Your Life is Your Leadership, 2 Timothy 3:10-17
Icebreaker: Who are the people who have influenced your life? What were they like?
Introduction: Leadership is using influence to move people toward a common goal. Paul’s life was all about leadership. Leadership supports the Law of Continuance. The big idea is that God uses your past to prepare you in the present for your future. God used Paul’s past experiences and training, his present circumstances and character, to shape future generations of faith. This process repeats from one generation to another, 2 Timothy 2:2.
Discussion Questions:
- Based on your knowledge, why do you think Apostle Paul was such a great leader?
2. What do you think was on Paul’s mind when he told Timothy that “you, however, know all about my teaching.” in 2 Timothy 3:10-11? Remember this was Paul’s last epistle.
Text: 2 Timothy 3:10-17, 10You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
3. What was Paul trying to teach Timothy when Paul said “my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings? (2 Timothy 3:10-11) (Scan Acts 13,14)
4. Why did Paul point out suffering in verses 12-13? (2 Timothy 3:12)
5. Why did the Holy Spirit inspire Paul to write in verse 14, “continue in what you have learned” for Timothy and for us today? (Romans 5:3-5)
6. What does “know those from whom you learned it” imply? Why does mentoring require a close relationship?
7. What are the benefits of learning scriptures at an early age and from more than one person? (2 Timothy 1:5, 2 Timothy 3:15)
8. What did Timothy learn from his mentors’ teachings and life? (2 Timothy 3:15-17)
9. What do you think is life mentorship? and How is it different than skill training?
From Pastor Zach’s Sermon: How do you find a mentor? What do you look for? Experience—life itself—proves our mentors. Consider their pattern of life and the results of their life. Consider their teaching. Consider their purpose. Consider their faith. Consider their patience/long-suffering/resilience. Consider their endurance. Consider people who have made it through persecution and storms—those with staying power. Consider those who have suffered and made it through—determining to suffer in service to others.
Note: Sometimes we may not feel like we meet this standard, but mentors learn in the process as well. Take the leap to mentor others and God will work with what you have to offer.
10. What are the proper outcomes of those who are mentored in accordance with sound doctrines? (2 Timothy 3:17, 2:21)
2 Timothy 2:21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
11. What do you look for in a mentor? (2 Timothy 3:10-13, Psalm 78:3,4)
Psalm 78:3,4 I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.
12. Why don’t life mentors have a retirement age? (Psalm 92:12-15)
Psalm 92:12-15 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
13. Who are the Pauls and Timothys in your life? How do we go about finding them?
14. What are your next steps to being a Paul and a Timothy?
15. What preparation do you need if you don’t feel ready regardless of age?
16. Who will be the spiritual children and grandchildren you will leave behind?
The only purpose worth giving our lives for is leading self and others towards Christ. Pastor Zach Flaig