Faithfulness Through Suffering

If you have your Bibles with you this morning, please open them to the Book of Second Timothy tewod Timothy, Chapter one and verse one. Let me say that it is a singular privilege, a unique privilege to be here with you on today, for a number of reasons. First, to have the privilege to stand before so many shepherds, so many pastors, so many faithful men who faithfully feed their flocks, and to have the privilege to break the bread of life for you men, is just that it's a privilege. Secondly, it is a unique and singular privilege for me to do so here behind this sacred desk, not only because of the faithfulness of the one who occupies this position so regularly, but also because of the unique role that God has allowed him to play in my life, both as a mentor and as a friend. The way that the Lord. Has connected us even before he connected us. We're just taking note of the fact that I appreciated all of the signage and all of the extra effort that was taken. I turned fifty on Monday. So. So doctor macarth, I just want to thank you for. Going the extra mile there for that. No, in all seriousness, though, doctor MacArthur started his ministry here. In my hometown. I'm an LA boy the very year that I was born, and I'm reminded of what that means when I realized that for my entire life he's been doing this from here, and I thank God for that. I thank God for that investment. My assignment this morning is to address the issue of faithfulness, and particularly in the context of persecution, and that's always tricky. I could stand and regale you of stories of faithful martyrs and men and women who counted their lives not dear and instead laid them down for the cause of and that's important, and we'll speak of that, but I want to be clear that when we talk about faithfulness in the midst of persecution, we're not talking about something that we can manufacture. Sometimes we talk about faithfulness in the midst of persecution and it sounds like we're the military, sounds like we're the Marines, sounds like we're trying to create a culture and create an environment that will enable men to be willing to do that which is unnatural. When the time comes. And it is true that we have figured out over time, and we've learned over time how to condition men to go towards the enemy when everything in them would say go in the other direction. But when we talk about faithfulness in the midst of persecution, we're not talking about conditioning. When we talk about faithfulness in the midst of persecution, we're not talking about preparing ourselves beforehand so that we can and will be able to endure that, because usually we're talking about something that we don't see coming, that we don't know is coming. You don't get a draft notice, you don't get a declaration of war. Faithfulness in the midst. Of persecution is something that comes upon us, usually when we don't expect it, and it's not something that men face because they've been conditioned to do. So. If you're like me, you hear the story of martyrs, yes, and you say to yourself, I don't know. And if you do, say to yourself, if you if you hear the story of martyrs, of you hear the story of men and women who who've who've been been burned at the steak and have done so faithfully and been torn apart by lions and did so bravely, and you stick your chest out and say, yeah, yeah, that's who I would be, then you probably wouldn't because that's pride, and pride doesn't endure persecution. There's a difference between persecution and suffering, make no mistake about it. Persecution is a form of suffering. But everybody suffers. Life is suffering. It's just a product of the fall. We suffer and we die. But persecution is different than just plain old suffering or just plain old death. Persecution is a suffering that we endure at the hands of our adversary, specifically because of his hatred of our Lord and Master and savior, Jesus Christ. And what that means is while suffering is something that is inevitable and every man will suffer, it's not so with persecution. Persecution can be avoided. All you have to do is compromise. So persecution is suffering with a choice, it's suffering with an option. It's suffering that you don't have to go through if you just stop preaching, if you just stop believing, or at least just say that you've stopped believing, if you just stop going that way and go this way, if you just stop pressing on this particular point, if you just stop raising this particular issue, if you just stop putting the emphasis on that syllable. But those who are persecuted have this in common. They come to a place where faced with that choice and we're given that option, they say, I can't And what is that? That's what I want us to look at today. And two, Timothy, I'll read the first chapter. We're going to focus on really verses eight through twelve, but I want to read the first chapter before I read it. Let me just give you this picture. Paul is writing this letter to young Timothy, and he's writing this letter to young Timothy from prison. He is in prison again. He's what you call a repeat offender, and he's pretty certain that this will be his last time. We figured that out from the last chapter. In the last chapter, he makes it very clear if you'll go there with me and look there with me, these very familiar words in chapter four, where he says, beginning verse three, for the time, oh look, look, look down. Well, let's look down further in verse six, for I'm already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing. The end has come. He is fully aware, and he's facing it. Not only is he facing it, but he's writing a letter to young Timothy. And