1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:29,980 Let's pray. 2 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:59,980 Let's pray. 3 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:10,000 Let's pray. 4 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:20,000 Good morning. We are glad to be able to gather to worship this morning. We're going to begin by going to God in prayer. 5 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:30,000 Father in heaven, we thank you for all that you have done for us. We thank you for how you help us, how you strengthen us, how you lead us, how you teach us. 6 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:42,000 We just ask that as we gather this morning that you would focus our eyes on you, that we would see your grace and your mercy and your salvation that has been poured out to us. 7 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:51,000 That if we are discouraged, you would encourage us. If we're fearful, that you would make us courageous. If we are struggling, that you would lift us up. 8 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:56,000 So be with us as we gather this morning. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 9 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:09,000 If you would be standing with me, we're going to read from the 12th chapter of the book of Isaiah, which leads us into both of our songs this morning, Our God Saves, and On That Day. 10 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:14,000 So if you would, let's read from Isaiah, the 12th chapter together. 11 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:25,000 Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and will not be afraid. For the Lord God is my strength and my song. 12 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:30,000 And he has become my salvation. This is the word of the Lord. 13 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,000 We're going to start by singing, "Our God Saves." 14 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:54,000 In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the Spirit, Lord, we come. We are gathered together. 15 00:02:54,000 --> 00:03:01,000 To lift up your name. To call on our Savior. To fall on your grace. 16 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:11,000 Hear the joyful sound of our offering. As your saints bow down. As your people sing. 17 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:23,000 We will rise with you, lifted on your wings. And the world will see that our God saves. 18 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:50,000 Our God saves, our God saves. There is hope in your name. Morning turns to songs of praise. 19 00:03:50,000 --> 00:04:17,000 Our God saves, our God saves. In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the Spirit, Lord, we come. We are gathered together to lift up your name, to call on our Savior, to fall on your grave. 20 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:44,000 Hear the joyful sound of our offering, as your saints bow down, as your people sing. We will rise with you, lifted on your wings, and the world will see that our God saves. 21 00:04:44,000 --> 00:05:13,000 Our God saves. There is hope in your name. Morning turns to songs of praise. Our God saves. 22 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:42,000 Our God saves. Hear the joyful sound of our offering. As your saints bow down, as your people sing. We will rise with you, lifted on your wings. And the world will see that our God saves. 23 00:05:42,000 --> 00:06:11,000 Our God saves. There is hope in your name. Morning turns to psalms of praise. Our God saves. 24 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,000 Our God saves. 25 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,000 Our God saves. 26 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,000 Our God saves. 27 00:06:41,000 --> 00:07:10,000 I believe in Christ, risen from the dead. He now reigns victorious. His kingdom knows no end. Through His resurrection, death has lost its hope. I know on that final day, Jesus rose. 28 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:39,000 On that day, we will see you shining brighter than the sun. On that day, we will know you as we lift our voices one. On that day, we will praise you for your never-ending grace. And we will keep on singing on that glorious day. 29 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,000 Amen. 30 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,000 Amen. 31 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,000 Amen. 32 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:38,380 I will sing. My Father who is waiting for me. Hallelujah, the higher day it will be. For at home with you, my joy is complete. As I run into your arms open wide, I will sing. 33 00:09:39,000 --> 00:10:08,980 My Father who is waiting for me. My Father who is waiting for me. On that day, we will see you shining brighter than their sun. On that day, we will know you as we lift our voices one. Till that day, we will praise you. 34 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,940 We will praise you for your never-ending grace. 35 00:10:12,940 --> 00:10:19,460 And we will keep on singing on that glorious day. 36 00:10:19,460 --> 00:10:26,400 On that day, we will see you shining bright as the sun. 37 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:33,280 On that day, we will ignore you as we lift our voices one. 38 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:40,660 Till that day, we will praise you before your never-ending grace. 