Passing On The Deposit

Transcript

GR 1384
11/02/2008
Passing on the Deposit
II Timothy 1:15-2:2
Gil Rugh

We're studying Paul's letter to Timothy, the second letter of Paul to Timothy and so you can turn there in your Bibles, II Timothy, and we are toward the end of chapter 1. We are in a section that really began with chapter 1 verse 8 where Paul gave two specific commands to Timothy—do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me his prisoner, the command being do not be ashamed; and the second command, join with me in suffering, join with me in suffering for the gospel. These two commands set the theme for what Paul will be saying, really, down into chapter 2 through verse 13. This idea of do not be ashamed, join with me in suffering pervade what he is instructing Timothy through this entire section. In verse 13 of chapter 1 Paul gave another command—retain is the command; retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me. Then he gave a fourth command in verse 14—guard is the command, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the treasure which has been entrusted to you. So in verse 13 Timothy is to hold on to, have a good grasp on the healthy words that he has received from Paul, the truth of the gospel that he unfolded in some detail in verses 9-10, that in eternity past God planned and purposed to provide salvation for fallen sinful human beings. And that would be accomplished by having His Son be born into the human race, suffer and die on the cross, be raised in victory. And then salvation would be provided by God's grace to all who believe in His Son. Not by works but by grace. That is what Timothy is to have a good hold on, that healthy word, they are words of life. And he is to also guard these words that have been entrusted to him in verse 14, protect them from any change, alteration. Hold on to the purity of what has been entrusted to him.

To reinforce this, now in verses 15-18 at the end of chapter 1 Paul is going to give some examples. The first example is of those who were not faithful, who proved to be ashamed or unwilling to suffer with Paul for the gospel. And then he will select out a unique individual, Onesiphorus by name, a man who stands out by being willing to be identified with Christ, to bear the shame of such identification, and willing to suffer for the gospel. Following those examples you move into chapter 2 and he'll pick up with his commands to Timothy again—a command to be strong in verse 1, the command to entrust in verse 2, and then the command to suffer hardship with me in verse 3. Then he'll reinforce that with some illustrations again and so he'll move on through this section.

We're going to pick up with verse 15 and there we have some negative examples that reinforce what Paul has been telling Timothy. Then in verses 16-18 he'll give the positive example of the man who was faithful. Verse 15 begins, you are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me. Timothy is already aware, he already knows. You know these things, Paul tells Timothy. So this is not new information to Timothy and it helps us appreciate why Paul is pushing so strongly on Timothy to do what he must do—not to be ashamed, be willing to suffer. Because now he tells Timothy, you know, you are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me. You know where Timothy is, he is in Asia. He is well aware of the mass movement away from Paul that has taken place there. Timothy is in Asia, we're talking about the Roman province of Asia; we call it Asia Minor, the area occupied by modern-day Turkey. The seven churches of Asia in Revelation 2-3 are written to churches that are in this area. Those letters will be written about 30 years after this letter by the Apostle Paul. The letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Colossians are written to churches in this region.

Now Paul makes a startling statement. Timothy, you know all those who in Asia have turned away from me. There are not a lot of details given on what happened here, because Timothy already knows. He's there; he's living in this environment. We may get a little glimpse over in chapter 4. Remember Paul is in Rome in prison and as a result of this imprisonment and the trials that go with it, he is going to be executed and he knows that is going to be the outcome. He has already begun the trial process so in verse 16 he says, at my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me. That may give some insight into what he is talking about back in chapter 1 when he says all who are in Asia turned away from me. Those who reside in Asia who were in a position to be a help to Paul, an encouragement to him, perhaps stand with him, be a character witness, whatever. But none of them did. We don't know the exact details. He doesn’t say why at his first trial, there were those who live in Asia who could have been a support to Paul but they were afraid, they were embarrassed, they were ashamed, they were not willing to suffer so they didn't. It could have included other things. When Paul was arrested in that part of the world to be transported to Rome, perhaps those who could have come to his defense and stood with him didn't. Details aren't given. The closest we come is that reference in chapter 4. The point is everyone who was in a position to have been a help to Paul, to have stood with him, to encourage him, to give him aid deserted him. Paul spent three years of his life on one occasion, one block of time in Ephesus, the capital of the Roman province of Asia. His ministry of the gospel spread throughout the whole region of Asia. And now when those who had opportunity from that region, professing believers, to stand up for the gospel, to stand with Paul, they all abandoned him, turned away from him. You can understand why Paul says to Timothy don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, in verse 8 of chapter 1, or of me his prisoner.

