Don’t go into the Portal!
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1 You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer. 5 Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and descended from David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound. 10 This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 This saying is trustworthy:
For if we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
Intro:
Intro:
Now
Now
Michigan has a slogan “Those who stay will be Champion!” This was a slogan by “Bo”
what do you hear in this slogan???
It is call to endurance! It is call to completion!!! It is a call to perseverance!!!
Now “Bo” could not truly guarantee they would be champions, but the Lord can offer guarantees in his motto! “If we endure we will also reign with him!!
NCAA portal. Explain College in 95 and college now in 2025.
The issues Saban views NIL and the transfer portal bring are fair, in some sense. Players aren't going to schools to develop with proven coaches, and they aren't going to programs with a rich history.
The fact of that matter is that student-athletes want to be paid, and if they have an opportunity to get that from any school, that program will have a chance to land a player.
“Guys are looking to where can I develop value right now and more about what can I get instantly in terms of getting in the portal or going to another school,” Saban said. “No one talks about the college experience anymore. Nobody talks about graduation, all these things are probably important to the future.”
“People are in the portal for a reason,” he said. “If you take them out, you better make sure they’re in there for the right reason.” NICK SABAN.
Players rather than hold out and stay so they can develop run to where they can get paid and notierity.
Paul is dealing with the Christian Portal. Paul had seen professing Christian come and go in his lifetime so his final words to his mentee
Then
Then
Paul is speaking like a football coach in these verse!!! This passage of scriptures reads like a pre-game speech!!!
Paul is on his deathbed. He is giving some final words to Timothy! He is trying to get Timothy motivated and hyped!!!
I. The Charge
I. The Charge
1 You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
(EXP)(1) “you, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”
Be strong-present, passive, imperative! Be continually made strong by the grace of the God.
(1) This is a call to continually trust, lean and depend on the “grace of God” to give you the strength to preserver not will power, not man strength or human intellect.
“Grace”-unmerited favor
For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.
“Grace” my unmerited favor is bestowed to you by giving you something you don’t deserve.
6 For if I want to boast, I wouldn’t be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, 7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”
Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.
(9) “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness” Notice that Paul says the Lord told him my grace is all you need to overcome this thorn in the flesh. He says “my power” is perfected in weakness. In this verse the gift of grace is associated with a power given by God to finish your course no matter what comes against you.
What’s the charge??
What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
(EXP)(2) “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses” This is the message of the gospel. Paul tells Timothy the message you have seen me preach is the message you are to preach. Isn’t that good to know we don’t have to make up our own curriculum. Paul says the message I got from the Lord. Is the message I’m sending to you. I got it from Jesus and gave it to you. Now you take it from me and give it to others.
What did he tell him to do?
(2) “commit to faithful men who will be able to teach” Fellas in this dependent clause is all of our life’s purpose. This is God’s purpose for everyone in this room.
Legacy: a gift by will especially of money or other personal property : bequest. She left us a legacy of a million dollars. 2. : something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past. the legacy of the ancient philosophers.
What’s Paul’s legacy?
Not one person in this room is saved without the legacy and gospel work of Paul.
The Devil was on him!!! Yet through it all he could say at the end of his life. I have “Fought a good fight, I have finished my course”
And what was the secret of Paul’s success?
He tells us in this text “and be strong in the grace of the Lord” Timothy the secret to my success is the “grace of God” and God’s grace will be bestowed to anyone who is willing.
What’s your legacy? What are you leaving?
There is nothing worse than doing a funeral for someone and the only comment people make about them is “they sure could play cards” “they sure were nice” “They would give you shirt off the back” “they could sure fry fish”
Imagine dying and within a month your presence has been forgotten
The Lord through Paul has set the condition of our lives. All us as soldier should be following the same mandate. Understanding the gospel, then taking the gospel and committing it to other folks.
Saints this cannot be done alone this is collaborative work. This is impossible to do alone.
Have you ever seen two teams play football and one team had 11 players on the field while the other team only sent 1 person onto the field?
Why is it that we try to do life by ourselves fighting against principalities who are many?
We as Christian sometimes try and go into the football field of life fighting against our own flesh, against the world system and a field full of demons lead by Satan by ourselves. Then wonder why we fail so often. The Christian life is a team effort. You will need the Spirit first. Then you will need Godly Relationships, Then you will need the church to combate our enemy.
Yall leaving a godly legacy is going to cost you.
II. The Cost
II. The Cost
3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer. 5 Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
(EXP)(3) Share in the suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. The more me look like Christ the greater cost there will be to our own personal comfort.
What does it mean to suffer as a good soldier of Christ Jesus?
18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
Jesus tells us in this text. When you chose to accept me as Lord and Savior you are essentially signing up for Military service. All my enemies become your enemies. You will go through similar things that I experienced.
Paul list three profession that anyone in the ancient world would be familiar with:
It costs to follow Jesus Christ, but it costs more not to.
Anonymous
(3-4) The Single-minded Soldier-This man lives on behalf of others. He gives his life as a sacrifice for many. The single-minded soldier does not get “Entangled” this word means “weaved”
What does it mean to get “weaved” within the concerns of the civilian life?
When a soldier is on active duty all of needs are taken care of my the country. As a soldier of Christ this a command by Paul that good soldiers don’t spend thier time worrying about temporal matters or concerns.
(5) The Self-disciplined athlete-This man lives a life of personal discipline for the purpose of something higher than himself. Olympic athletes say no to many of things we say yes to.
(6) The steadfast farmer-Understand investment. He understands anything worth having will take time energy and work, but he also understands there is an essential part of farming that he can’t control. And that’s weather. In (6) Paul is talking about the investment of personal evangelism and discipleship. There is a part the farmer is responsible for and that is tilling the ground and dropping the seed, but the weather is out of his control. The weather as it pertains to salvation is the work of the spirit. He is the one who causes the seed to die and be reborn then grow.
Dear Brothers this is the cost.
Saints before we make purchases especially large ones we ask ourselves the question internally is the cost worth the item?
I just told you the cost you will have to be Single-minded, Self Disciplined, and Eternally Steadfast
Is it worth it?
Open the Doors of the Church
Part II
Part II
1 You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer.
5 Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
6 The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops.
7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and descended from David, according to my gospel,
9 for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound.
10 This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
11 This saying is trustworthy: For if we died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
Review
1 You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
The Charge: “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer.
5 Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
6 The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops.
7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
The Cost
The Singleminded Soldier
The Self-disciplined athlete
The Steadfast Farmer
Saints we make decision everyday based on an investment vs return. Before we make a commitment to anything: Marriage, Having Children, Buying a House, Taking a job, Joininig an organization or Starting a business.
Is the investment worth the return!
Paul had to sometimes wonder is the cost worth it?
III. The Worth
III. The Worth
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and descended from David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound. 10 This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
(EXP)(8-9) Paul reminds his mentee about the missionary trip they took and the gospel he preached. This gospel we preach has history. Paul tells Timothy this gospel has cost me let me remind you Timothy 2 Corinthians 11:22-28
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.
24 Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers; 27 toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing. 28 Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.
Paul then tells us why he would go through all this suffering. Paul what would cause you to give so much?
10 This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
(10) Paul says I do it all for the “elect”
Who are the elect?
These are the ones God predestined before the foundation of the world. These are the ones who have been chosen by God. In Ephesians 1:4-5
4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.
5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
(4-6) Notice what Paul says in Ephesians. For we were chosen in him before the foundations of the world.
(4) We were chosen for a purpose “to be holy and blameless in love before him” we are his people. We are his children snatch out of this world system to stand
(5) He “Predestined us”=Foreordain-To appoint or decree something beforehand.
What did he predestine us to?
(5) To be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will
So when Paul talks about “the Elect” he is talking about those who have been chosen, set apart and predestined to adoption as Son’s of God.
Paul says “I am willing to endure all things for the sake of this group!” I am willing to be beaten, misunderstood, maligned and killed for the sake of “the elect” it is clear Paul will driven by the mission, not his own desires and plans.
