Rescue After Mission Accomplished

Transcript

GR 1402
04/05/2009
Rescue after Mission Accomplished
2 Timothy 4:15-22
Gil Rugh


I bring your attention in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 4.  We've been studying Paul's letter to Timothy, which is his last letter.  We come to the concluding section of that letter, and I want to look at that with you today.  We've had proclamation in song about Jesus Christ and the glory that is His and the triumph associated with His life and the ultimate victory that will be His when He rules and reigns.  Paul is writing some 30-plus years after Jesus Christ has been crucified.  He is one of those faithful individuals to whom has been entrusted the responsibility of the ongoing proclamation of Jesus Christ, His person and His work, declaring to the world that the Son of God has come to earth, who is the Messiah of Israel, that He was rejected and crucified, but it was all part of the sovereign plan of God so that Jesus Christ could be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  That's how John the Baptist introduced Christ to the nation.  How could He be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?  Only by dying, for the penalty for sin is death.  So salvation becomes a matter of a person hearing, understanding and believing that they are a sinner, that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for their sin and was raised from the dead.  And they are trusting Him and Him alone as their Savior.  That's God's sovereign plan.

After His resurrection, Jesus entrusted this message to His disciples. He told them that they were to go into all the world and make disciples, tell them of this truth. So the Apostle Paul, by the grace of God, came to believe in Jesus Christ, turned from His sin and His opposition to Christ, and became one of the foremost defenders of the Gospel, the Good News message of Jesus Christ. Now we are at the end of his life.  He is in the court of Caesar; Nero is the Caesar ruling Rome at this time.  He is vehemently opposed to Christianity and has declared it an illegal religion.  Paul is the foremost spokesman of the Gospel and promoter of Christianity among Gentile peoples.  He has been arrested; he is put on trial for his life. He has already had the first phase of his trial, and it's clear the outcome has been predetermined.  He will be executed.  In that context Paul writes this last letter to Timothy.

He gave him some instructions in verses 9-15 of chapter 4, built around his command in verse 9, “make every effort to come to me soon.” The reason is that for one reason or another, almost everyone has left me.  “Luke alone is with me,” he said in verse 11.  So he wants Timothy to come.  He had said in the first chapter of this letter that he really wanted to see Timothy.  And now it becomes even more important, as Paul is sure he will be executed in the not too distant future.  He wants his companionship.  He also wants him to bring some items that he had to leave behind in the city of Troas.  And so in verse 13 he tells him to bring the cloak, which we noted is like what we might call a poncho today, just a big round heavy garment with a hole in the middle.  It was used for protection from the weather and the elements.  And also books and parchments.  Here is Paul at the end of his life, we noted, but he doesn't quit until he is done.  And he won't be done until he is dead.  So even though he knows his execution is sure and it won't be that far into the future, he asks for the books, the parchments, the scrolls so he can continue to study and, of course, continue to preach and teach the truth concerning Christ.

He warned Timothy about a man named Alexander the coppersmith, the metal worker.  Evidently as Timothy has opportunity to travel, perhaps coming to Troas to pick up these items for Paul on his way to Rome, Alexander could cause problems for Timothy as well.  We're not told anymore about him.  That's the legacy of Alexander; he is a firm, strong opponent to the message of the truth concerning Jesus Christ.  Paul's concern as he faces his death soon that Timothy and others will be faithful in continuing to preach the message of Jesus Christ.  Isn't it amazing that the Lord of Glory came to this earth, was born into the human race, suffered and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, and yet men and women are so enslaved to their sin that they are greatly antagonized and offended when the truth concerning Jesus Christ is presented to them.  You would think that they would be in awe and welcome with open arms the truth that God says, even though we are sinners condemned and doomed to hell, He has provided His Son to be the Savior.  He is the only Savior, but He is the only one needed because He can save anyone and everyone who will turn from their sin and place their faith in Him.  But this message from the beginning has been the most offensive that could be proclaimed anywhere in the world.  And the Apostle Paul is paying the price for that.  Why is he in prison?  Why is he looking to be executed? Tradition says he was beheaded.  Because he preached the truth of the Gospel; he proclaimed Jesus Christ as the only Savior, the One who died on the cross and was raised from the dead and declared there is salvation in no one else.  “For there is no other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved.”(Acts 4:12).

And that hasn't changed.  Thirty years after His death Paul is sure of his own death for preaching that message.  Two thousand years after Christ died and rose from the dead, you know what it is like to try to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It can become intimidating.  We are somewhat afraid. What will people think?  How will they react?  Will it cause them not to like me?  Will it create difficulties in my life?  Paul knows Timothy is facing this.  You have a man on trial for his life, now writing you a letter to tell you to keep on preaching the Gospel.  But that's the most important thing that can be done, because “there is no other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved,” Acts 4:12.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father but by Me.”  (John 14:6)   So men, women and young people must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be saved.

