Continue in the Gospel

0:09 I'm going to read from 2 Timothy 3 and verse 12. Paul's writing to Timothy and he's describing the circumstances of what it means for him to follow Jesus. and he says, not only will I face these things, but indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you've been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." The longer I live, the more convinced I am that, although I didn't always understand this, that to be brought up within the framework of a Christian home under the tutelage of those who know Jesus, love Jesus, and love the Bible is an immense privilege.

1:23 And so when I read 2 Timothy and I read of the influence of his grandmother and his mother and so on, and then of course of the influence of those who mentored him in the Christian life, this is something that many of us will be able to identify with. And the reminder to us that wherever we were at the beginning, we are to continue in what we've learned. We've come to firmly believe it. We know the source from which it's come. And also we know what it's all about, that from childhood we've been acquainted with the scriptures, the sacred writings. I remember Jesus when he speaks to the fellows on Emmaus Road. He essentially says to them, all the scriptures are about me. And we have known these scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2:19 That when we read the Bible, we read about Jesus. When we read about Jesus, we read about salvation. It's pretty straightforward. I mentioned, I think, a couple of times ago that I had been watching the videos that have been put out on the emergence of what was essentially called the Jesus Movement in the 60s on the West Coast. And I actually was in one of those videos. I was one of 100,000 people in the video, so there's nothing to get proud about. But I was there, and I was reminded of the fact, as I watched it, that we were singing and making hand gestures in the night in Dallas, and we were singing. There's only one way, one God, one book, and it's the Holy Bible, and it will lead you to the promised land.

3:16 And we used to put our fingers up like this. This was the one-way signal. Some of you who are ancient like me will remember that. So that when Paul writes to Timothy and says to him, you know this, they're able to make you wise for salvation, in his first letter, he has also made it perfectly clear that there is only one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. So that the storyline of the Bible, which we have come to believe and which we have the privilege of proclaiming, is straightforward, that God in creation has made everyone and has made everything. There is nothing that has been made apart from the creative work of God. He has made a beautiful place. He's made beautiful people. He's put the beautiful people in the beautiful place.

4:14 And as a result of their rebellion, they find themselves banished from the place. God essentially says, you're out of here. They get a red card to stay with the World Cup for the moment. They get a red card, and they're off the field. There's no possibility of them coming back on the strength of their own merits. So the story is first of all creation and then it is alienation, that we are alienated from God on two sides. We're alienated on one side because of our rebellion against God and also from God's side because God's wrath against sin. There was no possibility that Adam and Eve could remain in the garden because God hates sin, and therefore they must be alienated from him. And of course, the problem then is the universal problem of humanity. When we speak to people today, it's not uncommon for them to talk in terms of, well, I feel alienated from this, or I feel alienated from that, or even I feel alienated from myself. And they want to know just why it is that despite all the good things all around them, many opportunities and so on. They feel the way they do. Well, the Bible gives us the answer to that. It says that all of our alienations are grounded in the ultimate alienation, that we're alienated from God as a result of sin. And none of us escapes that issue. Paul writes in Romans, you know, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And furthermore, that the wages of sin is death, and the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord. Now, where this really hits the road is with this notion of Jesus being the one mediator. He says that there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. So that every religion that does not center

6:24 on Jesus, that doesn't find the solution in Jesus, that is detached, if you like, from complete reliance on Jesus, is a false religion. And that, of course, is a message that is hard for people to wrestle with, and it is often difficult for us to explain. Not because we don't believe it or believe it firmly, but because we want to explain it in a way that is true to the Bible and takes into account the people to whom we're speaking. The transformation in the life of the woman in the well came about as a result of what we would regard as a very casual conversation that began with a simple request, you know, could I have a drink of water? Jesus did not begin the conversation by saying, I hear you're a fairly notorious woman in this area, and I'm intrigued that you're out here by yourself. Don't you come with the other women?" And then put the pressure on her in relationship to her life. He knew all about that. He was going to get to that. But first of all, he wanted to engage her in this way. And so, the fact that condemnation is a reality is something that we have to wrestle with. Why? Because the Bible says so. So people will say, well, you know, why would God condemn me? And John 3, 18 gives us the answer. Whoever believes in him, as in Jesus, is not condemned. But whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. This is not an impertinence to tell people about Jesus.

8:13 we're not interfering in their lives. We're actually offering to them the news that is necessary for them both to know life as true life and then to know the reality of life with God in the end. So we've got creation, we've got alienation. Along with that, we've got condemnation. And of course, we said that the alienation is on two sides, so that we are alienated from God on our side on account of our rebellion against him, and we are alienated from God on his side because of his justice and because of his holiness, because he's too pure to look upon sin. Therefore, we've got a real problem, that the wrath of God has been revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and wickedness of men. That is a universal reality. Well, then how in the world can there be reconciliation?

