Paul’s Farewell

2 Timothy 4:6-22, “Paul’s Farewell”
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Introduction:
When we began 2 Timothy, we asked the question: if you knew you had one last phone call to make or email to send before you died, what would you say? Who would you send it to? For Paul, we know the answer, because 2 Timothy IS that letter. Paul knew his death was at hand, and though he wanted to see Timothy one last time before he died, he was under no illusions that his execution by the Romans couldn’t come at any day.

So what did he say? In Ch 1, he encouraged Timothy to not be afraid or ashamed of the gospel & doctrine that Paul had passed on to him…but to preach it boldly & accurately. In Ch 2, he exhorted Timothy to stay focused on the Lord Jesus & his calling to minister the word of God faithfully & accurately. In Ch 3, Paul warned him about the last days apostasy, the expected persecution, and once more underscored the need to Timothy to continue teaching the God-breathed Scripture. Finally in Ch 4, Paul gave him one final climatic charge to preach the Word. No matter what anyone else taught or how people desired their ears to be tickled, Timothy (and all of us) need to stick to the simple proclamation of the Scriptures which ultimately proclaim Jesus Christ.

As the letter comes to a close, we see a lot of personal requests, but we also see some simple reflection. Simply put, these are Paul’s last recorded words to the church – and he takes the opportunity to look over his walk with Christ…especially this latest round of imprisonment. As he looks back, he can honestly proclaim himself to be faithful to his Lord – forgiving towards others – and fully reliant on the promises of God for the future…

2 Timothy 4:6-22 (NKJV)
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.

A. What’s a drink offering? [Part of the daily offerings – Num 28:7] Even in the pagan Roman religions, it was common to pour out a libation prior to an animal sacrifice. The analogy for Paul is clear: he’s about to die by Roman hands, and his life itself is an offering to the Lord.

B. What’s a Christian’s view of death? Not “the great unknown” – not “the abyss” – not “soul sleep” – it’s a “departure.” Gk has to do with pitching one’s tent, or preparing to set sail…definitely a euphemism for death, but it provides a great word-picture for the Christian. Because Christ conquered the sting of death with His resurrection, at death born-again believers are absent from the body & present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:8). We go instantaneously from life to death to life again as we ‘depart’ this world & see our Lord & Savior face-to-face. [BDW, “Changing Neighborhoods”]
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7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

A. Paul was fond of sports analogies…used a similar thought in 1 Cor 9:24-27. Whether it’s boxing or racing, Paul was eager to participate, and kept his eyes on the prize. One of the common misconceptions about Christianity is that “Once you give your heart to Jesus, your whole life will become easy, prosperous, and wonderful!” Praise the Lord that Jesus’ yoke is easy (we’re not under the law) – that we are made co-heirs with Christ (so we are eternally prosperous) – and that we have peace with God the Father, are indwelt by the Spirit, and are friends of our Lord Jesus (which is truly wonderful)… But nothing in the NT indicates that we won’t struggle along the way. There are promises of trials, temptations, and persecution. We ought to expect them, and be prepared to endure as an athlete endures his/her trials…

B. How do we endure? What gives us the strength? Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-2 (1) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (2) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [] He’s not only our source of strength; He’s our example.
C. Keep in mind that Paul’s not claiming perfection here; simply completion. From the day Jesus 1st called him while on his way to Damascus – to being stuck away in Tarsus for years – to his various missionary journeys, imprisonments, trials, etc., there were many days Paul struggled against sin (re: Rom 7), but in the end through the grace of God, Paul persevered. [Don’t give up! Stay faithful…]
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8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

A. Paul carries the sports analogy all the way through. Someone didn’t compete in a race simply because they had nothing better to do; an athlete competes to win. (Olympic crowns…) The Christian’s crowns are the “crown of righteousness”, the crown of life (Rev 2:10), & the crown of glory (1 Pet 5:4). What exactly are they? Are they all different names for the same thing? No one knows…what we do know is that our focus won’t be on the crowns we’ve been given, but upon the crown-Giver.
__a. Paul is assured of the fact that he will receive the crown of righteousness. Does this mean Paul was some sort of super-Christian that did things ‘just right’ to deserve his crown? Of course not! He was the self-proclaimed “chief of sinners” (1 Tim 1:15) & like the rest of us, he was saved by grace through faith & not by works (Eph 2:8-9). Paul’s crown is being given to him because he abode in Christ. The righteousness he was looking forward to was not earned; it was given.

B. Who gives the crown? The Judge – Christ. Every athletic contest needs a referee (which is the immediate context), but don’t forget Paul just introduced the Lord Jesus as the Judge of the living & the dead (2 Tim 4:1). All of us will one day face the Judge; it’s just that Christians will be the ones who will be saved.
__a. ‘I thought Christians weren’t judged?!’ We’re not judged for our sins; that was taken care of at the cross. We ARE judged for what we’ve done in the Body of Christ – not for punishment, but for reward. “That Day” isn’t a reference to the Great White Throne, but to the Bema Seat… 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (9) Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. [] The Bema Seat doesn’t affect our salvation (if we’ve repented from our sin & trusted Christ to be born-again, He’s saved us), the Bema Seat judgment does affect our reward. [Read more about it in 1 Cor 3:9-15 & Rom 14:10-13] Timothy would have been well-familiar with the concept in his travels with Paul.
__b. Here’s the point: One reason Paul was ready to see Jesus & prepared to be poured out as a drink offering was because he lived every day knowing that he was going to give an account of his life to his Lord. If we have a court appointment to stand before a judge tomorrow, it would probably change the way we acted today…we wouldn’t want any embarrassing (or illegal) events to be brought up. Likewise, we DO have an appointment to stand before the Ultimate Judge. If you’ve been forgiven, you can praise God Jesus has already paid the price for your sins – but you will still give an account for everything you did after you became a Christian… Like everything else in our walk with Christ, we entrust ourselves to our Savior’s grace and mercy – His holiness will burn the fleshly stuff away, to where all that remains is what He’s done in our lives.

C. Who gets the crown? “all who have loved His appearing” The Church! Everyone who’s turned to Jesus Christ as the Living Son of God for forgiveness of sins – everyone who has trusted Jesus as Lord & Savior, and is looking forward to seeing His face (either by death or rapture) will receive the “crown of righteousness.” Why? Because it’s not OUR righteousness; it’s His.
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9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.

A. Paul loved Timothy as a father – but he didn’t just want to see Timothy because he missed him. Paul felt pretty lonely & at least in one case, abandoned by someone he originally thought he could trust. Demas is mentioned in Col 4:4 & Phm 24 as one of Paul’s companions – we don’t know what he might have done with Paul, other than he was one of Paul’s “fellow laborers” at one time. Whatever happened along the way (perhaps he was frightened by Paul’s 1st brush with death – vs 17?), he eventually abandoned Paul in favor of the love of the world. Some commentators are quick to soften the blow for Demas & say there’s no reason we should assume any sin on his part – but Paul specifically wrote that Demas had “forsaken” (utterly abandoned) him, having given the agape love that should have gone to Christ to the world, implying apostasy or lack of any real belief in the 1st place (1 John 2:15).
__a. There’s a tragic contrast here. Paul has been faithful to the end, and is prepared to meet his Savior to hear the words, “Well done, good & faithful servant.” Demas had fallen away – and even though he was once a minister, unless he repented at some point, most likely heard the Lord say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” Our hope of eternal life does not rest in what we think we can do for Christ; it’s in what He’s already done for us. There are many who sit in churches every week that believe they’re saved because they sit in churches every week (teach Sunday School, lead worship, etc.)… May it not be so with us – our trust is in Christ alone & the world has nothing to offer us in comparison with Him.

B. Crescens & Titus: We don’t know the reason Crescens & Titus were no longer with Paul…we shouldn’t assume that they also apostasized (they’re associated with “departing” & not “forsaking”). Most likely, they had been sent on ahead in ministry. But Paul still missed them as family.
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11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.

A. The one person that remained was Luke (frequent travel companion of Paul & author of Luke/Acts). Luke was a physician & it’s easy to picture him tending to his friend during his last days in prison.

B. This one line about Mark is one of the greatest examples of restoration in the NT! If Demas had left the ministry; Mark had been restored to ministry. [Paul & Barnabas – Acts 15:36-41] Whereas at one point, Paul couldn’t even trust Mark as a travel companion, now he’s calling for him to be used in ministry.
__a. Never stop trusting the Lord for reconciliation…
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12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.

A. Possibly to replace Timothy in service there. Last saw Tychicus in Eph 6:21, as Paul had sent him before. He would have been an obvious replacement for Timothy since he already knew the people there.
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13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.

A. Paul may know that his death is coming any day, but he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Theories abound as to what the books & parchments are – they could be Torah scrolls & commentaries…could be copies of his own letters…could be early collections of the gospel accounts. Regardless what they were, it’s apparent Paul wanted to continue studying & learning about the Lord up to his date of execution.
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14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.

A. Who was Alexander? It’s a common name, but this is most likely the Alexander mentioned in 1 Tim 1:20…whom Paul had to excommunicate due to blasphemy. Because of this past history, Timothy was to be careful…

B. Was Paul wishing harm on him? No – simply praying for the Lord to intervene; some suggest that he was even prophesying what would take place. Vengeance belongs to the Lord; Paul had no need to ‘want’ Alexander to be punished – he just needed to leave the matter in the hands of the Righteous Judge.
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16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

A. “All”? Possibly even Luke & Titus? We don’t have an exact time frame here, so we don’t know if Luke & Titus were with Paul at his 1st defense. But whomever of the church was there, they abandoned Paul & allowed him to face Rome alone.
__a. Jesus knows what it’s like to be abandoned by those He loves. He came to His own people, but His people did not receive Him (John 1:11) – He betrayed by one of His own disciples – even one of His closest friend denied Him on the eve of His death. If you ever feel abandoned or betrayed, take heart – you have good company who understands.

B. If you haven’t learned it yet, you will: sometimes Christians will disappoint us. Just because they’re a believer in the Lord doesn’t mean that they’re perfect & will never fail (are you? ). The question is: how will we respond when it happens? Paul chose to forgive them. Just like Jesus… Just like Stephen…
__a. Is forgiveness easy? Not often – especially if we’ve been truly hurt. But forgiveness is a choice that’s easier to make when we understand how much we’ve already been forgiven. [Matt 18 – Unforgiving Servant] Our own sin incurs the holy wrath of the Righteous God…whatever our own personal history, every single one of us deserves infinite Hell because we’ve rebelled against our infinite God. Yet because Jesus died in your place, He forgave you your entire debt…not just the ‘little’ sins; He forgave you of everything. With that in mind, how can we possibly pray “Forgive us of our debts, but don’t ask me to forgive my debtors?’ No – we forgive our debtors not because of their work; but because of Christ’s. Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. []
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17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

A. The whole church may have abandoned Paul, but the Lord Jesus didn’t! He is faithful & never leaves us nor forsakes us…He’s with us till the end of the age.

B. Jesus strengthened Paul to continue to share the gospel… Did “all the Gentiles” hear? At the time, not necessarily – though Paul was certainly faithful to continue preaching the gospel of Christ, no matter what his circumstances. We know that many of the palace guard were saved through his preaching. But ultimately, we have to say “Yes! All the Gentiles DID hear.” After all, whose words are we reading right now? The Lord Jesus strengthened Paul through every trial & every circumstance, giving him the grace to endure (because it is sufficient) – and as a result, he wrote at least 13 of the 27 books of the NT!

C. Delivered from death in some way. Nero was often referred to as “the lion” among Roman authors, so Paul could have been referring to an earlier trial. As a Roman citizen, Paul would not likely have been thrown to a literal lion, but if so, it’s equally possible that God miraculously delivered Paul as He did Daniel. 3rd possibility is simply a reference to some trap laid by the Devil who roams about like a roaring lion (1 Pet 5:8)… The point isn’t so much the method of deliverance; it’s that Paul had a Deliverer!
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18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

A. Because Jesus repeatedly delivered Paul in the past, Paul could trust Jesus’ deliverance in the future. Question: If Paul knows he’s about to be executed, then how can he say that “the Lord will deliver me from every evil work?” Because he understood what “deliverance” means. (Hint: it’s not health, wealth, & never experiencing hard times!)

B. Jesus WILL deliver us from every evil work when we are abiding in His grace – but He’ll deliver us in His way. (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego) Daniel 3:17-18 (17) If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. (18 ) But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” [] Like Paul, they knew that their souls were not in the hands of the king, but in the hands of God. We may be delivered away from trials – we may be delivered through trials – but eventually we’re delivered into the presence of Christ, Who preserves us & keeps us for all eternity with Him in glory.
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19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.

