LYDIA WEEK SERMON 18TH JULY, 2021 Topic: RUNNING WELL, FINISHING STRONG. Text: 2 Timothy 4:5-8. Song: Heavenly Race, I No Go tire. INTRODUCTION: Today is Lydia Sunday and the theme this year is “RUNNING WELL, FINISHING STRONG.” This topic shows the relationship between finishing strong and the running of our race, i.e., if you want to finish strong, you must run well. Therefore, the big question is what does it take to run well? It is not enough to run; we must run well. Each of us has a race to run. (Hebrew 12:1) How are you running your race? RUNNING WELL-1 Tim. 4:5. You cannot run anyhow and finish strong. There is a way to run to finish strong and win the price. (1Cor. 9:24) Running well includes what you do before the race, how you begin the race, how you run and how you end it. From our passage, if you must run well and finish strong, there are four things to note in our text. These are, 1. BE WATHCHFUL-in all things. 2. ENDURE- afflictions. 3. DO THE WORK- of Evangelist, a serious-minded person. 4. FULFILL- Complete the race, do not stop until it is time to stop. The Greek word is “plērophoréō” and it means “carry out fully or through to the end.” KJV says, “make full proof” of your ministry. CONCLUSION: To Paul, finishing strong means fighting the good fight of faith, finishing the race, and keeping the faith. (7) Omitting any of these means you have not finished strong though you have finished. But if you finish without finishing strong, you have not finished. To finished strong, we must run rightly, speedily, patiently, cheerfully, circumspectly, resolutely, and perseveringly. The good news is that there is always a crown of righteousness for those who finish strong. This crown is not for Apostle Paul only, but for all who love Christ’s appearing. May you receive the grace to run well and finish strong. Amen. Shalom.