Be Bold and Loyal with The Good News

2 TIMOTHY 1:8-14
DO NOT BE ASHAMED: 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;
PAUL TOLD TIMOTHY ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND, WITH COURAGE, THE BIRTHRIGHT OF EVERY BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST
– NOW, PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY HOW TO LET WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN HIM GUIDE HIS THINKING. IF TIMOTHY WILL TAKE THE COURAGE GOD WILL GIVE, HE WILL NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE TESTIMONY OF OUR LORD.   WE OFTEN FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT WASN’T EASY TO FOLLOW A CRUCIFIED MASTER.
TODAY, WE HAVE SANITIZED JESUS, AND DISINFECTED THE CROSS, MAKING IT ALL “SAFE.” BUT IN THE DAY PAUL WROTE THIS, IT WOULD SEEM STRANGE INDEED TO FOLLOW A CRUCIFIED MAN AND CALL HIM “SAVIOR.” THINK OF JESUS’ TEACHING; IF YOU WANT TO BE GREAT, BE THE SERVANT OF ALL; BE LIKE A CHILD, LIKE A SLAVE, LIKE THE YOUNGER, LIKE THE LAST INSTEAD OF THE FIRST. THIS IS A TESTIMONY SOME WOULD BE ASHAMED OF!
PAUL KNEW THAT THE PLAN OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST SEEMED FOOLISH TO MANY; BUT HE ALSO KNEW IT WAS THE LIVING, ACTIVE, POWER OF GOD TO SAVE SOULS AND TRANSFORM LIVES. PAUL WOULD NOT BE ASHAMED OF IT, AND NEITHER SHOULD TIMOTHY – OR WE! IF TIMOTHY WILL TAKE THE COURAGE GOD WILL GIVE, HE WILL NOT BE ASHAMED OF PAUL (NOR OF ME HIS PRISONER) –
IT WASN’T EASY TO SUPPORT AN IMPRISONED APOSTLE. NOR OF ME HIS PRISONER: PAUL SEES HIMSELF NOT AS THE PRISONER OF ROME, BUT AS A PRISONER OF GOD. PAUL CAN SEE GOD AS THE LORD OF EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE, AND IF HE IS FREE, HE IS THE LORD’S FREE MAN, IF HE IS IMPRISONED, HE IS THE LORD’S PRISONER.
BUT SHARE WITH ME: IT ISN’T ENOUGH THAT PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY TO NOT BE ASHAMED OF HIM AND HIS CHAINS; HE INVITES TIMOTHY TO SHARE IN IT ALL! HOW CAN WE SHARE IN THE SUFFERINGS? WE SHARE IN THE SAME WAY PAUL SPOKE OF IN ROMANS 12:15: REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE, AND WEEP WITH THOSE WHO WEEP. WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH OUR SUFFERING BRETHREN ACROSS THE WORLD THROUGH PRAYER, THROUGH A HEART OF CONCERN, AND THROUGH WISE ACTION. ACCORDING TO THE POWER OF GOD: WAS PAUL REALLY SUFFERING ACCORDING TO THE POWER OF GOD? YES! THE POWER OF GOD IS ALWAYS THERE, BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS THERE TO REMOVE THE DIFFICULTY. SOMETIMES IT IS THERE TO SEE US THROUGH THE DIFFICULTY.
IN ONE SENSE, IT IS ABSURD FOR PAUL TO TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF GOD – THE POWER OF ROME MIGHT SEEM A LOT MORE REAL! BUT GOD’S POWER HAS BEEN VINDICATED BY HISTORY; THE ROMAN EMPIRE IS GONE, BUT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST LIVES ON.
power of God2
DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION:
2 Timothy 1: 9-10 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: SAVED US AND CALLED US: WE COME TO GOD AS A RESPONSE TO HIS CALL IN OUR LIVES. WE DID NOT INITIATE THE SEARCH; WE DO NOT “FIND” GOD,

