Questions are very important? By asking good questions, men have pursued answers which have advanced humanity. Questions in science, questions in society, and questions about life have led to key discoveries. There is one question that is most significant to every man that determines whether they result in heaven or hell. In this passage, Herod asks that very question, “Who is Jesus?”

The Gospel of Luke was written to answer this very question. Luke desired Theophilus to know exactly who Jesus is (Luke 1:34). This question is asked not just once, but a few times (Luke 5:21, Luke 23:3). In today’s passage, based on what Herod had heard from others, he could have known who Jesus really is.

Jesus is the mighty God

God as in Yawheh and Elohim. We see that Herod was greatly perplexed by what he heard about Jesus (Luke 9:7). He heard that His disciples were preaching the gospel and healing everyone everywhere. Perplexed shows that Herod was confused, amazed, and worried. Jesus was demonstrating His divine power through miracles. The miracles were not hidden, but were in public, in front of crowds, with many diverse witnesses. There is no doubt that He is the mighty God.

Mighty God:

• Jesus is God because He is one with the Father. He has been God from the beginning and is eternally part of the Trinity. He is God Incarnate (John 1:3,10:30,12:44-45; Col 2:9).
• Jesus demonstrates His might in saving the sinner. The sinner hates God and wants nothing to do with Holy God and is completely dead (Col 1:21,2:13). We, the sinner, are hopeless. By God’s grace, in Jesus, through His mighty power, we are restored. Restoring the sinner is harder than restoring creation. But God does it in Jesus. It is through faith, the might of Jesus is available to us (Hebrews 4:2).

Jesus is the promised Messiah

The nation of Israel at that time was looking for a political and militant Messiah. Examples are found in Acts 5:36-37 of some men who tried to free Israel through force. In contrast to their assumptions, Jesus is the Messiah who came to save sinners from sin by dying on the cross (John 3:16-17,19:30). This is proven by the coming of John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus (Luke 1:76,3:3-4,15). Some proposed that Jesus was John the Baptist who came back. Herod confirms John died, but didn’t realize Jesus is the Messiah that John pointed to.

They also thought Jesus might be Elijah who was prophesied to return (Malachi 3:1,4:5). But Jesus was not Elijah. That was actually John the Baptist. John the Baptist carried the spirit of Elijah, with the message of repentance delivered with great passion (Luke 3:16). Elijah was a preview of John the Baptist, and John the Baptist paved the way for the true Messiah, Jesus.

The Messiah would be the prophet defined in Deuteronomy 18:15-19; a Jew, given the authority of God to speak and performs miracles like Moses. That prophet is Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, who always spoke God’s word, who is God’s truth, and demonstrated the power of God in miracles and His resurrection. He is the prophet Messiah.

Jesus is the Risen Lord

The people kept guessing that Jesus is either John the Baptist, Elijah, or some other prophet of old. One thing common about their guesses is that they thought someone had come back to life. Herod affirms that he murdered John the Baptist. While Jesus is not a prophet who resurrected, it does remind us that Jesus is risen now (Acts 2:29). Those other prophets are still dead, but death could not hold Jesus down (Acts 2:24). He is the living, risen Lord.

Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we are truly free from death. In fact, death is our gain (Philippians 1:21)! If you confess and believe God raised Jesus from the dead, then you will be saved (Romans 10:9). This is the power of our risen Lord.

Conclusion

Herod didn’t realize who Jesus is. He didn’t realize Jesus is the mighty God, the prophesied Messiah, and the risen Lord. Herod wanted to see Jesus, but he did not believe. We believe, but are we also excited and passionate to know Him? Do we want to share Jesus with everyone else? Do you love Him?

If you have never loved Jesus or your love has dwindled, there is still hope for you. God is full of compassion and mercy (Hosea 11:8). His desire and command is for you to return to Him.

There are many who profess to be evangelicals, but do they know Jesus Christ personally, intimately, and devotionally? According to Scripture, there are sure ways to fail to know Jesus intimately. One of many examples seen in the Bible, Herod the tetrarch from today’s text exemplifies those who had ample opportunity to know Jesus personally. But what caused Herod to only know Jesus Christ superficially? Pastor Paul will show that Herod had a different motive in knowing Christ, knowing Christ via secondhand knowledge, and possessed morbid curiosity about self-love more than anything.

