Convinced!

James, thank you for your warm welcome. It's good to be with you, a privilege to share in worship

and praise this evening. Before singing to God's praise, let me read just these few verses from

the scriptures, where in Psalm 30 we're told, sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

and give thanks to his holy name. Let us worship him together. Singing from the Psalter in Psalm 111,

Psalm 111 from the Psalter, and we'll sing from the beginning to the tune Amazing Grace to verse 4.

Praise ye the Lord, with my whole heart I will God's praise declare, where the assemblies of the

just and congregations are. The whole works of the Lord our God are great above all measure,

sought out they are of everyone that doth therein take pleasure. Psalm 111, and we'll sing from the

beginning to verse 4, to God's praise.

Praise ye the Lord, with my whole heart I will God's praise declare,

where the assemblies of the just and congregations are. The whole works of the Lord our God is.

Our God is. The whole works of the Lord our God. Our great above all measure,

our great above all measure, sought out they are of everyone that doth therein take pleasure.

In this work most honor, our great above all measure,

In this work most honor, our great above all measure,

most glorious and pure, and this untinted righteousness,

and this untinted righteousness forever doth endure.

His works most wonderful we have, may to be thought upon,

The Lord is gracious and he is, full of compassion,

The Lord is gracious and he is, full of compassion.

Let us pray together.

Let us pray together.

Praise ye the Lord, with my whole heart I will God's praise declare.

Lord, these words resonate within our very souls.

They speak of what it is to gather together, brother and sister in Christ,

Before the throne of grace in worship and in praise.

Lord, we would draw near to you with a spirit that would please and honor you.

We would long to know your presence and seek your face.

And may it please you, Lord, to come in among us and do us good this evening.

As we seek your presence and study together the glorious gospel of God,

May it please you to draw near to us, to bless us, to edify us and to nourish us.

Lord, we ask these things for you are a God of wonderful provision.

You are a God of who is compassionate and full of grace toward us.

And we bless you that this is the case and it has been declared as such through Jesus Christ,

your son, our savior, the one who came into this world to seek and to save the lost.

And so we gather together this evening in the name of Jesus.

We lift up his name, we glorify his name, we acknowledge him to be our king, our shepherd.

We profess our faith and hope to be in him, the one who is altogether lovely,

the one who came into this world and gave himself.

And so we, Lord, join with our brothers and sisters across our island and nation and world.

And we see that the life we now live, we live by faith in the son of God,

God loved us and gave himself for us.

What testimony, what profession, what hope.

And we pray, Lord, tonight that that hope would burn brightly

as we spend time this evening in worship and in fellowship over these days.

And that as we go into the week ahead, fortified by word and sacrament,

may it please you, Lord, to bless our witness and our service of the gospel to those around us.

For we pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus would shine brightly through each one of our lives.

That in our hearts, in our conversations, in our conduct,

and how we hold ourselves in what we do and what we don't do,

and how, Lord, we conduct our business and make our decisions,

and how we behave at home, at the workplace, in private and in public.

Lord, we pray that you would take the glory to yourself.

And we thank you, Lord, that we would ask this to be the case.

And we do humbly in dependence upon you, for the scripture tells us we are a chosen generation,

a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people special to God,

that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you from darkness into his marvellous light.

Lord, may each one of us, according to opportunity and your gifts and grace,

in our own way, in our own homes, in our own circumstance, be as a city on a hill that cannot be hid.

And so, Lord, we thank you tonight for this opportunity to study the scripture together

in anticipation of meeting at the Lord's table tomorrow on the beginning of a new week.

Lord, we gather this evening humbled at the teaching of the Bible that reveals to us that place known as Golgotha,

the place where Jesus Christ gave himself to death, even death on a cross,

where there he breathed his last, where there he suffered the agony of separation and judgment as the sin bearer of the world.

We can scarce take in that scene.

How can we begin to comprehend in our hearts when we come to the foot of the cross?

But Lord, as we do so, we do so in faith and trust.

We look there in awe and wonder.

We look there at times, Lord, broken, conscious of our own sin, conscious of our weakness, conscious of our need.

Lord, in Jesus, these things are met to their fullest.

