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Well, just by way of review, 
remember back in chapter 1, the Apostle Paul, in verse 8, tells 
Timothy, 2nd Timothy is probably the latest 
epistle in the entirety of the New Testament. It is certainly 
Paul's last letter. It is basically his declaration, 
a dying declaration, and he acknowledges as much in 2nd Timothy chapter 
4. He knows that he's going to die. 
History tells us that he suffered under the neurotic persecution 
and that he was beheaded for the cause of God and truth. And so he's exhorting Timothy 
who will in turn exhort others on those things most needful 
with reference to Christian ministry. So he wants Timothy to join with 
him. He wants Timothy to endure hardships. He wants Timothy to be faithful 
and persevering. And then he highlights his own 
example there in chapter 1, in verses 11 and 12. He then indicates the specifics 
with reference to Timothy's ministry in chapter 1, verses 13 and 14. 
He says, Hold fast the pattern of sound words, which you have 
heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That 
good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit 
who dwells in us. So he's to hold fast the pattern 
of sound words, and he is to keep that which was committed 
to him by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. He ends chapter 
one by citing negative examples. Those who have departed, those 
who have apostatized, those who did not endure, those who were 
not faithful and persevering. He does cite, however, one faithful 
man by the name of Onesimus. And now in chapter two, he gives 
Timothy a series of exhortations, a series of commands. to help 
Timothy, to encourage Timothy, so that Timothy will be the minister 
that he's supposed to be. Last week we considered verses 
1 to 7 in 2 Timothy chapter 2. Notice that Paul in verse 1 says, 
be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. not be weak, 
not be effeminate, but rather as a minister of the gospel, 
you need to be strong, you need to be faithful, you need to be 
the kind of man that is serving the Lord Christ. He then tells 
Timothy that he's to seek out or identify and then instruct 
men who will be able to instruct others as well. So the idea is 
that the ministry is never to be a one-man show. Timothy is 
to look out among the churches. He's to find those men that are 
faithful. He is to teach those men, and those men likewise are 
to be teaching others. And then in verse 3, he gives 
him this exhortation. You therefore must endure hardship 
as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. That's the imperative. You must 
endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. It's very similar 
to what he's already said in 1 Timothy 1, verse 8. And then 
he gives him a series of examples to encourage him with reference 
to this end. You need to endure hardship. 
You need to demonstrate the devotion of a soldier, the discipline 
of an athlete, the diligence of a farmer, and the dedication 
of a disciple. That's essentially what he says 
there in verses 3 to 7. Now in verses 8 to 13, he gives 
incentives for that. In other words, he tells Timothy, 
not only what he must do, and he sets before Timothy examples 
of how he must do it, but he incentivizes Timothy. He gives 
him three particulars that he's supposed to focus on, that he's 
supposed to consider, so that he will, by God's grace, and 
thinking through these things, be able to endure hardship as 
a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And that's what we find in verses 
8 to 13. In the first place, he tells 
him that he needs to contemplate Christ. In the second place, 
he needs to consider the conduct of Paul. And then in the third 
place, he needs to recognize the communion that he has with 
Christ. So the contemplation of Christ, 
the conduct of the Apostle Paul, and communion with Christ are 
three incentives to aid Timothy so that he will endure hardship 
as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. So when we look at these, those 
examples of the soldier, the example of the farmer, the example 
of the athlete, the dedication of a disciple, all those things 
are crucial. All those things are helpful. 
All those things are blessed. But in the first instance, with 
reference to the incentives, in verse 8, he says you need 
to contemplate Christ. In other words, you're not just 
slugging it out. You're not just being a good 
soldier or a devoted or a diligent farmer. You're not just an athlete. But you're Christian. You need 
to ponder Jesus. Any strength, any help, any grace, 
any power that we succeed in in our Christian life is directly 
owing to Christ. And that's what the apostle says 
in verse 8. He says, Remember that Jesus 
Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according 
to my gospel. We're not to try to live the 
Christian life apart from Jesus Christ. We're not simply called 
to be stoic, or to be Spartan, or to be those who grin and bear 
it, or those who knuckle under, or those who pull up their bootstraps. 
