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South Bay SDA Church

Phil Mills

Not Ashamed

This Sabbath begins a series of studies on the very last epistle that Paul wrote, 2nd Timothy.

2nd Timothy contains Paul's last will and testament and for the lawyer among us it even has the mandatory wording, Sheldon, of a sound mind in the introduction.

But to really understand 2 Timothy, we need to understand its background and context.

And the Lord willing, that's what we want to do together this morning our study is particularly important because this look into the past actually gives us a glimpse into the future but let's just bow our heads and I want to just have an additional word of prayer.

Father in heaven as we open your word we need your presence here.

We needed to keep our minds understanding your word to not miss what is difficult to understand and not overlook what seems easy.

I pray that we will be changed because we have met with Jesus today.

We thank you for hearing and answering this prayer in Christ's name.

Please turn to our scripture reading this morning in Galatians 6-9.

And thank you Zita for the scripture reading.

The roller coaster of life is filled with ups and downs apparent successes followed by apparent failures joy followed by sorrow hope followed by disappointment We see this not only in our own lives, but we see this in the lives of the Bible heroes.

Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Elijah, to name just a few of the prominent heroes of the Bible.

And this is not just true of the Old Testament this is true of New Testament heroes as well God good is seldom rewarded in this life often the downs feel like they're much longer much deeper than the ups It's easy to grow weary while doing good.

In this life, I'm reading, our work for God often seems to be almost fruitless.

Our efforts to do good may be earnest and persevering yet we may not be permitted to witness their results to us the effort may seem to be lost but the writer then directs our attention away from the appearances to the reality of the promises of God.

It continues, but the Savior assures us that our work is noted in heaven and that the recompense cannot fail.

And that is why Paul reminds us in our scripture reading this morning in Galatians 6, 9, and if you have the New King James, read it with me.

For in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart Paul wrote these words out of his own experience Paul wrote this to the Galatians in 80 58 turned to chapter 11 of 2nd Corinthians 2nd Corinthians 11 notice what Paul had written a year earlier ad 57 to the Christians in Corinth he told them of the hardships the reproach the dishonor that he endured for Christ.

We'll start in the middle of verse 23 in 2 Corinthians 11.

In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often, from the Jews 5 times I received 40 stripes minus 1 3 times I was beaten with rods once I was stoned 3 times I was shipwrecked a night and a day I have been in the deep in journeyings often know where he went could he escape danger it followed him wherever he was he continues mentioning that he was in perils of water and perils of robbers and perils by my own countrymen in perils of the Gentiles in perils in the city and perils in the wilderness and perils in the sea in perils among false brethren in weariness and toil the King James says in weariness and painfulness, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, but he saved the greatest pressure, the largest problem he experienced till last, Verse 28, besides the other things which come upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches.

Paul's life had its ups and downs, but it seemed like it was mostly downs.

As Paul met his trials he must have frequently repeated to himself, do not become weary in well-doing for in due season I will reap if I do not lose heart.

Although we just read of difficult times Paul faced throughout his ministry what he didn't know when he wrote to Corinthians which we had just read was that far greater difficulties lay just ahead to better understand Paul's last letter 2nd Timothy we need to add a little bit more to the story about Paul's history in 8054 the great-great grandson of Caesar Augustus 17 year old Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus became the Roman Emperor.

Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus is better remembered in history as Nero.

Let me read 1 of Christian's historians' description of Nero.

I'm reading, Nero was morty based in morals, more frivolous in character, and at the same time capable of more atrocious cruelty than any ruler who had preceded him the reins of government could not have been entrusted to a more despotic ruler that's not a very hopeful start But it gets worse for the author continues, the first year of his reign had been marked by the poisoning of his young step-brother, the rightful heir to the throne.

From 1 depth of vice and crime to another, Nero had descended until he had murdered his own mother and then his wife the author isn't finished painting Nero's portrait I continue reading there was no atrocity which he would not perpetrate no vile act of which he would not stoop in every noble mind he inspired only abhorrence and contempt the author then closes the curtain over Nero's atrocities by concluding the details of the iniquity practiced in his court are too degrading too horrible for description his abandoned wickedness created disgust and loathing even in many who were forced to share his crimes they were in constant fear as to what enormities he would suggest next stop and think about this for a moment Nero became Emperor of Rome during Paul's third missionary journey.

A short time after Paul wrote Galatians, Paul traveled to Jerusalem where he was arrested and imprisoned for 2 years.

Nero is the Caesar that Paul appealed to for justice in AD 60, the year after Nero assassinated his own mother.

Would you have appealed to this emperor for justice?

Yet astonishingly, a little over 2 years later, this wicked and unjust Nero cleared Paul of all the charges to the Jews and freed him in 8063 after Paul had been in prison for 4 years I think we can all see that Satan had been unrelenting in his attacks on Paul in Satan's eyes Paul was the most dangerous criminal alive and Satan hated Paul and wanted him dead and since Nero did whatever Satan wanted Satan must have simply expected that Nero would execute Saul Paul How Satan must have raged when Nero freed Paul.

Proverbs 21.1 The king's heart, even Nero's, is in the hand of the Lord like the rivers of water he turns it wherever he wishes Satan does not have the full reign in this world Paul was in God's hands and Satan couldn't touch him without God's permission.

God only would give permission when it was for Paul's ultimate good and God's glory.

This is true for every person who has surrendered to Jesus.

But do you think Satan gave up attacking Paul because he couldn't penetrate God's shield of protection surrounding Paul?

Peter tells us, 1 Peter 5, 8, Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour he seeks to find a way to get us away from God's protections but Satan is not the only roaring lion which we face turn to Proverbs 28 Proverbs chapter 28 want you to notice an interesting verse here the Bible also says wicked rulers are roaring lions notice Proverbs 28 verse 15 like a roaring lion and a charging bear is a wicked ruler over poor people but God sends his angels to protect us from the satanic and human roaring lions again and again the praying Christian who follows Jesus will be able to declare with Daniel, My God sent his angel and shut the lion's mouth so that they have not hurt me because I was found innocent before him and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.

And this protection frustrates Satan to no end.

We know this because he complains to God about it.

In Job 1 9 Satan whines to God, Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side?

If you have committed your life to Jesus, you have a wall of protection around you.

Paul stayed within the safe confines of God's law and he was protected.

And this protection made Satan even more bitter angry and determined to destroy Paul and stamp out Christianity.

After Nero freed Paul, Satan was able to instill his own hatred of Christians into Nero when members of Nero's own household were converted to Christianity.

Philippians 4.22 tells us, to Nero's discussed these Christians in his own court would no longer participate in the orgies and evil that delighted Nero they would no longer lie or cheat at his biddings they didn't attend parties and drink their pure lives were a condemnation constantly of the court practices in which they served Satan found another ally to fan Nero's anger, his second wife, a beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful person in the Roman Empire, but a very profligate woman, wicked.

Satan influenced this wicked woman into becoming a Jewish proselyte Do you remember what Jesus said about many of the Jewish proselytes?

Well 1 to you scribes and Pharisees he said Matthew 23 15 hypocrites for ye compass sea and land to make 1 proselyte and when he is made you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves and this certainly was true of Nero's second wife she became a worst child of hell as a Jewish convert than if she had just remained a pagan the Jewish leaders used this abandoned woman to influence Nero against Christians and against Paul on the night of July 19 8064 a fire broke out in Rome destroying 10 of the city's 14 districts.

The inferno raged for 6 days and 7 nights, flaring sporadically for an additional 3 days.

This fire left tens of thousands destitute and homeless.

Though Nero made a great show of generosity, providing food and shelter for those who lost homes.

There was a rumor that was going around and despite this public act of generosity the whispering was that Emperor Nero had ordered the Inferno so he could rebuild Rome as a more beautiful city and take its best portions for his own palace.

Unable to quash these rumors, Nero looked for a scapegoat.

Because 2 of the districts untouched by the fire were disproportionately populated by Christians Nero shifted the blame to the Christians, claiming they were spared the fire because they set the fire.

Roman historian Tacitus, who imbibed Nero's contempt for Christians, tells the story.

Nero, and I'm reading, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations called Christians by the populace did you notice what Tacitus said about Christians they were hated because of the abominations they practiced tacitus continues accordingly an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty of being Christians then upon their information and immense multitude was convicted an immense multitude convicted not so much for the crime of firing the city as of their listen to this hatred for mankind what were the Christians accused of hatred for mankind hatred against mankind do you think such charges we made against Sabbath keeping Christians in the future of course Christian starting the fire in Rome was fake news.

