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2 Timothy 2:1 – 3:7. Risking all for the sake of the gospel. Lord keep me safe this night Secure from all my fears May angels guard me while I sleep Till morning light appears. Gentle Jesus meek and mild Look upon a little child Pity my simplicity Suffer me to come to thee. C.S. Lewis
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2 Timothy 2:1 – 3:7 Risking all for the sake of the gospel
Lord keep me safe this night Secure from all my fears May angels guard me while I sleep Till morning light appears Gentle Jesus meek and mild Look upon a little child Pity my simplicity Suffer me to come to thee
C.S. Lewis The lion, the witch and the wardrobe Is he safe? No-one said he is safe, but he is good
We live in a safety-mad world Health and safety at work and church This thinking has crept into the church Avoid stress, “burn out”, danger, offence Christian counseling, psychology, psychiatry Top priority is to “look after yourself” Want to redress the balance
Historical perspective For most of the history of the church, being a Christian has been unsafe Being a missionary, even today is unsafe The Bible continually talks about how to deal with opposition, persecution and suffering
Challenge If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Following Jesus wasn’t safe Calling the disciples Jesus clears the temple (John 2) Sending out the 12 (Mark 6) Sending out the 72 Jesus sent his disciples into a storm Jesus called us to take up our cross Count the cost Rich young ruler
Following God in Old Testament times wasn’t safe Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph Moses Ruth David Joab and Abishai Esther Daniel Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
It was no safer in the early church Peter and John before the Sanhedrin Stephen Paul
Risking everything for God God can’t take risks because he knows and is in control of everything We do not have perfect knowledge or control so we can Eternal perspective Obedience Which is the greater risk: living your own way or living God’s way? Safety is a mirage – a lie Pascal’s wager
So what? The greatest risk is not trusting Jesus as saviour The thought of a life without risk is a deception Are we willing to risk everything to gain an eternal reward