As we reach the end of the year, it is a good time to look back on the past year and look forward to the year to come. In our culture, people are much more likely to look forward than to look back. But there is a place for both. Today I want to spend a little time doing both.
This message completes our series entitled The Overcoming Christian. Here is a brief summary of the messages of this series. As I go through this summary, if particular topics prick your heart, if it seems as if you are weak in this particular area or topic, write it down.
The Overcoming Christian. Our main passage was portions of the first three chapters of Revelations, as well as Romans 8:37. We summarized the messages to the seven churches of Revelation as the following: 1. Do not forsake your first love. 2. Remain faithful in suffering. 3. Turn from all idols. 4. Turn from immorality. 5. Embrace the gospel. 6. Hold on. 7. Enter into relationship with Jesus. I mentioned the Nike symbol and said we are to be hupernikeo, more than overcomers, more than conquerors. Has your relationship with Christ grown superficial or weak?
The Emotional Christian. We are to be lords of our emotions, rejecting toxic emotions and embracing godly emotions, living self-controlled lives. Our passages included portions of Galatians 5 and Titus 2. Do you rule your emotions, or do they rule you?
The Logical Christian. We talked about the Logos, Jesus Christ, as described in John 1, and what it takes for us to become filled with truth. We also talked about many common logical fallacies and how we tend to use them as ways to avoid dealing with truth. Do you embrace the truth, or do you avoid it? Are you hiding something from yourself or another?
The Reluctant Christian. John Farmer gave this message, not reluctantly, about being yielded to God and being willing to leave our comfort zones. He also explained how God works through even our reluctance. One passage emphasized was the story of fleeing Elijah in I Kings 19. Are you yielded to God, or are you waiting for Him to yield to you?
The Kneeling Christian. John Bullard gave this message, not kneeling, except in his heart, about prayer. He gave the acronym WAIT, for worship, asking, intercession, and thanksgiving. One passage emphasized was God’s vision to Daniel in Daniel 10. How is your prayer life? Is it strong, or does it need to grow?
The Prodigal Christian. The main passages were Jeremiah 3:19-22 and the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. We are all prodigals, but restoration comes by returning to the God who welcomes us with open arms and wants to heal us. And we are to be a community of recovering prodigals – welcoming one another with open arms, and being instruments of God’s healing to one another. Are there areas in your life you are being prodigal-like? Do you need to repent and turn back on the road that goes home to the Savior?
The Christian Steward. The main passage here was I Chronicles 29, where David prays for Solomon as Solomon is about to become the steward of building God’s Temple, and I Corinthians 3. We are all stewards, and everything we have is the Lord’s, including our talents, abilities, time, and children. We need to live as wise stewards. Our “building project” is God’s church; we, His people are the bricks. It is built with the gospel. Are you a good and faithful steward, or are you acting as if you are the owner?
The Persecuted Christian. We need to remember our persecuted brothers and sisters throughout the world in prayer and we need to be willing to endure a little persecution, some ridicule, ourselves, for the sake of the gospel. Our love and concern for others should overwhelm our fear, as Paul explains in 2 Thess. 2:17-3:9. Do you remember the persecuted? Do you live out of confidence in God or are your actions based on fear?
The Christian Family. Our main passage was Deut. 11. We talked about how our children’s experiences are not our own, and how our faith, or our lack of it, affects our children. We also talked about how we need to actively communicate our faith to our children. Are you being proactive with your family or are you just letting life happen?
The Thankful Christian. Our main passage was from Ephesians 1. We talked about what to be thankful for: We are objects of His love; He wants to be with us forever. He made us as a gift to us, and our response should be to thank Him for us, ourselves, and us, each other. Are you grateful to God? Do you tell Him? Or are you always wishing for “more”?
The Humbled Christian. We talked about how God humbles us because He loves us, to teach us to rely solely on Him. One of the key passages was Phil. 2:1-8. We should be servants to all, masters to none, always thinking of others. Do you put others before yourself? Are there areas in your life ruled by pride?
