Secret of Success After Graduation

Continued lessons learned by graduates of Scott Theological College which I shared at several graduations. These are my thoughts in outline form:

II. ENDURE HARDSHIP II Tim. 2:3-7


1. Meaning of phrase:

i) The word means, literally, Suffer. From this Greek word we get the English word, pathos. There is deep feeling and emotion expressed here. As we grow older in life we all do suffer pain, grief and hardship.

ii) This word means to suffer and endure evils, like hardship, troubles and problems.

iii) This word was often used of hardships of military service.


2. Example of hardship endured by a) a soldier; b) an athlete, and c) a farmer
This includes deprivation of good food, suffering discomfort, living in constant danger.

3. Examples of hardship in the ministry.
a) Financial Struggles -
b) Opposition to New Ideas
c) Jealous Leaders -
d) Church Divisions -
e) Slander -

4. Suffer with me
Suffer with me. Paul the elder, Paul the mentor, exhorts his son, Timothy, suffer with me these hardships in life, endure them, persevere in them.

Three times in II Corinthians he describes the hardships he has endured.

II Cor. 6:4-5 “Rather, as servants of God, we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger.”

5. Secret of being able to endure hardship - keeping eye on the goal.
a) soldier - to please his master II Tim. 2:4
b) farmer - to receive the harvest II Tim. 2:6
c) athlete - to win the prize II Tim. 2:5

6. ILL. Jesus Christ - Heb. 12:1,2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

ILL. I know a young man and family called by God to be a missionary. A friend brought him and his family from his rural home to Nairobi and dropped him off in the city. He was told to find a place to stay that night and then find transportation to the bus by 7:00 A.M. for his destination on the mission field. He felt like giving up. He had a child to be carried, a small boy walking and lots of luggage. There was no transportation from the place he would stay that night. He felt like giving up. Then the question came to him. “Who called you to be a missionary? Did that man? He committed himself to obey the Lord and trust the Lord. He persevered and God provided the transportation in a miraculous way and he arrived safely.

Persevering during times of hardship is necessary for success in ministry.

To be Continued