Biblical Manhood & Womanhood - 2 Timothy 1 - Lead By Living…

Good morning family. Good morning. All right.

So before we get started, we're going to do our

little reading today. Except today's reading,

today's doctrinal focus is in the 1689 London

Baptist Confession, chapter 14, section 1. We

will all read it together. And then we're going

to dive into 2 Timothy. So we have four chapters.

I've got four weeks before I go on sabbatical.

I get 30 days to get refreshed and come back

raring to go for another three years. So I'm

excited. So this gives me some time where I can

just relax in Jesus and just focus and then come

back raring to go again. So that being said,

let's read the 1689 London Baptist Confession.

The grace of faith whereby the elect are enabled

to believe to the saving of their souls. So it

is the work of the Spirit. of God that He saves,

and the process by which He brings us to the

saving knowledge of Christ is through the Word.

And our building up, our working out of our faith

comes through all of these other means by which

God uses to sanctify His people. So, are you

guys ready for a little walk today in 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1? All right, let's pray. Father, I want

to thank You so much for Your goodness. Thank

You, Lord, for Your Word. Thank you that we can

come before you in awe and in wonder that you

are God. Thank you for holy time that we can

bow our hearts and minds, not only as little

ones, but also as adults to hear from you. We

are listening. Lord, when our ears are attentive

to what you say, help us, Lord, to honor and

glorify you in all that we do. to walk in wisdom,

and to lead by living obediently according to

your word. Lord, we praise you and thank you.

Your name is great, and there is no name greater

in all of the universe and all of creation. You

are the almighty God. In Jesus' name, amen. 2

2 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

Timothy chapter 1. 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 would be filled,

or I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of

your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first

in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice.

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 of self -control.

Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our

Lord Jesus, 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

Lord Jesus Christ. 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 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 are 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 in Ephesus. So it's quite

a bit. We're going to get through the chapter,

I promise. First principle, godly leaders are

called by the will of God to preach, teach, and

proclaim the gospel. Godly leaders are called

by the will of God to preach, teach, and proclaim

the gospel. Mark 16, 15, and he said to them,

go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to

the whole creation. What we see here in verses

one and two is a very important phrase here.

And it is the word according to the promise of

life. I want you to see this. Paul, an apostle

of Christ Jesus by the will of God. It is God's

will that he is an apostle. It is God's will

that he has been called to come and preach. Now,

this term that we see in the English ESV says

according to the promise of the life that is

in Christ Jesus actually is kata ipanjalia zoe.

and Christos Isus. That's how you say it. What

it means is to proclaim life in Christ Jesus.

That's what it means. So Paul, an apostle of

Christ Jesus, by the will of God, to proclaim

life. in Christ Jesus. Very important that we

see that. Why? Because that's Paul's purpose.

That's God's will for every believers to proclaim

the life of Christ, that there is life in Jesus.

And that very promise that Paul has concerning

life in Christ is also offered to all who believe.

That's the idea here. So in verse two, it says,

to Timothy, my beloved child. Now this is a common

phrase for people who have disciples, people

that are mentored, right? And so Paul has this

young man who has, he's come alongside to raise

up as a pastor to develop, right? It's a very

similar, and I'm not saying this because where's

Bob? Bob's here. Anyway, so it's very similar

to my relationship with Owen as a mentor and

a pastor. I've come alongside him. That's the

idea. And so Paul's come alongside Timothy, and

he looks at him and treats him and develops him

as a pastor as he would a son. Right? And so

it's important that we see why Paul does that.

Number one. Number two, Paul really has grown

to have an attachment for this young man because

he doesn't have a dad. His dad is gone. His dad

has passed away. And so Paul takes this on. personally,

as someone who's highly invested in this young

man. And you see this relationship a little bit

later in this chapter. He says, to Timothy, my

beloved child, grace, mercy, and peace from God

the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Very important.

So he's getting Timothy to understand, you mean

a lot to me. Now, So godly leaders must continue

to proclaim the gospel, preach it, and teach

it, and come alongside those who are being trained

in it to raise up godly leaders for the future.

Now, godly leaders have and live a life of sincere

faith. Godly leaders have and live a life of

sincere faith. Let us hold fast the confession

of our hope without wavering, for he who promised

is faithful. Hebrews 10, 23. You're going to

see this here in verses 3 through 5. I thank

God whom I serve. Notice what Paul says here.