The Boasting Christian. We should boast in the Lord, because He is kind, just, and righteous; He is our righteousness, our holiness, and our redemption. One of the key passages was I Cor. 1:18-31. We can also boast in our weaknesses and sufferings, and we should boast in other believers. Do you boast in these right things? Do you boast in God, or are you embarrassed by Him?
The Fortunate Christian. Are we fortunate? You bet! We went through a list of 19 things we have in Christ. We should remember that our fortune is not in this world; indeed, we looked at the life of Mary the mother of Jesus and saw that from a worldly perspective she was anything but fortunate. We need to keep a spiritual perspective about what our fortune really is. Do you focus on your fortune in Christ or on your lack of it in the world?
The Expectant Christian. Our main passage was Romans 8:18-25. Like the prophets of old, we should live expectantly, patiently, steadfastly, for the days that are to come. We look forward to the day we will truly be adopted as sons and daughters of Christ, when our bodies are transformed and we will live in such a relationship with Christ that even the relationship to our spouses will look like nothing in comparison. Do you yearn for your union with Christ? Or do you fear death and dying?
Did something stand out to you? Were you struck with an area or two to grow in? Write it down, if you haven’t already. In this coming year, I encourage you to take some action steps to improve in this area. If you already see a practical step to do this, write it down as well. For example, if your area was prayer, perhaps you can decide that you will spend time in prayer every day before you eat your first thing that day. Perhaps you just need to put something in your appointment book each week or each month to reflect on this area. One year I put “heart check” into my electronic daily planner each first day of the month. This was an appointment, so as a slave to my appointment book, I dutifully did what it told me to do. By “heart check” I meant to examine my heart to see if in the last month I had grown closer to God or had become colder to Him. It was very effective.
Keeping in mind any areas we need to grow in, I want us to reconsider the whole idea of being an overcoming Christian. I want us to consider 2 Timothy 2:1-8. I am going to break it into three parts. Here is the first part:
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. – 2 Tim. 2:1-2
Consider that first sentence. How do we do this? How is one strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus? First of all, note that it is not our strength. We are not just supposed to buck up and be strong. The strength is to come from the grace that is in Christ Jesus. At the same time, we are not just supposed to do nothing and let strength just “happen.” If this were the case, Paul wouldn’t need to say, “Be strong.” The strength that comes from grace in Christ Jesus is strength that comes from knowing the fact that it is by grace, unmerited favor, that we are in Christ Jesus, that we are saved, that we have a relationship with Him. Because of this relationship, we can turn to Him and ask Him for strength, and walking day by day, even minute by minute with Him will give us strength. So in this way, depending on Him, we will actively be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
The second sentence says, in effect, to “pass it on.” In the context of looking at areas to grow in, pass it on. We are most qualified to talk to others in the areas that He has grown us in. For example, if you have, by God’s grace, been able to overcome fear, then you are uniquely qualified to share with others about overcoming fear. I encourage all of you to be ones to pass on what God is teaching you this coming year. Speaking in our monthly sharing times is one way to do this, but equally good is in times of informal fellowship, for example, right after the service. Pass it on!
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. – 2 Tim. 2:3-7
I love this passage! Paul breaks a rule of public speaking by giving three word pictures one after another. All the books say that you should only give one, because it is too much to try to picture more than one in a short period of time. Paul does say to think about this at length later – to reflect or think on it. What are the three images? Those of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer.
Let’s start with the soldier. Picture one of the few, the proud, the Marines (or any other branch of the armed forces). What do you picture? I picture someone strong, armed, focused, and ever ready for any order. Paul says to endure hardship like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. All soldiers are not good soldiers. Some, when stressed or tempted, become cowards, or idle, but the good soldier is always brave, always eager to serve, always ready.
Of this good soldier, Paul says such a one does not get involved in civilian affairs. Think about soldiers for a minute. They give up some bad things, including pride, independence and self-will, as well as some good things, including, when called onto the field, home and family life. Note that some things that are OK for civilians are not OK for soldiers. What about us? The same is true! We are not to become so consumed with the daily demands or the daily entertainments of life that we lose sight of who we are. We are to do what needs to be done, but we must never forget our identity. A good soldier chooses not to get involved (entagled) in anything that reduces his effectiveness as a soldier.