And so we say in our hearts, too, that when we survey that wondrous cross in which the Prince of Glory died,

that we do so, Lord, through a sense of wonder, a sense of thankfulness, a sense, Lord, that there is the hope of the world.

It was not that someone died on the cross that amazes us.

It's who died.

It's not that blood was shed on the cross, but whose blood?

And there he became a curse for us.

A lifetime of theological study and reflection and worship is not long enough to plumb the depths of that reality.

The Son of God, the very Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world by becoming a curse for us.

And so, Lord, we gather this evening humbled, dependent, grateful.

We meet, Lord, in anticipation also.

For you tell us that where two or three gather in your name, you are there in the midst and there to bless.

And so, Lord, we ask that the Holy Spirit would be amongst us here, ministering to us and amongst us in our hearts,

shining his light of understanding and insight onto the person and work of Jesus, your Son.

That there we would glorify him and worship him and lift up his name and praise him

and give thanks for his saving work upon the cross, where there he gave himself in perfection and took upon himself our sin.

And we bless you, Lord, that at the heart of the gospel there is a transaction,

and that that transaction continues to happen around the world.

That when sinners come to Jesus in repentance and faith, he takes our guilt and gives us his goodness.

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

And so help us, Lord, this evening to further understand and appreciate and glory in this good news.

And that we would go from here, Lord, encouraged and nourished, built up in our faith and deepened in our understanding of the deep things of God.

That we would say, day by day, I am not ashamed of the testimony of my Saviour.

And I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe.

What a wondrous declaration that is, that all who believe are saved.

Bless, Lord, that message this evening amongst ourselves.

As we study this evening your word in preparation to share together at the table of the Lord tomorrow,

we ask that you would draw near to us, Lord, and that we would have a teachable spirit and a listening ear.

That our souls, Lord, would be edified.

That we would know something of the fullness of God in our time of worship together this evening.

Lord, we pray that you would bless your cause here on our island, across our communities and across our nation.

We long for the day when we will see the gospel taking root in hearts and lives around us.

We long for the day where men and women and boys and girls will come to know Jesus Christ for themselves,

professing their faith in him and acknowledging him as Saviour, living for him day by day.

Remember us, Lord, in Scotland at this time.

And may it please you to raise up men and women who will take their place in the public square

and be unashamed of their testimony, unashamed of their Saviour,

and clear in their conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord.

So, Lord, this evening we pray that you would come in among us,

that we would know your word to be all the more precious to us,

for it is the word of life.

And here we have the promise of life in Christ Jesus.

And may it please you, Lord, that as together we worship,

we would do so in humility and dependence, looking unto Jesus,

the author and finisher of our faith.

And so we pray for ourselves this evening.

We pray for your cause across our land.

We remember our nation.

And we pray, Lord God, that you would remember us at this time,

where it seems that secularism and atheism and humanism are running rampant.

And it seems that at times our nation, Lord, is hurtling full speed away from the cross,

away from Christ and away from any concept of our nation being a nation that has a Christian heritage.

And so, Lord, there is a great task,

for the darkness seems to be extending and deepening.

But we know, we know that that darkness is presided over by a defeated prince,

who rages and is in terror of Christ at the same time.

And so he takes out his rage on the church of Christ and the people of Christ and the cause of Christ.

And we pray, Lord God, tonight that we would be conscious of this roaring lion,

seeking to be in amongst us, seeking to devour and scatter,

seeking to inhibit and terrorise the Lord's people.

May we resist him.

May we resist him in the name of Christ.

And may we, Lord, resist him in reliance on the grace and peace that you promise as we wait upon you.

And we bless you, Lord, for that great promise,

that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

So be with us this evening.

Draw near to us.

Cleanse us and renew us.

Forgive our sin, we pray.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, we'll sing again to God's praise from Sing Psalms

in Psalm 119, verse 9.

Psalms 119:9

Psalm 119, singing from verse 9,

page 157 in our Blue Psalm books.

And we'll sing this section to the tune,

Herringate.

Psalm 119 from Sing Psalms, page 157.

The second section.

How can the young keep their life pure?

By doing what your word demands.

I seek you with my heart and soul.

Let me not stray from your commands.

