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Biblical Manhood & Womanhood - 2 Timothy 1 - Lead By Living… · Mount Eaton Church

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Good morning family. Good morning. All right.
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So before we get started, we're going to do our
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little reading today. Except today's reading,
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today's doctrinal focus is in the 1689 London
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Baptist Confession, chapter 14, section 1. We
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will all read it together. And then we're going
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to dive into 2 Timothy. So we have four chapters.
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I've got four weeks before I go on sabbatical.
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I get 30 days to get refreshed and come back
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raring to go for another three years. So I'm
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excited. So this gives me some time where I can
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just relax in Jesus and just focus and then come
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back raring to go again. So that being said,
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let's read the 1689 London Baptist Confession.
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The grace of faith whereby the elect are enabled
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to believe to the saving of their souls. So it
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is the work of the Spirit. of God that He saves,
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and the process by which He brings us to the
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saving knowledge of Christ is through the Word.
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And our building up, our working out of our faith
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comes through all of these other means by which
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God uses to sanctify His people. So, are you
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guys ready for a little walk today in 2 Timothy
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chapter 1? All right, let's pray. Father, I want
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to thank You so much for Your goodness. Thank
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You, Lord, for Your Word. Thank you that we can
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come before you in awe and in wonder that you
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are God. Thank you for holy time that we can
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bow our hearts and minds, not only as little
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ones, but also as adults to hear from you. We
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are listening. Lord, when our ears are attentive
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to what you say, help us, Lord, to honor and
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glorify you in all that we do. to walk in wisdom,
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and to lead by living obediently according to
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your word. Lord, we praise you and thank you.
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Your name is great, and there is no name greater
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in all of the universe and all of creation. You
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are the almighty God. In Jesus' name, amen. 2
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Timothy chapter 1. Paul, an apostle of Christ
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Jesus, by the will of God, according to the promise.
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of the life that is in Christ Jesus. To Timothy,
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my beloved child, grace, mercy, and peace from
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God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank
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God, whom I serve, as did my ancestors. with
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a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly
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in my prayers night and day. As I remember your
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tears, I long to see you, that I would be filled,
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or I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of
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your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first
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in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice.
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Now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this
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reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift
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of God, which is in you through the laying on
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of my hands. For God gave us a spirit not of
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fear, but of power and love and of self -control.
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Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our
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Lord Jesus, nor of me, his prisoner, but share
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in suffering for the gospel by the power of God
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who saved us and called us to a holy calling,
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not because of our works, but because of his
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own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ
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Jesus before the ages began. and which now has
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been manifested through the appearing of our
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Lord Jesus Christ. who abolished death and brought
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life and immortality to light through the gospel,
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for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle
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and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But
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I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed,
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and I am convinced that he is able to guard until
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that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow
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the pattern of sound words. that you have heard
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from me in the faith and love that are in Christ
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Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us,
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guard the good deposit entrusted to you. You
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are aware that all who are in Asia turned away
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from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
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May the Lord grant mercy to the household of
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Onesiphorus. For he often refreshed me and was
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not ashamed of my chains. But when he arrived
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in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found
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me. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from
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the Lord on that day. And you well know all the
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service he rendered in Ephesus. So it's quite
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a bit. We're going to get through the chapter,
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I promise. First principle, godly leaders are
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called by the will of God to preach, teach, and
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proclaim the gospel. Godly leaders are called
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by the will of God to preach, teach, and proclaim
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the gospel. Mark 16, 15, and he said to them,
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go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to
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the whole creation. What we see here in verses
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one and two is a very important phrase here.
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And it is the word according to the promise of
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life. I want you to see this. Paul, an apostle
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of Christ Jesus by the will of God. It is God's
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will that he is an apostle. It is God's will
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that he has been called to come and preach. Now,
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this term that we see in the English ESV says
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according to the promise of the life that is
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in Christ Jesus actually is kata ipanjalia zoe.
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and Christos Isus. That's how you say it. What
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it means is to proclaim life in Christ Jesus.
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That's what it means. So Paul, an apostle of
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Christ Jesus, by the will of God, to proclaim
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life. in Christ Jesus. Very important that we
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see that. Why? Because that's Paul's purpose.
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That's God's will for every believers to proclaim
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the life of Christ, that there is life in Jesus.
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And that very promise that Paul has concerning
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life in Christ is also offered to all who believe.
