Why & How We Guard the Gospel | 2 Timothy 2:1-13
Series: Guard the Treasure
Title: Why & How we Guard the Gospel
Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-13 NIV
Bottom line: We guard (pass on) the gospel so that the next generation will know how and why they should guard the gospel: Because it’s our only hope.
INTRODUCTION
CONTEXT
SERMON OUTLINE
CONCLUSION
NOTES
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
OUTLINES
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
MAIN REFERENCES USED
INTRODUCTION
Proverbs 13:22 (NIV): "A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children..."
As parents, we sometimes think about what we’re going to pass on to our kids.
Inheritance and heirlooms—sentimental; valuable in this life
Educational opportunities—valuable in this life
Family values—valuable for generations; includes your family “Name”
Faith—which lasts forever
Bottom line: We keep the faith in uncertain times by standing tall, suffering well, following the pattern of sound teaching, and guarding the deposit together.
Last week Paul told us how to keep our faith in uncertain times:
By standing tall (instead of being ashamed),
By suffering well (together),
By keeping the pattern of sound instruction, and
By guarding the gospel.
Today we’re drilling down on that last one…how do we guard the gospel?
Now let’s go back and ask ourselves why we want to guard the gospel?
We guard it because, starting with the Apostles, it was entrusted to us by Jesus Christ. And because it’s life-changing good news, why wouldn’t we want to share it. (Fear, ignorance, laziness, selfishness…)
Now the short answer to how we guard it is passing it on by the power of the Holy Spirit. (1:14) But Paul gives us more specifics here today.
CONTEXT
Serious uncertainties exist:
Timothy’s struggles in Ephesus continue
Now Paul is imprisoned with execution imminent
Feels like the future of the Church hangs in the balance
We live in uncertain times as well:
Threat of WW III (Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Sudan, Nigeria)
Threat of Enemy attack on US (EMP, power grid, southern border, bio warfare, terrorism)
Threat of civil war over the culture war (Blue vs Red states)
Threat of corrupt leaders at the highest levels
Threat of the basics (college; jobs; retirement; healthcare; inflation; energy independence)
Paul is calling on Timothy to guard the gospel and lead others to do the same. And he realizes that Timothy needs encouragement to do this.
We too are called to do this. Paul, Timothy and billions before us call us to join them in guarding the gospel for those who have yet to hear.
Timothy, guard the gospel entrusted to you with the help of the Holy Spirit. How does Timothy (and how do we) do this?
SERMON
How and why do we guard the gospel?
We guard the gospel by:
(Outline based on Hughes)
I. By Being Strong (2:1) “…in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” LIVE IN THE GOSPEL; FOLLOW ME AS I FOLLOW CHRIST
A. God’s grace via the Holy Spirit is the strength and power in us that makes our guarding it possible
B. “Keep on being strengthened” is the present passive in the Greek; God is actively and continuously strengthening you and me.
C. “For God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 God gives power and grace to those who humbly admit they need it AND believe that God has an unlimited supply for his people.
D. God’s vision is that we guard the gospel on his behalf. As the old preacher used to say, “Where there is vision, there is PROvision.” And his vision is that we guard the gospel for generation to generation.
E. Like turning the steering wheel in an old truck with power steering. The power steering fluid doesn’t start providing power until you begin to turn the wheel in need of that power. The Holy Spirit is ready to provide God-sourced power when we humbly turn the wheel by grace through faith.
II. By Delegation: Passing it on (2:2) PASS ON THE GOSPEL
A. A “Living Chain of truth”
“Early 17th century, Dr. Richard Sibbes wrote a little book about Christ called “The Bruised Reed”.
A copy of that book fell into the hands of a tin peddler, who gave it to a boy named Richard Baxter, who became the greatest of Puritan pastors.
Baxter wrote, among other things, “A Call to the Unconverted,” which Philip Doddridge read int he early 18th century, and he in turn wrote “The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul.”
William Wilberforce read that book, and it so changed his life that he led the fight for the abolition of slavery. He was a tiny, stunted man but had such eloquence for Christ that James Boswell immortalized it by writing that during one of his speeches ‘the shrimp grew and grew and grew and became a whale.’ Indeed Wilberforce became a huge influence in 19th-century British culture and saw the abolition of slavery in Britain just 3 days before his death.
Significantly, Wilberforce has been an inspiration for Charles Coleen and the organization he founded, Prison Fellowship.” -Hughes, pp. 209-210
“The gospel deposit was to be entrusted to “Reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”
Note: We would not be here today if not for those before us obeying these verses. But who will pass it on to the next generation?
Preaching is not enough! We must pass this along to others, starting at home outward to the ends of the earth.
