How to die well 3: Lessons from an Apostle
Text 2 Timothy 4:6-8 Time 14 09 08 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church
A woman once asked John Wesley "Supposing that you knew you were to die at 12 o’clock tomorrow night, how would you spend the intervening time?"
Wesley replied, "How Madam? Why just as I intend to spend it now. I should preach this evening at Gloucester and again at five tomorrow morning; after that I should ride to Tewkesbury, preach in the afternoon and meet the society in the evening; I should then repair to friend Martin’s house, who expects to entertain me, converse and pray with the family as usual, retire at 10 o’clock, commend myself to my heavenly Father; lie down to rest and wake up in glory."
Wesley was clearly a man who could face death with some God given composure. We have begun to look at the subject of death and how to die well. We need to be prepared for death and the best way to do that is to be prepared for life. Spurgeon once said that “to be ready for eternity is in the best sense to be ready for time”. He was right.
But where do we get help on this subject? I mentioned last time the medieval ars moriendi (craft of dying). In the 17th Century there was a popular book by Drelincourt translated from the French and called The Christian's Defence Against The Fears Of Death. In it believers are reminded of certain consolations in death. It says helpful things such as
1. Remember that God will not forsake you in your grievous agonies
2. Remember that God is a merciful Father to his children. Trust in his infinite goodness.
3. Meditate often on Christ's death and trust only in his merits
4. Meditate also on Christ in the tomb and on his resurrection and ascension to God's right hand.
5. Meditate on the unbreakable union between Christ and his people. Etc.
There is help to be got from such books but the best help is to be found in the Bible. Already we have looked at the dying thief and the first Christian martyr.
The dying thief feared God, confessed his sin, recognised Christ's innocence and power and trusted humbly in him. He heard those wonderful words from Jesus Today you will be with me in Paradise.
The martyr Stephen was in a right relationship with the triune God – filled with the Spirit, contemplating God;s glory and his mind on Christ at God's right hand. He committed everything to God including his own soul and the people who were murdering him.
Today I want to focus on the Apostle Paul and particularly what he has to say in 2 Timothy 4:6-8. It is a little bit different because these are not Paul's actual dying words as in the previous two cases but they are among the very last written words and certainly give us Paul's dying thoughts. Having solemnly charged Timothy as his successor with the need to preach the Word he turns to the reason why this is so important – his own imminent death. Hendriksen says "In one of the most sublime and moving passages, which with respect to grandeur of thought and stateliness of rhythm is probably unsurpassed anywhere in Paul's epistles, the apostle lifts this letter - and his apostolic career - to its wonderful finale," Here we see Paul considering his present – the nearness of death at the hands of the Roman authorities who at this time held him in prison. This leads him too to think of his past service and his glorious future. His approach to death is full of instruction for us. We want to say three main things from what he says
A woman once asked John Wesley "Supposing that you knew you were to die at 12 o’clock tomorrow night, how would you spend the intervening time?"
Wesley replied, "How Madam? Why just as I intend to spend it now. I should preach this evening at Gloucester and again at five tomorrow morning; after that I should ride to Tewkesbury, preach in the afternoon and meet the society in the evening; I should then repair to friend Martin’s house, who expects to entertain me, converse and pray with the family as usual, retire at 10 o’clock, commend myself to my heavenly Father; lie down to rest and wake up in glory."
Wesley was clearly a man who could face death with some God given composure. We have begun to look at the subject of death and how to die well. We need to be prepared for death and the best way to do that is to be prepared for life. Spurgeon once said that “to be ready for eternity is in the best sense to be ready for time”. He was right.
But where do we get help on this subject? I mentioned last time the medieval ars moriendi (craft of dying). In the 17th Century there was a popular book by Drelincourt translated from the French and called The Christian's Defence Against The Fears Of Death. In it believers are reminded of certain consolations in death. It says helpful things such as
1. Remember that God will not forsake you in your grievous agonies
2. Remember that God is a merciful Father to his children. Trust in his infinite goodness.
3. Meditate often on Christ's death and trust only in his merits
4. Meditate also on Christ in the tomb and on his resurrection and ascension to God's right hand.
5. Meditate on the unbreakable union between Christ and his people. Etc.
There is help to be got from such books but the best help is to be found in the Bible. Already we have looked at the dying thief and the first Christian martyr.
