Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ. Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. I want to ask you to turn to 2 Timothy chapter 1.

I am going to be brief. I'm well aware of the different structure of our service today, but I don't think that God could have put it together any better, to be honest with you, than for us to talk about this subject today. And you all know that we have been going through our theme this year, as I am persuaded that He is able, and our beginning series for this year of 2018 is obviously being persuaded that God is able.

How does that change your life? What does that do to you when you're persuaded, convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt, that God is able? And we're not going to review obviously a lot in verse 6. We see that we learn here that being persuaded that God is able, it rekindles our fire, stirs up that gift.

God is able to do this. In verse 7 we found that it renews my mind. It changes how I think when I'm persuaded that God has the ability to do whatever He has called me to do. Then we notice in verse 8, it restores my boldness.

I'm not ashamed. I will proclaim because if I do, it's all about God's word and God will use His word and God will further His word. And in God's word is where the power is, not in me. So that gives me boldness that it doesn't depend on me and my power, it depends on Him. So that makes me bold.

It's kind of like a little chihuahua going against maybe a bulldog and you think, wow, yeah, but if that little chihuahua has a great Dane or something with him, he's going to be very bold. Why? Because it's not about me. I might not be able to defeat this and I might not be able to overcome this, but I know God can, so that makes me bold. Then we notice obviously in verse 9, I believe it was, that being persuaded that God is able reminds me of my calling. That He has called me with a holy calling.

And anyway, I'm not going to go through all that. We certainly understand. I want to look at a couple things today before I just make a couple statements and I will let you go. I want you to think about the things you've seen. I always have mixed emotions when I see missionary videos, especially one like that. Part of me is so thrilled and thankful for somebody that's willing to do that, but if anybody else can be a bit normal and maybe unspiritual like I feel like I am sometimes, I find them convicting. It makes me feel like I've done absolutely nothing when I see what God has used some people to do. Does anybody else feel like that? Maybe I feel guilty that I have what I have and live where I live and get to do what I do, but that's the grace of God. Notice in verse 10 we see first, and I'm going somewhere with all this, that literally when I'm persuaded that God is able, it rethinks my suffering.

It makes me rethink that whole process. Am I really suffering? When I'm persuaded that God's able and reminded of what God's done, do I really suffer like I think I do sometimes? If you'll notice in verse 10, look at verse 10 if you would, the Bible says, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior. So in verse 10 we deal with the subject of the fact that Jesus appeared, and notice in verse 10, now he's building a case here, Paul is, with a young Timothy, and he's getting ready to let him know that this is why, Timothy, I'm going through this suffering. This is why I'm in prison. This is why I have faced persecution.

This is why I have had to go through all these things, and this is why I'm thrilled to get to do so. To a young man that might not make a lot of sense, but to an aged servant of God, Paul had some understanding about things that we don't have. Look at verse 10. We find first that Jesus appeared. It's made manifest.

In other words, now it's made known through the appearing of Jesus Christ. He came to us. He sacrificed for me.

Could I not now serve him? He appeared. Notice secondly, he abolished death. It says he appeared who hath abolished death. That means he didn't just show up. He had a purpose, and he literally overcame abolished death. He did that for us. Notice the third thing here, that Jesus not only appeared, he not only abolished death, but third, Jesus gave abundant life.

Notice this, if you would. I love this in verse 10. That he abolished death, he got rid of that, but guess what he gave in its place, and hath brought life. That means everything in my life I have because of him. I have no life without him. This is what Paul's saying to this young man.

You've got to think about this. Here's a perfect God in a perfect environment, and he came to us. He appeared here, and when he did, he died on the cross, rose again. He abolished death, and now he's given us abundant life. He's given us life, the Bible says, more abundant. Wow.

Notice this fourth as if that wasn't enough. He said he has brought life and what? Immortality. That means he's assured us of eternal life. He appeared. He abolished. He's given abundant life, and not only that, he is assured us of eternal life.

I go to prepare a place for you. He didn't just bring life. He's brought him immortality, eternity.

He's covered it all. Then he goes to verse 11. Paul says this is what Christ has done.

Jesus appeared. Notice 2nd Paul says, I'm appointed. In other words, this is what Jesus did, and now this is my job. Notice in verse 11.

Whereunto I am appointed. Notice the three things that Paul said he was appointed to do. Number one, he says, I'm appointed a preacher. Second, and an apostle, and third, a teacher of the Gentiles.

So this is what Paul said. Number one, I'm a preacher, and guess what that means? It means a herald of the truth, a proclaimer. Second, he says, I'm an apostle. That's a representative, a delegate, an ambassador. Then he says, I'm a teacher. That's an instructor.

That explains it. So think about this. Paul says that I have literally been appointed to proclaim. To proclaim Christ, to represent Christ to others, and to explain it, to instruct them on the Word of God.

Guess what? All of us have been appointed to do the same thing. Oh, no, preacher, that's Paul. He was in full-time ministry.

No, no, no, no, no. Paul was not appointed this because of what he had to do. Paul was appointed of this because he was saved, and he was a Christian. This is what Jesus did. He came. He abolished death. He literally has given me abundant life, and he's promised me eternal life in heaven. So literally, God has asked for me to proclaim him, to represent him, and to instruct about him, explain him to others. You all agree with that so far?

So then we come to our text just for today in verse 12, and we're almost done. For the which cause? What cause?

Why? What he just said. Listen, this is what Jesus did for me. When I'm persuaded that he's able to abolish death, he's able to assure me of an eternity in heaven. He's done all this.

This is the cause. Notice that I also suffer these things. You know, when I'm persuaded that God's able, it makes me rethink my suffering. Can I ask you a couple questions before I let you go today? That phrase, Paul says, I suffer these things. Can I ask you something?

