Good morning! I’m glad to welcome you to worship today at Hillcrest Baptist Church.

In our continuing study of 2 Timothy we are given a look into a very personal letter from the Apostle Paul to his young disciple, Timothy. Paul is imprisoned and facing an imminent death. He is opening his heart to give a strong word of encouragement and clear instruction for Timothy’s future service.

The passion of his letter hinges on two primary thoughts. First, he wants Timothy to remain faithful. This theme of “faithfulness” runs throughout the entire letter, and it ties all the pieces together. A strong secondary theme is “the gospel.” Using various terms and phrases to describe the gospel, he uses all of them to bring focus on the person and work of Jesus. Paul is urging Timothy to remain faithful to the finish. Acknowledging the struggles and trials that inevitably come, he calls Timothy to endure, to persevere to the end. So it is that today the call for loyalty rings loud for us, too. Keeping our eyes on Jesus, we run to Him and for Him.

Although all of us are not “pastors,” all of us are “ministers of the gospel.” The truths, principles, and counsel of this book are as current and valid as this morning’s newspaper. These are words for us. This book is short, and I trust you will read this letter through several times during our series. It will encourage you and challenge you to evaluate your walk with our Lord and to remain faithful . What a blessing this book is for us!