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Paul is going to die. He knows 
that. He is in his second imprisonment 
here. He speaks with utter certainty 
by the time we get to chapter 4 that he knows that the time 
of his departure is at hand. He is speaking as a man in the 
eleventh hour and he is speaking as a man to a man that needs 
to hear these things. I do not believe for a moment, 
as we look here in chapter 1 verses 8 to 14, that Timothy had been 
wayward, or that Timothy had been faulty, or that Timothy 
had been inconsistent or unfaithful. I take it that Timothy was indeed 
a faithful man, an earnest man, a godly man, but like every faithful, 
earnest, and godly man, he needs encouragement, he needs reminder, 
he needs instruction, And because Paul is going to die, because 
he is going to depart this earth, in many respects that adds a 
further dimension. to these particular exhortations 
that Paul gives to Timothy. Now, I want to look at this under 
two broad considerations this evening. First, the place of 
Paul in the plan of God, verses 11 and 12. And then secondly, 
the appeal to Timothy to maintain faithfulness. And as I said, 
verses 11 and 12 deal with Paul. Verses 13 and 14 are his specific 
appeal to Timothy to maintain fidelity in gospel ministry. But let's look first at the place 
of Paul in the plan of God. And yes, I specifically tried 
to alliterate that so it would stick in all of our minds. Because 
there are several things that we need to observe in this section. First, the plan of God. Secondly, 
the suffering of Paul. And thirdly, the confidence of 
Paul. But note first the plan of God. After rehearsing the contents 
of the Christian message, the gospel of our Lord and Savior 
Jesus Christ, he speaks specifically in verse 10, he says, through 
the gospel, and then in verse 11 he says, to which gospel I 
was appointed. to which gospel I was appointed." 
The Apostle was appointed by God. And I think we need to appreciate 
here, the Apostle Paul was not an unsent man. The Apostle Paul 
was not a self-ordained man. The Apostle Paul didn't send 
away on the internet for a degree so that he could pastor a church. 
The Apostle Paul was always consciously aware and made others consciously 
aware of the reality that he was a God-sent man, that the 
Lord Most High appointed him for this specific task. When 
you look at each of his epistles, in each of the epistles that 
bear Paul's name, he identifies or he highlights this reality 
that he is an apostle either A. by the will of God or by the 
will of Christ or according to the promise of life, whatever 
the case may be, he underscores and indicates the reality that 
he is in fact a God-sent man. We need to glean from this that 
the Church of Christ is no place for untaught unrecognized or 
unsent men. Rather, it ought to be the case 
that men who, by the grace of God, feel or are called to gospel 
ministry, manifest qualifications consistent with 1 Timothy 3 and 
with Titus chapter 1, are vetted by the church. to ensure that 
they have a body of knowledge concerning scripture and theology. And then, by the grace of God, 
the church installs those men to gospel ministry so that they 
function as ambassadors on behalf of the authority that sends them. 
The Apostle was conscious of this. The Apostle didn't want 
people to forget this. This is certainly not the case 
that men who just feel lead can plant themselves in Christian 
pulpits and do the work of the ministry. And as well, notice 
that this plan that has its origins before time began, notice in 
verse 9, He says, Who has saved us and called us with a holy 
calling, not according to our works, but according to His own 
purpose, there's God's plan or purpose, and grace which was 
given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. So you see, in the 
eternal decree of God, He had purpose to save a great multitude 
that no man can number. from every tribe, from every 
tongue, from every people, from every nation. This happened before 
time began. The way that God executes His 
decree, the way that God brings this to fruition, is through 
the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is evidenced there in verse 
10. But has now this purpose and 
plan that God had set in motion 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. 
So the Father has a plan to save a people from their sins. He 
sends the Son of His love in the fullness of the time. The 
Son of His love obeys the law. He dies as a sacrifice and as 
a substitute. He rises on the third day. He 
ascends on high. He led captivity captive. He 
gives gifts to men. And one of those gifts that God 
gave to the church was the Apostle Paul. So the Father executes 
His eternal degree by the mediation, by the work of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, and through the proclamation, the preaching, by the Apostle 
Paul. Notice again in verse 11, "...to 
which I was appointed." He wasn't unsent. He wasn't self-ordained. He was appointed by God. The 
same God who decreed the salvation of all of the elect is the same 
God who ordained all of the means to arrive at that particular 
end. Our confession indicates this 
in chapter 3 on God's eternal decree. It says, "...as God has 
appointed the elect unto glory, so He has, by the eternal and 
most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto." 
If anyone ever says, how as a Calvinist can you preach the gospel? If 
you believe in an absolutely sovereign God that He predestines, 
that He elects, that He has foreordained, that He has orchestrated, that 
He knows the end from the beginning, we affirm this reality that God 
has also ordained the means thereunto. 1 Corinthians 1.21, For since 
in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know God, 
it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save 
those who believe. So God foreordains all the means 
thereunto. We are to preach the gospel to 
every creature. We are to testify concerning 
the life and the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Now understand, when we preach 
the gospel, that does not mean we tell sinners, God loves you 
and has a wonderful plan for your life. That is not the gospel. That's a byproduct of one having 
come to Christ in the gospel, but the gospel centers upon the 
particular events associated with our Lord Jesus. He lived, 
He died, He rose again. That's the good news. Again, 
a corollary. When we, by the grace of God, 
lay hold of Christ in faith, we can say God loves us and has 
a wonderful plan for our lives. That wonderful plan will certainly 
include trials and difficulties and tribulations, but that wonderful 
plan means that ultimately we will be where God is. We will 
behold the Lamb sitting upon the throne in glory. So we need 
to understand that our sovereign God has predetermined everything 
that takes place in this world. He has foreordained all the means 
there unto the calling of His elect. He says, wherefore, they 
say, wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, 
are redeemed by Christ. That's what we have there. We 
have that reference in verse 10. It's been revealed by the 
appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death 
and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 
And then it goes on to say, they're affectionately called unto faith 
in Christ. How does this happen? How are 
they affectionately called unto faith in Christ? It is through 
preaching. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing 
by the Word of God, Romans 10, 17. The Apostle indicates this 
reality, that he is appointed to this particular task, so that 
the eternal decree of God will be executed through gospel ministry. They're affectionately called 
unto faith in Christ by His Spirit, working in due season, are justified, 
adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power through faith unto 
salvation. Neither are any other redeemed 
by Christ or affectionately called justified, adopted, sanctified, 
and saved, but the elect only." All of that to indicate, all 
of that to underscore that God has a massive plan. It started 
before time began. It comes to fruition ultimately 
in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, His death, His resurrection. But that is manifested, that 
is extended, that is applied through the Spirit, specifically 
in the means of preaching and Bible reading and the intake 
of God's Holy Word. Notice, what is He appointed 
to? He is a preacher, an apostle, 
and a teacher of the Gentiles." The preacher was a herald. The herald was someone who had 
important news to bring. He often announced an athletic 
event or religious festival, or functioned as a messenger, 
the bringer of some news or command from the king's court. He was 
to have a strong voice and proclaim his message with vigor, without 
lingering to discuss it. I like that. Without lingering 
to discuss it. That doesn't mean we can't talk 
about sermons after the sermon. The idea is that when the authoritative 
Word of God is rightly preached, there really isn't a lot of place 
for discussion other than I need to repent. I need to forsake 
my sin. I need to get right with God. 
I've shared in the past that one of the only preachers I ever 
listened to that could actually have me move my van over and 
stop for a minute and pray to God and repent was Albert N. 
Martin. I mean, I'd listen to his sermons, 
and it would come with that authority, and it wouldn't be the case that 
I'd want to discuss the verities of that message with him. I would 
just pull my van over. This was when we had a van. It's 
nice to be out of those van days. Yes. And I'd ask God to forgive 
me. He didn't linger to discuss it. 
Again, I am open. You can call me. You can email 
me. You can text me. You can do the 
pop-in. I'm generally not here on Monday, 
but beyond that, I live here. Should move Rebecca into the 
other side. We can just meet in the kitchen for supper. Please, 
I'm open to talk. Anything, anytime, any questions. 
The point of this emphasis is this. When the King speaks, when 
God Most High thunders, it's not time for discussion. It's 
not time for interaction. It's time for action. It's time 
for repentance. It's time for faith. It's time 
to heed the message of the great King of all the earth. They said 
the herald's most important qualification was that he faithfully represent 
or report the word of the one by whom he had been sent. His 
most important qualification wasn't that he was well-liked 
by everybody, or that he had a winsomeness about him, or that 
he was a funny man, but the most important qualification was that 
he faithfully represent or report the word of the one by whom he 
had been sent. If the king dispatched the herald 
He didn't want to have to worry about the herald changing things 
up when he brought the message to the people. God the Lord commands 
the herald to speak a very specific thing. He doesn't call him to 
tamper with it. He doesn't call him to twist 
it or distort it. Rogers and Rogers say he was 
not to be original. His message was to be that of 
another. That's what we need today, are 
men who are faithful to this book, not faithful to their book 
sales, not faithful to their novelty, not faithful to their 
self-help. There is a lot of self-help being 
propagated from Christian pulpits. There is a lot of moralism being 
propagated from Christian pulpits. Moralism will never bring a soul 
to heaven. Legalism will never bring a soul 
to heaven. It is the declaration of the 
content of the gospel that Paul reveals in verses 9 and 10 that 
the Lord God Most High uses to bring men to heaven. That's what's 
important. That is what is essential. That 
is what is crucial. John Gill said, and if ever there 
was a preacher of the gospel, Paul was one. He preached purely, 
powerfully, publicly, constantly, boldly, and with all faithfulness 
and integrity. That is the need in the church 
today. That is precisely what we need. 
I see a lot of blogs, a lot of things written, a lot of strategies 
to reach people for Jesus. You know what the strategy that 
God has ordained to reach people for Jesus? It is the proclamation 
of the truth. It is the propagation of the 
Holy Gospel. It is the telling of the reality 
that Christ died and rose and that everyone who by grace looks 
to Him will have everlasting life. Paul is a preacher. Notice he says secondly that 
he is an apostle. The Lord appointed Paul to the 
office of apostle. Apostle has the idea of being 
sent. He is a sent man on a specific 
mission functioning for his Lord and for his God. Again, John 
Gill indicates in verse 1, he is called the Apostle of Jesus 
Christ because he was sent by Him. And here he is the Apostle 
of the Gentiles, because he is sent to them. If you're using 
NIV or ESV, you don't have that statement of the Gentiles. I believe it ought to be included 
there, and Paul is indicating this is the primary scope of 
his ministry. Not that he doesn't preach to 
Jews, not that he doesn't declare the Gospel to all men everywhere, 
but the specific focus and commission for the Apostle was to be a preacher, 
was to be an Apostle, and was to be thirdly and finally a teacher 
of the Gentiles, instruction that necessarily accompanies 
preaching. You see, preaching isn't just 
a rah-rah event. It isn't just a pep rally. It 
is a means by which the Word of God is proclaimed so that 
people understand truth. And so hopefully they are moved 
by that truth to action. All instruction or all teaching 
isn't necessarily preaching. But all preaching must involve 
or include teaching. Preaching means to make known 
the Word of God. And in order to successfully 
do that, data must be communicated and it must be received. J.N.D. Kelly comments on these three 
terms taken collectively. The first word stresses the boldness 
and publicity with which the evangelist must proclaim his 
message. The second brings out his special 
commission, while the third draws attention to his pastoral obligations. He is to teach people the truth 
of God. So that's the plan of God. Paul 
was appointed to this particular ministry. Now notice secondly 
the suffering of Paul. He says in verse 12, for this 
reason I also suffer these things. Now remember the context. He 
tells Timothy in verse 8, do not be ashamed of the testimony 
of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. And then he says to Timothy, 
but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel. And here in verse 
12 he indicates something of his own suffering for the gospel. as a means to demonstrate that 
he certainly practices what he preaches, but as well to encourage 
young Timothy. Timothy, I have suffered, but 
it hasn't deterred me. Timothy, I have suffered, but 
it hasn't stopped me. Timothy, I have suffered, but 
it will not diminish the responsibility that the Lord God has appointed 
me unto, to proclaim the gospel to every creature until my dying 
breath. The apostle suffered specifically, 
notice, for being a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of 
the Gentiles. He didn't suffer because he was 
obnoxious. He didn't suffer because he was 
a political revolutionary. He didn't suffer because he was 
irritating to the Roman state. He suffered because he proclaimed 
the gospel of truth. He proclaimed the Word of God. 
He expounded the free grace of God in our Lord Jesus Christ. Earlier in his ministry, as I've 
already said, this is Paul at the very end, but earlier in 
his ministry, specifically when he's speaking in Jerusalem in 
Acts chapter 22, What happens is Paul is rehearsing his place 
in God's redemptive history and how Paul was called to be a minister. 
And when he says, I was called to preach these things to the 
Gentiles, what happened among the Jewish unbelievers? They 
sought to destroy him. They didn't like the thought 
that this man, this Rabbi Paul, was going out and preaching to 
these Gentile dogs. You see, Paul suffered. You trace 
the first missionary journey in chapters 13 and 14 in the 
book of Acts. Did Paul suffer? Yes, he was 
stoned outside of Derbe. He was stoned, rather, outside 
of Lystra and then went to Derbe the very next day. You trace 
the history of the Apostle, and when he says, for this reason 
I also suffer these things, Timothy didn't scratch his head and say, 
I wonder what Paul was talking about. He knew all too well what 
Paul was talking about. Paul was currently suffering 
imprisonment. Notice. Specifically, verse 8, 
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor 
of me his prisoner. Paul is in prison at the time 
that he is writing to Timothy. He was deserted by friends. It's 
interesting, Paul rounds out this entire section in verses 
15 to 18 by giving examples of loyalty to the gospel. There 
is one good one in Onesiphorus, but there are two bad ones in 
Phygellus and Hermogenes. These men deserted the Apostle. Men that at one time were his 
friends. Men that at one time stood side 
by side with him. We need to understand this was 
one of the means by which, or one of the ways, that Paul suffered. He not only was in prison, but 
he was deserted by his friends. Notice in 4.10. Paul tells Timothy, 
be diligent to come to me quickly, for Demas has forsaken me, having 
loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica. 
Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia, only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, 
for he is useful to me for ministry." Notice at verse 16, at my first 
defense, no one stood with me, but all forsook me, may it not 
be charged against them. That's probably one of the more 
difficult things that a man has to suffer. I mean it's pretty 
obvious when the Roman state or when unbelieving Israel wants 
to put you in jail for preaching Jesus as King or Jesus as Messiah. Paul suffered harm at the hands 
of his enemies. 410. Alexander the coppersmith 
did me much harm. May the Lord repay him. If you 
struggle with the imprecatory Psalms, may I suggest that you're 
going to struggle with the prayer life of the Apostle. May the 
Lord repay him. It's not what he says in 16. 
May the Lord not charge this against them. You see there was 
a difference between desertion by his friends and harm by his 
enemies. And so when he indicates that 
Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm, he says may the 
Lord repay him. And as well, he's going to suffer 
martyrdom for the cause of Christ. Again, he already knows this, 
4-6, I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the 
time of my departure is at hand. But you know, on a practical 
level, the desertion fought by friends probably stung. You expect 
Alexanders in this world, God hating rebels, to do you much 
harm. You expect the Roman state to put you in prison because 
you preach another king. You expect unbelieving Israel 
to want you to go to prison because you preach Jesus as Messiah. 
You expect martyrdom at the hands of a godless Nero. You expect 
martyrdom at the hands of a man who lights Christians and uses 
them as torches to shine upon his garden parties. You expect 
those sorts of things, but you don't expect demons loving this 
present world. You don't expect men who make 
the good confession to fall away. You don't expect men who at one 
time were useful to you in ministry to abandon you on the mission 
field. You don't expect those who are closest to you to turn 
against you. So I'm just suggesting that in 
all of the things that the Apostle suffered, it could have been 
the case that these things stung him the most. If I had to reflect 
upon these sorts of things, if I was in prison, if I was martyred, 
again, I wouldn't like it, but I would realize that this is 
the way that the world treats believers. But it would be difficult 
to consider that somebody who at one time was friend, at one 
time was close, at one time was comrades, And then they turn 
against you. And then notice thirdly, with 
reference to the place of Paul and the plan of God, his confidence. His confidence. Verse 12, Nevertheless 
I am not ashamed. I am not ashamed. This is what 
he enjoins upon Timothy in verse 8, Do not be ashamed of the testimony 
of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Paul says right here, I am not 
ashamed. I don't have any regrets. I don't 
have any second thoughts. Paul's not sitting in this prison 
cell in the eleventh hour saying, man, I wish I had it to do over 
again. Certainly the rabbinic life was 
good to me. Everything fell apart on the 
road to Damascus when I met with Jesus and my life took a tumble 
downward. There is no regrets in the life 
and ministry of the Apostle. He's not ashamed of the fact 
that he's in a prison cell in Rome. He's not ashamed of the 
fact that he is now incarcerated. He is not ashamed because of 
his God. because of His glorious, wonderful, 
blessed God. He says, 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. He trusts in God. He finds His 
comfort in God. He finds His solace in God. The power, the faithfulness, 
the righteousness, the justice, and the love of God steadied 
Paul in the midst of suffering. Brethren, I think we ought to 
take a cue and learn something here from the Apostle. We may 
not be in prison. We may not be betrayed by our 
friends. We may not have Alexanders in 
this world doing us much harm. We may not be facing impending 
martyrdom. But we are certainly engaged 
in our fair share of troubles and trials and difficulties. 
Let us learn from Paul what steadies the soul in the midst of suffering. Let us learn from Paul what comforts 
the believer in the times of being downcast. It is not our 
ability to pull ourselves out of it. It is not our ability 
to cope. It is the God of heaven and earth. 
And this is what Paul stipulates. 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. It is 
both the power and the constancy of God that fuels Paul in the 
midst of suffering. John Calvin said, because the 
power and greatness of dangers often fill us with dismay, or 
at least tempt our hearts to distrust, for this reason we 
must defend ourselves with this shield. Brethren, pick up this 
shield in trial. Pick up this shield in difficulty. Pick up this shield when you're 
suffering. The shield that is God most high 
in His power and in His constancy. He is always there. He is always 
unchanging. He is always committed to doing 
you good. You can commit yourself, you 
can commit your life into His most capable hands and He will 
keep it unto that day. This is what encourages Paul 
as he's facing a martyr's death. Kelvin says, we must defend ourselves 
with this shield, and there is sufficient protection in the 
power of God. And then he says, seeing that 
the Lord, who hath taken us under His protection, is abundantly 
powerful to put down all opposition. That is blessing. That is what 
we need to encourage our hearts with. When you're down, what 
encourages you? I hope it's God. Isn't this what 
the psalmist says? Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why are you downcast? Why are 
you suffering? Why are you so depressed? He says to himself. He says, 
hope that in God. This is the blessed antidote 
for suffering believers. It's God. It's his power. It's 
his unchanging character. It's his love. It's his mercy. 
It's his grace. It's his being. Those attributes, 
the Westminster Shorter Catechism describes, God is spirit, infinite 
and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, 
goodness and truth. Those things ought to be the 
balm of Gilead to the believer who is in difficult straits. 
It was so for the Apostle. but as well his power, his constancy, 
I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able 
to keep what I have committed to him until that day." Now in 
this particular instance it's a bit different than what we're 
gonna see in verse 14 Timothy is to guard the deposit according 
to 2nd Timothy 1.14 Timothy is to guard the deposit according 
to 1st Timothy chapter 6 and verse 20 I think the idea here 
is that the Apostle Paul, his life, his ministry, are committed 
to the unchanging God who will keep him until that day, the 
final day of judgment. You see, ultimately, Paul, he 
will exhort Timothy. He will appeal to Timothy. He 
will charge Timothy. But Paul's ultimate confidence 
for the success of the Christian mission is in God. That's what's 
in view here. I know whom I have believed and 
am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed 
to him until that day. He trusts in the reality of Matthew 
16. Jesus said, I will build my church, 
and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Paul 
will charge this man, Timothy. Paul will write the inscripturated 
Word. Paul will pass on a legacy to 
the church, but in the hand of God is the ultimate success of 
Christ's mission." That's what I think he is saying. Calvin 
said, if our salvation depends on ourselves, he sees it as Paul's 
salvation. I would see it as Paul's salvation, 
but additionally, in context, his life and his ministry. He 
has committed himself to God. He has committed himself to this 
powerful, unchanging God. He has committed himself to one 
who has the highest interest in the preservation of the church. 
Calvin says, if our salvation depends on ourselves, to how 
many dangers would it be continually exposed? but now it is well that 
having been committed to such a guardian it is out of all danger." 
Praise God for the example of the Apostle Paul. Notice secondly 
and finally the appeal to Timothy to maintain faithfulness. Two 
commands, hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have 
heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." And 
then he says, that good thing which was committed to you keep 
by the Holy Spirit which dwells or who dwells in us. We've got 
the need to retain the truth. We've got the need to guard the 
truth. He says, hold fast the pattern 
of sound words. He's talking about Christian 
doctrine. He's talking about the Christian message. He's talking 
about the reality of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. He's 
talking about justification by faith. He's talking about the 
Trinity. He's talking about the blessed hypostatic union of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. He tells Timothy to hold fast 
the pattern of sound words. I like the way the NASB gets 
it. It says, retain the standard 
of sound words. The idea is that Timothy must 
hold to these things. The idea is that Timothy must 
not deviate from these things. Timothy must chart a course. 
Even before we get to the reality that Timothy needs to guard these 
things, you cannot successfully guard that which you do not possess. So verse 13 indicates that Timothy 
is to maintain possession upon the truth And in so doing, verse 
14 indicates, he is to guard that truth that he is the possessor 
of, so that the church may be built up, so that sinners may 
be saved, and so that saints may be edified. But when Paul 
says, hold fast the pattern of sound words, this implies that 
Timothy had heard and Timothy had received these sound words. If I can just jump off book for 
a moment and say this indicates, or at least is an implication, 
that a man who enters gospel ministry must be taught. A man 
who enters behind the pulpit to proclaim the Word of God to 
other men, to other women, to other boys and girls, is a man 
who must be thoroughly familiar with that system of doctrine 
called Christianity. Again, we don't want unsent, 
self-ordained men in pulpits. We also don't want untaught men, 
because the task is high. James says, let not many of you 
become teachers. Why? We shall incur a stricter 
judgment. Timothy had received these things, 
so therefore Timothy is called upon to hold fast these things. He is to maintain fidelity to 
the Christian faith as he has received it from the Apostle 
Paul. That's what he says. Hold fast 
the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me." Paul 
taught him, not so he could go out and change it, twist it, 
distort it, or any wise tamper with it, but so that he could 
hold it fast. And note the manner Timothy is 
to do this in. He says, "...in faith and love 
which are in Christ Jesus." Now, we might be tempted to say, Timothy 
is to hold fast the pattern of sound words, and he is to do 
so in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus toward others. 
In other words, Timothy, you're retaining the standard. You're 
holding fast this pattern of sound words, and you're really 
nice to everybody else. That's not the point. The point 
is, hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have learned 
from me in faith, which is the chief identifying mark of a Christian 
and of a Christian pastor. The exercise of faith toward 
Christ is the mean or manner by which you are to hold fast 
the pattern of sound words. and love to Christ. So it's not 
Timothy, not being mean on blog comment sections, but it's Timothy 
walking by faith in the Son of God, exercising love to the Son 
of God, and in that orbit of Christian faithfulness and discipleship, 
holding fast the pattern of sound words which he had learned from 
the Apostle Paul. So Timothy is to hold it fast, 
but as well, secondly, Timothy is to guard the truth. Verse 
14, that good thing which was committed to you, keep by the 
Holy Spirit who dwells in us. You might say, well, this goes 
hand in hand. This is what everybody should 
be doing. Yes, but Timothy is in a peculiar situation. Timothy is a minister. Yes, every 
Christian ought to hold fast the pattern of sound words. Every 
Christian, if tempted by or attacked by an atheist, ought to guard 
the truth. Absolutely. But Paul wants succession 
in the Church. Paul's going to die. Paul is 
passing the baton on to Timothy. Paul wants Timothy to exercise 
fidelity in these things. so that children in the church 
in Ephesus will get converted, so that their children will get 
converted, so that their children and their children and their 
children after that will have a faithful church. Because Timothy, 
in the time when Paul told him, held fast the pattern of sound 
words, and that good thing which was deposited to him, he was 
to keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Timothy was to 
exercise fidelity, not just for his own well-being, not just 
for his own spiritual livelihood, but for those to whom he was 
responsible in terms of pastoral ministry. He is told to keep 
that which was deposited to him." Here we have a parallel to 1st 
Timothy chapter 6 and verse 20. The ESV renders it, "...by the 
Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted 
to you." I like that it gets the good deposit in there because 
it does bring alignment to what we see there in terms of Paul 
giving a deposit to God in verse 12 and Paul giving a deposit 
to Timothy in 1st Timothy chapter 6. and verse 20. Just by way 
of reminder with reference to this deposit that has been entrusted 
to Timothy, it did not originate with Paul or Timothy, it originated 
with God before time began. This wasn't a message that Paul 
and Timothy cooked up to thrust on a people and say, why don't 
we just concoct this whole story and we'll put it on that. No, 
it is a deposit that has its origin in the will and in the 
plan of God. The deposit was made by God to 
Paul who passed it on to Timothy. The deposit is owned by God. Paul, Timothy, and the church 
are simply stewards. Remember the illustration. If 
you have a gold bar, and you trot down to the bank, and you 
deposit that gold bar in the bank, while it is in their security, 
it is yours, isn't it? I don't think any of you would 
suggest that that gold bar is no longer yours. You'd say, no, 
it's in the safekeeping of the bank, but that gold bar belongs 
to me. I deposited it there for safekeeping. Now, if you go back in five years 
to get said gold bar, you expect it to be a gold bar. You don't 
expect it to be a lump of coal. The task of the bank is simply 
to secure your deposit. The task of the bank is not to 
try and reorient it. The task of the bank is not to 
change it. The task of the bank is rather 
to secure it. And the same idea is here. That 
good thing which was deposited with you. Timothy, you are to 
keep it by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. You are to guard 
it. The deposit is the truth of God's 
holy word. Gil says it should be kept pure 
and uncorrupt, free from all the adulterations and mixtures 
of men, and safe and sound that it be not snatched away from 
the churches by false teachers." You know, the blessed news here 
is that Timothy is not alone. Timothy does not do this on his 
own. Look at what Paul says by way of the instrumentality of 
the Holy Spirit. There is a rich pneumatology 
in this section. A rich doctrine of the Spirit. The Spirit is active in the church. 
The Spirit is active even in reformed churches. Though we 
don't speak in tongues, and though we don't prophesy, and though 
we don't stand men up here who slam the whammy on your head 
and heal you from all your infirmities, the Spirit is here. Anytime a 
man, a boy, a woman, or a girl is converted, that is the regenerating 
power of the Spirit. In so far as faithful ministers 
guard the truth, the Spirit is here. Brethren, never underestimate 
or undervalue or diminish the presence of the Spirit, because 
He's not doing the extraordinary things that we have come to expect 
and are narcissistic. egocentric, hedonistic generation. If God really wants to impress 
me, then he'll do these great things for me. The fact that 
you have a confession of faith and a church who, by the grace 
of God, values those things most surely believed among us, men 
who are committed to the Scriptures, men who are committed to faithfully 
exegeting the Scriptures, is in evidence of the Spirit's presence. I get very tired and very wearied 
by the charge that the Spirit, or rather the Reformed, don't 
value the Holy Spirit. John Calvin has been rightly 
called the theologian of the Holy Spirit. It is the reform 
that appreciate the ministry and the role and the blessedness 
of the Spirit. You don't need to speak in tongues. 
You don't need me to speak in tongues. You don't need me to 
prophesy. You don't need the whammy. You 
need the Word of God. You need 16 ounces to the pound 
faithful proclamation of God's Holy Word. That is what will 
uphold you. That is what will nourish you. 
