Steadfast in Christ
2 Timothy • Sermon • Submitted
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2 Timothy
Paul’s last epistle
long time between 1st and 2nd Timothy
Paul is imprisoned in Rome, near death
Abandoned by many who were ashamed
Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel
There is power (Grace) in the gospel
strength to accomplish what can’t be done on our own
Hope for the promise to come
Hope is our fuel when on fumes
It keeps the big picture (salvation) in focus
We are not called to ‘not be ashamed’....but…to be Loyal.
constant allegiance no matter the cost
Chapter 2 is about being steadfast
QUESTION: What does it mean to be steadfast? What is a picture of steadfast to you?
Steadfast: resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.
being persistent despite setbacks
resiliency
focused
Be strong in Grace
Be strong in Grace
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
QUESTION: What does Paul mean...”be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”?
It’s a catchy biblical phrase…repeated, but poorly understood.
Through the incarnation, when divinity was united to humanity, humanity received grace (power/strength). This grace was able to overcome the finality of death for humanity.
This ‘grace’ is necessary to be steadfast...
Pictures of steadfastness
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
QUESTION: What are elements of steadfastness seen in these examples?
Discipline of a soldier
endurance of hardships
discernment on what not to get entangled with.
difference between doing something good v. doing the best things for me
there are guidelines or rules governing my training... asceticism, morality, passions/virtues…God is the one who gives the reward at the end of this life…therefore He has set the ‘rules’
reward for being steadfast
In summary, the road all believers must travel is wrought with challenges to which we must learn to respond with steadfastness
Reorientation of Remembrance
Reorientation of Remembrance
8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Paul continually re-orients Timothy to the inseparable link between the message of the gospel, suffering and the power received to endure....Paul is bringing about a mindset in Timothy.
St. John Chrysostom
New Testament IX: Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon The Divine Condescension
to encourage Timothy, by underscoring the divine blessings accompanying sufferings, since Christ, our Master, himself overcame death by suffering.
“The word of God is not chained”
The message of the gospel can be preached in every circumstance. free or in prison. home or abroad. in native tongue or without words.
No one can bind the tongue…even when they cut out the tongue of some martyrs they were still able to witness.
So can anything silence the word of God in us?
St. John Chrysostom
For our hands are bound but not our tongue, since nothing can bind the tongue but cowardice and unbelief. Where these are not, though you fasten chains upon us, the preaching of the gospel is not bound.
Its our character that can silence the word of God in us…every opportunity we have to preach can be robbed by cowardice and unbelief....unbelief not only in word but in actions…(break in integrity between our inner and outer man)
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
Origin the Scholar
The Savior, too, first granted you this very thing—that you should fall. You were a Gentile. Let the Gentile in you fall. You loved prostitutes. Let the lover of prostitutes in you perish first. You were a sinner. Let the sinner in you fall. Then you can rise again and say, “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him,” and, “If we have been made like him in death, we shall also be like him in resurrection.”
QUESTION: How do you understand v. 12 When we deny him, he denies us...
it is a respect of our will.
Becoming a vessel for honor
Becoming a vessel for honor
In coming verses Paul sets up a comparison between those who remain steadfast and those who do not.
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
As we said early, discernment of good vs. best practices is important for our spiritual growth. The more we desire to grow the more we will spare ourselves from useless endeavors.
19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
The Lord sees the heart of man, while we see only the appearance. God knows those who are steadfast in their faith v. those who are not. (this is not pre-destination) God has intimate knowledge of us.
in the right time, God will separate those who love him and continued in that struggle from those who do not. separate the wheat from the tears.
Vessels
Gold and Silver - Sons of God…different maturity
Wood and clay - sons of the world…indifferent to God
everyone has the opportunity to turn towards god becoming a vessel of honor
v. 21
“cleanses himself...’ is not to be understood as needing to fix their life before coming back to God…its a spark or desire to return…ie. prodigal son.
Steadfast and choices
22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
The challenge in being steadfast is to see both the big picture and the small daily choices as part of the same process of being steadfast.
The big picture keeps us focused on the end, salvation.
Hope for the promise to comes provides us the fuel when we are tired
Grace, through the incarnation of Christ, gives us strength for the challenges
steadfastness keeps us steady on the path in the face of challenges and suffering.