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Well, please turn with me in 
your Bibles to 2 Timothy 1. 2 Timothy chapter 1, this is a 
bit of a counterpart message to Mike's message last week. 
In Romans chapter 1, the Apostle said, I am not ashamed of the 
gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation. Tonight we're 
going to consider his exhortation to Timothy, specifically in verses 
8 to 10, when he tells Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony 
of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. But I do want to read beginning 
in verse 1 in 2 Timothy chapter 1. 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 Anesophorus, 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. Let us pray. Father, we 
thank you for your word. We thank you for this letter 
of Paul to Timothy and for the great instruction that it carries 
to the church, and we pray that you would guide us and help us 
now by the power of your Holy Spirit, cause us to reflect upon 
the truth of the gospel. For God certainly the gospel 
is most excellent and most wonderful, and how we thank you that by 
your grace you've made us partakers of it. We know it wasn't our 
works, as Paul so clearly outlines here. It wasn't because we chose 
for Jesus, but it's because God purposed to save a great multitude 
through the redemptive suffering and death and resurrection of 
His only begotten Son. We thank you and help us to worship 
you aright tonight. Help us to reflect upon our Savior's 
death and resurrection. Help us, Lord God, to find great 
encouragement in the word of truth. Fill us with the Spirit, 
forgive us for our sins and grant us grace. Now we pray through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, just a bit of a background 
or a bit of a context for us as we approach verses 8 to 10. Paul greets Timothy in verses 
1 to 2. He reveals to Timothy his prayer 
for him. And then he reminds Timothy to 
stir up the gift of God, which was in him. Notice in verses 
6 and 7. 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." And 
then he calls Timothy, or he specifically exhorts Timothy 
to not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. It's very important 
that we understand where 2 Timothy was written in terms of Paul's 
ministry. I don't mean the particular location, 
but the particular time of life. This was Paul's last letter. 
This is the last one that he would pen to not only Timothy, 
but to the church as a whole. And so it's important for Paul 
that the men that he leaves behind before he departs from this world 
and he goes to his crown and is rejoicing, it is important 
that he encourages Timothy to faithfulness. It is important 
for Timothy, for Paul rather, to encourage Timothy and others 
like Timothy to maintain loyalty and fidelity to the Lord Jesus 
Christ. So he calls upon Timothy to not 
be ashamed in verse 8. And then in verses 9 and 10, 
he explains the gospel. And it's very intriguing because 
he doesn't say it in this manner. Timothy, I don't want you to 
be ashamed of the gospel. And here I'm going to explain 
the gospel now so that you'll know what you're not supposed 
to be ashamed of. But rather he references the 
power of God, and then that leads Paul to consider the glorious 
truth of the gospel. So we do have a description in 
verses 9 and 10, but not as a reminder to Timothy, here's the gospel, 
here's what you're not to be ashamed of, but Paul just launches 
into this explanation in the context of telling Timothy not 
to be ashamed. Paul then highlights, specifically 
in verse 11, his role in God's redemptive plan. He is a preacher, 
an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles, and then highlights 
or underscores his own suffering. for the cause of God and truth 
in verse 12. He says, for this reason I also 
suffer these things. So he's not calling Timothy to 
something that he is not engaged in himself. Rather, he is calling 
Timothy to suffer alongside of him, to enter into the gospel 
ministry in such a way that if it means suffering, if it means 
death, if it means imprisonment, then Timothy will no doubt do 
so. And then Paul gives Timothy an 
exhortation in terms of doctrine. Notice in verses 13 and 14. Timothy's 
not only supposed to suffer for the gospel, but he's never to 
relinquish the truth of the gospel. He is not to relax. He is not to be innovative or 
creative. He is not to kowtow to the society 
around him, but rather he is to maintain a firm grip on the 
gospel. He says, 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. So a faithful 
minister of the gospel is committed to suffering for the gospel, 
and he's also committed to holding the truth of the gospel. He is 
not going to relinquish it, he is not going to let go. And then 
Paul ends the chapter by citing specific examples, two particularly 
that were unfaithful, that were ashamed, this Phygelus and Hermogenes, 
but one who was not ashamed, a man by the name of Anesiphorus. 
