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[0:00] We have a special guest for us. Dr. Timothy Pigg is with us today and his wife Jessica. And Jessica's back there. She sits back there so you can't look at her.

[0:13] He uses illustrations and stuff. So she's going to – that's self-protection. So she's back there. But I just want to introduce them to you. They have become very special friends to us.

[0:24] Timothy and I have been in the trenches together. This is how we met. Just trying to work reform into the Southern Baptist Convention together.

[0:37] It was a common cause that drew us together. But I think just immediately we came together as kindred spirits in this. I think as you're in ministry for some time, you need a lot of people that are in ministry.

[0:50] Some that are really successful. And it doesn't take long to recognize that the sincerity of their heart is about skin deep.

[1:02] When you meet people that are genuine in ministry, you want to lock arms with them. And you want to make sure you keep those connections. And then I met Timothy and some other friends together.

[1:13] I immediately recognized these are guys that I will not come up to serve with in the trenches. And so we have, over the past few years, they've become very good friends. There's times that I call them up and say, all right, man, pray for me.

[1:27] And think through this with me or whatever. And we've got that kind of relationship and we can do that. We're looking at a strong partnership with their church in Florida.

[1:39] He pastors the fellowship church in Immokalee, Florida. It's Fort Myers area. And he's been there for several years.

[1:52] Went into a very traditional setting. Ended up planting a multi-campus kind of thing there. You can tell more about that. But it's just been amazing to see the transformation of that church and the growth of that church in depth and in just mission and purpose as they've grown together over the last several years.

[2:13] He's done an amazing job leading that church. But he's also the coordinator of the pastor's element of the Conservative Baptist Network in which that's where we really connect together.

[2:28] He's been the rally point for pastors that want to see a more biblical approach among Southern Baptists. And he's been drawing those pastors together state by state to try to help push that vote.

[2:43] And the goal in this has become even greater than that. Not just like save the SBC, but it's really, hey, let's just try to encourage each other to get busy about the Great Commission and plant churches and do missions together.

[2:59] And so he's been really instrumental in that. He's going to come and bring the word this morning. So we got a chance to meet with him, some of the leadership yesterday, to sit down and talk about partnership ideas and things like that.

[3:10] We'll talk about more. But he's going to come and bring the word this morning. So let's give a very warm welcome to Timothy Kitt as he comes to share God's word with us.

[3:23] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'll say what the prayer goal we're doing as he starts this morning. Okay? So let's pray with you.

[3:34] Father, I thank you this morning as we come together in a time of worship. Our time here is to exalt with you. And we love you. We're so grateful for what we found in Christ.

[3:46] That's what we're singing about. We're going to sing that song from now until we see you face to face. And then we'll sing for eternity. But Lord, while we're here, fellowship is important.

[3:58] And we need each other. We've given us each other's gift. I'm so thankful for Timothy and Jessica. And just the ministry that they have had to me and my family in these last months and a couple of years.

[4:12] And we'll sing for you. But Father, I pray that you would just bless as he comes to bring the word this morning. That you would speak through him. And we will hear you. Lord, that as you speak through your word, that we just bring conviction by your Holy Spirit.

[4:26] To draw us in your presence. To change us into the likeness of Christ. And that by the end, Lord, as we leave this place, that we'll know that we've been with you. So Lord, just be with us now as he brings the word.

[4:40] Thank you. In Jesus' name. If you have a Bible that you open with me, 2 Timothy chapter 4. 2 Timothy chapter 4. In just a moment, we will stand in the honor of reading of God's word and look at verses 1 through 8.

[4:55] Let me just give you a warm greeting from Naples, Southwest Florida. I woke up this morning.

[5:06] It was 27 degrees. I don't know what hell it's like, but it must be close to 27 degrees. The coldness, just so you know how bizarre that is, it's 80 degrees right now in Southwest Florida.

[5:24] So 27 degrees, 80 degrees. I am shivering, not out of nerves, but I'm still de-crossing from walking in. And I am grateful to be here with you and looking forward to what the Lord is going to do.

[5:41] As Pastor James said, my wife is here. She is my wonderful joy. There is no one who is able to speak truth and keep me humble better than a wife who follows Jesus.