The dying thief feared God, confessed his sin, recognised Christ's innocence and power and trusted humbly in him. He heard those wonderful words from Jesus Today you will be with me in Paradise.
The martyr Stephen was in a right relationship with the triune God – filled with the Spirit, contemplating God;s glory and his mind on Christ at God's right hand. He committed everything to God including his own soul and the people who were murdering him.
Today I want to focus on the Apostle Paul and particularly what he has to say in 2 Timothy 4:6-8. It is a little bit different because these are not Paul's actual dying words as in the previous two cases but they are among the very last written words and certainly give us Paul's dying thoughts. Having solemnly charged Timothy as his successor with the need to preach the Word he turns to the reason why this is so important – his own imminent death. Hendriksen says "In one of the most sublime and moving passages, which with respect to grandeur of thought and stateliness of rhythm is probably unsurpassed anywhere in Paul's epistles, the apostle lifts this letter - and his apostolic career - to its wonderful finale," Here we see Paul considering his present – the nearness of death at the hands of the Roman authorities who at this time held him in prison. This leads him too to think of his past service and his glorious future. His approach to death is full of instruction for us. We want to say three main things from what he says
1. Have faith in Christ in the face of death
Paul is clearly coming to the time of his death full of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The very way he speaks here shows this. He is an example to us of how to approach death.
1. Pour yourself out for God For I am already being poured out like a drink offering
Paul is using a picture here one he had used back in Philippians 2:16 where the subject is again his imminent death (though it did not come at that point). There he says But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
What is the picture he is using? Under the Old Testament law there were many different sacrifices including the drink offering of wine. The drink offering would be poured out onto an animal sacrifice in certain instances as a climax to the whole affair – a final sacrifice. Such sacrifices are no longer necessary under the new covenant as Christ has made the supreme sacrifice of himself to save his people forever. Paul takes up the imagery of the drink offering being poured out at the end, however, and applies it to himself and his own sacrifices on behalf of God's people. He will soon die and this will be the final sacrifice that he makes to God. As his life ebbs away he gives it all in sacrifice to God. Paul does not see death as an intrusion but as the final part of a life of sacrifice.
In Romans 15:16 he speaks of being a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles and his life of proclaiming the gospel of God as a priestly duty. He pictures himself preparing a sacrifice an offering acceptable to God. Now at the end of his life he himself is being poured out as the final part of the sacrifice.
Do you ever think of your life in these terms? Saints in the past would speak about burning out for God – this is sometimes confused with overdoing it and not looking after yourself and burning out in the psychological sense but what they actually mean is being living sacrifices – living their whole lives as sacrifices in God's service. There is no call in Scripture to neglect our health but we are called upon to be living sacrifices – that is our spiritual or reasonable worship. This must goon to the very point of death, whenever it may come.
2. Correctly understand death and the time has come for my departure
What is the picture he is using? Under the Old Testament law there were many different sacrifices including the drink offering of wine. The drink offering would be poured out onto an animal sacrifice in certain instances as a climax to the whole affair – a final sacrifice. Such sacrifices are no longer necessary under the new covenant as Christ has made the supreme sacrifice of himself to save his people forever. Paul takes up the imagery of the drink offering being poured out at the end, however, and applies it to himself and his own sacrifices on behalf of God's people. He will soon die and this will be the final sacrifice that he makes to God. As his life ebbs away he gives it all in sacrifice to God. Paul does not see death as an intrusion but as the final part of a life of sacrifice.
In Romans 15:16 he speaks of being a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles and his life of proclaiming the gospel of God as a priestly duty. He pictures himself preparing a sacrifice an offering acceptable to God. Now at the end of his life he himself is being poured out as the final part of the sacrifice.
Do you ever think of your life in these terms? Saints in the past would speak about burning out for God – this is sometimes confused with overdoing it and not looking after yourself and burning out in the psychological sense but what they actually mean is being living sacrifices – living their whole lives as sacrifices in God's service. There is no call in Scripture to neglect our health but we are called upon to be living sacrifices – that is our spiritual or reasonable worship. This must goon to the very point of death, whenever it may come.
2. Correctly understand death and the time has come for my departure
So Paul's one picture of death is a cup of wine being poured out in sacrifice to God. It is an unusual way to speak of it. The other picture he uses is more common. He speaks of his departure. The very word he uses is instructive. It basically means to loose and it reminds us of various pictures.
