This is a new sermon seires Called “Perseverance”. Persist! 2 Timothy 2:1-13 You can watch more here.
This morning we are going to continue in 2 Timothy. In chapter 1 God’s Word calling us
into a fight for the promised life we’ve been given in Jesus. In chapter 2 we are going to see
the call to endure, not in our strength, but His strength, because our faith in Jesus isn’t
grounded in this building.
Our faith in Jesus isn’t determined by the future of North Village Church in Austin. It’s
because our faith in Jesus is Jesus, therefore, we want to constantly point our heart and
mind to what’s true in Him. Let’s look at chapter 2, verse 1:
2 Timothy 2:1, “1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
If you’re new to the Bible, don’t worry. This is in the New Testament. This is all taking
place after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, so that the Apostle Paul is taking the name of
Jesus around the Roman Empire, and Paul is in prison, facing certain death, therefore, he
writes this letter to his friend and he refers to Timothy as “my son.” Do you see that in
verse 1?
This reference to “my son” in verse 1 is a spiritual sonship. It is a side-by-side relationship
like we’ve been talking about the last few weeks, and the charge is to “be strong!” In the
original language “be strong” means, “Get ready to rumble!”
2 Timothy 2:1, “1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
I remember one time I was hanging out with some parents at different stages and one of
the parents was talking about how difficult it was with their 3-year old. Then, another
parent chimed in about their 8-year old like, “You don’t know the half of it!” Then, another
parent with a 13-year old just looked at both of them and said, “Fortify!” It’s because being
a parent is hard!
In verse 1, God’s Word isn’t just talking about “being strong” in parenting. God’s Word is
talking about “being strong” in all of life, because life is hard! Building a career is hard.
Taking care of your physical health is hard. Learning how to study God’s Word is hard.
Building side-by-side relationships is hard. Therefore, the Apostle Paul is near the end of
his life and we see this call to endure, not in our strength, but His strength. Do you see that
in verse 1?
2 Timothy 2:1, “1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
The call is to be strong “in the grace” that is in Christ Jesus. Let’s talk about the word
“grace.” Take a second and imagine how you would explain “grace.” (Pause)
What does the word “grace” mean? Some people say, “Grace is getting what we don’t
deserve.” That’s good. There’s the acronym, “God’s. Riches. At. Christ’s. Expense.” Do you
know that one? But in the context of our passage, God’s grace in our life is about power.
Jesus says, “Come to Me and I will make you strong.” We don’t project strength. We receive
strength through His grace. In 2 Corinthians 12 it says, “When I am weak, I am what?”
Strong. It’s because we don’t generate strength on our own. We receive His strength, His
grace in our life. Sit in that for a second.
We receive His strength through communion. We receive His strength through His Word
and gathering in worship. And we also receive His strength as we apply the gospel to our
life!
When I believe that I am in good standing with God, because of my faith in Jesus’ life, death
and resurrection, it comes with power. Jesus takes my sin. Jesus gives me His
righteousness. We are reconciled to the Father. There’s strength in His grace, because if
God is for me, who can be against me! His grace comes with power!
When I believe I am forgiven, His grace comes with power. I don’t have to carry that
shame. I don’t have to block out shame. I don’t have to make excuses, because by grace
through faith in Jesus I am forgiven! There’s power in His grace. Amen?
Therefore, chapter 2 charges out of the gate with this call to endure, not in our strength, not
in the chariots of men, not in financial accounts, not in a physical building we meet in for
worship, but be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Look at verse 2:
2 Timothy 2:2, “2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many
witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Verse 2 is talking about these “side-by-side relationships” we’ve been talking about these
relationships the last couple of weeks. We got some men getting together tomorrow at
7pm to strengthen those side-by-side relationships. We need this!
Some people read verses 1-2 and assume this is just for pastors to teach and entrust, but,
Scripture teaches us that when we trust in Jesus’ work on the cross we are indwelled with
the Holy Spirit, so we all become men and women who are looking for other men and
women to teach and entrust. Amen?
