Good morning brothers and sisters. It is a great time to know about who Christ is in our lives. Let me ask you one question.
Before I start my sermon, do you feel a difficulty in studying word of God, ministering the church? Which one is harder, doing ministry or doing secular job? Some people say, yes ministry is very hard, some people say it is very easy, the secular job is very hard. I heard one of PTS alumni, Dr. Dinesh Panjwani, he said that. He was doctor, but when he was studying in PTS, he felt, studying the word of God, knowing Greek and Hebrews, understanding the text is very harder than the medicine, knowing medicine, studying MBBS.
So, by the truth, what I want to say is, doing ministry, studying word of God, preaching to the people is much harder than secular job. If you are faithful, it is very true. In our passages like 2 Timothy, Paul said many times, you need to suffer, you need to work hard, oh Timothy, because this job is very hard.
Even we are in end of chapter 4, he is explaining what he went through, what kind of difficult situations he faced. We know that, where is he? He was in imprisonment even now. Doing ministry, preaching the gospel is very hard thing, brothers.
But some pastors, they feel like, this is easy one. 7 months back, one family, one pastor came to PTS. I was studying here only.
Then he came and he told, I want to, my son to study here. Then I asked, what is his qualification? What he wants, what he is doing? He said, he finished his intermediate, but he has one or two subjects. Then he said, what are the subjects in PTS? I told, all the subjects we have in PTS schedule.
Then he told, will they allow my son to go beach evening time like that? He told. Then I told, no, no time for your son, because so many assignments, you know, right? So many assignments they have to do. They need to work hard, he has to work hard.
There is no time. Then we know that person did not send his son. But we do not want those kind of people, right? Even his father does not know what is the hardship of the ministry.
Paul explains to us very clearly how he went through hardship. We can see very clearly, chapter 4, today our passage, chapter 4, verse 14 to 18. We can see clearly that how he experienced the bad situations in his ministry.
At the same time, how he experienced the goodness of the Lord, the comforts of the Lord. 2nd Timothy chapter 4, verse 14 to 18. Alexander, the coppersmith, did me much harm.
The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching. At my first defense, no one supported me, but all deserted me, may it not be counted against them.
But, this is very important word, but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished and that all Gentiles might hear. And I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.
To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. You can see right, the Paul’s experiences as true servant of the Lord.
He experienced bad situations. He experienced good situations. He mentions together.
He experienced bad situations from men. He experienced good situations from the Lord Jesus Christ. But one thing brothers, if you want to do ministry, you need to remember, you need to go through experiences, bad situations, hardship.
You have to go through it. But remember, Paul is encouraging us that Christ will comfort us. Christ will stand with us.
So, theme of this passage is the experiences of a true servant of the Lord. Why I am saying, look at verse 14. It says, Alexander the coppersmith did much harm to me.
Then he said, verse 16, at my first defense, no one supported me. All deserted me. He says, verse 17, but the Lord stood with me, strengthened me and the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.
He is explaining the Lord’s past work in his life, future work for him that he hoped for the Lord. Then he is explaining how he went through hardship because of the people. The summary of these five verses is false good and bad experiences as a servant of the Lord.
He recognized brothers, Lord Jesus is his Lord. He is his slave, the born servant. He called Jesus two times as Lord.
Did you observe that? He is true servant of the Lord. Verse 14, there is a proof also. Verse 14 part b, the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
He is submitting to Lord’s judgment. Look at verse 16. It says, may it not be counted against them.
Verse 18, to him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. A true servant always gives credit to the master.
He did not take himself. He is doing everything. He submitted that he is the slave, the servant of Lord Jesus Christ.
These words and attitude shows that he became, he understood, he is the born servant of Christ, always obeying Jesus, fulfilling the missions. So, theme of this passage, the experiences of a true servant of the Lord. Three different experiences of a true servant of the Lord, in ministry.
The first experience of a true servant of the Lord in ministry is, suffering through enemies of the gospel. Suffering through enemies of the gospel. Look at verse 14.
Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. Then he says, be on guard against him yourself for he vigorously opposed our teaching. So, why I am saying he went through suffering because of the enemies of gospel, because this person opposed our teaching.
He opposed the gospel, the sound doctrine. We do not know exactly about his identity because this is a common name in those days. We do not know where he lived exactly.
Maybe he is in Ephesus or Rome because Timothy was living in Ephesus. So, there is a possibility that this man was in Ephesus. But there is a possibility this man was in Rome because Paul said, you come.
If he is saying come, maybe he was in Rome. But some say that he was Ephesian elder. Paul delivered to Satan.
First Timothy chapter 1 verse 20. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander. But some say he was not that man because Paul mentioned the title coppersmith.
Maybe he is somebody else. He is not that person. But he may be an idol maker, the metal worker.
Like Acts chapter 19 verse 24 says, a man named Demetrius, the silversmith who made silver, shrines of Artemis was bringing no little business to the craftsmen. Maybe he is like Demetrius who is like idol maker. We do not know exactly who is this man but we know that he is the enemy of the gospel.
He is against the Christ, against his servants because he opposed Paul’s teaching. Maybe he is spreading about his ideas and his false teachings. He did not like what Paul is teaching.
But he did much harm. That is what we are learning. He experienced the suffering because of the enemies of the gospel.
If you see verse 14, literally it shows, he showed me a great deal of harm. He showed me. He showed me evil to display conduct that affects others.
That is the evil means. He affected Paul. He did harm.
There was a possibility that Paul’s arrest was due to his vengeance. Because of him, Paul was imprisonment. He did that much harm to him.
Maybe he informed authorities that Paul was preaching the gospel which was against Roman Empire. Paul was suffering in imprisonment because of him. That is why he said he did much harm, much harm.
The harm means in Greek to harmful, injurious, evil. It can be dangerous. He was a dangerous man, evil man.
He hated the servant of the Lord because he was preaching the truth. So he went through the suffering. Why Paul is telling to Timothy, Timothy, do not forget.
When you are doing ministry, the enemies of gospel will hate you. They will try to harm you. This is not only truth for Timothy, you brothers.
When you are preaching the gospel, when you are doing ministry, some of the gospel haters will try to attack you. They will do harm. A true servant of the Lord will experience this, will experience this.
So he is helping Timothy so that when he faces these kind of things, he may stand for the gospel. This is the reality brothers. But we can see that how Paul responded towards him.
We can see two characteristics of a suffering servant of the Lord. We can see the first characteristic of a suffering servant of the Lord is leaving vengeance to the Lord. Okay, he is going through suffering.
He is experiencing suffering because of him. How he responded? Leaving vengeance to the Lord. Verse 14, the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
Paul left vengeance in Lord’s hand brothers. The meaning of the word repay in Greek is award in verse 8. If you read verse 8, it is like award. It can be positive, it can be negative.
But in this context, the God is going to give award to him. That is punishment, that judgment. It can be used both sides.
The same thing, if one person is doing faithful ministry and God will award him, reward him. One person is living against the gospel, he will award him with punishment, with judgment. So Paul is praying that.
He is leaving vengeance to Lord. He is not taking himself. It is true, no? Sometimes God kills those who are against the gospel.
It happens many times. One of, in our areas, one person is there. He always fights against Christians.
If somebody is sharing gospel, he fights against them. Then use bad words. Do you know what happened once? He met accident with lorry.
No one is able to see his body. The tires went on his body. He was died.
See God is, sometimes he is taking vengeance. But we hope God may save him. But God took his life.
If God does sometimes, if God is allowing enemies of the gospel for the purification of the church, for the purification of you and me, he allows sometimes. But sometimes God takes his enemies immediately. But not always.
Sometimes he takes. But anyway, God is going to take vengeance in hell, if he is not taking vengeance on the earth. Some false teachers, some enemies of gospel, they are happy on the earth.
But one day they will die. But he is going to take vengeance in hell. But here, the idea is future tense.