Paul was unaware who the “elect” are that is why he went after everyone as if they were all the elect. But Paul tells Timothy the elect are worth it.
And Why?
(10) “which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory” The Salvation of the elect brings glory to God. Paul was motivated by the sheer joy of bringing God glory by sacrificing body for the purpose of expanding the kingdom of God. He laid his body on the altar and let God use him as a sacrifice.
what are you motivated by?
Lets us return to our homes today motivated to see God’s kingdom expanded through Evangelism & Disciple-Making.
Our greatest joy should not be our children’s school graduation but it should be a children’s spiritual graduation.
Ask yourself are you more excited to see your grown children get a job or your grown child growing spiritually in the Lord. Whatever excites you is where you heart is. Listen to the Apostle John Salutation in his letter 3 John 1-4
1 The elder: To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
2 Dear friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health, just as your whole life is going well.
3 For I was very glad when fellow believers came and testified to your fidelity to the truth—how you are walking in truth.
4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth.
Watching my daughters lead breakout session at the youth conference!
Conclusion: The Chant
Conclusion: The Chant
11 This saying is trustworthy:
For if we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
In order to understand the exegesis of these verses we need to walk through this chapter.
(11) This saying is trustworthy: Paul says this clause 5x in Timothy and Titus. Paul is telling Timothy while on his death bed Christianity is creedal. Let me take you to one:
15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them.
16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.
Creed=“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”
1 This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.”
Creed=preaching is a noble work
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared,
5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior
7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.
8 This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone.
Creed= God’s kindness led him to save us not be works of righteousness but according to his mercy through the power of the HS which he poured out on us through the Son so that we would be justified by his grace thereby making us heirs of eternal life. “This saying is trustworthy”
16 And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Creed=Doxology! Saints in this book we are getting a small glimpse into their worship service without us actually being there. I Imagine they had these creeds recited and proclaimed. This is strange in the ancient world where literacy rates were low. They had to formulate creeds the could be committed to memory to solidify the truths of the Gospel.
(11) This where creeds the early church would repeat. These were points of agreement to unify the whole body of Christ. Now lets take a look at the Creed found in this chapter of Timothy. 2 Timothy 2:11-13
11 This saying is trustworthy: For if we died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
(11-13) “For if we die with him, we will also live with him” This creed or saying is an example of Hebrew Parallelism remember Paul is a Hebrew at heart. Parallelism was used for clarity and memory. This grouping of scripture is set up as a conditional axiom. “If” “then” If this happens Then this is the result. Notice the text:
If we die with Christ, then we will live with him…..If we give our lives to his mission, we will be raised to life.
20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
If we endure, then we will reign…..If we preserver, we will reign in his kingdom,
13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
If we deny, then he will deny us….If we deny him, he will pronounce to us “I never knew you”
19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
If we are faithless, he remains faithful…When we are faithless, He will continue to undergird and strengthen us. When our faith is weak it is God that strengthens us to keep pressing.
21 “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father. “From childhood,” he said.
22 “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”
For he cannot deny himself!!
6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
The Father has a vested interest in your endurance, because your finishing is based on his integrity. Because he has already promised those that truly start finish!!! Your endurance is a collaborative work that he is leading.
A truly saved individual will finish because the finisher never fails.
F.B. Meyer wrote about two Germans who wanted to climb the Matterhorn. They hired three guides and began their ascent at the steepest and most slippery part. The men roped themselves together in this order: guide, traveler, guide, traveler, guide. They had gone only a little way up the side when the last man lost his footing. He was held up temporarily by the other four, because each had a toehold in the niches they had cut in the ice. But then the next man slipped, and he pulled down the two above him. The only one to stand firm was the first guide, who had driven a spike deep into the ice. Because he held his ground, all the men beneath him regained their footing. F.B. Meyer concluded his story by drawing a spiritual application. He said, "I am like one of those men who slipped, but thank God, I am bound in a living partnership to Christ. And because He stands, I will never perish."
Our Daily Bread.
