2 Timothy 1:8-18 - Unashamed
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction:
On April 20, 1999, something incredibly terrible happened. For those of us who are old enough to remember, all eyes were glued to the news stations that were reporting on the worst school shooting in US history at the time. Two 12th grade students killed 13 other students along with a teacher. 23 others were injured in the massacre.
In the midst of such a dark day, there was a light seen, however.
Early reports from this terrible tragedy mentioned a young lady named Rachel Scott who was the first of those killed in this horrific event. A movie, released in 2016, entitled I Am Not Ashamed detailed her encounter with one of the assailants who shot her and then asked her if she still believed in God. Unashamedly, she answered that she did and the shooter told her to go and be with him.
Today’s message is all about being unashamed of the Gospel. Paul is a prisoner in Rome awaiting his own martyrdom as he writes to his spiritual son in the faith, Timothy, the encouraging letter that we are going through.
As we go through the message today, I want you to consider your own faith and reflect on whether you are unashamed of Christ and His Gospel.
Let’s jump into our Scripture today…
Read Full Scripture:
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, 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,
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, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 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.
Prayer
Today we will see four ways that we are to guard the good deposit of the Gospel. The first is…
I. We Are Called to Guard the Gospel with Fortitude (8)
I. We Are Called to Guard the Gospel with Fortitude (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,
The definition of fortitude is to have the strength of mind to endure pain or adversity with courage. Paul was certainly enduring his suffering with fortitude. And he encouraged Timothy and even us today to do the same.
Why would one be ashamed of the Gospel?
We know that the Gospel is considered foolishness in the eyes of the world (1 Corinthians 1:23). If we look at the Gospel from the world’s point of view - Jesus ended up being crucified. His own people rejected Him. The earliest disciples were nobodies. As we mentioned a few weeks ago - the first to see the empty tomb were women who didn’t even have the authority to testify in the court system of their time. And Jesus even told His followers that they would be persecuted which was actually to be considered a blessing (Matthew 5:10-12)!
However, Paul reminds Timothy of why he should not be ashamed by starting this sentence off with the word therefore.
This word refers back to what we discussed last week. In light of the prophets of old, in light of Timothy’s sincere faith and the faithful heritage of his mother and grandmother, in light of the spiritual gift that had been imparted to Timothy, and finally - in light of the Holy Spirit’s power imparted to Timothy - there was no reason to be ashamed of the Gospel.
Timothy could stand firm with fortitude because of the truth of the Gospel.
Brothers and sisters - Are you ashamed of the Gospel?
Are you ashamed of Jesus? So many people are apologetic about the exclusivity of the Gospel. The way just seems to narrow. They seek to try to open up the door wider to seem more inclusive. They begin to compromise on Biblical teachings about sin.
Others start to compromise by denying the inerrancy of the Scriptures. They start to deny the truth of the Bible.
I'm sure that most, if not all of us, here today would deny being ashamed of the Gospel.
But I'm afraid that many believers today live functionally ashamed the Gospel by never sharing it with others.
By not obeying the Great Commission and sharing the Gospel with others, you are living ashamed of the Gospel. If you are living functionally ashamed of the Gospel, repent today and change that by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Because Jesus has a hard word for those who claim Him and yet live ashamed of Him…
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Live unashamedly for Christ. Be willing to share in the sufferings of Christ and His saints by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t believe the lies of those compromising the Gospel through false theologies such as the prosperity or health and wellness false gospels. Believe and hold fast to the true Gospel of Jesus of Christ.
Theologian William Mounce stated the following:
“Any teaching that denies the necessity of suffering is in direct opposition to Paul’s gospel, which embraces suffering as a necessary part of the Christian experience.”
William Mounce
Following Christ requires courage and fortitude. And it also requires…
Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 1:23, Matthew 5:10-12, Luke 9:26
II. We Are Called to Guard the Gospel with Fierceness (9-12a)
II. We Are Called to Guard the Gospel with Fierceness (9-12a)
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, 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,
Paul now goes on to speak of the Gospel in its entirety. Timothy, at the time, was pastoring in Ephesus. The letter of Ephesians had actually been written around 4 years prior to this letter and so the theology taught in that letter would have been well known by Timothy and the others in Ephesus.
We see multiple references to the theology in that letter in these couple of verses. First, we see that…
1 - We have been saved and called to a holy calling (Ephesians 1:4).
God has set apart those who are His. We are to be holy and blameless.
We are saved from sin and unto holiness.
We who are saved followers of Christ will continue becoming more holy through the process of sanctification. This process which involves our effort along with the Holy Spirit working in us and through us continues to conform us into the image of Christ. This work will be fully completed in eternity as seen in 1 John 3:2. We shall one day be like Him.
2 - We are saved by grace through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
What better message is there than the cross of Christ? We are not saved by our works but instead saved by God's purpose and grace. This is a foundational understanding of the Gospel. We bring nothing to the table. Jesus paid the entire price for our salvation. The payment for our sins was fully paid on the cross.
Next we see that…
3 - Our salvation has been assured since before the ages began (Ephesians 1:3-7).
This phrase literally means before times eternal. Paul states in the opening verses of Ephesians (1:3-7) that before the foundation of the world, God chose us. This is a difficult theology for many people.
Trying to understand this concept of predestination has split churches and caused much discussion and argumentation. However, we see that He purposed us to be saved before the ages began.
Yet, this news is such beautiful news for us who are in Christ. He chased us down and saved us. Again - not because of our works or any intrinsic worth in us - but because of His great mercy and love.
There are entire books that have been written to try to explain God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. I don’t pretend that I can give you a satisfactory answer in one subpoint of a sermon.
But at CrossPointe, we believe firmly in the sovereignty of God. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and transcendent. Nothing negates His sovereignty.
Yet, we firmly believe in man’s responsibility as well. And we believe in the offer of salvation to all – knowing that only those predestined to come will come.
How God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility works is a mystery to us. And as such, we should focus on what God has clearly revealed in the Scriptures instead of postulating on how to completely understand the mind of God. For as Romans 11:34 asserts - who has known the mind of the Lord?
We must hold both in tension as two clear truths.
Next we see…
4 - The manifestation of the Gospel through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:9).
To manifest something means to reveal it and make it known.
We have talked many times about how the whole Old Testament pointed to Jesus Christ and his fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament. There were many fuzzy pictures pointing to salvation. All of the foreshadowings of the Old Testament that pointed to Jesus Christ, found their fulfillment in Him. However, until Jesus came, the picture of salvation remained a mystery.
Jesus Christ revealed the mystery of salvation through the cross. Through His life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension He revealed the plan of God for mankind. Salvation was offered through the blood of Jesus Christ.
And through this sacrifice, we come to our final parallel of Ephesians…
5- Christ has provided life and immortality through the Gospel (Ephesians 2:6).
Jesus did not only reveal the Gospel - He empowers it. Through Christ we have life and immortality with Jesus in heaven for all eternity. Those who repent of their sins and place their faith and trust in Jesus alone for salvation have the promise of eternal life with Him forever.
Christ has abolished death - meaning that he has rendered it inoperative. Although we will face the first death - the death of our bodies - the sting of death has been removed. As believers we have the promise of eternity in heaven with Christ.
I heard this beautiful illustration from a pastor regarding the sting of death being removed.
A dad was in the car with his son when a bee flew into the vehicle. As the bee was buzzing around the son was extremely frightened because he had a severe bee sting allergy. The father reached out and took the bee in his hand and then suddenly let it go. The son, seeing the bee again became frightened again.
The father looked at his son and told him not to be afraid. He showed his son his hand with the stinger left in his palm and assured the son that he had taken the sting for him. There was no need to fear the bee that buzzed around. The sting had been removed.
That is what Christ did for us on the cross. He took the sting of death in our place. We need not fear death because we know the sting of death has been removed. As believers, once we depart from this tent of a body, we will be with Christ forevermore.
Praise God for this wonderful truth!
Moving forward we see Paul’s fierceness for this Gospel that he has just explained come out clearly.
for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do.
Paul talks about his own purpose. He was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher.
As a preacher, he was to preach the Gospel with authority and conviction. This title speaks of his ministry.
