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Title: The Scandal of The Ages Text: II Timothy 1:8-14 FCF: We often struggle enduring and suffering for our faith. Prop: Because the God of our salvation is mighty to save, we must unashamedly endure, holding tight the gospel of Christ. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 1. Last week Paul laid the groundwork for his mantle to pass to Timothy. Paul confesses that he is thankful to God for Timothy’s sincere faith. A faith that has an ancestral history in the family which God has raised in His Son. Because of this sincere and ancient faith, Timothy must stir up his gifting to preach the gospel, knowing that being timid or fearful of doing this is not what God has planned. But rather than God has given His Spirit to enable him to do this. Paul builds on this argument in the following section of scripture, where he will call on Timothy to endure in suffering unashamedly, and hold fast and keep the gospel he has been given in faith and love. And right in the middle, we see Paul describe the scandal of the ages. A scandal is an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage. The scandal of the ages is the action that has caused general outrage throughout the world. In this scandal, Paul tells Timothy to not be ashamed of loving it. He tells Timothy to suffer for being a part of it. He tells Timothy to hold fast to the truth of it. The scandal, of course, is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s look at what Paul says. I am in verse 8 but will start reading in verse 6. I am reading from the NET which you can follow on page 1342 of the pew bible, or whatever version you have. Transition: How can I call the gospel of Jesus Christ a scandal? My view of that was heavily influenced by asking the question… why would Timothy be ashamed about of the testimony of our Lord? That rabbit hole led to something quite profound. Let me show you what I discovered. I.) The God of our salvation is mighty to save, so we must endure suffering for His name without embarrassment. (8-10) a. [Slide 2] 8 – So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me, a prisoner for his sake, i. Paul’s command here is two-fold. First, that Timothy must not be ashamed. ii. Ashamed means to be embarrassed. It means to be fearful. It is used throughout the New Testament to speak primarily about not being ashamed of our faith in Christ. Its other uses give us insight. 1. [Slide 3] God is said to not be ashamed to be called the God of those who trusted His words. (Hebrews 11:16) Those who were sure of what hope they were told and convinced of the promise they NEVER saw fulfilled. That each and every imperfect sinner needing mercy in this list of the hall of faith – God is still not ashamed to be called their God. But shouldn’t He be? Do you realize that faith counting as righteousness is the scandal of the ages! That trusting God could be seen as enough to satisfy a holy God. Shall we say to the murderer, simply trust the lawmakers who wrote that murder is vile, and it will be counted as goodness to you? It is a scandal! Of the HIGHEST order. And yet… what… God is not ashamed to be called their God? 2. [Slide 4] Christ is not ashamed to call us brothers. (Hebrews 2:11) The God of the universe, who humbled himself to become one of us. To add, forever, human nature to His divine nature. To exist as one of His Creation – but more… to die a death reserved for the lowliest and most wicked of people. Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree! He bore the wrath of God that was upon us! Then He ascended and sits now at the right hand of God. Holy and Glorified. All of this is as the scriptures testify. This God-Man… is not ashamed to call us… brothers and sisters. Of all the things that should bring Him shame – SURELY THIS WOULD BE ONE! Peons maybe. Peasants, perhaps. Lucky, fortunate, serfs, slaves YES all of these. But brothers? It is a scandal! It is an outrage! But He is not ashamed. iii. And so, as we understand this word, we begin to understand that this gospel, this Christ, this Lord which we have received in true faith, a foreign faith, given to us by the Spirit of God – what is this gospel to the rest of the world? A stumbling block to the Jews – and foolishness to the Gentiles. iv. My friends – we are a laughing stock. And we always have been. v. It is a scandal. It is deplorable! It is infamous! The whole world is upheaved because such a Lord should not be. Such a God should never be. His shame is too great to be a God. His filth is too much to be holy. He is not a God if He would become one of His own. He is not a God who would ordain before the foundations of the world, salvation to His people based on HIS WORK! This is SILLY! It contradicts every single thread of human wisdom. That man has no part in his own salvation and that God alone would act to save those who are His enemies! It is horrifying. Shocking! Shameful! vi. [Slide 5] Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord… Of the great lengths to which He went to save us. Whom He foreknew and predestined before the foundation of the world. To the eyes of the world – we ought to be embarrassed to believe such foolishness. We ought to be ashamed to think God would do that without expecting us to earn it. vii. Timothy… because you have sincere faith in these teachings, and because the Spirit of God is in you to produce power, love, and self control – Do not be ashamed of this Christ. viii. And do not be ashamed