2 Timothy 2:8-26 Taking Discipleship Seriously – Being an unashamed worker

Danny Parker

Taking Discipleship Seriously • Sermon • Submitted 5 months ago • Presented 7 months ago

2 Timothy 2:8–26

Disciple

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Perspective – give 3D dimensions to a flat picture. (bridge)

It creates multiple views of the same object (optical illusions)

It creates a big view from small events (John Wayne – horses)

Went on vacation a few years ago – where did we go?

Trail / Plane / Globe

Appearances can fool. Is it the same from far away and up close.

So it is with us. Are we the same far away and up close

Are we the same when under pressure and when at ease.

If we are to influence people for Christ, we must be the same. Up close/far away. When under pressure / when at ease.

Regardless of the situation we need to be unashamed workers for Christ.

So Paul reminds Timothy in his letter. So the Spirit of God reminds us this morning.

I. An unashamed worker – Christ as the focus

A. Centered in the gospel 2 Tim 2:8-9

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, boundwith chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!

1. Living Savior

2. Promised king

3. The one preached about

4. The one who is worthy of suffering

5. Unbound by what the world does

B. Enduring so others find Christ 2 Tim 2:10

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 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.

1. Endure for the sake of elect

2. Endure so others may find salvation

C. Resting in Christ’s promises 2 Tim 2:11-13

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 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.

1. Of life

2. Of reigning

3. Of acknowledgement

4. Of His faithfulness

II. An unashamed worker – The Word of God as the guide

Already note that the Word of God is not bound regardless of human opposition

A. Handling the Word properly 2 Tim 2:15

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workerwho has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

1. “be diligent” “be zealout” “strive diligently”

2. “cut straight” – “guide along a straight path”

3. Not distracted on speculations / Other stuff doesn’t really matter – may hurt / Make the main things the main things

4. Requires diligence – do your best

5. Submission to God – seek out the truth / not fit Word to your viewpoints

6. Tested and approved by God

7. Worker – requires effort

8. Unashamed before God

9. Gain skill in studying and using the Word of God

B. Avoiding divisive sidetracks 2 Tim 2:14, 16-17a

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. … 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. …

1. Unprofitable disputes on tangents

2. Key – lead to no good / negatively impact hearers --- perhaps just distracting them from the true emphasis

3. Certainly those things that lead to ungodliness

4. These types of things infect the entire body if not dealt with

Ex: Jesus wants us to love and not judge so we allow sin to prosper

Grace covers sin / we are sinners and can’t help it / so sin is okay to not deal with

Adultery is accepted in society. In order to not run people off we will embrace them in the body and involve them as faithful members and trust that perhaps somewhere along the way they will change – after all we are all sinners

C. Rejecting false truth 2 Tim 2:17b

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 17 … Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.

1. Whoever it comes from / specific people / call them out

2. Teaching things that distort / are twisted / contrary to scripture

3. This case – resurrection has already happened

4. Disrupting the true faith of others

Doctrine matters – especially if the specific issue disrupts the faith of some in the body.

Ex: To be sanctified you must have specific experience with the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues. Only then can you have victory over sin. Not True – Some begin to seek experiences rather than seeking victory in Christ through the Word of God and the help of God’s community.

5. Deal with it

D.

III. An unashamed worker – A vessel of honor

A. Departing from sin 2 Tim 2:19

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

1. Confidence in the true foundation -

2. The result of avoiding sin

B. Choosingto be a vessel of honor 2 Tim 2:20-21

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 20 Now in a great house there are not only vesselsof gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, usefulto the master of the house, readyfor every good work.

1. Options of dishonor

2. Options of honor

3. Cleansing result

a. Set apart

b. Useful

c. Ready for work

C. Pursuingrighteousness 2 Tim 2:22

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 22 So flee youthful passionsand pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

1. Driven from the right heart

2. Run from sinful passions

3. Pursue the righteousness

4. Pursue faith

5. Pursue love

6. Pursue peace

7. Do it in community of God’s real people

IV. An unashamed worker – An engaging rescuer

A. Not being like them 2 Tim 2:23

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome …

1. Don’t fall into the trap

2. Engage in foolishness

3. Don’t fight or disagree just to be disagreeing

B. Maintaining the Godly character 2 Tim 2:24-25a

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. …

1. Not having their attitude of winning an argument / quarreling

2. Be kind (to everyone)

3. Teach them

4. Don’t react but endure their evil

5. Correct them but do it gently

C. Helping others be set free 2 Tim 2:25b-26

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 23 … God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

1. Only God can do the work

2. Need to repent so that they can begin to see the truth – not really an issue of the mind at all – but a spiritual problem

3. If God works – come to proper Godly senses – escape from their current ensnarement

4. Their problem is that they are bound by Satan to do his will

5. Only God can bring them to their senses so that the can repent and embrace God’s truth.

6. This is our role – With the proper Godly attitude seek to teach and correct their thinking through the Word of God – Then we seek that God will bring them to their sense and enable them to escape Satan’s snare

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