Retain the Standard of Sound Words First B Jackson 2019-01-13 Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record. ---- I think we're on. Good morning, everyone. How are we? From Psalm 92, a Psalm to be sung on the Sabbath day. It is good to give thanks to the Lord to sing praises to the most high. That's right out of Psalm 92. What we're going to sing here, would you stand and sing it with us? Alright. It is good to praise you. It is good to praise you, Lord, and make music to your name, almost high. Let's sing that again. It is good to praise you, Lord, and make music to your name. Alright. Let's sing that line again. It is good. It is good to praise you, Lord, and make music to your name, oh most high. It is good to praise you, Lord, and make music to your name, oh, most high. To proclaim to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night and your faithfulness at night. Let's sing that again to proclaim your love. To proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness the works of your hands. Oh, oh, you make me glad. And for all of my life, let my song to you rise, oh, moon's tide. Alright. Let's start let's sing from the top. It is good. It is good to praise you, Lord, and make music to your name, oh, most high. It is good to praise you, Lord, and make music to your name, oh, Amen. Y'all can have a seat. Have a few announcements this morning and we'll see together what it is that we're announcing this morning. I thank y'all and I'll I'll just mention last week, I didn't have any announcement ahead of time but last week, I went to be at my grandmother's funeral. So last Sunday, I was at my grandmother's funeral. We flew out of here. We had to get get to Bozeman to get tickets, so we drove to Bozeman after a wedding Friday night and flew cross country getting down there at the funeral home. We still do visitation in the South where you visit with all your family and all the friends come from miles and miles around. And I opened up the little folder at the funeral home, and it said I was preaching the funeral. So, I was glad to do it. My my grandmother started preaching her funeral years and years and years ago. She was filled with the love of the Lord and she shared it with her family. It was beautiful. Service went great but thank you all for the grace of kind of allow me and thank Carl too for filling in on short notice but other announcements. That was passed. This is forward. Monday nights at first b. What's happening tomorrow? Yep. We're on. We're in James. He's talking about not boasting about tomorrow. Mike and JJ are cooking. They're making tacos And it's Mike's birthday today. Okay. Alright. So this Monday night at First B is happening. Meal music and a message tomorrow night. Happens at the same time as Awana and Awana Awana is awesome actually. Awana, a workman that need not be ashamed. Awana is awesome. So that says that speaks for itself right there. Five forty five to 07:30, Monday nights, and it's happening right here. The big game circle is back down on the ground, and they're ready to go for Awana tomorrow night. There is a congregational meeting between services today. So, today, around 10:15 in between services, it'll be right here in this room. So, if you're a member, you won't stay for the congregational meeting, please do. It's right here today. There's a men's winter retreat that's coming up fast. Twenty fifth to the 01/27/2020. You got it? Oh, no. Are you testifying? Sure I was. Okay. I was. Thank you. That's it though. Twenty fifth, twenty seventh. Perfect. Kyle Knutson right there. Cool. Very nice. Men's winter retreat, January 25 through the twenty seventh. There's a community Bible study that is getting together. It's Casey McCooey in the room. Right here. Hi. So, yes, we're starting back up the community Bibles Bible prayer group, and we're going through a book engaging God's word. We're starting back up in Hebrews. We had a break for the holidays, and we're starting back up this Wednesday. We have morning classes at 09:30 or evening class at 06:30, and it's for everybody, men and women. The CBS vision is transformed lives through the word of God. So it is an in-depth study of God's word, short and simple. We just go through God's word and just dissect verses and learn more about God's word. It's super fun. I started in this group about twelve years ago when I was in California. And when I came to Wyoming, I was disappointed to know that it wasn't here. We there's since been started a Gillette class, and we're starting one here in Jackson. The CBS mission is to make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ in our communities through caring in-depth Bible study available to all. So, this group is in a 113 countries globally and it is an interdenominational Bible study. So, anybody you know from any denomination, any church in the valley, they are invited men and women. So, we hope to see you there. All the information is in your bulletin this morning. Thanks. Thanks very much, KC. So, that starts this Wednesday. Precept classes this Thursday, Thursday, nine to 11:30. Bring your colored pencils and a little sharpener and get ready to study God's word. This is an Acts study. Jesus's witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit. That's a good one. Connect hour happens between services each week. It will be happening this morning even though there's a congregational meeting right here in this room. We'll still have the connect hour this morning between services and so I think that's it. Did I forget a message that needs to be made? Good. Seeing none, will y'all rise and greet one another and the band will bring you back together with a catchy little song. If you've been if you've been walking the same old road for miles and miles, if you've been hearing the same old voice, tell the same old lies. If you're trying to feel the same old lows inside, There's a better life. There's a better life if you got if you got pain. He's a pain taker. If you feel lost, he's a way maker. If you need freedom or saving, he's a prison shaking savior. Savior when you got chains. He's a chain breaker. We've all searched. We've all searched for the night of day and the dead of night. We've all found ourselves worn out from the same old ride. And we've all run things we know that just ain't right. Well, there's a better life. There's a better life. If you got pain, he's a pain taker. If you feel lost, he's a way maker. If you need freedom or saving, he's a prison shaking savior. You got chains, he's a chain breaker. If you believe it, you've received it. Welcome. You're welcome. Again. If you believe it, if you believe it, if you receive it, if you can feel it, somebody testify. Let's sing that again. If you believe it, if you receive it, if you feel it, somebody testify. If you got pain, he's a pain taker. If you feel lost, he's a way maker. If you need freedom, a savior. He's a prison shaking sandal room. You got chains. He's a chain breaker. If you need free, if you need freedom, a savior. He's a prison shaking savior, got chains. He's a chain breaker. I'd love to pray on that. Our all sufficient God, our savior, our master, our friend. God, truly, you are able to you are able to save. You are able to give us freedom. You gave you came to give us life and life to the full measure. And, Lord, I pray that if anyone here today is feeling like they're just shackled, like they are are are in change, they've been they're they're hold back, that the enemies just got hold. Lord, I pray for freedom. And as we turn to you, you'd break those chains, that we would know what that true freedom is that you came to give us. In Jesus' name. Amen. I'm in Christ. In Christ alone, my hope is found. He's my light, my strength, my song. This cornstor, this solemn ground, heard through the fiercest droughts and stone. What hides in love, undeads of peace? Then bursting forth in glorious day. Up from the grave he rose again. And as he stands in victory, since curse is lost, it's grip on me for I miss. And he is mine, brought with the precious blood of Christ. Alright. No guilt and no fear And no power there, no scheme of man can never flood me from his hand till he returns That is such a powerful song. Let's sing this one too from Psalm 84. A single day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. It's this it's the idea of just longing for the presence of God because that's the sweet spot in life. Be with him. There's nothing worth I will praise and slow sing. Holy Spirit, you're welcome. Holy Sing this again. There's nothing worth more. There's nothing worth more that will ever come close. Nothing can compare your our living Lord. Your presence, Lord. I'll taste it and see of the sweetest of loves when my heart becomes free and my shame is under. My own presence, Lord. Your presence is born. Let's sing, let us become more aware of your presence. Let us become more aware God, we thank you for the blessings that you've given and we thank you for the amazing way that you do provide and take care of us lord. I pray that we would be good stewards of that which has been entrusted to us in the message today thinking about that, thinking about the word lord and how we are to retain it and hold on to it and guard it and to entrust it to others. So, lord, we pray that you would use this these resources, these financial resources we're about to put in these plates that you'd use it to advance your good gospel that the news of Christ would reach places where it has never reached before and that maybe inside of a heart of someone here in Jackson or inside of a geopolitical boundary. That has never been crossed. So, we pray from right here in this building right now all the way to the uttermost parts and the ends of the earth. Lord, would you do your will and your way and would you use us as your obedient servants and stewards to do that in Jesus name. Amen. Here's an encouraging word from Colossians. It says, and now just as you accepted Jesus as your lord, continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down deep into him. Let your lives be built on him, then your faith will go strong in the truth that you were taught and overflow with thankfulness. Let's let this song be our prayer and our song. The food of your holy word. Take your truth, plant it deep in us. Shape and fashion us in your today in our hearts of love and our deeds of faith. Speak, oh Lord, and fulfill in us