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well please turn with me in your Bibles to second Timothy chapter one second Timothy chapter one this is a bit of a counterpart message to Mike's message last week in Romans chapter one the Apostle said I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation tonight we're going to consider his exhortation to Timothy specifically in verses 8 to 10 when he tells Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but I do want to read beginning in verse 1 in 2nd Timothy chapter 1 Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus 2 Timothy a beloved son grace mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord I thank God who might serve with a pure conscience as my forefathers did as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day greatly desiring to see you being mindful of your tears that I may be filled with joy when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am persuaded as in you also therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel to which I was appointed a preacher an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles for this reason I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that day hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus that good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us this you know that all those in Asia have turned away from me among whom are five jealous and her Majin 'is the Lord grant mercy to the household of Inessa forests we often refresh me and was not ashamed of my chain but when he arrived in Rome he sought me out very zealously and found me the Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that day and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus amen let us pray father we thank you for your word we thank you for this letter of Paul to Timothy and for the great instruction that it carries to the church and we pray that you would guide us and help us now by the power of your Holy Spirit caused us to reflect upon the the truth of the gospel but God certainly the gospel is most excellent and most wonderful and how we thank you that by your grace you've made us partakers of it we know it wasn't our works as Paul so clearly outlines here it wasn't because we chose for Jesus but it's because God purposed to save a great multitude through the redemptive suffering and death and resurrection of his only beloved only begotten Son we thank you and help us to worship you a right tonight help us to reflect upon our saviors death and resurrection help us Lord God to find great encouragement in the word of truth fill us with the spirit forgive us for our sins and grant us grace now we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well just a bit of a background or a bit of a contact for us as we approach verses 8 to 10 Paul greets Timothy in verses 1 to 2 he reveals to Timothy his prayer for him and then he reminds Timothy to stir up the gift of God which was in iam notice in verses 6 & 7 therefore I remind to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind and then he calls Timothy or he specifically exhorts Timothy to not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord it's very important that we understand where 2nd Timothy was written in terms of Paul's ministry I don't mean the particularly patient but the particular time of life this was Paul's last letter this is the last one that he would ban to not only Timothy but to the church as a whole and so it's important for Paul that the men that he leaves behind before he departs from this world and he goes to his crown and his rejoicing it is important that he encourages Timothy to faithfulness it is in Kerr important for Timothy for Paul rather to encourage Timothy and others like Timothy to maintain loyalty and fidelity to the Lord Jesus Christ so he calls upon Timothy to not be ashamed in verse 8 and then in verses 9 and 10 he explains the gospel and it's very intriguing because he doesn't say it in this manner Timothy I don't want you to be ashamed of the gospel and here I'm going to explain the gospel now so that you'll know what you're not supposed to be ashamed of but rather he references the power of God and then that leads Paul to consider the glorious truth of the gospel so we do have a description in verses 9 and 10 but not as a reminder to Timothy here's the gospel here's what you're not to be ashamed of but Paul just launches into this explanation in the context of telling Timothy not to be ashamed Paul then highlights specifically in verse 11 his role in God's redemptive plan he is a preacher an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles and then highlights or underscores his own suffering for the cause of God and truth in verse 12 he says for this reason I also suffer these things he's not calling Timothy to something that he is not engaged in himself rather he is calling Timothy to suffer alongside of him to enter into the gospel minister in such a way that if it means suffering if it means death if it means imprisonment then Timothy will no doubt do so and then Paul gives Timothy an exhortation in terms of doctrine notice in verses 13 and 14 Timothy is not only supposed to suffer for the gospel but he's never to relinquish the truth of the gospel he is not to relax he is not to be innovative or creative he is not to kowtow to the society around him the rather he is to maintain a firm grip on the gospel he says hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus that good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us so a faithful minister of the gospel is committed to suffering for the gospel and he's also committed to holding the truth of the gospel he is not going to relinquish it he is