1 00:00:03,333 --> 00:00:04,866 That song was words. 2 00:00:04,866 --> 00:00:07,266 I'm going to love you to death. Yeah. 3 00:00:07,266 --> 00:00:10,566 How can I say I believe when it's never really been that costly to me? 4 00:00:10,566 --> 00:00:12,966 I want to love you to death. That was the. 5 00:00:12,966 --> 00:00:15,966 That's the attitude of the New Testament. 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,733 You'll see the attitude of the of the apostles. 7 00:00:18,733 --> 00:00:21,433 It's the attitude of the Apostle Paul. 8 00:00:21,433 --> 00:00:23,000 I'm gonna love you with my whole life on them. 9 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:24,900 Love you to death. 10 00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:26,033 And I'm not going to back up. 11 00:00:26,033 --> 00:00:27,966 I'm not going to back off. 12 00:00:27,966 --> 00:00:30,966 And should it cost me everything. 13 00:00:31,066 --> 00:00:33,266 Praise God. 14 00:00:33,266 --> 00:00:36,633 And as we as we wrap up Second Timothy, 15 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,866 we, we read the final words of the Apostle Paul. 16 00:00:42,366 --> 00:00:45,366 He's in the prison in Rome. 17 00:00:45,466 --> 00:00:47,933 He's awaiting his beheading 18 00:00:47,933 --> 00:00:50,400 under Caesar Nero. 19 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:51,866 He knows he's going to die soon. 20 00:00:53,266 --> 00:00:55,733 He's looking back over his life, and he's writing this 21 00:00:55,733 --> 00:01:00,966 final letter to his his protege, a young man named Timothy, who's 22 00:01:00,966 --> 00:01:04,766 probably in his 30s, pastoring a church, leading a church in Ephesus. 23 00:01:04,766 --> 00:01:07,766 And Paul says, these are the final words, I have 24 00:01:08,733 --> 00:01:11,733 for you. 25 00:01:12,033 --> 00:01:15,033 Because I've loved Christ to death. 26 00:01:16,133 --> 00:01:18,233 He's going to be beheaded because of his testimony, 27 00:01:18,233 --> 00:01:22,766 because of his witness, because of his his work for the kingdom. 28 00:01:24,133 --> 00:01:27,133 He knows that time's coming soon. 29 00:01:28,166 --> 00:01:30,400 And he says, Timothy, these are my final words. 30 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,333 You need to take them to heart. I need to pass them on. 31 00:01:33,333 --> 00:01:36,433 And so Second Timothy, especially 32 00:01:36,433 --> 00:01:39,433 chapter four, is the final words of of Paul. 33 00:01:40,366 --> 00:01:43,433 What we see is this man 34 00:01:44,900 --> 00:01:47,966 who lived well, a life well lived. 35 00:01:48,766 --> 00:01:52,500 I was talking to one of my friends, my friend Jim, this week, 36 00:01:52,866 --> 00:01:56,633 and he told me about his pastor at a former church when he was young, 37 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,533 and the he said these words resonate in, in in Jim's head. 38 00:02:00,533 --> 00:02:05,300 This is his pastor told him, you always have to be ready to pray, preach or die. 39 00:02:08,300 --> 00:02:11,300 BUF Carriker said those words. 40 00:02:12,066 --> 00:02:13,633 You've got to be ready to pray. 41 00:02:13,633 --> 00:02:16,633 Preacher. Die. 42 00:02:16,766 --> 00:02:19,766 It's the same charge for Paul was ready, 43 00:02:20,100 --> 00:02:23,100 pray, preacher die, and now he is going to die 44 00:02:23,933 --> 00:02:25,400 is at the end of his life, a life 45 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,400 well lived. 46 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,200 And so I want to open up this chapter, chapter four, 47 00:02:33,066 --> 00:02:36,066 and look at the words of this dying man. 48 00:02:36,933 --> 00:02:39,600 The big idea for this chapter, 49 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,800 chapter is all about assessing 50 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,800 a life well-lived. 51 00:02:45,766 --> 00:02:47,000 And a life well-lived. 52 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,700 Is this life 53 00:02:49,700 --> 00:02:52,700 to be spent, spent and satisfied 54 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,766 with nothing held back. 55 00:02:55,766 --> 00:02:58,766 It's a life spent 56 00:02:58,933 --> 00:03:00,133 in the Kingdom of God. 57 00:03:00,133 --> 00:03:03,833 It's a life spent on behalf of Christ to the world. 58 00:03:03,966 --> 00:03:09,066 It's a life fully satisfied because a job well done, a life well lived 59 00:03:10,266 --> 00:03:13,266 that has held nothing back. 60 00:03:15,566 --> 00:03:16,633 Paul's at the end of his life. 61 00:03:16,633 --> 00:03:19,166 Like I said, he's 62 00:03:19,166 --> 00:03:22,033 he's not that old. 63 00:03:22,033 --> 00:03:23,633 And he says, Timothy, there are some things 64 00:03:23,633 --> 00:03:27,500 that are going to happen in, in these last seasons of the world 65 00:03:28,133 --> 00:03:31,200 that I want you to be very, very mindful of. 66 00:03:32,900 --> 00:03:35,866 And the last times, these last days, this is what the world's 67 00:03:35,866 --> 00:03:38,200 going to look like, and this is your responsibility in it. 68 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,200 And he would say the same to us. 69 00:03:41,666 --> 00:03:44,266 And what he will tell Timothy is what he will tell us 70 00:03:44,266 --> 00:03:47,466 as he's looking back and looking forward. 71 00:03:48,366 --> 00:03:51,266 It's going to tell Timothy two things. 72 00:03:51,266 --> 00:03:54,266 You need to make sure that you guard 73 00:03:55,466 --> 00:03:56,666 strong doctrine. 74 00:03:56,666 --> 00:03:59,633 You need to guard 75 00:03:59,633 --> 00:04:01,000 strong doctrine. 76 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,233 You need to guard this, 77 00:04:03,233 --> 00:04:06,300 and you need to guide people into it, because there's coming a time 78 00:04:07,566 --> 00:04:10,566 when people will not want to hear 79 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:13,433 strong doctrine. 80 00:04:13,433 --> 00:04:14,533 They don't want to hear. 81 00:04:14,533 --> 00:04:15,900 They'll come a time, a season 82 00:04:15,900 --> 00:04:18,900 where people don't want to hear what's in this anymore. 83 00:04:20,366 --> 00:04:23,133 And because they don't want to hear this anymore, 84 00:04:23,133 --> 00:04:26,133 they'll wander away from this. 85 00:04:27,133 --> 00:04:30,133 Even people who claim the name of Christ, Paul, will say, 86 00:04:30,133 --> 00:04:34,300 we'll start trimming the edges and softening this. 87 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:36,266 This is Timothy. 88 00:04:36,266 --> 00:04:40,433 You need to guard this, and you need to guide people into it, 89 00:04:40,433 --> 00:04:44,533 because people won't naturally gravitate to this, though gravitate 90 00:04:44,533 --> 00:04:47,533 away from it. 91 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,600 And so, Timothy, your job is to guard this 92 00:04:52,466 --> 00:04:53,566 and to guide people into it. 93 00:04:53,566 --> 00:04:55,200 And friends, I would tell you this 94 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,633 if you claim to be a follower of Jesus, it doesn't matter 95 00:04:57,633 --> 00:04:58,633 if you're a pastor or not. 96 00:05:00,033 --> 00:05:00,733 The charge 97 00:05:00,733 --> 00:05:04,633 from God in your life over you is to guard this. 98 00:05:04,633 --> 00:05:06,300 Don't drift from it. Don't soften it. 99 00:05:06,300 --> 00:05:08,400 Don't trim the edges. 100 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,400 Guard this in your own life, your own mind, your own heart, 101 00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:16,933 and make sure that you and those around you, our guard, are guided back to this. 102 00:05:16,933 --> 00:05:19,933 Do you understand what I'm saying? You. 103 00:05:22,733 --> 00:05:24,766 And so 104 00:05:24,766 --> 00:05:27,800 verse one of second Timothy four. 105 00:05:30,466 --> 00:05:31,800 I charge you 106 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,733 in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, 107 00:05:34,733 --> 00:05:39,600 who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing in his kingdom. 108 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:43,400 Let me stop right there, because this is this is setting up what Paul's 109 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:47,566 going to tell Timothy and what Paul tells Timothy in the final words of his life. 110 00:05:47,766 --> 00:05:48,966 He says, I charge you. 111 00:05:48,966 --> 00:05:51,966 And in the original Greek, there's a word there 112 00:05:52,500 --> 00:05:54,966 I charge you therefore, 113 00:05:54,966 --> 00:05:57,966 and anytime you see the word therefore, 114 00:05:58,066 --> 00:06:01,566 you need to look and see Wyatt's therefore, 115 00:06:01,700 --> 00:06:05,966 and so what he's saying is, I charge you therefore the therefore 116 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:09,033 is therefore for what he just said in 117 00:06:09,033 --> 00:06:12,033 chapter three, verses 16 and 17. 118 00:06:12,266 --> 00:06:15,633 And what he said in chapter three, verses 16 and 17, 119 00:06:15,833 --> 00:06:18,833 is this all Scripture, 120 00:06:18,900 --> 00:06:23,700 all Scripture is breathed out by God, the breath of God, 121 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:28,766 and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, rebuking, correcting, 122 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,400 and training in righteousness, that the man and woman of God 123 00:06:32,533 --> 00:06:36,300 will be complete, fully equipped, fully furnished for every good work. 124 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,000 He says, in light of all Scripture being God breathed. 125 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:41,766 And when Paul uses the words 126 00:06:41,766 --> 00:06:45,333 in light of all Scripture, he's certainly talking about the Old Testament, 127 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:50,000 because what we know, the New Testament wasn't existing as we know it at the time. 128 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,300 There were letters that were being circulated. 129 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:54,366 So we certainly talking about the Old Testament. 130 00:06:54,366 --> 00:06:56,800 But this is an indication that Paul knew 131 00:06:58,500 --> 00:06:59,400 that what he was 132 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,400 writing was the inspired Word of God. 133 00:07:03,433 --> 00:07:07,633 And some of the writings that we have in our New Testament from the apostles 134 00:07:07,766 --> 00:07:12,166 were there under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 135 00:07:12,900 --> 00:07:16,400 So he knows that not just the old times, but what is being written 136 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,400 now is also the very breath of God. 137 00:07:19,433 --> 00:07:24,633 He says, in light of that, because this is so good and so profitable, 138 00:07:24,633 --> 00:07:27,800 and because this will first of all, rebuke 139 00:07:28,633 --> 00:07:32,100 this right here, this word will rebuke. 