“Be Faithful”
(2 Timothy 1:1-2 & Overview)
Series: Faithful to the Finish Line (2 Timothy)
Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD
Henderson’s First Baptist Church, Henderson
I’d like to invite you to take your Bibles and join me this morning in the Book of 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy chapter 1 (page 800; YouVersion).
I’m excited that we are beginning a new series of messages through the Book of 2 Timothy. If you’re visiting, this is what we usually do here, we preach systematically, verse-by-verse, through Books of the Bible, believing this to be the best way to study God’s Word and to hear from God as we gather together in big group for corporate worship.
2 Timothy is the second letter the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, and the last inspired letter of Paul’s preserved for us in the New Testament. For that reason it is often referred to as Paul’s “Swan Song.” I’ve seen that term so often in connection to Paul’s last letter, 2 Timothy, but I wonder if everyone is really familiar with the metaphor and really knows what that means, “Swan Song?” I mean it’s been a long time since I read about swans. Maybe you’re like I am, what is a swan and furthermore, what is a swan’s “song?!”
Well, most of us know that a swan is a bird, we know that much. And the term refers to an ancient Greek belief that swans, relatively silent most of their lives, sing a beautiful song in the moment just before death. So it’s the swan’s final, beautiful performance right before breathing it’s last breath and dying. And while this is something that has actually been long-debated by those who study animals, the term “Swan song” has been used in poetry, music, and the arts to describe one’s final performance or last great effort or final contribution just before dying.
And one of the things Paul writes in this letter is that he is dying. He says in the last chapter 2 Timothy 4:6, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand,” and so on.
So this is Paul’s last letter recorded in the Bible, his “Swan song.” And he is writing to Timothy, a young minister whom he describes as “a beloved son.” Paul has had a long-lasting relationship with this young Timothy, who pastoring and preaching around the city of Ephesus. And Paul is writing this letter to him from a dungeon-prison in Rome.
And with just that much information this morning let us begin our study by reading the first two verses of Chapter 1. We’ll read these opening verses and then I want to present a kind of overview of the book this morning.
- Please stand in honor of the reading of the Word of God.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Pray.
Introduction:
So what kind of letter would you write if you were writing to someone close to you and you knew it would be the last time you would write them, the last letter before you died? Like Paul, writing to Timothy, a person he thought of as a “beloved son,” to whom would you write if you knew you would be dying soon and what kind of things would you include in your letter?
I was reminded this week of a letter I have in my office written by my great grandfather to his son. It’s kept in a Bible that belonged to my great grandfather. My great grandfather, Samuel Linn, was a minister who lived to be 102, nearly preaching as long as he lived. His father, Henry Linn, came to America as a 14-year-old from Germany. The family didn’t want him to be drafted into the kaiser’s army so they put him on a ship bound for Ellis Island. He landed in America knowing only German. According to family legend, ancestors of the Linn family supported Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation. I think that’s pretty cool if it’s true. It’s one of those “family stories,” you know.
But anyway, Henry’s son Samuel Linn, my great grandfather, was a minister in the mid-west. And he preached on Sundays to both English speaking folks and German speaking immigrants in Nebraska. And when his son, my grandfather Carl, was small, he drove the horse-drawn buggy around for his father, my preaching great grandfather. But when Carl grew up and went off to university and studied chemistry, at some point he embraced the philosophy and thought of the Enlightenment thinkers and abandoned his early Christian faith.
So this letter I have is a letter of my great grandfather’s to his son. And in the letter you sense my great grandfather’s burden for his son to embrace the truth and trust Jesus Christ. There are places in the letter where he directs him to the Scriptures and challenges him to look up certain verses and ultimately to follow Christ. Perhaps my great grandfather thought it would be his last opportunity to write to his son, writing to him about what mattered the most in one’s life.
What would you write if you knew what you were writing may well be your last letter, your “Swan song?”
This letter of Paul’s is a letter to Timothy about being faithful, about persevering through times of difficulty, about remaining true to the Lord and His Word.
So this letter is especially helpful to as as Christians. And I look forward to what God is going to do in me, and in you, and in our church family, as we study this letter about being faithful—and how the Gospel helps us stay faithful to the very end that we may finish well.
See, if you were to ask me to summarize the contents of the letter I would say the letter is about our “Being faithful to the finish line.” That’s our series title. 2 Timothy is about our being faithful to the end of our lives, faithful to the finish line.
And the four chapters each contain a general area of faithfulness. I’d like to give you a four part outline for these chapters to overview them. Let me give them to you all at once first so you can see them and maybe write them down somewhere in your Bible or in your notes.