III. By Suffering (2:3-7) “Join me in suffering.” We are better together—especially when suffering for guarding his gospel. How do we suffer together? Like… ENDURE FOR THE GOSPEL
A. A good soldier. (3-4) LEADS TO VICTORY
He’s/she’s good at heart
Doesn’t get caught up in civilian affairs but stays focused
Desires to please their commanding officer (trust and obey orders consistently)
B. A competitive athlete following the rules. (5) LEADS TO A PRIZE
Train to remain in Christ. (John 15:1-5) Disciplined training = focus
Train to win the prize. “But this one things I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14)
Competes according to the rules or else be disqualified. Character matters in all things but especially in our ministry. This doesn’t mean we can’t serve because of sin. It means when we sin, we humble ourselves and repent and come back to Christ. None of us are qualified apart from repentance and faith in Christ. But unrepentant Christ-follower is an oxymoronic phrase.
Focused.
Acrostic
F-ollow
O-ne
C-ourse
U-ntil you
S-ucceed
Quote: "We don't focus on the best—we focus on our best.” -Dabo Swinney or someone on his staff
We can’t control what the best is doing.
We can control whether or not we’re doing our best.
C. A hard-working farmer. (6) LEADS TO A CROP
A farmer’s life involved:
Early and long hours because timing and time are factors
Constant toil (plowing, sowing, tending, weeding, reaping, storing (repeat))
Regular disappointments (late frosts, pests, disease, drought, flooding
Much patience-everything happened in less than slow motion; boredom
Works hard. Long hours of effort.
Reaps fruit—for himself because of his efforts.
IV. By Remembering the Gospel, specifically (2:8-13) LEADS TO LIFE Remembering is key to spiritual maturity because if you don’t remember the truth it’s like not knowing the truth. And it’s the truth that sets us free. By remembering the gospel, by remembering… REMEMBER THE HERO OF THE GOSPEL`
A. Remembering THE RESURRECTION—Jesus Christ, risen from the dead (8a) DEMONSTRATES POWER GIVEN
B. Remembering HIS MESSIAH-SHIP—Jesus Christ, offspring of David (8b) DEMONSTRATES PROMISE KEPT
C. Remembering THE GOSPEL’S POWER—Jesus Christ/Word of God is not bound with chains (8b-10)
Famous picture in the convent library in Erfurt, Germany, depicting young Martin Luther pouring over a copy of scripture in the morning light. His face and bible are illuminated by the light from the window. A broken chain hangs from the Bible…it’s no longer bound.
D. Remembering THE TRUSTWORTHY SAYING (11-13)
“If we died with him, we also live with him.” CONVERSION
“If we endure, we will also reign with him.” PERSEVERANCE
“If we disown him, he will also disown us;” APOSTASY
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” FAITHLESSNESS
“As the saintly Samuel Rutherford, who spent years in an Aberdeen prison, wrote, ‘Often and often, I have in my folly torn up my copy of God’s covenant with me; but, blessed be his name, he keeps it in heaven safe; and he stands by it.” -Hughes, p. 222
V. By Remembering that all these 4 things assume we’re drawing our power from the Holy Spirit. (1:14)
(Outline also based on Merida)
4 Challenges for gospel-centered endurance that must be overcome if we are to stand firm in the faith:
Challenge 1: Live in the gospel (2:1)
“Christians who make an eternal difference in this world are those who have learned to rely on God’s strength, not their own. David Livingston once commented on all the work Charles Spurgeon would do in a typical day (and Livingstone was no sluggard!). He asked the prince of preachers how he could do it all. Spurgeon said, ‘You have forgotten, there are two of us.‘ (Piper, “Spurgeon”). God’s presence in us supplies what we need to endure.” -Merida, p. 160
Challenge 2: Pass on the gospel (2:2). Four stages of the gospel handoff:
Christ to Paul. Paul didn’t make up the message but received it tghrough divine revelation.
Paul to Timothy. This is what Paul would have shared wherever he went. (Ie. Public instruction)
Timothy to Reliable people. This could have been elders (“men” in some translations). Or it could have been people in general passing on the gospel. After all, the first ones to pass along this good news were the women at the tomb.
Reliable people to Others. Paul’s letter (2 Tim) went from a hole in the ground (Mamertine Dungeon) in Rome to where we are today 2,000 years later! This chain is unbroken.
Where are you in this progression? Are you passing the gospel along yet? Have you even received it yet?
More than preaching…includes teaching. Golf clubs may help here.
Woods—big, showy, and impressive. Like preaching publicly. You can cover a lot ground.
Irons—Require finesse and accuracy. Cover ground but not as much. More personal.
