Entrusted

2 Tim 2:1-2 says "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."

It would be fascinating to have the time to trace back how the gospel came to you, not just directly but right back to Acts and the Apostles. To see how people like Paul entrusted the gospel to reliable people like Timothy, Titus and others, how they then in turn entrusted that gospel to the next generation of leaders, who taught it faithfullya nd entrusted it to others who.... No doubt sometimes a line of trust went cold but then just like with King Josiah God stirred someone after reading his word. It would be an amazing opportunity to be struck afresh by the sovereignty and grace of God to us.

To be entrusted with something is a serious privilege. You don't entrust someone with something that is of no account, you only entrust someone with something that is valuable that is precious, and what could be more precious than THE means of salvation and redeeming the world for the purpose God intended it?

Paul's challenge to Timothy is not a one off, we are meant to be involved in the same process of entrusting the gospel to the next generation who will be able in turn to teach and entrust it to others. Is this something that I have taken seriously? That our churches take seriously? It involves planning long term, for succession not stop gaps. But it is a natural result of realising the precious nature of the gospel that is entrusted to us. Who am I entrusting the gospel to?