September 14, 2003
HOLY SPIRIT BLESS US
2 Tim 1: 8-12
“Not Ashamed Of The Gospel”
Introduction:
Did you ever experienced that when you heard a joke which you found out to be very funny, you were very eager to share it to someone especially the members of our family?
It happened to me so many times. Last Thursday, I went to Barnes & Nobles and I found this book called Bushism which contains jokes about Pres. Bush. So if there are Erap jokes in the Phils., there are also Bush’s jokes here in America.
I laughed so hard that I called Myrna in the office to share some of it.
Also when we watched a good movie, with excitement we share and relate what we saw. The same is true when we read some articles, books and magazines which we found very interesting and worth sharing.
But, how about when the subject matter is about God, about Jesus Christ about faith and salvation? Are we that excited to share? Do we find it interesting and worthwhile to share with excitement to other people?
Most Christians just like non-Christians don’t even bother to share about their testimony and experience about God.
But I know not all of us have the same attitude and impressions. Because there are people in this fellowship who are willing and able to become a living witness for Jesus Christ.
In fact, I really Praise the Lord because we have Sis. Madel has fruits in faith. The Andrew’s and Tita. Lita are the product of her desire for this fellowship to grow. She invited them and shared about our fellowship that’s why they are here with us willing to serve the Lord.
And also, our mother Irene, she is not afraid to invite people that is why we have Lola. Felomena and ate Violy.
Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy said, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, …but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.”V.18
Apostle Paul was imprisoned because of his boldness to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was humiliated and suffered physically, emotionally, because of his faith in the Lord.
As Christian believers, what are we doing to let people know about our faith?
My brothers and sisters, we have to stand on our feet and do not be ashamed to share about what God has done in our life.
We have a testimony to share, I believe that. Our everyday experience with the Lord is a testimony to share. He is doing great things in your life and He is able to do more if you allow Him to do it for you.
Huwag mong ikakahiya ang pagpapatotoo tungkol sa Panginoon.
God is alive and He is real. Let’s cite some facts about God.
Who controls the solar system and the earth where we live. Who keeps it in order ? I am very certain, it’s not the people from NASA but God. Genesis 1:1 “God created the heavens and the earth.”
Who provides the air that we breath? not the electric power but, God.
Who gives light to the Sun that gives us light during the day and keeps us warm and sweating so that those excessive fats will be burned from our system?
Not the brilliance of scientists nor doctors but God.
Howard Davis said, “An invisible God of fathomless intelligence obviously designed the universe, which according to astronomers’ best estimates stretches out some 15 billion light years. By some recent estimates a staggering 70 thousand million million million-seven followed by 22 zeros-stars are visible through telescopes from earth.”
We have so many many reasons to testify about the Lord. Are we doing our part to share it to people who are blinded with self centeredness and conceit.
Sometimes, we attribute to human endeavors what progress we are experiencing.
Remember, only God can do miraculous and marvelous things, the brilliant minds are just part of God’s blessing to humanity.People don’t accept this reality because of pride and sin.
Our testimony about the Lord must be coupled by our submission to the power of God who is at work in our lives.
There are group of so called religious people who shared the gospel but not according to the power of God.
The power of God means that there is transformation within you. There is something new and something different that is happening within yourself compared to who you are before you encountered Jesus in your life.
You must share a changed life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We cannot just sit here all our life without experiencing the touch and power of God working in our life. God is willing to show His power thru us if we are willing to let Him do something for us.
My friends, the reasons why we have this fellowship is that we need to reach out people so that their lives may change for the better.
That will surely happen if they themselves will also encounter and accept Jesus whom we are serving.
If before you are acting like people in this world now by the power of God you are a new born child of God.
We cannot just say that, tomorrow its Monday again, I can go back to my old self and do what pleases me because anyway there’s another Sunday wherein I can go to church and pray and confess my sins then I am forgiven.
Oh, yeah, are you sure that you are still alive the following Sunday? No one among us can ever tell if we will still alive tomorrow but God can.
Look at the power of God because of the gospel, V.9 “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and the grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”
The moment we made a decision and open our life to Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior,
We are saved and called us with a holy calling.
We are special sons & daughters of God and we have a holy calling.
We don’t need to live with the past. We need to forget the past and enjoy our life with holiness in God’s presence.
How can we enjoy life with abundance if our life has but full of hatred, anguish, ungratefulness and unforgiving hearts.
How can we pursue life with joy if our life has but full of envy and pride.
My friends, we must consider our calling as the highest calling ever made to human kind.
We have to enjoy it.
What do we do if as a fellowship we received an invitation for a dinner from Governor Jeb Bush ? Obviously, we will all be excited to meet the governor. So some of us will go to the salon for manicure and pedicure, we will have our hair done, we will start to think what we gonna wear on that day (we may even think about clothes made in the Philippines).
We will see to it that when we meet the governor we look good especially during picture taking so that we can show our friends and families that we met a special person. His call and invitation is so special to me and to you as ordinary people of the State of Florida.
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s calling is matchless. It’s the highest calling one could ever have.
Therefore, we must grab it with enthusiasm, with excitement, with joy, with willingness, with our whole heart and mind.
You know my friends, human standards are limited and with boundaries.
Government officials will invite you for a meeting because of who you are according to their needs, according to your achievements and accomplishments.
But, God calls us no matter who we are. Regardless of what we have achieved and accomplish in life, He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works. God’s favor and calling is but, “according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time begun.”
So even before we are born God’s plan for calling and saving us is already there. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrew 13: 8
Because of God’s calling revealed through Jesus Christ, He “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” V.10
In John 5: 24 Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him (God) who sent Me (Jesus) has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death into life.”
The gospel of Jesus Christ plainly revealed to us that what we need for eternal life is Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Again, Paul reminded us, “For this reason I also suffer these things, (Romans 8:35-39) nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” V.12.
The power of God in Jesus and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is with the Believers, so do Not Ashamed Of The Gospel.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1: 16
Commentary
A.B. Simpson is reported to have said that the gospel "Tells rebellious men that God is reconciled,
that justice is satisfied, that sin has been atoned for, that the judgment of the guilty may be revoked,
the condemnation of the sinner cancelled, the curse of the Law blotted out, the gates of hell closed,
the portals of heaven opened wide, the power of sin subdued, the guilty conscience healed, the broken heart comforted, the sorrow and misery of the Fall undone.
M. Cocoris, Evangelism, A Biblical Approach, Moody, 1984, p. 29.
He can persuade and keep us so that we will become more committed to Jesus Christ until we meet Him face to face.
There is sense and meaning why you are here and the mystery of it will be revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
Accept the challenge and open your heart to the Gospel of Jesus who called you and me with a holy calling to share and be a witness for the wonderful things He has been doing in your life.
If you know whom you believed, you will not be ashamed?
Go forth and share the Gospel and see what God will do for you and to the Filipino Mission Fellowship. Amen.
