Here's How to Finish Well, Part 1

None of us knows when the end will come, but all of us understand that our mortality is finite.

We don't know the hour, the day, or the year, but a time is coming when God will call us home. Today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll invites us to dwell not on our final resting place, but on the days that preceded. How do we wrap up our final years on earth in a fashion that honors God and the families we love? Chuck is teaching on the last passage of Paul's letter written to his friends in Ephesus. There is something wonderful that occurs when God's people sing together.

You stop and think about it. It is the only place we do that in such a sizable group here at the church, or in a church where we've gathered, a church building, a place for worship. We do it because, first of all, we are commanded to do it. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. We do this out of obedience.

Do you know what else? It is like a rallying point for believers to hear other voices around us singing as we are singing. It reminds us we're not alone. The tune we just sang is a grand tune. It was used for the words written by an old monk named Bernard, Bernard of Clairvaux. It's one of my favorite hymns down through the years. His words were, Jesus, the very thought of thee, with sweetness fills my breast, but sweeter far thy face to see, and in thy presence rest. Grand hymn and has lived since the 12th century in the legacy of the church. This is our touch in time with our roots, always an important part of worship. As is the reading of scripture, if you have a copy of the New Testament or God's Word with you, I'd like you to turn to the sixth, last chapter of Ephesians.

If you will follow along, I would like to read these final seven verses. We began Ephesians on the ninth day of January this year. We end Ephesians on the first day of October this year. Don't feel badly. I once sat under a man who taught Ephesians three and a half years, and I learned not to like Ephesians during that time.

It's taken me all these years to fall in love with it. It's been a wonderful study. Ephesians 6 18. With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. Just let me interrupt. Did you notice all prayer at all times with all perseverance for all the saints?

A unique fourfold use of the same word. And pray on my behalf that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts. Peace be to the Brethren, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. You're listening to Insight for Living. To search the scriptures with Chuck Swindoll, be sure to download his Searching the Scriptures Studies by going to insightworld.org slash studies.

Today's message is titled, Here's How to Finish Well. The Bible is full of remarkable stories, just remarkable, and they always seem to revolve around incredible kind of people. Now I understand that not everybody is ready to believe all of them. I read just this morning about a lady who really believed her Bible and was sitting on the airplane reading one of those great stories, and she was sort of moved over it and smiling. A fellow sitting next to her leaned over and said, What are you reading? She said, I'm reading the Bible. She says, Do you believe all that stuff in the Bible? She said, Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Well, what about that guy that was swallowed by the whale?

That is preposterous. You don't believe that, do you? She said, Yes, I do. Well, how do you suppose he survived inside the whale? How did he make it?

She said, I don't know. I guess when I get to heaven, I'm going to ask him how he made it. Well, what if he isn't in heaven?

Well, then you can ask him, she said. Among all of the remarkable stories that are in the Bible, in my opinion, in my opinion, those people who lived well and then finished well get my nod. They're the ones I find myself most fascinated by. For example, I have my Bible open to Genesis chapter 5, one of those first early on remarkable stories about a man named Enoch. Genesis 5 verse 21 begins his story. I guess I'm interested in it because he's as old as I am as he is as he is presented to us in the scriptures. Enoch lived 65 years and became the father of Methuselah. Look at the next verse. Then Enoch walked with God 300 years after he became the father of Methuselah.

Pause right there. Wouldn't you love to have been Methuselah and had a father who walked 300 years with God? Wouldn't that have been great? Then when Methuselah was born, Enoch walked with God 300 years.

Do the math. He had other sons and daughters. For all the days of Enoch were 365 years, Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him.

Isn't that great? It was a quaint old preacher who said that Enoch took a long walk with God late one evening and they got so far away from Enoch's home, God said to him, why don't you just come on home with me tonight? Remarkable story. Finishing well, 300 years he walked with God. Turn to Deuteronomy 34 for another remarkable story and a remarkable life.

Not Enoch now, but another man far more familiar to us, Moses by name. Moses was born after midnight in Hebrew history. They were at their lowest ebb, probably his father along with all of his kin and all of those others who lived in the ghetto of Goshen.

Stomped out bricks with less and less straw it seemed until time and life seemed unbearable. Moses is born into the scene and he hears early in life he is to be the Redeemer and in his own flesh by the time he reaches 40 he attempts to redeem the people by killing an Egyptian and hiding him in the sand. And then he runs for his life and hides in the desert of Midian and keeps his father-in-law sheep for the next 40 years.

Age 80, a burning bush and the bush doesn't stop burning. Here stands an 80 year old Bedouin who has long since forgotten about being useful or effective or eloquent or significant in God's plan and the Lord says, I want you to lead the Exodus. The Exodus. By the way when you travel to Israel today of course the language there is still Hebrew and you will see the exit marks at the various streets and highways and it always reads in Hebrew Exodus. You will lead the exit Moses.

