"A Minister's Confidence" | 2 Timothy 1:1-5

Our Scripture reading this morning comes from 2 Timothy 1, so if you’ve got a Bible or Bible app turn with me to 2 Timothy.

And if you’re able, would you please stand w/me out of reverence for the reading of God’s Word?

Scripture Rdg: [SLIDE]  2 Timothy 1:1-5  “Hear the Word of the Lord.”

“The grass withers & the flowers fade. But the word of our Lord stands forever. Amen.”

You may be seated.

Intro - 20/20 Vision

Well, I’ve been in some form of ministry for about 18 years now… and one thing I have come to realize ab a lot of pastors & churches… is that they tend to get really excited when they have the opportunity to utilize a good catchy phrase or pithy quote of some sort… perhaps a gimmick… to go alongside a particular spiritual emphasis they’d like to implement in the congregation.

And so a few years ago… we hit January of 2020… and the stars aligned. The sermon titles almost seemed to write themselves!  Numerous churches & pastors all over… would start the year off preaching something like:  “How To Have a 20/20 Vision for the year 2020”.

-It sounded so witty, right?! The sermon would say something ab… ‘how you should have a vision for the days ahead & set spiritual goals for the year’ or ‘how to see clearly & be prepared for what this year has in store for you’.   A 20/20 vision in the year 2020.  Oh the irony!

Because, as we know now…  those vision casting moments in early 2020 didn’t exactly age well.

-B/w a global pandemic, racial injustice, rioting, political turmoil, and financial instability… absolutely NOBODY could’ve envisioned all that 2020 had in store & how to respond.

-You know… I wonder if any of those same preachers started January the next year with a message called something like…  “HINDSIGHT is 2020”.

I recall talking with a friend of mine about how as a pastor in 2020, I felt like I had to be an expert in everything from epidemiology to economics…  from politics to race relations.

-And let me tell ya… that ONE pastoral ministry class I had in seminary didn’t exactly cover all those things!

-And the pastors & elders of the church I was at… just like - I’m sure - the church leadership here at Westminster… & congregations all over the world… were just wanting to be faithful and care for our people, but we were struggling with deciding what the wise course of action should be as we dealt with all of these things.

And it was one of THE most difficult seasons of ministry… as church members were isolated and then deeply divided on all of the various issues facing us.

I remember, we had members on both sides of things… with vocal opposition towards the decisions our elders were making. Several folks left our church in that season

And on top of all that… unrelated to the COVID drama…  at the church I was at… we had a couple of folks in leadership there who…  started leveling accusations against the elders that were unfair to say the least.

And as a result, many congregants ended up leaving along with them and starting a new church up the road.

So there we were… just doing our best to shepherd a hurting and divided congregation, and it seemed like the hits kept coming.

There were many prayers… many tears… and many times where all of us in church leadership were wondering… Lord, when will the pain cease? Are we doing the right thing? How can we possibly keep going with the weight of all this on our shoulders?

(PAUSE)

Scripture Bckgrd

Well, this morning we are beginning a new series here at Westminster, where we’ll be working our way through the book of 2 Timothy.

And what we find in this book is a man of God… a minister in the church… who, as my wife sometimes puts it… was on the “struggle bus”.  Timothy is struggling.

He’s been seeking to faithfully shepherd God’s people, to teach the Word of God, & to follow the ministry pattern handed down to him from his mentor - the apostle Paul...

But he’s suffering.

As we read through this letter over the next several weeks…  we’ll see that Timothy was having to deal w/ various difficult pastoral struggles… everything from bad theology to bad attitudes…

he’s facing wolves who are seeking to lead his flock astray…

and still others who are opposing him and saying he isn’t good enough to be pastor… that he doesn’t have what it takes… that he’s way off base in his teaching… that he isn’t a good shepherd.

And so Timothy is feeling the weight of pastoral ministry in just about every way.

And knowing all this… the Apostle Paul writes this letter to Timothy… seeking to exhort & encourage his ‘beloved child’ in the faith, as he calls him.

Of course… Paul (himself) is no stranger to suffering.

In fact, he’s writing this letter while imprisoned in Rome a 2nd time.

Indeed, this would be the very last letter Paul would pen… shortly before his own death & martyrdom sometime around A.D. 67.

A few years prior to this, Paul had written his FIRST letter to Timothy as kind of a church manual… where he gave blueprint instructions on organizing the church, appointing leaders, and various ministry-related details.