140 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:35,300 And what rebuke means is it will call out error. 141 00:07:35,566 --> 00:07:38,700 It will say this is wrong and that is right. 142 00:07:39,066 --> 00:07:42,000 There is an objective binding 143 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,900 standard of what is wrong and of what is right. 144 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,566 And Scripture points it out in clear fashion. 145 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:54,233 And there's going to be a time where people don't want to hear clarity anymore. 146 00:07:56,133 --> 00:07:56,933 It's just. 147 00:07:56,933 --> 00:07:59,233 But in light of what this is, that it? 148 00:07:59,233 --> 00:08:03,466 Is it profitable to rebuke and then to correct? 149 00:08:04,066 --> 00:08:05,866 It's one thing to say this is wrong. 150 00:08:05,866 --> 00:08:08,233 It's another to say, this is how it's right. 151 00:08:08,233 --> 00:08:10,766 Do you understand? You, 152 00:08:10,766 --> 00:08:13,466 a math teacher that tells you got the problem wrong, doesn't do you 153 00:08:13,466 --> 00:08:16,633 any favors until they show you how to solve it. 154 00:08:18,133 --> 00:08:20,800 Rebuking, correcting, and then training. 155 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:22,766 So now I'm learning a new way of living. 156 00:08:22,766 --> 00:08:24,033 That's what this does, he says. 157 00:08:24,033 --> 00:08:27,000 In light of that. 158 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,566 And then he says in verse one, in the presence of God 159 00:08:29,566 --> 00:08:32,900 the Father and of Christ Jesus, he says both of them, 160 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,766 because this is a statement that Jesus is alive, 161 00:08:37,166 --> 00:08:40,166 because how do you stand in the presence of a dead person 162 00:08:40,633 --> 00:08:44,300 in light of the fact of God the Father and the living Christ, 163 00:08:44,433 --> 00:08:49,500 who will judge the living, the dead will all stand before him for judgment 164 00:08:50,466 --> 00:08:52,366 by his appearing and his kingdom. 165 00:08:52,366 --> 00:08:57,000 This is a military charge from a military leader 166 00:08:57,066 --> 00:09:02,800 who's given a charge to his underling of this is your duty now as a soldier. 167 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,800 This is what he's saying. 168 00:09:08,233 --> 00:09:11,100 Here comes the instruction, 169 00:09:11,100 --> 00:09:13,666 verse two and following preach the word. 170 00:09:13,666 --> 00:09:16,033 That's the first thing Paul says 171 00:09:16,033 --> 00:09:18,266 in light of all this. 172 00:09:18,266 --> 00:09:19,733 Preach the word. 173 00:09:19,733 --> 00:09:21,900 Be ready in season and out of season. 174 00:09:21,900 --> 00:09:25,166 Reprove, rebuke and exhort with complete 175 00:09:25,166 --> 00:09:28,166 patience and teaching. 176 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,000 The first charge 177 00:09:32,233 --> 00:09:35,133 because you're guarding this thing or guiding people in this, 178 00:09:35,133 --> 00:09:36,566 he says, proclaim this. 179 00:09:36,566 --> 00:09:39,466 That's what that word means to preach. 180 00:09:39,466 --> 00:09:42,466 Make a proclamation of this. 181 00:09:43,700 --> 00:09:45,166 Don't preach, don't change. 182 00:09:45,166 --> 00:09:48,166 Don't talk about your opinion. 183 00:09:49,866 --> 00:09:50,900 Don't. 184 00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:57,766 If this is not about self-help, it's not about motivation or about Instagram. Post 185 00:09:59,566 --> 00:10:02,566 Preach the Word, proclaim the word. 186 00:10:03,766 --> 00:10:06,866 He says he's going to tell us in verse three, because the season's coming 187 00:10:06,866 --> 00:10:09,866 when people won't want to hear this anymore. 188 00:10:10,633 --> 00:10:11,533 Preach the word. 189 00:10:11,533 --> 00:10:14,866 And he says, be ready in season and out of season. 190 00:10:14,933 --> 00:10:17,066 So stay true to this. 191 00:10:17,066 --> 00:10:21,933 Don't divert from this and be ready in season and out of season. 192 00:10:21,933 --> 00:10:24,933 In other words, be ready in an instant. 193 00:10:25,300 --> 00:10:29,500 Don't be surprised when opportunity arises. 194 00:10:29,500 --> 00:10:31,900 You're ready. 195 00:10:31,900 --> 00:10:34,900 Whether you think you're on or not, you're on 196 00:10:36,100 --> 00:10:37,766 in season and out of season, 197 00:10:37,766 --> 00:10:40,766 at the drop of a hat. 198 00:10:41,666 --> 00:10:44,666 I just had a conversation 199 00:10:44,700 --> 00:10:49,533 with this lady and this random thing and she said, 200 00:10:49,533 --> 00:10:53,900 you know, this whole idea about Jesus he might be aware of is the way. 201 00:10:54,300 --> 00:10:55,866 And it just came out of the blue. 202 00:10:55,866 --> 00:10:58,966 And I said, oh, that's interesting, because what the Bible says, 203 00:10:58,966 --> 00:11:03,233 Jesus, his own word, said, I am the way, the truth and the life. 204 00:11:03,233 --> 00:11:04,966 He's not a way. He's the way. 205 00:11:06,433 --> 00:11:07,033 And if you don't 206 00:11:07,033 --> 00:11:10,033 believe he's the way, we got a problem. You. 207 00:11:10,500 --> 00:11:12,100 It came out of the blue. 208 00:11:12,100 --> 00:11:15,100 But I read chapter four. 209 00:11:16,433 --> 00:11:19,433 And it says, be ready and seize him out of season. 210 00:11:20,066 --> 00:11:22,666 Do you understand? 211 00:11:22,666 --> 00:11:25,466 You don't get a big ramp up sometimes. 212 00:11:25,466 --> 00:11:28,466 Yeah, yeah. 213 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:30,733 He says this. 214 00:11:30,733 --> 00:11:33,000 Be ready to reprove. 215 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,000 That's that whole idea of calling out. 216 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,833 That's wrong. 217 00:11:38,833 --> 00:11:40,266 Have you ever known. 218 00:11:40,266 --> 00:11:43,433 And please understand, I'm going to talk about this in a little bit later. 219 00:11:43,433 --> 00:11:46,433 But please. 220 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:49,433 Especially when we're talking 221 00:11:49,433 --> 00:11:52,566 to people who claim to follow Jesus. 222 00:11:54,066 --> 00:11:57,266 Have you ever been in that situation with those who claim to follow Jesus? 223 00:11:57,433 --> 00:12:00,933 And you know they're living in sin and it's like, you know what, though? 224 00:12:00,933 --> 00:12:01,833 It's not for us to judge. 225 00:12:05,766 --> 00:12:07,033 Ever. 226 00:12:07,033 --> 00:12:08,933 Yeah. 227 00:12:08,933 --> 00:12:11,533 Especially if they're close to you. 228 00:12:11,533 --> 00:12:14,533 Yeah. I'm. 229 00:12:16,133 --> 00:12:19,033 And Tim says, listen, 230 00:12:19,033 --> 00:12:22,033 this is profitable for them. 231 00:12:23,533 --> 00:12:26,533 To rebuke and say, look, that's an error. 232 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:30,466 It's profitable for them. 233 00:12:30,466 --> 00:12:33,466 I want to fight for them. 234 00:12:33,700 --> 00:12:35,400 And how great would it be to go to the doctor? 235 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:37,833 And you have cancer. It's. I think you're okay. 236 00:12:37,833 --> 00:12:40,033 I mean, who am I to call it as cancer? 237 00:12:40,033 --> 00:12:43,033 But. Right. 238 00:12:43,500 --> 00:12:46,500 But not just to leave you there 239 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,200 for them to correct. 240 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,900 Here's how we're going to address it. 241 00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:54,066 And here's your hope. 242 00:12:54,066 --> 00:12:56,700 Do you understand? Yes. 243 00:12:56,700 --> 00:12:58,666 It's just to me, that's what this is good for. 244 00:12:58,666 --> 00:13:01,666 And in light of that, preach this. 245 00:13:03,833 --> 00:13:04,533 There are things 246 00:13:04,533 --> 00:13:08,500 that have to be called out not for condemnation but for correction. 247 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:09,900 Because in correction there's hope. 248 00:13:09,900 --> 00:13:14,966 And when Timothy says, reprove, rebuke and exhort, that word 249 00:13:14,966 --> 00:13:18,866 exhort is really important for us to understand what he's saying there. 250 00:13:19,133 --> 00:13:22,000 That word exhort is Paraclete, though 251 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:25,200 now, if you don't know Greek, that doesn't mean anything to you. 252 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,233 But the good news is, I do. 253 00:13:28,866 --> 00:13:29,466 And that word 254 00:13:29,466 --> 00:13:32,466 Paraclete, though, comes from the word Paraclete. 255 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,600 My wife knows what that means. 256 00:13:35,733 --> 00:13:39,533 The Paraclete is another word for the Holy Spirit. 257 00:13:40,033 --> 00:13:43,533 In the name of the Holy Spirit is our comforter. 258 00:13:45,166 --> 00:13:48,533 The Paraclete comes first of Jesus himself. 259 00:13:48,666 --> 00:13:53,200 And Jesus's words were, it's good for you that I go back to heaven, 260 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:57,600 because if I don't go back to heaven, I can't send you another Paraclete. 261 00:13:58,566 --> 00:14:02,066 So he was the first Paraclete, our comforter, 262 00:14:02,866 --> 00:14:06,833 because we've attached our lives through him to the father, we're given 263 00:14:06,833 --> 00:14:10,100 the Holy Spirit who is another Paraclete, 264 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:13,500 to be within us, to be our comforter. 265 00:14:13,533 --> 00:14:17,533 And now Paul is saying this very breathed out Word of God 266 00:14:17,733 --> 00:14:20,733 is your comforter. 267 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,100 Do you understand? 268 00:14:22,100 --> 00:14:25,100 So so, Timothy, this is why this is so important. 269 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,033 There must be times of rebuke. 270 00:14:28,033 --> 00:14:30,133 There will be times of correction for the. 271 00:14:30,133 --> 00:14:32,500 And in the correction comes the comfort. 272 00:14:34,033 --> 00:14:35,933 Do you understand? 273 00:14:35,933 --> 00:14:37,900 He said, that's why this is so important. 274 00:14:37,900 --> 00:14:40,900 Don't divert from this. 275 00:14:41,466 --> 00:14:42,866 This will be your comfort. 276 00:14:42,866 --> 00:14:46,800 And he says, now you approach people through the lens of the word 277 00:14:46,866 --> 00:14:49,866 with patience as you teach them. 278 00:14:49,933 --> 00:14:52,933 You know why you have to have patience? 279 00:14:53,233 --> 00:14:55,233 Because people are people. 280 00:14:55,233 --> 00:14:56,900 Yeah, 281 00:14:56,900 --> 00:14:59,000 people are people. 