Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be a problem for sake of time today. I'm gonna be brief. I wanna get right to the point if I can. All the way down to verse 11. Paul builds his case. And in verse 12, listen. For the which cause?
I also suffer these things. Nevertheless. All these things in verse 6 through 12. Literally I am convinced, nevertheless.
I am not ashamed. For I know whom I've believed. And am persuaded that he is able.
To keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. Verse 6, we talked about the fact that, as you would reflect back, we talked about the fact of when you are persuaded that God is able. Being persuaded that God is able, first, it rekindles my fire. When I know and am persuaded and convinced that God is able, it changes my thinking.
It gets rid of my fear of men and circumstances and all those things. I've not been given that kind of spirit. I've not been given the kind of spirit that walks around intimidated by everybody and everything. When I know what I believe, I've been given the spirit of power and of love and a sound mind. Not a wishy-washy mind. Not a double-minded mind.
But a sound mind. Now in verse 8, we see that being persuaded that God is able, it restores my boldness. It rekindles my fire, renews my mind.
And number 3 on the list, it restores my boldness. Let's pray. Lord, I love you. I pray you bless your word. God, we and every person in this church, we need an old-fashioned dose of boldness. And Lord, we walk around timid, intimidated by the world, by the culture, by the people that sit across from us at a restaurant. We're intimidated by everything and everybody. And God, I believe deep down when we're convinced that you're able, Lord, it will restore our boldness.
Please help us in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. That makes sense to you. Look at verse 8, if you would. Be not thou therefore ashamed. That word ashamed obviously literally means to have shame for.
It literally is the word that we talked about literally in verse 7 that is intimidation. It means I'm intimidated and now I'm kind of ashamed of something. It's literally the fact that it's not that I'm embarrassed by it. It's the fact that I'm intimidated by other things more than I am controlled by my affection for something. In other words, this, that it doesn't mean I don't love something. It means that there are other things that intimidate me that I don't show my love.
It's like you go back to many of you that when you were just kids and maybe you started liking a girl or liking a guy at school or something and you kind of began to just kind of like them a little bit but you didn't want everybody to know it. It's just you and them. You're just kind of nice. And hey, can I get that for you?
Hey, let me carry that for you. And then all the guys show up and you're like, it's a girl. Yuck. It doesn't mean you didn't like her. It just means I'm intimidated by the ones that have showed up. Well that means this, just because sometimes you and I are so intimidated that we don't share the truth of God's Word. It doesn't mean we don't love God's Word.
It just means we're allowing outside influences to intimidate us. And Paul looks to this young man, Timothy, and he said, Timothy, listen to me. You gotta get this. Be not ashamed. In verse eight. Of the testimony of our Lord. Notice that fourth word in this verse. Be not thou therefore ashamed. What do you mean therefore? We've always said when you see the word therefore, stop and see what it's there for. So you gotta look at verse seven. Paul says, listen, you've not been given the spirit of fear, being intimidated God's given you the spirit of power, of love, and a sound mind.
Therefore, because of that, you will not be able to do this in your own power. But because God has given you the spirit of love and power and of a sound mind, therefore, be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Now, what does this word testimony mean? And as we begin our message literally this morning, this word testimony is the Greek word martorion.
You're like, ooh, wow. What does that mean? It means literally something evidential.
Evidence that is given. It literally means to be testified of, to witness. Do you get the word martorion?
What word do we get from martorion? Martyr. This word testimony means a whole lot more than you think it does. Because God is able, it restores my boldness, number one, for the message of God. He said, listen, listen, young Timothy, be not ashamed of the testimony, the evidence given. Literally the testimony that has been written down. God's word.
He said, Timothy, as a young man, if you don't watch it, you're gonna be intimidated. You're gonna have fear. And I'm telling you, because God's not giving you that. God's giving you the power of love and of strength and literally of a sound mind. He's given that to you. Because of that, do not be ashamed of the message of God's word.
You be bold with that. I wanna give you a couple verses. Psalm 119.
Actually, if you don't mind, I don't have you turned a lot. I want you to look at this. You've gotta see it. I'll show you one more verse while you're there. Just hold your place. Go to Psalm 119.
Real quickly, you need to see this. The message of God. Psalm 119. Largest chapter in the Bible. Psalm 119. Please look at this. First, look at verse 24. All right, in other words, it's not even what I long for. I wanna be in your word. But notice this.
And my what? Counselors, did you hear that? This hit me a week or two ago. I think it was last Sunday night. I think maybe it was Jacob. Somebody was in this chapter right around it. And I happened to see this verse.
As whenever somebody brings a verse somewhere, I kinda look at the verses around it before it. Get this. Listen to this. This is my counselor's plural. That means every verse in God's word is a counselor to your life.
Wow. Everybody wants to go talk to everybody else. This is full of counselors. It means God's not just a counselor.
We already talked about that in our series before Christmas. Not just that is he the great counselor. But listen to this. This is God. That means God is not just the counselor. Everything he's written, every verse he's given, they're all counselors for you.
Wow. He said, Timothy, don't be ashamed of that. You're gonna need God's word. How many times have you and I just in our life been in this situation and God gives us a verse? It becomes our counselor.
But notice if you would, I love this. Look at verse 31. I have stuck unto thy testimonies.
Did you hear that? Who says the Bible doesn't talk in nowadays vernacular? I have stuck like glue. I've stuck to your testimonies. Now notice what the verse says. Look at verse 31. Oh Lord, put me not to what?
Shame. What did Paul tell Timothy? Hey listen, you don't be ashamed of the testimonies of the Lord.
It's God's word. Don't be intimidated. It's your counselor. It ought to be your delight. You ought to want to be in it. You ought to learn from it. When you have a problem, when you have a struggle, get in it.
Find a verse. But literally the fact that when I stick to God's word, I will not be ashamed. You know why a lot of people are kind of ashamed to bring up God's word? They don't know it well enough. They're afraid that they're gonna be asked something they don't know.
That's a lie of Satan. Don't be afraid of what you don't know. Can I tell you, can I give you some, this is, let's just stop the message for a second. And let me just share this. If you don't know something and you're talking to somebody at work and you're like well I don't really want to bring it up. I don't know a lot about it. Can I tell you what works when they ask you something or they ask you a question?
You ought to say this. You know I don't know that for sure but I'm sure the Bible has the answer. Let me talk to my pastor. Let me dig a little bit and I'll come back and answer that one.
Is that hard? We do it every day with everything else but I don't even want to bring up the Bible because there might be something in it I don't know. Do you know how big the Bible is? Do you know how many years Brother Joe has been in God's word and there are still some things he doesn't know about it?
But I stuck to it and because I have, I'm not ashamed. Don't be ashamed of the message of God. Look at this verse on the screen. John 3 31.
Please get this. And I don't know if I have this on my hand. Let me put it on there. He that cometh from above, listen to me, is above all. He that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven is above all and what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth, talking of Jesus, and no man receiveth his testimony. He that receiveth his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
Now I know I added it last night before I could get the screen. I want you to see this. You need to write it down John 3 31. Listen to me.
It means this. If I receive the testimony that Jesus gave, testimony, Paul said to Timothy, listen be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord. Paul said don't be ashamed of this. So here's what John says. He that receiveth the testimony of God has the seal, the promise that God is true.
Listen to me. When you and I, when our boldness is restored, it's restored with the message of God's word. Number two, being persuaded that he is able restores my boldness not just for the message of God's word, but number two, for the martyrs of God. Not just the message of God, but the martyrs of God. What does this word testimony mean here in verse eight like I told you? It means the evidence given. It means the witness of it. This is what Paul is saying to Timothy. Listen, don't you dare be ashamed of God's message and don't you dare be ashamed of God's men. The martyrs, those that have gone before you, that have witnessed it. Listen to me.
I want you to get this. Can you imagine in Bible days when you're saying hey I think I want to become a preacher. Most preachers in these days were being executed, stoned, persecuted.
It doesn't sound like a job insurance and benefits. It wasn't as easy being a minister of God back then. And Paul looks to Timothy and he says let me tell you something. Don't you be intimidated. You love God's word.
Second, listen. Don't be intimidated by the things that have happened to the martyrs. Let me tell you something.
What happened to them is a life well lived. May I say this? You say well how does that apply to us today preacher?
Let me put it this way. You and I need to not overlook and forget those that have gone before us. Paul is saying to Timothy, don't you forget God's word and don't you forget the men that gave their lives for it. The witnesses of it.
You know I don't know about you. I am very proud of the fact and obviously as anything I've always wished we could do more and all those things but I'm very proud of the fact that our church respects and loves and has not forgotten Joe and Dorcas Myers. And I'm very proud of the fact that our church has a respect and appreciation for men of God that come through here. I'm very proud that our church gets to experience and just be around Ray and Sheila Davis. We had missions trips in Africa handing out bibles staying in God knows what. Could you imagine, hey listen this shouldn't just be something that shows up oh hey it's good to see them.
We go on to lunch. This ought to be something we appreciate. That we realize God is real. God is powerful.
God is loving. Oh dear friend that ought to restore our boldness. When we are persuaded that God is able.
Why would we, Listen, why would we be intimidated by anybody what they have to say or what they have to think? If I'm persuaded God is able, that's gonna give me boldness. Number three, Paul says, hey, this oughta restore your boldness with the message of God, the martyrs of God.
Notice this thirdly, the mentors of God. Look at verse eight if you would. Paul says, hey, don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner.
Hey, we're almost done. Paul looks at Timothy and he says this. Timothy, don't you ever be ashamed or intimidated of the word of God. Don't you ever be ashamed of those that have given their life for the word of God. Don't you be ashamed of the testimony of God's word or the testimonies of those that have followed God's word, the witnesses.
Don't you be ashamed of that. And Paul writes to this young man and he says, also Timothy, don't be ashamed of me. And he says this word, notice if you would in verse eight, I love it, nor of me his preacher.
Did it say that? Nor of me his prisoner. Paul, don't let this get to you that, okay, here's the guy mentoring me, here's the guy that really has lived his life and this is who I wanna be like and let me tell you where it ends up taking you, right in the middle of a jail. I mean, a young man might be a bit tempted to say, I don't know about this. I mean, you're the one I'm looking up to, you're the one I wanna emulate, you're the one that served God and you've talked about it, how wonderful he is and you're writing this from a jail cell.
Paul said, don't be ashamed of that. Listen to me, I want you to get this this morning. This word prisoner means desmias.
It means bound or a captive. Listen to me, I want you to get this. Paul was more free being bound in jail with Christ than he would have been out of jail without him. Now get me, I'm going somewhere with this. You gotta read through the lines to understand what Paul's telling this young man.
We're almost done, listen to me. Paul was bound physically but he was free spiritually. Paul said, you do not need to fear the chains of suffering but you should fear the chains of sin. Hey, there's a lot of people walking around so-called free that are bound in chains of sin. Paul said, I've got it better sitting right here in a jail cell and I can't go anywhere but I know where I'm going. Everybody else can walk out, go wherever they want and I know where they're headed. Listen to me, maybe you're here today and maybe you're chasing, facing, excuse me, some chains of affliction. Maybe you're dealing with some things in your life now that this literally feels like it has you bound. Paul says to this young man, don't you let yourself be bound by these things.
Look at me, get this. Although Paul was sitting in jail, he never felt imprisoned. You say, why is that? Because he was exactly where God wanted him to be. He looks at Timothy and he says, hey, don't you be ashamed of me, his prisoner. Don't be scared of that, don't be ashamed of that because I'm fine sitting right here in this jail cell. And you know what, dear friend, if you're saved by the grace of God, you're fine sitting here at church and you're fine laying in a bed at the hospital wherever you're at, you're fine. Don't you let yourself be bound by a disease or bound by an addiction or bound by things and say, well, my life's over, I just can't control these circumstances.
Look at me, you don't have to be bound by those things. You're free in Christ. Paul said, Timothy, it might look like, well, here's this guy over here in jail.
Listen to me, don't be fooled by that, Timothy. Look at this verse, John 8, 36. If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye are free indeed. Dear friend, if you're here today and you've been made free by the blood of Christ, there's nothing that is imprisoning you here on earth. Paul's sitting there in the jail cell, look at me, feeling freer than the person that put him in it. Paul's sitting on one side of the jail cell, here's probably a prison guard sitting on the other side of the jail cell, and while Paul looked like the one that was in jail, he wasn't.
Paul was freer than the man on the other side of the bars. And dear friend, I wanna tell you something, when you are convinced that God is able, as Paul was, and as Paul said in verse 12, when you're convinced that God is able, I'm not gonna be intimidated by all the bad things that happen, and I'm not gonna be bound by all the things that I cannot control. I have boldness that God is able. It doesn't matter if I'm in jail, if I'm in the hospital, it doesn't matter what's going on in my life, I know God's able. That oughta give you back your boldness. You and I walk around like sheepish little Christians.
Oh well, such and such happened, I guess my life is over. And dear friend, when you're convinced and persuaded that God's able, it oughta bring boldness into your life. Let me mention this lastly before I let you go. Paul says to Timothy, listen, being persuaded that God's able, it restores your boldness in the message of God, the martyrs of God, the men of God, or the mentors of God. But number four, it restores your boldness with the message of God, the mission of God. What's the mission, preacher? The mission is to get the message out. Look what Paul says in verse eight.
