God's Purpose for Us — 2 Timothy 1

0:00 Oh, good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Alright.

0:03 Come on. One more time. Good morning. Good morning. Alright.

0:06 Praise God. Open your Bibles to second Timothy. Second Timothy chapter one. Last week, first Timothy was concluded, and I think you would agree with me what a blessed time in the word of God studying first Timothy. And today, we initiate or we start second Timothy.

0:27 Second Timothy was Paul's... More more likely, pretty sure, it was Paul's last letter before he was executed. And so Paul, as he was in a second missionary journey, encountered Timothy. Timothy became one of his disciples. He started training him for the ministry and preparing him.

0:49 And so Paul is now in jail. He's pretty sure, and in fact, we're we're pretty confident according to records and what we understand that that he was going to be executed shortly after he finished this book. So this is his last book to Timothy, his beloved son in the faith, who he had been discipling training because he was going to take his place and be the next leader, the the the next spiritual leader to take his place. So these are his last words to Timothy, and hopefully, he's gonna encourage you and encourage all of us as we're looking at his final words, his final thoughts. So think for a minute.

1:31 If someone that you're discipling, you've been investing in, teaching the word of God training for a long time, and you know that these are your final words to him. What would you say? So these are the words that Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, said to to Timothy. So keep that in mind. This is a very personal letter to Timothy instructing him or giving him some final thoughts before he gets executed.

2:01 So let's just look at the first 12 verses to start. Second Timothy chapter one and verse one. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved son. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the father and Christ Jesus our lord. I thank god whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.

2:41 So you can see then that it was an intimate relationship. He was talking so fondly to him, he would say, I think of you all the time in my prayers. You're constantly there in my mind as I'm praying. Notice verse four. Notice the intimacy here, longing to see you even as I recall your tears so that I may be filled with joy.

3:03 So when they saw each other for the last time physically, there was a shedding of tears. There was a great sadness there because they knew probably, realized they were not gonna see each other anymore. Verse five, for I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. And for this reason, I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

5:15 Amen. Amen. Alright. So I have entitled this God's purpose for us. God's purpose for us.

5:22 So what I'm gonna do is is I'm going to divide and conquer. What I mean by that is I'm gonna start in the middle and then kind of spread myself all over the place. So I'm not going to go verse one and go in order. Just bear with me and follow as we try to unfold the teaching in these verses. Alright.

5:42 So God's purpose for us. Number one, his purpose for us was to save us, to save us. Verse nine, who saved us. Alright. Now, when did he decide, when was it his purpose to save us?

5:59 Notice the verse, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which is granted to us in Christ Jesus, notice notice, from all eternity, from all eternity. So his purpose for us was to save us. When? Well, according to n s... NASB, from all eternity, he already have this purpose in mind to save us.

6:29 The, ESV says, before the ages began. Before the ages began. The New Living Translation, before the beginning of time. Alright. So the King's James, before the world began.

6:49 And, of course, the new king... New kings James version before time began. Did I cover everybody? Anybody's feelings hurt? Did I leave anybody out?

7:00 What what do you think? Of course, I left one out. There it is right there.. Alright. So, yes, the the the the language they're gonna speak in heaven was...

7:17 Now if you were in the spirit, you would have known that, that that was the version that was left out. So this is remarkable. So God, his purpose for us was to save us from all eternity before ages began, before the beginning of time and so forth. Right? So does...

7:35 Is that pretty clear that God had a purpose to save us before the beginning of time? Now God's purpose for us is... Was salvation, and within that we read then that the gospel that was designed in eternity was revealed in time. I believe McDonald said this. And it was revealed by the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

8:04 Now notice that it was according to his own purpose and grace. So what was according to his own purpose and grace? To save us. To save us. To save us.

8:32 And so he had in mind this plan. Let's do this salvation. And and when we do this salvation in time, you are gonna come to know Jesus Christ as your savior. And so it was according to his own purpose and grace that he decided to save us and he called us. He called us.

8:52 What this means is that, you're walking along in life, as our brother expressed in the Lord's supper this morning. You're going along in life, and you're searching, you're wondering, and all the time, God is is calling you. Because he had planned before time began to save you, and suddenly that calling of God, to save you then, begins to to ring in your ears because God is working through the Holy Spirit to draw you to himself. And that's true even of a little child that gets saved at five years old. Yesterday, driving back in the car with little Joey, Joey was giving me his testimony, and he told me, I got saved when when I was at...

9:37 Where is Is Joey in here or is he in the back? Oh, there he is. How old were you, man? Seven. Seven years old.

9:42 He told me, was seven years old. And I said, look at that. What what God had already planned before the ages began, the the spirit of God started working, and then when he was seven years old, the call came. It's what some theologians call the effectual call. The call was already there, but it becomes live as we're hearing the word of God.

10:00 The spirit of God is working, and he's calling, and he's drawing us to himself. See? And so God planned this before the beginning of time that he was going to save us, and so he makes this call. He starts to call us to draw us, if you will, and then notice the next thing, that it was a holy calling. Hebrews three one, it was a heavenly calling.

10:28 I just let you think about that one. It's like, wow. And, of course, this is the the core of the gospel. Again, it was expressed this morning in the Lord's Supper, not according to our works. So God planned our salvation from before the beginning of time, and and and at the right time it was revealed.

10:53 Right? It became effective. God started to call you, and it was a holy calling, a heavenly calling when he he draws you to himself for salvation, and this had nothing to do with you. It's God working to draw us to himself to save us, not according to our works. It was a gift of God.

11:16 It was a gift of God. And so this is this is the core of what we preach, the core of the the core of scriptures is that we were absolutely lost. We... There's nothing we could do. God had to call us and draw us and save us and do the work for us in order to bring about this great salvation.

11:37 So God had a plan to save me. He had a purpose for me on earth, and it's based on his grace. We're still looking at verse nine. I'm just breaking it down for you. So according to his purpose and grace, the text says, so he had you in mind before the world began.

11:57 So what does that tell you? That you have value, that you have purpose. See, a person who doesn't know Jesus, what is he living for? So you get a person who, for example, spent his whole career being a police officer. When it when it's time for him to retire, he goes home and he has no more identity.

12:19 And so it's not uncommon then for a police officer to grab a gun and shoot himself. What's my purpose? It's over. I'm done with my job. I I have no...

12:30 Where's my connections? What's my value now? But the believer has a purpose. I've been saved by the grace of God, which he planned before eternity so that I can belong to him, and so my purpose then is to live for this great salvation that God gave me. So he wanted to save you so that you can do his will purpose.

12:55 And notice again that it was granted to you. It was granted to you. New Kings James version said it was given to us, ESV, which he gave us. New Living Translation, to show us his grace which was granted to us. So in other words, the the salvation that was planned way back then, God, through with the trinity then, laid out this plan of salvation which became effective or became real in time, was a gift of God to us.

13:32 He he gave it to us. Why? Because he wanted to. So let's put it this way, the New Living Translation. For God saved us and called us to a holy life.

13:47 He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And so there's what we believe. There is is the very core of our salvation right there. Okay. How did he, accomplish in this salvation that we didn't deserve, that was just based on grace?

14:19 How? Through the appearing of Jesus Christ, our savior. So it was planned out. He had you in mind. He called you, but it couldn't become real until Jesus came and became a man and lived his life, and he died on a cross to make this, real for us.

14:40 And so Jesus had to appear, and he had to make things right and fix the sin problem, and then he could then, by grace, say, come on and be saved now. I did everything. I'm calling you. By the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 10.

15:27 And he brought to life, he brought life and immortality. Now now what does that mean? What does that mean? Because just a couple of months ago, buried my dad, and he was a believer. Right?

15:39 But but what does that mean then? That he abolished death. That means that that in the future in the future because Christ died and rose again, in the future, dad is gonna be resurrected with a new body and he's gonna be in heaven. Well, he's already in heaven. He's already with the Lord.

15:58 Right? But that body is going to meet him. That new body that never to die again is going to meet him in glory. Right? And so we're gonna have a a body up there.