So the emphasis by Paul for Timothy is to maintain faithfulness and 
loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ with reference to gospel ministry. So let's look in a bit more detail 
at verses 8 to 10. In the first place, note that 
Paul himself is a pattern for gospel ministry. He says, therefore, 
do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. So as I said, Mike preached last 
week, Romans 1. Paul says, I'm not ashamed of 
the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone 
who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, for in 
it, for in that gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith 
to faith, that as it is written, the just shall live by faith. 
Paul now tells Timothy to not be ashamed of the testimony of 
our Lord. But he also adds himself, nor of me his prisoner. No doubt 
this is why Phygelus, and this is why Hermogenes, and this is 
why others in Asia turned their back on Paul. They were ashamed 
of the fact that he was now in prison. They were ashamed of 
the fact that he was now incarcerated. They were ashamed of the fact 
that one of them is now in the jail. And so they had been ashamed 
of Paul, and by doing so, they had been ashamed of the testimony 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. He tells him not to be ashamed 
of the gospel and its chief proponent. And then notice, he says at the 
middle of verse eight, but share with me in the sufferings for 
the gospel according to the power of God. Brethren, it ought to 
be obvious that those of us who desire to live godly in Christ 
Jesus will suffer persecution. Faithful ministers of the gospel, 
more often than not, are not going to be heralded by society. 
Faithful ministers of the gospel are not going to be given the 
best parking spots and prestige and honor and that sort of thing. 
They preach things that are offensive to the world at large and unfortunately 
offensive to many who profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 
And so there is suffering that is connected with gospel ministry. That in particular, 2 Timothy 
3, 12, All who desire to live godly will suffer persecution. 
So Paul wants Timothy to enter in to the sufferings for the 
testimony of the Lord and that is consistent with gospel ministry. 
Now, as I said, notice the flow. It says, share with me in the 
sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. And then 
he goes on to explicate the gospel in verses nine and 10, who has 
saved us and has 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. So two things. We ought to observe 
here specifically first the description of God's plan of salvation in 
verse 9, and then the execution of God's plan of salvation in 
verse 10. But notice, in the first place, 
with reference to the description, who the author of salvation is. In other words, tonight we're 
going to focus upon our Lord's death. We are here being served 
by God, the householder, these elements to remind us specifically 
of the doing and the dying of His dear Son. See, we look at 
the Lord's Supper as our service to God. It really is God's service 
to us. It's a means by which he refreshes 
weary pilgrims on the way. God owns this house. God is the 
one who demands what takes place in this house. It is him that 
furnishes the bread and the wine. It's him that calls us to this 
glorious table to reflect upon the salvation wrought by him. 
And Paul indicates the author of salvation. He says, who has 
saved us. It is God. God is the one and 
God alone has saved us. The us here is sinners, sinners 
as God finds them, sinners undone in Adam, sinners living in rebellion 
against God and His law, sinners who do not do what God commands. 
God has saved us, is what the Apostle says. It's a beautiful 
statement, and we learn from Scripture that He saves us from 
our sins, Matthew 1, 21. He saves us from spiritual bondage, 
John chapter 8. Here, specifically in verse 10, 
He saves us from death and damnation. Now note the power employed by 
God in His salvation. So He's the author, and then 
notice the power employed. It says, "...who has saved us 
and called us with a holy calling." The means by which God calls 
sinners into favor with Him through Christ is a factual calling. 
