Faithful Soldiers: Standing Strong in Christ

2 Timothy 2:1-14

2 Timothy 2:1–14 (NLT)

1 Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.

2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.

5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.

6 And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.

7 Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.

8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach.

9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained.

10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

11 This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him.

12 If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us.

13 If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

14 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.

INTRODUCTION:

Today is our annual Veterans Day service. We honor all of our members and attendees who have served in all branches of our nation’s armed forces. Many people are as confused about exactly what Veterans’ Day is about, much like the little boy I heard about:

One day, after worship service, the pastor noticed a young boy admiring a veterans memorial plaque in the foyer of the church. The pastor went over to the child and engaged him in conversation. The boy looked up at the pastor with a concerned look on his face. “What are all of these names listed on here for?” The pastor replied, “These are all of the people who died in the service.” After a long, thoughtful pause, the child asked, “Was that the 8:30 0r 11:00 service?”

Today we celebrate our LIVING veterans.

This message is focused on the veterans of human wars and on the fact that these folks and the rest of us are to be spiritual veterans in the service of our King Jesus Christ.

TS: Notice three traits that Paul says we need to be good Christian soldiers.

I- STRENGTH IN THE SAVIOR (2 Timothy 2:1-4)

2 Timothy 2:1–4 (NLT)

1 Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.

2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.

A- The believer is to seek to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 2:3)

2 Timothy 2:3 (NLT)

3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

1- The war we are to fight in is real. (Ephesians 6:10-17)

Ephesians 6:10–17 (NLT)

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

2- It is essential that we seek to be good soldiers of the cross.

B- The Christian soldier must draw his strength from Christ. (2 Timothy 2:1)

2 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)

1 Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.

1- We must seek to draw our strength for the battle from the Lord. (Ephesians 6:10)

Ephesians 6:10 (NLT)

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

C- The Christian soldier must focus on the mission of Christ. (2 Timothy 2:4)

2 Timothy 2:4 (NLT)

4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.

1- Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)

Luke 19:10 (NLT)

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

2- We are to keep our eyes on the mission Jesus gave us. (Text)

3- Our lives must be lived for the one who died for us. (2 Corinthians 5:15)

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NLT)

15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

D- The Christian soldier must seek to train and encourage other soldiers. (2 Timothy 2:2)

2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT)

2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

1- We are to make disciples for Jesus. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Matthew 28:18–20 (NLT)

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

II- DISCIPLINE AND DEDICATION (2 Timothy 2:5-7)

2 Timothy 2:5–7 (NLT)

5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.

6 And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.

7 Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.

A- The Christian soldier must live with purpose. (2 Timothy 2:5)

2 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)

5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.

(1 Corinthians 9:26-27)

1 Corinthians 9:26–27 (NLT)

26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.

27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

1- We must live lives of discipline to becoming all that Christ wants us to be.

a- The believer must function with purpose.

That purpose is obedience to God’s word.

(Luke 6:46)

Luke 6:46 (NLT)

46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?

(John 14:15)

John 14:15 (NLT)

15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.

B- The Christian soldier must become a disciplined disciple in all of life. (2 Timothy 2:6-7)

2 Timothy 2:6–7 (NLT)

6 And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.

7 Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.

1- Training and perseverance are integral to spiritual growth and fruitful service.

2- Dedication and hard work are necessary to spiritual growth and becoming good Christian soldiers.

III- ENDURANCE WITH AN EYE TO THE ETERNAL (2 Timothy 2:8-10)

2 Timothy 2:8–10 (NLT)

8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach.

9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained.

10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

A- Being a good soldier requires a willingness to endure temporary hardship for eternal things.

1- Paul suffered hardship because of his stand for Christ. (2 Timothy 2:8-9)

2 Timothy 2:8–9 (NLT)

8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach.

9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained.

2- Paul kept his focus upon the eternal. (2 Timothy 2:10)

2 Timothy 2:10 (NLT)

10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

In 1956, five missionaries, including Jim Elliot, made an ultimate sacrifice by venturing into the Amazon jungles to reach the Waorani tribe with the gospel. They faced danger, but their commitment was fueled by the understanding of Christ’s love. They surrendered everything. Years later, their families went back to the tribe, demonstrating that surrender leads to transformation. Just like them, we are called to give our all, trusting that what we surrender will lead to greater blessings in God’s Kingdom.

B- Being a good soldier requires that we focus on the hope that lies ahead. (2 Timothy 2:11-14)

2 Timothy 2:11–14 (NLT)

11 This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him.

12 If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us.

13 If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

14 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.

1- The hope of living with Christ forever.

2- The hope of reigning with our king.

3- He is faithful even when we are not.

CONCLUSION:

As we come to a conclusion, I draw your attention back to 2 Timothy 2:3-4.

2 Timothy 2:3–4 (NLT)

3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.

We may honor our military veterans today, but we also need to remember that we are active veterans in Christ’s army. This means that we are to endure suffering, while being faithful to our Lord. Just as the soldier is not to be entangled in the affairs of civilian life, the Christian soldier is not to be living like the rest of the world. Like the Lord said, we are in the world, but we are not “of the world.” (John 17:16-18).

John 17:16–18 (NLT)

16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do.

17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.

18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.

We must make the conscious choice to surrender our all to the one who died for us. We must:

Find our strength in the Savior

Focus in discipline and dedication to the Savior

Follow our Savior, having endurance with an eye to the eternal hope we have in Him.

Think about a young soldier who enlisted in a time of war. He understood that joining meant risking his life for a cause greater than himself. Likewise, when we choose to surrender our lives to Christ, we are enlisting in a heavenly army, accepting that our plans may not be our own. The soldier doesn’t hesitate to give his all, and we, too, can find freedom and purpose in giving everything to the One who died for us.