Unashamed Suffering

2 Timothy 1:3-7

English Standard Version Chapter 1

3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

What we are about to get into is a direct result of what we see here. Lets take a look

2 Timothy 1:8–12 ESV

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.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Therefore: meaning because of everything I just said, your powerful spirit of love and self control.

These qualities fit together though we often pit them against each other. We often lean towards self control or loving. As if being self controlled is not being loving.

The bible says different. Love is placed right next to self control and they are of the same exact spirit and when combined shows the true power of this spirit.

The cause of Shame

Here we can read into what Paul is combatting

the story of a crucified and resurrected Lord. Ashamed of Jesus

A mentor/leader who has no appearance of worldly success. He is in prison Ashamed of other Christians

Our own lowly life circumstances- our own suffering. Ashamed of our own circumstances

Before the spirit, Peter was ashamed of Jesus’ suffering

Matt 26

English Standard Version Chapter 26

“You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.

After the Spirit, Peter boldly proclaimed Jesus unashamedly

Acts 4:5

English Standard Version Chapter 4

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

Peter in front of rulers, elders, and scribes, with the high priest and his family. Filled with the Holy Spirit peter spoke and everyone around were amazed at his boldness…he was now unashamed because he was filled!

Paul’s instructions to Timothy to combat Shameful suffering

We first need the same spirit of power and love and self control to empower us. This is first and foremost.

We must be Christians to be empowered this way.

If we are, then Paul says to Share in Suffering

for the gospel- why suffering is good, it has a purpose

by the power of God, with the spirit

What is this power you may ask?

the power to save

the power to call us- meaning in spite of us not from anything we do but because He wanted it

meaning inspite of us not from anything we do but because He wanted it

we saw in the beginning of this study, God has a purpose. Even for our suffering

This purpose is rooted in the big idea from before earth even exhisted, the purpose to display grace as seen through the physical real example and appearance of Jesus of Christ who abolished death and introduced immortality

This tells us right here that suffering is part of God’s purpose for us, it is something good and it fits into a larger picture

often we think of our suffering and immediately we look at ourselves. We are inward focused. What Paul is doing here is telling us to look outward during our suffering instead of inward.

Suffering has a purpose

Three ways that we often respond to Suffering?

retreat

we separate ourselves so that no one else can see

We search our own personal record of morality

Like Job’s friends we begin to self analyze our life to see what we did to deserve this

Then we either fall into a pity party because we believe the suffering is something we caused

or we begin to puff ourselves up in front of others to prove that we are good and do not deserve what is happening to us

Both responses are wrong and reflect an inward focus on suffering.

Paul’s Response to Suffering

Paul, instructs Timothy first with his words then with his example. His life gave definition to his words

He is unashamed of the suffering he is in right now. He is not hiding his imprisonment or his loneliness but rather using it is as teaching for Timothy for the churches. He has an outward focus of suffering

Rather then creating a pity party, rather then assessing his successes and failures, he is writing and boasting and sharing what is going on his life!

How does he keep an outward focus? Three ways:

We must believe in the real Jesus

He knows who he believed, meaning his faith is not rooted in a false Jesus, he believed in the suffering Jesus and therefore it is not a surprise the same is happening to him

He knows who he believed (is faith is not rooted in a false Jesus, he believed in the suffering Jesus and therefore it is not a suprise the same is happening to him)

We are bombarded by a false Jesus all the time, many of us can be lead astray or often accounter others who say they follow Jesus but they dont follow the suffering Jesus of the cross and

We cannot believe in the happy loving Jesus without the self control and power Jesus. We cannot believe the blessing Jesus without the disciplining Jesus. These false spirits have no power for us in moments like Paul found himself here.

We must be convinced that our faith and soul are the most important thing about us and that Jesus is able to protect those things

This piece here is how we avoid anxiety.

When

We must believe that this suffering has a purpose

When we believe in the real Jesus, when we are convinced of his power beyond suffering and into eternity. We are able to look outward and give our suffering purpose.

*disclaimer: all the suffering we have discussed here. Paul is not talking about suffering as the result of a bad sinful decision but he gives us the reason for this suffering in vs 12. This is why he suffers, for the gospel for which he is a preacher, apostle, and teacher.

In Summary:

As a Christian, we are to be Unashamed of Suffering

Both of our suffering Jesus and our personal Suffering for Jesus’ purposes

We do this by:

Believing in the real Jesus, seeing purpose in our suffering, resting in what Jesus has promised after suffering, and finally looking to the example of other true believers who embody these qualities in suffering.

To close lets read this paragraph again

2 Timothy 1:8–12 ESV

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.

Let’s remember the conditions/ experiences this suffering that is referring too.

Jesus died on the cross, was lonely and hated.

Paul is alone, in prison, and about to die (well see more what this is like as we continue)

As we close you will likely fall under one of three categories

1. Currently Suffering for the gospel

2. Not yet Suffering for the gospel

3. Or Not living for the gospel

If your in the first two, read and reread this paragraph. Be encouraged, even Timothy who had the best hands on training in this still needed to reminded. Also see the importance of this is what Paul wanted to say right before he died.

If your in the last one, then read and reread the gospel and you have to face the question, is Jesus real, did he exist, and are the testimonies of his resurrection reliable. If any of this is real then being in the third category has some dire consequences.

Let’s Pray

For those currently and not yet suffering

To remember the example of Jesus and the example of Paul

To remember God’s purpose’s, promises, and power

For those not yet living for the gospel

That God would be revealed to them

The hardness of their heart that is hindering belief to be removed.