A song for the march to war

2 Timothy 2:11-13
{11} It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; {12} If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
{13} If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Even a cursory reading of 2 Timothy presents a Christian faith that is so much more than the easy believism of the modern church. In an attempt at relevance toward culture and also in hopes of evangelism, the American church has often been guilty of presenting an easy believism to a world that wants a “lite religion,” instead of the full bodied faith of the New Testament. It is difficult to interact with the teachings of the Apostle in 2 Timothy Chapter 2 without seeing that in the Christian faith blessings come from pain, success comes from steadfast work, glory comes suffering, and life comes from death. This sounds a lot harder than just being faithful in church attendance.

Paul now quotes from what many believe to be a Christian hymn. It is not a hymn which brings lightness to the heart or attempts to bring joy to a believer. It is a song of a battle cry. It is a didactic verse which states the principles of Christian endurance in a march toward war. This is not a song to sing which will lighten your load on the march. It is a song to sing while you march to remind you of the serious commitment we make when we agree to pick up the cross and follow him. There are 4 major facts in the song.

If you are saved you will live forever with Jesus in Heaven
{11} It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
Dying with Jesus is the idea of dying to self and coming alive in Christ. It is the picture of Christian baptism, the burial of the old life and the raising of the new. To use death as a metaphor was highly significant for Paul’s first readers. Many of them would be called upon to make costly sacrifices for the progress of the faith.

If we are faithful, God will bless our faithfulness
{12} If we endure, we will also reign with Him; …
Paul has already used illustrations of individuals who must maintain faithfulness if success is to come to them. The soldier fights for victory, the athlete competes for a crown, and the farmer toils for the harvest. Each illustration is a picture of a person whose success is intricately tied to his steadfastness to do what is necessary to make certain success is fully achieved. It is always a good feeling to get the medal for your achievement. But very often in ministry there is no indication that faithfulness has achieved a result. Here is the promise – God blesses faithfulness. It doesn’t matter if you see it on this side of Heaven – what you do for Jesus will bear fruit.

If we fail, God will never fail us
{13} If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
How many times do we fail as Christians? Let me count the ways I have failed … sorry I don’t have time to count them all this afternoon, I have to finish this devotion. It is difficult to number all the failures of our own faith. One of the first steps in a journey of failure is to remind yourself of all the times you have failed in the past. A good game face is not derived from the failures of the past but from a visage which portrays a bold attitude toward the fight. This promise is a reminder that our courage for the battle does not depend on us. God is faithful. He is always faithful. We are his family, his children, He cannot deny himself.

If you reject Jesus as Savior you will go to Hell
{12} … If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
Here is the cutting edge of the Gospel. To deny Christ is to not gain eternity with him. The phrase is reminiscent of the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:33, But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Our march to battle is not for the prize of conquest or glory, it is for the souls of men. Recently I have been reminded of the song of my alma mater, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Soldiers of Christ in Truth Arrayed. Although written in 1860 by professor Basil Manly for the first graduation ceremony it’s word are just as relevant for the modern church. Some would think its prose to be dated. The only thing outdated is the first verse – the world is far more ruined than it was in 1860.

Soldiers of Christ, in Truth Arrayed

by Basil Manly Jr.

Soldiers of Christ, in truth arrayed,

A world in ruins needs your aid:

A world by sin destroyed and dead;

A world for which the Savior bled.

His Gospel to the lost proclaim,

Good news for all in Jesus’ Name;

Let light upon the darkness break

That sinners from their death may wake.

Morning and evening sow the seed,

God’s grace the effort shall succeed.

Seedtimes of tears have oft been found

With sheaves of joy and plenty crowned.

We meet to part, but part to meet

When earthly labors are complete,

To join in yet more blest employ,

In an eternal world of joy.

PRAYER

Lord, help me march, not to the beat of my own drum, but to the beat of yours. Make my feet strong when the path is hard. Let my heart and mind be set as steel for the proclamation of your truth to a world that needs the same hope I have found in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I was worth it

2 Timothy 2:10
{10} For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.

There are those among us who are willing to let people see them as they really are. They are authentic and real, an open book for others to read. One cannot read the text of 2 Timothy without noticing a personal insight in the heart of the Apostle Paul. From his emotional trip down memory lane in Chapter one when he remembers the family and tears of his protégé, Timothy, to the final passage when he asks Timothy to bring his cloak to him, 2 Timothy offers an open glimpse into the personality of one of history’s greatest men. This verse is an intimate testimony. That might be interesting, but that is not the most important thing in this verse for me.

There are those among us who are willing to make some sacrifices. The all things statement which describes the various things Paul endured would entail a lengthy list of difficulties. Paul endured a loss of social position, his freedom, and his own personal desires. In Philippians 3 he lists many of his accomplishments in the Hebrew religion and the high position he held in the minds of many. Such pieties he counted as dung. Paul lost it all to follow Jesus. That is the story of a great sacrifice, but that is not the most important thing in this verse for me.

