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well good evening welcome to the house the Lord once again for the evening service nice to have all amongst us any visitors a special welcome if you've not been before welcome to freeze bath please I really want announcement and that is that's a reminder I think probably most people are aware but our old hymnals are out the back on the on a little table at the back and you're certainly welcome to take two take one if you want to have more than one if you want to have them for your home use if you want to be able to sing some hymns or even your own devotional time you want to go through a hymn book you walk them to them they are a little bit old that with with new new tape on the binding they can look almost as good as new so help yourself to two to any that you want back there please turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 122 as our call to worship Psalm 122 Psalm 122 a song of a sense of David I was glad when they said to me let us go into the house of the Lord our feet have been standing within your gates o Jerusalem Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together where the tribes go up the tribes of the Lord to the testimony of Israel to give thanks to the name of the Lord four Thrones are set there for judgment the thrones of the house of David pray for the Peace of Jerusalem may they prosper who love you peace be within your walls prosperity within your palaces for the sake of my brethren and companions I will now say peace be within you because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good amen well please turn with me in your hymn books first hymn and that would be to 222 be 22b now alas goes down [Music] [Music] [Music] amen you may be seated well let's go to God in prayer now and ask his blessing to be upon our evening service let's pray our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father we come into your holy presence through your son the Lord Jesus Christ and Lord we are thankful that we have such a holy God to come too not just not a god who's afar off but rather also as a God who is very near to us how we praise you for that you are a holy God that you are a merciful God when we consider that you enthrone this whole universe you place the stars in their place and and you call them each you number them each and you you know us individually as well father you even know the number of hairs upon our head how grateful we are father for these facts of of a true and a living God who is able to - to be the god of this universe the god of this world as well as a God who's intimately acquainted with his people we thank and praise you Father for the fact that you that you have told us - to come near to you that you will bend your ear and hear the prayers and and and the offerings and the sacrifices and the prayers and and the worships the worship songs of your people so Lord we thank you that you are a God who loves to be entreated by your people we love the fact Lord that you desire to hear from us and we pray that file you would be pleased to own this next on this service tonight on these next up a few moments that as we worship you in hymns and and prayers and and and through the worship of opening up the word of God may all these things father be done for your for your glorious sake we pray that you would be praised and you would be honored and glorified here in this place this night pray Lord that you would be pleased to forgive us of all of our sins cleanses afresh and that precious blood of your son - Lord Jesus Christ me thank you we praise you that that there is a fountain that is open for uncleanness that we might confess our sins to you father for we know we do not we do not obey your holy law as we as we ought to that's why we had that person of your son the Lord Jesus Christ to come into this earth to live a perfect life according to the law and died as a perfect sacrifice unblemished by any sin so that he might be our propitiation he might be that one who would give to us that righteousness that is not innate in us it's not native to us but rather that righteousness what comes through your son the Lord Jesus Christ thank you that we can enjoy that righteousness thank you Lord that we stand perfect in your presence because of your son the Lord Jesus Christ Lord caused us this night to to be filled with worship the Craig law that you would be pleased to to to hear our praises to hear our worship this night your father to whom would we go but but to you we thank you too Lord Jesus Christ is present amongst his lampstand we pray Lord your blessing to be upon the word of God as it goes forward from this pulpit tonight pray Jude oneth you've blessed less blessed blessed pastor Butler cause him Lord to be hedged in by your Holy Spirit to be kept in truth and we do pray Lord that said that truth would be Herald forth from this pulpit that the Lord Jesus Christ might be worshiped might be that the things of Christ might be opened up and your spirit would be well pleased to add his blessing here this night we do pray take your word father we pray it would find its mark and each one of our hearts and minds and cause us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ as we go out into the world as we go out into the week ahead we pray that we would be made more and more into the image of your son the Lord Jesus Christ not that we would receive any glory but rather father that you would be glorified even through the the obedience of your children who leave from this place this night father we do ask your blessing to be upon those who are persecuted for the Gospels sake is we're reminded this morning you have purposes in all things and even in the persecution of your people father you have purposes and we do pray Lord for those who who are persecuted for Christ's sake we know Lord is not an easy thing yeah yet we do pray that they might know that that aid and that help from from the Spirit of the Living God to to give to them will they stand in need of this night we know that we live in a world that that is at enmity with you there is hatred towards the things of Christ's words the things of God and so are we pray that you would bless the churches as they go forward all around this earth cause cause your spirit father to attend your word and we do pray that that truly that the church militant will continue to march on march forward until we enjoy that that that church triumphant when we will be with Christ forever and ever enjoying the the pleasure of worshiping without sin without without any sickness without any fault and how we pray Lord that you would be pleased to give us great thoughts of that eternal it's eternal heavenly reward for all those who are in Christ Jesus so ever you pray your blessing to be upon our time here this evening caused us to to to sing and and to worship you with with the aides that we have before us with these hymns and we pray that you would fill our hearts fill our minds with with great thoughts of yourself as well as through your holy word and would you just ask your blessing now for it's in Jesus precious name we pray amen well please turn with me in your hymn books to 539 539 I'll ask you to stand [Music] then you may be seated and turn with me in your Bibles to our Old Testament reading as we continue through the Old Testament we're in the last book of the Old Testament Malachi Malachi chapter 2 and just a reminder we were in chapter 1 obviously last last Sunday last water today last evening last Sunday evening and certainly the the theme of chapter 1 is a heartless worship the malachi identifies that there was a heartlessness in the worship of the people of god as they returned during the time of ezra and nehemiah to to jerusalem and he was addressing them on those things so we take up chapter 2 and he's going to address the the priests or the the leaders and ultimately they're the ones who are going to be held accountable because they're the ones who Harold the the truth of God's Holy