“Don’t be Ashamed!”
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Welcome Everyone:
Announcements:
-Next week grill out.
-Not meeting for Monday the 27th due to Memorial Day.
Open in Prayer:
Read the Text:
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
As we get into our text this evening, one of the first words that jump out to us in verse 8 is THEREFORE. Men anytime you see a therefore in Scripture we must ask what is it there for? Why is it here??? The word therefore in verse 8 directs us back to what we looked at in verses 5-7. Paul helps us to see that Timothy’s faith is real and genuine, and part of his spiritual gifts are power and love and being self-controlled. Because of these things that we know to be true of Timothy he has no reason to be ashamed.
Paul gives 2 specifics in what he is addressing here.
1. First, of all Timothy don’t be ashamed of the testimony of Christ. This was a continual call to share the good news of Christ even in the face of opposition. Paul understood what this was all about and would not ask Timothy to do anything that he was not willing himself to do. Paul wrote about this in Romans.
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.
Paul lays out here the object of shame is the testimony of our Lord. There are many people today who are ashamed to tell their friends, family and co-workers about Jesus. Sometimes people are afraid or ashamed to tell others about Jesus because they might be made fun of or someone will get angry or even persecution may come as it did with Paul. There are many reasons this could happen.
*It is important to note here that suffering for Jesus and His gospel does not mean that someone is suffering because of sin in their lives. Sometimes people will suffer consequences because of their sin like a murderer, a thief, a drunkard, a liar. This is not speaking of that..
14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.
The point here men is that when we live godly lives, before others like family and friends, we can expect those who don’t know Christ to be hostile toward us. When we confront their sin and tell them about Christ, we may and can experience hostility and suffering. The message that we are telling others is foolishness in the world’s eyes.
2. The Second specific area that Paul mentions here is that he does not want Timothy to be ashamed of Paul the prisoner. Paul was constantly dealing with opposition. Paul was currently imprisoned in Rome as Paul is writing this letter. So, Paul is calling upon Timothy not to be ashamed of his friend, but to share in this suffering of the gospel. Why? Because it is the power of God for salvation.
Here we are reminded of what Christ himself said about not being ashamed.
38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Men are we ashamed of the gospel? Ask the Lord to forgive you if so and ask him for boldness as you tell others about Christ.
The interesting thing here is that Paul does not see himself as a prisoner of Rome or to the Roman authorities. Paul often speaks that he is in chains for Christ. Paul was a prisoner of Christ.
1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—
1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved fellow worker
So, Paul was not suffering as a criminal as others were, but was a messenger of the good news of Jesus. And for that we are so grateful.
We now come to the back half of verse 8. Here we see what Paul is doing to encourage Timothy even though these instructions are difficult. Paul tells Timothy, “to share in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” Rather than being shameful of the gospel, Paul tells Timothy to embrace the good news of Jesus and if so suffer with others for its sake. It is important here for us to see that Timothy can not do this on his own, or even through his own strength. The only way for Timothy to remain faithful and persevere through hostility and suffering is by the power of God. Paul is telling Timothy here that when we get serious about the gospel suffering will come. However, the Lord through his spirit will give us the strength to endure. Paul does not give us or speak about the why of suffering until we come to chapter 4 and verse 12 where he tells us that everyone who desires to live a godly life will be persecuted. When we tell others about Christ we can expect conflict in this world. Look at the disciples, look at the early church fathers. Look at the French Huguenots. Look at Luther, Calvin, Wycliffe, Huss, and Tyndale. Men, this should cause us to stop and pray for those who are facing persecution today. Pray for missionaries around this world, pray that God would help us to be bold for Him.
Let us now look to verse 9.
9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
We now come to the Sovereign call of God on Timothy’s life based on God’s purpose and grace. And this salvation give to Timothy was made available through Christ’s atonement. This verse here is a study of soteriology, or the doctrine of salvation. The truths behind this doctrine should cause us as believers to be faithful and courageous like Paul and Timothy and to live for Christ. There are several specific areas we need to address here.
1. The first thing that we come to here is that God has powerfully saved us. This doctrine has always been tough for some because it helps us to see that God sovereignly designed salvation. This power here of God that Paul speaks of especially in salvation helps us to see that man could not do this for himself. Because Christ loved his own, He initiates salvation, He sustains salvation and He completes salvation. Jesus has forgiven us, justified us, sanctified us and saves us from death and hell. This God who will give Timothy the power to suffer for the gospel is the very God who has been able to save Timothy and empower him as he lives out his calling.
2. The second area that we need to look at is the God who has saved us has called us with or to a holy calling. This idea of calling is an effectual calling and a fundamental doctrine for Paul. It helps us to see that there is a belief in God’s prior election based only on God’s desire and His grace, totally apart from our human works. Understanding these truths should cause us as believers to live a holy and pleasing life to God. Here is how Paul explains this in chapter 2.
19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
Almost every time that we see mention of a calling this refers to a divine calling. So, God is calling us as believers through Christ to turn from our sin and live for Him.
Paul explains this better than anyone else in Romans chapter 8 of God’s calling.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
This passage is often referred to as the “Golden Chain.” It is golden because it shows us that salvation and our calling is not because of our works but because of God’s own purpose and grace. If salvation was based on our works than it could never be guaranteed. But we know that it is for certain as we see in John chapter 6 and verse 37.
There are many examples in Scripture of how God called. God called or chose Jacob over Esau even before he was born. Paul himself was called by God. As believers we are called. The nation of Israel was called and chosen by God.
3. Finally, Paul mentions here, “which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” Paul uses this phrase to help us understand the Lord’s role in Timothy’s salvation. Paul writes about this thing in Ephesians chapter 1.
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
Men whether we like it or not what we come to see here is that our destiny was determined and sealed before the world began. Because we now belong to Jesus, we can be forever thankful and praise God for the salvation that He has given to us.
Here are the words of Christ in His High Priestly prayer from John chapter 17.
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Now you may have a lot of questions here so let me finish verse 10 and then we will address any questions you may have concerning verse 9 as well as verse 10.
10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
So, God’s divine plan from all eternity has now come about and has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. Is this speaking of the Lord’s second coming or His first coming??? Most often in the New Testament when we see this Greek word (epiphaneia) appearing it would refer to the Lord’s second coming, but here it most certainly refers to Christ’s first coming when he died and rose again and abolished death.
Notice the word abolish here. Abolish means to render inoperative. Clearly, Paul does not mean that there is no longer death for believers or that we can escape from it. However, once we come to know Christ and He changes our lives death is no longer the enemy, death is not the end, because we know that we will be with Christ for all of eternity. Listen to these encouraging words that Paul tells us about death which he takes from Isaiah and Hosea.
54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The death Paul is speaking of here is a spiritual death, which is an eternal separation form God. The sting of death is gone because of what Christ has done for us. Timothy can be encouraged to suffer for the gospel because one day the Lord will swallow up death forever. As God’s children we can live life knowing that because of Christ’s work, we as believers have the assurance of eternal life.
More than just abolishing death, at the Lord’s appearance He brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. What this means is that it was not until Jesus the Son of God became Incarnate, which means that He was fully God and fully man, that God chose to reveal the full truth about eternal life. Bringing to light here means that God made it known to us. As Timothy has been called to share in suffering for the gospel we understand that this is because of the saving grace of God through the life and death of Christ.
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