Endurance
The Church: Standards and Leadership • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 47:31
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Intro- Have you ever started a project and not completed it? Maybe you still have several projects sitting around that you’ve started and never finish. How do those unfinished projects make you feel when you look back at them? A bit unsettled? Wishful? Something’s lacking? Perhaps it gnaws away at the back of your head, calling “finish meeeee!” every time you pass by.
What would it have taken to finish that project? (repeat) -Endurance … earning the funds, getting the right materials, setting aside the time, devoting your energy, … all of these things would have finished the project.
And it’s the same with the Christian faith. You are currently in the project of your life in Christ. It takes endurance to finish, to carry it through to the end. My goal this morning is to help us learn how to be a people of God that endures until the end. A people who are faithful to the Lord, and run the race with the mindset of finishing well rather than becoming an unfinished project sitting on a shelf. This race of endurance might mean sacrifices of our own time, energy, finances, and attention, but we have been called to follow after the life of Christ.
We’re continuing in our series titled “The Church, Standards and Leadership”. And Paul sets out one of the standards for the church very clearly in this second letter to Timothy. That standard is to be faithful until the end. Faithful until the end. It’s the key theme of the book of Timothy. And understanding endurance, how to persevere, will help us as a church to remain faithful to the end.
So this morning we’ll be reading through 2 Timothy 1:15-2:13. 2 Timothy 1:15-2:13.
I’ve gone ahead and outlined this for us. I broke it into three chunks for us to think about.
Outline:
Paul’s Endurance- 1:15-18
The Torch of Endurance- 2:1-7
The Root of Endurance- 2:8-13
To summarize our entire reading, Paul shows his life as an example of endurance in the Christian faith, and passes on this mission to Timothy and to other future Christians, grounding the strength for endurance in the gospel of Christ. (repeat)
So let us read, beginning in 2 Timothy 1, verse 15
Paul’s Endurance
Paul’s Endurance
You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains,
but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me—
may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
First of all, verse 15, we see Paul’s suffering for the sake of the gospel.
You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
Those whom Paul had worked with and built years worth of connections in Asia have turned away from him, perhaps because they were fearful of their own association to him while he was in prison, and they didn’t want to be thrown in prison themselves, or perhaps for other matters. But the rejection by those who are in Asia is a deep and hurtful thing for Paul who is following the will of God. Timothy is aware of this turning away, so perhaps it was a sharp dispute and then a departure, or maybe it was more of a betrayal … we just don’t know for sure. But whatever happened, it goes against the teaching of unity that Jesus taught and Paul continued to teach for the early church. We can assume that Paul was seeking to remain in the will of God, as an apostle. But following Jesus isn’t a bed of roses. Often following God means encountering hurt and loss of relationships, which is what Paul is experiencing at the time of writing this letter. It’s why he’s in prison, writing this letter of encouragement to Timothy, who would soon take this burden upon himself once Paul’s time on earth was up.
But God did not abandon Paul in his suffering.
The Lord worked in and through Onesiphorus to bring relief to Paul.
May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains,
Onesiphorus is one of Paul’s partners in ministry.
And it wasn’t a bed of roses for Onesiphorus also … we read “for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains”. So he’s taking a risk. While others were ashamed by the chains of Paul, this man was not. No, this man is bold and courageous, often taking shame upon himself to visit Paul while Paul was in prison. He “searched … earnestly” for Paul until he found him.
but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me—
Imagine arriving in Seattle not knowing where someone was, and trying to track that person down. Would it be easy? Not at all. Now factor into that difficulty the nature of Roman guards and prisons and the layering of secrets from the public. It would have been an extremely difficult task to track down Paul. But Onesiphorus sought him out until he found him.
And do you see how overjoyed Paul was once he arrived?
He says twice “May the Lord grant mercy to him”, first in verse 16 and then in verse 18.
may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
Onesiphorus was not afraid of earthly perils, but knew that he was living for an eternal reward. It was his faith that pushed him to pursue Paul in order to strengthen and encourage him in his most desperate need.
Perhaps he knew Jesus’ teaching: “For whatever you do for the least of these, my brothers, you have done also for me.” And this was a trait that marked Onesiphorus’ entire life- Paul recalls to Timothy: “And you well know of all the service he rendered at Ephesus”. Not only was Onesiphorus consistent then, but he was consistent later, when times were tough.
Do you know what that takes? To be consistent even when times are difficult? It takes Endurance. Energy. Sacrifice. Time. Resources spent.
And it is this same torch of endurance that Paul experienced in his own ministry, and passes on to Timothy.
The Torch of Endurance
The Torch of Endurance
Paul recognized that following after Christ meant associating himself with suffering. And he calls Timothy to follow in the same footsteps.
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.
Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Firstly Paul encourages Timothy to be strengthened.
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
Timothy is probably facing similar threats and persecutions as the other early Christians under Roman rule were. But he is to remain in the grace that is in Jesus Christ, drawing upon it as from a well for a source of his strength and encouragement.
And Timothy is not to remain alone in his suffering, but is supposed to train up others in the same way. Look at verse 2 ...
and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
“what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses” (that is, the gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ), “entrust to faithful men who are able to teach others also”. This ministry, this following in the footsteps of hardship and persecution, is to continue. Not just during Paul’s lifetime, or Timothy’s lifetime, but after as well.
Paul then gives three examples of what a life of endurance looks like:
Paul’s Three Examples:
Live as a soldier (vv. 3-4)
Live as an athlete (v.5)
Live as a farmer (v.6)
Paul’s Three Examples:
Live as a soldier (vv. 3-4)
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
When you think about a soldier who has left their home and is out in the world to fight for their country, what do you think of? Perhaps the troops we sent to Afghanistan, who lived in dirt and dust and ate dried meals rehydrated with water. Perhaps older armies and soldiers who were exposed to the elements, slept in mud, were frostbitten, prone to malaria.
Soldiers share in the suffering of their cause. They take upon increased difficulty in order that they may achieve the final victory.
And Paul is drawing upon the same kind of imagery to show how we as Christians are to associate ourselves with Christ.
Think of Jesus’ words: Matthew 8:20
And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
If Jesus took additional difficulties upon himself for the sake of the work of the gospel, should we have any excuse in our lives to not do the same?
If you prioritize your own comfort over the gospel, that comfort becomes your idol. It has become your primary focus rather than following God’s will.
If you prioritize material possessions over the needs of your brothers and sisters in Christ, then those things have become an idol for you and stand in the way of your worship before the Lord.
If you prioritize your own passions and desires, carrying out the desires of the flesh in any way, over the work of the gospel ministry, then those things have become a stumbling block for you.
But Jesus said: Luke 9:23-24
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
The life of following after the Lord is one of sacrifice. It’s one of difficulty. It’s one of being like a soldier, exposed to the elements and difficulties of the world and is often the harder path to follow. But a soldier of Christ takes on the suffering for the greater benefit of the kingdom.
And a soldier doesn’t just take on difficulties.
No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
A soldier works for the service of the higher commander.
In the Roman world, this was more evident. It’s how people often rose to prominence in society and became very rich and prosperous. It’s how Caesar rose to power, and others after him.
But the point is, we must live as those who are servants to the higher power because we seek to please Him.
So is the aim of our lives to glorify God in everything that we do? Are we seeking to glorify God in everything that we do?
Think through all the things of your life … is there anything that doesn’t bring glory to God? (Pause) Can it? (Pause) If not, get rid of it. What use is it if it doesn’t bring God glory? All these earthly things will pass, but God will remain forever. Learn to invest well in your eternal future, not just your earthly prosperity.
So endure as a soldier, who is willing to take on difficulties for the sake of God’s greater purpose and in order to express your love toward him.
Paul’s Three Examples:
Live as a soldier (vv. 3-4)
Live as an athlete (v.5)
So first, Paul says to live as a soldier.
Secondly, he says to live as an athlete.
An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
Does a person who cheats on their tests deserve to pass? Does an athlete who cuts corners in a competition and places first deserve to be given the glory?
We run our lives as an athlete. It might be tempting to cut corners … to allow this one little sin to persist … to be a believer in Jesus but not go to church ... to not speak out about sin because it’s easier to remain silent … to not share in the sufferings of fellow believers and wait until the storm passes over than to come out in the middle of the storm, so on and so forth. But remember, God is the one who knows all things. He sees everything. He sees when you try to cut corners and avoid a life of hardship in his name.
And when you do not share in the sufferings of Christ, are you really following after him?
A believer’s life requires sacrifice. Of what the world values. Of what you might want to value over the gospel of Christ, such as your own safety or your own life. But what is there in this world that God has not promised you in the time to come?
Therefore, compete according to the rules. If you’re cutting a corner, turn back and run the race the right way. Run the race before the Lord, so that he will see your faithfulness and award you on the day of his glory.
So persevere under hardship and trial, even if it means taking on shame from all. Even if it means that you will lose your friends or your house or your public image.
This is the mindset of Endurance Christians are to have. They are to live as athletes who compete according to the rules of God, not according to the rules of this world.
Paul’s Three Examples:
Live as a soldier (vv. 3-4)
Live as an athlete (v.5)
Live as a farmer (v.6)
So firstly, we are to live as a soldier, taking on the work of Christ.
Secondly, we are to live as an athlete, competing as before the Lord and not for men.
Thirdly, we are to live as a farmer.
