COMPANION RESOURCES
Lesson for Oct. 18, 2020: How To (2 Timothy 2:14-26; 3:1-9)
“Don’t Get Sloppy” by David Faust (Lesson Application)
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Study Questions for Groups
By Michael C. Mack
1. What challenge did you face last week?
2. In what way was God’s power evident in or through your life over the past week?
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read 2 Timothy 2:14-26 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Repeat the process for 2 Timothy 3:1-9.
Ask the third person to summarize the passages in one minute or less.
3. Which of these warnings and instructions most stands out to you?
4. Let’s dig more deeply into these passages.
• Since Paul had known Timothy a long time, perhaps about 15 years, what do these passages tell you about Timothy?
• What can you infer about the people Timothy was ministering to from these passages?
• Compare the different ways Timothy was called to respond to people (2:14, 25 versus 3:5b). What differences between the people and/or the circumstances explain those different ways of responding?
• How would you complete this sentence using these passages? To succeed as a Christian leader, don’t focus on ___; instead, focus on ___.
5. What do you learn about God from these passages?
6. What do you learn about human nature?
7. Pick one specific instruction from these passages that you sense you need to focus on (e.g., don’t quarrel about words, avoid godless chatter, flee the evil desires of youth, have nothing to do with foolish and stupid arguments. Pause and encourage everyone to pick one thing.) Which instruction did you choose, and why?
8. Using the instructions in these passages, how can Christ followers be better representatives of Christ . . . (a) in the workplace, (b) in this class/small group, (c) on social media?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
10. What new challenge do you anticipate this week?
For next week: Over the next week, read and reflect on 2 Timothy 1:13-14; 2:1-2; 3:10-17. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Author: Michael C. Mack
Michael C. Mack is editor of Christian Standard. He has served in churches in Ohio, Indiana, Idaho, and Kentucky. He has written more than 25 books and discussion guides as well as hundreds of magazine, newspaper, and web-based articles.
