Be Strengthened in Grace

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It is an honor to share the Word of God with the saints of Durbin Memorial Baptist Church which exists by for glory in love.

Last week we talked about the 2008 Olympics, this week I want to draw our attention to the 1992 Olympics and specifically Great Britain’s sprinter Derek Redmond. In 1992, Derek was seeking to overcome the injuries that had plagued him — he'd had five surgeries, including one on his Achilles tendon with less than four months before the Games. His Olympic dreams had been dashed four years earlier at the 1988 Games in Seoul when he tore his Achilles an hour before the race.

Redmond's pursuit of a medal in 1992 for the 400 meters started off well, as he notched the fastest time in the prelims and won his quarterfinal heat.

In the semifinals, Redmond charged out of the blocks and looked strong on the first straightaway. But shortly before the race's halfway mark, he suddenly grimaced in pain and grabbed the back of his right thigh: his hamstring had torn. He crumpled to the track in pain and dismay, as the rest of the pack sprinted on.

Alone on the track, Redmond stood and began hopping on his left foot — careful to remain in his lane — determined to finish the race. The crowd stood and cheered as Redmond limped slowly toward the finish line.

Then a figure emerged from alongside the track: Redmond's dad, Jim.

Waving off officials who tried to get him off the track, Jim Redmond ran up to his son, putting an arm around his waist. Derek turned and wept on his father's shoulder. Together, father and son walked the final meters of a race now long decided.

I bring this story up because Derek was unable to finish the race on his own strength, but with his father’ by his side, he accomplished what we set out to do.

Church, the Christian life often feels like a marathon. More often than not, if you’re anything like me, you find yourself running the race with at least a limp, if not a full on blown hamstring. But the beauty of living the Christian life, is that in all things, the Father is by our side to strengthen us, for us to lean us, to even carry us to the finish line.

Unlike Olympic athletes, we aren’t expected to run by our own strength. It is the grace of God that sustains and propels us through the race of life. God’s grace strengthens us to stay faithful and press on.

With this in mind, open your Bibles, if you have not already to 2 Timothy. Today we will begin in Chapter 1 verse 15 and finish with Chapter 2 verse 13. As we began this book last week, we were reminded of the centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our purpose as a church and as individuals is defined by the gospel. Everything comes back to Jesus Christ living and dying and rising again to pay for our sins and reconcile us to God the Father. Today we will see that God has given us purpose through the gospel, and as we live that out, we don’t do that alone. Not only has God given us community like this church, but God has lavished us with His consistent and continual strengthening grace.

Here’s the Big Idea:

We carry the torch of the gospel, we finish the race, not by our strength, but by God’s grace empowering our faithfulness, endurance, and hope.

Let’s begin by seeing one of the difficulties that Paul and Timothy faced before diving into the strengthening of God’s grace to make it through adversity and finish the race. Join me in reading chapter 1 verses 15-18.

II. Faithfulness in the Face of Desertion (1:15-18)

2 Timothy 1:15–18 ESV

15 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.

If you look back at the verses directly preceding this section, you will see Paul tell Timothy not to be ashamed of the gospel. Paul also states that he himself is not ashamed of the gospel because he knows beyond of a shadow of a doubt that God’s got this. God is God over everything and while the winds of life swirl, he is steady in God’s hand. Then we come across where we picked up this morning. Paul is contrasting those who are not ashamed by the gospel—even suffering for the gospel, himself and Timothy, with those who have turned away from their family of faith in the midst of controversy, all those in Asia and specifically Phygelus and Hermogenes.

Now those two specific people are a bit of a mystery of history because they are not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament. They had to have been participants in the church whom Paul and Timothy both knew, but we don’t know to what extent. They may have been attenders, they may have been leaders. All we know for sure is that they disappointed Paul. They had abandoned him. It’s most likely that when Paul was imprisoned, they were scared and distanced themselves greatly. We can’t say if they abandoned the faith as a whole, but we know that they were unwilling to associate with their struggling brother. This is in direct contrast to Onesiphorus, another mystery of history, who was not ashamed of Paul’s imprisonment and sought to be an encouragement to Paul. Paul was refreshed by Onesiphorus.

What’s interesting to note here is that if you look at the life of Paul all throughout the New Testament, you will see that he was a fiery guy who didn’t shy away from conflict. But at the same time, we see in Paul that great value there is in godly friendships. He was relational. Humanity is relational. We need one another. While we mat not always be in direct proximity with one another, as Paul had traveled from church to church all across the world, we remain united by the grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.

