The King’s Good Soldier.

I would like to introduce this message by asking a couple questions that your response would be valuable. First, what comes to mind when you think of what a bad soldier does? (doesn’t follow commands, undermines the authority of those above him, flees the duty he was supposed to do, etc.)

Second question is: What comes to your mind when thinking what a good soldier does? (Is obedient, holds the line in battle, defends the king, etc.)

When we look at a letter like this, we can tend to think that this is just for pastors or elders. One could think that way, but I ask you to write on your insert “How can I be a good soldier for Jesus?”

So in this 2nd chapter, Paul gives two illustrations in how to fulfill the ministry God has called him to. In (1-13) is how a good soldier of the King is to conduct himself. In (14-26) is the good workman of the King.

For our message today, we will look at how Paul gives clear instruction on how a good soldier of Christ fulfills his ministry in the church. First is by showing, then submitting, suffering and lastly spurring on others.

For our message today, we will look at how Paul gives clear instruction on how a good soldier of Christ fulfills his ministry in the church. First is by showing, then submitting, suffering and lastly spurring on others.

Even though the emphasis is on pastoral ministry, I want you to think how this applies to you.

Point #1 - The Good Soldier “Shows”. (2)

A good soldier is one who is not independent in how he conducts himself. He does not learn all he can and keep it to himself, he knows that in order to win the battle, others need to be equipped properly how to use their sword and shield.

In the case that Timothy is dealing with, he has followed Paul for years and has been taught diligently in the presence of many witnesses as they went church to church together. Now, as we saw in the previous letter, Timothy had some house cleaning he had to do as false teachers had infiltrated the camp. Even in our text from chapter one we read how two leaders had abandoned their post as bad soldiers. Now Timothy needed to replace the leaders in Ephesus. Not just with some guys who were willing to help but with men who were qualified “faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Now this gender focus could also mean men and women as both are to teach in making disciples within the boundaries Paul set up in the previous letter. But in the context it appears that his focus is on setting up more elders to replace those who fled from suffering for Jesus and the gospel.

The good soldier has a duty to show others how to be good and faithful soldiers for the King. How are we doing in discipling one another? Just because you don’t have a title of pastor or elder, does that mean that you don’t need to be a good soldier? I will leave you to ponder that.

Point #2 - The Good Soldier “Submits” (4-7).

Next, we move to how a good soldier for the King submits to him. What kind of turmoil do you think you would have in an army that did what each one thought was right in their own eyes? What if a general tells the soldiers to make a line to defend the archers and they just run around like a chicken with the head cut off. What do you think would happen? Easy defeat because no one submitted their wills to the one who was to have charge over them.

So to illustrate this fact in the church, Paul uses three metaphors: a soldier, an athlete and a farmer.

Read (4). What Paul is meaning here is that if a leader in the church is so preoccupied with how his financial portfolio is doing, he has taken his eye off his chief duty or responsibility. His main concern is fulfilling the King’s business. Now this is not to mean that he shouldn’t care for his family and their needs but if making millions is his aim in life, then he is not living to please the King who enlisted him.

Read (5). If you run a race but cut people off, stick your leg out to trip the athlete in the next lane you may win the race but you will be disqualified because you did not conduct yourself according to the rules of the game. If you recall from the previous chapter, Paul gave careful instruction in (13) to follow his pattern of the gospel and it’s implications. Paul received this instruction from King Jesus, now he has laboured to teach and preach this to many including Timothy. Now Timothy is to not deviate from the clear gospel. No adding, tweaking or subtracting for then you are disqualified.

Read (6). Our third illustration is a farmer. What he is saying here is that it is the hard working farmer who benefits from his labour. Not the fat cat who is lazy and just sits around flaunting his title around. That person is not a good soldier and should not benefit from his laziness. The faithful pastor elder works hard to minister to the flock and as a result receives compensation from those he serves. He draws from his 1st letter in that you don’t muzzle the ox who labours in the field treading out the grain, the labourer deserves his wages.

He then makes a rather interesting statement in that he wants Timothy to think over these things and the Lord will give you understanding. There is many implications to what these three metaphors can bring about and the good soldier has a responsibility to submit to what it means to be the servant of the King.

What comes to your mind when you think about these things? Take the time this week in your devotions and come up with a few ideas on how you can apply this to your life.

Point #3 - The Good Soldier “Suffers” (3, 8-10).

As I stated earlier, the good soldier suffers for the King. He holds the line, he stands awake at his post to see potential danger, he willingly dies for the King. As Paul has seen his King suffer and die for sinners, he also has endured suffering in following Jesus by picking up his cross. Now in (3) he commends Timothy to follow this same pattern. “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

Because of what the Messiah has done in overcoming the power of sin and death, he gives a strong theological statement in (8). “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel...”

Timothy and the readers of this letter are to remember Jesus who is the hero of the gospel. We are not the heroes but Jesus is. In supernatural power, He has risen from the dead. He now sits on the throne at the right hand of God as the true King in the line of David that was foretold thousands of years earlier.

This gospel, untainted and pure is the reason that Paul is suffering in a dungeon cell, chained to a soldier of Rome. Treated like a criminal as if he had done something wrong. Yet his only crime was that he spoke the truth of God’s word. Has the world become more acceptable of this gospel in our day friends? Is persecution elevating at a rapid rate? Will we be bound in prison for the gospel? A good soldier is one who endures patiently the suffering that the gospel will bring.

Jesus as a perfect obedient human suffered what he did not deserve and did it willingly. Paul endured hardship and trials for the gospel just like his Saviour. He tells Timothy to share in this suffering as a good soldier.

