How We Can Suffer Well - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Father, we thank you for the word, your word. Lord, we pray because we do not presume that because we have this book before us that we can understand it and apply it in our own strength. We ask for the help from the helper himself, from the Holy Spirit, to Lord, energize our hearts and our minds, Lord, that you would destroy every distraction. And that, Lord, you would uproot every false idea of who you are or what we believe about ourselves or this world. Cleanse us and wash us.

We pray that Lord, you would rest upon the ministry of the word in this moment in a way in which we would hear your voice loud and clear, that every man, every face would disappear behind the cross. And Lord, that you would be seen and adored and cherished. And so Lord, may your son, Jesus Christ, be exalted in this house. We pray again for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, Lord, that each of us would walk out of this place knowing that we've met with the living God through the written word of God. Bring us there and guide us by your mercy and grace.

In these dark days, Lord, we need greater light with greater power from the evil one. We need greater and do it from the power of the Holy Spirit. We seek you now trusting that you will provide in Jesus name we pray. Amen. In a Second Timothy one verse eight.

Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling. Not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher. As glorious as the gospel of Jesus Christ is, the world in which we live does not esteem it as such. There are many who are indifferent to it. There are others who outright reject it.

And there is a growing number of people who don't just have a mere opinion about it, but will scorn those who embrace it. Because of this hostile world that we live in, believers are prone to a certain temptation, and that temptation is to be ashamed of the gospel that they have opened their hearts to and have surrendered their lives for. Shame is a facet of suffering. It's a humiliation that one experiences because their character and their beliefs are now in a place of being the object of mockery and accusation. And that flush of embarrassment that tends to belittle us, causing us to shrink back perhaps from even being bold and even worse, perhaps compromising in what we believe, especially when we feel the heat of hatred intensifying.

The possibility of being ashamed of our faith is not something new. It's something that has been around even since the early church. And it's very possible that many of us could miss the full force of encouragement that would come for some verses because it would demand the threats and the persecution that would make them necessary. It's not very hard to be a Christian these days, but that's changing very quickly. But it was difficult for Timothy and the disciples of his day.

It was not an easy thing to be associated with a crucified Lord. It was not an easy thing to even be associated with the apostle Paul, never mind Jesus Christ. And it's possible that some are facing circumstances today that would demand the immediate application of these instructions. I don't know what you're going through. I don't know what's happening in your family.

I don't know what's happening in your workplace, but this might be a word for you today. But regardless if that's you or not, know this, that it is our duty this morning to be equipped with these insights as a means of preparation for what's coming, because it's coming. I'm receiving concerns from different people from different areas, not from this place, but different areas where they feel like they are not being told to get ready for what's coming in America. But we will tell you, it's coming in America. The Antichrist society in which we live in is only getting bolder and more blasphemous at an accelerating rate in different ways.

All you have to do is just peek into the Internet world. All you have to do is just watch ten minutes of the news to get an idea of that. And perhaps you are familiar with the latest viral thing that's going around today, and that is the San Francisco Gay Men's Choir that posted a video about a song that they sang concerning converting children. Have you seen it? If you haven't, you can watch it.

They posted it, and then they pulled it down because of the backlash, but they reposted it ever since. And if you haven't seen it, here are some of the lyrics to this group. It's an organization that sings songs, and their songs reflect their agenda. Here's some of the lyrics. We'll convert your children.

Happens bit by bit. Quietly and subtly. You'll barely notice it. You can keep them from disco worn about San Francisco. Make them wear pleated pants.

We don't care. We'll convert your children. We'll make them tolerant and fair. Then they go on with the chorus, we'll convert your children, this and that. Seems pretty clear, doesn't it?

And three days ago, this group posted a response to the backlash on their Twitter account, and and I thought I would explore it to see how they would respond to the mass dislikes that were just so obvious and clear. And they explained that they pulled it down initially because of the threats that they received, death threats and intimidation and doxing and all that. But they go on to say that it was also a response because how the right wing conservative media has taken their lyrics to just promote their theories about the LGBTQ community. And so they said in their response, at least in part, quote, they have taken the lyrics, they being the right wing conservatives, they have taken the lyrics out of context to support a narrative that suits their intolerant and hateful needs. It is obvious that tongue and cheek humor is lost on many.

Now if they would have stopped right there, I would have said, okay. You you you can perhaps recover a little bit with what you're saying. It was it was satire. It was a joke. We were just playing on the fears that people have about our community.

But the problem is they didn't stop there. They didn't stop there. They go on to say more things, and and here's what they go on to say, at least in part. You ready for this? So after saying that, trying to recover, trying to show this is not what we're about, they say, quote, after decades of children being indoctrinated and taught intolerance for anyone who is other from using the Bible as a weapon to reparative therapy.

It's our turn. We have dedicated ourselves to being role models, teachers, and spreading the message of love, tolerance, and celebration through our music. At the end of it, they said, we are proud of who we are. We are proud of what we sing. So is it satire or are you serious?

You're confusing me. You go on to say that it was just a parody, and then later on in your response, you're saying, actually, throughout the years, the general population has been indoctrinating children. Now it's our turn. It's our turn. And and the reason why I'm bringing this up is not because of the video itself.

It's because of the response mainly. And what was the response? Here's a phrase. Did you catch it? After decades of children being indoctrinated and taught intolerance for anyone who is other from using the bible as a weapon.

And I first read this, and I thought, well, what about the Quran? What about the Quran? Why didn't you just highlight the Bible? You see, this is what this is all leading to. If you believe and teach the Bible, you are actually wielding a harmful instrument that will damage and traumatize people.

And in the coming years, society will be more and more convinced that the bible is actually a weapon. And like many laws about weapons, it would soon become illegal to perhaps possess and definitely to expose to the public. The bible as a weapon. Don't be surprised. All of these things that we're seeing is being energized by spirit of the antichrist.

So what does this mean for us bible believing Christians? Well, I'm just sharing one example to show us our need to be prepared for the shame game that is now here and for the intensity of it to increase in the years to come, in your lifetime and in mine. The instructions that Paul provides Timothy here are to give him the necessary tools to know how he can endure suffering for the gospel. And it would do us well because we have to understand that there is a level of scorn with us now, and there will be accusations in the near future that will come with a price. Are you ready to suffer?

Are you ready to endure pain, discomfort? Are you ready to be deemed as wicked? For the example that we just used, for looking at a a couple that claims to be in love with one another, wanting to be monogamous, wanting to be faithful, wanting to raise a family, and you saying no, according to the Bible, God has a different plan for marriage and for your sexuality. Are you ready to be called wicked and evil? Paul gives three instructions in these verse, I believe.

I'm sure you can find more. And the first point here for how you and I as Christians can suffer effectively is found here. Therefore, in verse eight, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord. Whenever you see the word therefore in the Bible, you should ask the question, what is therefore therefore? Therefore, it's in connection to what he had said and what we learned last week.

Right before this, you and I heard about the inheritance that we all have because of our faith in Jesus Christ. It's a spiritual endowment that we have from God that affects our daily lives. It's something incredibly practical and tangible. More specifically, it's the inner work of the Holy Spirit that produces a power, a love, and a self control that cannot be realized in our natural strength. When the believer chooses to reject the spirit of fear and by faith access, this work of God, there will be marvelous results that will ensue.

And in other words, what he's saying here is because of that spirit that you just read and heard of in verse seven, because of that reality, that work of God that affects your endurance, that affects your sobriety, that affects your attitude, you can expect the following as a result. A concrete confidence that will inspire you to have the audacity to embrace suffering and not be shaken by it. That's why he's saying therefore. In other words, the first point is you and I can suffer well because we've received the spirit for suffering. The Holy Spirit's power in our lives is not just displayed in our unapologetic approach to the gospel.

