2 Timothy Study #3

“Bite the Bullet”

2 Timothy 2:1-7

Study #3 in 2 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

I have an interesting book in my library entitled, The Dictionary of Clichés: Their Meanings and Origins, by James Rogers. You have all heard the expression, “to bite the bullet.” This is what Mr. Rogers says about it: “It means to brace yourself for an unpleasant experience; to decide to get on with a difficult task. Although one can find other explanations, it seems most plausible that the term originated in battlefield surgery before the days of anesthesia. A surgeon about to operate on a wounded soldier would urge him to bite on a bullet of soft lead to distract him from the pain: at least it would minimize his ability to scream and thus divert the surgeon.”

We all know the concept. It’s Saturday and I want to go fishing or perhaps ride my motorcycle. But the lawn needs mowing, and the shrubs need trimming, and the weatherman says that starting tomorrow it’s going to rain for two solid weeks. So instead of doing what I feel like doing, I “bite the bullet” and go out and mow the lawn and trim the bushes. See what I mean? 

TRANSITION:

In this, our third study of 2 Timothy, Paul tells Timothy that he needs to “bite the bullet” and get serious about carrying out the mission to which God has called him. He needs to toughen up and be strong. He needs to speak up and train others as a good teacher. He needs to soldier up and remember that as Christians we are engaged in a real war. He needs to bulk up and grow some spiritual muscles like a professional athlete. And last of all, he needs to get down and dirty like a dedicated farmer who sacrifices everything to gain a harvest. Let’s jump right into our text in 2 Timothy 2:1-7. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 1: You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

• The word “therefore” is a hinge word. It forces us to look back to see what has just been said that forms the basis for what the writer is about to say. In this case, Paul has just been talking about the fact that Timothy should not be ashamed of Christ, or the Gospel, or of Paul (vs. 8). Rather, he should be ready to join with Paul in suffering for the Gospel if he should be called upon to do so. In 1:13 Paul lays a charge on Timothy to “retain the standard” even though there were some people in Ephesus who wanted to twist or water-down the truth from the Scriptures. And even though many Christians from throughout the region of Asia were distancing themselves from Paul and shirking their responsibilities, Timothy was to “guard through the Holy Spirit the Gospel treasure that had been entrusted to him” (verse 14).
• So now, here in 2:1 Paul continues, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Paul points out the source of Timothy’s strength to carry out his mission. The source is not his intelligence, his theological training, his spiritual gifts, his charm, wit, good looks, or personality, but rather, “…in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” In Greek grammar this is what is called “a locative of sphere.” As children of God, we live in the sphere, the realm of our Father’s grace. It is like the air we breathe. It is like the water that surrounds a fish. In the sphere of His grace, we can be strong. The Lord is our Strength, says the psalmist, and that is as true now as it was in the past. Listen to these words from Moses to the Children of Israel recorded in Deuteronomy 31:6-8. “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”  ⁷ Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.  ⁸ The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” 
• This is the same thing that Paul is saying to Timothy. 

Verse 2: The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  

• In terms of leadership-development and disciple-making this is one of the most instructive and important verses in the New Testament. It outlines both the process and the desired outcome.
• Imagine with me a series of links making up a long, strong chain. Jesus is the first link. Jesus came to earth on a mission with a message. He chose a bunch of men into whom He poured His life. Paul was one of those who were hand-chosen by the Lord. So, Paul is the second link in this chain. Paul, in turn, chose some men and invested his life in them—some of their names were Epaphroditus, Trophimus, Erastus, Urbanus, and Andronicus. And, of course, there was Timothy. Imagine Timothy as being the third link in our chain. Now Paul writes to Timothy and tells him to choose some “faithful men” that he can teach and train and “entrust” with the message and the job of faithfully and accurately proclaiming it. So now let’s lump those faithful men together and call it our 4^th link. But the chain does not end there! Paul continues, “…faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” There is our 5^th link in the chain. And do you see that the chain has no end? It continues, right up to our day. The process goes on!
• This was Jesus’ plan from the beginning, that those handpicked by Him would go on to lead others to faith and would train them to lead still others to saving faith in Christ. In John 17:20 Jesus prayed for His disciples, but in so doing He prayed for us as well: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message.” There it is! Each one wins one and the chain keeps growing. That is how the Gospel message finally got to you and to me!
• “…faithful men” The Lord is not looking for super-Christians, super-heroes with a big capital “C” sewn on the front of their shirts and blouses. The primary requirement of being used by God is not great intellect, great oratory skills, great charisma, etc. It is “faithfulness.”  That puts success in reach of all of us, because by God’s grace and with the Spirit’s help we can all be “faithful” if we choose to be. It is just a matter of faith and obedience. Like the old Gospel song says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way…” It’s not rocket-science!

Verse 3: Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

• This is the second of four vocations that Paul talks about in this text. Think about it. In verse 2 he uses the analogy of a TEACHER. A good teacher looks for willing learners. He invests his best effort in those who want to learn. Of course, he must teach everyone, but he reserves his best for those with ears to hear. So first, Paul tells Timothy that he is to be a faithful teacher, a mentor, and he is to look for faithful students. You see, this whole context is about using different examples to illustrate that word “faithful” in verse 2.
• In verse 3 Paul introduces a second analogy, that of the GOOD SOLDIER. He says that Timothy is to suffer hardship right along with him as a fellow soldier of Jesus Christ. Christ is the General. We are the privates. He is in charge. We are not in charge. He leads. We follow. He commands. We obey. We call Him “LORD” because He is the Commander-in-Chief.
• Hardship is part of the expected life of a soldier. Anyone who joins the US Army with the intention of becoming an Army Ranger has already heard about “Hell Week.” It should come as no surprise. Anyone joining the US Marine Corp knows upfront that he is going to have to toughen up to survive the 20-mile forced marches while carrying a 70-pound pack plus a rifle and extra ammo. It is part of the job! And suffering hardship is just part of being a good and faithful soldier of Jesus Christ. 

Verse 4: No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

• Continuing the analogy of the good soldier Paul points out to Timothy that the soldier’s life has very few frills. He owns very little. He travels light. He does not have a lot of outside interests and hobbies because he is so focused on being a “good soldier.” Paul says that these kinds of civilian interests are really “entanglements” to a soldier. An “entanglement” is anything that trips you up, and slows you down, and keeps you from doing what you are supposed to be doing.
• Moreover, Paul reminds Timothy about Who it was that enlisted him. It was not Paul. It was Jesus himself. You and I need to have that same sense, that it is Jesus that we want to please, and not other people. Our service is for Him and for His glory, His honor, and His Kingdom.

Verse 5: Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. 

• Here we have Paul’s 3^rd analogy—that of a professional ATHLETE—a wrestler or fighter to be exact. I think Paul had in mind the Greek Olympic Games. You may not know that our English word “athlete” comes straight from the Greek verb, athléo, which means, “I wrestle, or fight, or contend.” I can really relate to this because of our son, Chris, who was a professional mixed martial artist. The life of a professional fighter is no picnic. It involves a grueling schedule of dieting, running, weightlifting, sparring, and long hours in the gym. Then as the fight event draws near the athlete often must cut weight to qualify. The day before the fight they have a weigh-in. If the fighter cannot “make weight” he is either penalized or can even be disqualified. Then in the fight itself the fighters must compete by the rules. There is a referee in the ring watching closely to be sure that the fighters do not cheat or take unfair advantage or use any kind of “low blow.” If a fighter refuses to fight by the established rules, he is simply disqualified and thrown out, paid nothing, and his opponent is declared the winner.
• In the realm of the Christian life how does this principle apply? I believe that Paul is reminding Timothy that a Christian leader is always under scrutiny: by the world and the devil, as well as by the Lord and other Christians. If he is faking it, sooner or later the truth will come out.

Verse 6: The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.

• This is the 4^th in a series of four analogies that Paul uses to describe what a Christian is to be like. Not only is he/she to be a dedicated teacher, and a loyal soldier, and a disciplined athlete, but also a hard-working FARMER. I can certainly appreciate this concept. Back when I was in college I did ranch work during the summers, full-time in the summer and part-time throughout the school year. I can tell you that farmers and ranchers are some of the hardest working people I have ever known. They start early and work late. They are up before the chickens and do not quit until after dark, and they do it day after day, year after year.
• But some of my best memories of those days are sitting around the dinner table with a bunch of farm hands. Boy did we eat well! We had huge breakfasts, enormous dinners, and even bigger suppers. Of course, you earned every bite, but still, we ate mighty high on the hog, as they say. And most of that food came right off the ranch. The bread was made from wheat that we had harvested. The meat was from cattle that we raised. The vegetables and fruit came right out of the farmer’s garden and the orchard. And rightly so! Look at what Paul says here.
• “The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.” Notice that word “ought.” This is both a right and an obligation. Let me illustrate. If a farmer grows the crop but is unwilling to eat it, maybe there is something wrong with it. In the same way, if a chef were willing to cook the food but refuses to eat what he has prepared, I would look for a different restaurant. It is a sign that something is fishy. And it is only right and fair that the farmer “receives his share of the crops.”
• Paul develops this idea more fully in 1 Corinthians 9:1-14 where he defends the idea that the servant of God has the right to be justly compensated for his work, but here Paul stresses the spiritual benefit that Timothy should receive from his faithful service. He should personally know the blessings of the message he is giving to others. Paul said almost the same thing in his first letter to Timothy, back in 1 Timothy 4:15-16. Here it is in the NLT: “Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. ¹⁶ Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.” This leads us right into verse 7. 

Verse 7: Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

• Here in this last verse of our text Paul tells Timothy to go find a quiet spot to sit down and “consider” these things. Mull it over in your mind, he says. Meditate on these truths. And as you do this, the Holy Spirit of God will give you insights into these truths. They will begin to make all kinds of sense. Applications will begin to pop into your mind. The Lord will show you how this applies to you, your life, and your ministry.

CONCLUSION:

In applying this passage I would ask if we are really ready to “bite the bullet” and get serious about our Christian life. We talk a lot about the joy, and peace, and happiness, and fulfilment in being a Christian, and there is nothing wrong with those things. Those are the things that most of us have come to associate with being a follower of Christ. But according to Paul and Jesus and the other biblical writers we should also expect hardship, discipline, suffering, painful training, and just plain hard work. That is the “normal Christian life,” not the coddled existence that so many of us modern Christians think is the norm.

Listen to me, dear Christian, hard times are coming, and may be on us sooner than we think. It is time to start toughening up, getting down to our fighting weight, disciplining ourselves in righteousness to stand firm in the evil day. Like good soldiers, and professional fighters, and hard-working farmers we must commit ourselves to the task that God has called us to do, to be ambassadors for Christ, soldiers of the Kingdom, wise farmers who know how to plant good seed, water, and harvest when God gives the increase. This passage challenges me to become more than I am right now; to “cowboy up” to the task of bringing men and women to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Will you join me?