Now, that doesn’t mean you need to go out and purchase a bunch of land, and buy a bunch of cows, and raise a bunch of chickens. Live as a farmer, not be a farmer.
It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.
Paul uses this illustration to prove a point: The Lord sees and rewards effort that we put toward his kingdom. The more effort is placed for God’s kingdom, the more rewarding the reward will be.
I learned this lesson a few summers ago when I was working at the grand canyon. I was working in a restaurant, and I had access to all the ice cream I could want in the world. But I didn’t eat much of it. Why? Because it was just there. It was really sweet, and was just meh. I didn’t have to expend much effort to get it, and it wasn’t as tasty or rewarding. And then one day I hiked down one trail in the canyon, across the bottom, and then back up again … 22 miles in 9 hours, descending and then climbing an elevation more than four times the height of the empire state building. And upon reaching the top, I ordered ice cream. And BOY was that ice cream good! If that ice cream wasn’t the best thing I ever had in the world, I didn’t know what else is.
It took the effort of reaching the ice cream in order to enjoy it more.
And it’s the same way with our work for the gospel of Christ. We know that God’s reward for anyone who believes in him will be the same: HE will dwell with US. But who will enjoy that reward more? The person who lived a life of suffering for the sake of the gospel, or the person who didn’t dedicate much time or effort for Christ? We will all have joy when we behold our savior’s face, but there are those who will receive greater joy when they come face to face with Christ because of all that they have suffered for his name.
And so, we are to live as a farmer. But not just any farmer … the hard working one that will receive the first of the crops. That will reap the greater reward.
But why is this necessary? Why work harder? Why be imprisoned for Christ? Any outsider may wonder why would you want to take additional hurt and pain upon yourself.
Why not just disassociate yourself from the name of Christ in order to avoid persecution? Why not just affirm who you are instead of hate parts of yourself and believe they are corrupt? Why turn against the culture of your day and age and follow something that seems completely outlandish? Or perhaps in our day and age, something that is “outdated” and left behind in the wake of “progress”?
Well, to answer the question of necessity, we look at Paul’s supporting argument:
It’s because the root of the Christian faith lies in Christ, who is more glorious than anything earth has to offer.
So what’s at the root of our endurance? The Root of endurance
The Root of Endurance
The Root of Endurance
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,
for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
There are four things to see at the root of endurance.
Firstly, It’s God Himself.
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,
Root of Endurance:
A. God Himself
The root joy and pleasure that we have in our endurance is Jesus Christ. God himself will be our reward. Those who believe in him and repent from their sins and live for his glory will live with God in heaven. And there will be nothing greater or more glorious.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Of the increase of his government there will be no end. He will be the one over all, forever. We will get to live under his rule in his kingdom. And God himself is our reward, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
God himself is our reward, and he is the greatest reward of them all.
So that’s the primary thing at the root of Christian endurance.
Even through suffering. And Paul says he is suffering
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,
for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!
Though Paul is in chains, God’s word is not. No human efforts will stop the will of God, nor will any demonic word, or any power that exists. For God is above all, and when he speaks, it happens.
So secondly, at the root of our endurance is faith.
Root of Endurance:
A. God Himself
B. Faith
It’s our belief and acceptance that God’s working is beyond that of our own life. If I were taken out of the picture today, if Marcus were taken out of the picture today, if you were taken out of the picture today, God’s word would still be living and active. The Lord would still be at work to bring about those whom he chose before the foundations of the world to himself.
What a glorious and comforting truth that the gospel does not depend entirely upon us! If only we believed this principle and didn’t place as much stress upon ourselves to accomplish what only God can accomplish.
There are two sides to approaching the work of the kingdom: the one where we as humans take too little action. We call that laziness and neglect. Then there’s the other side of the coin that overemphasizes human action: we call that pride and burnout. If you try to do everything in your control and your power, you will burn out. It takes faith in God and his ability that will allow you to persevere. Otherwise you will be like a flame that sprung up quickly, but dies out too soon.
So endure. Have faith in God and his word. God’s word is not bound. It exceeds our own human abilities. And at the root of our endurance is our faith in him.
But also at the root of our endurance is love for others.
Root of Endurance:
A. God Himself
B. Faith
C. Love for Others
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Paul endures everything for the sake of the elect. God has chosen to work through human efforts to bring his chosen to himself. These are those who were chosen since the foundations of the world. God already decided to save. But he works through humans to bring about his mission. We don’t know who God has chosen to live with him in eternity … and because of that, we work and share the gospel with everyone. There is no one too deep in sin to be redeemed for God’s kingdom.
