Strong Enough to Endure

I changed my mind. I was going to talk about the last week of Jesus on earth, but I think we need to go a different direction considering what is going on.

Paul is writing to Timothy His last words of encouragement and instruction. Paul has been Timothy’s spiritual and emotional father. He discipled him and helped him to grow into the leader of a church.

is a verse I have been quoting a lot lately. “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

I think this has been the longest week of my life. I have had much more difficult weeks, but time wise this week has taken forever!

Throughout the week, we have been given new information almost every hour. First don’t meet with groups bigger than 50 then 10 and now we can’t eat out or even go to the gym. School is postponed. I know if the kids were here right now they would be hooting and hollering. We have been asked to work from home. We are not even having worship in our building. MAN THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

So, I think Paul’s words to Timothy are even more important to us today, and they offer us a plan during these turbulent times.

2 Timothy 2:1–13 NIV

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

2 You then, my son,u be strongv in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me sayw in the presence of many witnessesx entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in suffering,y like a good soldierz of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crowna except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.b 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,c descended from David.d This is my gospel,e 9 for which I am sufferingf even to the point of being chainedg like a criminal. But God’s wordh is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everythingi for the sake of the elect,j that they too may obtain the salvationk that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.l

11 Here is a trustworthy saying:m

If we died with him,

we will also live with him;n

12 if we endure,

we will also reign with him.o

If we disown him,

he will also disown us;p

13 if we are faithless,

he remains faithful,q

for he cannot disown himself.

So Paul Reminds Timothy and us:

BE STRONG! In the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

I love that. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Where should our strength come from? It should come from Jesus. From his grace. From what he did for us on the cross. From his love. We are weak, but he is strong. How often is that stressed in scripture!

Isaiah 40:29–31 NIV

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

He gives us strength when we should not have it. That is serious encouragement for right now. He gives us strength. We cannot do it on our own. We are not supposed to even try. Let the grace of God fill you. Rely on him. Doesn’t that take the pressure off of us? We don’t have to come up with the plan to make it through the next few weeks or months, God already has done that for us. He gives us the strength. But not just now, ALWAYS!

We are never to live in fear because we are always filled with his strength because of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

I was asked by someone this week to help a young woman move. It was a strange situation, and I realized as I was helping these two people I really did not know moved, I was not my normal helpful self. I was rushing, I did not have the best attitude, both of these things came from my fear. Which is so stupid. I am not afraid to get sick or even to die, but I was living in fear. I saw that same fear in others as I went to HEB, Walmart and other places. People are diving to get out of each other’s way. They are afraid.

But you know what, God woke me up and he is going to wake us all up. He open my eyes to my fear and my behavior and told me to serve him because that young lady needed his love. And you know what there are a lot of people who need to experience God’s love right now.

God does not expect us to be weak or afraid, but rather to live in the strength he gave us as sons and daughters of God. The power of the Holy Spirit living within us.

We have a responsibility to pass on what we have learned.

2 Timothy 2:2 NIV

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

Entrust the gospel to the next generation

ENTRUST the gospel to reliable and GOOD Character people who

who can teach others.

Specifically, Paul is telling Timothy to raise up the next generation to lead the church. The next generation of preachers, but there is a message for each of us as well. Timothy learned from Paul by watching and listening to him. By spending time with him and seeing what it looked like to be a disciple of Christ. Can’t you imagine young Timothy asking him questions when he was confused, seeking Paul’s advice during tough times or seeing Paul encouraging Timothy when he failed.

That is the image I see of a father to a son or daughter. Living as an example, encouraging, teaching, LOVING. Isn’t exactly what Jesus commanded us to do in the great commission.

God has really put the idea of discipleship on my heart. We need to be making disciples. Now that seems to have become much more difficult now as we are asked to keep our distance, but God’s call for us has not changed. We are still called to make disciples. And I think the times we are in give us a pretty cool opportunity to work on our disciple making. We may not be able to sit close together since we have been asked to slow the spread of the virus by avoiding large groups. However we are not to avoid relationships with people.

It has been said that the Christian movement is only one generation away from extinction because the way it continues is by word of mouth. That each generation has to take what it has learned, and share it with new people.

I wish there was a shortcut to making disciples and especially to becoming a disciple, but there is not. The only way to grow in our knowledge and understanding of the word is to spend time in the word. If you have been walking the path of Christ for a long time, then you should have a deeper relationship than someone who recently encountered Jesus, and you have a responsibility to share your experience and knowledge with the next generation.

But if you have been a believer for a long time and you have not matured enough in your understanding of God that you can pass on your knowledge and wisdom to the next generation, then God is calling you to commit to grow in that knowledge. Find someone who can help you take the next step. Believe me they are in our Lake Shores Family. You are never too young or too old to go deeper with God.

If you are young in your faith, no matter what age you are, seek out someone to help you grow. We have so many amazing people in our family who can help you to grow. I meet with someone every week who teaches and disciples me. I also meet every week with some people who I disciple. Who are you being discipled by? Who can you disciple?

Endure Hardships

2 Timothy 2:3–7 NIV

Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

2 Timothy 2:3-

Paul gave us three examples of how we are to endure in our relationship with God. He means to continue to grow, never stopping, no matter how long or how many obstacles are in our way. No matter how hard it gets endure.

A soldier not being distracted by outside thing rathe focusing only on pleasing his commanding officer.An athlete who can only win by competing according to the rules.The hardworking farmer who is the first to receive his share of the crops.

Don’t get caught up in the day to day arguments of life, but focus on your Lord.

Train by the rules, the WORD, so that you know how to OVERCOME.

Work as hard as you can. Because then you know you have done your part.

Keep the MAIN THING, the Main THING

We know the main thing is to follow Jesus because he is Lord.

2 Timothy 2:8 NIV

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel,

2 Timothy 2:8

BUT MOST OF ALL

REMEMBER Jesus

He is the Messiah

The savior of the world

God’s anointed

The descendant of David who will reign forever.

Fully God and full human.

He died on the cross for all of our sins

He has complete victory over death through his resurrection.

All must call on his name and trust in him

But we must hold on with all we have and never stop because is it is worth it.

We may even be physically stopped, look at Paul!

Chained up, shipwrecked, stoned, Flogged, run out of town!

Being asked to stay home for a few weeks is nothing compared to what Paul endured, but he never stopped proclaiming Jesus, crucified, and raised from the dead. Paul wrote at least 6 of the books of the Bible while in a Roman prison.

Maybe God wants to do something great through us while he has us alone. We can’t write scripture, but we can write encouraging letters and emails. We can make phone calls. We can volunteer. We can bake. We can leave treats on people’s doorsteps with encouraging notes.

What is God asking you to do?

Because:

GOD”S WORD and his message can never be stopped.

2 Timothy 2:9–10 NIV

for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

2 Timothy 2:

The devil tries to stop it. FAIL

We humans try to stop it. FAIL

This disease and separation are trying to stop it. IT WILL FAIL!

God’s word can never be chained.

Even after all Paul has gone through, he still says it is worth it. Worth it for those who receive salvation. While salvation does occur instantly, discipleship takes time and investment.

Tell the story of Kevin and consistent sharing.

He is faithful. Although it is difficult endure.

Questions to ponder on this week:

Where do you need God to strengthen you?

Who do you need to pass on what you have learned about Jesus?

Who do you need to reach out to with the hope of salvation?

What can you do to serve others during this time?