2 Timothy Lesson #16

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
2TIMOTHY 1:1-18
LESSON #16
THE CHARACTERISTIC OF LOYALTY IN LEADERS

MEMORY VERSE: 2 TIMOTHY 1:7

• INTRODUCTION

• THE BOOK OF 2 TIMOTHY WAS WRITTEN BY PAUL IN PRISON TO TIMOTHY IN THE CITY OF EPHESUS. THE THEME AND THE PURPOSE FOR OUR STUDY IS THE SAME AS 1 TIMOTHY: CONDUCT AND ORDER IN THE CHURCH AND PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP.
• 2TIMOTHY PROBABLY WAS WRITTEN BETWEEN 65 AND 68 AD JUST BEFORE THE DEATH OF PAUL.

• THE EMPHASIS AND OUTLINE OF 2TIMOTHY:

• WHILE THE THEME IS THE SAME AS 1TIMOTHY (ORDER IN THE CHURCH), THERE IS A DOMINANT EMPHASIS IN 2TIMOTHY THAT WE DID NOT SEE IN 1TIMOTHY.
• THE EMPHASIS IS ON “LOYALTY”. WE SEE THIS EMPHASIS IN THE OUTLINE OF THIS BOOK.
• LOYALTY IN SUFFERING — CHAPTER 1
• A. INTRODUCTION (1:1-7)
• B. THE PERSON WHO ENDURES AFFLICTIONS (1:8-11)
• C. THE PERSON WHO IS NOT ASHAMED BUT ASSURED (1:12-18)
• LOYALTY IN SERVICE — CHAPTER 2
• A. A SON (2:1-2)
• B. A GOOD SOLDIER (2:3-4)
• C. AN ATHLETE (2:5)
• D. A FARMER (2:6-14)
• E. A WORKMAN (2:15-19)
• F. A VESSEL (2:20-23)
• G. A SERVANT (2:24-25)
• LOYALTY IN TIMES OF APOSTASY — CHAPTER 3 – 4:5
• A. CONDITIONS IN THE LAST DAYS (3:1-9)
• B. AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE IN THE LAST DAYS (3:10-17)
• C. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE LAST DAYS (4:1-5)
• THE LORD, LOYAL TO HIS SERVANTS IN DESERTION —

