Paul, writing to his young protégé Timothy says, “…be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1 ESV). The Greek word endunamou translated as “strengthened” can also be translated as “empowered,” “be empowered by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” This strength, this empowerment, is a divine gift bestowed upon us only by Jesus Christ.
What is it that we are empowered to do? In the next verse, Paul tells Timothy to entrust the Gospel to faithful men who will teach others. While we are many generations removed from Paul’s instruction to Timothy, the imperative to proclaim the Gospel falls upon us as well. We are empowered to teach the Good News to faithful men so that they may teach it to others!
Paul warns Timothy that faithful soldiers in Christ’s army should expect hardship (v. 3). The work of ministry is not a “soft” job for the weak-hearted. Paul uses three metaphors: a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer to describe what is needed as we serve in Christ’s army.
Soldier
The soldier has a single-minded focus on the mission. They exhibit rigorous discipline and unquestioning obedience to their commanding officer.
Athlete
The athlete competes to win a prize but to win, they must compete according to the rules. An athlete who is undisciplined and breaks the rules is disqualified from the competition.
Farmer
The farmer is hard-working. They work all year preparing the soil, planting the seed, and caring for the crop. The farmer must be hard-working, patient, and disciplined to reap a harvest.
Serving in ministry requires
1) the single-minded focus and discipline of a soldier,
2) the commitment of an athlete to train and abide by the rules God has set down, and
3) the determination to work hard and be patient like the farmer to reap the ultimate harvest!
It is no wonder that Paul tells Timothy that the grace of Christ empowers him (Paul) because certainly, no one can accomplish such work on his or her own power!
Application
Some of you may be thinking that this applies to the “professionals” in ministry, but that is just not the case!
The Scripture says that we are called to be servants, ministers of the Gospel. Your pastor has 30-60 minutes a week to present a message to an audience that is largely already in the boat. But as a minister in the marketplace, you have 40-60 hours per week where your ministry is a light before men. And your audience of co-workers is likely comprised of people who need to hear the message of Christ.
So, develop the single-minded focus of the soldier, the commitment of an athlete, and the farmer’s determination empowered by the grace of God to reach and teach others the Good News!
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. What experiences have you had as a minister in the workplace? What difficulties have you encountered? What success has God brought you?
Category: Skills | Empowerment
I never thought of grace as empowerment until I saw John Bevere on Sid Roth’s “It’s Supernatural” this week. So many today are using grace as an excuse to continue in their sin, but grace is actually the empowerment NOT to sin, the empowerment to serve God faithfully. Christianity is not for the faint hearted or self-serving. Thank you for your wisdom in defining grace. It is so much more than a “get out of jail free” card!
Cindy,
I am glad you found the article helpful! Thanks for the kind words.