Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: So Paul says it doesn't matter whether I was a soldier, I enlisted. When I was an athlete, I trained physically and spiritually to be a winner. Then at the same time, as a warrior, I put on my helmet, I put on my shield, I get my sword, I put on everything so that I can fight against the enemy and I can wipe him down.

Guest (Male): I am falling. I am falling in love. I am falling in love. I am falling in love with You. Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California.

As we move forward in our series in 2 Timothy, Raul will encourage us to take time to reflect on the faith legacy we're building with our lives. Every person has God-appointed work to do for His heavenly kingdom. While it's easy to get worn out and want to quit, we need to follow the example of the apostle Paul in faithfully serving the Lord until our very last breath. Today's message is titled, Paul's Personal Appeal. Join us in 2 Timothy, chapter four, beginning in verse five.

Raul Ries: Paul the Apostle, in the book of Acts chapter 18 and chapter 20, said, "I wash my hands from all men's blood because I have not failed to give to you the full counsel of God." I haven't failed. I've given you what God has given to me, so I am without excuse. I can stand before God and say I've done my job in telling others about you, Jesus.

That's why Paul, knowing that he's going to die in just a few minutes—he's going to be killed—he already is thinking about eternity. He tells Timothy, "Timothy, look, don't forget to be watchful. Don't forget to endure affliction. They may kill you one day. Don't forget that you're a soul winner. People need Jesus and they need to be won to the Lord, so don't forget to share your faith with others." Then finally he says, "Fulfill your ministry."

What has God called you to do in the body of Christ? What's your ministry? You can only answer that yourself. I know my ministry is serving the Lord in preaching and teaching. That's my ministry. Every one of us has a ministry that God's given to us. You ask the Lord as you pray. You say, "Lord, show me what my ministry may be." It may be going to old people's homes, comforting the old that have been neglected and forgotten by their families. You can bring joy to them or taking care of children in the nursery, or in the Sunday school teaching children, or maybe ushering, or maybe cleaning. Whatever your ministry may be is serving the Lord.

Timothy, fulfill your ministry. Don't forget. Do it with all your heart. Don't do it with part of your heart. Do it with all your heart. When you do serve the Lord, do it with great passion. If you're not going to do it with passion, then you'll never be successful in what you're going to do. People have to see it before they can believe it. They've got to see it in you, the passion for God. They've got to see that you really have the joy of the Lord and that you love the Lord and that the love of the Lord is in you and working through your life in order for them to be touched by the Holy Spirit—the same Holy Spirit that touched Paul, the same Holy Spirit that touched Timothy.

In verse six, Paul gives us the reason behind the responsibility that God gave to him. Notice Paul's example here: "For I am already being poured out." Number one, Paul's example was that he was a sacrifice, a living sacrifice to God. He goes back to Romans chapter 12, verse one and two: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your minds."

Paul is saying it's a living sacrifice. You put yourself on the altar. Now, the word that he uses, to be poured out, is an Old Testament word that takes you back to the book of Numbers where, in the sacrifices, they would take a glass of wine and they would pour out the wine into the sacrifice. Paul is speaking of his death. I'm going to be now not only a living sacrifice, but they're going to kill me. I'm doing willfully what God's called me to do. I'm giving my life.

That was his present state. In chapter four, verse six, we see him as he's looking around himself at the present time. "And I am being already poured out," notice, "as a sacrifice, or a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand." He knew. It's just a matter of time now. I can hear them coming and they're going to take me.

Tradition tells us that they took Paul and Caesar Nero took him out in this huge arena. This centurion was walking with Paul. These two centurions were walking with Paul as he was chained. By the time he walked from his cell to the chopping board, it says that when Paul the Apostle put his head down on the chopping board, they cut off his head and one of the centurions said, "I too am a Christian," and they took his head off right there too. Tradition tells us that.

He was always witnessing to this person. Every four hours, Paul got a convert according to the epistles. While he was in jail, he was always witnessing, telling people about Jesus Christ. What a great opportunity. Imagine being chained to a centurion all day long for four hours every time. A new one comes in at four hours. Let's get the next one. How cool. That's what Paul did. Paul wasn't ashamed. Paul didn't have nothing to lose, but Paul had a passion. He saw these men lost. They were not his enemies. They were lost without God and without hope. Paul wanted to bring the gospel to them completely and fully.

Notice "as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand." We all will have our time of departure from this world—every one of us. I always think, imagine what it must be like to really know this is it and you're looking at this world. All of a sudden your eyes will close—I've seen people do this—and you'll take your last breath. Then your chest collapses as the spirit departs from the body, and it's over. It's over one day.

I think what a trip it's going to be to go from this place to that place. Instantly when I take my last breath and my body collapses but my spirit departs, instantly I'm going to be in heaven in the presence of Jesus Christ forever. Ed Furl, my father-in-law, will be there. My grandmother, my father will be there. People that I've known for years will be there.

