farmer

THE PROFILE OF A LEADER – II Timothy 2:1-7

Bible sermon, Bible sermons, equipping others to teach, God, Jesus, Uncategorized

INTRODUCTION:

William Sangster, a popular preacher and writer of the 1950’s, said this:  “The church is painfully in need of leaders.”  In the Scriptures God is frequently described as searching for a man of a certain type;  not “men”,  but “a man”;  not a group, but an individual.             I Samuel 13:14 says, “The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart.”  In Ezekiel 22:30 God says, “I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap . . . but I found no one.”  Are you such a person?  What kind of a person is it that God is looking for?  In II Timothy 2:1-7,  the apostle Paul, after telling Timothy to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”, describes such a person by using four images:

I.  A TEACHER (verse 2)

In verse 2, the first image Paul uses to describe the Christian leader is that of a teacher.  A college student was having difficulty with his studies so he finally decided to talk to his professor.  He complained, “I’m studying hard.  I’m doing my best, but I just can’t retain what I read or try to memorize.  Do you think it would help if I hired a tutor?”

Clearly understanding the young man’s problem, the instructor replied, “No, I wouldn’t recommend that at all.  You don’t need a teacher, you need a pupil!”  He knew that learning is increased when we share our knowledge with others.

This professor’s advice reminds us of believers who know many Bible facts but still have a poor understanding of scriptural truths.  They attend church every Sunday, listen faithfully to religious broadcasts, and study the Scriptures personally;  yet they seem to lack a working knowledge of the Bible.  What’s the problem?  They never do anything with that information!  They don”t need to be taught more;  they need to tell others what they have learned.  As they put it into practice, they will begin to understand it more fully.  That is what Paul said to Timothy in verse 2.  The things Paul said were confirmed by many witnesses as being the truth of God.  There are many teachers today who compromise the Scriptures so that they are acceptable to the mentality of this age in which we live.  Paul is telling Timothy to “entrust” the things he’s learned from him to faithful men.  The word “entrust” gives the picture of a precious treasure being placed in the safekeeping of another person.  We each have things that we treasure, either because they are expensive or because they have sentimental value.  If you were going on a trip, would you hand these items over to a total stranger?  No!  You would give them to a trusted friend with information on how to care for and protect them.  The Gospel is a precious treasure and should be given to “faithful men” who won’t misuse it or abandon it.

The teacher is described in verse 2 as equipping others to teach, not satisfied with just communicating the message.  The nature of the Gospel message demands that it be propagated or reproduced in the lives of others.  The ultimate goal of the teacher is to see God’s Word passed on to others, and through them to still others.  That is the key to reaching this world for the Lord Jesus Christ.

II.  A SOLDIER (verses 3-4)

The second image that Paul uses is that of a soldier.  You could say that if any apostle was an authority on soldiers, it was the apostle Paul.  He had been in prison and chained to soldiers during much of his Christian life.  What comes to your minds when you think of a soldier’s life?  In verse 3, Paul describes a soldier as one who is willing to suffer hardship.  The apostle Paul was a good soldier of Jesus Christ because he suffered for the cause of Christ, and had the scars to prove it.  There was a popular saying during World War II:   people would often say to each other, “there’s a war on!”  It was a reminder to them that hardships were to be expected and accepted.

Fellow Christians, there IS a war on!  We, as Christians, are in a war against the world, against our own sinful flesh, and against Satan.  Are we willing to accept all the hardship that comes as a result of identifying with the cause of Christ?  As modern-day believers, we may not all experience great persecution for our faith, but we do face hardships and trials.  Our faith in Christ is not an escape from them, but it does give us the strength to endure them.

In verse 4, Paul says that a soldier is obedient and loyal.  The words “on active duty” describe the life of a soldier of Christ as a constant battle.  There are no “furloughs” or “vacations” from the Christian life.  Constant and complete dedication is needed.  A soldier  also does not “entangle himself in the affairs of everyday life”.  A Roman soldier was forbidden to engage in civilian occupations and was told to avoid becoming overly involved in the affairs of the market-place.  He was a soldier first and his loyalty was to be to his commander.

The Christian is also to be single-minded.  This may mean laying aside certain habits, amusements, pursuits, and maybe even certain relationships, not necessarily because they may be wrong in themselves, but because they may be an entanglement, keeping us from performing our primary responsibilities as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.