282 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,600 Wouldn't it be great if we just had to be told 283 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,600 one thing one time and we got it dialed in, 284 00:15:05,533 --> 00:15:07,933 Parents? 285 00:15:07,933 --> 00:15:11,400 Self esteem would be great because the Bible says this. 286 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:12,000 So there you go. 287 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,966 Like, okay, good. I'm good. No. No problem. 288 00:15:14,966 --> 00:15:17,233 It says, look at you, you gotta have some. 289 00:15:17,233 --> 00:15:20,233 Like this isn't this isn't instant transformation 290 00:15:20,266 --> 00:15:22,933 like salvation is instant once you accept Christ as your Savior. 291 00:15:22,933 --> 00:15:24,600 But everything else. 292 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,000 That's what the Bible calls sanctification. 293 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,800 And sanctification takes an entire life lifelong, 294 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:31,700 and you're never fully sanctified till you're in heaven. 295 00:15:31,700 --> 00:15:33,266 And Bible calls that glorification. 296 00:15:33,266 --> 00:15:36,133 And so, like, it's going to take a while. 297 00:15:36,133 --> 00:15:38,866 Just be patient, but don't divert from this. 298 00:15:38,866 --> 00:15:41,333 And here's why. Here's why you do all this. 299 00:15:42,300 --> 00:15:44,566 Verse three for the time is 300 00:15:44,566 --> 00:15:48,400 coming when people will not endure sound teaching. 301 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:49,400 The word is doctrine. 302 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,433 The time is coming when people will not endure this doctrine anymore, 303 00:15:55,066 --> 00:15:57,900 but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves 304 00:15:57,900 --> 00:16:01,566 teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from, 305 00:16:02,100 --> 00:16:05,133 listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 306 00:16:05,133 --> 00:16:10,500 He's saying, look at there's come, there's coming a time and again this word time. 307 00:16:10,500 --> 00:16:12,266 Same what he used in chapter three. 308 00:16:12,266 --> 00:16:15,266 Two words in Greek for time, chronos and kairos. 309 00:16:15,300 --> 00:16:18,200 Chronos is just the passing of time. 310 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:19,466 Seconds to minutes. 311 00:16:19,466 --> 00:16:20,733 Minutes to hours. 312 00:16:20,733 --> 00:16:22,566 Hours to days, days to weeks. 313 00:16:22,566 --> 00:16:24,333 You understand it, he said. 314 00:16:24,333 --> 00:16:27,566 There's not a date circled on the calendar when this is going to happen, 315 00:16:27,633 --> 00:16:29,333 there is a kairos. 316 00:16:29,333 --> 00:16:34,100 There's a season when this will occur and the season is this 317 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:38,666 when people will no longer endure sound doctrine, 318 00:16:39,733 --> 00:16:42,233 it's too much for them. 319 00:16:42,233 --> 00:16:46,033 And so they'll have these little ears that are itching for someone 320 00:16:46,033 --> 00:16:49,466 to tell them what they want to hear, because this is too hard. 321 00:16:49,633 --> 00:16:52,400 This is too much. 322 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:55,866 They'll say things like, well, that was back then, but now 323 00:16:57,366 --> 00:16:58,133 they'll say things. 324 00:16:58,133 --> 00:17:00,366 What this says is a little too extreme. 325 00:17:00,366 --> 00:17:02,333 And so now 326 00:17:02,333 --> 00:17:04,766 like this says God is love. 327 00:17:04,766 --> 00:17:06,933 But now we say love is love. 328 00:17:06,933 --> 00:17:09,900 It doesn't matter who or what. 329 00:17:09,900 --> 00:17:12,400 They won't endure sound doctrine anymore. 330 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,166 Do you understand? 331 00:17:14,166 --> 00:17:17,833 Because this will tell us in the beginning God created male and female. 332 00:17:17,833 --> 00:17:20,833 There's only two. 333 00:17:20,966 --> 00:17:23,066 But they want to do sound doctrine anymore. 334 00:17:23,066 --> 00:17:25,400 So now let's kind of soften that a little bit. 335 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,666 Now there's an innumerable number of genders and expressions. 336 00:17:31,166 --> 00:17:32,166 There's coming a season. 337 00:17:32,166 --> 00:17:35,166 And guess what? 338 00:17:36,266 --> 00:17:38,166 Guess what? 339 00:17:38,166 --> 00:17:40,700 We're in it. 340 00:17:40,700 --> 00:17:42,833 There's coming a season where you know what? 341 00:17:42,833 --> 00:17:45,866 Like, yeah, Jesus was a good moral teacher. 342 00:17:45,866 --> 00:17:48,133 I mean, it's a profound and just a great stuff. 343 00:17:48,133 --> 00:17:51,833 And but I believe this and like the laws are sincere and good people. 344 00:17:51,833 --> 00:17:56,033 Well, that's sound doctrine says I'm the way, the truth, the life. 345 00:17:56,766 --> 00:17:59,766 There's no other way. 346 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:00,933 There's coming to season. 347 00:18:00,933 --> 00:18:03,200 Well, people will not endure sound doctrine. 348 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:04,800 Guess what? 349 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,033 We're in it. Yeah. 350 00:18:07,033 --> 00:18:09,833 And so Paul says, preach the word. 351 00:18:09,833 --> 00:18:14,333 Not your opinion, not your Instagram post, not motivation. 352 00:18:14,500 --> 00:18:17,366 Now we'll make people feel good. 353 00:18:17,366 --> 00:18:20,366 Stay clear on this. 354 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:22,100 So let me tell you. 355 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:23,800 Think you 356 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,800 thank you that you're strong enough for sound doctrine. 357 00:18:28,366 --> 00:18:29,233 Thank you. 358 00:18:29,233 --> 00:18:29,966 Thank you for preaching. 359 00:18:31,133 --> 00:18:34,133 Yeah. 360 00:18:34,466 --> 00:18:36,600 There's come at a time 361 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:38,366 and love his words. 362 00:18:38,366 --> 00:18:40,166 When they won't endure this anymore. 363 00:18:40,166 --> 00:18:44,966 But they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. 364 00:18:45,133 --> 00:18:48,266 They'll accumulate for themselves, their podcasters. 365 00:18:49,533 --> 00:18:52,966 They'll accumulate for themselves, their celebrity pastors 366 00:18:52,966 --> 00:18:55,966 who have the great soundbites. 367 00:18:56,900 --> 00:18:59,433 They'll accumulate for themselves. 368 00:18:59,433 --> 00:19:02,700 They'll live in their own echo chamber that softens this and tells them 369 00:19:02,700 --> 00:19:05,700 and affirms how they want to live. 370 00:19:08,666 --> 00:19:11,666 I want you to understand something. 371 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,266 That the size of the audience doesn't 372 00:19:14,266 --> 00:19:17,266 validate the strength of the message. You. 373 00:19:19,466 --> 00:19:20,700 That we got to understand. 374 00:19:20,700 --> 00:19:21,000 Like. 375 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,000 Like. 376 00:19:26,766 --> 00:19:27,600 Friends, please. 377 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,566 Always. And train your children. 378 00:19:30,566 --> 00:19:33,566 Focus on the strength of the doctrine, not the size of the crowd. 379 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,166 The largest churches in America 380 00:19:38,166 --> 00:19:42,033 is run by a heretic who's perverted the gospel. 381 00:19:42,033 --> 00:19:44,500 His name is Joel Osteen. I'm one. 382 00:19:44,500 --> 00:19:47,500 And the size of the crowd would make people say, hey, there's something there. 383 00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:50,033 Yeah. And it's all evil. 384 00:19:53,166 --> 00:19:56,166 We gotta be very careful. 385 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:59,366 There's some huge churches out there that look like they're pretty solid 386 00:19:59,366 --> 00:20:01,133 Christian churches, but if it wasn't for their band 387 00:20:01,133 --> 00:20:04,133 of their music that they produced, their ministry would be nothing 388 00:20:04,933 --> 00:20:07,933 because their doctrine is horrible. 389 00:20:14,700 --> 00:20:17,700 Just look, this is what's going to happen. 390 00:20:20,100 --> 00:20:23,100 They'll turn away. 391 00:20:24,300 --> 00:20:27,466 Hey, I'm gonna let you just have a little sneak 392 00:20:27,466 --> 00:20:30,466 peek into the life of a pastor in the life of your pastor. 393 00:20:32,833 --> 00:20:35,833 Some will try and way. 394 00:20:38,166 --> 00:20:39,100 And I've heard it before. 395 00:20:39,100 --> 00:20:41,833 And I'll hear it again. 396 00:20:41,833 --> 00:20:42,900 Pastor, I love your teaching. 397 00:20:42,900 --> 00:20:44,433 Mounted solid. It's good stuff. 398 00:20:44,433 --> 00:20:46,300 But you know that church over there? 399 00:20:46,300 --> 00:20:49,300 They just got a killer coffee shop. 400 00:20:54,566 --> 00:20:55,966 You know, what you teach us 401 00:20:55,966 --> 00:21:00,133 is it's solid, but, you know, I mean, their facility, their children's stuff. 402 00:21:00,133 --> 00:21:02,700 And they got all the lights and the smoke machines and. 403 00:21:10,166 --> 00:21:11,800 Like, what you do there to rent is great. 404 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:12,266 But you know what? 405 00:21:12,266 --> 00:21:13,466 They got pickleball courts. 406 00:21:13,466 --> 00:21:16,466 And so, I mean, how do you argue with that? 407 00:21:25,366 --> 00:21:28,366 Sound doctrine. 408 00:21:30,833 --> 00:21:32,033 Now, if you have sound doctrine 409 00:21:32,033 --> 00:21:35,100 and pickleball courts and a coffee shop, that's awesome. 410 00:21:41,266 --> 00:21:43,333 But nothing replaces sound, doctor. 411 00:21:43,333 --> 00:21:44,533 Yeah. 412 00:21:44,533 --> 00:21:47,533 Amen. 413 00:21:48,500 --> 00:21:49,066 Verse five. 414 00:21:49,066 --> 00:21:51,700 As for you, always be sober minded, endure suffering, 415 00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:54,100 do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 416 00:21:54,100 --> 00:21:55,700 He said, look, Timothy, here's a deal, man. 417 00:21:55,700 --> 00:21:58,200 Like this is what's important. 418 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,900 And as you do this, be sober minded means be calm and collected 419 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,266 because people are going to walk away and people are going 420 00:22:04,266 --> 00:22:06,933 to accumulate for themselves a bunch of podcast pastors, 421 00:22:06,933 --> 00:22:08,400 and it's not going to be you. 422 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,833 So just keep a calm, collected level head about this whole thing. 423 00:22:11,833 --> 00:22:13,966 Don't worry about it and endure some suffering. 424 00:22:13,966 --> 00:22:15,733 That is not the Christian message. 