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That's the idea here. So in verse two, it says,
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to Timothy, my beloved child. Now this is a common
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phrase for people who have disciples, people
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that are mentored, right? And so Paul has this
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young man who has, he's come alongside to raise
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up as a pastor to develop, right? It's a very
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similar, and I'm not saying this because where's
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Bob? Bob's here. Anyway, so it's very similar
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to my relationship with Owen as a mentor and
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a pastor. I've come alongside him. That's the
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idea. And so Paul's come alongside Timothy, and
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he looks at him and treats him and develops him
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as a pastor as he would a son. Right? And so
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it's important that we see why Paul does that.
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Number one. Number two, Paul really has grown
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to have an attachment for this young man because
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he doesn't have a dad. His dad is gone. His dad
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has passed away. And so Paul takes this on. personally,
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as someone who's highly invested in this young
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man. And you see this relationship a little bit
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later in this chapter. He says, to Timothy, my
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beloved child, grace, mercy, and peace from God
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the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Very important.
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So he's getting Timothy to understand, you mean
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a lot to me. Now, So godly leaders must continue
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to proclaim the gospel, preach it, and teach
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it, and come alongside those who are being trained
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in it to raise up godly leaders for the future.
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Now, godly leaders have and live a life of sincere
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faith. Godly leaders have and live a life of
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sincere faith. Let us hold fast the confession
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of our hope without wavering, for he who promised
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is faithful. Hebrews 10, 23. You're going to
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see this here in verses 3 through 5. I thank
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God whom I serve. Notice what Paul says here.
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I thank God whom I serve. The word serve here
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is the word that implies a render homage or worship.
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So it's one thing to come and do work. We have
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people that aren't even believers that come here
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and work. That doesn't mean that they're serving
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God. This is to serve with a heart and an act
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of obedience. So when I come and I render homage,
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I also give worship. I obey as did my ancestors,
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Paul says. In the same way that Abraham believed
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God and obeyed, I do the same. That's the point
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here. Can we say that as God's people, as the
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people that we have watched and witnessed that
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they have been obedient servants, that they have
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rendered homage and obeyed God in all that they
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do. And Paul says that he does the same thing
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as my ancestors did. Now think about that in
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that Paul persecuted the church. He was radically
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changed, completely regenerated, renewed. changed.
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His mind was completely changed. And now he says,
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I am just like them, just like my ancestors.
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And I do it with a clear conscience. I do it
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with no guilt, no shame, no accusation above
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reproach. Why? Because in Christ, he has been
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cleansed, changed. As I remember you constantly
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in my prayers day and night. Do you remember
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each other constantly in prayers day and night?
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When you're driving down the road and you think
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of someone, do you call and pray with them or
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talk with them? Do you spend time praying and
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thinking about them? Or do you just take those
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particular moments where you just set aside for
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your day? Because prayer is more than just ritual.
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There is a ritualism to prayer. Prayer can be
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ritualistic. It's a good thing. but it's so much
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more. Like when I'm driving and the Lord brings
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to mind a person's name, and I immediately pray
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for them, and I'm like, I got to call them. My
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wife goes, who are you calling? I just got to
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call. Right? It's important. And so do you do
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that? Do you remember God's people day and night?
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You know, even in my days off, I'm thinking of
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y 'all and my family. specifically my kids and
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my wife and my grandkids. And it's like constant
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all the time. But that's the way, that's the
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way it should be. You should be, we should be
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on each other's minds constantly praying for
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each other all the time. Notice what he says
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in verse four, as I remember your tears. He remembers
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when Timothy and him had to split. Timothy had
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to go. And what happens immediately, Timothy
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cries and Paul remembers the love Timothy had
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for him. And as a result, he says, I long to
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see you that I may be filled with joy. Do you
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get excited when someone walks in you haven't
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seen in a while? I mean, to be honest with you,
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Colleen's on the phone. I was like, yo Colleen,
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are you guys excited about seeing each other?
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When you haven't seen somebody come in a while.
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Of course we are. That's how we should be with
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each other. But are we really being filled with
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joy when we see someone we haven't seen in a
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while? Do they know that you love them? He says,
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I am reminded of your sincere. This word sincere
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means genuine, not hidden faith. You'll see why
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this is important, because later on he deals
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with the issue of not being ashamed and not being
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afraid. Because when we are afraid, we keep things
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hidden. But not Timothy. Timothy reminds Paul,
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he's reminded, Paul's reminded of the sincere,
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the genuine, the unhidden faith of Timothy. A
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faith that dwelt, that word dwelt means to dwell
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in or influence. A faith that influenced first
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his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Does
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the faith of Christ influence you to be different?
