Day 1

2 Timothy 2

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel

In 2 Timothy2:8-13, we get a kind of summary of the gospel.

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel,

Paul wants Timothy to know the basics of the gospel , so he tells him to remember

Jesus Christ; raised from the dead,

descended from David,

So, whenever you go preparing a sermon or talking, or evangelizing remember there are basics that must be somewhere as part of your sermon. The first item is who is Jesus Christ.

You cannot claim to be evangelizing anybody without Jesus Christ being the center of your discussion. You know evangelism can be quite a challenge where you go evangelizing yet you spend all your time talking about football with the couple and enjoy it. You tell them I am supporter of Man U, I am a supporter of this other club, yet you went to that home to evangelize, but you are talking about everything but not Jesus Christ.

I think it is important to understand that there is no Gospel without Christ. why? Because God the father, in order to rescue us from our lostness, surrendered his own son Jesus Christ to come to earth and that”s what makes the whole difference for us.

Jesus Christ is the difference between Christianity and our traditional religion; he is the difference between Christianity and Buddhism and even with Islam. He is the difference because he is God become man. The others do not have God Himself tell them how to worship Him.

The word Jesus means savior because he came to save. We are told the name Christ means the messiah ..the anointed one sent to rescue us.

So, whenever you are talking about Jesus Christ, you are talking about, God who saves. He came to meet the need His father saw in human kind because on their own they were never going to gain reconciliation with God. So, they needed a savior and that”s why he is called Jesus.

But you must remember he is not just a savior, he is God, messiah. That”s a very important thing so that if you are talking to anybody about the gospel, they must understand who Jesus is. Jesus is God become man, the very God, the very man concurrently.

Day 2

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are’—yet he did not sin

As Jesus He came in the world, was tempted in every way, the bible tells us, yet without sin. because he is Christ, he is reminding us that he is actually God who lowered himself to the human form for the sake of saving us.

So, the crux of the gospel is Jesus Christ. You have no gospel by talking about the healing only. You are talking about the way you used to be evil now you are better but who changed you? If you do not tie up the changes in your life to the coming of Jesus Christ on earth then you haven”t preached the gospel.

So, Paul in this chapter told his protégée, eeh, if you are going to talk about the gospel then remember Jesus Christ. In other words, anyone of us who normally preaches should know Jesus Christ. When we forget him, it becomes a motivation talk. We are trying to motivate people to a certain direction. We are calling it a sermon but it is actually a motivation talk if Jesus Christ is not the Centre of whatever it is that you are actually saying.

But what is unique about Jesus?

Two things; that he was a historical figure descended from David . He is not a myth. That”s why whether you take the genealogy in the book of Mathew or the genealogy in the book of Luke; both of them establish that Jesus was man descended from king David.

Abraham was promised, David was later promised, that there would come in his lineage one who would be the eternal prince or king who he would not leave his throne of David So, it is important that when you are giving the gospel you explain the reason we believe in Jesus is actual historical figure but who had been prophesied about. He is not just historical, he was a fulfillment of prophesy. We can very easily prove whether Jesus is the prophesied one because you just go through the prophesy and check, does he fulfil those messianic prophesies. If he doesn”t then he is not the messiah.

So the reason unto why we believe Him, number is because he is prophesied and , he descended from king David. And the genealogy proves it. they draw following Mary lineage right to David, but also they draw it following joseph”s lineage right up back to David.

So, we know that Jesus Christ is not just a story, he had been prophesied and somebody the other said, the probability of somebody been the Messiah is very low because it will require many aspects that are put up in the Old Testament. But the critical one is, he must be a Jew descended from king David. You tell the one you are preaching to that why do we believe in Jesus is reasonable. Why don”t we believe in Mugo wa Kibiro among the kikuyu”s or Luanda Magere among the Luos? Because Luanda Magere just appeared, Mugo wa Kibiro just appeared; Jesus was a fulfillment of prophesy as prophesied that he will be born at the lineage of David.

You know if I wanted to send to get a car from my friend in Kisumu and I send my son to receive the car; I would have to send a message in advance so that he knows how my sons look like.

