Are You Suffering? God Is Not Bound

Excerpt from John Piper:  He Cannot Deny Himself

(Based on 2 Timothy 2:8-19)

Five Foundations for Your Life

And now in verses 8-19 Paul gives five foundations for this kind of confidence and courage in ministry — and in your life! So the way I think you should listen to this message is by asking: are there foundation stones of truth that I should build into the bottom of my life to help me stand in the face of suffering? And to keep me going in what God has called me to do, even if it is embattled? And you will see in the last part of this text how painfully embattled Timothy’s ministry was.

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Foundation Stone #2

Verse 9: Paul says that this is the gospel “for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!”

Paul pulls no punches here. He doesn’t whitewash what Timothy may have to endure. He says, Look, we both serve the same gospel. And here is what it has cost me. Three things. I am suffering. In other words, it hurts. Second, I am in chains. Not just in a cell, but in chains. Third, I am accused of being a criminal — a evildoer. In other words, my suffering is not viewed as honorable or noble. I am accused publicly of being evil. That, Timothy, is what you may have to endure.

And then he gives the foundation for Timothy’s courage and confidence (at the end of verse 9): “The word of God is not bound!” I am bound. But the word of God is not bound. Timothy, if you ever have to sit in prison; if you ever feel beaten down and alone, and wonder if the cause you lived for was being defeated, remember, the word of God is not bound. The enemies of the gospel can imprison the preachers of the gospel. But they cannot imprison the gospel.

In fact, even the imprisonment of the preachers serves the advance of the gospel. “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. . . . Most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Philippians 1:12–14).

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. He is alive. And he is king. And he cannot be stopped. He promised, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world” (Matthew 24:14).

So foundation stone #2 is that chains or no chains the word of God is not bound. And it cannot be defeated but only advanced by the suffering of his servants.