2Tim 2:15
The Faithful Minister (4)
We are continuing to see the counsel that Paul gave to Timothy in
this, the last preserved letter before Paul’s death. So far, we
have seen…
I. \\#1\\ Be strong like a son.
II. \\#2\\ Speak like a witness.
III. \\#3\\ Be hard like a soldier.
IV. \\#4\\ Be single-minded like a warrior.
V. \\#5\\ Strive like the athlete.
VI. \\#6-7\\ Partake like a farmer.
VII. \\#8-13\\ Remember like a child of God.
VIII. \\#14, 16-18\\ Proclaim like a Preacher
In encouraging Timothy to preach like a preacher, Paul mentioned two
more preacher-men who had turned from the faith \\#17\\, Hymenaeus
and Philetus. Paul did not want that to happen to Timothy and he
gave him some council to see that it did not.
IX. \\#15\\ Study like a workman.
2Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto
God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
A. Concerning Hymenaeus and Philetus, as Paul mentioned them, he
was talking about those preachers who…
1. \\#16\\ babble vainly and profanely instead of move people
to godliness.
2. \\#17\\ Their words are like a canker, "gangrenous," a
condition of your flesh and tissue just rotting away.
3. \\#18\\ Their words are just plan wrong, filled with
error.
B. Paul gave one piece of advice to Timothy to keep this awful
condition from happening through him—study.
1. Study the Bible. Learn it. Know what it says. Let what
it says sink into you, change you, grow you.
2. Again, one would think this is a given for preachers but
so many preachers spend so little time in study.
a. For some, it is because it is not their calling. They
may be leaders; they may be charismatic, they may be
likeable, but they do not love to study the Word of
God.
(1) These men should not be senior pastors, pastors
that preach the Word.
(2) They can be visitation pastors, project
overseers, music ministers, missions directors,
and a variety of other leaders in the church,
but they should not be the primary preacher in
the church.
b. For others, it is because they are too busy. Some
preachers would love to read the Bible, study a
passage, cross reference some thoughts, read what
others see—but they are too busy doing other things.
(1) These men either need to get some help or they
need to let some of the business go.
(2) If their primary ministry is the Word of God,
they must invest time into it.
c. Preachers who don’t study are like….
(1) Carpenters who don’t work with wood.
(2) Mechanics who don’t like cars.
(3) Bakers who don’t like flour.
(4) Farmers who don’t like dirt.
C. In this verse, Paul told Timothy three things that would
happen if he studied. Let’s get the last one first.
1. He will rightly divide the Word of God.
a. I am moving this to the top of the list because it
seems to be the most logical and sought after reason
for studying the Bible.
b. Those who study the Bible will have a greater
understanding of God’s Word.
c. If a preacher is going to preach, he needs something
to say. The only thing worthy of a preacher saying
will have to come out of the Bible.
d. Our words on politics, social conditions, the criminal
justice system, finances, psychology, medicines,
science are only worth listening to IF it coming from
a Bible principal.
e. Preachers need to preach the Bible.
2. He would be approved of God.
a. That could mean three things.
(1) It could mean that a preacher who studied will be
approved (blessed and empower) by God.
(2) It could mean that a preacher who is approved of
God will study.
(3) Or it could mean both.
b. The first meaning would be one of reward.
(1) If Timothy studied the Word, God would reward him
with His approval.
(a) He will be blessed and empowered because of
his study.
(b) The blessings are not merely limited to
gaining Biblical understanding.
(c) They might include blessings on one’s home
life, business life, on his health, and on
his happiness.
(2) I find that to be true. I love to study the
Bible because I like to see old truths afresh
and new truths for the first time.
c. The second meaning would be one of screening.
(1) Those who have been approved of God to handle the
Word will study the Word.
(2) I believe that to be true but can only speak of
myself.
(3) However, my council would be if you are listening
to someone who does not know the Bible, he is
either too green to be in that position or he
was not called of God.
d. So I think both have merit.
3. He will not be ashamed.
a. The preachers’ worse nightmare is for Sunday morning
to roll around and he has no food to give.
b. I do not want to fail in these hours when I stand
behind this scared desk.
X. \\#19-26\\ Live like you are the Lord’s
A. In this section, Paul listed several exhortations which sound
much like the ones he gave in 1Timothy.
1. Remember that around six years would have passed.
2. You can’t beat the basics!
3. Paul’s goal was to ground Timothy and he cannot do that
without reminding him of the basics.
B. \\#19\\ Notice the importance Paul placed on these items.
1. "the foundation of God standeth sure"
a. Paul was about to tell Timothy something about God
that was bedrock, basic, foundational, to God
HIMSELF.
b. This revelation is something that God and all that He
is rests upon.
c. This is big. Paul was building this up as something
very important.
2. "having this seal"
a. Then Paul added this to emphasize the importance even
more.
b. A seal reminds us of the seal of empire, like the one
used on Jesus’ tomb.
c. Having a seal means it is authentic and important, of
great value.
d. Paul built this up to make it sound as if it was the
most important truth he had ever found!
3. What is it, Paul?
a. "The Lord knoweth them that are his."
(1) Our reaction might be, "Is that all?"
(a) However, that reaction demonstrates how much
we take God’s relationship with us for
granted.
(b) The almighty God knows US because we are
His.
(2) The context would indicate that God knew
Hymenaeus and Philetus were never God’s.
(a) It is very likely that the number one reason
a preacher does not preach the whole truth
of the gospel is because he is lost,
(b) I read Joel Osteen’s reply to the criticism
as to why he does not preach on sin, hell,
or salvation. His response was basically
that people are beat down enough. He wants
to build them up. There is a real
possibility that he does not know Jesus as
His Savior. He has the world’s largest
church, 40,000 members. He has made
millions by calling himself a preacher and
pastor, but he refuses to preach a message
that could lead a lost soul to Christ,
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/joel.osteen.defends.ministry.
for.shunning.hellfire.and.brimstone.preaching.saying.people.feel.
guilty.enough/82861.htm
b. "And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity."
(1) Notice the "AND." This is also a foundational
truth.
(2) Those who claim Christ should depart from sin.
(3) We all know that some who claim Jesus do not, but
they should.
(4) Paul called that as foundational and basic a
truth as the fact that God knows us.
c. \\#20-21\\ Paul took that thought further.
(1) He used the comparison of the good china to the
plastic dishes.
(2) Just you may have some better dishes you use when
company comes over and some that is just every-
day, so God has some servants which are special
to Him.
(3) Which servants are God’s special servants? The
one who "purges himself" from sin!
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