You know what happens. Paul is concerned for Timothy. It's one thing to stand and take a position when everybody you look up to, those you've been associated with in ministry also are standing. But all of us have a sense of unease when you see people starting to scatter. No, I'm not going to stand with Paul in this occasion. One time I had a pastor come see me and we were in a conflict. He said, Gil, I've just come to tell you I'm not going to stand with you on this issue. I appreciated his honesty. No one stood with Paul. We all feel the pressure of what it might mean and besides and I can understand one or two people falling off. He's talking about all who are in Asia who had opportunity to stand with Paul chose not to. I don't know that all of those people would have been wrong; probably Paul has brought some of this on himself. There's no sense in me putting my life, my family, everything I've worked for, my reputation, everything on the line for Paul. We all find reasons. Paul realizes the pressure that is on Timothy. He's in Asia, he looks around. There is so-and-so, they didn't stand for Paul. Paul realizes Timothy is under great pressure. All who are in Asia have deserted me, they turned away from me.

I want to give you some outstanding examples. Among who are Phygelus and Hermogenes. We know nothing more about these men. Their names are enshrined in the eternal word of God as those who failed, who were ashamed of Paul and by that action were ashamed of the testimony concerning Christ for which Paul was in prison. These must have been men of some influence and position; they must have been individuals you would not have expected that would turn away from Paul. I mean, to select them out from all those in Asia who could have stood with Paul but didn't, even among them that includes Phygelus and Hermogenes. I mean, that probably had a great impact on Timothy. He already knew it and Paul knew, perhaps they had been closely involved with Timothy in ministry there. Paul wants Timothy to know, I am aware of all this, I've experienced it. He's in effect telling Timothy I know the pressure you are under. You are standing there and it looks like everyone else is abandoning me and the pressure is on you to do the same. That accounts for the intensity of Paul's writing here and the specific commands he's given to Timothy.

But all is not bleak. There is a faithful man in Asia who has gone out of his way to identify with Paul and be a support to him and a help to him, even during his imprisonment in Rome. Verse 16, the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus. Paul is so overwhelmed with this act of kindness, courage and commitment that he asks that God would bestow special mercy on Onesiphorus. Not only for the present, but when you get down to verse 18, the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. I want the Lord's favor and blessing to be upon him now in a special way and when it comes to the Day of Judgment my desire before God is that God will show him special favor, honor him in a special way. Paul sees the act of Onesiphorus here is an act of great courage. Again the courage is enhanced. It's easy for me to stand together with you all, but if you all would turn away, would I stand? Or would you? It's easy for you to stand sitting as part of the group, but all of a sudden you look around and the seats are empty and everybody is gone and you say, I don't know that I want to be here either. That's Paul's situation. He's in prison, he calls himself a prisoner of the Lord back in chapter 1 verse 8, and now people are ashamed of him and unwilling to join with him in suffering for the gospel. But Onesiphorus, he came forward when nobody else would. Again we are talking about these must be individuals who had opportunity to aid Paul. We're not saying every single individual in Asia has not because here is Onesiphorus. And Timothy is in Asia. In chapter 4 we're told Aquila and Priscilla are also in Ephesus at this time. But these are individuals who had opportunity to stand with Paul but they turned away on that occasion.

