Well, you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of 2 Timothy, chapter 1. 2 Timothy 1 for our meditation for the Lord's Supper this evening. Our focus will be on verses 8 to 10, but I do want to read the chapter. So 2 Timothy 1, beginning in verse 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 that 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,

The Appearing of Christ

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.

Opening Prayer

Well, let us pray. Our gracious God and Father, we thank You for this, Your Word. We thank You that the Holy Spirit gave it to us, and we pray that You would guide us now in our thoughts and in our actions according to Holy Scripture. We thank You for the glory of the Gospel.

We see its power. We see its magnificence. We see the necessity for us to defend it, and if necessary, to suffer and even die for it. For we know that this is the message of Christ and him crucified and resurrected.

It is that message which brings eternal life under the power and blessing of the Holy Spirit. May the church champion this great cause to hold forth your glorious word, to proclaim the gospel of salvation to every tribe and tongue and people and nation throughout the earth. And God, again, forgive us for our sin, cleanse us in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we pray in his name, amen.

Introduction

Well, as we look at this particular section, it's a good meditation in terms of our Lord's Supper, specifically verses 9 and 10, where the Apostle details or describes the gospel of our salvation. But I think it's also helpful for us to remember that 2 Timothy is the last letter written by the Apostle Paul. He thought or he knew there was a contingency that he may die in what we call the prison epistle. So that would be Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

He understands that he could potentially die in that imprisonment, but he's not too certain that that's the case. He knows he's going to die when he writes 2 Timothy. This is, as I said, his last letter. In fact, turn over to chapter 4 at verse 6. and not only to me, but not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

So he's in a prison cell, again, he knows that he's going to die, this time for sure, and so the things that he writes to Timothy in the second epistle, I don't wanna say they're more important than the rest of the word of God, but we really ought to listen to the words of a man in his 11th hour. And certainly gospel, and the necessity to suffer for that gospel, if necessary, is on his mind. Turn, for instance, to chapter three, at verse 10. He makes a contrast between false teachers and with Timothy.

And in verse 10 he says, But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. So, he is bidding his young ministerial companion to faithfulness, to steadfastness, and to suffering if God calls upon him to.

So, as we look specifically at chapter 1, there's a greeting 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, according to verses 6 and 7. That then transitions into this statement of verse 8, which is the practical exhortation in the section. He does not want Timothy to be ashamed. He wants rather Timothy to suffer for that word if necessary.

And then that brings him to expound on that word of the gospel in verses 9 and 10.

Pattern for Gospel Ministry

So we'll look first at the pattern for gospel ministry in verse 8, secondly the origin of God's plan of salvation in verse 9, and then finally the execution of God's plan of salvation in verse 10. If you're thinking covenantally, there's a movement here from the covenant of redemption in verse 9 to the covenant of grace in verse 10. We'll make note of that as we move through the material. But notice the pattern for gospel ministry in verse 8.

The Prohibition: Do Not Be Ashamed

It begins with a prohibition. He says, therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. It therefore connects back to verse 7, well 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. So God has equipped Timothy for this particular purpose. Therefore do not be ashamed. That is contrary to the purpose and plan of God relative to your gospel ministry.

You're supposed to proclaim the truth. You're supposed to not be ashamed. You're supposed to say with your mentor, the Apostle Paul, I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. So he prohibits him from being ashamed.

And we need to understand that that is a present reality. That is a present effect that the people of God undergo. There is this shame at times. And when you stop and think about it rationally, you come back to the question, why?

The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. Why would we possibly or conceivably fear what pagans and heathens think about our gospel, our true and saving gospel? What would we think about them being bothered by us bowing our heads and thanking the good Lord for the food that he gives us in a public restaurant. Why would we be ashamed?

It is irrational. It is inconceivable, and yet it plagues the heart of man, even redeemed man, not suggesting that Timothy was that kind of a man. It's probably a general prohibition, but he says, therefore, do not be ashamed. And then notice the twofold object of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me.

The testimony of our Lord, of course, is the word of the living God. It's the gospel of our salvation. But then Paul goes on to say, nor of me. Is Paul a megalomaniac?

Is Paul filled with himself? Don't ever be ashamed of me. As he's a minister of the gospel, as he is an apostle of Jesus Christ, and as was the custom of those whom he had had truck with that had abandoned him, that had forsaken him. Look back in chapter 1 or look forward to verse 15.

