An Introduction to the Pastoral Epistles and Paul's Second Letter to Timothy

  • Jonathan Phipps
  • Jan 24, 2008
  • Series: Walk On - A Call to Endurance in 2 Timothy

Life is filled with many joys and many struggles. At times our problems can become so heavy that we can drift from the paths to which God calls us.  At other times responsibilities can overwhelm us and we just want to throw in the towel.  In the early days of the church, the seasoned leader, Paul, gave his final message to his young friend Timothy to encourage him to press on in the ministry of the gospel.  Sensing that the end of his life was near, Paul longed to see Timothy again, but even more he wanted to see the gospel lived out vibrantly in his life.  This would require endurance, for Paul knew that amidst many joys also comes a cost in following Christ.  When inevitable difficulties came, Paul did not want Timothy to despair or quit on the message of the cross.  No, when suffering came, Paul wanted Timothy to thrive and endure...to walk on with Jesus.

Last fall we journeyed through the Gospel of Mark and looked at the story of the most extraordinary man who ever lived.  As we moved through different Signposts from the life of Jesus it became clear that our lives only really make sense when they are seen in light of his.  The good news of Jesus' atoning work on the cross and his subsequent resurrection is not just the starting point of our faith, but the truth that we must continually press into.  We must never get over the gospel of grace or think that we have plumbed the depths of its significance.  There is no moving on from the cross of Christ, only walking in its shadow.  The Apostle Paul never got over what he knew to be true about what Jesus had done for him, and this motivated him as he preached the gospel all over the known world.  Like Paul, Jesus calls us to walk with him on mission, serving those in deepest need and proclaiming his name both near and far.

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