1. Scripture Reading 2 Timothy 4:6-8

2. Introduction “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”. Paul is describing his life as he is nearing the end of his earthly pilgrimage. Will we be able to describe our life as he did his?

3. Fought -Finished-Kept “I have fought a good fight” What does it take to fight a good fight? Choose to make a fight against sin and for the faith (Jude 3). Rm. 6:12-16 Win a victory over past sins (Eph.1:7). Be vigilant against Satan. 1 Pe. 5:8; Mt. 26:41; 2 Cor. 2:11; Mk. 13:37

4. Fought -Finished-Kept Practice self discipline and self denial as a good soldier. 2 Tim. 2:3; 1 Cor. 9:25-27 Being properly outfitted to stand against the devil and wickedness. Eph. 6:13-18; 2 Tim. 2:15.

5. Fought- Finished -Kept “I have finished my course” What is a course? Acts 13:25-John “fulfilled his course”. God had assigned him a work to do (Lk. 1:14-17). God had given a Paul a work to do (Acts 9:15-16).

6. Fought- Finished -Kept We also have a course to do (Mk.16:15-16). Will we have finished our course when our life nears its end? Not if we have wasted opportunities. Not if we have grown weary (Gal. 6:9; He. 12:3-5; 10:35-36). Not if we are NOT OBEYING the Lord.

7. Fought-Finished- Kept “I have kept the faith”. The “faith” here is the “sum total of all that the Lord teaches, warns, requires, instructs, in His word”. Have we kept the faith? Are we doing our spiritual work according to the Apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42)?

8. Fought-Finished- Kept Nothing else will do (Gal. 1:6-9). Transgressing the doctrine of Christ will cause us to be without God (2 Jn. 9-11). Some have the misguided notion that keeping the faith is nothing more than: “teaching what is right on just a few issues”.

9. Fought-Finished- Kept To “just believing Christ is God’s son”. To “ just being a member of the church”. To “being a good moral person”. Keeping the “faith” is doing all that is revealed for us to do. Worshipping right, right name, right work, right attitudes, right conduct, right living, etc.

10. Conclusion Notice what Paul says about those who follow his example. They would receive a crown of righteousness. They would love HIS (Christ’s) appearing. Our time for fighting, finishing and keeping is now.