We do those things in concert with this conscious contemplation 
of who Jesus Christ is. Now notice, remember that Jesus 
Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according 
to my gospel. So he wants us to focus primarily, 
at least in this passage, on the incarnation of Jesus Christ 
and on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And I think these two 
go hand in hand with reference to the larger context, because 
Jesus is one who endured. Jesus is one who suffered. Jesus is one who persevered. But Jesus is one who also reigns 
enthroned at the right hand of God Almighty. So incarnation 
and resurrection are key and vital things for Christian soldiers 
to contemplate with reference to their Savior, because it's 
paradigmatic or a pattern for the lives that we have. Christ 
learned obedience through what? Through suffering, according 
to Hebrews chapter 5. In a context where the apostle 
is telling Timothy to endure hardship, to suffer for the cause 
of Christ, what better place to direct Timothy than to the 
one who incarnate came into this world, was a man of sorrows, 
was acquainted with grief, acknowledged that the foxes had their holes, 
the birds had their nests, but the Son of Man had nowhere to 
lay his head. He was ultimately delivered up by godless men to 
godless men. He was ultimately crucified as 
a malefactor on the cross, but he was raised again the third 
day. That sets forth the pattern for 
the people of God. Brethren, we ought never to think 
there'll be no hardship in the Christian life. If it marked 
our Savior's walk on this earth, then more than likely it is going 
to mark our walk on this earth. Again, it's not every single 
day that we have this ceaseless persecution upon us. We have 
it pretty good for the most part. But Paul will say later in 2 
Timothy 3 that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus 
will suffer persecution. And remember, chapter 1 verse 
8, chapter 2 verse 3, he wants Timothy to endure hardship. He 
wants Timothy to know something about suffering for the cause 
of God and truth. And so Jesus is a perfect example 
and one that we ought to contemplate. Certainly, the devotion of a 
soldier, the discipline of an athlete, the diligence of a farmer, 
and the dedication of a disciple are helpful examples to inculcate 
in the people of God a persevering attitude. But Christ is crucial. That's where we focus. This is 
akin to Hebrews chapter 12. We're to run with endurance the 
race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. Chapter 11 is a great 
testimony concerning runners who had gone before us. A great 
testimony of those who persevered. A great testimony of those who 
manifested endurance. A great testimony of those who 
live by faith. But the primary emphasis in Hebrews 
12 is looking unto Jesus. We're not looking to Abraham. 
We're not looking to Noah. We're not looking to Abel. We're 
not looking at them as our chief example. They're certainly helpful. 
But we are looking unto Jesus as we run with endurance the 
race that is set before us. And I think that's Paul's point 
here. You need to remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of 
David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel. Now, 
with reference to the incarnation, it stresses, obviously, the true 
humanity of Jesus Christ. When Jesus was struck, when Jesus 
bled, when Jesus was crucified, when Jesus was spat upon, when 
Jesus was mistreated, He was, in fact, a real man. He didn't 
appear to be a man, but rather He was a man, and He suffered, 
and He learned obedience through that suffering. So the incarnation 
is most helpful for us to remember in terms of our running with 
endurance the race that is set before us. Paul underscores the 
royal lineage of Jesus. He's of the seed of David. And 
then he mentions, was raised from the dead according to my 
gospel. He doesn't mention the man of sorrows and acquainted 
with grief. He doesn't mention the various sorts of things that 
Jesus suffered according to his humanity. But the reality is 
that when he mentions the resurrection of Christ, that assumes the previous 
death of Jesus Christ, doesn't it? He wasn't resurrected without 
any idea or consciousness to the death of Jesus. No, the resurrection 
presupposes the previous suffering. It presupposes that previous 
humiliation. It presupposes those blows that 
he received, the spit that was sent upon him. All of that is 
presupposed by this reference to the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ, and it fits the context. Endure hardship as a good soldier 
of Jesus Christ. Be like your Savior. When you 
think that you can't do it, you need to look to Him. You need 
to ponder Him. You need to run with endurance 
the race that is set before you, always looking to Christ. And 
I think we fall prey to this idea that it's almost the Galatian 
heresy, not the one where we have to get circumcised in order 
to be saved, but this concept where we start in the spirit 
and then we continue in the flesh, which again touches on the whole 
idea of salvation by circumcision, but I think it extends even further. 
We come to Christ for our justification, but we don't stop with Christ 
in our sanctification. We need to depend upon Him. We 
need to be looking to Him. We need to be focused upon Him. And that's Paul's exhortation 
to Timothy in particular. This reference to the incarnation 
and to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus highlights something 
that Timothy could ponder as he is running with endurance 
the race that is set before him. George Knight said, Timothy is 
to remember that Jesus is raised from death itself, and that triumph 
is to encourage him when he contemplates suffering hardship for Christ. 
