What Has Laid Hold of You — 2 Timothy 1-2

0:00 Alright, let's begin for a word of prayer. Father in heaven, we come before you and Lord, I just ask, would you would you please use your word to encourage your people? God, we need to see you as you are. We need to see you rightly. We need to see the Lord Jesus, your precious son, for who he truly is, oh Lord.

0:29 God, you've shared your thoughts about your son to us, that he is worthy, that he is precious, that you delight in him, that he is loved in your sight, that he is fully pleasing to you. This is who the Lord Jesus is to you, oh Lord. So father I pray, help us to see him for who he is. And Lord, may a vision of him transform our lives and help us to be the people that you want us to be. I pray this in Jesus name.

1:03 Amen. I don't know if I've had a message that's had so many changes through the preparation, but I'm gonna trust the Lord in this. The thought that I want us to consider is the praise of the Lord Jesus is the song of the ages. That is the song. If there is one song that will be sung, if there's one name that will be glorified, if there's one person that will be praised, it is him.

1:40 There's no one else. There's nothing else. It's the Lord Jesus and him alone. So the question is, will we join in that song? Will we ourselves sing the praises of our savior?

1:57 And that is our choice today. There were a group of missionaries, they're called Moravian missionaries. I don't know what Moravian means, so I don't know what they believe, but they they believe in Lord Jesus, they love him. I don't know what that means though, but that's that doesn't matter. So they're from Copenhagen and they decided they wanted to they wanted to reach the lost.

2:19 They wanted to be a witness for the Lord Jesus. They wanted to to to bear his name. So they chose to make themselves slaves. That was that was their decision because of their love for the Lord Jesus. They said, we are going to offer our lives to become slaves and to be taken on a ship and taken to the West Indies to bear the name of Jesus.

2:49 We're willing to give our lives for him. We're willing to become slaves. Like if you consider what is possibly the worst living condition that you could bear, There's not much that that's under being a slave. You can't really dig much lower than that, but they chose to become slaves, to be missionaries for the Lord Jesus, and they they carried this, I don't know that what do you call it, but they just repeated this phrase. Like this is the phrase that they they proclaimed as the ships were taking them and carrying them away as slaves.

3:25 They said, may the lamb that was slain receive the reward of his sufferings. Receive the due reward of his sufferings. I don't know exactly what they said, the translation, but it said, may the lamb that was slain receive the due reward of his sufferings. Brothers and sisters, these men had an understanding, a vision. They they had...

3:52 They understood the weight of the sufferings of Christ. It meant something to them. It moved their hearts and it moved them to action that we'd look at and say that's extreme. To offer yourself up as slave to to reach those in the West Indies that are slaves or you know that are lost. They thought that was reasonable.

4:15 They saw who the Lord Jesus was. They saw what he did for them and it was personal to them. It captured their heart and because of this love, they were willing to give their lives for this cause. So last Sunday, we considered how can we have hope in the midst of suffering? How can we endure hardship?

5:01 They obey his word. This is who our God is, but we can sometimes not see him or our situations for what they are. And then also, that the enemy who is also working in the course of our life and in these situations amongst us trying to divide, destroy, deceive, distract us, that this is actually occurring too. We don't want to be blind to this, but holding that truth that the schemes of the enemy fall short to the power of God. They fall short to the word of God.

5:41 They will not overcome him. And we see Paul was a man that was gripped with this conviction. He saw who God was. He he saw his trials. He saw his suffering, but he saw the hand of God behind all of it.

5:58 He saw that it was the Lord who delivered him from the mouth of the lion and will continue to to to deliver him from every evil work. This is the God that Paul trusted. This is the God that Paul, his soul found rest. He was composed. He was at peace because he knew who the Lord was.

