Sermon Central
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The Complete Picture Of A Believer
Contributed by Howard Mcglamery on Dec 16, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: In II Timothy Paul presents the believer as: a Son, a Steward, a Soldier, an Athlete, a Farmer, a Worker, a Vessel, and a Servant
The Complete Picture Of A Believer
II Tim. 2
Introduction
II Timothy is Paul’s last will and testament to his spiritual son Timothy. Writing from a Roman prison cell, Paul imparts his final words of wisdom and encouragement to Timothy who is ministering in the midst of hardship and opposition in Ephesus. Paul stresses the importance of Godly living, preaching the Word in season and out of season, and preparing for the coming apostasy within the church. Underlying all that. Paul says, is the importance of God’s Word - the only foundation strong enough to withstand persecution from without and within.
In the second chapter the believer is presented in eight different aspects. This morning, we are going to take a look at each one of them. We will see the believer as:
1. A Son
2. A Steward
3. A Soldier
4. An Athlete
5. A Farmer
6. A Worker
7. A Vessel for God’s Glory
8. A Servant
I. The Believer As A Son Vs. 1
1. Paul starts out by calling Timothy "my son". Paul thinks of Timothy as his son because it was through his ministry that Timothy came to know the Lord. Paul thought of Timothy as his son in the faith.
2. Now every believer is a child of God by faith. We are not children of God by natural birth or because our parents were believers.
3. How many of you her today were born "saved"? Answer - none
4. We are saved by God’s grace through faith. We have no merit of our own.
5. We are saved by grace - stand in grace - and walk by grace.
II. The Believer As A Steward Vs. 2
1. As Christians God has entrusted us with something.
2. Christianity is not something we get for ourselves and keep to ourselves. We are stewards of the spiritual treasury that God has given us.
3. It is our duty to invest what God has given us in the lives of others.
4. The book of II Timothy is all about an old preacher, Paul, investing his spiritual knowledge in a young preacher, Timothy.
5. All down through history, God’s truth has been made known to other believers by other believers.
III. The Believer As A Soldier Vs. 3,4
1. A Soldier endures hardness - Serving God is not a soft job. It requires great endurance.
2. A Soldier avoids worldly entanglements - He is totally committed to his commanding officer.
3. A Christian Soldier magnifies Christ
4. A Solder thinks of the whole army and not just himself - You don’t turn tail and run at the first sight of the enemy. -AWOL
Illustration
When I was a young man in the navy, I was ordered to witness a court marshal. A young sailor had gone AWOL and had been picked up by the FBI over six months later in Nashville. After the case was presented to the officers that were judging the case, they asked the young man if he had any thing to say. His attorney said no, but against the advice of his attorney he insisted on talking. He told the judges that he hated the navy and had found a girl he wanted to marry. He asked them to give him a Bad Conduct Discharge.
The Judges came back and the lead Judge read the verdict. They through the book at him.
Six months hard labor, reduction to the lowest possible rank, loss of three fourths of his pay for six months, and for the brig time not to be counted against his enlistment. And then the Judge looked the sailor in the eye and said - "that’s all". The young man had a look of shock on his face as the Marine guards led him away to the Brig.
You may have every excuse in the world for going over the wall spiritually but none is justified. You don’t uninlist. You belong to God.
IV. The Believer As An Athlete Vs. 5
1. Paul sometimes used athletic illustrations in his epistles:
Wrestling - Boxing - Running - Exercising
2. Paul told Timothy to "obey the rules".
Illustration
Jim Thorpe, the great Olympic athlete, had to forfeit all his medals because had broken the rules.
Today athletes are taking steroids and performance inhancing drugs. They are cheating. They want shortcuts and will even risk their careers and reputations.
3. When Paul wrote II Timothy - there weren’t very many in the stands rooting for him. They had deserted and left him.
V. The Believer As A Farmer Vs. 6,7
Here is another favorite passage found in Paul’s writings.
1 Cor 3:5-9
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