16:11 Right? That's what that means. He he abolished death. So we're gonna die, but eternally, we're never gonna die because we're with the lord. And so he broke the power of death.

16:21 He abolished death, and he brought life and in mortality. Now immortality, if I were you, or when I was a kid, what in the world, immortality, what does that mean? Right? I have no clue. So so let's look at immortality.

16:35 Alright. Deathlessness, imperishability. Well, that still doesn't help me. Alright? So I'm I'm simple minded.

16:42 I like practical stuff. So here we go. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the pledge that all who trust in him will rise from the dead and die no more. Where's the amen? Come on.

16:56 Amen. Right? Alright. So so the resurrection of our lord Jesus Christ is the pledge that all who trust in him will rise from the dead to die no more. Wow.

17:07 Alright. So so God planned out this salvation way before time even began, and then he called us, right, through the gospel, it was a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. Right? And so this became effective when Jesus appeared, and he took care of the sin problem and the death problem. Alright.

17:35 So what is God's purpose? What is God's purpose? Alright. Here we go. That we have a real, genuine faith.

17:48 You have a real, genuine faith. Alright? Now, Timothy had a real faith. You saw it there in verse five. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, Timothy.

18:01 Now if you look at the text, you look at Philippians, and you look at other texts, you're gonna see that Paul was like, Timothy, I've been with a lot of godly men, but but, man, your faith is so real. I have no one... There's no one like you who who who has such a such a reality to their faith. And as I'm with you in my daily walk and I see you everywhere, right, not just in church, but as I see you in the daily grind as we're out there, can see that you're the real thing, Timothy. You have a real faith.

18:35 But Timothy wasn't the only one. His mom had it too. His mom had it too. And not only mom, but grandma had it. Alright?

18:46 So grandma, we have a grandma Lois here. Unfortunately, she didn't make it out today. So you're tell her that that I said that grandma Lois is is a woman of faith. Amen? Alright.

18:56 So here here's the thing. Here's the thing. My parents, when I was growing up, they had a real faith. But that doesn't mean they weren't goofy at times. Right?

19:09 That doesn't mean that they didn't fight at times and do things and do some dysfunction at home. That didn't mean that. That that... See, that that's reality, that we do stuff sometimes, you're like, oh my word. I'm a believer.

19:22 I can't believe I did this. But my faith is real. See? So I can see that. Even though some some stuff was kinda goofy sometimes, their faith was real.

19:34 Right? And so I don't know if I've always been the best example at home, but but hopefully, mom and I, right, my wife and I, we have real faith. And my kids could say, yeah, there's been times when they've been wrong and they've done a lot of silly stuff, but they have a real faith in the Lord Jesus, and we can see it because I see him at home where y'all don't see him. And there's a reality to the faith. And so I can say that of my parents when I was growing up.

20:24 It never ends. Alright. So he want us he wants us to have a real genuine faith. I was hearing this all week in the Moody radio station all last week. I thought that was not a coincidence.

20:37 They were saying that 75% of professing Christians are not living out their faith. In other words, they come to church on Sunday, they do their thing, they go home, and it's like, hey, where's the faith? There's some kind of disconnect. And people, this is what's driving the millennials crazy. Am I right?

20:59 For those of you millennials here, what's driving them crazy? They want to see And the real they're right. And they're right. They want to see that, that what you're saying with your mouth is living doubt, being lived out. It doesn't mean you won't stumble at times and make mistakes and have to apologize and all, but there's a reality to your faith.

21:24 And it's lived out at home. And so, Timothy, when I see you, I see a reality to that faith. Your salvation is real. It's being lived out, and it's effective. Alright.

21:37 So, which leads to the next question or begs the question, are you convinced? Are you convinced? So, notice verse 12. For this reason, I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced. And I am convinced.

22:01 Now, why is it that there's no reality to the faith in so many people? Because of this right here. Probably not convinced. Alright? I know who I'm...

22:14 Who I have believed in and I am convinced. Now, I grew up, I was young, and when I was 11 years old... I was going say 11:00, that's what time it was in Walleria. When I was 11 years old, the Lord called me. Right?

22:29 He was already speaking to my heart, and then suddenly one day, I can remember like it was today, I I I bent, bowed the knee, and I said, Lord, save me. Save me. I was 11. Right? And and I was growing up in church.

22:45 I was I was like, man, this is awesome. But then I got to a point where I wanna know that this is real, so I did my work. I got the case for Christ. I got the... More than a carpenter.

22:57 I did my work. I did my investigation, and I can tell you right now, I am more convinced than ever that the Bible is 100% inspired by God. I looked into the manuscript evidence. I did all my work there. I looked into the reality of Jesus, the historical fact about who he is, the fact that he did resurrect and it can be proven.

23:20 And so we have a faith, but my faith isn't fickle. My faith is real and it's based on Jesus Christ who really did live, who did die, who did resurrect, who is in heaven, and is based on the bible that is not false and full of errors, but has been divinely inspired and supernaturally kept so that when I open the word of God, it's saying the truth. Are you convinced of that? So what's gonna keep you... And I'm talking to the young ones.

23:49 What's gonna keep you from walking out of here as soon as you get old enough? Oh, I heard about all that stuff since I was little, but I never believed it. And so God wants you to be convinced. See, Paul is saying that. I know whom I have believed in, and I'm convinced that I'm not following some fable, but this is reality.

24:13 This is the truth. Now now watch this. Watch this. Until you are convinced your faith is fickle and you won't do much witnessing, and you will, in many ways, be ashamed. So here's what Paul tells them in chapter three and verse 14.

24:32 You, however, Timothy, do know my last word? My last words to you, continue in the things you have learned and become what? Become convinced of. You became convinced as he was studying the word of God, as he was reading the word of God at home with mom and grandma because his dad apparently was not a believer. I became convinced that this is the truth.

24:59 And so his faith was not fickle because he was convinced. So are you convinced? Alright. Now you gain valor as you become convinced. Alright?

25:38 Right? First Timothy, in the first book, he told them, don't neglect your spiritual gift within you. And as he's writing his last letter to him, hey Timothy, you're still slacking, man. You're not using your gift. You're lazy.

25:54 There seems to be some kind of lack of motivation in you because you have a gift from God to be a shepherd, to lead your people, to stand up and be brave, and you're not using your gift. Come on, Timothy. See, that's his last words to him. God has gifted you so that you then, in turn, can serve the people of God in a powerful way and be used by God to bless others, and you're not using your gift. And so there's no reason for this church to be begging for someone to step up if you're using your gifts.

26:34 Right? You should be lining up. Know? I'm using my gift. Nobody's telling me what to do.

26:40 Instead, we're begging. You know? Come on. Come on. No.

26:43 Timothy, use your gift. You're using a man's... Fired up. You've been called by God. You've been given a gift.

26:53 And so Timothy was was shy and lacking boldness to live out his faith. He had a sincere, genuine faith, but but he but he lacked that that living it out. And so, Timothy, you're neglecting your spiritual gift. Timothy, look at it, kindle it afresh. The idea is to to blow blow wind on the coal so it'll start a fire again.

27:15 And so as you become convinced, Timothy, and you have that real genuine faith, that genuine faith that needs to work and needs to use the gifts that God has given you. And so you gain value as you become become convinced. And so... Nor is verse eight then, therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. It's a good reminder because many times, I I I'm I'm at the, you know, the tentmaker job and and something comes up and I know I should say something about Jesus.

27:49 I'm like, right? You've been there? But it seems like your mouth is glued together, and you want to say it because that conviction is... And then you don't say anything. Then you walk away later, oh, Lord, you opened up a door, and and I was too ashamed to open my mouth.

28:08 But, Timothy, don't be ashamed of our Lord. Don't be ashamed that faith is real, that faith is convinced. You became convinced already. Now now now, Timothy, start using that gift, and and don't be ashamed. For this reason, I am not ashamed of the gospel.

28:28 I'm not ashamed of the gospel. Ones... Onesophorus was not ashamed. You can read that in verse 16. He wasn't ashamed.

28:38 And so then, God's spirit enables us. Notice verse 17. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity. So so Timothy, in many ways, was a coward. Oops.

28:52 I did something. There it goes. In many ways, Timothy was a coward. He he was shy. He was he was kinda chicken.

28:59 You know? And so, Timothy, let me remind you of something because I'm about to die from my faith. You're a bit of a chicken. You're too scared to live out your faith. You you you're too you're too too much of a coward.

29:12 Remember this, Timothy. God gave us the holy spirit, and the holy spirit enables us and gives us power and love and discipline. Now remember that the the the the background to this was that Paul is in jail. Alright? And Paul needed power because in jail, he was witnessing to the the the guards, right, to the people.

29:38 And he didn't... He needed love because they were... They would insult him and they would say stuff, and and and he didn't get angry, but he would say, you know that Jesus loves you. Even though you beat me and hit me or do whatever you want or you have me in jail, God still gives me love for you, and I want you to know that you can be saved. And so it was it was the power, to to live for Jesus even in jail, and it was the love to share the love of Christ even in jail, even with the way he was being treated, and it was discipline, self control.

30:12 So he could have easily said, yeah, just wait, you're going to burn and and and you're to you're going to be judged and you're going go to hell because of this. No, instead he was controlled and disciplined and sharing the love of Christ. Now we know that by looking at Philippians and and other texts in the bible. But the spirit of God that is in you and in me gives us power and gives us love and gives us discipline or self control. So that's what you have available to you as well.

31:08 For this reason, I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced. What's he convinced about? That he's able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. He he was going to he was he was... He knew and he was convinced that Jesus was able to guard what he had entrusted to him that day.

31:33 His life, his future, his suffering, his soul, and his rewards. So so so so what he's saying is that this is not Russian roulette. This is not a hope. I hope I'm gonna go to heaven. I hope I'm I'm not gonna go to hell.

31:49 This is no. I I know whom I believe in. I'm convinced. I know that Jesus is going to guard my life until that day that I die, and until the day of judgment when he gives me rewards, I know that he's going to guard me. I'm not doubting one minute, so I know that the moment I die, I'm with Jesus in glory.

32:10 And I'm entrusting that too. Look, you go to the bank and you give me your money and you're entrusting your money to them. Right? If you don't trust the bank, give it to me. I'll hold it for you.

32:22 You know, I'm I'm pretty trustworthy. Alright. I charge a small fee. Alright. So so the...

32:28 That's the idea. That that you're you're putting your deposit, all of your faith, your life, your future, your destiny, the fact that you're gonna be in heaven and not in hell. You're trusting what Jesus said. So I know he's able to guard, but I haven't trusted him until that day. My soul and my reward, he's going to also reward us.

32:52 And so, hold on to your faith. That's what I get from this first 12 verses. We have been graciously saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was a holy calling to live a life of faith and be willing to suffer for the gospel without being ashamed. And know this, you can trust your soul to Jesus who will keep you until that day.

33:22 Alright. Do you believe this? Do you believe this? Are you convinced? Without a doubt.

33:33 Maybe a good time right now too. If you have never believed or trusted the Lord, maybe you have a good time right now to say, Lord, I repent and I wanna be saved. I wanna trust you. And if you're a Christian, maybe you can say, Lord, I'm doubted. I have a lot of doubts.

33:50 Well, then the Lord will tell you, well, get the books out, do your investigation, you're gonna find out that there's solid proof, that your faith, has, you know, can be defended, and it can be real. But you need to be convinced. Then you're gonna live a powerful life, for for Jesus. Let's pray. Father, what wonderful instruction Paul gave to Timothy before he himself died, because of his testimony of Jesus Christ.

35:03 But thank you that you're so gracious and kind, and you keep encouraging us to be brave through the Holy Spirit, and to share the gospel and to to live out the faith. Help us, Lord. And if someone has yet to trust you, I pray that they would believe in you now, today, that they would turn to Jesus for the salvation of their soul. Now bless us as we go home and bring us back tonight with joy. In Jesus' name.

35:32 Amen.