A Trustworthy Saying

2 Timothy 2:8-13

On Easter we will read most of the events of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.......I just wanted to spend some time in what the true reality of what Jesus has done for us.

Bear withe me this morning, because there are so many Scriptures that I can reference, it is like overwhelming!

Going back to the pre-birth of Christ.....Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

The angel told Joseph the specific purpose of the coming Christ, through His Name.

“Jesus”.....meaning “The Lord Saves” some say it means just “Savior” which is the same thing.

The Lord saves..........How many of us know that, truly??

How special is that to us????

This message is about saving........2 Timothy 2:8-13.......The primary focus is on one verse, verse 15!

I will start however with Paul’s message in verse 8 to Timothy, which leads us to salvation....

“Remember that Jesus.....was raised from the dead”..........

Never forget that message........Paul told the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 2:2 “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (Wed. Night Bible Study)

It seems that the truth seems to create a lot of hardship for the truth livers and the truth tellers.

It was that way with Paul and all the other apostles.

All of them was treated as an evil doers, cast into prisons.....

Paul says something here that is so powerful.....”The Word of God is not bound”

Nor can it be bound...........It is the truth and there will always be a remnant, whether great or small there will always be a remnant revealing this glorious truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Basically, Paul states in verse 10 that for this Gospel of Jesus Christ he will endure all things.....because he looked at a bunch of different teachings and he liked this one the best, but because it was the truth!

Paul was willing to endure whatever hardships/trouble that came from believing in the truth of Jesus Christ and living it out, so that others could or perhaps if he suffered maybe some wouldn’t, but whatever the case it was all worth it!

The object and desire, which is greater than the suffering is the salvation of those that will believe on Jesus Christ!

Paul then states that this next phrase is a “faithful saying”......”trustworthy saying”.......You can count on this statement.......

If we be dead with Christ.......Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Romans 6:8 “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:”

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

My old man has been put to death with Christ.......The death of Christ on the cross was the wrath of God poured out.......this is what sinners receive as punishment for their sins.......eternal condemnation/wrath.

That is where my old man is....with Christ in His death......the realization the our Creator, God the Father is holy and pure and we have defiled His moral character and we have fallen from fellowship with Him and that the only way back to the Father is through the entire work of Jesus Christ!

That old person is dead by the way of Jesus on the Cross........but thankfully is doesn’t end there!

We shall also live with Him/Jesus.........Romans 8:17 “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Some of the commentators say that Paul could be meaning here that if you die for Jesus’ Name sake, that will also live with Him!

That could easily work here and what a powerful truth also!

Living for the Gospel of Christ and being killed for that reason, the next step for us would be living with Him!

Going from living for Him to living with Him!

The same can be said for our daily lives, once we have put to death the old man (it has no place of hierarchy in our lives)

John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

The Godhead living within us.......This is what true fellowship is......Through the Holy Spirit we have this!

Psalm 91:1–2 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in him will I trust.”

Psalm 91:9 “Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, Even the most High, thy habitation;”

Verses 12-13 speak of those of genuine faith will not deny Jesus when they suffer and we will reign with Jesus Christ.....

Those that deny Jesus, reject Jesus and he will reject them......

As faithful as Jesus is to save those who believe in Him, He is equally faithful to judge those who do not believe!

Now, bake to this faithful saying......If we be dead with Him, we shall live with Him........

This has been stuck in my head.....this is what the saving is........living with Him, returning to God, in which we had no power to do!

He is faithful and just to forgive us and bring us back to His presence!

1 Timothy 1:12-17......I have read from here before....but I want us to see what the true life of a Christian is..........it is summed up in these “faithful sayings”......

I was just thinking about the Christian life and what it all boils down too.....these 2 places in Timothy come to mind and these statements are trustworthy or faithful.....they sum up the entirety of being a Christian, being a follower of Jesus Christ!

For this reason, we will deny our fleshly ways, thoughts, and live for His ways and thoughts!

For this reason many have suffered happily for Jesus’ Name sake!

For this reason many are in fellowship with their Creator!

Jesus came into the world to save sinners....to save sinners......Paul says of who I am the chief, the top of the list.........we all are, mind you!

Until we understand that truth, we will never have that heart of worship!

We have all obtained mercy (loving-kindness) .......Paul is expressing in verse 16 that his saving, came to show how longsuffering God the Father and His Son Jesus are!

This is for us to see that if one that persecuted Christians can be saved, then anyone can be!

Paul felt himself as a wretched sinner and that is why he preached, wrote, and lived Jesus Christ and Him crucified!

He knew there was a God/Creator that we would return to and he knew that the True Creator would in no wise clear the guilty!

With that knowledge, when Paul met Jesus on way to Damascus, he saw the grace, mercy, forgiveness, and longsuffering of the Lord!

In Paul’s view he should of been taken out, but he realized and believed in the Grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

After Paul, writes this, in verse 17, he goes into a praise, because he knows the reality of what has happened to him through Jesus Christ!