II Timothy 1: Sermon Series: Staying Faithful to Jesus! Dr. Kip McKee, Senior Pastor Silver Run Baptist 23 June 2013

Transcription

1 1 II Timothy 1:15-18 Sermon Series: Staying Faithful to Jesus! Dr. Kip McKee, Senior Pastor Silver Run Baptist 23 June 2013 Read Scripture Prayer INTRODUCTION: We are continuing our Sermon Series entitled Staying Faithful to Jesus! What are we to stay faithful in? A lot of folks pick & choose what they will OBEY in the Bible and what they will discard That is a dangerous way to LIVE We are to HONOR God & OBEY His Word in All we do, at ALL times.

2 2 Jesus said a lot and we are to LEARN all we can about Jesus & His Ways and put it into PRACTICE! So we can STAY FAITHFUL to Jesus & to those SERVING Him! Paul, the great apostle & faithful servant of God, taught Timothy & us that faithfulness matters! I. The Unfaithful Servant is held accountable! Paul mentioned a GROUP of people that PROVED to be Unfaithful in the Service of God & to God s Servant. In II Timothy 1:15 we read, of the UNFAITHFUL first 15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. One named Demas left because he "loved this present world" 2 Timothy 4:10 True believers that STAY FAITHFUL to Jesus will find it very difficult to LOVE the world (sinful lifestyle), b/c it is not where their heart or focus is. Demas, and many others mentioned here lost their FOCUS and went back to be with the world. Could they have been Christians, maybe that is up to God to decide,

3 3 Either way, the point Paul is making here is that they DESERTED their Christian Duty. Desertion is a STRONG term desertion is the abandonment of a duty or post without permission (Ill. An example of a person DESERTING their duty is one John Parker. John Parker was an unlikely candidate to guard a president or anyone for that matter. Born in Frederick County, Virginia, in 1830, Parker moved to Washington as a young man, and eventually he became one of the capital s first police officers in Parker s record as a policeman included conduct unbecoming an officer, using intemperate language and being drunk on duty. In November 1864, Parker got off to a lousy start that fateful Friday. He was supposed to relieve Lincoln s previous bodyguard at 4 p.m. but was three hours late. Lincoln s party arrived at the theater at around 9 p.m. The play, Our American Cousin, had already started when the president entered his box directly above the right side of the stage. The actors paused while the orchestra struck up Hail to the Chief. Lincoln bowed to the applauding audience and took his seat. Parker was seated outside the president s box, in the passageway beside the door. From where he sat, Parker couldn t see the stage, so after Lincoln and his guests settled in, he moved to the first gallery to enjoy the play.

4 4 Later, Parker deserted his post: At intermission, he joined the footman and coachman of Lincoln s carriage for drinks in the Star Saloon next door to Ford s Theatre. John Wilkes Booth entered the theater around 10 p.m.. When Booth crept up to the door to Lincoln s box, Parker s chair stood empty. The President s lone bodyguard that night was a deserter absent without leave doing his own thing (drinking), instead of his duty. Booth entered the President s box with no guard to content with and he assassinated Lincoln. In no small part b/c one man had DESERTED He ABANDONED his duty the President died that night.) John Parker s name stands out in US History b/c he deserted his post, he let down his President, & he let down his nation. The Bible speaks of two men that stand out in GOD S HISTORY b/c they deserted their post, they failed in their Christian duty. William Barclay writes,

5 5 "Again and again the Bible brings us face to face with a question which is real for every one of us. Again and again it introduces and dismisses a man from the stage of history with a single sentence. Hermogenes and Phygelus we know nothing whatever of them beyond their names and the fact that they were traitors to Paul. Hermogenes and Phygelus go down to history branded as deserters; Paul understood Desertion now he is sitting in a Roman Jail remembering the ones that DESERTED God s Work and in the same motion DESERTED Paul & so many other believers. Paul knew what it meant to be deserted, to be abandoned and Jesus understands what it is like to be deserted to be abandoned to be neglected by people that promised to love & obey Him. Read and Discuss John 6: When, not IF, People abandon you in your service for God, what are you to do? Be like Jesus & Paul & Stay Faithful to GOD & His Word & the People that Serve Him according to His Word.

6 6 Jesus stayed Faithful to the Father when Everyone DESERTED Him. Paul Stayed FAITHFUL to God when so MANY ABANDONED him We, like Jesus, Paul & so many others know the truth is that, II. The Faithful Servant must STAY FAITHFUL! Paul knew of Timothy faithfulness & now he is giving the example of another faithful follower of Jesus. Faithful: - steadfast in allegiance, loyal, firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty, conscientious, constant, true to a standard. In II Timothy 1:16-18 we read, of the FAITHFUL servant of God 16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he OFTEN refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he SEARCHED HARD for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find MERCY from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus. Qualities of a FAITHFUL SERVANT of God to God s Man

7 7 - He SEARCHED HARD to FIND Him The faithful servant of God SEARCHES for ways to PLEASE GOD & does NOT give up when the path gets HARD. Jesus told us in Matthew 7: 7-8, that when we SEEK GOD, we will FIND God. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Onesiphorus was SEEKING to Serve God & in doing so SERVE Paul When he SEARCHED HARD he accomplished God s Mission! In James 4:8, God s Word tells us that, When we DRAW NEAR to God, He Draws NEAR to us. ** It is up to us to SEEK GOD with All our Heart, Soul, Mind

8 8 & Strength! Another Quality of a FAITHFUL SERVANT of God to God s Man is that he - OFTEN REFRESED PAUL Paul needed HELP & God Sent Paul Help thru the Faithful Servant. Onesiphorus became as John 7: tells us a RIVER of Blessing 38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water. 39 He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. When we come along those working hard for Jesus we need to HELP them & REFRESH them

9 9 Another Quality of a FAITHFUL SERVANT of God to God s Man is that he - He was not ASHAMED of Paul s condition, nor his position which was in a Roman Jail Jesus teaches us to REACH people wherever they are even in PRISON. When we PRAY for the Prisoners & go and Visit them it PLEASES JESUS Matthew 25:34-36, Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 5 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

10 10 Faithful Servants Serve God in the Manner of His Choosing, in the Place of His Choosing, at the time of His Choosing. It is not about us! It is about JESUS using us as agents for His Purpose & for God s Glory! III. Faithful Servants are Rewarded by God! Faithful Servants receive the Prayers of many other faithful believers. Paul prayed for God s MERCY to be POURED out on Onesiphorus & his household! Faithful Servants go to Heaven & Hear Jesus say Well done, thy good and faithful servant! Faithful Servants of God have REWARDS Waiting for them in Heaven & will be given more important work to do for God.

11 11 In Conclusion I remind you of the Barclay quote, "Again and again the Bible brings us face to face with a question which is real for every one of us. Again and again it introduces and dismisses a man from the stage of history with a single sentence. Hermogenes and Phygelus we know nothing whatever of them beyond their names and the fact that they were traitors to Paul. Onesiphorus we know nothing of him except that in his loyalty to Paul he risked and perhaps lost his life. Hermogenes and Phygelus go down to history branded as deserters; Onesiphorus goes down to history as the friend who stuck closer than a brother. If we were to be described in one sentence, what would it be? Would it be the verdict on a traitor, or the verdict on a disciple who was true? " ********************************************************** How would God describe your service to Him? ********************************************************** Prayer Invitation