God's Unchanging Purpose
A Sermon on 2 Timothy 1:12
Originally preached May 17, 1964
Scripture
12For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on 2 Timothy 1:12 titled “God’s Unchanging Purpose, “ Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds the listener that Paul was on the cusp of being executed when he wrote this letter. Yet, as Dr, Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches, Paul wrote confidently because he believed the gospel he had written about. Many today try to extract the blessings of Christianity without committing fully to its doctrine, but Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that in order to know the blessings of the gospel, one must believe its truth. The gospel starts with God and His process of redemption established before the world began. Dr. Lloyd-Jones instructs that the foundational truth, and what has been called the “watershed moment” of Christianity, is rooted in history — the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. By rising again, He fulfilled His promise to His disciples that He would live again, and by sending His Holy Spirit after His ascension, He again kept His promise that they would not be without a helper. This is important because it shows God’s purpose. Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks again, “Is your life controlled by the fact that you believe in the purpose of God? Does the gospel mean anything to you?” Those who don’t are living apart from its promises and on track to die without its hope.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon is based on 2 Timothy 1:12 - "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
- The sermon has been preached 6 times previously. It is important to understand the context.
- The letter was written to Timothy who was troubled. Paul was in prison and Timothy was worried about the churches.
- Timothy had a timorous and frightened temperament. Paul tells him this is wrong and to pull himself together spiritually.
- Paul outlines his faith and challenges Timothy. Paul is able to face life and death with equanimity because of his faith.
- The secret to Paul's triumph over life and death is knowing Jesus. This is the message of the Gospel.
- The Gospel is based on history, not ideas. It is about God's actions, not man's ideas.
- The Gospel starts with God, not man. It is about God's purpose and plan.
- Man needs to be saved according to God's purpose. God's purpose is to save man through Jesus.
- Jesus conquered death and brought life and immortality through the Gospel.
- The Holy Spirit was sent to continue God's purpose. The Holy Spirit calls us to God's purpose.
- The Holy Spirit calls us out of darkness into light. Darkness represents spiritual death and ignorance.
- The Holy Spirit reveals God, our sin, our need for salvation, death, judgment and eternity to us.
- The Holy Spirit shows us we cannot save ourselves. We need Jesus.
- When we see we need Jesus and believe in Him, we move from darkness to light. We see life through God's purpose.
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.