2 Timothy 8-13
On the heals of “THINK”
Vrs 8 I don’t think that Timothy has forgotten about Jesus. But the challenge here is this…
Remember that what we do is for the glory of Jesus (to lift Him up)
The Westminster Shorter Catechism states..
“A persons chief purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever”
GOSPEL 1 Cor 6:20
-Resurrection from the dead
-Seed of David = shows His humanity and that He came from the line in which the OT states the Messiah would come from
-Preached
As John Calvin says in his commentary on this verse “Let no one corrupt or falsify the Gospel”
Vrs. 9 When things get tough, human circumstances do not confine the Word of God. Gamaliel in Acts 5:33-42
God’s Word does the work
In Stavropol Russia in 1930 Stalin ordered a confiscation of Bibles.
After the fall of Communism a group called CoMission was trying to get Bibles into Russia when they found out about a warehouse filled with Bibles from the days of Stalin. So they hired some workers and one was a atheistic college student, who just took the job for the cash. While they were loading the Bibles he wandered off and they found him in the corner weeping over a Bible that had found with his grandmothers name in it and she always prayed for his salvation. (Philip Ryken, Entrusted with the Gospel)
The Word will not be bound.
Vrs 10 We keep our focus on our call. We preach and live the Gospel and pray for those who do not believe and we do not sit back and say “If someone is going to be saved they are going to be saved, I can just go about my business”
Paul is saying remember all these things that a good disciple does…and they do these things so others will be become Christians and the Christians that you are serving will also be reminded of what Jesus did for us.
This is why I get so discouraged when Christians spend so much time bickering and complaining among themselves. They get so involved in what they think should be done or what they think is right or wrong that they get off focus.
I will share something with you and I will be careful on how I do so…I have noticed anytime we see a growth primarily in new people coming out, problems seem to arise from the people that are already here. I know why that is…Satan wants us to focus on ourselves rather then those who are lost and dying in their sins.
When we get caught up we are…
Thwarting the work
-Don’t let it be you who is being used by Satan to thwart the purposes of the Gospel which lead to salvation for many.
Gamaliel “opposing God”
-If you see it happening call it out.
-Restore gently because the person is deceived
If you are doing Gospel work and people are a problem and giving you a pain…don’t let it get you down. Expect it and remember Paul and other suffered greatly for it.
The temptation we have is quit. But don’t give up because your work is for Jesus and the chief purpose is to bring glory to Jesus.
If you are doing Gospel work and things seem to be going well…don’t let it go to your head.
The temptation is to say “I am doing a great job”
What we have to remember it is for the glory of Jesus and without Him doing the work we would be nothing. You will be amazed by His glory
OAC illustration kids sharing testimonies.
Arron-you must feel pretty good?
Me-“I am pretty amazed at what God has done”
But all through that particular trip God impressed upon my heart it was Him who does the work and my responsibility is to tell people the truth about Jesus because that it brings glory to Him.
I am a truth dispenser, the dispenser does a job but no one really marvels over it.
Ill Kids with a gumball machine
What do kids normally do when the dispenser does not work?
Its all for the glory of Jesus and if it is not it will eventually be made known and it will eventually not go well
Ill “Carry this stone for me” “Who are you carrying it for?” (elizabeth Elliot quoted from a Tim Keller Sermon)
Remember the chief purpose “glorify Jesus and enjoy Him” you will not enjoy Jesus if you have competing glory.
How do we glorify Jesus? These verses are probably a hymn that was sung in the early church.
Vrs 11
• Die to self - reward=live for Him and with Him
Switchfoot lyrics say “we were meant to live for so much more”
• Vrs 12 Persevere – Reward is responsibility in His kingdom
When times get tough still endure. Millennial Reign, faithful with little given much, Back to garden Work was a blessing.
• Give Him what is rightfully His
Deny=withhold something from
(your service, attention and resources) (That person loves Jesus so much that they don’t deny Him what is dearest to them)
He will deny us the rewards for not enduring. Lets take Peter for example he denied Christ and he reaped sorrow and remorse,
Each situation we are in has great potential for eternal rewards and also rewards in this life. We are denied those rewards (or get less) when we deny Him
• Vrs 13 Remain faithful – This verses teaches that Jesus’ faithfulness is not based on or a response to ours but to truly glorify Jesus we should be faithful to Him. (expound on this point) Comfort in tragic or tough situations
Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego “even if he does not”
This is a reminder that Christ’s faithfulness to us does not depend on us but it depends on Himself.
“He cannot deny Himself”
Jesus does not withhold from us, we respond to that by bringing Him glory.
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