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 change. Look over at chapter four, specifically in verse nine. Be diligent to come to me quickly, for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica.

Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia, only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come, and the books, especially the parchments.

So it's not Paul's ego, it's Paul's ministry as an apostle of Jesus Christ. To be ashamed of Paul is to be ashamed of the message of the Apostle Paul. You see a similar situation in 2 Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends himself a lot.

Again, it's not because he's filled with Paul, but he understands that if these false teachers who have come in are believed by the Corinthians, and they create some distress relative to Paul, then they will not hold to his message. So insofar as souls are jeopardized, Paul is concerned that you do not be ashamed of him. And so Timothy, you're not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor of the Apostle Paul. So that's the prohibition, but then

The Exhortation: Suffer for the Gospel

notice in verse 8 the exhortation, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. Again, Timothy's not scratching his head at this point saying, I wonder what he's talking about. He knows exactly what he's talking about. He's in his second imprisonment.

He knows that he's going to die. He's already said or commended him, or he will commend him in chapter 3, that he's followed him in persecutions. This is not a statement without any sort of definition for young Timothy. Timothy knows that there is suffering associated with gospel ministry.

Turn back to the Gospel of John. John chapter 15, where we see this, at least in one form, in terms of the Lord Jesus' instruction to his disciples. John 15, this isn't the only place in the gospel records, but it's one that I want to look at, and then a couple other texts, just to show the presence of trial associated with gospel ministry. Not with false ministry.

The guy up there preaching about health, wealth, and prosperity doesn't suffer. I mean, people might think he's weird. They might think his wife is weird with her hair and all that. But for the most part, they don't suffer.

Why? Because their message is not offensive. Their message isn't that you're sinful and that God is holy. Unless you believe and repent, you're going to go to everlasting punishment.

It's that kind of message that rubs people the wrong way. So again, false ministers are those that are just preaching sort of self-help and, you know, Jesus is my boyfriend type of doctrine. They're not suffering. They're not going to suffer.

But the man who preaches Christ and am crucified, if he doesn't in the power of the Spirit, he is going to suffer as a result of that. Notice in 1518 in John's Gospel, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

If I had not come and spoken to them, then they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also." So they hate God, they hate His Son, and they hate those who accurately preach the Son's Word. Turn over to the book of Acts, Acts chapter 5, where we see this sort of trial associated with gospel ministry in full display.

Acts chapter 5, specifically at verse 40, Gamaliel puts the hush on the Sanhedrin and tries to discourage them from killing these men. So they listen to Gamaliel essentially, but they got to go ahead and smack these men around just for good measure. Keep them in line. Make sure they don't color outside the lines anymore.

Notice in Acts 5.40, and they agreed with him. And when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, there was no reason for that. There was no cause for that. Sometimes you read those gospel narratives and Jesus is before the Sanhedrin and they smack him.

And some say, well, it probably wasn't the members of the Sanhedrin. It absolutely positively was the members of the Sanhedrin. Just like the members of the Sanhedrin at the time of the apostolic ministry did horrible things to those men as well. They didn't get better.

They didn't get smarter. They didn't get wiser or good. So they agreed with him. And when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go.

So they departed from the presence of the council. Now notice this next bit. Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. Wow.

That's the grace of God. That's the power of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we wonder, could I bear up in the midst of suffering? Well, I've always thought that if God calls you to suffer in that kind of a way, He's going to provide the grace necessary for you to suffer in that kind of way.

And so they rejoice because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Turn over to Acts 14. The Apostle Paul preaches a particular sermon. And again, he doesn't have to explain why he's preaching what he's preaching.

He had probably hobbled to his pulpit. He had probably limped to his pulpit because of what we find in verse 19. So look at Acts 14, 19. Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there.

And having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. Brethren, these are long journeys.

This isn't a car ride. He didn't call an Uber. He had just been stoned and persons supposed that he was actually dead. And yet the very next day he's going to another city to proclaim the gospel.

Now notice his subject matter when he goes there to preach the gospel. Verse 21, and when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, we must, through many tribulations, enter the kingdom of God. That's a divine necessity. We must, through many tribulations, enter the kingdom of God.

It's not going to be clear sailing. It's not going to be no problems. It's not going to be without trial or hardship or affliction. It is always going to be associated with difficulty and heartache and hardship.