all your purposes for your glory. Truths unchanged from the dawn of time that will let go down through eternity. Children's Church. So, Children's Church is starting up right now, downstairs. So, I I don't know why it is. I just know that it is. That if I'm away for one week, I feel like, oh my goodness. I gotta get back up there and preach. If I if I'm not away, I don't feel that way very much. I just get in the flow and part of it, I think is covered by the the content of this sermon. I think that that's what it is. I like steadily advancing. I like where you just continuous application over time is what works. Steadily advancing. In the word, we, you know, we're involved in a chronological study of the New Testament. We're up to between sixty four and sixty seven depending on who you listen to. AD. It's near the end of Paul's life. This maybe his last book that he is writing. His last letter. Second Timothy, the last one that we have remaining. Steadily advancing. We've been going through. So, this is a personal note. Second Timothy one five through two three. Actually, I'm just going to start back at the beginning. Let you kind of ramp up to it. Let me kind of ramp back up into it. It's interesting because of where I was last week and kind of being surrounded by by my formative family. You know, the people that I grew up with. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God and according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved son. There are a lot, my dad and my mom are living there. So, I I feel like I'm there. Beloved, sorry. You know, one of em at least. I have a brother. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the father and Christ Jesus our lord. I have a a lot of spiritual forebearers there too and my grandmother was one of those. I, Paul says to Timothy, I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did. All his forefathers have been looking forward to Messiah. Messiah, Messiah. They looked forward to it and he was looking back on the Messiah but he's serving him the same way that his forefathers did in faith, not by sight but by faith. I thank my God whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. The thing that came out at my grandmother's funeral more than anything is that she was a lady of prayer that she prayed for each one of her children and her grandchildren and her great grandchildren by name every day, all the time and if I ever heard from her much of anything, it was I'm praying for you. We love you. You know, I can't hear very well on the phone anymore but I'm praying for you and I love you and my mom would play the sermons from here on the front porch and let her listen to em and she'd sing along, you know? And I I know that longing when I mentioned this two weeks ago to y'all. Longing to see you. I I do. You know, and I recall your tears. My mom's been taking care of her since May and she often when I talk would just break down that it's been hard, you know. Longing to see you even as I recall your tears. So that I may be filled with joy. Paul says, not just because you're suffering or because you're sad or because you're upset but because I want to see you because I'm looking forward to it. For I'm mindful of the sincere faith that is within you. That which first dwelt in your grandmother, Lois, and in your mother, Eunice, and I'm sure that it's in you as well. Paul is encouraging Timothy and saying, listen, this is something that you got and you've got it. Really, you've got it. You're a sincere believer, soldier of the cross. Go for it, Timothy. I'm I'm encouraging you to stick with it. For this reason, I remind you, Timothy, to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you and we all have a gift by the way. This is for y'all too. Kindle afresh, the gift of God which is in you. Paul's case, he was there at Timothy's kind of ordination and he laid hands on him and so did the other elders through the laying on of my hands for God has not given us all a spirit of timidity, timidity being cowardice or reticence but he has given us a spirit of power, dunamis, the word for dynamite would get from that same word, dunamis. Power, the ability to be able to keep on going and love, agape love, unconditional, godly type love, seeking the best for the other. God has not given us a spirit of timidity, power to reticence but of power, the ability to be able to and unconditional love that he is flowing through us and towards others and discipline. Now, that's the new American standards word. King James, New King James, several others say, self control. King James actually says, sound mind. So, does New King James but self control, discipline, sound mind. It is that which issues forth from good, godly thinking. Does that make sense? So, it's not just the thinking itself but the action that follows it and that's a good encouragement for all of us. God hasn't given us a spirit of fear. Don't shy away from the battle, the spiritual battle. Don't shy away from it. God's given you the power to get through it. He's given you the love that you need to get you through it and to give to others and he's given you a sound mind and the hardest thing about my grandmother's fading that I have mentioned