Paul's Imprisonment

Will grab your Bibles and let's go to second Timothy chapter 4 and this will likely be our next-to-last message out of our exposition of second Timothy we start in first Timothy calling it beautifying the bride as the apostle Paul is writing to give instruction to Timothy about how to organize the church how the church should be run with the priority of the church is to the office of the church are how to do with problems in the church and then a redundant, since you might say how to make sure you guard the church from error and false doctrine. He is that thing over and over again.

Ms. Pam and I were vividly tall. The necessity for that as we were walking through the ruins of Philippi. They would call it our Philip eyes we would call it and the tour guides were all Greek orthodox because if you're born in Greece, your Greek Orthodox I sprinkle you and your one okay and in their thinking in their view of Christianity.

Everything centers on a building yet have a church building. There has to be a priest there yet to go in that building and see those priest and perform those rituals and do those sacraments and all of that is Christianity. Ms. Pam and I walk around to those ruins. Thinking about Paul preaching the gospel in the glory of the marketplace and people believing and as they were believing they were the starting of a church there, but the Greek Orthodox God would imply that the church began when the first Greek Orthodox building was built in that area, and the earliest ones like 500 A.D. 500 years or 450 or so years after Paul's ministry.

They keep saying what this is one of the earliest earliest churches is 1500 years old.

It's about 500 A.D. and finally out of the tour got us to do. You know, in the whole New Testament there is not the mention of the church building. There's not one instruction about build a building.

Nothing wrong with that but there's nothing she thought for a moment the gods are very well trained in their worth their money to to get the tour guide she felt for many. She looked at me very inquisitive and said are you sure I did. Yes, the church began when Paul preached the gospel and by grace through faith alone. The people were believing on Christ becoming a part of the local church family. The building later all is when the corruptions came in. Started building buildings and they started bringing in priest and they started actually pregnant. I'm trying not to get off on this actually what they were doing was they became pragmatic and about 3 to 400 A.D. here's what they would do and say all the culture loves polytheism. We have many gods to we worship Mary, we worship Paul we worship God the father was a got what they were doing. It is tried to get the culture some comfort with Christian truth and a perverted Christian truth to match the culture. Have you heard me preach against that before. It's an old saying it's been going on from the beginning in the Scripture warns of that. So Paul thoroughly worn Timothy stay on track fight.

The error corrected.

Remove it from the church and keep the church peer and brothers and sisters cannot tell you something.

As a pastor that's a full-time job site is always insidiously tried to creep in with perversions so Paul writes to Timothy saying those things, but now he he shifts gears and he talks about his own situation.

In verses 16 through 18 of second Timothy chapter 4 and I simply titled the exposition of this section. Paul's imprisonment will begin in second Timothy chapter 4 verse 16. Paul writes a member.

This is a letter so it flows like a letter at my first defense.

No one supported me, but all deserted me meant not be counted against them, but the Lord stood with me and strengthen me, so that through me.

The proclamation might be fully accomplished that all the Gentiles might hear and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.

To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. No little background information. We know we just journeyed out of chapters 3 and four.

In the latter parts of chapter 3 and into the early parts of chapter 4 Paul is giving Timothy that saw the month powerful charge to preach the word details. Timothy don't do it in season and out of season.

Timothy got people laying out the truth from God's word in the format of preaching what is easy when it's not. When people hear you, and when they will not. When people will come, but would people leave because of it is of the time will come when they won't endure your sound doctrine. Timothy Bell want to find them. Some clever, creative, humorous, funny preachers out there that will furnish them with the latest fads. That's what tickling the ears me to charge you don't waiver study with the stuff keep preaching the word no matter what. And now one of the things Paul's doing in these latter verses here. Verses 16 through 18.

Particularly, is he saying I want to illustrate again Timothy to you how I also kept the charge. I stayed faithful in my Christian service to our Lord and we find out here how he lived out the charge and there are some rich insights for all of us on how we are to live out in the motivation were to have for living out our Christian duties in our Christian service was outlined this way.

