MPC, 18th February 2001.2 Timothy 2 - Tough Times
Phil Campbell MPC, 18th February 2001.
Let met tell you about HELL WEEK. It’s part of the training if you want to be an Israeli commando. There’s all the standard marching drills and fitness exercises. And then there’s the climax of the week. Where the trainee Commandos have to climb down a 24 metre rock face. And then run an obstacle course. And all the way, they’re being pelted with rocks and abused with Arabic swearwords. By their senior officers.
And by the end of it, their olive combat clothes are ripped to shreds.
They go through that training because that’s what the real world can be like. If you’re an Israeli commando. It’s tough out there. And they need to be ready for it. Rocks and abuse and all.
And I guess when you’re half way down the 24 metre cliff and you’re clinging on by your fingernails and you cop another rock-bruise in the middle of your back, it would be a very easy thing for your mind to start wandering to other things. Like the comforts of home. Like a 9 to 5 job in an office; like a warm bath and a cold beer. But they keep at it. They keep going. They keep training. And they’re ready for action.
I guess it was a bit the same with Timothy. His senior partner Paul has been arrested and thrown in jail. In chains. Treated like a common criminal. And next thing, I guess Timothy’s thinking, they’ll be coming after me.
Other Christians he knows have fallen by the wayside, given up; guys like Phygelus and Hermogenes who we read about it chapter 1. Because they want to play it safe. Keep a low profile.
Paul’s in jail because he’s preaching the gospel. In jail because he won’t stop talking about JESUS. Who he says has risen from the dead and has the right to RULE. Over everyone. So the last thing any sane person would want to do is repeat the same mistake.
Imagine it was happening today. Imagine there’s a new act of Parliament, the Religious Tolerance Act; that says you’re not allowed to PREACH ABOUT JESUS. Because it offends people from other religious backgrounds. So I get arrested, I’m taken down to the police station and fingerprinted; and tomorrow I’m in jail.
How do you feel? Do you know me? Or not? Do you suddenly go very quiet about Jesus – hope nobody remembers you’re a Christian? I mean, you’re certainly going to think hard before you invite anyone else along to church, aren’t you? Or share your faith with them. Cause you’ve just seen what’s happened to ME. And you don’t want the same to happen to YOU.
So you just ease off into quiet semi-retirement as a Christian. A silent partner. Who ONE DAY might just get around to taking a stand. But probably won’t.
That’s exactly the scenario we’re up against in 2 Timothy 2. Where staying faithful is TOUGH. Where keeping on telling people the gospel is about as much fun as climbing down a cliff face being pelted with rocks.
And the thing you most want to do… is just give up. It’s such an easy option, isn’t it. So appealing.
Which is why Paul is saying to Timothy in verse 1, BE STRONG. Read what he says. “You then my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you’ve heard me say in the presence of many witnesses – the things that got me thrown in jail – don’t keep quiet about it. Pass it on. The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Who’ll then teach others. Who’ll then teach others.
When the going gets tough, DON’T GIVE UP, says Paul. Keep going.
There’s a time for all of us when our Christian commitment stops being convenient. And starts being tough. Which is the point it which is STARTS TO BE REAL COMMITMENT.
There’s a time when you start to realise it’s not just a walk in the park. It’s more like the Army Exercise – climbing down a rock face under a hail of stones.
Which is why Paul says to Timothy, keep going. Verse 3. ENDURE HARDSHIP WITH US, like a GOOD SOLDIER of Christ Jesus.
And then he goes on with three illustrations. Three comparisons. Three images of what the Christian life is like. Or should be.
See, I don’t know what your image is of what the Christian life is meant to look like. But if you’ve been sold the idea that you become a Christian and suddenly everything’s terrific and if you have enough faith you get rich and you don’t get sick anymore and everyone likes you and you get a promotion at work, let me tell you, you’ve bought a lie. And it’s not genuine Christianity at all.
Paul says, being a Christian is BEING A SOLDIER. He says being a Christian is BEING AN ATHLETE. He says being a Christian is BEING A FARMER.
They’re the sort of word pictures Paul uses when he wants to tell Timothy to keep on going. To be strong. And to endure. It’s not easy. It’s tough. And it’s disciplined. And if you want to see the results, you’ve got to keep going.
So let’s take a quick look at them, one at a time. The soldier in verse 4, the athlete in verse 5, the farmer in verse 6.
“No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs. He wants to please his commanding officer.”
He says a soldier has got to stay focussed. A soldier has got to keep his mind on the job. And however much a soldier feels like just putting his feet up and taking it easy, however much he feels like pulling out when he’s in the trenches or training in HELL WEEK by climbing down cliffs, he doesn’t give up.
Civilian affairs are for civilians. But the soldier wants to please his sergeant.
Or the athlete. Verse 5. Similarly, says Paul, if anyone competes as an athlete, he doesn’t receive the victors crown unless he competes according to the rules.
Remember the RULES? Paul’s given them already. We saw them last week. GUARD THE GOSPEL. Keep to the pattern of sound teaching. Back in chapter 1 verse 8, he sums it up. “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel.”
Remember the Olympics? You can be just metres from the finishing line in the marathon walk, you lift your heel before your toe goes down... and you're OUT OF THE RACE. You've got to stick with the rules to the very end.
Paul says to Timothy, it’s the same with you. Keep going. But stick to the rules. Because it’s so very easy to say, well, okay, I’ll still be a Christian, but I’ll water down the bits people don’t like. Rule number 1… guard the gospel. Keep on preaching FAITH IN JESUS AS THE ONLY WAY. Even if it hurts. Because if you don’t stick to the rules, you don’t win the prize.
Same with the farmer. Verse 6. See, it’s a terrible thing when you see a farmer walk off the land, isn’t it? Especially over the last few years of the drought. Giving up in despair. And now when the rain comes and the crops come, they’re not there to reap the harvest.
Paul says to Timothy, be like the hardworking farmer. Who’s still there for the harvest. Verse 6. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. SO MAKE SURE YOU’RE STILL THERE FOR THE HARVEST.
See, Paul’s telling Timothy all this stuff for that one reason. To urge him to keep going. No matter WHAT THE COST. There's a crop that he's sowing, and it's only right that he's still there for the harvest. There's a race to be run, and it's only right that he's still there by the end of it. There's a fight to be fought. And he needs to be in there like a soldier.
And the cost is going to be big.
But the reward, says Paul, the reward is going to be bigger.
He says “REMEMBER JESUS.” And keep at it. Remember Jesus, Christ. Verse 8. Raised from the dead. Descended from the great King David to be King. And now risen and ruling.
This is my gospel, says Paul. This is why I’m in chains. He says “This is my gospel for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal.”
It’s an irony, isn’t it. It’s not as if Paul’s in prison for beating people up. It’s not as if he’s in for ARMED ROBBERY. Or ASSAULT. Or even FRAUD. And yet he’s chained up like a criminal simply because he wants to talk about JESUS.
He says This is my gospel for which I am suffering even to the point of being CHAINED LIKE A CRIMINAL. But one thing’s for sure. God’s word is not chained. And it does its work, no matter where he is. No matter what the circumstances. If Paul’s in prison, it’s just a new mission-field. And he’ll tell the GUARDS about Jesus. Just like anywhere else. Because where-ever he is, there’s just one thing he wants to do. He’ll put up with anything – to see God’s people coming into the kingdom. Come to the salvation that is in Christ. And eternal glory.
Which is why Timothy has got to keep going too. And so do we. Like soldiers. Like long distance runners. Like the farmer waiting for the crop. Because if you want to be saved, you’ve got to stick with the salvation that’s in CHRIST. And not let it go. Because it's the only way.
