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[0:00] Would you look at 2 Timothy chapter number 3? We'll look at this for a moment before we spend some time in prayer with justice. Look at a few verses. First, I'd like to say to Brother and Mrs. Mize and Mrs. Martin, I would hope and believe that an ordination service would bring great encouragement and comfort to you.

[0:21] Unlike the man at the Social Security company who would wonder why they would go to Nepal, I know that none of you have any doubt why they need to go and why it matters.

[0:32] And I know Courtney, your dad in heaven, had no doubt why you wanted to go and what you wanted to do and serve the Lord. And it's not just their idea. It wasn't just some guy from coming to Georgia wanting to take your daughter on a venture to Nepal.

[0:46] There's other things they could have done with their lives, but there's nothing greater they could do than to share the gospel. And so it's a wonderful thing. So we all say amen to the fact that they want to go share the gospel.

[0:56] Because it needs to be done. We're also saying amen to the fact that we believe and know that the preaching of the gospel will have great effect. Their lives are not being wasted. It's being poured out to Jesus. And that would be wonderful.

[1:07] And as a church, they don't go on their own. They're not lone rangers. They're going on our behalf, representatives of Christ. And so we go with them in prayer and in holding of the rope.

[1:19] 2 Timothy 3, verse 14. Such a common passage of ordination. And we're blessed as a church to have many ordination services. And it's one of them.

[1:30] Like if you go to a wedding or something different, you can kind of guess what passage it will go to. But just like as at a funeral, you preach your own funeral. Same with an ordination service. Justice has in many ways preached his own ordination service.

[1:42] And the life that he has lived and grown up here. And I'm thankful tonight that we have some of our kids in here. Many are away with the wannabe and out. But we have many little ones in here. And I think it's great that they would see that we would take time and say that we have confidence in justice and courtening.

[1:59] That they will go and share the message of Jesus clearly. That they won't go and teach something else. We have a responsibility as a church to make sure that the people that we would say that we ordain and send out are going to preach the gospel and nothing else.

[2:13] It would be a shame if we were to send people out teaching anything other than Christ Jesus. So we say that justice, that we have full confidence. That's what him and his family will do.

[2:26] 2 Timothy 3, verse 14. It says, But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them.

[2:37] You've learned God's word and you put it to the test and you are assured of its reliability. It's great joy that we get to tell justice this one word which is continue.

[2:49] Alright? Everybody, I want you to say this with me. Justice, we want you to continue. Alright? Justice, we want you to continue. See, this isn't a night for us to tell justice to start.

[3:01] That's not supposed to be happening. He's supposed to have already been doing the work. It's also not a time that we tell you that you're done. That you've arrived. It's also not a time that we would even tell you to advance. Because you're supposed to not change from the work that's doing.

[3:14] But continue in the work that you've already been doing. Continue in the word that you already know. The one that you found to be reliable and sure. I love that it says thou hast learned it.

[3:25] And he can look around and he can think about lessons that he's learned from different people in this room. But not only did he learn them, but he's assured of them. He's put them to the test.

[3:36] Good ways and bad ways, right? God tells us to do something and we try our own way and we say, I'm assured that I did it the wrong way. I'm going to go back to the way he told me to do it. Or I'm going to trust him. And I'm going to wait upon the Lord.

[3:48] And God provide for me in his timing. And he gave you and he's led you this way. So Justice, we ask you to continue in the things that you have learned and the things that you've experienced through the learning of God's word.

[4:02] And that you are assured of. And that you're now teaching what has been entrusted unto you. What's been committed unto you. And so we as the church, one more time, we want Justice to continue.

[4:15] Continue in the work that's being done. So continue what thou hast learned and been assured of. And then we get a few reasons that are given. One of them being because of whom thou hast learned them.

[4:30] And that's wonderful and precious and special that Paul, through inspiration, would tell Timothy to take a moment and to consider who taught it to them.

[4:41] Because ultimately it's God's word, right? It isn't, it's God's word, I believe it, so it's true. It says, no, it's God's word, it's true, right? It doesn't matter who taught it to you or how well we did at it.

[4:53] And you could say that it only matters that it's God's word. But Paul, under inspiration here, wanted Timothy to take a moment and to reflect upon the people that had taught it to him. Thinking of his mother and his grandmother at the beginning of 1 Timothy that we would learn about.

[5:10] And you, Justice, you have had a godly heritage of people that have taught you the Bible. You're blessed that here today to look around and not only see people, but to see lessons.