I love this. Don't be ashamed of God's word, of the men who have given their lives for God's word. Don't you be ashamed, because I'm sitting here in jail. Don't be ashamed of that, but be partaker. In other words, don't look at it like I don't want that in my life. Look at it as if I can't wait to get in it. I can't wait to get in jail for God.
What? He said be partaker of the affliction of the gospel, according to the power of God. Listen to me, when you're persuaded that God's able, it gives you a whole new boldness for your mission in life. And the mission is what? Notice number one, it's always around promoting the gospel. Number one, your mission, when you're committed to that, Paul says, hey, be a partaker. Get involved. Don't be scared and intimidated every time you turn around. Be a partaker of it. Get into the affliction.
Get into serving. Number one, it always demands promoting the gospel. That's always the point.
Look at me, dear friend. When you and I are convinced that God is able, self leaves. It's not about what I want, my desire, my will. It's about the gospel.
It depends upon that. Listen to me, it's not an easy life promoting the gospel. It is consistently placing the gospel as the priority and putting your discomfort in the background. Paul says, Timothy, when you're convinced that God's able, you need to be a partaker. You jump into this thing.
You can't wait. Whatever God wants, whatever God demands, it's all about promoting the gospel. I'm gonna jump into this thing and that gives you boldness. Why is it that we see people come across this stage, missionaries that we've had over and over, they end up in Africa as Brother Ray and Miss Sheila and we have different people. I think of Brother Burton over there in New Guinea and we could go on and on and on and folks that we've taken on for support in Japan and all these different things.
Why? Because literally they cannot wait to be partakers of the affliction of the gospel because it's all about the gospel, number two. It demands promoting the gospel, number three, it depends on the power of God. What did Paul say to Timothy? He said, but be thou a partaker of the affliction of the gospel, notice what he says, according to the power of God. It's the only way you're ever gonna do it, Timothy. That's why you've gotta be convinced, persuaded that God is able, because if you try to do it on your own, it's gonna stop, you're gonna fail. But you can be a partaker according to the power of God. He's able, you're not. I want you to look at this verse, Hebrews 5, five, actually verse five, the end of verse five and verse six.
Look at this if you would. For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, I'm depending on the power of God, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Paul said, hey Timothy, don't be intimidated. Just because, look at me folks, just because men killed those martyrs, just because men put me in jail, you be a partaker of the affliction according to the power of God, why?
What did John say? Because I believe that God is my helper, I will not fear what flesh can do. I'm not gonna fear what people can do. I'm gonna get my boldness back. Look at me, give me 45 seconds here. Some of you used to pass out tracts and you don't anymore.
If I'm right about that, say amen. Used to hand them out, used to leave them, used to carry them with you. Hey, I'm guilty at times. Half the time I don't want to, I left them at home. Left them here, left them there, you know why?
It's not a priority. There was a day where we prayed at our table, now we're afraid of offending somebody, so we kinda, you all know I'm right. There was a day where we took people out on visitation, we had a good number showed up, and I will tell you this, here at this church, every time we have, it's a good number, I commend you for it. But why is it that when it comes to actually physically doing what we say we believe, very few ever do it?
Because we're intimidated. Paul looks at Timothy, he says hey, don't be intimidated by all this stuff. You've not been given that spirit, that's from Satan. God's given you a spirit of power and of love and a sound mind.
You be a partaker, get in there, get involved. And the only way you can do it is according to the power of God, and I want to challenge you today, I've not had a lot of time to try to develop it and had to leave some stuff out, but you look at me, the point is this, every one of us have to admit when we have gotten to the point that we are not doing what we used to do. And I challenge you in 2018, we could get people come up here and give you all these wonderful stories and even Brother Ray and their testimony of how God saved them and all these things, look at me. We've not changed your emotion and tried to delve into your heart and told you all these sad and oh, what I want, listen, either the fact is we admit we're not doing what we used to or not doing what we should or we are.
And it might be today we get done, we oughta grab some tracks out of that rack. We oughta go ahead and speak to the person we've been looking at for the last eight months. You know what, let's just say, you know what, I'm not able, I don't know what to say.
I can't answer all the questions, but I'm persuaded in 2018 that God's able. So let's get an old-fashioned dose of boldness back. Lord knows everybody on the internet's bold. Everybody on CNN's bold, about time God's people are.
You know why we're not, we're not persuaded. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you. We'll see you next time on The Kerwin Baptist Church.
