Please turn with me to 2 Timothy 2 - starting a verse 1.

A while back I read a poem by a 10th grader that has stuck in my mind.  Listen to the heart of this teenage girl.

In emptiness.
All alone now,
Sitting in the darkness.
Where else could I be
But in emptiness?
Emptiness is nothing;
It is all its own.
There is no life in emptiness.
Where am I going?
To boredom,
or to serenity?
The earth is turning,
As I am turning,
Forever in a circle Of emptiness.

Shakespeare summed up the feeling of so many when he wrote:  “Life is....a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” (1)

We’re surrounded by war and death and drugs and hatred - a society adrift - without right or wrong - empty of meaning - full of despair - depressed - delusioned - wondering about the future - if there is one.  What purpose is there to all this?

In contrast is the Gospel of Jesus Christ - salvation - forgiveness - hope - life with God now and forever - life with meaning and purpose - life that glorifies God.

This morning as we’re looking at The Character of a Committed  Christian - thinking about what it takes to keep going - to be consistent in our walk with God - to go the distance with Jesus - this morning we’re going to look at the crucial role that God has given each one of us in the passing forward of the Gospel.

2 Timothy 2 - starting at verse 1:  You therefore - wherefore?  Therefore refers back to chapter one.  Because of all that God has graciously - undeservedly - done for us and desires to do through us according to His will and purposes - to His glory - because of the life God has called you to - you therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Let’s pause there.

Being strong in life doesn’t come because we somehow pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps and decide to be strong and to live Godly lives.  The life God calls us to can never be lived by our own power and cleverness.

Being “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” comes as we realize that God - not only graciously calls us to the incredible life that He offers us in Jesus Christ - but that God also graciously will supply all that we need to live that life.

Timothy has been learning that from Paul - by what Paul taught - through formal times of education - by how Paul lived - by example.  Timothy came to salvation under Paul’s ministry.  And Paul taught Timothy what it means to live out the incredible reality of the Gospel in the daily things of life - going the distance with Jesus.

Paul writes that “the things which you heard from me” - “the things” meaning the Gospel - what God graciously calls us to - what God graciously enables us for - the gospel lived out in our lives - which you heard and saw - and others witnessed - you need to pass on to others.  Its your turn to make an impact in their lives - to pass the Gospel forward.

Quiz question.  What significant event took place on February 4, 2007?  Super Bowl 41 - Indianapolis barely squeaking out a win over Chicago.

Do you know that when a 240 pound lineman - capable of running 100 yards in eleven seconds - collides with a 240 pound running back - capable of covering the same distance in ten seconds - the resulting kinetic energy is enough to move 66,000 pounds - or thirty-three tons - one inch? 

Fighter pilots, in top physical shape, tend to black out at about 20 Gs - 20 times the force of gravity.  Linemen are getting hit by a blow approaching 1,000 Gs.  That’s making an impact in someone’s life.

Hopefully, with less violence, yet with as much spiritual impact, is the what Paul is writing about here in verse 2.

When I was starting out at Biola I attended a church where I got to know the Youth Pastor.  This man took me in.  Every Sunday afternoon I was at his house for a free meal.  When the 49ers won their first Super Bowl - remember that?  When the 49ers were good?  I was at his house watching on a 5 inch screen.  I practically became a member of his family.  And, he let me work with him - as his assistant.  To teach and to lead Junior Highers - High Schoolers - College kids.

Without teaching me, I was taught.  I began to imitate his life.  As I spent time in close association with him, God used him to shape my image of ministry and of myself and what it meant to live for God.

Notice here in verse 2 how Paul defines that process.

First:  Paul writes that Timothy is to entrust the things.  “Entrust” in Greek is the word is “parathou.”  It has the idea of depositing something - like we’d deposit valuables in a safe deposit box.  “The things” are valuable.  Entrusting the things needs to be thoughtful - purposeful - careful.

Then - second - Timothy is to entrust the things to “faithful men.”

Its important to find men who have a mind open to being taught.  Men of prayer and God’s word.  Who are learning about the things of God - studying - meditating on God and His word - seeking after the heart of God and His will for their lives.  Men who have humble hearts that are pliable and being shaped by God - not their own egos and desires.

Look for men who’ve been tested and found faithful.  Serving God - being obedient to Him - regardless of the circumstances or personal cost.  Who give evidence of hanging in there - of turning to God - learning to walk with Him through the tough things of life.

