Soldier, Athlete, Farmer

2 Timothy 2:1-6

1. Paul is in prison (64-67) and death is impending.

2. Letter to young preachers

3. Paul uses the example of soldier, athlete and farmer

4. Notice the principles to apply to our life.

1. The Soldier.

   1. Verse 3

   2. Be a good soldier

   3. Endure hardness

   4. Verse 4

   5. Don't get entangled with affairs of this life

   6. God has enlisted us – seek to please him

2. The Athlete.

   1. Verse 5

   2. To win – you must compete

   3. Must keep the rules of the contest

   4. Don't be disqualified (run out of bounds, violate the rules)

   5. Are you playing by the rules?

   6. Discipline yourself

   7. Train yourself

   8. Strive for the goal – Strive = endure, suffer, exert the effort to win

3. The Farmer.

   1. Verse 6

   2. Husbandman = farmer

   3. Remember story of ant and grasshopper?

      1. Grasshopper laid around all supper

      2. Ant toiled to store up food for winter

      3. Winter comes and grasshopper has nothing

   4. Farmer must till and prepare the soil, plant the seed, pull the weeds – WAIT.

   5. Work all spring and summer – nothing to show for it – YET

   6. Labor for the reward –

   7. 2 Thesalonians 3:10 not work = not eat

   8. We must work hard in the vineyard of the Lord.

   9. The harvest will come – in due time.

4. Conclusion.

   1. Soldier – endure, be strong, face adversity, don't get tangled in the world

   2. Athlete – Play by the rules, train, learn, work hard, strive

   3. Farmer – Work, plant, be patient for the harvest.

Adapted from Sermon Tree, September, 2013