Finishing the Race (or Taking Up the Baton)

Sermon File Type

Sermon

Passages

,

Topics

Discipleship; Ministry/Calling; Perseverance

Tags

Other Special Event

Speaker

Eleanor J. F. Emmott

Venue

Bothwell Baptist

Date

September 16, 2018

(NIV)

(NIV)

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing.

Run Faithfully, Finish the Race, and Receive the Reward

I. Letter Opening

A. Personal introduction

1. Steve's daughter, now a pastor, spent a year here as a teenager and have always loved coming home to worship with you

II. Both Dad and the Church are finishing one stage of the race and beginning a new one

A. Pastor Steve is finishing this stage of his race of life and ministry.

1. Pastor Steve is retiring. He is finishing this stage of life and ministry and beginning his next stage.

2. If life is a race, then he is heading into the next leg of the marathon.

B. You are beginning a new stage of your race of life and ministry.

1. You have had one pastor for 20 years.

2. Now you are entering a time of transition as you look at who you are as a congregation and begin the process of looking for your next pastor.

3. If life is a race, then you are heading into the next leg of the marathon.

4. When Dad knew he was finishing his part of the race and handing the baton to all of you, he wrote a letter with some important things that he wants you to remember.

a) You are his ideal church and he is thankful to you and for you.

b) You are in good hands. Important transitions that will take time, but the Board and Pulpit committee will shepherd you through this process.

C. God’s word speaks into this situation

1. You are facing some big changes.

2. The Bible passage that Jim read for us this morning comes from a letter between two men that were facing some big changes of their own.

III. Both Paul and Timothy were finishing one stage of the race and Timothy was beginning a new one

A. Paul was finishing his race of life and ministry.

1. Paul was not exactly retiring.

2. Paul had finished his ministry and was now in prison for his faith. He knew that he would soon be executed.

3. Paul knew that he was about to finish the race.

B. Timothy was beginning a new stage of his race of life and ministry.

1. Timothy had joined Paul in mission and ministry at a young age. Mother Eunice and grandmother Lois had passed their sincere faith on to him.

2. Timothy was finishing his interim ministry at Ephesus

3. Timothy, who was no longer a young adult, would be leaving Ephesus and beginning a new stage of ministry.

4. If life is a race, then Timothy was heading into the next leg of the marathon.

5. When Paul was finishing his part of the race and handing the baton to Timothy, he wrote a letter with some important things that he wanted Timothy to remember.

IV. Paul wanted Timothy to run faithfully, finish the race, and receive the reward

A. Paul wanted Timothy to run the race

1. Paul wanted Timothy to run faithfully, finish the race, and win the prize.

B. Paul wanted Timothy to run like a Greek or Roman athlete

1. In Greek and Roman times, athletes competed at the Olympics and at other races and athletic events.

2. The winner received a crown made of a wreath of leafy branches

C. Paul wanted Timothy to finish the race and win the prize

1. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he wrote Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (, NIV)

2. Paul wanted Timothy to finish the race and to win the prize.

D. The Race is a metaphor for our life as a Christ follower

1. But what race was Paul talking about? Not the Olympic games or any other foot race.

2. The Race is a metaphor for our life as a Christ follower. It’s what we believe and how we act and what we do… it’s the way we live our lives… it’s our relationship with God.

E. Paul wanted Timothy to keep running the race, no matter what.

1. Paul wanted Timothy to keep running the race, no matter what. So he wrote this letter to encourage Timothy and remind him how to run the race faithfully.

V. Run the race by believing faithfully

A. Paul Wanted Timothy to Run the Race by Believing Faithfully

1. So now, at the end of Paul’s race, when he was ready to hand over the baton, he wanted Timothy to run the race by believing faithfully. He never wanted Timothy to forget the good news.

B. Trust in Jesus and in the God-inspired Bible.

1. This is how Paul put it early in the letter: [God] has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (, NIV). Our Saviour, Jesus Christ died for us and Jesus has risen from the dead.

2. Timothy knew that… he was a pastor and teacher. But Paul wanted him to hold on to that truth… to guard it like treasure… and to let it make a difference in what he believed and how he lived. That’s why, in the section we read earlier, Paul says “ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (, NIV)

3. The Bible is God’s word to us… it teaches us who Jesus is and everything God has done for us, and it gets us ready and helps us to run our race faithfully.

C. Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

1. There’s another Bible passage about a race, in the book of Hebrews: Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won’t let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. 2 We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. (, CEV)

2. Track meet with important relay race. Two of the teams began very well. … For the first three legs of the race, the runners were neck in neck. The race would be decided by each team’s anchor – the last runners. The anchor for one of the teams, in the heat of the moment, looked back, messed up the timing of the last hand-off, and lost his stride. But the anchor for the other team kept looking straight ahead, running beside his teammate. When he heard his teammate call “stick”, he kept running, looking straight ahead, and put his hand back to receive the baton. It was a perfect hand-off, and the anchor ran and finished the race. Their team won, because the anchor kept his eyes on the goal.

3. We have to run with our eyes on Jesus.

D. Run the race by believing faithfully

1. We run the race by believing faithfully... by trusting in Jesus and in the God-breathed scriptures. We keep our eyes on Jesus, so that we can finish the race, and win the prize.

VI. Run the Race by Living Faithfully

A. Paul Wanted Timothy to Run the Race by Living Faithfully

1. In Paul’s letter, he reminded Timothy to believe Jesus faithfully, but he also wanted Timothy to live faithfully… by acting like Jesus’ disciple.

2. After all, Paul said, […] anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. (, NIV)

B. Run the Race According to the Rules

1. Have you ever heard of Ben Johnson? He was an Olympic runner in the late 1980s. All of Canada celebrated when he broke world records and won a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics. But then, two or three days later, he was stripped of the medal and the record… Ben Johnson tested positive for steroids; he broke the rules, and he lost everything.

2. If you want to run the race and receive the reward, you have to follow the rules… you have to live faithfully. So Paul challenged Timothy to be brave and patient and self-disciplined… Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (, NIV). In other words, run away from evil, and run towards goodness.

C. Run the race by living faithfully

1. What does it look like for you to live faithfully? How do you throw off the sin that slows you down and trips you up? How do you run away from evil and run toward Jesus? All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness… As we read the Bible, God changes us. We experience God’s forgiveness; with God’s help we stop hurting ourselves and other people; and we choose to do the right thing, one day at a time. We start running after love, and peace, and goodness.

2. We run the race according to the rules, by living faithfully, so that we can finish the race, and win the prize.

VII. Run the Race by Serving Faithfully

A. Paul Wanted Timothy to Run the Race by Serving Faithfully

1. Paul knew that when Timothy believed faithfully and lived faithfully, he would also be able to serve God faithfully.

2. So Paul gave Timothy this message: In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (, NIV)

3. Timothy was a pastor, a preacher and a teacher. He needed to serve God faithfully by doing what God had called him to do, no matter what.

B. Run the race by serving faithfully

1. That has been Dad’s job too, up until now. Day by day, week by week, and year by year, he has preached and taught God’s word, he has helped you and encouraged you and led you. He has served God faithfully, and soon he will serve God in new ways.

2. Most of you are not responsible for preaching each Sunday. But just like Timothy and Pastor Steve, you run the race by serving faithfully… by fulfilling your ministry. You run the race by doing what God has called you to do, whether it's sitting on the pulpit committee, teaching kids at Sunday school or Jr Church, telling a friend from school or work about Jesus, or visiting with a lonely neighbour.

3. We run the race by serving faithfully, so that we can finish the race, and receive the reward.

VIII. Run the Race by Enduring Faithfully

A. Paul Wanted Timothy to Run the Race by Enduring Faithfully

1. Paul knew that he was finishing his part of the race… he knew that he would suffer and die because he had chosen to serve Jesus. So there was one more thing that Paul wanted Timothy to do. Timothy needed to endure faithfully.

2. All through the letter, he challenged Timothy to endure hardship and not to be afraid or ashamed of suffering : So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. (, NIV) You, […], know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. (, NIV)

3. Paul had experienced more hard times than many of us will, but he kept running, and Timothy would too.

B. Endurance means running even when things are hard so that you can finish the race.

1. My neighbour Terry is a grandfather who trains and runs marathons in his spare time.

2. Sulphur Springs Trail Race – 100 miles through Ancaster and the Dundas Valley. Extra hot. Extra time, but perseverance, endurance, self-discipline. Finished the race.