It's more manifested in the fact that as we proclaim and suffer for it, we suffer well. It's not just proven that I can preach and testify of the gospel. His powers may know that when I suffer for it, I stand firm. And we can be inspired by the Holy Spirit's work in us to such a degree, you ready for this, that you would not even feel a hint of shame for standing for the testimony about Jesus Christ. You would not even know a nudge of embarrassment.

You would not feel one ounce of flesh to your face because of what you stand for by faith in this crucified yet risen Christ. That makes sense in light of holding on to the testimony of our Lord. But why in the world is Paul saying don't be ashamed of me either? It's one thing to say don't be ashamed of Jesus, but Paul tells Timothy, on top of that, I don't want you to be embarrassed about me. Was a representative of Christ to the highest order and the highest office.

He was the voice in his generation that represented this faith, especially in the early stages of the church. But to Timothy, Paul was more than just a man with an amazing conversion story and an awesome miraculous ministry. Paul was Timothy's mentor. He was the spiritual father of this young man. And Paul was spending a lot of time in jail, a lot.

And you can imagine that there would be some kind of embarrassment with the association with a man that spent most of his days in chains and torture. Timothy would have to understand that there was nothing to fear, but you can imagine the criticism that this man received for being in partnership with this Paul figure. I wonder what he heard from other people, maybe even within the church. Is this the gospel? The gospel, is this what it produces in your life?

Imprisonment and court trials? Where's Paul standing in society? Seems like he's on par with criminals more than anything else. Seems to be rejected more than accepted. There seems to be more suffering with this gospel than there is success, Timothy.

You're kinda making us nervous because this Paul that's writing us letters is writing them from jail of all places. It's not very promising to believe in this Jesus. And I think if anybody can feel what this embarrassment would be like in the West at this time, it's those Christians that had pastors arrested for opening their churches during this lockdown. I remember reading those vicious comments from people when those articles would go out. Churches dare to have services during this pandemic.

Churches dare to meet in secret during this pandemic. And I just just took a glimpse just at the comments and how vicious people are. And I thought to myself, I wonder what those Christians that are associated with those ministries feel when in their Facebook profile it says that they go to that specific church? Are they fearful of their jobs? Are they fearful of their relationships?

Do they do they wanna shrink away so that people don't know that our pastor was thrown in jail because he dared to put people's lives at risk for this service to continue? Paul says don't be ashamed to me. Don't be embarrassed to be with me and to be associated with me. Think Paul here saw his court cases, his jail time, and his public humiliation, the way Jesus defined those experiences. Turn to Luke chapter 21.

I want you to see something quite glorious. Jesus had commentary about suffering. And in one part, he says this in verse 12. But before all this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons. You know what that means?

You'll be persecuted by religious systems and the secular system, synagogues and prisons. Is it possible to be a Christian and be persecuted by a specific religion? Yes. And in our day today, you can't hide from maybe you can hide from religious persecution, but not from the system of this world, prisons. And you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.

Now look what he says here in verse 13. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Amazing. I love our Lord. Because what people would consider a shame, a fearful thing, an unfortunate circumstance, Jesus says it's an opportunity.

It's an opportunity. See, you're gonna be arrested for believing in my gospel only for you to testify about my gospel to those who would arrest you. I need you to get in there somehow. I need you to stand before kings and governors and judges somehow. And so I'm gonna present you an opportunity, but it's gonna cost you some suffering.

And Paul, I'm sure, saw it as such. I'm in chains, but it's an opportunity. And that is why you and I can look at what is looming before us in our nation, in our schools, in our workplaces, and not fear one bit. Why? Because we have many opportunities ahead of us.

If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, if anything, these days should excite you. I know that's a crazy thought, especially for parents that have children, but don't worry about what people are saying. We'll convert your children. The Holy Spirit will help you see your kids converted for the glory of God. Alright?

But there's opportunity ahead of us. I'm excited to see the church of Jesus Christ purified. I really am. I'm excited for the line to be drawn in the sand for the ones that just wanna play church and the ones that are gonna die for this gospel. I can't wait to see it.

There's nothing to fear. Jesus says they're opportunities, and they're not opportunities only for us to testify. They're opportunities to experience something supernatural in the midst of those opportunities. Saying, what do you mean? Well, look here in verse 14.

Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer. So as you're locked there in prison and you have chains around your ankles and your wrists, don't practice your speech. What am I gonna say? How am I gonna say it? Should I bring in this verse?

Should I talk about my rights? Should I talk about the constitution? How do I go about this? He goes, don't even worry about it. No need to mention it.

Why? Verse 15. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. In that particular circumstance, the Lord Jesus Christ will personally impart a spiritual grace. I myself, he says, I'm not gonna be on the earth, but I myself, when I see you there ready for your trial, will give you words and a wisdom that as they are there to prosecute you, will not be able to resist the points that you bring up.

They might kill you, they might torture you, but they won't be able to argue against you. Does that not prove the deity of Jesus Christ? I will give you a mouth and wisdom. He's talking to his disciples and to us. So his disciples that will be dispersed throughout the earth as Jesus is on high, seated at the right hand of God, he himself will give them in their particular incidents a power, a grace, and a wisdom to succeed in their testifying of the gospel.

What does that prove about Jesus? He's omniscient. He knows where they're at. He knows what they're experiencing. He's omnipresent, and he's omnipotent.

Is that true? So if you want a verse for the deity of Christ, explain this. How is he going to give this when he's not on the earth? How is he gonna have all disciples in China, in America, in the South? How is he gonna impart this unless he is the one who can?

He is God. Jesus Christ will himself come alongside with you. Never mind your lawyer. He will be your lawyer. And this is amazing because Jesus goes on to say something else.

Go to Matthew ten nineteen. In this gospel, he explains the same thing, but in a different way, just to encourage you more. In Matthew ten nineteen and twenty, Jesus says, when they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. Now look at this. For it is not you who speak, but the spirit of your father speaking through you.

Oh, wow. So I don't just have Jesus Christ with me. I have the Holy Spirit with me too. Not only does Jesus assure me that he'll give me a mouth and wisdom, he assures me that the Holy Spirit and through me will actually do the speaking. No wonder Paul would say in this verse, a verse eight later on, share in the suffering.

He tells Timothy, actually, why don't you join me? Because as you join me, Timothy, you will know greater opportunities and a greater experience of a special supernatural grace from Jesus Christ himself and the spirit of your father. We have nothing to fear. We have nothing to worry about. But we come back to second Timothy one eight, and we see that he says here look at these wordings here.

We have to read carefully. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our lord nor of me, his prisoner, his prisoner, his prisoner. I'm not a prisoner of Rome. I'm not a prisoner of this system of antichrist. I'm a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Imagine that kind of thinking. And the reason why he's saying that is because I'm arrested because of righteousness' sake. There is no right to be in this place. I'm not prosecutor condemned because of sin or because I broke the law. I'm here because I proclaim truth.

I'm his prisoner. And what's amazing is that also means that he's declaring the sovereignty of Jesus Christ over his situation. I'm here because I spoke for Jesus Christ, and I'm here because Jesus Christ himself allowed this to happen in my life. Because when you walk with Jesus, you have every right to relate all your experiences, whether good or bad, to him. He's in control.

He allows. He permits. He closes. He opens. He arrests me, and he lets me go in his perfect timing.

And in this moment right now, I'm his prisoner. I'm not Rome's. I'm not Caesar's. I'm not Nero's. I'm Christ's prisoner.

If you really believe that, then you can have a a solace and a peace when you know why you're suffering, like in Paul's case, and even when you don't know why you're suffering, like in Job's case. You can know who's in control. I was reading Job last night, and this passage of scripture blessed me. Can I show it to you? In Job 23, just to see this man and his faith with all the suffering that he experienced.

When you go to Job 23, there's a moment where he has a burst of faith. Look at verse eight of Job 23. He's expressing the desperation that he had for an answer in his suffering. Verse eight, behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him. On the left hand, when he is working, I do not behold him.

He turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. He's like, I am looking everywhere. North, South, East, West. I'm trying to get answers for why I lost my children. I'm trying to get an answer to why I lost my business in a second.

I'm trying to get an answer to why I have these boils on my flesh and why my wife is telling me to curse God and die. I'm trying to find answers, and I can't find him. I'm going to church. I can't find him. I'm going to my prayer closet.

I can't find him. I can't see him. And then he goes on to say in verse 10, but he knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. The thing that comforted him in the moment was not for him to know what God was doing, but knowing that God knows what he is doing.

I trust that he knows where I'm going, and where all of this is taking me. And there's one thing I know that will come out of this. I will come out purer and brighter. I will be like gold at the end of this trial. So this is what we have to believe.

You have to ingrain that. You have to embed that in your heart and believe it. When you know why you're suffering like Paul, I'm a prisoner of Christ. When you don't know why you're suffering like Job and you say, I don't know where to go from here. I don't I'm not sure if any of us have suffered to that point where you don't know where to go for answers.

This man was there, but I know where he is taking me. I know he knows where he is taking me, and I'm gonna come out like gold. And he held on to that. Even though it was a little bit of hope, it was enough for him to endure until the end. We have the Spirit to prepare us for suffering.

We have the Holy Spirit that helps us see that when you're persecuted at work, when you're persecuted at the awkward Christmas dinners with your family and your children and your uncles and your aunt, when you're there in the eyes of Jesus, it's an opportunity. And even when it comes down the pike where it will be court cases and trials, Jesus will be with us, and his Holy Spirit will speak through us. But Paul goes on to give on his second point in verse nine. He says, who saved us and called us to a holy calling. Another point here to realize is not just we have the spirit for it, but we are to remember that this is part of our holy calling.

To suffer is part of our holy calling. And what's interesting is after he says that, who has called us to a holy calling, look what he says. Not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. That's the gospel. Timothy knows the gospel.

Why is Paul in this moment giving a snapshot of the gospel and his explanation of suffering? Here's why. You and I can't believe in the gospel and not suffer for it. You and I cannot claim to be Christians and expect that suffering is not going to be part of that experience. That's exactly why he's bringing up the gospel.

Let me remind you that this glorious gospel, part of that holy calling of believing in it is that you will know pain with it. That's not American gospel. That's Bible gospel. And if you want a verse that compacts that truth, you don't have have to turn there, but listen to what he says to the Philippians as he's writing from another jail. In Philippians one twenty nine, for it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake.

So if you and I believe that this faith thing is just a matter of having a different conviction, no, it's actually gonna determine how you experience life, and you are determined, and you are destined to suffer as much as you are to glory in the truth that you're saved. All Paul is saying here to Timothy is that the resistance and the confrontation that he might be enduring should not surprise him. It should not be a shock to him. And the only way you and I can avoid suffering as a Christian is if you and I dilute the word of God that makes that suffering necessary. But if you're true to the bible, you're true to this word from cover to cover, it's inevitable.

It will come. And Paul gives this explanation of suffering in a different way, and it is it's so deep. It can be a whole sermon in itself. And maybe you've read this verse, and you thought, what is what does he mean by that? But when you understand the spiritual implications of it, you realize what kind of an honor it is to suffer for Jesus Christ.

Colossians one. Another prison letter, by the way. I'm sure when he asked for letters to be sent, he just gave a jail address because that's where he was most of the time. In Colossians one, look what he says here in verse 24. This is awesome.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake. I rejoice. I rejoice in my sufferings. Does that remind you of the words of Jesus that when people revile you and take your name and cast it out as evil? When when you hear that, that people scorn your name when when your job is at risk because of what you stand for?

He says, leap for joy. I I don't remember ever seeing a Christian leap for joy when he was suffering. Really, just being honest. And I don't even know if I've leaped for joy. I'm suffering.

We're missing something here in modern Christianity. Paul says, I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake. Now look at this. And in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions. I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body that is the church.

I understand that you can come up with reasons why you rejoice for your suffering, Paul, but you lost me when you said that you are filling up what is lacking in Christ afflictions? Now I understand at least in part what Peter meant at the end of his second letter that Paul sayings are sometimes what? Hard. Sometimes difficult. And because they are difficult and require much study and focus in prayer, some who have twisted motives take these truths and twist them to agree with their twisted beliefs.

And so some people would come to a verse like this and say, the passion of Jesus Christ was not sufficient for our salvation. You and I also must suffer to an extent for our sins, whether in this life or in like a purgatory like transition in the next life. But all you have to do is go to verse 22 and realize that Paul just finished saying that the death of Christ is sufficient to make us holy and blameless and above reproach before the father. So it can't mean that we are trying to add to the finished work of Jesus Christ. He just said it's done.

What he did will make you perfect in the sight of God. So what does it mean to fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions? Jesus Christ, when he was on the earth, suffered much, as you know. He suffered physically. He suffered scorn.

He's suffered slander. He suffered physical slashes to his back, and he ultimately suffered the shame of hanging on a cross. But after his death, Jesus Christ rose and was exalted in heaven, and is exalted in heaven, and he is out of the reach of the hands of evil men. Nevertheless, his mystical body is still on the earth. And therefore, since the enemies of Christ who are energized by the spirit of the antichrist cannot touch the physical body of Jesus, they will in turn touch the mystical body of Jesus.

All that Paul is trying to say in this verse is, I am only experiencing what these unbelieving men really want to do to Jesus Christ. I am only enduring this abuse because behind it all, in essence, is what men yearn to do to the Lord of glory. Do you believe that? Let me put it this way. If Jesus Christ was in the flesh today, with all our technological advancements and our scientific developments and all our lessons and experiences from history, they would treat them the same way they did in ancient Israel 2,000 ago.

That's hard for you to believe. That's what this verse is saying. I'm filling up the afflictions of Christ. Not that Christ didn't have afflictions, but that if Christ's body were here, I am in his place of experiencing the suffering that they really wanna bring upon him. Shows you what the body of Jesus Christ is in the eyes of the spiritual realm.

These evil men, these unbelieving men, these men who are filled with hate and despise righteousness, those who are under the captivity of the evil one, they can't get to the lord of glory. And if Christ were to remain on the earth, they would have just afflicted upon him more and more suffering. So what do they do? They go to the next best thing, Those who symbolize his hand and feet. I'm just enduring what Christ would experience had he been on this earth.

And that's why in second Corinthians one five, it makes sense, doesn't it? For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, we share in Christ's sufferings. So through Christ, we share abundantly in comfort too. That is why over history, the godliest of men have endured being spit on, ridiculed, falsely accused, whipped, and even crucified. Some upside down, some while being lit on fire.

It makes me think though, if we can share in Christ's sufferings, then what makes Christ's particular suffering so unique? Because if you read history, you'll realize that there are some people who endured some pretty torturous experiences in the name of Christ, and they line up pretty closely to what you and I read in our bibles in terms of his physical suffering. So what makes Jesus' suffering any different? I'll tell you the great chasm between the greatest martyr and Jesus' passion. It is this, no matter what he endured physically, only he drank the cup of God's wrath.

It wasn't the Roman cross in its physical form that intimidated. It wasn't the thing that brought him to his knees to cry out, Lord, if there's another way. If there's another way, father, let it be, but if not, let your will be done. It was the fact that there was a cup reserved for Christ to drink every drop of God's judgment and wrath that was supposed to be poured out on you and me. And Christ drank it.

He drank it. That's where the real suffering was. And you can know it when you see him on that cross crying out. Now remember, when you were on that cross, you could barely breathe. It was designed in such a way where you had to push yourself up so that your lungs could be expanded and you can get in more air.

But when it comes to the point where he experiences that sense of separation between him and the father, the Bible says very clearly, he cried out, my God, my God. With whatever breath was in him, he exploded with that grief because he was drinking the cup. But Paul says here, I'm suffering with him, and the church will suffer as the body of Jesus Christ. You and I, we see this, and we have to not fail to discern the body. He is the head.

We are the body. You might see this as a Sunday gathering with nice people. Satan doesn't see it that way. Satan sees the body of Jesus. And if he's in glory now, in his resurrected state, then I'm gonna come after his mystical body with all the hatred that can come.

It's part of our holy calling. Remember that, Timothy. You did not sign up for something that excludes you from animosity and pain. We come to the last point in verse 10. And which now has been manifested through the appearing of our savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and more immortality to light through the gospel.

It's part of our holy calling to suffer. Christ in his body suffered. Christ right now, as as we are his body, will suffer. But that's not the final motivation that he gives this man. He goes on to say that this gospel that encourages us to embrace persecution, suffering, pain, also abolished death.

And it brought life and immortality to us. The victory over Christ was so dramatic that it makes death almost nonexistent. Abolish. Cease to exist. It's not that you and I escape the experience of death.

That's the destination of all men. But it's the painful effects of death that have been eradicated forever because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ left eternity and died on earth, so that when we die on earth, we would live in eternity. His finished work on the cross transformed the grave from being the mouth of hell to a harmless thin veil that we just passed through so that we can get to our heavenly home. So why fear suffering?

Why fear suffering even if our suffering brings us to the point of giving our last breath when death itself is just but the bridge that we must cross over into a life that you could not paint with the most wildest imaginations that your mind can come up with. Death is abolished. Paul's writing that from a prison. Death in the mind of Paul was not a pit, but was a pillow that his forgiven head could rest on. And he's writing this to this man.

He's saying, I know I'm gonna die, but death is finished anyway. All I have to do is just go through it, and there I am. I'm in his presence forever. When you read about Paul and how he talks about death, I mean, one of the places where it is so amazing is in the book of Philippians. He talks about it so calmly and casually.

The greatest tension that this man felt about death was whether or not he wanted to go or stay so that he can bear more fruit on the earth. That was his tension. He's like, I don't know. I mean, I can go. It's better to be go, but you guys need some help, and I think I can bear some more fruit for the glory of God.

Like, that was his tension about death. No fear, no anxiety, no doubts, no concern of where he was going. I mean, the man talked about death like it was a plane ticket. He's like, you know, I have this, and I know I'm gonna be going soon, but hopefully, God will put a delay on my flight so that I can get some more work done before I head out. Who can talk like that but a Christian?

A Christian. The Christian's worry should not be about dying. It should be about dying well. If death is but the exit of this world and the entrance into the next world, then there should not be any anxiety about arriving there. The anxiety, in a holy way, should be about what I do until I get there.

And in Timothy's case, he should see every event in his life, including this mass persecution that's breaking out in his day, as but an opportunity. Don't miss this opportunity, Timothy. Don't worry about what Nero will do. Don't worry about what they'll do to you in prison. It's all finished.

Death is abolished. And if you don't believe that these truths will actually work, again, just preparing this, I thought to myself, Lord, would you please still let us feel something from this? Because we're very comfortable today. This would really benefit those who know that at any moment, officials can break through the door and take fathers away from their kids and wives away from their husbands for years in prison. This would really help such a case.

We're not there. But, Lord, help us feel this still. When you what you just heard, what we just heard, does that really work, or is this just theory? Are we just throwing theory out there? Wow.

We're pulling out some great thoughts that that I never saw in the book of second Timothy. No. God forbid. If you have any doubt that this can actually work, look at Paul's words in verse 12 as he concludes his three points. I'm not saying he had three points.

We see three points. But look at verse 12, which is why I suffer as I do. You know what Paul is saying? Timothy, it works because that's why I'm suffering. I'm suffering because I've rejected the spirit of fear and the Holy Spirit now has given me power, love, and self control.

I know that this is part of my holy calling. And I realize that death is abolished forever, and I've been given a life that will never end. This is why I suffer as I do. So join me. Join me in suffering.

Suffering in the American church today is waking up early for church, I think. That's suffering. We don't know anything about suffering. But perhaps in God's providential wisdom and sovereign work, America will manifest itself in a way that we never thought. If you doubt that, just look up north and realize that Canada is our preview.

Canada is our preview. They've been ahead on a lot of things. They dealt with the gay marriage issue long before. They've dealt with the issue of drugs, and they dealt with the issue of abortion. They're ahead.

And so if you want a little glimpse, just look there. And I'm telling you, things are happening there that if you were to ask me ten years ago, would this be possible? I would say, really? There's no way. Sometimes I fear that I repeat myself on that point, but I feel like we need to be drilled with it.

Really do. What we're about to see in these days, I'm sure in our lifetime, we will sit back and think, how did this happen? Do you think what happened in Germany didn't catch the world by surprise in the thirties? Do you think people sat there thinking, oh, yeah. It would make sense for this nation to become as it is, or do things work in such a way at such a speed, but with such a deception that it not only caught the world by surprise, but it caught people by surprise in that world?

You better believe it. And as you heard so many times before that one of the things that we learn about history is that we don't learn from history. We don't. But here's the thing that I see in my bible that Jesus says you'll be hated by all nations. He didn't put a footnote and say, accept America because they have a constitution.

That time is coming. Whether it's in our lifetime or not, I'm not sure. I'm not a prophet. But I will say this, we must prepare anyway. It's our duty to prepare.

And so cast away the spirit of fear. Daily call upon the name of the Lord for a work in you that is so obvious that you yourself would step outside of your own mind, of your own actions, say, this cannot be done apart from the Holy Spirit's work. How am I so bold? How do I have such self control? How do I have such love even for my enemies?

How do I believe that even the worst of the worst can be saved? And that you would realize this is part of my holy calling. I am to suffer. I might lose my property. I might lose my job.

I might be hated by people. But finally, no matter what opposition lies before you, you would also have this confidence, death is finished. Do your worst. Kill me if you wanna kill me. I am entering into life eternal.

And this is what you and I will be able to have if we trust God for it, and it will help us endure and see suffering as opportunity and experience something of the presence of Christ in those moments of great intimidation and fear, where he puts words in our mouths, speaks through us by the power of the Holy Spirit, and confounds the wise of this world. May we ask him for that grace in this day Heavenly Father, Heavenly father, we know that we do not suffer as men suffered in the past, and we know that we do not suffer like our brothers and sisters are suffering around the world. We are thankful for the freedoms that we have. We are not here to pursue persecution or to have some wrong view of thinking that things are more exhilarating if we have pain for our faith. No, Lord.

We are thankful for these freedoms. But Lord, may these freedoms not bring us to a place where we are frail. May we not think that these freedoms are something that is ours by inheritance. May we realize that the tone of your word promises persecution more than anything else. Help us not be ashamed.

Help us not be embarrassed. We pray that you would give us that work that first Timothy or second Timothy one seven promises where you crush fear and you raise up power and self control and love. Lord, we ask in this place that by the Spirit, through your word, through examples in this church, we would be a church that would be free from shame. And if it's your will that we should suffer, help us suffer well. Help us remember these truths.

Lord, we pray that as this world is getting bolder with their agendas and as they declare things that are so blasphemous and sinful, and yet do not blush, may we never, for a moment, feel a hint of hesitation to present your truth. But in love, but also with boldness, declare it in a way where you would be glorified and men would recognize this is something from God. Lord, we pray that you bring us to that place. Protect us, Lord, from arrogance, from a false humility. Protect us, Lord, from being like the Pharisees, and keep us, Lord, low and dependent upon you, that when men see our boldness, they would also see a softness and a passion for their souls and a compassion with our words.

Oh, God, we need your wisdom in these times. Bring us there. But, Lord, in this moment, we worship you because you have abolished death and you have given us life and immortality. Receive all praise and honor in this place. And Lord, in your presence this morning, we tell you we are not ashamed of your gospel, but we boast in the Lord.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Can we stand as we worship the Lord of glory?