Word and and ultimately God will hold those those leaders those those pastors teachers James tells us James reminds us in chapter 3 verse 1 that that pastors teachers are going to be held to a higher account because they do proclaim the Word of God and and that's a very very important responsibility and important that they get the whole truth correct and get the whole truth right so so he's addressing specifically the leaders of Nehemiah and Ezra is Dave well let's begin at chapter 2 and now Oh priests this commandment is for you if you will not hear and if you will not take depart to give glory to my name says the Lord of hosts I will send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings yes I have cursed them already because you do not take it to heart behold ever I will rebuke your descendants and spread refuge on your faces the refuge of your solemn feasts and one will take you away with it then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you that my covenant with Levi may continue says the Lord of hosts my covenant was with him one of life and P and I gave them to him that he might fear me so he feared me and was reverent before my name the law of truth was in his mouth and injustice was not found in his lit on his lips he walked with me in peace and equity and turned many away from iniquity for the lips of a priest should keep knowledge and people should seek the law from his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts but you have departed from the way you have caused many to stumble at the law you have corrupted the covenant of Levi says the Lord of hosts therefore I also have made you contemptible and base before all the people because you have not kept my ways but have sworn shown partiality in the law have we not all one father has not one God created us why do we deal treacherously with one another by profaning the Covenant of the father's Judah has dwelt has dealt treacherously and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem for Judah has profaned the Lord's holy instruction which he loves he has married the daughters of a foreign god may the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does this being awake and aware yet who brings an offering to the Lord of Hosts and this is the second thing you do you cover the altar of the Lord with tears with weeping and crying so he does not regard the offering any more nor receive it with goodwill from your hands yet you say for what reason because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth with whom you have dealt treacherously yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant but did he not make them one having a remnant of the Spirit and why one he seeks godly offspring therefore take heed to your spirit and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth for the Lord God of Israel says that he hates divorce for it covers one's garment with violence says the Lord of hosts therefore take heed to your spirit that you do not deal treacherously you have wearied the Lord with your words yet you say in what way have we wearied him in that you say everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord and he delights in them or where is the God of justice so again we see here certainly the the the responsibility of of a pastor a priest here but in today's language the responsibility we could say that the the job description of a pastor is is in value is found in verse 7 for the lips the priests should keep knowledge and the people should seek the law from his mouth that's awfully the response of a pastor just to preach the word to reach 16 ounces to the pound word Sunday and Sunday out not to be novel not to be a famous preacher but just to be a faithful man in this pulpit that's what we look for in our pastors in our elders and we praise God that we have we have that here at free grace Baptist Church but as we were instructed this morning let's pray that there would be yet many more sent out who would be just faithful ministers not novel ministers not CEOs not not some some other fanciful idea of what a pastor what a minister is but just a minister of Malachi chapter 2 verse 7 just simply to keep the keep knowledge and seek the law from his mouth that he would be a man of God and preach only the Word of God because the rest of the chapter the second half that chapter in regards to to to being faithful to one to one's wife it's as though they were they were acting as though there was no God as though they were not hearing these things that you are off that that we that's just one aspect of the law that you kind of picks on in Malachi chapter 2 obviously it was happening at that time that they were acting as though there were no God that we can just behave and and do as whatever we want and however we want but but his Malachi's admonition to them is you're not following the law you're not doing what the priest is telling you to do so what do we take from this in 2019 that we would hear that God from this pulpit the instruction of this bhava and we'd seek to put that into practice and we implement that that we would embrace it and and drink it in and and in that I think God is well pleased with a congregation with a church well that's prayer our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father again we thank you for your whole word Father for all 66 books that we have everything contained in this in this Bible that we hold in our laps that will give us instruction for this lower world and give us great hope for the life and world to come and how we pray Lord that you would continue to be faithful you would look faithfully that you would look upon our congregation and that you would be pleased to deal with us and in a manner where you would give to us a faithful man and faithful men into the future as well and what we pray for ourselves father we pray that same thing for the sir each and the Vernon church and all around this all around this world father that you would raise up godly young men to go out and and to not be novel preachers but rather to be preachers of the Word of God and and how we pray to that end footage you would put it upon hearts and minds that give to them that that holy calling to be set apart to be men of God called after that are called to do the things that that ministers of the gospel are called to do here in your Holy Word so let me thank you for the privilege desirous to hear from you to hear from your word and we pray that you would prepare our hearts even now as we sing this last human and hear your word opened up we pray that you would be worshipped and honored and glorified and we pray these things in Jesus precious name Amen well please turn with me for the last him to its psalm 119 when you get to psalm 119 there's many there's many verses so we're going to go all the way down to our so some or hymn number 119 our I'll ask you to stand [Music] [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to second Timothy chapter two second Timothy chapter two I had alluded to verses eight and eight to 10 this morning in our sermon and wanted to deal with that but it didn't want to bypass that first section so God willing we'll take up verses 8 to 10 next Sunday but I want to look at chapter 2 verses 1 to 7 I think these are some good instructions for us with reference to the thought of persecution we looked at that in our passage in acts this morning there was great persecution upon the church and Paul here is telling Timothy and equipping Timothy on how he must deal with hardship with affliction with trial and with difficulty and he does so in a series of commands in fact the bulk of chapter 2 are commands or imperatives given to Timothy on how he is to conduct himself in gospel ministry so I want to read the chapter and then as I said our focus will be on verses 1 to 7 so 2nd Timothy chapter 2 beginning in verse 1 you therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also you therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ no one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier and also if anyone competes in athletics he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules the hard-working farmer must be first to partake of the crops consider what I say and may the lord give you understanding in all things remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer even to the point of chains but the Word of God has not chained therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory this is a faithful saying for if we died with them we shall also live with them if we endure we shall also reign with them if we deny him he will also or he also will deny us if we are faithless he remains faithful he cannot deny himself remind them of these things charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit to the ruin of the hearers be diligent to present yourself approved to God a worker who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth but shun profane and idle babblings for they will increase to no to more ungodliness and their message will spread like cancer hymenaeus and philetus are of this sort who have strayed concerning the truth saying that the resurrection has already passed and they overthrow the faith of some nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands having this seal the Lord knows those who are his and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity but in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay some for honor and some for dishonor therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter he will be a vessel for honor sanctified and useful for the master prepared for every good work flee also youthful lusts but pursue righteousness faith love peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure art but avoid foolish and ignorant disputes knowing that they generate strife and a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all able to teach patient in humility correcting those who are in opposition if God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil having been taken captive by him to do his will amen let us pray father we thank you for the written word we thank you that it's given to us by inspiration of God Almighty and that its profitable for our souls and we pray tonight that the spirit of gave the word would guide us in our understanding of that word and that you would help us to appropriate it by faith help us to put into practice the things that are indicated here by the Apostle Paul again forgive us for our sins and our unrighteousness help us to see the mindset that is necessary for the Christian people for the people of God in this lower world and do fill us now with the spirit and guide us in our in our understanding we pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord ayman well as I said this morning we study Dax chapters chapter 8 where there was a great persecution against the church and I looked at but we looked at 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verses 8 to 10 notice what he says in terms of his position and relative to the Word of God he says remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer even to the point of Chains but the Word of God is not chained under Christ the persecution of the church nevertheless yields beneficial results under Christ the persecution of the church oftentimes promotes holiness on the part of the people of God evangelism as we see there in Acts chapter 8 on the part of the people of God there are remedial purposes for the persecution that does or that Christians do face in this world so I thought it would be good for us to look at the exhortation specifically in verses 1 to 7 as Paul is preparing Timothy for a life that is punctuated by trials afflictions and hardships but to appreciate chapter 2 verses 1 to 7 we need to go back into chapter one specifically Paul tells Timothy in verses 8 to 10 the Timothy needs to join with Paul in suffering for the cause of the gospel notice in 2nd Timothy 1:8 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 so Timothy is to join with Paul he is to endure hardship he is to suffer affliction he is to undergo persecution and the heartaches associated with Christian ministry Paul highlights Paul's example in the verses that follow specifically in verses 11 and 12 he gives Timothy specific exhortation in verses 13 and 14 of chapter 1 on how he has to conduct himself notice 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 Timothy is to hold fast the pattern of sound words he's not to hold them lightly he's not to be effeminate but rather he is to be a man that holds fast to the word of truth he goes on to say he is to keep that which has been committed to him by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us now in the remainder of the chapter here in Chapter one he gives examples of those who have departed those who have reneged those who have not persevered and those who have abandoned or deserted the Apostle Paul so there's negative examples but there is this one positive example in this man onesimus and God or Paul rather wants him to find mercy on that day so the Apostle there is very much concerned with Timothy's faithfulness he is very much concerned with Timothy's perseverance he is very much concerned that Timothy endure hardship that he participate in it and that he does not apostatize or reject the faith and that's the purpose of chapter two he gives him the series of commands to show to him how he needs to function in light of the things that have been stated in chapter one so I want to look at verses 1 to 7 the small others seek evening under three considerations there is first the command to be strong in verse 1 secondly the duty to Train pastors in verse 2 and then the exhortation to suffer hardship in verses 3 to 7 but note in the first place this command to be strong in verse 1 you therefore that therefore connects us with everything he's already said previously in Chapter 1 he is to not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord he is not to be ashamed of the prisoner or Paul is prisoner but he is rather according to verse 8 to share with Paul in the sufferings for the Gospel according to the power of God in order for Timothy to do this in order for Timothy to be the man of God that Timothy is supposed to be Paul now exhorts him in verse 1 you therefore my son be strong you're not to be passive you're not to be weak you're not to be a coward but rather you are to be strong but it's not a native strength he says be strong in the grace of or in the grace that is in Jesus so it's not just dis positionally sort of alpha males that are to be the leaders in the church rather it is those who are strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus our Lord so there's obviously a need for strength in the Christian ministry but we also also ought to appreciate that this is a general exhortation for all of the people of God I don't want anybody here to tune out tonight and say well you know this doesn't apply to me because I'm not a Timothy in a local church this doesn't apply to me because I'm not a vocational pastor this doesn't apply to me because I'm not set apart for gospel ministry whatever is true for gospel ministers ought to be pursued by everybody in the Church of Jesus Christ for example in 1st Timothy chapter 3 you have the qualification for elders and you have the qualification for deacons no man should ever come to that passage and skip it and say well you know I don't have to be the husband of one wife I don't have to have good conduct I don't have to be the sort of person that that's in viewing this passage because I'm not being considered for the eldership or for the diaconate this is the calling of God for each and every person but with reference to 1st Timothy 3 it must be exemplified in those men that are going to be called by God through the church into service as elders and deacons but in terms of the the specific exhortation of Timothy yeah it obtains he's a Christian minister he's in a difficult situation he needs