April 1, 2018 AM Our Hope The Resurrection Of Christ Jesus by Pastor Josh Sheldon

We'll turn your Bibles, please to 2nd Timothy in chapter 2 this morning as we think About the resurrection the risenness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This will be our text this morning the Apostle Paul writing to young Timothy and just by way of introduction the Apostle Paul you will recall is Writing to Timothy from prison as we will talk about a little bit later.

And he's writing to Timothy the young pastor. He left to shepherd the church there in Ephesus both of them having hardships of various sorts different kinds, but hardships nonetheless. Paul with his impending execution and Timothy in a church surrounded by Detractors from the gospel itself and having to bring that church back into line in that city of Ephesus where Paul in Corinthians said he had to fight against the beasts a Not meaning literal animals, but beasts these spiritual forces at work in that dark place.

Remember Jesus Christ Risen from the Dead

And as I read this you'll get the point very quickly, and there'll be the point throughout the message this morning. How do they get through that how does Paul tell Timothy to? Persevere in that how does Paul tell Timothy he himself is able to sit in a jail cell expecting his execution to come soon and Still in that maintain the faith, and it's simply this.

The very first words in verse in verse 8 of chapter 2 of 2nd Timothy which with which I'll begin the reading remember Jesus Christ Risen from the dead the offspring of David as preached in my gospel for which I am suffering.

Bound with chains as a criminal. But the Word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal Glory.

The truth the saying is trustworthy for if we have died with him We will also live with him if we endure we will also reign with him if we deny him. He will also deny us if we are faithless. He remains faithful for he cannot deny himself.

So this the second of these two letters to Timothy. We call it one of the pastoral letters because this is one of those letters that Paul wrote to various recipients that tells them and tells us How to conduct ourselves in church, and how a pastor is to insist upon that conduct and what we are to do.

It's a pastoral letter. It's also called a prison letter. It's a book of the Bible. It was written as a letter from Paul to Timothy. We also call it an epistle so we think as you speak of the book of 2nd Timothy the epistle to Timothy in 2nd Timothy or the letter in the same description the second letter from Paul to young Timothy.

Left there to shepherd that church in Ephesus in Ephesus. Both Paul and Timothy were beset with many trial of many hardships as I described a moment ago. But Timothy had been handed the reins of a church that had gotten onto a bad path due to the influence of a cadre of false, but very persuasive teachers and They had led the church into this path where where the roles of men and women within the church were mixed up and where the church Didn't know what it was to give charity to those who needed charity.

Or how to conduct themselves in any proper orderly or decent way within the church. They gotten things all mixed up and Timothy is there surrounded by them. I think it's okay to call them the beasts that's in 1st Corinthians where Paul says I've Tangled I've read I've faced down the beasts in Ephesus.

Paul for his part not just falsely imprisoned his crime having been nothing more than standing firm on the gospel of God and his son Jesus. But was near his impending execution for this outrage. Second Timothy.

Paul breaks very little new ground from what he taught us in 1st Timothy, which we went through a few Several weeks ago. I should say in the afternoon preaching. It doesn't give us a lot of new doctrines.

But 2nd Timothy serves largely to encourage Timothy to stay the course to remain true to the gospel as he contends with the falsehoods. And as he contends really with Paul's impending death and this he does with the same Comforting thought that sustains us today in our pilgrimage here in this world.

What sustains us as we journey on this planet? Waiting for the Lord's glorious return. What does keep you going a Better way to ask that is what should keep you going? What should be my hope? What should be our foundation that strengthening that we get?

The first words That I read a moment ago from the Bible. Which will repeat again and again in this message this morning. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead.

There's not a day that goes by where that is not our hope. Paul's great ambition back in Philippians 3 10 is what is to know him. To know Jesus and the power of what? His resurrection. The power of a better way to handle problems to meet people be influential to make friends.

No. To know him and the power of his resurrection. Which power Ephesians 1 19 says is work toward us who believe? Not a day goes by. Well, this cannot be our hope. But even so it is well to have a very singular day where this singular.

