"OVERVIEW OF 2 TIMOTHY"
Notes
Transcript
What do you know about 2 Timothy?
Talk thru the Bible Second Timothy
Second Timothy is Paul’s last will and testament to his spiritual son Timothy. Writing from a Roman prison cell, Paul imparts his final words of wisdom and encouragement to Timothy who is ministering in the midst of opposition and hardship in Ephesus. Paul stresses the importance of godly living, preaching the Word both in and out of season, and preparing for the coming apostasy within the church. Underlying all that Paul says is the importance of God’s Word—the only foundation strong enough to withstand persecution from without and problems from within!
Author – Paul - the last book before his martyrdom
Talk thru the Bible Author
Timothy’s name is found more often in the salutations of the Pauline Epistles than any other (see 2 Cor.; Phil.; Col.; 1 and 2 Thess.; 1 and 2 Tim.; Philem.). His father was a Greek (
Date – 67 AD
Talk thru the Bible Date and Setting
The cruel and unbalanced Nero, emperor of Rome from A.D. 54 to 68, was responsible for the beginning of the Roman persecution of Christians. Half of Rome was destroyed in July, A.D. 64 by a fire, and mounting suspicion that Nero was responsible for the conflagration caused him to use the unpopular Christians as his scapegoat. Christianity thus became a religio illicito, and persecution of those who professed Christ became severe. By the time of Paul’s return from Spain to Asia in A.D. 66, his enemies were able to use the official Roman position against Christianity to their advantage.
Audience – Timothy
Theme – “A Soldiers Manual for Ministry”
Talk thru the Bible Theme and Purpose
In this letter, Paul commissions Timothy to faithfully carry on the work that the condemned apostle must now relinquish. This combat manual exhorts Timothy to put the spiritual equipment of the Word of God to constant use to overcome growing obstacles to the spread of the gospel.
Chapters - 4
Verses - 1,235
Words - 1,235
Key Word - Endurance in Ministry
Key Verses -
3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Talk thru the Bible Keys to Second Timothy
Key Chapter (2)—The second chapter of Second Timothy ought to be required daily reading for every pastor and full-time Christian worker. Paul lists the keys to an enduring successful ministry: A reproducing ministry (1–2); an enduring ministry (3–13); a studying ministry (14–18); and a holy ministry (19–26).
It is essential that you understand that false prophets are extremely prominent in the church as well as outside of the church. Keep in mind that is one of the main things that Paul is addressing in each of the Pastoral Epistles.
False Prophets in 2 Timothy – 2:16-18
16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.
Outline by Paul Benware –
Proposition - As we do an overview of 2 Timothy we will see how Paul instructs Timothy to do four things; 1) Guard the Gospel, 2) Suffer for the Gospel, 3) Endure for the Gospel, and 4) Preach the Gospel.
Interrogative question - What are you doing with the Gospel?
1. Guard the Gospel – 1
1. Guard the Gospel – 1
Read 1:8-14 – Focus on 12 and 14
2 Timothy 1:8–14 (NASB95)
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 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 granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
“Guard”
1c3 to keep from being snatched away, preserve safe and unimpaired. 1c4 to guard from being lost or perishing.
Paul tells Timothy to guard the gospel.
What is the gospel?
What specific things does Paul tell us about the gospel? (vs. 9 and 10)
He (Christ) Saved us and called us
Salvation is a work of God -
Holy Calling (Perfect)
Not by works
By grace through Christ
Christ’s work on the cross accomplished two things –
1. Abolished death - 2 to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish. 2ato cease, to pass away, be done away. 2bto be severed from, separated from, discharged from, loosed from any one. 2cto terminate all intercourse with one.
How can we be done away with death?
(The point that Paul is making is that as believers in Christ we spiritual never die)
2. Brought life and immortality (the condition of never dying) to light
Again Paul’s point is that as believers in Christ we will spend eternity with our Lord.
V 13 - Paul says follow my example.
13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
The question is what was Paul’s example?
Paul’s point is just as I have guarded the gospel you do the same Timothy.
You need to keep the gospel from being snatched away .
2. Suffer for the Gospel – 2
2. Suffer for the Gospel – 2
The call to suffer – 2:3
3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Paul is not just speaking things that he has heard. On the other hand he is speaking as one who has experienced suffering b/c of the gospel of Christ. 2:8-10, and 3:11
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.
11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!
Here in vs. 3 Paul calls Timothy to suffer (be willing to go through hardships) for the gospel of Christ.
In the next three verses Paul provides us with three metaphors. We will quickly look at each one.
Example of a soldier – 2:4
4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
A solider does not get caught up in all that is going on around him, rather he is absorbed with one specific thing and that is pleasing his commander. In order for a soldier to please his commander he must be discipline himself to do what his commander wants.
Example of a Athlete – 2:5
5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.
The same is true of an athlete. In order for him to when the prize he must compete according to the rules.
He must discipline himself to abide by all of the rules.
Example of a Farmer – 2:6
6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.
The way that a farmer gets the first share of the crops is by disciplining himself to work hard.
Paul’s point is that as believers in Christ we must discipline ourselves to be soldiers of Christ Jesus.
How do we become soldiers of Christ?
The way that we become soldiers of is Christ is by disciplining ourselves to be willing to suffer (endure hardships) for the gospel of Christ.
3. Endure for the Gospel – 3
3. Endure for the Gospel – 3
2 Timothy 3:1–9 (NASB95)
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. 9 But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.
Summary of the verses
Difficult times are coming
People are going to become more selfish
Some will appear godly but they will deny the gospel
People will be deceived
People will deny the truth
Check this out 4:3-4 – things are going to get worse before they get better -
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
Do you see some of these things happening now?
Do you think that this has any significance in this day and age?
Paul is essentially saying Timothy, things are going to get really bad and you need to endure (Persevere) even in the midst of the extremely difficult times!
4. Preach the Gospel – 4
4. Preach the Gospel – 4
1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
The Call to Preach the Word Read – 4:1-2
Preach means to proclaim or herald
Proclaim the word when you want to right?
In season and out of season (All the time)
5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Sober-minded
Endure suffering
Evangelist (Focus on this one)
Fulfill your ministry
Paul is telling Timothy that he wants him to continue to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ despite the suffering that you will encounter.
SO WHAT??
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
The challenges that Paul gave to Timothy applies to every believer -
Guard the Gospel
Suffer for the Gospel
Endure for the Gospel
Preach the Gospel