Paul also gives the motivation for this soldier – to please his commanding officer. Our supreme motivation in all we do should be to please our commanding officer, Jesus Christ. We should be like that soldier, ever ready to respond to new orders.
Now picture an excellent athlete. What do you see? I see someone in unbelievably good shape, also self-disciplined, also focused, and someone intimately familiar with the event in which they will compete. They know the rules. And they know that if they break the rules in the smallest way, they will be disqualified, and then all there training will have been in vain.
How does this apply to us? We need training. This is found in doing the daily disciplines, having quiet times with God, reading His Word, meeting in fellowship, and so on, as well as in practicing our “sport” – this could apply to being a witness, showing love to others, and many other things. And we need to do all these things “by the rules” – meaning, not to be hypocrites. We should not excuse sin by saying that we are also doing some good things. By the rules means living for God in all areas of our lives.
And now picture the farmer. Our family has been watching old Little House on the Prairie episodes, so I picture Charles Ingals, known as “Pa.” I picture him pulling the plow in a dusty field, sweaty, dirty, and tired, and yet still going strong. Without modern tools, farming is unbelievably strenuous work. We should be hardworking in the same way with regards to spiritual disciplines.
What does the passage say about this hardworking farmer? That he should be the first to receive a share of his crops. What does that mean? Well, one way to understand this is in the context of a teacher – recall that Paul was writing this letter to Timothy, who he had told back in verse 2 to pass on what he had learned to others who themselves could pass it on. The teacher should partake in what he teaches. This means that he should apply the teachings to his own life, in fact, he should be the first to do so. All of us are teachers in some way, to someone, to friends or to our children. And for them, we need to partake in what we tell them.
In all three images, we picture someone disciplined, someone not afraid of hard work, someone who overcomes. An overcoming Christian. That is what we are to be, year in and year out. And then Paul turns us toward Christ:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel… - 2 Tim. 2:8
As we think back and remember what we have learned, how we have grown, we should also look back and remember the Lord. As we look forward and seek to grow in our areas of weakness, we should do the same thing: remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. Descended from David: fully human. Raised from the dead: proving that He was fully God. He was the ultimate gold soldier, the ultimate athlete, and the ultimate hardworking farmer, by obeying His Father even unto death, death on that cross. He did it for us, because He loved us! He loved me! This is my gospel! Let us all say this in the coming year.
This message completes our series entitled The Overcoming Christian. Here is a brief summary of the messages of this series. As I go through this summary, if particular topics prick your heart, if it seems as if you are weak in this particular area or topic, write it down.
The Overcoming Christian. Our main passage was portions of the first three chapters of Revelations, as well as Romans 8:37. We summarized the messages to the seven churches of Revelation as the following: 1. Do not forsake your first love. 2. Remain faithful in suffering. 3. Turn from all idols. 4. Turn from immorality. 5. Embrace the gospel. 6. Hold on. 7. Enter into relationship with Jesus. I mentioned the Nike symbol and said we are to be hupernikeo, more than overcomers, more than conquerors. Has your relationship with Christ grown superficial or weak?
The Emotional Christian. We are to be lords of our emotions, rejecting toxic emotions and embracing godly emotions, living self-controlled lives. Our passages included portions of Galatians 5 and Titus 2. Do you rule your emotions, or do they rule you?
The Logical Christian. We talked about the Logos, Jesus Christ, as described in John 1, and what it takes for us to become filled with truth. We also talked about many common logical fallacies and how we tend to use them as ways to avoid dealing with truth. Do you embrace the truth, or do you avoid it? Are you hiding something from yourself or another?
The Reluctant Christian. John Farmer gave this message, not reluctantly, about being yielded to God and being willing to leave our comfort zones. He also explained how God works through even our reluctance. One passage emphasized was the story of fleeing Elijah in I Kings 19. Are you yielded to God, or are you waiting for Him to yield to you?
The Kneeling Christian. John Bullard gave this message, not kneeling, except in his heart, about prayer. He gave the acronym WAIT, for worship, asking, intercession, and thanksgiving. One passage emphasized was God’s vision to Daniel in Daniel 10. How is your prayer life? Is it strong, or does it need to grow?
The Prodigal Christian. The main passages were Jeremiah 3:19-22 and the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. We are all prodigals, but restoration comes by returning to the God who welcomes us with open arms and wants to heal us. And we are to be a community of recovering prodigals – welcoming one another with open arms, and being instruments of God’s healing to one another. Are there areas in your life you are being prodigal-like? Do you need to repent and turn back on the road that goes home to the Savior?
The Christian Steward. The main passage here was I Chronicles 29, where David prays for Solomon as Solomon is about to become the steward of building God’s Temple, and I Corinthians 3. We are all stewards, and everything we have is the Lord’s, including our talents, abilities, time, and children. We need to live as wise stewards. Our “building project” is God’s church; we, His people are the bricks. It is built with the gospel. Are you a good and faithful steward, or are you acting as if you are the owner?
The Persecuted Christian. We need to remember our persecuted brothers and sisters throughout the world in prayer and we need to be willing to endure a little persecution, some ridicule, ourselves, for the sake of the gospel. Our love and concern for others should overwhelm our fear, as Paul explains in 2 Thess. 2:17-3:9. Do you remember the persecuted? Do you live out of confidence in God or are your actions based on fear?
The Christian Family. Our main passage was Deut. 11. We talked about how our children’s experiences are not our own, and how our faith, or our lack of it, affects our children. We also talked about how we need to actively communicate our faith to our children. Are you being proactive with your family or are you just letting life happen?
The Thankful Christian. Our main passage was from Ephesians 1. We talked about what to be thankful for: We are objects of His love; He wants to be with us forever. He made us as a gift to us, and our response should be to thank Him for us, ourselves, and us, each other. Are you grateful to God? Do you tell Him? Or are you always wishing for “more”?
The Humbled Christian. We talked about how God humbles us because He loves us, to teach us to rely solely on Him. One of the key passages was Phil. 2:1-8. We should be servants to all, masters to none, always thinking of others. Do you put others before yourself? Are there areas in your life ruled by pride?
The Boasting Christian. We should boast in the Lord, because He is kind, just, and righteous; He is our righteousness, our holiness, and our redemption. One of the key passages was I Cor. 1:18-31. We can also boast in our weaknesses and sufferings, and we should boast in other believers. Do you boast in these right things? Do you boast in God, or are you embarrassed by Him?
The Fortunate Christian. Are we fortunate? You bet! We went through a list of 19 things we have in Christ. We should remember that our fortune is not in this world; indeed, we looked at the life of Mary the mother of Jesus and saw that from a worldly perspective she was anything but fortunate. We need to keep a spiritual perspective about what our fortune really is. Do you focus on your fortune in Christ or on your lack of it in the world?
The Expectant Christian. Our main passage was Romans 8:18-25. Like the prophets of old, we should live expectantly, patiently, steadfastly, for the days that are to come. We look forward to the day we will truly be adopted as sons and daughters of Christ, when our bodies are transformed and we will live in such a relationship with Christ that even the relationship to our spouses will look like nothing in comparison. Do you yearn for your union with Christ? Or do you fear death and dying?
Did something stand out to you? Were you struck with an area or two to grow in? Write it down, if you haven’t already. In this coming year, I encourage you to take some action steps to improve in this area. If you already see a practical step to do this, write it down as well. For example, if your area was prayer, perhaps you can decide that you will spend time in prayer every day before you eat your first thing that day. Perhaps you just need to put something in your appointment book each week or each month to reflect on this area. One year I put “heart check” into my electronic daily planner each first day of the month. This was an appointment, so as a slave to my appointment book, I dutifully did what it told me to do. By “heart check” I meant to examine my heart to see if in the last month I had grown closer to God or had become colder to Him. It was very effective.
