USEFUL OR USELESS? (4 OF 7)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:14-26
This content is part of a series.
Useful or Useless? (4 of 7)
Series: Transferring Truth to the Next generation
Keith Krell
2 Timothy 2:14-26
I have lots of book sense, but very little common sense. I know how to read Greek, but I don't know how to read maps. North, south, east, and west are Greek to me. If it wasn't for my wife (a.k.a. MapQuest) leading me by the hand, I'd be forever lost. I know how to fix theological tensions, but I can't fix anything around our house. I barely know the difference between a Philips and flathead screwdriver. The household repairs are done by my wife, otherwise known as Bob Vila or GM Goodwrench. I can cook up some meaty sermons in my study, but I can't cook much of anything in our kitchen. To my shame, my wife even does the barbequing! Heaven help me! Thank God for Lori, my own personal Betty Crocker.
There have been many times I've wished I was less heavenly minded and more earthly good. It is hard to be incompetent in the day-to-day matters of life. It is demoralizing to feel useless. Yet, my feelings of uselessness have forced me to spend time thinking about what it means to be useful in God's kingdom. What does God look for in a person He chooses to use? How can a person prepare oneself for kingdom usefulness? What kind of life does God use? Paul answers these questions in 2 Tim 2:14-26. In these thirteen verses he shares two principles that will help us to be useful instead of useless.
1. Deal with destructive teaching (2:14-19). If we are to be useful in ministry we must deal with false teachers and their teaching. Paul opens up by saying: ''Remind them of these things'' (2:14a). He commands Timothy to ''remind'' (hupomimnesko) the entire church of ''these things.'' What are ''these things'' (tauta)? Most likely, Timothy is to continually bring up Paul's prior words about perseverance and the potential of apostasy (cf. 2:11-13). One of the most critical of all ministries is reminding God's people to persevere in the faith. We are all pro ...
Series: Transferring Truth to the Next generation
Keith Krell
2 Timothy 2:14-26
I have lots of book sense, but very little common sense. I know how to read Greek, but I don't know how to read maps. North, south, east, and west are Greek to me. If it wasn't for my wife (a.k.a. MapQuest) leading me by the hand, I'd be forever lost. I know how to fix theological tensions, but I can't fix anything around our house. I barely know the difference between a Philips and flathead screwdriver. The household repairs are done by my wife, otherwise known as Bob Vila or GM Goodwrench. I can cook up some meaty sermons in my study, but I can't cook much of anything in our kitchen. To my shame, my wife even does the barbequing! Heaven help me! Thank God for Lori, my own personal Betty Crocker.
There have been many times I've wished I was less heavenly minded and more earthly good. It is hard to be incompetent in the day-to-day matters of life. It is demoralizing to feel useless. Yet, my feelings of uselessness have forced me to spend time thinking about what it means to be useful in God's kingdom. What does God look for in a person He chooses to use? How can a person prepare oneself for kingdom usefulness? What kind of life does God use? Paul answers these questions in 2 Tim 2:14-26. In these thirteen verses he shares two principles that will help us to be useful instead of useless.
1. Deal with destructive teaching (2:14-19). If we are to be useful in ministry we must deal with false teachers and their teaching. Paul opens up by saying: ''Remind them of these things'' (2:14a). He commands Timothy to ''remind'' (hupomimnesko) the entire church of ''these things.'' What are ''these things'' (tauta)? Most likely, Timothy is to continually bring up Paul's prior words about perseverance and the potential of apostasy (cf. 2:11-13). One of the most critical of all ministries is reminding God's people to persevere in the faith. We are all pro ...
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