A. Final greetings to old friends: Prisca (Priscilla) & Aquila are often partners with Paul in the gospel – they helped disciple a young Apollos in the faith (Acts 18:26). Onesiphorus mentioned in Ch 1:16-17 as the man who searched Paul out in Rome. Erastus was likely the treasurer of Corinth mentioned in Rom 16:23. Trophimus was a common companion of Paul & had accompanied him to Jerusalem (and was the reason why the riot broke out at the temple – Acts 21:29). All were faithful to the Lord Jesus & partners in the Great Commission.
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21 Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

A. Winter: hence the cloak… Sends greetings forward from the church…there’s no other Biblical record of the names mentioned – just brothers & sisters in Christ.
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22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

A. Final greetings to Timothy…
B. Final greetings to the church. “Grace be with you” (plural). If there’s any one word that sums up Paul’s ministry, it’s “grace”…and the grace of Christ is what the Church needs to abide in the most.

Conclusion:
The ministry God gave the apostle Paul was absolutely amazing. Jesus took a former persecutor of the faith, who’s one desire was to purify Judaism among the Jews & turned him into the greatest missionary to the Gentiles the world has ever known. His passion was proclaiming the grace and gospel of Jesus Christ, and wouldn’t compromise on that message in the slightest – even among other apostles! As time went on, he entrusted that same message to others (like Timothy & Titus) & continued to exhort them to stay true to the gospel & the truth. Was Paul perfect? Far from it – but he was forgiven, and understood what it meant to rely completely on the grace of God through Jesus Christ.

As Paul came to the end of his life, he could look back & see certain things. He was:
A. Faithful to his Lord & Savior – the Judge. He was ready and prepared to see Jesus at the Bema Seat & probably couldn’t wait to see Him face-to-face.

B. Forgiving towards others. Those who we’d expect to see faithfully sticking by Paul abandoned him in his hour of need – but Paul wasn’t taking a grudge to the grave. The chief of sinners had been forgiven much. and thus he loved much & was ready & willing to forgive others.

C. Fully reliant on the promises & grace of God. Out of the days he had left, Paul knew his toughest still lay ahead of him. But he had no reason to fear the executioner’s axe; he had a Deliverer Who was standing by him & would never leave him. Paul understood the instant his heart stopped beating, that he’d see Jesus in glory – and there’s no better promise than that!
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All in all, Paul was ready to meet Jesus. Are you? As a Christian, are you abiding in Christ, or enticed by the world? Don’t be a Demas…immerse yourself in the grace of God to walk faithfully with Him till the end. Forgive others as you’ve been forgiven. And trust God at His word.

If you’re not a Christian, I can guarantee you you’re not ready. Keep in mind “Christian” doesn’t mean you’re a member of a denomination somewhere or that you attended Sunday School as a kid. A Christian is someone who’s been born-again by the Spirit of God because they’ve put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. When we see our sin for what it truly is (rebellion against God & worthy of death), then we ought to fall to our knees upon the grace and mercy of Jesus. He paid the penalty for your sins already at the cross, and offers you new life in His resurrection – we simply need to respond to His offer & receive Him as our Lord.

Preach the Word!

2 Timothy 4:1-5 “Preach the Word!”
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Introduction:
Titles are often good descriptions of a person’s duties: Managers manage, accountants count, teachers teach, painters paint, and butlers buttle. Thus it comes as no surprise that Preachers preach. But what we preach is a matter of great importance! There are multitudes of books & conferences given over to style & method. (Ex: “Synergistic Strategies to build your church”) But to the apostle Paul, style pales in comparison with substance. And the one substance he charged Timothy to preach throughout his ministry is the Scripture – the word of God.

Let’s keep our context in mind – the charge picks up with a “therefore,” so we know Paul is referencing the last section he just came out of in his letter. Starting Ch 3, he mentioned the false teachers of the end times (which he’ll review in Ch 4), and then showed himself in contrast to them. Paul was faithful to the gospel & truth of the Scriptures…to the point of suffering in prison awaiting a death sentence because he was so steadfast. Why was the truth worth suffering for? Because the truth as revealed through the Scriptures give us the gospel (make us wise for salvation – 3:15).

At that point he wrote why the Scriptures were so special – which we just had time to barely touch on last week, so let’s review…

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

A. Remember “inspiration” is literally “God-breathed.” The words we read in our Bible are not random thoughts of Paul, John, or Moses – they’re not man’s best efforts to lift our eyes toward the heavenlies…the Scriptures are the very words of God Himself. Written through man, yes – with each of their personalities & style, but every word preserved for us in the pages of the Bible is given us expressly by God Himself.

B. Because it’s God-breathed, it’s good for everything in our walk with Christ. The Scriptures are the method by which God has ordained for the Christian to be made “complete” – ready for whatever we’ll run across until we see Jesus face-to-face.
__a. This tells us something about those who follow conference after conference looking for the next “outpouring of glory.” God’s given them (and us) everything we need in the Bible! He’s told us how we can be filled with the Spirit by faith & empowered by Him. He’s demonstrated what it looks like to worship God in Spirit & truth. We don’t need another ‘conference’; we just need the Bible!

C. What are the implications of the Scripture being the very living words breathed out by God? Several:
__a. The Bible is infallible: Infallibility tells us that the Bible won’t lead us wrong or astray in matters of faith & practice. Every doctrine taught by in the Scripture is absolutely true…even doctrines that we don’t necessarily like. (Who likes the doctrine of hell? But it’s true!)
__b. The Bible is inerrant: Inerrancy goes a step further than infallibility. More than being free from error in doctrine, inerrancy tells us that the Scriptures absolutely say what God mean them to say. Every word is purposefully preserved for us, without error or contradiction. … ‘What about the supernatural stuff?’ Especially the supernatural stuff! What need would there be for salvation if there had not been a fall of Adam? Why would Jesus refer to both Noah (Luke 17:26) & Jonah (Matt 12:38 ) as historical events if they had not occurred? If we don’t believe the supernatural, what repercussions does that have on the Resurrection itself & our salvation?
__c. The Bible is supernatural: More than merely recording historical events of God’s supernatural power, the word of God is itself supernatural. The work of the law is written on our hearts (Rom 2:15) – the message of the cross is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18 ) – it’s living & powerful & sharper than any 2-edged sword (Heb 4:12). God uses His word in miraculous ways to awake lost people to their need to be saved… … When we neglect the use of Scripture in witnessing and evangelism, we’re denying ourselves of our single most powerful tool against the spiritual warfare we face…it’s the sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17)!
__d. The Bible is prophetic: There’s not a single prophecy in the Bible in past history that’s proven to be false. Every single one has come true. Daniel reads like a history book of the various MidEast & Mediterranean empires, yet it was written during the Babylonian & Persian empires, before the others ever existed. Over 300 prophecies refer to Jesus’ 1st coming, and Jesus fulfilled every one to a ‘t’… [] So what? If the Bible is correct in every past prophecy, that means we can be assured it’ll be correct in every future prophecy. When the Bible tells us that Jesus is coming back, there needn’t be any doubt!
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- With all this in mind, Paul moves to his charge in Ch 4…
1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

A. The meat of the sentence is actually in the charge itself – but there’s too much here to pass up & gloss over!

B. Note the equality between God & the Lord Jesus. Paul makes a point of this in his epistles. God the Father and Jesus the Son are of the same authority by which Paul can give Timothy this charge. Why? Because (along with the Holy Spirit), they are One Godhead.
__a. Beware of any group that demotes Jesus – most cults start that way…

C. Appeals to Jesus not simply as our Savior, but in His authoritative role as the King of Kings – “the Lord Jesus Christ”. IOW, this is not something Timothy should take lightly; this is an order to a servant from his Highest King…

D. What’s one of Jesus’ roles? Judge. We don’t often like to think of Him in that role – we want to consider Him as our friend & buddy… But He’s our Lord – He’s God – and He is the ultimate Judge… God the Father has appointed it to Him – John 5:22-23 (22) For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, (23) that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. []
__a. The universalists get one thing right: every human being WILL see Jesus one day. But we’ll either see Him as the Judge or the Judged (on our behalf)…

E. When will Jesus sit as judge? “At His appearing and His kingdom.” There are many opinions as to which judgment this might be (the sheep/goats – the great white throne) – what’s clear is that it takes place at His 2nd coming. “appearing” = ἐπιφάνεια (epiphany)…Christ appeared to the world the 1st time as Savior & sacrificial lamb; He’ll appear the 2nd time as King & Judge.
__a. Again, we can be assured of this because the Scriptures are God-breathed and prophetic. Are you ready to see Jesus?
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2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

A. Here’s the charge: “Preach the word!” If there were any doubts as to what a pastor’s primary responsibility was, they should have all been removed! Everything in vs. 1 comes to bear on those 3 words – commentators agree that Paul uses the strongest language possible here. This isn’t a suggestion – this isn’t a “every once in a while” thought – this is a command from Timothy’s father in the faith before the Lord in heaven. “Preach the word!”
__a. “Preach”: herald/proclaim… (Wiersbe) “In Paul’s day, a ruler had a special herald who made announcements to the people. He was commissioned by the ruler to make his announcements in a loud, clear voice so everyone could hear. He was not an ambassador with the privilege of negotiating; he was a messenger with a proclamation to be heard and heeded.” Emphasize that last point: preachers aren’t to negotiate the message & pick/choose what they may like out of it & disregard the rest; preachers are to proclaim the message.
____i. ‘What if someone is offended by the gospel or the Scriptures?’ That’s not left in our hands. People will at times be offended…but that doesn’t make the gospel message any less vital for them to hear.
__b. “the word”: I.e. the Scriptures! Not anything else – not the latest movie, or our favorite books, or constant personal history or jokes. Pastors/teachers have been given the responsibility of presenting & proclaiming the word of God to the church & the world. “word” = λόγος…contextually Paul is referring to the Scriptures (gramma/graphe – 3:15-16), but “logos” is a common title for the Lord Jesus (see John 1). All the Scriptures are about Christ…when we preach the Bible or proclaim the gospel, we proclaim Christ.

B. When should pastors preach the word? “in season and out of season…” Anytime – all the time – convenient or not. Sundays and Wednesdays may be times set aside for extended preaching, but preaching the word goes far beyond the sermon. Pastors need to be ready to share the Scriptures over phone calls, visits, airplane travel – or as in Paul’s case, prison, before those who would execute him, and more. Wherever the word needs to be preached, someone needs to preach it. Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? []
__a. If there’s a rebuke that can be heaped upon many pastors/preachers today, it’s that they do not preach the word of God. Every Sunday becomes a “7 steps to a better life” & “What I need to do to make myself feel good.” That is not the gospel! Those pastors who constantly ignore the word of God in their teaching are either not called to teach, or being disobedient to our Lord. We are called to preach the word – to do less is to shortchange the church.

C. What should they do in their preaching?
__a. “convince”: to reprove/convict. Where we need to be corrected, pastors are supposed to correct us through the preaching of the word. That’s one of the functions of the Scriptures, as listed in vs. 16: reproof.
__b. “rebuke”: censure/admonish. Timothy apparently had several people in the Ephesian church that needed to be rebuked (2:17). He wasn’t to simply declare them outcast based on his feelings or emotions; he was to go to the Scriptures & show them where they were in error & sin…ultimately letting the word of God bring rebuke where it was needed.
__c. “exhort”: encourage/comfort. Likewise, Timothy (and all preachers) need to preach the word in such a way where those who need encouragement are lifted up. We don’t use the Bible to hit someone over the head when they’re down…to those who are repenting & struggling, we are to come alongside them and restore them in spirit of gentleness (Gal 6:1).
__d. Do so in “longsuffering & teaching”: IOW, don’t give up. Keep preaching the word in truth again & again & again. That is the pastor’s one call – and it never changes.
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3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

A. Is Paul talking about Timothy’s time or the end-times? Seems to be more of a reference back to Ch 3:1 (the last days), though certainly Timothy was struggling against false teachers of his own. But the church was to expect a time of the rising & exaltation of false teaching – and though every age sees it in their time, it’s no doubt we see it in ours as well!

B. Two characteristics of these last days:
__a. People “will not endure sound doctrine”: Could be translated, “will not tolerate sound teaching.” Instead of receiving the word of God for what it is (a gift!), people won’t want to even put up with it at all. Those who love the darkness hate the light & thus don’t want to hear the truth that God provides.
__b. People want their own customized doctrine, “according to their own desires”: Our culture has a tendency to treat religion like a buffet line…pick a little from each dish & put together what they want.

