A Faith That Is Built On Heritage | Pastor Corbin Kill | Sunday, May 31st, 2026

May 31, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: A Family Bible Can’t Love the Lord For You

The weight of a leather-bound heirloom Bible feels sacred, but its pages cannot substitute personal faith. Three generations of Timothy’s family modeled authentic belief, yet each had to choose surrender. Heritage creates fertile soil for faith to grow, but roots only deepen through individual encounters with God. Like Timothy, we honor legacy best by cultivating our own connection to the One who wrote its story. [40:12]

“I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”
(2 Timothy 1:5, KJV)

Reflection: What traditions or routines in your spiritual life risk becoming hollow if disconnected from your personal relationship with Christ? How might you “make faith your own” this week?

Day 2: Dusty Violins and Dormant Gifts

A neglected instrument still holds potential for music, but silence settles when strings go untuned. So it is with the Holy Ghost’s fire within us—banked coals remain, yet ash accumulates through disuse. Paul’s charge to “stir up the gift” invites us to reclaim the vibrant faith we once knew, not by starting over, but by tending what God already planted. [01:04:08]

“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”
(2 Timothy 1:6, KJV)

Reflection: What practical step could you take today to “rosin the bow” of your spiritual life—prayer, Scripture, or intentional worship?

Day 3: Poking Coals in a Cold Hearth

A fading fire still glows beneath gray ash. Paul’s command to “fan the flame” assumes the Holy Ghost’s presence still smolders within, even when weariness muffles its heat. Stirring requires honesty about what’s dampened our passion—routine, shame, or distraction—and courage to invite fresh wind from the Spirit. Revival begins not with new kindling, but with disrupting the dust. [57:55]

“Stir up the gift of God which is in thee…For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
(2 Timothy 1:6-7, KJV)

Reflection: What “ash” (habits, distractions, or compromises) might be smothering your spiritual fire? How can you invite the Spirit to breathe anew?

Day 4: Uniforms Changed in the Airport

Soldiers hid medals to avoid scorn—a cautionary tale for believers tempted to mute their faith outside church walls. Timothy’s mentors proved belief isn’t a Sunday costume but a daily uniform. Heritage worth inheriting isn’t measured by pews filled, but by courage shown when faith costs something. [01:09:19]

“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.”
(2 Timothy 1:8, KJV)

Reflection: Where do you feel most tempted to “change clothes” spiritually? What one action this week could visibly demonstrate your faith beyond Sunday?

Day 5: “I Know Whom—Not Just What”

Theology books describe God; relationship introduces Him. Paul’s certainty amid chains—“I know whom I have believed”—came not from memorizing doctrines, but from walking with the Person behind them. Heritage points to Christ, but only pressing into His presence makes Him more than a family legend. [01:16:50]

“I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
(2 Timothy 1:12, KJV)

Reflection: When did you last experience Christ as a living Person rather than a historical figure? How might you prioritize relational connection over religious routine today?

Sermon Summary

Paul opens 2 Timothy with gratitude and memory, not rebuke. The apostle remembers Timothy’s tears and locates the young minister inside an unbroken chain of “unfeigned faith” that first lived in Lois, then in Eunice, and is now alive in Timothy. The text insists this faith is not theater. Paul serves God “with a pure conscience.” His worship is not performance for an audience. His life is lived before a holy God. That purity and that tenderness toward Timothy set the tone.

Heritage stands in the foreground, but the text refuses to let heritage do what only new birth can do. Lois believed, and that was Lois’s faith. Eunice believed, and that was Eunice’s faith. Timothy must receive for himself. God has no grandchildren. Family Bibles, pews, and traditions shape a home and set a table, but they cannot eat the meal. The chain passes influence, not salvation. The doctrine presses each hearer toward a personal reception of the Spirit, the kind that births a son or daughter, not a proxy heir.