We can see in the text that Onesiphorus was a great encouragement to Paul. What did Onesiphorus do? How did he stay with Paul? He refreshed, was unashamed, and searched diligently for Paul. Refreshment was probably just in being present. He may have brought Paul some physical needs, but Paul was primarily refreshed by the support. Onesiphorus was not a fly-by-night guy, but a loyal friend. He was undeterred and unashamed of Paul’s chains. The point being for Timothy that if Onesiphorus can stick with Paul, so can Timothy. The Onesiphorus sought out Paul. Onesiphorus went out of his way to make connection with his friend.

The merciful and faithful servant, Onesiphorus, illustrates what unashamed, sacrificial service looks like. It wasn’t anything all that crazy! It was simply loving and standing by his brother in Christ through a difficult time. God-honoring Faithfulness often looks ordinary. It’s encouragement, presence, and boldness while standing with our family of faith. It’s not turning on one another as the winds of life blow us too and fro, but intentionally seeking to stand with and support one another.

Imagine a soldier standing on the battlefield, deep in the thick of it, then all of a sudden, he looks around and sees the rest of his squad running in retreat. It would be disheartening, but being committed to the mission he stays the course, then as he presses on, he sees other soldiers stayed as well! They band together and press on! Banding together brings hope and honor to the mission!

So church, Look for opportunities to "refresh" those who are weary. We may be assigned to different battlefields along the way, but we are united in the bond of Christ and should continue to speak well of and support one another! Onesiphorus and Paul wouldn’t serve in the same location for decades, but they supported one another with a shared faith in the God of salvation.

Church, Identify yourself publicly with Christ, support fellow Christians even when it’s costly.

Grace strengthens us to stand when others fall away. Thus far, We’ve looked a lot at what Onesiphorus did to stand with his brother. As we progress through the beginning of chapter two, we see that the source of God-honoring faithfulness is a receipt and understanding of the grace of God.

III. Strengthened to Entrust the Gospel (2:1-2)

2 Timothy 2:1–2 ESV

1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Using the example of Onesiphorus, Paul is explaining to Timothy how to remain faithful in life and ministry even through adversity. We see this in the transition here in verse one. “You then, my child” is Paul saying, “in light of what I just told you about in Onesiphorus, can be faithful too. How? By first and foremost being “strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,” And live that out , “by entrusting what you have been taught to others who will do the same.”

Do you see how those two things work together? First, we are strengthened by the grace of God in Christ Jesus. That’s where it all begins. And That reality shapes and drives our mission to continue spreading the gospel throughout the generations.

Grace is both the means and the message.

At this moment, we need to dwell on the meaning of grace, a word we say so much in the church context that we can take it for granted. Grace is unmerited favor. It’s getting something you don’t deserve. And the ultimate expression of Grace is what God gives to all those who believe in Him through jesus Christ. In our sin, in our fallen nature, we deserve death and separation from God. Through Jesus Christ we receive eternal life and reconciliation! That is great grace because we don’t deserve it, we can’t earn it, it is simply available because God gives it! And if eternal salvation wasn’t enough, God gives us grace in Christ Jesus in the here and now as well! Paul doesn’t tell Timothy to earn strength by effort, but to receive strength from what is already his in Christ. The Holy Spirit inspired language Paul uses in this letter to Timothy is important. When he tells Timothy, “be strengthened”, the verb tense is present passive imperative, so its specifically saying “keep on being strengthened” or “be continually strengthened.” It’s not a one-time boost but a daily, moment-by-moment dependence. God doesn’t just save us and say see yah later when you die! When we come to faith in Christ we are brought into consistent communion with God and given the Holy Spirit to empower our service! This is continual and consistent grace. God doesn’t owe us sanctification! We don’t deserve the blessing of living for His glory, yet by His grace, He gives us the power and strength to do just that! Through Jesus we are saved, sealed, and sanctified! He is with us through it all!

In John 15, Jesus says to His disciples, John 15:5 “5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” We are saved by Jesus, sealed by Jesus, and empowered to serve by Jesus. When we are saved we are brought into the body of Christ and He is our lifeblood. So when Paul says “Grace that is in Christ Jesus,” he is reminding us that all spiritual resources are tied to union with Chris! We receive grace in eternal salvation and in day to day provision to continue on!

And our aim with this grace is to pass it on! Look at verse 2 “What you have heard... entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."

Ministry is multi-generational: Paul → Timothy → Faithful men → Others. and all the way to our corner of Clay’s Ferry and into our homes and workplaces, we are sustained by the grace of God and passing it. Ministry and the individual life of a Christian, are not a solo act — it's about multiplication.

Grace is both the message and the means: we pass it on, not by human eloquence, but Spirit-empowered faithfulness.

So church, time for a personal evaluation, Who are you investing in? Who are you showing consistent, life-giving grace to? Are you entrusting the gospel to others who can pass it on?

