Invite Culture “No Perfect People Allowed”
Did you have an opportunity to invite someone to worship or growth group?
5×5 Nuggets (5 NT chapters each week; 5 minutes per day)
Were there any insights gained that you would like to share with the group? Week of September 22 Titus 2-3, 1 John 1-3
Week of September 29 1 John 4-5, 2 John, 3 John
Week of October 3, 2019 1 Peter 1-5
OPEN
Read 2 Timothy 3:10-17
What role does the Scripture play in your life?
DIG
- What does Paul mean that “Yet the Lord has rescued me from all of them” (v. 11)? Does it mean he did not have to face persecutions? What is the promise in verse 12?
- According to v.14, what should Timothy do knowing that he would be persecuted?
- What“sacred scriptures” would Paul and Timothy have been familiar with?
- For you to “continue in what you have learned” (v. 14), what have you already
learned?
- Imagine you are explaining verses 16-17 to an unbeliever, what would you say?
- What important biblical doctrine or doctrines can we get from these verses? What
implications do they have for us?
REFLECT
1. How does our understanding of Scripture impact our devotion to God?
2. In what way does Scripture’s authority encourage us to share the gospel with others?
TEACHING POINTS
- Verses 10-11 are in stark contract to vv. 2-3. These two verses show the things we should be pursuing. Timothy had learned these character qualities form Paul.
- Persecutions and sufferings. Jews from Antioch and Iconic chased Paul down and stoned him, leaving him for dead in Lystra. Timothy was supposed to “follow” these persecutions. As he followed Paul’s teaching, conduct, and purpose it would inevitably lead him to persecution (v. 12). Timothy was not to let this sway him. In fact, this is the overarching theme of the entire book of 2 Timothy. Paul reminds Timothy to be strong in God’s grace and that he was not given a spirit of fear, but of power and love and faith. He was not to be ashamed of Paul or afraid that he would face a similar fate. Instead he was to continue on the path God had prepared for him. He was to persevere. he was to stand firm. He must never give up, never compromise, never quit.
- The godly in Christ will be persecuted. This says “all” will be. Do not be surprise when persecution comes. We should expect it. Since we expect it we should prepare for it. We should be ready. Like Paul told Timothy, we should be strong in grace. We should not be ashamed of the Lord or of His people. Are we ready to give our lives for Christ? Are we ready to give our freedoms? Am I ready? While it seems like that day is far away, the world is changing. Governments are becoming increasingly opposed to the gospel. In our lifetimes we may see a large number of Christians all around the world being imprisoned or martyred for their faith. We should strengthen our relationship with God now so that we will be able to stand firm on the solid rock when the storms come.
- We are not to fall for imposters or deceivers (v. 13). How can we keep from being deceived? How could Eve have kept from being deceived in the garden?
- Instead we are to continue on doing the things we have learned. A major theme of this letter is Paul telling Timothy he should keep dong what he should do. Don’t give up.
- All Scripture is inspired by God—not just part or most. All. There are four purposes for God’s Word listed. We must focus on all four and not miss one in order to be properly equipped.