Text: 2 Timothy 4: 6-8
Title: Running Hard to the Finish
Objective: To challenge the students to make a decision to run right up to the finish and to encourage those that are dropping out of the race to come back right on.
Introduction
Before I began with the actual preaching of the word, I would like to give you a background to 2 Timothy. Second Timothy was written at a time whereby the church was going through a tremendous persecution. The Roman Emperor Nero unleashed a terrible persecution against Christians. Nero set fire to Rome and blamed it on the Christians. Christians were captured and were killed in the most brutal manner. Some were clothed in animal skins and were torn apart by wild beast, some were crucified, while others were burnt as torches to light up the night. The apostle Paul no longer enjoyed the freedom he had during his first arrest. Paul knew that he was going to die and it was in such a context that Paul wrote an intensely personal letter to his son Timothy. Shortly after he wrote this letter he was martyred for the Lord Jesus Christ.
In 2 Tim 4:6-8, Paul told Timothy, Son I am dying, I am passing the baton to you, now run the race. At a time whereby Paul was about to die he made these statements "I am ready to die, because I have fight the good fight, I have finish the race and I have kept the faith". Paul was ready to meet the Lord because he had finish the race. Paul had no regrets as he faces eternity. What was it in his life that enabled him to finish the race?
This morning I will share with you three characteristics in Paul’s life which enabled him to finish the race and I believe that if we are to develop these characteristics in our lives then we would also be able to complete the race.
Firstly I believed that Paul was able to finish the race because he knew the race which he was running.
1. Knowing the Race (Acts 9:15-16)
a. In Acts 9:15-16, the Holy Spirit revealed the calling of Paul to Annias. The call was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, Kings and to Jews. This call was probably given to Paul at the road to Damascus or during the period of time whereby he waited for Annias to come. Paul knew clearly his mission. He knew what the Lord wanted him to do. Paul knew the places which the Spirit wanted him to preach and places where the Spirit forbids him to do so. The call which Jesus gave him at the road to Damacus never left him and that call was always the focal point of his ministry.
b. Illustration
Knowing your mission is very important. If you do not know your calling in life you are just like an athlete who is training for the 100m race and realized that on the competition day you are enrolled by the coach to run a 200m race. The result is that you have already lost the race even before you began.
c. Do you know God’s calling in your life or at least what He wants you to do at this moment? If you do not know and you are doing what you yourself like to do, or what your father wants you to do or even what your pastor want you to do, you will come to realize one day that you have not done a single thing which the Lord wants you to fulfill. All that you’ve done is merely what you in your flesh wants to accomplish and what man wants you to do. If you are at a lost for direction then it is time to withdraw into the very presence of God and seek Him for direction.
T.S Paul was not only a man who knows his race, he runs his race with freedom
2. Running with freedom (Hebrews 12:1)
a. Paul runs his race with freedom because he was not weigh down by the sins in his life. Hebrews 12:1 says let us throw away everything that hinders and the sins that so easily entangles and run with perseverance the race marked for us. Paul was indeed a man who walks in holiness and purity and he did not allow sin to weigh him down in his race. In fact I believed that Paul has a holy hatred for sin and this is evident in all the letters that he wrote to the churches.
b. Are you weigh down by sins, selfish ambition, the love of this world, materialism? If you are not running the race in freedom. In fact you are finding that the race is pretty difficult to run. Oh cut off those things that are hindering you and you will run hard to the finish!
T.S Paul was not only a man who knows his race he was a man who was totally sold out for his race.
3. Totally Sold out For His Race (Acts 20:22-24, 21:10-11)
a. Paul was totally sold out for the cause of the mission which God had given to him. All the persecution, stoning which left Paul almost dead did not prevent him from preaching the gospel. In fact the Holy Spirit told him that in very city that he will be going, persecution awaits him. The last straw came in Acts 20 whereby it was revealed to Paul by the Prophet Agabus that if he were to return to Jerusalem he would be bound. But this did not deter Paul from returning to Jerusalem. He knew that it was God’s will. Paul passion for his mission totally consume his heart and he willingly laid down his life for the sake of the gospel.
b. If we want to fullfilled God’s mission in our lives, we need to be totally sold out for it just as Paul was. Our hearts need to be consume with so much passion and fire for the mission which God had called us to, that we be willing to lay down our lives to see it’s fullfillment. Paul could have taken the short cut and avoided persecution and eventually death, but because he was so sold out for his mission that he is unwilling to take the easier path. His passion drove him to Jerusalem and eventually to his arrest. I believe that God is calling us to lay down our lives today. Are you willing to pay the price that you may finish the race.
c. Illustration
Conclusion
Many of us have heard about Billy Graham. But how many of you have heard of Tempelton or Bron Cliffort. These men were packing auditoriums in 1945 together with Billy Graham.
One seminary professor after hearing Templeton called him the most gifted, talented young preacher in America. Most observers thought that Templeton will be the one who go to the top.
Cliffort was another gifted fireball evangelist. Many believed that Cliffort was the most gifted, powerful preacher to come up in the church for many centuries. People queue up to hear him When he went to Baylor University to give a discourse they actually cut the bells of the tower because they did not want to be disturbed.
But why is it we do not hear of these two men today? It is because by 1950, Templeton left the ministry and pursue the career as a news caster, telling the World that he no longer believes in Jesus. He became an Atheist.
By 1954 Cliffort had lost his family, ministry and health. He became addicted to alcohol and died at the age of 35.
It is not how well you start, it is how strong you finish. You have only one life on earth, one chance to complete the race. When you meet with your master will you be lifting up your head with joy and saying to your master I have done all that you’ve asked me to do or would your head be bowed low in humiliation knowing that you’ve fail to complete the race.
Altar Call
This morning I believed that the Spirit is challenging you to be like Paul. You are not only to be a man or a woman who knows the mission but also a man and a woman who is willingly to lay down your life for the task that the Lord had given to you. There is a cry that is coming from the heart of God and that I believed had already reached your ears and that is for to make the decision that no matter what happens you will not leave the ministry which God had called you to. And if you are saying yes, in a moments time I will invite you down to the altar. There is another group of people here today, you are discourage in your ministry. You have dried out and burn out and you are weary. The Holy Spirit wants to renew your strength and empowered you to continue with the race that you are running.
