Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

The second letter Paul wrote to Timothy could be called Paul's "last will and testament" -- his final challenge to Timothy to be faithful in preaching the Word.

He called Timothy "my son," showing that he saw himself as Timothy's father in the faith.

He loved Timothy like a son, and their hearts were knit together in the work of proclaiming the Gospel, making disciples and planting churches.

Paul could prepare for his own death knowing Timothy would carry on his work.

Start with

What's something interesting you learned because someone else showed you how?

Our look this week at Paul and Timothy's relationship helps us prepare to be mentors ourselves.

Mentoring is about relationships, but those relationships don't happen by accident.

They happen because we intentionally watch for God-given intersections and build God-centered friendships.

Our look this week at Paul and Timothy's relationship helps us prepare to be mentors ourselves.

Mentoring is about relationships, but those relationships don't happen by accident.

They happen because we intentionally watch for God-given intersections and build God-centered friendships.

By using the pronoun you, Paul exhorts Timothy in particular to be like Onesiphorus’ household and not like Phygelus and Hermogenes.

He calls Timothy again my child to remind him of their special spiritual parent-child relationship.

Timothy’s power comes from Jesus to guard the message entrusted to him (1:12).

Somehow, Timothy himself should make an effort, but yet that effort is done in Christ Jesus’ grace (2:1).

Christ’s grace has already accomplished many marvelous actions.

Yet, Timothy himself needs to participate in an ongoing process to allow Christ Jesus’ strength to come into his life.

Look at and .

What is Paul doing here to prepare Timothy?

-- Be strong in grace.

Paul knew from his own journey that God could give Timothy all the strength he would need.

-- Teach others all he had learned from Paul.

Many had learned at Paul's feet, and they could attest to the truth of his teaching.

Paul expected Timothy to find other faithful leaders and teach them all he had learned.

-- Challenge them to teach another generation of followers.

Paul taught Timothy.

Timothy taught others.

His students then would teach another generation of followers.

That's exactly the way mentoring is supposed to work!

Think about those who invested in you.

Even if no one served as an official mentor to you, others have modeled the Christian life for you.

It's also possible God has already placed someone in your life for you to mentor, so keep looking and praying.

2 Corinthians 4:

He learned from Paul the ramifications of the gospel, that it will entail suffering.

Timothy is reminded that their difficulties as believers demonstrate that their “extraordinary power” must come from God.

Timothy directly heard from Paul about Jesus being the Christ and the Savior, having abolished death and having brought eternal life (1:9–10, 13).

He also learned from Paul the ramifications of the gospel, that it will entail suffering (1:8).

Paul, having mentioned his attitude to his imprisonment, the power of Jesus (1:12), the soundness and importance of Paul’s own words (1:12–13), the receptiveness of Timothy (1:13), the presence of the Holy Spirit (1:14), the negative example of some believers (1:15), and the positive example of others (1:16–18), returns again to exhort Timothy: Therefore, you, my child, keep on being empowered in the grace, the one in Christ Jesus, and what you heard from me through many witnesses, entrust these things to trustworthy humans, who are able also to teach others (2:1–2).

Paul has given many reasons how and why Timothy can continue to be empowered.

By using the pronoun you, Paul exhorts Timothy in particular to be like Onesiphorus’ household and not like Phygelus and Hermogenes.

He calls Timothy again my child to remind him of their special spiritual parent-child relationship.

Timothy’s power comes from Jesus to guard the message entrusted to him (1:12).

Somehow, Timothy himself should make an effort, but yet that effort is done in Christ Jesus’ grace (2:1).

Christ’s grace has already accomplished many marvelous actions.

Yet, Timothy himself needs to participate in an ongoing process to allow Christ Jesus’ strength to come into his life.

1 Timothy 3:2

Timothy is reminded that their difficulties as believers demonstrate that their “extraordinary power” must come from God ().

Timothy has to guard his own walk with Jesus and develop an army with which to fight.

As Paul realizes his own death is imminent, he wants to strengthen Timothy and strengthen the church, thus Paul begins 2:2 describing what it is that Timothy needs to entrust to others: what you heard from me through many witnesses.

The content of the education is of paramount importance.

This content is validated by two sources: (1) me (i.e., Paul) and (2) many witnesses.

What 2 qualifications does Paul outline in verse 2?

Timothy directly heard from Paul about Jesus being the Christ and the Savior, having abolished death and having brought eternal life (1:9–10, 13).

He also learned from Paul the ramifications of the gospel, that it will entail suffering (1:8).

Timothy models Paul’s “way of life in Christ” (1 Cor 4:17), that their difficulties as believers demonstrate that their “extraordinary power” must come from God (2 Cor 4:7).

Individuals who are trustworthy, and able to teach others.

In 1 Timothy, Paul has entrusted the order of “love from a pure heart and a good conscience and genuine faith” to Timothy (1:5, 18).

Now he wants him to entrust the order to others.

In 2:2, a message is “placed before” people, entrusted to them as a deposit, a deposit not to hide but to reveal to others.

The recipients of this message are described in three ways: (1) humans, who are (2) trustworthy, and (3) able to teach others.

Paul entrusted the gospel to Timothy; now Timothy must entrust it to others.

The apostles intended for teaching and traditions to be passed on to others (; ).

2:1 Timothy’s loyalty contrasts with those who deserted Paul in Asia (1:15).

Paul sometimes refers to those he brought to Christ as his spiritual children (see note on 1 Tim 1:2).

Timothy must rely on God’s empowerment (i.e., grace), not his own.

This command echoes Paul’s command to the Ephesians about spiritual warfare (see Eph 6:10 and note).

While the Greek word used here, charis, often refers to God’s unmerited favor (Eph 2:8), in this context it denotes God’s empowerment of believers to live the Christian life (see 2 Cor 9:8; Titus 2:11–14).

Why was Paul so concerned about the need to remain faithful?

Look at ;

2:1.

Having just shared his disappointment over the growing apostasy spreading through Asia, Paul turned to Timothy and wrote, You then, my son, be strong.

Difficult circumstances, our own weaknesses and fears, and the negative attitudes or unfaithfulness of others should not determine our course in life.

Just as Paul wrote of the power which comes from the Holy Spirit (2 Tim.

1:7), so now he wrote of the strength which comes from Jesus Christ.

No doubt Timothy knew, as Paul did, that he could not find adequate strength within himself to fulfill the responsibilities thrust upon him on to endure the hardships ahead.

Our confidence and ability to live successfully as followers of Christ comes when we are strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Paul knew that God’s grace not only saves us; it enables us to carry out the life of faithful obedience.

2:2 Timothy learned from Paul as he assisted him on his missionary efforts (Acts 19:22; 1 Cor 4:17; 1 Thess 3:2), learning firsthand about the hardship that Paul endured for the gospel (2 Tim 3:10–11).

Paul instructs Timothy to entrust these lessons to others.

Paul entrusted the gospel to Timothy; now Timothy must entrust it to others.

The apostles intended for teaching and traditions to be passed on to others (Acts 2:42; 2 Thess 2:15).

This qualification for an elder (see ; ) was especially needed because of the threat of false teachers.

2 T

Timothy must not only guard the gospel; he must take the gospel and the apostolic instructions (things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses) and entrust [them] to reliable men.

Unlike the false teachers who claimed special revelation or secret knowledge, Paul’s message stood in accord with all Scripture and in agreement with the apostles.

In his assignment to entrust the gospel to other people, Timothy needed to observe in these believers the quality of adherence to God’s truth.

Reliability and trustworthiness in remaining true to the gospel were prerequisites.

Timothy must also seek those who evidenced a knowledge and ability to teach others.

Paul warned to establish people of godly character who possessed the aptitude for relating divine truth to everyday life, for clarifying ideas, and for maintaining purity in their instruction.

Move to

Compare to verse 10.

What do you conclude?

Timothy, instead, needs to follow Paul’s model because the godly in Christ will be persecuted while evil people are being deceived (3:10–13): But, you, follow after my teaching, way of life, way of thinking, faith, compassion, love, perseverance, persecutions, sufferings: what happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra, what persecutions I endured and from all the Lord rescued me (3:10–11).

Throughout this letter, Paul has interspersed negative (what not to do) and positive (what to do) comments.

With the explicit pronoun you (3:10), Paul personally addresses Timothy.

He had warned him to keep turning away from the people who love themselves, money, and pleasure more than they love God (3:2–5).

Instead, Timothy is to follow after nine aspects of Paul’s life.

The first three attributes are close in meaning: his teachings and leading or conduct (way of life, and way of thinking or goals).

The next attribute, of course, is the central one: faith.