Sermon Notes - 2 Timothy 2:22-26 - Littleby Baptist at New Hope - October 24, 2021

 

2.     Context of 2 Timothy

a.      Written roughly 65-67 AD as Paul was a prisoner in Rome.

b.     This letter is believed to be one of if not the final letter he wrote.

c.      Knowing that he did nothing to deserve this punishment he was enduring.

                                                    i.     Knowing that his time was limited.

                                                  ii.     One might expect a plea for help or a call to arms.

d.     But that is not what Paul wrote to one of his closest friends.

3.     2 Timothy 2:8-10

a.      Paul understood that suffering for the sake of people hearing the message of Jesus… was worth it.

b.     Re-read verse 10, endure so that they may obtain salvation.

c.      Paul was telling Timothy and all who later read this letter, that even in the face of injustice the message of Christ and salvation of the lost is more important than anything else.

                                                    i.     More important than the pain that one may endure.

4.     2 Timothy 2:22

a.      Flee from youthful passions

                                                    i.     As followers of Christ, we need to flee from the things of the world.

                                                  ii.     Galatians 5:19-21, a list of some obvious this we are to avoid.

1.     Beyond the list of behaviors, it is truly a heart issue.

                                                iii.     Those acts are signs of where our heart is.

1.     If we pursue that list in Galatians our hearts are likely more focused on the world than on our Lord Jesus.

2.     If we flee from those things, flee from those youthful passions…

3.     Our chances of heading in the right direction are much greater.

b.     Flee youthful passions and instead pursue Righteousness, Faith, Love, and Peace.

                                                    i.     Make following God and living your life for Him THE Priority.

c.      Flee one group of behaviors and pursue the other ‘with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.’

                                                    i.     Pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with others who are pursing God.

                                                  ii.     Gather with others who share the same pursuits, who are truly seeking God, and build each other up.

5.     2 Timothy 2:23

a.      This is a piece of advice many need today.

b.     Getting into an argument on social media does absolutely no good.

c.      Trying to debate the latest social trend, only creates greater division.

d.     Foolish and ignorant disputes with people who do NOT call on the Lord with a pure heart, will not win them to Christ.

                                                    i.     In most cases it only makes things worse.

e.      Don’t let the youthful passions, foolish desires, drive us to debate others in things that will only make matters worse.

f.      Instead, pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace and let God use you as He sees fit.

g.     We cannot force our opinions on others, but God knows how to break through all of it. We need to let Him lead us.

6.     2 Timothy 2:24

a.      As followers of Jesus, we are to be:

b.     Gentle to everyone – Not just our buddies, not just those who are calling on the Lord with a pure heart, but everyone.

                                                    i.     If we are gentle with others we are not getting into some great debate.

                                                  ii.     We are not trying to convince them that we are right, and they are wrong.

                                                iii.     If we are being gentle with them, we are showing them Love.  

1.     Being gentle would be working to build relationships.

                                                iv.     Acts 28 tells us that Paul was guarded by a Roman soldier.

1.     If Paul argued with him all day about this or that, things probably would not have gone well for him.

2.     If Paul was following the advice, he was giving Timothy, I would bet he built relationships with each soldier that stood over him.

3.     Be gentle and build relationships.

c.      Able to teach – Teaching comes in many forms.

                                                    i.     Some can stand in front of a group and teach about a subject.

                                                  ii.     Others come along side of someone and help them learn how to do something.

                                                iii.     I wonder how much those soldiers learned from Paul.

1.     Some would have heard what Paul had to say when he was teaching about Jesus to those who came to visit.

2.     Maybe more importantly, they would have seen Paul live what he taught as they guarded him.

a.      Maybe Paul offered to share his food with them.

b.     Maybe he encouraged them to join in the conversations.

3.     Paul would have taught them in one form or another.

d.     Patient – a reminder that things don’t always happen in an instant.

                                                    i.     1 Corinthians 3:5-9 – Apollos and Paul, some plant and some water… It is God that gives growth, it is God that changes hearts.

1.     We need to gentle to everyone and patiently teach those God puts in our path and let God do the rest.

e.      As followers of Jesus if we are being gentle, teaching, and having patience, we will not be quarreling with others we will promote unity with those in our lives.

7.     2 Timothy 2:25

a.      Instructing his opponents with gentleness – Paul is being a little more pointed here.

                                                    i.     When he says to be gentle to and teach everyone, he means it.

                                                  ii.     Be gentle and teach those who adamantly disagrees with what you believe.

                                                iii.     That is the hard part.

                                                iv.     Being gentle and having the ability to teach someone who fundamentally agrees with you is fairly easy.

                                                  v.     Sharing with others who are open to what you believe, can be stressful but it can be done.

                                                vi.     Instructing your opponents with gentleness, is on a whole other level.

1.     Our tendency, maybe our youthful passion, is to prove to our opponents that we are right, and they are wrong.

2.     We want to make that last point to show them we know better.

                                               vii.     Yet, we are not to quarrel and fight.

                                             viii.     We are to instruct with gentleness… read rest of verse (starting with perhaps).

b.     I wonder how many Roman soldiers heard about the Love of Christ because Paul was gentle, patient, and taught them in words and deeds?

c.      I wonder how many soldiers had their eternity changed because Paul approached his opponents with gentleness?

8.     2 Timothy 2:26

a.      Think about what this verse is telling us…

                                                    i.     If people hear the good news, they may come to the knowledge of the Truth.

                                                  ii.     If people heard about Jesus, they may repent and turn to Him.

b.     In doing so, they ‘come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil.’

                                                    i.     That person we may be arguing with over Facebook, may truly be trapped by the devil.

                                                  ii.     That person who is attacking our choices, our actions, our beliefs… has been taken captive to do the devil’s will.

                                                iii.     Attacking them does absolutely no good.

                                                iv.     They are captive and until God gives the Growth, until God releases them, arguing only makes matters worse.

9.     Here is something I think Paul understood, and we need to remember.

a.      Those opponents, they are not the enemy – They are our mission field.

b.     They have been held captive by the devil, they truly do not and probably cannot understand the Truth until the Holy Spirit gets a hold of them.

c.      We need to be gentle with them, meaning we need to Love them.

d.     We need to teach them, which starts with us pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

                                                    i.     It starts with us living our lives for Christ and letting the Holy Spirit work in us and in them.

e.      Maybe if we ‘instruct our opponents with gentleness’ their eyes will be opened to the Truth that Jesus Christ is Lord.

                                                    i.     Maybe their eternity will be changed.