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Does it influence you to have courage? Does it
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influence you to commit all? your ways to him.
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Acknowledge him in all that you do. Does your
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faith really drive you, or do you just say that
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you believe? Then he says this, for now I am
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sure dwells in you as well. Paul has seen the
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faith of Christ, which was in his grandmother
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Lois and in his mother Eunice. He has seen at
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work the influence of faith in Timothy also.
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So what kind of men and women should we be? Godly
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leaders. must preserve all that God has entrusted.
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Now, when we look at this, why should we preserve
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what was entrusted to us? Why should we guard
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what was entrusted to us? Because it's something
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that God has given that we should be fanning
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into flame. Look what it says in 2 Timothy 1,
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6 -7. For this reason, what reason? What cause?
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because of your faith. In verse 5, he talks about
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the faith that Timothy has. And for this reason,
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Timothy, for this cause, I remind you to fan
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into flame, to kindle, inflame one's mind, strength,
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and zeal. In other words, when we think about
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the gospel, are we going in inflamed? Have we
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kindled the fire of the gospel of evangelism
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in our lives? Okay. Now I love the gospel. Okay.
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And every Sunday I get to come and preach. I'm
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like, let's go. Like that's like, it's like,
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they know that. Cause I do that every time I
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get done praying. Every time I get done praying
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in the back, I'm like, let's go. It should be,
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that should be flammed in, fanned into flame.
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You should be so excited because you get to tell
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someone about Christ. Like that's, that's, that
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excites me. And so are you fanning into flame?
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Are you kindling one's mind, strength, and zeal
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for the gospel, for the gift of evangelism? Are
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you excited to go out? And Paul says, which is
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in you through the laying on of my hands. Paul
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has departed this gift of evangelism through
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the laying on of hands. God, Paul has given him
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the biblical authority to go. The same thing
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Jesus did with his disciples. Okay. Now notice
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verse seven, for God gave us a spirit. Now the
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way this is rendered in ESV, it should be capital
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S, right? God gave us a spirit. God gave us the
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spirit, not a fear. So the spirit of God is not
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a fear. This word spirit is disposition or influence
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that fills and governs a person. Does the person
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Are you being influenced by the Spirit of God
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that has filled you in governing you? Or are
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you being controlled by fear? This word fear
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means cowardice. Are you a coward? Are you chicken?
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Are you afraid to tell people about Jesus? Because
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Jesus says, if you deny me before men, I will
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deny you before my Father which is in heaven.
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Think about that. God doesn't want cowards. He
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wants bold believers. And these people were so
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bold in their faith that they were willing to
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suffer for the sake of the gospel. So, for God
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gave us a spirit, an influence that governs us.
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His name is the Holy Spirit. He lives in you.
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He doesn't live in you to make you afraid. He
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lives in you to make you courageous. God does
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not give us a spirit of fear, but of power. and
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of love, and of sound mind. What's interesting
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about that is it's His power, and His love, and
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His soundness of mind is what means here. How
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can we say that? Because the Spirit Himself lives
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in you. It's His power He gives you. It's His
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love, His agape that He gives you. It's His mind
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that He gives you. Philippians 2. What's it say
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in Philippians 2? That we have been given the
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mind of Christ. You have it. It's yours. You
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can be sound in your mind. So walk with the Spirit.
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Let Him be the key influencer and filler and
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governor of your life. Don't let fear control
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and dominate you. Why? Walk in His power. Walk
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in His love. And walk in His sound -mindedness.
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Fear not in preaching, teaching, and proclaiming
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the gospel. Third, godly leaders must not be
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ashamed of the gospel and must be willing to
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suffer. Anyone who goes into ministry must learn
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to suffer well. This includes anybody. Missionaries,
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pastors especially, elders must learn to suffer
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well. One of the reasons, one of the things that
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we see within churches today, especially young
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men coming out of college, going out of university,
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got all the book stuff they can get. They come
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out and they think they can go and lead a church,
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and within five years they quit because they
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can't handle it. Why? Because they're weak. There's
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a strengthening in the suffering. There's a strengthening
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in the suffering. There's an ability to stand
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the pressure, persevere in suffering. Suffering
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is necessary. Y 'all know that scripture, okay?
