Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20010930.htm

GOD'S GRACE AND THE BELIEVER
Part II: God's Grace And The Believer's Experiential Sanctification
B. God's Grace And Truly Effective Service
(2 Timothy 1:1-2:7)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

(1) If ever there was a time for Christians and the Church of Jesus Christ to rise up as a lighthouse of hope in the world, it is NOW:

(a) Since the terrorist attack on the East Coast, several in our Church have told me about associates who are afraid of the future, and have asked them SPIRITUAL questions! (One man got a phone call at 6:00 a.m. from an FBI agent friend who expressed interest in putting his faith in Christ!)

(b) Last Sunday afternoon, I watched a production at Yankee Stadium as clergy of all kinds, entertainment industry stars and political figures did their best to console the families of terrorist victims. However, not once did anyone mention the Gospel of Christ's salvation -- the spiritual bankruptcy in man was so evident!

(c) One business reporter on WCBS 880 out of New York City last Wednesday noted an area private jet charter company whose flights cost thousands of dollars per trip is now inundated with reservations! Apparently executives are forking out big bucks to avoid the threat of being hijacked on regular airlines!

(d) Tuesday's television news shows focused on the fear of terrorism by chemical and biological warfare!

The world needs to know the VICTORY over the FEAR of DEATH offered through the CHURCH'S ministry -- that's clear!

(2) However, not even all CHRISTIANS or their CHURCHES are able at their best to help, for many live in defeat themselves!

(a) Last Sunday I spoke of the failure of an associate pastor in a Church I attended last summer while vacationing in Indiana. That church literally overflows with ministries to its people and community: they have several pastors, a worship orchestra and a friendly spirit with programs for all ages in the Church and community drives for those outside the Church! Yet, the associate pastor who gave the sermon we heard last year now receives counsel for personal sin, and his story can be repeated many times over NATIONWIDE!

(b) In the last month, I have heard believers express hosts of fears they have on a wide variety of fronts!

HOW can WE EITHER as INDIVIDUALS OR as a BODY minister EFFECTIVELY in TODAY'S world -- what does it take?!

