Remember the Gospel

Transcript

GR 1386
11/16/2008
Remember the Gospel
II Timothy 2:8-10
Gil Rugh


We're studying Paul's second letter to Timothy, so if you'd turn there in your Bibles. II Timothy, Paul's last letter as you are aware. He is imprisoned in Rome, he is awaiting certain execution. He's writing to encourage Timothy. As Paul passes from the scene there will be more pressure, more responsibility on Timothy and others like him, believers who will be left to continue on with the faithful ministry of God's truth. So under the direction of the Spirit Paul writes to Timothy to encourage and to challenge him. And the Spirit's intention is to use this letter, not only in Timothy's life, but in the lives of other believers of the time and all the way down through history to our day.

The challenge is to be bold, unashamed followers of Jesus Christ, willing to suffer, endure hardship, endure persecution, and endure slander for the cause of Christ. In chapter 2 verse 3 there is a command given, suffer hardship with me. That is a repeat of the same command given in chapter 1 verse 8; join with me in suffering for the gospel. In chapter 2, after giving that command in verse 3, he gave three illustrations—that of a soldier, that of an athlete, that of a farmer. The point in each of these is it involves hard disciplined work but the result is reward. And that is what he wants to bring to Timothy's attention. Following Jesus Christ, being faithful to Him, giving forth the gospel is not an easy task. But it is a task that will be rewarded at the end.

In verse 7 he gave Timothy another command. We noted chapter 2 is a chapter of commands. I believe there are about 14 commands given to Timothy in this one chapter. And in verse 7 he tells Timothy, consider what I say. What he's really telling him is to give careful attention to what I have been teaching you, to these illustrations that show the importance of suffering hardship and the other commands that have come out through this section, all the way back to chapter 1 verse 8. You think upon these things carefully, Timothy, and the Lord will give you understanding in all things. In other words, you take the truth of the Word of God as I've presented it and you think upon it, and you consider your life in light of it. The Lord will give you the wisdom in how to conduct yourself in the various circumstances and situations that will confront you. So, an encouragement to Timothy. Paul will be gone; the Lord will not be gone. And as you reflect upon this truth that I've been presenting to you, the Lord will give you the wisdom, Timothy, in all situations, in every area so that you'll know what you should do and what faithfulness requires.

When you come to verse 8, and really verses 8-13 conclude the section that began back in chapter 1 verse 8, even some would connect it to chapter 1 verse 6. So this is a major section in the letter of challenging and encouraging Timothy not to be ashamed of the gospel but rather to join with Paul in suffering for the gospel. Now he's going to wrap this up in verses 8-13 and he starts with a command, as you might expect.

Verse 8, remember. And what follows really ties back to the command in verse 3; suffer hardship with me, since that becomes the pervading idea of this whole section. But what he is going to remember will help reinforce him and motivate him, if you will, encourage him to join with Paul in suffering for the gospel. Verses 8-10 form one long sentence in our English Bibles; we've broken it up into two sentences which makes it a little more manageable for us. But everything flows out of that command in verse 8 to remember, in this sentence. So really he tells him to remember the gospel, keep that ever before you and the Person and work of Christ, and then he sets himself forth as an example for Timothy to be encouraged by, and what God is accomplishing with the message of Christ. Then in verses 11-13 he really gives a great doctrinal summary and overview, reminding Timothy and us of our responsibility and privileges. We're going to limit our attention to one sentence, which comprises verses 8-10 as Paul gave it.

