ATTITUDE OF A SOLDIER
Please turn in your Bibles this morning to II Timothy chapter 2 as we look at the Attitude of a Soldier. Now when you think of a soldier you must realize that they are not always involved in easy situations. Many times they have to utilize the things they have in the situation they are in. I think for us as Christians, that is a great thing to put into practice, to utilize what we have in the situation we are in, doing the best we can with what we have, as this story illustrates for us. We are told:
An old Italian man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his tomato garden, but it was very hard work as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.
Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me.
Love, Pop
A few days later he received a letter from his son who was in prison.
Dear Pop,
Not for nothing, but don’t dig up that garden. That’s where I buried the bodies.
Love, Vinnie
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son, Vinnie.
Dear Pop,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love, Vinnie
In the verses we will be looking at this morning Paul is giving Timothy an illustration of what a strong spiritual life is all about. On Thursday we looked at a disciple of Jesus, one who has a strong spiritual life as a teacher who is able to teach others the things of God. He spoke of the athlete who must follow the rules to receive the crown, he is obedient. Paul then looks at the farmer who works hard, might not see much fruit from his labor for a long period of time, until harvest time, and thus, he must be patient.
And the other illustration he gave to Timothy, which we will be looking at this morning, is that of a soldier who must be focused on the work that is before him, he must not let things distract him from what he is called to do, what his commander has told him to do. So with that said, let’s begin reading in II Timothy chapter 2, starting in verse 3, and see what the Lord has for us this morning.
Paul, at this point in his life, is in prison in Rome, the Mamertime prison, which was nothing more than a dirty, cold, damp dungeon and he is waiting to be martyred for his faith in Christ by Caesar Nero. So as Paul sat in this prison he saw the Roman soldiers coming and going and the Lord gave to him this illustration of a Christian being a soldier in the Lord’s army and what that is all about.
Now I do realize that some of you don’t want to be soldiers, you don’t want to fight, you are a pacifist. Folks, there is no such thing as a Christian pacifist because as Christians we are in a spiritual warfare that is manifested in the flesh. Paul, in II Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
Do you see the spiritual battle we are in? Thus, our weapons are not physical weapons like guns and swords and-so-on. They are spiritual weapons that God will use to destroy the enemy, to bring them into captivity.
Paul, in Ephesians 6:10-18 puts this into perspective for us as he tells us, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”
You see, it is not our ability or our might but the power of God enabling us, giving to us the power to stand strong against the schemes of the enemy. And folks, the enemy never takes a day off that is why God tells us to take up the whole armor of God, not just a few things, if you want to stand against the enemy. In other words, you better be ready, you better know where your strength comes from and the weapons that you have.
The first three pieces of armor we are to put on and never take off. We are to gird our waist in truth so we won’t get tripped up by our lies. We are to put on and keep on the breastplate of righteousness, holy living to protect our vital organs, our emotions from going out of control. We are to have our feet firmly planted upon the Gospel of peace, upon Jesus Christ so as the storms come, as the enemy tries to move us, we will not be moved, we will not be shaken!
The next four pieces of armor you are to keep ready for use at a moments notice. The first is the shield of faith, resting our whole weight upon God and His promises to us so that when the enemy fires one of his fiery darts at us, it will not hurt our faith and the water of God’s Spirit will quench that fiery dart! The helmet of salvation protects our head, our thoughts and thus, we have the assurance of our salvation in the finished work of Christ and it is not based upon our good works. In knowing that the enemy can’t mess up our thoughts. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God and our first offensive weapon. Know how to use it! Lastly, our second offensive weapon is prayer, it is the heavy artillery that we launch into the enemy’s camp! Prayer is important in this warfare we are in.
Now some of you may not take this spiritual warfare seriously, it may even seem like a joke to you. Let me say this, if you were in Iraq today, every moment you were there you would be taking things seriously because you are in the middle of a war. Folks, like it or not, as a Christian, you are in a war, the enemy is doing battle.
