 Shalom and good morning everyone. Welcome to class. We began studying Second Timothy last week. We did chapters one and we began studying chapter two. We looked at chapter two right up to verse seven where we looked at three analogies that Paul mentions in verses three to verse seven in chapter two where he's talking about the analogy of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer and basically trying to highlight few characteristics for Timothy to be a good minister of the Lord and how he you know needs to serve God as a good minister. So we continue with the Second Timothy chapter two versus eight onwards and before we look into God's Word and study God's Word let's just pause for a word of prayer so we can ask success or Lyndon anyone to lead us in prayer please. Lyndon no success anyone can lead us in prayer please. Good morning. Good morning success. Thank you. You're welcome. Yes ma. Are you saying something to me? Yes I asked you to lead us in prayer please. Alright let's pray. Our Father in the mighty name of Jesus the almighty king of glory want to thank you this morning for giving us a privilege to be alive again to learn at your feet this morning. Be thou glorified in the mighty name of Jesus. Lord we commit we commit our letter into your hands this morning. My Father my God please Lord guide us and give us that wisdom from you in the mighty name of Jesus. Above all oh Lord all we have been learning my Father my God let be useful in your kingdom and benefit of our life and everyone around us in the name of Jesus Christ. Father I will commit our letter into your hands our pastor. Father release your wisdom unto her in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you my Father in Jesus name we pray. Amen. So we will continue looking at chapter 2 verses 8 onwards can one of you please read verses 8 to 10 please. Second Timothy chapter 2 verses 8 to 10 can one of you please read. Amen. Thank you that's all my network is giving me issue. Success could you mute your mic please. Thank you. Someone can read Second Timothy chapter 2 verse 8 to 10. Go ahead Rebecca. Remember that that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel for which I suffered terrible as an evildoer even to the point of change but the law the Word of God is not changed therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with internal glory. Amen. Thank you Loubica. So here Paul is telling reminding Timothy saying remember you know what he needs to keep in the forefront of his message and so he's telling him what he needs to preach or what he needs to teach so he's saying that in the forefront of your message you need to talk about you know the the truths of who Jesus is so he's saying that you know speak about this he's saying that Jesus the seed of David you know which is basically mean to say that even though Jesus was fully God he was fully man another important aspect he's mentioning here is he was raised from the dead which is a great fact and a great credential that authenticates you know or gives authenticity to what Jesus Christ has done that he has made that full sufficient perfect sacrifice and resurrection basically is a testing of proving to the fact that Jesus's sacrifice yes was indeed full sufficient and perfect it was something that was pleasing to God it pleased the heart of God it also appeased God in the sense that you know the debt for sin was fully made so resurrection is is important in that sense because it it proves that you know that God the Father was pleased with the sacrifice and your torment was made in full and you know restitution was also made for the sins of the entire mankind and it just you know the God that was wronged by us since the debt was paid in full okay so basically the trespass offering that required atonement and restitution for our sins so it's talking resurrection gives credibility to the intense authenticity of what Jesus Christ has done you know so he's saying Jesus Christ is raised from the dead which means now he is he's gone back to the father he's God so for Paul you know it was essential that Timothy remembers these important truths and teaches these important truths and then Paul says you know according to my gospel you know of course gospel belong to Paul in the sense that he preached it but it also belong to him in the sense that he believed it and it was his gospel because you know he received it he received revelations and look at how he personalizes this whole gospel it's not something that he was just called to something that he has to do something that he has to suffer for the sake of God you know the sake of the gospel but it was something that he believed in is a sense of ownership so that is how we should look at the gospel you know or that is what the gospel should mean to each one of us as individual believers and Christians so you know this gospel that we have received is something that we don't just keep to ourselves but we preach and also it's a gospel that we would be you know should be willing to end your hardships and when we end your hardships for the sake of the gospel you know others can obtain salvation so he's saying in verse 9 for which I suffered trouble as an evil doer so he's saying that I'm suffering for the sake of the gospel but I'm suffering here as somebody who's doing evil okay and he even to the point of the of chains but the word of God is not change so Paul is telling Timothy look at me Timothy you know I'm preaching the resurrected Savior I'm preaching