As VPC reaches 32nd Years
[2 Timothy 1:3-8]
As VPC reaches 32nd years, I would like to challenge all of you in three ways based on today’s passage 2 Timothy 1:3-8:
First, we must serve God with a clear conscience.
Look at the today’s passage 2 Timothy 1:3 – “I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.” Apostle Paul served God with the clear conscience. This is what he said in Acts 23:1 - “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” As Paul was serving God with his clear conscience, night and day he constantly remembered his spiritual son Timothy in his prayers. What do you think Paul was praying for? For sure, he was praying for Timothy to serve God with the good conscience. That’s why in 1 Timothy 1:3-5, Paul said that he urged Timothy to love that comes from “a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us serve God with the clear conscience like Apostle Paul and Timothy. In order to do so, let us pray to God and ask Him to give us the clear conscience. As a result, someday may we be able to confess as Paul did – “I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day”(Acts 23;1).
Second, we must strive for sincere faith.
Look at the today’s passage 2 Timothy 1:5 - I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” Timothy has sincere faith. Like his mother Eunice and like his grandmother Lois, Timothy had sincere faith. What a precious man of faith. As his name means “honoring God”, Timothy honored God with his sincere faith. He was a true disciple of Jesus Christ. The true disciple has sincere faith. What is “sincere faith”? Sincere faith is faithful faith. He who has sincere faith firmly believes that God who is faithful fulfills what He has promised to him no matter what. Also, sincere faith has no hypocrisy. He who has sincere faith does not pretend to have faith. He actually has living faith. He doesn’t just say “Amen, Amen” with his lips when his heart does not believe in God. He who has sincere faith truly believes in God and obey His commands. Timothy’s faith was a fake one. It was true faith. It was living faith. A good example of this faith is Abraham. He hoped against all hope (Rom. 4:18). Moreover, sincere faith of Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God in the midst of an impossible situation for his wife to have a baby. Without weakening his faith, he was fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised (vv.19-20).
Last, we must be willing to suffer for the gospel.
Look at the today’s passage 2 Timothy 1:8 - “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God). We must proclaim the gospel. That’s why the Lord appointed as His servants (v.11). And we must be willing to suffering with His gospel by the power of God(v.8). When we are suffering for the sake of the gospel, we don’t need to be ashamed (v.12). Why is that? It is because we know whom we have believed and are convinced that the Lord is able to guard what we have entrusted to Him for that day (v.12). It is my hope and prayer that as we celebrate VPC’s 32nd anniversary, may we all able to commit ourselves in suffering for the gospel. It is my hope and prayer that knowing that we are appointed as his servants to proclaim the gospel, we suffer with this gospel and boldly proclaim the gospel to this world so that we may expand the kingdom of God.
Trusting that the Lord who promises to build His church will fulfill it no matter what,
James Kim
(July 1, 2012, with thanksgiving in my heart)