But it was believed and the slanderers had an effect on making Christians abhorrent in the eyes of the Romans.

In an interesting book, Sketches from the Life of Paul, the author fills in some further details.

Thousands of the followers of Christ, men, women, and children, were put to death in the most cruel manner some were crucified some covered with the skins of wild beasts and torn in pieces by dogs others were clothed in garments of inflammable material and set at fire at night to illuminate the circus of the Vatican and the pleasure gardens of of narrow these Christians had set the fire was the claim so we set them on fire in punishment seems fair thus this monster in human form the author continues amused the public by exhibiting his victims in their dying agonies while he stood, himself stood by taking the keenest delight in their misery.

Nero's manufactured account of Christians setting fire to Rome spread far and wide.

The story was equally covered as legitimate news by Rome's equivalent to CNN and Fox News.

The story was also accepted as true by all the political parties.

The populace at large, rabble as well as intelligentsia, professors at universities, politicians, throughout the Roman Empire came to believe this lie and Christians were regarded with suspicion and hatred.

The days of public evangelism in the Empire seemed over and even though Paul was free his closing ministry was primarily to quietly work among the churches of course the Jewish leaders were delighted with Nero's persecution of Christians and Satan gave them another idea to take to Nero and his wife these Jewish leaders concocted the story that Paul was the mastermind behind the Christians burning of Rome he was a terrorist The Jews who fabricated knew this that there wasn't a scintilla of truth to their claim.

But they managed to make their their fiction appear somewhat plausible.

As they expected Nero adopted this story without investigation and ordered Paul's arrest Alexander the coppersmith provided information to the Roman authorities about Paul's whereabouts and Paul was quickly arrested while in the home of 1 of his converts in Troas 8066 he was taken to Rome in shackles He was given neither time nor opportunity to gather any of his scant belongings.

He was unable to collect any of his precious books to study.

He couldn't even pick up his cloak to keep him warm at night.

He didn't travel to Rome alone for a few devoted believers who were present with him at the time of his arrest begged to accompany them.

Most he would not allow because he wouldn't want them to put their lives in danger but a few trusted friends went with him as dangerous as Rome was at Paul's first visit just a couple years earlier it was a far worse place now the majority of the Roman populace had heard the gospel message but rejected it they were now hardened against it it was no longer new and interesting please turn to Titus chapter 1 Titus chapter 1 Whenever we hear truth but do not follow it, we damage our conscience.

To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure but even their mind and conscience are defiled whenever we reject truth we become defiled our mind becomes defiled our conscience becomes defiled it's a very very dangerous thing to hear truth but not follow it it's very damaging to hear the truth and not follow it and the same damage occurs if we refuse to listen to it or refuse to go where he is presented because we don't want the truth.

Paul warned Titus, even their mind and conscience is defiled.

In Paul's first letter to Timothy, Paul spoke of those who had seared their conscience with a hot iron.

We sear our mind and conscience by unbelief in the truth.

And those who do not love and believe the truth will inevitably love and believe lies.

When we turn away from truth, we always turn toward the delusions of fables.

2 Timothy 4.4 Our minds and consciences become hardened against the gospel and we become its bitter enemies.

Paul was now in the city of Rome with its sin-loving, truth-hating, and gospel-hardened populace.

Christians had become a rare breed in the city of Rome.

The persecution under Nero had greatly lessened the number of Christians for 2 reasons.

First, as we've already seen, thousands had been martyred.

The few who remained were depressed, frightened, and intimidated.

When Paul arrived in Rome, the accused terrorist, the accused mastermind behind the basest and most terrible crime against the city and the nation, he was universally hated.

There was no welcoming committee to greet him.

As he was dragged through the Roman streets to his damp and gloomy dungeon, he was met by jeers and curses." Paul tells us that not even a lawyer could be found in Rome to defend him.

The few Christians who remained in Rome were so cowed and frightened that they were ashamed to publicly acknowledge their belief in Christ.

They were ashamed to even acknowledge they knew him.

Like Peter, they denied their Lord and they denied his apostle the situation became so unfavorable that even some of the friends that had chosen to stay with Paul at his arrest and journey to Rome now deserted him.

2nd Timothy 1 15 tells us this you know that all those in Asia have turned away from me among whom are fidelis and hermogenes It was also at this time that Demas forsook Paul.

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