Know the Kingdom

2 Timothy 3:10–17 ESV

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Many of us have traveled far and wide. Even though gone are the days of maps and most of the world has moved to GPS we still want to have some type of direction of where we are going. When it comes to travel we search for the best route to get to our end result somewhere within the city. Back before GPS maps made navigation possible but usually only one person had the map. Everybody knew the destination but only one could route them in the right direction. Give story of trip to the Badlands. You see the problem with the church today is many people know where they are going but they refuse to look at the map themselves to to know where to make the right turns along the way! This morning we are going to look at how we can gain access to the map of the Kingdom so we can seek out God’s route as we sojourn to our final place in His Kingdom! He has a plan and His plan is divine and perfect. But first we need to know how to access the map to the Kingdom!

First we see Paul telling Timothy of Dark days ahead

Paul is giving an warning of the End Times

Paul has said that the world will be lovers of pleasure rather than of God

Paul has eluded to the love for the world in the end times

Paul has given instruction amidst this struggle

Instruction that says what to avoid

I encourage you to read this passage in its depth

We are closer to the end times than ever before

God will come back at some point (it could even be today)

Know the Cost

2 Timothy 3:10–13 ESV

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Paul starts this next warning and instruction

He starts with a reflection of his own life

He says you know what my life has been

Paul has been with Timothy

Timothy had seen Paul in action

This action that Timothy had witnessed was special

Paul had the ultimate kingdom focus

Everything He describes He had used to revolve around God

Teaching - All about the Lord

Conduct - A life striving for righteousness worthy of standing before the throne

Aim in Life - To proclaim the Gospel even if it killed Him (this way he could enter the Kingdom with Confidence)

My Faith - Paul had one thing He put his faith in - it was in the Lord (he knew everything else would fail him

My Patience - Paul had patience with the Lord

Not everything went according to Paul’s planning and timing

but he knew it followed God’s exact timing

And that was WORTH waiting on

My Love - Paul’s one true love was the Father

Paul always had a passion for obedience to the Father (even while He was a Jew He followed Jewish law)

Paul loved the Father

He cared enough to give it all even his life

My Steadfastness - Paul did not waiver in His purpose

Paul was steadfast in the Lord

He had one aim

To praise and proclaim the Glory, Mercy, and Grace of Jesus Christ

All of this was abrupt and Paul lived a life of an Apostle

This lifestyle brought about a cost though

Paul had come to reason with the cost that would come at orienting all of these aspects of his life in this way

Paul then brings up persecution and struggle

He starts with this lifestyle he was called to live

A life worth living for Christ

A life one could be confident in

Then he says this was the cost

Paul had been through the ringer

Paul recognizes that at these locations He did not deserve the Lord’s rescue but it came anyways

Paul knows that the Lord had a purpose

thus the patience he listed in v. 10

Paul then brings a sobering statement

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

what a powerful statement is listed here

Paul says all who desire a godly life will be persecuted

Paul does not say might

he does not say could

he says will

Paul says those who desire this lifestyle will encounter persecution

This is a huge measuring opportunity for the church today

Are we being persecuted as individuals for Christ

if not Paul would argue we are not desiring a Godly lifestyle with our being as we should

The same lifestyle we started off with when he described it in v. 10

2 Timothy 3:10 ESV

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

Paul says next that evil and imposters will go from bad to worse

Paul is indicating a decrease in the spirituality of the world

Paul knows that the people are going to fall by the wayside

Paul knows that many peoples supposed faith is surface level with no true depth or acceptance of grace and atonement

Paul knows that the world will drift but the Christian must remain strong

Paul knows strength if anybody does

Paul had every reason if there was one to try and leave

He could have said this suffering is not worth it

Instead he gave his life to the one who gave his first

He gave his life to the Lord

In service to the eternal kingdom

Paul knew the cost

Paul knew there would be suffering

but above all Paul knew one thing

He knew he wanted to be able to say with Confidence upon approaching the throne that he served well and with all he had!

Paul’s struggles listed to Timothy lead us into where Paul gathered his strength and understanding

Know the Source of Spiritual Wisdom

Paul’s struggles were held together by a few things

His Godly lifestyle followed the teachings and instructions he had through the Spirit and through the Word

Paul’s ability to live this lifestyle came from strength and faith provided by the Lord

Paul reaches out to Timothy with some basic instruction

Paul is stating if you do not want to fall by the ways of the world

Keep to these things

and he lists

things you have learned

Paul says do not forget what you have learned

the best way to not forget something you have learned is to practice it!

Practice keeps you up to snuff on your ability to retain this knowledge

Another aspect of retaining what you have learned is believing what you have learned

things you have believed

what you have been taught has led to firm belief

Paul says to Timothy do not forget what you firmly believe

not a basic belief but a firm belief

the Greek word here is Piestol

another definition for the word here is to feel confidence

confidence comes from a deep understanding and reliance on truth

not a surface level belief

no doubting

knowing the sacred writings

Paul then gets to the importance of the Sacred writings

He says these writings are something you should keep close

The writings you have read since childhood

CSB version says infancy

these scriptures are God breathed and inspired

Paul reminds Timothy to stick to the Word of God for his guidance

wisdom through faith

Lastly Paul references the most importance

Wisdom for Salvation through Faith

What a passage

Paul says there is a need for man to have Wisdom through our Faith

The Lord did not just give us salvation upon belief

He did not leave us high and dry in the world and say good luck

instead he gave us spiritual wisdom through Faith

The wisdom that is gathered through our Faith which brought about salvation

gives us hope and reliance on the Lord

Wisdom is defined as the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment

Wisdom is the soundness behind the actions

The desire to have reason behind what we are doing and who we are serving

The desire to have reason to how we live

or even life in general

Spiritual Wisdom comes through our faith

our faith is strengthened by our understanding of Scripture and our striving for righteousness

we Know that Scripture increases our wisdom

It helps increase our passion for the Gospel and for the Lord

But it also gives us the ability to Know the Kingdom of which we serve and ultimately call Home

Know the Kingdom

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

All of Scripture is inspired by God

This notification to Timothy is Assuring

All that you are reading is inspired by God

It is inspired by the one who created everything

It is inspired and put forth by the king

It has been decreed by the King of the eternal Kingdom

WHAT A MESSAGE

AND WE IGNORE IT!

WE DO NOT READ IT!

Gone are the days of Scripture memorization

NO! We need to be keeping Scripture in our hearts (happens through memorization)

Psalm 119:11 ESV

11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

This is the epitome of working towards righteousness!

Righteousness is being in accordance with the design of the creator without sin

The Spirit guides and reveals to us

The Bible allows us the opportunity to store up the WORDS OF THE ALMIGHTY

so that we might not sin against Him

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Profitable for teaching

Profitable for reproof

Profitable for correction

Profitable for training in righteousness

Then Paul wraps up his message to Timothy with a final statement

2 Timothy 3:17 ESV

17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

What does all of this do?

It is equipping us to serve God

Equips us to be complete!

The only way to achieve completion is through conversation, study, and righteousness achieved through the Father.

It equips us for good works

Good works are evidence of God at work in our lives

Once we are complete we are equipped for every good work

Study of Scripture is a vital pathway towards achieving righteousness and a Godly lifestyle

It gives us a map to the Kingdom

To properly serve the Kingdom we must know what the Kingdom looks like

We must know the proper turns to take along our journey to be within the Lord’s will and guide others to the Kingdom along the way!

Salvation Message and Altar Call!