Redefined: Method

Redefined: Method
2 Timothy 2:2 October 14, 2018
I. Introduction:
A. Recently Kim and I had a missionary couple from Ecuador spend the night with
us and he asked us a very good question. “Why do you think that the gospel
traveled from Jerusalem all the way to Rome in just twenty five years considering
the fact that when Jesus died he only had eleven faithful followers who did not
have all the advanced tools, technology and materials as well as seminars and
workshops we have today to do it? On top of that, “why do we see the church
today who has all these advanced tools, technology and materials, workshops and
seminars making such a small impact in advancing the Gospel not only around the
world but even in our own communities?”
1. I said “Great questions and I have no idea”
2. He said simply because while the church has bought into Jesus’ mission to
make disciples and His message from the Bible, we have not bought into
following His method and means.
3. As we talked, it seems that the North American church thinks that we have
better ideas than Jesus had and more resources than Jesus did to make more
disciples quickly. It seems we are trusting in our ideas and resources rather
than the method that Jesus used to make disciples!
B. I want to share with you two quotes that have deeply impacted me as to how Jesus
made disciples, quotes regarding his method:
1. “The painstaking education of the disciples secured that the Teacher’s
influence on the world should be permanent; that His kingdom should be
founded on the rock of deep and indestructible convictions in the minds of
the few, not on the shifting sands of superficial fleeting impressions on the
minds of the many! A.B. Bruce The Training of the Twelve
a) So we see here that Jesus was more concerned with going deep with a
few rather than drawing big crowds with superficial teaching.
b) And when we see Jesus’ ministry we see that the smaller the group the
more time that Jesus spent with them and I believe it was for the reasons
A.B. Bruce mentioned
2. The second quote builds on this truth but adds another dynamic to Jesus’
method of making disciples that is very important.
a) “Jesus’ life would teach us that finding and training people to reach
people must have priority… Better to give a year or so to one or two
people who learn what it means to conquer for Christ than spend a
lifetime with a congregation just keeping the program going. Nor does it
matter how small or inauspicious the beginning may be; what counts is
that those to whom we do give priority in our life learn to give it away!
Robert Coleman The Master Plan Of Evangelism
b) Jesus’ method was not only going deep with a few but it also included
going deep with people who will reach other people, people who would
give it away!
C. It seems to see the kind of results the early church had we must buy into not only
Jesus’ mission and message but also His method and means!
1. Mission – Make disciples (Following Jesus, Impacting Others)
2. Message – Bible (especially about Jesus)
3. Method – Multiplying Disciples (Disciples who make disciples)
4. Means – People not Programs (Life on Life not just materials)
• These four key aspects of discipleship were not only what Jesus was committed to but
also Paul. Turn to
II. 2 Timothy 2:2
A. We saw this passage last week Paul is calling Timothy to join in with him in
suffering self-imposed hardship for the work of making disciples! And to do this
it will require the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
B. As I read v1-2 watch for the four key aspects of making disciples (Mission,
Message, Method, Means)
C. This whole verse is about the mission – making disciples. People, who follow
Jesus, impact others.
1. But this verse has a special emphasis on impacting others and is a great
illustration of what AB Bruce said about Jesus’ method of making disciples –
it takes the “painstaking education, the rock of deep and indestructible
convictions in the minds of the few.”
2. This whole verse is about that very thing. Watch as read
D. The message of discipleship is here as well – the Bible, especially about Jesus
1. Read v2a – things you heard from me
2. Turn to 1 Timothy 1:11
a) Read
b) God had entrusted to Paul the glorious gospel and message about Jesus
Christ who He is and what He has done for us
3. Turn to 2 Timothy 1
a) In v10-11, we see that Paul was appointed a preacher, apostle and
teacher of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Read
b) In v13 Paul tells Timothy to hang onto, retain, do not let go the standard,
the bar that Paul set for the sound, healthy word of God that you learned
from me.
(1) Illustrate with bar – do not lower the bar, no grading on the curve
when it comes to God’s word
(2) Read
c) In v14 Paul tells Timothy to guard by means of the Holy Spirit this
treasure of God’s words that has been entrusted to him
4. So in 2 Tim 2: 2 we see the message of discipleship – the sound words that he
had heard from Paul, the words that God had entrusted to Paul and now Paul
was entrusting to Timothy.
