Giving Our Best

If you ever watched a hard-fought athletic contest

where the players just went all out,

did all they could, put forth their best efforts,

and after the game, one of them said,

we left it all on the field,

or we left it all on the court.

That was their way of describing

how they held nothing back.

They gave everything they had to win the game.

They gave it their best effort.

Well, that is how the Apostle Paul lived his life

and in different words summed it up as he approached death.

Paul basically said, we're going to read the passage,

but he basically said, I left it all on the field of life.

I put forth my very best effort to be faithful to God

and fulfill his purpose for my life.

Look at how he actually said it

in 2 Timothy chapter 4, verses 6 through 8.

2 Timothy 4:6–8

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering,

and the time of my departure has come.

I have fought the good fight.

I have finished the race.

I have kept the faith.

Henceforth 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.

New Testament scholars spend a lot of time

doing things like reading Paul's letters,

reading what Luke says about him in the book of Acts,

and trying to figure out a timeline of his life.

And most of them really believe that Paul wrote 2 Timothy,

this second letter to Timothy, his son in the ministry,

that this was his last letter,

and that he was waiting in a Roman prison cell to be executed.

Now some of you are familiar with the life of Paul

and how he at one point was under house arrest in Rome.

The book of Acts ends with him.

He's under house arrest in Rome.

He's chained to a Roman soldier at all times,

but he has a lot of freedom,

and friends and other people can come and talk with him.

He got to teach.

And it was during that imprisonment,

with all that freedom,

that he wrote the New Testament letters of Ephesians,

Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon.

Now this is not in the Bible,

but tradition says that Paul was released

after he appealed to Caesar that day,

or at that first imprisonment,

and that he did go to Spain.

He's talked about that at the end of his letter to the Romans.

He wanted to go to Spain and preach.

He wanted to take the gospel to the western part of the Roman world

because he'd always been working in the eastern part.

Well, tradition tells us that he went to Spain

and he came back,

and in Rome this time,

under a time of great persecution,

he was put in a real prison,

dungeon-lock prison.

And it's from this prison

that he dictated his last letter,

his letter to Timothy,

and he made this statement.

It sounds like a final summary of his life, doesn't it?

He knows it's coming to an end.

I want you to note in that first verse six,

he describes his approaching death

as something that has already begun.

Look at it.

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering.

Paul's really talking about how he has poured out his life.

His energy, like wine,

was poured out in certain Old Testament ceremonies.

In some of those ceremonies,

when the wine was poured out,

the entire container was emptied.

Nothing was left.

That's how Paul's thinking.

He's thinking about how his life has been poured out

in service to God and to thousands of people.

And it's about to be emptied.

He's going to die.

That's his way of saying,

he left nothing on the field.

He put forth his very best effort

to serve God and fulfill the mission that God gave him.

Two weeks ago,

Alan McQuiet was here and he preached a message

that challenged us to be totally committed.

He gave some examples of men and women

who just sold out to the Lord,

poured out their lives,

spent their life.

And the challenge to us was,

we need to be totally committed.

We don't have to be missionaries.

We don't have to leave pickings.

We don't have to change jobs.

But total commitment is what God calls all of us to.

Last week, I followed up that message with this.

Don't waste your life.

Don't just fritter away life.

Just go in with the flow.

Just whatever happens, happens.

Today, I want to challenge everyone,

beginning with me,

to live our lives in such a way

that when we face death,

we can truthfully say,

I left it all on the field of life.

I held nothing back when it came to putting forth

my best effort to serve the Lord,

to develop Christian character,

to truly live the life that God called me to live.

By God's grace,

we need to be able to say,

when all is said and done,

I put forth my best effort

to honor the Lord

and do His will.

I want us to look at this passage

you see on the screen

and look at that as an example

of what it takes to be able to say that.

Look first.

Giving our best to the Lord

requires discipline.

Discipline is a word

that a lot of people don't like.

Discipline is a word

that a lot of people avoid.

But I want you to look at how Paul

described his life in service to God

in verse 7.

I have fought the good fight.

Note two things about Paul's service.

The value he placed on it.

He said it was the good fight.

The word good could be translated excellent

or even noble.

Paul considered his service to God

to be something of great value.

He considered giving his life

and doing God's will

to be a great, noble cause.

He didn't think he was wasting his life.

Paul spent a lot of time

being opposed, being mistreated.

He spent several years in prison.

Paul lived the kind of life

that no one would choose.

No one in their right mind

would want to live the kind of life

and be subject to all the mistreatment

that he endured.

But he considered that his calling.

That was just the price

that it took for him to be faithful.

He didn't think he was wasting his life.

It was something of value.

It was good.

It was a noble pursuit.

Now look at the next thing.

The effort he put forth.

He says he fought.

I fought.

This refers to great effort,

a struggle, a fight.

Living a faithful Christian life

is not easy.

I want you to understand that.

If anybody ever tells you

just give your life to the Lord,

put your trust in Jesus,

and all will be well,

either they're just misinformed

or they're lying to you.

Nowhere in Scripture

do you find it said

that living the life

that would please God

will be simple,

will be easy.

It's a fight.

It is a struggle.

It's a struggle spiritually at times.

It's a struggle emotionally at times.

It is a struggle physically sometimes.

That's why Paul liked to use,

and other writers,

like the writers of the Hebrews,

they like to use images of athletes.

Paul liked to talk about runners.

The writer of the Hebrews did.

Paul, at the end of chapter 9 of Romans,

talks about boxers even,

wrestlers,

everyone in Paul's day and in ours.

We understand that Olympic-type athletes

make all kinds of sacrifices

to make the Olympic team,

to go to the games,

to run for the medal,

I mean, think about it.

They train for hours every day,

eat only healthy food,

and avoid anything

that would be a hindrance

or distraction

to their efforts,

listen to this,

to win a medal.

But we know in our day,

you win a medal,

you win enough of them,

you win fame,

you win fortune,

you win a lot.

Well, Paul said what he said

to encourage us,

make sacrifices,

whatever sacrifices are necessary,

to be victorious

in faithful Christian living.

Now what I'm talking about here is

we need to put forth the effort

to discipline ourselves,

to be faithful,

to develop Christian character,

to treat people the way

that we should

in our homes.

And that's the hardest place

to do it,

to really love one another,

demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit,

love and joy and peace

and patience

and kindness,

self-control.

But also at work,

do you discipline yourself,

do you put forth the effort

to really be

the man or woman

or young person of God

that you profess to be?

Now if you're here,

you're a church member,

you've professed faith,

you claim to be a Christian,

are you putting forth the effort

to actually live that way

in front of the people

that are in your home and family,

that you actually work with,

interact with,

some of them you're around

more than your family.

Are you doing that

with your classmates

even though

some of them are not Christians?

Some of them may make fun of you,

may leave you out.

Are you putting forth the effort

to be victorious

in Christian service?

I'm talking about

actually using the gifts

that God's given you

in some aspect

of the life of our church.

You know,

Paul challenged Timothy like this

in his first letter to him.

He said,

train yourself,

which can also be translated,

discipline yourself

to be godly.

You've got to work at

the Spirit of God's working in you,

but you've got to cooperate.

You've got to work at

developing godly character.

It's not going to just happen.

Life is such

that we're going to be ungodly.

Life is such

that we're just going to be selfish.

Some of us,

by temperament,

are going to be mean.

We're going to be sarcastic.

We're not going to serve anyone.

We're going to try

to just be served ourselves.

We've got to fight

the good fight of faith.

That's what he told him as well.

Now,

don't misunderstand

any of this as teaching

that salvation is something

that we must work for.

We can't.

We don't deserve it.

We cannot earn it.

Salvation is truly a gift

of God's grace

that we can only receive

by faith

in Jesus Christ.

Jesus did earn

our salvation.

Salvation is costly.

Jesus gave his life

when he died on the cross

as our substitute

to take the punishment

that we really deserve,

the wrath of God.

He died on the cross

to pay the penalty

for your sins

if you're a Christian.

