WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.160 For all of us, please turn with me in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 4. 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:06.799 Flip over to the last page of that book. 00:00:06.959 --> 00:00:17.920 We're coming today to the last word, to the last word of this series, to the last words of this letter, really the concluding words of the Apostle Paul's whole life. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:22.320 And so today we're going to talk about finishing well. 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:34.320 As you're turning there, I do a lot of hospital visitations as a pastor, and one particular visitation sticks out in my memory forever. 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:38.560 I was doing a hospital visitation for a man who was near the end of his life. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:43.039 He was on hospice care, and the situation was very sad. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:48.240 It was clear as I was visiting that his family relationships were fractured. 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:52.240 It was clear that there was tension with his wife and with his children. 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:56.399 It was clear that there was years of unresolved conflict. 00:00:56.640 --> 00:01:02.320 It was clear that there was addiction issues that had left some deep wounds in this family. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:11.439 And as I prayed and then walked out of the hospital doors that day and walked over to my car, I started crying. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:16.560 I started weeping, and I remember praying this prayer to God that day. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:28.400 Lord, I give you permission to do whatever it takes in my life so that when I come to the end, it doesn't look anything like this. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:31.920 That moment stays with me. 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:37.359 That moment confronted me with this reality that it is possible to waste years. 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:41.519 It is possible to damage relationships irreparably. 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:45.760 It's possible to get to the end and have some deep regrets. 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:52.000 This is why the Bible repeatedly calls us not just to begin well, but to finish well. 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:56.400 And so that leads us to a really important, sobering question for all of us today. 00:01:56.719 --> 00:01:58.560 How will you finish? 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:04.719 If you do a study on the characters of the Bible, on the leaders of the Bible, many of them did not finish well. 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:06.799 Only about a third of them finished well. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:10.479 One example that comes to mind is King Saul. 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:16.879 Some of the last words of King Saul's life were, I have played the fool. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:19.919 I have erred exceedingly. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:23.280 There's a poem that I heard years ago. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:25.039 It was simple but incisive. 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:28.479 The poem was called The Night They Burned Shanghai. 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:38.159 It was written during the Japanese invasion of China during World War II, and it contrasts people who were playing bridge in Philadelphia while terrible events were happening on the other side of the world. 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:52.719 And the end of the poem goes like this: For some men die in shrapnel, and some go down in flames, but most men die inch by inch playing silly little games. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:56.319 How will you die? 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:00.000 Everybody's gonna finish somehow. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:07.520 Some will drift away, some will burn out, some will finish well. 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:15.520 In today's passage, what you're gonna see is two men, one who finishes well, one who doesn't finish well. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:18.400 And it's in the contrast that we find a great lesson for us. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:24.080 Now, to the naked eye, the one man looks like a total failure. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:42.719 By human standing, this guy has been rejected by his own people, he's been rejected by his friends, he's been abandoned by his friends at the end, he's he's been rejected certainly by the Roman Empire, and he's spending the last few days of his life in a hole in the ground called the Maritime Prison. 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:47.840 But there's more than meets the eye. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:49.520 That's just the visible eye. 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:58.159 To the invisible eye, there's this great hope, there's this reward he talks about, there's this crown laid up for him, and we're gonna learn from him. 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:03.520 So, today's message will be about six principles for finishing well. 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:07.120 The title of my message is You Pass the Faith by Finishing Well. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:10.560 That's what this whole series is about, passing the faith to the next generation. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:15.439 One of the components of that is finishing well as individuals. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:17.839 I want to read the text in its entirety. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:20.399 We'll pray and then we'll look at the details. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:26.800 So uh, if you're able, I would invite you to stand at this time in honor of God's word as we read it together. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:28.959 I'll read it, you listen. 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:32.079 Verse 6, we'll go to all the way to verse 22. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:34.240 2 Timothy 4, 6 to 22. 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:36.319 Hear the word of the Lord. 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:44.399 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:50.720 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 00:04:51.040 --> 00:05:03.839 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:06.800 Do your best to come to me soon. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:14.879 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:19.279 Crescins has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia, Luke alone is with me. 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:21.199 Get Mark and bring him with you. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:23.519 He's very useful for me for ministry. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:25.600 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:31.279 When you come, bring the cloak that I have left with Carpus at Troaz, also the books and above all the parchments. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:34.800 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm. 00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:37.680 The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:41.600 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:47.839 At my first defense, no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:50.319 May it not be charged against them. 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:59.920 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles might hear it. 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:02.800 So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:08.079 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:10.720 To him be the glory forever and ever. 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:11.680 Amen. 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:15.839 Greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onecephorus. 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:20.240 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill at Miletus. 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:22.800 Do your best to come before winter. 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:28.480 Ubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers. 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:30.639 The Lord be with your spirit. 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:33.519 Grace be with you. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:35.279 The word of the Lord. 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:36.480 Thanks be to God. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:43.360 Heavenly Father, we come before you as we stand this morning grateful for your grace, your mercy, your sustaining power. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:51.199 You are the God who not only calls, you are the God who keeps, you are the God who strengthens, you're the God who promises never to leave or forsake your people. 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:58.959 As we look at your word today, we ask that you would give us attentive eyes, ears, most of all hearts, humble spirits. 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:02.240 Help us to be willing, to be obedient. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:06.959 Teach us through the example of your servant Paul here what it means to finish well. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:11.199 Strengthen those who are weary, encourage those who are suffering. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:14.720 Correct those of us who may be drifting. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:21.680 Anchor all of us more deeply in Christ, for we want to finish well for Him. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:25.680 And we ask it all in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:27.920 And everyone said, Amen. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:28.959 You may be seated. 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:31.519 Six principles for finishing well. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:38.240 Principle number one, you finish well by seeing your life as an offering to God. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:39.920 I'd like to say these together. 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.079 Would you say that with me if you would? 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:44.959 You finish well by seeing. 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:47.839 Amen. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:50.319 For this, take a look at verse six. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:08:00.959 Paul begins this passage by saying this for I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:03.519 The word departure there is fascinating. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:04.959 It means to untie. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:10.319 It was used to untie a ship before you had set it out on its voyage. 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:12.319 This is how Paul views death. 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:19.120 This is how Christians view death, not as the end, but as being set off on a voyage. 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:25.199 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was in prison for conspiring to kill Hitler, described it this way. 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:29.920 He said, Quote, Death is the supreme festival on the road to freedom. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:32.799 This is what Paul is thinking about. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:35.039 This is what Paul is living for. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:37.679 He says this elsewhere, Philippians chapter 1. 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:40.559 If I stay here and live, good, let's get to work. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:42.799 But if I die, that's actually better by far. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:46.080 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is game. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:49.519 The term already here, I want you to notice that. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:51.840 What that means is he's speaking in the present. 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:53.120 This is something happening. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:55.120 This is something happening right now. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:58.080 He is a drink offering. 00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:02.080 A drink offering is a technical term from Numbers chapter 15. 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:04.159 It was called a libation offering. 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:05.919 Next to the altar, there was a pitcher. 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:10.000 And inside of that pitcher there would be fluid, such as water or wine. 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:24.960 And the purpose of that symbolic offering was you take something that would be yours, that was something you need or something you enjoyed, and you would pour that out on the altar as a pleasing aroma to God. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:31.519 So what's happening here is Paul is interpreting his whole life and his death as a drink offering. 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:32.480 Think about this. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:42.240 This is Saul of Tarsus, the one who was, humanly speaking, opposed to the Lord Jesus and all of his disciples, in fact, overseeing the persecution of Stephen. 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:48.559 And this man who was knocked off his horse by Jesus himself has now completely turned his life around. 00:09:48.799 --> 00:10:04.639 And in Acts chapter 9, he was told all the way back there by Ananias, I will show Paul, God speaking through Ananias in chapter, Acts chapter 9, verse 16, I will show Paul how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:08.720 Did he have any idea that he would end up here? 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:14.879 This was Christ's design for Paul the Apostle to lay down his life. 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:19.360 And Paul saw his life as a sacrifice, as a drink offering. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:24.320 And brothers and sisters, that is how you and I need to see our lives as well. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:28.240 Our lives are offerings to God Himself. 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:31.120 You are pouring yourself out. 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:35.279 You're pouring yourself out to the very last drop. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:37.600 Your life is not your own. 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:41.279 It's an offering that you give to God. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:42.720 That's how you finish well. 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:47.600 You finish well by seeing your life that way, as an offering to God. 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:49.200 Point number two. 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:54.320 You finish well by remaining faithful through the entire race. 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:55.600 Let's say that. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:59.200 You finish well by faithful. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:01.360 Yeah. 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:06.399 Here, instead of in the present tense, he's gonna change to the past tense. 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:08.159 Look at verse seven. 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:16.000 Verse seven, looking backwards now, Paul looks at his life and he says, This I have fought the good fight. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:17.759 I have finished the race. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:19.840 I have kept the faith. 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:24.720 There are three verbs here that are all in what's called the Greek perfect tense. 00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:31.200 That's a past tense that has a permanent sense to it with ongoing effect into the future. 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:33.679 Thought, finished, kept. 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:42.080 Really, the order of the sentence is this: the good fight, I have fought, the race, I have finished, the faith, I have kept. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:47.120 So he uses three different images here to describe what it means to be a Christian. 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.679 Being a Christian is like a fight. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:51.200 It's like a boxing match. 00:11:51.279 --> 00:12:00.399 It's like it's like a wrestling match that has been fought, and Paul has fought the fight, and he calls it a good fight, meaning he's fighting for the right thing and he's fighting in the right way. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:03.679 Secondly, he says it's also like a race, like a marathon. 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:06.159 I'm running, and I'm running this race. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:14.879 You may remember 2 Timothy 2, 4 to 7 says to be a Christian is like being an athlete who gets crowned as long as they compete according to the rules. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:19.600 So this refers to running the race with a certain kind of integrity about your life. 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:23.279 And thirdly, there's a faith that has been kept. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:30.240 The faith here is a technical term that refers to the totality of Christian doctrine. 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:32.960 He has kept the faith intact. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:35.039 I think about the apostles' creed. 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:38.159 I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:41.120 That whole creed, that's the faith that he has kept intact. 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:46.320 He has not compromised on the faith, one iota, despite much pressure to do so. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:54.799 He has not defected, he has stayed true to his Lord Jesus Christ and to the Bible and to its teachings all the way to the end. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:59.600 This is important because elsewhere Paul talks about people who did the opposite of that. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:05.679 1 Timothy chapter 1 says, There are some who made shipwreck of their faith. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:07.360 Paul says, I didn't do that. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:08.960 I kept the faith. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.399 I have fought this good fight. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:11.600 I have finished the race. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:13.679 I have kept the faith, which is amazing. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:18.000 In short, what you're looking at here in verse 7 is faithfulness. 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:21.039 You're looking at perseverance, you're looking at tenacity. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:28.240 This is a beautiful thing when you see someone, by God's grace, finishing in this way. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:32.159 We love stories of tenacity, we love stories of perseverance. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:40.399 This is why the greatest movie in all of the world, Rocky Balboa, won Best Picture in 1977, because he was faithful to the very end of that match. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:14:01.840 This is why people watch that Muhammad Ali Joe Fraser fight over and over and over, because Joe Frazier took a beating again and again and again, and he kept coming at Muhammad Ali till both of his eyes were blind, and his trainer had to hold him back and throw in the towel, and Frazier still wanted to keep going against Ali. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:04.799 He had tenacity, he had perseverance. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:06.720 We love these kind of stories. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:14.639 This is why we love Chariots of Fire and watching Eric Little run with all of his might because when he ran, he felt God's pleasure. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:17.120 This is what we're talking about here. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:20.559 We love the movie Rudy from the 1990s. 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:25.519 That's about a kid who wanted to play Notre Dame football and would not give up. 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:27.120 He was persevering. 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:28.639 He had tenacity. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:30.720 He wanted to finish. 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:36.320 Have you ever seen a couple that's been married for like 75 years? 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:43.200 And it's so beautiful to see that perseverance, that tenacity, like wow. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:52.399 There's something awesome about a human being, by God's grace, who doesn't quit and perseveres to the end. 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:53.759 But this is Paul. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.440 He's a finisher. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:57.360 So how about me? 00:14:57.840 --> 00:14:58.399 How about us? 00:14:58.559 --> 00:14:59.120 How about you? 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:01.039 Will you be a finisher? 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:11.600 When that day comes, when you grow old, when you're on your hospital bed or when you're on hospice care, can you say something like verse seven? 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:13.759 Can you say that? 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:15.840 Will you be able to say that? 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:25.200 If that is your heart's desire, my encouragement to you is to ask yourself, what is that work that God has called me to do? 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:29.200 Is there any unfinished business or unfinished work in my life right now? 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:34.080 Has God told you to do something, but you've been resisting it and you haven't yet done that thing? 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:37.679 My dear brother and my sister, opportunities pass. 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:43.759 I encourage you to obey and finish the work God has for you to do. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:48.879 Because you finish well by remaining faithful through the entire race. 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:50.159 Number three. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:58.240 The third principle of finishing well is this you finish well by living for eternal reward, not present comfort. 00:15:58.559 --> 00:15:59.600 Let's say that. 00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:01.519 You finish well. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:06.879 All right, you guys gotta do better. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:07.519 Are you awake? 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:09.440 This is 11 o'clock service. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.639 We've seen the present, we've seen the past. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:16.000 Now we're gonna fast forward to the future. 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:17.840 Look at verse 8. 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:33.120 Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who loved his appearing. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:36.720 The word appearing there is fascinating. 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:38.000 What is it? 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:42.639 The answer is it's the appearing of Christ. 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:45.519 And there's a debate because there are two appearings of Christ. 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:49.200 There was a first appearing, and there was a second appearing. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:55.679 So some scholars say this is referring to the first appearing of Christ, whereas other scholars say this is referring to the second appearing of Christ. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:58.720 And for me, I am persuaded by the latter. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:06.640 And the reason is because the term in there, that day, speaks about a future day that is not yet come. 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:13.680 And the context of all of chapter four of 2 Timothy also is speaking about the second coming. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:25.599 If you have your Bible, look back at verse 1 of chapter 4, or I'll put it on the screen for you, where Paul says this I charge you in the presence of God and in Christ Jesus, who's to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:27.279 Here we're talking about the future, right? 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:30.000 The future judgment of the living and the dead. 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:38.559 This is talking about the second coming of Christ, when he will return to judge the earth, and he is the righteous judge. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:47.119 Contrast that with Nero, the unrighteous judge that Paul is standing before today. 00:17:47.839 --> 00:18:09.279 Paul's standing before the unrighteous judge, Nero, but while standing before Nero, Paul also knows, and Paul confesses, there is a higher judge, there is a higher throne, and one day true justice will flow from that throne, from the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of Lords, and the Judge of all the earth. 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:13.839 I trust him, because he's the judge of all the earth. 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:19.680 May I ask you, are you prepared to meet the judge of all of the earth? 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:27.359 When you stand before him, the Bible teaches that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:45.680 But the good news of the gospel of Jesus is that the judge took off his robe and took on the penalty of the sinner and took the sentence of the sinner on behalf of those who had sinned against him. 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:54.319 And if we place our faith in the Lord Jesus as Savior, then one day we have nothing to worry about when we face him as judge. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:19:01.680 I urge you, my brother and sister, if you have never said yes to the Lord Jesus Christ, may today be the day. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:07.759 If you want to finish well, or if you want to run your race, that is step one for running this race. 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:10.480 Next question about that verse, go back to that. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:14.799 What is this crown of righteousness being referred to here? 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:19.279 Is it that some Christians get a crown and other Christians don't get a crown? 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:20.960 I don't think so. 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:26.000 I would say if you don't get this crown, you don't get life. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:27.519 You don't go to heaven. 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:32.559 There's a parallel in James 1:12, he speaks of the crown of life given to those who love God. 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:43.680 And the term righteousness means in this letter, real lived out righteousness in your life, not imputed righteousness. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:50.720 All the places where righteousness is used in 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy always refers to lived out righteousness. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:20:01.200 So the crown of righteousness is a reward for you living out righteousness, confirming the fact that you have been imputed with righteousness from the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:09.279 Another way to say that is 2 Thessalonians 2.13, where he says, We are saved through sanctification. 00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:12.480 If there's no sanctification, then we are not saved. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:24.000 Or 2 Peter 1.10 says this be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fall. 00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:31.119 So, to get to receive the crown of righteousness, we are to live out righteousness. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:33.839 And this is given to Paul, but it is also given to more people. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:36.559 Notice to all who love his appearing. 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:43.200 In verse 8, it says, the Lord Himself will award him this crown. 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:46.160 The Lord Himself. 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:49.920 Now, could you just imagine this for a second? 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:56.720 Imagine receiving this award, the crown of righteousness, you, from the Lord Jesus Himself one day. 00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:58.400 Just imagine that day. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:14.000 I don't know about you, but maybe you're a parent out there, it's graduation season, you're you're in this situation where you got this crowd, and maybe you're there at a school or a sports banquet or somebody like that, and somebody in the crowd gets publicly honored. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:38.960 And you have this whole audience, and nobody knows who's gonna win the trophy or who's gonna win the award or the plaque, and then somebody's name gets called, and then they get called up to the front, and then that person shakes their hand, and the audience applauds for them, and they get recognized in front of all of their peers or their whole school or the whole graduating class, and it's a wonderful experience for that person who has worked so hard and who has earned this reward. 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:56.799 But as wonderful as those kinds of earthly experiences are, again, can you imagine the Lord of glory calling your name, your name, and saying, Here's your crown. 00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:59.359 Well done, good and faithful. 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:04.480 Paul says, I am so looking forward to that day. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:06.160 I'm obsessed with it. 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:07.680 It's all I can think about. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:09.119 I'm living for that day. 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:10.720 I'm looking forward to that day. 00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:13.519 And brothers and sisters, we ought to live for that day too. 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:16.880 It's not just for Paul, it's for all who love his appearing. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:21.119 And on that day, all your sacrifices will be worth it. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:23.599 Every ounce of effort you put in will be worth it. 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:29.599 Every trial, every tear you've cried, everything you've ever done will be worth it on that day. 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:35.920 Paul says these light and momentary afflictions are not even worthy to be compared with the glory that is to come. 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:45.519 Here's Paul in prison in this dark, dank hole in the ground in Rome, and he's not fixated on the chains or what's going on in the present. 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:47.920 He's fixated on the future. 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:50.319 And so that's how you finish well. 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:55.920 You finish well by living for eternal reward, not present comfort. 00:22:56.240 --> 00:23:00.079 Now, not everyone chooses to live like this. 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:03.119 Not everyone chooses to live for eternal rewards. 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:04.640 And we'll see that in the next verse. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:05.839 Look at verse 10. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:13.519 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:16.480 Notice that term, this present world. 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:23.839 There's a contrast here in those who live for this present world compared to those who live for the world to come. 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:34.160 And there's a man named Demas who's receiving some stern words here because Demas was in love with this present world. 