Home

Passing the Spiritual Baton

Sermon Title: Passing the Spiritual Baton
Sermon Text: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Sermon Purpose: To call the hearer to be strong in the Lord, by depending on His ability in you.

Sermon Proposition: There are 5 disciplines of a strong Christian.

I.          The 1st picture of a strong relay runner is a teacher. V.1-2

            A.        The characteristic of yielding to divine empowerment. V.1 (2 Tim. 1:6-8, 14; Eph. 2:4-10; 6:10)

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

            B.        The characteristic of generational Spiritual baton passing. V.2a (1 Tim. 5:19; 6:12; 1 Tim. 6:20)

Genesis 18:19 "For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."

            C.        The characteristic of reproduction. V.2b

            D.        The characteristic of visible divine enablement. V.2c (1 Tim. 2:12)

                        Romans 12:7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;

II.        The 2nd picture of a strong relay runner is a soldier. V.3-4

            A.        The characteristic of willingness to suffer hardship. V.3

            B.        The characteristic of single-minded devotion to duty. V.4a

            C.        The characteristic of single-minded desire to please the commander and chief. V.4b

III.       The 3rd picture of a strong relay runner is an athlete. V.5

            A.        The characteristic of determination and persistence to win.

                        1.         Win out over our fleshly old self
                        2.         Win out over the world
                        3.         Win out over Satan.

            B.        The characteristic of competing according to the rules.

1 Corinthians 9:25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

                        Philippians 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

                        1.         Be born again
                        2.         Faithful in study of God’s Word
                        3.         Faithful in obedience
                        4.         Faithful in self-denial
                        5.         Faithful in prayer
                        6.         Faithful in discipleship

IV.       The 4th picture of a strong relay runner is a farmer. V.6

            A.        The characteristic of intense labor and toil.

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

1 Corinthians 3:13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

            B.        The characteristic of a consistent harvest.

V.        The 5th picture of a strong relay runner is wisdom. V.7

            A.        Do I deny myself and count my life as nothing in order to faithfully serve the Lord?

            B.        Do I devote myself to guarding and teaching God’s Word?

            C.        Do I keep a distance between myself and the affairs of the world?

            D.        Do I continually prepare myself to serve the Master?

            E.         Do I understand self-denial and self-sacrifice?

            F.         Am I willing to pay the price that He demands?