Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-4:5)

Week 2 | Sermon

SUGGESTED VERSES FOR MEMORIZATION & MEDITATION

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of san evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

OPENING THOUGHT

Over the course of this series, we are studying why hold to certain values as a church. We began by studying Jesus’ Great Commission to His disciples. As the final commands of Christ, the call to make disciples must permeate everything that we do. Making disciples is our purpose and mission, both as individuals and as the church collective. Because followers of Christ bear the image of their Lord, we seek to fill the earth with His disciples in order that the earth may be filled with Christ’s image and His glory.

We also discussed the question of how to make disciples. This process happens at both an individual and communal level. As individuals, we are called biblically to make disciples in three major ways. First, we live our lives as a witness for Christ. Second, we proclaim the glorious good news that Jesus saves sinners. Third, we teach and train those who have decided to follow Christ. Through witnessing, evangelism, and teaching, we make disciples individually. But discipleship also happens on a communal level as the church, and we will study those more closely today and over the next two weeks.

The first means of discipleship in the church is through the upholding and teaching of Scripture. At Western Meadows, we believe that the Bible is the very Word of God, and we uphold the value that the Scriptures alone are sufficient for teaching us who God is and how to obey Him. Through Paul’s words to Timothy, we will learn why the Bible is so important, how it impacts us today, and why it is necessary for the making disciples.

GROUP DISCUSSION

Read verses 16-17 and discuss the following.

What do we mean when we say that God inspired the Bible? How is the Bible’s trustworthiness tied to its inspiration?
What does it mean for Scripture to be profitable to us? In what ways does Scripture profit us?
How does Scripture equip us for the work of ministry? How does it grow us in sanctification?

Read verses 1-5 and discuss the following.

How does the regular preaching of the Scriptures make disciples within the church?

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Because Scripture profits us through teaching, reproving, correcting, and training us, reflect upon the studied text, and ask yourself the following questions.

What has God taught you through this text (about Himself, sin, humanity, etc.)?
What sin has God convicted or reproved you of through this text?
How has God corrected you (i.e. your theology, thinking, lifestyle, etc.) through this text?
Pray through the text, asking God to train you toward righteousness by conforming you to His Word.