A Life Well Lived

2 Timothy 4:1–8 CSB

1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of his appearing and his kingdom: 2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.

Pastor Martin whispering into my ear after every service. You are doing fine. Keep up the good work, and Keep preaching the word. His words of encouragement given to me tells me at least two things he understood.

He knew the struggles Pastor have to deal personally, occupationally and spiritually so we need encouragement as we lead the flock.

He also knew the Pastoring is a marathon not a sprint. When he said “keep up the good work” he was telling me “you have not arrived, but you are on the right track”

Many Pastor treat Pastoring as a sprint because their objectives are often not Gospel centered but Man-centered. He help me to see the victory is not going to the swiftest but to the one who is most consistent and endures to the end

Pastor Martin was this kind of Man. He lived to the ripe age of 92 years old. 92 years of Gospel Ministry.

One of things to sticks out to me when I think about him. Was when he retired from MBC which caused MBC to have to find another Pastor. When Middlebelt found that Pastor. Pastor Martin left MBC and did pulpit supply for other churches. I never had a chance to talk to him about why he did it, but I assume it was because he wanted the new Pastor to be able to establish himself without his looming presence still at the church. That takes a lot of maturity and humility to do something like that.

When I look at the Passage we are going to study today It reminded me of Pastor Martin.

In this Passage in 2 Tim Paul is writing to his mentee Timothy and giving him final orders concerning his life and his expectation for the church.

This Book is called a Prison Epistle because Paul writing it from jail. Paul knows he is about to get executed for preaching the Gospel, so you might say he is giving his last will and testament to Timothy and the church.

What are Paul’s last words to the Timothy and the Church?

I. Uphold Truth

2 Timothy 4:1–4 CSB

1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of his appearing and his kingdom: 2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.

(v.1) Paul gives Timothy a commission which he gives in the presence of the Holy Trinity. He wants Timothy to understand the Role he is in as a Pastor. And that he will be accountable to God for his message and his lifestyle.

(v.2-3) Paul tells Timothy as a preacher we are too:

“Preach the word”- We are to declare God’s word without apology

“Be ready in season and out of season” Paul tells Timothy we must be ready to Preach when the People are “thirsty for the gospel & when the people are covering their ears” I believe Pastor Martin read this passage because he consistently preached God’s word without apology.

(v.3) Paul then prophetically tells Timothy at some point in the future folks will turn away and not want to hear the truths of the Gospel you must be ready to Preach in that environment

Transition Statement: Paul gave Timothy a message for the church in the first three verses, then he gave him a personal message.

II. Uphold Integrity

2 Timothy 4:5 CSB

5 But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

(v.5) “But as for you” Paul turns to Timothy. This message is not for the church it is for you personally.

“be sober in all things” Paul tells Timothy to live a “self-controlled” life. Paul tells Timothy we ought not be “out of control” in any area of our life. Pastor Martin lived a life that was “sober” his reputation was stellar. In his lifestyle he did not bring ill repute to the church.

“endure hardship” Paul tells Timothy you will experience deep pain particularly as a Pastor but you are to press on!! 92 years of Gospel Ministry is endurance!!!!

“do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” run your course. do not stop! If can’t run, walk, If you can’t walk, crawl, if you can’t crawl, roll just Keep moving towards the finish line.

III. Finish Strong

2 Timothy 4:6–8 CSB

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.

(v.6) “I am being poured out as a drink offering”

What is a drink offering?

In the OT they would pour oil and wine on the altar when the Lamb is being burned as a sweet aroma to God.

In the NT Jesus pick up the cup of wine during their first communion and said the wine is a metaphor of his blood that will be poured out on the cross.

Paul uses this metaphor twice this one in Timothy refers to Paul impending death by beheading he says “I am being poured out as a drink offering” in other words I am about die and spill my blood as a sacrifice to God.

Paul tells us from this text that our lives should be a living sacrifice to God. When a person gets’ saved he no longer lives for himself. He lives for the glory of God. Everything he/she does in his life and death is for God’s glory.

(v.7) Listen to Paul “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” Don’t you want to say those same words on your death bead!!!

It is never to late to start living for Jesus!!! It is never too late to commit the rest of your life to God!!

If you got 1 year left on this earth live it for Jesus

If you 20 years left live it for Jesus.

Pastor Martin was a beautiful example of a Man who did not allow Past hurts, Past Pains keep him from serving the Lord and finishing strong.

Conclusion:

2 Timothy 4:8 CSB

8 There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.

(v.8) Paul from this text sounds like he is ready for an awards banquet. Seem like to me Paul was able to:

Be Sober

endure hardships

fulfill his ministry

and fight the good fight

Because his eyes were fixed on Eternity and not this life.

Paul lived life with this awards banquet in mind!!

Twice in the elementary school I won the award for no absences for the whole school year. It did not matter if I was sick, It did not matter when kids talked about me for being at school all the time, it did not matter what the weather was. I was able to endure all of this because my eyes were fixed on the end of the school year when the principal would call your name out in front of everyone and announce you made the whole year without an absence. You could not tell me nothing on that day. I was walking up to that stage like new money!!!

I believe Paul when his saw the Lord walk boldly to throne of Grace! I believe Paul ran up to the award stage to get his crown and worship at the Master Feet.

I think Pastor Martin after 92 years of serving God and Fulfilling his ministry when he breath his last breathe left this place and arrived at the awards banquet to hear the Lord say well done.

Pastor Martin’s Song “Amazing Grace”

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found Was blind but now I see

Was Grace that taught my heart to fear And Grace, my fears relieved How precious did that Grace appear The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils and snares We have already come T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far And Grace will lead us home And Grace will lead us home

In the first verse this song tells us three things:

a. We are sinners & and we are blind

b. Our eyes need to open!!!

If you are here today and recognize you are a sinner & blind but need your eyes opened by the Lord please come.

In verse 2 he talks about “grace” Grace is when God gives you something you don’t deserve.

Pray End Service

Burial Service

For as much as it has pleased Almighty God to take out of this world the soul of Pastor CE Martin, we therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for that blessed hope when the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord, wherefore comfort ye one another with these words.