We learn that doctrine in our confession of faith, but it's 
simply an articulation of what the Bible teaches. See, the gospel 
is preached to every man indiscriminately. The gospel goes out to every 
single creature. Jesus calls his people to go, 
therefore, and preach the gospel to every creature. But not everybody 
responds. Not everybody is saved. Not everybody 
comes. So there is this general call, 
but then there is this internal call, or this efficacious call, 
or this effectual call. And you can remember it in your 
own life. There was a time when you were not seeking God. There 
was a time when you were resisting God. There was a time when you 
were at enmity with God, and then God humbled you. God drew 
you near. God showed you your sins. God 
showed you the Savior. That's effectual calling. Peter 
says, God calls us out of darkness into his marvelous light. It's 
a glorious and a wondrous thing. And Paul highlights the power 
behind our salvation. It's not us. He's going to specify 
that more clearly in just a moment. But God is the author, and the 
means by which he engages is through this effectual call. 
And notice, it's called a holy calling, probably because God 
is holy. Now there's a sense where it's 
a holy calling because God calls us unto holiness, but because 
the emphasis here is on the power of God, because it's on the initiative 
of God, because it's on the sovereignty of God, we are best to render 
this as a holy calling because God is a holy God. So we have 
the author, it is God, through the means of the effectual call, 
but notice in terms of description continuing the basis of our salvation. Notice, who has saved us and 
called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but 
according to his own purpose and grace." So you see, there's 
a negative statement. It's not according to our works. 
Now, I know that we're all sufficiently educated on this point, but it 
still bears reminding. We're not here because we're 
good people. We're not here because we successfully 
completed some test. We're not here because we signed 
a card or we walked an aisle or we, you know, raised our head 
when every eye was closed and every head was bowed or raised 
our hand. We're not here as a result of 
our goodness. We are here as a result of God's 
grace, God's power, God's effectual calling. We are here because 
God is good, not because we are good, not according to our works. This is a theme that is replete 
in Scripture. Turn to Romans chapter 3, Romans 
chapter 3, just to sample a few of these passages which indicate 
that our salvation is not according to our works. Our works, if they 
were in fact to merit God's favor, must be entirely, exactly, and 
perpetually done without the least amount of blemish or sin, 
and such is simply not the case. But notice in Romans 3, 28, therefore 
we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds 
of the law. You see, it's not as a result 
of the deeds of the law. No one can say, therefore, we 
conclude that a man is justified by his own law-keeping, as a 
result of his faithfulness, as a result of the fact that he 
didn't go there, he didn't do this, he didn't do that, and 
he did all these particular things. No. Paul says we conclude that 
a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Notice 
in Romans 4, 4 and 5, now to him it works. The wages are not 
counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who does not work, 
but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted 
for righteousness. You see, that's what God in the 
gospel does. He justifies the ungodly. Perhaps some might read that 
and say, wow, that just doesn't seem, that seems a bit odd. God 
justifies the ungodly. That's us prior to this effectual 
calling. That's us prior to justification. We are ungodly. You know one 
of the most difficult things to believe about the gospel is? 
It's that God actually receives us to himself. That God actually 
forgives us. That God does call us out of 
darkness into marvelous light. Haven't you pondered that in 
your own reality at one point or another? I can't believe that 
God accepts me. And it's not, I can't believe 
it because it's not written in the scriptures. I can't believe 
it because I just have this sort of mental ascent or inability 
to ascent. I can't believe it because I'm 
such a wretch. I can't believe it because I'm 
so ungodly. I can't believe it because I 
was such a lawbreaker. I can't believe it because I 
so lack conformity under the law, but now he's brought me 
nigh through the blood of Jesus Christ." It's that kind of a, 
I can't believe it. It's so good. You've heard that 
statement before, it's too good to be true. They call you and 
tell you, you just won a two-week paid-for cruise. Most likely, 
that is too good to be true. The gospel is on the one hand, 
at least experientially, at least sort of metaphysically or existentially 
rather, it is too good to be true. It's hard to wrap our minds 
around the fact that this God receives us in and through the 
Lord Jesus Christ, but it is true. It's so gloriously true, 