39 00:10:40,660 --> 00:10:47,300 And we will keep on singing on that glorious day. 40 00:10:47,300 --> 00:10:54,060 And we will keep on singing on that glorious day. 41 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:10,280 Thank you. 42 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:35,280 Thank you. 43 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,280 Thank you. 44 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,280 For more information, visit www.fema.org. 45 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:40,280 For more information, visit www.fema.org. 46 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:05,280 For more information, visit www.fema.org. 47 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:38,280 www.fema.org. 48 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:08,280 For more information, visit www.fema.org. 49 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,280 For more information, visit www.fema.org. 50 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:05,280 For more information, visit www.fema.org. 51 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:33,260 www.fema.org. 52 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,820 Jesus said, "Fema.org. 53 00:26:36,820 --> 00:26:38,760 I'm going to be a day out of all. 54 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:40,700 I'm going to be a day out of the day. 55 00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:42,960 I'm going to be a day out of the day. 56 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:44,960 I'm going to be a day out of the day. 57 00:33:08,020 --> 00:33:19,020 I've never wondered why God begins His words so frequently and His messengers begin their word every time by calling mankind not to fear. 58 00:33:19,020 --> 00:33:22,020 In part, it's because of comparative greatness. 59 00:33:22,020 --> 00:33:34,020 God, the infinite Creator from eternity past, eternity present, eternity future, all of His goodness and greatness and power in comparison to Him, we are small. 60 00:33:34,020 --> 00:33:36,020 But it's more than that. 61 00:33:36,020 --> 00:33:38,020 It's not just the greatness of God. 62 00:33:38,020 --> 00:33:42,020 It is the holiness and righteousness of God. 63 00:33:42,020 --> 00:33:49,020 And we, as sinful and broken people, do not stand before a righteous God. 64 00:33:49,020 --> 00:33:55,020 The interesting thing is, in Scripture, it didn't always work like that. 65 00:33:55,020 --> 00:34:01,020 In the beginning of the book of Genesis, God creates all things. 66 00:34:01,020 --> 00:34:09,020 He declares them good. He places man and woman in a garden to work and to keep it. 67 00:34:09,020 --> 00:34:15,020 And in the cool of the day, He comes and walks and talks with Adam and Eve. 68 00:34:15,020 --> 00:34:23,020 But in Genesis chapter 3, beginning in verse 4, things change. 69 00:34:23,020 --> 00:34:27,020 "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, 70 00:34:27,020 --> 00:34:33,020 and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 71 00:34:33,020 --> 00:34:39,020 But the Lord called to the man and said to him, 'Where are you?' 72 00:34:39,020 --> 00:34:45,020 And he said, 'I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid.'" 73 00:34:45,020 --> 00:34:55,020 And what you find is that sin brings us to this place where we can no longer stand or be near the presence of God. 74 00:34:55,020 --> 00:34:59,020 And so every time God comes close to sinful people, 75 00:34:59,020 --> 00:35:05,020 any time his messengers come to deliver and we get a glimpse of that glory and that holiness, 76 00:35:05,020 --> 00:35:08,020 the response is fear. 77 00:35:08,020 --> 00:35:15,020 And our fear shows up in different ways. Frequently, like Adam and Eve, we run and hide because we're afraid. 78 00:35:15,020 --> 00:35:21,020 And then sometimes we try to fix it and make it better, conquer our fears, 79 00:35:21,020 --> 00:35:29,020 deal with the source of our fears. Sometimes we just simply pretend and ignore our fears, 80 00:35:29,020 --> 00:35:37,020 but the reality is that there is a gulf between the sinfulness of man and the righteousness of God. 81 00:35:37,020 --> 00:35:42,020 However, just as there was once a time when there was no fear, 82 00:35:42,020 --> 00:35:47,020 there is now a time where we can stand in God's presence without fear. 83 00:35:47,020 --> 00:35:53,020 In 1 John chapter 4, it says this: "By this is love perfected with us, 84 00:35:53,020 --> 00:35:57,020 that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, 85 00:35:57,020 --> 00:36:01,020 because as He is, so also are we in this world. 86 00:36:01,020 --> 00:36:04,020 There is no longer fear even in the face of the judgment of God. 87 00:36:04,020 --> 00:36:09,020 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, 88 00:36:09,020 --> 00:36:13,020 for fear has to do with punishment, 89 00:36:13,020 --> 00:36:17,020 and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." 90 00:36:17,020 --> 00:36:23,020 And John says that for God's people, there is no longer a fear of judgment. 91 00:36:23,020 --> 00:36:29,020 There is no longer a fear of the righteousness of God, because of the righteousness of God. 92 00:36:29,020 --> 00:36:34,020 And it's not simply that this punishment has been removed and disappeared, 93 00:36:34,020 --> 00:36:42,020 but rather this punishment has been given to one who stands in our place. 94 00:36:42,020 --> 00:36:47,020 Paul says this, "For while we were still weak at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 95 00:36:47,020 --> 00:36:53,020 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die. 96 00:36:53,020 --> 00:36:59,020 But God shows his love for us, and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 97 00:36:59,020 --> 00:37:07,020 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 98 00:37:07,020 --> 00:37:13,020 For while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. 99 00:37:13,020 --> 00:37:18,020 Much more, now that we are reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 100 00:37:18,020 --> 00:37:25,020 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." 101 00:37:25,020 --> 00:37:32,020 And so John says to us that there is a love that comes and casts out fear because fear has to do with punishment. 102 00:37:32,020 --> 00:37:40,020 And Paul reminds us and shows us that that punishment was taken at the cross by our Savior. 