A Soldier For Christ

2 Timothy 2

Introduction:

HAVE FUN AND REMEMBER TO SMILE

BE STRONG AND CONFIDENT IN THE lORD

Letter of Encouragement The Apostle Paul is writing to Timothy who was a pastor in the Church of Ephesus

Paul was imprisoned again in Rome and he expected to be executed

The purpose of this letter is to encourage young Timothy to continue to

Ever since Rome had burned in July of A.D. 64, and Nero had blamed the Christians for the fire, it had become dangerous to be a Christian.

Consequently many believers, including some of Paul's coworkers, had chosen to assume a much lower profile and become less aggressive in their ministries.

Timothy faced the temptation to do the same. Paul wrote this epistle in order to urge him to remain faithful to his calling and loyal to his father in the faith: Timothy needed to stand shoulder to shoulder with Paul and the other believers and to continue to preach the Word as he had done.

2 Timothy 1:6 “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

1. (V1) Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus

a) Be strong indicates the need for continual dependence on God. (His strength, not our own)

Its possible that Timothy was struggling because His dependence was not upon God but Himself

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

b) Strong in His grace

Grace refers to all of God's resources that are available to us through Christ.

Its through His grace that brings power to our public ministries and godliness into our personal lives. Its ultimate purpose is to bring everything about us into harmony with God's character.

EXAMPLE: Strong in forgiveness, move forward without doubt being strong in grace

2 Peter 3:18 “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

You must actively pursue growth through spending time in the Word and in prayer

2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things

Our sufficiency comes as we abound in grace

C) We must also be strong in extending grace to others

I once heard a pastor say, “Holiness for me and grace for everyone else”

Imagine a world or a church for that matter, where everyone was focussed on personal holiness and they were willing to make allowances for the faults of others, they are willing to be strong in grace as they extended it to one another

2. (V3-7) Paul is encouraging Timothy with three illustrations of attitude

a. (3-4) Persevere for God with a soldier’s attitude (SELFLESS)

a) Paul

If anyone knows anything about enduring hardships it would the apostle Paul

Paul has been beaten, stoned, and imprisoned. Yet Paul remained strong like a good soldier

b) Mindset of a Soldier heading off to war

You will endure hardships / Don’t be surprised when hardships occur

Your not entangled or distracted by the world. Keep the main the main thing

Remember your aim is to please the one who has enlisted

When we moved to Sonora to serve in junior high the Lord impressed upon my heart that I would suffer.

When the suffering came I was surprised or unprepared.

b. (V5)Persevere for God with an athlete’s attitude.

To win a race you must follow the rules / Don’t quit

If you get tired and you decide to cheat you will be disqualified

c. (V6) Persevere for God with the attitude of a farmer.

Farmers are known for being hardworking but they must also be patient, as they wait for the harvest

They must first partake of the crops

3. (V9-10) You will suffer, but endure it for the sake of the elect that they may obtain salvation

We never give up, we must steady on despite the things we suffer

James 1:2–3 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

4. (V14) Remind them (the faithful men V2) not strive about words to the ruin of the hearer

a) Some love to argue, don’t argue with someone over the non-essentials of the faith

To the ruin of the hearers: This shows that it is a serious matter and there is much to lose. If we take the focus off the message of God and put the focus on human opinions and endless debates, it will result in the ruin of the hearers.

5. (V15) Be diligent to present yourself approved by God, rightly dividing the Word of truth

Work hard to rightly divide the Word of God

Not my opinion or what I think it means to me, but what did God intend to say through it?

6. (V16) Shun profane and idle babblings

The NLT says, “Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior “

Avoid foolish talk

Why? It spreads like cancer and overthrow the faith of some

Matthew 12:36 “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”