Enduring For Christ

2 Timothy 2:1-13  Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  (2)  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.  (3)  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  (4)  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.  (5)  And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.  (6)  The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.  (7)  Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.  (8)  Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:  (9)  Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.  (10)  Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  (11)  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:  (12)  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:  (13)  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

INTRODUCTION:  When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, some changes should have taken place.  Some within our hearts and some that were visible to others.

              Another thing would should have learned is that it is our job now to glorify God, win souls to the Lord, and endure to the end.

That is what I want to take about today, enduring, remaining stedfast loyal to our God the Father in Heaven and our Saviour Jesus the Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

I.            Endurance                                                                                (v 1-7)

A.           Be   Strong In Grace                                                    (v 1)

                             1.           As Christ is toward us

                             2.           God's grace has been given,

                                           i.            We cannot earn it,

                                                          a.           Yet we try to earn at it.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

B.           Be Committed                                                              (v 2)

                             1.           Commit yourselves to faithful people

1 Corinthians 4:16 - 17  Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.  ¹⁷For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

C.              Be A Suffering Soldier                                             (v 3-4)

1.               As a Godly person

i.                Do not entangle yourselves with

              a.           Worldly ways or

              b.           Worldly things.

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

D.              Be A Disciplined Athlete                                             (v 5)

                             1.           (strive = contending for the game; trying to

                                           win)

1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

2.               We as Christians are to strive lawfully,

i.                Not to cheat. 

ii.               To play by the rules. 

iii.             The Bible is the rule book. 

iv.             God is the Rule Maker

Philippians 3:14   I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

E.              Be An Industrious Farmer                                           (v 6)

1.               We, must plow,

i.                We must sow

ii.               So the harvest may be gathered

James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

F.              Consider Doing Right And Following These Enduring Patterns.

II.              EXAMPLES OF ENDURANCE                                       (vv 8-10)

A.           Jesus Raised  From The Dead                                     (v 8)

                             1.           He suffered and endured to the Cross,

                             2.           He still endures for us

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

B.              Paul's Suffering                                                     (vv 9-10)

1.               Paul endured all kinds of horrific beatings,

i.                Imprisonment and

ii.               Lashings.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1 Peter 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

III.            PRINCIPLES OF ENDURANCE                      (vv 11-13)

A.           We Are Dead  To Sin                                                (v 11)

1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Isaiah 53:3-6   He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.   ⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.   ⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.   ⁶All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

1.               We live  with Him

B.           If We Suffer                                                               (v 12)

Hebrews 10:34  For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

1.           We will reign, however,

C.           If We  Deny                                                                (v 12)

Matthew 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

1.            He will deny

D.              If We Believe Not                                                      (v 13)

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

1.             He abides faithful 

2 Thessalonians 3:3  But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

2.            He cannot deny Himself 

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

CONCLUSION: As I hope you have seen the task before those of us who are saved, is to endure for Christ.            

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Those of you who do not know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.  If you died today are you certain Heaven would be your home?

              Are you hell bound, why?

Who wants to go to hell, a place of torment, a place of burning totally separated from the love of Christ, totally separated from our loved ones.            No place to go, no one to talk to a lonely place.

              All will be cursing God, and blaspheming His name, total darkness, no one to turn to, for advice, the words that you last said to the last person who tried to lead you to the Lord will haunt you forever.

John 3:16  Romans 10:9  Acts 2:21  John 10:28  Romans 10:13