Disciple Maker

Timothy 2:1–10 – "Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples"

Introduction

If you have your Bibles, go ahead and turn with me to 2 Timothy chapter 2.

Before we dive in, let me give you a little bit of context about what’s happening when this book was written.

A few years before, around A.D. 64, the Roman Emperor Nero ordered that his own capital city be burned down so he could rebuild it in a more glorious way. But when the people of Rome were outraged, Nero needed a scapegoat—and he blamed it on Christians, who were already some of the most hated people in the empire.

That decision unleashed one of the worst waves of persecution the early church had ever faced—and it included the Apostle Paul.

Paul was imprisoned twice. The first time, he was under a sort of house arrest—able to have visitors, preach, and write. But by the time he writes 2 Timothy, things have gotten much worse. Paul is now in a cold dungeon, chained, and alone—except for Luke.

This is the last letter Paul ever wrote. He knows the end is near—he even says in chapter 4 that his time of departure has come. History tells us Paul was later beheaded for his faith.

So when you read this letter, remember—this is a man writing from a dark place, both literally and emotionally. Yet his message is full of strength, hope, and mission.

Reading – 2 Timothy 2:1–10

(Read verses 1–10 aloud here, then transition into your main point.)

Main Point (v. 2)

The main point I want you to see tonight is right there in verse 2:

“What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Paul is telling Timothy—and us—to make disciples who make disciples.

This is not a new idea. It’s the same call Jesus gave in Matthew 28:19–20, when He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”

What’s powerful is that Paul includes this in his final letter. It shows how important this mission was to him. Before he dies, he wants to make sure Timothy—and the next generation—carry the gospel forward.

So what does a true disciple look like?

Paul gives us three pictures:

A soldier

An athlete

A farmer

1. The Soldier (vv. 3–4)

Paul first tells Timothy to “share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

Paul had spent plenty of time around Roman soldiers—he was often chained to them! So he knew how disciplined and focused they were.

a. A soldier endures suffering.

Suffering is part of the Christian life. Every one of us will face hardship, disappointment, and pain. But like a soldier, we are called to endure and stay faithful to our mission.

By the grace of Jesus, we keep our helmet on and keep fighting until our Commander says, “The war is over.”

b. A soldier stays focused.

Verse 4 says, “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.”

That means a soldier doesn’t get distracted by things that pull him off mission. This doesn’t mean we neglect our families or responsibilities—it’s about our mindset. We live every day to please the One who enlisted us—Jesus Christ.

Let’s be honest—our world is full of distractions. One of the biggest? Our phones.

A Business Insider study found that the average person touches their phone 2,617 times a day, spends about 145 minutes on it, and checks it 76 times a day!

It’s so easy to lose focus. But like a soldier, we must stay locked in on our mission—to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

2. The Athlete (v. 5)

Next, Paul compares a disciple to an athlete:

“An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.”

Paul would’ve been familiar with the Greek games. As a tentmaker, he probably worked near the arenas and saw how athletes trained and competed.

Athletes in those games had to follow three rules:

They had to be Greek citizens.

They had to train for at least 10 months and swear before the statue of Zeus that they had.

They had to compete by the rules of their event—or be disqualified.

Paul’s point is this: a disciple of Jesus is someone who strives to live in obedience to God’s Word.

Now thankfully, we don’t lose our salvation when we fail—because Jesus’ sacrifice covers our sin. But our desire should be to walk in godliness and obedience.

Like an athlete, we train, discipline ourselves, and run the race well.

3. The Farmer (v. 6)

Finally, Paul uses the picture of a farmer:

“It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.”

Farming is not glamorous. It’s early mornings, long days, and hard work—often with little recognition.

Unlike the soldier or the athlete, the farmer usually works alone. There’s no crowd cheering him on. There’s no immediate payoff.

But if he stays faithful—through the sun, rain, heat, and cold—eventually, the harvest comes.

That’s a picture of the Christian life. Sometimes it feels lonely, slow, and unseen. But if we stay faithful to the work God’s given us, the reward will be worth it.

Endure (vv. 8–10)

The soldier, athlete, and farmer all share something in common: hard work, discipline, endurance, and even suffering.

That’s what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. The Christian life is not easy—especially when you’re serious about making disciples.

Look again at verses 8–9:

“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead… for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!”

Paul is in chains—but he says the Word of God is not chained. That’s how we endure hardship—by remembering that Jesus is alive and His gospel keeps moving forward no matter what.

Then in verse 10 Paul says,

“I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.”

Paul is saying, “It’s all worth it.” Every hardship, every imprisonment, every moment of suffering—if it leads someone to Jesus, it’s worth it.

We need to live with that same conviction—that making disciples is worth anything the world can throw at us.

So How Do We Make Disciples?

Let’s get practical. How do we live this out—like soldiers, athletes, and farmers?

1. Start by sharing Jesus.

Making disciples starts with evangelism. Too often we let fear—of rejection, of what people might think—keep us from speaking up. But we’re all called to share Jesus with those around us.

2. Make it part of who you are.

This can’t just be something we do occasionally or when it’s convenient. Paul put this in his final letter because it’s essential—it’s who we’re meant to be. Making disciples should be the marrow of our bones.

3. Hold each other accountable.

We’re not meant to do life—or disciple-making—alone. Surround yourself with brothers and sisters in Christ who will encourage and challenge you to stay on mission.

4. Celebrate disciple-making.

We celebrate weddings, babies, and graduations—but how often do we celebrate when someone takes disciple-making seriously? Let’s rejoice when people are growing in their faith and leading others to do the same.

5. Make disciple-makers.

Don’t just make disciples—make disciple-makers. When you disciple someone, teach them to pass it on. That’s how the gospel multiplies and transforms families, churches, and communities.

Closing

Paul was in a dark cell, in chains, at the end of his life—and yet he was still focused on the mission: make disciples who make disciples.

Like the soldier, stay focused. Like the athlete, live with discipline. Like the farmer, keep working faithfully.

Because one day, when the harvest comes and we stand before Jesus, we’ll hear the words every disciple longs to hear:

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”