God’s promise of life (2)

Pray

Read 2 Timothy 1:1–2 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In 1952

a woman

named Florence Chadwick

was in Catalina Island, California

attempting

to become the first woman

to swim

26 miles across the channel

to the mainland.

She swam across

the English channel previously

so she’s had great experience

of a similar swim.

For 15 hours

she swam in cold water

with support boats following her

occasionally firing rifles

in order to scare off sharks.

But then a thick fog started to appear.

It was so thick

she could no longer see the support boats.

And after 1 hour

of swimming in the deep fog

she quit

and asked to be brought into the boat.

But when the fog cleared

she realized

that she was only

half a mile away

from shore.

And she said in and interview,

“Look I’m not excusing myself.

But if I could have seen land,

I know

I could have made it.’

Florence quit

not because of cold water

or because of sharks

but because

she couldn’t see

the promise

of life

of the shoreline.

And so many people today

quit

and give up

because they cannot see.

They cannot see

the shoreline:

the goal of life.

They do not have

the promise of life.

And perhaps

there are some today

who

are more than ready

to just give up

but if we could just see

the shoreline

then we can keep going.

And today

God’s Word

will give us sight

of that shoreline.

That’s why the title of our sermon this morning is:

God’s Promise of Life.

And our main point:

God’s promise of life in Christ sustains Christians through any circumstance.

1. Promised life in Christ gives reason to live (v.1)

Before we get into our verse

this morning

we need to

understand

the context

of 2 Timothy.

2 Timothy

was written

about 2-3 years

after

1 Timothy.

And The apostle Paul

wrote this letter

in a Roman prison.

Unlike

his previous house arrest

in Rome.

This time

it was different.

The emperor Nero

began persecuting Christians

so Paul was imprisoned

not in a house

but in a dark

Roman prison.

The situation seems bleak.

In previous letters

Paul alludes to getting out

eventually.

But in this letter

there is no such allusion.

In fact at the very end

of this letter

Paul says he has fought

the good fight

implying

that this is it.

This is the end of the line

for Paul.

And indeed it is

because this is Paul’s very last letter.

Tradition states

that Paul was martyred:

beheaded

after the writing of this letter.

But that did not mean

he had no hope.

He expresses

his trust in Christ

in the first and last chapter

of this letter

trusting that Christ will

guard

the life that He has given Paul

until the last day of Christ’s return

and that He will rescue Paul

and bring him safely

into the heavenly kingdom.

So knowing the end is near

Paul writes to Timothy

who is still pastoring the church at Ephesus

to encourage him

but to also ask Timothy

to visit him

because this may be

the last time

that Timothy would be able

to see Paul.

So knowing that

makes it more clear

the tone

and reason behind why Paul wrote this second letter

to Timothy.

So now

let’s look at v.1,

‘Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God”.

The letter begins

with the author

or the sender of the letter:

Paul.

Who was Paul?

Paul formerly known as Saul of Tarsus

was originally

a zealous Pharisee

a group of Jews

known

for their dedication to the law

and also

their religious hypocrisy.

Saul was a persecutor of Christians

until his sudden conversion

through his encounter

with the Lord Jesus

who called Saul to proclaim

His name

to the Gentiles.

on the Damascus road

in Acts 9.

From then on

Saul began using his Roman name:

Paul

instead of his Hebrew name: Saul

because of his mission

to reach Gentiles.

Now Paul had a title

or office

called apostle.

An apostle

is a messenger of Christ.

They are taught directly and commissioned

by Christ himself

to speak

on His behalf.

So when the apostles spoke

Christ himself

was speaking

through them

His very divine inspired

words.

This is why

the writings of the apostles

that we still have today

preserved by God

are what we call

the New Testament.

Because the very words

of the apostles

had the authority

of God.

This is why Paul writes,

“Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus

by the will

of God.”

Paul’s authority

is not his own.

He didn’t suddenly decide one day,

‘you know

I think I’m gonna be an apostle!’