C. So what’s a person to do if they can’t endure the truth & want their own customized teaching? Simple – heap up some teachers for themselves according to their own “itching ears…” If they don’t like the fact that a pastor is preaching the word of God, they’ll go find a teacher who’ll tell them what they want to hear.
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4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

A. The result of customized, ear-tickling teaching? People turn away from truth & once they do, the teachers turn them away even more to fables. (Wuest) “The second occurrence of the word “turn” is from a verb (ektrepō (ἐκτρεπω)) which means “to turn or twist out.” In a medical sense it means, “to wrench out of its proper place,” as of the limbs. It is used of a dislocated arm, for instance. When people avert their ears from the truth, they lay themselves open to every Satanic influence, and are easily turned aside to error.” Once a person starts seeking out false teaching, they often don’t realize how much the false teaching is changing them. Soon they aren’t just mixing truth with error; they’re believing nothing but error – and they don’t know how they got there.

B. Does our culture tolerate fables in our Christianity? Sadly, yes. Real life examples: God wants you to be rich… Real Christians never suffer… Jesus is never coming back… You can please God if you work really hard… If you want it bad enough, all you need to do it believe it and have faith & it’ll come true… (think positively – it’s the power of attraction, Oprah) Everyone’s saved – they just don’t know it…

C. God has so much more than fables for us! God offers the TRUTH. We can worship Him through spirit & truth (John 4:24) – we are sanctified by His word, which is truth (John 17:17) – God always speaks the truth & never lies (Num 23:19). This is what His word contains – Psalm 119:160 The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. [] Why would we give up that truth for anything? It’s not worth it…
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5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
(In the meantime, till all these other things take place…)

A. “Be watchful”: Speaking of sober-headedness & calm under trial. Don’t panic; just be aware that these days will come & that people will fall away. When they do so, don’t stop preaching the word. [] There are consultant services that will analyze a community & let a church know exactly what they need to do, look like, and sound like to attract the average person in their town. But that’s not what God has called us to do. We’ve been called to proclaim Jesus; so we need to do so faithfully.

B. “Endure afflictions”: If there’s one thing Paul understood well, it’s that the preaching of the gospel would bring persecution (3:12). In the Roman empire, proclaiming the word of God wasn’t merely somewhat inconvenient; it could get you jailed or killed. But that’s not to stop Timothy (or any of us) from doing what God had called him to do. Whatever took place, he was to stick it out.

C. “Do the work of an evangelist”: Contextually, this is still in the charge of preaching the word. So however/whenever Timothy taught the Scriptures, he was to point to Jesus in all of it & share the gospel continually. It’s interesting here that Paul isn’t necessarily calling Timothy an “evangelist,” but rather to do an evangelist’s duties. God has given evangelists to the church (Eph 4:11) & when someone is truly gifted for evangelism, it becomes evident. We may not all have the spiritual gift of evangelism, but we all have the spiritual empowerment to evangelize. We can all “do the work of an evangelist” by sharing with those around us.

D. Fulfill the ministry God has called you to: The grand summary. Everything in the letter to this point has been Paul reminding Timothy of what God has called him to do.
__a. What ministry has God called you to? … Are you fulfilling it?

Conclusion:
It’s not often we get a 1-point sermon, but here it is: Preach the Word! Pastors, preach the word – churches, preach the word – however you interact with those around you, preach the word & point people to Jesus. We so often confine preaching to a pulpit, but it’s far greater than that – it’s simply proclaiming the truth of the word. Maybe your ‘pulpit’ is a coffee cup – maybe it’s your driveway…preaching is not necessarily a style of talking; it’s the content of what’s being said. Is what we’re saying proclaiming Jesus? Then guess what? You’re preaching.

We live in a time when people want to hear anything BUT the word of God. Oh, they desire to be spiritual, and they love thinking that they’re god-like – but they don’t want anything to do with the One True God because He’s holy, righteous, and perfect. And yet that’s exactly why we MUST share the truth with them – because they WILL face Him one day when Jesus sits enthroned as Judge. We’ve been given a commission & a charge – and we ought to be about it.

So we know what pastors are supposed to do, what about the rest of the church? Don’t forget this letter isn’t simply given to the pastor at Ephesus; it’s given to the entire church at Ephesus. Everything we do as a Body is to glorify God through the preaching of the word & the gospel… Whatever pressures we might face as a church, the one thing we will continue to do is preach the word! Let’s help each other in the task through prayer, support, service, encouragement, whatever.

Sin, Suffering, and the Scriptures

2 Timothy 3:1-17, “Sin, Suffering, and Scripture”
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Introduction:
Every January, we tend to do a bit of introspection. We tend to alternately look back at the past year to see what went well (and what didn’t) & we look forward to the New Year to plan what might take place. Newspapers, TV’s, and books are filled with predictions. So is the Bible – but the Bible is actually accurate.

What is it the Bible predicts? Perilous times & persecution. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? The NT makes it clear that sinful teachers will abound, and that Christians will endure suffering. Jesus, Peter, Paul, and John all make this perfectly clear. But we’re also told how we can be prepared for the sin & suffering to come: through the Holy Scriptures.

2 Timothy 3 (NKJV)
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

A. When are the “last days”? Technically everything since Pentecost, according to Peter’s quotation of Joel in Acts 2:17. In God’s timeline, the entire church age is the last days. But the implication is that as we get closer to the end, these things will increase.

B. Why will the last days be “perilous”? Because people will be obsessed with selfishness – see vs 2…
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2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

A. Much is self-explanatory…just a few highlights:
__a. “lovers of themselves, lovers of money” – excellent translation of the Greek. These are compound words integrating the word for “love/affection” with “self” & “silver”. These are the things our culture searches after & values the most.
__b. “blasphemers” – Some translations say “abusive”, but “blasphemy” is an actual transliteration of the Greek. The word can mean a ‘railing accusation against others’, but our culture’s slander against God & abuse of His name is rampant… [OMG on TV]
__c. “unloving” – KJV has “without natural affection”…good description. Greek is literally the negative form (“a”) of the word used for familial love (“storge”). The last days would be filled with people who have no love for their families – or babies in the womb.
__d. “slanderers” – Grk word used here is normally used to refer to the Devil. Seems appropriate to describe a people who have turned their backs on God to exalt themselves.

B. Ultimately the last days is marked by idolatry. Instead of loving God, people will be hedonists, seeking whatever it is that bring pleasure to themselves. Note everything in the list can be tied to selfishness in some way…these are all various descriptions of people being “lovers of themselves.” How does it manifest? Primarily through attitudes and language. There are not a lot of the more “visible” sins like murder or fornication here; these are things that many people just wink at. Turn on any ‘reality’ TV program or read any politics news-story & it won’t take long before you see any number of these things.
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5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

A. These sinful traits will be evident in the world, but they will also be evident among people claiming to be ‘Christian’ or ‘religious’. They try to portray themselves as being super spiritual or godly by they way they act in certain places, but have no inward transformation by the gospel. (Christ-less Christians).

B. What should the church’s reaction be? To “turn away” from those people…excommunicate them. ‘Sounds harsh!’ Keep in mind that Paul had just instructed Timothy to correct those in opposition (Ch 2:25)…for those who persist in ungodliness & sin, the church was to recognize & treat them as unbelievers; certainly not listen to their doctrine & treat them as a godly teacher!
__a. It’s not hard to find men like this today. There are many famous ‘bishops’ who are lauded for their ‘tolerance’ & ‘enlightenment’ who deny the very gospel & resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our response to these people shouldn’t be to treat them as a brother in the Lord, but to give them the gospel in hopes that they’d be saved!
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6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

A. What’s so dangerous about Christ-less Christians? They prey off of those who truly need the gospel. People who are “loaded down” & burdened with sin need to hear of the transforming grace of Jesus Christ; not be taken in by a religious charlatan.
__a. Who are the “gullible women”? Paul’s playing off a stereotype – using a word meaning “little woman”. The person who’s foolish & running after every idea that blows through town. (A trait that’s not limited to women!)

B. Some people learn but never know. This happens all the time…especially here in the Bible belt. People have been exposed to Christianity all of their lives – they could tell you the gospel, recite Bible stories, even have basic Scriptures memorized – but they have absolutely no real knowledge of Jesus Himself… This is the exact opposite of what should happen. (Speaking of living a quiet reverent life…) 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (4) who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. []
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8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;

A. Who are Jannes & Jambres? Unnamed in the OT – these are the magicians of Pharaoh who came against Moses when he 1st came back to Egypt for the Exodus. (Ex 7). Supernatural miracles are not a proof of someone’s “anointing” – the Bible expressly says that false prophets in the end times will do the supernatural (Matt 24:24)… The proof of a good teacher is whether or not they teach the truth.

B. Christ-less christians do the same thing as the Egyptian magicians. They “resist the truth…” In their sin, they strive against the truth & when they resist the truth, they’re ultimately resisting Christ (who IS the truth). Ultimately, their resistance is a demonstration of their corrupted (unregenerate) minds.
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9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

A. They might be able to sneak into the church, but they can’t stay hidden for long. Eventually their error & sin will be brought out into the light – how? When the false teaching is held up in comparison with the truth. (Clarke) “False doctrine cannot prevail long where the sacred Scriptures are read and studied. Error prevails only where the book of God is withheld from the people. The religion that fears the Bible is not the religion of God.”
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10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

A. As opposed to the Christ-less christians who lived in & promoted sin, Paul demonstrated his true faith in his suffering for the Lord Jesus… Everything Paul endured served to give God glory – all of it could be used as an example for Timothy…

B. What made Paul’s endurance possible? (or Who?) The Lord! God delivered him out of all those situations. ‘Wait a second…did God really deliver him? After all, Paul endured a stoning and was left for dead at Iconium. (Acts 14)’ Yes, God delivered him! Without a doubt!
__a. Paul wasn’t killed; he lived to eventually write this letter…
__b. God never promised that deliverance would be painless; simply that His grace would be sufficient for whatever it is Paul faced…
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12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

A. There’s a promise we don’t run to…but it’s just as true as any other promise of God! Do we all experience the same level of persecution? Obviously not. But if you haven’t experienced some sort of trouble/difficulty because of your faith in Christ, be assured you will… John 15:18-20 (18) “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. (19) If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (20) Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. []
__a. Keep in mind that we don’t walk through this persecution alone. As soon as Jesus gave the promise of persecution & trials in John 15, He also gave the promise of the Holy Spirit as the Helper/Paraclete (John 15:26).

B. What happens if we don’t experience persecution? Does it mean we’re not living godly? Not necessarily…we just may not recognize the persecution for what it is. Not everyone is going to be jailed or martyred; but we will ALL be hated by the world. At the same time, not all tribulation people experience is brought on by their faith – some Christians are reviled because they’re obnoxious; not because they’re living godly lives & are demonstrating the gospel.
__a. Bottom line: We don’t go seeking persecution, but we shouldn’t be afraid of it… As we share our faith, we do so in love & godliness – when it is inevitably offensive to some people, we ought not to be surprised.
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13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

A. This pretty much shoots an arrow though the heart of the thought that the end times would be marked by world-wide revival…. Will there be revival in the church? Probably…there have always been seasons of revival. Will it be the overwhelming mark of the endtimes? Absolutely not. The overwhelming mark will be one of apostasy, false teaching, and deception…
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14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

A. What is it that will prepare Timothy to walk after Paul in his suffering for the gospel? What is it that will equip him to face sinful false teachers? The Scripture!

B. Timothy had learned it from childhood from his mother & grandmother (2 Tim 1:5)… There’s value in teaching our children the Scripture! Even if they don’t understand it when they’re young, they’ll benefit from it as they grow & mature…

C. What’s the primary lesson of Scripture? Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ!
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16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

A. “inspiration” – literally “God-breathed.” Just as God breathed life into Adam – just as the Risen Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into the disciples – God breathed His word into the 40+ authors of the Holy Bible. Each author spoke in his own voice (we can definitely tell the difference between Paul & John), but every word penned by them & preserved in the Scriptures was a word breathed into them by God Himself.
__a. Some commentators & church fathers translated “inspired” differently – changing the emphasis (Every Scripture inspired of God is profitable…). The issue goes back to basic grammar…the alternate translation uses “God-breathed” as a verb, making it the action the Scripture goes through. The actual text uses it as an adjective, which makes it a modifier of the Scripture itself.
__b. Huh? Here’s the problem – if every Scripture inspired of God is profitable, then the question becomes: “Which Scriptures are the inspired ones?”. At this point, men begin to decide which Scriptures are the inspired Scriptures & all of a sudden Scripture is interpreted in light of tradition rather than tradition being judged in light of Scripture.
__c. What the NT is actually teaching is that Scripture is ITSELF breathed out by/inspired by God. When we call it the word of God, we can trust that it truly is the word of God! Do we worship the book? No – we worship the One who gave it to us. It’s not the pages & ink that is special; it’s the content. The Bible is the written revelation of God that points us to the revealed incarnation of God: Jesus Christ.

