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. Second Timothy chapter 1 and as we draw to a close our opening series has been on this subject, being persuaded that God is able. Our theme is the fact that I'm persuaded that God is able according to verse 12 of 2 Timothy chapter 1. And as we've been going through this I'll quickly, quickly review beginning in verse 6 of chapter 1 of 2 Timothy. And we talked about this series of the fact of what does it mean when you are persuaded. Our series is being persuaded that God is able.
How does that change your life? And first we talked about in verse 6 that it rekindles my fire, stirs that gift. That's what that word stir means to rekindle. We talked about in the next verse how it renews my mind. In verse 8 how it restores my boldness. Then we talked about how it reminds me of my calling. We have been called with a holy calling. Then we talked about how it makes us rethink our suffering.
Are we really suffering? I mean when we look at what He's done and when we realize how He is able is this not the least we could do to serve Him. Then we talked last week how it reassures my beliefs. I know whom, not what, but whom I have believed. Our belief is wrapped up in a person not a pamphlet.
It's in a person. And last today in verse 12 being persuaded that God is able it reinforces my commitment. It reinforces my commitment.
I hope you understand this. Look at verse 12, for the which cause I also suffer these things and nevertheless I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to what? To keep that which I have committed to it unto Him against that day. Lord we love You and as we draw close to this particular passage and the things that You have asked us to begin our year with I pray Lord that You would help me to rightfully divide Your Word in Jesus' name we pray.
Amen. Well if I'm persuaded that God is able to keep we've got to stop right there. And what does this word keep mean?
I mean if this is all wrapped up this entire chapter, all these things we have learned. If they are all dependent, they are founded upon the fact that I'm persuaded that God is able to keep what I've committed. So what does that mean? What does this word keep mean? Well it's the Greek word philosophy and it basically means this.
It means to watch, to be on guard, to preserve, to observe, to save, to support. So having said that, that's why I love God's Word. And that's why listen to me dear friend don't be swayed into thinking that we just got to change everything about the Bible so that everybody can... Listen to me dear friend there's a reason why the words that are used are used. Because you can't take one word and say well it means this.
Most of the words mean four or five things. That's what's great studying about God's Word. Get a hold of a verse and get a hold of a word and find out what it means and you realize that it doesn't just say one thing. It says a number of things. That's why God's promises are endless. They're inexhaustible.
We could spend our whole life and not come up with all of them. This word keep means a number of things and I want to explain it to you today so that this may reinforce your commitment to Christ. Number one I want you to understand to believe and be persuaded that God is able to keep what we've committed. Number one it means that God is able to record it.
What do you mean? That means whatever you've committed to Christ, the things that you've done, the time that you've given, the sacrifices that you've made, all these things in verse 6 all the way down through verse 11. It means this that we believe we serve a Savior that sees it and knows it and records it.
He keeps it. Dear friend you and I do not serve in vain. You might serve and I as the pastor I probably almost guarantee you I won't see it. By the way do you know nowhere in the Bible does it say as a pastor I'm supposed to see it. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that anybody else is supposed to see it. Now the Bible does say in Matthew that let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify who?
The Father. So the only reason you and I should ever be seen is to glorify God not to get gratitude. But dear friend you can serve and sometimes just during the week and driving I think of so many of you at different times and I think of what they do and how long they've done it and how sacrificial and they give their time and they do all this. And dear friend I am appreciative but I can't get up and remember hundreds of people to thank for everything but I am persuaded that the Savior that you're serving is recording and sees and knows everything you've done for Him. Look at this verse if you would in 2 Timothy where we are at. Just a few verses down in verse 17. Notice this. Please notice.
It's on the screen if you don't have it. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches. By the way uncertain riches are what you get here because they leave, they vanish. You say no they don't they're in my bank. Well when you die somebody else gets it.
It's not permanent. And I suggest that you set up donation to the church. Hey I encourage you in case you're not aware we've set up some seminars in the future with the state planning. But I'm going to tell you sometimes either the government is going to get it, the state is going to get it, or the church is going to get it. And I encourage you sometimes make provision, make your legacy last.
But notice this if you would. But in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good and that they be rich in good works. Not in uncertain riches but in good works. Ready to distribute, willing to communicate.
Notice this. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come. What did our verse say? That He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day.
Dear friend I'm here to tell you what you give you lay up in store. God records it. He sees it. He knows it.
And even if nobody else does because I'm persuaded that He is able to keep what I've committed. It means that He knows it. He sees it. He records it.
Number two, it means that God is able to remember it. You see God doesn't just notice it. Listen to me. He keeps it permanently.
Listen to me. He doesn't just notice He remembers. Now there have been a lot of things in my life that I noticed and saw that I cannot remember. Every once in a while I'll have, see somebody I hadn't seen for years or whatever and this happens a lot like I preached a number of youth camps for a number of years every summer.
Youth conferences, youth camps and things. And every once in a while I'll see somebody that was in that camp and they're out in ministry now or whatever and they'll say, man I remember preaching. Remember that one time we all the guys were swimming and you did this thing and you did a flip and threw a football.
And I know you don't think I can do that but I can't. And you know you were throwing this football kind of a thing. I do not remember.