III.  AN ATHLETE (verse 5)

In verse 5, Paul uses the image of an athlete to describe the Christian.  The word “competes” comes from two Greek words which were used together to describe a “professional” as opposed to an “amateur” athlete.  It was a full-time dedication of one’s life to excellence in the athletic event or events he had chosen.  Paul says that the goal of the athlete is to win the prize by “competing according to the rules”.  Several athletes in the 1976 olympic games were discovered to have taken prohibited drugs.  Their medals were taken away from them.  All those years of preparation and hard work were for nothing!

As a Christian leader, the standard is God’s Word, and we have several umpires observing what we do and how we do it.  We have the divine umpire, and He doesn’t miss a thing.  But we also have the Christians and non-Christians around us.  I’ve personally found that some non-Christians will tempt you, test you, argue with you, and antagonize you, but inwardly many of them want you to succeed, to pass their tests, because they want something worth believing, and worth giving themselves to.  God is looking for faithful Christians, faithful to Him and to His Word,  whatever the cost.  And some day we will win the prize when God rewards our faithfulness to Him.

IV.  THE FARMER (verses 6 and 7)

The fourth image that Paul uses to describe the Christian leader is that of the farmer.  In verse 6, he describes the farmer as being “hardworking”.  The word means working to the point of weariness and exhaustion.  As a kid, I remember spending a week with a friend on his parents’ farm.  We went to bed early every night and got up really early every morning.  His mother made the biggest breakfasts that I have ever seen!  There were eggs, pancakes, potatoes, meat, rolls, fruit, and hot cereal.  I soon found out why there was so much food.  We worked hard after breakfast gathering the eggs, feeding the chickens, cows, horses, and pigs, spraying the weeds, and picking the ripe fruit and vegetables.  By lunch time, and also at supper time, I was famished and ate lots of food.  After the week was over, I can remember coming home exhausted.  Now I knew why their son liked to spend a week with us once in a while!

The farmer must be content to keep working hard,  and also to keep waiting.  More than any other worker, the farmer has to learn that there is no such thing as quick results.  It takes months after the seed is sown and the ground is continually watered and cultivated, that the fruit, vegetables, and grain finally begin to ripen and can be harvested.  But all that hard work will finally pay off.

The Christian life is also hard work  The Christian too must learn to work hard and also to wait.  Often he will sow the seed of God’s Word into the hearts of others and see no immediate results.  Sometimes it takes years of sowing and watering before some people respond to the Gospel message and are saved.  But we must, like the farmer, keep on working and waiting.  The pastor and author, John R.W. Stott, said:  “This notion that Christian service is hard work is so unpopular in some happy-go-lucky Christian circles  today.”

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

Let me summarize the qualities of a good Chrtistian leader.  As a teacher, he should be characterized by faithfulness to uphold the truth of God’s Word, and a zeal to see it reproduced in the lives of faithful people, and then passed on to others.  As a soldier, he is to be undistracted from his calling and willing to endure anything for the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ.  As an athlete, he is to be above reproach in his actions, attitudes, and methods, both before the eyes of the world and the eyes of God.  And as a farmer, he is to work long and hard, trusting God for the harvest to come.

Will you be such a person:  the kind of person that God and His church seeks after;  the kind of person that this world needs?  Will you be able to say confidently to those you are teaching and helping to grow spiritually, what the apostle Paul said in verse 7:  “Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything”?

 

 

CONCERN FOR OTHERS – Philippians 2:1-4

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INTRODUCTION:

In Philippians, chapter 1, we learned how to have joy in spite of circumstances in our lives. The secret is to have a single mind, putting Christ first in our lives and serving Him with all our hearts. In chapter 2, the apostle Paul tells us how to have joy in spite of people. The secret is to have a submissive mind, putting others second in our lives. In verses 1 and 2 of chapter 2, Paul gives the members of the church at Philippi something to think about, and then challenges them in verses 3 and 4.

I. THE REMINDER (verse 1)

The word “if” in verse 1 would be better translated as “because” or “since”.
Paul’s words in verse l are not expressions of uncertainty but statements of fact. Let’s ask ourselves if his statements are true in our lives. “Is there any encouragement in Christ?” Has Jesus Christ ever encouraged you to find solutions instead of taking sides? Has He encouraged you to be patient with others as He is with you? Has He ever encouraged you to be at peace with others and resolve your differences? “Is there any consolation in love?” Have you ever received comfort from God’s love for you, or your love for God, or from the love of other Christians? “Is there any fellowship of the Spirit?” Have you ever experienced a sense of oneness with God and with other Christians? “Is there any affection and compassion?” Has God, or have other Christians ever let you know how much you mean to them, and helped you when you’ve been down?

II. THE CHALLENGE (verse 2)
If so, Paul says, “make my joy complete” by being the same way yourselves, having the same love for others, the same oneness with other believers, and the same desire to help meet the needs of others.” Paul is already joyous and thankful for what he hears about the church at Philippi: their faithfulness to God’s Word, the certainty of their salvation, and their efforts to proclaim the Gospel. Now, Paul is saying, “what would make my joy complete” would be for them to humbly work together in unity to accomplish God’s goals for them. This topic of unity is so important that the apostle Paul brings it up in every one of his epistles to the Churches. This is because unity is so hard to develop and maintain.

III. PUTTING OTHERS FIRST (verse 3)

In verse 3 Paul hits on the problem. We live in a selfish society. Here’s a true example of selfishness. A farmer who was single decided that he wanted a wife. So he put an ad in the newspaper that read: “Man 35 wants woman about 25 with tractor. Send picture of tractor.”

The person who lets others go first is often considered to be weak. But if you forget yourself for the sake of others, others will not forget you, and your life will be filled with joy.

A rich baker sent for 20 of the poorest children in his town and said to them, “In this basket is a loaf of bread for each of you. Take one and come back every day and I’ll give you more.” Immediately the youngsters began quarreling about who would get the largest loaf. Snatching from the basket, they left without even thanking the baker. Gretchen, a poorly dressed little girl, patiently waited until the others had left. She then took the smallest loaf which remained in the basket, kissed the old man’s hand, and went home.
The next day the scene was repeated. But when Gretchen’s mother sliced this loaf, she found many shiny silver coins inside. When Gretchen took the money back to the baker, he said, “No, my child, it was not a mistake. I put them into the smallest loaf to reward you.” Are we willing to be unselfish for Jesus’ sake? Dwight L. Moody was a well-known pastor, evangelist, and founder of a Bible college which is now called Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. He gave this motto to one of the graduating classes: “Do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the ways you can, for as long as you can.” What a wonderful reminder of how you and I can demonstrate our concern for others! Say that motto over again several times until you can quote it for memory. Then say it to yourself each morning, and ask God to give the ability to put it into practice with a spirit of joy. Each evening thank God for the ways He used you that day, and pray for the individuals you had the privilege of serving.

IV. LOOKING OUT FOR OTHERS (verse 4)

Verse 4 tells us that there is a balance. God does not want us to neglect our own needs, nor does He want us to become a “doormat” for others to walk on and take advantage of. But Paul says, “do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Loving others can set us free from our own selfishness.

A mother took her young daughter shopping one day and grumbled about a disabled beggar who was partially blocking the sidewalk. He was sitting on a street corner trying to earn a few pennies selling pencils. “Mommy, let’s give that poor man something”, pleaded the little girl eagerly. “We’re in a hurry, darling”, replied the mother in a muffled voice. “And besides, he’s none of our business!” Tightening her grip on the child’s hand, she hastened past the beggar and went on to purchase two new hats she really didn’t need.  That night the youngster said her prayers as usual while her mother listened.  After repeating her “Now I lay me down to sleep”, she suddenly exclaimed, “Dear Jesus, please help that poor man we saw on the street today!” There was a short pause. Then she said, “Oh, I’m sorry, Jesus, I forgot. Mommy said ‘he’s none of our business’!” Convicted by her daughter’s words, the mother hung her head in shame.

Dr. Karl Menninger, the well-known psychiatrist, was asked at a forum what to do if one felt a nervous breakdown coming on. You would expect him to say, “See a psychiatrist”. Instead, he replied, “Lock up your house, go across the railroad tracks, find someone in need, and do something for him.” That was good scriptural advice.

Let’s live unselfishly today so that as we close our eyes in sleep tonight we can do so with the satisfaction and joy that comes from looking out for others.