But 2nd Timothy, here, zeroes in more directly on Timothy himself… as a minister.

This is an intensely personal letter to Timothy… where Paul is seeking to encourage his apprentice to persevere in the ministry…  to endure these hardships well… and above all - to guard the Gospel message that has been entrusted to him.

That’s why I entitled this sermon series “Guarding the Gospel & Shepherding the Saints”.

Because this letter is really all ab what it means to be a faithful pastor throughout the ups & downs of ministry life.

– And at the end of the day, what we’ll see as we study this letter… is that the PRIMARY role of a pastor is to do those 2 things. Faithful teaching & faithful shepherding.

– Making sure Jesus is front & center & that the Gospel-work he intends… is getting done in God’s church.

So in many ways… preaching through this letter… is actually me giving you MY job description as your pastor!

It’s God saying, “Westminster - THESE are the things you should be holding Ryan accountable to… and THESE are the kinds of things you should expect from Ryan as your pastor… and THESE are the ways you should be encouraging Ryan to remain faithful.”

…as I seek to continue this ministry work… that traces its roots all the way back to Timothy & the Apostle Paul 2,000 years ago.

(PAUSE)

And so… while this letter was written directly to Timothy, it is clear that Paul also intended it to be instruction for the church as a whole.

In fact, the very LAST verse of the book ends with: [SLIDE]  “The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.” - 2 Timothy 4:22

But that last ‘you’ is actually you plural. And as someone who hails from Arkansas, in my native tongue this would be translated as ‘Grace be with y’all. Ya hear?”

Or if you're from Chicago, maybe you say something like ‘Grace be with youse guys’.

But the point is… even though this letter is directly applied to a pastor, what is often called a “pastoral epistle”... it was still ALWAYS meant to be read by his congregation - both the church at Ephesus for Timothy… as well as the church at Westminster PCA in Fort Myers 2,000 years later.

Because we ALL benefit when we know what God expects of his ministers… and honestly, a lot of this is going to apply to all of us in different ways.

(PAUSE)

So all that being said… let us direct our attention now to those first 5 verses in this letter…

And what our passage this morning shows us… is that there are times when a minister is going to struggle in feeling confident in this calling.

And there’s times where all of us - myself included - have to be reminded where we can derive true confidence.

So in v1-5, Paul is already seeking to motivate and encourage Pastor Timothy here.

And he does this by pointing to his OWN example & experiences… as well as by reminding Timothy of HIS identity, faith, and calling from God, as well.

So… notice how the Apostle Paul uses the words ‘remember’ or ‘remind’ several times just in these first few verses… in v3, v4, v5, and as we’ll see next week… even again in v6.

So Paul wants to bring things to mind for the pastor… who needs to have his OWN heart regularly directed back towards God… even as he seeks to do the same for his congregation.

(PAUSE)

So all that being said… in a nutshell… here’s how I think we can sum up the main point of these first 5 verses in 2 Timothy:

MAIN IDEA:  [SLIDE] The minister of the Lord will derive confidence by remembering that his calling is not ultimately about him but about the faith he has inherited and has been entrusted to steward.

(REPEAT)

So there’s three things in particular that the Apostle Paul highlights here… which I believe are meant to encourage Pastor Timothy… either through his OWN example or through his affirming of Timothy more directly.

-But I think it is helpful for us to see that these are 3 things from which… any minister of Christ must derive his confidence.

So in v1-2, we start off by seeing that, 1st & foremost, [SLIDE]

A Minister Derives Confidence From Having:

The Promise of Life in Christ (v1-2)

So Paul starts this letter, as he often does, by reminding us that he is: [SLIDE]  ‘...an apostle of Christ Jesus… by the will of God’.  - 2 Timothy 1:1a

Now, let’s chew on THAT for just a moment.

Brothers & sisters… you may not be in ministry, but I wonder…

In the midst of the struggles you face at work or the difficulties that weigh on you in your current state in life… how different might your outlook on life be… if you started by saying…

I am a realtor… by the will of God.

I am an engineer … by the will of God.

I am a retired Grandparent… a student… a stay-at-home mom…

a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker… by the will of God.

There are no cosmic accidents in God’s universe, friends.

He has you where he has you…hard as it may be… for his glory & your good.

