Grace to Endure Part 6

2 Timothy 2:1-4 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Text Verse: 2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Introduction

The Bible gives us a glimpse of how the world is going to look before the Lord Jesus returns. We see that the world is busy operating as if there is NO GOD or NO JUDGMENT, there was NO CONCERN WHATSOEVER!

Turn to: Luke 17:26-29 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Is it fair to say that the people described here in Luke 17:26-29 are entangled in the affairs of this life?

They are busy with trivial pursuits, they are busy with secular activities.

Eating

Drinking

Marrying

Buying

Selling

Planting

Building

None of these things are WRONG...

What is wrong, is what is not mentioned on the list...

What is missing from the list?

Worshiping

Praying

Studying God’s Word

Fellowshiping with God’s People

Serving others (Ministry)

If we are not careful we will get too busy for GOD!

“Too many good things get in the way of God’s things”

Sports - There are people who don’t go to church on Wednesday because their children play sports. There are people in ministry that do this!

What are we teaching our children when we put sports before GOD?

If you want to be buddy-buddy with the world, you are not God’s friend!

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Work - work is good! we need to provide for our families, yet work has become an idol for some.

We live in a materialistic world, we live in a consumer world, where we want to acquire and consumer more, and more, and more, we never have enough.

We work, work work, so we can buy, buy, buy...

We live to get more things! We live to consume.

This NEVER-ENDING lust for more things is called covetousness.

We are told to love GOD with all of our heart, but we love THINGS more than GOD!

Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Note: not first in order, but first in importance. This should be our first priority!

2 Timothy 3:1-4 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

I wonder why we have the 57 hour shutdown again, could it be that we have gotten away from God again? or is it just because the COVID-19 cases have gone up?

2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Priority Problem

2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Luke 12:20-21 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Romans 13:13-14 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Living for lust

Living for pleasure now

No thought of God, judgement, or eternity

Review: Priority Problem

Pleasing Problem

2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Problem with Adam

Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Problem with Abram

Genesis 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

Problem of all

Philippians 2:21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

The Solution

Repent and Listen to God, Look for God

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Review: Priority Problem, Pleasing Problem

Position Problem

2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

If you are a child of God, God has chosen you to do something.

I cannot tell you what God has called you to do. You have to find out from God what your calling is.

Paul knew Timothy’s calling was to be a Soldier for the Lord. To endure, to bring the message of the Gospel to the Lost.

There is a need for more Soldiers who will pick up the word of God (Sword of the Spirit) and proclaim the message

Conclusion

Do you know what your calling is? What has God chosen you for?

If your answer is, “I don’t know”, then seek the LORD. Get alone with God, turn off the TV, and the internet…Find a quiet place.

Salvation:

Perhaps you don’t have a calling because you don’t belong to God...

Today God can be your Savior

2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.