Guarding the Gospel Jonathan Ginn Chinese Grace Bible Church July 31, 2011

Timothy 1:8-14 (ESV) 8 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,

Timothy 1:8-14 (ESV) 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,

Timothy 1:8-14 (ESV) 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,

Timothy 1:8-14 (ESV) 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,

Timothy 1:8-14 (ESV) 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.

Timothy 1:8-14 (ESV) 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Timothy 1:8-14 (ESV) 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

Timothy 4:3-5 (ESV) 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

Timothy 4:3-5 (ESV) 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Timothy 4:3-5 (ESV) 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

What _________ us to guard the Gospel? powers

Timothy 1:14 (ESV) 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

Acts 1:8 (ESV) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Timothy 1:12 (ESV) 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.

Timothy 1:7 (ESV) 7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.

What _________ us to guard the Gospel? prompts

Timothy 1:14 (ESV) 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

a. The _______________________ 2 Timothy 1:14 (ESV) 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. Presupposed Dangers

Acts 20:28-30 (ESV) 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood.

Acts 20:28-30 (ESV) 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

Acts 20:28-30 (ESV) 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

b. A _______________________ 2 Timothy 1:14 (ESV) 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. Precious Deposit

Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) 21 For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Romans 5:6-8 (ESV) 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:6-8 (ESV) 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous personthough perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die

Romans 5:6-8 (ESV) 8 but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Titus 3:3-7 (ESV) 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

Titus 3:3-7 (ESV) 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,

Titus 3:3-7 (ESV) 5 He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Titus 3:3-7 (ESV) 6 whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Titus 3:3-7 (ESV) 7 so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

c. Our _______________________ 2 Timothy 1:14 (ESV) 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. Personal Duty

Thessalonians 2:3-4 (ESV) 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive,

Thessalonians 2:3-4 (ESV) 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

Corinthians 5:18-20 (ESV) 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

Corinthians 5:18-20 (ESV) 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Corinthians 5:18-20 (ESV) 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

What is the _________ of Guarding the Gospel? price

Timothy 1:8-13 (ESV) 8 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,

Timothy 1:8-13 (ESV) 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,

Timothy 1:8-13 (ESV) 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,

Timothy 1:8-13 (ESV) 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,

Timothy 1:8-13 (ESV) 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.

Timothy 1:8-13 (ESV) 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Timothy 2:3 (ESV) 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Timothy 2:8-9 (ESV) 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my Gospel,

Timothy 2:8-9 (ESV) 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!

Timothy 3:12 (ESV) 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Timothy 4:5 (ESV) 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Timothy 4:10, (ESV) 10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

Timothy 4:10, (ESV) 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

Timothy 4:10, (ESV) 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.

Timothy 4:10, (ESV) 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!

Peter 4:12-13 (ESV) 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

Peter 4:12-13 (ESV) 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christs sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.

Three ___________ Ways to Guard the Gospel practical

a. Guard the Gospel Against ____________________ Misrepresentation

Timothy 4:16 (ESV) 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Ephesians 4:1 (ESV) 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

b. Guard the Gospel Against ____________________ Disregard

Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV) 23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed took bread,

Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV) 24 and when He had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV) 25 In the same way also He took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV) 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lords death until he comes.

b. Guard the Gospel Against ____________________ Passivity