The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me. Refreshed me, what does that mean? It meant doing whatever he could to help Paul. Just his presence to be there with Paul, to stand with Paul, to show he was not ashamed to be identified with Paul. He could also have been giving him physical provisions, the necessities of life. The prisoners were often responsible for their own keep. When we were in another part of the world years ago we had experience of this. Talking to some Christians who had been imprisoned for their faith and they talked about the fact that they always kept a small bag of necessities, soap, toothbrush and so on, by the door. Why? Well if they come to arrest me I can grab my little bag to go. They don't give you time to go and gather your things and they make no provisions for you; you are responsible for your own other than basic prison food. But they don't supply you the food, they don't supply you the toothbrush, they don't supply you those necessities. And a similar situation for Paul. As I heard about that in our own day I thought, it's like Paul. And here is Onesiphorus. When nobody seems to care, when everybody who could have helped, even those who have benefited so greatly from Paul's ministry, even those like Phygelus and Hermogenes, they turned away from him, they abandoned him, they in effect deserted him. He refreshed me. The word refreshed is a word that originally meant to experience the cool breezes. In those days before air conditioning you might be able to go sit by the water or something and you would feel the cool breeze and it was refreshing. That comes to be used of bringing refreshment of any kind. And that's what he was to Paul.

Furthermore, he was not ashamed of my chains. The key word here is not ashamed. Remember back up in chapter 1 verse 8; therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner. And you'll note the connection here, and he puts the testimony of our Lord, that's what the gospel is. It's the message concerning Christ. Don't be ashamed of the truth concerning Christ or of me his prisoner. I mean, I'm a prisoner because I give out the testimony of Christ. If you're ashamed of me, in effect, you are ashamed of the testimony of Christ. Do not be ashamed, Timothy. And then he reminded him down in verse 12, for this reason I also suffer these things but I am not ashamed. And now we add to that Onesiphorus. He was not ashamed of my chains. It was no light thing, no small thing to be identified with a prisoner, not a prisoner of Rome for a capital offense. Remember now under the Roman Emperor Christianity is an illegal religion. Things have deteriorated. Nero has declared Christianity an illegal religion. In the book of Acts we see Paul declaring his Roman citizenship, being able to fall back on Roman law for Roman citizens in his defense against the Jews. Things have changed. Now he is on trial for his life by the Romans, considered guilty under Roman law, unjust as it is. Now what happens to a man who comes forward and identifies himself with Paul, shows himself to be a friend of Paul, one who wants to help Paul in whatever way he can? He's marked out as a Christian, that marks you out then as a guilty person, puts your life at risk, your family, your possessions, and your job, everything including your life. But Onesiphorus was not ashamed of my chains. By implication you are saying according to the connection of chapter 1 verse 8 he was not ashamed of the testimony of Christ. That's what it's all about, Paul says. Those who are ashamed of me have pulled back from their identification with the gospel, because I am a prisoner for the gospel's sake. They were not willing to suffer, but he was not ashamed.

What did he do? Verse 17, but when he was in Rome. Remember he is from Asia, he's from Ephesus. We know that because in chapter 4 verse 19, greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. Timothy is in Ephesus, he's told to greet Priscilla and Aquila who are now in Ephesus and also the household of Onesiphorus. So we know where Onesiphorus is from. So back in chapter 1 verse 17, when he was in Rome. What brought him to Rome? We're not told, but he came to Rome. He eagerly searched for me and found me. At the end of the book of Acts Paul is a prisoner in Rome but in a different setting. He is under house arrest; he has a Roman soldier who is responsible for him. But he is free to receive visitors. Evidently where he is, is well known, people come, Paul teaches them and so on. That's one of the ways Rome held prisoners not being held for capital offenses. They usually didn't use the dungeon kind of prison for other than capital offense; they preferred things like banishment, exile, house arrest; those kinds of things. Here it is different. Now as a prisoner of Rome on trial for his life under Roman law for offense against Rome, now he is secured in the prison. But where is he? In the account I mentioned when we were in another country several years ago, the man who had been carted off to prison in the middle of the night had spent 25 years in prison. He said, you know it was months before anyone in my family knew where I was. No authorities would tell them where I was being held. So it is here. I've shared with you, you go to Rome and they show you a place that is supposedly the place where Paul was imprisoned. I don't know if that is the actual place or not. But it gives you an idea of what Rome used. This is a big huge cistern underground, almost like a big round Christmas bulb with an opening in the top where they filled it with water. When it was empty they used it to hold prisoners. Nobody is going to escape, there is no way out, nobody can climb up. Damp, cold. I mean, you have prisoners with a capital offense being held in these kinds of places, how in the world are you going to find them?