C. All those who finish faithfully receive the reward

1. I, on the other hand, am not a good or disciplined runner.

2. For a very short time, when I was in middle school, I tried to be a runner. I took part in track and field. When I was 11 years old, I even joined the cross-country team. I was much happier in the library than on the track. I probably signed up because my friends were running. I don’t remember practicing with the team and I definitely never went running on my own. But I do remember the big fall cross-country event. Our team piled onto a bus and drove to a country school in the area where they had a good cross-country track. The first race of the day was for the girls. The boys would run when we had finished. We all lined up at the starting line, and when the signal went, we began to run. It was a long race. It went through the trees and around a field. I ran for a while... and then jogged... and occaisionally walked. I jogged on for what seemed like forever… walking when I couldn’t run any more. Eventually, I stopped seeing other people. But I kept going. Just before I rounded the last corner, I heard a strange noise. It was the starting gun. Then about 50 boys came running towards me along the path… I had to get to the side, out of their way. All of the other girls had already finished the race… and they had started the boys before I even reached the finish line. I was embarrassed and discouraged. But I gathered up some courage and began to actually run the last stretch of my race. And as I crossed the finish line, my friends and coaches and teachers were there, yelling and cheering me on. I came in dead last… but I finished the race.

3. Our race isn’t like the Olympics with just one crown or three medals. All those who finish faithfully receive the reward.

D. Run faithfully, finish the race, and receive the reward.

1. You run the race by enduring faithfully... by remembering that difficult times are part of the Christian life and that God is with us in the midst of them.

2. Sometimes you will face hard times… you may lose out on raises or promotions because you prioritize time with your family and church and volunteer work over putting in extra overtime. Your business may lose money because you refuse to cut corners or do shady deals. You might not look like a star parent because you bring your children to kids club instead of extra dance lessons or sports practices. Your neighbours or your family might think that you are strange or out of touch because your values and beliefs are different from theirs.

3. But when you keep your eyes on Jesus, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can keep running, no matter what. And you aren’t alone… God is right there with you in the midst of it all. So you can run faithfully, and finish the race, and receive the reward.

E. The Reward is the Crown of Righteousness

1. Do you know what the reward is? This is what Paul told Timothy near the beginning of the letter:

2. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. (, NIV)

3. And then, near the very end… 6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing. (, NIV)

4. The reward isn’t a gold medal or the runner’s crown of leaves that would dry up and fade away… but the crown of righteousness that lasts for ever. It’s eternal life in God’s presence.

IX. Run faithfully, finish the race, and receive the reward.

A. We are all in the race

1. We are all in the race. The winner isn't the fastest person, or the one who finishes first. We are running together, with God's help. As older generations run, they pass the baton to the younger. You may be nearing the finish line or just coming out of the gate, but all those who finish faithfully will win the prize... the crown of righteousness... eternal life.

B. Believe faithfully, Live Faithfully, Serve Faithfully, Endure Faithfully

1. You run the race by believing faithfully... by trusting in Jesus and in the God-inspired Bible.

2. You run the race by living faithfully... by running away from evil and running toward righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

3. You run the race by serving faithfully... by fulfilling your ministry... by doing whatever it is that God has called you to do.

4. You run the race by enduring faithfully... by remembering that difficult times are part of the Christian life and that God is with us in the midst of them.

C. Finish the Race and Receive the Reward

1. The day will come when you will cross the finish line. And then you will be able to say with Paul: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing. "

2. That's the goal: Run faithfully, finish the race, and receive the reward.

Prayer

Lord God, You gave Paul and Timothy the strength to run their race with the help of the Holy Spirit. Help us, we pray, to believe and live and serve and run faithfully so that we too can finish the race and receive the reward and so that we can be effective disciples for the sake of Christ and His Church, according to your own purpose and grace. We pray this in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Service Ending

Final Hymn: ~ Living for Jesus

1. Living for Jesus, a life that is true,

Striving to please Him in all that I do;

Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,

This is the pathway of blessing for me.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,

For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;

I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;

My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

2. Living for Jesus Who died in my place,

Bearing on Calv’ry my sin and disgrace;

Such love constrains me to answer His call,

Follow His leading and give Him my all.

3. Living for Jesus, wherever I am,

Doing each duty in His holy Name;

Willing to suffer affliction and loss,

Deeming each trial a part of my cross.

4. Living for Jesus through earth’s little while,

My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;

Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,

Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

Closing Prayer and Blessing ~ (NIV)

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.