As an Apostle, he carried the authority of Christ to the nations. He was set apart as a pillar of the early church.
As a teacher, he was to instruct others through the clear teaching and explanation of the Word of God.
His calling had consequences, however. And he was to suffer for the gospel.
Yet despite this persecution and suffering, Paul remained fierce in his preaching and teaching of the Gospel.
You and I must also remain fierce in the midst of a wicked world. And as we fiercely preach and defend the Gospel - we must also guard the Gospel with…
Scripture References: Ephesians 1:4, 1 John 3:2, Ephesians 2:8-9, Ephesians 1:3-7, Romans 11:34, Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 2:6
III. We Are Called to Guard the Gospel with Firmness (12b-14)
III. We Are Called to Guard the Gospel with Firmness (12b-14)
… But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed…
Listen to Paul’s firm response in the midst of his suffering.
I am not ashamed. He has charged Timothy to not be ashamed and now Paul asserts that he is not ashamed.
Why is Paul not ashamed?
For I know Whom I have believed.
Brothers and sisters - do you know Whom you have believed?
Paul knew the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew that Jesus is faithful and that His promises are always sure. And he was convinced that the Lord was able to guard the Gospel that had been entrusted to him.
Paul had been charged with preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. He was called as an Apostle to do this.
Despite the bleak circumstances that Paul was in, he knew that Jesus would continue to spread the Gospel through the people of God.
What about you? Many people know all about Christ. They have heard about Him since childhood. But there are few that actually know Christ. That is why Jesus clearly teaches that narrow is the way to eternal life and those who find it are few (Matthew 7:14).
Friends, be sure that you truly know Jesus Christ. Only then can you be sure that you are on a firm foundation.
Looking back at the end of verse 12 Paul says…
… and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
Note why Paul could be so confident and firm. He wasn’t firm in his assurance of the spread of the Gospel because of his own strengths and abilities. In fact, if he was relying on those he would have been hopeless due to his current horrible imprisonment.
Instead, his firmness was fixed upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Paul was convinced that the Gospel would be guarded until the end. Anytime that you see the phrase “that day” or “the day of the Lord” it refers to the end of days or the end times. And so Paul is saying that the Gospel will be guarded until the end - until the final return of Jesus Christ at His Second Coming.
This firmness was also placed on something else that was vitally important for the spread of the Gospel as well as we read in verse 13…
Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Paul’s confidence was in the Person of Jesus Christ. But the firmness of this confidence came from the Word of God. As we mentioned even last week, we only know Jesus because we have His Word.
John’s Gospel starts off by even calling Jesus the Word that became flesh (John 1:1-3, John 1:14).
Paul charges Timothy to follow the pattern of the sound words that he had heard from him.
This was a charge to Timothy to remain orthodox in his teachings. His teachings were not to vary from the teachings of the Apostles. He was not to take artistic liberty in his presentation of the Gospel and the truth of God’s Word. He was to follow the pattern of teaching he had received as a guideline for truth.
Paul also asserts that…
This truth was to be preached in faith and love.
This is an important lesson for Timothy to learn. His teaching was to carry the authority of faith. As he taught the Word of God to others, he was to hold fast to the sound truth. He was not to waiver. He was not to allow others to incorporate false-teachings into the message of the Gospel.
Yet, he also was to do all of this in love. Listen to Paul teach this same lesson in his letter to the Ephesians from 4 years or so prior…
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
As believers, we are to firmly guard the Gospel - and we are to do this in truth and in love.
Jesus was an amazing model of this. He spoke hard words when they needed to be spoken. Yet, His love was always evident.
But how are we to do such a difficult task? How are we to guard the Gospel with firmness in a world that is so difficult to love and often refuses to believe the truth?
This is answered in verse 14…
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
This good deposit speaks of the Gospel as referred to back in verse 12. The Holy Spirit will guard the good deposit of the Gospel by working in and through us to preserve the message.
The word good can mean precious or beautiful as well. The Gospel is all of that and more. This good deposit encompasses the Gospel message and the entire counsel of the Word of God which speaks the entire Gospel account. From the opening pages of Genesis to the concluding chapters of Revelation, the Bible magnifies the Son of God - namely Jesus Christ.