GOD FINDS US

SO WE MUST RESPOND TO HIS CALL WHEN WE SENSE IT.
WHY DID GOD CALL US? NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE. IT WASN’T ANYTHING GREAT WE WERE, OR ANYTHING GREAT WE HAD DONE, BUT BECAUSE IT FIT IN WITH HIS PURPOSE – BECAUSE HE WANTED TO. GRACE WHICH WAS GIVEN TO US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE TIME BEGAN: GOD DIRECTED HIS GRACIOUS WORK TOWARDS US WHEN WE ONLY EXISTED AS A FACT IN GOD’S KNOWLEDGE. JUST AS A COUPLE LOVINGLY PLANS FOR A BABY BEFORE THE BABY IS BORN, SO GOD PLANNED FOR US.
BEFORE TIME BEGAN ALSO REMINDS US THAT TIME IS SOMETHING GOD CREATED TO GIVE ORDER AND ARRANGEMENT TO OUR PRESENT WORLD; TIME IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO GOD’S EXISTENCE. HE EXISTED BEFORE TIME WAS CREATED, AND WILL REMAIN WHEN TIME IS ENDED – AND WE LIVE ON IN ETERNITY WITH HIM.
GOD’S PURPOSE AND GRACE WERE REVEALED BY THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST: HE FULFILLED THE ETERNAL PLAN OF GOD; JESUS TRULY SHOWS US WHAT GOD AND HIS PLAN ARE ALL ABOUT. THAT’S WHY WE CAN NEVER KNOW JESUS TOO MUCH; IF YOU WOULD KNOW AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE INVISIBLE GOD IN THE HEAVENS, GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF TO US ALL IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. JESUS REVEALS HIM.
BECOME A PH.D. IN THE STUDY OF JESUS! WHAT JESUS DID: HE ABOLISHED DEATH. DEATH ISN’T DEATH ANYMORE. IN REGARD TO BELIEVERS, IT IS CALLED SLEEP – NOT BECAUSE WE ARE UNCONSCIOUS, BUT BECAUSE IT IS PLEASANT AND PEACEFUL. DEATH DOES NOT TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE CHRISTIAN; IT GRADUATES THEM TO GLORY! THE CHRISTIAN HAS NO PLACE FOR “RIP” ON HIS TOMBSTONE; “REST IN PEACE” DOES NOT ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE OUR ETERNAL FATE. WHY NOT THE LETTERS “CAD”? “CHRIST ABOLISHED DEATH” WOULD LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE ARE MORE ALIVE THAN EVER, ENJOYING THE ETERNAL GLORY OF OUR LORD. WHAT JESUS DID: HE BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL.
THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE AFTER-LIFE WAS MURKY AT BEST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT; BUT JESUS LET US KNOW MORE ABOUT HEAVEN – AND HELL – THAN ANYONE ELSE COULD. HE CREATED THEM! JESUS BROUGHT THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR IMMORTAL STATE TO LIFE THROUGH HIS OWN RESURRECTION; HE SHOWED US WHAT OUR OWN IMMORTAL BODIES WOULD BE LIKE, AND ASSURED US THAT WE WOULD IN FACT HAVE THEM. THESE THINGS MAKE JESUS A MORE RELIABLE SPOKESMAN REGARDING THE WORLD BEYOND THAN ANYONE WHO HAS A “NEAR-DEATH” EXPERIENCE.
GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION BEGAN FOR US IN ETERNITY PAST, BEFORE TIME BEGAN; IT CONTINUED WITH THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, AND CAME TO US WHEN HE SAVED US AND CALLED US, CONTINUES AS WE LIVE OUR HOLY CALLING, AND WILL ONE DAY SHOW ITSELF IN IMMORTALITY – ETERNAL LIFE!

WHEN WE CONSIDER THE GREATNESS OF THIS MESSAGE, NO WONDER PAUL CALLS IT THE GOSPEL – GOOD NEWS!

  • IT IS GOOD NEWS THAT GOD THOUGHT OF YOU AND LOVED YOU BEFORE YOU EVEN EXISTED;
  • GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS CAME TO PERFECTLY SHOW US GOD,
  • GOOD NEWS THAT HE CALLED US AND SAVED US,
  • GOOD NEWS THAT HE GIVES US A HOLY CALLING,
  • AND GOOD NEWS THAT HE SHOWS US AND GIVES US ETERNAL LIFE.

NO WONDER PAUL WAS WILLING TO GO TO JAIL – EVEN DIE – RATHER THAN BE SILENT ABOUT THIS GREAT MESSAGE!

THE BOLDNESS GOD GIVES, WILL ENABLE PAUL TO STAND STRONG FOR THE LORD IN THE MIDST OF HIS PRESENT DISTRESS.: 2 Timothy 1:11-12 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

TO WHICH I WAS APPOINTED A PREACHER: WE CAN ALMOST SENSE PAUL GROWING IN STRENGTH AS HE PENS THESE WORDS; HE UNDERSTANDS AGAIN THAT IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SUFFER FOR SUCH A GREAT GOSPEL – SO FAR FROM BEING ASHAMED, HE IS HONORED! THE SERMONS HE HAS PREACHED (A PREACHER), THE CHURCHES HE HAS LED (AN APOSTLE), AND THE DIVERSE NATIONS HE HAS BROUGHT TO JESUS CHRIST (A TEACHER OF THE GENTILES).