[5:22] And to remember whom it is that has taught you. Because, and then so one reason being, because of whom has taught it. Remember and continue these things because of the loving people in your life that have been living out the gospel in front of you.

[5:37] As Paul showed us in Hebrews 13, 7, that we're teaching you to word. Not just in teaching, but in word and in deed. Remember these people.

[5:47] And it says that even as a young child you have known the holy scriptures in verse number 15. So taking Timothy all the way back to his early childhood. You know, getting us to this point in Justice's life.

[5:59] Didn't happen in six months. It didn't happen in a week. But God's been working in his life ever since he was a young man, as a young child. As he shared his testimony with us tonight.

[6:10] And we thank God for all the Sunday school teachers. And all the parents. And all the people in your life that have taught you these things. That you're now so assured of. Then it says, because of its ability to change your life.

[6:23] In verse 13 it says, but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived. So it showed one type of person, an evil man waxing and going. Continuing in a wrong direction.

[6:35] Then it comes with the contrast. The evil man is waxing and waxing. Continuing in the wrong direction. His life's getting worse and worse. But not you, Timothy. But not you, Justice. But you're going to continue in what you have learned.

[6:48] Continue growing in faith. There's so many wonderful things about the Maya's tribe of people, alright? And the 13th tribe of Israel over here. There's so many things wonderful about them.

[6:59] But what changed everything was the introduction of the Word of God into that family when it happened. I don't know in what generation it happened. But the Word of God happened. We're no better than anybody else.

[7:12] And if it was not for the grace of God and us being learned and assured of the Word of God, we would be continually. We'd be waxing and waxing in the wrong direction. Your beautiful family following after Jesus.

[7:24] The future that Gideon has. Talitha has. It's growing. Continuing in faith. And not waxing in the wrong direction. Because the Word of God has been introduced and it's there.

[7:35] Another reason. So not only because of those that have taught it to you. And not because of its ability to change your life. But because it's how we are to build our lives and our family. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.

[7:48] And is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. I want you guys to see this Bible that Justice shows here tonight. I may need you, Paul, to help me pick it up here in a second.

[7:59] All right? Let's see if I can get it by myself. I've been working out on this one. All right? This is one of the biggest Bibles that I've ever seen for a donation. But it is very beautiful, isn't it? Here.

[8:10] And people gave it to him. And I've been joking with Justice and saying, I think you can literally build the foundation of your home on this Bible. All right? It's so big here. But Justice knew what he wanted.

[8:20] He knew that he loved God's Word. And so the Word of God is what he is going to build his life upon. His personal life with the Lord. Upon any, before anything else.

[8:32] Before you do any of the work. Before you do anything. Your life needs to be built upon it. And as your life is built upon it. Then your family needs to be built upon it. And then when you go out.

[8:44] And you and your family do ministry together. And God allows you to build a church. It should not be built upon meeting any lesser needs in people. It should not be built upon your charisma. It should not be built on anything else.

[8:56] That gets built upon the Word. And then every ministry that's started inside of that church. It gets built upon that Word. And the way that you parent. Everything comes back to being built upon God's Word.

[9:08] Because it is what we need. For correction. And for doctrine. And all those things. And so I want to encourage you, Justice. To continue in your absolute allegiance.

[9:20] To the unchanging truth of God's Word. The Bible. Stay here. Don't move from it. Build your life upon it. Build your family upon it.

[9:30] Build your church upon it. Build men that you disciple upon it. But don't go away from it. You won't be able to take as many bags. The Paul now, Courtney. Because of this Bible here.

[9:41] It's so big. But it's worth it, alright? Of any of the things you're going to leave behind. You don't want to leave this behind. Because everything is going to be built upon it. 2 Timothy 3.17 says that the man of God may be perfect.

[9:53] Thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Today we say that our confidence that we have. Doesn't come because we've been great Sunday school teachers. It doesn't come because this church has been intentional.

[10:06] To train people and ministry. It doesn't just come because you have wonderful families. And you have all those things. And it's great. But our confidence today is that the word of God.

[10:18] Has able to thoroughly furnish you unto all good works. That he has in store for you in Nepal and beyond. Our confidence is that this word of God that we're sending with you.

[10:30] Is all that you will need to face any of the challenges. In your life and ministry. And it's been the word of God that's brought you here. It's going to be the word of God taking you forward. So Justice, my prayer for you is that you just continue.

[10:44]  Continue in the word that has brought you to this point. And continue. And then bring some other people alongside you. And they will join you as well. Justice, if you want my...