to y'all is that her sound mind which had been so sound for so long began to fade. Ten years ago she had a stroke, ten years to the day of her funeral she had a stroke. And that stroke, when I asked her, I said what did it take? Because sometimes when someone has a stroke you lose the left side of your face or the right side of your face or you lose the ability to do something or balance or something. She was still able to get around, still able to stand up, still able to do everything and I I asked her. I said, what? What is it, Mimi, that you feel like the stroke did? She said, it took away my ability not to worry. I never have worried much. My whole life, I've just been, you know, never had much, never wanted much. But when my chicks are out, you know, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, when they were out, she worried about us. She worried, if I go to Africa or if we go to wherever, you know, Central America, she'd be praying the whole time and concerned. I said, well, don't, you know. You know, she said, I know you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. I know you're out there but it's cold out there. You know, that sort of thing. And I said, well, don't worry about us. Just pray for us and she said, well, I do. You know I do. And we, as we're going forward and I'm thinking about about this, I think, That stroke took that but what I saw her do in repentance and it was interesting is she said, I used to go to nursing home all the time to visit people. When I'd go, I'd be cheer up. Everybody cheer up. Her mother, my great grandmother, struggle with depression and so she said, I just didn't understand why they couldn't do it and I'd be like, yeah, come on. Let's let's sing a song. Let's get happy. And I said, well, that was a good thing to try to cheer somebody up but to recognize that they couldn't always do it themselves. She said, I get it now and I understand it. So, for the past ten years, she's had an even deeper prayer ministry than she did before that. That makes sense? There are times when we are down in the dumps and the darkness just won't lift and I know that and seeing that that God has given us power to get through. He's given us love to get through and he's given us a sound mind. Well, her sound mind started to fade. More recently than that. And that was what was hard. So, like I said, I found out I was preaching the funeral at the visitation and where I went in the sermon was this, the sound mind, your grandmother Eunice, your mother Lois, and all that. Here we go forward. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our lord or of me his prisoner. Paul says, he was in jail again but join me in suffering for the gospel, not just suffering for something that he had done wrong. He was doing right and suffering for it. Join me in suffering for the gospel. According to the power of God, same word, dunamis. Who has saved us? God saved us and he called us. Called He us with a holy calling not according to our works because God's grace is actual grace. It's not something we deserve. He's called us with a holy call not according to our works but according to his own purpose and to grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity but now it has been revealed by the appearing of savior Christ Jesus who abolished death and he brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. So, there were not a whole lot of tears at my grandmother's funeral because she had just transfigured into this life everlasting. Christ abolished death. Where is your sting? Brought life and immortality to light through the gospel for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle, one who proclaims Jesus and an apostle, one who was sent out by Jesus and a teacher, somebody that is supernaturally wired to teach and take apart scripture in a way that people can understand it, put it back together, and make a whole picture of it and for this reason, I also suffer these things. I'm sitting in jail. Lot of people have abandoned me. We'll see today but I'm not ashamed. I'm not ashamed because I know whom I have believed in and I know and I am convinced that he's able to guard that which I've entrusted to him until that great mighty day of the Lord when we all shall see Jesus face to face. That's just building up to this. Imma start right here again today. For this reason, I also suffer these things. There are times when the darkness won't lift. There are times when your job is incredibly hard. There are times when you think you're doing a great job and somebody reprimands you and says, you're not doing a great job. And it's really, really hard to take that. Can you imagine Paul after having put so many miles and so much travel and so much invested in ministering and showing people that it really is grace because basically, every other religion is not about grace. It's about what you do. It's about how you achieve and how you work for a state of enlightenment or a state of satisfaction or a state of assurance which if it comes by works can never be assured For this reason, I also suffer these things. The gospel of grace was so important to Paul that he would not stop preaching it. He would not stop and it runs into opposition