When death is near and your days are coming to an end, trivial concerns will prove to be of no importance. However, for faithful Christians, the gospel hope and the glory of God will be the singular hope and concern. Reflecting on his present trials and the fullness of his ministry, Paul points those who will now carry on the ministry to God's power, provision, and glory. His life has been lived as a drink offering for God's glory. Likewise, all believers must live lives for God's glory.

As Paul concludes his letter, he reflects on his ministry and the cost he has endured. His recounting of these things is not to brag but to pass the baton on to Timothy and those who will continue to preach the word.  

The gospel requires total sacrifice and faithful endurance, knowing that whatever the cost, the hope of heaven is worth it all. Those who have given their lives for Christ desire to see the work continue in succeeding generations.

Knowledge and understanding give perspective and hope in the midst of difficult times. 2 Timothy chapter 3 begins with the description of difficult days that the church will endure. Paul writes these words to inform Timothy that he might have knowledge and understanding to help him endure. These words are for the church today, so you also will have knowledge and understanding to help you endure.

This passage teaches three things that enable you to endure these difficult days.

To be useful to God, you must be set apart from sin and the world. And if you are to be used by God to rescue those who have swerved from the truth, you must reject the temptation to be quarrelsome and instead teach the truth with the gentleness and patience of Christ.

This passage has two commands required of those who desire to be ready for every good work and a good servant of the Lord.

Competence and skill are not declared but demonstrated. The evidence of a workman’s competence and skill is proved over time when their work proves to be able to endure the test of time.

The primary task of every ministry of the gospel is to rightly and faithfully make God’s word known. There are temptations that work against this, but Paul warns Timothy not to swerve from the truth.

In this passage, the Bible gives two commands to keep you from swerving from the truth so that you might be an approved and unashamed workman. It also gives a test that testifies to the genuineness of your faith and approval before God.

Paul’s teaching on the armor of God comes at the end of a more extended teaching on how Christians are to live out their faith in this world. Often when this passage is preached, attention is given to the pieces of armor and how God uses them in our lives. This approach is certainly an appropriate way to preach this passage and helpful to our understanding of how faith works to provide for us in this spiritual conflict. However, my attention in this sermon is more basic. I discuss the different armor pieces, but my attention is primarily on the reality of our spiritual conflict and the power by which we can have victory.

We are in a spiritual battle and are commanded to stand firm and endure. The encouraging word of this passage is that we stand in the power of God with the armor that He provides and endure with confidence.