2 Timothy – Page 2 – JumpstartCPC.com

January 18, 2020

Today you should read: 2 Timothy 2:22-26

Paul is big about putting off a life of sin and putting on a life of godliness. He writes in Ephesians 4:22-23, “²²to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, ²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,²⁴and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (ESV) He writes similar things in our passage today, all in light of “presenting yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed.” (2:15)

Put off: youthful passions // Put on: righteousness, faith, love, and peace (v. 22)

Paul is imploring Timothy to avoid youthful passions, which is essentially referring to lust. But Paul doesn’t just say to stop sinning; he says to stop sinning by pursuing better things. How often have you tried to break a sin habit but been frustrated by a lack of change? Maybe your attempt to break the sin wasn’t accompanied with an increased focus and worship of God.

Put off: quarrelsomeness // Put on: kindness, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, gentleness (v. 23-25)

This next section talks about the ability to deal with difficult people. Instead of pursuing quarrels with people, we should focus on kindness, patience, and gentleness (all fruit of the Spirit). Those characteristics, accompanied with the ability to explain the Bible can be effective tools with dealing with difficult people.

What are some ways that you need to repent from your sin by putting on godliness instead of just focusing on no longer sinning? Look to Christ and allow your heart to worship God fully as you turn from your sin!

By: Graham Withers — Pastoral Ministry Associate

One of our goals as a church this year is that our people would be praying everyday. To help you be accountable, use the comment section to post prayer requests and experiences of how God has answered prayer and/or changed you through prayer! If you would like to be enrolled to get weekly prayer reminders, text @cpclex to 81010.

January 17, 2020

Today you should read: 2 Timothy 2:15-21

This passage means a lot to me as 2 Timothy 2:15 was our school verse at the Moody Bible Institute. It is why they trained us in the Word of God.

The book of 2 Timothy in an inspiring book. The Apostle Paul is in prison in Rome, facing intense suffering, and knows his time is coming to an end (2 Timothy 4). He is writing to Timothy, his disciple, to encourage him to persevere in the gospel and continue to fight for faith. In chapters 1 and 2 he is calling him to BOLD faith and endurance while teaching against false teachers… in the latter part of chapter 2 Paul is contrasting him with the false teachers… How he should be different.

I love how Paul leads into this after 2 Timothy 2:13 which says,

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful — for he cannot deny Himself.”

I believe he wrote this to remind Timothy (and us) that everything he is about to tell us is not about IMPRESSING God (earning His love) but about PLEASING God (living out of the love we have been given). These are close but not equal. We are to seek to please God not to impress God.

Paul tells Timothy three things here about how our lives/ministries should look in contrast to unbelievers/false teachers:

1) LIVE FOR GODLINESS (v.15)

The first thing Paul tells Timothy is to “DO YOUR BEST to present yourself to God as one approved…” This goes back to pleasing vs. impressing. Without the rest of Scripture this would lead us to believe that we have to earn God. We know we do not. He is given. So now we get to live to HONOR Him because of what He has given us in King Jesus. Paul goes on to tell us how… “rightly handling the word of truth.” This means a couple things: (1) we have to be IN the word of truth daily (2) we have to LISTEN to what it says (3) we have to APPLY it. We are not to make God’s word mean what we want it to mean. We are to let it speak for itself.

We are to do our best to do this. What sin do we need to give up? How can we pursue the Word of God this week?

2) LIVE AGAINST UNGODLINESS (v.16-20)

Paul says a second thing… avoid “irreverent babble” and ungodliness. Other translations say “godless chatter” or “worthless, foolish talk.” Paul says that this will only lead to more and more ungodliness. This lifestyle will lead to a life we are not meant to live as followers of Jesus (Romans 6:1-2). If we are in Christ Jesus we are on the “firm foundation” of God bearing the seal of His Holy Spirit (v.19, Ephesians 1:14). If we bear the name of King Jesus we should “depart from iniquity”… we should actively live against ungodliness. This shows our God is real and we are different.

3) LIVE AS A HONORABLE VESSEL (v.20-21)

The world is full of honorable vessels and dishonorable ones. Paul is begging Timothy (and us) to live as an honorable vessel by (1) CLEANSING ourselves, (2) being SET APART in Jesus (3) being READY to be used.