Turn to Galatians chapter 6. Galatians chapter 6. Look at what Paul writes, specifically at verse 16. and as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God. From now on, let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." The bearing in the body the marks of the Lord Jesus meant the visible wounds that he had received at the hands of both unbelieving Jews and the Roman state.

In fact, go back to 2 Corinthians 11, where he outlines or details what it was that he received. Notice in 11.22, are they Hebrews? So am I. He's countering the false teachers, these super apostles, these guys who came into the church at Corinth and said, Paul's not really concerned about you.

Paul's only in it for Paul. Paul's only in it for money. Paul's only in it for prestige. That's why Paul defends himself in 2 Corinthians, because he had been lied about.

And again, it's not his ego that drives him, it's his message. If the Corinthians believe falsehood about Paul the Apostle, they're going to believe falsehood about his message. They're going to twist it and distort it. So he says, are they Israelites?

So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?

I speak as a fool, I am more. In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews, five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods.

Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, besides the other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches." Probably that affected him even more so than the buffeting and the rods and the various things he suffered.

It was the anguish of God's people. It was the difficulties associated with God's people. His pastor's heart reflected upon that, and it caused him daily concern. He'll get over the wounds, he'll get over the rod strikes, he'll get over all those things, but he won't get over the sorts of division and dissension that oftentimes obtain in churches, or over the pain and the hurt and the suffering and the sorrow of God's people.

Every single day that stuff came upon him. So going back to 2 Timothy 1, the prohibition, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me as prisoners, and then the exhortation, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. Again, Timothy's not scratching his head saying, well, I wonder what he's talking about. I just don't get it.

What do you mean, Paul? Aren't you like Benny Hinn? Don't you have a mansion? Don't you have boats and cars and summer homes and all that sort of thing?

Isn't that what gospel ministry is about? Well, no, of course not. For the apostle, he suffered. For the apostle, he hurt.

For the apostle, he agonized. But then notice,

Power Accompanying Gospel Suffering

there's not only trial associated with gospel ministry, but there's power associated with gospel ministry. nor of me, his prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God." There's my statement from earlier. If God's going to call upon you to suffer in a grievous way, He's going to give you the power necessary to sustain you in the midst of it. That is crucial for us to understand. It's not, Timothy, be a tougher man.

Timothy, you know, get more testosterone. Not that those are bad pieces of counsel, but Timothy, it's God's power. It's God's strength. It's God's grace.

It's God's energy that's at work in you. Look at Colossians chapter one. Colossians chapter one. The Apostle, toward the end of the chapter, is highlighting his place in redemptive history.

He does that toward the end of our section in 1 Timothy 1 at verses 11 and 12. In other words, what's Paul's role in redemptive history? Well, he's that unique link that is the apostle to the Gentiles to tell them that they are participants in the covenant promises of God made to Old Covenant Israel. So he understands that reality.

And he says as much in about verses 24 to 27. But then notice verses 28 and 29. He says, Him, Christ, we preach. warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end, I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily." So again, the apostle is not suggesting to Timothy that this is something you can undertake in your own strength.

You just go out and suffer, Timothy, and you just be man enough to deal with it. No, God's power is operative in your life and in your ministry. God's power is there to sustain you in the midst of trial and affliction. God's power is real, and it is activated in those times when you stand in desperate need.

So back to our text, that's the pattern for gospel ministry. You're not to be ashamed, and you're willing to enter into suffering. I think that provokes the question. If it hasn't, I'm going to provoke the question.

Well, how good is this message? In other words, if I'm called to suffer for something, right, there's probably precious few things. If you gave each of us a piece of paper and said, you know, write five things you're willing to suffer for. Could you do that?

Oh, of course, we're looking at 2 Timothy 1. Yeah, we could, absolutely. We'd suffer for our spouse, right? We'd suffer for our children.

I'd like to think we are, we're not beasts. I think even beasts would do that. Animals suffer for their spawn. We should certainly out-animal the animals when it comes to that sort of a thing.

But sort of beyond that, what else are we willing to suffer for? I mean, again, you might extend that list, you might fill up five. So how do we sort of factor what goes on that list? Well, how valuable that person is, right?

Your wife, your husband, they're you. They're valuable. They go on that list. It's just no brainer.

Your kids, again, they're your spawn. You love them. You love the bones of those kids. So they go on that list.

