THE LORD'S SERVANT

I. FOLLOW PAUL’S EXAMPLE

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.

1 Timothy 4:6 ESV

6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.

“The Lord rescued me from all” the ill treatment he experienced in those momentous months. These words do not mean deliverance from all harm and pain. It means rather that the Lord kept him from death and empowered him for continued ministry. He lived (barely) to serve (and suffer, yet prevail) another day. As God upheld Paul, he can likewise strengthen Timothy in his demanding situation.

Yarbrough, R. W. (2018). The Letters to Timothy and Titus (D. A. Carson, Ed.; p. 421). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.

The Letters to Timothy and Titus 1. Resources (3:10–17)

Paul’s persecution promise does have application for all who take their desire to “live godly” with a seriousness that hands them over fully to the good but distressingly demanding hand of the God who inevitably presses his people beyond what they might wish in his work of redemption throughout the world.

II. CONTINUE IN WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED

2 Timothy 3:14–17 ESV

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.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

[1]Yarbrough, R. W. (2018). The Letters to Timothy and Titus (D. A. Carson, Ed.; p. 421). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.

[1]Yarbrough, R. W. (2018). The Letters to Timothy and Titus (D. A. Carson, Ed.; p. 424). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.