2 Timothy 2

2 Timothy 1.

[OHP 1 2 Tim 1:15] - unusual key verse - intro to letter - time of declension, final word exhorting to preserve the faith. It is worth preserving! READ

- The situation in the church gives plenty of reason for discouragement, yet still Paul remains thankful.

- LIFE: - Promise of life in Christ Jesus - life is only found in Christ Jesus - life in all its fullness! Eternal life! Why desert it? [OHP 2] - The promise of life in Christ Jesus is the hope that motivates and inspires Paul. It is also the object and intention of his appointment i.e. "to further, to make known, the promise of eternal life." It is this same promise to which Timothy is a servant. It takes grace, mercy and peace from God to carry out - only through Divine enabling, Divine grace can we continue to hold out and prevail amidst such apostasy, opposition and godlessness.

- Life is only found in Christ Jesus. In Him, and Him alone, we have the certain promise of life (John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. ; John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger; John 10:10 I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.; John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies; John 14:6 am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. Romans 8:2 the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death)

- Life is the one thing that matters, the things worth pursuing - what value is anything else if you haven’t got life? And this is real life! (Time when I merely existed)

- life comes through the Gospel (v.10) life and immortality! Life that lasts forever.

- GOSPEL: - Paul lays great value and emphasis on the Gospel because it is the only means to life.

- Always foremost in Paul’s mind was the glorious Gospel by which we are saved and called to holiness - God’s wonderful grace, His eternal purpose for us to be His. This eternal mystery has now been revealed - made known in the appearing of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is intrinsically tied up with Christ’s coming to earth - abolishing death through His death and bringing life and immortality to light through His resurrection - this is the Good News. Jesus died for my sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and rose again three days later - death conquered, eternal life made available in His death and resurrection.

- It was all planned before time but now that great plan has been revealed, grace is revealed in the coming of Jesus Christ [John 1:14, 16-18 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.]

- Note the emphasis on "revelation" (2 Tim 1:10 φανερωθεῖσαν, ἐπιφανείας, φωτίσαντος) - the mystery has been revealed, made known, manifest, brought to light. The Gospel (cf. 2 Tim 1:8) is revealed in Jesus - it is to do with salvation (cf. 2 Tim 1:9,10) - rescued from death, the consequences of sin - eternal judgment. It is now known! Hallelujah! No longer hidden, available to all! Through His death Jesus abolished death - rendered it inoperative. Now life - eternal life - has been brought to light. It is available only through the Gospel - the death, burial and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ. Praise His name! Praise God that He has been revealed, that He came to earth as a man revealing God’s salvation!

- wonderful revelation! This purpose and plan, though before all time, was hidden - now revealed, revealed in Jesus - what is the revelation? Life! Immortality! Light! How does it come? Through the Gospel? What is the Gospel? - repentance from our own way and utter reliance, faith, in Jesus - His finished work, death, burial and resurrection.

- precious, worth preserving

- FAITH: - the message of the Gospel is repent and believe - faith - trust, utter dependence and reliance on Jesus alone.

- inherent in faith is faithfulness - faithfulness, persistence, stick ability, constancy, consistency - prayed day and night

- maintaining the faith - the heritage of the faith

- faith is sure: I know Whom I have believed. What we have entrusted to Him (our salvation, life in Him) will come to fruition, we will receive what has been promised. It is worth holding fast to.

- Paul’s confidence was not in theology, doctrine, philosophy, in a thing - it was in a person! "I know Whom I have believed..." Personal knowledge - based on a relationship that is sure and secure! Hallelujah! In Jesus! He will not fail us. Our confidence is in HIM! We will never be disappointed

- continuity of the faith - served as his fathers did - we must ensure it is passed on, that the heritage continues - passed on from Mother to son

- value of godly upbringing (Adam) [Deuteronomy 6:3-7, 20-25 Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.]

- tradition and heritage are scorned today - there is human tradition which can be bad but there is godly tradition that is of immense value - Paul lays importance on the heritage of the faith - passing it on from one generation to another. This is Paul’s reason for writing, to ensure that the faith is carried on to the next generation, and also that it will be passed on to the succeeding generations.