That is what false prophets do.

Instead

God

is the one

not Paul

who made him an apostle.

This letter

that Paul wrote to Timothy

is a personal

letter

of encouragement yes

but it is also

a letter

of authority.

And for every Christian today

this letter

still has authority

over you

because it is the very words

of God himself.

This is not just a human letter

that you can choose

which parts to listen to

and which parts to ignore.

No God

spoke

and wrote

through the apostles

and therefore

you must listen

and submit

to every word

this letter

and all of the writings

of the prophets

in the OT

and the writings

of the apostles in the New.

Now the question is

why

is Paul an apostle?

He tells us the answer to why

in the next phrase

in the rest of v.1,

‘according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus’.

Another way to translate it

is

for the sake of

the promise of the life

that is in Christ Jesus.

The reason

or purpose

of Paul being an apostle

is the promise

of the life that is in Christ Jesus.

So the question then is

what

is the promise of the life

that is in Christ Jesus?

Paul wrote about it

in his earlier letter:

Galatians 3:16

Galatians 3:16 ESV

Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

Paul makes the argument

that God’s promise to Abraham

is not offsprings

plural

but offspring singular.

If it were offsprings

it would refer to the obedience of the Israelites

and therefore you would need

to continue following the Old Covenant

in order to be saved.

But since it says offspring:

singular

it means that the promise

refers to the obedience

of the future offspring:

the descendant

of Abraham

who would come

from

the nation of Israel:

Christ.

Paul is arguing

that the promise of life

does not come

through obedience to the Law

given to Israel by Moses.

But rather

through the obedience

of the one

who would come

from

Israel:

Christ.

And therefore

salvation

is not dependent

on following the Mosaic law

but on Christ alone.

Now you might be thinking

“ok”

it says the word:

“promise”

but where

is the word,

“life”?

How does this verse in Galatians

connect to our verse

in 2 Timothy

where Paul told Timothy

that the purpose of being an apostle,

is the promise

of life?

The answer

is when you recognize

that in Galatians 3:16

the word offspring

is actually mentioned

even before Abraham:

but to Adam and Eve.

In Genesis 3:15

after Adam sinned

and received the consequences

God also graciously promised

salvation

saying

Genesis 3:15 ESV

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Now Adam

who just brought death

into the world

could have responded

with despair

and “woe is me”

like Judas.

But instead

he responds

in faith

because right after receiving all these consequences

of pain and death

in Gen 3:20

it says:

Genesis 3:20 ESV

The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Eve

had no name

until

Adam named her

after

he received the consequences

for his sin.

Why?

Because even though

he brought death

in the world

he believed

that his wife Eve

she

would bring life

to the world.

Because the reason

Adam named his wife “Eve”

is because

Eve

comes from the Hebrew word

which means:

life-giver.

So in naming his wife Eve,

life-giver

Adam

is trusting in God’s promise

to bring an offspring

who would bring life

to a dying world

through Eve.

And that offspring

who brings life

would be

none other

than Jesus Christ.

This is why Paul

gives the greatest honor to women

in 1 Tim 2:15

that women would be saved through childbearing

because God has decided

to bring life

into this dead world

through the birth

of children

through women.

Every time a child is born

we are amazed

not only because of how cute babies are

but because

every baby

reminds us

of God’s promise

to bring life

into a dead world

through a baby.

And as Christians

we know

that baby

born of a woman

Eve:

her offspring

who brings life

is ultimately

Christ

God’s promised savior.

So this

is the connection

between 2 Timothy

and Galatians

that when Paul says promise of life

he is referring to the promised offspring

of Abraham.

But someone might say,

“hang on

Paul says in Galatians 3:16,

“Abraham

and to his offspring”.

Not Eve’s

and her offspring.”

Actually

Eve’s offspring

and Abraham’s offspring

are referring to the same exact person.

And we see that

when we look

for the promised offspring

or to use Paul’s language

in 2 Timothy:

“the promise of life

that is in Christ Jesus”

which is the same thing

across

the entire Old Testament.

We find

“the promise of life

that is in Christ Jesus”

throughout the OT

whenever

the OT

mentions the word

“covenant.”

Now to clear things up:

A covenant

is not a contract.

A contract

is something

that when completed

there is no obligation

of continued loyalty

from either party.

But a covenant

is an oath of loyalty

between two parties.

For example

buying a car on finance

is a contract

to finish paying off the car

but once the car is paid off

the buyer

is under no obligation

to remain loyal to it

he can sell it

or get another car if he wants.

But marriage is a covenant

wherein

there must be loyalty

from both sides

for life.

Unfortunately

too many people today

treat marriage

as a contract

rather than a covenant.

They treat marriage

like car buying

get a new one

once it stops working.

Now thankfully

God does not treat

covenants

like buying a car.

He is

100% faithful

and loyal

to all the covenants He makes.

In Genesis 9

God establishes a covenant

with Noah

and not just Noah

all of creation

even the animals

that God

will not

wipe out all of life again

with a flood:

and the sign of that covenant

is the rainbow.

Now interestingly

the OT

has two different words

when a covenant becomes active:

make

or

establish.

When the Bible says

make a covenant

it always means

that God is beginning a brand new covenant.

But when it says establish

it means

God is reaffirming

an already existing covenant.

Now because

God says “establish my covenant”

with Noah and all of creation

it means

that God is reaffirming

an already existing covenant

which is

the covenant with Adam.

Just like God

was committed to His creation

before there was sin

with Adam

God is still committed

to His creation

even though

the creation is corrupted by sin.

Or another way to say it

is that God

is committed

and will always be committed

to preserving life on Earth

so that

His promise of Eve’s offspring:

which is:

the promise of life that is in Christ

would come.

Because if the earth

or human life was destroyed

before Christ

then Christ would be unable

to come into the world

because He would come

by being born

of a woman.

If the earth

or human life was destroyed

after Christ came

and before He returns

then Christ

would have no people

to reign over as king.

The Noahic covenant

is not merely about no more global floods

and rainbows

it is God promise

to preserve

and continue life

on earth

for

the sake of Eve’s offspring:

Christ

who brings ultimate life to the world.

No wonder

murdering babies

and ending life

is a constant campaign

of the enemy.

And this covenant with creation

reveals

that Eve’s offspring:

Christ

would continue

through

the descendants

of Noah

who were the first humans

to step on

to the blank slate of the world

that was wiped clean

by the flood.

And around 350 years later

Abraham is born

who God

makes also

makes a covenant with.

And God

just like with Noah

promises to Abraham

in that covenant:

life.

Innumerable descendants like the stars

and land for them:

and

an offspring

who would

bless the nations.

Isn’t there a word

that’s familiar here?

Offspring.

The offspring God promised Abraham

is the exact same offspring

God promised Eve.

That offspring as Paul said in Galatians

is Christ:

who is the promise of life.

Now after the covenant with Abraham:

there was another:

the covenant with Israel

through Moses

also called

the Mosaic Covenant

or the Law.

It is not a standalone covenant

like many people think

in which by following

the Jews before Jesus

were saved.

Instead

the Law

is a progression

of God’s covenant with Abraham.

In fact

just like God is committed to life

with creation

by preserving and continuing it

through his covenant with Adam and Noah

and how God was committed to life

with his covenant with Abraham

by promising Abraham

would that his offspring

who is Christ

would bless the nations,

God is also

committed to life

with His covenant

to Israel

because God says

in Deuteronomy 7:7-8

Deuteronomy 7:7–8 ESV

It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

God

saved Israel

from slavery in Egypt

and entered a covenant with Israel

not because Israel was anything special

but because

of God’s faithfulness

and loyalty

to His covenant

with Abraham.

Or in other words

the Mosaic Covenant

the Law

was built upon

God’s commitment to life

just like the previous covenants:

because it was built upon

God saving Israel’s life

by bringing them out of Egypt

because

of God’s promise of life

to Abraham.

This is why Paul then says in Galatians 3:19

that the law was added

to reveal sin in people

until

Abraham’s offspring:

Christ

came.

Because if you try

to obey the Mosaic law

not only do you have to obey the 10 commandments

but as Paul says

the entire law

which is 613 laws.

And when you try to obey it

guess what will happen

you will fail.

And that failure

is sin

which brings death.

This is why in Galatians 3:24

Paul calls the Law

a guardian

or tutorh

until Christ.

Because the purpose of the Law

was to convict people of sin

and point them instead

not to believe in their own power

to save themselves

through obedience

and good works

but instead

to believe

in Abraham’s offspring:

Christ.

The purpose of the Law

was to teach Israel

and the Gentile nations

to believe

that salvation:

life

can only come

through the promise

of Abraham’s offspring:

Christ

and trusting

in Him alone.

Now the next covenant

that God makes

in the Bible

after Abraham and Moses

is David.

God makes this covenant with David

in Psalm 89:3-4

Psalm 89:3–4 ESV

You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ”

Again we see

God promising life

in Christ

in his covenant with David

just like with Abraham.

God promises life in this covenant

by promising that David’s son

will live forever

will be a king

forever

and have an eternal kingdom.

And in 2 Samuel 7:14

where we also see God’s covenant with David

it says:

2 Samuel 7:14 ESV

I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.

Here is the ultimate promise of life

in the Davidic covenant

that David’s offspring:

who is ultimately referring to Christ;

God will be a Father to Him

and Christ

will be to Him

a Son.

Even the Trinity

is not only in the NT

but the Old too.

And finally

there is one more covenant.

We saved the best for last:

The New Covenant.

In Jeremiah 31:31-34

God declares the New Covenant.

Why does God call it

the New Covenant?

Because it says

in Jeremiah 31:32

the New Covenant is:

Jeremiah 31:32 ESV

not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.

This covenant

is different

than the covenant with Israel through Moses:

the law.

Why is it different?

Because in v.33 it says

that God will write the law

not on stone tablets

like in the Law

but on the hearts

of His people.

And then in v.34 it says,

Jeremiah 31:34 ESV

And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

The New Covenant

is not like the Old Covenant:

the Law

because

in the Old Covenant

not everyone

knew the Lord.

Some Israelites knew the Lord

some did not

meaning not every Israelite

was saved.

But in the New Covenant

everyone

will know the Lord

and they will be truly forgiven.

Now how is this

a promise of life?

Look what’s repeated here:

“know the Lord”

‘they shall all

know me.’

And what does the Lord Jesus say

about knowing God?

He says in John 17:3

John 17:3 ESV

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Eternal life

is knowing

God.

The New Covenant

is the ultimate promise of life

because in it

do we truly know God.

In it

do we truly

and finally have

eternal life.

And in it

does not only Christ

fulfill

God’s promise to Abraham

bot so do we

as Paul says in Galatians 3:29

Galatians 3:29 ESV

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

If you are in Christ

by faith

then you

are also Abraham’s offspring.

You

are the fulfillment

of God’s promise to Abraham

because by faith

you

are united to Abraham’s offspring:

Christ

therefore

you

are also Abraham’s offspring

because

of Christ.

Because of Christ

you

fulfill God’s

promise

of life

in Christ.

And not only you

but also Paul

and Timothy.

Do you now see why Paul

in his very last letter

on the edge of death

writes

that the reason he is an apostle

is because of the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus?

Because Paul

is placing all of his hope

all of his confidence

all of his certainty

all of his trust

that God

who from the very beginning of time itself

has promised life

in Christ

and has faithfully

come through on his promise of life

through all ages

in each and every covenant

to creation through Adam and Noah

to Abraham

to Israel through Moses

to David

and finally

to Paul

and to all of us

in the New Covenant

who believe in Eve’s offspring

who is Abraham’s offspring

who is David’s offspring:

Christ.

And for a dying man like Paul

God’s promise

and faithfulness

to life

throughout all of human history

as revealed in God’s Word

in all of God’s covenants

which is his hesed

which is Hebrew

for his covenant love

is what

sustains him

to keep going

to not despair

and to not lose hope.

And if you are a Christian listening

God’s promise of life in Christ

is what will sustain you

to persevere

to the end too.

That no matter

how awful

your health

or trials are

or how mundane

and uninteresting

your life seems

God’s hesed

his steadfast

covenant love

for you

to give you eternal life

now

by enjoying your relationship with Him

knowing Him

in the present

will

keep you going

giving you reason

to live.

It will give you joy

comfort

and peace

knowing

how God’s promise of life

to you

in the whole Bible

from OT to new

from Genesis to Revelation

from the covenant with Adam

to the New Covenant

was fulfilled

by Christ.

That now

you can see

that no matter what book of the Bible you are reading

whether it’s the Gospel of John

in the NT

or the book of Nahum

or Numbers

in the OT

all of the Bible

is ultimately

pointing you

towards life

in Christ.

Isn’t the promise of life in Christ:

the gospel

in

the Old and NT

incredible?

That is how you can enjoy the eternal life

God has given you today

by knowing God

and His Son Jesus Christ

in the entire

Bible.

And if God has promised you life

in the past through Christ

and is fulfilling it right now

by you enjoying a relationship with Him right now

you also know

that God will also

continue to give you life

in the future

in any trial

even in death

in the resurrection.

This is why Paul in order to prove the resurrection

wrote in 1 Cor 15:45

1 Corinthians 15:45 ESV

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

Just like Adam had life

Christ the last Adam

gives life

in His resurrection

by giving life

to all who are united to Him.

Don’t you just want to

lay everything aside

for it

and dedicate your whole life to it?

To think about it constantly

and talk about it with others?

So what are you waiting for?

Because promised life in Christ

gives you reason

to live.

And if you are not a Christian listening today

understand

that there is no life

apart from God’s promise in Christ.

This is what all of God’s promises:

His covenants

in the whole bible from OT to New

teaches.

There is a popular misunderstanding

that some covenants

are unconditional

and some are conditional.

That’s wrong.

All covenants are unconditional

in the sense

that God and God alone

is the one begins

and initiates the covenant with mankind.

But all covenants

require

both parties

to be loyal.

Think of marriage.

A marriage is useless

if only only one

of the parties

are loyal.

And it’s no different

with God’s covenant

with us.

Because this is a divine covenant

there must be perfect obedience

and loyalty

from both sides.

Yes

God

is always

gracious

and faithful

to His side

of the covenant.

But he expected every single party

that He made a covenant with

to be obedient and loyal too.

He expected Adam

to not eat the fruit.

He called Noah to build the ark.

He told Abraham

to walk and be blameless before him

and to circumcise his people.

He told Israel

to obey His laws.

He called David’s descendants

the kings

to obey His Word.

But did any of them succeed?

No.

In His Covenant

with Adam and Noah:

Adam

ate the fruit

Noah

got drunk and naked

after he got off the arc.

With Abraham

Abraham

failed to trust God’s promise

of providing for Him an offspring by Sarah

by impregnating

Hagar instead.

With Israel

they rebelled against God in the wilderness

after He delivered them from Egypt

and committed idolatry.

And with David

he committed adultery

with Bathsheba

after God made David king.

God has always been faithful to His

side of the covenant

but human beings

are never faithful.

But some of you may think

“well thank God

he made a covenant with those people

but not me!”

But the truth is

God made a covenant with you too

and every single human being who has ever existed.

That was the covenant with Noah

it is a covenant with every human being

and God demands perfect obedience from it.

And you

and me

we all

even though God has been loyal to His side of the covenant

by giving us life

we are not loyal to him

and broke his covenant

through sin.

Now here’s the question:

why why does God need to teach us this

through multiple covenants

instead of just one?

Isn’t one enough?

It’s to teach us

that in His covenants

with:

Adam

Noah

and Abraham

there is no man

that can give us life.

It’s to teach us in His covenant with Israel

that no nation

or group of people can give us life.

And to teach us in His covenant with David

that no leader

or king

can give us life.

Who can?

After God’s covenant with David

God sent the prophets to Israel

to proclaim

someone

who can

be a faithful

and perfect covenant keeper.

A suffering servant

as in Isaiah 53

who would die

on behalf of his people

because of our sin

to bring in the New Covenant

by tearing the veil

with His body.

This is Jesus Christ

the promised offspring

of Eve and Abraham.

Because no human can do it

God himself

took on flesh

Immanuel:

God with us

to be the faithful covenant keeper

that we failed to be.

Jesus is the final Adam

and true man

that Adam

Noah

and Abraham failed to be.

Jesus as Isaiah 49:3

says

is the true Israel

who came out of Egypt as a child

and overcame temptation and Satan

in the wilderness

for 40 days and 40 nights

when

Israel who came out of Egypt

failed by committing idolatry in the wilderness

and wandered there for 40 years.

Jesus is the true David

and the true king

who conquered sin and death

where King David failed

with Bathsheba

and all the other kings of Israel

and Judah

failed too.

No wonder

when the offspring of Abraham came:

Christ said in John 10:10

John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Do not trust in yourself

another man

group or nation

leader or king

to give you life

they are all thieves

who come only to steal

kill

and destroy.

Christ alone

came to give live.

And Christ alone

can give it.

So turn away

from yourself

or those things

and trust in God alone

to give you life in His promised Son:

Christ Jesus.

That’s #1.

Promised life in Christ

gives reason to live.

2. Promised life in Christ gives endurance (v.2)

Look at v.2

where it says,

‘To Timothy, my beloved child.’

Timothy

a pastor in Ephesus

was mentored

and discipled by Paul

for many years

in such a loving way

that Paul calls Timothy:

his beloved child.

Because a person who truly has life in Christ

will want to go forth

and multiply that life

in others

through discipleship.

That is true love.

True love

doesn’t keep the overflow of Christ’s life to itself

it pours it into others

which is called discipleship.

Discipleship means

to help others

follow Jesus.

So church

who are you discipling?

Who are you pouring into

from the overflow of Christ

pouring his life

into you?

And finally

because

Paul

had great love

and concern for Timothy

he wanted Timothy’s spiritual life

to endure

no matter the trials

so Paul writes to Timothy

in the rest of v.2:

‘Grace, mercy, and peace’.

Grace

meaning

salvation

is 100% God

and 0% us.

Mercy

meaning to withold

deserved justice

or pain

because as Timothy’s spiritual father

like any father

Paul wants God

to spare him

from unnecessary pain.

And peace.

Not just lack of conflict.

There are people who are in prosperous countries

in great comfort and luxury

who have no peace.

But peace

meaning a soul

that is truly settled

still

and secured

in God alone.

Timothy needs

grace

mercy

and peace

and so do we

in order for us to endure

the boring

and difficult times of life.

And where

can we get the endurance of

grace

mercy

and peace?

As Paul says at the end of v.2,

‘from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord’.

It is only through

God the Father

who promises life

in His Son:

Christ Jesus our Lord

can we find

and receive

grace

mercy

and peace

for our spiritual life

to go on.

So church

for those of you

who have

God’s promise life in Christ,

know

that you have full access

to God’s grace

mercy

and peace

to give you the endurance

to keep the life you have in Christ

going

anytime

anywhere.

And from that

may you show his grace

mercy

and peace

in relationships

of love

forgiveness

and longsuffering

with others.

That’s #2

promised life in Christ gives endurance.

In conclusion:

Promised life in Christ gives reason to live (v.1)

Promised life in Christ gives endurance (v.2)

Main point: God’s promise of life in Christ sustains Christians through any circumstance.