GRACE TO SERVE

 

” You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses ENTRUST to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”- {2 Tim 2:1-3.}.

 The Scriptures are known in Acts 20:32, as “The word of His Grace,” and what a beautiful title and description. “And now I entrust you to God and the {Word} message of His grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for Himself “ {NLT}. They come from the “God of all Grace,” who in His generosity had them written and persevered and through them has revealed Himself, His means to salvation and living in the power of His Spirit whom He has given to “guide you into all truth.“-{John 16:13}

This “Word of grace,” records for us concerning a young man named Timothy whose name means, “Honoring God.” 

1. – We are told he would have been looked down upon, because he was young.His opinion would not have been valued due to his age, it would have had little significance or value. Paul told him the way to counteract was to let his character speak for him. “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”-{ 1 Timothy 4:12}.

2. – We are told he was easily intimidated“When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.”-{1 Cor 16:10}.

3. – He was frequently sick,“Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.“-{1 Tim 5:23}. 

Yet despite these three things, youth, easily intimidated, frequently sick yet Paul says of him, “I have no one else who will genuinely be concerned for YOU, for all seek after their own interests and not those of Christ…” -{Phil 2:20-21 }.SO WE KNOW HE Had learned to Submit to authority, that he “genuinely” served and cared for others and his supreme concern was  the interests of Christ. He was a servant, he was selfless. He was Christ like, and he did not allow his youth, timidity, or frequent illness as an excuse to drop out. He did not turn inward, but Upward  towards the Lord and Outward in genuinely caring and serving others for Jesus sake! 

And now as a young pastor, Paul tells him that he would find grace to enable, empower Him to live to serve the LORD and in training and teaching other men, “The Word of His Grace!” The qualification? They had to be “faithful.” “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 ” -{2 Tim 2:2}. Note in this passage, it is  like a relay race when it comes to training and passing on the truth, so others could teach the Word of Grace. Paul passes  it on to Timothy who passes it on to faithful men who in turn are to pass on to faithful men. Four Generations! 

And he calls him also to “suffer as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”- { 2 Tim 2:3}. Following Christ  would  not be a bed of roses, but would involve suffering, and he had experienced it and needed to know this is part of the life you have been called to. Soldier would speak of fighting, but not for a region, a county, an emperor or king or queen but in this war, invisible at times against principalities in the unseen realm, as a loyal soldier taking orders from and  being loyal and faithful to Him in His cause! He was under the loving, saving, gracious authority of the LORD Jesus and enlisted to “Suffer as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 

We are in a war-zone, a spiritual war-zone. But our weapons are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds of lies, wrong thinking  built up in the lives, minds of people. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ -{2 Cor 10:4-5}.

Our war is not to inflict damage on people but through the Word of His Grace shared in love to see them liberated. “For if you continue in My Word then you  are truly My disciples and will know the truth and the truth will set you free!”-{John 8:31-32}.

 He was to draw on and withdraw from the strength of the Grace which is in Christ Jesus. Allowing Hum to strengthen him. His Grace to overcome what could appear to be hindrances of, youth, timidity, frequently sickness, he could have used any of them to back out and say “I can’t… I’m too young, no one listens to me.. I can’t I’m to easily intimidated… I can’t, I’m too sick…” But he did not, He chose to be strong, and derive His strength from allowing Jesus Christ to strengthen him, with His grace, empowering him, that was greater than his temperament and frequent illness’s. Grace to serve Him. Grace to overcome the false teaching that was seeking to disturb others and lead them astray by having the ability to counteract with the Truth from – “The Word of His Grace!”- {Read 1 Tim 1;3-7}.

Only trough reception by faith, in dependency upon the Grace of the Lord Jesus  could he serve effectively.

Self reliance nullifies His supernatural, empowering grace…

to serve Him His way, and with graciousness, to lead by serving others through example and the teaching of the  Word of Grace! The Grace of Jesus Christ could and would strengthen him to serve, humbly, submissively, effectively, sacrificially, selflessly, lovingly, purposely, for Christ’s sake!

Grace, the Divine favor of God, His kindness and power not only saves us, sustains us but strengthens us to serve others for His sake!

What are some truths we can learn from Timothy?

1. He did not allow his youth, fear, temperament,frequent illness to deter him from investing his life in others for Jesus. 

Do you use EXCUSES to keep you from serving and investing in others?

2. He served others for Jesus sake. If we seek to serve others for our own sake it will be hay wood and stubble. Always the highest motive is for His sake

3. There is Strength, His grace available to you for the task set before you. Avail of it.

4. It is a spiritual war zone, not a play ground. And our weapons are His Spirit, The Word Of His Grace, Prayer and investing our lives in others in His empowering Grace for Jesus sake!

You too can  “…be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus.” and effectively serve Him in a hostile world, where you are!

Keep Serving Him…draw upon His Grace. Let Him strengthen you, He will… Invest your life in others for Jesus sake! Leaving a Godly Legacy… investing in one soul at a time. Timothy was well named “one who honors God,” and we see his life showed he was one who “‘Honored God.”

 Lord make it true of me, mine and the reader please!  

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”