This outline reminds us that we need to be faithful in our place of service in God’s perfect will. We should be careful to not get sidetracked from God’s purpose for our lives. We should be involved in God’s BEST for our lives!Title: “We Need Stickability!”
Text: II Timothy 2:3-4
(2 Timothy 2:3-4) “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” (KJV)
Introduction:
• In World War II, on the night preceding D-Day, the Allied forces flew in paratroopers well behind the front lines in hopes to divert attention from their main objective: NORMANDY.
• For quite some time, the Allies were building up forces in Great Britain. The Germans never suspected that the Allies would cross the channel anywhere but at the narrowest point. Instead they crossed at the widest, which was NORMANDY.
• I mention these facts about the war of the greatest generation because what the Allies successfully accomplished is what Satan tries to do to each Child of God!
• If he can divert our attention from the main objective, which is the Will of God, then he has mimicked the allied forces of WWII and has sidetracked our usefulness.
• God needs for his children to have stickability.
• This is what Paul tells Timothy in our text.
Proposition: There are three things I want us to see tonight about the need for stickability!
I. Notice The Picture Our Text Paints!
A. Our text paints the picture of a foot soldier’s life.
B. Paul was trying to convey that we are soldiers of the cross and we should be able to endure hardness!
C. He points to the fact that we should not get distracted by things in this life that would hinder us from pleasing God!
D. Distractions like:
i. Material things
ii. Problems at work and at home
iii. Political situations – President Obama
E. Paul does not say that these things will not be hard for us, but admonishes us to endure them!
II. Notice The Example Of Our Lord!
A. There is no greater example of enduring hard times than the one found in our Lord Jesus Christ!
B. None of us can imagine what it was for Christ to suffer for us!
C. Consider what was said of Him in Hebrews
(Hebrews 12:2) “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (KJV)
III. Notice The Lives Of Many Bible Characters!
A. David reflects upon the hard times he faced when he penned Psalm 60.
(Psalms 60:3) “Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.” (KJV)
B. Muse upon Hebrews chapter eleven.
C. We should realize that these people endured a great fight, and we can to!
D. I like what Pastor Billy Ball said when went full time in the ministry. He was struggling and he felt like God told him to say “By faith… Billy Ball” when he read chapter eleven of Hebrews!
E. There is one common denominator about these heroes of the faith: they all had stickability!
Conclusion:
• Sinner be saved!
• Christian strive for stickability! Endure hardness!
Related articles
- Stop Doing and Start Growing: Grow in Grace (ifbkjv.com)