So now Paul is telling Timothy to suffer. Now, when you look at what we looked at in terms of Paul's suffering, he's not just meaning, you know, a side look at you at Tim Hortons because you bowed in prayer. He's talking about physical pain. He's talking about torture.

He's talking about 39 lashes with the Jewish whip. They were bound by Deuteronomy's law that they weren't to exceed 40. I doubt the Romans said, oh, what does Deuteronomy say as we mete out punishment upon this malefactor? They just went, you know, crazy with the rock.

So when we ask the question, does this make it on the list? The answer is a resounding yes. Absolutely, positively. In fact, it should probably be number one.

If you're thinking properly, you're thinking biblically, you're thinking in terms of God's plan of salvation. So now notice,

Origin of God's Plan of Salvation

after the pattern for gospel ministry, he speaks concerning the origin of God's plan of salvation. This isn't a flash in the pan. This just didn't arrive today. This isn't something that, you know, this was an afterthought in the mind of the great and living God.

No. This has always been His plan relative to the created order. He makes the world, He governs the world, and He redeems His elect out of the world. That's not just a New Covenant concept.

That's what the Old Covenant tells us as well. The catechism asks, what is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. That was always the purpose, that was always the plan, forfeit by Adam in the garden, but recovered under the last Adam by our Lord Jesus Christ.

So notice, as the apostle sets forth the value, the unsurpassed value of the gospel of our Lord, he starts an eternity past, as it were.

God as Author: He Saved Us

Notice he speaks concerning the author of salvation. He says, nor of me his prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. Now notice verse 9, who? God.

That God I'm calling you to suffer for. That God is the one who has saved us and called us with a holy calling. So God himself saves us, not us. Not our works, not our merit.

He's going to make that absolutely, crucially clear in just a moment. But this is the God who has saved you. This is the God who has redeemed you. He saved you from your sins, Matthew 1, 21.

He saved you from spiritual slavery, John chapter 8. And He saved you from the death and the wretchedness that's going to come to those outside of Christ. Notice in verse 10. He has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

So that God saved us. That's the emphasis of the apostle. Notice he doesn't say that God helped you save yourself. That God facilitated the salvation of you.

No, God saved us. This is the recurring theme in all of scripture. What does Jonah 2.9, from the belly of the whale, what does Jonah say? Salvation is of the Lord.

What does the apostle cry over and over again? I don't mean cry with tears, I mean cry out with emphasis. gospel, or rather the salvation that we enjoy as a result of the gospel, comes from God. What do the saints before the throne in heaven, what are they saying? They say salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb who sits upon the throne.

They don't say salvation was wrought out by us, we're getting our fit reward, we're getting what we deserve. No, if we got what we deserve, We'd be in hell for all eternity. That's the glory of the Christian gospel. He's abolished death.

He's brought to light life and immortality. He has brought us the blessing of God Most High because it is He who has saved us. That's the emphasis. This gospel is worth suffering for, this gospel is worth dying for, because God saved us.

And even if we get buffeted, even if we get stoned to death, even if we go through the most crucial forms of suffering, then we are going to pass into the presence of the Most High. There'll be no more sorrow, there'll be no more tears, there'll be no more hunger, there'll be no more thirst, there'll be no more death in Emmanuel's land. So in other words, this one ought to be on your list because God saved you.

The Effectual Call

Notice, how did God save us? Well, it says, He called us with a holy calling. This refers to the effectual call of God. This refers to the blessing of God relative to His purpose in bringing us out of darkness into marvelous light.

He called us. We didn't call ourselves. Did we? We heard the gospel, we called ourselves.

No! God, who is able to make men willing in the day of his power, calls us effectually unto himself. Look back at Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8, where the apostle gives there what we call the order of salvation.

The order of salvation. Notice how it begins. Romans 8 at verse, well, we'll put it in context, verse 28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.

That includes suffering. That includes not being ashamed. Even those things work for good. This verse would not be necessary if Paul meant good things work for good.

It just wouldn't. Finding bags of money will work out good for you. Well, of course. Getting promotions at work will work out good for you.

Of course. We know that all things, that means the bad things, the sufferings, the trials, the hardships, the heartaches, God works those things out for His glory and for your good. And then notice the rationale, verse 29. For whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called, whom he called, these he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorified." That encompasses the plan of salvation, justification, sanctification, glorification. There's other components you can put in there to be sure that this is the skeletal framework of God's plan of redemption. Calling, effectual calling, and I don't mean just hearing the gospel. There's that external sort of general call that goes out to every creature, but there is that effectual internal call that God the Spirit brings about in the hearts of His elect, so that they now understand their sin.

