2 Timothéüs 2:1,2
Ds C Kleyn - Sondag 22 Mei 2005
Bevestiging van Ds Boon as sendeling
Lees: 2 Timothéüs 2:1-13.
Sing: Ps 100:1-4; Ps 89:6,7; Ps 134:4; Apostoliese Geloofsbelydenis.
Tema: Paulus se testament voor Timothéüs
- Wees sterk deur die genade
- Sorg vir getroue predikers
Afrikaanse Teks
Geliefde gemeente van ons Here Jesus Christus,
Hoe pragtig om opnuut ’n sendeling te ontvang. Iemand wat kan werk aan die voortgang van die evangelie in Soshanguve. ’n Belangrike fokus van sy werk gaan wees die opleiding en begeleiding van toekomstige voorgangers. Dit klink dalk vreemd, maar hy word aan die werk geset om homself oorbodig te maak. Hopelik sal dit nie te lank duur dat ampte ingestel kan word en inheemse werkers die take heeltemal kan oorneem.
Ons teks bevat ’n pastorale woord van die apostel Paulus aan die evangelis/sendeling Timotheüs. Die kerklike omstandighede is nie rooskleurig nie. Paulus self sit in die tronk in Rome. Hy verwag dat sy einde naby is. Keiser Nero is besig om die Christene te vervolg. So is daar vyandskap en haat van buite. Maar ook van binne is daar probleme. Verkeerde leer. Lidmate, inklusief leiers, wat deserteer. Paulus is bekommerd oor sy geestelike kind Timotheus en daarin oor die voortgang van die evangelie. Daarom sê hy in ons teks twee dinge: Eerstens wees sterk deur die genade. Tweedens sorg vir getroue predikers.
Wees sterk. Hoe nodig is dit vir elke ampsdraer en vir elke Christen! Dis geen kleinigheid om ampsdraer of Christen te wees nie. In die verse 3-6 verduidelik Paulus dit met drie beelde. Eers die beeld van die soldaat. Soldate in aktiewe diens verwag nie ’n veilige en maklik tyd nie. Jy aanvaar dat daar ontbering, risiko en lyding gaan wees. Dit behoort by die soldate lewe. So kan ’n goeie soldaat van Christus moeilikhede verwag. As ’n soldaat moet jy jou ook volkome toewy aan Bevelhebber Christus, wat jou gewerf het. Jy moet jou nie van jou taak laat afbring nie.
Die tweede beeld wat Paulus gebruik is die beeld van die atleet. ’n Atleet moet volgens die reëls aan die wedstryd deelneem. Anders word jy gediskwalifiseer. Jy moet volgens die goddelike eise jou amp vervul. Volgens God se norme jou Christelike amp van profeet, priester en koning vervul.
Paulus se derde beeld is dit van ’n landbouer. Die landbouer moet hard werk om ’n goeie oes te kan kry. Hy moet ook baie geduld hê. Dit vat ’n lange tyd voordat hy die vrugte van sy arbeid proe. So moet jy as ampsdraer met groot inspanning in diens van die evangelie arbei. Nie seker hoe of wanneer jy die vrugte van jou werk sal sien nie.
Drie beelde wat wys watter hoë eise aan die ampsdiens gestel word. Met selfverloëning moet jy jou volkome beskikbaar stel vir die werk; jy moet volgens die reëls aan die gestelde eise voldoen; jy moet bereid wees om hard te werk.
Wie is daartoe in staat? Wie kan dit volhou? Daarom die oproep: wees sterk. Span jou in om sterk te wees. Nee, nie in eie krag nie. Maar in of deur die genade wat in Christus Jesus is. Wees sterk deur die genade wat in Christus Jesus is. Hoe moet ons dit verstaan? By genade dink ’n mens meestal net aan die onverdiende guns van God waardeur ons gered word. Die woord genade wys egter ook op alle seëninge wat God ons in Christus skenk. Jy moet dan nie net dink aan die genade van vergewing nie, maar ook aan die genade van heiliging en toerusting. So wys die woord genade soms ook nadruklik op die goddelike bystand wat die Heilige Gees in Christus aan ons gee.
