We’re looking at vital signs of a healthy church.  Meaning - if we see these things going on in the day-to-day life of a congregation - and the members of that congregation - that church is spiritually pretty healthy.

Some of those vital signs are non-negotiables.

A congregation that is desiring to live together under the authority of Bible.  The Bible being the inspired word of God.  Preaching and teaching that’s expositional - that exposes the word of God.  That takes a passage of the Bible and explains and applies it to our lives so that we can live together under its authority.

A congregation that has a clear understanding of the Gospel.  Our sin separates us from God.  The Triune God choosing to save us.  Jesus - fully God - fully man - through His work on the cross taking care of what needs to be taken care of to make right our relationship with God.  Each of us must individually welcome by faith what God - by His grace alone - has done for us.

Understanding the Gospel meaning also that we intentionally live displaying God’s glory and carrying His gospel into the world around us - to others who are also desperate for the salvation and life that God offers to them.

Those are vital signs that must be at the heart of a congregation if it is to be healthy.

Then there are some vital signs we look for that are important.  Important meaning that - like when we’re sick we want to move towards good health - so if one of these important vital signs is an area where we’re struggling - there’s still life and we might be able to limp along - but there’s also room for improvement and growth - movement towards health.

Which are signs that we’ve looked at - like love, faith, Godly men, Godly women, Godly leadership, how we honor and respect each other and care for one another.  How we each live out our unique God given roles together and our levels of commitment to being the Creekside congregation.  Our contentment - meaning our trust in following what God has for us that’s focused on God and not our own brand of what we think being a church is all about.

This morning we’re coming to Paul’s last vital sign - which is hope.

I was reminded again - Wednesday morning - what has been said many times - that our hope isn’t based on who’s living in the White House.  The issues of our lives and eternity are way more significant than that.  And God is way more sovereign and worthy of our trust and hope.

We need to marinate in that and others around us need to know that truth.

There are some really astoundingly good things about Merced.

Merced is the gateway to Yosemite

We are the seat of government

We’re a center of agriculture

We’re home of the University of California at Merced

We could go on.  Merced, in a number of ways is a great city.

But, we know - because if we’ve got our eyes open - with all the really good things we experience by living in Merced - we also know that Merced is a broken city.

One of many broken cities full of people who are struggling - wounded - angry - bitter - depressed - hopeless.  So many people have either given up hope or they have no clue that there’s anything to hope for.  It seems like people live expecting that homes will be broken - children will be born to single moms by multiple men - that drugs and alcohol and gangs and violence are a way of life - that what sustains them is some government agency - that education is not important.  

(photo)  “Wait for it.” 

Disaster is inevitable.  We’re just watching it happen and waiting for things to get worse.  A lot of people feel like that.

There are issues that we deal with.  There are times when we all want to throw in the towel and just give up.  We all need hope for our lives.

Let’s be clear:  In the midst of the stuff of our lives - Jesus is the only real hope.

Which is where we fit into this city.  The bottom line of why we’re here - the mission of the Church - of Creekside - is to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ into the world - into the places were we live life.  One crucial way we do that is to live displaying the hope that is ours in Jesus.

So, how do we do that in real time?  How do we live staying focused on the hope we have in Jesus?

Let’s read 1 Timothy 6:12-21.  You all are group one.  You all are group two…

Group One:  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 many witnesses.

Group Two:  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—

Group One:  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.

Group Two:  As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

Group One:  They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is true.

Group Two:  O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you.  Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

Everyone:  Grace be with you.

What Paul is describing here is The War Zone that every one of us lives in every day of our lives.  An ongoing battle waged over the eternal destiny of each one of us.  What can be an incredibly fearful - stressful - depressing - horrendous reality.  One of the tactics of our adversary is to get us focused any place else - in all of that - any place else than on the hope we have in Jesus.

Timothy - pastoring in this great city of Ephesus - is given a challenge - to serve in a church - in a difficult ministry - in a city of great evil - where the pressure to compromise - to give in - to give up hope - where that kind of war zone struggle is very real.

Here in Merced - 80 plus percent of our city has very little if anything to do with Jesus and His Church.  As we’re spiritually surveying Merced what were learning is deeply concerning. 