It will happen. But the idea is, the great thing about Paul is, he is not taking that responsibility. He is leaving in Lord’s hand.
The Lord will take vengeance according to his deeds, according to his deeds. I do not take revenge against him. But I will do good to him.
Even you and me, if when we are facing the persecution, like, when we are facing enemies of the gospel, we did not take vengeance against them. That is the truth. Because Paul himself taught, Romans chapter 12 verse 17 to 21, he says like this, never pay back evil for evil to anyone.
Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. If possible, never take your vengeance, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God.
For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Verse 20, but if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink.
For he is doing so, you will keep burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. So, what we understand, Paul is not taking vengeance against him, he is leaving the vengeance in the hands of the Lord, but he has that, the servanthood, always respecting the church.
What he wrote initially, you know, he is following, he is not taking vengeance against that person. You are a servant of the Lord, you will pastor the church one day, people may harm you brothers, tell you false things about you to policemen or other authorities, you may go through difficult situations in your life, do not think that I may not experience, one day you may experience that, but you should not take vengeance on them, vengeance on them, leave it to the Lord. No cursing, people in our prayers, we know some pastors, they curse people in their prayers and they will tell how to punish that people also, like break his leg, smash his head and he will be like handicapped forever, ever, like that no, they will inform God, they will tell to God, how to punish that person, do not do that, that is not your job.
So, that is the lesson we are learning, even though Paul experienced many suffering, much harm he has done to him, but he did not take vengeance, he left to the Lord. Do not pray those kind of things, do not think how God will punish them, so that is God’s hand, but we need to pray for them, we need to pray for them, so that God may save even those people. You know who is the best example of that, Paul himself, if somebody prayed for Paul, he was terrorist, he was killing Christians, but God changed him, God may change those who are harming you, if it is his will, but we should not take vengeance, we need to pray for them, that is God’s hand.
The second characteristic of a suffering servant of the Lord is, guarding fellow servants of the Lord, leaving vengeance to the Lord, guarding fellow servants of the Lord. Look at verse 15, be on God against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching, he is commanding Timothy to be on God against him. Beyond God means to be aware, to watchful, he must be aware of himself, continually, continually, because he is such a dangerous person, he can harm even Timothy, but when he is watchful, this will benefit Timothy, if he obeys this, he is commanding Timothy, he is helping Timothy, to guard himself, to guard the church, because of this man, because he can do same thing to Timothy, that he has done to Paul.
He gave reason also, look at verse 15, for he vigorously opposed our teaching, vigorously means exceedingly, very much, violently, so this man opposed Paul’s teaching exceedingly, violently, he is enemy to that. The same Greek word used in 2 Timothy 3 verse 8, just as Janice and Jambres opposed Moses, like you know, he is opposing the teaching of the Paul, the gospel, the same thing he is doing, so you need to be careful about that person. This is sound doctrine, sound words, the gospel truth, even 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 13, Paul says, retain, remember the standard of the sound doctrine, sound words, which you have heard from me, it is very important, so why he is telling very important, because the sound word, the word of God is very important, but you need to be careful about him, watchful, be on God yourself, why? Timothy has to practice, preach the sound doctrine, so this man may not like this, again he can do harm to Timothy also, maybe he will influence Timothy to believe the ideas, the teachings he believes, maybe he come nicely to have fellowship with Timothy, tell all information to authorities, I am leaking all church matters, be careful with him, be on God, anything can happen, watch over him, that is what he is saying, why these things are important.
