2 Timothy 2:11-13 "Dying with Jesus – Living with Jesus"

Last time   I had to cut my sermon short, and I am glad I did, because I could not do justice  to the  last few verses  that  I wanted to cover. They are deserving of  so much more  attention  than I originally  had planned for. This is the mystery of preaching.  I  often find that  after I have carefully  prepared my manuscript, that the burden  of the text  grows on my soul while I am preaching, and it  goes beyond that which I have written. 

The old preachers called this phenomenon ‘unction’, (Holy  Spirit directed counsel) and the problem with ‘unction’ sometimes is  that it clashes with time! There is always so much more to say and to unpack and to connect from the sacred text.   So, due to time constraints  I had to leave out my last point, and  in one sense I am glad that I did.

Last time  I  spoke to you from  2 Tim.1:13-14, under the heading “Guard the Good Deposit”. We saw that the good deposit is the gospel  and the leading question we asked was,  how is the gospel to be guarded? I attempted to answer this question from  the immediate context  in 1:13 - 2:13 in terms of  4 observations, and  flowing from the text.  

We saw that:  

1.     The gospel  must  be guarded in Timothy’s (and our)  own hearts and lives.(vv. 13,14)

2.     We must ensure  that we raise up a future generation of faithful gospel messengers (vv.1-2) so that the testimony about Jesus is guarded in every generation.

3.      We  must  remember that the gospel  will not be guarded without  suffering (vv. 3-10).   Paul uses three illustrations (a  single minded soldier ; a  diligent athlete  and a hardworking farmer) to show us  anything worth  guarding will need to be done with  hard work and suffering.

4.     And now the point that I did not  complete  is found in that trustworthy saying  in vv. 11-13.  And here we are helped to see  that in  the guarding of the gospel we must hold on to the gospel by holding on to our faithful Lord  Jesus.

So by way of a summary,

·   hold on to, and  guard   the gospel  in yourself through the help of the Holy Spirit (1:14).

·   make sure that the gospel is guarded by handing it on  to faithful men in subsequent generations  who will be able to teach others (2:2)

·   do not expect to  have an easy  task. Suffering is part of holding on to the gospel. Many unfortunately cannot handle this (see 1:15; 4:10).  But you must persevere. Remember the end is in sight. This is how Paul comes to his insight in 2:10, when he says, “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” Paul knew how to endure, persevere  and hold on to the gospel for the sake of the future church! 

Brothers and sisters, we have Christ and heaven to gain and eternal separation from God and hell to shun!  Persevere, endure, share in this light momentary suffering for the sake of the gospel. Hold on and guard that good deposit for your own sake and for the sake of your children and those that come after you. Paul makes this point with the help of a trustworthy saying. There are, incidentally five  such ‘trustworthy sayings’  found  in the three pastoral epistles.[1] These trustworthy saying are, as one might expect,  truths  well understood, well known and well accepted  and often repeated  sayings among Christians. Perhaps   these were memorable words from  an ancient hymn of the church. Perhaps it was something  which   a convert recited this  at his or her baptism. We don’t know,  but our text  in 2:11-13 is one of these  faithful sayings  and it  is   written in poetic form  and each line begins with the word ‘if’ (Greek ‘ei’) followed by an implied ‘then’.

·   If we have died with Christ… (then)  we will also live with  Christ.

·   If we endure or persevere in this Christian life (then) we will also reign with  Christ.

·   If we deny Christ (then) He will also deny us.

·  If we are faithless to Christ (then) He still remains faithful, for He cannot be  false to Himself.

Let us consider these 4 lines of this trustworthy saying, as we need to be encouraged to hold on to that Good deposit of the gospel, for which Paul endured everything for the sake of the elect. Let us keep our course through this often challenging, confusing life by looking to Jesus. He is the subject of our text. He is our goal. Let us further learn from this text how to persevere with the gospel:

1.     If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him.

A wonderful promise!  We find these words also in Romans 6:5, and they are implied in Colossians 2:13.  This is a KEY TRUTH for Christians. It speaks about our identification in the death of Christ and in the resurrection of Christ. This is what is reflected in baptism.  

