Fight to the End - 1 Timothy 6:11-16 - Gospel Church

A true faith is a fighting faith right is already getting into this weekend because Chris in your life is a flight arrives. The Bible has called us to is called us to be spiritual warriors and spiritual soldiers is a lot we can say about Apple were to get into this weekend is the idea that I think many of us believe when we become a Christian like we say the prayer you know it when we we can step over that line, I think we think that maybe there's some kind of finish line. And I know it's not a finish line is a starting line.

When we pray that prayer, the guy just went off and were running as hard as we absolutely can't the rest of our life is going to be a fight. Listen to become in practice what God has already declared us to be. In truth, and it is your wrestling match is to be a flight. It is to be fair in its order to get into this week. And here's the big idea from first Timothy chapter 6 gospel churches flight for the faith they fight for faith. A fight the good fight of faith and I do that all the way to the end they'll stop sure they go all the way and a subordinate CIR Hogan first in the chapter 6. Listen we would talk about this through his whole series of audits every three weeks.

The proof is in the Rye movie said everything we write what is that mean it means that the authenticity of something is found in the interaction with you that actually taste and see what I think what to what Paul is going in with Emma in first Timothy here is he's ending his letter is to say that Timothy hate. If you approve that the proof is in the pudding. If it's something about the church is no point to the divine origin and creator than what you find when you actually them and interact with the church and get involved here to find a church that is willing to fight all the way to the end a lay hold of what God is already given them. God has given them something but it's a fight for us. Throughout the course of our life to the Bible says things like this to put on the new man right to persevere to the end took to become and practice what is declared us to be. In truth, or to lay hold of what he has already given us eternal life. This is the fight of our lives and that's working to get into tonight is the flight of faith. Okay, now I don't know this and I am a little. This is risky okay was in North Carolina. There's a bunch teams but the darling of North Carolina college football right now is upstate IVF states and I really and I don't mean that against anybody else because I will have a dog and fight account. Florida the Aldwych ACC people on as is the person okay so I don't have a lot I don't have a dog in the fight.

The reason I say the darling of North Carolina right now is just because of there's magic with this program I mean is crazy. 2007 September 1 they walk in the big house and knock off number five Michigan the greatest college upset that's ever happened right then they come and do it again at College Station this year. So much so the college game day goes to this little mountain town in North Carolina and goes there and that day when college game day.

Is there one of they do. They went on a Hail Mary okay today just is just crazy not.

Here's why. Bring that up.

There's magic with the program and all that you know I love about watching, stories like that. Whether your absent fan or not you notice the underdog type of story.

Every underdog story is this that the team believes when nobody else believes they think they can do it when nobody else thinks they can do it. You know how you know that they think they can do it because they don't quit because think they fight all the way to the end and I think that's a good lesson for us and what the Bible is going to get into today in first Timothy chapter 6 that there is a flight that doesn't end until Jesus Christ makes his appearance and comes back and the way that the church is to be found. Believing the things that this book tells us about us and about God as if we are willing to fight to put on the new man. If we are willing to fight to become and practice what God is declared us to be in truth and authority get into today are years in which I only show you three things about the fight of faith the good fight of faith.

I will show you the nature of the fight. The duration of the fight, and they were to get into the goal of the fight that what it's all about the rights of the nature of the duration and the goal and I will be our time together.

Let's dive and wording in first Timothy chapter 6 starting in verse 11.

Let me talk to you first about the nature of the fight we get into the end of the book it is what's cool how this happens on the Bible the end of the book goes only back to beginning what what what was Timothy told the very beginning they engage in the good warfare. That's what he was told quite and now were totally began to fight in the good fight and a good spiritual warfare and a good spiritual flight. Paul comes all the way back to the end and here's what he tells Timothy but as for you all man of God… So that's a title in the Bible. Okay, you want all of the Old Testament, the man of God either. There's a lot in that you but you old man of God, flee these things and were regular those things are.

We talked about last week, namely materialism and quarreling in the church and posturing with false teaching role advocate sleeve that and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness, fight the good fight of faith take hold of of a term take hold of the eternal life to which you were called in about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Here's what he says in verse 11 Timothy but as for you, what is that mean it means that there's a contrast going on here and we had a little part two from last week and a continuation from the whole book. Okay the same but as for you Timothy, as opposed to all the false teachers not been telling you a war against sin and fight the good fight no less. Of the ones that we been standing up to.

