How do you entrust the gospel to other people; how do you make disciples who make disciples? This letter we are studying is the Apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy, but it is also the thirteenth and final letter from the Apostle Paul in the Bible. The Apostle Paul has written a total of thirteen letters among which we find the letter to the Ephesians and then two letters to young Timothy who is the pastor at Ephesus.
I think it is safe to say that all thirteen of the Apostle Paul’s letters are centered on the message of the gospel. In his letter to the Corinthian church, he clearly stated that “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:3 – 6).
Paul’s aim, in everything he wrote, was to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ; to pass along the gospel he had received to other faithful people who would also pass it on to others.
The Apostle Paul lived his life as a faithful minister of the gospel who was concerned with making disciples who would make more disciples in accordance with the command of Jesus who instructed us to do this very thing – to make disciples who make disciples within a yard of hell (Matt. 28).
Up until now, the Apostle Paul has instructed Timothy to cultivate a godly legacy (1:1 – 7), to not be ashamed of the gospel and to guard the gospel (1:8 – 14), and to be a faithful friend until the very end (1:15 – 18). Now he turns his attention to giving Timothy some practical instructions on how to make disciples; how to entrust the gospel to others (cf. 2:2).
2 TIMOTHY 2:1 – 7…
1You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
#1: BE STRENGTHENED BY GOD’S GRACE (V. 1)
I think that making disciples is some of the hardest work our Savior instructed us to do, outside of our own personal growth in holiness. The work of discipleship will flat out wear you out sometimes and you will be left feeling weak, helpless, and in need of strength.
The apostle Paul knows this, so he tells Timothy to, “be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (v. 1). It is important to remember and to be reminded of the grace that was extended to you and I, in the work of our crucified, risen and returning Savior because it is the only fuel that will sustain us for the hard work of discipleship. How are you doing at being strengthened by the grace of God?
#2: INVEST IN FAITHFUL PEOPLE (V. 2)
Some of the most discouraging times in the work of making disciples is realizing that you have invested your resources into unfaithful people; people who take your investment and trample it in the mud with their irresponsible, disrespectful, and destructive lifestyles while blaming you for their behavior. Paul has definitely had his fair share of people who took his investment and trampled on it (1:15; 4:9 – 16).
This is why he says, “[take] what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses [and] entrust [it] to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (vs. 2). Timothy needs to carefully invest the gospel into the lives of faithful people who are producing fruit and are reproducing other faithful fruit-filled disciples. Who are you investing in right now? Who is it that you are responsible for discipling?
#3: BE LIKE THE SOLDIER, THE ATHLETE, AND THE FARMER (VV. 3 – 6)
Discipleship is relational work which also means that it is super messy work. Obviously, Jesus is the best example of how to be a disciple – maker, but sometimes it helps to have other visual pictures of what a disciple – maker looks like. This is why Paul says, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard – working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops” (vss. 3 – 6).
Ultimately, Timothy needs to be like the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer as he engages the hard and often messy work of making disciples. He needs to welcome suffering instead of seeking comfort. He needs to aim to please God and not man. He needs to play according to the rules or practice the basic spiritual disciplines. He needs to plant the seeds of the gospel and enjoy investing in those who produce fruit and reproduce themselves in other disciples.
In what ways can you embrace suffering instead of chasing comfort as it pertains to discipleship? Where do you find yourself seeking man’s approval over God’s approval in the work of making disciples? Are there some areas where you need to step up your game as it pertains to playing by the rules (practicing basic spiritual disciplines)? Who is looking to you to plant the seeds of the gospel in them right now?
#4: PAY ATTENTION AND TRUST GOD (V. 7)
Most of the hardship I have faced in the work of making disciples originates not so much with what other people do or don’t do as much as it originates with me not paying attention and not trusting the Lord. When I get distracted from meditating on God’s Word and asking him to help me understand, that’s when I quit trusting him for results.
I think this is why the Apostle Paul tells Timothy to “think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (vs. 7). Timothy simply needs to pay attention to God’s Word and exert his trust in God by asking for understanding. In this way, Timothy can be a faithful disciple – maker who labors hard to make disciples while trusting God with the results.
APPLICATION…
So, there you have it. Making disciples is something that God has called every believer to do according to Matthew 28, but it is really hard, messy, relational work and it is also really hard to know how to do it; it is hard to know how to make disciples.
This why the Apostle Paul tells Timothy to be strengthened by God’s grace, to invest in faithful people, to be like the soldier, athlete, and farmer, and to pay attention and trust God. The question for us is, how do we apply this to our own lives and ministries?
#1: WE NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ORDINARY MEANS OF GRACE
Paul instructed Timothy to be strengthened by God’s grace as he labored to make disciples. How do you do this? How do you be strengthened by God’s grace?
When I think about this, I think about how weak and thirsty I get on a hot day when I am working in the yard. Nothing tastes as good as a fresh cold drink from the hose. In the same way, I need hoses to pipe God’s grace into me when I get weary in the work of making disciples.
Those hoses that pump God’s grace into you and I are commonly referred to as the ordinary means of grace such as Sunday church gatherings, community groups, daily prayer, and Bible study as well as communion, practicing generosity, worship, and evangelism.
In the practice of these disciplines, (personally and communally) you and I are refreshed and strengthened by God’s grace. Apart from these ordinary means of grace, you and I will wind up dying of thirst and we will not be engaged in the work of making disciples.
#2: WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHERS
Healthy churches produce healthy disciples instead of sick consumers! I think the key to producing healthy disciples instead of sick consumers is found in the “one another” phrases in the Bible. The phrase “one another” is used approximately 100 times throughout the New Testament to help us be responsible for other people.
The work of making disciples is literally putting those “one another” phrases into practice. Ultimately, once you become a believer, you are responsible for making other believers and then continuing to care for those other believers.
All too often, we fall into the false notion that the paid pastor is supposed to be responsible for the care of everyone and though our pastors are called to care for the flock, the members of a church family are also called to care for one another.
I believe it would be a good step for us as a church to assign every member to another member for ongoing encouragement, prayer, care, correction, and follow up when someone goes missing. And then our pastors can step in only when someone is unresponsive or resisting correction or if there is a 911 situation.
I also think that if everyone here took it upon themselves to be responsible for another person, the church would grow in greater health. I think this would be a good way for us to practice the work of passing along to other faithful people what has been entrusted to us.
#3: WE NEED CHOOSE SUFFERING OVER COMFORT
It is not a natural tendency for a human to choose suffering over comfort but that is exactly what the Apostle Paul tells Timothy to do as he labors to make disciples. Consumers seek comfort but disciple – makers embrace the pain and suffering of doing the hard, messy, work of teaching and applying the gospel in the context of relationships.
The behavior of a disciple – maker is the behavior that mimics Jesus’ willingness to suffer so that other people would be served and ultimately saved. Contributors suffer and sacrifice while consumers seek comfort and love to be spectators. The question is… which one will you become?
#4: WE NEED TO BE LIKE THE SOLDIER, THE ATHLETE, AND THE FARMER
When Paul gives Timothy the visual aid of the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer he is describing someone who aims to please God, plays by the rules, and enjoys the fruit of his labor. Pleasing God is far more rewarding than trying to please people! You cannot please God by hiding out in isolation.
The rule of making disciples is to keep a close watch on yourself so that you can give others what you have been given. The call of a disciple – maker is to plant the seeds of the gospel into the invisible crevices of other people’s hearts while trusting God for the results.
So, we need to be more like the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer as we seek to make disciples. We need to aim to please God as we invest in people. We need to be responsible for our own personal growth and help others grow spiritually as well. And we need to engage in the work of planting the seeds of the gospel and trusting God for the results.
#5: WE NEED TO PUT THIS INTO ACTION AND TRUST GOD
This last point is a no brainer, but it is really hard. It is really hard to practice spiritual disciplines. It is really hard to be responsible for others. It is really hard to choose suffering over comfort. It is really hard to be like a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer when you are laboring to make disciples.
Doing all of these things will only be possible as you and I listen to God’s Word and trust him for understanding and strength to do the work. But you and I won’t really begin trusting God or even begin growing in our ability to trust him if we do not get up out of our comfort zones and put this stuff into action. So, ask the Spirit to show you where you need to take a step into the action of making disciples and trust him to help you in the process.
CONCLUSION…
In conclusion… making disciples is something that every believer is called to, and it will be really hard work, but thankfully we have the Apostle Paul as a good model, and we have God’s instructions, through the Apostle Paul, for how to do the work.
We also have the picture of Jesus, who made disciples perfectly, washed the feet of his betrayer, died alone on a cross while his disciples vanished into the night, gave his life for his enemies, and then left the tomb empty on the third day with a note describing our mission to make disciples within a yard of hell.
We ain’t suffered like Jesus has in our ministry which means that you and I can pick up our crosses with great joy and invite others to join us in the journey. – Amen!
1 Unless otherwise specified, all Bible references in this paper are to the English Standard Version Bible, The New Classic Reference Edition (ESV) (Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, 2001).