When we get to heaven, we're not going to say, "Okay, Lord, how come it took you so long to bring me to heaven?" It won't work that way. "How long have you been here?" No, there's no time in heaven. Abraham will be there. Jacob, Isaac, David will be there. We're going to see Ezra, Nehemiah, all these people that I read about—Amos, Zechariah, Haggai, Zephaniah. All these men of God are all there, and one day we're all going to be there.

I love it. Turn for a moment to the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, so you get the assurance tonight. Remember Jesus in John 14, verses one through five said, "Let not your heart be troubled. If you believe in Me, believe also that I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again to receive you unto Myself so that where I am, you also will be with Me."

In 1 Corinthians 15, he spends this whole chapter here teaching us about the resurrection of the dead. Beginning with verse one, notice what he says. He says, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received and where you stand. By which you also are saved if we keep in memory that I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I have delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received: how that Christ Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures."

We have seen even Cephas, or Peter, then of the twelve. After that, He was seen by more than 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present time, but some also have died. After that, He was seen of James and all the apostles. Last of all, He was seen of me also, Paul the Apostle, as one born out of due time. Isn't that neat? I also saw Him, and yet I wasn't with the twelve apostles until afterwards. I became an apostle.

For I am the least of all the apostles. I am not meet to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. By the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain. I labor more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. To much grace is given, much more you want to be able to share with people. Paul says I did so much that I owe so much to Jesus, and He's been so graceful to me that I want people to get God's grace. That should be our attitude, completely and fully.

Then he starts speaking about the dead. Verse 12, he says, "But now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, then how is it that some are saying that there is no resurrection of the dead?" Can you imagine if there was no resurrection? Hey, let's go drink, let's go party, let's go take drugs, let's fornicate. Let's have fun. Let's burn our Bibles. Let's forget about church. Let's just do it. We only have one life and let's party it and then die and then we become non-existent.

Guest (Male): This is Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Don't forget we're here to help you grow your faith and commit to obeying God's word. Visit us anytime at somebodylovesyou.com for Bible-based resources, including this in-depth study of the apostle Paul's letter to young Timothy. Now, back to more with Raul Ries.

Raul Ries: Look what he says. Verse 13, "But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen? And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain and your faith also is in vain." You're wasting your time. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead do not rise.

Paul is correcting the resurrection theory because there were some that were saying there is no resurrection. When you die, you become non-existent. That's it. There's no more life. Look what he says. Verse 16, "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised? And if Christ is not raised, then your faith is in vain and you are yet in your sins." You're still a sinner. Notice that. Then they also which are dead in Christ are perished. There's no heaven. We'll never see our loved ones again. That's depressing if you were reading something like that.

He says, "And if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that are dead." For since by man came death, and by man came also the resurrection of the dead—who? By Adam, the first Adam, he sinned and died, and Jesus Christ came and became the second Adam to give us eternal life. You see? He's the one that gave us the hope. For as in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward then they that are Christ's at His coming.

Then comes the end when He shall have delivered up the kingdom of God, even the Father, when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Notice that. So there is life after death as Paul is telling us here. It's not a myth. It's happened. Jesus came, died, rose again, and anybody that dies in Christ goes to heaven, and anybody that dies out of Christ goes to hell. That's what he says. That's the way it is in the gospel.

Now you see why Paul is really pouring his heart out to Timothy. "Timothy, don't forget that the time of my departure is at hand. I'm going to be in the presence of the Lord." Check this out, verse seven. "I have fought the good fight." What is he saying? Hey, listen, I'm a soldier for Jesus Christ. We're in God's army. We have battles to fight. We have battles to fight in this life, but once we die and go to heaven, the battles will cease. No more battles. I have fought the good fight.

Notice secondly: "I have finished the race." He's also an athlete. Notice the metaphors he uses here. I am a soldier and I am an athlete. Then he says thirdly: "I have kept the faith." I'm a warrior. I stand true to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have learned how to put on the armor of God. Ephesians chapter six, put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of Satan, the devil. You see? It's really important that we learn about the armor of God and we know how to identify our enemy, Satan, and his demons.

So Paul says it doesn't matter whether I was a soldier, I enlisted. When I was an athlete, I trained physically and spiritually to be a winner. Then at the same time, as a warrior, I put on my helmet, I put on my shield, I get my sword, I put on everything so that I can fight against the enemy and I can wipe him down. I can kill him. I can defeat him and he doesn't defeat me. Paul says that.

Then check this out. Thirdly, he looks back. Now he looks ahead. He says, "Finally," can you imagine? This is it. This is it, Timothy. "There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness." Wow. Did you know there are five crowns that we can get? Five crowns. This is one of them. The first crown is the crown of rejoicing. In 1 Thessalonians 2:19, it is the crown for becoming a soul winner. When you win souls, you get the crown of rejoicing.

Secondly, the crown of life in James 1:12. Guess what that one's for? That one is for becoming a martyr's crown or when you're going through temptations and you become an overcomer. Thirdly, the crown of righteousness, which he's talking about here in 2 Timothy 4:8. It is to those who love the coming of Jesus Christ and are looking for His coming. We'll receive the crown of righteousness.

