WEBVTT 00:00:00.719 --> 00:00:03.439 Well, it is a joy and a privilege. 00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:08.160 Every time we come here, this feels like home, and you people are so loving. 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:10.960 Yesterday we started off with the missions banquet. 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:13.199 And those of you that weren't here, you really missed it. 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:20.320 I mean, it was uh not only reports from all over the world, but even food from every tribe and tongue and nation and chicken foot. 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:25.359 Uh, so we enjoyed ourselves, and uh, you you need to come next time. 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:32.799 But it's also a special joy for me to be here today on our anniversary, and I got the better end of the deal for sure. 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:38.399 I was telling Doug, uh, Nicole deserves an award for putting up with me uh for 23 years. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:40.479 So her reward in heaven is great. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:50.799 But uh, I'm just rejoicing and thankful for her and thankful for the partnership that we have that has enabled us to just be that gospel team. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:56.399 Uh we need to be teams as we serve Christ in the gospel, and the best team is the husband and wife, isn't it? 00:00:56.399 --> 00:00:58.799 And so we just praise God for that. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:10.480 Well, it's my honor today to bring you God's word, and I'm going to be reflecting on a passage from 2 Timothy, which has been precious on my hearts. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:20.959 And you can start turning there in your copy of God's word as we look at a couple of verses from 2 Timothy 1, verses 11 and 12. 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:36.159 As I reflect on this book, that as it's percolated in my heart and encouraged my heart, I just love the reality of what Paul is living and even teaching his protege, Timothy, in this epistle. 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:48.799 Just a reminder that gospel work and missions, as we talk about it, sometimes we look at the dramatic side, the romantic side of all the work that's done, but that's really not the essence of gospel ministry. 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:56.480 Gospel ministry will fall to the ground, your Christian life will fall to the ground if you only focus on doing and going. 00:01:56.480 --> 00:02:04.400 And you forget that the roots of who you are is not what people see, but is what only God sees. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:13.120 And it's not the doing, but the depending on Christ that is really the strength of any missionary. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:26.240 And I would even apply it to your lives here today as I seek to encourage you in your work for Christ here, as he's called you to live for him here, is how are you rooting yourself in Christ and depending on Christ? 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:34.319 I think, especially in our generation, and I don't need to spend a lot of time on this, but we're living in a day and age where to be a Christian is to be at war. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:36.159 And I think that's been said already. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:43.919 There's more of the Psalm II effect of just the nations grinding their teeth against the Son of Man. 00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:48.960 And we, as we identify with him, they have animosity towards us too. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:53.759 It's weird to be a Christian today more than any other generation. 00:02:53.759 --> 00:03:02.639 I don't know if you know this, but throughout church history, anyone that's been faithful for Christ has suffered much for Christ. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:13.759 And Christians have been beaten and jailed for confessing Jesus, and they've done so not with a sense of loss, but a sense of joy and hope. 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:20.719 Some of the greatest movements of God happened under the greatest seasons of persecution. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:36.960 You can think about in the 1500s, the Huguenots, in one day, in 1572, Bartholomew's Day massacre, under a Catholic persecution, 70,000, these are in some ways the children of Calvin spiritually. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:41.439 70,000 of them, because they love Jesus Christ, were killed in one day. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:45.919 Can you imagine if that happened here, what God would do in our lives? 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:51.199 And the church grew even more because the gates of hell can't stand against it. 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:55.120 We look at the past though, and we think, wow, that that was crazy back then. 00:03:55.120 --> 00:04:08.560 Do you know that in our generation, in the 20th and 21st century, has been a foment of the greatest amount of persecution, more than all 19 centuries combined? 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:17.120 And it's happening for sure in places like North Korea and the Middle East, but I believe it's going to start happening right here. 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:20.160 And some of you are seeing it already. 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:30.959 And I think it's because of that that before we run out into God's service, we need to ask ourselves: where do I get the strength to stand against all of this? 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:35.040 Where do I get to have the courage and the boldness to stand against this? 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:40.639 And I don't want you to give this romantic idea that you have it in yourself because that's the furthest thing from the truth. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:42.399 I know that's true in my own life. 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:52.480 I don't have the strength to face the challenge of being someone who stands at the front lines of the war of the gospel for the fame of Jesus Christ. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:59.199 It's because of that that books like 2 Timothy are so important for us. 00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:13.519 Because it's Paul as a father speaking to his young son who is actually shirking back and getting frightened, like you and me do at times when we face opposition. 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:24.879 And he's giving this epistle to him as the key truths that will help a frail, young, timid man to stand again. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:30.879 I don't know if you're in church this morning and saying, I don't have the strength to even sit here and pay attention to the sermon. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:36.480 That's a good place to be in some ways, because when you're weak, you'll depend more on Christ. 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:41.920 When you get beaten down, you begin to see how insufficient you really are. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:46.399 And that's what 2 Timothy is written for. 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:48.399 It's for people like you and me. 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:52.879 In the real moments of our life when we're really honest about what we can't do. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:55.759 Then Jesus does great things through us. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:06:02.240 Just think for a moment about who the author is, the Apostle Paul. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:11.759 This is, as he writes this epistle, this is his last will and testament in 67 AD before he was beheaded on the Ostian way. 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:16.879 The only way you could get Paul to stop serving Christ is to disconnect his head from the rest of his body. 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:21.680 And that happens probably three weeks after writing this letter, most commentators would say. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:22.480 Can you imagine? 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:26.560 And he he had a sense of that as he's writing. 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:29.920 And yet he's writing with great strength. 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:32.800 I want to tap into some of that, don't you? 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:34.319 That spiritual strength. 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:46.000 Paul will never again at this point preach to crowds, evangelize at Athens, travel on missionary journeys, which he's done so much of, or see churches planted for Jesus Christ. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:52.800 His world has shrunk down to a dungeon known as the Marmotine prison in Rome. 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:58.160 There's a single hole in the ceiling to let light in and air because it was really a sewer. 00:06:58.160 --> 00:07:01.519 If you've been to Rome, you can see this even today. 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:15.120 And he has this request, very interesting request at the end of 2 Timothy 4, where he says, Would you bring the cloak, Timothy, which I left at Troas with Carpus and the books, especially the parchments? 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:15.759 You know why? 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:19.360 Because he was out on the streets of Rome in this sewer dungeon. 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:29.920 And during the winter, which is most likely when he was writing, Rome is 55 degrees Fahrenheit in the day and below 37 during the night. 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:32.000 I'm not built for that kind of weather. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:34.560 I have 5% body fat or something like that. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:37.199 And I can't imagine how Paul is making it there. 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:41.759 That's why his key request is, would you bring me some warm clothes? 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:48.160 Prisoners awaiting execution were put in this kind of a dungeon. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:53.040 That was the final place, but that you went before you were executed. 00:07:53.040 --> 00:08:00.720 Lowered 12 feet into this dark, filthy hole that measured only 30 by 22 feet. 00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:03.040 I don't know how big your bathroom is. 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:05.040 That's probably the size of this place. 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:09.680 The height of the ceiling was six feet, six inches. 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:24.959 The prison was under the city sewers, and historians tell us that sometimes, sometimes 30 or so men were in there, incarcerated, and they would just die because of the conditions there. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:29.759 And they would open the sluice gates and allow the sewage to come in and take these dead bodies out of there. 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:32.159 This is what Paul would see day in and day out. 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:36.399 Here's a man that's been faithful for Christ, and this is where he ended up. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:41.759 When Paul was put into it, it was already a 700-year-old structure. 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:47.679 It wasn't newly built, it was decaying and filled with the stench of death. 00:08:47.679 --> 00:08:51.679 Most prisoners just starve to death there. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:55.039 That didn't happen to Paul. 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:57.360 But he talks about the hardship. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:01.519 It's he doesn't he doesn't make this romantic in 2 Timothy 2 9. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:10.080 He says, I am suffering hardship, Timothy, even to imprisonment as not just an ordinary jail cell, but as the worst of criminals. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:13.679 But the word of God is not imprisoned. 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:16.720 That's the light of hope that I have, even in this place. 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:19.679 His charges, why was he there? 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:21.519 Preaching Christ. 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:23.600 Standing for Christ. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:25.519 That's what I was talking about. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:34.000 The more you stand for Christ in this generation, you're gonna see maybe not severe things like this, but things leading up to severe things like this. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:49.519 At the end of his ministry, because of the hatred of emperors like Nero, Paul is experiencing the brunt of this hatred towards his savior in his own life. 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:50.720 And what is he doing? 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:57.279 Even as he's mostly abandoned, he says in 2 Timothy 1:15 that you know what's happened, Timothy? 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:06.480 Despite my faithfulness to the Lord and me being here in jail because of Jesus and gospel work, people aren't really supporting me or praying for me anymore. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:11.360 In fact, everyone's afraid, and most of my friends have abandoned me. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:20.399 I think that's almost worse than the physical suffering, is the suffering of abandonment from Christians that you think should be loyal to you. 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:23.200 Only Luke is with me. 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:24.399 Praise the Lord for Dr. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:24.960 Luke, right? 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:31.360 He's probably just 24-7, just bandaging the poor man and helping him with his wounds. 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:36.639 But 2 Timothy is not about this. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:44.399 It's not about Paul moaning and groaning about his suffering like I do most of the time, and saying, you know, can you please send me a care package? 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:46.799 Please send me some cookies or something like that. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:49.120 I miss uh In and Out Burger, or whatever. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:52.559 You don't have that here, but whatever you feel is your comfort, you know. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:55.440 He's not talking about his comfort or his needs. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:11:05.759 In fact, one of the things that is so counterintuitive, because this is a man who is not just doing, but he's dependent, is that he isn't talking about himself, he's thinking about his son. 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:11.679 He's like, I know my destiny, it's sure, I know whom I've believed, I know where I'm going. 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:15.840 My concern is for you, Timothy, because you're not sure. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:18.639 And you're not standing strong. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:20.159 These are my last few days. 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:24.240 I want you to live many more days in faithfulness for Jesus Christ. 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:25.600 You're giving up. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:37.600 And so he writes as a father, even these last moments, thinking more about his kids, spiritual kids, especially one spiritual kid, which is Timothy. 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:38.559 Why? 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:42.559 Because he wanted to strengthen him with Christ. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:47.120 And Timothy was weak, like you and I are weak. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:52.639 We know maybe three of his weaknesses that you could identify with. 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:56.399 I think the first one is more of a practical one. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:59.039 He's he's young, it's a circumstantial issue. 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:00.240 He can't do anything about it. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:02.000 He's young in those days. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:06.080 It took a long time for the older generation to really respect young men. 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:12.639 And you had to go through almost getting to about 60 when your life is, you know, half over before people start respecting you. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:19.200 And Timothy was 33 years old, and so he he was beginning to shirk back from that challenge. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:25.840 If you remember 1 Timothy 4.12, Paul reminds him, let no one look down on your youthfulness. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:28.320 But then you get into some deeper weaknesses. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:39.039 Not only was this practical, circumstantial weakness of his youth, but he was also internally in his heart, he was timid, he was fearful. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:56.240 2 Timothy 1.7, Paul is again kind of giving him a boost from the back and saying, God has not given us Timothy, especially in this generation when there's so much hate for Jesus, he has not given us a spirit of cowardice, of timidity. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:02.240 God wants men and women that have steel in their spines that comes from Jesus. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:08.000 Don't be timid of power, of love, of discipline. 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:15.039 I think there's a third problem that he has, and it's more physical, and something that was inherent to Timothy. 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:16.720 Maybe some of you identify with this. 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:23.519 Not only was he young, not only was he fearful, but he was also sickly, just constantly falling sick. 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:35.679 You know, we were joking about during COVID about how frightened people get about one virus, and especially living in my nation, we have viruses everywhere all the time. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:38.000 There's millions of them floating around. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:44.480 And we were just thinking, you know, we we live in a day and age where there's so much fear about sickness. 