You know a couple of weeks back there was a tragedy. Two men overcome by fumes in the back of a tanker. And died. I remember talking to a policeman a couple of years back who'd been called to an IDENTICAL situation. Three guys overcome by fumes in a septic tank. They were inside it, they were unconscious, there was just the manhole on the top of the tank. And without the right gear, no-one could go in. Or they’d be overcome as well. And Richard the police sargeant was there with the ambulance paramedic, and they saw one of the guys who was unconscious had his arm out a bit. So they dropped down a rope with a loop on it. And they got it round his arm. So they could start to drag him out.
And then they dropped down an oxygen mask and they dangled it near his face. And you know, Richard said, as he started breathing the oxygen he started coming round. And as he started coming round he felt the rope on his arm and he started swinging his arm and he shook it off. And the oxygen was knocked aside as well; and in a few seconds more he was unconscious again. Back to square one.
Can I finish by reminding you why it’s so important to KEEP HANGING ON. Why it’s so important to MAKE SURE YOU ENDURE?
Because for us, THERE’S ONLY ONE RESCUE MISSION. And that’s Jesus; who came down to where we were. And gave his life for us.
And if you’re going to let go of that, if you’re going to thrash around and brush off the rescue line, then you’re in a very lonely situation. And a desperate one.
Because the fact is, the ones Paul’s talking about who have rejected him, the ones who have rejected THE GOSPEL; they’re rejecting the only way to eternal life.
And that’s the point that’s being made by verses 11 to 13. Which is like a sort of little poem, that sums up everything Paul’s just said.
Read it. From verse 11. Here’s a trustworthy saying:
“If we died with Him, we will also live with him.
If we ENDURE, we will also reign with him
If we disown him, HE WILL ALSO DISOWN US;
If WE are faithless, HE WILL REMAIN FAITHFUL,
For he cannot disown himself.”
Paul says to Timothy, whatever you do, however tough things get, KEEP ON KEEPING ON. Keep enduring. Because if you do, you’ll reach the reward. And you’ll be there with King Jesus.
But if you don’t… if you DISOWN HIM, then you’re letting go of the rope. And he’ll disown you.
If you let get of the gospel – and it’s something you might be sometimes tempted to do – don’t imagine Jesus is going to come with you. Because see, there’s one thing guaranteed. And this is I think what that last verse, verse 13 means. Jesus is absolutely predictable. And whatever YOU do, HE’S NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
So Paul’s saying, IF YOU decide you love the world too much, if YOU decide it’s all too hard, if YOU decide to wander off from the gospel, don't expect you’ll still have Jesus there with you.
He’ll always be exactly where he was. Being faithful. Trusting his father. Because HE CAN’T DISOWN HIMSELF. And he won’t.
Paul says to Timothy, Don’t shift. Because it’s just not worth it. Don’t disown your Lord. Because if you do, you’re down a deep hole. And you’re very much on your own.
CONCLUSION
You know, being a Christian who’s committed to ONE TRUE GOSPEL, it’s not going to make you popular. Right at the moment, it’s probably not going to get you in jail. But times are changing. And the free run we’ve had as Christians is going to come to an end.
So, according to the media, you'll start to see things that say WE CHRISTIANS ARE RELIGIOUS FANATICS. Crackpots.
And it’s not a true picture. But it’s one people are seeing and taking in. And it’s forming a mindset that’s going to make BEING A PUBLIC CHRISTIAN a very unpopular thing to be.
So what are you going to do?
Maybe it’s time to take stock. And make up your mind.
See, if it’s going to be tough, YOU’VE GOT TO BE TOUGH. And you’ve got to decide.
What’s your mental image of yourself as a Christian? We’ve turned it into a girly thing, haven’t we, over the years. A WEAK thing. Well, how about you reprogram your thinking. And when you think of yourself as a Christian, THINK OF YOURSELF AS A SOLDIER. Think of yourself as AN ATHLETE. Think of yourself as the HARDWORKING FARMER.
And keep at it. Because in the end there’s going to be a great crop. And a great celebration. And if you keep on going, you’re going to be there to share it.