The previous administration's war on drugs and extrajudicial killing are back in the limelight of the news, with Congress now investigating, spawned by the whistleblowing of former police colonel Royina Garma and Some prominent names with at least two senators have been implicated, and there is no doubt in everybody's mind that the ultimate target is President Rodrigo Roa Duterte of the previous administration. I'm not going to preempt the judgment of any institution. But one lesson that it shows is that those in power once will still have a time of reckoning. There will still be a time of accountability. For six years, probably many of these, if they are properly charged because of the power they had, forgot about accountability. And for a while, it appeared that they would get away with it, but at least an investigation is now in progress. But let me tell you of an accountability that no one will escape. Everyone will give an account of the conduct of his life, of his standing spiritually in the final judgment of God. And what may be done with impunity now and with shameless arrogance, will one day turn into shame. Shame is, as we have been saying, a powerful emotion. It can lead people to do things that otherwise they would not because of shame. It may, of course, go both ways. They may fail to do that which is their duty to do because of shame, and on the other hand they may do that which is shameful before God, but because of shame before men, they will still do. In short, we can be ashamed of things we should glory in, while we can be shameless of what really is shameful. And we are looking into a passage which we shall now conclude where there is a dense teaching concerning this matter of shame. And I would like to invite you to turn your Bibles again to the second letter of Timothy, chapter 1. Second letter of Paul to Timothy, chapter one. We will read from verse eight to verse 13. 2 Timothy 1, eight to 13. 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, 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. and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to life through the Gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and teacher, 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. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, that is the inspired and inerrant Word of God. Paul writes this passage right after telling Timothy that he was given not the spirit of fear but of power and of love and therefore he should not be intimidated by anything in his ministry and that shows us that Paul was acknowledging the fact that there can be timidity even in the servant of God. There can be shame for whatever reason. In the case of Timothy, it may be because of his youth or a sense of inferiority. And we saw that in the last two messages, shame can Saddle both the hearer of the gospel and some are being prevented from fully accepting the gospel because of the implication of shame. And I'm addressing those of you who probably have heard the gospel preached to you. You know what the gospel is. You know what salvation is. But until now, you are hindered from fully accepting it. At least you are not confessing it publicly. And that is because you are ashamed. And that shame will be your hindrance. from fully experiencing the salvation offered to all, even to you. And you will, because of the shame now, experience that greater shame of accountability. But it is not only the hearer who can be saddled with shame. Apostle Paul, after all, is directing this exhortation to Timothy himself. He is telling Timothy, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed of the gospel, or of Christ, or even of me, the apostle speaking. And therefore, we see here the fact that even shame can saddle a servant of God. And while this is addressed to Timothy in his capacity as leader in the church, a preacher, a teacher, and Paul himself calls his own calling as that of a teacher and preacher and apostle of the gospel. I believe that we can extend this to the church because the church as an institution is that which has the calling to be a representative of the gospel in this world. And from the church, we can extend this to every individual member of the church. We too, you and I, can be saddled with shame so that we fail to represent the gospel as we should. And we now conclude with one particular reason why a servant may be ashamed of the ministry of the gospel. Apostle Paul makes reference from the very first verse of this passage in verse 8 until in verses 12 and 13, He makes reference to suffering. A servant will suffer. And Apostle Paul admits that he is now suffering. After all, this is a letter written by Paul while he was in prison. But he declares something that I hope every one of us can declare as much. He says, I am not ashamed. I am not ashamed that I am suffering for Christ. And I give you this final challenge in this series or final message. Suffering for Christ is an honor not to be ashamed of. Suffering for Christ is an honor not to be ashamed of. Paul explains that doing what he does for the gospel, which is why he said, I suffer as I do. This is his prison letter, and it is going to prove to be his last letter. But Paul writes unambiguously about this suffering that he is undergoing because of Christ. I am not ashamed. He is adversative, but suggests that it is natural to be ashamed of suffering. And that is true. But Paul is making an exception to this case. Though suffering, what makes it different is that it is a suffering for Christ. And if it is that kind of suffering, there is no need to be ashamed. And the idea here is in negating shame, he is actually asserting honor. I am honored that I am suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ. Why should we be honored to suffer for Christ? Why should we not be ashamed of suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ? Let me give you two things that Paul here attaches to his assertion. The first is that the Lord Jesus is worthy to suffer for. The Lord Jesus is worthy to suffer for. And the second reason is the judgment day is final to measure life. kawakasan sa pagsukat ng ating buhay. The judgment day is final to measure life. So let us consider these reasons of the Apostle Paul and ask yourself as well, am I ashamed of Christ? Am I ashamed of the gospel that I should represent? in whatever world or community that I stand in, and I am not vocal about my faith, I keep it to myself because I am ashamed. Why should you? Is there suffering involved in what you do for Christ? Well, let me tell you first, the Lord Jesus is worthy to suffer for. Now, Paul is writing this second letter, Timothy, as I have said, in prison. But unlike in his other prison letters, for example, in Philippi, in Philippians, Paul still held some hope of reprieve. In fact, it happened. He was released after that imprisonment and was able to minister for a few more years. But not this time. Apostle Paul was resigned to the fact that In this letter to Timothy, he is making his valedictory, his final letter, and he knew that after this letter, he would suffer death, and it is estimated by scholars that after writing this letter, it will only take a few more weeks before execution of the Apostle Paul. Now, if those are just the bare facts, they can cause shame. What child will boast, my father is an inmate? That is something that people will not be very vocal and forward about, but this is something that Apostle Paul found honor in. He is honored by the fact that he is suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because knowing the Lord Jesus Christ reveals the pattern and purpose of Christian suffering. Christian suffering is not something that happens to your life unanticipated or unplanned. Apostle Paul is saying that if you are to serve Christ, you are going to have to realize that there is purpose, and in fact, there is pattern in Christ himself, why suffering happens. And this is what Paul is giving us a reason. Now, we may expect someone to say something about his ability to take on suffering, so he's ready. I'm prepared for suffering. I've suffered so much. I grew up in poverty, and I'm used to poverty, so I can handle it. And that's how many people will try to cushion the impact of suffering, not the Apostle Paul. The reason he gives why he can take suffering and not be ashamed of it is in his words, I know whom I have believed. I know whom I have believed. And that is the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Because of His knowledge of Christ, He finds it an honor to suffer for Him. Paul counts it as the reason why he is suffering. Suffering, he says, this is why I suffer as I do. You do not find in these words any self-pity, any victim attitude. But rather, he is a man who welcomes and embraces suffering as an honor, as a badge for Christ. Not that he was seeking suffering all by itself. But rather, he accepts the fact that if you serve Christ faithfully, you are going to suffer one way or the other. He tells Timothy later in this same letter in chapter 2 verses 8 and 9, Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead, which is my gospel, for which I am suffering as a criminal. So that is clear as much to Paul. He is not suffering because he has harmed others. He is not suffering because he has deceived people. He is suffering because he is faithful to Jesus Christ. And particularly, he points to his resurrection. Because for Paul, the resurrection of Christ is the guarantee that he is now an enthroned king. And because he is king, It is an honor to suffer for Him. Do we see suffering in that light? We see the New Testament, the early Christians faced suffering from the onset of their mission. Right at Pentecost, we find them suffering for their mission. And that is why the New Testament writers had to write something about suffering. And you can extract from the New Testament various angles of explanations. You can speak of a theology of suffering in the New Testament. And there are many explanations, but one common denominator in the explanation of the New Testament writers is not so much that there is something unattractive in the Christian faith. It is not because there is something criminal about preaching the gospel. What they set as a common denominator why suffering comes to believers is because Christ has become king. And being king, he will challenge sinful and rebellious society. Followers of Christ who will be consistent in their service to Christ will find suffering for Christ unavoidable. For one, it is the pattern of Christ himself. He suffered before he was exalted to glory. And for another reason, it is said to be Christ-like in our character. We do not become Christ-like without suffering. Aidel Indias and Carlos Yulo are household names as the only Olympians who had garnered gold for our country. And one common denominator about these two individuals, regardless of their personal character, but one that is a common denominator is they suffered. the suffering of grit and discipline of training, the suffering of defeat and humiliation in their first attempts, and then finally, glory. And I do not believe that people can suffer willingly for a gold medal in the Olympics While Christians are timid about suffering for Christ. For this is a greater glory. We are suffering for one who is now king. My challenge to you is, dedicate your suffering to the cause of Christ's kingdom and likeness. Ialay mo ang iyong pagdurusa. Paul knows that Timothy may be vulnerable to tone down the gospel because he is facing being despised. He is facing criticisms perhaps of people older than he is and they think they know better and they would not recognize his authority. Paul has to warn Timothy, let no man despise you because of your youth. And it may be another reason for you. But we have a mission in this world to promote another king. And do you think that will sit well in this world? If you tell them that what they are doing, though popular to the majority of this world, is something they will give account to God, because Christ is now King. That is why there is no avoiding suffering. But there is a way to avoid suffering for Christ. And that is, if your conduct is not consistent with the kingly rule of Christ, if you live a life that is no different from the world, you are going to avoid suffering. But you are not to be congratulated for that because that is being ashamed of Jesus Christ. Christ is now king. If you are still avoiding that fact, you are living like there is no king. I ask you, my friend, come to Christ now and cast yourself upon Him. And when you truly recognize Jesus Christ as King, through repentance from sin and faith in Him, that is salvation. But everyone who is truly saved is going to be called to represent the gospel and He will suffer for it. Unfortunately, the sad thing is that many who profess to follow Christ have a mindset of the world. They have the same pursuits. They also have wealth and fame and others that the world is obsessed with. And they are also obsessed with those things. The only difference perhaps is they go to church. And that's just about it. But if you will live as one who has Christ as your King, your life will be a challenge. Because people will observe the distinction of your life. But this is not only about the promotion of the Kingdom of Christ. If you will live a life that is Christ-like in character, Suffering is also inevitable. 1 Peter 4.13 says, Rejoice insofar as you share in Christ's sufferings. If it is difficult to run in a marathon, but if I am asked to run with Hussain Bolt of the multiple gold medalists, I will count it a great honor. But you are sharing the suffering of Christ. When you suffer for the gospel, when you suffer for the kingdom, when you suffer because you want to be like Christ, it is sharing the suffering of Christ. And Peter says, rejoice. So when you apply this to the reality of suffering, your suffering will never compare to what Christ has suffered. That's the name Christian. The name Christianos in Greek does not really mean follower of Christ. It's a diminutive of Christ. It means little Christ. like a book and then booklet. Christ, and you're a little Christ, what Christ suffered most, you are asked to share a little of it. Now that little may be something you feel unbearable and too much, but it never is. That's why we need to have the same reason why Paul is not ashamed of suffering, I know whom I have believed. John Owen, I have often told you, was a Puritan leader and considered by many as the best theologian among the Puritans. He has 16 volume works, and that's not including some of his other commentaries. He lost 11 children in the course of his faithful ministry. But in his 16 volumes, perhaps the first volume explains it all. The title of the first volume of the 16 volume works of John Owen is The Glory of Christ. That explains it. Why this man was much used by God, Christ-like in character, and promoted the kingdom of Christ. He knew the glory of Christ. There's a second reason that Paul attaches here. The judgment day is final to measure life. Ang aro ng paguhukon. Paul says, I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. When he uses the word the day, it is quite consistent not only in Paul's writings but in the writings of the New Testament that it is referring to the day of the second coming of Christ. And once that second coming is the judgment day, and when the judgment day comes, it is a day of reckoning that those who have ignored their accountability will suddenly find themselves standing before God, the judge. But for the believer who is faithful, there is the final day of judgment to prove the real faithfulness of our earthly service. That's what the judgment day means for us. For unbelievers, the sort of a final day of judgment is a grim expectation. And I'm pleading with you to think of that when you have your fun, when you have your ways of entertainment and amusement. And at the end of the day, those amusements may mean little to you. Think of the judgment day. Think of your accountability. Think of your judge. And the only way to flee from the wrath to come is through Jesus Christ. But that's not just for unbelievers. Believers may now have an assurance of salvation from judgment, but that judgment day anticipation must still bear weight. Are you saved but you are living an unfaithful life? How are you really sure if you are not faithful? And even if you are barely saved through grace in Christ, the Bible still speaks of shame. Even for believers, as John warns in 1 John 2.28, abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have confidence, not shrink in shame. He's talking here to believers. To Paul in our text is not asserting his assurance of salvation, but that The Lord will preserve him in his faithful service. And so he looks at his life and he sees it as a life entrusted with something. And the Lord is able to keep that which he entrusted to me. The word has the sense of a deposit, an investment. And the idea is it is put to your care in order to expand it. And that is what exactly what Paul does faithfully, but at what cost to him. And this second letter to Timothy is a silent witness to that. He says towards the end in chapter 4 verse 7, I have Fight for the good fight. I have finished my course. I have completed the faith. I have kept the faith. This is something that will cost. The enemy will do everything to make us think less of the judgment day. Forget about it. And we are following the cultural thinking of our day where everything is about now and the livable future. That's all we think about. Now and the future that I'm still alive on earth. But there is the day. It will be the ultimate measure of how much your life on earth is of real value. People may be applauding you now. You may have accolades left and right because of your accomplishments or whatever it is that