2 Timothy 2:1-10
2:1 Be Strong In The Lord
Paul told Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Grace is a gift that we don't deserve.
It is God's favor on us that we are completely unworthy of.
God loves us so completely that He offers us this free gift of grace.
The Bible says that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are saved by God's grace, not by anything that we have done.
We were sinners, and God reached out to us.
We were unlovable, and God loved us anyway.
That is what grace is all about.
Let us be encouraged that God loves us no matter what.
Let us remember that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us.
*******
2:2 Commit To Faithful Men
Paul also encouraged Timothy to raise up other Bible teachers.
Pastor must learn to train others, equip them, raise them up and send them out.
The gospel truth is for the common people.
And the church's responsibility is to raise up people to bring the teaching to them.
The people we send out should be faithful, dependable, and trustworthy.
They must be people we can trust to carry on the work of the ministry.
*******
Paul used three word pictures to illustrate service in the kingdom: that of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer.
2:3-4 The Soldier
The soldier dedicates his life to the service.
He is not entangled by the things of the world.
He has a single purpose; he is not entangled with anything else but his duty.
2:5 The Athlete
The illustration of an athlete is another powerful picture.
An athlete is someone who trains diligently, striving for his or her personal best.
Look at the sacrifice and commitment that athletes make.
How much more should we as Christians be training, striving, sacrificing to win the race?
We have been given the rules to this race.
Let us run according to them.
2:6 The Farmer
Paul's third illustration is that of a farmer.
The farmer works diligently and sacrificially over a long period of time.
And the end result is reward.
All of the plowing, planting, watering, and caring yield a crop that he benefit from.
There is an eternal reward waiting for us when we invest our life in the work of the Kingdom of God.
*******
2:7 Understanding In Everything
Paul reassured Timothy that if he didn't understand, that the Lord would give him understanding in everything as he considered it.
This promise is to all who have become born again into the new life in Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit living inside us can give us understanding in everything as we seek Him and consider the Word of God.
*******
2:8-10 The Gospel
Salvation is found in the Lord Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.
This is the pure message of the grace of God: that He loves us in spite of the fact that we have rebelled against Him in our sin.
While we were sinners, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place, to be killed on the cross so that we could live.
Not everyone receives this grace.
Many reject it.
But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Will we receive God's grace through Jesus Christ, risen from the dead?
2:1 Be Strong In The Lord
Paul told Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Grace is a gift that we don't deserve.
It is God's favor on us that we are completely unworthy of.
God loves us so completely that He offers us this free gift of grace.
The Bible says that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are saved by God's grace, not by anything that we have done.
We were sinners, and God reached out to us.
We were unlovable, and God loved us anyway.
That is what grace is all about.
Let us be encouraged that God loves us no matter what.
Let us remember that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us.
*******
2:2 Commit To Faithful Men
Paul also encouraged Timothy to raise up other Bible teachers.
Pastor must learn to train others, equip them, raise them up and send them out.
The gospel truth is for the common people.
And the church's responsibility is to raise up people to bring the teaching to them.
The people we send out should be faithful, dependable, and trustworthy.
They must be people we can trust to carry on the work of the ministry.
*******
Paul used three word pictures to illustrate service in the kingdom: that of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer.
2:3-4 The Soldier
The soldier dedicates his life to the service.
He is not entangled by the things of the world.
He has a single purpose; he is not entangled with anything else but his duty.
2:5 The Athlete
The illustration of an athlete is another powerful picture.
An athlete is someone who trains diligently, striving for his or her personal best.
Look at the sacrifice and commitment that athletes make.
How much more should we as Christians be training, striving, sacrificing to win the race?
We have been given the rules to this race.
Let us run according to them.
2:6 The Farmer
Paul's third illustration is that of a farmer.
The farmer works diligently and sacrificially over a long period of time.
And the end result is reward.
All of the plowing, planting, watering, and caring yield a crop that he benefit from.
There is an eternal reward waiting for us when we invest our life in the work of the Kingdom of God.
*******
2:7 Understanding In Everything
Paul reassured Timothy that if he didn't understand, that the Lord would give him understanding in everything as he considered it.
This promise is to all who have become born again into the new life in Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit living inside us can give us understanding in everything as we seek Him and consider the Word of God.
*******
2:8-10 The Gospel
Salvation is found in the Lord Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.
This is the pure message of the grace of God: that He loves us in spite of the fact that we have rebelled against Him in our sin.
While we were sinners, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place, to be killed on the cross so that we could live.
Not everyone receives this grace.
Many reject it.
But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Will we receive God's grace through Jesus Christ, risen from the dead?
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