and we have God to thank for this grace, for this mercy, for 
forgiveness, for the effectual call, for justification by faith 
through the sanctification process in which He's working in us, 
and for ultimate glorification when we enter in to the presence 
of God Most High. Romans 9.11, just to indicate 
again, it's not by works. that we have come into this place 
of salvation. Verse 10, not only this, but 
when Rebecca also 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. And then the 
clear statements, obviously, in the book of Galatians. Notice 
in Galatians chapter 2. Galatians chapter 2. Verse 16, 
Paul says, 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. See, we ought to ponder this 
as God's people and consider the reality that we have been 
effectually called, that we have been justified freely by His 
grace, that we have been be graced by God and entered into this 
sphere of salvation. So as Christians, let us worship, 
let us praise, and let us adore for any and all who are here 
tonight that are not believers. For any and all who are here 
tonight that are not going to eat this bread, who are not going 
to drink this cup, who are not going to remember their Savior, 
all of you need to see what Paul says in Galatians 2.16. Salvation 
does not depend upon you doing better, trying harder, getting 
more serious, or reforming your life externally. Salvation is 
by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Paul's 
emphasis to you unbelievers tonight is to look to Christ, to believe 
on Christ, to look to the one in whom alone there is forgiveness, 
even the redemption of sins through his blood. Notice, 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. You see, the gospel, the message 
of salvation is not, go try harder, be better, perform more consistently, 
but to recognize your own depravity, your own sinfulness, your own 
lawlessness and wickedness, and to look at Christ. to believe 
on Christ, to see him as that brazen serpent lifted up into 
the wilderness, that all those who looked upon him would live. 
So believers, rejoice in your God. Unbelievers, believe on 
the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a beautiful thing. It's 
a glorious thing. It's a wondrous thing. When the 
apostle Paul had dealings with that Philippian jailer, the Philippian 
jailer says, sirs, what must I do to be saved? Notice what 
Paul does not say. Well, first determine whether 
or not you're the elect. First determine whether or not 
you've been predestined. First determine what the secret 
things concerning God is. No, they said, believe on the 
Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. You and your household, 
it's a blessed, wonderful truth. You believe the gospel and you 
will be saved. That's the emphasis that Paul 
sets forth here in 2 Timothy 1.9. God has saved us and called 
us with a holy calling, notice negatively, not according to 
our works, but now positively, and he ascribes this to two things 
in particular, according to his own purpose and grace, according 
to His own purpose and grace. Notice, the salvation that we 
enjoy did not come as a result of our deliberation, of our initiative, 
of our seeking. Paul is clear in Romans 3, there 
is none righteous, no not one. There is none who does what? 
Seeks after God. God is the seeking God. You've 
got that beautiful statement at the tree or at the bottom 
of the tree with Zacchaeus in Luke chapter 19. What does Jesus 
say? He tells Zacchaeus to make haste 
and come down, because I'm going to eat dinner at your house tonight. 
Imagine if you were Zacchaeus. Wouldn't that be a glorious thing? 
Let's kind of run through that. Think about it just for a moment. 
You're Zacchaeus. You're in the top of this tree, 
because you're a little fella, and you want to be able to see 
Jesus. And Jesus comes over to your tree. And he looks up there, 
and he says, come down, because I'm going to have supper at your 
house. I don't think he's thinking, did I put my shoes away? I don't 
want the Lord to trip. He wants to have dinner with 
me? He wants to eat with me? Christ wants to be with me? What's 
the take-home message in that narrative? The Son of Man came 
to seek and to save that which was lost. You know, Christians 
today, and rightly so, say, oh, Christ is a seeking God. Trace 
that pattern throughout Scripture. Who comes to Adam and Eve? Adam 
and Eve run and hide from God. God comes to them. God promises 
to them. God kills an animal to clothe 
them. What about Abram with reference 
to Ur of the Chaldeans? God calls Abram to himself. God comes to Abram and tells 
him, I'm going to bless the nations through you. God is a seeking 
God. That is His pattern. That is 
His way. And this is precisely what we 
see here, not according to our words, but according to His own 
purpose and His grace. This is the contra to It's God's 
purpose, it's God's grace. 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. Just in case you didn't get that, 
it's not according to our works, but according to His purpose 
and His grace. Those two are mutually exclusive. 
