2 Tim 2_2

2 Timothy 2:2 Stewardship of the Gospel

A member of W. E. Sangster’s (1900–1960) church in Scarborough, England (the Queen St. Church) was a barber and felt it his duty to witness to his customers, but he wasn’t always careful. One day he lathered a man for a shave, picked up the razor, and asked, “Sir, are you prepared to meet your God?” The poor fellow fled with the lather still on his face.

What you do with the Gospel is important. What is your idea of sharing the Gospel? Do you spell out the Gospel to them or do you just invite people to church to hear your pastor preach?

Evangelism is hard but it must be carried out intentionally and with determination. While the Holy Spirit takes your words and brings about conviction which leads to repentance, how we present the Gospel is still very important and in this text we see an example to follow after as Paul lays out instructions for young Timothy. He has entrusted the Gospel to his student that the Gospel may continue to spread globally

CPS: If you have received the Gospel then it has been entrusted to you and your stewardship of the Gospel means life or death for many

The Gospel Heard 2a

Stewardship of the Gospel entails recalling the spoken word of the Gospel backed up by the absolute truth of the Bible

Young Timothy was from Lystra born a son of a Jewish mother and a Greek father, raised in a God fearing home. I can imagine Timothy’s first interaction with Paul; perhaps it was the healing of the crippled man, perhaps it was Paul and Barnabas proclaimed “we are not gods but people like you and we proclaim good news to you, that you turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them (acts 14:15) or perhaps it was at Paul’s stoning where he was left for dead but then returned to the city. Often times our witness is the seal of approval on our words. However, in Acts 16 we are introduced to Timothy, He is called a disciple: Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. (Acst 16:1). From this point on, Timothy traveled most of the known world with Paul witnessing firsthand the stewardship of the Gospel from Paul the greatest Apostle, Preacher, Teacher, Missionary, and Christian that has lived. Imagine what Timothy heard and saw.

The Truth of the Gospel (realness)

The Power of God

The only way of Salvation

The Consistency of the Gospel (never changing, it was never added to and nothing was taken away)

The Continuity of the Gospel (keep at it) (Acts 20:26)

Timothy was instructed in good stewardship of the Gospel, “what you have heard me proclaim all these years, you proclaim the same thing to others.

The Gospel Committed 2b

Stewardship of the Gospel entails depositing the Gospel into the heart vault of others so it may continue to spread around the world.

Commit – “to put beside” the idea of making a deposit in order to protect something valuable. The Gospel is the most valuable treasure the world has or will ever know. It must be safe guarded in the hearts of faithful men.

Ill: Bank or safety deposit box

A. The Treasure (the Key that unlocks eternal life bringing restoration)

B. The Faithful (believers who are dependable)

The Gospel Taught 2c

Its taught to be taught

Ill. Billy Graham “crusades will not fulfill the great commission.”

Conclusion: Paul is teaching Multiplication not addition. What you do with the Gospel is important, in fact, do you know what the greatest obstacle to Christianity is? Christians!

Ten little Christians standing in line. One disliked the preacher, then there were 9.Nine little Christians stayed a very late.  One overslept Sunday, then there were 8.Eight little Christians all their way to Heaven. One took the low road and then there were 7.Seven little Christians chirping like chicks. One disliked music, and then there were 6.Six little Christians seemed very much alive, but one lost his interest and then there were 5.Five little Christians pulling for Heaven's Shore, but one stop to rest, then there were 4.Four little Christians each busy as a bee. One got his feelings hurt, then there were 3.Three little Christians knew not what to do. One joined the sporty crowd, then there were 2.Two little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done, differed with each other, then there was 1One little Christian can't do much ‘tis true, brought his friend to Bible study, then there were 2.Two earnest Christians, each won one more. That doubled the number, then there were 4.Four sincere Christians worked early and late.  Each won another, then there were 8.Eight splendid Christians if they doubled as before. In just so many Sundays, we'd have 1024.In this little jingle, there is a lesson true, you belong either to the building or the wrecking crew!