But you are told that Onesiphorus, when he was in Rome he eagerly searched, diligent search. He didn't just ask around, does anyone know where Paul is being held? No, I guess not. If I could have helped I would have, but I have to get back home. He had an out. He could have said I did look around but I couldn't find him. No, he diligently searched, he zealously searched, and he searched until he found him. How do you do it? You just keep asking around. You have to put your life on the line, soon somebody will say, he is asking for Paul. Isn't he the man on trial for his life? He kept searching, asking questions, inquiring and pretty soon you find someone. I heard he is being held there and finally here he is. Can you imagine what it was like for Paul when Onesiphorus showed up when everybody else who could have helped chose to scatter? And here is Onesiphorus, like a breath of fresh air. What an encouragement and blessing to Paul, let alone what he might have been able to bring in necessities for Paul. Just to hear someone. I haven't been totally abandoned. There are men who will come forward at potential great cost to themselves. One person made the observation we can be identified by acts and opportunities that come to us.

Phygelus and Hermogenes, we don't know anything else about them but they stand out as examples of unfaithfulness. What is the testimony in the eternal word of God, they were ashamed of Paul and thus the gospel. Unwilling to suffer. Two thousand years later what do we know about Phygelus and Hermogenes? Ashamed, unwilling to suffer. We don't learn anything more about Onesiphorus than what we have in these three verses and that one verse in chapter 4 that says, say hello to the household of Onesiphorus. That's all we know. But two thousand years later he is a testimony of faithfulness, of what a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ ought to be like. Is he on the level of the Apostle Paul, famous and well known? No. Is he well known before the throne of the Lord? Paul thought so. He asked the Lord to show him special mercy and favor both now and on the Day of Judgment. You know, he may have thought Onesiphorus was just on a task that was hard and difficult trying to find Paul and thinking about what does this mean for my family if I get arrested here. What does it mean for my family if word goes out from Rome to arrest the family of this man, they're probably Christians, too? I'm just looking for Paul, it's the right thing to do, it's the biblical thing to do. He is a proclaimer of the gospel and I stand for that gospel and I want to encourage him in that. Seems like a small thing but it's a big thing. Don't know the impact of just being faithful today. Might have seen, well, everybody else has turned away from Paul. Hermogenes and Phygelus, well, you know. We'll stand another day. Well there wasn't another day for them to bear this kind of testimony. We don't want to miss the opportunities God places in our way. The only way to be sure is be faithful every day in every situation. And that's what Onesiphorus is doing. He eagerly searched for me and found me.

The Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. I mean, Paul can't get over this. And he has a play on words here that you can pick up because they translated it using similar words. The end of verse 17, he eagerly searched for me and found me. Verse 18, the Lord grant to him to find mercy. He found me, may he find mercy. So a little play on words here building on the fact that by virtue of his being willing to step out, put his life on the line to find me, may on the day when we stand before Christ, that day, he find mercy, favor, extra blessing from the Lord. And you know very well what services he rendered in Ephesus. This probably goes back to the three years Paul spent in ministry in Ephesus and Timothy shared in that ministry with him. You know you just don't start to be faithful tomorrow, you start to be faithful today and you build a pattern of faithfulness. Today, tomorrow, the next day. Onesiphorus had established the pattern back there. Years ago when we were ministering in Ephesus you know how faithful Onesiphorus was. And it's those individuals who will be faithful whenever. What services, it's just the word for serving at the end of verse 18. You know very well what services. He was just serving, being faithful in what he could do and you know you build that and here comes an opportunity that marks him out in a special way in the word of God and before the throne of God in the day of judgment, assuming Paul's prayer will be answered. But he's following the pattern that has been the pattern of his life. Faithful, faithful. You know what services he rendered, add emphasis. He was faithful in serving.

So he comes to Rome, nothing changes. But Paul is a prisoner. I'm a servant of Jesus Christ, this is what I do. I don't have to consider is this too costly, will this cause me trouble? I do it. We establish that kind of pattern. Having been in the ministry for many years, I appreciate what makes a difference in a church is people who are faithful in serving. Just whatever the Lord provides to do, they do. And that pattern builds a pattern and the impact of it we can't measure. So Onesiphorus is an example to be followed.