to be strong but each and every one of us need to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus there is that need John Gill says to be strong in it is to preach it boldly to defend it bravely and courageously oppose every error and heresy and every better thereof you see this back in 1st Timothy chapter 1 notice what Paul says in 1st Timothy 1:18 he says excuse me this charge I commit to you son Timothy according to the prophecies previously made concerning you that by them you may wage the good warfare having faith and a good conscience which some having rejected concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck of whom are hymenaeus and Alexander whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme so Timothy is to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus you'll know that I oftentimes invoke first Corinthians 16 3 the the verb in our New King James has beat brave the actual definition according to a very you know basic standard lexicon or dictionary of the Greek the the definition is conduct oneself in a manly or courageous way this morning I made the observation that the church doesn't just need males it needs men to preach and each and to be bold and be courage a full of courage but that's the specific definition given and so the NASB ESV render it better act like men the old King James has kwikki like men in other words men and women are to act like men the idea is courage boldness bravery steadfastness perseverance endurance dealing with the various things that come upon you in a way that is well pleasing to God again it's not a natural disposition that only a certain few men have or possess because they're by nature straw he says you be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus it originates with the triune not it is specifically connected to the Lord Christ Kelly says Timothy is to show manly resolution not my daughter Kelly but a commentator named Kelly Timothy is to show manly resolution but the real strength of his efforts will come from the grace Christ freely gives you see that interplay there there must be that boldness and courage on the part of the man but there must be that grace of Christ again not just for ministers of the gospel but for all of us in our Christian lives now notice secondly what Paul says in verses 2 in verse 2 there is a duty to train pastors and I love the way he just transitions here he doesn't say well you know this is something unique to a few churches if they have the time they can develop a pastoral training program and then equip men four gospel ministry no it's never a matter of if you have time this is a responsibility laid upon local churches and elders - look out among them to find faithful men and to equip those faithful men so that they may in turn teach others this isn't an add-on to an already busy ministry but rather this is incorporated into a busy ministry this is part and parcel of pastoral ministry is to develop or identify and develop men so that they may likewise teach others that's the emphasis in verse 2 and it's not a digression or a diversion so in verse 1 he says I want you to endure I want you to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and then in verses 3 to 7 I want you to endure hardship but before I get into that I want to digress and just talk about equip know it's vital and necessarily connected to the whole other words the Christian ministry was never envisaged to operate alone men aren't supposed to be a one-man operation when it comes to the Ministry of the gospel in the context of the local church there needs to be a team of men there needs to be a plurality of elders there needs to be many servants in the Church of Jesus Christ if a church is carrying out her role her particular task in a responsible godly and biblical way it will require a great deal of work and no one man should ever be called to shoulder the entirety of that work and so men are called specifically to identify faithful men notice what he says and the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also said Paul assumes that Timothy will be able to identify in the context of the local church who is a faithful man who has the potential or the capacity to learn doctrine to learn the Bible and then to teach others also and Timothy and his fellow elders churches today in their eldership ought to be identifying faithful men they ought to ought to be equipping those faithful men so that in turn those faithful men can be ordained or installed in the gospel ministry that they may teach others also some mention this morning brethren the harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few we need man we need men that are biblically qualified men that are biblically trained men that are biblically set apart for gospel ministry Vernon needs a pastor Vancouver needs a church Lower Mainland needs more churches I'll get calls or I'll get requests can you recommend a church in Vancouver this is a large city full of many many people and it's tough at times to recommend a good church brethren these things ought not to be we ought to pray to God the Lord to raise up man and to send them out so we can plant churches so that we can preach the gospel so that we can do what those disciples did when they left Judea left Jerusalem they go into Judea and Samaria they are scattered and they are preaching the word of the Lord that is the crying need of our day churches don't need more programs they certainly don't need more puppets and they don't need more ponies they don't need more rock bands they don't need more entertainment they don't meet need more hip guys in their torn jeans holding their lattes they need faithful men that are described in first and second Timothy faithful men that are qualified according to first Timothy three men that will stand up that will cry aloud that will spare not but will prosecute the truth of God's holy word in a godless and vile age that is the need for our day and if we are not praying to that end shame on us if we as a church are not trying to bring that to pass shame on us if we are not looking around and seeing faithful man then we ought to be on our knees praying that the Lord will bring that again parents bring your boys up just to you know encourage them gospel ministry is a legitimate calling under God and it's most valuable and most necessary today you don't have to treat it as some esoteric mysterious thing they have to have a vision you know the heavens have to open before they'll ever be few you know feel the call to to go in to gospel ministry encourage that kids at 15 16 17 18 boys that make confessions of faith and an exhibit godliness why wouldn't we try to produce or promote in them the pursuit of gospel ministry the pursuit of a theological education the pursuit of faithfulness in the context of the local church the Brethren when it comes to this identification of faithful men I don't think it's that hard I really don't think it's that hard well you know that guy he glows no that's not it that guy has a halo no that's not it he's faithful he shows up at every meeting I've often said and will continue to say nobody ever ought to be considered for the eldership in a church that hasn't proven themselves as faithful members if you don't come to church regularly if you don't participate in the means of grace if you are not a team player in that regard why would we want you to preach to us good church friendship is the first and necessary ingredient before we ever put a man forward for gospel ministry he's the sort of guy that's there he's the sort of guy that's faithful he's the sort of guy that doesn't whine he's the sort of guy that doesn't complain he's the sort of guy that does what he's supposed to do again it's not magic it's not mystery but rather it is faithfulness as our brother just exhorted us from Malachi chapter 2 it ain't Fame that preachers should be seeking it's faithfulness that preachers should be seeking it's that sensationalism but rather it's the the normal the ordinary and