 Okay, welcome back after the break. We still have Prince and Kanran and Sivak to join us. Okay, so before the break, we looked at 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 2. Now we will move on to verses 3 to verse 7. So can one of you read verses 3 to verse 7 please? 3 to verse 7. Sorry, you can go ahead and read. Okay, you therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engage in warfare, in angels, himself, at angle, himself with the affairs of this life. That is, may place him who enlist him as a soldier. And also if anyone complete his athletics, he is not proud unless he completes according to the rules. The hard working farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Thank you, Kanran. So here Paul is mentioning or presenting to analogies. Analogies are something similar to something else. So he is trying to highlight a few characteristics, what the material power to be a good minister of the Lord and so he is presenting 3 analogies here. First of a soldier, then of an athlete and then of a farmer. So 3 analogies, soldier, athlete and farmer. And he is trying to highlight a few characteristics on how to be a good minister of the Lord from these 3 analogies. So he is telling athlete, endure hardships like a soldier. Being a analog god, a serving god is not an easy thing. And he says, you are now like a soldier. So if you want to serve god, it is not a life of needs or comfort. There are going to be difficulties. There are going to be totally filled with pain and suffering and difficulties. But it's also not going to be easy and it's not going to be a comfortable life. We need to be ready to go through hardships and difficulties and be like a soldier. A soldier is always ready for the call of. He was explaining, he is always there at his post, always there doing his responsibility. He is an inspector of whatever his physical needs are, he won't care for them. But he will be there to do what his commanding officer, the chief officer, the commanding officer has asked him to do. So we see that a soldier is always ready for the call of duty. A soldier who lives with his family and has his children, when it's a call of duty, he is ready to meet other people and just respond to the call. That means he is not caught up with his or entangled with all of his family affairs, his wife, his children. But he is always ready on the call of duty. You see that no man who is a soldier gets entangled with the affairs of this life. And for this everything we need to live that way, we need to be always ready to do what God is calling us to do. Now having said that, it does not mean that a soldier should not fulfill his responsibilities towards his spouse or to his family or parents or his children. Yes he does, but what we are saying here is greater than that, this is called for duty. And similarly, it does not mean that once we are serving God that we don't take care of our spouse or children or our parents. We do, we have to. That's also God given responsibility. But what God is saying is that we need to be always ready to what God calls us to do and not get entangled with the wrong things. But keep ourselves free to do what God has called us to do. So that is the analogy of a soldier, how a man of God needs to be a soldier. In the second period he talks about an athlete. Now an athlete he trains, but he got the disciplines his body, he works hard so that he can win the race. But for him to win the race, he needs to complete according to the rules. He has to take part in run the race according to the rules that are all set. So for example, when an athlete is running a race, he needs to only start, he has to be at the starting point firstly. Then he can only start when you hear the whistle blow or when the gun, you know, the gunshot. Here's the gunshot, that's when you can start the race. You can start it whenever he feels like running the race. And he needs to keep in his own lane, he cannot change the lanes. And he has to reach the finishing point, he has to cross the finishing line. That is when he can win the race. He can do a shot of getting a medal. So for understanding Timothy in the same way, we need to serve according to God's terms and not according to our own terms. We need to meet God's requirements, we need to meet His standards and we need to complete part of His rules. And you know, we need to come, align ourselves to the standards that He has placed for us. And we know that God has standards for His call that is placed on our lives and we need to live by those standards. So that is the analogy that is presenting of an attitude that we're completing according to the rules. The third analogy is that of a farmer. Now we all know farmers are very hardworking, you know, only a hardworking farmer can enjoy the fruits of his hard work and enjoy the harvest. If he does not work hard, he just sits there idle not doing anything, there will be no harvest, there will be no fruits. So a hardworking farmer will enjoy the fruits of his hard labor. So without hard work, they can do no harvest or they cannot enjoy the fruits the same way. When we serve God, it's not something that is going to be comfortable and easy. It's going to be hard work, we need to labor, we need