Your word I've hidden in my heart to keep me from offending you.

Praise be to you, O Lord my God.

Teach me your statutes, firm and true.

And true.

We'll sing this whole section to God's praise.

Praise.

Praise be to you, O Lord.

O come the young keep their life pure.

I take what your word demands.

I seek you with my heart and soul.

Let me not stray from your commands.

I seek you with my heart and soul.

Let me not stray from your commands.

I seek you with my heart and soul.

Let me not stray from your commands.

You are my faith in my heart.

I seek you with my heart and soul.

Let me not stray from your commands.

You are my faith in my heart.

I seek you with my heart and soul.

Let me not stray from your commands.

You are my faith in my heart.

To keep me from offending you.

I seek you with my heart.

I seek you with my heart.

I seek you with my heart.

I seek you with my heart and soul.

Let me not stray from your commands.

You are my faith in my heart.

You are my faith in my heart.

You are my faith in my heart.

You are my faith in my heart.

To keep me from offending you.

Praise be to you, O Lord my God.

Teach me your statutes firm and truth.

Each law proceeding from your mouth.

I O Lord my heart.

I grant you with my heart and soul.

I plan thee with my lips.

I attend your heart.

I bend you with my lips and soul.

I love to follow your commands.

You are my faith in my heart.

I love to follow your commands.

A salvage love to kind their gold.

and their gold.

I meditate upon your ways,

and on your peace

and timey flag.

I take delight

in your decrease.

Your word I never will neglect.

Wonderful words that speak of a tenacity

and a determination to live wholeheartedly

for the Lord.

Verse 10 there says,

I seek you with my heart and soul.

Let me not stray from your commands.

Words of commitment

that come from deep-seated conviction.

And we're going to be thinking about that this evening

as we turn to the second letter of Paul

to Timothy and chapter 1.

2 Timothy and chapter 1,

where the apostle writes

to his young brother in the Lord,

indeed his son in the Lord.

He was someone who Paul was deeply affectionate towards,

who had served as a right-hand man

for many a long year in the work of the gospel.

And from what we can tell,

this is Paul's final word and testimony.

It is, in many ways,

his will,

his last will and testimony

written to the church

from a prison cell,

incarcerated because of his gospel service

and his love for Christ.

And so he writes to encourage Timothy

and prepare him for leadership in his time.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus

by the will of God,

according to the promise of the 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 did my ancestors,

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.

I am reminded of your sincere faith,

a faith that dwelled first

in your grandmother, Lois,

and your mother, Eunice,

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 of love

and self-control.

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 abolished death

and brought life and immortality

to light through the gospel,

for which I was appointed a preacher

and apostle and 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 the 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.

You are aware

that all who were in Asia

turned away from me,

among whom are Phygelus

and Hermogenes.

May the Lord grant mercy

to the household

of Onesiphorus,

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 well know

all the service he rendered

at Ephesus.

Amen.

May God bless his word

to our hearts.

To his name be the praise.

Well, before we spend

some time together

looking at that chapter,

we'll sing again

to the praise of God

from the Psalter,

Psalm 89.

Psalm 89,

singing from verse 13

in the Psalter.

Page 3, 4, 5

in our Blue Psalm books.

Page 3, 4, 5.

Singing Psalm 89

from verse 13.

We'll sing to verse 16

to the tune Newington.

Thou hast an arm

that's full of power.

Thy hand is great in might.

Thy right hand

exceedingly exalted

is in height.

Justice and judgment

of thy throne

are made the dwelling place.

Mercy,

accompanied with truth,

shall go before thy face.

We'll sing from verse 13

to 16

to God's praise.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Thy hand is great in might.

On thy right hand

exceedingly

exalted is in height.

justice and judgment

of thy throne

are made the dwelling place.

Mercy,

accompanied with truth,

shall go before thy face.

O greatly blessed

O greatly blessed

the people are,

the joyful Son

that know.

In brightness

of thy face,

O Lord,

they ever on

shall grow,

of glory,

shall she have the editor

Let's all take me on high.

Let's bow in prayer for a moment together.

Lord, may it please you this evening

to draw near to us.

We seek above all, Lord,

that everything done and said here

would be pleasing and acceptable before you.

