Sunday evening at church we were discussing II Timothy 1. Beginning in verse 8 Paul calls Timothy to be ashamed of neither the testimony of our Lord or of Paul, the Lord’s prisoner, but rather to share in suffering for the Gospel. Look at the whole verse
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,
Timothy is to suffer for the Gospel by the power of God. Reading the Apostle Paul is really an adventure. One cannot help but wonder what was going on in his mind as he wrote. Quite often it seems that when he mentions something it brings to his mind other things that he just can’t leave unsaid, so he goes off on a tangent that takes us to places too wonderful for words. We see it in Ephesians 3:2-13 and perhaps in II Corinthians 4:4-6, as well as others. And we see it here. As soon as Paul mentions the Gospel of God his thinking is lifted to the glories of the Gospel. Consider the next few verses.
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.
As soon as Paul says “Gospel by the power of God” it seems he gets lifted to some spiritual height.
He thought of what God did – “saved us and called us to a holy calling”
Why he did that – “not because of our works”
– “because of his own purpose and grace”
When this great thing began – “in Christ Jesus before the ages began”
How it was brought to pass – “now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus”
What Jesus actually accomplished “ abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”
And he reflected on the glorious fact that he was “ appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher”
And he knew that this was not a popular message but was why “I suffer as I do. ”
And in all his suffering he could say with assurance and hope “ 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. ”
Paul was an amazing man. But it was because he had an amazing Gospel. It is the same Gospel that we have. It should lift our hearts the same way that it lifted Paul’s and we should, like him, know that we are appointed to live it out and deliver it. And we should, like him, know that it will bring pain into our lives. And we should know, like Paul, that God will guard us and keep us, and guard and keep the Gospel He has entrusted to us until the great Day. The Gospel. It is worth it.
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