Grace, Mercy, Peace, & Joy

The book of 2nd Timothy is a book written under duress and distress. Paul was in a prison in Rome, facing his imminent execution, and yet he still had joy and the peace of God. How is that possible?

Open with us to 2nd Timothy chapter 1 as we look into that today. Good morning! Would you stand with me, please? If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. We are going to open to the book of 2nd Timothy. This is our book; we just started last week as we get ready to enter into the fall of this year.

2nd Timothy chapter 1 is where we have opened. If you turn to the very last book of the Bible and go to the left, you will find 1st and 2nd Timothy there near the end. Paul the Apostle is the author of this letter, and he opens with this verse:

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, a beloved son: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."

I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did. Without ceasing, I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that it is in you also.

Father, as we open the Scriptures today, this very text of Scripture in 2nd Timothy says that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. We come before this, trusting that this is God-breathed; that You inspired individuals to pen these things thousands of years ago for our instruction. They are given for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, that we would be ready for every good work.

Lord, each of the people standing here this morning, You have ordered and ordained that there would be good works on their path of life.

God, would You prepare us for those good works that we are ordained to walk in this week? Continue the work of transforming us by the renewing of our minds as we look into Your Word. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, "Amen." You can be seated.

If you're with us last week, you know that this is Paul's last letter that he wrote, which is significant when you study the New Testament of the Bible. The last 27 books of the Bible are called the New Testament. When you study through that, 13 of those 27 books were penned by the Apostle Paul 2,000 years ago, and this is the last of those letters that were written.

It also is the last of a series of letters that are referred to by Bible teachers and scholars as the pastoral epistles. Paul wrote three letters to two different individuals: 1 Timothy and the other, Titus. We studied through 1 Timothy, his first letter to Timothy, and his letter to Titus last year. As we round this out, we're studying 2 Timothy as we finish out this year.

The context in which it was written is really important. As I mentioned last week, Paul is at this moment in the city of Rome, awaiting a final trial. He's on trial because of his faith and profession in Christ. He is being treated as a criminal, though he really had done nothing criminal other than preaching Christ. At that moment, due to public sentiment and opinion, Christians were not viewed very highly in society, largely due to what had happened a couple of years prior in the city of Rome.

The emperor of Rome at that time was a lunatic. It's a good thing that he didn't have some of the technological social media advancements that we have today. He was generally known for, or historians say, that there was a huge fire in Rome in the year 64 AD, which is largely attributed to the work of Nero. He had this fire started predominantly so that he could reorder and rebuild the city of Rome after the image that he desired it to be.

Of course, that caused some big problems for him. When the leader sets fire to the capital city, people have a real hard time with that. In that day, when they had a hard time with their leader, they would just take him outside the city and put him to death. To deal with the public opinion problem, he scapegoated the Christians, this sect of followers of Jesus of Nazareth.

At that time, a small sect was seen as a group within Judaism. The Christians were scapegoated because they were outsiders to Roman society, and public sentiment shifted against them. The leaders of that movement included the Apostle Peter, who, by this time, is believed to have already been put to death; he had been crucified in the city of Rome. The Apostle Paul was also a key figure. Paul had been on track to stand trial before Nero before this shift in public sentiment, and now that trial had come about. At least one of those trials had already happened, and he makes reference to it in this letter. He states that at his first defense, during his first time standing trial before a lower court in Rome, nobody stood with him; everyone had departed. There was such fear among Christians within the church that they had all basically fled.

Paul is writing this last letter to Timothy, whom he refers to as his son in the faith. This letter represents, in a significant way, the handing of the torch from Paul, a first-generation apostle, to the next generation. We know very well that for any movement to continue, that torch needs to be passed; the baton needs to be handed over. It is in that passing of the baton where things often get dropped, and failures typically occur. Paul is seeking to prevent that failure from happening.

At this point, it is believed in church history that Paul had been delivered into a notorious prison in Rome known as the maritime prison. If you do any research on the maritime prison, you'll find that it was a horrible place to be. While we cannot confirm with absolute certainty that this is where Paul was, it is possible that he spent the last days of his life there before his execution. He was beheaded around the end of the year 66 AD, and that time was fast approaching.

