Graham continued his exposition of 2 Timothy this morning. Notes below.

2 Timothy Part 2 [ 29:16 ] Play in Popup | Download

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Previously:

“According to the promise of life…” verse 1
These are the words of a dying man. By that I mean
(a) he is aware of his mortality, as we all should be
(b) now imprisoned by Nero, he knows he approaches his end, his execution

You may not be an apostle but you are a minister of life and of the promise of life. This theme continues this week.

This week:

1) The Purpose

2) The Work

3) The Cost

1) “Purpose” verse 9.

Where was God in Haiti?

That was the question on the Today programme on BBC Radio4. The presenter mentioned that Archbishop Sentamu would be asked, “Where was God in Haiti?” when he came on the programme later. The presenter went on to put his question in context by asking why a loving, merciful and all powerful God did not intervene to stop the earthquake.

What would I have said? I will give it a go.

God could have prevented the earthquake, or he could have allowed it but prevented it from harming anyone. He could ensure that people living in a danger zone would never suffer the consequences of their actions. He could also make it so that a falling tree could never injure, or a person could go out in the Arctic without clothing and he would not feel the cold. In that sort of world no one could ever be robbed as the thief would be prevented from stealing, a person could be shot at but God would prevent the bullet connecting. There would be no need to feed the hungry or care about anyone because God would intervene and care for them. In that world God could all remove freedom to harm another person and all responsibility for any actions that we take.

However, we do not live in that world. Our world does not run like that.

And yet, I think God weeps over the suffering he sees, as Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus.

Purpose? Here in 2 Timothy 1 the great purpose is eternity. God’s plan to save, to rescue sinner, all of us, was made in eternity past.

See Ephesians 1:4  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love

1 Peter 1:18-20  For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

2) The Work

“Appointed” verse 11.

1 Timothy 2:7  And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle- I am telling the truth, I am not lying- and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.

We are all appointed to be heralds. A herald proclaims and carries.

Matthew 28:18-20  Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

3) The Cost

“That is why I am suffering” verse 12, bearing the consequences, paying the cost.

A Christian British Airways employee who was asked to conceal her cross at work has launched a legal challenge in the Court of Appeal. Nadia Eweida is trying to overturn a previous ruling which said BA’s actions did not constitute religious discrimination.

Opposition to the Christian faith in this country is increasing due to the agenda of the secular and atheistic interest groups. Already there are jobs that Christians are not longer able to do as they are forced out. Unless things change I expect few Christians will be able to work for the State. This will affect the career choices of young Christians. Before you think me exaggerating or scaremongering, consider the following:

From Christian.org.uk 26/11/2009

A coalition of secular campaigners, gay rights activists, transgender organisations, trade unions and “progressive faith” groups has united to remove all religious liberty safeguards from the Equality Bill.

Calling itself the Cutting Edge Consortium (CEC), the group includes the British Humanist Association, the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, the Muslim Women’s Network, Liberal Judaism, Ekklesia, Unison and the TUC.

It has called on Parliament to remove what it calls ‘religious opt-outs’ from the Bill.

The Bill already dramatically narrows safeguards in sexual orientation employment laws which protect the religious liberty of churches and other faith groups. It has the support of the EU.

Under the current law, religious groups can restrict posts to Christians whose private conduct is consistent with the Bible’s teaching on sexual ethics. These posts must be for the purposes of organised religion, which could include jobs like a youth worker.

But under the Equality Bill the Government is specifying that this protection can only apply to posts that mainly involve leading worship or explaining doctrine.

The Bill’s explanatory notes make it clear that this protection “is unlikely to permit a requirement that a church youth worker who primarily organises sporting activities is celibate if they are gay, but may apply if the youth worker mainly teaches Bible classes”.

But we teach celibacy outside of marriage to heterosexuals too!

From Christian.org.uk 21/1/2010

Christians who work in the public sector risk being squeezed out of their jobs because of a wrong use of equality and diversity laws, a senior Anglican Bishop has said.

During a House of Lords debate Bishop Michael Scott-Joynt said that some people view Christianity as “abnormal” and think that believers should keep their faith in a box rather than freely express it in public.

The Bishop, who is the fifth most senior prelate in the Church of England, said this attitude “seems to be a thread that is at risk of running through the equality and diversity agenda. In fact, in my observation it does run through it”.

He added: “My concern is for Christians, for the churches, for members of other faiths and their attempts to do what any honest believer would by not keeping their faith in some little box, only getting it out at home or with fellow believers.

From Christian.org.uk 22/12/2009

Churches should be “lining up” lawyers to defend themselves against secular legal challenges under the Equality Bill, a Government equalities minister has admitted.

Michael Foster MP, a minister in Harriet Harman’s Equalities Office, was asked whether the Bill would lead to legal action between churches and atheists.

He said both sides “need to be lining up (their lawyers) by now.”

He added: “The secularists should have the right to challenge the church and if the church’s argument is good enough – which I believe it is – then the church should win through.”

The Equality Bill will dramatically shrink the liberty of churches to insist their staff’s conduct is in accordance with the Bible’s teaching on sexual behaviour.

The Bill will also impose an ‘equality duty’ on public bodies like schools and the police to promote gay and transsexual rights.

A new Christian Institute report has revealed the extent to which Christians are being marginalised by a raft of equality and diversity laws which leave them the first to be punished and the last to be protected.

The report, called “Marginalising Christians”, catalogues numerous cases of Christians being sidelined by public bodies, popular media, employers and barriers to public funding. You can download the PDF from my blog, www.TheMorningFlight.com.

So should we have lawyers ready? Michael Foster MP suggests we should, and that if we are in the right we will win. Yes, but we may not win. Right does not always prevail this side of heaven.

The Apostle said he was suffering for the gospel. And his advice?

2 Timothy 1:11-14

And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you- guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.