Take Hold of Endurance - 2 Timothy 3:1 - 4:8 - October 29, 2006

Sunday School Lesson – Take Hold of Endurance – October 29, 2006

This is lesson 5 in our series of study in our series “Equipped for Real Life.”

Our background scripture is 2 Timothy 3:1-4:8.

Our focus scripture is 2 Timothy 3:1, 10-17; 4:5-8.

Let’s examine the last verses in last Sunday’s lesson.

Let’s read 2 Timothy 2:25-26:

25 instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance to know the truth. 26 Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.

Paul is saying there is hope even for those who have been deceived and led astray by Satan. GOD is their only hope to “Grant then repentance to know the truth.” GOD is a Christian’s hope when he or she is deceived and is disappointed in GOD. GOD is mankind’s only source for knowledge and truth about HIM. The Bible contains HIS WORDS to all mankind for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training. The Bible is foundational for mankind to get to know GOD and seek a loving intimate relationship with HIM through CHRIST.

The words to “know” and “truth” are two (2) key words in establishing a Christian’s foundation. Christians and non-Christians alike can be misled. When a person is misled, he is to seek the truth. The Christian and non-Christian both can seek the truth from GOD through prayer and Bible study. The non-Christian is led first to CHRIST. When the non-Christian becomes a Christian, this places that person on a path to build a personal relationship with CHRIST and further revelation of the truth.
As Christians, we discover that having a loving intimate relationship with our LORD provides us the opportunity to get to truly know HIM. This in turn allows GOD to reveal more truth to us as we walk with HIM each moment.

When we “know” the truth, through an intimate relationship with CHRIST, this allows us to respond in service to HIM. Knowing the truth exposes the false. Satan’s greatest weapon against Christians and mankind alike is to mislead them with half-truths and lies. Often we form our Christian foundation based upon the teaching and life style of others. If we let our minds become clouded with false doctrine, when we rely upon GOD during difficult times, the result is disappointment. Rather than blaming GOD we need to lay our disappointment(s) on the table before our LORD and let HIM reveal the truth and error regarding a situation in our lives.

We can only embrace endurance when we are on a firm foundation of truth by knowing our LORD. I encourage each one to lay before HIM all their notions, moments of disappointment, times of confusion, doubts and those very personal times you have felt GOD has let you down. Ask HIM to reveal truth to you. Trust that over time HE will reveal truth to you. Seek the truth through the study of the Bible, prayer and the enlightenment which only the HOLY SPIRIT can reveal to you. A firm foundation is vital for a Christian to endure during difficult times. Sometimes the journey through difficult situations can bring us into a closer relationship with our LORD or it can cause us to doubt the LORD. Doubts are healthy when we seek the truth.

Let’s examine our scripture.

Let’s read 2 Timothy 3:1, 10-13:

1 But know this: difficult times will come in the last days.

10 But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, 11 along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. 12 In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 Evil people and imposters will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Paul’s message to Pastor Timothy is also the Christian’s today; difficult times are coming. Paul tells us about some of the things that will go on during these difficult times in the verses leading up to verse 10.

In verse 10, we see some of the building blocks for a firm foundation and why the foundation is important.

So let’s examine some of these building blocks in Paul’s ministry of the gospel:

Solid teaching - The gospel message of CHRIST is the foundation that must never be compromised.

Conduct – The guiding principles that guided his life are founded in his love and faith in CHRIST which in turn is expressed in his conduct.

Purpose – His passion to know and proclaim CHRIST without any hesitation under any conditions. He wanted others to know CHRIST because he knew CHRIST was mankind’s only hope.

Faith – His absolute confidence and trust in CHRIST as GOD’S ONLY SON, WHO died for the sins of mankind and was resurrected from the dead as proof that HE is GOD’S ONLY SON.

Patience – He knew that only GOD can change the lives of people and he waited upon the LORD to reveal Himself to the lost and he was confident CHRIST would change their lives. His calling was to present the gospel and GOD produced the results.

Love – He knew that GOD loved him beyond comprehension and therefore he, in turned, loved others with that same unconditional love.

Endurance – He had experienced the hand and the power of the LORD working in his life in many situations. His complete trust was in GOD’S ability to bring the best result out of a situation. We can endure a situation when we have confidence in GOD. This comes from knowing HIM and having a personal intimate relationship with HIM.

Paul reminds them that they know of the persecutions and sufferings he has encountered. The LORD has sustained him through them all. Paul was living proof of GOD’S sufficiency.

As we encounter these last days, things will get worse and we can only overcome bad times through the strength the LORD provides because we rest upon a firm foundation. When an earthquake hits an area, only the structures which are on a foundation engineered to withstand earthquakes will survive. Ask GOD to make sure your foundation is firm.

Paul makes us a promise that all who serve CHRIST will be persecuted one way or the other. Satan will be the earthquake in the lives of Christians. His onslaughts are directed to destroy the Christian. Only when we have the firm foundation of CHRIST can we stand. Ephesians 6 tells us about the battle we will fight. It is not a battle with flesh and blood but with the spirit world.

