Sermons from Bible Baptist Church of Puyallup: HENCEFORTH

HENCEFORTH

2 Timothy 4:5-8 (KJV)

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth 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.

The Bible never gives us an account of the death of Apostle Paul but does bring us to the very point of his death.

Paul had prepared himself for this sacrifice for three decades before it happened.[1]

· He said that he died daily[2]

· He said that he had been crucified with Christ[3]

· He said he had rather to be with the Lord[4]

As the anticipated day approached, the great Apostle Paul wrote to his son in the faith, Timothy, and said.

Paul himself wrote, 2 Timothy 4:8 (KJV)

Henceforth 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.

It occurs to me that every one of us has a “henceforth” coming.

I can’t tell you the circumstances leading up to each individual henceforth; whether it be:

· By old age

· By illness

· By tragedy or

· By the rapture

But I do know that all of us will have a henceforth.

Saved and unsaved alike.

Which leads me to ask you,

What will yours look like?

Before you answer too quickly, it would be helpful, I believe, for us to consider Paul’s own henceforth.

Paul was given a rare opportunity. He knew the time of his departure.

He was able to reflect upon it – consider his life and the circumstance leading to what would be his “henceforth.”

He was also inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. In a way no one since has experienced, Paul analyzed his henceforth and did so in a way that informs the world ever after.

Paul had

I. A TROPHY

2 Timothy 4:8 (KJV)

Henceforth 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.

Paul knew a crown or righteousness awaited him.

Notice:

He did not believe he would cease to exist.

Paul understood the importance of

Hebrews 9:27 (KJV)

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

He would die, but death wasn’t the end of it all.

Suicide is on the rise in numbers that are staggering.

At least one reason for that is that people have been taught that they are mere animals. That when they die, their life is over.

They can then conclude that death will end their suffering.

For the unsaved, death is only the beginning of sorrows.

Paul knew that there was life after death.

He did not question where he would be after death

His faith was not that sort of so many who believe that once he died, God would put all his good deeds in one pile and all his bad ones in another – whichever was the larger would determine his eternity – heaven or hell.

Paul had settled this thing decades before.

2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV)

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

The word “know” is really important here.

Paul had once thought he served God. It turned out he did not know God.

Until one day, Acts 9:3-6 (KJV)

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

I am afraid that there are a lot of people who:

· Think they know God

· Think they do God service and

· Think they will go to heaven

But who have never met Jesus personally.

He never questioned how he would be received in heaven

He knew he would receive a crown of righteousness.

The significance of this is that the Bible is very clear, not everyone who goes to heaven experiences the same reception.

· The Bible says there is an abundant entrance into heaven[5]and

· The Bible says some are saved yet so as by fire.[6]

Almost everyone has heard of Jesus’ phrase, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” And almost everyone acts like they think that’s what Jesus will say to them. But let’s examine the passage.

Matthew 25:14-30 (KJV)

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Heaven isn’t the same for everyone.

There is an abundant entrance and there is an entrance with loss and weeping and tears.

Paul knew he would receive a trophy because

Paul had,

II. A TESTIMONY

2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Notice the phrase, “I have kept the faith.”

Paul’s testimony was based upon his faith and not his performance.

· He had fought a good fight

· He had finished his course and

He had done it through faith.

He had not done this by sheer will.

It was not that he had pushed himself beyond himself, forced himself to live for God whenever it was against his nature to keep living for God.

He would not receive his crown because:

· He had won more people to the Lord than anyone else

· He had planted more churches in the world than anyone else or

· He had written more books of the New Testament than anyone else

No – he would receive a crown of righteousness because he had done all that he had, through faith.

Look again at our text in Matthew 25:14-30 (KJV)