You see how that functions? You focus on the Lord Jesus when 
you're going through your miserable times, Because know that as Christ 
went through miserable times, the Father raised him from the 
dead and seated him at the right hand of the majesty on high. Now we're not going to be seated 
at the right hand on the majesty on high, but we will be resurrected 
and we will be glorified and we will live in the presence 
of our great and our triune God. So the contemplation of Christ 
is absolutely crucial for the good soldier of Jesus Christ. Now, before we leave and go on 
to the conduct of Paul, notice what Paul says at the end of 
verse 8. He was raised from the dead according 
to my gospel. Paul describes or Paul indicates 
a degree of ownership upon the gospel. It's not that he was 
the author of it or rather the originator of it. It's not that 
he put it together, but he showed possession of it because it meant 
so much to him, right? We might do that in our own lives 
or in our own context. Oh yeah, that's my church. There's 
a bit of pride perhaps that goes into that exclamation or declaration. I'm not suggesting that Paul 
is proud or anything like that, but he calls it my gospel. There's 
ownership with reference to the gospel, with reference to his 
ministry as the apostle to the Gentiles. He's not just doing 
this as a job. It is part of who he is. It's 
something that he possesses. It's something that possesses 
him. It's something that masters him. And it's something that 
he wants to promote and he wants to declare. John Calvin says, 
he calls it his gospel, not that he professed to be the author, 
but the minister of it. Beautiful. Now notice that leads 
us to the conduct of Paul in verses 9 to 10. Again, don't 
forget what the context is. Endure hardship as a good soldier 
of Jesus Christ. Contemplate Jesus in his incarnation 
and resurrection, but also consider the conduct of Paul. He's telling 
Timothy, I want you to follow my example here. Brethren, can 
we live or have we lived in such a way that we're able to tell 
young believers, younger believers, follow my example. Can we say 
with Paul, imitate me as I imitate Christ. Can we say to the new 
believer, you just watch what I do, and you do likewise? That 
might be an embarrassing proposition for some of us, and we need to 
take inventory as to how we are conducting ourselves. But with 
reference to this exhortation of enduring hardship as a good 
soldier, Paul would be negligent to not set forth the example 
of Paul. In Philippians, Paul tells us 
we're to scope out, we're to look around us, and we're to 
find examples, godly good examples, in the context of the local church 
that we're supposed to follow. And it's not necessarily the 
older people have to go out and find people to sort of sponsor. 
You younger people, you younger disciples, buddy up to the older 
ones, ask questions, talk to them, be in their presence. invite yourself over for coffee 
or set up something like that. That's an imperative in the book 
of Philippians, that we look at those who walk in a manner 
that is consistent with the Christian gospel, and we try to be around 
that. In that ethical section in Titus 
chapter 2, what's Paul want the older women to do? Does he want 
them to start, you know, a cottage industry and, you know, Godlywoman.com 
and you know have a lot of people said no no no teach the younger 
women to do certain things You need to be faithful and teach 
the younger women in the context of the local church To do these 
things to love their husbands love their kids do the the work 
of homemaking I mean these things are so counter cultural today. I mean you know older women tell 
the younger women how to sweep and Oh wow, I'm probably going 
to go to jail next week for having even said such a thing. Teach 
the younger women how to make a turkey. Teach the younger women 
how to bake a pie. Because this brings glory to 
God. You say, well how does that bring 
glory to God? It brings glory to God because it puts persons 
in their proper place. Husbands, wives have functions 
in the home. And you know what Paul says happens 
if we don't do this? The word of God is blasphemed 
according to Paul in Titus chapter two. So the apostle wants us 
to find human examples. The apostle uses human examples. Again, we're to focus on Christ. 
We're to be oriented toward Christ. But it's nice to have a Paul 
in our lives that we can sort of see practical Christianity 
fleshed out. And that's what Paul does here 
in verses 9 and 10. He first of all highlights his 
own suffering. Notice in verse 9, he says, for 
which, my gospel, I suffer trouble as an evildoer. The repetition 
of this theme is in order to encourage Timothy to participate 
in enduring hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. I'm 
going to keep pounding that nail because I want you to see how 
it all functions in the context. Again, 1.8, we've already referred 
to. Notice in 1.12, he says, for this reason, I also suffer 
these things. Nevertheless, I'm not ashamed 
for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he's able 
to keep that or keep what I have committed to him until that day. Notice in chapter 3 at verses 
10 to 12. Chapter 3, verse 10, but you 
have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, 
long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which 
happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions 
I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and 
all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, 
but evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving 
and being deceived. But you must continue in the 
things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing 
from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have 
known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for 
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." What Paul 
says is that there's no shortage of bad examples. I mean, you 
look anywhere and everywhere, you're gonna find bad examples. 
The shortage is in the good examples. And when you find those good 
examples, you seize upon that. You seek, by God's grace, to 
model or imitate that in your life. Turn to Philippians 3. 
I've alluded to it. We should look at it because 
it speaks to this specific issue. Philippians chapter 3. Verse 17, he says, brethren, 
join in following my example and know those who so walk. Literally, scope them out. Scope 
them out. Find those kinds of people. Surround 
yourself with those kinds of people. You think that you're 
super godly and can do it on your own? You can't. You're not. 
