An Approved Workman

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you an approved workman?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To enumerate the requirements of an approved workman of GOD.

IV. TEXT:

2 Timothy 2:15 (Amplified Bible)

Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

V. THESIS:

Do your best to study GOD's Words, don't be ashamed declaring the WORD, and make sure to divide it correctly -- you're now a GOD's workman.

VI. TITLE:

An approved workman

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Apostle Paul

B. Date written: A.D. 65 to 67

C. Purpose: Encourage and instruct a young pastor in his ministerial work

D. To whom written: Timothy

E. Main themes: Faithfulness and boldness in the ministry

F. Keywords:

Endure

2 Timothy 2:3 (Amplified Bible)

Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.

Continue

2 Timothy 3:14 (Amplified Bible)

But as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing from whom you learned [them],

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Do your best in your study - because we are already an approved workman of GOD because of CHRIST's finished work

"Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial),"

1 Corinthians 9:24 (Amplified Bible)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours.

Philippians 3:13-14 (Amplified Bible)

I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

We run our own race and it's always the good fight of the faith. When we arrive at the finish line, there's a reward with our name on it. We don't have any foe except ourselves, because the devil has been defeated 2000 years ago by our LORD JESUS CHRIST, so what's our excuse not to do the best?

B. No need to be ashamed

"a workman who has no cause to be ashamed,"

Romans 1:16 (Amplified Bible)

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,

2 Timothy 1:8 (Amplified Bible)

Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but [with me] take your share of the suffering [to which the preaching] of the Gospel [may expose you, and do it] in the power of God.

Luke 9:26 (Amplified Bible)

Because whoever is ashamed of Me and of My teachings, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in the [threefold] glory (the splendor and majesty) of Himself and of the Father and of the holy angels.

Just open your mouth and declare GOD's Words, it has the power to save not our words, that's why everything I say here are backed up with the WORD of GOD, it's not my Words that are going to save, it's GOD's Words.

C. Handle the Word of Truth correctly

"correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth."

John 8:37 (Amplified Bible)

[Yes] I know that you are Abraham’s offspring; yet you plan to kill Me, because My word has no entrance (makes no progress, does not find any place) in you.

Psalms 119:72 (Amplified Bible)

The law from Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Psalms 119:162 (Amplified Bible)

I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great spoil.

Proverbs 23:23 (Amplified Bible)

Buy the truth and sell it not; not only that, but also get discernment and judgment, instruction and understanding.

The test is if we are rejected as we declare GOD's Words to them, it's not our problem or business anymore but it's their problem because they are not of the truth. But our business is to declare GOD's Words and believe it's Power.

IX. CONCLUSION:

Do your best to study GOD's Words, don't be ashamed declaring the WORD, and make sure to divide it correctly -- you're now a GOD's workman.