the persevering that God blesses in the long run and Paul says to Timothy be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus but Timothy you can't do this on your own Timothy you will die if you try to be the faithful man of God apart from having any help or any assistance you have to look out among you you have to identify those men you have to commit God a gospel truth to them and then give them the opportunity to likewise teach these things to others you see gospel ministry can never be undertaken by one man there must be a plurality of men and this is Paul's point George Knight says faithfulness negatively consists in their not losing with reference to these men not losing neglecting ignoring or falsifying like the false teachers mentioned in this letter what Paul has said and positively consists of their handling accurately the word of truth notice that Paul mentions by name specific persons that have defected notice this hymenaeus and philetus in chapter 2 verse 17 their message will spread like cancer hymenaeus and philetus or of this sort what was their heresy what was their error verse 18 who has strayed concerning the truth saying that the resurrection is already past and they overthrow the faith Essam now some of us might go wow that's an odd thing that anybody would ever believe that well there's a doctrine out there called hyper hyper preterism which teaches essentially the same thing it's also identified as the hymen and heresy it is a denial of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ bodily gloriously and for the express purpose to judge the living in the dead the disaffected are plagued the churches in the church in Corinth as well Paul deals with that in 1st Corinthians 15 some have said the resurrection has already occurred again we think this is odd and awkward but it's out there in our own generation visa vie hyper preterism I don't go home and Google hyper preterism it's not a very edifying thing to do I can't forbid you but you know just don't waste the time on that because it can be dangerous these aren't fools they're not dumb I always tell new believers or I don't know always I like to think I always tell new believers you're not ready and equipped to go against a 20-year veteran of Jehovah's Witnesses even though you're absolutely right and they're absolutely wrong you don't know enough yet and it happens with hyper preterism it's kind of like you know if you ever gone to the beach and there's an undercurrent you start off here and then lo and behold you end up half a mile down the beach why is that because there's undertow or an undercurrent and it takes you astray hyper preterism I think functions that way because there's a there's a rationality about it an internal logic about it and people get sucked into it so that's my sort of qualifier to not go home and Google hyper preterism but the point is is that the Apostle Paul tells Timothy that he cannot do it on his own the apostle paul tells timothy he is to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus he tells Timothy that he's also to identify and equip other men so that they will be able to teach others also in other words this is not a one-man show Timothy you need to be strong but you need to be wise you need to be strong but you need to be smart you need to be strong but you need to Malta multiply your efforts by training men so that they can in turn go out and teach others also now notice thirdly the exhortation to suffer hardship verses three to seven he says you therefore must endure you must share with me hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ you therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ go back to 1:8 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 Paul knows what's happening in terms of his own life and ministry Paul knows he's at the end Paul knows that this is probably it for him and history tells us he was right he knew the time of his departure was at hand he knew that he was going to go the way of all flesh he knew that he was going to be inducted into that that blessed place where the spirits of just men made perfect dwell in the presence of God most high he knew that and so there's a specific emphasis by Paul on equipping Timothy so that Timothy can in turn carry the baton for the next generation and so Paul wants Timothy to function in a way that is Pauline he wants Timothy to function the way that Paul himself had function and Paul knows he did it by the grace of God he's not saying I'm the model I'm the this guy ever but God poured grace out on Paul God used Paul mightily and Paul says to Timothy I want you to follow my example so that's the emphasis here in chapter 2 verses 3 to 7 so he first issues this command verse 3 you must there are you therefore must endure or you must share hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ now that military and martial imagery is used often by the Apostle Paul fact let's look at a few places notice in Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter 2 at verse 25 this idea of being a good soldier of Jesus Christ it's a blessed or beautiful analogy of what life in the Christian ministries like notice in Philippians 2:25 yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother fellow worker and fellow soldier but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need 1st Timothy chapter 1 first Timothy chapter 1 we already read it verse 18 wage the good warfare waged the good warfare in other words what you're doing Timothy is not CEO ISM what you're doing Timothy is not pep-rally what you're doing Timothy is not just giving the people a shot in the arm so they can make it through the present wait Timothy you're engaged in warfare there's bullets whizzing by there's napalm there's there's there's all kinds of of enemy oppression and you need to be aware of that and you need to be mindful of that Philemon to Philemon - to Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer to the beloved Afiya archippus our fellow soldier and to the church in your house 1st Timothy chapter 6 while the soldier references absent the fighting emphasis is present notice in 1st Timothy 6:12 fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life to which you are also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses and then in 2nd Timothy 4:7 2nd Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight I have finished the race I have kept the faith finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which Lord the righteous judge will give to me on that day and not to me only but also to all who have loved his appearing so the presupposition is clear the Christian life generally and the Christian ministry specifically is filled with hardship it's filled with trial it's filled with difficulty it's not easy yet we're not just looking at the gospel ministry but in the general sense to live the Christian life in an obviously non-christian age is a tough thing for the people of God so Paul says you're supposed to do it like a good soldier and what's indicative of good soldiers they're devoted they're devoted they're not of two minds they're not divided but rather they are devoted to the one who had enlisted them and that's Paul's point in second Timothy 2 at verse 4 he says no one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier so he is engaged in warfare and he is engaged in it in a devoted manner he's not of two minds he's not of two opinions he's not of two loyalties but rather he follows his general he follows his master and he does whatever the master bids John Calvin says we see how many there are every day that throw away their spears who formerly made a great show of our when does this arise because they cannot be inured that means to habituate to something undesirable they cannot be inured to the cross first they are so effeminate that they shrink from warfare next they do not know any other way of fighting than to contend haughtily and fiercely with their adversaries and they cannot bear to learn what it