A Life of Service in Christ Jesus

II Timothy 2:1-4

I. Grace is the Source of the Christian Life is Christ Jesus
A. It is a life whose strength is derived from the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,”
B. It is a life that is to be shared with many others who will share Christ Jesus.
2 “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful
men who will be able to teach others also.”
C. It will be a life with its fair share of suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”
D. It is a life that is single-minded; its one pursuit is to please Christ.
4 “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who
enlisted him.”

It is the grace that is in Christ Jesus that empowers a Christian to be all that he is capable of being for the glory of God. The Apostle Paul wrote it another way in I Corinthians 15:10,
10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me”.

II. Suffering is Part of our Service to Christ Jesus
A. As a good soldier of Christ Jesus, we are to suffer.
3 “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2Ti 2:3 ESV).
B. To receive a grant of suffering from Christ is a high honor, indeed.
29 “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” (Phi 1:29 ESV)”
C. Knowing that it is God’s will for his soldier to suffer at times only increases the soldier’s faith in this Captain in knowing what is best for His men.
19 “Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” (1Pe 4:19 ESV).

III. A Life of Service is a Life of Standing in the Grace of Christ
A. With the full armor of God on, we can stand against the schemes of the devil.
11 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph 6:11 ESV).
B. Our stand is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil.
12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12 ESV).
C. Having all the full armor of God on, not only will we be able to withstand, but also to stand firm in the evil day.
13 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Eph 6:13 ESV).