by Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho
The text is taken from 2 Tim 1:18.
This is the 1st instalment of the Studies in 2 Timothy Series: Paul’s Last Words. (Discipleship & Leadership Development)
The S2T series include the following 5 sermons:
1. Challenge to faithful discipleship (1:1-18)
2. Reproduct and remember (2:1-13)
3. God’s approved disciples (2:14-26)
4. The godlessness to come (3:1-16)
5. The charge to finish well (4:1-22)
The last words of a dying person are very important.
The greetings
– Paul an appostle
– To Timothy, my dear son (cf 1 Tim 1:2; Acts 16:1-3)
Timothy’s Background
– Paul’s investments as ‘father’ and mentor (v 3, 4, 6, 13)
When fathers and mothers pray for us, tremendous changes take place.
The heart of the mentor is to spend time with the mentee an to pour his life into theirs.
The laying on the hands brings the impartation of the gifts of God.
Teaching is to inspire the mind while preacing is to stir up the passion of the heart.
Mentoring is more than follow me as I teach but also modelliing after my life.
– Timothy’s Heritage (v5; 2 Tim 3:14, 15)
– Need to maximise the investments and heritage ( v6, 7)
Paul’s clear instructions
– Don’t be ashamed (v 8, 12, 16) – When your life and my life is lived by the Bible, we don’t have anything to be2 ashamed of.
— To bear wiitness (8)
“Don’t just clap. Share abou Jesus” ~Pastor Danil
— To associate (v8, 16)
— To suffer imprisonment (v12)
Be willing
– To pay the price for th gospel (v8b) – When somehing is free, it’s not worth paying.
Christian funerals are clearn, simple and inexpensive. Pastor Daniel tells the pastors not to receive anything from non-Cristian families after conduting a Christian wake service for them. We invite them to celebration. 1 family accepted Jesus when they came for celebration. In fact, we don’t expect any from Christian families.
Instead of guarding the deposit (the gospel) and sharing it, some have given up. Yet, there are those who did not give up, like Onesiphirus.
– To live a hoy life (v 8b, 9a)
The power in living can only come when we live a holy life.
How then can we wak powerfully and live victoriously?
Pastor Daniel suggested the DAT principle
Discipline – read the Bible, pray, journal
Aaccountability – all of us need to be accountable (same gender, mature Christians)
Transparency – live an open and transparent life. Nothing to lose / hide / prove and therefore nothing to fear.
We can live powerfully, touch the nation, shake the nation, for good and for God.
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