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Character, perseverance, perseverance, love.
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Look what it says in 1 Peter 4, 16. Yet if anyone
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suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed,
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but let him glorify God in that name. Therefore,
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verse 8, Timothy, therefore do not be ashamed
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of the testimony about our Lord. That word testimony
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is witness or gospel. Therefore do not. It's
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an imperative. It's a command. You don't have
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an option. You cannot just like, yeah, it's commanded.
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You cannot be ashamed of the gospel of our Lord.
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And Paul says that I am not ashamed of the gospel
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of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation.
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Look what else he says. He says, therefore, do
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not be ashamed of the gospel of our Lord Jesus
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or our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, his captive.
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Are you ashamed of each other? So he's telling
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Timothy, listen, don't be ashamed of the gospel
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of Christ. And don't be ashamed of me, his captive.
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Are we ashamed of each other? Are we really so
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uncomfortable with each other that we aren't
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willing to live with one another in peace? Purpose
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to fulfill the kingdom and the call of God as
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brothers and sisters. Are we ashamed to be associated
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with each other? Are you just not fitting my
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way? He says he's the captive. But share in suffering.
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Share in suffering. Suffer with and suffer together
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for the gospel by the power of God. Meaning his
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power. It's one thing to... not be ashamed of
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somebody. It's another to say, I'm willing to
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suffer with you. Are any of you willing to suffer
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with people that you really don't like, but they're
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part of the family? I mean, that's pretty deep,
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right? Am I really willing to suffer with you
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because you're my sister or brother in Christ
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for the gospel by the power of God? Or am I just
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not willing to be associated with you at all
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because you just don't fit me? Or as the young
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people say, we're not vibing. You and I just
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aren't vibing. And so look what he says here.
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God, but share in suffering for the gospel by
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the power of God, who saved us and called us
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to a holy calling. Notice this word, this term,
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this phrase, who saved us means to make a partaker
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of salvation. God has made you a partaker of
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salvation. And called us. Now, what's interesting
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about the call of God to salvation is it's two
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things. One, it's an invitation. He invites you
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as a friend. Hey, you know, I got this and I'd
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really like for you to have it. You're like,
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yeah. That's the first. He does it as a friend.
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The second is he summons you as a king. You see,
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the invite is like, hey. And then he says, you
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must bow. It's both. Isn't that interesting?
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Kind of reminds me of election. Isn't that interesting?
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He's like, hey, come. All who come, come. Then
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he says, by the way, get over here and bow before
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the king. Yes. Very interesting. That word called
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literally means both. Both are required. Now,
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look what it says. He has saved us and called
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us to a holy calling. A sacred embrace of salvation,
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kingdom, and station of life. I want you to get
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that. This invite and this summoning, he has
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brought us into a sacred embrace of his salvation,
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his kingdom, and station of life. Now, what's
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interesting is he saves us in spite. He puts
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us in a kingdom and makes us a kingdom. And then
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he actually changes. the station of life for
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you. In God's heaven, you're not poor. You're
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a prince or a princess. In God's heaven, you're
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no longer children of darkness, but children
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of light. In God's heaven, you are children of
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the living God. That's a station of life. Yes,
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I'm privileged, and I am not going to apologize
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for it. Now, not because of our works, not because
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you guys did something, not because I earned
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it. It's not because I saved myself or called
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myself or decided I'm going to go into a holy
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calling myself. It's because of his own purpose
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and grace, which he gave. He didomized the word
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here. He granted, he delivered, and he committed.
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He granted salvation. through purpose and grace.
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He's delivered salvation through purpose and
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grace, and he has committed salvation through
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purpose and grace to us in Christ Jesus. Where
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is our purpose, and where is the purpose and
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grace fulfilled? In Christ alone. Now get this,
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before the ages began. You hear that? Before
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any epoch. before earth was even created, before
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God instituted, there was morning and evening
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and first day. Before any of that, God has saved
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you in Christ. You're like, well, I thought I
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had a part of that. That should, anybody who's
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free will, that should wreck you. Because this
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has nothing to do with free will, because it's
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not something that you decided like yesterday.
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This is something that has been determined before
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the ages began. This work of Christ for you.
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Notice in verse 10, in which now has been manifested,
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meaning revealed or made known through the appearing
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of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the proof of that
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is he abolished, who abolished death and brought
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Zoe, brought eternal life. So he destroys death.