CHAPTER 4:6-22

• A. PAUL’S DEATHBED TESTIMONY (4:6-8)
• B. LAST WORDS (4:9-22)
• READ 2TIM 1:1-7 INTRODUCTION
• THE THINGS THAT PAUL TALKS ABOUT IN THIS BOOK ARE GIVEN TO TIMOTHY BY THE WILL OF GOD (1).
• PAUL USES THE SAME THREE WORDS IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS BOOK THAT HE USED TO BEGIN 1TIMOTHY.
• GRACE = THE BELIEVER RECEIVES ETERNAL LIFE EVEN THOUGH HE DOES NOT DESERVE IT.
• MERCY = MAN DESERVES ETERNAL DAMNATION. BECAUSE OF GOD’S MERCY, THE BELIEVER DOES NOT RECEIVE WHAT MAN DESERVES.
• PEACE = MAN OBTAINS PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.
• A PURE CONSCIENCE (1:3)
• HOW CAN PAUL SAY HE HAS A PURE CONSCIENCE WHEN HE PERSECUTED AND CAUSED THE DEATH OF MANY CHRISTIANS, INCLUDING STEPHEN, THE FIRST MARTYR. (ACT 7:54-8:2)
• ALL THESE SINFUL ACTS WERE DONE BEFORE HE BECAME A CHRISTIAN. PAUL THOUGHT HE WAS ON GOD’S SIDE DOING WHAT GOD WANTED HIM TO DO. THEN HE WAS SAVED AND DISCOVERED HE WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE. BECAUSE HE DID NOT KNOW GOD PERSONALLY, HE WAS DOING THE WORKS OF SATAN. WHEN HE RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST INTO HIS HEART, ALL HIS SINS WERE FORGIVEN. GOD WASHED HIS SINS AWAY AND HE COULD SAY HE HAD A PURE CONSCIENCE.
• A PURE, CLEAN CONSCIENCE ONLY COMES THROUGH FAITH IN THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
• THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PAUL AND TIMOTHY (1:4)
• WE DISCUSSED PAUL’S AND TIMOTHY’S CLOSE RELATIONSHIP IN OUR STUDY OF 1TIMOTHY. THE TWO WERE VERY CLOSE FRIENDS EVEN THOUGH ONE WAS THE TEACHER AND THE OTHER WAS THE STUDENT.
• HOW DO WE KNOW THEY LOVED EACH OTHER SO MUCH?
• VERSE 4 TELLS US ABOUT TIMOTHY’S TEARS. THE REASON FOR THOSE TEARS WAS PAUL’S ARREST. HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED BEFORE AND THEN RELEASED FROM PRISON. HOWEVER, THIS TIME PAUL WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH.
• PAUL’S ENCOURAGEMENT (1:5-6)
• IN PRISON, PAUL IS ENCOURAGED TO REMEMBER TIMOTHY’S FAITH. THIS YOUNG MAN BECAME A STRONG CHRISTIAN THROUGH PAUL’S CONSTANT PRAYERS, ENCOURAGEMENT, GUIDANCE, AND HELP.
• PAUL IS ENCOURAGED BECAUSE THE GOSPEL WILL CONTINUE TO BE PREACHED BY TIMOTHY EVEN WHEN PAUL IS DEAD.
• THERE IS A PARTNERSHIP OF MINISTRY THAT BEGAN WHEN PAUL LAID HANDS ON TIMOTHY IN PRAYER AND COMMITTED HIM TO THE MINISTRY. (6)
• TIMOTHY’S GIFT OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL (1:6-7)
• THE CITY OF EPHESUS WAS A DIFFICULT PLACE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. THERE WERE MANY SINFUL TEMPTATIONS THERE FOR A YOUNG MAN. PAUL REMINDS TIMOTHY THAT GOD GAVE HIM BOLDNESS TO SPEAK THE GOSPEL, THE POWER OF LOVE TO LIVE OUT HIS TESTIMONY, AND A SOUND MIND TO DISCIPLINE HIMSELF SO AS TO BE A BETTER PREACHER.
• SOUND MIND = DISCIPLINED TO LIVE ACCORDING TO FAITH AND NOT ACCORDING TO EMOTIONS.
• READ 2TIM 1:8-11 A PERSON OF AFFLICTIONS
• READ JOH 16:33 JOH 15:18
• JESUS SAID WE WILL HAVE TROUBLE.
• DISCUSSION:
• WHAT KINDS OF AFFLICTIONS DO COMMITTED CHRISTIANS HAVE THAT NON-BELIEVERS DO NOT HAVE?
• THE CHRISTIAN LIFE WAS NOT MEANT TO BE EASY, POPULAR, AND WITHOUT TRIALS. IN FACT, FOR MANY CHRISTIANS, THEY HAVE MORE PROBLEMS AND MORE TRIALS AFTER THEY BECOME A CHRISTIAN THAN THEY DID BEFORE.
• WHAT IS PAUL’S ANSWER TO THE CHRISTIAN WHO THINKS THAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE SHOULD BE A “BED OF ROSES” AND DISCOVERS IT IS NOT.
• FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST (9-10)
• GOD HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US FOR HIS PURPOSES. WE ARE TO LIVE OUT OUR LIVES IN FAITH NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES. WE ARE NOT TO LIVE OUR LIVES ACCORDING TO EMOTIONS AND PERSONAL DESIRES.
• PAUL’S LIFE IS A TESTIMONY OF FAITH.
• HE WAS STONED, BEATEN, ARRESTED, AND BEHEADED. HIS CHRISTIAN LIFE WAS NOT “A BED OF ROSES”. HOWEVER, HE LIVED HIS LIFE MAKING DECISIONS BY FAITH AND NOT BY EMOTIONS. THAT IS WHY HE TELLS TIMOTHY TO HAVE A “SOUND MIND” DISCIPLINED BY FAITH.
• WHY DOES PAUL SAY THAT OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, HAS ABOLISHED DEATH WHEN WE ALL STILL DIE? (10)
• THE PHRASE IN VERSE 10, “WHO HATH ABOLISHED DEATH”, MEANS = MADE TO HAVE NO EFFECT.
• ONE DAY JESUS CHRIST WILL ABOLISH PHYSICAL DEATH FOREVER ACCORDING TO REV 21:4. HOWEVER, THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER THE MILLENNIUM. MEANWHILE, FOR THE CHRISTIAN PHYSICAL DEATH HAS NO EFFECT.
• THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO PAUL AND TIMOTHY AT THAT TIME BECAUSE PAUL WAS ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL DEATH.
• HOWEVER, JESUS CHRIST HAS ALREADY ABOLISHED SPIRITUAL DEATH FOR THE BELIEVER.
• WHEN WE HAVE JESUS CHRIST IN OUR HEARTS, WE WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL DEATH.
• WHAT IS SPIRITUAL DEATH?
• IT IS ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD. IT IS ETERNITY IN THE LAKE OF FIRE. (REV 20:6, 15)
• READ 2TIM 1:12-18 NOT ASHAMED BUT ASSURED
• NOTICE THAT PAUL SAYS HE SUFFERS BUT HE IS NOT ASHAMED. (12)
• THIS MESSAGE IS OPPOSITE THE “FAITH MOVEMENT” WHERE PREACHERS SAY THAT IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH FAITH YOU WILL BE WEALTHY, PHYSICALLY FIT, AND HAVE NO PROBLEMS IN YOUR LIFE.
• WHY DOES PAUL SAY HE IS NOT ASHAMED?
• READ ROM 1:16
• IN THOSE DAYS, PEOPLE CONSIDERED A PRISONER TO BE AN OUTCAST OF SOCIETY. EVEN FAMILIES WERE ASHAMED TO CLAIM THE BODIES OF DEAD RELATIVES IF THEY DIED AS A RESULT OF A DEATH SENTENCE BY THE GOVERNMENT.
• PAUL WILL DIE BECAUSE OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL. HE IS HONORED BECAUSE HE WILL BE LIKE CHRIST WHO DIED AFTER A GOVERNMENT DEATH SENTENCE.
• ASSURANCE (12-14)
• PAUL IS ASSURED BECAUSE HE HAS FAITH IN GOD THAT WILL GIVE HIM ETERNAL LIFE.
• “HE IS ABLE TO KEEP THAT WHICH I HAVE COMMITTED UNTO HIM…” (12)
• THE WORD “COMMITTED” LITERALLY MEANS = DEPOSITED.
• WHEN YOU ASK JESUS TO COME INTO YOUR HEART, YOU HAVE GOD’S DEPOSIT, THE HOLY SPIRIT, INSIDE OF YOU. WHEN YOU DIE PHYSICALLY, THAT DEPOSIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE SURE TO TRANSPORT YOU TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
• THEREFORE, AS A BELIEVER, GOD HAS PLACED A DEPOSIT IN YOU. (14)
• AS A BELIEVER, YOU HAVE PLACED A DEPOSIT IN GOD. YOUR DEPOSIT IS YOUR FAITH.
• THEREFORE, AS A BELIEVER, YOUR FAITH TAKES YOU TO HEAVEN WHEN YOU DIE PHYSICALLY. (13)
• WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTER QUALITY THROUGHOUT THIS CHAPTER THAT A CHRISTIAN CAN DEVELOP?
• LOYALTY
• LOYALTY TO JESUS CHRIST.
• LOYALTY OTHER BELIEVERS.
• LOYALTY TO THE MINISTRY TO WHICH GOD CALLED YOU.
• THE EXAMPLES OF LOYALTY IN THIS CHAPTER:
• 1. WE SEE PAUL’S LOYALTY TO JESUS CHRIST:
• HE IS WILLING TO SUFFER AND DIE FOR CHRIST.
• HE MAINTAINS HIS HIGH LEVEL OF FAITH TO TAKE HIM THROUGH DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
• 2. WE SEE PAUL’S LOYALTY TO TIMOTHY:
• HE COUNSELS TIMOTHY ABOUT TIMOTHY’S PROBLEMS EVEN WHEN HE HIMSELF IS FACING DEATH.
• 3. LOYALTY TO THE MINISTRY OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL:
• PAUL DOES NOT GIVE UP PREACHING THE GOSPEL EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ARRESTED BECAUSE OF IT.
• PRINCIPLE #43