Now, we have churches with title rights, like church, Baraka church, then we will put titles, but those days, churches are not like that, underground churches, most of the time, they hid themselves, it is like no, they do not know when they meet next Sunday, they will, do you know anchor is there, they will put anchor on the wall, where they see anchor, they will meet there, that is the church history, early church history, they are secretly meeting, people are meeting secretly, in those cases, in those times, if this person knows, there is a threat to the church, there is a threat to even Timothy, there is a threat to the sound doctrine, so be careful with him, he is protecting his fellow servant of the Lord, to guard himself from this kind of person, what a great heart he has right, before he is going to die, he is forgiving that person, living the vengeance to the Lord, at the same time protecting a man of God, protecting the church. Brothers, he is not crying about what happened to him, but writing about all his bad experiences as a servant of the Lord, so that he wants to guard Timothy, fellow servant of the Lord, he is protecting a pastor, he is protecting the church, because this person, this kind of persons, what a caring heart he has, we must have those kind of heart, even though we are going through difficult situation, always thinking about others, how to serve others, how to help others, that is what Paul is doing here with Timothy. So, the first experience, suffering through the enemies of gospel, enemies of gospel, second experience of a true servant of the Lord is desertion by unloving brethren, desertion by unloving brethren, look at verse 16, at my first defense, no one supported me, but all deserted me, may it not be counted against them.
Not only he suffered because of the gospel haters and also deserted by unloving brethren, look at my first defense, no one supported me. The defense in present context, they used a formal sense, referring to arguments presented before the court of law, to refute accusations, somebody made accusation against Paul, so he wants to argue, he has to submit his arguments, that is wrong. So, that thing is happening in the court, but that time, when he was arrested, when he was standing in the court, no one stood with him, no one supported with me, that is why I said desertion by unloving brethren.
He became alone, he became alone, when he was defending the gospel. What Paul is saying, no one among the Christians in Rome went with him, when he is facing trial, when he is defending, all deserted him. Usually, you have someone with you like lawyer or friend or influential person to defend you, to stand beside you, to help you, to encourage you, when that person is going to court, you expect someone to be with you, but no one stood with me, with him, no one supported him, that is what he is saying.
That is why I said the ministry is not easy thing, it is not playing thing, it is very hard thing sometimes, when you go through it, no one will stand with you, no one will help you, no one will comfort you sometimes. That is what he is explaining to Timothy, Timothy, no one supported me, when I was defending for myself. He says no one supported, the idea of supporting in Greek literally, to draw near, come, arrive or be present.
The specific meaning of this verb is come to help, stand by, come to the aid of. No one is coming to help me, to stand beside me, when I was defending the gospel. They did not do, what? No one supported me, but they have done one, another one.
What is that? But all deserted him. The idea of deserted in Greek is to separate connection with someone or something. There is no connection with Paul, before they have connection, when they came to know, he was in court and everyone break their connection.
So, no lifting call, I do not know who is Paul, I do not know. Same thing happens, breaking the connection, breaking the relationship, going away from that person. He was suffering very hardly, that stress is coming, no one is stood with him.
But he has this habit, most of the time he experienced that in his ministry. Just before that, 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 10, for Demas having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonians. Now, if you read 2nd Corinthians chapter 11, the own people try to harm him, country people try to harm him.
So, everyone is leaving Paul, somebody is telling you are became mad, because of your education. Even own people are leaving him, no one is supporting him, he has that habit. But no, he is explaining the truth, you man of God, you need to experience sometimes, this will come.
These are the encouraging words, even though it is a sad situation to Paul, but this will help us, it will comfort us brothers, when we face this kind of situations in our life. Paul was writing his experiences in his ministry, so that they may be aware of the difficulties, it is not easy thing. Brothers, now people may support you, serving the Lord is not easy job, if you think based on this verse.
You will lose your friends, relatives, sometimes even Christian brothers will not stand with you, sometimes, not all the time, they will not support you, forget you, disconnect you, but you need to take courage, you need to go through that. What was the prayer of Paul for unloving brethren? Look at verse 16, may it not be counted against them. The verb is used figuratively to denote not keeping a record of this wrongdoing.
We can translate it like this, may God not count it against them, or God forgives them. He was praying that it may not held against them. Brothers, one lesson that we should learn from this prayer, it is a sin not to support, right? It is a sin to not to support a suffering servant.
