let's read a few verses together, shall we meet me in
the book of 2nd Timothy And chapter 4.
Or six, second Timothy 46. Fry, I am already being poured
out as a drink offering. and the time of my departure has come, I
have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have
kept the faith 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
At his appearing. Lord, we love We yearn we long
for your appearing. We desire it?
Or prepare us to live a life. Equip us to live a life in which
we can Echo the same declaration that Paul makes here.
Lord. We need your power.
We need you Grace. We need your help.
Lord cut through all the clutter in our hearts.
Soft in the Catalyst parts of Who We Are.
Destroy the curse of being too familiar with something to the
point where it doesn't affect us.
And and do what only you can do through this word.
Energize the preaching by the spirit and let our hearts be
revived in your presence. We ask these things in Jesus
name. Amen.
Death is the dreaded. Experience that all men must
Embrace at some point in their lives at some point in their
brief existence on this Earth. You will die.
I will die. It is the inevitable and
Universal fate of Adams Race. Men have tried to prolong their
lives. Clever men have attempted to try
to eliminate that possibility all together what God has said
will be done. Man has been cursed.
Men will die. And they'll every human life
story. Reads differently.
They really all have the same ending because each and every
single one of us share the same curse.
Every single one of us has a body with an expiration date,
you may not know it, but God knows it is because of the sin
of our first parents translating down to their descendants,
including you. And I in 2022 and over the years
we've had thinkers and Poets teachers who have philosophize
about death and you've even have some who have claimed to have
answers about this thing and they also with confidence claim
that Their sources. Derived from some Transcendent
being but while most believe that death cannot be explained
until it is experienced and others.
Have some very bold assertions about what to expect when one
dies. It is the word of God that has
the exclusive and the necessary truths about this mystery Called
Death. This book is filled with
extensive insights concerning the origination of it, the
reason for death. Life after death, The Hope over
death and praise God, the death of death itself.
And this wealth of information should not only comfort.
The believer should not only consult the soul of the one,
who's been redeemed by Grace, but it should also challenge us
as Christians to reach those before they enter into that
portal of no return without a savior.
And though many of us would know that the Bible speaks about
death and gives hope concerning death.
Many may not understand that. The Bible also strategically has
given us many records of the final moments of people's lives.
Think about it for a moment. Think about those in which we've
been given the concluding thoughts and actions before they
have departed into the next World.
Think about Abraham, think about Jacob.
Think about David, think about the Kings throughout Second
Kings think about the prophets think about men like Stephen and
others who have died for the cause of Christ.
And before us today, you and I have a testimony of a man who
sacrificially served God to the very last moments.
And the Holy Spirit, saw it fit that you and I would see the
upright attitude of a man who has laid down his life to serve
the cause of Christ with everything that was within.
And why does the bible go out of its way to reveal such things?
Why does the bible? Give us records of what we just
read here and even even examples of people who have died in a
certain way, well, for one. So that as you and I reflect on
how these men finished our race, we would To finish.
Well, we ourselves would say that is something that I aspire
to, that is something that I really, really want to avoid.
And God cares about how you and I finish.
God cares about how you and I and this thing.
He's given us a few verses here to consider.
Because what we see here with Paul though, it is a very
strange thing. Because as you read these
verses, you see, a fearlessness, you see a confidence, you even
see an anticipation as a man is ready, to face one of the most
chilling circumstances that can be possible.
Imagine waiting day by day for that, call for you to exit this
world into the next. Imagine the anxiety.
Imagine that. Crippling fear.
Imagine what's rushing through your mind and your heart?
And yet this man here, seems so unmoved.
So I'm Shakin, so undisturbed and what we see here with Paul,
as he's about to embrace, with the Bible calls, in the Book of
Job, the king of Terrors is available to you and I because
we serve the same Master, we serve the same Lord, who is able
to impart the same Grace that he put into this once a terrorist
now, an apostle, The question is, how is it possible though?
How is it possible for this? A this man to have such a level
of composure? How can a man be?
So calm, how can you have such presence of Mind?
How can it be? So poised while he is pending in
a prison the call for him to have his head removed from his
shoulders? And it's in these verses that we
just read. It's what we see right here.
