- Well, it has indeed been a great series. I've really enjoyed unpacking II Timothy. Four chapters right at the end of Paul's life, and it's just loaded with stuff that reminds us that we all should be multiplying disciples. How do we do that? For instance, we saw last week in a really mess-up world that we live in right now, and then today we're going to take a look at this subject of "Finishing Strong". Quite, frankly, I don't know anybody that doesn't want to finish strong. They want to make a lasting difference. Nobody wants to be characterized by that statement on food items that says, "best used by", and then they give you a date. You want to slide for home. You want to make an investment in people's lives, and that's what Paul is going to talk about here right at the end of this short letter that he wrote to Timothy. So, take your Bibles out. Go to II Timothy chapter four and locate verse one. II Timothy 4:1 is where we're going to begin to take a look at what we have are really Paul's final words that we have recorded. Now in verses nine through the rest of the chapter, Paul gives some personal statements, personal greetings, those kinds of things. We're going to focus just on verses one through eight because it's loaded with stuff. Paul was right at the end of his life. He met Christ, as recorded for us in the book of Acts in chapter nine, on his road to Damascus. Subsequent to that, he was called into full-time vocational ministry, and he was really sent out to plant churches and communicate Christ around the known Roman world at that point. He started with Jewish individuals, which was his former faith, and then began to focus on gentiles. It's fascinating when you look at the scope of his life and what he accomplished in 20 years of ministry, he took three missionary journeys that we know of. He logged over 20,000 miles, and I say over 20,000 miles, because I believe that he probably went to Spain. Although, we're not real sure. We don't have specifics, but the indication is certainly there. I mean, he visited almost every major Roman city in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, and he planted churches in most of them. He trained leaders. He multiplied disciples, and he wrote what we have now as most of our New Testament. He was an amazing man. In all accounts that we have, these were his final words, perhaps days away from losing his life. He ran an amazing race, and now he's handing that to Timothy. He's handing that to us, and he's telling us to finish strong. Now the statements that we're going to look at today, do have a specific application for those of us that are in full-time vocational ministry, or part-time vocational ministry. Especially some of his opening words about preaching the word, we'll talk about it, but there is also a level of application I want you to see for all of us that are found within these words. We're going to take a look at some of those. If you look at verse one, Paul says this. He says, "I charge you." This is a very solemn moment, so to speak, where he's calling Timothy. He's saying, "Timothy, I charge you "in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, "who is to judge the living and the dead, "and by his appearing and by his kingdom, "preach the word. "Be ready in season and out of season. "Reprove, rebuke, and exhort, "with complete patience and teaching." He starts out, "Timothy, I'm calling you." Again, this was at the end of his life, and he says, "I charge you in the presence of God "and of Christ Jesus." Actually, he's referring to the same person of deity there. "I charge you in the presence of God, even Christ Jesus," that's a better way to say it. He met Christ on the road to Damascus, and it is Jesus Christ that called him, and he's charging Timothy right in the presence of God, but specifically focusing on Jesus Christ, who is the judge, and he is going to judge the living and the dead. He wants Timothy to understand that he's going to stand before Jesus, and he's going to give an account for how he faithfully lived his life. This is not a judgment of eternity with Jesus or Hell apart from Jesus. He's not talking about Heaven or Hell here. He's talking about coming before Jesus Christ knowing he's lived a faithful life and receiving rewards for that faithful service. He alludes to one of them, actually specifically in verse eight, which we'll get to. The point is, "Timothy, "you're going to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ. "He gave you a message. "He wants to know if you've completed that message," and the same thing is true for us. He's also the one who is going to come again, because he says, "His appearing", and "His kingdom." In other words, "Timothy, you need to be ready." Then in verse two he gives five specific commands. Now whenever somebody's at the end of their life, these are their final words, what'll you do? It's just very natural. You're going to listen to everything they say. You're going to write them down because this is the final charge. He gives five commands here, and the first one is he says, "Preach the word." Now the word preach means to announce. It was used of an emissary, a messenger from the king, going out with a message knowing that they're going out with this king's authority and their power, but also their