Hope is singularly Prominent a day when we especially say to one another he has risen and then we hear this assuring response. He has risen indeed. Here's the cardinal tenet of our faith the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

Without it if I can summarize a good many verses from 1st Corinthians 15. The whole of which are worth a lifetime of study, but without the resurrection could be said that nothing we do. Makes any sense at all.

Why do we come together as we do? Sunday in and Sunday out. Why Lord willing every Sunday you hear something of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ the fact that we worship a living God. In whose resurrection we are going to follow.

He's the firstfruits. We're to follow after him without that. We're just coming together and having a good time. But it's not that because of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We preach we proclaim.

We study we meet with a true and eternally living God. And we will follow after his likeness one day. He has risen. He's risen indeed. And how do we get through? This world, how do we progress? How do we go through this journey this pilgrimage this hard world the press is so difficult against us.

Remember Jesus Christ Risen from the dead if there's no resurrection and persevering through trials. Then Paul in prison Rejoicing even though he was about to be executed. He knew that we will speak about that in a moment.

Then Timothy they're surrounded by the false teachers who gave him such a hard time and who's so persuasively Brought the church in the wrong direction. He has to bring it back Without the resurrection.

All we can have is self-discipline. We can only have a perverse unwillingness to adjust ourselves to a more sensible populace out there. But Christ is risen. This historical fact has better proofs is better attested than virtually any other ancient records some of which while wildly Widely accepted if you read them, they're fabulous.

I don't mean fabulous and that's awesome. I mean fabulous is as in incredible and I don't mean incredible as awesome. I mean in as in without credible without credibility. Do you believe for example That a Roman Emperor Took legions, which a very expensive proposition to Gaul and His idea was to invade Britain.

But instead of invading Britain he collected seashells and Roman soldiers who wouldn't collect the seashells were by him crucified. They're on the beach and he brought bush bushels full of seashells back to the Senate.

Presented those and said well, I didn't take Britain. But I conquered Neptune a Roman Emperor did that do you believe that it's written that he did that people believe that. It was written long after The the thing occurred and yet we have the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ written by eyewitnesses within years of having seen his crucifixion as resurrection.

We stand on a historical fact better proved than so many other things that are so widely accepted. But beyond facticity because we don't believe in Jesus because of the fact because of the historical record.

We have of his death his burial his resurrection. It's not because it's historical. It's by faith that we understand these things. Beyond that though beyond the facticity the resurrection of our Lord is a banner to which we can lift our eyes.

During times of trial during times of temptation during times of difficulty. Whereby as it says in Hebrews We see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God might taste death for everyone and.

There we find with Timothy with Paul with each other there we find the courage. To persevere as Paul found courage in the face of death as Timothy found it in the face of all the adversaries in his church.

I want to review something of which I'm sure we're all pretty convinced which is the unbending the unyielding centrality of the resurrection to our faith. I Want to stay right here in 2nd Timothy as we speak about this.

Many later almost all of Paul's letters say much about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We don't have to do a complete survey. We can stay right here in this one short letter. Before we do that.

I want to review some of the hardships that Timothy and Paul were enduring for the sake of Christ for the sake of the gospel. Chapter 1 verse 8 right here in 2nd Timothy Paul is a prisoner of Christ. He's in a Roman prison.

His legs are in stocks. He's probably chained to the wall. Paul a prisoner of Christ in chapter 1 verse 12. He says he suffers for the gospel chapter 1 verse 15. He's abandoned by those he thought were his friends.

Chapter 2 verse 9 being treated as a criminal. Chapter 3 verse 11 persecuted for his testimony about Jesus and Then chapter 4 verse 6. He says he's being poured out as a drink offering. This is a Priestly libation being offered to God.

That's what drink offering is and it's poured out as a cup that holds back none of its content. It's all given over to the Lord. And you add to this what he writes to Timothy in chapter 3 about how these last days are producing even within the confines of the Church people who are lovers of money lovers of self.

Following followed by a long list of iniquities and it gets worse and worse and worse. Timothy's detractors these false teachers in chapter 3 verse 8 they're compared to some of the most notorious rebels in scripture.

Yanis and Yom raise who rose up against Moses and that's who Paul compares Timothy's detractors to the ones he needs to contend with. So what does Paul tell him? And what are we told this morning as we face difficulties?

We face detractors. Temptations hard times does Paul say to Timothy will buck up young man. At least you're not with me in prison. You're not about to have your head removed. So what are you complaining about?

Any more than we say to each other? Well, what are you complaining about? Because you have this disease you don't have Multiple sclerosis and the one who hears that doesn't say to the next one to them.

Well, well, you don't have cancer and that one goes on and on on we don't talk that way to each other. That's no encouragement that gives us nothing except for guilt and I've never heard anyone here speak that way.

But we wouldn't because what does Paul say? What do we say to each other. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead. Jesus Christ risen from the dead. He lived as more than an example here. He is lifted to his rightful rank as Savior.

Great many things you might say about Jesus, but this is most central to everything we need. At any moment? He's risen from the dead. You know, it's very popular. To speak of the resurrection of believers in Jesus as having a spiritual resurrection.

It's plagued the church since its inception that the resurrection is only a spiritual one. In 1st Corinthians we're going through that with our deacon teaching a Bible study before our prayer on Wednesday night and People thought that Jesus Christ might have been resurrected, but there's no resurrection of us to follow him.

That our resurrection if you will is only a spiritual one. Well, there is a spiritual resurrection. There is a resurrection you have immediately upon faith what Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13 and 14 called the seal of the Holy Spirit his inner Working that witness that assures us of our coming inheritance in Christ.

So sure as God's promise here that Paul can later describe us in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 6 as having been Raised with Christ. He writes about us as already seated with him in the heavenlies. Which we're not.

If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as I do and Paul says we're raised we're seated. Well here we are. Physically here in this place this morning. So it's a spiritual resurrection. Do you believe in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Have you repented of your sins? Have you sought solace for your sins in him and in him alone by the cross and the cross alone? Faith is a gift from God and with that faith comes this down payment this assurance of Christ by his Spirit given personally to you.

That you will follow after Jesus in a resurrection like his. So there is this idea. This truth from the Bible that when you come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ you are resurrected. Spiritually, yes spiritually because here we are physically.

But with that this seal this inner working this witness of the Holy Spirit within given upon faith as a gift of God. That assures you. That this resurrection that the Holy Spirit is witnessing to you that he's giving you this down.

Down down payment for this deposit is Only a taste of a real and literal and following after Jesus to be like him. Resurrection. Well, all this is small comfort if Jesus Christ is not risen from the dead.

1st Corinthians 15 15 the Apostle Paul says that if Christ is not risen. Then he and all who repeat his message after him. Including myself and all preachers who've come before and all preachers who will come after if Christ is not risen from the dead.

Our message is false. He says we are found to be false witnesses liars. He says we are then of all men most to be pitied because we're believing that Jesus Christ rose from the dead when he didn't. We're believing we're gonna follow after him when we're not.

What a pitiable silly thing to believe if it's not true. If history doesn't confirm it. If the Holy Spirit doesn't give us that inner witness and assure us that what the scripture says is absolutely reliable.

But Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and so God's satisfaction in Christ's own sacrifice is by that confirmed and By it is the final provision for our justification by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that final provision for our justification before his bar of justice by the resurrection.

We know our sins are forgiven By the resurrection. We know our sins are forgiven. Romans 4 25 says he was raised for our justification. Justification meaning before the bar of God's law before his justice we stand clean.

We stand innocent. That because upon Jesus Christ God's fury at our violations Was poured out on Christ Who took upon himself not his own sins for he is tempted in all ways as we are yet without sin our iniquities poured out on him.

And How do we know that God accepted his sacrifice? How do we know? That we are able to stand before God by faith in his son. By faith in what by now would just be bones turning to grain. No. By faith in a resurrected Lord Jesus Christ because God assures us that the sacrifice was complete.

When Jesus says it is finished it is finished indeed, and he raised him up to assure us of this very fact. Well Paul tells Timothy and what he by way of transmission in the scriptures. Transmission faithfully attended to by God's Spirit so we can be sure that the message We have in this scripture the message We preach is the message of God by this word that he has Safeguarded for us so we can preach it to you this day and hear it and understand it.

What he tells Timothy and us is it because God is Christ is raised the trials of this world. The things we suffer for his sake are put into right perspective. He rules now. The resurrected Lord he lives and he rules even now.

Now we can look out at the world and we can wonder why there's so much vitriol Leveled against him and why this is tolerated to me if if he rules. Why not smite them now and give them the eternal pestilence that their sins deserve?

Well there's a simple answer to that question. The answer is simply that he hasn't chosen to do so. That when God the Father says to God the Son go God the Son will immediately go and judgment will be final.

He rules even now and it's right there in this verse that we began with. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead. And then what's the next clause the next words the offspring of David. The offspring the from King David Israel's poet Israel's greatest king more than any other earthly ruler more than any other living Lord.

He David manifested what it meant for God's rule to hold sway. Jesus was best known as son of David. And when David was promised the throne it came with assurances that his throne would be an eternal throne.

God said you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel. Which is a covenant that has eternal ramifications. Matthew's gospel places great store in Jesus being Matt Jesus being David's greatest son.

But let's understand the importance of this as we think about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter 2 of Acts. When Peter is preaching his first public sermon this Pentecostal sermon. And he's speaking to those men who stopped on the way.

They're on the way to the temple to worship there and the Holy Spirit stops them in their tracks and they stop and they listen To Peter and he speaks about this very thing this difference between David and Jesus.

Where he says for David says concerning him was concerning the Lord Christ. I Saw the Lord always before me for he is that he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced.

My flesh also will dwell in hope for you will not abandon your Holy one, excuse me. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life.

You will make me full of gladness with your presence. The relationship between Christ and David is made clear here. King David from Judah from the tribe of Judah. And we know that the Christ must come from that tribe must come from.

David must be a descendant of him. But see there's a problem with David. The problem with David is he's dead. The Promises didn't die with him. The promises come from eternal and living God so they can't die with mere mortals.

But by death David proved that he cannot bring the promises to fruition. Which is a point that is important enough for Peter to go on and say brothers I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried and his tomb was with us this day.

As Peter speaking a couple of thousand years ago and basically saying is we all know where that tomb is. It's just down the boulevard. Go three blocks turn left make another turn to the north and there is the tomb of David and if we open up the tomb What would we find?

We'd find what's left of David. He's there. We could go see him if we wanted to. But here how he goes on. Being there for a prophet knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he was set one of his descendants on his throne.

He foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ that he was not abandoned to Hades. Nor did his flesh see corruption this Jesus God raised up and of that we are all witnesses. The greatest son of the greatest King could not be held by something as weak as death.

He was raised up as Paul says elsewhere. Above all rule and authority and a power and dominion and above every name that is named. So Jesus Christ The resurrected Lord the offspring of David he lives because he's resurrected.

He rules because he is King. David ruled for some four decades. Jesus forever. Now here is cause for Timothy there in Ephesus to endure. There is cause for us to carry on and To at all hazards Mold our lives into the shape of Jesus Christ to follow his word To be people of repentance.

To be people who come before the Lord Jesus Christ not just in repentance, but begging him to make me more like you. Why why would we do that? Why would we spend so much effort so much time? Why would we so often be on our knees in such a mode as to repent and to seek forgiveness and To put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

To put on the new man created by God in true righteousness and holiness. Why if the Lord is not risen makes little sense. But remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead. And he is above all rule. He is above all authority.

He's above all power and dominion. He is even now fulfilling what God promised to his father David. Father small f humanly speaking is cause for us to endure. Jesus, of course is our great example. Peter says in first Peter that we need to follow his example.

We need to follow his ways as set forth in his life most especially how he suffered without Giving back to men what he was getting from them. He didn't return evil for evil. We need to follow his example in all ways.

But Paul's point here in 2nd Timothy and ours here this morning is that the greatest of David's son Can make good all of God's Word. Why? Because he lives. Because he was raised from the dead and he lives now and forever.

What permeated Paul's mind as he heard the axe swing outside his cell? Executing other criminals knowing that his head would soon be on the block. What was on his mind? What was coming out of his mouth?

What filled his spirit and his soul? Jesus Christ risen from the dead. The power of the resurrection we spoke of from Philippians chapter 3. It's something that places things in their proper perspective puts things in their right order.

