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The faithful transmission of the Gospel message from one generation to the next is at the heart of the mission of God’s people. Paul, the foremost missionary of the Christian faith, spent his life investing in others in the hopes that the message he proclaimed would continue throughout the world long after his death.
Two thousand years later, we are the fruition of Paul’s labor and the recipients of the same blessed burden: to take up the mission of spreading the good news of Jesus to the world around us.
Over the next twenty days, we’ll open the scriptures and study Paul’s second letter to Timothy, a young pastor in the city of Ephesus. Guided in our study by Ben Stuart, we’ll dive into writing dripping with emotion as the aging Paul begs his beloved Timothy to stay true to the faith in an age where the culture at large was rejecting Christianity.
Timothy’s hurdles to continuing the work of God were immense, and maybe you can relate, but Paul urged him, and by extension us, to be diligent in the face of obstacles in order to properly care for God’s people. Maybe you’re like Timothy, called to ministry in a difficult day, or maybe you are simply trying to shine with the light of Jesus in dark times. No matter where God has you today, there is so much to learn from this letter from a mentor to his beloved disciple.
Each day of our study will consist of a short video, and we encourage you to read along with us, take notes, and set aside the time to meditate on or even discuss what you learned with a friend or small group so you can deepen your faith. These days are going to be life-changing, so let’s get started.
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About this track
The faithful transmission of the Gospel message from one generation to the next is at the heart of the mission of God’s people. Paul, the foremost missionary of the Christian faith, spent his life investing in others in the hopes that the message he proclaimed would continue throughout the world long after his death.
Two thousand years later, we are the fruition of Paul’s labor and the recipients of the same blessed burden: to take up the mission of spreading the good news of Jesus to the world around us.
Over the next twenty days, we’ll open the scriptures and study Paul’s second letter to Timothy, a young pastor in the city of Ephesus. Guided in our study by Ben Stuart, we’ll dive into writing dripping with emotion as the aging Paul begs his beloved Timothy to stay true to the faith in an age where the culture at large was rejecting Christianity.
Timothy’s hurdles to continuing the work of God were immense, and maybe you can relate, but Paul urged him, and by extension us, to be diligent in the face of obstacles in order to properly care for God’s people. Maybe you’re like Timothy, called to ministry in a difficult day, or maybe you are simply trying to shine with the light of Jesus in dark times. No matter where God has you today, there is so much to learn from this letter from a mentor to his beloved disciple.
Each day of our study will consist of a short video, and we encourage you to read along with us, take notes, and set aside the time to meditate on or even discuss what you learned with a friend or small group so you can deepen your faith. These days are going to be life-changing, so let’s get started.
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20 Days in 2 Timothy
20-day track with Ben Stuart
Day 02
Locked
Fan Into Flame
Day 03
Locked
No Shame
Day 04
Locked
Hold Fast
Day 05
Locked
How to Live a Meaningful Life
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Timothy 1:1-2
Video
Summary
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
-In Flanders Fields
BY John McCrae
—
Perhaps you’ve asked yourself recently, how do I live, and certainly how do I lead, in days like these? With the currents of culture flowing swiftly in ever-changing directions, the path towards a life lived well for the sake of the Gospel seems less clear than ever. And yet, out of the tumult speaks the Word of God through the Apostle Paul in what many consider the last letter he ever wrote.
Paul knew that his death was imminent as he wrote his second letter to encourage Timothy in Ephesus. Imprisoned in a hole in the ground in Rome, Paul penned this passionate letter to his son in the faith. By this time, it was clear that Paul’s life would soon end, and though he longed to see Timothy again, he knew that might never be possible.
So what did Paul have to say with his final writing, and what lessons can we learn from it all these years later?
Read 2 Timothy 1:1-2.
First and foremost, Paul calls himself an Apostle. Originally, the word apostle referred to a cargo ship that carried things from place to place. Later, the word became a reference to an emissary from another kingdom carrying a message from one king to another. While Paul held a unique ‘apostolic’ office in the early church, he views himself as an emissary carrying a message from Christ Jesus, the Messiah, the Anointed One.
While we don’t hold the same office as Paul, we, too, are carriers of the Gospel. Everywhere we go, our schools, our offices, grocery markets, and family vacations, the Gospel goes with us. But do we see ourselves the way that Paul saw himself? Do we put the same amount of intentionality into our every action and word, knowing that when the world looks at us, they see a reflection of the larger Church body?
As we’ll see in Paul’s letter to Timothy, this kind of discipline in word and deed is critical to the mission at hand: spreading the message of the promise according to the life of Jesus Christ—the promise of life in Jesus.
One more note for today: while Timothy wasn’t Paul’s biological child, they shared a very special and close relationship, where Paul took on a fatherly role. In his letters contained within Scripture, Paul always greets with grace and peace, but here, he adds mercy to the greeting for Timothy.
Why? Because mercy is help provided for the one who needs it, and Timothy was in need. The culture of his day was one of apostasy, meaning that the people were rejecting God, turning away from Him and towards sinful behavior. Imagine trying to follow Jesus against the current culture and, even more, trying to spread the Gospel in a day and age like that one. Paul knew what his prodigy was up against, and the Holy Spirit knows what we are up against in our own time. The good news for each of us is that just as mercy arrived for Timothy in the form of a letter from Paul, wisdom can arrive for us through the same teaching today.
What's next?
Each of us are defined by the titles we give ourselves, and the ones other people place on us. Take the next few minutes to reflect on or discuss the implications of these titles using a few focused questions:
I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:3-7
Video
Summary
In 2 Timothy 1:3-7, Paul opens with heartfelt words. “I thank God for you.” The apostle, who is being held as a prisoner in Rome, wants his protégé Timothy to know, see, and feel this expression of gratitude and love from his mentor. It was customary for Jewish men of the day to both open and close their days in prayer (something we should consider), and here, Paul is letting Timothy know that each and every time he does so, he thinks about him and thanks God for him. In the last session, we found it easy to relate to Timothy as men and women who are following Jesus amidst difficult cultural days. So, what would it feel like today for you to receive such a loving letter from a trusted mentor? Would you feel encouraged, buoyed in your journey, or even spurred to keep going? Have you ever taken the time to encourage someone else with kind and genuine words such as these?
Paul and Timothy had traveled many miles and hours together; they had formed the kind of bond that happens between two people who have wrung themselves out shoulder to shoulder for the sake of the Gospel. So when the time came for Timothy to stay in Ephesus and Paul to continue on, they cried. Their friendship is a sweet story, but what can we learn from it?
The family of God brings with it deep and meaningful relationships. So many of us walk through life, even as members of a church, with a sense of fear, skepticism, or self-induced loneliness because of past experiences with friends, family trauma, or memories of mistreatment within the church itself. But we were never meant to walk through life alone; we were created to be in community.
Maybe surface-level friendships are easy for you, but you avoid growing deep roots within the community, or maybe all friendships feel uncomfortable, and you prefer life alone because it feels safer. Either way, it’s going to take a step of bravery and a commitment to outlasting the awkwardness in order for you to move past your inhibitions and be known and loved by your community. But it’s worth it, and here’s why: a life spent faithfully following Jesus is difficult, and you will need the encouragement of friends and family who can challenge you, cry with you, and celebrate alongside you.
Watch how Paul encourages Timothy in his genuine and legitimate faith.
Paul knows Timothy; in fact, he knows him so well that he celebrates the faith of Timothy’s mother and grandmother and the fact that they were the ones who passed on their faith to him. Then, Paul gives his mentee a command: fan into flame the gift of God that is in you. He reminds Timothy of the time of ordination when the leaders of the Church laid their hands on him and conferred leadership upon him. Paul does this not to inflate Timothy’s ego but to remind him that he has been there since the very beginning and has never stopped believing in him. Encouragement among believers is like that: looking backward at what God has done to encourage each other today to have hope for tomorrow.
Reading Paul’s letter there is a sense that Timothy wants to shrink back, but Paul takes the road of kindness to propel him. Paul calls him forward with a bold reminder: the Spirit of God is in you, Timothy, not a spirit of fear: you have the power to overcome obstacles, to love God and others no matter what comes, and self-control that gives the power to say no to wayward impulses.
Maybe you need that reminder today—that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the living God, dwells within you. You have been given (2 Peter 1:3) everything you need for life and Godliness, including community! Whether you choose to lean in or shrink back is up to you, but it might just be one of the most impactful choices of your life.
What's next?
Deep, Christ-centered relationships can be some of the most rewarding and affirming friendships we can have, and yet they can also be difficult to find and require careful attention. The pain of past failures, trauma from specific experiences, and even wounds from our families can make it so we believe the lie that isolation is the best path towards safety. But we know that we were created by God for community, and that a well-lived life will require encouragement, accountability, and affirmation. Take the next few minutes to be honest about your relationships and then slowly and with an open heart, bring your realizations to God who, like a good father, longs to bless you with what you need.
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
2 Timothy 1:8-12
Video
Summary
What keeps you from having spiritual conversations with your friends? Is it a fear of discomfort, awkward silences, or a permanent change in your relationship that can’t be walked back? Here’s the good news: if any of these things ring true in your life, you are not alone. There is a tension in knowing that you hold something precious and wanting to share it with the world, and the reality that if you do you will sometimes face rejection. The great evangelists of history have felt those very same fears, and here, in Paul’s letter to his young protege, we even get the sense that Timothy, a hero of the faith, felt this way at times.
How does Paul respond? Does he shame Timothy for a lack of faith and courage or mock him for weakness? Of course not. Paul loves Timothy, and he understands what it is to carry the message of the Gospel in uncertain times. But in the face of pressure, Paul also challenges Timothy instead of letting him shrink back in fear, and he does so with two distinct commands.
- Do not be ashamed.
- Share in the suffering of the Gospel.
Paul doesn’t just instruct Timothy to preach the Gospel; he says to also share in its suffering. Why? Because Timothy wasn’t alone, and to keep the Good News of Jesus confined to his heart or mouth out of fear of shame would be an inherently selfish act with potential eternal consequences for the people of Ephesus.
If you replace ” Ephesus” with your city, school, or office, you will begin to understand the urgency with which Paul encouraged Timothy.
However, Paul understands that associating with Jesus will bring suffering. Our Lord was murdered on the cross. Paul himself is writing from jail at the time. Still, Paul urges Timothy, “Yes, your Lord was murdered, and your mentor is in jail, but don’t be ashamed of us—join us in the suffering.”
Have we committed ourselves to the same? Or have we bought into the lie that we can have a comfortable and easy life while following Jesus all the same? Take Paul at his word: walking with Jesus will bring hardship, and yet, wouldn’t you trade all of the comforts of the world if it meant the eternal redemption of your friends and family?
So, if we are willing, how do we join in the suffering?
By the power of God. He who saved you and called you has given you the divine power to step into a purpose. In verses 9 and 10, Paul reminds Timothy of what God has done—not because he thinks that Timothy forgot, but because we all need reminding of God’s faithfulness when we face the pressure to bail on our mission to spread the Good News.
After all, this a mission to which God Almighty has called us. Look at verse 11, where Paul recognizes that he was anointed as three things:
- A herald—he tells the good news.
- An apostle—an emissary from another kingdom.
- A teacher—he helps explain the Gospel and answer questions.
Paul understood that following Jesus meant that there would be work to do for the Glory of God. All of us have been given different gifts and abilities to carry out what Paul called in his letter to the Ephesians: “Good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” We have each been saved by the power of God and equipped for the work of God. It won’t always be easy, but it will always be worth it because it’s for Him, for Jesus.
He is the one we know, the one we love, and the one we run after. He loves us, and He knows us, and He is worth suffering for. Remember what He has done, and in return, herald His message to a dying world.
Jesus has entrusted us with His Word, so don’t be ashamed.
What's next?
In his final letter to Timothy, Paul summarizes the essential elements of faithful Christian ministry based on the good news of Jesus. All believers, not just spiritual leaders like Timothy, can have an eternal impact on the world if we are willing to follow Paul's timeless advice. But are we?
Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
2 Timothy 1:13-18
Video
Summary
Today really acts as a continuation of what we learned yesterday. Remember, in this part of Paul’s letter to Timothy he is encouraging him to persevere in his faith amidst difficult circumstances. In verses 8-12, Paul gave Timothy two commands—to not be ashamed of the Gospel or its consequences and to join in the sufferings of those who commit their lives to follow Jesus for the sake of the mission at hand.
Today, Paul gives two new commands as practical pieces of advice in order to do just that, commands that we can adopt all these years later as we, too, seek to stay faithful to Jesus against the tide of mounting opposition. If you’ve ever felt the temptation to back away from sharing your faith or the urge to just not bring up the topic because it seems to make conversations more difficult, then these commands from Paul may be the encouragement you need today.
- Follow the pattern.
- Guard the good deposit.