There are those among us who will do heroic things. There are those among us who will act at a moment’s notice to risk everything for a great cause or for the life of another. But Paul’s courage and sacrifice is of a totally different level. There is no surprise concerning his impending death. He knew it was coming. His death was not a spur of the moment event, he did not embrace it as an instantaneous moment of truth decision like a soldier who throws himself on a grenade to save his comrades. We must understand that his death was a journey upon which he had taken many steps toward the ultimate sacrifice of his life. For many years of his missionary work, Paul could have quit preaching. He probably could not have returned to his position among the Jews, but there is no doubt that he could have found some obscure location where he could embrace the peace and tranquility of retirement. Instead, of spending his last days celebrating the laurels of the past he pressed on for the high calling of following his Lord even unto death. That sounds pretty dramatic, but that is not the most important thing in this verse for me.

The most important thing in this verse for me is not the realness of Paul, nor his sacrifice, or even the heroic giving of himself in death. The most important and blessed thing in this verse is Paul’s motive. Paul did what he did so those of us who are of the chosen today would have the opportunity to … obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. Paul did what he did for me. In his eyes and heart, even though he never knew me – I was worth it. You were worth it. We all were worth it.

Many of us show a deep lack of spiritual maturity in our personal quests for success. We want what we want and we want it now with little thought about those who are around us and even less thought for those who will come after us. Think about a believer with a passion that burns hot enough to do whatever is necessary to ensure the proclamation of the gospel for the future. Think about a believer who dreams of the salvation of future converts that will be born into this world long after he himself has departed from it. Paul was such a believer. May God grant that such believers live again among us.

To Paul and all the other heroes of my faith, thank you for what you did for me.

PRAYER
Lord, instill within me the responsibility I must show to those who will come after me. Let me not view my church, my ministry, or any of the blessings you have given as only for me to enjoy. Always keep me aware that the gospel you have placed in my hands for safekeeping must be relayed to the generations of the future. May those who come behind me find me faithful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You can’t stop this

2 Timothy 2:7-9 {7} Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. {8} Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, {9} for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.


Cynthia Kersey is a self help motivator, life coach, and speaker. Her organization, Unstoppable, has assisted Fortune 500 Companies, as well as individuals from all walks of life on how to create what she calls, “unstoppable success.” Her 30 day Unstoppable Challenge includes a 10 CD set with instructional and informational audio coaching sessions. You can even get a daily email from Kersey for personal encouragement and inspiration. Unstoppable sounds pretty good. An unstoppable power could change you and change the world.


There are times in our lives when we are stopped dead in our tracks
I guess if there is someone who could use a little encouragement at a time of discouragement it would be a good thing to have a friend like Cynthia. A little heartache might be overcome by the healing salve of an encourager, but sometimes real problems need more than a life coach or a Hallmark card has to offer. Paul was at such a time in his life. Abandoned by many he had preached to in the past and now imprisoned awaiting his execution, is it hard to imagine that any person in such a place could feel unstoppable. Many within the church feel that we are surely imprisoned by a future that shows little optimism and hope for the vitality of our faith. But in Paul’s writing we see that the death row resident of today has not given up hope on the future life of tomorrow. Where does such an unstoppable power come from?


Unstoppable power does not come from us because we are stoppable
{7} Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
In the preceding verses Paul gave us 3 illustrations of faithfulness and commitment, the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer. Each of these individuals are great examples of people who stick to their jobs to achieve the goals of their vocation. They are not quitters at difficult times. But among the greatest of heroe's physical ability eventually fades. Personal failures bring down even those who have reached the highest pinnacles of success. The kind of power Paul is talking about is not found in human strength and ability.


Nothing can stop Jesus – He is unstoppable
{8} Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, …
The most significant power of the universe is a power which cannot be gauged by instruments of human assessment. The equalizer for all men is death. Want to see someone stop? By every indication of measure, death stops us all. You can’t do much if you are dead. Jesus overcame death. His victory over the grave is valid proof of his unstoppable ability.


God’s … Word goes beyond us even when we are stopped
{8} … according to my gospel, {9} for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.


So how does this unstoppable power work in our lives as we guard the Gospel?


We must own the Gospel for ourselves
The amazing thing about Guarding the Gospel is that God has placed his own power within our hands for safekeeping. Paul states that the story of Jesus which he preached had become something he himself owned. He calls it, “ … my gospel.”


We must be willing to endure for the sake of the unsaved
Paul was more than willing to undergo any hardship for people to hear and respond to the Gospel. I often wonder how Paul would feel if he had an understanding of the far reaching influence of his ministry.


We must remember that we preach a message that will outlast us
Paul knew that when he died in prison, the message of the Gospel would not die with him. From both his words and his actions we see a faith in the eternal significance in the Gospel story.


