Title: Lesson 3: Never Be Ashamed of Jesus!
The Art of Finishing Well • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Text: 2 Timothy 1:8–12
Listen to these stark words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus!
26 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.
These words have pierced my heart for years as a Christian.
How many times have I kept my mouth shut when I should have had the boldness to speak of the glories of my Savior?
How many times have I shrunk back in fear and shame when I had the opportunity to declare my Lord’s love for me.
It’s so convicting. And thank God that He is so forgiving!
So many times I was not willing to suffer for the Savior.
Then again, there have been many times when I did stand for Him - and suffered for it.
How about you?
Paul, in this section of 2 Timothy is admonishing Timothy to not be ashamed of him or the testimony of the Lord.
But instead to purposely put himself in the way of suffering for the Savior.
Paul had a life of suffering for Jesus. This, in fact was the hallmark of his ministry. God said clearly it would be.
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
Apparently, there is a link between the gospel of Christ and suffering. This is what we will explore as we walk through this passage together.
Timothy would need this reminder—and so do we. Because following Jesus will eventually cost us something.
But the main thing I want you to walk away with this morning is this…
Main Idea: Never Be Ashamed of Jesus—Look at What He’s Done
Will you suffer for the gospel? Yes. It may be as simply as suffering ridicule to actually being persecuted and martyred for your faith.
The Greek word for martyr is μάρτυς (mártys), which means "witness". While the term originally referred to any witness, it evolved in the second century to specifically denote someone who suffers persecution and death for their religious faith.
So friends, rest assured, if you faithfully walk with Christ in this world, Scripture says you will face pushback—whether it’s soft ridicule or severe persecution.
Maybe you are thinking, yes, I get it. I shouldn’t be ashamed of Jesus.
How do I move from shrinking back to standing strong?
What do I do when I feel ashamed—but want to be bold?
Here’s Paul’s surprising secret: if you want to fight shame, change the way you think about suffering. Suffering for Jesus isn’t a curse—it’s a privilege.
1. The Privilege of Suffering Replaces All Shame for the Believer (vs. 8–9a)
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…
Timothy understood the cost following Paul who followed Jesus.
After all, Timothy knew of Paul’s adventures and escapades. Timothy knew what Paul went through because of his faithful witness for Christ.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
Timothy was no fool. He knew the cost of following Jesus.
And that exacting toll was suffering.
Paul encourages Timothy to not fall into the trap of shame for the testimony about our Lord.
Again, the word for “testimony” is μαρτύριον = martyr.
What is the testimony or witness about our Lord?
The testimony of our Lord is the message about who Jesus is, what He’s done, and what He offers—that’s the gospel.
Paul links it to another important term in this verse. The word Gospel.
Now if you are new to this whole church thing, Gospel, I would argue is one of the most important words you should understand. And when you do, it will help you suffer well.
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 2098. εὐαγγέλιον euaggélion
εὐαγγέλιον euaggélion - bringing good news, which is from eú, good, well, and aggéllō, to proclaim, tell.
What is the good news?
Allow me to explain.
You are in trouble with God.
God desires to rescue you from that trouble.
However, God must punish you for breaking His laws. He MUST remain true to his JUST character
But He is also loving - So God took the punishment on Himself.
And if you trust what He accomplished for you, if you receive His gracious gift of rescue from the eternal Hell prison (that you deserve), you will receive eternal life on the spot!
This is very good news. This is the best news any one of us could ever receive.
Look again at 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,
Paul is reminding Timothy of some very important truths that will enable him to suffer well.
Don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, the gospel = Because the message of the cross is the power of God unto salvation—even if the world mocks it as foolishness.
(Support: 1 Corinthians 1:18; Romans 1:16)
Don’t be ashamed of me, Paul who carries forth the gospel = Because suffering saints are not a source of embarrassment, but trophies of God’s grace and examples of gospel courage.
(Support: 2 Timothy 1:16; Philippians 1:29–30)
Instead, share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God = Because gospel suffering is not endured in human strength—but through divine empowerment and eternal purpose.
(Support: 2 Corinthians 4:7–11; Philippians 3:10)
Remember your holy calling = Because God didn’t save you to play it safe—He called you to a set-apart life that advances His kingdom at any cost.
(Support: 2 Timothy 1:9; Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians 4:1)
Argumentation: Proving the Point
Friends, we must think biblically about God,
We must deeply consider what he has done for us
And we must understand well what He expects of us.
Look at what the Apostle Peter has to say!
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 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. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
We do not, we cannot be ashamed about the gospel of Jesus Christ!
We do not, we cannot be ashamed about those who are suffering because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Richard Wurmbrand was a Romanian Lutheran pastor who boldly proclaimed Christ in Communist Romania—a state committed to suppressing Christianity. He was arrested, imprisoned, and tortured for more than a decade simply because of his faith. - billionbibles.com.