You need to find good influences. As bad morals corrupt, so good 
ones help shape and influence. So verse 17, brethren, join in 
following my example and note those who so walk as you have 
us for a pattern. Now notice his reasoning. Verse 
18, for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell 
you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, 
whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose 
glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. 
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait 
for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our 
lowly body, that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according 
to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things 
to himself. You see the logic there. Verse 17, join in following 
my example. Note those who so walk as you 
have us for a pattern, for many walk, of whom I have told you 
often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of 
the cross of Christ. There is a proliferation of bad examples. So a whole lot of deadbeats out 
there, even in the professed church. You need to find Pauline-type 
men. You need to find godly men, godly 
women. You need to note them, you need 
to scope them out, and you need to walk in a manner similar to 
them. Again, focusing upon contemplating 
the Lord Jesus Christ. But people like Paul, people 
like Peter, people like godly men, women, in the context of 
the local church, show that element, the practicality for the lives 
of God's people. So back to 2 Timothy 2, he says 
in verse 9, "...for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even 
to the point of chains." But he goes on, he says, "...but 
the word of God is not chained." I just think that's a beautiful 
statement and one that probably deserves a sermon on its own. 
I'm not going to do that to you tonight. But while Paul is incarcerated, 
while the enemies of Christ think they've triumphed in silencing 
the chief proponent of Christianity, you cannot chain the word of 
God. You cannot stop the word of God. You cannot restrict the 
extension of Christ's kingdom. Murder Stephen, if you're on 
the council, like they do in Acts chapter 7. What happens? 
Great persecution comes against the church of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. Oh yeah, we're going to stomp them out with this great 
persecution. No, you simply scatter them to 
other regions where they preach the word. You simply open the 
door to Samaria, where now Philip is ministering, and Philip is 
preaching Christ, and the whole city is full of joy as a result 
of it. You see, the enemies of Christ 
cannot stop him. The enemies of Christ try. They 
desperately try, but they'll never be able to stomp out the 
work of Jesus Christ. He must reign till all his enemies 
are made his footstool. That is not... The issue is never 
the opposite is true. It's not the case that the enemies 
will reign until they stomp out Christ. That's not what's going 
to happen, brethren. So the apostle highlights that 
while he is chained, while he is in trouble, as an evildoer, 
which is a very strong term, It's a very strong word. It's 
a bad, bad man. He's not just considered, you 
know, the preacher of a different sort of story. He is considered 
as a threat to the Roman Empire. Same language used of the men 
on the cross. Evildoer, insurrectionist, terrorist 
is probably what Barnabas and his two cronies were up to. You 
know, we talk about the thief on the cross, we get it in our 
head, they went into a Walmart and they boosted a Snickers bar. 
That's not what they were. These men deserved the death 
penalty in the Roman Empire by crucifixion. Their thievery was 
not Snickers bars at Walmart. They were probably terrorists. 
They were a threat to the civil order. That's why they were executed 
via crucifixion. And so when Paul says, I suffer 
as an evildoer, It's not that a few people are displeased with 
Paul and his ministry. It's that he's perceived to be 
a threat to the Roman Empire. That's the issue at stake. But 
even though that's the case, nevertheless, the word of God 
is not chained. Now, notice he highlights his 
endurance in verse 10. Therefore, I endure all things 
for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation 
which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." Brethren, let 
me just make this real practical. We are told by Paul in verse 
3 to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. One 
of the things to incentivize that is a contemplation of our 
Lord Jesus. Another thing to incentivize 
that is to consider the Apostle Paul. How did things turn out 
for him? How did it go for him? Well, 
he was counted as an evildoer, he was counted as a criminal, 
he was perceived to be a threat to the civil order at that particular 
time, but they weren't able to stop the Word of God. They weren't 
able to quench the power of the gospel. They weren't able to 
thwart it. They weren't able to sidetrack 
it. They weren't able to stop it. And then Paul highlights 
something concerning his own enduring of hardship when he 
says, I endure all things for the sake of the elect. See, brethren, 
Paul practiced what he preached. but he also preached what he 
practiced. And it ought to be the case that 
we want that. We not only practice what we 
preach, but we're able to preach what we practice. The model, 
the example, the good soldiering, enduring the hardship, realizing 
that God is faithful, God is gracious, God will see us through. You see, that's the kind of stuff 
we need to exemplify in the context of the local church. Wouldn't 
it be great if some poor young believer said, man, I'm having 
a rotten go of it. And some older, faithful, seasoned 
saint came up and said, yeah, I had a rotten go of it, too. 
And the Lord's always proven himself faithful, just like Paul 
does there in 2 Timothy chapter 3. Sometimes new believers or 
young believers, they're myopic. They don't see the big picture. 