We acknowledge you to be holy,

holy, holy, almighty God,

wondrous in power, glorious in might,

amazing in grace.

And so, Lord, as we would hear you speak

through your word this evening,

we ask that you would lead

and you would teach

and you would mold and you would guide,

that we might heed the scriptures

and take these,

your precious truths,

into our hearts

and from here

into our lives

and into our homes.

We ask, Lord,

that we would be effective witnesses

and go on by your grace and peace

to be the good soldiers of Christ Jesus

that we are urged to become.

We remain, Lord,

works in progress,

set apart,

but ongoing in our sanctification.

And may it please you, Lord,

tonight

to help us along that path

by teaching us in you

something

of the conviction of heart

that you call men and women

to exhibit

through faith

in Jesus Christ,

our Lord and Savior.

Hear us, we pray in his name.

In these things we ask

as we turn together to your word.

Amen.

Well, in 2 Timothy

and chapter 1

we have

deeply personal words,

words that are

full of teaching

and the deep things

of God are here.

There is real

depth in the theology

while at the same time

there is a personal feel

and touch

from the very beginning

of this letter

to the very end.

We remember well

the circumstance.

Paul is in prison.

He is now

under the sentence

of death.

It seems the Roman

judicial system

is working its way

towards its final conclusion

which will be

a summary execution

having been found guilty

of insurrection

and atheism

and all sorts of charges

that were brought against

the Christian church

at this time.

Paul knows

his time is short

and so he writes this letter

and gets right to the heart

of things

as quickly as he can

and as we pick up

on things

in chapter 4

I am already being poured out

as a drink offering.

The time of my departure

has come

and that urgency

is here from beginning

to end

in 2 Timothy

and chapter 1

and through that urgency

we see conviction.

Conviction of heart

and commitment

to the Lord Jesus Christ.

And that's where

we're going to go

this evening

and particularly

taking note of the words

in verse 12

where Paul utters words

that have become

so famous

down through the generations

in the Christian church.

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.

I know

whom

I have believed.

I want to read

to you first of all

an interview

that caught my eye

some time ago

a Hollywood A-lister

who was being interviewed

and was asked

this question

do you believe in God?

Here is the A-lister's answer.

I believe

there are forces

at work in the universe

that science can't explain

and I think

there's an end

to human knowledge.

let's call it

the unknown

the higher power.

Let's just agree

there is something

beyond

what we know.

There are things

like karma.

There are things

beyond

what we understand.

So yes

I believe

there's an energy

and I try

to use it

and be in the good

graces

of that energy

so things

in my life

go the way

I want them to.

I want you

to compare

that

to the words

of verse 12

I know

whom I

have believed.

Paul the apostle

is writing

from a prison cell

and he writes

with a whole

hearted

focus

on the gospel

and on his

saviour

Jesus Christ.

Verse 8

in chapter 1

therefore do not

be ashamed

of the testimony

about our Lord

not of me as 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.

You see

the Roman judicial system

his sufferings

the persecution

and agonies

he'd gone through

personally in his life

the heartache

the bitter

letdowns

the disappointments

the abandonment

it's all

caught up in this letter

none of these things

took from Paul

what he held

to be most precious

a close relationship

and communion

with the Lord

Jesus Christ.

Do not be ashamed

of the testimony

about our Lord.

So I want us

to think about this

this evening

bearing in mind

the setting

and examine

this conviction

which leads to commitment

and what it means

for you and I

this evening

as we prepare

our hearts

to meet together

at the Lord's table

God willing

tomorrow.

This focus

this conviction

remains steadfastly

cross-centered.

Look at the very

first sentence

where he begins

before we get

to the wonderful words

of verse 12

Paul an apostle

of Christ Jesus

by the will of God

according to the promise

of life

that is in Christ Jesus.

He's under the sentence

of death.

It seems time is short

he knows that

soon he will be taken

from his cell

out with the city limits

as was his right

afforded to a Roman citizen

and rather than being

crucified

he would be beheaded

and that was coming

to him

and yet

here we find him

in the very first sentence

of his final letter

exulting in the promise

of life

while being under

the sentence

of death.

This is conviction

this is commitment

this is the reality

of certainty

in the gospel

of Jesus

this is grace

which leads

to these wonderful words

I know

whom I

have

believed

and I am

persuaded

that he is able

to guard

until that day

what has been entrusted

to me.

It's a wonderful

example

and encouragement

to us

to wait

on the Lord

and

to maintain

our closeness

and communion

with him

despite

circumstances

and despite

what we go through

we must stay

close to Jesus.

There's a story

told of Martin Luther

who at only

38 years of age

was summoned

to one of these

great synods

where he was being

called to give

an account

for the teachings

that had become

public knowledge

in his name

and it seemed

that he was taking

a great risk

in going there

he could face arrest

and being burnt

at the stake

as a heretic

and that was known

and they discussed

should he go

should he not

and eventually

he was given

a guarantee

of safe passage

but he wrote

this letter

to a fellow leader

and wrote these words

before going

to that synod

my dear brother

if I do not

come back

you will go on

teaching

and standing

fast

in the truth

I know

and am certain

that our Lord

Jesus Christ

lives

and rules

upon this knowledge

and assurance

I rely

he who is with me

is greater

than he

who is in the world

it's the exact

sentiment

we find here

in 2nd Timothy

and chapter 1

a wonderful

conviction

of heart

a tenacity

a strength

of faith

a clarity

and purpose

a desire

not to

let the Lord

down

and not to

abandon the cause

and not to turn

tail

and not to

clower before

the world

because he knew

whom

he had believed

so we find

first of all

then

a burning

conviction

a burning

conviction

I know

whom I have

believed

in this

sentiment

in these words

in this letter

in his life

in his teaching

and in all his writings

Paul's commitment

to Jesus

was absolute

in him we see

a clear example

of what

John Stott

would write

when he was asked

what is a Christian

John Stott

would summarize it

in this way

a Christian

is someone

who must

commit themselves

heart and mind

soul and will

home and life

personally

and unreservedly

to Jesus Christ

that's a Christian

that's clarity

that's an expression

and summary

of the gospel

of what the Bible

teaches

of what God

wants us to know

tonight here

and what God

wants us to share

out there

every opportunity

we get

to tell people

when they ask us

well what's it

all about

let's tell them

it's about

committing ourselves

heart and mind

soul and will

home and life

personally

and unreservedly

to Jesus Christ

that's what Paul did

he believed

in the saviour

who lived

a perfect

sinless life

and gave himself

for lost sinners

15 years or so

before he wrote

this letter

he wrote the letter

to the Galatian Christians

and in there

he said

I have been

crucified with Christ

it is no longer

I who live

but Christ

who lives in me

and the life

I now live

in the flesh

I live by faith

in the son of God

who loved me

and gave himself

for me

and perhaps

that's where

people around us

just don't get it

so many people

in our community

on our island

in our country

tonight

think

that the Bible

is a book

about religion

they think

the free church

is a denomination

it's just all

about religion

that our message

is about religion

how wrong are they

they couldn't be

more wrong

this is not a book

about religion

it's a book

about salvation

that's why we find

the apostle

so fool hearted

and whole hearted

despite being

in a prison cell

despite being

under the sentence

of death

he would say

I know

whom I

have believed

and twice

already

before he even

gets there

I am not ashamed

and that

Christian friend

as you know

is a constant

source of attack

by the devil

against us

that we would

feel ashamed

that we would

feel awkward

that we would

feel embarrassed

and that we would

be conscious

of our sin

and our weakness

and our failings

and our faults

and he uses it

he uses it

against the Lord's

people

he uses it

against Christian

men

women

boys and girls

to keep us

from the table

to make us

think and feel

I can't go there

I'm a sinner

and he trips us up

with false theology

and empty lies

and deceit

because you and I

know tonight

that we go to the table

because we're sinners

we don't go to the table

to be saved

we go there

because we have

been saved

we go there

to say

in our hearts

I know

whom I have

believed

that's why it's

wonderful to remember

that the table

is a place of

profession

and proclamation

we proclaim

our Lord's death

till he come again

Christian friend

in Christ

we go together

to his table

Paul then has

this burning

conviction

