So, Good morning. Welcome to Seoul Bible Church. We're so glad that you joined us this morning. We're so thankful for your faithfulness and your commitment to share the gospel. After last week, we have nearly 500,000 promised as a faith promise in addition to our normal timing. If you have not committed to anything and you would like to, there are still some promise sheets in the back that you can fill out and put in the online. And as you can see in the bulletin, the last Sunday of January, we will be having our business meeting where we talk about the church record. And we'll also be talking about Brother McGowan at that time, as you can see in the photo. Let's be in prayer for the church outreach after the service this afternoon. Lord willing, after we have our time here, we will go down to Seoul Day to share the gospel there. And it's not in the bulletin, but of course next week is 3rd Sunday, so we will have fellowship Sunday. Yes, that's right. Okay, so those are our announcements. And now let's prepare our hearts to worship. As Mrs. Henderson plays, I will sing My Redeemer. It's hymn number 35. Yes, everyone, I will now sing the 35th verse of the hymn, which is printed as Welcome. I will now sing the hymn, which is printed as Welcome. I will now sing the 35th verse of the hymn, which is printed as Welcome. I will now sing the hymn, which is printed as Welcome. This month we are attempting to memorize John 15, 1 through 3. Now trying to do all three verses all at once might be a bit much. So let's turn to the back of the bulletin, and we will do this verse by verse. I'll say it in English, verse one in English, you repeat it, and then Pastor Chu will say verse one in Korean, and we'll all try to repeat that as well. And so we'll do that through verse 3. Verses 1, 2, and 3. I will say it in English, then you will say it in English, then Pastor Chu in Korean, and then you'll do it in Korean. Yes, so everyone, instead of reading the whole thing from verse 1 to 3, if you look at the back of the book, you will see that the words of John 15, verses 1 to 6, are read in English and Korean. So John 15 verses 1-3 I am the true vine, and my father is a husband. I am the true vine, and my father is a husband. I am the true vine, and my father is a husband. I am the true vine, and my father is a husband. I am the true vine, and my father is a husband. I am the true vine, and my father is a husband. I am the true vine, and my father is a husband. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. The branches that do not bear fruit in the four seasons are removed by the Father, and the branches that bear fruit in the four seasons are removed by the Father to make them more fruitful. The branch that does not bear fruit on its own is sinned by the Father, and the branch that bears fruit on its own is trying to make it bear more fruit, so that it may live cleanly. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. John 15 verses 1 through 3. Let's open our hymnal now to 249. Come we that love the Lord, we'll stand to sing. The land of the free and the home of the brave. Roll it in, young man, roll it in. Roll it in, young man, roll it in. Roll it in, young man, roll it in. The nursing homes you see are the towns from where I'm born. ♪ The children's mother had to bear ♪ ♪ This nimbler, just a child ♪ ♪ This nimbler, just a child ♪ ♪ Oh, beautiful Zion ♪ ♪ Beautiful, beautiful Zion ♪ ♪ My marvelous children, beautiful Zion ♪ ♪ The heralds on high who gave proof through the night ♪ ♪ That our flag was still there today ♪ ♪ O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ Yeah. Yeah. ♪ I guess that's where the real shine is there ♪ ♪ The angels' voices are loud ♪ ♪ The angels' voices are loud ♪ ♪ The angels' voices are loud ♪ ♪ The angels' voices are loud ♪ ♪ The angels' voices are loud ♪ ♪ The angels' voices are loud ♪ ♪ The angels' voices are loud ♪ Please be seated. Let's take our seats and open our Bibles to Daniel chapter 3. Those who stand for truth often find themselves in hot water. Here are three men who are committed to worshiping only God. May we have the same courage, David. So this morning, we're reading Daniel chapter three. We're going to read verses eight through 25. Verse eight. For this reason, at that time, certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charge against the Jews. The charges are in verses nine through 12. They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live forever. You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, tridon, psaltery, and bagpipes, and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. Therefore, there are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have disregarded you. They do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up. They will go to the king of Nuban, and say, O king, give us a long life. O king, when the king gives the order, every man will bow down to the god of gold, listening to the sound of all instruments, including the trumpet, the flute, the flute, the trombone, the harpsichord, the harpsichord, the harpsichord, and the harpsichord. Those who do not bow down to anyone will be thrown into the fire of hell. Now the Jews, Sadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not bow down to the king who built the stone of Babylon. They did not worship the king. They did not worship the gods of the king. They did not bow down to the god of gold that the king built. Verse 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and anger, gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar, the king, was angry and ordered to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Finally, they were brought before the king. verses 14 and 15. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the flute, horn, lyre, tritone, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image I have made very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and what God is there who can deliver you out of mine? Who asked them, saying, Who are you? Why do you not worship my God? Why do you not worship the God of gold that I have set up? Now that you have come to this world, you will always hear the sound of the trumpet, the flute, the water, the brass, the brass, the brasses, and all the instruments. Now verses 16 through 18 of Daniel chapter 3. Daniel chapter 3 verses 16 through 18. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will deliver us out of your hands, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you've set up. Sadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer to the king about this matter. If we do, the king will take us out of the fire that our God is burning, and he will take us out of the hands of the king. Now verses 19 through 22. Daniel chapter 3 verses 19 through 22. Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath. His facial expression was altered toward Shadrach. Meshach, and Abednego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps, and their other clothes. and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. For this reason, because the king's command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the soldiers to make the fire seven times hotter than on weekdays. He ordered the soldiers to throw some soldiers into the blazing fire. Verse 23. But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, still time. Verse 24 and 25. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste. He said to his high officials, "'Was it not three men we cast bound "'into the midst of the fire?' they replied to the king. "'Certainly, O king,' he said. "'Look, I see four men, loosed, walking about "'in the midst of the fire, without harm, "'and the appearance of the fourth is like the sun. Then the king, surprised, got up and asked the monks, Aren't the three people we threw into the fire as the result? They answered the king, King, you are right. I don't know what you're going through today, but whatever it is, God is here to learn. Let's go to the Lord. Our Father in heaven, we know that you are on high. With your word, you created the earth and all that is in it. By your might, you sustain, you keep in order the world, the universe, and beyond. And yet your power is even greater than this. Your immense power is shown in the deliverance of sinful men from hell. You turn wicked people into righteous children. Those who are spiritually dead and lifeless, you give everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We can only stand amazed in the presence of such a God. And yes, we are in your presence for we are with Emmanuel, who is God with us. Lord, you are our joy and you have given us a peace which is beyond understanding. It is by your presence and by your enablement that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Lord, we rejoice that you have given us this day. This is a day that has been set aside to worship the Lord our God. This is a day when we can proclaim greatness of the Lord and greatly to be praised. We rejoice to meet together to have fellowship with one another and to have fellowship with you. Father, we pray that you would help us by your grace to worship you in spirit and truth. May Christ be glorified in our time together. May the Holy Spirit fill us. May the Father be pleased on all that takes place here today. Lord, we pray that you would inhabit your people's praises today. We do pray and intercede for our missionaries, Lord. Lord, you know the needs and the concerns of each one of our missionaries. We pray that each one of them would have sweet fellowship with you We pray that you would meet all their financial and health needs. We pray, Father, that they would bear much fruit for you. And Lord, we pray that for ourselves as well, that we too would be fruitful for you. That the proclamation of your word this morning would bear fruit. That the gospel outreach this afternoon would bear fruit. that each one of us might bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. And Lord, as you answer this prayer, we will give you the praise for it is you that deserve the glory for whatever is accomplished. So we pray all this in Jesus' name, with thanksgiving. Amen. We'll continue to worship the Lord by singing 274. I love to tell the story. We'll stand to sing. And we'll sing the first three verses. you ♪ I had to tell the story ♪ ♪ Of what it is I've heard ♪ ♪ I dreamt the sun was so green ♪ ♪ How beautiful still it is now ♪ ♪ I had to tell