Chapter one through chapter four, but we're going to today look at specifically chapter one verses eight through fourteen. If you do not have a Bible, there's one in the pew there and it's on nine ninety five. I want to thank Ryan for the opportunity that he gives to the lay elders to fill the preaching pulpit in his absence. He knows that this is both a stretching experience for us and a maturing experience for us. But he also knows that there is great blessing when we have the opportunity to study and have the opportunity to share with the congregation in this role. Second Timothy Chapter 1 8 through 14. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God. who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. which is why I suffer as I do. But 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. Follow the pattern of 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. Please be seated. Let's pray together. Our heavenly father. How inadequate instrument and I am father to preach your word. But I give you thanks father for the enabling of the Holy Spirit. I thank you father for the opportunity to study your word. The opportunity father to consider what it has to say for me and the nourishment father that you have given me in my private study. I pray now, Father, that I could get out of the way, that I could share my heart as the Holy Spirit would have me share it. And I pray this day that the hearts of those that are gathered here might, Father, listen to the words and have opportunity, Father, to reflect upon. Who we are in the cost father of presenting and proclaiming your gospel in this world. And in your name we pray. Amen. Let me tell you about five students. Seminary students. They're in their early 20s. They have studied at seminary in Paris. They're touring Europe, partly to be out of the persecution that is present within France. They're in Switzerland where there's very little persecution there. It's the 16th century. John Calvin preacher, commentator, lecturer. They encounter. They only make a brief acquaintance with John Calvin, and then they returned to France. And when they returned to France, it is just a matter of days before they are brought into prison. And there they stay. They have opportunity. to write letters. And so they write to John Calvin. And during the period of their imprisonment, there becomes a wonderful relationship between these five students and John Calvin. They're extraordinary letters. They're very, very moving letters. And when it becomes obvious to all and especially to Calvin and especially to the five prisoners, those students that they're going to die, that they're going to be martyred, that they're going to be executed, that they're going to be burned at the stake. This is what they write to Calvin just weeks before they die. We want you to know that although our body is so confined here between four walls, Yet our spirits have never been so free and so competent. We are so far indeed from wishing to regard our affliction as a curse of God, as the world and the flesh wish to regard it. That we regard it rather. We regard it rather as the greatest blessing that has ever come upon us. And a few weeks later, after they pin those words sent by letter to John Calvin in Geneva, these five men in their 20s were burned at the stake for the sake of the gospel. You may ask yourself the question, Second Timothy. Second Timothy is a letter that is written and it's written to Timothy, a pastor, a male, a student, one who is engaged very much in regards to the ministry that he has been learning and appreciating Paul. So why will this teaching be for you? The reason Paul's words to a young male, timid pastor named Timothy are relevant, I believe, for every believer. Though you may not be young, certainly I'm in my sixth decade, so there are days I feel young. Are male are timid or a pastor? It's that the arguments and the reasons that Paul gives Timothy for why he should embrace his suffering in the service of the gospel instead of running from it and why he should press on with great confidence and courage in his work are the same reasons and the same rationale that we must have As we look at the responsibilities that we have in the 20th, some of us and now in the 21st century of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. So if you're not young and not a male and not timid and not a pastor, don't think that this message, this text that we're going to read through is not for you. I say it with no fear of contradiction that Paul says here what he says. every believer needs. I've spent some five decades within the word and have been a teacher for most of those five decades in the Sunday school class setting. When I look in regards to the New Testament in the writings of Paul, I guess I would count there are thousands of hours that I have spent with this man. Many moments in the privacy of my own closet, time in regards to sharing with others. And I have found with Paul someone who, in fact, has given to me great opportunity. I consider him a brother, one of my most valuable examples of a man who walked obediently in his calling. He is my cherished hero of faith who sacrificially gave himself for the continuance of the gospel. He is my straight arrow who rightly divides the word of truth for me, and a teacher whose written words, inspired and enabled by the Holy Spirit without ceasing, exhort me, encourage me, and comfort me. Each time that I open up 2 Timothy, my emotions come closer to the surface. For I confess, I'm greatly moved by Paul's letter to Timothy. As far as we know, it is the last letter that he will write for his execution by beheading outside the gates of Rome is imminent. This beloved servant saying. Who I respect and love. He waits. This morning I I want you to know What are the conditions under which he is subject to as he writes his second letter to Timothy? Because I believe that we need to understand that in today, we will be persecuted. I am convinced in the days and the years to come, as we look upon these days, we will wish that they returned because of the persecution that will be present. We only have to look at our laws and our government and see what has happened. The disestablishment, if you will, or the renaming, the reforming of what the godly family is. The acceptance of behavior that we would never have thought possible, that that was behavior that would remain in the dark places. But those dark places have come, and if we were to speak against them, we will find ourselves in a place that is not one simply of saying, I have the freedom to do that. But rather we will find ourselves before a judge in a courtroom for the biblical words that we use in the society that this world is and will greater be in darkness. So I find this text so important. For we're going to see Paul And he will write it to second Timothy. He will weave the thread to say. I. A saint, an apostle of Jesus Christ. This is my end. And I would share with you. That as we look at his example in his ministry. I would submit we all need to look. And perhaps redefine what are in might be as well. Secondly, I want to look at the spiritual condition of Timothy. The one that he will write to. This is Paul's second Roman imprisonment. And unlike the first, where his expectation was released, where he had the opportunity to write to the Philippians, he knows that this one will end in execution. Paul is in a dungeon. And when we say it's a dungeon, it is, if you will, a circular pit about 30 feet in diameter. Up at the top of the pit is a small hole, something like a manhole that we would have in the streets. Paul, with 30 to 35 other prisoners, because that was the full capacity of this pit and this dungeon, would be lowered down through that hole and placed upon a stone floor. and then he would be placed into chains. There was in that pit on one side a door that was very large, and this door could be pulled up and raised and then lowered back down. Its primary purpose was to facilitate execution. For, when more prisoners were to come in, and the capacity had been filled, then the guards would go and they would pull up the gates. Parallel to this gate was the sewage system of Rome. And the raw sewage would then flood into the pits, and they would drown. And that was their death. They would be swept away. The door would close. And then more prisoners would be lowered into the pit. Paul probably saw this more than one occasion while he was in prison. For his death would not be in this way. We know that his death would ultimately be a beheading. Can you imagine what went in that place? This is where Paul. This is where Paul is. He's in a place with no sanitation. Without light, without any necessities required for basic existence. Can you imagine it being crammed with 30 or more criminals about to be executed? No privacy, no relief from foul stench and the constant moaning of the sick and the dying. So I moved within my heart as I consider Paul in that place awaiting execution. So we only have to look within Second Timothy text to find the answers to the question, what does this letter to Timothy tell us about Paul's situation and circumstances? And you may want to follow with me in the text as I go through them. In chapter one, verse 16, it tells us that he is in chains. The verse reads, and he says, May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Honest Boris, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. But when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me. Paul was in chains, bound, restricted in movement, forced to sit in his own bodily excretions, the chains normally designed to cause sores and to make it impossible. to find a resting position. Chapter 2 verse 9 tells us that he was indeed with a place with criminals. He says in verse nine, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But yet we know in Paul that there is a joyous confidence in this same breath, because when he says, I am bound and I am a criminal, what does he say? But the word of God is not. Such joy he takes in that. And the confidence of knowing, because the Word is not bound, that neither is His Spirit who is in Christ Jesus. Further in chapter 4, we get a little closer to the heart of this man. He knows he's near his own