[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 9th of November, 2014.]
In our weekly Bible Study class, we just finished the Book of Acts, which closes with Paul still in custody in Rome awaiting an audience with Caesar. The good news is – he is eventually released. The bad news is – he is arrested and imprisoned in Rome a second time, because of persecution under the hard-fisted rule of Nero. This time his cell was in a cold dungeon and he was alone, his friends denied access. Knowing his death was near, Paul wrote his second letter - the last thing he would write - to the one he called his “son in the faith”.
Hear the inspired message of God as passed along by the Apostle Paul in his 2nd letter to his young friend and protégé Timothy, from the 1st chapter, verses 8 through 13…
Hear the inspired message of God as passed along by the Apostle Paul in his 2nd letter to his young friend and protégé Timothy, from the 1st chapter, verses 8 through 13…
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
--2 Timothy 1:8-13 (NKJV)
Let us pray... Father, we’ve come together this morning in the name of Your Son Jesus with joy filling our very being. We come to worship You and to hear Your word and Your message. May Your Holy Spirit touch each of us and open our hearts to receive what You know we need. In the holiest name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School.
“Well, Mom”, he began, “our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then he radioed headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.”
“Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?” his now incredulous Mother asked.
“Well, no, Mom”, he replied. “But if I told it the way the teacher did, you’d never believe it!”
If we’re honest, I think most of us would admit that sometimes we do have trouble believing some of the stories in our Bible. Did Methuselah really live for 969 years?!? Really? Was the entire world really under water for so long? And what about little Joey’s story? Did the Israelis really walk through a sea without getting wet?
Do we have faith sufficient to believe that everything in the Bible is indeed the word of and from God?
Let’s look at today’s scripture for a moment. Paul tells us in verse 8 not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. He doesn’t say his testimony or our testimony, but the Lord’s testimony – the testimony of our Lord Jesus Himself. So just what is that testimony? Where do we find it?
Jesus’ testimony would be the words He spoke, and especially all the things He said about God, His Father, our Father. While we do have a few of those quotes mentioned in other books, such as from Paul describing his conversion on the road to Damascus, the bulk of what Jesus spoke that was recorded for us is contained within the four Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And it’s all right there in our God-inspired Bible.
So Paul is effectively saying to not be ashamed of the Gospel. In fact, in the last half of verse 8, he encourages us to even be ready to suffer for the Gospel if necessary. Why? Why would we want to even consider suffering for the Gospel? Look at verse 10: because “Jesus Christ has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel”! Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. Isn’t that worth suffering for?
And then Paul makes a few brief inclusions I’d like to focus on a little. First in verse 11, where Paul says he was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher. An apostle is one who is sent, so Paul says he was sent to be a preacher and a teacher. And then in verse 13 he pleads with us to hold fast, with a sure and strong grip, to the pattern of sound words that we have heard from him. Hold tightly to the words we have heard from this preacher.
This isn’t the first time Paul left us a very similar thought. In his 1st letter to the church in Thessalonica, the 13th verse of the 2nd chapter, he put it like this…
Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School.
“Well, Mom”, he began, “our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then he radioed headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.”
“Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?” his now incredulous Mother asked.
“Well, no, Mom”, he replied. “But if I told it the way the teacher did, you’d never believe it!”
If we’re honest, I think most of us would admit that sometimes we do have trouble believing some of the stories in our Bible. Did Methuselah really live for 969 years?!? Really? Was the entire world really under water for so long? And what about little Joey’s story? Did the Israelis really walk through a sea without getting wet?
Do we have faith sufficient to believe that everything in the Bible is indeed the word of and from God?
Let’s look at today’s scripture for a moment. Paul tells us in verse 8 not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. He doesn’t say his testimony or our testimony, but the Lord’s testimony – the testimony of our Lord Jesus Himself. So just what is that testimony? Where do we find it?
Jesus’ testimony would be the words He spoke, and especially all the things He said about God, His Father, our Father. While we do have a few of those quotes mentioned in other books, such as from Paul describing his conversion on the road to Damascus, the bulk of what Jesus spoke that was recorded for us is contained within the four Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And it’s all right there in our God-inspired Bible.
So Paul is effectively saying to not be ashamed of the Gospel. In fact, in the last half of verse 8, he encourages us to even be ready to suffer for the Gospel if necessary. Why? Why would we want to even consider suffering for the Gospel? Look at verse 10: because “Jesus Christ has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel”! Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. Isn’t that worth suffering for?
And then Paul makes a few brief inclusions I’d like to focus on a little. First in verse 11, where Paul says he was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher. An apostle is one who is sent, so Paul says he was sent to be a preacher and a teacher. And then in verse 13 he pleads with us to hold fast, with a sure and strong grip, to the pattern of sound words that we have heard from him. Hold tightly to the words we have heard from this preacher.
This isn’t the first time Paul left us a very similar thought. In his 1st letter to the church in Thessalonica, the 13th verse of the 2nd chapter, he put it like this…
13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.--1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NKJV)
The Thessalonians received the word of God from Paul and his companions, and they welcomed it not as the word of man, but as the word of God, which is exactly what it truly is! Paul, the man, delivered the message. The message came from God.
We know how important the word of God is. And how important it is that we put aside any disbelief and trust in the truth of what we read in our Bible. Jesus confirmed this for us more than once. One such time that I find interesting came when Jesus was taking the naysayers and doubters to class regarding the necessity of keeping our hearts and spirits clean of evilness. After He finished His little lecture, the following occurred…
People need to hear and believe the word of God, the truth of the Gospel, to be saved. In order to hear it, they need a preacher. And the preacher must be sent by the Lord to bring the Good News of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Paul said to hold fast to the words he taught, not because they are the words of some man, but because they are the words of God, delivered by a man.