[6:01] And I am so grateful. The Lord has blessed me with a woman who loves the word and a woman who loves God and loves God's people. So, if you would not only make me welcome, but as my wife loves this part of any time I preach, would you turn and stare at the woman wearing a pink sweater on the back row and greet her this morning and wave and say welcome.

[6:28] My goal was to see if I could get her face as red as the pink sweater she's wearing. How many of you grew up with chores?

[6:41] Y'all did. If you didn't and you have kids in your home, why don't we start today? Okay? Chores are essential.

[6:52] But one of the things about chores that are interesting is this. You did not have to do chores as a kid in order to earn your parents' love.

[7:03] That's not what you get to chore. When your mom told you to wash the dishes, you did not wash the dishes so that you earned a hug from mom.

[7:15] When your mom told you to take up the trash, your dad said, go wash the car or do the lawn and move the lawn. You didn't do those things so that your parents would say, I approve you.

[7:30] I love you. That's not why you do chores. You don't do chores in order to earn love. Actually, the reason why you do chores is because you are loved.

[7:45] We all know this. If you did a chore without the right attitude, you still got in trouble, didn't you? If mom told you to go clean your room and you threw a fit on the way to go clean your room, even though your room got clean, it still was a problem when mom and dad was.

[8:03] So, we think about chores. We don't think about them in this idea that the reason why we do these chores is so that we are receiving love.

[8:14] We don't think about them in this idea that we do these chores is because we have received love. Because our parents do love us. They do care for us. They do provide for us.

[8:25] They do protect us. And as a response to that, we are obedient. We do our chores. What have I told you?

[8:36] That God has chores for his church. That as a father, he has given to us, his people, a chore.

[8:50] Multiple chores. And our response to that is not because we want to earn the Father's love. No, we already have the Father's love for it. By faith, we have our trust in Christ alone.

[9:04] And out of that overflowing goodness of the grace of God, we respond in obedience to him and we do the chores. Now, you might be thinking, what are the chores?

[9:16] Does that include, like, I don't know, at the end of service today, we've got to take out the trash? Is that the chores of the church? That's not what he's talking about.

[9:27] He's not talking about sleeping in a gym floor or taking out trash or making coffee or preparing a table or anything like that. No, the chores of the church are given to us in Acts chapter 2.

[9:38] And in Acts chapter 2, you don't have to turn there, but just listen to what God's Word says. When the first church was formed, the Bible teaches us, in the beginning in verse number 41, listen to what the Bible says.

[9:53] And they devoted, and those who received the Word were baptized, and they were adding that number, about 3,000 souls. Now, here come the chores. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers.

[10:09] Those are the chores of the church. This is what the first century church did. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, the breaking of bread, the fellowship, and prayers.

[10:22] So this morning, what I want to do is to talk to you about the first chore of every single church. It's the chore of making disciples.

[10:35] They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. The first responsibility of Christians is to hear the Word and do the Word.

[10:46] It's to know God and make that God who you know, known. That's the chore of the church. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching.

[10:58] So this morning, my goal is to share with you from God's Word the importance of making disciples as a church. So the honor of reading God's Word, would you stand with me as we look at 2 Timothy 4, beginning in verse 1.

[11:16] 2 Timothy 4, beginning in verse 1. 2 Timothy 5, in the Noctburne Bible. 3 Timothy 5, You will worship the kingdom.

[11:27] 3 Timothy 5, principled, Theless Teacher. 3 Timothy 5, 390 verses 3, beginning in verse 1, three거� Prior is toüllってる chuva and incorporate God's место and promise and sell it through 3.

[11:43] 4 Timothy 6, again somebody said. When they will not endure sound doctrine, sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.

[12:02] They will turn away from listening to the truth, what they're often amidst. As for you, always be sober-minded. Endure suffering. Do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry.

[12:16] For I'm already being poured out of the drink of. Time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.

[12:38] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day.

[12:53] And not only to make it, but also to all who have loved his appearing. Father, as we study your word this morning, we would open up our heart and our minds to hear from you.

[13:09] Father, as we take our ear and we put it to the text, God, I pray that he who has a ear this morning would hear what you have to say. Father, may we be transformed by having heard your word.