6:21 So we see Paul knew that God was faithful. But we also see Paul was a man that we'd call, this was a faithful man. This was a man that while he was in prison, he didn't just like screech by and just like, I don't know, yeah, he said he believed in the Lord, but he was bitter the entire time. Like, yeah, he says he knows the Lord, but like, that man, all he did while he was in prison, he just complained about his situation. He says he knows God, but I don't know.

6:52 This this is not a joyful person. He's he's absolutely miserable. No. This was a man that had the joy of the Lord, that had conviction, that had purpose, that pursued his calling even in this situation while being a prisoner. And why?

7:09 First, last weekend, we... Last week, we considered. He saw God for who he truly is. And this week, want us to consider Paul was a man captured. His heart was captured by who the Lord Jesus is.

7:26 His heart was captured by love for the church. His heart was captured by love for the gospel. This is what this is what came out of him. Remember back in acts nine, it says that before Paul was saved, he he saw the stoning of Stephen and it said that it said that while these men were killing him, Paul was standing by consenting to the murder. We considered when when when that...

7:57 When the bible was telling us this phrase, it meant that Paul's heart was right with the men doing the deed. That when those men were killing Paul killing Stephen, Paul was like, yes. They got another one. They got another Christian. And it said in in acts nine that Paul, his heart, he was he was constantly breathing threats and murders against the disciples of Christ.

8:20 But now, this is still a man of passion. That was a zealous man. This is still a man of passion, but now, what is the overflow of his heart? What what thoughts? What what what is what is he breathing out?

8:34 He's breathing out. He's he's living out love for the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus has captured the heart of this man and this man hasn't let go since then. And that's why Paul, he uses this phrase consistently in his epistles. Paul a prisoner of the Lord Jesus.

9:08 The man that loved me and gave himself for me, that precious son of God, the one the father delighted him in. The one that actually lived a life pleasing to the father. For the first time, a man that walked in a way pleasing to God. This is the one that suffered and died for a sinner like me. This is the one who gave himself for me.

9:35 So now I I have the joy. I have the privilege of belonging to him. My life is not my own. My soul, my life, my all, it belongs to him because of what he's done for me. So whatever comes, trials, shipwrecks, sufferings, stonings, beatings, reviling the threats of people, hatred.

10:04 Even even Christians coming after him. He's like, let it be because I love the Lord Jesus and he loves me. As long as I have him, it's okay. I can endure anything because I belong to him. So for today, I want us to consider some of these truths of what captured the heart of Paul.

10:29 So these this past week and a little bit before, I was going through the prison epistles and and that's Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and then the pastoral epistles, first Timothy, second Timothy, and Titus. If you're preaching, don't read that much. It's too much. It was too much for me. That was not wise, but that's what it was.

10:51 But the reason behind it was, I wanted to get a sense of okay, this man is in prison, but I want to see where is this guy's heart at? What is what is coming out of this man when he's in this condition? And when you look at these epistles and you read it with this perspective of, wow, this guy's in prison, yet this is what he proclaims. It's incredible. Looking at it and reading these epistles and then seeing what is important to him.

11:19 It's like Timothy and Titus, they get to hear this man's dying wishes. They get to hear this man who's in prison, his life is gonna... He's he's done. This is what he wants to be carried forward. So looking at those epistles and looking at his letters to Timothy and Titus, it was it was just crazy seeing Paul's heart.

11:45 And we can't cover all of that today. I'd love to. If you guys want to stay for six hours, that'd be awesome, but we're not gonna do that. We're just gonna take little little pieces that just show us glimpses in the heart of Paul. So if you'd like to turn your Bibles, we're gonna be looking at Philippians chapter three first, and we'll be looking at verses seven to 14.

12:19 And these verses they say, but what things were gained to me? These I've counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed, I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish. That I may gain Christ and be found in him. Not having a righteousness of my own, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ.

12:56 The righteousness which is from God by faith. That I may know him, the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being conformed to his death. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I've already attained or I'm already perfected, but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to apprehend it, to have apprehended, but one thing I do.

13:30 Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the up... For the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. If you were to ask Paul, Paul, why are you in prison? He'd tell you, it's because of the Lord Jesus.

13:54 And let's say this person, this guy that's asking Paul has never heard of the Lord Jesus. He'd be like, it's because of somebody else here in prison? He'd be thinking, man, you must hate this guy. But Paul's like, no. Let me tell you about him.

14:08 This is the man that I love. I'm in prison because of him, but I want to be here because of my love for him. And you'd imagine if if you're in prison, if you're in a dire situation because it's someone else's fault, you'd be like, man, why am I here? This is this guy's fault with Paul. He had no tinge, not even like, not even a shade of bitterness in his heart.

14:35 When the lord Jesus when when when god said, you're going to go to prison for my name. You're gonna bear my name before the Gentiles. You're gonna suffer for my name's sake. Paul said, yes. Yes.

14:47 I'll do it. I'll go. Because of what you've done for me, I'll go anywhere. I'll do anything even if it's in prison. I'll do it.

14:58 And Paul, he had this love for the Lord Jesus that even though Jesus, he he... This is the reason why Paul's in prison. Let's say Paul wants to reject Christ, the Jews probably would have let him free, but he's like, I'm willing to suffer because of what Jesus has done for me. And think about the gain that Paul had. This was a hotshot.

15:33 And like this is the guy that people like the young Jewish boys like they'd look up to him and say, I want to be like Paul when I grow up. This is who Paul was. And how did Paul describe this former way of living? He's like, these things that were gained to me, I've counted loss for Christ. He calls these things rubbish.

15:57 He says, I count all things loss. For what? What could possibly replace the praise of man and the glory that you can receive by what people look and they're like, woah, that's Paul. Like, care... Like, this guy's walking down the street like, respect that guy.

16:15 What is possibly worth that trade? He said, yet indeed I also count all things lost for what? The excellence. The worth. The immeasurable worth of what?

16:28 The knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Brothers and sisters, this is not just an intellectual understanding of who the Lord Jesus is. This is a man that this is a man that Paul knew intimately. Jesus and Paul walked together. Paul was willing to suffer.

16:51 He was willing to go to his death. He's willing to let everything go because he knew Jesus. He loved him. He communed with him. He had fellowship with him.

17:04 And this was so valuable. This was so immeasurably worthful. Is that a word worthful? Worthy. Worthy to Paul.

17:14 He's like, I'll let it all go. I'll... Everything else, I'll let it go because I have him. Because I have him. And look at what it says.

17:23 It says, oh, where is that? One second. It says that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death. So think about this, Paul was saying, yes, I want to know him and whatever it takes. If that means I have to die like he died.

17:54 If that means I get to draw closer to him, if that means I get to know him at a deeper level, so be it. This is who the Lord Jesus is to me. This is how worthy he is in my sight. Paul would say, may the lamb that was slain receive the reward of his sufferings. And then it goes on to say, brethren I do not I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

18:27 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. And what is this call? Is Paul reaching past something to grab something past Christ? Like, now I have Christ. Now I'm gonna grab the thing that's next.

18:42 He's like, no. No. What is that upward call of God in Christ Jesus? He's reaching for the Lord Jesus himself. Paul has him but he's like, I want more.

18:54 I want more. It's never enough. He's like, I want more of the Lord Jesus. I want more of my heart to be given to him. I want more of my life to be available to him.

19:06 I want more of his spirit to fill me up. This was a man that was captured by love for the Lord Jesus and he wanted more and more of the knowledge of him. So Paul, we would say, why was he faithful? Because he was captured by the immeasurable worth of the Lord Jesus. Another thing that Paul was captured by, he was captured by a love for the gospel.

20:58 He has an understanding of what Christ has accomplished through his resurrection. And and this is what he says. He says, Jesus Christ who has abolished death, abolished death. Think about this. Think about how many people in the world, if you were to ask him, hey, what are you most afraid of?