He lived a perfect,

righteous life,

fulfilled the law of God

and God credits

that to you

if you are a true believer.

So Jesus earned our salvation.

We didn't.

We receive it as a gift

of God's grace.

But then

some people have the idea,

well, yeah,

you're saved

by trusting in Jesus.

But from that point on,

you've got to work.

Maybe some people think

to keep it.

Or you've got to work

to develop as a Christian.

Here's how we need to think.

God graciously works in our lives

to save us

and God graciously works in our lives

to enable us

to continue to trust in Jesus

and to become more like Him.

And here's how God does it

by giving us

those kind of desires

and then enabling us

to put forth the effort

to discipline ourselves

and develop godly character.

The best statement of that

in the Bible

that I'm aware of,

and I put it on the screen

from time to time,

and if I could find a way

to put it up there

every week,

I would.

This is vitally important.

Look at this.

Therefore, my beloved,

as you have always obeyed,

so now,

not only in my presence,

but much more in my absence,

work out your own salvation.

Develop it.

Grow with fear and trembling,

for it is God who works in you

both to will,

He gives you the will,

the desire,

and to work to do it,

to discipline yourself

for His good pleasure.

God does that

through His Holy Spirit

who lives within us.

Now,

let's think about

how we are

doing these things.

How would you describe

your effort

when it comes to living,

I'm talking about

really living like a Christian,

every day

from the time you get up

in the morning

until you go to bed at night.

Now,

none of us

have arrived

and just truly

walk with the Lord

from the time we get up

until we go to bed.

But let's think about

some specifics.

Are you training yourself

to be godly

by spending time

with the Lord

every day

in His Word

and prayer?

That takes discipline.

our lives are busy.

Some of you

get up at 5 or 5.30.

You have to get up

that early

to get ready

to eat breakfast,

to be at work

at the time

you've got to be there.

Some of you work

long hours,

8, 10, 12 hours a day.

You come home,

you are tired.

You've got to rest.

You've got to unwind

before you can actually

go to bed.

It is vitally important

that we find a way

to spend time

with the Lord

some kind of time

in His Word

listening to Him

and in prayer

talking to Him

as well as listening to Him.

I want to encourage you.

Discipline yourself.

Find a way,

a time,

a place

to spend time

with the Lord

because that is something

that every single Christian

must do

and continue to do

being with the Lord

in order to stay close to Him,

in order to learn

how to please Him,

in order to be able

to overcome

sinful habits

in our lives.

We need that.

Are you training yourself

to be godly

by spending time

with the Lord

in His Word

and in prayer

every day

or at least

on a very regular basis

which I can't say

I couldn't be every day.

Ask God to show you

a way

and it's going to take discipline.

It won't be easy.

Number two,

are you fighting

the good fight

to be morally clean

and pure

in your thought life,

in the things you talk about

and in what you do?

You know,

we live

in a culture today,

we are bombarded

everywhere

with all kinds

of impure,

lust-provoking

images,

aren't we?

I mean,

in print,

on TV,

all over the internet.

Everything is marketed

in a sexually

suggestive way.

If you read much

of what's going on

in the world,

people today

just talk filthy

from our president

on down.

That is not acceptable

from anyone.

But when we hear it

all the time,

when it's just

the common lingo,

it is very easy

to pick it up,

to use it,

and to think

it's okay.

God calls us

to live

morally pure

lives,

to be

clean.

He wants us

to be that way

in the way

that we think,

in our conversations,

as well as

in the way we live.

That's not easy

to do today.

It's not easy

for me.

It's not easy

for you.

If you're a real

human being,

we've got to

fight

to guard

our minds,

our words,

and our actions.

Discipline

your mind.

Number three,

are you putting

forth the effort

to intentionally

do your job

or schoolwork

as if you're

doing it

for the Lord?

Paul talked

about that

in Colossians.

It hasn't been

long since we

looked at that

in detail.

We're supposed

to do what

we do

as if we were

doing it

for the Lord.

And that,

what I want to say

is,

that doesn't mean

something real

spiritual.

We're supposed

to do our,

as Christians,

we should be the

best at our jobs

that we can

possibly be.

that helps us

to have sort of

a platform

from which

to talk about

the things of

God

and be a witness.

Don't be like

the young man

that I worked

with many years

ago.

We worked in a

plant.

There's a lot

of machinery.

Those,

every one of those

machines needed

to be oiled

on a regular

basis.

This young fellow,

20 years old,

committed Christian,

loved the Lord,

and wanted to

witness all the

time.

But it was his

job to oil

those machines

to go around

this.

It wasn't,

maybe about this

size.

It was a little

bit bigger than

this.

The section he

had and a lot

of different

machines,

grinding parts.

You know what

he did?

He floated

around that

room,

witnessing to

everybody.

All day,

talking about

the things of

God and not

oiling the

machines.

He lost all

credibility.

Most people

despised him

because he was

preventing their

machines from

running at full

capacity.

Some of them

sometimes would

stop and they

would come and

cuss him out over

his witnessing and

drag him back to

oil their

machines.

I say all that

to say,

at school,

at work,

the first way you

are a witness is

by the quality of

your work.

The attitude you

demonstrate in

your work.

If you're not good

at what you do,

you are a bad

witness.

I want you to know

that.

If you're a sloppy

employee, don't put

forth much effort.

They know you don't

really care.

Don't tell anybody

you're a Christian,

okay?

Don't tell them

you're a member of

our church because

you're a poor,

poor witness.

We, if we're

serious about living

the kind of life

Paul did, Paul was

a tent maker.

And he supported

himself a lot of the

time.

And I guarantee you

the tents that Paul

made would have been

of high quality because

he did everything to

the glory of God.

He was serious about

living his faith, not

just sharing it.

Are you putting

forth the best

effort intentionally

to be a good witness

by the way you work,

the quality of your

work, your school

work, as if you're

doing it for the Lord?

Number four, are you

disciplining yourself to

be sensitive to the

Holy Spirit's presence

in your life so that

you'll be able to

discern and obey his

leading?

Here's what I'm

saying.

If you're a Christian,

the Spirit of God

lives within you.

And what we need to

do is learn to be

sensitive to his

presence as he prompts

us.

Don't look at this.

Don't dwell on this.

Don't listen to this.

Get off that website.

Don't engage in that

kind of conversation.

As he prompts us,

you ought to try to

develop that relationship

with that person so that

you can share the gospel

with him.

So when he prompts us,

you need to share the

gospel.

You need to ask that

person about their

relationship with the

Lord.

We need to be sensitive

to his presence.

He'll always guide us in

a way that's consistent

with what he says in the

word.

Never contrary.

If we don't cultivate

being aware of his

presence, we won't hear

him.

We'll grieve him as the

scripture talks about.

I want to encourage you.

Cultivate.

Discipline yourself to be

sensitive to the Holy

Spirit's presence so you

can be led by him.

To do certain things,

to not do other things.

We're talking about

living a Christian life.

Now I want you to think,

can you describe your

service to God as

fighting the good fight?

Let me ask you a question.

Might make some people

uncomfortable.

Are you serving God right

now?

Or are you just showing up

at church every now and

then?

If you're not serving the

Lord right now, I want to

encourage you.

He's given you gifts and

talents and abilities that he

expects you to use for his

glory and other people's

good.

He expects you, if you're a

member of this church, to use

those gifts and talents and

your time.

If you're serving him, how

do you value what you're

doing?

If you're already serving

him, how much do you value

what you're doing?

Do you think about it in terms

of, I'm doing a good work.

I'm seeking to please God.

I'm seeking to truly help other

people.

We need to be involved in

serving the Lord, part of

fighting the good fight, and

that includes everyone.

Just think about it this way.

Aren't there some things that

you do for people just because

you love them?

Aren't there things you do for

your spouse, your children,

your parents, a friend?

Aren't there things that you

do that you don't really like

to do, you don't really want

to do, but you do it because

you love them?

And because you love them, you

do it with a good attitude.

You want to meet that need.

Well, that's what Paul did.