Most of what’s out there is spiritual confusion.   We talk to numbers of people who have been hurt by those calling themselves Christians - maybe even God’s people acting ungodly.  So many people have given up on God’s church.  By their own processing and reasoning - they’re trying to synchronize misunderstood Christian truths with a plethora of beliefs and coming out with contradictions and confusion that they’re counting on to somehow get them through life and to someplace better after this life.

There’s no certainty in that.  No real hope.

They’ve become captives of our adversary.  Bound up in our increasingly confused and anti-God society.  Tactics of hopelessness.

The Apostle Peter writes, Your adversary the devil - Satan - prowls around like a roaring lion, - scheming - plotting - deceiving - seeking someone to devour.  (1 Peter 5:8) 

Paul writes in Ephesians 6, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NASB)   

Behind the scenes of life is Satan - a malicious enemy who’s always looking for people he can get to.  Satan and his demonic army arrayed against us are powerful.

He has authority.  He’s wicked.  He’s cunning.  He looks for any opportunity to distort truth and lead us into darkness - to demoralize us - to ruin us - to destroy us - to destroy our relationships - husband and wives - families - to destroy our effectiveness in ministry - to turn us away from God.  To lead us into despair and not hope.

We live life in a spiritual war zone.  Life is a battlefield.  It would be nice if our troubles just sort of disappeared.  God may give us times of peace and joy that we can thank Him for.  But, we’re always going to be in the fight of our lives.

Here in verse 12 - the word “fight” in Greek is “agonizomai” - related to the word “agnoia” which is where our English word?  “agony.” 

Paul encourages Timothy, “Agonize the good agony of faith.”   Its agony - but keep going - persevere - take hold of the eternal life to which you were called - that’s the victory - it’s worth it - take hold of it - cling to it tenaciously - don’t let go - take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

“Timothy - you’ve testified of your faith in Jesus Christ - in His victory over all this on the cross.  God has called you to this.  Hang on to the hope you have in Him.  Stay focused on Him - on the hope you have in Him.”

So, in real time - how do we do that?  How do we fight on - with everything that our adversary throws at us - how do we live with hope - sharing that hope with those around us?

In verses 13 to 21 Paul is going to give us five tremendous truths and promises - what we’re going to call the Five “C’s” of Hope.  Not to be cute.  But five “C’s” to help us remember these when we start loosing hope.  To marinate in these truths and promises.  God gives us great hope.

In the war zone keep focused on these.

First - The Confession of Jesus.

Verse 13:  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,

We can visualize this scene.  Yes?  Jesus before Pilate.  Jesus taking the witness stand.  “Do you swear to tell the truth…?”  “I am the truth.”

The Chief Priests hated Jesus.  Jesus claiming to be God incarnate - the promised Messiah - the Savior - was competing with their authority - their carefully constructed self focused Pharisee world.

After questioning Jesus, Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Jesus.  He knew that Jesus was innocent.  He was looking for a reason to let Jesus go - to wash his hands of the whole thing. 

Then, there was the question, “Are You the King of the Jews?”   “Are you really Who you claim to be?  Jesus.  Confess.  Is it true?”

If Jesus says “No” - denying that He’s the Messiah - He might have lived. 

If Jesus answers “Yes” - His fate is sealed - death awaits.

Jesus answers, “You’ve said it.”  “It’s exactly what you said.”  (Matthew 27:11-26)

Jesus makes the good confession.  On the stand - as a witness - Jesus gives testimony to the truth.  Jesus testifies - gives witness - to the truth that He is the God - that He is the Savior - that He is the Christ - He is the one and only hope of mankind.

Choosing to say “yes” costs Jesus His life.  Which ironically - and purposely - proves His point.  Jesus’ death and resurrection witness to Who He is.

The word "testified" in verse 13 and the word "witnesses" in verse 12 - have the same root word in Greek - "martur" which is where we get our English word..  martyr.  A martyr is someone who give testimony - who witnesses - confesses with their life.

Jesus - with His disciples after His resurrection - just before He ascends into heaven - Jesus tells His disciples, “You shall be my witnesses.”  (Acts 1:8)

That’s sobering.  Literally, “You shall be my martyrs - testifying of me with your lives.” - same word.