not going to let go and then Paul ends the chapter by citing specific examples - particularly that were unfaithful that were ashamed this fie jealous and homogeneous but one who was not ashamed and a man by the name of Vanessa for us so the emphasis by Paul for Timothy is to maintain faithfulness and loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ with reference to gospel ministry so let's look a bit a bit more detail at verses 8 to 10 in the first place note that Paul himself is a pattern for gospel ministry says therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner as I said Mike preached last night last week Romans 1 Paul says I'm not ashamed of the gospel but is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek for in it for in that gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that as it is written the just shall live by faith Paul now tells Timothy to not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord but he also adds himself nor of me his prisoner no doubt this is Wi-Fi jealous and this is why our majah needs and this is why others in Asia turn their back on Paul they were ashamed of the fact that he was now in prison they were ashamed of the fact that he was now incarcerated they were ashamed of the fact that one of them is now in the jail and so they had been ashamed of Paul and by doing so they had been ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ he tells him not to be ashamed of the gospel and its chief proponent and to notice he says at the middle of verse eight but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God Reverend it ought to be obvious that those of us who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution faithful ministers of the gospel more often than not are not going to be heralded by society faithful ministers of the gospel are not going to be given the best parking spots and you know prestige and honor and that sort of thing they preach things that are offensive to the world at large and unfortunately offensive to many who profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and so there is suffering that is connected with gospel ministry that in particular 2nd Timothy 3:12 all who desire to live godly will suffer persecution so Paul wants Timothy to enter in to the sufferings for the testimony of the Lord and for the that is consistent with gospel ministry now as I said notice the flow it says share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God and then he goes on to explicate the gospel in verses 9 and 10 who has saved us and has called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel so two things we ought to observe here specifically first the description of God's plan of salvation in verse 9 and then the execution of God's plan of salvation in verse 10 but notice in the first place with reference to the description who the author of salvation is in other words tonight we're going to focus upon our Lord we are here being served by God the householder these elements to remind us specifically of the doing and the dying of his dear son to look at the Lord's Supper as our service to God it really is God's service to us it's a means by which he refreshes weary pilgrims on the way God owns this house God is the one who demands what is to be takes place in this house it is him that furnishes the bread and the wine it's him that calls us to this glorious table to reflect upon the salvation wrought by him and Paul indicates the author of salvation he says who has saved us it is God God is the one and God alone has saved us the austere is sinners sinners as God's as God finds them sinners undone and Adam sinners living in rebellion against God in his law sinners who do not do what God commands God has saved us is what the Apostle says it's a beautiful statement and we learn from Scripture that he saves us from our sins Matthew 1:21 he saves us from spiritual bondage John chapter 8 here specifically in verse 10 he saves us from death and damnation now note the power employed by God in his salvation so he'd be author and then noticed the power employed it says who has saved us and called us with a holy calling the means by which God calls sinners in the favor with him through Christ is effectual calling we learned that doctrine in our confession of faith but it's simply an articulation of what the Bible teaches see the gospel is preached to every man indiscriminately the gospel goes out to every single creature Jesus calls his people to go therefore and preach the gospel to every creature but not everybody responds not everybody is safe not everybody comes so there is this general call but then there is this internal call of this efficacious call or this effectual call and you can remember right in your own life there was a time when you were not speaking God there was a time when you were resisting God there was a time when you were at enmity with God and then God humbled you God drew you near God showed you your sins God showed you the Savior that's effectual calling Peter says God calls us out of darkness into his marvelous light it's a glorious and a wondrous thing and Paul highlights the power behind our salvation it's not us he's going to specify that more clearly in just a moment but God is the author and the means by which engages is through this effectual call and notice it's called a holy calling probably because God is holy what is a sense where it's a holy calling because God calls us unto holiness but because the emphasis here is on the power of God because it's on the initiative of God because it's on the sovereignty of God we are best to render this as a holy calling because God is a holy God so we have the author it is God through the means of the effectual