- Salutation 1:1–2
- Faithful Service 1:3–18
- Exhortations to discipleship 2:1–26
- Making disciples 2:1–13
- Picture of Discipleship 2:1–2
- Characteristics of Disciple-Makers
- The examples of Jesus and Paul 2:8–10
- Importance of Faithfulness 2:11–13
- Serving as Disciples 2:14–26
- Handling the word 2:14–18
- Being an example to others 2:19–21
- Living as a disciple 2:22–26
- Let's start with verse 1. At first this verse seems like an obvious, innocuous comment. Let's look at the word for be strengthened
- Greek word is endynamou, meaning strengthen
- See verb tense, VPPM2S, verb, present, passive, imperative, second person, singular
- Constable: "indicates the need for continual dependence of God"
- I think we all fall into the trap of needing God for a moment and not realizing we need him all the time
- Verse 2 is one of my most favorite verses in the bible and probably the best description of discipleship anywhere
- Notice the number of generations: "and what you (2-TIMOTHY) have heard from me (1-PAUL) in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men (3-FAITHFUL MEN), who will be able to teach others (4-OTHERS) also"
- Also, how should discipleship be done?
- In the presence of many witnesses -- publicly!
- This is what we should give our life to doing
- Paul uses three illustrations for Timothy to understand what is required to make disciples. What are they and why are they important in making disciples
- Illustration 1: Soldier
- Soldiers represent discipline (we are trained to be discipline -- from making your bed to eating a meal to standing in a line)
- Soldiers endurance in terrible conditions (in war, a soldier's life is not soft beds and lovely rides in the country -- it is mud and cold and long marches)
- Soldiers represent a clear line of authority to the commander (except for moral issues, soldiers obey without question)
- He does not get entangled in civilian pursuits (there are good things and then there is the best thing)
- Soldiers represent a much higher goal in life (we die so that others may live)
- Soldiers are equipped for battle
- Soldier are not solo, always a team
- Illustration 2: Athlete
- You can't win the race if you cheat or don't obey the rules
- We cannot be double-minded, that is, we say one thing but we do another (this is the hypocrisy of the Pharisee)
- “. . . competitors at the Olympic Games had to swear an oath before the statue of Zeus that they had been in strict training for ten months (Pausanias, Graec. deser. v. 24. 9).”
- If you are making disciples, people we see through you
- Illustration 3: Farmer
- Farmers work very hard (it is extremely hard work to make disciples -- a lot of times you just want to quit)
- Farmer is dependent on God for it to grow
- Everything about being a farmer is hard, but it is also in a special way, satisfying. Because when you share the first produce, it all seems worth it. There is a special joy that few realize when you see others making disciples that you helped to disciple
- Paul gives two examples of suffering hardship to make disciples. The first is Jesus
- Jesus died as a criminal in our place -- it is the ultimate example of suffering
- Jesus died and his whole ministry focused not on a movement but on training 11 men
- Paul followed Jesus' example and now he too is bound in chains as a criminal
- The word of God in not bound
- Paul was willing to do everything for the sake of those who know Jesus
- Some think the elect is the unregenerate who will believe
- Others think the elect is regenerate believers (which fits better with the idea of faithful men in verse 2)
- Paul reminds Timothy not to give up by using a popular hymn of the time
- If we died with him, we will also live with him
- This is the promise of the gospel
- If we endure, we will also reign with him
- There are awards associated with service
- If we deny him, he will also deny us
- This is not a loss of salvation, since it would negate the first condition and may other verses on the unconditionality of the gospel
- Jesus denial of us in the believers' judgment results in a loss of reward but not of eternity
- If we are faithless, he remains faithful
- Our salvation is secure
- The complete and unconditional love of the savior is secure
- Disciples are disciplined
- Disciples are obedient to the Lord first
- Disciples do what they say
- Disciples endure without complaining (I add complaining because that is how we know we are not enduring if we are complaining)
Review:
Outline (my edits
to Constable)
A. Fan the flame 1:3–7
B. Don't be afraid 1:8–14
C. Examples of faithful and
unfaithful service 1:15–18
2 Timothy 2:1–7 (ESV) —
1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ
Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of
many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ
Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits,
since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of
the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you
understanding in everything.
2 Timothy 2:8–13 (ESV) —
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David,
as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering,
bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they
also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also
live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.
APPLICATION: The
long term goal is to make disciples and be a disciple