Look how II Timothy 2:8 begins. Remember Jesus Christ. It seems like a strange thing to say to Timothy. It's given as a command, and a command in the present tense. So you might say, be continually remembering Jesus Christ. Keep Jesus Christ always on your mind, remembering what He did, what He accomplished, what His work was, who He is. Not that Timothy would forget the facts, and Timothy has been serving with Paul for some 17-18 years by now. He's been involved in presenting the gospel hundreds of times, in various places in the world. He's been with Paul as Paul presented the gospel, but now Paul commands him, you remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel. What he's really telling him to do is you keep this ever before you. You know sometimes as believers, when we've been believers for a while and we go through the Word of God, sometimes it seems repetitive. I've been through this, I know this, I've been over it before, how many times do we go over this. Really in this letter what we have in verses 8-10 is a repeat of what Paul said in chapter 1. He's just going over the same material on the next page in the letter, and maybe Paul forgot what he wrote on the previous page. No, he's writing under the inspiration of the Spirit. He could review what had been written. He repeats it because this is crucial. Timothy, keep your focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ. The moment you take it off that focus, you begin to drift, you begin to get uncertain, you begin to get fearful. You remember Jesus Christ, what He has done, who He is. You remember my gospel, as the verse ends. That will keep you focused. You won't be worried about what will people think, how will they respond if I tell them the gospel. Are they going to take a different view of me if I talk to them about Christ? Or are they going to dislike me, are they going to begin to say nasty things about me, are they going to begin to try to persecute me and get me arrested, which could happen in Timothy's case. It happened in Paul's case. When you keep your focus on the gospel, everything else is put into perspective. So Timothy, remember Jesus Christ. Now we need to do that, too, it keeps us from drifting, keeps us on target, on focus. We remember Jesus Christ. That's what we are about as His people, that's what we are about as a church—Jesus Christ and the truth concerning Him.

Look back in chapter 1 verse 8, therefore 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 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality and light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and a teacher. Now that's what he's going to say in verses 8-10. You remember the gospel, and this is the gospel that I preach. It's the gospel that I'm suffering for, it's the gospel that brings about the salvation of God's chosen people, it's the gospel you are responsible to suffer for. That's what it's all about.

So he says remember Jesus Christ. What are we to remember about Him? Two things. First, He's risen from the dead. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead. This summarizes the work of Christ. The resurrection is the climax of Christ's work of redemption, of His work of salvation, providing salvation for sinful human beings. The resurrection climaxes it. So you remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead. Romans 4:25 says, Christ was delivered over because of our transgressions, delivered over to crucifixion because of our sin, because the wages of sin is death. And He was raised because of our justification. In His death on the cross He paid in full the penalty for our sin. He was raised from the dead because righteousness had been secured for fallen sinful human beings. So the resurrection of Christ is the climax. Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Christ. Some time ago we studied I Corinthians 15, a chapter devoted to the resurrection of the body. And there the bodily resurrection of Christ was made the focal point. In fact Paul told the Corinthians in I Corinthians 15:17, if Christ has not been raised form the dead, your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins. Because the resurrection is the evidence that His death on the cross paid in full the penalty for our sins.

This verb risen, risen from the dead, is a perfect tense verb, perfect participle. Perfect tense talks about something that happened in the past, the results continue on in the present. So it is something that is permanent that is fixed. It has happened in the past but the results continue on. He was raised from the dead at a point in time in the past, some 2000 years ago now. But you understand, He is risen, He is alive today, He ever lives, lives forever to make intercession for us as Hebrews 7:25 says. The resurrection of Christ is the defining climax of the work of Christ. It is God's stamp of approval on it all.

Turn back to Acts 2; I want you to note this forms the center of apostolic preaching, if you will, in the book of Acts. Not in any way taking away from the cross, but the resurrection of Christ presupposes the finished work of the cross. That's what it is a testimony to. Christ's death on the cross paid in full the penalty for our sins. You can be forgiven if you believe in Him. How can you know for sure? He was raised from the dead. Look in Acts 2. Peter is preaching on the day the church began, on the Day of Pentecost. And in verse 23, this man, referring to Christ, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. So you see you preach the message of Christ and His death on the cross, but you understand God raised Him from the dead. Down in verse 32, this Jesus, God raised up again to which we are all witnesses. We saw Him after His resurrection. I can tell you it's true, He's alive. God has raised Him from the dead.

