The Gospel Strengthens Our Faith

Transcription

1 The Gospel Strengthens Our Faith 2 Timothy 1:8-18 Our priorities say a lot about our values. We tend to put first those things we believe are most important. After the massacre at Columbine High School, a story of two young Christians began to circulate in the media. A story of courage and faith began to unfold, as Cassie Bernall and Rachel Scott stood adjacent to the raging killers and were asked, Do you believe in God? Ten students were lying still on the floor. Twenty others were wounded. A teacher was dead. Other students struggled to escape. And for Cassie and Rachel, there was only one way to live it meant denying their belief in God. Sudden death awaited their boldness. Still, they didn t fear the gunman and didn t waiver. They stood unashamed in their belief and lost their lives that day. Cassie and Rachel proved what mattered most to them. As the apostle Paul said, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil. 1:21). Were they afraid? Sure, they might have been afraid. Fear is a natural and intelligent response to what they faced. But their fear of God was much stronger than their fear of death (Matt. 10:28). Fear has a way of proving our values. By Cassie and Rachel admitting their belief in Christ at the cost of their lives, they proved they valued Christ more than life itself. Fear is self-protecting. It does whatever it must to keep self safe. Had they been driven by it, they would have denied Christ and lived another day. But to them, nothing was more valuable than the Lord of their eternal soul. In Paul s letter to Timothy, he urged him to be fearless in the good fight and to use his gift with great passion and boldness. He also encouraged him to fight with the power, love, and self-discipline that comes from God through the Spirit (2 Tim. 1:6-7). In other words, Timothy was urged to prioritize the gospel to value and treasure Christ above life itself. Opening Thoughts 1. Where do you think Cassie and Rachel found the courage to stand firm in their faith and not deny belief in God for the sake of life? 2. Cite biblical examples of those who faced similar situations. 3. Do you think you would have the same kind of courage in a similar life or death situation? Why or why not? In this lesson, our passage begins with the word therefore which always indicates a causative thought. One radio preacher would always ask when he came to this word, What is therefore there for? We should do the same. Believe it or not, there are significant reasons for its use. The term acts as a bridge from one idea to the next. It connects ideas in a way that helps us understand how they relate. It says, If point A is true, then point B is true. It is a simple cause-and-effect equation. So let s look back before we look ahead. Paul acknowledged his primary aim in this letter to Timothy. According to verse 6, it was to urge

2 Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God, which metaphorically enjoined him to put his God-given gift to good use and not lie dormant. He then added motivation to that charge by reminding Timothy that God s Spirit dwelt within him to give him the disposition of power, love, and self-discipline, not fear as Timothy had been showing. Therefore, he said, do not be ashamed of the gospel (paraphrased). This is the first of several commands Paul gave Timothy in light of his quenching of the spirit. Timothy s gift was in disuse because of his fear. With no reason to be fearful, Paul gave him ways to fight the good fight. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day! and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. Guard the Gospel The first way to fight the good fight of faith is to guard the gospel. The word guard comes from the word for custodian. In its verb form, it means to keep watch and to protect to the point of suffering. Sometimes, as in the case of Rachel and Cassie, this means suffering to the point of death. This was certainly true of Paul, who was imprisoned in a Roman dungeon awaiting his execution. Guarding the gospel means we keep it safe from any harm. The Lord s enemies want the gospel silenced so that it doesn t give light to others. In the same way, our flesh works against us, aligning itself to the work of the enemy. So the gospel must be guarded from both outside and inside opposition. In Timothy s case, the pressure of the world emboldened his inner fear and was winning the fight to hush the gospel work. He was quenching the Spirit by not exercising his spiritual gift. Paul described the gospel as a deposit from God to us. The Lord entrusts us by making us stewards and caretakers of His truth. And since this life is full of opposition, we become fighters in the good fight to steward this truth until the day the Lord requires it back from us the day we meet Him face to face. In verses 8 through 14, Paul tells Timothy to be brave in the face of suffering, be diligent in the pattern of truth, and be resolute in the protection of truth. Let s look at each of these independently.