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:40.880 There's a doctrine in theology called the perseverance of the saints. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:54.640 And what that doctrine teaches is that you're not saved because you bowed your head when you were six years old at VBS and asked Jesus into your heart, and then you went out to live like hell the rest of your life. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:24:06.480 What that doctrine actually teaches is that God, the Trinitarian God, has made a covenant of grace to redeem for himself a people. 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:15.680 And then in time, he sends his Holy Spirit to create that people for himself and regenerate individuals unto life. 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:23.759 And then he places those individuals into the body of Christ, where they will learn and where they will give and where they will serve and where they will grow. 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:34.000 Now they may stumble and they may fall, but they always get back up and continue that process of growth and sanctification and transformation until the very end. 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:38.079 He who endures to the end will be saved, Jesus said. 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:47.839 This is why the book of Hebrews says in chapter three, for we have become partakers of Christ if we keep the beginning of our commitment till the end. 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:49.759 Back to verse 10. 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:53.200 I want you to see a key contrast going on in this verse. 00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:59.039 There is one who loves Christ's appearing, and then there is one who loves this present world. 00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:00.319 See the difference? 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:07.200 There is one who's finishing his race, and then there is one who has deserted the race halfway through the marathon. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:15.039 There is one who is going to receive a crown, and there is one who's going to receive condemnation if he does not turn things around. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:17.680 And there is only one who has kept the faith. 00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:20.640 The other one has abandoned the faith. 00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:23.599 What is the difference between these two individuals? 00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:27.680 The difference is what they love. 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:37.119 Notice, you have two loves here: one who loves Christ's appearing, and one who loves this present world. 00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:39.279 And so here's what we learn from this verse. 00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:42.880 How you finish is determined by what you love. 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:44.799 Is that you? 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:46.480 What do you love? 00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:52.960 Do you love this present world or do you love his appearing? 00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:56.880 I'm not talking about how you love to study eschatology. 00:25:56.960 --> 00:26:03.599 There's a difference between loving the teaching about the coming of Christ and loving the Christ who's coming. 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:13.039 Those who pursue and persevere in sanctification and who pursue righteousness and love his appearing, they will receive this crown. 00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:17.680 And this is the crown that Paul is focused on right here while he's in prison. 00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:19.200 Can you see that? 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:21.359 One of my professors, Dr. 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:27.200 Jeff Bingham, who was teaching us about this, said, You have to see this with Michelangelo eyes. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:29.519 Michelangelo eyes. 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:36.400 One time he said I was visiting Rome and he went to go visit that jail cell where Paul stayed. 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:41.119 You can go there today, where he wrote this letter, and it's just a dungeon. 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:46.319 And he said, You look at this dungeon and you have to see that dungeon with Michelangelo eyes. 00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:49.599 Eyes to see what's really going on here. 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:51.440 Here's what he meant. 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:56.240 If you go to Florence, Italy, there's a magnificent museum there named the Academia. 00:26:56.319 --> 00:27:08.480 And when you enter into that museum, there are several unfinished statues there by Michelangelo that have not yet been completed, and they were not completed, and then Michelangelo died, and he never finished those four statues. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:11.680 We call them the four slaves because they're half finished. 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:17.200 There's torsos sticking out of the marble and there's heads sticking out of the marble, but they have not yet been finished. 00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:23.599 From those blocks, you can see emerging these figures, but you can't tell exactly what's going on. 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:31.279 So you pass by the four slaves and you continue down that hallway, if you will, and you'll find a large room in the center of that museum. 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:41.519 And once you enter that large room, you will see this lovely, brilliant white statue of King David, Michelangelo's David. 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:45.279 The perfect Renaissance expression of the human being. 00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:48.799 Every muscle in David is perfectly formed. 00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:52.400 He is ruddy and he is handsome. 00:27:52.720 --> 00:28:05.759 And as you go in there, every man who sees that statue of David hangs his head in shame and runs out of the museum only to discover his wife is not with him. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:08.799 He has to run back to get her. 00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:12.079 She's still in there staring at that statue. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:16.720 And he has to pull his wife away from that statue. 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:22.960 And every man leaves that museum promising never to eat a piece of pizza again. 