Men who when you examine their character there’s nothing disgraceful and hidden.  In all areas of their lives - private and public - they’re consistent - unblemished by sin.

Third:  When you find those faithful men commit yourself to them - give yourself to them - pass on to them your life in Jesus - because those men will be able to pass forward that life to others.

Faithful men are men with a track record of tracking with God.  The Church is a relay team.  Passing the baton - the Gospel.  Its crucial that we pass it well.  That those we pass it to are ready to receive it.  The cost of failure is unimaginable.

Verse 3 - Paul goes on - what it takes to pass the Gospel forward - verse 3:  Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

That phrase - in English - “suffer hardship with me” is really one Greek verb - “sugkakopatheo.”  “sugkakopatheo” is made up of two words.  Two words stuck together to make one.  Remember this from last Sunday? (2 Timothy 1:8) 

First is the word “soun” - which has the idea of close association.  It comes to those who fight on battlefields together - getting shot at - but in a spiritual sense.  Soldiers of the cross standing up for Jesus together - moving the Kingdom of God forward together - regardless of the personal cost.  Its the bond of fellowship that God produces in our lives together through the work of the Holy Spirit.  What God’s been teaching us as we’ve been working together - worshipping together - praying together - especially in these last few months of construction and destruction - not necessarily in that order.  Deep close association - “soun”

The second part of the verb is the word “kakopatheo” which has the idea of suffering - enduring affliction - going through really tough stuff.

To pass the Gospel forward Timothy is going to have to suffer as Paul suffers - to endure as he endures - with the same passion and commitment.  To pass the Gospel forward is not easy.  But its what a Christian - taking orders from Jesus - our commander - its what we do. 

In verses 4 to 6 Paul defines that suffering - three examples.

Example number one -  verse 4:  No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

Wasn’t there a navy recruiting campaign several years ago:  “Join the Navy - see the world”?  Remember that?  Like serving in the navy was like taking a cruise on The Lust Boat.  Join the military and you can have this wonderful life of adventure and romance and travel.

When war breaks out the reality is a whole different.  Isn’t it?  War is ugly - hard - a test of endurance - suffering.  A soldier can’t have it both ways.

Being entangled literally means to be woven in - to become a part of the fabric - entangled in the weave.  To be caught up in the pleasures of everyday life.  A Christian can’t live like that.  We’re not around to enjoy life with a lot of creature comforts where life is all about what makes us feel good.

We’re in a spiritual battle.  Our Commander and Chief Jesus has called us to move out.  We need to please Him - to set aside anything that keeps us from strict obedience - and fulfilling our purpose of passing forward the Gospel.

And this is important also - notice that the goal is to please the one who enlisted us - called us - to be soldiers.  Obedience comes from the heart.  The motive is love.  We suffer because we love Jesus - the One who has called us through His suffering.

Example number two - verse 5:  Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.

One word:  Steroids.  Performance enhancing drugs.  There may be short term victory - recognition - but how many athletes are paying for all that now with bodies that are falling apart?  What Paul is writing about is what serious athletes know.  There is no short cut to true victory.

A double double with extra onions and extra cheese with well done fries and a large chocolate shake is not the meal of champions.  An athlete has to deny himself certain things.  Drinking and smoking harms the body.  Late nights and late mornings cut into the training schedule.  The goal is to win - to get the prize - to win with honor.  That requires discipline - sacrifice - commitment to the goal.

The word Paul uses here for “rules” is “nomos.”  It used elsewhere of God’s law.  Like everyone else on this planet - as Christians we’re tempted by so much that calls us to distraction - to pleasure - to indulgence.  But, to win in life - to get to the end of the race victoriously - to pass the baton successfully - means living by God’s rules.  That means giving up - denying ourselves - unswerving commitment - doing life God’s way - even if that means suffering - because we’ve a got a race to win.

Third example - verse 6:  The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 

Would you agree with this?  Farming is a do what it takes when it needs to be done kind of job.  True?  To be successful a farmer has always got to be on top of things going on out in the fields.  He has to know a whole lot of things about fertilizers and pesticides and equipment and soils and crops and weather patterns and on and on.  Farming ain’t easy.  Its hard work.

Same is true for Christians.  To be a Christian means hours of Bible study and reading books about the Bible and the Christian life.  It means hours of prayer.  It takes hours of time hanging in there with others - dedicated to sharing and relating to others - crying with those who cry - rejoicing with those who rejoice.  It means giving up of ourselves for others who often times reject us or what God’s offering them.  It means getting stretched and pulled in ways that don’t really feel good.

