Finish Well Pt 2

FINISH WELL PT. 2

2TIM 4 VS 1-8

2 Timothy 4:1-8 (NKJV)

1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, 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 is at hand.

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

8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE

PAUL WASN’T TALKING ABOUT A SPRINT HERE, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT A MARATHON!! IF THIS RACE WERE A SPRINT POSSIBLY ALL COULD SAY THAT THEY FINISHED THE RACE (WELL) BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE GETTING FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE IN OUR GENERATION THAT CAN ACTUALLY SAY THAT—I CAN SAY THAT BY SAYING THIS—

*CHURCH ATTENDANCE IN AMERICA IS DOWN BY 3% FROM 39% TO 36% OF PEOPLE WHO ATTEND AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK

*PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THEY SELDOM OR NEVER ATTEND CHURCH HAS RISEN BY 4% FROM 25% TO 29%.

**THIS IS OVER THE LAST DECADE ALONE!!

LETS SEE WHAT PAUL HAS TO SAY ABOUT FINISHING THE RACE, AND SOME TIPS TO “FINISH WELL.”

1 Corinthians 9:24-26 (NKJV)

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

1. FIRST THING YOU MUST DO TO FINISH THE RACE IS TO START THE RACE, AND STARTING THE RACE BEGINS WITH SALVATION- ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN? DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?:

THIS RACE PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT IS A SPIRITUAL RACE:

John 4:21-26 (NKJV)

21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things."

26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

John 14:6 (NKJV)

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

2. THE ENDURANCE RACE REQUIRES SACRIFICE- THIS IS NOT A WORD OR TERM THAT MANY FOLKS WANT TO JUMP UP AND SHOUT ABOUT, BUT IF WE STOP AND REALLY THINK ABOUT THE SACRIFICE THAT WAS GIVEN FOR US, AND WHO WE ARE SACRIFICING FOR, I THINK WE SHOULD SHOUT BECAUSE HE HAS COUNTED US WORTHY TO BE IN THIS RACE FOR “HIS CAUSE”:

Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

**SERVING/RUNING REQUIRES A SACRIFICE IF WE ARE TO RUN IN A MANNER AS IF TO WIN:

**TALK ABOUT THE LACK OF COMMITMENT AMONG PEOPLE NOW A DAY.

**LACK OF ATTENDANCE ON THE NIGHT SERVICES, LACK OF ENTHUSIASM FOR OUR SINGS AND EVENTS.

**LACK OF COMMITMENT TO POSITIONS- NEW YEAR COMING UP!

**LACK OF ATTENDANCE IN SUNDAY SCHOOL!

**PURPOSE BEHIND EACH!

Luke 12:42-48 (NKJV)

42 And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?