It’s a love for others and concern about their eternity and a longing to see their life redeemed that we share the gospel, that we speak the truth in love. It’s out of love for them. If we had no love for them, we would keep God’s gospel truth to ourselves. But that would be selfish and not imitating God’s example. God’s example is this: that even when we did not love him, he loved us, and went out of his way to redeem us. Should we not also do the same for others?
It is from the gospel, from God, that we find motivation for our perseverance, the drive for which we work: to see fruit in our labor and to see God at work to bring sinners to his glorious redemption.
And it’s not just out of love for others that we endure. It’s also for the hope of eternity.
Root of Endurance:
A. God Himself
B. Faith
C. Love for Others
D. Eternal Hope
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
If we are faithful to live our lives for the Lord as he has given his life for us, we shall inherit eternal life.
If we endure, and persevere, and keep on until the end, we will live with him.
But if we deny him, and turn away from the faith, and follow after the things of the world, we will not enter eternal life.
For God is steadfast in his word and actions, and expects the same from his people.
And if we deny him, then the fruit of our life shows that we were never truly a believer to begin with.
So let us prove ourselves to be Christians, those affected by the Spirit of God, so that we may enter into eternal life.
We do not do good works to be saved, but because we have been saved.
And it is for this reason, in hope of eternal life, that we press on and endure … to show the Lord of the result of his work in our life.
So Paul has given us many reasons why we should endure in the Christian walk.
As we come to a close, I have three questions for you to ask yourself that can help you shape your life toward endurance.
Firstly,
Is your life tied to the mission of the gospel?
Is your life tied to the mission of the gospel?
Reading through this, I look at the life of Paul, who risked life and limb for the sake of the gospel. He was stoned, rejected by friends, thrown in prison, raged at by riots, hated by some, loved by others. He shared difficulties in the life of the gospel, but he shared the joys and victories as well. He followed God and was faithful unto the very end.
I also look at Onesiphorus, who went out of his way in order to bring comfort to a fellow brother in Christ, who did not fear being shamed or reproached for his acts of love.
And then there’s Timothy, who is training up others, who continues on the teachings of Jesus that he received through Paul, who is also enduring persecutions and hardships of his own.
These men were fully invested in the mission of the gospel. And they join the myriad of men and women who were wholly dedicated to the life of the Lord.
So is your entire life’s mission set to live for the Lord? Have you dedicated everything to him? Or are you holding back in some area? Maybe it’s out of fear for your own safety or security. Maybe it’s because you are unsure about what to do. Maybe it’s because there’s something else distracting you, wanting to take your attention away from the work that is happening … My encouragement to you is to have faith. Trust in God who is working. Believe in the One who is higher than all other powers, who is a richer reward than all life has to offer. Turn your eyes toward heaven, where God is. Remember the sacrifice of Jesus, who brought you out of darkness into light. And then live in the light.
So firstly, Is your life tied to the mission of the gospel?
Secondly,
Is your hope rooted in the one who will keep you grounded?
Is your hope rooted in the one who will keep you grounded?
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Life is only found in Christ. If you grow your roots toward something else, you will not find the water that you need. If you build your rock upon any other teaching, it will not hold when the flood comes. The foundation of your life is so important to get right. But church, you already know this. We just finished replacing and re-pouring the foundation for the garage in the back here so that it would not fall over. Let your life be like that building, that was lifted up and placed upon a firm foundation, one that will not fail it.
If your life isn’t currently drawing from the strength of God, and you are trying to do things on your own, turn toward God and trust him. If you feel like things are beyond your control and you feel overwhelmed, fall to your knees and pray to the Lord, and he will hear you and give you peace and strength. It might not be immediate … but we must join the fight in our prayers, and trust that the Lord will answer and will be at work. Then he will respond.
So Find your hope and your strength in the one who will keep you grounded. Only then can you endure.
Thirdly,
Are you listening to how God wants you to live out his mission?
Are you listening to how God wants you to live out his mission?
Are you listening? If you aren’t listening, what could happen?
Burnout, Fatigue, Departure from Truth, Discouragement
Think of Peter walking on water, then taking his focus off of Jesus and getting caught up in the worries of the winds and waves around him. Once that happened, his faith left him, and he started to drown.
Last week we heard a message titled “Called to a sincere faith”. The encouragement was to hold on to faith. That message is repeated in this passage today. It’s the same faith that keeps us rooted in the trials that are present in our life. God often asks you to trust in him even though your senses can’t see that happening, and there might be waves and torrents about you. But God is faithful to those who follow after him.
He was faithful to his son, Jesus, who trusted fully in the Father’s direction and leading. Jesus was lead from death to life. And you will be too if you follow him in faith and obedience.
So let us endure in the work of our ministry. Though we face difficulty from the world. Though we face financial hardship. Though there are spiritual forces battling against us from within and without, God himself is faithful to carry you through to completion.
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Endure.
Let us pray.