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Soldiers Of Christ

Soldiers Of Christ. “Soldiers of Christ, arise , And put your armor on, Strong in the strength which God supplies , Through His eternal Son ;. Strong in the Lord of Hosts , And in His mighty pow'r , Who in the strength of Jesus trusts, Is more than conqueror .”. Text: II Tim. 2:3-4

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Soldiers Of Christ

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  1. Soldiers Of Christ “Soldiers of Christ, arise, And put your armor on, Strong in the strength which God supplies, Through His eternal Son; Strong in the Lord of Hosts, And in His mighty pow'r, Who in the strength of Jesus trusts, Is more than conqueror.” Text: II Tim. 2:3-4 Scripture Reading: Eph. 6:13-18

  2. Respect for commitment is sorely lacking today • Promises, marriages, agreements, and contracts are broken with little thought to the consequences it will have upon others or upon one’s own reputation Jesus requires a commitment from those who are His disciples (Lk. 14:28; Lk. 9:62) Commitment: The act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action II Tim. 2:3-4 3. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 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. Intro Paul uses the illustration of a soldier to make the case for commitment! Soldiers Of Christ

  3. Charles Wesley (1707-1788): • “Soldiers Of Christ, Arise” (1749) • Brother of John Wesley, founder of the Methodists. • “Fire and brimstone” preacher in England. • Hymn writer with over 6,000 hymns credited to his name. • Often took popular “drinking songs” and added his own lyrics to their tunes to “reach the common people.” • Didn’t like people tampering with his hymns. • Published a hymn book (with this hymn) in 1749 to make money to marry a girl half his age, Sarah “Sally” Gwynne. • Married late in life and had 8 children, only 3 made it to adulthood, and one became known as “the Mozart of England.” Intro Soldiers Of Christ

  4. We are soldiers of Jesus Christ (II Tim. 2:3-4) – He is the captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10) If there is an army, there is an adversary (enemy): Satan (Eph. 6:11; I Pet. 5:8) Soldiers provide a good visual aid to understand “commitment”: Be a good soldier of Christ! Intro Soldiers Of Christ

  5. II Tim. 2:3 3. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. • Roman soldiers always carried their weapons with them— • even in peace • “Every soldier is every day exercised, and that with great diligence, as if it were in time of war, which is the reason why they bear the fatigues of battle so easily.” (Josephus, The Jewish War, Book III, Chap. 5) • II Tim. 4:2: “Be ready in season and out of season…” • If the word of God is our weapon and armor, • we have to learn how to use it! • Heb. 5:12-14 • II Tim. 2:15 • When we read, study, and meditate upon the word of God, we are developing and training! Soldiers Commit To Rigorous Training Soldiers Of Christ

  6. II Tim. 2:4 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. • If we are too busy to train (study the word of God), then • we are too busy • Jesus calls these things “worries” (NKJV: “cares”) – Lk. 8:14 • Lk. 8:14: Soldiers of Christ who get “entangled” are the “thorny ground” saint who allows “worries” of the world to choke out the word (Mt. 13:22) Soldiers Commit To Rigorous Training Such an individual becomes “unfruitful” (Useless to God) To be a good soldier of Christ requires great commitment! Soldiers Of Christ

  7. I Tim. 6:12; II Tim. 2:4 12. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. • Soldiers are not enlisted, trained, and equipped to sit • around and do nothing • When the order is given, the soldier must be ready to fight! (No excuses!) Eph. 6:10-12 10. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Soldiers Commit To Battle Soldiers Of Christ

  8. Fight (I Tim. 6:12): • Fight = agōnizomai(G75): to engage in a conflict, to contend with an adversary; to struggle (compete for a prize); fight, labor, strive. • Struggle (Eph. 6:12): • Struggle = palē (G3823): to wrestle; to vibrate against. • The idea here is to overpower, pin down, or run out of the ring! (Thayer) • Resist (I Pet. 5:9): • Resist = anthistēmi(G436): to stand against, oppose: resist, withstand. • Being fully clothed with the armor of God, we are equipped to repel Satan’s attacks, resist his temptations, and make him flee from us (Js. 4:7) Soldiers Commit To Battle Christian Soldiers are committed to be on duty – ready to fight! Soldiers Of Christ

  9. Eph. 6:13 13. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. • Saints are given the whole armor of God that we may be • able to resist Satan • Saints need to “put on the full armor of God” to stand firm! Soldiers Commit to Using Weapons Issued Soldiers Of Christ