CHRISTIAN LEADERS SHOULD BE THE MOST LOYAL PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

• THOSE WHO WERE NOT LOYAL AND THOSE WHO WERE: (15-18)
• PHYGELLUS AND HERMOGENES (15)
• PAUL HAD SEEN MANY PEOPLE FALL AWAY FROM THE LORD DURING HIS MINISTRY. EVERY PREACHER AND TEACHER CAN SAY THE SAME THING.
• PAUL SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS 2 MEN. WE DISCUSSED THESE TWO MEN IN OUR STUDY OF 1TIMOTHY. THEY WERE APOSTATES. IN OTHER WORDS THEY FELL AWAY FROM THE FAITH EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW THEY WERE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
• ONESIPHORUS (16)
• HIS NAME MEANS = ONE WHO BRINGS PROFIT
• HE WAS A LEADER IN THE EPHESIAN CHURCH. ALSO HE WAS A WEALTHY BUSINESS MAN WHO WAS IN ROME ON BUSINESS. HE TOOK THE TIME TO STOP AND SEE PAUL IN PRISON. HE WAS LOYAL TO PAUL AND NOT ASHAMED TO VISIT A PRISONER.

HOMEWORK

2TIMOTHY 2:1-14

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF 2TIM 1
• ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AND GIVE PROOF FOR YOUR ANSWER.
• HOW LOYAL ARE YOU TO JESUS CHRIST?
• HOW LOYAL ARE YOU TO THIS CHURCH?
• HOW LOYAL ARE YOU TO OTHER BELIEVERS?
• HOW LOYAL ARE YOU TO THE WORK THAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO?
• PREPARATION FOR 2TIM 2:1-14
• READ 2TIM 2:1-14
• WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT LOYALTY IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE FROM PAUL’S LITTLE ANALOGIES?
• A SON (2:1-2)
• A GOOD SOLDIER (2:3-4)
• AN ATHLETE (2:5)
• A FARMER (2:6-14)
• MEMORY VERSE: 2TIMOTHY 2:11