Doctor gave me some, he gave
me a steroid inhaler and it's killing my voice. I think you're
trying to kill my cough and it's killing my voice. So you'll have
to bear with me if I lose my voice. Turn to 2 Timothy chapter
one. The title of this message is
something that's been on my mind throughout this week. Do you know? Do you know? Do I know Jesus Christ? Do I know him? That's of great interest to me.
I want to know the Lord. I don't want to know some facts
about You know, I know facts about
George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, a lot of people, but I don't
know them. I don't know them at all. Never
met them. I don't want to know some facts
and just believe some facts. I want to know Jesus Christ now
as I live out my life on this earth. That's my that's my that's
reason I read. In Philippians, when I read that
Paul says that I might know him, it just grips my heart. It grips
me. I'm like, I do, too, Paul. I
do, too. I want to know him and the power
of his resurrection. And he's saying the power of
his resurrected life in me as I live out my life. On this earth. Now, this is probably THE MOST
IMPORTANT QUESTION YOU WILL EVER BE ASKED OR THAT YOU WILL EVER
GIVE AN ANSWER TO. DO YOU KNOW JESUS CHRIST? AND THE REASON IT'S SO IMPORTANT
IS BECAUSE IT'S A MATTER OF WHETHER I'M LOST OR SAVED. IT'S A MATTER
OF LIFE AND DEATH. OUR LORD SAID THIS, JOHN 17 And
this is life eternal. Here it is. Here it is. That they might know Thee, the
only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. That they
might know Thee. There is a real, real saving
knowledge and knowing of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ
is noble. We can know him now. Not as a
historical person, not as someone who lived 2000 years ago, but
someone who lives right now. He lives now. and I want to know
Him. It's what it says over in 1 John
5, 20. Turn over there, 1 John 5, 20. And you know, when you read 1
John, he's always talking about that we may know, that we may
know. He's talking about knowing the Lord. And he says here in
chapter 5, verse 20, and we know, we know, we know this with confidence,
with absolute assurance, that the Son of God is come and has
given us an understanding that we may KNOW HIM that is true. And we are IN HIM that is true. Even in His Son Jesus Christ,
this is the true God and eternal life. To KNOW HIM. And this KNOWING of Christ which
Paul calls excellent knowledge there in Philippians 3. He calls
it excellent knowledge. And the reason he calls it excellent
knowledge is because, first of all, it's from God. You're not
going to learn this in a school. You're not going to learn this
in secular education. This is a revelation of God.
All thy children shall be taught of God. This excellent knowledge
is from God, and it concerns an excellent person, the Son
of God, the Son of God. And it excels all other knowledge.
You know, all other knowledge fails. If it hasn't failed, it
will. I was a machinist for 40 plus
years. That knowledge right now is totally
useless to me. all other knowledge whatever
you have learned whatever you've gone to school you've gone to
school some of you you've learned some things you got a job you've
you've got a career you've learned sooner or later that knowledge
will fail it would not be any good to you but the knowledge
that you have of christ this knowing christ will last forever
it'll carry you right into eternity It will never fail. It will lead
us to God. It will lead us to knowing God,
which leads to eternal life. Now he says here in verse 12,
for the witch calls, Paul says here, and I'm going to pick up
verse 12 is the only verse I really want to deal with. For the witch
calls, I also suffer these things. He said he was called as a preacher
to preach the gospel. And for that reason, he said,
he suffers these things. Nevertheless, I'm not ashamed,
I'm not ashamed, I'm not embarrassed, for I know whom I have believed. And persuaded, because he knows
Christ, he's persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've
committed unto him against that day. Paul was persecuted for
the gospel that he preached. But through faith in Christ,
he was able to persevere to the end. Because he kept looking
to Christ. Christ was his focus. He kept
pressing to that mark. He said, I keep pressing forward
to that mark, which is Christ. And he was able to face death.
