Hope?

Posted on by kevinjandt

paulwritinghisepistlesinprison

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. – 2 Timothy 1:12

We’ve turned a slight corner in looking at 2 Timothy 1:5-14, but yet we have so much more to see.

Paul has told us much, and he’s given us much encouragement. He wanted to stir up Timothy to continue in his work. He has reminded him of his need for boldness, for his ability to suffer, and to not be ashamed of the gospel. He has reminded young Timothy of the holy calling by which he was called and that all of this was planned in time past. Paul has declared authoritatively his role as an apostle and a teacher and that all his authority has been ordained by Jesus Christ Himself and proved Himself the Christ through His death and resurrection.

There is so much hope in Christ, and Paul doesn’t want Timothy to forget this. Have you ever wanted to encourage a friend, or a loved one? You remind them of the difficult things they’ve been through, and the things they’ve accomplished, and how they have so much more potential? Yes, this is what Paul wants to remind Timothy. This is not a Joel Osteen pep talk, no; it’s a call to action. It’s an exhortation to press on…

Well, Paul once again reminds Timothy of his sufferings, and why he is not ashamed. We’ve previously discussed the suffering aspect of the gospel, Jesus certainly suffered and we as Christians are told we will suffer, but today that is certainly different than it was then. But yet a day is on the horizon that this will change. I’d like to have the true believer consider this for a moment. Are you prepared? Are you preparing your family for the day that is coming? My children will suffer for the gospel, should the Lord save them, much more than I ever will. They will be minimized, they will be reduced, and they will certainly be persecuted. Will the next generation by martyred? It’s a possibility.

So where’s the hope in all this, so far, it’s mostly depressing?

The hope is just around the corner, look at what Paul then says “For I know whom I have believed…”

What an absolutely incredible statement of Jesus Christ. There is Paul’s hope. There is Timothy’s hope, and there is your hope and my hope. Jesus Christ, in all His incredible glory, is the hope for believers.

It is a real hope right? I mean it’s not a false hope like Buddha, or Muhammad? It’s not “hoping” that everything will turn out okay, its real hope. It’s something we can actually place our faith and our hope in. It’s real, it’s tangible.

And He is risen…

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received; that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. – 1 Corinthians 15:1-6

Paul had confidence in his hope, because he had confidence in the Word of God. Paul believed in the authority of Scripture. He believed that God’s Word stood the test of time, that God’s Word foretold the coming of Christ, His life, His death and His resurrection.

According to the Scriptures…

Paul believed the eye witness accounts, he knew they were accurate, he had talked with these people, and not only that; Paul himself had seen the risen Lord.

Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. – 1 Corinthians 15:8

This was a lock for Paul. This is the reason he had the confidence he had. This is why Paul would willingly and happily suffer. He knew…he had first hand, intimate knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and he was confident that for which he was called.

Lastly, Paul knew that the promises were true. He knew that what had been committed would be kept. The saints would persevere. They would persevere because God keeps His promises. He is not slack concerning His promises, He is not a liar, and He is incapable of lying. So either it was true or it wasn’t and there are no other options.

Paul believed. Do you believe?

Do you believe what the Scriptures say and do you believe the promises that God has in store for those that serve Him out of a pure heart; a pure heart that only He can give? Yes, we all want eternal life, but do you also believe the promises that He makes to the unrighteous? Because that is terrifying, and if you have some head knowledge of Him, without an intimate knowledge, a saving knowledge of Him you must also believe His promises. His promise that says He will punish the unrighteous. Those without faith will perish. The wrath of God will be poured out upon them for eternity.

But today there is still hope for you. Today you can turn to Him and be saved. That’s a promise you can count on.

However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. – 1 Timothy 1:16

Kevin

No Good Thing…

Posted on by kevinjandt

mire

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. – Psalm 84:11

This is an incredible promise and one that those who trust in the Lord can place their hope. It’s also the kind of verse that is so often misunderstood and taken as a promise for the unbelieving, or even worse used in prosperity teaching. I have full confidence that this verse is completely true, yet I don’t always know what’s good for me.

Yesterday our two-year old daughter Lydia openly defied instruction and I was able to live out this verse in her life. She is my daughter, I love her, and I won’t withhold what is good for her. However, she didn’t see it that way. In fact she really didn’t care much for my love for her and I’m reminded that often what might not seem “good” is what we really need the most.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

This verse is also often misquoted as to provide comfort to people and used in evangelism without understanding the whole story. I know I’ve used this verse wrongly in the past and I’d like to really look at what’s “good” and what the LORD will not withhold from us.

Jeremiah was called by God to speak to a wicked and rebellious generation, to call them to repentance and return to the LORD. What an overwhelming task. What an overwhelming task before us today, to preach the gospel of peace to people. Those same people that don’t want to hear, just as those God sent Jeremiah to.

Jeremiah 38:6 So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire.

When Jeremiah preached the good news he was rewarded with a trip to the dungeon and for God’s eternal purposes this was good for him. It’s not our general idea of good, but this word means – (to be good, be pleasing, be joyful, be beneficial, be pleasant, be favourable, be happy, be right). I’m not sure the experience of the mire was pleasant for Jeremiah, but it was certainly beneficial.

Our experiences, the ones that we don’t necessarily deem enjoyable are beneficial. They are meant for good. We see this in the example of Joseph.

Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Doesn’t this sound familiar to Jeremiah’s story and more importantly how it points us to Jesus?

Acts 13:27-33 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the father. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus.

Jesus considered the joy that was set before Him, the cross that He would die upon, the physical torture and for the only time in eternity, He would have the wrath of God poured out upon Him, a benefit. A benefit that His called out ones could bring Him glory on this earth, because this is the ultimate reality of salvation; the glory of God.

It is, after all, the chief end of man.

Beloved, we must consider our momentary trials and tribulations pure joy (James 1:2-4). The scripture leaves no room for any other interpretation. It’s not always fun. It’s not always our desire, but it is providentially God’s plan for you, and for me. This is a bitter pill to swallow far more often than we desire. But if you are in Christ, you are a new creation, and we can take comfort that God has a plan that far outweighs our comfort.

Kevin