"PRINCIPLES OF PERSEVERANCE"
II Timothy 2:3-7
Main Idea: We persevere in our recovery by following principles that ensure our progress.
Introduction: Writer Anne Lamott tells the story of being asked to cover a Special Olympics event for a newspaper. She writes that she did so reluctantly but became captivated by the perseverance that she witnessed from the participants. "Six or seven years ago I was asked to write an article on the Special Olympics. I had been going to the local event for years, partly because a couple of friends of mine compete. Also, I love sports, and I love to watch athletes, special or otherwise. So I showed up this time with a great deal of interest but no real sense of what the finished article might look like. Things tend to go very, very slowly at the Special Olympics. It is not like trying to cover the Preakness. Still, it has its own exhilaration, and I cheered and took notes all morning. The last track-and-field event before lunch was a twenty-five-yard race run by some unusually handicapped runners and walkers, many of whom seemed completely confused. They lumped and careened along, one man making a snail-slow break for the stands, one heading out toward the steps where the inners receive their medals; both of them were shepherded back. The race took just about forever. And here it was nearly noon and we were all so hungry. Finally, though, everyone crossed over the line, and those of us in the stands got up to go—when we noticed that way down the track, four or five yards from the starting line, was another runner.
"She was a girl of about sixteen with a normal-looking face above a wracked and emaciated body. She was on metal crutches, and she was just plugging along, one tiny step after another, moving one crutch forward two or three inches, then moving a leg, then moving the other crutch two or three inches, then moving the other leg. It was just excruciating. Plus, I was starving to death. Inside I was going, Come on, come on, come on, swabbing at my forehead with anxiety, while she kept taking these two- or three-inch steps forward. What felt like four hours later, she crossed the finish line, and you could see that she was absolutely stoked, in a shy, girlish way." (Bird by Bird, p.40-41)
The power of persevering is no less important to our desire to overcome the hurts, habits and hang-ups that keep us from being the people that we desire to be. We foolishly imagine that the road to recovery is an instant, one-time decision instead of the hour-by-hour choice that it is. Sometimes our progress isn’t measured in sprints that are measured by seconds but in inches that take years. We creep along forgetting that overcoming longstanding hurts, habits and hang-ups are not defeated quickly but are the battle of a lifetime. One person said that overcoming hurts, habits and hang-ups is like putting an octopus to bed. About the time you get six arms in two more stick out. We need some principles to help us persevere in winning over those things in our life that keep us from making progress and being fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
In order to help our perseverance I want us to visit the words of Paul to a very close friend named Timothy. Paul was concerned as to Timothy’s ability to withstand the pressures of his ministry and the forces that opposed him. He tells him in II Timothy 2:1 to, "Be strong…" to stand tall in spite of the challenges opposing him. Yet Paul doesn’t stop with just a strong command but he gives him three examples of people who demonstrate perseverance: A soldier, an athlete and a farmer. His point to Timothy is that only those who persevere against all odds win the richest rewards.
That’s what I want us to see today. I want you and I to understand that not only does recovery from hurts, habits and hang-ups require staying power but so does all of the Christian life. How do we do this? Well, we do it by following principles that insure our progress.
As we begin I want you to hear once again the eight basic principles that guide us on the road to recovery:
If I am to fulfill these eight steps then these three principles of perseverance must be applied: I must fight till the end, follow till the finish and be faithful till the reward!
Principle #1: If I am to make progress in my recovery and my Christian life I must fight till the end (v. 3-4).
In verse 3 Paul tells Timothy to "endure suffering." That means more than to merely persist through life’s difficulties but to enter into the shared experience of suffering. He’s not telling Timothy to be distantly concerned about the cost of following Jesus Christ but to actually join the experience of suffering with him.
Do you know one of the major reasons we never overcome our hurts, habits or hang-ups? We don’t admit we have them! We will do a lot of things instead of admitting, "I’m not doing so well!" It takes a lot of courage to admit that first step that your life is out of control and you can’t control it. Progress in recovery means being willing to admit you are not "fine" and join with others just like yourself.
He tells Timothy to do this "as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." Then he explains how a soldier must have the priority of his commander always before him and not allow distractions to deter him from the fight of faith. Paul often used military images to express what it means to be a believer. In the Roman culture particularly it was the armies’ discipline that was the key to their success. A Roman army could march 20-25 miles in 5 hours and set up camp each day. In fact the labor and discipline were so rigorous that soldiers begged for battle. The soldier was prohibited from marrying until after their service, which was usually 20 years. For the completion of their service they received seventeen years of pay.