Keeping in mind any areas we need to grow in, I want us to reconsider the whole idea of being an overcoming Christian. I want us to consider 2 Timothy 2:1-8. I am going to break it into three parts. Here is the first part:
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. – 2 Tim. 2:1-2
Consider that first sentence. How do we do this? How is one strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus? First of all, note that it is not our strength. We are not just supposed to buck up and be strong. The strength is to come from the grace that is in Christ Jesus. At the same time, we are not just supposed to do nothing and let strength just “happen.” If this were the case, Paul wouldn’t need to say, “Be strong.” The strength that comes from grace in Christ Jesus is strength that comes from knowing the fact that it is by grace, unmerited favor, that we are in Christ Jesus, that we are saved, that we have a relationship with Him. Because of this relationship, we can turn to Him and ask Him for strength, and walking day by day, even minute by minute with Him will give us strength. So in this way, depending on Him, we will actively be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
The second sentence says, in effect, to “pass it on.” In the context of looking at areas to grow in, pass it on. We are most qualified to talk to others in the areas that He has grown us in. For example, if you have, by God’s grace, been able to overcome fear, then you are uniquely qualified to share with others about overcoming fear. I encourage all of you to be ones to pass on what God is teaching you this coming year. Speaking in our monthly sharing times is one way to do this, but equally good is in times of informal fellowship, for example, right after the service. Pass it on!
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. – 2 Tim. 2:3-7
I love this passage! Paul breaks a rule of public speaking by giving three word pictures one after another. All the books say that you should only give one, because it is too much to try to picture more than one in a short period of time. Paul does say to think about this at length later – to reflect or think on it. What are the three images? Those of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer.
Of this good soldier, Paul says such a one does not get involved in civilian affairs. Think about soldiers for a minute. They give up some bad things, including pride, independence and self-will, as well as some good things, including, when called onto the field, home and family life. Note that some things that are OK for civilians are not OK for soldiers. What about us? The same is true! We are not to become so consumed with the daily demands or the daily entertainments of life that we lose sight of who we are. We are to do what needs to be done, but we must never forget our identity. A good soldier chooses not to get involved (entagled) in anything that reduces his effectiveness as a soldier.
Paul also gives the motivation for this soldier – to please his commanding officer. Our supreme motivation in all we do should be to please our commanding officer, Jesus Christ. We should be like that soldier, ever ready to respond to new orders.
How does this apply to us? We need training. This is found in doing the daily disciplines, having quiet times with God, reading His Word, meeting in fellowship, and so on, as well as in practicing our “sport” – this could apply to being a witness, showing love to others, and many other things. And we need to do all these things “by the rules” – meaning, not to be hypocrites. We should not excuse sin by saying that we are also doing some good things. By the rules means living for God in all areas of our lives.
What does the passage say about this hardworking farmer? That he should be the first to receive a share of his crops. What does that mean? Well, one way to understand this is in the context of a teacher – recall that Paul was writing this letter to Timothy, who he had told back in verse 2 to pass on what he had learned to others who themselves could pass it on. The teacher should partake in what he teaches. This means that he should apply the teachings to his own life, in fact, he should be the first to do so. All of us are teachers in some way, to someone, to friends or to our children. And for them, we need to partake in what we tell them.
In all three images, we picture someone disciplined, someone not afraid of hard work, someone who overcomes. An overcoming Christian. That is what we are to be, year in and year out. And then Paul turns us toward Christ:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel… - 2 Tim. 2:8
As we think back and remember what we have learned, how we have grown, we should also look back and remember the Lord. As we look forward and seek to grow in our areas of weakness, we should do the same thing: remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. Descended from David: fully human. Raised from the dead: proving that He was fully God. He was the ultimate gold soldier, the ultimate athlete, and the ultimate hardworking farmer, by obeying His Father even unto death, death on that cross. He did it for us, because He loved us! He loved me! This is my gospel! Let us all say this in the coming year.
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