CONSIDER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STRONG AND A WEAK CUP OF TEA. BOTH TYPES CONTAIN THE SAME INGREDIENTS OF WATER AND TEA.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE STRONG CUP OF TEA RESULTS FROM THE TEA LEAVES’ IMMERSION IN THE WATER LONGER, ALLOWING THE WATER MORE TIME TO GET INTO THE TEA AND THE TEA INTO THE WATER.
THE LONGER THE STEEPING PROCESS, THE STRONGER THE CUP OF TEA. IN THE SAME WAY, THE LENGTH OF TIME WE SPEND IN GOD’S WORD, IN PRAYER, AND DISCIPLESHIP DETERMINES HOW DEEPLY THEY BECOME A PART OF US.
JUST LIKE THE TEA, THE LONGER WE ARE IN THE WORD, IN PRAYER AND IN SERVICE, THE "STRONGER" WE BECOME AS LIVING WITNESSES TO THE REALITY OF JESUS CHRIST.
PAUL WAS ONE WHO LIVED OUT THE REALITY OF JESUS IN HIS PERSONAL MINISTRY. LOCKED AWAY IN PRISON, PAUL NOW REFLECTS BACK OVER HIS OWN LIFE, HIS TRIALS AND VICTORIES IN THE CAUSE OF CHRIST. HE KNOWS THE END IS NEAR AND THAT DEATH KNOCKS AT HIS HEART’S DOOR.
HE IS NOT BITTER NOR DOES HE EXPRESS ANY REGRETS. PAUL WRITES IN A STATE OF JOYFUL ANTICIPATION OF MEETING HIS LORD AND SAVIOR FACE TO FACE. "FOR I AM ALREADY BEING POURED OUT LIKE A DRINK OFFERING, AND THE TIME HAS COME FOR MY DEPARTURE" HE SAYS IN VERSE 6.
THE WORD "OFFERING" WHICH PAUL USES HERE SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO THE OLD TESTAMENT RITUAL OF POURING OUT OF A DRINK OFFERING.
NUMBERS 15:1-10, GIVES US AN EXAMPLE OF HOW GOD’S PEOPLE TOOK A LAMB, RAM OR BULLOCK TO THE TEMPLE FOR A BURNT SACRIFICE.
ALONG WITH THE ANIMAL, THE WORSHIPPER ALSO BROUGHT WINE TO BE POURED OUT AS AN OFFERING. WINE IN THE BIBLE IS A SYMBOL OF JOY.
THE POURING OUT OF THE WINE DEMONSTRATED THAT THE WORSHIPPER FOUND JOY IN THE SACRIFICE BEING MADE. SO, WHEN PAUL REFERRED TO HIS DEATH AS A DRINK OFFERING, HE WAS SAYING THAT HE LOOKED UPON HIS LIFE OF SACRIFICE WITH JOY.
HE HAD NO REGRETS ABOUT HIS SERVICE FOR GOD OR THE SUFFERING IT CAUSED HIM. HE NEVER THOUGHT OF QUITTING OR LEAVING THE MINISTRY ALTOGETHER.
HOW COULD PAUL HAVE SUCH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK EVEN IN A SITUATION THAT HAD NO HOPE? LIKE THE STRONG CUP OF TEA, PAUL BUILT HIS LIFE UPON A SOLID FOUNDATION BY SPENDING LONG PERIODS OF TIME IN THE SCRIPTURES, ON HIS KNEES IN PRAYER, IN CONTACT WITH CLOSE FRIENDS, AND COMMUNION WITH GOD.
THIS IS WHAT PAUL IS ENCOURAGING TIMOTHY TO DO. WE MODEL THIS PLAN FOR TIMOTHY IN OUR OWN LIVES. WHEN WE DO, WE CAN BEGIN TO LOOK AT OUR LIFE OF SERVICE TO GOD AS A BLESSING RATHER THAN AN INCONVENIENCE.
IN THIS NEW ATTITUDE OF SERVICE TO GOD THROUGH THE CHURCH AND IN THE COMMUNITY, MINISTRY WILL LIVE ITSELF OUT WITH ANTICIPATED JOY INSTEAD OF DYING OUT IN AGONY BECAUSE WE JUST BARELY CHURNED OUT ONE MORE ANNUAL TRADITION ON THE CHURCH CALENDAR.
IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT A LOT OF CHRISTIANS NEED TO REGAIN THEIR SPIRITUAL MOMENTUM? IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT A LOT OF CHURCHES NEED TO PUT THE MOMENTUM BACK INTO THEIR SPIRITUALITY?
WHEN JOY IS RETURNED AND MOMENTUM IS REGAINED IN MINISTRY, JUST IMAGINE ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT COULD START HAPPENING!
FOR EXAMPLE, FUND-RAISERS TO MEET THE BUDGET GO BACK TO BEING WAYS OF RAISING SUPPORT FOR MISSIONS AND MINISTRY PROJECTS. THE LEAST SUPPORTED MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH IS NO LONGER THE PRAYER SERVICE.
FOLDING CHAIRS STACKED AWAY IN STORAGE ARE BROUGHT OUT TO SEAT THE OVERFLOW CROWD ON SUNDAY AND THE DUST BUILD-UP ON THE ALTAR RAILING IS RUBBED OFF DUE TO FREQUENT USE. GET THE IDEA?
DO WE GIVE IT OUR ALL AND BEGIN TO ANTICIPATE THE PROBABILITY OR WILL WE CONTINUE TO SCOFF BECAUSE OUR LACK OF FAITH MAKES IT ALL SEEM SO IMPOSSIBLE?