When Paul is writing to Timothy about agonizing in the war zone of life - Paul writes, “Timothy you committed yourself to following Jesus - to this battle - you made that commitment in the presence of many witnesses” - literally - many martyrs - others who - in the midst of the same battle - others who are also giving their lives as followers of Jesus.

There are times when we’re faced with the decision to say “no” when everyone around us is saying “yes.”  Or there will be times when we need to say “yes” -  times when it will be really hard or maybe embarrassing - we’re going to be shames if we testify that we’re Christians.  That “no” or “yes” may cost us greatly.  But, we need to remember the confession of Jesus - to remember that there is more at stake here than just a “yes” or “no.”

If we ever feel alone - with the weight of great responsibility on your shoulders - with the burden of issues deep within - with no one to turn to - you can understand how Timothy felt.  There in Ephesus.  Here in Merced.

When we feel beaten down - dejected - holding up more than we can possibly uphold and hanging on to more than we can possibly hang on to.  When we’ve reached the end of our rope - tied a knot - and we’re hanging there - just barely.  When to live for Jesus only brings more of the same -  if not worse.  We need to remember Jesus before Pilate.

Confession isn’t just making a statement about what we believe.  It goes deeper.  It went deeper for Jesus.  It means being a witness to what we’re confessing to.  That isn’t an option for a follower of Jesus.  In the war zone of life we follow Jesus by testifying with our lives the same truth that Jesus confessed.

But grab this:  Our martyrdom - our living life for Jesus - is not an empty - pointless - giving up of our lives.  When we struggle through life we struggle through knowing the confession of Jesus.  Our confession is of Him.  We are witnesses to the truth that Jesus is God in the flesh and blood of our humanity.  He is the Christ.  He is the Savior.

We confess that God, “who gives life to all things” - is the resurrected Jesus.  That even while we were dead in our sin - Jesus made the good confession going to the cross for us and through His resurrection.  We confess that God in Jesus gives life to us.  We confess the realization of our salvation and the presence of the living God in our lives today.  That confession is full of hope.

First we need to keep before us the confession of Jesus.  Then, second Paul’s writes of The Coming of Jesus. 

Verse 14:  keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will display at the proper time

Notice two things.  First, we’re encouraged to “keep the commandment”

Keep faithfully living in obedience to God - confessing - testifying of Jesus.

The Bible says that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Who God is holy.  Meaning that by ourselves we can't enter into eternity.

God is holy.  We’re not holy.  Oil and water don’t mix.  Meaning there’s no way holy oil is going to mix with sinful water.

Ultimately, when Jesus returns, we’ll have to give an account for ourselves before God.  We’ll be judged for our sins - separated from God - Who is holy - forever. (Romans 3:23)

Any one of us can choose to pursue our own philosophy or religion - any goals - any belief we want.  We have that freedom and ability.  But God is honest with us.  He tells us that we’re sinners.  Tells us that what’s coming is eternal separation from Him.

Paul writes in Romans 6, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NASB)

God loves us.  God desires to give us life with Him now and through eternity.  On the cross Jesus took care of whatever needed to be taken care of to restore our relationship with God.  When we choose to welcome by faith what He's done, God makes us to be right before Him and gives to us eternal life with Him.

Good News.  Bad News.  Good News.  You... choose.  That’s hope.

Jesus:  “You shall be my martyrs in Jerusalem, and Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth... Merced.”  (Acts 1:8)

The message of Gospel is not popular.  But it is the hope.  We are to unswervingly - without stain or what is warranted accusation - even if it means our lives or anything short of that - we are to faithfully and obediently proclaim that message of hope to those around us.

Then notice also that Paul writes that Jesus will appear “at the proper time.” 

Looking at what’s happening around us - comparing all that to Scripture - so many Christians are asking, “Are we in the last days?  Is Jesus coming back now?  Is this it?”  We’re constantly speculating about what comes next.  Because we don’t know.  When and how do we enter into eternity?

When will Jesus come back?  When God is good and ready for Him to come back - in His proper time.  The whole of history is moving according to the plan and program of God.  It will happen and nothing can stop it.

