ENTANGLEMENT

“No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life.” (II Timothy 2:4)

The picture here of ENTANGLEMENT is that of a soldier who goes to draw his sword

but gets it caught in his robe.

QUESTION: “Are you a soldier of Christ who is available on His terms for spiritual

battle?” Or are you ENTANGLED? Christ expects us to be INVOLVED in life’s affairs. Not

ENTANGLED.

Writing in a Roman setting, Paul knew that all soldiers were characterized in two ways:

1. They were immediately available at the call of their commander.

• If Christ called you today to move to Bolivia, would you be available to go?

– Are you debt free? Unentangled with contracts?

– Are you free enough emotionally to break the bonds and go?

• If Christ called you today to drop what you are doing for a few hours to touch

someone… would you be available?

Picture in your mind the contrast between:

• Peter and the other fisherman who, upon Christ’s request immediately left their

boats (business) and family members to follow Him. (See Matthew 4:19, 20)

• The men in Luke 9 whom Christ called. They responded with a “Yes” all right, yet

with this qualifier: “BUT FIRST LET US” check out our investments and take care of

family needs. (See Luke 9:57-62)

ENTANGLED!

2. They assumed they would suffer in the carrying out of their commander’s cause:

“Suffer hardship… as a true soldier of Jesus Christ.” (II Timothy 2:3 – ASV, TCNT)

Tertullian, a Christian scholar of another age put it this way: “No soldier comes to the war

surrounded by luxuries, nor goes into action from a comfortable bedroom, but from the makeshift and

narrow tent, where every kind of hardness and severity and unpleasantness is to be found.”

Are you involved, yet AVAILABLE… or are you unavailable because you are so EN-

TANGLED?