Oct. 8, 2017 PM Service Help Along The Way by 612b 16, Pastor Josh Sheldon

Chapter 6, Psalms 12 -16, these are some of the final admonitions of the

Lord to young Timothy. Fight the good fight of the faith.

Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and about which you made the good confession in the presence of your new witnesses.

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our

Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time. He who is the blessed and only

Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see, to him we honor in eternal dominion.

Amen. You know, there's no end of books written by well -meaning

Christian men and women that are meant to help us along the way. By along the way,

I mean, of course, as we sojourn in this strange world in which we are no longer citizens.

We simply try to find our way and keep on the path that is Christ. Now, like any other human endeavor, there's a mixed bag out there.

Some of these are better than others. There are those who strike a chord by addressing just what

I'm dealing with today, and they give me practical advice from the Scripture on how to maintain my walk.

Others are less helpful, either because of the author's skill, or because there's too little attachment to the

Scripture, which would be the fatal flaw. Whatever the case, or the intent is godly, meant for Christ's honor, we can use them with some discernment.

We can take these works of man, and as they are attached to the Scripture, as they address our need, discerningly, we can use them.

But of course, the source given by divine decree is the

Word of God itself. The Lord knows our frailty. He knows how easily we slip and how easily we stumble.

The man in Psalm 73, the one who finds himself envying the wicked men for their ease of life, he gives us an example of what this is like.

I'm not going to read the whole psalm to you, but in that psalm, he confesses how he agonizes and he doubts, after claiming his own more righteous conduct, and wondering aloud before God why his life isn't as wonderful as men and women's.

Here he is, working as hard as he can, following commandments, doing what

God would have, bringing the honor to Christ with every move as far as he is able, and understands the

Scripture, and yet those who completely ignore God, or derisive against God, seem to have that calmer, that better, that more fruitful life, seems to be an unimportant word.

And then after wrestling with his doubts, and being unvarnishingly honest with God about them, for it is a fine relief, but when

I thought how to understand this, it seemed to be a worrisome task, until I went to the sanctuary of God, then

I discerned their hand, then he remembered his salvation. It was returning to God, remembering the promises of God that he had himself, personal, that strengthened him to return to the fight, to stay on the path.

The apostles in the New Testament, they everywhere encourage us the same way, reminding us of a good

God, who has done wonderful things as a mainstay in the storms of life. When things come upon us, what do we remember?

It could be as simple as, we serve a good God, a good God, who has done wonderful things, and that should be our pillar, our strength, our foundation, our support, in times of trouble, in times of doubt, in times of stress.

As here in 1 Timothy chapter 6, verses 12 to 16, Paul has given

Timothy a very hard task. And as we think about Timothy's hard task, we can remember how

Jesus, in one place, describes our hard task. He says, take up your cross daily.

Take up your cross daily. Not an easy thing to do. Now, of course, it's metaphorical, because the cross that saved us is for Jesus and Jesus alone.

But it's a symbol of the difficulty that this Christian life is.

That's why Jesus said, take up your cross daily. Timothy's task was extremely hard.

The false teacher's heresies will not be easily rooted out. Not there, then, not anywhere, now.

The wrongful conduct in God's house, with the misapplication of roles to be carried out, returning the conduct of worship to its rightful bearing and a priority, directing prayers as they ought to be, putting right the selection of church leaders, all of this would tax

Timothy to the core. It would any of us. As we look into these verses meant to bolster

Timothy, we have for ourselves, as well, a fortifying word that will do for us what

Paul meant it for Timothy. Paul's protege wasn't the only one who faced hard trials.

We all encounter things in this world that will throw us off course if we let them. What Paul gave him here will also keep up and pick up our flagging spirits.

It will put wind in our sails, it will put a skip in our step as we remember these truths, these reminders to Timothy, these reminders to us, that it is

God who's working in you, it is God who's bringing you along the course, it is

God who's giving us the strength for us to do the doing, it is God who is the power, it is

God who is the grace behind it all. It's a remembering here that will sustain you.

Look back to your history with Christ and look forward to the future he promises us.

And we'll let these views encourage us, wherever we're at, whatever the trouble is, let these encourage us to stay the course.

Following the pattern that we have here as we will expound in a moment in 1 Timothy 6 -12, looking back and remembering what

Christ has done, looking ahead to what Christ has promised, and in between, what is there? In this world you will have trouble,

Jesus said. That's where we are. But behind us is Christ and his cross and the faith

God gave us in that. Ahead of us is glory and being like Christ, as seen as he is.

Let these, as we look at these verses, sustain us in this world, whatever comes upon us. The first thing he has told us to grasp firmly, the promise of eternal life.

The way Paul writes is not a continual act, as though you were constantly hanging on every moment.