B. Which part of the Scripture is inspired? ALL of it – every part of it. From Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, every chapter, word, letter, and mark is breathed out by God Himself. Contextually, Paul’s speaking primarily of the OT here…the faith that was previously passed on to Timothy was written of in the OT; the NT was still being composed. But the NT is just as inspired – Peter puts Paul’s letters in the same category as the rest of the Scripture (2 Pet 3:16).
__a. Keep in mind that just because all of it is inspired doesn’t mean that context isn’t crucial. Job’s friends are accurately recorded, even though virtually everything they said was junk. Psalms 14 & 53 accurately state the phrase “There is no God”, but context tells us it comes out of the mouth of a fool. Just because someone is quoting a Bible verse to you doesn’t mean that’s what the Scriptures are actually saying. We’ve got to be willing to read it with our own eyes…
__b. And because all of it is inspired, all of it is profitable! ‘What does this mean about the genealogies & other various lists? Are they still profitable?’ Yes – though they obviously have different levels of importance. (Adrian Rogers) “I’d rather be stuck on a desert island with 1 Corinthians than 1 Chronicles…” But there’s something to learn from every word within the Bible – even if it’s only the realization that God knows every one of us by name.

C. It’s profitable for “doctrine”: One of the key doctrines brought out in the Reformation was Sola Scriptura – the sufficiency of Scripture. The Bible is profitable for our doctrine/teaching & is in fact our final authority in doctrine. There is no interpretation that we should hold so dear that we cannot be corrected by the truth of the Scripture.
__a. There’s a flip side to this too. If Scripture is profitable for teaching & doctrine, then it follows that we shouldn’t come across a Scripture that is unprofitable for it. For instance, it’s not uncommon to find whole websites devoted to supposed contradictions in the Bible. But when we understand that all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, we can have the assurance that the Bible is not in fact contradicting itself – it’s either being interpreted incompletely (context) or incorrectly. The problem isn’t in the Scripture; the problem is in our interpretation.

D. It’s profitable for “reproof”: We don’t use the word much today – when we do we typically think about scolding or rebuke. Grk actually refers to evidence – or something that’s been tested/proven. Scripture definitely tests our hearts & motives – Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. []

E. It’s profitable for “correction”: This may not be the 1st thing that leaps to mind, but praise God that the word of God brings correction! The Law brings correction when it shows us our sin – the Gospel demonstrates the correction when it shows us our Savior – the Epistles correct us from the extremes of legalism and licentiousness – the Psalms correct our notions of trite meaningless worship – and the list goes on & on.

F. It’s profitable for “instruction in righteousness”: Not only are we corrected from error, but we’re instructed in how God would want us to live, worship, serve, and rest in the gospel. God has not only given us the righteousness of Christ, but through the Bible He teaches us what it means spiritually & practically.
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17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

A. What does it mean to be made “complete”? To be made competent/qualified by God for His purposes & His tasks. We are woefully incomplete on our own (hence our need for salvation to begin with!) – but God grants us His grace through Jesus Christ, and instructs us through His word. Scripture prepares you for anything God calls you to do. Through Scripture, we’re not only warned away from sin (Ps 119:11), we’re not just cleansed from sin (Eph 5), we’re equipped for GOOD…

Conclusion:
There’s a caveat to all these promises about the Scripture. It’s good for so much! Exposing sinful teachers, endurance in suffering, doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness, equipping, etc…but we experience none of these benefits if we never break open the book. Read it, hear it, meditate on it, pray through it, discuss it – pick a study method & use it! American Christians are famous for how many Bibles we own, and yet the vast majority of Christians are virtually Biblically illiterate. We complain about not ‘hearing’ the voice of God or knowing His will, yet we don’t pick up the primary way God chose to communicate His will to us. We WILL be changed by reading the word of God – it’s simply a fact. Psalm 1:1-3 (1) Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; (2) But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. (3) He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. []

Why can the Christian be so sure of the promise of blessing as we meditate & learn the word of God? Because the (w)ord always takes us to the (W)ord…Scripture always brings us to Jesus! As we learn of Him and know Him, we are changed – transformed by the renewing of our mind (Rom 12:2), and conformed into His image (Rom 8:29). Christian – please don’t neglect the 2nd greatest gift from God to mankind: the Holy Scriptures!

What’s the 1st greatest gift? The Lord Jesus Christ! When we were wallowing in our sin & offending God at every turn through blasphemy, deceit, lusts, and hatred, God put on human flesh and walked among us. The perfect Son of God died a tortuous death on the cross not because He deserved it, but because we did – and through the cross & empty tomb purchased our salvation. But you must respond to His offer of grace. God desires the whole world to come to repentance, but some hear the gospel, learn the gospel, & never come to knowledge of the truth. If that’s you, don’t put it off another day – respond to His offer in faith!

Do’s & Don’ts in Ministry

2 Timothy 2:14-26, “Do’s & Don’ts in Ministry”
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Introduction:
Timothy’s been in Ephesus & has had to deal with false teaching since his arrival there… So Paul (his mentor & spiritual father) has been giving him some “do’s & don’ts” in teaching & ministry… DO teach the truth – DO live holy & honorable – DO teach in gentleness

2 Timothy 2:14-26 (NKJV)
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.

A. Remind who? Everyone! The word “them” is added by the translators (italics). Part of Timothy’s responsibilities as a pastor/overseer was to remind the entire church of the basics of the gospel & God’s faithfulness, which Paul sang about in vs. 11-13…
__a. Can we ever hear too much about the gospel? I hope not! We (hopefully) all know very well that Christ died for our sins, rose again to life, and offers new life to all who call upon Him in repentance and faith. But it’s something we need to be reminded of constantly. Why? We didn’t get ourselves saved; why would we think we can do any better in daily life? We are saved by the grace of God, walk with Christ by the grace of God, and look forward to eternal life by the grace of God.

B. What does it mean to quarrel/strive over words? Got a great example of this in 1998 when President Clinton told a grand jury, “It depends what the meaning of ‘is’ is.” This happens in Christianity all the time! Instead of exhorting the church to the simple truth of the gospel & to walk with the Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, we get caught up in all sorts of debates splitting hairs between people who would otherwise call one another brothers & sisters in the Lord. (When is the exact moment regeneration takes place in a believer? What’s the difference between filling & baptism of the Spirit? Etc.) (Augustine) “In essentials – unity; in non-essentials – liberty; in all things – charity.”
__a. That doesn’t mean we’re not to contend for the truth & pure doctrine. Paul’s made that extremely clear. But at the same time, we need to beware & be careful of striving (fighting) over words.

C. What is the inevitable result of useless quarreling? “Ruin” = literally καταστροφή! Too strong of a word? No – not when we consider that Jesus’ primary prayer for the church was for unity within the church. (John 17:20-21) … Instead of unity, useless quarreling leads to ruin through disunity. [Martin Luther & Ulrich Zwingli]
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15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

A. DO be “diligent” in studying… Not talking about mindlessly reading – Greek implies active, eager studying & labor over the Scriptures. Pastors aren’t to run from study; they’re to run to it – actively seeking the truth behind God’s inspired word.

B. What comes of diligence? The pastor does not need to be ashamed because he’s “rightly dividing the word of truth”… Gk for “dividing” is the only time it’s used in the NT & a rare word in ancient Greek overall. Compound word meaning “straight cutting”…some translate it “dissecting” – others liken it to plowing a straight line in a field. We need to be careful not to put our own spin on the English word – to some older dispensationalists, to ‘rightly divide’ the truth means to accurately determine the various dispensational ages. To some in other theological traditions, it means to ‘rightly divide’ between law & grace. Neither is the context here. Paul’s whole subject is one of teaching…to ‘rightly divide’ the truth is to rightly teach the truth…
__a. The word of God is the “word of truth”. Jesus affirmed the same thing (John 17:17)… Paul will get into this more in Ch 3 – but the word of God is the very truth of God. We can trust every single jot & tittle in the Scripture.
__b. It IS possible to wrongly divide it… What happens when teachers do so? They’ll be held to a stricter judgment (James 3:1). Does that absolve us of any responsibility? No – we’ve got to be Bereans. (Acts 17)
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16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

A. DON’T promote profane teaching…it’s empty babbling – just mindless noise. Wrote the same thing in 1 Tim 6:20…and it was still a danger for the church. To allow it to continue (or worse, to embrace it) would lead to ungodliness & spiritual disease…
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17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.

A. Example of profane & idle babblings: Hymenaeus & Philetus. We don’t know anything about Philetus (except that his name is ironic: “amiable”), but Paul’s addressed Hymenaeus before (1 Tim 1:20). Apparently Hymenaeus didn’t learn anything in his discipline & continued to cause problems in the church. We don’t know the exact heresy they taught…simply that they believed the resurrection had already come. (Similar heresy exists in hyper/full-preterism…) Whatever the case, it was profane babbling & wrongly dividing the word of truth.
__a. FYI, the resurrection has not yet come (in case you hadn’t noticed).  We ARE to expect a physical resurrection! 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 (20) But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (21) For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (23) But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. [] According to the NT, the question isn’t whether or not there is a physical resurrection to come (that is assured – proved by THE Resurrection); the question is how you’re going to take part in it. Are you Christ’s?

B. Their message kills (like cancer & overthrows faith). “cancer” = γάγγραινα ‘gangrene’ – it decays and spreads quickly & incessantly. The only real solution is to cut it out or amputate it. Likewise with heretical teaching, the enemy uses it to overthrow faith. As in the parable of the sower, the birds come & snatch away the good word sown in their heart (Matt 13:19)…heresy is a dangerous thing. The church is supposed to be the “pillar & ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15) – we ought to guard against profane teaching & guard the truth of the word of God.
__a. Does false teaching affect everyone the same way? No – it “overthrows the faith of some.” But that doesn’t mean it’s not still to be avoided. How many times do we want to play Russian Roulette? Eventually, we’re going to get killed. Likewise with false teaching, if we engage it long enough & imbibe enough bad doctrine, it’s bound to affect us somehow…
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19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

A. False teachers & teaching will come & go, but God’s truth will stand! What’s the solid foundation? Christ (1 Cor 3:11)? The Gospel (Luke 6:48-49)? The Church (Eph 2:20, 1 Tim 3:15)? Yes.  The immediate context is that of the church (speaking of those people sealed by God) – but the church is only the church because of the grace offered through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

B. Gives a couple of loose quotes from the OT. 1st quote: Rebellion of Korah – Numbers 16:4-5 (4) So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face; (5) and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him. [] 2nd quote is a little more uncertain – could be a reference to Num 16:26 or Isa 52:11…both speak of departing from uncleanness/iniquity, though neither is an exact match. But the metaphor of Korah is inescapable. Those like Hymenaeus & Philetus were attempting to usurp the church of God through their heresy – and those who followed them would be swallowed up with them.

C. The point? The Lord protects His people. If you’re abiding in the truth, nothing is going to take you away from Him…He’s sealed you. He knows exactly whom He has called, and He’s going to keep you as His own. We don’t need to fear false teachers; we just need to avoid them. At the same time, if you’re not abiding in Christ & departing from iniquity, you have good reason to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith! (2 Cor 13:5)
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20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

A. Paul’s continuing to refer to the Church (the great house) – but keep in mind there is both the visible & invisible Church. The visible are all those who claim the name of Christ; the invisible are all those who truly belong to Him & have been born again. (Jesus says much the same with the wheat/tares & sheep/goats…) WE may not know which is which, but God does (He’s sealed them & knows His own). But although we cannot necessarily know others (apart from their fruit), we CAN know ourselves. And we ought to want to be vessels of honor!

B. How are we made vessels of honor? By cleansing ourselves of dishonor? Staying away from dishonorable false Christians? Both! Paul’s going to write about personal behavior in the next verse, but he’s still wrapping up the thought of amputating the gangrene (he has a tendency to mix metaphors!)… When we discover that a teacher is promoting a heretical version of an essential doctrine (like the resurrection) – the responsibility falls to us to either bring correction or pull away from it. [‘Bishop’ Carlton Pearson??]

