Guarding the Gospel

2 Timothy 1

Sunday, November 3, 2024 Introduction

 God Shapes Us Through Our Past,

To Use Us to Boldy Share the Gospel

 Paul’s Encouragement (v.1-18)

Encouragement #1 – Remember your past, especially a godly heritage

v.5 - ‘sincere faith’ - Anupokritos - ‘genuine, sincere, without hypocrisy’

 “Let love be genuine…” Romans 12:9

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart…” 1 Peter 1:22

 Encouragement #2 - You have a gift from God, Fan the flame and Don’t Be Afraid

v.6 – ‘For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands…’

 ‘for this reason’ – speaking to his ‘sincere faith’

‘fan into flame’ - means to keep in full flame. Stir up the fire. Add fresh fuel.

 “Get on fire for God and men will come and see you burn.” John Wesley

 ‘the gift of God’  - each of us has a gift from God

 v.7- ‘for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.’

God has not given us fear, but the Spirit of God gives us gifts and empowers us to accomplish the mission of God.

 Encouragement #3 – Don’t Be Ashamed of the Gospel

v.8a – “Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner…”

 “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”  Mark 8:38

 Encouragement #4 – Suffer for the Gospel

v.8b – “but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.’

 Why Do We Suffer?

v.9-12a - We suffer because Jesus is worth it!

 v.12b-13 – “But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

 Encouragement #5 – Guard the Gospel

v.14 – “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you”    

 God is first and foremost the Guardian of the Gospel, v.13

 Guardians of the Gospel – we are to be!

 Encouragement #6 – Everything will not go smoothly, there will be challenges

v.15-18 – “You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me…” 

There will be some who turn away

                    Phygelus and Hermogenes – turned away from Paul

  There will be many who will be a blessing

Onesiphorus – refreshed me, not ashamed of his chains, but sought me out and found me

 Conclusion