Paul, an older church planter, encourages
Timothy, a young pastor in the church's first generation, to remain grounded in
the grace of God, having faith that God will accomplish his purposes through
him.
The chapter shows us the nature of a faithful and qualified pastor who will endure.
2 Timothy 2:1 (ESV)
You then, my child, be strengthened by the
grace that is in Christ Jesus,
It’s all about Jesus.
It’s all in Jesus
and through Jesus. The heavy lifting has been done. Walk in him.
Eph. 6:10 (ESV)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the
strength of his might.
2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV)
and what you have heard from me in the
presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach
others also.
(see Exodus 18:18-23)
Preach the word.
Teach others to preach
the word (see Titus 1:5).
Reach,
teach,
and mobilize.
Some may be
uncomfortable with the use of military language like “mobilize”. I am convinced
that the gospel does teach Jesus followers non-violent resistance. However, it
does not teach non-resistance. We do resist, and we do it together. We wrestle
not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), but we still wrestle. We do
contend both in the spirit against forces of darkness, and in the natural
against conformity to the violent and corrupt patterns of the world. We resist
powers and governments and cultural patterns that are contrary to the justice
and love and freedom that Jesus’ preaches and gives. And together, we are an
army. Jesus is our commanding officer. Citizens of the Kingdom are ambassadors
that go out into the world carrying the message of the Kingdom. Kingdom
ambassadors go into the world prepared to resist the powers that believe they
are in control. We are mobilized. We teach teachers who teach teachers.
Teach faithful and
qualified people. We promote character and giftedness both, not either/or.
People can become qualified through development and training. For those of us
in ministry, we are reminded to remain faithful and qualified. We should use
and challenge our gifts.
2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)
Do
your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need
to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Paul goes on about
developing others by telling Timothy later in the chapter to remind these
people often of the gospel and the cost of Following Jesus (vv8-10). He also
encourages them not to be idle arguers over words, but to remain firm in the
basic truths of the gospel (vv11-14).
Remaining faithful
and qualified in the word and in the spirit, and teaching others to do the same
is very hard work.
2 Timothy 2:3 (ESV)
Share in suffering as a good soldier of
Christ Jesus.
Endure Hardship
2 Timothy 4:5 (ESV)
As for you, always be sober-minded, endure
suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.
Hardship and trials
are a normal Christian experience.
James 1:2-4 (ESV)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Romans 8:35, 37 (ESV)
35 Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or danger, or sword?
37 No, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him who loved us.
Hardship is certain.
Our victory in Jesus, and his love for us are even more certain.
Faith in his love
and his victory won for us will give us the perseverance to endure.
2 Timothy 2:4-7 (ESV)
4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian
pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes
according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the
first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you
understanding in everything.
3 Habits of Faithful, Qualified
Church Leaders with Endurance
1 - A Soldier - Civilian Affairs
A
faithful and qualified pastor’s first priority is to please Jesus. (v4).
Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt
has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good
for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
14
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it
under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In
the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
God intends his
disciples to live changed lives that change lives.
This world is our
home. We are not just passing through.
Matthew 6:1 (ESV)
Beware of practising your righteousness
before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no
reward from your Father who is in heaven.
We are salt and
light in this world, but it is not us that is seen, but our good works for
God’s glory.
We only live for the
approval of God, not the approval of people.
Romans 12:2 (ESV)
Do not be conformed to this world,[a] but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what
is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
The things of this
world choke out God’s word in our lives (Matthew 13:22 – the cares of the world and
the deceitfulness of riches choke the word).
When our eyes and
heart are singly focused on Jesus, we know the will of our commanding officer,
and are able to please him.
Philippians 3:4-11 (ESV)
…though I myself have reason for confidence
in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the
flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the
eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of
Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as
to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law,[a]
blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and
count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him,
not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which
comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on
faith— 10 that I may know him and the
power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in
his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the
dead.
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
But seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Jesus is our
priority. We have little time or energy for anything else.
My priorities (match
my roles)
-Disciple
-Husband
-Father
-Pastor
-Evangelist
Once I place these
in my weekly schedule, I don't have much time left for frivolous things. I know
how to rest, but I am no longer concerned with Youtube memes, gossip, or many
of the other things that used to rent space in my time before prioritizing my
life according to the Kingdom.
Paul warns Timothy
numerous times in this chapter of how easily he could become distracted by
irreverent it useless babbling (vv17-18, 23-26). Arguments among Christians
over silly details derail us from our purpose - to live by faith according to
God's just Kingdom, proclaiming his freedom, love, and grace to a lost and
hurting world. Don't get distracted.
2. An Athlete – Competes by the Rules
A
faithful and qualified pastor is disciplined (v5).
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV)
Do you not know that in a race all the
runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a
perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do
not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under
control,[a] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Our private life should be viciously
disciplined to be free from besetting sins and entanglements.
We should not be
distracted by the world (v4), and we should not be bound by besetting sin (v5).
Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)
(continues from last point)
12 Not that I have already obtained this or
am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has
made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But
one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies
ahead, 14 I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God
in Christ Jesus.
Our daily prayer is
that God will forgive our sins (Matthew 6:12). We aren’t perfect yet. But we
must not use this as an excuse for laziness. On the contrary, we need to be an
example of purity and righteousness to our congregations. And when we fail, we
must be an example of repentance and humility, as Paul is here. There should be
no hidden and habitual sin in a pastor’s life.
Have regular
accountability in your life, a person who you regularly check in with about
your time with Jesus, and your private world.
3. A Farmer – Feeds Himself First
A
faithful and qualified pastor is filled with the word before teaching others
(v6).
Denying yourself to
follow Jesus does not mean ministering at the expense of your time with Jesus
or your family’s time with you. You should be filled first, and then give. Pour
out your life for your congregation, but from a full vessel.
Have a Sabbath. Take
a whole day off. Don’t prepare your message for next week. Don’t meet with your
congregation. Don’t check your email.
Give to your family
before giving to your church. Don’t give your kids your leftovers. To make sure
I do this, I take time daily for my family, and a whole day on Saturday, before
I preach so I’m fresh for them.
1 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)
(speaking of payment of those who preach)
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?
Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock
without getting some of the milk?
1 Corinthians 9:23 (ESV)
I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that
I may share with them in its blessings.
Hebrews 10:36 (ESV)
For you have need of endurance, so that when
you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
The chapter ends
with a strong encouragement to proclaim the word with gentleness, sensitivity,
and integrity (v25). Paul had a lot of experience with opponents, even those
who tried to kill him. Still, he remained a gentlemen. Through all his trials
before Rome, he did not attack his opponents, nor pander to his captors.
Freedom in the Kingdom gives us the freedom to take the high road. We don't
need to fight people who disagree with us. In gentleness and grace, we give the
Holy Spirit room to speak through us, and maybe turn our enemies into family.
2 Timothy 2:20-21 (ESV)
20 Now in a great house there are not only
vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honourable use,
some for dishonourable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is
dishonourable, he will be a vessel for honourable use, set apart as holy,
useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
Conclusion
To minister the
gospel is a blessing! (1 Cor 9:23)
We live for a
heavenly kingdom! (Matt 6:33)
We have the approval
of our commanding officer! (2 Tim 2:4)
We have treasure in
heaven! (Matt 6:1)
We’re going to win
this race, and get a victor’s crown! (2
Tim 2:5)
We receive the
blessings of the gospel first! (2 Tim
2:6)
Enjoy your ministry.
Thank God for the blessing of your calling and gifts. Love your congregation.
Read 2 Timothy 2
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