We contine through the book of 2 Timothy with Joby Marin and the RightNowMedia video sessions. Today cover 2 Timothy 2:20-26.

In this session a few points to consider:

• When we turn from sin and follow the way of Christ, we will mature as disciples and prove ourselves ready for the work God has given us to do.
• To know that sin and disobedience lead us away from the path of life.
• To feel motivated to pursue Christ and follow all his ways.
• To cultivate a maturing relationship with Jesus that readies us for the good work he’s given us to do.

Do you have any silly or quirky habits? If so, what are they?

Even as adults, many of us maintain silly habits and behaviors. And most of the time they’re harmless and fun. But in this session, Joby introduces us to behaviors that the Scriptures call “youthful passions.” If we don’t flee from them, will lead us away from the fullness of life God offers and the work he’s given us to do.

²⁰Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

²²So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ²³Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. – 2 Timothy 2:20-26 ESV

WATCH  RightNowMeda Session 4: 2 Timothy 2:20–26 (11 minutes).

DISCUSS
Joby opened this session by making what may seem like an obvious statement: “You are here.” He said that statement is not simply a geographical observation but an observation about your life—at this moment in time, this is your life. What is your life like? How are you doing? How did you get here?

A critical follow-up to the questions above is to determine what path you’re on and where it’s headed. So, Joby summed up this passage by suggesting that, here, Paul is helping Timothy “understand the path that he needs to be on” as a disciple and a disciple-maker. What path are you on? Where are you going? What, if anything, needs to change?

²⁰Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. – 2 Timothy 2:20-21

Before Paul begins his work of illuminating for Timothy the path he ought to be on, he sets a foundation for his argument in verses 20 and 21. He uses the illustration of “a great house” and proceeds to describe vessels in that house, some for “honorable use” and some for “dishonorable.” And he likens us to those vessels. In what ways do we sometimes spend our time and energy for dishonorable use? What are examples of spending our time and energy for honorable use?

An observation that Joby made regarding honorable and dishonorable vessels is that “it doesn’t matter how you start.” You could have been “born into gold and silver” or you could have been “born into wood and clay,” but if you have been cleansed by Christ “you will be useful to the master” and “ready for every good work,” as the text says. What was your journey to faith in Christ like? To what extent do you struggle to believe you are ready for the good work God has prepared for you?

In what ways does this passage strengthen your belief that God can use you as a minister of his good news?

Read 2 Timothy 2:22–26.

Using the word “so,” Paul makes a stark turn in his argument. Having set the theological foundation, Paul begins to apply his theology in a very practical way. “So flee youthful passions,” he says. Escape them, elude them, take flight from them. What does it communicate about the seriousness of “youthful passions” that Paul instructs Timothy to flee them?

What does it look like in your own life to flee from sinful passions?

Joby suggested that youthful passions are a spiritual immaturity that renders us vulnerable to three primary passions that the enemy will tempt us with, which Joby pulls from 1 John 2:16: the desires of the eyes, the desires of the flesh, and the pride of life. To what degree do you struggle with youthful passions? In what ways do you find yourself desiring that which doesn’t belong to you? Who else knows about your struggles?

Based on this passage, how would Paul instruct you to overcome your youthful passions?

Paul’s command to Timothy isn’t merely to run away from sin, he also instructs him to “pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.” Whereas youthful passions lead us down paths we don’t want to go, on the path of righteousness we encounter Jesus and follow his ways. How do you actively pursue righteousness? Faith? Love? Peace? Where do you go to find and cultivate these things?

Verse 22 ends with a subtle but important phrase. Paul calls Timothy to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace “along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” It’s a call to pursue the Lord together with others—a call to community. How highly do you prioritize community? Why is it so important to pursue the Lord in the company of others? What do we lose if we don’t heed Paul’s instruction here?

In the next couple of verses, Paul begins describing how followers of Jesus are called to be. Not quarrelsome but kind, able to teach, patient, and gentle. These are some of the marks of a maturing believer, which means they’re attributes that we can always grow in. Looking back over your life, in what ways have you grown in kindness, patience, and gentleness? What can you do to continue growing in these areas?

In verse 25, Paul contends that the cumulative effect of our kindness, patience, and gentleness toward others may be the thing God uses to spur them toward repentance and a recognition of the truth. In what ways can the way we behave toward others impact how they respond to our truth claims?

Have you ever experienced a situation like Paul describes in verse 25, when your kindness helped lead someone to the truth? What was that experience like?

Throughout this passage, Paul is coaxing Timothy to remain on the path where all maturing disciples belong—the path of righteousness—and to lead others to the path as well. There are only two paths, the path that leads to life in Christ and the path that leads away from him. Are you on the right path? If you are, whom can you bring along with you?

LAST WORD

There are only two paths in this life, a wide path and a narrow path—either outside of Christ or in Christ. For those on the wide path, the invitation is clear: repent and believe the gospel. For those on the narrow path, as Paul writes, the command is that we flee from our former ways and pursue righteousness. Only one path leads us where we ultimately long to go, which is to the abundant life found in Christ and Christ alone.

This week, ask God to help you cultivate the marks of a maturing disciple that Paul lists in this passage: righteousness, faith, love, peace, kindness, patience, endurance, and gentleness. Resolve to exercise these attributes for the people you encounter throughout the week.

A Prayer for the Power to Obey

In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul commands Timothy to “flee youthful passions.” But if we’re honest, we’d likely admit that running away from sin is no small task. We find ourselves regularly tempted not to flee but to give in. To obey this command, we need power. And our need should drive us to pray.

For the entire history of our faith, the people of God have used written prayers—both individual and corporate—to express our hearts to God. The book of Psalms is the clearest example, with others like The Book of Common Prayer and The Valley of Vision being widely used as well. Written prayers help connect us with other Christians, articulate things we don’t always have words for, and expand the scope of the content of our prayers. With these things in mind, consider praying the following prayer when faced with the temptation to entertain youthful passions:

Father,
In Christ, you have made me a temple of your Spirit and set me apart as holy,
So would you empower me by that same Spirit to heed Paul’s command:
Flee youthful passions.
I am too easily swayed, and too frequently dull to your instructions,
But I am a recipient of your grace.
So, quicken me, oh God, by your Spirit and strengthen me
That I might be a doer of your word and not a hearer only.
When I am tempted by youthful passions, provide for me a way of escape
That I might flee and pursue the righteous one, Christ himself,
In whom all the riches of your grace in kindness will now and forever be shown to us.
Amen.