Sensible #3 - 2 Tim 1:8b-12 - Gospel in a nut shell

But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, ⁹who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. ¹²That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Take a look at verse 9 - if you were looking for the gospel in the nutshell ...here it is 

God has saved us and has called us to a holy life ... not because of anything we have done but simply because of who he is ... which is truly amazing ... free grace ...on offer

What has Jesus done, he has destroyed death and brought us eternal life ... That's it, that's what we are proclaiming, that is what we are called to proclaim, to teach and to live out. 

But it is also costly grace in the sense that it cost Jesus his life, it costs us our lives in the form of our total surrender of our wills to his but the irony is that the thing that we give up, we also gain because the life which he promises is life in all its fullness. 

Why bother about ministry at all ...??

see what paul says in verse 12 I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 

I am not ashamed, why? because I know whom I believed... Absolutely ... the Jesus in the gospels, the God of the covenant is the same God... he is a faithful God who knit me together and who has a plan for my day... he's the one who I worship, he's the one who has promised eternal life for me, he's the one who I can trust through the darkest hour and the brightest day ... he is the one! 

I am not ashamed and pray that I never will be ashamed of him or the good news to which I am called to proclaim. 

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This posting is part of a series of Bible Readings which I am doing on the run up to ordination in the church of ireland. They are my own personal ramblings.