What does Paul mean when he exhorts Timothy to “be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus”? (2:1) How can we seek to obey this verse?

How would you articulate and describe the philosophy of ministry that Paul is envisioning in 2:2? How can we seek to implement this in our lives, and in our church?

Why is it so important for our church to have a culture of discipleship, where we are actively discipling one another?

What three examples does Paul use (2:4, 2:5, 2:6) to illustrate the Christian life? What is it about each of them that Paul instructs Christians to emulate, respectively?

Where in your life might you be falling short of the standards that are set by these 3 examples?

Why is it important to “remember” who Christ is, and what he has done in our life? (2:8)

In 2:9, Paul says that even though he is bound in chains, the word of God is not. Why do you think he paints this contrast? Why would this be encouraging to Timothy?

What is Paul’s motivation for persevering, even in the midst of suffering and persecution? (2:10-12) How should this inform how we persevere through suffering, as Christians?

How are we to reconcile Paul’s language in 2:12 (if we deny him, he also will deny us) and 2:13 (if we are faithless, he remains faithful)? What is the difference between denying Jesus, and being faithless?

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