Sharing in the Suffering for the Gospel

Second Timothy chapter one.

This was the last letter that we know of that Paul wrote.

It appears as though from the book that we've seen so far and we'll see that Paul realizes

that his life is probably drawing to a close.

He knows his days are probably short.

And so this book is kind of a reminder, an encouragement, a last bit of instruction to

Timothy who appears perhaps to be filling the role of what we would call pastor.

We see that Timothy is gifted.

We saw that earlier on in first Timothy.

We don't exactly know what his gift is.

Many have suggested, if not most, that Timothy was what we would call a pastor.

It's not perfectly clear, but nonetheless, he's serving in some leadership capacity in

which Paul has given him instructions on how to deal with some issues.

And now sometime later, this would have been years later, he wrote this second letter of

second Timothy.

So there was quite a bit of time that had passed between first Timothy and second Timothy.

And so we see the instruction in the verses we looked at a couple of weeks ago in second

Timothy chapter one, verse six.

Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying

on of hands for God has not given us a spirit of filthiness, but one of power, love and

sound judgment.

So he's reminding and sounds like encouraging.

Maybe there is some discouragement there for Timothy.

We don't know.

Maybe his, his fire has kind of gone out or maybe Paul just wants to make sure that it

doesn't go out.

So he's saying, keep, keep ablaze the gift, the excitement that you have for the Lord,

the gift that you have for serving the Lord.

Don't let your fire go out.

Now we've got revival right around the corner.

And a lot of times that's kind of what we, what we pray for, what we hope for, what we

look for when we have seasons of revival that, that maybe we'll kind of have a spark reignited

in us that we'll get on fire for the Lord.

You know, life has a way of kind of, kind of, kind of getting us down and we get kind

of caught up on things of the world.

But when we have seasons of revival, then a lot of times our hearts are kind of seeking

that and we come and we find it, hopefully, uh, that we would listen to God and we would

seek him.

And so Paul tells Timothy, you know, keep, keep this, this, this gift of God ablaze and

do not be fearful.

Now, I don't know what Timothy was fearing.

If anything, again, it might just be a word of, Hey, be careful.

Don't, don't fall into the trap of fear.

But as we read through the scripture tonight, we kind of get an idea of what it may be that

Timothy would have to fear.

And that's what we're going to see tonight in second Timothy chapter one, verse eight.

So let's pray and then we'll get started.

God, we come to you.

We thank you for the freedom to come into your house tonight and for your words.

I pray that they would help each one of us, that we would be those who are not afraid

to stand for you and to live for you, but that we would find encouragement and strength

and hope and who Jesus is and what he has accomplished.

And I ask these things in Jesus name.

Amen.

All right.

Second Timothy chapter one, verse eight.

So don't be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, his prisoner.

Instead share in the suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.

Now this is probably why Paul has given Timothy these instructions in the verses before.

We know a couple of things from these verses.

One, Paul is in prison.

We know that through the text that Paul is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and he's

in prison on multiple occasions.

He has to go through great suffering, but he continues to preach the gospel of Jesus

Christ.

So he just told him, look, the spirit has not given us a spirit of fear in the verse

before.

And then he says in this verse, don't be ashamed about the testimony.

So don't be ashamed.

Don't be ashamed to say that you're associated with me, but stand firm on the testimony,

on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And don't be ashamed to call me friend.

Be ready to stand up and know that when you stand up for Jesus, that there's likely going

to be suffering.

And that's what he said.

He says, share in the suffering for the gospel.

Now we get kind of spoiled, I guess we could say, because we don't really have to suffer

much in these United States.

Most of the time we probably don't suffer greatly for the gospel.

Now we may encounter somebody that we share the gospel with and they may mock us or they

may give us a hard time or they may tell us we're crazy or the Bible's mumbo jumbo and

not want to hear it.

We may experience rejection sometimes and maybe even people that treat us badly.

But I wouldn't really consider that suffering.

Certainly not in the same way that Paul was suffering and certainly not in the way that

there are many brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering.

Now sometimes that suffering for the gospel is simply getting ourselves out of our comfort

zone.

That it may be that God puts something on our heart and he calls us to go somewhere

and serve that may cause us to suffer in some way.

Now just this past week in VBS, Michelle asked me to go in to her missions class and share

some pictures and some information about our trip to Haiti.

That was way back in 2013, the first time we went.

