Running To Win - "Get Ready…"
2 Timothy 4:1-8

INTRO: Have you been watching the Olympic Games? What greatness we seee them perform. Their abilities are hard to imagine. Their accomplishments are often unbelievable. I want to take time today, start a series on Running To Win and compare our running the race that we are in to the Olympics.

Paul, in 2 Timothy 4 knew he was in a race. It actually was a race for his life too. He was doing his best to win, his best to do well, his best to help his friends and those he come into contact with win their race too.

I want to look at three different aspects of Running To Win. First the preparation needed. Second the participation contributed. And third, the presentation awarded. Today we will spend time with the presentation needed.

Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 9:24-27 we are in a race.

1 Cor. 9:24-27 ²⁴Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. ²⁵And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. ²⁶I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: ²⁷But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

The author of Hebrews reminds us to run our race with the Lord's help.

Heb. 12:1-3 ¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

But it is Paul's writing in 2 Timothy 4 I want to use today. Paul was summing up his race for the Lord to his "son in the ministry," Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:1-8 ¹I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; ²Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. ³For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. ⁵But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. ⁶For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: ⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

If we are to excel for the Lord like the Olympians, then we need to prepare for our race. We then must participate in the race, and last we will receive our reward.

Let us get started…
First we need to…

Consider all things - Do we want to take advantage of this? Are you looking at the big picture? Are you weighing the decisions correctly?

"⁵But watch thou in all things…" - vs. 5

Also, we need to not only consider all things we need to…
Continue on

"…endure afflictions…- vs. 5