C. What happens if we are vessels of honor? We’re “sanctified & useful” for our Master: We’re set apart for God & His purposes. He uses His word to equip us for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17), so it follows that as He prepares us through His true teaching, we would cleanse ourselves from false teaching. We want to be ready to be used by God when He needs to use us…
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22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

A. How should we cleanse ourselves? The same way that Paul exhorted Timothy in his earlier letter – 1 Timothy 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. [] Good advice doesn’t change.  Specifically here: flee “youthful lusts.” Keep in mind Timothy was a relatively young minister – somewhere in his 30’s. He was still a prime target for youthful temptations (not that temptations stop at certain ages, but the kinds of temptations typically change). We tend to immediately equate “lust” with “sex” because of our culture – but the context is a lot broader. Hymenaeus & Philetus were apparently lusting after power & fame in the church… Lust can take on a lot of forms. The specific Greek word refers to a deep longing or desire – something that someone would set a fierce passion upon. Ultimately, it’s a reference to covetousness…be it another person who’s not your spouse – or the desire to be ‘right’ no matter what the cost – or calculating a way to be a person of great influence. It’s wanting what we don’t have, and doing whatever it takes until we get it. Those who desire to live godly & be honorable vessels for our Master ought to flee those things!
__a. ‘Is fleeing from temptation really a good option?’ Yes – it’s biblical! [Joseph & Potiphar’s wife – Gen 39] Especially in the area of sexual immorality – the NT tells us to flee from it (1 Cor 6:18).

B. Don’t just flee from something; flee to something else. Pursue godliness. Specifically:
__a. Righteousness: As Christians, we are given the righteousness of Christ (1 Cor 5:21) – it’s imputed to us by God as we have none of our own (Rom 3:10). But just because God gives us righteousness doesn’t mean we stop pursuing it. We ought to seek after holiness – living as men & women who really have been born again by the Spirit of God.
__b. Faith: Like righteousness, faith is not something that begins & ends the moment we repent & place our trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. It definitely begins there, but it ought never end. The apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith (Luke 17:5) – as the early church in Asia grew, they were strengthened in the faith (Acts 16:5). Every day we breathe and walk with the Lord Jesus is another day that we can grow in our faith, understand what it means to trust Him, & rejoice in the gospel.
__c. Love: Speaking of agape (selfless – Christ centered) love. Of all the spiritual gifts and things we could pursue, there’s none greater than love…it’s better than tongues, prophecy, and miraculous faith combined (1 Cor 13). The contrast is striking, isn’t it? We’re to flee lusts, but pursue love. Lust is consumed with self; love seeks for others. Love fulfills the law (Rom 13:10) & is at the heart of the gospel (John 3:16)…Christians ought to pursue love!
__d. Peace with other believers: Simply because we’re brothers and sisters in the Lord doesn’t mean we won’t hurt one another. Part of what comes with loving one another as Christ loved us is to bear with one another when the other person isn’t very bearable (1 Cor 13:7). Does it come naturally? No – but that’s why it’s something that ought to be pursued.
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23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

A. One way of seeking peace with one another? Don’t needlessly argue – takes us back to vs. 14 & a constant theme in the letter. There are always people who want to wrangle over every word & debate issues that are only speculation…and it’s easy to get caught up within it! (What exact processes caused the earth to flood… How many other children Adam & Eve had… Etc.) Arguments come easily enough for us without Christians actively seeking them out.
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- DO be a servant…
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,

A. As opposed to quarreling & striving with one another, the person who desires to be a servant (doulos) of God needs to be “gentle.” Talking about meekness; not weakness. Specifically for a pastor/teacher, he’s got to be patient & humble in his teaching – knowing that although he’s teaching the truth of God, he himself is not beyond error & is no better than anyone else. (Pastors aren’t celebrities…)

B. But bring correction! It must be done in gentleness, but we shouldn’t buy into the idea that gentleness turns a blind eye to false teaching. The most loving thing we could do with someone who’s bought into heresy is to share the truth with them. But we’ve got to know the truth if we’re going to share the truth…
__a. Specifically for pastors, they’ve got to have the skill to “be able to teach.” It’s not much good to someone else if we know the truth, but can’t share it with them…

C. What do we hope to gain by godly correction? Repentance & restoration! This is always the goal of discipline/correction within the church. Never is someone corrected out of spite; they’re always handed over to the Lord in order that the Lord would bring them to repentance.
__a. Can we talk someone into repentance? No. But we can share the truth with them. We can share Scriptures, and the gospel, and continue to love them enough in Christ to teach them the truth. But repentance isn’t a work of man; it’s a gift of God, available for the asking.
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26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

A. Ultimately, those who are in opposition, teaching false doctrine, and quarreling over words are losing a spiritual battle (which they may not even be aware of). They’re ensnared by the devil.

B. But the good news is that Jesus has come to set the captives free! (Isa 61:1, Luke 4:18) Have you been set free? Then rejoice! Or have you realized that you’ve been lulled to sleep & trapped by the devil? Then repent, and let Jesus free you!

Conclusion:
It’s easy to imagine the relief Timothy must have felt when reading this letter from his friend & mentor, Paul. Timothy had likely struggled with some of these false teachings in Ephesus since the day he arrived, and must have wondered along the way whether or not he was doing the right thing. And then one day he gets a letter basically telling him to keep it up.

1. DO teach the truth. Don’t compromise on it; don’t entertain false ideas; don’t let heresies infect the church. But do study with diligence as a laborer to his trade & ensure that the church is feeding on the milk & meat of the word of God.
2. DO be a clean & useable vessel for the Master. He’s going to sort out the dishonorable vessels in His time. But our responsibility is to keep ourselves clean through the enabling of the Holy Spirit. Whether it’s avoiding sinful teaching or sinful practices – we’re to be a holy people of God.
3. DO teach in gentleness. Timothy didn’t need to ramrod the truth; simply to proclaim it. God’s word is alive & powerful & sharper than any 2-edged sword (Heb 4:12). Our responsibility is merely to proclaim in truth in the love in which it was given to us.

Are these only instructions for pastors? No – they’re instructions for the church…all of us who have been sealed by God. Christian, be wary of giving up the truth of God’s word for anything. Not only do we need to be taught it, but it’s God’s word that cleanses us (Eph 5:26), and it’s by God’s word that we bring gentle correction in hopes of restoration & repentance (Gal 6:1). It’s good to equip us for every good work!

Do you know the truth? Jesus said that He IS the truth (John 14:6) – have you received Him as your Savior & Lord? Whether you know it or not, if you haven’t trusted Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, you are ensnared by the devil & are an enemy of God through your sin (lies, lusting, hating, coveting, etc). But God loves you & offers you forgiveness & new life!

Empowered Endurance

2 Timothy 2:1-13, “Empowered Endurance”
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Introduction:
So where’s the Christmas message? Shouldn’t we be talking about a manger & some magi? Actually, every message in which we talk about Jesus (which should be every one!) is a Christmas message. Every time the gospel is preached, we’re proclaiming the same thing the angels said to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem: there is a Savior, Christ the Lord.

Actually, the whole Nativity story is filled with examples of what Paul is writing to Timothy in Ch 2: the need for endurance & perseverance in the middle of tough times. Mary (most likely a teenager) likely had to persevere the looks & rumors from her community when she became pregnant with a baby that was not her betrothed husband’s. Joseph probably had to endure the same when he took Mary as his wife anyway & didn’t have her stoned to death. They both had to endure a tough trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem while Mary was 9 months pregnant – they had to tough out not having a place to sleep when they arrived – they had to persevere while in Egypt escaping from the hand of Herod – and the list goes on. For this “most blessed of woman” & her husband, it’s hard to imagine a tougher 1st few years of marriage. If they weren’t enduring their hardships in the strength of the Lord, they wouldn’t have endured at all!

And that’s what Paul is calling Timothy to do. Timothy has been overseeing the church in Ephesus for some time now & although there’s always a danger of external attack (which he’ll get to in Ch 3), there’s also always a danger of the internal temptation to slip into laziness. We get into a rut in our Christian lives & start to think, “I deserve a good life because I’m such a good Christian”…when in reality we ought to be prepared to suffer, not due to anything we’ve done, but simply because the world hates Christ. Since our Lord & King suffered, we ought to expect it as well. Once we understand that sufferings & hardships are part of what Jesus promised (John 16:33), we start to understand the importance of endurance.

Starts by laying out the call (the need) for endurance – gives 3 metaphors of what Christian endurance looks like – provides real-life examples of endurance – sings a hymn of endurance at the end. All in all, Paul gives a pretty well-crafted sermon.

Remember out context leading up to this point: Paul had been charging Timothy to not be ashamed of the gospel & to hold fast to the doctrine he had received from Paul. Others had abandoned Paul (and the gospel) while in prison (all of Asia, Phygellus, & Hermongenes) – very few had stayed true to him (Onesiphorus). It’s with those who have fallen away in mind that Paul picks up in vs 1…

2 Timothy 2:1-13 (NKJV)

- 3-fold call…
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

A. Call #1: “be strong” – more literally, “be empowered”. We need strength – we need power in order to endure. Not only do we need to be mentally prepared to be strong, we need to understand that the power doesn’t come from us. The mistake that we often make when facing trials is that we try to be strong through the methods that come naturally to us – we try to talk ourselves into readiness & ‘psyche’ ourselves up for the battle. But that never works…it doesn’t even make sense. (Do stick a cordless drill in the corner waiting for it to recharge itself?) We need to be endued with power – i.e., whatever strengthens us must come from another source.

B. Be strong in what? “the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” “Grace” here is overarching – speaking of our salvation, but speaking more generally of any favor & gift we receive from the Lord Jesus. IOW, we gain our strength not from anything we’ve done, but by going before our Lord & Savior & relying completely on His grace. He’s given us grace in saving us from sin – He gives grace when He fills us with the Holy Spirit & power – He gives grace when He equips us with spiritual gifts – He gives grace when He gives the peace that passes understanding through prayer. As James says, “He gives more grace…” (Jas 4:6)
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2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

A. Call #2: be faithful to the doctrine. Over & over again, Paul’s pastoral epistles have the call to stay true to the teaching & gospel message he passed on to his students. For good reason! We inherently have a tendency to change a message immediately upon hearing it. (Ever play “telephone”?) The 1st Apostles hadn’t yet all passed away when Jesus gave letters to the churches exhorting them to get back to the truth of the gospel! We’ve got to stay true to the word of God – it is our final authority because it comes with the authority of Christ Jesus Himself.

B. How was Timothy to fulfill this call practically? By being faithful to teach others who will teach others. It wasn’t enough for Timothy to be true to the gospel, but not pass it on to others & train up new leaders. If that were the case, the church would have died out in a few generations. Jesus continues to build His church by calling people to Himself in salvation, and it’s the church’s responsibility to pass on what we’ve been taught. This is the primary call in the Great Commission – Matthew 28:19-20 (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. [] Not converts; disciples!

C. Who was it that Timothy was to teach? Faithful men. (Guzik) “When Timothy looked for those whom he could pour Apostolic doctrine and practice into, he was to look for the quality of faithfulness. He didn’t need to find smart men, popular men, strong men, easy men, perfect men, or good-looking men; Paul told him to look for faithful men.” Common sense tells us the opposite. We have a tendency to look for those whom we think are the most talented or skilled… Talent/skill is never the issue (God can give that); faithfulness is. The Christian who is faithful in a few things will be given more (Matt 25:29); those who want to be used by God for His glory must be faithful in what He’s given them initially to do.
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3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

A. Call #3: be prepared. (Boy Scout motto…) Far more important than a camping trip, Timothy was to be prepared to “endure hardship” while in the ministry of the gospel. We’ve been called into service (drafted) by our King – we need to be ready to do what He calls us to do until He takes us home. Going to expand on this…
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- 3 metaphors of endurance…
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

A. The soldier…common analogy for Paul. Gives 2 characteristics:
__a. No entanglements. Battle-ready soldiers have a singular focus. They can’t afford to worry about fantasy football when bullets are flying over head. While on the battlefield, they avoid any entanglements that takes their mind off what is facing them. Needless to say, we are on a battlefield! [] What Paul is NOT saying: Go find a Christian ghetto & keep yourself holed up there, never working a regular job, never paying bills, and never speaking to a non-believer. [] So what IS Paul saying? Don’t get involved in anything that takes you away from what the Lord Jesus (our commanding officer) has called us to. Beware of getting entangled & ensnared in sin (Heb 12:1)… Beware of getting entangled in conflicts of interest…things that may not be obviously sinful, but are just at odds with being who God called you to be. (Tough for a bi-voc pastor to be a door-to-door salesman…)
__b. One desire: please his commander… It doesn’t matter what the neighboring private told him to do; the only orders that matter are the ones from his commanding officer. Likewise for Timothy, it doesn’t matter if everyone else falls away. All of Asia may have been ashamed of the gospel, but Timothy was just to serve the Lord Jesus.

