James Richards

Details

Sunday Morning Service

Jeremy Richards

Copalis Community Church

14 December 2025

Bible References

• 2 Timothy 4:1-6

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In.

2 Timothy 4:6. 2 Timothy 4:6.

And like I mentioned, my dad is facing increasing difficulty in his health situation and we, we were hoping that he would have the ability to come and preach today. And he had talked to me earlier this week that his plan was to talk out of Timothy and he didn't know whether or not he would be able to share for how long or if at all. But his goal was to encourage the young men in the church. And in some ways I want to honor that. I was hoping that, that he would be able to make it here today.

So I came to the thought yesterday, you know what would encourage I, believe me, if I were in his position would to see his children, in this case grandchildren sharing from the Bible to the congregation here today. So I'm going to open it up before I believe Isaiah and Obadiah are going to come come up and share short passages is also with you. And my hope was to encourage my dad, but also I pray to encourage all of us in the congregation through this message. So we're going to start off in 2 Timothy 4:6. It says, For I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing. Paul is closer now to that thing that he has been looking forward to his whole life as a Christian, something that oftentimes you and I forget on our journey.

That is actually the most important thing to keep in our sight while we go through all the dreariness and drudgery of this world. The one thing that Paul was looking forward to, the reason he endured all the suffering, the reason he kept in the fight, that he kept running the race, is because he wanted to cross the finish line. And here, for my dad's sake, you know, his life has been caught up in sharing the gospel in different ways in Kapelles and all over the Northwest, in different small towns. And now in some ways he is closing in on the finish line. And I believe his heart would be saying, I have fought the good fight.

I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. For you and I, that is the thing that matters also. But in this, in this possibility of Paul finishing his race, there is others that he's leaving behind and he wants to leave a godly legacy that is actively working even though he is not physically present on earth.

And I believe my dad, his ministry, you know, as I talked to him and had some good conversations, conversations with him in these last couple weeks, you know, his goal is to see that spiritual ministry continue in Kepelis, but also continue in his physical family to see his children. His heart was going for my brothers or my brother and sister, for his grandchildren and now, God willing, his first great grandchild, he wants to leave a spiritual legacy and, and as I get to experience my family grow, there's nothing I want more than to see my children and grandchildren living a life for Christ, standing firm in the face of an atheistic and ungodly society and deciding with their life that I stand on something that is different, principles that are foreign to this world that I live in and proclaim with a loud voice the praises of God.

And so I believe that if my dad were here and if I could preach in his stead. I have two Scriptures, Chapter four, verse one of second Timothy. It says, I charge you, therefore, before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the Word. And my strong encouragement to every person is in this building after having dedicated my life to Christ when I was 18, when Christ called out to me, you know, you are an empty individual. You have no hope, but if you will serve me.

And I gave my life to him at that moment and took up the position of preaching whenever possible and my charge to every other young person, because there is no position greater than that of being a preacher. You can do a lot of good on the earth. You could be a fisherman and you could fill someone's bellies. You could become a doctor and heal some bones. You could be a construction worker and build a house for someone to keep warm.

But only a preacher of the gospel can impact the souls of people around them. This is not for just pastors. This is for individuals who have been called into Christ's ministry. Your opportunity is to join with Christ to be a preacher of his gospel in whatever way you possibly can. He says, I charge you.

Preach the Word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will no longer endure sound doctrine. They will begin to shut the doors to that Christian message.

They will come squeezing and tightening, trying to thrust out the vestiges of Christianity from our society. They'll squeeze it out of the public sphere. They'll move it out of the school system, they'll make it illegal to talk about it at work. And they will try to shove that time is coming where the doors will begin shutting. And he is urging, because it is going to happen.

We need to make sure that you're ready to preach the gospel for the time when they'll come, when they will no longer endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears. They will heap up for themselves teachers, teachers who proclaim ridiculous ideas that have no foundation, that every road is just as right as another. As long as you believe it sincerely, that you can do and act in any way you see fit, because God is the God of love. They'll preach things how important it is to convince people to preach. They will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.

