These questions are designed to help you read and study the Bible passage preached next week. Our prayer is that these questions will assist you in growing deeper in God’s Word as you examine the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so (Acts 17:11).
Read 2 Timothy 1:6–12 .
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
1. What is the command in verse 6?
2. “For this reason” roots this command in the preceding context. What is the “reason” for Paul’s command back in vv. 3–5?
3. Why might Timothy need this command?
4. Does every believer have spiritual gifts (see Matthew 25:15, 1 Corinthians 12:7, and Romans 12:6–8)?
5. Do you ever neglect your spiritual gifts? If so, why?
“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
6. Why should we fan into flame the gift of God?
7. How does fear keep us from cultivating our spiritual gifts?
8. Paul says that the opposite of fear is power, love, and self-control.
a. Describe someone with power but no love or self-control.
b. Describe someone with love but no power or self-control.
c. Describe someone with self-control but no power or love.
9. Would it change the way you live if you knew that you had a Spirit of power (Micah 3:8), love (Romans 5:5), and self-control (1 Peter 4:7)?
“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,”
10. Why might Timothy be ashamed of the “testimony about our Lord” or the apostle Paul in prison?
11. Why are we sometimes ashamed of our Christian faith?
12. Read these passages: Romans 1:16 and Mark 8:38. How should we think about being ashamed of the gospel?
13. Paul tells Timothy “to share in suffering for the gospel.” Are there any ways you could be called to suffer for the gospel in your current life?
Read 2 Timothy 1:9–12.
14. This is a beautiful summary of the gospel. What are key aspects of the gospel highlighted in these verses?
15. How could you use these verses to encourage a friend who is struggling with their faith?