The Gospel Messenger – Part 2

This is a engram lots is the gospel means it's good use. We needed good news is today is the basis for salvation. Thanks for joining us and welcome to living in the light in the weekly Bible teaching message from engram was this week in second Timothy chapter 2 what it means to be a gospel messenger.

Now, in writing to Timothy. Paul said in second Timothy 16 for this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God's word and begins in today's message Paul says the famine the flame and I think he's referring to what took place in the old days when they didn't have a switch at the door with a turn on a lightly didn't have a knob on the stove or you turn on the heat. It was a central closet in every central plaza. There was a fire that was kept burning 24 seven. So if you needed heat or light in your home. You went to the firebrand from the central fire need to get your home and that's how you did that so that central file was considered so vitally important to the life of the village that they had a fire keeper and if the finest barkeeper's job to keep the fire going 24 seven.

If for some reason he let it go out in the rain came along and drenched in the fire went out or he just went to sleep and through neglect that went out it costs the fire keeper. His life and Paula St. Timothy your the fire keeper in your life you to keep the fire burning in your heart and you do that by just letting him loose and giving him control the Holy Spirit is on fire. So if you just let them loose in your life you will have a passion you will have a far your heart will burn it with love for Jesus and love for lost world and love for the Scriptures and allow for the gospel in his your heart on fire for Jesus is your heart on fire for the gospel is your heart on fire to win the lost world. No dinner has to be a disconnect between you and the Holy Spirit. After Paul is telling Timothy fan Kim into flame.

Don't grieve him for your sin. Don't clinch, don't neglect them turn him loose. Surrender your life to him.

If you don't you know you never lose them he'll never completely go out and never because he says in Hebrews, I will never leave you all never forsake if you been born again and he lives in your heart that's forever, but you will think of Austin. If you sin and you don't confess it and you don't keep short accounts with God. We just sort of clog up the artery for spiritual artery and in the Holy Spirit is confined to 1 Small Pl. in your hardens, he will become so silent and so quiet that you'll think he's not even there so that you just get on your knees and tell the Lord you want the fire to burn once again. You want your heart to be softened and tenderized. You want to fall in love with Jesus all over again and asked the Holy Spirit to point out if there's sin in your life that you don't even know about that you haven't confessed if there's something that you've done the last thing he told you doing you didn't do it and you've been disobedient or there's some habit. Some attitude how to unforgiveness and bitterness, meanness, selfishness, uncut, you know, I mean I could just go on the list but asking to search your heart and whatever it is you let it go, bring it to the cross crucified. There is not worth the trade-off because you're holding onto that sin and what you're losing is the fact of the Holy Spirit in your heart, Paul says, Timothy, you have the power because you have the Holy Spirit and I'm going to tell you, you have the power also because you have the Holy Spirit. If you received Christ as Savior. You have the power to make an impact in your world for Jesus Christ this year that message of the gospel to be a messenger whose effective.

So turn the Holy Spirit lose fan the fire and flame, and Timothy all the same. Don't be afraid, be courageous and Tim is a good look at the old apostle Paul living in that same Roman world buried in a hole in the ground, awaiting his execution in St. Paul. Well, what about you.

Your safe underground and that whole I'm out here on the streets or the crucifying people throwing in the lines and crucifying them in the you know what about you and he could look at the apostle Paul's example 1st time I think Timothy met Paul was in Mr. which was Timothy's hometown always on his first missionary journey to come and preached in the synagogue and the people become so enraged that they wanted and they dragged Paul outside of the city and they stoned him.

They thought to death.

In fact, some people think he was stoned to death. And when the people went back into the city. They believe that Paul was dead and the believers gather around that pile of rocks and nothing that included Lois and Eunice and Timothy and they gather around how the rocks and they were praying for Paul and the rocks began to move.

Paul came up out of the rocks and dusted himself off, went back into the city, have no doubt that he finished his sermon the next day. It says he went on his journey so he was somebody Timothy new was always courageous. So what does a young Timothy see in your life.

The young Timothy's were watching their watching. You may not know it but you're being watched but that they see DeLacey somebody who's not afraid to be a messenger of the gospel. You had the preparation you have the passion you have the prayers you have the power of God in your life and so you just and cannot tell you this doesn't mean when I say don't be afraid that you don't feel afraid. I'm sure Paul many times felt afraid. I can be appear in my knees can lock in my heart beating out of my chest. I feel so weak and wobbly buster, peer so I can feel afraid that I don't be afraid you see the difference. So don't worry if you're doing something that God is led you to do in your sharing the gospel music on Microsoft pray that God would give me peace and I pray that God would give me the words of wise my heart beyond my chest and while Oscar Devon Lama Keith Bradley I'm still sitting a bit. That's okay. I love when Jill Briscoe says she says just do it scared no great definition of courage.

You just do it scared so you can feel afraid.

Afraid that he didn't act afraid he didn't even get into the feared you see that so just don't be afraid. It's okay to feel afraid we all feel afraid that is perfectly acceptable.

Just don't give into the courageous. Secondly, don't be ashamed. Don't be embarrassed to share the gospel and he says in verse nine minister the gospel that God is saved. This is the basis for our salvation. Faith comes by hearing hearing comes from the word of God.

How are people going to know that they can be saved if you don't share the gospel is the basis for salvation is always people today who had little boutique religions and their going after this and the going after that when everybody has their own God have their own religions and using these bumper stickers. With all these different religious symbols and the cross is just one out of many different religions and is a you can pick and choose how I know there is one true living God and love them so much they created them to know him and sent a separate them from the love them so much. He sent his own son to die on the cross to be their savior to take away the sin that they can know they can have forgiveness and reconciliation of God and peace in their hearts and the hope of heaven when they die and purpose to live for. In the meantime, I know, is the gospel that tells us is the basis for salvation. They can be saved from that judgment member. We talked about the ark in the flooding took everybody when he was outside of the ark, they can be saved from the wrath to come.

They can be saved from hell, they can be saved from an empty way of life. They can be saved from all this muck in his mind's a gospel that tells the basis for salvation is wonderful. Good news is what the gospel means it's good news and only needed good news is today is the basis for salvation is the basis for what I would call sanctification in verse not as to the gospel were called to a holy life and when you receive the Holy Spirit. He begins to work in your life to make you holy and that means the separate you from the sin in your life and to be holy. The definition of holiness is just to be like Jesus. And that means there are some places you don't go anymore. There's some ways you don't talk anymore this something you don't do anymore there's some magazines you don't look at anymore and some movies and television shows. You don't watch anymore.

Some people you go anymore because you are a and you're separated from that world around you. Yes, we live in the world.

We work in the world were sharing the gospel with a robust shunt on your own satisfaction in your own lifestyle and there has to be a separation. Don't be ashamed of that. Don't be ashamed to be different. It's okay to be different. In fact, if you have the Holy Spirit of the living God, and you want to be different. How can you be like the people of old.

If you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. Gospel says the holy because I am holy, says the Lord, without holiness no one will see the Lord. So that the Holy Spirit do his work in your life separates the world's pacing pattern and priorities, and pleasures. They're not ours anymore, and when the Holy Spirit comes and if you let them loose in your life is going to take away your appetite for those things and you may still be with his friends but they make you uncomfortable. You still hear them talking where you used to talk and it's going to be offensive and and you will begin to separate you if you let Sosa basis for a separation and putting it all on the table is the basis for suffering verse eight in verse 12 pulses. That's why I'm suffering as I am and when you share the gospel when you're messenger of the gospel. I'll just tell you flat out you going to suffer for there be people that will be offended that the people that come back at you there.

People ostracize you criticize you, marginalize you, that's okay.

Jesus said in Matthew that when your persecuted, not yes so persecution is part of the normal experience of a messenger of the gospel, you can just expect it. I think we have to be careful that we don't deserve it in the sense of when not being persecuted because were self-righteous or judgmental or somehow lording it over them, Lord you know how Christians sometimes can be so obnoxious in their self-righteousness. Nobody would want to be a Christian because the way they see so we want to be loving and winsome and kind and helpful in good so you win people by the way you love them so you really can't pass the baton. I guess you know you can extend it but the other person has to receive it. So were the gospel messenger but they have to receive the message.

Our responsibility is just to give it out and it's God's responsibility.

That's a wonderful thing in John 16 what it says of the Holy Spirit. It's his responsibility to convict him of sin and the need to get right with God in judgment. If they don't, so that you and are free to love them, they share the gospel is the Holy Spirit's responsibility to convince them on the inside of the truth.

Sometimes we take the burden on ourselves and we need to relieve ourselves of that burden. It's the Holy Spirit job to work on the inside of that person. So don't be ashamed of the gospel and don't be ashamed of God's grace, not just touch on this, but it says in verse nine because of his own purpose and grace.

This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. Just the gospel of grace and I think we can be embarrassed if we want to call it that, by God's grace because it's so easy and so simple, we want to make it complicated and several years ago. Daddy sent mine out to Rome to be his emissaries of Pope John Paul II funeral very interesting experience and one in Rome.

Everywhere we went people were saying on the holy fathers and have in the holy fathers gone to heaven and saw what Aspinwall flies the holy father why do you think holy father is in heaven is only such a good man. He did so many wonderful things he said of the church has a will and this is cabdrivers and people in restaurants and people we met in the different people in median people around us who are gone in and several you think when you die, you go to have it all out all know you know and I so far what will I haven't done as many good things is holy father I haven't done haven't been that good a person not a child will go to heaven not share the gospel. They look at me was a blank face and in us and you know it's not about what you've done or not done is just because Jesus died on the cross and Jesus paid it all. He's finished. All you have to do is put your trust in Jesus and and they just don't get it because it been trained that you have to earn heaven. You have to deserve having you have to work for heaven and not just the people there but people in other religions other place just so hard to think that all you have to do is put your faith in Jesus and process Timothy don't be ashamed of the gospel and then Paul says in verse 12 he said I am not ashamed because I know whom I have believed, I'm convinced is able to guard whatever entrusted to him for that day when it Paul entrusted to him. I think his ministry he's getting ready to exit life and he is entrusted his ministry to God. First of all and any stepping Timothy to take over and he's confident that God is able to keep it soft, awkward, and I'm trusting that God in my life and trust in the family and my ministry and my very life in God is able to keep it and the verse that my mother loading the first gobble. She gave me was Jew 24 and 25 that God is able to keep me from falling and present me one day faultless before his throne and God is able. So don't be ashamed. The confidence of the gospel message think a look at Paul and say well what about you in, or have you ever been ashamed of the gospel and I think of the apostle Paul. I can't ever imagine pulping ashamed of the gospel and even on this trip to Rome. Before governors and kings Festus Felix King Agrippa when he stood before King Agrippa and he was sharing his testimony in King Agrippa said Paul, your great learning is driven you mad and Paul was manacled lifted up his arms and you can always change with dangling from his arms. They rattled as a lifting up Lisa King Agrippa, I wish that you are like me except for these chains that would wish that you could be like me. I'll give my life if you put your faith in Jesus and Paul cared that much about those were lost. He was I would give my life if you would come the face and King of Memphis. It is to persuade me to be a Christian.

Almost nobody walked away, lost. But Paul was never Shane the share the gospel.

Never ashamed to be a messenger of the gospel. In fact, every time you went into one of these trials instead of thing. But oh, how can I defend myself. How can I get out of it what can I say that you know the let me go.

Instead he just thought as a platform that was his transfer zone. That was his passing zone has when he was going to share the gospel with also to people he otherwise would have an opportunity to share the gospel with the passing zone view may be when you're suffering.

It may be when your hospital bed. He may be bringing your spouse walks out. Maybe when your child rebels, and that your passing zone people watching you people looking at how you going to handle this and that's when you have opportunity to give reason for the hope fits within your so don't be ashamed, and Timothy could look at Paul. He was never Shane. So when the young Timothy's are looking at you what the Basie.

They say that you have that opportunity in passing zone you don't take this you send a message to them. So be like able so convinced of the gospel that had the courage of his convictions and he laid down his life for what he believed in.

Don't be ashamed. Be that confident that you would risk your reputation, your friendships, your job, whatever it is the just share the gospel be a messenger of the gospel thoroughly and very quickly, don't be apathetic.

In verse 13 he says what you've heard from me keep is a pattern of sound teaching with faith and love in Christ Jesus invited Timothy Hartman, Paul. I expect he had heard what we have read in Romans and first and second Corinthians and Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, first and second best long as you know all the books that we think of the New Testament.

Paul is written. That was the pattern of sound teaching that Timothy had heard so you say Timothy, don't be apathetic towards the word of God and I want to challenge you, don't be apathetic towards the word. So when you leave the code just even before you leave.

