On July 6, 1415, just prior to being burned at the stake along with his books, John Hus wrote from his cell, “Today, you are burning a goose; however, a hundred years from now, you will be able to hear a swan sing, you will not burn it, you will have to listen to him.”¹ In this saint’s last words, he is not simply thinking of himself. His focus was on the future and the hope of the continuing of the gospel. He looked 100 years down the road, knowing he would not be there (knowing he would not even see another day), and he knew that God would provide another to carry on the truth of the gospel in a culture that was doing all it could to stifle that message.

This love for the gospel over one’s life and desire to see those after us carry on this message is what we so desperately need in a culture that tells us to exalt ourselves above all things. And it is so clearly displayed in John Hus’s life – and, more clearly, death.

However, Hus was only following suit, as nearly 1500 years before him, Paul sat in a prison in Rome. He was awaiting trial, knowing he would not be ultimately acquitted and would be killed. But where were his thoughts? Were there thoughts of pity and complaining that would grasp so many of us? No. Rather, he was writing to his son in the faith, Timothy. For he knew he was about to leave Timothy alone and wanted to strengthen him for the fight. He was thinking of the continuing mission that Timothy now needed to be about without Paul, and so he wrote to strengthen his spiritual son for the task at hand. This letter comes to us as 2 Timothy.

So, as Paul was looking to Timothy carrying the torch, if you will, he wrote out these exhortations to him, as his last words. And recognizing that the Word of God is living and active, and that what Paul wrote to Timothy was relevant then, is relevant now, and will be relevant is this world goes on for another 2000 years, we can look at this epistle as that which is our exhortation to carry on the torch. It is an exhortation that spoke to Timothy and all believers of each generation to take up the cause of the gospel and be strengthened for the fight.

Therefore, this morning we are simply going to eavesdrop, as it were, on Paul’s exhortation to Timothy and hear what it is that we need to take up the cause that has come to every believer before us and comes to us now – the cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Within this, we will begin in this first chapter and see a few foundational things we need to know and do to carry on this cause of advancing the gospel. Paul gives us the following insight and exhortations:

There is no place for cowardice in the Christian life (1:3-7)

Paul tells Timothy in verse 7, “God gave us a Spirit not of cowardice but of power and love and self-control.” The Christian has not been given a spirit of cowardice, and therefore there is no place for it in the Christian life.

There is great risk in living the Christian life in the sense that to stand on, spread, and live according to the gospel will no doubt cost you ridicule, being hated, possibly physical suffering, and even death. Obeying the Word will cost you friends, and even those who profess Christ at times disapproving of your labors and cutting into your heart with their proclamation of disdain for you. And therefore, you and I will be tempted to be cowards in obeying the Word. However great the cost of public ridicule, though, we must see cowardice as that which is the opposite of faith and that which must be avoided in the Christian life.

In Revelation 21:8, among those listed whose portion will be “in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,” the first mentioned is the cowardly. Cowardice is mentioned among murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, and idolaters.

Cowardice is indeed nothing less than the exact opposite of faith. It is the opposite of placing your hope in God and being strengthened thereby; it is looking unto yourself and letting your hopes be built upon your incompetence and desire to be approved by all men. And it is probably Satan’s greatest weapon in our day when men are constantly shrinking back from declaring the exclusivity of Christ, among other things which are central to the gospel.

But Paul strengthens Timothy by reminding him that he has a genuine faith in Christ which has been displayed in those who have come before him (namely, his mother and grandmother, v. 5). He also reminds him that he has been given a gift for ministry, through the laying on of Paul’s hands (v.6). In this way, Paul can say, “You’ve watched me, but you too have been gifted, even through the laying on of my hands. You are equipped, so fan that gift into flame and begin to function accordingly.” Timothy also has the Holy Spirit himself dwelling in him who works in us the opposite of cowardice and that which drives out cowardice, namely, power, love, and self-control.

Here too, we can be strengthened, for we are all gifted by God’s Spirit and are ourselves gifts of God to his church. Therefore, you are no less equipped than Paul or Timothy for the sake of advancing the gospel and God’s glory in his church. And we also have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, working in us these things.

Therefore, let God’s Spirit strengthen you, place your faith in Christ’s strength, and resist the temptation to be a coward and not to walk in obedience. So as you find yourself wanting to waver because of cowardice, remember that you have been gifted and equipped for your calling and remember that though you are not great in and of yourself, the Spirit within you is indeed more than able.

We must not be ashamed of the gospel, but take our share of suffering (1:8-12)

One of the ways that cowardice most nastily raises its head is in our being ashamed of the gospel. But Paul knows this, so he moves on from exhorting Timothy to overcome the temptation to cowardice and to minister according to his gifts to exhorting him not to be ashamed of the gospel. He writes in verse 8, “Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner.”

Witness may lead to humiliating situations, this is true, but it is nonetheless to be done with courage. Here we may think of these humiliating situations as those which bring no temptation to be ashamed, but it will no doubt be a real temptation.

Al Mohler tells the story of going on “Larry King Live” with two Jewish Rabbis. He tells that when you go on that show, the guests each have an earpiece that aids you in hearing what the others guests are saying. And these pieces are normally not turned on until the show begins. However, on this day, Mohler began hearing the two Rabbis’ dialogue before they were to go on the show. Within that, one of them said to another, “Is this guy really going to tell us that unless we believe in Jesus Christ we are going to hell?” to which the other responded, “I think he is.”

Mohler said that at that moment he began to get nervous. Then man who had stood at Southern Seminary while undergoing such great ridicule that he actually had to walk around with a bodyguard for a time found himself nervous before this interview. So he prayed for courage and then walked onto the set.

Sure enough, Mohler was asked hard questions that night, but he continually answered with nothing less than the very truth of the gospel – that faith in Christ is the only way men may be with the Father and that all who do not believe will be judged in eternal hell. Yes, he spoke in a very gracious and kind way, but despite what so many others are doing in our day, he did not shrink back from declaring the gospel. The temptation arose to be ashamed, but he stood. And yes he encountered public ridicule from many we are to be sure.

However, he also tells that on the flight home he was able to share the gospel (because of that interview with many people) and afterward nearly 600 letters and phone calls came in to Southern Seminary wanting to know exactly what Mohler was talking about that night. He was not ashamed of the gospel. Nor must we be.

We must be willing to proclaim what Paul proclaims, that God has “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 has now been manifested through the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (8-10).

And we must be willing to take the suffering that such a message brings. Paul lines up as the contrast to being ashamed of the gospel in verse 8 sharing in the suffering. And he says that knowing the gospel and being appointed a teacher is “why I suffer as I do” in verse 11.

Like Paul we must be willing to suffer because of what the gospel has accomplished and because we know it will not change (v. 12).

Here we would do well to remember concerning suffering what Luther wrote to Frederick of Saxony, “Do not be terrified by [persecution] but stretch out your arms confidently and let the nails go deep. Be glad and thankful, for thus it must and will be with those who desire God’s Word. Not only must Annas and Caiaphas rage, but Judas must be among the apostles and Satan among the children of God. … Let the world cry out and pass its judgments. Let those fall away who will—even a Saint Peter or persons like the apostles. …This word in II Cor., ch. 6, must be fulfilled in us: 'Let us approve ourselves in tumults,' etc."²

Proclaiming the truth of the gospel in our day of tolerance will require ridicule when we have to announce people who do not place their faith in Christ will go to hell. However, we must resist the temptation to be ashamed of the message and be willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel.

We must guard the truth of the gospel (1:13-14)

Paul tells Timothy, “Follow the pattern of sound words that you have heard from me in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”

Again, there will be temptation to be cowards in the gospel’s proclamation, there will be temptation to be ashamed of it, however, we must never compromise the truth of the gospel, its content, for in doing so we compromise the only thing which is the power of God to salvation.

One way to guard it is to constantly proclaim and teach it. Teach it soundly to the next generation, for that which is assumed in one generation will be forgotten in the next.

Finally, we must be willing to support others who are suffering for the cause of the gospel (1:15-18)

Paul has already mentioned that Timothy should not be ashamed of him in verse 8, but it is as we hear of those who have abandoned Paul and the joy of having one man support him that we see just how necessary Timothy’s loyalty to Paul is.

As the church, we should not shrink back from aligning ourselves with brothers and sisters who are standing for the truth and suffering for it. It is hard enough to stand courageously in the face of public ridicule, but how sad is it that a brother might have to stand alone. We are indeed guilty of the most disgusting kind of cowardice when we leave our brother and sister out there to go through such ridicule for speaking the truth on his or her own.

So, in short, as Paul looks to Timothy as sees him carrying out the task which all believers after Timothy would carry out, he tells him to be courageous, not to be ashamed of the gospel but willing to suffer for it, guard the truth of the gospel whatever the cost, and stand alongside of those who are suffering for the sake of the gospel.

As we encounter this task in our day, these are crucial exhortations for the church to heed. Our temptation to cowardice and shame will grow stronger than we have ever known in this culture, no doubt. But in such times of temptation, may we turn to these words of 2 Timothy 1, find courage to stand, and as we stand, find that we are surrounded by many of our brothers and sisters, who are about the same task.

May God give us grace for such obedience. Amen.

¹Erwin Weber, “Luther with the Swan,” The Lutheran Journal, vol. 65, no. 2, 1996, p. 10.

²Martin Luther, Luther: Letters of Spiritual Counsel (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1945), 140.

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