protection. Now the idea here though is not that they're going to protect you from life or death. Paul talked about that last week when he said very clearly, he said, "The Lord rescued me from my persecution "and from the suffering not because he's going to guarantee "you're going to have suffering "and you are never going to lose your life." The point was simply that the calling that God has given to you he's going to fulfill that calling. You are to go out and communicate that message. Whether it's by life or by death, God will accomplish his purpose and his plan living his life through you to communicate his message to a lost world. Regardless, of whether you keep on living or you give your life, God's going to use it for his glory and his honor no matter what. That's the idea here. He's saying, "Timothy, "you need to be faithful to preach the word." The word that he's talking about here is the word that he referenced in II Timothy 3:16-17, "All of scripture, "All 66 books." Now there's two levels of application here. One is, obviously, "Timothy as the pastor "of the church of Ephesus, preach the word." Couple of thoughts here. But, we all have a responsibility to share that message. I believe, though, that Timothy is receiving a charge here by Paul to stick to the word of God. Teach it. It should be the focus of any church, and it is why it has been the focus of everything that I've done, everything I've done here, and it should be the focus and is the focus of Rockpoint Church. We teach the Bible. We're not about trying to teach ideas. Paul is not saying, "Timothy, go preach ideas, "or put together your top 10 list "of how to live a wonderful life." He's not saying that. He's saying, "Timothy, these are my last words. "You have to focus on the truth of the gospel. "You've got to focus on the truth." Now it doesn't mean that the truth of God's word does not address cultural issues or ethical issues. We don't even run from that stuff here. We address them if they're found within scripture. But the point is we teach the truth that helps a person find a relationship with Jesus Christ, and then formulate a biblical world view. So that when you're living your life and you encounter something that is not true, you immediately recognize it, and you're ready to give an answer for what you believe, which is where Paul is going next, because he says in this second command, "Be ready in season and out of season." Now that command is talking about standing by. Be ready to discharge a task. Be ready, equipped to communicate a message, and it needs to happen in season and out of season, when times are good and times are bad. In other words, always be ready and willing to share the truth. This is applies to all of us. Be ready to do it. We have a responsibility to make disciples, who make disciples, who make disciples. Now for some of us, this directly relates to our vocational role. It's my responsibility to preach and teach. Paul says in Ephesians chapter four that, "Some have been given the gift of preaching and teaching, "in order to equip the saints "to do the work of the ministry." That's why we encourage all of us if you haven't found a place to connect, you may start today. Go to the gathering area. Go to the next move. Connect with someone. They'll find community for you. They'll begin to build a relationship with you, and then help you find a place you can begin to serve. That's kind of the idea. But it also means that we all should be ready to share. We all should be ready to serve in season and out of season. Sometimes opportunity are favorable when we have an opportunity come before us to share, and sometimes they're not so favorable. Sometimes there's criticism and opposition. When I went through this passage, one of the thoughts I have was some have served overseas. We call them missionaries. We'll share some of those stories with you. You'll hear from some of them that we work with here at Rockpoint over the next couple of weeks. But, immediately that thought came to my mind of faithful servants who have served around the globe. They have cultivated. They have faithfully served, and then they come back here, and in some cases they don't have remarkable stories that we want to hear. They've just faithfully served. They've planted seeds. But Paul says elsewhere, and again this is the end of his life. He's drawing from his entire life. He says, "Just sow the seed. "Some cultivate the ground. "Some water, "but it's God that brings about the growth. "It's God that brings forth the fruit." He's saying here sometimes people serve faithfully over the years, but they don't have dramatic testimonies about thousands of people coming to Christ. The point is just be ready. Now couple of thoughts come to mind here, as you're ready and willing to share, you got to be prepared. You got to have something ready to share. This happens when you begin to understand the truth that you hold, and then understand how to share that truth with other people regardless of the circumstances. So I ask the question, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, do you know the truth? Have you taken time in your life to actually figure out how it is you share your story of how Jesus Christ has changed you, so that when the opportunity comes up, you're prompted by the Spirit. It's