(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "In times like these when EFFECTIVE Christian service is so GREATLY needed, how may WE serve God with REAL results?!"
  1. When Paul wrote his second epistle to Timothy, Timothy was in great NEED for HELP in being EFFECTIVE in his MINISTRY:
    1. Timothy was responsible for a key ministry, pastoring the Church at Ephesus, an urban hub of Asia, 1 Tim. 1:3; Z.P.E.B., v. Two, p. 332.
    2. Yet, Timothy faced trials he found hard to bear as seen in Paul's mention of Timothy's TEARS, 2 Timothy 1:4.
    3. Added to Timothy's stress was the fact that his mentor, Paul was on death row for his faith and unable to be at Timothy's side, 4:6-7, 16.
    4. Also, defections from the work among Christian coworkers was rampant, a demoralizing added stress to the struggling Timothy, 1:15.
    5. Hence, Paul's words in 2 Timothy apply not only to needy Timothy, but also for us in our time of great spiritual need.
  2. Paul's noted EFFECTUAL Christian service is by God's GRACE:
    1. Timothy was to be strong in the grace, that is the gracious provision for service that is available through Jesus Christ, 2 Timothy 2:1.
    2. Paul revealed by way of the 2 Timothy 1:6-18 and 2 Timothy 2:2-7 contexts just what he meant by being strong this way (as follows):
      1. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to use the spiritual gift God had given to him as that was the realm where God had chose to make Timothy's service effective, 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (Acts 1:8).
      2. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to function in the task assigned him under God's correct leaders, 2 Timothy 1:6b; 1:1:
        1. Paul recognized GOD'S leading in his own gift, 2 Tim. 1:6b.
        2. That job came via proper Church leaders, Acts 9:10ff; 13:1-3.
        3. Thus, Timothy was to see God's service assignment for him was clarified BY Paul's leadership over him regarding it, 1:6b!
      3. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to lean on the Holy Spirit to handle persecution for his service efforts, 2 Timothy 1:8.
      4. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to see in God the key to success for his ministry as God had planned the way for his ministry to be successful in eternity past, 2 Timothy 1:9.
      5. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to trust the Gospel's power without modifying it, and proclaim it to the lost, 2 Tim. 1:10-11.
      6. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to rely on God to keep his beliefs upright through his ministry, 2 Timothy 1:12-14
      7. By application, to be strong in ministry when coworkers defected from the work, Timothy was to look to the Holy Spirit for power to keep ministering, 2 Timothy 1:15 with 2 Timothy 1:7, 8, 13-14.
      8. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to obey Scripture instead of being distracted by other even decent pursuits, 2 Timothy 2:3-4.
      9. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to make sure his goals were bounded in Scriptural methods in his ministry, 2 Timothy 2:3, 5.
      10. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to heed God's signals of direction and encouragement IN his service efforts, 2 Tim. 2: 3, 6. These would include responses in those to whom Timothy ministered, Hendriksen, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, p. 249.
      11. To be strong in ministry, Timothy was to aim to commit the truths he taught to other men similarly functioning by God's grace as they would also thus be able to disciple others, 2 Timothy 2:2.
Application: For Christian service to be EFFECTIVE, one must (1) become a child of God to be indwelt by the EQUIPPING Holy Spirit through faith in Christ, Jn. 3:16; Rom. 8:9b; Acts 1:8. (2) He must then LIVE by the Holy Spirit's power as we learned before, having post-salvation sins confessed up (1 John 1:9) and lean on the Holy Spirit for personal holiness (Gal. 5:16-23). (3) Having done these, he is to RESIST "doing his own thing," but (a) use His GOD-assigned SPIRITUAL gift, (b) to function where proper CHURCH leaders lead, (c) to lean on God's Holy Spirit while being persecuted, or when fearing ministry failure as his ministry is secured by God from eternity past, or when feeling intimidated, or when tempted to compromise his beliefs,or when tempted to quit when coworkers defect, or when tempted to fudge on methods or get sidetracked in vain pursuits! (d) He must not water down the Gospel to be effective, but trust its power in proclaiming it to the lost. (e) He must look for God's signals IN his efforts that direct and stimulate him IN his efforts (e) while aiming to commit to spiritual men this work to be done for others! (4) GOD will then MAKE him EFFECTIVE in GRACE!

Lesson: EFFECTIVE Christian ministry, just like effective LIVING we saw in the last message, (1) does NOT arise by HUMAN methods and means. (2) Rather, it must arise in our looking by FAITH for GOD'S lead and provision so GOD might work THROUGH us with RESULTS! >

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 Last week, the Lord used Ron and Kristie Casciani in sending me an e-mail that illustrates this sermon very effectively.

That e-mail told of missionaries David and Svea Flood who left Sweden in 1921 to minister in the Belgian Congo (now Zaire).

The Floods ended up in a remote area where the tribal chief kept his people from having contact with the Floods save for a young boy who was allowed to sell them chickens and eggs twice a week.

Troubled at this restriction, the Floods prayed to God for a bigger opening of service, but there was no such dramatic opening.

Assuming her contact with the LONE African child was her MISSION from God, the four-foot-eight-inch high Svea Flood witnessed to this boy and led him to Christ!

However, she soon became pregnant with a daughter, and died in childbirth while delivering her in that location!

Discouraged and dismayed that GOD had let him down, David Flood quickly buried his wife's body, took her infant baby girl and other young child and returned to Sweden in spiritual defeat! For decades, he turned his back on God, claiming God had let him down!

Well, the African child Svea Flood had led to Christ eventually led others to Christ to the point where, several decades later, there were over 110,000 believers in that area. That young African grew up to become an influential Christian leader in the area.

David Flood then heard of this fruit of his wife's effort through that daughter, and came back to the Lord just before his death! Svea's daughter, Mrs. Aggie Hurst, was later met by throngs of cheering, deeply appreciative believers as she traveled in that part of the Belgian Congo to visit her mother's grave!



When in FAITH we are CONTENT to do GOD'S work in GOD'S way, GOD makes our ministry a COLOSSAL SUCCESS from ETERNITY'S perspective!