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He brings eternal life and immortality. This
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word immortality means incorruptibility. imperishableness.
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We are incorruptible in Christ and imperishable
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in Christ. You're like, well, we're dying. But
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when he resurrects you, or if we're raptured,
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i .e. taken up, you're going to receive a incorruptible
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body. Now, this immortality, this incorruptibleness,
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this imperishableness has come to light through
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the gospel. It's the gospel that has brought
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the reality of the truth of the eternity with
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Christ and the abolition of death and the immortality
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of our souls has come through the gospel. This
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word through means dia, which is by the means
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of. So when Jesus says, There is only one way.
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There is only one way. There is no other way.
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Now, let's keep reading. Paul says, for which
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I was appointed a preacher, apostle, and teacher.
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God has appointed him as a preacher, apostle,
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teacher for the gospel's sake, not for my mission
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or my church or my ministry. It's not yours.
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It's God's. Your responsibility wherever he places
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you to work is the gospel, period. There is no
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other vision. Kind of hard for some pastors to
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hear. What's the vision for the church? I know
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I got to pray on that. Really? Holy smokes. I
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didn't know God had another plan. That's a pretty
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big book to try to find a vision outside of the
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vision that's already been cast. I mean, this
27:53
vision has been going on for a couple thousand
27:55
years and still going and still going and still
28:00
going. There is one vision. There's one purpose.
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And Paul understands this. It's the gospel, which
28:05
is why I suffer as I do. Are you willing to suffer
28:10
for the gospel? Or can you be like Paul who says,
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but I am not. ashamed, for I know whom I have
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believed. The reason why he is willing to die
28:21
for the gospel and die for Christ is because
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he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt who he has
28:28
believed. He has seen him. He has been taught
28:31
by him. You know what Jesus said, blessed are
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those who believe and yet have not seen. Everyone
28:38
who believes and has not seen has a faith that
28:42
is so great. You have great faith. if you believe.
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But belief without obedience isn't faith. Now,
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let's keep going. For I am convinced he is able.
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Dunatas. Dunatas. He has the power, the might.
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Do you hear that? I am convinced that Jesus has
29:05
the power and the might to guard, to fulaso.
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Fulaso means to guard, protect, or keep. Keep
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from being snatched. Does your Jesus, does my
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Jesus, does he have the power to and might to
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keep the gospel, my salvation, my inheritance
29:28
from being snatched? Yes, he does. Yes, he does.
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He is more than capable, more than powerful.
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And he will do it until that day what has been
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entrusted. What has been entrusted to me, the
29:44
gospel. He will guard and protect and keep from
29:48
being snatched until that day what has been entrusted
29:52
to me, the gospel. He will keep the gospel from
29:55
being taken from me. Why are so many churches
29:58
running away from the gospel? Why are so many
30:01
people, so many pastors removing the gospel as
30:05
it was intended to be preached and heard? Don't
30:08
want to be offensive. The very thing that Paul
30:11
warns Timothy not to do, churches today are doing
30:14
in droads. Don't want to offend you. Sorry. I
30:19
don't want to talk about sin. It hurts your feelings.
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Oh, isn't that a shame? God forbid. It's okay.
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Run in the middle of the street. It's good. You're
30:29
welcome to. Hey, there's a truck coming. Beep,
30:33
beep. Come on, man. We must stand for the gospel.
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Now look what else it says. Until that day he
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has entrusted, entrust to one's faithful keeping
30:44
and stewardship. Can you hold to the gospel?
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Can you keep the gospel? the way it was intended
30:53
to be heard and preached, the gospel, that wonderful,
30:56
beautiful gospel. Godly leaders keep and guard
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with their lives the faith and purpose to live
31:04
in obedience. Look carefully then how you walk.
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not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use
31:10
of the time because the days are evil. Therefore,
31:13
do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's
31:16
will is. Ephesians 5, 15 through 17. What is
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God's will? Preach the gospel in its entirety.
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Christ was crucified, buried, rose again on the
31:26
third day. Why? Because you're a sinful human
31:28
being. And without Christ, you are destined a
31:32
child of wrath. Now, Notice what it says in verse
31:36
13 and 14, follow, keep, take hold, seize the
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pattern, seize the example, copied and modeled
31:46
of the sound words. Now this word, hugiaino,
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hugiaino is the word where we get hygiene from.