9:11 How can there be appeasement? And who's going to do this? And people by and large are tempted to believe that by our own merits, even though we know we're messed up if we're prepared to admit that we are rebels against God, we've got the notion somehow or another that we can probably stack the deck over a period of time and find ourselves reconciled to God. But the Bible says there's no possibility of doing that. Even all of our religious stuff, even all our stuff that we think is really good, is actually nothing at all before the supreme holiness of God. And so that's the wonderful reality of another word in A-T-I-O-N, which is propitiation, which is a big word. People say, don't use big words. People don't understand big words. Well, they do if you explain what the big words mean. And propitiation is the expression, you find it in 1 John 2, of the fact that the reconciliation has taken place on both sides, that as a result of Jesus' death upon the cross, he has reconciled God to man by bearing the wrath that we deserve, and he has reconciled man to God by creating in those who believe a new heart, enabling us to repent, and setting our feet on the pathway of salvation. And coming back to the beginning, I realize that were it not for the fact that in the providence of God, I, like many of you, enjoyed the privileges of being nurtured in that way, I guess I wouldn't be at this stage in my life rehearsing the very same stuff. I mean, I haven't moved on. That's the honest, I mean, that's the reality. But I'm not supposed to move on. I'm supposed to, and either of you, you're supposed to continue in what you have learned, knowing those from whom you learned it,

11:18 your Sunday school teacher, your Bible class leader, the lady that took you to a Bible study, the person that read the Bible with you, the person that you met on the plane who gave you a tract. And you say, golly, I remember that. Continue in that, knowing from whom you have learned it, and how even from your earlier days you have discovered that the Bible is a book about salvation. And, of course, the way in which that comes across to us is in relationship to

11:51 the background in which we find ourselves and the influences that we've known upon us. The chorus that I had in my mind as I was just thinking of wrapping this up comes out of John chapter 10 and verse 9. Better from verse 7, maybe. So Jesus again says to them—he's just declared, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. And so he says to them, verse 7, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. I'm the door of the sheep. All who ever came before me are thieves and robbers. But the sheep don't listen to them. And just think about that for a moment, back to where we started in 2 Timothy. Paul says to Timothy, you need to know the context in which you're going to follow Jesus. Evil men and imposters will be going from bad to worse, deceiving people and being themselves deceived.

12:55 So he says, you need to understand that. And that's why I'm saying to you, you need to continue in what you have begun. of course, the confidence that he gives when he writes to the Philippians is being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion of the day of Jesus Christ so that we're continuing to work out what he is working in. So all who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. Here we go again. I am the door. By me, If anyone enters, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. Thieves only come to kill and destroy and so on, but I am the good shepherd. And so, as a child, I'd be sitting in Sunday school, and they would teach us the little chorus, one door and only one, and yet its sides are two. The inside, the outside, on which side are you?

13:56 One door and only one, and yet its sides are two. The inside, the outside, and which side are you? And the teachers say, you can't be on two sides of the door at the one time. Now, listen, little boy. Do you realize you're outside that door? Do you realize who the door is? Do you realize that that is an open door? And it is an open door. People say, well, you're saying that Jesus is the only way. Yeah, because Jesus is the only way. I'm the door.

14:31 If anyone enters by me, oh, you mean I could enter? The person says, really? Well, what do I do? Enter. Step in. There's a way back to God from the dark paths of sin. There's a door and it's open and you may go in. At Calvary's cross, that's where you begin when you come as a sinner to Jesus. So, as for you, continue in what you have learned. Knowing those from whom you've learned it and how from your earlier days. you've known the scriptures which make you wise for salvation. And that's our message. That's our privilege. It will always be so. And we're grateful for that. Let's pray.

15:30 Our Father, we thank you this morning that although we, by very nature, turn our backs on you, believe lies, follow our own paths, that you have taken the initiative in coming to us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you that Jesus was the kindest of shepherds, that his invitations were just so wonderful. Come to me when you're weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. take my yoke upon you and learn of me. And then he introduces himself as gentle, humble, lowly in heart and promises rest for our souls. We thank you, Lord. You are the God of creation. We thank you that you have entered into our predicament. And we thank you that in Jesus, this amazing invitation is extended. And we thank you that on a daily basis, whether we are responding to listeners' calls, or whether we are writing notes, or whether we're seeking simply to encourage each other along the pathway, we realize what a wonder it is that you are the great shepherd of the sheep.

16:53 sheep. And although we are by nature foolish sheep, although we frequently try it in our own way, we thank you that you persist with us and that you have promised to keep us. And so we pray that as we look out on this day and the days of this week and all the days that you choose to give us in our earthly pilgrimage, we pray that we might know you, we might have a greater sense of understanding the power of your resurrection and that we might enter gladly into whatever you bring us through, knowing that your way is always best. Hear our prayers, O God. Forgive our sins. Let our cries come to you. And in Jesus' name we ask it.