Are You Having An Affair?

I. Entangled  2 Timothy 2:3-4 ●Endure suffering as good soldier of Jesus ▪Soldiers – implies conflict or occupation ▪2 Corinthians 10:3,4 ▪Ephesians 6:12  2 Timothy 2:3-4 ●Endure suffering as good soldier of Jesus ▪Soldiers – implies conflict or occupation ▪2 Corinthians 10:3,4 ▪Ephesians 6:12

●Soldiers don’t get tied up (entangled) in the affairs of civilian life ▪Entangled – caught in a vine ▪Affairs – (Greek – Pragmateia) pragmatic - normal daily regimen ●Entangled in the everyday affairs of life – at the neglect of your active spiritual service ●Subject to enemy’s attack ●Soldiers don’t get tied up (entangled) in the affairs of civilian life ▪Entangled – caught in a vine ▪Affairs – (Greek – Pragmateia) pragmatic - normal daily regimen ●Entangled in the everyday affairs of life – at the neglect of your active spiritual service ●Subject to enemy’s attack

 Entangled by: ●Worries of the World ▪Mark 4:18-19 "And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."  Entangled by: ●Worries of the World ▪Mark 4:18-19 "And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."

●Love of the World ▪1 John 2:15-17 "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever." ●Love of the World ▪1 John 2:15-17 "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever."

 Pure and Undivided Devotion ●2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.  Pure and Undivided Devotion ●2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.

▪Lust of the flesh - the tree was good for food ▪Lust of the eyes - a delight to the eyes ▪Boastful pride of life - desirable to make one wise ●undivided devotion contrasted by entangled in the affairs of life ▪Lust of the flesh - the tree was good for food ▪Lust of the eyes - a delight to the eyes ▪Boastful pride of life - desirable to make one wise ●undivided devotion contrasted by entangled in the affairs of life

 James 4:4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

II. Soldier’s Motivation  2 Timothy 2:4 – if entangled they cannot please the one who enlisted them ●Motivation – to please the Commander in Chief – Jesus Christ  2 Timothy 2:4 – if entangled they cannot please the one who enlisted them ●Motivation – to please the Commander in Chief – Jesus Christ

 Soldier with undivided devotion - Uriah ●2 Samuel 11: When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” 11Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.”  Soldier with undivided devotion - Uriah ●2 Samuel 11: When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” 11Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.”

 Soldier entangled with civilian affairs - David - resulted in an affair

 Pleasing the one who enlisted you ●Are you trained? ●Are you equipped? ●Are you in active service? ●Do you have undivided devotion?  Pleasing the one who enlisted you ●Are you trained? ●Are you equipped? ●Are you in active service? ●Do you have undivided devotion?

III. Provisions of the Soldier  1 Corinthians 9:7 ●What soldier has to pay his own expenses? ▪Help keep them from being entangled  1 Corinthians 9:7 ●What soldier has to pay his own expenses? ▪Help keep them from being entangled

●Soldiers weapons of warfare

▪Doesn’t pay for the weapons – they are issued

▪Doesn’t pay for the ammunition

●Soldiers weapons of warfare ▪2 Corinthians 10:4 – divinely powerful weapons ▪Ephesians 6:13 – the full armor of God ●Soldiers weapons of warfare ▪2 Corinthians 10:4 – divinely powerful weapons ▪Ephesians 6:13 – the full armor of God

 Soldier does not go to war at his own expense ●Soldiers deserve blessing ●Commanding officer sees to it that your needs are met  Soldier does not go to war at his own expense ●Soldiers deserve blessing ●Commanding officer sees to it that your needs are met

 Matthew 6:24-33 ●Devoted to one master ●Not to worry about everyday life ●These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers – entangled in an affair ●Heavenly father knows you need these things ●Seek first the kingdom and he will give you everything you need  Matthew 6:24-33 ●Devoted to one master ●Not to worry about everyday life ●These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers – entangled in an affair ●Heavenly father knows you need these things ●Seek first the kingdom and he will give you everything you need

Interactive Time  What implications are made by the Lord using the example of a soldier to describe people in the service of the Lord?  Worries of the world entangle us. Why do we worry? What can be done about it?  What is dividing your devotion? How is that making you subject to an affair with the things of the world?  What implications are made by the Lord using the example of a soldier to describe people in the service of the Lord?  Worries of the world entangle us. Why do we worry? What can be done about it?  What is dividing your devotion? How is that making you subject to an affair with the things of the world?

V.