In Acts 3 Peter preaches his second sermon recorded in the book of Acts. And what is it about? The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Verse 14, but you disowned the holy and righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you. But put to death the Prince of Life, the One whom God raised from the dead. And again, we are witnesses. God raised Him from the dead. He is crucified, but He is raised. You understand what the resurrection means—it means Christ's death on the cross paid in full the penalty for sin. How sad, some people think they are going to be saved by being baptized, be saved by keeping the Ten Commandments, be saved by living a good life. You understand Christ has been raised from the dead that is God's declaration that the work of salvation was completed with the death of His Son. The only way to be forgiven is to turn from your sin, repent of your sin and place your faith in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. That's the message of these early chapters of Acts.

Acts 4:10, Peter is preaching again. Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. No pulling of punches, no softening the message here. He's addressing the Jews—you crucified Him. God raised Him from the dead. That's the message, that's the issue here. It was offensive to people, but it's the message that brought and brings salvation.

In Acts 5:30, the God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you have put to death by hanging Him on a cross. In other words, there is no escaping guilt. You put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the One whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things. You nailed Him to a cross; God exalted Him to His right hand. He raised Him from the dead.

Peter will come to preach the gospel to the Gentiles for the first time in Acts 10:40. The end of verse 39, they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day. You see the message never changes, the method never changes. We speak forth the simple message—Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for sins, He was raised from the dead by God. You must believe in Him to be saved.

Paul comes on the scene and begins his ministry. Acts 13 you have his first missionary journey. And in Acts 13:29, Paul speaking, when they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, concerning Christ, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in the tomb. He was crucified. But God raised Him from the dead. He's raised, He's alive. He was crucified, but He is alive, He's raised from the dead. And by His death the penalty for sin was paid. And so there is no other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved. There is only one Savior, there is only one way to be saved. It is by recognizing your sinful lost condition, your guilt before a holy God, and turning from that sin and placing your faith in Christ alone.

In Acts 17 on a later missionary trip Paul travels to Thessalonica in Greece. And what does he do there? He enters a synagogue and he is interacting with Jews. We're told at the end of verse 2, he reasoned with them from the scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead. This Jesus who I am proclaiming to you is the Christ, the One who had to suffer, be crucified, and be raised from the dead. Down in verse 18, he moves to Athens and there he is interacting with some of the intellects of the day. Verse 18, some of the Epicureans and Stoic philosophers, and they are confused. He's talking about some kind of strange God we've never heard about. Why are they saying that? The end of verse 18, because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. So he never separates the resurrection from the work of Christ because it is the climax, the finish. And without that everything else collapses.

So Paul stands on Mars Hill, doesn't matter whether he is interacting with the great intellects, with religious leaders from Judaism, from common people. He has one message—Jesus Christ crucified and raised from the dead. So what was he doing? Verse 30, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a man He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. And on it goes. So the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Come back to II Timothy. Timothy, you remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead. That truth—his suffering, his crucifixion is not the end. He is risen from the dead. And you go out to present the message of Him, He's alive. Don't forget. Jesus Christ risen from the dead. He's completed a finished work of salvation.

The second thing you remember—Jesus Christ, descendant of David. You say, don't you think Paul reversed this. First He's a descendant of David, that's His physical lineage, and then He died and was raised from the dead. But the focal point is the resurrection. That establishes everything, including the fact that He is the descendant of David. Descendant of David identifies Him as the Messiah of Israel, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and promises. It's the fulfillment of what is called the Davidic Covenant, the covenant that God established with David which says that He will place the descendant of David on the throne, ruling over Israel for eternity.

Come back to II Samuel 7. Since we are commanded to remember these things, we need to be sure that we understand what we are remembering. We remember His resurrection; His work is summarized, if you will, in that climactic act of resurrection. Now His person, He is the descendant of David. In II Samuel 7:11, the Lord also declares to you, to David, that the Lord will make a house for you. When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant, your seed after you who will come forth from you and I will establish His kingdom. He shall build a house for my name; I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. Verse 16, your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever. Your throne shall be established forever. This is what Peter picked up in his sermon in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost. He said David suffered and died, he was buried, and his tomb is still present with us today. He couldn't fulfill this promise. But Jesus the Messiah could. He died but He was raised from the dead. He is alive and He will sit on the throne ruling over Israel, ruling over all forever. Forever. We are studying the book of Revelation together, and the book of Revelation is moving toward that forever kingdom. It will come to our attention in chapter 20 and move then through chapters 21-22. There is only One who can do that—the One who is of the seed of David. But you see why he put it after risen from the dead. He is the descendant of David. What would establish that? The resurrection from the dead. Because if He wasn't raised from the dead He couldn't be the descendant to fulfill the promise of the Davidic Covenant that He would rule forever on the throne. But He will, He is the Messiah, He is the Savior, the Messiah of Israel, and the Savior of the world.