because people try to add to it or take away from it all the time. He never preached. He never stopped preaching about holiness. He never stopped preaching about the goodness of God. Never stopped preaching about the cross of Christ. It was central in everything that he taught. This reason I also suffer these things but I'm not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is able to guard that which I have entrusted to him until that day. So, his perseverance came from knowing Christ and trusting and so out of that grows this, the very first word, retain there is an imperative. All of this, all of this is built up and it says, now, retain or hold on to the standard of sound words which you have heard from me. Hold on to this message. I know I'm nearing end of my life. Winter time's coming and I'm cold. Bring me my coat. But retain the standard of the sound words which you've heard from me in the faith and in the love which are in Christ Jesus. It's the faith. It is actual faith. The faith, not just your subjective faith but objective, the faith that Christ Jesus came, lived a perfect life, offered his perfect record for anyone who would believe and died so that they may live. In the faith and in the love which are in Christ Jesus so that agape love. Retain the standard of sound words which you've heard from me. So, we have one imperative so far in this passage. This is the, we're going to do the whole first chapter since we read the first part again and we're going to do three verses out of the next. Five imperatives total. Retain the standard of sound words. Hold on to that which you know to be true. Don't get novel or clever and try to invent something new. How many of y'all have heard some new way of looking at things or new way lately? Yeah, there are a lot of inventive folks out there and I understand that. Carl and I have talked about this many times. It can be tempting to add something to what we say all the time because you feel like, well, I'm a broken record talking about love and mercy and peace all the time or even if you love mercy, peace, and judgement, it's still something that this is the message though. This is what it is. We are in peril and our souls are anxious until they find their rest in him and salvation in him. So, retain the standard of sound words. Some people looking at this say, he's just calling him back to his ordination ceremony. Say, remember what I told you there? No, no, no, no, no. He's he's saying, remember all of Ephesians. Remember all of Romans. Remember that it really is about grace. Remember how to defend that. In fact, he goes to this and says, guard, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us both. That's encouraging to know that it's not just on your superior memory because we have seen that conveyed but he's saying, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the treasure which has been entrusted to you. You guard it. Hold on to it. Retain it in your knowledge. Hold on to it and hold it precious. Don't let heresy enter in. It's very easy. To let that happen guard the treasure which has been entrusted to you. Keep the gospel. Keep Christ at the center. So, two imperatives so far, retain the sound standard of sound words and guard the treasure which has been entrusted with you. So, there's a parenthesis right here, a big bracket, I think. Looking at it and looking at it and looking at it over and over, I think there's a parenthesis right here before this one fifteen and sixteen. This is a personal letter and you have to hear it as such. It's a personal letter to a guy in a specific time, in a specific place whereas these imperatives I think are good for any of us who have received this good sound teaching that has been carried on and passed forward because people did this in the past. You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me. Among whom are Vagellus and Hermogenates. Now, those two guys are listed in particular. Paul's in a Roman prison right now and he's writing to Timothy. He's asking him to come see him. The last letter he wrote says, he's left Timothy in charge in Ephesus which they would consider to be Asia. You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia now turned away from me. These were folks that were around him at some point. It turned away from me and my teaching. They're putting down this gospel of grace. Timothy, I'm pleading with you, man. Don't let that happen. Don't let that happen. These guys, Vigelis and Hermogenes, they have turned against me. So, Hermogenes means born of Mercury. So, his background was almost certainly that of Greek or Gentile background. He's not going to be a Jewish guy born after Mercury, right? Phygelus, actually, I don't have a whole lot on that. What it means, it's a weird name to me but you hear a whole lot more people named Timothy than you do Phygelus, don't you? 16, he says, now the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me and he was not ashamed of my chains. So, apparently, at some point, Onesiphorus had done something that hurt Paul or that hurt the gospel and what he's praying for is not grace necessarily. He's praying for mercy from God that Onesiphorus might have been at some point against the