call but notice in terms of description continuing the basis of our salvation notice who saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace so you see there's a negative statement it's not according to our words now I know that we're all sufficiently sufficiently educated on this point but it still bears reminding we're not here because we're good people we're not here because we successfully completed some tests we're not here because we signed a card or we walked an aisle or we you know raised our head when every eye was closed and every head was bowed or raised our hand we're not here as a result of our goodness we are here as a result of God's grace God's power God's effectual calling we are here because God is good not because we are good not according to our works this is a theme that is replete in Scripture turn to Romans chapter 3 Romans chapter 3 just to sample a few of these passages which indicate that our salvation is not according to our works our works if they were in fact a merit God's favor must be entirely exactly and perpetually done without the least amount of blemish or sin and such as simply not the case but notice in Romans 3:28 therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law it's not as a result of the deeds of the law no one can say therefore we conclude that a man is justified by his own law keeping as a result of his faithfulness as a result of the fact that he didn't go there he didn't do this he didn't do that and he did all these particular things no Paul says we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law notice in Romans four four and five now to him a works the wages are not counted his grace but his debt but the to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness you see that's what God in the gospel does he justifies the ungodly perhaps some might read that so wow that just doesn't seem that seems a bit odd God justifies the ungodly that's us prior to this effectual calling that's us prior to justification we are ungodly you know one of the most difficult things to believe about the gospel is it's that God actually receives us to himself that God actually forgives us that God does call us out of Darkness and the marvelous light how did you ponder that your own reality from one you know at one point or another I can't believe that God accepts me and it's not I can't believe it because it's not written in the scriptures I can't believe it because I just have this sort of mental assent or inability to accept I can't believe it because I'm such a wretch I can't believe it because I'm so ungodly I can't believe it because I was such a lawbreaker I can't believe it because I so lacked and formerly under the law but now he's brought me I throw the blood of Jesus Christ it's that kind of a I can't believe it it's so good you've heard that statement before it's too good to be true right they call you and tell you just one a a two week paid for cruise most likely that is too good to be true the gospel is on the one hand at least experientially at least sort of metaphysically or existential II rather it is too good to be true it's hard to wrap our minds around the fact that this God receives us in and through the Lord Jesus Christ but it is true it's so gloriously truth and we have God to thank for this grace for this mercy for forgiveness for the effectual call for justification by faith through the sanctification process and which he's working in us and for ultimate glorification when we enter in to the presence of God most high Romans 911 just to indicate again it's not by works that we have come into this place of salvation verse 10 not only this but when Rebekah also had conceived by one man even by our Father Isaac for the children not yet being born nor having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him who calls and then the clear statements obviously in the book of Galatians notice in Galatians chapter 2 Galatians chapter 2 verse 16 Paul says knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified so we ought to ponder this as God's people and consider the reality that we have been effectually called that we have been justified freely by His grace that we have been be graced by God and entered into the sphere of salvation so as Christians let us worship let us praise and let us adore for any and all who are here tonight that are not believers for and all who are here tonight that are not going to eat this bread we're not going to drink this cup who are not going to remember their Savior all of you need to see what Paul says in Galatians 2:16 salvation does not depend upon you doing better trying harder getting more serious or reforming your life externally salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone Paul's emphasis to you unbelievers tonight is to look to Christ to believe on Christ to look to the one in whom alone there is forgiveness even the redemption of sins through his blood notice knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified you see the gospel the message of salvation is not go try harder be better perform more consistently but to recognize your own depravity your own sinfulness your own lawlessness and wickedness and to look at Christ to believe on Christ to see him as that brazen serpent lifts it up into the wilderness that all those who looked upon him would live so believers rejoice in your God unbelievers believe on the Lord Jesus Christ it's a beautiful thing the glorious thing two wondrous thing when the Apostle Paul was had dealings with that Philippian jailer the Philippian jailer so sirs what must I do to be saved notice what Paul does not say well first determine whether or not you're V Lac first determine whether or not you've been