It's so plain, it's so clear, it's so obvious and an invites
us to be able to realize the same strength as you.
And I one day will slip into eternity.
May, I remind you today that the preachers job is to remind you
of Eternity. As you're hustling and bustling
through life. This isn't it?
There is another world and it's much more permanent than this
one. How is Paul so strong?
Well, consider three things. First, his Readiness to meet
death, second his reflection before death.
And third, the reward that awaited him after death. first
his Readiness to meet death second his reflection on his
life before death and third, the reward that awaited him after
death and verse 6, we read I am already being poured out as a
drink offering. And the time of my departure has
come, can you sense the resolved?
Can You Feel The Tranquility the control?
This man is not writing with uncertainty, or with panic.
There is no, such tone, he's completely aware of the
seriousness of the predicament. But he is also confident.
Not just in the way, he delivers, what he is saying
right here, but even then the choice of words that he uses in
his explanation of what's about to come about, Looking at here
after he says, I am already being poured out as a drink
offering that's an Old Testament connection.
A drink offering was a type of offering, which you would pour
out, whether it was wine or another substance mainly that
you would poured out upon a sacrifice.
And what Paul is trying to say is my life, is spent every
single drop has been given already and though he hasn't
been a martyr yet, he's already determined in his heart.
I'm ready to give it all. But from there, he goes on to
say for the time of my departure.
Sir has come the word departure is unique in this verse and let
it all old New Testament. He when he says this he's
choosing the specifically he doesn't say the time of my death
has come though. That would have been true.
He says, the time of my departure has come and the
original word. There is unique and it has a
variety of meanings and it's quite insightful.
The word in a general sense to be means to be unloosed.
The idea there is that you are bound and you are limited from
moving freely or to move forward.
And when he says, the time of my departure has come, when he's
essentially saying is, I'm being set free.
I'm being set free to go where I want to go and to do what I
really want to do. And the common metaphor here is
that of a ship that has been attached to the Shore by some
rope or cable but all for a sudden it is lifted off and
there's now no hindrance and that both can sail into the
Horizon to its desired destination.
The time of my departure has come.
When this man is speaking about death, he's not speaking about
it as a frightening experience, he's actually speaking of it as
a freeing one. As much as she was busy in the
world being fruitful for God, there is a sense that he felt
Limited in many ways because another portion of scripture in
Philippians 123 says, for my desire to depart and be with
Christ for that as far better. That is far better, you know, to
Paul to be with Christ was better than planting churches.
It was better than seeing Christians built up in their
faith is better than seeing Miracles performed through his
own hands. The thing that was the best that
him was to just be with Christ. And death here for the apostle.
Through his final breath would be, the means to lift the anchor
to lift the anchor that was holding him down from
experiencing what he longed for since he was born again.
And that was to reach the Harbour of heaven and be greeted
by his Lord, and to embrace his master and to have him back
Master Embrace him. Death to this man was always
dark. It's served to undress him and
dress him from his Brokenness, from his corruption from his
limitations and so that he can be dressed and fashioned with a
Holiness. And a beauty, that our minds
could not comprehend so that he would be fashioned to live with
Christ forever and ever and ever.
My desires to be with Christ. The time of my departure has
come. I got my ticket.
I'm getting on this flight and I'm going where I wanted to go.
For so long. Is there a fear in that?
Is there trouble in that? Is there disturbance in that?
Who can talk like this? Someone who understands death as
a righteous as a righteous man who's been imparted with that
righteousness from a gracious savior.
You know, there's incredible verse in Proverbs 16 verse 7.
It says that when a man's ways pleases, God, he even makes his
enemies to be at peace with him. Have you ever read that
scripture when a man's ways, please the Lord.
He even makes his enemies to be at peace with him and the
immediate sense that speaks about an unusual favor in life
even. Opponents that God gives so that
you can navigate and perform his will in a certain way.
But I like to think of it beyond that without butchering the
scripture because although God can give us peace with our
enemies here on Earth, God has also grant us peace with the
greatest enemy of all, and that is death itself.
Not because you and I have please God, because one who are
was on her behalf, pleasing God, who has please God.
