I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to the book of 2 Timothy, chapter
1. 2 Timothy, chapter 1. I want to look at a few verses here, but before we do, let's
ask our Lord's blessing. Our Father, it is so good to
be able to be together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
to assemble ourselves together to hear of him. I pray this evening
that you would bless the word, cause us to remember, Lord, that
precious body that was broken, that precious blood that was
shed. Lord, we ask you now, be with
those in our midst, in the midst of our sister churches, Lord,
who are sick, afflicted. Lord, you know. We ask you now,
have mercy and forgive us for Christ's sake. Amen. 2 Timothy chapter 1. I'm going to be actually looking
at verses 8 through 14. But the Apostle Paul, before
I read, is writing a letter to a dear, precious brother, friend,
one that is his son in the faith, who the Lord was pleased to use
the Apostle Paul as the means of calling Timothy out of darkness. And obviously from the wording
of this passage, Paul is in prison. He's in Rome, and he's in prison,
but he's not a prisoner of the Roman government. Paul admits
that he's a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he knows that
he's there by the good pleasure of Almighty God. He's there for
the glory of God and for the good of God's people, and he's
writing this letter to Timothy. Now, Timothy is a young preacher,
and Paul is his elder brother, and the Apostle Paul is now close
to leaving this world. In fact, he says over in the
latter part of this book here in chapter 4 and verse 6, he
said, I'm now ready to be offered and the time of my departure
is at hand. And you know, I think about that. I think as I was talking to Todd
Nyberg today and we were talking about how many of the preachers
are getting up in age. And I heard something that Brother
Henry said one time. He said that's not a bad thing.
He said many of us are in the twilight of our lives and we
know it. It's appointed unto man once
to die. But the reason that we're here
is for God's glory. He's left us here for a reason. So here's the Apostle Paul an
elder brother, and he's writing to Timothy, and Timothy obviously
has gone through some trials, some troubles, and Paul now is
writing to him to be an encouragement to him. And I want us to be looking
at this passage of Scripture and realizing that as the Apostle
Paul writes, to his son in the faith, to his brother, one that
he dearly loves, I pray that the Spirit of God teach us something
in this precious passage of Scripture. He says in verse 8, 2 Timothy
1.8, he tells Timothy, Be not thou therefore ashamed of the
testimony of our Lord. He said, Timothy, don't be ashamed
of the gospel whenever he says the testimony of our Lord. He's
talking about the gospel of God's grace. Don't be ashamed. He said, Timothy, we're depraved
sinners. And when the gospel is preached,
we're taught that. Whenever the gospel, the testimony
of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached, God teaches us what we are by
birth. But don't be afraid, I mean,
don't be ashamed of this gospel. We are sinners by birth, but
God Almighty has been pleased to do something for us. He's
chosen us in Christ. before the foundation of the
world and redeemed us by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
according to the good pleasure of God's will. And He's irresistibly
called us out of darkness and He's kept us by the power of
God through faith ready to be revealed in the last day. He
writes to Timothy and says, Timothy, salvation is of the Lord. Don't
be ashamed of that. Don't be humiliated. Don't be
one that possesses the feelings of guilt in the midst of a wicked
world. Don't be afraid, Timothy, to
stand. and make a stand for those who
preach the gospel. That's what he says. Be not thou
therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Don't be ashamed of me. I'm in
bonds, as I said a moment ago. But, he said, I'm not in bonds
to Nero. I'm not in bonds to Rome. I am
a prisoner. of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
then he tells Timothy, encouraging him, he said, and you be thou
partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power
of God. Make a stand. Make a stand for
what you believe. Don't be ashamed. This world
has got an attitude toward the gospel, and this is generally
the attitude that you're going to find of those who do not know. The Lord Jesus Christ, the God
that we serve, they don't love and appreciate the gospel that
we love and preach. And they've got this attitude.
Number one is foolishness. The gospel is to those who are
perishing, it's foolishness. And the second attitude that
you're going to find to those that don't know the gospel is
it's not necessary. Not necessary. I'll hear of this
matter at a later time, at a more convenient time. I'll hear it.
