Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20120909.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
2 Timothy: God's Directives For Church Leaders Amid Hardships
Part IV: Utilizing God's Gracious Provisions For Strength In Ministry Under Hardships
(2 Timothy 2:1 with 1:3-18)
  1. Introduction
    1. Handling hardships in life and ministry for Christ often requires superhuman resources: Satanic opposition in all its forms far surpasses the believer's human resources to deal effectively with it.
    2. Wonderfully, in the context of such superhuman pressures in life and ministry for the whole early Church, Paul directed Timothy to use God's superhuman resources for success, and we view them (as follows):
  2. Utilizing God's Gracious Provisions For Strength In Ministry Under Hardships, 2 Tim. 2:1; 1:3-18.
    1. 2 Timothy 2:1 opens with the particle oun, "Therefore" (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 733), introducing a conclusion from what precedes it, Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T. , 1967, p. 597.
    2. Thus, when Paul in that verse told Timothy "therefore" to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, he wanted Timothy to use God's grace explained back in 2 Timothy 1 for strength in his life and ministry.
    3. Well, 2 Timothy 1:3-18 reveals twelve spiritual resources for strength in the believer's life and ministry:
      1. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's office for him, 2 Timothy 1:1a: as God had appointed Paul to the office of apostleship, and Timothy in turn had been appointed by Paul in his divinely assigned office to pastor at Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3), Timothy was to rely on the fact that GOD through Paul had appointed him as Ephesus' pastor, encouraging him that God would thus support him in that office!
      2. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's will for him, 2 Timothy 1:1b: if Paul was an apostle by God's will, his appointment of Timothy to pastor at Ephesus was God's will, a truth Timothy was to use for hope that his assignment, though opposed by other people, still enjoyed God's fullest support and help.
      3. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's authority for him, 2 Timothy 1:3: Timothy did not minister at Ephesus by his own authority, but by God's authority through Paul, a further encouragement for him.
      4. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's spiritual gift for service, 2 Timothy 1:6: if God had equipped Timothy with a spiritual gift for service, then use of that gift insured God's power in Timothy's efforts!
      5. Timothy was to be "strong" in God the Holy Spirit's equipping for good conduct, 2 Timothy 1:7: the indwelling God the Holy Spirit would enable Timothy to offset his native timidity, cf. 1 Cor. 16:10-11.
      6. Timothy was to be "strong" in God the Holy Spirit's equipping for suffering, 2 Timothy 1:8: the brutal Neronian persecution that would take Paul's life (2 Tim. 4:6, 16) and afflict the Church universal ( Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, p. 1716) was to be handled in personal victory by the Spirit's enabling!
      7. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's calling of him, 2 Timothy 1:9a: Timothy was to recall that he had not put himself in the ministry, but that it was God's calling. Thus, he was assured of God's help.
      8. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's purpose for him, 2 Timothy 1:9b: God had a purpose for putting Timothy at Ephesus as its pastor, so he was to seek to fulfill that purpose, and thus enjoy God's help.
      9. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's eternal plan for him, 2 Timothy 1:9c: Timothy's work at Ephesus was planned in eternity past, so it was important from God's perspective that he serve the Lord there, giving Timothy cause to be encouraged that he was not wasting his energies in that work.
      10. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's powerful salvation Gospel, 2 Timothy 1:10: Romans 1:16 claims the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, so Timothy must boldly give it to the lost.
      11. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's example of Paul's words, 2 Timothy 1:13: following the pattern of the Apostle Paul's words, and, for us, written Scripture's words, ensures God's power in ministry!
      12. Timothy was to be "strong" in God's doctrinal preserving power of the Holy Spirit, 2 Timothy 1:14: Timothy's own human weakness toward yielding ground to false teaching was to be overcome by the omnipotent power of the indwelling God the Holy Spirit. Timothy was thus to rely on Him!
Lesson: For strength to handle superhuman trials in life and service, Timothy was to use God's office appointment, will, authority, gifting, equipping for conduct and suffering, calling, purpose, eternal plan, Gospel, example of sound Scripture words and the Holy Spirit's good doctrine preserving power.

Application: May we use these resources to handle the superhuman trials we face in life and ministry.