One of the Apostle Paul’s favorite metaphors for Christian life and ministry was the military.  2 Timothy, Chapter 2, verses 3 – 4, is one of many places in his writings where this image and analogy is used.  One gets the sense when reading his letters in the New Testament that Paul was all too familiar with the clank of armor, the thump and thud of soldiers’ feet as they marched under command and in formation, brandishing swords, shields and spears.  As we celebrate the contributions of those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom, this sermon leverages the Apostle words in the text to develop a “biography of a good soldier” for the Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground and every Christian is a soldier in the Lord’s army.