Now I was there. Obviously. Maybe it was because I knocked myself out when I woke up I just can't remember it. I don't know.
Maybe because I displaced so much water out of the pool. I don't know. But you know what? There are things that I see.
I'm there. I notice. But I forget. But what God sees He keeps.
He remembers. You know this verse but I love it. Look at this verse. Hebrews chapter 6 verse 10 on the screen. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which ye have showed toward His name in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister everything you do in His name for others or for Him.
Listen to me. God will not forget it. He keeps it. I mean He's going to keep it until that day. And God's not going to forget it. He doesn't just watch it and notices it. He literally sees it. Writes it down.
Records it and remembers it for eternity. That ought to make you and I want to commit to Him. Not to me.
Not to people. Not to church. But to commit to Him. Because He'll remember it. God keeps it. He records it. He remembers it. Number three that means that God is able to reinforce it. You say what do you mean? Remember this word keep.
Philoso it means to support. It means this that whatever I've committed to God God doesn't just notice it and He doesn't just remember it. But God gives me what I need to accomplish it. God doesn't just sit back and say well let's see what you can do for me. Dear friend if you're willing to do something for God and commit to Him not only does He see it.
Not only will He never forget it. But God gets right in there and gives you the strength and the resources to do it. He's able to reinforce it. You all know how when I was sharing about sheep and Psalm 23 and different things that shepherds often times would put their sheep and they would get brush and thorn brush and they would kind of build a little corral and they would put their sheep in when they were moving sheep and different things and overnight just to keep them safe they would make that thorny brow thing and they would put all those bushes together and make a place for the sheep inside of it.
And the reason was is because the sharp thorns would keep the sheep in and it would keep all the other animals out and that means that literally the shepherd would create a keep so that he could protect those sheep and that he could provide for those sheep and that he could preserve those sheep. And that's exactly what God does to our commitments. He keeps it. He guards it. He protects it. He records it. He remembers it. And He does it so that He can reinforce us, strengthen us, give us what we need to do it. I'm persuaded God is able to do that by the way. This is still too big of a task for me.
Always will be. I'm reminded almost every day of how I fail. But dear friend do you know that I just am convinced the reason I'm going to get back up here this Sunday and Lord willing Wednesday and next Sunday and the next Sunday after that and the next Sunday.
You know why? Because I'm convinced that I am not able but that He is. Because if He's asked me to do it He's going to give me the strength to do it. God is able to keep what I've committed unto Him for an eternity.
Number four. Well let me show you these verses I didn't show you and let me do that. I always like to prove, make sure we understand God's Word that it's consistent. Romans chapter 4 verse 20 look at this. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully persuaded that what He had promised He was also able to perform. He's able to reinforce. Psalm 37 verse 5 you know it.
I love it. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.
Anybody else excited about that? Boy that is really good preacher. Thank God for His Word.
Krispy Kreme is wonderful. Alright just got to get it all out. I won't embarrass anybody here but last night I came to the church, prayed and stuff and got back home and I was just home a little bit. I just got my shower cleaned up, getting ready for bed and my doorbell rang and I thought it was the commercial on TV. So, our dog is going nuts you know. And I was like, it's just the TV. And my wife and my son was like, I don't think it was the TV. Because there was no door on the commercial apparently. And I was, so my wife is like, you go to the door, don't open it. Ask who it is. So, I went to the door and you know it was kind of too late to turn the lights out.
At that point they can see. So, I got to the door and it's kind of embarrassing. Here I got guns in the bedroom but I'm standing here at the door. Who is it? Hello?
There's no answer. So, I opened up the door and I heard a car leaving where I couldn't see it. I wasn't going to look down and it was a box of a dozen duck donuts.
I am persuaded that He is able. I mean not 30 seconds before that I said, you know I just want something sweet. Ding-dong. See, I know that donuts are of the Lord.
You can't argue with that. I wasn't going to say He shall bring it to pass but that sounded bad in that whole context. Alright, number four.
Number four. What does it mean? I'm persuaded that God is able to keep that which I've committed. It means God's able to record it. God's able to remember it. God's able to reinforce it. But number four, God is able to reward it.
Isn't He though? See what I've committed. I've committed unto Him. God doesn't forget it.
He has everything written down. He knows everything you've done and He will reward you for it. Look at this verse in John chapter 12 verse 26.
He that loveth His life shall lose it and He that hateth His life in this world, listen, shall keep it unto life eternal. That's when we're rewarded. That's when we realize God saw it. After all that He's done for me.
Why would He notice every little thing I've done? It seems so meaningless compared to what God has done for me. And yet, dear friend, we have a God that is able to keep what we've committed unto Him and He'll reward us for it. Oh, that ought to reinforce our commitment. That ought to make us just feel so horrible of our rotten attitude we get sometimes. To think how undeserving we are for any reward. God said, I'm going to keep that against that day.
I'm going to reward you for it. Look at this verse if you would obviously. Verse 26 that we were showing it says, if any man serve me, let him follow me. Where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my Father honor. Isn't God's Word great?