3 Be Brave in the Face of Suffering In verses 8 through 12, we find a rather lengthy sentence about the gospel. Paul had a knack for doing this. Sometimes, he used a word which took his mind into a trail of lofty expressions, moving through the deep riches of theology. Beginning with verse 8, Paul mentioned God in the context of the gospel, which sent him on the lofty trail framing this lengthy sentence. But, it is not a rabbit trail. It serves the purpose of bringing our attention to the real power behind the gospel. God is the worker, keeper, and entruster whose gracious acts on behalf of men accomplish His purpose. In this masterful work, He uses feeble men as His agents. Bookending this lofty explanation of the gospel, is the command to be bold in the face of suffering. The command is two-sided, with a negative and positive charge. First, we are to not be ashamed and second, we are to share in the suffering for the gospel. 4. Notice the two charges Paul gives Timothy about being brave and compare them with what Paul says in verse 12. What does this say about Paul and discipleship? 5. Continuing to compare this text, what can we learn about Paul s charge to Timothy to be brave by the power of God and Paul s motivation for bravery? 6. How does fear of suffering affect your bravery? Are you fearful today? 7. How can you remind yourself to be brave in the midst of suffering? Be Diligent in the Pattern of Truth Not only are we to be brave in the face of suffering, we are also to be diligent in the pattern of truth. Paul tells Timothy to Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me (2 Tim. 1:13). The word pattern can be translated as outline, meaning the truth gives shape to a particular standard. This standard is to be followed and requires conformity. Equally important is the designation of truth as being the sound words. This phrase describes the gospel as a message that perfects and matures a person in Christ. Truth perfects us by making the mold to which we are conformed. We should fit ourselves within its frame. And finally, we are to follow in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This means we are to follow the pattern of truth with all faith and love. We are to trust and love the truth. 8. How can you fit yourself in the mold of truth? 9. Do you think it is important that you understand the pattern truth gives? If so, what can you do to make sure you grow in understanding? 10. How can you practically trust and love the pattern of truth? What can you do better?

4 Be Resolute in the Protection of Truth Finally, we are to be resolute in the protection of the truth. This means we are to be determined and intentional in guarding the gospel. We do this by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us in God s power. In Paul s lofty explanation of the gospel found in verses 9-11, we see that God is the designer and perfecter of salvation. The gospel begins and ends with Him. In verse 12, Paul says he suffers for the gospel because he trusts in the God who is powerfully able. The NASB translates his remark more plainly, For I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. The reality is that God is working as we work. He works to guard what we entrust to Him. And, we work to guard what He entrusts to us. We entrust our soul to Him. He entrusts His gospel to us. 11. Paul tells Timothy to guard the good deposit entrusted to you and essentially, tells us the same. What do you think he means? 12. Why is it important to know that we entrust our soul to God as He entrusts his gospel to us? What can we conclude from this (compare with Mark 8:38)? 13. How can you be more resolute in guarding and protecting the gospel message? 14. What do you suppose you are protecting the gospel from? Why do you think the gospel needs protection? 15. What changes do you need to make today? Many Ashamed, Few Unashamed The last part of our text looks at examples of bravery and cowardice. Oftentimes, cowardly believers fail to take a stand with their brave counterparts. Standing up for the gospel and for Christ brings opposition in many ways. Paul was imprisoned for preaching the gospel and according to 2 Timothy 1:15-18, many associates abandoned him in fear. Only one stood with him. 16. What does this tell us about other professing Christians and the suffering we might face in this world? 17. What effect did Onesiphorus bravery have on Paul? How did he show his bravery (see 2 Timothy 1:8)? 18. Why do you think Paul names the associates who were ashamed and unashamed? Closing The reality that our lives are entrusted to God as the gospel is entrusted to us should motivate us to

5 guard the gospel with our lives. Our good fight of faith depends on how we prioritize the gospel in our hearts and in our actions. When the gospel is supreme, our faith is strongest. Additionally, the fight we engage is not a futile fight. We are equipped with the Spirit of God, which shapes us with power, love, and self-discipline. We should be brave in the face of suffering, diligent in the pattern of truth, and resolute in the protection of truth. This is how we guard the gospel and fight the good fight.