Here he is in prison, facing death. And he's facing death,
and I want to face death like this with full confidence that
all is well with my soul. I want to die like that. If God
will give me the grace to die with his confidence, all is well
with my soul. now the meaning in the text here
that paul says that christ is able to keep that which i have
committed unto him against that day is the day he comes up to
die he's shortly about to nero is about to have him beheaded
and he knows that but he knows this that the day that that when
that day happens and i die And I'm going to meet God. Every
time I hear of someone dying, my first thought is, they have
met God now. They've met God. If it's a believer,
it's rejoicing. If it's an unbeliever, they've
met God. But he's talking here about the
day of judgment. I have committed everything that concerns me to
stand before God in that day into the hands of Jesus Christ
as my mediator, my high priest, my savior, my redeemer, my sacrifice,
my all in all. All my eggs are in that basket.
They're in that basket. You know, they say in investments,
you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket. I'll tell
you what, this is one you do. this is one you do i want all
my hope and all my concerns in jesus christ i want them in his
hands for sure i want i know this and paul knew
this paul knew that christ was able in that day to present him
faultless before the presence of his glory faultless my soul
i'm so full of faults it's pathetic But I'm going to stand before
him faultless, blameless, without blemish. Christ is going to present
all those whom he saves. He's going to present them that
way. Now, Paul's knowledge is what I want to look at starting
out. Paul says, I know this is a confidence. I know. Who I have believed. Paul knew a person. Jesus Christ is not a catechism. Jesus Christ is not a doctrine.
Jesus Christ is not a religion. Jesus Christ is a living God.
He's the living God. He's a very real person who is
God manifest in the flesh. Now, Paul does not say that he
believed in the Lord. but that he believed the Lord.
He believed it. As it says of Abraham, he believed
God and it was counted to him for righteousness. Paul knew
the one that he believed. And this has been on my mind
lately for, I mean, it's been weighing on my mind. And I asked
myself this, John, do you know the Lord? Do you know him? And I ask you that question tonight.
Do you know him? Paul says, I know. I know him
whom I have believed. There was a man named James Alexander,
Dr. James Alexander. He was dying. And his wife sought
to comfort him with precious words. Now she quoted them to
him. She quoted, I know in whom I
have believed. And it is said that Dr. Alexander
at once corrected her by saying, not in whom I have believed,
but I know whom I have believed. He would not even suffer a little
preposition to be between his soul and his savior. He wouldn't even allow that little
preposition in. He said, no, no, no, that's not
right. I know whom I have believed. Paul knew whom he believed by
a personal meeting with him on the road to Damascus. Paul met
the Lord. Every sinner whom God saves will
meet the Lord, and the Lord will meet that sinner sooner or later.
They'll meet personally. The preacher's got to get out
of the way. Everybody's gotta get out of the way remember when
the Lord spoke to that woman at the well The disciples went
away to get something to eat then it was just him and her
There comes a time when it's just you and him Just you and
him and Paul had a personal meeting with the Lord Jesus Christ Then
Paul knew him because he was taught by him. He said hey he
said that I didn't learn the gospel and from men. I didn't get it from the other
apostles. I didn't learn from anyone else. I got it directly
from the Lord Jesus Christ. He taught me over there in Galatians
chapter one. And then Paul knew him as his
Lord and Savior. You know, when he was struck
down on the road to Damascus, the first thing he said is Lord.
Lord, he called him Lord. Who art thou Lord? And the Lord
revealed himself and then he knew him to be Lord. and his
savior. He knew him to be his sovereign. You know, I've learned this,
that when God saves someone, one of the first things that
they will learn is that God is sovereign. That the Lord, the
Lord Jesus Christ is sovereign. He saves whom he will, when he
will. All things are in the hands of
the sovereign Christ of God. God has put all things into his
hands. And Paul knew him as his sovereign,
and he always sought the Lord's will in every matter. He always
sought the Lord's will. He wanted his Lord's will to
be done. Thy will be done. You read in
his epistles, he's always speaking of the Lord's will. praying that
the Lord's will be known and be done. And then Paul knew the
Lord Jesus Christ as the great physician of his soul. He's the only one who can heal
the soul. He's the only one. He's the only one who can set
my soul right. No one else can do that. No priest. No one can do that but Christ.
