Beth Moore "Entrusted" - Session 2: Purpose and Grace

Beth Moore has been using the context of 2 Timothy to teach us about the relationship between Paul and Timothy and to "guard the deposit that was entrusted to you", which is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the giftings given by the Holy Spirit.

In session 2, Beth reminds us of the goal of this series once again:

Mighy servants of God turned loose on this globe to fulfill our callings in the great name of Jesus.

To do:

• What we are called to do
• And what we are put on this planet to live out

Some of our effectiveness will be wrapped up in our connectedness.  In our generational connectedness (elder/younger), we must remember that we who are older must not hover over our "little sisters" so they can't complete their calling.

With this generational connectedness, we must give others the freedom to be who they are and to learn at their own pace.  It also depends on our relationship with younger women how much correcting we can speak into their life.  Relationship is key.

As Paul and Timothy were generationally connected in a healthy relationship, so can we do the same.

Timothy and Paul's relationship merges in I Timothy.  He leaves Timothy in Ephesus to shepherd the church.

We also learned that there are three books in the NT that comprise the "Pastoral Epistles:"

• I Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus

These are the young men that Paul has left in charge to shepherd the early congregration of believers.  Paul is stressing through these letters that "this is the way to pastor this church, the way to raise them up."

In I Timothy 3:14-15, Paul writes to Timothy, who is probably in his early to mid 30s (I Timothy 4:12), about the way a believer ought to behave in "God's household."  In 2 Timothy, she says, more personal language is directed towards Timothy than in I Timothy and Titus.

Paul has been mentor to both Timothy and Titus, nurturing them along.

In I Timothy 1:1-19 notice the phrase "my true child of the faith."  And then in verses 3-19, the key words here are entrusted and entrust.

The word in verse 11 that is used for entrust or entrusted is the same Greek word that translates for us "Faith" (pistis), Beth says.

God is saying this to us:

"Can I trust you with what I've called you to?"

There are two things that have been entrusted to us as was entrusted to Timothy:

• The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
• And the gifting God has given us to share

We are to share the story correctly:

• What He came for
• What He fulfilled
• What He has done for us
• What a difference that makes for us

We must pass this down correctly and soundly.

We personalized this phrase from I Timothy 6:20:

Oh _____ (your name), guard the deposit entrusted to you!

Notice that we do the guarding.

In 2 Timothy 1:12-14, the word entrusted in this passage is a different Greek word than in I Timothy which is "Phylasso" - guard or protect.

Two points Beth gave to us:

1. We don't effectively guard what we don't highly esteem.

2.  If we can't stand to be questioned, we will be too childish to stand guard.

Younger women, you must keep the charge entrusted to you because us older women will be gone.  What is that charge:  to teach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ exactly as it is with the giftings given to you.

The word "charge" means to declare, to tell, to give the charge like a military man would do to those under him.  Nine times in these two letters to Timothy, Paul says to him "I charge you."

Closing:

Until you have the opportunity to do what you are called to do, just do what you are needed to do.

Next: Session 3 "Strong in the Grace"