As for you, you are going to live in a different way. You're not going to be running after materialism and quarreling and posturing because I know things that you don't know it all.

I can stop.

Instead you are going to be fleeing those things and nearly pursuing these other things with righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, or endurance. And of course gentleness. I think we try to get Timothy to see here is Timothy there is a contrast between the false teaching and between you between a God form a counterculture, a religious culture and an actual gospel culture.

There's can be a difference in these two things son were not like the world I think is what is trying to say and we do this lesson.

He always was, and still culture purely answers is filled with young families and we love that so many kids in this church you know you guys are trying to do and I'm trying to do with young kids in the home you are trying to instill a culture in the home and you not you continually instill a culture you say this very this really simple phrase. Not that this it's it's not that with this.

That's not us. Okay, this is us. That's not us.

And we do this in little ways and big ways rights housing about this amount. My sons, my two boys watch the call me what he called Little League World Series okay and their watch, and I got Sue and they got so into it. All that and so the next thing you know they're asking me dad if I hit a home run cannot do the gritty always insert a home okay similarly was the gritty okay I am not a demonstrator for you today so I had.

I so it's his little dancer. All the kids are doing okay and and I said it is this just want: that you might take issue this poem to be honest with. I said were not doing the gritty and if you did the gritty from third a home.

I would go tell the other coach to tell his picture to Peggy, the next time you come up fight is old-school okay you know love you anymore by Bob so you know that's disrespectful that's disrespecting the game okay what is my point is not so, Kate. No, not that.

But this we don't do that. Why will because Scripture tells us the humility comes before honor and so what I would tell them is not doubt that this it's just trying to instill a culture that's all that Paul is really trying to do here. Not that with this, not materialism, quarreling, posturing over one another because I know something you'll know because it genealogies all the stuff that we talked about this book right but instead what he saying is Timothy use should be marked by the flights of good faith that this dislikes for the faith. That's what he gets into here we fight the good fight of faith because that's who we are not doubt but this Christians you are spiritual soldiers and spiritual warriors whose lives are characterized by fighting to lay hold of that which God has already given us something that we find our entire life to do to become in practice and live up to the name that has been bestowed on us, not earning salvation, not earning a name not earning a standing but fighting to put on and practice what God has already given us.

In truth, and that's what this is all about.

That's the fight, you know, sometimes churches and this is not the oldest of this is not the only valid or true version of masculinity. It's just the one the churches seem to alienate sometimes okay but if you're one of our campuses today.

Today and you're like me and mom. One of these dudes, you hunt deer and have a hairy back and wear boots okay that's you, you're not. That's not the only valid version of manhood.

I know that but for some of us that is kind of the diversion that gets alienate a little bit in churches satyrs in books about this call. Like why men hate going to church.

This should be a sermon you should love you know why because it's all about a fight it's all it's all about the Bible saying that there is much warfare imagery in the Scripture that comes up when it was first talking about what our life is like in trying to continue to put on what God is given us to lay hold of the things that he is already given us this is what is it is a fight. The letter ends in the same way that is started and that is in calling upon Christians to engage in spiritual battle and I will make sure I say this right up front. Okay there is a lot that means when I wear reading passages like this is through a couple times a couple things here okay. Ephesians 21 says we are held captive by ungodly desires being held captive is fighting language that's more language on held captive by ungodly desires.

First Peter 211 talks about the war that happens in our souls. In second Timothy, it's actually my favorite verses in second Timothy Peter Meno.

Paul calls Timothy a soldier know we are in a fight.

If we were in a fight. What need, would there be to put on spiritual armor from Ephesians chapter 6 now when I get into talking about this. The point is Christian. We are in war time, not peace time spiritually speaking. Okay. We all remember that we don't wake up in the morning and remember no were not in peace.peace time comes, but is not now with us that we are more and more time spiritually speaking up. Let me an invalid site that means a lot of things okay. It means man fighting the good fight of faith that that means making sure were giving the gospel to the ends of the earth.

It means making sure the were on our knees and we are praying against the spiritual forces that are arrayed against our church that multiple people can't talk to me the last couple of weeks about as we embark on some pretty big things at the church and what spiritual warfare is happening even in this moment a minute means that we need to praying against that. There's a lot of things that means, but what I want to focus on today is the individual Christians fight to be calm and practice what God is declared to be in truth in the gospel. What God is the clergy to be is a perfect son perfect daughter couldn't be more loving you are right now in Christ I could and could not could not be more righteous than you are right now in Christ and in the fight of our life is becoming daily. As I walked believing that about myself because God is declared it and putting walking shoes on that and beginning to walk in that every date that's what I want to get into here this weekend.