brought before you. Whether it's a favorable circumstance or an unfavorable situation, you're ready to give an answer for what you believe. Now for some of you, and I don't want to go beyond this point here, for some of you, you're perhaps already in full-time or part-time vocational ministry. We've got a staff. I know they're a part of our church and listening. But, maybe God is moving in your life and in your heart, and you've been moving in this direction of vocational or full-time vocational professional ministry where you're paid for doing that. There's a time of preparation that needs to occur. But there's also a time of preparation for all of us to know what we believe and to be ready to share our faith when those opportunities come up. Practically, it applies to a Sunday school teacher teaching a kid's class here. You need to be prepared to teach those kids. Why, because you're communicating your faith to them. You need to be ready and prepared to talk about your faith and encourage, and to guide someone when they need to hear it. It means this, parents or grandparents, being ready to pass on our faith to the next generation. That's what it means to be prepared. Now that the preparation is there, we need to be spiritually sensitive to where God is working. If you want to be ready in season and out of season, so that every opportunity is taken advantage of regardless of what it is, we need to be prepared, but then sensitive to how the Spirit's working. A concept I came across several years ago, I just love this concept, "Look at where God is working "and then go align yourself with him." That's how God oftentimes works. Find out where he's already moving, and then go find out where he's working, and then join him in that process. This is being in a constant state of prayer in your life. Paul says, "Pray without ceasing." You know what that means? That means constantly in life, "God, where are you working?" When the opportunities come up, you begin to pray. You say, "Where are you moving, "so that I can be sensitive "to the Spirit's movement through your word." How he's moving in circumstances, I'm seeing the world through his eyes, so that now that I'm ready to share my faith, I'm answering that call. It might be on an airplane. It might be in your neighborhood. It might be a conversation with one of your grandkids. It might be in a variety of different ways. But you are ready and willing to see the world through his eyes, so that you can respond. Now for some of you you're saying, "I'm not ready enough." Well, let me challenge you there. You are more than ready. If you know Christ as Savior and Lord, he's ready to use you, and we can help you in this process. But, for many of us that have been followers of Christ for so many years, you have more stuff in your brain than you will ever use in the rest of your life. It's time to step forward into that next move. Then, once the preparation is there, and we're asking God to move, so that we can ready in season and out of season, now we got to be in community. You know why you need this one? Because there's opposition. We are experiencing a level of opposition we've not before, and as I've said last week, I think, persecution and suffering is on the way for followers of Christ. Many are already experiencing it. We need one another. There's going to be times in your life where going to need encouragement to keep going and not give up. That's where we join together. That's why we encourage you to be in a small group, be in community with men and women and others. We want you to be surrounded by others who are following Christ because we're doing this together. There's going to be times when you're going to have some dry seasons, some desert episodes in your life, and you're going to need some encouragement. There's springtime, there's winter. There's fall, there's summer. There's all kinds of seasons, and Paul is saying you need to be ready to go, prepared, sensitive, "God, where are you working," and then in community as you step forward. But, then there's got to be a decision to be bold. There's got to be that moment when circumstances are not favorable. When negative criticism occurs, but you're willing to step forward and communicate that truth regardless of the time or setting. This happens when you're in your neighborhood or you're at work or with family members, even a topic comes up, and I don't know, have you ever been there? The topic comes up, and you're like, "Oh, here's an opportunity," but there's this tension inside your soul. "Do I share? "Do I not? "Okay, God is this from you," and there's this tension, and why is the tension there? Because you know if you share, then they're going to look at you sideways, or then somebody's going to say something, or then you're going to be known as that person in the neighborhood that's the religious fanatic in the neighborhood. Set that stuff aside. You've got a calling. Paul is saying, "Timothy, these are my last words." We've got a mission to accomplish. We've got a message to communicate, and there are times to step forward. It's when a student goes off to college, and they know they're going to take a class, and the professor's only goal is to dismantle their faith. It's a decision to be bold. I just heard of a situation this past week. Somebody went to one of our fine, I'll put it this way, medical universities here in the Twin Cities. As they were going through residency, because of their belief in the biblical principle of life and their stance to be pro-life, they were harassed and ridiculed for their faith. It's out there, but we need to be bold. Then in the final three commands he gives in verse two, "Reprove, rebuke, and exhort, "with great patience and teaching," he says, what he's really after here is to confront sin and correct error. Now remember Paul is saying, "I want you to finish strong. "I want you to be ready to share your faith "in season and out of season." You got to be prepared, sensitive to what God is doing in community and bold, but there's got to be that point in your life where you begin to look deep inside. You want to finish strong? You want to make a lasting difference? Then we've got to deal with some character things that might be going on in you, and sometimes even in the lives of others. But to finish strong as a follower of Jesus Christ, to finish strong as a group of people, to finish strong as a church, there are times when we must reprove. Now think of this word this way. It means reprove. It means to correct incorrect thinking. That's the idea. So if someone's thinking incorrectly about a subject, a topic, doesn't necessarily mean to be a sin issue, but they're thinking wrong, Timothy is called to proclaim the truth, the objective standard for living. The plumbline of our life, correct truth. That's the idea, communicate it. Now if sin is involved, that's where the next word rebuke comes in. The idea here is to point out wrong doing and its consequences. Except this word has a different goal. This word the goal is humility. So, in other words, the way that you say this is wrong, what you're doing is wrong, and here are the consequences, whether the person is involved specifically or not, the point the humility. You want someone to get to that point where they acknowledge that it is wrong or that what they're doing is wrong, so that then you begin to guide them down the right path. Now he doesn't say be harsh. He doesn't say be hateful. The point is that in a loving way, without badgering them, we aren't ashamed to call sin, sin. We want to deal with that, but we do it in a loving way. To say the truth, and communicate it with love, as Paul said earlier in the book, with gentleness so that it leads someone to that point of humility of repentance and they can get back on track again. Then he says sometimes, "Timothy, you're going to have to exhort other people, and we all must do this. The word that is used here is the word Paraclete. Now if you've been around churches for a while, we oftentimes use these big words that sometimes culture doesn't use. This word Paraclete is oftentimes used for the Holy Spirit, and it means to come alongside of a person. The Holy Spirit comes alongside of us as we walk this Christian life, and he encourages us. He guides us into truth. He comfort us at times, and we all need it. We all need encouragement. We all need to walk this road. Timothy was to be a good coach to others as Paul was to him, and, therefore, once we've come to Christ, we do so with other people. Now all five of these commands he says, "We are to do this with complete patience and teaching." The point is to patiently keep on teaching, communicating the truth, having patience with those that have wronged you, need patience, a little more time. We're all there, right? Oftentimes in our lives we do what? We take three steps forward and two steps back, three steps forward and two steps back, and we all need patience as we continue to teach. And I'll tell you what, you want to complete these? You want to finish strong? It all starts inside looking at yourself first when it deals with this issue of getting right with God and sin that needs to be removed, those character flaws, so that we can finish strong. It starts with me first. It starts with you before it goes to others. It's kind of like training as an athlete. I mean, if you want to complete that race, there's a lot involved to get you to that point. That's why you need a coach. The coach comes along and what do they do, they say, "Well, you're doing this wrong. "You need to change this. "Your diet needs to change. "You need to do these exercises." Why, so that you can remove those things that are keeping you from running and running well. If you don't do those things, you'll never be a great athlete. I mean, you've heard the phrase, right, "Lean and mean?" Well, in the Christian life, you don't want to be lean and mean. You want to be lean and loving, okay? But there are things that need to be dealt with at times, so that you can cross that finish line and finish well. I was reminded of a couple of verses in the book of Hebrews. We don't know if Paul wrote this book or not, but it sure does fit this passage. He says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded "by so great a cloud of witnesses." Now think about this. Paul is saying, "Timothy, you're in the race. "I was in the race. "I'm leaving this now. "But, you're still here." Now the writer of Hebrews in chapter 11 just finished talking about all of these faithful servants. He goes through one by one. It's a great passage. His point is in the midst of this collection of faithful saints, you kind of get the image of being in a stadium in the race, running around the track, and they're in the stands, and what are they doing? They're cheering you on. They're cheering you on. They're cheering me on. They're cheering Timothy on. Paul is saying, "We've got this incredible group of witnesses "that have faithfully gone down this road, "and now, Timothy," Paul is saying, "I want you to run that race," and the writer of Hebrews is in essence saying the same thing. He says, "We have this cloud of witnesses "that have gone before us." Now he says, "Let us also," just like they had to, "Let us also lay aside every weight "and sin which clings so closely, "and let us run with endurance the race "that is set before us." In other words, there's things in our lives we keep tripping up over as we complete the task in front of us, as we complete the mission, as we run the race. It might be concerns of this life. It might even be a sin issue, which needs to be set aside, removed, so that we can confront it in our life, confront it in others, and actually do what we're supposed to do. Keep our eye on the ball here and not get sidetracked in any way. Then once we've done this, where's our gaze? Our gaze is looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Notice this, "Who for the joy that was set before him, "endured the cross." He already ran the race for us. "He endured the cross, despising the shame, "and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." You're in the race. People are looking at you, but guess who ran the race before you? Jesus did. He lived the perfect life. He went to the cross and died for you, so that you can have a relationship with him. Resurrection power to now help you live out this new life. You are to look to him and draw upon his strength. We put our faith in him, because when we do and we trust him, he actually lives the life, runs the race, with his resurrection power and strength in and through us as we keep stepping forward. It's actually him by his grace that we keep going to finish strong. Then in verse three, he says, "For the time is coming "when people will not endure sound teaching." What I'm telling you to do they don't want to hear the truth. "But having itching ears, "they will accumulate for themselves teachers "to suit their own passions, "and will turn away from listening to the truth "and wander off in the midst." He's talking about those times, which we experience today and in other settings, whereby, people are just going to want what they want. They're not going to want to talk about sin. They're going to want new topics. They don't want to deal with what the Bible calls truth that we need to live up to. They're always going to be there, but again succumb to the cultural pressure. Don't compromise your faith. Don't just talk about issues that are nice. There's points when we must talk about wrongdoing, and we must talk about sin. The Bible doesn't rationalize behavior. Then in verse five he gives another set of commands. He says, "As for you, always be sober minded, endure suffering, "do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." You want to finish strong? Paul also says that we have to think clearly about life. Knowing and living the truth, that's what he means by sober minded. It means to be clear thinking. To remove anything that impairs our judgment, that's the idea of being sober. Same thing spiritually. He's at the end of his life. He's saying you got to focus on the essentials. Don't get sidetracked. That's the idea. Don't let anything but the truth control your thinking and your behavior. Not your emotions, as we talked about last week. You focus on the plumbline of truth, teaching it, obeying it. Don't give into anything. Satan will do everything he possibly can to get a follower of Christ, to get a church and pastors, from veering off of the truth. That's his whole goal. It is our responsibility to be clear minded and focused on biblical priorities, on sharing our faith, on making disciples, on living the truth. That has to be central to everything we do and say. I think, we get so sidetracked at times by what is important. We focus on materialism. We focus on desires. We focus on money, and in our culture it's just unbelievable what it pulls. One of the advantages of COVID-19, and I realize it's been a tough experience for all of us, but one of the things that I hope it has brought all of us to is that this world is not going to last. It is messed up, and it will continue to be messed up. The hope that we have is only in Christ and Christ alone, and that's why we've got to communicate the gospel. That's why we oftentimes have to hit the reset button, and we have to realize that maybe in the midst of this stretching moment God is stripping us away from our materialism and the stuff that we have clung to that we've idols of in our life and really get down to the core essence of what it means to live for Jesus Christ. Then he says be ready to suffer. Endure suffering. You want to finish strong? Endure suffering. It's an interesting word. This word's only used three times in the New Testament. Two times it's used by Paul in this last letter he wrote in II Timothy. In II Timothy 2:8-9, Paul actually says he suffers hardship for the gospel. His point is there will be suffering. We talked about that last week. You want to live for Jesus Christ? There's going to persecution and suffering that comes. Unfair criticism, verbal rocks that people throw at us, pressure, compromise, he's saying, "No, I want you to stick to it." I mean, every runner, every athlete has to experience a certain level of pain, of saying no to self. A marathon runner has to. Once they hit that wall running that race they've trained for, but they're going to have to get beyond the emotions. Then he says, it's a very interesting phrase, he says, "Do the work of an evangelist." Now we all need to be ready to share our faith, but it's interesting that he would say, "Do the work of an evangelist." You know why? Because that's all of our responsibility. You're going to have an opportunity to share your faith. You're prepared, you're ready to go. We've talked about that in season and out of season. But do the work, the cultivation, build the relationship, meet physical and spiritual needs not for social goals, but to communicate the gospel that's the point. So, do the cultivation, plant the seeds. Let God bring the growth, but we all bear that responsibility. Then he says, "Fulfill your ministry." Well, this is giving your life away by serving others. The idea behind this phrase, "Fulfill your ministry," complete it. Don't get sidetracked by sin, by the weight that we talked about, those things that are drawing us. Materialism whatever that may be, set that aside, complete this ministry, and give your life away to others in service. This is why it's so important as a follower of Christ to remember where we're going. Our citizenship is in Heaven. Once your future is secure, you can let go and lose your grip on the present because you know eternal life is secure. You know Jesus has got this. He's going to protect and provide you, according to his mission and plan. It may be giving your life at some point. It may mean denying certain privileges in your life. But, he's going to accomplish his plan and his purpose through you. He's going to guide you. He's going to take care of you, so that you can begin to give yourself away. Then if you'll look at verse six, he says, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, "and the time of my departure's come. "I've fought the good fight. "I've finished the race. "I've kept the faith. "Henceforth, there is laid up for me "the crown of righteousness, "which the Lord, the righteous judge, "will award to me on that day, "and not only to me, "but also to all who have loved his appearing." That means all of us, and specifically Timothy, And finally, Paul says, "Make it your goal to cross "the finish line with nothing left." He says, "Timothy, I'm already being poured out." He's drawing upon two images here. There was a Jewish custom of taking wine and pouring it on an altar, which symbolized blood of a sacrifice, so the first image brings sacrifice. The second is a Jewish Hebrew poetic idea expressed in these words being poured out, which meant to empty your strength to the point of death. His point is when you cross that finish line, you should have nothing left. Sacrifice it now. This is the game. Run that race. Pour yourself out in finishing strong and giving your life away to others. That's the idea. Now Paul had as his mission statement recorded for us in Acts 20:24. This was Paul's first Roman imprisonment. But this hasn't changed. Look at these words. "But I do not account my life of any value "nor as precious to myself, "if only I may finish my course "in the ministry that I receive from the Lord Jesus "to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Paul was not going to give up on his mission. No matter what he was going to cross that line. He was going to finish strong. He pours himself out, so that there's nothing left, and then he says, "My departure" at the end of verse six, "has come." Interesting word. In English, we say departure. But it actually has four different parts to it. The first means this if I were to transliterate this word in Greek, which means I'll pronounce it in English now, the word is actually analysis. Isn't that interesting? Paul is saying, "My analysis has come?" Well, what does he mean? He means looking back at your life. That's exactly what he's done here. A life of faithful integrity. When you go to a funeral, what do they do? They look back on someone's life. Maybe you've been asked to give a eulogy. What are you doing, you're reflecting on that person's life, and hopefully it's good, and it's not bad. Paul says, "I'm at the end here." We need to get to that point where we analyze our life. We pull it apart like strands from a rope, and we're saying, "Wow, I've lived this faithful life "with nothing left," that's the idea. There's a second part of this word. It actually means to be released from bondage. Paul is saying, "I'm going to cross that line. "I'm going to be released from the bondage "of this life right here that's affected by sin, "so that I can walk into the very presence of Jesus Christ. "He will make me perfect in his sight, "and the race is over." Third, it means to strike a tent, meaning to pull it apart and move to another place. Then this word number four was used to describe a voyage where sailors would use it to describe a ship departing on a journey, and the whole point is, "Hey, look at my life. "I'm being released from the bondage of this physical life. "I'm going to be taken into "the very presence of Jesus Christ, "and I'm moving to this other realm," and he says in verse seven, he gives these statements, that he's fought the fight, he's finished the race, he's kept the faith. Now it's interesting in English, we always put a verb. Let me give you a grammar lesson this morning. We put the verb, and then we put the object after it, right? Okay, so if you had good grammar in your school. If you didn't, you need to go to another school. But if the verb and the object comes. You know what Paul does in the original Greek language? He flips them, and he does it for emphasis. So let me read it for you the way it really appears. "The good fight, I fought." You get it. "The race, I finished. "The faith, I have kept." His point there is clearly the fight. This is the word we get the word agony from. There was agony as he was going through this life trying to accomplish with Satan's opposition and other people trying to do everything he possibly could. "Timothy, you need to do that," and so does every person in this room who knows Christ as Savior and Lord. If you want to read the stuff that Paul had gone through in his life, go to II Corinthians 11 verses 23 and 28. He goes through how many times he was beaten to the point of death, and stoned, shipwrecked, hungry, and cold, and, yet, he kept on going because he had this as his mission statement. Then he says, "Next, "this race I finished, "and then this faith I have kept. "I continued to trust the Lord. "I've guarded this message, "and now I'm handing it to you. "I will receive," in verse eight, "the crown of righteousness." What he means there as he said in the book of Romans another book he wrote, this is the end of his life. You are declared righteous by faith in Jesus Christ. That's when you're justified and made right. What he's talking about is eternal life here. It was promised on Earth, and it's now received in Heaven where you will be finally made perfect without sin before the Savior as you fall into his arms fully spent and given. We all want this. We all want to live and finish strong and make a difference. What matters more than anything is communicating the gospel and investing in someone's life. So when we cross that finish line, the struggles are gone. We finished the race. We kept the faith. We never gave up, and we finished strong. It was October 20, 1968, the Olympic ceremonies were over in Mexico City. The athletes were celebrating in the middle of the field. Everything was done at that point, except the speaker came over the sound system and he said, "The last marathon runner "is making his way into the stadium." I mean, things had ended hours ago, and, yet, John Stephen Akhwari came wobbling into the stadium and around the track, and people began to cheer for him to finish. He he was bloody because he blew a knee out. He fell down, whacked his head, and as he hobbled around that track, the witnesses in the crowd were saying, "You can do this! You can do this!" He finally got across the finish line, and they immediately took him in an ambulance off to the hospital. The next day a reporter asked him, "Why on earth did you finish the race? "After everything you endured why did you finish this race," was the question, and he looked at the reporter, John Stephen Akhwari from Tanzania, and he said, "My country did not "send me 7,000 miles to start a race, "but to finish." The Lord Jesus Christ did not save you, so that you could start a race. He saved you so that you could finish and finish strong. Jesus, through Paul's words and actions, demonstrated what it mean to run the race, and now we must do the same. As we come to a point where we focus on what Christ has done for us, we must remember that he ran the race before us, and he went to a cross, and he paid the price for our sin, yours and mine. He arose from the grave, and all who put their faith and trust in Christ alone as Savior and Lord, you are embarking on a journey, and now he wants to live his life through you, so that you can finish strong, and in the next few moments as we sing, and I'll be back up, and we take communion together, if you have embraced Christ as Savior and Lord, we invite you to take communion with us. But as we sing, I want you even in these moments to think about a couple of things. First, rejoice in the fact that you're saved by his work and not your own, and then I want you to begin to look at your life. Is there sin, is there something that is anchoring you to this life and not to Jesus? It's time to remove those things, and then recommit your life to the call of finishing strong, finishing strong by his grace. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for the gift of the Lord Jesus, and, Father, in the next few moments as we sing and we reflect upon our life we bring to you any sin that might be entangling us, any concern in this life, and we once again want to commit, resolutely commit to following you and finishing strong, and it is all because of the work of the cross and the resurrection. So now do your work in us, move in us, Holy Spirit, as you will. It's in Christ's name we pray, amen.