Back up to 2 Timothy 1.  In verse 8 Paul told Timothy, “do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me, his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel.”  The more open, clear and bold you are in presenting the message of Jesus Christ, the more difficult your life will be.  You will make more enemies than friends.  You don't present the Gospel with the desire to make enemies; you present the Gospel with the desire that people will be saved.  But when people don't respond to the truth in faith, they respond in opposition.  “Join with me in suffering for the gospel.”

Down in verse 13, “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me.” Verse 14, “Guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”  Paul is concerned for this glorious treasure, the truth concerning Jesus Christ and salvation in Him.  Guard it; hold onto it; proclaim it.  So you come down to chapter 2 verse 1, “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”  Verse 2, “entrust these truths to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  Verse 3, “Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”  You can't get entangled in the things of this life and be a good soldier.  In verse 3, remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.  How could you forget?  Timothy is to have this truth constantly in the forefront of his mind; it is to control and shape him in all that he does, in all his activities, in all his meetings.  Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my Gospel.  And what does he have to add?  Verse 9, “for which I suffer hardship, even to imprisonment as a criminal.”  Paul is not a criminal; he is a preacher of the Gospel, and that offends people.  And since he is offensive to them, they find reasons to blame him for things he is not guilty of.

But the Word of God is not imprisoned.  Verse 10, “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, and with it eternal glory.”  That's where Paul is going in the section we are going to look at in a moment.  Verse 14, “Remind them of these things.”  Verse 15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”  God is very serious about His Word and the Truth He has entrusted to us.  We must be careful to handle it accurately.  Also verse 16, “avoid worldly and empty chatter.”  And in the context here, that's the kind of teaching that would be contrary to the Word of God.  We've talked about these things.  The end of verse 19, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness.”  Verse 22, “flee from youthful lusts, pursue righteousness.” Verse 23, “refuse foolish and ignorant speculation.”  Timothy, you have to have a life of godliness and faithfully teach the truth.  We come down into chapter 4 verse 2, Timothy is to “preach the Word.”  Verse 5, “be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Now we pick up with verse 16.  In verses 9-15, Paul has given instructions to Timothy.  Now in verses 16-18, Paul is going to talk about himself personally, what he has gone through and how the Lord has worked in his situation.  So the attention turns from addressing Timothy to talking about himself.  But even here Paul will be doing this to encourage Timothy to continue to be faithful.  Look at verse 16, “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me.”  In a Roman trial, similar to the pattern that our trials take today, it began with a preliminary examination. There they brought together the precise charges that would be brought against the prisoner.  They evaluated them and so on to determine how things would proceed. It's all part of the same trial, the first phase of the trial to bring together the charges and formulate them.  On that occasion Paul said, “at my first defense.” We get the word ‘apologetics’ from that word ‘defense.’  He had opportunity to present his case.  “No one supported me, all deserted me.”  Paul puts it here in two ways to emphasize the seriousness.  No one supported him.  Here is the apostle Paul who for years had been faithfully traveling the world, preaching the Gospel, leading people to Christ.  He has been arrested and unfairly charged; he's on trial for his life as a servant of Jesus Christ for preaching the Gospel.  And no one stands with him; they deserted him.  Shocking.  This is Paul.  What a privilege.  You would think after a ministry like this there would be people that say, “Yes, we stand with him.”  But you understand, he is on trial for his life.  Nero has declared Christianity an illegal religion.  Paul knows the outcome of his trial before it takes place.  Other believers observing know what the outcome will be.  “Paul, you can't win this one; the outcome is predetermined.  They are going through the motions, but you are going to die.”  How easy it is to say it’s better to live and fight another day than die here with Paul.  He may be stubborn and bullheaded, but what's the good of dying.  It’s easy to find reasons that this is not a good time, this is not the right time.

Stop and think, how many people have we presented the Gospel to this week?  “I guess it wasn't a good time; it wasn't the right time; they weren't the right people; they probably wouldn't have been open to it anyway.  And if the outcome is determined, what good is there for me to give my life?  What's going to happen if I stand up and identify myself as a Christian, as a believer, as a supporter of the Apostle Paul and a proclaimer of Jesus Christ?  I'll end up like Paul.”  So we shake our heads and say, “No one supported him; all deserted him.”  And yet think how many times you didn't speak up.  Have any of us not felt guilty, walked away disappointed with ourselves.  “I know I should have said something; I should have spoken up.  I can't believe I was so cowardly not to say a word.”  And our lives aren't on the line.  But Paul puts it bluntly; he's not a man to mince words. The Spirit of God is directing him in his writing.  “No one supported me, they all deserted me.”  That's the same word he used of Demas up in verse 10.  “Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me.”  No one stood with him.