One can claim he is my son but how do you know that I am the one who sent him? But if I could text today that tomorrow, I am going to send my son with five feet three inches and he will be wearing a red coat to you, give him the car. It makes it much easier for me to identify him and therefore release the car to my long-term friend.

Similarly, most of the other religion you cannot tell whether it is true or not true, Jesus you can verify that he was actually in the lineage of king David.

So, we know his message, we believe his message because he had been prophesized. So, our friend Paul is saying the gospel must be centered on Jesus Christ who descended from David such that the first thing we must ensure is that the person we are evangelizing knows that and not just a name that popped up.

Day 3

1Corinthinas 15

14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.

Number two, Jesus is not just a human being. Paul says he was raised from the dead. See 1 Cor 15.how do we know he is God? Because you see if he came, lived and did not sin, people can say that he is just a good man. The proof of Christianity, the proof that Jesus Christ is God, is the resurrection. That”s why Paul in the book of Corinthians is saying; if you can prove that there was no resurrection then that”s the end of Christianity. So, you must let the people know as to why do they want to believe in Jesus; because he actually died and rose again.

There is a book that was written who moved the stone by Frank Morrison

Frank Morison was a pseudonym of Albert Henry Ross (1881 ‘– 1950) who was an English advertising agent and freelance writer. Mr. Ross was skeptical regarding the resurrection of Jesus, and set out to analyze the sources and to write a short paper entitled Jesus ‘– the Last Phase to demonstrate the apparent myth. In compiling his notes, he came to be convinced of the truth of the resurrection, and set out his reasoning in the book Who Moved The Stone? Many people have become Christian after reading the book, and some have used the work as a reference for more work on the subject.( https://theologue.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/whomovedthestone-frankmorison.pdf)

FRANK was trying to prove Christianity is fake BUT in trying to prove that there was no resurrection .The more he researched genuinely, the more he realized that there is enough evidence about the resurrection of Christ is a historical fact. So, he finally gave his life to the Lord; in writing the book, he says it is the book that refused to be written. He endeavors to write the book that Jesus Christ is not real but the evidence is what convicted him to receive that same Jesus Christ.

So, that”s what you need to say as you share the gospel. That he is raised from the dead. Resurrection is crucial to the preaching of the gospel.

So, proof number one he was historically very human person not a myth. Number two, he rose again from the dead to prove that he was not just human, he was also God.

Paul says, in second timothy chapter two; concludes that this is the gospel. So, I am asking you, is that the gospel that you preach? He says that he is so sure about that as the gospel such that in verse nine he says;

9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God”s word is not chained.

With that kind of gospel, I am so sure it is God that I am serving. I am so sure who Jesus Christ is that I am ready and willing to suffer to the point of being chained like a criminal. Pula says.

Paul had done nothing wrong but they had now jailed him with criminals; but he says the gospel for which I am suffering is credible and it is believable. That apostles were willing to suffer is the third proof that will help you preach the gospel. If the gospel is not true then the apostle would not have agreed to suffer, because you see they knew the man Jesus personally, they saw him live then he actually died and rose again. After that they greatly suffered. If his resurrection was not true, they could not agree to suffer.

The other day I saw somebody, trying to list how the apostles died; painful deaths, difficult deaths, how they agreed to suffer. If it were not true (although that is not in the bible,) would they have agreed?

Day 4

2 Timothy 2

9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God”s word is not chained.

So, you need to understand that as you are preaching the gospel, you need to let the person know, that the disciples were the writers of the New Testament and believed the gospel seriously. They were willing and suffered for the gospel. Now if you are the kind of a person who believes in Christ but a little suffering will make you change your mind, you don”t know the real Christ. You are confronted, I will kill you, unless you denounce your faith, you say sorry I don”t believe it? Then you don”t believe in who Jesus is. When you believe in who Jesus is then you know he resurrected so, even if the torturer kills you, you will be dead yes but that”s your body; you, yourself will be in the presence of the Lord. Paul says the moment you are dead; you will be present with God as the body is left here.

Jesus will be the first one to receive you, the very same way he receives the first martyr Stephen when they threw stones on him.

