2 Timothy 4:6-8
“A Successful Life”
BY: Rev. Kenneth E. Sauer, Pastor of Parkview United Methodist Church, Newport News,
VA
As I was growing up,
I was afforded the great grace of being surrounded by many dedicated Christians---people who
were ‘running the race’, people who’s lives were making a positive difference in this world.
I had an uncle...Uncle Jack who was a United Methodist Minister...my family and his
family were very close, and we would often visit each other’s houses for holidays such as
Thanksgiving and Christmas....and during the summer...we would all inevidably take a vacation
together.
And I watched my Uncle Jack closely....I watched his every move....
The way he treated his wife....the way he loved his children....and the great concern he
had for all those around him....I can honestly say that I never heard a crass word out of him...it
was always concern for his fellow human beings. Through my Uncle Jack...I had the great
opportunity to watch the Gospel of Christ being lived out...truly, honestly, and lovingly.
Almost exactly two years ago, my parents called me with some very sad news....
Uncle Jack had pancreatic cancer, and was given only 6 months to live.
He died right before Thanksgiving, and Jeanne, Ben and I rushed up to Pennsylvania
where he had lived and served the Lord for nearly fifty years.
I was even given the great priviledge to serve as one of the ministers in his
funeral....along with two cousins of mine who are also United Methodist Ministers.
But during the short period of time that my uncle was sick...I talked with him on the
phone several times a week.
And although I was calling to cheer him up...he was usually the one who was cheering
me up!
He knew he was dying, his skin had already begun to turn yellow, and he could no longer
enjoy his favorite treat...molasses cookies....
Like Paul, his time of departure was at hand, and he knew it.....but he had no fear.....
There was no reason for him to be sorry for the life he had lived...there was no
remorse....he had fought the good fight....he had kept the faith....and the crown of righteousness
was laid up for him.
So when I would talk to this dying saint....our conversations would inevitably turn toward
the same direction they had always gone....He would talk to me about how good God
is....about how wonderful it is to serve the Lord....and ask me how my ministry was going.
Then he would give me advice.....and at times of questioning....I would call him like I
always had...just to get advice.....and he was always more than ready to give it...and he gave
it cheerfully, and humbly...even on his death bed...even as his body was racked with
pain....his greatest concern was the Gospel.....his greatest concern was how best to serve his
fellow human beings.
What a way to live! Now that is a successful life....
Uncle Jack never had much money.....he was never successful in the worldy sense of the
word....but you know what? He ran and finished the race!
And in our Scripture lesson for today, Paul is sitting in the drab dungeon of a Roman
prison.
He is facing the capital charge of insurrection against the Roman government...and he is
about to stand before Nero in his final trial and hear the fateful verdict: Execution!
Paul knew that the end of his life on this earth was immediately at hand...and here he was
passing the banner of the gospel over to Timothy.
He had just given Timothy the most awesome charge that can be given to a person:
the awesome charge to preach the Word of God and to minister to a world that is lost and
dying--a world that is reeling under the weight of so many desparate needs.
Paul tells Timothy to go forth and preach the gospel with all the might and commitment
of his being....he encourages Timothy even while discussing his own coming death.
He wants Timothy to look ahead to the end of his own life and to be able to bear the
same testimony.
What a challenge to Timothy....what a challenge to all of us!
What a triumphant testimony!
Especially in a day and a time when it is so easy to listen to the currents of the world....to
let our journey’s of faith slip away into mediocrity.
It is so easy to lose sight of what is truly important...to become self-absorbed....to forget
our fellow human beings....to forget God.
But in our Scripture lesson, Paul is saying that his life is being offered and sacrificed to
God in one last act--the act of death.
And what a view of death!
When so many of us fear and loath death...which is inevitable to us all...Paul is looking at
death as an offering and sacrifice being presented to God.
In essence, Paul is saying, “I am pouring out my soul through death for the Lord Jesus
Christ. The life and blood of my body is being sacrificed for the preaching of God’s Word.