Oh me, me. Remember the argument back and forth back and forth and sure enough as always God got his way and he launched Moses into the most significant years of his life from age 80 to 120. 40 year segments trying it in his own flesh hiding in the middle of the desert for the next 40 years keeping sheep and then for the last 40 years he leads them through the wanderings in the wilderness right up to the edge of Canaan and then he dies. Deuteronomy 34 is the record of his death. Look at verse 5. Look at this obituary.

Talk about finishing well. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor. Notice the he is God the him is Moses. God buried Moses in the valley opposite Beth Peor but no man knows his burial place to this day.

Look at the next verse. Although Moses was 120 years old when he died his eye was not dim nor his vigor abated. The Living Bible says his eyesight was clear and he was as strong as ever. 120 years, no glasses, still pumping iron, still strong, still able to climb, still able to survive life in the wilderness. He finished well. What a story.

There's another. The next book is called Joshua and it's the 14th chapter and here is a man not as old as Moses or certainly as old as Enoch. This man is named Caleb. Caleb has lived also through the wilderness and even lived through the invasion into the land of Canaan and he and Joshua have been fast friends all through the plan and now they are distributing the land to the heads of the tribes and when they get to Judah verse 6 the sons of Judah draw near for their parcel of land that will be theirs in the land of Canaan. The sons drew near to Joshua, Joshua 14 6 and Caleb the son of Jephthah the Kenizzite said to Joshua, you know the word which the Lord spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me and Kadesh Barnea? I was 40 years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear but I followed the Lord my God fully. What does that mean? Well originally there were 12 spies that were sent out to spy the land and to see if they could take the land and they came back and 10 of the spies said there's no way there are giants in the land we're like grasshoppers in their sight but Caleb and Joshua said we are well able to take the land because God has promised the land to us and Caleb has now lived on past those years and he reminds Joshua when you and I came back with that faithful report you and I have continued to walk with God through these years now look at this again verse 10 now behold the Lord has let me live just as he spoke these 45 years from the time the Lord spoke this word to Moses when Israel walked in the wilderness and now behold I am 85 years young I want to read that today so whether it was his birthday or not I don't know but I know now this man Caleb is 85 years old and look at what he says I'm tired and it's time to retire and I'm looking for a rocking chair I paid my dues no none of that is there I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me as my strength was then so my strength is now for war and for going out and coming in he uses an old Hebrew colloquialism to describe life and lifestyle I'm able to get about I'm able to take care of myself I'm able to do war and battle and if necessary take on giants speaking of which give me this mountain verse 12 give me this hill country about which the Lord spoke on that day for you heard on that day that Anakim were there with great fortified cities perhaps the Lord will be with me and I shall drive them out as the Lord has spoken isn't that great 85 years old and he's saying you know I'm ready for a challenge life's been rather easy over these last 40 years Moses Joshua let me let me have that hill country and maybe it'll be a chance to run into one of those Giants I get a pick off a few of those guys high pockets walking up toward me thinking they're gonna rule this place it's time for me to fight a little bit don't you love it you're staring at me like you don't believe it look at it it's right there matter of fact I have looked through the scriptures to find words like paid my dues retired over the hill it isn't there you know why it isn't there because God never put that in his plan I don't care what your age is you're always too young to check it to somebody else Enoch Moses Caleb I love the words of Douglas MacArthur who on his 75th birthday wrote in the central place of every heart there is a recording chamber so long as it receives messages of beauty hope cheer and courage so long are you young but when the wires are all down and your heart is covered with the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism then and only then have you grown old none of these men are old age doesn't make you old thinking old makes you old giving up makes you old maybe you heard about the older couple traveling to a nice restaurant together and the two guys were in the front seat and the ladies are in the backseat fella drive and said you know Ralph you should go to the place where my wife and I went not long ago we had a great great restaurant he got terrific steaks and wonderful lobster it's just fabulous old guy said oh really what's the name of it he said what's that red flower that has thorns and green leaves and I says Rosie yeah Rose what's the name of that restaurant did we go to thinking old he's thinking old he sees himself oh he's running around with people over the hill is he doing that for turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 4 I got one more old guy I want to tell you about 2nd Timothy chapter 4 we're in the world of 2nd Timothy here it is I've lost it there here's Paul I mean this respectfully Paul is an old 65 66 he calls himself in Philemon verse 9 Paul the aged he bore the marks of a stoning more than one whipping 39 stripes can you imagine shipwrecked in the deep here is a man who knew what it was to stumble along severely crippled from the blows of his past but he's now sitting in a dungeon writing a friend named Timothy who is some 30 years younger than he and the Apostle is encouraging him to stand firm look at these closing remarks of 2nd Timothy 4 verse 6 