Look at our recent concert in the park and how intense that battle was even up until the concert started. It was an awesome concert and God was truly glorified, but what a battle! Look at our CSN radio station, being taken off the air just before the ads for our summer concert were to go on. It is a battle and it looks like we should be up and running in a month or so. Look at the battle for our Low Power FM station – we have been trying to get approval from the FCC for several years now and just recently they approved our application for this station. Look at this building we are renting, we have been using it for some 12 years or more now, and I was told we need to vacate within 60 days because The Flower Gallery wants our space. It is a spiritual battle we are in and if you doubt it at all, listen to this true story. We are told:
A Christian leader – we’ll call him Steve – was traveling recently by plane. He noticed that the man sitting two seats over was thumbing through some little cards and moving his lips. The man looked professional with his goatee and graying brown hair, and Steve placed him at fifty-something. Guessing the man was a fellow-believer, Steve leaned over to engage him in conversation. “Looks to me like you’re memorizing something,” he said. “No, actually I was praying,” the man said. Steve introduced himself. “I believe in prayer too,” he said. “Well, I have a specific assignment,” said the man with the goatee. “What’s that?” Steve asked. “I’m praying fore the downfall of Christian pastors.” “I would certainly fit into that category,” Steve said. “Is my name on the list?” Not on my list, “ the man replied.
- Common Ground, Vol. 10 No. 7
Folks, if you don’t believe you are in a spiritual battle, you are going to be in trouble. You see, if you don’t believe there is a battle you are not going to take things seriously, you will not be prepared. You will have a lackadaisical attitude about things as the enemy continues to move forward conquering areas in your life. Be wise, you are in a battle. A great example of this is seen in the following story that took place in the fall of 1944, and we are told:
It was late October when an officer commanding a platoon of American soldiers received a call from headquarters. Over the radio, this captain learned his unit was being ordered to recapture a small French city from the Nazis and he learned something else from headquarters as well. For weeks, French resistance fighters had risked their lives to gather information about the German fortifications in that city, and they had smuggled this information out to the Allies.
The French Underground’s efforts had provided the Americans with something worth its weight in gold: a detailed map of the city. It wasn’t just a map with the names of major streets and landmarks; it showed specific details of the enemy’s defensive positions. Indeed, the map even identified shops and buildings where German soldiers bunked or where a machine-gun nest or a sniper had been stationed. Block by block, the Frenchmen gave an accounting of German units and the gun emplacements they manned. For a captain who was already concerned about mounting casualty lists, receiving such information was an answer to prayer. Although the outcome of the war wouldn’t depend on this one skirmish, to him it meant that he wouldn’t have to write as many letters to his men’s parents or wives telling them their loved one had been cut down in battle.
Before the soldiers moved out to take their objective, the captain gave each man a chance to study the map. And wanting to make sure his men read it carefully, he hurriedly gave them a test covering the major landmarks and enemy strongholds. Just before his platoon moved out, the officer graded the test, and with minor exceptions every man earned a perfect score. As a direct result of having that map to follow, the men captured the city with little loss of American lives.
Nearly thirty years after this military operation took place, an army researcher heard the story and decided to base a study on it. The project began in France, where instead of a platoon of soldiers, he arranged for a group of American tourists to help him with his research. For several hours, the men and women were allowed to study the same map the soldiers had, and then they were given the same test. You can guess the results. Most of the tourists failed miserably. The reason for the difference between these two groups was obvious, motivation. Knowing their lives were on the line, the soldiers were highly motivated to learn every detail of the map. For the tourists, being in a research study provided some motivation. But most of them had noting to lose but a little pride if they failed the test.