If you are struggling to move forward because of the difficulty of life, dwell on the grace you have already received in Christ Jesus and take heart that that grace stays with you and empowers you today!

And I get it, day-to-day life can absolutely be a slog. I’m not suggesting that even understanding and relying on the grace of God makes it easy. I am suggesting the grace of God makes it possible! “If you find yourself desperate for strength, you are in good company…You are in the number of those faithful servants in Hebrews 11 who ‘gained strength after being weak’ (Heb 11:34). Maybe you are dealing with wayward children, fatigue, discouragement, betrayal, or illness. Remember that there is a fountain of grace in Jesus. Join the pray of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles who confessed, ‘For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You [O God].” If you are looking for strength to endure, look in the right place and person. Look to Jesus.”

Paul, the author of our text this morning, knows life isn’t easy but that we can press on by the grace of God. Look at the next section, verses 3-7.

IV. Strengthened to Endure Hardship (2:3-7)

2 Timothy 2:3–7 ESV

3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

Paul was an apostle and church leader, and here we see that he was a good preacher. He knows how to use metaphors to help us process the concepts he is talking about.

In this section we’re given three metaphors, the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer.

First we see the Soldier — Focused, undistracted by civilian life. Timothy is encouraged to “share in suffering” like this soldier. That means to endure rather than flee. It harkens back to what we saw with Onesiphorus as opposed to those who turned away in chapter 1. We are to be like soldiers in our service to Christ. With the Key being that last phrase, “his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” We seek to please God who saved us and sealed us by focussing on Him in all that we do. Church, How often do we find ourselves sidetracked by things that ultimately don’t matter? Are there even good things in your life that are pulling you away from the most important things? Have you gotten caught up in pursuits that are keeping you from making disciples of all nations? The way forward is to refocus on our highest goal: to live in a way that pleases Jesus. Stay committed to the battle He’s called you to fight, so fight the good fight.

Then we see the Athlete — Competes according to the rules (they have discipline and obedience). Now its true that people try to cheat in sports, but when it’s found that people broke the rules, their glory is stripped and there are consequences. Both Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have not been allowed in the Hall of Fame because of the accusations of their taking performance enhancing drugs. Athletics in their purest form are effort and determination. Competing according to the rules, to the best of one’s abilities. There are no shortcuts in athletics. Success demands discipline. Millions admire athletes, but few actually follow their example. Many cheer their victories, but few are willing to endure their training. In the same way, many Christians want God’s blessing on their lives without being willing to live by His commands. Let’s be clear—Paul wasn’t talking about keeping rules to earn salvation. He was pointing to the longing of every genuine believer: to walk in godliness according to God’s Word. We have clear instructions from Scripture for how we’re to live—our lives are to be shaped and guided by the Bible. For instance, God calls believers to marry fellow believers, to share the gospel, to pray faithfully, to give generously to His mission, and more. We can’t cut corners, whether by redefining God’s truth or ignoring it. If we want the reward of faithfulness, we must compete by God’s standards. And once again, this is only possible as we draw strength from “the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1). If athletes will train and sacrifice for a perishable prize and the applause of people, how much more should we strive and labor for what is eternal!

Farmer — Hardworking, patient, awaiting the harvest. Like soldiers and athletes, farmers can’t take short cuts. I’ve been keeping y’all posted on my yard situation. I planted some grass, I wanted it to work so I got some feed for the grass. In my impatience, I over spread the feed because in my head it meant more food, that can’t be a bad thing, even when the directions said not to do it. While now I’m dealing with dead patches where I put TOO MANY nutrients. My shortcut backfired. This life is best lived with hard work, not shortcuts. As we plow forward, we will often wait seasons where growth seems unobservable. In those moments, keep to the plow! The Lord of the Harvest is still at work! It is tremendously gratifying when we see the results. Seeing our friends and family members come to faith, growing in holiness, participating in missions. We enjoy those moments while trusting God to keep producing fruit!

All of this is to say that the Christian life requires endurance, discipline, patience. Grace doesn't eliminate suffering; it enables endurance through it. But we don’t even have to put the pressure on ourselves to accomplish this on our own. Read verse 7 again. 2 Timothy 2:7 “7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”

Like Derek Redmond’s father, our Father does not leave us to limp through the race on our own. He walks with us, allows us to lean on Him, and teaches us as we go.

So, Where is God calling you to endure today? What distractions might you need to cut away to stay focused? Trust that the harvest (the fruit) will come in God’s time.

And in all things remember that our victory is not determined by our own strength but is assured by the victory accomplished by Christ. Look to the final portion of our text this morning, verses 8-13.

V. Strengthened by the Triumph of Christ (2:8-13)

2 Timothy 2:8–13 ESV

8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

1. Remember Jesus Christ (v.8)

Paul begins with a command: “Remember Jesus Christ.” Not just casually recalling Him, but actively setting your mind on Jesus, deliberately calling Him to mind in the middle of life’s struggles.

And what specifically are we to remember?

“Risen from the dead” — Jesus is alive! His resurrection is the ultimate proof that suffering and death are not the end of the story.

“Offspring of David” — Jesus is the promised King, the fulfillment of God’s covenant.

“preached in my gospel” - Jesus is the message and the only message that really matters!

In other words, Paul is saying: “Timothy, don’t lose sight of the gospel. Don’t lose sight of Jesus—the risen, reigning King.”

Friends, this is the center of our faith. When life is hard, when following Jesus feels costly, when obedience leads to suffering—remember Jesus.

We don’t worship a dead hero. We worship a living Savior who conquered death. That’s why we can endure. The victory is already won!

2. God’s Word is Not Bound (v.9–10)

Paul is writing these words from prison. He says, “I’m suffering, bound with chains as a criminal.” But then he declares:

“But the word of God is not bound!”

I love that. Paul is in chains, but the gospel isn’t. The Roman government could lock Paul up, but they couldn’t lock up God’s word. The gospel cannot be silenced, stopped, or chained.

And Paul says:

“Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Why does Paul endure prison, beatings, rejection, suffering? Because he knows souls are at stake. He endures so others can hear the gospel and be saved.

Christian, why do we keep going when ministry is hard? Why do we keep loving, praying, witnessing, giving, serving, even when it costs us? Because eternity is real. Heaven and hell are real. Salvation is worth it.

Let me encourage you: God is using your faithfulness, even when you can’t see it. His word is not bound.

3. If We Endure, We Will Reign (v.11–13)

Next, Paul quotes what seems to be an early Christian hymn or saying:

“If we have died with him, we will also live with him; If we endure, we will also reign with him; If we deny him, he also will deny us; If we are faithless, he remains faithful— For he cannot deny himself.”

These words are both a promise and a warning.

A promise: If we die with Christ (die to sin, die to self), we will live with Him. If we endure, we will reign with Him. There’s glory ahead for those who persevere.

But also:

A warning: If we deny Him—if we reject Him, disown Him—He will deny us. Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 10:33.

And then this surprising line:

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.”

What does this mean? It doesn’t mean God will overlook unbelief or denial. It means God will always be true to His character. He is faithful to His promises, faithful to His justice, faithful to His mercy. He cannot contradict Himself.

So how do we respond?

Anchor your life in the hope of the resurrection. Don’t let temporary suffering make you forget eternal glory. Jesus is alive. Jesus is reigning. Jesus is coming back.

Preach the gospel to yourself daily. Remind your heart every day: Christ is risen! Christ is King! Christ is faithful!

Endure hardship knowing it’s not the end. Whatever chains you carry, whatever burdens you bear—the word of God is not bound. The victory is already won.

VI. Conclusion: I’ll finish with this:

The call to carry the torch of the gospel is not easy. But we are not meant to carry it by our strength — we are strengthened by grace. Grace to be faithful, to entrust the gospel, to endure hardship, and to hope in the triumph of Christ. Will you lean on grace this day, week — not yourself — as you carry the torch for Christ?

Closing Illustration: A torchbearer in the Olympic relay doesn’t sprint the whole course — they run their segment, passing it faithfully onward. We are not called to win the race for the whole world — only to be faithful in carrying the torch we have been given. And we do so by the sustaining grace of God.

Church family, as we close, I want to ask you: How will you respond to the grace of God today?

We’ve seen in God’s Word that the call to follow Jesus isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. He calls us to be faithful, to endure, to entrust the gospel to others. And here’s the good news: the strength you need doesn’t come from within yourself—it comes from the grace of Christ.

Maybe today you’re weary. You’re fighting the good fight, but you feel like giving up. Hear the invitation of Jesus: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Come today and be strengthened again by His grace.

Maybe you’ve never truly entrusted your life to Jesus. You’ve heard about Him, maybe even been around church, but you’ve never personally received His grace. Friend, Jesus died for you, rose again, and offers you forgiveness and eternal life. Don’t leave today without trusting Him as Savior and Lord.

Maybe God’s calling you to pass the torch—to invest in someone younger in the faith, to disciple someone, to step into gospel ministry in your home, workplace, or community. Ask Him today: “Lord, who do you want me to pour into?”

As we sing, as we pray—don’t miss the moment to respond. Whether that’s coming forward for prayer, trusting Christ for the first time, recommitting your life, or simply praying in your seat—respond to the grace of God that’s available to you right now.

The torch has been passed to us. By His grace, let’s carry it faithfully.