All that doesn’t just happen because we become a follower of Jesus Christ.  It takes a commitment to do the hard thing.  But, if we’re going to expect to receive our share - to be successful at passing the baton - that’s what it takes.

Verse 7:  Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.   

Timothy, the more you think about what I’m writing the more this will make sense to you.  To pass forward the Gospel requires obedience - focus - sacrifice - self-control - denying self - hard work.  You’re going to suffer.  You’re going to learn to rely on God’s grace - His giving you the strength to live this life - like you’ve never relied on Him before.

Many Christians today they don’t want to hear that.  They’ve signed up for Christianity like they’ve bought tickets for the cruise.  Church is about entertainment and what makes me feel good.

That’s not what Paul writes here.  To live out the Gospel - to do what God has called us to do - to go the distance - especially in this desperate world - it costs everything that we are given over completely to God.  And yes, that means suffering.

Praise God Paul doesn’t stop there.  What comes next - beginning in verse 8 - is a section of tremendous encouragement for us.

Verse 8:  Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel. 

There are three parts to this verse we need to focus on.

First - Paul writes:  Remember Jesus Christ - risen from the dead.  Say that with me, “Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead.”

The Romans and Jews took tremendous security precautions to make sure that Jesus stayed dead and in the tomb - to protect against potential fraud and lies by the disciples of Jesus.  The stone was huge.  The seal was official.  The Roman guard impartial and motivated.

When Mary, John, Peter and others arrived on Sunday morning - the stone was rolled to the side - the tomb was empty.  The burial clothes lay undisturbed - the body had disappeared from within them.  Jesus left the tomb supernaturally.

Later - the women and the disciples saw - heard - ate with - and even touched Jesus.  500 brethren saw Jesus at one time.  50 days later Peter preached about Jesus’ resurrection and thousands gathered to hear Him - people who were in a position to know the facts about the resurrection.  No one offered him a rebuttal.  That silence is powerful.  If the resurrection was a hoax - where was the out cry against the witnesses?  There is no credible historical evidence to disprove the resurrection.

In contrast Josephus - a Jewish historian - a man who was definately not a believer in Jesus Christ - writing shortly after the resurrection - Josephus writes this:  “Now, there was about this time Jesus....He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold....” (2)

“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.”

The resurrection is a certainty.  That means that our belief in the Divine power and authority of Jesus Christ is not an empty faith - or wishful thinking - or a religious faith tradition.  The life God offers us is a certainty.  The Gospel we pass forward is true.

Second - Paul writes:  Remember Jesus Christ - descendant of David.  Try that with me, “Remember Jesus Christ descendant of David.”

Next to Jesus Christ, we probably know more about Kind David than anyone else in Scripture.

What images come to mind with David?  David the shepherd - David the sinner - David the unfortunate father - David the warrior - David the King.  Always there’s this sense of God’s presence and purposeful movement in the earthy humanity of David’s life.

Jesus was born a descendant of King David - a fulfillment of prophecies given over 1,000 years before. (2 Samuel 7:8-17; Psalm 132:11,12; Jeremiah 23:5-8)  Jesus was born in the city of David - Bethlehem - another fulfillment of prophecy. (Micah 5:2)  The Old Testament contains several hundred prophecies given to identify the Messiah - all of which were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  Only God could do that. (3)

That Jesus was born a descendant of David demonstrates God’s purposeful movement in our humanity.   

Jesus told His disciples, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends.” (John 15:13,14a)  God’s purposeful working in our humanity.

With human counselors - we make an appointment - maybe one hour once a week - and pay to pour out our lives - hoping for some type of help.  Please understand there is a time and place when a good Christian counselor can be of great help.  Yet - in Isaiah 9:6 - Isaiah writes that Jesus is the Wonderful Divine Counselor.  Jesus takes all of God’s divine wisdom - and applies it with loving merciful gracious affinity - to every moment and in every circumstance of our lives.

The writer of Hebrews puts it this way:  “Consider Him - remember Jesus - who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:3)

The Gospel we pass forward declares that Jesus - descendant of David - God has purposefully identified with us.  Purposefully brought into our humanity His own Divine love and mercy and grace and  wisdom.  We can go through life with Him.    

