TEACHING YOUR TIMOTHY 2 Timothy 3:10-15. Teaching Your Timothy Danny MurphyGeorge Goldman.

TEACHING YOUR TIMOTHY

2 Timothy 3:10-15

Teaching Your Timothy

Danny Murphy George Goldman


How many will be faithful servants of God because of the

time you took last week?

Teaching Your Timothy• Basil Overton: “I love what I’m doing, because I

don’t know what I’m doing.”


don’t know what I’m doing.” His point: We do not know the lives we may be impacting because of our work.



• Dennis Jones: “Gentlemen, we are changing the population of heaven.”



• Dennis Jones: “Gentlemen, we are changing the population of heaven.” You hard work is “changing the population of heaven.”


This morning’s text deals with the positive influence of proper

teaching.


2 Timothy 3:10-15

Teaching Your Timothy• Timothy was apparently still in Ephesus when

Paul wrote 2 Timothy to him.


Paul wrote 2 Timothy to him.• False teaching was a problem in Ephesus.



• “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine” (1 Tm 1:3, ESV).



• 1 Tm 1:3.• “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you.

Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge,’ for by professing it some have swerved from the faith” (1 Tm 6:20-21, ESV).

Teaching Your Timothy• The context of this morning’s text is also false

teaching.


teaching.• “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so

these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith” (3:8, ESV).




• Then, Paul contrasts the behavior of the false teachers with the expected behavior of Timothy.




• Then, Paul contrasts the behavior of the false teachers with the expected behavior of Timothy.• “You, however, have followed my teaching....” (v 10,

ESV).




• Then, Paul contrasts the behavior of the false teachers with the expected behavior of Timothy.• “You, however, have followed my teaching....” (v 10,

ESV).• The false teachers lived one way, but Paul expected

Timothy to live another way.

Teaching Your Timothy• In pointing out the way he expected Timothy to

live, Paul points back to Timothy’s teaching.


live, Paul points back to Timothy’s teaching.• This morning, we wish to examine what Timothy

was taught, how he was taught, & the purpose for which he was taught.


live, Paul points back to Timothy’s teaching.• This morning, we wish to examine what Timothy

was taught, how he was taught, & the purpose for which he was taught.

• Our aim is to understand the work of teaching.


vv 10-11Teaching’s Pattern

Teaching Your Timothy• “You, however, have followed my teaching, my

conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endures; yet from them all the Lord rescued me” (vv 10-11, ESV).

Teaching Your Timothy• Timothy had an example in Paul.


• “You have followed….”


• “You have followed….”• The Greek term “followed” is a technical term for

the relation of a disciple to his teacher.


• “You have followed….”• The Greek term “followed” is a technical term for

the relation of a disciple to his teacher.• In Jewish society, pupils would gather around a

teacher, not just to gain “book learning,” but to learn how to live.

Teaching Your Timothy• Notice that among the attributes Timothy

gained from Paul, “my teaching” is mentioned first.


gained from Paul, “my teaching” is mentioned first.• Paul did, indeed, teach Timothy the truth of God.



• Timothy accompanied Paul on missionary journeys.



• Timothy accompanied Paul on missionary journeys.• “Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took

him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek” (Acts 16:3, ESV).



• Timothy accompanied Paul on missionary journeys.• “Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took

him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek” (Acts 16:3, ESV).

• Timothy would have learned much as he heard Paul preach on those journeys.



• Timothy accompanied Paul on missionary journeys.• Timothy was present when Paul wrote some of his

Epistles.



• Timothy accompanied Paul on missionary journeys.• Timothy was present when Paul wrote some of his

Epistles: E.g., “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother” (2 Cor 1:1, ESV).


gained from Paul, “my teaching” is mentioned first.• Paul did, indeed, teach Timothy the truth of God.• But, Paul’s teaching was not divorced from his

character.



character.• Paul immediately follows “my teaching” up with

traits such as “conduct,” “faith,” “patience,” & “love.”



character.• Paul immediately follows “my teaching” up with

traits such as “conduct,” “faith,” “patience,” & “love.”

• Paul did not live by the maxim: “Do as I say but not as I do”!

Teaching Your Timothy• We must understand that what we teach

matters greatly, but how we live also matters greatly.


matters greatly, but how we live also matters greatly.• “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,

so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice” (Mt 23:2-3, ESV).


matters greatly, but how we live also matters greatly.• “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,

so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice” (Mt 23:2-3, ESV).

• We must never allow such words to be said of us!

Teaching Your Timothy• Mario Cuomo: “I talk and talk and talk, and I

haven’t taught people in fifty years what my father taught by example in one week.”


What are we teaching by our example?


vv 12-13Teaching’s Prevention

Teaching Your Timothy• “Evil people and impostors will go on from bad

to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it” (vv 12-13, ESV).

Teaching Your Timothy• Evil individuals will grow worse, both

“deceiving” & “being deceived.”


“deceiving” & “being deceived.”• Deception has been Satan’s ploy since time

began.



began.• When Satan “lies, he speaks out of his own

character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (Jn 8:44, ESV).



began.• When Satan “lies, he speaks out of his own

character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (Jn 8:44, ESV).

• “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14, ESV).


No wonder Satan deceives!


If he told the truth, who would follow?

No wonder Satan deceives!

Teaching Your Timothy• Because of Satan, people have been deceived

since time began.


since time began.• “The woman was deceived and became a

transgressor” (1 Tm 2:14, ESV).



transgressor” (1 Tm 2:14, ESV). • All Satan had to do to convince Eve to sin was tell

her she would be like God—and leave out the curse of sin.



transgressor” (1 Tm 2:14, ESV). • All Satan had to do to convince Eve to sin was tell

her she would be like God—and leave out the curse of sin.