to work hard. But you know, God has His promise in His work, we bless the work of our hands and we will enjoy the fruit of God. You know, a farmer will bring about a great and a rich harvest. And then Moses ate, he says, remember that Christ Jesus. Now this word, remember Paul, this is a warning because it was something that Timothy might easily forget. But he said it because Timothy needed to be reminded to keep this in the forefront of his message. Now what does he need to keep in the forefront of this message? That Jesus Christ is the seed of David. Timothy needed to keep this fact, present this fact or teach this fact or preach this fact. But Jesus was the Messiah of Israel who came in the seed of David. And this was supposed to be the forefront of his preaching. The next thing that he was raised from the dead according to my gospel. So he was raised from the dead, which is the greatest fact and also the greatest credential of the authenticity of Jesus Christ that he was resurrected from the dead. Now this phrase seed of David, it means that Jesus was raised from the dead. It also means that Jesus came as a seed of David. He means that Jesus was fully man who was raised from the dead, which means that Jesus was fully God. So it was essential for Timothy to remember and teach this truth about who Jesus was. That he was fully God and fully man. How is he fully God? He was a seed of David and was fully man because he was raised from the dead. And Paul says, according to my gospel, Paul was somebody who felt he was entrusted with the gospel. He was a custodian of the gospel. Somebody who was to guard the gospel. And he was not ashamed of the gospel. And he felt that the gospel belonged to him. In that sense, you know, he preached it. But also he says it belonged to him in the sense that he believed in it. Not just preached it, but he also believed in it. And it was his gospel. And it should also be the gospel of each one of us individually. That means we need to take ownership of the gospel in a sense that we need to believe it. We need to live by it. And we also need to preach it. That's when we show that the gospel belongs to us. And he says, this is because of this gospel that we preach, we will endure hardships. And when we endure these hardships, when we go through these hardships, when we persevere, when we endure, it is so that others can obtain salvation. So Paul is telling Timothy. See, I'm preaching the resurrected Savior and look at me where I am now. I am in chains. So he's telling Timothy that he's not just telling him to be like a soldier, a farmer and athlete. I'm not telling him that he has to endure hardships and serve God. It's not going to be easy. But he's saying look at my own life. I too am suffering. Like somebody who is like an evil dwarf who has done something wrong. They look for preaching the gospel. And that is why I'm in chains. But he's saying that, you know, he's saying that he's in chains. Like as I just say, he's an evil dwarf, but he's not done something like evil. But he's saying he's in chains because he is preaching this eternal gospel. And so he doesn't mind being in chains because of eternal gospel that he has preached, you know, and he will continue to do so, so that others can receive salvation. So we need to also be mindful of this, that when we serve God, it's not going to be easy. We need to be like a soldier, an athlete, a farmer. We have to endure hardships. We need to work hard to do things. We need the harm is the fruit of God. But we need to understand that, you know, the gospel that we preach, we just have to own it for ourselves, own it in a sense that we believe it and preach it so that others can receive salvation. Okay. Any questions? Any doubts? So this versus, if not, we will move to verses 11 to verse 30. Can somebody repeat that, please? Verses 11 to verse 30. Anyone like to do verses 11 to verse 30? Hello class, no one's there. Is anyone there? Okay, thank you Thomas. Persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, what persecution? No, Thomas sorry to interrupt. Are you reading in secondary chapter 2 verses 11 to 30? Sorry sir, my page in the third verse, chapter 3, one moment. Yes. Okay, one moment. 11, right? 11. Yes, 11 to 30. 11 to 30. This is a faithful saying, for if we die with him, we shall also live with him. If we endure, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we are faithless, he remains faithful. He cannot deny himself. Thank you Thomas. So this is our hope in the midst of enduring hardships that Emporh is giving and sharing his hope with Timothy. We know that if we die, we will live with Christ. We will die, but we have the assurance of hope of eternal life, which is what we mentioned about in the previous verses in the previous chapter. And it says, if we endure hardship, we are going to reign. So this is our hope that all of us have, that if we endure, we don't give up. We know we will bring Christ in His name in the kingdom. And if we suffer now, we have this hope that we will reign with Him. On the other hand, there are severe consequences of our denial. It says, if we deny Him, then God has no choice of people deny us. Jesus says about this. He says, whoever confesses me before a man, I