Equipped

Introduction

We must look to history in order to follow the right path into the future. Our future as the human race is looking a little fuzzy right now. We seem to be at a major crossroads - what will happen next?

Parents need to get grounded in truth in order to lead their children into truth

Marriages need to build a truth-based foundation in order to stand firm against the storms that always come

The Church must be built upon the truth.

In other words, people need to be equipped with the truth if they want to live their best lives

What is the source of this truth?

Go with me to 33 AD, to the country of Israel

The people of Israel were adjusting to this new sub-religion — made up of the followers of the miracle worker, profound teacher, persecuted, crucified, and now risen Christ Jesus — the Messiah.

Paul hated and persecuted the church before he encountered Christ.

After his powerful conversion experience, Paul became a groundbreaking missionary, evangelist, pastor, teacher, and eventually a martyr

During his second missionary journey, Paul met a young man named Timothy, who would later become one of Paul’s fellow workers and travelling companions

Paul was Timothy’s mentor — Timothy was a spiritual son to Paul and was entrusted with important ministry assignments

The most demanding assignment Timothy recieved was to lead the network of house churches in Ephesus

After Paul was arrested and imprisoned in Rome for the 2nd time - shortly before his death, he wrote his 2nd letter to young Pastor Timothy - around 64-67 A.D.

The letter gives Timothy a powerful call to continue teaching and preaching the Gospel, no matter how difficult the persecution might get.

Timothy was somewhat timid or unsure of himself — Paul knew the spiritual battle the church in Ephesus faced — his letter was a very strong word of warning and encouragement.

Listen to Paul’s words to Timothy in chapter 2 verse 15:

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Prayer

2 Timothy 3, in “The Message”

Listen to the clarity and passion of Paul’s words to his young apprentice

2 Timothy 3:1–6 The Message

Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people. These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself “truth.”

2 Timothy 3:10–17 The Message

You’ve been a good apprentice to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadiness, love, patience, troubles, sufferings—suffering along with me in all the grief I had to put up with in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. And you also well know that God rescued me! Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it. Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse. But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

Paul spoke plainly about the trials and struggles followers of Christ can expect

But he gave Timothy the secret to success as a servant of Christ

He told him to study diligently — to become comfortable with the truth so that he could boldly confront lies and deception threatening the church.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Pray

Today’s truth: A steady diet of God's inspired and infallible Word will equip you to do God’s will, as His representative in a lost world.

It is essential that we understand and accept God’s Word as truth

All Scripture is God-breathed (Inspired by God)

All Scripture?

He is including the two sources of Timothy’s knowledge

What you have learned (verse 14)

From his mother and grandmother

From Paul

The sacred scriptures (Old Testament)

Paul’s teachings were what Timothy had recieved because Paul was his mentor and spiritual father

These teachings are what we find in Paul’s writing (His letters in the New Testament)

Paul’s teaching focused upon the fact the the Old Testament paved the way for Jesus and the New Covenant

God-breathed?

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

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

theopneustos - God-breathed, breathed out by God, breathed into the hearts and minds of the biblical writers

Paul realized that his teaching was a result of the inspiration of God - that he was indeed an anointed messenger of God

1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

Paul instructed that his letters be read publicly at Christian gatherings, no doubt along with readings from the Old Testament

1 Thessalonians 5:27 NIV

I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

Do you desire to have everything you need to live for God in this corrupt world? Then it is essential that we accept God’s Word as truth and as the literal road map for our inner man and our outward actions

All Scripture is Profitable

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

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

God’s Word is profitable because it is inspired by God

How from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures (15)

“The Holy Scriptures” — inspired — God-breathed — “sacred writings”

…God’s word is profitable because it is inspired by Him and because it contains God’s master plan of salvation

Tells the story of salvation

…able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (15)

The Bible is, at its core, a handbook for salvation

It is not a textbook on reading, writing, and arithmetic

It is not a science textbook or a book about space exploration

God’s Word is profitable because it reveals His complete plan of salvation, from Genesis to Revelation

Man was created in God’s image

Man’s fall through disobedience and sin — led to judgment

God’s continuing love inspire of rebellion

God’s plan to save people through His grace and mercy

The plan culminated with the coming of Christ the Savior

He died to bear the sins of mankind

He arose from the dead and was exalted to Heaven

He sent the Holy Spirit to enable people to respond to God’s grace

Anyone can be set free from the bondage and darkness of sin through Jesus, who bore our sin on the Cross

The promise of eternal life through Jesus

None of these essential truths can be known apart from God’s inspired word — What a perfect plan and a beautiful gift!

Explains how to live for God

2 Timothy 3:16 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Every part is useful

Shows us truth

This is why we cannot survive spiritually if we don’t study, learn, listen to others teach

Exposes our sinfulness

As we read it and allow it to speak to our hearts, we not only experience the comfort and joy of how much God loves us — we also experience conviction & correction

Corrects our mistakes

God’s Word doesn’t just point out our sins and leave us there with no hope

The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to correct us and enable us to learn and turn

Trains us to live God’s way

Word by word…line by line…story by story…it is all meant to work together in our maturing process

Challenge

Since all scripture is God-breathed, it is most assuredly profitable and useful in our lives as we navigate this challenging world

A steady diet of God's inspired and infallible Word will equip you to do God’s will, as His representative in a lost world.

Two Clear Challenges

1. DAILY read and study the Bible

Psalm 119:130 NIV

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

Hebrews 4:12–13 NIV

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Pray before, during, and after reading the Bible

Use the truth of the Word to teach you how to pray, think, and live

Utilize every resource available

Daily devotions

Sit under good teaching and preaching

Ephesians 4:11–13 NIV

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

…to equip...

Are you equipped and ready for whatever each day brings?

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