And because of his substitutionary, atonement
death, that enemy of enemies the greatest and one of the greatest
enemies to us cannot touch us. Cannot harm us because of
Christ. We can transition through it,
unscathed. Goddess Called Death to be at
peace with us because Christ has pleased the father on our
behalf. And now we can transition
through that that gate that has claimed and seal the The Souls
of men into condemnation as a we were walking through any
ordinary door. Consider the other portions of
scripture that speak about that experience of death differently
for the righteous than, for the wicked.
Consider, for example, with me God's prophecy over Abraham in
the early journeys of his faith. When he was still known as
Abram. I want you to go to Genesis 15,
15 and see something quite interesting concerning Abrams
Destiny after he was told about what was going to happen with
his prosperous and numerous seed.
God is sure his amiable long life and a peaceful departure at
a good old age. And Genesis 15 15.
This is the Lord speaking over Abram and this is what he says
to this man. As for you in Genesis 15, 15, as
for you, you shall go to your father's in peace.
You shall be buried in a good old age.
Here's the Assurance, you will be buried at a ripe age, but
more than that you will continue to live on still you are heading
towards something. You will actually be gloriously
gather to your father's Specifically, his death would be
the door that would immediately Usher into the presence of those
who have passed on before him, who have also been claimed by
God because of their faith though.
They were in the old Covenant, they looked forward as we look
back to our Christ has done. Now, some might say the phrase
here, you shall go to your father's and peace implies that
Abram would just be buried with his ancestors, but the flow of
the text does not suggest such a thing.
Let's look at the Fulfillment of this prophecy 10 chapters later
in Genesis 25 verse 8 and look what we receive here concerning
the Fulfillment of what God said earlier in.
Genesis 25 verse 8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a
good old age and old man and full of years and was gathered
to his people. Now this doesn't mean that when
he died he was buried with those that were buried before him
because the next verse tells us that Isaac and Ishmael did that
for him. So it's the sequence isn't
suggest that he was, he was gathered to those who are
already. Son, and he put him in a
location where he was in close proximity to those who are
connected to him in terms of heritage.
They would take him to where Sarah was buried.
Abraham purchased a k for her and he was buried in the same
place instead. What's really happening here?
Is that the moment he gave his final breath He was in the
presence of those who are also awaiting that glorious
unification with their glorified bodies.
Isn't it a thrilling thought to know that if God grants you a
deathbed, you might be whimpering with your last
breath. And as you whisper, that final
exhale, though, you may be surrounded by loved ones.
In that moment. In that very moment, you will be
gathered to God's people. Perhaps, even some that have
passed on in your life that you miss dearly.
If they are in Christ, they're waiting for you.
They're waiting for you, if you still doubt that being gathered
to his people means that we are brought into a blissful place
with those who have been redeemed by God, just look at
one final text and we'll put any doubts to rest.
Consider how his grandson. Abraham's grandson died and come
here to the final portion. Almost a final portion of
Genesis and 49:33. I want to make you excited about
this. Genesis 49 verse 33 when Jacob
finished. Commanding his sons, he drew up
his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was
gathered to his people. The saying, well, it's the same
thing. No, it's not because you read
the next chapter. What do you realize that they
embalm him for 40 days and the Egyptians wept over him for 70
days? So the man wasn't, if gathered
to his, people means to be buried with your people.
He wasn't gathered to his people for several weeks.
But here we're told that immediately when he put his feet
up on that bed, that old man who had to walk around with a staff
who who was leaning on it and worship before this moment, as
we're told in Hebrews, he gave up his final breath and he was
caught up to be with his people. That's exciting to me.
Death is not Annihilation. Death is not cessation to live.
Death is just a transition it just moving from one location to
the next though, your body remains it will be reunited with
you at one point, but you were immediately brought into the
company of those who have also chosen with their life to trust
in the savior. And I don't know what's going to
happen there, but I'm sure it's great, I'm sure it's wonderful.
Death, doesn't delete your identity.
It doesn't you will be recognized and you will be able
to recognize others. You'll even be able to recognize
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as Jesus says that we will sit at
the same table at them as them in you.
Imagine that how what how wonderful how glorious There's
such a different experience for the righteous as they come to
that final time of their lives and as comforting.
And as exhilarating as that might be, I can tell you this,
that Paul's most exciting thought was not to be reunited
with Steven to surprise him. Even though he played a part in
his martyrdom, it wasn't to to finally meet Moses David and the
prophets, the men that he studied about and taught about
as great. As those things are, as great.
As it would be to reunite with those who have died during his
ministry. The climax for Paul was what you
heard earlier to be with Christ. to be with the one that for
week, after week, you have sung about and heard sermons about
finally, you will see him And be in close proximity to him
face-to-face. No more Veil, no more seeing
through a glass dimly, as real as I am to you more real.
Will it be when Christ calls you home?
And Paul here. Longed for that.
That was the Delight of his departure that that's what made
him giddy almost. Christ, purchase our Salvation.
So that death would not be the Seal of your condemnation, it
would be the means to sail you into his presence.
Who awaits us, who awaits us after that, who awaits us on the
other side of deaths gate, who's ready to flood us with his
affection who's ready to ready to welcome us and extend those
pierced hands who is ready, Christ himself, not just the
people that you miss that you live with on this Earth.
Not just Angels who have been summoned to serve you while you
were a pilgrim in this world. Christ himself is there waiting
for a personal welcome. And the enjoyment of his
presence forever and ever, Paul's Readiness to meet death
was framed by a revelation that the righteous will experience
death differently. And every person who is outside
of Christ, Have you heard that story that is often shared among
preachers of the father and the son driving on a country road
with their windows down and as they're driving, a bee swarms in
that vehicle and starts buzzing. And that child, that son is
absolutely terrified because they know that they're allergic
to bees. And if that bee stung him, then
he could quite possibly lose his life.
So, as the father and son are driving in that, that be became
a third passenger. There was total panic, panic in
the Sun, at least the father was totally calm.
And the sun was calling for the dad to pull over to swat.
A fly away and giving all these suggestions and without saying a
word with great calm, but great strength, the father, extends
his hand, and grabs the bee, and his palm closes it and makes a
fist. there's a brief silence in the Sun, but then the father
opens his hand again and the bee starts buzzing and moving
around, just like it was before and the Sun starts screaming
again, frightened This time, the father speaks up.
And when he speaks up his son, look at my hand, and he opens
his hand, while he has the other one on the steering wheel in the
sun looks down. And he sees that the sting is in
that hand. And the father says, there's
nothing to fear anymore, I took the sting All this be can do is
just buzz. Now, make noise And that's what
it's like with death for the Christian.
It's a fearful experience for many.
But Christ took the sting of death and all that thing can do
now is intimidate you and lie to you.
But the punishment has been dealt with it can do anything to
you and I anymore for the righteous who have placed their
faith in the one who took those piercings in his hands and his
feet in his side. It cannot touch you.
It cannot hurt you. It cannot claim you It only
serves you now it serves you to bring you to where you want to
be right Christian you want to be with Christ?
I'm sure. Paul had a Readiness to meet
death because he understood what Christ did to death on his
behalf. But I want to tell you today,
that Readiness to me, death is not available to you,
churchgoer. It's not available to you person
who thinks that just because you got baptized your saved.
Just because you take communion, consistently means that your
sins are forgiven every single time, no matter what wretched
things you did that week, You can only have a Readiness when
you have put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
When you have repented of your sin and you have made him the
Lord of your life when he becomes Lord of your life and
savior, he will extend his hand and guide you through guide you
through even death. Not just life.
Paul, I did Readiness to meet death, do you?
Do you? you know, the question and you
know, the answer, But in verse 7, we don't just see the redness
to me, death, we see the reflection before his death.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have
kept the faith, the greatest piece that you can know in this
life. Is that, you know, you, you are
ensured that you have, put your soul in the saving hands of the
Lord Jesus. Nothing can triumph over that,
nothing had come close to the serenity that comes only from
salvation and salvation alone. But there was a part to pause
pulse piece that you and I have to consider and what it is here
is that when he chose sir recollect and reminisce about
his days from the moment, he became a born-again Believer to
the He would come into Glory. There was no serious regrets.
And it's Christian Journey. These powerful metaphors.
I've fought the good fight, I have finished the race.
I have kept, they're all saying the same thing.
Essentially, they speak of a complete admission, they speak
of someone who was Secure in their reflection, that the
essence of their life on Earth was to serve God.