- Gary Smalley & John Trent, Ph.D., The Gift of Honor,. pp. 1-2
I think I made my point on that issue, we are in a battle! Now with the remainder of our time this morning I would like to focus on the Attitude of a Soldier as Paul tells us here in II Timothy 2:3-4. First of all A SOLDIER IS TO ENDURE HARDSHIP – II TIMOTHY 2:3. Next, A SOLDIER IS NOT TO ENTANGLE HIMSELF WITH THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD – II TIMOTHY 2:4a. And lastly, A SOLDIER IS TO PLEASE HIS COMMANDER – II TIMOTHY 2:4b. So let’s look at these and see what we can glean from this illustration of a soldier and his attitude in service.
1. A SOLDIER IS TO ENDURE HARDSHIP –
II TIMOTHY 2:3
In our western society, when we think of hardship with might think of the cable TV being broken. We tend to look at pleasures being taken away from us as hardship and even we as Christians can fall prey to that kind of thinking. But that is not what Paul is speaking of here. Paul was in prison for his faith; others had already been martyred for their faith in Christ, others beaten and-so-on. Today we see the same going on in other parts of the world like India, Africa, China, the Muslim countries where people are put to death for their faith, put to death or placed in prison for sharing their faith with others. You see, no good soldier is going to give up just because of the hardship he faces. He knows what he is in for when he signed up, it is war and thus, when hardships come, and they will, he keeps forging on, he doesn’t give up.
How easy it is to throw in the towel and give up instead of fighting on. I must admit that from time to time I have felt that way, giving up, but I know what the Lord has called me to do, I know the call that God has upon my life and I refuse to give up. Now some may say that is foolish, but I am serving the Lord and it is what pleases Him and not what man has to say. John Wesley was a man who did not give up even though many would have given up in the situations that he faced. We are told:
Sunday, A.M., May 5 Preached in St. Anne’s. Was asked not to come back anymore.
Sunday, P.M., May 5 Preached in St. John’s. Deacons said “Get out and stay out.”
Sunday, A.M., May 12 Preached at St. Jude’s. Can’t go back there, either.
Sunday, A.M., May 19 Preached in St. Somebody Else’s. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
Sunday, P.M., May 19 Preached on street. Kicked off street.
Sunday, A.M., May 26 Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
Sunday, A.M., June 2 Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
Sunday, P.M., June 2 Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.
- John Wesley
Here’s the thing, I wonder how often we give up just before the victory is to come and we miss out on the blessing, we miss out on the victory. Look at Paul, this guy would be in therapy today, locked up because he would not give up no matter what came his way, even the fear of death did not deter him from what he was called to do. Paul, in Acts 20:22-24 tells us of this motivating force in his life that kept him going, even enduring the many hardships that came his way. We are told, “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
In Acts chapter 14, during Paul’s first missionary journey, he is in Lystra and heals a man who was a cripple from birth, he never walked and now he is, jumping for joy. Now the people thought Paul was a god but he corrected them on that issue and pointed them to Jesus Christ who is God. Then the trouble begins as we are told in Acts 14:19-20, “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”
And please understand we are not talking of being stoned, “Far out dude!” stoned. They threw rocks at him and killed him and when the disciples came to pick up his lifeless body, he stood upright and went back into Lystra for the evening and then headed for Derbe the next day. That is a tough dude, you just can’t stop him because he knows hardships are going to come his way, but he forges ahead through them. May we have that kind of attitude – to be able to endure hardships as any good soldier would and not lose sight of the battle we are in, the work that God has called us to do. In the Parable of the Soils Jesus said in Matthew 13:20-21, “But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.” Don’t let hardships, tribulation take you off the course that God has set for you, because A SOLDIER IS TO ENDURE HARDSHIPS!
2.
A SOLDIER IS NOT TO ENTANGLE HIMSELF WITH THE THINGS
OF
THIS WORLD – II TIMOTHY 2:4a
If a soldier is distracted with the things of this world, then he is going to lose the focus on what he is suppose to be doing, he is going to be in trouble. Now, some of the things that can entangle us are things that are wrong, things we should not be doing. Paul, in Hebrews 12:1-4 tells us, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.”
