A Soldier of the cross: Fighting the good fight and finishing the race
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Good morning Lake Ellen!
It is so good to be with you this morning and hear such awesome testimonies about how God used Bro. Ryan to impact these lives for the kingdom.
AM I A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS
A FOLLOWER OF THE LAMB
AND SHALL I FEAR TO OWN HIS CAUSE
OR BLUSH TO SPEAK HIS NAME
MUST I BE CARRIED TO THE SKIES
ON FLOWERY BEDS OF EASE
WHILE OTHERS FOUGHT TO WIN THE PRIZE
AND SAILED THROUGH BLOODY SEAS???/
This hymn does a great job putting in perspective what it means to follow the Lord and be a soldier of the cross and if there was one question I would beg to ask you this morning it is this.
Are you a Soldier of the cross
A SOLDIER
A SOLDIER
This is not how we often think of oursevles but I am here to tell you in the times we live we are in a battle for the very souls of this country and a battle for the souls of men.
There is a war raging in the Heavenly realms and I want you to know that God hasn’t just called us to sit down and be quiet no he has called us to step up love and share the gospel.
Even in a world where Christians are demonized and villified and it just seems like everywhere we turn there is chaos and turmoil, and we see the prophecies of scripture being fufilled before our very eyes as we march onward toward the return of Jesus Christ.
This should be the churches finest hour where we shine the brightest.
We are called to be followers, yes, we are called to be servants yes, but we are also called to be soldiers. We should be strong courageous steadfast overcomers.
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 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. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
(Lets Pray)
Its interesting that the Lord lead me here this morning as we have gathered this weekend to honor Ryan it is interesting because this letter was written from Paul an elder in the faith to encourage a young pastor named Timothy.
Timothy is struggling because life is hard and he is not having the best of seasons in his ministry. We don’t know exactly what the problem was but he was having issues within his congregation and Timothy was at the point where he was ready to throw in the towel he was ready for a new chapter.
What we find in this passage is Paul seeking to strengthen Timothy ans us but it is a strength that comes not from ourselves but from the grace that is found in Christ Jesus
Are you a Christian? Are you feeling weak this morning? Are you feeling like you cant go on?
How to be strengthened in the Lord when you feel you cant go on
How to be strengthened in the Lord when you feel you cant go on
You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
This where the strength is found it can also be said this way BE STRONG BECAUSE GOD IS STRONGER
Now Paul wants us to know how we can have that strength to keep going, to finish the race set before us and stay in His will.
DON’T HOLD IT IN PASS IT ON
(The dead sea) it is dead bc it has only an inlet but no outlet
If you wanna be a drowning Christian with no fire for the Lord then you sit back and hold everything in without ever giving it away and you will feel the spiritual life being sucked right out of you.
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.
I am so grateful for Ryan and the time he spent not just teaching us but showing us what something looked like dealing with subjects and hard topics in our college group, that quite frankly I always questioned but never understood.
This is the great commission.
This is how to stay vibrant and alive sharing our faith yes but even more than that training people.
(DNOW)
Paul tells us to be strengthened and he then tells us how by giving what the Lord is giving us away and training others to do the same!
He uses 3 analogies to teach us how we are strengthened
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Soldiers share in suffering
You cant choose how bad you will suffer… we cant control that but one thing is for certain at some point to some degree in this life we will all suffer.
He says dont suffer as a whiny child disappointed husband as a person who is woe is me everyone is always picking on me.
NO BUT A SOLDIER!!
Some of you may have served in the armed forces I never did but I have a very large military group in our church soldiers get sad they share grief… he isnt saying that you should pretend like nothing bad happens and run away from it.
He is saying do not be suprised by it, there is not a soldier in this world who enlists into the militayr thinking this is going to fun and easy.
They know what they are signing up for
If your fighting in a war and someone else across the way pops up and begins shooting at you, you dont say..... was it something I said?
No you understand your in a battle and you get hurt and shot at and sometimes its friendly fire but they endure it all for the sake of the cause of freedom.
As Christians we too have a cause: the glory of God and saving the lost
War is hard and painful and sometimes lonely
But as he is speaking to this young pastor who feels this way and yall ministry is the lonliest place. Where you are surrounded by many but you are not sure who is really your friend and who is only your friend bc your on staff at the church.