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:48.559 But that's that's one of the things that Timothy was struggling with, and he would fall sick a lot. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:52.879 1 Timothy 5 23, no drunk no longer drink water exclusively. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:14:02.240 He had a lot of digestive issues, but use a little wine, and in those days that was medicine to help you to get over gastric problems for the sake of your stomach. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:07.840 And as you as you look at this man, he's the kind of man that I would have given up on. 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:15.679 But because Paul knows that God loves to use weak men, he writes 2 Timothy. 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:18.799 Do you feel weak this morning? 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:20.879 2 Timothy is for you. 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:25.279 If you don't feel weak this morning, you're not really being honest. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:28.879 Praise the Lord. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:36.159 Church history tells us that this weak, frail, young man became a faithful pastor. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:38.559 I think a large part of that was this epistle. 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:45.120 And he was martyred in Ephesus after many years of faithful ministry at the age of 80. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:54.240 The way he was martyred was he was dragged through the streets and stoned to death by angry followers of the pagan goddess Diana. 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:57.919 But he stood firm to the end. 00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:02.320 And so Paul gives Timothy instructions. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:04.399 In 1 Timothy, it was more for the church. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:09.600 In 2 Timothy, it's more for him, and more for us to equip him for the work of ministry. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:12.080 And I think that's even so essential for us, right? 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:20.639 That we would link ourselves to the head, Jesus Christ, so that we would become equipped for ministry in challenging days. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:24.080 And he reminds us of these things. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:28.159 I think in the thematic verse of this epistle, this is all introduction, by the way. 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:29.840 Don't worry, we'll get to our text. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:41.600 In 1 Timothy chapter 1, verse 13, he says, retain the standard of sound words which you heard from me in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus, verse 14. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:47.039 Guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:51.759 The strength is not ours, the strength is Christ through his word. 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:53.919 And that's what we need to fight for. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:56.480 When we fight for ourselves, we lose. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:02.000 When we fight for Christ in Scripture, he wins through us. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:05.120 That's the theme of 2 Timothy. 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:10.639 Guard the truth of Christ in your generation. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:16.240 And I think it's with that in mind that Paul starts, I love the way Paul disciples Timothy. 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:20.720 He doesn't start by saying, You gotta change, you gotta buck up, man, pull up your socks. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:24.000 But he starts in 1 Timothy with just sharing his testimony. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:28.320 Look at me and follow me as I follow Christ. 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:30.559 I've been through those challenges, Timothy. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:32.000 I've been burned. 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:34.879 But Christ is faithful. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:41.360 Look at me and walk behind me as I root myself in the vine. 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:52.480 And I think it's with that in mind that we find in many ways the key aspect of Paul just sharing his life with Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verses 11 through 12. 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:56.480 And that's going to be our meditation for this afternoon, this morning. 00:16:56.480 --> 00:17:11.519 It reads like this: follow along in your copy of God's word, 2 Timothy 1.11, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:14.480 For this reason, Timothy. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:33.839 I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard that which I have entrusted to him until that day. 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:37.279 Even reading those words is a boost to the soul, isn't it? 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:42.240 The strength is not in Paul, the strength is in him who he has believed. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:50.880 The roots of the gospel are not what people see, but they're deep in the soil of Christ and Christ's sufficiency. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:18:02.000 That's what Paul is reminding this dear young brother, and what he's reminding you as brothers and sisters this morning, that you will walk out of this room and you will fall on your face if you think you have strength in yourself. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:11.200 But when you realize that all strength is in the vine, you will be rooted in a bedrock that no storm will be able to bring down. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:22.640 And you will face storms, but you will face them with strength and joy that comes from him alone who is able to keep you. 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:30.079 And I want to think about two roots of gospel strength this morning as we're thinking about missions. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:33.359 It's not about our strength, brothers and sisters. 