B. The athlete…another common analogy for Paul – he was quite the sports fan!
__a. The athlete wants to win…he’s striving for the crown of victory. The athlete who’s lackadaisical is the athlete who always loses. We are to run in such a way that we may obtain the prize of the imperishable crown (1 Cor 9:24). When we get lazy in our faith, we lose track of what we’re doing, fall into sin & worse.
__b. If he’s going to win, he must be faithful to how the game is played. [Marion Jones – Oct 2007 admitted drug use] Life obviously isn’t a game, but we’ve been told what to expect (trials, tribulations, and temptations) – so we persevere according to how God has told us to through His word. In faith, hope, love, and grace…

C. The farmer. Paul’s used similar analogies to speak of a minister of the gospel being provided for from the work of the ministry (1 Cor 9:8-11). But that’s not the context here. If the soldier is dedicated to his military responsibilities, and the athlete is dedicated to his game, the farmer is hardworking. As Paul wrote in 1 Tim 5:17, ministers of the word are expected to labor in the word. (Going to continue the idea in Ch 2 to be a diligent student of the word). Just as farmers dig deep into the rich soil before expecting a crop, so should the pastor dig deep in to the Scripture before expecting any fruit & the evangelist till the ground long before expecting a harvest.
__a. Does the farmer till the ground for fun? No – he grows a crop for sale so that other people can partake. But before he puts in on the market, he’s the 1st to taste of the fruit. [] I’m the 1st one that gets blessed through the weekly sermon, because I’m the 1st one who sees it. People always learn more when they teach than when they’re taught. (Good reason to get involved in children’s ministry!)

D. What do all three have in common? They’re dedicated – they’re faithful – they’re ready, willing, and prepared to endure what’s necessary till the end. Keep in mind that these are instructions to ministers – and we’re all ministers! We just minister in different areas. Are we relying on the power and grace of Christ to help us be steadfast to His calling & His gospel? If you’re a born-again believer in Christ Jesus, you’ve been called by the Lord, and equipped through the Spirit to serve God in some capacity. We want to be found faithful & endure what needs to be endured till we see our Master face to face.
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- Examples of endurance…
8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,

A. Example #1: the Lord Jesus! Like a common criminal, He was beaten, mobbed, whipped, & crucified. If anyone knows what it’s like to endure hardship and suffering, it’s Christ Jesus! Isaiah 53:3-4 (3) He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (4) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. [] All of us have experienced trials in the past; not many of us understand what it’s like to be smitten by the hand of God Almighty Himself… Yet what was Jesus’ response to His trials? Faithfulness! He endured the cross, despised the shame, and sat down at the right hand of God (Heb 12:2).
__a. FYI, He didn’t stay dead…He is risen! The Lord Jesus is alive today because He defeated death through the Resurrection…which is the reason we’re all gathered here this morning. At the cross, He took on the wrath of God that you & I so utterly deserved, paid our penalty for us – and we can be assured that it’s indeed paid. How so? Because His grave is empty.

B. Why does Paul mention Jesus’ genealogy through David? It’s a reminder that Jesus really is fully human. The Lord is not some demi-god that descended from a mountain; He was born of a woman like anyone else. But just as His birth proves His humanity, His resurrection proves His divinity (Rom 1:3-4).
__a. As you celebrate Christmas this year, remember that one of the reasons of rejoicing over the Incarnation was that the King of Israel (the promised Messiah) was born & has been revealed… He is the son of David – the son of man – the Son of God!
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9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.

A. Example #2: Paul. Literally chained to a Roman soldier 24/7, awaiting execution by one of the cruelest emperors in Roman history, Paul knew what it meant to suffer. As with Jesus, Paul would have appeared to be a common criminal due to his chains – but his chains were due to the gospel & due to Paul’s complete faithfulness to God’s calling. He was exactly where God needed him to be, and was completely relying on God to give him the strength to be there.
__a. We need to get rid of the idea that truly spiritual, godly Christians don’t suffer! Our evangelical culture has bought into the idea that if we’re really in the middle of God’s will that life will be smooth, our wallets will be rich, and everything will come up roses. It’s a lie. God will provide for whatever He’s called us to; but what He may provide is strength to endure the suffering.

B. Paul may have been chained, but the word of God wasn’t! Not only was it being lived out & demonstrated in a dark Roman prison cell, it was being written & going out to the churches around the known world.
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10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

A. What is the effect of the word of God being unchained through Paul’s chains? It went forth into the entire world, and called the elect to salvation. … Never underestimate the power of the Scripture in evangelism! Faith comes by hearing & hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17).

B. Where is salvation to be found? “In Christ Jesus…” There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12) – salvation is in Christ alone, who is the way, the truth & the life (John 14:6).
__a. The elect are simply those called out by God for salvation? Are you elect? Find out by responding to His call. If you have not trusted Jesus Christ for forgiveness from sin & consciously received Him as your Lord, God is calling you right now – convicting your conscience of your sin & revealing His righteousness to you. To obtain salvation, you must respond to Him in faith.
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- Hymn of endurance…4 parts – each with a condition & promise.
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.

A. Part 1: Identification at the Cross. It may sounds incredulous, but for all those in Christ, when Christ died, we died. Like Paul, we were crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20). We may not have been physically on that cross, but our sin was – because Jesus became sin (who knew no sin) for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor 5:21).
__a. Visually & publicly portrayed in baptism… Romans 6:3-4 (3) Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (4) Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [] Spiritually speaking, the moment we are born-again, we are baptized into Christ. But physically, the act of baptism is a demonstration of what has already taken place: our old man is dead – crucified with Jesus at the cross. Our new man is alive because Jesus is alive & risen from the dead. Our new eternal life is bound up in Jesus’ resurrected life.

B. And that’s the glorious promise – that we who died with Christ will one day live with Christ in eternal glory. Understand heaven is not the prize; it’s the location. Life with Christ is the prize! The only reason it’s called heaven is because Jesus is there…
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12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

A. Part 2: Identification with His suffering… This is what Paul’s been teaching about during this whole passage. Lots of people want to identify with Jesus’ power, glory, and authority; few want to identify with His suffering. Yet when we endure suffering through His power, we’re fellowshipping with Christ in a deep way – it’s the “fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil 3:10) & it’s an affirmation that are truly His children (Rom 8:16-17). Yet notice that the suffering is not everlasting. One of the greatest truths a born-again Christian can understand is that this world is as bad as it’s ever going to get… [] After this life, we’ve a promise to reign with our Lord & King – what a privilege! What grace!

B. Part 3: Refusing identification altogether. To “deny” Christ is to renounce or disown Christ…to say “no” to Him & reject Him. And the promise of God for those who deny the Lord Jesus is truly tragic: He will deny them in return. Jesus said the same thing (which is probably where the line originated) – Matthew 10:32-33 (32) “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. (33) But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. []
__a. If this is true, why did Jesus restore Peter to ministry after denying Christ 3 times? The word describing “denial” in both cases are the same… But the context is different; this seems to be a reference more to final apostasy. The person who consistently denies Christ all his/her life will find that Christ denies him/her for eternity.
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13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

A. Part 4: Failure in faithfulness… Some take this to mean that if we are faithless and deny Christ, that Christ is faithful to His promise & will deny us – because He cannot deny or break His own word. Others think that our “faithlessness” is a different subject than vs. 12’s “denial.” Rather than speaking of apostasy, Paul would have changed the subject to speaking of the believer’s struggle against sin. Both ideas are biblical, even if Paul’s intent is unclear (Grk could mean either “disbelieve” or “disobey”). To someone who has dove into blatant sin, enjoyed its pleasures, and completely disowned Christ, the Lord will be faithful to His promises of judgment. To someone who is grieved over sin, repents & seeks the Lord’s help & forgiveness, God remains faithful despite our faithlessness.

B. Jesus is faithful! We often define “omnipotence” as “the ability to do anything” – but that’s not the best definition. Granted, nothing is impossible for God & conversely all things are possible with God. But there are some things God cannot do. God cannot be tempted by evil (Jas 1:13) – God cannot sin (who would He sin against?), etc. One example is given here: God “cannot deny Himself.” God (and thus Jesus) cannot deny/denounce/disown Himself – His word – His existence. He simply IS, and thus it is impossible to deny His being. Thus when it comes to His promises concerning His salvation, His love, His covenant, His indwelling, His sealing & guarantee, He cannot and will not deny Himself. God is faithful!
__a. ‘Even when we sin?’ Yes – even when we sin! As sure as we can be of trials & tribulations, we can be assured that we will fall from time to time & sin. When we do, we don’t need to run around fretting whether or not we’ve lost our salvation at every turn, because our salvation isn’t based on our faithfulness; it’s based on God’s. Writing of Judah’s sin & Jerusalem’s conquest… Lamentations 3:22-24 (22) Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. (24) “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” [] God is faithful!! He is going to be true to His promise, no matter what!

C. Does that give us license to sin? Absolutely not. Again, those who consistently dwell in sin are denying Christ & showing their own sinfulness. God will be true to His promises for judgment and eternal denial. But for those who repent, and trusting in Christ alone for forgiveness, there’s no need to live in condemnation – Jesus has already taken your condemnation upon yourself. Instead, you can rejoice in God’s forgiveness through Christ & in God’s enduring faithfulness!

Act Like It’s Good News

2 Timothy 1:8-18, “Act Like It’s Good News”
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Introduction:
Left alone in a Roman prison, awaiting his imminent execution, one would think Paul might have cursed the gospel. After all, from an outside standpoint, this sure didn’t seem to be “good news.”

But it is! It always has been good news, and whatever we experience in the future, it will always be good news – so we should act like it’s good news. We need not fear to proclaim the gospel, nor be ashamed to witness of Christ. Paul wrote the same thing in the beginning of Romans – Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. [] How does this work out? That’s what Paul writes to Timothy…

2 Timothy 1:8-18 (NKJV)
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

A. Wherefore the “therefore”? The context is that God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. There may be a lot of reasons to be afraid, but we can be assured that this kind of fear does not come from the Lord God. Proper fear of the Lord drives us to God; ungodly unhealthy fear drives us away from Him. Since God hasn’t given us that spirit of fear, “do not be ashamed…”
__a. Why would someone be ashamed of their Christianity? There seems to be a movement now of people (ironically) proclaiming their shame in Christians. One prominent pastor wrote a top 10 list of things he disliked about Christians. Popular book titles include stuff like, “They Like Jesus But Not the Church” & “unChristian”. What’s happened is that we’ve bought into a certain stereotype of what an American Evangelical Christian looks like, and we feel like we’re either forced to denounce it or defend it. But there’s another option…to redefine it according to the Scripture. Why let the world tell the church what a Christian is? That’s backwards! We ought to be demonstrating to them what a Christian is by our love for God & our love for one another…

B. Don’t be “ashamed of the testimony” of Jesus: “testimony” = “witness” (martyr). Don’t be ashamed of the Cross. Jesus wasn’t a failure because He was executed by the Romans; that was exactly what God had planned for Him – it pleased the Lord to bruise Him (Isa 53:5). Neither should we be ashamed of Jesus’ resurrection, which was the reason for ridicule in Athens – the Resurrection is God’s declaration (testimony) to the world that Jesus is the Son of God (Rom 1:4). The testimony of Christ may seem like foolishness to the world, but it’s the power of the gospel!
__a. Keep in mind Paul’s not implying that Timothy was ashamed of Christ; he’s exhorting Timothy never to be ashamed. It’s easier to imagine a circumstance in the context of the Roman empire (or in persecuted nations today) where someone might be tempted to be ashamed of the gospel – but what about us? Our temptation may not come with a life/death scenario; it may be more subtle. Ever want to “take a day off” from your faith? Not be Christian for a day? (I’ve been there…) Don’t do it! We don’t just follow Christ; we belong to Him – He bought us (1 Cor 6:20). Every day belongs to Him – and each day we spend ashamed is a day we’ve missed out on fellowship with our Savior & God…

C. Don’t be ashamed of Paul’s imprisonment. Saw this a little last week…some might have thought Paul was a failure since he was in a jail cell. Not true! His chains are in Christ (Phil 1:13); Paul is “His” (Jesus’) prisoner. IOW, there are only 2 reasons Paul is in prison: (1) because Paul was being faithful to preach the gospel, and ultimately (2) because it was the will of God. Paul’s imprisonment didn’t come as a surprise to God – Satan didn’t ‘slip one past’ the Lord… God allowed Paul to be in prison because in some way it glorified Himself. Thus there was no reason for Timothy (or anyone else) to be ashamed of Paul’s chains…God was using him there to proclaim the gospel to Caesar, the guards, the household, to write much of the NT, etc…
__a. We have got to trust in the promises of God! Even if we don’t have a clue what’s going on around us, we can comfort ourselves in the fact that we trust in the One who knows everything. He loves us, brought us into His own family, empowers us through His Spirit, equips us through the Word, and ultimately He causes all things to work for the good for those who love God & are the called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

D. “share with me in the sufferings”: All one word in Greek – some scholars think Paul made it up. (Ever do that? Some words just aren’t enough…) Compound word “with” + “endure afflictions/undergo hardship” – Paul’s basically inviting Timothy to be unified with Paul in his trials; to undergo the same things Paul is going through in Rome. Is Paul inviting Timothy to Rome? Possibly an invitation to visit; more likely an invitation to be bold in the ministry of the gospel. Coming out of vs 7, we see we don’t have to be afraid of any suffering we might endure for Christ. He’ll give us the power we need to endure & glorify Him. In fact, any sufferings He allows us to endure we do so “according to the power of God” – His supply is proportional to His infinite power!
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9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

A. God “saved us”: Amen! We needed saving, and He saved us… Before Christ, we were shipwrecked, floating adrift in the ocean just waiting for our doom – but God saved us through Jesus Christ! He saved us from the penalty of sin, justifying us by His grace & giving us the righteousness of Christ… He saves us from the power of sin, freeing us to walk in purity with Christ by the power of the Spirit… He will continue to save us from the very presence of sin when we are glorified in Christ and spend eternity with the Lord Jesus… He saved us!

