II Timothy 1: 8-14
(8) Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the Gospel according to the power of God,
Paul doesn't want Timothy to feel bad about his imprisonment. He wants Timothy to visit him if he can, and see the conditions he is in, to commiserate with him but also to rejoice with him in what God is doing.
(9) who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
God has chosen us before He even made the world. So it doesn't depend on anything we do or don't do, it's God's choice. He sent His Son, our Lord Jesus, to do all the work for us and redeem us into His own family. This is given to us as a free gift, that we could never earn or deserve.
(10) but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel,
This plan of God was manifested by Jesus' first coming. The word for appearing here is often used for His second coming, but here refers to the first, when He came to pay our debt and conquer death, to bring us eternal, spiritual life through the Good News that He has finished that work for us.
(11) for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.
Paul has been given to be able to preach, and to lay the groundwork for the church, and to teach Christians how to live as royal family members of the King.
(12) For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed;
Paul is not shamed by the disrespect and mishandling as a prisoner, because he knows that it is because of what he has believed and lived out and taught others.
for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that Day.
What Paul has entrusted is what has been left with a trusted associate to keep while the person is away on a trip, that he expects to retrieve upon his return. Like putting your stuff in storage, you expect it to be there when you go for it.
Paul has entrusted Christ Jesus with his salvation and redemption, and he knows that He is totally trustworthy to keep it safe until the Day of His return.
(13) Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
Timothy, and all of us, are to hold on to the high standard of the sound words of Scripture, which Paul taught him, believing them and applying them in our lives and relationships, loving others as Christ Jesus has loved us.
(14) Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
Now Paul asks Timothy to keep safe the valuable treasure that he holds, that Paul expects him to share and teach, to promote the Kingdom of God. He is to remain faithful to the truth he has learned through the Holy Spirit who dwells in every Christian.
Paul is nearing death. He is aware that he will not be travelling any more to share the Gospel, and he is leaving Timothy with his treasure: the sound doctrine, the revelation of Christ Jesus in all its fullness.
O my Father, You are so good to give us Paul and Moses and Abraham and David. Thank You for Joseph and Isaac and Jacob. Thank You for Isaiah and Jeremiah and Zechariah. Thank You so much, dear Father, for all the kings and prophets and people whose stories teach us Your lessons, and what to expect to come.
Thank you, my Father, for all the blessings You have given to all of us, in this world, but especially in Your Son, our Lord God, Christ Jesus our King.
O Father, You have loved us so much that You planned from the beginning, before You did anything to make it so, for Your Son to be our Lord God to prepare us for His first appearing to be our Savior and Redeemer; and to prepare us today for His second, Glorious Appearing, to call us out to Himself.
Then we will reign with Him over this very Earth for the thousand years of our Golden Age, before it explodes and the Universe implodes, and You will bring about a New Heaven (Universe) and a New Earth(-like Planet) upon which Your Heaven will descend to live with us and us with You forever as Your Family!
My Father, You have planned it all out ahead of Time itself. Then You have sent Your Son to do the work, to rule and reign, and to prepare us for the glorious future You have decided to give us!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will sing Your glory, proclaiming that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