Decide what time of day you going to spend with the Lord. How much time you going to give them and where you prepare place is going to be in heavier materials there. So when you spend time you got 50, measured at 30 minutes you draw Sonia just picking a paragraph decide where you're going to start. Maybe in Mark and start with Mark chapter 1, or maybe go back the second Timothy and start with the first verse or maybe go back to Genesis and you can start there for just a paragraph. What does it say in you list your facts and what are those facts meaning to draw lessons in the Faxon. What is it mean in your life you turn the lesson the form of a question what you take away and date it and limit its don't be apathetic toward someone when you keep the work doesn't mean that you keep your Bob up on a shelf in once a week. You dusted off and you take a picture image or keep it in your heart you keep on your mind you keeping your lips and you keep it ready to give out.

How many times after my devotions in the morning and I've been in the word during the day the somebody that comes across my path and they need the very word that I got that morning.

Another motion and I have it right on my tongue while my mind to share with them. So if you not spending time with the Lord in the morning and some of it comes across your back what you give them.

Don't be apathetic towards the words and don't be apathetic towards the work in verse 15 he says everyone is deserted me, including thought jealous and homogeny not only these two men were, they were coworkers with Paul but I know they quit. They walked away from the work and I don't know why.

Maybe while vacation just never came at maybe they thought they could make more money in a secular job. Maybe they were tired. Maybe you know I don't know what the reason was that I just know when it was a critical time they walked away from the work to somebody here was thinking about walking away from serving the Lord, you know, when we reach retirement age. We retire from our jobs and sometimes we just think Rome you know I'm going to retire from serving the Lord also and just spend the rest of my days. I see so many people my age when they retire there so self centered and they live their lives for their own pleasures. The traveling for pastimes.

You are doing things and didn't have a chance to do when they're working in a secular job in forget all about the mission of sharing the gospel and making an impact on other people's lives. One of US this morning.

The impact of my husband on my children and let me tell you that my husband was 78 when he went to heaven and when he was 50 came down with adult one diabetes just hit him very suddenly went on insulin-dependent immediately. By the time he retired from 30 years in dentistry at the age of 65, three months after he retired he was having difficulty with one of his eyes and ended up going blind in one and then because of his diabetes. He began to take over. He had a heart disease had five stents in his heart went to multiple heart catheterizations. He was on dialysis three times a week five and half hours each time.

For six years he was on dialysis three times a week. Had I want even going to some of his other issues. It was incredible and my husband until the day he went to heaven. He was still serving the Lord. He had the Friday morning Bible say with about 100 guys he met every Friday he would be on his walker and it would get into his seat and he was sit down and and the guys would let me know afterwards and as soon as he sincerely starts to leave the Holy Spirit comes on a minute just fabulously is bottles of the group while he was that feeble and it had a Bible study on Thursdays that he did in Chapel Hill and he met with those guys on Monday. The Monday that I found him. He had just gone to lunch with some of the guys that he has not Bob was that he was continuing to disciple them. They call them gods, gladiator, and if ever anybody an excuse to walk away from the work. My husband did what he ever did now looked at his father 80 years old preaching in the Bronx last amounts on preaching.

He was almost blind and you would have a bright light on his Bible. He would lean right down.

He read the Scripture than a rare back you just preach his heart out until he couldn't stand it anymore. I think of my dad it as long as he had strength as long as you breath he was serving the Lord. So don't be apathetic about the work and thought jealous and homogeny that go down for all eternity is two men who want to say I'm sure they just walked away from the work.

When I was a critical time to share the gospel with the lost and dying world don't walk away from the work in any names Vanessa for us and he's a man who may the Lord show mercy to the house of Vanessa force because it often refreshed me was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome you search hard for me until he found.

May the Lord have mercy on him. Vanessa force was somebody I don't know that he was a preacher but he came alongside Paul to refresh him be committed every day that you have brass don't quits. You don't retire you continue serving the Lord until you see him face-to-face at your death until he takes us in the rapture. Timothy could look at Paul and say what Paul what about you Paul gives us testimony them when he says I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course is one the range and Paul finished strong. Never was apathetic about the work still preaching his heart out through these letters until they drag him out of that hole and took office in so what does your young Timothy see about you if they see you working for the Lord when is not convenient when you're tired when things are going wrong. Things are falling in on you, but you still making it a priority this floor and I don't know what the work is member we talked about that you not going to know what the work is until you start walking with God and let him show you what he has for young know he has a work for you to do something outside your home as well as inside your home to asking what the work is but I know the overarching thing is that were to be a messenger of the gospel. Taking that gospel message to the world this between her own 2 feet.

So as you take the gospel don't be afraid, be courageous and don't be ashamed. Be confident and don't be apathetic, be into you see Jesus face-to-face you receive is well done good and faithful servant.

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