“DON’T STOP!” 2 Timothy 4:1-8
FBCF – 3/30/25
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Preacher told this story: “When I was small, my mother was my piano teacher. Once in a recital, I went blank in the middle of the piece I was playing & had to walk off the stage in total humiliation. Later, my mother gave me some great advice. She said, ‘Honey, any time you mess up in the middle, always end w/ a flourish & no one will remember what you did in the middle.’ Some of you have messed up in the ‘middle’ of your life. But my friend, there is still time for you to end w/ a flourish.”
Today, I want to challenge you to strive to finish strong – to “end w/ a flourish.” I want to challenge you w/ 2 simple words: DON’T STOP!
- No matter where you are on life’s journey
- No matter what you have done
- No matter how badly you’ve messed things up
- No matter if you are drowning in a sea of regret over decisions you’ve made, directions you’ve gone, or just dumb stuff you’ve done…
- There’s still time for you to finish strong, so…
DON’T STOP! Don’t come to end of your life w/ things undone that should have or could have been done…with things unsaid that should have or could have been said…If you get a diagnosis tomorrow of terminal sickness that will take your life by Friday of this next week, will there be some K’dom work undone that you should have or could have done? If so, NOW is the time to do those things! Don’t just exist! Don’t just take up space! Don’t just live for yourself & no one else. Seek 1st the K of G – Go hard after Jesus - & DON’T STOP!
EXPLANATION – 2 Timothy 4:1-8
2 Timothy – Paul’s last ltr. Wrote from prison cell in Rome. After he finished it, historians say that he was most likely beheaded by Emperor Nero.
Paul had heavily invested in Timothy’s life, starting when Timothy was in his late teens or early 20’s. By time Paul wrote 2 Timothy, Paul was probably in early 60’s & Timothy was probably early-mid 30’s. Paul encouraged, exhorted, & taught Timothy in important areas:
- Doctrine & theology
- Church organization & leadership – deacons & pastor/elders
- The reality of false teachers & people departing from the truths of the Bible
- Importance of discipleship
- End time realities
- Practical living out the Christian life
Paul poured into Timothy & set a great example for us to follow – 2 Timothy 2:2 – Who are YOU pouring into? Who is pouring into YOU?
Ch. 4 – Begin to sense that Paul knows that he’s coming to the end of his life. Maybe the death sentence had already been issued. Maybe he just knew it was coming – saw the handwriting on the wall. And as he took his last lap, he made it clear that he was ready to go.
- V. 6a – “poured out as a drink offering” – Can’t take it back. Can’t put it back. It’s a final, complete offering.
- V. 6b – “departure” – picture of hoisting anchor & setting the sails – taking down the tent – loosing a prisoner – unyoking an ox
- V. 7 – He had fought a good fight, finished the race, & kept the faith. Not bragging – not being prideful or haughty. He just knew that, to the glory of God, he was finishing strong & would soon receive “the crown of righteousness” (v. 8).
- And that should be our desire, too.
- “Sold Out!” – means you’re living passionately for Christ for the rest of your life until the time of YOUR departure comes…it means that you are living for & loving His Second Coming…it means that you are living to receive the crown of righteousness…it means that you are living to finish strong!
- So, if your time of departure happens to be later today or sometime tomorrow, will all of these things be true of you?
APPLICATION – The desire of every Christ-follower should be to finish strong.
All of us will cross the finish line of life @ some point. If we’re going to finish strong, we r charged to do 3 things:
PREACH THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD – v. 2 – Not talking about formal preaching of a sermon behind a pulpit or in a church sanctuary – not a “3 points & a poem” kind of sermon. Gk word simply means to publish or proclaim openly – to be a herald – Don’t have to change your voice – Not a certain kind of speech.
Any presentation of the TRUTH of God’s Word is preaching. So that means that anyone can do it - & SHOULD do it!
- Preach in informal conversation with a friend over a cup of coffee or a meal – or after football practice, softball practice, or whatever sport you play – or at the hunting camp – or after your Bunco game
- Preach in more structured setting like a LG here or in your home (need more people to start LGs in their homes!), or in a BetterMan discipleship group, or a women’s discipleship group. You preach in the way you worship the Lord in corporate worship.
- Parents can preach the truth of God’s Word to their kids when you’re at the beach, or in the backyard, or on the playground, or putting them to bed.
Popular Christian saying – “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” – Not biblical. Makes it sound like using words is optional. The Bible teaches us that using words IS necessary:
- “in season & out of season” – convenient (like here in church) or inconvenient (like at a restaurant w/ a waiter or waitress).
- Sometimes it has a little bite to it – “reprove” – gently show someone their error – “Let me help you…”
- …a little MORE bite to it – “rebuke” – scold – “You are wrong. You need to repent!”
- Follow that w/ encouraging words – “exhort”
STAY FOCUSED ON THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD – v. 3-4 – So many distractions in our world today:
- Some are simply annoying
- Some are deadly – distracted driver – No telling how many deadly wrecks I’ve responded to with fire dept.
Ray Pritchard: “In a world of itching ears, Preach the Word! To a generation gone astray, Preach the Word! – In a time of moral crisis, Preach the Word! – When people don’t want to hear you, Preach the Word! – When false teachers abound, Preach the Word! – In good times and in bad times, Preach the Word! – When people listen and when they don’t listen, Preach the Word!”
Stay focused on the truth of God’s Word b/c it never changes – Isaiah 40:8 – “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” – Psalm 119:160 – “The sum of your word is truth, & every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”
- Stay focused when people won’t put up w/ sound, healthy, biblical teaching
- …when they go find someone who will tell them what they want to hear “to suit their own passions.”
- …when they reject the truth, reject you, & reject Jesus & wander off into myths – made-up stories, fables, & false legends.
LIVE OUT THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD – v. 5 – “As for YOU…” – It’s time to put up or shut up – If you say you believe this stuff, then it’s time to live it. Get busy! Do what you are called & commissioned to do as a Christ-follower.
- “be sober-minded” – “stay calm, cool, & steady” – Don’t destroy your witness in a moment of uncontrolled passion.
- “endure suffering” – Where did we get the idea that the Christian life was going to be easy? “How did we ever think…” (Erwin McManus)
- “do the work of an evangelist” – Make Much of JESUS & tell as many people as you can about Him!
- “fulfill your ministry” – We are ALL in the ministry! What does yours look like? Where does yours show itself? Who is benefiting from your ministry?
