Dear Brethren,

MEDITATION

³ You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

⁴ No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

2 Timothy 2:3-4

 

OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION

1. The imagery of a “good soldier”

a) He must not just be a soldier

b) He must be a good one

2. What does it take to be a good solder?

a) The ability to endure hardship

i) The training of a solider is very hard

ii) It is daily training

iii) Soldiers train how to walk for miles and not give in to tiredness

iv) Soldiers train themselves to be brave when facing enemies

b) Soldiers must learn to be disengaged from the concerns of this life

i) His heart and mind must be fixed on fulfilling his duties

ii) He cannot worry about his family and money if he goes to war

iii) He has to be totally focused or he would not be a good soldier in the battle field

c) Soldiers must learn how to be loyal to their commanders

i) The commander is the person who has recruited him

ii) If there is no loyalty, he can end up as a traitor

 

APPLICATION TO LIFE AND MINISTRY

The illustration the Apostle Paul used was apt. He lived in the days when Rome ruled the Western world.

1. The power of Rome was significant

a) Good soldiers were the people who made Rome’s army so mighty

b) Many were the good commanders Rome had

c) There was great sense of loyalty to the emperor

d) Rome was able to achieve great success because of good soldiers

2. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ

a) In Ephesians 6, Paul used the illustration of being at war against Satan

b) In 2 Timothy 2:3-4, he used the illustration of a soldier once again

c) The emphasis was clear

3. Ensuring success in life and ministry

a) Enduring hardship

We must be able to endure

b) Reject the soft-life approach

i) Some people like wealth

ii) They prefer a life of luxury

This is alien to the idea of following the Lord Jesus Christ!

c) Loyalty

i) Few are truly loyal

ii) They will try and take advantage when and where they cam

iii) We must choose loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ as good soldiers

 

Prayerfully,

Pastor Charles Tan