despite the prison

the imprisonment

despite the setbacks

despite the abandonments

despite his pressure

read 2nd Corinthians

I think it's chapter 11

or is it 13

where he lists

the persecution

the hardship

the nakedness

the hunger

the thirst

the beatings

the imprisonment

being stoned

half to death

and he went through

all that

because of his love

for Jesus

and he didn't count it

something that

he shouldn't go through

because Christ

lived

and died

for him

I live by faith

in the son of God

who loved me

and gave himself

for me

and what about

this death

what about this

Lord and our saviour

what was it that

was at the heart

of this burning

conviction

that the apostle

shows here

you see of all

humanity

Christ

the son of God

was without sin

that he took our place

and paid our price

that's the gospel declaration

that he was declared

the sin bearer

of the world

behold

the lamb of God

who takes away

the sin of the world

and how did he do that

by dying

on that cross

at that time

the bible tells us

the wages of sin

is death

and so we dig in

a little bit further

we say

but he was without sin

so in the death

of Christ

we have an anomaly

he did not deserve

to die

and so the question

we raised is

why

why did Christ die

why is there a table

to anticipate tomorrow

why do we look

at the bread

and the wine

and remember

his broken body

and shed blood

why did Jesus die

he died

because that's

what he came to do

to seek and to save

the lost

Christ Jesus

came into the world

to save sinners

you may know

that

as Spurgeon

lay on his deathbed

he was asked

about his

theology

and he answered this

my theology

is very simple

I can express it

in a few words

they are enough

to die by

Jesus

died

for me

Christian friend

if you're struggling

with the concept

of coming to the table

here tomorrow

take these words

and repeat them

in your heart

again

and again

Jesus

died

for me

and so we come

to the table

in faith

looking to Jesus

the author

and finisher

of our faith

we come to the table

with this burning

conviction

that we too know

whom we have

believed

Christians

we don't believe

in a concept

or an idea

we're not defined

by a strand

of theology

or a specific

historical denomination

we are defined

with a burning

conviction

in the substitutionary

death

of the son

of God

that's what

defined Paul

and it's what

has gone on

to define

every Christian

man and woman

since

there's a burning

conviction

in these words

I know

whom

I have

believed

it's the opposite

of that

A-lister quote

I mentioned

to you earlier

there was all

what ifs

buts

maybes

and a great

big giant

question mark

there might be

something out there

there's an energy

or something

I'm sure

there might

well be

if maybe

it's the opposite

of the Christian

gospel

behold

the Lamb

of God

who takes

away

the sin

of the world

a burning

conviction

secondly

there's this

there's from

this

a crucial

confidence

because look

what he goes

on to say

he's not

ashamed

for I know

whom I have

believed

and I

am

convinced

I am

convinced

here then

is a crucial

confidence

who's

railed

against him

the state

all the power

and might

of the Roman

Empire

the Roman

judicial system

the Jewish

legal system

all the legalists

all the Pharisees

and the scribes

they've had their

day with Paul

they've had their

pound of flesh

they've got him

right where they

want him

he's crushed

and broken

and incarcerated

under the

sentence of death

as far as

they're concerned

they've won

the day

the battle

and the war

is over

Paul saw

things very

differently

he saw

around him

a culture

a city

an empire

a people

drowning

in atheism

lost

and floundering

about

in polytheism

worshipping

the emperor

lining up

in their droves

to sprinkle

incense

on the altar

and say

Caesar is Lord

Caesar is Lord

Caesar is Lord

it's still

going on today

men and women

around us

worship the world

they're

enthralled

to the world

they're dancing

to the tune

of the world

engrossed

with the culture

of the world

and we are called

to say there's a

different path

to take

there's a different

model to build

your life upon

and the model

is not what the

world holds up

as glorious

and pure

and true

it's what

the gospel

holds out

to be the truth

and that is

Christ

I am

the way

the truth

and the life

remember

see how

personal

these words

are

I know

whom

I have

believed

it reflects

his burning

conviction

and his

close communion

with a living

saviour

in whom he had

come to know

and one he

had come to

trust

unreservedly

the Lord

who he loved

that's who

he has trusted

in

the one who

the scripture

describes as

the Lord

