September 4, 2005
"Courage to Face Adversity"
A Call to Faithfulness—Part 12
2 Timothy 1:1-2:13
The key idea in this 2 Timothy 1 is NOT ASHAMED!
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner...
—2 Timothy 1:8
... I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
—2 Timothy 1:12
... Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me.
—2 Timothy 1:16-17
Your courage will grow when you remember three truths:
1. Your spiritual heritage
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
—2 Timothy 1:5
As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you"...
—2 Corinthians 6:1-2
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
—1 John 5:11-13
2. Your spiritual gift
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
—2 Timothy 1:6
Do not neglect your gift...
—1 Timothy 4:14
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
—1 Corinthians 12:7
Your spiritual gift is one of your greatest tools for the accomplishing of God's purposes!
3. Your spiritual resources
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
—2 Timothy 1:7
- Power: God's strength to stick to the task.
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.
—1 Corinthians 16:13-14
"Courage is the willingness to freely go beyond the call of duty, to make sacrifices, to choose the difficult thing, to take chances."
—Peter Kreeft
- Love: cares about people and connects them together.
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
—John 10:28-29 (KJV)
... I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
—2 Timothy 1:12
"Trusting God leads to courage and courage leads to successful ministry."
- Self discipline: The wisdom and vision to take the right steps.
"Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is going ahead and doing what you are called to do in spite of your fear."
—Rick Warren
"... if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
—Matthew 17:20
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
—Philippians 1:20
Lifework
God gave Timothy and us everything we need to accomplish the job, meet the circumstances, and rise to the occasion, that has been set before us.
I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
—Philemon 6
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
—Hebrews 13:20-21
A Call to Faithfulness—Week 9
Personal and Group Study
Getting Started
- What coach or teacher had the ability to bring out the best in you? How did they do it? Who showed you the way to faith?
Digging Deeper: Read 2 Timothy 1:1-2:13
- What is Paul's situation as he writes to Timothy? Why does Paul reveal such great emotion as he writes to Timothy?
- What instruction is Paul giving to Timothy in this chapter? Look especially at verses 6, 8, 13 and 14. Why is Paul giving this instruction?
- What pressures might Timothy be dealing with evidenced by the instructions Paul has given? Are these pressures church related, family related, or related to Timothy's own personal growth?
- In light of the pressures Timothy is facing, why does Paul remind Timothy of his mother's and grandmother's faith?
- What reason does Paul give for his current adversity?
- Why is Paul's confidence not shaken? Why does he still hold his head high in light of being deserted by others who had been ministering with him?
- Who is Onesiphorus? Why is he praised by Paul?
Applying It To My Life
- As you survey your personal spiritual journey, has it been a bed of roses or a bed of nails? Why? What have you learned about following God in difficult times?
- What kind of pressures shake your faith? What encouragement do you find in this passage as you face those pressures?
- What gift do you need to fan into flame? Who can help you?