execution. And in chapter four, verse six says, I am already being poured out as a drink offering. And the time of my departure has come. He knows his death is intimate. He knows it's dear. Well, that's a pretty bad situation. Can it get worse? Less free. In chapter one, verse 15, it says, for you are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me. All of them, those that he had been part of in the area of Ephesus in the surrounding area. Had left no one in Asia Minor has stuck true to the apostle. In chapter four, we get a little deeper into the heart of Paul in the sadness of the time. So in verse 10, he says, for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens, he's gone to Galatia, Titus, he's gone to Dalmatia. In verse 12, says Tichias, I said to Ephesus, backing up one verse to 11 again, only Luke is with me. As I was reading the notes of my Reformation Bible, the note says at this point, most of his friends found it convenient to be elsewhere. I wonder, as we look at Paul, could we suffer as he gives us an example of suffering? Would we be bitter? Would we be saying, but I'm a child of God? I'm a saint. I'm part of the royal priesthood. How would this be possible? So many of us just simply say, I'll not think about that because surely that will never come my way. And surely I would not be one. who, when the gospel message is challenged, and my brothers and sisters are now being imprisoned and going before judges, certainly I wouldn't conveniently not be with them. When I think about that, I wonder how it would be to spend your whole life in absolute, total self-sacrifice, Giving yourself to people. The gospel message so that they might come to Christ Jesus. And then literally be alone at the end. He is lonely. Chapter one, verse four says, I long to see Timothy. I long to see. Chapter 4, verse 9, he repeats to Timothy, do your best to come soon. Make every effort to come to me soon. I need you, Timothy, and I don't think I'm going to be here very long. And then in verse 11, he says, get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful for me for ministry service. You know. I love that verse. And why? Most of us remember that there was a dialogue that occurred between Paul and Barnabas about Paul. This was one who Paul would say, he's not going with me. He's not confident, he's not courageous. You take on Barnabas, not me. And now here he is at the end of his life. And he says, Timothy, bring Mark, he'll be useful. Why do I love this verse? Because it means that in times where I was disobedient, in times that I were not faithful, perhaps I did disappointment to others. That there are opportunities when we are in Christ to know what it is sometimes to hurt one another. But to come back to love one another because of our commonness in Christ. And then in verse 13, he says, And when you come, bring the cloak that I left. And Troy is also the books and above all the parchment, he asked for what would bring him greatest comfort. A cloak that perhaps was more than just protection from the cold. But the stains on that cloak, the smells. The tears. All caused memories to occur and to remember. You know. How can we not almost break? When we come to understand his situation. I like the privacy of Bible study. Because I can be unmanly and I can cry. We should hurt for Paul. We should be sad for Paul, but we should rejoice. Because in the midst of all this. He will give such great wisdom to Timothy. Ultimately, in a very public display of hatred for Christ, We will see him as he dies. To the end, Paul remained confident. What we find within it, the text, is that he was not ashamed to suffer the gospel in 112, and that he was willing to endure everything for the sake of the elect. It says in chapter 210 that he knew that he had been faithful to Christ in 4-7, and how wonderful it is that he says, and Christ himself was faithful to me. Paul had confidence that the one who, in the past, had rescued him from death, chapter 3, verse 11, and chapter 4, 17, will say, and would rescue him through death for eternal life. So from church historians, we know this. Nero had hoped to eliminate Paul much earlier than this execution date. How wonderful our sovereign God, that he would permit Paul one last time in this environment with Luke by his side at times, not constantly with him, to be able to write this letter to Timothy. So the dates vary, but somewhere around 67 A.D. Paul takes up his pen or on occasion dictates to Luke through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, a message that comes from his heart and mind. His death is approaching. And he says in chapter four, verses seven and eight. And this is a verse that so many of us know and wish and pray and desire would be our testimony. He would say, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Henceforth, 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 only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing. So, brothers and sisters, this is his last will and testament. bent over and scarred, yet strangely content. We see in his words not even a trace of self-pity, blame, or bitterness in the weary apostle's