2 Timothy 2:1

‘You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace which is in Christ Jesus.’

Paul speaks to Timothy as basically ‘my dear son’ (‘my child’ is an affectionate term which can be used by an older person of someone below forty). And he calls on him to be empowered in the grace (unmerited favour) which is in Christ Jesus. Because Timothy is ‘in Christ Jesus’ all the resources of Christ Jesus (the suffering Saviour) are at his disposal, as Jesus promises to deal with him, not on the basis of His merits, but on the basis of His own compassion and mercy (thus ‘in grace’). His promise is that He will freely provide him with all necessary strength and power, as he will all who are ‘in Christ Jesus’. But Timothy must in return be willing to accept it ‘by faith’, trusting Him to keep His promise and himself acting on it, going forward into possible future hardship with full confidence in the Lord.

‘Therefore.’ This looks back to the behaviour of Onesiphorus. He had been strengthened in the grace which is in Christ Jesus, which is why he fearlessly sought out Paul when he could so easily have excused himself and given up. Timothy is to follow his example.