That leads us into chapter 2 and you'll note how chapter 2 starts, you, therefore. And there is strong emphasis on you here. You, Timothy, therefore, unlike the examples. And you know where he put all the time, in the examples of those who abandoned Paul, verse 15, and all of those in Asia and numbers of them who could have stood with me didn't. Even Phygelus and Hermogenes didn't. But Onesiphorus did, he wasn't ashamed. You, therefore, Timothy, in light of that, in light of the commands in verse 8, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me his prisoner, join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, retain the standard of sound words, and guard the treasure. You have these examples, you have these commands, I've shared with you that the gospel is God's plan from eternity. It's His only plan for the salvation of mankind. If you won't die for that, what would you die for? You won't give your life in suffering for that, what would you give your life for? Remember Jesus called those who would follow Him to take up their cross and follow Him. You can't love your own life more than Him; you can't love your family more than Him. I mean, we're talking about the eternal God and His work in the world and our honor to belong to Him and be placed in His service. Doesn't matter what everybody is doing.

You, therefore, my son. There is warmth here. Paul started out this letter in chapter 1 verse 2, to Timothy my beloved son, my child, literally. And here, you therefore, my child. It's like a father giving this intense instruction to his own son. That's how Paul viewed Timothy; he was his son in the faith, child in the faith. And I'm speaking to you as a father giving these intense instructions to his son; explain to him why it's so important. That's what Paul is doing to Timothy.

Then he gives another command. Be strong; be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. So now we add two commands in chapter 1 verse 8, two more in verses 13-14, now we have a fifth command—be strong. Do not be ashamed, join with me in suffering, retain the standard of sound words, guard the treasure, be strong. That's not an easy thing, not a light thing. It's hard to stand against everyone; it's hard even to stand for Christ when so many seem not to. Be strong. You understand Paul is writing this to Timothy. No one in Asia wants to stand for him and Paul is soon going to be passing from the scene because he is going to be executed by his own testimony in chapter 4. I don't know what the future of this whole enterprise is. That's why Paul has reminded him, this is God's plan for eternity. It will not fail. Men may fail; God's plan will not fail. You, therefore Timothy, be strong, be strengthened. Passive voice, something is done to you. Be empowered, be strengthened, be made strong. Something God does to you. But Timothy is commanded to have it happen to him. This is talking about the daily strength, power that God provides to live for Him.

Turn over to Ephesians, Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime earlier than this letter. Ephesians 6:10, Paul writes to the church at Ephesus, finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. That's what it takes, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Back in II Timothy 2, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. You know you cannot do the work of the Lord in the strength of the flesh. We sometimes think the excuse is I'm just not cut out for that, I just don't have the constitution for it. And sometimes we think our feelings control us. I don't feel like it, I'm not motivated to do it, as though that meant we didn't have to do it. But you understand he's talking to him as his son. As we've viewed the example before, your kids can get up tomorrow morning. They say I don't feel like going to school, I'm not motivated to go today, I think I'll stay home. And your response will be, I don't care whether you feel like it or not, it doesn't matter if you are motivated or not. In fact if you don't get out of bed quickly you will have some added motivation. You're going. Well why would you make them go if they don't feel like it? Why did you make them go if they're not motivated? They have to go because it's the right thing to do. Paul doesn't talk to Timothy, Timothy, I don't know whether you feel like doing this, I don't know whether you are motivated today for this. What does that have to do with anything? You do it, you be strong. I just can't make myself strong, Paul. Why not? It's not a matter of ability; it's a matter of will. Because you can be strengthened in the grace, through the grace, by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. This is an enabling power that is given to us in Christ by God's grace. Paul has already told Timothy back in chapter 1 verse 5 that he is sure that he has the same genuine faith that his mother and grandmother have had. So down in chapter 2, this enabling grace is provided in Christ Jesus. So if you are in Christ Jesus he will enable you to be strong, empower to do all that He wants you to do, all that He says you must do. Sometimes we just don't want to take advantage of the power. Here you have that connection again of God's sovereign work and man's responsibility. Be enabled, be strengthened, be empowered. It’s sometimes called a divine passive. Something God will do, but you are responsible to see that it's done. Well if God is going to do it, I'll just wait here until He does it. Then I'll feel like doing it, be motivated and I'll go do it. No, you do it. Just like our kids, you get out of bed and do it. We do it. Timothy, it's not a matter about your feelings, this is a matter of what you must do and the Lord will provide the strengthening enablement for you to do it.