gospel. Does that make sense to you? I mean, grace is getting something good that you don't deserve and mercy is not getting something that you do deserve. So, he's praying for God to be merciful and gracious towards omnipresent. Recognizing that whether he had been against him in the past or not, he often came and refreshed me and he was not ashamed of my change but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and he found me. I'm not in an easy place to find apparently but he found me. So, this Onesiphorus, he says, I'm praying for God's mercy on him that he wouldn't suffer for what he has done in the past. The Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord. Sometimes, God has already forgiven us but we have not found that out yet. Do you agree with that? God has forgiven you. If you have said, God, forgive me. He has thrown it as far as the East is from the West and he remembers it no more. I pray that you will find that mercy that God has given you. The Lord grant to him to find that mercy from the Lord on that day and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus. Now, different commentators go different ways on what services he might have rendered at Ephesus. That might be a good thing or it might be a bad thing. Timothy knew we don't know. It could've been, he offered some services to tear things down at Ephesus or it could've been he offered services that were really upbuilding and uplifting and he was a peacemaker and brought things together for the church. We don't know what it was but Timothy did. It's a personal letter. Now, that's the end of that bracketed parenthesis right there. That's very personal. Time and place. We got our two imperatives so far. Retain the standard of sound words which you heard. Don't be pulled away for something that seems to make sense or seems like a better way. Don't go back to the legalism and don't go overboard into license. Stay on the good old gospel rate. Way, retain that and guard that treasure that's been entrusted to you and you, therefore, my son, true son in the faith. He's called him before. His spiritual progeny. That you therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. That's an imperative. So, retain the knowledge and the words, hold on to that standard, guard it, and be strong. Be strong in what? The grace. So, retain the idea of grace. Hold on to that. Don't let it become a works based thing. It's just another if that's the case. Guard it. Hold on to that. Doggedly hold on to the grace of God. It must be there. Be strong in that grace from Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses. Now, that would include second missionary journey after he picks Timothy up and he goes around all of these places. He starts planting churches. He goes in the synagogues first and he shares all the Old Testament background and then he shares the goodness of Jesus Christ being the fulfillment of all of those prophecies and that the God of yesterday, today, and forever is the same. He's always been this way. The things which you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses in the synagogue or down by the river at the prayer group with Lydia or in the marketplace especially in Ephesus. You've seen economics interrupted by the spread of the gospel and the Holy Spirit. The idol trade went into a big slump. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust these things. Hold on to these things. Retain em and guard em and be strong and entrust these to other faithful men and that's not just one man. It's more than one man. We don't know how many. Some people say, pick three. Pick two. Jesus had 11 faithful men. He had three. Peter, James, and John that were really close to him. So, if you're want to advance the gospel, then, advance it. Paul had Timothy, he had Silas. He had a lot of other guys he's mentioned. The things which you've heard and for me and in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Don't just hoard the blessing that you know God and that he loves you and that you're safe and saved and just share it just with your little group. He's saying, entrust it not just to faithful men but others that will be able to teach others. A multiplication ministry from the outset. So, that is our fourth imperative. Entrust what you know from me to other faithful men who will share it with other people. Men's fraternity, that's what it's supposed to be about, right? Awana, that's what it's supposed to be about. Every program that we attempt to undertake here with Monday night. Anything that we do should be about instilling in the minds, the word of God so that they can reach the heart of God and then with that an extension by the spirit of God of his kingdom. Christ said, I will build my church. He's going to do it. He's going to do it through obedient servants that retain guard and are strong in their entrusting the grace of God to other people. Now, the very the close today, have to do it again, sorry. It just is. If you do these things, you will suffer. It's it's a part of it. Jesus said, in this world, you will have trials and you will have your tribulations but take heart, I've overcome the world. Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Suffer also is an imperative. This is from first Corinthians, no, second Corinthians 11. Second Corinthians 11. Paul actually doesn't usually boast about what he's done or where he's been or what he said but the Corinthians have been a difficult case for him and in that second letter, he's speaking back to him and he says, I'm going to just go off right here and I'm going to say things like a fool. Imma act like a madman for just a minute and I'm just going to kick. Hey, are they Hebrews? Yeah, me too. Are they this? Yeah, me too. Are they this? Yeah, me too. And then he says, I've been in far more labors, in far more imprisonments. I've been beaten times without number. I've often been in danger of death. Five times, I received from the Jews, 39 and three times, I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times, I was shipwrecked. Good grief, man. Don't you know when to stop? Yeah. Three times, I was shipwrecked. A night and a day, I spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys. Amen. In danger from rivers. We didn't even have that one recorded anywhere else in scripture. Something about fording a river was tough for Paul. In danger from robbers. Hadn't had that one recorded either. Dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city. He had to be lowered down over a wall, right? Dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, who snake bit? Literally and figuratively. If you're from the South, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren. I have been in labor and same work, hardship. Suffer hardship with me, he says. It's worth it. The grace of God is worth it. Since there is no other way, this is the way and he's entrusted it to us. Let's be sharing it. No matter what it cost. I have been in labor and hardship and through many sleepless nights and hunger and in thirst and often without food and in cold and exposure and apart from such external things, there's all the daily pressure on me for concern for the churches. That one doesn't hit y'all like it does me. That to me is just almost comical. Apart from these things, all the little things that they are. There's the daily pressure on me for concern for all the churches, all the churches he planted all the way along, everybody that he's ever ministered alongside with two. I'm concerned about him. And he's praying for him, I'm sure. Who is weak without my being weak? He told Timothy to be strong. You know why? He said, you're to need strength from God because this is something that will wear you down. Who is led into sin without my intense concern? Just because he listed Phygellus and Hermogenes doesn't mean he didn't like em. He loved em. He'd worked alongside of em and he had seen things go well with them and then at some point, they turned. Does that make sense? They turned away from the gospel of grace and they tried to make it about something else. Either works or license would be the pattern. So, that's second Corinthians eleven twenty three through 29. He says, suffer hardship with me, Timothy, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus and next week, he'll go into military analogy or an army analogy about the guys but Imma stop right here. There are five imperatives for today. And I think these are universal. These are for every believer. What is it that brought you into the kingdom of God? It is hearing the gospel and believing it. It's God's way. He put it out there. It's hearing God the gospel and believing it. It's by belief. So, retain the standard of those sound words. It is not by your merit. It is not by what you have done. Grace through faith so that no one would boast. Retain the standard of the sound words. Guard the treasure which has been entrusted to you. Don't let anybody whittle away at it and be strong in the grace that's from Christ Jesus. You have to. In order to be able to forgive yourself, you have to be strong in that and trust that what he said is true. And trust what you know from me to other faithful men who'll be able to teach others also and then be willing to suffer for. Are you with me? Think that's the end of the sermon. I'm terrible at landings. Have you all noticed that? Just stop. We're going to pick up next week, I don't wanna add anything to the text that's not there, but if this is not enough to chew on, good grief. How far do we have to go? My pastor when I was growing up was also pastoring during this funeral. My uncle Alan spoke and I spoke and then brother Don Boyles spoke and he said, said, I hear people and they say, I want power in my sermons. I hear pastors that say, God give me power in my sermons. And he said, God said you got power in the Holy Spirit. How much power you need? Right? Would y'all stand with us? We're gonna sing to close out. Standing on the promises, retain these promises. Alright. Standing on. Amen. From Colossians three, this will be our benediction for the day. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you with all wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another with Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God and whatever you do in word or indeed, do all. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Giving thanks through him to God the father. Amen.