THE BOOK OF 2 TIMOTHY
(Spiritual Endurance Part 1 - March 27, 2022)
Series Big Idea: "Paul encourages Timothy to endure in the faith even when he is tempted to drop out"
Sermon Big Idea: "The Christian life is a marathon not a 100-yard dash"
Key Scripture (2 Timothy 2:1-13)
Old Faithful is one of the most famous geysers in Yellowstone National Park. While its eruptions are predicted on a daily basis there’s still a little bit of guessing involved in the predictions (Elisabeth Kwan-Hefferan, “About Old Faithful, Yellowstone's Famous Geyser,” Outside, April 12, 2021, www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/geysers-hot-springs/about-old-faithful/). By contrast, God’s faithfulness is secure and can be counted on.
(2 Timothy 2:1-13)
You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the recruiter. 5 Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 8 Keep your attention on Jesus Christ as risen from the dead and descended from David. This is according to my gospel. 9 I suffer for it to the point of being bound like a criminal, but God’s message is not bound. 10 This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 This 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 will also deny us; 13 if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
The Christian life is not a 100-yard dash. It is a marathon. The first few miles of a marathon are not too difficult but soon fatigue sets in. As Christians, we all want to finish the race and say with Paul "I have fought the good fight, finished the course and kept the faith." But this process is not automatic. We will endure hardships during the along the way.
The context of these verses is that Timothy is under tremendous pressure to compromise the gospel in his current situation. It doesn't help that he has a timid personality. So, Paul is encouraging him to hang in there. He shows him how to endure when he feels tempted to drop out. In the verses, the Apostle Paul reveals four strategies for enduring to the end in this Christian life. I want to discuss two of those today and next time we will look at the other two.
1. Remember Jesus Christ, our risen Savior
(2 Timothy 2:8) gives us an idea why Paul tells Timothy to remember Jesus Christ. First, Paul reversed the order of Christ's titles. He had already referred to Him six times as Christ Jesus (1:1, 2, 9, 13; 2:1, 3). Now he switches that. Paul is saying that because Jesus suffered in His humanity on the cross, God has highly exalted Him (Philippians 2:8-11). This is more expanded in (Hebrews 12:3) "For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
He also says in this verse that everything hangs on the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Because Christ has risen, He promises to give us victory over the grave! So, we may have to suffer and die for the gospel, but because Christ has risen, we have hope! Paul viewed this gospel as his personal treasure "my gospel." He wasn't saying it was his only or he invented it but that Christ had revealed it directly to him and entrusted it to him as the treasure he had to guard. In other words, he wasn't to keep it to himself, but he was to faithfully share it with the world as Christ had revealed it. If we are to endure, we are to remember Jesus Christ.
2. Remember that God’s Word is powerful
The gospel was the reason Paul suffered hardship. But in (2 Timothy 2:9) Paul said, "But the Word of God is not imprisoned." There had been no grounds for his arrest and for him to have been treated this way. The charges had been made up falsely by the enemies of the gospel. He was held in a dirty dungeon and chained to a guard day and night. It most defiantly was not fair. But Paul didn't complain. He rejoiced in the fact that no one could imprison the Word of God.
God will allow you and I to go through rough and devastating times. But the reason is so the power of the gospel will shine through our joy in Him as we are in our circumstances. The world will only complain in these times, but you and I as followers of Christ have the opportunity for the power of the gospel to shine through our lives. Maybe through our pain and tears, the joy of the Lord shines through and the same powerful gospel that saved you will save others. So, endure hardship by remembering the power of God's Word!
Conclusion:
About 20 years ago, Bible translators Bruce and Jan Benson and their 14-year-old son were driving down a mountainside in the Peruvian Andes. As they came around a turn on the mountain, they came upon a truckload of terrorist rebels known as The Shining Path. Men jumped out of the truck with automatic rifles, surrounded the Benson’s car, and ordered them to get out. Jan thought surly their lives were ending.
The terrorists took them to a nearby town. On the way, fearful and bewildered, Jan felt the need to pray and then to sing. She said, “It began as a trickle, a presence that said, ‘The Lord inhabits the praises of His people.’” She protested, “But Lord, I don’t know how to praise You right now.” “Sing,” came the answer. “At least you can sing.” So, she began to sing, “You are my hiding place. You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance. Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” Other songs also flowed.
Suddenly, she felt as though she was the only person alive on earth, just her and God. She felt His all-encompassing love and His assurance that He was in control. Nothing, not even death, could remove her from His presence.
That night the rebels unexpectedly released the Bensons, but they confiscated their car, their portable projection equipment and film reels of the “New Media Bible” from Luke, the same film material that makes up the Jesus film.
One year later, the Bensons were living in the capital for safety. Jan received a phone call. One of their captors had become a Christian and wanted to meet with them. When they met, he told them that he was an experienced killer and that he and the others had planned to kill them that night. But, for some reason they just could not do it and released them instead. Then, the rebels set up the projector and watched the film, eventually many times. At one viewing, several hundred rebels were watching and listening to God’s Word in their own language. Many were so moved that they wanted to lay down their weapons right there and leave The Shining Path. Standing before them as a fellow believer, their former enemy said to them, “Please forgive me for my part in what we did to you that day.” The Bensons were able to go back to that village and finish the translation of the New Testament into that language.
God’s witnesses may be imprisoned, but His Word cannot be imprisoned. The gospel “is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). To endure hardship, remember Jesus Christ, the risen Savior. Remember that His Word is powerful, that Salvation rests in God’s sovereign purpose, and that His Promises are trustworthy.
Steven J. Cole, “Lesson 11: Endurance (2 Timothy 2:8–13),” in 2 Timothy, Steven J. Cole Commentary Series (Dallas: Galaxie Software, 2017), 2 Timothy 2:11–13.
Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideals are inspired by:
Holman Christian Standard Bible
English Standard Version Bible
King James Version Bible
Christian Standard Bible
Water, Mark, ed. Encyclopedia of Bible Facts. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
NIV, Archaeological Study Bible, eBook: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture
Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Duane Garrett, and Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
NIV, First-Century Study Bible, eBook: Explore Scripture in Its Jewish and Early Christian Context
Zondervan, Kent Dobson, and Ed Dobson
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