Gtcotr/ss050618
Our
text this morning will come from the New Testament Book of Second Timothy, (2 Timothy). As we survey what we believe to be Paul’s
last words, we will take into consideration the first and the last thoughts of
each chapter he writes to Timothy.
By
the best accounts Paul writes this letter from a prison cell in Rome. It is the
year 66 or 67AD and Paul is about 62 years old. It has been 35 years since he
saw that great blinding light on the road to Damascus and heard the voice of
Jesus. You can read about Paul’s salvation experience in Acts 9.
Paul
has been through a lot and he is about to be executed by the Roman Emperor
Nero. Because Paul is a Roman citizen, it is against the law for him to be
crucified so he will be martyred by having his head severed from his body. Make
no mistake, Paul knows he is about to die. He offers no prayer and makes no
plea for clemency rather, Paul is ready for heaven.
However,
there is one thing Paul wishes to do before he leaves this earth. Paul wants to
write these last words to Timothy to encourage him and instruct him.
Timothy
was just a young lad when Paul first met him. Paul was visiting the town of
Lystra, (Acts 16), where Timothy had been raised by his mother and grandmother
who both believed in God. On Paul’s second visit to Lystra it was decided that
Timothy would accompany Paul and Silas on their missionary journey. Timothy
quickly became one of the most well-known disciples of Paul.
16
years had passed since Timothy began serving Paul. Paul was in prison and by this
time Timothy was the first bishop in the Church at Ephesus. Timothy had grown
up during the time he had gotten to travel and minister with Paul. He
considered Paul to be his spiritual father and a great gift of God to the Body
of Christ.
The
Church in Ephesus was the largest Church in the history of Christianity up
until that time. Some scholars estimate the membership to be more than 15,000
and as much as 65,000 converts under Timothy’s leadership. Members of the
Church included: noted Bible teachers such as Aquilla and Priscilla; The Elder
Apostle John; and up until her death it is believed that Mary, the mother of
Jesus, attended the Church in Ephesus while living with John, and was buried
there. Some of you have gone with me to visit the city of Ephesus … what a
beautiful city.
Back
to the year 66 or 67AD. Paul sits down to write his last will and testament
under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Let’s survey this
powerful letter this morning by looking at the first and the last thoughts of
each chapter. I’ll add studious commentary alone the way. And just so you will
know: These are not my last words and
I’m not about to go to heaven, or anywhere else for that matter. Let’s
begin our adventure …
2 Timothy 1 NKJV
1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ
Jesus,
2 To Timothy, a beloved son:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure
conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember
you in my prayers night and day,
4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of
your tears, that I may be filled with joy,
5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith
that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother
Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
6
¶ Therefore I remind you to stir up the
gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony
of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for
the gospel according to the power of God,
9 who has saved us and called us with a
holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and
grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of
our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel,
11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an
apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
12 For this reason I also suffer these things;
nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded
that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which
you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed to you,
keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
15 ¶ This you know, that all
those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and
Hermogenes.
16 The Lord grant mercy to
the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of
my chain;
17 but when he arrived in
Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me.
18 The Lord grant to him that
he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day — and you know very well
how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.
2 Timothy 2
1 ¶ You therefore, my son, be
strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you
have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will
be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good
soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself
with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him
as a soldier.
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he
is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
6 The hard-working farmer must be first to
partake of the crops.
7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give
you understanding in all things.
8
¶ Remember that Jesus Christ, of the
seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,
9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even
to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of
the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus
with eternal glory.
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we
died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He
cannot deny Himself.
14
¶ Remind them of these things,
charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to
the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to
God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.
16 But shun profane and idle babblings,
for they will increase to more ungodliness.
17 And their message will spread like cancer.
Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,
18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying
that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
19
¶ Nevertheless the solid foundation of
God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let
everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
20 But in a great house there are not only
vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some
for dishonor.
21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the
latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master,
prepared for every good work.
22
¶ Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue
righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure
heart.
23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes,
knowing that they generate strife.
24 And a servant of the Lord
must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
25 in humility correcting
those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that
they may know the truth,
26 and that they may
come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been
taken captive by him to do his will.
2 Timothy 3
1 ¶ But know this, that in
the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of
themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving,
slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong,
haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness
but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
6 For of this sort are those who creep into
households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away
by various lusts,
7 always learning and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so
do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning
the faith;
9 but they will progress no further, for their
folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
10
¶ But you have carefully followed my
doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,
11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to
me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra — what persecutions I endured.
And out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in
Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse
and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14 But you must continue in the things which you
have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
15 and that from childhood you have known the
Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be
complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 4
1 ¶ I charge you
therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and
the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
2 Preach the word! Be ready
in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all
longsuffering and teaching.
3 For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they
have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
4 and they will turn their ears away
from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
5 But you be watchful in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
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.
8 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 to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
9
¶ Be diligent to come to me quickly;
10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this
present world, and has departed for Thessalonica — Crescens for
Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.
11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him
with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.
12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at
Troas when you come — and the books, especially the parchments.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm.
May the Lord repay him according to his works.
15 You also must beware of him, for he has
greatly resisted our words.
16
¶ At my first defense no one stood with
me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened
me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all
the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil
work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory
forever and ever. Amen!
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of
Onesiphorus.
20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I
have left in Miletus sick.
21 Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus
greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.
22
The Lord Jesus Christ be with
your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
The
balance of Paul’s last wishes for Timothy are simple. They are the same desires
God has for you and for me. While all the world is in turmoil, may …
·
Grace * Mercy *
Peace … be with you from God, our Father.
What should we do to make these words live in
us this week?
1. Be a faithful friend.
a.
In good times and in difficult days.
b.
Don’t abandon your friends because they fall
on hard times or because others separate from them.
c.
Be worthy of the investment others make in
you.
2. Acknowledge the truth.
a.
Refuse to protect your right to be wrong.
b.
If you keep cycling in the same problem …
realize, it might be you.
c.
Only when you accept the truth will you
receive the power of God to change.
d.
Don’t fall into the trap of a death spiral
and allow your love for the things of God to deteriorate.
e.
Apply the Holy and Inspired Word of God to
your own life.
3. Stay ready to share the Word of God with
others.
a.
When its convenient and when it’s not.
b.
This is the will of God for every Believer
and God will judge and reward us according to our fruitfulness.
c.
The Lord Jesus Christ will be with your
spirit and His grace will be sufficient for every challenge.
Amen!