will confess him before my father in heaven. Whoever denies me before man, I will deny him before my father in heaven. Because in Jesus, I said that. So when we deny Christ or when we become faithless, it impacts us. But it does not change anything from God's side, from His name. We know that His nature never changes. It is the same as the same thing forever. Now, there is a difference between denying and faithless. Denying means outrightly saying no. So that is what when we deny Christ, when we outrightly say no, then, you know, He has no choice but to deny us. But faithless is, you know, we go through moments of, when our faith is wavered, when our faith is weak, when our faith is shaken, you know. But God understands us. He knows our faith, He knows our weaknesses. But He says that, you know, He will still remain faithful. So that is the meaning of denying and being faithless. When we deny God, it is totally same. We don't have anything to do with Him. We don't want Him. It is same as no to Him. When we do that, one has more the choice of denying us. But when we are faithless, that means, you know, moments when we are weak in our faith, our faith is wavered, our faith is shaken, you know. But God will still remain faithful again. And it means that, you know, when we go through those moments of faithlessness, we can always get back to God. He has not changed. He will never change. He will still remain faithful. He will revive us. And He will take us to higher levels. And, you know, He stays faithful to us even in our upset doubts. Okay? And was 14. And one of you read was 14 things. Dave, would you like to read verse 14? Sir, keep reminding God's people of Him. These things warned them before God against parading about words. It is of no value and only ruins those who listen. Thank you, Dave. So here, Paul is again reading the synagogue. He says that, you know, heavenly preach, preach, exalt God's people in the church community about all these things and what are these things about enduring hardship, how to be like a soldier, an athlete, a farmer, you know, how to remain faithful to God and not to spawn Him. He says, teach all of these things about how to endure hardship for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ, not to be ashamed of the gospel. And he says that, you know, we must also continue to absorb people to stay away from engaging in useless thoughts, useless things, arguments, you know, and fighting over words, ideas, arguments because it does not benefit anyone. And I think Paul is reading it, writing about this from, you know, first thing that we've been seeing about it. He says, don't waste your time. You know, don't engage in these people who, you know, try to bring about arguments and, you know, fight over words because all of this is not going to help anyone. It's just going to bring in more strife, more division. But when you teach and preach God's word, that is what will build you up, that is what will strengthen you in the faith. And this is what he's spoken of from the 1st and the 2nd chapter of one of his Remindings. And then he says, you know, keep preaching, keep exalting and teaching people about all of these things. Okay. Vasudevi. And one of you read, Vasudevi, please. Jayan, to present yourself, approve to God our workers who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the words of truth. Thank you. So here says, be diligent, which means be focused. And, you know, being diligent is something that's not a one-time thing. It's something that is ongoing. It's a continuous work that has to be pursued carefully with earnestness. And he's telling, for a semi-committee to be diligent in three things, be diligent firstly to present yourself approved to God. That means live in a right manner before God. Walk in a right manner before God. The second thing that he says you need to be diligent is be diligent as a worker who does not need to be ashamed. That means work in a way that you are not ashamed before God. Fulfill your calling. Fulfill what God has asked you to do so that you don't stand ashamed. You don't feel guilty or content before God. And the third thing that you need to be diligent about is rightly divide the word of truth. And committee, be careful how you handle, how you preach, the word of God, you know, vitally dissect it, say the truth as it is to be said in a plain way. You know, don't take any other means to explain it, but to spread our right in the word of truth, explain a preach of each God's word. And verse 16 to verse 18, I was going to tell you that phrase. Verse 16 to verse 18. Verse 16 to verse 18 says, but shun, for fame and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And the message will spread like cancer. Hymenias and philatis are of this sort who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already fast and they over-show the faith of some. So Paul is telling them, we go in God, in idle and silly talk. And then he mentions to people, when we are hymenias and philatis, you know, hymenias is mentioned by Paul also in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 20. All we know about these men, you don't know much about them, but all we know about them is that they are engaging in useless and