After hearing about all that was happening, Herod, the tetrarch was greatly perplexed and kept trying to see him (v 7-9). Even though he was curious about this Jesus regarding what he was doing, he failed to focus on Jesus’ words and message. Herod’s mistake was to seek Jesus in a shallow manner. In order to know Jesus intimately and come to salvation, Herod needed to shift his attention to Jesus’ words rather than his signs and wonders.

Why wasn’t Herod interested in the words of Christ? The Word of God always demands some sort of response and obedience. Jesus had the same message that John the Baptist preached prior to his ministry; that is, “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin” (Lk. 3:3). Herod had also heard the message of John the Baptist, but he did not respond to it in repentance and eventually took his life (v 9). Herod was not the only one that did not repent and walked away when obedience was required. There was a myriad of people that followed Jesus when he was performing signs and wonders, but the result was that “many of his disciples withdrew and were not walking with him anymore (Jn. 6:60, 66). Jesus’ miracles in and of themselves were not a bad thing. Rather, they were means to bring sinners to understand the gospel message. In other words, witnessing Jesus’ ability to perform miracles demonstrated his ability to save sinners, which is a greater miracle.

Only through the word of God can a sinner come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Therefore, those that are saved by the word are true Christians who have a personal and intimate relationship with Christ. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that [Jesus] has spoken to you are spirit, and are life (Jn. 6:63). In the same manner, Christians can measure how near Christ is to them from their relation to the word of God.

Herod’s information on what was happening about Jesus was heard from secondhand witnesses, which caused him to be greatly perplexed.  The text describes his sources as all coming from others: “because it was said by some that John was risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen (7b-8). Firsthand knowledge of any person cannot be downplayed, especially when it comes to the Lord Jesus Christ. Even today, there are so many means to know who Jesus Christ is, but they are all secondhand knowledge. This sort of knowledge creates only a shallow understanding and relationship with Christ. Secondhand knowledge in and of itself is not a bad thing, but they must build on a firsthand saving knowledge of Christ through the word of God. Herod failed to do just that although he had an abundant opportunity.

Herod’s interest and passion were based on wrong motives and driven by self-interest to see whether Jesus was able to perform the miracles he had heard about (v. 9). Even following his meeting with Jesus, “Herod with his soldiers, after treating [Jesus] with contempt and mocking him, dressed him in a gorgeous robe and sent him back to Pilate (Lk. 23:8-9, 11). Ultimately, Herod loved only himself and thereby failed to know and love Jesus personally.

“Do we love Christ? That is the great question! Without this there is no vitality about our Christianity. We are no better than… painted wax figures, lifeless stuffed beasts in the museum, sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. There is no life where there is no love to Jesus. Knowledge, orthodoxy, correct views, regular use of forms, a respectable moral life; all these do not make up a true Christian” (J.C. Ryle).

May Herod’s example be a warning to all as he was hellbound and ended there by loving himself rather than loving Christ. Only through the word of God and the gospel sinners are able to know Jesus personally, intimately, and devotionally.

We are all called to proclaim the gospel in the world. Matthew 28 calls all of us to make disciples, not just the seventy who were there, not just the apostles, but all Christians everywhere. Just 25 years ago, the majority of Christians understood this. Now the majority think it’s not necessary to share the Gospel through God’s word and that we instead share the gospel through good works and exemplary lives instead. But the Holy Spirit and the Bible never change. We must proclaim the gospel message in order to lead the lost to salvation in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:14-15,17). Without the Holy Spirit working through the gospel message, no one will be saved.

With that being said, the great commission is not our business but God’s business. Jesus is the initiator and the one orchestrating everything in these verses. He calls them, He instructs them, He designs the strategy, and He sends them. Jesus does all this for His disciples because He wants them to succeed. He knows that the world is a tough place and the task He’s given is also difficult. So He provides what we need in order for us to fulfill His will.

