The End…The Beginning (2) (123123)
Pastor Joseph Campbell
Sunday Evening • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 23:53
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Text: 2 Timothy 2.
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I don’t have peace about introducing another passage of Scripture in this coming year.
So, I want to encourage our church family to review the entire book of 2 Timothy.
However, should you want to memorize a new passage, I am going to recommend, and will include it in the Bible Memory App, memorizing Psalm chapter 1.
Soul Winning Saturday
Rejoice Sunday w/Evangelist Byron Foxx
Harrielson Baby Shower
Sanctity of Life Sunday/Baby Dedication
JOY Connection Group Lunch
Scripture Assembly
Introduction
Introduction
Paul’s preparation for the end.
Paul’s preparation for the end.
Timothy’s apprehension of the beginning.
Timothy’s apprehension of the beginning.
Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
After Timothy had the opportunity to consider what Paul had thus far been saying he may have thought, sarcastically, “Paul, you really know how to encourage a guy!?!?”
Paul, anticipating that type of reaction wrote:
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
When we find ourselves getting discouraged, we need to remind ourselves that Jesus Christ has already won the victory!
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Paul, here, acknowledges the fact that, it was because of the truth of the resurrection of Christ, that he suffered trouble.
It was because of the truth that Paul, at times, found himself in prison.
However, he acknowledged the fact that the enemies of the Gospel could not - and would not be able to - stop God’s Word!
As the hymn says:
His Truth is marching on!
Charles Spurgeon wrote:
2 Timothy Exposition
It is utterly impossible that the truth of the gospel shall die, since it is wrapped up in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever.
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto me void, But it shall accomplish that which I please, And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Exploring the Pastoral Epistles: An Expository Commentary iii. The Song (2:9c)
No power on earth or in hell can shackle the Word of God. Sometimes God’s servants are stifled, or even silenced in death, but God’s Word still rings out. Diocletian made a mighty effort to destroy every Bible in the empire, but he failed. Voltaire once declared that he would bury the Bible. Not long afterward, Voltaire died and was buried, and his house was purchased by the Geneva Bible Society and used as a place for storing Bibles. Through centuries, the papacy fought fiercely to keep the Bible from the people. The early translators and Reformers paid a high price for their courage in printing and promoting the Scriptures; they were imprisoned, maligned, persecuted, and burned at the stake. However, Rome fought in vain; the Word of God triumphed. The Bible is the world’s best-seller and is now published in thousands of tongues and in all kinds of versions.
This assurance gave Paul the assurance to write these next words:
Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Paul endured all things, also, because there were still those who needed to hear the Gospel and be saved!
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The old hymn says:
We've a story to tell to the nations,
that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy,
a story of peace and light,
a story of peace and light.
This is why Soul Winning Saturdays are important.
This is why carrying tracts is so important.
This is why Neighborhood Bible Time is so important.
It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
Because Christ lives, so shall we! We have eternal life!
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Again, remember Paul’s words in chapter 4:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
…if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Do you and I boldly and publically confess Christ before others?
Do we willingly acknowledge to our friends, family members, co-workers that we are a believer in Jesus Christ?
Are we ashamed to be associated with Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ suffered the most shameful death for us. Are we willing to do the same?
This denial relates to loss of rewards, not loss of salvation.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Romans 3:4 (KJV 1900)
God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar…
There’s an old Gospel song which states:
God said and I believe it and that settles it for me!
However, it matters little whether we believe it or not.
God said it and that should settle it!
In vs. 13 we should find reason to rejoice - God’s Word is truth; God’s Word never changes. Therefore we can securely stand upon it!
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
Of these things put them in remembrance…
They soon forgat his works; They waited not for his counsel:
That they strive not about words to no profit…
Who are the “them?” Who are the “they?”
Timothy was Paul’s official representative in the church in Ephesus. Some might say that Timothy served in the capacity of the pastor of the church in Ephesus.
Notice Paul’s admonition to Timothy in his first letter:
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
Which helps us understand that Paul here, in 2 Timothy, is referring to those within the church at Ephesus.
One commentator wrote:
Exploring the Pastoral Epistles: An Expository Commentary a. The Framework (2:14)
In spite of all of the dangers to the church from outside, “wordy battles” were being fought inside the church. Satan was busy without and within. Surely the church should close ranks in the face of a common foe like Nero. Instead, members of the church were at loggerheads over trivia, wrangling over unimportant issues. They needed to concentrate on matters of life and death, time and eternity, judgment and reward—the “things” about which Paul had just been writing—instead of striving over words.
Now, coming back to 2 Timothy chapter 2:
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
There is “religious” talk which:
destroys others (2 Tim. 2:14)
gives birth to quarreling and fighting (2 Tim. 2:23)
which is unprofitable (Titus 3:9)
which is worthless (Eph. 4:29)
See 2 Timothy 2:16-18.
There is “religious” talk which will destroy us like a cancer! (2 Tim. 2:17)
There is “religious” talk which leads us away from the truth and which eventually will trip us up and cause us to drop out of the race! (2 Tim. 2:18)
There is “religious” talk which will eventually lead us to resist the truth.
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
There is “religious” talk which will lead us so far away from the truth that only the grace of God can bring us back from!
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
What should we do instead?
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I especially want to apply this to myself and to your prayers for me, as your pastor and how you can pray for and encourage me.
I can/will attest to the fact that rightly dividing the word of truth isn’t as simple as it sounds.
It takes
For me to rightly divide the word of truth takes:
Time
Commitment