E. Then we go on in this passage and we see Jesus’ method of discipleship –
multiplying disciples. I want to show that to you in two ways in this passage
1. Read v2a-c
2. First, the very nature of the word entrust shows us that multiplication should
be going on with the message of discipleship. The word entrust has two
aspects to it
a) First, it is taking something that is yours and giving it to someone else.
b) Second, the person you give it to now becomes responsible for the care
of what was given to them.
c) So the very nature of entrusting means that the one who received the
goods now has responsibility to watch over, care for, and manage it for
the sake of the owner.
(1) Like making a deposit in a bank or giving our retirement money
over to a financial planner to care for, manage and grow it.
d) And here God made a deposit into Paul, God entrusted to Paul His truth
which now Paul was responsible to hold onto to its high and healthy
standard and pass it on to others.
(1) And Paul entrusted it to Timothy so now Timothy was responsible
to hold onto to its high and healthy standard and pass it on to
others
(2) And Timothy entrusted it to faithful men who can teach others so
now they were responsible to hold onto to its high and healthy
standard and pass it on to others
3. Secondly note specifically the kind of people Timothy was to entrust this
precious treasure of God’s word –
a) Read. v2b-c
b) Not only are they to be faithful but also people who can teach others.
People who can pass it on to others!
4. This verse teaches us that God’s word should be passed on to four
generations of people – Paul - Timothy - Faithful men who can teach -
others!
5. So Paul was committed to Jesus’ method of multiplying disciples
F. And we see in this verse that Paul also used Jesus’ means of discipleship. His
commitment was people up close to other people and investing in them God’s
truth and their lives, not programs that tried to mass-produce disciples by means
of material! Read v2 one more time
• So why would this man say it is Jesus’ method that caused the gospel to spread deep
and wide in the book of Acts and should today
III. Application
A. The reason is as simple as math. It is all the difference between multiplication
and addition. Let me illustrate
1. (Addition) If you were to establish five people this year in their walk with
Christ, then there would be five more disciples/servants at the end of the year.
If you picked up five new men and worked with them next year then there
would be 1ten disciples/servants after two years. Fifteen after three years.
Twenty after four years. Twenty five after five years. Fifty after ten years,
one hundred after twenty years and one hundred twenty five after twenty five
years
2. (Multiplication) If you were to equip one person this year with the tools to
minister to someone else, then there would be one other disciple maker at the
end of the year. If you picked up one new man and worked with him next
year and the person you equipped last year also did the same, then there
would be four disciple makers after two years. If each of the four disciple
makers took on one person and equipped them for one year, then there would
be eight disciple makers after three years. Sixteen after four years. Thirty
four after five years. One thousand twenty four after ten years and one
million thirty eight thousand three hundred thirty six after twenty years.
Thirty three million five hundred fifty four thousand four hundred thirty two
after twenty five years (the time it took the gospel to get from Jerusalem to
Rome)
B. Now we know that in the real world there are many ways this multiplication can
break down through not everyone being faithful in carrying it on, backsliding,
health etc.
1. But the point is still true. Making disciples who make disciples is much more
effective and is Jesus’ model rather than just making disciples!
2. Repeat
C. So the question for each one of us who feels we are a faithful follower of Jesus is,
“Are we making disciples who make disciples or at least am I being discipled by
someone so I can learn how to make disciples who makes disciples?”
1. If not, why?
2. And remember that Jesus’ means is people not programs, materials, or just
reading a book. Who is rubbing off on my life in a life on life relationship
and whom am I rubbing off on?
D. Finally, there may be some here today who feel they have not grown to that place
yet to be able to teach others who can teach others or wondering if you are ready
to disciple others.
1. As we learned earlier in the series asking if I am ready to impact others is the
wrong question, the right question is have I received something from Jesus?
a) Have you received salvation – then you have something to pass onto to
those who do not know Jesus – your story and start learning the Gospel
so you can tell them that too.
b) Have you received God’s comfort or wisdom in a hard time? Pass it on
c) God speaks to you about a life transforming truth – pass it on
2. Turn to Matthew 10
a) Read v1 – Jesus gave his disciples authority to heal and cast out demons.
b) In v7 He charged them to preach the gospel message
c) Now listen to v8. Read.
d) Jesus freely gave them that authority to heal and cast out demons now
He says “Freely you received, freely give”
E. Disciples follow Jesus and impact others by passing on to others what Jesus has
given them. God’s blessings are not only for us to be blessed but to bless others
with them!