I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure has come I have fought the good fight I have finished the course I have kept the faith isn't that great in fact the object of each one of those phrases appears at the beginning of the original the good fight I have fought the course I have finished the faith I have kept the plan that God laid in front of me is the plan I've carried out with no plans of taking it easy my plan is to finish as strong as I began in the future verse 8 there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not only to me here's where we come in the picture but also to all who have loved his appearing here's Paul still mentoring still ministering still motivating younger Timothy to stir up the gift within him and to get the job done for the cause of Christ he finished well question how do you do it how do you do it we've got a we've got an Enoch on record who walked with God 300 years how do you do that we've got a Moses who does his best work from 80 to 120 how do you do that what's the secret of a Caleb at age 85 tightening ascension his belt saying give me the mountain and let me take on the Giants and while I'm asking how in the world is a man who has been beaten to the end of his life say at the end I have fought a good fight I finished it I have kept the faith not Timothy step up the answer is found in the last seven verses of Ephesians chapter 6 and if I read this passage correctly on how to finish well I I find four guidelines or if you like the word better tips for directions for finishing well the first of the four beginning at verse 18 down to the early part of 19 is stay strong in prayer people who stay strong in prayer finish well with all prayer and petition pray at all times in the spirit and with this in view be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the Saints and by the way pray for me staying strong in prayer some have taught that there aren't really six pieces of armor there are seven remember the last time we were together we talked about the belt and the breastplate and the boots and the shield and the helmet and the sword perhaps we should have said there's another piece John Bunyan writing in his immortal work called it all prayer with a hyphen add all prayer to the wielding of the shield or to the breastplate that protects you all prayer there's a third stanza that comes from an old gospel song the church sang for many years it goes back 150 years to a man named Duffield who wrote those words when I quote them some of you will remember stand up stand up for Jesus stand in his strength alone the arm of flesh will fail you you dare not trust your own listen to this line put on the gospel armor each piece put on with prayer where duty calls or danger be never wanting there put each piece on with prayer did I mention the importance of that last time maybe not before the helmet pray when strapping on the breastplate pray when taking the shield of faith pray when wielding the sword of the Spirit the Hramah of God the saying of God pray pray the more you study this 18th verse them the more one word stands out all all all all spirit directed prayer consistent persistent prayer staying on the alert on our knees widespread prayer all the saints specific intercessory prayer pray for me says the Apostle Paul I want to speak to you who are in your 70s or older one of the greatest disciplines you can sustain is prayer you may not have the energy you used to have you may not have the vision you used to have you may not even have what you would call the determination my folks used to call it spitter ringdom where did that come from maybe you don't feel a spitter ringdom that you used to have but I want to tell you you have prayer as a friend all of us learned a brand new word today spitter ringdom did I say that right you're listening to insight for living and Chuck swindoll titled today's message here's how to finish well to learn more about this ministry visit us online at insight world org well there's much more from Paul's final words to the Ephesians that Chuck wants to show us especially as it relates to accelerating our prayer lives he'll continue this message next time and then coming soon our attention will turn to the first book in the New Testament when Chuck presents a brand new series on the gospel according to Matthew the series has never before been shared on insight for living and we're confident you'll gain a whole new understanding of Jesus life and ministry by joining us for this fascinating study concurrent with Chuck's new teaching series on Matthew you'll be glad to know that he's just completed an exhaustive commentary as well it's titled swindoll's living insights commentary for Matthew the Matthew commentary comes in two hardbound volumes and we encourage you to purchase your copies now in order to make the most of this in-depth series to purchase swindoll's living insights commentary for Matthew call us if you're listening in the u.s. dial 1-800-772-8888 or go to insight.org slash store many of us are making every effort to understand our changing times and we're learning how to communicate truth with the next generation well Chuck has been impressed with the insight in a new book he's recommending to you it's called a practical guide to culture the authors John Stonestreet and Brett Kunkel provide a biblical view on key issues in our culture that all of us face such as sexual orientation gender identity racial tension and more you can purchase a copy right now by going to insight.org slash store the book is titled a practical guide to culture and there's a similar book targeted for young readers called a student's guide to culture so call us and ask for it today if you're listening in the United States call 1-800-772-8888 or go online to insight.org slash store join us again on Monday to hear the Bible teaching of Chuck swindle on insight for living the preceding message here's how to finish well was copyrighted in 2000 2001 and 2009 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2009 by Charles R swindle Inc all rights are reserved worldwide duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited