The Bible often
compares the Christian life to a walk or
a pilgrimage, and in Paul’s letters
to Timothy the
Christian life is also compared
to a fight (cf. 1 Tim. 1:18,6:12) and a race[1].We see this in our passage. These
metaphors all have one thing in common. They all have an end-goal, a
destination in view. You walk and run to
get to a destination. A boxer or
wrestler fights to get a victory. There can be nothing aimless about the
Christian life. Where are you going with
your Christian life? The call is to go
onward and forward, often engaging in spiritual
battles along the way, always striving
towards the goal and the prize- the crown of righteousness which the
Lord, the Righteous Judge will award on that Day.
This is part of Paul’s parting counsel for Timothy, who has
been called to work as a pastor-shepherd in this very challenging environment
in Ephesus. His goal as a pastor would be to be to present all God’s sheep perfect (ESV mature) in
Christ, so that they too would win the crown of righteousness.
When we are born and
grow up without the gospel our goals naturally become
focused around ourselves and the
best we can think about is how to
work for a good retirement policy, dreaming about ending our lives
in a house at the sea or on a quiet farm somewhere. There is almost no thought
about where my immortal soul will go after I die, and little thought about the
fact I am ultimately accountable to the God who has created me. Consequently, I
do not take cognizance of the fact that a life without Him now will also issue
in an eternity without Him. From the moment you are born again however, all
that changes. When Jesus takes hold of you, He by His Word helps you to see that
you are on a journey, a pilgrimage, a walk and in fact a race to get to the
finish line called heaven. Where are you
heading? Where is your journey leading
you to? Where are you going to?
The second letter to Timothy is our final record of Paul’s earthly
correspondence. In this past week a well -known newspaper man in Namibian
circles, Des Erasmus, died at the age of
81. He wrote his last column on the 31st August 2018, when he
knew he was dying, and he entitled it, ‘Ek sê koebaai” (I
am saying goodbye).We trust that he knew where he was going when he said his
last farewell to his appreciative readers. These are Paul’s final words, and he knew where he was heading.
Next time, in our last sermon from 2 Timothy we will consider his final
greetings.
This letter strongly indicates that he is aware that he does
not have long to go. He is heading
for heaven, and he wants to leave vital
counsel with Timothy. Please note the ‘as for you‘ in v. 5 and the ‘as for me’
in v.6 . Paul is ending his ministry and Timothy is
really only at the beginning of his ministry. And so, these are his words:
5 “As for you, always
be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your
ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time
of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the
race, I have kept the faith. 8 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.
It is good to think about, and prepare for the day of our
death. All of us will find ourselves in a similar situation to Paul, when we
must say… the time for my departure has
come. And we want to be sure that those that follow are
well instructed and focused on their
Christian pilgrimage!
1. By
being seriously ministry minded
NOW (v.5)
2. By facing the reality of our
own death (v.6)
3. By fighting
the good fight, finishing the race, keeping the faith(v.7)
4. By looking forward to heaven (v.8)
1. Being seriously ministry minded- NOW! (v.5)
“As for you, always be
sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your
ministry.
Paul was going and Timothy was coming. It was important now for Timothy to be
sober-minded, to endure suffering, to do the work of an evangelist, and to fulfil
all the duties of his ministry because soon he was going to be on his own. Soon
there would be no Paul to consult.
- “...Be sober-minded.” The NIV translates, “keep your head in all situations”. Paul is saying to Timothy, ‘be calm and collected…be composed… keep a cool head … stay focussed on Christ Jesus. Don't get taken in by what the world around you says and does … by what the false teachers (3:1-8) are saying and claiming. Keep focussed on that goal. This is an important exhortation for a minister of the gospel because there are (believe me) so many voices continuously shouting at a pastor for attention … this way, that way and the next way…Timothy, be sober-minded!
- “Endure hardship.” How many times have we heard Paul say this in the pastoral letters. The nature of the Christian ministry is a continuous spiritual battle. This is par for the course. Expect it, live with it, plan for it, and do not be surprised when this happens. Jesus has warned us: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
- “do the work of an evangelist.” The goal of the Christian ministry is to evangelize –to announce the Good News of God’s salvation plan to the whole world. The goal is to seek the lost sheep of Jesus. This is the responsibility of every Christian. Our eyes continually scan the horizon to see where those lost sheep might be. This is the heartbeat and longing of the Christian church- to see people delivered from the life of sinful meaninglessness and self- absorption, gathered to Jesus. To this end we labour and strive, says Paul in 1 Timothy 4:10. We ought to be longing for and pray for true conversions.
- “...fulfill your ministry.” Do all of the things that you are called to do by God.
2. Face the reality of your
own death (v.6)
Paul was in prison and on trial in Rome. From the book of
Acts we learn that he had chosen to go there, to appeal to Caesar. He had been
brought safely through the first hearing (v.17),
but he fears that he is not going to escape the clutches of Roman emperor Nero
for the second time. He was sure the end was near.
- “I'm being poured out as a drink offering.” The picture comes from Numbers 15. Apart from the sacrifice of a lamb upon the altar, wine was also poured out next to the altar. Paul is saying to Timothy, “I'm being poured out like that wine, next to the sacrificial lamb on the altar. I have poured myself out for the gospel of Jesus - the Lamb that was slain.” By his example he is encouraging Timothy and us to do the same. Knowing that you have to die, and to leave this sinful world for paradise, offer up your life, next to Jesus. Be poured out next to His sacrifice. That is the picture here. For Paul his whole life and all his actions were an offering to God.
- “The time for my departure has come”. The ship is leaving port, and as it is released from the ropes at the quay, it is slipping away quietly, as the gap steadily widens between the quayside and the ship, ready to head for the next harbour. That is the Christian approach to death. Beloved, in death, we as believers are not facing nothingness, and gloom and darkness. We are setting out on the final journey to our promised reward- a most wonderful place. Dying for the Christian is the beginning of a new life. In fact, Paul throughout his life had a desire to depart and be with Jesus. That better, by far! [Phil. 1:23]
3.
Fight the good fight, finish the
race, keep the faith (v.7)
- “I have fought the good fight”. The Christian life in this world is a continuous fight against the world (religious and pagan opposition), the flesh (indwelling and original sin) and the devil (the god of this world – 2 Cor. 4:4).
- “I have finished the race”. When God met Paul on the Damascus road (Acts 9) and set his face on a new path, Paul began a race from which he never flinched. When Paul met with the Ephesian elders he expressed his desire: “if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 20:24). Well, by now 10 years have passed and he is about to finish his course. Every Christian has a course set out for them. Everyone is exhorted to finish that course. The writer to the Hebrews exhorts us to “run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb.12:1). God, our heavenly Father has mapped out each course and He will provide you with the stamina, determination and the means to finish the course.
- “I have kept the faith.” I defended and proclaimed the true gospel. Paul was not always popular, nor was he always comfortable, nor was he always easy to understand, but he was always faithful to his calling.
This is what is before
you, dear Christian. Fight, finish and keep
the faith. May all of you die in full assurance of these things!
4. Looking forward to heaven. (v.8)
What does Paul anticipate as he looked ahead?8 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.
Paul anticipated facing an evaluation of his life, a
judgment, a vindication and a reward. God has so designed it that we live in a moral universe in which, what men sow, that they will also reap. Note this.
Paul fully expects to receive a reward upon entering into glory. This is
not a contradiction of the biblical
doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. He is
not smuggling a doctrine of works
into his doctrine of salvation.
The Bible undeniable teaches a doctrine of rewards. God will reward His faithful servants. Paul anticipated every faithful Christian to receive a reward. “–
and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing”.
The main thing we need to see is this. Paul’s life was driven
by something greater than this temporary life.
He wasn’t working for his pension fund. His treasure is not here. His reward
is in heaven with God. His reward is the crown of righteousness. Now, he has already been made righteous, but
he is still living in the present in which there is so much
unrighteousness. He longs for a day
when sin will have been totally eradicated from him, when its presence and
power is gone. This will happen at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you
long for the coming of Christ?
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