← Back to sermon library

You may turn in your Bibles to 
2 Timothy 1. 2 Timothy 1. We're going to focus 
this evening on verses 9 and 10. Remember the specific section 
beginning in verse 8. It's a charge to Timothy that 
he is not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of 
me, his prisoner. share with me in the sufferings 
for the gospel according to the power of God. Verses 9 and 10 
indicate what that testimony of the Lord is, and answers the 
question, why should I not be ashamed? Not that I think Timothy 
asked that, or why should I suffer? Because the gospel is glorious, 
verses 9 and 10. And then Paul highlights his 
role with reference to the gospel in verses 11 and 12. So this 
satisfies what he commands in verse 8. Do not be ashamed of 
the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. So he specifies 
the testimony of our Lord, verses 9 and 10, and me, his prisoner, 
in verses 11 and 12. So that's the larger, broader 
concern. I'll read beginning in verse 
1, however, to the end of the chapter, and then we'll focus, 
as I said, on verses 9 and 10. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, 
by the will of God, according to the promise of life which 
is in Christ Jesus. To Timothy, a beloved son, grace, 
mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 
I thank God whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers 
did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 
greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, 
that I may be filled with joy when I call to remembrance the 
genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother 
Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you 
also. Therefore, I remind you to stir 
up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of 
my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power 
and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore, do not be ashamed 
of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but 
share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the 
power of God who has saved us and called us with a holy calling. 
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose 
and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time 
began, 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. to which I was appointed a preacher, 
an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason 
I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, 
for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able 
to keep what I have committed to him until that day. Hold fast 
the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith 
and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which 
was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in 
us. This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from 
me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy 
to the household of Anesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and 
was not ashamed of my chain. But when he arrived in Rome, 
he sought me out very zealously and found me. The Lord grant 
to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that day. And 
you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus. 
Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you again for the Word of God and for the time that 
we have together. We pray that the Spirit would be at work in 
our hearts and in our minds. God, truly, verses 9 and 10 depict 
a glorious gospel. I pray that we'd have a fresh 
appreciation for your work of salvation in the hearts of men 
and women and boys and girls. How we thank you for your great 
grace. How we thank you for your great mercy. How we thank you 
that you've authored so great a salvation. And God, may we 
rejoice tonight as we consider your kindness to us, displayed 
primarily in the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we pray 
in his most blessed name. Amen. So after a greeting to 
Timothy in verses 1 and 2, a revelation of his prayer for Timothy in 
verses 3 to 5, and a reminder to Timothy to stir up the gift 
of God which was in him in verses 6 and 7, Paul now gives him a 
very specific exhortation, a very specific command. He is to be 
unashamed, and he is to suffer for the gospel, and for the testimony, 
or alongside of Paul, for the testimony of the gospel, or to 
the gospel. So as we look at verses 9 and 
10, I see two primary things going on in the passage. In verse 
9 we have the origin of God's plan of salvation, and verse 
10 is the execution of God's plan of salvation. This answers 
to, in the realm of covenant theology, we move from the covenant 
of redemption to the covenant of grace in this movement that 
we find in verses 9 and 10. And as we consider the origin 
of God's plan of salvation, there are three particulars in verse 
9 that we ought to consider. The first is the author of salvation, 
secondly is the basis of salvation, and thirdly is the pre-temporal 
foundation of salvation. Sorry that that didn't flow as 
well. as one and two, but I couldn't think of anything else to call 
it. We have the pre-temporal foundation of salvation. When did this begin? Before time 
began. We looked at this a little bit 
this morning. God has an eternal decree. God has purposed the 
salvation of a great multitude that no man can number from every 
tribe and tongue and people and nation. God has purposed this 
from before time began and He executes that decree through 
the works of creation and providence. And so when we see these things 
laid out before our eyes, hopefully it shows us the majesty of our 
God, it shows us the majesty of His plan, and it shows us 
how grateful we ought to be that He has included us in this redemptive 
plan. Verses 9 and 10, in a very real 
way, answer the question, why should I suffer for the gospel? 
Paul tells Timothy not to be ashamed of the gospel in verse 
8. He tells Timothy to suffer for 
the gospel. verses 9 and 10 underscore for 
us how worthy the gospel is that we suffer for it. It is absolutely 
glorious and wondrous and majestic. So let's pick up first concerning 
the author of salvation. It is God. The Bible everywhere 
stresses this reality. We did not save ourselves. We did not put ourselves in a 
state of grace. We didn't make ourselves savable. 
We didn't assist God. We didn't help God. We didn't 
participate with God. But if you notice the text specifically, 
the last reference in verse 8 is that we suffer for the gospel 
according to the power of God. Verse 9 then says, who has saved 
us? God is the one who has saved 
us. It is not us. We do not participate. We are not helpers. We are not 
as counselors. We do not choose for Jesus. We 
do not decide to follow the Lamb, but rather salvation from the 
beginning, salvation through, and salvation to the very end 
is from our God. The prophet Jonah learned this 
lesson very well. He said, salvation is of the 
Lord. The saints who stand before the 
throne in Revelation chapter 5 ascribe salvation to our God 
and to the Lamb who sits upon the throne. Make no mistake about 
it, the Apostle Paul was not an Arminian. The Apostle Paul 
was not a Pelagian. The Apostle Paul was not a freewheeler. The Apostle Paul did not think 
for a moment that man has the ability, the capability, or the 
wherewithal to put himself in the sphere of salvation. God 
saved us. And the us there is sinners. 
elect in Jesus Christ to be sure, but sinners as God finds them. We, like sheep, have gone astray. There is none righteous, no not 
one. When Paul is writing this epistle 
and he says to Timothy, who has saved us? What do we know about 
Paul? Paul was a persecutor. Paul tried 
to destroy the church of Jesus Christ. Paul greatly opposed 
the things of Christ and wanted to arrest people who had identified 
with Christ. I alluded to in my prayer just 
a little while ago, this morning we read a prayer letter from 
Nigeria. Or a report, rather, from Nigeria. A three-year-old 
kid had a children's Bible. A three-year-old kid had a children's 
Bible. These Boko Haram militants said, 
give us the Bible. The kid didn't want to take the 
Bible, or didn't want to give up the Bible. So they take the 
Bible, they throw it in the fire, and then they push the kid in 
the fire, and they hold his head in the fire. It's inconceivable. The thought that these things 
go on. Last week, in our first world problems, we ran out of 
milk and I just don't know what to do. This poor kid has his 
Bible taken away from him and he's pushed into the fire. Thankfully 
the kid's alive. You read those sorts of things 
and it's outlandish. It's amazing. It's absolutely 
incredible that such things occur. Well, if you were in one of the 
churches in the first century, you would have gotten prayer 
letters concerning this Saul of Tarsus. Maybe he didn't push 
three old kids in fire, but he certainly was there taking men 
and women off to prison. Saul of Tarsus was there when 
godly Stephen was stoned to death. Godly Stephen was calling upon 
the Lord Jesus saying, do not charge them with this sin. And 
Saul of Tarsus is standing there guarding the garments of those 
who are throwing rocks. You see, Paul was not out of 
the womb a perfect man. Paul needed salvation. Paul needed 
washing. Paul needed purification. Paul 
needed justification. He needed the imputation of righteousness. 
When he says that God saved us, The emphasis, the stress, the 
accent falls upon the power and the majesty and the excellence 
of God. We know He saved us from our 
sins. Matthew 1.21. You shall call His name Jesus, 
for it is He who will save His people from their sins. He doesn't 
save you to continue in your sins. He doesn't save you so 
that you can get off having, get off scot-free from having 
sin. He saves you from your sins. John chapter 8. What else does 
Jesus save us from? Bondage, slavery, captivity. He saves us as well from death 
and damnation, and that's one of the things that are outlined 
later in verse 10 in our text. Note the power that God utilizes 
in this. It says, "...who has saved us 
and called us with a holy calling." The means by which sinners come 
into the favor of God is through what's called the effectual calling. You see, the Bible is preached, 
the Gospel is preached to all men everywhere. There is this 
demand by our Lord to preach the Gospel to every creature. 
That is the general call. You go out, you witness, you 
testify, you bring people to church so they can hear the Gospel. 
That is the general call of the Gospel, or the external call. 
It goes out to all men everywhere. The effectual call is the Spirit's 
work. The effectual call is when the 
things of God become alive in the heart of a man. The effectual 
call is when the Spirit transfers us out of darkness into the marvelous 
light of Christ. Notice he says, "...who has saved 
us and called us with a holy calling." The holy calling could 
refer to God. God is holy, therefore this calling 
is holy. Or it could be an unto holiness. 
He calls us unto holiness. Ephesians 1.4 highlights this. 
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. That 
we should be holy and blameless. But because the stress falls 
upon God, I think the holy calling here reflects the idea that it's 
because it's God's calling. And the rest of Scripture teaches 
us, those whom He foreknew, these He also predestined to be conformed 
to the image of His Son. Those whom He predestined, these 
He called. Those He called, He justified. Those He justified, He glorified. Romans chapter 8 and verse 30. Romans 9-11. You can turn to 
these passages to see something of the effectual calling. When 
you pray on the Lord's day or you pray any day for the salvation 
of men or women or boys or girls, You pray, God, exercise that 
effectual calling. We know that man in sin is hard. 
Man in sin is ignorant. Man in sin is in rebellion. And 
he needs sovereign grace to overcome this. He needs an effectual calling 
placed upon him. God, exercise your sovereign 
power. Romans 9, 10. And not only this, 
but when Rebekah had conceived by one man, even by our father 
Isaac, for the children not yet being born, nor having done any 
good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election, 
might stand, not of works, but of him who calls." Again in Romans 
9, 24. Even us whom he called, not of 
the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. 1 Corinthians chapter 
1 and verse 9. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 
9, God is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship 
of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Several other passages 
we could look at. Look at 2 Thessalonians 2. This 
is the effectual calling. This isn't the general call. 
This isn't simply an external call. This is the effectual calling 
that God puts upon His elect to call them out of darkness 
into light, so that they may taste and see that the Lord is 
indeed good." 2 Thessalonians 2 at verse 13. But we are bound 
to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by 
the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation 
through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 
to which He called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the 
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." You see, it is this doctrine 
of the effectual call that explains so many things. When Jacob and 
Esau attended synagogue, or Jacob and Esau rather, attended tabernacle, 
they listened to the same scriptures taught, they listened to the 
same scriptures preached, they listened to the same exposition 
of the same word of God, and yet Jacob was in a state of grace 
and Esau wasn't. Do we congratulate Jacob? Do 
we say, you've made a better decision? Do we say to Jacob, 
you have decided to follow God and in that you deserve kudos? No. Jacob I loved and Esau I 
hated. It was according to the call 
by which God placed upon Jacob. We are called brethren with a 
holy calling. Notice, secondly, the basis of 
our salvation, still working in verse 9, the origin of God's 
plan of salvation. The author, secondly, the basis. Notice what he says, who has 
saved us and called us with a holy calling, he makes a negative 
and a positive statement. Not according to our works, but 
according to his own purpose and grace. Calvin says that he 
describes the source both of our calling and the whole of 
our salvation. The negative statement is not 
according to our works. In case you've missed this in 
your Bible study in the New Testament, in case you've missed this in 
your Bible study of the Old Testament, the constant refrain in Scripture 
concerning our salvation, it is not according to our works. It is not by deeds that we have 
done. It is not by the efficacy of 
our merit. It is not according to our works. The Apostle couldn't be clearer. The Protestant Reformation highlighted 
this reality, that it's sola fide. It is by faith alone. It's not a mingling of faith 
plus works. It's not according to our works, 
it is solely rooted in the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 8, I'm sorry, various 
passages, Romans 3.28. It's always good to flesh these 
things out so that you're able to give a defense to everyone 
who asks a reason for the hope that is in you. Notice in Romans 
3.28, therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart 
from the deeds of the law. Could it be clearer? It's not 
according to our words. If you are in Christ tonight, 
it's because God is gracious. It's not because you're good. 
If you are a saved man or woman tonight, it's not because you 
tried harder. It's not because you did better. It's not because you performed 
better. It's because God in His grace has saved you. It's not 
according to our works. Therefore, we conclude that a 
man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Note 
9, 11, and 12 again. for the children not yet being 
born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of 
God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him 
who calls. It was said to her, the older 
shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob I have loved, 
but Esau I have hated. What we find in this passage 
is the utter exclusion of works. Galatians 2.16, another foundational 
passage for this reality. Galatians 2.16. Knowing that 
a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith 
in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that 
we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works 
of the law. For by the works of the law, 
no flesh shall be justified." Again, I've said it, brethren, 
the Protestant Reformation was about this reality. Others, to 
be sure, but at the center was this whole idea of how do we 
answer Job's question? How does a man stand before God? Is it by my works? Is it by my 
deeds? Is it a combination? A la Rome? No, it is by grace alone, through 
faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, as Paul always taught, as Jesus 
taught, as Isaiah taught, as Moses taught. The only way that 
we find acceptance with God is by grace. It is not by works, 
which we have done. And the reason ought to be clear, 
because if we choose the path of works, they must be entirely, 
exactly, and perpetually done without the least blemish, without 
the least amount of tarnish upon them. In other words, God demands 
perfection. And on this side of Adam, no 
one can give that perfection Save the Lord Jesus Christ. So 
works are excluded by the Apostle in this summary of the origin 
of God's plan of salvation. Notice what he shines the light 
upon. the purpose and the grace of 
God. Back in 9, verse 9, "...not according to our works, but according 
to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ 
Jesus." The purpose of God. The salvation of sinners did 
not originate with man. What happens when man sins against 
God? He covers himself, and he runs, 
and he hides among the trees. That's our response, right? What 
happens, kids, when you do something wrong? Do you run to Daddy and 
Mommy and say, I've done this wrong thing, please accept me? 
No, you run the other way. That's what Adam did. Did you 
ever realize he's the prototypical runner? Not for distance either, 
but for guilt and shame and wanting to hide. He runs and he hides. It's God that seeks. It's God 
that saves. It's God that comes. It's God 
that initiates. It's God who promises the coming 
of His Son. After the men at Babel try to 
build that tower to make a name for themselves, and God confounds 
their lip and scatters the nations. What then does God do? He comes 
to Abram with a plan of salvation, a comprehensive worldwide plan 
of salvation. In you, Abraham, all the nations 
of the earth shall be blessed. It is the Lord God who seeks 
and saves that which is lost. That instance in Luke chapter 
19, remember when Jesus is passing through the town and Zacchaeus 
can't see. Because Zacchaeus was short. 
Zacchaeus was a gem standing around cams and Tony's and other 
Tony's. What would I... I couldn't see. 
I'd have to shimmy up that tree, wouldn't I? Well that's what 
Zacchaeus does. Jesus stands at the foot of the 
tree of Zacchaeus and he says, make haste and come down. I need 
to have supper with you." What do the people around him do? 
They murmur, they grumble, they complain, they whine, they snivel. 
Why is he going to eat at the house of a tax collector? What's 
Jesus' lesson? He's a friend of the little? 
No. He's a friend of the small? That's 
not the point! The Son of Man has come to seek 
and to save that which was lost, Luke 19.10. God has a purpose 
to save His people from their sins. It's not our purpose, it's 
not our desire, it's not our design. And when we look at scripture, 
we see this again played out. Ephesians 1, verse 11. Ephesians 1, verse 11. I'm just 
giving you a sampling of texts. In him also we have obtained 
an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of him. 
who works all things according to the counsel of his will." 
3.11 in the book of Ephesians, according to the eternal purpose 
which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have 
boldness and access with confidence through faith in him. 2 Thessalonians, 
we've already seen that. Chapter 2, verse 13, refers to 
that purpose or refers to that situation. Because God, from 
the beginning, chose you for salvation through sanctification 
by the Spirit and belief in the truth. And Titus chapter 1, verses 
1 and 2. Paul, a bondservant of God and 
an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God's elect and 
the acknowledgement of the truth which accords with godliness 
in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised 
before time began. This refers to a specific purpose 
in view. And then notice, back in verse 
9, he says, his purpose and grace. Again, he couldn't make the contrast 
more stark. Not according to our works, but 
according to his purpose and his grace. John Calvin says, 
although Paul commonly employs the word purpose, to denote the 
secret decree of God, the cause of which is his own power, yet 
for the sake of fuller explanation he chose to add grace that he 
might more clearly exclude all reference to works." These are 
mutually exclusive paths. Let me just remind you, if you 
choose the path of work, it must be exact, entire, and perpetual 
obedience to everything God has spoken. You can't do that. You cannot do it according to 
your words. It must be by grace. Edward Fisher 
said, so that if you desire to be justified before God, you 
must either bring to him a perfect righteousness of your own and 
wholly renounce Christ, or else you must bring the perfect righteousness 
of Christ and wholly renounce your own. Christ Jesus will either 
be a whole Savior or no Savior. He will either save you alone 
or not save you at all. You see, these aren't something 
that you mingle. It's mutually exclusive, grace 
or works. Witsias says, the whole glory 
of our right to eternal life must be purely ascribed to the 
alone merit of our Lord and on no pretense be transferred to 
any one of our acts. Gotta get this down. We've seen 
the author, the basis, thirdly under the origin of God's plan 
of salvation, the pre-temporal foundation. Notice, his own purpose 
and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time 
began. Every spiritual blessing comes 
to us in Christ. In Ephesians 1 this is highlighted 
over and over again. Every spiritual blessing in the 
heavenly places, in Christ. In Him we have redemption through 
His blood. In Him is vitally important. 
We don't get blessed apart from Christ. He is the head, He is 
the mediator, He is the surety of this covenant and we benefit 
by virtue of being in Him. This reference to before time 
began underscores the eternal decree of God. It underscores 
the eternal purpose of God. It underscores something of what 
we have considered this evening and this morning in the context 
of the use of Ruth and that providential outworking of God's overall decree. 
Brethren, this is a big plan. It is a comprehensive plan. It 
is a glorious plan, and it's before time began. Again, if 
you debate with people, if you get into theological arguments 
with people, you certainly have the weight of Scripture on your 
side. I'm not suggesting that all of this data is given so 
we can go out and beat up Armenians and Pelagians, but I am going 
to say these texts are showstoppers. It's before time began. God chose 
us, Ephesians 1-4, in Him, before the foundation of the world. 
Not because we were holy and without blame, that we should 
be holy and without blame. John Gill says concerning Christ 
in election, It says, election does not find men in Christ, 
but puts them there. It gives them a being in Him 
and union to Him. It is God's work, it is God's 
plan, it is God's purpose, it is God's decree that brings us 
here together tonight. If we were not Christians, if 
we were not saved, if we had not come out of darkness into 
marvelous light, we would be pursuing lusts, we would be sinning 
against God. Even now we probably have some 
struggles, but the grace of God is operative in our hearts and 
in our lives. This plan has its origin in eternity 
past. Titus 1 again. In hope of eternal 
life which God who cannot lie promised before time began. Those whom he foreknew, these 
he predestined to be conformed. to the image of His Son. Romans 
16.25 highlights this blessed and glorious and majestic plan 
in language that is truly wondrous, that ought to fill us with great 
meditation concerning our God. Romans 16 25, now to him who 
is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching 
of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery 
kept secret since the world began but now made manifest and by 
the prophetic scriptures made known to all nations according 
to the commandment of the everlasting God for obedience to the faith 
to God alone wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. It is before time began. You see, creation and providence 
ultimately serve redemption. Creation and Providence ultimately 
are the vehicles to advance and further the redemptive plan of 
God Most High. This is the big thing in this 
world. It is God's plan to save His 
people by the Lord Jesus Christ for His glory, for His honor, 
and for His praise. So that's the origin, verse 9. 
Now notice the execution, verse 10. before time began, but now has 
been revealed. We've got a before time began, 
and now we have a but now has been revealed. I know now is 
not in the New King James text, but it is there. But now has 
been revealed. You see the contrast? Before 
time began, the origin of God's redemptive plan. Before time 
began, the purpose and the decree, covenant of redemption, but now 
we have the execution of that plan. But now the champion has 
come. But now heaven has kissed earth. 
But now the Son of God has come. But now the manifestation of 
this plan is made brought to pass, and this is the emphasis 
in the text. The purpose of God in the salvation 
of men was given before time began, but now it is made manifest 
when Christ came down for us men and for our salvation. The reference in verse 10, the 
appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the first advent. It is the first coming. It is 
in His incarnation. It is in that time, in the fullness 
of the time, that God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born 
under the law. That's the reference here. But 
now has been or has now been revealed by the appearing of 
our Savior Jesus Christ. I see now is there in the New 
King James. I meant but now is kind of how it went in the Greek 
text. But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior 
Jesus Christ. So at the first coming of our 
Lord we have what he accomplishes, and it's highlighted there for 
us. He abolishes death. It's not good news. Death isn't good, is it? I haven't 
yet met anybody. I know there's wackos out there 
that say, yes, I love death and dying, and they dress in dark 
clothes and put dark makeup on, and they have some sort of a 
gravitation toward death, but typically people in the 11th 
hour don't like death. Death is an enemy. We don't like 
death. We don't welcome death. There is, at least in us, to 
some degree or other, this desire for self-preservation. I mean, 
we typically try to make sure that we don't die. Death is not 
a good thing. Death came as a result of sin. For the wages of sin is death. What is the implication? If Adam 
hadn't sinned, there'd be no death in the world. Of course, 
Adam did sin, so it's a world filled with death and dying. 
But what does Jesus do? In the appearing of our Savior 
Jesus Christ, He has abolished death. He has abolished death, 
and I take this in two ways. First, He takes the sting out 
of physical death. We're still going to die physically, 
but the sting has been taken out. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 
15 for just a moment. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 
53. For this corruptible must put 
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when 
this incorruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal 
has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the 
saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O 
death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" 
You see? The sting of death is removed. The sting of death is sin, and 
the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God who gives 
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." He renders ineffective 
the physical death and the sting that it brings, but as well he 
renders ineffective spiritual death. He abolishes spiritual 
death. How does Paul describe us in 
Ephesians chapter 2, and you being dead in your trespasses 
and sins? He has made us alive together 
with Him, by grace you have been saved. What we have in our Lord 
Jesus Christ is the One who abolishes death. The law of sin and death, 
which is the cause of death. He has destroyed, or has destroyed 
Him which has the power of death, the devil. He has abolished corporeal 
death with regard to His people as a penal evil. He has took 
away its sting and removed its curse and made it a blessing 
to them. And He has utterly, with respect to them, abolished 
the second death, so as that it shall have no power over them, 
or they ever be hurt by it, all which He did by dying and rising 
again. For though he died, yet he continued 
not under the power of death, but rose again and triumphed 
over it, as having got the victory of it, and the keys of it are 
in his hand." That's John Gill. He abolishes death for us. But then he also brings life 
and immortality to light through the gospel. It's Jesus who said, 
I am the good shepherd. I lay down my life for the sheep. He says, I came that they might 
have life, and have it what? More abundantly. It's the beauty 
of Christ. I mentioned this morning, when 
we look at Ruth and her confession there. We ask the question, what 
does she give up? She doesn't give up anything. 
See, we approach this whole idea of conversion to Christ the wrong 
way. What did you give up when you came to Jesus? What do you 
mean, what did I give up to come to the One who is altogether 
lovely? What did I give up when I came 
to the One who has abolished death and He has brought life 
and immortality to me? There's no giving up in that 
instance. What we have is blessing upon 
blessing given to us by our gracious God. He gives us life and He 
gives it to us abundantly. Remember at the graveside of 
Lazarus, what does Jesus say? I am the resurrection and the 
life. Romans chapter 5, in Adam all 
die and in him all shall be made alive. 1st John chapter 5 verses 
11 and 12. We have life and immortality 
in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 5, 11, and this is the 
testimony that God has given us eternal life, and this life 
is in His Son. He who has the Son has life. 
He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. He gives eternal life to all 
those who, by the grace of God, believe in Him. And it also says 
that He gives us immortality. Now our immortality is different 
than God's immortality. God has immortality in Himself. It's not derived. He hasn't received 
it. He has life in Himself. He has 
immortality in Himself. Through the gospel, the Lord 
Jesus abolishes death and He brings life and immortality to 
us. And you know what that means? 
It means that when we've been there 10,000 years bright, shining 
as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when 
we first begun. Because we've got 10,000 years. That's a drop in the bucket. 
How do you measure time when you're looking into eternity? 
We're going to be present with the Lord God Almighty and with 
the Lamb who sits upon the throne for eternity. You ever ponder 
that? We have everlasting life. We'll 
never die. There'll be no more sorrow. There'll 
be no more pain. There'll be no more hunger. There'll 
be no more thirst. There'll be no more death. This 
is the last enemy that Christ abolishes when He ushers us into 
that eternal presence. He has brought life and immortality 
to light through the gospel. Therefore, do not be ashamed 
of the testimony of our Lord, which is the gospel." He highlights 
that gospel in verses 9 and 10. This transitions for Paul to 
then share his role with reference to the gospel in verses 11 and 
12. The eternal plan of God and the execution of that plan are 
made known through the gospel. That gospel that Timothy is not 
to be ashamed of and that gospel that Timothy is to suffer for. 
You see how this enlivens the command of verse 8. Timothy, 
understanding verses 9 and 10, the origin of God's redemptive 
plan, the execution of God's redemptive plan, ought to say, 
I'm not going to be ashamed of it. I am going to suffer for 
it, because this brings glory to God, and it brings life and 
immortality to light. to men who are in darkness, to 
men who are dead in their trespasses and sins. So the Apostle is not 
only telling Timothy why he ought to suffer, but he's giving him 
a great encouragement to suffer. Timothy tirelessly labored. Timothy 
takes seriously the things I wrote to you in 1 Timothy. Timothy 
takes seriously the things that I'm going to write to you in 
2 Timothy. Get up in the morning, conduct 
yourself in the fear of God, Study the Scriptures as you want. 
Preach the Word as you want. Because in the Scriptures, in 
the revelation of this redemptive plan, what we have is the Christ 
who brings to light life and immortality to sinners who are 
perishing. Timothy, be encouraged, be strengthened, 
be fired up, do the task of gospel ministry. Do not relent, do not 
renege, do not go golf, and do not go play games, and do not 
pursue celebrity, and do not do those things that so many 
do, but rather Timothy. Take seriously the mandate of 
God, take seriously the origin of this gospel, take seriously 
the accomplishment of this particular task, and go and preach it and 
teach it to others. George Knight says the combination 
of brought to light with the prepositional phrase through 
the gospel joins the once for all historical redemptive deed 
of Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection with the message 
about it and one's response to it. The two horizons are fused 
in this statement that Jesus brought life and immortality 
to light in His life and resurrection is the essence... that Jesus 
brought life and immortality to light in His life and resurrection 
is the essence of the gospel and He brought life and immortality 
to light to the believer through the gospel message. So it answers 
the question, if Timothy would have asked it, why should I be 
unashamed? Why should I suffer? He says, 
Timothy, because it's so glorious. It's so wonderful. It has its 
origin before time began. It is executed by the Son of 
God in His first coming. And as well, Timothy, it is that 
message that dead sinners need to hear. It is that message alone 
which brings life and immortality to light. Timothy's laboring 
in Ephesus. Timothy knows sinners. Timothy 
knows souls. Timothy stands before men every 
Lord's Day to preach the Word. But when he understands, as he 
already did, Paul is simply reminding him that it is through the vehicle 
of the gospel that life and immortality is brought to life. Timothy would 
take seriously and take earnestly this demand to not be ashamed 
and to suffer for the gospel. Well, brethren, I think this 
underscores for us something that I tried to bring out this 
morning in Ruth's confession, the unsurpassed value of the 
gospel. Why should we be unashamed? Why 
should we suffer? Just read verses 9 and 10. Just 
read them. Just think about them. Just consider 
it. Just ponder it. We live in a world that there 
is many who are dead in their trespasses and sins. The only 
help that is able to bring them, or any, the only thing that is 
able to bring them genuine help, it's not political efforts, it's 
not money, and we can throw all the money in the world at people 
who are, you know, dead in their trespasses and sins. God ain't 
gonna make them, it's not gonna make them alive. They need the 
gospel. They need to hear of Christ. They need to hear the 
cross. They need to hear of this One who has abolished death and 
brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 
And if you are not a Christian tonight, listen carefully to 
the Apostle Paul in this passage. It is not your works that get 
you to heaven. It is not your efforts. It is 
not your merit. It is not your goodness. It is 
not your obedience. Paul says in Romans 3.20, therefore 
by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight. 
For by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified, for 
by the law is the knowledge of sin. You need to see that law, 
you need to hear that law, you need to understand that law that 
you have broken it. And that all of the effort and 
all of the trying that you can muster up, you will never keep 
it as you ought. The only hope and the only recourse 
is grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for your word and we thank you for this Sabbath 
day and for the opportunity to meet together. We ask that you 
would go with each and every one of us and cause your face 
to shine upon us and may we know that peace which does surpass 
all understanding. We ask God that you would look 
with favor upon those in our church that are that are ill 
physically, we just commit them to you and to the word of your 
grace. We pray for the ladies who are expecting children that 
you would look with favor upon them. And God, bring us together 
so that we may worship you in spirit and in truth. And please 
give us opportunities to shine the light of the gospel in this 
darkened world. Help us to testify concerning 
this one who abolished death, this one who brought life and 
immortality to light through the gospel. And we pray these 
things in Jesus' name. Amen.