"INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY"
2 Timothy • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsThe introduction to our study of the book of 2 Timothy
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Transcript
What do you know about 2 Timothy?
Author – Paul - the last book before his martyrdom
Paul was released from his first Roman imprisonment for a short period of ministry during which he wrote 1 Timothy and Titus. Second Timothy, however, finds Paul once again in a Roman prison (1:16; 2:9), apparently rearrested as part of Nero’s persecution of Christians. MacArthur, J., Jr., ed. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1873). Word Pub.
Date – 67 AD
Audience – Timothy
Theme – “A Soldiers Manual for Ministry”
Neat Facts about the book -
Key People - John Mark; Onesiphorus; Timothy; and Paul
Chapters - 4
Verses - 1,235
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.
Unlike Paul’s confident hope of release during his first imprisonment (Phil. 1:19, 25, 26; 2:24; Philem. 22), this time he had no such hopes (4:6–8). In his first imprisonment in Rome (A.D. 60–62), before Nero had begun the persecution of Christians (A.D. 64), he was only under house arrest and had opportunity for much interaction with people and ministry (Acts 28:16–31). At this time, 5 or 6 years later (ca. A.D. 66–67), however, he was in a cold cell (4:13), in chains (2:9), and with no hope of deliverance (4:6). Abandoned by virtually all of those close to him for fear of persecution (cf. 1:15; 4:9–12, 16) and facing imminent execution, Paul wrote to Timothy, urging him to hasten to Rome for one last visit with the apostle (4:9, 21). Whether Timothy made it to Rome before Paul’s execution is not known. According to tradition, Paul was not released from this second Roman imprisonment, but suffered the martyrdom he had foreseen (4:6). MacArthur, J., Jr., ed. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1873). Word Pub.
Outline by Paul Benware –
Proposition - Paul tells Timothy to do four specific things throughout this book. We will look at each one of them this morning. We will also see how each one of them applies to us as believers in Christ.
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??
These are important commands for us too. As with Timothy, the message entrusted to us is unique. If we alter it, we lose it. So we must be careful to guard it. You and I are not called to give out another message; or to come up with something that has more surface appeal; or to craft a gospel better suited to modern needs, as we see them. We are called to give the gospel of Jesus Christ alone. If the gospel of Jesus Christ is altered, it is lost. Dever, M., & MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2005). The Message of 2 Timothy: Success. In The message of the new testament: promises kept (p. 362). Crossway.
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
Many public figures today—from press spokesmen to presidential candidates to congressmen to members of religious councils—might believe that sharing this message with others is intolerant. But in the New Testament, Christianity always entails vocalizing the gospel message to others. It is not something we can leave out. The very nature of this gospel requires it to be verbally spread. The angels over the plains of Bethlehem did not whisper about the Messiah’s birth to the shepherds, afraid to raise their voices lest they offend someone. They shouted the news with trumpets. The apostles proclaimed the death and resurrection of Christ in the same public squares of Jerusalem where the Messiah had just been accused and crucified. They did not even back down from blaming the people for Jesus’ death. Yet their speech was not hate speech; it was love speech. The apostles did not desire ill for their audiences. They desired their good, even though it eventually cost the apostles their own lives to proclaim the good. Regardless of how politicians may spin it, gospel speech does not threaten to increase levels of intolerance in our country.
How can Timothy survive the difficulties he will inevitably face as he keeps the message clear? Only by God’s power, Paul says:
God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God (1:7–8).
Would you want such a “gift” from God? The gift of power to suffer for the gospel? What a strange idea. I am not asking if, masochistically, you want to suffer. Rather, if you knew that God’s power and the beauty of the gospel would be displayed by your suffering, would you want such a gift?
What message are you keeping? Is there any message for which you would be willing to suffer? Dever, M., & MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2005). The Message of 2 Timothy: Success. In The message of the new testament: promises kept (pp. 363–364). Crossway.
As Thomas Cranmer said, we should read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest God’s Word.4 Our Bible reading should be regular. Our study should be diligent. Our meditation should be thoughtful. Our references to the Bible should be frequent. If we are Christians, this is what we are called to do—feed upon God’s Word to us. Dever, M., & MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2005). The Message of 2 Timothy: Success. In The message of the new testament: promises kept (p. 369). Crossway.
Amy Carmichael prays,
From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified,
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.