Mission Critical

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2Tim 2:3-4).

One of the iconic scenes from movies comes near the end of “Saving Private Ryan.” (I’m NOT wasting my time with a “spoiler alert!” This flick came out in 1998. If you haven’t seen Spielberg’s classic by now, this one’s on you. I’m sure it’s on a cable channel near you this weekend.)

The flick takes place in the days following the Normandy Invasion. Tom Hanks’ character Captain John Miller leads a unit with a singular mission. They must rescue Private James Ryan, played by Matt Damon, whose three brothers all died on D-Day. Once they find Ryan, Miller’s boys are in the fight of their lives in the French village of Ramelle when enemy tanks roll into town. 

In the climactic scene, Miller has taken a Nazi bullet and is dying on a bridge in a small French town. Having rescued Ryan, he musters every ounce of strength to whisper in his ear, “Earn this.” The captain desperately wants to pass along one final command to this grunt before he dies.

(Before we go any further, I have to say too many pastors and writers have totally abused and misused this scene to manipulate people into committing their lives to Jesus or simply signing up to volunteer in the parking lot. WRONG! This is absolutely NOT Christ’s message from the cross. We CANNOT earn this! The Lord did for us what we could NEVER do for ourselves. Instead of buying us a ticket for a massive guilt trip, our Savior frees us from our sin and rebellion to live a life of freedom and worship. Whew. Glad I got that off my chest.)

But there is a comparison to Miller’s final words to Ryan and Paul’s instructions to Timothy here in 2 Timothy 2:3-4. Like the captain, the apostle is at death’s door (2Tim 4:6-7). Not so much in the battlefield but a Roman prison (2Tim 1:8, 16). In essence, Paul’s a POW. He pleads with Tim to come see him before it’s too late (2Tim 9, 21). Just in case the young pastor can’t get there in time, he receives orders from his CO on how to proceed in the war. 

Stay focused on the mission because the mission is critical.

Here in the second chapter of 2 Timothy, Paul paints the first of three pictures for his friend. Analogy number one is a soldier (v3-4). Number two is an athlete (2Tim 2:5). Last but not least is a hard-working farmer (2Tim 2:6). Each illustration gives us a better understanding of what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus. In the battlefield. In the playing field. In the farm field.  

The apostle reminds us that as a disciples we don’t fight alone. We’re to “share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (v3). We’re not Rambo. We’re not some rogue Delta Force commando who’s gone reckless and disregards orders. We’re supernaturally connected to others, especially when it comes to affliction. The apostle uses a Greek term that means to undergo affliction along with someone else:  sugkakopatheo. Doesn’t exactly roll right off your tongue, does it? 

When you pull it apart, it’s actually a compound word. “Together (sug-) harmed (-kako-) by suffering (-patheo).” Try as you might, you’ll only find this word twice in the entire Bible. And both of them are right here in Paul’s last letter. Earlier, he told Tim that there’s absolutely no reason to be embarrassed about being associated with either the message of Jesus or his mentor’s time behind bars. Instead “share in the suffering (Gr. sugkakopatheo) for the Gospel by the power of God” (2Tim 1:8).

What Paul wants Tim and anybody else who reads this letter to know is that we’re not alone when it comes to pain. We’re going to experience the same type of suffering as others do. We don’t have to suffer alone. Like soldiers fighting together in a squad, when one is wounded, everyone is wounded. We’ve always got each other’s backs…ESPECIALLY when a member of our unit takes a bullet on the battlefield. 

I gotta be honest. I’m not all that excited about the idea of any kind of suffering. Neither is Paul or Tim. But it’s great to know we never hurt alone. The apostle tells the folks in Rome that we should never let fellow believers cry alone (Rom 12:15). When one member of our church suffers, we all suffer (1Cor 12:26). And when God gives us the strength to stand in the baddest storms, He then puts us in the position of walking with others when pain makes landfall in their lives (2Cor 1:4).

There’s more to it than that. A LOT more! We also share in the suffering of our Savior. In a letter to his friends in Philippi, he comes clean about how he made a mess of his own life by trying to pile up credentials for his religious resume in order to impress God (Phil 3:4-6). Once he came face-to-face with his resurrected Savior, Paul realized that knowing Jesus personally and intimately was the only thing that matters. He made it a top priority to get to know Him, understand the power of His resurrection, and in some way “share in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death” (Phil 3:10). 

But because Jesus took the full brunt of God’s fury for our sin, we don’t have to. There’s a word folks at seminaries throw around for that. Propitiation. It means to satisfy or soothe. On that Roman cross, Christ was on the receiving end of every ounce of His Father’s wrath. As a matter of fact, His Dad put His Son “forward as a propitiation by His blood” for you and me (Rom 3:25). Jesus played the role of both priest and sacrifice “to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Heb 2:17). “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1Jn 2:2). 

That’s the picture of Captain Miller and his unit putting their lives on the line so that Ryan could survive. That’s what Jesus did for us. Think of a fellow G.I. diving on a grenade so his buddies could live. Better yet, throwing Himself on a multimegaton nuke to save us all.

As his commanding officer, Paul orders Timothy that this is what he’s to do “as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (v3). The apostle uses military lingo at this point. Let’s face it, folks in the service have an entirely different lingo. It’s shall we say, “colorful.” Here we see the word “soldier,” or in the original language stratiotes. This term describes foot soldier, or member of the infantry. 

We’re not talking about brass here. No bird colonels. You won’t find Tim as at the officer’s club. This is a grunt. An enlisted soldier. We don’t have to worry about who’s giving the orders. We’re not under some brutal and abusive drill sergeant. We’re all under the authority of the Ultimate Commander-in-Chief Christ Jesus. Our General has not only been through the battle for us, He goes into battle with us. Hoohah!

A lot of folks get all worked up by this whole “Onward Christian Soldiers” deal. I get it. Plenty of goofballs have taken it WAY too far. But it’s a go-to metaphor in God’s Word for our war against the evil in the world, the sin in our heart, and Satan himself. Here in his two letters to Tim, Paul encourages the young preacher to “wage the good warfare” (1Tim 1:18).The apostle looks back on the battlefield with satisfaction. He has “fought the good fight” (2Tim 4:7) and wants his friend to do the same (1Tim 6:12).

We see military talk in both letters to the Corinthians (1Cor 9:7; 2Cor 10:3-5). Paul refers to his buddy Epaphroditus a “fellow soldier” (Phil 2:25). In a quick note to Philemon, the apostle describes their mutual friend Archippus the very same way (Phm 2). God gives each one of us His spiritual body armor to put on each day (Eph 6:10-20). Here’s the deal. War is terrible. We should ALL hate it. But we are in a fight with the ultimate evil. And I’m NOT talking about ISIS.

Paul tells Timothy to stay focused. “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits” (v4). The apostle uses a word here (Gr. emplekomai) that means to be mixed up in something, or to be involved to the point where you experience severe restrictions as to what you can do. It literally means to weave together, braid, or intertwine. In other words, we must not get too tangled up in stuff that doesn’t matter that it distracts us from our goal. 

Stay focused on the mission because the mission is critical. 

Just as a soldier can’t get hung up in the weeds of civilian life, we need to be careful as well. My career is important and certainly a gift from God but have I made it an idol? Am I shining God’s light in the workplace or is it drawing me further from Him? How about my kids? Youth sports and other activities are wonderful. But are we so over-scheduled that we spend every evening and weekend running to baseball tournaments, swim meets, and cheerleading competitions? Am I worshiping my kids rather than the One who gave His life for me? 

As some have said, anytime we take a good thing and make it a god thing it’s a bad thing. That’s idolatry in the 21st Century. That’s becoming “entangled in civilian pursuits” (v4). Don’t think that yours truly doesn’t have his issues here. And that’s just a sample of the stuff that can snarl us these days. Do I need to go on? Didn’t think so. I love how the writer of Hebrews restates this idea like a coach. Run life like a race and keep your eyes on “Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:1-2).

Stay focused on the mission because the mission is critical.