Paul went to places to preach

that he knew he was going to be

opposed, maybe run out of town,

and he was a lot of times,

maybe imprisoned or even killed,

but he knew, Paul knew, God has

graciously saved me, forgiven me,

made me his child.

He has called me to this ministry

of taking the gospel where it's

never been before, and that's

just going to cost me a lot.

He also knew if he didn't go and

preach, maybe thousands,

of people would never hear the

gospel, never be saved, spend

eternity in hell.

And that was another motivating

factor in his life.

He fought a good fight because of his

love for God and his love and

concern for people.

That's the key to putting forth the

effort to serve the Lord in any kind

of ministry.

I want to ask you, do you love

Jesus?

I'm not asking, do you believe in

him?

I'm asking you, do you truly love

him?

How do you demonstrate it?

He wants us to serve him.

He wants us to have a relationship

with him.

He wants us to be like him, but he

wants us to serve him.

He wants us to be intentional about

doing it.

I encourage you to do that.

Living this kind of life requires

discipline every day.

Look at this.

Giving our best to the Lord also

requires perseverance.

We've got to continue to do it.

We've got to hang in there.

Look at the second thing.

I have finished the race.

Now, don't worry.

We're not going to get to the third

part this morning.

Paul's talking about how he's been

faithful to the end.

He's persevered.

He is hung in there.

That didn't just happen.

Paul had a plan.

When God saved him and called him,

he planned to do whatever it took

to be faithful to the very end.

I want you to look at this statement

he made in Acts chapter 20.

Acts 20 · chapter mention

However, I consider my life worth

nothing to me.

If only I may finish the race

and complete the task

the Lord Jesus has given me.

The task of testifying to the gospel

of God's grace.

God's goal throughout his ministry

was to be faithful.

Complete the task the Lord Jesus

had given to him

no matter what.

What about you?

Are you planning

to finish the race

of Christian living?

Sad truth is

a lot of people aren't.

A part of the

finishing the race

of Christian living

for you

where you are right now

if you're married

God wants you to be

the best husband or wife

you can be

and live together

in what Genesis calls

a true one flesh relationship

until death separates you.

God wants you

to disciple your children.

Bring them up

in the discipline

and instruction of the Lord.

There's certain things

that's just a part

of our lives as Christians

that we need to be determined

we're going to be faithful.

We're not going to give up.

We're going to hang in there.

Are you?

Do you have that determination?

You know I don't think

about it every day

but when Lisa and I

got married

you know we made

that same commitment

everybody else makes

on the wedding day

but divorce

has never entered my mind.

I'm sure divorce

has never entered

Lisa's mind.

Murder yes.

Maiming injuring yes.

She can come closer

to killing me

than divorcing me

I truly believe.

You see what I'm talking about.

We've got to be committed.

The sad truth

when it comes to

Christian living in general

everybody doesn't

finish the race.

There were people

in Paul's day

professing Christians

who just quit.

Paul talks about one

later on in this letter

in verse 10

one of his co-workers

Demas

look at it

for Demas

in love

with this present world

has deserted me

and gone to Thessalonica.

That happens

in the church

today.

You can think of

professing Christians

who used to attend

this church

but they don't anymore.

Some of them

just sort of

quit being active

and just show up

every now and then.

Some quit

altogether.

They certainly

wouldn't say

they abandoned

the faith

but

they don't show much.

And then some people

appear to have

just quit the faith.

Some people

who at once

professed to be

Christian

just turned their

back on the Lord

and in no way

do they show

any kind of evidence

of being Christian.

When you think

of people

who've quit

just walked away

from a real

commitment to the Lord

dropped out of the race

let it be a warning

to you.

Saving faith

is

continuing faith.

When God

starts something

in us

He brings it

to completion.

I want you to look

at three verses

that strongly

emphasizes

continuing faith.

And it says

in Colossians 1

and you

who once were

alienated

hostile in mind

and doing evil

deeds

He is now

reconciled

in His body

of flesh

by His death

in order to present

you holy

and blameless

and above reproach

before Him.

Look at this.