Fourthly, the crown of glory in 1 Peter 5:4. It will be given to every pastor, every shepherd for taking care of the flock of God and teaching the word of God and being a faithful shepherd. Fifthly and finally, the incorruptible crown in 1 Corinthians 9:25. This is the victor's crown when you're facing temptation in life—the flesh with the spirit—and you become an overcomer because you stand by the spirit of God and you say no to sin. You get that crown.

That's why Paul in 1 Corinthians as he says here in chapter nine, let me go there for a second. In 1 Corinthians chapter nine, in verse 23, he says, "And this I do for the gospel's sake that I might partake thereof with you. Know you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives a prize? So run as you obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery in temperance," notice, "in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible."

He says if there are young kids that totally cut off their friends and don't go to the movies, they don't go out late at night, but they eat the right food, they get the right sleep, and they train and train and train, it's because they have a goal to go to the Olympics and they'll give their whole life to that. How much more for us in eternity? Think about it. They're going to get a gold medal that's going to burn. We're going to get a crown that is everlasting in the kingdom of God.

Check this out, too. Verse 26, this is why Paul says, "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly." He's saying I'm not just a shadow boxer. I'm not just hitting the wind. I'm not shadow boxing. He says this: "I therefore run, not as a shadow boxer, so I fight I, not as one that beats the air, but I keep under my body then," notice, "and bring into it in subjection, by any means that when I have preached to others, I myself should not become a castaway." Paul says I do it and I discipline myself because I don't want to be put on the shelf like so many other people. You see?

If athletes take care of themselves physically, how much more shall we take care of our lives spiritually speaking so that we can receive the crown of righteousness one day? The crown that is incorruptible, here in 1 Corinthians 9:25.

Look what else Paul goes back to, 2 Timothy chapter four, verse eight. "Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge," notice again, he reminds us of the judgment, "will give to me on that day." What day? Remember the Bema Seat of Christ. 1 Corinthians chapter three, verse 11 through 16; 2 Corinthians chapter five, verse 10. We're going to stand at the Bema Seat of Christ because every Christian has been already judged for his sins and her sins on Calvary at the cross.

When we stand before the Lamb of God on the day of judgment, it will be at the Bema Seat of Christ to receive according to how our tithing, our reading, our praying, our witnessing—everything that has to do with the spirit. He's going to cast it. He's going to evaluate it whether it's gold, wood, hay, or stubble. He's going to put it into the fire, and whatever burns in the fire and whatever remains, that will be your reward. If there's nothing that remains, you will be saved as by the fire. Why? Because salvation is the free gift of God—the free gift of God.

That's why it's so neat to be in God's best place, to be in His house, studying God's word, praying, sharing our faith, always moving ahead, always moving forward, never standing still, never retreating, but always on the charge. So Paul says, "Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day."

John Cisneros is going to receive that crown soon. He's there in the presence of God now. Imagine that with Paul and Peter and James and John and every one of those that have gone to be with the Lord. He is there in the presence of God. And not only me, but check this out, "but also to all who have loved His appearing." That's you and me, you guys. We're going to be there one day in the presence of the Lord, and He's going to call out our names. We're going to stand before the Lord. What an incredible thing. Lord, I don't even want anything. He's blessed me so much already that I don't care if I don't get anything. I just want to see my Savior's face and spend eternity with Him because that's what it's all about.

Guest (Male): Well, it's easy to take on the title of Christian, but it's much harder to live out what we say we believe day in and day out, year after year. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Today's study was titled, Paul's Personal Appeal. To get an unedited version, just call us at 800-634-9165 and for a donation of five dollars or more, we'll send a copy to you.

We'd also like to offer you Raul's entire 11-part study of 2 Timothy, available on both CD and USB. Further exploring the apostle Paul's instructive example, you'll learn more of what it looks like to die to yourself and walk closely with God, enduring trials and overcoming temptations to bring glory to His name. You'll also discover the rich blessings that fill a fully surrendered life. To get Raul's 11-message 2 Timothy series, just visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165. We'll send you the CD set for 24 dollars or the flash drive for just 15 dollars. That's 800-634-9165. Or write to Somebody Loves You Radio, P.O. Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765.

Straight Talk with Raul streams on the Somebody Loves You worldwide YouTube channel every Tuesday at 10 a.m. West Coast time. And our app also features a wide variety of ways to infuse the Bible into your daily life. We're a listener-supported ministry and we're so grateful for your partnership. Every gift you give helps us keep sharing God's mighty eternal word. Next time on Somebody Loves You Radio, we'll get the conclusion of our study of 2 Timothy. Zeroing in on more of the apostle Paul's final insights just before his death, we'll consider what it takes to truly finish strong for the Lord Jesus.

I am falling. I am falling in love. I am falling in love. I am falling in love with You. This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.