I thank God whom I serve. The word serve here

is the word that implies a render homage or worship.

So it's one thing to come and do work. We have

people that aren't even believers that come here

and work. That doesn't mean that they're serving

God. This is to serve with a heart and an act

of obedience. So when I come and I render homage,

I also give worship. I obey as did my ancestors,

Paul says. In the same way that Abraham believed

God and obeyed, I do the same. That's the point

here. Can we say that as God's people, as the

people that we have watched and witnessed that

they have been obedient servants, that they have

rendered homage and obeyed God in all that they

do. And Paul says that he does the same thing

as my ancestors did. Now think about that in

that Paul persecuted the church. He was radically

changed, completely regenerated, renewed. changed.

His mind was completely changed. And now he says,

I am just like them, just like my ancestors.

And I do it with a clear conscience. I do it

with no guilt, no shame, no accusation above

reproach. Why? Because in Christ, he has been

cleansed, changed. As I remember you constantly

in my prayers day and night. Do you remember

each other constantly in prayers day and night?

When you're driving down the road and you think

of someone, do you call and pray with them or

talk with them? Do you spend time praying and

thinking about them? Or do you just take those

particular moments where you just set aside for

your day? Because prayer is more than just ritual.

There is a ritualism to prayer. Prayer can be

ritualistic. It's a good thing. but it's so much

more. Like when I'm driving and the Lord brings

to mind a person's name, and I immediately pray

for them, and I'm like, I got to call them. My

wife goes, who are you calling? I just got to

call. Right? It's important. And so do you do

that? Do you remember God's people day and night?

You know, even in my days off, I'm thinking of

y 'all and my family. specifically my kids and

my wife and my grandkids. And it's like constant

all the time. But that's the way, that's the

way it should be. You should be, we should be

on each other's minds constantly praying for

each other all the time. Notice what he says

in verse four, as I remember your tears. He remembers

when Timothy and him had to split. Timothy had

to go. And what happens immediately, Timothy

cries and Paul remembers the love Timothy had

for him. And as a result, he says, I long to

see you that I may be filled with joy. Do you

get excited when someone walks in you haven't

seen in a while? I mean, to be honest with you,

Colleen's on the phone. I was like, yo Colleen,

are you guys excited about seeing each other?

When you haven't seen somebody come in a while.

Of course we are. That's how we should be with

each other. But are we really being filled with

joy when we see someone we haven't seen in a

while? Do they know that you love them? He says,

I am reminded of your sincere. This word sincere

means genuine, not hidden faith. You'll see why

this is important, because later on he deals

with the issue of not being ashamed and not being

afraid. Because when we are afraid, we keep things

hidden. But not Timothy. Timothy reminds Paul,

he's reminded, Paul's reminded of the sincere,

the genuine, the unhidden faith of Timothy. A

faith that dwelt, that word dwelt means to dwell

in or influence. A faith that influenced first

his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Does

the faith of Christ influence you to be different?

Does it influence you to have courage? Does it

influence you to commit all? your ways to him.

Acknowledge him in all that you do. Does your

faith really drive you, or do you just say that

you believe? Then he says this, for now I am

sure dwells in you as well. Paul has seen the

faith of Christ, which was in his grandmother

Lois and in his mother Eunice. He has seen at

work the influence of faith in Timothy also.

So what kind of men and women should we be? Godly

leaders. must preserve all that God has entrusted.

Now, when we look at this, why should we preserve

what was entrusted to us? Why should we guard

what was entrusted to us? Because it's something

that God has given that we should be fanning

into flame. Look what it says in 2 Timothy 1,

6 -7. For this reason, what reason? What cause?

because of your faith. In verse 5, he talks about

the faith that Timothy has. And for this reason,

Timothy, for this cause, I remind you to fan

into flame, to kindle, inflame one's mind, strength,

and zeal. In other words, when we think about

the gospel, are we going in inflamed? Have we

kindled the fire of the gospel of evangelism

in our lives? Okay. Now I love the gospel. Okay.

And every Sunday I get to come and preach. I'm

like, let's go. Like that's like, it's like,

they know that. Cause I do that every time I

get done praying. Every time I get done praying

in the back, I'm like, let's go. It should be,

that should be flammed in, fanned into flame.

You should be so excited because you get to tell

someone about Christ. Like that's, that's, that

excites me. And so are you fanning into flame?