There is a comfort that comes that whatever was assigned to
him by the Lord, it was accomplished and observed with
faithfulness and consistency. Paul didn't go off course, he
didn't put his ministry on this Shelf.
He didn't fall in love with this present world, he didn't end in
the flesh and to him, that was a surge of Peace.
As he faced this moment, you know, there are some followers
of Christ. I hope every person in here
would agree to this who are convinced today and day by day
that to make your life about anything else.
Except for the cause of Christ is a complete waste.
Unfortunately, you have some believers who won't realize that
until later. Ron in life once they explored a
little bit and and tried buying the newest and the latest and
expanding and projects. It's only later on in life where
they realize, and think it would feel like this and then you have
some Who will realize that at the end of the road all
together. We're not convinced.
Until they begin to smell eternity.
It's true. There's some professing
Christians who struggle to be persuaded that to make your life
practically framed around knowing the Lord and serving
him. Maybe isn't as worth it as the
preacher says it is, God knew that that would be a Temptation.
God knew that, that would be a lie that Christians would have
to face even. And so he ordains his word to be
filled with examples and encouragement and warnings not
to believe the lies that would dampen your devotion.
And cause you to do the opposite of what Paul is doing here in
this prison cell and say to yourself.
What have I done. What did I do?
And we see here, That God wants us to be able to Echo the
sentiments. And he provides so many, so many
so many so many instructions to be safeguarded and protected so
that we can arrive or Paul is here.
Can I show you one example, it's in the Gospel of Luke chapter
12, We're told in Luke 12:1. That there are many thousands
who were gathered around Jesus. I mean, so many people were
gathered around the god-man that they were trampling.
On one another. They were actually trampling on
one another and Jesus took this time to address his disciples
and there's no doubt that the crowd around them heard what was
being taught. And so as he looks to his Core
group, he begins to teach and the first thing that he does is
he warns his disciples about hypocrisy and he points to the
And the Sadducees he says, be careful, be careful being like
them and after that, he goes on to speak about fearing.
God, not fearing man. He touches on hell, he touches
on judgment. And then in the same sentence,
he goes on to talk about the loving care of the heavenly
father, that even gives attention to, what we would
think is insignificant. That is the little birds that
you drive by and walk by. And then from there, he speaks
about the day of standing before Christ and ensuring that you do
not deny him on Earth and enduring persecution is the
price to pay to following this Lord and the promise that, as
you stand up for those, who would try to condemn, you the
holy spirit, will give you the right words to say don't even
meditate about it. And after these deep spiritual
truths are declared, the teaching is interrupted by a man
unnamed in the crowd. And you would think that he
would ask for clarification on these things or perhaps the best
application to these truths. But then, we come here to verse
13, a realize what is actually being said.
Someone in the crowd said to him teacher Tell my brother to
divide the inheritance with me. What?
What's the relevance of this? There isn't any?
And though, I don't know this man's name and you don't know it
either just from this. I know a lot about him.
As she is sitting there in the presence of the word, made flesh
the Incarnate Son of God. Declaring these glorious truths.
You know what? He's concerned about personal
security. Possessions being secured in his
name, his future being established.
There's no concern here from this man about spiritual riches
or being prepared for eternity. You know what this tells me that
even as Jesus preaching, somebody's mind is somewhere
else. Brings me, some comfort at
least. This is my this man is not even
responding to what's being said. He's not even considering he's
not even inquiring about it all for a sudden you just belches
up. Would you tell my brother to
divide the inheritance with me? Where's your mind at?
And why is he asking? Jesus I have a hunch that he
realizes when this guy speaks, there's Authority, man, people
are gripped. And I've seen people come up to
him, make requests to heal their daughter or their
demon-possessed son. So, surely, he's a humble
servant enough to consider my desire.
Hey, Rabbi would you ask my brother, this split the check
with me? if you ever doubt the power of
greed, don't forget this man. If you ever deny or put into
question, how materialism can possess a person.
Consider this person case on point, he's in the very presence
of God. Who has done things, that Israel
has never seen. And yet all the while he is
consumed with stuff. Jesus as the master teacher as
he was, he's going to take this Interruption and make it into a
teaching opportunity. And so, he masterfully says, in
verse 14, but he said to a man, Who made me a judge or
arbitrator over you? In other words, I didn't come
here to deal with civil issues. I came here to save Souls.
I'm not concerned about you. Having the inheritance that your
father left your brother, I'm here about your soul, and then
he goes on to warn. And he said to them, take care,
the NTSB would say beware. King James new King, James take
heed, beware take care and be on your guard against all
covetousness. For one's life, does not consist
in the abundance of his possessions.
This flies in the face. Of the American dream this flies
in the face of many people in the west, even who go to church
and love hearing sermons and their life is about
accumulating. And Jesus says, don't do that.
And for him to warn with such severity, already gives us an
idea that it is quite possible that at one point, in our
journey, we can get caught up. With possessions and experiences
and promotions and Jesus says, that's not what life is about.
And usually when you bring such a thing before a crowd of
Christians, there is some anxiety because especially in
the west people want to know how can I measure whether or not?
I am making my life about the wrong thing.
I work. I have desires.
I have plans. I'm a businessman.
I want to expand. I want to multiply, I want to
secure my future and so I something like this is taught.
You get some people to think. So what are you asking of me?
Aren't you glad to know that Jesus clarifies what it means to
make your life about possessions?
And having your life be the exact opposite of how Paul
reflect on his own. All you have to do is read on.
He gives a parable and we go to verse 18 speaks about a rich
man. And he said this rich, man, I
will do this, I will tear down my Barns and build larger ones.
And there I will store up all my grain and my goods and I will
say to my soul soul, you have ample Goods laid up for many
years. Relax eat drink, be merry.
But God said some fool. This night, your soul is
required of you and the things you have prepared.
Whose will they be? this will they be you noticed
reoccurring words and this men's thoughts to very short words but
are significant understanding this Parable I and my I and my
look at it. Again, I will tear down.
I will do this. I will build larger ones.
I will store up. I will say to my soul.
I I my my my what's the idea here?
if our plans, if our desires, if our resources are exclusively
about I and my and exclude, God, and his kingdom, as this man is
showing in his thoughts, you have something to be worried
about You do. Notice that all this men's was
concerned was about relaxing. Eating drinking.
And being happy saying, is there anything wrong with that?
And I say no, unless you were doing it apart from enjoying
God, is it wrong to relax and eat and no, but if you're doing
it without God, it is it's idolatry who gave you all those
things to enjoy by the way. This man doesn't have the Lord
in his Ambitions at all. And when I looked at this, I
thought to myself. How would a Christian?
How would a true born again? Christian think and reflect, if
he was in this man's shoes, if he was successful, he was
strong. If he was a businessman who made
much much for himself and I thought maybe he would say
something along the lines of Lord.
How can I be serving? How can I be witnessing?
How can I Advance your purposes with a lot of life that you have
ordained for me? This is that sound different.
It doesn't exclude, the eating drinking relaxing.
But in includes the program of God lording over your plans in
mind. When you say stuff like this
man, people get uncomfortable. At least I didn't call you a
fool. That's what God did.
Oh, I mean, when you look at
these words you think to yourself This is what most
people are occupied by and what's so amazing here is that
when a person forgets God they at the same time often forget
about their mortality. Did you understand what?
I just said when a person excludes God from their
thinking, or they fail to include God in their living at
the same time, they fall into another trap and that's a
failure to realize their own mortality.
And then they plan accordingly. They plan as other staying here,
forever, as other stuff will be there forever, like this man is
And that is the result of failing to see God and the realm
that he occupies, and the destination that we are headed
towards. We begin to think that we are
Immortal. And that this is our permanent
residence. And God says you're a fool
because in the middle of your planning, I'm going to call your
soul to come up. This is the opposite of what
Paul said about his life. Remember those words indeed I
count all things as loss compared to the surpassing worth
of knowing Christ. Jesus, my Lord for his sake, I
have suffered the loss of all things.
That I may gain Christ and be found in him Polar Opposites.
I've suffered the loss of all things, for the sake of Christ,
that I may gain him. Know him, love him, glorify him.
This man. I my me and as Paul comes to
that portion of second, Timothy He is able to reflect on his
life and realize that I lived for a Heavenly purpose.
Oh, I fought. It wasn't easy.
I ran. It was a marathon.
