Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-7 Exegesis
- Theme: Paul’s Remembrance of Timothy
- Topic: What Paul remembers the most about Timothy
- Truth: Timothy had a good heart and a genuine faith.
- Thrust: Timothy must use these to be faithful to his calling.
Exposition
- Theme: Believers’ Calling
- Topic: What believers need to be faithful to their calling
- Truth: Believers need a good heart and a genuine faith .
- Thrust: Believers must develop their hearts and faith to remain faithful to their calling.
Exhortation
- Type: Both truth and thrust oriented
- Take Home Message: Being comes before doing.
- Trailing question: How can we stay faithful to our calling as followers of Jesus?
- Talk (sermon):
A. Take-off (intro)
Many Christians, especially those who are in high profile ministries, have fallen away from the faith. Many have left to follow false teachings or doctrines to the detriment of their spiritual lives. Others have simply chosen to love this world and compromise their faithful devotion to Jesus Christ. How can we stay faithful to our calling in the midst so much pressure to conform or compromise?
B. Teaching outline (body):
- Rely always on God’s gifts of mercy, grace and peace (vv.1-2).
- Remember always to pray and to ask for prayer (v.3).
- Relate always with integrity and with openness of heart (v.4).
- Remain always in the faith as you have been taught (v.5).
- Revive always your spiritual passion and relationship with the Holy Spirit (vv.6-7).
C. Touchdown (conclusion)
There will always be pressures to conform and compromise. In this world and in this life we will always be tempted. But we must always guard our hearts because “Being comes before doing.” Who you are becoming or what you are becoming matters to God more than what you are doing for Him. Therefore, we need to watch ourselves so that we will be faithful to our calling. In the end, it’s all about God’s grace, not human effort, that will keep us faithful in our calling as followers of Jesus.