of creation

the Lord

of all

the Lord

of glory

the Lord

of lords

that's our

Jesus

Christian friends

this evening

and in that

Paul's

crucial confidence

is unshakable

I am

convinced

he's convinced

Psalm 2

tells us

that

the kings

of the earth

set themselves

and the rulers

take counsel

together against

the Lord

and against

his anointed

saying

that has

burst their

bonds

apart

and cast

away

their cords

from us

the world

exalts

and glories

over the church

all too often

the church

assumes

you see

that the world

assumes that

the world

is one

the world

tonight

around us

thinks that

the church

is marginalized

and an

insignificant

blip

in the history

and story

of Scotland

maybe all too

often

they're right

but it's up

to us

to challenge

that thinking

and mindset

to take on

that darkness

and that

worldliness

and that

lawlessness

and to expose

it as false

and we can only

do that

by coming to

the gospel

and speaking

of the Lord

Jesus

chapter 2

and verse 8

puts it this way

remember Jesus

Christ

risen from the

dead

the offspring

of David

is preached

in my gospel

for which I

am suffering

bound with change

is a criminal

but the word

of God

is not bound

there's something

else the world

just doesn't get

the world thinks

if it can dominate

and control

a denomination

as we see

quite often

happening at

national levels

they think

they've got us

they've got that

Christian church

right where they

want them

on the side

they let us in

at Easter

they let us in

at Christmas

they let us in

at baptism

they let us in

at weddings

and we can have

our seat at funerals

that's it

that's it

away you go

don't want to hear

you anymore

the world is happy

with the babe

in the manger

the world cannot

bear to hear

about the babe

who grew up

to be a man

and died

in a cross

that's what drives

Paul here

and what's wonderful

about this crucial

confidence

is that he knew

the gospel

and the church

was not dependent

on his efforts

or on him

as Paul the apostle

things weren't

going to fall apart

because he

had come to the

end of his course

no

Jesus Christ

who was made

the sin bearer

for his people

and had abolished

death

was building

his church

do not be ashamed

of me

or the testimony

about our Lord

the end of verse 8

he uses that

wonderful phrase

share in suffering

for the gospel

by the power

of God

isn't that amazing

share in suffering

for the gospel

by the power

of God

so we have

this crucial

confidence

that the Lord

Jesus Christ

is building

his church

and that brings us

to a third thing

we have a

burning conviction

and we have

a crucial confidence

and that confidence

flourishes

and displays

a humble

awareness

see he goes on

to say here

I am convinced

that

he

is

able

he

is

able

it's not all about

Paul

it's not all about

the apostle

it's not about

his missionary

journeys

and his wonderful

oration

and his preaching

and his writing

and his teaching

all of these things

which were amazing

but he knew that

in these things

he was just

what he goes on

to describe

in chapter 2

he was just being

the good soldier

he was just being

an honest athlete

he was just being

the hard working

farmer

pictures he uses

to illustrate

Christian life

and Christian service

Christian ministry

things we are all

called to

through our Lord

and through our Saviour

so there's a humble

awareness

he says here

he is able

this word here

able

in the Greek

is dunatos

it's from the word

group for power

and Paul knew

that he was able

because of who he is

and who is he

the son of God

the Lord of glory

the Lord of creation

the Lord of all

the Lord of lords

he is able

and so friends

prior to a communion

service

what do we do

we look up

we look to him

we put our faith

and our trust

in him

we too seek

to nourish

and nurture

and develop

this humble

awareness

here am I

Lord

send me

but what is it

the devil wants us

to do

and what is the world

trying to make us do

not look up

but look down

and be conscious

of our weakness

and our sins

and our failings

and our faults

I remember often

to share a story

with you

a number of years ago

in my chaplaincy days

of going into

a headquarter building

which was very unusual

for me

I tended to stay away

from places like that

it was full of brass

and red tabs

and that meant

colonels and above

which was brigadiers

generals and the like

they just made me nervous

but they were people

to be spoken to

and they were very often

supportive and welcoming

to chaplaincy

and I was told by this general

one day

come and see me

and as I made my way

to the front door

of the headquarters

about to go in

I glanced down

and noticed my boots