So Jesus emphasizes two things in His instructions. The first is trust. Jesus said, “Take nothing”. This shows that this is not man’s work, but God’s work. What men need most when obeying the Great Commission is a heart that trusts in God completely. Trust is better than knowledge or talent. Jesus said “take nothing”, not even the essentials. The disciples were not allowed a staff, bag, food, money, or tunic. They were without help, protection, sustenance, or comfort. However, while they were without their things, they would not be alone. Jesus will be with them and He will provide for them. Nehemiah 9:21 and Luke 22:35 show that Jesus provides what we need. We can trust in Him.

We need trust and we also need the Holy Spirit to be successful in our evangelism. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot change people’s hearts. Sometimes it takes just a short conversation, other times it takes years of teaching over and over again. Conversion depends on the Holy Spirit instead of our circumstances (John 16:8). Billy Graham’s crusades were famous for thousands of coming to Christ each night. Sadly time showed that only a few were truly saved. Those were the ones that truly received the Holy Spirit. So the hearer’s salvation does not depend on our talent but on the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 10:19-20, Acts 10:38). Therefore be filled with the Holy Spirit and trust in the Lord in order to fulfill the Great Commission.

To what extent should we trust in the Lord? We must trust in Jesus absolutely. The disciples were not allowed to take anything, not even a piece of bread. Jesus proved that life does not require bread but God’s word (Matthew 4:4). Jesus proved that He is trustworthy, and that He can even raise the dead (Luke 8:50). He directs us not to be afraid but to believe in Him. George Muller once said, “Faith rests on the naked word of God”. Simply trust in God and His word completely.

If we look at our own church, we are also called by God. We believe it is the will of God to be in Los Angeles and witness to the millions who are lost. This is our mission given to us by God. To pursue, it requires discipline and consistency. It requires working and giving blessings in the place where you are (Luke 9:4). Not everyone will listen to you but your labor is not in vain. As you give the blessings of Christ’s love and the gospel, you will receive the blessing back and your reward is in heaven (Matthew 5:10, Romans 14:17)

In Luke 8:5 Jesus gives instructions on how to respond to those who reject the gospel. He is showing them that it is not their responsibility to save them, but only to trust in Him and preach. Salvation is ultimately up to God. Our responsibility is to obey and tell them (Ezekiel 3:17-21 ). The disciples obeyed and went (Luke 9:6). We too must go.  If you look at yourself and your own ability, then you won’t be able to save anyone. Don’t look at your books or others for knowledge or strength. Look at Jesus. He is the one who sends you. Trust in Him and He will provide. For our church to grow, we must look to Jesus and obey Him. 

The faithful Lord calls those who will demonstrate their faithfulness to Him (1 Thess. 5:24). The called is commissioned by the Lord to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and live in obedience to His will. We are all spiritually dead, but God initiates by calling certain individuals to be made alive to Him and surrender to His will. During Jesus’ ministry, power and authority to heal diseases and cast out demons were only given to the twelve disciples exclusively. But the Lord equips today’s disciples with spiritual gifts to carry out His will and purpose. In addition, there is no apostolic authority or apostolic-quality gifts and miracle-working abilities (1 Cor. 13:8; 2 Cor. 12:12), but rather God works miracles through the power of prayer.

Jesus, in His earthly ministry, revealed the Father’s will in everything He did with the disciples. The end game and purpose of His ministry was leading up to the cross and His resurrection. Today, God works miracles in bringing salvation to souls by proclaiming the cross and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the ultimate healing power. The disciples during Jesus’ ministry were limited to physical healing; however, the gospel has the power to heal both soul and body. It is no wonder C.H. Spurgeon stated that “the greatest of all miracles is the salvation of a soul”.

The Spirit inside you is better than Jesus beside you. Every believer possesses the Holy Spirit. This is the amazing reality of a Christian’s position in comparison to the twelve disciples. As the Holy Spirit dwells within the believer after their conversion, they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Spirit is “continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… praising God and having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:42).

Do you believe that Jesus calls and sends you to obey His Great Commission? Christians are to have confidence in who the sender is; that is, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

• The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God who clearly and loudly claimed His deity.
• The Lord Jesus Christ has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18).
• The Lord Jesus Christ preached about the kingdom of God.

Given the truths of who Jesus Christ is and His submission to the Father’s will, Christians can confidently likewise obey God’s will as a way of imitating Christ. And knowing believers are kingdom people who are in submission to the King Jesus, they are to live and preach the things concerning the kingdom of God. Jesus sent the twelve disciples to essentially preach the kingdom of God (i.e., the gospel). It is no different today. The Lord Jesus sends His kingdom people today to preach the gospel (Rom. 5:8).

Another transforming reality for believers is possessing the power of the Spirit to resist going against God’s ways. Everyone is born a sinner and thereby rebellious in nature. That is why the gospel message calls all sinners to repentance. As believers personally experience the power of repentance and circumcision of their hearts, they have great confidence in the Sender and the gospel’s impact, and passionately share with others.

The essence of the gospel is Jesus’ death and resurrection. The gospel always brings God’s compassion. And the believer’s deeper understanding of the gospel allows them to be more aware of God’s compassion. Therefore, it all begins with His calling, as He equips, and sends those whom He calls that will be able to fulfill the Great Commission and works of God.

Every current believer has benefitted from another believer being obedient to the Great Commission. Because someone shared the gospel with you, you believed and are saved. The Great Commission charges all of us to share the gospel and to make disciples. Sadly, in America, this primary command has been forgotten. Less than 10% of people in the American church know what the Great Commission is. The church has lost its priority.

James 2:26 warns that those who fail to obey Jesus’ commission (Matthew 28:19-20) do not have true faith. Our Lord commands us to be fishers of men by going out into the world to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Triune God, and teaching them His word.

In Luke 9:1-2 Jesus gives a similar commission directly to the twelve disciples. Their situation is both different and similar to ours. We must not take too much from these verses and understand the difference while also applying properly certain principles which are relevant to us.

Differences:

• We are not the twelve. Jesus specifically called these twelve for a specific purpose.
• Their purpose was specifically to deal with the apostasy that was happening in the nearby cities due to the false teaching of the Jewish religion.
• These apostles are the foundation of the New Testament church and this part of their training.
• Their signs and wonders were just like Jesus. Some so-called “miracle workers” try to replicate what the apostles did but they are nothing like what Jesus did. The miracles of the Bible were instant and completely effective. Also, as God’s word was continually being revealed in the New Testament age, the miracles were performed less and less.
• The disciples were the authors of the New Testament. So it was a special era of the church, where certain signs were given to prove that what the Apostles said and wrote was the truth of God

So in these ways, we cannot replicate what happened in Luke 9:1-6. But Luke does write about this so that we might know the truth and apply it to our lives. (Luke 1:3-4) So we look at the similarities and draw our application.

Similarities:

• The disciples were saved by faith through grace. They have the same salvation as we do (John 1:11-13)
• Their call to discipleship is the same (Matthew 16:24). We are called to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus
• We are messengers just like the Apostles. They were called to be fishers of men (Mark 1:17) We are called to preach the gospel (Romans 10:14). Everyone is called to be a messenger of God’s good news. Paul Snider labored tirelessly for 10 years in Korowai through countless hardships to preach the gospel and plant churches. May we all realize our calling as he did.

Obeying the Great Commission is not easy. When Jesus sent the disciples, it was a dangerous and unfavorable proposition. The people did not like Jesus or his message (Luke 4:29). It was a difficult time to send the disciples. Jesus was about to turn his attention from Galilee to Judea. He wanted the disciples to practice what He had been showing them for the past 18 months. Some of the disciples were married and had families and homes. Yet this was now the time for disciples to step out and experience ministry on their own.

The first thing we must note is that Jesus called them. Nothing will happen unless God first calls you. God does not call everyone. The unbeliever is never called. Also, God doesn’t call you based on your skills or powers (Deut 7:7-8). God calls according to His will. Without God’s call, no matter what you do, no one can be saved.

Another important point about being called is who does the calling. There are many who call us to obedience but none are Jesus. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Mt 16:15-16). He is God incarnate (Col 2:9). Jesus is perfect divinity in bodily form. He must be obeyed. Remember what happened in Luke 8:54-55 before Jesus called the disciples. He called Lazarus out of the tomb. Not even sin and death have the power to resist Jesus’ words. He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18, Dan 7:13-14).