this Jesus who is and and look at me where I am I am in chains but so he's telling Timothy that I'm not just telling you that you should end your hardships I'm not just telling you that you should work hard for the sake of the gospel I'm not just telling you that hey you need to stay put in your post that God has called you to but look at me as well you know I'm also going through hardships I'm also suffering I'm here because not because I'm an evil doer I've done something evil but I'm here because the sake of the gospel and I'm in chains and I'm doing so so that we can receive salvation so he's basically encouraging Timothy's reminding Timothy the calling that we have why the gospel is entrusted to us calling is not just a privilege but it's also a responsibility you know and even when we go through suffering and persecution for the sake of the gospel you know we should look at it in a positive way we should look at it in a way in a sense that hey this is going to serve the furtherance of the gospel through this you know people are going to receive salvation okay so that is the whole purpose of us receiving the gospel preaching the gospel teaching it and also living out the gospel so that others can be saved we'll move on to verses 11 to verse 13 can somebody do verse 11 to 13 please and someone please say it was 11 to 30 this is a faithful saying for we were if we died with him we shall also live with him if we endure we shall also reign with him if we deny him we should he will also deny us if we are faithless he remains faithful he cannot deny himself amen thank you Lubeen so what is Paul trying to mention by saying you know by writing these three verses he's saying that hey this is our hope in the midst of enduring hardships you know this is our hope that if we die we will live okay we live only if we endure hardships you know if we endure and stay and stand firm in our calling in our love for Christ you know we are going to free and we all know that you know suffering is just momentary it'll pass away but there will be a time when we will rain a rain in the Millennium Kingdom with Jesus so even as we suffer now Paul is suffering he knows Timothy is suffering but he's giving him hope in the midst of his hardship he's saying we have hope we will reign with him okay but on the other hand Paul is also reminding Timothy the consequences of what if we deny okay the consequences of denial is also is severe you know if we deny him but there is no choice for God to deny us okay remember Jesus said if he can confess him before men he will confess us before the Father in heaven and if we deny him before then he will also deny us before the Father in heaven okay so our denial or our denying Jesus Christ and us becoming faithless you know does impact us it impacts us to a great extent but we need to remember it does not change anything from God's end you know it does not change anything from his end which means that if any of us you know had moments when we denied the Lord you know or we did go through moments of faithlessness you know that we can get back to God because he has not changed he's the same same forgiving gracious compassionate merciful loving God you know he hasn't changed he would always receive us back he will forgive us okay and because he still remains faithful to who he is and he will strengthen us he will revive us he will bring us back and he will take us to higher levels okay because he continues to stay faithful even in the midst of our ups and downs okay so what is there a difference between denying and faithless you know denying is basically basically saying no right you denying means you're saying no I did not do this you know and faithless is when we go through moments of up and ups and downs in our faith when sometimes our faith is slow and down sometimes it's you know really high but in spite of all that God still remains faithful so our denial and our faithlessness you know impacts us but it does not change anything from his end okay we move on to verses 14 and 15 before that anyone has any questions or doubts okay can someone read verses 14 to verse 18 please second Timothy chapter 2 verses 14 to 18 can someone read that remind them of these things charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no coffee to ruin of the terrorist be a religion to present yourself at work to God a worker who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the world of but some profound and idle baboons for they will increase to more ungodliness and their message will spread like cancer he means news and philithios are of this sort who have straight concerning the truth saying that the resurrection is already past and they overdraw the fate of some amen thank you as a little e so was 14 Paul is saying remind them of these things no so after reminding Timothy of the essential points of the gospel or the essential truths of the gospel Paul adds on to remind Timothy what his hearers need to hear so he added that Timothy must always remind his hearers of these things so you know basically the things that he has mentioned is in second Timothy chapter 2 verse 8 he says remember that Christ Jesus of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel and then you know what are the other things that he needs to remind them of is the second Timothy chapter 2 verses 11 to 13 says before if they died with him we should also live with him we deny him he will also deny us if you are faithless he remains faithful he cannot deny him so Timothy's