They don't see how many times God does deliver his people. 
They haven't fully embraced the realities of Psalm 103, where 
the older folk among us have. The gray hairs among us have 
known the presence of God in the midst of great trial, great 
affliction, and great suffering. Our younger brethren need to 
see that. They need it modeled. They need it exemplified so that 
they will run with endurance the race that is set before them. 
Looking unto Jesus, but thankful there's a brethren ship around 
them that is able to encourage them by saying, the Lord is faithful 
and he will never leave you nor forsake you. That's Paul's point. I endure all things for the sake 
of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which 
is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now when he says, I endure all 
things for the sake of the elect, it's not as if he's not God-centered. We might expect Paul to say, 
therefore, I endure all things for the glory of God. I endure 
all things for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I endure all things 
for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Here he says, I endure all things 
for the sake of the elect. This is not an inversion of a 
God-first order. Rather, the salvation of the 
elect is a primary means by which God is glorified. So he endures 
these things for the elect because he knows this is the vehicle 
by which God is glorified and honored. So it is God first. It is God-centeredness. John Calvin says, when he says 
that he endures for the sake of the elect, this demonstrates 
how much more he cares for the edification of the church than 
for himself. That's a beautiful statement. 
When he says that he endures for the sake of the elect, this 
demonstrates how much more he cares for the edification of 
the church than for himself. That's a key ingredient to a 
decent pastor, is that he's more concerned for the glory of God 
and the good of the church than he is for himself. Calvin goes 
on, I almost called him Paul, it's Calvin commenting on Paul, 
"...for he is prepared not only to die, but to be reckoned in 
the number of wicked men that he may promote the salvation 
of the church." He's not willing only to die, but he's willing 
to be tarnished. He's willing to be tarred and 
feathered in the Roman Empire. He's willing to have what is 
an excellent reputation dashed into the ground. Oh, did you 
hear about that apostle? He's in prison. Did you hear 
about that apostle? He's been sentenced to death. Did you hear about that apostle 
of the Christians? He's an evildoer. See, Paul doesn't 
care. What he cares about are the elect 
of God. What he cares about is the salvation 
of God. What he cares about is the glory 
of God, and that's what he emphasizes in this statement. Notice what 
he says, "...I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that 
they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with 
eternal glory." the suffering of Paul did not secure the salvation 
of the elect. Jesus Christ secures the salvation 
of the elect. We know that God in eternity 
past purposed to save a great multitude that no man can number 
from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. And God not only 
purposed to save, God not only predestined to save, God not 
only foreordained to save, but God purposed the means by which 
sinners would be saved. And Paul is one of those means. 
Paul is a preacher to the Gentiles. And Paul is an instrument in 
the hand of God to bring that salvation to pass upon sinners 
whom the Lord had chosen. Now, again, in the context, Jesus, 
incarnation, suffering, death, resurrection. The Apostle Paul, 
imprisonment as an evildoer to the point of chains. Endurance, 
knowing that there is salvation for the elect of God. So, bad 
and then good. Just like the examples Paul set 
forth in verses 1 to 7. The soldier pleases the commander. The athlete wins the crown. The 
farmer shares in the crops. And the apostle sees those for 
whom Jesus died, saved by grace through faith. So the pattern 
is, endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Because 
your good soldiering, going through hardship, is not neglected by 
God. See, that's one of the things 
I think is a challenge to the people of God. We want credit, 
don't we? Oh, no, not me, brother. OK. 
Most people want credit. That's why Facebook is a hit. 
It's why selfies are everywhere. We all want credit. We all want 
everybody to see what we do. This is why Jesus specifically 
says, when you do a good thing or when you give alms, don't 
sound the trumpet like the hypocrites do. Why do you think the hypocrites 
do that? Because they want credit. They 
want to, you know, hey, everybody, I'm about to deposit my offering 
in the box. You know, just pay attention 
over here. It's a big one, too. I can hardly squeeze it in. You 
know, that sort of a thing. Well, that's not the way we're 
supposed to be. And I think there's this idea that if we don't get 
credit for a good deed done, it's almost like the good deed 
wasn't done. That whole tree falling in the forest, if nobody's 
there, does it actually make a sound? The good deed done that 
nobody sees, was it actually a good deed? Maybe believers 
struggle with that from time to time. I want my credit. I 
want my notoriety. I want to be recognized. I want 
people to see how good and godly I am. And then there's that pang 
of conscience that says, oh no, brother, you shouldn't be that 
way. You should be humble. You should 
be lowly. You should be insignificant. All right, good. The point is, 
while we may not appreciate anything that you ever do for the kingdom 
of God, God does. I just think that's a great boon. 