I Paul says he received no human support lease in a very specific way will unpack it from the text, but let's think about what he's in prison. This is second imprisonment. As you know I've told you that his execution is probably scheduled at this point I don't know that for certain. But the way he writes. He knows it's just around the corner. So what is the charge against Paul that we know from trustworthy first century riders that there were several serious crimes that Christians were accused of in the first century. First of all, they were accused of atheism because they would condemn the idolatry of all the worship of these many gods, the polytheism of the ancient Greek culture.

One of the things that you read about in in Greek culture is how these great warriors like Alexander the great, and even the warriors of other kingdoms would come to consult the Oracle of Delphi and to find out.

Should I attack these people should I go to war against these people would we be victorious in the Oracle always gave our guidance that was hard to select a riddle you couldn't figure it out. No one is I did know was going to happen. They will know whatever happened. We could like, so we told that was in there.

We can really tell you exactly because actually, the Greek word at that we get our English word ambiguous come from the Oracle of Delphi where they would give this ambiguous, kinda sorta guidance. So all of these pagan beliefs and and religions of the day in Christian stood against them and said there's only one true God and his son is Jesus Christ and salvation is through Christ and Christ alone so they actually accuse them of being atheist or denying the worship of all the many gods of ancient Greek mythology. Also, there were accused of cannibalism as the culture and the leaders of the culture would put a spin on Christian teaching of taking the body of Christ through the Lord's table in the blood of Christ. We all know that's figurative, but just like in today's world. Those who hate God and hate our truth to speed on everything we say and do try to make us look like something were not so they accused the early Christians of teaching cannibalism. They also accuse them of hate crimes because Christians condemn the pleasures of sin that the ancient Greek and Roman culture were built upon drunkenness was a form of worship in many of their temples fornication was rampant homosexuality was rampant, but it is interesting in the ancient Greek culture. Homosexual behavior was rampant, but they wouldn't call themselves homosexuals are born this way. Just another way to have a sexual perversion. Our relationship they they they wouldn't call it marriage because they knew from the natural order of things.

Marriage had to include people who could come together and have offspring and build a family so wildly while they participated deeply in the sea into thinking that they didn't come up with the kind of qualifications and descriptions and and structures for like we do in our day. Nevertheless, immoralities about it. Pedophilia was very common. That is one thing I like to say to some of the liberal professors in our schools and other places as they log before us the glories of ancient Greece their architecture and their literature and their pros and their philosophy and their armies and they did have the first democracy about 500 BC and there's some credit there, but they don't you think they built their kingdom on slave labor that their wives and daughters were treated like property and worse and I had benefit pedophilia practice throughout the country.

They leave that know why because they will have confidence that man can once again be something great men never was great God is great and will relock God and we become great or not great on our own, apart from God so Christians are charged with all these things.

What is most likely that it wasn't atheism or cannibalism or hate is more than likely that is just that Paul was the starter and the head of the quote and illegal religion men. The Romans have taken over Greece at this time. Of course, and they didn't want any problems out of anybody and they tolerated a few major religions that Negron drew a firm line in the same rug will have any troubles. These new religions popping up through six popping up so they made Christianity illegal and saw Paul as the founder of this illegal religious movement and bought how Rome had it wrong on that one.

Paul didn't found Christianity.

Christianity did not begin with the apostle Paul that began in the heart of God in Rome couldn't stop it, and no one can what the end of the specific thing I'm talking about when I sit in Rome in one he received no human support. He says in verse 16. At my first defense know one supported a 80 Robertson, the Greek scholars.

Is it merely means no one took my part. No one came to my side. As Paul stood before the Roman tribunal are Roman court, possibly before Nero himself and inevitably what ever Roman ruler or judge. He stood before they must've thought their ploy was working because they've arrested Paul.

They put him in prison and now he has no one who will come forward and stand with him in court, so we must be successful in diminishing and removing this religion by resting Paul. Little did they know Christina didn't stand on Paul stands on the rock Jesus Christ and he always stands so there. Paul stood humanly speaking before the absolute power of Rome with no associate, no advocate and no friend with him no one to plead his case no one to testify of his character are plead his innocence of the charges before him just causes me to think on the fact that when our Lord was crucified.

He stood before the heavenly father's throne and he was all alone. All of the Lord's disciples all of his followers. At that point had fallen away. Even Peter denies him three times in the garden.

Seems like that's a pattern. Every pastor every faithful Christian minister and truly every faithful Christian must reckon that there may be times when people don't stand with me when people will not support me. I tell young pastors a lot of times when you're reforming the typical Baptist church to be more biblically healthy, which means more in line with that this history because we've left our forefathers teachings and practice. I haven't taught you to do anything, it's radical. I go back to the old stuff. Our forefathers lived in many of them died for when you're reforming the church yet.

Be patient because the people who are against you will be very loud and the few that really are with you are learning new stuff they'd never seen a solid church.

So instead sketch curious to them to so they're not against you, but there silent very often, until they learn more to they see it better and can cause you to feel like you're all alone because as far as our support. You may be all alone.

That seems to be the pattern of faithful Christian ministry. Paul elaborates further. Not only did they not stand with me uses the phrase they deserted me.

Verse 16 then he says, may it not be counted against them. Paul had a magnanimous spirit but not really normal Christian spirit. Forgiveness is the hallmark of Christian virtues are you listening to me church, you cannot be a follower of Christ and hold bitterness and anger and unforgiveness in your heart.

Apostle Paul described himself on one occasion as the chief of sinners is when I look at my life and the wayward path.

I was on I was persecuting the church and in voting against them when they were being stoned to death are locked in prisons and and on and on. He could go it in so many ways. He looked to his Judy stick religious work since his salvation. That was so sinful and wrong and on.

But Paul just to look at me. I see the greatest sinner I've ever seen Christ would forgive me. Why can I forgive others so he has a forgiving spirit may not be counted against them. Paul saw their desertions, not as wickedness but as weakness.

I might say momentary weakness. There's no such thing as a child of God and ongoing purpose and pattern opposing the truth of God and the man of God that can happen, but there can be moments or seasons of wheat we have to juggle through that as church leaders and is Christian sometimes when somebody falls away are they are they really not of God. Often they are not. The Bible teaches that sometimes there there men and women of God, but their week and haven't been tall to me just can't go along with what right at this moment, we should have some compassion on them and see them perhaps not as wicked every time. But as we see were to be like our father in heaven and Psalm 86 verse five. The Bible says, speaking of God you are good and ready to forgive is not a great verse, are you listening to me sinner out there today transgressor of God's law. Week one, one who is but of dust is good news that our God is good and ready to forgive.

So we must be good and ready to forgive Paul was like his Lord and Savior, when he was dying on the cross prayed.

Luke 2334 father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. Are you on the forgiveness leader this morning you like Jesus, are you like God the father.

Are you like Paul Lord forgive them had quite a pilgrimage alone. Part of getting to this place in the not saying I'm betting a thousand but I'm doing a lot better than it used to wear when I see those who rise up in our angrily demeaning of our work or whatever it might be.

I'm very able today to say, will God to the end that it glorifies you bless them and help them in show mercy to them because you've shown a lot of mercy to be a men church then may we support what they're doing that that's different.

Some of you sometimes make it the warp concept that when somebody just really an open rebellion incentive.

If we forget the merciful sort of bless what they're about. No one, not which is not to hold it against them in an angry and unforgiving spirit well. Paul had no one to stand with them in his first defense.

That's the idea of this verse court meeting this first time he was called forth to face the charges before and he was all by himself, but he had a very forgiving spirit for those who wouldn't come and stand with them. Secondly, II let's notice that he rested in God's support. He did rested not only rest by doing nothing. I mean, as he continued in his ministry he he had a settled contended rest in God that God was with him. What he says him at Tom verse 17 but what a great conjunctions. A lot of great conjunctions in the Bible. They didn't stand with me, but the Lord stood with me Lord stood with me stand there literally means to stand by my side. None of his friends stood by his side. None of his associates stood by sod. None of those he was discipling stood by his side at that first defense, but God stood right there beside Paul. This brings to mind other strong truths. The Greek word that's used for stood here is the same idea a similar word to the word that's used for the Holy Spirit in John 14 verse 16 Jesus said I'm going to go away.

I'm going to be another helper same Greek word there for helper. He sees one.

He will stand beside you will stand with you and he's a helper he's a comforter child of God.

No matter where you go or what happens if your faith in Christ, God the Holy Spirit stands with you is good stuff. I've always said when you stand under fire. Your heart stays warm. Something about being more Paul is in you.

So I passed or not.

I don't know bundled a Roman prison and be in that squalor, and suffer. I love Jesus not know if I could do that for Jesus. You hadn't had to do yet you get the grace you need for that level of persecution when it happens in the spirit of God, will become so much more powerfully real to you. Sony says the Lord stood with me. We know that the Paraclete toss Paraclete toss more more accurately means the one who comes along beside that's the word here for the helper.

Then also Jesus first John 21 Jesus balloon children. I'm writing these things to you so that you may not see an end.

If you want since we have an advocate, it means one who stands beside us and pleads our case and advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

So concerning the Holy Spirit, he stands with. This is a comforter and a help, and Jesus stands beside us.

Also a comforter and a help and deplete our case before the father is are is our mediator between us as sinners and God is the holy one so here Paul stands yet hurt me that no one stood with me all but let me tell you about who did stand with me tell you about him thinking on this.

I thought about the, the Lord, as he was abandoned on the cross because when our Lord Jesus was abandoned all deserted him. Are you listening to me. The father deserted Jesus on the cross, the father turned his back on the sun.

Christ would not look upon you with favor for blessing our love or acceptance, but only in wrath and retribution because he was standing in our places sinner. Perhaps that's part of what Paul was thinking not been abandoned, but I'm not abandon what my Savior was abandoned. Everybody turned on him. The gospel songs as God turned his back on his son despising RCN Jesus entered the room of God's justice in our place. It was our room and while bearing our sin, he went before the father and the father turns his countenance of love and acceptance away and turns toward him. The frown of harsh judgment and wrath Jesus entered the black darkness with the father's justice upon him and the Internet in our place and there he was abandoned by man and by God and experience and abandonment beyond what any man could ever know abandoned by God the father bearing our sin is a pastor how you know that's what Paul's thinking because everything I've talked to comes from Paul's writings. Everything about the atonement of Christ standing in our place come from Paul's pin as rest of these churches, but tying into Paul, knowing that I didn't have any person, any human but I had God with me.

You see, Jesus was abandoned so that his children would never be abandoned.

You get the hat Jesus took the pain of the separation and end of the chasm of golf between God and man. He took it on himself so that way the children those who believed on Christ would never ever ever experience abandonment. Christ took the abandonment, so the children are all now safe, the spirit stands beside us and the Lord Christ stands beside us and pleads for us and we can rest in that.

I don't care what you're facing. I know some of you hurting today when I came in for my trip. My disk is full of cards full of cards of people who are hurting lost love one sickness.

Whatever it is I do my best to pray for and send cards to every church member that faces something so I know there's a lot hurting but no matter what we face are called to go through you for abandoned God stands with you a pulse. It is better than that. He incidents against one of those places were pulses I just gotta I gotta add more to it because it's so wonderful what I've experienced uses in verse 17, knowing to the Lord, stand with me and the strengthened me literally it has idea he poured his power into me. I just got the power poured into me this in bold and Paul to continue, even while here in Caesar's household continue his ministry of preaching the word in building God's church, but study the New Testament. That's all Paul knows preaching the word, establishing churches, preaching the word establishing churches, then another wonderful thing. He says that was faithful in the Lord's behalf, or 17 and he rescued me see that the yeah yeah the end of the verse, and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth now scholars debatable. What that means, and they all agree we don't know exactly what that means early church father said the lion. There has to mean the hero Ms. Pam and I saw great marble lying on their in the northern regions of Greece for the ancient Romans had set up that land is a symbol of their authority and is of their kingdom so it could be near Rohit.

It may have been that Tom at Paul was scheduled to be thrown into the lions in the amphitheaters ever you go across Greece. There's exempt theaters. The Greeks built the amphitheaters for theater plates. When the Romans took all that I said that's dull and boring.

Let's make it more exciting list of people in their late line 0, literally. That's what they did but that gladiators come in their fight to the death so it could mean that Paul was scheduled as other Christians were to be thrown to the lines in the amphitheater, but he was saved from that. We don't know. I think most likely means that the general enemies and circumstances that unceasingly work to thwart Paul to stay faithful God rescued Paul from their diminishing effects. Paul kept on being faithful in the midst of the opposition. That's what I think it means being rescued of the lion's mouth. Well, verse 18. Paul continues because this thing of God being for us that it can be against this is so wonderful in the Lord.

Verse 18 will rescue me from every evil deed. Paul is saying that any and all efforts of the world the flesh and the devil to divert me from being faithful to my Lord and finishing my course is taken care off. It didn't knock me off track. It didn't get me, they didn't cause me to quit are the rest every step of the way. Instead, I was resting in the support and in the strength of God not charge you child of God to do that just to turn around I Lord I don't know what is going to be I don't know what is going to be like.

But I determined this morning as my pastor is preaching to me that you will give me the dose of grace and strength, and extra understanding of your presence with me because I not going to turn back to the world no matter what happens I will stay faithful in my service to Christ the Lord will send you with you. Paul rested rested on the Lord's strength.

Romans three Paul remained the glory of God focused he kept the purpose in front of them.

He says in verse 17. The middle part there. The Lord's Lord stood with me, Lord, strengthen me, so that our to this in that through me. The proclamation might be fully accomplished.

God had those I was to proclaim the gospel tubing and he's enabled me to get all these difficulty so I can finish that course specifically and that all the Gentiles might hear the sole mission of Paul was to bring about to God. The harvest that he deserved and therefore the glory he deserved among the Gentiles. Paul's heart reverberated with the reality that our Savior must be honored among the Gentile Lord strengthen me at all my difficulties to get that done that. In fact, this is exactly what the Lord said he was going to do with Paul after his conversion is recorded in acts 915 and 16 the Lord said to him, go for he that's Paul. He's a chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the Gentile's and kings and the sons of Israel or I will show him how much he must suffer for my namesake so suffering not listen to me suffering was prescribed as a part of Paul's ministry suffering was as much a part of this prescribed plan for Paul's ministry and staying in wealthy Lydia's home how wealthy Philemon's home where he had the best of everything in the new wing always will be Lydia's house and when always going before Lehman's house.

We would always go to get gifts from the Philippians where you had everything in it abundance you could even say it in extravagant God gives you those times and service rejoice in them and thank God for the big 50 calls you to suffering. Then you walk in that door to God must receive glory from the Gentiles, and this was Paul's mission. He was the man to blaze the trail Paul's missionary journeys had covered much of the known world Roman Empire covered much of the Roman world, the known world of that day and Paul had spread the gospel in established churches and wide places and now toward the very end of his ministry he spreading the gospel in high places. Caesar's household the very epicenter of the Empire and possibly he stood and testify before Nero himself. I believe he did this. Don't know from the biblical text sufferings and persecutions and now this imprisonment were not obstacles but providential means to God, his footsteps and direct his ministry child of God you not understand the difficulties in your marriage. God is superintending those to bring you to the right place. You just don't quit equipped note you do as brother Mattie continue as we say this at each of all time.

You do the next thing is difficult but you do the next thing you're fearful what you do. The next thing according to the book. According to what I'm called to do. Mom or dad or husband or wife, or parent or child or whatever you do.

The next thing.

That's what Paul did over and over again. He never never veered from the tracks he preach the gospel. Generally speaking, to the known Gentile world that is a something glorious here in verse 18. The last part burlesque phrase known at the very last phrase the middle phrase and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Paul saying the place of final just reward and my glorification is the heavenly kingdom. That's ahead. I'm not here for any any token or any measure of certain pleasure are reward or fulfillment in us that from your mind. That's not why we're here here to be happy were here to serve Christ we find great happiness. What we're doing pulsing a look at his booth to the glory and focused on that coming glorification in the heavenly kingdom this world and the rulers of this age could not see the vital importance of Paul's work.

But all will be made clear in the heavenly kingdom.

The hidden labors will be shown to be worth it all. Paul based his life on that he stayed glory of God focused Romans 818 reminds us, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us stayed glory of God focused that we want him to receive all the glory and honor and praise of our lesson from our corporate church life and ultimately we will share in that glory with him in heaven. Then he comes to that foundation stone of I believe his heart and motivation. The very last phrase.

Verse 18 to him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. The apex purpose and driving motivation that held Paul long course so that he remain faithful to the Ian was a glory of God focused. May he get glory. This must be the apex purpose and driving motivation that keeps us faithful entirety of Paul's life and ministry with this one.

Supreme overarching purpose that men would come to see God and God alone is worthy of all honor and praise. Probably Paul couldn't sleep and not thinking more Gentiles, more Gentiles must repent of the false mythological God and turned to know the one true God and want him to be honored and pray I see, that's the idea behind this Greek word for glory accused very often in the New Testament is the idea of opinion and that in the ancient world. This this brickwork and made a positive or negative opinion, a good or bad opinion, but the New Testament writers like they did so many words of the Greek culture. They they bring it over in the Bible it only means a positive or good opinion what it means is, God is glorified when your hearts changed and you come to a new opinion of who God is. You now see him as one worthy of all honor that you come to me that in your mind before your conversion, but now you embrace it with your heart, he's the God this worthy come to the opinion well… Me to the opinion. Amen. The gospel ended in the spirit of God, regenerated my heart and now I can glorify God, how what is your pastor for more and more people the shoals to come to the heart, embracing opinion that our God and God alone is worthy of praise and honor that's glorifying him. Ephesians 321 says so that the manifold wisdom of God and of the words God's wisdom, which is part of his glory might be made known through the share, God is not scholastic primarily, maybe not. God is not only for sure interested in individual salvation. He's not only are primarily I did use it in a concerned with individuals quote getting say he's concerned about forming a people that we did in Israel and you go all over the Greek world and go to find Hall over the Greco-Roman Empire and Asia. Local churches is people collection of his people. God's glorified when we can say yes, but his glory explains even greater when we come together as the safe ones in his love and his truth have been working together for his kingdom's advancement in the world because not just concern about individual subbasins. He's concerned about forming people. That's why says they very clearly might be made known through the church, the collective whole.

Romans 517 therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us unto the glory of God.

When we come together except has the idea of your one around the truth.

You knock off all the stuff that would divide us and you all say the thing that brings us to get ours could infinitely greater than anything that would separate us were in unison to gather the body of Christ comes together to love, to joy, to exhort, to encourage, to care for each other, then God's glorious same from church pulses that happened among the Gentiles is going to happen among the Gentiles, that was his devotion.

But he was glory of God focused Ephesians 321 to him Jesus, be glory real, I'm sorry to him, God the father should say the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever in Rome.

In May God be seen as he does the work of saving individuals and constituting his churches. May God be seen as the all-powerful, all wise, all beautiful one that PES. That's why your work in small groups it just something to help about the glory of God bringing your tithes and offerings and we got the title spells, that's true. That's all it is keypad.

It's about the glory of God. You know, one that will keep you all the way that the stuff of fadeout just helping people being nice.

That will help people be nice amen.

But above it all is glorifying God. Maybe we be a part of bringing people to the opinion that God and God alone is serving all glory. Now how we gonna have people going to have those opinions changed was gotta be the preaching of the word Paul did that all the way to the in this gotta be the spirit regenerating the heart. The new birth of evidence about repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. Paul brought me to that place and then the development of the people. Local churches, so that through forming these people, God will bring himself glory is pulses it here forever/purpose. I think forever and ever. You get them something to do and just last for little while you do the church work as we've laid out in Scripture to do the church work. You're not just get in on something that's a good thing to come to give your life to note this is the thing that last forever and ever on the steps of the last.

This is the thing that will last forever and forever. This is why Paul did what he did. He was glory of God focused he was laserbeam fixated on the glory of God.

He wanted God to receive glory from his offering among the Gentiles. You see, in grace, God saved Paul in grace of God called Paul to preach and in grace, God said pulpits specifically to the Gentiles goes west from Asia. He he gets in the region of Europe in gets to Philippi in hits all man it's all can I say he's on like donkey Kong its own viewpoint. Donkey Kong's on its own.

Paul's Lord God focused he was on it go down to Athens goes up the car.

The goes of Thessalonica goes to Paris. I don't know I'm bored God focused God's will be glorified when Gentiles will have a passion for God's glorified to the ends of the earth final thought. This thought came to be thinking on this text. While I was in Athens that is the great axiom of Christian service for conclusion for practical application with the great axiom.

The idea of action means it needs no proof it needs no explanation. It is self-evident what's what's what needs no personal evidence is self-evident about Christian service, like Paul was serving the Lord two parts to that note, you think none of you been listening a while and practice is wearing off, but would you think just a moment with me were done two parts to this great axiom of Christian service. The first one is a fundamental promise. This takes whose this bleeds with the great fundamental promise of the Christian servant versus 17 a, 17, six, and 18 a. That is, that God will stand with us, strengthen us, rescue us build his church and bring us safely to the heavenly kingdom.

That's a fundamental promise for Christian service. God will stand with you. He will strengthen you, he will rescue you when necessary and fill your labors in the midst of all that he's going to build his chair near get that all that and then one day bring you safely home to the heavenly kingdom.

That is a fundamental promise. That's not kinda go to soda may happen that's going to happen, but that fundamental promise is built on the foundational principle foundational principle is God will glorify his own name Alyssa the promise cannot fail because it rest upon the principle that cannot be abridged.

You scream all you want, you can weld all you want, you crawl, you won't. You can protest all you want, you know you won't miss me. God will glorify his name is conduit. He's doing it now is going good all through eternity.

They sing jogging in on this one thing that really matters with me. They like Paul faithful Christian servant all the way to the in front of the promise God will stand with us, strengthen us, rescue us when necessary and build his church and then bring us safely to the heavenly kingdom is built upon the foundational principle that God will glorify his own name that's nothing to the text one last word. Amen. A polished amen.

Good staff. Amen. Now look when men say amen it means Soviet that's a good thing you upset more.

Amen.

But when God says amen it means it shall be the Shelby the axiom of Christian service praises need to go into great be a part of something that even you can't mess up. I mean did you do not remember the apostle Paul saying I was in the house I was in I was in a bad place. I had this thorn in the flesh.

Don't object it was moved by Ed and he said I figured out God gave it to me to humble me in effect.

In essence, this is Jeff now but and provide translation. In effect, so I would be the best and most faithful minister I could be.

Paul viewed all these difficulties, a part of God's prescribed plan so that he can get all the way to this end, and say I finish my course won't be up say that while my heart is your pastor, I want you to will some of you will be midheaven. Maybe those of you. The left say he finished his course on the wall a few times with the grace goofed off with Miss Pam while, but he stayed his course and I will be up say that about you and the last word. Amen