I have a friend, Sarah (***hi Sarah!***), who is studying to be a trauma surgeon. Her life right now is not her own. She has a family to take care of, works fulltime and is in school fulltime. I envy the energy she has.
I am in the middle of studying for a doctorate as well, but there is a huge difference in the workload and responsibilities between our doctorates. The work is similar in the academics of it, both require lots of study, reading, writing, and testing. But when I finish defending my thesis I will have a PhD in Historical Theology, a third published book, and I can immediately begin to enjoy the fruits of my labor.
It will not be quite like that for her. She will then have to do a multi-year residency somewhere before she can go into practice. It is not enough for her to just know anatomy. It is not enough to just know the steps of surgery. It is not enough to have the flow chart of what to do when this happens or that happens on the operating table memorized. You need to have the practical knowledge of it.
When it comes to doctors, and in my book especially surgeons, graduating magna cum laude, having great bedside manner, and the best of intentions doesn’t mean a thing to me if you have not ever actually done it! Who wants a person operating on them or putting them back together who has only read about it, of watched someone else do it? Not me anyway! You want a doctor who not only knows their stuff but is strong in what they know.
In like manner, in 2 Timothy 2:1-7 (NIV), Paul says that we are not only to know God’s grace but to be strong in it. You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2:1). If we are in Christ, we are in the grace, but we need to be strong in the grace. We need to work out of the grace we are given.
Being strong in the grace of Jesus is shown in the fruit of discipleship. 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 (2:2). Timothy needed to focus on making disciples. He needed to duplicate himself so that the church had more teachers for teaching this generation and for bringing up the next generation of believers.
Being strong in grace is necessary because this is not easy, it is costly, in fact Paul is going to be executed for his faith. Timothy may or may not suffer the same, but he needs to know that like Paul will not always be there for Timothy, Timothy will not always be there for his own disciples. So Paul makes this candid invitation in verse 3, Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. He needs to be ready for the pain of being a spiritual father and ready for the pain suffering for his faith.
Paul then gives three illustrations to help him understand what he needs to do to grow strong in the grace of Christ. In verse 4 he says he should be like a soldier, No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Being strong in grace is necessary if he was going to stay focused on the kingdom of God and not the kingdoms of the world. He needed to stay focused on God’s work.
In verse 5 he likens the work of discipleship to an athlete, Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. As the athlete is intentional in all he does so that he will win, Timothy needed to be intentional in living with a kingdom focus in the grace of Jesus.
And in verse 6 he uses the analogy of a farmer. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Like a farmer, he was going to have to work hard. But while this is hard work and requires sacrifice and suffering, it is also rewarding.
In verse 7 He encourages him saying, Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. I think if I could paraphrase what Paul is saying it would be something like “Be serious about what I just said. Let it sink in. You need to have this mindset if you are going to be strong in the grace of Jesus. And I and I am sure as you think on what I have said, God will affirm that what I am saying is true.”
A Christian disciple, we have seen, is someone who is living to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind; who is committed to loving their neighbor as themselves; and who is living the Great Commission by making disciples. Can we all agree that unless we are intentional about living in such a way that we are doing those things, we will never really do them well if even at all?
Discipleship is intentional.
What that means and how we can go about living an intentional lifestyle of discipleship will be the subject of my next two posts.
Learning To Be Full Of Grace And Truth. 