Later on in Luke 10, Jesus will send 70 disciples. In Luke 9 Jesus only sends the twelve. From this, we can see that no one is exempt from the Great Commission. Jesus was the first to pursue and obey the Great Commission (Luke 4:43). Then the twelve, then the seventy. Finally, all Christians are called to proclaim the gospel. However, the modern church thinks that only the super Christians or those who have the title of Pastor or Missionary are called to make disciples. It is a gross misunderstanding that the average believer thinks that it is not their job. This is wrong. Everyone has been commissioned to make disciples wherever they are.

Another wrong understanding of the Great Commission is that it only applies to those who were alive and present during Jesus’ life. Some try to argue that Matthew 28:18 only applies to the people who were actually there. However, Apostle Paul was not part of the original twelve and was not a believer during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Yet he was filled with the Holy Spirit and began proclaiming the gospel to all parts of the known world ( Acts 9:11,19-20). Many, like Hudson Taylor, have understood the gospel and realized that he was called to go and share the very gospel by which he had been saved.

How do you know you are called by God? You have the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is better than being called by Jesus while he was on earth. Jesus could not physically be with all his disciples all over the world. Yet the Holy Spirit is with all of us in every place (John 14:18, 26). The Holy Spirit calls us (Acts 13:2) and leads up to Jesus Christ. So we must walk in the Holy Spirit and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The church is called by Jesus to fulfill the Great Commission. Remember you are called. Our calling is the source and power of obedience. It is our guarantee if we are called, then God will fulfill His purpose without fail. Therefore, those who are called spread the gospel through all the earth (Romans 10:18). Listen to the voice of your Shepherd and follow Him (John 10:27). We are not called to be rich or famous but we are called to be fishers of men. It truly is the greater honor and blessing.

Today’s message concludes the 8-part series on The Man of God. The Apostle Paul gives two commands to Timothy – “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…” (1 Tim. 6:12). In other words, eternal life is the engine that moves the Christian’s life to fight the good fight of faith. It is not enough to know that Christians have eternal life but to hold onto that truth in managing their daily lives.

Why did the Apostle Paul command Timothy to “take hold of the eternal life…” when he was already saved? First, eternal life needs to be defined based on what the Bible says. Eternal life is often thought of as having no end or living forever. Everyone has eternal life as man’s soul will go to heaven or hell for eternity. But in today’s text, eternal life is best understood by focusing on the quality of God’s life. In addition, eternal life is to know the only true God (Jn. 17:3). Knowing what eternal life is, everyone must strive to know God personally and thereby seek His kingdom and righteousness.

Is eternal life a reality in the present only or does it apply to the future as well? Eternal life applies to both the present and future realities for the Christian. Concerning the believer’s present reality, eternal life is given the moment they believe in Jesus Christ (Jn. 5:24). Regarding the believer’s future reality, understanding eternal life gives the Christian hope and strength to continue in the present fight. Moreover, the believer is freed from sin and enslaved to God, their benefit is resulting in sanctification that results in eternal life both in the present and future (Rom. 6:22).

Who wants to take hold of eternal life? All Christians are called to take hold of the eternal life to which they are called. One of the marks of taking hold of eternal life is suffering as the Lord Jesus Christ also suffered. The believer also considers eternal life as the treasure choice in comparison to anything this world can offer. “Peter said, ‘I do not possess silver or gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!’” (Acts 3:6).

The Apostle Paul does not fail to mention that all believers are called by God (v 12). The Lord calls his elect to fight the good fight of faith and to take hold of eternal life. Remember Christian, God does not owe anyone eternal life. But by his grace and mercy, the Lord sovereignly calls each believer and thereby enables them to appropriate the reality of possessing eternal life through Jesus Christ. And this calling is affirmed by the “good confession in the presence of many witnesses” in baptism and partaking in the Lord’s Supper through true saving faith.

God is always with those that possess eternal life as he dwells within their heart. Therefore, the Christian’s eternal life must be presented in all sufferings and joy. This is how the man of God is called to live.

Every believer is a man of God, saved by Jesus, called by Jesus, and carries the message of Jesus Christ. Therefore they have certain characteristics. They flee from the things of the world, the love of money. They pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. These qualities are necessary because every man of God is in a fight. They are fighters in a good fight and these qualities are how the fight is fought.