tone. He expresses no regrets. There is this pit, he writes, with his own crippled hand. And he moves, and these are his last words. So who does he write to? And why does he write to him? He writes to Timothy. Timothy. The one upon which he had invested a significant amount of his life. I think he believed Timothy to be the faithful man that would impress the Gospel to other faithful men. the work in Asia Minor that seemed to be disintegrating because of persecution, that Timothy would be the light that shined brightly and drew men to Him, that the Holy Spirit might, within their lives, change and transform them and give them strength. And so, this is, if you will, His declaration of transition. of authority and responsibilities. In the military, I have often stood having commanded an organization to know that now was the time to give it to another. And so we have a ceremony upon which the organization colors come. And they are given from the senior commander to the outgoing commander. The outgoing commander gives it to its senior enlisted soldier that will serve primarily now the incoming commander. God, the high authority of Paul, would say, stay resting in me, your time is at hand. And he passes it Most scholars and church historians believe that Timothy's in Ephesus. He's been there for three to five years. He has suffered great persecution and difficulty within the church. I know that we can't imagine that. That a church would give difficulty to its pastors. But there it is false teaching. Timothy will expose and Paul will say that they believe that the resurrection has already come. There's food that you cannot eat. There's knowledge that you do not have, that you can only receive if you receive it from us. And these false teachers are bearing down upon him, and he is weary. Pastors do get weary. And so, He comes to a place that he says, Paul says, I've got to get Timothy here. But in the interim, I will write this letter. So let me share with you some instructions that he gives to Timothy. These are instructions that I look and I examine and I ask questions of my own life and I would you as well. So Paul's instructions to Timothy begins in chapter one, verse six, and they go through the end of the epistle. It's direct, it's understandable, and it is demanding exhortation. It means Timothy, read my lips. I'm going to share this and you receive this and with confidence. Take this and understand that you indeed have a responsibility of a faithful man who preaches the Gospel. Words are not necessarily measured, for these words are flowing from the heart of an impassioned Paul. The work of the kingdom must continue as long as the Lord should tarry, and Timothy must be up to task. The kingdom is not here yet. We're in the 21st century. I pray that God does not carry another day. But the reality is this generations that are sitting inside this room are the generation upon which we carry the colors of the gospel. And we have the responsibility to ensure it passes to the other generations. And so Paul is going to speak in a manner, not with a broken heart, but one that says, Timothy, you are in Christ. You have the power of a God who made you. of the Son of God who transformed you because of the shedding of His blood, the cost that He paid. You have a future hope. Don't focus on the misery and the circumstances, but rather focus upon your Savior, Jesus Christ. So as Paul looks beyond the apostolic age into the coming generations of new covenant believers, he charges Timothy both to preserve the deposit of God's word as a sacred trust that we find in 114 and to ensure this priceless treasure is entrusted to faithful believers who will pass it unchanged to the next generation. We, the Church, must be faithful in proclaiming the Word of God. Why? Paul would say in chapter 2, verse 10, for the elect, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. As we read this epistle, Paul appears concerned that Timothy had difficulty in his ministry. And I know sometimes people want to look and say, Paul's going to spend this time talking and writing and recording for all time. that Timothy, at this point, is at a weakened state. And the answer is, yes, thankful to our God and the Holy Spirit that inspires this Word, gives us the reality that we too will grow weary. And we too will need someone who will give us demanding exhortations that says, get up, run the race, So we find that he gives to this and he says in chapter one, verse seven, God gave us a spirit, not a fear, but a power in love and self-control. Perhaps. Within the dynamic. Of fighting and opposing the false teachers and the external threats of persecution to the congregation, Timothy was weakening his stance. So Paul says to him, if you have a spirit of cowardness or timid nature, That doesn't come from God. God has given us power, love, and self-control. I know this isn't biblical, but I have to say that I do believe that God has a sense of humor. Because he takes the introverts and puts them in an extrovert situation. I'm a back row Baptist. I'm the one who is more comfortable, and if you watch me in social settings, to grab one of my grandchildren and hold them, because they are my security blanket. And they keep me from having to do some entertainment. I don't have that right inside the congregations without my brothers and sisters. You see the gospel message. We can say, That's not how I'm made up. That's not how God put my personality. That's not how I'm put together to speak the gospel. But it's not optional. And he says, Timothy, you don't have permission to be timid or cowardly. You must teach. You must take this treasure that is entrusted to you, the gospel, and give it to others. So He says. If you don't have this type of power. Timothy, it is there. Use it in verse 13, he goes even further of chapter one and says, retain the standards of sound words. One translation says, follow the patterns of sound words which you have heard from me in faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus. Could it be? Could it be that Timothy might compromise the truth in order not to be persecuted or singled out? How about us? Might we find ourselves compromising the truth of God? I would submit to you that we don't have to wait for the future. We're already there. How will we speak in terms of that which is happening in the definition of man and the definition of woman? How will we speak? Will we use the Word of God to speak in regards to what we see today happening between individuals is what God's Word says? Many of us in leadership sit in positions where we have gone through hours and hours of transgender training. We have been given instructions in regards to what is acceptable to speak and what is not acceptable to speak. And I will tell you, none of that is biblically based. I'm thankful that I'm in the sixth decade of my life and I will retire in a year from government. Because I think that should the Lord carry many working today, if they in fact hold the Word of God true and not compromise it, will find themselves unemployed. That's hard. We haven't seen that in America. Could that really be? Is there a cost to us as an American to speak the words of the gospel as we have? To hold God's word true? That's why inside this church, I am so filled with joy. who preaches the Word of God and does not compromise it. And sometimes it is hard to hear. And what does Paul say? You cannot compromise the truth. You must retain the standard of sound words which you have heard in the faith. And guess what? There's a word that I skipped that is so very important. He says, retain the standard and keep the same words that I have taught you. See, we are the Pauls of the 21st century if we are in Christ. We'll be called to do not anything different than what He did. But we will do it with great boldness and great confidence and great joy. But only if we rest in the God, our sovereign God, and truly believe that He guides us on our path. It is only speculation on our part what is the mental, physical, and spiritual state of Timothy. But Paul is concerned. Chapter two, verse 15, be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. He enjoins on him not to let go of his disciplined study in God's truth so that he can handle it accurately. Now, let's take the Bible and let's get it. into the pile when it is burned and there is no Word of God that we have in our hands. We are like many in China who have found a place that Bibles are pieces of paper that they may have. How fortunate if they have the complete Word of God. But when the day comes and there is no Bible in your home that has been sitting in dust but now has been destroyed, How much of the Word of God is in your heart? How much have we memorized? I think of my 60 decades. I think of my study and the hours that are there. But I also think in regards to if I had to write out every scripture that I know from memory, how many sheets of paper would I need? One day. You will have wished and I will have wished that we had known God's word and etched it upon our hearts and our minds. So. He says in verse 16, avoid the whirlwind, empty chatter. It leads to further ungodliness. It's talk that spreads like gangrene. Could it be that Timothy was spending a little too much time listening to false philosophies of his age and being engulfed and influenced by them? The church would never do that, would it? I mean, we wouldn't say. We don't have very many people in our church and people today like different kind of music. So, let's turn the sanctuary into a theater. And let's put music up there that you can't understand any of the words, but it's nice and loud and people feel good. You know, let's not preach the Word of God that is offensive to anyone. So let's eliminate all that language and just pick that. Would the church ever do that? It's done it today. Praise God. You know, as I sometimes drive by some churches, I look and I say, God's heart must break. God's heart must break. He says, flee from youthful lust and pursue righteousness, foolish and ignorant speculation, refuse, don't be quarrelsome, be gentle. Folks, we need to be gentle with one another. We wound one another. You know, this is not a perfect church. I know that because I'm on the membership roles and I'm not