job as a pastor you know was to keep his congregation always focused on the gospel you know and that also reminds us as ministers of God pastors people who are teachers of the word of God you know sometimes we can preach or teach what people want to hear you know it can just be stories it can be philosophies it can be you know things that would with show us as good orators talkers you know preachers but it's important that as ministers of the gospel it's important that we stay focused on teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people okay so we must teach we must exalt God's people you know from the word of God from the gospel the truth that is in the word of God and so he's also telling Timothy that you know we must also teach an exalt God's people to stay awake on engaging in useless things like fighting over words ideas arguments that bring no benefit again we've already looked at this in first Timothy so he's just reiterating this and he's telling him you know don't have anything to do with all of these things because this is not the arguments and fighting over words it's not going to bring benefit to anyone and then verse 15 he says be diligent to present yourselves approved to God a worker who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth so be diligent basically means you know be focused you know and this is an ongoing continuous work and we need to pursue this with great perseverance endurance and you know carefully you know and be focused in preaching and teaching God's word but also here he's telling areas when you need to be diligent okay he says the first area he says be diligent to present yourselves as one of proof to God that means be someone Timothy who lives in a manner that is pleasing and honorable and righteous before God walk in a way that is righteous and holy and pleasing before God and the other area that he's talking about in being diligent of being focused is that you know or you need to do pursue it with great earnestness is be a worker who does not need to be ashamed okay means work in such a way that you were not you know you were not put God to shame you will not breathe the Holy Spirit you will not quench the Holy Spirit and you know you will not have to do anything that you stand ashamed before God which means he's basically telling fulfill your calling and what God has asked you to do and the third thing of course you know he's saying rightly divide the word of God be careful how we handle the word of God you know rightly dissect it you know so it's important that you understand the truth you understand the word of God and teach it in the right way okay so even as Paul is telling mentioning these and listing these three areas where Timothy needs to be diligent or focused as a pastor as one who's called by God it's also speaks to us in our time and in our age that we need to be diligent to present ourselves as one who's approved to God also secondly to be a worker who does not need to be ashamed and rightly dividing the word of truth okay as pastors it's an essential that we work hard to master the right to right know the right tools of interpretation and interpret the word of God in the right way because there are so many interpretations or so many theologians with their commentaries their interpretation of the word of God it's it's okay to read them but ultimately ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to us that we can interpret the word of God in the right way so he's saying you know we need to be very very careful how we handle the word of God because if you listen to many well-known speakers and preachers you know there are many things that they preach well but if you listen to them in some of their messages they're slowly digressing away from the truth or the doctrine that is in the word of God and it's important when you hear them not to just take everything or deceive everything but important to go back and see whether it's the truth or what is aligned with the rest of scripture because scripture interprets scriptures or the rest of scripture is also talking about the same thing so these are the three areas we also need to be diligent you know and it's an ongoing continuous group work that we must you know pursue with great earnestness it was 16 you know and 17 and 18 he's basically telling a committee don't involve in any idle silly talk and then he's mentioning two people here hymenious and a pilotess you know we do not know anything much about these two men only that hymenious we read about hymenious in Pistimony chapter 1 was 20 where Paul tells him you know to hand him over to Satan but all we know what these men were these men were engaging in ungodly talk and useless talk which was kind of destroying the faith of others you know so Paul dealt with them and as he mentions in first Timothy chapter 1 was 20 again so he's saying that you know be careful of these people and the message that they are speaking about because they are overthrowing some from the faith and then he goes on to tell Timothy a few more things in verses 19 to 21 so can somebody please read verses 19 to 21 please this is 19 to 21 nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands having this seal the Lord knows those who are his and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity but in a great house there are not only vessels of God and silver but also of wood and clay some of honor and some for dishonor therefore if anyone cleans himself from the letter he will be a vessel for