Think of a ship being loosed from its moorings. Lorraine Boettner quotes the Dutch American Henry Van Dyke (sometimes attributed to Victor Hugo) who once put it this way
Think of a ship being loosed from its moorings. Lorraine Boettner quotes the Dutch American Henry Van Dyke (sometimes attributed to Victor Hugo) who once put it this way
"I am standing upon the foreshore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come down to meet each other. Then someone at my side says, 'There, she is gone.' Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and just as able to bear her load of living weights to its place of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her; and just at the moment when someone at my side says, 'There, she is gone,' on that distant shore there are other eyes watching for her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, 'Here she comes - and such is dying."
It is also the phrase used for striking camp – taking a tent down. See 2 Cor 5:4 where Paul speaks about our bodies being like tents in which we camp - For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
Or think of releasing a prisoner from his shackles
What about unyoking an ox?
In Wales pit ponies were regularly used underground in the mines from the 18th Century on. The ponies lived below ground but then when the mine holidays came round they were given a precious opportunity to go up to ground level. Imagine it.
Do you correctly understand what death involves for the Christian? Are you thinking about it in the right way?
It is also the phrase used for striking camp – taking a tent down. See 2 Cor 5:4 where Paul speaks about our bodies being like tents in which we camp - For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
Or think of releasing a prisoner from his shackles
What about unyoking an ox?
In Wales pit ponies were regularly used underground in the mines from the 18th Century on. The ponies lived below ground but then when the mine holidays came round they were given a precious opportunity to go up to ground level. Imagine it.
Do you correctly understand what death involves for the Christian? Are you thinking about it in the right way?
2. Have faith in Christ in looking at the past
Paul was able to look at his life with some complacency. He says (7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Are you able to do the same? Will you be able to when it comes your time to die?
The only way to do so is by the grace of God. Paul is not boasting here. He does not say I have fought the good fight but rather The good fight I have fought.
If you have known God's grace in your life then are you continuing in that grace to his glory? The questions we will be asked at the end are these
1. The good fight – have you fought it?
The picture here is of a soldier or of a wrestler. It is a favourite NT image. See 1 Timothy 6:12 and here 2:3, 4 (Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs -he wants to please his commanding officer). If you are a Christian then you have great enemies – the world, the flesh and the devil. To overcome them, you must fight. It is a daily struggle. The temptation is to run and hide but we must stand firm. Don't give in. We must wear the whole armour of God. See Ephesians 6.
What a comfort at death to know you have fought the good fight.
2. The race – have you finished it?
What a comfort at death to know you have fought the good fight.
2. The race – have you finished it?
The picture here is of an athlete, someone running a race. This is another favourite NT picture. See 2:5 (Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules.) Also see Acts 20:24 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. Endurance is a vital Christian virtue. Without it we cannot be successful.
What a comfort at death to know you have run the race
3. The faith - have you kept it?
What a comfort at death to know you have run the race
3. The faith - have you kept it?
The picture here is of a treasurer or a steward or it could be the idea of a soldier on guard. See 1:14 (Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.) He is talking about preserving the gospel treasure. He means not so much the gospel doctrines but maintaining one's personal faith. Go on believing. Don't give in to doubts. Keep trusting in Christ to the very end. See 3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of. Also see John 14:1-4, 6.
3. Have faith in Christ in looking to the future
Paul was able to look to the future with complacency. 8 Now 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. Perhaps Paul is still thinking of the soldier coming home in triumph from the wars after victory and being greeted by rejoicing people. Or the athlete winning the race and being given the acclaim of the crowds and a crown of laurels or, as it would be to today – the gold medal. Of course, the reality for Paul is the unfading crown of righteousness and glory from God himself. Paul is not for a moment suggesting that he has earned this. See 1:9 (who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.) and Titus 3:5, 6. Rather, in faith Paul is looking forward to his reward knowing that by God's grace he has fought and run and kept hold of the faith. What confidence this gives him. That same confidence should belong to all who long for Jesus to come again.
Are you longing for your reward? Is your mind set on that glorious day when Christ comes again and brings in the new heavens and the new earth? "The best moment of a Christian's life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven." (Spurgeon). You know that phrase “in the land of the living” as in “Still in the land of the living then”. It is said that among John Newton's last words were these – when someone made reference to him still being in the land of the living - "I am still in the land of the dying. I shall be in the land of the living soon." Quite right. Pray that you may see it that way.