In 1 Kor 15:10 sien ons daardie onderskeie gebruik van die woord genade in een vers. Daar skryf Paulus: “Maar deur die genade van God is ek wat ek is, en sy genade aan my was nie tevergeefs nie; maar ek het oorvloediger gearbei as hulle almal; nogtans nie ek nie, maar die genade van God wat met my is.” Deur God se onverdiende guns is Paulus wat hy is, ’n apostel van die Here. Deur God se goddelike bystand kon Paulus ’n effektiewe apostel wees wat oorvloediger as die ander gearbei het.
Hierdie gebruik van die woord genade pas ook by wat Paulus skryf in Fil 4:12,13: “Ek weet om verneder te word, ek weet ook om oorvloed te hê; in elke opsig en in alle dinge is ek onderrig: om versadig te word sowel as om honger te ly, om oorvloed te hê sowel as om gebrek te lê. Ek is tot alles in staat deur Christus wat my krag gee.” ’n Mens sou die woorde “deur Christus wat my krag gee” rustig kan afwissel met “deur die genade wat in Christus is.” Vers 13 sou dan lees: ek is tot alles in staat deur die genade wat in Christus is. “Deur die genade wat in Christus is” en “deur Christus wat my krag gee” verwoord dieselfde gedagte.
So sê Paulus in ons teks: Jy dan, my seun, wees sterk deur die genade wat in Christus Jesus is. Met ander woorde: Wees sterk deur die onverdiende goddelike bystand wat in Christus is. Wees sterk deur Christus wat jou krag gee. Onthou dat Jesus Christus opgewek is en leef (vers 8). En uit sy volheid mag ons ontvang genade op genade. Dis soos golwe van die see wat op die strand breek. Die golwe bly mekaar onophoudelik opvolg. Dis golf op golf, genade op genade. Christus het ’n onuitputlike voorraad van genade. Daaruit mag ons seën op seën ontvang. Onverdiende gunste vir arme sondaars en swak, hulpbehoewende dienaars.
Wees dan sterk deur die genade wat in Christus Jesus is. Bly sou krag buite jouself soek in Christus Jesus. Maak dit jou steeds weer eien. Deur woord en gebed. Dan sal jy in staat wees om ’n goeie soldaat, atleet en landbouer van Christus te wees. Dan sal jy ook jou genadeloon ontvang. Jy ontvang die versorging en goedkeuring van jou bevelvoerder. Jy behaal die oorwinnaarskroon. Jy kry aandeel aan die vrug van jou arbeid.
Die eerste oproep was dus: wees sterk deur die genade. Nou die tweede opdrag: sorg vir getroue predikers.
Vers 2: “en wat jy van my gehoor het onder baie getuies, vertrou dit toe aan getroue manne wat bekwaam sal wees om ook ander te leer.”
Tref voorsiening vir die voortsetting van die verkondiging, sê Paulus. Dis ’n kwessie van oordrag, opleiding en begeleiding. Sorg dat hulle nie blywend van jou afhanklik is nie. Maak jouself oorbodig. Wat moet oorgedra word? Dit wat jy van my gehoor het onder baie getuies. Die apostoliese leer. Dis geen eie bedenksel van die apostels nie. Dis nie uit of na die mens nie. Dis wat Paulus self deur ’n openbaring van Jesus Christus ontvang het (Gal 1:11,12). Dis ook geen geheime leer wat net aan ingewydes toevertrou is nie. Paulus het dit onder baie getuies aan sy geestelike kind Timotheus toevertrou. Dis was ’n publieke saak. Mense kon dit hoor en verifieer. Dis die betroubare evangelie van Jesus Christus.
Vertrou die evangelie, wat jy self gehoor het, toe aan betroubare manne. Die evangelis/sendeling Timotheus moet nie net die evangelie suiwer bewaar nie. Hy moet dit ook oordra na ’n volgende generasie leiers. Die lig van die evangelie mag nie by sekere persone doodloop nie. Die fakkel moet bly brand en oorgedra word, soos die Olimpiese fakkel oorgedra word. Dit gaan hier dus oor die voortsetting van die apostoliese leer. Sien hier die belang van ’n goeie teologiese opleiding.