I think that should get everybody out of bed every day. In fact, 
I think this is the apostle's point in 1 Corinthians 15. After 
that long discourse in terms of the resurrection, in 1 Corinthians 
chapter 15, verse 58, he brings it home. He says, therefore, 
my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in 
the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain, 
in the Lord. I want to say this as graciously 
and as kindly and as delicately as I can, but we can be a pretty 
unthankful lot. Remember, Jesus heals 10 lepers 
and one comes back to express gratitude. And he was the foreigner. He was the Samaritan. He was 
the mongrel. He was the another race guy. Why didn't the other nine come 
and thank Jesus for the wonderful thing that he had just done? 
Oh, those terrible people. Brethren, ingratitude is one 
of the things that we bear in our hearts for probably ever. And there's this unthankfulness 
when people do genuinely good things. But God's not like that. God knows what you do, and God 
will reward you openly someday. And I think that this is the 
point. I endure all things for the sake 
of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which 
is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. Take a man like Paul. 
a man that, you know, everybody else was an intellectual and 
religious midget near. I mean, Paul was a great intellect. 
Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul was useful in ways 
that no other man has ever been in the history of the church. 
Paul is, you know, some have said Paul is responsible for, 
you know, Western civilization by and large. I mean, it's just 
a really an amazing thing. But here he is sitting in a dank 
prison cell waiting to be murdered, waiting to be executed under 
Nero. But that's not what concerns 
him. That's not what bothers him. 
That's not what affects him. He knows that through the efforts 
he's engaged in, the Lord's blessing it, the word of God can't be 
changed. It's still going forth through the likes of Timothy 
and through other companions, and sinners are getting saved. 
Paul will happily endure all things for the sake of the elect, 
that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ 
Jesus with eternal glory. So brethren, endure hardship 
as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, contemplating Christ, considering 
the conduct of Paul, and then notice thirdly and finally, focusing 
or thinking through your communion with Christ. Your communion with 
Christ. Notice in verse 11, he says, 
this is a faithful saying. There are six of these in the 
pastoral epistles, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. There are 
six of these faithful sayings. And so Paul is giving us this 
faithful saying. Notice he says, for if we died 
with him, we shall also live with him. If we endure, we shall 
also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will 
deny us. If we are faithless, he remains 
faithful. He cannot deny himself. I think 
the encouragement is in verses 11b to 12a, and then a bit of 
warning in verses 12b and 13. Let's look at the encouragement. 
In the first place, he wants us to focus on our union with 
Christ. When he says, for if we died 
with him, we shall also live with him, this probably is not 
physical death. It's probably not pointing to 
the eschaton. The death died here is the death 
to self. The death died here is the death 
of the old man. The death died here is what Paul 
speaks of in Romans chapter 6, specifically in verse 8. Now, 
if we died with Christ, we believe that we also shall live with 
Christ. The emphasis in verse 11, for 
if we died with Him, we were saved by grace through faith 
in Jesus. The old man is dead. The new 
man is alive. The new man is resurrected. The 
new man is what we are in Christ Jesus. If we died with him, we 
shall also live what? With him. In other words, communion 
with Christ in the here and the now. Run, focus, endure hardship, 
not as some detached sort of thing, but rather as one in vital 
union with the living Christ. You died with Him. You were buried 
with Him. You were raised with Him. All 
things symbolized by our baptism. Now we live with Him. So as we 
endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, it's not in 
a relationship of absolute independence or autonomy. We're doing it in 
constant union with Christ Jesus our Lord. The believer's union 
with Christ is a motivation for participation in suffering with 
Paul and for Jesus Christ. Notice then the believer's perseverance 
in Christ in verse 12a. If we endure, we shall also reign 
with him. Again, that's the emphasis, heavy 
in the context. Chapter 1, verse 8. Chapter 2, 
verse 3. And then again in chapter 2, 
verse 10. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the 
elect. Paul tells us if we endure, we 
shall also reign with him. That's an incentive, isn't it? 
One of the biggest problems with, say, socialism or communism is 
that it de-incentivizes people. When you give people stuff, they 
won't go out and work for it. When you give people stuff, they'll 
lay on their couch and expect more. That de-incentivizes. Incentivization is a good thing. And so the Bible does that with 
us. And the Bible does that here 
specifically in terms of our perseverance. And I brought this 
message last week, because at times, believers fall into ruts. At times, believers grow sluggish. At times, believers start to 
walk a bit slower. At times, believers may even 
limp along. At times, they may be on their 
face just, you know, eking it out little by little by little. 
So we need encouragements on endurance, encouragements on 
perseverance, and that's precisely the context in 2 Timothy chapter 
2. Endure hardship is a good soldier 
of Jesus Christ. Don't whine about it, don't snivel 
about it, don't go to a therapy group over it, but rather endure 
it. That's the emphasis of the Apostle. 