This is background.  You can appreciate why, back in chapter 1 verse 7, Paul reminds Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity.”  Cowardice is the word.  “but of power and love and discipline.”  Verse 8, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me, his prisoner.  But join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God.”  “Timothy, God will give you the power; He will enable you to stand.  He doesn't give that spirit of cowardice.”  I walk away afraid, embarrassed.  “That's not what the Lord does in my life.  Timothy.”  That's the background.  Paul has had a chance to observe this cowardice first hand, when they wouldn't stand with him; they wouldn't support him; they deserted him.  He doesn't want that to be Timothy's characteristic.

Down in verse 15 of chapter 1, “You are aware of the fact that all who were in Asia turned away from me, among whom were Phygellus and Hermogenes.”  We looked at these individuals; here they are enshrined in scripture.  What is the testimony of their life?  They abandoned Paul; they failed to stand; they weren't faithful to the truth.  That's their legacy.  For 2000 years of church history, we've been reminded of these men and others in Asia.  And that's where Timothy is now; Ephesus is in Asia Minor.  Those who could have stood with Paul didn't.

So when you come back to chapter 4, Paul is gracious in this.  He says, “may it not be counted against them.” May it not be put on their record and brought up as a charge against them when they stand before their judge, Jesus Christ.  They were embarrassed, afraid to stand with Paul.  Why?  “You were embarrassed and ashamed to stand for me,” Jesus Christ will have to say.  Paul says, “May it not be counted against them.”  He is very gracious here, but he is very clear what they did was an act of unfaithfulness, an act of desertion.  But may the Lord be gracious and not put it on their account, to hold it against them.

Paul immediately moves on.  You know sometimes we get into situations; we get so inwardly focused that we lose all perspective.  Paul could be sitting here thinking, “Poor me.   I've tried to be faithful and I've had a life of nothing but trouble, hardship, difficulty, and yet do people appreciate the fact when it came time I needed someone to stand with me and testify on my behalf, they all left me?  It was more than I could bear.  I am so discouraged and so depressed I don't know what to do.”  I'm surprised there are some commentators, not many thankfully, but they read 2 Timothy through the eyes of a depressed, discouraged, disheartened Apostle Paul.  I don't read it that way.  He is clear; he is disappointed, greatly disappointed with some believers, but he is not depressed; he is not discouraged.  So he immediately moves from verse 16, that “no one supported me, all deserted me, may it not be counted against them,”   to verse 17, in contrast to them “the Lord stood with me.”  All his friends abandoned him, but the Lord stood with him.  Remember He promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”   Paul is not mired down in a pity party here, in a puddle of disillusionment and discouragement and depression.  “Even my friends have deserted me; it is more than I can bear; I can't  go on.  But I wasn't alone; “the Lord stood with me.”  I love the way he puts it, “He stood with me.”  Just like He was right there, and He was.  He's just as real to Paul as a physical friend would have been.  “He has stood with me and He not only stood with me, He empowered me; He strengthened me.”

We're familiar with this word.  We get English words like “dynamite,” “dynamo,” “dynamic” from it.  “He empowered me, He strengthened me.”  Back in chapter 2 verse 1 Paul told Timothy, “You, therefore, my son, be strong.”  There is our word.  Be strengthened, be empowered in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  Paul has no false illusions; he doesn't see himself as a superman.  He sees himself as one who has divine empowerment, and he sees that same power available to Timothy.  In fact, he sees it available to each and every believer because it's the Spirit of God who indwells us, who enables and empowers us.  These who wouldn't support him, who deserted him, who were cowards, that's not what the Spirit of God gives.  He has given us a spirit of power.  There is our word again.  We saw it in chapter 1 verse 7.  “God hasn't given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power.”  That's what the Spirit of God does.  Not that Paul was someone cut from a different cloth of humanity than we are.  He was willing to draw upon the power of the indwelling Spirit and do what would not come naturally.  Remember in I Corinthians 9 he told the Corinthians verse 27, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection.”  He drew upon the power of God to do what he didn't feel like doing, what he didn't even want to do, humanly speaking.  But he knew he must do as a faithful servant of Christ.

