Queen's Road Cell

6. Why is it important for us to think about the early Christians’ willingness to suffer for Jesus’ name (see 5:40-42; 7:59-60; 9:15-16,23-30)? 5:40-42  " they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name" They rejoiced.  7:59-60   "stoning... he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them" -They forgave 9:15-16 " For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." The saw the necessity of testimony, acceptance  9:23-30 " the Jews plotted to kill him ... took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall" They helped one another. They escaped Suffering is normative. Jesus suffered to leave us an example  Their message was true. Their suffering authenticated their message We suffer because of persecution, active and passive We suffer because because of ou...

  10  Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. 11  Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 12  Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13  But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God. 14  There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15  And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with ...

  Consider the work of God:      who can make straight what he has made crooked? 14  In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. 15  In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. 16  Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17  Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18  It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them. 19  Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20  Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. 21  D...

 4. a) Why should Paul's goals, lifestyle, character and experiences strengthen Timothy? (3:10-11) Because he shows that the worst suffering is endurable, and at the end, is vindicated by God. Acts 14 tells us that Paul returned to the places where he suffered and nearly died. Ac 14:22 tells us that he did this to strengthen the new disciples, to encourage them and to model for them the truth that the Christian life involves suffering . His second visit was not to evangelise, but for the sake of his young churches   How was Paul able to be fearless and to retain authority despite his suffering? He was filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (Ac 13:52). He was an example of the truth  b) Has anyone served as this kind of example for you? If so, how has that person strengthened  your service in God? c) Are you, or could you, model the Christian life for someone as Paul did for Timothy? If so, for whom and how? Winnie shared how important it was to have teaching in church a...

 8. Choose one of Paul's 3 similes in 2:4-6. How does its lesson apply to you in your service to God?  I am unsure which area I am particularly weak in. I think as a leader I face the temptation of working behind the scenes to circumvent the rules, instead of being an example to others in following rules. I think I have less problems with following the rules and working hard than with spiritual focus. It is easy to work hard then to let go and relax fully while staying focused on the Lord. So the idea that I am a soldier who can be 'off duty' at times but still a soldier is an important one for me to keep in mind. Most of us felt that we could grow in being more soldier-like in the focus, being 'set apart' (Selwyn). We could be working harder in our ministry.   9. a)  Paul's own example should also motivate Timothy. How would you describe Paul's attitude toward circumstances in 2:9-10 (c.f. Phil 1:12-18)? He is not bothered by circumstances, even when suffer...

  1. The mood of 2 Timothy. Paul was clear about good and bad examples. He was intimate and personal, eager to encourage warning and pass on truth. The latter was rich in advice. The tone of the letter is sometimes formal (4:1), sometimes reflective (4:6), sometimes sad/lonely (4:9). He wrote as one leader to another, yet also as a father to a beloved child (1:2). He longed (4:9, 21) with a sense of urgency for Timothy. he was fully confident in the truths of the gospel he had served and suffered, yet sad and lonely. Paul was behind bars and his associates were mostly not with him. Some had deserted the faith (Demas, 4:10) , others had other assignments (Cresecens, Titus, Tychicus, Erastus, 4:10, 20) and some were ill (Trophimus, 4:20). 2. Repetition in 2 Timothy - this sets out some of the main themes of the letter for us. 1:3-6 'remember' 'reminded' 'remind' 1:8, 12; 2:3,9; 3:11-12 'suffering' 'persecution' 1:8, 12,16 'not ashamed'  1:1...