Finishing The Race
*Sunday | June 9, 2024*
Second Timothy 4:1-8
ray@crossroadsny.org
Embracing a life of faith is comparable to running a race with the intention of not only winning, but also finishing well.
1. Attach myself to the right cause and team
Second Timothy 4:1 / CSB, “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:
Ecclesiastes 4:9 / NCV, “Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together”
2 Always be
Second Timothy 4:2-5 / CSB, “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.”
Luke 12:35-36 / ESV, “Be ready for service and have your lamps lit. 36 You are to be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.”
3 Anticipate resistance but
Second Timothy 4:6-8 / CSB, “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.”
Second Corinthians 4:16-18 / NLT, “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
My next steps
Read: Second Timothy 4
Review: Ecclesiastes 4:9, Luke 12:35-36
Return: to church / Upcoming Service Schedule:
*Sunday, June 16th 9am & 11am (Father’s Day)
Sunday, June 23rd 9am, 11am, & 6pm
Sunday, June 30th 9am, 11am, & 6pm