[13:27] Teach us today. Jesus is saying, whatever one said. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[13:38] Amen. Amen. Amen.

[14:09] Amen. because of apostasy. The word is used right here in the passage in verse 4. The Bible says, beginning in verse 3, the time is coming when they will not endure sound teaching, but having each ear, they will accumulate for themselves.

[14:23] Teachers will suit their own passions, and here it is, and they will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into minutes.

[14:37] The age of apostasy. It's the great falling away. What's interesting for us to know about the age of apostasy is the age of apostasy does not apply to lost people.

[14:52] It does not apply to those who are not in church. Because if you think about it, those who are not in church are those who have already fallen away. They're not even in, so there's no way for them to fall out.

[15:05] But when the Bible speaks of the time of the apostasy, the age of the apostasy, it's speaking of something that happens within the context of a local congregation.

[15:16] The term is used and described in 1 Timothy chapter 4. The Bible says, and the Spirit expressly says, in the latter times, some will apostatize, depart from the faith.

[15:31] They'll devote themselves to deceitful spirits, teachings of demons, and through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared. The age of apostasy.

[15:44] We certainly do live in an anti-disciple culture, do we not? A falling away culture. A time in which many people who claim to be followers of Jesus, who come to church, are walking away from the teaching of Scripture.

[16:02] The falling away. Notice how the Bible describes this age of apostasy. Go back to 2 Timothy 4, verse 3. For the time is coming when they will not endure sound teaching.

[16:18] The term that's used there for endure. It's not that they will not hear sound teaching, but they'll be no longer able to stomach sound teaching. Isn't it interesting that there are people who no longer desire to hear the Word of God?

[16:33] You would ask them, are you a follower of Jesus? They'd absolutely, but you put them under biblical teaching, and they leave the doors of the church. Why? Because they cannot endure sound doctrine.

[16:46] Amen. The passage is not saying that they cannot hear it. No, they certainly hear it, but they do not want to take it. They do not want to endure it. They do not want to sit under it. They do not want to submit themselves to it. For instead, they would rather depart than listen.

[17:01] The time is coming when they will not endure sound doctrine. The word for sound there is healthy, hygienic doctrine. For we live in a time beyond a wish. Many people don't want to hear the doctrine of things that will help them.

[17:15] What we need today in the church is not a new diet plan to help our physique. What we need today in the church is a heavy dose of feasting at the buffet line of God's Word.

[17:29] For when Jesus was asked, will you turn these stones into bread? Jesus said, may it not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. For Jesus understood if your physical body is healthy, but your soul is perishing, you're in peril.

[17:47] For the time will come when they will not endure healthy doctrine. We don't like healthy doctrine, do we?

[17:59] We don't like to think about the finer things of the Word of God, do we? We don't like the sound doctrine, the healthy, the hygienic, the doctrine that's going to build us up in the faith.

[18:13] For when the apostasy comes, they will be falling away, and they won't endure it, and they won't listen to it. If you move forward in this passage, just notice what he says.

[18:23] What do they want? They have itching ears. The text says they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.

[18:36] Well, you know, you're living in the day of apostasy is when the church does not want to feast on the Word of God, but they'd rather feast on their own flesh.

[18:48] They'd rather feast on their own feelings. Can I tell you something? The church does not exist to make you feel good. Amen. Many people come into church and they say, Pastor, what I want you to do for me today is I need you to make me feel bad and bad and weak, and I need to come in here and feel good about myself.

[19:11] Pastor, your responsibility is to build up my self-esteem. I want to look better. I want to feel better. Help me to think better. Give me what I want, Pastor.

[19:24] Listen to me carefully. We're living in the age of apostasy when we care more about what we feel and our esteem being higher than the esteem of God being glorified in this church.

[19:37] Amen. We live in a day and age that promotes self-esteem to such an extent when in reality, Scripture says, unless you go down, you'll never go up.

[19:49] Amen. Amen. Amen. Suit your own passions. Notice, the text says, verse 4, they will turn away from listening to the truth and wonder of emptiness.

[20:13] Instead of hearing the truth of God's word, the angel apostasy, church members, people you've sat with in home groups and Bible studies will depart from faith.