ungodly talk and they are spreading, you know, wrong things, talking wrong things, presenting wrong arguments and jokes. And that is being very, you know, destroying the faith of people. It's being very destructive into church, being about a lot of division and destruction. And Paul has dealt with them as he has mentioned in 1 Timothy. And so he's telling, don't involve with them or don't involve in their idle and silly talk because their talk is spreading like cancer. That means everybody is just receiving it, hearing them out and it's just spreading so fast and cancer also because it spreads fast and it brings pain, it brings more joy. It breaks down the whole body, the whole system, the way it functions. So he says, you know, the message that they are spreading is like cancer. He says, don't have anything to do with it. Verses 90 to 21 and somebody with that please, Verses 90 to 21. Can I read? Yes, sure, thank you. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands having this seal. The Lord knows those who are and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also wood and clay some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the lantern he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the master prepared for every good work. I'm sorry about the sound. No, no problem, thank you. So here Paul is drawing an analogy from utensils that are used at home. He says that in the home there are vessels in our homes as well. There are vessels that we use for regular use, regular day to day offerings and then we have special vessels that we use for special occasions, special purposes when we have guests at home. And the owner is a little excited or proud to have all these special utensils properly, dinner sets or tea sets that we have to display it and to use it when we have guests to serve the guests just to honor them for who they are and serve special food in that. So to be a vessel for honor means a vessel, we need to be vessels that are used for special purposes for honorable use and a vessel that brings honor to God. So if you want to be a vessel that God wants to use or he wants to put on display or he wants to release his special purposes or his special anointing to us then there are four things, four important requirements that we need to be a special vessel for honor. And I'm sure all of us would like to be the vessel of honor, vessel of honor where we are used for special purposes for God, for honorable use where God wants to put us on display by just pouring out his anointing for us, releasing his special purposes for us, giving us special positions or even according to science protocols and numbers to our life. If we want to be such people then there are four important requirements to be a vessel of honor and if you know what he says it says that God says if anyone in verse 21 he says therefore if anyone, so it means anyone that means all of us can be those vessels of honor so what are the four important requirements to be a vessel of honor, first thing is we need to be cleansed, that means we need to, you know, department of life of sin we need to, if not, we need a simple carnal nature but we need to feed a spirit man, we need to grow in a spirit man we need to starve the things of the flesh that means not given to our fleshly carnal nature and desires of our carnal nature that's the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh in the fight of life so we also need to cleanse our self out of this corner. The second thing is we need to be sanctified, that means we set ourselves apart to basically doing what God has called us to and to be those vessels of honor that is one thing there so to be set apart for sanctifying, you know, the minute we are born again the sanctification process begins it's not a one time thing, one minute thing one day in or one event but it happens throughout our life and the extent of sanctification happens to the extent that we are willing to submit and contemplate our lives every day that much the Holy Spirit will work helping us to sanctify us to cleanse us, purify us, to present us brainless holy, without spout drinking or blemish before the most high God to be set apart to be holy just like a soldier an athlete, a farmer sets themselves apart to fulfill their specific calling responsibility, the position that we are in. We need to be useful that means we need to be available to God's call, to be available to what He's asking us to do and to be easily used by God not just holding on to our weaknesses saying we can't do this, can't do that nothing to do this, nothing to do that are just available and also prepare that's what we are willing to put and be ready ourselves to be ready to take on all the purposes to flow in a mountain of God so all of us can be wrestlers of honor but we need to work on those four important requirements to become that vessel of honor and remember that it was one that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ has been given to us in Ephesians chapter 2 we see that the grace of God has been lavished upon us and so we have the grace of God to enable us to bring these vessels of honor any questions, any doubts so far but not to be removed thank you Thomas we'll move on to verse 22 and one of you will read verse 22 actually also youthful lust but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of pure heart thank you Kiran so in the view of becoming a vessel of honor we have only one choice and that is to stay in all ungodly lusts and passions and we need to desire or we need to pursue that means pursue is keep going after relentlessly and keep going after never stopping, persevere, enduring peace, faith, love and peace and we need to do this with those who call and do this with those who call on the Lord out of pure heart so here there is an idea of togetherness of community meaning do this in a community of people who are doing the same thing join these people who are also pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace so this whole thing that Paul is saying here is bringing about the idea of togetherness of community is saying this meaning do this in a community of people who are doing the same thing so it means that we need to live in a community along with others who are also pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace and also if you want to become a vessel of honor then be with those who are doing the same thing that is what he means in this verse verses 23 to 26 can one of you read that please the last three verses 22 to verse 26 don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments because you have the produced chorus and the Lord's servant must not be a chorism but must be kind to everyone able to kiss, not resentful opponents must be gently instructed in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to unknowledge of the truth and that they will come to their senses and escape from the crack of the devil who has taken the captive to do his will thank you Dave so here Paul is telling me that there will be people who oppose you people who oppose the gospel people who oppose Jesus Christ but when they oppose you how do you handle them how do you handle the situations firstly he says don't get into any foolish or you know ignorance disputes again he goes back on the same thing and he is still talking and reviving him he says because when you get into all this foolish and ignoring disputes or arguments you know it will just produce it will just produce deficient and then he says you know instead the servant of the Lord must not quarrel, must not fight must not get into strife but what must the servant of God do he or she must be gentle and patiently teach people connect them in humility we need to teach them all gentleness why was Paul telling me that why is he saying you need to be gentle with them fight with them correct them in humility because these people are not argue with them or fight with them because these people are taking captive by the devil they have to be snare of the devil whatever you speak to them or argue or present your arguments it's not going to do anything to them it won't be able to help them with any God it's only the Holy Spirit who can move in them who can work in their lives to bring them to a place of repentance and to a place where they are able to embrace them soon so that they can come back to their senses and they can come out of the snare of the devil that they are in right now so in that context the servant of God should not argue fight with them it's going to lead them more astray but just be gentle with them teach them that the Holy Spirit and God can work in their lives and help them to embrace the truth bring them to a point of truth to embrace the truth it's free from the snare of the devil that they are in in right now it also talks about the importance of prayer we can share with people we can teach them, we can preach to them we can do this in love, patience and gentleness but we also need to engage in prayer because it's a bondage so strong for some of them and we can fully come out of the snare of the devil who's controlling their lives controlling their lives only but the power of the devil is given the power of God so that is what he ends this chapter 2 a key takeaway is verse 21 therefore when one answers himself from the latter he will be the vessel of God sanctified and useful for the master who will work with you good work so we need to be a vessel of God and we see that every instruction given in this chapter is directed towards this one very important call that a calling is not something that is going to be easy it's going to be difficult but we need to be vessels of honor so that we can honor the God who has called us who's appointing us who's releasing his work to us and so that people can see the way that we conduct ourselves in honor and with honor the power that we serve so that is end of chapter 2 everyone has any questions, doubts any comments no questions, no doubts okay there are no questions and no doubts I will end class thank you all for joining class okay test on 1st Timothy is on web 16 right web 16 yes nun yes okay so that is next when is the test so please prepare for 1st Timothy okay thank you all for joining class have a good day and I will see you for the other classes I think we will have tomorrow we will have class okay see you all have a good week and a good weekend and I will see you on Monday ma'am how will be the exams it's written or it's over