B. God “called us”: We weren’t seeking Him, but He was seeking us. As the Good Shepherd, God called us to Himself, convicted us of sin, righteousness and judgment, and gave us the faith we needed to repent & trust Christ. On top of all that, He called us to His family, and adopted us as His own. There’s hardly a more glorious thought than the idea that the Creator God of all the Universe would call you by name to be His own – and yet that’s exactly what He did.

C. It’s all God! Our salvation is “not according to our works”. People tend to place so much value upon their works…it’s the focus of every major religion outside of Biblical Christianity. We think somehow that even though God is manifestly perfect (as demonstrated through His power in Creation), that we can somehow ‘impress’ God with our good deeds. (It’d be like a fireant trying to impress us by not biting. ) Our best works in the flesh are still tainted by our sinful nature inherited from Adam [] – like Isaiah says, “all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isa 64:6), like something that should be thrown in a biohazard waste bin in comparison with the holiness of Almighty God.

D. What’s the flip-side to our salvation not being according to our works? Our salvation is completely due to God’s “own purpose & grace”. We’re not saved by OUR works; we’re saved by HIS work. God had His own purpose in mind when Jesus went to the cross, paying the price for our sin – and it’s by His grace alone that He extends the invitation to us to be saved.

E. When were we given God’s grace? “Before time began.” I love this part of the gospel! Before Adam fell…before Adam even existed, the Son of God had already been slain for sin. [Writing of Antichrist] Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. [] Before there was a need for a sacrifice, the Ultimate Sacrifice had already been provided. God has always had a plan for dealing with sin, and He has always been victorious over it!
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10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

A. Grace was given us before time began; it was revealed to us at the Incarnation. Want a reason to celebrate this Christmas? This is why! The miracle in the manger didn’t occur so that we could get excited about an overweight guy in a red velvet suit; it was the revelation of the grace of God shown by the appearing of God in the flesh. This is what the angel proclaimed to the shepherds – Luke 2:11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [] God gave us a Savior, and His name is Jesus, whom God anointed to be Christ the King. THAT’s the Christmas message, and it’s the revelation of God’s grace.

B. What did Jesus do?
__a. “Abolished death”: Considering the death rate is still 100%, this might seem a bit misleading. “Abolish” is an accurate translation, but the Greek is a bit more thorough – could be defined as “invalidate, be freed, to deprive of force”. (NET) “broken the power of death”…this is more the idea. Jesus already paid the wages of sin (death), so now we don’t have to. As Christians, we may still taste death, but it has no more sting. Jesus is the Resurrection & the Life & those who believe in Him, though we die, we shall live (John 11:25).
__b. “Brought life & immortality”: Speaking of eternal life. Not only did Jesus take away the sting of death for us here on earth – He forever takes away the existence of death in heaven. He gives us life to enjoy in His presence, and this life endures forever…it will never end. You can’t imagine more life than what Jesus provides – all brought to light through the gospel message.

C. That’s why this is called the Good News! Yes, we are in desperate need of salvation due to our sin & we can do nothing to cleanse ourselves from it’s bloody stain. But God did all the work through Jesus Christ, Who appeared in a manger in Bethlehem & was put to death on the Cross at Calvary & raised again to life three days later in Jerusalem! Forgiveness and salvation has now been made available to the whole world because of the appearing of Jesus Christ – and now we can be gloriously cleansed! This is Good News!
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11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

A. What happened to Paul as a result of God’s grace in action through Jesus? [Paul’s testimony] Now he’s a preacher, apostle, and teacher of the Gentiles.

B. We all have a similar testimony! ‘No we didn’t. I was a good person… Or I was worse…’ Compared with each other, possibly. Compared with God, not in the slightest…we were all in the same boat. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (9) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. [] Goes back to the idea of saving & calling. We were desperate sinners, but God saved us, washed us, and called us to His own. He’s called us to His family, and He’s called us into His service…demonstration upon demonstration of the grace of God.
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12 For this reason 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 what I have committed to Him until that Day.

A. For what “reason” wasn’t Paul ashamed of his chains in the gospel? Because it was the gospel of Jesus Christ that saved & called him! Because without a shadow of a doubt, he trusted in the character of Jesus Christ & knew that God is faithful.

B. “I know whom I have believed…” When Paul writes, “know,” he’s not writing of wishful thinking, or that sometimes he knows due to past experience – he’s writing about absolute, unwavering, it’s-a-fact knowledge. Paul knows Jesus Christ. And the Son of God is faithful & able. He’s not going to let Paul’s ministry in the gospel be in vain – it’s going to continue till the Day of Jesus’ return. (And we’re living proof of that…)
__a. Do you know Whom you have believed? Do you have that kind of assurance? There are so many ideas floating around about Jesus Christ that sometimes people get confused. Is He merely the so-called “historical Jesus” who was a good moral teacher (except for all that lying about his divinity, etc.)? Is He the “Genie Jesus” who lives to deliver up every materialistic thing our hearts desire? No – Jesus is the Biblical Jesus – the son of God, God the Son, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Christ, Savior! We need to know Him.
__b. When we claim Him, but don’t know Him, this world is an uncertain place. If Paul was trusting in a historical Jesus, he would have asked, “What’s the point?” There’s no need to suffer if Jesus isn’t really God Risen from the dead… If Paul was trusting in the prosperity genie-Jesus, he would have asked, “What have I done wrong in order to suffer?” After all, if Paul had been doing the right things with enough faith, his life would have been blessed… Instead, Paul knows Jesus & knows that God is in control & that the Lord who loved him, saved him, and called him will continue to care for him in whatever circumstance he endures.
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- How not to be ashamed…
13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

A. “Hold fast” to doctrine, “the pattern of sound words”: Sometimes we tend to downplay the importance of theology, thinking that stuff only really matters to people in seminary. Not true! All the Bible is theology – anything we know about God is theology (theos – logos)… In order not to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ that saved us & called us, we need to hold on to the teaching that Christ has given us & provided for us. When we don’t, that’s when we start getting pulled aside by false ideas about Jesus, and we don’t know Him as well.
__a. But hold to it in “faith & love”: Keep in mind Paul’s writing to a pastor – as Timothy preaches and teaches doctrine, he needs to do so in faith & love. The temptation would be to teach ‘sanitized’ theology…knowledge of God without God Himself – and that doesn’t do anyone any good. The Great Commandment calls upon us to love God with all our mind, but primarily to love Him with all our heart. True doctrine about Jesus should cause our faith to be strengthened & our love for Him to increase…

B. “Hold fast” to the gospel, “that good thing which was committed to you” – done by relying upon the indwelling Holy Spirit. How so? The Spirit testifies of Jesus (John 15:26), the Spirit teaches us about Jesus’ words (John 16:14), the Spirit empowers us to be witnesses (Acts 1:8). When we stay true to the gospel of Christ, it’s only because the Spirit has equipped us to do so in the first place! (Which is another reason to continually pray to be filled…)
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- Examples of shame or steadfastness…
15 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

A. The poor examples first. All of Asia Minor… Phygellus & Hermongenes were apparently ashamed of the gospel & had abandoned Paul in one of his greatest hours of need. No other mention of them in the NT – it’s sad that this is their only legacy.
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16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; 17 but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me.

A. Good example in Onesiphorus! He wasn’t ashamed of Paul’s imprisonment, but willingly, gladly, and zealously sought to help him. And he was a welcome help – “refreshed” = “to cool, revive by fresh air.” Onesiphorus was a breath of fresh air in a stifling prison cell to Paul.
__a. We don’t know what Onesiphorus did – but even his visit alone was enough to encourage Paul. Don’t underestimate the value in a simple visit.
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18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.

A. Final words of commendation – praying that Onesiphorus would be rewarded at the Bema Seat Judgment.

Conclusion:
The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news! God provided for our salvation before the foundations of the earth – He revealed His grace through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ – and He invites the whole world to be saved through His work & not our own. For those who respond, He saves us & calls us & equips us for life now & life eternal. Amen to good news!

So Christian, don’t be ashamed of it. There’s no message that can possibly be more glorious. How many of your friends and family did you tell when you were engaged? Or had a baby? How much more is our salvation in Christ? True, the world thinks it’s foolishness – but it’s the power of God…they just don’t know it yet.

Some of you today might feel some kinship with Paul in his suffering. His testimony to Timothy is the same to you: don’t be ashamed of the gospel – trust in it and know Whom you have believed. Jesus didn’t save you once and then hang you out to dry – He saved you completely & whatever you’re going through today, He’s caring for you, providing for you, and interceding for you to God the Father. You can trust your Savior, because He is faithful.

If He’s not your Savior, then you have a decision to make. You’ve heard the gospel – you’ve heard your need for salvation because of sin, how Jesus died on the Cross to pay your debt, & how Jesus rose to new life offering you forgiveness. You’ve probably even felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit affirming that these things are true & that you need to be saved. Don’t ignore His voice – don’t reject His invitation. Turn away from your sin & trust Jesus today…

Stir It Up

2 Timothy 1:1-7, “Stir It Up”
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Introduction:
Imagine for a moment you knew you had one last phone call to make or email to send before you died. Who would you send it to? What would you say? It’s likely the specifics would be different for each of us – but it’s certain we would tackle it with the utmost seriousness & try to say what we feel is most important.

For Paul, 2 Timothy is that letter. Written between 64-67AD. Nero had already burned Rome & blamed the Christians. At some point, Paul had been re-arrested & there’s some indication he may have been able to personally witness the gospel to the emperor. Nero refused & had Paul killed shortly thereafter. 2 Timothy indicates that Paul knew that he was going to be executed soon – it’s possible this epistle was written after that potential witness encounter. Whatever the history, this is the last letter that Paul wrote…his farewell address.

When we left off in 1 Timothy, Paul had sent Timothy to Ephesus as his emissary (MAP). Sent him with a charge to preach the gospel & to help the Ephesian church get back in order. From all indications, Timothy is still in Ephesus & has been faithful to what Paul originally charged him to do. If 1 Timothy was about initiating the work according to God’s will, 2 Timothy is about being faithful in the work. Faithfulness to the gospel of God – to his calling from God – to the church of God.

Starts with a call to serve. Timothy had the support of his family & the gifting of God – and whatever circumstances he faced in Ephesus, that was enough to keep on serving in the mission God had called him to. The apparent problem is that Timothy had forgotten that he had all he needed. It’s impossible to know all the circumstances, but it seems that Timothy had encountered many trials in Ephesus & perhaps had started trying to “do” ministry in his own strength, rather than fully relying on God. That’s not to say he was somehow backslidden (no appearance of that at all!); simply that wasn’t ministering in the fullness of what God had intended for him. (It’s easy to get to that point! …)

We can fall into the same rut. As Christians, we ‘know’ God has equipped us through the Word & through the gifting of the Holy Spirit for whatever it is He has called us to do in our walk with Christ. But we can get to a place where we stop relying on Christ & start relying on ourselves…and that’s never a good place to be!