Aan wie moet die pand toevertrou word? Paulus praat van betroubare manne. Manne op wie jy kan staatmaak. Betroubaar in hul gedrag. Betroubaar in die leer. So ’n kosbare skat kan nie sommer aan enigiemand toevertrou word nie. Wie daarmee mors doen groot skade aan die kerk van Christus. Verder moet hulle bekwaam wees om ook ander te leer. Dis duidelik dat Paulus hier dink aan manne wat arbei in prediking en onderrig. Hierdie voorgangers moet self die leer weer verder dra. Sodat dit van geslag tot geslag oorgedra word.
Ons het eerder gepraat van die fakkel wat oorgedra moet word. Dit kan die indruk skep dat die evangelie langs ’n enkelvoudige lyn van persoon tot persoon oorgedra word. Die beeld is eintlik veel ryker. Die oordrag neem die vorm aan van ’n piramiede of nog beter ’n stamboom. Dit kring steeds wyer uit. Paulus het nie net Timotheus toegerus nie, maar baie ander voorgangers. Daardie geestelike seuns moet nou vaders word en op hul beurt meerdere seuns oplei. Ons vind in ons teks vier fases van die oordrag van die evangelie. Van Christus na Paulus, van Paulus na Timotheus, van Timotheus na betroubare manne en van die betroubare manne na ander wat hulle onderrig. Sien hier die pragtige stamboom van onderrig.
Ons sendeling Pieter Boon word aangestel om juis daarin ’n skakel te wees. Dis waar Christus self sorg vir die voortgang van die suiwere evangelie. Christus leef, regeer en oorwin. Christus sal die skat van die evangelie bewaar. Ondanks alle aanslae van die duiwel. Wees maar nie bang nie. Christus sal ook die evangelie met krag laat voortgaan. Alleen Hy wil daarby wel sy kerk met sy ampsdraers inskakel. Sien daarom die pragtige taak om in diens van Hom te mag arbeid. In die bewaring en verbreiding van sy kosbare skat. Opleiding en begeleiding van toekomstige ampsdraers. Doen dit in afhanklikheid van Hom. In sy krag. Wees sterk deur die genade wat in Christus Jesus is. En sorg vir getroue voorgangers.
AMEN
English Text
Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
How wonderful it is to receive a new missionary. Someone who can promote the gospel in Soshanguve. An important focus of his work will be the training and coaching of future leaders. This may sound strange, but he is going to be busy trying to make himself redundant. Hopefully it will not take too long before office bearers can be ordained and indigenous workers can take over.
Our text contains a pastoral word from the apostle Paul to the evangelist/missionary Timothy. The circumstances of the church are not rosy. Paul himself is in prison at Rome. He expects that he will soon be put to death. Caesar Nero is busy persecuting the Christians. Thus there is enmity and hatred from outside. But there are also problems from inside the church. False doctrine. Members, including leaders, who desert the church. Paul is concerned about his spiritual son Timothy and about the progress of the gospel. That is why he says two things in our text: Firstly, be strong in Christ’s grace. Secondly, train faithful preachers.
Be strong. How necessary this is for every office bearer and for every Christian. It is no small matter to be an office bearer or a Christian. In the verses 3-6 Paul elaborates on this via three metaphors. First the metaphor of the soldier. Soldiers on active service do not expect a safe and easy time. You accept that there will be hardship, risk and suffering. This belongs to the life of a soldier. Thus a good soldier of Christ can expect difficulties. As a soldier you much commit yourself fully to Christ the Commander who recruited you. You must not allow yourself to be distracted from your service.
The second metaphor Paul uses is that of an athlete. An athlete must compete according to the rules of the game. Otherwise you will be disqualified. You much fulfil your office according to Gods standards. You must fulfil you office of prophet, priest and king according to Gods norms.
Paul’s third metaphor is that of a farmer. The farmer has to work hard if he wants to get a good harvest. He must also have a lot of patience. It can take a long time before he can enjoy the fruits of his labours. Similarly, you as office bearer must work very hard in the service of the gospel. Not certain how and when you will see the fruits of your labour.
Three metaphors that indicate how high the demands of the office are. With self-denial you must make yourself completely available for the work; according to the rules you must comply with the demands; you must be prepared for hard labour.