They now understand blood atonement. Maybe not all the particulars the way, say, John Murray does, but they understand the reality that without the shedding of blood there is no remission. Well, did you just stumble upon that? Did you just get better at your thought process?

No, the Spirit of God called you affectionately to Himself. The Spirit of God gives you the gifts of faith and repentance so that you may close with Christ. We give all praise and glory to God because He saved us. And if He calls upon us to suffer for His namesake, we rejoice because we're privileged to do so.

That's Paul's point in 2 Timothy 1. The gospel is worth suffering for.

Not by Works but by Grace

Notice, he goes on, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, and then he gives us this basis of salvation, first a negative and then a positive. Note the negative, not according to our works. And this is not isolated in Paul. If you've read anything by Paul, you'll know that he is an enemy at the thought of introducing works into our salvation.

Now, not just Paul, Peter, John, Isaiah, Jesus, Moses, everybody. They're all opposed to this idea that we contribute anything to our salvation. Luther was right. The only thing that we contribute to our salvation is the sin that we need to be saved from.

That's our contribution. Not our works, not our merit, not our law-keeping, not our obedience. Again, the Apostle couldn't make it any more clearer. Sometimes people in the context of Reformation debate and the difference between Roman Catholicism and the Protestants, Protestants emphasize justification by faith alone.

And you'll hear the paper say, well, it doesn't say that in the Bible. It absolutely, positively does a lot very, very many, many, many times. Passages like this indicate that. Justification by faith alone.

Not according to our works. Romans 3.27, another beautiful statement. It's grace through faith in Christ alone. It's not the introduction of our works.

Remember that if you choose works, or a mingle-mangle of works plus Jesus, you need to engage in entire, exact, perpetual obedience without any hint of sin. That's God's demand. That's why the gospel is glorious, because that's what Jesus did. He entirely, exactly, and perpetually obeyed the law of His Father.

And He does so, so that we can have His righteousness imputed to us and received by faith alone. So negatively, it's not according to our works, but then notice the positive, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus, and notice that next clause, before time began. Before time began. But I love that emphasis, according to His own purpose and grace.

It's not our purpose. It's not our works, it's not our contribution, it's not our doing, it's not our ability, it's not our obedience, it's not our faithfulness, it's not our loyalty. It's His purpose and His grace. See, God had a purpose that He put in motion.

We call it eternity past. When it comes to eternity, you can't even do that, but there's no sort of past and present and future in eternity. We're finite, we can't think in terms of the infinite at that level. We're temporal, we're time-bound, we're creature, we're space-oriented.

When it comes to eternal, we do, however, say eternity past, eternal in the future. And that emphasis there, before time began. So just to sort of add to how valuable this gospel is, not an afterthought in the mind of God, it's God who saves us, and it's God who has purpose to save us before time began. You weren't there then.

You didn't exist then. But God had you in his mind. God had us in his mind. God had his purpose and plan in his mind.

And of course he executes that purpose and plan through a profuse donation of grace to the needy sinner whom he saves. who he effectually calls. But that emphasis on before time began, again, isn't the only place. Turn to Titus. Titus chapter 1.

You're right there. Turn over there. You'll see the same sort of an emphasis. Titus 1, Paul, a bondservant of God, verse 1, 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, but has in due time manifested his word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior.

So this before time began motif, this whole idea of from the foundation of the world, turn back to Ephesians chapter one, where you see that language utilized by the apostle in Ephesians 1, 4. After highlighting how God is to be blessed for giving us every spiritual blessings in verse three, he then says in verse four, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. Before the foundation of the world. See, what we have there is a pre-temporal compact or covenant between the persons of the Trinity to save his people from their sins.

So is this gospel worth suffering for and dying for? Absolutely, positively. God saved us, and he didn't do it as an afterthought. This was his purpose and plan for this world, this created order.

So whatever is going on out there, I think I read this morning, maybe some of you saw this, that in the Red Sea, U.S. warships and commercial ships were drawing fire. I didn't get a chance to sort of pursue that, but there's a lot of stuff going on in the world. We might ask the question, why do all these things happen? I'm not sure why all those things happen, but I am sure why this world exists in the manner it does.