of me. Because I am in prison because I was unashamed of Christ. ix. What is the second layer of Paul’s command to Timothy? Do not be ashamed of Christ and His suffering servants and what else? b. [Slide 6] but by God’s power accept your share of suffering for the gospel. i. Share with me in the sufferings of the gospel. ii. Take your part in suffering for His name. iii. Timothy it is time for you to be the next Paul. It is time for you to earn your stripes… pun intended. iv. It is time for you to be bold to speak and live in such a way that will cause the same world that hated Christ, that now hates me, to hate you. v. But how can he do this? Surely, he is not able to bear up such a heavy burden! vi. As with all things in this life that God calls us to do… it is by the Power of God that we do them. vii. What about that power? Why is it so trustworthy? Let’s look to what it has done in His people! c. [Slide 7] 9 – He is the one who saved us and called us with a holy calling i. Let this be true and everything else a lie. ii. God alone acted to save His people. iii. He alone saved us and called us to this holy calling. iv. We have been set apart as His people from the foundation of the world. v. Furthermore… d. [Slide 8] Not based on our works but on his own purpose and grace i. We have absolutely no part in that salvation. None. ii. That is not to say we have no responsibility. That is not to say that there are no imperatives in scripture commanding us to do things. iii. But the fact of the matter is, that God acted first so that we could do all that He has asked of us. iv. From faith to love to hope to obedience and good works – all of these are only possible if God acts first. v. God did not look to anything we offered in order to save us and call us to a holy calling. vi. Rather, he consulted his own purpose for those whom He would call and He relied on His own power in grace for those He would save. vii. But how could God both be just and justify the wicked? viii. [Slide 9] Proverbs 17:15 – The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent, both of them are an abomination to the Lord. ix. How can God acquit the guilty? He cannot. x. So how can He give grace to save and purpose in His will to call His people when they were yet sinners? e. [Slide 10] Granted to us in Christ Jesus i. Jesus Christ’s incarnation, obedient life, atoning death, life-giving resurrection, and advocation at the Father’s right hand – fully vindicates God the Father to do this for His own. ii. And this question came up in Foundations recently. iii. What about those who lived before the cross? iv. In Hebrews 11 – what about that who trusted God but never saw His promises fulfilled? v. Are they lost? f. [Slide 11] Before time began i. My friends – Jesus Christ was crucified before Adam and Eve were created. ii. This stands as a great mystery that we see clearer now, but are still befuddled by its teaching. iii. God is not bound by time. He transcends it and can operate in it. But God acts in the past, present, and future. His will has been published from the end to the beginning. iv. He has decreed certain things to be and what God decrees, nothing can undo. v. Before God spoke anything into existence – God decreed that His Son Jesus was to be hung on the tree. vi. He was crucified before the foundations of the world. vii. You see – God’s will cannot be moved. And no matter what measure of freedom we see in man’s choices, one brick wall man’s will always hits is God’s will. NEVER can man’s will undo God’s. viii. Before time began, God’s grace to save His people, and His purpose to call His people to their holy calling, was granted in Christ. ix. I do not pretend to understand it fully. x. But I must believe it for this is what the scripture says. And I rejoice and am glad in it. xi. And rather than spend all kinds of time trying to wrap our brains around it… we should follow Paul… g. [Slide 12] 10 – but now made visible through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. i. The mystery has been revealed – at least in part. ii. We have seen the glorious appearing of the Savior, the Messiah of God who is Jesus, His Son. iii. Jesus, a name that means Yahweh saves… So HE is Yahweh who saves. iv. How? h. [Slide 13] He has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel! i. The power of death, that seed sewn in Adam’s sin. ii. God did foretell to him that in the day you eat of this fruit you will surely die. iii. And on that day, he did die. iv. Spiritually he died and physically he should have died. v. But an animal took his place, and a promise was given to them, which they received in true faith, of a seed that would set it all right. vi. You see Adam did die that day… but when he walked from that garden, His spiritual death had been paid by the blood of Christ. vii. And now that Christ has appeared, all the debt that God promised to pay Himself, All the shame and abomination for God justifying His people who were wicked, He did pour out on the chosen one of God. So that death would die in the death of Christ. And that life and immortality and light could come through this… the good news. viii. My friends… it is a scandal! It is an outrage! It is foolishness! It is abomination! ix. But, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. But share in the suffering of it by His power! i. [Slide 14] Passage Truth: Paul’s passion for Timothy is for him to know the greatness of this faith that he has received. To understand fully, as he has probably