predestined first determine what the secret things concerning God is know they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved you and your household it's a blessed wonderful truth you believe the gospel and you will be saved that's the emphasis that Paul sets forth here in 2nd Timothy 1:9 God has saved us and called us with a holy calling notice negatively not according to our works but now positively and he ascribes this to two things in particular according to his own purpose and grace according to his own purpose and grace notice the salvation that we enjoy did not come as a result of our deliberation of our initiative of our seeking Paul is clear in Romans 3 there is none righteous no not one there is none who does what seeks after God God is the seeking God you got that beautiful statement at the tree or at the bottom of the tree with Zacchaeus in Luke chapter 19 what does Jesus say he tells a key is to make haste and come down because I'm going to eat dinner at your house tonight imagine if you were Zacchaeus wouldn't it be a glorious thing this kind of run through that think about it just for a moment your Zacchaeus you're in the top of this tree cuz you're a little fella and you want to be able to see Jesus and Jesus comes over to your tree and he looks up there and he says come down because I'm gonna have supper at your house I don't think he's thinking did I put my shoes away I don't want the Lord to trip he he wants to have dinner with me he wants eat with me Christ wants to be with me what's the take-home message in that narrative the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost you know Christians today and rightly say so a rightly so say oh Christ is a seeking God trace that pattern throughout Scripture who comes Adam and Eve Adam and Eve run and hide from God God comes to them God promises to them God kills an animal to clothe that what about Abram with reference to early Chaldean calvess God calls a to himself God comes to Abram and tells him I'm going to bless the nation's through you God is a seeking God that is his pattern that is his his way and this is precisely what we see are not according to our works but according to his own purpose and his grace this is the contra to works it's God's purpose it's God's grace Calvin says although Paul commonly employs the word purpose to denote the secret decree of God the cause of which is his own power yet for the sake of fuller explanation he chose to add grace that he might more clearly exclude all reference to works in case you didn't get that it's not according to our works but according to his purpose and his grace those two are mutually exclusive it's not the case that grace and works sort of go hand in hand to make us commendable to God know it's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone which iya says the whole glory of our right to eternal life must be purely ascribed to the alone merit of our Lord and on no pretense be transferred to any one of our acts it's a great statement so notice as we continue we're describing God's plan of salvation we see the author we see the basis now note the pre temporal foundation of our salvation this wasn't sort of a reaction sort of a response you know we live like that don't we we do something and then we have to kind of put a plan B into a fact we might you know misjudge the the monthly budget and we might misjudge up you know on a map or you know we I don't even know if any of us use maps anymore but there was a time when you'd use a map you didn't have somebody in your car telling you turn right here you had to put a little more mental energy into it but but you end up lost or you end up short or you end up in some sort of a difficult situation and you have to react to it don't you I think at times person see sort of God like that sin sin entered into this world and God had to had to decide what's he going to - God had to act God had to react to this no that is not the way it is creation and Providence serve God's redemptive plan you see those means of those things are the means by which he executes his decree and Paul highlights that here not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus this in Christ motif is often utilized by Paul you see in Ephesians 1:3 2:14 over and over again but notice the pre temple foundation before time began before time began this observance of the Lord's Supper isn't happenstance it isn't walk it isn't chant it didn't just come about because we as a people decided hey let's do this before time began god purpose to save a great multitude which no man can number from every tribe every tongue every people in every nation it was before time began refers to God's eternal decree or eternal purpose or plan to save his people from their sins in covenantal language this refers to what's called the covenant of redemption that pre temporal transaction between the persons of the of the godhead in the about the salvation of his people and so we have that covenant of redemption specified here but now let's look at the execution of God's plan of salvation so the covenant of redemption coming to fruition and the covenant of grace notice in verse 10 but has now been revealed not a contrast like it was spoken of before time began but now the sense that something totally opposite but it's connected it was purposed before time began but it's now been revealed in other words what God had transacted the Father the Son and Holy Spirit has come to fruition when specifically he's going to indicate that but the manifestation of God's plan of salvation is now described by Paul verse 10 or the execution of it he says but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ so in the first coming of Christ the first advent