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Good Tuesday morning my friends who along with me are “walking with Jesus” today. I wonder where your steps will take you and how often today, you will sense God’s Presence as you walk this day.
If things go according to plan I will walk few steps today, as I’ll be sitting on airplanes and in airports for more than 24 hours. I’ll fly from Orlando all the way to Bangkok, Thailand today, with stops along the way. I have the great privilege of gathering with a large group of missionary Christ followers who live and serve in Asia. This gathering is a first for so many of them, coming from many nations, to praise God, to find spiritual refreshment, to gain some further training and to encourage each other as they share what the Holy Spirit is doing in the places where they are seeking to bring the Gospel of Jesus all across Asia. It will be an exhilarating several days I believe and I request your prayer as I am invited to open God’s Word and my heart to them several times. Oh I pray for a fresh encounter for each and all of us, with the risen Lord Jesus!
For you and me, today we finally arrive at one of the most exciting verses in the entire Bible. I suspect as Timothy was reading this second letter from Paul verse 6-8 of chapter 4, it might have taken him by surprise. I imagine the words must have hit him hard, and then like standing in the strong waves at the beach, the significance of the words just kept washing over him, sometimes again knocking the wind out of him. Everything for Timothy was about to change. Let’s open our Bibles and join him in this historic moment. Paul writes to Timothy…
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 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 to all who have longed for His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:6-8)
Perhaps you’ve read this Scripture when at the bedside of a dear friend who appears to be nearing the end of their earthly life, as I have many times. Let’s look closely at what Timothy is reading, and let’s cherish it as the precious treasure that it was for Paul.
The ‘drink offering’ was one of many special offerings God prescribed for His Jewish people in their system of worship which included sacrifices. Paul, you recall, had deep Jewish roots. Usually the liquid was wine, the fruit of the vine, precious and important in their lives and especially their ceremonies. Sometimes it was poured on the burnt offering causing it to flare up in flame, giving a special odor. Sometimes it was set before the LORD during worship and then poured out in sacrifice and thanksgiving. (Numbers 28:7,8)
Once before, when writing to his dear friends in Philippi, Paul had referred to anticipating the day he would be poured out as a drink offering. (Phil. 2:17) It appears Paul believes that time has come, as he sits in a Roman prison awaiting death. We have no record of a trial nor even the details of his execution, which history and tradition tell us was by beheading, because he was a Roman citizen.
It seems clear here in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Paul believes it is imminent. Do you notice the absence of words of fear or anger or bitterness or regret? On the contrary, Paul seems content that his life has been full and purposeful, and he has been obedient to the call he had received from God to be an Apostle, taking the Gospel to the Gentiles across the Empire. (Acts 9)
Do you notice Paul does not use the word ‘death’, but rather ‘departure’. Remember he used this word also when writing to the Philippian Christians? “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain… I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body…” (Phil. 1:20-24)
We understand ‘departure’ don’t we? We do it everyday, often several times a day. We leave our home and go somewhere, fully expecting we will arrive there. We go with purpose and we go thoughtfully with a specific destination in mind and even usually a pre-determined route we will follow. We go on foot, or bicycle or automobile or bus or train or plane… and normally, we arrive as expected.
Sometimes we say farewell before we go, announcing our confidence in our soon arrival at our destination. Sometimes we notify those waiting for us at our destination, telling them of our arrival plans so they can be ready to receive us. We understand ‘departure’ and normally it entails both goodbye and the great anticipation of arrival and welcome at our destination. Can you see why Paul chooses this word to describe ‘death’?
It is a life-end journey we all anticipate, in fact with 100% certainty, we will all experience this journey. Some people go to great lengths to prepare and plan for ‘departure’ into eternity, others discount it as so uncertain they don’t want to waste their time thinking about it. For followers of Jesus Christ we have every reason to anticipate it without fear or confusion, but with excitement. Jesus made it abundantly clear that all those who trust in Him will find death to be ‘departure’ from earth and quick arrival in heaven to be with God, the holy angels and all who have gone before us, forever. Regardless of the circumstances or location of our departure from earth, our arrival in heaven will be glorious, spectacular and beyond anything we have ever experienced or can imagine. John’s vision of the Revelation in chapter 4 gives us a good idea of what awaits us, my friends!!
Jesus made it clear, if we believe in who He is and what His life, death and resurrection accomplished here on earth, we will not perish but have eternal life with Him (John 3:16). Jesus said our trust in Him enables us to cross over from living fearful of death to anticipating departure into eternity with Him. (John 5:24) Jesus stood outside Lazarus’ tomb and said “I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me will live even though they die…” (John 11:25,26) There Jesus was assuring us that our souls & spirits are immortal. We continue to live even when our bodies die!
And on the night before He went to the cross, Jesus urged His friends to not worry or be fearful but to trust in Him and in His Father because He was going to prepare a place for them to be with Him forever, and He would return to bring them there (John 14:1-3).
So my friends, what is your personal plan and preparation for your departure? You do have one, right?
What are your attitudes about this certain event in your future?
What is your destination and how will you travel there?
How will you say goodbye here and how long will your journey take to arrive there, after you stop breathing here? These all fair questions, aren’t they?
Oh yes, in fact they are essential questions for everyone!
For my wife Dawn and me, we have discussed it often and have all the plans made. We’ve discussed it with our daughter and have things written down, so there should be no confusion or frustration.
We have no doubts and no fear. Heaven is our destination. Jesus is our escort taking both Dawn and me there when we die here. The journey will be an instant one. We are counting FULLY on Jesus and all He has accomplished for us in His life, death and resurrection. Our full faith is in Him for our salvation from our sin and our guarantee of eternal life in His presence. We both are grateful to God that our ‘departure’ will be a journey of ‘blessed hope’ in Jesus. While we do not know when, as the old song says ‘our bags are packed and we’re ready to go’!
Now friends watch this very carefully. Very few people die quickly. Most of us will have days or weeks when it appears our ‘departure’ is near. We’ll have lots of time to think, to remember. Much of our time then will be spent reviewing our life. What do you want to see when you look back over your life? We’ll say our final goodbyes and leave words of wisdom with our loved ones. Have you thought about what you’ll say?
Listen to Paul as he reflects, I hope to say something similar, what about you?
“The time has come for my departure.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day…”
I see a smile on Paul’s face, clear eyes, maybe glistening just a bit with moisture as he reflects and anticipates.
His body bears the scars of the battles... beatings, stonings, shipwreck, dungeons, miles and miles of roads walked. (2 Corinthians 11:24-28) His mind easily recalls the angry crowds, especially his former associates the Pharisees in their regal robes with clenched fists and bulging neck veins screaming their hatred at him.
But he also remembers hundreds of people, Jews and Gentiles in dozens of towns and cities whose lives are changed because Paul introduced them to Jesus. And of course, Paul sees in his mind Timothy, Titus, Luke, Silas, Barnabas and so many others who have been his missionary traveling companions. They now are scattered across the Roman Empire, continuing the legacy handed to them from Paul.
And then Paul looks forward, to the day he will see his Savior, his Lord, his Commander in Chief, Jesus the King, who Paul is confident will award to him a crown of righteousness to Paul. Paul knows he is not righteous or holy. But he has been declared Justified by God because the blood of Jesus has washed him clean and the righteousness of Jesus has now been applied to Paul’s life (2 Corinthians 5:21). So Paul is confident that when he stands before the Holy Judge, Almighty God, rather than accusation or judgement there will be a declaration of holiness and a crown of righteousness!
And finally, to prevent Timothy or any of us from thinking that we have to be like Paul to receive this holy crown, Paul writes, “…and not only to me, but to all who long for His appearing.” That’s me… is it you my friends, each and all of you, where-ever you hear my voice around the world today? Are you hearing the music of “I Can Only Imagine” in your mind? I’ve found a wonderful version of this great song and here’s the link…
Oh let’s thank Jesus… all this is only possible because of Him!
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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