This leads Paul to remind all Christians that Satan has a cast of characters who will come out of the woodwork to deceive, confuse, mislead and attempt to destroy people in general but especially Christians. These are evil people and impostors. The most dangerous deceivers are the deceivers who really believe what they are saying. They are deceived and in turn deceive others.

So fellow Christian always verify what you hear with what the Bible has to say about the subject, issue, doctrine or your faith journey.

Let’s read 2 Timothy 3:14-17:

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing those from whom you learned, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God[2] Lit breathed out by God; the Scripture is the product of God’s Spirit working through men; see 2 Pt 1:20–21. and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Paul puts the role of the scriptures into perspective by telling Pastor Timothy to rely upon them. The scriptures foretold the coming of JESUS, to be born of a virgin, about HIS sinless life, HIS death and HIS resurrection. The scripture has been confirmed in JESUS and sealed by the HOLY SPIRIT.

Paul tells Pastor Timothy to think about the scripture and how reliable it has been. The scripture was written hundreds of years prior to the birth of JESUS by many earthly writers yet with pinpoint accuracy. The only explanation is that GOD is the author and it is a living document because GOD reveals Himself through HIS WORDS as HE directed it to be written.

Since GOD is the author the scripture, all scripture is profitable for:

Teaching – The scriptures are the source of truth for a person seeking the truth. Since they are inspired by GOD, GOD is alive in the scripture and HE will reveal the truth to those that earnestly seek the truth. The scripture can be read as any book. Or it can be read by one who seeks truth and it comes alive and reveals truth. The power is not in the words but in GOD, WHO gives power to understand the words.

Rebuking – The scripture can show us the error of our way or the error in false teaching. It can convict us of our sins whether they are sins of action, thought or attitude.

Correcting – Not only does the scripture show us the error but also shows us how to correct the error. It shows us how to get back on the right path and how to stay on the right path.

Training – Scripture convicts us and we repent. Then it provides the training for us to stay on the right path to live life as GOD directs us.

Scripture provides a system by which we can develop, mature and walk as GOD wants us to walk as a fully mature Christian. Scripture is critical in the life of every Christian. It helps us to cope with life’s situations and to be fully equipped to serve our LORD during difficult times and helps us to endure.

Let’s read 2 Timothy 4:5-8:

5 But as for you, keep a clear head about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 In the future, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.

Paul tells Pastor Timothy that above all he must keep a clear head during these difficult times. His congregation will be looking to him for leadership and if he falters then so will some of them. Keeping a clear head also carries the meaning of staying on the alert or be on the lookout for false teachings.

All Christians were called into ministry when CHRIST gave the great commission. Christians are called into a wide variety of ministries. Paul instructed Timothy to fulfill his ministry.

Then Paul uses himself as an example of staying the course and fighting the good fight. Paul had endured. Soon he would be facing his final hearing before Nero. A drink offering was poured out as an accompaniment to the burnt offering when the sacrifice was made. Paul sees his days on earth drawing to a close and he will be poured out. Then he mentions his departure. Departure was used when one would unyoke an animal or loosen the ropes that tied a ship. This is not a sad moment but one of joy because Paul had (1) fought the fight, (2) had finished the race and (3) kept the faith. Paul knew he would receive a crown of righteousness from GOD.

Crowns were given in the Olympic Games and were considered the greatest honor possible. The Olympic crowns were laurel wreaths, which only lasted a few days.

Paul had served the LORD faithfully and Paul knew that the LORD has a crown of righteousness reserved for him on the day HE hands out rewards to all those who have been faithful to their calling. CHRIST will act as the righteous judge who will act not as a judge in a judicial sense but as an umpire for living our lives in accordance with our calling.

Christians are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We are the only truth others may ever see. It is vital that we know the truth and live the truth. This is only possible with the power and presence of CHRIST in us as manifested by the HOLY SPIRIT.

This is a message to all Christians and especially to those who teach and preach the scriptures. All are included because all of us teach others by our example as a Christian. We must keep a clear head and present and live the truth. One way to expose false teachings is to present the truth by living the truth. This comes from experiencing our LORD in our daily lives as we study the scripture, walk with HIM each moment and seek to do HIS will.

Again to live as GOD wants us to live can only be accomplished when we have a loving intimate relationship with HIM. Such a relationship gives us the strength to endure when difficult times come into our lives. We have the joy of knowing when we faithfully serve our LORD there is a Crown of Righteousness waiting for us.

When we think about certain difficulties coming our way, it seems impossible to endure them. But when difficulties come, as Christians, there is an inner strength that GOD gives us, when we need it. We do not receive it until that moment comes in our lives.

Our five (5) lessons have been foundational. We began our study with taking hold of truth. Then based upon truth, we take hold of Godliness. As we become grounded in Godliness we take hold of contentment. As we take hold of contentment, we also take hold of usefulness. Then finally once we are on a firm foundation of knowing and experiencing the truth of CHRIST in us through obedient service, we take hold of endurance.

Difficult times are coming. They are not for us to worry about but to prepare for by being on the solid foundation of truth, which is CHRIST in us.