[20:30] And instead of hearing the word of God, they'd rather listen to the last. They'd rather believe you're okay, I'm okay. They'd rather go to a more accommodating church.

[20:46] They'd rather be a part of a group of people who do not judge but are just all about love. Can't we all just love? What's popular today, isn't it?

[21:04] What's popular today is, I don't know, in Bible. It sounds not true, but what's popular today is myths, isn't it? What's popular today is an exchange of truth for lies.

[21:27] I'll put it to you this way. If you're looking to have your ears tickled and your scratch-ed edge, there will be a church who will do both of those.

[21:43] The moment you walk out and join it, you're part of the apostasy. I don't know about you, but I believe not only is the day of apostasy coming, I think the day of apostasy is now.

[22:01] I live in southwest Florida. South of Sarasota, which is just below Tampa. It's anywhere around 7 million people. From Sarasota to Naples, there's less than 300 churches in that area.

[22:19] In the tri-county area where I am, Paul, your way, in Hendrick County, there's about 2.5 million people. Do you know how many gospel-preaching churches are for 2.5 million people?

[22:31] There's only 260 churches.

[22:43] Almost 300. For that whole region, there's five gospel-preaching churches. I don't think we're headed towards the apostasy.

[22:56] I think we're in the apostasy. We're making disciples the cause of the apostasy. Now, how do we respond?

[23:07] Go back up to verse 1. Paul says, I charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge. Not only do we live in an anti-disciple time, an age of apostasy, of hauling away time, but we as God's people, the faithful, are going to give an account for our discipleship in this age.

[23:32] For when the apostasy comes, God will judge the church on how they respond to that apostasy. Understanding that there's a falling away happening.

[23:43] Understanding that there is a diminishing of the truth, that people are craving falsehood, and to have their ears tickled, and their itch scratched.

[23:53] How is the church going to respond to that? Because God will judge. I don't think we think about the judgment of God much, do we? When we think about God, we think of this gigantic person in the sky who resembles our grandfather, who we cuddle up next to, and who takes care of us.

[24:13] But you need to understand something. God is a holy and righteous judge. Do you understand something? When God judges, there's never been a mistrial.

[24:23] There's never been new evidence presented years later that somehow take the case and turn it in your favor.

[24:35] That when God judges, his judgment is righteous and true. I don't know about you, but that thought of a God who is righteous and true, that a God who is omniscient, a God who knows how I'm going to respond, and makes a judgment based on that, terrifies me.

[24:59] The fact that I can't talk my way out of a judgment with God, terrifies me. You don't know me very well, but I'll tell you this. I have a special spiritual gift.

[25:10] It's called the gift of gab. Let me tell you about the gift of gab. This is how it works. If I'm talking to you and trying to convince you of something, you will always agree for one of two reasons.

[25:22] I either convince you or you just want me to shut up so you just agree. Do you understand that when I stand before God one day, when you stand before God one day and give an account for how you respond to the angel of hostility, your gift of gab won't get you out of the judgment.

[25:40] For he will either say you are right or you are wrong in how you responded to it. And I don't know about you, but I don't want God to judge me as wrong. Do you?

[25:52] So how do we respond to this righteous judge? How do we respond in this age of apostasy to guarantee we'll get a favorable judgment? The controlling verb is in verse 2.

[26:05] Paul says what? Preach the word. You want to respond to the age of apostasy? Preach the word.

[26:17] That's the response to the age of apostasy. Preach the word. Now here's the question. When should I preach? Well, he tells you, look at the pastor.

[26:28] In season, out of season. Preach it when you feel like it. Preach it when you don't feel like it. Preach it when they'll listen to you. Preach it when they won't listen to you. You say, well, pastor, you don't understand my spouse.

[26:40] She won't listen to me. Preach the word. Pastor, you don't understand my husband. He won't listen. Preach the word. Pastor, you don't understand my children. Preach the word.

[26:51] Pastor, you don't understand my job situation. Preach the word. Pastor, you don't understand how my extended family will respond. Preach the word. Pastor, you don't understand what my doctor might say.