he's not writing the letter to young Timothy that you or I would write, or let me just own it myself. It's not the letter that I would have written to young Timothy had I been in prison knowing that the end was near. If I had written a letter to young Timothy during that time, knowing that my end was drawing nigh, my letter would have included, at least at some point a statement like this, Timothy, do you remember the guys who were praying together when Peter was in prison? Go find them, amen, somebody. But nowhere in his letter does he do that. And I believe it's strategic and important that he does that. When you understand the theme of this letter, you understand why he couldn't do that even if he desired to do so. There is one theme that runs throughout this letter. Really, it's paralleled themes they're like a railroad tracks they run here parallel to one another, and you find it in every chapter. You find these two ideas in every chapter. The first idea is that Paul is writing to young Timothy and he is saying that you must preserve and proclaim the truth of the Gospel. He knows that he's about to die. He's writing to his young protege, and here he is, he's saying to him, you have to preserve this truth. You have to proclaim this truth. The apostle knows that not only is he at the end of his life, but most of the apostles are now coming to the end of their lives. They are not going to live forever. And not only are they not going to live forever, but they're going to die martyr's deaths. And as they die martyr's deaths. There are a couple of things that Paul fears, and one of the things that he fears is the perversion of the Gospel. And so he says in every chapter, preserve and proclaim the gospel. Look at it in chapter one, beginning there in verse twelve, follow the pattern of sound. Words that you have heard from me in the. Faith and love that are in Christ, Jesus, by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you Chapter two, verse two. And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, and trust to faithful men who will be able to teach others. Also lik with me down in chapter three, beginning at verse fourteen. But as for you, continue and what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. And again in chapter four, verse two, preach the word. Be ready in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with complete patience and teaching. In every chapter, over and over and over again, he says to his young protegee, preserve the gospel, proclaim the gospel. This is important if the message of the Gospel is going to go forth, if the world is going to hear, the gospel cannot be perverted. It has to be preserved. And the gospel cannot be held back. It has to be proclaimed. And so he says preserve and proclaim the Gospel. But that's only one side of the track. There's another side of the track, and it's this side of the track. It's the reason that Paul could not flinch in writing this letter to young Timothy, because he says, on the one hand, preserve and proclaim the Gospel, and on the other hand, he says, endure the suffering that inevitably must follow as a result of preserving and proclaiming the Gospel. Again every chapter looking chapter one, verse eight. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the Gospel by the power of God. We'll come back to that Chapter two, verse three. Share in suffering as a good soldier in Christ Jesus. Chapter two, verse eight, for which I am suffering bound with chains as a criminal. Go with me to chapter three, beginning of verse ten. You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, and suffering that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, which persecutions I endured. Yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted. And then in chapter four. Verse five, as for you always be sober minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry. In every chapter, preserve and proclaim the truth of the gospel, and in every chapter, endure the suffering that will follow inevitably as a direct result of preserving and proclaiming. Why could Paul not say in his. Letter, get the guys who prayed, pray that God will get me out of prison. Because essentially, here is the message of two Timothy. The message of two Timothy is this, Timothy, They're about to kill me for preaching the gospel. When they do, you preach the gospel till they kill you. You can't write that letter, and the one that I would have written, it doesn't work. You can't say to a young man. Who apparently had some struggles with courage from time to time and needed it to be fanned into flames. You can't say to that young man. On the one hand, preserve the gospel, proclaim the gospel, endure the suffering that will come inevitably, and oh, by the way, I'm scared. No, if this is the letter that you're writing, you leave that out, even though it may be true. If this is the one to whom you're writing and you're trying to encourage him, then you do that. You encourage him, you undergird him at every point. And that's precisely what Paul does with his young proj That's the reality of it. That's the pattern here. But in chapter one, verses eight through twelve, we get the theological underpinning, if you will, that explains it. The letter is not just Paul saying, here's how you condition yourself to do this, Here's how I've conditioned myself to do this. No, the letter is essentially letting Timothy know that he already has everything that he needs in order to do this. Now, let's go back. Look at chapter one and then look at our section here Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus to Timothy, my beloved child, Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God whom I serve as my ancestors did with a clear conscience. As I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day, as I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy, reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunus, and now I am sure dwells. In you as well. 