Finishing Life Well

Paul lived as an offering to the Lord.

1000 Fresh Illustrations FINISHING

In a guest column in SpeedNet (5/30/99), race car driver Robby Gordon shared Rule Number One in racing: "you must first finish before you finish first." Gordon learned that lesson the hard way.

At the 83rd running of the Indianapolis 500, Robbie Gordon with just one lap to go, didn't have enough gas to finish.

While the other lead drivers had taken a pit stop when the yellow caution flag went up following a crash by Mark Dismore, Gordon gambled that he could finish the final 37 laps on one tank of fuel. With just a lap to go he had to pull in for a "splash" of methanol. The stop caused him to finish in fourth place.

Will we have what it takes to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7).

I have been around death many times. I am sure many nurses and doctors can see the signals that a person’s body is about to die.

Paul was about to go to speak with Nero one more time. He had been in prison, then house arrest. Nero was an insane leader with unlimited power to control, condemn, and cause fear in all.

Paul was not fearful of Nero. He knew he was to die soon. His “Departure” was at hand.

At the airport, if you used to fly, “Now departing at gate...” They can’t find enough pilots, attendants, or mechanics to keep some airlines running today. No matter what was happening, Paul was ready to meet God.

2 Timothy 4:6–8 AV

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

“I am ready to be offered” is a reference to a drink offering being poured out on the altar of sacrifice. The wine or oil would be poured over an animal sacrifice. The fire was already lit. So the drink offering would steam and evaporate quickly.

Makes me think of the brevity of our life - in the picture of the drink offering.

James 4:14 AV

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

“I am now ready to be offered.” If you had gone into that execution room in Rome, you would have seen a bloody spectacle. Very candidly, it would have been sickening to see him put his head on the chopping block, to watch the big, burly, brutal Roman soldier lift that tremendous blade above his head, then with one fell swoop sever the head from the body and see the head drop into a basket on one side and the body fall limp and trembling on the other side. But Paul says if that’s all you saw, you really didn’t see very much. That happened to be an altar, and his life was being poured out as a libation, a drink offering. Paul used that figure of speech before in his letter to the Philippians, when he was arrested for the first time and thought death was before him. He wrote in Philippians 2:17, “Yea, and if I be offered [poured out as a drink offering] upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.” He wanted his life to be poured out. Now he could say at the end of his life that his life had been poured out like a drink offering.

McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy/Titus/Philemon) (electronic ed., Vol. 50, p. 132). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

“I have just poured out my life as a drink offering on the sacrifice of Christ. It has been nothing for me but everything for Him.” Paul’s

McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy/Titus/Philemon) (electronic ed., Vol. 50, p. 133). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Live as an Offering to the Lord.

Living Sacrifices Eventually Die. 6

Romans 12:1–2 AV

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Living Sacrifices Eventually Die. 6

Living With Faith is Hard Work. 7

A Spiritual Fight. (Fought) Battles abound. There is spiritual armor too!

A Course to Travel. (Course) Running can tired us out. Running, walking, traveling, sailing, all good pictures of a course to finish.

Each “Leg” of our journey may have its own challenges.

We can become mentally, physically, and spiritually fatigued.

We need to be flexible and sure to follow God’s path.

1000 Fresh Illustrations FLEXIBILITY

The name Levi Strauss is synonymous with blue jeans in American culture. But the man by that name wasn't thinking about jeans when he went to California in hopes of making his fortune during the gold strike of the 1840s and 50s. He did make a fortune, but not the way he had planned.

He set out with a load of heavy canvas fabric, from which he planned to sell sections for tents and wagon covers. Upon arrival, the first miner who saw his product said, "You should have brought pants." The seasoned miner further explained how there weren't any pants strong enough to endure the tough conditions of mining. Levi Strauss immediately made the miner a pair of work pants, and struck gold. P54-55

Don’t follow a childhood dream - follow God's dream!

Don’t follow your heart! follow God’s Heart!

A Heart and Mind to Develop. (Faith)

Proverbs 4:23 AV

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Living Sacrifices Eventually Die. 6

Living With Faith is Hard Work. 7

Living for God Really Pays. 8

Live Like there is No Tomorrow - On Earth.

Live Like You Have a Tomorrow - In Heaven!

Live like You are a Winner with a Reward.

Live like you are Ready to Go!

Live Looking for Jesus Appearing.

Titus 2:13 AV

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Today's Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4 Humor: Ready for the Rapture

After church, where she had been taught about the Second Coming, a little girl was quizzing her mother.

“Mommy, do you believe Jesus will come back?”

“Yes.”

“Could he come this week?”

“Yes.”

“Today?”

“Yes.”

“Could he come in the next hour?”

“Yes.”

“In a few minutes?”

“Yes, dear.”

“Mommy, would you comb my hair?”

In death or in the rapture, the Christian will see Jesus. We are looking for Christ’s return to the clouds.

Living Sacrifices Eventually Die. 6

Living With Faith is Hard Work. 7

Living for God Really Pays. 8

Discussion and Application:

Explain why we should live like there is no tomorrow?

Discuss how we can live expecting tomorrow in eternity?

List some reasons Christians may be discouraged.

How can one defeat discouragement? How do you guard your heart?

Talk about spiritual goals that could help one “finish well.”