Follow the pattern equates to the common phrase “hold fast.” It’s a sailing term—meaning that when the wind and the waves threaten to blow you over or shove you off course, the best and only solution is to tighten your grip on the rope that holds the sail. As the context of our world gets more chaotic, Paul is encouraging us, “Don’t let go. Grip it (the truth of God) tighter!”
How do we hold fast? Grip the Word of God. Grip it in the faith and in the love found in Jesus. Grab onto the Word of Truth and then tuck it into you, guarding and protecting it with the help of the Holy Spirit. He will empower you.
It can be hard to associate with God during difficult times, but Paul doesn’t shame Timothy for that. He reminds him that he doesn’t have to be ashamed because he has the truth of Christ, the love of God, and the help of the Holy Spirit. Timothy wasn’t alone, and neither are we now. The presence of God is always with us as a helper and a comforter.
But not every believer has followed these commands. In fact, here in Paul’s letter, he gives Timothy examples of those who had abandoned the faith. As soon as life got hard, they dropped Jesus. Phygelus and Hermogenes deserted Paul when times got hard, and associating with Jesus led them toward suffering. Onesiphorus, on the other hand, was a steady companion in Paul’s life, and so Paul asks for mercy for him on “that day,” referring to the end of time as we know it, and we meet Jesus face to face.
All of this may sound extreme, but we need to remember that these were very real people, living very real lives, up against very real challenges. Paul is writing to Timothy from jail, fully having heard of the difficulty Timothy is suffering through, and like a good friend, wants to encourage the young man. “Look,” he’s saying, “ there are others doing it, and you can do it too. God is empowering you, He is with you, and the community of God is around you.” These words should echo to us through the ages to encourage us in our own moments of trial and spur us on to hold fast to the truth of God and guard it in our hearts so that we can be useful ministers of the Gospel to the world around us.
What's next?
Paul was calling Timothy into deeper waters with the Word of God and the community of God. Take a few minutes to think about and discuss the relationships and leaders in your life right now.
Day 5 gives us permission to sit back for a second and recognize how we can be strengthened by Jesus every day. Then, we will be encouraged to think about the generations before us that passed the Word to us and about the generations behind us that we have the responsibility of passing the Word along to.
Video
Summary
Have you ever just looked at your Christian life and asked yourself, “Why am I doing this? What is the goal here?” In fact, why are you studying the Word of God today?
As always, we can look to Scripture for the answers and guidance we need. Paul begins chapter two by telling Timothy to be strengthened. Paul understood that Timothy was watching two things unfold simultaneously in the world around him: one group of people was abandoning the faith entirely, while others who were willing to endure the suffering that faith brought about were staying true to the cause. Knowing that this was the situation raging around Timothy, Paul, not through shame or condemnation, reaches out to his young disciple, tells him he loves him, and with two powerful yet passive words, encourages him, “Be strengthened!”
Christian, this is a beautiful message for you today. When the world seems to be drifting or darting away from the teachings of Jesus, don’t try and muscle your way to a place of safety. Instead, remember the message of the Gospel, admit your weakness, and be strengthened through the grace and kindness of God. Each day, draw from the well of strength that is the Word of God, find comfort in the person of King Jesus, and be led by the Holy Spirit himself.
Is the Word of God within you today? Was it passed along to you from your parents or mentors? Or has God been so gracious as to lead you to it today so that you can be the first one planted in a new lineage of believers? We study this truth and bury it deep within our beings so that we can lean on it, yes, but also so that we can pass it on to others. This is how the Gospel advances in the world around us and through generations to come.
So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
Psalm 71:18
Do you want to live a life of meaning and purpose? This is how. This is the answer to the question we asked earlier. Take up the call, be strengthened by the words of Jesus, and then deliver those words through word and deed, to the world around you.
What's next?
Today is a good day to take stock of where you are. Openly and honestly evaluate what you are counting on to strengthen you, is it the word of God that is guiding you through challenges, or have you been counting on your own abilities to get you to the other side?
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
2 Timothy 2:3-7
Video
Summary
How do you be a disciple in the midst of a difficult day? That’s what we have been learning from Paul by journeying through his letter to Timothy. Today’s reading is interesting because while we may have come to it hoping for practical steps (don’t worry, they will come later), today’s reading has Paul basically giving his young disciple a motivational speech.
We usually associate speeches like this with athletes and soldiers, maybe from movies or documentaries. So, at first glance, we could be dismayed or even dismissive, wondering why Paul wouldn’t just get to the good stuff and tell us what to do. But athletes and soldiers are important to study because these men and women have done the math and counted the cost. In other words, they have a goal, and even though it might be painful and cost them something, they believe that pursuing that goal is worth whatever hardship may come their way.
“He who has a why can bear most any how.” -Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher.
Let’s start here today. When you put your faith in Jesus and decided to make your life all about Him, did you consider what it would cost you? Even today, as you are studying how to be a faithful disciple in a difficult day, what does that mean to you, and what are you willing to lay down or experience in order to pursue such a worthy goal? For many of us, our desire to live a life with Jesus can shift towards a desire for a comfortable life with a sure destination after its completion, but that’s not what Jesus has called us to do. If we are serious about leveraging our lives on behalf of the Gospel of Jesus we have to be willing to pay the cost that associating with that Jesus will require. Are you willing to share in that suffering?
If so, Paul gives three illustrations of how we can share in the suffering. Each example has a role, a requirement, and a reward.
- Soldiers – Soldiers don’t get involved with civilian affairs; they don’t get distracted by the things that other everyday people do. Why? They are on a mission. What does this mean for you? You will have to sacrifice the urge or temptation to jump at every opportunity that comes your way. You’ll often have to sweep to the side participating with or acting like the people of this world who are not on the same mission. This is how you earn the right to please the one who enlisted you, who called you. This is how you honor King Jesus.
- Athletes – Athletes compete according to the rules and adhere to the training. They commit themselves to setting aside unhealthy habits for the sake of maximizing their ability and opportunity. An athlete may even look at something that is good and sacrifice it for the sake of what is best. Why? Because they know the reward that is before them. All of the hard work, long hours, and dedication is to achieve a singular goal. What goal is before you? An eternal crown to the glory of Christ our King.
- Farmers – Lastly, farmers are diligent in their nonstop hard work. They prune and reap; they sow and harvest. They watch over the fields and scare away pests who try and steal what isn’t theirs. Why? Because the harvest is their most important and worthwhile mission, and when the time comes they are the first to get to the crop. They get to enjoy what they have invested in. What does this mean for you? A meaningful life, full of witnessing God work time and time again in the lives of people as you fulfill your mission to hold fast to the word of God and pass it on to them.
