Serving as a soldier
Serving as the church - 2Timothy • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:10:22
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Serving as the body
Serving as the body
Our journey through 2nd Timothy is ramping up more as we look at more aspects of being a servant for the body and as the body.
Serving with courageous enthusiasm (2Tim1:1-3)
Serving with shared suffering (2Tim1:4-13)
Serving practically in the grace of God (2Tim2:1-2)
Serving as faithful men that are needed (2Tim2:2)
Today, serving as a soldier of Christ (2Tim2:3-4)
Do not need to read below it is only for the outline
(Other scriptures used, referenced: 1Cor9:24-27; 2Tim4:7-8)
As we are servants of Christ, serving the body of Christ our service is described in several ways, such as
An athlete (1Cor9:24-27; 2Tim4:7-8)
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Oh wait, here is another great example!
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
As laborers (Lk10:2)
2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
laborers into, or for, the harvest
Our passage today looks at another occupation for the servant, that of a soldier
3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
A good soldier
A pleasing soldier
So, now this morning as a good, pleasing soldier I would like to take some time to look at the nature, some characteristics of the soldier.
The nature of the enlistment
The nature of the service
The nature of the warfare
The nature of the weapons
The soldiers enlistment
The soldiers enlistment
The nature of the Christian soldier, the servant, enlisted to serve the body of Christ.
On June 30th, 1973 the draft ended, it was allowed to expire. And it became selective service from that point forward. To the Christian who is enlisted there are some things we should know.
We are chosen (2Tim2:4; 1Pt2:9)
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
and you maybe familiar with (2Pt2:9) for we, the believers, are a chosen people! But does that mean it is a draft or voluntary service? Maybe I should look at the word chosen first
στρατολογέω = stratologeo
στρατολογέω = stratologeo
This Greek word means: chosen, enlisted, enrolled, to gather together, to recruit, to engage. to chose to be a soldier according to Strong’s Greek Lexicon.
The Christian soldier is chosen from involuntary draft (2Tim2:4; 2The2:13-14)
They are enlisted.
4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.
We were chosen, enlisted, when we responded to the gospel call
13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Not an involuntary army, we are not drafted against our will. So, our service as a solider of Christ should not be begrudgingly but willingly.
Our service is active
Our service is active
We have seen the nature of our enlistment, it is voluntary. Now we take a look at the nature of our service, it is active.
Active like those in active service military now (2Tim2:4)
Someone in active duty has some standing orders they must follow; so do Christians, such as love God, love others.
Someone in active duty has tasks at hand to accomplish, so do Christians, go unto all the world. . . care for the fatherless and the widows, etc.
Someone in active duty has a chain of command they must adhere too, so do Christians, Jesus Christ is our Commander and we must adhere to His commands.
Someone in active duty is constantly training so to be prepared, so do Christians, feeding on the word, being prepared to share the hope that is in you.
Active while not participating in affairs of everyday life (2Tim2:4)
Someone in active duty is the property of the government in which they serve, so is the Christian you are purchased, prized possession, bought with a price, the prince of Jesus blood on the cross.
Someone in active duty is in the military but live in the world but is not the world; so is the Christian we are in the world but not of the world. We cannot overly concern ourselves with worldly things. (expand on this, be careful what you say)
Active as one willing to endure hardship. (2Tim2:3; Mt10:37, 12:46-50; Act20:34-35; Eph4:28; Mt6:24)
OK, time to bring the verses back in again.
3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
This impacts our physical families
We may suffer in our physical families because we need to keep Christ first.
37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Being a Christian can have family impact when some are not Christians or some are not active as we are called to be active Christian soldiers.
It can impact us regarding our priorities since we are to be His Father who is in heaven first (Mt12:46-50)
This is more than chores on the day off, recreation, sleep, etc. (ouch can hit close to home there, can’t it?)
This impacts our attitude toward worldly (secular) job.
Like the true purpose of work
34 “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. 35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Work to meet own needs
Work to meet needs of others
Work to help the weak
Knowing it is better to give than to receive
You could also so the thief is to stop stealing and work to help others (eph4:8 paraphrase)
For we cannot serve God and mammon (Mt6:24)
The nature of our service as a soldier is not reserve duty
We are not the Army reserve, we are the Lord’s army.
The reserve serve only on limited occasions; the active serve regardless of occasions
The reserve may not be as committed or take their commitment as series as the one on active duty; whose life is to please the One who enlisted him.
Not all soldiers are on the front line, some are in supporting roles that are just as important. Remember we are many parts making up the whole, all parts are needed (see 1Cor12:8-ff).
The soldiers warfare
The soldiers warfare
If we are in the Army we are to not beat the air, run aimlessly, we are to run purposely, fight the good fight. To be able to do that we need to know our enemies and our objectives.
Our enemies
Spiritual forces of wickedness (Eph6:10-13)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Physical lusts (1Pt2:11)
Physical lusts that wage war on the soul
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
Ungodliness of men (Rom1:18-32)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
God makes known His attributes. By his Eternal power, his divine nature and creation. They are people who knew of God and exchanged the glory of God for the corruptible things of this world, of man. You can read on more (vv.19-32), but in reality it is very depressing for these are people who know the truth and deny the truth and that makes them ungodly, unrighteous men. They are given over.
Our objectives
To allow the fruit of the spirit to be seeded and grow (Gal5:16-23)
we are to walk by the Spirit not by the flesh.
Flesh and Spirit are in opposition to one another
the deeds of the flesh are evident
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
We will come back and talk about the fruit of the Spirit in a few minutes.
To bring every thought into captivity, submission to Christ (2Cor10:5)
Reference that scripture only
To help those ensnared of the devil to escape (2Tim2:26; Jude20-23)
Prisoners of war caught by the snares of the devil and held captive (see 2Tim2:26) or consider this scripture
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
While the opposition is mighty our objective as soldiers is noble. Now may we turn to the our weaponry?
The Soldiers weaponry
The Soldiers weaponry
As soldiers we need to know the nature of our weapons, our arsenal.
They are not carnal
For it is not a carnal war (2Cor10:3-4; Jn18:36)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
Our weapons are divinely powerful!
Since not carnal, carnal weapons such as swords should be put away (Mt26:52)
Peter in the garden was told to put up his sword.
Since not carnal we need to put off the works of the flesh (Gal5:19-21)
We just read those verses a few minutes ago. You cannot fight a spiritual war with physical, fleshly weapons or power.
For our weapons are mighty in power in God
Weapons that are consistent with the meekness and gentleness of Christ (2Cor10:1)
1 Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!
Spiritual weapons like the Spiritual fruit within (Gal5:22-23)
Can you quote it?
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
That will help us to spiritually restore (Gal6:1)
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
That will also help to correct those in opposition (2Tim2:24-26)
24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
Our spiritual armor
Includes truth, faith and hope (Eph6:10-17)
For the word is truth (Eph6:14)
14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
For the word is a powerful sword (Eph6:17; Heb4:12)
We know the sword of the spirit is the word of God as it says in (Eph6:17), but it is a sharp sword.
12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Faith is a power shield (Eph6:16)
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Hope serves like a helmet (Eph6:17)
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
(invitation slide- Soldiers of Christ)
OK, soldiers of Christ voluntarily enlisted in the army of God we need to be sure we are trained ready, equipped for ourselves and to be able to fight for others.
Fight for the very souls of the unbelievers, ready to share the hope that is in you
Fight for the very soul of believers that the world wants to draw away from Christ and back into the world.
Fight for your very soul, have you believed and obeyed the gospel?
(song) (prayer)