Being Fearless to the End

Introduction: “How does it end?” That’s the question I usually ask my wife when she suggests watching something together. I want to know. It doesn’t ruin it for me. I want a happy ending. I’m depressed enough living in a fallen world without the help of Hollywood. God must want us to know how things are going to bc He tells us in His Word. We learn that no human lives forever on Earth. We learn that Jesus is preparing a place for us after we die. Jesus spoke about how things will end on earth with vivid details in Matthew 24 & 25 (The Olivet Discourse). And last but not least, God gave us the Book of Revelation, the greatest details on how it all ends on earth. This letter is raw and powerful. It is personal but not chummy. This letter contains 25 imperatives. Paul is commanding Timothy in many critical areas. I. There are four chapters (each has its own theme) 1. Chapter One - Fanning the flame 2. Chapter Two - Training the pastors3. Chapter Three - Relying on Scriptures 4. Chapter Four - Finishing WellII. The II Timothy Overview Chart - 1. The Past - Timothy’s heritage 2. The Present - Passing it on 3. The Future (2-fold) a. The Deception of the World b. The Devotion of the Disciples III. The Personal Opening - 1:1-5 (Authority w/ affection & affirmation) - God used Paul to prepare Timothy before his death in a similar manner that God prepared Joshua after Moses death. Every organization has as its goal passing on the leadership to the next generation. Few have accomplished this for any length of time. My father’s company, GM, is not the giant it used to be in the automobile industry. My father-in-law’s company, Sears, dominated the market for over a hundred years but has since fallen on hard times. Christianity, on the other hand, has endured for over 2,000 years. Why? Two reasons: (1) God is the eternal CEO of His work (2) God’s work is an organism rather than an organization. 1. Paul was Timothy’s spiritual father, and this is no “gonna miss you” letter. It’s a call to courage. It’s a call to leadership. It’s a call to preaching in a world where antagonism was on an all-time high. The enemies of the cross expanded far beyond the JRE and are now coming from the Roman Empire itself. This changed everything. Paul went from “house arrest” in his first Roman imprisonment, and now he is bound in chains, cold and alone, knowing he would not survive this incarceration. = 1:1 - Paul the author speaks first with authority, then with affection= 1:2a - Timothy the recipient = 1:2b - Paul ended Titus with/ “love, faith, grace,” and opens II Timothy with/ “grace, mercy, & peace.” = 1:3-4 - Paul begins with being thankful, prayerful, tearful, hopeful, joyful (and adds the title of “servant”) • “as did my ancestors/forefathers” - Paul was not the first to walk faithfully with God, and he will not be the last! Many endured incredible persecution and pain. • “with a clear conscience” - I Timothy 1; II Timothy 3:9; • “Remember you constantly in my prayers (couldn’t stop there, but instead he defines constantly) night and day.” • “I remember your tears” - • “I long to see you.” -