Come back to II Timothy. Psalm 89 reiterates that Davidic promise. Jeremiah reiterates it. So the descendant of David becomes a Messianic title. John 7:42 is where he uses it as well. The descendant of David, literally the seed of David, tying back to that seed of David in II Samuel 7. II Timothy 2:8, remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead, descendant of David according to my gospel. That's the gospel—the Person and work of Christ. He is the descendant of David. That's why the gospel of Matthew begins by the genealogy of Christ, showing that He is the legitimate heir to the throne of David. He is the descendant of David, His physical lineage qualifies Him. Through His father Joseph He gets the legal right to the throne. He is also a physical descendant of David through His mother, that's in Luke. But the lineage back to David through His mother is not in the kingly line, down through Solomon. So He is a physical descendant of David through His mother, but He gets the legal title to the throne through His father who was also a descendant of David, but he was a descendant of David in the line the king had to come through. So that is His Person. And His work is His finished work on the cross, to climax with the resurrection. You must believe in the Person and work of Jesus Christ to be saved. Paul says, that's my gospel, that's what I'm preaching, that's what I'm telling people about.

We have to go back to Romans 1. You may be saying, I've already gotten this point, I think. Well Timothy already had it, too, and he'd been preaching it more often to more people than we have in sharing the truth of this gospel. But he had to be told, commanded, you keep on remembering this truth. Keep it ever before you, fixed in your mind. It shapes everything you do. Look how the book of Romans begins. Paul, a bond servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. It was my gospel, Paul said to Timothy; because it was the gospel given to Paul, entrusted to Paul, deposited with him, remember. It's God's gospel because it originates with Him. Galatians 1, it was passed to Paul by direct revelation from God. Set apart for the gospel of God which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning His Son. Now note the two things he's going to say about His Son. Who was born of a seed of David, descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. Let me tell you about the gospel of God. It's about His Son, the descendant of David, the One resurrected from the dead. That's it. Sometimes we get confused, we say, I had a chance to witness. What did you do? Well I told them God was in control of everything. That's nice, that's not the gospel. The gospel is Christ died for our sins according to the scripture and He was raised from the dead on the third day, I Corinthians 15. But Paul said that's the gospel God revealed. That's all, that's condensed down. What would I say, what would I talk to people about? We have someone here of great importance, a President, a head of a country. Why don't you go in and give them the gospel. Well I wouldn't know what to say. What did Paul say to the Epicureans, the stoic philosophers? Christ died for your sins and He was raised from the dead. What did he say to Jewish religious leaders? Christ died for your sins; He was raised from the dead. What did He say to common people on the street? Christ died for your sins; He was raised from the dead. Anybody here who is a believer in Christ who couldn't tell anybody that? How can we say, I wouldn't know what to say, I wouldn't know how to begin. Begin with Christ. Any wonder that Paul is so burdened to drive this home to Timothy, command him, you keep on remembering Jesus Christ. His work on the cross climaxed with the resurrection from the dead. Who He is, the descendant of David to fulfill the promises of the Old Testament scripture. That's what you tell people. It's liberating. I can go out and talk to anyone anywhere, the most intelligent man in the world, the richest man in the world, the poorest man in the world, the most powerful man in the world, the weakest man in the world. We can talk to any of them. Why? We can tell them the same thing—there is only one gospel, there is only one message from God for your salvation. His Son died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin. He is raised in victory and He is alive today. He's the One that the Old Testament scriptures promised. This is the plan God established in eternity. If you are ever to be saved, you will have to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone.