been told before, the greatness of our God in salvation for us. Our God is mighty to save. j. Passage Application: This message is scandalous though. It is wholly rejected by the world. It is foolishness, and it is abominable. But Timothy must not be ashamed of this scandalous gospel. Instead, he should prepare himself to suffer for this truth, knowing that He can endure with the power of God. k. [Slide 15] Broader Biblical Truth: In this text we cannot help but zoom out from it. Paul invites us to do this. He implores us to begin before time. To examine the truth he presents. That God has purposed to call, and save by grace His people. He did this before Adam was created. He did this in the counsel of His will, before anything existed save Himself. Before all things, God the triune met with Himself and decreed that God the Spirit would regenerate His people by grace. That God the Son would die to pay their punishment and make way for grace. And that God the Father would dispense this grace in Christ before the foundation of the world. To the world this is the stupidest thing they have ever heard. To us, His people, it is a marvelous mystery. l. Broader Biblical Application: And it is just the encouragement we here at CBC need to not be embarrassed by this scandalous grace. But to suffer willingly for it knowing that this life is but the space between. It is the plunge into the water as we wait to ascend and breathe again. Our grace in Christ was given in eternity past and will be realized in eternity future. Therefore, we can suffer now – knowing that the misery we experience now for His name is not worthy to be compared to the eternal purpose and glory afforded to us in our adoption. So what is a little laughing. So what is a little pain. So what is a little torture. What is a little death. They are nothing compared to the glorious grace by which we are saved and the holy calling from the purpose of God with which He has called us. Transition: [Slide 16(blank)] This great God and His great salvation for which He is mighty to save is our encouragement to face all that is before us, for a God who would decree all this to be, will certainly not leave us in the midst of the plunge. And that is what we see next. II.) The God of our salvation is mighty to save, so we must hold and keep His gospel pure. (11-14) a. [Slide 17] 11- For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher. i. This is the message that Paul was appointed to preach. ii. This is the foundation on which Paul was appointed to build Christ’s church. iii. This is the doctrine in which Paul was appointed to instruct others. iv. This is the call he received by the will of God. He was chosen for this purpose. v. The gospel. vi. And what did it gain him in this world’s estimation? b. [Slide 18] 12- Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do. i. He is in prison for preaching and teaching this gospel, and establishing the church in this gospel. ii. He has suffered much for the name of Christ – as God predicted he would when He spoke to Ananias to go and heal his eyes. iii. But even though He is suffering for the name of Christ – called a criminal by Jews and Gentiles alike. Among other names and opinions. What is His resolve? c. [Slide 19] But I am not ashamed, i. He is not embarrassed. ii. He is not afraid. iii. He is not concerned what others think or what others will do. iv. Why? d. [Slide 20] because I know the one in whom my faith is set i. You have to read this carefully. ii. Always, when we read faith we think of our belief, our choice, or our decision. iii. However, what is clear here is that Paul means trust. Hope. iv. He means what the writer of Hebrews defines faith as. v. The surety of something hoped for, the conviction of something unseen. vi. He has placed his surety of hope and conviction of promise in what… or rather… in whom… e. [Slide 21] And I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me until that day. i. God in general. For we could see His trust, hope, conviction all placed into God the Father, the Son, or the Spirit. All of which have been and will be spoken of in this passage concerning our great salvation. ii. God is able to protect what has been entrusted to me. What has been entrusted to Paul? iii. Follow his phrasing. iv. My faith is set on one who is able to protect what has been entrusted to me… v. This is the truth of the gospel. vi. Paul trusts God – not what He believes about God. He trusts God alone to protect the truth of the gospel within him. vii. Until when? viii. Until that day. Which day? ix. This is a short hand way of saying… until he dies or until he stands before God’s throne. x. After this personal aside, and Paul’s example set, he turns again to Timothy to command him. f. [Slide 22] 13 – Hold to the standard of sound words that you heard from me i. Since Paul is convinced that God is able to protect the truth of the gospel entrusted to him ii. He expects Timothy to hold fast to that same teaching. iii. Knowing that God is also able to protect the same truth in Timothy. iv. Teach what I taught Timothy v. Cling to the pattern that I set down for you. vi. Do not deviate to the right or left. vii. Hold fast to the sound words of doctrine. Do not speculate or invent. There is no room for creative license or novel approaches. viii. Keep the gospel pure. ix. But… how? This is a fool’s errand. Just like enduring suffering for the name of Christ… how can he keep the gospel pure? g. [Slide 23] And do so