Book of 2 Timothy

In this session we continue with the study through 2 Timothy with Joby Martin and RightNowMedia.

The main idea of this verse is that when we learn to embrace how God has made us, we can fulfill the ministry—or purpose—he’s given us to do.

Some main ideas and possible changes that we might uncover in this study

  • Know that God has equipped us with specific gifts for ministry.
  • Feel confident that we can carry out our God-given purpose with the gifts he has given us.
  • Honor God by using our gifts and talents to fulfill our purpose and spread his good news to others.

Have you ever watched a movie in which the main character had a strong sense of their purpose or mission? What movie was it? What appealed to you about the movie, the character, or the mission?

As Christians, we, like some of our favorite movie characters, have been given a specific purpose—or ministry—by God. We can sometimes be hamstrung, though, by a number of things that distract us from that purpose. In this session, Joby will remind us that God has given us a mission and will assure us that God equips us with what we need to fulfill it.

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. – 2 Timothy 4:5 ESV

WATCH 2 Timothy 4:5 on RightNowMedia (10 minutes).

Joby ended this session by asking a provocative question. He said, “If you could do anything for the kingdom of God and his glory and you knew it wouldn’t fail, what would that be?” How would you answer that question?

Paul’s statement in verse 5 is a transition sentence. Having described in verses 3–4 people who wander from the truth, Paul aims these words directly at Timothy and, Joby argued, people like us who are reading his letter. If Paul was writing to Timothy, to what extent do his words apply to us today? In what ways can this verse remind us that God continues to speak to us in his Word?

“As for you,” Paul says. With these three words, he draws a stark contrast between those with “itching ears” (v. 3) and followers of Jesus. What are a few of the contrasts Paul makes between those he describes in verses 3–4 and the expectations he has of Timothy in verse 5?

Which of the four imperatives in verse 5 do you personally find most difficult? Why?

  • Always be sober-minded
  • Endure suffering
  • Do the work of an evangelist
  • Fulfill your ministry.

Paul’s first imperative for Timothy—and us—is to “always be sober-minded,” or self-controlled and clear-headed. Joby expounded on this idea by saying we should avoid things like “useless chatter” and “senseless arguments,” and, furthermore, avoid being “drunk on our ego, drunk with emotion, and drunk on our insecurity.” How difficult do you find it to “always be sober-minded”? What does it look like when you’re not sober-minded? What steps do you take to keep yourself controlled and clear-headed?

Joby said one of the ways we can stay sober-minded is to remember who God is and who we are as his children. In what ways can the knowledge of God and the proper knowledge of ourselves keep us sober-minded?

Moving on, Paul tells Timothy to “endure suffering” and “do the work of an evangelist.” Joby tied these two exhortations together, saying that when we do the work of an evangelist—when we share the gospel with others—we will at some point endure suffering. Why does Joby connect these two? Why would sharing the gospel lead to our suffering?

Have you ever experienced suffering because you shared the gospel with someone? What was that experience like? How did you respond?

Why is the gospel worth enduring discomfort—and even suffering—for?

Joby suggested that one of the reasons non-Christians may reject the gospel message is their preoccupation with comfort. Believing the gospel and following in the footsteps of Jesus goes against the flow of the world, which means that the gospel message isn’t always palatable for people. In what ways does the gospel confront and disrupt the world’s preoccupation with comfort?

The fourth and final imperative that Paul shares with Timothy is, “fulfill your ministry,” meaning he should carry it out fully. And it’s here where Joby introduced the idea that God has given each of us gifts for fulfilling our ministry, or purpose. How has God gifted you? What are some of the gifts you see in yourself? What are some of the gifts that you see in other members of your small group?

What are some of the ways you seek to use your gifts for your God-given purpose?

What environments has God placed you in where your gifts can be exercised?

In 1 Corinthians 12:12–27, Paul uses the human body as a metaphor to help describe the role that we and our gifts play in fulfilling our ministry, specifically as it relates to the local church. To what degree do you prioritize belonging to a local church? In what ways do you exercise your gifts for the building up of your church and its members?

One of the pitfalls that Joby tried to help us avoid is comparison, saying that comparing ourselves to others is a “lose-lose proposition.” When we compare ourselves to others, we either think too highly of ourselves, which leads to arrogance, or we think too little of ourselves, which results in feelings of condemnation. To what degree do you struggle with comparing yourself to others? In what ways has comparing yourself to others led to arrogance? To condemnation?

How do you combat the tendency to compare yourself to others?

Joby concluded this session by referencing the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. Within that parable, we find some of the most welcome and reassuring words in Scripture that directly relate to the idea of fulfilling our purpose: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” When you think about fulfilling your God-given purpose, to what extent are you driven by the words, “well done, good and faithful servant”? How can you keep these words front of mind as you seek to faithfully carry out the work God has given you to do?

We opened this discussion by answering a question that Joby posed in the final moments of this session: “If you could do anything for the kingdom of God and his glory and you knew it wouldn’t fail, what would that be?” Consider your answer to that question. Is there anything stopping you from doing that thing now? If so, what is it?

What is the most immediate way that you can use your gifts and talents to fulfill your God-given purpose?

LAST WORD

As followers of Jesus, whether we find ourselves in vocational ministry or working in the marketplace, we have been given the mandate to glorify God by bearing witness about his Son through the power of his Spirit. And we can do that in the pews of a church or in the board room of an office building.

So, where has God placed you? How has he gifted you? What ministry has he given to you? When we answer these questions, accepting that God has made us who we are and placed us where we are on purpose, then we can begin the work of fulfilling our ministry.

This week, let’s choose to recognize our gifts as tools for fulfilling our God-given purpose right where God has placed us.