2 Timothy 2:1-7

2 Timothy 2:1-7  You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And 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.  Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs — he wants to please his commanding officer.  Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.  The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.  Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Paul is asking Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  Timothy did not earn his leadership position in the body of Christ: God gave it to him.  He urges Timothy to be strong in this grace and to teach the pure gospel so that the orthodox message of Christ might be carried from his generation to the next generation.  Paul desires Timothy to endure the hardships of ministering the gospel like a soldier who is carrying out a mission.  A soldier's mission is his only purpose in life.  Paul tells Timothy that if his life is single-minded like a soldier, he will be like an athlete who competes according to the rules.  Paul knows that ministering the gospel of Christ effectively requires a single-minded purpose: nothing else will do, nothing else will please God.  Consequently, Timothy's self-will must die, for he who plants the gospel must first die himself.  He who dies to fears, wants, and recriminations will receive the victor's crown.  He will receive a harvest after planting, in this case after first planting his life.  

Paul knew grace was the essential aspect of furthering the gospel.  Paul and Timothy were called to fulfill their positions in the body of Christ by and through the grace of God.  All ministries and positions in the church are called by the grace of God.  Many Christians forget that principle.  Sometimes we tend to believe we are where we are because of our great skills or special abilities.  We become pretentious in our attitudes; we become supposed experts rather than humble servants of the Lord.  If you are to be a prince/princess in the household of the Lord it is because of him and not you.  If you are to perform the holy work of the Lord here on Earth, it is because of Christ and his grace and not you.  If you are humble, if you do realize your total responsibility to Christ and his giftings, you will desire him to be lifted up. Your service will be for his credit, not yours.  If you desire him to be lifted up, YOU WILL LEARN OF CHRIST.  You will become humble and obedient to the cross, which is a stake into your own self-willed life.  

I am not very encouraged by the know-it-all in religion.  I am not comforted by the expert with all the answers.  I am not sure when ministers enumerate exactly how God thinks, acts, and creates that they know much about God.  When a minister tells me there are seven ways God looks at sin or there are six ways He comforts the soul, and so on, I just wonder if this person knows the almighty God of creation that well.  How can the finite know the author of the BEGINNING AND THE ENDING so well that he or she can enumerate how GOD THINKS AND ACTS?   My God, the creator of the universe, is a WHOLE LOT bigger than that.  He far surpasses my imagination, and except for Jesus Christ, I would not know him at all.  

Paul is telling Timothy, run the race hard, repeat the gospel correctly, do not tire or grow weary, for the Lord has laid up a crown of righteousness for you.  Timothy, don't step back, don't shirk your duties, remember the race is for the diligent and the bold.  God has given you enough grace to teach the message of salvation.  He has given you enough grace to make it to the end and to reap the harvest you have planted.  Timothy, run the race!  Timothy, don't look back, don't step to the right or to the left!  This is a message to each of us, for we also are servants of the Lord, selected by his mercy and grace.  So, let us also run diligently and boldly.  Let us also endure to the end, and when we do, we will hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."