Because God has a purpose to save His people from their sins by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And He facilitated that by sending Him, who took on our humanity. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. So what God ordained in history or eternity past, God executes in the here and now.

So whatever is happening out there, we ought to be concerned, we ought to be prayerful, we ought to be the sorts of people that are responsible human beings and citizens, all that. But when you ask the question, what was the reason for which God made the world? It was to receive glory through the salvation of sinners by His Son, Jesus Christ. That puts things into the proper perspective and hopefully settles the people of God and brings that comfort and encouragement that helps us to navigate in this present evil age.

This before time began emphasis. It is most glorious, it is most wondrous, it is most hopeful. And then

Execution of God's Plan of Salvation

that brings us finally to the execution of God's plan of salvation. So in theology, covenant theology specifically, we refer to that pre-temporal intra-Trinitarian covenant as the covenant of redemption. The father elects a miserable lot of sinners. The son guarantees to perform a surety on their behalf as mediator, which is prophet, priest, and king.

The assumption of our humanity, the entrance into our world, the life of obedience, the death on the cross, the resurrection again the third day. So the persons of the Trinity covenant together to save us from our sins. Now when we see that revealed in history, that's the covenant of grace. And that's what we find there in verse 10.

So after making this statement, 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. 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 there's a bit of a contrast, but not an adversative one. There's a this and now that. There's the history or eternity past, and now the execution of this plan in time, in history, in space, and in the dwelling of men. In the language of John in the prologue, he came to his own, his own received him not.

Well, why did he come to his own? So that he could live for them, so that he could die for them, so that he could be raised again for them. And so Paul moves from eternity past to the execution of this plan through the covenant of grace here in history. of our Savior Jesus Christ. That's a reference to the incarnation.

That's a reference to the enfleshment of the Son of God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And he does so, so that he lives, he dies, and he's raised again for us. So, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Okay, let's just reflect for a moment. Think back to the prologue in John's Gospel. In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

So you've got, in the beginning, the Word. That doesn't mean He started. That means when there was a beginning, the Word was already. The Word was with God.

There's distinction between the Father and the Son. But the Word was God. There's consubstantiality between the Son and the Father. So it's that one who, for us men and for our salvation, comes down from heaven?

It's that one who assumes our humanity? The dignified word is the one who assumes our humanity? Is this gospel worth suffering for? Yes!

Is it worth dying for? Yes. Is it worth giving up everything for? Yes.

Is it worth bowing your head in Tim Hortons, even though people might be a little offended that you're one of those religious people? Yes, absolutely. Don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me. but rather suffer for that blessed word, that word that reveals this before-time-began-ness that is now executed in history through the Son of Man, who takes on our humanity to do what we could not do. And then

Christ Abolishes Death

notice the specific work that is in view here. Many things could be said. You need to understand that when Paul writes the Bible or writes particular epistles, he doesn't say everything that can possibly be said. That's why we compare Scripture with Scripture.

We look at Ephesians. We look at Titus. We look at Old Testament. We do that because not every one section is going to have everything that the Bible says about a particular thing.

So here, notice the emphasis, though. And I really think it's probably contextually qualified. What do you need to hear when you're putting your list together? Suffering could be hard, could be bad.

Could be vicious, these God haters, they're not nice. Look at how they treated the master. Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Look at the way they treated his chief apostle.

So the suffering, Timothy, could likely be very difficult, could likely be very hard, could be very agonizing. Would gulag mean anything to you? Does that kind of deprivation and pain mean anything to you? So what crowds in upon the mind when we think of suffering and we think of pain?

Typically death, right? It's kind of the eventuality. You can only suffer so long, I think. There's an end point where your body says, that's it, I'm done.

So that Paul searches, as it were, all the benefits of the gospel that there are to be achieved. He says he abolished death. Brethren, I think he does that to encourage Timothy with reference to the exhortation, be prepared to suffer the hardships and the trials and the persecution and the afflictions, even unto death, but know this, that at the first advent of our blessed Savior, at the revelation of our glorious King, what he has come to do is abolish death. In other words, he's the king over that.

He is the reason the apostle can write in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, death, where is your victory? Grave, where is your sting? Christ has abolished death. What a perfect encouragement to a potential sufferer for the cause of the gospel.