You see, you can allow sin to wrap you up, consume your life, weigh you down so you can’t finish the race. It is a battle but if you open the door to sin in your life, it will get a foothold upon you and it will be difficult to let it go!
Before Cain slew Able we are told in Genesis 4:6-7, “So the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.’” You see, like a door-to-door salesmen lying in wait for you to just crack the door open so he can get a foot in and once he does his desire is to rule over you, the same is true with sin. You open the door and before you know it, it will rule your life. Thus, flee sin, stay focused on the Lord, the Author and Finisher of our faith! Peter put it this way in I Peter 2:11-12, “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” Abstain from these things, flee from them!
Now it is also true that we can let other things that are not sin entangle us, distract us from the focus God wants us to have. I am not saying you have to ignore everyone or everything around you, but don’t let it be a snare in your life that keeps you from the Lord. You see, if it does, then it is wrong. A soldier who is caught up with the things of this world is not focused and that will be dangerous for him and for those around him. Remember, we are in this battle together. In the Parables of the Soils, Jesus said in Matthew 13:22, “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.”
You see, worldliness will choke out what God desires to do in your life. Be careful. So how do you know if you should do something or not? If it entangles you from serving the Lord, worshiping the Lord, that is wrong. Today in America the church competes with the pleasures of this world and they are losing. Look at the decrease of churchgoers during the summer and it is not because they are on vacation. Look at the decrease in churchgoers when the Packers have an early game. Whatever is important to you, you will make the time to do, no matter what! Don’t let the things of this world entangle you, don’t lose your focus. A SOLDIER IS NOT TO ENTANGLE HIMSELF WITH THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD.
3.
A SOLDIER IS TO PLEASE HIS COMMANDER – II
TIMOTHY 2:4b
Our Commander and Chief is Jesus Christ. In Joshua 5:13-15 we are told, “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’ So He said, ‘No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, ‘What does my Lord say to His servant?’ Then the Commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, ‘Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” You see, it is not a question of “Is the Lord for us or against us?” but are we for Him or against Him. And if we are for Him then we will be obedient to what He tells us to do!
In Matthew 7:21 Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Not that works will get you into heaven but your obedience to the Lord shows that you are saved. It is the evidence that He is not only your Savior but also your Lord! Imagine a soldier who was not obedient to his commander – that would be dangerous! You would have chaos in the platoon if you had soldiers doing their own thing. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” In other words, you can’t serve two masters, you must choose who you will be loyal to and may it be the Lord for everything else is a losing venture!
Many times, in our desire to please people, we are disobedient to the Lord. Obviously that is wrong and if you think about it, you are not going to help them in your disobedience to the Lord, only hurt them. Thus, A SOLDIER IS TO PLEASE HIS COMMANDER.
As I begin to rap up our study this morning, let me share with you this lesson from National Geographic, of all places. We are told:
Recently National Geographic ran an article about the Alaskan bull moose. The males of the species battle for dominance during the fall breeding season, literally going head-to-head with antlers crunching together as they collide. Often the antlers, their only weapon are broken. That ensures defeat. The heftiest moose, with the largest and strongest antlers, triumphs. Therefore, the battle fought in the fall is really won during the summer, when the moose eat continually. The one that consumes the best diet for growing antlers and gaining weight will be the heavyweight in the fight. Those that eat inadequately sport weaker antlers and less bulk. There is a lesson here for us. Spiritual battles await. Satan will choose a season to attack. Will we be victorious, or will we fall? Much depends on what we do now – before the wars begin. The bull-moose principle: Enduring faith, strength, and wisdom for trials are best developed before they’re needed.
- Craig Brian Larson
May we be prepared for the spiritual battle we are in by being in God’s Word and being in fellowship with Him. A soldier needs to be strong and we need to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Thus, A SOLDIER IS TO ENDURE HARDSHIPS, A SOLDIER IS NOT TO ENTANGLE HIMSELF WITH THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD, and A SOLDIER IS TO PLEASE HIS COMMANDER, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! We are in a battle, are you ready?