I Fought a Good Fight 1

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Opening Song: Nothing but the Blood

Words:

1 What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2 For my pardon, this I see,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

For my cleansing this my plea,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

3 Nothing can for sin atone,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Naught of good that I have done,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

4 This is all my hope and peace,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus

Oh! precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Song: Holy Holy Holy

Words:

1 Holy, holy, holy!

Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;

Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!

God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

2 Holy, holy, holy!

all the saints adore Thee,

Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,

Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

3 Holy, holy, holy!

tho’ the darkness hide Thee

Tho’ the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;

Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,

Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.

4 Holy, holy, holy!

Lord God Almighty!

All Thy works shall praise Thy name,

in earth and sky, and sea;

Holy, holy, holy;

merciful and mighty!

God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Opening Prayer... [ working ] [ Take prayer requests ][ write them down]

Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6,7 Please open our Bibles to 2 Timothy 4:6-7, Lets

read these two verses together--Read Aloud... In Unison...

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith

Paul is aware that the time of his death is near. A drink offering was an offering performed by pouring wine out on the ground or altar (Num. 28:11–31). Paul’s life was already being poured out in service to Jesus Christ, the Lamb (Rev. 5:4–6). my departure is at hand: Paul was confident that no one could touch him until the heavenly Father ushered him into his eternal home with a victory celebration. Paul had been vigilant in his service to God. Note that Paul did not make these comments until the end of his race, until he was about to die. He did not presume or rely on his past service. Instead he persevered, struggled, and served God until the end. If we were to ask Paul, what single most fight he had, which was the hardest for him to battle through his day, I believe he would sit us down and begin to speak, for Paul was a speaker, he could speak from dusk until dawn and never tire... I believe Paul would sit back and say, Children of our lord Jesus Christ, The single most battle I have fought day to day was The Sins of the Flesh. For, when we became believers of Jesus Christ, we have also become knowledgeable of the Law, and our Flesh has become our enemy. For now we know through the Law that we truly are sinners in everyway. For evil will not say to itself, "This is Evil," but rather, when we become born again, The Holy Spirit teaches us with the Law, what is "Sin."

Flesh (Gk. sarx) Strong’s #4561: In Greek literature, the word sarx usually meant nothing more than the human body. It was also used this way in the NT (John 1:14; Rev. 17:16; 19:18, 21). However, Paul often used the word to denote the entire fallen human being—not just the sinful body but the entire being, including the soul and mind, as affected by sin. Thus, Paul often pitted the “flesh” against the “Spirit” as being two diametrically opposed forces. The unbeliever can live only in the flesh, but the believers can live in the flesh or in the Spirit.

Please turn to the book of Romans Chapter 7 and if you will please read along with me verses 13-21.

Romans 7:13-25 13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

A young boy went into the confessional and told the priest that he had thrown peanuts into the pond. The priest thought this was a strange little sin to confess to, but said nothing. The next small boy also confessed to throwing peanuts into the pond, and the next. Finally a very small boy came in, so the priest went ahead and said, "And did you throw peanuts into the river?" "No Father," said the kid. "I am Peanuts."

Unlike Peanuts, Paul was not Just having a bad day when he wrote Romans 7, but he knew when the Holy Spirit confronted him with the law, that nothing good dwelt inside of him. He realized that nothing good lived in his flesh, that Only Jesus makes it possible to fulfill the righteous requirements of a holy God. But the struggles went on, vividly alive everyday of his life.

If we turn to Galatians 5:19-21, please read along with me, Galatians 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

This is only the highlight of how Paul defines "sins of the flesh." Each of us have sins that are desired by the flesh that is condemned by the spirit to ourselves. For example, Such as those that eat only those things that are defined as clean from the old testament. If they ate pork, they would be sinning against there very nature. Paul Tells us how to win this race, this is in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Paul had a passion to fulfill his ministry at all costs. This was similar to the kind of commitment that goes into preparing for athletic competition. I run thus: not with uncertainty: Paul had a clearly defined goal and knew that perseverance was needed to achieve it. In order to prepare properly for the race or boxing match, he knew he had to force himself to maintain the strenuous, consistent practice needed for success.

I myself should become disqualified: The Greek word for disqualified means “disapproved after testing.” Some have cited this verse as evidence that Christians can lose their salvation, a careful distinction should be made between the prize and the gift. The free gift of justification cannot be the result of good works (Rom. 4:1–8). However, the prize or crown is the reward for endurance and suffering for the cause of Christ (Phil. 1:29; 2 Tim. 2:12). Paul said, I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! For he knew that the only true way to win the race and be forgiven his fleshly sins was through faith in Jesus, our Savior. He said, I won--I kept the faith!

Paul said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" with all heads bowed and eyes closed, lets sing aloud the first and last franes of Amazing Grace...

1 Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

5 When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we’d first begun.

As they are softly singing, Ask: How many of you, please show with lifting your hands, are fighting fleshly sins and wish to win the battle win the race like Paul. Count and take first names and say thank you....

Is there someone here today, here that does not know Jesus as there personal Savior, that the Holy Spirit has been working with, softly nudging letting you know that you too have sin in your life. Would you like to know the lord Jesus as your personal Savior. If so, raise your hand. I would like to come to you and pray with you, or if you would like, after service has been dismissed, stay and we will pray together.

Closing Prayer [ working ] [ add those without names in closing prayer ]

Thank everyone for attending...

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