Finish well!
“I have finished the race.” – The Apostle Paul
What keeps a person from finishing well?
#1 -We are in danger of not finishing well when we drop out of training.
Running well the race before us and finishing well requires ongoing spiritual .
Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
The only way we will run our race well and finish well is through a approach to our relationship with Christ.
“A long obedience in the same direction.” – Eugene Peterson
“People submerged in a culture swarming with lies and malice feel as if they are drowning in it: they can trust nothing they hear, depend on no-one they meet. Such dissatisfaction with the world as it is is preparation for travelling in the way of Christian discipleship. The dissatisfaction, coupled with a longing for peace and truth, can set us on a pilgrim path of wholeness in God.” – Peterson
#2 – We are in danger of not finishing well when we don’t live at the right pace.
“I was not substantially different from my pre-Jesus life, I was just doing different activities. Yes, I was saved, but Jesus was clearly not the Lord of my life. I was a victim of the same recurring sins. I had fallen prey to the ‘disease’ of the ‘You-need-to’s’ that thwarts true spiritual maturity.”– Bill Lohnes
The life of a disciple of Jesus isn’t about keeping a “” list, it’s about keeping a “” list.
Activity does not equal growth. Transformation equals growth.
Why is finishing well so important?
#1 – We now live in the time Paul told Timothy would come.
Read 2 Timothy 4:3-4
In a world that no longer believes the truth, says there is no existence of absolute truth, and sometimes, it seems, prefers lies over truth, the only way truth will be seen and recognized is if you are a living embodiment of the truth.
#2 – A crown of righteousness awaits us at the finish line.
Read 2 Timothy 4:8
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
Where are you in the race? Where is God calling you to be?