I want you to be able to say at the end of your life, whether
you will be a businessman, whether you will be a nurse,
whether you'll be a doctor, whether you are one right now or
just a mother who is just raising up their children
Faithfully, to be arrows in the kingdom of God.
I want you to be able to say at the end of your life.
I struggled for Christ. I struggled men, I endured
betrayal. I by the grace of God did not
give myself over to a life of sin.
I didn't lazy. I didn't that laziness get a
hold of me. When other people walked out on
him by the grace of God, I was loving him still.
I want you to be able to say that.
Because although it is hard. Fighting is not easy running a
foot. Race is not easy, although it's
hard in the moment, although there's nothing more.
Satisfying, that at the end of the road, you can say that I
endured until the end. I endured until the end.
Finally, in the last verse of our text, Paul reflects upon the
reward that awaits him after his death.
There was no regrets running through his mind as he sat there
in that dungeon, he could lay his head back on that wall, with
a smile on his face. After Penning these words to
Timothy, he didn't have to pound it in regret or shame or
embarrassment, but the lack of regret was not the only reason
for his gratification, there was a knowledge of a coming reward.
Something is happening. Do you think Paul was frowning?
when he was writing about this heavenly award ceremony, where
there was a crown that was guarded for him and safely
secured. Can I tell you something?
If you take this book from cover to cover and you just study what
awaits you as a Believer? And you put all the clues
together, you will be overwhelmed.
You will be overwhelmed. and if you choose to believe it, I
don't think you'll be nervous about that.
In fact, you might be just like Paul.
Here. Can I give you a couple of
glimpses before we close? I love how the Bible organizes
itself. It causes you to investigate it
cause you to excavate. You have to go here and there
and put it together and put the pieces so that you have a more
clear. It's exciting.
Let me show you your and Luke still right, we'll go to Luke
16. Jesus and this chapter, this
wonderful chapter teaches about different things.
One of the things that he teaches about us, hell, a word
that's really even said in church today, Hell.
But in his teaching, he contrast to men are rich man.
And a poor man named Lazarus. This rich man was filthy rich
Lazarus. He was just filthy And this man
eyes, she was clothed with royalty outside of his home, at
his gate, laid a bum. Who only experienced The
Compassion of dogs, who are licking his wounds as he lay
there as a diseased piece of meat.
And he didn't even have a crumb in his name.
That's all he aspired to in his pathetic life, one would say.
But finally, Jesus says that these two men died.
They died. And look at verse 22, with me to
see the description of this incident.
The poor man died and was carried by the angel, say
Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was
buried. Here's a verse to, to show us
the importance of reading our Bible slowly.
And carefully notice that both men died, but only one was
buried. The poor man died and was
carried by the Angels, the rich man also died and was buried,
the poor man didn't even have a burial.
Some believe that he was just thrown outside as an outcast
with the dump of the city. Letting his flesh, rot there
like nothing and yet this rich man had surely, a fashionable
funeral. Surely a rich tomb.
Surely an honorable event in light of his life.
One was buried one. Didn't the fate of these men?
Even follow them to that last moment.
Even to their death, their death itself.
Describe the great difference between these two people and how
they live on this Earth, but everything changed after death.
There was a great reversal of position and privilege and you
see it in the same verse this poor men died.
Oh yeah, he didn't have a burial.
But he was carried by angels. To Abraham's side this rich man.
Oh he might have had a parade for his funeral.
No, mention of angels escorting him.
Drop like nothing into Hades. While Lazarus was ignored the
spies throughout his life and was not offered a hint of human
dignity. Even in his death, the moment he
gave his final breath. God didn't send one Angel.
He sent angels. And they ushered him into the
presence of the redeemed. and this man who was rich tall his
life, Experience a great reversal quite opposite to that
of Lazarus and Paul I can't help but think that he is
anticipating that great reversal and his own martyrdom because at
any moment his head is going to be placed on a block.
And a corrupt government is going to claim his head, but he
says, there are weights me a crown of righteousness, the same
head that they're going to chop off as the same head that Jesus
Christ is going to crowned with Glory.
Death is going to change a lot of people's faith.
Death is going to change a lot of people's scripts, death is
going to change a lot of people and the way they experience
their existence. Paul knew that there was
something coming on the other side and it made him not care.
