Ask this question in order for your group members to get to know each other better:

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1 July 16/17, Timothy 3:1 13 Steve Carter Quick-Connect Guide Use the questions in this section if your group is already studying something else and won t be using the full discussion guide. What was your most joy-filled moment this last week? Which of the four markers in Steve s framework for responding to evil do you need to practice most? Why? Discussion Guide In this section, you will find an opening prayer, discussion questions, next steps, and a closing prayer. The discussion questions are separated into three categories Getting Started, The Basics, and A Little Deeper and are designed to allow the group discussion to deepen as you move through them. Use the prayers, questions, and next steps in whatever manner you find helpful based on your group s needs. The Message Recap might help you and the group to prepare or to remember key points. Opening Prayer Father in heaven, thank You that we are able to gather and thank You for each person here. Open our hearts and minds to You as we listen to one another and study Your word. Help us now to know Your presence among us. Amen. Leading a New Group? Ask this question in order for your group members to get to know each other better: With whom in your life have you laughed the most? Share one or two examples. Allow for five minutes maximum for each person. Ask the other members of the group to listen and invite them to ask questions and affirm the person who is sharing.

2 2 Getting Started Ice Breaker: What was your most joy-filled moment this last week? Next Step Follow-Up: What next step did you commit to last time the group met? How did it go? What was the outcome? Where did you get stuck? The Basics Read 2 Timothy 3:1 13 aloud as a group: But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. What emotions have you experienced the last few weeks as you ve read and seen the violence both inside and outside the United States? What have been the hardest conversations you ve had in the last few weeks about violence in our country? What has been hard about them for you specifically? How would you say you ve have you handled yourself in those conversations your language, tone, and emotions? Steve taught through four markers of a framework to respond to evil in our world (i) don t be surprised by evil, (ii) the truth will come out, (iii) follow an example, and (iv) do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. o Which of the four markers stood out most to you? Share why. o Which of the four markers do you need to practice most? Why?

3 3 Paul told Timothy to model himself after Paul and the way he lived his life. Who do you model yourself after, or whose advice and counsel do you seek when you re struggling with overcoming evil with good (other than God)? Steve read Paul s list of characteristics he instructed Timothy to model teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, and suffering as a progressive list as one matures on their faith journey. In which of the characteristics on this list do you need growth? What do you think would help you grow? A Little Deeper What do you sense God working to transform or heal in you as you engage with the issues facing our country and our world? Read Jesus words, recorded in Matthew 5:43 48, together as a group: You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Who would you identify as an enemy right now in your life? How do Jesus words in this passage strike you as you think about that person? What resistance do you feel to His call for you to love and pray for your enemies? Next Steps Review the next steps below and consider which one or ones each member of the group would like to commit to for the upcoming week (and beyond). Confession. As you reflect on how you ve thought about or engaged in conversations about what s going on in our world, is there any thought, encounter, social media post, or reaction for which you need to seek God s forgiveness? Remembering God is faithful to forgive (1 John 1:9), seek His forgiveness now. Boundaries and Bridges Class. This Wednesday, this four-week class that began last week continues in the Activity Center at 7:30 pm. Learn when to set boundaries and when to build bridges with the people in your life. No registration needed just show up! Who s Your Example? Steve talked again this week about the importance of having an example to follow as you respond to evil in this world. If you haven t identified a

4 4 Paul to model and seek advice from, pray that God will bring someone to mind this week and give you the courage to ask them to mentor you. Closing Prayer Pray for whatever difficulties or needs were shared during your time together and have someone close that time by reading the prayer below. God, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness. Thank You that You have defeated evil and that a day is coming when it will be finally and fully destroyed. Help us to endure in faith, to have patience in the knowledge that You are in control, and to allow You to expand our hearts so they look more like Yours. Above all else, strengthen us and remind us to not to be overcome by the evil of this world, but to step out and overcome evil, by the help of Your Holy Spirit inside us, to overcome evil with good. Amen. Message Recap Steve Carter Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1 13 As we look through the newspaper, watch the news, or scroll through our social media feeds these days, we may be wonder: Is evil winning? Is God taking a nap? I thought Jesus defeated evil. Why is the world in such a terrible state? At least these are some questions Steve has gotten asked in the last couple of weeks. Many of us don t have the proper framework to understand what s happening in our world and how to respond as Christ followers. Steve s message this week gives us that proper framework. I. Don t be surprised by evil. In 2 Timothy 3:1 Paul wrote, There will be terrible times in the last days. By the last days, Paul meant the space of time between the day of the resurrection of Jesus and the day Jesus returns. On the day Jesus rose from the dead, He defeated evil but evil has not yet been destroyed. We can better understand this concept by way of analogy. On June 6, 1944, the allies in World War II invaded Normandy, France. Historians say it was on that day that Germany was defeated. But, World War II continued until May 8, 1945, 11 months later. So, in those 11 months, Germany had been defeated, but its power had not yet been destroyed. This is the state in which we live on this earth we live in the times between Resurrection Day, when evil was defeated, and the day on which Jesus will return, when evil will be destroyed. Or, as some scholars explain, the kingdom of God is now (Jesus ushered it in) and it is also not fully yet. We see instances of the kingdom now: when disease is healed, reconciliation takes place, or someone is freed from addiction, for example. But we still see war, disease, and devastation. Both good and evil are and will be evident until Christ returns. What kind of evil will be evident? In 2 Timothy 3:2 5, Paul lists what we will see:

5 5 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. When we turn on the news, we see evidence of these very things. For example, we see: lovers of self (people who love themselves instead of God and others); unholiness (people who rob others of their innocence and steal what is sacred); slander (people who, instead of calling out the image of God in others, seek to disparage that image); and lovers of pleasure (hedonists who care only about satisfying their own desires). II. The Truth Will Come Out After identifying the types of people we would see in the last days, Paul continued: They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. (2 Timothy 3:6 9) Jannes and Jambres, according to rabbinic tradition, were two magicians in Pharaoh s court during the time of Moses. Jannes means rebel. Jambres means counterfeit. When God sent the plagues upon the Egyptians to force Pharaoh to free the Israelites (Exodus 7 11), Pharaoh had magicians who were able to replicate the plagues of blood and frogs, but could not replicate the plague of gnats. Paul s point in mentioning them is that eventually, their lack of power and authority was discovered. Counterfeits will be exposed. Truth will prevail in the end. III. Follow an Example Next, Paul instructed Timothy: You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:10 13) Paul told Timothy to follow his example his teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, and suffering. Each one of the items in this list builds on the one before it. In other words, following his teaching will lead to a need to change conduct. Changing one s conduct will lead to a deeper purpose. Having a deeper purpose will require faith to carry it out. Faith will stretch one s patience, which is

6 6 to surrender control. Once one has surrendered control, the call to love expands. When one s ability to love expands, endurance is required. And enduring faith, love, and surrender leads to persecution and suffering. Paul modeled to Timothy a life centered, in every way, on Jesus. IV. Do Not Be Overcome by Evil, But Overcome Evil with Good As Paul recited in verses 10 11, he was severely persecuted in Antioch and Iconium after preaching the gospel and then stoned and left for dead in Lystra. Yet, he refused to be stopped and he refused to resort to violence. He never gathered his disciples to pick up stones or swords in retaliation. Rather, he continued to preach the good news. He lived by the words he penned in Romans 12:21: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. This is the call to us today in our world: do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good good prayers, good stories, good actions, and good news. This material is protected by U.S. Copyright Law and is for your own personal use. Any further use requires permission. Contact Kellye Fabian at Willow Creek Community Church with your request.