This January I want to talk about what it means to be “Dedicated” in our walk with Christ, our work for Christ, our worship of Christ, and our witness for Christ. Today, I want to encourage you to commit to joining me in 2026 to walk with Christ by being dedicated to Bible reading.

In our last study we looked at the Marks of Good Friends, where Paul reminded Timothy that good friends show up; they help when needed, and they warn you of danger. Those are the kinds of friends we need in life. Not perfect friends, because there are none, but good friends who stabilize our lives in this chaotic world. Paul had these kinds of friends, and he needed them. Today we will look at the final lines of 2 Timothy together and close this series on the Letters to Timothy. We’ve learned many lessons on what it means to leave your mark in this life, and today we will look at the final lesson: the Marks of Spiritual Confidence.

For the last three Sundays we have been reading Scripture and lighting candles for Advent without much explanation. This morning I want to give some explanation to what we’ve been doing. Advent is the season of preparation for Christ's coming, his presence with us.

Building friendships is especially important for those who want to honor God, because God made us for relationships. Jesus taught the importance of loving others and then he lived it out before their eyes. He was called “the friend of sinners.” In today’s text, we see that Paul too became a man of many deep relationships. His friendships were vast and covered a great variety of men and women in his day. His parting thoughts in 2 Timothy 4 give us some lessons on the marks of good friends.

Last week we looked at Paul’s powerful charge to Timothy in the opening lines of chapter 4, and in today’s text Paul switches his focus to his own life purpose. In verse 5 he charges Timothy with the words “As for you…” and now in verse 6 he says “For I.” In Greek, the word “I” is emphatic, which the NLT translates “As for me.” While young Timothy was to “preach the Word,” Paul is facing his last lap in life and knows he will soon die. His final perspective on running his race reveals three marks of a strong finish.

As we come to the final chapter of our series in the Letters to Timothy, we find some of the most eloquent, memorable declarations of Paul. He begins this final section by calling Timothy to fulfill his duties as a pastor. There are nine commands in this section that Paul wants Timothy to focus on; nine things that will mark the ministry of a faithful pastor.

In our last study in the letters to Timothy, we looked at the beginning of chapter 3 where Paul warned: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” 2 Tim 3:1 (ESV) We acknowledge that our society is, in some ways, falling apart before our eyes, and that we should not be caught off guard by the ways our culture is declining since we are warned about it ahead of time. We also saw that there were enemies within the church community that Paul described with 19 unflattering character traits. The goal of Paul’s warning is that Timothy and the church would be on guard against apostasy and ready to defend God’s revealed truths. How can we do that? Today Paul will share three learning tools that will enable us to stand firm against false teaching, three marks of those who learn well what it is to stand for truth.

We were so thankful to have Pastor Samuel Medina, and his family, as a Summer Intern for our Hispanic Ministry at Bethany this year. This was their last Sunday with us as they head off on a new venture in Savannah, GA where they have been called to Pastor a Hispanic Church. The plan was for Sam to find a church in the Northwest, but as this passage will show, sometimes our plans are not God's plans and we follow where He leads.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul warned: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1–3 (ESV) Now here in his second letter, he places the problem of false teaching into a prophetic framework, warning of the dangers to come. In this warning, his focus is on the lifestyle that accompanies false beliefs, rather on the causes. And what he tells us is that there will be distinctive marks of the last days that we need to be aware of.

Last week we looked at the Marks of Spiritual Training and three metaphors of toughness: a soldier, an athlete and a farmer (2 Tim 2:1-7). In today's text we are going to see Paul tell young Timothy four things that will enable him to endure spiritually, to hang in there, to finish his course. You and I need these same things if we are going to endure to the end.

How are you doing, Christian? Are you developing your spiritual strength? Are you developing the spiritual strength of others by sharing life with them, teaching them to love God as you do? And are you taking your task seriously like a soldier, an athlete and a farmer? These are the marks of a godly life – living for God, making disciples, and developing your spiritual stamina so that you can stand firm regardless of what obstacles come your way. These images remind us of how discipline and devotion and diligence work together to train us for godliness and long-term service to Christ. This is why Paul calls on Timothy to reflect on these images, so that “the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” Don’t quit, friends. Don’t give up. I know it is hard. Suffering and pain is part of the journey, but for those who endure, there is a promise. 2 Timothy is the last letter of Paul in our Bibles. It is his swan song, his final word, his farewell just prior to his death. He will majestically reflect on his ministry journey at the end of this letter:

Where does spiritual courage come from? Today we will look at Paul’s continued discourse with young Timothy in Ephesus. Last week we concluded the letter of 1 Timothy, and today we begin the letter of 2 Timothy, looking at the marks of spiritual courage.

As the Apostle Paul nears the end of his first letter to young Timothy, he seems to elevate his urgency, allowing his pen to become a sword in his hand as he calls Timothy to a wartime mentality. At the same time, he greatly honors Timothy with the title "man of God." I can see Timothy pause, struggling to accept this grand title. "Me? A Man of God?" Paul will proceed to describe four things that marked this man of God.

Last week we looked at the first two verses of ch. 6 where Paul tells slaves to “honor” their masters, whether they are Christian masters or non-Christian. The application of this instruction guides the believing worker in his or her attitude and conduct with their employer. Largely this is because most Roman Empire slaves were voluntary slaves, more of indentured servants than possessions of masters. As Christians “honor” their bosses in the marketplace today, the name and teaching of God gains respect. Conversely, God’s name and teaching is dishonored by poor attitudes and performance by Christian employees. Today we will focus on verses 3-10 where another warning is given regarding something that dishonors God; namely, materialism.

Last week Keith Darwin concluded 1 Tim 5, looking at the marks of church elders, noting how a church is to honor them, discipline them, and select them. As we begin 1 Tim 6, we encounter two verses directed at slaves, where Paul instructs Christian slaves in Ephesus to honor and submit to their masters, linking ch. 6 with ch. 5. Some read this text and believe that because Paul tells slaves to do these things, he is therefore endorsing slavery as a practice. But is this the right way to understand this text? The ESV Expository Commentary says the answer is “no” for these reasons:

Last week we looked at the first half of chapter 5 where Paul instructed Timothy regarding the church’s responsibility to care for its own, exercising discernment within a permeating atmosphere of love. As we finish chapter 5, we shift our attention to principles and practices for dealing with church elders.