of Christ when Christ was born as a babe in the language of Galatians 4 he was born of a woman born under the law to redeem those under the law but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ the reference specifically here is to the Incarnation it's to the work of our Savior it is his assumption of our humanity it is his identification with those whom he will redeem whatever is not assumed does not redeem and Christ takes on our likeness in all things accepting sin in order to bring about that eternal transaction that which took place before time began it's kind of an interesting way to even speed we say take place or before time began that's in our language the concept of eternity is somewhat difficult well it's absolutely difficult for creatures because we are time down we are constrained by time God is not God is not in time God is not subject to time and so this language of before time began but has now been is with reference to Christ's incarnation but it's suitable for our understanding as to what God is doing so the manifestation of the plan and then notice the accomplishment of the plan look at what Jesus has done verse 10 has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel giver mused on or considered the various passages in the Bible that speak to the gospel the author's use a wide array of images or a wide array of descriptors to kind of show us the significance of what's in view in gospel and this is quite a beautiful and who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel maybe this is somewhat peculiar to the larger eggs or a shun Timothy do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel what ultimately terrifies us about sufferings for the gospel its death isn't it you've probably heard or thought before I don't really mind dying because I know who might have believed and I'm going to be with him I I just don't want to be there when it happens it's not the what it's the how that kind of scares me a bit or I don't mind falling it's that sudden impact at the end it's quite the bother to see when Timothy is told to suffer our minds are oriented this way suffering may mean imprisonment suffering may mean a pain suffering may include death look at what your saviors time look at what Christ has done he has abolished death yes there's still temporal physical death Timothy you're not going to possibly escape that but you need to think beyond that physical temporal situation you need to think of beyond that the imprisonment now or the pain now or the physical death now because the saviours abolished death you see we have that beautiful testimony can turn there - first Corinthians 15 what is unique about the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ VESA be our visa vide death notice in 1st Corinthians 15 specifically at verse 26 the last enemy that will be destroyed is death for he has put all things under his feet but when he says all things are put under him it is evident that he who put all things under him is accepted so the last enemy that will be destroyed is dead there is a day coming when there will be no more physical death you see that in the book of Revelation what happens when we had into the New Jerusalem there's no more pain no more sorrow no more suffering no more yeah that's good news to creatures who lose people through death but then notice at the end in first Corinthians 15 specifically at verse 54 so when this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality then shall be brought then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written death is swallowed up in victory Oh death where is your sting o Hades where is your victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ verse 55 is most glorious o death where is your sting o Hades where is your victory it's been defeated by him who has abolished death so in the particular context Paul's exhortation is strengthened to Timothy don't be afraid to suffer don't be afraid to go through these things because it's simply temporary Christ ultimately has about abolished death John Gill explains the clause this way the law of sin and death which is the cause of death and has destroyed him which it has the power of it the devil he has abolished corporeal death with regard to his people as a penal evil he has took away its sting and removed its curse and made it a blessing to them and he has utterly with respect to them abolished the second death so in terms of the corporeal the physical death yeah we still die but it's no longer a penal evil and with reference to the second death he abolished it so as that it shall have no power over them or they ever be hurt by it you know what the second death is it's the lake of fire it is everlasting punishment it is hell he says all which he did by dying and rising again for though he died yet he continued not under the power of death but rose again and triumphed over it as having got the victory of it and the keys of it are in his and he renders ineffective spiritual death and he takes the sting out of physical death so Timothy be emboldened do not be ashamed enter into the suffering and I say that to all of us what's the worst thing that can happen to us on this side of heaven they may beat us they may imprison us they may take away our physical lives but Christ has abolished death Christ is the champion Christ is the victory a victor notice he's abolished death and brought life and immortality to life now this immortality is a blessed thing God confers this upon us God is immortal in and of himself it's not derived he doesn't derive an immortality for something outside of God there's no sort of God store or God locker where he shopped this out and found immortality and acquired it for himself no God is