Come back to II Timothy 2. Note verse 9, for which I suffer hardship, even to imprisonment as a criminal. For which, for which gospel. The end of verse 8, this is my gospel, the gospel entrusted to me. Remember we talked about the deposit earlier in this letter that Paul received from God. He has passed it on to Timothy, Timothy was to guard the deposit and Timothy was also then to deposit the gospel with other faithful men who would teach other faithful men. And on it goes. So this is my gospel for which I suffer hardship, even to imprisonment as a criminal. You know my suffering, Timothy, is all about the gospel. What you have so condensed in verse 8, that's everything. If you're not sure, tear that page out of your Bible and carry it around with you and you'll always know what to say. I don't know what to say, let me read it to you. Risen from the dead, descendant of David. That's the gospel. What do you mean risen from the dead? Well He died for your sins on the cross and when He was raised from the dead God was saying it was done, He has paid the penalty in full. He was the descendant of David. You understand who was dying on the cross—the Son of God who had come in the line of David to fulfill the Old Testament promises. That's the message.

For which I suffer hardship. Isn't it amazing? Here is Paul enduring all that he does. This word, I suffer hardship, is the same basic word that we had earlier. Suffer hardship with me. It just doesn't have the preposition with on the front. So it's two words. Suffer evil. Previously when the command was given, suffer hardship with me like in chapter 1 verse 8, chapter 2 verse 3; it was suffer hardship with me. Here you don't have the preposition with, so he's just saying, for which I suffer hardship, all these evil things, even to imprisonment as a criminal. Now we read over that quickly, that would have made an impact on Timothy. Paul is imprisoned, and he is imprisoned as a criminal. This word is only used in one other place in our New Testament; it's used in Luke 23 to describe those who were crucified with Christ. Two men, one on each side, they were criminals. It's a word to describe the most vile, offensive kind of person worthy of the worst of punishment. Used outside the Bible to describe people worthy of the worst kind of punishment. People who were going to have their eyes gouged out or their hands or feet cut off as penalty for their crime. That's the description. Vile people worthy of the worst punishment. One person referred to it as a person who commits gross misdeeds, serious crimes. You see what happens when you are identified with Christ. What did Paul do? Murder? Rape? Steal? No, he just told people the Son of God has come to earth, He is born as a descendant of David, He suffered and died on the cross because the penalty for your sin is death, He's been raised from the dead. And they hated him, they despised him, they treated him as the vilest, worst criminal. That's why he's in a Roman prison awaiting execution.

He says I suffer hardship. The Romans didn't take execution as lightly as we might sometimes think. This was a serious offense. And when somebody was going to be executed they thought he was worthy of the worst treatment in preparation for his crucifixion or his beheading, as would happen with Paul. I'm imprisoned here as though I were the vilest, worst kind of person on earth. We should be surprised? Why do people say unkind things about me? I tried to present the gospel and it just got them upset and they just became negative toward me and now they are not my friend anymore. I don't think I'm good to present the gospel. What's that got to do with it? Couldn't help but think of Isaiah 53, when Isaiah prophesied concerning Christ in verse 3. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised and we did not esteem Him. How do we expect to be treated as the followers of one who was despised? Remember Jesus said it's enough for a slave to be like his master. If they've treated Me this way, how will they treat you? Remember the devil is called a liar. John 8, he was a liar from the beginning. What do you think the devil will say about you as a follower of Christ? He's the slanderer; he says false things about us in the presence of God in heaven, according to the book of Revelation. What do you think he's going to do? Peter cautions believers in his letters, be careful that you maintain good behavior so that when people slander you it's without any foundation. But they will slander you. Paul is being accused of being the vilest, filthiest, worst kind of criminal. He's going to be beheaded for it and all he has done is tell people the beautiful, simple, wonderful message of how you can be saved, have your sins forgiven. The Son of God, the descendant of David has died and been raised from the dead. You can be forgiven by believing in Him. People hate him for it, they are going to kill him for it He says this is why I suffer hardship; he is imprisoned as a criminal. Trust Christ, there goes your reputation. Share the gospel, there goes your honor, there go your friends. That's the scary thing. That's what makes us fearful. That makes us want to keep in our own little secret world, because if I tell them, what will they think, what will they do.