the story ♪ ♪ Big pots of kimchi stew ♪ ♪ It satisfies my longings ♪ ♪ And strength for the church today ♪ ♪ I hope to tell the story ♪ ♪ Twelve years of church and story ♪ ♪ Our homes come home once again ♪ ♪ From Tucson, Tucson ♪ ♪ Our hearts do not slow yet ♪ ♪ Their harmony resounds ♪ ♪ Their hearts have found their place ♪ ♪ Beggin' for my own change ♪ ♪ I would love to be a jokester still ♪ ♪ But this is what I will be ♪ ♪ Since life is just a game still ♪ ♪ In excelsis Deo. ♪ ♪ Give unto them that serve thee, ♪ ♪ The yet unclutching strength, ♪ ♪ To hold to your love so deep, ♪ ♪ That Jesus can be found. ♪ My heart's true and solemn, till death me do declare. The saddest time of the year, when the world is so delusional, when all the young ones who live, watch the world as they grow old. They lose their jobs and their children, He rises from the dead to save us. He comes to rescue us from sorrow. He comes to save us from sorrow. I want to ask John and Jake to come take the offering and worship. Let's pray. Gracious Heavenly Father, we know that the world and the fullness thereof are yours. We thank you that you have called us to be your children, to be your servants. We thank you, Father, that we have the chance to worship you in spirit and in truth, and that we can worship you by returning a portion of what you've entrusted to us to advance your kingdom. We pray that as these monies are collected and dispersed to our missionaries and to your work here in Korea, Lord, that you would bless both the giver and the recipients, and that you would magnify your own name through these finances. We praise you, we thank you, in Jesus' name, amen. so so After we sing number 326, the children will go to the children's church and we will have the message. Let's stand in the same hymn number 326. ♪ Make sure my children are blessed ♪ ♪ By God's blessing of your love ♪ ♪ Helped I so should he learn goodness ♪ ♪ But the land of Israel ♪ ♪ Oh, it is a sin, oh it is a sin ♪ Choices are set. Who's singing? Who's singing? Who's singing? When Jesus shared His bread with all the earth to save, and told His people, saying, One more just one last day, O say can you see, by the dawn's early light His face is still so true, where'er he goes, he lives. Not yet to burn, for he did not change. Oji-a-se, Oji-a-se, Oji-a-se, Oji-a-se, Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light, Amen. Good singing. I'd like to invite you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 3. Today we will be reading from 2 Timothy 3 verse 7 to chapter 4 verse 8. We live in a world that has largely disregarded God and His Word. As children, some people are actually taught polite society. does not discuss either God or politics at the table. The thinking is that if we have different people at the table with different theological backgrounds, you've got a recipe for social disaster. Now you'll recall, last week, we saw that the Lord Jesus Christ, as he looked ahead to his death on Calvary for our sins, spent his last hours reassuring his disciples. In John 14, he told his troubled disciples, trust the Triune God, trust the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In John 15, he commanded his lonely disciples to find strength and comfort by abiding in himself as branches get their vitality, their strength and life from the vine. We had a wonderful reminder of that this morning in Sunday school from Mr. Henderson. In John 16, Jesus assured those who saw Satan's victory at the cross that they could triumph through the Holy Spirit in the scripture. Jesus' message to his disciples is just as comforting and inspire it today as it was for his disciples all those years ago. We too could have been worried before. Until the end of the age, we are going to live in a place that is often unloving. A place full of ungrateful, unthankful. A place that is, as 2 Timothy 3 says, unholy. A place full of greed. A world that is focused on entertainment, not the eternal. People will love, but they love themselves, not God or others. Our lives are characterized by disobedience, not loyalty and obedience. This is the theme, this is the world we live in. As the hymn says, in days like these we need a savior. In days like these we need a savior. and anger that will hold. When fires burn away temporary treasures of our lives, we need a treasure that endures and is only purified by the fires of our lives. Hymn number 539 in our hymnal says, my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. So today, as we continue seeing Paul's letter to the Ephesian Pastor Timothy, In 2 Timothy 3.7-4.8, I want you to see God's word is given to his people both individually, but preached to his people appropriately. That's chapter one. So as we examine this passage in 2 Timothy 3, In verses 7-9, we're going to see God's Word opposed. In verses 10-17, we're going to see God's Word examined and studied. And next week we will see God's Word shared in 2 Timothy 4 verses 1-9. So since your Bibles are open, I'm going to start by reading God's Word opposed in verses 7-9. So all the disobedience from the first six verses, they are always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jammies and Jamborees opposed Moses, So these men also opposed the truth. Men of depraved mind rejected in regard to the faith, but they will not make further progress. For their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes and Jambres' folly was also. 항상 배우나 마침내 진리의 지식이 이룰 수 없느냐 양매와 양부래가 모세를 대적한 것 같이 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and suffering, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. My teaching, practice, will, faith, long-lasting love, patience, persecution, hardship, and also the work of Nandio, Igonion, and Luzurah, and what persecution you will see and know. The Lord has thrown me out of all this. Of course, those who want to live in Jesus are persecuted. But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 and 15. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. But thou shalt learn, and be sure of one thing. Thou knowest what thou hast learned in the New Testament, and hast known the Bible since thou were a child. The Bible is not only the law, but also the faith in Christ Jesus, and the wisdom of salvation. Verses 16 and 17. All scripture is inspired by God. and is profitable for doctrine, for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 모든 성경은 하나님의 감동으로 된 것으로 교훈과 칭망과 바르게함과 의로 교육하기에 유익하니 I solemnly charge you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is judging the living and the dead, and by his appearing in his kingdom, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, absorb with great patience and with instruction. In the presence of God, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of God, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the presence of Christ Next two verses, three and four. Preach verse three. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires and will turn away their ears from the truth and turn aside to mist. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your own mission. But thou shalt be faithful to all things, and shall do the work of a missionary, and shall do thy duty. for I'm already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. In the future, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day. And not to me only, but also to all who have loved is it here? Our Father in heaven, we thank you that your word is able to make us wise to salvation. Father, as we examine your word for teaching and instruction today, to reprove and rebuke us as necessary. Father, we ask that even in this message that you would use your word in our lives to make us better. Teach us from your word And Lord, we pray that as we are hearers in the word of the Lord, help us to be not just hearers, but doers also. We pray these things in Jesus' name with confidence your word will accomplish its purpose. Amen. You know, as we are in this world, God's word is at our disposal. As Charles Wesley said, this world is no friend to grace. God has called you and I as his people out of the world. He has redeemed us from our slavery to sin. He has emancipated us from the power of Satan. Praise God, He also gives us victory over our own flesh. Now 2 Timothy 3 verses 1 through 9 describe the wretchedness of wickedness that you and I are saved from if we are children of God. In verse 7, we see that the world is a people who are seeking. Always learning, but never able to come to the truth. They don't know how to save themselves, but they're always learning, always trying the next new thing. Like Solomon in Ecclesiastes, they have discovered that all they're searching, all they're learning is the Hebrew words, habel, breath, vanity. As Solomon explained in the Old Testament, they tried hard to find new knowledge, but what they found and learned was in Hebrew, Abel. In Korean, it is translated as Abel. The word Abel is Hebrew. It means the breath is like the breath, and the breath is like the breath. Brothers and sisters, life apart from God is worthless. Life apart from God does not make sense. Now yes, it's true, our sins do offer the promise of a thrill or the promise of happiness, but they lie when they say that. Sin offers promises, joy, or satisfaction that it cannot deliver. Now we know from the scriptures, Ephesians 2, that we are born spiritually dead. Death is the enemy of life. As you know well, death is the enemy of life. The world, we saw last week, John 15, 18-25, the world hates God. As we saw last week, John 15, 18-25, the world hates God. 1 Corinthians 15 tells us the last enemy to be conquered will be death. The world, the spiritually dead realm hates God. Thus, Jesus says in John 15, it's no surprise if they hate you who are followers of God. In verses 8 and 9 here, 2 Timothy 3, we have James and Jambres. These men who opposed Moses when Moses came to free Israel from Pharaoh's slavery. Moses came proclaiming the very word of Yahweh. Thus says the Lord, Let my people go. If you remember in Exodus, Pharaoh replies, who is the Lord? I don't know him. Pharaoh's aides, his helpers, are named here. These men, Jehanis and Jabris, they were trying to keep or maintain Pharaoh's power as well as their own authority. And as you read Exodus, you see that these men did have a form of demonic power where they were able to do impressive things. But that strength, that might, was broken