It says, but you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of evangelists, fulfill your ministry.

One more scripture out of chapter four of First Timothy, verse 12. My encouragement in my life especially is to encourage young men to take up the ministry that Jesus Christ offers them to remember the Creator in the days of your youth. Why spend your youthful days wasted in things that don't matter when the King of Kings is offering you a position to yoke up with you and to walk with him? Last time I heard, President Trump hasn't come to Kapelis looking for an advisor, someone to work with him. But Christ has.

He's offering individuals the opportunity to place a yoke upon themselves with him in the ministry that he has now. The American President is described at times as being the most powerful person in the world.

But his name has no lasting value like that of Christ. His authority doesn't come close to that of Christ, and in reality, he doesn't care for any of us. Like Christ, it says to those, especially to us, it says, let no one despise your youth. But being an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity, verse 13 has a big impact in my life. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

I am an absolute believer in the idea that men and women, and especially the man of a house, should give and pay faithful attention to reading God's word in their home. Most people, yeah, we don't have a tremendous amount of gifts, but one thing we can do is be faithful to take the word of God and explain it to our children. God says to Abraham, I have chosen you that you might take my commandments and bring them to your children. How important it is we can read. We can read God's word for ourselves and we can read it to other people.

Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.

Continue in them. For in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. And for my dad, my encouragement to all of us. Now I especially work with young men. I have a lot of young boys, so my focus sometimes leans that way just because that's where God has placed me.

But for all of us, take heed to your ministry. Meditate on these things. It is the thing that is going to last. So I'm going to ask Isaiah to come up first and then Obadiah is going to follow him and we're just going to continue, continue on this way. So Isaiah.

Well, last night got off work and headed home to see my wife.

My father called me.

And he said, your grandpa's not doing well.

Don't know how much longer it got.

Might be the last time to hear him share.

So.

And he asked me to come and share a little something.

I wasn't prepared actually supposed to be at work right now, but I have a gracious sergeant let me take a foottime off.

After getting that call, I was struggling with it.

As some of you know, I have a child on the way.

That's my heart's desire for my grandfather to meet, Meet my son one day.

But if that's anonymous, God's plan, and I can trust that as it was really burdening me. Sometimes we like to question why or whatever. And did my devotion this morning. Got ready for work, went to work, and I remembered a scripture. I'll just.

I'll try to say it off out of memory. It said, give thanks all things, all situations. Probably butchering it a bit, but somewhere along those lines. And so as I was at work this morning, just thanking God for the time I've had with him.

But number one, I want to thank my grandfather. He's not here today. I want to thank you for his sacrifice. Thank him for his sacrifice. He's made for all of us.

A lot of us probably have no idea how much time goes into serving a church.

It's a lot.

And I'm thanking for that.

This is the scripture I want to share with you guys today. It's Psalms 1:16, 1 through 9.

I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my supplication because he has inclined his ear to me. Therefore I will call upon him as long as I live. The pains of death surround me. The pangs of Sheol lay hold of me.

I found trouble and sorrow.

Then I cried upon the name of the Lord. O Lord, I implore you, deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord and righteous.

Yes, our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple. I was brought low and you saved me.

Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord, the land of the living.

Sorry, guys.

As I was thinking about the things I'm thankful for this morning. There's a lot. A lot. If you ever take the time. Time to think about the things we're blessed with.

There's a lot. But there was three things that stuck out to me in this scripture that I read this morning that I was very thankful for. Two and a half years ago, I was driving home and I was empty. I was broken.

I had nothing.

You know, it seemed like I had it all. I was in college. I was doing college sports, thought. I thought I was at it all.

I didn't. I was empty inside.

I was a sinner.

Peele thought I was good. That wasn't good.

On that drive home that night.

Couldn't take it anymore.

I gave everything I have. The time, my relationship, myself, my college, my career, my sports.

After that day, it wasn't mine.

I said, lord, whatever you want, wherever you want me to go, done running.

