Introduction
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Grace-
Grace is the empowering of God enabling me to be what God created me to be and to do what He has called(destined for) me to do.
Not something I dream up not something I deserve. Not merely unmerited favor but more than that.
That thing that gives us the ability to fulfill the purpose that God wants us to fulfill. With out that grace being released we will never be what God wants us to be or do what God wants us to do.
Grace is not merely “unmerited favor”. That is good but there is more. “Grace is God empowering us to be what he has called us to be and to do what he has called us to do.” There are so many challenges in ministry and living and walking out the Christian life.
Grace is not a one time experience but an daily experience knowing that he empowers us to be and to do what he has put us on this planet to do.
There is enough discouragement to go around but that God there is enough empowering grace to counteract what this world of discouragement wants to give.
I. A Teacher
(2Ti 2:2) 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.
Two Characteristics of a Teacher
A. One who is willing to learn
B. One who is willing to teach
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
John 21:15-17 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." (16) He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." (17) He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
II. A Soldier
(2Ti 2:3) You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
1. A strong soldier endures, suffers, and shares hardship with all other soldiers.
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
2. Doesn’t become “entangled” by the things of this world
Rom 12:1-2 NKJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Rom 12:1-2 MESSAGE So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. (2) Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
3. Obeys those who are in authority – Jesus Christ
Mat 10:22 "And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
III. An Athlete
(2Ti 2:5) And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
1. Self denial
There must be no such thing as...
• an undisciplined believer.
• an uncontrolled believer.
• a flabby believer.
• an indulgent, overeating believer.
• a lustful, immoral believer.
• a licentious believer.
• a part-time believer.
• a lethargic believer.
• a half-hearted, complacent believer.
The believer must be totally committed to live for Christ—every moment of every day. He must be disciplined and controlled in mind, body, and soul.
His body may ache from tiredness, but he must push on and on even beyond his limit.
He may wish to indulge, but he must reject the temptation.
He may desire to look, touch, taste, and have, but he must refuse and focus his thoughts and energies upon the race for Christ.
2. Plays by the rules or he is disqualified
Final words of Timothy
2 Ti 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
IV. A Farmer
(2Ti 2:6) The hard-working farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
5. (2:6) Farmer— Believer: picture four is that of a farmer, a farmer who really works. The word "labor" (kopiao PWS: 2283) means labor that is diligent, laborious, exhausting. It is the picture of a farmer who toils to the point of becoming weary, so tired that he cannot put one foot in front of the other.
Note a most significant point: it is the diligent farmer who arduously labors—who labors to the point of exhaustion—that shall be the first to partake of the fruit. The slothful farmer...
• is the last to receive the reward of his harvest and fruit.
• never bears a full harvest and never receives the reward of a full harvest.
The reason is because the slothful farmer either plants less seed or plants later than he should. And he never weeds or harvests the fields like he should. Note the point: it is the diligent farmer who shall be the first to be rewarded. He shall be the first to partake of the fruit of the harvest.
The point is true of the Christian believer as well. The diligent believer shall be rewarded first by God; that is, he shall be given a greater reward by God. Oliver Greene says:
"Many Christians think that all will share alike in the rewards on that day when the righteous Judge will reward His faithful servants; but these dear people have a tremendous surprise in store for them! Each believer will be rewarded according to his faithful stewardship....I am sure there will be many in heaven without a reward" (The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to Timothy and Titus, p.298).
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10).
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (1 Cor. 3:11-15).
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be stedfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58).
Conclusion
(2Ti 2:7) Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
the believer needs to think over these things, and he needs the Lord in order to understand them.
"He that has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:9, 43 etc.).
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed" (John 8:31).
