I Am Not Ashamed Of The Gospel!

“I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel”

Pastor Glenn Newton 6-2-02

“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother

Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this

reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the

laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of

power, of love and self-discipline.

So do not be ashamed to testify about out Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.

But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us

and called us to a holy life -- not because of anything we have done but because of his

own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning

of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ

Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through

the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I

have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him

for that day.” 2 Tim. 1:5-12

This morning we are kicking off the new Church year, we are getting to start over again. I

looked at our statistics a couple of years ago on this date and we had 19 for Sunday

School and we had 29 for Morning Worship, OUCH! Thanks for being here this morning.

Last Sunday we celebrated the Lord’s Supper together and I also challenged you to

remember three things, Three things that we need to remember every week as a Christian.

I won’t ask you if you remember, I will just refresh your memory.

We need to Remember first,

1. God’s Love - His Love is for us, His Love is always available to us, amen?

2. God’s Word - His Word is Truth

3. God’s Power - Through Christ we have His Resurrection Power, to be overcomers, to

Love others, and to be witnesses for Him, Amen?

This morning I want to encourage you to develop in the following three areas in your

Spiritual journey. If you will Remember last weeks three essentials, they will enable you

to develop these three areas of your Spiritual life. What are they?

1. Faith on Fire!

2. Spirit of Power, Love, and Self-discipline

3. Your Personal Witness

I could spend a whole sermon on each of these areas, and probably have, but I want to

remind you this morning of these three important aspects of our Christian life. As we

decide to develop these areas, God is able to unleash his Power in our life.

1. Faith on Fire!

What does the Apostle Paul, who by the way is sitting in Prison for his faith and

testimony, but he’s not sitting around pouting about his circumstances, he just uses the

down time to encourage this Young Pastor to push on for Jesus.

The Apostle Paul had this Faith on Fire! His Faith was unfazed by the circumstances

surrounding his life. It didn’t matter if he was preaching to hundreds or starting new

churches, or if he was sitting in a dirty, cold, prison cell, His Faith was stoked, buring

strong for His Master, Jesus Christ.

Paul tells young Timothy in verse 6, “...I remind you to fan into flame the gift of

God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

Paul tells this young pastor, Fan into Flame this Gift of Faith that God has given you. Fan

into Flame your Christian experience, Fan into Flame your Relationship with Jesus, Don’t

settle for a dead, lifeless, religious routine. Don’t settle for what the Pharisees all were

busy teaching, a religion of rules and regulations, a life that only looked at the outside.

Friends, Is your Faith on Fire?

One dark night outside a small town, a fire started inside the local chemical plant.

Before long it exploded into flames and an alarm went out to fire departments from

miles around. After fighting the fire for over an hour, the chemical company

president approached the fire chief and said, "All of our secret formulas are in the

vault in the center of the plant. They must be saved! I will give $50,000 to the

engine company that brings them out safely!" As soon as the chief heard this, he

ordered the firemen to strengthen their attack on the blaze. After two more hours

of attacking the fire, the president of the company offered $100,000 to the engine