September 17, 2012
GOD IS IN CONTROL!
2 Timothy 4
Johnny Hawkins
Central Truth
God is always at work and in control even when I don't understand the circumstances. It is especially in those times that I get to practice my faith.
Key Verse | 2 Timothy 4:18
The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
(2 Timothy 4:18)
2 Timothy 4
Preach the Word
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound 1 4:3 Or healthy teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Personal Instructions
9 Do your best to come to me soon. 10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, 2 4:10 Some manuscripts Gaul Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. 12 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. 21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers. 3 4:21 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated brothers) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. 4 4:22 The Greek for you is plural
Dive Deeper | 2 Timothy 4
God is in control! That is a great thought, I can even say it with pretty good ease . . . but what about when I have to trust it?
I spent this morning talking with a fellow brother in Christ about the goodness of God. But if you were listening in on most of our conversation, you might not have gotten that impression. The synopsis of the conversation you would have heard would have been something like this: "My marriage is in shambles, my wife feels I am a failure, I'm still grieving deeply the loss of a loved one, I'm broke financially, I can't be all I would like to be at my job because I'm not willing to be unscrupulous as I feel my competitors are, and I am often paralyzed by fear of failure."
I know what you're thinking, "Where is God's goodness in all of that?"
But it came in the answer to the question I asked him, "Do you trust that God is still in control?"
I have to be honest in saying that it is a difficult question to ask a person with that much turmoil in his life. I even apologized to him if that came out sounding trite.
But you see, Paul and others in the Bible have traveled this path. In verses 9-16, we find out that Paul can identify with us when we feel dejected, betrayed, and alone. Jesus, who was all God and all man, was our ultimate example as He was also betrayed and left at the cross alone.
So, it was the "goodness" of God to hear my friend say, "Through all this, I know that God is with me. I know that I am a sinner in need of a Savior; that Jesus not only died for my sin, but rose again as He promised, breaking the chain of sin and death in my life so I could have eternity with Him and hope for today." He also added, "I know Jesus is with me always, but I just need some skin on Him right now."
We tried to be just that as we encouraged each other in God's truth.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you have circumstances in your life today that make it hard to see that God is in control?
2. Read Proverbs 3:5-6. How does this verse encourage you?
3. How can you be the "skin" or Jesus in the flesh to those around you who need encouragement and need to know his love?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
September 17-22 (2 Timothy 4 – Philemon 1)
Read Titus 3:1-8.
• What does it mean to be gentle and show humility to another person?
• How did God show His kindness and love to us?
• Are we saved and accepted into God's family based on good things we do?
•
Have you acknowledged that you are a sinner in need of God's kindness and love?
• Have you accepted the gift of God's grace through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross?
• If so, what does Paul say happened to your sins when you accepted God's gift through Jesus (verse 5)?
• If you haven't, do you want to be a part of God's family? Take time to discuss what that means.
•
When you share your faith with others, do you do it out of gentleness and humility like Paul talked about in verse 2?
Activity: Go outside with some sidewalk chalk. Ask everyone to take time either to draw a picture or write words that represent sins you have 'committed.' (A sin is any thought, word, or deed that breaks God's righteous standards.) Then, get the water hose and wash those pictures and words away . . . showing what happened to your sins when you accepted Jesus' sacrifice by trusting in Him.