Okay, here's what it says in verse 11 but as for you, all men of God, flee these things pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness know this is already. I think what the fight is okay. They got a Side of it is already getting out enough that's a little bit ironic. The first thing you will find is knowing when to run away a little bit right and that that's what's that's what's funny here the great 20th century theologian Kenny Rogers he's a center-right okay. You gotta know the photos you know the whole you have though to walk away. You gotta know when to write.

I think what he is saying. First is meant when you get around materialism quarreling posturing because I know something you don't know what all the other things are in this book.

The first thing you gotta know as to what to flee away from. But here's the thing for Christian and some of you might have grown up in a very what I would call religious background of very much hate everything about our faith is drawing boundaries that were not to go and what not to do it all that counts. And I might be where you came from. I don't know the beautiful thing about this passage is it doesn't just tell you what to run away from it tells you where to run to waste not just about what were trying to get away from. It's about what were running to Christianity is not only about where we run away from, but it is about what we are running to things like righteousness or uprightness. Things like godliness or God likeness faith what is faith a confident trust in whatever God is doing, love, endurance, or or or steadfastness fitting on your translation.

What is endurance and steadfastness mean it means that you can stand up under the weight of something heavy for a long time.

They that you don't you don't give out even though it's heavy and it's on your back and engine and gentleness. Okay this is what it's getting at. We run away from the things that are not us member not visible that it's not that's on our culture. This our culture. We run away from those things but we run towards these things that God has given us. I think there's a lot of crossover here with the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5 not just an assessment, but things we have access to either it's not just a checklist of MI this and my dad. It's like, no, these are things the spirit.

Christian has given you that you can walk through the door and access and this is what he say the fight of our life is getting away from what is natural. This is not news to anybody you have to run away from something unless it comes really natural to you. The materialism quarreling posturing in this book. That's what he's getting at is like eight that's what you got flee because that's what will naturally come to you and your flesh, and am as we and as we are arrayed in spiritual battle and the prince of the power of this area is baiting the hook with things tempting us in trying to get those are the things that will come natural to us what we need is to flee those things and and to run to these things that God has given us when we became believers in the spirit was given to us. Now all the sudden we have access to godliness and righteousness and endurance and gentleness and love and faith.

These things are already characterizing who we are as God sees us pastor Tanner had an awesome sermon last week when we are cloaked in Christ we are cloaked in his righteousness, we are already seeing this way by God.

But the fight of our life is becoming that in our day-to-day life and in our day-to-day walk. You think about this for us with this list is so strong and rich. Maybe somebody any or not you want to raise your hand like men who in here today are who one of our campuses.

You just flat out need endurance for a battle that you're in right now you just use needed how we must be confident trust in what God is doing in a difficult situation. How many of us need gentleness, gentleness is the fight of my life and leaving a church and leaving a family.

I come to this passage in a like manner.I need these things. I need a reminder to run away from what is natural and to run to what is supernatural motivated by an excited by and believe being member that abstained analogy. Nobody else believes they can but they fight to begin because they believe.

Gotta believe that this is who I can become because it's who you already see me. Yes, in the gospel you are to see me as general. You Artie see me as one who is righteous and godliness in faith and love. So now I can run after these things, not in my natural state. No one 11 of author selected in our natural state, and our hearts are member not this but that our hearts are so that there there there over here when they're characterized by materialism and quarreling posturing.

One author said it like this, your heart before Christ was Sauron's mount doomed the white which is winter in Babylon stronghold.

You may have known peace but it was peace with the enemies of God. That is who we were, but in Christ. When we only have made that great exchange. We see what he has done for us on the cross to be died for all of our sin and it is resurrection we can have the newness of life. When we throw ourselves into that all the sudden men. That's not who we are anymore. That's not how God sees us in the fight of our life is now growing in to living up to who God has called us to be by his grace and by his spirit. This is the fight. Look what he says in verse 12 fight the good fight of faith, keep believing what the gospel says about you.

Don't let it go. Keep fighting for its keep believing what the gospel says about you keep believing this is who you can become take hold of eternal life to which you were called in about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. We have confessed Jesus Christ as our Lord that we were not saved by our own works. We have made that confession we we are now fighting this fight of faith to believe that every single day of our life and to live into that faith is a battle all Christians are called to engage. That's one of things we gotta realize it's a fight.

The nature of the fight is that when we got saved. The gun went off.

We thought it was a finish I was starting line.

The gun just went off and now we are fighting to grow and administer it. If you think about. I guess it is one more time you think about salvation. Some people get this backwards. When they begin to think that the fight of faith is fighting to earn something from God. It's not like what pastor Tanner said last week you not fighting to earn your fighting to learn your fighting to realize your fighting to see them practice what God is called you to be in truth in Jesus Christ came to pay the penalty for all of our sin, he lived the life that we didn't live if we could've lived it with our work, he would've had to come and die but he came and died for us men gives us all that was his all of his reward. That's the great exchange we put our faith in him and in his resurrection. We walk in the newness of life and in here's what it does show a reader orients our life. It gives us a new true North.

The fight of faith then becomes to believe the gospel so much that it conforms our every behavior away from what is natural and into what is supernatural and when the church leans all the way into that. Believe me the proof will be in the pudding that people on the outside look in and they will see a church that is believe something that is caused them to fight for that thing to fight for their own spiritual formation.

To believe God for it. All of the days of their life and it is listen.

It is a fight we talked about this earlier in the book that word for fight or struggle is Agro needs of my you know what that means. It means agony think about.

That's where we got it's a struggle.

Minutes of flight to remember what God has said to us it's a fight to lay hold of those things that he has given us to become and practice what he has called us to be in truth is hard sometimes to you. No one pastor selected as one of the most shocking things and one of the hardest things about being a Christian is how long sanctification can take sometimes. Can you let us settle in for just a minute of how long in our life. Then there are things about my life that I want to see changes yesterday and I got a wake up tomorrow and continue to fight.

They continue to see that God is good that he sees me in this way that I am this way before him in truth and I'm gonna continue to take step after step after step to come to see that be true of my everyday reality of the battle. Salvation is certainly over in our life.

You gotta think about this. You are justified in a moment. You are sanctified over a lifetime. You are glorified over in eternity. Okay, but that signification piece and the question for us today is gonna be like men are you in a wake up tomorrow and pick up the flight some of us were thinking that Cézanne is him as I'm going through this. Some of you might be think it today in your struggle with this and understand the struggle using the why do I continue to struggle in these areas of my life. Why is there a particular sin that is so hard. Why do I continue to gossip.

Why do I know and am in the depths of my heart that I view myself is higher than my brothers and sisters in Christ and pride is off the charts.

Why do I continue struggle with pornography. Why do I can sit and some of us are getting in despair over those things.

And here's what happened. Listen, this is good okay listen some us are thinking hey I feel like maybe I'm not a Christian because I continue to struggle against these sins brothers and sisters what you gotta see if it is the struggle that evidences you are Christian. That's what it is that means you're still in the fight enemies are still in the game. I certainly want to see victories over different things in my life and I know that you want to see them as well but it is that moment when we begin to waive the white flag and we begin to say you know what I'm just settling into this sin pattern.

I'm settling into these behaviors. I'm stopping believing that God is worthy of my whole life. You can only have 80% of my life because this over here is mine and I'm not struggling with this anymore. I'm just gonna settle into it, that's when we need to be really worried. It's not the fight. The fight means are still negate the fight itself. Evidences that we are believers, that we are sons and daughters of the King there is a struggle in our life to become and practice what God is declared us to be. In truth, but it is – struggle believers, that we must persevere.

Matthew 24 says electives.

Those who persevere to be and will be saved. Hebrews 314 hold to the end what you had at the start.

One of the things I want to do this week and is just, grab our church.

At the end of this book interesting. Are you still fighting are you fighting to become all that God has called you to be when he called your name and you can run out of the grave and he has bestowed upon you, son ship and daughter ship and you came into the family and he gave you a new last name and you were an orphan and an enemy, and now your son and a friend are you fighting to live up and live into that new identity was don't be discouraged by the battle today. Let's pick up the intensity of the fight and realize what God is doing is not over this story is not finished men. It is not written, and what we are called to do is to fight all the way to the end. Men realize they that it is in the fighting, and in the battle that we are laying hold of what God has already given to us now is talk about number two okay nature of the doubt number two duration of the battle duration of the fight. Right now I don't want to discourage anybody in here okay but here's the duration of the fight. The duration of the fight is for your entire life until Jesus returns. Be encouraged okay right that's death-defying. That's it. That's what when when you listen this weekend, maybe 10, maybe 10 people across different camps to muster every campus, but maybe 10 people are so hard getting baptized. They are there man there, before the church which is praise God that all of our locations think there there come before. What are they doing to get baptized with their same as them going. I'm going public with what God is done spiritually in my life and what he's done on the inside I'm I'm showing on the outside of us. That's what baptism is, is not a magical thing about magic in the water okay 8 inches Adecco, a public declaration of what God has done in many is a lie; I think about 10 of us are some like that are going or going through that this week. An incredible okay it's only been baptized here. Some of you will be in the future when you when you are taking those steps like that when you were you when you become a believer and you're taking those steps like that and evidencing you and Jesus you are the Lord of my life. I've given the keys over and you are the Lord of my life. You have stepped in to with absolute lifelong battle. You stepped into a fight as well. That's a lot about that quote that I had earlier, that author minutes that you may have had peace before but it was just there was peace with the enemies of God is like what I came to Christ to have peace with there is a PC you have a God that creates turmoil that you have with the kingdom of this world that you have with your own flesh.

There is a fight that you didn't have the day before the date you will have every day after the day and we just got a come to get that in our mind and make sure that we understand that we certainly understand. Listen anytime we make a change in our life.

That's the way it is.

Some say how how you have sent ever ever set minimum really enough to jump in and I'm going to get healthy and I'm going to start doing this will start doing that whatever the day before that date.

It was no fight, but that day when you made that decision, notify forever right that's is, however, it's saying it in a very similar way to same thing with you when you become a believer. The duration of the battle and here's what it says in verse 13, I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things in Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession I don't have time to go to this was so funny. You know, for hundreds of years. Everybody said Pontius Pilate was a made up character that had no root in reality until they found the inscription until they found in Scripture the 1960s with Pontius Pilate's name on as he was dedicating a temple to the Emperor Tiberius. So it is funny how the Bible has things right. Like thousands of years before archaeology does sometimes a good to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, I charge you the presence of God and usually says the until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now let me just try to break this down. Okay, here's a pulsing Timothy. I charge you to keep the commandment of the total of the commitment is just one second. But the point is, keep the commandment until when until the appearing of Christ not know some of you and you are being many really the theology and end times. All I can stop there's a lot of ways that people think about different things with with Christ appearing all that, but generally speaking I think what Paul is saying here is this in the end, when Jesus finally comes back and the curtain actually closes and the author comes out of the play comes out onto the stage and it's over okay and the whole the whole human history is when Christ comes back. In the end, is there. That's when the fight is laid down… When it's lay down for the church.

But until that day. There will be a fight for the church that is in this world for the church in the succession of believers that are here and living there will be a fight to continue to become in practice we got is declared us to be in truth as a here's what he says I charge you to keep the commandment until that day when Christ comes the duration of the fight is for our entire life, certainly, but all way through human history. In terms of successional generations of the church, but he says this keep the commandment know what is the commandment. I think the commandment of verse 14 is the bite is the fight from verse 12. That's all it is the commandment from verse 14 is the fight from verse 12 height of the good fight of faith. This is a simple way of saying if you want to try to get in your mind. I think all he saying is Timothy you need to persevere till the end.

You need to continue to fight to become and practice. What does the clergy to be in truth continue to fight to believe the gospel truth about how God sees you and how you can live into that you need to continue the fight to believe that and live into that all the way to the end already read a couple of verses that talk about that when you read a couple more Revelation 2 to be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. James 112 when he was withstood the test, he will receive the crown of life. When he has withstood the test will receive the crown of life. Perseverance to the end is the name of the game.

Duration of the flight is for our entire life. Now people can get a little bit weird about this because when they start thinking is white. Are you saying that if somebody doesn't persevere all the way to begin that they lost their salvation, not on us all and say what I'm saying is, they were never saved in the first place. That's a hard truth but it is exactly what the Bible get that in many places, including this one. The evidence of God's actual what God did in the beginning is evidenced by the perseverance to be in. If you persevere to the end. It speaks about what God did in the beginning there are a lot of people to get saved because of an emotional plea from a past or bad circumstance in their life, but was actually about what you yielding to what God is doing a spiritual name and link their whole life down before him and calling Jesus the Lord of their life, was that what it was about what was it about something else. There can be many people on Judgment Day that are absolutely shocked and I will say that to try to scare anybody but it is scary and so reasonable. What we do what we live our daily lives.

Knowing that perseverance to the end is what we are called to do.

I've heard it said many times, once saved always saved, I think you need to say like this if saved always saved okay once saved always saved. Actually that's that's true, but I think sometimes maybe gets away from a point if saved always saved what God did in your life. In the beginning it is a myth that was genuine that there will be a perseverance. Listen member, talk about perfection, I'm not talking about every single thing in our life is going to all of a sudden be roses and were not in the struggle was sent that that's never happened. There's really a fight all the way to begin, but it is in the persevering and in the struggling for the believer it's answering the bell over and over and over and over. This is why it is so important for a show on Sunday we talk about is Alzheimer's. He will gather groups give go. Why is that so important, why is it so important that you're worshiping that you're in community manager in the word and reading the Scripture that you're learning to give of your time, talent and treasure that you are a note realizing there is a mission bigger than just what is in front of you and I God is calling you to something bigger wire those things so important, therefore, for a lot of reasons, one of them is every single one of them is a foothold to keep common amount to keep climate to lay hold of what is already been given.

It's not about earning salvation. It is about persevering all the way to begin to continue to climb to continue to fight to become and practice what God is declares to be in truth, I don't care if you been a believer for one year you been a believer 50 years. We have much generations just right here in trust through the campus as well mentally picking up that fight and trying to grow in our faith tomorrow. That's what I think it's about. There's a lot of people that don't do that.

This is what the parable of the sower says in Matthew chapter 13, you guys know this commitment then there are people that received the word with gladness and joy and they spring up with the second something hard comes or something more enticing in the world comes they are just gone. They are absolutely gone.

Does anybody know this is that they did. Just as I got people my mind that I'm thinking of right now all the way from high school that they were there and just one day they were there anymore. I don't have any of you has seen the stuff about does anybody remember Richard Simmons, this will be noted that is seen as reason I say do you remember is because in 2014 when they just disappeared and is a 1988 Swenson oldies that was it was the greatest was the highest grossing exercise VHS film of all time. Okay. And it also the 2014 build a funny but man is in a minute was the sort. All of a sudden there's podcast what happened to them in empty. There was these wild theories about he got kidnapped by his housekeeper enemy does all this stuff and he just kind of disappeared one day… You know it's a man I think about people my life all the way from when I was in high school to just all the sudden they were just not here anymore and at what I mean by that is that one around the church anymore. They were leaning in until something entice them in the world and in the realm they were leaning in until things got really hard and maybe nobody had the loss occurs. Maybe nobody had the love to tell them on the front in that when you become a believer you pick up a fight for the rest of your whole life is hard and that's what the call is maybe nobody told them that all the sudden when the sun comes out Matthew 13 meant they are scores and they are gone and I just want to say to us today. I think what Paul is telling Timothy is in, and by extension the church. If the proof is going to be in the pudding, you're gonna find a people who are willing to go not go all the way go the distance go all 12 rounds all nine innings the same – that's the finish line, run all the way through it, keep fighting every single day of my life in a persevere to the end. This is why we talk about gather groups give go so much guys because we want you to see is perseverance and these are God's means of grace for us to persevere, that we get into worship with each other that were in community that were reading our Bible that were learning to give ourselves a way that were learning.

There's a bigger mission than just ourselves. And when were doing that we are learning and we are exhibiting perseverance. It shows that the fight is in us and or something. The Spirit is doing you know anybody can start well and like start well that's not again. The game is the duration you know we had out this really cool little background here minute at Mercy Hill. We were one of the future to the fourth church is about nine years ago that constituted something called the soma collaborative, you would know what that is what it is is a group of churches who came together and submit we really believe it's possible to plan a thousand churches by the year 2050 and we are excited to say there were one of first churches to be able sign in a constitute. That is what school men of the last nine years we've been able to see this dozens and dozens and dozens of churches planted as a group of churches, including as was most exciting for us that we now have a family okay and you guys know that we have four churches, Waynesville, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Roanoke and Tampa near the ark came directly out of Mercy Hill. We have this Mercy Hill family will send number single family we have a broader, network. The soma collaborative that we are part of this is what's cool about 30 of those churches from all up and down the East Coast converged on Mercy Hill this week and out there. We just had an incredible time of equipping and sharing and worship in our worship team just crusted they did also. We had a chance to hear from some different pastors concentrated group reside a chance to preach and a guy named Pastor Brian Moritz preached okay that I normally don't attribute stuff as much as I'm doing right now the people and less on directly to steal the whole thing which I'm about to do.

Okay so Brian. Brian gave this illustration. It was just one of the best illustration of ever heard and this is what he said.

He said hey the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. By 1861 to about 1869. It was this dispute the greatest engineering fee. Up until that point we'd ever seen it minute. There was this drive to connect the two oceans you know and you have seen, this is your general whatever and and when they started the project, there was all this fanfare about like man let's start the project let's let's get the news camera given our cameras but let's get the news you out there go and all that kind of stuff and I made to the telegrams going in and get the news out its usually want to do. They want to have a massive ribbon-cutting okay and the ribbon-cutting any of proverbial ribbon-cutting for a railroad I guess is you drive a golden spike into the into the railroad and that's kind of like a kick off in a ceremonial icon stuff so that all the stuff until this this guy Collins Collis Huntington.

He actually was one of the owners of one of the companies that was doing the railroad and here's what he said I love this. Okay he said you guys wanted jubilate over driving the first bike the go ahead and do it. I don't those melons over there look to ugly we may fail. And if we do not want to have as few people know about it as weeping as as possible is what he says. Anybody can drive the first bike.

Anybody can drive the first bike, but there are months of labor and unrest between the first bike and the last spike and here's what Pastor Brian said starting well is easy.

It's finishing that is the challenge not thought about that and thought men that is so out for our passage today because here's the deal. Some of you are weary.

There's parts of my life right now that I feel weary.

Some of us feel where we sing about some of that today. Love that refrain or we depend on God. Some of us are weary in the fire and there are things that are going on that we have adult children are walking in open sin. Maybe there's a struggle that keeps coming up.

Maybe there's a marriage that feels impossible. Maybe there is seeing the abundance of the wicked David you know struggle with this in the book of Psalms he sees the abundance of the wicked, and he begins to doubt that maybe God is actually worth it. Maybe it's better to go live for the world that is better to chase things down through the material possession and all that, stuff you know what I feel like the Lord is putting all my heart to say to us today is to not coddle our church in that and even my own heart, but to preach and to coach a little bit Academy that when the grounds the facemask a little bit and just to say to all of us, including myself. Nobody said the finishing was to be easy. Starting is easy. It's the finishing that is the challenge is a maybe for some of us that are weary and maybe some of us that are in the midst of the struggles that are so real.

Maybe we need to realize is this not in some sense what we have signed up for to continue to fight tomorrow and estate in this even in this God, I will fight tomorrow not to give myself over to worry in these days. God, I will fight tomorrow to see that you are the prime treasure and there's nothing in this world that competes with you and I will fight to see that in my life and all the other things that I mentioned how we get there. How do we do that what I think we pray we ask God. I think we resolve ourselves to it. I think we put a little still the backbone understanding that if you're a believer, the spirit of God is in you and you have access to all these things and the fruit of the spirit we to pray that God would make these things true of us having the other thing we need to do is realize there is a divine plan for spiritual growth.

Some of us are in weariness, we don't think we have the abilities and were in weariness and we don't think we have the ability to preach to ourselves and to put steel the backbone tomorrow but the reality is, maybe we are manifest. Maybe we aren't, availing ourselves to the means that God has given us. What does your quiet time look like there will are are we in a group data are there people who know the struggles that are in our life right now is really hard for us to say God weary, and I can't do this and I'm ready to give up the fight and got his need you to drop something in my life were not even making ourselves and availing ourselves of the things that God has put in place gather groups give go ax chapter 2 managers been doing for 2000 years, and I pray that we will as well. Third, and finally more of a conclusion than anything else involved the goal of the fight. What is the goal of the fight. Simply put, the goal of the fight is the glory of God in our lives is that we would glorify God in our lives church is that not the purpose for which we were created.

Isaiah 43 seven tells us everyone who is called by not my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and whom I made to you is is was is verse 15 to you is the blessed and only sovereign the King of Kings and Lord of lords, who alone has a mortality who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one is ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen as we take up the fight. We are evidencing what God is done in our lives by our willingness to continue to put on the new Mensa continues to rekindle what God is done in as Paul would sell Timothy in second Timothy to continue the fight as we do that all we do it with our eye on the fact that God is worth that he is glorious listen to him be all on her head to him be eternal dominion. That's what it says you know if you knew it new to Mercy Hill you're a church right now. Man is crazy about going to the nations. We want get as many people there as we can. What we do that. Why do we have a goal of seeing 500 missionary's an optimist or five 2032 took us 10 years to send about 175 Willison 500 over, you know, to hit a number 500. By the next 10 years. Why wirelessly cohorts and Weiser's of the people that are upstream or upstream you were getting ready to go where there's some families right now we walking with for years that are getting ready to land in South Asia why we get so excited about that because, to God be all honor and to him is the eternal dominion we got to see the greatness of God is the goal of our life, the glory of God is the goal of our life. I want to see this quick video here why we get so excited on our college students begin to go in this direction because once as quickly everyone agreeing printer college and she brings the hill by joining the family room, fighting alongside the Christian Bible study and imprinting the project this summer and then when it means limiting. I in the summer we had these teachings on different things in the Bible and when I came because Christ in cross-cultural mission and my heart was already burdened for the nation's budget hearing gentry talk about living overseas and the work that needs to be done in my heart for my heart was breaking even more and then I was also able to be with the track team aged a summer for 10 days and being there and seeing false idols false worship in spiritual darkness. I told myself I had to come back there. Mercy Hill has taught me to dive deeper into what God is doing in my life. Also in the church and in the people's lives there and the nations. After college I plan on serving long-term Indonesians and taking part in consultation say God is no decided about stories just like the young people we met on campus that many years later to give their life to the nations. Why is that such a goal for us. And Weiser, the pinnacle for us. Well tell you like this when we fight for our faith.

All the sudden will start fight for other people's faith. When we become the people who are fighting to become and practice. God is declared us to be in truth that will manifest itself. The proof is in the pudding mature suffice for their faithful fight for the faith of others and you got understand the earth thousands of entire people, groups, families of this earth with her own culture with their own language. The dome of the gospel. The don't even have people actively trying to get the gospel to them. And while that is a reality we got to go back to this text we got to realize I meant when we fight the good fight of faith that means in our life.

I understand that but also means we fight for the faith of others. Why, because God is worth it because he is the king of all kings because of eternal glory and dominion are his forever because to him be all the honors to the last thing I'll say is this church, what steps you need to take today is about your faith made you need to be in a discovery group. Those are taken off by that means if you're not a group. You're not a community group to come check one out on campus. Childcare is provided by you could come here right here to the regional campus and I just can't get a taste of what that's like. You need to be in a group. What is your Scripture reading look like these days, Mary, are you making it to worship weekend and week out and weekend and week out or is it a very hit or miss thing in your life. These are footholds for us to persevere, but what else might it look like were about fighting for the faith of others in his or somebody to God is placing on your heart is your one who somebody got us placed on your heart to your praying for the need to share the gospel with a man who is it the ANA in here today or maybe one of our campuses, God putting on your heart to be on one of these trips that will start unveiling for next year and arch of seasons, Ravenel had an incredible season over 100 people from Mercy Hill were on mission this summer. Somewhere in the world. Incredible pride: post-covert rebound excited for the wood on actual about you and what what about long terms God call is God putting something on your heart.

Maybe you are to be one like Corey to go long-term with step you need to take met. We are in a fight.

Let's take steps in that direction (father we come for you right now, Lord, we know God. We are signed up for a fight and a perseverance that goes include entire course of our life that we pray that you will continue to remind us of the gospel shows what is true about us because of what you've done in our life Lord give us access to the fruit of the spirit that allow those things to start popping out all over our life. God allows us to see victories and growth. Luna pray for resolving this church that we fight the good fight of faith in Christ name we pray. Amen. Amen.

Will hey guys, all of our campuses. You know this minute that we would been responding over the series in three ways. At the end of the service at one song and was poured all out to him were assaying were to bring in order to pray okay so you guys go ahead and stand with me minute all of our locations were missing one more song together. Of course you can bring your ties and offerings now or this could be a good reminder to do that God is been first to us to get text that you give online and give them a gift box and all of our cams on the way out. But hey, guys, traits may come. Pray for the nations and all our campuses either choose to be a high point last week I saw people down front and the altars are wide open this weekend. Bring your family down bring your kids down. Mama say a prayer list for body in a posture of prayer before him less of an incredible time worshiping. Here is a closer service