[27:01] Preach the word. Pastor, you don't understand what the Little League coach might say. Preach the word. Pastor, you don't understand what the Pop- auf-Border coach might say. Preach the word. Pastor, you don't understand what my kids' teachers might say.

[27:13] Preach the word. Pastor, you don't understand what my college professor will say. Preach the word. Pastor, you don't understand what my customers might say. Preach the word. Do you understand what you're supposed to do? Preach the word.

[27:26] You preach it whether it's good for you or bad for you. Because here's the deal. You don't care what man thinks about you. Because God's the righteous judge. So preach the word.

[27:38] Amen. When do we preach it? In season, out of season? All the time. What's included in our preaching? Just look at the passage. He tells them. Reprove.

[27:50] Rebute. Exhort. That's what our preaching does. We preach the word. This is what happens. To reprove. It means to expose sin. You know, we have a problem today.

[28:04] We think God has given us the responsibility to call out the sins of everybody but our own. Expose sin.

[28:15] Expose sin. Isn't it interesting when things happen that we don't like, we get on social media and we give our opinions? You know what I'm talking about? You ever seen that before?

[28:28] Any social media warriors in here? Please don't raise your hand. This is not a time to be encouraged by. Listen to me carefully. That person does not need you to expose their sin.

[28:43] They need you to preach the word and let the word expose their sin. Pastor James, this congregation doesn't need you to admit people's sins. They need you to stand faithfully behind the sacred desk and preach the word and let the spirit of God expose sin.

[28:57] Because when you preach the word, it will expose sin. The greatest hypocrite and fraud lays as open scandal in heaven before a holy God.

[29:10] That's why we preach the word. Expose sin. Rebute. Reprove. Then he says rebuke. What does rebuke mean? What does sin do to you?

[29:22] When you preach the word, a person who is in sin not only has their sin exposed, but they see what sin accomplishes. You understand what James says? James says sin, when it gives its final way, it gives birth to death.

[29:39] That's what sin accomplishes. That when you stand and you teach the word, when you disciple and say he's reposthed, you're going to not only reprove, and you're also going to rebuke, and that rebuke is going to expose not only the sin, but it's going to tell them where their sin leads.

[29:56] You understand? Every road of sin leads to death. Amen. There is not a path of sin that leads to life. One of the saddest things to see is a dead child.

[30:18] Several years ago at my church, I did the funeral for a little baby.

[30:30] Little baby. First child's funeral I ever did. In the service, Diggle, Dad, took that casket, put it under his arm when he was carrying a football on the wall.

[30:48] He was helping. He was helping. To see a little baby who was born dead.

[30:58] Still born baby. It's gutters. There's an image in my mind that I'll never be. Do you understand?

[31:10] Do you understand? It's the picture that James uses when sin, lust, conceives, it brings forth and gives birth to death. Sin is as traumatic in your life as a stillborn baby is in the hands of a mother.

[31:28] It's horrific, isn't it? That's what sin is. You know what we need to do as a church? What you need to do as God's people.

[31:42] You need to tell people that this is where sin leads. To the funeral of your own life. And so. Reprove, rebuke.

[31:57] But you know when you preach the word there's also some good news. Exhort. Notice the passage where he says, Preach the word, be ready, in-seeds and out-seeds, approve, rebuke, exhort.

[32:08] You see, to exhort is how to get right through repentance. That's the hope of the gospel, isn't it?

[32:20] Isn't the hope of the gospel that God took us who are dead in our trespasses and sins and breathed life into us? So when we preach the word, we're not only exposing sin and telling him your sin ends up here.

[32:34] We're also showing them that if you'll turn by faith alone in Christ Jesus, by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ Jesus, you will be saved.

[32:47] One of the worst things we can do in teaching the Bible in an age of apostasy is let the word expose sin. Let the word show that it leads to death. But never tell them that God's word, if you'll conform and trust in Christ alone for your salvation, brings life.

[33:04] For scripture tells us if anyone is in Christ, he becomes a what? New creation. The old dead man passed away, but Christ brings new life.

[33:18] Amen? Amen. Amen. We must make disciples. We preach it all the time. We reprove, we repute, we exhort.

[33:32] How do we do it? Look back in the passage of fellowship. Pursue with complete patience in teaching. This is the hard part of making disciples.