Timothy was not a natural fighter. Many of us are not natural fighters. That’s why Apostle Paul commands us to fight. It’s an imperative otherwise we wouldn’t. We must fight continuously against the world and sin. Since Adam and Eve disobeyed in the Garden of Eden, sin has dominated the world, causing brother to murder brother. We are like Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress, facing many difficulties (Acts 4:12). We cannot surrender to the battle but fight.

We must fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12). Not the fights for things of this world and not in a dishonest way. The wrong fight will only end in destruction (Matthew 16:26). The good fight means both the means and the goal is good. The good fight is good if it is for the Lord because God is good.

So we flee and fight against the love of money. The love and pursuit of money is a deadly thing and has plagued the modern church. The world accuses the church of being greedy and wealthy instead of modest and compassionate. We also fight against false doctrine (1 Timothy 1:18-20). We take heed of the failures of Hymenaeus and Alexander. We fight like Apostle Paul who suffered the loss of all things to know Christ. We hope that at the end we can joyfully say we have fought the good fight until the end. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Our good fight is not a physical fight but a spiritual fight. We fight against sin, old nature, the world, and the devil. (1 John 2:16, Colossians 3:12-13, Ephesians 6:13). We fight not to repay evil with evil but with good. We respond to attacks against us with the gospel which can save them. We fight against the lies of the world that call evil as good and good as evil. Lies such as gender identity, preferred pronouns, homosexual love and marriage, and transgenderism. These are wicked behaviors that are being touted as truths and to go against them is labeled as a crime. So we must fight the lies with the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We also fight for God’s glory in all circumstances. If we are honest, we are slow to give God glory, to give thanks to Him, and to recognize Him. Giving glory to God is a war. The Westminster Shorter Catechism rightly answers that the chief end of man is to give glory to God and to enjoy Him forever. Giving glory to God is not natural for us. We must fight to do so. Mercifully as redeemed children of God, we are able to give glory to God in all the things we do and we can trust that no matter the circumstance, God causes it for good. (1 Cor 6:20,10:31, Romans 8:28). This is such a wonderful blessing. Therefore we must desire and pursue the glory of God. It is foolish to pursue lesser glories that result in destruction. To steal God’s glory is very dangerous. But to fight for God’s glory is a good fight.

The purpose of the good fight is faith. We fight the good fight we remain faithful. Everyone has their own struggles. We all face our own fight for faith. Timothy knew the consequences of fighting the good fight and was faithful. Hebrews 13:23 shows that Timothy went to prison for the sake of Christ. Legend has it that Timothy was eventually martyred.

How do you know you are fighting the good fight? Remember Daniel who remained faithful during the training process, he refused to eat the meat. Eventually, he became one of the close advisors of King Darius. The others, out of jealousy, plotted against Daniel, by trapping Daniel in a plot to forbid any sort of prayer except prayers to King Darius. Even though the punishment was being thrown into the lion’s den, Daniel prayed as usual. (Daniel 6:10). So Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den which was a certain horrible death. Yet Daniel went through this dangerous trial without a single injury (Daniel 6:23). Daniel trusted in God and fought the good fight of faith.

The good fight is long and difficult. We grow weary and tired. We lose heart and are unable to praise. The early church shows us how to keep up the good fight. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer (Acts 2:42). First is a devotion to God’s word. By the word of God, we know who God is. We can always know more about God, deeper, wider, and fuller. We have fellowship. We should not waste our fellowship at church. Fellowship is a part of worship. We are fellow Christians with Christ in common with one another. We must share who God is and what He is doing in our life. As iron sharpens iron, we fellowship. It might seem awkward and forced but we pursue true fellowship out of obedience to God and love toward one another.

The early church also was faithful to the Lord’s supper. The Lord’s supper is not just a memory. We remember what Jesus did, but it is more than just memorizing a theory. It is the ordinance of God where the Spirit works in our hearts to strengthen the gospel and its effect on our lives.

Finally, the early church prayed. Faith and prayer always go together. Prayer is so powerful. Prayer can change a man. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel because he prayed. Prayer makes faith active. We fight the good fight as we pray.

In conclusion, our fight is not done. We continue to struggle, to pursue, and to fight. However, we are not alone in our fight. God is with us. The outcome of our fight is guaranteed in victory.