As I give you these, let me remind you that I get by with a little help from my friends. These four main divisions of the chapters are a kind of combination of two folks who help me in my study: our good friend, Danny Akin—whose name is mentioned frequently here—and our good friend John Stott, esteemed theologian and author of the book, The Cross of Christ, which we studied sometime back in our Wednesday theology group. So I’ve kind of put the two together in a way that says it the way I like. Here it is, the four chapters:
[Slide One]
- Be Faithful to Guard the Gospel (Chapter 1)
- Be Faithful to Endure for the Gospel (Chapter 2)
- Be Faithful to Focus on the Gospel (Chapter 3)
- Be Faithful to Proclaim the Gospel (Chapter 4)
Now before we overview these chapters, a few words about Paul and Timothy. Paul we read about first. Right at the beginning, verse 1:
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
We’re reminded in Bible times the writer of the letter identified himself at the beginning of the letter rather than we do today at the end. So the first word of the letter attests to the authorship of this letter. It is written by the Apostle Paul. And he does identify himself as “an apostle.”
People sometimes ask, “Are there apostles today? Should we refer to a preacher or pastor as ‘an apostle?”” And the short answer is, “No, not if we are using the word ‘apostle’ in the Scriptural sense, the way the Bible uses the term.”
In order to qualify as an apostle a person needed to meet at least two criteria: 1) He had to have personally witnessed the resurrected Christ, an eye-witness of the resurrected Jesus Christ. 2) Secondly, he had to be personally called, appointed, and commissioned by Jesus Christ as an apostle. This would be especially important as the words of the apostles preserved for us in the Scriptures bear the mark of God’s authority and as such, the words of the apostles are regarded as the inspired Word of God Himself—
Which is why Paul identifies himself this way in the opening words of the letter. He is writing to his dear friend Timothy, a young man who is like a son to him, a “beloved son,” yet Paul identities himself as, “an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God” so that Timothy not think of this letter as merely a letter between friends, but that Timothy—and all else who read the letter—remember that it bears the mark of God’s authority. It is the very Word of the One who called, appointed, and commissioned Paul to the apostolic ministry.
Now, that phrase at the end of verse 1 is a phrase referring to the gospel. Paul writes of, “the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus.” See that? Verse 1 again, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus.” I love that phrase!
You may just want to write next to that phrase, “The gospel.” That’s what he’s talking about, the Good News, the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus. Apart from Christ we have no life. That is, apart from Jesus we have only physical life. We live here on this planet for some 70-80 years, maybe longer. But we are dying. We are dying because of a disease that infects everything, including the earth itself. It’s called sin. We are spiritually dead because of sin. That’s the bad news.
And the Good News is that if we acknowledge this to be true and admit that we ourselves are sinners, going against God and His ways, rebelling against Him every time we choose our way over His. If we believe that He took care of our sin through Jesus Christ, Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection—then we may have life. Then we may receive “the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus.”
This letter is about “the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus” and how that promise of life shapes us into faithful followers of Jesus. Because God is faithful to us we should be faithful to Him. Verse 2:
2 To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul is writing to Timothy, “a beloved son,” a young man like a son to Paul. Paul and Timothy have known one another as far back as Paul’s initial visit to Lystra in Acts 14. Paul had taken Timothy with him on missionary journeys and had mentored him along the way.
And this wonderful greeting in verse 2! Paul says to Timothy, “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” Grace and mercy to the undeserving, and peace to the restless—all of this through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now, Paul is writing this letter from prison around the year AD 65. He is in prison in Rome awaiting death by execution. This was Paul’s second Roman imprisonment. So you read about Paul in prison in Rome in Acts 28, but he was most likely released and then imprisoned again after a fourth missionary journey that isn’t recorded in Acts. He was eventually martyred under Nero whose reign ended in 68 so he probably wrote this letter around 65.
And the contrast between Paul’s two Roman imprisonments is significant. In his first imprisonment—the one we read about in the Book of Acts—the living conditions are relatively decent. I mean, he is under something of “house arrest” where many friends come to visit him in what the Bible refers to as “his own rented house” (Acts 28:30). He had many opportunities to witness and he anticipated that he would be released, which again is apparently what happened.
But a couple years later, Paul is re-arrested and imprisoned—this time not under the Jewish charges of heresy and sedition against Israel—but on criminal charges against the Roman empire. And whereas before he was in something of a “rented house,” he is now in a cold, dark dungeon. Whereas before many folks visited him, he writes now of all who have forsaken him and that “only Luke” is with him (2 Timothy 4:11). And whereas in his first Roman imprisonment he expected his release, he now awaits his execution, having been already, “poured out as a drink offering,” the “time of his departure now being at hand (2 Timothy 4:6).”
According to church tradition, many scholars believe Paul wrote this letter from the underground dungeon-prison, the prison identified as Rome’s Mamertine prison. The Mamertine prison is an underground chamber located adjacent to the Roman forum. It was a small, dark and dank, cold and barren dungeon with an entrance through a hole in the ceiling, just large enough for one person to pass through.