103 00:37:40,020 --> 00:37:44,020 And because of that, we are reconciled no longer enemies. 104 00:37:44,020 --> 00:37:56,020 We are saved by his life, and we are able to rejoice that fear and separation has been replaced by reconciliation and rejoicing. 105 00:37:56,020 --> 00:38:05,020 And as we come to this table, and as we break this bread, as we drink this cup, what we are reminding of ourselves on this moment, this morning, 106 00:38:05,020 --> 00:38:17,020 is the fact that because of the sacrifice of Jesus, who stood in our place, who died for our sins, we don't have to be afraid. Let's pray. 107 00:38:17,020 --> 00:38:24,020 Father, help us with our fear. We live in a world where fear is so frequent. 108 00:38:24,020 --> 00:38:31,020 It's used to grab our attention. It's used to manipulate and to move us in certain directions. 109 00:38:31,020 --> 00:38:38,020 And so we ask that as we consider the fact that in you there is nothing to be afraid of, 110 00:38:38,020 --> 00:38:45,020 that you would remind us and encourage us and strengthen us and nourish us in the gospel this morning. 111 00:38:45,020 --> 00:38:53,020 That we would be reminded that fear has to do with judgment, and because your judgment has been poured out upon your Son, 112 00:38:53,020 --> 00:39:02,020 that we can stand without fear. So encourage our hearts this morning. Strengthen us for your work. 113 00:39:02,020 --> 00:39:09,020 And may we remember Jesus. We ask that you bless this bread and this cup. It's in your Son's name we pray. Amen. 114 00:39:09,020 --> 00:39:17,020 If you would partake of the bread with me as Jesus shares with his disciples, let's remember Jesus together. 115 00:39:22,020 --> 00:39:30,020 And let's remember Jesus as we partake of this cup, the new covenant that is in his blood. 116 00:39:30,020 --> 00:39:36,020 And as we remember Jesus, we also seek to proclaim him. 117 00:39:36,020 --> 00:39:44,020 Paul says, "For as often as we eat this bread and we drink this cup, we proclaim him until he comes again." 118 00:39:44,020 --> 00:39:51,020 So in just a moment, we're going to be in the second book of Timothy, Paul's second letter to Timothy. 119 00:39:51,020 --> 00:40:02,020 Just a minute before we do that, next Sunday we are beginning our fall sermon series, a sermon series in the book of Daniel. 120 00:40:02,020 --> 00:40:07,020 So a couple of things about this. One, I am very excited to go into the book of Daniel. 121 00:40:07,020 --> 00:40:16,020 You may and are likely familiar with some of the accounts that happen from the test with the food and the conflict in chapter one, 122 00:40:16,020 --> 00:40:29,020 to dreams that cannot be interpreted by anybody but God, to idols and fiery furnaces, to conflict, to Nebuchadnezzar losing his mind, 123 00:40:29,020 --> 00:40:35,020 to the lion's den, to that place where we get that phrase, the writing on the wall. 124 00:40:35,020 --> 00:40:41,020 And you may be familiar as well with the visions that are the second part of this book, from chapter 7 through chapter 12, 125 00:40:41,020 --> 00:40:48,020 where you find this imagery that leaves Daniel at the point going, "I'm not really sure about this," 126 00:40:48,020 --> 00:40:52,020 and a little troubled, and he goes and he takes a nap. That's at the end of chapter 7. 127 00:40:52,020 --> 00:40:59,020 What you find is the pictures of nations rising and falling and God being at work throughout all of the days, 128 00:40:59,020 --> 00:41:06,020 whether that is spiritual warfare, whether that is physical warfare, whether that is the uncertainty and brokenness 129 00:41:06,020 --> 00:41:12,020 of the nations that surround us, that God is in control. And so the picture and the purpose of the book of Daniel 130 00:41:12,020 --> 00:41:18,020 and what we want to try to emphasize as we go through this is that God reigns, 131 00:41:18,020 --> 00:41:23,020 and no matter what happens around us, we are unshaken. So whether you're in Daniel chapter 1, 132 00:41:23,020 --> 00:41:31,020 where everything you once knew is taken away and you're trying to have your life basically disappear into the Babylonian Empire, 133 00:41:31,020 --> 00:41:40,020 God is in control, whether that's in chapter 2. With the unknowable things and not having the answers to the questions 134 00:41:40,020 --> 00:41:45,020 that you may need, you see that God is in control, whether it's in opposition, standing for what's right, 135 00:41:45,020 --> 00:41:52,020 confronting pride, staying faithful, when you could have just simply hidden your faith and kept going, 136 00:41:52,020 --> 00:42:00,020 whether it's when nations rise and fall, we want to see that we as Christians are unshakable because God reigns. 137 00:42:00,020 --> 00:42:07,020 And so with that, as well, I want to encourage you to sort of read along as we go through the book of Daniel. 138 00:42:07,020 --> 00:42:10,020 So on the back, I think there's one left because I think the printer jammed. 139 00:42:10,020 --> 00:42:16,020 When I went down to check coffee a little bit ago, I saw that it did. So there were some handouts for the book of Daniel. 140 00:42:16,020 --> 00:42:21,020 So sort of the couple days before we get to Sunday, we'll have some readings. 141 00:42:21,020 --> 00:42:27,020 So this week it's three readings from the book of Daniel for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from Daniel chapter 1, 142 00:42:27,020 --> 00:42:30,020 with a little bit of background information, a couple questions. 143 00:42:30,020 --> 00:42:34,020 The idea isn't to give you homework, but rather to sort of help you think about things, 144 00:42:34,020 --> 00:42:42,020 so that when we come together on Sunday morning, we'll sort of all be on the same page in regard to the book of Daniel and be familiar with it. 145 00:42:42,020 --> 00:42:50,020 And then next Sunday, we'll all have some discussion things for you to think about, sort of to follow the sermon. 146 00:42:50,020 --> 00:42:55,020 And so second half of the week, you prepare for Sunday, and then the first half of the week following Sunday, 147 00:42:55,020 --> 00:43:00,020 we can spend some time with devotional sort of processing that chapter. 148 00:43:00,020 --> 00:43:06,020 So we don't want to just study Daniel on Sunday mornings, but we want to try to do it throughout the week as well. 149 00:43:06,020 --> 00:43:11,020 So that's what's coming up next Sunday, Daniel chapter 1, and I'm excited to be there. 150 00:43:11,020 --> 00:43:19,020 So we're going to pray, and then we're going to dive into these words of encouragement of Paul to Timothy, 151 00:43:19,020 --> 00:43:24,020 that not just show us what encouragement should look like as we encourage one another, 152 00:43:24,020 --> 00:43:31,020 but they are also words of encouragement to us, especially if we face circumstances and situations 153 00:43:31,020 --> 00:43:37,020 where it seems like we might be overwhelmed or overrun. So let's go ahead and have a word of prayer. 154 00:43:37,020 --> 00:43:45,020 Father in heaven, be with us this morning. May your spirit guide us and teach us and correct us and convict us. 155 00:43:45,020 --> 00:43:53,020 May we most of all see your goodness and your grace in the gospel, the good news that has been given 156 00:43:53,020 --> 00:44:00,020 to us through your Son. So help us as we consider our foundation. Help us as we consider how you have 157 00:44:00,020 --> 00:44:07,020 equipped us and help us as we see how you strengthen us to use those gifts in this world. So help us this 158 00:44:07,020 --> 00:44:13,020 morning. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. So I'm going to read our text and then we'll dive into it. 159 00:44:13,020 --> 00:44:18,020 We're not going to focus on the entire thing. We're going to pick up in verse 5, but I want to read a 160 00:44:18,020 --> 00:44:26,020 little bit of context for you beginning in 2 Timothy 3. I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, 161 00:44:26,020 --> 00:44:33,020 with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. I remember your tears, 162 00:44:33,020 --> 00:44:40,020 and I long to see you that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that 163 00:44:40,020 --> 00:44:46,020 dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and now I am sure dwells in you as well for 164 00:44:46,020 --> 00:44:54,020 this reason. I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my 165 00:44:54,020 --> 00:45:04,020 hands, as for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. And I want to begin, 166 00:45:04,020 --> 00:45:11,020 as we talked about just a moment ago, thinking about fear. And I think one of the great places to see fear 167 00:45:11,020 --> 00:45:17,020 illustrated, if you're looking to the animal world, which having kids we talk a lot about animals, and part of our 168 00:45:17,020 --> 00:45:25,020 menagerie is in our basement we have a big fat grumpy gray rabbit. And one of the interesting things about our 169 00:45:25,020 --> 00:45:31,020 big fat grumpy gray rabbit is that if you pick her up and she doesn't want to be picked up, she goes into a 170 00:45:31,020 --> 00:45:39,020 murderous rage. What's interesting is it's not a focused rage, although sometimes I wonder, I was putting clothes in the 171 00:45:39,020 --> 00:45:44,020 dryer the other day, and I looked behind me, and there was just a rabbit standing there staring at you. The likelihood 172 00:45:44,020 --> 00:45:52,020 of being killed by a rabbit is low, but never zero. And so when she is angry or upset and goes into that fight or 173 00:45:52,020 --> 00:46:00,020 flight mode, and she chooses fight, it is just completely unfocused. Now rabbits also are sometimes known for their 174 00:46:00,020 --> 00:46:07,020 ability to flee. In fact, this year it seems like our neighborhood has a bumper crop of rabbits, and so sometimes I'm 175 00:46:07,020 --> 00:46:14,020 letting the dogs out at 2:30 in the morning, and sometimes I don't always check, but I do check for skunks. 176 00:46:14,020 --> 00:46:19,020 But as I open the door and the dogs go out, sometimes, right, there's a rabbit right there in the middle of the yard, and it's 177 00:46:19,020 --> 00:46:25,020 interesting to see the reaction because sometimes not only does fear provoke this sort of attack that has no rhyme 178 00:46:25,020 --> 00:46:32,020 or reason, but it can also just cause you to freeze in place. And so here's this rabbit going, "I hope these dogs 179 00:46:32,020 --> 00:46:39,020 don't see me as it sits there and twitches in the middle of the yard." But then the third option, and what fear 180 00:46:39,020 --> 00:46:46,020 sometimes results in, in terms of the rabbits, is they do about the worst thing in the world. They run as 181 00:46:46,020 --> 00:46:50,020 fast as they can. If they were stood still, dogs probably wouldn't have noticed them, but as soon as they 182 00:46:50,020 --> 00:46:58,020 start to move, right, say, "Hey, there's a tennis ball thrown by God," right? And off they go. And it's 183 00:46:58,020 --> 00:47:04,020 interesting because rabbits, in many ways, parallel sometimes how we react to fear. Sometimes 184 00:47:04,020 --> 00:47:10,020 our fear comes into our life, and it just sort of explodes out of us in that fight part of 185 00:47:10,020 --> 00:47:16,020 fight or flight. Maybe not directed, maybe not focused, just sort of a, we'll scratch and we'll 186 00:47:16,020 --> 00:47:24,020 fight, we'll do something because we're afraid. And then sometimes fear causes us just to simply 187 00:47:24,020 --> 00:47:32,020 freeze, to stop, to not move. Maybe like in the parable of talents where the fear 188 00:47:32,020 --> 00:47:38,020 from that third servant, instead of investing the money the master gives, he just simply puts it in the 189 00:47:38,020 --> 00:47:44,020 ground and says, "I'm just not going to move." Keep everything exactly the same, the way it was. 190 00:47:44,020 --> 00:47:52,020 And then sometimes fear causes us to run as fast and far as we can go. For example, 191 00:47:52,020 --> 00:47:58,020 you see it in the book of Jonah. As Jonah called to