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:36.000 I'm gonna say that until you're tired of me saying that. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.839 It's about Christ. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:44.799 The weakest men, this is so counter to the world, are the strongest in the church. 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:46.400 The weakest men and women. 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:50.000 I've seen this again and again and again. 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:56.480 And so there's two roots of gospel strength that we find in this passage. 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:00.160 The first, of course, in verse 11, and the second in verse 12. 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:02.559 So let's look at the first one in verse 11. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:08.160 Key word here is for which I was appointed. 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:11.119 You know why you're a Christian? 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:15.119 Because you were appointed, not because you chose Jesus. 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:18.319 If you think that, you've already failed. 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:20.480 Because you can unchoose him. 00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:24.079 But because he chose you, you are secure. 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:28.480 But I think Paul is going a little bit deeper than just the general idea of the doctrine of election. 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:36.720 He's talking about the doctrine of ministry, and he's saying there is no ministry that you do in the church of Jesus Christ that is your own. 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:44.240 In fact, the most dangerous people in the church are people that do ministry to which they appoint themselves to. 00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:50.880 They need to be kicked far out of any form of service because they're they are going to kill the church. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:20:00.960 The only ministry in the church that is valid and useful is ministry that is appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ, by the Spirit of God, right? 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:02.799 Who gives us gifts in the first place. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:07.200 We don't do what we want to do, we do what he's appointed us to do. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:12.480 And Paul is saying, you know, it puts in perspective the suffering, the challenge, and all of that. 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:17.039 This isn't my mission, this isn't my work, this is his work from beginning to end. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:20.480 So let me make it just really simple. 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:23.200 What's the first root of gospel strength? 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:27.359 It is a submission to God's purposes in your life. 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:31.200 A submission to God's purposes in your life. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:35.200 It's so difficult to submit, isn't it? 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:42.559 But I love, I think what Doug was saying earlier as he was reflecting on Matthew chapter 11, verse 28 and 29. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:43.839 My yoke is easy. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:47.039 You know that word easy there is actually caris. 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:48.960 My yoke is gracious. 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:50.799 My yoke is kind. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:21:00.559 There is a sense in which sometimes we've seen all kinds of wrong ideas of submission in the world and we react against that word and think it's bad. 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:07.279 But actually, those who are believers, we say the greatest place of rest for me is submission. 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:09.839 Because I know my master. 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:11.440 I know what he's like. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:13.279 I love submitting to him. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:24.079 And that's the first way in which I have strength to serve him, is by submitting to him, by dying to myself and saying, his will be done in my life. 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:31.119 And there's two elements in Christ and in his cross that enables Paul to submit. 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:39.119 We need to make this really fleshed out because how do we submit even as we face lives that are difficult, even as we face lives that are hard? 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:44.960 I've been counseling a couple I was sharing yesterday that just lost their eight year old girl. 00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:47.119 I don't know how you can go through that. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:51.519 But I remember the wife who's a believer, the husband is not a believer, but I think he's close. 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:56.079 But the wife saying, you know, Sammy, for me, it's like the book of Job. 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:59.759 I don't know why God is doing this, but I know who He is. 00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:04.400 And I know that what's going to happen through this is much good. 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:11.839 She said, already God is enabling me as a suffering mother to witness to my sister and my brother who don't know Christ. 00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:14.240 I said, Angie, that's just part of the story. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:22.400 But submitting to him always produces these amazing fruits in the fires of the valley of the shadow of death. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:35.839 And that's why Paul, I think, as he is in the Valley of Shadow of Death, he says the greatest thing that helps me to go through this is to just say, Jesus, this is not the Romans, this is not Nero that has placed me in this place. 