  10. Eph. 6:14: Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH… • Belt of Truth – Eph. 6:14 • This was not an ornament—it bound the other pieces together and gave the soldier freedom of movement. • The center of our armor is truth – Jn. 17:17 Jn. 17:17 17. "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. Soldiers Commit to Using Weapons Issued Soldiers Of Christ

  11. Eph. 6:14: … and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, • Breastplate of Righteousness – Eph. 6:14 • The breastplate was used to protect the heart and vital organs from attack. • Our lives are to be righteous as defense against evil – I Pet. 2:12 I Pet. 2:12 12. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. Soldiers Commit to Using Weapons Issued Soldiers Of Christ

  12. Eph. 6:15: and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; • Feet Shod – Eph. 6:15 • Roman soldiers wore cleats on their sandals that made it easy to grind in, and difficult to walk backwards. • Our footing must be supplied by the gospel of peace – Rom. 10:15 Rom. 10:15 15. How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!" Soldiers Commit to Using Weapons Issued Soldiers Of Christ

  13. Eph. 6:16: in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. • Shield of Faith – Eph. 6:16 • The Roman shield was as feared as the weapons they used, and with them they withstood great armies, and advanced the empire. • We are to have a conquering faith – I Jn. 5:4 I Jn. 5:4 4. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Soldiers Commit to Using Weapons Issued Soldiers Of Christ

  14. Eph. 6:17: And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION… • Helmet of Salvation – Eph. 6:17 • No matter how armored a soldier was, without a helmet, he was vulnerable. • We are to take this helmet from God—it is our salvation – Eph. 2:8-9 Eph. 2:8-9 8. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9. not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Soldiers Commit to Using Weapons Issued Soldiers Of Christ

  15. Eph. 6:17: … and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. • Sword of the Spirit – Eph. 6:17 • Roman soldiers were deadly with their weapons; their swords were feared. • We are to be trained with our “Sword” – II Tim. 2:15; Heb. 4:12 Heb. 4:12 12. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Soldiers Commit to Using Weapons Issued Soldiers Of Christ

  16. Eph. 6:18 18. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, • All of these weapons have one thing in common – they all • come from the word of God • Although not specified as a piece of the armor of God, we must recognize the place and importance of prayer (6:18). • The strength to overcome the enemy is found in the Lord, not ourselves (6:10). Soldiers Commit to Using Weapons Issued Saints must commit to train with and know the weapons for our spiritual battle! Soldiers Of Christ

  17. Soldiers are committed to a cause, the cause of the one • who enlisted them • A good soldier does not become entangled with the world, but commits to the cause. • When soldiers lose their commitment, disaster strikes! • Consider the fall of Rome: • “The relaxation of discipline, and the disuse of exercise, rendered the soldiers less able, and less willing, to support the fatigues of the service; they complained of the weight of the armor, which they seldom wore: and they successively obtained the permission of laying aside both their cuirasses and their helmets. The heavy weapons of their ancestors, the short sword, and the formidable pilum, which had subdued the world, insensibly dropped from their feeble hands.” • (Edward Gibbon, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. III, p. 271-272). Conclusion Soldiers Of Christ

  18. Soldiers of Christ (like the athlete) must lay aside the • “weights” that entangle to be of use to the One that • enlists: Christ • II Tim. 2:4; Heb. 12:1: “Lay aside every encumbrance;” NKJ: “weight” • Soldiers accept orders from their Commander-in-Chief • (chain of command) • As a commander, He gives us orders to follow (Mt. 8:8-10, Lk. 6:46). • He does not send us into battle; He leads us (Mt. 16:24) and is ever present and ready to help us in the fight (Heb. 2:18; 4:14-16; 7:25). Conclusion Soldiers Of Christ

  19. A soldier is a good portrait of the responsibilities of a disciple – Jesus is our leader, and we must please Him with our service (II Tim. 3:16-17) “Soldiers of Christ, Arise!” We are to commit to take advantage of opportunities to study, lean strongly upon the Lord in prayer, resist the enemy and stand victorious with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Conclusion Soldiers Of Christ

  20. Hear The Gospel (Jn. 5:24; Rom. 10:17) Believe In Christ (Jn. 3:16-18; Jn. 8:24) Repent Of Sins (Lk. 13:35; Acts 2:38) Confess Christ (Mt. 10:32; Rom. 10:10) Be Baptized (Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16) Remain Faithful (Jn. 8:31; Rev. 2:10) “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” For The Erring Child: Repent (Acts 8:22), Confess (I Jn. 1:9), Pray (Acts 8:22)

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