Why Live Faithfully and Be Faithful?

1. Read: 2 Timothy 2:11-13

2. About the Text:

1) 2 Timothy is a sad letter because Paul is soon to be executed by the emperor.

2) Paul is writing to encourage Timothy to be faithful to Jesus.

a. He does this by reminding Timothy of his family’s faithfulness.

b. Exhorting Timothy to be faithful and to encourage others to be faithful.

c. Exemplifying how he has been faithful.

3) In this middle of this letter, Paul quotes a Christian hymn of the day about faithfulness.

4) This hymn encapsulates what it means to be faithful to Christ.

5) Let’s look at the points of this hymn this morning.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. The Christian has died with Christ.

1) Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ . . . .”

2) Colossians 3:3 – “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

3) This happens when we are baptized into Christ. Romans 6:3-4 – “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

2. The Christian should live for Christ – make Christ his identity.

1) Colossians 2:13 – “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”

2) Romans 6:8 – “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.”

3) Philippians 1:21 – “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

1. We must endure to be faithful.

1) Christ endured! – Hebrews 12:2-3.

2) 1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Wherefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast . . . .”

3) James 5:7-11

2. We will reign with Christ if we are faithful.

1) 2 Timothy 4:7-8 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

2) Revelation 2:10 – “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

3) He has given us the victory; faithfulness claims it!

1. Can we deny Him?

1) 1 Corinthians 10:12 – “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”

2) Hebrews 10:26-27 – “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.”

2. He will deny us.

1) Matthew 10:32-33 – “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

2) Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

1. We can be faithless.

1) Sin is being faithless.

2) 1 John 1:8-9 – “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

3) 1 John 2:1 – “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

2. He always remains faithful.

1) He’s not going to give up on us.

2) Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

3) Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

4) Romans 8:31-39.

1. Why should we be faithful?

1) To live with Christ.

2) To Reign with Christ.

3) So He won’t deny us.

4) Because He is faithful to us.

2. Invitation