I Am So Persuaded

I AM SO PERSUADED

2 TIMOTHY 1:1-12

THROUGHOUT HISTORY MEN AND WOMEN HAVE MADE STATEMENTS OF FAITH THAT ENCOURAGED PEOPLE, AND GAVE THEM THE COURAGE TO STAND FOR THEIR BELIEFS. THESE PEOPLE MADE STATEMENTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.

IN 1517 MARTIN LUTHER PUBLISHED HIS 95 THESIS WHICH FOREVER CHANGED THE FACE OF CHURCH HISTORY, AND BEGAN WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION.

IN THE EARLY YEARS OF WORLD WAR II WINSTON CHURCHILL ENCOURAGED THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND WITH THESE GREAT WORDS “We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France,

we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing Strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,

we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender,

AND CHANGED THE FACE OF HISTORY FOREVER.

IN 1963 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. STOOD PROUDLY IN WASHINGTON AND SAID I HAVE A DREAM. HE CHANGED THE HISTORY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN THE WORLD.

IN 1977 TERRY FOX HAD HIS LEG AMPUTED SIX INCHES ABOVE HIS KNEE. HE WAS SO OVERCOME BY THE SUFFERING OF CHILDREN AROUND HIM DUE TO CANCER THAT HE DECIDED TO RUN ACROSS CANADA. HIS GREAT HOPE, TO GET EVERYONE IN CANADA TO DONATE $1.00 TO CANCER RESEARCH. AS OF THIS YEAR THE TERRY FOX FOUNDATION HAS RAISED OVER $550,000,000.00 WORLDWIDE FOR CANCER RESEARCH, AND IS FOREVER CHANGING THE FACE OF HISTORY IN THE WORLD.

OVER 2000 YEARS AGO, ON A LONELY HILL OF CALVARY, THE SON OF GOD, HUNG ON A CROSS, SLOWLY DYING, TO PROVIDE AN ANSWER FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD. ON THAT DAY JESUS CHRIST FOREVER CHANGED NOT ONLY THE HISTORY, BUT THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD.

THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION ARE THE DEFINING POINTS OF CHRISTIANITY. WITHOUT THEM THERE WOULD BE NO CHRISTIAN RELIGION. THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST MAKES CHRISTIANITY UNIQUE AMONG THE OTHER RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD.

THE CHURCH STANDS UNIQUE IN THE WORLD TODAY AS WE PRESENT THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL OF GOD.

THAT GOD LOVES US AND WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH US.

HE PROVED HIS LOVE TO US IN AN EXTRAVAGANT WAY BY GOING TO THE CROSS. NO OTHER RELIGION TEACHES OF A GOD THAT DIED FOR HIS PEOPLE. THIS MAKES CHRISTIANITY UNIQUE.

NO OTHER RELIGION TEACHES THAT GOD HAS PREPARED A HOME FOR US WHERE HE WILL ALSO DWELL. WE DO NOT SERVE A DISTANT GOD, WE SERVE A GOD WHO WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS PEOPLE, WHO WANTS TO LIVE WITH HIS PEOPLE.

CHRISTIANITY IS UNIQUE AMONG THE OTHER RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD, AND WE STAND ON THE WORLD OF GOD AS BEING THE ONLY TRUE WORD THAT CAN LEAD US TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR TODAY.

THERE ARE MANY RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS IN OUR WORLD TODAY. WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS AND I BELIEVE WANTS IS A CHURCH THAT IS RELEVENT AND ONE THAT IS CONSISTENT AND TRUE. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE BELIEVE AND THEN WALK CONSISTENTLY WITH THAT BELIEF.

IN RESPONSE TO THIS THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE CHURCH TO STAND ON ITS PRINCIPLES. IN OUR PASSAGE TODAY PAUL EXHORTS A YOUNGER BROTHER IN TIMOTHY.

2 TIMOTHY 1:8: “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,”

IN OUR WORLD TODAY WE MUST MAKE THE SAME STAND. PAUL WOULD LATER WRITE THESE LAST WORDS TO BROTHER TIMOTHY:

2 TIMOTHY 4:1-8: “1 ¶ In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage— with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

WHAT THEN IS OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH TO THE WORLD TODAY?

PAUL BRINGS IT TO OUR EYES IN THIS PASSAGE AS WE LOOK AT VERSE 12.

2 TIMOTHY 1:12: “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.”