Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:14-26
I. You are a worker in the church.
A. Verse 15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Workers are working on teaching the Bible to themselves and to others. We are all to make disciples of Jesus (2 Timothy 2:2) even if we are not all gifted Bible teachers like Timothy. We work hard to study the Bible and pass its truths on to others. We want to correct the false teachers who have twisted the Bible to fit their own purposes so that they too can find life in God and in His Son Jesus Christ.
B. Two false teachers in Timothy’s day who were not getting it straight or giving it straight are mentioned in vs. 17: Hymenaeus and Philetus. They were swerving (vs. 18). Their error had to do with the resurrection. They were teaching that the resurrection has already happened (vs. 18). This does not refer to Jesus’ resurrection. It refers to our resurrection as believers. We are supposedly already living in the fullness of the resurrection’s blessings and of heaven. But this false teaching ignores the fact that we will not have our resurrection bodies until Jesus returns.
II. You are a useful vessel in the church.
A. Paul speaks of those useful vessels in vs. 20-21. A vessel is a container. Some vessels are made of wood and clay (vs. 20), and they are used for dishonorable purposes. But some vessels are made of gold and silver, and those vessels are used for honorable purposes. In every church (the house of vs. 20) there are both honorable and dishonorable vessels. In every church there are true believers passing on the true faith about Jesus. But sadly in the church there are also false believers and false teachers. You want to be a useful vessel for Jesus.
III. You are a household servant in the church.
A. The final part we play in the church as we keep calm and carry on is one of humility. I am not a king in Jesus’ great house. Verse 24 says I am just the Lord’s servant. Paul commands Timothy to move in 2 different directions in vs. 22. First, he tells Timothy to flee youthful passions like impatience, harshness and arguing. Then, he tells him to run after righteousness, faith, love and peace. God uses servants who are just like Jesus in their kindness, patience, gentleness and truth-speaking to help people turn around and come to Jesus in repentance (vs. 25).
Application:
Distance yourself from false teachers and false teaching. God knows those who are His.
Sources:
The Bible
Commentaries by Andreas Kostenberger, R. Kent Hughes, and Phillip Jensen.
Sermon Discussion Questions
1) What makes the hard work of getting the Bible’s teaching straight worth it? Where is a place at Hope where I can learn the Bible better?
2) Is it surprising that there are some dishonorable vessels like false teachers even in the church? What are the characteristics of an honorable vessel that Jesus can use (2 Timothy 2:21)?
3) What does God want us to flee from? What does God want us to pursue? Who is the one who leads people to repentance? What is my part in helping people come to repentance?