by God's power and might as a plague fell unimpeded without stopping on Egypt. Pharaoh's servants resisted the truth. Verse 8 says, they opposed Moses, so men today oppose the truth. They opposed the truth, but they had to acknowledge the Lord. that they lacked God's power and authority because God's place came on them too. And it became clear to everyone, as verse 9 says, that their folly was obvious to everyone. Brothers, sisters, you're trying to live right in this world. Do you expect it to be easy? Do you expect everyone to like you? I can assure you by the authority of the Lord God, the only reason is not everyone. As you seek to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, your soul, your strength, as you seek to love your neighbor as yourself, you will be hated. We can be sure we will be hated for our love and our righteousness as we seek to obey ourselves. In 1 Peter chapter 4, Peter tells us that it's better to suffer for doing right than to suffer for doing wrong. Note in 1 Peter 4, 1 through 6 says, Jesus Christ set the example. He suffered first, and so we need to follow him as we take up our cross. I'm going to read verses one and two. 1 Peter 4, 1-2 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lust of men, but for the will of God. In verses three through six, we have a flashback to our former sinfulness, all the things we used to do. I'm not gonna read those now, but there are the things that we no longer do. I am going to read verses seven through 11, where we see that our love for God and others is going to be a testimony in this hostile world. The end of all things is near. This is verse 7. Therefore be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint, as each one has received a special gift, employed in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. How do we serve? Verse 11. Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God. Whoever serves is to do so as one serving by the strength which God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom belongs glory and dominion forever and ever. So we love one another, And we speak and we work as to the Lord, for God's glory. And what happens? We suffer. We're still in 1 Peter 4, verses 12 through 19. Verse 12 says, Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing as though some strange thing were happening to you. that to the degree that you keep on sharing the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, You are blessed. Because the spirit of glory in God rests on you. Verses 15 and 16. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or a troublesome meddler, but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. And then we finish the chapter 17 through 19. For it is time for judgment to begin, but then also for God's. If it begins with us first, What will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. It is time to judge in the house of God. If you come before us, you will be the last of those who do not obey God's will. If you are saved, you will be the last of those who do not obey God's will. Therefore, those who are punished according to God's will, I ask you to give them a beautiful gun. Brothers and sisters, take up your cross, follow Christ, and suffer with Him. Suffer with Him, suffer for Him, and you will be glorified with Him. Beloved, do not be discouraged or surprised when the world, your loved ones, or even your own flesh resists you when you seek to do the work of God according to the word of God. We've seen how God's word is opposed to the world by our own flesh. As we return to 2 Timothy 3, verses 10-17, we're going to see that we need to study God's Word. Now, we can study the Bible, God's Word, but we can also study how God's word is lived out in other Christians. In 2 Timothy 2.8, Paul told us to remember Jesus Christ. If you keep your eyes on Christ when you suffer, you will be able to heal together. And you remember from 2 Timothy 2 verses 9 and 10, the apostle Paul says, I also suffer for others' sake. In verse 9, he suffered for Jesus. In verse 10, he suffered to be an example to others. Now notice 2 Timothy 3.10, Paul says, you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings. In verses 10 and 11. So Paul says, watch me, watch how I suffer for the Savior, but also look at there in verse 11, out of them all the Lord rescued me. As you look around in the church, you see people suffering sometimes for Christ. And as they trust and obey, you see them brought out, delivered from their hardships. That's what Paul says. He says, Timothy, look, you were with me there at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra firsthand. I love that story. And Timothy was watching in those places and he saw all these things in Paul's life. And so he was both an inspiration and an example to Timothy, wasn't he? In the midst of adversity, he focused on what? Teaching God's Word, verse 10. His conduct was pure. He was patient and right even when he was being persecuted, stoned, shipwrecked, and afflicted. Paul was patient with unbelievers and with immature saints. Think of how he dealt with the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians, here are people that Paul describes as carna, flesh. They