honor sanctified and useful for the maker prepared for every good work amen thank you big up so Paul is saying nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands having this seal so say no no matter what these false teachers are teaching no matter what message they are spreading whether their message is spreading like wildfire or like cancer that destroys a person's faith that destroys a person's spirit soul and body you know and overthrowing some from their faith you know it doesn't matter you know if they're doing all of this you know what Paul is making clear is that the kingdom of God cannot be shaken okay so he's saying no matter even if some are overthrown from their faith it doesn't matter how many fall away how many reject the truth how many go after these profane and vain babblings Paul is making something clear that the kingdom of God cannot be shaken okay the false teachings that false arguments and their debates and everything that they are saying you know nothing is going to matter nothing is going to shake the kingdom of God yes some people may fall away some will reject the truth you know some will follow after these vain and profane babblings but nothing would shake the kingdom of God okay and then he talks about the he quotes basically the Old Westminster the Lord knows those who are his and let everyone who knows the name of Christ depart from in a bit he basically is quoting from mentioning the story from Numbers chapter 16 where he's talking about Kora's rebellion against Moses and you know the Kora and a few other people are rebel against Moses and Moses tells them you know the Lord will show who is his and who is holy and will bring him near to himself even the one who he will choose so like you know these people were saying hey most are you the only leader God has chosen as he's not chosen us he's not chosen others as well and so that was Kora's rebellion so Moses is telling them that you know God will show you they were all called to the tent of meeting and God was going to show him a self and you know who is the leader he has chosen so he says the Lord will show you who is his and who is holy and bring him near to himself even the one who he will choose so he basically also you know in Numbers chapter 16 was 26 and won the congregation to depart from the tents of these wicked men before God is going to destroy them so God you know actually showed up and he showed them and he had chosen Moses as a leader and how he destroyed Kora and the other men who rebelled so tells them to he wants a congregation to depart from these tents of these wicked people you know before God will destroy them so it's true that God knows who are his and he calls those who are his you know to leave their sin behind and you know to pursue him to do what he has purposed and call them to so you know even as God's solid foundation of God's existence the kingdom of God cannot be shaken you know the same way God has also given us a solid foundation on which we can stand against all of these false teachers all of these you know vain babblings profane and vain babblings is a solid foundation of the truth in his word so we need to keep our focus on what God has given us as the solid foundation that his word and focus on it and study it and you know let that uphold our lives and then Paul goes on to draw from an analogy of utensils at home now you know in each of our homes we have vessels that we use for ordinary everyday use and then we have special vessels that we use for special occasions and special purposes okay and some of these utensils that we have for special purposes special uses you know is something that is very priced for the sum of us is expensive and you know when we have guests at home when we have special occasions and functions we bring out these utensils and we're kind of proud of it because the the beauty and you know the design and how expensive it is and how beautiful and nice it and look so we just put them on display and it's basically used to serve you know special food and you know when we have special guests at home okay now here Paul is saying to be a vessel for honor you know this meaning of vessel that can be used for special purposes okay for honorable use so and it's a vessel that brings honor so you know if you want to be a vessel that God wants to use that he wants to put on display that he wants to you know release his anointing his power his purpose you know then there are four things that we need to do there are four important requirements to be that vessel of honor before I mentioned the four things you know here it does not say that you know only few of them are chosen to be vessels of honor okay and few are chosen to be vessels for ordinary use it's not a God has chosen some of us for ordinary use and he's not it's not that he's chosen some of us for special use but what does the word of God say here he says that you know but anyone therefore if anyone cleanses cleanses himself from the latter okay he will be a vessel of honor sanctified and useful for the master prepared for every good work okay so if you cleanse yourself you know and set yourself up and you know of things that's not dishonoring in God's sight you're basically setting yourself up as a vessel for honor where God can sanctify you and use you for the good work that he has prepared in advance even for the foundation of the world for you to do so that is very very encouraging that the opportunity is for anyone to be a vessel of honor it's open to all