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:36.799 It is you. 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:38.799 And I will submit to you. 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:47.119 Whether I'm suffering in a dungeon, whether I have cancer, whatever it is, I will realize that there are not two gods in this universe, Satan and Jehovah. 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:48.640 There is only one God. 00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:51.599 And his name is Jesus Christ. 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:55.599 And even Satan can't move a finger without his permission. 00:22:55.599 --> 00:23:00.960 See, it's those kinds of things that can move you through life as you serve him. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:09.119 I think the first way in which we submit to Christ is if you look at the first few words, he says, for which I was appointed. 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:15.519 Paul is saying there's an element that enables me to submit that's found in the previous context. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:16.720 And what is that? 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:21.200 It's God has called us, verse 9, with a holy calling, not according to our works. 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:22.799 Praise the Lord for that. 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:26.960 But according to only one whose work is important, right? 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:33.359 Christ Jesus, verse 10, who has been manifested in his appearing to do what? 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:34.319 In his work? 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:36.160 To abolish death. 00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:41.839 That word for abolishing death is literally to crush death, to cancel death. 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:48.480 This is a description of the cross, isn't it? 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:50.000 Of Calvary. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:58.400 And Paul says, I can stare straight in the face of death and realize death is nothing because of Calvary. 00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:00.079 That enables me to submit. 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:04.400 They can chop my head off, and immediately I'm in the presence of Jesus Christ. 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:06.480 That's the way I think. 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:09.920 I don't think this way, but that's the way Paul thinks. 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:12.079 That's the way I need to think. 00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:19.200 He says, We are we are driven to submit by the cross's power in our trials. 00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:21.359 We are driven by the cross's power. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:27.599 You know, I love when Jesus, even a few days before his crucifixion, he's at Lazarus' tomb. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:29.519 You remember in John chapter 11? 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:35.359 And most of us get caught up with Jesus weeping in sympathy, and I think that's significant. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:42.799 But there's another emotion that Jesus expresses that's really significant and even more than his weeping in John 11, 33. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:55.200 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, the sisters and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled. 00:24:55.200 --> 00:25:06.319 And that word for deeply moved in spirit, in the Greek, embrimamu, oh my, I can't even say it, Maomi, is a word that is used for lions when they growl under their breath. 00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:11.440 Or maybe you have a big dog, you know, that sees an enemy and they start snarling. 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:18.720 And literally what Jesus was doing in that passage is he was going to war with death. 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:24.960 He hates the way in which death and the curse has affected his people. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:26.720 And that's why he went to the cross. 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:30.880 You're trying to think of some of the motivations that caused Jesus to go to the cross. 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:39.680 It is this very desire to take away the power and the influence and the sting of death in our lives so that death just becomes sleep for us now. 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:44.079 Just a temporary transition into eternal life forever and ever. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:45.680 Do you believe in this power? 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:49.200 Because if you don't, you won't be able to face anything. 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:52.559 But with this, you can face everything. 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:58.319 I love the Puritans, you know, John Owen, especially. 00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:02.880 In fact, you should read this book that he wrote about the power of Christ's death. 00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:04.240 They didn't know how to sell books. 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:10.720 They wrote these long titles that are almost like sermons in themselves: The Death of Death and the Death of Christ. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:13.759 But what a great book that is, 1647. 00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:14.480 You should find it. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:25.920 I know John Owen is difficult to read, but you should find it because it will be the pillow that you need to lay your head on when you're facing death even in your life. 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:36.400 This is the strength that drives Christians in ministry, is the ability to say to that, I laugh at you because you have no power over me because of my savior. 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:54.880 Spurgeon, many years ago, when he was preaching in his early days, was just focusing on his local church, and there was a young man named Medhurst who was just so driven by saying, Spurgeon, I want to grow to be a preacher like you. 00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:56.079 Would you train me in ministry? 