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There is a Bright Side - 2 Timothy 2:1-13

Sermon Series: Burning Out?

Have you ever encountered a situation where you just didn’t feel like there was a bright side?  I bet if you’ve ever been in any kind of car accident you have.  I don’t know of anyone who has been in an accident who gets out of the car thinking to themselves, “No big deal.  There is definitely a bright side to this accident.”  If you’ve ever been in a car accident chances are that your mind was immediately filled with negative thoughts.  “What is my spouse going to think?  What is this going to mean for my insurance premiums?  Now I’m going to be late for my meeting and my boss is going to fire me.  How am I going to pick up my kids from school today?  Is this accident going to total my car?  I’m still making payments on this one and can’t afford additional payments right now.  And what about the people in the other car?  How have I inconvenienced them?  What kind of hardships are they going to encounter because of this accident?”  These are the kind of thoughts that fill our minds right after we’ve gotten in an accident.  And these thoughts consume our minds to the point that it is almost impossible to see any kind of bright side.

When we are feeling burnt out in our faith and find ourselves in the midst of the hardships and trials that come as believers in Christ, Satan will often try to deceive us into believing that there is no bright side – that being a follower of Christ is all suffering and misery.  But that, like all of Satan’s other whisperings, isn’t the whole truth.  Still, he can make a pretty convincing case.  So the question we want to consider this week is “What makes up the bright side of my faith and calling when all I can seem to see is the dark side?”  And in this portion of Paul’s letter to Timothy, Paul reminds Timothy of three ASPECTS of the bright side of our faith and calling to encourage Timothy’s heart and to help him stay on mission in a difficult season of life.

As we worked through the last part of chapter 1 last week we concluded by examining some of the examples Paul put before Timothy.  Paul first reminded Timothy of two men (probably among many) who had deserted Paul both physically and spiritually.  The text tells us that Phygelus and Hermongenes had turned away from Paul, the context suggesting as a result of suffering that had probably come their way as a result of the gospel message that Paul had entrusted to them.  These men had neither served as an encouragement to Paul, nor were they continuing to allow God to work through them for the sake of the gospel.  But Paul did hold up one individual (in addition to himself) as an example of faithfulness to both Paul and the gospel message.  Paul says that Onesiphorus had not been ashamed of his chains and that he had on multiple occasions demonstrated his faithfulness to him and to the gospel. 

Our Continued Strengthening

Paul knew that Timothy was not done experiencing the trials and hardships that would come his way as a result of his commitment to the gospel.  And it was clear that Paul didn’t want Timothy to cut and run, but rather to remain steadfast in his service to God and the message of the gospel.  So chapter 2 begins with Paul turning his attention back to Timothy and giving him another command.  Paul says in verse 1 of chapter 2, “You then, my child, be strengthened . . .”  The verb that we translate “be strengthened” is a present passive imperative in the Greek.  A present passive imperative?  What is that?  Let me explain.  The word ‘imperative’ means a command.  So the first thing we need to note is that Paul (who has authority as a result of his position as an apostle) is giving Timothy a command “to be strengthened.”  The passive tense means that Timothy should be receiving the action rather than doing the action.  It’s like the difference between the phrases “I am hitting the ball” (active tense) and “I am being hit by the ball” (passive tense).  In the first phrase I am acting upon the ball.  In the second phrase the ball is acting upon me.  So not only is Paul giving Timothy a command “to be strengthened,” but the command is that Timothy should be being strengthened by God – God being the agent of action and Timothy being the recipient of the action.  Finally, the ‘present tense’ in the Greek language implies an ongoing action rather than a completed action.  So if we attempt to be more literal in understanding the command that Paul is giving Timothy we might articulate it this way, “You then, my child, be continually being strengthened . . .”  Timothy had received a spirit of power, love, and self-control (see 1:7) when he became a believer in and follower of Jesus.  And that spirit had been given to him so that he might have power to remain unashamed of the gospel and might be able to endure the suffering that accompanies the gospel (see 1:8).  But Paul seems to suggest that that spirit wasn’t a once and done gift.  That spirit could be refreshed with power.  Think about your glass of tea when you go out to eat dinner.  At some restaurants the glass of tea you order is a once and done purchase.  You get one glass of tea and when you have consumed it all, if you want any more, you have to purchase another.  But at other restaurants you receive a glass of tea right after you order it.  Then, as you consume your tea, if you have a good waitress, the glass of tea never gets completely empty because the waitress will continue to refill (or refresh) your tea.  It’s delivered to you once, but won’t go completely dry because more keeps getting poured into it.  Paul commands Timothy to be continually being strengthened by the grace that is his in Jesus.  That which Paul says will continue to strengthen Timothy is the grace of God which is only experienced by those who are in Jesus (who have become recipients of His salvation by having placed their faith and trust in Him). 