God is faithful and will always be faithful. Faithfulness means “trust” in the Hebrew root word. The same root word is used in Scripture when Jesus says “truly, truly” or “amen”. God is perfectly loyal and consistent to His name. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim. 2:13). In other words, if God does not remain faithful, He is no longer God. God manifests His faithfulness in a myriad of ways, and Pastor Paul will navigate through various texts in Scripture for today’s message.

God’s faithfulness is shown as He is not like man. God cannot lie as man does (Num. 23:19). God is pre-existent and infinite while man is finite. Even in man’s lowest moment of faithlessness, God cannot deny Himself and never abandons His own.

God’s faithfulness is demonstrated through Jesus Christ. Jesus is God incarnate. Jesus’ faithfulness to the Father shows complete trust in His own nature. Jesus’ faithfulness is verified and affirmed by the Father as Christ was highly exalted (Phil. 2:9-11).

God’s faithfulness will continue in the new year as He always has (Ps. 119:90). “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). One of God’s continual faithfulness is proven by His forgiveness of sin to those that confess in history, present time, or in the future (1 Jn. 1:9). God also shows His love to the church as He continues to forgive sin until her glorification.

As the new year is here, Christians are encouraged to be resolved to the following in light of the knowledge of God’s faithfulness.

• The Christian is to be faithful unto Him. As the new year is here, the believer is commanded to be loyal and committed to the Lord by living through faith. “Faith looks at God. Faith is interested in God only, and it talks about God, and it praises God and it extols the virtues of God. The measure of the strength of a man’s faith, always, is ultimately the measure of his knowledge of God. He knows God so well that he can rest on the knowledge. And it is the prayers of such a man that are answered” (Martyn Lloyd Jones).
• The Christian must be faithful to God’s Word. If salvation comes from hearing the word of God, what other good things would come from continued reading and hearing of God’s Word? God’s Word never fails.
• The Christian must be faithful to one another. Faithfulness to the brethren is demonstrated through loving and laboring for the building up of one another. One of the sure spiritual gifts the Spirit gives to all believers is love. Love can be shown through grace and pure character.
• The Christian must be faithful to the world. Whether it is family, work, or other worldly matters, the believer is to glorify God and gospel-centered. The believers’ intention in all circumstances must be to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• The Christian must be faithful to their biblical identities. In the different roles the believer is called upon such as being a spouse and parent, one must act in the Lord. When the Christian is not faithful to the Lord in their God-given roles, anything can become an idol.

As God has proven to be faithful, the Christian’s response to this reality is to trust in Him and know that He will bring victory in the end. “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply” (Hudson Taylor).

We continue our study of the man of God. Every believer is called a man of God. The final two traits that a man of God should pursue are perseverance and gentleness. These two traits are most wonderfully embodied in Jesus Christ. Overall, 1 Timothy 6:11 is like a spiritual boot camp. Because verse 12 explains that Christians are in a spiritual fight. We are in conflict with the world and sin. So we must be well trained in the attributes listed in verse 11 so we can be warriors which fight the good fight.

Perseverance. The perseverance here is not the ‘perseverance of the saints’ which means ‘once saved always saved’. Perseverance is related to patience. Patience is self-restraint. Someone who is quickly angered is impatient. God was patient with the complaining Israelites in the wilderness. He restrained His righteous anger. Similarly, perseverance is the remaining steadfast under pressure. Perseverance is not merely staying calm but also trying to make things work. The persevering man not only endures but presses forward despite the circumstances (Genesis 47:8-9).

It is the Christian’s fate to pursue perseverance. The Christian has chosen the narrow door, not the wide door. We take up our cross. We follow God’s will. Our Lord Jesus entered that narrow gate first. Though He had nowhere to lay his head (Luke 9:58), He pursued the cross with perseverance. That perseverance eventually resulted in the resurrection.

Perseverance is a hallmark of true Christianity. The nominal Christian will not pursue perseverance. It is the good soil that bears fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:15). Starting is easy but finishing well is hard. We know so many who claimed to be Christians but abandoned the faith. Even the seasoned Christian has to be aware and alert to persevere. We must persevere. Many will hate us because of Jesus (Mark 13:13). Additionally, suffering is everywhere. We don’t know what we may face but by perseverance, we enter the kingdom of Heaven (Acts 14:22). We do not persevere by our own strength. The love of God has been poured out on us through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:35). This is our strength and source of perseverance.

