Be strong in the Lord…  (3 points)

• 1^st – A faithful servant is STRONG… vs. 1
  • 1^st – Paul commanded Timothy to BE STRONG… vs. 1
    • BE STRONG (present / passive/ imperative) – a constant command to DAILY be STRONG…
    • STRONG – endynamoō – where we get the word dynamite – explosive power!
    • But it is in the PASSIVE voice – meaning it is POWER that we RECEIVE!
    • We need daily POWER to live our life for Jesus – but it does not come from us!
    • All of us want to be strong – to live a life that is glorifying to the Lord…
    • The problem is there are many Christians who try and live by their own strength…
    • Thinking the more they do for God – the more they will GROW in God…
    • But we are not a better person if we read our Bible today – or worse if we do not…
    • If we try and follow RULES – they may change the outside – but it is superficial…
    • The danger of these RULES are they cannot change our HEARTS!
  • 2^nd – BE STRONG – in the GRACE that is in Jesus Christ…
    • GRACE – charis – 156x in NT (its important) – the gift of God…
    • The POWER we need to live for God – comes as a free GIFT from God – His GRACE!
    • When we try to live a HOLY life – when we try to depend in OUR power – and FAIL…
    • ONLY then do we come to the understanding – we are actually VERY weak!
    • But it is in our weakness we look up – and find true POWER…
    • When we realize we are weak – we learn to depend on the POWER of God…
    • Only in Jesus are we STRONG – only in Him do we have the ability to stand for God!
    • There are ONLY two resources in life we can draw from to live for God…
    • We can depend on OUR strength – look to RULES we can follow – to TRY and make us HOLY…
    • Or we can depend of the strength of GOD – look HIM / GRACE – that WILL make us HOLY!
    • II Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
      

• 2^nd – The examples of being STRONG… vs. 2-7 (4 examples)
  • Paul gives Timothy four examples of being STRONG… vs. 7
    • He will talk about himself / a soldier / an athlete / and a farmer…
    • At the end of his examples he tells Timothy to CONSIDER (imperative) what he says…
    • So that the Lord could give him UNDERSTANDING concerning his words…
    • Because Paul was not giving Timothy vocational options – he was using illustrations…
    • Practical examples to show him what it means to be STONG in the Lord!
  • 1^st – Paul was an EXAMPLE of being STRONG… vs. 2
    • The things which you have HEARD from me among many witnesses…
      • Timothy had HEARD the WORD from Paul – as he taught many other people…
      • Because there is POWER in the WORD of God!
      • That is why we take so much time studying the Word – simply teaching the Bible…
      • Sunday studies in the NT / Midweek studies in the OT / online Bible studies…
      • Are all done in an effort to get the Word of God out – so we can be STRONG!
      • Romans 10:17– “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God…”
    • Paul taught Timothy through the WORD – but he also gave him an EXAMPLE…
      • And the EXANPLE Paul gave was living by the POWER of God!
      • Important that Paul not only taught with words – he also showed through actions!
      • Philippians 3:17 – “Join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.”
      • There are a lot of people who want us to do what they say / but not do what they do…
      • Their lives do not match up to their words – confusing those following them…
      • We do not learn just by listening – we learn by watching and following example!
      • So follow the example of men whose words and actions are full of the POWER of GRACE!
    • The same WORD – Timothy was to COMMIT to other FAITHFUL men…
      • FAITHFUL – pistos – to be proven / tested (from the root word to have faith) …
      • Timothy was to COMMIT the WORD to them – so they could TEACH others!
      • Remember Paul was on death row – his time of teaching the WORD was coming to an end…
      • He PASSSED the responsibility onto Timothy – but Timothy would not live forever…
      • He needed to PASS ON the responsibility – TEACH how to be being STRONG in the Lord!
      • It is not enough to read our Bible – to be STRONG in the GRACE of God – pass it on…
      • Each generation must learn about the Grace of God – have a relationship with Jesus…
      • God has no grandchildren – take the time to teach others about God! 
  • 2^nd – The GOOD SOLDIER as an example of being STRONG… vs. 3-4
    • We must ENDURE hardships as a GOOD SOLDIER of Jesus Christ…
      • ENDURE hardships (imperative) – 4x in NT (3x in II Timothy) – to suffer evil…
      • GOOD SOLDIER – kalos – the picture of a man going to war for a GOOD cause!
      • When Hitler invaded Europe in 1939 – men willingly volunteered to go to WAR…
      • They ENDURED great evil – because they knew they were fighting for something GOOD!
      • We need to be prepared to endure hardships / be STRONG because we are in a WAR…
      • We are in a WAR for the hearts of minds of those who do not know Jesus!
      • Satan is a devious foe – and we need to be ready for the FIGHT…
      • Satan has put a lot of arguments in the world to keep people from seeing Jesus…
      • Every one of them with only one purpose – meant to keep men from heaven!
      • Those who are blinded by satan to the message of the Gospel – II Corinthians 4:4
      • Not a WAR we fight with guns and bombs – we fight with prayer and the Word of God!
      • II Corinthians 10:4-5 – “We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds.  With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ.” [NLT]
    • How to be a GOOD SOLDIER…
      • No one in WARFARE – ENTANGLES himself in the AFFAIRS of this life…
      • WARFARE – strateuō – where we get the word STRATEGY – our STRATEGY is to NOT…
      • Get ENTANGLED – 2x in NT – to interweave – we might say be divided our efforts…
      • In the AFFAIRS of this life – only here NT – pragmateia – our business / occupation…
      • So they he might PLEASE – the one who chose him (his commander)!
      • You never see a soldier taking a TV set with him into war…
      • Or making sure that his cell phone is charged the day before the battle…
      • His focus on totally on the work he needs to get done – serving his commander!
      • Beware a divided heart – desiring to follow Jesus – but flirting with the world…
      • Trying to live for this world and the Lord – is in essence cheating on Jesus!
      • Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters…”
      • We have a simple choice – who do we choose to live for – who do we serve…
      • If we live for this world – then we are not going to be STRONG in Jesus!
      • James 4:4 – “If your aim is to enjoy [this] world, you cannot be a friend of God.” [TLB]
  • 3^rd – The ATHLETE as an example of being STRONG … vs. 5
    • If anyone COMPETES in ATHLETICS – he is NOT CROWNED unless he competes by the rules…
      • COMPETES in ATHLETICS – only here NT – althea – to compete for a PRIZE…
      • CROWN – from stephanos – we would liken it to the GOLD medal in the Olympics!
      • The Olympic games began in Greece – it was well known event…
      • Those who competed in the Olympics had to train hard in order to win a CROWN…
      • It was not uncommon for an athlete to train for ten months prior to a competition…
      • Their reward was a laurel (leaf) crown – that only lasted for a few days!
    • We also COMPETE to win a CROWN…
      • I Corinthians 9:25 – “[For them] a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”
      • Some say our CROWNS – rewards we receive at the Bema Seat – II Corinthians 5:10
      • The judgment seat – Bema seat – not speaking of the judgment of sin
      • The Bema seat – where awards were given to athletes at the Olympics! 
      • Where we receive rewards for the good things done for the Lord – I Corinthians 3:13
      • So for those things we do for the Lord we are given CROWNS in heaven…
      • So that we can then throw the Crowns at the feet of Jesus – Revelation 4:10
    • The reward of a CROWN is only mentioned five times in the Bible…
      • I Corinthians 9:25 / II Timothy 4:8 / James 1:12 / I Peter 5:4 / Revelation 2:10
      • CROWN is always singular – not CROWNS – meaning there is only one…
      • Also the CROWN is always followed a description…
      • Eternal CROWN / CROWN of Righteousness / CROWN of Life / and CROWN of Glory…
      • Suggesting that the one CROWN we receive is just eternal life!
      • Whether we are saved young or old – our reward is Heaven – Matthew 20:1-16
      • Whether we were the greatest Apostle – or only saved a day – Heaven…
      • In other words it is not about how much work we do for the Lord…
      • We train – work hard – so that we FINISH the RACE – and get to go to heaven!
    • An ATHLETE can ONLY get the CROWN if he COMPETES according to the RULES…
      • Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France – seven consecutive years (1999-2005) …
      • But because he was caught using enhancing drugs – he was stripped of all his titles!
      • If you break the rules – even if you win – you are not going to be crowned…
      • You will be disqualified – and your reward will be taken away from you!
    • Like an ATHLETE – we are COMPETING in a race…
      • Hebrews 12:1 – “Let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.”
      • But like in any sport – there are RULES that we need to follow…
      • As a believer in Jesus – we are forgiven – but that does not mean we cannot still sin…
      • Our spirit has been reborn – but we are still dwell in our fallen sinful bodies…
      • We still face temptations – struggle with our desires – we can still choose to sin…
      • If we give into sin – we harden towards God – become disqualified from the race…
      • There is a very real danger of us giving up – dropping out of the fight…
      • We choose to be disciplined – keep our eyes on the prize – be STONG in Jesus!
      • I Corinthians 9:27 – “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”
  • 4^th – The HARDWORKING FARMER as an example of being STRONG… vs. 6
    • A farmer has to HARDWORKING in order to harvest a good crop…
      • HARDWORKING – kopiaō – to work to exhaustion – kapoy!
      • He has to wake up early – work hard all day – stay up late…
      • It is by the sweat of his labor – that he is able to see a good harvest!
    • Like a farmer – we must work hard for the harvest…

• Our harvest is the world – the people who are ready to hear the Gospel…
• The problem is there is a lack of laborers – not enough people to go and share!
• Luke 10:2 – “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
• The world is ripe – the hunger for the Good News is everywhere – but who will go…
• Should we pray for Jesus to send others – NO – pray so that Jesus can send us!
• But sharing the Gospel is not easy – it is hard work…
  • You cannot just sit around all day and expect people to come and ask about Jesus…
  • We need to be out plowing / planting / watering – if we want to see a harvest…
  • Not that we do it in our own strength – we do it by being STRONG in the Lord!
  • I Corinthians 3:7 – “Neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”