Who is able to do this? Who can persevere in this? Thus the instruction: be strong. Exert yourself to be strong. No, not in own power. But in or through the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. How must we understand this? With the word grace we usually only think of the undeserved favour of God by which we are saved. That word grace however also points to all the blessing that God grants us in Christ. You must then not only think of the grace of forgiveness, but also of the grace of sanctification and of empowerment. So the word grace sometimes explicitly refers to the divine assistance that the Holy Spirit gives us in Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 15:10 we see that those two distinct meanings of the word grace are used in one verse. There Paul writes: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” By God’s undeserved favour Paul is what he is, an apostle of Christ. By Gods divine help Paul could be an effective apostle who worked harder than the others.
This use of the word grace also fits in with what Paul writes in Philippians 4:12,13: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” One could easily substitute the words “through him who gives me strength” by “through his grace.” Verse 13 would then read: I can do everything through the grace that is in Christ Jesus. “Through the grace that is in Christ Jesus” is similar to “through Christ who gives me strength.”
Thus Paul says in our text: “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” In other words: be strong through the undeserved divine help that is in Christ Jesus. Be strong through Christ who gives you strength. Remember that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead and lives (verse 8). From his fullness we may receive grace upon grace. This is like waves of the sea that crash on the beach. The waves keep following each other up, unceasingly. It is wave upon wave, grace upon grace. Christ has an inexhaustible supply of grace. From that we may receive blessing upon blessing. Underserved favours for wretched sinners and weak, needy servants.
Be strong through the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Keep seeking your strength outside of yourself in Jesus Christ. Keep appropriating this. Through word and prayer. Then you will be able to be a good soldier, athlete and farmer of Christ. Then you will also receive your reward as a gift of grace. You receive the care and approval of your Commander. You receive the crown of victory. You receive you share in the fruits of your labours.
The first instruction was therefore: be strong through grace. Now the second instruction: train faithful preachers.
Verse 2: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”
Make arrangements for the continuation of the preaching. This is a matter of transmission, training and coaching. Take care that people don’t stay dependent on you. Make yourself redundant. What must be passed on? The things you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses. The apostolic doctrine. This is not something the apostles made up. This is not from or according to man. This is what Paul himself received by revelation from Jesus Christ (Gal 1:11,12). This is also not a secret teaching that is only entrusted to insiders. In the presence of many witnesses Paul entrusted this to his spiritual son Timothy. This was a public matter. People could hear it and verify it. This is the reliable gospel of Jesus Christ.
Entrust that gospel that you yourself have heard to reliable men. The evangelist/missionary Timothy must not just guard the purity of the gospel. He must also hand this down to a next generation of leaders. The light of the gospel must not run dead with the departure of certain people. The torch must keep burning and be passed on, as is the case with the Olympic torch. The issue is therefore the continuation of the apostolic teaching. Notice here the importance of a good theological training.
To who must the good deposit by entrusted? Paul mentions reliable men. Men upon who you can depend. Reliable in their conduct. Reliable in the doctrine. Such a valuable treasure cannot just be entrusted to anybody. He who messes around with it does great damage to Christ’s church. In addition they must be qualified to teach others. It is clear that Paul is thinking of men who labour in preaching and teaching. These leaders must again pass on the doctrine. So that it is handed down from generation to generation.
We have already compared this to the flame that must be passed on. This can give the impression that the gospel is handed down via a single line from person to person. The reality is far richer. The handing down happens in the form of a pyramid of even better a genealogy. It spreads wider and wider. Paul has not just trained Timothy, but many other leaders. Those spiritual sons must now become fathers and in turn train various sons. In our text we discover four phases in the transmission of the gospel. From Christ to Paul, from Paul to Timothy, from Timothy to reliable men, and from reliable men to others they must teach. Notice here the beautiful genealogy of teaching.
Our missionary Pieter Boon is appointed to be an important link in that genealogy. True, Christ himself takes care of the progress of the pure gospel. Christ lives, reigns and conquers. Christ will guard the treasure of the gospel. Despite the attacks of Satan. Don’t be afraid. Christ will also make sure that the gospel will advance with power. Only, He does want to involve his church with its office bearers in that. Note therefore the wonderful task of being allowed to labour in His service. In guarding and passing down his valuable treasure. In the training and coaching of future office bearers. Do this in dependence on Him. In his strength. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And train reliable leaders.
AMEN
Kopiereg word voorbehou.
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