Imagine someone visits you unexpectedly. You aren’t dressed, and the house looks like a bombsite. There are times we are right to be ashamed! But now imagine you’re with a close relative, and when someone asks, you say you don’t know them. There are times it’s wrong to be ashamed.
Read 2 Timothy 1:8
• What should Timothy not be ashamed of?
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TIME OUT
• Are you ever a bit embarrassed about following Jesus? What is it that makes you feel that way?
Read 1 Corinthians 1:18
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In Ephesus, where Timothy lived, the worship of the goddess Diana dominated everything. It took guts to say such worship was wrong. It would have been very costly, socially and economically. And to associate with Paul as he languished in prison in Rome carried a huge stigma.
It can still be very tempting to keep quiet about Jesus today. But Paul wants us not to be ashamed of two things…
God’s grace
Read 2 Timothy 1:8
• What do these verses say about being saved?
• How has this salvation come to us?
The most amazing thing about being a Christian is that God has deliberately chosen to save us, even though we deserve His punishment and even though it cost His Son everything! If someone gave you a very precious gift, you would want to show and tell everyone—how much more should we be unashamed of the gospel and all who proclaim it!
Serving Christ
Read 2 Timothy 1:11
• How does Paul describe his job when it comes to the gospel message?
Being a herald to the Roman Emperor carried great prestige. But nothing can compare to being a herald of King Jesus!
• Serving Christ has meant suffering for Paul. What do these verses reveal about why he hasn’t just given up?
Paul knows who he is working for. He knows that His boss is the best person, the only person, to be trusted with his life, his death and his eternity.
It is easy to let the world’s sarcastic derision about Christianity get to you. It is tempting to go silent when friends mock
you for your faith. Don’t! The gospel is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1 v 16). That’s something to shout about!
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PRAY THRU
Pray for an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus TODAY.
Pray for those whose full-time job it is to share the gospel with non-Christians. Pray that they would never be ashamed.
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This devotional is taken from Explore—a daily Bible-reading devotional from the good book company which enables you to engage with Scripture and which will encourage, equip and inspire you to live for Christ. Explore features contributions from pastors such as Dr Timothy Keller, Mike McKinley and Tim Chester.
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