Sermon: A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ
A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ • Sermon • Submitted
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Read Scripture:
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Tell of illustration about a hurricane that struck the Gulf Coast.
Several years ago a man reported his observations of the effects of a hurricane on a southeastern Gulf Coast town. As he walked up and down the ravaged streets, he observed that the palm trees had been uprooted and flung about. Once tall and majestic, their root systems were too shallow to withstand the hurricane force winds. But as he proceeded, he came upon a lone oak tree. The leaves had been blown away and some of the smaller branches ripped off, but the roots had gone deep, and the tree held its position. And in due season it would again produce leaves.
So it is with us. If we are to endure in times of great stress and difficulty, we must beforehand have put down a depth of character that will sustain the blows of the trial.1
Tony told a story of an incident when he attended a basketball game with his family. During the game, Tony’s child noticed a distinct difference between the opposing coaches. One coach was standing and running up and down the sideline screaming out plays to his players and fusing with the officials. The other coach was sitting on the bench next to his assistant coaches and communicating with his assistant coaches.
Tony’s child asked Tony a question: “Why isn’t the other coach standing and screaming out plays to his players?”
1 Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 120.
Tony replied: “The players have been trained of what to do, and when the players get too out of sync, the coach will use the tools and resources to refocus them.”
A good Soldier of Jesus Christ knows how to endure in times of great stress and difficulty.
What is a soldier?
a citizen bound to or performing military service
SOLDIER Person trained to fight, usually on active military duty.
The responsibility of a Soldier of Christ
A Soldier of Christ carries a heavy responsibility. Sometimes the Soldier of Christ will know the exact road to take, but at all times they have to rely on their training and resources to press their way forward.
A practical description of a soldier.
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XVI A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ (No. 938)
For what is a soldier? A soldier is a practical man, a man who has work to do, and hard, stern work.
The Life of A Soldier of Jesus Christ
The Life of A Soldier of Jesus Christ
The responsibility of a Soldier of Christ
A Soldier of Christ carries a heavy responsibility.
a citizen bound to or performing military service
The life of a Soldier of Christ is on active duty everyday.
A Soldier of Christ is on active duty everyday as well.
Everyday is a fight. The fight may be internal or external, but either way it’s a daily fight.
Sometimes the Soldier of Christ will know the exact road to take, but at all times they have to rely on their training and resources to press their way forward.
SOLDIER Person trained to fight, usually on active military duty.
A practical description of a soldier.
A Soldier of Christ is not a coward.
A true Soldier of Christ is not a coward.
They may have reservations, but they do not cower down.
They have have concerns, but they do not cower down.
They may even have anxiety, but they are not cowards.
Tell of illustration about Lone Ranger and Tonto.
There is a story about the Lone Ranger. He and his sidekick, Tonto, were crossing the plains. All of a sudden, a group of Indians attack from the south. Tonto says” What do we do, Kimosabi?” He says, “Well, we should go to the north.” So they go north to run from the Indians but then shortly run into another group of Indians positioned on the northern ridge, prepared to attack also. Tonto says, “Kimosabi, what do we do now?” The Lone Ranger says, “Well, we should go west.”
The hit the western ridge only to find a group of Indians there too. Tonto says, “Well, what do we do now, Kimosabi?” The Lone Ranger says, “Well, we can only go east. That’s all that’s left.” The problem was that another group of Indians were positioned to attack from the east. The were surrounded! The Indians were slowly closing in on them from all sides. The Lone Ranger looked at Tonto and asked, “What do we do now, Tonto? These are your people.” Tonto replied, “What do you mean we, Kimosabi?”
It’s easy to jump ship when the going get tough.
A major difference between a coward and a soldier is the lack of endurance.
A coward bails out when the going gets tough, but a soldier endures until the end.
Read quote by Lord Wellington after the great victory over Napoleon.
“Our men were not braver than the enemy. They were brave five minutes longer” (attributed to Lord Wellington after the great victory won over Napoleon at Waterloo).
Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 120.
It’s not that a soldier is unafraid, but the Holy Spirit provides courage.