• Man has struggled with sin ever since that single deception.



transgressor” (1 Tm 2:14, ESV). • But, in this text, Paul speaks of the deception of

error.




error.• How many people are LOST because they have

listened to a teacher who did Satan’s bidding?




error.• How many people are LOST because they have

listened to a teacher who did Satan’s bidding?• How many people will be shocked to find themselves

in HELL because they were deceived by error?

Teaching Your Timothy• The teaching Timothy had received would

prevent his going into error.


prevent his going into error.• “But as for you, continue in what you have

learned . . . .”


prevent his going into error.• “But as for you, continue in what you have

learned . . . .”• The remedy for error is simple: “Know the

TRUTH.”


As you worked at VBS, you continually wrote God’s

prescription for error.


The Truth

As you worked at VBS, you continually wrote God’s

prescription for error.


v 14Teaching’s Perseverance

Teaching Your Timothy• “But as for you, continue in what you have

learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it” (v 14, ESV).

Teaching Your Timothy• Timothy had to “continue” in what he had

learned.


learned.• Greek term is “abide.”


learned.• Greek term is “abide.” The term is in the present

tense: “Continually abide.”


learned.• Greek term is “abide.” The term is in the present

tense: “Continually abide.”• The truth Timothy had learned & believed would

be of little value if he stopped using & believing it.

Teaching Your Timothy• The Gospel is not to be learned & then

discarded.


discarded.• “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”


discarded.• “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”• We must use & not lose the Gospel!

Teaching Your Timothy• We must continue in the Gospel to keep away

from error.


from error.• “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,

ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (Jn 15:7, ESV).


from error.• “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,

ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (Jn 15:7, ESV).

• “Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father” (1 Jn 2:24, ESV).

Teaching Your Timothy• How many have we seen know & firmly believe

the Gospel only to wander from it because they did not “continue in what [they] have learned and have firmly believed”?


the Gospel only to wander from it because they did not “continue in what [they] have learned and have firmly believed”?• How many have been caught up in a sin they once

considered “unthinkable”?


the Gospel only to wander from it because they did not “continue in what [they] have learned and have firmly believed”?• How many have been caught up in a sin they once

considered “unthinkable”?• How many once faithful Christians have “made

shipwreck of their faith” (1 Tm 1:19, ESV) because they did not continue in the Gospel & accepted error?


v 15Teaching’s Purpose

Teaching Your Timothy• “From childhood you have been acquainted with

the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v 15, ESV).

Teaching Your Timothy• In Jewish Palestine at the time of Paul, Jewish

boys were instructed in the Scriptures beginning at the age of 5.

Teaching Your Timothy• This instructions in “the sacred writings” was

commanded in the Old Testament.


commanded in the Old Testament.• “You shall teach [my commandments] to your

children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deut 11:19, ESV).


commanded in the Old Testament.• Deut 11:19.• “He established a testimony in Jacob and

appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments” (Ps 78:5-7, ESV).

Teaching Your Timothy• Timothy had a faithful mother & grandmother

who carried out that instruction diligently.

Teaching Your Timothy• Timothy had a faithful mother & grandmother

who carried out that instruction diligently.• “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith

that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (2 Tm 1:5, ESV).

Teaching Your Timothy• In Paul’s day, Jewish boys were so well

educated in the Scriptures that even pagans were amazed.

Teaching Your Timothy• In Paul’s day, Jewish boys were so well

educated in the Scriptures that even pagans were amazed.

• Could the same thing be said of us?

Teaching Your Timothy• According to our text, the purpose of this

education was to make one “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”


education was to make one “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”• The Scriptures make one “wise for salvation” in

that they witness to Jesus, the “Source” of salvation.



that they witness to Jesus, the “Source” of salvation: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (Jn 5:39, ESV).



that they witness to Jesus, the “Source” of salvation: (Jn 5:39).

• The Scriptures make one “wise for salvation” in that they are the “imperishable seed” by which one is born again.




• The Scriptures make one “wise for salvation” in that they are the “imperishable seed” by which one is born again: “You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God . . . . And this word is the good news that was preached to you” (1 Pt 1:23, 25, ESV).




• The Scriptures make one “wise for salvation” in that they are the “imperishable seed” by which one is born again: (1 Pt 1:23, 25).

• The Scriptures make one “wise for salvation” in that they provide God’s way to have salvation.




• The Scriptures make one “wise for salvation” in that they are the “imperishable seed” by which one is born again: (1 Pt 1:23, 25).

• The Scriptures make one “wise for salvation” in that they provide God’s way to have salvation: At Pentecost, “those who received his word [i.e., the preaching of Peter] were baptized” (Acts 2:41, ESV).


You may never know all the good you did this past week by

sowing the Word of God!

Teaching Your Timothy• Some have said that teachers “touch the

future.”


future.”• When you teach the Word of God, you do NOT

touch the future.


future.”• When you teach the Word of God, you do NOT

touch the future.• You touch ETERNITY!

Teaching Your Timothy“My dishes went unwashed today; And I didn’t even make the bed; I taught a class about Christ’s way At Vacation Bible School instead.

“That my housework was left undone; That I didn’t even sweep the stairs, In twenty years there’ll be not one Who remembers—or even cares.

Teaching Your Timothy“But, in future years, the whole wide world May look, and see, and know, That I have helped some boy or girl Toward a more Christ-like life to grow.”


Oh, the good that is done by teaching the Gospel of Jesus!


Do you labor in teaching the Word of God?

Teaching Your TimothyHas that Word, sown in your

heart, made you wise for salvation?


Are you ready to act on that wisdom this very morning?

Has that Word, sown in your heart, made you wise for

salvation?

TEACHING YOUR TIMOTHY 2 Timothy 3:10-15. Teaching Your Timothy Danny MurphyGeorge Goldman.

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