Now I’m not saying that means you can’t ever quit your job or pursue another career path/direction in life… of course you can!

But wherever you find yourself this morning… it is important to remember that God is ultimately the one who put you there.

So just take a moment to consider how he wants to use you in THAT specific calling at THIS particular time in your life.

Do you need to grow in being content?

… in complaining less? … in being more grateful?

… in working harder? … in serving more faithfully?

… in being more intentional to build evangelistic relationships w/coworkers?

As Paul writes elsewhere in the book of Colossians:  [SLIDE]  “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” - Colossians 3:23-24

So truth be told, I think ALL of us would benefit from that simple phrase right at the beginning of v1…

bc we are WHO we are, WHERE we are, WHEN we are…  by the will of God.

But if you study the N.T., you’ll notice that Paul uses this phrase a lot when he begins his letters.

For example, see this same phrasing used in 1st & 2nd Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians.

And he typically does this in order to remind all of these readers WHERE his authority comes from. He’s humbly showing his apostolic credentials, as it were.

And in one sense… he’s doing that again here in 2nd Timothy…

But in our passage, this phrasing ALSO has the added benefit & intention of assuring Timothy that ultimately God is the one who chooses and directs church leaders.

So Timothy’s charge as a pastor - difficult as it may be in this season -  is not by accident or coincidence… it’s by God’s will.

And so the phrase “By the will of God” answers the HOW behind Paul’s calling…

- The next phrase then answers the WHY: [SLIDE] “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God… according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus”. - 2 Timothy 1:1

(PAUSE)

ILLUS - Brazilian Steakhouse

I don’t know how many of you have ever eaten at a churrascaria before… but if I could dream up Ryan’s ideal restaurant dining experience… it would be a churrascaria.

It’s like my all-time favorite kind of eatin’ place.

If you’re unfamiliar w/ that word churrascaria… It’s a Brazilian steakhouse.

And what is amazing ab a Churrascaria… is that it’s an all you can eat buffet, but it involves all these cuts of steak and various meats, beautiful delicacies wrapped in bacon… and it comes out on literal swords.

And not only that… but they bring it right to your table, so you don’t even have to needlessly burn calories by getting up to get it yourself!

They just give you this little coin that has a green side & a red side… green means ‘go’ and they just keep it coming… like a non-stop meat parade!

In fact, if you want to prepare yourself for Jesus’ return… and the feast we’ll have together at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb… just go to a churrascaria.

I’m just sayin’.... it’ll make you thankful for the New Covenant.

It’s a glorious thing. My mouth’s watering a little bit just talking about it!

And because I have had first hand experience of a brazilian steakhouse…

bc I’ve tasted and seen just how good it is myself…

I am all the more able to talk with YOU about it.  To tell you how good it is & how much you need to check this out for yourself.

Bc I am not merely a communicator of its goodness… but a fellow consumer.

(PAUSE)

You see, church… I believe pastors can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking of the Gospel as something for the congregation… something that Y’ALL SINNERS need!

But Paul is reminding Timothy… and reminding me… and reminding all of us… that pastor’s can’t just be promoters of this promise of life… they have to be partakers themselves… constantly tapping into the goodness of the Gospel for their own soul.

This is where my confidence comes from… the foundation of it all… is a Gospel hope.

That Jesus really is better than anything else this world has to offer.

And so, the only way I can remain faithful & confident… in my calling as your shepherd… is to regularly be nourished by this hope myself.

That the “promise of life” isn’t found in my job title… or my bank account… or my abilities… or how much people like me… the promise of life is found only in Jesus.

Everything else is fleeting.

(PAUSE)

So Paul here… goes from v1 where he models for Timothy the “how & why” behind his own ministerial calling… to then in v2… warmly greeting Timothy as his beloved child.

The same grace, mercy, & peace from God the Father & Christ Jesus that which Paul himself had received… he continues to extend to his dear friend and disciple… his son in the faith.

And this is significant… bc as we’ll see in a few verses here, conspicuously absent from Timothy’s life is an earthly Father pointing him to Jesus…

but that is what Paul has become for him. A father in the faith who wants to help Tim to see that both his life & his calling as minister is wrapped up in the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Indeed, that’s why in just v1-2 we have this phrase Christ Jesus mentioned three times… Notice…

v1 Paul, an apostle of CHRIST JESUS… according to the promise of life that is in CHRIST JESUS… (there’s #2)

And then in v2… grace mercy, peace from God the Father and CHRIST JESUS our Lord.

The ministerial calling is surrounded by, empowered by, and given for the sake of… the perpetuation of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

This Gospel is everything to me. I really do believe this stuff… and I really do believe God wants me to hold it out before you constantly… when I preach, when I counsel, when I lead… this is the stuff ministry is made of.

– This is where life is found! The promise of grace, mercy, and peace which God has offered in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(PAUSE)

Moving on now to v3-4… we see that a minister of the Lord also derives his confidence from having…

A Minister Derives Confidence From Having: [SLIDE]

A Clear Conscience Before God (v3-4)

Look back at v3-4 w/me… Paul writes:  [SLIDE]  “I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.” - 2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-4

Likely these tears Paul remembers came from their last parting, where Timothy had to depart the presence of his “father in the faith”... as he got back to the hard work of ministry.

ILLUS - Dad going to work

As a father to 5 small children, there’s nothing sweeter but also nothing more heart-breaking than when your kid clings to you with tears in their eyes as you drop them off at school or head out the door to work.

And God, in his providence, gave our Broadhurst children… the BIGGEST cartoon character sized eyeballs… that just tug at your heart strings!

Of course, it doesn’t take long for those little sinners to learn they can use this super power to their own advantage… so, as parents, we have to be wise there… to know when we’re being played.

But I have had those days where I just think ab their teary-eyed-ness throughout the day… and I’ll stop to pray for them… and I can’t wait to be reunited with them that my heart would rejoice and be able to comfort them.

I imagine the Apostle Paul is feeling something similar here.

(PAUSE)

But let’s also not forget that WHILE Paul is writing to Timothy… he’s also knowingly penning these words in a certain way because he expects the Ephesian church itself to read this letter, too.

So perhaps it is possible that… he is not only encouraging Timothy ab how he knows his sorrows and struggles… and how he continues to pray for him.

But maybe he is also - in a sort of roundabout way - helping the church to be aware of the tears Timothy has shed… the struggles he has faced… the loneliness he may feel.

I like to picture Paul in one of those old ASPCA commercials… with ole Tiny Tim right beside him… Sarah McLachlan song playing in the background… In the arms of the angels…🎵

“Have a heart Ephesian church… look at this sad puppy of a pastor who just wants to feel loved & appreciated!  He’s a good boy!”

(PAUSE)

But even as Paul is assuring Timothy of his own care for him… he’s also intending to communicate the confidence that he - HIMSELF - found in serving God with a clear conscience… through all the ups & downs of ministry.

In his commentary on this verse, Pastor Kent Hughes said this about the apostle Paul… [SLIDE]

“This is invaluably instructive! The old warrior is chained in a dripping, winter-cold dungeon awaiting the executioner’s axe, and as he surveys his life – his conversion and then the kaleidoscope of sermons preached, shipwrecks, confrontations, deliverances, stonings, beatings, and victories – his conscience is absolutely clear. There is no guilt, no weight of unresolved sins, nothing to confess. He has been true to the gospel and his calling. He was not sinless, but he was blameless, and he was faithful.” - R. Kent Hughes.

Paul had served God w/ a clear conscience.

But even in all this, we must realize… Paul isn’t bragging here.

He’s not saying this for his own benefit… but rather for the benefit of Timothy.

That Timothy should continue faithfully serving… even in the face of great opposition… because ultimately… it is God whom he is serving.

And so long as Tim is holding fast to God’s Word and teaching it faithfully… his conscience is clear… even IF others rebel, fall away, or falsely accuse him.

We’ll see more about this later on in this letter, but there were folks like Hymenaues and Philetus (who we read about in chapter 2) who were spreading theological heresy… upsetting folks in the church, stirring up trouble.

And Paul is going to encourage Timothy not to engage in foolish controversies… not to be quarrelsome… even as others want to draw him into frenzied debate over silly things.

But to remain steadfast in preaching the true Gospel… to counter false teachers and confront wolves in the church… and to do so with boldness and confidence, while not tarnishing his good name in the process.

In other words… don’t stoop to their level, even as you seek to root out their evil.

So long as you hold fast to this true Word… this true faith & ministry you’ve inherited from me (says Paul)... then you, too… are serving God with a clear conscience… just as my ancestors did.

And Paul specifically uses that last phrase there… bc part of that “clear conscience confidence” for Timothy… is going to come from the fact that this ALL…  isn't something he created or crafted but was the same thing his ancestors had done before him.

The same thing Paul had entrusted to him.

(PAUL)

Friends, I want to let you in on one of my personal struggles as a pastor.

You see… there are occasions where I can lack confidence to make certain decisions.

- When there’s a choice that needs to be made, but there’s not a clear ‘right or wrong’... no clear moral at work… no clear ‘chapter & verse’ I can point to... then there are times I feel inadequate in making a FIRM, confident decision.

And there’s a real weakness in that… bc sometimes leaders just need to make decisions even when there aren’t black & white options… or that you don’t know what the outcome may be.

But even still… I believe there’s a strength there, too…

Bc my heart should NOT be OVERLY confident in my intellectual insights or decision-making capabilities.

I don’t trust that my understanding of things is always 100% accurate.

Which is why I’m also thankful to be Presbyterian, where we have shared leadership… a session that helps shepherd this church, a presbytery & General Assembly that make decisions at a larger level for the kingdom…

But all that being said… when it comes to the Scriptures, I AM a man of deep conviction.

I won’t waiver on or apologize for the truthfulness of God’s Word.

And so there are going to be times, dear church family… where you disagree with something I say or do as your pastor.

And at times perhaps it’ll be my fault… bc I’m a fallible/sinful human being who continues to need Jesus. And so maybe I DO need to reconsider something…

But my intent is to minister in such a way that whatever you take issue with…HOPEFULLY…  is not me ultimately… but with God & his Word.

My goal is to be as firmly planted in this Book as I can be… so that I can stand before you and say - that that biblical counsel I gave you… those convictional decisions I made for the mission of the church or the good of this flock… those sometimes hard truths I preach or teach…

You may not like them… (I may not even like them sometimes!)...  but…

My conscience is clear… as I stand before God to whom I ultimately must give account.

(PAUSE)

You know… Hebrews 13 has this very sobering verse, which reads… “Obey your leaders and submit to them,” PHEW boy… that word ‘submit’ is NOT something we like to hear, is it?

And at first blush that sounds like a really heavy and demanding thing for a congregation to be told… UNTIL you realize the heavier part… is actually on the back end of this sentence…

Bc it keeps going & says… [SLIDE]  “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for THEY are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.” - Hebrews 13:17a

Brothers & sisters… I take my role as your pastor seriously… not only bc I love you & want what is best for you.

But even moreso… bc God is going to hold me personally responsible for whether I encouraged you properly, admonished you appropriately, and applied his Scriptures to you faithfully… throughout my ministry.

And, like Paul… I want to be able to say I did that… w/ a clear conscience.

(PAUSE)

So Paul’s first two encouragements were from his own example… where he shows Timothy that a minister derives confidence from having the promise of life in Christ, from serving with a clear conscience before God… and then finally we also see…

A Minister Derives Confidence From Having: [SLIDE]

A Sincere Faith Dwelling Within (v5)

Paul writes in v 5:  [SLIDE]    “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” - 2 Timothy 1:5

Timothy didn’t grow up in a “Christian household”. His dad wasn’t a believer.

We read in Acts 16:1 that Timothy’s dad was a Gentile, but his mom was a Jewish woman who became a believer in Jesus.

And then as we read here of Lois & Eunice in 2 Timothy… I just love this incredible reminder of the simple yet profound impact that can be had  by a godly mother & a godly grandmother.

I mean, when you think ab it, Eunice & Lois are a couple of unsung heroes in the history of the church!

Consider w/me for a moment… how important Timothy was… in terms of continuing Paul’s ministry… in terms of establishing churches like this one in Ephesus… in terms of having 2 WHOLE LETTERS  written to him that are included in our BIBLES!

How different might Xian history have looked… had it not been for Lois & Eunice who taught the Gospel to Timothy.

Some of you here this morning are parents or grandparents, who perhaps wonder… if your influence is doing any good. And can I just encourage you… that God does world changing things through very ordinary, seemingly mundane discipleship moments… as you pass the faith on to your children & grandchildren.

(PAUSE)

And so, Paul seeks to encourage Timothy in the sincerity of his faith… and notice what he’s NOT saying here.

He’s not admonishing him… or causing him to doubt himself, saying:  “Tim, you better make sure your faith is real or you’ll never make it!”

Rather, Paul is giving him an assuring word… “I am SURE that this faith dwelling in you is the real deal.

You see… Paul isn’t calling Timothy - as many modern day evangelists do - to make sure that he KNOWs, that he KNOWS, that he KNOWS… that his faith is genuine.

I remember hearing a speaker at a youth camp say that once… and I thought, “Well I’m pretty sure that I know… but I don’t know that I KNOW that I know…”

I mean… how many ‘knows’ does it take to get to the center of my spiritual ‘tootsie pop’?

The problem in modern evangelicalism is that… since at least the 2nd Great Awakening… evangelists and ministers have often tried to produce confidence within Xians by causing them to look inward.

“Do you really, really, REALLY believe?” Make ‘em sweat it out to prove their sincerity.

The only way they’ll be confident in their Xianity is if they don’t have any doubts ever ab their faith.

But notice… when the Bible wants us to have confidence… it doesn’t call us to do that by way of navel-gazing introspection.

But rather by looking to JESUS - the author & perfecter of that faith.

So similarly, Paul here is assuring Timothy that his faith is legit… based on an OBJECTIVE standard… that Timothy is looking to Christ, just as his mother & grandmother had taught him to.

In his book All Of Grace, the 19th cent. preacher Charles Spurgeon once put it like this: [SLIDE]

"Never make a Christ out of your faith, nor think of it as if it were the independent source of your salvation. Our life is found in 'looking unto Jesus,' not in looking to our own faith. The peace within the soul is not derived from the contemplation of our own faith; but it comes to us from Him who is our peace. Think more of Him to whom you look than of the look itself. You must look away even from your own looking, and see nothing but Jesus, and the grace of God revealed in Him."

- Charles Spurgeon

The strength of the faith dwelling within… comes from how it looks up, up, & away from self… & towards the One who is seated at the right hand of God.

Before the throne of God I have a strong & perfect plea, A Great High Priest whose name is Love… who ever lives & pleads for me.

So when Satan tempts me to despair & tells me of the guilt w/in… upward I look and see HIM there who made an end of all my sin. Christ our Redeemer!

(PAUSE)

CONCLUSION  - Penny’s confidence

You know, just like the Apostle Paul does here… those of us who are parents… we’re often seeking to encourage our children so that they know we love them & they can feel confident in how God has made them & what he’s called them to do.

And a few days ago I was sitting with my 2 ½ year old daughter (Penny) on my lap, and I said to her, “Penny Lane - you are just the prettiest, smartest, STRONGEST little girl on the planet.”

- And that little girl  looked me in the eyes with absolute sincerity… and just shrugged her shoulders, and said, “Yep!”

I couldn’t help but laugh! No lack of confidence in THAT one! At least not yet.

(PAUSE)

You see… the truth is…  we all go through seasons of doubt.

And 2nd Timothy lets us all in on a little secret… PASTORS do too.

And while positive & encouraging words can be helpful and certainly appreciated… they really aren’t enough… to produce lasting confidence.

What helps us endure is not hearing - “Look how strong & smart & talented you are, Pastor Ryan! You’ll get through this! You are awesome!”

Rather, as Paul demonstrates here… what truly inspires confidence is that assuring Word of… “Hey, I know this is tough… but your faith in Christ is well-placed. HE is the one who’s awesome, so you don’t have to be.

And HE’s the one who will get you through this… by HIS strength, not yours.

And that’s good news bc HE’s the one genuinely dwelling inside you by faith.”

You see, Paul reminds Timothy… and reminds me… and reminds all of us as Xians… that it isn't the size of our faith that really matters in the long run… it is WHO that faith is in… that makes it powerful.

And our hope… not only for ministry…but for life as a WHOLE…

is a hope that is built on NOTHING less… than JESUS’ blood and righteousness.

My confidence only comes from Christ the Solid Rock on which I stand!

ALL. OTHER. GROUND… is sinking sand.

Would you pray w/me?

Father God, thank you for the promise of life that is ours in Christ.

Thank you that as a pastor, you encourage me and help me to find confidence, not in what others think of me, but what YOU think of me…

And that is true for all of us. That our firm standing is found in Jesus our Redeemer.

Would you help me to be a faithful pastor to this dear church & would you help us ALL to live in light of the glorious Good News of Christ?

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.