Look in verse 7 of chapter 1, God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of power. In these words, it's true for the word to be strong, the verb there in chapter 2 verse 1 all come from that same basic Greek word we talked about, we get the English word dynamic, dynamite, dynamo, those words. It's power, energy, strength. In chapter 1 verse 7, God doesn't give us a spirit of timidity but of power. Verse 8, therefore do not be ashamed, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God. God never told us we could do His work in our strength. He tells us to do His work in His strength. That's why He can take the weakest instrument and accomplish things of eternal importance and significance, because it is done in His power. You know we can so easily sit back and analyze ourselves, examine ourselves and come up with why I'm not able, why I'm not capable, why I'm not right. We have to say, is this what God would have me do? Then I must do it. I'm afraid to do it, it seems overwhelming, but I do it in His power. That’s why we remember II Corinthians 12 when Paul says, when I am weak then I am strong. Because the weaker I am the more evident it is that it's God's power going to work, not mine.

Be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Verse 2 of chapter 2, the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses. What did he hear? Well up in verse 11 of chapter 1, for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, a teacher. What was he appointed these things for? The end of verse 10, the gospel for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, a teacher. Now down in verse 2, the things which you have heard from me. What did he hear from him? The gospel. Chapter 1 verse 13, retain the standard of sound words, healthy words, which you have heard from me. That's what he's talking about. Verse 14; guard the treasure which has been entrusted to you, what I have passed on to you. The things which you heard from me in the presence of many witnesses. You know this truth is given out. It's not something for a select, initiated few Christians. Paul didn't take Timothy off just by himself and teach him these things. Timothy heard him teach the gospel, the truths that God revealed to him with many other people present. They can all testify as witnesses to these things.

So the things you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men. Timothy has been commanded back in chapter 1 verse 13 to retain the standard of sound words which you heard from me, to hold onto it, to have it for yourself and in your grasp. In verse 14 of chapter 1 he was to guard it. But those two things are not enough. You must pass it on to others, teach it to others, entrust it to others. That word entrust is the command. We've seen that word before. It's the word that means a deposit. Deposit it with faithful men, is what he is telling him. These things deposit to faithful men, entrust it, make the deposit to faithful men.

It's used a number of times through this section, we've looked at them. Back up in verse 12 of chapter 1, remind you, the end of the verse, I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him. Remember that whole phrase, what I have entrusted to Him is the translation of two Greek words, my deposit. I am convinced He is able to guard my deposit until that day. I take it that that is what God has entrusted to Paul, deposited with Paul, the truth of the gospel. Down in verse 14, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the treasure which has been entrusted to you. That whole last part of that verse, the treasure which has been entrusted to you is the deposit. Guard the deposit, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the deposit. Same deposit he talked about back in I Timothy 6:20, oh Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Guard the deposit, guard your deposit, guard what has been deposited with you. What has been entrusted gives the idea, but I want you to see the connection. He's talking about this deposit, something entrusted to someone who is to hold on to it, to guard it. And in this case has the responsibility to pass is on intact, as received, to other people.

Back in I Timothy 1:18, Paul said to Timothy, this command I entrust to you. Timothy, my child, then he tells him fight the good fight at the end of the verse. So Paul is reminding him, you have received a deposit, you are responsible before God. I received it from God; I passed it on to you. And remember he is reminding him in II Timothy 1:12, God will guard that deposit. And you are responsible to guard it, and you guard it in the power God gives you. And the moment you begin to fall back on your own power you fall back on weakness. Then you find people abandoning the gospel. My friends have left. That doesn't matter, Onesiphorus didn't. Timothy, you don't be ashamed of me or the gospel, you join me in suffering.