How many times have you seen and heard people, when you try
to tell them of the gospel that we preach, the Lord that we love,
how many have you seen that they have an attitude of indifference
toward it? And your heart is broken because
of it. Because you know, don't be ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord. Don't be ashamed of me, his prisoner,
but be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according
to the power of God. Be prepared to endure, Timothy,
because it will cost you. And here is the reason that I'm
telling you, Timothy, to not be ashamed of the gospel. concerning the Lord God who has
saved us and called us with a holy calling." Now, notice we've looked
at this so many times. Notice the order in which the
Apostle Paul is writing this as he moved on by the Spirit
of God. Who hath saved us? Who hath rescued us? Now, how
can we be ashamed of Him who the scripture reveals has eternally
saved us, eternally saved us. He who eternally purposed to
save us, He who chose us before the foundation of the world in
Christ is declared here to have saved us. God's purpose, God's
will is salvation, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
a calling that has been effectually wrought by the Spirit of God. And our salvation, which we're
not ashamed, and not ashamed of those that preach it, That
gospel that declares that the Lord has saved us and called
us with a holy calling is not according to our works. It's not according to our works
before or after salvation, but according to His own purpose
and grace which was given us. Salvation is a gift. Salvation
is a gift of God given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began. Timothy, don't be ashamed of
this gospel. Just hold your place. Just turn
back a few pages. 2 Thessalonians 2.13. We're bound to give thanks always
to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because... And here's
what we're not ashamed of. God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the
truth, whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining
of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Timothy, don't be ashamed
of that gospel. This is the gospel of God's grace
that he's been pleased to show you. Don't be ashamed of his
preachers. I heard Brother Henry say one
time, he said it's always amazing to him how people speak of their
love and affection for preachers that are dead already. He said
they always talk about Moses and Abraham and Spurgeon and
all of them. He said, but those that preach
the same thing that those men preached, they ridicule them,
you know. He said, Timothy, don't be ashamed
of me. Don't be ashamed of the gospel.
This is the gospel of God's grace. This is the glorious truth. But now listen, verse 10. This
gospel that was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus
Christ, who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel. Life has always been in the Lord
Jesus Christ. And that which has lay secret
in the heart of Almighty God, it was shadowed in the Old Testament. It was shadowed in types and
pictures, figures, but now it's been made manifest, Paul says. Don't be ashamed of this gospel.
It's been made manifest now by the appearing of our Savior,
Jesus Christ. He himself has abolished death
by the shedding of His own blood. He was made sin for us. You'd be surprised how great
an issue that is today. Not here. It's not an issue here. But I'm telling you this point
right here on the Lord Jesus Christ being made sin. is a tremendous point of contention
with many. Paul is telling Timothy, don't
be ashamed of that. Don't be ashamed of that truth.
Don't be ashamed of the truth that the Lord of Glory, that
He who knew no sin, and let me make it perfectly clear, I'm
not saying that Jesus Christ was made a sinner. He was not
made a sinner. As I've told you before, let
me tell you what a sinner is. A disobedient one. By one man's
disobedience, many were made sinners. Christ knew no sin. He had no sin personally, but
was made sin. Someone says, I don't understand
that. I'll be the first to admit. I
don't understand the depth of it, but I believe it. Though
I can't tell you the fullness of that truth, I believe it. I believe that the holy, harmless
Lamb of God was made to be sin. And God Almighty who is just
and holy and who will in no wise clear the guilty, He made himself,
he was made to be guilty before God. Because if he was not, when
God killed him, God wasn't just. He was made sin and he bore our
sin in his own body. And when Almighty God in his
holy law beheld sin, God dealt with it. And as Brother Scott
told me, I told you this. Now I'm doing, look, immediately
my finger goes up. That's what he just did. I'm
sitting right over there and he said, don't you ever, don't
you ever try to take away or sidestep or tiptoe through the
tulips and try to downplay what the Lord Jesus Christ did. Don't
ever do it. He said, you stand true on that
truth. Timothy, Don't be ashamed of the gospel. Don't be ashamed
of me, his preacher. Verse 10, he's now made manifest
by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who hath abolished
death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
He brought life and immortality to light. The glorious truth
of life and immortality is gloriously revealed through the gospel. The truth of life. Then he says
in verse 11 and 12, where into I am appointed a preacher and
an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles. And for this cause,
for the witch cause, I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I'm
not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed. And I am persuaded
that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him
against that day." He says, Timothy, Don't be ashamed. Don't be ashamed. He said, I've been appointed
by Almighty God, I've been called of God to be a preacher. Stopped
on the road to Damascus. I didn't know him. He called
me by name, Saul, Saul. Why persecutest thou me? Who
are you, Lord? I'm Jesus that you're persecuting. And it's hard to kick against
the pricks. It's not healthy. Not healthy. It's unsafe. It's hard. The Lord sent him in there, sent
him a preacher. And Almighty God taught him the
gospel and told that preacher. He told him, he said, he's a
chosen vessel unto me. to preach to the Gentiles. He
said, Timothy, whereunto I'm appointed a preacher and an apostle
and a teacher to the Gentiles, and for this cause, because I
have preached the gospel that Almighty God called me to and
taught me and commissioned me and sent me, for this cause I
suffer these things, but I'm not ashamed. I'm not ashamed
because I know whom... You've heard this before. He
didn't say, I know what I believe. We believe in five points of
Calvinism. I've heard people say, well,
when I came to the five points of Calvinism, we don't come to
five points of Calvinism. I believe them. I believe that
the truth of what John Calvin set forth, I believe in total
depravity. I believe in unconditional, lexanine,
limited, or particular redemption. Irresistible grace and preservation
of the saints, I believe that. But we don't come to five points
of Calvinism, we come to Christ. I know whom. He didn't say I
know what, he didn't say I know when. How many times have I heard people
say, unless you can tell me the exact hour, The minute, the day,
whatever. Anything that was that important,
surely you're going to remember. Can you truthfully say, you that
know him, can you truthfully tell me when you were conceived
the first time? I mean, they tell me that I was
born on October the 5th. I don't know. When was I conceived? Well, obviously nine months before
then. Let me ask you this. How do you know that you're a
believer? Today is the day of salvation.