• 3^rd – Remember the resurrection… vs. 8-10
  • 1^st – REMEMBER Jesus… vs. 8
    • REMEMBER (imperative) – Jesus Christ – of the SEED of David…
    • A Jewish title for the messiah – referring to the promised of God to David – II Samuel 7:16
    • Who was RAISED (perfect / passive) from the DEAD!
    • We call it the GOSPEL – the GOOD NEWS – the message of salvation!
    • The Good news is NOT that Jesus died – everybody dies – it is the resurrection!
    • By believing in Jesus – and ONLY by faith in Jesus – we are forgiven / saved!
    • Now we have no need to fear death – it has not sting for us – I Corinthians 15:55-57
    • We know what will happen when we die – we go to heaven with Jesus forever…
    • We know that it is not the end – far from it – it is the beginning of eternal life!
  • 2^nd – SUFFER for the Gospel… vs. 9
    • It was because of the GOSPEL – Paul SUFFERED as an evildoer…
    • SUFFERED – same word as in verse 3 – to endure hardships…
    • To the point he was put in chains – PRISON – to try and silence the Gospel message!
    • But the Gospel cannot be bound / there was no way to imprison the truth!
    • I Peter 1:25 – “The word of the LORD endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”
    • Luke 21:33 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
  • 3^rd – ENDURE all things… vs. 10
    • Therefore – in light of the ETERNAL GOSPEL – Paul ENDURED all things…
      • For the HOPE the ELECT might also OBTAIN the salvation that is in Christ Jesus…
      • Paul was more than willing to ENDURE prison – if it meant others could be saved!
      • Colossians 1:24 – “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His… church.”
      • Not that there was anything lacking in the sacrifice of Jesus – the cross…
      • When the work was done Jesus said – It is finished – nothing needed to be added!
      • But we were not there to see the cross – we did not see Jesus die…
    • Paul was allowed to suffer so others could see Jesus in him!
      • It is easy to worship Jesus when everything is going well – no one notices…
      • But when we get sick / bad things happen – just like they do to everyone else…
      • And rather than complaining about life – we are strong by the POWER of God …
      • Then people stand up and take notice – through our suffering they see Jesus in us!

That is Grace – it is not about what we do – it is about His STRENGTH / POWER in us!

4^th – Remember faithful sayings… vs. 11-13

FAITHFUL SAYING – pistos logos – words that help us to TRUST in the POWER of God…

There are four saying that Paul gives to Timothy (it might have been a song) …

They all begin with the word IF – but all four of them are in the first class – SINCE!

1^st – SINCE we died with Jesus – we will also live with Jesus… vs. 11

John 14:2 – “I am going to prepare a place for you…”

Jesus went back to heaven to prepare a mansion for us to live in forever!

Heaven is not the most amazing place we could imagine – beyond our imagination!

It will take ages – literally 1000s of years – in heaven for God to reveal it all to us!

I Corinthians 2:9 – “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

2^nd – SINCE we ENDURE… vs. 12

ENDURE – hypomenō – 17x in NT – compound word hupo and meno…

John 15:4 we are told that apart from Jesus we can do nothing!

We must abide – meno – in Him in order for us to be able to have ANY fruit!

ABIDE would be better interpreted HOLD ON / or stubbornly refuse to let go!

Hupo is the Greek preposition UNDER – so the word means to be UNDER and ABIDE!

Good fruit is the byproduct of a being connected to Jesus!

The problem is too often we try and live our life connected to something else…

If you plug a light into a bamboo – nothing happens – only a socket has power!

Yet we try to find POWER in the world – then wonder why we have no POWER!

It is only when we plug into Jesus – that the light comes on – then we have His POWER! 

SINCE we ENDURE – we WILL reign with Jesus…

One day we – believers in Jesus (the church) – will rule the world!

Apparently when Jesus returns after the 7 years of tribulation…

He will set up His Kingdom – reign for 1000 years on earth – Revelation 20:1-7

We – the church – will come with Him out of heaven (there since the rapture) …

To rule and judge the nations with Jesus for those 1000 years – I Corinthians 6:2

Revelation 5:10 – “And we shall reign on the earth.”

Revelation 2:26-27 – “He who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations…  He shall rule them with a rod of iron…”

3^rd – SINCE we deny Jesus – He will deny us… vs. 12

A powerful warning – THOSE who deny Jesus – will be denied by Jesus!

Matthew 10:33 – “Whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus is the only answer – but if we harden our hearts and deny Him…

Then there is no hope of salvation for us – there is only one way to heaven – Jesus…

The unforgivable sin is to die having rejected Jesus as our personal Savior!

4^th – SINCE we are unfaithful – God is still faithful… vs. 13

SINCE we do NOT have FAITH – God remains (meno) FAITHFUL…

Because He CANNOT – ou dynamai – NO POWER can make Him deny Himself!

We tend to think God will bless us because of what we do…

But if we are unfaithful – if we sin – then we are going to have a bad day…

But that is not how God works – even though we are UNFAITHFUL – He still blesses us…