00:26:56.079 --> 00:27:00.400 And Spurgeon kept saying no to him and saying, I don't have the time for this. 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:03.359 Until one day Ian Murray talks about this. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:10.319 I think Medhurst, after pestering him, every time Spurgeon walked to his home, he just kind of fell on his knees and held on to Spurgeon. 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:13.039 And he said, Spurgeon, I must preach, sir. 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:14.319 I must preach Christ. 00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:15.920 I can't do anything in life. 00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:22.400 If you don't allow me to preach, I will want my head cut off because it's not worth living. 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:29.039 When you come to that sense of fearlessness of ministry, then you're ready. 00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:32.880 You're ready to serve Jesus. 00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:41.279 But that's not the only thing that helps Paul to submit, not a sense of God's power that drives him. 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:48.480 But I think a second thing that helps him to submit is this idea of I was appointed for what? 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:53.200 To be a preacher, to be an apostle, and to be a teacher. 00:27:53.200 --> 00:28:00.400 And I know we can't do all of these things because we're not apostles, but I think the spirit of this, as you look at all three of these words, is what? 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:19.200 That we are appointed not just to, you know, make money and retire somewhere on the beach and some beachfront property and do temporary things that don't matter, but we are appointed as Christians to do one thing and one thing only until Jesus comes to proclaim him, to proclaim the cross. 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:22.319 And I think that's another thing that makes your life exciting. 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:26.400 Isn't it so boring to think about just accomplishing, you know, something on this earth? 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:27.920 And then you say, then what? 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:35.200 But to be a part of something that is eternal, that you know that lasts forever, is something that gets you up in the morning, isn't it? 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:38.400 Even when you're sick and dying. 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:45.599 And so Paul says, not only am I driven by the cross's power, but I'm directed by the cross's proclamation. 00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:48.960 I can't, you know, live long enough. 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:53.519 I can't live long enough to just proclaim Jesus every day. 00:28:53.519 --> 00:29:09.279 Many years ago, it was a decade and a half ago, actually, we had a ministry team with us working on our field, and they went through this horrendous car accident after serving for about eight years with us in ministry. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:22.720 And it was such a severe accident that every member of their family, the husband, had multiple uh brain damage, skull fracture, his femur was completely crushed, no airbags in our vehicles. 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:33.759 The wife was in a coma for a few days because she had brain swelling, and their their kids that were with them had hand fractures, jaw fractures as they were tossed around the car in this accident. 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:35.839 And we thought, this is the end of it. 00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:36.960 And it's okay. 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:40.000 You know, they're going home, let them retire. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:43.119 He recouped for six months. 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:48.240 God spared his life, came back to preach that Sunday. 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:51.839 I mean, there wasn't a dry eye in that place. 00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:55.279 And he said, This doesn't stop us. 00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:57.119 He preached on Psalm 131. 00:29:57.119 --> 00:29:59.920 My soul is like a weaned child. 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:06.480 I don't know why God did this, but I know he's making me more like Christ so that I can keep preaching him more and more. 00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:13.680 In fact, there was a greater strength in this brother's preaching after he had brain damage than before he had brain damage. 00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:15.519 And we all were listening to him. 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:23.119 Even though parts of his brain were left on the streets of our country, he preached Christ with more power after that. 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:25.680 He he made another statement to us. 00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:30.640 He said, Don't call it an accident, call it an appointment. 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:33.279 Because nothing happens by chance. 00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:38.640 Everything happens to make us more fervent to serve Christ. 00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:46.960 When we believe in the submission to God's sovereignty, it changes the way you think about the worst things that happen to you, right? 00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:52.960 We are driven by the cross's power. 00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:55.200 We are directed by the cross's proclamation. 00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:58.799 I think Paul says some of this in 1 Corinthians 9 16 when he says, I'm under compulsion. 00:30:58.799 --> 00:31:01.279 Woe is me if I don't preach the gospel. 00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:03.119 Do you feel like that? 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:07.519 I think sometimes God has to beat us down to make us feel like that. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:10.640 And so Paul says, I was appointed. 