Of course Timothy's gonna write this on his list. Of course everybody who hears this is gonna write this on their list. Because God saved us and he purposed to do so before time began. And he demonstrates it in the coming of his own son who takes on our humanity.

And oh, by the way, guess what his son has come to do? He's come to abolish death. So whatever fear you may have when it comes to being ashamed or when it comes to suffering for the gospel, vanish it or vanquish it. In other words, man up.

Our blessed Savior came to deal with that thing that is most menacing in the minds and hearts of people. Listen to Gil, he says, "'Who hath abolished death, the law of sin and death, which is the cause of death, and it 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 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. So don't be ashamed.

Don't be afraid to suffer, don't be afraid to identify with our Savior, Timothy, but rather you go and you preach, Timothy, and you fear the face of no man, and you flatter the face of no man, and you bring that word, 16 ounces to the pound. You explain the significance of his life, his death, and his resurrection. You explain the significance of the gospel. But don't neglect that law.

Don't neglect the proclamation of that law, which shows men their need for the gospel. So for Timothy, he was to take the baton from the apostle Paul, and he was to continue that type of ministry. And Paul writes to him in a calculated way to stir him up, to encourage him, to make sure that he doesn't falter, to make sure that he doesn't halt, to make sure that he runs the race that God had set before him. So Christ abolishes death and he brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Timothy, don't be afraid. Timothy, don't be timid. Timothy, don't be, you know, somehow Cowardice when it comes to these particular threats that face the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. But understand that this gospel is such that it's worth suffering for and it's worth dying for.

Application: Contend for the Gospel

Well, brethren, I hope that's an encouragement. I'm going to go out this week and die for Jesus. That'd be the worst things that you could do. I'm not suggesting you go court a bullet, but there is that glory of the gospel in our Lord Jesus Christ that we ought to fight for, contend for, defend, and be glad to testify to others concerning its power and its efficacy in the saving of needy sinners.

And if you are not a saved sinner tonight, understand that God has a purpose and a plan, and that God will not be thwarted, He will not be frustrated, and that His purpose and plan includes the salvation, according to the book of Revelation, of a great multitude that no man can number. We've got this idea that there's going to be like five people in heaven, eight maybe. No, there's going to be a great multitude that no man can number. There's going to be a whole host.

Remember when God is making promise to Abraham concerning the seed of Abraham? It's in the seed of Abraham, which Paul identifies as Jesus in Galatians 2, it's in that seed of Abraham that all the nations are going to be blessed. And Abraham, this is a comprehensive statement. I want you to go out and I want you to look at the sky and I want you to try and count those stars.

Well, that's a fool's errand, right? Can't count the stars. There's too many. Absolutely, positively.

Now, Abraham, I want you to look at the sand on the seashore and I want you to count those grains. Well, nobody can count those grains, there's just too many. Absolutely, positively. Abraham, I want you to look north, south, east, and west, because this is what you're going to inherit.

Now, Paul shows us what that means according to Romans 4.13. As a result of the seed of Abraham, Abraham was promised that he would inherit the world. So in other words, there is great impetus from scripture for you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that you may be saved. This gospel is glorious, this gospel is efficacious, this gospel is worth suffering for, and it is worth dying for.

It is certainly worth believing such that you may have everlasting life.

Closing Prayer

Well, let us pray. Our gracious God and Holy Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this emphasis of the Apostle here in 2 Timothy 1. I pray for all of us that we would receive this exhortation, that we would see this prohibition not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of the Apostle Paul, but to be ready to suffer if called upon.

To be like those men in Acts chapter 5 that rejoiced because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord Jesus. And the history of the church and the martyrs and the covenanters and the people who have died and spilled blood for the cause of God and truth. Lord give us that and grant us help and strength. Grant us the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit that we may indeed represent you well in this present evil age.

And we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. We can turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 26 as we transition into the supper. Matthew chapter 26, just a couple of reminders before the brothers come and pass out the bread.

Remember that the ordinance or sacrament is for believers only. If you're not a believer, we ask that you do not participate in this. It's not an ordinance given for the salvation of sinners, but rather for the edification, encouragement, and strengthening of saved sinners. As well, the ordinance we learned from 1 Corinthians 11 is for believers who are dealing with their sin.

That doesn't mean they have mastery. It doesn't mean they've achieved perfection, but rather they are not living in peace with sin against God or men. So you can confess your sin. You don't need a special time or presence or mountain or anything like that.