We must avoid the trap of distraction by remembering Who’s in command. Paul reminds Pastor Tim how for each soldier “his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (v4). Just in case you didn’t know who that is, we’re talking about Jesus. This is where we could go into a long and involved discussion of whether you were drafted into the service (predestined) or enlisted (free will). Instead let’s just assume you’re a follower of Christ. In other words, you’re in His service. It doesn’t matter at this point how you got it. 

Our goal is to please our Commanding Officer. Our aim is to put a mile on the General’s face. First of all, you’re NOT trying to make God like you more or love you more deeply. He already does. That’s a done deal. What Paul is talking about here is making the most of moments we have here in this life. Our mission is to love God and love others. We worship Him by serving and sacrificing for others. Nothing makes our Leader happier than when we give of ourselves just as He gave for us (Jn 13:34-35).

Flash back to that conversation in “Saving Private Ryan.” Captain Miller has one final command for the young soldier. Paul does the same for Timothy. Keep this forefront no matter what you do. Stay focused on the mission because the mission is critical.

Running toward Danger

“This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare” (1Tim 1:18).

It’s a classic scene in every movie trailer. The hero running toward the camera as the building explodes behind him. But shouldn’t a real hero be sprinting the other way? Should they be heading toward danger? That’s exactly what Chris Mintz did when a gunman started shooting at an Oregon community college. He ran TOWARD danger, taking bullets himself and saving the lives of others. 

Here in his letter to Timothy, Paul encourages his protege not to run away from the fight but do just the opposite. “This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare” (v18). Years ago, God revealed to Tim how one day the young pastor would courageously head toward the fight. Now that day is here. There are problems in Ephesus. Big problems. A gang of spiritual hucksters are stirring up trouble and it’s Timothy’s job to shut them down (1Tim 1:3-7). It’s time for Tim to run TOWARD danger, not away from it.

The apostle has special instructions for this special young man. “This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child” (v18). The word the ESV translates as “child” doesn’t describe a little boy. It’s teknon, which can mean someone with whom you have close relationship and is your descendant. Paul addresses this letter “To Timothy, my true child in the faith” (1Tim 1:2). They’re not genetically but spiritually father and son. The apostle isn’t married and doesn’t have any kids of his own, but Tim is his direct spiritual descendant. Paul leaves a spiritual legacy in the young pastor of Ephesus. 

Chances are somebody was a Paul to your Tim. Now it’s time for you to pull on your big boy pants and be Paul yourself. So who’s your teknon? What spiritual legacy are leaving? Who are you encouraging? Who are you building into? One important thing to remember when it comes to leaving a legacy. It’s NOT about making a name for yourself. It’s about making Jesus famous. It’s ALL about impacting lives to give God glory. 

Paul then walks down memory lane as he looks at the present situation. His spiritual son is to lean into his next task by looking back into the past “in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you” (v18). Somehow, someway, God pulled back the curtain on Tim’s life and made some rather startling predictions. In case you’re wondering, when God makes a prediction about your future, you can pretty much take it to the bank! 

Let’s be clear on this. Jesus has never physically appeared at my kitchen table and personally clued me in on what’s going to happen. I’m NOT saying He couldn’t. I’m also NOT saying He hasn’t done something crazy like that for you. But there have been numerous times when He’s used others to encourage and challenge me to step into something I otherwise would have avoided. And more than once, I get the strong sense I’m supposed to deliver a specific message to someone. Ever happened to you? God’s Spirit can do some rather crazy stuff when we’re simply willing to do what He lays on our hearts. 

Paul recalls these specific “prophecies previously made” to Timothy. The Greek verb here is proago, which certainly can mean to precede or happen before. But it also can mean leading the way to something, going in front of, inducing, or bringing about a result. As his spiritual dad, the apostle implies that God used someone (probably Paul) to deliver prophecies about Tim about using his spiritual gift in the future. A little later in this letter, he reminds Timothy, “Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you” (1Tim 4:14). Paul constantly encourages his spiritual son to “fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands” (2Tim 1:6). 

Long before he was Pastor Tim, he found all about his gift in a direct revelation from God through others. There’s a good chance this went down just before he joined Paul’s posse in Lystra during his second Mediterranean tour (Acts 16:1-3). Like Queen Esther, God put Tim in specific time at a specific place “for such a time as this” (Est 4:14). One day he run TOWARD danger, not away from it.

Just in case there’s any doubt about which direction Tim’s to go when disaster strikes, Paul says these previous prophecies were delivered “that by them you may wage the good warfare” (v18). It’s time for an assault, big boy, not retreat. “Wage” (Gr. strateuo) means to perform military service, fight like a soldier, make war, go into battle. “Warfare” (Gr. strateia) pictures a military campaign, an assault or a battle. The original language here is just a wee bit awkward. You can literally translate “wage the good warfare” as “war the good war.” Both of these terms are military terms from a root word meaning soldier. It’s where we get our English idea of strategy.

But wait a second. As followers of Jesus, are we supposed to go picking fight? Does the Prince of Peace really approve of me punching somebody in the nose? Doesn’t all this talk of going to war sound rather, I don’t know, Old Testament? Where’s the grace of Jesus? Where’s the love of the Lamb of God we read about in the New Testament? So glad you asked. Don’t make the mistake looking at the Bible that way. God’s grace drips from the pages of the OT. How else is a philanderer/murderer king also “a man after God’s own heart” (1Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22)? 

Meanwhile God’s justice a mega-theme in the NT.  Jesus goes all Jason Bourne on the money changers and vendors in His Father’s house not once, but twice (Jn 2:13-22; Mt 21:12-17). And don’t forget the description of Christ at His second coming (Rev 19:11. He has fire in His eyes. His tongue is a sword. His robe drips with blood. He’s leading an angel army. He’s got a wicked tattoo on His leg that says, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” I certainly don't want to be on the receiving end of THAT!

What’s the big idea? The writers of the NT paint a portrait of Jesus that’s anything but two-dimensional. He has a gentle, loving touch to the broken and humble. He’s ready and willing to open up a can on bullies and thugs. That’s what it means to be our Good Shepherd. He tenderly guides and cares for His flock. But when predators threaten, He’ll come to their defense. Christ is both tender and tough. It just depends on the situation at the time.

That brings us back to the clear and present danger Timothy faces in Ephesus. Don’t miss that Paul describes this as “good warfare” (v18). These false teachers and their spiritual snake oil are tearing this church apart. The Gospel must be defended. The people must be protected. This means war! It’s time for Tim to war the good war. Later in this letter, the apostle doesn’t pull any punches.“Fight the good fight of the faith” (1Tim 6:12). In a sequel to this note written just before his death, Paul looks back on his life and writes, “I have fought the good fight” (2Tim 4:7). When the Gospel is threaten and the church is terrorized, it’s time to run INTO trouble. It’s time to run TOWARDS danger!

It’s exactly what Jesus did for you and me. Our Hero ran into trouble to save us. Instead of kicking back in the heavenly palace, Christ sprinted into the disaster (which WE made, by the way!) to save our bacon. Like a soldier running toward the battle. Like a firefighter racing toward the blaze. Like a police officer speeding to the scene of the crime. Like Chris Mintz at the college, He put His life on the line for those in deep trouble. He “came to seek and to save the lost” (Lk 19:10). Jesus ran INTO trouble. Our Savior ran TOWARDS danger! In a similar way, it’s time for Timothy to do that for the believers in Ephesus. And there are times we need to do the same. 

Time to Suit Up

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Eph 6:11).

Check this out.  It’s the most advanced weapon system the universe has ever seen.  And God designed it just for you.  It’s a custom fit exoskeleton.  It makes Iron Man look like he’s wrapped in aluminum foil.  This suit of armor has everything you’ll need.  Batman’s utility belt is filled with garage sale rejects compared to this.  Molded to your specifications.  Paul invites you to try it on.  “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (v11).  We need to go ahead and suit up because we’re going to need it.  Our enemy is planning his next ambush.  And God’s armor is just what we need.