That is what will keep you. That, my brethren, is something 
to fight for, something to hold fast to, something to guard, 
but we don't do it alone. We do it because of the Spirit 
who dwells in us. Praise Almighty God that ministers, 
that churches are not devoid of the Spirit. Praise Almighty 
God that this is His project, that Christ has promised to build 
His church, that the Father holds that which has been committed 
to Him by the Apostle Paul, and that the Spirit is active and 
moving in the hearts of men like Timothy, who are committed to 
that truth, who are committed to preaching it, and who are 
committed to guarding it and keeping it. Brethren, Paul, in 
the plan of God, was a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of 
the Gentiles. As a result, Paul suffered. This 
is consistent with Christian ministry. Suffering and ministry 
go hand-in-hand. In fact, suffering and believing 
the gospel go hand-in-hand, for Paul will say this in 2 Timothy 
3.12. All who desire to live godly 
in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. It may not have been right now, 
or it may not be tomorrow, but you will suffer. Brethren, if 
you take a stand, if you stand up in your workplace, or you 
stand up anywhere and you say, you know, I actually believe 
that man should marry woman, and that's the way it ought to 
be. See if everybody just says, that's great, I'm so happy, I'm 
proud of your opinion. That doesn't happen. It's getting 
increasingly more secularized. We're moving further away from 
the objective standard. We are moving further away from 
anything in terms of objective. We have slid into relativism. 
The only thing that we will not tolerate in our generation is 
Christian dogma. You can be dogmatic about anything 
and everything out there, but as soon as you're dogmatic about 
Jesus, that's it. It's an amazing thing in Thessalonica. What were the charges drawn up 
against the Apostle Paul? Or what was it, rather, that 
they used to report him? He preaches another king, even 
Jesus. That's it. It's over. It's done. 
Do not challenge the authority structure in the Roman Empire. That's what we're facing. when 
we fall into allegiance with our Lord Jesus Christ in an increasingly 
secularized society. To even speak in terms of objective 
truth causes people to raise their eyebrows. What? You actually 
believe there's truth? You mean it's not just relative? What's true for you isn't true 
for me and that's okay? How come relativism doesn't build 
bridges? You cannot build bridges based 
on relativism. You need objective standards. 
Two plus two has to equal four if you're ever going to build 
a bridge, right? And yet relativism and ethics? How did we get to 
this place? secular society, but may I offer 
up a suggestion as well. The church stop expounding the 
scriptures. The people of God do not think 
biblically. I'm not saying that condemnatory 
of everybody out there. There's a lot of blessing and 
a lot of good. I have said actually that in our generation this is 
in many respects a golden age of expository preaching. You 
go to Sermon Audio, you can find a hundred good, faithful men 
preaching the gospel. Not saying everybody on Sermon 
Audio is necessarily faithful, but there's scads of dudes on 
there. There's lots of people on there. 
There's guys that will start in Matthew 1 and go to Matthew 
28. Guys that start in Romans 1, go to Romans 6. That's expository 
preaching. In many respects we live in a 
golden era that way. We get access to some of the 
best preaching in the world at the click of a button. And yet, 
relativism. How many profess to be churches? How many profess to be Christian 
and yet embrace same-sex marriage? Or somehow aren't bothered by 
abortion? Or somehow think that godlessness 
and unrighteousness is just the way things are. Brethren, that's 
not what we're called to. We're called to think God's thoughts 
after Him. The truth is most important. It was given by God. It is worth 
suffering for. It is necessary to proclaim. 
It is necessary to retain. And it is necessary to guard. And may God help us as a church 
to do these things. May it be the case that we'll 
hold fast the pattern of sound words. May it be the case that 
we keep by the Holy Spirit that which was committed to us. And if you are not a Christian 
here this evening, verses 9 and 10 are a blessed explanation 
of the Christian gospel. Jesus Christ came into this world, 
sinners to save. Jesus Christ came to bring light 
and life and immortality to light. Jesus Christ is the one in whom 
alone there is salvation. You believe on Christ and by 
God's grace you will be saved. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for the scriptures of both the Old and the New Testaments, 
and we thank you for the clarity of 2 Timothy and what Paul is 
communicating there to Timothy. Help us to take these things 
seriously, help us to know the truth, help us to buy it, to 
sell it not, to retain it, and as well to guard it. as a local 
church. I ask that you would go with 
us now, watch over your people in this local church, bless each 
and every one, and cause us to grow in the grace and in the 
knowledge of our Lord and Savior. And it's in His most blessed 
name that we pray. Amen.