Last, before I let you go this morning. God is able to record it. God is able to remember it. God is able to reinforce it. God is able to reward it. What does it mean that God is able to keep what I've committed, preacher?
Well, number five, it means that God is able to make it remain. Now, we had a wonderful Sunday school lesson this morning in our class with Scott Tucker. I asked him to teach and just always does a phenomenal job. And the things I'm getting ready to share, it's so with what he was doing. And I just thought, wow, Lord. And here's a verse I hadn't noticed, hadn't read, hadn't seen in that context. And Brother Scott brought it up.
And I thought how great. Notice if you would, look at verse 14 of where we're at, 2 Timothy chapter 1. And verse 12 obviously just that I'm persuaded he's able to keep what I've committed. But look at verse 14.
Isn't this interesting? That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. Wait a minute, in verse 12 it says that God is able to keep what I've committed to Him. And then in verse 14 it says you and I need to keep what God has committed to us. Now, hold on.
This is wonderful. That means God is able to keep what you've committed to Him. And you and I need to keep what God has committed to us. Okay, preacher, what does all that mean? Well, look at verse 20 of this chapter. The verse will be on the screen if you need it. Oh, Timothy, this is who he's writing to this entire chapter that we've dealt with.
Keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings. Lord, does that go on nowadays? Everybody's trying to argue about the structure of some Bible verse instead of sharing the Bible with others. We're going to argue. We've gotten smart. We've gotten man's knowledge mixed in now.
Vain babblings. Paul said, hey, Timothy, you don't even get involved in that junk. Listen, what you do, God is able to keep that for an eternity. But your job is to keep what God's committed to you. That means this, while we're here on earth, we are to keep what God's committed to us. And when we get to heaven, God is going to honor and keep what we've committed to Him. I'm trying to pump you up, but it's just not working.
We're going to go this way. Something. Notice this verse. And oppositions of science, falsely so called. Have you ever seen this verse?
I mean, have you ever really seen it? This is what Paul, I mean, this is Bible days. And this is what he warns him. As you begin to teach God's word, you're going to have people that will try to say that such and such in the Bible does not agree with science. And I'm here to tell you, if science doesn't agree with the Word of God, stick with the Word of God. You keep God's word.
Notice what he says. Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Oh, Timothy, everything you do, God is keeping it. Everything you've committed, God is recording it. He'll remember it.
He's going to reward you for it. But right now it's your job to keep what God's committed to you. Now, listen to me. Get this. Now, because I said I want to read you the verse that Scott brought this morning.
Listen to this. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, and I'll just read it to you, verse 4. But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel. God entrusted the gospel to us. He committed it to us. It is our job to keep it.
That makes sense. Now get this. Your commitment remains because you remain. You get this. Stop everything.
You got to grab it. You say, how do I know what I've committed to God? He'll keep for an eternity. Because what you've committed, it will remain if you remain.
Let me explain it this way. You keep what God's committed to you, and then God will keep what you've committed to Him. How do you want to make sure that what I've done that God's going to reward me for? Let me tell you, all you've got to worry about is you just keep what He's committed to you. And when you do that, He will keep what you've committed to Him.
I don't know about you, but I'm persuaded that He is able. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. Timothy, what you have committed, God will keep. So I'm asking you, will you keep what God's committed to you?
Let's pray. Lord, I love you. I thank you for your grace and your goodness. And Lord, all of us, truth be known, ought to be at this altar. Because you have committed something very special to us. We have at times grown very lazy with it.
We demand that you remember what we've done, and yet when it comes down to it, it's very limited as to what we've done for you, really. And God, I pray that you would help us as we continue to keep in front of our minds the fact that God, we're persuaded that you are able. And Lord, may you encourage every person here to realize God's keeping track.
God's recording it. God will reinforce us. God will sustain us. He'll strengthen us. Help everyone here to be encouraged by the fact that you will reward.
You will not be a debtor to any man. Whatever we've done, you're going to give us more in return as you already have. So God, help us to be determined to keep what you've committed to us. Lord, at this church, that's our job. That's our responsibility. It's our privilege to take what you've given to us and to give it to others.
Lord, please help us. Our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed. If you're here this morning and you would say, preacher, you know the verses you gave, it kind of made sense what you've shared. But I think if you asked me deep down, I don't know even for sure that I've ever been saved. I don't know if you asked me if I was a hundred percent sure.
I don't think I could answer that. And dear friend, I want you to know our greatest task and honor and privilege is to show people how they can know for sure they're on their way to heaven. Our men are up here at the front of the aisles. And if you need someone to talk to you about that, if you just come, we'll send you in privacy, a man with a man, a woman with a woman to show you how you can know for sure. And dear friend, if you are here and you are saved and even members here of Kerwin Baptist Church, maybe today you ought to get to this altar and say, God, I am persuaded that you're able to remember and record and notice and see what I've done. God, to be honest, I haven't done a lot and it's time for me to do more. And God, I want to start keeping what you've committed to me. And I want to serve you. Oh, dear friend, you be obedient to what God has called you to do.
If you're here and you say, I believe Lord's led us here to join or be part of this fellowship, if you've been saved and baptized, we'd love to welcome you into this fellowship. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
