1. Imprisoned and facing death, Paul encouraged Timothy not to be ashamed
a. Of the testimony of the Lord - 2 Timothy 1:8
b. Of Paul himself as a prisoner of the Lord - 2 Timothy 1:8
c. For Paul was not ashamed, nor was Onesiphorus - 2 Timothy 1:12,16-18
2. It is important that one not be ashamed
a. Of the Lord and His gospel - Mark 8:38
b. Of suffering in His name - 1 Peter 4:16
c. Have you ever been ashamed of Jesus, of His gospel, of suffering in the name of Christ?
3. How can we be brave?
A. HIS IDENTITY
1. I know whom I have believed - 2 Timothy 1:12
a. Paul had knowledge of the true person and identity of Jesus Christ
b. This knowledge gave Paul courage to suffer any price - Philippians 3:8
2. Who is this Jesus we follow as the Christ?
a. In the words of Isaiah - Isaiah 9:6-7
1) Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God
2) Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
b. In the words of Peter - Matthew 16:16
1) The Christ
2) The Son of the Living God
c. In the words of Paul - Colossians 1:15-18
1) The image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation
2) By Him, through Him, and for Him were all things created
3) He is before all things, and in Him all things consist
4) He is the head of the body, the church
5) He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence!
d. In the words of Jesus Himself - Revelation 1:10-11,17-18; 22:16
1) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last
2) I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore
3) I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
4) I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star
3. When we know our Lord's true identity, how can we ever be ashamed of Him?
B. HIS FAITHFULNESS
1. I am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day - 2 Timothy 1:12
a. Paul had committed his very soul to Jesus
b. He was confident that Jesus was able to save him on the Day of Judgment
2. How faithful, dependable, is this Jesus in Whom we trust for salvation?
a. He is able to aid those who are tempted - Hebrews 2:18; 1 Corinthians 10:13
b. He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him - Hebrews 7:25
c. He is able to transform our lowly bodies into glorious bodies - Philippians 3:21
d. He will give eternal life to those who come to Him, and nothing can snatch them out of His Father's hand - John 10:28-29
3. When we know our Lord's faithfulness, how can we ever be ashamed of Him?
A. THE POWER OF GOD
1. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God - Romans 1:16
a. Paul knew that the message he proclaimed was powerful
b. Even though to some it might seem foolishness - 1 Corinthians 1:18
2. What power is contained in the gospel of Christ?
a. The power to save those who believe - Romans 1:16
b. The power to cause one to be born again - 1 Peter 1:22-25
c. The power to work effectively in those who believe - 1 Thessalonians 2:13
d. The power to produce fruit in those who know and understand it - Colossians 1:6
3. When we know God's power in the gospel, how can we ever be ashamed of it?
B. THE WISDOM OF GOD
1. but we preach Christ crucified...the wisdom of God - 1 Corinthians 1:23-24
a. Paul knew that the gospel contained the wisdom of God
b. Even though it contained that which was considered foolishness to Greeks
2. What wisdom is contained in the gospel of Christ?
a. Wisdom beyond the ability of natural man to discern on his own - Romans 11:33
b. Wisdom hidden for ages, but now revealed to the Lord's apostles - 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
c. Wisdom that we can now learn by reading the apostles' writings - Ephesians 3:3-5
d. Indeed, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, especially for the truly abundant life and life eternal - Colossians 2:3; John 10:10; 1 John 5:11-13
3. When we know God's wisdom in the gospel, how can we ever be ashamed of it?
1. Yes, we have very good reasons to be brave
a. The Lord we serve is a great and marvelous Lord!
b. His Word we proclaim is a great and marvelous message!
c. All it takes is for us to be diligent in our study of such things - 2 Timothy 2:15
2. Here are two more good reasons we should be brave
a. Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren - Hebrews 2:11
b. God is not ashamed to be called our God - Hebrews 11:16
3. If They are not ashamed of us, how can we be ashamed of Them and Their Word?
4. Finally, our greatest concern should be whether we will be ashamed when the Lord returns: And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. - 1 John 2:28
-- Don Treadway, February 2011 --
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