Mission accomplished: fought the good fight; finished the course; kept the faith

Mission accomplished: fought the good fight; finished the course; Kept the faith

The great persecution against Christians broke out in Rome in 64 AD. Peter(apostle to Jews) and Paul(apostle to gentiles) died in that persecution. 

Paul's letter to the Philippians

Philippians 6,7 

2 Timothy 4:1-8

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

“Preach the Word”

4 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by Hisappearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with[a]great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up 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 loved His appearing.

MTQ: What do we need to understand about the importance and urgency of the preaching of the word?

1. Preaching of the word is an eschatological activity. 

Preparation for the 2nd coming

2. Preaching the word is made urgent by the moral and homiletical decay of the world. 

Decay in moral and treatment for preaching or hearing the world. 

3. Preaching the word is inseparable from a consistently faithful spirituality. 

The challenge for us: 

• Be trained to share the world

• Be trained How to be prepared to share at all time

• Preach the word

• Preach the Word Until the Lord calls us home. 

Explanation:

• Fighting the good fight

Whatever it was given to him by God. 

• Finishing the course

• Keeping the faith

MTQ: How can a believer fight the good fight, finish the course, and keep the faith 

1. The duty is clear and conclusive: preach the word in season and out of season. V1 

Q: Do you know how to share the word?

2. The discipline is clear and consistent: preparedness in season and out of season. 

3. The demand is clear and compelling: preaching will not always be possible.