is to possess their souls in patience so in one hand they're too effeminate to even engage in the warfare but on the other hand there are hot Headz they don't know how to engage in a manner that is distinctly Christian and Paul gives counsel with reference to that later in the chapter notice in verse 24 the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all able to teach patient in humility correcting those who are in opposition if God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil having been taken captive by him to do his will we are good soldiers of Jesus Christ we're good soldiers out there to promote the cause of Jesus Christ using worldly or satanic methodology cursing at people on Facebook doesn't promote the cause of God and truth cursing at people in a private dialogue and shouting at them on why they're wrong or foolish and how they need to submit to the truth of God's Holy Word does not advance the cause of God and truth this is Paul's point with reference to later in the chapter but in terms of second Timothy two three and four the soldier is devoted and with reference to gospel ministry in particular notice he says in verse four no one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier the roman soldier did not farm and engage in commerce the roman soldier didn't work at 7/11 and then go out to battle the roman soldier didn't work at wherever else and then go out to battle he was devoted to his master and this is Paul's point here and when we come to this particular passage I don't think the emphasis is on ministers withdrawing oh they're cloistered away in their little monastery and you can't ever bug them that that's not the point it's not withdrawal but it's rather don't be distracted that Malachi 2 thing again it's that what is the calling of the Christian minister thing again it's not to rev up the people of God it's not to be a holy cheerleader it's not to be a CEO it's not to be a manager or one that is you know task oriented to make sure it's to be a preacher of God's holy work do not be distracted from that I read recently of a seminary professor who said that whenever one of his students are late with a paper submission he either fails them or gives them you know a letter grade less I think he should fail them but maybe he just gives them a letter grade less you know what his rationale is you got a preach on Sunday you got a preach on Sunday there's no well you know I didn't get to it this week it's one of the things about the life of a preacher there's always two deadlines every week well three depending on what the week looks like maybe four depending on what the week may put could be five depending on what the week what looks like there's always deadlines and Paul's point is not withdraw all but it's rather don't be distracted certainly the church should look after her ministers and make sure they have adequate support so that they don't need to work at seven eleven and so they can give themselves to the Ministry of the word and to doctrine but differently than other positions in this world Steve or other beacons don't call me on Thursday and say did you get your sermon done are you ready for Sunday maybe they should once in a while that might you know burn the light the candle under me for even further exploits under God but but there's no micromanagement going on there if a man of God isn't disciplined if he's not devoted to his cause he's going to fritter away time he's gonna waste time he's not going to do the thing that God has called him to do and the soldier of Jesus Christ is devoted to his master and he functions in a manner that is appropriate towner says the soldiers goal is to please or satisfy the wishes of the commander who expects nothing less than complete attention to duty so that the military objectives will be accomplished now having been in the military I understand this when the commander gives orders you don't say but wait a minute I just don't think I want to do that you never say that you do what you're told you obey you're devoted to the mission to the master you don't ask questions you function the way you're supposed to and this is what Paul wants for Timothy again as our brother set you're not to be novel you're not to be innovative you're not to be creative you're to be obedient you to be devoted to the master who called you you to do his will his bidding it's not your task to reorient things do you ever get that where people go to work and they tell the boss well there's a better way to do this you've just been hired maybe you ought to just be quiet for a while and learn the ropes before you try to manage everybody into everything else you see Paul says Timothy as a good soldier of Jesus Christ you need to be devoted but notice what else Paul does and again I hope that you're not all saying boy this only applies to Jim Butler it doesn't you all need to be devoted soldiers of Jesus Christ you all need to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus but as well you need to have the discipline of an athlete the discipline of an athlete Paul says devotion of a soldier notice as well he says you need the discipline of an athlete verse 5 and also if anyone competes in athletics he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules go back to 1st Corinthians chapter 9 I love Paul uses manly metaphor manly metaphor soldiering running fighting manly metaphor father's train your son's up with manly metaphors not ballet or you know maybe ballet is a manly thing I don't know but notice in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 at verse 24 do you not know that those who run in a race all run but one receives the prize it's another thing we've got you know participation trophies today boy we don't want to hurt anybody's self-esteem we have to give them a participation trophy you get rewarded for just showing up come on used to be got rewarded when you won that's the way it ought to be and that's the the basis upon which Paul's metaphor works we participated so let's give him an award no let's teach him he should participate without any sort of external stimuli you know you get these perfect attendance awards at work just show up that that's why they pay you it's to show up you shouldn't get a reward for doing what you're expected to do but such as the age in which we live we have to reward basic behavior because it's so lacking among so many today well you know he showed up that's great that that deserves a reward you know there was a time in at least Canada in America when it wasn't like that if you just did what you were supposed to do without the external stimuli but notice what Paul says first Corinthians 9:24 do you not know that those who run in a race all run but one receives the prize run in such a way that you may obtain it now kids don't go home and throw you throw away your participation trophies I'm not trying to rain on your parade here go ahead and keep them but I say speaking this it's occurring to me that some of these little guys might be shattered and go throw their trophies away don't don't do that run in such a way that you may obtain it and everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things now they do it to obtain a perishable crown but we for an imperishable crown it's an interesting thing everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things you've heard of what athletes go through in order to you know get shredded and ripped and you know eight percent or ten percent body fat and they don't even use toothpaste because there's a you know a hint of sugar in it and it might bring out some water weight and they don't do that they're temperate in all things they don't go out and party on Friday night they don't knock back beers the day before competition they go to bed early they get up early and they buff at their body and Paul says they do that to get a temporal crown they do that to get a laurel wreath wrapped around their head and maybe tickets to the theater that was the prize for athletics at this