Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
FREE PRESBYTERIAN ISSUES -- GOSPEL ISSUES -- PROTESTANT ISSUES -- EVANGELISM ISSUES -- CALVINISM
ISSUES -- C.H. SPURGEON INDEX -- SERMON NOTES -- MAIN
READING: 2 TIMOTHY 2:1-26 TEXT: vs1-7 [SERIES #6]
This passage (v1-7) starts of with an exhortation and ends with a
supplication – or it begins with a precept and ends with a prayer
Paul wants his convert pastor son in the faith to be strong (v1)
Not strong in any earthly sense
Not necessarily strong financially
Not necessarily strong politically or socially or in business etc.,
(Not that there is anything intrinsically wrong in such things)
But strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus
i.e. strong spiritually
A man who knows God and walks with God
A man, (like Apollos mighty in the Scriptures: Acts 18:24)
The exhortation is far from being vague
Paul sets forth no less than 4 ways in which he expects Timothy to be so strong in spiritual things
These constitute the content of vs2-6
But far from merely loading obligations upon his young pastor friend, Paul follows it up with his prayer in v8:
Consider what I say .. Lord give thee understanding in all things
Understanding not merely in a passive sense
But in a practical sense i.e. enable you to do what is required
To a greater/lesser extent, these words are incumbent on us all
No Christian can afford to walk away from these words
Not specialist words for a select band within God’s family
The precept is for us all
So is the prayer also
Lets see the 4 things that God wants us to be strong in
1) BE A STRONG TEACHER: v2
A/ Every Christian (by definition) is in possession of information that others need to hear
If we are Christians, then we have been set free indeed and we were set free by the hearing and receiving of the truth
Someone gave is a body of information and we acted upon it
We ventured our soul and its eternal destiny upon its truth
We are therefore in the possession of needful information
It is incumbent upon us to pass that information on/others
Jesus said: Ye shall be witnesses unto me (Acts 1:8)
Again: Matthew 28:19-20 Go and teach all nations…
B/ We are not all called/equipped for a pulpit ministry
Timothy evidently was and others evidently are
But it is recognised that not every Christian should expect to be able to construct a sermon and have the ability to deliver it
Some Christians are gifted in other ways
I have always considered the work of the personal evangelist to be one of the greatest gifts in evangelism
A preacher generally needs a congregation and a pulpit etc.,
A gifted personal evangelistic just needs a spare seat/bus
I’m pretty sure that some gifted personal evangelists wish they
could overcome their nerves and get into a pulpit and preach
But neither of us should really envy the other
The main things is that we are both teaching the truth
Whatever our place of service might be – if we are bringing
the gospel to others – then we are in line with the spirit of v2
C/ Notice 3 things which would make Timothy a strong teacher
[i] What he taught [ii] Who he taught [iii] Why he taught it
[i] What he taught:
The things which he had heard of Paul
Paul sourced his teachings from two places:
[i] From the OT Scriptures (evidenced in his writings)
[ii] Direct revelation from above:
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me
is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I
taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:12)
Of course, we don’t look for/receive revelations like Paul
We teach the Bible as the completed revelation/God
Our cry is ever “It is written…”
Note: How Paul was not a one man band
He was part of the Apostolic College
There were many witnesses to the truth of what he said
This is what we are to teach
[ii] Who he taught
He was to teach to faithful men
Of course, we teach sinners the way/salvation
Paul has Timothy in mind here, not as an evangelist (preaching
whosoever will’) but as a kind of Bible College
lecturer
Men in the pulpit must be faithful men
No room/Bible for an unconverted ministry
These are hireling shepherds, abominated by Christ (John 10:12-13)
[iii] Why he taught
That they might be able to teach others also, ensuring that the doctrines/faith will be passed on
The fact that 2,000 years on that we are preaching the very same things as Paul/Timothy shows his success
True…others took these words to heart also
But let us not rob Timothy of his faithful stand also
D/ Let us therefore be careful to instruct others/faith
There is a tremendous good that can be done
2) BE A STRONG SOLDIER: v3-4
A/ Before we proceed, see that this is not a either/or situation
These are not a few pointers or suggestions or options
Teachers are not generally soldiers
But we are called to be both here (and other things too!)
B/ God has chosen us to be soldiers
When we got converted, we were brought into God’s family
Perhaps the designation “born again” suggests this most
But we were also at the one/same time brought into God’s army
We are in the family – the fellowship and the fight
You end up fighting whether you want to or not!