Putter—Personal for short distances. This is 2 Tim 2:2.
Pastors tend to forget this third one. But golfers know, “Drive for show, put for dough.”
Jesus did this with 12 and 72. In fact, it’s where he spent most of this time. He spend the least amount of time preaching to the crowds.
Challenge 3: Endure for the gospel (2:3-7)
The dedicated soldier (3-4)
The disciplined athlete (5)
The hardworking farmer (6)
Challenge 4: Remember the Hero of the gospel (2:8-13)
CONCLUSION
“Paul was powerfully stating the absolute freedom of the word of God…in the 1930s Stalin ordered a purge of all Bibles and all believers. In Stavropol, Russia, this order was carried out with a vengeance. Thousands of Bibles were confiscated, and multitudes of believers were sent to the gulags where many died for being ‘enemies of the state.’ After the fall of Communism, the missionary organization CoMission sent a team to Stavropol. (The city’s history was not known to them at that time.) When the team experienced difficulty getting Bibles shipped from Moscow, someone mentioned a warehouse outside of town where confiscated Bibles had been stored since Stalin’s day. After prayer, one member got up the courage to go to the warehouse and ask the officials if the Bibles were still there. They were! They then asked if the Bibles could be removed and distributed again to the people of Stavropol. The answer was yes. A truck was obtained, and several Russian people helped load the Bibles. One of the helpers was a young man—a skeptical, hostile, agnostic collegian who had come only for the day’s wages. As they were loading Bibles, the young man disappeared. They found him in a corner of the warehouse, weeping. He had slipped away, hoping to quietly take a Bible for himself. What he found shook him to the core. The inside page of the Bible he picked up had the handwritten signature of his own grandmother! It had been her personal Bible. He had stolen the very Bible that had belonged to his grandmother—a woman persecuted for her faith all her life. His grandmother had no doubt prayed for him and for her city. God’s word can no more be chained than God himself.” -Hughes, pp. 220-221
Bottom line: We guard the gospel so that the next generation will know how and why they should guard the gospel: Because it’s our only hope.
What is God saying to me right now?
What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.
What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.
[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.
Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.
Pray
NOTES
“This was not something Timothy was to work out for himself or was entitled to enlarge. It was divine revelation committed to his care.? In the fifth century St. Leo gave Timothy's charge classic expression:
What is meant by the deposit? That which is committed to you, not that which is invented by you; that which you have received, not that which you have devised; a thing not of wit, but of learning; not of private assumption, but of public tradition; a thing brought to you, not brought forth of you; wherein you must not be an author, but a keeper; not a leader but a follower. Keep the deposit.”
1 Tim, p. 176
Kent Hughes
Other images
Mamertine dungeon
Not ashamed
Guard the gospel/deposit
Deposit
Power
Love
Self-discipline
Flame
Gift
Tears
Grandmother
Mother
Prison
Holy Spirit
To Claude.ai I wrote, “We know that in 2 Timothy of the New Testament Paul called for Timothy to come to him in Rome. About how long would that trip have taken?”
It replied:
The journey from Timothy's location (likely Ephesus or somewhere in Asia Minor) to Rome during the time of Paul and the early church would have been quite arduous and time-consuming. Here's an estimate of how long it may have taken:
- The total distance from Ephesus to Rome was around 1,500-1,600 miles (2,400-2,600 km).
- Travel in ancient times was done mostly by walking, riding animals like horses/donkeys, or sailing by ship when possible.
- Land travel speeds averaged around 15-20 miles per day on foot or by animal.
- Sea travel by ship could cover 50-100 miles per day depending on winds and currents.
So if Timothy traveled only by land, walking and riding animals, the journey would have taken around 3-4 months to reach Rome from Asia Minor, covering 15-20 miles per day.
However, it's more likely he combined land and sea travel, which could significantly reduce the time:
- A ship from Ephesus across the Aegean Sea to Athens was around 5-7 days.
- From Athens overland to the port of Brindisi in Italy was around 2 weeks.
- A ship from Brindisi up the Italian peninsula to Rome was 5-7 more days.
Using this combined route, the total journey could have taken around 1-1.5 months with favorable winds and no delays. Of course, bad weather, shipwrecks, or other issues could have extended this considerably in ancient travel conditions.
So in summary, Paul summoning Timothy from Asia Minor to Rome would likely have required at least 1-2 months of very difficult travel in the 1st century AD.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Who is God?
What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?
Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)
What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)
How do I do it?
Let’s ask some summary sermon questions:
Q. What do I want them to know?
A.
Q. Why do I want them to know it?
A.
Q. What do I want them to do about it?
A.
Q. Why do I want them to do it?
A.
Q. How can they begin to do this?
A.
