Do Not Be Ashamed Of Christ Series

Introduction

John MacArthur tells the story that during the Boxer Rebellion in China (1899–1901), extreme nationalist Chinese fomented a campaign of terror against officials of foreign governments, Christian missionaries, and even Chinese Christians. After they surrounded a certain mission station, they sealed all exits except one. They placed a cross in the dirt in front of the open gate and told the missionaries and students that anyone who walked out and trampled the cross would be spared. According to reports, the first seven students who departed trampled the cross and were sent on their way. The eighth student, a young girl, approached the cross, knelt down, prayed for strength, carefully walked around the cross, and was immediately shot to death. The remaining 92 students, strengthened by that girl’s courageous example, also walked around the cross to their deaths.

Professing Christians throughout history have struggled to maintain a clear testimony to Christ. There has always been a temptation to be ashamed of Christ. And in some instances, people have paid with their lives when they have not been ashamed of Christ.

When Paul wrote his Second Letter to Timothy, Christianity was a tiny religion in a world of people who were antagonistic toward the gospel. As far as we know, all the apostles of Jesus Christ—except for the Apostle John—died a martyr’s death.

So there was a tremendous temptation to deny Christ when confronted and called upon to do so. There was a constant struggle of being ashamed to call oneself a Christian and be identified with Christ.

Timothy was by nature a timid young man. He was not an outgoing and extroverted young man. He was not bold and forceful. Yet, he was faithful. Paul saw Timothy as his righthand man. Paul was Timothy’s faithful associate overseeing the work in Ephesus. Timothy was to oppose false doctrine by teaching the word of God faithfully and accurately.

So, in that context, Paul urged Timothy not to be ashamed of Christ. Paul’s exhortation is as relevant today as it was on the day he wrote this letter to Timothy.

Scripture

Let’s read 2 Timothy 1:8-12:

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. (2 Timothy 1:8-12)

Lesson

2 Timothy 1:8-12 shows us several ways Christians guard against being ashamed of Christ.

Let’s use the following outline:

1. By Sharing in Christ’s Suffering (1:8a)

2. By Remembering the Gospel (1:8b-10

3. By Fulfilling Our Calling (1:11-12a)

4. By Knowing Whom We Have Believed (1:12b)

I. By Sharing in Christ’s Suffering (1:8a)

First, Christians guard against being ashamed of Christ by sharing in Christ’s suffering.

Paul wrote in verse 8a, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel….” Since, according to the previous verse (1:7), God had given believers a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control, Paul urged Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony about the Lord, that is, the gospel message concerning Jesus Christ. Paul did not want Timothy to be “ashamed” to name the name of Jesus because he was afraid of potential persecution. At this time of writing, Paul was a prisoner, and he did not want Timothy to be ashamed of Paul either.

Interestingly, Paul did not say that he was “Rome’s prisoner” or “Caesar’s prisoner” but he said that he was “his prisoner.” Paul made it very clear that he was in prison because of his relationship with Jesus Christ. And he was glad to suffer for being a follower of Jesus Christ.

Moreover, one must remember that Paul was in a first-century prison in Rome. Some of you have visited someone in prison. They are generally clean, well-lit, and may even have air conditioning. Not so in a Roman prison! It was dark and dank. There was probably the constant stench of human waste. Most likely, the air circulation was very poor. Prisoners were coughing and retching. There was no such thing as a six-foot space between one prisoner and the next. It was a most terrible place to be. And yet, Paul urged Timothy not to be ashamed of Christ by sharing in Christ’s suffering.