The world is always picking a fight with the Christian
Cain picked the fight with Abel and took it to the very death
Only by seriously compromising, can you avoid this fight
I know that there are Christians who go looking for the fight
They can be exceedingly aggressive and do more harm than good
Thus: Zeal is only good if it is in a good thing (Galatians 4:18)
Such Christians only imagine they are good soldiers of Christ
If they are contending for the flesh/their own glory – then they
are not (in this particular battle) good soldiers of Christ
But even the most discreet, gentle, wise saint ends up fighting
God has chosen us to be soldiers
C/ As soldiers, we are to endure hardness
Solider is often deprived of so much: Liberty/sleep/peace/food and in danger of life/limb
He is in the front line of the battle
It is not the place where the flesh naturally want to be
It is where the Spirit/God wants us to be
When it gets hard – we don’t run away
We endure the hardness as unto the Lord
D/ We get rid of anything that would weaken our commitment
In v4 we are warned to avoid entanglement with worldly things
Not called to be recluses or social drop outs
Can we be the salt/earth without permeating society?
But let us not be entangled in the world
It is in this vein that Paul wrote elsewhere:
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on
things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and
your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
I
The strongest soldiers who survived the battles with honour were/are those who were dedicated to the cause
They did not get all clogged up with this present evil world
Later on, we read of one who professed to be a solider of Jesus Christ
but who loved this present evil world (4:10) and went over to the enemy
instead of resisting/fighting the good fight
E/ In these last days, the battle will rage all the hotter
Therefore we need to be all the braver in the fight
Remember, we are not being asked to stand alone
We are not ill equipped for what lies ahead
Ephesians 6 speaks about the whole armour/God
The language/Bible is the language of victory for us
We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us
They overcame him (Satan) by the blood/Lamb and by the word of their testimony – not loving their lives unto death
But the whole armour is to be put on and used
This is said to be pleasing to God
That is what we want to do – please God
For in pleasing God – we gain the blessing from Him
3) BE A STRONG ATHLETE: v5
A/ It alludes to the runner running for the prize
B/ Paul’s argument here:
[i] We must strive in this race:
Not striving to be justified – that is by faith without works
But we strive to be sanctified and strive also to serve/God
Word striving shows that it isn’t easy
Indeed, the Greek word is transliterated to athlete
Only time this actual word is used in the NT Greek
Athlete almost punishes his body to compete
You don’t get flabby athletes – not serious ones anyway
They have a strict diet – they practice – they keep their body and desires etc., all under control and are dedicated
Many of those who take part in the Olympics give up their employment and practice full time with full time trainers etc.,
God wants us to take this matter seriously
[ii] We compete for a crown
There is a reward at the end of it
Olympic athletes see a gold medal
Picture themselves on the rostrum with their country flag etc.,
So do Christians – only in a far greater sense
Earthly athletes strive earnestly for a corruptible crown
This is the argument/parallel passage: 1Corinthians 9:24-27
In eternity – it will matter little who was the fastest eve runner
Or who was the greatest Olympian of all time
That isn’t going to matter 1 millions years from now
The crown which the Christian strives for is incorruptible
It will matter what crown we win 1 millions years from now
Get the ye on the prize that matters
What sustained Moses in the race?
By
faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of
Pharaoh's daughter...Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches
than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of
the reward. (Hebrews 11:26)
Who, today, is Pharaoh? Who is Pharaoh’s daughter? Son of Pharaoh's Daughter?
Moses very wisely viewed the incorruptible crown
[iii] This crown is only gotten by those who strive lawfully
It is not by hook or by crook
I remember at a sports day/school a young man winning a race, which had to be rerun because/winner chopped/changed lanes
He did not keep to the rules and his efforts were in vain
God wants us to keep to the rules/Bible
In Hebrews 12, (similar theme) we are to jettison those weights which would hold us back – a reference to besetting sins
This has the bearing on the winning/crown
Notice how some modern Olympians are prepared to cheat/drugs
What satisfaction can that bring them?
They are cheats – pure/simple and call for the highest disgust
But not so the man who strives lawfully – disciplined/honest
He gets the crown of righteousness and no one else
4) BE A STRONG FARMER: v6
A/ Same largely as before
First we have the hard work – we labour
Secondly we have the great worth – we partake of the fruits
B/ Many references in the Book of Proverbs about those who do nothing in the time/sowing who will beg/hunger in the harvest
It is not easy being a farmer
Farmer needs so many things:
[i] Knowledge
[ii] Wisdom to know what to do with the knowledge
[iv] Certain degree of foresight
[v] Plenty of hard work
Bible says in James 5 also:
[vi]
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold,
the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath
long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
(James 5:7)
C/ In all these different pictures, we are to be strong
Greek word is transliterated: Endued
Not only be strong, but be continually strong
What is attained if we give up half way through?
An unfinished lesson by a teacher – ignorance
An unfought battle by a soldier – surrender
An unrun race – no honour
An unharvested crop - hunger
May God help us to be strong
Not in our own strength (despite our emphasis on responsibility)
But in the promised/supplied grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
THE END