Because heritage is real, obligation is real. “Wherefore” puts Timothy on the hook. The deposit requires action. Paul commands, “Stir up the gift of God.” The image is a hearth with live coals under ash. The fire is there, but it has settled low. The Greek idea is to fan into flame, not to start from scratch. New logs are laid on, a poker moves the coals, air is introduced, and the embers roar again. No one else can stir another person’s coals. Not a mentor’s eloquence, not a praise team’s set list. The Spirit and the believer tend that fire together. What banks the flame is not holiness but fear. God did not give that spirit. What God gives is power, love, and a sound mind.

A rekindled fire will not stay quiet. Light and heat draw attention. Paul writes from chains and tells Timothy, “Be not thou therefore ashamed.” The call is to take a share in the afflictions of the gospel, not to shrink back into safe anonymity. Sunday uniform faith that goes silent in the street is not an inheritance worth handing down. Lois and Eunice lived their faith at home and under pressure. That courage is the curriculum Timothy watched.

The summit comes with, “I know whom I have believed.” Paul does not rest on what he knows, as if doctrine alone could hold a soul in a furnace. He rests on whom he knows. Theology matters, and Paul will guard it, but relationship keeps a heart unshaken when friends leave and steel closes in. A faith built on heritage must become firsthand, proven, and personal, or the chain will rust where it stands.

Key Takeaways

1. Heritage sets the stage, not salvation Heritage shapes the house, but it does not hand over new birth. Lois’s faith did not save Eunice, and Eunice’s faith did not save Timothy. Influence can carry a person to an altar, but only repentance and Spirit-birth make a son or daughter. God has no grandchildren. [47:37]
2. Stir up the gift within you The fire is there, banked under ash, and the call is to fan it into flame. The text does not ask for a new fire, but for the old embers to breathe again. Only the believer and the Spirit can tend that hearth; borrowed zeal cannot do the poking. [60:15]
3. Refuse the hush of shame Power, love, and a sound mind do not hide. A rekindled flame throws light that will draw eyes, friendly and hostile. The call is to share the afflictions of the gospel rather than trade courage for comfort and keep faith in Sunday clothes. [67:11]
4. Let relationship steady doctrine Paul does not say, “I know what,” but, “I know whom.” Sound words matter, yet knowledge without knowing the Lord goes brittle in the fire. Union with Christ holds a soul when chains rattle and reputations crack. [76:50]
5. Heritage creates holy obligation Because Lois and Eunice poured in, Timothy must act. Deposits are not reservoirs to admire but gifts to be worked, fanned, and spent in love. Inheritance becomes legacy only when the entrusted flame is stirred, not stored. [56:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[32:38] - Turning to 2 Timothy 1
[33:14] - Unfeigned faith in Lois and Eunice
[37:07] - Pure conscience, not performance
[39:52] - Heritage as an unbroken chain
[41:23] - Heirlooms cannot love the Lord
[47:37] - God has no grandchildren
[55:07] - Therefore, stir up the gift
[57:40] - Fan coals into flame
[60:15] - Only you can stir your fire
[67:11] - Do not be ashamed
[72:47] - Faith outside Sunday clothes
[76:50] - I know whom I have believed
[82:22] - Altar call to rekindle

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
2 Timothy 1:5-7 (KJV)
"When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV)
"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

Observation questions

Paul traces Timothy’s faith through three generations (Lois, Eunice, Timothy). What does he emphasize about the nature of their faith?
What metaphor does Paul use to describe the process of “stirring up” spiritual gifts, and how does the sermon expand on this imagery? [57:40]
According to the passage, what three things does God’s Spirit give believers instead of fear?
How does Paul contrast “knowing what” with “knowing whom” in his final declaration of faith? [01:16:50]

Interpretation questions

Why might Paul emphasize that faith must be “unfeigned” (genuine) in each generation, even within the same family?
The sermon compares a neglected violin to a dormant spiritual gift. What does this analogy reveal about the relationship between spiritual discipline and spiritual vitality? [01:04:36]
How does fear act as “ash” that smothers spiritual fire, and why might believers default to fear instead of God’s promised power?
What difference does it make that Paul says “I know whom I have believed” rather than “I know what I have believed” when facing suffering?