21:17 How many would respond with death? I'm afraid about what's gonna happen once I'm gone. I was talking with one of my coworkers and he was telling me about all these near death experiences he's had and he's he had one last week too. And he's just telling me like, it like freaks me out, it shakes you. And then you just he was just telling me like, you take consideration of like your life.

21:43 Like, what's this about? Like your purpose. He was like, it shook me and it should shake you. Like this is a heavy thing. We're talking about life and death, but this is what the gospel applies to.

21:55 The gospel isn't just something that gets you through the day. It isn't just just, oh, it's it's a nice sounding idea or a cool story. It's a wonderful story, but brothers and sisters, it has the power over death. Think about that. Everyone in the world is trying to escape death.

22:16 They're trying to escape decay. Things being taken away from like, I, okay, I enjoy life right now. What about once I die? None none of this none of this is going with me. So what am I going to do about that?

22:31 And the gospel actually has an answer for that question. And Paul is like, if this is true, since this is true, everyone needs to hear. If someone can be freed of their destiny headed towards death, eternal separation from God, man, they need to know. They need to know. And then it also says, and brought life in immortality to light through the gospel.

23:04 Think about that. It says it brought life in immortality to light. That means people were blind, Looking and searching and seeking how can I find life? How can I find purpose? How can I find meaning?

23:19 How can I have joy and peace and satisfaction? How can there be abundance? How can I feel fulfilled in living? And Paul's like, it's the gospel. It's the gospel.

23:31 It gives you purpose. It transforms you. It gives you meaning. It gives you life, abundance and this is true and real. And Paul's like, if this is true, everyone needs to hear.

24:13 Think about that. These were people he would scoff at. He's like, the Gentiles? No. We're the guys.

24:19 We got circumcision, we got the law, we got the prophets, we got the word of God, we got the God of Israel. We're like, the Gentiles, they don't know a thing about nothing. They're stupid. They're foolish. They're dirty.

24:31 This is how he would speak. But now, he's like, woah. That that guy, these these these people over here, my savior, the son of God died for that person. These people that I hated, these people I I despise that I I would I would think is unclean. Christ Jesus shed his blood to make them clean.

24:59 And the God of the universe told me, you, I'm sending you to go to them. And Paul was captured with this calling. I don't think Paul would have pride necessarily, but I'd say he'd have immense delight. Like, yes, I get to go to the Gentiles. God chose me.

25:19 And not with pride, but like, I'm so glad that the Lord has given me this calling. Would we share that heart? Would we share that heart? God has placed us here. God has placed us here and said, I'm sending you to go here.

25:37 These people that I I've sent my son, he shed his precious blood. And he died for them to cleanse them. Look at look look at these people around you. They're they're blind. They're looking for life.

25:52 Remember the Lord Jesus, he he was he's looking across the crowd and he saw these sheep that were scattered and they were fearful, they were distressed and he had compassion. His heart was moved with compassion for them. Would we share that heart and see the lost as the Lord Jesus does? As precious in his sight, as valuable in his sight, destined towards hell, but that could be changed in a moment. That could be changed in a moment.

26:27 Would we say, we're preachers, sent ones, not me not apostle, teachers to those around us. God's appointed us for that purpose. And this was what Paul was captured by. Then he goes on to say, I have this confidence. I'm able to press forward.

26:47 I suffer. I I also suffer these things nevertheless, I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed in and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I've committed to him until that day. And what is that day? That is the day where Jesus Christ judges the church.

27:07 He judges us. That's judgment day. And he said, I know. I know him. I know him.

27:15 Because I know him, I'm persuaded that he can keep me. I have this confidence. I have this assurance, this hope, this full assurance that when I get to that day, I can have delight. I can have joy, exceeding joy because of the one that I know. And if that's true for me, everyone needs to hear.

27:37 Everyone needs to hear. Acts 20 verse 24 says, but none of these things move me nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Please turn to Philippians chapter one and go to verse 12. So we see Paul has this love for the gospel. He's willing to suffer.

29:06 Paul is saying, wow. I see the purpose of God. I see what God's doing. He's like, I don't count my life dear to myself. If this is the cost for the gospel going out, if this is the cost for seeing these palace guards get saved, for seeing these Gentiles hear the gospel, For seeing these believers in the church hearing the testimony of the gospel going forth and and changing lives.

29:34 If my life is the cost, yes, I'll give it. He's like, it doesn't even compare. It doesn't even compare for what God is able to do through the offering of my life. Lord, it's yours. Lord, it's yours.

29:51 He's telling them, woah, the palace guard, the whole palace guard, they're all hearing. It's working. God is working in my chains. I'm a prisoner, but I'm a prisoner of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, he's using me in all these things.

30:08 He's using his word to transform. His word is going out. It's not coming back empty. It's not returning void. It's going out and it's doing its work.

30:19 At the cost of my chains, that's nothing. I'm willing to endure. And then go to to verse seven. And this next point is Paul's heart is captured by love for the church. Philippians one verse seven says, just as it is right for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart.

30:46 In as much as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Christ. In Colossians, I think chapter one verse 26 says, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the church. Paul has this love for the church. Think about this, none of us see the church for what it truly is.

31:26 We look at the church and we see, man, God it's it's it's hard. There's there's difficulty. There's there's tension. There's strife. There's people.

31:33 It's difficult. But Paul looks to the church and he sees the precious bride of Christ. When Ephesians five says that that Christ he's he's preparing the bride and his husband should do the same to present her spotless and blameless and pure, beautiful in his sight. Paul is captured by a vision of the beauty that God is creating in his church. And he's like, I love the church.

32:04 I love the bride of Christ. I love what what God is creating. I love what God is doing. I love you all because you're loved with Christ. He says, I love you with the affections of Jesus Christ.

32:19 Think about that. Paul, his heart beats along with the savior. His heart is in line with the savior's heart. The heart of the savior is one that gives himself up. He's, I'll offer my life up for you the church.

32:33 And Paul Paul he shares that heart. His heart isn't strange to the Lord Jesus. His heart is recognizable. He's like, this is the heart that I have for the church. Paul shares that purpose, that heart, that passion for the church.

32:48 And he sees what God is making them to be. That's what that's what allows him to press forward. He's like, I'm willing to be poured out for this purpose. It says in Philippians two seventeen to 18, yes and if I'm being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all for the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. Think about what he's saying.

33:16 He's like, if my life is poured out and you get benefit, your faith grows, you trust in God more, you love the Lord Jesus more, your your life is growing, you're maturing. If my life is being poured out for that purpose, it's worth it. Paul has a love and affection for the church of Christ. And he's willing to give his life for that cause. And now the last thought I'd like us to consider today is Paul's heart is captured by love for his disciples and the continuing of the work of God.

34:13 So think about what Timothy meant to Paul. And Paul is giving words like the last the last, but he's like, this is the most important thing to me. And look at look at his heart for this disciple of his. It says in second Timothy chapter one in verse three, I thank God whom I serve with a pure conscience as my forefathers did. As without ceasing, I remember you in my prayers night and day.

34:46 Greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears that I may be filled with joy. When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I'm persuaded is in you also. Therefore, I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Think about this, God or sorry, Paul.

35:25 When he thinks about Timothy, his heart overflows with thanksgiving to the father. And it says, he's ceaselessly praying and remembering Timothy. It says night and day. Think about this. I can't like, Timothy is far away from Paul.

35:44 These guys are not experiencing life on a on a daily level or on a on a close level. There's a great distance. Yet Paul, his his heart has a love for this brother and he's like, you are on my heart even when we're so far away. Even when we're so far away, I care about how you're doing. I care about how God is using you, how you're pressing on in the faith and my heart is with you even with all this distance.

36:12 And this is why Paul is bearing Timothy up before the Lord in his heart and saying, like Lord, use him. Continue the work. When I'm gone, use this one. It says, Paul says, commit what you've learned to faithful men that they may teach others. So he's like, let the work continue.

36:35 I don't want it to stop when I die. I love the Lord Jesus. I love the church. I love what God is doing through the gospel and I want it to continue when I'm gone. I want that work to continue and I want it to continue in you.

36:50 So this is why Paul bears up Timothy in his prayers. I'd ask, pray for me. Pray for the young people in the church that the Lord would help them, raise them up to become you all one day. Then we would pray for those coming after us. Young people, they don't grow.

37:12 We don't grow unless the the saints are praying faithfully. God listens to your prayers. Those prayers are precious and meaningful to his heart because why? You're praying in alignment with God's will. God's heart, his will is that the work would continue.

37:30 So as you're bearing up these prayers to the father, these prayers that discipleship, that the continuing of the work, that these these men would be built up. That's in line with the heart of God and this is what moved Paul's heart. He cares about Timothy. He cares about his young disciples. And then he goes on to say, he encourages him.

37:54 In his last words, he offers encouragement. He says, stir up the gift. Stir it up. Don't don't grow lazy. Don't grow stagnant.

38:03 Stir it up. Use it. Use it. Stir up the gift that God has given you through the laying on of my hands. And and what he's saying is, I see what God's doing to you.

38:14 Like I'm I'm affirming this. He's like, go ahead. He's he's like pushing him forward. He's he's encouraging him. He's like, press on.

38:22 And Paul's heart is to encourage this brother and and look at what he says in verse seven. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Do you think Timothy would take those words seriously? Think about this. Timothy is hearing these words.

38:45 God's not given us a spirit of fear. Who's telling you this? A man in prison. He's gonna be executed and he knows it. But he says, God has not given us a spirit of fear.

38:58 And it goes on to say, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. And Timothy hears this man in prison telling him these words and Timothy takes it. I'm I'm convinced Timothy would take it seriously because he sees Paul living this out. This isn't false. This isn't hypocrisy.

39:20 What Paul is commending to Timothy is true in his own life. He's offering up to Timothy what God has taught Paul himself. He's not offering up just tales to build up Timothy's confidence. He's like, I've seen God do it. I've seen God do it in me.

39:36 I've seen God encourage me. I've I've experienced the power of God. The love of God. The ability that God can give you peace in your mind. I've seen that and I'm experiencing that in prison.

39:49 And if that's the case, God can do it in you too. And this is this is what is on Paul's heart. So I I just encourage you. When you find yourself in those difficult situations in life and trials, our hearts are tested. God says that he's testing our hearts and improving them to see what's in them, but for the purpose that our faith would grow.

40:18 So I just encourage you, what is capturing your heart? What has a hold of you? What what fills you with passion and purpose? What are you pursuing? What do you love?

40:35 Because when you're in that season of life where where life is easier, you know, it's it's easier to pursue that. But once once it's costly to pursue what you really care about, that's when it's exposed on if it's actually true. If if these things are a reality in our hearts and if they're if they're not or if you're not where you want to be, what's our response? God, work in me. God help me.

41:08 Make me the man, make me the woman that you want me to be. Because I know that you can do it. Because you've done it in a man that hated you. So I know you can do it in me. I know you can do it amongst us.

41:45 Love for what you're accomplishing in this world through the gospel, the great commission. And Lord, we want to see the man behind or really in front of Paul who is before his eyes. We want to see the Lord Jesus. Because Lord if we pursue these things without a vision for who he is, without the worth of his name in our hearts, without a true experience of him, these things can't be real. So Lord we pray, lift him up in our eyes.

42:23 Help us to behold lamb of God slain for us. That we would say, take my life. Let it be consecrated Lord to the Lord to thee. Lord, take our lives. Let it be unto his name.

42:38 We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.