It all begins when you become a Christian.  You are introduced to Jesus, and in looking to Him you are not left untouched by Him.  He leaves you with a sense of deeply feeling your sin and at once He lets you know that He is the solution  to your problem. And you cast your sin burden on to Him. You embrace Him for all that He is. He is God’s solution to your sin. And you embrace Him for the work that He came to do for the world, in the cross and in the resurrection from the dead. You see that He is the Way to God, and then you believe  and  repent. You turn from your sinful, self- centered life to Jesus , and in response you receive His  forgiving grace and mercy.  You know  that the death that Jesus died  was for  you.  You now know that you have a hope and a future in heaven. You know that not only the first part of the sentence is true (If we have died with him). You know that the second part is also true, “We will also live with Him.” When you become a Christian you truly begin to live now, but more so, you will also live in eternity.  

2.     If we endure (then) we will also reign with Him.

The Bible leaves us in no doubt that we need to show our true commitment to Christ by enduring or by persevering. How do we endure? We endure by continually holding on to that good deposit. We endure by not being like Phygelus and Hermogenes (1:15); We endure by being like Onesiphorus who was not ashamed of the gospel (1:16); we endure by being strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2:1). We endure by understanding and accepting that suffering for the sake of the gospel (i.e. following Christ) is a part of this present life. We endure by thinking like a focused soldier and like a diligent athlete and like a hard working farmer (2:3-6). We endure by remembering Jesus risen from the dead. We endure everything for the sake of the elect ( God’s chosen people yet to come into the fold)  for whose sake we labour in an evangelistic sense  that they may obtain the salvation  that is in Christ Jesus  with eternal glory (2:10). That is how we endure, and if we endure we may be sure that we will obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory, and we will be welcomed into eternal dwellings: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  So brothers and sisters, keep the goal in view. The heavenly city is in sight. Stay on the narrow road. We shall live with Him and we shall reign with Him. Remember Stephen (Acts 7:54 ff). As he was being killed he was given a vision of the risen, exalted Lord Jesus Christ. He saw heaven opened and he saw our Lord Jesus standing beside  the  throne,  to welcome him. There from that throne we will judge men and angels. We will reign with Christ. Endure - wait for the promised reward! These are  key concepts in our Christian thinking. 

3.     If we deny Him (then) He will also deny us.

The third  aspect of this trustworthy saying makes reference to  the  words of the Lord Jesus  in Matthew 10:32-33, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”  There will be  many  to whom He will say on that day : “Depart from me, I never knew you.” (Matt. 7:21-23). He will deny them.  There  were those at the trial  and the  cross of Jesus said, “We will not have this man rule over us.”  He will deny them at the judgement  and worse still  He will  throw  them into  a place of everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels and all that deny Him. There are those in time and history  who had no time and gave no place to the Lord Jesus in their lives. They  misused His name , His Word , His Day, His people, His Holy Spirit, His worship and these people will be disowned by Jesus before his Father in heaven.  Hell is awaiting  them. Hell is the terrible logic of rejecting and denying Christ. Be warned. This is a trustworthy saying. “If we deny him, he will also deny us.”

4. If we are faithless (then) He remains faithful for He cannot  deny Himself

We can understand this in two senses, and both are  possible:

   a.     It can mean that Jesus remains faithful  to His righteousnessand justice.  In that sense we think of Jesus when He warned the Pharisees (“Woe you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites”-Matt. 23) and when He spoke of two destinations, of sheep and goats, saved and lost, light and darkness. This Jesus is  faithful in His faithful  righteousness and justice  to exercise punishment on  those who deny Him,  because He cannot deny the justice and holiness of His own  being.

   b.  But it can also mean that the Lord  Jesus, despite our faithlessness  can chose to remain faithful.  Let’s  face it. None of us never sins. None  are ever  totally free from sin. All we are and all we do needs forgiveness. And some of our sins are shocking! The Bible has numerous examples  of people  falling into sin, and yet  they  are not cast aside by our Lord. 

•     Think of  Adam and Eve –our  first parents who sinned  and yet the Lord had mercy on them.

•    Think of Abraham’s lapses of faith, particularly when it came to lying about his wife; 

•   Think of Lot’s  drunkenness and incestuous relationship with his daughters. 

•      Think of David’s adultery. 

•     Think of the apostle Peter disowning his Lord three times.   

They were all forgiven. They were faithless but the Lord Jesus  remained faithful to them because He cannot  be unfaithful to His  covenant. What a comfort that would have been to Timothy who must have been tempted to give up in Ephesus.  What comfort to me, and to you. Here is the great biblical truth to hang on to: God’s mercy is grounded in His covenant keeping love. The God who sent his Son to save Adam and Eve,  Abraham, and Lot, and David, and Solomon, and Peter,  and countless others is always the same faithful God. We are not like that. We are not always faithful, and like Peter we have had times when we have wept over that. But God and His Son, the Lord  Jesus are always faithful. The Holy Spirit is always faithful to His own Word.  It is not the nature of the Holy Trinity to be  unfaithful.

     

    So then, hold on to the gospel, guard the good deposit. Remember that  at the heart  and at the foundation  of your faith there is a Living Saviour. Remember His promises - that  if you have died with Him, you will live with Him; if you endure, you will reign with Him. But also remember His warnings. If you deny Him, he will deny you. That is terrifying news for  the enemies of  Christ! But also remember dear  child of the covenant… no sin can keep your Saviour from you. His Grace and covenant faithfulness are greater than all our sin. He will save you from your sin, even if it means that you will carry terrible scars in this earthly life. He will save you,  for He cannot be but faithful.

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[1]  1 Tim.1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11; Tit. 3:8

Acts 22:30- 23:12 ”Living Before God With A Clear Conscience!”

Paul’s travelling missionary career abruptly   ended  when  he  came to  Jerusalem. He had been pleaded with and warned against going  [e.g. 21:4,11], but he went nevertheless, saying, “I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus.” [21:13] We saw that when Paul was in the temple he was recognized by some Jews from Asia, who then stirred up the whole crowd in the temple against him   (21:27). As they were seeking to kill him a band of Roman soldiers  from the adjoining Fort Antonia came to rescue him. The Romans thought that they might have found a political agitator in him and were ready to deal with him  in form of torture, but when he was given a chance to speak to the people (21:39 – 22:22) they saw that he  was in fact   a Roman  citizen (22:26-29)  protected by the Roman  law.

After this, in Chapter 23 follows  another opportunity for Paul to speak in public. It was  a hastily convened meeting with   the Jewish Council also known as the  Sanhedrin – a group of 70 scholars, scribes who were  the  revered keepers and interpreters of the Law. Among them were members  of the party of the  Pharisees and the  Saducees. The high priest was the leader of this council and so Paul is brought before this group, which is the highest religious court of the Jews. 

Now observe what happens here.  

Paul begins to speak immediately (23:1).  There appears to be no formal introduction, no protocol observed. Perhaps this is so, because as we already said, this court is hastily convened, and because of this  they were probably not in formal dress. The high priest, was not wearing his high priestly outfit. More about that in a moment...

And so we  read in  23:1 that as  the court meets somewhat randomly,  Paul takes charge. We read that  Paul is looking intently at the council and at once he begins to speak, and his opening words are these: ”Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all  good conscience up to this day.”  

This phrase needs some context and explanation. He is not saying that he has never sinned and that he never has had  any sense of guilt about anything.  We  know that  he has,  for instance,  prior to his conversion in Acts 9  had a hand in the  persecution of Christians. He represented the  authority that put Stephen to death.  That must have weighed heavy on his conscience all the days of his life. What  he is saying here however  relates to the charges brought against him.  Remember, that he is charged  for violating and showing disrespect to the Law of Moses and even  for bringing a  gentile into the  Jews-only part of the temple (21:28). This is what Paul denies, saying that  he has not broken any Law of Moses, nor had he taken a Gentile into the Court of Israel. He has a clear conscience with regard to these charges. All these charges are   trumped up. They are plainly wrong, but the problem is that he is the  company of  a council and  of men  who will hear nothing of what he has to say – just as was the case of Jesus.  This was going to be a complete waste of time …

Furthermore notice that Paul  in taking charge of the conversation  clearly infuriates the high priest Ananias (23:2).Ananias  orders  those  that stand close to Paul to strike him on the mouth.

A word about Ananias the high priest:  Josephus[1], called him "Ananias ben Nebedeus" – Ananias, son of Nebedeus. He officiated as high priest from about AD 47 to 52, and he was a very controversial character. I quote from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia : “In 52 AD he was sent to Rome by Quadratus, legate of Syria, to answer a charge of oppression brought by the Samaritans, but the emperor Claudius acquitted him. On his return to Jerusalem[2], he resumed the office of high priest. He was deposed shortly before Felix left the province, but continued to wield great influence, which he used in a lawless and violent way. He was a typical Sadducee, wealthy, haughty, unscrupulous, filling his sacred office for purely selfish and political ends, anti-nationalist in his relation to the Jews, friendly to the Romans. He died an ignominious death, being assassinated by the popular Jewish  zealots (sicarii) at the beginning of the last Jewish war.”

To this high priest, who has Paul slapped on the mouth, Paul responds, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting  to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” (Paul knows the law!) Paul utters this curse against him. He calls him a whitewashed wall – looking all good on the outside but rotten on the inside – that’s the implication here, and he is accusing him rightly for  disregarding the law in  a session of the court  by having him struck. But as soon as somebody reprimands him, “Don't you know that you’re reviling  the high priest?”, Paul  immediately apologizes and says, “I didn't know he was the high priest.”

Here is a question: Why did Paul not recognize the high priest? As indicated earlier,  the most likely answer is  that the Sanhedrin gathered hastily and they weren't wearing formal robes. The high priest wouldn't have been wearing his robe, so Paul didn't recognize him as the high priest.  John Stott thinks  that it may have to do  with Paul’s  eyesight.  In his letter to the Galatians   Paul says, “See in what large letters I have written to you,” and some think that this  may  be  the thorn in the flesh of which he speaks in his second  letter to the Corinthians  —  so it is thought that he can't see very well and has to write in large characters. And when he says “whitewashed wall” that's literally all he could see.

Add to this the fact that, by now,  Paul had been away from Jerusalem for many years. He was no longer familiar with the Jewish hierarchy which changed every few years. Whatever the case and reason may have been – as soon as he hears that he has spoken harshly to the high priest, he apologises.  Note how quickly the apology was made. And note the reason given. He bows to the authority of Scripture:  It is written, “You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people” [reference to Ex. 22:28]. 

Here is something that our modern world has generally forgotten. In our age of naming, blaming and shaming it is hard to be a leader, and leaders in turn also become hardened in response to constant criticism and battering. Have you ever thought through and pondered a biblical response to dealing with our leaders?  If the governing authorities (whether state, church, home) are instituted by God [Rom. 13:1-7], how do you deal with them except through God's eyes and by His Word  and by faithfully praying for the political rulers [1 Tim. 2:2]? 

• Do we really believe that, “the King’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD, he turns it wherever he will?” 
• Do we really believe that God can remove evil leaders in response to our prayer? 
• Do we really believe that we are not at liberty   to gossip and tear down the authority of our church leaders in an underhanded manner? [1 Tim. 5:19; Heb. 13:17]. 
• Do we really believe that men (even unconverted men)  are fundamentally instituted by God to be the rulers  and heads of their households? How many women really believe that an unbelieving husband can be best dealt with by means of  a respectful and pure conduct, by a gentle and quiet spirit, in prayer  hoping in God  [1 Peter  3:1-6]. All this  is Paul’s fundamental understanding  of  authority and leadership, and it forms the basis of his apology.  

But Paul is not finished as he pleads his good conscience. As he stands before the Sanhedrin he knows that he is standing before a theologically divided group consisting of  Pharisees and Saducees.  

In a nutshell the Pharisees believed in the  doctrine of resurrection and the  Saducees did not.  Neither did they believe in the existence of angels or demonic spirits [23:7,8]. The Pharisees were in a sense the theological conservatives, and the Saducees were the theological liberals.  

Now what is Paul doing here by raising the issue of the resurrection [23:6]?

2 things:  

1.    Paul is  testifying here to the  grand work of the Lord Jesus, who is ultimately  the prime exhibit  from God,  and living  proof that men do rise from the dead. This Jesus said that He was in fact  the resurrection and the life, and  by believing in Him  men would receive eternal life  and thereby enter into the Father’s heaven [John 11:25]. Jesus' exhibit was the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The hope of the resurrection  is a huge feature in the Christian faith and hope. It is Paul who wrote to those Corinthians   who doubted the resurrection [1 Cor.  15:12], “If in Christ we have hope  in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied”  [1 Cor.  15:19]. Paul 's hope  in the resurrection was much more profound than that of the Pharisees. He not only believed with the Pharisees in the resurrection, but in  Christ's example  he had seen  the resurrection  exemplified! So, in the first place   Paul would have  had an opportunity to remind the whole council  of  the  Sanhedrin that behind His faith there stood the grand doctrine of the resurrection. of Jesus Christ Himself! The Christian faith proved that the resurrection was true. What business  do they have to condemn  him  then, when he believed in a central tenet  which was held by most Jews? Incidentally, the Pharisees were a majority party in the council of the Sanhedrin.

2.     Paul is  getting more time for the gospel  by getting an escape from the hostile Jews! Notice the confusion  and dissension that now ensues in verses 7-10. Now you may say that  Paul used an age-old strategy in politics –the  divide and rule  technique to confuse his enemies, but in a far higher sense it  is this doctrine that the Holy Spirit now used to  help Paul from being killed. If he was going to land up in the hands of a united Sanhedrin, he would be killed and his voice would be silenced. But now, as chaos  ensues  between Saducee and Pharisee, over this doctrine of the resurrection,  God uses the Romans  once more to rescue  Paul  [23:10].  God has been known to do this before. God preserved the life of David from Saul through the Philistines. This does not mean that the Philistines  or the Romans or the Egyptians   are  just in God’s eyes.  It simply means   that  God used   them as an escape route for his greater purposes. Paul needed to stay alive for a little longer. He still needed  to testify before governors, counsels and kings. 

Paul With  a Good Conscience  before Jesus [v.11]

Let’s close  with this thought. After Paul has been literally rescued by the Romans  and brought back to the holding barracks , the following night  the Lord stood by him  and said: ”Take courage, for as you have  testified  to the facts  about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”  It is  a beautiful thing that the Lord  Jesus would now come to him and tell him to take courage and not to be afraid. What an encouragement the vision of our  dear Saviour  provides   when we  begin to wonder whether  all that we have done and said  in our gospel labours  was  in  in fact the will of God?  Here the Lord assures Paul, ‘I have seen how you testified  concerning the facts about me… and you will indeed  complete  the work I gave you to do  in Rome.'  

Truly, brothers  and  sisters, in that sense   we are immortal until our work is done!  Stand then with a clear conscience before men and  regardless, testify to the work of  our Lord Jesus.  He will keep   you from the wolves until He calls you home to your eternal reward. Oh what a homecoming  and what  a rest that will be!

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[1] Antiquities xx. 5. 2,

[2] https://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/ananias-1.html

2 Timothy 1:13- 2:13 "Guard the Good Deposit!"

I want to draw your attention to verses 13-14, in 2 Timothy  Chapter 1:  “Follow the pattern of  the sound words  that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”

The context is clear. Paul is speaking to Timothy about the importance of guarding the Gospel. This is the point which the apostle Paul has been making since v.8.  The gospel (which is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes[1])   had begun to destroy much of the powerful satanic cult of Diana in Ephesus[2] as people turned from the darkness of rank and file idolatry to the light of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  You may be very certain that Satan would not have left this advance against his kingdom unchallenged. He is the most formidable opponent of the gospel and he will throw everything against the advance of the gospel of Jesus Christ by means of his demonic forces. In addition he will use those people whom he has taken captive to do his will (see 2:26) to accomplish his destructive purposes.

Wherever there has been a work of God in history, there you will also have seen an anti-work of Satan. The Reformation of the 16^th century,  which saw the Word of God restored to the church was opposed by the Counter Reformation, beginning with the Council of Trent (1545–1563) and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War (1648). The Counter Reformation included the brutal Inquisition[3], an office dedicated to persecute those that had deviated from the Roman Catholic faith. It continued throughout the period of the Protestant Reformation, and in the name of the Catholic Church, many Protestant brothers and sisters were killed for their real faith in Jesus.

Back to Ephesus and Timothy; I can only imagine (and I know some of this from personal experience)   that the spiritual battle[4], the fight for  true faith in Ephesus was very severe and exhausting  so that   Timothy was tempted to shrink back[5].  In this situation the apostle Paul reminds him that God had not given him a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of self- control (1:7). He encourages him not to be ashamed of the gospel of the testimony about the Lord Jesus Christ[6] (1:8). Paul himself was not ashamed, for He himself is firmly rooted in the gospel: ”I am not ashamed, for I know  whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.” [1:12].

It is from this  that this great  exhortation is made to Timothy in vv.13-17 (paraphrased): “Follow the pattern of the  sound words that you have heard from me  in the faith and  love that are in Christ Jesus. Timothy, by the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you! Guard the Gospel. Do not be ashamed of it and do not turn away from it like so many in Asia who have turned away from me and the Gospel-  except Onesiphorus.   

The key idea here is ‘guard the gospel’. But how is the gospel to be guarded? I want to answer this question with the help of our text, 1:13-2:13.

In the first place we must make sure that the gospel is guarded in our own hearts and lives.  We see how intensely Paul works with Timothy on this matter. Fear of what people may think and say of our Christian profession and becoming ashamed of the gospel can be a great hindrance to the life of our soul.  The only remedy is to make sure that we know Christ the Saviour very well. We come to know the Lord Jesus in the gospels and through the sound words of apostolic teaching  [1:13]. And we must guard this truth of the gospel not in our own strength and willpower, but by always drawing on the strength of the indwelling Holy Spirit [1:14]. Of the   Person and Work of the Holy Spirit  the Lord Jesus said in John 16:13: “ When  the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak , and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” 

So here is  what is meant  by  guarding the truth of the Gospel:  First,  we  must guard the truth  as it is in Jesus  Christ in our own hearts, and in so  doing we must not add, subtract, embellish or diminish the gospel. We must tell the story of the Bible as plainly as possible, and when we do that, we must remember secondly, that we can only do that by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.  He helps us keep the pattern of sound teaching. He enables us to guard the good deposit with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus [1:13]. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through the indwelling Spirit.

Are you able to guard the gospel in your own heart, and in your own family and in your own society? The answer is yes, because if you are a Christian, you are enabled by the Holy Spirit, and you are strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2:1). Notice that the work of the Holy Spirit and the Work of Christ is synonymous.   Notice also that you and the Holy Spirit must work together in taking hold of the Gospel.  You are called to be responsible to guard the gospel deposit and at the same time you are called to be reliant upon the Spirit’s power and by   the grace of God to   guard the Gospel.  God has designed this to be so.  We must do everything and yet we can do nothing without Him.  An old Puritan motto says it all: “Pray and work.” So when it comes to challenging times and when we feel under pressure to abandon the good deposit, the  gospel,  we need to know that we are not alone. We will pray and ask that the indwelling Holy Spirit will help us at such times. Paul had fully embraced and defended and kept the gospel at every turn. So must Timothy and so must we. We must and we can. We are not helpless when it comes to being challenged   to stand for the gospel. 

In the second place we must make sure that we raise up a generation of faithful, eloquent gospel messengers: “and what you have heard from me ( the pattern of sound words) , in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach  others also.”  [2:2]. Now, while every Christian has a duty to guard the gospel by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we also have a duty to nurture a future generation of fearless gospel pastors and preachers like Timothy and Titus. The pastoral ministry according to Ephesians 4:11-16 as a foundational ministry of the church. Pastor-teachers are given to build up and equip so that the saints of God can do the work of the ministry. Are you daily praying for a future generation of fearless, courageous, Spirit filled,   Gospel saturated   pastors who will pass on the baton to yet another generation?  Are you praying to God that your future children and your future grandchildren will   have a gospel church to attend?  Don’t take this for granted. I am afraid that this has already become a problem. Remember the prophecy of Amos 8:11-12.  Remember, that such a famine of the absence of the Word of God existed in the Intertestamental period, those 400 years before the coming of Christ. Remember, that such a famine existed hundreds of years before the 16^th Century Reformation. Woe to that generation to whom the Word of the Lord, the Gospel of Grace will be withheld. How will they be saved without the Gospel? How will they enter into eternity, into the presence of a Holy God and into His holy heaven, unreconciled and without Christ as Mediator for their sin?  Think, brothers and sisters, and do not think only, but take each other by the hand and say, come let us pray and seek the Lord, to have mercy upon us!   Plead with Him that He will not take His Gospel from us!