In the context of our passage, Timothy is at a church in Ephesus and for that church family
to be spiritually healthy, there needs to be other men and women who are helping to carry
the spiritual weight of the church! That’s what we are chasing after at North Village
Church.
It doesn’t mean we all need to deliver a 30-minute sermon on a Sunday, but it means when
we are in Christ we are all looking for opportunities to pray for someone, encourage
someone, challenge someone, share a meal with someone so that we are building “side-by-
side relationships,” and entrust these things to faithful men and women.
Have you heard pastors say verse 2 is looking for men and women who are F.A.T.? Faithful.
Available. Teachable. That’s what verse 2 is getting at this morning. The local church isn’t
supposed to be a gathering of people watching one person on the stage and saying, “Pretty
good!” It’s to be filled with men and women who will teach other men and women who will
teach other men and women about Jesus! Amen?
Listen to me, as a follower of Jesus, if nobody around us is being sharpened, encouraged or
challenged in your life to grow in Jesus, then you’re not living out verse 2.
This is where we are as a church in Austin right now. Are we just looking for a place to
attend on Sunday morning? Or, are we looking to own what verse 2 looks like in the life of
this church family?
Are we willing to let people see the areas of our life that aren’t that polished? Are we
willing to acknowledge we have areas to grow? Are we willing to say the wrong thing
about God’s Word, get corrected, and learn from one another?
That’s what I love about watching Deborah and Robert’s group on Sunday morning. Robert
and Deborah willingly admit, “They don’t know everything.” Is that fair? They admit they
are still learning and growing. They open their lives to other people. And at the same time,
that mindset can’t terminate with Robert and Deborah.
Because the call on our life is to endure, not in our strength, but in His, so that Robert and
Deborah are looking for other men and women who will look to gather other men and
women, so that we can entrust to faithful men and women what we have heard and seen in
Jesus. Isn’t that beautiful? Look at verse 3:
2 Timothy 2:3-7, “3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in
active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one
who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the
prize unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the
first to receive his share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you
understanding in everything.”
In verses 3-7 we see 3 illustrations of good soldier, athlete and the hard-working farmer.
Do you see that in verse 3-7? Instead of talking about each example, I want to focus on the
theme of endurance in the examples.
Do you see how each soldier, athlete, and farmer has to be strong and endure through the
challenges? The soldier can’t entangle himself with the affairs of everyday life. The athlete
can’t get distracted. The farmer has to work hard! It’s about endurance! It’s because,
when it comes to challenges in life we typically respond in one of two ways:
1. Avoid: We encounter challenges in life, and try to escape and not to think about it.
United States bombing Iran…I don’t want to think about it. Gas going up to $4. I
don’t want to think about it. Arguments with friends. Nope! We just block it out.
We might go shopping. We might get drunk. But we see difficulty in life and we
avoid it!
2. Fix: There are also times when it comes to challenges that our immediate response
is to fix the problem. I do this in my marriage all the time. My wife tells me about a
problem. I listen like a good husband. Then, I say, “All you have to do is A+B=C and
now the problem is fixed! You’re welcome!
But our passage this morning is offering a third option, which is to endure in the challenge.
It doesn’t mean trying to fix the challenge is horrible. If you got a flat tire, you should fix it!
But sometimes challenges in life don’t get fixed. Sometimes challenges in life linger.
Anyone got any lingering challenges in life right now?
Endurance is taking a moment to invite Jesus into that challenge. Endurance is when we hit
a wall with our children, and we don’t quit. Endurance is when we get frustrated with our
boss, and we don’t give up.
Listen to me, as an American culture, we love to avoid or fix, but we struggle to endure.
That’s why God’s Word points us to soldiers! Soldiers have to endure through hardships!
The athlete can’t just show up at the Olympics. The athlete has to endure with workouts,
diets, and discipline! The farmer doesn’t just throw some seed. The farmer puts in the
work to till the soil, plant the seed, and water the field.
Therefore, the call is to endure, not in our strength, but His grace, because look at the prize
in verses 3-7 again:
2 Timothy 2:3-7, “3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in
active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one
who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the
prize unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the
first to receive his share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you
understanding in everything.”
