2Tim 4.6-8 Facing Death with Courage and Confidence
Facing Death with Courage and Confidence
2 Timothy 4:6-7
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 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.
I. We can face death with courage and confidence because death is not our final destiny (v. 6)
Look at the word “departure.” This is not a euphemism, the use of a more favorable word for another less favorable. That word was used with many meanings. It was a term that sailors used. It was a term for the unmooring of a ship. When a ship would set sail, the departure of that ship is the word that the Apostle Paul used here. Now when a ship would go out of the harbor, people would stand in that harbor and they would watch that ship sail over the horizon. Have you ever done that and seen a ship just slip over the horizon? So the people in that harbor say as the ship embarks and goes over the horizon, there she goes. But somewhere, there’s another harbor and that ship appears on the horizon and they say, Here she comes. Now, not only was it a nautical term, it was a military term. When soldiers would fold up their tent and move on to another campaign, the very taking down of the tent, the very folding up of the tent was the same word that is used here, to depart. Not only was it a term that sailors used, and not only was it a term that soldiers used, but it was also a term that politicians used. It was a political term. It was used for the setting free of a prisoner. When a prisoner was released from jail, this same word was used, a departure. One more thing: it was a farmer’s word. When the farmer would unburden the ox at the end of the day, when he would take the yoke from off the oxen, when he would lay aside that yoke, he used this same word. It was the departure or a laying aside of the yoke.
“For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Cor 15:52b-54)
II. We can face death with courage and confidence as we finish well our lives here (v. 7) – from three perspectives
1. First of all, Paul said, “I have fought the good fight” (v. 7a)
A. Paul uses language that basically means “to contend for a prize, struggle”—NASB Greek-Hebrew Dictionary “Fight” – contest, battle, any struggle 爭奪「美好的仗……守住了」。可譯作「那美好的競賽我已經賽過了，賽程我已經跑完了，信仰我已經守住了。」本句的字眼是體育場所用的賽跑或是拳賽
B. Paul indicates that life has been a real struggle at times...
C. And the reason that we can face our departure time with confidence, is because, in spite of the battles that we have faced... we can have spiritual victory!
2. The second aspect, Paul said, “I have finished the race” (v. 7b; cf. Heb 12:1-3)
3. The third aspect, Paul said, “I have kept the faith” (v. 7c), in spite of the dangers and temptations...
A. Paul remained faithful to Christ to the end! He not only believed and preached the truth but he also practiced it. When Paul said, “I have kept the faith,” the word has the meaning, “to watch over, to guard”—NASB Greek-Hebrew Dictionary Faith as belief and as trust
B. We need to watch over and guard our faith as if it is a precious treasure; but it is so precious!!!
C. Obviously Satan is one of these...
Paul could face his departure with confidence because he had finished well and as Christians, we can face our departure with confidence...if we will finish well
III. We can face death with courage and confidence because we can be certain where we are headed for and what to expect at the destination (v. 8)
Paul here tells us some things about our arrival!
I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; Phil 1:23
我正在兩難之間、情願離世與基督同在．因為這是好得無比的．
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Cor 5:1
我們原知道、我們這地上的帳棚若拆毀了、必得神所造、不是人手所造、在天上永存的房屋。
Paul says, “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness” (v. 8)
We may not see a whole lot of reward here on earth...but one day, if we remain faithful....
we will receive the “crown of righteousness”
Another exciting thing about our arrival...Paul tells us that “the Lord, the righteous Judge” will be there (v. 8).
And the last thing Paul says about his arrival in our passage of Scripture “not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (v. 8). Those who finish well will not be ashamed to meet Him.
“It will be worth it all; when we see Jesus,
Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Him,
One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race, till we see Christ.”
當我見主耶穌，一切不徒然，當我見主基督，已勝試煉；
一見主慈愛面，所有憂愁不見；故要勇敢奔跑，到見主面。