Though we do not know the exact details about whether he was in the maritime prison, we do know that he was suffering in prison. This very passage tells us so. In 2 Timothy 1:8, he says to Timothy, "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings of the gospel according to the power of God." Then, in verse 12, he states again, "For this reason I also suffer," because he is a preacher of the gospel.

This is why he is suffering in prison. Not only is he suffering in prison, but it seems like he is suffering in chains. Look at 2nd Timothy, chapter 1, verse 16: "The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain." Here is this man of God who is being persecuted. He is suffering because of his faithful witness of Christ, and he is being treated like a criminal in chains.

There is a lot of possibility in that; those who were once close to him or identified him as their pastor or leader might step back. They may think, "I don’t want to be associated with this guy." But Paul says that Onesiphorus and his household deserve mercy because he was not ashamed of Paul's chains.

It also seems from the very next verse, verse 17, that not only was Paul suffering in prison and chained, but he was also in a very obscure place, hard to find. He says there in verse 17, "But when he, Onesiphorus, arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me." He had to look hard to try and find where Paul was, indicating that he was in some obscure prison in Rome, in chains, suffering as a criminal, though he had never done anything criminal.

2nd Timothy, chapter 2, verse 9 tells us, "For which I suffer to the point of being bound, chained like a criminal." Paul is being treated just like a common criminal for preaching the gospel, but he emphasizes that the Word of God is not bound. This is the dreadful situation that the Apostle Paul is in, and he knows that time is short.

He was friends with the Apostle Peter and knew him fairly well. News had begun to spread throughout the Christian world at that time that Peter had been put to death in Rome. Paul is now kind of the next in line in that situation, and he knows that his time is short. Some people view this letter as Paul's last will and testament; it is definitely his finale. As I have already said, it is the passing of the torch to Timothy.

In this book, Paul is going to be commissioning Timothy to carry on the work that he has done for the last thirty years, and for a very large part of at least half of that last thirty-year ministry, he has been at the high point of his work.

Moments when he is preaching the gospel in places like Ephesus, Athens, and Corinth show the boldness of the Apostle Paul. However, he has also experienced Paul during his low times, when he was thrown in prison and beaten in places like Philippi, Ephesus, and Jerusalem. Timothy has been there through all of this, watching Paul’s unwavering faith.

If you have studied through the Book of Acts and the New Testament, you might want to identify with Paul, this man of faith with great boldness. The reality, though, is that if we step back for a moment and really look at ourselves in the mirror, we may realize that we identify more with Timothy. It becomes very clear when you study through First and Second Timothy that, although Timothy was with Paul and witnessed his boldness throughout those 14 or 15 years of ministry, he struggled with timidity. He was quite susceptible to fear and shame in the face of opposition for the gospel.

While many of us aspire to the boldness of Paul, we often see ourselves more in the timidity of Timothy. The words of encouragement that Paul gives to Timothy in this passage are helpful; they have been an encouragement to me over the years. Paul calls Timothy to carry on this work, reminding him that it will require stepping up and filling some pretty big shoes.

Timothy must remember the grace, mercy, and peace that God has given him. He needs to rely on the genuine faith instilled in him by his grandmother and mother, who raised him in the faith. It is essential for him to live and walk in the gifting that God has given him through His Holy Spirit. Paul emphasizes that Timothy must be filled with the spirit of power, love, and a sound mind in Christ.

It will necessitate that Timothy not be ashamed or fearful in the face of opposition. He must not shy away from the possibility of suffering for the sake of the gospel but instead press into these challenges. Timothy must always keep in mind the reality of the promise of life in Christ Jesus. These are the things Paul will challenge Timothy with as he prepares him to step into a time of impending opposition.

To be persecuted is a reality that first-century Christians faced. In this very book, the Apostle Paul makes the point that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. As followers of Jesus, we have been privileged not to experience the threat of persecution and suffering for the cause of Christ. However, it is very possible that this could change at some point in time. It certainly is the case in other parts of the world where standing up as a Christian means suffering and persecution for the name of Christ.

We know that there are brothers and sisters throughout the world who, because of their faith, are suffering at this very moment. We are greatly blessed not to have to experience that. Yet, the reality for the Apostle Paul and for Timothy reflects the reality for many Christians today in other parts of the world. Paul advises Timothy that as he steps into this moment and this ministry, he must keep in mind the promise of life that is beyond this life.