After Paul gives Timothy this command he then follows it with four pictures of what Timothy’s life should look like (and which will continue to shed light on why this continual strengthening is necessary).  In verse 2 Paul tells Timothy that as a believer in Christ his life should look like that of a teacher who is wisely equipping others.  Timothy needed to be finding men who could be trusted with the gospel message and needed to be passing that message on to them so that they could in turn do the same thing.  In verses 3 and 4 Paul tells Timothy that as a believer in Christ his life should look like that of a soldier who is completely committed to the mission (even if that meant suffering).  Paul says that soldiers don’t get caught up in civilian pursuits in the midst of a mission.  Think of some of those famous war movies you’ve seen or some of the more memorable battles that have taken place throughout the course of history.  Can you imagine some of the soldiers who were storming the beach at Normandy in WWII stopping along the beach to update their twitter account (Storming the beach at Normandy.  Bullets flying everywhere! #duck) or check their email to see how their business was going back at home?  That would be crazy!  Soldiers understand the importance of their mission and understand their commitment to their commanding officers.  When they are called into action they give all they have to the mission, regardless of the trials or sufferings they encounter along the way.  In verse 5 Paul tells Timothy that as a believer in Christ his life should look like that of an athlete who is self-disciplined in the many facets of training.  Now admittedly the interpretation of this verse isn’t as clear as I would like it to be.  But when we consider the way Paul uses the ‘athlete’ analogy in his other letters, it always seems to be dealing with the context of self-discipline.  In his first letter to the church at Corinth Paul wrote, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?  So run that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  So I do not run aimlessly; I don not box as one beating the air.  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).  And in his first letter to Timothy Paul wrote, “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8).  Outside of the Bible we also have ancient documents which inform us that athletes who competed in the Olympian Games had to swear that they had observed ten months of strict training.  So it appears from both Paul’s prior use of the ‘athlete’ analogy and a few extra-biblical accounts that Paul had on the forefront of his mind  the self-discipline that athletes demonstrated in the many facets of preparing for and competing in athletic competitions.  Lastly in verse 6 Paul tells Timothy that as a believer in Christ his life should look like that of a diligently laboring farmer.  A farmer wouldn’t make it long in his profession if he thought all he had to do was walk around in his field at the beginning of spring and throw some seed around on the ground.  If that is all he did he would never see any produce grow.  Farming is a profession that takes a lot of diligent labor.  A farmer has to work the ground to prepare it for the seeds first.  He has to break up the hardened parts of the land; he has to remove the weeds; and he has to carry out the rocks.  When it comes time to plant he has to make sure that the seeds are placed in the ground and then he needs to make sure that those seeds get watered.  When the plants begin to grow, the farmer has to guard the plants against insects and other wild animals that would come in to eat and destroy the plants as they are growing.  Then when the harvest is ready, the farmer has to work to gather the produce from all the plants that he has planted and cared for. 