He's the great physician, the soul. He's the balm of Gilead.
He's the balm of Gilead. Then Paul knew the Lord Jesus
Christ as his shepherd. He knew him as his shepherd. He knew him as his shepherd to
supply all his need. Paul was not worried about how
he was going to make it, whether or not he was going to make it.
Paul trusted his shepherd. Listen to this in Philippians
4.19, but my God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus. by Christ Jesus. That's why David
said the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. Paul knew him
as his shepherd. Do you know him as your shepherd?
Do I know him as my shepherd? Can I really go home and sit
down and just in peace of mind and heart knowing my shepherd
will provide? If I know him, I can. Now, I
know some people takes a while to grow in grace and knowledge
of Christ, but the more we do, the more we are, we are able
to just rest in our shepherd and trust him to provide for
us. David said this, I have been
young. Now I am old. I have never seen
the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. The shepherd
has always provided for me. Then Paul knew the Lord Jesus
Christ to be his counselor. Christ is the one he went to
for counseling. He's the one we go to for counseling.
He's our counselor. That's his name. That's one of
his names, counselor. You know, if you and I are paying
attention, when the word of God is read and preached, We are
being counseled. The Lord is counseling us even
right now. He's counseling us. And Paul knew him as his counselor. And then Paul knew the Lord Jesus
Christ to be none other than God manifest in the flesh. He's
God. He's God, he knew that, creator
of heaven and earth. And then secondly, Paul, because
Paul knew Christ, He said, I know who I have believed. And because
of that, he was persuaded that he's able to keep that which
he committed to him, which was absolutely everything. Everything. But let me give you some things
that Paul was persuaded about the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was
persuaded in the ability of Christ to keep all those whom he saves. He'll not lose one. He'll not
lose one sheep. You know, if I could fall away,
if I could fall away, I'd fall away a thousand times a day.
Somebody said that. And I've remembered that I would,
I'd fall away a thousand times a day, but the Lord keeps me.
The Lord keeps me. The Lord is thy keeper. And what
it says in the Psalms, the Lord is thy keeper. He's the reason
Jesus Christ is a reason you and I haven't left. He's a reason
why something else doesn't have our interest and we're not here
tonight. He keeps us. Now, the word of God says he
keeps us. We are kept by the power of God through faith. He
keeps us believing. He directs our steps, our paths,
and sets us under the gospel, and keeps us believing, keeps
revealing himself to us, keeps making himself known to us. So Paul believed in his ability
to keep all those whom he saved, no case too hard for him. Someone said this, his work is
finished, his wisdom is perfect, And his plea is constant and
never prevails to preserve his own, to preserve his own. And then Paul was persuaded in
the ability of Christ to keep him safe personally. Can you
lay down at night and feel safe? Can you lay down at night and
feel safe, feel rest and safe and be quiet, your soul quiet?
Can you do that? Paul knew that in all the trials
that he would go through, he knew the Lord would keep him.
He knew he would come out. You know, Job said this, Job
said this. He said that when he went through
the fire, when he tries me, I can't quote it verbatim, but when he
tries me, I will come forth as gold. It's not when he tries me, I
don't know if I can take it or not. You know, the Lord said
he'll not put on us more than we can bear, but you know, he
can enable us to bear whatever he puts on us. He enables us
to bear whatever he puts on us. It doesn't matter how hard it
is, he can carry us through it. And Paul was persuaded in the
ability of Christ to keep him safe through all the trials.
Listen to 2 Timothy 4. 16 through 18, Paul said this. At my first answer, no man stood
with me, but all men forsook me. I pray God that it may not be
laid to their charge. Isn't that sweet? Don't you want
that kind of heart? Lord, give me that kind of heart.
They forsook me, but Paul says, I pray God not lay that to their
charge. in verse 17 notwithstanding the
lord stood with me the lord stood with me and strengthened
me that by me the preaching might be fully known and that all the
gentiles might hear and i was delivered out of the mouth of
the lion and the lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will
preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom to whom be glory forever
and ever amen I want that confidence. I want
that confidence. The Lord will preserve me. Nothing
can take my life. You know, God, listen, God has
already determined, and this is comforting to me, God has
already determined the instrument of my death and the day of my
death. And he will preserve me and bring
me to that end and then take me home. It'll be like a chariot.
It'll be like the chariot that comes along and to take me home. Paul was persuaded the Lord was
able to keep him safe. And then he was persuaded in
the ability of Christ to keep him to the close of his life. He knew he was in danger. He
knew he was facing death. But that didn't move Paul. That
didn't move him. I try to, when I read, when I
read the word of God and I read like Paul here in prison, this
second time in a dungeon, and he's about to be put to death
by Nero, and he's surrounded by hate. This is God's servant. And he is surrounded by hate.
They hate him. Those guards, Nero, I mean, they
are ready to have a feast on Paul. But he is so calm. I believe he was. I believe Paul
was calm as could be. He was calm because he knew he
knew that this hour was predestinated before the world began. The instrument
of his death and the way of his death was predetermined by God.
And here he is coming up to face it. What's he going to do, grovel?
He's been preaching to the churches about the power of God, the grace
of God, the sovereignty of God. Now, is he gonna come up to the
end and fall apart? No, he's not, no. In 2 Timothy 4, 6 through
8, listen. For I am now ready to be offered.
I'm ready, I'm ready. And he says to be offered, not
to die. He's not talking about death,
he said to be offered. And the time of my departure is at hand. This is grace to die by. I have
fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I
didn't leave it like some who did. He said, all of them, remember,
he said, all of them forsook me. Paul said, I haven't forsaken
the gospel. I haven't left it. And he tells
Timothy, don't you leave it either. You stand fast. I have finished
my course. I have kept the faith by the
grace of God. I've kept the faith. Henceforth,
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, not to me only,
but unto all them also that love is appearing. Are you looking forward to Jesus
Christ coming? Wouldn't you love to see him come right now? I
would. I'd love to see him come right
now. He said, but I got loved ones that are lost. You think
he doesn't know that? You think he doesn't know that?
He knows that. Oh, but unto all them that love
also that love his appearing. And let me give you a few closing
words. Let me give you a few closing
words about what this persuasion produced in Paul. And all who
truly believe the Lord Jesus Christ, all who can say, I know. I know whom I have believed. I
know him. I know him. He's real to me. He's as real
to me as you are sitting there. I know him. So I'll give you some things
that this produces this faith in Christ. It's of God. Gift of God. But it's your faith. It's not God believing for me.
You know, if if if I give you a gift, it's yours, isn't it?
God grants us faith in Christ by the work of his spirit, the
operation of the Holy Spirit, and that faith is your faith.
It's your faith. Here's the first thing it produces.
Confidence. Confidence. You could, you know,
a believer is not, I don't, a believer should not, we should not walk
through this life with our head down, looking at our feet, woe
is me all the time. I know we are a paradox. We do
feel woe is me, but at the same time, we rejoice in the Lord.
At the same time. Sad and happy, same time. mourn
and rejoice same time but it produces confidence paul
said i can do all things through christ who strengthens me christ
said without me you could do nothing but now in christ i can
do all things i can do all things i believe that if it's his will
and he enables me to do it i can do anything You know, that doesn't lift you
up, if you understand that, it's humbling. It doesn't lift you
up with pride, but it gives you confidence to walk through this
life. You don't go through this life with an inferiority complex. The gospel does not give you
an inferiority complex. It gives you hope and humility,
which humility is not, it's a grace. That's a grace. it gives you the ability to walk
with confidence listen here romans 8 38 39 paul says for i am persuaded i'm persuaded that neither death
nor life nor angels nor principalities no powers nor things present
nor things to come whatever they may be no height nor depth nor
any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." That's confidence. I can't even separate myself
from His love. I can't even do that. Here's something else that it
produces, gratitude. We sing that song, thank you
Lord for saving my soul. There's no such thing as an ungrateful
believer. God, I know we're not as thankful
as we ought to be, I know that. Brethren, we thank God for saving
our souls. We thank God for making us whole. We thank him. Paul never ceased
to thank God for all things. And I know that when you pray,
that one of the things you pray about or say in your prayers,
Lord, thank you for saving me. Thank you for not leaving me
to myself. I know, you know, people I was
friends with over the years, people I've known, a lot of people
I've known have no interest in the gospel, none. And I do. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. And I tell you that gratitude,
I know whom I have believed. And I'm so thankful that he saved
me. He didn't have to. He's the sovereign. God did not
have to save me. He didn't do it out of have to.
He did it out of love. And here's another thing that
it produces. Here's another grace it produces. When you can, you
and I can say, I know whom I have believed. I know whom I have
believed. And I'm persuaded he's able to
keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. This
produces, it produces contentment. I'm content with Christ. I have
to say this. I can say this. I'm content with
what I have. I'm content with what the Lord's
given me. I'm content with where he has put me. I'm content with
what I'm doing. I'm content. You can't put a
price on that. This world, you see all this,
when you look out over the world and you see all this commotion
and all this tumult, It's coming from discontent.
They're just discontent, they can't rest. They're like the
sea, it can't rest. Human nature can't rest, it can't
do it. But it produces contentment,
as Paul said in Philippians 4.11. Not that I speak in respect of
want, for I have learned. I've learned through all that
God has put me through. I've suffered the loss of all
things for Christ's sake. I've suffered because of Him,
my relationship to Him, my love to Him, His love to me, our union
together. I've suffered the loss of all
things, but I count that as nothing but done. He said, that's nothing
but done. I've lost it all. But you know
what? I didn't have anything anyway. I didn't have anything
anyway. If I have Christ, I have lost
nothing. If I lose everything, I've lost
nothing, because it is nothing. It's nothing compared to Him.
It's nothing. I have learned in whatsoever
state I am therewith to be content. I've learned this. If I'm abound,
you know, if I've got plenty, I've learned how to handle it.
You know, that's harder to handle probably than being broke. You
can't do anything about being broke. If you're broke, you're
broke. But boy, when you have a lot,
if you have a lot of money in the bank and stuff, it's hard to have contentment
when you've got a lot of money. It is. You see something, I think
I'll have that, I think I'll have that, I think I might even
buy that. It's just constantly gnawing
at you. Scripture says a rich man's riches
won't let him sleep. It won't let him sleep. But Paul
said, I've learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content
because I know whom I have believed. I know it. And this is his will. This is him conforming me to
his image. And that makes me content. And then this knowing Christ,
this personal knowledge and knowing, this union of Christ produced
in Paul a good hope through grace. Paul had a good hope when he
was getting ready to die. I tell you what, you die without
hope, that is not a way to die. But to die in hope, Through grace,
you know that hope is through grace. That hope is not because
you're straightened up and you're living right. That hope is not
because you accepted Jesus as your personal savior. That hope
is not because you were baptized. That hope is through grace. It's
by the grace of God. That's why I have a hope, a solid
hope, is by God's grace. And that comes through this,
I know whom I have believed. The God of all grace. That's
who that's the one I believe. And then last of all. Paul knew this. And I want to
get this point, this is something I want to drive home to me day
after day after day. And I want you to get this. If
there's anything you get out of my ministry here, I want it
to be this. This is what I want it to be.
That nothing, nothing compares to our relationship in Christ. Nothing rivals our relationship
to Christ. It is the pinnacle of importance
that I may know him. Now, I know there are other things
that are important. Family is important. Job is important. There are a lot of things that
are important, but everything pales in comparison to knowing
the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know him? Go home with
that tonight. Go home and think about that.
Lord, do I know you? Do I know you? All right.