STRENGTH FOR SERVING CHRIST2
TIMOTHY 2:1-13
Introduction
Chapter 1 encouraged us - as it undoubtedly did Timothy - with the fact that God is well able to cope with our weaknesses.He knows our needs and is more than ready to help us.
As with most forms of help, however, it’s got to be accepted, and ch. 2:1-7 reminds us of just that.The help offered is God’s grace, and we’ve got to accept it, and make it our own.
Verses 8-13 point to another source of strength.
The first imperative is:
1.Be strong (1-7)
The word ‘grace’ in the New Testament has various shades of meaning and usage.Try recalling some of them.For example, how is it used in Eph. 2:8?
However, in 2 Tim. 2:1 its meaning is different.Here is has the sense of an enduement of power.It has a similar usage in 2 Cor. 12:9,10 and 1 Cor. 15:10.
So what is Paul saying to Timothy in v.1?How does this relate to the encouragement and advice Paul was giving him in ch. 1?
There are four aspects of service referred to in vs. 2-7 for which Christ’s strength is necessary.Try identifying them.They deal with the following subjects: teaching, endurance, competing, harvesting.
(a) How is grace/strength important for a teaching programme?Why is v.2 an important principle for church growth?
Why is a practical example by the teacher an important ingredient in his programme?Think about Phil.4:9; 1 Tim. 4:11, 12.
(b) Why is Christ’s grace/strength essential when it comes to enduring hardships?
What are the characteristics and objectives set out in vs.3,4?
What hardships are Christians likely to face for Christ?
(c) Verse 5 has something to do with strength of Christian character - competing in God’s way of doing things.How does Christ’s temptation in Matt. 4:8,9 relate to this?
What ground-rules for serving Christ in, say, evangelism do you think are important?
How would Satan like us to compromise our message and nullify our outreach?
(d) One characteristic of a farmer is that he keeps going - fair weather or foul (6).What does this imply in Christian service?
Think about the ideas implicit in Eccl. 11:4; Psa. 126:5,6.
As God’s servant, Timothy had this fourfold challenge.If you had to set them in order of importance for yourself, how would you arrange them?Why?
With his second imperative Paul reminds Timothy of another source of strength:
2.Concentrate on Christ (8-13)
(a) What two facts does Paul state about Jesus Christ in v.8?
Why should he highlight particularly these two realities?
Think about: 1 Cor. 15:14-19; also, the effect of the resurrection on the disciples
(Luke 24:19-24, 30-34; John 20:25-28).
If Jesus is King, as David’s descendant, what effect does that have on us?
(b) Why is the ‘gospel’ (v.8) good news?
(c) Why is Jesus - as the good news - worth suffering for (9,10)?
(d) How does ‘remembering’ (8) or concentrating on Jesus Christ help us to endure (10-12)?
(e) Think about the solemnity of turning one’s back on Jesus (12; Matt. 10:32,33).
(f) Think about the faithfulness of Jesus in the face of our frequent acts of unfaithfulness (Heb. 2:17,18).
Postscript: What effect does concentrating on Jesus Christ have (Heb. 12: 2-4)?