go to Nineveh, and people argue about whether 192 00:47:58,020 --> 00:48:04,020 and why he was afraid. Was he afraid of the people? Was he afraid of the reception? Or was he afraid that God 193 00:48:04,020 --> 00:48:12,020 would have mercy upon them? For whatever reason, his fear causes them to flee. And as Christians, 194 00:48:12,020 --> 00:48:20,020 we find ourselves faced with fear on a regular basis. And the question for us is, "How do we live in a 195 00:48:20,020 --> 00:48:26,020 world that is filled with sin and brokenness?" When we encounter the difficulty and the danger 196 00:48:26,020 --> 00:48:32,020 of a world that is opposed to Christ, how do we respond? And so many times we respond in fear, whether 197 00:48:32,020 --> 00:48:38,020 that's just in wild, uncontrolled action, whether it's freezing in place, whether it's running from that 198 00:48:38,020 --> 00:48:44,020 fear. And so the question we want to try to answer and to help our hearts and to encourage our hearts with 199 00:48:44,020 --> 00:48:52,020 this morning is to see that God has given us the antidote to that fear. And what Paul is going to 200 00:48:52,020 --> 00:48:58,020 say here to Timothy is he's going to sort of give him three things, ending up by reminding him that God has 201 00:48:58,020 --> 00:49:06,020 not given us a spirit of fear. And so there are three letters from Paul that are different than all of his 202 00:49:06,020 --> 00:49:12,020 other letters. Most of his letters are to churches, to the church in Corinth, to the church in Ephesus, to the 203 00:49:12,020 --> 00:49:18,020 church in Galatia. But then there are three letters that are called the pastoral epistles, and they are to 204 00:49:18,020 --> 00:49:26,020 the preacher or the pastor of that church. And so two of them are written to Titus, and we are in the second of 205 00:49:26,020 --> 00:49:34,020 Paul's pastoral letters as Paul writes to Timothy. And one of the reasons we read those extra verses this 206 00:49:34,020 --> 00:49:40,020 morning before, verses five, six, and seven, is to get a glimpse of how Paul feels about Timothy. And one of the 207 00:49:40,020 --> 00:49:48,020 things you find is that Paul cares very deeply for him. In fact, he says to Timothy that I view you as my son 208 00:49:48,020 --> 00:50:00,020 in the faith. And Paul says, "I'm praying for you all day, every day. I'm reminded of your tears when I left, and I 209 00:50:00,020 --> 00:50:06,020 look forward to the day when I will see you." In fact, at the end of this letter he says, "Timothy, pack your stuff, grab my 210 00:50:06,020 --> 00:50:13,020 coat, get my extra books, and come see me, because I miss you so much." And so I don't want you to think that Paul's 211 00:50:13,020 --> 00:50:19,020 instructions and encouragement here are written in sort of a, here's a checklist of things that you're 212 00:50:19,020 --> 00:50:25,020 supposed to do. This comes from the heart of a man who loves and is praying for, and in many ways is a 213 00:50:25,020 --> 00:50:33,020 spiritual father to this young man, Timothy. And it's likely that Timothy's family becomes Christians when Paul 214 00:50:33,020 --> 00:50:41,020 passes through their area in Acts 14. We first meet him in Acts 16. He comes from a household where his 215 00:50:41,020 --> 00:50:48,020 father is Greek and his mother and grandmother are Jewish. Timothy will serve on behalf of Paul in 216 00:50:48,020 --> 00:50:55,020 Corinth and Philippi, and at this point he is the pastor of the church at Ephesus. Additionally, as Paul 217 00:50:55,020 --> 00:51:02,020 writes in 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon, Timothy is with him 218 00:51:02,020 --> 00:51:08,020 in those places. Now, Timothy in Ephesus is in a difficult situation. Remember, we said that 219 00:51:08,020 --> 00:51:15,020 we're talking about being surrounded by brokenness and surrounded by sin, and how do we respond to that? 220 00:51:15,020 --> 00:51:22,020 And Timothy's situation is he is surrounded by brokenness, and he's surrounded by sin. He's surrounded 221 00:51:22,020 --> 00:51:27,020 by opposition, and Paul's going to give him some encouragement on how to deal with that brokenness. 222 00:51:27,020 --> 00:51:33,020 Now, Timothy is in the midst of the city of Ephesus, a city that worships idols, that doesn't 223 00:51:33,020 --> 00:51:41,020 worship the true God, and so surrounding this little church in Ephesus are those who don't 224 00:51:41,020 --> 00:51:46,020 believe, and not only don't believe, they are hostile to the church. But as we read through 225 00:51:46,020 --> 00:51:52,020 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy, it's remarkable the list of obstacles you can find as you read through 226 00:51:52,020 --> 00:51:58,020 these two books. It's not just those outside the church that are the problem, that in this 227 00:51:58,020 --> 00:52:04,020 situation people inside the church are the problem. Some have missed the point and have chased after 228 00:52:04,020 --> 00:52:11,020 random speculation. Some people are seeking inside the church to have their own needs and 229 00:52:11,020 --> 00:52:19,020 desires met. Some are actively hostile to Jesus inside the church. And so there is a 230 00:52:19,020 --> 00:52:46,020 massive problem, and to add to this, Timothy is on his own. His safety net, Paul, is in Rome, and it's not just that Paul is gone, but Paul at this point expects to be martyred almost any day. And so Timothy is about to seem like he's truly on his own. Not only is Paul far away, but Paul is about to die. And so Timothy's situation, it likely feels that 231 00:52:46,020 --> 00:53:13,020 he is surrounded on every side, and they are about to be attacked. And so Paul's encouragement to Timothy, as he writes these words to a young man who is surrounded, not just outside the church, but inside the church, and also in his fear of what the future holds, Paul's encouragement to him is so important for him, but it's important 232 00:53:13,020 --> 00:53:40,020 for us, too, because we find ourselves in so many areas of life surrounded outwardly, inwardly, and we're uncertain of what the future holds, and how do we deal with that? And so listen to what Paul says to Timothy, "I recall, I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and now I'm sure dwells in you as well." It's the first thing. He says, "The second thing, he says, 'For this reason, I remind you to fan 233 00:53:40,020 --> 00:54:08,020 into flame the gift of God, which is through you by the laying on of my hands.'" And then third, he says, "For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control." And so Paul starts first like this. He reminds Timothy of his foundation. Not just his foundation, but the foundation of his grandmother and his mother who have taught him the Scriptures to make him wise unto salvation. 234 00:54:08,020 --> 00:54:36,020 That's what Paul will say later in this letter. And I love the picture that Paul uses. First of all, he says sincere faith, but then he uses one of his favorite pictures for being a Christian in all of Scripture. And it's the picture of living in or in this case dwelt. And so notice what he says, the faith that dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. And now I am sure dwells in you as well. And so Paul's one of his favorite pictures in Scripture is the fact that as a Christian, 235 00:54:36,020 --> 00:55:04,020 as a Christian, God dwells in us and we dwell in him that we live in him. In fact, in Romans chapter eight, here's what Paul writes. He says this, you, however, are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. If in fact, the spirit of God dwells in you. And if anyone who does not have the spirit does not belong to him in Colossians, Paul will say this Christ in you, the hope of glory. 236 00:55:04,020 --> 00:55:32,020 And the picture here in this picture of dwelling that Paul uses is not that being a Christian is not simply a title that is adopted. It's not simply something that we can say or declare and say, look, I'm now a Christian. But the reality of the Christian life is that God dwells in us and we dwell in him. And what it comes to is a total transformation. 237 00:55:32,020 --> 00:55:52,020 And it's not a small thing. It's not simply hanging a welcome sign on our door saying, "Hey, come in if you want to." The reality of Christ dwelling in us, the Spirit living and working in us is a remarkable, powerful, transforming, and sometimes difficult thing. 238 00:55:52,020 --> 00:56:12,020 It's C.S. Lewis in his book, "Mare Christianity." And toward the end, in book four, he writes about what it means to be a Christian. He uses an illustration from another preacher, and I just want to read this section to you and what C.S. Lewis says about God dwelling in us. He says this, 239 00:56:12,020 --> 00:56:32,020 First, I must borrow yet another parable from George MacDonald. Imagine yourself as a living house, and God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on. You knew that those 240 00:56:32,020 --> 00:56:52,020 jobs needed doing, and so you're not surprised. But presently, he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably, and it does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is this: he is building quite a different house 241 00:56:52,020 --> 00:57:12,020 from the one you thought of. Throwing out a new wing here, putting on extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself. 242 00:57:12,020 --> 00:57:29,020 This picture of this faith, this sincere faith that God dwells in you, is more than just simply saying, "I'm a Christian," but it's this picture of God and his transformation that he brings in your life. 243 00:57:29,020 --> 00:57:40,020 And so, Paul says, and he reminds Timothy of the reality of what it means to be a Christian, that God dwells in us, and he says this, "I recall your sincere faith." 244 00:57:40,020 --> 00:57:47,020 And there are two parts to this picture of faith. And most of the time, our culture only seems to focus on the first part. 245 00:57:47,020 --> 00:57:59,020 And the first part is simply, "Yes, I agree with that." That's not the biblical picture of faith, to simply mentally assent to the truth that is there. 246 00:57:59,020 --> 00:58:07,020 It has to practically change and transform our life, which happens through the power of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. 247 00:58:07,020 --> 00:58:11,020 I remember the first sermon that I ever preached, ever. 248 00:58:11,020 --> 00:58:15,020 In our preaching class, it was a topical sermon. Everybody drew a topic out of the hat. 249 00:58:15,020 --> 00:58:19,020 I didn't know how to write a sermon, let alone a topical sermon. 250 00:58:19,020 --> 00:58:23,020 And so I pulled the word "faith" out of a hat, and I said, "Well, what am I going to do? 251 00:58:23,020 --> 00:58:26,020 Where does it talk about faith in the Bible?" Hebrews chapter 11, right? 252 00:58:26,020 --> 00:58:30,020 "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the certainty of things not seen." 253 00:58:30,020 --> 00:58:40,020 And then it begins to list these people who by faith, they didn't just know God, but in faith, they lived for Him. 254 00:58:40,020 --> 00:58:47,020 Right? Abraham doesn't just say, "Yes, I believe you're God." Abraham obeys and goes to a place where God calls him to go. 255 00:58:47,020 --> 00:58:54,020 That faith isn't just about our head, but it's something that we deeply believe in our hearts, 256 00:58:54,020 --> 00:59:04,020 and comes out through our actions in, as Martin Luther said, a whole-souled trust in the living God. 257 00:59:04,020 --> 00:59:10,020 You see, you may say to Paul, "Why are you bringing up mom and grandma?" 258 00:59:10,020 --> 00:59:15,020 Likely, they faced great difficulty in their faith as well. 259 00:59:15,020 --> 00:59:21,020 Living in a Greek household, we know that Timothy, from other accounts, was not able to follow Jewish law, 260 00:59:21,020 --> 00:59:27,020 and so it's likely he lives in a household that's divided, and for his mother and grandmother to follow, 261 00:59:27,020 --> 00:59:34,020 first of all, the Jewish faith and then becoming Christians would have been a struggle for them as well. 262 00:59:34,020 --> 00:59:38,020 And so Paul says, "Look at their foundation, their sincere faith." 