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These sound words, the word sound means hugiaino,
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logos, healthy words of Christ is what that means.
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So take hold and seize the example that has been
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copied and modeled for you, which are the healthy
32:13
words of Christ that you have heard from me,
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Paul says to Timothy. In other words, these words
32:19
of Jesus are good for you. And sometimes, I don't
32:23
know about you, but not all kids want to take
32:26
a bath. I mean, I know I didn't. Sometimes. Why?
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Because I was having fun. We don't want to be
32:34
healthy sometimes. We like to be dirty, but that's
32:37
not good. We need healthy. God's words are healthy
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for us. Notice what it says. Where do these healthy
32:43
words come from? They are in faith and love that
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are in Christ Jesus. The only way to have healthy
32:50
words is through Jesus. What does John 1 say?
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In the beginning was the... word. And the word
32:59
was with God and the word was God. He is the
33:02
healthy word. And he's given you his healthy
33:05
word on paper. Now, notice he says here, these
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healthy words, which are in Christ Jesus, are
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by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. The
33:19
Spirit, the word of God lives in you, in the
33:23
person of the Holy Spirit who dwells. who is
33:28
the influencer of your life. He says guard. This
33:32
word guard means obey, watch, and keep from being
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snatched. Are we keeping the word of God? I think
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there are many churches like ours. Yes, I think
33:43
we're striving. That's our hunger. That's our
33:45
thirst. I think there's a lot of churches that
33:47
aren't because they want the easy Jesus. And
33:52
it's not easy. Christian life is meant to be
33:54
hard. Why? Because it makes muscles. which I
33:57
need to do. Got my blood pressure down, but I
34:00
need to work out because it keeps me healthy.
34:02
It's the same idea in our spiritual life. Guard,
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obey, watch, keep from being snatched the good,
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the kalos, the proper, beautiful, valuable, and
34:13
virtuous deposit entrusted to you. I want you
34:16
to hear that. This good deposit, this... beautiful,
34:20
valuable, virtuous, and proper deposit that's
34:24
been entrusted to you is the gospel of Jesus.
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Why do we think we got to fix it? I mean, the
34:31
cross is a beautiful thing for us. It is the
34:34
power of God for us. The cross is foolishness
34:37
to those who are embarrassing, but to us, men
34:40
and women of God seek out opportunities to serve.
34:44
This is the end. Like, why? would Paul at the
34:47
end of chapter one, which I don't think that
34:50
was intended. I think he was just a continual
34:53
thought. He mentions being like abandoned. But
34:57
I want you to notice this one individual, Onesiphorus,
35:01
he's like out of everybody, he's mentioned. It's
35:05
because men and women of God seek out opportunities
35:08
to serve and minister to others. Why do I share
35:11
that? It's providential, I will tell you. You
35:14
guys, should be finding every opportunity to
35:17
serve here. There should not be a moment that
35:20
you're not getting involved serving and caring
35:22
and connecting and praying for God's people and
35:25
working with God's people because there's a kingdom.
35:27
And all the little things matter. All of them
35:31
matter. From the beautification of the property
35:33
to helping over with spaghetti and meatballs,
35:38
helping Grace Alliance, helping each other in
35:41
men's ministry. I'm going to call this. I got
35:43
to do it. I'm going to do it. Men, I'm going
35:47
to be very frank with you. There should not be
35:49
four or five guys showing up at men's meeting
35:51
every other month. Every man in this church should
35:54
be there if they can be there. How are you going
35:57
to sharpen? How are you going to learn to continue
35:59
to grow in your faith if you're not there? Even
36:02
if you came once a month, that would be a good
36:04
thing. You wonder why women have a hard time
36:06
following? Because you're not leading in some
36:09
cases. And I'm being honest. I got to call you
36:12
out on this. I want to see the men involved,
36:15
growing in their faith, fully committed to the
36:19
word, being men of the living God, learning his
36:23
ways. Take a little bit of time to spend time
36:27
with Jesus. Just a little. You won't grow if
36:30
you don't. You'll be like, well, pastor, you're
36:33
not there. Pastor can't be everywhere. The church
36:38
goes as the men go. Where the men go? The church
36:43
will go. And the leaders, the men, must lead.
36:47
It's hard. Make a point to be there. We have
36:51
several opportunities to gather and serve. And
36:56
some of you guys already know you're serving
36:58
a lot. You're serving a lot of other areas. Okay?