It's not the case that grace and works sort of go hand in 
hand to make us commendable to God. No, it's grace alone through 
faith alone in Christ alone. 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." It's a great statement. So notice, 
as we continue, we're describing God's plan of salvation. We see 
the author, we see the basis. Now note the pre-temporal foundation 
of our salvation. This wasn't sort of a reaction, 
sort of a response. You know, we live like that, 
don't we? We do something and then we have to kind of put a 
plan B into effect. We might, you know, misjudge 
the monthly budget or we might misjudge, you know, on a map 
or, you know, we, I don't even know if any of us use maps anymore. 
But there was a time when you'd use a map. You didn't have somebody 
in your car telling you, turn right here. put a little more 
mental energy into it, but you end up lost, or you end up short, 
or you end up in some sort of a difficult situation, and you 
have to react to it, don't you? I think at times persons see 
sort of God like that. Sin Sin entered into this world, 
and God had to decide, what's he going to do? God had to act. God had to react to this. No, 
that is not the way it is. Creation and providence serve 
God's redemptive plan. You see, those means or those 
things are the means by which He executes His decree. And Paul 
highlights that here, not according to our works, but according to 
His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus. This in Christ motif is often 
utilized by Paul. You see it in Ephesians 1, 3 
to 14, over and over again. But notice the pre-temporal foundation, 
before time began. Before time began. This observance 
of the Lord's Supper isn't happenstance. It isn't luck. It isn't chance. 
It didn't just come about because we as a people decided, hey, 
let's do this. Before time began, God purposed 
to save a great multitude, which no man can number, from every 
tribe, every tongue, every people, and every nation. It was before 
time began. This refers to God's eternal 
decree or eternal purpose or plan to save His people from 
their sins. In covenantal language, this 
refers to what's called the covenant of redemption, that pre-temporal 
transaction betwixt the persons of the Godhead about the salvation 
of His people. And so we have that covenant 
of redemption specified here, but now let's look at the execution 
of God's plan of salvation. So the covenant of redemption 
coming to fruition in the covenant of grace, notice in verse 10, 
but has now been revealed. It's not a contrast like it was 
spoken of before time began, but now, in the sense that something 
totally opposite, but it's connected. It was purposed before time began, 
but it's now been revealed. In other words, what God had 
transacted, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, has come 
to fruition. When, specifically, He's going 
to indicate that. But the manifestation of God's 
plan of salvation is now described by Paul, verse 10, or the execution 
of it. He says, but has now been revealed 
by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ. So in the first 
coming of Christ. The first advent of Christ, when 
Christ was born as a babe, in the language of Galatians 4, 
He was born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those 
under the law, but has now been revealed by the appearing of 
our Savior, Jesus Christ. specifically here, is to the 
incarnation. It's to the work of our Savior. 
It is His assumption of our humanity. It is His identification with 
those whom He will redeem. Whatever is not assumed is not 
redeemed, and Christ takes on our likeness in all things, accepting 
sin, in order to bring about that eternal transaction, that 
which took place before time began. It's kind of an interesting 
way to even speak. We say, take place, or before 
time began. That's in our language. The concept 
of eternity is somewhat difficult. Well, it's absolutely difficult 
for creatures, because we are time-bound. We are constrained 
by time. God is not in time. God is not subject to time. And so this language of before 
time began but has now been is with reference to Christ's incarnation, 
but it's suitable for our understanding as to what God is doing. So the 
manifestation of the plan, and then notice the accomplishment 
of the plan. Look at what Jesus has done. 