We must be there, we need to help that person, but Paul has good heart, he is not asking God to judge them, he is asking God to forgive them, even though they are not with me, forgive them. He prayed like Stephen and Jesus, right? Acts chapter 7 verse 60, then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, Lord do not hold this sin against them. The ultimate forgiver, Jesus, he said Luke chapter 23 verse 34, but Jesus was saying, Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
Paul is imitating Jesus, Paul is imitating the godly man like Stephen, he was there. When people are killing Stephen, he was there, he prayed for Paul, he remembered that. We must have those kind of hearts, right? Sometimes, see we may not forgive, we need to forgive unbelievers, enemies of the gospel, but sometimes we need to forgive our church members.
If you are passing the church, some church member may hurt you for any reasons, your mistake, without mistake, but you should not take any revenge on them. You need to pray like this, Lord forgive them, forgive them. Especially, you know, we pastors, we must have that high standard, not taking revenge, not having anything against church members, we need to forgive them.
That’s what Paul is saying, even though he is experiencing all those difficulties, but he is praying for unloving brethren. The third experience of the true servant of the Lord in ministry is, this is the important thing, which will encourage you. If you are pastor, if you want to do ministry, it will encourage you.
The third experience of a true servant of the Lord in ministry is, being shepherded by the faithful Lord, being shepherded by the faithful Lord. Look at the conjunction, but, verse 17, very important. This shows the difference between the Lord and men.
Men forsook Paul, they were unloving, unfaithful, but the Lord is not like them. He is faithful to his servants. The Lord stood with me, strengthened me.
Look at the Lord will rescue me from every evil, will bring me safely to heavenly kingdom. Paul witnessed out, not only the past actions of the Lord and also future actions of the Lord. He believes that he is faithful, Lord is faithful, even though weak men, weak brethren are unfaithful.
That is what he is exalting the Lord, identifying the shepherding elements of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here we can see three pastoral actions of the Lord that prove his faithfulness. The first pastoral action of the Lord that proves his faithfulness is, he stands with his servant.
Look at, he stands with his servant. Look at verse 17, but the Lord stood with me, but, the Lord stood with me. The idea of standing is to be present.
As I said before, come to the aid of, help. It is the idea of take a position beside him as to be ready to serve. That is the idea, Greek meaning, but I remember my CB, second daughter, the same word used in Roman chapter 12, 1 and 2. Ready to serve, ready to help, the same word used here.
The Jesus standing with Paul, ready to serve him, ready to help him, ready to, the another meaning is to assist. See, what a great Lord you have, brothers. If you are going through difficulties, Jesus is ready to assist you.
Jesus is ready to help you, even though he is the Lord, even though he is the sovereign, he is the king of king, Lord of Lord, but he is ready to help you when you are going through difficult situation, when you are alone. That is what Paul is saying. He stood with me, but he stood with me.
So, that is the encouragement for us. That is the encouragement for us. If you look at the people, their comfort, they expecting things from man, you will be disappointed.
But if you expect things from the Lord, your God, whom you are serving, you will not be disappointed anytime, forever. It is very clear, he stood with me. Everyone was forsaking, but the Lord stood with Paul to help him.
This is a pastoral action of the Lord towards Paul. Jesus always fulfills his promise, he never leaves or forsakes his people, especially his servant. Do you believe that? Whenever you are serving, whenever you are going through difficult situation, because of the gospel, Jesus is with you, even though you are not seeing him physically.
Matthew 28 verse 19 to 20, it says, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I commanded you. Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Will he forsake his promise, brothers, sisters? Will he forget his promise? No, never, never.
Just he is fulfilling his promise with Paul. He gave his presence, he gave his help to Paul, because he is discipling, because he is teaching, because he is in the mission. We know that another example, Joshua chapter 1 verse 5, it says, The same Lord promised to Joshua, that no man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life.
Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. I will not fail you or forsake you. He is giving promise to his servants.
If you are his servant, this promise to you. He will stand with you when you are alone. He is faithful always.
He fulfills his promise, brothers. Actually, you need to pray. If you have suffering, the Lord is with you.
He gives more comfort. You can experience his presence. I am just saying that, do not pray like that to get persecution and suffering.
But what I am saying, if you are going through suffering, you will experience his comfort, his help. He is ready to assist you. He is ready to help you.
But he has done, this is past tense, right? A rest. He stood with me. He will stand, not he will stand, he will stood with me.
Jesus will be with you, even though no one stand with you. He will be with you, when you are preaching the gospel, when you are making the disciples, when you are teaching the people to obey. That time, you will see his experience.
The second pastoral action of the Lord that proves his faithfulness is, he strengthens his servant. He stands with his servant. He strengthens his servant.
Look at verse 17, but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. Again, it is past tense. God has done, Lord has done already.
The meaning of the word strengthen is to make strong, endure with strength, to cause one to be able to function, to do something. The idea is, the Lord gave strength, made him strong. He caused Paul to able to function, his role to preach his message.
What we can understand, the Lord is the one who gives power to his servant, to do the ministry, even in hard situation. That is the idea. He made him strong.
If God is not, Jesus is not making strong, how he will bear that much difficulties? He may be, he might given up. He did not give up, because Jesus gave strength. He strengthened me.
He stood with me. He strengthened me. Paul always submits brothers.
He was a weak man, but strong because of the Lord. He always says that. He accepted many times, whatever he did, great things, which was done by the Lord.
Whatever great things, which was done by the Lord, he gave strength. 1 Timothy chapter 1, verse 12 says, I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, putting me into the service. The first one, he strengthened me.
First one, he strengthened me. He gave strength to Paul. Philippians chapter 4, verse 13, I can do all things through him, who strengthens me.
Paul always recognizes, he was a weak man, but he needs strength from the Lord. But what his witness is, his testimony is, God strengthened him. He gave strength to him.
The Lord stood with him, strengthened him for what? Look at verse 17, so that through me, the proclamation might be fully accomplished, that all Gentiles might hear. So, that indicates the goal, aim of the action. Why the Lord stood with him? Why the Lord strengthened him? There is a goal, there is an aim, that is, proclaiming the word of God.
The proclamation might be fully accomplished, that all Gentiles might hear the gospel. Paul was able to proclaim the gospel before Roman court. So, that is the big court.
If someone is saying something in that court, every can hear that. He explained, he preached the gospel, then everybody came to know almost. It is not saying that everyone heard personally from him.
It is like, no, he is preaching, the word is spreading. Most of the Gentiles heard the gospel. For that reason, God allowed him to go through these situations.
For that reason, he gave strength to bear the suffering. For that, he stood with him. Paul was able to proclaim the gospel.
That is why, you know, he said, Paul says, 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7, last time we heard, right? I have fought with the good fight. I have finished the course. 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7, I have finished the course.
In the sense, you know, he fulfilled his course. God gave strength to him to accomplish his purpose, his plan, when he called up Paul, right? So, his mission is to proclaim the gospel to Gentiles that has done. Almost all Gentiles heard the gospel because of that high authority court.
They will gossip, right? Say, somebody spoke about Jesus against Roman Empire, like, it will spread like that. But God gave him strength to fulfill his plan in the life of Paul. See, how the Lord is equipping Paul to preach the gospel.
When people leave you and forsake you, when you are alone because of the Lord, and you will see the immediate presence of the Lord. At the same time, he will use you for his glory. He makes you strong man, brothers, when you go through difficult situation.
All good Christians’ outputs came when men of God were alone, when they were suffering alone. Because of that, that time, Christ stood with him. He will give more strength.
He will comfort him more. That is why, you know, we get more spiritual books from men of God when they go through the difficult situation like sufferings. For example, John Bunyan wrote about pilgrim’s progress in his imprisonment.
Martin Luther wrote 95 theses when the Lord stood with him in his trials. Are you getting point? How Lord is using men of God? When they are in difficult situations, the more output is coming from them. When people are not, when pastors are not facing difficulties, they may not be useful much.
When they are going through difficult situation, then God will bring good output from them. See, what about Martin Luther? He stood because Lord stood with him. Otherwise, everyone following the Roman Catholic beliefs, he stood.