All of these illustrations detail a cost that we will have to pay in order to share in the suffering of Christ and be on mission for Him. So, why would we possibly take on such a role? Because there are benefits the world knows nothing of. This is the greatest of all causes: to be associated with Jesus Christ. If soldiers, athletes, and farmers do it for a physical cause, let us do it for an eternal one.
What's next?
Today Ben pointed out three illustrations that Paul uses to encourage young Timothy towards sharing in the suffering and leveraging his life for the sake of the Gospel. Take a few minutes to consider these illustrations and the roles, requirements, and rewards associated with them. Then, journal or discuss how you may need to make changes in your life to commit your life to the same cause as Timothy.
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
2 Timothy 2:8-10
Video
Summary
Why is Paul telling his young mentee Timothy to remember Jesus? Does Paul think that Timothy has forgotten him? No, Paul is calling Timothy to remember that Jesus is the greatest cause we could ever have, so Timothy needs to lean in during these trying times instead of giving in to the natural temptation to shrink back.
So far, Paul has compared life with Christ to being a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. He gave examples of those who remained faithful and those who had not. He has used verbs like fan into flame, set aside timidity, join in suffering, be strengthened, and endure hardship. Now, he gives him our greatest example, Jesus Christ; keep your eyes fixed on Him so you can run with endurance and not lose heart. We have a King who has gone before us, and He is not asking us to do anything He didn’t do first.
What are we remembering about Jesus?
Jesus is risen from the dead. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 14, Paul said it’s of first importance. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then what’s the point? What we are doing is in vain. The death of Jesus accomplished our salvation. He took our sin and buried it. When He rose, He gave us a promise of eternal life with God. Therefore, the resurrection is everything to us because King Jesus overcame even death.
Jesus is the descendant of David. Old Testament prophecies said a child of David would come and establish God’s Kingdom. It proved Jesus was truly a physical human who lived, died, and was resurrected. Timothy would have also remembered that David was a conquering king, and while that is impressive, Jesus is greater still. Jesus conquered death so we can have the courage to step out and push back on our sins, fears, and doubts.
Paul’s letter Timothy was written somewhere between 60-90 A.D. and it’s important for us to remember that it was written in a Roman jail cell. Paul was not only a prisoner and in chains, but he knew that his life was nearing its end, and yet he had the faith to tell Timothy that while he was bound, the Word of God never is, and the mission of God always marches on.
How does Paul tell Timothy to stay motivated?
He tells him to keep his eyes on Jesus. The Savior won. Therefore, we win.
The Church cannot lose. God has ordained that people come to know Him, so as we teach, lead Bible Studies, disciple, and reach the lost, it’s all accomplishing His purposes. Endure whatever comes your way be it discourageent, disillusionment, penalties, or pains because at the end of it all the King has won, and so have we.
What's next?
Think about the things going on in your life or in the world today, and be honest about what is discouraging you.
The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.
2 Timothy 2:11-13
Video
Summary
Here at the end of his pump-up speech to Timothy, Paul pens a poem that is full of grace and encouragement to help his son in the faith remember the vast spiritual wealth that he has in Christ.
“If we have died with Him (Jesus), we will live with Him.” Paul is using the same language that he used for our salvation in Romans 6:8 to talk about our conversion. Our association with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection comforts us because, by faith, we know our old selves and sins were buried with Him, and as He rose, we rose with Him in the newness of life.
“If we endure, we will also reign with Him.” Paul is talking about perseverance. The saints of God, true followers of Christ, will suffer in this life. Jesus told his disciples in John 16:33 that they would have trouble in the world but to take heart because He had overcome the world. Enduring is evidence of our salvation, not something added to it.
In 1 John 2:19, John references people who left the community when things grew difficult, and he states that their leaving is proof that they were never really with them to begin with. Staying rooted in Jesus, even when it’s hard, is one way to know you have truly trusted the Savior. God has promised that the good work He began in you He will bring it to completion. Those who have been justified by grace will also be able to endure hardship as a result of that same grace into Eternity.
“If we deny Him, He will deny us.” God has left the choice to you, and He will honor our decision, so if we deny the identity of Jesus and the nature of His work, God will deny us in the eternal state.
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” This part stresses people out. If we deny Him, He denies us. If we are faithless, He is faithful. These are not as antithetical as they may appear to you. See, there is a distinct and knowable difference between denial and faithlessness. They sound like synonyms, but they each have very different outcomes.
Think of Judas and Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane. Both denied Jesus, but Satan had entered Judas, and he did not repent. Denial looks like not believing in Jesus as the Son of God or what He did on the Cross. On the contrary, when Peter realized what he had done, he wept. After Jesus rose from the grave, he went after Peter and restored him. Why? Because if you have placed your faith in Jesus, He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. When you place your faith in Jesus, there may be moments of faithlessness. You may violate your integrity and make a mess of things. However, if you are His, He comes to find you. The Christian stumbles forward. It’s all grace.
“If we have died with Him (Jesus), we will live with Him.” Paul is using the same language that he used for our salvation in Romans 6:8 to talk about our conversion. Our association with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection comforts us because by faith, we know our old self, our sins were buried with Him, and as He rose, we rose with Him in the newness of life when we put our faith in Jesus.
“If we endure, we will also reign with Him.” Paul is talking about perseverance. The saints of God, true followers of Christ, will suffer in this life. Jesus us in John 16:33 that we will have trouble in the world, but take heart, He has overcome the world. Enduring is evidence of our salvation, not something added to it. 1 John 2:19 talks about some people leaving the community because it got hard. That part of the community left because they were never really a part of them. Staying when it’s hard is one way to know you have truly trusted Jesus. He promises that when he starts a good work in you, he will bring it to completion. See Philippians 1:6. We don’t just get to be in Heaven with Jesus, we will get to reign with Him. We are co-heirs with Christ. That thought is mind-boggling.
“If we deny Him, He will deny us.” God will honor our decisions, so if we deny Jesus and the nature of His work, God will deny us in the eternal state.
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” This part stresses people out. If we deny Him, He denies us. If we are faithless, He is faithful.
What? The question is, what’s the difference between denial and faithlessness? They sound like synonyms, but they each have very different outcomes.
Think of Judas and Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane. Both denied Jesus, but Satan had entered Judas, and he did not repent. On the contrary, Peter wept when he realized what he had done. After Jesus rose, he went after Peter and restored him. Why? Because if you have placed your faith in Jesus, He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.
When you place your faith in Jesus, there may be moments of faithlessness. You may violate your integrity and make a mess of things. However, if you are His, you find your way back by His grace. He comes to find you. Denial is not believing in Him or what He did. The Christian stumbles forward. It’s all grace.
What's next?
Ben said that the Christian stumbles forward. It's the grace of God from beginning to end, for He cannot deny Himself. Take a few minutes to evaluate and discuss where you've stumbled as of late and the wonderful mercy of God to reach out to you in those moments.
Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 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. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
2 Timothy 2:14-19
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Here, Paul turns a corner from encouraging to instructing, and we begin to understand the challenges Timothy is facing in his day. It seems that there are people who consider themselves experts and teachers on the way of Jesus who are not just mistaken, but are teaching things directly contrary to the word of God.
Imagine living in a day and age when people would espouse information and teachings that were just plain wrong, with an air of authority and the gravity of a firm conviction. As with most of 2 Timothy, we do not have to try very hard to picture the difficulty he was up against.
For the Christian, there are fundamental truths that we believe: that Jesus is the Son of God, that His death, burial, and ressurection accomplished what we could not, and that people need to know Him and anchor their lives in Him. This doesn’t mean that we disregard or dismiss anyone who is struggling with those ideas. In fact, we come around those people with grace, patience, and love, but while doing so, we don’t waver from our beliefs or subject them to debate.
Why is this so important to us in our own day and age? Perhaps it’s because now more than ever, we are tempted to engage in conversations online and in person daily in what Paul would refer to as “word wars.” Most of the time, the goal of these kinds of interactions isn’t love or even truth—it is some manufactured sense of victory over another person, usually at the expense of treating them with dignity and respect. Our culture is obsessed with promoting our own truths, but it simply cannot be so for the Jesus follower. We who have ascribed to the one truth must cling to it and act according to its teaching because to give in to gangrene of godless chatter will “destroy the faith of some.”
Take Hymenaeus and Philetus, for example. They were spreading the teaching that believers had no spiritual future ahead of them, that the resurrection had already taken place, and that what was left for us was just a deeper understanding tantamount to a spiritual higher mentality. Surely, such a massive departure from proper theology must have elicited a violent reaction from Paul. It would only make sense that his charge to young Timothy would be to confront these teachers head-on in a public forum to “call them out.”
No, in wisdom, Paul instructs Timothy to avoid such godless chatter because it would only lead to more godlessness. The foundation of our faith stands firm no matter who or what comes against it, and it does not need us to defend it. We can be comforted in that encouragement today—after all, if Paul is giving Timothy such advice when it comes to a disagreement over a central tenet of our faith, then why would we need to take up a quarrel over far lesser topics? No, instead we can continue on the path that God has us, to study the Word of God and depart from iniquity. We can be a people of peace, far more focused on what we are for than what we are against, and in so doing, become a refuge for all those who grow weary of the endless arguing that surrounds us all.
What's next?
Take time and think about the conversations you engage in, in-person and online. This needs to be an honest evaluation; not one resulting in shame, but one that shines a light on where we may be engaging in what Paul referred to as "word wars."
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:20-22
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Today is a turning point as we reach the halfway point of our study through 2 Timothy. This is a pivotal moment where Paul shows us not just how to be recipients of God’s grace, but vessels of it to others. We’re not just spectators. We have been invited to be players in the game; change agents in the world.
In order to accept this invitation, there are two things we have to understand: vessels and their uses. Paul brings up bowls made of gold and silver, and vessels formed out of wood and clay. Each of them has its honorable and dishonorable uses. We have to know what these are because the honorable need to be separated from the dishonorable. An amazing meal can be ruined if served in the wrong vessel. That’s the point. The message can get messed up by the messenger.
If you want to carry a good and pure message that is beautiful and useful to the master, you need to be an honorable vessel. How do you do that? You distance yourself from the dishonorable vessels. Remember the previous session, in Timothy’s context, dishonorable carriers of the Gospel were those who were denying fundamental truths about its teaching.
Two Things Paul Tells Us to Do:
- Change your mind. Don’t put your mind next to ideas that are constantly undermining the truth of God’s Word. We don’t hide from the world, but be careful about what you allow to entertain you. Where does your mind dwell? Remember that what you set your mind on shapes your mindset.
- Flee youthful passions. We’ve all found ourselves at times living with extraordinary zeal and little wisdom. We get excited by the idea of a thing but forget to ask the proper questions. Said another way, we wrap ourselves up wondering what we could do rather than asking what we should do. In Paul’s context, this probably most closely refers to the word wars we looked at yesterday. What in your life today is unhealthy in how you engage the people around you? Consider your relationships in person and online. Are you loving, peaceful, and filled with a desire for the things of God that supersedes the lust for the things of the world?
Friend, if you want to live a life centered on God, then you must pursue Godly ways of doing things. Get around people who love God as much as you do, and then run with them towards beautiful outcomes. Change your mind, and you’ll change your life. Jesus would hang out with anyone, and we should be willing to love and serve all people, but Jesus’ inner circle were people who wanted to know and love God—our circles should be made up of the same. Follow these two commands from Paul to Timothy, and you’ll find yourself well on your way toward making a difference in the world for the sake of Heaven.
What's next?
As you consider what it looks like for you to live a life centered on Jesus, and making Him known take a few minutes to inventory the things you environments and experiences you find yourself in. Use the following questions to journal or discuss how these things impact your life.
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
2 Timothy 2:23-36
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It’s time to get down to brass tacks, as they say. In today’s day and age, how do we enter into spiritual conversations when people are all over the map in their views and Christians are increasingly questioned and maligned? The advice Paul gave to Timothy two thousand years ago in the face of a struggle not unlike our own may shock you.
The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
This is perhaps the most counter-cultural step we’ve been taught by Paul so far in our study. Look around, and you’ll find that the predominant language of our day is antagonistic and argumentative. We find ourselves alive in a time where conversations have been replaced with competitions, and comment sections are filled to the brim with condemnation and criticism. Against such a tide it would be easy to lose heart, to give up, or even to give in, but God knew that this would be the very time in which we would live, and He has placed us in it for a reason.
So if we are willing to sacrifice the counterfeit pleasures offered to us by the world around us and to act differently in order to live out our calling as ambassadors of King Jesus, then we are going to have to follow the same steps that the Apostle Paul gave to Timothy all those years ago:
- Do not be quarrelsome. We are not fighters who are insensitive debaters willing to win the argument no matter the feelings of others.
- We are kind to everyone. We’re gentle even if people disagree with us.
- We are able to teach. We are well-informed, equipped, and able to explain. We know our scripture really well. We’ve studied it, and the truths are deep within us.
- We are patient. We endure the evil in the world, even when we’ve been wronged.