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. For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control. Our text. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the Gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the. Ages began, and which now has. Been manifested through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who polished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of sound words that you have heard from me, and the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are for jealous and homogenies. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Ono Sypherus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. But when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day, and you know well all the service he rendered at ephesis faithfulness in the midst of persecution. I want us to look at these few verses, and really just at verse eight, because the rest of what we find in verses nine through twelve is really an expansion of the point. The theological truth underpinning this faithfulness, that we find in verse eight, Paul says, therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. But and here's the essence of it, share in suffering for the Gospel by the power of God. That's all I want us to see, that we share in suffering, that we suffer for the Gospel, that we suffer by the power of God. First, this idea of shared suffering. You see this idea of shared suffering really in the tone and tenor of the entire letter. What is the theme of this entire letter. The theme of this letter is I am suffering for the cause of the Gospel. I'm going to die for the cause of the Gospel. They're going to kill me for the cause of the gospel. And when they kill me for the cause of the Gospel, I want you to know without any doubt that it is your turn to then step into my stead and. Suffer for the cause of the Gospel. Paul is not asking young Timothy to do anything he's not willing to do himself. And we see that really if you look at this frame in verses eight and twelve, look at verse eight. Therefore, do not be a shamed there's shame. Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God. Don't be ashamed, but suffer. Now go to verse twelve and verse twelve. We find it in reverse and verse twelve he says, which is why I suffer as I do, But I am not ashamed. You don't be ashamed, but suffer. And I realize what I'm telling you because I'm not ashamed and I suffer. I suffer. Share in suffering two and verse three. Share in suffering as a good soldier in Christ Jesus. But this is not the only place we find this theme in Paul. Go with me if you will to Romans chapter eight and look at verse sixteen. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Paul is not only saying to Timothy, suffer with me. He is saying, suffer with Christ. Go with me, if you will, and look at two Corinthians chapter one, and verse five. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ, we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. And if we are comforted, it is for your comfort which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. Go with me to one more place Philippians, Chapter one and verse twenty nine. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in Him, but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had, and now. Hear that I still have. Paul says to young Timothy, join in suffering, not just suffer, but join in suffering. Join me in suffering, Join us in suffering, Join Christ in suffering. Essentially, it is all about joining Christ in suffering. But in two ways we join Christ in his suffering, because it is in the suffering of Christ that we find our place in him. It is in the suffering of Christ that we find forgiveness. Of our sins and peace with God. But it is also in the suffering of Christ that not only are we delivered from our sin and to Christ, but we are delivered from our sin to Christ and to one another as we become part of the. Body of Christ. So there is this idea that not only has Christ suffered for me on the cross in bringing me to salvation, but Christ has also suffered for me through his body in bringing me the Gospel. Christ suffered for me on the cross, and because of that he purchased my salvation. But Christ suffered for me through his bride and body, the Church, and down through the years the suffering of the people of God brought the Gospel. To me. And so as you and I joined Christ in his suffering, we are not just joining Christ in his suffering in terms of being saved and having our sins atoned for through the sufferings of Christ Christ. But as you and I labor. And suffer in the Gospel, Christ, through that labor and suffering, is bringing the Gospel to those for whom He died, so that He might indeed have the fullness of his reward. We join with Christ in suffering, not just normal suffering of life. But the suffering that follows inevitably has a direct result of faithfulness in the Gospel. Because we have in adversary who hates the Gospel. We have in adversary who hates Christ. And because we are in union with Christ and in communion with. Christ, he hates us as well. And not only does he hate us, but he hates the gospel that we preach. And because he hates us, and he hates the gospel that we preach, persecution comes our way, and we so but not alone, not alone. Don't believe that for a moment. You don't suffer