263 00:59:38,020 --> 00:59:43,020 Faith, it just wasn't simply agreement, but was a way of living. 264 00:59:43,020 --> 00:59:50,020 And he says to Timothy, "I know that this faith dwells in you as well." 265 00:59:50,020 --> 00:59:57,020 And so Paul's encouragement to Timothy is, first of all, reminding him of his foundation, 266 00:59:57,020 --> 01:00:03,020 of where he dwells, of the fact that his faith is not just words, but it is sincere. 267 01:00:03,020 --> 01:00:10,020 Next, he says this, that you're equipped, that God has given you what you need. 268 01:00:10,020 --> 01:00:18,020 For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 269 01:00:18,020 --> 01:00:25,020 As kids, one of our family traditions was this weekend of the year, our families would get together. 270 01:00:25,020 --> 01:00:31,020 We would have our Labor Day camp out at the DAR State Park, Daughters of American Revolution. 271 01:00:31,020 --> 01:00:36,020 And we would, one of the things that was a highlight, at least for me, like you get to build campfires. 272 01:00:36,020 --> 01:00:40,020 So you get to play in the campfire, right? And sometimes the campfire doesn't go very well. 273 01:00:40,020 --> 01:00:46,020 And so what you do is you go steal some paper plates off the table, and you begin to wave that paper plate 274 01:00:46,020 --> 01:00:51,020 back and forth in front of those coals, and eventually enough air gets to it, and that fire poofs up 275 01:00:51,020 --> 01:00:56,020 and gets nice and flaming, and then you stop blowing air on it, and it dies again. 276 01:00:56,020 --> 01:01:07,020 And then, fire. What are we doing? Fire. What are we doing with what God has equipped us to do? 277 01:01:07,020 --> 01:01:14,020 To each is given a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good, that God has equipped His people like a body, 278 01:01:14,020 --> 01:01:19,020 that all parts work together, and Paul will say this in chapter 14: 279 01:01:19,020 --> 01:01:27,020 "Since you are eager for manifestation of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church." 280 01:01:27,020 --> 01:01:33,020 And so Paul says to Timothy, "Remember your foundations. Remember where your hope and trust is. 281 01:01:33,020 --> 01:01:40,020 Fan into flame the fact that you are equipped, and to us as well. 282 01:01:40,020 --> 01:01:46,020 Remember that our hope is in Christ, that the Spirit is at work in our life, 283 01:01:46,020 --> 01:01:52,020 that we have been equipped for service and for faithfulness in the kingdom." 284 01:01:52,020 --> 01:01:59,020 And then Paul says to Timothy, "And to us, you are strengthened." 285 01:01:59,020 --> 01:02:01,020 Paul reminds Timothy of the source of his strength. 286 01:02:01,020 --> 01:02:07,020 I don't know if you've ever been in the middle of a project that you looked at, and you said, "I simply can't do this." 287 01:02:07,020 --> 01:02:12,020 "It's too big, and it's too much for me. I need some help." 288 01:02:12,020 --> 01:02:22,020 And Timothy may be saying, "Yeah, it's all well and good. I know I have a firm foundation. I know that God has equipped me, but now what do I do?" 289 01:02:22,020 --> 01:02:26,020 And Paul says this, and notice how Paul words this. 290 01:02:26,020 --> 01:02:31,020 He doesn't say, "For God, Timothy, gave you a spirit, not of fear." 291 01:02:31,020 --> 01:02:44,020 He says this, "For God gave us a spirit, not of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control." 292 01:02:44,020 --> 01:02:57,020 He says, "Not only do you have this foundation, not in your own strength or ability, but in God, not only are you equipped by the power to do what you need to do, 293 01:02:57,020 --> 01:03:07,020 you also have this strength, that as you feel like you're surrounded and about to be attacked on every side, that there is hope." 294 01:03:07,020 --> 01:03:16,020 He says, "God gave you not a spirit of fear," which means that in our Christian lives, if we are in fear, we're not walking where we're supposed to be. 295 01:03:16,020 --> 01:03:25,020 We've forgotten our foundation. We've forgotten the fact that God gifts us. We've forgotten the fact that God empowers and equips us. 296 01:03:25,020 --> 01:03:31,020 And that spirit is not just power, but it's love and of self-control. 297 01:03:31,020 --> 01:03:45,020 Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, when he preached on this passage in his Scottish accent, which I will not try to duplicate, says, "My friends, we are not left to ourselves. 298 01:03:45,020 --> 01:04:05,020 We must not think like ordinary people of ourselves. We are not natural men that God dwells in us. He has given us what we need, and he has strengthened us for the work that he has called us to." 299 01:04:05,020 --> 01:04:10,020 I want you to see in this text, first of all, the encouragement that Paul gives. 300 01:04:10,020 --> 01:04:23,020 Paul does not hold Timothy at arm's length. He speaks of his closeness, of his peers, of prayer, and encouraging Timothy with the words that he needs to hear, even if for Timothy they may be a little bit difficult. 301 01:04:23,020 --> 01:04:30,020 Paul says, "This is what I'm going to do. I want to encourage you," and then he goes about doing it. 302 01:04:30,020 --> 01:04:38,020 Christians, we are called to encourage and strengthen one another, and one of the ways that we are fanning into flame the gift of God in our life 303 01:04:38,020 --> 01:04:57,020 is through our interactions with one another, our encouragement. Sometimes those moments where we're called in conviction. 304 01:04:57,020 --> 01:05:07,020 And as Paul encourages Timothy, he also encourages us to say, "Where is it that you stand? What is your foundation? Where are you serving?" 305 01:05:07,020 --> 01:05:16,020 How are you serving? God has equipped you to serve. Don't forget that he has equipped you. And not only that, he has strengthened you to do so. 306 01:05:16,020 --> 01:05:27,020 Our struggle to remember where we stand, how we continue, and the power that we have that equips us. Paul is saying to Timothy, "You're not on your own." 307 01:05:27,020 --> 01:05:36,020 Even though I'm about to die for my faith, you are not alone. And for us as Christians, it's what Jesus reminds the disciples of. It's in the promise of the Spirit. 308 01:05:36,020 --> 01:05:47,020 It's in Paul's reminder here to Timothy that we are not alone. That our foundation is not in and of ourselves. Our gifting is not in and of ourselves. 309 01:05:47,020 --> 01:05:53,020 And our strength is not in and of ourselves. It rests in the power of God. Let's pray. 310 01:05:53,020 --> 01:06:05,020 Father in heaven, thank you for how you have cared for us and how you have strengthened us and gifted us. Help us as we seek to encourage one another that you would 311 01:06:05,020 --> 01:06:14,020 show us those opportunities that you would give us those words and those actions to help our brothers and sisters in Christ. 312 01:06:14,020 --> 01:06:21,020 And sometimes it seems we're surrounded and the enemy is about to attack. Would you remind us that our foundation is not in our strength but in yours? 313 01:06:21,020 --> 01:06:31,020 That our gifting is not in our abilities but yours? And that our power is not in our power but in yours? 314 01:06:31,020 --> 01:06:36,020 We thank you for Jesus and for grace. It's in your son's name we pray. Amen. 315 01:06:36,020 --> 01:06:40,020 We're going to stand and sing "Firm Foundation." 316 01:06:40,020 --> 01:06:54,020 Christ is my firm foundation 317 01:06:54,020 --> 01:06:58,020 The rock on which I stand 318 01:06:58,020 --> 01:07:03,020 When everything around me is shaken 319 01:07:03,020 --> 01:07:08,020 I've never been more glad 320 01:07:08,020 --> 01:07:13,020 I put my faith in Jesus 321 01:07:13,020 --> 01:07:17,020 'Cause He's never let me down 322 01:07:17,020 --> 01:07:23,020 He's faithful through generations 323 01:07:23,020 --> 01:07:28,020 So why would He fail now? 324 01:07:28,020 --> 01:07:33,020 He won't 325 01:07:33,020 --> 01:07:37,020 He won't 326 01:07:37,020 --> 01:07:42,020 I've still got joy in chaos 327 01:07:42,020 --> 01:07:46,020 I've got peace that makes no sense 328 01:07:46,020 --> 01:07:52,020 So I won't be going under 329 01:07:52,020 --> 01:07:56,020 I'm not held by my own strength 330 01:07:56,020 --> 01:08:01,020 Cause I've built my life on Jesus 331 01:08:01,020 --> 01:08:05,020 He's never let me down 332 01:08:05,020 --> 01:08:11,020 He's faithful in every season 333 01:08:11,020 --> 01:08:15,020 So why would He fail now? 334 01:08:15,020 --> 01:08:20,020 He won't 335 01:08:20,020 --> 01:08:25,020 He won't 336 01:08:25,020 --> 01:08:30,020 He won't fail 337 01:08:30,020 --> 01:08:35,020 He won't fail 338 01:08:35,020 --> 01:08:40,020 Rain came, wind blew 339 01:08:40,020 --> 01:08:45,020 My house was built on you 340 01:08:45,020 --> 01:08:50,020 I'm safe with you 341 01:08:50,020 --> 01:08:54,020 I'm gonna make it through 342 01:08:54,020 --> 01:08:59,020 Rain came, wind blew 343 01:08:59,020 --> 01:09:04,020 But my house was built on you 344 01:09:04,020 --> 01:09:09,020 I'm safe with you 345 01:09:09,020 --> 01:09:13,020 I'm gonna make it through 346 01:09:13,020 --> 01:09:18,020 Yeah, I'm gonna make it through 347 01:09:18,020 --> 01:09:23,020 'Cause I'm standing strong on you 348 01:09:23,020 --> 01:09:28,020 Oh, I'm gonna make it through 349 01:09:28,020 --> 01:09:32,020 'Cause my house is built on you 350 01:09:32,020 --> 01:09:37,020 Christ is my firm foundation 351 01:09:37,020 --> 01:09:41,020 The rock on which I stand 352 01:09:41,020 --> 01:09:47,020 When everything around me is shaken 353 01:09:47,020 --> 01:09:51,020 I've never been more glad 354 01:09:51,020 --> 01:09:56,020 I put my faith in Jesus 355 01:09:56,020 --> 01:10:00,020 'Cause He's never let me down 356 01:10:00,020 --> 01:10:06,020 He's faithful through generations 357 01:10:06,020 --> 01:10:32,220 So why would he fail now? He won't. He won't. He won't fail. He won't fail. He won't. 358 01:10:34,220 --> 01:10:41,220 We are glad you're here this morning. A couple of announcements. There will be no Wednesday Evening Bible Study this Wednesday. 359 01:10:41,220 --> 01:10:50,220 However, next Wednesday we are going to dive into a new series, taking a look at the truth and the treasure of God's Word. 360 01:10:50,220 --> 01:10:58,220 And so that is not this Wednesday, but the following Wednesday. I believe it's September next Sunday. 361 01:10:58,220 --> 01:11:10,220 We are moving into our new sermon series on Daniel, as we see the God who reigns in certainty over every moment so that we can live unshaken. 362 01:11:10,220 --> 01:11:16,220 So that's beginning Sunday, September 7th. I'm going to go ahead and have a word of prayer. 363 01:11:16,220 --> 01:11:24,220 We'll read a verse of Scripture, and then we will sing the doxology. Father in Heaven, thank You for allowing us to be here this morning. 364 01:11:24,220 --> 01:11:29,220 We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for the encouragement and the strength of Your people. 365 01:11:29,220 --> 01:11:35,220 And we ask that You would be with us throughout this week. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 366 01:11:35,220 --> 01:11:43,220 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, 367 01:11:43,220 --> 01:11:54,220 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ the Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen. 368 01:11:54,220 --> 01:12:23,220 Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him, above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 369 01:12:23,220 --> 01:12:25,220 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 370 01:12:53,220 --> 01:13:23,200 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 371 01:13:23,220 --> 01:13:53,200 Father, Son, Holy Ghost. 372 01:13:53,220 --> 01:14:04,180 Father, Son, Holy Ghost.