All four of these illustrations that Paul uses to help Timothy understand what the life of a believer in Christ should look like are labor-intensive.  A teacher wisely equipping, a soldier completely committed to the mission; an athlete who is self-disciplined in the many facets of his training; and a diligently laboring farmer are all individuals who we see giving their all to their work.  Performing one of these tasks alone is enough to wear someone out.  And Paul says that the life of a believer should resemble not just one of these illustrations but all of them.  As a disciple of Christ we need to be daily working to teach and pass on the truth of Scripture and the truth of the gospel that has been entrusted to us.  As a disciple of Christ we need to be giving ourselves completely to the mission of God and not allowing ourselves to become so entangled in the pursuits of this world that we forget it.  As a disciple of Christ we need to be disciplined in the many facets of our faith (our personal study of God’s word, our time in prayer, our endurance in righteousness, etc.) so that we are allowing God to daily shape us and make us more like Jesus.  And as a disciple of Christ we need to be diligently working with the soil of our hearts and the hearts of others, and planting seeds of the gospel, so that we can see a harvest of the fruit of the spirit in our own lives and so that we can see those who are not believers in Christ come to saving faith in Him.  If we try to accomplish these things in our own strength then we will become tired, exhausted, and burnt out.  This is why we need to be strengthened by God (going back to the command Paul gave to Timothy in 2:1).  To excel in the work of the gospel and to have one’s life resemble these illustrations which Paul has given, we can’t be reliant on our own strength.  It is only by the constant strengthening and refreshing of God that we will be able to give our all to the work of the gospel and not be overcome by exhaustion and burn out. 

Before we move on in the text, be encouraged by what Paul implies in each of these illustrations.  In verse 2 Paul implies that with wise equipping comes multiplication.  In verses 3 and 4 Paul implies that with complete commitment to the mission comes victory.  In verse 5 Paul implies that with strict self-discipline comes a prize.  And In verse 6 Paul implies that with diligent labor comes a harvest.  If we give ourselves to wisely equipping others in the faith, we should see multiplication taking place.  If we give ourselves completely to the mission of God, He will work through us to accomplish victory.  When we are self-disciplined in our faith, we will receive the prize of sanctification and a relationship with Christ that brings greater satisfaction to our souls than we could ever imagine.  And when we diligently work the soil or our own hearts and the hearts of non-believers, we will see a harvest – the fruit of the spirit flourishing in our own hearts and non-believers coming to saving faith in Christ.  With eternal rewards such as those, what else is there worth giving ourselves to?  Perhaps that is why Paul says to Timothy in verse 7, “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”

Our Driving Motivations

In verses 8 through 10 Paul provides for Timothy some driving motivations for his labor for the gospel.  In verse 8 Jesus, Himself, is a driving motivation.  Paul says to Timothy, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David . . .”  Timothy could not forget who Jesus was and what He had done.  Paul says that Jesus was “risen from the dead.”  Jesus’ resurrection was the single most important event in all of history.  Darrin Patrick says, “if the resurrection of Jesus is real, it is an event of unmatched power and significance with implications that reach deeply into all spheres of our lives.”  Timothy had to be driven by the resurrection of Jesus.  The verb we translate ‘risen’ is in the perfect tense in the Greek.  The ideas being communicated in the perfect tense of the Greek can sometimes be hard to translate into the English language because we don’t really have anything like the perfect tense in the English language.  The perfect tense in the Greek represented a completed action that had ongoing effects.  Paul was reminding Timothy that the resurrection was a completed, historical fact, but that the effects of Jesus’ resurrection were not completed and done.  The effects of and implications of Jesus’ resurrection were and continue to be on going.  Timothy was to remember that.  And Timothy was also to remember that Jesus was “the offspring of David.”  It seems odd to some of us that this is part of what Paul asks Timothy to remember.  Aren’t there other, more significant things about Jesus that were more worthy of remembering?  But when paired with the reminder of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the fact that He is David’s offspring has even greater significance.  In the OT book of 2 Samuel, God makes a covenant with David.  [Read 2 Samuel 7:8-17]  As part of that covenant God says to David, “the Lord will make you a house . . . I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom . . . and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever . . . And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.  Your throne shall be established forever.”  Because Jesus had been raised and his resurrection had on-going effects, God’s promise to David had now been fulfilled.  Christ had risen as the victorious King and because of His resurrection His throne and kingdom will be forever.  Jesus was the promised Messiah from the line of David and His resurrection ensured that His Kingdom would be an eternal one that would go on forever.  This Jesus – this King – was the one who Paul proclaimed.  And because He was alive and well and reigning sovereign Paul was confident in his proclamation – even if it meant he had to suffer.

In verse 9 the freedom and power of the gospel is a driving motivation.  Paul makes a remarkable contrast between his own life and the gospel by reminding Timothy that a person could be bound by chains and imprisoned, but the message of the gospel cannot be bound.  Paul, as a messenger of the gospel, had himself been chained, imprisoned, and prohibited from being in a position of continuous influence.  But a message can’t be treated the same way.  A message can’t be put in chains.  A message can’t be kept captive in a prison or cell.  A message can’t be silenced.  And even if they could be, the message of the gospel is accompanied by the power of God (Romans 1:16) and cannot be subjected to any king, government, or any other authority.  Paul believed this would be a driving motivation for Timothy.  We concluded last week with Paul’s reminder to the church at Corinth in Corinthians 5:20, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us.”  If this is our call – to be individuals who take the message of salvation through Christ to the world – then it’s got to be an encouragement to know that regardless of what the world may do to us, that there is nothing that can be stop the message.

The last driving motivation that Paul reminds Timothy of is found in verse 10 – it’s the gospel’s power to save.  Paul says in verse 10, “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”  Paul wasn’t only convinced that the message of the gospel is accompanied by the power of God, but he was also convinced that it was the message of the gospel that had the ability to save.  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes . . .” (Romans 1:16).  Paul tells Timothy that he was willing to suffer the trials and hardships that accompanied the gospel because of the ultimate good that would result for those who would believe.  If Paul wasn’t willing to suffer for the gospel and stopped proclaiming the good news of Jesus he knew that there would be some who would not hear the good news and would not believe.  Paul wasn’t willing to trade a person’s eternity and personal reconciliation with God for his own personal comfort.  Paul believed that the personal and temporary hardships he experienced on earth for his proclamation of the gospel would be far outweighed by the eternal love, joy, and peace that would be experienced in the presence of God by those who had the opportunity to hear the gospel and respond to it.  So Paul tells Timothy that he was willing to endure whatever came his way in this present age if it meant that others might hear the gospel and obtain the salvation that Christ purchased for them.

Some Certain Promises

Timothy’s service to the gospel would certainly be labor intensive, but Timothy was to be continually being strengthened by the grace that was his in his relationship with Jesus.  While the intensity of the labor may discourage Timothy’s continued involvement, there was greater motivation that would inspire Timothy’s greatest efforts.  And though the labor intensive work of the gospel promised suffering, it also came with even greater promises.  Paul says in verse 11, “The saying is trustworthy . . .”  In other words, Paul wanted Timothy to know that what he was about to write to him came with the greatest degree of certainty.  And what follows are four ‘conditional,’ ‘if-then’ statements.  “If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful.”  Paul tells Timothy, if we have really understood our sinfulness and really repented of our sin, and really surrendered our lives to Christ, then our old, sinful nature has been put to death – having been crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20).  And if our old, sinful person has been put to death then we are granted new life in Christ (1:1) and will without question live with Him.  Paul tells Timothy that if we endure the suffering and hardships that come upon us because of our relationship with Christ and our work for the gospel then we will reign with Christ in eternity when our life on earth is done – those who don’t endure don’t have this assurance (1 John 2:18-19).  Negatively, Paul tells Timothy that if our faith is not genuine enough to unashamedly stand for Christ that Christ will also deny us (Matthew 10:33).  But rather then ending on a negative note, Paul reminds Timothy of one last promise – even if we are faithless, God remains faithful!  The verb in the Greek here for faithless is another present tense verb, describing continual, on-going unfaithfulness.  In light of the previous negative statement, we would anticipate another negative promise – perhaps that God would be faithless towards us.  But praise God that this isn’t the case.  The promise of God from the time of the fall in Genesis 3 has been that He will rescue His creation through a Savior.  And despite humanity’s greatest sins, despite our worst idolatries, despite our continued disobedience, God has remained faithful to His promise.  God sent His only Son, Jesus, who died on the cross, taking the punishment for humanity’s sin upon himself.  The wrath and separation from God that we deserved for our idolatry and our disobedience was poured out on Jesus.  He suffered and died the death that we deserved and in exchange offers to us His righteousness.  And when we take Christ up on His offer of salvation we become the recipients of God’s incredible faithfulness.  Though we didn’t deserve God’s faithfulness, He remained faithful to Himself and His own promise – and through faith in Jesus we become recipients of His amazing gift of salvation (not because of anything that we have done, but solely by the goodness of a loving and faithful God).

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