Three Traits of a Good Soldier
2 Timothy 2:3-4
Introduction: As we think of soldiers past, who have sacrificed so valiantly, I want you to realize that if you are a Christian you too are a soldier, a soldier in the army of the Lord. Looking at our country’s soldiers past and present I ask myself, “What makes a good soldier?” I believe that there are three common traits that every good soldier possesses which are necessary in our lives if we are to be good soldiers for the Lord – Fidelity, Focus, and the ability to Follow Orders.
I. A Good Soldier is Faithful
A. When you hear the words Semper Fi you immediate thing of the United States Marine corps. Semper Fidelis distinguishes the Marine Corps bond from any other. It goes beyond teamwork – it is a brotherhood and lasts for life. Latin for "always faithful," Semper Fidelis became the Marine Corps motto in 1883. It guides Marines to remain faithful to the mission at hand, to each other, to the Corps and to country, no matter what. Becoming a Marine is a transformation that cannot be undone, and Semper Fi reminds us of that. Once made, a Marine will forever live by the ethics and values of the Corps. There is no such thing as an ex-Marine.
B. Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”
C. When a person becomes a Christian, he says that he will deny himself and follow Jesus Christ no matter what. Becoming a Christian is a transformation that cannot be undone. We need to remind ourselves of that fact
D. Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
E. 1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”
F. Faithfulness is the quality of reliability and trustworthiness.
G. Proverbs 25:19 “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.”
H. Someone has said that “Faithful Christians can be trusted and counted on. When they say they will "be there" they make every effort to fulfill their promise. They aren’t easily shaken loose. They are not easily broken under pressure. They don’t pull out when things get tough.” – Dave Redick, You Can Do It
I. 1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
J. One of the three core values of a Marine is commitment. Commitment is the spirit of determination and dedication found in every Marine. It is what compels Marines to serve our country and the Corps. Every aspect of life in the Corps shows commitment, from the high standard of excellence to vigilance in training. (Honor, Courage, Commitment)
K. 2 Timothy 2:3 “endure hardness as a good soldier” – persevere, stand fast, be faithful
II. A Good Soldier is Focused
A. Vigilance and Diligence with a steadfast determination to do one’s duty.
B. 2 Timothy 2:4 “No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
C. A good soldier does not allow himself to be distracted from his mission. He remains focused on the job at hand. His life depends on it and the lives of others depend on his single-mindedness. Julian Barnes from USNews and World Report wrote (10/31/05) that “safety depends on soldiers staying focused on their jobs.”
D. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:”
E. Deuteronomy 20:5-9 “And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? Let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it. And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? Let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her. And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart. And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.”
F. Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from conservative values. But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!" "How shall we do this?" shouted his angels. "Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent un-numbered schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, then borrow, borrow, borrow. Convince the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6 or 7 days a week, 10 - 12 hours a day, so they can afford their lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work." "Over stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive, to keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical, contradicting music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ." "Fill their coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogs, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering, free products, services, and false hopes. Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted, and unprepared for the coming week." Don't let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to Amusement parks, sporting events, concerts, and movies instead. "And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotion." "Let them be involved in soul-winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause." It was quite a convention in the end. And the 4evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and rush here and there. Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge. – copied
G. Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence.”
H. Whatever distracts us from Jesus has to go. As the preeminent One, He must be the single focus of our lives. --D C Egner
III. A Good Soldier Follows orders
A. Matthew 8:9 “For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.”
B. There are two kinds of soldiers in an army. There are faithful soldiers and there are unfaithful soldiers. Some soldiers will lay down their life for a fellow soldier, some will desert their unit. A good soldier will obey orders. A disobedient soldier will not listen to authority. Obedience is a must! – copied
C. 2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
D. The Lord cannot do anything with anybody that is not willing to follow Him and do His will.
E. Luke 6:46 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
F. Wellington sent word to his troops one night, "Ciudad Rodrigo must be taken tonight." And what do you think was the commentary of the British soldiers appointed for the attack? "Then," said they all, "we will do it." So as believers when our great Captain sends round, as he does to us, the word of command, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," if we were all good soldiers of the cross, we should say at once, "We will do it." The passion for victory with the soldier often makes him forget everything else. Before the battle of Waterloo, Picton had had two of his ribs smashed in at Quatre Bras, but he concealed this serious injury, and, though suffering intensest agony, he rode at the head of his troop, and led one of the greatest charges which decided the fortunes of the day. He never left his post, but rode on till a ball crushed in his skull and penetrated to the brains. Then in the hot fight the hero fell. In that same battle one of the British lieutenants, in the early part of the day, had his left forearm broken by a shot; he could not, therefore, hold the reins in his hand, but he seized them with his mouth, and fought on till another shot broke the upper part of the arm to splinters, and it had to be amputated; but within two days there he was, with his arm still bleeding, and the wound all raw, riding at the head of his division. Great victories have been won done through soldiers who faithfully follow orders, focusing upon their mission. — Oh, that such brave things were common among the armed men of the Church militant! - copied.
G. Luke 12:43 “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