In the opening chapter, Paul states that it is the gospel that brings to light life and immortality. The gospel reveals to us the opportunity to have life and immortality, and it is important to keep that in mind when walking through the trials and tribulations of this life, as Paul had done so often. Paul is going to commission Timothy to the work, and we can find five commissioning statements in 2 Timothy chapters 1 through 4.

We will look at these statements in more depth as we go through this book over the next several weeks and months. Briefly, the first commissioning statement is found in 2 Timothy chapter 1, verses 13 and 14. Paul instructs Timothy to hold fast the pattern of sound words which he has heard from him, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. He emphasizes that the good thing which was committed to Timothy—the gospel, the doctrines, the teachings—must be kept guarded by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will empower and enable Timothy to fulfill this task, but he needs to remain steadfast.

You need to step forward and guard this doctrine that was committed to you. You've watched it in my life; you've watched me preach it. You've seen me write it, and you've probably memorized large sections of what I've written on these things. Timothy, I have committed these things to you, and you need to hold fast to the pattern of sound words. You need to guard these things. That's the first commission.

The second commission is given just a few verses later in the next chapter, 2 Timothy chapter 2. Look at verse 2: "And these things that you've heard from me, these doctrines, these teachings, these things that you've heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."

Now, this is a really important verse, and it shows us that there is a transference of the doctrine. Timothy, you are to keep the doctrine that has been committed to you, these sound words. You are to hold on to them, but not only are you to guard them, you are to transfer them. These things that you have heard from me—so Paul is generation one, Timothy is generation two—commit these to faithful witnesses, faithful men, this generation number three, who will be able to commit these to others also, generation number four.

There is a transference that must take place in the movement in the Kingdom of God. The fact that we are sitting here 2,000 years later is a testimony to the fact that Paul and Timothy did that work well. The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit them to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. That has been the progression of the church for the last 20 centuries, and it will continue to be the progression of the church.

There have been those who have sounded off about the death of the church, claiming that the church is going to die. The church is not going to die because Jesus said, "Upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against her." Jesus is the one who is going to enable this by His Holy Spirit, but He has called the church, members of the church in particular, to take these things that we've received from the doctrine, to hold them, to guard them, and then to commit them to faithful individuals who will be able to teach others also.

So those are the first two commissions. The third commissioning statement is found in verses 14 through 16 of 2 Timothy 2. As you are committing these things to faithful individuals, chapter 2, verse 14 reminds them of these things.

Charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

The commissions are pretty simple so far. Timothy, you have received this doctrine, these sound words from me. You are to keep it, you are to guard it, but you are also to transfer it to other people. You are to commission them just like I am commissioning you. You are to charge them not to get sidetracked into peripheral issues and secondary things, but to guard the sincere Word of God and to rightly divide the word of truth so that you would not be ashamed as a worker of God.

Then, the fourth commission in chapter 4, a couple of pages over to the right, is found in verses 1 and 2. I charge you, Timothy, therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom. Here’s the charge: preach the word. That which was committed to you, that you are to guard, that which you are to transfer to others, and you are to charge them to rightly divide. You are to preach this word, herald it, speak it loudly and clearly. Make it clear after you have rightly divided it, even though it might mean opposition, persecution, and suffering.

Preach the word; be ready at any time, in season and out of season, to convince, rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. I am thoroughly convinced that every generation of followers of Jesus needs to be reminded of this exhortation to clearly articulate the Word of God, having rightly divided it. We need to be able, with the Word of God, to convince, rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.

I would say that this century, this time that we are living in, 2018, is no different. There is a need in our culture here in the United States of America, throughout North America, throughout Western Europe, and throughout the world. There is a need for Christians to have rightly divided the word of truth, to understand what it says, what it means, and to be able to articulate that for other people. It’s a challenge; it takes work. Be diligent to do this work, as he says in chapter 2, verse 15. But it is something that God has called and commissioned us to.

Then Timothy is given a fifth commission in verse 5 of chapter 4. Paul says to him...

But you be watchful in all things. Endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Now, when we piece together these five commissioning statements of the Apostle Paul in First and Second Timothy, it shows us very clearly where Paul's heart and mind were at this moment as he is facing his imminent execution. He realizes that time is short; he says it in this very same passage: "The time of my departure is nearing; it's coming very quickly." He states this in chapter 4 of Second Timothy.

So, he understands that time is short. Where is his mind and heart as he finds himself in this dreadful situation, suffering in chains, persecuted in prison? His mind and heart are with Timothy. He has committed to Timothy's care the sound words of doctrine. Timothy needs to guard them and deliver them to faithful individuals who will be able to take those to other people as well. On top of that, Timothy needs to charge them to be diligent in looking into those things and not be distracted by other matters. He also needs to fulfill this ministry of preaching the Word and being an evangelist.

That is where Paul's heart and mind were at this moment; they were centered on the work of the ministry. There are so many things at this moment that could have filled his heart and mind, that could have distracted him. He is facing trouble, he is in terrible, dire straits, he is in prison and suffering. Yet, his heart and mind are centered on the message of the Gospel and the ministry of the Church. At the very least, that is inspiring.

It is inspiring that, though he was suffering and awaiting persecution, his mindset is this: "For this reason I also suffer these things." What reason? He is a preacher of the Gospel, so he is suffering because of his ministry of the Gospel. Nevertheless, he is not ashamed, for he knows whom he has believed, and he is persuaded that He is able to keep what he has committed to Him until that day.

Now, I think it might not be a bad idea to put a little star next to that verse in your Bible and maybe commit that verse to memory. You may be someone who says, "Well, I don't have a very good memory." It might take you more than a week; maybe it will take you the rest of this year, but there is some...

You hear people who still remember songs from the 1980s word-for-word. If you can remember that, then you could probably remember this verse right here, and it would not be a bad thing to commit this to memory. Paul says, "For this reason I suffer these things, but I am not ashamed." I'm not ashamed because I know in whom I have believed. It’s not that I know what I believe; I know in whom I have believed.

When it says, "I know in whom I believe," it means I know in whom I have entrusted myself. In entrusting myself to Christ, I know that He is faithful and able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that day. He was able to say this because of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.

I think it's worth revisiting what was our final point last week as our first point this week because it is still applicable and appropriate. Point number one in your outline: we can face any trouble if we have the promise of life in Christ Jesus. Paul is an absolute testimony to that truth. At this moment in his life, he has experienced imprisonment, beatings, shipwrecks, and has been falsely accused many times of things that were not true. Now, he is awaiting execution as a martyr for the gospel of Christ. Yet, in the midst of that, he seems to still have joy and gratitude.

It's amazing, as we go through this passage, but that is only possible when one has the promise of life in Christ Jesus. This, as I said last week, begs the question: where do you get the promise of life in Christ Jesus? A simple answer is found in the most translated verse of the Bible, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world." It's football season, and you'll see this in the end zone again this year, as you do every year: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."

Consider what Paul writes as he opens this letter: 2 Timothy 1:1. Again, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, a beloved son: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Those words and verses lead us right and point to the promise of life, which is available only by the grace and mercy of God in Christ. This promise of life is encapsulated in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, trusting Him, would not perish but have everlasting life." It is important to note that this promise of life is available only by the grace and mercy of God in Christ.

When Jesus spoke those words, He was addressing a man named Nicodemus, who was probably one of the most religious men of the day. Nicodemus was a learned scholar of the Jewish Scriptures, and he likely believed himself to be righteous according to his good works. He thought he was a shoo-in for the kingdom of God for eternity because of his religiosity. However, Jesus told him, "Unless you are born again, you will not see the kingdom of God." This statement bewildered Nicodemus; he didn't even know how to respond, and it befuddled him.

Jesus walked him through how this happens, explaining it in that central verse, John 3:16. The promise of life comes about by the grace and mercy of God, not by the hard work or religious efforts of man. This principle is central to the Christian faith: we are justified by grace through faith alone. Therefore, this promise of life is available only by the grace and mercy of God in Christ.

The love of God is demonstrated in that "while we were yet sinners, Christ died on the cross in our place." This is according to the gracious and merciful benevolence of God. Grace is unmerited, undeserved favor; it is given to you as a gift, not because of anything you have done, but in spite of the many things you have done. Mercy, according to the dictionary definition, is compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. We need to understand this clearly.

