Creative Bible Lessons in 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus : 12 Sessions to Deepen Your Faith in a World of Oppression, Danger, and Difficulty

by Len Evans

• ISBN13: 9780310255284
• ISBN10: 0310255287
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-01
• Publisher: Zondervan

Summary

This newest installment of the bestselling Creative Bible Lessons series provides practical faith-sustaining principles for Christian teenagers from every walk of life. These "pastoral epistles," written by the Apostle Paul at the end of his life, give sound instruction on how to lead the young church in a world of oppression, danger, and difficulty. In twelve chapters this book covers leadership, worship, getting in shape, walking the talk, knowing your enemy, money, overcoming opposition, and the Bible.

Table of Contents

Introduction How to Use This Book	6	(2)
Paul's Pastoral Proteges---1 Corinthians 4:16-17	8	(12)
Tales of Timothy and Titus: First-Century Truths for the 21st Century
Watch Your Leaders---1 Timothy 1:1-17; Titus 3:9-11	20	(10)
Watch for False Teachers and Watch Paul
Watch Your Worship---1 Timothy 2:1--15	30	(12)
Worship Is What It's All About!
Prepare to Lead---1 Timothy 3:1-16; Titus 1:6-9	42	(10)
It's a Character Issue!
Get in Shape!---1 Timothy 4:7-10	52	(10)
Training to Be Godly
Living Your Faith on Monday and Beyond---1 Timothy 4:11-16	62	(10)
Extraordinary Faith in the Ordinary World
Watch Your Enemy---1 Timothy 1:20; 3:6-7; 5:14-15; 2 Timothy 2:26	72	(8)
Avoid Satan's Traps
Money, Money, Money!---1 Timothy 6:3-10, 17-19; Titus 1:11	80	(12)
Money, Materialism, and More
Passing the Torch of Faith---2 Timothy 2:1-7	92	(8)
Helping Others as Others Have Helped You
Overcoming the Opposition---2 Timothy 2:22-26	100	(10)
Your Desires and Your Defense
The B-I-B-L-E---2 Timothy 3:14--4:5	110	(12)
Know the Word and Your Work
Good Works---Titus 3:1-8, 14	122	(9)
Putting Your Faith into Action
Bibliography	131

Excerpts

Creative Bible Lessons in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus
Copyright 2004 by Youth Specialties
Youth Specialties Books, 300 South Pierce Street, El Cajon, CA 92020, are published by Zondervan, 5300 Patterson Avenue
SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Evans, Len, 1969-
Creative Bible lessons in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus : 12 sessions to
deepen your faith in a world of oppression, danger, and diffi culty / by
Len Evans.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-310-25528-7
1. Bible. N.T. Pastoral Epistles--Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2.
Teenagers--Religious life. 3. Teenagers--Conduct of life. I. Title:
Creative Bible lessons in fi rst & second Timothy and Titus. II. Title.
BS2735.52.E93 2004
227’.83’00712--dc22
2004008755
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version (North
American Edition). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan.
Some of the anecdotal illustrations in this book are true to life and are included with the permission of the persons involved.
All other illustrations are composites of real situations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed
reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
Web site addresses listed in this book were current at the time of publication. Please contact Youth Specialties via e-mail
([e-mail]) to report URLs that are no longer operational and replacement URLs if available.
Editing by Laura Gross
Cover design by Brian Smith
Interior design by Holly Sharp
Printed in the United States of America
04 05 06 07 08 09 / DC / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

