2 Timothy 3
In Acts 20.29, Paul warned the leaders of the church of Ephesus to watch out for “fierce wolves” who will come among the church and “draw the disciples away.” A few years later, Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus because the church there was in danger, just as Paul had predicted. And now, in Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he’s encouraging him to identify, confront, and silence those false teachers and get the church reentered on Jesus, his ways, and his mission. It is no easy task! Thankfully, God has not left Timothy - or us - to figure it out on our own. Our main weapon in this fight is the Bible, where we have both the Old Testament story of God and the New Testament witness to Jesus. By abiding in the Scriptures, we can live with clarity and conviction in the context we find ourselves!
COMMUNITY DISCUSSION
1. What in our day - both within the church and beyond - seems most likely to draw us away from the true gospel?
2. Paul tells Timothy that the 2 greatest weapons in this fight are all he has learned from Paul, and the OT he learned from his mom. Why are these the key weapons for the war?
3. Reflect on your own Bible intake. How is the Bible shaping your life? In what ways are you still resistant?
May 23, 2021 - Steve Hart