Anyone that we interact with regarding the things of Scripture must understand that all of humanity is worthy of wrath because of sin. Through one man, sin entered the world, and sin spread to all humanity, so that we are all, every single one of us, sinners. The wages of sin is death.

What is sin? It is breaking God's law. We all, whether we are aware of it or not, have broken God's law. If we were unaware of it, it's a trespass; if we were aware of it and did it, it's a transgression. We did it knowing we shouldn't have, and every one of us is guilty of transgressions and trespasses and worthy of punishment. Yet, He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might receive the righteousness of God in Christ, which is by grace and mercy—unmerited, undeserved favor that is given to us in spite of our brokenness and our sin.

Because of this, Paul could say, "I am not ashamed. I have trusted Christ, and I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have the promise of life in Christ Jesus, and He will keep guard over that until the day that I see Him." However, it is one thing to say with our words that we believe in Christ; it is quite another to entrust yourself to Him and to act with full assurance according to that faith. That is what Paul was doing as he neared the end of his life, facing great trial and great distress. He was walking out that faith, and it was evidenced in his life.

What we see as he walks out that faith is the evidence of peace, which is amazing to consider. He said in 2 Timothy 1:2, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." He is in a very literal pit at this moment; he is in a prison, in a dungeon, if you will. Not only is he in a literal pit, but he is also in an emotional and mental pit. Yet, in this distressing circumstance, Paul evidences the peace that is from God. It is the same peace that he described in another letter he wrote while he was also in a situation like this, in prison, in Philippians 4:6.

He says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus."

How could Paul have peace in this moment, where he was facing terrible distress? He was anxious, not because he was unable to bring his prayers and petitions to the Lord, but because he entrusted himself to God. There, the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, was guarding his heart and mind.

I have seen some of you going through distressing, difficult situations, and you've experienced the peace of God. How is it that this peace is beyond understanding? In the midst of your trials, you might find yourself saying, "I don't know how I have peace, but I have peace." Others watching you may wonder, "How can you possibly walk through this and seem to have peace?" It is a peace not of yourself; it is the peace from God.

Paul writes, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Clearly, in this moment, Paul had this kind of peace—so much so that he could write in 2 Timothy 1:3, "I thank God." You might want to lean over and underline those words in your neighbor's Bible because of this important point.

He was suffering, chained in prison, awaiting imminent execution for no crime other than being a faithful follower of Jesus. In the face of that, he could say, "I thank God." In a couple of other letters that Paul wrote, he told us to give thanks to God in all things. Sometimes, we wonder how we can give thanks to God in all things. Well, by the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, Paul could be in the most distressing situation imaginable, and yet he could say, "I thank God."

He thanked God whom he served with a pure conscience. Though he was experiencing outward trials and troubles, he had inward peace. There was no inward turmoil or conflict, even in the midst of this horrible situation. "I thank God whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my fathers did. Without ceasing, I remember you day and night in prayer."

This wonderful peace that is from God produces great things.

The joy of a pure conscience is profound. It allows us to be in situations and circumstances that are distressing and troubling, yet still experience peace. I prayed with a woman after the first service this morning who is new to our church. She won't be here for very long, as she is just passing through on a journey to seek the Lord and get to know Him more. With tears in her eyes, she shared with me that in 2004, her husband was killed in Iraq. A few years later, her eleven-year-old daughter died of cancer. Yet, she possesses the peace of God that surpasses understanding, enabling her to have joy in the midst of such turmoil. How is that possible? It is possible by the work of God in our lives; His peace produces joy and a pure conscience. What a joy it is to have that!

Paul says to Timothy, "Without ceasing, I remember you in my prayers day and night." Paul was an individual given to persistent and continuous prayer. If he told you he was going to pray for you, you could be certain that he would. You don't have to raise your hand in confession, but I’m sure many of you have experienced telling someone, "I'll pray for you," and then forgetting. A couple of weeks later, they thank you for praying, and you find it hard to admit that you totally forgot. None of you have ever experienced that, right? That's just a pastoral landmine.