Often times pastors suffer alone. We are supposed to be the example and while everyone comes to the youth pastor with thier problems its not often that a pastor or youth pastor has someone they can go to with thiers.
But he says
2. HAVE A ONE TRACK MIND
Pastors and youth pastors are not to get entagled by all the things this world has to offer bc it is only a distraction from the main thing
GLORYFING AND PLEASING GOD!
Paul says endure suffering SO THAT YOU MAY PLEASE THE ONE WHO ENLISTED YOU!!!
This is an encouragement for pastors we have hobbies thats good we have families thats great and we are called to love them well but our first call is to please our commanding officer
This is true for all of us who want to follow Christ well
but most of us dont think of oursevles as soldiers witha commanding officer
I found these points of a church website:
A casual atmosphere
friendly people who will help you find your way around
todays music
high impact dramas
Media presentations
MEssages relevant to your daily life
Amazing childrens space
Coffee bar
Saturday night extras including more music food and entertainment
You matter to God
Just by way of comparison heres the code from the navy seals
Loyalty to country team and teamates
serving with honor and integrity on and off the battlefield
ready to leave readdy to follow
take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your temamates
excel as courriers throough dicsipline and innovation
train for war fight to win defeat our enemies
Earn your trident everyday
This code has more Biblical language and imagery than does this very hip church website which says coime everything will be comfortable and entertaining
It will be everything you want with a starbucks in your hand and wifi all for you just try it please please
Jesus in the gospels is constantly trying to get rid of people he has a crowd hes got thousands of people and hes like Im not the one you want
Let the dead bury the dead, you cant follow me unless you hate your mother or father
Really Jesus?
ENDURE HARDSHIP
THE CALL TO FOLLOW JESUS IS SIMILAR TO THE CALL TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY BECAUSE IT IS THE CALL TO COME AND DIE FOR SOMETHING GREATER THAN YOURSELF COME AND DIE TO YOURSELF FOR SOMEONE GREATER THAN YOURSELF!
Secondly think of your walk with Christ as
An Athlete
An Athlete
And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
Here he means the rules to the Christian game is involving suffering and hardship
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
In other words he says there are 2 great lessons from sports
THERE IS RIGHT AND WRONG
There are no shortcuts.
(Mark Mcguire and Sammy Sosa)
THERE ARE WINNERS AND LOSERS
(everybody gets a trophy)
In our walk with Jesus it is the same there is right and there is wrong and there are some who will not win the prize of being able to say I followed your will Lord I fought the good fight I finished my race
(assurance of salvation)
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
I wanna live my life in such a way that I dont disqualify myself I wanna run to win.
That I cna stand before God knowing I left it all on the field that I gave it all I had that I didnt get caught up with all the things we get distracted by in this life
I had a one track mind I wanted to know Jesus and follow Him through whatever he had for me
A Christian is a soldier an athlete but he gives another word picture
A Farmer
A Farmer
HARDWORK
If the soldier points to us having endurance and the athlete to work according to the rules then the image of the farmer means that we ought to be hard working for the Lord
He is just talking about our dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ
We must strive and make every effort to know God and make Him known
Listen in Cottonwood for many of my farmers if they dont work they dont eat
If they are lazy and complacent then they and their families will suffer hardship. They dont have to have a team around them just a tractor some seed and the gentle reminder of thier need to get the job done.
so many times Christians will say I wish I knew God more I wish I was here or there in my walk with the Lord
I ask three questions:
Hows your quiet time going?
How is your prayer life?
When is the last time you told someone about the goodness of God?
PICK A TIME AND A PLACE!!!
Some of us could use a little more farmer in us and so could our churches.
You know the reason I got saved?
I had a drug problem
My mamma drug my tail to church
I had uncles and aunts who dug in the word and told me that anything good to have in life came with hard work and digging in the word.
HARD WORK
How many of us start off good reading our Bibles.....
a few days go by life gets busy and then
“I dont want to just go through the motions with my quiet time so if I am not feeling like it then I will just being doing it out of obligation...”
YUP!
GET IN YO BIBLE!
FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT (explain)
(the gospel of John)
You work hard for everything else! Sports, work, career, home, kids
Wouldn’t we be best served to work hard serving and sharing the Lord and seeking His face in HIs word?
