God Knows What We Need to Hear – February 5, 2025

Read: 2 Timothy 3:14–4:5

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
2 Timothy 3:14-15,4:1-2

God Knows What We Need to Hear

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I wonder if Timothy was disappointed in what it was like to be a pastor.

When Timothy was young, the apostle Paul must have told him stories like:
• How Jesus once appeared to him in a flash of light and called him to faith!
• How Paul once debated with philosophers in Athens.
• How he was once jailed but suddenly released from jail by a miraculous earthquake.
• In one city, people were so upset that he was preaching about Jesus that Paul had to be put in a basket and lowered out of a window in the city walls at night!
So much of Paul’s life of sharing Jesus had been dangerous, exciting and amazing.

Now Timothy was a pastor, too, and Paul wrote some instructions and encouragements for him. He didn’t tell Timothy how to escape angry mobs, travel around the world or perform great miracles. Paul’s advice seems much more ordinary: “Preach the Word.” Hold to “sound doctrine.” “Correct, rebuke and encourage.” Tell people the things you’ve known “since you were a little child” learning the stories about Jesus.

That’s still perfect advice. Because what do people need most? It’s not to hear exciting stories or how to live an amazing life. We need to know about how God saves us from our sins. It’s such a simple message that even a little child can learn it: Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins and rose again. But it’s so important we need to keep going back to it every day. We need to see our sins (so they don’t take us away from God!), we need to learn how to say thank you to God with the way we act, and we need to know above all that God loves us and will never leave us.

Timothy needed to hear that. We do, too. Keep learning about Jesus. Go back again and again to the simple truths of the Bible you were able to recite as a little child. And on the days when our lives seem extraordinary and exciting—or they feel ordinary, or even a little boring—we’ll know that through all of them, God tells us everything we need to know about our salvation and has given us everything we need to serve him.

And that’s just what we need to hear!

Closing Prayer:

Thank you, Lord, for teaching us about the salvation we have in Jesus. Never let us get tired of hearing it! And bless us with lives filled with every good work as we say “thank you” for your love. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Paul says even little children can learn about Jesus. What is something you know about him?
• What are some ways you thank a pastor or Sunday School teacher for telling you about Jesus?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• What are some ways we can “continue in what you have learned” about Jesus?
• Describe a time you shared the simple truths about Jesus with someone.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Paul describes people as having “itching ears” that want to hear things that are different from the Bible. What are some false ideas about God that people are “itching” to hear?
• Paul said all Scripture is “God breathed.” That means he inspired human authors to write the words he wanted them to write. Why is that such a comfort?