May we continue to guard the good deposit by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Finally we…
Scripture References: Matthew 7:14, John 1:1-3, John 1:14, Ephesians 4:15
IV. We Are Called to Guard the Gospel in Faithful Fellowship (15-18)
IV. We Are Called to Guard the Gospel in Faithful Fellowship (15-18)
We guard the Gospel unashamedly with fortitude, fierceness and firmness through the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us. However, God has also provided brothers and sisters in the faith to encourage us along the way. We see this clearly through Paul’s letter he is writing to Timothy. This letter is an encouragement for Timothy as he charges him to keep the faith.
The final four verses will show us the importance of good and faithful fellowship. Before getting into the good fellowship, we see an example of poor fellowship, however.
You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
Paul name drops two false converts here. Some might be upset when I name drop a false teacher every once in a while. Yet, Paul clearly did as well. Sometimes we need to warn others of those who are leading people astray.
Here are two men who turned away from Paul. And not only Paul – but from God as well.
These two men were likely leaders among the churches in Asia minor, possibly even at Ephesus where Timothy was serving. And it was not only them who turned away - but many others followed suit. However, we see here that leaders are held to the highest of standards. They bear the responsibility of how they lead others.
We are not sure what this defection entailed - however it appears that these two men were ashamed of the Gospel and ashamed of Paul. Despite the many years Paul had spent among the churches of Asia minor, these men and others refused to come to Paul’s defense in Rome. Not only that, it is likely that they even opposed Paul.
Sometimes, as we are called to guard the Gospel, we might find ourselves seemingly on an island. You might be at work and be the only true believer there. You might even be at a family function and be the only believer there.
Or perhaps the most difficult situation is when you think someone is a believer, and they turn on you. There are many false converts in our world - especially today.
These experiences can lead us to feel like we are alone. Although we know the Lord is always with us, we may feel that there isn’t anyone fighting the good fight with us (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
Sometimes we can feel like Elijah who thought he was the only one left as the people of Israel followed after false gods. Yet, the Lord told him that there were 7,000 people making up a remnant that had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18).
However, not every situation turns out like these two men and their followers… Listen to Paul praise a man who provided amazing fellowship and service to him…
May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 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.
Now we are introduced to one who did not turn away from Paul or Christ. Here we come to three verses of praise for this early hero in the faith.
Onesiphorus is only mentioned in the book of 2 Timothy. We see him mentioned here as well as 2 Timothy 4:19. His name literally means profit-bearing, and certainly he was a profitable man to Paul.
Paul lifts up both the man and his household. The household of Onesiphorus would have certainly had to sacrifice a lot in order for him to come to Paul’s aid. Ephesus was around 1,200 miles from Rome by both land and sea. This was an incredibly difficult journey for Onesiphorus to take. Not only was it a long journey, but the expenses incurred would have been great as well.
Yet, this godly man came all the way to Rome and looked for Paul earnestly. This shows the difficulty that Onesiphorus had in even finding Paul once arriving in Rome. Trying to find a prisoner in one of the most terrible dungeons in Rome was no easy task. Yet, through perseverance, he found Paul and refreshed him.
In reflecting on this wonderful prison ministry work of Onesiphorus, Paul considers the day of the Lord yet again. He requests that God show mercy to Onesiphorus and also to his entire household for their selfless service to Paul and the Gospel.
We can learn a lot about being faithful followers of Christ and serving alongside one another in faithful fellowship together reflecting on these final four verses.
As Phillip Towner in his commentary infers…
May we be dedicated to the cause of Christ and not deserters of the cause of Christ.
Scripture References: 2 Timothy 4:7-8, 1 Kings 19:18, 2 Timothy 4:19
Conclusion
As we come to a close, may we guard the Gospel unashamedly. May we do it with fortitude, fierceness, firmness, and in faithful fellowship with one another.
We, obviously need the Holy Spirit in everything that we do. He empowers us and preserves us as we walk the Christian walk.
However, may we not miss the importance of Christian fellowship with one another. How we treat one another in the church is extremely important. May we remain united in the faith, and may we stand united together unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
No matter the persecution or hardship - may we never deny our Savior nor those who are His.