were immature, they were not ready for the Hindu world. Yet how patient Paul was with the Koreans. Not only was he patient, but he showed love for his co-workers, the churches he founded, and for God. And we see that in his life and from his official speech. Paul's perseverance was absolutely legendary. jailed the man and he witnesses to his guards, Philippians 1. In Romans, pardon me, in Acts in Rome, there in Acts 28, people are coming to his prison to be taught and counseled by him as he evangelizes from jail. So here's a jailbird writing epistles that transform people through the Holy Spirit even today. Last year we studied Romans on Wednesdays. And we saw in that letter Paul's desire to go to Rome to be a blessing to the people, to the church at Rome. That was his desire, his prayer, his plan. He got to Rome. But he gets to Rome as a prisoner. It wasn't quite according to his plan. Of course, at the same time, he's doing all these things for God. Other Christians are looking at him and they're jealous of his fame. Philippians 1 says they're preaching the gospel out of envy for him. Did Paul get all bitter and angry at their attitude toward him? No. Paul says, I rejoice in the Gospels. It's like he says it twice, I yield and I will rejoice. He's determined to rejoice at the progress of the gospel. Some of his spiritual children reacted to him and did not respect him. Think of the Galatians or the Corinthians. And for these people, Paul entreats them as a father to turn back to Christ. So think about the Gallaudet church or the Bordeaux church. Nevertheless, Paul treated them with a fatherly heart and made an effort for them to return to the right path. In verses 12 through 14, the focus shifts from Paul to Timothy. And Paul reminds Timothy, remember your own experience. Continue in the things you've learned and become convinced of, verse 14, knowing from whom you learn. So from childhood, verse 15, he had known the scriptures from his mom and his grandma. Finally, in verses 15 through 17, We have not only the example of others, we have the scriptures that we can study to come out. In verse 15, of course, the scriptures proclaim salvation through Jesus Christ alone. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. But this word, the Scriptures, has great utility, great effectiveness. The Scriptures have the teaching, the doctrine we need to know about God, to know about man, the world, and the adversaries. The scriptures have the just judgment so that God's word rebukes folly and sin. The Scriptures has the wisdom of God, so we are corrected from our errors. We are set back on the narrow way by the Scriptures. The scriptures have both the principles and truths to instruct us in all things. They're very useful, verse 16. They have great effectiveness, verse 17. they transform Ezekiel's skeletons into the living, breathing children of God. When we are powerless, they equip you and I to become effective Christian warriors to defeat Satan himself. God is able to use the sword of the spirit to slay some of our own fleshly temptations and desires. This is the Word of God. It turns the fools into wise. With God's word, verse 17 says, you are adequate to do everything that God calls you to do. With God's word, you're adequate to do God's word by God's Holy Spirit as you abide in Christ with the blessing of God. Let us get into the scriptures so that we may know how to abide. Father, we thank you for your word. Lord, we know it's forever settled in heaven. Your word is permanent. It is your word. It has all authority. It has no mistakes. It is true. Thank you, Father, for your word that teaches us how to live. We thank you that your word reveals yourself. As we behold your word, we behold your love. How best to be studyers of God's Word. How best to be doers of God's Word. and bless us as we seek to be proclaimers of God's word and sacrament. We pray in Jesus' name with thanksgiving. And one of the things God's word does is rescue the parishioners that will send 275 Once again we'll sing the first three verses. Stand and sing. ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ ♪ Par vos bonheurs ♪ ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ ♪ S'il vous plait les gens ♪ God slow the vanishing, Gives no more value, Jesus is merciful, God stands still saying, Oh, can you see it? In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Hail to our native land. Hail to our native land. ♪ Waschbach and Engel ♪ ♪ Beauties of London and Paris ♪ ♪ Yes, I am Londoner ♪ ♪ Stranger, I'm Danish ♪ ♪ Oh, Strasbourg, you're the wonder in my dream ♪ ♪ Oh, Stuttgart, I'm in shock ♪ Father, we thank you that Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinful men and children. We praise you that whoever believes on the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. What a joy, what a privilege it is to become a child of God. Grant us a grace that we may abide in Christ throughout this world. Cause us to bear much fruit for Christ even this world. Make us like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And Father, we will give you all the praise for what you do on your lips. In Jesus' name. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen. You.