HOW COULD PAUL BE SO BOLD? SO HONORED BY SOMETHING OTHERS MIGHT BE ASHAMED OF?

  1. FIRST, BECAUSE I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED. PAUL KNEW THE GOD HE WAS SERVING. WE MUST KNOW WHAT WE BELIEVE; BUT IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHOM WE BELIEVE.
  2. WHEN WE KNOW HOW GREAT GOD IS; WHEN GOD AND HIS GLORY BECOMES THE GREAT FACT OF OUR LIVES, THEN WE HAVE REAL BOLDNESS. CHARLES SPURGEON WROTE; “‘KNOW THYSELF,’ SAID THE HEATHEN PHILOSOPHER; THAT IS WELL, BUT THAT KNOWLEDGE MAY ONLY LEAD A MAN TO HELL. ‘KNOW CHRIST,’ SAYS THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER, ‘KNOW HIM, AND THEN YOU SHALL KNOW YOURSELF,’ AND THIS SHALL CERTAINLY LEAD YOU TO HEAVEN, FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS IS SAVING KNOWLEDGE.”
  3. PAUL COULD BE SO BOLD, BECAUSE HE WAS PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP WHAT I HAVE COMMITTED TO HIM UNTIL THAT DAY. PAUL GAVE JESUS HIS LIFE, AND KNEW JESUS WAS FULLY ABLE TO KEEP IT! WHAT WAS IT THAT PAUL COMMITTED TO HIM? SURELY, HE FIRST HAS IN MIND HIS LIFE. PAUL KNEW HE COULD NOT KEEP HIS OWN LIFE; HE KNEW THAT ONLY GOD COULD KEEP IT.
  4. GOD WAS ABLE; PAUL WAS NOT. KNOWING THIS MADE PAUL FULL OF BOLDNESS, BUT IT WASN’T BOLDNESS IN SELF, BUT IN GOD!

BUT IT WASN’T ONLY HIS LIFE THAT PAUL HAD COMMITTED TO GOD. PAUL HAD COMMITTED EVERYTHING TO JESUS – HIS LIFE, HIS BODY, HIS CHARACTER AND REPUTATION, HIS LIFE’S WORK, EVERYTHING THAT WAS PRECIOUS. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO COMMIT TO HIM? EVERYTHING THAT IS PRECIOUS! THAT DAY. WHAT DAY? YOU KNOW WHAT DAY – THE DAY PAUL WOULD SEE JESUS; EITHER BY JESUS COMING FOR PAUL OR BY PAUL GOING TO JESUS. THEY LIVED IN SUCH AWARENESS OF THAT DAY, THEY DID NOT EVEN NEED TO IDENTIFY IT. THAT DAY WAS ENOUGH. HOW PRECIOUS IS THAT DAY TO YOU? IT PROBABLY DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH YOU HAVE COMMITTED TO HIM!

FAITHFULNESS MATTERS, SO HOLD FAST THE TRUTH: 2 Timothy 1:13-14 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
 AFTER SPEAKING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BOLDNESS, PAUL NOW CALLS TIMOTHY TO HOLD FAST THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS – TIMOTHY, AND ALL GODLY MINISTERS, ARE CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE TRUTH. HOLD FAST SUGGESTS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING WILL TRY TO TAKE THE TRUTH FROM US; UNLESS WE HOLD ON IN FAITHFULNESS, IT WILL BE SNATCHED FROM US.
EPHESIANS 4:14 SPEAKS OF A SPECIAL MAN OR WOMAN TO TRULY HOLD FAST; IT TAKES SOMEONE WHO IS NOT TOSSED TO AND FRO AND CARRIED ABOUT BY EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, BY THE TRICKERY OF MEN.
ISN’T THIS AN IMPORTANT MEASURE FOR ANY PASTOR? DOES HE HOLD FAST THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS?
  • THE PRIMARY MEASURES SHOULDN’T BE, “HE’S REALLY FUNNY” OR “HE’S REALLY EXCITING” OR “HE’S NEVER BORING” OR EVEN
  • “HE HAS A REAL HEART FOR THE LOST” BECAUSE SOME, CLAIMING A HEART FOR THE LOST, HAVE ABANDONED THE GOSPEL.
  • THE TRUE MEASURE IS TO ASK, “DOES HE HOLD FAST THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS?” THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS SUGGESTS THAT TRUE TEACHING, ACCORDING TO GOD’S TRUTH, HAS A CERTAIN “PATTERN” TO IT – A PATTERN THAT CAN BE DETECTED BY THE DISCERNING HEART. WHICH YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME: THE SOUND WORDS TIMOTHY WAS TO HOLD FAST CAME TO HIM FROM A MAN – PAUL THE APOSTLE.

GOD USES HUMAN INSTRUMENTS TO COMMUNICATE HIS ETERNAL TRUTH. WE MUST ALWAYS BEWARE OF THE PERSON WHO REJECTS ALL HUMAN TEACHERS AND SAYS, “IT’S JUST ME AND MY BIBLE.”

GOD USED PAUL TO COMMUNICATE THE PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS TIMOTHY WAS EXPECTED TO BE FAITHFUL TOO.  GOD USES OTHER MEN AND WOMEN TO COMMUNICATE THAT SAME TRUTH TODAY.

TIMOTHY’S FAITHFULNESS HAS TO BE TEMPERED WITH FAITH AND LOVE WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. SOME PEOPLE TAKE GOD’S WORD AND CONSIDER IT ONLY AN INTELLECTUAL MATTER, AND LEAVE OUT FAITH AND LOVE. FAITH AND LOVE DESCRIBE HOW THE TRUTH IS TO BE HELD.

  • WE HOLD IT IN FAITH, TRULY BELIEVING IT AND PUTTING OUR LIVES ON IT;
  • AND WE HOLD IT IN LOVE, NOT IN PROUD ARROGANCE OR SELF-SEEKING SUPERIORITY.

IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEING FAITHFUL TO THE TRUTH, BUT AREN’T SHOWING FAITH AND LOVE IN YOUR LIFE, YOU MAY BE NOTHING MORE THAN A PHARISEE. THEY WERE A GROUP IN JESUS’ DAY THAT WAS VERY COMMITTED TO HOLDING CERTAIN TEACHINGS, BUT HAD NO FRUIT OF FAITH AND LOVE FLOWING IN THEIR LIVES.

TIMOTHY HAD SOMETHING COMMITTED TO HIM – PAUL CALLS IT THAT GOOD THING, NO DOUBT MEANING THE GOSPEL AND THE TRUTH OF GOD – AND HE NEEDED TO HAVE FAITHFULNESS TO KEEP THAT GOOD THING. GOD HAS COMMITTED MANY GOOD THINGS TO US; WILL WE BE FAITHFUL AND KEEP THEM?

KEEP HAS MORE THAN JUST THE IDEA OF HOLDING ON TO SOMETHING; IT ALSO MEANS TO GUARD IT AND TO USE IT WISELY. WHAT GOOD THINGS HAS GOD COMMITTED TO YOU?

HIS WORD? A FAMILY? TIME? GIFTS AND TALENTS? AN EDUCATION?

ARE YOU BEING FAITHFUL WITH THOSE THINGS?

WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE FAITHFULNESS IS ONLY EXPECTED SO LONG AS IT SERVES OUR OWN INTERESTS. WHEN IT STOPS BEING IN OUR IMMEDIATE ADVANTAGE TO BE FAITHFUL, MANY PEOPLE FEEL JUST FINE ABOUT GIVING UP THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. BUT THIS IS NOT HONORING TO GOD. BEING FAITHFUL TO GOD MEANS HAVING THE HEART THAT WILL DO WHAT IS RIGHT EVEN WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE CRAZY TO DO SO.

BUT HE HONORS THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD; HE WHO SWEARS TO HIS OWN HURT AND DOES NOT CHANGE (PSALM 15:4). WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE FAITHFUL TO SOMETHING WHEN IT COST YOU TO BE FAITHFUL? GOD IS FAITHFUL WITH WHAT WE COMMIT TO HIM (2 TIMOTHY 1:12). WILL WE BE FAITHFUL WITH WHAT HE HAS COMMITTED TO US?

THE LAST PHRASE OF 2 TIMOTHY 1:14 GIVES US THE KEY TO FAITHFULNESS: KEEP BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO DWELLS IN US. GOD REQUIRES A FAITHFULNESS FROM US THAT IS GREATER THAN WE CAN FULFILL BY OUR OWN RESOURCES. UNLESS WE ARE WALKING IN THE SPIRIT AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE CANNOT BE FAITHFUL TO WHAT WE MUST BE FAITHFUL TO.