particular time you see Paul's point these guys put their bodies through such rigor to get a laurel wreath wrapped around their head for a time and get theater theater tickets but what do we have going for us what is it that that that is our prize what is in our future and how should we learn to fight and everyone who competes for the prize verse 25 is temperate in all things now they do it to a obtain a perishable crown but we for an imperishable crown therefore I runned us not with uncertainty thus I fight not as one who beats the air but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection last when I have preached to others i myself should become disqualified turn over to first Timothy 4 and just to see this athletic imagery utilized by the Apostle Paul and then we'll work our way back to Timothy in 2nd Timothy but in 1st Timothy chapter 4 verse 7 well verse 6 if you instruct the Brethren or by instructing the Brethren when we might translate by instructing the Brethren in these things you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ nourished in the words of faith and of good doctrine which you have carefully followed but reject profane and old wives fables and notice exercise yourself toward godliness the Naas renders that discipline yourself for godly Ness the athletic imagery obtains here and Paul uses it for Timothy he says reject profane and old wives fables and exercise yourself toward godliness for bodily exercise profits a little but godliness is profitable for all things now before you say well I don't need to exercise physically because Paul says it's profitable for little the comparison is the godliness profits for now and the age to come bodily exercise does profit now and we should utilize it don't ever go to first Timothy 4 and say well you know Paul denigrates the place of bodily exercise so therefore I'm going to lay on my couch and the only exercise I'm going to get is throwing food into my mouth that's not Paul's point it's a comparative godliness is profitable for now and the age to come versus a physical discipline physical exercise which is profitable now it is profitable it profits a little again in comparison with the lot that godliness profits but the emphasis here is primarily upon Timothy's need to exercise himself toward godly Ness back to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 he is to exhibit the devotion of the soldier he is to exhibit the discipline of the athlete and then notice thirdly he is to exhibit the diligence of the farmer verse 6 the hard-working farmer must be first to partake of the crops been a nice thing to live in Chilliwack for the last one he plus years I have seen this display I have seen this evidence I have seen firsthand what this passage looks like among some even in this room growing up in Southern California I didn't ever visit dairy farms I know I guess I should have but I just never did but having lived here I have I've seen what farmers do I've seen how they do it and my hats off to them they are most diligent in the execution of their duties they correctly know that if they don't get up at oh darn 30 and they don't go out and do what they're supposed to in terms of their animals or land they're likely to starve to death that's a great motivator and a great impetus for one to get out of bed and these men are in fact diligent and they do these things so that they can participate in the crops themselves we need to understand Paul's point he wants Timothy to do what he calls him to do with the devotion of the soldier the discipline of the athlete and the diligence of the father George Knight again says Paul has called on Timothy to suffer hardship and his place before him three models for him to consider in that service the soldier who pleases his commander and is not distracted from his service to him the law-abiding athlete who gains the crown I love that with reference to I bypassed that in verse five also if anyone completes in athletics he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules he doesn't revise the rules he doesn't develop new rules he doesn't say well you know I don't want to do a 440 I'd rather do a 330 he does what he's supposed to do and then he goes on to say and the hard-working farmer who receives his share of the crops together they speak of a vigorous and undivided service that is rewarded but as we close out this particular section what do we do at verse seven verse seven seems to sort almost hang there you've got the the devotion of the soldier the discipline of the athlete the diligence of the farmer at least back when I initially preached this I must have worked out in my head or thought through this and I came up with up with the dedication of the disciple or I saw it in George Knight or you know Kelly or one of these other brothers but notice the dedication of the disciple here to be devoted like a soldier discipline like an athlete diligent like a farmer but you're supposed to be dedicated like a disciple notice in verse seven consider what I say and may the lord give you understanding in all things he wants timothy to reflect he wants timothy to understand he wants timothy to apply the things that he has heard and then he says and may the lord give you understanding in all things the lord gives understanding with reference to things that have already been revealed in other words paul has instructed timothy didactically paul has given him information paul has passed on knowledge but paul realizes that apart from the lord's blessing that knowledge will not be internalized and then exemplified in Timothy's ministry life and conduct and I want you to notice the interplay here between serious thought and Sovereign Grace the interplay between serious thought and Sovereign Grace verse 7 consider what I say serious thought and may the lord give you understanding in all things Sovereign Grace see we're not supposed to suspend serious thought we're not supposed to say well I'm just going to empty my mind and may the lord give me wisdom in all that no we're not supposed to do that we're not supposed to bypass serious thought banking on sovereign grace to deliver us from our ineptitudes we're supposed to use our minds we're supposed to exercise our minds we're supposed to be intellectually regular rigorous we're supposed to give thought to and contemplation of what the Apostle has spoken by inspiration of the Holy Spirit understand ultimately that it is the Lord who gives us an understanding in all things so there is this command to Timothy to listen and there is this petition for Timothy that God's grace would bring this message home to him well in conclusion I want to first notice that there is I have here in my notes the perpetual presence of hardship perhaps I should just say the presence of hardship we can overdo it on the perpetual 'ti of hardship as well God is good god is kind we're not being you know arrested presently we get to worship here we've got brand-new wonderful hymn books that make a nice sound when you pull them out of the out of the slot there I've been told that by several and I witnessed it for myself sitting out there this evening and it is quite pleasing we have many good things it's not a constant rigorous oppressive thing going on in our lives the Lord is good he is kind go to first Timothy chapter 4 for just a moment I think we forget this at times first Timothy 4:1 now the spirit expressly says that in the latter times or that in latter times some will depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons speaking lies in hypocrisy having their own conscience seared with a hot iron now what's the particulars involved look at what Paul says our deceiving spirits doctrines have been and speaking lies in hypocrisy he says in verse eight forbidding to marry again I've thought how can Roman Catholics ever read that and continue to subscribe to a celibate clergy it's just never the intention of God to do that to his servants God's far more kind than the papal church but that is a doctrine of demon to forbid marriage but as well and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with Thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth God's got at war with you having a good state God's not at war with you having a good miel and by God's grace we get to enjoy such things fact look at verse 4 for every creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused if it is received with Thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer now probably what's in view there is some sort of incipient Gnosticism this idea that matter is bad marriage VAD steak bad spirit good that's not Christianity Christianity recognizes that God is not at war with us as creatures he's at war with us as sinners we are creatures marriage is given for our benefit steaks are given for our benefit there are many good things given by God and the sanctified mind has no problem enjoying those blessings and benefits now I say all that to simply highlight that at least for us in Chilliwack and abbotsford in the 21st century our lives are not marked by perpetual hardship that would be an overstatement but with reference to Christianity there is hardship there is persecution there is that enmity against the people of God directed at them by Satan through the agents that he has in this world and we need to appreciate the reality not only in the gospel ministry but in the Christian life you will be opposed from time to time you will be resisted from time to time you may be persecuted from time to time what's the answer to run home and cry no be a good soldier of Jesus Christ be devoted to your master the discipline like an athlete be diligent like a farmer and be dedicated like a disciple that's how you face the suffering and the persecution and the affliction and the trial that you may face you can't put your thumb in your mouth and fall down and assume the fetal position and just hope that everything goes away that is not the response from the people of God the people of God are supposed to imbibe what Paul portrays here in terms of a good soldier of Jesus Christ secondly I'd like to give us all an exhortation on perseverance long timers here we'll we'll understand the reference to the middle mile was a devotional I read many many years ago must have been I don't know eighteen how long have I been trotting this one out for 15 18 years but there was a devotional that I read the fellow highlighted the importance of the middle mile and when you look at a race for instance and if you were to say it was you know 26 miles let's say it was a marathon that that first mile is where a lot of people gather to see the running begin the 26th mile is a place where you would gather because you want to see the running end especially if you are one of the runners but there's pomp and show at the beginning at the end it's that middle stuff you know nobody goes and you know stakes out mile markers 13 at a marathon oh I really like to watch them wheeze and almost collapse there they don't typically do that there at the beginning or there at the end what do you think is probably the most difficult spot for the marathon runner it's not the beginning when everybody's cheering him on go go go it's not the end when everybody's cheering him on go go go go it's the middle mile when there's nobody there cheering him on it's the middle mile where it's him alone it's the middle mile where he's got a persevere where he's got to endure where he's got to keep himself on his legs where he has to resist the temptation to vomit and to lose every sense of his being he has got to be faithful and persevering and it occurs to me that this is an apt analogy of the Christian life we get converted everybody's happy for us we're dying on our deathbed everybody's happy for us not that we're dying but that we're going to go into the presence of our Lord but it's the middle mile it's what we are before God on our own we need to persevere we need to endure and the tendency or the temptation might flood our hearts to shave off some rough edges to not manifest the same sort of zeal that we in the first few miles we're going to just adopt a position or posture where we're gonna coast and and hopefully we are gonna make it that's unacceptable what Paul describes here in terms of the devotion of the soldier the discipline of the athlete the diligence of the farmer and the dedication of the disciple must obtain throughout the career of the man of God it is never okay to say well you know I used to really love to hang out with the people of God now not so much I used to really love my Bible reading but now not so much I used to really like to pray but now not so much brethren we need to take ourselves by the scruff of the neck and give ourselves a good shake and and and put finger and face and say you need to run you need to endure you need to persevere our confession of faith is wonderful here what's the basis of our perseverance this perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will but upon the immutability of the decree of election flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him the oath of God the abiding of his spirit and the seed of God within them and the nature of the covenant of grace from all which arises also the certainty and infallibility thereof essentially we persevere by God's grace but then the confession ends on a most practical note and I don't read this to sort of justify any inactivity on our part or any compromise on our part but to encourage us because perhaps we are sluggish perhaps we are in a rut you're the only difference between a rut and a gray there's depth and maybe God will use this to stir some of us up to look at ourselves afresh and say so I need to run the way I used to run our confession highlights and though they may through the temptation of Satan and of the world the prevalence II of corruption remaining in them and the neglect of means of their preservation fall in degree the sins and for a time continue their end whereby they incur God's displeasure and grievous Holy Spirit come to have their Grace's and comforts impaired have their hearts hardened and their consciences wounded hurt and scandalized others and bring temporal judgments upon themselves yet shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end again I don't read that so that will go out and be neglectful so that will go out and be sluggish in that middle mile but if under God this sermon finds us out and we can conclude that we've been in a rut there's great encouragement there's forgiveness with God that he may be fear there's mercy with God there's renewal of repentance there's renewal of that desire to run the race with endurance looking on to Jesus the author and finisher of faith well brethren I hope that this is helpful and to hope that we together will persevere that we together will endure hardship and that we together will show the devotion the discipline the the diligence and the dedication that Paul says Timothy is to manifest and by extension not all God and not just all gospel ministers but every disciple of Jesus Christ well let us close in a word of Prayer father we thank you for your word we thank you for these admonitions and exhortations in our Bibles and we pray that your Holy Spirit would be at work in our hearts and in our lives help us to not be sluggish help us to shake off any any sorts of things that we've developed in our own hearts or lives that are contrary to the Christian race give us grace Lord God to endure to run to be diligent to be devoted to be disciplined and all the things that Paul says in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 I thank you for the brothers and the sisters here I thank you for our local church help us to be healthy help us to pursue the things that are pleasing in your sight and would you go with us now and cause your face to shine upon us may we know your peace may we know your preservation may we know your protection in this coming week and we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed