Septuagesima Sunday. 3rd Week before Lent begins. 2 Timothy 2:1-13

 Septuagesima Sunday.  3rd Week before Lent begins.

2 Timothy 2:1-13

    ---We are leaving the time of Epiphany and moving into a few weeks of preparation for Easter ,soon the 40 days before on FEB 14. But these few weeks (3) are there for us to see the challenges, and think about the goal. The Second Reading today is about encouraging us to be strong (strengthened) in the grace that is the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ God's Only Son.  

1.  Look at the Chapter before that talks about the setting for saying what the Apostle does in 2 Timothy 2:1.  Some had turned away  from the Apostle and his teaching.  

1:13  He names them .  They were in Asia, Phygerlos and Hermogenes.  " It is evident....that many of these professed Christians have proved false to Paul in the hour of his need."  Erdman 

This was also true in Titus 1:14 " commandments of me, that turn from the truth"

The Apostle in vs. 9 encourages Titus to " hold fast the faithful word as hath been taught....that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the ....unruly and vain talkers and deceivers..."

Not all who profess Christ according to the Apostle were truly faithful and they" proved faithless when their friendship was most needed."  Erdman

The point here is that we should not be discouraged when this happens.  It will always be so.  

The Apostle goes on to mention Onesiphorus in 1:16 of 2 Timothy who reached out to the Apostle even though he was in prison.  He was probably from the Ephesian Church.

Which group are we in?  The encourager, the helper or the vain talker and deceivers?

2.  In the spirit of 2:1 of being strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus the Apostle reminds us that,"  And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."

In other words, mulitply the faith . He is talking about the Elders, some perhaps Bishops (lit. overseer), or presbyters which were permanent officers of the Church.  They must be above reproach showing spiritual oversight, temperate in judgment, showing self-control.

Show hospitality and be patient ...

They must have a loyalty to the truth, a loyalty which has been proved, and an aptitude to teach .

Many a man proclaims his own loyalty;

but a faithful man who can find?

Proverbs 20:6 (RSV)

‘None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob; for they did not follow Me fully, 12except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the LORD fully.’

Numbers 32:11-12 (NASB)

Of course, not are ordained and made officers in the Church, but each of us has a mission and a purpose in the body of Christ, the Church .  We are to be humble, loving, open, approachable, and living a life of faithfulness to God and to others.

----again we should be strong and strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, not our own agendas, or plans necessarily.  We are to submit to one another as well in the fear and love God.

" Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good, above all, that we are better than someone else, I think we may be sure, that we are being acted on, not by God,  but by the devil." CS Lewis

Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot

Is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.

Proverbs 25:19 (NASB)

"The main person with whom we need to be faithful is God Himself. That is a major part of what discipleship is all about. Jesus is looking for men and women who are willing to be truly committed to Him" realchristianity.com:

My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land,

that they may dwell with me;

He who walks in a blameless way

is the one who will minister to me.

Psalm 101:6 (NASB)

3.  Lastly, he gives us examples from the military and the farmer and the athlete.

" Therefore endure hardness, as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ" vs 3-4

"Take your share of suffering"  is the vb.  he tells Timothy and please your Commander , not be taken in by the things of the world.  

" The main point is therefore the renunciation of everything which hinders the real purpose of the Soldier of Christ." Guthrie

Discipline is necessary for the athlete to be crowned in running the race.

The farmer must be hardworking as well in diligent toil .

Conclusion- In the spirit of the key vs 2:1 " Be strong ( be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" ,  the passage concludes with messages of hope and a warning, and was probably according to many an ancient Christian hymn. 

"This is a trustworthy saying: vs 11-13.  Berean Standard Bible trans.

If we died with Him,

we will also live with Him;

12if we endure,

we will also reign with Him;

if we deny Him,

He will also deny us;

13if we are faithless,

He remains faithful,

for He cannot deny Himself."