What will be written on your tombstone?

Sunday Mornings Chu Thanh 10/10/10

2 Timothy 4:6-8

" ⁶For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸Now 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."

Paul’s final words give us a guideline of how to live and how to die.

3 Perspectives Paul looks from

1) The present V6: Paul saw his death as a last sacrifice to God. Paul was saying that he lives to declare the love the God gives and will die as a sacrifice to God. Every step that Paul took was devoted to God. His life was given unto God even as he took his last breathe. Paul said that his death was nothing more than a departure. He was leaving this world behind but setting off into eternity. He knew that being absent from the body was to be present with the Lord. Paul faced death with great courage, as much as he faced life with it. There was no fear. He looked at the present and saw that he had given his whole life to God. There were no regrets.

2) The past V7: Paul looked at his past with satisfaction. He had given every effort for the kingdom of God. He lived according to the calling God set forth before him. A lot of us fight and quarrel over useless issues. This is worthless. The spiritual battle is the thing worth fighting for. Paul had lived his life with the full armor of God on. Paul stood upon grace and acted upon faithJ. He was able to build the church, cast out demons, heal the sick, and bring multitudes to Christ. No enemy could touch him because of this armor he had put up. He had fought the good fight victoriously and noblely.

Paul now was alone, sitting in a cold sell with no one. Perhaps he heard the whispers of the enemy. He didn’t listen to those voices. Paul didn’t stop midway and chase other things. He never forgot about God. All that God had given him to do, Paul had done. He had finished the race.

The messages that Paul preached, he had lived out. He had no regrets about it.

3) The future V8: Paul looked toward the future. His life devoted to God will bring him great reward as God crowns him with the crown of righteousness. Many people don’t look forward to the appearing of God because they don’t know anything about it. The crown of righteousness is ready in heaven for those who love the Lord and have patiently waited and longed for His appearing.

When Paul died, his tombstone would probably have read “Paul fought a good fight, he finished the race, and he kept the faith”.

When we die, what will be written on our tombstones? We need to look ahead of us and examine the direction we are going toward. When we arrive at our destination, will we be able to say that we had given our entire heart to Jesus?