were dirty

and I stopped

at my tracks

I thought I can't

I can't go into

the headquarters

to see the general

I've got muddy boots

and I had to find

a spot somewhere

off to the side

and get a rag

and just try

and get rid of the mud

because the last thing

I wanted to do

was go into the headquarters

with muddy boots on

because where there are generals

there are regimental

that aren't majors

and these are guys

who live to spot people

turning up

in dress order

that's less than perfect

and I didn't want to

hand them the opportunity

so I had to get out of there

and clean my boots

but I've thought about it

time and again since

and I've thought

sometimes when it comes

to the communion table

particularly in our

denominational mindset

and the way we do things

the devil succeeds

in getting Christians

to look down

and be conscious

of their own muddy boots

and to think

I can't go there

I can't go to that table

I've got muddy boots

but friends

we all

had

muddy boots

what is it

that the gospel

tells us

Christ does

look Isaiah chapter 1

Isaiah 1 · chapter mention

he makes us

whiter than the snow

he takes away

the stains

of sin

he makes us

as white

as wool

as fresh

fallen snow

do we achieve that?

no

Christ does

so don't look down

at your muddy boots

look up

look up to your saviour

because that's what we find

Paul doing here

that's where his burning

conviction leads us

this evening

and that's where

we see now thirdly

this humble awareness

he is able

Paul knew

that the progress

of the gospel

the security

of the church

lay not on him

or on Peter

or on James

or on John

but in Christ

I will build

my church

and the gates

of hell

will not prevail

against it

and how does

Christ do that

by his spirit

through his people

it is ordained

from eternity

that God

fulfills

his purposes

through our prayers

and by our witnessing

isn't that amazing

that tonight

we can think

of a conversation

we may have had

recently

or are about to have

that we know nothing about

and through that conversation

God may lead a sinner

to salvation

from darkness

to light

from alienation

and being far off

right up

to Jesus

to be turned

from being an enemy

of God

to being a child

of God

that's grace

that's amazing grace

that's why

Paul speaks

here in verse 9

he saved us

and called us

to a holy calling

not because of our works

that's muddy boots

you see

but because of his

own purpose

and grace

which takes away

the mud

and says come

all things are now ready

and so we go to his table

in a humble awareness

of our forgiveness

of our salvation

of our dependence

when totally

and utterly

reliant on Christ

Jesus

expressed

this

ultimate reality

here in chapter 10

of John's gospel

in verses 17

and 18

where he spoke

of what he was about to do

for this reason

the father loves me

because I lay down

my life

that I may take it up again

no one takes it from me

but I lay it down

of my own accord

I have authority

to lay it down

and I have authority

to take it up again

this charge

I have received

from my father

there's power

divine power

and in his power

he holds the church

in his hand

he says to us

follow me

he says to us

come

for all things

are now ready

do this

in remembrance

of me

death itself

has been

abolished

God willing

we'll think about that

tomorrow morning

and so let's just

deflect on this

tonight

that his burning

conviction

and his crucial

confidence

that combined

and flourished

into this humble

awareness

it was not diminished

because of what

he went through

the providence

of imprisonment

again

and hardship

and suffering

and difficult

circumstances

it did not diminish

his trust in Jesus

it seemed to

in some way

feed and nourish

his trust

in Jesus

the gospel

had been entrusted

to him

but under the care

of the Lord

he says to Timothy

I am convinced

he is able

to guard

until that day

what has been

entrusted to me

it's a very

technical

Greek

phrase

used here

commentators are

split

to what he's

actually referring to

it's either his soul

or the gospel

I understand

that the ESV

has got it

absolutely right

in making the

emphasis here

upon the gospel

that had been

entrusted to him

to work

toward as an

apostle

because he goes

on there in

verse 14

to say

exactly the same

thing

by the Holy

Spirit

it dwells

within us

guard the good

deposit

entrusted to you

Timothy

and remember

these letters

are addressed

in the first

instance to Timothy

but to you

and I this evening

and what's

interesting here

is that

he says

that we are

to guard

until

he speaks

in verse 12

there of

that the Lord

is able to guard

and then down

there in 14

he's saying

Timothy

guard the good