That's how he worded the fleeing and the pursuing back in verse 11. Here though, he writes of the act of grasping, of hanging on to something.

And it means something like this, to lay hold of the eternal life that he has by faith in Christ Jesus.

In a decisive act, just grab on to it. And hang on to it. Not let go.

Use that great hope to your advantage by living all of life in the light of this one possession.

This one single possession. Eternal life that you have in Christ Jesus.

There are those for whom eternal life means that this present existence is not to be attended to. They live with their heads in the clouds, thinking of themselves holy, because all they think of is heaven.

And that's a very sad misuse of the gospel's end game. The hope of eternal life actually makes these current lives, and all that we do with them, all the more important.

For most of us, when God saved us, he left us here. In fact, all of us who are here now have been left here, for now.

In Acts 17, where Paul tells the Stoics and the Epicureans that every person lives when and where and for the span of time that God has determined, relates to this.

Jesus said that we cannot add a single moment to the span of life God has determined. The hope of eternity, in the presence of God, makes us all more diligent.

When difficulties arise, and here we meet in those hardships that inspire us to set our faith anywhere less than primary, remember that God has given you eternal life in Christ Jesus, and use that hope as a reservoir for goodness.

And then look back. Then look back. Remember your confession. I think he's reminding

Timothy of his baptismal confession. I wonder, when

I'm tempted to give up, when my strength is dried up like a potsherd, when sin's attraction is regaining its opinions over me, in such times, might it be we who do well to look back on that day when we told the world that Christ Jesus is my

Lord. That should strengthen us. Whenever we're looking at getting off the path and going away that is against the scripture, or even not quite in line with the scripture, as we understand that he who knows the good we do does not do it for him and his sin.

But when we're tempted that way, when we're going this wrong direction, when things are coming upon us, I wonder how much easier it would be for us to endure if we just stopped and remembered our confession.

Remembered that time when it was still fresh and wonderful, with a wide open child, eyes of a child, and we told the world,

I believe in Jesus Christ. How would that help us now to remember that when things come upon us?

I remember telling my church what God had done for me. I remember the joy I had in telling my testimony about the glory of God that was revealed to me.

I mean, church, remember that day.

Think hard on that day. Bring to mind your naive and childish joy.

Recall how you were not ashamed to weep for joy and revel in the saving arms of your Heavenly Father, whose the

Holy Spirit of God opened your eyes to see. When I confessed to my parents that I was a

Christian, I said it rightly, but I said it for the wrong reasons. My mother looked up and said, you did what?

My father joined me to the Nautis. He said I was finishing their work. But when I remember that good confession, when the image of that day when

I was bold for the Lord with them returns, I'm better able not to fear others.

I remember I was able to stand before them and hear those kind of responses. And yet, not knowing very much about Jesus at the time, as I say,

He is my Lord. This I know. I'm a great sinner and He is a great

Savior. Part of my good confession to them, by the way, was to tell them that I didn't so much do it as God did.

Mom said, you did what? I said, well, really it's a work of God, which she didn't understand. And biblically, of course, it's true.

I might have meant it a little bit more like Dad who meant it in the Garden. Mom, Dad, this God that you introduced me to in Temple, He did this.

Stop yelling at me about it, Mom. But do remember that good confession.

Do remember when you just couldn't help but exude the joy and enthusiasm you had because your faith had opened your eyes to Jesus Christ by the power of the

Spirit. In 1

Timothy there, the next place we're directed is to the Godhead before whom Paul lays the charge on the

Timothy. God the Father and God the Son is verse 13. I charge him in the presence of God who gives life to all things and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony he marries to Beth.

The Father gives life to all things, which has often been the case in this letter, takes us back to Genesis.

And there in chapter 1, it is God who created everything. And then in the 7th verse of the next chapter, it is he who breathed into the nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

So Paul is, as it were, in the corporate certifying Timothy's character or his charter.

It's like a mortgage recorded at the county recorder. The obligations and duties have been stipulated, they've been agreed to, they've been recorded in the presence of witnesses.

And here the witness is not the county recorder, not a certified copy of an obligation.

It is Paul in the presence of God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus our

Lord. Before them, I charge you, Timothy, to keep the commandment for this church that I've given you.

Now this may sound a little intimidating. But it's meant for our endurance, not for our terror.

Our good Father gave us life, and he is witness to our word to him of our calling. Of how we committed to him for what we do here.

And then there's Jesus, he gave testimony, he bore witness before Pilate. It's a very different thing than Timothy's or yours or my confession.

I mean, Timothy makes confession, but here Christ gives testimony. Some translations say he gave witness.

John 3 .11, Jesus gives witness of what he had seen, meaning the heavenly things. The confession we make follows after his witness.

We confess what he witnessed. It is what he testified to the

Father that is the sum and the substance of the gospel. The Lord stood before the

Roman governor and made him a good witness. With the cross looming, he told the truth. Pilate, a swall and petty lord at best, avert to have had some power over Jesus.

That he could, like the centurion of Matthew 8 .9, do what he wished. He could call to this one and say, put him on the cross.

Or to another he could say, I am in no mood today to have a man crucified, so send him away.

Or so he thought. I mean, Jesus witnessed what he had seen from the Father. What did he say to him?

Left to the Father to Pilate. You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given to you from above.

Therefore, he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin. There is to be some comparison here.

When people try our patience or would knock us off course. When we fear to give an answer for the hope that we have.

Think of the Lord. In the face of Golgotha, he told the truth. Yes, you say, yes, but remember he is

God. And it is not possible that God should lie. And I say, well said.

He was a man. And it is not possible that the death of the cross was forgotten. Or that he just shrugged it off and said, well, now

I am God, so how hard is it going to be? Our witness, the testimony we give, the truth on which we can give no quarter or brook any compromise follows

Christ's example. He who testified to Pilate is witness over us.

He put God's honor and God's glory that high. And so by the power of his Holy Spirit must we.

We are going to the present. We are looking back to conversion, back to our confession.

In the present, what is Timothy told? What are we told? Keep the commandment. Unstain and free from reproach.

That is his charge. This language will come up again in 2 Timothy chapter 4.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, preach the word. He is saying witnesses being brought in to certify each other with you and Timothy.

There are some questions about what the commandment is. It could be the gospel. It could be the law.

Some think it is a specific demand in this one letter. It is best probably to see it as really all of that.

He must guard his own walk if he will that of others. And to do that, what does he need to preach?

The whole counsel of God. Acts chapter 20. One of Paul's great concerns was the church's reputation with the outside world.

Remember chapter 3 verse 7 says that a pastor must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace and go astray.

Conduct in the church is required in chapter 5 about widows. And that has implications both within and without these walls.

This is part of our reputation. At the end of the letter he writes to Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you.

So if we look back and remember our confession and Jesus' testimony, will that not help us to remain unstained and free from the approach?

And Paul tells Timothy to do this until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Look ahead to what is in store for us.

The return of Jesus Christ. Him calling us to himself. Him sorting out the goats and the sheep.

And putting us who believe in him on his right side. Where we will be in the presence of God with great joy and thanksgiving and worship forevermore.

In Psalms, cried out, how long, O Lord? Paul answers plainly for us, doesn't he? Until the appearing of our

Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time. So when will he appear?

Do we want to take apart the complicated and hard to understand books and chapters in the book of Daniel?

Look to Revelation to find the timer or the timetable? Paul tells us actually, quite exactly, right there, at the proper time.

At the time when God the Father tells God the Son to go. That's what happens in Revelation when he's sent on that white charge with the armies behind him.

When? Not when the newspaper headlines line up with some system that we have from the book of Revelation or Daniel or wherever else people tend to go.

When God the Father, who holds this counsel to himself, says, go. And while we're here, this is our hope.

The hope not knowing when that moment will be. The hope of knowing that it will be.

And that's as far as we can go with it. And what a great hope that is. When will you say it?

And make that good confession. Make that witness to someone. That thing we can look back upon and strengthen ourselves with.

At the right time. And when will Jesus return? The same exact moment.

The right time. It's like Titus 2, 11 and 12.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.

And to live self -controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. So what sustains this effort?

The rest of it. Verse 13. Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great

God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He might return any moment.

Only the Father knows. What did Jesus say? When the Son of Man returns, only you find faith on the earth.

Or Matthew 24, 46. Where the Lord speaks of those that are at the moment of His return.

Thou obeying Him, was He saved. Blessed is that servant, whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

All this is meant. As so many books that are written. To keep us on course.

To give us what we need to know. In order to walk who we want.

To be worthy of the calling by which we are called. This is what strengthens us.

Remembering our moment of perversion. Remembering when we had the courage. By God's power. To give witness to Him.

Looking ahead. To Christ's sure and certain return. Which will be at the right time.

And in between. Here and now. Being strengthened in our walk. This is the doxology he ends with.

He who is the blessed and only sovereign. The King of kings and Lord of lords. Who alone has immortality.

Who dwells in unapproachable light. Whom no one has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion.

Amen. This is the one we serve. The blessed, the only sovereign.

The King of all kings. The Lord of all lords. And the one whose honor in all we do.

Is seen. Because of the gospel. Because of the faith. That God by His spirit has given.

Let's pray that these words. Will keep us living upright in this present evil age. And may we find in His promises.

All we need. To keep the faith. Amen. As we prepare for the table.

Please turn to hymn number 186. When I survey the wondrous cross.