When We All Get To Heaven Series

If you have your Bible, please open it to 2nd Timothy Chapter 4. A friend in front of me was coming out of the church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always did to shake hands. He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside. Then the pastor said to him, “You need to join the Army of the Lord!” The friend replied, “I’m already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor.” Pastor questioned him, “How come I don’t see you except at Christmas and Easter?” He whispered back, “I’m in the secret service.”

If you look at the screen behind me, you will see that the title of my message today is When We All Get to Heaven. 2 weeks ago, I told y`all that the last part of the series was the message We`ll Work till Jesus Comes. Well, God had other plans and today makes the fifth and final part of the series on hymnals. In the last part of the series, we looked at our jobs as Christians as we wait until either the Lord calls us home, or the Lord comes back for the church. Last time, we looked at the point that we as Christians should be working. Today, we are going to look at why we should be working. Look at 2nd Timothy Chapter 4 starting in verse 6.

READ 2ND TIMOTHY 4:6-8

These are the last words in the last chapter of the last letter ever written by Paul. When he is writing this letter to Timothy, he is in one of the worst jails. Paul was imprisoned in Rome at the time, and he wrote this shortly before he was beheaded. Shortly before he became a martyr. He died for his belief in Jesus. So, Paul is at the end of his life, and he reflects over his time here on Earth. Paul reflects over his life, and he says:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Paul fought the good fight. He spent most of his time as an adult on the front lines of the ministry spreading the Gospel. Paul finished the race. He did not start his race very well. He spent his early adulthood killing Christians but look how he finished. He served Christ until the day the Romans beheaded him for being a follower of Christ. Paul kept the faith. He faced a lot of trials and hardships during his ministry, but he kept the faith and even died for it. Like we looked at 2 weeks ago, he worked through the tiredness. He worked through the temptations to quit. He worked through the price, and he worked through the noise. Paul fought the good fight, he finished the race, and he kept the faith. Look back at verse 8 again.

READ 2ND TIMOTHY 4:8

Paul builds off what he said in verse 7 and he says because I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith, I will one day be rewarded for what I have done. Remember what we said when we looked at When the Roll is Called Up Yonder. One day, we will all stand before God on Judgement Day and give an account for everything that we have ever done or said and on that day, we will enter into eternity in either Heaven or hell. Look at the fourth verse of When We All Get to Heaven:

Onward to the prize before us!

Soon His beauty we'll behold;

Soon the pearly gates will open

We shall tread the streets of gold.

Paul was at the end of his life and after reflecting over what he had done, he looked toward where he was going. As the hymnal says,

Onward to the prize before us!

Paul was focused on the prize before him... Heaven. He knew he was headed to Heaven. Look down at verse 18.

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Paul was getting ready to be with Jesus in Heaven. It was obvious that his life was coming to an end. He knew he was going to Heaven. He fought the good fight, he finished the race, and he kept his faith in Jesus Christ. He without a doubt went to Heaven. Look back at verse 8 again.

“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.”

We too have that opportunity to go to Heaven like Paul did. Like we looked at in the sermon When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, true born-again believers will one day enter eternal paradise in Heaven. Paul met that description. Do you? When you get to the end of your life, will you be able to reflect over it and say the same thing that Paul did? Did you fight the good fight? Did you finish the race? Did you keep the faith? Up until today, if your answer to that question is no, you still have time. You can still fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. 2 weeks ago, we talked about serving God either until the day He calls you home or the day that Jesus returns and raptures the church. Whatever happens first. You still have time. Philippians 3:20 says this: