2 TIMOTHY 1:8-12 NEVER ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL PROCLAIMED

2 TIMOTHY 1:8-12

NEVER ASHAMED

OF THE GOSPEL PROCLAIMED

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;

Susan: There are three things that are important here. Timothy should not be ashamed of the gospel that the Lord Jesus proclaimed; instead, he should be bold.  He should not be embarrassed that Paul was in prison because the Lord had placed him there for His purpose. Timothy should not be afraid of the consequences of sharing boldly. He could accomplish all that God called him to do despite persecution because of the power of the Holy Spirit within him.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord

2 Timothy 1:9 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,

Susie: Jesus died for us not because we were worthy or had performed excellent deeds but because God chose us from the foundation of the world to fulfill His will and purpose. Our salvation is completely accomplished by God through no merit of our own.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Susie: That which God calls us to do He will empower us to accomplish. He saved us for a purpose and will enable us to fulfill it.

Susan: God equips those who serve Him to do good works.

2 Timothy 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Susan: Jesus knew God’s plan from the beginning, but He revealed it to His people through the Law and the Prophets and eventually through the incarnation. At the appointed time, God wrapped Himself in the confines of human flesh to reveal HIStory to humanity by living out love daily and ultimately placing Himself as ransom for humanity’s redemption and reconciliation with the Father. His death on the cross fulfilled the plan set in place from the beginning:

Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Susie: By Jesus’s death and resurrection, God removed all fear of death for those who trust in Jesus. The Gospel message that Jesus died to pay for our sins, was raised to life on the third day, and is now our advocate at the right hand of God the Father brings light and a glorious hope to our lives.

2 Timothy 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

Susan: God appointed Paul to proclaim the gospel message and offer the gift of grace to all those in the known world at that time who would trust in and rely on Jesus for everything.

Susie: Paul brought that message of good news to Jews and Gentiles alike and served not only as a preacher but as an apostle, an authority and messenger to the church.

2 Timothy 1:12 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.

Susie: Paul had suffered beatings, being stoned, shipwreck, imprisonment, betrayal, and was now facing beheading. However, he was never ashamed of the gospel or in fear of sharing it. He boldly proclaimed the truth because he knew the Person in whom he trusted, the Lord Jesus, was faithful to His promise to keep him and eventually take Paul home to be with Him forever.

Susan: God’s children are His forever treasure, and Paul was certainly one of them. His life would be preserved here until the day the Lord called him home. Then his trust in Jesus, his commitment of His life to the Lord, would be intact as He faced Jesus in the day of judgment. His name would be in the Lamb’s book of life because it was registered there at the time of his miraculous conversion and Jesus keeps those who are His.

John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

QUESTIONS

1.        Timothy was told to share the gospel boldly despite persecutions. What consequences might he have faced for preaching about Jesus?

2.        What consequences might you face for sharing the gospel with others?

3.        Do you feel you are bold enough in sharing your faith in Jesus? Why or why not?

4.        Can we earn our way into heaven? Explain your answer.

5.        People still die every day. In what way did Jesus abolish death?

6.        What had Paul entrusted to Jesus?

7.        Have you trusted Jesus, completely surrendering your life to His care? If not, contact us at www.preciousjewelsministries.org for more information or talk with a pastor or friend who can help you understand more completely.