Paul has been encouraging Timothy to endure for the sake of the gospel throughout the letter of 2 Timothy. In a fitting conclusion to that appeal, he draws everything back to the foundational element of the message of the gospel: Jesus Christ.

You can see this week’s passage in 2 Timothy 2:8-10:

The second chapter of Paul’s letter is full of different images of the believer who serves or ministers, whether that person is on staff at a church or not. We’ve looked at Paul’s comparison of the servant as a son, a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer.

In this passage, another example is given, but not as a comparison for ourselves. Rather, this illustration depicts Christ himself as our best example.

The work of Christ is the foundational to the message of the gospel. And as Timothy struggles to lead the church in Ephesus, what better example to motivate him, and us, than Christ himself to motivate us and encourage us to continue serving!

Paul asks Timothy to remember three key elements about Jesus as he serves:

• Remember Jesus Christ – He is the Messiah that has been promised and for which he strives. This is implied in the use of the name “Christ.”
• Raised from the dead – Jesus is living and victorious! The death, burial and resurrection are the cornerstone of our faith in Jesus.
• Descended from David – In this phrase, Paul reminds Timothy that not only was Jesus God made human, but by being David’s descendant, he was also the promised Messiah and the rightful king to inherit David’s throne.

This is the message, and the reality, for which Paul has given everything. He has suffered to convey this message to the world, even to the point of being in chains. Paul encourages Timothy, and us, to stay faithful and endure whatever suffering may come his way because the message of the cross is worth it!

Paul was in chains as he wrote this message to Timothy. Roman imprisonment was a brutal punishment. The Romans took no chances of prisoners escaping. That’s because criminals were not only imprisoned in cells, but they were literally chained to a Roman guard to prevent any chance of escape. And Christians were regarded as criminals, or worse, by the Romans.

This is the same situation that Peter found himself in when he was imprisoned to be executed, and an angel freed him in Acts 12.

I can’t believe that Paul was despairing of his chains though. With his evangelistic fervor, his chains meant that he had a captive audience to share the message of Christ with, twenty-four hours a day. What an opportunity!

However, even though Paul was in chains, the message itself was not. God’s Word is enduring! It is not to be contained in a dungeon, and it will continue to move and impact lives throughout the world, regardless of man’s attempt to squelch it.

Just a few short years from when Paul wrote this, in AD 303, the Roman emperor Diocletian tried to destroy the message of Christ. He attempted to eliminate every existing copy of the Word of God. In fact, he erected a column over the ashes of a burnt Bible to celebrate his accomplishment. Just a couple of decades later, another emperor, Constantine, ordered that fifty copies of the Bible be produced, at the government’s expense!

No, the message of the gospel cannot be chained or eliminated.

In the final verse of this week’s passage, Paul gives his reason for why he endures the suffering he faces. It’s all for others. He goes through persecution and suffering so that others may have the opportunity to hear the message and respond. Some have considered Paul’s words here to mean that God chooses whom he will save, regardless of their response. No, that is not the case. The phrase “the elect” simply means the people of God.

Neither does he consider his suffering to be a part of someone else’s salvation. Salvation is found in Christ alone, and Paul knows this (2 Corinthians 5:17). He suffers and works and endures to that others may have the opportunity to hear the message. And if they accept Christ’s salvation and are saved, then the price paid by Paul becomes unimportant, and one gladly paid.

And the end goal is eternal glory. This is a loaded phrase, and contains huge amounts of significance. The resurrection body. The new Jerusalem and the new heaven and earth. Peace with God. Direct access to God. The restoration of all creation. And much, much more is conveyed by this simple phrase. And this is the goal for which Paul suffers gladly.

This provides a challenge for you and me. In our modern society, filled with time saving conveniences, focused on self, with no concern for the needs of others…. Are we willing to pay any price, as Paul was, to make sure that those around us and around the world have the opportunity to hear and respond to the message of Christ? My fear is that we have become too complacent in our comforts, and have little desire to give what it might cost to share this message with those we love, much less with those we don’t even know.

My prayer is that we become as passionate for the message of the cross as Paul was. My prayer is that we give whatever it costs us to ensure that others have the opportunity to hear, and that the message is spread.

Question: Where are you in regards to suffering for the cause of Christ? Are you willing to pay any price so that others may have the opportunity to hear the most important message of their lives and of eternity? You can leave a comment by clicking here.