makes you popular to the people around you. But ultimately, the real test is that Judgment Day. And it will come. Today is 80 years to the day. On October 20, 1944, Douglas MacArthur landed in the Gulf of Leyte, fulfilling his promise, I shall return, that resonated among our guerrillas fighting against Japanese occupation because of their belief that MacArthur and the Americans will prove true to their promise to return. And return MacArthur did. Again, I refuse to believe that a man who is true to his words can even outdo what Jesus has said he will do. He will return in order to usher in the final state. But before that final state is the judgment day that will prove whether our life has been of value or not. That's my challenge to you is bear your Christian suffering awaiting the future owner of Christ on the judgment day. How many times I have been told by many that by becoming a preacher, I would waste my opportunity for more fame and more money by going to other pursuits. It is they who do not understand that they are living a life of shaky boasting that will turn to shame. I choose the suffering and you should choose the suffering for Christ. As Paul said in another letter, Romans 8.18, I consider the sufferings of the present time, take note of this, are not worthy comparing to the glory that is to come. It is because we fail to compare to the judgment day glory and all that we could see is the glitter of fame and wealth and all these other attractions of the world that we get so obsessed with the things of this world. And Paul is saying, I make my comparison. This glory now is not worth it when compared to that judgment day. and servants of Christ may be unfaithful because of the shame that attends one's service to Christ, consider it rather an honor. And add to this the mix, add to this mix the suffering and the more impediments there are to finding glory in faithfulness to Christ. People will ridicule you. People will criticize you. People will find fault at every turn. And yet, You are doing that which is entrusted to you. Paul says, I can't wait enough for that day. The two will always be together, but never at the same time. You are compelled to choose. Do you want the glory of Christ? Or are you going to be ashamed of Christ? Charles Simeon was a Church of England minister. He died in the 18th century. And he suffered much of the criticism of his parishioners. There were times that while he was preaching, someone will throw stones inside the church in opposition to his preaching against sin. I've had a lot of criticisms cast at me, no stone yet, but Charles Simeon endured for so long, to be exact, 54 years in the same ministry. When he was asked by a colleague in the ministry, why do you have to put up with all this? criticisms, and fault finding. The simple answer was, dear brother, we must not mind a little suffering for Christ. That's just a little suffering. There is no avoiding this. If you will be faithful to Christ, there will be suffering. The question is, are you ashamed of it, or do you count it as an honor? May we be able to rise to the occasion and say, for this I suffer, but I am not ashamed because I glory in suffering for Christ. And we will respond by singing that hymn, Jesus, thy boundless love, the force Stanza is fitting as a conclusion. In suffering, be thy love my peace. In weakness, be thy arm my strength. And when the storms of life shall cease, and thou from heaven shall come at length, Lord Jesus, then this heart shall be forever satisfied with thee. There is suffering now, while yet mixed with joy and glory, but also mixed with suffering. But when Christ comes again, there's the unmixed glory and honor. Let us begin being honored even through suffering now. Let us recite with the song, Jesus, Thy Boundless Love. Let's close in prayer. Our great God and gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for the testimony of the Apostle Paul written to Timothy that bears this record for generations to come. And we thank you that it has reached our generation of believers and followers of Christ. And we pray that we may own the same testimony that for Christ we suffer, but we are not ashamed. We counted an honor because Christ, the Lord Jesus, is worthy to suffer for. When we think of His glory, when we think that reason now He is enthroned, there can be no name in this world, no medal in this world that can even come close to the honor of suffering for Christ. And yet, we often feel the timidity, the shame, Forgive us when we are overcome by it. Help us, Lord, to dedicate our suffering for the kingdom of Christ and for likeness to Christ in our character. Help us, Lord, to think that there is the reality, the certainty of the judgment day to come when our accountability will be exposed. We pray for those who still are not prepared for the judgment day because they are not in Christ. They have not cast themselves upon the Christ who now rules as Lord and King. May this be the day when they will cast themselves in repentance and faith. For those of us who are followers of Christ, we can be inconsistent and fail to live as subjects to the ruling Christ and have a mindset that is following the world's mindset. May you challenge those in this condition. Make them consistent subjects of the ruling Christ, knowing that there is the judgment day to come. And may we be faithful as you preserve us. to that which you have entrusted to us until we give account of it on your Judgment Day. May we count that Judgment Day as something to bear on our day-to-day life. May we not be like the world, thinking only of the now and the livable future rather than thinking of the Judgment Day and the final state to follow. Help us to be those who counted an honor to serve Christ and to suffer in the service of Him who loves us and gave Himself for us. Now may the love of the Father, the grace of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. In Jesus' name we pray all these things. Amen.