Then third - Paul writes:  Remember Jesus Christ - according to my gospel.  Try that with me, “Remember Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

Paul - here - is writing from his heart.  This is his gospel.  His testimony of life with Jesus Christ.  Paul’s testimony is familiar to us - as it was to Timothy.

Saul held the coats of those stoning Stephen - as Stephen was martyred for his faith.  Saul - believing Christians to be heretics and blasphemers and worthy of death - Saul sets out to destroy the church.  He led the persecution - dragging men and women out of their homes and throwing them into prison - scattering believers from Jerusalem through Judea and Samaria.  If we’d have been there he would have come after us.  Saul zealously - righteously - serving God.

On the road to Damascus - Saul pursuing Christians - encountered the resurrected and living Jesus Christ.  Saul became Paul - the great evangelist - theologian - missionary - perhaps the one person - aside from Jesus Christ who has had the greatest impact on our faith. (Galatians 1:11,12, 2 Timothy 1:11)

Not because Saul was anything special.  But, because - as Saul trusted in Jesus as his resurrected Savior - God made him - through the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus Christ which is able to cleanse us of sin - through resurrection power of Jesus Christ which is able to transform our lives - God graciously - mercifully - and lovingly took Saul and made him into Paul.

Paul - who had brought to martyrdom many Christians - himself died a martyr - beheaded in Rome.  Writing to Timothy - in chains in that Roman prison from where he would be led out to die - Paul - writing of a personal relationship with his living Savior - Paul writes, “Remember Jesus Christ.”   How amazing is the Gospel?  How awesome is Jesus?

Verse 9:  For which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned - I may be in chains - falsely accused.  But God’s word will never be imprisoned - even death couldn’t hold back Jesus - For this reason - for what reason? - because the Gospel is the testimony and reality of the living - loving - life transforming Savior Jesus - who others in this world desperately need - for this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen - I’m passing the things forward - so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory - all that we by grace have been given by God.

Verse 11:  It is a trustworthy statement - trustworthy in that its accepted without question.  This is what we firmly believe - For if we died with Him we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him, if we deny Him, He will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Verses 11 to 13 are probably a catechism - a well known statement that the church would have used to teach others what we believe - to reassure themselves of God’s faithfulness towards them.

If we die to ourselves - give Him our lives.  We will live.

If we endure - waiting - bearing our suffering patiently - He has an unimaginable future waiting for us.

If we turn against Him we will never experience what He offers us.

But, even if we stumble in sin - if our desire is to live the life He offers us - if we are trusting Him - He will always be there for us.

The Gospel we pass forward is the testimony of Jesus who lives - who saves - who is faithful - who transforms lives - including our own.  The world needs to hear that testimony.

What Paul writes is a challenge for us.  The challenge of passing forward the baton.

Jesus discipled Thaddeus and Bartholomew - who shortly after the resurrection traveled to Armenia to preach the Gospel.  Bartholomew was followed by Zacharias - who was the first Catholicos - think pope - of the Armenian Apostolic Church.  From Jesus until today there’s a been a line of Catholicai passing forward the Gospel.

On July 1, 1846 a group of reformers - among them 3 priests of the Armenian Apostolic Church - meaning from that line dating back to Thaddeus and Bartholomew - and Jesus - that group of reformers formed the first Evangelical Church of Armenia.  They chose as their pastor - and laid hands on - ordaining - a man by the name of Apisoghom Eutudjian.

On May 29, 1988 - pastors who were part of that line of pastors coming from Pastor Eutudjian - laid hands on me - setting me apart for the ministry of passing forward the Gospel.

The reason I share that is not to give the impression that only ordained pastors are called to pass forward the Gospel.  That is so far from the truth.  I share that about myself because it challenges me to take seriously that I’m part of a relay going back to Jesus.  Challenges me to the importance of passing forward the Gospel.

Each one of us is a part of that relay.  Each one of us received the Gospel from someone before us - someone who received it from someone before them - and so on - back to Jesus.  Now this is our time.  We’re the ones expected to pass on the things we know to those who come after us.

That requires everything we are in total surrender to God - living the Gospel by His power - even suffering.  We need to be the faithful men and women that Paul wrote about.  That’s a challenge.  Y’adults - are you prepared to receive the things?  Us older Christians need are we preparing them?  Are we ready to hand off the things well? 

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1. Shakespeare - Macbeth, Act V, Scene IV
2. Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3, Paragraph 3
3. A great reference for these is Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Volume 1

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible®, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.