Jesus - who speaks with the authority of the only one who has triumphed over death and Himself ascended into heaven - Jesus says this, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1,3  NASB).

In the confusion and delusion of this age - that’s the hope that we share as Christians.  Jesus is coming back and we will spend eternity with Him. 

Paul reminds us that while God allows us to live here now we need to be living obedient - living and sharing that message of hope with others.

Then - verse 15 Paul goes on to The Crown of Jesus.  Who is this Jesus that we confess - that we have hope in? 

Verse 15:  He - Jesus - 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.

Notice how Paul describes Jesus - verse 16 - Jesus alone “has immortality”  The Greek literally means that Jesus alone “is” immorality. 

Meaning that only Jesus is able to conquer death.  Immortality is His possession and what He gives to all those who will come to Him as their Savior.  We receive immortality as a gift from God.  Jesus is immortality.    

Jesus “dwells in unapproachable light” - not darkened by sin as we are.  Jesus is holy.  We can’t even begin to imagine that kind of purity.

Then, Jesus is God “whom no one has seen or can see.” 

But we do see Jesus - born in in Bethlehem - God incarnate - the invisible God made visible in the flesh and blood of humanity.  God reaching to our level - the unknowable - unapproachable - making Himself knowable.

Finally, after all this maybe Paul couldn’t’ contain himself - he exclaims, “To Him - Jesus - be honor and eternal dominion.  Amen.”

We wonder what a Trump presidency will mean.  We’re anxious about terrorist attacks - wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The ongoing horror in Syria.  We stress over the economy.  What will happen tomorrow?  Will I have a job?  There’s no end to the possibilities of what we can stress out about.  True? 

But men are not in control.  God is.

The United Nations is the not ultimate authority.  God is.

The circumstances we find ourselves in are not sovereign.  God is.

Even those who would bring us to physical death do not have power over our lives.  Who’s sovereign?  God is.

God - Jesus -  is in control.  Jesus is the only Sovereign - the crowned King of kings and Lord of lords.

God hasn’t abandoned us here - left us to muddle along under our own power - to struggle along with our plans. - to do the best we can and somehow to survive it all.  God is here - behind the scenes of history - available to us - revealed and known in Jesus Christ.   In Jesus we always have hope.

We always can know God’s peace and security in whatever circumstances we may be called to testify of Him.  When our adversary comes after us with despair and doubt we need to choose to hang on to the crown - the sovereignty of Jesus Christ.

The fourth “C” - Our Calling. 

Verse 17 - Paul writes, As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.  They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, - meaning invest in eternity - in what counts for eternity - not the worthless temporal stuff of this life that so many people are wasting their lives pursuing - storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is true - real life - life with God - lived for eternity the way God has designed life to be lived.

We get this.  Right?

“Charge” - verse 17 - “charge” is a Greek verb that’s made up of two words stuck together to make one word.

“Para” is the first word.  It means “from the side of” - right here next to someone.

The second word is one you know:  “aggello” which is related to “aggelos” which is the English word?  Angel.  “Aggello” means to announce a message.  An angel is a being that God uses to announce His message.  To let us know what God is up to.

Still with me?  “To charge” is to come alongside someone and let them know what God is doing.

God generally doesn’t tweet or post on Facebook.  When we were getting hammered on the battlefield of life - our race perishing without hope - God didn’t tweet or text - God demonstrated His love for us by showing up in Bethlehem.  By doing what was necessary Himself to open up to us life with Him.

God involves us in “His Story.”  Right?  History is the story of Jesus - what God is doing through Jesus - for Jesus - and how each of us can be a part of God’s working in human history.  Our knowing Jesus.  Being saved by grace through faith in Jesus’ work on the cross.  Our faithful and obediently serving Jesus.

All that doesn’t change because of adversity.  Our God given role in what God is doing doesn’t change because our occupation or status in life may change.  We’re called to live alongside our communities - our families - people in our schools and workplaces - to come alongside them and let them know what God is doing.  That there’s so vastly more to life than the worthless - hopeless - stuff we waste ourselves investing in today.

What an awesome thing for us to focus our lives on.  What a tremendous purpose that perseveres through-out our lives to the day God calls us home.  Each of us has a crucial role in God’s unfolding plan of the redemption of mankind.