in derivative it in derivative ly immortal he is that's God I am Who I am he is independent there is nothing outside of God that sustains God there's no God breath there's no God food there's no anything outside that our God is dependent upon but with reference to us Christ in His redemptive work has brought to us life and immortality and this immortality means that when we enter into heaven John Newton is right when we've been there ten thousand years bright shining as the Sun we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun other words when we enter into heaven it's not that we're going to experience for a short time and then cease to exist no he has abolished death he is brought to a brought life and immortality to life a life he has conferred these blessings upon us so that we will dwell with the God of heaven and earth forever and ever and ever and world-without-end that beautiful I don't know that we ever considered that and we look at this live we say man I got another 30 years on this earth or eight you know 50 years depending on your sort of age and what you expect in terms of a median age and you know when you know family history might suggest that you're going to drop dead but but we get that way right I got another 50 years or 30 years of 20 years do you realize when we enter into heaven it's never going to end you see what God has made us for this purpose that that was set in place before time began that is that is executed in the incarnation of Lord Jesus Christ when when he identifies with us when he assumes our humanity when he lives for us when he dies for us when he's raised for us he spat upon for us as we saw this morning was mentioning with Pastor Porter we're talking about that do you think any of those guys from the Sanhedrin later on after this event read the prophet Isaiah chapter 50 and realized that they had been on the wrong side of the servant but their mouth set in action that spittle that found its mound its place on the face of our of our Savior what a horrifying thought that would be you're a Sanhedrin member that spit on the Lord Jesus Christ you go to synagogue or you open the scroll of Isaiah and you're reading there concerning the suffering servant and in chapter 50 at verse 6 you see that thou art the man that would be a terrifying thing but brethren we are here for a time and then we enter into glory for ever and then as Paul began Paul ends notice in verse 10 the revelation of all of this comes through the gospel he has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel you see for Paul everything's the gospel that's it you poke Paul and he bleeds gospel Excursion said about John Bunyan if you pricked his skinny blood bed bleed just came out of him Bible just oozed out when you poked John Bunyan you poked the Apostle Paul you got gospel Timothy do not be ashamed of it Missy suffer for it Timothy hold fast to it Timothy keep that which was committed to you Timothy preach the word Timothy do it in this manner Timothy be faithful Timothy endure afflictions do the work on evangelist fulfill your ministry Timothy everything that you do is about the gospel because that's how Paul is that's how Paul calls Timothy to live and others that will enter into that sacred office you're not to engage in this if you're not willing to suffer if you're not willing to beyond ashamed of this testimony throughout the entire entirety of your life and if you're not willing to hold fast the pattern of sound words and to keep that thing which was committed to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the eternal plan of God and the execution of that plan are made known through the gospel that gospel that Timothy is not to be ashamed of and that gospel that Timothy is indeed to suffer for so if you were to look up this sermon on sermon audio you would find it by tags but the title of tonight's message is the unsurpassed value of the gospel and I call it that because of the exhortation in bursae I call it that because the gospel is worth suffering for the gospel is worth fighting for the gospel is worth being on ashamed for because it's of unsurpassed value because it's the method of this God who has purposed by His grace to save sinners he purposed that before time began and in the fullness of the time he sent forth his son the son herein described this Savior Jesus Christ who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel it has an unsurpassed value and we as God's people ought to see it as such we ought to prize it we ought to praise God for it and as we eat this bread and as we drink this cup we ought to do so in worshipful remembrance of the Christ described in our text will let us pray our Father we thank you for your word and we thank you for the gospel and for how it so clearly set forth by our brother the Apostle Paul we ask God that you would give us grace to not be ashamed of it give us grace to suffer if called upon for it give us grace to be a faithful people to be a faithful church holding fast the pattern of sound words give us grace to keep that which you have committed unto us and cause us Lord God to proclaim it to live and adorn it and to glorify the God of heaven and earth and our hearts desire and earnest plea is that more and more sinners would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior even tonight God take what has been spoken and may your Holy Spirit drive it home may you bring conviction for sin and may you show sinners the glory of the Savior described here bless our time now as we enter into the the sacramental portion of the supper give us grace to receive with Thanksgiving the gifts that you give us as the householder in this place and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen