1 00:00:01,300 --> 00:00:03,900 Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from 2 00:00:03,900 --> 00:00:06,400 God our Father and our Lord and Savior 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:08,066 Jesus the Christ. Amen. 4 00:00:09,133 --> 00:00:12,600 Here now the verse the first few verses 5 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:16,200 of the text for today. But as for you, O 6 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:17,433 man of God, 7 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:20,466 Timothy, flee these things, pursue 8 00:00:20,466 --> 00:00:23,300 righteousness, godliness, faith, love, 9 00:00:23,300 --> 00:00:25,466 steadfastness, gentleness, 10 00:00:26,233 --> 00:00:28,566 fight the good fight of the faith, take 11 00:00:28,566 --> 00:00:30,800 hold of the eternal life to which you 12 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:32,233 were called and about 13 00:00:32,233 --> 00:00:35,266 which you made the good confession in the 14 00:00:35,266 --> 00:00:38,233 presence of many witnesses. Thus far the 15 00:00:38,233 --> 00:00:39,566 text you may be 16 00:00:39,566 --> 00:00:45,733 seated. Before Cheryl and I moved on to 17 00:00:45,733 --> 00:00:51,766 campus a few years ago we lived in St. 18 00:00:51,766 --> 00:00:54,766 Louis City's the 19 00:00:54,766 --> 00:00:58,033 many ways that was an exciting place to 20 00:00:58,033 --> 00:01:01,233 live. In fact we enjoyed maybe kind of 21 00:01:01,233 --> 00:01:02,733 feeling like we 22 00:01:02,733 --> 00:01:04,666 were young because we were around all 23 00:01:04,666 --> 00:01:06,600 these people on the entertainment and 24 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:08,066 restaurant districts like 25 00:01:08,066 --> 00:01:13,433 Euclid Avenue, Grand Center, the Grove, 26 00:01:13,433 --> 00:01:18,266 or the Del Mar loop. But there were 27 00:01:18,266 --> 00:01:21,833 challenges as well. And 28 00:01:21,833 --> 00:01:25,300 I mean many people in our area 29 00:01:25,300 --> 00:01:30,033 increasingly did not follow traffic signs 30 00:01:30,033 --> 00:01:33,166 and signals. They didn't 31 00:01:33,166 --> 00:01:36,333 heed basic directions on the road. Now 32 00:01:36,333 --> 00:01:39,733 there are various socio-political reasons 33 00:01:39,733 --> 00:01:41,233 for the rise in 34 00:01:41,233 --> 00:01:44,066 this behavior in cities like ours and I'm 35 00:01:44,066 --> 00:01:46,933 not going to go into those now. But to me 36 00:01:46,933 --> 00:01:47,933 it was just 37 00:01:47,933 --> 00:01:51,666 uncanny just how many people blatantly 38 00:01:51,666 --> 00:01:55,400 disregarded traffic signs and signals. 39 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,833 You know you know when 40 00:01:57,833 --> 00:02:00,333 I knew someone was coming to visit our 41 00:02:00,333 --> 00:02:02,900 house I would tell them be careful when 42 00:02:02,900 --> 00:02:03,833 you come to 43 00:02:03,833 --> 00:02:09,100 intersections don't assume the other 44 00:02:09,100 --> 00:02:15,133 person is going to stop at a red light or 45 00:02:15,133 --> 00:02:17,900 a stop sign. And people often ran them without pumping the brakes. 46 00:02:17,900 --> 00:02:20,200 I even pointed out that you can be 47 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,933 stopped at a red light and you have to be 48 00:02:22,933 --> 00:02:24,633 careful because people 49 00:02:24,633 --> 00:02:26,833 will pass you on the right or the left 50 00:02:26,833 --> 00:02:29,166 and go right through the red light while 51 00:02:29,166 --> 00:02:30,133 you're sitting 52 00:02:30,133 --> 00:02:34,066 there. It's happened to me many times. 53 00:02:34,066 --> 00:02:38,200 Okay now I must admit people who know me 54 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,166 might say, Mart, 55 00:02:40,166 --> 00:02:43,700 you are one to criticize. I've ridden 56 00:02:43,700 --> 00:02:47,633 with you and experienced your heavy foot. 57 00:02:47,633 --> 00:02:49,566 My mother accuses 58 00:02:49,566 --> 00:02:52,400 me of being a St. Louis driver and they 59 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,233 might even say I've noticed you've gone 60 00:02:55,233 --> 00:02:56,366 through a few 61 00:02:56,366 --> 00:03:00,500 well we'll say orange lights at times. 62 00:03:00,500 --> 00:03:04,666 And this is true I confess. I need the 63 00:03:04,666 --> 00:03:06,933 curbing use of the 64 00:03:06,933 --> 00:03:10,433 law and policing just as much as anyone 65 00:03:10,433 --> 00:03:13,900 else does. But what I want to emphasize 66 00:03:13,900 --> 00:03:15,233 today is not 67 00:03:15,233 --> 00:03:18,133 the need for better policing to curb 68 00:03:18,133 --> 00:03:21,300 sinful behavior mine and other people's 69 00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:22,500 as important 70 00:03:22,500 --> 00:03:26,000 as that is. But rather I want to follow 71 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,633 through with the words of our text about 72 00:03:29,633 --> 00:03:31,233 the blessing of 73 00:03:31,233 --> 00:03:35,333 heeding good directions that provide a 74 00:03:35,333 --> 00:03:39,300 wise and helpful way forward in life. 75 00:03:39,300 --> 00:03:41,766 Yahweh signaled that 76 00:03:41,766 --> 00:03:43,733 to Israel when He gave a promise 77 00:03:43,733 --> 00:03:46,133 connected to the fourth commandment and 78 00:03:46,133 --> 00:03:47,800 Luther picked up on this 79 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,733 in the in the catechism when he said that 80 00:03:50,733 --> 00:03:53,066 we are to honor parents and other 81 00:03:53,066 --> 00:03:54,933 authorities. We want to 82 00:03:55,166 --> 00:03:58,266 follow these directions that they give us 83 00:03:58,266 --> 00:04:01,266 because it will go well with us if we do 84 00:04:01,266 --> 00:04:02,800 so. And just like 85 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,600 when people follow traffic directions and 86 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,400 signals and can safely navigate their way 87 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,100 forward without 88 00:04:12,100 --> 00:04:16,433 accident or incident so we want to follow 89 00:04:16,433 --> 00:04:20,000 Paul's guidance here. His fatherly 90 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,333 authoritative voice 91 00:04:22,333 --> 00:04:26,300 that gave specific directions to Timothy 92 00:04:26,300 --> 00:04:30,066 regarding his service in the ministry. 93 00:04:30,066 --> 00:04:32,366 Paul's directions to 94 00:04:32,366 --> 00:04:34,966 Timothy and how to live his life 95 00:04:34,966 --> 00:04:38,166 especially regarding his service in the 96 00:04:38,166 --> 00:04:39,733 ministry. And in 97 00:04:39,733 --> 00:04:43,300 our text and the part I just reread he 98 00:04:43,300 --> 00:04:46,500 exhorts him to flee sins to pursue 99 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:49,266 righteousness to fight the 100 00:04:49,500 --> 00:04:53,000 fight of faith and to hold on to the 101 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,566 promise of eternal life. Paul imparts 102 00:04:56,566 --> 00:04:58,800 spiritual wisdom for 103 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,833 life to direct Pastor Timothy and this is 104 00:05:01,833 --> 00:05:04,700 important for us to take to heart here. 105 00:05:04,700 --> 00:05:05,200 This 106 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,933 direction will protect him and his 107 00:05:07,933 --> 00:05:11,233 ministry and guide him in a way that will 108 00:05:11,233 --> 00:05:13,000 go well for him and 109 00:05:13,166 --> 00:05:15,833 for his people. Well this spiritual 110 00:05:15,833 --> 00:05:18,966 wisdom is something that we are all about 111 00:05:18,966 --> 00:05:20,266 here Concordia 112 00:05:20,266 --> 00:05:23,533 Seminary. We even tweaked and revised our 113 00:05:23,533 --> 00:05:26,233 curriculum to not only include the 114 00:05:26,233 --> 00:05:27,200 important 115 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,966 theology instruction and skills taught 116 00:05:29,966 --> 00:05:32,866 for ministry but also personal formation 117 00:05:32,866 --> 00:05:33,400 that 118 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,800 attends to these character qualities in a 119 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,033 person's life. It's written right into 120 00:05:38,033 --> 00:05:39,100 the curriculum. 121 00:05:40,533 --> 00:05:42,866 Paul's direction here though I want to 122 00:05:42,866 --> 00:05:45,333 emphasize doesn't just apply to students 123 00:05:45,333 --> 00:05:46,266 for pastoral 124 00:05:46,266 --> 00:05:48,700 ministry or young pastors or older 125 00:05:48,700 --> 00:05:51,600 pastors it applies to all Christians. In 126 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,033 essence he's just 127 00:05:53,033 --> 00:05:56,300 saying Paul Timothy you need to live like 128 00:05:56,300 --> 00:05:59,566 a Christian as a pastor and and a part of 129 00:05:59,566 --> 00:06:00,133 that 130 00:06:00,133 --> 00:06:02,466 presupposes that as a pastor you or a 131 00:06:02,466 --> 00:06:04,833 deaconess or a church worker you will 132 00:06:04,833 --> 00:06:06,533 often be under spiritual 133 00:06:06,533 --> 00:06:09,800 attack and you need to especially double 134 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,133 down on the direction that I am giving to 135 00:06:13,133 --> 00:06:14,600 you. So on this 136 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,533 St. Timothy day we're gonna join Timothy 137 00:06:18,533 --> 00:06:22,533 in receiving this guidance from Paul this 138 00:06:22,533 --> 00:06:23,333 godly 139 00:06:23,333 --> 00:06:27,300 direction that delivers a hope-filled way 140 00:06:27,300 --> 00:06:31,133 forward. Paul's direction of Timothy was 141 00:06:31,133 --> 00:06:33,166 driven by the four 142 00:06:33,166 --> 00:06:36,666 imperatives that I mentioned just a 143 00:06:36,666 --> 00:06:40,800 minute ago. To flee, to pursue, to fight, 144 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,100 to take hold of. The 145 00:06:43,100 --> 00:06:46,533 passage begins with these words, men of 146 00:06:46,533 --> 00:06:50,166 God flee these things. Flee what? Well if 147 00:06:50,166 --> 00:06:51,866 you have to look 148 00:06:51,866 --> 00:06:54,466 at the verses just prior to the text to 149 00:06:54,466 --> 00:06:57,100 see the antecedent of what he's talking 150 00:06:57,100 --> 00:06:58,266 about here but 151 00:06:58,266 --> 00:07:02,133 they're basic common sins that anyone can 152 00:07:02,133 --> 00:07:05,533 fall into easily. Trusting in money, 153 00:07:05,533 --> 00:07:07,266 being puffed up 154 00:07:07,266 --> 00:07:11,200 with knowledge, false teaching. And so he 155 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,766 says to Timothy flee this, flee false 156 00:07:14,766 --> 00:07:16,400 teaching, flee 157 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:20,166 quarreling, flee being puffed up with 158 00:07:20,166 --> 00:07:24,333 arrogance, flee the love of money. And he 159 00:07:24,333 --> 00:07:26,600 says flee here, run 160 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:30,400 away from, not just think about this but 161 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:34,033 this is an urgent imperative, a strong 162 00:07:34,033 --> 00:07:36,233 imperative. A father 163 00:07:36,233 --> 00:07:39,066 in the faith is giving this word of 164 00:07:39,066 --> 00:07:42,266 exhortation to his son in the ministry. 165 00:07:42,266 --> 00:07:43,966 Essentially saying 166 00:07:43,966 --> 00:07:48,566 Timothy you must run away hard from these 167 00:07:48,566 --> 00:07:52,866 things. And we know there is wisdom in 168 00:07:52,866 --> 00:07:53,766 these 169 00:07:53,766 --> 00:07:56,400 words and you hear this in classes and 170 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,966 know it from your own experience that 171 00:07:58,966 --> 00:08:00,566 there is no shortage 172 00:08:00,566 --> 00:08:04,500 of stories of church workers who have 173 00:08:04,500 --> 00:08:08,433 been snared by the devil because they 174 00:08:08,433 --> 00:08:11,300 didn't flee sin. So Paul 175 00:08:11,300 --> 00:08:14,100 then, he wants to exhort him towards 176 00:08:14,100 --> 00:08:17,100 this, we might say negative imperative, 177 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:19,366 run away from these things 178 00:08:19,366 --> 00:08:22,866 by then following it up with a number of 179 00:08:22,866 --> 00:08:26,166 positive imperatives and exhortations. 180 00:08:26,166 --> 00:08:28,000 And the next thing 181 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,933 is he says man of God pursue these six 182 00:08:30,933 --> 00:08:33,900 virtues. He says pursue righteousness, 183 00:08:33,900 --> 00:08:35,466 godliness, faith, 184 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:39,466 love, steadfastness, gentleness. This 185 00:08:39,466 --> 00:08:43,000 imperative has a parallel in Paul's 186 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,666 indicative statement in 187 00:08:46,933 --> 00:08:49,433 Galatians where he talks about the fruits 188 00:08:49,433 --> 00:08:51,866 of the Spirit and listen to the parallel 189 00:08:51,866 --> 00:08:53,000 here. The fruits 190 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,433 of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, 191 00:08:55,433 --> 00:08:57,433 patience, kindness, goodness, 192 00:08:57,433 --> 00:08:59,366 faithfulness, gentleness, 193 00:08:59,733 --> 00:09:02,266 and self-control. There Paul is 194 00:09:02,266 --> 00:09:05,000 describing the fruits of the Holy 195 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,633 Spirit's work in the lives of 196 00:09:07,633 --> 00:09:11,000 Christians. And here the Apostle is 197 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,866 exhorting Timothy to pursue these gifts, 198 00:09:14,866 --> 00:09:16,700 to let them have 199 00:09:16,700 --> 00:09:20,333 their way in his life. It's part of the 200 00:09:20,333 --> 00:09:23,966 mystery of being a justified sinner who 201 00:09:23,966 --> 00:09:25,566 has been given 202 00:09:25,566 --> 00:09:30,133 everything from God through Christ but is 203 00:09:30,133 --> 00:09:34,500 now one who desires to live for God and 204 00:09:34,500 --> 00:09:36,300 others freely 205 00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:40,733 because of those gifts given. And so Paul 206 00:09:40,733 --> 00:09:44,766 says to Timothy pursue righteousness, 207 00:09:44,766 --> 00:09:46,933 live in sync with 208 00:09:46,933 --> 00:09:49,966 God and his word in your daily life, 209 00:09:49,966 --> 00:09:53,166 pursue godliness, manifest a life that 210 00:09:53,166 --> 00:09:54,466 reflects the 211 00:09:54,700 --> 00:09:58,900 of God, pursue faith, live life in a 212 00:09:58,900 --> 00:10:03,200 manner that nurtures faith in Christ, 213 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:04,966 pursue love, 214 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:09,533 act for the good of others even ahead of 215 00:10:09,533 --> 00:10:13,000 your own needs, pursue a steadfast life 216 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:14,400 through thick 217 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,133 and thin, stick to a life live for God. 218 00:10:18,133 --> 00:10:21,300 And then he concludes with pursue 219 00:10:21,300 --> 00:10:24,000 gentleness, be a kind and 220 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,066 caring human being who treats others with 221 00:10:28,066 --> 00:10:32,066 respect. But Paul knows this is no small 222 00:10:32,066 --> 00:10:34,066 set of orders. He 223 00:10:34,066 --> 00:10:38,066 knows that if this is going to be heeded, 224 00:10:38,066 --> 00:10:41,766 Timothy has to adopt the approach that 225 00:10:41,766 --> 00:10:43,933 this is a spiritual 226 00:10:43,933 --> 00:10:48,000 battle. It is a fight. It's a good fight, 227 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,866 but it's still a fight. So he continues 228 00:10:51,866 --> 00:10:53,966 in his exhortation 229 00:10:53,966 --> 00:10:58,766 by saying, oh man of God, fight the good 230 00:10:58,766 --> 00:11:03,666 fight of the faith. The good fight of the 231 00:11:03,666 --> 00:11:05,700 faith. And how 232 00:11:05,700 --> 00:11:08,500 the battle of faith takes place, we can 233 00:11:08,500 --> 00:11:11,366 learn from another one of Paul's letters 234 00:11:11,366 --> 00:11:12,366 if we go to 235 00:11:12,366 --> 00:11:16,366 Ephesians where he writes in chapter 6 236 00:11:16,366 --> 00:11:20,366 that the Christian is to wear the full 237 00:11:20,366 --> 00:11:22,366 armor of God. He 238 00:11:22,366 --> 00:11:24,800 reminds us there that we don't fight 239 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,166 against flesh and blood, but rather 240 00:11:27,166 --> 00:11:28,800 against the spiritual 241 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,100 forces of evil that are in our midst. We 242 00:11:32,100 --> 00:11:35,100 can't see these demons, but they are 243 00:11:35,100 --> 00:11:37,266 there. They are here in 244 00:11:37,766 --> 00:11:40,600 our midst. The Christian life is a 245 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,033 battlefield, Paul is saying. And the only 246 00:11:44,033 --> 00:11:45,866 defense against the 247 00:11:45,866 --> 00:11:48,300 enemies are the gifts of Christ, which he 248 00:11:48,300 --> 00:11:50,333 describes as the armor of God, his 249 00:11:50,333 --> 00:11:51,333 righteousness, 250 00:11:51,333 --> 00:11:53,866 his peace, the faith that he gives. 251 00:11:53,866 --> 00:11:56,633 Again, back to that mystery of being a 252 00:11:56,633 --> 00:11:58,033 justified sinner 253 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,133 who's given everything and yet who also 254 00:12:01,133 --> 00:12:03,366 desires to cling to those gifts. 255 00:12:05,233 --> 00:12:07,733 That along with the sword of the spirit, 256 00:12:07,733 --> 00:12:10,300 which is the word of God, and the gift of 257 00:12:10,300 --> 00:12:11,400 prayer from the 258 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,766 Holy Spirit is what enables the enemy to 259 00:12:14,766 --> 00:12:18,233 be defeated in our lives. Which brings us 260 00:12:18,233 --> 00:12:19,000 now to 261 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,866 Paul's final imperative in this passage. 262 00:12:21,866 --> 00:12:24,666 The blessed mandate to live in the hope 263 00:12:24,666 --> 00:12:25,600 of eternal 264 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:29,600 life. Paul says that Timothy has received 265 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:33,333 this and now has also confessed it. He 266 00:12:33,333 --> 00:12:34,100 says, 267 00:12:34,733 --> 00:12:37,033 take hold of eternal life to which you 268 00:12:37,033 --> 00:12:39,433 were called and about which you made the 269 00:12:39,433 --> 00:12:40,600 good confession. 270 00:12:42,166 --> 00:12:45,066 Notice how this last imperative is a 271 00:12:45,066 --> 00:12:48,033 different sort of direction. The last 272 00:12:48,033 --> 00:12:49,800 imperative does not 273 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,400 direct Timothy to initiate anything, to 274 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,700 achieve or accomplish something, but 275 00:12:56,700 --> 00:12:58,566 rather to hold on 276 00:12:58,566 --> 00:13:01,700 to what was already given. In other 277 00:13:01,700 --> 00:13:05,000 words, the direction sign here points 278 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,000 Timothy squarely to 279 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:10,500 Christ Jesus, to his redeemer who gives 280 00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:13,666 eternal life. You could call this a 281 00:13:13,666 --> 00:13:15,500 gospel imperative 282 00:13:16,033 --> 00:13:18,566 and that is the reason Paul can exhort 283 00:13:18,566 --> 00:13:21,200 Timothy to heed the other imperatives. 284 00:13:22,466 --> 00:13:25,200 Because without this gospel imperative, 285 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,066 the others will produce in him a sense of 286 00:13:28,066 --> 00:13:28,866 failure, 287 00:13:29,066 --> 00:13:32,366 a realization of his sin. I can't measure 288 00:13:32,366 --> 00:13:35,666 up to those things. The law would produce 289 00:13:35,666 --> 00:13:36,300 guilt 290 00:13:36,866 --> 00:13:40,033 or self-deceiving arrogance depending on 291 00:13:40,033 --> 00:13:43,433 how the devil might work it in his heart. 292 00:13:44,466 --> 00:13:47,533 But with this final imperative to take 293 00:13:47,533 --> 00:13:50,500 hold of the eternal life to which you 294 00:13:50,500 --> 00:13:51,700 were called, 295 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,400 Paul points Timothy to Christ. When Paul 296 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,800 writes to Timothy to take hold of this 297 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:01,266 eternal life, 298 00:14:01,266 --> 00:14:05,066 he refers to two things, to being called 299 00:14:05,066 --> 00:14:08,500 and to making the good confession. 300 00:14:10,566 --> 00:14:14,233 Now to what is he referring here? To what 301 00:14:14,233 --> 00:14:17,400 is he referring? What is the call 302 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,100 given to Timothy? What is the good 303 00:14:20,100 --> 00:14:22,866 confession? If you study this text, 304 00:14:22,866 --> 00:14:25,100 you'll find that some say 305 00:14:25,100 --> 00:14:28,566 it's Timothy's baptism and others will 306 00:14:28,566 --> 00:14:32,300 say it was his ordination and others will 307 00:14:32,300 --> 00:14:33,400 say both. 308 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,966 I'm not going to say any of those things. 309 00:14:37,966 --> 00:14:40,600 For me, this is an open question that 310 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,200 does not need to be 311 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,533 resolved to receive the message Paul is 312 00:14:45,533 --> 00:14:48,633 delivering. Because both baptism and 313 00:14:48,633 --> 00:14:50,600 ordination serve the 314 00:14:50,766 --> 00:14:54,366 delivery of the gifts of Jesus to His 315 00:14:54,366 --> 00:14:58,000 redeemed people. Whether it was about 316 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,066 Timothy confessing 317 00:15:00,066 --> 00:15:02,966 the gifts God gives in baptism or about 318 00:15:02,966 --> 00:15:05,566 the gifts he gives through the holy 319 00:15:05,566 --> 00:15:06,466 ministry, 320 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,600 it is about the good gifts God gives in 321 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,100 Christ either way. And that is why it is 322 00:15:15,100 --> 00:15:16,933 a good confession. 323 00:15:17,566 --> 00:15:21,033 Because whether it's confessing baptism 324 00:15:21,033 --> 00:15:24,500 or ordination, they point to Christ and 325 00:15:24,500 --> 00:15:25,666 His gifts. 326 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,400 And that is what Timothy needed to be 327 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,266 reminded of as his father in the faith 328 00:15:32,266 --> 00:15:34,100 was delivering to him 329 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:37,700 this authoritative word of direction for 330 00:15:37,700 --> 00:15:41,100 his life. And to the gospel basis, one 331 00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:43,266 more point is made in 332 00:15:43,266 --> 00:15:45,900 our text, the gospel basis of Paul's 333 00:15:45,900 --> 00:15:48,766 exhortation. And that's when he says, 334 00:15:48,966 --> 00:15:51,033 I charge you in the presence of God who 335 00:15:51,033 --> 00:15:53,033 gives life to all things and of Christ 336 00:15:53,033 --> 00:15:53,500 Jesus, 337 00:15:53,500 --> 00:15:56,033 who in his testimony before Pontius 338 00:15:56,033 --> 00:15:58,833 Pilate made the good confession to keep 339 00:15:58,833 --> 00:16:00,100 the commandment 340 00:16:00,100 --> 00:16:03,166 unstained and free from reproach. When he 341 00:16:03,166 --> 00:16:06,066 exhorts him to keep this commandment, 342 00:16:06,066 --> 00:16:10,600 Paul is directing Timothy to God's gifts 343 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:14,766 once more. To God as the giver of all 344 00:16:14,766 --> 00:16:16,366 life and to 345 00:16:16,366 --> 00:16:18,966 Christ as the one who confessed before 346 00:16:18,966 --> 00:16:21,266 Pilate in such a way that led him 347 00:16:21,266 --> 00:16:22,900 straight to the cross 348 00:16:22,900 --> 00:16:25,833 of Calvary. In this last portion, 349 00:16:25,833 --> 00:16:28,566 therefore, when we see the word 350 00:16:28,566 --> 00:16:31,766 commandment, we're here there the 351 00:16:31,766 --> 00:16:34,500 ancient Christian church's understanding 352 00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:37,200 of the rule of faith. It's not a command 353 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:38,166 you keep in 354 00:16:38,166 --> 00:16:41,133 order to earn your salvation, but it's 355 00:16:41,133 --> 00:16:44,266 the way of clinging to the revelation of 356 00:16:44,266 --> 00:16:45,900 Christ as a way of 357 00:16:45,900 --> 00:16:49,366 life. And of course, pointing us to 358 00:16:49,366 --> 00:16:53,400 Christ here points us to His resurrection 359 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:55,366 that followed His 360 00:16:55,433 --> 00:16:58,766 death. Which is why then we conclude with 361 00:16:58,766 --> 00:17:01,500 this doxology. Paul goes from this 362 00:17:01,500 --> 00:17:02,900 authoritative, 363 00:17:03,533 --> 00:17:07,599 powerful set of commands to this joyous 364 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:11,566 exclamation of doxology. And he writes 365 00:17:11,566 --> 00:17:12,400 that, 366 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:15,833 when Christ returns at the proper time, 367 00:17:15,833 --> 00:17:19,033 he will display all of this. He who is 368 00:17:19,033 --> 00:17:20,533 blessed and the 369 00:17:20,533 --> 00:17:23,200 only sovereign, the king of kings and 370 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,166 lord of lords, who alone has immortality, 371 00:17:26,166 --> 00:17:27,300 who dwells in 372 00:17:27,300 --> 00:17:29,933 unapproachable light, whom no one has 373 00:17:29,933 --> 00:17:32,833 ever seen or can see, to Him be honor and 374 00:17:32,833 --> 00:17:34,266 eternal dominion. 375 00:17:36,066 --> 00:17:39,233 Paul's writing about Christ returning to 376 00:17:39,233 --> 00:17:41,766 usher in the new creation, where 377 00:17:41,766 --> 00:17:43,900 believers possess only a 378 00:17:44,100 --> 00:17:47,233 deemed nature, won't that be nice? No 379 00:17:47,233 --> 00:17:50,533 more need for the first use of the law, 380 00:17:50,533 --> 00:17:52,400 and where they will 381 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,300 confess freely Jesus as Lord and act 382 00:17:55,300 --> 00:17:58,466 according to His will. So I'll conclude 383 00:17:58,466 --> 00:18:00,633 with one final question. 384 00:18:02,033 --> 00:18:04,400 Will there need to be road directions and 385 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,466 signs in the new heavens and the new 386 00:18:06,466 --> 00:18:06,966 earth? 387 00:18:08,733 --> 00:18:12,433 Well, based on Jeremiah's description of 388 00:18:12,433 --> 00:18:15,966 that day, the answer may be no. But in 389 00:18:15,966 --> 00:18:17,100 any case, 390 00:18:17,233 --> 00:18:19,566 there won't need to be a policing and law 391 00:18:19,566 --> 00:18:21,700 enforcement. But here's the word that 392 00:18:21,700 --> 00:18:22,100 I'll 393 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:24,200 conclude with from Jeremiah. Behold, the 394 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,266 days are coming, declares the Lord, when 395 00:18:26,266 --> 00:18:27,300 I will make a new 396 00:18:27,300 --> 00:18:29,200 covenant with the house of Israel and the 397 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:30,966 house of Judah. This is the covenant I 398 00:18:30,966 --> 00:18:31,766 will make with 399 00:18:31,766 --> 00:18:33,800 the house of Israel after those days, 400 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:35,966 declares the Lord. I will put my law on 401 00:18:35,966 --> 00:18:36,966 the land of the 402 00:18:36,966 --> 00:18:40,166 law, my Torah, the direction that I give 403 00:18:40,166 --> 00:18:43,466 within them, and I will write it on their 404 00:18:43,466 --> 00:18:44,266 hearts. 405 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,433 And I will be their God, and they shall 406 00:18:48,433 --> 00:18:51,466 be my people. Amen. Please rise.