Paul, however, was a man dedicated to continuous, persistent prayer. You might say he had a lot of time to do that since he was in chains in prison. Yes, but in the midst of that circumstance, where everything around him could have motivated a pity party, he says, "I thank God continually for you, Timothy." He expresses a great desire to see Timothy, being mindful of his tears, so that he may be filled with joy. Paul longed to be back in fellowship and connected to Timothy. No doubt, there was a desire to be with others as well. We know that the only person with Paul at this moment, as he tells us in chapter 4, is Luke, the faithful physician who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. Luke came to Paul's side, likely providing support during this difficult time.

The one dictating this letter at this moment is Paul. He says, "I greatly desire to see you, Timothy." Later on, he'll say, "When you come to me, bring with you Mark," which is a very interesting story we'll get to when we reach chapter 4. Even though he is facing opposition, he desires communion and fellowship with other brothers and sisters.

This brings us to point number four: the community of the Saints increases our joy. I have witnessed many times that when a family is experiencing loss—the loss of a brother or sister, the loss of a spouse, or perhaps the loss of a child, which may be the most difficult—what seems to increase their joy is the gathering together of the body of Christ. This is why I made the point last week, and I will emphasize it again. It is so important to engage in our connect groups here at this church, so that you can plug in and connect with others within the body of Christ.

Jesus came to give life and that more abundantly, as I said last week. That abundance of life is not lived independently of the body of Christ. You need the body of Christ. That union and communion that we experience is essential. God created us to live life in connection with Him and with one another. Without that connection, we are not fully experiencing this abundance of life.

Paul continues in verse 3, saying, "I thank God." He expands on this thought in verse 5: "I thank God when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, Timothy, which dwelt at first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that it is in you also." Paul rejoiced in and was grateful for the genuine faith that was in Timothy.

I find it interesting that there is at least a hint of humility in Paul’s words. He does not attribute Timothy's genuineness of faith solely to his own influence, although we can be certain he had a significant impact on Timothy's life. Instead, he acknowledges, "I rejoice and I’m thankful for your genuineness of faith that was found first in your grandmother and your mother." This is a very important point.

Truth for all of us—parents, grandparents, and those who may someday be parents—is that it is important to hold on to this truth: the faith that you have is contagious. It must be handed down.

Point number five: genuine faith must be passed on to others. I am so grateful for the genuine faith of my parents, who, when I was younger, forced me to go to church. I did not always want to go, but I saw in that commitment to Christ and attending church not only my dad's integrity and honesty, which comes from the Lord, but also my mom's exuberance of faith. Sometimes, as a child, that was quite embarrassing, but it was a genuineness of faith.

I would say, hands down, the greatest gift that you could give to your kids or your grandchildren is a genuineness of faith. A genuineness of faith is different from just faith in a marked way. A genuineness of faith not only knows what you believe, but it also knows why you believe it and how to make that faith a reality in your life.

We can hand down to other people a lot of things to believe or give assent to, knowing what to believe and when to say "aha" at the right places in the questions. However, the important question is: why do we believe those things, and how do we live those things out in our daily lives? Paul says, "I thank God for the genuineness of faith that is in you."

As I mentioned a few minutes ago, it is one thing to say, "I believe in Jesus," but it is quite another to entrust yourself to Him and to act with full assurance according to the trust that you have in Christ. Now, why would someone entrust themselves to Christ in this way? I suggest that when a person begins to comprehend what it is that Christ has done for them on their behalf, it compels them to entrust themselves to Christ in this manner.

Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, says, "The love of Christ compels us," and the greatest demonstration of that love is His body.

Broken for us, His blood was shed for us. Every seventh week here at Cross Connection, we partake of communion, which is what we're going to do today. Our worship leaders are going to come up, and our ushers are going to come forward as well. We will distribute the bread, which represents the body of Jesus; it was broken for us, and the cup that represents His blood was shed for us.

In doing this regularly, as we are encouraged to in the Scriptures, we are reminded of what He has done for us. In that reminder, may we be compelled to once again affirm our trust in Him.

Father, we thank You for Your grace. Thank You for the goodness of Your mercy. We thank You for the joy that Your peace gives to us, and we thank You for the rejoicing that the body of Christ brings to us. All of this is possible because Your body was broken for us and Your blood was shed for us.

As we worship You now in song and as we take and hold these elements, would You remind us, even in the physical act of holding these things and seeing these things, of Your great grace towards us? When we partake of them together in a moment, would You remind us again?