Are you kindling one's mind, strength, and zeal

for the gospel, for the gift of evangelism? Are

you excited to go out? And Paul says, which is

in you through the laying on of my hands. Paul

has departed this gift of evangelism through

the laying on of hands. God, Paul has given him

the biblical authority to go. The same thing

Jesus did with his disciples. Okay. Now notice

verse seven, for God gave us a spirit. Now the

way this is rendered in ESV, it should be capital

S, right? God gave us a spirit. God gave us the

spirit, not a fear. So the spirit of God is not

a fear. This word spirit is disposition or influence

that fills and governs a person. Does the person

Are you being influenced by the Spirit of God

that has filled you in governing you? Or are

you being controlled by fear? This word fear

means cowardice. Are you a coward? Are you chicken?

Are you afraid to tell people about Jesus? Because

Jesus says, if you deny me before men, I will

deny you before my Father which is in heaven.

Think about that. God doesn't want cowards. He

wants bold believers. And these people were so

bold in their faith that they were willing to

suffer for the sake of the gospel. So, for God

gave us a spirit, an influence that governs us.

His name is the Holy Spirit. He lives in you.

He doesn't live in you to make you afraid. He

lives in you to make you courageous. God does

not give us a spirit of fear, but of power. and

of love, and of sound mind. What's interesting

about that is it's His power, and His love, and

His soundness of mind is what means here. How

can we say that? Because the Spirit Himself lives

in you. It's His power He gives you. It's His

love, His agape that He gives you. It's His mind

that He gives you. Philippians 2. What's it say

in Philippians 2? That we have been given the

mind of Christ. You have it. It's yours. You

can be sound in your mind. So walk with the Spirit.

Let Him be the key influencer and filler and

governor of your life. Don't let fear control

and dominate you. Why? Walk in His power. Walk

in His love. And walk in His sound -mindedness.

Fear not in preaching, teaching, and proclaiming

the gospel. Third, godly leaders must not be

ashamed of the gospel and must be willing to

suffer. Anyone who goes into ministry must learn

to suffer well. This includes anybody. Missionaries,

pastors especially, elders must learn to suffer

well. One of the reasons, one of the things that

we see within churches today, especially young

men coming out of college, going out of university,

got all the book stuff they can get. They come

out and they think they can go and lead a church,

and within five years they quit because they

can't handle it. Why? Because they're weak. There's

a strengthening in the suffering. There's a strengthening

in the suffering. There's an ability to stand

the pressure, persevere in suffering. Suffering

is necessary. Y 'all know that scripture, okay?

Character, perseverance, perseverance, love.

Look what it says in 1 Peter 4, 16. Yet if anyone

suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed,

but let him glorify God in that name. Therefore,

verse 8, Timothy, therefore do not be ashamed

of the testimony about our Lord. That word testimony

is witness or gospel. Therefore do not. It's

an imperative. It's a command. You don't have

an option. You cannot just like, yeah, it's commanded.

You cannot be ashamed of the gospel of our Lord.

And Paul says that I am not ashamed of the gospel

of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation.

Look what else he says. He says, therefore, do

not be ashamed of the gospel of our Lord Jesus

or our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, his captive.

Are you ashamed of each other? So he's telling

Timothy, listen, don't be ashamed of the gospel

of Christ. And don't be ashamed of me, his captive.

Are we ashamed of each other? Are we really so

uncomfortable with each other that we aren't

willing to live with one another in peace? Purpose

to fulfill the kingdom and the call of God as

brothers and sisters. Are we ashamed to be associated

with each other? Are you just not fitting my

way? He says he's the captive. But share in suffering.

Share in suffering. Suffer with and suffer together

for the gospel by the power of God. Meaning his

power. It's one thing to... not be ashamed of

somebody. It's another to say, I'm willing to

suffer with you. Are any of you willing to suffer

with people that you really don't like, but they're

part of the family? I mean, that's pretty deep,

right? Am I really willing to suffer with you

because you're my sister or brother in Christ

for the gospel by the power of God? Or am I just

not willing to be associated with you at all

because you just don't fit me? Or as the young

people say, we're not vibing. You and I just

aren't vibing. And so look what he says here.

God, but share in suffering for the gospel by

the power of God, who saved us and called us

to a holy calling. Notice this word, this term,

this phrase, who saved us means to make a partaker

of salvation. God has made you a partaker of

salvation. And called us. Now, what's interesting

about the call of God to salvation is it's two

things. One, it's an invitation. He invites you

as a friend. Hey, you know, I got this and I'd

really like for you to have it. You're like,

yeah. That's the first. He does it as a friend.

The second is he summons you as a king. You see,

the invite is like, hey. And then he says, you

must bow. It's both. Isn't that interesting?

Kind of reminds me of election. Isn't that interesting?

He's like, hey, come. All who come, come. Then

he says, by the way, get over here and bow before

the king. Yes. Very interesting. That word called

literally means both. Both are required. Now,

look what it says. He has saved us and called

us to a holy calling. A sacred embrace of salvation,

kingdom, and station of life. I want you to get

that. This invite and this summoning, he has

brought us into a sacred embrace of his salvation,

his kingdom, and station of life. Now, what's

interesting is he saves us in spite. He puts

us in a kingdom and makes us a kingdom. And then

he actually changes. the station of life for

you. In God's heaven, you're not poor. You're

a prince or a princess. In God's heaven, you're

no longer children of darkness, but children

of light. In God's heaven, you are children of

the living God. That's a station of life. Yes,

I'm privileged, and I am not going to apologize

for it. Now, not because of our works, not because

you guys did something, not because I earned

it. It's not because I saved myself or called

myself or decided I'm going to go into a holy

calling myself. It's because of his own purpose

and grace, which he gave. He didomized the word

here. He granted, he delivered, and he committed.

He granted salvation. through purpose and grace.

He's delivered salvation through purpose and

grace, and he has committed salvation through

purpose and grace to us in Christ Jesus. Where

is our purpose, and where is the purpose and

grace fulfilled? In Christ alone. Now get this,

before the ages began. You hear that? Before

any epoch. before earth was even created, before

God instituted, there was morning and evening

and first day. Before any of that, God has saved

you in Christ. You're like, well, I thought I

had a part of that. That should, anybody who's

free will, that should wreck you. Because this

has nothing to do with free will, because it's

not something that you decided like yesterday.

This is something that has been determined before

the ages began. This work of Christ for you.

Notice in verse 10, in which now has been manifested,

meaning revealed or made known through the appearing

of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the proof of that

is he abolished, who abolished death and brought

Zoe, brought eternal life. So he destroys death.

He brings eternal life and immortality. This

word immortality means incorruptibility. imperishableness.

We are incorruptible in Christ and imperishable

in Christ. You're like, well, we're dying. But

when he resurrects you, or if we're raptured,

i .e. taken up, you're going to receive a incorruptible

body. Now, this immortality, this incorruptibleness,

this imperishableness has come to light through

the gospel. It's the gospel that has brought

the reality of the truth of the eternity with

Christ and the abolition of death and the immortality

of our souls has come through the gospel. This

word through means dia, which is by the means

of. So when Jesus says, There is only one way.

There is only one way. There is no other way.

Now, let's keep reading. Paul says, for which

I was appointed a preacher, apostle, and teacher.

God has appointed him as a preacher, apostle,

teacher for the gospel's sake, not for my mission

or my church or my ministry. It's not yours.

It's God's. Your responsibility wherever he places

you to work is the gospel, period. There is no

other vision. Kind of hard for some pastors to

hear. What's the vision for the church? I know

I got to pray on that. Really? Holy smokes. I

didn't know God had another plan. That's a pretty

big book to try to find a vision outside of the

vision that's already been cast. I mean, this

vision has been going on for a couple thousand

years and still going and still going and still

going. There is one vision. There's one purpose.

And Paul understands this. It's the gospel, which

is why I suffer as I do. Are you willing to suffer

for the gospel? Or can you be like Paul who says,

but I am not. ashamed, for I know whom I have

believed. The reason why he is willing to die

for the gospel and die for Christ is because

he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt who he has

believed. He has seen him. He has been taught

by him. You know what Jesus said, blessed are

those who believe and yet have not seen. Everyone

who believes and has not seen has a faith that

is so great. You have great faith. if you believe.

But belief without obedience isn't faith. Now,

let's keep going. For I am convinced he is able.

Dunatas. Dunatas. He has the power, the might.

Do you hear that? I am convinced that Jesus has

the power and the might to guard, to fulaso.

Fulaso means to guard, protect, or keep. Keep

from being snatched. Does your Jesus, does my

Jesus, does he have the power to and might to

keep the gospel, my salvation, my inheritance

from being snatched? Yes, he does. Yes, he does.

