November 5, 2024 -- II Timothy 2:1-7 -- Three powerful illustrations to encourage believers

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 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. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
II Timothy 2:1-7 ESV

The Apostle Paul writes to encourage Timothy. Timothy, he states at the start of this letter, is “my beloved child”. Timothy is a man whom Paul mentors in the Christian faith. For believers to grow in the freedom Christ gives, so that you do not fall back into addictions and life-controlling sins, means you continually submit your life to Jesus. This is an intentional commitment made and renewed constantly. There are so many forces and pressures seeking to pull you away from obedience to God.

Consider the three illustrations Paul gives in the short passage. Soldiers do not question their commanders. Where the captain commands them to go, they obey. The well-being of the unit and the outcome of the war depends on each soldier acting upon their leader’s every command. So it with believers following Jesus. He sees the complete battle. He knows the tactics of the enemy. You know what Jesus commands you must do, for your own welfare, for the good of the unit and for the whole battle. How can you possibly do your part? It is by His Spirit in you, by the Word and through the instruction of fellow Christians. That is how you submit your life to Jesus in the chaos of life’s battles.

An athlete has a coach who demands his athlete eat right, sleep enough and train hard. The coach can seem harsh and unyielding, but he knows the only way to get the best performance out of the athlete is to push where the athlete is lazy and to go easy where the athlete might be hurt. The coach knows the power of restorative rest after a hard work-out. Jesus is such a coach. He knows what it takes so that those who follow Him do not give up, burn out, or for lack of training miss out on the prize, which is the crown of life.

Think of the illustration of the farmer. There is a huge amount of patience needed in the life of a farmer. He plants the crops, and it takes months of weeding, months of scaring off the animals that would eat the tender plants before there is the benefit of harvesting the crop. It can seem so long, but the patient farmer knows the cycle of the seasons and has a history with the faithfulness of God. He persists in doing all that is necessary so that the fields bring forth their produce.
The believer who ponders these illustrations, gains better insight into the work of Jesus Who leads His people in triumphal procession, presenting believers unblemished before the Father. It is hard work. There is nothing like it in all the world—submitting oneself to Jesus, daily yielding yourself to Him, with the full expectation He will guide you to overcome in the battle, He will coach you and at he proper time award you the crown of life, He will give you the produce of the rich harvest at the banquet of life in eternity.

Beloved in the Lord, do not give up. Press on and know God our Father has appointed Jesus to direct you and gives you the Holy Spirit so that in all things you can overcome.

Father in heaven, thank You for Jesus Christ—the Captain of Salvation, the Coach extraordinaire and Crop-blesser. I confess how often I want to run from the battle or make excuses to get out of hard-training and I have oh-so-little patience to do the work necessary over the long-haul so that a harvest of blessing will be reaped. Spirit of God, bless me so that today I will turn from wrong and make every effort to please Him Who enlisted me in His holy service. Father, the promise of the Bible is when you start a good work in us, You will see it to completion—how I need that assurance today. Amen.

https://youtu.be/tstRfOGGgpQ?si=iUZ6gQylw8W-v2AZ Lead On, O King Eternal
 

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