perfect. We should not be looking for what we don't like. We should be praising God for what is inside of this church. So in chapter three, verse one, he says, but understand this, that in the last days, difficult times will come. You have to expect it, Timothy. He says persecution, suffering such as happened to me at Antioch should be expected. All who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Continue in the things you've learned and become convinced of knowing that you have learned them from me. God's holy word inspired by the Holy Spirit. Paul speaks and he says suffering and persecution will come. And if you go into first Peter, first Peter, who some say occupied the same dungeon with Paul for a short period of time, some historians do. Many believe it was but a year apart. And Peter may have, in fact, been in that dungeon at a different time before his execution. But it is so important in regards to the fact we understand. So you see here that Paul's concern is Timothy is letting things slip in chapter four, verse one. He gives the most strong command of the whole epistle. I solely charge you in the presence of God, of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing in his kingdom, preach the word. That's what you do. And then in verse 5 he says, Be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. And fulfill your ministry sums it up. We are in Christ for one reason. That He might be glorified, but His glory is manifested in fulfilling the ministry He's assigned to us. And all of us got the assignment. None of us got in a waiver and said, you don't get this. You don't have to do this. This doesn't apply to you. So he says to him, fulfill your ministry. It could all be summed up in chapter two, verse one. You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. What a statement. Timothy, be strong. Could it be that he was weak? Well, I would encourage you on this year's Sabbath day to take 2 Timothy and read all four chapters. You're going to see in there a beautiful presentation of the Gospel. You are going to see the doctrines that are so rich in regards to as we look at the character of God. And Paul gives this all to Timothy. that he might be encouraged, but he might also recognize that perhaps he is weak, perhaps he is timid, perhaps he has compromised some of what has been taught to him in fear of what might happen. And Paul opened this letter by saying, I am a consul of Jesus Christ. He didn't have to remind Timothy of that, but he wanted Timothy to understand the seriousness of this instruction. But he also would say to my child Timothy, Jesus Christ died on the cross. When you look in regards to the gospel, He had a plan. And the plan is that we, being chosen, being drawn into Christ, would have a message, an experience that was so rich, and so truthful, and so needed, that we could but not speak the words of the gospel. I love the fact that at the end of this, that we'll see that. Timothy. I think that in my study, God was reminding me that some of the qualities of Timothy I had. And I need to work on them. Maybe the same for you. The one last thing that I wish to say in closing is that in the instructions that are given in the exhortations to Timothy, Paul When he speaks of the gospel, we'll say, my gospel. Sometimes I think that I don't take ownership for the gospel. And then there are rich periods of my life when I can with great comfort say, in confidence, it's my gospel. Spurgeon would say. As for myself, looking at the matter of fresh, I missed all filthiness, which I see in the world at this day. I lay hold upon the pure and blessed word of God. And call it more earnestly, my gospel. Mine in life and mine in death. Mine against all comers. Mine forever. For my God is helping me. Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity of your word. And I thank you, Father, that you give us opportunity to see Paul and to know, Father, that indeed that suffering will come to us. We pray, Father, that the example that you've given us in Paul, may one father that we will hold on to, knowing that it was not Paul who was able to do this, But in the times of these circumstances, it was your strength and your comfort, your kindness, your contentment that was granted to him. And even in the midst of loneliness, that he knew, Father, that you were indeed his shepherd who would lead him through the valley of the shadow of death. We thank you, Father, that he reminds us that the gospel should be embraced by us and it should be our gospel. May we hold it so close and may we never compromise its words to fit the setting or the people that hear it. Might it be your truth? And we thank you for Timothy. who a pastor who fought and would continue to fight. That in his weaknesses, we could see that there was someone who cared. And so, Father, we pray in our individual lives. that you would give to us those brothers and sisters that exhort us, encourage us, and at times tell us you need to get this right. Help, Father, that as we love one another, that we would do it in a unity that is based upon your word. And it's in your name that we pray. Amen. Let's stand together.