I. Paul’s Charge To Timothy
A. Be Strong V. 1
1. V. 1-We know that Timothy was often timid, fearful, and negligent of his gifting.
2. We know that Ephesus was a difficult place to pastor. It was a very carnal place.
3. It would have been easy for Timothy to complain about his tendency to be weak.
4. Paul commanded Timothy to be strong in the grace of Jesus.
a. Grace- Undeserved favor regarding salvation; God’s enabling, presence, equipping.
b. Christians are not expected to strengthen themselves by their own resources.
c. We are called to deliberately depend on God’s grace when we are weak, afraid, etc.
d. 1 Samuel 30:6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
B. Commit The Word To Others V. 2
1. V. 2-All Christians, but especially teachers and pastors, must do two things:
2. They must receive the word of God, and then pass it on to others.
3. More specifically, they must pass the word of God on to others who will teach and lead.
4. Pastors need to pay attention to those who have God’s ministerial calling upon their lives.
5. Faithful men-those who have been given opportunities to serve and have been faithful.
6. There is an unseen work always happening with a pastor. He’s always looking for others.
C. Endure Hardship Vs. 3-7
1. Vs. 3, 4-Soldiers have one purpose: to obey their commanding officer.
a. They do not have their own agenda, plans, or schedule.
b. They do not get involved in things that they are not called to, whether good or bad.
c. They must be willing to give up whatever prevents them from being a good soldier.
d. They are enlisted to please their commanding officer and to complete his agenda.
e. They know their calling, and they are focused.
f. Pastoral ministry certainly has hardships. Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual.
2. V. 5-Athletes- they train to win, self-starters, disciplined, sacrifice “normal” lifestyle.
a. Athletes can’t make up their own set of rules.
b. Pastors have certain “rules” that other Christians don’t. They have a different life.
3. V. 6-Farmers-self-starters, cannot be lazy, must be patient, willing to take a risk.
a. Farmers plant in faith, with no guarantee of a harvest.
b. If they are not self-starters, there will be no harvest.
c. The pastor must first receive God’s word for himself before he teaches others.
4. V. 7-Consider-This means prayerfully thinking and re-thinking about these ideas.
D. Why Paul Endured Hardship Vs. 8-13
1. V. 8-Paul reminded Timothy to keep focusing on preaching Jesus as had been promised.
2. V. 9-Paul was physically restricted, but God’s Word cannot be restricted.
a. Paul wrongly suffered as an evil doer, but he wasn’t an evil doer. Wrongly accused.
b. Pastors, Christian leaders, and all Christians will be mislabeled to some degree.
3. V. 10-Paul’s willingness to suffer was for the spiritual well-being of others.
a. He had the salvation of others in mind. He wanted to see others saved.
4. V. 11-Died with Him-To follow Jesus means that we must be willing to die to self.
a. Matthew 10:37-39 37He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
b. As Jesus was raised to life, so the Christian will be raised to newness of life.
5. V. 12-Following Jesus means enduring hardship, but we are promised a position of reigning with Jesus in the Millennial Kingdom.
a. Matthew 10:33 whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
6. V. 13-If we are faithless, it does not cancel out God’s faithfulness.
II. Approved and Disapproved Workers Vs. 14-26
A. Disapproved Workers
1. V. 14-Timothy needed to be reminded, so did his hearers. Ruin- katastrophe.
a. Focus on Jesus. Don’t focus on words that ruin people’s faith and lives.
2. V. 17- Spread like cancer-Carnal people love to argue, and their foolish words find many ears. Carnal Christians love to argue. Cancer can spread quickly and consume a body.
3. Paul warned Timothy about Hymenaeus and Philetus. Good pastors will point out dangerous people within the church. This isn’t mean, it’s to protect the church.
a. We read about Hymenaeus in 1 Timothy 1:20.
b. His departure from correct doctrine had been a process.
c. False teachers claim to be helping people, but they ruin them.
4. V. 18-They have strayed-to deviate, to swerve, to miss the mark.
a. This seems to say that these men were on the right path, and now they were not.
b. Their cancerous words overthrew some people’s faith.
c. Godly words edify and comfort. Ungodly words destroy.
Approved Workers
1. V. 15-Be diligent-exert yourself, endeavor, be deliberate, make an effort, labor.
a. Approved- accepted, pleasing, not counterfeit. Approved by God, not by people.
i. Ancient coins were of soft metal, sometimes cut down to less than full weight.
b. Not ashamed before man or God when our work is examined. See 2 Cor. 5:9, 10
c. Rightly diving-to cut a straight line. Paul was a tent maker.
d. Word of truth-Not the opinions of man. Not useless babblings. Not politics.
e. Some pose as teachers, but are not committed to study God’s word, nor do they cut a straight line or handle God’s word correctly. They mishandle God’s word.
2. V. 16-shun-likewise, be diligent to shun foolish babblings. It leads to more sin.
5. This has been repeated much. This was obviously a problem in Crete.
6. Remember that the Cretans were liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons, but they liked to debate.
7. There was no external show of godliness in their lives, only arguments.
3. V. 19-God’s foundation stands– Some people turn away; God knows those who are His.
a. Those who are His will be turning away from iniquity. It is an indication of sonship.
4. V. 20-God’s church is great because of what it costs to build it and what God will accomplish through it. God’s kingdom is manifested through His church.
a. In every house there are vessels that serve honorable purposes, and others that serve dishonorable/common purposes.
5. V. 21-There are two sides to serving God. His calling, but our participation.
a. We are positionally cleansed by the blood of Jesus, but there is practical cleansing that we must do. We must cleanse ourselves from dishonorable things by God’s Spirit.
b. As we cooperate with God’s Spirit and cleanse (sanctify) ourselves from dishonorable things, we often find ourselves being more usable by God for more honorable tasks.
6. V. 22-Flee and pursue. Flee from sin, pursue righteousness. Don’t be passive either way.
7. V. 23-Avoid arguments that generate strife. Don’t be tempted to win the argument!
8. V. 24-Sometimes we are quick to argue. Instead, we need to be patient and gentle.
9. V. 25-There will be those who oppose the truth. We desire for them to know the truth.
10. V. 26-We cannot know truth unless God shows us. They are blind; we were blind.
a. We are privileged to know God’s truth. (See 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:13-16)