤒🔗

When Paul first met Timothy, it was because the churches near where Timothy lived spoke well about Timothy to Paul (you can read this in Acts 16:1-5). They let Paul know that Timothy would be a good young man to work along­side him. It means they must have been watching out for young Timothy and caring for him, and teach­ing him also what his grandmother and mother were already teaching him at home. Do you have a church like this? A church that cares for you and teaches you from God’s Word? Being able to grow up in a church that loves God’s Word is a great treasure and also a gift from God.

Timothy had Christian preaching←⤒🔗

We know that he did, because Timothy heard the apostle Paul preach sermons. And we know from reading Paul’s letters just what these sermons would have sounded like. They would have been sermons that told Timothy that he was a sinner who fell short of the glory of God. But also that told him about how God has revealed a way for our sins to be forgiven and righteousness gained. And that this was all available through faith in Jesus Christ, for all who believe. What wonderful words Timothy would have heard! These words are the best words because these words bring life — new spiritual life now, and then after, eternal life. And they bring life because they direct us to the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you hear words like that from your minister? Do you hear sermons preached that tell you things like that? Then you too know how you can receive eternal life!

How wonderful God was to Timothy by giving him these three special gifts. And how wonderful God is to us, too!