Verse 10, "...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." Have you ever mused on or considered 
the various passages in the Bible that speak to the gospel? The 
authors use a wide array of images or a wide array of descriptors 
to kind of show us the significance of what's in view in gospel. And this is quite a beautiful 
one, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality 
to light through the gospel. Maybe this is somewhat peculiar 
to the larger exhortation. Timothy, 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. What ultimately terrifies 
us about sufferings for the gospel? It's death, isn't it? You've 
probably heard or thought before, I don't really mind dying because 
I know whom I have believed and I'm going to be with him. I just 
don't want to be there when it happens. It's not the what, it's 
the how that kind of scares me a bit. Or, I don't mind falling, 
it's that sudden impact at the end that's quite the bother. 
You see, when Timothy is told to suffer, our minds are oriented 
this way. Suffering may mean imprisonment, 
suffering may mean pain, suffering may include death. But look at 
what your Savior's done. Look at what Christ has done. 
He has abolished death. Yes, there's still temporal, 
physical death. Timothy, you're not gonna possibly 
escape that. But you need to think beyond 
that physical, temporal situation. You need to think beyond the 
imprisonment now, or the pain now, or the physical death now, 
because the Savior's abolished death. You see, we have that 
beautiful testimony. You can turn there to 1 Corinthians 
15, what is unique about the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus 
Christ vis-a-vis death. Notice in 1 Corinthians 15, specifically 
at verse 26. The last enemy that will be destroyed 
is death, for he has put all things under his feet. But when 
he says all things are put under him, it is evident that he who 
put all things under him is accepted. So the last enemy that will be 
destroyed is death. There is a day coming when there 
will be no more physical death. You see that in the book of Revelation. 
What happens when we enter into the New Jerusalem? There's no 
more pain, no more sorrow, no more suffering, no more death. 
That's good news to creatures who lose people through death. But then notice at the end in 
1 Corinthians 15, specifically at verse 54, So when this corruptible 
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? 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. Verse 55 is most 
glorious. O death, where is your sting? 
O Hades, where is your victory? It's been defeated by him who 
has abolished death. So in the particular context, 
Paul's exhortation is strengthened to Timothy. Don't be afraid to 
suffer. Don't be afraid to go through 
these things because it's simply temporary. Christ ultimately 
has abolished death. John Gill explains the clause 
this way, the law of sin and death, which is the cause of 
death and has destroyed him which has the power of it, 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 
in terms of the corporeal or physical death, yeah, we still 
die, but it's no longer a penal evil. And with reference to the 
second death, he abolished it, so as that it shall have no power 
over them or they ever be hurt by it. You know what the second 
death is? It's the lake of fire. It is 
everlasting punishment. It is hell. He says, 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. He renders ineffective spiritual 
death, and he takes the sting out of physical death. So Timothy, 
be emboldened, do not be ashamed, enter into the sufferings, and 
I say that to all of us. What's the worst thing that can 
happen to us on this side of heaven? They may beat us, they 
may imprison us, they may take away our physical lives, but 
Christ has abolished death. Christ is the champion. Christ is the victor. Notice, he's abolished death 
and brought life and immortality to light. Now, this immortality 
is a blessed thing. God confers this upon us. God 
is immortal in and of himself. It's not derived. He doesn't 
derive an immortality for something outside of God. There's no sort 
of God store or God locker where he shopped this out and found 
immortality and acquired it for himself. No, God is inderivatively 
immortal. He is. That's God. I am who I 
am. He is independent. There is nothing 
outside of God that sustains God. There's no God breath, there's 
no God food, there's no anything outside that our God is dependent 
upon. But with reference to us, Christ 
in His redemptive work has brought to us life and immortality. And this immortality means that 
when we enter into heaven, John Newton is right. 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. In other words, 
when we enter into heaven, it's not that we're going to experience 
for a short time and then cease to exist. No, He has abolished 
death. He has brought life and immortality 
to light. He has conferred these blessings 
upon us so that we will dwell with the God of heaven and earth 
forever and ever and ever and world without end. Isn't that 
beautiful? I don't know that we ever consider 
that. And when we look at this life, we say, man, I got another 
30 years on this earth. or, you know, 50 years, depending 
on your sort of age and what you expect in terms of a median 
age and, you know, when, you know, family history might suggest 
that you're going to drop dead. But we get that way, right? I 
got another 50 years or 30 years or 20 years. Do you realize when 
we enter into heaven, it's never going to end? You see what God 
has made us for? This purpose that was set in 
place before time began, that is executed in the incarnation 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, when He identifies with us, when He 
assumes our humanity, when He lives for us, when He dies for 
us, when He's raised for us. He spat upon for us as we saw 
this morning. I was mentioning with Pastor 
Porter, we were talking about that. Do you think any of those 
guys from the Sanhedrin later on after this event read the 
prophet Isaiah in chapter 50 and realized that they had been 
on the wrong side of the servant? Their mouths set in action, that 
spittle that found its place on the face of our Savior. What 
a horrifying thought that would be. You're a Sanhedrin member 
that spit on the Lord Jesus Christ. You go to synagogue or you open 
the scroll of Isaiah and you're reading there concerning the 
suffering servant. And in chapter 50 at verse 6, 
you see that thou art the man. That would be a terrifying thing. 