- continuity of the faith - grandmother: OT faith, continuity, not with Judaism but the God of the Jews - this was no new faith but the fulfilment of an old one. Lois and Eunice had embraced Jesus as the promised Messiah of the Scriptures and believed in Him.- Godly women influenced Timothy (perhaps his father was an unbeliever) whatever, it was the women who passed on the faith - vital role of mothers - you can set your children on the course they will follow for life.

- the faith doesn’t change - people want something new - if it’s new it’s different, it isn’t the truth once declared to the saints.

- sincere faith- Paul had seen many desert the faith, and those with impure motives, so that to have one with a genuine faith was precious and rare - to be jealously guarded and preserved. Is it no so today? Those with a genuine faith are precious indeed - many profess and then prove to be false, or give up along the way. So many had proved to be a disappointment - but that which was in Timothy was of a different kind. - Paul has great confidence in Timothy (2 Tim 1:5). He calls to mind Timothy’s "unfeigned faith," and how genuinely real it was, with no hypocrisy or make-believe sham. He was persuaded with full confidence that the same genuine faith which resided in his mother and grandmother was present in Timothy also.

- CALL: - called both to live and proclaim this faith and Gospel. - This precious faith Paul was called to procalim

- Paul often makes clear his apostleship is no position he has chosen - it is a Divine appointment and therefore carries Divine authority. Paul has been commissioned by God! By His will! serve with a clear conscience! Who can say that? What about: 1 Timothy 1:15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.? - wonder of the Gospel, sinners have a completely clear conscience - Paul served with a clear conscience!

- called to a holy life - to be separate - We are not to be part of the world but different, separate, holy. We are called to be separate from the world.

- also called to proclaim the Gospel. The Gospel is propagated through Divinely appointed ministers - through servants who proclaim and preach it, who are sent out with Divine authority to break new ground, and by teaching the doctrines of the Gospel. Preaching, proclamation and teaching are the means by which the Gospel goes forth - Paul had been called to preach this Gospel, pass on this faith, so too had Timothy (laid hands on, called to pass it on)

- we are called to ensure the continuity of the faith, that it is passed on - called to proclaim it - sent out to spread it, to teach it. We’ve got to understand the doctrine. Can’t let it die! We have a Divine calling!

- Why are we called? - no reason, except God called us - it is prearranged because of God’s purpose, not our own idea - it’s nothing to do with what is in us has nothing to do with what we have done because the call and the grace was given even before time began! Amazing grace!

- TRUST: - this most precious gift (it is by grace 2 Tim 1:2, 9) i.e. life, the Gospel, the faith, the call has been entrusted to us - it is to be guarded and preserved - we can’t do this by ourselves, only by the power of the Holy Spirit

- A great and glorious treasure has been entrusted to us - the Gospel, the very life of the LORD Jesus Christ! This is of supreme value and must be guarded at all costs The Holy Spirit has been given to us and He has the power to keep that which has been entrusted to us (cf. 2 Tim 1:12)

- This life of Christ in us is through the agency of His Holy Spirit who indwells us, is at home in us. He produces the life of Jesus, His character within us. The Holy Spirit supplies us with Divine life! Hallelujah.

- Note the Divine responsibility (2 Tim 1:12) and our personal responsibility (2 Tim 1:14) - God is able to guard it but we must guard it too - we have a responsibility but we are not to rely on ourselves but on the Divine resources given us. All we do must be done by the Holy Spirit not by our own efforts (Zech 4:6).

- entrusted with life, the faith, wonderful salvation: consequence [OHP 3] - Amazing some forsake this wonderful salvation - why do people desert this precious gift and call? Do it own strength, fearful, timid, ashamed - so we must:

- not be timid - Why would it not be utilized, this wonderful, supernatural, spiritual gift? Like Timothy, the reason often is timidity. Fear paralyzes us and prevents us being active and effective in God’s service.

- What is the gift God has given me? - His Spirit. If we are living by the Spirit, Him in us, we will not be timid and be reticent about using the gift Jesus has given us

- What is the sign of being filled with the Spirit? - power, love, self discipline (testimony).

- not be ashamed -Why do people give up? There is suffering associated with the Gospel, a shame we have to bear but it is worth bearing. Suffering is no cause for shame - it is a badge of honour! It is the normal condition for the Christian life

- Am I ashamed of my Lord? - relates to timidity of previous verse - when the Holy Spirit comes, there comes boldness (e.g. Acts 2; 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.)

- There is no place for cryptic Christians (Warwick) - there is a shame we bear but we are not to be ashamed - suffer for the Gospel, be it persecution or ridicule. [Hebrews 13:13,14 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.]

- fan the flame - gift from God - ? Sit back and let God - but stir into flame - there is God’s part and our part. Faith was in Mum and Grandmother, it had to be preserved, took effort. He gives to us but we have responsibility, stewardship, of what has been given to us. It is an impartation from God! We have a responsibility to employ it!

- Greatest way to show gratitude is to use what is given (give John a 4 wheel drive - suppose he leaves it in the garage so it doesn’t get dirty - what an insult!).

- Timothy had slipped from where he had been and needed to get back to where he had once been - go through the same process again. If we are not where we once were we can get back - His faith was genuine, it would last the distance, therefore he needed to stir up his spiritual abilities that God had given, exercise them so that they would grow and develop rather than atrophy away. Faith is ongoing, progressive, living - if we are not going onward our faith is dying! If we have slipped we need to go back and do the things we did at first when our love was fresh and new.

-The gift is "of God" - a Divine impartation, having Divine power - it is not natural talent and ability. The gift is "in you" - not something that comes and goes, that is only there as the situation demands. No, it is our permanent possession, it has been given to us - it can atrophy through lack of use, but once given it isn’t taken away. It is within us, even if dormant, and if utilized will spring back into life.

- guard the treasure: Doctrine Hold fast to teaching (sound words) must know the facts, principles, doctrine. Not just some warm fuzzy spiritual experience, you must know what you believe - keep the teaching, faith and love. Hold fast to it, guard it - guard against it being perverted, adulterated or changed.

- Paul gave the outline of Christ’s teaching which was to be fleshed out in Christian living. The teaching Paul had given was sound - it was not to be departed from but put into practice.

- Sound teaching produces Christ’s life within, is evidenced by faith and love. If it is not producing this in the hearers its soundness must be brought into question (cf. 1 Tim 1:5). Faith and love are not found within ourselves - they are only in Christ Jesus - we are utterly dependant on Him.

Faith - Assurance is basic to an effective witness. It is the believer’s unswerving conviction not only that he possesses salvation, in which he will be eternally kept through the merits of the work of Christ alone, but that the committal of his life to the Saviour will be safely guarded and his investment blessed and increased. The faith that we have in Christ Jesus is of supreme value and must be guarded at all costs.

Love - There is a blessing on those that aren’t ashamed of the Gospel, who carry it through when it is difficult, when it is not popular and bear shame, who carry it through in practice - practical love - personal care for people (cf. V.2-4) visiting in prison

- persistence, found him, determination in love.

- there is a reward, one in eternity, when you show mercy you will receive mercy [Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.]- eternal investment, help those in need now, you will receive mercy from God on Judgment Day.

- the day of the LORD - the day of judgment. A kindness and love shown here and now can effect your eternal destiny. We will be judged according to our deeds. What we do here on earth is of eternal importance and significance.

What we invest with Jesus is a secure investment bringing incredible return. "That day" is the day Jesus returns to reign, when He comes to judge the world and establish His rule. Much of what men have accumulated will prove to be worthless in that day - but Paul’s investment will stand untouched. Paul’s work in the Gospel will not prove to be vain and non-effective - it will not fizzle out but will continue on until Christ returns. The Gospel is so wonderful that it is worth suffering anything for it - that trouble endured will not disappoint but bring great reward.

- What is the evidence of this great life that comes through the Gospel that is imperative to preserve?- faith and love in action!