Soldiers of Christ may see things that they may initially fear, but they get courage from the Holy Spirit.
It’s the Holy Spirit that provides Soldiers of Jesus Christ the ability to press their way forward.
God is there even in times of impossibilities.
Congregation: Read Scripture:
God is there even in times of impossibilities.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Tell of bench-pressing illustration and the spotter as motivator and helper.
One thing that I used to when I was younger and more athletic was lift weights. We had routines in the weight room that we did to build muscle and strength. One of those things was bench-pressing.
When building muscle, you would typically bench-press a little more than your normal lift. So one would have what is known as a spotter.
When lifting the weight, at around number 6 or 7, I would begin to strain a little bit. The spotter was there to motivate you, so he would motivate to press my way to reach 10. In addition to the spotter being the motivator, the spotter was also the helper. The paid close attention to me to be sure that I did drop the bar on my neck or chest because that would cause serious issues or death.
When I was at the least push, the spotter did a mercy thing for me. The spotter would lift the weights totally out of my hands and places them on the rack. That’s grace!
- He will provide a way of escape.
English Standard Version Chapter 10
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
When the weight of your trial is, (NOT SEEMS), but is too heavy and you cannot keep up your strength, God’s grace provides a way of escape by picking up the weight that you can no longer press.
Characteristics Of A Christian Soldier
Characteristics Of A Christian Soldier
A Soldier of Christ Denies Their Personal Desires
A Soldier of Christ Denies Their Personal Desires
Read Scripture:
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
A practical description of a soldier.
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XVI A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ (No. 938)
For what is a soldier? A soldier is a practical man, a man who has work to do, and hard, stern work.
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XVI A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ (No. 938)
A soldier is a man of deeds, and not of words. He has to contend and fight.
How many of us remember hearing that
Tell of being told that coming to Lord’s side will make everything easy.
I recall hearing when I was a sinner, that if I joined the “Christian race”, that God will make everything better. That coming over to the “Lord’s side” is good and glorious, and you will feel good everyday.
A soldier fights daily.
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XVI A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ (No. 938)
A soldier is a man of deeds, and not of words. He has to contend and fight.
A soldier is enlisted to serve in a military branch to war against enemies and to defeat them.
Everyday is a fight. The fight may be internal or external, but either way it’s a daily fight.
A soldier follows orders
Read Scripture:
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
When you follow Christ, you risk it all and your desires take a backseat.
The Gospel of Luke 4.6.2. Peter’s Confession and the Nature of Discipleship (9:18-27)
discipleship entails radical self-denial, daily cross-bearing, and accompanying Jesus.
We as Soldiers of Christ must follow Jesus daily.
Picking up our cross simply means doing the will of Christ.
Following the leadership of Christ.
A Soldier of Christ Is Disciplined
A Soldier of Christ Is Disciplined
Read Scripture:
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
- Temperance
A Soldier of Christ needs self-control.
A soldier is only concerned about following the orders of the leader.
Without discipline, a Christian can live a dangerous life that will impact them and others.
The opposite of self-control is self-indulgence.
Self-indulgence causes pain in marriages, leadership, and churches today. The effects from self-indulgence can spread like a wildfire whose flames cannot be put out.
A Christian soldier is led by The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit produces self-control or temperance within the Soldier of Christ because they desire to please the Holy Spirit more than their own flesh or desires.
A Soldier of Christ Keeps Their Post
A Soldier of Christ Keeps Their Post
Read Scripture:
1 I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
Christians need to the mind of Christ
We need the mind of Christ, but in order to get the mind of Christ, you have to position yourself to hear Christ.
Position to hear from God
Habakkuk positioned himself to hear God speak.
In order to hear God, sometimes you have to remove the noise around you.
We have too many people talking to us and giving advice. Silent all of the chatter and listen only for God.
The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah A. The Prophet Diligently Watches for the Rebuke to His Folly (2:1)
The “watchman” who waits for God’s word stands in vivid contrast with those who resort to their own imaginations.
Read Scripture: Please God.
3 When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did.
4 A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders.
3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.