[33:48] You want to know why? Because that first word, patience. I'm just curious, how many of you parents, how many of you parents in the room, just raise your hand. How many of you raised a perfect child?

[34:03] Right? I didn't think so. My parents came close, but a couple of blunders that got me. Do you know what the amazing thing is about parenting?

[34:19] Do you know? Patience. Because when you gave a command to your children, they didn't follow it. Exactly.

[34:29] Exactly. And immediately did that. But you were what? Patience. You knew that sanctification had occurred.

[34:40] Didn't you? So you trusted that God who begins a good work will what? Clean that work. So you're patient with people.

[34:52] Now, how long should your patience last? Think about it this way. I remember one time I was pastoring. I did a council appointment with a lady.

[35:06] My wife and I were meeting with her and her husband. Twelve weeks. No change whatsoever. Thirteen weeks.

[35:16] No change. Do you know what goes through your mind when you pour your heart and soul into someone for a long period of time and you don't respond? What's your fault? Forget them.

[35:27] Move them. Right? Why don't you clap when we don't respond for a prolonged period of time? Our God doesn't forgive us, but he recklessly pursues us. He searches for us.

[35:39] He seeks us out. Patience. That's what patience is. When you start discipling the person in an age of apostasy, they're not going to change overnight.

[35:51] Their addictions aren't going to go away overnight. Their marriage is not going to be fixed overnight. Their kids are not going to become obedient overnight. Their sin is not just going to proof and go away.

[36:03] It's going to take being patient. And steadfast. We make disciples because of the age of apostasy.

[36:14] We have to move quickly. We make disciples because that's our ministry. Look back to the passage. Paul says in verse 5, But as for you, always be sober-minded.

[36:29] Endure suffering. Do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry. Paul fires off in verse 5, Three solid commands.

[36:42] Imperatives. So be sober-minded. Endure suffering. Do the work of an evangelist. And when that happens, You fulfill your ministry.

[36:53] The reason why we're called to make disciples Is because that's our ministry to do. For God has called us to guard our mind, will, and emotions.

[37:03] To always be sober-minded. When we make disciples, we have to guard our mind, will, and emotions. Don't we? As people frustrate us.

[37:14] Don't we? Be sober-minded. You know, it's a lot easier to get angry with a person Than it is to pray for a person. Isn't it?

[37:26] Anger is an easy thing, isn't it? Hey, they make you mad? Just get angry. Yeah, that's easy. You know what's a lot harder? Bite your tongue And keep a sober mind And love it.

[37:41] But notice what he says next. He's sober-minded. What's the next one? Endure suffering. Did you know when you make disciples, you will suffer? Now this is where everybody's going to check out. Because up until that point, you don't mind this whole thing.

[37:54] Like, preach the word. Okay, I can do that. Do it when I want to. Do it when I know I want to. Okay, no problem. Oh, I get to expose sin. It sounds good. Oh, I get to tell them how bad my sin really is.

[38:04] Awesome. Oh, I get to finally tell them Jesus and the light of Christ. No problem at all. Oh, I got to do it with some patience to teach it. Okay, whatever. But sober-minded, I can control that. Suffering? Hold on.

[38:15] I'm going to get hurt when I do this? Done. Endure suffering. Amen. Amen.

[38:25] Bible teaches us that all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Amen. I told the group last night, one of the things that you guys need to understand is this.

[38:38] The moment January hits and you constitute together to move forward, that's not when it gets easy. That's when the battle starts. Amen. Amen. you will suffer many of you have already suffered and you think hey this is the same faith but there's no suffering no the reason why you suffered previously because you were living for Jesus and unless something changed there you're still going to suffer see we have bought into this thought in Christianity that God doesn't want his people to suffer think about that prospect for just a second the God who sent his son to be brutally crucified on a blood stained cross doesn't want you to suffer if they persecuted the prophets who are before you they'll persecute you too you'll be the target of jokes at your job, you'll be mocked, maligned and made fun of all for the name of Jesus

[39:46] Paul says you, if you're going to make disciples in the angel of the apostles when the world is looking to have their ear tickled and their scratch itch you have to endure suffering you know the big part about suffering?

[40:02] endurance he did not say you would get defeated he said you would endure suffering you know what that means? there's an end to it you know what that end is?

[40:13] there's an end to it eternity when God when we rest in his presence forever I don't know about you but if all I have to do for the time here that God gives me is endure suffering for his name's sake so that I can rest in his presence for all eternity then by God's grace bring the suffering on I'll bear on my back like Paul said the brand marks of Jesus your suffering it doesn't make it easy do you know what gets you out of the pit of suffering sometimes?

[40:51] the next one do the work of an evangelist you know what the best thing you can do in your time of suffering? tell somebody about Jesus do you know that? because the person who is lost is actually lower than you are and you have the good news to save it do the work of an evangelist fulfill your ministry or something fulfill your ministry make disciples then Paul does something odd very quickly as we close notice what happens in the passage Paul turns in verse 6 he fires all these commands right?

[41:38] verse 2 preach the word verse 5 be sober minded endure suffering do the work of an evangelist fulfill your ministry just firing all these commands and then in verse 6 his tone changes Paul begins to think about eternity for I'm already being poured out as a drinker the time my departure has come Paul understands something he's getting older his body has endured such persecution for the sake of Christ his eyes are growing dim as he writes in Galatians look at what such large letters I write to you his hands getting shaky he's in pain all day due to the beatings he's receiving when he writes this he's actually in a Roman prison awaiting his execution he's in the maritime prison and in a very short amount of time they will take the greatest Christian who ever lived and lay his head down on the chopping block and an executioner will deliver the final load as Paul's head rolls down the street his blood will run into the earth peace out his life's life the more churches planted by Paul the more missionaries the more letters are made by Paul he is keenly aware that he's coming to me isn't it interesting the older you get the more you think about eternity

[43:23] I don't think about it very often man I still have this idea that I can put on a cape and I'll be bulletproof and nothing will ever hurt me but I talk to those brothers and sisters who are older than I am they don't they don't think like a wild stallion they think an ancient person looking towards eternity that's what Paul is I'm being poured out as a tree Paul says look coming to the end I have given God everything there is nothing left in my life I have literally poured out all of my life for him for making the players I've given him all I've been poured out as a tree offering my departure has come there's nothing left in me

[44:23] Timothy this is the last energy I have as writing to me and I need you to come before winter too because I don't think I'm going to make it that long I'm on my last breath I'm on my departure has come notice how he begins to think about his life Paul's reflecting he says Paul's I've finished the race I've stayed faithful I've kept the faith what a testimony isn't it of course I wonder are you fighting the good fight are you running the race are you staying faithful oh that's more than Sunday morning at 10am please understand and it's way more than getting a notification on your cell phone that gives you your verse of the day not your devotions like faithfulness is much more than just listening to the

[45:35] Christian radio station in your call Paul says I fought the fight kept the faith run the race he says there's laid up for me a crown of righteousness the Lord the righteous judge will give me a life Paul was we can sing that song oh that will be glory for me glory for me glory for me when by his grace I shall look on his face that will be glory for me glory for me it's almost as if he's sitting in that Roman cell thinking what a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see you know what happened when

[46:45] Paul died he was greeted by these words well done good and faithful so he was given a crown when Peter died he heard well done good faithful servant when Apollos and Polycarp John Chrysostom died when Clement and Augustine and Aquinas died they heard well done good and faithful servant when Athanasius and Luther and Calvin and Swinney died they heard in the moment they breathed in the last ear they heard the one who they served and they fought the good fight for and they ran the race for and they finished and they were faithful for they heard him say well done good and faithful servant when our

[48:00] Baptist forefathers Conrad Bravel and George Blaurock and Felix Mons and Michael Saffer and Balthazar Hubmeyer were martyred for their faith the moment they left earth and were the prince of God they heard well done good and faithful guys like Jonathan Edwards George Whitfield William Tindale are good with guys like Bill Graham R.C.

[48:37]  Sproul and Adrian Rogers breathed their laughs they heard well done good and faithful sir hence forth there is later to be a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on that day but not to me alone but to all who love this appearance for they all receive the crown the disciple maker's crown will you bow your head with me every head bowed every eye closed and will be around you you