For this reason I suffer hardship, even to imprisonment as a criminal. But the Word of God is not imprisoned. Obviously playing here on I'm in prison, the Word of God is not in prison. One person put it this way, you can imprison the messenger, but you cannot imprison the message. You can put Paul in jail but you can't put the Word of God in jail. The Word of God is not imprisoned. And so you have that contrast. I am in prison, but the Word of God is not imprisoned.

We've talked about the perfect tense. The Word of God is not imprisoned, another perfect tense. Do you know what it says? It has not been imprisoned in the past, it is not imprisoned now, and it never will be imprisoned. No matter what you do, you cannot imprison the Word of God. And church history demonstrates that. For the 2000 years since Paul gave his life in testimony for the gospel, here we are. Thousands of people have given their lives, they've burned Bibles, and they have persecuted believers. And here we are, open your Bibles to II Timothy. The Word of God is free, it's not bound. You know Paul kept this perspective. When he tells Timothy remember the gospel, remember Jesus Christ, that's what Paul was doing in this Roman dungeon.

Turn back to Philippians 1. This goes back to a time when Paul was imprisoned in Rome at an earlier time, a less serious occasion, if you will. I want you to note what he has to say about things in verse 12. Now I want you to know, brethren that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel. My circumstances are being imprisoned in Rome, being a prisoner in Rome. This has turned out for the greater progress of the gospel—Paul's imprisoned, the gospel is not. So that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard and to everyone else so that most of the brethren trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment have far more courage to speak the Word of God without fear. How are you going to come and address the Praetorian Guard with the gospel? You walk up to the governor's residence and say, I'm here to present the gospel. You probably won't get it. But Paul brought it to the governor's guards. What's he doing there? Oh, Lord, what have I done wrong, why would you put me here? When I was out I was preaching the gospel, what could I do here? What could he do here? Present the gospel, right? So what does he do? He presents the gospel and he says everybody among the guard has heard the gospel. There has been more progress here; my imprisonment has been a good thing because people wouldn't have heard otherwise. Paul is imprisoned; the Word of God is not.

That happened in his present situation, it's a more severe imprisonment. You don't think, that wasn't so bad. But turn back to II Timothy 4. Paul is on trial for his life, you can be sure in this situation he's not being treated very kindly. We saw how Christ was treated as they prepared Him for crucifixion, the Romans didn't have any use, even for a Roman citizen, who was such a vile person that he was going to experience capital punishment. What's Paul doing? Bemoaning it, thinking all my friends have left me, I am here; I don't have any opportunities to preach anymore, my life has come to a miserable end. Well II Timothy 4:16, at my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me. Woe is me. No, may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. Remember he told Timothy be strengthened in chapter 2 verse 1. Well, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. What happens then? What do you think would happen? So that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, that all the Gentiles might hear that I was rescued out of the lion's mouth. He came through that first phase of his trial, but what did he do? Well, I'm here, I'm on trial for my life, I've got to show them the injustices of this system, the unfairness of it all. No, I am here to make the gospel known. So you know what happened? Every time you gave Paul the opportunity to open his big mouth, out came the gospel. What does he have to talk about here? How unfair the Roman system is and I hope when we get a new Roman emperor there will be more justice. The Roman Empire is going to crumble if they don't do something to correct some things. That's what some of us would be rattling on about. What is Paul doing? Well, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished and all the Gentiles might hear. There are Gentiles that heard the gospel at my first trial that would have never heard if I hadn't been here in prison. The Word of God is not imprisoned, the gospel is not imprisoned.