He is more than capable, more than powerful.

And he will do it until that day what has been

entrusted. What has been entrusted to me, the

gospel. He will guard and protect and keep from

being snatched until that day what has been entrusted

to me, the gospel. He will keep the gospel from

being taken from me. Why are so many churches

running away from the gospel? Why are so many

people, so many pastors removing the gospel as

it was intended to be preached and heard? Don't

want to be offensive. The very thing that Paul

warns Timothy not to do, churches today are doing

in droads. Don't want to offend you. Sorry. I

don't want to talk about sin. It hurts your feelings.

Oh, isn't that a shame? God forbid. It's okay.

Run in the middle of the street. It's good. You're

welcome to. Hey, there's a truck coming. Beep,

beep. Come on, man. We must stand for the gospel.

Now look what else it says. Until that day he

has entrusted, entrust to one's faithful keeping

and stewardship. Can you hold to the gospel?

Can you keep the gospel? the way it was intended

to be heard and preached, the gospel, that wonderful,

beautiful gospel. Godly leaders keep and guard

with their lives the faith and purpose to live

in obedience. Look carefully then how you walk.

not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use

of the time because the days are evil. Therefore,

do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's

will is. Ephesians 5, 15 through 17. What is

God's will? Preach the gospel in its entirety.

Christ was crucified, buried, rose again on the

third day. Why? Because you're a sinful human

being. And without Christ, you are destined a

child of wrath. Now, Notice what it says in verse

13 and 14, follow, keep, take hold, seize the

pattern, seize the example, copied and modeled

of the sound words. Now this word, hugiaino,

hugiaino is the word where we get hygiene from.

These sound words, the word sound means hugiaino,

logos, healthy words of Christ is what that means.

So take hold and seize the example that has been

copied and modeled for you, which are the healthy

words of Christ that you have heard from me,

Paul says to Timothy. In other words, these words

of Jesus are good for you. And sometimes, I don't

know about you, but not all kids want to take

a bath. I mean, I know I didn't. Sometimes. Why?

Because I was having fun. We don't want to be

healthy sometimes. We like to be dirty, but that's

not good. We need healthy. God's words are healthy

for us. Notice what it says. Where do these healthy

words come from? They are in faith and love that

are in Christ Jesus. The only way to have healthy

words is through Jesus. What does John 1 say?

In the beginning was the... word. And the word

was with God and the word was God. He is the

healthy word. And he's given you his healthy

word on paper. Now, notice he says here, these

healthy words, which are in Christ Jesus, are

by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. The

Spirit, the word of God lives in you, in the

person of the Holy Spirit who dwells. who is

the influencer of your life. He says guard. This

word guard means obey, watch, and keep from being

snatched. Are we keeping the word of God? I think

there are many churches like ours. Yes, I think

we're striving. That's our hunger. That's our

thirst. I think there's a lot of churches that

aren't because they want the easy Jesus. And

it's not easy. Christian life is meant to be

hard. Why? Because it makes muscles. which I

need to do. Got my blood pressure down, but I

need to work out because it keeps me healthy.

It's the same idea in our spiritual life. Guard,

obey, watch, keep from being snatched the good,

the kalos, the proper, beautiful, valuable, and

virtuous deposit entrusted to you. I want you

to hear that. This good deposit, this... beautiful,

valuable, virtuous, and proper deposit that's

been entrusted to you is the gospel of Jesus.

Why do we think we got to fix it? I mean, the

cross is a beautiful thing for us. It is the

power of God for us. The cross is foolishness

to those who are embarrassing, but to us, men

and women of God seek out opportunities to serve.

This is the end. Like, why? would Paul at the

end of chapter one, which I don't think that

was intended. I think he was just a continual

thought. He mentions being like abandoned. But

I want you to notice this one individual, Onesiphorus,

he's like out of everybody, he's mentioned. It's

because men and women of God seek out opportunities

to serve and minister to others. Why do I share

that? It's providential, I will tell you. You

guys, should be finding every opportunity to

serve here. There should not be a moment that

you're not getting involved serving and caring

and connecting and praying for God's people and

working with God's people because there's a kingdom.

And all the little things matter. All of them

matter. From the beautification of the property

to helping over with spaghetti and meatballs,

helping Grace Alliance, helping each other in

men's ministry. I'm going to call this. I got

to do it. I'm going to do it. Men, I'm going

to be very frank with you. There should not be

four or five guys showing up at men's meeting

every other month. Every man in this church should

be there if they can be there. How are you going

to sharpen? How are you going to learn to continue

to grow in your faith if you're not there? Even

if you came once a month, that would be a good

thing. You wonder why women have a hard time

following? Because you're not leading in some

cases. And I'm being honest. I got to call you

out on this. I want to see the men involved,

growing in their faith, fully committed to the

word, being men of the living God, learning his

ways. Take a little bit of time to spend time

with Jesus. Just a little. You won't grow if

you don't. You'll be like, well, pastor, you're

not there. Pastor can't be everywhere. The church

goes as the men go. Where the men go? The church

will go. And the leaders, the men, must lead.

It's hard. Make a point to be there. We have

several opportunities to gather and serve. And

some of you guys already know you're serving

a lot. You're serving a lot of other areas. Okay?

You're involved in a lot of other areas. This

is not a guilt trip. This is challenging the

men who are not involved. But I needed to do

that before I went on sabbatical, so I got it

out of the way. At least a month in advance so

you won't be too mad at me in three weeks. I

love you all. Really, I do. You're like, you're

a jerk, pastor. Let love be genuine. Abhor what

is evil. Hold fast to what is good. Love one

another with a brotherly affection. Outdo. What's

interesting about this word, outdo, in Romans

12, 9 through 10, is this word means to show

the way, lead, and give preference. Be the example.

Outdo one another in showing honor, in showing

value, in showing specialness. Isn't that interesting?

Or in to show preciousness. Are others more precious

than you? So here you go. Verse 15 through 18.

You are aware that all who are in Asia turned

away from me, among whom are... You'll never

guess what I said early in first service. It

was so funny. I said Pelagius. It was so bad.

Phagellus and Hermogenes. Now, why is Paul abandoned?

Well, he gets arrested. And now, if you're in

another area and, you know, the dude that was

persecuting and killing the church ends up getting

arrested, you're like, uh -oh, what'd he do now?

And so, like, all of Asia was like, I'm out.

But, He mentions this one person. He says, may

the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus.

Why? Onesiphorus. Because for he often refreshed

me and was not ashamed of my chains. He wasn't

ashamed of Paul's arrest because of the gospel.

But when he arrived in Rome, he searched for

me earnestly and found me. He went out of his

way to find where he was at in house arrest.

Why? to serve him. I can't help but think he

remembered what Paul had done for the church

there in Ephesus. Look what it says. 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. So why do I challenge the

men? Why am I challenging the men? Why am I being

hard on us as men to serve? because it speaks

volumes of where the church is going. It speaks

volumes. It's not because I'm being condemning.

It's to stir you up. It's like if I went into,

I said this before in a message. I know I did.

It's like going into a football game, and you're

at halftime, and you're getting like down by

two touchdowns, and you're defeated, and you're

like, oh, we ain't gonna win. It's sort of like

the Eagles and the Chiefs, but they were already

done. It didn't matter what. Reed said, you know,

let's go out there, you guys stink, you're terrible,

but you can still win. You know, that's the kind

of idea. But that's sort of like what I get here.

It's like, as men, let's continue to strive to

serve one another, to learn and to walk in Christ,

to allow each other to sharpen each other. Can

you imagine how much more further we would be

as a church? How strong our church would be?

considering everyone else around us. We have

a good, strong church and we have a good group

of men that do serve, but we have men that aren't.

And so my challenge is to you, if you're not

involved, get involved. That's my challenge to

you. And you're like, how can you say that? Because

you already know me. I've set the example and

my family's given sacrifice. And if I can do

it, you do it. Father, I want to thank you so

much for this wonderful letter. It's a reminder

of our call to the gospel, our commitment to

not be ashamed, but to contend, to keep it from

being snatched, to walk with purpose, to lead

in living. And Lord, I know even these things

that are difficult to handle and talk about,

it is for our good. Lord, we so thank you and

we do praise you. I thank you for all the men

and the women here. I thank you for the service.

for those who are serving and giving and working

and really working hard to honor and glorify

you. But Lord, I pray that you would continue

to stir in the hearts of everyone here the importance

of being part of what you are doing, the establishment,

the continued establishment of your kingdom to

build upon what you have already laid. Help us

to be faithful keepers of the gospel. In Jesus'

name, amen.