Nearing the end

- How do you live and die without regrets?

1. Remember we are accountable

the living andThe judge of the dead

And yet confident not fearful

2. Making this life Count

Preach the word

In season and out of season

Correct, rebuke and encourage

Tell people what they NEED to hear

3. Faithfulness is Success

Do you long for Jesus to appear?

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who doesn’t need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth

2 Timothy 2:1-2

1. Endure in the gospel

2. Pass the gospel on to reliable people who will teach others

1. Enduring in the gospel (vv1-13)

What?

How? (vv3-6)

Why? (vv 8-13)

2. Faithfully passing on the gospel (vv14-26)

Correctly handle the word of truth (vv14-19)

Embody the word in our lives (vv20-26)

Humbly and gently handling the word (vv23-26)

Who does God approve?

A weighty, emotional letter…

The risk of shame (v8, 12, 16)

Why there is no need to be ashamed of Jesus (vv8-10)

No need to be ashamed of the Apostle Paul (v8, 15-18)

The Main Task: Guard the Gospel (vv11-14)

2 Timothy 1:14 is the centrepiece of the letter

Timothy’s gift?  

1 Timothy 4:13-14

Things we need to remember (to avoid being ashamed)

It is only the gospel that saves

If you stick with the gospel, you will suffer

V8 …join me in suffering for the gospel

V12 …this is no cause for shame

Jesus guards the gospel and us

V12…I am convinced he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day

I. Justice is not ours (v.17)

A. Do not repay evil with evil (17a)

B. Instead, do what is right in the sight of all (17b)

C. Living the gospel

II. Live Peaceably and Trust God for justice (v. 18-19)

A. Live peaceably with all (18)

B. Do not seek personal revenge (19a)

C. Trust God for justice (19b)

III. Overcome evil with Good (v. 20-21)

A. Be kind to your enemy (20a)

B. Kindness produces guilt and shame (20b)

C. Grace overcomes evil (21)

Introduction

Love graciously (v.14) 

Bless those who persecute you

Bless and do not curse

Love sensitively (v.15)

Rejoice with those who rejoice

Mourn with those who mourn

Love in humility (v.16)

Love without favouritism

Live in harmony

Am I living in light of the gospel?

Catch love

Love that is genuine

It’s real

It seeks what is right

It’s family orientated

Love that’s energetic

It’s hardworking & fuelled by the Spirit

Having a single focus

Love that never gives up

It’s cheerfully expectant

It is prayerful

Love that is generous

Generosity within the family

Generosity outside the family

This describes Jesus & we’re to be like him

The proof is in the pudding

We need to get our thinking right

A genuine attitude of humility

A clear view of yourself

According to the faith you’ve been given

Faith opens up a whole new world

A deep sense of belonging

We belong to Christ and to each other

When we give ourselves to others we grow

Where do we get the power to give ourselves?

A keen desire to use your gifts

Everyone in the body has gifts

The gifts are for serving each other

Do you have a servant’s heart?

1. God’s mercy: responding in faith.

2. Worshipping God: our faithful response.

3. Living faithfully: our life renewed in Christ.

4. God’s pleasing will: living in Christ.

We now have peace for we are justified in the resurrection of Christ. 

More than this: we now live in the hope of the glory of God, which is guaranteed, by the love of the Holy Spirit. 

More than this: we shall continue to realise how much Jesus loves us, because he died for us even though we rejected and crucified him.

 There is so much more than this: more than justified, more than reconciled, we are resurrected into the love and eternal life of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

A New Song on Christmas Day    

Sing! Because of the salvation of our God (v1-3)    

Shout! Before the LORD, the King (v4-6)    

Resound! Because he comes to judge the earth. (v7-9)