Sermon Tone Analysis

Not Ashamed Of Christ

/Text: II Timothy 1:6-18/

 

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (02~/11~/01)

 

 

Introduction:   

 

KEY VERSE - *2 Timothy 1:8*  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

 

ILLUS: Those who were not ashamed of Christ

 

Wendelinuta, a pious Protestant widow, was apprehended on account of her religion, when several monks, unsuccessfully, endeavored to persuade her to recant.

As they could not prevail, a Roman Catholic lady of her acquaintance desired to be admitted to the dungeon in which she was confined, and promised to exert herself strenuously towards inducing the prisoner to abjure the reformed religion.

When she was admitted to the dungeon, she did her utmost to perform the task she had undertaken; but finding her endeavors ineffectual, she said, "Dear Wendelinuta, if you will not embrace our faith, at least keep the things which you profess secret within your own bosom, and strive to prolong your life."

To which the widow replied, "Madam, you know not what you say; for with the heart we believe to righteousness, but with the tongue confession is made unto salvation."

As she positively refused to recant, her goods were confiscated, and she was condemned to be burnt.

At the place of execution a monk held a cross to her, and bade her kiss and worship God.

To which she answered, "I worship no wooden god, but the eternal God who is in heaven."

She was then executed, but through the before-mentioned Roman Catholic lady, the favor was granted that she should be strangeled before fire was put to the fagots.

A Protestant gentleman being ordered to lose his head for not renouncing his religion, went cheerfully to the place of execution.

A friar came to him, and said these words in a low tone of voice, "As you have a great reluctance publicly to abjure your faith, whisper your confession in my ear, and I will absolve your sins."

To this the gentleman loudly replied, "Trouble me not, friar, I have confessed my sins to God, and obtained absolution through the merits of Jesus Christ."

Then turning to the executioner, he said, "Let me not be pestered with these men, but perform your duty," on which his head was struck off at a single blow.

The cruelties used by the imperial troops, under Count Tilly in Saxony, are thus enumerated.

Half strangling, and recovering the persons again repeatedly.

Rolling sharp wheels over the fingers and toes.

Pinching the thumbs in a vice.

Forcing the most filthy things down the throat, by which many were choked.

Tying cords round the head so tightly that the blood gushed out of the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.

Fastening burning matches to the fingers, toes, ears, arms, legs, and even the tongue.

Putting powder in the mouth and setting fire to it, by which the head was shattered to pieces.

Tying bags of powder to all parts of the body, by which the person was blown up.

Drawing cords backwards and forwards through the fleshy parts.

Making incisions with bodkins and knives in the skin.

Running wires through the nose, ears, lips, etc. Hanging Protestants up by the legs, with their heads over a fire, by which they were smoke dried.

Hanging up by one arm until it was dislocated.

Hanging upon hooks by the ribs.

Forcing people to drink until they burst.

Baking many in hot ovens.

Fixing weights to the feet, and drawing up several with pulleys.

Hanging, stifling, roasting, stabbing, frying, racking, ravishing, ripping open, breaking the bones, rasping off the flesh, tearing with wild horses, drowning, strangling, burning, broiling, crucifying, immuring, poisoning, cutting off tongues, noses, ears, etc., sawing off the limbs, hacking to pieces, and drawing by the heels through the streets.

Peter denied our Lord three times.

So have we, maybe not as openly or as a matter of public record, but we have denied him, we have been ashamed of Him.

 

*Matthew 10:32-33*  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

When as believers we act ashamed of Christ, we are acting as unbelievers.

With motivation based on the character of the God we serve & God using fellow believers to encourage and motivate us we have no reason to be ashamed of Christ.

/Eight ways to guard against being ashamed of Christ./

What it takes is character and commitment, not talent and ability.

!! 1. Renew your gift vs.6

 

!!!! a.

Every believer is uniquely spiritually gifted.

GIFT comes from /charis/ meaning grace

 

*1 Corinthians 12:11*  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

*Romans 12:6*  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

 

Timothy’s gift was that of pastor~/teacher.

It was received at Salvation, but needed to be cultivated and maintained.

!!!! b.

To “stir up” literally means to keep the fire alive.

To kindle afresh, to stoke the embers.

*I Thessalonians 5:19* is a negative expression of this command.

“Quench not the Spirit.”

Divine giftedness needs to be constantly and continually kept alive through God-glorifying usefulness.

Our courage and confidence in the Lord will grow as we serve Him in the area to which He has called us and for which He has uniquely gifted us.

!!!! c.

The laying on of hands

 

May have corresponded to the time of Timothy’s conversion or may have been an extraordinary spiritual endowment at a later time.

!! 2. Consider your resources vs.7

 

“/Has not given/” – Past, completed action.

God has provided all we need.

*Matthew 10:19-20*  But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

20  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

!!!! a.

Any spirit of cowardly, shameful fear is not from God.

 

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the boldness to do the right thing inspite of it’s presence.

!!!! b.

God gives us power to be effective in His service.

Dunamis – great force, power, energy.

That which is effective and productive.

*Ephesians 1:18-20*  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

 

*Zechariah 4:6*  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

His power is provided to accomplish His purpose in and through us.

!!!! c.

God gives us love to have the right attitude toward Him and others.

*Romans 5:5*  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

We are either loving self and seeking our own welfare, or loving God and seeking His will.

!!!! d.

God gives us a sound mind that our lives might be properly controlled, disciplined and prioritized.

*1 Corinthians 9:26-27*  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Is your life (beginning with your heart and mind), divinely ordered?

Is godly wisdom being applied to the circumstances and decisions you make in life?

Are your thoughts, time, resources prioritized in such a manner that would glorify God?

We are not born with these resources, yet they are ours by divine appointment and the Grace of God!

 

 

 

 

 

!! 3. Accept your suffering vs.8A

 

!!!! a. Paul’s imprisonment resulted from his being faithful to Christ.

*Galatians 6:17*  From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

*2 Timothy 3:12*  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

!!!! b.

Paul’s imprisonment resulted in the promotion of the cause of Christ.

Paul was not asking Timothy to do something he himself was unwilling to do.

He rather asked Timothy to join him in suffering for the cause of Christ.