The Cross before the Crown

Timothy 2 2:1-10

“And if a man contend in the games, he isn’t crowned except he contend lawfully.”
“If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him.”
“If any man will be my Disciple, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

I: Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
1. The Roman soldier endured for Rome.
2. He left home and business.
3. He became acquainted with danger.
4. Lonliness and separation was often his.
5. Timothy called to be a soldier for Jesus.

II: “Strive Lawfully!”
1. Like a Greek Athelete.
2. Olympic games, every 4 yrs. 776 B.C. – 394 A.D.
3. Rules of the Olympic games.
a. Open to all classes of competition.
b. Of pure Greek descent.
c. 10 solid months of preparation under competent coaches.
d. Every member of his family to take an oath that he would observe the rules of the game.
e. No form of bribery should be used.
f. The crown awarded to the visitor must have no intrinsic value (Honor and Glory).
g. No woman ever permitted to be present.

III: A Farmer Toil:
1. “Laboreth” to grow weary, exhausted, toil.
2. Weeks and months of working for harvest.
3. No preparation, no labor, no harvest.

IV: The Cross before the Crown:
1. The Promise of Jesus was Eternal Life.
2. The assurance was he would be with us.
3. The warning was of a hostil world.
4. The appeal was for every Christian to take up his cross daily.