You're able to confess your sins to God in the safety of a pew. It really is amazing having a sovereign, omnipotent God. But it is for believers who are dealing with their sin, and we learn that again from 1 Corinthians 11. Thirdly, the ordinance is a means of grace, but the elements are not transformed.

In other words, the bread remains bread. The wine remains wine, the grape juice remains grape juice. They don't become something other. They are representations or emblems or symbols of what they symbolize, the broken body and shed blood of our blessed Savior.

And then ultimately the ordinance points us to Christ. John Murray Wells said, it is the Lord we are remembering. So frequently believers become so introspective that preoccupation with themselves excludes preoccupation with Christ. The idea is to be preoccupied with Christ when you come to the supper.

It is, do this in remembrance of me, he said. So certainly, look to your heart, if there's sin, confess it, but then remember the Lord Jesus and the great work he's done to give you life eternal in himself. Well, if the brothers will come and pass out the bread, We will sing a hymn while they do that. You may remain seated.

And after we receive the bread and complete the hymn, we'll read the appropriate section there in Matthew 26. I'll pray and then we'll take the bread together. So we are going to sing number 283. you Oh, where the rooting of the hearts may be, Jesus is there, Jesus is there. to see. Where is the sunshine?

Where is the moon? Jesus, Lord, have mercy. Son of God and Son of Man. Glory and honor, praise and adoration, Broke it. and gave it to the disciples and said, take, eat, this is my body.

Well, let us pray. Our gracious God and Holy Father, we thank you for that gospel. We thank you for the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. We thank you for your graciousness and your mercy to us.

We thank you for the fact that Christ has abolished death and brought to light life and immortality and that our future is most blessed. And we pray that we live in light of these truths, that it would be an encouragement to us and that you would grant us grace to not be ashamed and to be those willing to suffer for the cause of our blessed Savior. And we pray in his name, amen. We'll take together.

You can remain seated and turn to 275. 275, when the tray comes around, if you're inclined to have juice instead of wine, the juice is in the outer ring, the wine is in the inner ring of that tray. So we'll sing 275 while the brothers pass that out. Public sacrifice in my behalf appears. Before the throne my sure descent.

Before the throne my sure descent. He ever lives, O Lord, for me to intercede. His hope redeeming, O Lord, His precious blood to clean, ♪ The sun forever is ♪ ♪ And sprinkles down the flow'r of years ♪ ♪ Highly in mercy rest ♪ ♪ We sing of Calvary laid for us ♪ I am a Israelite. His warning voice I hear.

He owes me for his child. I can no longer deny. I know. In verse 27, we continue reading, then he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying, drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Well, let us pray. Our God and Father, we know there's great significance in the blood of the new covenant.

We know it was prophesied in the prophet Jeremiah. We see it in Ezekiel. We see it come to full realization in that gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for that blood that cleanses us from all sin.

We know it's according to the riches of your grace, and we rejoice in this. God, be glorified now, be praised and worshiped as we take this supper tonight. And we pray through Christ the Lord, amen. We'll take together.

Well, you can turn to Psalm 117, selection A as in alpha. In verse 29, or verse 31, it says, and when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. That refers to the Hillel Psalms in Psalms 113 to 118. So we're gonna sing Psalm 117A to a familiar tune.

We'll stand as we sing together. God in people, praise proclaim. For His grace and loving kindness, all sing praises to Him. For the fragrance of His mercy, God send praise to Him on hoard.

Evermore His truth enduring, Alleluia, praise the Lord. Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever, amen. God, go with us now, cause your face to shine upon us, and may we know your peace, and may we know communion with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Be glorified in our lives, be glorified in our families, Bring us together again that we may worship you on the coming Lord's Day.

And we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Well, please be seated for a brief time of meditation.

Scripture References

• Psalms 113-118; 117
• Jonah 2:9
• Matthew 1:21; 26
• John 8; 15; 15:18
• Acts 5; 5:40; 14; 14:19; 14:21
• Romans 1:16; 3:27; 4:13; 8; 8:28; 8:29
• 1 Corinthians 11; 15
• 2 Corinthians 11; 11:22
• Galatians 2; 6; 6:16
• Ephesians 1; 1:3; 1:4
• Colossians 1; 1:28-29
• Titus 1; 1:1
• Hebrews 9:22
• 2 Timothy 1; 1:15; 3:10; 4:6; 4:9