Through solitary confinement, physical torture, and isolation, Wurmbrand continued to preach Christ—memorizing and delivering sermons night after night, sometimes by Morse code against his prison walls. Even as his body bore scars from beatings, burns, and deprivation, his spirit remained unbroken. He viewed his suffering as a profound honor—a privilege to share in Christ's sufferings and witness to the power of God set against shame and fear. - en.wikipedia.org.
Even when Christ’s followers suffer, there’s no shame—only a privileged connection to the gospel. Wurmbrand embraced suffering not as defeat, but as powerful witness and deep fellowship with Christ Himself.
Wurmbrand’s confident, joyful endurance lived out Paul’s charge: suffering as a believer should not be a moment of shame, but a mark of belonging, privilege, and bold faith.
Jesus suffered as your sacrifice.
Paul suffered as your example.
You, Christian will suffer as well.
What about you?
How can you get to the place in your thinking that you not only accept suffering for Christ is a part of this life, but to actually embrace it? To consider it a privilege?
Read it into your heart.
Pray it into reality.
Work it out in fear and trembling.
Review:
Never Be Ashamed of Jesus—Look at What He’s Done
The Privilege of Suffering Replaces All Shame for the Believer
Would you like another reason why we should never be ashamed about Jesus and the gospel? It has to do with your mortality.
2. The Privilege of Salvation Replaces All Death for the Believer (vs. 9b–10)
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,
We just saw that the gospel gives suffering a new meaning—now let’s see how it completely changes the most terrifying reality of all: death itself.
Verse 9 says that God took the initiative to save us. Because there is no hope of us saving ourselves.
He saved us and called us to a holy calling. He has a purpose for you, Christian.
What is this ‘holy calling’? It’s a call to Christlikeness, to be set apart, to pursue holiness and mission for His name.”
15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
But Paul qualifies this saving and calling. He wants to be clear that the saving and calling does not come from some sort of salvific, meritorious work that we conjure up by our own clever will.
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
There is no capacity within us that would or could enable us to save ourselves from the terrible wrath of God by our works.
As Paul says in this passage…
…not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
So many people are longing for purpose in this short life on earth.
Some people have no purpose and so they end their life in despair.
Others have a grandiose purpose, like Elon Musk. His purpose is to colonize Mars so he can save humanity.
Everything he does in his life is tied in some way to that purpose.
The rest of us are somewhere in between these extremes.
But for the Christian, we don’t need to worry about coming up with purpose for our lives.
When we were born again, the Spirit of God came to live within us and with this indwelling came His empowering and PURPOSE for our lives.
Do you see what he gave us?
…because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
Christian, your purpose, rooted in God’s grace, was here before you were. Amazing!
But notice what verse 10 says.
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,
The word “manifested” means to cause to become visible.
Your purpose, rooted in grace was created before the ages began but was not visible until Jesus showed up.
Now that Jesus has appeared, so has your purpose.
Jesus obliterated death by crushing the head of that old serpent, Satan.
This is the fulfillment of what God promised in Genesis 3:15—that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head.”
Death no longer has a claim on those who truly belong to Christ.
Listen to these hope-filled words of the Apostle Paul.
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?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
The very thing that was taken away in the Garden of Eden, life and immortality, has now been restored in the first appearing of our Lord.
It was His sinless life, atoning death, and restorative resurrection that reversed the curse of the Fall of man.
Jesus Christ, the God/man, reversed the curse of the fall and because of this beautiful truth, death is dead for the follower of Christ.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As MercyMe sings in their powerful anthem…
Oh death, I will not be afraid
In the end you will lose
I will dance on your grave with the one who buried you
You ain't nothin' but a stone that my savior rolled away
Set you straight and set me free
Oh death, you are dead to me
(Oh dear, you are dead to me)
-Mercy Me
How do you view death?
Is the thought of death debilitating to you?
Or is death a liberating friend?
If you are a follower of Jesus, death no longer has a sting.
No, death will visit you one day and transport you to the one who loves you with an everlasting love!
But for the unbeliever here this morning, death is your worst nightmare because it will deliver you to eternal torment.
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire.
Listen, if this is you - today is the day of salvation! Turn to Him now!
But if you are a follower of Jesus - your biggest problem in this life has been solved through the finished work of Christ.
Live your purpose boldly in light of this truth.
Jesus didn’t just delay death—He defeated it.
The tomb is empty, the curse is reversed, and your future is secure.
Review:
Never Be Ashamed of Jesus—Look at What He’s Done
The Privilege of Suffering Replaces All Shame for the Believer
The Privilege of Salvation Replaces All Death for the Believer
So we have no reason to be ashamed. We have no reason to fear death if we are in Christ. And it also gives hope in the midst of suffering!
3. The Privilege of Serving Replaces Hopeless Suffering for the Believer (vs. 11–12)
11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 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.
We talked about purpose in the last point.
Paul understood his God given purpose.
He was APPOINTED a preacher, apostle, and teacher.
This was his job description and he walked it out everyday of his Christian life.
He was appointed - this speaks to God’s providential plan for the life of Saul/Paul.