But you're not to endure it the way that a Spartan endures, you 
know, life in the wilderness. You endure it by contemplating 
the Savior. You endure it by considering 
the conduct of that great man that went before you, namely 
the Apostle Paul. And you do it consciously realizing 
your communion and union with Jesus Christ. And you do it realizing 
that if we endure, we shall also reign with Him. It's one of those 
passages that it's hard to exegete because we really don't know 
all that's involved there. Is it great? Yeah. Is it glorious? Absolutely. What does it mean 
precisely? I'm not sure. It means that we 
shall also reign with him. He'd want me anywhere near his 
tribunal is, you know, beyond my scope. It's above my pay grade. But the reality is, if we endure, 
we shall also reign with him. Endure hardship as a good soldier 
of Jesus Christ. Think about Jesus incarnate. 
Second person, the Trinity, taking on our humanity, all the common 
essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without 
sin, dying, being crucified, being spat on, being struck, 
but being raised from the dead. Think about the Apostle Paul 
and what he went through for the elect. And think about the 
reality that if you've died, you've been converted, you've 
been saved by grace through faith, you now presently live with him. 
And then this, if we endure, we shall also reign with him. 
That's in our future. That's where we're headed. That's 
what the blessed hope is. And so the apostle emphasizes 
for Timothy and us by extension that if we endure, we shall also 
reign with him. Now, a warning comes. A warning 
in verses 12b and 13. Paul says if we deny him, he 
also will deny us. If we are faithless, he remains 
faithful. He cannot deny himself. I would suggest that in the first 
place, it is a warning to caution, or rather, a warning for believers. Drop down for just a moment to 
verse 19. Nevertheless, the solid foundation 
of God stands, having this seal, the Lord knows those who are 
His, and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from 
iniquity. There is the reality that sometimes 
people make this profession of faith, but they're not legit. 
They're not genuine. They're not real. 1 John 2.19, 
they went out from us, but they were not of us. Because if they 
had been of us, they would not have gone out from us. The logic 
is impeccable, right? There are those who profess the 
saving faith, but they're not legit. There are those who profess 
the saving faith at some point, but then they end up denying 
the Lord Jesus Christ. You know what the recurring theme 
in the letters to the churches in Asia Minor are? In the book 
of Revelation, it's to overcome. It's to overcome. It's to overcome. It's to overcome. It's to overcome. 
It's to overcome. It's to overcome. Seven letters 
in that book of Revelation. And what's the constant refrain? 
Overcome. When you get to Revelation 21 
and verse 8, and you see the types of people that are going 
to populate the lake of fire, you will see that the cowardly 
are in the lake of fire. Now, cowardly there ought not 
to be thought of somebody who's afraid of bears. I'm a coward 
if I'm alone with a bear. That's cowardice. But that's 
not what sends somebody to hell. I may need to man up and tackle 
that bear and get better at my masculinity, but it's not going 
to keep me from heaven to be afraid of a bear and run. It's 
not spiders or snakes. It's not that kind of cowardice. The refrain in the letters to 
the churches in Asia Minor on overcoming would indicate that 
the cowardly that go to the lake of fire are those who didn't 
overcome. Those who succumb to the beastly 
pressure. Those who succumb to the state 
and to false religion and recanted and renounced their Savior, or 
the Savior they professed. That's what cowardice is in Revelation 
21.8. It's those who did not endure. It's those who did not overcome. It's those who did not run with 
endurance the race that was set before them. It is rather the 
fake, the phony, the counterfeit, the hypocrite. And so the apostle 
ends this statement with a warning to those people. And it's a warning 
for true believers. God uses the warnings given to 
true believers to keep us in check. It's like when you scream 
at your kid not to lick his finger and put it into an electrical 
outlet. It's not dispossessing the kid 
of being your kid. You're giving him a warning to 
keep him in check. You're giving him a warning so 
that he doesn't lick his finger and put it in the outlet. You're 
giving him a warning so that he'll tow the line properly. 
The warnings are not substance-less or without substance in the New 
Testament if we understand predestination and election and the security 
of the saint or the perseverance of the saints. They are used 
by God as a means to secure our security. They are used by God 
to hopefully hedge us in. And so he ends here on this solemn 
note of warning. The opposite of the perseverance 
and the endurance in verse 12a is a denial of Jesus. If we deny him, he also will 
deny us. That's the contrary to if we 
endure. Failing to endure, failing to 
persevere, failing to go forward in your confession of faith is 
tantamount to denying the Lord Christ Himself. Now, the background 
for Paul's warning, obviously, is Matthew 10.33. Well, I say 
obviously, it's obvious at least to me, but whoever denies me 
before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven. And the reality is, is that a 
denial of Jesus Christ evidences that the person was never saved. Calvin says their base denial 
of Christ proceeds not only from weakness, but from unbelief. So you see, there is a place 
for this warning. And then verse 13 is quite intriguing. If we are faithless, he remains 
faithful. He cannot deny himself. Now, 
this goes one of two ways. The first is that the wavering, 
doubting Christian can be assured of salvation because of Christ's 
faithfulness. If we are faithless, he remains 
faithful. Now, I think that truth is taught 
in the Bible. The wavering, doubting Christian 
can be assured of salvation because of Christ's faithfulness. That 
truth is taught, but I don't think it's taught here. It's 
taught when Peter denies his master. It's taught when David 
commits adultery and murder. It's taught that those whom God 
saves, He saves to the uttermost. It's taught in the reality that 
he who begins a good work in you will complete it onto the 
day of Jesus Christ. And so we, brothers and sisters, 
which is all of us, at least at some point or time or many 
points and times, we need to be encouraged that Christ is 
faithful. The one who began this work in us will complete it onto 
that day. It's a blessed thing. Look at 
1 Timothy, I'm sorry, 2 Timothy 1.12. The Apostle says, for this 
reason I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I'm not ashamed, 
for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able 
to keep what I have committed to him until that day. So the 
text, or rather that teaching, is taught in Scripture. But I 
don't think that's what's in view here. The language here 
suggests a companion thought with verse 12b. This denial, 
this faithlessness, it's the absence of it. And so when Paul 
says in verse 13, if we are faithless, he remains faithful, he cannot 
deny himself, there is punishment, there is judgment, there is wrath 
and curse for those who are not legit. That's, I think, the emphasis 
again. It functions as a bit of a warning 
at the end of an exhortation so that we will examine ourselves 
on occasion, so that we do not delude ourselves, and so that 
we will run with endurance the race that is set before us. So, 
brothers and sisters, that brings us to the supper. It brings us 
to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. if a key event or a key incentive 
in our lives for the promotion of running with endurance or 
soldiering or being good soldiers of Jesus Christ. If one of the 
key focuses is the contemplation of Christ, I hope that you'll 
appreciate how intrinsic the supper is to that end. It's not 
that we don't think about the death of Christ the rest of the 
month. It's not that we don't preach 
the death of Christ the rest of the month. But we bless God 
that he is, as creator, spoken to us as preacher, and given 
us tangible things by which we connect, we think, we ponder, 
we meditate, and we remember the death of the Lord Jesus Christ 
on our behalf. This ought to promote in us what 
Paul says in verse 12. If we endure, we shall also reign 
with him. The supper is a means of grace. 
It is calculated to help runners in the Christian race. It is 
calculated to fortify good soldiers of Jesus Christ. It is calculated 
to incentivize and to promote that contemplation of our Lord 
Jesus so that we can know of the truth that God is for us, 
and that being the case, what can man do? We need to endure 
hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. We don't do it 
as Spartans. We don't do it as islands unto 
ourselves. We do it as those focused upon Christ. This is 
a great means tonight. We do it as those who remember 
brethren like the Apostle Paul, and we do it as those who are 
consciously aware of the union they presently bear with Christ. We died with Him. We now live 
with Him. If we endure, we will reign with 
Him. That is a great incentive for 
us to do what the Apostle says in 2 Timothy 2 at verse 3. And if you're not a Christian 
here tonight, The way to Christianity or the way to salvation isn't 
by enduring hardship. The way to salvation is by belief 
in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Enduring hardship as 
good soldiers of Jesus Christ is a specifically Christian duty. 
If you're not a Christian, your responsibility is to look unto 
Jesus Christ and live. That's the means by which sinners 
are saved. It is to look to the one who 
hung, the one who died, the one who was raised, the one who now 
reigns and rules at the right hand of the Father. It is by 
grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone, that sinners 
know everlasting life. My encouragement, do not take 
the supper if you're not a believer. It is for believers. Your chief 
duty, if I can use that term, your chief responsibility, perhaps 
better, is to believe the gospel and then participate in the supper. Well, let us close in a word 
of prayer. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for 
what Christ did on our behalf. We thank you for his life, his 
death, his resurrection. And we thank you that you give 
us also examples in the Apostle Paul and others in the history 
of the church, and even in our own local churches. God, may 
these things promote in us that endurance. May these things promote 
in us that enduring hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. And may we realize that if we 
endure, we will reign with him. knowing that there is a great 
future, great prospect for all of your people to be where Christ 
is. May this encourage our hearts, 
and may you strengthen us with might in the inner man, and may 
you cause us to run faithfully before you. And we ask this through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.