Not Ashamed 2 Timothy 1:8-18

We stand with God’s people by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel of Jesus Christ

“I’m not one of those kinds of Christians.” It’s a statement that we hear a lot these days. Usually it’s over a political conviction, a moral stance, or a cultural issue. We don’t want to be viewed as “one of those” Christians. Not too radical, not too far out there, not too different from the world around us. We become chameleons, depending on which group we happen to be with, but we find ourselves consistently blending into the crowd and more than a little embarrassed by “those kind” of Christians. It’s a phenomenon that is certainly not new and it’s one that the Apostle Paul understood well. As much as we honor Paul today, in the last days of his life, he was largely abandoned by other believers as an embarrassment. However, to be ashamed of faithful believers is to be ashamed of Christ. We must be with the faithful in their suffering!

I. Share in Suffering vv. 8-12

In last week’s passage, Paul gave Timothy an important reminder: God has not given us a spirit of fear!

With the spirit that we have (love, power, and self-control) we do not have to be ashamed of the Gospel or God’s people

This is the very real temptation that is before us; when commitment to the Gospel gets tough, we flee!

In this particular instance, Paul sees the genuineness of the faith of his friends through their willingness to identify with him as he suffers for the sake of the Gospel

Paul issues an invitation that may shock us: share in suffering! But, why would we want to do that?

We share in suffering because it is for the Gospel

We share in suffering because the power of God will be present with us in the suffering

But why is suffering a part of the Christian life at all?

All of salvation is from Him and according to His eternal purposes. If He intends for suffering to be a part of the program, we can trust Him for it

Suffering is foundational to our Gospel hope. If Christ had not suffered, the Gospel would not be good news at all!

Life and immortality are our eternal hope through the Gospel, this suffering is only for a little while

All of Paul’s life is committed to proclaiming a message of hope through Jesus, but his ministry has brought him to a place of deep suffering

However, I think we could all learn something from Paul’s example here:

He is not ashamed in his suffering and will not turn his back on Jesus

He knows the One he has believed

He trusts that the Lord is able to guard the ministry entrusted to Paul until the day that life and immortality are fully revealed

Paul understands something that me must also understand: we are able to share in suffering because it is not the end of the story!

2 Corinthians 4:16–18

[16] So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. [17] For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, [18] as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (ESV)

II. Follow Sound Teaching vv. 13-14

Next, Paul invites Timothy to examine his life:

He must follow the “sound words” that Paul has instructed him with

How does one follow “sound words”

We see that this is not primarily an exhortation to good theology, though that is certainly one part of it

No, we see that the pattern of sound words is revealed through the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus

We cannot separate teaching from actions and attitudes

Timothy also has a good deposit:

He has been given a gospel ministry and he is responsible for it

However, he is not left alone!

The Holy Spirit who dwells in us is working to guard that deposit of faith that we have been entrusted with

When we follow the sound teaching, we rest in the work of the Spirit and He works in and through us to guard the deposit!

We cannot fulfill the work the Lord has for it in our own strength, our own wisdom, or our own way!

A journalist was sent by his newspaper to write about the gospel campaign organized by D.L. Moody in England and to find out what the secret was behind his ability to bring so many people to Christ, those from both the nobility and the common people. After careful observation, he reported, "I cannot see anything in Moody that can explain his astonishing work."

When Moody read the report, he purportedly chuckled and said,

"That is precisely the secret of the spiritual revival that has taken place. The power of God has worked in [me]. The work is God's, not mine.'"

2 Corinthians 12:9–10

[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. [10] For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (ESV)

III. Choose Faithfulness vv. 15-18

Paul closes with two contrasting examples:

First, we see Phygelus and Hermogenes, who were part of a group of believers in Asia that turned away from Paul

We do not get a lot of detail other than this, but in some ways, this is enough

They have turned their backs on Paul during his imprisonment

Paul does not offer words of condemnation against them, but he does note the raw fact: they refused to share with him in suffering.

These men could not even extend basic friendship to a suffering brother; they have just gone their own way

On the other, Paul tells us about the household of Onesiphorus

He often refreshed Paul through his service and was not ashamed of Paul’s chains of imprisonment

Onesiphorus goes above and beyond; rather than avoiding Paul, he goes to search out the apostle in Rome

Each example leaves a legacy

We do not read anything else about Phygelus and Hermogenes, what an awful thing to be remembered for!

However, so does Onesiphorus. We do not know much about him, but what we do know and what Timothy knew was all about his faithfulness

This merciful brother is on the receiving end of Paul’s prayers for mercy!

There is a decision that we are going to have to make: Will we be found faithful when it would be easier to walk away?

When the author walks onto the stage, the play is over. God is going to invade, all right; but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else comes crashing in? This time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. That will not be the time for choosing; It will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. 

C.S. Lewis.

-Will you be faithful to God?

-Will you be faithful to His Word?

-Will you be faithful to His people?