So, the first thing why we believe in the gospel is it comes from Jesus Christ. Jesus the savior, Christ the Messiah. The second thing is this Jesus was actually prophesied and was a fulfillment of prophesy, thirdly he resurrected, and fourthly that the apostles who lived at that time were so sure that he was not a charlatan, a liar that they were willing to suffer for what they believed. Paul says gospel for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. Then after that he says let”s be clear even if I am chained, the gospel is not; God”s word is not chained it will move on.

And by the way elsewhere he says, the reason why he was jailed was so that the Gospel could get right into the palace, so he is able to stay inside the cell and witness. Because of the cells he was able to preach to the people in the palace. Remember, those days you were chained to soldiers, eight hours each. If there were two of them, you would speak to speak to six soldiers in a day as they change duty. So, he saw imprisonment as his not of the word of God, for the word of God can still progress, the gospel will move on because God”s word is not chained.

So, he concludes in verse ten that

10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

In other words, the next reason why I am ready to suffer for the gospel is because there are people intended for God”s kingdom he is calling them the elect. They have not yet heard the gospel. Jesus in the book of John puts it differently,

16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd

Jesus is saying I have other sheep that are not in yet. He is sending the sheep that have already become his, to bring the sheep that have not become his.

So, Paul is saying that, once you believe in the gospel, you will not keep it to yourself. You will even suffer for the sake of those who are intended for the kingdom of God. The elect that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. That salvation is good. It is salvation that is in Christ Jesus that will give your eternal glory.

You get saved here but salvation is with you for eternity; it gives you an assurance about life after death. What is on offer, where people are today, but also where people can be in future. Paul is willing to do anything and everything to ensure everybody hears the gospel because they are elect for that purpose.

Are you satisfied that you are saved and going to heaven? If you don”t care about your relatives who are tied up in ancestral worship, afraid of the spirit of the ancestors and the demonic power and they are living under that fear I doubt you are saved. Don”t you know what Hebrews chapter two verse fifteen is saying;

‘€¦.. 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death..

That”s what the gospel is all about. Christ rescues us from those spiritual fears of the demonic world because now we are under Christ. That”s why Paul is willing to suffer.So look for ways and means of sharing the gospel to others;

Day 5

2 Timothy 2

11 Here is a trustworthy saying:If we died with him, we will also live with him;

So, the centrality of the gospel is that whether we preach it or we don”t preach it, the gospel remains true .He says for example if we died with him, we will also live with him. If your suffering leads you to death, don”t worry he also died and rose again so you will live with him. So, death should not make you give up on your Christian Walk. Also suffering or loss of jobs, or whatever it is that you are suffering because you are a Christian.

Paul says no, if we died with him, if you are being a Christian causes you to be killed, then you will also live with him. He also says you, you are going through a very difficult time because of your Christian walk; he is saying that you will also reign with him. There is a time when the Christians will rule; that”s what the book of revelation is telling us. It is promising us that. It is also prophesied in the book of Isaiah. Some people call it the millennium.

And we are learning that for now the world is not under Christ that”s why we are seeking to win people to Christ but a day is coming when those of us who have endured the suffering of the world and of the devil will reign with Christ.

That”s the promise of the gospel. Once you have committed yourself to the gospel you don”t fear death number one. Number two you are able to endure whatever the challenges you face, because you know a time will come when you will reign with him.

However, if we chose to disown the lord, if we chose to no longer walk with the lord, you will not reign. Words we normally use is if you choose to back slide, you forfeit the chance. That”s a choice you normally make. The bible is telling us that Christ will also disown us.

In other words, he cannot force you to walk with him, so it is a choice you make. There will be consequences in the choice that you make, but there is a choice he does not force you. There is nobody who will go to heaven by force.

If you disown Christ, then obviously heaven is not your destination, he will also disown you. You know in the book of Matthew we are told ‘€¦you will say but I preached in your name, I healed the sick in your name and they will be told go I never knew you. It is very complicated to imagine that somebody who healed the sick in His name, or somebody who did miracles in Christ”s name, Christ says he never knew him. That”s why we need to assess ourselves.Don”t just look at what we are seeing in the outside: have you surrendered yourself in totality? In your heart have you surrendered to the control of the master or do you disown Christ in certain aspects yet pledge your allegiance to him in certain other aspects.