You can go see the Mamertine prison the next time you’re in Rome. I’ve got a picture of it if you’d like to see it. Would you like to see it?! Okay:
[Pic 1]
[Pic 2]
[Pic 3]
So Paul is awaiting death and he writes this farewell letter to Timothy, concluding it with his wishes for Timothy to come visit him. In fact, he writes at the end, “Do your utmost to come before winter (2 Timothy 4:21)” and he asks Timothy to bring with him his books and parchments (2 Timothy 4:13) so he can have them there in the dungeon.
It’s striking that Paul should write such a letter from the dungeon, isn’t it?! He is encouraging Timothy to stay faithful. Guard the truth. Stay faithful to the truth. Steward the truth and pass it along to others. Keep moving forward in faithfulness to God. Because God has been faithful to us, we should be faithful to Him.
Let me give you these four chapter divisions now, one at a time, along with a key verse or two in each chapter. This is to help us all get a handle on the letter so I encourage you to consider writing down these main ideas and key verses. First, the main teaching in Chapter one is:
- Be Faithful to Guard the Gospel (Chapter 1)
The key verse here is 2 Timothy 1:14. Hear this verse in the New International Version: “Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”
Paul is instructing Timothy to remember how important and how valuable the gospel is—something that should be kept and guarded as a sacred trust.
Picture a quarterback handing off the football to a running back. He’s not going to just casually flip the ball over to the running back in hopes that all will go well. He’s going to protect the ball, guard the ball, and the running back will do the same, keeping it, guarding it. That’s the idea. Guard the Gospel. Don’t be flippant with it. Don’t be casual about it. It’s a big deal! Glad the good deposit entrusted to you!
Now this first theme is related to the second theme:
- Be Faithful to Endure for the Gospel (Chapter 2)
When Paul instructs Timothy to “keep” or “guard” the gospel, he has also in mind Timothy’s careful passing along of that same truth to others.
Key verse 2 Timothy 2:2: “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Here is a call to pass along the teachings from one generation to the next generation. How important, then, to “Keep” and “Guard” the gospel from one generation to the next! People often say we are just one generation away from losing or forgetting the gospel.
We must take care, then, to endure for the gospel, carefully passing along the gospel to others, equipping the next generation of believers in our families and in our church family.
To this end, another key verse from Chapter 2:
2 Timothy 2:15: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Be a worker who endures for the Gospel. As Paul writes also in chapter 2, “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12).” True believers keep moving forward, true believers persevere to the end. They are faithful to the finish line.
Number three:
- Be Faithful to Focus on the Gospel (Chapter 3)
Key verse: 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Focusing on the Gospel means focusing on the Scriptures, and the Scriptures have the power both to save and to preserves.dd
Be faithful to focus on the Gospel. Fourthly and finally:
- Be Faithful to Proclaim the Gospel (Chapter 4)
Two Key verses here:
2 Timothy 4:2-5:
2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
False teaching is deadly and must be dealt with carefully and consistently. The best way to do this is through the careful and consistent proclamation and teaching of “sound doctrine.”
And if we believe the gospel to be true we will faithfully proclaim it, faithfully share it, faithfully tell people today! I read this statement this week in my study, a statement by Tony Merida at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He said:
“The gospel is like water: man did not invent it, and man cannot live without it. Therefore, faithful servants of Jesus will take the water to thirsty men and women. Are you showing the thirsty where you found everlasting water?”
That’s good, isn’t it?! The Gospel is like water: man didn’t invent it and man can’t live without it. If you have found the water, share the water with others today.
Paul was faithful to proclaim the gospel, faithful to the finish line. So the second key verse:
2 Timothy 4:7-8:
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
May we each of us be able to say that! Faithful to the finish line.
I remember running one morning while on vacation in the Atlanta area. I was running up a hill and happened to see this sign to direct traffic merging into a lane. The sign simply read, “Keep Moving.” And I’ve thought many times how that sign describes the Christian experience. Keep moving. Just keep being faithful. God has been faithful to us, so we should be faithful to Him. Keep moving forward.
Some time ago I heard this story about Coach “Shug” Jordan (JER din) at Auburn University. He had asked his former linebacker Mike Kolen, who was then playing for the Miami Dolphins, to help him do some recruiting:
Mike said, “Sure, coach. What kind of player are you looking for?”
The coach said, “Well Mike, you know there’s that fellow, you knock him down, he just stays down?”
Mike said, “We don’t want him, do we, coach?”
“No, that’s right. Then there’s that fellow, you knock him down and he gets up, you knock him down again and he stays down.”
Mike said, “We don’t want him either, do we, coach?”
Coach said, “No, but Mike, there’s a fellow, you knock him down, he gets up. Knock him down, he gets up. Knock him down, he gets up. Knock him down, he gets up.”
Mike said, “That’s the guy we want isn’t it, coach?”
The coach answered, “No, Mike, we don’t want him either. I want you to find the guy who’s knocking everybody down. That’s the guy we want!
We’re called to be faithful. God has been faithful to us so we can be faithful to Him. Moving forward, enduring hardships, continuing to keep and guard the Gospel, that we may pass along the Gospel to others.
- Let’s pray.