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DON'T TRIFLE...HOLD THE ROPE Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor Grace Church, Sunday Worship 2 Timothy 1:8-18 March 21st, 2010
2 Timothy 1:8-18 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, (9) who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, (10) and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, (11) for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, (12) which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. (13) Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (14) By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. (15) You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. (16) May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, (17) but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me-- (18) may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day!--and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. MAIN POINT: Don’t trifle. Hold the rope sacrificially and courageously by trusting in the Faithful One because He makes it worth it. We see this in (1) Paul’s instruction to young pastor Timothy of Ephesus, and (2) in Paul and Onesiphorus examples. Don’t Trifle Trifle: “to waste” (time or money) From Simeon’s biography: The portrait was hung in Simeon’s dining-room, over the fire-place. He used often to look at it in his friends’ presence, and to say, as he did so, with a peculiar loving emphasis, ‘There, see that blessed man! What an expression of countenance! No one looks at me as he does; he never takes his eyes off me, and seems always to be saying, ‘Be serious—be in earnest—don’t trifle—don’t trifle.’ Then smiling at the picture, and gently bowing, he would add, ‘And I won’t trifle—I won’t trifle.’ Ryle on Simeon and Martyn: At Cambridge, the other day, I saw a picture of Henry Martyn, bequeathed by Mr. Simeon to the public library. A friend informed me that that picture used to hang in Mr. Simeon's room, and that when he was disposed to trifle in the work of the ministry, he used to stand before it and say, "It seems to say to me, Charles Simeon, don't trifle, don't trifle; Charles Simeon, remember whose you are, and whom you serve." And then the worthy man, in his own strange way, would bow respectfully, and say, "I will not trifle, I will not trifle; I will not forget." “Only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” How much do we trifle? All of us! “Redeeming the time because the days are evil…” The realities of life demand that we do not trifle: God, heaven, hell, the Gospel, the lost, salvation, Satan, sin, our flesh... God’s promises Hold the Rope “Hold the rope” = partner with those in Gospel ministry (missionaries) Illustration: Through the quiet streets of a fishing village that lay at the mouth of the turbulent river, a cry rang out, "Boy overboard!" Quickly a crowd gathered, and anxious eyes searched the rushing water for the figure of the boy. Each anxious mother's heart was asking, "Is he my boy?" The strongest swimmer in the village volunteered to rescue the drowning lad. Tying one end of a rope to his waist, he threw the other end to the crowd and plunged into the water. Anxiously they watched him breast the tide with strong, sure strokes, and a cheer went up when he reached the boy and grasped him safely in his powerful arms. "Pull in the rope!" he shouted over the swirling waters. The villagers looked from one to the other. "Who is holding the rope!" they exclaimed. In the excitement of watching the rescue, they had allowed the rope to slip into the water. Powerless to help, they watched the two figures in the water go down. No one had made it his business to hold the rope. (Finding Them, Keeping Them; Gary McIntosh, Glen Martin. Nashville: Broadman.) Missions is simple (Paul Washer) – either you go down with the rope or you hold on to the rope. We are called to one or the other. So, you have three possibilities in world missions. You can be a goer, a sender, or disobedient. The Bible does not assume that everyone goes. But it does assume that the ones who do not go care about goers and support goers and pray for goers and hold the rope of the goers. (John Piper) Partnering means: Emotional, spiritual (including prayer), financial, logistical, communication and reentry support. Paul says he needs to have partners. "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God," Philippians 1:3-7 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, (4) always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, (5) because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (6) And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (7) It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. Missions Team - Seeking to help us in new ways Onesiphorus is a great example of a partner holding the rope. (16) May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, (17) but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me-- (18) may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day!--and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. Hold the Rope Sacrificially and Courageously To hold the rope we need to sacrifice and be courageous. "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God," (2 Tim 1:8) We see this illustrated in Onesiphorus – Leaves family and goes and is not ashamed. It is going to take courage…the enemy will attack…threaten…shame us… It is going to take sacrifice…money, time, name, ambitions, children (sending them)... Wartime mentality… Read – CRAZY LOVE Tax Returns…or when you get an unexpected gift. Hebrews 10:32-35 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, (33) sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. (34) For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. (35) Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. Hold the Rope…by trusting the Faithful One Because He Makes It Worth It Paul says we are empowered by trusting in the faithful One who has given us the glorious Gospel and we trust that it is really worth it. We are not truly sacrificing! "the gospel by the power of God, (9) who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, (10) and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, (11) for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher," Luke 12:4-8 "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. (5) But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! (6) Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. (7) Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (8) "And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, Do you own the Gospel? Has it owned you? This empowers us to radical love? Like the saints in Hebrews. Onesiphorus: May the Lord grant mercy to the house…find mercy on that Day… CONCLUSION Don’t trifle. Hold the rope sacrificially and courageously by trusting in the Faithful One because He makes it worth it. Missions team, giving, adopting a missionary, family worship
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