Christ wants all of you or none of you;

If you disown him at all, he will also disown you. I think that”s a very important thing for you to consider: in what ways do we disown him? I can think if several ways; number one whenever we sin. We know it is wrong to sin yet we sin, we are disowning him because we are saying we don”t accept him as our lord.

Because if he is Lord then we should be doing what is right, we should be walking in righteousness.So whenever you sin, you disown him. Paul elsewhere says when you sin it is like you are putting the son of God back to the cross, it is like you are putting those nails again in his hands. When a Christian sins, he is disowning his savoir and that can be terrible. Of course, a non-Christian sins, but it is not the same when a Christian sins. So, whenever you sin you are actually disowning your savior.

Day 6

2 Timothy 2

12 if we endure, we will also reign with him.If we disown him, he will also disown us;

But number two, you disown when you do not preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. People start mistaking you for being good they say, eeei that guy is good. You are getting the glory rather than Christ. If they knew it is Christ ruling in your heart then they will know it is not that you are a good man, it is Christ that helps you so the Glory will go to God.

So, whenever you do not want to associate yourself with the savior, you are actually disowning him because you are getting the glory rather than him and here it is not that you have sinned, you have not done any sin, you simply do not want to ‘”publicise'”. You argue somebody say they will know from my works. Me I don”t go talking about being saved they will know from my works. How will they know, they can see that you are a good man, they can see that you are doing good things but even people who are not Christians do good things.

By not pronouncing or owning up that Christ is the one who leads you, you are disowning him and he is saying that I will also disown you.

Thirdly, whenever you are not in fellowship with his people. Like the people, we had been saying who do not want to be associated with Paul because he is in prison. You are disowning the savior whom those people are serving and are suffering because of that savior. If we don”t want to be associated with them, then we are disowning the savior.

Paul is saying in 2Timothy 2:12 that if we disown Christ, then he will also disown us;

then in verse thirteen he says,

13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself

If we are faithless, we no longer walk by faith, we walk by sight. Faithless means you don”t walk on the basis of your faith in God, you don”t walk on the basis of his promises. To you it is what you can feel like doing. You don”t walk by faith. If we are faithless, remember he remains faithful for he cannot disown himself. He will remain Christ the savior, he will remain he that came to earth to save us, to change us, to help us. He will remain God the son; he will not change.But then our lack of faith will mean that there are certain things we would have gotten because of our lack of faith in him.

Faithlessness means walking by sight which means, you don”t believe in God”s promises so he is saying if that”s your choice to be faithless, not to trust God, he himself will remain faithful he will not change.

Day 7

2 Timothy 2

13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

But what does it really mean to be faithless? It means you hear that Jesus can heal,but you don”t trust him. There is a man in the Old Testament who was condemned because when he got sick, he went to the doctors without praying. In other words, you don”t believe that God comes to do this, for you have a medical cover. I will just go to see a doctor. God wants you trust him and to know that though doctors can treat, only God can heal. So, even if you are going to see the doctors you will not get any help if you don”t trust in God.

So, faithless means you don”t see the value of prayer, number two faithless means you don”t see the value of his promises.

Number three faithless means you don”t walk in step with the Lord. It is when you put your trust in God that means you have faith in him. People will be suffering because of the circumstances around them, you even when the circumstances are terrible you will trust God is able to control you.

That”s what gives us contentment, the knowledge that the situation maybe terrible, it looks like out of control but because Christ is the Lord of your life, he is able to control it. You remember the disciples in a boat that was sinking, being shaken by the winds and they feared that they were going to sink, all they needed was to call on Christ and he says peace, and there was peace. That”s what being faithful means, trusting God even in the midst of chaotic situation. That he is going to help you so you have peace, although you have no reason to have the peace except that you have trusted in God.

That is what to mean that you have faith. and that is in a nutshell, is what the gospel is all about. The gospel is about Jesus Christ, the gospel is about Jesus the son of David, the gospel is about the resurrection from the death of Christ, the gospel is about the willingness of the apostles to suffer because they believed the gospel to be true and therefore, I endure everything. May that help us to be willing to face anything and everything because we have put our trust in God.