But brethren, we are here for a time, and then we enter into 
glory forever. And then as Paul began, Paul 
ends. Notice in verse 10, the revelation 
of all of this comes through the gospel. He has abolished 
death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. You see, for Paul, everything's 
the gospel. That's it. poke Paul and he bleeds 
gospel. Like Spurgeon said about John 
Bunyan, if you pricked his skin, he bled bibling. Just came out 
of him. Bible just oozed out when you 
poked John Bunyan. You poked the apostle Paul, you 
got gospel. Timothy, do not be ashamed of 
it. Timothy, suffer for it. Timothy, hold fast to it. Timothy, 
keep that which was committed to you. Timothy, preach the word. Timothy, do it in this manner. 
Timothy, be faithful. Timothy, endure afflictions. 
Do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry. Timothy, 
everything that you do is about the gospel. because that's how 
Paul lived, that's how Paul calls Timothy to live, and others that 
will enter into that sacred office. You're not to engage in this 
if you're not willing to suffer, if you're not willing to be unashamed 
of this testimony throughout the entirety of your life, and 
if you're not willing to hold fast the pattern of sound words 
and to keep that thing which was committed to you by the Holy 
Spirit who dwells in us. 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 indeed 
to suffer for. So if you were to look up this 
sermon on Sermon Audio, you would find it by text, but the title 
of tonight's message is The Unsurpassed Value of the Gospel. And I call 
it that because of the exhortation in verse 8. I call it that because 
the gospel is worth suffering for, the gospel is worth fighting 
for, the gospel is worth being unashamed for, because it's of 
unsurpassed value, because it's the message of this God who has 
purposed, by His grace, to save sinners. He purposed that before 
time began. And in the fullness of the time, 
He sent forth His Son. The Son herein described this 
Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life 
and immortality to light through the gospel. It has an unsurpassed 
value, and we as God's people ought to see it as such. We ought 
to prize it. We ought to praise God for it. 
And as we eat this bread and as we drink this cup, we ought 
to do so in worshipful remembrance of the Christ described in our 
text. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for your word and we thank you for the gospel and 
for how it's so clearly set forth by our brother, the Apostle Paul. 
We ask God that you would give us grace to not be ashamed of 
it. Give us grace to suffer if called upon for it. Give us grace 
to be a faithful people. to be a faithful church, holding 
fast the pattern of sound words. Give us grace to keep that which 
you have committed unto us and cause us, Lord God, to proclaim 
it, to live and adorn it, and to glorify the God of heaven 
and earth. And our hearts desire and earnest 
plea is that more and more sinners would come to know Jesus Christ 
as Lord and Savior. Even tonight, God, take what 
has been spoken and may your Holy Spirit drive it home. May 
you bring conviction for sin, And may you show sinners the 
glory of the Savior described here. Bless our time now as we 
enter into the sacramental portion of the supper. Give us grace 
to receive with thanksgiving the gifts that you give us as 
the householder in this place. And we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord, amen.