Self-denial is the key to perseverance. Jesus said if you want to come after me you must deny yourself. This must be done first. Self-denial is saying no to our own will and saying yes to God’s. Mary was in danger of shame and exile for having a baby out of wedlock (Luke 1:38). Yet she persevered through the social dangers by submitting to God’s will. We also are commissioned as workers for God. We should not forget that we do not serve an earthly master but God himself. We are sent by God to make disciples. It’s not just the missionaries or pastors, but all of us have been commissioned by God. Remember the seriousness of our task and persevere. To help with your perseverance, remember that this is not our final home but we are pilgrims, heading toward the city of Zion. Romans 8:18

Gentleness. Gentleness might come naturally with age. It could also be associated with humility. Biblical humility acknowledges moral indebtedness to God. Humility abandons confidence in self but places faith in God.

Gentleness is different from humility. It is meekness. Meekness is not a weakness. Meekness is inner strength with outer boldness. Gentleness/meekness is having the ability but choosing not to do it. It is power under control. Think about Jesus Christ who was always being challenged by the people wherever he went and suffering at their hands. Think about his trials before going to the cross. He is the Messiah and the King of Kings (Mt 26:64, John 18:37). Yet He was beaten, flogged, and mocked. He didn’t exercise His authority but simply acknowledged what they said.

Today’s society is plagued by suicide. So many people cannot accept hard truths or circumstances. So they look for an escape. They cannot endure the hardships in life because they lack meekness. So they tragically end their own lives. Others lash out due to criticisms or injustices. They take their revenge in anger, hatred, and violence (Romans 12:19) because they lack gentleness.

The Christian has the source of meekness, the Holy Spirit. Gentleness is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We have the promise but we must pursue it to manifest it in our lives. The Holy Spirit is God and He is with us, leading us and guiding us, helping us, and comforting us. It is truly wonderful to walk with the Holy Spirit through His word. As we understand that God has caused our circumstances, then we can trust in the Lord and His gentleness. Though our situation might seem harsh and unfair, if we know that the Lord is ultimately behind it, then we can bear it in gentleness (2 Samuel 16:7,11)

Beloved, you are not weak. As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit. You are able to persevere and act in gentleness. Pursue these things as a man of God.

In today’s message, Pastor Paul covers the fourth command in what a man of God pursues. The Lord commands the righteous, godly and faithful Christian to pursue specifically the love of God. In Scripture, the two most common Greek forms of love are agape and philia. Agape love is selfless. It is this agape love that the Apostle Paul uses in this verse. An example of this agape love is stated in John 3:16 – “For God so loved (agape) the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Agape love is not learned but is given by God. And without knowing the love of God, people cannot love others. Therefore, only Christians, who know the love of God, are able to love others. The Apostle Paul exemplifies this truth once persecuting the church and at enmity with God met the risen Lord and believed. His transformation by the Holy Spirit led him to pen the well-known passage describing the love of God in 1 Corinthians 13.

If Christians are commanded to pursue the love of God, He comes first. This must be evident in the Christian life. Love for God cannot be divided nor be substituted with the love of anything else. Evidence of a God-fearing life demonstrates the Christian’s love for the Lord. Obedience also hinges on wholehearted love for God. The obedient believer deeply understands the Lord’s personal love He has for them.

The Apostle Paul also couples faith and love (v 11). Faith expresses itself through love. As the Christian loves God first (vertical relationship), their faith is demonstrated in their love for others (horizontal relationships). In the church, believers can practice their love for each other through edification. In the Christian fellowship, the best way to build up one another is to speak about Jesus and encourage them to become more like Him.

Fellowship and edification are to be practiced despite the infirmities seen in each other. Christian love covers each other’s sins and shortcomings. The duty of the believer is to love one another as Christ loved the church. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Moreover, loving others include a love toward unbelievers. God saved us so that we would love those that are unsaved by sharing and declaring the love of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ. “If you have lived to bring one sinner to Christ, you have not lived in vain” (C.H. Spurgeon).

If we love God the most, we are able to love others best.