2 Timothy 2:1-10

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 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. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Remember Jesus Chris, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.
 - 2 Timothy 2:1-10

Paul encourages Timothy to lean on the grace of Christ for strength. He knows that there will be difficulty for Timothy and that he will not endure it on his own strength. Paul, himself, has experienced the need to lean on his faith and on the knowledge of the grace of Jesus and the reward that awaits the faithful. That's what kept him going during all the difficult times he had been through.

In that strength, Paul wants Timothy to take the very same message that he gave him and find other disciples to whom he can entrust that teaching. Why does this teaching need to be entrusted? Because he's not to merely look for students to teach these things to. He is to look for people whom he can send out to teach this same message. Therefore, Timothy is to find men who will have the ability to tap into Christ's strength and receive the power from the Holy Spirit to persevere through difficult challenges and persecution, yet keep the message pure and not alter it for the sake of personal safety or comfort.

He gives a great analogy to Timothy about how soldiers suffer, but they remain separate from the civilians even as they are among them. This is a great image of the idea of being "in the world, but not of the world." He includes a bit about how the soldier follows orders to please his superiors. It's a fantastic picture of how a disciple is to approach the preaching of the Gospel.

Another excellent analogy is the athlete competing according to the rules. Victory is only for the one who is faithful. Then he uses the picture of the hard-working farmer to illustrate that we will be rewarded for what we do in this life. He is confident that the Holy Spirit will help Timothy understand what he's trying to say.

Then, Paul brings it all back to Christ and points to Him as the reason Paul considers his own suffering and hardship worth the trouble. He reminds Timothy about the fact that this is King David's descendant, thereby bringing up the fact that this had been prophesied for hundreds of years. Even though Paul is in prison, God's word is not. He is able to bring the gospel to his captors and then they, in turn, can bring the gospel to those outside the prison.

Paul is content to suffer through whatever he has to if it means eternal salvation for those God has chosen. He is always looking ahead to what is to come and weighing his current circumstances against the eternal glory of being in the presence of Christ, reconciled to the Father through Jesus' work on the cross and His resurrection. If only we could maintain such perspective, the trials we endure would be so much easier to weather and we would have more joy, knowing what awaits us when we go to be with the Father.

So, I want to encourage you to be strong in the grace of Christ and keep your eye fixed on the eternal prize. Do not water down the message of the gospel and do not be ashamed of it. Rely on His strength, not your own. Be a disciple-making disciple and we will look forward to spending eternity enjoying His great goodness.

Grace, love and peace.