Today I am praying that you seek to please God in the way you live because God has given you a fresh new identity in Jesus.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

By: Nick Parsons — Pastoral Ministry Associate: College

January 16, 2020

Today you should read: 2 Timothy 2:1-14

When God saves a person, He empowers them through His Holy Spirit to live the life He’s called them to. This isn’t something you do on your own – you couldn’t! He does it through you. He’s strong IN you! (v.1) But make no mistake about it, God expects us – as those bought by His blood and indwelt by His Holy Spirit – to live our lives for Him! (v.2)

To Stay Focused (v.3-4)

…as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Not to get tied up with the affairs of life around us – but to stay focused on the mission Jesus called us to. This is a challenge for all of us. We focus on the here and now – what we see – what’s in front of our face. BUT – we must remember what matters most – what we’re called to – what we must do.

To Obey (v.5)

Athletes can’t win if they don’t follow the rules. We must obey the orders given to us by our Coach – Jesus. How do we know the rules? We read – we study – we memorize – His Word!

To Work (v.6)

Farming is hard work! Sunup to sundown. You till – you plant – you weed – you water – then and only then – you enjoy the harvest. BUT – farmers are the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Work hard for the Master and for His harvest!

God expects us to give our lives for Him (v.11b), endure hardship (v.12a), remain faithful (v.13a) and He will bless us with the privilege of living with Him (v.11b), reigning with Him (v. 12b), and experiencing His faithfulness in our lives (v.13b).

We must remember (v.14) who we are, whose we are, and what He has saved us for and called us to! Live your life for Him today! He’s worth it – so worth it!

By: Tim Parsons — Lead Pastor

January 15, 2020

Today you should read: 2 Timothy 1:13-18

“Alone and without fear, Paul stared directly into the eyes of the execution squad. Several held rods with which they would beat him; one held the sharp axe with which he would sever the apostle’s head from his shoulders. Few words were spoken. They marched him through the heavy gate and beyond the stone wall that surrounded Rome, past the pyramid of Cestius, which still stands today, and on to the Ostian Way toward the sea. Crowds journeying to Rome knew by the rods and the axe that an execution would soon transpire. They had seen such sights before. They passed it off with a shrug. It happened yesterday; it would happen tomorrow.

The manacled prisoner, walking stiffly, ragged and filthy from the dungeon, was not ashamed or degraded. The squad of grim-faced soldiers never noticed as they frowned and stared ahead, but there was a faint smile on their prisoner’s face—he was en route to a triumph—the crowning day of his reward. For him to live was Christ, to die, gain. No axe across the back of his neck would rob him of his triumphant destiny. It would, in fact, initiate it!”

This excerpt is from Charles Swindoll’s Great Lives from God’s Word series, Paul—A Man of Grace and Grit. When I read this book in seminary, his final section on 2nd Timothy and his vivid telling of Paul’s end made a lasting impact.

Paul knew the letter we call “2nd Timothy” was his last in a long line of written correspondence. We must remember that. Read this book the way it was written—with emotion. This was probably the last thing Paul ever told his beloved disciple. He asked Timothy to come to him in chapter 4, but it seems likely that all Timothy found was a grave.

Of verses 13 and 14, Swindoll wrote, “[Timothy] was neither to be ashamed of the gospel nor careless with the Truth. The stakes were too high for anything less than a sober guarding of those principles Paul had faithfully deposited into his spiritual account. Paul’s words were not a mere collection of pithy statements; they were entrusted treasure; to be guarded and retained at all cost.” It was now upon Timothy to take up the banner of grace and grit that characterized Paul’s life.

Verses 15–18 strike me as the nostalgia of a dying man. He remembered with pain those who forsook him. Likewise, he remembered with tearful fondness those who showed him mercy and encouragement.

None of us know our end. All we know is the deposit we’re making now. What and to whom are you making a deposit? Can you say with integrity, “Follow me as I follow Christ?” Consider today the example you set for those in your life—what needs to change, how can you be more intentional?

The dash between the dates on a tombstone is a sad symbol for an entire life. Make sure you’re investing your dash well—that what you’ve been entrusted with gets passed on.

By: Tyler Short — Connections Ministry Associate