anyone can step in but there's work to be that there's something that we need to do on our sorry there's something that we need to do on our part and what is that that we need to do for requirements first thing is being to be cleansed which means that you know we need to depart from sin you know we need to cleanse ourselves from dishonor we need to leave sin move away from sin not feed our sinful fleshly desires and lust and passions of the flesh the first thing is to be cleansed the second one is to be sanctified which means to be set apart to be holy as unto the Lord the third thing is to be useful which means we need to be readily available readily to be used by the master and the fourth one is to be prepared that means to equip ourselves to be ready to be used by the father okay so these are the four things that we need to do and you know when we step in and work to fulfill these requirements you know we become a vessel of honor okay where God can you know use us for the good work that is prepared for us even before the foundation of the world and we can be useful for the master okay so we see that we remember we read this even in verse one that it's possible by the grace of Jesus Christ okay sometimes we think hey how can I meet these four requirements it's not something that we do in our own strength but it's possible by the grace of God and we study this in in verse one and then he goes on to talk tell Timothy a few more things that he needs to do so we'll continue reading from verses 22 to 26 can somebody read verses 22 to 26 please anyone would like to read a second Timothy chapter 2 verses 22 to 26 go ahead Zaluturi we also you pulled us but pursue righteousness faith love peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart but avoid pollution ignoring this peace knowing that they generate strife and a servant of the Lord was not cruel but be gentle to all able to teach patient in humility correcting those who are in opposition if God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth and that they may come to their senses and establish that's near of the devil haven't been taken captive by him to do this we meant thank you so here he's saying you know in the view of becoming a vessel of honor you know sometimes when we look at people who God is you know being using them mightly you know they're just fulfilling the purpose of God God is just powerfully using them we can see great anointing great move of God in their lives we think you know God has chosen them you know for that specific thing it's not that God has just chosen them and not chosen us God has chosen all of us and he has great plans and purposes for all of us to do it's only that these people have come to a place where they want to be that vessels of honor I don't know how many of you desire you know to be vessels of honor to do great things to accomplish great things for God for his kingdom to see his kingdom be mightily extended in and through your lives and so you know if you you know desire to do that you know God is more than pleased more than happy to you know just pour out into your life and use your might for what his plan and purpose for your life so he's saying here in the view of becoming that vessel of honor you know we have only one choice and what is that choice stay away from ungodly lust ungodly passions and desires and instead we say pursue righteousness faith love and peace and he's saying do this but those who call on the Lord with a pure heart so here it's an idea of togetherness and community okay so be part of a community where they are pursuing righteousness faith love and peace so you know we we live out our life in community which means we live along with others who also pursue righteousness faith love peace godliness holiness you know and if you want to be vessels of honor you know we need to be with those who are doing the same thing okay because when they're doing the same thing we also have the passion and that desire to do the same thing okay so you know God is calling all of us you know to flee the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and to pursue righteousness do what is right in God's sight and you know pursue faith love peace with those who call on God with a pure heart then he says you know avoid foolish and ignorant disputes knowing that they generate strife what we have already seen this and he's saying the servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all able to teach and patience so he's saying hey Timothy there will be people who oppose you oppose the gospel opposed Jesus Christ and how do you handle them you know he's saying don't firstly don't get into foolish arguments and disputes because you know that they're not going to bring an end to anything that's not going to achieve anything it just produces division and strife and then he says secondly you know a servant of God must not fight must not quarrel that must be gentle and patient teaching everyone and even as gently patiently teaching correct everyone do so in humility even those who are opposing you you know you need to be gentle because we know the word of God says a gentle and a quiet spirit is great worth in God's sight okay so why is he telling him this because you know you know those who are doing this are basically taken captive by the devil the snare of the devil and you know we can't win over by just arguments we said that the Spirit of God move in them and work in them it is and it is God who would you know who alone can move them it's