And I know we're not all here today, and I'm sure many folks are watching online that obviously couldn't brave the weather and different things. Listen to me this morning. Can I ask you a question? Do we really suffer? I mean, you meet the average Christian, it sounds like we do, doesn't it? You know the old, you ever ask somebody how they're doing, and unfortunately they tell you. They get through all the problems, and they say, but God's good. And the body language says to everyone else, Lord, I don't want what they have.

I mean, they sound like this is just a miserable life to be a Christian. Hey, let me tell you something. You've got a missionary up here that has had a list of things, but guess what? None of them have stopped him from getting back to Kenya.

Why? Because God's good. He's able.

I'm persuaded, convinced in verse 12 that he is able. It rethinks my suffering. Do we really suffer?

Let me ask you this question. What do we consider suffering? Now remember, before you answer, Paul says two verses before, this is what Jesus did. Abolishing death took a whole lot of suffering on the cross. So before we begin to say, what would you consider meaning you suffer? I can tell you how us preachers feel sometimes.

We're sacrificing for God. Every once in a while I'll have somebody upset at me. Here I am working hard, trying to serve God, doing the best I can.

But they criticize something I did. I am suffering for Jesus. Am I really? Let me tell you something. I pastor what I believe is the greatest church in the world. And I know it's the greatest people in the world.

Am I really suffering? I mean, I pastor what's probably the easiest church in the world to pastor. Really. I make it hard, but you all make it easy.

Really. I'm my own worst enemy. Do I really suffer? Can I ask you this? Do you really suffer?

Let me ask you a third question. Would you and I be willing if we really had to? I mean, nowadays it's suffering to come to church in rain. Well, the sidewalk might be slippery. Bless God you're going to get to the restaurant though, aren't you? I mean, you'd climb an ice castle to get to that restaurant. You'd put on full gear.

Pointy shoes. Climb up the mountain. I'm hungry.

But it's sprinkling outside. I can't go to church today. Don't want to suffer too much. Would we really be willing to suffer if we had to? You know, we always see how the news is going.

By the way, America's in some really rough things right now. I tend to, hey, you need to be aware. I want to focus on God, not people.

And you make sure your focus stays there. But I'm going to tell you something. If you're halfway aware of junk that's going on right now, I'm going to tell you either the Lord's going to come soon or we're going to have a nasty problem. And when we have a nasty problem and all of a sudden now you'll be arrested if you show up at church or you would face jail time if you're caught serving the Lord or meeting together, all of a sudden, boy, you talk about the cream rising to the top.

I mean, what if we really did have to suffer? Paul says this is the reason. This is the cause. This isn't a waste of my time. Don't be ashamed of the fact that I'm in jail. Don't be ashamed of my suffering. There's a reason for it.

There's a cause for it. Can I ask you a fourth question today? You're like, yeah, that'll help you get done.

All right, let me ask you the fourth question. Does our sacrifice need to be reactivated? You see, when I'm persuaded that God is able, my suffering is reactivated. All of a sudden now it's like, you know what? After what God's done for me, am I making a lot out of a little sometimes?

Am I walking around acting like as if I have sacrificed and suffered so much for the cause of Christ because I was praying at a restaurant and I think people looked at me strange when I prayed out loud. What's coming next? And you know what? We have people right now, right now, right now, and it has gone on forever, not right here in our country, everywhere. We have people right now that are being killed for being a Christian. Number of places in the world right now, they're being arrested, they're being persecuted, they're being killed for being Christians.

And guess what? They are as passionate and committed and dedicated far beyond what you and I have even come close to being because we're comfortable and we're spoiled and we get to the point that the littlest thing, she said such and such and he said such and such and my feelings are hurt because we're suffering so much for God. God have pity on us. Like my wife says to me sometimes when I explain to her how much I suffer for the Lord. It's not real spiritual is what she says. Why don't you put your big boy britches on?

At some point you just got to grow up and be a man. At some point we just got to realize God didn't say it was going to be a cruise ship, it's going to be a rowboat. We're going to have to work but he's in the boat with us. It reactivates my suffering. I don't know about you. It's good for us sometimes to see some missions videos.

It's good for us to know our missionaries. I dare you today to walk out and start complaining to somebody about something. They're going to look at you like did you even listen? This is going to be the greatest most positive Sunday afternoon after service isn't it?

Everybody's afraid. How you doing? I'm doing great. I'm alive and breathing. God's good. You doing alright? Oh I got no problems.

Whatsoever. You all know I'm right about this don't you? Nobody's more convicted than me because if you and I are not careful we can convince ourselves how much we suffer, how much we sacrifice and how rough we haven't because we've decided to be a follower of Christ. And dear friend may I tell you and I want all of our teenagers and young people right now to understand this. The most blessed wonderful life, undescribable life you can have is to love the Lord, serve the Lord and give your life to the Lord. So sick of people moaning and groaning and well I've done this and sacrificed this but I'm serving the Lord.

No you haven't sacrificed a thing to serve the Lord. You got everything when you got the Lord. We would have nothing without him.

You try what the world has to give. See how wonderful that is. We're blessed beyond measure today. Let's rethink our suffering. He's able, he abolished death, he came to us, he's given me abundant life, he's assured me of a home in heaven. This cause, this is why I have no problem Paul is saying suffering these things because I'm not really suffering. Lord I love you today and I thank you for our people. And Lord on a day where weather can distract so much may you focus our attention on your word. And Lord may we realize I'm not trying to be mean and certainly Lord our folks know I love them.

I'm the first to admit I've got worse issues with these things than they do. Lord we have got to get to the point to understand are we really really suffering? What if it really turned to that? Would we be too spoiled and comfortable to suffer, really suffer for you? Because you really suffered for us. God I pray that you would bless our people. God I pray that you would bless our people. you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you