We need to hang on to that when we’re getting hammered.  Our  lives - your life - is worth so much more than the stuff that you’re getting hammered with.  You have a calling - a purpose in life - given to you by God Himself.

Then number five:  Caution. 

Verse 20:  O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you.  Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.  Grace be with you.

Have you seen one of these signs, “Cuidado, Piso Mojado”?  How does that translate?  “Caution.  Wet Floor.”

“Cuidado” - “caution” isn’t just looking at the sign - the floor - and thinking, “Oh the floor is wet.”  And then walking across the wet floor and ending up flat on our rear end.  Caution is taking steps to go around.  To avoid the danger of the wet floor.

“Guard” - here in verse 20 means to take steps to protect - to preserve - what’s been deposited.  Entrusted to you.  Specifically the life and hope that you have - that we have - which has been given to us by God through Jesus Christ.

Way back in August - when we looked at chapter 1 - in chapter 1 verse 20 - Paul writes about Hymanaeus and Alexander - two men who had not taken steps to guard - to protect - themselves.  They'd gotten caught up in their own egos - who were serving themselves by trying to be known and respected as teachers of God’s law.

They’d gotten caught up in what Paul describes here in chapter 6 as irreverent babble and contradictions about what some call knowledge - what was their own self-inflicted distorted misunderstanding of the gospel and life in Jesus.  They’d walked away from the faith.

“Timothy, don’t go there.  Take steps - guard against getting caught up in all that.”

Turn to the person next to you and tell them, “Keep your guard up.”  “Cuidado!”

Paul’s last statement  in verse 21 almost seems like an afterthought.  Do you see it?  “Grace be with you.”  What seems like just a nice way to end a letter - those words are integral to Paul’s point.  Crucial to understanding Paul’s point about guarding.

The life God gives us in Jesus Christ - His salvation - His calling - His purpose - the hope we share - all that is a gift of God - graciously - undeservedly given to us - not something we could ever earn or even guard by our own ability.  It comes from God.  It comes from His love poured out in Jesus Christ.  It comes by His working within us - giving us life in Jesus - penetrating to the core of who we are - bringing change - transforming us - empowering us - God Himself living within us through the war zone of life.

To guard what has been entrusted to us requires constant vigilance - constant attention - to our relationship with God - a continual openness to God at work within us and through us - depositing our lives into His care. 

And that really does supply us with hope.  Because if it was up to us we would walk away from our faith every time.  If guarding our lives was up to us we would have no hope.  But, daily giving our lives to God means living in His hope.

Processing all that…  Do you see what Paul’s getting at here?

Life isn’t about what comfort we have in our lives - or what we suffer - even martyrdom.  Our lives are not about the suffering - or the blessing.  Life is not about the people who desert us or hurt us or who hang with us.  It’s not about success or failure by the world’s inconsistent standards.

Life isn’t about us.

Ultimately what matters is whether we lived according to the purpose for which God has graciously saved us.  Ultimately what matters is that when others look at us - as individuals - as a congregation - what they see is God on display.  That God is glorified.

God - has chosen each of us - before the creation of the world - to glorify Him.  That’s immense.  That’s a whole lot bigger than the day-to-day stuff we get so focused on.

We live in a constant battle to resist the pressures of our society which are designed by our adversary to cool our love for God - to weaken our commitment - to distract us - to disable us for the battle

Paul writes “Fight the good fight.”  Timothy - regardless of the circumstances - cling tenaciously to God - keep going forward in what you know to be true about God - daily giving your life to Him.  Daily put your hope in Him.

In the real time of Merced - not only do we need to keep our lives daily focused on Jesus - to keep our hope placed in Him - but the world needs to see that hope lived out in our lives.  The hopeless of this world need to know the hope that is only found in Jesus Christ.

Two take home questions:

Number One:  Where’s your hope?  In Jesus or someplace else?  And how’s that going?

Number two - tougher question:  Other people looking at your life - do you think they’d come up with the same answer?

Even tougher question:  What would God's answer to the question one be?  Ask Him.  Where do you see my hope?  Because God wants us to have our hope in Him and He'll lovingly and graciously help us to get focused on Him.

_________________________

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.