The Point: We must guard the Gospel diligently.

"14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you." -2 Timothy 1:14

1) Preserve It

"13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me," -2 Timothy 1:13a

"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve." -1 Corinthians 15:1-5

"16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." -Romans 1:16

2) Christlike Character

"13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." -2 Timothy 1:13

"19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good." -1 Peter 4:19

"15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ," -Ephesians 4:15

"When we defend God’s Word in a self-righteous, unloving spirit, the resulting controversy and opposition are not cause wholly by the offense of the truth itself but also by the offensiveness and unspiritual way in which we proclaim it." -John MacArthur

"14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil." -1 Peter 3:14-17

3) The Power of the Holy Spirit

"14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you." -2 Timothy 1:14

"We may see the evangelical faith, the faith of the gospel, everywhere spoken against, and the apostolic message of the New Testament ridiculed. We may have to watch an increasing apostasy in the church, as our generation abandons the faith of its fathers. Do not be afraid! God will never allow the light of the gospel to be finally extinguished. True, he has committed it to us, frail and fallible creatures. He has placed his treasure in brittle, earthenware vessels. And we must play our part in guarding and defending the truth. Nevertheless, in entrusting the deposit to our hands, he has not taken his own hands off it." -John Stott

"11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." -Luke 12:11-12

4) Being an Everyday Friend

"15 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus." -2 Timothy 1:15-18