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, 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, 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,for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 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

Introduction

Last week we began a series in 2 Timothy a part of our campus-specific preaching plan in the coming weeks and months.

Reminders:

• 2 Timothy is Paul’s last letter, written from prison, as he is facing a death sentence.
• It’s written “to a beloved child in the faith.”
• I noted last week that some assume Timothy was particularly timid, anxious or that he struggled with fear, and I said that my sense is that Timothy is someone most of us can relate to.

At the outset, I must say that today’s text is challenging for me and, I think, for most of us. What do I know of suffering like Paul is talking about? I’ve been called a few names, shunned a few times. For me to preach on suffering in some ways is like a boy with a toy airplane talking about flying a commercial plane.

Paul has exhorted Timothy to fan into flame the spiritual gift he received because God’s Spirit has worked in him with power, love, and self-control. “Don’t use your gift for self-glory or self-service but use it unto God’s glory and the good of others with the promise that the Spirit of God will empower you to that end.”

So our text today picks up at that point with the thrust of Paul’s first main burden for these last words to Timothy. Namely, that Timothy embrace the suffering in his life associated with following Christ and preaching the gospel. The format is like one of those “sandwiches” that pastor Jason likes to mention. This is a gospel sandwich. You don’t name a sandwich by the bread but the inside:

I. Shame or Suffering
II. The Gospel
III. Suffering Because He Is Worthy and Worth It

Shame or Suffering?

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.—2 Timothy 1:8

A follower of Jesus will be presented with a choice. This is not one-size fits all or once for all time. Broadly speaking, we will come to points in our lives in which we can choose the “easy road” of being ashamed of Jesus, his gospel, and his people—or we identify with Jesus, his gospel, and his people, and we bear suffering. The qualifications here are that it is suffering for the gospel and that it is by the power of God. We need to avoid two ditches here:

1) Suffering is the goal. Pursue suffering. Nowhere in the Bible are we taught to pursue suffering

2) Suffering in the Christian life means you are in sin or out of God’s will or God is punishing you.

Paul does not necessarily know what particular suffering Timothy will face, but he is sure that Timothy will face suffering. When this suffering comes—and it will likely come in the form of disavowing Paul and, of much greater gravity, disavowing the gospel—Paul’s burden is that Timothy maintain his testimony of Jesus and his gospel.

As 21st-century Christians in America, we must reckon with the fact that we exist mainly on an island with the illusion of peace and security. For most of the history of the church, she is assailed with forces committed to her extermination.

Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.—Hebrews 11:36–38

However, the church has not suffered only in what we might be tempted to view as ancient or primitive history. The church continues to suffer today.

• Christians in over 50 countries are persecuted because of their faith.
• Christians are denied basic civil rights, unlawfully charged with crimes, fined, interrogated, imprisoned, sometimes tortured and even killed.
• Last month a BBC (British Broadcasting Company) article reported that in some parts of the world, persecution of Christians was at “near genocide levels.”

Gospel Rehearsal

Paul is not promoting a sadistic or masochistic view of life. Nor is he lumping all suffering together. In particular, Paul says not to be ashamed of “the testimony of our Lord.”

So the temptation is to choose anonymity from Jesus and therefore be ashamed of him or not. But in particular, the issue is the message. The “testimony of our Lord.” So Paul does not assume this message but articulates it. Why? Because to see the gospel clearly is to put the suffering in its proper perspective. 

What does the gospel do? How does it work? Why is Jesus worth it?

[He] 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.—1 Timothy 1:9

• We are saved. From the power of death and the dominion of the devil and eternal damnation.
• We are called. This is God’s calling on our life. Think of it. God himself, Creator and Sustainer of all that is. Perfect in every way. Without need or lack ... calls you. He calls you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). He calls you child of God and beloved (1 John 3:1). He calls you righteous and into his righteousness. He calls you holy and into his holiness. He calls you to justify you.
• Paul inserts the all-important truth that this is of grace. Not because of what we have done, not because we are inherently holy or worthy. But because he is holy and worthy and motivated by his love for us. We have this inclination within us to want or believe that we can earn God’s love through our works.
• Eternally decreed. That is, God’s grace was for us before even the world was created. This reinforces that it is not our works that save. A great mystery but a great comfort. He loves us because he loves us (Deuteronomy 7:7).

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.—2 Timothy 1:10 

• The pinnacle of God’s love toward us is revealed in Jesus and his work. Jesus, our Savior accomplished the abolishing of death and the gift of life forever in what he did.

He Is Worthy and Worth It

For which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 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 1:11–12

Paul’s post-conversion life mission was to call attention to Jesus and his work. To preach the good news to as many as possible and to organize those who believed into churches.

He suffered for this very reason. All he had to do was walk away and lay low, and he would have lived out his days with respect, comfort, and means. However, Paul deemed Jesus and gospel worthy and worth it, and he exhorts Timothy in the same way. Surely Paul had in mind Jesus’ words as recorded in Matthew 5:11–12.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Application

• You must have a “theology of suffering”—a belief system in which God and his promises to you that are made even more real in the midst of trials and suffering.
• Don’t live scared. We are trusting in the one who loves us and provide grace in time of need.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.—Hebrews 4:16

To that end, I want to share five truths about suffering that help shape our belief about our suffering and God. A “theology of suffering” [I am indebted to one of our seminary graduates, Joseph Scheumann and his article at desiringGod.org.]

Five Truths About Suffering

1) We experience suffering in many ways. Our text today is mainly persecution for identifying with Christ. But we suffer in many ways and for many reasons.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.—2 Corinthians 4:8–9

In these two verses, Paul lists several types of suffering—mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Each of these are different ways that we can suffer, and when suffering comes, often several of these types of suffering are involved.

2) When we suffer, we need to do so in the context of fellowship, in the church.

• We were not meant to suffer alone.
• “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
• The church is meant to be a refuge for those suffering. When a member is hurting, the church applies the bandages; when a member is down, the church encourages; when a member is in need, the church comes alongside to help.

3) Suffering equips us for ministry.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.—2 Corinthians 1:3–4

I’ll never forget where I was standing when my sister called and told me that my Dad has taken his life along with my step-mother. I could not conceive of what to do.

4) Suffering is must turn out for the good of the Christian.

• Suffering is not the whole story.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.—Romans 8:28

5) Suffering prepares us for more glory.

• Somehow in God’s sovereign wisdom, without calling evil good or good evil, God is able to use suffering to prepare us for glory. To maximize glory.

This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.—2 Corinthians 4:17–18

Jesus and his gospel are worthy and worth it when it comes to suffering.