We sometimes get in difficult situations. We go to the hospital, what are you here for? I'm here for surgery, hope it goes well, hope I survive, and hope I have a good surgeon. I'm so anxious to get through this and get out of here. Maybe we ought to just tell the person when they say, what you are here for, I'm here because God sent me to tell you about His salvation. I'm in this bed; secondary reason is I'm going to have surgery. But the real reason God sent me here is to tell you the message of His Son, the good news that God has provided a Savior for you. That's why I'm here. This is what Paul is saying. I am imprisoned; the Word of God is not imprisoned. Let me tell you about the first phase of my trial—all the Gentiles heard the gospels. Why are you here? I've been unfairly treated, they are always accusing me and slandering me and there is no foundation. No, let me tell you why I'm here. I'm on trial because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, because I preach that the Son of God, the descendant of David came and suffered and died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin. He was raised from the dead in victory and He is the only Savior. That's why I'm on trial; the issue is not about the justice of the Roman system or anything else. It's about the gospel. So the gospel is not imprisoned, it's not bound.

Come back to II Timothy. We don't have time to follow Paul's example but in Acts 24 Paul is brought before the Roman governor, Felix. Do you know what he talked to Felix about? Sin, judgment and the Savior who was raised from the dead. Felix is replaced after a couple of years; Paul still languishes as a prisoner. Not fair. So he gets a chance to talk to Festus. What's he going to tell Festus? I'm not being treated fairly, this isn't right. I have to tell him the same thing I told Felix—the gospel. Festus doesn't know what to do with Paul so King Herod comes to visit Festus, the Roman governor. I don't know what to do with the guy. Herod says, I'll listen to him and give you some input. So what does Paul tell Herod? The gospel. You know Paul had a simple life. Doesn't matter whether he is before King Herod, it doesn't matter whether he is before Roman governor Felix or Roman governor Festus, and it doesn’t matter whether he is before a nobody. I tell them the same thing. Here I am in court, I tell them the gospel. Think about how simple your life would be, wherever you go, whatever you do, whatever trouble comes into your life, whatever problems come, I'm here to tell people the gospel. I'm here in the midst of people who don't like me, I'm here in the midst of people who need to hear. I tell them the gospel. Any wonder Paul said to Timothy, remember the gospel, Timothy. That's what your life is all about—the gospel. Now if we take it in that sense how many of us really can honestly say, wherever we are that's what we do, we remember Christ Jesus, we remember the gospel.

So Paul says in II Timothy 2:10, for this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. For this reason, what I've just been talking about. The gospel is not imprisoned so I give out the gospel so that the elect may be saved. I mean, it's all about giving out the gospel. Remember back in chapter 1 verse 9, God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. We noted we are privileged to be part of God's eternal plan of salvation, both in experiencing that salvation and then in offering that salvation to others. There is no other plan. Societies come and go, cultures change and vary, God's plan is an eternal plan, established in eternity that salvation will come to men and women as they hear and believe the gospel, the truth concerning the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

So in chapter 2 verse 10, for this reason I endure all things. The word endure here means to be under and to live, it's a compound word. I live under so I endure, I go through all of this and I don't quit, I don't look for a way out. I continue to live under the pressure. It's for this reason. Why? The gospel is not imprisoned. I get caught up in my own personal situation, my own personal circumstance, and my own problems. Pretty soon I am confused. Remember Jesus Christ. Whatever else is happening to you, the Word of God is alive and powerful, and it’s free. You may get constrained in a hospital bed; you might be confined in a prison. But just remember the Word of God is not confined, it's not restrained. Well what can I do? Well if you are in a hospital bed somebody will come to change the sheets, if you are in a prison somebody will be guarding you. Just wherever, I remember I endure. Remember Jesus Christ.

For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen. Now we could do a series on this and we have, and there is a booklet on election. The chosen, it's the Greek word elect, for the eklektos, the chosen ones. Some people say, I don't believe in the doctrine of election. Well various forms of this word, either as a verb, a noun, an adjective are used 50 times in the New Testament. So if you believe the Bible, you believe in election. Now as I mentioned before you may have a different view of it, but don't ever tell anybody I don't believe the doctrine of election because you would be saying, I don't believe the Bible. If you translated this word, those who are chosen, you would read eklektos, we just carry it over into English, election. Those whom God has chosen.