Why do we act like this? Because our Lord acted like this. People could oppose Jesus’ ideas, yet He still wanted to save them. He didn’t attack when provoked; in fact, He didn’t even lash out at those who crucified Him at his most desperate moment. If Jesus didn’t condemn those whose Sin he paid for on the Cross, then what right do we have to curse anyone?
Christian, you have a higher calling, and so you must live like it, with composure and grace so that when you engage in conversation with gentleness, your careful correction may find fertile ground. As you do, keep in mind the words of Paul, that maybe God will grant even the people who are against you the gift of repentance, turning their lives to Jesus. Pray that they might come to know the truth and escape the snare of the Devil. That is the posture of a Jesus-follower, willing to extend grace instead of condemnation and hold forth the word of life in the hope that God would rescue many through our work.
What's next?
Asking God what we are about to ask Him today might be difficult for you to do. Take a few minutes and allow God to prepare your heart and give you the courage to loosen your grip on how the world has taught you to respond. The Lord is ready to make you a good picture of Himself to the world. Ask Him for help as you go out into it.
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
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Today, we are beginning chapter three of 2 Timothy, and the time has come for us to study the world that Timothy was ministering in. If we are paying attention, we may find that the things he was up against are still at work in our day and age. Why? because we are living in the time between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and his return at the end of history. We are living in what some theologians refer to as the Church age and others call the last days.
So why have things been so difficult for the last two thousand years? And why does it feel at times like things are only getting worse and worse? Friend, we have a people problem. Consider this, the two greatest commands that Jesus gave us are to love God and love others:
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30-31
Yet 2 Timothy 3:2 says people will become lovers of self. As humanity abandons love for God, they will love only themselves, and out of that, misplaced affection will flow materialism, pride, boastfulness, arrogance, abusiveness, denial of any authority, ungratefulness, and abandonment of a fear of God.
When we abandon God and love only ourselves, the result is always the poor treatment of others. We become heartless, unloving, unable to appease, and full of gossip. We begin to lack self-control, are brutal, won’t care about doing good, are treacherous, act recklessly, are out of control, are swollen with conceit, and love pleasure more than God.
This is the world that Paul tells Timothy he is living in, and it’s the world we live in today. The love of many has grown cold, and the world is a dangerous place.
The great danger is that there are people who act like this, yet they still want to hold onto a form of religion and call themselves believers. They’ll keep religious images, talk about God in general terms, and keep religious language in their life. They want to look like a spiritual person but deny the Spirit’s power.
So, how do we properly identify the Spirit’s power in the world around us?
- Romans 1:16 – I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18 – The work of the Cross is foolishness to those perishing, but to the saved, it is the power of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:22 – We preach Christ crucified, the power and wisdom of God.
- Philippians 3:10 – I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.
According to Paul, God’s power is in Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. The centerpiece of the Gospel is that we know we are not okay, but Jesus stepped in to make all things right between us and God. Paul warns Timothy to avoid those who want to abandon Jesus and continue on their own self-serving path.
Remember, Those who love Christ stand out in a brutal world. Be that person.
What's next?
The world today is brutal and seems to only get worse by the day. It does not take long to come up with a list of all the atrocities that we know about that are happening right now. However, you were not called to be like the world. You were called to be set apart. Look at the Scripture that Ben highlighted, focus on the power of the Spirit, and remember that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is in you.
For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
2 Timothy 3:6-9
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In Timothy’s day, as in our own, there were men and women who displayed an external form of godliness but denied its true power. We read this yesterday as Paul warned Timothy and advised him to avoid such people. The men in today’s slightly strange reading embody this performative and deceitful behavior.
Paul isn’t taking a shot at women by calling them weak. He’s calling out both men and women who are being deceived. In 1 Timothy, Paul talked about false teachers who were manipulating women into erroneous spiritual ideas while their husbands were away. He’s not saying that women are more gullible. He’s saying these men were so deceitful that they were even willing to manipulate people in their own homes, and they were able to do so because of the people’s passive behavior towards their own sin.
This happens today as well. People get wrapped up in all sorts of “spiritual” things, but it never helps them. They get to that point because they have let sin into their lives or are chasing passions. Rather than getting help or accountability, they look for a “spiritual” cure because they don’t feel good about their own integrity. Paul warns that people who are at the greatest risk of compromised teaching are those who have compromised morality.
So, who were Jannes and Jambres, and why is Paul bringing them up? Remember back to the story of Moses, and the magicians in Pharo’s court. Those were Jannes and Jambres, and they opposed Moses, the God who sent him. In effect, they opposed the truth. Paul encourages Timothy not to grow discouraged. People like that never last long. They don’t endure because they can’t keep up with God. It’s hard to fake spirituality over time, but in Christ, believers are sanctified over time. The true believer lives by Scripture and the Spirit of God.
How do we ensure that we stay in the current of Godliness and do not drift away from His truth? We grip the Word of God, find the community of God, live by the power of the Spirit of God, and thereby are formed into His image. Today’s takeaway is simple: stay anchored to the truth and ensure that spirituality is never separated from Scripture.
What's next?
Take the next few minutes and use the questions below to discuss or confess where you may have allowed what you could consider small or large sins to take up residence in your life. Remember that Paul has told us that sin's nature is to consume and destroy, so the best solution is to bring what has festered in darkness into the light and be done with it.
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
2 Timothy 3:10-13
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When studying verses like 2 Timothy 3:10-13, we’re taught that living the Christian life means swimming against the current and enduring chaos and unrest. In fact, Paul warns Timothy that things are going to get dark and disorienting. It’s not “if” we feel like everything is out of our control—it’s when.
This may seem daunting, knowing that when you follow Jesus, you will be led into massive uncertainty, disorder, and mayhem, walking in a world that is constantly fighting against you.
So what do we do? How do we face these deep waters that attempt to pull us in every direction?
Paul tells Timothy to look up and remember. Look up to the leaders in front of you who are guiding you through these tumultuous times, and remember how God has helped them endure. Things will be disorienting, but in order to keep our eyes set on Him, we must orient ourselves to follow those who have made it through.
This is why a believing community matters. They have gone before you, and they will allow you to tuck in behind them so you can cut through the chaos together. The community is a stabilizing force through heavy winds.
Paul isn’t leading Timothy into the false hope that when he shifts his eyes on Jesus, the winds will cease, and he will be carried to shore without any fear. The opposite is true. Paul is instilling confidence in Timothy that he will make it through.
Paul also doesn’t encourage Timothy to have blind faith. This isn’t a fingers crossed, hope for the best kind of situation. There is steadfast assurance that he will endure—not because Paul is the ultimate guiding force, but because Jesus is.
It’s believed that Paul wrote this letter to Timothy from a Roman prison cell just a few years before Roman officials beheaded him. He wasn’t just telling him about persecution because he had seen it around him, instead, Paul had the authority to speak about persecution because he himself had experienced it firsthand. Through everything, he witnessed God’s faithfulness, and he called Timothy to believe that God would sustain him no matter the circumstance.
When you face persecution, don’t be rattled. Don’t worry about the chaos surrounding you. Christ rules all and rescues those who walk with and follow Him. Fix your eyes on Him.
What's next?
Read Paul's writing in Romans 5:3-5: Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
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On day fourteen, we were shown that though the environment may get chaotic, we must look to the people and heroes of faith around us for guidance. Think of them, and remember what they taught you—wisdom that could be acquired only from Scripture.
The Word of God isn’t filled with pleasantries, platitudes, and stories for your entertainment. It’s living, breathing, and active. These words are divinely inspired, and the story of the Gospel is woven throughout, telling of a coming, suffering servant that will bring us new life.
Have you ever identified the parallels between the Old Testament and the New Testament? In the book of Isaiah, an entire chapter (Isaiah 53) was written to foreshadow the coming of the Messiah, and we see more evidence as early as Genesis 1:26 when God says, “Let us make mankind in our image…” Who is he referring to as “us”? The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God has been unfolding the story of Jesus for centuries, starting in the very beginning.
So why must we meditate on these Scriptures and allow these truths to sink into our very being? Digesting these words daily has the ability to completely transform our hearts and minds. It can reach the smallest of children and the wisest of adults, growing and richening as we age. God’s breath on a page can do more for us than anything that has ever been written or said.
In a world filled with voices and opinions, it’s easy to replace the Scriptures with a podcast or a book. But we must resist this temptation to exchange something better for something good. Though these resources may help to provide clarity, nothing is able to change us as the Word of God can. As Ben remarks, it’s an anvil that has worn-out hammers. It not only teaches, but it corrects and reproofs so that we look more like Christ and can carry out His message to the nations.
God has given us the Word to make us complete and equip us for every good work. We must anchor ourselves to it if we want to run the race well.
What's next?
Do you have 11 minutes? Every morning this week, listen through the entire book of 2 Timothy. There are multiple apps that can assist you with this. If you want, you can even listen to it in a different translation each day and see what God brings to your attention. Allow the Word of God to get deep into you. Let your default thoughts be God's breath on a page. As you dwell in the Word, it will dwell in you and produce good change in a dark world.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
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This is the high point of the letter. Paul has assured Timothy that he’s loved, equipped, and valuable. Now, it’s time to get out there in the world and own it. He’s pushing Timothy out of the locker room and into the game. Paul isn’t just giving Timothy a high call. He’s giving us the same as well.
Paul is serious when he says, “Preach the word,” using the language of swearing an oath. He invokes that Jesus Christ is the Judge of all who is going to return and establish a Kingdom and a rule. Why bring this up here? To remind us that we have accountability. We work for a King who rules and judges all, and in His presence, there is accountability for us, so do your job: Preach the Word.
Throughout the book, proclaiming and caring for the Word of God has been a constant theme.
You need to be ready at all times, in season and out. Whether people are applauding you or ignoring you, you still preach the truth of the Gospel to the world.
How do we do this? We reprove or correct those who are going astray. Rebuking is loving someone enough to warn them when they are wandering off. We exhort, call out, and encourage others to move to change their lives.
We do all of this with patience and teaching. Do your best to never get impatient with people. They may be confused and need your teaching to help them understand. We want to call people to the seriousness of the Word of God, but we do it with patience.
Why do we preach the Word?
- There’s a Judge to hold us accountable.
- There are plenty of people who will gather teachers who will tell them exactly what they want to hear, so they need to hear the truth and learn to endure.
Paul instructs Timothy to be sober-minded, endure suffering, preach the Word, and fulfill his ministry.
You have been entrusted with the Word of God in the midst of a chaotic day; don’t get rattled. Plant your feet, take a step, deliver the message, and take the hit if necessary.
What's next?
Pull out your journal and reflect on how God is using you to reach the people around you. Sit before God and ask Him to speak to you about your decisions and what it looks like in your life to do the things that Paul instructed Timothy to do.
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:6-8
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What do you want to be said of you when you die? What accomplishments or accolades, were they spoken of you in the years after, would make you proud if you could hear them?
Today, we read Paul’s final words to Timothy. The urgency that Paul has been trying to convey in this letter to proclaim the Gospel partially exists because he was very aware that he was experiencing some of his final moments and that it was time for him to pass on the button. His life was being poured out as a drink offering, and he understood that he was a warrior getting ready to be sent home.
Paul’s whole life was a sacrificial offering to God. He fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.
You have the choice of what you dedicate your life to—such as supporting political parties, seeking out financial prosperity, or pursuing higher education. But we’re reminded today that there is only one fight that ultimately matters and that deserves our whole lives: the cause of Christ.
Paul chose the good fight, the fight that outweighs anything else. This fight rescues, loves, and restores people.
Paul spent his life praying for people, preaching the Word, and serving others. He was entrusted with the essentials of who Jesus is and our need for him, and he expresses in this letter that he has a crown of righteousness waiting for him.
We want to have the same hope of seeing Jesus face-to-face with a crown of righteousness at the end of our lives. Our motivation for behavior isn’t just what Christ did in the past but what God is doing in the future. The promise of our coming Savior should enthrall us.
Have you ever considered yourself someone who loves Jesus’s appearance? Do you feel excited over the thought of Jesus arriving and picture yourself running toward Him in anticipation?
We are meant to leverage our lives for the fight that matters most—celebrating the coming sight of Jesus and the promise of an eternity with Him.
Don’t lose that gaze.
What's next?
The things of this world have a tendency to fight for your affections and time, and before you realize it, you could be prioritizing creation over the creator. Oftentimes, this is a slow process that leads to the erosion of your primary objective here on earth to make much of Jesus.
Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.
2 Timothy 4:9-15
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If we want to run our race well, we need to look at somebody else whose life will inspire and instruct us as we run ourselves.
As noted on day seventeen, Paul understands that he is at the end of his life. His journey in ministry didn’t stop on the brink of death, and neither should ours. It isn’t a job we retire from—it’s something we are called to until our last breath. Instead of accepting his fate and just leaving quietly, notice how Paul speaks with urgency to the younger generation to encourage faithfulness and to act as a mentor.