In the third place remember that the gospel  will not be maintained and guarded without  suffering: “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus…” [2:3]. Paul reminds Timothy that Gospel labour is associated with suffering. It is a spiritual battle, and we read here that it requires the mind-set of a soldier, and like any soldier worth his salt, he is ready to embrace the hardships and suffering and discipline and disappointments that come with living under the Gospel. Paul experienced this, and in 1:15 you saw a hint of it. 

But Paul does not only use the image of a soldier to convey the need for a disciplined approach for gospel centred  living. Think over what I say, he says [2:7]: You need the mindset of a soldier, an athlete, a hardworking farmer . All of these images remind us of the commitment, sacrifice and  hard work that is part and parcel of the Christian life. Paul says to Timothy, ‘Gospel work is  hard, so don't expect it to be easy.’ Our generation does not like to hear this.  We want a soft and cuddly Christianity, but that is not possible in this life.    Brothers and sisters,  remember  that we are at war! In this war we are guarding our most precious commodity, the Gospel against the attack of Satan. I trust that you can see this clearly! On May 10, 1940, in the midst of WW II,  Winston Churchill, became the Prime Minister of Great Britain. On May 13^th  1940 he  gave his first  famous speech as Prime Minister to the House of Commons.  He said: 

“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and suffering. You ask, ‘What is our policy?’ I can say it is to wage war by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalog of human crime. That is our policy. “You ask, ‘What is our aim?’ I can answer in one word: it is victory; victory at all cost; victory in spite of all terror; victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival…”.

That was a great and significant war. Nothing has been seen like this before, and that speech and call to action was necessary in order to guard the safety and integrity of Britain. The Bible is calling us here to a much bigger and critical and important battle against a much darker kingdom than the Third Reich. It calls us to guard and defend the Gospel from those who would invade it and pervert it.

Fourthly, in the defence and the guarding of the gospel, remember your ultimate position and destiny! Paul writes, ”remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel… [2:8-13]. The Christian life, the Christian ministry, Christian service, is based on the person of Christ, on the work of Christ, and on the truth of Christ.  Yes, Paul is suffering for the sake of Jesus. It is the reason why he is bound in chains as a criminal. But  the Word of God is not bound, and so this momentary suffering  which Paul experience  for the elect (the church)  is nothing, when compared with that  which is before  him. Do you see that?  Paul looks ahead! The gospel that he preaches included that great fact that Christ is risen from the dead. The fact of the resurrection (heaven) transforms the way in which we look at our temporary sufferings, and Paul in particular sees here that this is all worth it. He knows  that  His suffering  will benefit all God’s people, even those like you and I who are now reading this letter, for Paul’s persistent and faithful testimony about Jesus  encourage me today! I know that this trustworthy saying in vv.  11-13 is true. This little faithful saying serves like a memory verse - something that you would repeat to yourself over  and over in times  of  difficulty.  And it is a reminder of the nature of the Gospel. 

This little text teaches us that you won’t need to give up, because Jesus does not give up on you! He will never forsake you.   If you have died with Jesus Christ, you will also live with Him.  And you  will not only live with Him. You will reign with Him.

But there's a warning here “If we deny Him, He will deny us.” If you give  upon the Gospel there  can be no hope of heaven for you, because His is the only name under heaven by which a person can be saved: Jesus Christ. So , dear people- guard that good deposit  with all your power , whilst trusting  the Holy Spirit  to  keep you  faithful to the end. There is no greater priority than this. Hold on to the Gospel.  Your heaven is waiting. Your resurrection is coming!

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[1] Rom 1 :16

[2] See Acts 19:21-41

[3]  This  institution was  created by the pope already  in the 12^th century

[4] See Ephesians 6:10-18

[5] Hebrews 10:38,39

[6] All in Asia (including Phygelus and  Hermogenes) had turned away from Paul in his imprisonment , presumably because  they were ‘ ashamed’ of him. Onesiphorus (1:16)  was  an exception