If indeed

you continue

in the faith

He's not going

to present us

before the Father

holy and blameless

and above reproach

if we don't

continue

because if we

don't continue

we never were.

He says

if indeed

you continue

in the faith

stable and steadfast

not shifting

from the hope

of the gospel

that you heard

which has been

proclaimed

in all creation

under heaven

and of which

I, Paul

became a minister.

I know

you're sitting

in this room

right now

you're here

but are you

really continuing

in the faith

of trusting

loving

and following

Jesus?

That's the only

sign of a real

Christian.

Saving faith

is continuing faith

saving faith

is also

fruitful faith.

There's good works.

Look at Ephesians 2.10

for we are his workmanship

created in Christ Jesus

for good works

which God prepared

beforehand

that we should

walk in them.

The first two verses

before that

says

I forgot the verse now.

For by grace

you are saved

through faith

it's not of yourself

it's the gift of God

it's not of works

that no one should boast.

And then he says

to those

who are saved

by the grace of God

through faith in Jesus

look at it.

For we are his workmanship

some people

some translations say

his masterpiece

created in Christ Jesus

for good works

which God prepared

beforehand.

Are you doing

those good works?

God has prepared you

and he prepared you

by gifting you

enabling you

giving you

the whatwithal

to do it.

Are you doing

those good works?

And here's a simple

way to know

name them.

What are you doing?

Sitting around

looking pretty

is not one of them.

Warming a seat

week after week

is not one of them.

What good works

are you doing

in and through

the ministry

of this church

and where you work

and where you go

to school

wherever

what good works

are you doing

that shows

the reality

of your faith.

You know

all of us

struggle

to be faithful.

It's hard

to fight

the good fight

every day.

We may even

be tempted

to quit

at times.

That's why

Paul wrote

so many

warnings

and encouragements

in his letters

like this.

Look at this.

Let's not become

weary in doing good

for at the proper time

we will reap

a harvest

if we do not

give up.

we can remain

faithful to the end.

We can persevere

because God

will enable us.

Look at this

real quickly.

God has promised

to never leave us

nor forsake us.

I will never leave you

nor forsake you.

God's always

working in us

causing us to will

and to act

according to his

good purpose.

We've already

looked at that.

God will always

provide a way of

escape when

temptation comes.

If you give in

to temptation

if I give in

to temptation

it's because I want

to, because you

wanted to.

Yes.

Because look at

what the scripture

says.

No temptation

has seized you

except what is

common to man.

And God is

faithful.

He will not

let you be

tempted beyond

what you can

bear.

But when you

are tempted

he will provide

a way out

so that you

can stand up

under it.

That's why I

say when I

sin it's because

deep down

that's what I

wanted to do.

I refused

to take the

way of escape.

God is

never

will God be

faithful to

the very end

with us.

It's always

will we be

faithful to

the very end.

God will do

what he promises

to do.

but he also

requires that we

be committed,

that we be

disciplined,

that we hang in

there and not

give up,

that we

persevere.

I want to ask

you right now.

If your life,

you find out

it's going to

come to an end

within the next

few weeks or

months,

are you ready

to say with

Paul,

I have fought

the good fight,

I finished the

race,

I kept the

faith,

I left nothing

on the playing

field of life.

If you can't

say that,

talk to God

about it now.

Make the kind

of commitments

you need to

make.

If you're not

truly a Christian,

admit that to

God, even if

you are a church

member.

Turn from your

sin, put your

trust in him,

in Jesus Christ

and him alone.

Surrender your

life to him

now.

Let's pray

together.

Dear God,

help us to see

right now how

we need to

respond so that

we can have

the testimony

at the end

of our lives

whenever that

may be.

We left it

all on the

field.

We held

nothing back.

We gave our

all to

cooperating with

you in

developing

Christ-like

character.

We gave our

all in serving

you with our

time, talents,

and treasures.

I encourage

everybody in

this room to

listen to the

Lord about what

you need to

do.

Then respond to

him in

obedience.

Take this time

to do that.

As we bow

together,

instruments

playing, we're

just going to

talk to and

listen to God.