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:15.119 That word for appointed is this idea of fixing time and purpose for us. 00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:18.960 Not one day in your life is something that happens by accident. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:25.680 Everything that happens, what a great and glorious and loving Savior we have, is appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:27.839 Especially those trials. 00:31:27.839 --> 00:31:30.799 Don't be shouting at Satan or demons. 00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:33.279 They have no power over your trials, brothers and sisters. 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:36.160 You have no hope if you think they have power over your trials. 00:31:36.160 --> 00:31:44.559 Especially your trials, they come by appointment from a loving Savior that wants you to become more strong in perseverance and service for Him. 00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:54.079 And Paul speaks of three offices that he was given through the gospel and through the cross. 00:31:54.079 --> 00:32:03.279 And again, while we can't do these things exactly because we're not called to all these things, I think we can learn a sense of how we should proclaim the cross. 00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:04.880 He says, I'm a preacher. 00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:11.279 And that's the idea of our herald who's not speaking his own will, but who's speaking the will of the king, the decrees of a king. 00:32:11.279 --> 00:32:16.000 And so there's a sense of authority that we need to have when we're preaching Christ. 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:21.359 The words that I have are not mine, they're from the king of heaven. 00:32:21.359 --> 00:32:24.319 He says, I was appointed to be an apostle. 00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:29.440 And again, this has been made into a big word of somebody who's a big shot, you know, I'm an apostle. 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:31.920 But literally, what it means is a sent one. 00:32:31.920 --> 00:32:36.160 Somebody who's humble, who's a slave of Jesus Christ. 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:39.119 Now we can't be apostles, but we can have this attitude, right? 00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:44.000 Not only as we preach Christ should we be authoritative, but we should also be humble. 00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:48.240 That we recognize that nothing in us is worthy. 00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:50.720 Everything that we do is from Him. 00:32:50.720 --> 00:32:57.279 He says, Not only am I a preacher, not only am I an apostle, but I'm a teacher. 00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:59.759 And this speaks about clarity. 00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:11.920 One who is able to explain and instruct and disciple and say, I have the answers for life because it's not in me, but it's in this book that comes from the king. 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:23.200 There's clarity to life, and people will come to you and ask you for the reason for the hope that is in you, not because you're so smart, but because you're relying on an infinite wisdom that comes from an infinite God. 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:28.640 That's why it's so exciting to be Christians, isn't it, brothers and sisters? 00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:35.039 Because the message is a message that is clear, that is powerful, and that is humbling. 00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:43.599 And so the first way in which we can be strong for Jesus in the gospel is by what? 00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:44.960 Submitting. 00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:49.680 Submitting to God's purposes in our life. 00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:51.599 But then look at verse 12. 00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:52.960 Look at verse 12. 00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:56.160 He gives us a second root of gospel strength. 00:33:56.160 --> 00:34:10.719 He says, for this reason, and here's the reality here, as I do all of these things, I don't, you know, have a wonderful six-bedroom house with all this health and wealth and prosperity and all that nonsense that people preach about today. 00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:15.119 I don't know how they can preach that stuff when Jesus had no place to lay his head. 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:18.239 And you look at Paul and he's just like Jesus. 00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:21.679 He says, For this reason I suffer these things. 00:34:21.679 --> 00:34:29.840 Not because of me, but because I'm depending on Christ and because I'm preaching the cross, I suffer these things. 00:34:29.840 --> 00:34:41.280 The second root of gospel strength is a solace in God's unfailing power. 00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:43.760 You look at the end of verse 12, what does he say? 00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:45.599 But I am not ashamed. 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:50.480 Because I know that he's faithful, that he's powerful. 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:55.920 In fact, his power is more manifested when I am beaten down and weak. 00:34:55.920 --> 00:35:01.920 In my lowest valley, God is so powerful and so faithful. 00:35:01.920 --> 00:35:09.599 People that sing, Great is thy faithfulness, don't realize that it was written in the deepest and darkest trial of Israel. 00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:17.199 You know, we think, Great is thy faithfulness because the clouds are out and it's the sun is shining and there's no problems and all my sickness is gone away. 00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:18.880 Read Lamentation sometime. 00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:20.880 I don't have time to preach that sermon. 00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:27.840 But Great is thy faithfulness is more sung in the valley of the shadow of death than in the mountains of blessing. 00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:31.920 Most of the times in the mountains of blessing, we don't even remember God. 00:35:31.920 --> 00:35:38.719 And so Paul says, I am so filled with a comfort. 00:35:38.719 --> 00:35:41.679