PAUL CHALLENGES US TO "GO FOR IT" AND TO GIVE IT ALL WE’VE GOT WITHOUT COUNTING THE COST OR FORMING A COMMITTEE TO CONTEMPLATE ITS FEASIBILITY.
PAUL GAVE UP HIS LIFE FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL EVEN WHILE HE LIVED. IN OTHER WORDS, HE DIDN’T LET SPORTS, HOBBIES AND PERSONAL INTERESTS GET IN THE WAY OF WHAT WAS TRULY IMPORTANT.
IF IT CAME DOWN TO WHAT HE WANTED OR WHAT GOD NEEDED, PAUL ALWAYS CHOSE GOD’S WAY BY SACRIFICING HIS PERSONAL INTERESTS.
PAUL ALSO GAVE UP HIS LIFE A SECOND TIME FOR THE GOSPEL IN A LITERAL WAY THROUGH DEATH. PAUL DIED FOR THE GOSPEL’S SAKE.
HE GAVE UP EVERYTHING, YET, FOR SOME OF US, WE WOULD STILL RATHER GIVE UP THE GOSPEL FOR THE SAKE OF HAVING WHAT WE THINK IS LIFE.
IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY CHURCH MINISTRIES AND CHRISTIANS LOSE THEIR SPIRITUAL MOMENTUM SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY AREN’T WILLING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON WHAT DAY TO CLEAR OFF THEIR CLUTTERED SCHEDULES TO MAKE ROOM FOR GOD’S WORK.
WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THE MIND-SET THAT MINISTRY IS A BURDENSOME TASK THAT CONTAINS NO JOY AND ISN’T ANY FUN.
WE SHOULD STOP BUYING INTO THE DEVIL’S LIE THAT MINISTRY IS NOTHING BUT A RELIGION THAT REQUIRES YOU TO CONFORM YOUR LIFE AROUND A BUNCH OF "DON’TS" AND "HAVE-TO’S."
BELIEVE ME, WHEN IT COMES TO SERVING THE LORD, THE ONLY THING YOU WILL EVER GIVE UP IS A WASTED LIFE.
CHRISTIANS NEED TO STOP BEING "EXCUSE FACTORIES" FOR NOT DOING MINISTRY. WE ALL NEED TO GET BACK TO WORKING ON FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION WHERE JESUS TOLD US TO MAKE DISCIPLES AND TEACH THEM ALL HE HAS COMMANDED US.
WHEN PAUL SAID THAT HE "FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, FINISHED THE RACE, AND KEPT THE FAITH" HE SIGNIFIED THAT HE NEVER ALLOWED THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD TO DISTRACT HIM FROM THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLETING HIS MINISTRY.
OF COURSE, PAUL IS NOT SAYING THAT HE WAS "OUT OF TOUCH" WITH SOCIETY BY BECOMING A SOCIAL HERMIT. I’M SURE HE ATTENDED THE THEATER, CONCERTS, DINED AT RESTAURANTS AND MINGLED AT LOCAL SHOPS AND BUSINESSES.
HE JUST DIDN’T ALLOW THE DESIRE FOR THAT LIFE-STYLE TO BECOME MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM THAN LIVING FOR JESUS CHRIST.
SO, HOW ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT FOR THE FAITH? DO YOU SHARE IN PAUL’S CONFIDENT EXPECTATION OF ONE DAY, MEETING CHRIST FACE TO FACE?
ARE YOU BUSY IN THE WORK OF GOD OR ARE YOU JUST BUSY?
TAKE WITH YOU TODAY THE SAME ENCOURAGEMENT PAUL GAVE TO TIMOTHY TO STAY THE COURSE AND REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE CALLING GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.
NO MATTER HOW RUDE, THANKLESS, OR UNGRATEFUL THE WORLD BECOMES TOWARD YOUR EFFORTS KEEP FIGHTING THE FIGHT UNTIL JESUS SAYS YOUR FINISHED.
IN MINISTRY AND SERVICE TO THE "BIG PICTURE" OF GOD’S KINGDOM, WE CAN ALL FIND SOMETHING TO DO. ALTHOUGH GOD MAY NOT EXPECT THE SAME THING FROM ALL OF US, HE DOES EXPECT SOME FROM ALL OF US!
CONTINUE STRIVING TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE OPPORTUNITIES GOD GIVES YOU IN BOTH PERSONAL AND CHURCH RESPONSIBILITIES.
STRIVE TO ALWAYS DO GOD’S WILL AND DON’T WASTE TIME COMPARING WHAT ASSIGNMENTS YOU GET WITH WHAT OTHERS RECEIVE.
JUST BE FAITHFUL AND HONESTLY DETERMINE IF YOU ARE MAKING WISE USE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES GIVEN YOU.
WE CAN INSURE THAT OUR LIVES GO FORWARD WITH SPIRITUAL MOMENTUM IF WE ALLOW WHAT WE DO TO MIRROR THAT OF PAUL: CONCERNING THE PRESENT, LIVE ALWAYS SO THAT YOU ARE READY FOR A JOYFUL REUNION WITH THE LORD, A MEETING WITH NO REGRETS.
IF YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK TO THE PAST AND KNOW THAT YOU WERE FAITHFUL - YOU FOUGHT, YOU RAN, YOU KEPT THE FAITH.
THEN, TOO, YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THE ETERNAL FUTURE, EXPECTING TO BE MORE THAN ADEQUATELY COMPENSATED FOR ALLOWING GOD TO USE YOU FOR HIS GLORY.
LET’S CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD IN OUR MINISTRY!