“He stood with me and strengthened me.”  “That encouraged me and made me feel so much better about myself and my situation and I wasn't nearly so discouraged.”  That doesn't have anything to do with it.  “It's not that the Lord stood with me and strengthened me so I wouldn't be so discouraged, so I wouldn't feel so bad about my friends not supporting me, feel so bad about being arrested and charged falsely.”  You know what Paul did?  He never took his eyes off the goal—what is my life all about.  “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me,” verse 17, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished and that all the Gentiles might hear.  The Lord's presence, the Lord's enabling power was not primarily to make Paul feel better, was not primarily to help him not be discouraged or depressed.  It was so that Paul could do what God called Paul to do—proclaim Jesus Christ.  So that through him the proclamation might be fully accomplished.

Up in verse 5, Paul commanded Timothy with a series of instructions, “be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  That word ‘fulfill’ is the same word we have down in verse 17, “that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished,” might be fulfilled.  You know what Paul saw?  What is going on in his trial is to fulfill his ministry, the full accomplishing of what God called him to do as His servant.

Back up to 1 Timothy 2:1, 2.  Paul begins this chapter by saying, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers and petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all that are in authority so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”  You understand Nero is on the throne.  Paul is writing this as a man whose trial is already underway and the first portion of it has already taken place.  He realizes it is an unfair trial and he is going to be condemned and executed.  But what we really are to do is continue to pray for those in authority.  Not continue to pray that God will judge Nero and bring him to an end.  Just pray that even sinful men will make decisions that will enable us as believers to continue to give the Gospel.  Well, it didn't work for Paul, did it?  It worked exactly.  He doesn't have a tranquil and quiet life, but he gets to do what he is called to do.  And that's what matters.

Look what he goes on to say in verses 3-7.  “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.  For this I was appointed a preacher [remember that word “preacher,” a herald, a proclaimer] and an apostle, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”  You know what Paul’s life is all about?  Proclaiming Jesus Christ.  That's what he does; he tells people there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.  He gave Himself as a ransom for all.  You can be saved because there is a Savior.  There is only one way for you to be saved.  People like to think there are many ways.  This was the problem in the Roman Empire as well.   They didn't have a problem with the multiplicity of gods they had.  But they had a real problem with anybody saying Jesus is the only way.  What do people not like about  biblical Christianity?  We tell them this is the only way.  “Well, I have my church.”  That's fine, but you know your church isn't the way to heaven; this church isn't the way to heaven.  Jesus Christ is the way to heaven.  You can hear about Jesus Christ here, but you can't be saved by coming to this church, by being baptized at this church, by giving your money to this church, by working and serving in this church because salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ.  There will be people who attend this church year after year who die and go to hell.  Why?  Because coming to this church doesn't save you.  It just provides an opportunity for you to hear the Gospel, which if you believe it will save you.  Try it out this afternoon; make a point to go see someone who has been in church or in a religious service today and tell them, “There is only one way to heaven.  Only one way, and you will go to hell unless you turn from your sin and believe in Jesus Christ.”  Find out how many people say, “That's wonderful.”  Now no fair talking to believers from other Bible-believing churches.  But you know what it is like.  That's what Paul is called to preach.

Look in 2 Timothy 1:11.  He's in a long sentence here about the gospel  that began in verse 8.  And then down in verses 11 and 12 he said, “the gospel for which I was appointed a preacher, a herald, a proclaimer and an apostle and a teacher.  For this reason I also suffer these things, and I'm not ashamed about it.”  That's what Paul's life is about.

Come back to chapter 4:17. He says “that through me the proclamation, [there's our word again, “preaching,”  “proclaiming,”  “heralding”  “the giving out of the message”] might be fulfilled, fully accomplished, that all the Gentiles might hear.”  When God called the Apostle Paul to Himself in Acts 9,  He sent the prophet Ananias to heal Paul's blinded eyes.  And Ananias wondered, “Shall I go talk to this man?  I've heard about him.”  God tells Ananias to go and this is what He says in Acts 9:15-16, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him  great things he must suffer for My name's sake.”    What is he to do?  Paul was a chosen instrument to proclaim Christ’s name before the Gentiles, before kings, before the Jews.  Paul's ministry is unique.  He preached to Jews, but the prime focus of his ministry was Gentiles, the nations apart from Israel.  And he traveled the world, bringing the Gospel to Gentiles.  Aren't you glad God used him for that and he was faithful to it?  And others have been faithful also, and we have the Gospel given to us.  This is what has been entrusted to him.

Now what Paul does is see the legal proceedings he is part of, not part of an unjust system that is unfairly condemning him, but as an opportunity for the ministry that God has entrusted to him to be more fully carried out and brought to a fit conclusion.  Verse 17, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished and that all the Gentiles might hear.  What happened?