Paul wastes no time in telling us to get on our God-given gear.  The verb here is “put on” (Gr. enduo).  It means to dress, clothe or wear a piece of clothing.  It literally means “to sink into.”  This is a common way to describe being “in Christ,” an idea that Paul uses at least 28 times in Ephesians.  Earlier in this same letter, Paul told us to “put on (Gr. enduo) the new self” as understand the reality of our salvation in Jesus (Eph 4:24).  And whatever is found in this thing called God’s armor, it’s loaded with supernatural, Spirit-filled strength.  Just before He headed home to heaven, Jesus said to His followers to hang out in Jerusalem “until you are clothed (Gr. enduo) with power from on high” (Lk 24:49).  Don’t waste any more time.  Get ready.  Put it on.  

Time to suit up.

So what exactly is this piece of gear Paul’s describing?  It’s the “full armor of God” (v11).  In other words, this isn’t some incomplete, thrown together Franken-armor pulled together from spare parts.  The Greek word panoplia describes the total package of equipment worn by a foot soldier in battle.  A warrior isn’t ready until he’s got a full set of both offensive weapons and defensive protection.  This weapon system God provides has absolutely everything you’ll need for what’s ahead.  

MacArthur believes Paul’s language here talks about making God’s armor a permanent part of our wardrobe.  As long as we’re on this side of eternity, we’re going to need it.  We’re always going to come under attack.  That certainly makes sense when you understand the bigger picture of the situation in Ephesus.  There’s a false teaching that blindsided believers in the multisite church of Colossae, Laodicea and Hierapolis.  A team of spiritual hucksters have fooled Jesus’ followers into thinking they are responsible for finishing the job of salvation that the Lord started.  They’ve provided a list of rules that the Colossians gotta do.  Call it the “gotta” gospel.  After writing a letter to those churches to get them back on the rails, the apostle jots down another to the Ephesians.  You see, Ephesus is just 100 miles down the road.  They need to be warned about this false gospel.  They need to be protected from this false gospel.  And God’s armor is just the tool for the job.

Time to suit up.

We need this supernatural weapons system to “be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (v11).  Our enemy has set his satanic sights on God’s people from the very beginning.  Before the paint was dry in Eden, he was there to whisper in Eve’s ear (Gen 3:1-7).  The devil continues to stalk us like prey as he “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Pet 5:8).  But we need to remember that while Satan is dangerous, he’s already defeated.  He is NOT equal to God.  Jesus punched our enemy in the throat with Calvary’s cross (Heb 2:14).  And God allowed John a sneak preview of what will be the biggest rout in the history when he saw Satan and his boys take an eternal swim in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10).  

That doesn’t mean the devil still isn’t dangerous.  He can still do serious harm if we’re not careful.  The key to withstanding his sneak attacks is wearing God’s armor.  Only then will we “be able to stand” (v11).  You can literally translate this phrase as “have the power to stand.”  Paul packs the previous verse with power.  “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Eph 6:10 emphasis added).  This supernatural weapon system is useless without His supernatural power supply.  Because we’re on the receiving end of God’s strength, we have all the power we need for the attack that is to come.  That will enable you and me to hold our position when (not if) Satan strikes.

Time to suit up.

Paul wants us to know right up front that when the enemy begins his assault, it will be a sneak attack.  The devil is a conniving rascal who will use every trick in his book, or what the apostle calls “schemes” (v11).  This is the Greek word methodia.  It means cunning.  Deceit.  Trickery.  In other words, expect an ambush.  Expect him to attack out of nowhere.  Expect him to use terrorist tactics.  Be on high alert.  Also know that our enemy is no fool.  He’s cunning and knows our weak spots.  But once we put on God’s weapon system, we’re fully protected and able to withstand anything Satan can throw at us.

Time to suit up.

You need to know that Paul isn’t making up this idea of the armor of God because he’s been locked up in jail too long.  This isn’t some crazy idea of a delirious prisoner.  Several hundred years before, the prophet Isaiah saw a vision of God’s long awaited Messiah who was dressed for war.  “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself in zeal as a cloak” (Is 59:17).  The apostle reminds his Thessalonian friends that they’ve already “put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation” (1Th 5:8).  He encourages the Ephesian believers to put on their godly gear.  “Put on the whole armor of God” (v11).

Time to suit up.