There is grace when we fail there is love when we feel unloved but there is also hardwork.
Jesus likened it to us being servants in a field tending the masters field until He returned and some were found faithfully working and some were not.
We should work hard for the Lord
IT IS OK TO GET TIRED IN THE WORK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL IF WE GET TIRED OF THE WORK OF MINISTRY
BE STRENGTHENED ENDURE SUFFERING AND HARDSHIP
Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
Which of these do you need to hear?
Soldier? Are you fighting for Gods glory in your life or have you begun to coast?
Athlete? Are you running hardr still to win the prize of the upright call of God?
Farmer? Are you working hard to discipline yourself towards leaving a Godly legacy for your children and grandchildren but even more for the Lord?
Have you neglected these things?
Now He moves on to the second thing
HE SAYS FIRST BE STRENGTHENED
BE REMINDED
BE REMINDED
These things give us the ability to be strong endure and press on
Christs work
Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,
BE STRONG, BE AN SOLDIER AND ATHLETE ENDURE A FARMER WORK HARD
Now He gives the most important work and example of all
ALright Timothy I want you to remember all of those things but remember the work of our Lord Jesus Christ
HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD AND HE IS LORD!!
HE IS THE CONQUORER OF THE GRAVE!
HE IS THE OFFSPRING OF DAVID HE IS THE ONE THAT THEY HOPED FOR HE IS THE CHOSEN ONE THE MESSIAH
BUT KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE STRIVING TO BE GOOD AND STRIVING TO BE OBEDIENT REMEMBER IT IS FINISHED HE DIED TO MAKE YOU RIGHTEOUS HE DIED TO MAKE YOU CLEAN HE DIED TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE
HE HAS BEEN RAISED
HE IS RISEN!!
HE IS REIGNING
You dont walk this Christian life alone amen
The conquering King walk with you
He said if you follow the Lord like me then get ready things are going to be tough.
for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.
I believ the time is coming when the American church will face persecution like we have never seen.
We better learn how to be strong remembering Christs calling is a dangerous calling.
BUT THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT BOUND!!!
Listen to me church everyday there is some attack on Christianity it is taking place rapidly and has been happening for years.
We better remember we are soldiers of the cross, we better remember there may come a day where we have to be strong in the Lord and stand up for Jesus and His gospel.
Gods word is never bound by anything they can do to us here on this Earth.
We cannot be limited by human tactics God is on the throne and the gates of Hell cannot prevail against us!
Just keep sewing those seeds
Just keep serving
just keep going
THE POWER IS IN THE SEED NOT THE SEWER!!
This is what drives me on this is what gives me confidence because the power is in the word not the worker
Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
The Soverignty of God is a big motivator for sharing the gospel
I thank God for Ryan who lives this.
The love he has for the church and others the desire he has to honor God I appreciate your witness brother and what God has done in you
I learned alot here but I learned from Ryan the excitement and joy that comes from watching someone come to faith in Jesus Christ.
DNOW
WOW
Listen it is easier to work for the Lord when you know the love of God and you realize that one day your going to see him.
(Isaiah)
HE is glorious and marvelous and we cannot fathom the beauty waiting for us on the other side
We can rest assured if we know him that we have an eternal home made with the hand of Jesus and we will be with him in His glory
This saying is trustworthy:
For if we have died with Him,
we will also live with Him;
You might be in here this morning not having a clue about what Im talking about but Let me just say that we will all live forever the only question is where will your eternal home be?
As Christians we die to our old selves and are granted new life through Jesus Christ we are raised to walk in newness of that life within us.
One day we will live with Him.
(HEaven)
But not only will we get to live with him
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
WE WILL REIGN WITH CHRIST!!!
We dont deserve this but it is a promise from God!
and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
KINGS AND PRIESTS!!
We are joint heirs with Christ that is amazing grace!
We are Kings in that we represent God to other people we represent another kingdom and a different way of life, but we are priests and this means that not only do we represent God and His kingdom to other people we are called to talk to God on behalf of other people.
Intercession
We must not deny him (persecution)
(explain)
Maybe your in here this morning and your struggling heres some hope for the one struggling and feels like they are failing the Lord.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.