The sermon below is from a mentor of mine (whether he wants to be or not! LOL), Dr. Voddie Baucham. His text:
2 Timothy 1:8 ESV 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,
Dr. Baucham is currently on his way to Africa to serve as a seminary dean. I'd urge you to consider supporting this good work!
This sermon was his last as an elder in his current church. It is a poignant and powerful word, where the believer is exhorted to give his or her life for the sake of the Gospel, in love and joy.
Some of the things he said in this message were revelatory to me: "If you are in this for the people, you are done." It must be for the Gospel...
Please listen HERE. Listen to the WHOLE thing! I NEEDED THIS.
Now, this post isn't meant to in any way exalt Voddie. He'd absolutely hate that. All honor is to Christ. All glory belongs to Jesus. All credit is to the Son of God alone.
I'm just saying the brother has truly, truly, truly blessed me and our Church, and I praise God for that. By Christ's merciful grace, and for Christ's glory alone, from Voddie I learned so much more...
- About the Gospel...about the sacrifice of Christ...as our only hope
- About biblical manhood, and frankly in a way I'd never seen before
- About the biblical pattern of age-integrated worship
- About preaching with a higher degree of fidelity to Scripture
- About parenting and being a good husband
- About discipling children and using good tools like catechism
- About what it means to be lovingly BOLD in the pulpit
- About the blessings of adopting children
- About the biblical education of children
- About biblical womanhood
- About loving and serving all races in doctrinal soundness and love
- About the need to study and being a continual learner
Again, praises and honor to Jesus alone!!
During this sermon, he also quotes one of my life passages:
2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: (2) preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (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, (4) and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (5) As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Amen.
Hey VB...thanks man. Thanks for suffering for Christ's Gospel. Thanks for continuing to serve our LORD. Thanks for the perspective on pain and disappointment for the sake of the Gospel in this sermon...by the power of God. Water for my soul sir.
Love you man and praying for you in Africa.
In Christ Jesus,
CCM