2 Timothy 1:1-7 (NKJV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

A. How did Paul serve? As an “apostle” – he was the apostle to the Gentiles. At the most basic definition of the word, “apostle” simply means “messenger” – but in Paul’s case, he served in the office of an apostle as an eyewitness of the Risen Christ, commissioned personally by Jesus. Interesting that Paul would mention this in such a personal letter to Timothy… (Why bother?) Seems to be an indication that Paul intended for this very personal letter to be read to the entire church. Several aspects mentioned here:
__a. Who is he an apostle of? “Jesus Christ.” Paul had no other agenda than to simply preach Christ. Other false teachers might try using godliness as a means of financial gain (1 Tim 6:5), but Paul had a laser-like focus of proclaiming the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ.
__b. Why is he an apostle? Due to “the will of God.” His apostleship wasn’t something Paul picked out for himself; nor was it imposed upon him by other elders in the church. God had a specific plan for Paul (just like He has for each of us) – and Paul was simply being obedient to God’s calling.
__c. How is it possible he’s an apostle? “according to the promise of life…in Christ Jesus.” Talking about the gospel! The gospel is the promise of life because without Christ Jesus, the one promise we have is death (Rom 6:23) & judgment (Heb 9:27). But in Christ and through Christ, we have forgiveness & the promise (guarantee) of eternal life!
____i. And it IS a promise. Made certain by the Resurrection & the seal of the Holy Spirit…
____ii. Why is this important to Paul’s apostleship? It wouldn’t be possible without the gospel! Everything we do for God is grounded in the grace of God…
B. Does this solely apply to apostles? No. Whoever you are in Christ & whatever role He’s given you – it’s the same. You might be an evangelist of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life. Or a teacher… Or a father/mother/husband, etc. Whatever it is the Lord Jesus has given you to do, you do as a representative of Him by His will, according to His promise…
C. Dual meaning to “promise of life”. Not only is Paul’s calling due to the new life he’s received through Christ, he’s also fully aware of the promise of everlasting life through our Risen Savior. Put yourself in Paul’s shoes – you’re keenly aware that the emperor wants your head on a platter & it’s a matter of weeks (if not days) until it happens. What is it you find comfort in? “The promise of life which is in Christ Jesus…”
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2 To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

A. There’s a lot of family & focus on spiritual heritage in these few verses. Starts by looking at Timothy’s spiritual father. Whether or not Paul led Timothy to the Lord is uncertain (see vs. 6), but two things are sure: (1) Paul was a spiritual “mentor” to Timothy in many ways – to the point of them being likeminded in doctrine, purpose, and love. (2) Timothy might never have heard the gospel if it weren’t for Paul.
__a. Timothy was a native of Lystra (modern day Turkey – MAP2), to which Paul & Barnabas 1st brought the gospel on their 1st missionary journey (Acts 14). What’s interesting about this 1st visit to Lystra is that it’s the 1st of several…Paul & Barnabas could barely stop people from sacrificing to them after a healing & some of the Jews stirred up the people to stone Paul till he appeared to be dead (Acts 14:18-19). Most of us would consider that to be a closed door! … Not Paul. There were disciples made on that 1st visit & when Paul visited again in his 2nd journey (with Silas), he met Timothy who was already a believer (Acts 16:1).
__b. Here’s the point – we never know what God is going to do through the sharing of the gospel except one thing: He’s not going to let His word return void. Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. [] … Maybe we’re planting the seed – maybe we’re watering – maybe we’re harvesting – those are things for the Lord to determine. We just need to be faithful in participating in the Great Commission. What might have seemed to be a ‘failed’ 1st visit to Lystra ended up producing a vital assistant to the Apostle to the Gentiles & a faithful elder in the church of Ephesus.
B. Typical Pauline greeting (combination of Greek & Hebrew) – with the addition of “mercy…” (only in pastoral epistles – pastors need to experience it & extend it). Where do grace, mercy, & peace come from? God the Father & Christ Jesus… Equal placing; equal divinity…
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3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy,

A. Shows the closeness Paul had with Timothy. Prayed for him often – cried over each other at their last meeting.
B. What does it mean for Paul to serve God “with a pure conscience”? Paul may have been in prison, but he was there due to the will of God (as opposed to any criminal actions). He was right where God wanted him to be, and was serving how God wanted him to serve.
__a. Sometimes we buy into the idea that the way to determine God’s will is by choosing the path that seems the easiest (“He’s blessing me here, so that must mean He’s provided for this!”). If that’s the case, what does that say about Paul or Peter or Jeremiah or Moses or even Jesus? Were they somehow outside of the will of God because they encountered tough things? Perish the thought! Many times the will of God is to bless us in the midst of our suffering by strengthening us through the Holy Spirit.
C. Moves to Paul’s family here. Which “forefathers” is he referring to? Granted, Paul’s father was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), but this seems to be more a reference to his own spiritual forefathers like Abraham, Moses, and David. These were men who were certainly flawed, but they served the Lord with pure consciences – seeking to glorify God and trusting in His promises & provision. There may have been a change of covenants/dispensations between David & Paul, but definitely not a change of Gods. We serve the same Lord & Savior – we are saved in the same way (by grace through faith)…
__a. BTW, Paul’s spiritual fathers are ours as well – going all the way back to Abraham. Abraham was justified by faith, and thus he is the forefather of everyone who is justified by faith (that’s us!). Romans 4:11-12 (11) And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, (12) and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. []
__b. Why learn of our spiritual heritage? So we can learn from their walk with God: their victories & their failings. We sometimes get the idea that we’re the “only one” who has ever gone through what we experienced (lapses of faith, sin, trials). Not true! Abraham lapsed in his faith numerous times regarding Sarah, yet he’s known as the father of faith. David sinned against God through murder, adultery, and deceit, yet through his repentance he’s known as a man after God’s own heart. We don’t study the OT merely to increase our knowledge or to adopt Hebrew culture. We study the OT to see Christ Jesus & what He taught our forefathers who sought to serve Him with a pure conscience.
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5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

A. Timothy’s spiritual father may have been Paul, but he had a spiritual heritage going back in his earthly family: Grandma Lois & Mom Eunice. [Paul’s 2nd journey – Acts 16:1] Who converted who, we don’t know – but it was evident Timothy grew up in a God-fearing home with women who loved the Lord.
__a. BTW: Some of you have been praying for your children & grandchildren a long time…don’t stop! Even if you never see the fruit, don’t stop.
B. What did Timothy, Lois, & Eunice have? “Genuine faith” = “unhypocritical faith”. Greeks used the word we get “hypocritical” from to describe actors – they would play a part on the stage & give rehearsed answers. “Genuine” is the same word with an “a” in the front, negating it. IOW, genuine faith is unfeigned & unrehearsed…it doesn’t put on a “Christian” face when someone’s in a church building & drop it when he hits the parking lot. Genuine faith is sincere & authentic.
__a. ‘I want that kind of faith! Where do I get it?’ God. Ephesians 2:8-9 (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast. [] Genuine faith doesn’t pop up in someone’s life because they repeated a prayer that they didn’t mean. It doesn’t come because we decide to “clean up our act” and try to live a certain way. It only comes from God Himself when the Holy Spirit breathes new life in us when we’ve truly trusted in the Lord Jesus for our salvation.
__b. Can people see genuine faith in you? Timothy’s faith was evident to Paul. Would your faith be evident to someone else? It’s often been asked if we were on trial for our faith in Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict us? When our faith is genuine, there definitely should be.
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6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

A. What was the gift? No one really knows – any suggestion is just speculation. In the end, it doesn’t matter; what matters is that Timothy definitely HAD a gift (charisma ~ charismatic). At some point (probably Timothy’s ordination – 1 Tim 4:14), the elders of the church had laid hands on Timothy to either impart or recognize a gift given to him. All of us have gifts! (1 Pet 4:10) When God saved you & called you to Himself, He also called you to service within the Body of Christ. And He’s equipped you for that task through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
__a. What are some of the gifts we might have? At least 3 different listings in the NT…some miraculous, some service. Romans 12:6-8 (6) Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; (7) or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; (8) he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. [] All the focus seems to get put on the sensational miraculous gifts like prophecy & healing – but ALL the gifts are necessary to the body of Christ. Those who give financially & those who show mercy are just as important to the church as those who teach the Word!
B. Whatever we have, God expects us to use it! “Stir up the gift of God…” Literally, “rekindle/stir into flame.” Fire takes 3 things to exist: oxygen, fuel, and heat. When fires start to die down, one of those things is lacking – stirring up allows more oxygen come in contact with the heat, which spreads to more fuel (wood)…pretty soon you have a roaring fire again. With the gifts of God, it’s similar – He’s already provided the fuel & heat with the gifts in our lives. What we generally need is more oxygen – to be filled anew with & reliant on the Holy Spirit. That’s not something we can fake (ask Nadab & Abihu – Lev 10), but it is something we can (and should!) ask for. Luke 11:11-13 (11) If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? (12) Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? (13) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” [] Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1), the disciples were repeatedly filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4, 4:8, 4:31), the NT commands that we continually be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18)…we need to be filled! It is impossible to do the work of God without the power of God – and when we’re not relying on the Holy Spirit, we’re not relying on the power of God.
__a. Notice where the emphasis is here: on the gifts of God. It’s not that Paul was telling Timothy to be someone he wasn’t. Timothy seems to have been a meek young man; Paul wasn’t exhorting him to grow some chest hair & be burly & boisterous. Instead he tells Timothy to stir up what God had already given him. [] God has already given us the gifts – He’s already equipped us with what we need. We don’t need to be someone we’re not; we need to be who God has equipped us to be. … …
C. Why stir up the gifts? So we can use them for God’s purpose and God’s glory. He doesn’t equip us and empower ourselves so that we can have some sort of spiritual pride; He wants us to use the gifts to edify the church & evangelize the lost. [Parable of the Talents…Matt 25] We want to hear “Well done, good & faithful servant!”
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7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

A. God gives all sorts of things…faith, wisdom, etc. One thing we can be assured of that He has NOT given us is a “spirit of fear”. Some translate “fear” as “timidity” – which is technically accurate, but we get a different kind of connotation than what Paul probably intended here. It’s not that Timothy experienced mere shyness from time to time, it seemed he dealt with bouts of fearfulness & cowardice. Definitely an unhealthy kind of fear!
__a. What’s the difference between healthy & unhealthy fear? It’s good to have the right kind of fear. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 9:10) & knowledge (Prov 1:7) – it’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God (Heb 10:31). That kind of fear is healthy…it helps us keep the proper perspective regarding the holiness of God & the sinfulness of sin… … The kind of fear Paul’s describing in vs. 7 (only time the word is used in the NT) is unhealthy. Instead of driving us to our knees before the Almighty God, it causes us to flee from what God has called us to do. Healthy reverent fear drives us to God; unhealthy worldly fear drives us away from Him.
__b. Where does unhealthy fear come from? Could have many causes. Maybe we’re too focused on ourselves or our finances – maybe we’ve consumed ourselves with “what if’s” & worries – maybe we’ve come under spiritual attack. Whatever it is at the time, we can be assured of one thing: it didn’t come from God! Knowing that should give us hope…because once we identify unhealthy fear for what it is, then we can start dealing with it in prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 (6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. []
B. God does give “power”: dunamis (miracle working power)…whatever power we need to get through whatever situation we face, God provides. He empowers us through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) to be faithful witnesses for Him.
C. God does give “love”: agape…demonstrated magnificently through the gospel (Rom 5:18). As a born-again believer in Christ, nothing can separate you from the love of God (Rom 8:39) – He always loves you. Whether we’re fearful or worried, we can rest assured that our Father loves us, cares for us, and knows our need.
D. God does give a “sound mind”: refers to “moderation or discipline”. Instead of having our mind being gripped with unhealthy ungodly fear, God helps our mind be at ease – healthy & controlled.

Conclusion:
Obviously we’re not all apostles or pastors in the Body of Christ. We all encounter different difficulties & different temptations in our walk with Christ. But some things are still the same for everyone who is a believer:
(1) We need a genuine faith…
(2) We’ve been equipped by God for whatever it is He’s called us to do…
(3) We need to do it, by God’s power, recognizing ungodly fear along the way…

So what are you waiting for? Stir up the gift of God in your life & do what He’s called us to do: loving God with all our heart – loving each other as He loved us – and sharing the good news with the world. Walk with Christ by His power, in His love, and with the sound mind assured by His faithfulness.