Imitation Of Apostles-3 Series

OVERCOMING a HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT-III—2Timothy 3:10-17

A—IMITATION of APOSTLES(3:10-14)

B—KNOWLEDGE of SCRIPTURES(3:15-17)

A—IMITATION of APOSTLES-III-(3:10-14)

Timothy’s imitation of Paul was pivotal/formative to his overcoming a hostile environment.

Imitation of godly people is pivotal to our overcoming a hostile environment.

Why is the imitation of godly people pivotal to our overcoming a hostile environment?

Pivotal to our overcoming a hostile environment is Adherence to Authority’s.....

Previously we found:

A hostile environment is overcome by Adherence to…

1. Authority’s TEACHING / Doctrine(:10a)

2. Authority’s PATTERN/Manner/Mentor(:10b)

3. Authority’s PURPOSE(:10c)

4. Authority’s TRUST(:10d)

5. Authority’s PATIENCE(:10e)

6. Authority’s LOVE(:10f)

7. Authority’s CONTINUANCE(:10g)

8. Authority’s DANGER / Pain / Sufferage(:11a-b)

9—A hostile environment is overcome by Adherence to…

Authority’s DELIVERANCE(:11c)

Explanation:(:11c)

:11c—“persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.”

“Delivered”—ruomai—To draw one’s self, to rescue, to deliver; The deliverer.

Paul’s Deliverance “out of” required his suffering thru!

Deliverance thru suffering is nonetheless Deliverance!

Likewise, anytime WE speak or take a stance, OUR words & actions become the focus of either acceptance or anger.

Our DELIVERANCE cannot be accomplished apart from our sharing the Gospel—both physically(decisions/choices) & verbally.

Argumentation:

Ps. 34:19—“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.”

*Dan. 3:17-18—Shadrach, Meshach, & Abed-Nego to King Nebuchadnezzar upon not worshiping his gods & threatened with death in the fiery furnace—“If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, & He will deliver us from your hand, O king. “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.””

Ex. 6:5-7—““And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, & I have remembered My covenant. “Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, & I will redeem you with an outstretched arm & with great judgments. ‘I will take you as My people, & I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”

—This was before the Pharaoh made them fetch their own straw while keeping their quota of bricks the same.

2Cor. 3:17—“.... where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Gal. 2:3-5—“Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

Gal. 5:1—“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, & do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

Illustration:

Carolina Rubber hose Co./Working in roll dept./Feeding raw rubber sheet thru pressure roller onto core/Have to pull & stretch sheet just as it is clamped to prevent wrinkles/My hand entered the clamped rollers!/My co-worker immediately hit the emergency stop & release!/Authority’s DELIVERANCE

(See :11a-b)Pool/Always battling foreign objects—Leaves, sticks, seeds, pollen, earthworms, centipedes, spiders, crickets, frogs, frog eggs, snakes, birds, voles, etc./We go to pool store—Buy nets & chemicals @ their designation/Constant attention & labor!/Authority’s DELIVERANCE

Application:

?You Adhere to Authority’s DELIVERANCE?

?You overcome the Hostile Environment created by ungodliness?

10—A hostile environment is overcome by Adherence to…

Authority’s DESIRE /Standard(:12-13)

Explanation:(:12-13)Godliness Contrast

:12—“Yes, & all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

“Yes, & all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus...”

“Desire”—yelw—To will, have in mind, intend. Denotes the active resolution, the will urging on to action.

“Godly”—eusebwv— From—‘eusebhv is distinguished from yeosebhv in two ways. It is used to include the fulfillment of obligations of all kinds, both towards God & man. It is thus applied to the fulfillment of the duties involved in human relations, as towards one's parents. Furthermore, when used in the higher sense, it means not any kind of worship, but, as the etymology indicates, the worshipping of God aright.’—Thayer

“...Will suffer persecution.”

“Suffer Persecution/Persecuted”—diwkw—To make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away; To run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run after; To harass, trouble, molest one; Without the idea of hostility—to run after, follow after; To pursue.

PERSECUTION:

Mat. 5:10-12—“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile & persecute you, & say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. “Rejoice & be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”