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Sunday 02/09/25
Title: Go and make Disciples!
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Go and make Disciples!
Last week upon closing out chapter 2 Timothy 2, we witnessed Paul exhorting, commanding and even commissioning Timothy to Sound Doctrine both in belief and conduct.
We saw that the initial problem the Ephesian believers were facing was grappling with competing doctrines and so they needed to be firmly rooted and established in the truth.
Even as Paul had told the Colossian believers to be “rooted and built up in Jesus, established in the faith as you were taught.” – Colossians 2:9
But we learned that while these precious saints learned this lesson well and received praise from none less than Jesus Himself in His letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3, He found one thing against them – in their pursuit of being established and firmly rooted in sound doctrine they had left their passion for Him behind. This all transpired in the span of less than 33 years after Timothy completed his establishing work in them.
So we concluded that along with a faith firmly rooted in sound doctrine we need to have a love life with Christ our Lord which does not fade but actually increases in passion.
As the writer of Hebrews said in chapter 13 verse 9
“It is good for the heart to be established in grace” which is the relational component of sound doctrine in that it is God’s direct influence upon the heart which expresses itself in how we live our lives.
So it is not just times of bible study alone nor is it worship, times of prayer and communion alone but BOTHworking together, within a greater community of grace with leaders who have His that evoke heart change and fruit that will remain!
Belief cannot be JUST belief, it MUST translate into a life lived – and a life lived cannot be real or effective if it is not ardently felt. Our devotion must be rich, passionate and zealous.
We pursue the Father through Christ Jesus out of loving devotion to Him and that is what causes us to live the faith because the gospel isn’t good news in itself – it is good news of a person – God Himself in Christ Who has reconciled us to Himself. The “facts” of the faith are the truths of His person. To be passionate about Him is to be passionate about doctrine for they are one in the same!
It was with this type of thinking that Paul led out of Chapter 2 and into chapter 3 with a very somber tone…
2 Timothy 3:1-17,
“(1) But know this: difficult times will come in the last days.
(2) For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, (3) unloving, irreconcilable,”
Áspondos literally means without a libation or drink offering. The idea being on of a totally implacable person, who, being at war, refuses to lay aside his enmity or to listen to terms of reconciliation.
So this is describing one who wants to maintain enmity with God out of animosity towards Him or out of pride which refuses to submit to Him as authority or out of love of self which refuses to deny himself in any way so as to be reconciled to God.
“slanderers, without self-control, brutal,”
Some translations have this as “savage”.
At best it means ungentle at worse it mean fierce
“without love for what is good, (4) traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
(5) holding to the form of religion but denying its power.
Avoid these people!”
It is this last one which is so unbelievable. The idea is that at least to some, these people still appear devoted to God. The fact that they maintain attributes like those listed above give the lie to their guise of reverence.
They are like those mentioned in Titus which is a type of sister book to 1 & 2 Timothy. And as we keep reading in 2 Timothy 3 you will see comparative statements to what we read in Titus 1:10-16…
“(10 For there are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those from Judaism. (11) It is necessary to silence them; they overthrow whole households by teaching for dishonest gain what they should not.
(12) One of their very own prophets said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.
(13) This testimony is true.
So, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith (14) and may not pay attention to Jewish myths and the commandments of men who reject the truth.
(15) To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, BOTH their mind and conscience are defiled.
(16) They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good work.”
2 Timothy 3…
“(6) For among them are those who worm their way into households and capture idle women burdened down with sins, led along by a variety of passions, (7) always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
(8) Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth, men who are corrupt in mind, worthless in regard to the faith.
(9) But they will not make further progress, for their lack of understanding will be clear to all, as theirs was also.”
One of the proofs that these men are phony is that their deceptions and lies will become transparent and obvious to all. One of the ways this will likely come to pass is through scandals which reveal them to be far less noble than they claim.
“(10) But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, (11) along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra.
What persecutions I endured!
Yet the Lord rescued me from them all.
(12) In fact, ALL THOSE WHO WANT TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS WILL BE PERSECUTED.
(13) Evil people and imposters will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.
(14) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed,
KNOWING THOSE FROM WHOM YOU LEARNED,”
This has been a rather consistent theme throughout this letter.
The “hands-on” and personal nature of the transmission of the gospel made its truth reliable.
You may remember that in the early church those who brought word from Paul and other noteworthy saints would present letters of commendation to them. These were letters of confirmation of the integrity and approved character of these messengers signed by those known and trusted by them – such as Paul.
Once Paul said in sarcasm regarding some slanderous lies spread about him among the saints in Corinth,
“(1) Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? (2) You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; (3) clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.”
Why did he say this? Because the Corinthians KNEW his approved character. He had lived among them for over a year, working with his own hands to provide for himself and those with him. Preaching in their synagogues and teaching from house to house. In short – they knew from whom they had learned these truths and that gave the gospel credibility among them!
This was true for Timothy as well as in Ephesus as well. They didn’t learn this gospel from a book, but a living, breathing person who lived it before their eyes!
For Timothy this had been true his whole life because his mother and grandma lived it before him in his youth!
“(15) and that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
(16) All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, (17) so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
DISCIPLESHIP
- Men with both other and young men.
- Women with other and younger women.
- Parents with children.
- Husbands with wives and family.
- Spiritual leaders with those within their sphere.
There is a REAL need for this in church today. We need to learn from those God has placed us under and within the sphere of and seek God for those we can duplicate such investments back into.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE VIEWED AS OPTIONAL!!!
2 Timothy 2:1-26,
Timothy walk it before them…
“(1) You, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
(3) Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (4) To please the recruiter, no one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of everyday life. (5) Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. (6) It is the hardworking farmer who ought to be the first to get a share of the crops. (7) Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (8) Keep in mind Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, according to my gospel. (9) For this I suffer, to the point of being bound like a criminal; but God’s message is not bound. (10) This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.”
‘(16) But avoid irreverent, empty speech, for this will produce an even greater measure of godlessness.”
Mentor them…
“(2) And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Teach them…
“(14) Remind them of these things, charging them before God not to fight about words; this is in no way profitable and leads to the ruin of the hearers. (15) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.”
“God’s solid foundation stands firm, having this inscription: The Lord knows those who are His, and Everyone who names the name of the Lord must turn away from unrighteousness. (20) Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and earthenware, some for special use, some for ordinary. (21) So if anyone purifies himself from these things, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. (22) Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (23) But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels. (24) The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, (25) instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance to know the truth. (26) Then they may come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.”
Paul wraps up this encouragement to Timothy and by extension all who were under him and to us as well in chapter 4 with this solemn charge…
2 Timothy 4:1-22,
“(1) Before God and Christ Jesus, Who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom, I SOLEMNLY CHARGE YOU:
Other translations say,
“I am pressing it upon you” – Cotton Patch
“I implore you” – “I urge you” – “I give you command” BEFORE GOD and Jesus Christ!”
These are strong words which should snap the mind to attention.
Be deliberate with me here. Do not be asleep! Realize that it was the Holy Spirit of God Who never changes Who is pressing us ALL on this matter. It is of imminent importance and critical for our participation in the kingdom…
“(2) PROCLAIM THE MESSAGE;
PERSIST IN IT whether convenient or not;
rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.
(3) For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will accumulate teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new.”
Blessings!
Tri