But then like a battle cry he boldly states that even though they try to silence the gospel by keeping me in the darkness, the word of God is not bound. The gates of hell shall not prevail against the awesome power of the living God who shatters the chains of bondage by the word of his voice. The gospel has spread through the nations and even if they kill us, the word does not return void.

This…this is why Paul states that he endures all this suffering. No matter what the world does to me, I do it faithfully for my Lord. So that all who are the “elect”, the chosen people of God from before the foundation of the world was created would hear the good news and repent and believe in Jesus.

Paul suffers for Jesus out of love for him in gratitude for saving him from sin. As a good soldier, he appeals to Timothy to share in this high calling of suffering for Jesus because the gospel is how sinful men, women and children are saved.

In our day and age, this often seems foreign to us to even hear this. We may have read this in our bibles, but to actually live it out is all together different isn’t it? What do you think about suffering as a good soldier for the King?

Point #4 - The Good Soldier “Spurs on” (11-13).

For a Christian to show is one thing, to submit in putting aside our will is a big deal in being humbled, to suffer and endure persecution…well that is a high cost. How can anyone do this? Paul knows the heart can be weak, but he knows that the Holy Spirit is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think. So Paul spurs Timothy on. He encourages him through promises of God in a well known hymn at the time.

He inspires Timothy by reminding him of what is the end. Eternal life awaits us who are truly born of God. When we died to ourselves and believed in Jesus as our Saviour, we are promised to live eternally with Jesus. If we endure suffering in whatever fashion that looks like, we will reign with Christ.

On the flip side, if we do not endure, that means we never were born of God and that means we will not reign with Christ.

He gives a warning that if we deny Jesus, he will also deny us. Is Paul saying that if I keep my mouth shut over a controversial issue out of fear that I lose my salvation? Not at all, think of Peter who denied Jesus 3 times but was restored. So what is he saying then? This is pointing out repeated outright denial of Christ and no godly sorrow for our sin. Jesus says the same thing in ().

We got the “get out of hell free card” by repeating a prayer or raising a hand but by our denial means we do not have true saving faith. Thus the guilt of our sin remains upon us.

Do you struggle with lacking faith like I do? Hear these encouraging words. The Lord always remains faithful to his own people because he cannot deny himself. We may at times waver in our faith but Jesus never wavers. Isn’t that awesome? Isn’t that encouraging to remember when we falter?

I tend to think that this motivational speech of Paul’s is tied to the beginning of this passage in how he is able to be a good soldier. (1) “…be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” In his infinite power as our King we remind one another in how to be a good soldier for Jesus.

So I ask you “Is a good soldier only for those in leadership? Not at all, it is what all of us are called to do in following Jesus.”

Application: All God’s children are given gifts by the King to advance his kingdom and bring glory to the Saviour of the world. Good soldiers are not the most brave or gifted but those who are humble and grateful. Knowing that we are weak and rely on the grace of God to show our children and each other how to follow Jesus faithfully. Teach, overcome sin, help understand Scripture, pray and encouragement.

Application: No matter what gifts the King gives us, they are given so that we advance his kingdom and bring glory to the Saviour of the world. To be a good soldier means we fulfill the great commission. We do this not by being the most courageous or most zealous or by being the most gifted. We do it by showing one another (our children, fellow believers) how to follow Jesus faithfully. Teach, overcome sin, help understand Scripture, pray and encouragement.

Conclusion:

No matter what gifts the King gives us, they are given so that we advance his kingdom and bring glory to the Saviour of the world. To be a good soldier means we fulfill the great commission. We do this not by being the most courageous or most zealous or by being the most gifted. We do it by showing one another (our children, fellow believers) how to follow Jesus faithfully. Teach, overcome sin, help understand Scripture, pray and encouragement.

Out of gratitude for saving you from the kingdom of darkness and bringing you into the light, submit yourself to the King. Search out his will in Scripture and obey it.

To suffer for Christ means that you stand for truth. Do it out of love for those who do not yet know Jesus. Forsake pride and self preservation. Call upon Jesus to give you strength to share the good news.

Do it by spurring one another to good works. Outdo one another in honouring each other. Reminding one another of God’s glorious promises.

Spur one another to good works. Outdo one another in honouring each other. Reminding one another of God’s glorious promises. We tend to forget so be intentional in encouraging one another to follow Jesus for his glory.

So I ask you “Is a good soldier only for those in leadership? Not at all, it is what all of us are called to do in following Jesus.”

In our messy way of living out our faith, be encouraged to know that by simply following this pattern, you will be a good soldier for the King. This pleases him greatly and promises you a life eternally exceeding anything you can imagine because he is good.

Conclusion: To know that Jesus is with us until the end, should give us hearts that are filled with praise and thanksgiving. We can disciple, obey, suffer and spur one another on because of what Jesus has done for us and is doing in us. By His grace we will endure to the end because it brings glory to the King. So let us encourage one another with these promises that He is faithful to the end and he will carry us home to live eternally with him.

As we partake in communion, let us think carefully what Jesus has done for us. Let us remember his body that was broken in our place. Our King took on the likeness of sinful flesh so that the wrath of God would be completely satisfied. We who repent of sin and trust fully in Jesus as our Savior are free. Let us remember the blood shed by our King and endure suffering for him because he already did it for you and me.

Pause for reflection. Fence off table.

Is the good soldier just the pastor or elder? I think you all know this is the calling for all of us but remember Peter who denied Jesus, but endured till the end and he himself was crucified upside down for the King. He also ran the race well and let us be encouraged to run this race well for you do not need the grace (1) now, but when you come face to face with real suffering for the King.