The Battle Ready Soldier

Introduction

Pledge Allegiance to the Flag

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Pledge Allegiance to the Christian Flag

"I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose Kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty to all who believe."

History of Veteran’s Day

The Veteran’s Affairs of our US Government records the history in this way: World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”

As we reflect this morning on the men and women who have served our country faithfully to preserve our freedoms, we say thank you. You have at times sacrificed life and limb and even your families to serve and we say thank you.

In yesterday’s edition of the Montgomery Advertiser, Norris Burkes who writes the Article Everyday Spirituality reminds us to be appreciative of all of the spouses that sacrificed as well. This morning, if there is a spouse or family members that were left back when Dad or Mom went off to serve this country would you please stand. Let’s give these families a hand in their support of their spouse or parent that sacrificed for our country.

This morning as we reflect upon those that sacrificed, let’s as well consider those that sacrificed that we may know the Lord. Consider from Bible times until now all the people that died on the battlefields of faith and left a legacy behind for us to follow? Let’s have a moment of silence as we reflect on those battle ready soldiers who recruited us in the Lord’s army?

This morning in our text we will be challenged to fight the good fight as a soldier in the Lord’s army. We have a responsibility as believers to continue the battle for souls just as those who fought hard for our salvation. Amen. And Jesus, the ultimate soldier who battled all the way to the cross that we may live. And all the people said, Amen.

Turn in your Bibles this morning to 2 Timothy 2:1-4 and turn two chapters over to 2 Timothy 4:7-8. You will find that on page 1367 & 1368_of your pew Bible.

2 Timothy 2:1-4; 4:7-8

2 Timothy 2:1–4 NKJV

1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

2 Timothy 4:7–8 NKJV

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Prayer

Message

Paul wrote this letter, this epistle as the last letter he penned. He wrote this epistle while chained in a prison cell in Rome, his second Roman imprisonment. Paul alludes to the fact in a portion of our text this morning that he knew his fate. Tradition holds that he was in the Mammertine prison which basically was a covered cavern hole in the ground to retrieve light and air. Paul’s expectation is that he would soon be executed.

Due to these conditions, the 1 Timothy epistle varies from the 2 Timothy epistle. 1 Timothy focuses on the church while 2 Timothy focused on Timothy. Paul was a General in the Lord’s army giving instruction to Timothy, a new officer for the Lord.

Paul, metaphorically, wrote about the Christian life as being a soldier.

We learned the little song in VBS.

I’m in the Lord’s Army

I may never march in the infantry Ride in the cavalry Shoot the artillery I may never fly o’er the enemy But I’m in the Lord’s army! Yes Sir!

I’m in the Lord’s army! Yes sir!

Oh dear brothers and sisters this morning. Paul wanted to be remembered as a good soldier for the Lord. He wanted to pass on his battle ready skills to his next recruit. What do you want to be remembered as? Most of us in this room in the next 25 years or so will be called up to heaven or passed on to heaven. That is my prayer that you are going to heaven.

How do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be remembered as a soldier of the cross? Do you want those that know you to be able to say, “He or she fought the good fight?”

Let’s consider this morning three traits of a battle ready soldier for Jesus.

A Battle Ready Soldiers for the Lord must:

1. Offer One’s Dedicated Service to the Lord VV. 1-2

2 Timothy 2:1–4 “1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”

Paul was sharing boot camp training to Timothy based upon some things he learned in the prior chapter about the casualties of war in :

2 Timothy 1:15 “15 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.”

2 Timothy 4:10 “10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.”

2 Timothy 4:14–16 “14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.”

Dearly beloved, being a soldier for Jesus is not for the faint of heart. Paul is a POW as he writes this epistle. These men I listed defected from the battle. And Paul wanted this new young pastor not to get discouraged. He wanted to give him a pep talk to stay on the battle field.

Oh dear church may I submit to you that the Lord wants you to stay the course. He wants you to enjoy the accomplishments by being a battle ready soldier and enjoy His goodness, His blessings, and to see that when we submit to His will and leadership for our lives, our lives flourish. We live the abundant life.

Notice the first bullet in your weaponry and the most important weapon you carry on the field of battle.

Grace

Grace, yes I said grace. Where is your strength as a soldier of Jesus? Notice that Paul did not write, be strong in the judgment of Christ Jesus.” Notice Paul didn’t write be strong in the works of Christ Jesus. Notice that Paul didn’t write to be strong in the Word of Christ Jesus even though we know that to be highly important. To reach top spiritual fitness in Christ Jesus is found in His grace.

Grace-Charis

I have the utmost respect for the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces. I love to hear their stories and I had friends who went to boot camp. One of my closest friend’s dad was in the military and He was our Scoutmaster. Dwayne and I both attained the rank of Eagle Scout. Dwayne went off to Paris Island following high school. From the moment I saw him come back I knew he was a changed person. The marines were a great choice for my friend. But you know something? I never heard him say that Paris Island was such a fun experience. I never heard him say, I will do that all over again. I had a ball.

Oh dearly beloved, being strong in grace means that the Lord wants you to experience joy in your journey of growth. He wants you to know pleasure and delight and loveliness as a blessing of serving Him. There are many in this room that could share story after story of the blessedness of living for Jesus.

Furthermore, when we are strong in the grace of Jesus it means that we have His divine favor. He wants you to succeed. He does not want you to be a casualty of war.

The story of grace dear brother or sister is that when Jesus is on your side in this life you cannot lose.

1 Samuel 17:45–47 “45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.””

The story of Gideon is a story of a faithful few that realized only God could do what He did.

In Judges 6-8 is a story of battle against insurmountable odds unless God was in it.

The Midianite army was 135,000 or more (Judges 8:10). Even though the odds were stacked in the Midianite's favour, the Lord told Gideon that the Israelite army was too big. If the Israelites won with 32,000 men, they might think they won because of their great abilities or strategy.

The Lord called Gideon to reduce the army so that Israel would know what could be accomplished with God in it.

Luke 1:30 “30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”

Mary, you are going to be the mother of Jesus. I am going to be with you and you are jumping rank. I am placing my favor upon you.

Jesus Himself experience that word grace.

Luke 2:52 “52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

Oh dear brother and sister. God wants you to grow in your relationship with Him each day and grow in love with your fellow neighbor. Amen.

Discipleship

2 Timothy 2:2 “2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Oh dear church, that is what Paul was doing. Paul had some that fell out on the battlefield. Some went a wall, some committed treason and defected. Paul was working to insure that Timothy would go the distance.

May I make a comment and then follow with a question? Paul is discussing discipleship here. He is playing the role of the drill sergeant in the life of the bulk private soldier. For all of my men and women that served, you will never forget that drill sergeant you had in boot camp.

They will burn in your being because they are the ones that physically, mentally and emotionally drove you that prepared you for the toughness that is called for being a soldier. They not only instilled mental but physical and psychological strength for the mission.

The Marines state “we want a few good men.” The Bible discusses the broad and the narrow path and few travel the narrow path. Other places the Bible speaks of a remnant.

In 1 Kings 18 & 19 is the story of Elijah and bringing down fire at Mt. Carmel. One day Elijah is victorious in battle for the Lord and his faith brought down a great display of the power of God and He brought down fire from heaven. For some unforeseen reason Elijah became very insecure and feared for his life under the revenge of Jezebel.

1 Kings 19:14 “14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.””

And the Lord responded:

1 Kings 19:18 “18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.””

The Lord insures that we have a remnant to battle with us, to encourage us, to pick us up, to pray for us as we pray for them, but we are challenged in our text this morning to disciple others.

The Lord wants a few good men and women to serve Him faithfully. Here is my question. Who are you investing in? Who is under your tut-ledge about the things of God? Dearly beloved, it is not as bad as Elijah thought, there were more that followed the Lord than Elijah recognized. But I make this statement. If we do not recruit people for Jesus, who will?

