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.
Opening Prayer
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.
Introduction
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.
Paul as Pattern for Gospel Ministry
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
Suffering and the Power of God
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.
Description of God's Plan of Salvation
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,
The Author of Salvation
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.
The Effectual Call
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
The Basis: Grace, Not Works
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.
Justification Apart from Works
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.
The Pre-Temporal Foundation of Salvation
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.
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.
Christ's Abolition of Death
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.
Life and Immortality Through the Gospel
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.
Closing Prayer
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.