I Mean Paul looked in in that direction the earthly direction and when he looked back again when his eyes Gazed at Christ and compared them to things of earthly origin. What did he see? In Philippians 3 he calls them rubbish.

The the sheer impermanence of life compared to the eternity promised by the resurrection is the great equalizer. And if Christ is not it risen. The equation doesn't work. Paul says everything's become rubbish.

He doesn't mean that things of this world lack importance. He means that compared to the surpassing greatness of Christ. There are so much to be wanting as to be worthless. The life we live now in Christ's power gains importance because infinity stretches out past our final heartbeat.

One of my favorite movies is gladiator. Which I just read a history of Rome and what they say about those two emperors Marcus Aurelius and then Commodus has really nothing to do with history. So it's not even a historical movie.

It's just a pretty good movie. But Maximus spurring his troops on to courage in the coming battle. He says this. He says what we do in life echoes through eternity. Now again, that's just a line from a movie but there's some truth to that the fact that eternity stretches before us magnifies the importance of What we do here in life and why does eternity stretch before us because remember Jesus Christ?

Risen from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ who one day we will meet and we will see him as he is. We will be like him and the words we speak to one another. The administration of the things that God has given us in this day.

They don't become garbage or worthless. They become all the more important when we understand that Jesus Christ lives and we will one day stand before him and give an answer for all of this. What's the point here?

The point is that our religion if we can call it religion. Faith is a better word, but our religion if I can call it that is both supernatural and it's historical. We might even say it's supernaturally historical because it is God's eternal decree that determines all things whatsoever Shall come to pass and then it is his hand that guides all things to that end.

So how are all things supernatural because God before the foundation of the world decreed all things. How are they historical? Because God by his mighty right arm Guides them in time and space. To accomplish what he before the world was founded.

Decreed should happen. It's supernatural and is historical. The coming of Jesus his life his cross his death his burial his resurrection are all historically confirmed. But all those things guided by God's supernatural will and hand.

Let the gospel detractors admit as most of them will that Christ Jesus the offspring of David actually lived. I mean few will deny his death even. This is too well recorded to maintain any serious argument and most are okay with that.

They say something like okay. He lived and he walked among us. Yes, I'll agree with that. But will you agree that he was the son of David and they all right. I can do that. Yes. Okay, he came from this man who was called King David and you can trace his line from him.

Okay, I could do that. Well, let's press it further. How about if he is the son of David? The with a capital T. How about the prophesied son of David. How about the son of David who God always intended to finally accomplish the rule that the first David?

Could only be a slight inkling of. Well now they start to scoff now. They start to become brutes unable to understand they roll their eyes at you because if he lived that's one thing. But if he lived according to the timing and will of a God who spoke about it centuries before then the supernatural foundation of our faith is in play and this if Sin and righteousness and judgment are to be ignored as they generally must be and are.

Then it has to be denied at all hazards. No, they say. Let's have him be a great teacher. Let's have him be the chiefest of all the prophets. Let's make him out to have been a great example of charity or humility.

Let's remember how he said let the little children come to me and give no thought to the actual context and what he was actually Saying there. Let's just have him be a nice guy. Who sort of likes everyone?

There are some who make him out to be the path to riches and health something the scripture never promises. But which they from pulpits that are light with the flames of hell will promise to others anything that leaves behind the supernatural.

We see Jesus in time and space was resurrected. Jesus in history was raised from the grave. This was a display of the mighty the supernatural power of our mighty and invisible and supernatural God. So it's both.

Was our faith. What sustains us what keeps us going? Remember Jesus Christ raised from the dead there's a supernatural act of God a Display of his power like none other. Supernatural yes. Historical because it did in fact happen.

We don't have just this spiritual resurrection if all this is a spiritual resurrection the normal to or all we are told to do is Just feel good. Just be happy. But what God by his spirit gives us as this down payment this inner witness is That what we feel.

Feeling quotes is in fact a precursor to a God has promised. If you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ if you have repented of your sins, which you must you the individual Must come to him as an individual.

Repenting of your sins. Mourning your iniquity. Knowing that only God by his mercy Showered upon you because his wrath showered upon Christ. By faith in him in what God has done by his son proven by the resurrection.

Only then Can you be saved. Only then can you have this deposit? I was speaking of only then is the literal historical resurrection of Jesus Christ a type a Precursor a picture of what will actually happen to you.

By faith in him. Not by works by grace. You've been saved through faith not of works. It's a gift of God so that no one can boast. How do we get through? Why do we come together? How do we behave ourselves if I could put it that simply how do we behave ourselves in accordance with the Word of God?

Word of God. We have his word which teaches us as who teaches us his will. We have his spirit what gives us the power to do his will and just as prominent just as important we have a resurrected living Lord.

And. Anytime this becomes hard anytime we begin to think I just can't do this. I just don't have any more strength. Or we start to think in the back of our mind just the beginning of the thought just the germ of this thought.

It's not worth it, it's too hard. I'm tired of always coming up short against what the scripture says. I'm tired of always having something to repent of. We do always have something to repent of and we do always come up short.

And how do we keep moving? How do we keep going on? Where all the promises of God where is the promise of his spirit the power of his spirit working in us to bring us to? True righteousness and holiness, where is the wherewithal for these things?

Just remember Jesus Christ Risen from the dead because if he is risen. Then all the promises of God are yes and amen in him and all the promises of God have been proven in him and the Supernatural act of God in decreeing that the Lord Jesus Christ would come and do something about our sin something permanent something final.

About our sin all that supernatural Promise. Historically confirmed. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead. There's nothing else that will raise us beyond our circumstance. A Christian when troubles assail you where do you look.

Do you look to yourself? Do you find your strength in your own strength? No. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead. Do the things of this world attract you too much? They are beautiful. They are alluring.

They're useful. We have money for food. We have cars to get us to work. We have homes to guard us from the elements. Are they taking too great a role in your life? There's an answer. Remember Jesus Christ Risen from the dead at the end of our passage this morning.

There's a hymn of the church the very very early church. I'm actually preached on this passage just these few verses alone a few months back several months back. I want to close by going through these.

I'll go through a little part at a time. I have a few comments to make. 2nd Timothy chapter 2 and verse 11 begins this hymn this ancient creed of the church. Paul says if we have died with him we stop right away if we have died with him died to self by faith in Jesus died to this world by looking to heaven perhaps even.

There are those who have died and they're in the ground and waiting for his return. If we have died with him he goes on we will also live with him. When will we live with him? When we follow in his resurrection brethren.

If Christ is not raised we will not live with him because if Christ is not raised We will not be raised if he's not in heaven ruling now. We're not going to be able to follow him because he's not there to follow.

What does Paul say? We will live with him. We will be raised with him. He is the firstfruits and we will follow in that same pattern and Be with him in the presence of God forever. If we have died with him, we'll also live with him.

He goes on if we endure we will also reign with him. What does it mean to reign with him? We're not gonna be little kings sitting on little thrones ruling over who because when this happens There's only gonna be Christians.

There's only gonna be people who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and by that faith were brought before him and are going to Reign with him. Well, I'm not gonna be a king over you nor you over anyone else.

Goes all the way back to Adam. We're not gonna go into any detail here this morning. But what he's talking about here is reigning with him having our stewardship over the earth. Properly done restored because we are made perfect like him.

We're going to reign with him. God's going to again walk in the cool of the day with us and We will subdue the earth. We will have dominion over the earth, but without error without mistakes without sin.

If we endure we will also reign with him. He goes on if we deny him. He will also deny us. This does not mean that a believer who at some point in time Misses something misses an opportunity maybe through fear maybe through lack of diligence they don't speak up for Jesus at one time or another you at the car at the water cooler in the office and People are making fun of Christians or Jesus and you don't speak up and defend him.

That's not what he's talking about here. It doesn't mean a believer at some point misses the mark. Nor does it mean out and out denial as Peter did three times Jesus read that to you. It means you. You who have not repented it means you who have not believed the gospel.

He means you who in this life now are denying Christ. Denying that he lived or denying or saying yes. He lived but he didn't die for my sin or they might died for your sin. But I don't believe he's resurrected denying Christ.

At whatever level you care to put in your mind. It means you who now deny him if you persist in that. When you meet him as you will He will then deny you. He will say I never knew you. Terrifying words.