37:02
You're involved in a lot of other areas. This
37:04
is not a guilt trip. This is challenging the
37:06
men who are not involved. But I needed to do
37:10
that before I went on sabbatical, so I got it
37:11
out of the way. At least a month in advance so
37:14
you won't be too mad at me in three weeks. I
37:18
love you all. Really, I do. You're like, you're
37:20
a jerk, pastor. Let love be genuine. Abhor what
37:26
is evil. Hold fast to what is good. Love one
37:29
another with a brotherly affection. Outdo. What's
37:33
interesting about this word, outdo, in Romans
37:35
12, 9 through 10, is this word means to show
37:38
the way, lead, and give preference. Be the example.
37:44
Outdo one another in showing honor, in showing
37:48
value, in showing specialness. Isn't that interesting?
37:53
Or in to show preciousness. Are others more precious
37:57
than you? So here you go. Verse 15 through 18.
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You are aware that all who are in Asia turned
38:05
away from me, among whom are... You'll never
38:09
guess what I said early in first service. It
38:11
was so funny. I said Pelagius. It was so bad.
38:18
Phagellus and Hermogenes. Now, why is Paul abandoned?
38:23
Well, he gets arrested. And now, if you're in
38:26
another area and, you know, the dude that was
38:28
persecuting and killing the church ends up getting
38:31
arrested, you're like, uh -oh, what'd he do now?
38:33
And so, like, all of Asia was like, I'm out.
38:38
But, He mentions this one person. He says, may
38:40
the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus.
38:44
Why? Onesiphorus. Because for he often refreshed
38:49
me and was not ashamed of my chains. He wasn't
38:52
ashamed of Paul's arrest because of the gospel.
38:57
But when he arrived in Rome, he searched for
39:00
me earnestly and found me. He went out of his
39:03
way to find where he was at in house arrest.
39:06
Why? to serve him. I can't help but think he
39:10
remembered what Paul had done for the church
39:12
there in Ephesus. Look what it says. May the
39:15
Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on
39:19
that day, and you well know all the service he
39:22
rendered at Ephesus. So why do I challenge the
39:26
men? Why am I challenging the men? Why am I being
39:29
hard on us as men to serve? because it speaks
39:34
volumes of where the church is going. It speaks
39:38
volumes. It's not because I'm being condemning.
39:41
It's to stir you up. It's like if I went into,
39:44
I said this before in a message. I know I did.
39:47
It's like going into a football game, and you're
39:49
at halftime, and you're getting like down by
39:51
two touchdowns, and you're defeated, and you're
39:53
like, oh, we ain't gonna win. It's sort of like
39:56
the Eagles and the Chiefs, but they were already
40:00
done. It didn't matter what. Reed said, you know,
40:04
let's go out there, you guys stink, you're terrible,
40:06
but you can still win. You know, that's the kind
40:08
of idea. But that's sort of like what I get here.
40:12
It's like, as men, let's continue to strive to
40:16
serve one another, to learn and to walk in Christ,
40:19
to allow each other to sharpen each other. Can
40:23
you imagine how much more further we would be
40:26
as a church? How strong our church would be?
40:30
considering everyone else around us. We have
40:33
a good, strong church and we have a good group
40:35
of men that do serve, but we have men that aren't.
40:38
And so my challenge is to you, if you're not
40:39
involved, get involved. That's my challenge to
40:42
you. And you're like, how can you say that? Because
40:45
you already know me. I've set the example and
40:48
my family's given sacrifice. And if I can do
40:51
it, you do it. Father, I want to thank you so
40:55
much for this wonderful letter. It's a reminder
40:59
of our call to the gospel, our commitment to
41:05
not be ashamed, but to contend, to keep it from
41:09
being snatched, to walk with purpose, to lead
41:13
in living. And Lord, I know even these things
41:16
that are difficult to handle and talk about,
41:19
it is for our good. Lord, we so thank you and
41:22
we do praise you. I thank you for all the men
41:25
and the women here. I thank you for the service.
41:28
for those who are serving and giving and working
41:30
and really working hard to honor and glorify
41:34
you. But Lord, I pray that you would continue
41:35
to stir in the hearts of everyone here the importance
41:38
of being part of what you are doing, the establishment,
41:42
the continued establishment of your kingdom to
41:44
build upon what you have already laid. Help us
41:46
to be faithful keepers of the gospel. In Jesus'
41:49
name, amen.