Application questions

Reflect on your spiritual heritage: Who are the “Lois” or “Eunice” figures in your life? How can you honor their influence while ensuring your faith remains personal and alive, not inherited?
Identify one area where fear has caused you to “hide your uniform” of faith in daily life. What practical step could you take this week to let God’s power displace that fear? [01:12:47]
The sermon mentions a violin needing tuning after neglect. What specific habit (prayer, Scripture, worship, etc.) could help “stir up” your spiritual gifts if they feel dormant? [01:06:04]
When have you been tempted to rely on theological knowledge about God instead of relational trust in God during hard times? How might prioritizing “knowing whom” change your response?
The Vietnam soldiers hid their uniforms to avoid scorn. Where do you most struggle to live out faith beyond Sunday services, and what would courage look like there? [01:12:21]
Paul’s chains became part of Timothy’s spiritual curriculum. What costly but Christ-honoring choices could you make that might become a legacy of courage for others?

Sermon Clips

37s

#FaithIsPersonal

34s

#KnowWhomYouBelieve

“Everything has been building to this. And notice what Paul doesn't say. He does not say, I know what I believe. Paul says, I know whom I have believed. That's not a small distinction that Paul's making Because knowing what we believe, that that's what we call theology. But knowing who we believe, that is relationship.”

45s

#FaithBeyondSunday

“Many times, as Christians, we proudly wear the uniform of a Christian on Sunday morning. We're not afraid of people seeing us here in the house of the lord but let it come to a point where we're not in church or we're not on a Sunday morning. And our faith goes a little quiet. We don't want people to know. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves. A faith that only shows up in church clothes and goes quiet everywhere else is a faith that will not be worth inheriting or leaving as a heritage to the next generation.”

28s

#StirUpTheGift

“The faith that has been poured into our lives was not poured in so that we could hold it still like some reservoir, like some unmoving body of water. The faith that was put inside of us was given to us so that we could stir it up when it's needed, so that it could be fanned into flame, the gift of God that was stirred up inside of us. And here's the word that Paul uses, stirred up.”

36s

#FaithThatShines

“He's making a very airtight argument. If what is in you is power, then there's no legitimate reason for you to hide it. If you have something inside of you that is powerful, why in the world would you try to conceal it or hide it? A fire that has been stirred up does not stay quiet. It produces light. It produces heat. It attracts attention. And this is where the cost begins to come into consideration because not all attention is welcome attention.”

42s

#CarryYourShare

“Paul told Timothy to be a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel. It's a very specific word partaker. It means to take your share. Not to absorb and carry on and take everybody else's suffering, but to simply carry your portion of the weight. Faith has always cost something. Ask Abraham. Every generation of believers who passed something worth inheriting paid a price for it. The question is not whether there will be a cost. The question is whether or not you are willing to pay your portion.”

26s

#HeritageGuidesNotSaves

“But the chain, that heritage that connected generation to generation, it passed the influence. Yes. It shaped the environment. Yes. It set the stage. Yes. It brought them to altars before they even knew what altars were. Absolutely. But it could not take them through the new birth experience for themselves.”

31s

#PressInForMore

“to press in to god again. You may have had some tears, Timothy. You may have had things that have been weighing against you. You may have have lost the fire. It may not be burning as brightly. It may seem like the lord is distant from you, but Paul speaks into Timothy's life and he gives him permission to want more of god than he had been settling for in that moment. Stir up the gift, he says. Fan in the flame the fire that was once there inside of you.”

63s

“Lois, she was a believer, but that was her faith. And as strong as she was in the gospel and as deep as she followed after the lord, that was Lois' faith. Lois' faith did not make her daughter Eunice saved. Eunice believed, but that was Eunice's faith. And it did not make her son Timothy saved. But the chain, that heritage that connected generation to generation, it passed the influence. Yes. It shaped the environment. Yes. It set the stage. Yes. It brought them to altars before they even knew what altars were. Absolutely. But it could not take them through the new birth experience for themselves.”

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