Folks, you know by now how much I enjoy cutting up and having fun. But once I stand in this pulpit, a serious urgency builds within me. Each Sunday, before I begin the message, I quietly and quickly pray that God will hide me behind the cross of His Son so that you can see only Jesus. I give our loving and ever present Holy Spirit free rein to take over and speak God’s word through my mouth. During the week as I prepare the sermon, I can feel His hand guiding my fingers on my keyboard, directing my thoughts, building His message brick by brick in my mind and my heart.
Just as our Bible is the word of God, preserved by men directly inspired by God, each sermon I present is the message of God, delivered by this unworthy man, wholly inspired by God.
These are not my words aimed at you. My sermons are directed as much if not more to me than to you. These are God’s words, spoken by this lowly man. This is God’s message, delivered by a saved sinner.
God’s word, God’s message. Hold fast to them, in faith and in love which are in Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Let us pray… Heavenly Father, we are a very special family. We have each chosen to come together and worship You together. And Father we thank You so much for binding us together in our love of You and Your Son Jesus. A huge part of that worship for us Lord is to hear Your word and to study over what You have to tell us so that we might be able to better understand Your will for us, as individuals and as a church family. Thank You, Father, for giving of Yourself even as we worship and praise You.
Father, You speak to us in so many ways. You speak through Your inspired word in our Holy Bible. You speak in the sunrise and sunset and the gentle breeze. You speak to us in the quiet of the night. You speak to us through Your Holy spirit as we listen to the words of the message You wish us to hear each Sunday morning. We pray, Lord, that You will help us accept and receive Your message just as You intended it for us.
Hear us now, Lord, as we pause to listen for Your soft reply to our innermost prayer…
All wise God, help us to hold fast to the pattern of sound words that originate from You, no matter what the source. Help us, Lord, to understand Your will for us. Use us to carry out Your plan in this world. In the beautiful name of our Master Jesus we pray. Amen.
We know how important the word of God is. And how important it is that we put aside any disbelief and trust in the truth of what we read in our Bible. Jesus confirmed this for us more than once. One such time that I find interesting came when Jesus was taking the naysayers and doubters to class regarding the necessity of keeping our hearts and spirits clean of evilness. After He finished His little lecture, the following occurred…
27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”
28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”--Luke 11:27-28 (NKJV)
“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it”. That almost sounds like it should have been in the Beatitudes, doesn’t it?
Why do Jesus and Paul think it so important to hear and keep the word of God? The author of Hebrews can shed a little light on this. Actually, he leaves no doubt, when he proclaims in chapter 4, verses 12 through 13…
Why do Jesus and Paul think it so important to hear and keep the word of God? The author of Hebrews can shed a little light on this. Actually, he leaves no doubt, when he proclaims in chapter 4, verses 12 through 13…
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
--Hebrews 4:12-13 (NKJV)
We must one day give an account of our every action when we stand in judgment before the Lord God Almighty, the Creator of all there is. Nothing we’ve ever done can be hidden from His sight. So we’d better know what He considers good and what He considers sin. And the best way to know that is to read and hear His word, and hold on to that knowledge and abide by it every second of every day.
That brings to mind a passage of scripture, the words God spoke to my innermost being, that finally convinced me to give my life to the ministry of Jesus Christ. It comes from Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, chapter 10, verses 13 through 15…
That brings to mind a passage of scripture, the words God spoke to my innermost being, that finally convinced me to give my life to the ministry of Jesus Christ. It comes from Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, chapter 10, verses 13 through 15…
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”
--Romans 10:13-15 (NKJV)
Paul said to hold fast to the words he taught, not because they are the words of some man, but because they are the words of God, delivered by a man.
Folks, you know by now how much I enjoy cutting up and having fun. But once I stand in this pulpit, a serious urgency builds within me. Each Sunday, before I begin the message, I quietly and quickly pray that God will hide me behind the cross of His Son so that you can see only Jesus. I give our loving and ever present Holy Spirit free rein to take over and speak God’s word through my mouth. During the week as I prepare the sermon, I can feel His hand guiding my fingers on my keyboard, directing my thoughts, building His message brick by brick in my mind and my heart.
Just as our Bible is the word of God, preserved by men directly inspired by God, each sermon I present is the message of God, delivered by this unworthy man, wholly inspired by God.
These are not my words aimed at you. My sermons are directed as much if not more to me than to you. These are God’s words, spoken by this lowly man. This is God’s message, delivered by a saved sinner.
God’s word, God’s message. Hold fast to them, in faith and in love which are in Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Let us pray… Heavenly Father, we are a very special family. We have each chosen to come together and worship You together. And Father we thank You so much for binding us together in our love of You and Your Son Jesus. A huge part of that worship for us Lord is to hear Your word and to study over what You have to tell us so that we might be able to better understand Your will for us, as individuals and as a church family. Thank You, Father, for giving of Yourself even as we worship and praise You.
Father, You speak to us in so many ways. You speak through Your inspired word in our Holy Bible. You speak in the sunrise and sunset and the gentle breeze. You speak to us in the quiet of the night. You speak to us through Your Holy spirit as we listen to the words of the message You wish us to hear each Sunday morning. We pray, Lord, that You will help us accept and receive Your message just as You intended it for us.
Hear us now, Lord, as we pause to listen for Your soft reply to our innermost prayer…
All wise God, help us to hold fast to the pattern of sound words that originate from You, no matter what the source. Help us, Lord, to understand Your will for us. Use us to carry out Your plan in this world. In the beautiful name of our Master Jesus we pray. Amen.
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