This is what I'm thankful for.

Because he heard my voice, my supplication. Because he inclined his ear to me.

He heard me and he listened to my broken soul. Secondly, he says he saved me.

Sorry now. Verse 8. For you have delivered my soul from death.

On that night, I knew that my life was changed. I know that the direction I was going to go is going to be different.

He did a work in me that I'm forever grateful for. I'm a believer now. I stand whole and satisfied. Not because of the stuff I have. I love hobbies, my family knows.

Doesn't. Doesn't satisfy me at all. Knowing that Christ saved me, that he listened to me and he delivered my soul. That's where my peace comes from. Then Last, I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

And to know that one day I'm going to be in Christ's presence among us men for eternity with Him. And that brings me such peace and joy.

And for all you believers, it should bring you great joy too, knowing that no matter what happens in this world, but one day we're gonna stand before him.

For those.

You're broken. Like I was two and a half years ago in my car with nothing. Nothing.

If you heard that guy or that cow cry out to him because he hears you and he's listening.

Verse 5, he says. It says, gracious is the Lord, and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful.

That's who he is.

Call upon him, and he will give you the peace that you need in this life.

One day you'll be able to walk with him in the land of living. Thank you.

I'm going to be sharing out of Colossians 3:1, 11. I'm just going to read the whole thing. It says, if then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth. Fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience in which you yourselves once walked, when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, who is renewed in knowledge, according to the image of him who created him. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcised, nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian slave, nor free, but Christ is all and in all. So I go to Matthew 6, 1921, and it says, if then you were raised with Christ, seek those things above. And it says in Matthew, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moss nor nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be.

And if we set our eyes on. Sorry, next and then in Philippians 4, 8, it says, finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things that we would set our eyes on Christ. And then through 3 verse 3 it says, for you died, and your life is hidden with Christ and God, where Christ whose our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Therefore put to death your members, which are on the fornication, uncleanness, passion, and it goes through all these things that we should put to death or put away in Ephesians 5, 3, 7 says, but fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as it is fitting for saints. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

For this you know that no foreigner canner, no unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of God, of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers of them. But one day Christ is going to judge us in all the wickedness, and says to give those things up. And Romans 6:12 14 says, Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts and do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness.

For instruments of righteousness to God for sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.

In Hebrews 12:1 3 it says, Therefore we also since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author, the finisher of our faith, who for the joy was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of God. As Christians we're trying to follow Christ, but it's hard to follow somebody when we're fighting against him and sinning and acting against him. It says to lay aside those things and pursue him.

Then in Colossians 3:11 it says, where there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian slave, nor free but Christ is all and in all. If we go to Galatians 3:26 for the rest of the chapter, it says, for you are all sons of God through the faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise. So it tells us to take off all these sinful habits and things that drag us down, which then we got to take those off, but we got to replace them with something else.

In Colossians 3.

12 through 17 it says, therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, these are things we should put on put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do but above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection and let the peace of God rule in your heart, to which also you were called in one body and being thankful, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. So my occurrence to you is that we would take off these things that drag us down and put us down that will bring us nothing but pain and put on these things that will bring us and to Christ and that will help our walk with Him. Thank you.

Just to close before Derek comes up for the last song. I know that my dad has mentioned that scripture out of First John I have no greater joy than to see my children walking in the truth and for me as a person also a great joy to see my children walking with the Lord. But even more than that, this is a picture. This church was started so many years ago by Newt Razor and his influence is still being felt as the spiritual result of his ministry is still working in the north beach and around the world in a similar way. We are a part of my dad of Pastor Jim's ministry here also.

He has no greater joy than to see you and I operating within the ministry that Christ has given us individuals and my hope and calling to all of us is that that ministry would grow and flourish in your respective ministries. So my prayer is that you would be encouraged in that calling that you have and that you would operate in it. And I know for my dad and for all of us involved here at the Palos Community Church, we have no greater joy than to see you walking with Christ. Amen. So would you come, Derek, and would you just close us when you're done?