425 00:22:15,733 --> 00:22:17,933 That's that gets a lot of followers anymore. 426 00:22:17,933 --> 00:22:18,933 Endure suffering. 427 00:22:18,933 --> 00:22:22,500 Paul just said in chapter three verse 12, if you want to follow Jesus, 428 00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:23,766 you're going to suffer. 429 00:22:23,766 --> 00:22:26,933 So here's a here's the deal, good friend and Christian. 430 00:22:27,100 --> 00:22:30,100 If we're not suffering for our faith, we're not doing it right. 431 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,133 At some level, it will cost us. 432 00:22:33,133 --> 00:22:34,666 It will cost us relationships. 433 00:22:34,666 --> 00:22:35,800 It'll cost us friendships. 434 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,600 It will cost us money. It'll cost us 435 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,600 because we're doing it right. 436 00:22:43,166 --> 00:22:46,166 And if there's no suffering and no cost, it's not Christlike. 437 00:22:46,233 --> 00:22:48,066 Yeah. 438 00:22:48,066 --> 00:22:49,966 And then he says, what? 439 00:22:49,966 --> 00:22:51,633 What's his charge? 440 00:22:51,633 --> 00:22:52,233 What do you say? 441 00:22:52,233 --> 00:22:54,433 Look at look at the look at your own Bibles. Don't look at me. 442 00:22:54,433 --> 00:22:55,866 Look at the end of verse five. 443 00:22:55,866 --> 00:22:58,200 Do what you do. 444 00:22:58,200 --> 00:22:59,800 What the end of verse five. 445 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,500 What's it say? Read it with your mouths open. 446 00:23:02,500 --> 00:23:05,500 Do the work of the evangelist. 447 00:23:05,500 --> 00:23:07,233 This is his great charge. 448 00:23:07,233 --> 00:23:09,966 Do the work. 449 00:23:09,966 --> 00:23:11,700 Do the work. 450 00:23:11,700 --> 00:23:12,700 What's God want me to do? 451 00:23:12,700 --> 00:23:15,066 He want you to do the work 452 00:23:15,066 --> 00:23:15,800 I don't want to do. 453 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:17,633 Yeah, you do do the work. 454 00:23:17,633 --> 00:23:18,933 Well. What work? 455 00:23:18,933 --> 00:23:21,533 Evangelism work. 456 00:23:21,533 --> 00:23:22,466 Do you know what evangelist? 457 00:23:22,466 --> 00:23:25,466 Do you know what an evangelist is? 458 00:23:28,033 --> 00:23:30,966 A disciple of disciple the evangelist is someone who shares the good news. 459 00:23:33,066 --> 00:23:34,900 It's the one who brings good news. 460 00:23:34,900 --> 00:23:37,433 That's what the word evangelist is. 461 00:23:37,433 --> 00:23:40,433 So let me help you understand this, dear friend. 462 00:23:42,433 --> 00:23:45,433 The evangelist is one who brings good news 463 00:23:45,633 --> 00:23:48,633 to those who don't know the good news. 464 00:23:48,733 --> 00:23:52,200 Once you've accepted Jesus in your heart, 465 00:23:52,500 --> 00:23:56,566 you're a Christ follower and God leaves you on this earth. 466 00:23:56,700 --> 00:24:00,533 He leaves you on this earth to do what you cannot do in heaven. 467 00:24:00,733 --> 00:24:02,533 Otherwise, won't you accept Jesus? 468 00:24:02,533 --> 00:24:04,833 He just teleport you to heaven, 469 00:24:04,833 --> 00:24:07,800 so he leaves you here to do what you can't do there. 470 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:11,400 There's only two things that you can do here that you can't do there. 471 00:24:11,833 --> 00:24:13,266 You want to know what they are? 472 00:24:13,266 --> 00:24:13,700 Good. 473 00:24:13,700 --> 00:24:17,033 I'll tell you the only two things that you can do here that you can't do. 474 00:24:17,033 --> 00:24:18,233 There are sin. 475 00:24:19,833 --> 00:24:22,633 And tell unbelievers about Jesus. 476 00:24:22,633 --> 00:24:25,033 And so the reason God doesn't teleport you to heaven. 477 00:24:25,033 --> 00:24:28,866 Would you accept Jesus as your Savior is to do one of those two things here, 478 00:24:28,866 --> 00:24:33,300 which in all your great wisdom do you think he leaves us here to do 479 00:24:34,633 --> 00:24:37,433 as sin 480 00:24:37,433 --> 00:24:40,433 and to tell the good news? 481 00:24:40,900 --> 00:24:43,866 And if that's the only the two things you can't do that we could do here 482 00:24:43,866 --> 00:24:45,366 that we can't do there. 483 00:24:45,366 --> 00:24:47,166 And that's why he left us here. 484 00:24:47,166 --> 00:24:50,266 Of those two things, which do you and I do more of? 485 00:24:55,733 --> 00:24:58,733 I'm talking about disobedient Christian. 486 00:24:59,133 --> 00:25:01,866 Do the work of the evangelist. 487 00:25:01,866 --> 00:25:03,300 Be the bringer of good news. 488 00:25:03,300 --> 00:25:06,300 So let me set the stage for you. 489 00:25:06,733 --> 00:25:08,233 Isaiah 52 seven. 490 00:25:08,233 --> 00:25:13,333 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news. 491 00:25:13,500 --> 00:25:16,666 Paul reiterated that very thing in Romans 1019. 492 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:19,933 Here's what the prophet Isaiah was saying back 493 00:25:19,933 --> 00:25:23,100 in ancient times, when two nations would go to war with each other, 494 00:25:23,333 --> 00:25:26,233 they didn't have CNN, they didn't have Fox News, 495 00:25:26,233 --> 00:25:29,833 they didn't have instant post, they didn't have reporters on the ground. 496 00:25:30,300 --> 00:25:33,600 The only way the people back home would know 497 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:38,366 if there was victory or defeat in the battle was by a runner, 498 00:25:38,866 --> 00:25:42,400 and the runner would find out the news of the battle. 499 00:25:42,733 --> 00:25:44,700 Did we win or did we lose? 500 00:25:44,700 --> 00:25:46,633 Are we destined for life? 501 00:25:46,633 --> 00:25:48,400 Are we destined for security? 502 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:53,600 Are we destined or are we destined for destruction and defeat and death? 503 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:55,700 What's the news? And they would. 504 00:25:55,700 --> 00:26:00,266 The runner would find out the news and run back to the nation. 505 00:26:00,333 --> 00:26:03,400 To bring the bringer to be the bringer of news. 506 00:26:03,900 --> 00:26:06,900 We all know how this went down. 507 00:26:06,966 --> 00:26:08,500 It's in our history books. 508 00:26:09,666 --> 00:26:12,866 The Battle of Thermopylae, the battle of of marathon. 509 00:26:12,866 --> 00:26:15,866 We all know how this happened in history. 510 00:26:16,066 --> 00:26:20,333 The interesting thing in ancient times is the one who would bring the news, 511 00:26:20,333 --> 00:26:24,600 would oftentimes suffer the consequence of the news that he brought. 512 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:29,666 And so that's why in Scripture, when David son Absalom, 513 00:26:29,666 --> 00:26:32,766 was revolting against David in the kingdom and trying to tear the kingdom 514 00:26:32,766 --> 00:26:36,200 out of his hands, King David said, you go find my son, 515 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:40,700 but don't lay a hand on him, I love him, I want to restore, redeem him. 516 00:26:40,900 --> 00:26:44,400 And David's men found Absalom, and they killed him. 517 00:26:44,766 --> 00:26:48,466 And the one who brought the news of the destruction of David's son. 518 00:26:48,666 --> 00:26:52,933 David's response was, Absalom, Asher, oh, my son asked him how I would have. 519 00:26:53,133 --> 00:26:54,200 How I loved you. 520 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:57,200 And then he said, put the bringer of the news to death, 521 00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:59,533 suffer the same fate of the news. 522 00:26:59,533 --> 00:27:00,866 They brought. 523 00:27:00,866 --> 00:27:03,800 And so you knew if you were waiting for news to come, 524 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,666 you could tell if it was good news or bad news, 525 00:27:06,666 --> 00:27:09,666 because the one bringing bad news was not running their fastest. 526 00:27:11,166 --> 00:27:13,133 You understand? 527 00:27:13,133 --> 00:27:16,133 But the bringer of good news. 528 00:27:16,533 --> 00:27:19,533 As the nation watched the horizon, 529 00:27:19,633 --> 00:27:22,466 what news is going to come? 530 00:27:22,466 --> 00:27:25,100 And the one who's bringing good news 531 00:27:25,100 --> 00:27:28,500 is one with all their might and all their passion, 532 00:27:28,666 --> 00:27:32,333 as fast as they can, with purpose and priority, 533 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,800 because they know they have the news of salvation, 534 00:27:35,966 --> 00:27:39,766 they have the news of restoration, they have the news of liberation. 535 00:27:39,900 --> 00:27:43,766 And they can't wait to tell the people who are in bondage 536 00:27:43,766 --> 00:27:45,000 and waiting to hear this news. 537 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,000 How beautiful are those feet? 538 00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:50,900 Do you understand? 539 00:27:50,900 --> 00:27:55,933 And so what Isaiah says, and what Paul reiterates is how beautiful 540 00:27:56,033 --> 00:28:01,566 are the feet of those who bring who do the work of an evangelist. 541 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:03,566 Yeah, yeah. 542 00:28:03,566 --> 00:28:06,566 And so ask yourselves. 543 00:28:07,066 --> 00:28:08,366 How ugly are your feet? 544 00:28:17,333 --> 00:28:20,333 There's a special blessing. 545 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,000 On the feet that bring good news. 546 00:28:26,500 --> 00:28:27,033 Be ready. 547 00:28:27,033 --> 00:28:30,033 In season and our season. 548 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,300 Man, is is about a lot more than you. 549 00:28:36,300 --> 00:28:37,633 Trying to be all you can be. 550 00:28:37,633 --> 00:28:39,100 Be the best person you can be. 551 00:28:39,100 --> 00:28:42,100 Don't ever be the best person you could be. 552 00:28:42,266 --> 00:28:45,266 Be the person God has called you to be. 553 00:28:46,366 --> 00:28:48,733 And the priority of that is the doctrine of fear 554 00:28:48,733 --> 00:28:51,733 and the sharing of good news. 555 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,400 So just ask yourself. 556 00:28:57,300 --> 00:28:58,533 How beautiful are your feet? 557 00:28:58,533 --> 00:29:01,533 When's the last time you talked to someone about Jesus? 558 00:29:03,733 --> 00:29:05,700 When's the last time you, Christian? 559 00:29:05,700 --> 00:29:06,000 Once. 560 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:09,000 The last time you said, do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? 561 00:29:11,700 --> 00:29:13,533 When's the last time you had a conversation like that? 562 00:29:13,533 --> 00:29:15,533 That said, I don't want to know what you believe about God. 563 00:29:15,533 --> 00:29:16,733 Tell me what you believe about Christ. 564 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,833 You know, probably 90 plus percent of people in this room 565 00:29:22,833 --> 00:29:25,833 have never led someone to Jesus personally. 566 00:29:27,866 --> 00:29:29,000 Actually led them through a prayer 567 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,000 of commitment and confession. 568 00:29:33,933 --> 00:29:36,933 Make it so content of, you know, 569 00:29:37,266 --> 00:29:40,266 trying to be personally obedient and. 570 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:44,166 It's okay. 571 00:29:44,166 --> 00:29:47,166 People know we go to church. 572 00:29:49,533 --> 00:29:50,266 But as far as doing 573 00:29:50,266 --> 00:29:53,266 the work on an evangelist. 574 00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:59,400 This is the last thing Paul's passed on to Timothy. 575 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:02,400 This is of utmost importance. 576 00:30:02,833 --> 00:30:04,500 Listen, God 577 00:30:04,500 --> 00:30:07,500 wants people to be in heaven more than you want people to be in heaven. 578 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:11,833 Second Peter, God's not slow in keeping his promise, 579 00:30:12,133 --> 00:30:14,866 but he's patient, giving everyone a chance to repent. 580 00:30:14,866 --> 00:30:18,066 And then we're told in Matthew that we are 581 00:30:18,066 --> 00:30:20,366 the ones you're supposed to go make disciples. 582 00:30:20,366 --> 00:30:23,466 So if God wants everybody come to repentance and he wants us to be 583 00:30:23,466 --> 00:30:24,800 the ones, the bridge between them, 584 00:30:26,633 --> 00:30:28,966 he's going to make sure that we're able to do what he wants us to do. 585 00:30:28,966 --> 00:30:30,933 Is that makes sense? Yes. 586 00:30:30,933 --> 00:30:33,400 So towards that end, God has already gifted you 587 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:35,800 with a style of evangelism that we see in Scripture. 588 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:38,800 There's six styles of evangelism that we see in Scripture. 589 00:30:39,033 --> 00:30:41,100 And he's given. He's made you. 590 00:30:41,100 --> 00:30:44,100 So one of those styles really fits you really well. 591 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:47,766 Back a few years, I did a teaching on this and it's on our website. 592 00:30:47,766 --> 00:30:50,266 It's on our app on the unfiltered unplugged. 593 00:30:50,266 --> 00:30:52,500 We got a we got a picture about that. Pull that up. 594 00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:56,400 Listen, get scan this QR code, go to our app. 595 00:30:56,400 --> 00:30:58,700 It's unfiltered unplugged. It's how to share your faith. 596 00:30:58,700 --> 00:31:00,566 The six styles of evangelism. 597 00:31:00,566 --> 00:31:02,700 One of them fits you really, really, really well. 598 00:31:06,233 --> 00:31:07,800 Some of us don't have to work at evangelism. 599 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,733 It's a spiritual gift God has given us, and we love him. 600 00:31:10,733 --> 00:31:11,966 We race, and we look for opportunities. 601 00:31:11,966 --> 00:31:14,966 Others of you, you're like each. 602 00:31:16,533 --> 00:31:19,700 And if you're like me, does that mean you don't get to do it? 603 00:31:20,866 --> 00:31:23,433 No, it means you get to do the work 604 00:31:23,433 --> 00:31:25,333 and it's going to be work to develop it. 605 00:31:25,333 --> 00:31:27,033 It's going to be work to embrace it. 606 00:31:27,033 --> 00:31:30,000 You got to put in the time of the work. 607 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,000 And towards that end, I want to help you understand how you're gifted to do it. 608 00:31:34,300 --> 00:31:36,666 And so go to that, listen to that, go through that. 609 00:31:36,666 --> 00:31:39,700 And then I've printed for you in the Welcome Center 610 00:31:40,466 --> 00:31:44,166 a little inventory that you can take that will help flesh out 611 00:31:44,166 --> 00:31:47,166 which of the six styles is more naturally your fit. 612 00:31:47,666 --> 00:31:50,700 I just talk this through with about 40 of our guys yesterday 613 00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:54,533 in our two men's ministry, and they're doing it this month. 614 00:31:54,533 --> 00:31:55,600 We're going to talk about it next month. 615 00:31:55,600 --> 00:32:00,466 And I'm so excited for 40 of our guys to learn to do the work of an evangelist. 616 00:32:00,466 --> 00:32:03,466 I want to invite you into this gift stand. 617 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:05,566 So pick up that inventory. Go through that. 618 00:32:05,566 --> 00:32:07,800 At least you'll know how you're wired for it. 619 00:32:09,033 --> 00:32:09,866 And then you look for 620 00:32:09,866 --> 00:32:13,066 opportunities to use your wiring in a way that's natural for you. 621 00:32:13,066 --> 00:32:16,933 That doesn't feel weird to do the work to do evangelism. 622 00:32:17,633 --> 00:32:20,633 You follow that instead, 623 00:32:20,633 --> 00:32:23,633 do the work. 624 00:32:24,966 --> 00:32:27,966 Because your feet become beautiful. 625 00:32:35,566 --> 00:32:36,800 I need to go on. 626 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:39,800 I can talk about this forever. 627 00:32:40,366 --> 00:32:43,366 Did you know that you are God's plan? A 628 00:32:44,033 --> 00:32:47,033 for evangelism and there is no plan B? 629 00:32:49,133 --> 00:32:52,133 There's no plan B, you're. It. 630 00:32:54,700 --> 00:32:57,366 It's not enough for you to be a good person. 631 00:32:57,366 --> 00:32:59,100 It's not enough for you to read your Bible. 632 00:32:59,100 --> 00:33:00,933 It's not enough. 633 00:33:00,933 --> 00:33:03,933 That's not the call. 634 00:33:04,133 --> 00:33:05,566 And you remember when Paul said, 635 00:33:05,566 --> 00:33:08,633 if you choose to follow Jesus, you will suffer? 636 00:33:10,133 --> 00:33:12,566 Guess what? 637 00:33:12,566 --> 00:33:14,100 When you start evangelizing 638 00:33:14,100 --> 00:33:17,100 the unsaved in your world, guess what? 639 00:33:17,466 --> 00:33:19,333 You're going to suffer. 640 00:33:25,733 --> 00:33:26,400 And if you're not 641 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:29,400 suffering for your witness, 642 00:33:30,233 --> 00:33:33,233 you're not doing it right. 643 00:33:35,433 --> 00:33:38,433 Do the work. 644 00:33:38,766 --> 00:33:40,100 In light of the fact 645 00:33:40,100 --> 00:33:43,100 that this is God breathed. 646 00:33:44,233 --> 00:33:46,200 Will call out error, give correction, 647 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,200 and then give hope. Man. 648 00:33:55,566 --> 00:33:57,333 Fulfill your ministry. 649 00:33:57,333 --> 00:34:00,366 That word ministry is literally, deacon Dark Anita. 650 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:01,466 It means servant. 651 00:34:01,466 --> 00:34:02,500 And here's what I know about me. 652 00:34:02,500 --> 00:34:04,600 In you, we don't mind serving. 653 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:07,600 We just don't want to be called a servant, 654 00:34:08,900 --> 00:34:10,633 am I right? 655 00:34:10,633 --> 00:34:12,566 Like, I don't mind helping, 656 00:34:12,566 --> 00:34:15,366 but don't you dare look at me as a servant. 657 00:34:15,366 --> 00:34:16,866 I'm not your servant. 658 00:34:16,866 --> 00:34:19,666 I'm doing this because I'm gracious. 659 00:34:19,666 --> 00:34:21,500 I'm doing this because, you know, I. 660 00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:24,500 I'm like Jesus. 661 00:34:25,166 --> 00:34:27,166 Jesus claimed the title servant. 662 00:34:27,166 --> 00:34:29,666 So guess what? You and I are service. 663 00:34:29,666 --> 00:34:32,666 We're servants. 664 00:34:32,666 --> 00:34:34,733 Fulfill your duty as a servant. 665 00:34:37,033 --> 00:34:39,700 And you served the unsaved by 666 00:34:39,700 --> 00:34:43,800 the proclamation of the sound doctrine. 667 00:34:48,266 --> 00:34:50,266 Says I'm already being poured out as a drink offering. 668 00:34:50,266 --> 00:34:53,500 And the time of my departure is come that drink 669 00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:57,666 offering Old Testament language and imagery as the. 670 00:34:57,700 --> 00:35:01,100 As the priest would give sacrifices to God, they would pour out a drink 671 00:35:01,100 --> 00:35:04,866 offering as an arrow would be consumed and in aroma to God 672 00:35:04,866 --> 00:35:08,366 and sweet smelling and all of that, that this idea of this drink offering. 673 00:35:08,366 --> 00:35:10,600 But there was a Roman idea to it, too. 674 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:15,133 And the Roman idea in, in Paul's, in Romans was using the Roman imagery. 675 00:35:15,900 --> 00:35:18,600 The drink offering is what a Roman would do after 676 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:22,166 the meal was finished, the end of the meal at the end of the evening. 677 00:35:23,500 --> 00:35:25,000 The evening is coming to a close. 678 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:25,733 The meal is done. 679 00:35:25,733 --> 00:35:29,800 They would take a drink and they would pour it out in honor of their God. 680 00:35:30,933 --> 00:35:34,500 And what Paul's saying is, the days ended 681 00:35:35,933 --> 00:35:38,933 and the meal of my life is done. 682 00:35:39,066 --> 00:35:43,300 And I'm pouring this out in honor of my God, 683 00:35:44,533 --> 00:35:46,933 and the time of my departure has come. 684 00:35:46,933 --> 00:35:48,500 I love that imagery. 685 00:35:48,500 --> 00:35:52,400 He's looking at being beheaded and he's talking about it not as death. 686 00:35:52,533 --> 00:35:55,533 He's talking about it as a trip. 687 00:35:56,766 --> 00:35:58,400 Have you ever flown to fly a plane? 688 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,533 They got there early and you're waiting for the plane's departure. 689 00:36:02,900 --> 00:36:05,833 That's the imagery. 690 00:36:05,833 --> 00:36:07,700 There's no bemoaning his death. 691 00:36:07,700 --> 00:36:10,033 There's no regret over what's not. 692 00:36:10,033 --> 00:36:11,566 There's none. There's no. 693 00:36:11,566 --> 00:36:12,200 There's no like. 694 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:12,833 Oh, Lord. 695 00:36:12,833 --> 00:36:15,333 But please, if you would just. This one more time. 696 00:36:15,333 --> 00:36:17,466 He said, no, no, no, I understand the season, 697 00:36:19,366 --> 00:36:21,433 the time of my departure. 698 00:36:21,433 --> 00:36:24,433 I cannot wait to get on that plane. 699 00:36:26,033 --> 00:36:27,300 There was nothing ending. 700 00:36:27,300 --> 00:36:30,300 There was just an arrival that was expected. 701 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:34,200 Isn't that a life well-lived? 702 00:36:34,200 --> 00:36:37,666 If we can approach our life in view of our death 703 00:36:39,066 --> 00:36:41,666 and say, I'm going to live in a way 704 00:36:41,666 --> 00:36:47,300 that I'm excited about my departure. Now? 705 00:36:49,500 --> 00:36:51,833 Do you understand how Christian, 706 00:36:51,833 --> 00:36:55,800 how counter culture, Christianity is? 707 00:36:57,233 --> 00:37:00,233 If we do it right? 708 00:37:08,300 --> 00:37:10,866 Verse seven I love the I fought the good fight. 