with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. i. With the faith and love that are in Christ. ii. This faith and love is not possessive. And so, we cannot see the relationship here of whose faith and love this is. iii. But if we rely on the prepositions, we see that this faith and love are in Christ. iv. Timothy must cling to the love and faith that Christ has, that we can have, for we are also in Christ. v. This salvation is not just for our future days – but for now. To preserve us in truth. h. [Slide 24] 14 – Protect that good thing entrusted to you through the Holy Spirit who lives within us. i. Protect that good thing entrusted to you. ii. But wait – I thought God was the one able to protect it? iii. AH – there He is iv. Through the Holy Spirit who lives within us. v. The same Spirit of power, love, and self-control that helps us to rekindle our gifts and preach the gospel to the world – is one who will keep us in the truth of the gospel untainted and pure. vi. This is why for those who do not protect the truth they are entrusted with, and turn aside to false teachings, and never return… we must conclude that they never had the Spirit of God. For God is able to keep and protect that truth entrusted to us, and He is able to do that until that day. i. [Slide 25] Passage Truth: Paul tells his dear son that God is not just mighty to save in the eternal past and eternal future. He is not just on either end of this life. He is not just above the surface of the water. NO!. He is with us now! He is saving us now! He is keeping and protecting us… now! j. Passage Application: Timothy must hold fast to the sound teachings and keep what has been entrusted to Him, knowing that God is able to do this in him and through him. k. [Slide 26] Broader Biblical Truth: Have we not seen this my friends? As we have studied the scriptures together – have we not seen that those God lavishes grace and mercy upon are those He saves to the uttermost? Indeed, in all of scripture it testifies to the past, future AND present work of God in our salvation. “He is mighty to save” – is not just an expression of an eventual someday. It is not just an expression of a past decree. It is an expression of present reality. l. Broader Biblical Application: So we at CBC must not be entertained by flights of fancy, novel doctrines, or poetic license – but rather hold fast to our confession. We must cling tightly to the truth of God. We must do this in faith and love. Unwavering trust in God’s promises and unconditional love toward God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. And we can surely do this in faith and love because it is not a self-conjured faith or love but a faith and love found in Christ. A gift given to all who have been united to Him. Conclusion: [Slide 27(end) But we think in our heads of course – what is the meaning of this text? Surely continuing to believe what I have believed is not a great thing? What is the apostle getting all excited about? What is the apostle so concerned with? Well next week we will see this fully and completely – but my friends, we only think that this is a message that could have been left unsaid because we are fools. As we are pressed on every side. As we are hounded by the forces of the evil one around us. As the noose tightens – no doubt for some who think “holding fast to my confession is no great work” they will be the first to recant to save their necks. The only reason the exhortation of Paul is no great thing to us is because we are soft and squishy. Fattened by spiritual idleness. We have had time to dispute the finer points of theology defining exactly how many angels can fit on the head of a pin, but in that time we have neglected the holding fast of our confession. We hold it, but loosely. We touch it but do not cling to it for life. Because of this, it is attacked on every side. But when the trumpet call rings out for the fight, we are left patting our pockets trying to locate where we left it. We are searching the nooks and crannies of our house to locate our faith so we can leave the house before it burns to the ground. My friends – do not be so careless with this gospel. Do not be so sure of your grasp of it. I have admitted to you in this very sermon, that I do not understand it fully. I have been to seminary. I have been to the school of Christ. I have been taught by His words every day for several years. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT ALL. My friends! I implore you, PLEASE – be ready to suffer for the gospel. And the first step to ready yourselves is to understand what it is. God. God alone. God without man’s works, will, intentions, inclinations. God according to the purpose of His will. God according to the power of His grace. God in ages past before time began. God has decreed who are His. He has saved them, called them to a holy calling, has granted grace in Christ to them, has indwelled them with His Spirit. So that they may be holy. Upright. People of the Way. He has done this. That is the gospel. The gospel is… HE HAS DONE THIS FOR HIS PEOPLE. And this is foolish. It is scandalous. It is outrageous. It is deplorable! It is infamous! It is abominable. To those who are dying. But to the believing ones. To those who trust Him… It is good… news. Are you prepared to suffer for it? Are you ready to hold fast to it? If you aren’t… remember that God is able to protect what has been entrusted to you through His Spirit that is in you. So draw courage from this, and prepare yourself for the fight.