alone. There are many, and they are myriad who have suffered before us, the martyrs, the martyrs in Heaven. John tells this in Revelation. The martyrs in Heaven. They want to know how long before they'll be vindicated? And what's the answer that comes to them? Your number is not complete yet. There are more who will suffer and who will die for the cause of Christ. Oh, vindication is coming. But suffering is not over. Persecutions not over, because not all have heard. And so Paul says to his young protegee, join with me. But notice what else he says? He says back again in verse eight. Therefore, to not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel, Share and suffering for the Gospel. The question that we're asking is what is that thing? What is that thing that God gives to his people that allows them to be faithful even in the midst of persecution. And one thing that he gives us is the body. He gives us his body. He gives us Christ's body, and we feast on Christ's body, and he gives us Christ's body and the Church, and we are in communion with Christ's body, the Church. But then he also gives us this gospel, this gospel, it saves us, this gospel that sustains us, this gospel that calls us. And so we continue to preach and suffer for the cause of Christ, because the Gospel has not finished doing its work. Look at what he says, suffering with the Gospel with the power of God who saves us and calls us to a holy calling, not because of our works, because of his own purpose and grace which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the world began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to like through the Gospel for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. He's appointed to the gospel, which is why I suffer as I do. Why because of the gospel, because it's worth it for the sake of the Gospel. Now, no, no, then let's be careful because again there's a couple of ways that we can look at this. What we can We can look at this and say, yes, we we we need to think more of the gospel. We need to think more highly of the gospel. We need to proclaim the gospel and be faithful to the gospel. We need to suck it up and be tough because of the gospel. And and and and there's some truth in that, But where does that come from. The gospel is not your gospel. It's Christ's gospel. We can't even make an idol lot of the gospel. I preach the gospel. I'm a minister of the gospel. I'm committed to the gospel. As though the gospel is this thing that exists on its own over here in isolation. No, it's the Gospel of God. It's the gospel of God's work on behalf of his elect through the person and work of Jesus Christ. It's the Gospel of Christ. Why do we love the Gospel. We love the Gospel because we love Christ. Why do we love Christ because He loved us in the Gospel. So it's not that we need to sort of work ourselves up for this work that we have to do. It is that we need to be reminded over and over and over again of the work that Christ has. Done on our behalfs that our very. Existence is found in His work in the Gospel. And not only that, but our passion for the Gospel is born out of our passion for Christ. Christ loves his bride. And praise God that I am a member of the bride of Christ, body of Christ. But it does not end with me. Our desire for the Gospel burns brightly. Not just because the Gospel saved us. If that was it, then you get saved and go commit suicide. But our passion burns bright for the Gospel because the Gospel was not just the means of God saving us, but it was the means of God saving a people for himself for his glory. We've been brought into something. I don't know if it's right to even have a favorite theological reality. It's kind of like having a favorite child, right, even if you do, you don't say it, Amen, I'm the father of nine. It just yeah, No, who's my favorite? You know, whischeveryone what I'm talking to right now? Yes, you're my favorite. Yes. But recently, the doctrine that has really been staining me and my passion and desire and yearning for God has been the covenant of redemption that an eternity past, Father's Son and Holy Spirit live and exist in this perfect unity, this perfect communion in the Godhead in need of absolutely nothing. And then that perfect love spills out as the Father, out of his love for the Son, gives the Son of people, and the Son, out of his love for the Father gives him self to redeem the people whom the Father had given to him. And then the Spirit, the very. Personification of the love between the Father and the Son, actually applies that redemption to those whom the Father gave, and the Son redeems as the love of God spills over into his creation and into redemption, and you and I get to be not only the byproduct of. That, but we get to be a part of that as. The love of God is proclaimed in all of creation through the redemption of the saints of God. Oh, I love the Gospel, not just because the Gospel has saved me, but because in the Gospel, the God of the universe is proclaiming over and over and over again, this is love. I am Love. Look at my redemption, and that redemption the picture of the love that the Father has for the Son and the Spirit, and the Son has for the Father, and the Spirit and the Spirit has for the Father and the Son. This perfect love that has existed for all eternity and will exist for all eternity, and will bring glory and honor to God for all eternity. And that is the Gospel that we love. And so we share in suffering for the Gospel. How by proper conditioning and girding up our Lord loins. No, No, by the power of God. This is so counterintuitive, because the letter that I want to write to Timothy is a letter based on this reality. The power of God is what you need to get you away from persecution. God. Persecution is coming my way, Show your power and deliver me from it. No, share in suffering for the Gospel by the power of God. Not God saving you from persecution and suffering, but God sustaining you through persecution and suffering. Ah Ah, there's the power of God. There's the power of God. There's the power of God. That's where the power of God is. Where's the power of God in his people. Not having to endure suffering when everybody has to endure suffering. No, and that's that's what we marvel in when we hear those stories. I'll share just one Polycharp's prayer. It is martyrdom, Lord, Almighty God, Father of your beloved and blessed son, Jesus Christ, through whom we have come to the knowledge of Yourself, God, of angels, of powers, of all creation, of all the saints who live in your sight. I bless you for judging me worthy. Of this day, this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs, I may share the cup of Christ, your anointed One, and so rise again to eternal life and soul and body immortal through the power of the Holy Spirit. May I be received among the martyrs in your presence today as a rich and pleasing sacrifice, God of truth, stranger to falsehood, You have prepared this and revealed it to me, and now you have fulfilled your promise. That's not a man praying when he escaped martyrdom. That's a man praying as he's being lit on fire. How because he was more man than you or me. How because he was properly conditioned and prepared. How by the power of God, and only by the power of God. Look at the text again, and let's put this together. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord nor of his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God. And he's going to expand on that and explain the theological reality that allows him to ask this of Timothy, because he should not be able to ask this of another man. You just shouldn't. It just doesn't make sense. I'm about to die. Get in line after me. It doesn't make sense. How do you do this? How does this make sense? By the power of God? Again, we've read it before, But look at the nuances here. Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace. God did this because of his own purpose and because of his own grace, not because of anything in you. You can do this, not because of anything in you, but because God called you for his purpose and by his grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the Aegis began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality like through the Gospel. How can you do this? You can only do this because you are aware of another theological reality that says there is something beyond this life that is more significant than this life, that you will face after this life. By the power of God. You are able to see the unseen and believe the unbelievable because Christ conquered death and the grave, and he rose again, and he assures you that there is life. He brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. Which is why I suffer as I do, because God did this. Notice the verbs there, God saves us, God calls us, God gave us. God abolished death, God brought life and immortality, to light, through life, to light, through the Gospel. God appointed me. That's why I suffer. And then he says, but I am not ashamed, Why for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. He can do it. And then you follow that up with verse thirteen. Follow the pattern of sound words that you have heard from me in faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, God the good deposit intrusted to you. I'm about to die, Timothy, and I'm all right. Why by the power of God. By the power of God, I love the Gospel more than my own life. By the power of God. I believe the Gospel. By the power of God. I believe resurrection of the dead. By the power of God. I believe there's something more significant than continuing to breathe. And by the power of God, I'm saying to you that the same God who saved me and called me and equipped me for this task, will do the same for you. Because the task is not finished. That's why. That's how. You can't be conditioned to this because your flesh can't do this. So what's the answer. Trust the God who save you. Cherish the Gospel, but don't just cherish the Gospel. As precepts. Cherish the Gospel because you cherish Christ. Cherish the Gospel because you cherish not only what the Gospel has done in calling and saving you, but cherish the Gospel because you love what the Gospel continues to do as it glorifies God through the salvation of sinners. Cherish the Gospel because it gives you hope beyond this life. Cherish the Gospel. Said it, by the power of God, even in the face and in the midst of persecution, you may be found faithful. Let's wright. Our glorious God, God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, God who spoke the world into existence, God who sustains it by the power of his mind, the God and Father of our Lord's Savior, Master, Redeemer, and soon coming King, Jesus Christ. God. We bow before you as a humble and grateful people. Recognizing that the task to which we have been called is far too great for us, and acknowledging our desperate. Need of your power to sustain us. Grant us favor to be faithful to the task, even if that faithfulness leads us to persecure. Grant not that we might be equal to the task, but that Christ in us may be glorified as we face it. For we ask this not for ourselves, but we ask this because we love the God of the Gospel. Because we love the Gospel of God. Grant by your grace that we might love it more than life itself. Amen.