Temple Baptist Church - 11-12-2023
2 Timothy 2:1-4
Introduction:
A. Yesterday was Veteran’s Day. We honor all those who have served our nation in both war and peace. It is our armed forces that fight in war, and it is our armed forces that keep us in peace. I want to thank all who have served this morning. God bless each of you.
B. War is an unfortunate reality but also an absolute necessity. Without wars, the world in general would be subjected to slavery. War is also an art! You win wars through training, strategy, and will. “Fortune favors the brave” is a Latin proverb that dates back to ancient Rome. In your Bible, we find mentioned:
War – 225 times.
Wars – 15 times.
Warfare – 5 times.
Battle or battles – 178 times.
Fight – 115 times.
Fightings – 2 times.
Fought – 64 times.
Soldier or Soldiers – 37 times.
Kill or killed – 232 times.
C. In war, you have wounded and casualties (deaths). Speaking of soldiers, someone said, “All gave some and some gave all.” Soldiers are necessary in both war and peace. Necessary in war to win and in peace to protect. Many young men and women gave up their future to protect ours.
D. Not everyone is or has been a professional soldier, but we are all soldiers. Our warfare is not with guns and knives, it is a spiritual one. Paul, when writing to the Corinthian church said:
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
E. Today, we—as God’s children—are in a spiritual war. We must train for war, we must have a biblical strategy for war, and we must have a will to war.
F. As Paul continues to instruct Pastor Timothy, he likens Timothy unto a soldier who is at war. We need to recognize that we are in a perpetual state of war as God’s children.
1. We are in a war for our Faith. Everything biblically that our forefathers stood for is now being rejected by the religions of America. Our Faith is founded in our Bible, not in device nor creed. We must protect our Faith.
2. We are in a war for our Families. The structure and purity of American homes has been destroyed by Satan. We must protect our families.
3. We are in a war for our Local churches. Modernism and sin are permeating the pews of most churches today and a little leaven still leaveneth the whole lump. We must protect our Church.
4. We are in a war for our nation’s Unborn. Satan’s people killed babies in Moses’ day. Satan’s people killed babies in Jesus’ day at His First Advent. Satan’s people are killing babies in our day just prior to His Second Advent.
5. We are in a war for our Nation. Many of those in authority in government are wicked to the core. We battle perversion on every side as sin is causing the light of the gospel to grow dim in America. We must protect our Nation.
6. We are in a war for Israel. This may cause some to attack us, but God’s people bless and stand with Israel. We must protect Israel.
G. Paul admonishes Timothy to be a “good soldier.”
1. When I was in the military, I knew good soldiers and then there were some real “duds!”
2. I met professional soldiers and then there were “lifers.”
3. There were men who were combat ready and then there were those I would never choose to be in a foxhole with!
4. We were a “Band of Brothers.”
H. A good soldier: must take orders well, learn to use his weapons in a right manner, get along with his brothers, learn to identify and neutralize his enemies, stay in good shape, determine to finish his work, adjust to adverse circumstances, endure hardness, and be proud of who and what he is.
J. We are soldiers: either good or bad; ready or not ready; dependable or not dependable! I look back over my short stint in the military and see many likenesses to the Christian life.
K. I am going to give you an outline that Bro. Bret Groves sent to me years ago because it would be hard to improve upon.
We are at War!
II Timothy 2:1-5
Bret Groves
I. Enlist others "the same commit thou to faithful men" We cannot win this war by ourselves, we need soldiers, not sissies!
A. The orders "the same" No new regulations, the same Bible, commandments.
B. The officers "commit thou" Not mama called, papa sent!
C. The only useful men "to faithful men" Who can find a faithful man?
II. Expect trouble "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
A. Be realistic about war - it's gonna get rough!
B. Be ready for it when it comes - prepare for the worst
C. Be resourceful - it could last quite some time
III. Escape entanglements "No man that warreth entangleth himself"
A. Free yourself from the world
B. Focus on the fight, not focus on the family (Don't be stupid, don't win the world and lose your family)
C. Find favor with God (Remember, you can't please everyone, so please the One Who really counts!)
IV. Examine tactics "except he strive lawfully."
A. Consider the commandments "lawfully"
B. Consider the casualties "strive"
C. Consider the crown "masteries"
V. Encourage yourself "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
A. Personal encouragement "Thou" everyone needs to be encouraged.
B. Parental encouragement "my son" God's family is your family.
C. Powerful encouragement "be strong" don't fail, don't be frail.
D. Present encouragement "in the grace that is" He's not running low on grace.
E. Positional encouragement "in Christ Jesus." Go to the source of true strength!
CONCLUSION: I am a soldier in the army of my God! The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer! The King James Bible is my code of conduct! Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare! I am enlisted in this army for eternity! I will either retire in this army at the rapture or die in this Army; But I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or pushed out! I am faithful, reliable, capable and dependable! Wherever my God needs me, I am there! I am a soldier! I am not a baby! I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up, pumped up, picked up or pepped up! I am a soldier! No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me or lure me! I am a soldier! I am not a wimp! I am in place, saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name and building His kingdom! I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for or catered to! I am committed! I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around! I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside! I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit! When Jesus called me into this army, I had nothing! If I end up with nothing, I will still come out ahead! I will win! My God will supply all my needs! I am more than a conqueror! I will always triumph! I can do all things through Christ! Devils cannot defeat me! People cannot disillusion me! Weather cannot weary me! Sickness cannot stop me! Battles cannot beat me! Money cannot buy me! Governments cannot silence me and HELL CANNOT HANDLE ME! I am a soldier! Even death cannot destroy me! For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield, He will promote me to a captain and then bring me back to rule this world with Him! I am a soldier, in the army, and I'm marching, claiming victory! I will not give up! I will not turn around! I am a soldier, marching heaven bound! Here I stand! WILL YOU STAND WITH ME? Guess what?!? If you've accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you're already enlisted! Or are you AWOL: Absent With Out the Lord.
“Clear Colors”
"I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor by power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, and my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He stops me -- and when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me -- my banner will be clear.
No comments:
Post a Comment