Intro:
Coach Richey, Jr high football, in 8th
grade. He knew how to motivate and it was his person that moved me on in
that effort. To me he was a giant of a man with a booming voice and a
heart of gold.
The role of a defensive end on an option
or a sweep- ‘Boom! … Boom! … Contain!’
Hits would come from either side but your
jobs was to hold off those hit and stand your ground. Whether or not you
made the tackle, your job was to stand your ground. You were the point
man. If you held your position, the tackle would be made. If you gave
way, the opposition may break a big play.
This is the situation Timothy is in here
in 2 Timothy. The main point of the letter is to tell him to hold his
ground- to fend off pressure from opposition and stand firm in the truth.
‘Boom! … Boom! … Contain!’
1.
Be strong- hold you ground
‘You’ve got to stand
Stand like steel
And carry your cross through the fire
That’s part of the deal
You’ve got to stand
Stand like steel
Nobody ever promised a garden of roses
Nobody gets to heaven without a fight
That’s right
Stand like steel
Now we all must fight our private battles
To tear away this darkness
That enslaves us from our birth
It takes more than guts
To be strong enough
It’s an act of faith in the power of love
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source of strength
Phil 4:13- I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me
Eph 6:10- Be strong in the Lord and in the
strength of His might
Prov 8:10- The name of the Lord is a
strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe
1 Sam 30:6- But David strengthened himself
in the Lord his God
Psalm 18:1-3- I love Thee, O Lord, my
strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God,
my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my
stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am
saved from my enemies.’
Put your roots down deep into the grace of
Christ so you can take in the strength you will need.
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not just defensive but offensive, pass on the truth
Endurance involves training others to know
and retain the truth. Hold your ground and train others to do so also
Ø
Training the next generation
of folks to stand in the Gap- cateechism
2.
Suffer- if you stand your ground the winds will beat upon you
Repetition of the point of the necessity
of suffering.
Can we call
ourselves Christians, if Christians throughout history have stood true in
face of persecution but we shrink back in face of ridicule?
Some illustrations of this:
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Stay Focussed
Coach Richey, again- ‘Men, you’re in
training. And when you’re in training,’ you don’t live like everybody
else (‘gut bombs’ & cokes)
If we
are going to please God, we must focus on what really counts (Col 3:2) and
not get entangled with all the issues of this life which are not lasting
(‘the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches’). Matt 6:33
The
things of daily life are good and necessary. The point is to not loose
the eternal focus. Don’t get sidetracked by thinking that careers,
vacations, whose dating who, popularity, prestige, etc. are the key issues
in life.
The
desire to please Christ trumps all- whole hearted devotion
Ø
Illus: Alexander the Great besieging a city
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Follow God’s rules
In the midst of difficulty it is tempting to cut
some corners, to cheat a bit to get by without so much work.
This
could involve deciding not to stand up for truth in certain settings or in
allowing certain sins in your life (‘I’ve been really good in these areas,
I deserve to let up a bit here and have a good sin’).
Ø
Illus: boy ‘helping’ a butterfly get out of its cocoon. He
eased its struggle but then it was unable to fly. If you want to fly you
must struggle along the way. Shortcuts short circuit our growth
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Path of blessing
It is
the one who works hard who has a part in the blessing.
3. Remember the gospel, Jesus (Heb 12:1-2)
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Remember why you’re in this
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This gives strength because this message cannot be bound
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The salvation of souls is worth suffering for
4. Closing statement
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Blessing of endurance
So hang in there
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Warning of apostasy/giving up
This is a real warning
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Assurance in the faithfulness of God
Our
unfaithfulness cannot change the character of God! The faithfulness of
Christ depends not on my performance but on His character. My assurance
then is based on His promise, His grace, His faithfulness. He keeps me; I
do not keep myself.
‘If faithful we remain,
With God we shall reign.
If, however, we deny
We surely will die.
But if we waiver in the pains,
Christ ever faithful remains.’