Come back to Acts 22.  On a previous occasion several years earlier, Paul was arrested and transported to Rome.  From that imprisonment he was freed.  But you see what Paul does in these situations.  I would encourage you to read these chapters; you could begin with chapter 22 where you see the process begin as Paul first tries to address the Jews and tell them what his ministry is about.  Verse 14, “He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.’ ” This is what God told Paul through Ananias.  So he goes on to tell Paul the ministry God has given him, to go to the Gentiles.  That's what he told the Jews; the Jews didn't like it, didn't want to hear it.  Chapter 23, his trials continue in the context of the Jews, and there he declares the issue is the resurrection of the dead.  The Saducees denied the resurrection of the dead; the Pharisees claimed to believe it.  Paul says the real issue here is I am proclaiming a Savior who was raised from the dead.

The trial now moves from the Jews to the Romans. Come to chapter 24.  Paul appears before Felix, the Roman governor.  And what does he want to talk about?  He wants to talk about Jesus Christ, the way of salvation.  Well, there is confusion on that.  Felix doesn't know what to make of it, but he's interested. So you know what he does?  He wants to hear more from Paul.      Come down to verse 22.  “Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way.”  He's heard about Christ before; we're not told where.  In spite of this confusion between the Jews and the message that Paul is preaching, Felix realizes Paul hasn't really done anything wrong, but he has offended the Jews.  “But what do I do about this?  Well, right now I'm going to keep Paul a prisoner.”  What's that an opportunity for?  Paul can rant and rail and have everybody sign a petition saying he's a Roman citizen unfairly imprisoned.  He'll use his Roman citizenship, but first of all there is something more important,  Felix

So what's he do?  He has a chance to talk to Felix and Felix even has his wife, Drusilla, with him.  So the end of verse 24, what do they hear Paul talk about?  The unfairness of the Roman citizen, and changes they need if they’re going to keep the Roman Empire strong?  No.  They hear him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.  And Paul gets so serious, he bears down. He's discussing “righteousness, self-control, judgment to come,” verse 25.  Felix is terrified.  He says, “Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you.”  Two years then goes by. Paul presented the Gospel to Felix, but Felix doesn't get saved.  But it was an opportunity.

In chapter 25, Festus replaces Felix.  Now what's going to happen with Festus?  He's going to hear about it, too.  Festus is less acquainted with Jewish ways.  Herod Agrippa comes to visit Festus.  Now  Festus and Agrippa are both going to hear the Gospel.  So Festus tells Agrippa, “I don't even understand what is going on here in these Jewish controversies;” that's what it is to him.  So Agrippa says, “I'll hear what the man has to say.”  Paul has appealed to Caesar.  It is his Roman right so he doesn't have to be tried by the Jews.  Festus knows he should write something, but he says in verses 25-27 “I don't even know what to write to the court of the Caesar.  Why am I sending this man there?  He hasn't done anything that I know of.”  So what does Paul do with Festus and Agrippa now amid all the pomp and ceremony?  He presents the Gospel, chapter 26.  Verse 23 of chapter 26, just to summarize it,  Christ was to suffer.  By reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to Jewish people and to the Gentiles.  Festus can't take anymore; he's like Felix; he gets overwhelmed.  Festus says verse 24, “Paul, you are out of your mind.  Your much learning is driving you mad.”  Paul says verse 25, “I'm not out of my mind, Festus, I'm telling you the truth.”  Then he turns and bears down on King Agrippa.  “King Agrippa, you know what the prophets say; you know what I am saying is true.”  What does Agrippa say?  Verse 28, “Paul, you keep this up, you'll make me a Christian.

What is Paul doing in these trials and preliminary trials?  Presenting the Gospel.  So what happens, we come back to 2 Timothy 4, “the Lord stood with me at my first defense, strengthened me, empowered me so that through me the proclamation, the heralding might be fulfilled that all the Gentiles might hear.”  Here he is in the court of Caesar. You can go no higher up at the Gentile ladder.  Caesar rules the world and Paul is there proclaiming the Gospel in that court.   Paul looks at it and says, “This is the climax of my ministry, the completion of it.”  He doesn’t say, here I am unjustly accused; my friends won't stand with me; poor me.  I'm depressed; I'm discouraged; I don't know how I'll go on.”  No.  He says, “Look at what God has done.  He has put me in the court of Caesar.  And at my first defense you know what happened?  The Lord stood with me and empowered me and I heralded out the Gospel to the Gentiles.”

