Theme: Pleasingly Serve HIM
Text: 2 Timothy 2:1-7
Introduction:
The apostle exhorts Timothy to persevere with diligence, like a soldier, a combatant, and a Farmer. These three professionals are involved in their field of work with an interest and involvement. They had done their duties pleasingly. Anything done with an interest and active participation involvement brings success, above all satisfaction. In the morning we had the meditation on ‘Serve Him Alone’. Now, let’s learn to serve him pleasingly.
Be pleased with the grace of God
Be pleased with commanding Officer
Be pleased with Conditioned Life
1. Be pleased with the continued grace of God (2:1-2)
Observe carefully that Grace permeates this short epistle. Paul opened with a benediction for grace (2 Timothy 1:2) reminded us we were saved by grace (2 Timothy 1:9) and closed with words of blessing - "grace be with you"(2 Timothy 4:22).
Grace is God’s free and unmerited favour bestowed on guilty man in and through Jesus Christ (by faith). We must continually remember that God in His mercy does not give us what we do deserve but God in His grace does give us what we don’t deserve and could never otherwise obtain.
It is grace that makes us humble, and grace that finds in this humility an opportunity for pouring in more grace. His supply of amazing grace is endless for He is “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10), and He dispenses His grace to us through Jesus Christ (John 1:16, 17) and His Spirit (John 7:37, 38, 39).
The grace of God is eternal. Just as God’s essence is eternal and immutable, so his unmerited love to man is from everlasting to everlasting and without the slightest hint of change. (ref:preceptaustin.org).
This section beings with the spirit empowered boldness. Spurgeon says that it is an exhortation to every one of us, not only to have grace but to be strong in it.
According to MacArthur "admonition in the first part of the letter. Paul is calling for Timothy to overcome his apparent drift toward weakness and renew his commitment to his ministry." (MacArthur Study Bible).
According to various translations: Paul wrote to Timothy to be strong through the grace that is ours in union with Christ Jesus (TEV), be clothed with inward strength (Wuest), find your strength in the grace which is in Christ Jesus (Barclay), you must let Him make you strong (CEV), be strong with the special favour God gives you in Christ Jesus (NLT), be strong (strengthened inwardly) in the grace (spiritual blessing) that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus" (AMP).
2. Be pleased with Commanding Officer (2:3-4)
The Christian life is compared to military service. He brings the metaphors of a Soldier, Filed, and athlete ground. Being a faithful disciple requires diligence. Just as athletes, farmers, and soldiers are hard-working, we must be hard-working spiritually. Prayer is hard work. Teaching the Bible is hard work. Loving our family is hard work. Studying the Word is hard work. But if you want to grow, you must be willing to do it the hard way. There are no shortcuts.
A soldier should be willing to face hardship, has a master, not attached to the world, does not allow Entanglements to distract him from his mission, the job is to obey and please his master, we are in a spiritual battle.
The Lord is called the Lord of Hosts, Lord of the armies. He leads the battles against the spiritual enemies (Psalm 24:10, 2 Samuel 7:26). Joshua had the help of this commander; David had the help of this commander, and Jehoshaphat had the help of this commander.
We need entire consecration to the Lord. When we please Him, God is pleased with us like how he was pleased with Jesus (Matthew 3:17), Jesus told his disciples as well as to his enemies that he is pleased to do the will of the Father (John 8:29). Paul says that we are trying to please God for entrusting us with the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:4).
The Hebrews author says that Enoch was taken up to heaven and he was not found because he was walking with God, talking with God. He pleased God (Hebrews 11:5). Also, he says that God is pleased with our sacrifices of giving to the Church and for the causes of Benevolences (Hebrews 13:16).
Please God more and more by doing the will of God and in the grace of God (1 Thessalonians 4:1). “As Our trials increase, we need to grow stronger in that which is good; our faith becomes stronger, our resolution becomes Stronger and our love to God increases, and become stronger in Christ. This is opposed to our being strong in our own strength. All Christians must be faithful to their Captain. The great care of a Christian must be to please Christ” (Matthew Henry).
3. Be pleased with Conditioned Life (2:5-7)
In these two verses, we read about two professions one is Athlete and another one is a Farmer. One is fast-tracking another one is slow growth. Both have certain terms and conditions. Paul says that we need to compete according to the rules. Our binding rules are heavenward and spiritual. We cannot compete as the world do, unchristian ways. We have a final destination to reach. Jesus set different rules and standards for his Disciples to do-follow. He taught them new standards in Matthew 5-7 during the Sermon on the Mount. He taught them to deviate from the traditional accepted values and standards of life. The familiar sentences are: “You have heard... But now I say…” (Matthew 5:21-22,27-28,31-32,33-34, 38-39,43-44).
Make every effort to enter through the narrow door (Luke 13:24). Conduct worthy of the Gospel of Christ and contend for the faith of the Gospel (Philippians 1:27, 3:14). Struggling with all his energy which so powerfully works in me (Colossians 1:29). Resist the devil (1 Peter 5:8), and resist the enemies and your sin (Hebrews 12:14). Our warfare is spiritual. We struggle in our flesh, body and Soul (Romans 7:23). Our weapons are not worldly but divine power to demolish the strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). We struggle against the flesh and blood, against rulers, authorities, dark world, spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). Ours is a fight of the good fight of the faith (1 Timothy 6:12).
Compete to overcome and get the victory by the blood of Jesus Christ and with the word of God (Revelation 12:11). We have to use the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left (2 Corinthians 6:7). However, our enemies fight with arrogance (Psalm 86:14). They do not follow any rules and Regulations. But we need to follow the mater laid rules and regulations.
Conclusion:
Our Call is to please God. We have failed but success is possible with the Grace of God.