And so we go to Haiti and while on one sense we didn't really suffer, I mean, our lives

weren't in danger in that sense, but we did suffer in another sense.

I mean, you didn't have any power half the day, it wasn't no air conditioning, it was

mosquitoes everywhere that were biting you.

I mean, it was hot, it was just, it was miserable compared to what we have here.

Now we're used to here, we got air conditioning, we got lights, we got food to eat, we don't

have to worry about bugs for the most part.

But when we went there to do the work that we were going to do there, on a very simple

level, we suffered.

Now you might say not having air conditioner, it's not really suffering.

I guess in the grand scheme of things, that's not too bad.

But even on those simple things, there is some suffering oftentimes that goes into serving

the Lord.

But then on a more serious level, we see some, what I would consider to be real suffering,

like what Paul is going through, where he's in prison.

There are men and women all around the world today who are in prison for preaching the

gospel of Jesus Christ.

They can't openly stand up and do what we're doing here.

They sneak around, they have churches in secret areas, and sometimes they are caught.

Sometimes they are turned in, and sometimes they are imprisoned, and sometimes they are

treated very badly for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And that, I think, might be the kind of suffering that we need to envision when we think of

Paul and know that perhaps there would come a day in our life, especially those who were

in leadership, but even for any Christian, there could be a day in our world that standing

up for the Lord may result in some real suffering for us.

And we're starting to see more and more kind of pieces of that happening.

In Canada a couple of years ago, there were some pastors that were arrested for the things

that they were preaching that didn't go along with what the government wanted.

And sometimes you see these things in different countries, and we say, well, that could never

happen here, but it can happen anywhere.

No country that's ever existed is immune to evil, and we are not immune to evil either.

And so, so long as the gospel is preached, there will be opposition to the gospel.

But the gospel will always prevail.

It has prevailed for 2,000 years, and it will continue to prevail.

And it prevails because there are people like Paul and Timothy, and our other brothers and

sisters in Christ around the world, who continue to do the work, and sometimes it costs them

their very life.

And so Paul tells Timothy here, he says, share in the suffering for the gospel, relying on

the power of God.

Now, suffering is not fun.

Whatever our suffering may be, whether it's suffering through a sickness or illness or

difficulties in our life, whatever it may be, it's never fun to suffer.

And Paul says, look, those who do the work of God, there may come a time that there is

going to be suffering.

But what does he tell him?

He says to rely on the power of God.

So how do we make it through our sufferings?

We do it by relying on the power of God.

When things are difficult, when things are tough, when things are painful, when we don't

feel like going on, we rely on the power of God.

So if we're going to stand on the gospel and continue to preach and teach the gospel,

even when they're suffering, how will we be able to do that?

We'll be able to do that by relying on the power of God.

So Paul says, look, I've been in prison for doing this work.

And now Timothy, I'm calling you to continue this work because my time is short.

But don't be ashamed of who Jesus is.

Don't be ashamed of me.

But instead, don't be fearful.

Stand strong, preach the gospel, know that there's going to be suffering that's going

to come along with that.

But you trust in God while you do the work.

Now, that's a good message there.

This is particularly a good message for those, I believe, in ministry, for pastors, for missionaries.

But I think it's a good message for all Christians in general.

He says in verse 9, he has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our

works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus

before time began.

Okay.

So he gives him encouragement.

Lie on the power of God.

And what is the power of God?

The power of God is the grace of God, which saves us.

And this is something that God established before time began.

That is to say, for all of eternity, God knew how things were going to be.

God is all knowing.

And through God's grace, he has provided a way for us through Jesus Christ.

So how are we going to make it through in serving the Lord?

How are we going to make it through in times of suffering?

How are we going to make it through by trusting in God?

Because it says, he has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our

works, but according to his own purpose and grace.

So sometimes when they say, well, God, look, I'm not good enough to serve you.

I'm not good enough to go on this mission trip.

I'm not good enough to talk to my neighbor.

I'm not good enough to preach this message.

I'm not good enough to share with my friend about Jesus Christ.

I don't know enough.

I'm not skilled enough.

But if God is leading us to do something and has called us to do something, then it is

God who will empower us to do it.

That is to say, God did not look at any of us and say, they're going to be the person

that's going to be good enough for the job.

Therefore, based on how good they are, I will use them.

Paul says that's not how it works.

Paul says that it's not according to our works, but according to his purpose.

So God calls the ones that he wants to use and God gets us ready to do what he's called

us to do.

So when we say, I'm not good enough to do that, we'll praise the Lord.

We have to trust in the grace of God.

And it is the grace of God that will allow us to do what he called us to do.

So God didn't choose any of us because we were capable on our own.

He chose us and he calls us to be obedient.

And if we answer that call, then he will give us the grace to do what he's called us to

do.

Verse 10, this has now been made evident through the appearing of our savior, Jesus, Savior

Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light

through the gospel.

Okay.

So if God has called us to grace to carry out these things he calls us to, how do we

know that he's going to follow through?

How do we know that he's capable?

Well, we know through Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ has come, he has given himself

on the cross, he has abolished death.

And as a result of that, he has brought light and life.

And through that comes the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

So the evidence, the proof, the hope that we have, the strength that we have, that God

will help us to do what he calls us to do is that Jesus Christ has come and died on

our behalf and has been raised from the dead.

So there's the proof, there's the evidence, that's how we know that God was true to his

word and how we know that when it says he's going to give us grace to serve, that we can

count on that, what God calls us to.

Verse 11, for this gospel I was appointed a herald, apostle, and a teacher.

So Paul says, look, I was called to be a teacher, an apostle.

I was called to serve God in this way.

And Timothy, you are called to serve God in this way.

For what purpose?

For the purpose of spreading the gospel.

And that's true for all of us who are Christians.

We all are called to do that in some form or fashion.

Verse 12, and that is why I suffer these things.

But I'm not ashamed because I know the one I have believed in and am persuaded that he

is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.

So Paul says, look, I've put my faith in Jesus and I'm serving him and that has resulted

in some really difficult times in my life.

Nonetheless, Paul says, I'm not going to turn on it.

I'm not ashamed of Jesus.

I'm not ashamed of the gospel.

I'm not ashamed to keep preaching what God has called me to preach.

And why?

He says, because I know the one I have believed in and am persuaded that he is able to guard

what has been entrusted to me until that day.

So Paul says, look, the world is against me, but I know that God is greater than the world.

And I know that God will be with me until the end.

Now it says until that day.

Well, that's kind of an interesting phrase.

It's hard to know exactly what he meant there.

Some of your Bibles, your translations may have that day capitalized.

Some say, oh, well, it's talking about the final day, the last day.

Well, maybe it is.

Maybe it's simply talking about the day of his death.

Really it doesn't matter.

It's talking about there's going to be a day that we stand before the Lord.

Now whether that day comes when the Lord returns in our lifetime or whether that day comes

when we draw our last breath and we go to be with him, eventually our life will be over.

And Paul says that, look, I'm going to continue to be a servant of God because I know that

God will be with me, that he will help me and strengthen me and empower me to do what

he has called me to do until the very end.

So until the very end, I will not give up.

Paul would go on to say, I have finished the race.

I have finished the fight.

I have run the race.

I have completed the task that God has called me to.

And hopefully we will be able to say that.

Hopefully we will have the same type of trust that Paul is calling Timothy to, that Paul

says, look, you have been called to serve and you need to trust in the strength of the

Lord to serve in the way that he has called you and not give up and continue on until

the day that your life is over.

And so these words are encouraging.

They're encouraging words to us because there are times that we may have to suffer in our

life.

We suffer in a variety of ways.

And some of those ways may be suffering for the kingdom of God.

But we don't want to have a spirit of fear because God is with us, he strengthens us

and it's by his grace that he will allow us to serve.

So next time we feel that God's calling or leading us to do something, let us not make

excuses but say, okay, God, I don't feel like I'm capable.

I don't feel like I know enough.

I don't feel like I'm qualified, but God, I feel like that this is something you've

called me to do.

And so God helped me to do what it is you want me to do and share in the gospel with

somebody else.

Let's pray.

God, we come to you.

Thank you for your good word and I pray that you just would help us, dear Lord, to hear

these words.

Whatever capacity you may call us to, dear Lord, maybe it's being a pastor or a missionary

or maybe it's just loving on somebody in the family or loving on somebody in our school,

whatever it may be, dear Lord, if you call us to serve you in some way, I pray that we

would be found faithful to do that.

That we wouldn't be afraid, that we wouldn't be ashamed of you, dear Lord, but that we

would stand tall, that we would tell others that we are yours, that we trust in Jesus,

and that we would share the good news of grace and forgiveness that comes through Jesus to

those we encounter.

And I ask these things in Jesus' name.

Amen.