1 II Timothy 2: 3 Sermon Series: Staying Faithful to Jesus! Dr. Kip McKee, Senior Pastor Silver Run Baptist 14 July 2013 Read Scripture Prayer INTRODUCTION: This week I happened to be doing a little bit of reading from John MacArthur and I came across quite an interesting account. Several years ago on the coast of New Jersey, some engineers were building a bridge over the mouth of a river which emptied into the Atlantic Ocean. And as they were putting down the pilings on their way across the river, they came to a place where they found the massive hulk of
2 an old wooden ship buried deep into the soft sand at the bottom of the river. They realized in order to keep the foundation of the bridge moving along the proper route, they had to remove that OLD SHIP. And so they applied every mechanical means they could to pry it up and pull it up, lift it out, but nothing worked. Then a young engineer offered his suggestion. He asked if he might have permission to design a way to remove the old wooden hulk. And what he did was call for barges to be brought in and from those barges to the OLD Ship chains and heavy cords were attached at low tide. As the tide came in to the mouth of the river and the barges begin to move upward, the ship became loosened. When the tide went out, they tightened them down as tightly again as they could, and next time the tide came in and lifted the barges, the ship was loosened a little more until finally it was completely pried free. And the account went on to say that what the machinery of man could not accomplish, the tides had accomplished. And I thought to myself that what we cannot do in the flesh, God can do by the power of His Spirit. And that essentially is what Paul is saying to Timothy here. Timothy needs God s Power to accomplish God s Work. Timothy is in a very difficult ministry in Ephesus.
3 Timothy was left to minister in Ephesus. It was a very difficult ministry. The church had fallen into ungodly behavior and an unbiblical theology. Christians were under the threat of persecution from the emperor and from Rome. And as a result it was a very hard time. Timothy was young, fighting all kinds of battles in his own personal life, battles of his own holiness and purity. Some were saying he was too young to be a leader. And Paul tells him not to let men despise his youth. It's a very difficult time. And so in his time of weakness, Paul says to him in verse 1, "Be strong in...or by means of... the grace that is in Chris Jesus." Paul is telling Timothy to, I. LIVE & Minister by God s Power! It takes God s Grace & Strength to Serve Jesus Well! You then, my son, be STRONG In the GRACE
4 That is IN Christ Jesus. Timothy be STRONG in Christ JESUS & TEACH OTHERS! 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Teacher KNOW God s Word Teach it to other RELIABLE people who will TEACH OTHERS! So first as a Teacher Live by God s Power & Teach God s Word to RELIABLE Men & Women who will teach it to others, Secondly Timothy, II. LIVE to PLEASE God! Commit to this! Let's look at the soldier in verses 3 and 4. This is a call to recognize that you're a soldier, you're in a spiritual war and you are called to be at the FRONT of the Battle. Read & Discuss II Timothy 2: 3-4
5 PLEASING GOD is ESSENTIAL for success as a Christian! please your commanding officer. (Soldier Know Spiritual Warfare is constant!) We are in a FIGHT against EVIL, II Corinthians 10:3-6 describes our fight this way, 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
6 As you fight, Put on God s Armor & Call on God s Power as you fight for Jesus. So first as a Teacher Live by God s Power & Teach God s Word to RELIABLE Men & Women who will teach it to others, Second Timothy LIVE to PLEASE GOD as a Soldier PLEASES his Commanding Officer & FIGHT WELL!..., Thirdly,, III. LIVE in VICTORY by living by God s Rules! God s Victory comes to those that fully serve Jesus, according to the rules. Read & Discuss II Timothy 2: 5 Athlete Go for God s Victories by MAKING God s Ways your Ways! God GIVES us the DESIRES of our heart when we line our lives up with Jesus. Every Day spend time in God s Word, Praise Him,
7 Listen to Him, & Obey Him! Psalm 37: 3-9 tells us, Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
8 So first as a Teacher Live by God s Power & Teach God s Word to RELIABLE Men & Women who will teach it to others, Second LIVE to PLEASE GOD as a Soldier PLEASES his Commanding Officer & FIGHT WELL!..., Third LIVE by God s Rules as an ATHLETE follows the RULES of their sport or they are disqualified, Fourth, IV. LIVE Knowing God REWARDS those that work HARD for HIS GLORY! Farmer Work HARD for Jesus day by day! God gives the REWARDS that are of ultimate value to the ones that DESERVE them. Read & Discuss II Timothy 2: 6 The farmer works hard day in and day out That is how the Christian is to work day in and day out work with ALL your HEART for Jesus & let God be concerned with the Rewards of the Harvest.
9 So first as a Teacher Live by God s Power & Teach God s Word to RELIABLE Men & Women who will teach it to others, Second LIVE to PLEASE GOD as a Soldier PLEASES his Commanding Officer & FIGHT WELL!..., Third LIVE by God s Rules as an ATHLETE follows the RULES of their sport or they are disqualified, Fourth WORK HARD for JESUS like a FARMER & TRUST God for the REWARDS of the HARVEST, Fifthly, V. REFLECT on what God s Word teaches you & let God confirm it in your heart! God GIVES us His Holy Spirit to Teach us His Word & to give us Peace & Confidence in it! Read & Discuss II Timothy 2: 7 "Consider what I say," Reflect on what I am Saying God is telling Timothy & each of us to STOP here for a time & CONSIDER what He has just told us. Do you understand what I'm saying, Timothy? Think it over. Think it over.
10 Now let me have you do that for a moment. Will you do that with me? Ponder this. Look at your own life and ask yourself, am I a strong Christian? Do I devote myself to safe guarding and proclaiming the truth like a true teacher? Am I consumed with that? Think about it, are you? And then ask yourself this, do I deny myself to serve my commander and give my life as a true soldier at any cost? Am I always on the battle front? Think about it. Are you? And then in terms of an athlete, ask yourself this, do I discipline myself to succeed in winning the spiritual race? Do I understand self-sacrifice? Do I understand the effort? Do I understand that I must obey the Word of God and keep the rules He has set up? Am I an athlete who runs to win? Think about that. Am I a hard-working servant of Christ?
11 Do I USE MY ENERGY to PRODUCE a Spiritual crop like that true farmer? Is my service for Jesus steady day by day like the hard working farmer? And then comes this word, verse 7, "For the Lord will give you understanding in every respect," is what he means. You think about it and the Lord will give you the answer. He'll show you where you are. Listen, I'm through at this point, it's up to you. Take the time to do a Spiritual Check Up on yourself & let God show you where you stand with Him! ********************************************************** Prayer Invitation