2 Timothy: Session 4

Sometimes… it can be a lonely road. Sometimes… it can feel like no one is with you and in some ways… stand against. you. But never forget the truth that GOD IS ALWAYS WITH YOU.

Seems like a pretty somber opening, right? But such is the reality for many believer today… especially in a culture that is becoming increasingly more hostile toward the gospel message.

I can recall a time in my life when I felt this. I was dedicated to following the call on my life… but many of my friends had decided to get wrapped up in some things of this world that I didn’t want to be a part of.

They were vandalizing cars on car lots, getting involved in watching pornography, doing things that were not at all Christ-like and I chose not to be involved.

So what happened? My car was vandalized multiple times. I was made fun of, I was threatened, My home was targeted and all for what and by whom? These guys were supped to be my Christian friends! Yet they were trying to pressure me into doing things I simply did not want to do.

Maybe you’ve experienced something like that. Maybe you’re the only believer in your family. Maybe your workplace is a rough environment or your social circles are intolerant of faith. Whatever the case… some of you know what I’m talking about this evening and it’s not a fun place to be in.

Paul knew of this reality. Paul experienced this feeling first hand. His second letter to Timothy takes an abrupt turn to talk about this reality in three verses. Paul was being transparent and is sharing his feelings with a friend who had not turned his back on him.

As we go through this talk tonight, I do not want us to ever forget the truth that God is ALWAYS with us. If we have God, we have all that we need.

But God created us for fellowship, for relationship, and for community. It can be difficult to deal with the emotions that can come when such relationships become strained or even broken. And the sad thing is… this tends to happen when our friends and loved ones are needed most.

The enemy will work to try to hit us when we’re down and to hit us where it counts. Satan is efficient in his attacks and he will try to strike when we are most vulnerable. I pray we recognize those attacks for what they are and choose to never forget that no matter what - GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:31-32 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Paul calls out something rather interesting at the end of 2 Timothy 1… and we pick it up in verse 15, “You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

This passage delivers a sharp message - Paul felt abandoned, deserted by the believers in the Asian province. What was the cause of their desertion? Paul’s imprisonment.

Paul was in prison and facing execution for his faith in Christ. Those formally associated with Paul were “deserting” him for shame.

This could have been shame regarding their association with Paul - now a criminal o the law. This could have been shame regarding the gospel message itself. The severe persecution was driving people away from faith - they did not want to end up like Paul.

Regardless of the reason - Paul could feel the effects of their decision. He felt deserted and betrayed. He felt isolated. He felt like the ones he came to serve are now ashamed of his ministry and faith.

But we cannot ignore the next two verses… Paul was also quick to identify those who stood beside him.

Sometimes we can get fixated on the bad… and forget about or not see the good that is going on. A household stood beside him and Paul recognized the effort of this family.

Paul wasn’t the first man to feel this kind of desertion.

When Jesus was arrested… who was it that identified Him through betrayal? Judas - one of His disciples. One of the 12 in Jesus’ close circle of followers.

When Jesus was on trial… Peter who claimed he would die for Jesus did what when backed into a corner? He denied Christ 3 times. When the pressure was on… Peter caved in.

The message of the cross is NOT a message that we hold on to so long as everything is going all right. It is the message we hold on to no matter what! We don’t want to fall, we don’t want to give in… but we know, or some of us do… what it feels like when that happens to us.

This is NOT a woe is me message this evening. Paul’s words were transparent and true. He is reaching out to a friend in a time of need… as many of us are accustom to doing. There are two things I want us to consider as study these three verses out of 2 Timothy 1

We Must Drop All Shame Regarding the Gospel

Paul’s words to Timothy are coming full circle in chapter 1. Remember in verse 8, Paul said to Timothy, “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. (2 Timothy 1:8)

Paul, in a sense, is asking Timothy not to feel shame regarding the gospel message and not to feel shame regarding his (Paul’s) current status.

What kinds of pressures do we face or are we facing that might cause a believer to feel “shame” regarding the gospel message or “shame” regarding persecuted believers?

Again, these pressures are there to encourage people to distance themselves from faith… to put distance between believers (each other) and to put distance between believers and God.

Let’s look at another teaching by Paul. Romans 1:16 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Paul declares he is not ashamed of the gospel. We know this to be true from his willingness to suffer for the cause of the gospel. So why is Paul willing to go the distance? Look at the text again.

Paul recognized the gospel as what? THE POWER OF GOD that brings salvation to everyone who believes. It is the ONLY WAY to deliverance, forgiveness of sin, and spiritual freedom.

Paul wants to see everyone set free! So it is no surprise then to see him fully embrace the message of the truth that can set hearts free!

A second reason as to why Paul was unashamed of the gospel is because he recognized that it is through the gospel that the righteousness of God is revealed.

Our God is the RIGHTEOUS GOD. His righteousness can be seen throughout His salvific work through Christ and through His redemptive plan. Faith is the key to unlocking and understanding this righteousness but it is ultimately revealed through the gospel.

Paul chose NOT to be ashamed of the message… THE ONLY MESSAGE… that could transform hearts and bring forgiveness of sins.

And Jesus Himself had some strong words regarding shame and the gospel message. Luke 9:26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Paul could feel the desertion of his friends. Jesus KNOWS whether or not if there is shame in our hearts regarding His words, His ways, and His life.

Why is “shame” regarding the gospel a big deal? Why is it something that would cause Christ to be ashamed of that person when He comes in glory?

As Christians… WE BEAR HIS NAME! The whole point is to become like Jesus… and that is NOT POSSIBLE so long as a person feels shame regarding their relationship with Jesus.

It really is a matter of the heart.

We Must Rely on the Power of the Holy Spirit

Overcoming shame might be a difficult thing to do as the world increases the pressure to conform. Again, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times when the heat was turned up and he walked with Jesus! So if Peter failed in this area… do we really stand a chance? Do we have what it takes?

Here’s the cool part… we don’t have to have what it takes because the Father has sent us help and His name is the Holy Spirit.

Jesus makes clear the purpose behind the baptism in the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8. YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER and become His WITNESSES. This is a supernatural empowerment to stand for the cause of Christ.

And in Acts 2, we see that power at work first hand. The very guy that denied Christ is the same guy who stands up and explains to the crowd what happened after the first outpouring of the Spirit. He delivers a very sharp and pointed message without shame, without hesitation, and while full of the Holy Ghost!

Peter was moved from denier to street preacher and the difference was the Holy Spirit who was now living in His heart and empowering his testimony.

When we drop shame, it does not need to be replaced with arrogant boldness or pride-filled boasting. It needs to be replaced with supernaturally empowered testimony of what God can do and of what God is doing.

The Holy Spirit will help believers who choose to take a stand for Jesus. It is not by our might nor by our power but by HIS SPIRIT that we will see the task of reaching the lost accomplished. It will come about with shouts of grace… grace to it!

We are building more than temple… we are building the kingdom of God! We have been entrusted with the greatest message this world has ever received.

We need to take a stand for the Word.

We need to remember those who are suffering for the Word.

Wrap Up

I pray that we will all respond to Paul’s invitation we see in 2 Timothy 1:8… to join with him in suffering instead of retreat in shame. Because here’s the reality: The real suffering begins the moment we turn our back on God.

I’ll take a jail cell any day over trying to live life without Jesus. I’ll take persecution all day instead of trying to make it on my own. I’ll take on slander and hate speech all day in order to remain in the presence of almighty God.

I remember my days spent apart from God… and they were days of suffering. But now that I am in Christ, so long as I have Jesus… I have all that I need. And that is a truth that no amount of worldly suffering can ever change.

Drop all shame. Be filled with His Spirit.