God alone who can bring them to a place of repentance it's God alone who can help them to embrace the truth so you know they can come to that once they come to the senses they know that you know or once they are out of the fellowship under the power of the devil you know they're going to difficulties and hardships you know and they come to their senses and they come out of the devil and you know they are in right relationship with God you know they they can they would not indulge in things that are of wrong teachings and doctors and so he's telling them I think this is how you need to minister or work along or you know how do you how do you treat or how do you retaliate or how do you handle people or who oppose the gospel who oppose you is in do this you know treat them in our gentleness to patient with them you know and teach them in gentleness correct them in humility those were opposing you okay and also this shows us the importance of prayer that you know while we do our part in sharing and teaching the truth in all love and gentleness and patience we need to also pray that people would come to the truth they would know the truth they would come out of the snare of the evil one even as the evil one has taken them captive with with his lies that they would come out they would overcome the enemy and they will know the truth in the truth will set them okay so that is second Timothy chapter 2 anyone has any questions doubts anything that you need for clarity on you can ask before we move on to chapter 3 no questions no doubts okay there no questions no doubts then we move on to second Timothy chapter 3 so I like all of you to please turn to second Timothy chapter 3 and we can all read that so there are basically 17 verses so if five of us or five of you can you know read three verses each and some of you can read four and help finish different people can read three verses each and we have someone who's never read five of you can just read three verses or three of you can read five to six verses that's also fine anyone like to start let me start second Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 I was talking there but know this that in the last days where Leo's times will come for men will be lovers of themselves lovers of money boosters fraud less members disobedient to parents and take unthinkful and holy unloving and forgiving slanders without self-control brutal brutal despicers of good traitors strong headstrong healthy lovers of major rather than lovers of God having a form of Godliness but behind its power and from such people turn away thank you Zalatoli can someone else continue to read I thought are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins led away by various lusts always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth and as Janus and Jambres resisted Moses so he's also resisted truth men of corrupt minds disapproved concerning the faith but they will progress no further for their folly will be manifest to all as theirs also was but you have carefully followed my doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-tuffing love perseverance persecutions afflictions which happened to me in Antioch at Iconium at Lystra what persecutions I endured and out of them all the Lord delivered me Amen thank you John Paul can someone read verses 12 to 17 please when asked like so to eat 12 to 17 even men and impostors will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived but you must continue in these things which you have learned and have been assured of knowing from whom you have thought them and that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for the correction for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be complete but only for every good work Thank you we'll begin studying chapter three before we study chapter three is there anything that really you know caught your attention here anything that really spoke to you you know you've or maybe your red second Timothy chapter three or you heard a sermon and the truth was reiterated in your heart you know even as we were reading this scripture portion or anything that God spoke to you like to share or any verse from this passage that is close to your heart reminds you of something that God taught you may anyone like to share anyone nothing from this passage of scripture yeah so I love the last verse 15 which says and that's from childhood you have known the holy scriptures you put it in English so in verse 15 it says that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures which I would make you wise for salvation I just I just love it how it says wise for salvation how the scriptures makes us experience I think like knowing Jesus is one part and then learning about Jesus is is another part I believe so so the more and more I know I know the scriptures the more and more like I can see even the difference from first year second year and third year the more people we know it makes us experience how sweet the salvation is and one thing I love about the scripture we just never get tired of like we study the same good over and over and over again which the worldly people can never do once they are done with the good they just want to go to the next one but something about the Bible is it always makes us learn new things so that's like how it says like make you wise for salvation something about the system straight out thank you jeffina now it's time for our break now we'll go for a break and come back and begin studying chapter 2 thank you