You entrust, back in II Timothy 2:2, you deposit this to faithful men, men who will be true to their calling, faithful. We'll do what God says we are to do. Pass this on as He gave it, no changes. He told the Galatians in chapter 1, even if an angel from heaven preaches or teaches any other gospel, he is cursed to hell. There are no changes. God has given it; this is what He has planned from eternity. But we live in a different day, two thousand years after the Apostle Paul. People don't want to be told they are sinners, people don't want to be told they are going to hell, people don't want to be told that there is only one Savior, people don't want to be told God is a God of wrath as well as a God of love. So? We act like we have to rethink things. You know my concern when I'm going to get up and preach is not to be about what you would like to hear, it should be about what God has told me to say, right? And this is what He has told me to say. If I decide that the people don't want to hear it so I'll make an adjustment, now I'm not a faithful man, I'm not being faithful with the deposit. We are here today studying the word of God because people were faithful over the last 2000 years in passing on the deposit of the word of God exactly as they had received it. And that's God's plan. You deposit it with faithful men who will teach others. This is not apostolic succession of specific men; this is apostolic succession of the message. And these men will teach others also. It's not just limited to those who would be teachers. The entire church hears it and out of that certain men are called out of God and gifted by God will continue the teaching process. That's how it spreads throughout the world and goes from generation to generation. What a tragedy that the church which is to be the pillar and support of the truth, as Paul wrote in his first letter to Timothy, is altering the deposit to make it more palatable to men. And what a tragedy we have at the church today. We've gone through the seeker movement, church growth movement where our audience is king and you try to decide what people want, then adjust the ministry to that. Now we've come to the emerging church or emergent, and they acknowledge you can't just change the methods, you have to change the message. And when you change the methods you will change the message. And what is left for the next generation? The deposit has been changed. And it doesn’t matter whether man or angel does that, they are cursed to hell for so doing. Serious matter.

Timothy, you can't do this in your own strength. You be strengthened in the grace that is provided for you in Christ, you draw upon God's strength, His enabling power. The Spirit of God who dwells in you does not give you a spirit of cowardice, but of power. And He has gifted you. Up in chapter 1 verse 6, for this reason I remind you, kindle afresh the gift, the charisma, charis. The Greek word for grace, it's a gift of grace. God's grace has been provided for you to enable you to teach the word and not in your own strength and abilities, but in the strength and abilities that He provides. And that's the process that goes on and we are responsible for.

That's where we are today. What are we here doing? Passing on the deposit, right? Why go through the word of God like that? People don't want to just come and spend an hour, what this verse says, this is what this sentence says, and this is what the next verse says. That's what God gave, it's His deposit, it's what God has guided and directed Paul to write and then to pass on to Timothy, and Timothy to pass on to others and others pass it on. And two thousand years later we're passing it on. Nothing has changed. We like to say it's a different day. It's not a different day, people are still sinners, they are still separated from God by their sins, they are still under the condemnation of God and doomed to an eternal hell. They are still living lives of rebellion against the living God. There is only one Savior, only one hope, only one way to be cleansed from the guilt and defilement of sin. And that is through the Son of God, who God planned from eternity would come to this earth and suffer and die to pay the penalty for sin so that He could offer us the free gift of eternal life through faith in His Son. Nothing has changed. This is God's plan from eternity. It was fully revealed and manifested with the coming of Christ. But there is no change. If Christ doesn't come for another 2000 years, there will be no change in God's eternal plan. There will still be those, because God guards the deposit, who will be passing on that same message in its unadulterated form to others who will be passing it on to others. You see it is indeed, as we have it translated, a treasure because it is a deposit from God. He has entrusted it to us. And Paul told the Corinthians, we have this treasure in earthen vessels. We get overcome with our frailness, our inability, our unworthiness. But we're not going to sit in a puddle. You know why? God has purposely placed it in these frail vessels so all the honor, all the glory, all the credit goes to Him and not to us as a remarkable display of His grace that He will bestow rewards on us for faithfulness to Him.

We're called to be faithful men, faithful women, faithful young people, and faithful old people, faithful to the truth that God has given us. That's the ministry of our local church together.

Let's pray. Thank you, Lord, for your truth. Thank you for your word, thank you for the gospel which is your power, divine power for salvation to everyone who believes. Thank you for a provision of grace, a plan that only you could have planned, a plan that only you could have carried out, a plan that only you can sovereignly guard and protect and bring to its ultimate fulfillment. Thank you, Lord, that we are privileged by your grace to be part of that plan because we have believed in your Son, a plan that will continue to work throughout eternity. And we will give you all the praise and glory. We pray in Christ's name, amen.