Looking back to a time in your life is not your hope. I know whom I have believed. I know whom I've trusted. And I'm persuaded, I am confident
that He is able in His power, in His purpose, in His willingness
to keep that which I have, now listen to this word, committed. To keep that which I have committed. True faith is committing faith. When you commit something to
someone, a bank, Whatever. If you entrust something that
is precious to you, you want to know something about that
establishment. I want to know that, you know,
what kind of track record do you have? Have y'all ever had
any losses? What's my liability here? What,
where are the lines here? I'd like to kind of get the ground
rules set a little bit. Paul said, I know. This is life eternal, that they
might know the only true God, the only true God who is just
and holy, and Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, the Mediator. This
is life eternal, is to know that God Almighty is just, and the
Lord Jesus Christ has suffered the penalty for His people. This
is life eternal. I know whom I believe, I've trusted. I know who I trust. and I'm persuaded,
my heart is set, I'm confident. He is able to keep that which
I have entrusted, committed unto Him against that day. What else
do we have? What other hope do you have?
Whatever confidence that we've got, it's going to have to be
in one in whom we trust. Paul said, I trust Him. Believers
cast their very soul and life upon Him, and we leave ourselves
totally in His hands to save us, to sanctify us, and to finally
bring us to glory. Paul says, Timothy, don't be
ashamed of this. I know what the world says about
it. I know the foolishness they think it is. I know how they
Care nothing for it, they'll see it in another time, hear
it another time. But listen, he says in verse
13, you hold fast. And remember, Paul is close to
dying. And he's given him some good
instruction. He's given him some sound truth to hold on to. The time of my departure is at
hand. Now, Timothy, you hold fast the
form of sound words. which thou hast heard of me in
faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Don't turn aside from
the pattern of the wholesome and sound speech which you've
heard me preach. Don't deviate from what you've
heard me proclaim. Preach the unsearchable riches
of Christ. You stay right there. You preach
His imputed righteousness to His people. You preach repentance
toward Christ in faith in Christ Jesus alone. And hold the truth
of Christ in faith, in love. Hold fast the form, the pattern
of sound, solid words, truth, which thou hast heard of me in
faith, in love. Hold to the truth of Christ in
a principle of love because of, for Him and for the eternal good
of His people. And then He said in verse 14,
that good thing which was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost. I'm so thankful for the way the
Spirit of God instructed Paul to write that. What can I hold
onto? How can I keep it? I can't. But he said, you look to God's
Spirit to keep it to you. That good thing, that gospel,
that truth which was committed unto you by God, not by Paul,
keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. Consider what
the Lord has given you, Timothy, for all of us tonight. Consider
what the Lord has taught us and given us by His Spirit. What's
He given us? A knowledge of Himself. We have
this knowledge in an earthen vessel, a knowledge of Christ,
a knowledge of love for the truth, this treasure. Hold on to it. Keep it. Give diligence to look
to God's Spirit asking, Lord, keep me. Lord, direct me. that this treasure be kept, that
the honor of the ministry be maintained. I thought to myself,
what precious instruction. Timothy was dearly loved of the
Apostle Paul. And Paul was going to be leaving
this world pretty soon. And he wanted to give him some
good instruction. I want to give you something.
I got something for you, is what he was saying. Hear what I've
got to say, Timothy. Stand fast in the faith. Hold
on to it. Don't be ashamed of it. Oh, how
quickly we're prone to forget these precious truths. This evening,
I pray that the Lord again teach us concerning the faithfulness
that Almighty God has bestowed upon His people to keep them
in the midst of these trials. We do get discouraged. I understand
that. But by the grace of God, we're still here. Lord, bless
these words to our heart for Christ's sake. Amen.