We all want mentors—someone a little bit older than us who can examine our lives and be forthcoming about how to live a life that honors God. But so often, while we seek mentorship for ourselves, we forget about the generations behind us.
Mentorship is one of the greatest uses of our time, and our ministry expands when we invest in others.
People may wander off and come back as we minister to them, but we must practice patience and teach them as Paul did with Mark. Though Mark wandered off, he eventually came back in maturity and wrote one of the four Gospels. His very words are a direct reflection of the fruit of mentorship, and the impact of his life can all be traced back to the mentor he had in Paul.
Not only did Paul invest in young men, but he also had a friend with him—Luke, another Gospel writer who was a faithful friend to Paul to the very end. When life gets hard, do you have friends like that? People that will be there for you until the end?
You want to prioritize people around you who want to flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, the people who sand down the edges of a difficult life.
In this journey alongside others, we will also encounter those who do not carry the same mission. Instead of getting caught up in wars with them, sidestep them and keep doing your ministry until you cross the finish line.
Keep moving forward to learn the Word of God and deliver it.
What's next?
Ben gave a lot of information that is useful to process and analyze in your own life. When you are done with your "job," you still aren't retiring. The Word of God still needs to be preached. Are you investing in the generation that is coming behind you? They need a mentor, and you have something to offer them.
At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:16-18
Video
Summary
Paul looked over his shoulder and no one came to stand by him. All had deserted him.
Can you imagine what that would have felt like? Facing the kings in the capital city of Rome and not having a friend in sight to be his character witness? Essentially thrown to the wolves and made to fend for himself?
When we hear this, our first response may be anger. How could his friends abandon him in this time of need? With this betrayal, you may be thinking that Paul might even pray for the downfall of those who left him or even seek out a way for revenge. But what does He do instead?
He forgives. He pictures Jesus nailed to a cross and asking His Father in heaven to forgive the people who put him there. Paul pictures Stephen, who, as he was being crushed by stones, forgave his own murderers. Paul refuses to die with hatred or bitterness against anyone because forgiveness has been modeled to him, just as it has for us.
Forgiveness is the Gospel at work in a human heart.
If we believe in a God big enough to guide our stories, we’ll have a well of grace to forgive even those who hurt us. We want to die with forgiving hearts like Paul, Stephen, and Jesus did.
No one stood by Paul in these moments but the Lord. Not only was God with him, but He strengthened him so that the message of the Gospel would be proclaimed and all Gentiles would hear. This was God’s calling on Paul’s life since the very moment he experienced God on the road to Damascus.
Paul most likely did not anticipate being in chains to preach the message of hope and faith as he was directed to, but he knew that though this was a dark day, this was not outside the sovereignty of King Jesus.
After all of this, Paul encourages Timothy that God will rescue him from everything and he gives all of the credit back to the Lord. He dies praising. He doesn’t see himself as a conquering hero, he seems himself as a sheep being carried by his shepherd. We want to live and die like Paul did—forigiving those who hurt us, preaching a message that saves, and praising God for saving us.
What's next?
How do you want to end your days? Are you going to go out with grudges and resentment, or are people going to remember all the ways you offered grace and forgiveness? Do you carry yourself in a way that causes you to stand out and make the Gospel plain? In order to die the way you desire, you need to live that way now by putting into practice what you want to be known for.
Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.
The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
2 Timothy 4:19-22
Video
Summary
As the letter comes to a close, we will get to know some of Paul’s closest community. First, he mentions Priscilla and Aquila, whom we first met in Acts 18 after they had to flee Rome because the Emperor kicked out all the Jews. They went to Corinth, set up a tent-making business, and housed a young Paul. They all ministered together and moved to Ephesus. After Paul moved on from there, they took Apollos under their care and ministry. He became a highly effective preacher. Paul mentions Priscilla and Aquila numerous times throughout his letters. It appears that no matter where they were, they opened their home, and the Church met there, and they were constantly discipling others. Even at the end of their lives, they are pouring into Timothy. Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome were all greatly influenced by their faithfulness.
Paul talks about Onesiphorus, Erastus, and Trophimus, all of whom have been his good friends and companions. But he sends greetings from a group of Roman guys who are also hard at work in the faith.
For the second time, Paul tells Timothy to get to him quickly. Winter is a hard time to travel, and he knows time is wearing thin.
Paul ends the letter with “The Lord be with your (singular) spirit. Grace be with you (plural)”. We are meant to see both sides. Paul writes a very personal letter to Timothy, but the plural “you all” at the end proves we aren’t to live in isolation. We are called to the community. Paul assumed Timothy would share the letter with everyone. That’s how the Gospel spreads. We do it together.
To wrap up our time together in 2 Timothy, we can cling to these few truths:
- It’s all by God’s Grace.
- We serve faithfully and suffer for the Gospel.
- We deliver and protect the Word of God.
- God is faithful and is returning.
- We are to live in a community that runs together.
As Paul ended, he passed the baton to Timothy and others…and it has been passed on to us. Let’s get in the game.
What's next?
Reread the entire letter in one sitting. That's how letters are read, and it won't take you very long. Look for the common themes that Paul returns to over and over.
Next Day
Track Topics
Scripture References
- 2 Timothy 1:1-2
- 2 Timothy 1:3-7
- 2 Timothy 1:8-12
- 2 Timothy 1:13-18
- 2 Timothy 2:1-2
- Psalm 71:18
- 2 Timothy 2:3-7
- 2 Timothy 2:8-10
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
- 1 Corinthians 15:14
- 2 Timothy 2:11-13
- Romans 6:8
- Philippians 1:6
- 1 John 2:19
- John 16:33
- 2 Timothy 2:14-19
- 2 Timothy 2:20-22
- 3 John 1:4
- 2 Timothy 2:23-26
- 2 Timothy 3:10
- Romans 1:16
- 1 Corinthians 1:18
- Philippians 3:10
Ben Stuart Ben Stuart is the pastor of Passion City Church D.C. Prior to joining Passion City Church, Ben served as the executive director of Breakaway Ministries on the campus of Texas A&M. He also earned a master’s degree in historical theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Donna, live to inspire and equip people to walk with God for a lifetime.
Day 02
Locked
In the Days When the Judges Ruled
Day 03
Locked
Left on Empty
Day 04
Locked
The Next Right Thing
Day 05
Locked
Everything Can Be Redeemed
Day 02
Locked
In the Days When the Judges Ruled
Day 03
Locked
Left on Empty
Day 04
Locked
The Next Right Thing
Day 05
Locked
Everything Can Be Redeemed