709 00:37:10,866 --> 00:37:13,833 I finish the race. I've kept the faith. 710 00:37:13,833 --> 00:37:16,833 What a better epitaph is there? 711 00:37:17,733 --> 00:37:20,733 I fought the good fight. 712 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:23,033 I finished the race. 713 00:37:23,033 --> 00:37:25,033 I kept the faith. 714 00:37:25,033 --> 00:37:26,033 Friends, he's telling us. 715 00:37:26,033 --> 00:37:28,966 Fight. Finish. 716 00:37:28,966 --> 00:37:31,966 Keep the faith. 717 00:37:33,733 --> 00:37:36,633 I want you to understand the importance of these three things. 718 00:37:36,633 --> 00:37:38,100 Some of you need to hear this today. 719 00:37:40,933 --> 00:37:41,833 Okay. 720 00:37:41,833 --> 00:37:44,566 I fought the good fight. 721 00:37:44,566 --> 00:37:47,566 It means I discipline my body. 722 00:37:47,766 --> 00:37:50,766 I trained hard, and I kept swinging. 723 00:37:52,300 --> 00:37:55,233 It was exhausting, but I fought it. 724 00:37:55,233 --> 00:37:57,466 And I didn't just fight a fight. 725 00:37:57,466 --> 00:38:01,633 I fought the good fight because there's a good fight and there's a bad fight. 726 00:38:01,766 --> 00:38:04,800 And sometimes we get rough wrapped up in a bad fight. 727 00:38:04,933 --> 00:38:07,033 And Paul says, I fought the good fight. 728 00:38:07,033 --> 00:38:10,033 There's one good fight. 729 00:38:10,266 --> 00:38:11,700 It's for the kingdom. 730 00:38:11,700 --> 00:38:13,200 Yeah. 731 00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:16,400 You train yourself, you work hard. 732 00:38:16,966 --> 00:38:19,966 You put in the time and the diligence 733 00:38:21,233 --> 00:38:22,466 and you keep swinging. 734 00:38:22,466 --> 00:38:26,000 I fought the good fight and I finished the race. 735 00:38:26,766 --> 00:38:30,533 What Paul's talking about here is completion, not speed. 736 00:38:32,233 --> 00:38:34,500 He's talking about the marathon, 737 00:38:34,500 --> 00:38:37,500 not the 100 meter. 738 00:38:38,700 --> 00:38:42,933 I finished the race even though I stumbled along the way. 739 00:38:43,033 --> 00:38:45,600 I finished the race even though I got tired. 740 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:50,166 I finished the race even though I stopped running and had to walk. 741 00:38:50,266 --> 00:38:52,200 I finished the race. 742 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:54,833 I didn't quit, I didn't tap out. 743 00:38:54,833 --> 00:38:56,666 I didn't walk off the track. 744 00:38:56,666 --> 00:38:58,000 I finished the course. 745 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:02,166 I finished the race because it's about completion, not speed. 746 00:39:02,266 --> 00:39:04,800 Here's the thing, my dear friends. 747 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:10,066 It's not impressive at all to say I finished the 100 meter. 748 00:39:11,666 --> 00:39:13,200 That's a short little race. 749 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:15,733 Who cares? 750 00:39:15,733 --> 00:39:18,666 But to say I finished the marathon? 751 00:39:18,666 --> 00:39:20,333 It was exhausting. 752 00:39:20,333 --> 00:39:23,233 But I didn't quit. 753 00:39:23,233 --> 00:39:26,233 Don't quit, don't quit. 754 00:39:26,300 --> 00:39:27,866 Finish. 755 00:39:27,866 --> 00:39:30,866 Yes. Crossed the line. Yes. 756 00:39:30,933 --> 00:39:33,800 It says I kept the faith. 757 00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:36,566 This God, this challenged 758 00:39:36,566 --> 00:39:39,566 everything in my world. 759 00:39:39,666 --> 00:39:43,866 This was counter culture to everything that I'm being told. 760 00:39:44,566 --> 00:39:46,900 And I kept it. 761 00:39:46,900 --> 00:39:49,700 I wasn't perfect, but I didn't deny it. 762 00:39:49,700 --> 00:39:52,700 Yeah, yeah yeah. 763 00:39:53,466 --> 00:39:55,666 Fight the good fight. 764 00:39:55,666 --> 00:39:56,233 Finish the rest. 765 00:39:56,233 --> 00:39:59,233 Keep the faith. 766 00:40:06,166 --> 00:40:08,033 So there's laid up for me a crown of righteousness. 767 00:40:08,033 --> 00:40:10,500 Which of the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day? 768 00:40:10,500 --> 00:40:14,066 And not only to me, but everybody who loves his appearing. 769 00:40:15,566 --> 00:40:18,566 There's a crown waiting for us. 770 00:40:19,033 --> 00:40:22,033 The crown waiting for every Christ follower. 771 00:40:22,066 --> 00:40:23,733 The saving crown. The crown. 772 00:40:23,733 --> 00:40:26,566 The represents our saving everyone. Every Christ follower gets it. 773 00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:29,800 But did you know that in the Bible there's not just one crown? 774 00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:31,533 There's like five. 775 00:40:31,533 --> 00:40:35,866 Depending on after faith, depending on how we live on earth, we get these crowns. 776 00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:38,100 One of them is given to martyrs. 777 00:40:38,100 --> 00:40:41,100 That would be awesome. 778 00:40:42,333 --> 00:40:42,733 But, but. 779 00:40:42,733 --> 00:40:45,600 So we're going to get these crowns based on not salvation. 780 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:46,566 Salvation by faith. 781 00:40:46,566 --> 00:40:50,633 But then based on how we live and what we do, we get crowns. 782 00:40:50,633 --> 00:40:53,633 Can you imagine, like being a Five Crowns guy? 783 00:40:57,066 --> 00:40:58,300 Hey, I just want one crown. 784 00:40:58,300 --> 00:41:00,666 I just want to get in life, I get in, I'm. 785 00:41:00,666 --> 00:41:01,966 But here's the great thing about those crowns. 786 00:41:01,966 --> 00:41:03,900 You know, we're going to do them. 787 00:41:03,900 --> 00:41:06,900 The Bible says we're going to throw them at Jesus feet 788 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:08,333 as our offering. 789 00:41:08,333 --> 00:41:10,566 Like, Lord, it was my honor and privilege. 790 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:15,200 It's all for you. 791 00:41:16,933 --> 00:41:19,300 Because I fought the good fight, 792 00:41:19,300 --> 00:41:22,233 I finished. 793 00:41:22,233 --> 00:41:23,033 I kept the faith. 794 00:41:23,033 --> 00:41:25,200 And it's all to you. 795 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:26,266 And then he gets personal. 796 00:41:26,266 --> 00:41:27,933 Let me just wrap up with this personal stuff that. 797 00:41:27,933 --> 00:41:28,200 That's all. 798 00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:30,000 Like the charge that. 799 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:32,533 But watch how personal pockets 800 00:41:32,533 --> 00:41:34,433 do your best to come to me. 801 00:41:34,433 --> 00:41:37,433 He's all alone in this prison. 802 00:41:38,666 --> 00:41:39,900 He says for Demas, in love 803 00:41:39,900 --> 00:41:42,900 with this present world has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. 804 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:46,166 Christians has gone to Galatia, Titus love dogs 805 00:41:46,166 --> 00:41:49,166 and went to Dalmatia. 806 00:41:49,433 --> 00:41:51,633 Just I added that part. 807 00:41:51,633 --> 00:41:52,800 Luke alone is with me. 808 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:56,800 He had one guy get Mark and bring him with you, for he's very useful, 809 00:41:56,866 --> 00:41:59,866 very ministry touch I yes, I sent to Ephesus 810 00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:02,133 he names. 811 00:42:02,133 --> 00:42:03,500 And, here's what I want you to see. 812 00:42:05,133 --> 00:42:06,533 He names these people and 813 00:42:06,533 --> 00:42:09,533 and some stayed with them and some deserted him. 814 00:42:10,266 --> 00:42:13,266 And those who start with you aren't always the ones who are going to end with you. 815 00:42:14,366 --> 00:42:16,666 And he calls out one of them, Demas. 816 00:42:16,666 --> 00:42:18,733 He says, in love with this present world he had itching hers. 817 00:42:18,733 --> 00:42:20,800 He didn't want the sound doctrine anymore. 818 00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:22,633 He deserted me. Gone to Thessalonica. 819 00:42:22,633 --> 00:42:24,733 Demas is mentioned three times in Scripture, 820 00:42:24,733 --> 00:42:27,300 and the first time he's mentioned is in the book of Philemon. 821 00:42:27,300 --> 00:42:29,400 He's called a fellow worker with Paul 822 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:31,900 in the second time is mentions in the book of Colossians, 823 00:42:31,900 --> 00:42:34,900 and in that it just says that he says, hey, what's going on? 824 00:42:35,166 --> 00:42:38,033 And this third time he's deserted. 825 00:42:38,033 --> 00:42:39,433 And Paul says, there's going to be people 826 00:42:40,900 --> 00:42:43,900 that just walk out and they'll desert you, 827 00:42:43,966 --> 00:42:46,933 and there'll be others that aren't with you anymore for multiple reasons. 828 00:42:46,933 --> 00:42:49,933 Some of them get other assignments and God takes some other places. 829 00:42:50,233 --> 00:42:53,233 They just it's just like life happens, 830 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:55,766 but it's going to feel deserted. 831 00:42:55,766 --> 00:42:58,766 And there'll be those times when you're all alone. 832 00:43:05,366 --> 00:43:07,733 And the truth is, 833 00:43:07,733 --> 00:43:10,266 and in Paul's world, as a as a pastor, 834 00:43:10,266 --> 00:43:14,700 it hurts to hear. You. 835 00:43:15,766 --> 00:43:16,700 You know what that's like? 836 00:43:16,700 --> 00:43:19,700 I know what that's like. 837 00:43:20,466 --> 00:43:23,466 When they're just gone. 838 00:43:24,033 --> 00:43:27,033 And some of them nefarious and mean and evil 839 00:43:28,433 --> 00:43:29,066 and others. 840 00:43:29,066 --> 00:43:32,066 Life has just changed. 841 00:43:34,466 --> 00:43:34,900 And he says, 842 00:43:34,900 --> 00:43:38,366 when you come, bring the cloak that I left with carpus. 843 00:43:38,366 --> 00:43:41,166 It true as also the books and above all the parchments, 844 00:43:41,166 --> 00:43:43,333 he says, bring the cloak, because he didn't have a jacket. 845 00:43:43,333 --> 00:43:46,333 He's in a dark, dank, nasty cell 846 00:43:47,433 --> 00:43:49,200 by himself, and it's cold. 847 00:43:49,200 --> 00:43:51,100 It's cold at night. 848 00:43:51,100 --> 00:43:53,666 And the reason he doesn't have a cloak is because, according to Roman law, 849 00:43:53,666 --> 00:43:55,566 when Roman soldiers would arrest someone, 850 00:43:55,566 --> 00:43:58,433 they could own now the cloak that that person owned. 851 00:43:58,433 --> 00:44:02,233 And so it's likely that Paul got word the soldiers were coming to arrest him, 852 00:44:02,233 --> 00:44:05,233 and they took his cloak off, and he hid it in a drawer somewhere 853 00:44:05,766 --> 00:44:06,600 so they couldn't have. 854 00:44:06,600 --> 00:44:09,600 This is why, in the crucifixion of Christ, 855 00:44:10,300 --> 00:44:14,100 why the Roman soldiers cast lots for his cloak. 856 00:44:14,700 --> 00:44:17,700 Because he was arrested in the garden with it on, 857 00:44:17,700 --> 00:44:20,700 and it was now their possession. 858 00:44:21,233 --> 00:44:24,500 And so he says, bring that, bring the books, 859 00:44:24,500 --> 00:44:26,866 and bring especially the parchments. 860 00:44:26,866 --> 00:44:29,633 This is the Old Testament word of God. 861 00:44:29,633 --> 00:44:34,466 He says, I want to read the prophets again, the hope of salvation, 862 00:44:35,100 --> 00:44:38,900 the assurance of God my father and Jesus the Christ. 863 00:44:39,733 --> 00:44:41,533 And what I know is this. 864 00:44:41,533 --> 00:44:44,300 And we have to understand that in those deepest, 865 00:44:44,300 --> 00:44:47,100 darkest moments of death. 866 00:44:49,733 --> 00:44:52,733 Our comfort. 867 00:44:52,833 --> 00:44:55,833 Even when everybody else walks away. 868 00:45:00,100 --> 00:45:03,100 Our comfort. 869 00:45:06,333 --> 00:45:08,466 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm. 870 00:45:08,466 --> 00:45:10,200 The Lord repay him according to his deeds. 871 00:45:10,200 --> 00:45:12,733 That is the scariest verse in all the scripture. 872 00:45:12,733 --> 00:45:14,700 For God to repay us according to our deeds. 873 00:45:14,700 --> 00:45:16,500 I don't want God to repay me in court of my deeds. 874 00:45:16,500 --> 00:45:19,500 I want God to repay me according to his grace. 875 00:45:20,233 --> 00:45:23,233 And I love the fact that Paul just calls him out. 876 00:45:23,466 --> 00:45:26,466 Like Paul names, names. 877 00:45:26,566 --> 00:45:29,566 He's like Guy Alexander, you know, the one 878 00:45:29,600 --> 00:45:31,566 with the coppersmith business on Avenue 12. 879 00:45:31,566 --> 00:45:33,400 You know who I'm talking about? 880 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:36,366 The guy who has a big old four wheel drive and rides around the golf cart. 881 00:45:36,366 --> 00:45:39,000 You know exactly what I'm talking about, right? 882 00:45:39,000 --> 00:45:40,800 Like I said, that guy did me horrible harm. 883 00:45:40,800 --> 00:45:41,600 These terrible. 884 00:45:42,633 --> 00:45:45,266 I love his honesty. 885 00:45:45,266 --> 00:45:46,400 He says, beware of him. 886 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:48,000 He's no good. 887 00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:50,566 He strongly opposes everything we do. 888 00:45:50,566 --> 00:45:53,900 And my first offense, no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. 889 00:45:53,933 --> 00:45:55,600 May it not be charged against them. 890 00:45:55,600 --> 00:45:57,300 There it is. 891 00:45:57,300 --> 00:45:59,600 In all this desertion 892 00:45:59,600 --> 00:46:02,600 and all this bad stuff people are saying about me 893 00:46:02,866 --> 00:46:05,733 and all this evil, they're laying against me. 894 00:46:05,733 --> 00:46:07,600 Oh, God, 895 00:46:07,600 --> 00:46:10,600 don't hold it against them. 896 00:46:11,000 --> 00:46:13,333 You know why Paul said that? 897 00:46:13,333 --> 00:46:14,166 Because he knew. 898 00:46:14,166 --> 00:46:17,166 His Lord said that in the garden, on the cross. 899 00:46:19,000 --> 00:46:19,900 Father, forgive them. 900 00:46:19,900 --> 00:46:22,633 They don't know what they're doing in. 901 00:46:22,633 --> 00:46:24,366 And Paul knew what Stephen said. 902 00:46:24,366 --> 00:46:27,866 The first martyr that Paul orchestrated. 903 00:46:28,833 --> 00:46:33,066 Paul orchestrated the martyr of Stephen and heard Stephen's words. 904 00:46:34,266 --> 00:46:36,700 Father, forgive them. 905 00:46:36,700 --> 00:46:40,100 So at the end of Paul's life, because it's been modeled to him, 906 00:46:41,866 --> 00:46:44,666 God, don't hold this against him. 907 00:46:44,666 --> 00:46:48,666 Did you know that the most godlike thing a Christ follower can do 908 00:46:48,666 --> 00:46:51,666 is to forgive someone? 909 00:46:52,733 --> 00:46:55,500 It's not serving. 910 00:46:55,500 --> 00:46:58,200 It's not preaching. 911 00:46:58,200 --> 00:47:00,233 It's not even witnessing. 912 00:47:00,233 --> 00:47:04,600 The most godlike thing you and I can do is to forgive someone. 913 00:47:05,733 --> 00:47:08,733 It doesn't mean they've asked for forgiveness. 914 00:47:09,300 --> 00:47:12,733 It means in your heart you have sacrificed your right 915 00:47:13,200 --> 00:47:16,200 for revenge and for grudge. 916 00:47:16,866 --> 00:47:20,100 And if you've not done that, you've not forgiven. 917 00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:26,200 You want to be like Jesus. 918 00:47:27,700 --> 00:47:30,700 You have to forgive 919 00:47:31,233 --> 00:47:34,233 even the greatest offense. 920 00:47:43,566 --> 00:47:44,733 And you know, let me just say this. 921 00:47:44,733 --> 00:47:47,400 I just thought of this. 922 00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:49,833 You're only able to do that 923 00:47:49,833 --> 00:47:52,833 when you're fighting for and not fighting against. 924 00:47:54,933 --> 00:47:56,100 I fought the good fight. 925 00:47:56,100 --> 00:47:58,266 It's not talking about fighting against anything. 926 00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:02,466 It's talking about fighting for. 927 00:48:02,466 --> 00:48:06,566 And when you fight for the kingdom and you fight for reconciliation, 928 00:48:06,566 --> 00:48:10,466 and you fight for repair and you fight for forgiveness, 929 00:48:11,600 --> 00:48:15,766 do you know how disingenuous it is for us to take communion, 930 00:48:15,766 --> 00:48:20,200 remembering the body and blood of Christ and accepting his forgiveness 931 00:48:20,200 --> 00:48:23,200 without forgive? 932 00:48:27,400 --> 00:48:28,866 The one who has experienced 933 00:48:28,866 --> 00:48:31,866 the greatest offense. 934 00:48:32,233 --> 00:48:33,700 And the one who experienced 935 00:48:33,700 --> 00:48:36,700 the least offense. 936 00:48:36,900 --> 00:48:39,233 For the one who has experienced the least offense. 937 00:48:39,233 --> 00:48:42,666 To accept forgiveness from the one who has experienced the greatest offense 938 00:48:42,900 --> 00:48:45,900 and not forgive another least offender. 939 00:48:46,466 --> 00:48:49,466 It's blasphemy here. 940 00:48:50,966 --> 00:48:53,566 Communion is not just about having relationship with Jesus. 941 00:48:53,566 --> 00:48:56,700 It's about living in a present state of forgiveness. 942 00:49:03,433 --> 00:49:05,933 All that singing we do before communion, guess what 943 00:49:05,933 --> 00:49:07,866 that's supposed to be preparing your heart. 944 00:49:12,633 --> 00:49:15,266 So you can be in this place 945 00:49:15,266 --> 00:49:18,300 seeking and thanking the for if God for his forgiveness 946 00:49:18,300 --> 00:49:21,300 because you've offered it already. 947 00:49:21,633 --> 00:49:22,700 I don't know why I had to say that. 948 00:49:22,700 --> 00:49:25,400 I just felt like I did. 949 00:49:25,400 --> 00:49:27,000 Let me wrap up with this. 950 00:49:27,000 --> 00:49:28,266 I don't even know where I am well versed. 951 00:49:28,266 --> 00:49:31,366 Am I on 17 952 00:49:32,700 --> 00:49:33,833 but the Lord stood by me. 953 00:49:33,833 --> 00:49:36,800 Strengthen me so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed 954 00:49:36,800 --> 00:49:40,200 to the Gentiles, might hear it I, I need to be done, but I just can't. 955 00:49:40,200 --> 00:49:44,500 Like this is so there's too much like he says, look at all this stuff happened. 956 00:49:44,500 --> 00:49:46,100 But God stood by me. Why? 957 00:49:46,100 --> 00:49:49,900 So that the message could be proclaimed like it's about that. 958 00:49:50,766 --> 00:49:51,933 The highs and the lows. 959 00:49:51,933 --> 00:49:56,000 My living in my dying God has never abandoned me 960 00:49:57,566 --> 00:49:59,433 so that the message can continue. 961 00:49:59,433 --> 00:50:02,866 As long as I have breath in my lungs, the message must go on. 962 00:50:03,700 --> 00:50:05,400 I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 963 00:50:05,400 --> 00:50:06,600 The Lord will rescue me 964 00:50:06,600 --> 00:50:10,566 from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. 965 00:50:10,566 --> 00:50:12,566 To him be the glory forever and ever. 966 00:50:12,566 --> 00:50:15,200 He's saying, look, he's not going to rescue me on this earth 967 00:50:15,200 --> 00:50:17,033 this time he hasn't the best, but this time 968 00:50:17,033 --> 00:50:19,033 my rescue isn't going to come in this earth. 969 00:50:19,033 --> 00:50:21,633 My rescue is going to come in the heavenly kingdom. 970 00:50:21,633 --> 00:50:23,700 His mind and heart was set to heaven, 971 00:50:23,700 --> 00:50:25,933 which is exactly what the book of Colossians says. 972 00:50:25,933 --> 00:50:29,666 Set your minds on things above, not on things on this earth. 973 00:50:29,800 --> 00:50:30,800 Our rescue will not 974 00:50:30,800 --> 00:50:34,666 always come in this world, but it will certainly come in that one. 975 00:50:34,666 --> 00:50:35,933 That's where our minds are. 976 00:50:38,666 --> 00:50:41,000 To him be the glory forever and ever. 977 00:50:41,000 --> 00:50:41,466 Amen. 978 00:50:41,466 --> 00:50:41,800 He says. 979 00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:44,933 Greek, Priscilla and Aquila, the household of Vanessa for us. 980 00:50:45,433 --> 00:50:49,700 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Chaucer, who was ill in mellitus. 981 00:50:49,700 --> 00:50:52,700 This amazes me that he says these words. 982 00:50:53,266 --> 00:50:56,266 He says, I left Troy Smith ill. 983 00:50:58,033 --> 00:51:01,033 He left him sick. 984 00:51:01,133 --> 00:51:01,533 Paul. 985 00:51:01,533 --> 00:51:03,900 It healed all kinds of people in his ministry. 986 00:51:03,900 --> 00:51:05,766 This one he left sick. 987 00:51:05,766 --> 00:51:07,366 You know what that tells me? 988 00:51:07,366 --> 00:51:09,633 Paul had no power. 989 00:51:09,633 --> 00:51:13,433 It was the grace of God that decided who was healed and who was ill. 990 00:51:13,766 --> 00:51:14,566 Yeah. 991 00:51:14,566 --> 00:51:17,566 And Paul was okay with that tension. 992 00:51:17,866 --> 00:51:20,866 And what it also tells me is sometimes 993 00:51:21,233 --> 00:51:24,233 good, godly people stay sick. 994 00:51:24,500 --> 00:51:25,900 Yeah, 995 00:51:25,900 --> 00:51:28,766 sometimes righteous people 996 00:51:28,766 --> 00:51:31,766 stay ill. 997 00:51:32,800 --> 00:51:35,800 That's a tough truth to swallow. 998 00:51:38,933 --> 00:51:40,166 But it's the truth. 999 00:51:41,433 --> 00:51:42,933 And people who don't like sound 1000 00:51:42,933 --> 00:51:46,666 doctrine want itching it, want people to tell them what they want to hear. 1001 00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:49,800 So they believe myths and fables 1002 00:51:49,966 --> 00:51:53,666 that if you have enough faith, you'll be healed, that God desires 1003 00:51:53,666 --> 00:51:57,966 to heal everybody in this world and it causes people problems 1004 00:51:59,166 --> 00:52:01,900 because you don't understand 1005 00:52:01,900 --> 00:52:03,733 this sin. 1006 00:52:03,733 --> 00:52:06,733 Some of us, some of you are very godly 1007 00:52:06,933 --> 00:52:09,933 and you're going to stay sick. 1008 00:52:12,266 --> 00:52:15,266 And I'm sorry. 1009 00:52:16,033 --> 00:52:19,033 But we must trust a sovereign God. 1010 00:52:19,733 --> 00:52:21,966 And the end of it all 1011 00:52:21,966 --> 00:52:24,966 is so that people who don't know Jesus hear about Jesus. 1012 00:52:26,666 --> 00:52:29,666 And I am his servant. 1013 00:52:31,033 --> 00:52:34,033 And so I'll fight the good fight, 1014 00:52:35,466 --> 00:52:38,466 and I will finish this race. 1015 00:52:38,533 --> 00:52:41,300 And even when it's hard, I'm not going to 1016 00:52:41,300 --> 00:52:42,766 reject the truth. 1017 00:52:42,766 --> 00:52:43,600 I'm going to keep the faith. 1018 00:52:45,833 --> 00:52:47,933 Do your best to come before winter. 1019 00:52:47,933 --> 00:52:49,200 Especially because I need that coat. 1020 00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:53,633 It's cold, you believe sends his greetings, as do Putin's and Linus 1021 00:52:53,633 --> 00:52:57,066 and the other Charlie Brown characters, and Claudius and all the brothers. 1022 00:52:58,466 --> 00:53:00,566 The Lord be with your spirit. 1023 00:53:00,566 --> 00:53:03,066 Paul's last written words. 1024 00:53:03,066 --> 00:53:05,033 Grace be with you. 1025 00:53:05,033 --> 00:53:08,033 May the grace of God be upon you. 1026 00:53:09,466 --> 00:53:11,866 What a life. 1027 00:53:11,866 --> 00:53:15,000 Yeah, most scholars believe he died at 58 years old. 1028 00:53:16,766 --> 00:53:18,200 That's my age. 1029 00:53:18,200 --> 00:53:21,200 I know I don't look it. 1030 00:53:23,233 --> 00:53:23,700 I can't 1031 00:53:23,700 --> 00:53:26,700 imagine at 58, I got so much more to do. 1032 00:53:27,666 --> 00:53:30,433 Like, my prayer to God is that he allows me to preach, 1033 00:53:30,433 --> 00:53:33,433 teach and coach till I'm 80 years old. 1034 00:53:34,400 --> 00:53:35,666 By the grace of God, 1035 00:53:35,666 --> 00:53:38,766 he'll grant me that vision and grant me that privilege. 1036 00:53:39,500 --> 00:53:40,600 But he might not. 1037 00:53:44,033 --> 00:53:45,533 58 years old, 1038 00:53:45,533 --> 00:53:49,633 Paul died, one of the greatest servants 1039 00:53:49,633 --> 00:53:52,633 of the kingdom of God this world has ever known. 1040 00:53:53,500 --> 00:53:56,033 Yet he died penniless, 1041 00:53:56,033 --> 00:53:58,100 friendless, 1042 00:53:58,100 --> 00:54:01,100 and completely alone. 1043 00:54:02,966 --> 00:54:06,066 With no possessions and no earthly comfort, 1044 00:54:07,966 --> 00:54:10,566 yet fully fulfilled 1045 00:54:10,566 --> 00:54:13,666 and full of joy, full of yours 1046 00:54:14,700 --> 00:54:17,700 and completely content. 1047 00:54:20,066 --> 00:54:22,800 A well-lived life 1048 00:54:22,800 --> 00:54:25,800 is lived with no reserve 1049 00:54:26,833 --> 00:54:29,266 and no retreat, 1050 00:54:29,266 --> 00:54:31,866 no regret, 1051 00:54:31,866 --> 00:54:34,866 no can you say that 1052 00:54:36,300 --> 00:54:39,300 about your life right now? 1053 00:54:42,733 --> 00:54:45,433 Here's the encouraging part. 1054 00:54:45,433 --> 00:54:49,266 If that hasn't been, you decide that it will become you 1055 00:54:51,100 --> 00:54:54,100 from this day forward. 1056 00:54:54,100 --> 00:54:56,200 No reserve, 1057 00:54:56,200 --> 00:54:58,200 no retreat, 1058 00:54:58,200 --> 00:55:00,966 no regret. 1059 00:55:00,966 --> 00:55:03,466 I will fight the good fight. 1060 00:55:03,466 --> 00:55:06,066 I will finish this race 1061 00:55:06,066 --> 00:55:09,066 and I will keep the faith. 1062 00:55:12,000 --> 00:55:15,000 I will do the work of the evangelist. 1063 00:55:15,200 --> 00:55:17,066 I will guard strong doctrine. 1064 00:55:17,066 --> 00:55:18,633 I will guide people into it. 1065 00:55:18,633 --> 00:55:22,133 This is my goal and purpose for drawing a breath. 1066 00:55:25,933 --> 00:55:27,633 To understand 1067 00:55:27,633 --> 00:55:29,700 very. 1068 00:55:29,700 --> 00:55:32,700 I want you to pray with me. 1069 00:55:36,033 --> 00:55:36,466 Father. 1070 00:55:36,466 --> 00:55:38,133 Thank you. 1071 00:55:38,133 --> 00:55:41,133 You're such a good God. 1072 00:55:43,466 --> 00:55:44,700 You've given us yourself. 1073 00:55:44,700 --> 00:55:45,900 You've given us your son. 1074 00:55:45,900 --> 00:55:48,900 You've given us the words that are breathed out from you. 1075 00:55:53,566 --> 00:55:56,566 You've given us a call and a charge 1076 00:55:57,766 --> 00:56:00,766 that you've entrusted only to us. 1077 00:56:04,233 --> 00:56:07,233 You think so highly of us. 1078 00:56:09,566 --> 00:56:11,033 We know who we are. 1079 00:56:11,033 --> 00:56:12,566 You know who we are. 1080 00:56:12,566 --> 00:56:15,566 And you have accepted us 1081 00:56:16,000 --> 00:56:18,266 and chosen us in spite of ourselves. 1082 00:56:18,266 --> 00:56:20,300 You are a good God. 1083 00:56:20,300 --> 00:56:23,300 Yes, yes. 1084 00:56:29,000 --> 00:56:31,100 Father, there are some in this room. 1085 00:56:31,100 --> 00:56:34,100 You know. 1086 00:56:34,566 --> 00:56:37,766 That maybe their past wasn't so great. 1087 00:56:38,733 --> 00:56:41,600 Maybe there's all kinds of retreats and regrets. 1088 00:56:41,600 --> 00:56:43,833 Yeah, 1089 00:56:43,833 --> 00:56:46,833 but now. 1090 00:56:49,500 --> 00:56:52,500 Now they want the future to be different. 1091 00:56:53,966 --> 00:56:55,800 For your sake and for your kingdom sake. 1092 00:56:55,800 --> 00:56:56,533 If nothing else. 1093 00:56:57,600 --> 00:56:59,566 Now, there are people whose hearts are turning 1094 00:56:59,566 --> 00:57:02,566 to you and say from this day forward, now. 1095 00:57:03,800 --> 00:57:07,300 I will live a well-lived life of no reserve, no retreat, no regret. 1096 00:57:08,133 --> 00:57:10,600 I will fight the good fight. 1097 00:57:10,600 --> 00:57:12,200 I will finish the race. 1098 00:57:12,200 --> 00:57:16,000 I'm not going to tap out to everything you've called me to. 1099 00:57:16,000 --> 00:57:17,466 Everything you've asked of me. 1100 00:57:17,466 --> 00:57:20,433 You've put me in this position situation. 1101 00:57:20,433 --> 00:57:22,800 What? I'm not tapping out. 1102 00:57:22,800 --> 00:57:24,500 Yes, yes. 1103 00:57:24,500 --> 00:57:26,533 I'm going to keep the faith. 1104 00:57:26,533 --> 00:57:27,966 Though I'm weary and tired. 1105 00:57:27,966 --> 00:57:29,500 I'm going to keep the faith. 1106 00:57:29,500 --> 00:57:30,900 Though I'm beat up and bruised. 1107 00:57:30,900 --> 00:57:32,566 I'm gonna keep the faith. 1108 00:57:32,566 --> 00:57:34,866 Though it feels like there's nothing but defeat around me. 1109 00:57:34,866 --> 00:57:36,433 I'm going to keep the faith. 1110 00:57:36,433 --> 00:57:39,433 Yes, yes, yes 1111 00:57:39,766 --> 00:57:41,100 I want to be an avenger. 1112 00:57:41,100 --> 00:57:42,766 I want to do the work of an evangelist. 1113 00:57:42,766 --> 00:57:44,400 I want my life to matter and account. 1114 00:57:45,966 --> 00:57:47,366 So this day forward, father. 1115 00:57:47,366 --> 00:57:50,366 I'm yours. I'm. 1116 00:57:52,166 --> 00:57:53,733 Francis, you've never entered 1117 00:57:53,733 --> 00:57:56,733 into a right relationship with the father through the son. 1118 00:57:56,866 --> 00:57:59,866 I invite you in this moment 1119 00:58:00,033 --> 00:58:03,000 according to sound doctrine of God's word to say. 1120 00:58:03,000 --> 00:58:06,033 God, I believe that your son is the only way to get to you. 1121 00:58:06,733 --> 00:58:07,800 Yeah. 1122 00:58:07,800 --> 00:58:08,266 Jesus. 1123 00:58:08,266 --> 00:58:10,433 Thank you for your life, your death, resurrection. 1124 00:58:10,433 --> 00:58:13,433 I believe at night shift that I accept your forgiveness. 1125 00:58:14,066 --> 00:58:15,333 Make me a new person. 1126 00:58:15,333 --> 00:58:18,333 I am yours and you are mine. Now 1127 00:58:18,500 --> 00:58:20,166 take that step. Don't. 1128 00:58:20,166 --> 00:58:23,166 Don't leave this place without that. 1129 00:58:24,600 --> 00:58:26,900 And once that's done, say, God, 1130 00:58:26,900 --> 00:58:29,900 I want to be an evangelist. 1131 00:58:30,600 --> 00:58:33,933 Give me grace and courage to do it. 1132 00:58:34,600 --> 00:58:37,600 I want to do the work. 1133 00:58:37,800 --> 00:58:39,666 I'm choosing this day 1134 00:58:39,666 --> 00:58:44,333 to fight the good fight, to finish the race, to keep the faith. 1135 00:58:49,033 --> 00:58:51,333 This is my clarion call of commitment. 1136 00:58:51,333 --> 00:58:56,700 Yes, today, tomorrow changes today. 1137 00:58:57,033 --> 00:58:58,166 My future changes. 1138 00:58:58,166 --> 00:59:01,100 Today. 1139 00:59:01,100 --> 00:59:02,466 Things change. 1140 00:59:02,466 --> 00:59:04,866 Yeah. 1141 00:59:04,866 --> 00:59:07,866 Give me your grace to enable that change. 1142 00:59:09,166 --> 00:59:10,300 Friends. This going to keep you. 1143 00:59:10,300 --> 00:59:12,600 Just stay in this moment of prayer. 1144 00:59:12,600 --> 00:59:13,966 I did this in the first service. 1145 00:59:13,966 --> 00:59:15,700 I didn't know I was going to do it, but I'm going to do it again. 1146 00:59:15,700 --> 00:59:18,700 And this one here's the thing. 1147 00:59:20,766 --> 00:59:24,100 I want to give you some something 1148 00:59:25,766 --> 00:59:28,766 that solidifies a decision. 1149 00:59:29,300 --> 00:59:32,400 And sometimes what silver flies the decision is an action. 1150 00:59:33,600 --> 00:59:35,833 And so just in this moment, keep your eyes closed. 1151 00:59:35,833 --> 00:59:36,433 Don't look around. 1152 00:59:36,433 --> 00:59:39,433 I don't want this to be motivated by someone else doing something. 1153 00:59:40,766 --> 00:59:42,100 So just in your own heart. 1154 00:59:42,100 --> 00:59:44,500 And please feel the freedom not to. 1155 00:59:46,133 --> 00:59:48,000 But just as this physical act 1156 00:59:48,000 --> 00:59:51,066 of commitment, we're going to sing a song in just a moment. 1157 00:59:51,266 --> 00:59:54,733 And if that has been your clarion call of commitment, 1158 00:59:55,333 --> 00:59:58,500 God, I'm committing to you and I'm going to fight the good fight. 1159 00:59:58,500 --> 00:59:59,233 I'm going to finish race. 1160 00:59:59,233 --> 01:00:02,933 I'm going to keep the faith, God, I'm going to do the work of the evangelist. 1161 01:00:02,933 --> 01:00:08,233 If this is your clear call, a commitment that as we sing, just stand up standing. 1162 01:00:08,233 --> 01:00:09,933 It doesn't do anything for you. 1163 01:00:09,933 --> 01:00:14,000 It's just your physical affirmation that this is my decision. 1164 01:00:14,000 --> 01:00:16,733 And here I stand 1165 01:00:16,733 --> 01:00:19,733 and I can do no other. 1166 01:00:19,900 --> 01:00:22,900 Here I stand firmly on this commitment. 1167 01:00:24,533 --> 01:00:25,400 Don't look around. 1168 01:00:25,400 --> 01:00:25,700 Don't put. 1169 01:00:25,700 --> 01:00:27,333 I don't want any pressure to be on anybody. 1170 01:00:27,333 --> 01:00:31,233 But I want to give you this, like, definitive physical statement 1171 01:00:32,500 --> 01:00:33,300 of I'm standing on 1172 01:00:33,300 --> 01:00:36,300 this commitment this morning. 1173 01:00:36,366 --> 01:00:39,366 I think the instructions are clear. 1174 01:00:40,500 --> 01:00:40,866 Bands 1175 01:00:40,866 --> 01:00:43,866 gonna start playing the song when you're ready. 1176 01:00:43,933 --> 01:00:47,366 You do that. Let's go. Come on. You.