Oh dearly beloved, if we can understand that our dedicated service is to the Lord. Not the church, not your Sunday School class, not to the yard, not to the programs, not to the barbecue. Oh dear church, all of those ministries are important and your leadership is crucially needed. But, if you begin to focus all of your energy and efforts to the jobs rather than Jesus and do not protect, cherish, nurture, your own spiritual pilgrimage with Jesus, you can be like so many and go a-wall.

Its the idea of missing the forest for the trees. If we allow the holy orders to rank above our relationship with Holy God we have missed the boat.

So I ask you, how are you faring in the battle called life? Are you a part of the Lord’s Army?

Philippians 4:13 “13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Ephesians 6:10 “10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

2. Offer One’s Disciplined Sacrifice for the Lord VV. 3-4

2 Timothy 2:3–4 “3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”

“You must therefore endure hardship.” Let me just say dear friends this morning that living as a Christian, a real Christian today is not easy. It is as difficult as its ever been.

Endure κακοπαθέω kakopathéō, kak-op-ath-eh'-o; from the same as G2552; to undergo hardship:—be afflicted, endure afflictions (hardness), suffer trouble.

Acts 14:22 “22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.””

There will be things that you sense the Lord calling you to do, to take a stand that will not be easy. You will feel like Elijah and you will feel all alone. We live in a day when you take a Christian stand for matters of the day you will feel as if you are in right field all by yourself. The Lord calls for us to be steadfast, immovable.

We discussed last Wednesday night the challenge we received from ALCAP at our annual MBA meeting. Alabama Citizens Action Program. They are the moral advocates for our state in government. There slogan verse for ALCAP is this:

2 Thessalonians 3:13 “13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.”

Dearly beloved, they fight our battles on alcohol and youth, legalizing gambling, legalizing marijuana, pro-life, opioid epidemic, religious liberty, human sexuality and the dangers of vaping to name a few. ALCAP states that the churches are important to them. They carry weight in the legislature due to their votes, their power, but they do not exercise that power. Rev. Greg Davis who spoke stated that when talking to legislators that “we never hear from the churches.”

Oh dear church, we must engage in the battle for our world for Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:58 “58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Notice:

3. One’s Decoration and Satisfaction in the Lord 2 Timothy 4:7-8

2 Timothy 4:7–8 “7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

“I have fought the good fight” Paul writes that the Christian life is a battle. WE can’t win it in our own power. “Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin” wins the battle. Amen. For Paul, the fight and the race was over. But what is interesting is the victory is perpetual, it is ongoing to eternity and beyond amen.

I think about when the war was over as I understand history there were parades everywhere honoring our veterans. But at some point, the victory is over and life went back to normal. Not so in the Christian life.

Paul writes: to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Oh dear brother or sister we can not lose with Jesus.

Paul did not write: “I kept the law”, “I stayed the course in works”, “I tried my best to do what was right.” “I tried to do right by my fellow man”, He did not even say I tried to be a devoted soldier of the Lord, He stated “I kept the faith.”

Oh dear brother or sister if you believe you will win at the journey called life in any other way than faith you have missed the whole point of being a soldier of Jesus.

Belief is what saves us from being a casualty of war.

Romans 10:13 “13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.””

1 Timothy 2:3–4 “3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Oh dear friend today, if you have never joined Jesus in the salvation He offers, do so today.

Look a the crown that is ours for the asking today.

2 Timothy 4:8 “8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

We are saddened at a time such as this that our loved ones went into battles representing our country and they may have become casualties of war. There were lives lost in WWI and WWII. Lives lost in the Civil War, the Korean War, and the various conflicts, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Iraq, and Afghanistan and the list goes on.

Oh, dear fellow recruit this morning. I want to be on a squad that wins. I want to be in a platoon that wins. I want to be in a battalion that wins.

1 Corinthians 9:25 “25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”

Let’s pray.