00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:33.200 So in that museum, you have the four slaves because Michelangelo sees the majestic form in the marble. 00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:35.839 He sees what you and I cannot see. 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:39.279 When I look at a marble slab, I see a marble slab. 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:47.440 But Michelangelo saw within the confining, within the restricting, within the bland block of marble, he sees a form of freedom. 00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:49.920 He's able to somehow see David. 00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:59.920 And so as we look at this prison, as we look at the end of Paul's life and we see him sitting here in this prison, do you have Michelangelo's eyes? 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:06.400 Because sometimes jail cells are not jail cells at all. 00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:08.240 They're castles. 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:14.000 And sometimes crowns of gold end up looking like crowns of thorns. 00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:19.359 And sometimes chains are not really chains, they're actually freedom. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:23.279 And sometimes liberty appears like captivity. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:28.400 And sometimes princes appear as criminals. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:34.160 And sometimes true freedom looks like bondage. 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:37.519 Can you see with Michelangelo's eyes? 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:43.440 Can you see beyond the hardship of this age for the eternal blessed freedom which is to come? 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:45.279 Can you see what Paul saw? 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:46.400 Can you see? 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:54.960 You finish well by learning to see and living for eternal rewards, not present comfort. 00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:56.640 Number four. 00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:01.119 You finish well by continuing ministry until the end. 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:02.640 Can we say that? 00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:04.559 You finish well. 00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:10.880 Continue with me, if you will, with verse 10. 00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:16.240 Creskins has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia, Luke alone is with me. 00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:17.519 Get Mark, bring him with you. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:19.599 He's very useful to me for ministry. 00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:21.519 Tychicus, I've sent to Ephesus. 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:27.519 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with carpis, the troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. 00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:29.599 What's going on here? 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:40.160 What's going on here in this section is Paul, at the end of his life, is concerned with the things of this world that will carry on for eternity. 00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:41.759 And there's only two things. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:48.000 There's only two things in this world that will carry on forever: the word of God and the people of God. 00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:51.279 And these are the two things that Paul is consumed with. 00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:59.279 Because the trappings of this world will one day melt with fervent heat, but these two things, the word of God and the people of God, will endure forever. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:02.640 So notice with the word of God, Paul wants his Bible. 00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:10.640 He wants the scrolls, he wants the parchments, he wants the books, he wants to study this book right up until the end, my friend. 00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:14.160 There's no other book that you can do this with. 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:20.319 Paul goes back to the Bible, and you, my friend, can go back to the Bible no matter how old you are. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:25.279 You'll never exhaust the infinite treasure that's inside of that book. 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:31.759 You'll keep digging and digging and digging, and you'll find new treasures and new treasures right up until the end. 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:34.240 Paul loves the word of God. 00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:37.279 Number two, Paul loves the people of God. 00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:39.200 Look at what he's concerned with. 00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:45.359 He's dispatching workmen all over Galatia, Dalmatia, Ephesus. 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:49.359 Even though he's in prison, he's like running the show. 00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:53.200 We have the fulfillment of what was said earlier in this letter, right? 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:56.079 I'm bound, but the word of God is not bound. 00:31:56.319 --> 00:32:02.000 He's got this guy, Kreskins, he's got Titus, he's got Luke, a doctor, probably taking care of his old beat-up body. 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:05.119 He's got Tychicus, and of course we know he's got Timothy. 00:32:05.359 --> 00:32:11.759 Notice he says, bring Mark, which is super interesting because he had a falling out with Mark in Acts 15. 00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:12.880 Mark was a problem. 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:15.599 Mark abandoned that first missionary journey. 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:17.680 He withdrew, but then something happened. 00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:18.559 He recovered. 00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:25.200 Many people say he wrote the gospel of Mark, and Paul wants him to come because Paul is giving him grace, new grace. 00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:26.400 Paul wants Mark. 00:32:26.559 --> 00:32:29.279 Paul has grace for restored servants. 00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:34.400 He's got evangelism going in this section on like five fronts, if you count it. 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:35.920 This guy's busy. 00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:38.000