Paul says that the tiem for his departure from this world is at hand.
The word ‘departure’ is striking in its meaning.
To depart is the picture of a ship hoisting the anchor and loosening the mooring ropes
and departing one country for another country. Paul had been anchored and tied to this world,
but the anchor and ropes were now being loosed, and Paul was about to set sail for the greatest
of all ports--heaven itself!
Will we be able to say this about our departures when the time comes?
To depart is also the picture of the unyoking of an animal from the burden of the cart,
plough, or millstone which it had been pulling to grind the grain. Paul was to be released from
the yoke and burdon of labor and toil in this life. He was being released and set free to depart for
the pastures and still waters and rest of heaven and eternity.
In verse 7, Paul writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept
the faith.”
Here Paul is saying that he had lived life like a faithful soldier:
He had volunteered to serve Christ....
He had separated himself from this world, sacrificing all that he was and had to be a
soldier for Christ--a soldier totally committed to the mission of Christ.
He had done his time...he had stuck to the mission of Christ to the very end.
And now he was being released from his service as a soldier for the King....released to
go home to live at peace in the kingdom of his Lord forever and ever.
Paul also says that he had run and finished the course of his life; he had completed the
race of life just like the athlete runs and finshes the course of his or her life.
It means that Paul had disciplined and controlled his life to the utmost---just like an
Olympian athlete.
He had focused on the course of life...how he ran it, and he had not run the risk of
being distracted by the things of the world and of the flesh.....lest he not be able to finish the race
victoriously....and what shame that would be....to get to the end of one’s life....and be told by
God Himself.... “you started out so good.....you were ahead of the pack...you had so much
potential....I had so many plans for you...so many great things for you to accomplish....what
happened?”
My friends, let’s not let this happen to us...let’s run the race to the finish...let us always
remember why we started running the race in the first place...and therefore be able to keep
on running!
Because there is a lost and hurting world out there...and God wants to use you and me as
instruments of change, and peace, and love.
Are we allowing God to do this?
Paul also says that he had kept the faith. He had looked after the faith just like a good
steward looks after the estate of his or her master.
God had entrusted the faith to Paul...and Paul had proven faithful.
Think about this for a moment---think about all the sufferings that Paul went
through---the terrible trials, and the times that he could of dumped the faith or laid it aside or
ignored it....but he never did!
And because he had been faithful, he was now about to reap the benefits of the faith--he
was about to be given all the rights and priviledges of the Lord’s estate---to live and enjoy
its pleasures for evermore!
As the Bible says in Luke chapter 19, he was about to be told by the Lord Himself, “Well
done, my good servant!”
I want to hear those words at the end of my life....don’t you?
In verse 8 of our Scripture lesson Paul writes, “Now there is in store for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day---and not only to
me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.”
Just imagine....there is a crown of righteousness---a crown that will be given to those of
us who believe...by the Lord Himself!
Because the Lord is the righteous Judge!
He knows all of our hearts, and He has seen every day and hour of our lives....He knows
the truth about all of us.
He knows where our hearts are. Whether or not we have given them over to Jesus.
He understands that we are not perfect in this life...but he has given us the grace to run
and finish the race!
And this grace comes through complete obedience to Christ. Complete submission to the
will of God for our lives. Yes, we may stumble and fall at times...but if our eyes are on the
prize...then God will give us the strength we need to get back up and keep running.....getting
faster and stronger the closer we get to the finish line.
Now, none of us know when Jesus will come, none of us know the day or the hour
when we will be called to meet the Lord in death...
But when this time does come....
Will we have been good soldiers for Christ?
Will we have been good athletes for Christ and His course?
Will we have been good stewards or managers for Christ and His faith?
The Lord is righteous and just, and therefore Paul knew that the Lord would give
him the crown of righteousness....
Are we this confident?
Are we this strong?
Are we fighting the good fight?
Are we running the race?
Are we keeping the faith?
Are we living a successful life?