Who would have ever thought that this little Jewish guy who traveled around teaching about Christ in all these Gentile cities would end up in the court of Caesar Nero and be heralding out the Gospel there?  Paul says, “That's the capstone of my ministry.”  “Timothy, you fulfill your ministry,” he commanded him in verse 5.  “Don't get discouraged by suffering.”  Who would have thought that this was the vehicle the Lord would use?  Paul mentioned that in his first imprisonment.  He wrote from his first imprisonment in Rome a letter to the Philippians.  And you know what he said in chapter 1 of that?  “The household of Caesar has heard the Gospel because I'm imprisoned in Rome.”  It was a remarkable opportunity.  We sometimes get so caught up with our situation and circumstances and get all turned inward about what we're going through and how hard it is and how unbearable it is and how discouraging it is, how nobody that I was counting on is with me, that we lose sight of what a wonderful opportunity we have.  When do the greatest opportunities to stand for Christ come?  In the most difficulties, don't they?

It's like Peter.  He was ready to stand and die for the Lord.  Then comes the Garden of Gethsemane.  And what happened to Peter and all the disciples?  They run scared.  What an opportunity gone.  Here is Paul standing on trial for his life.  The greatest evangelist and teacher in the church and his writings have been such a blessing, and no one stands with him.  Paul says, “May it not be charged to their account.”  Paul didn't lose anything because the Lord stood with him and empowered him, and he preached the Gospel.  Those people lost a great opportunity, not to be repeated, thinking there will be a better day; I'll live to fight another time.  Paul says, “May it not be counted against them, put on their account against them, in the judgment day.  But the Lord stood with me and I fulfilled my calling.”   In all my situations, all my life, I have to look at it through that.  I am a representative of Jesus Christ; I am here to make Him known.  Why would the Lord have me go through these physical trials?  Maybe your doctor needs to hear the Gospel; maybe the surgeon needs to hear the Gospel.  Why is there trouble at work?  Maybe my boss needs to hear the Gospel. We need to look at these things and say, “What is my life about?”  This isn't where we belong; this world is not our home; we're just passing through.  Or as the scripture says, “Our citizenship is in heaven.”  But we get so wrapped up into the trials of this life and the problems of this life and the unfairness of this life, the burdens of this life, that pretty soon we're just in a fog, missing the most wonderful opportunities to fulfill our ministry in serving the Lord who loved us and died for us.

“I was rescued out of the lion's mouth,” verse 17.  Paul did live to fight another day; he was rescued.  You know what happened?  The Jews and Gentiles, whether is was the Jews or Alexander the coppersmith and those who opposed him, all they did was bring pressure on Paul, persecuted Paul, had Paul imprisoned.  They just provided other unique opportunities for Paul to proclaim Christ.  And at his first defense, he was rescued out of the lion's mouth.  Psalm 22:21 uses that figure: rescued from great danger or imminent death, snatched from the jaws of the lion.  We still use that kind of picture.  Paul said “I was rescued.”

And then he says in 2 Timothy verse 18, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed.”  So he picks up that word “rescue.”  “I was rescued out of the lion's mouth and the Lord will rescue me.”  Paul, you understand, there is no rescue from this situation.  Paul, the emotion of the moment has maybe blinded you.  You've already told us earlier in this chapter that the time of your departure is near.  You were rescued in the past, Paul; you are not going to be rescued in the future.  Paul says, “I beg to disagree.  The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed.  All the opposition, all the evil people, all the evil actions, I'm going to be rescued.  He'll rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom.”  The final rescue will be his death because his ministry will be fulfilled; it's done.  “They think they killed me; that just was part of the rescue plan because God is now taking me out of their hands to bring me into the kingdom that He will establish from heaven.

“I can't lose.  The Lord is my rescuer.  You see, He rescues me so I can continue to proclaim the truth.  And then when I have fulfilled my ministry and it's done, He rescues me and brings me safely to His heavenly kingdom.”.  That word translated “to bring safely” is the word sozo, it's the Greek word for “salvation.”  “He will save me into His heavenly kingdom.”  “Bring me safely” is a fine translation, but I want you to note that's part of the salvation work of God with Paul.  That's why it's the final rescue.  You know what Paul said in his first Roman imprisonment when he wrote to the Philippians in Philippians 1?  “I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”  He told the Corinthians “to depart, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”  “The Lord will rescue me in the future from every evil deed.”  When that ax fell down and beheaded Paul, the enemies thought they were rid of him.  No, Paul said, “I am rescued; I am out of their hands.”

And I think he carries us to the kingdom when he talks about the heavenly kingdom here.  It's the kingdom that has its source in heaven.  Remember Christ told Pilate when He was on trial, “My kingdom is not of this world; then My servants would fight.”  It comes from heaven; it will be established on this earth, but it's established by heaven.  Paul is a Jew; he was trained in the Old Testament scriptures; he was a Jew anticipating the rule and reign of his Messiah and king.  And there is nothing that evil men could do that could frustrate God's plan to bring him safely into that heavenly kingdom.  On his first missionary journey, the Apostle Paul declared, in Acts 14:22, ”Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”  We are not in the kingdom now; there is trial and tribulation and suffering, but ultimately we will enter.

Paul is drawing a contrast here, a clear contrast between the kingdoms of this world and the heavenly kingdom.  Here he is in the court of the most powerful ruler on earth, the Caesar of Rome, the most powerful empire the world had known.  “But you understand, there is a greater kingdom coming, and I will be rescued from the evil deeds of men and saved into the heavenly kingdom, the eternal kingdom, the kingdom over which my Savior will rule and reign.”  He had mentioned this kingdom at the start of chapter 4. “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead and by His appearing and His kingdom.”  So Paul could say, “I'll see you in the kingdom because the Lord will save me into the kingdom, bring me safely into His kingdom.”

What can Paul say after this?  “To Him be the glory forever and ever. [into the ages of the ages.]  Amen.” It is so; it's confirmed; it's settled.  Paul doesn't say that's because he is so strong and faithful.  God is so strong; God is so faithful.  To Him be the glory.  This is what God has done.  The most difficult, most awful of circumstances, are all part of bringing the Apostle Paul's ministry to fulfillment, and the Gospel is proclaimed in the court of the Gentiles, the highest court in the world at the time.  And you know what?  “I'll even be rescued out of the hands of the ruler of this kingdom and brought safely into the only kingdom that matters, the kingdom that my Lord will establish.”

With that he is ready to wrap it up.  All he does is have some words of greeting and final instructions, to the people that Timothy would know.  He says, “Greet Prisca and Aquilla.”  Prisca, we call her more familiarly Priscilla.  Paul always refers to her as Prisca, but she is referred to also as Priscilla, which is a diminutive form of Prisca, a more familiar form.  Priscilla and Aquilla are always mentioned together; they are mentioned six times in scripture.  They are faithful servants of the Lord and now what a blessing it is to hear they are with Timothy in Ephesus.  Paul originally met these individuals in his ministry at Corinth, I Corinthians 18.  And when Paul left Corinth they traveled with him from Corinth to Ephesus.  When Paul left Ephesus to go on to Jerusalem, they remained behind at Ephesus.  In I Corinthians 16 verse19, we are told that the church met in their house at Corinth.  And interestingly, this couple moved around because they were in Ephesus where Paul had ministered with them on a prior occasion; now they are back in Ephesus with Timothy.  On a prior occasion they had been in Rome, and when Paul wrote the letter to the Romans in Romans 16 he sent greetings to Priscilla and Aquilla there.  And you know what?  The church in Rome was meeting in their house.  Aquilla was a leather worker, a tent maker, the same profession that Paul carried on when he supported himself.  That's how they got together originally.  Here is a couple that is faithful; they are willing to have the church meet in their house.  You know what that does?  That identifies them with believers in Jesus Christ and those who are teaching and preaching Christ.  At Corinth the church met at their house when they lived in Corinth; at Rome when they lived in Rome the church met at their home.  Here is a faithful, godly couple, and right down to Paul's last days he can greet them because they are there with Timothy, faithfully ministering.  They don't get a lot of space in scripture, but we're reminded they are faithful people involved in faithful service.  Priscilla and Aquilla are two of the faithful people.

Incidentally let me just say something about recent commentaries.  It used to be popular, four of the six times when Priscilla and Aquilla are mentioned, that Priscilla or Prisca's name came first before her husband’s, Aquilla.  So it was popular for a while for commentators to say, this means she was more prominent, this means she was the lead teacher, this mean a woman could teach a man.   It's interesting now the better commentators, the new commentaries, even those who don't hold the same position we might on some of these issues, are pretty much in agreement.  There is nothing to that.  In fact one of them wrote this, “The fact of the matter is that it is not clear why she is listed first four times and no theories should be based on the order.”  That seems to be the general consensus.  When you depart from just a simple, clear understanding of scripture and you have an agenda to carry out, you bring confusion.

Also “greet the household of Onesiphorus.”  His household is there in Ephesus.  The only thing we know about the household of Onesiphorus is found in 2 Timothy 1:16-18. When everybody was abandoning Paul, Onesiphorus’ family was one that came and supported Paul and refreshed him.  We don't know anything about Onesiphorus other than that.  He was a faithful person; his family, his household was faithful.  Why it says greet the household instead of Onesiphorus, we don't know.  Maybe Onesiphorus was traveling someplace; maybe he was dead; maybe he is just included as part of the household.  But here is a faithful family.