OUTLINES
Outline Bible (Willmington)
—
OUTLINE (by WW)
“The essentials for a successful ministry have not changed: courageous enthusiasm, shameless suffering, and spiritual loyalty.” -WW
THE PASTORAL APPEAL—chapter 1
A. Courageous enthusiasm—1:1–7 4 Encouragements:
Paul’s love. (1-2)
Paul’s prayers. (3-4)
Paul’s confidence in Timothy. (5)
God’s gift to Timothy. (6-7)
B. Shameless suffering—1:8–12
Be not ashamed of the Lord’s testimony. (8-10)
God gives us power. (8)
2 Timothy 1:8 (The Bible Exposition Commentary): “Years ago, I read about a Christian who was in prison because of his faith. He was to be burned at the stake, and he was certain he would never be able to endure the suffering. One night, he experimented with pain by putting his little finger into the candle flame. It hurt, and he immediately withdrew it. “I will disgrace my Lord,” he said to himself. “I cannot bear the pain.” But when the hour came for him to die, he praised God and gave a noble witness for Jesus Christ. God gave him the power when he needed it, and not before.” (WW)
God has called us by his grace. (9)
Christ has defeated death. (10)
Four reasons not to be ashamed of his association with Paul, the prisoner:
Paul was called by God. (11)
A herald—official messenger of the king
An apostle—one sent with a commission
A teacher—shepherd to the local church
Paul was confident in Christ. (12)
C. Spiritual loyalty—1:13–18
Be loyal to God’s word. (13-14)
Be loyal to God’s servant. (15-18)
Outline by Merida
I. A Gospel-Centered Letter
II. A Gospel-Centered Leader (1:1-7)
A. Paul: Called by the will of God (1:1)
The origin of Paul’s apostleship (1:1b)
The purpose of Paul’s apostleship (1:1c)
B. Timothy: Shaped by the grace of God (1:2-7)
A personal mentor (1:2-4)
A godly mother (1:5)
The Spirit and the gifts (1:6-7)
OUTLINE by WW
Key theme: Preparation for the ministry in the last days
Key verses: 2 Timothy 1:13–14
I. THE PASTORAL APPEAL—chapter 1
A. Courageous enthusiasm—1:1–7
B. Shameless suffering—1:8–12
C. Spiritual loyalty—1:13–18
II. THE PRACTICAL APPEAL—chapter 2
A. The steward—2:1–2
B. The soldier—2:3–4, 8–13
C. The athlete—2:5
D. The farmer—2:6–7
E. The workman—2:14–18
F. The vessel—2:19–22
G. The servant—2:23–26
III. THE PROPHETIC APPEAL—chapter 3
A. Turn away from the false—3:1–9
B. Follow those who are true—3:10–12
C. Continue in God’s Word—3:13–17
IV. THE PERSONAL APPEAL—chapter 4
A. Preach the Word—4:1–4
OUTLINE by BKC
I. Salutation (1:1–2)
II. Call to Faithfulness (1:3–18)
A. Thanksgiving for Timothy (1:3–7)
B. Call to courage (1:8–12)
C. Call to guard the truth (1:13–14)
D. Examples of unfaithfulness and faithfulness (1:15–18)
III. Challenge to Endurance (2:1–13)
A. Enduring hardship for Christ (2:1–7)
B. Christ’s example of endurance (2:8–10)
C. A faithful saying (2:11–13)
IV. Marks of a Good Workman (2:14–26)
A. Faithfulness in ministry (2:14–19)
B. A clean instrument (2:20–21)
C. Faithfulness in conduct (2:22–26)
V. Predictions of Faithlessness (3:1–9)
VI. Challenge to Faithful Preaching (3:10–4:8)
A. Faithfulness in the face of opposition (3:10–13)
B. Faithfulness to God’s Word (3:14–4:5)
C. Faithfulness of Paul (4:6–8)
VII. Reminder of God’s Faithfulness in Paul’s Adversity (4:9–18)
A. Paul’s enemies and friends (4:9–16)
B. Paul’s deliverance by the Lord (4:17–18)
VIII. Final Greetings (4:19–22)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/
Retell the story in your own words.
Discovery the story
What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about people?
If this is really true, what should I do?
What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)
What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)
Who am I going to tell about this?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:
Who is God?
What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?
Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)
What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)
How do I do it?
Final Questions (Write this down)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
MAIN REFERENCES USED
“1 - 2 Timothy,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes
“1 & 2 Timothy” by John Stott
Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus, David Platt, Daniel Akin, Tony Merida
“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)
“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner (VW)
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)
Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/
Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)
ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org
“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)
ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt
“The Treasure Principle” by Randy Alcorn