Before that, there are some faithful men before him. They stood because God will give them strength, men of God, when they are going through difficult situation. The third pastoral action of the Lord that proves his faithfulness is, he protects his servant.
He stands with his servants. He strengthens his servants. Third one, he protects his servant.
Look at verse 17. Part B says, I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. Verse 18, the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.
Paul is saying that the Lord not only stood with him, strengthened him, but also protected him. Three ways that the Lord protects his servant. First way that the Lord protects his servant is physically.
Look at 17. Part B, I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. The meaning of the verb rescued is to save, to protect, to guard, to deliver.
The lion’s mouth is not indicating in a physical sense, but metaphorical sense. The idea is being saved from severe danger. You know that Psalm 22 verse 21 says, save me from the lion’s mouth, from the horns of the wild oxen, you answered me.
The idea is being rescued from the death, physical death. Paul was saying to Timothy that the Lord rescued him from physical danger, especially from the death. He protected him and saved him.
This does not happen all time. He protect him for physical death, because of great purpose, so that he can preach the gospel, he protected. Later he died, because his head was cut off from the body.
He died afterward, but before he protected him for the purpose, later he allowed, he wants to take Paul to be with him. It is not like universal truth, general principle. Sometimes God allows physical death, but here he is witnessing God, Lord protected him.
He is able to protect his servant from physical danger. That is the truth. Sometimes the Lord will protect you from physical death, if he has plans for you.
If he has plans for you, he will not allow, he will protect you. Not only persecution, even sickness, anything, he will give you strength, because he wants to use you. He has purpose in your life.
The second way that the Lord protects his servant spiritually, look at verse 18, the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed. The Lord’s protection, the deliverance is true, not only in past, also true for the future. He will rescue Paul from every evil deed.
Paul will be delivered, protected by Christ from doing anything wrong, anything evil. The meaning of the word is morally, socially worthless, the wicked, bad. God will, Christ will protect you from doing the wrong things, wicked things.
He will protect. His hope is this, the Lord will protect him, deliver him from all evil and worthless, wicked, bad deeds, which were wrongdoings, which were against the Lord. This is going to happen.
Paul is not saying probably, but definitely this is going to happen in future. Lord will rescue me from every evil deed. So, Lord is protecting physically, he is able, at the same time, he is protecting his servant spiritually.
The third way that Lord protects his servant, eternally, eternally. Look at verse 18, the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. The literal meaning of this word is, will save me to his heavenly kingdom, to save me.
We can see that the Lord will protect him, preserve him until he takes him to heavenly kingdom. This is going to happen in future. Definitely, he is going to protect Paul’s life.
He is going to protect his servant’s life, everyone’s life. There is an eternal security in Lord Jesus Christ. He is able to protect you.
He is able to bring you safely to heavenly kingdom. See the words, heavenly kingdom, Lord. You can see the sovereign, sovereignty of Jesus.
He is able to do the things. He is able to fulfill his promise towards his children, towards his disciples. That is what Paul is believing.
He can experience that. He can trust. He has confidence that Lord will do that one day.
It is going to happen. It is going to happen. It is not like doubtfully, he is not saying.
He is saying with confidence. You know Hebrew chapter 7 verse 25 says, therefore he is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through him, through him. Even though apostle Paul is an apostle, but he is a believer.
He trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ. He went to God through Jesus. So, Jesus will protect even Paul.
That is what his confidence, we can see. Jude chapter 1 verse 1 says, kept for Jesus. Verse 25 says, now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, blameless with great joy.
These all verses are talking about the eternal security of the believers. At the same time, it is talking about the Lord’s sovereignty, his power, his Lord. He is able to bring.
He is able to save. By the moment he dies, he will be with Jesus in heaven. If he dies, he is able to bring him safely to heavenly kingdom.
See what Paul is recognizing. He is recognizing. He did not say heaven.
He said kingdom. That means he recognized there is a king. That is Jesus.
He is powerful. I am his slave. He is able to bring me safely to his kingdom.
He will be the king forever. Paul will be his disciple, his servant forever. It is true for you and for me also.
He, Paul, an apostle, will experience that. It is very sure that in future, the Lord will protect him. But spiritually, this happened already.
But physical thing takes place in future. Look at Colossians chapter 1 verse 13. It says, He rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son.
Spiritually, God the Father has done. We belong to the kingdom of Jesus. But the physical sense, the real thing is going to happen in future.
That thing Jesus is going to do. He is able to do that. He is able to do that.
For this, look at the end of the verse. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Generally, when we are going through difficult situations, we would not praise these things. Glory to Christ forever and ever. What we do? Just crying, Lord, what kind of trials you have sent to me.
No one is facing like me. We cry light sometimes. Even pastors know.
We are afraid of small things. But even though he is going through difficult situation, he is going to die right after some days. What he is saying? He is praising the Lord.
Because he knows the future. He has confidence in Christ. He is not doubting the Lord Jesus Christ, the power.
He is able to save. He is able to take me home. Even though these people kill me.
No one will separate me from the Lord Jesus Christ. He is able to bring me safely to the heavenly kingdom. I will be part of his kingdom.
Do you have that confidence, brothers? Then you have joy. Then you will praise Jesus. Even though you are going through many difficult situations, think about heavenly things.
Think about eternality. Think about Christ’s power as a servant of the Lord. If you think about people, if you look at people, then you will be disappointed many times.
That is sure. If you think about the Lord, if you don’t look at the trials, if you look at the Lord, then you will praise the Lord. The great things he is going to do to me, why should I grumble in jail? I will praise him.
To him, be the glory forever and ever. Because he is forever king. He is forever Lord.
He is forever king. You must have that attitude. You are working for the king of kings.
You are not working for people. You are working for the Lord. That gives you courage.
That gives you comfort. That’s why he is able to manage. He is able to suffer, go through the sufferers.
God will help you if you have confidence in him. How Paul has confidence in him. We have seen three different experiences of a true servant of the Lord.
Suffering through the enemies of gospel, desertion by unloving brethren, finally being good, comforting experience, being shepherded by the faithful Lord. The key lesson is the Lord is faithful to strengthen his servant. If you are his servant, he will strengthen you.
He will give you strength. Steve Fernandez was a godly man. He was a pastor of the church.
He and his wife Karen were serving his fellow elder and gossiped about him and told bad things about this faithful man of God. Then church was divided. The full, many people were there in the church hall.
The chairs were empty. Then finally, you know, they were depressed. They were crying, what happened? What these people have done? They deserted us.
Then they were praying to the Lord. Then afterwards, the people are coming to church. After one year, after one year, people are coming to church.
Again he started preaching the gospel. So why I am sharing this one? This is true for everybody. If you are serving the Lord, the difficulties will come.
They may rise from enemies of the gospel. They may rise from your own church, from your own church, but do not give up. If you trust in Lord Jesus Christ, how Paul trusted in Lord Jesus Christ, he will give strength.
He will make strong. Do not give up when you face difficulties. Trust in the Lord.
God may give us that strength, that courage, that comfort, that peace to serve him faithfully. Let us pray. Lord, we come before you with thankfulness.
Lord, who we are because of you. Lord, whatever good things we have, that is because of you. Thank you, Lord, for teaching us and encouraging us that even though the wall leaves us, forsakes us, you will not leave us.
Thank you, Lord, for being with us. Lord, we should not take advantage of your presence, your goodness. Lord, help us to serve you, serve the church.
Lord, I pray, Lord, whoever going through difficult situations, Lord, give them, Lord, you are giving them strength. Lord, help them to understand you are with them. Thank you, Lord, for this truth.
Thank you, Lord, for giving example of Paul, print of us, so that we can follow you. Lord, bless each and every one of us, Lord. Lord, you know we are weak, but at the same time, we know you are strong.
You are able to give us strength to do the ministry, the great ministry, Lord. Lord, help us, comfort us, be with us, use us for your glory. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen.