session
THE BIG IDEA
paul’s pastoral protégés
TALES OF TIMOTHY AND TITUS: FIRST-CENTURY TRUTHS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
• Discover how the lives of Paul, Timothy, and Titus intertwine and affect
each other.
• Evaluate their own spiritual heritage and plan their spiritual legacy.
1 CORINTHIANS 4:16-17
Both Timothy and Titus were pastors. They were very different from each other, yet God used both of them. God
can also use you regardless of your background, gender, fi nancial status, age, or anything else. The truths Paul
shared in his letters to these two men will help everyone who reads them.
WHAT’S A PASTORAL EPISTLE?
For around 200 years, “Pastoral Epistle” has been used to describe the grouping of 1 Timothy,
2 Timothy, and Titus. These three books of the Bible go together like the fl avors in Neapolitan
ice cream.
It is generally agreed that these books were written in this order—1 Timothy, Titus, and then 2 Timothy. The
most likely scenario is that Paul was released from prison in Rome (as we last see him in Acts 28). After a few years
of freedom, he was recaptured and fi nally killed in Rome. It’s during these last three or four years of his life and
ministry that Paul wrote the Pastoral Epistles. If 1 Timothy and Titus were written during the last leg of his race,
2 Timothy was written as he approached the fi nish line. It is often referred to as his “last will and testament.”
Because they are so unlike the other Bible books Paul wrote—the vocabulary is very distinct, plus they were
written to a person and not directly to a church (although they were to be used by the Church)—some scholars
argue that he must not have written these three books. However, these contrasts simply indicate that these books
were written for different purposes. We write a letter to a friend differently than we do a letter to our senator or a
letter to the editor of the local paper. So it is with the Pastoral Epistles—they were written for the benefi t of the
church where Timothy and Titus had been assigned to work, but they were also within God’s plan for the entire
body of believers that would come and be part of the Church.
DID YOU KNOW?
BACKGROUND CHECK
1 During this session students will—
8 Creative Bible Lessons in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus
OPENING
Option 1: Great Partners
You’ll need—
• Copies of Great Partners Matching Game (page 13), one for each pair of students
• Pen or pencil for each pair
• Candy bar prize for the winners
Ask students to pair off and then hand out copies of Great Partners Matching Game (page 13) and a pen or pencil
to each twosome. Students should work together to complete the repro page; give them just two or three minutes to
do so. Then go over the following answers with the group and award a candy bar prize to the team with the most
correct answers: 1-R; 2-Q; 3-K; 4-N; 5-L; 6-T; 7-P; 8-J; 9-S; 10-B; 11-O; 12-A; 13-C; 14-F; 15-U; 16-G; 17-D;
18-M; 19-H; 20-I; 21-E.
Transition with something like this—
This was a fairly easy activity to do because all the partners on the list are not only well-known in their own right,
but they are also known for being together. When you think of Paul, you should also think of his various ministry
partners: Silas, Barnabas, Timothy, and Titus. Timothy and Titus stand out among even his closest associates because
Paul wrote individual letters to each of them, which are included in our Bible. The books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy,
and Titus are a trilogy and are referred to as the Pastoral Epistles.
Option 2: What Do You Look for in FRIENDS?
You’ll need—
• Copies of What Do You Look for in FRIENDS? (page 14), one for each student
• Pen or pencil for each student
This activity will help your students think about the characteristics they look for—or maybe should look for—in
their friends, as well as the kind of friend they should be to others. Pass out the What Do You Look for in
FRIENDS? (page 14) and ask students to read the instructions before giving them fi ve to 10 minutes to write down
their answers. (Encourage them to write two answers for each letter if they have the time.)
Afterward you can transition with something like this—
When you think of Paul, you should also think of his various ministry partners: Silas, Barnabas, Timothy, and Titus.
Timothy and Titus stand out among even his closest associates because Paul wrote individual letters to each of them,
which are included in our Bible. The books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus are a trilogy and are referred to as
the Pastoral Epistles.
READ IT IN GOD’S WORD
In order for students to fully appreciate the relationships these men shared with each other, use the “Background
Check” section, in addition to the following information, to explain some of the behind-the-scenes facts that
intertwine and affect the lives of Paul, Timothy, and Titus.
Jesus and Paul
• Jesus sent out 72 of his followers in groups of two to minister to people. Paul continued this tradition by having
many people help him in ministry and life: Barnabas, Silas, Luke, Mark, Apollos, Epaphroditus, and Aquila. The
Paul’s Pastoral Protégés 9
10

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Excerpted from Creative Bible Lessons in 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus: 12 Sessions to Deepen Your Faith in a World of Oppression, Danger, and Difficulty by Len Evans
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.