This Wednesday will mark the 57th anniversary of the Allied Invasion of Normandy called D-Day. One of the most dramatic events of June 6, 1944 was the United States troops who were assigned to take a section of the beach code named: "Omaha." Stephen Ambrose writes how for months General Rommel of the German Army had prepared every square inch of that beach to be a killing ground. Hundreds of US soldiers died in the slaughter on that one beach. The chaos and fear of that June morning literally held the fate of the free world in its grip. Yet one Ranger commander told the troops "There are two kinds of people on this beach—those who are dead and those who are going to die. Now let’s get off this beach." And they did—over the top of impregnable cliffs, steel and concrete they came. They kept coming and kept coming. They would not stop fighting until the battle for the beaches of Normandy and the war in Europe were over!
Paul tells Timothy that like a soldier they were always on duty and must refuse to allow competing priorities to distract them. What this tells us is that our recovery as well as our devotion to Christ can’t be a hobby but the passion of our life. It calls on us to have a singleness of purpose. Your ability to fight to the end in recovery and as a Christian demands our ability to chose right priorities from a list of potential good things. My progress in recovery will only be as effective as my priorities. If I am not willing to shove everything else down the list and fight to the end, then don’t expect to make much progress. Principle #1: Like a soldier, fight till the end!
Principle #2: If I am to make progress in my recovery and my Christian life then I must follow till the finish (v. 5).
Paul advises Timothy in verse 5 to "follow the Lord’s rules…." Now the question comes to mind as to what rules is he talking about. He compares this to an athlete who either follows the rules and wins the prize or doesn’t follow and is disqualified. The "rules" that I believe Paul is referring to can mean either the rules of a specific competition or the commitment to the strict regimen of training that is required to compete competitively.
The athletes in Paul’s day in both Greek and Roman culture were treated like gods and given special treatment that the general populace did not know. The games were very similar to today with events traditionally found in the modern summer Olympics. An athlete was required to train a minimum of four months and cheating, because it was so shameful, was rare. The only prize given immediately in the games was a laurel wreath placed on the head, but it was the most desired. The Greeks so loved their games that the story is told that when the Persians invaded that they refused to stop the games, prompting one commander to ask Darius the King, "Who are these that you have asked us to fight, these who compete not for money but honor?" Of course, as today, there were all kinds of "perks" for those who won the games.
So, using the athlete as a model, Paul is focusing Timothy on the discipline and stamina that is required to be Christian. If Timothy was to achieve the "prize" of the Lord’s affirmation at the end of his life then his commitment to discipline was to be unquestioned. He told Timothy earlier to "spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness" (I Tim. 4:7) because "it promises a reward in both this life and the next" (I Tim. 48). The stamina needed as an athlete is found in the discipline of training so that when your body screams for you to give up you go on.
Runner’s World ((8/01) told the story of Beth Anne DeCiantis’ attempt to qualify for the 1992 Olympic Trials marathon. A female runner must complete the 26-mile, 385-yard race in less than two hours, 45 minutes to compete at the Olympic Trials.
Beth started strong but began having trouble around mile 23. She reached the final straightaway at 2:43, with just tow minutes left to qualify. Two hundred yards from the finish, she stumbled and fell. Dazed, she stayed down for twenty seconds. The crowd yelled, "Get up!" The clock was ticking—2:44, less than a minute to go.
Beth Anne staggered to her feet and began walking. Five yards short of the finish, with 10 seconds to go, she fell again. She began to crawl, the crowd cheering her on, and crossed the finish line on her hands and knees. Her time? Two hours, 44 minutes, 57 seconds.
Three seconds made the difference in her life’s dream of competing in the Olympics. She made it because her body was trained for months and years to not quit. A decision of three seconds doesn’t seem like much. Yet that choice of three more seconds of resistance when everything inside you pleads for you to quit can mean the difference in succeeding or failing. We may have fallen and failed in our recovery and in our Christian life. It will take our following daily with discipline the habits that enable us to finish successfully. Principle #2: Follow till the Finish!
Principle #3: If I am to make progress in my recovery and my Christian life I must be faithful till the reward (v. 6).
In verse 6 Paul uses the analogy of a farmer who is a person well acquainted with hard manual labor. He stresses that the farmer who puts in the hardest effort is the one who has the first claim on the results of the harvest. His teaching is clear that the believer who commits himself with the hardest effort is the one who will benefit the most. He even stresses that the effort and energy put forth by the farmer distinguishes them from everyone else who are not as hard working. They labor so intently because they anticipate the final reward of the harvest.
What’s his point? The Christian will only be as effective as the intensity of our effort. There is no question that our entrance into faith is by, and only by, grace. Yet our progress in faith is based on our effort. A farmer can wish all they want for a good crop. There is probably no other profession that is as dependent on nature itself for success as farming. Yet even though the farmer can’t control the rain, sun, bugs, or other problems, they will still do everything they can to insure success.
Any of us can wish we were not overcome by some hurt, habit or hang-up all we want, but wishing, fretting and being frustrated is not on the list of steps on the road to recovery. You will not enjoy freedom from what is keeping you bound until you put forth the "sweat" to achieve it. You can wish you were stronger against temptation, knew the Bible or had a more effective prayer life but wishing isn’t on the list of steps to success—hard work is! Hard work is rewarded by lasting satisfaction and reward. Principle #3:Be faithful till the reward!
Conclusion: In II Timothy 2:7 Paul concludes by telling Timothy to spend time thinking and applying these principles, "Think about what I am saying. The Lord will give you understanding in all these things." He is telling him to see how these three principles fit in life: beyond the battle is victory, beyond the contest a prize and beyond hard work a reward. What you see is that there is no room for images of mediocrity but excellence. You see Paul’s encouragement is that Timothy won’t gain the victory, prize or reward without a decision to fight like a soldier, follow like a runner, and be faithful like a farmer.
Following is a testimony to the power of these principles form a CR leader (Read by Kathy Holler):
"When we discussed this service in the CR support team meeting, Kathy told us that we needed someone to give a testimony. I wanted to tell my story, because my need for C.R. doesn’t come from any of the things that "recovery" programs are usually associated with. My need is quiet. I am one of you. I look like most of you. I seem fine. I’m not an alcoholic, I don’t use drugs, I’m not codependent. There are others like me out there, trying to feel as happy as they appear.
Twenty-two years ago, I sat in a church much like this one in another city, looking much like everyone else, thinking that I was the only one in pain. I was deeply depressed and not sure how I got that way. I’m still not sure how it happened.
I grew up in a wonderful Christian home, I was in church from the time I was a baby, and accepted Christ just after my 6th birthday. I was the only child of parents who had prayed and hoped for a child for years. I was a serious child - but I don’t remember being unhappy.
In school I had a few close friends. I was very shy and not as popular as I would have liked, but I don’t remember having more problems than anyone else. During this time, I discovered that I could retreat into books and my imagination and avoid anything that I didn’t want to think about. I went away to college. It was during this time that I began to have episodes which my best friend called " crawling into a hole and pulling a rock over it." There were days when I avoided everyone, spending my time sleeping or reading. If I crawled into my hole, I could avoid unpleasant realities. I developed a darkness, a deeply cynical and angry side. I did manage to graduate from college. I went to work, found a new church, made friends, and moved into an apartment. Things seemed to be fine.
Then when I was 25, my father died after a brief illness. He was my best friend, the rock I had always clung to when I needed support. It was, and remains the worst thing that has happened in my life. For the first time, I had encountered a reality that I couldn’t avoid. I cried, I grieved, I screamed at God....and got on with my life.
Almost a year later, I was married. I had a wonderful husband, a job that I liked most of the time, enough friends, and no real problems. I fell apart. I began to have panic attacks and spells of crying for no reason that I could understand. I had crawled back into the hold from my college days and didn’t want to come out. Fortunately, I had a friend who insisted that I get help, and a husband who supported me and tried to understand. I was able to overcome this episode, and all of the others that have followed with God’s help, and the support of my husband and a friend who is truly a sister.
It is hard to describe to someone who hasn’t experienced it what an episode of profound depression is like. There is sadness, there are feelings of utter worthlessness and despair. Sometimes there is nothing at all, a numbness as if the darkness has surrounded you and removed all ability to feel. The pain can be so great that to stop breathing would be a relief. I have felt all these things. I have sat in my bedroom and decided whether to live another day or not. God has been with me through all of these times. He has sent people that I needed, books that have helped me find my way, a husband and children who need me, even pets that have given me unquestioning love when that was what I needed most.
After so many years, it is still easier to retreat into quiet darkness that to face something that I fear. These battles have often been fought alone; it is hard to ask for help. Unfortunately, the church is the last place that I have looked for help. The church has been the place to turn when someone is sick or when someone dies, not when I didn’t know if I could keep going through another day.
A few months ago, a friend told me about Celebrate Recovery. I thought that my experiences might help others, and became part of the support team. Since that time, I have become close to several others in the group who have had similar experiences. I hope that I have helped some people; I know that I have been helped. In the past few months, situations have arisen in my life that I don’t know if I could have handled with the support of friends in this ministry, I joined CR. to help others, but I have been blessed myself more that I could have imagined.
Those if us "across the street" are like everyone else. All of us have some hurts, some bad habits that we want to break, some problems that we need to resolve. Celebrate Recovery has a place for anyone who isn’t perfect."
Sunday, June 3, 2001
Dr. Bruce Tippit, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Jonesboro, Arkansas