The Gospel Messenger Part – 2

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This wonderful use of the gospel means it's good you 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 is engram was this weekend.

Second Timothy chapter 2 what it means to be a gospel message.

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 where they could turn on the light and they didn't have a knob on the stove or you turn on the heat, there was a central plaza and 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 you to get your home and and that's how you did that so that central farm 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 if he just went to sleep and through neglect that went out it costs the fire keeper. His life and Paul is saying Timothy, you're the fire keeper in your life you to keep the fire burning in your heart and you do that by just letting him know this and giving them 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 love for Jesus and love for lost world and love for the Scriptures and a love 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 turning 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'll think of Austin.

If you sin and you don't confess it and you don't keep short accounts with God and you just sort of clog up the artery for spiritual artery and in the Holy Spirit is confined to 1 Small Pl. in your hardens, you will become so silent and so quiet that you'll think he's not even there. So that's 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 asked the deer 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'm back 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 to share 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 the lines in crucifying them in the you know what about you and he could look at the apostle Paul's example the first time I think Timothy met Paul was in Mr. which was Timothy's hometown.

Paul was on his first missionary journey to come and preached in the synagogue and the people become so enraged that they rotted 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 the people went back into the city. They believe that Paul was dead and the believers gather around that pile of rocks and I think that included Lois and Eunice and Timothy and they gather around how the rock 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 the young Timothy see in your life. The young Timothy's who are watching you there watching, you may not know it but you're being watched but that they see DeLisi 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 up here and my knees can lock in my heart beating out of my chest. I feel so weak and wobbly, but I still come up here so I can feel afraid, but 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 anything on Microsoft pray that God would give me peace and I pray that God would give me the words of wise. My heart began my chest around us go to death and why McKee's Raven. I'm still sitting a bit. That's okay I love what Jill Briscoe says she says just do it.

Scared great definition of courage. You just do it scared so you can feel afraid that Paul felt 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 in to be courageous. Secondly, don't be ashamed. Don't be embarrassed to share the gospel and he says in verse nine minutes to the gospel that God is saved. This is the basis for our salvation. Faith comes by hearing hearing comes by 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 sin is separating them from any 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 deliver.

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 arc in the flooding took everybody way 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 knocking Ms. Myron's a gospel that tells the basis for salvation is wonderful, good use us with the gospel means it's good news. And if we needed good news is today is the basis for salvation is the basis for what I would call sanctification in verse nine is through 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 don't go anymore because you are holy and you're separated from that world around you. Yes, we live in the world. We work in the world were sharing the gospel in the world but 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 in you. You want to be different. How can you be like the people of old. If you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you that says the holy because I am holy, says the Lord, without holiness no one will see the Lord. So let 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 thing and you may still be with those 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'll begin to separate you if you let so it's a 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 can 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.

The people ostracize you criticize you, marginalize you, that's okay.

Jesus said in Matthew that when your persecuted, not if so persecution is part of the normal experience of a messenger of the gospel so you can just expected. I think we have to be careful that we don't deserve it in the sense of were not being persecuted because were self-righteous or judgmental or somehow lording it over them word 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 is 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 a 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 will learn 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 fathers in heaven is always such a good man.

He did so many wonderful things he said of the church and I say it will and this was cabdrivers and people in restaurants and people we met and of different people and median people around us who had gone in and several you think when you die, you go to have it all. I don't 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 trial.

Hope I'll go to heaven not share the gospel.

They look at me was a blank face and and I say 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 heaven. You have to work for heaven and not just the people there but people in other religions other is just so hard to think that all you have to do is put your faith in Jesus and pulses, Timothy don't be ashamed of the gospel and then Paul says in verse 12 he says 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 a 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 what I'm I'm trusting that God in my life and I trust in my family and my ministry and my very life and God is able to keep it and the verse that my mother wrote in the first novel 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 in God is able. So don't be ashamed. Be confidence of the gospel message Timothy 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. He had appeared 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 were dangling from his arms and they rattled is a list of companies that 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 care that much about those were lost he was out will give my life if you would come to faith in King Agrippa said, almost to persuade me to be a Christian. Almost nobody walked away, lost. But Paul was never ashamed to share the gospel. Never ashamed to be a messenger of the gospel. In fact, every time you he 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 all sorts of 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 may be when your spouse walks out. Maybe when your child rebels, and that your passing zone people watching you people looking at how are 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 ashamed. So when the young Timothy's are looking at you. What did they see they see that you have that opportunity.

The 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 and what it Timothy heard from 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. A 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 cove just even before you leave. Decide what time of day you going to spend with the Lord.

How much time you going to give him and for your prepared place is going to be in heavier materials there.

So when you spend time you got 50 measure got 30 minutes you draw Sonia just picking a paragraph decide where you 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 do those facts meaning to draw a lesson from the fact what is it mean in your life and you turn the lesson the form of a question of what you take away and date it and live. It's don't be apathetic towards a word. 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 major 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. This somebody that comes across my path and they need the very word that I got that morning and my devotion and I have it right on my tongue right on 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 a lot of 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 one on 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. This somebody here was thinking about walking away from serving the Lord, you know, when we reach retirement age.

We retire from jobs and sometimes we just think will 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, but 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 won't 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 and let every Friday he would be on his walker and it would get into his seat and he was sit down and then the guys would let me know afterwards and as soon as he sits in he starts to leave the Holy Spirit comes on a minute just fabulously is Bible study group while he was at feeble and then 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 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 called and got the gladiator and if ever anybody an excuse to walk away from the work. My husband did, but he never did now looked at his father 80 years old preaching in the Bronx last the mouse on preaching.

He was almost blind and you would have a bright line on his Bible and he would lean right down and read the Scripture than a rare back and you just preach his heart out know until he couldn't stand it anymore. I think of my daddy 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 their 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 many names Vanessa forests and he's a man you may the Lord show mercy to the household of Vanessa Forrest because it often refresh me was not ashamed of my chains.

On the contrary, when he was in Rome he search hard for me until he found. May the Lord have mercy on him. Vanessa Forrest 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 them if they could look at Paul and say what Paul what about you and Paul gives his testimony in them when he says I have fought the good fight I've finished the courses run 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 to serve the Lord. 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 becoming into you see Jesus face-to-face you receive is well done good and faithful serve you been listening to living in the light and when you go to n-gram lots.org there are free resources to help you in your study of God's word and's desire is that you embrace a God filled life step-by-step choice by choice living in the light