PRAYER:
Lord, help me to know that my strength is limited. Help me also to know that your Word is unstoppable. Let me hide your Word in my heart and let me proclaim your unstoppable message to my friends, my family, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Farmers

2 Timothy 2:6
The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
 - Bringing in the Sheaves, popular Protestant hymn of the 1800’s

The Apostle Paul now uses his third illustration of faithfulness and commitment. If we are to guard the Gospel we must do so as a farmer. I am not a farmer and have never farmed. Even though I have not been gainfully employed in the field of agriculture it is amazing to me how much of my life has been touched by it. One grandfather owned a family farm. My other grandfather was a tenant farmer. My first church was almost exclusively made up of farming families. My church today is in one of the agricultural centers of the south. My daughter married a farmer. Both my sons, although not farmers, have gardens in their backyards. I am not contemplating planting cotton next year but I have learned a little bit about farming. Here are some great quotes that I have heard directly from the mouth of farmers:

If a young man with no farming background decided to become a farmer and he had enough money to get started, he would be smarter to invest the money and live on the interest.
                    East Texas Farmer

When you got cows, you got problems.
                    East Texas Farmer who also raised beef cattle

And here is my favorite farmer quote – I quit raising turkeys, turkeys are nasty.
                    North Carolina Pig Farmer

Needless to say, if you are looking for a hard job – be a farmer. Today’s successful farmer has to be an economist, a scientist, a constant student, a handyman, a mechanic, an optimist, and above all things a hard worker. Crops do not grow themselves. The survival of farming demands the full participation and sweat of the person who farms.

Somehow the modern church has lost the concept of hard work in spiritual things. Many of our church members come to church in the same way they attend a movie. They come into the auditorium, get the seat of their choice, and watch the show. If the show entertains them, they might recommend it to others. Paul describes this farmer in his illustration as hard-working.

There is a certain amount of satisfaction that a farmer enjoys after a good harvest. Certainly selling the crops bring satisfaction, but there is another contentment that is beyond economic reward. There is the feeling of accomplishment. These are the crops that he planted, sprayed, tended, watered, and finally harvested. It is the reward of personal labor, the fruit of which generates a personal accomplishment. That feeling of personal success is never created without the sacrifice of hard work. So many of our churches argue and fret over things that really do not matter. What would happen if we worked like farmers? What if we labored over the gospel with all our hearts? When we baptize at our church it is a tradition to ask not only the family members of the baptismal candidate to stand in their honor, but also those who have had a part in leading them to Christ. That new convert is a fruit of someone’s labor. There is no greater personal satisfaction to be found in Christianity than to know you have had even a small part in the salvation of a soul. Work hard, the fields are white unto harvest.

PRAYER
Lord, help me to work in your field and bring in the harvest you will give me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Are you on the bench or in the game?

2 Timothy 2:5
{5} Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.

“If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?”
                    Vince Lombardi, American Football Legend,
                    Former Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers

This is the second of three illustrations which the Apostle Paul used to describe faithfulness and commitment. It is the illustration of an athlete. If we are to guard the gospel we must do so as an athlete. Athletic competition was something which would have been widely understood by the general reader of Paul’s day. Although there were other famous athletic competitions, the most widely known was the Olympic games. In order for the athlete to compete he must be faithful and committed both in preparation and participation.

Competition is the concept of attempting to win
{5} Also if anyone competes as an athlete, …
The whole basis of athletic competition both in the ancient and modern world is to attempt to win a victory, to prove that you are capable of beating an opponent. The modern church has become far more spectator oriented that participant oriented. I guess if you are going to be sitting in the stadium and only watching the game then being a spectator is fine. But Christianity is not described in the New Testament as a spectator sport. The church of scripture must be viewed as a player that is playing to win. Here is a call from the Apostle for us all get our games faces on and get on the field with our eyes on a victory. The great commission was not given for us to study – it was given to us to do.

Completion must be done according to the rules
{5} … he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.
An interesting insight in the verse is the concept of playing according to the rules. The Olympic games had a set of rules which all athletes had to follow. Participants of the games, as well as their fathers and brothers, had to swear an oath on the cooked flesh of a boar that they would not sin against the Olympian games. The Athlete himself had to take a further oath that he had strictly followed the regulations for training for a ten month period. An oath was also taken by those judges who would examine the candidates against receiving a bribe or giving personal information about any athlete to anyone. All of the Olympic judges were chosen from the regional area of Elis, of which Olympia was a part. So well regarded were the reputations of fairness among the Elis judges that any common citizen would have been shocked to discover they had not judged fairly. The existence of rules in a game underscores the honor and prestige of the one who wins. Our rule book is scripture. The rules of a Christian in guarding the gospel would be simple. Know truth, don’t change truth, and teach/preach truth.

There is a prize for those who win
{5} … win the prize …
There are two types of crowns mentioned in the New Testament. The DIADEM crown was a crown given and worn because of the nobility of position. It would be a crown worn by royalty, they did not earn the crown, it was given to them because of their birth or status. The crown mentioned in this text is the STEPHANOS crown. This crown, usually made of twigs and leaves is the reward given to an individual because of their personal win or achievement. It is an earned crown. There is great reward for those who guard the Gospel. There is great reward to those who will faithfully commit themselves to winning victories for God.

PRAYER
Lord, help me to get off the bench and get in the game. May I win for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.