What they were going to do with him.
In this brief moment with this body, there's so many clues in
the bible. Let me give you another one.
I'm going to close. Go to the Book of Revelation
3:21. What happened to your Jesus,
speaking to the Church of laodicea.
We talked about him last week, right?
The lukewarm church. One of the most condemned
churches, out of the seven. And then Jesus says something,
quite fascinating and verse 21, the one who conquers, I will
grant him to sit with me on my throne.
As I also conquered and sat down with my father on his throne, he
who has an ear. Let him hear what the spirit
says, to the churches. Did you catch that?
The one who conquers conquers, what will read the preceding
verses conquerors lukewarmness indifference compromise.
A casual attitude towards God, and His purposes.
His word, and his commands, the person who conquers over that,
who overcomes those things. Jesus says, will sit with me on
my throne. If I didn't show you the verse
and I suggested that you would think I was Blasphemous.
I didn't say it. Jesus said it.
They will sit with me on my throne.
What does that mean? I don't know.
All I know is that. That is mind-boggling.
You're telling me that the most wretched Church of the seven
arguably is going to be rewarded with one of the highest
privileges in glory. You know, when we come to the
word of God and we see what was accomplished at Calvary, many of
us, just see it as us. Escaping God's Wrath, that is
glorious and itself but Christ purchase so much more so much
more I know this, the sounds scary but it's true that there
is a level of exaltation that awaits the believer.
And it doesn't make sense, but welcome to Grace it.
We can't comprehend it and it is true.
But Christ promised it nonetheless.
And I believe that as Christ goes beyond what we can imagine.
He doesn't just let us slip through a door to get into
heaven and Escape hell. There is going to be crowning
and reward and elevation, and I think it's going to break us.
I think it's going to totally crush us to a degree by the
goodness of God, being lavished on us undeserved inexplainable.
And that's the point. That's the point.
If you only knew what was coming.
If you only knew what you were going to see what you're going
to be handed, if you only knew the words are going to come out
of that mouth that precious glorious saviours mouth.
There is a reward that he anticipated, he believes form.
And guess what? It wasn't because he was an
apostle, he clarifies by the spirit and not only to me, but
also, to all who love his appearing, Think about it.
I believe the Bible teaches that Believers will be rewarded
differently in glory and I see that there is a reward here for
one simple thing. There will be a reward extended
to those who simply loved his appearing.
Can you imagine that? I don't know what that's going
to be like, but I like my imagination to go to the idea of
Christ saying your whole life. You've been waiting for this
moment. Even waiting for me to come even
waiting for me to call you home, and here's a gift to you.
Here's a gift to you, notice that it is safe for those who
believed for his appearing. You're not a Christian, I don't
believe that Jesus Christ is coming back.
This is for those who loved his appearing, there's a great
difference about believing a Doctrine and Desiring, what that
Doctrine teaches. And in this case, Jesus, Jesus
will reward those who desire his appearing.
You want to be ready to face death, understand what Jesus
purchased for the righteous so that you would be ready.
By the grace of God live in a way in which it's not about I
and my but his kingdom and you will be able to reflect.
If you have the chance to even do that to say it was worth
fighting, it was worth gritting it out.
It was worth enduring, the scars and the whips, and the pain, and
the persecution. It was worth it.
I've invested in another world to come.
And lastly, believe that there is a reward for such
faithfulness, a reward that will blow you away.
Give you more reason to glorify him as you are showered by his
love and mercy for all eternity. Lord, we thank you.
For giving us a taste. We have no reason to be afraid.
We have no reason to be nervous. If anything, we have all the
reasons to be excited, strong courageous, Fearless.
We are unworthy. Unworthy.
Thank you Jesus, for your love. Thank you, Jesus, for Hope.
Thank you for salvation. Thank you for forgiving us.
Thank you. Oh God.
That death is, but a departure. It is not our seal of
condemnation. It is the door into your
presence forever and ever. Because we don't fear death or
we don't fear disease. We don't fear.
Where this economy will lead us, we don't fear what people will
do to us because you have dealt with the greatest enemy of all.
And we thank you. We just Worship You Lord, we
worship you today in Jesus name, amen.