Paul's Letters 2 Timothy

The Process Of Discipleship

Discover Jesus as: Righteous Judge 2 Timothy 2 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 567 of 730
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INTRO

Every time I think of 2 Timothy 2, I think of a billboard I used to drive by in Charlotte, NC. The sign repeated, “Disciples making disciples making disciples . . .” and each time the word “disciples” was presented, it got a little smaller. That’s what the Christian life is all about . . . disciples making disciples making disciples.

Remember that Paul was writing his last letter before his execution and it went to Timothy, his son in the faith. The letter contains his last teachings and encouragements to Timothy on how to continue his ministry. Wiersbe identifies seven different pictures of what a minister could look like in chapter 2: “the steward, the soldier, the athlete, the farmer, the workman, the vessel, and the servant.”1

TEACHING

2 Timothy 2:1-2: Paul told Timothy to be strong in the grace that Christ had shown him (v. 1). Paul then instructed Timothy to teach what he had been taught to those who would pass those teachings on to others (v. 2). This is a picture of stewardship through discipleship (1 Corinthians 4:17; 11:1). MacArthur explains, “Timothy was to take the divine revelation he had learned from Paul and teach it to other faithful men––men with proven spiritual character and giftedness, who would in turn pass on those truths to another generation.”2 We need faithful individuals to continue to communicate God’s divine revelation to others. Timothy understood this instruction and followed it with urgency. He knew it was necessary and timely. Without doing this, false messages can infiltrate what is taught within the church.

Sadly, for many believers and even staff members, they have no idea where to start in this process, or they hesitate to start because they don’t know what the outcome will be. Discipling someone takes major time. When we examine the lives of Paul, James, and John, ten keys become evident to us at Time to Revive:

  1. Pray. Ask the Lord for a disciple (Mark 1:35-38).
  2. Look for a disciple that the Lord has prepared, and discern if they are open (Mark 1:19).
  3. Call. Reach out to the disciple; make initial connection (Mark 1:20a).
  4. Respond. Positive or negative, the disciple will respond to the “call” in some form (Mark 1:20b).
  5. Relate. “Do life” with the disciple; build intentional relationship (Mark 1:29-31).
  6. Establish. Assist them in seeking God’s purpose for their life (Mark 6:6b-13).
  7. Share. Teach and work through hard Biblical truths together (Mark 10:35-45).
  8. Endure. Model and assist the disciple in enduring hardships (Mark 14:32-36; Acts 12:2).
  9. Remain. A disciple that remains in the Lord bears fruit (Acts 3:1-11).
  10. Replicate. While the two continue in relationship, the disciple is able to carry out the great commission by finding someone to disciple, and the disciple-maker prays for a new disciple (Acts 4:3-4).

There is someone out there that God has already prepared for you to disciple. You’ve just got to find that person.

2 Timothy 2:3–10: I want to give you the rest of the pictures of the roles of the pastor that Wiersbe identified in the rest of chapter 2: 3

The Soldier (vv. 3-4, 8-13)

The Athlete (v. 5)

The Farmer (vv. 6-7)

The Workman (vv. 14-18)

The Vessel (vv. 19-22)

The Servant (vv. 23-26)

In ministry and in discipleship, all of the roles come into play. At times, we’ll take on all of them.

CLOSING

In order to make disciples, we must steward what we have been given. As we carry out the message of discipleship, the kingdom of God advances. The challenge for every one of us is to ask the Lord to show us who we are making disciples with. Ask Him, “who am I pouring into that is making disciples?” My hope is you have a chart and this chart is growing. If you don’t have anybody, it’s never too late to start. Begin by praying, start looking around, and be prepared to call someone to ask them if you can pour into their life. I thank Paul for this model, and my prayer is we can live this out as Paul challenged Timothy to do.

  1. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament (Colorado Springs, David C. Cook, 1989), pp. 244-248.

  2. John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2005), p. 1806.

  3. Wiersbe, pp.244-248.

Questions

  1. Do you consider yourself to be a soldier? What about a soldier of Jesus Christ? In 2 Timothy 2:3, Paul told Timothy to suffer with him as a soldier of Jesus. Do you see yourself in this role? Why or why not?
  2. How would you explain 2 Timothy 2:11–13 to an unbeliever? Do these verses make sense to you?
  3. In your opinion, how can 2 Timothy 2:22 be done? How can a person pursue righteous living, love, faithfulness, and peace? Do you enjoy time spent with like-minded believers? Do you think you do that enough?
  4. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in 2 Timothy 2 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin 2 Timothy 2:2

“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • Matthew 28:19-20— “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
  • John 1:45— “Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth!’”
  • Titus 2:3— “In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. They are to teach what is good.”