Verse 20, “Erastus remained at Corinth.”  Now he tells Timothy about some men.  Timothy might wonder about. “Why aren't these men with you?” “Erastus remained at Corinth.”  You understand in those days communication wasn't like texting and cell phone calls today, so Timothy might have wondered what happened to Erastus.  Did he desert Paul or abandon him?  No, but Erastus remained in Corinth for ministry there.  He is mentioned two other times.  In Acts 19:22, he traveled with Timothy when he went from Ephesus to Macedonia.  So he is a man who evidently has some freedom.  In Romans 16:23 there is an Erastus who is called the steward or treasurer of the city of Corinth.  And let me just note something.  An inscription found in the city of Corinth that dates to this time period refers to Erastus, the commissioner of public works in Corinth.  That may have been the same man and may well be the same Erastus in all three of these references since they all have a common connection with Timothy and Paul and their ministry.  He is another faithful man.

“Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.”  Miletus is only 30-35 miles from Ephesus where Timothy is.  But Paul has to tell him where Trophimus is; he's at Miletus.  Paul visited Miletus in Acts 20 and there visited with the Ephesian elders.  Nothing else is told about why Trophimus is an associate of Paul and his companions in Acts 20-21.  He traveled with Paul.  He got sick.  Why didn't Paul heal him? He's an apostle; he has the gift of healing.  Well, Paul didn't use his gift for his own self-benefit or even the benefit of his co-workers in that sense.  The gift of healing and miracles was used to make clear that the revelation given was genuine. Hebrews 2:2-3 makes that clear, that these miracle gifts validated the revelation that was given through men like Paul and others.

Verse 21, “Make every effort to come to me before winter.”  This is the same command, elaborated a little differently, than we had in verse 9.  Same verb and everything.  “Make every effort to come to me soon.”  “Make every effort to come before winter,” verse 21.     Winter is from November to March.  Shipping on the Mediterranean shut down then. Travel on land would even be difficult in bad weather.  “So if you don't come before winter, you probably won't be able to come until spring and that may be too late.”  Besides, he wants the cloak, verse 13.  So Paul is writing early enough, maybe spring/early summer, that Timothy will have a chance to get this letter, make arrangements and then travel to Rome before winter sets in.  So “Make every effort to come before winter.”
We are about done.  There are some greetings.  “Eubulus greets you, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, all the brethren.”  “Wait a minute, I thought everybody deserted you.”  These people keep cropping up.  We don't know.  These evidently are believers in Rome and “all the brethren greet you” at the end of the verse would seem to indicate that's the church at Rome.  For whatever reason, evidently these people were not qualified to stand with Paul at the first part of his trial, were not valid witnesses on his behalf.  But they are individuals that Timothy knows.  We're not told anymore about this situation of why people didn't stand where they were or who they were.  What about the church at Rome and why was Paul deserted?   Here are people that Timothy knew.  Remember Timothy had ministered in Rome earlier with Paul on his first imprisonment.  He would know people there.  Evidently these four individuals, three men and a woman, are those people who are known to Timothy, so Paul mentions them by name.  And then “all the brethren” would refer to the church more generally in Rome; they send their greetings to Timothy.

We come to the final two-part benediction.  “The Lord be with your spirit.”  In English we say “you” and you can't tell whether it is plural or singular.  So we sometimes try to alter our grammar.  When I was young in western Pennsylvania, I used to say “you'uns” because that was the plural of you.  In the South they say “y’all”.  Maybe they do that for singular, too.  In Greek it is nice and clean; they have a singular “you” and they have a plural “you.”  The first part of this is to Timothy himself; it's a singular you.  “The Lord be with your spirit.”  “your,” singular “you,” the spirit of you, your spirit.  “I want the Lord to be with you, Timothy.”  “Grace be with you.”   The “you” there is plural.  “Timothy, the Lord be with you.  And grace be with you all,” the church at Ephesus.  Great way to end, on the note of grace.  Early in the letter he talked about the grace and he has to be strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  That grace that is the enablement that the Lord gives.  Why could Paul stand when nobody stood with him?  Because of God's grace.  How is God's salvation provided for us?  By grace.  What is His enablement for service?  His grace.  His grace is sufficient for us.

Let's pray together.  Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness.  Thank You for Your grace.  Thank You for the life of the Apostle Paul and the example that it is for us.  Lord, may we take these truths to heart, may we not miss the opportunities that are ours day by day to faithfully represent You, to have Jesus Christ stand with us and empower us in being faithful representatives and servants.  Thank You for the privilege of belonging to You, the Lord of Glory, and representing You in the world in these days.  We give You praise.  In Christ's name, amen.