As a follower of Jesus, we endure through the hardships and challenges of life, because
there is a prize that is coming that is greater than a battle. It’s a prize that is greater than a
medal or our share of the crop, because the prize is Jesus! Look at verses 8-10:
2 Timothy 2:8-10, “8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David,
according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but
the word of God is not imprisoned. 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those
who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it
eternal glory.”
In verse 8 it draws us back to Jesus. When you see the phrase “descendant of David” it’s a
reminder of 2 Samuel 7 that speaks of Jesus’ rule as King of Kings in the Old Testament. 2
Samuel 7 says one day One is going to rule on the throne forever, so that Jesus isn’t just
some prophet who said some good things. Jesus is King of Kings!
Maybe that doesn’t resonate but imagine sitting under the rule of the most glorious King
that’s ever existed? Imagine the most powerful King, the most benevolent and gracious
king, who’s personally involved in your life at every level, so that nothing escapes His
notice. That’s Jesus! That’s the prize!
Going to heaven is great. Getting to gather in worship is great. But getting to know Jesus,
walk with Jesus, talk with Jesus! That’s the prize! So many times, our friends are going to
let us down, our parents are going to let us down, our leaders are going to let us down, our
pastors are going to let us down, but He never lets us down. He is King of Kings, so that we
endure, not in our strength, but His grace, because we’re with Jesus!
Isn’t that awesome? I don’t know this, but I think the Apostle Paul is smiling when he
writes these words about being imprisoned, treated as a criminal, because he knows the
Word of God isn’t imprisoned, and he knows the gospel isn’t going to stop with him.
He knows some 17-year old is going to talk to some 18-year old about Jesus and it is going
to change his life. He knows some wife is going to talk to some husband, and His heart is
going to soften to Jesus.
He knows some co-worker is going to talk to another co-worker, and lives are going to be
transformed. And he knows one day all those people are going to gather, and we aren’t
going to talk about Paul or Timothy or any of us, because we’re going to be talking about
the glory of Jesus, so he endures, not in his strength, but in Christ, because the prize is
Jesus. Look at verses 11-13:
2 Timothy 2:11-13, “11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live
with Him; 12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
Well, verses 11-13 are pretty cryptic. These verses are likely a poem or a song, so that
these verses are a closing charge of the encouragement we have in Jesus.
It would be easy to read these verses and take them to the extreme, so we can be sure these
verses don’t mean when we can’t struggle with doubts or lapses in faith. See Peter. He has
ups and downs.
These verses also don’t mean if never come to faith in Jesus, He is still faithful. Jesus says,
“Depart from Me, I never knew you.” There is a call to know Jesus, but the constant theme
of our passage is that our strength to endure isn’t in us, but in Him. Amen?
I think about this in my own life. There have definitely been times when I haven’t been
faithful to endure. It could be from pressure to fit into the crowd. It could be moments in
life when I just wanted to do what I wanted to do, so that the charge of the passage is to
come to faith in Jesus and stay with Jesus.
There is urgency to endure with Jesus through the hardships and challenges. But, if and
when we waffle in the endurance, we take comfort, He will stay, because of verse 1, our
strength to endure comes from His grace in our life, and not ours. Amen?
North Village Church
This sermon is brought to you by North Village Church, a non-denominational church in Austin. established in 2009 and built around Jesus and Bible teaching.
Are you looking for a church in Austin? At North Village Church we put Jesus at the center of our church family. We worship together every Sunday at 10:30am, encourage Christ centered fellowship through groups, and host special events such as Bible studies and Theological Training, to ensure that we are rooted in in God’s Word. We also serve our local community in association with several Austin based organizations.
North Village Church is made up of professionals, married couples, singles, and families who are wanting to experience the life-transforming power of Jesus. If you are a family with children or teens, we can support you with either or both our Kids Ministry and Youth Ministry.
You are welcome to contact us if you would like more information.
NVC Online
Unable to attend this Christian Church in Austin? Don’t worry, because, through God’s provision, we have created NVC online, an Online Church streaming a worship service every Sunday from 10:30am Central Time. You can also watch our short, powerful sermons on demand and follow us on Instagram for daily Christ centered content.