I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen. God in His sovereignty, from among fallen sinful humanity that has rejected Him, scorned Him, wants nothing to do with Him, He has sovereignly chosen to call out some to experience the wonder of His salvation. Paul said that's my focus. I've never had any misapprehension that he would save the world, never thought that when he got into prison every person he came in contact with would get saved. His goal was every person he came in contact with would
hear the gospel. And those that God in His grace had chosen would also obtain. The word obtain means that you acquire something that you could not get on your own. They would obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. That's what it's about. So that those chosen of God might acquire the salvation. You say, well, if God is sovereign in this and His work of election, what's the difference? Well, remember Romans 9, who are you, oh man, that answers back to God. You just do what God says. Paul says, I endure all things for the sake of the elect. Why? Because God has ordained that through the preaching of the gospel, the foolishness of preaching as he told the Corinthians, God would save those who believe.

So Paul says I am enduring everything I endure for the sake of those who were chosen, that they might hear and believe the gospel and thus obtain what they could not acquire on their own, the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Turn over to Titus; note how Paul started this letter. Paul a bond servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, note this, for the faith of those chosen of God. He is saying the same thing. I gave my role as a servant, slave of God, an apostle of Christ for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to God in the hope of eternal life, which the God who cannot lie promised long ages ago. So eternal life, eternal glory, that comes as part of the package of our salvation.

Eternal glory, we have to wrap up. That expression, this specific expression, glory of eternity, glory of the ages is only used one other time. That makes two times—this time and one other time. I Peter 5:10, after you have suffered for a little while. See the kind of context we have on this. What is Peter writing about? After you have suffered for a little while, and this life is a little while, the God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory in Christ will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you. That's His work with those that He has chosen. To His eternal glory. Paul says I endure all things so that those chosen of God may acquire the salvation that God has provided in Christ, with eternal glory. That's the glory of God's presence that will be the climax of our salvation. It is begun, but it is not ended, it will never end, it will only get better. I have been saved, I'm cleansed, I'm forgiven, I'm made new, but God is not done with me. The salvation He has begun, He will continue to bring to completion, perfection until the day of Christ Jesus. Then I will be glorified in the presence of His eternal glory. And that is eternal glory.

So this is the gospel and the ministry of the gospel and these sufferings for a little while. Put them in perspective. God is working through Paul's suffering His eternal plan of salvation in calling out a people for Himself and His message of salvation, the gospel, is presented in a context of people who are hostile toward Him, who don't want to hear it, who are offended and antagonized by it. But among them are those who will be the recipients of God's grace. And they will obtain what they could not have obtained on their own—the salvation that God has provided for them as a free gift through faith in His Son.

Come back to Romans 10, and we'll read this in closing. Pick up with verse 12, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him. For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. That's how you are saved; you call on the name of the Lord. You want to be saved? Call on the name of the Lord. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him in whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher, someone to tell them? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things. That's what you're privileged to be—someone who has the beautiful feet of bringing good news of good things to people lost and without hope in the world. However, they did not all heed the good news. For Isaiah says, Lord who has believed our report? Sometimes you keep telling them and telling them and it seems no one believes. So then faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.

That's the message. This is what Paul says my life is all about. Timothy, remember Jesus Christ, remember the gospel. Wherever you are, whatever the circumstances, if they are dragging you away in chains, they are throwing you in a dungeon, they are leading you to execution, if you are on trial, remember Jesus Christ, remember the gospel. When your mouth opens, out comes the gospel, out comes the gospel. That's why Paul could tell the Corinthians in II Corinthians 2, we make Him known in every place. Every place Paul went, he spit out the gospel, and he told forth the truth concerning Christ. It's a message of salvation, eternal salvation.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for the gospel of Jesus Christ. How marvelous, how great is your grace that we should have experienced that grace and obtained what we could not obtain on our own, that we should experience the wonder of your sovereign salvation, brought to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lord, may we take hold of this command to suffer for the gospel, remember Jesus Christ wherever we are, whatever we are doing, in the best of times, the worst of times, the easy times, the hard times. Lord, may we remember Jesus Christ, that above all we are privileged to represent Him and make Him known. May that be true today. We pray in Christ's name, amen.