Preacher = a herald who publicly proclaims the good news with urgency and authority.
Apostle = a divinely chosen witness of the resurrected Christ, entrusted with foundational gospel proclamation and church planting.
Teacher = one who faithfully explains doctrine and disciples others in the truth of Scripture.
These God ordained roles caused suffering in the life of Paul.
Why?
Because the Gospel, as hope-filled as it is for the Christian, is an offense to the unbeliever.
15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
This stench of death often proves to be so horrifically odiferous (which is a fancy way of saying stinky) that people get offended by the truth of the gospel.
This offense can lead to pushback and even drastic actions like what Paul is experiencing.
After all, he would soon be martyred because of the gospel he preached and taught.
Paul suffered but he was not ashamed! Why?
12 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.
Paul is not ashamed because…
He knows Jesus - He has a relationship with Christ.
He believes Jesus - He knows Jesus is the embodiment of truth.
He is convinced about Jesus - He knows that Christ is able to accomplish anything He desires.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1:11–12
He was trusting his own destiny to the same One who had entrusted him with the stewardship of the gospel. Thus, even though he was suffering abuse and humiliation, he was confident of God’s complete vindication in the end (cf. 1:18; 4:8). Throughout, of course, Paul was using his own example to bolster Timothy’s perhaps flagging courage.
The point is this. Paul’s suffering was not pointless. His suffering was not hopeless.
Paul’s ministry was powerful and fruitful.
God accomplished so much through the life of this Apostle.
Paul understood that one of God’s best tools in his sanctification tool box is suffering because it forces the individual to rely on God in a deeper more meaningful way.
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
God used suffering in the life off Paul to humble him so he would be more and more useable for God’s glory.
Some may wonder—doesn’t this make God self-centered, using us for His glory even when it hurts? But friend, it’s not self-centered when the one calling you to suffer is also the one who suffered first—and who promises eternal joy forever in His presence.
If the cross was impotent.
If the gospel was meaningless.
If there were no New Heaven and New earth.
If there were no eternal reward.
Then, yes it would be a narcissistic act on behalf of God.
But this life is but a prelude to the next.
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
C.S. Lewis understood this all to well and articulated it in such a beautful way at the end of his Narnia series. In the “Last Battle” after all the adventures were complete, he wrote this hopefilled and exciting words.
“All their life in this world and all their adventures had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle
Paul considered serving the Lord his highest calling regardless of where God placed him - in the lap of luxuray or in a dark cell awaiting his death. It did not matter. He was saved to serve the Lord and that gave him great satisfaction.
If God has called you to be His servant, don’t stoop to be a king. —Spurgeon (paraphrased)
Are you living out your holy calling?
You may not be an apostle or preacher, but you are just as called by God.
You are called to proclaim Christ in your world—through your work, your words, your service, and your love.
When suffering comes, do you remember that God is using it for your good and His glory?
When you’re tempted to feel ashamed, do you preach to your soul the truths of the gospel?
When you feel insignificant, do you remind yourself that God appointed you for such a time as this?
Paul’s hope wasn’t in his position—it was in the Person he knew: “I know whom I have believed.”
So Christian: Serve boldly. Suffer confidently. Stand unashamed.
Because God will guard what He has entrusted to you until that day.
Review:
Never Be Ashamed of Jesus—Look at What He’s Done
The Privilege of Suffering Replaces All Shame for the Believer
The Privilege of Salvation Replaces All Death for the Believer
The Privilege of Serving Replaces Hopeless Suffering for the Believer
So we have every reason to stand firm, church family. We are called. We are saved. We are sent. And none of our suffering is wasted.
Never be ashamed of Jesus—look at what He’s done!
Conclusion
So what do we do with this?
Stand unashamed when ridicule comes—don’t shrink back.
Speak up about the gospel—your silence may keep someone from life.
Step forward in suffering—don’t waste it, witness through it.
Serve Jesus boldly—your calling matters, and eternity is watching.
You are not alone. You are not forgotten. You are loved!
You’ve been saved by grace, called with purpose, and guarded by Jesus Himself until the day you see Him face to face.
A story from The Voice of the Martyrs captures this truth vividly.
In Nigeria, an unnamed Christian woman was beaten to death by a mob after she shared the gospel with Muslim neighbors—even inside the safety of a police station. They demanded her release, and before she could be evacuated, they overtook the station and took her life for her faith
She paid the ultimate price—but she did not die ashamed. She died testifying to life—with Jesus. - YouTube+15The Voice of the Martyrs+15The Voice of the Martyrs+15VOM RadioYouTube+1.
Picture this: You're standing before Jesus one day—eyes blazing with glory, scars still on His hands, love radiating from His face.
He looks at you—not to condemn, not to critique—but to commend.
And what if He says:
“You weren’t ashamed of Me. You stood firm. You suffered well. You told others about Me. Well done.”
Wouldn’t that be worth every awkward moment? Every hard conversation? Every ounce of rejection?
One day, you'll be glad you lived unashamed. So start today.
