Route 66: 2 Timothy - The Final Words of an Apostle

So we didn't get a chance to test this before, so it sounds good to me.

I hope it's good to you.

Well, good evening.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, my eternal family.

This is great.

What a privilege this is to be called on to give an overview of 2 Timothy.

We're making our way through the 66 books of the Bible during the Sunday night services called Route 66 through the Bible.

2 Timothy is the 55th book in the Bible.

2 Timothy is the 55th book in the Bible.

It's called 2 Timothy because it's the second letter to Timothy, and I bet you thought you weren't going to learn anything new tonight.

How about that?

This letter written by Paul to Timothy is not for Timothy's sake, only to Timothy, is not for Timothy's sake only, it's for our sake as well, and it's also for the glory of God.

So before I begin, let's pray once again, please.

Oh Father, how wonderful are your ways that you would preserve these words down through the ages to write here tonight to us for our edification, for our comfort, for our sanctification.

Oh God, these are your holy words that we examine tonight.

Let us not consider this study lightly or casually.

Let us not take for granted this special privilege, this desire that you planted in our hearts to study the Word.

What a great gift that is, father.

Thank you so, father, open our ears and our hearts that your word would fall afresh upon us.

May we have a high and exalted view of your Son and our Savior, jesus Christ.

Thank you, father.

We love you.

We worship you, amen.

So to forward us a little deeper understanding of this wonderful letter, this heartfelt letter by Paul, I thought it might help if we dig in a little bit into the circumstances and the context in which this letter was actually written.

So if you would afford me just a little extra time to build the front porch, the introduction to this overview, I think I hope you'll find it helpful.

So I want to look at just three things tonight before we get into the text.

Three things to kind of set the stage.

Number one what was the relationship like between Paul and Timothy?

Number two, what was Timothy encountering and where was he located when he received this letter?

And number three, what was Paul encountering and what was his location when he wrote the letter?

So first of all, the relationship.

We all know about Timothy and Paul, but what a great relationship they had.

You know Paul had other ministry relationships.

He had Barnabas, he had Silas, he had Aquila and Priscilla, he had Titus, luke, many others.

But I believe this relationship with Timothy was different.

It was stronger and for several reasons it was not just a ministry co-worker association.

It was a mentor-protege type of relationship.

It was paternal relationship.

It was like father and son.

Timothy was like the son that Paul never had.

When they met, timothy was just a young man.

They estimate that he was probably between the ages of 16 to 20 years old and Paul was probably in his early to maybe mid-40s and they had known each other by the time.

2 Timothy is written for over 15 years and Timothy had traveled over 7,000 miles with Paul as he established new churches throughout Asia and Europe.

So a lot of time spent together.

And if you spend that amount of time with someone, I mean, have you ever gone on a long journey with anybody Like you know somebody new that you didn't know?

And about the 250th mile in, I'm sure you said, well, I kind of know that guy now or that person.

Well, timothy, you got to remember he traveled 7,000 miles with Paul, night and day.

What a wonderful experience this must have been and what a shared experience to really bond this relationship, which it did.

So I want you to just turn, if you have your Bibles there's a pew Bible there if you'd like to look at it.

To follow along, if you could just turn to the first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians, first Corinthians.

I want to show you just a couple of places where Paul writes to other churches and where he mentions Timothy and the regard he has for Timothy.

So turn to 1 Corinthians, chapter 4, excuse me, chapter 4 and verse 15.

1 Corinthians 4 · chapter mention

I'm going to read for us.

This is what it says, for you may have countless instructors in Christ, but you don't have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Therefore, I urge you to imitate me.

This is why I have sent Timothy to you.

He is my dearly loved and faithful child in the Lord.

He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus.

And just as I teach everywhere, in every church, so Paul says to the Corinthians I'm sending Timothy first of all because Timothy imitates me.

Timothy is like a carbon copy of me.

Secondly, he's going to remind you about my ways in Christ.

And thirdly, he's going to remind you about my ways in Christ.

And thirdly, he's going to teach it just as I teach it everywhere, in every church.

Timothy knew all that Paul taught and he believed it.

And Paul knew that Timothy was grounded in Christ and trusted him unconditionally.

Let's look at one other place where Paul writes in another letter and references Timothy Turn over to Philippians, philippians, chapter 2.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

In Philippians, chapter 2, and I hear those Bible fans going with those, those the Baptist fans right Turn over to Philippians, chapter 2 and verse 19.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention Philippians 2 · chapter mention

Now it says I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by news about you, for I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interest.

All seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

But you know his proven character because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father.

Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.

So Paul says I don't have anyone else to send who thinks like I do but Timothy.

That's a huge compliment.

But more than that, I don't have anyone else to send who thinks like I do but Timothy.

That's a huge compliment.

But more than that, I don't have anyone else to send who's as genuine in his caring for the saints of God.

If I send Timothy, you're getting the best I have.

So this relationship of Timothy and Paul, such a special relationship, so close father and son, they were on the same page, bonded through these shared experiences, special, special relationship.

Let's look at the second thing we want to get in setting the context.

Where was Paul?

I mean, I'm sorry, where was Timothy and what was he contending with when he received the letter?

Well, a few years before 2 Timothy is written, paul had left Timothy in Ephesus to pastor the church there.

The church in Ephesus, asia Minor, was in a battle when this letter arrived for Timothy.

Heresy had been taught by some of its leaders, moral compromise had seeped in among some of the congregants and there was disloyalty towards Timothy's authority.

Let me show you how we know this real quickly.

We actually see it indicated to us in 2 Timothy, the study that we're going to do tonight.

So turn to 2 Timothy.

And in chapter 1 and verse 15 of 2 Timothy, paul writes this you know that all those in the province of Asia have deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

Paul's writing to Timothy and says Timothy, you know this, did you see that at the beginning?

You know that all those in the province of Asia have deserted me Timothy's aware of this and they're all deserting Paul in Asia.

Maybe a little overstated, but they're deserting Paul in Asia.

And if they're deserting Paul and his teaching in Asia, which is where the church is, that Timothy's pastoring and Timothy's basically a carbon copy of Paul and he's teaching the same thing, we've got to surmise that Timothy's pastoring and Timothy's basically a carbon copy of Paul and he's teaching the same thing.

We've got to surmise that there's got to be some pushing back and some deserting of Timothy as well, because he's so closely associated with the Apostle Paul.

And then we get a little bit more insight into what Timothy is contending with.

Turn to chapter 2, now of 2 Timothy contending with Turn to chapter 2, now of 2 Timothy, chapter 2 and verse 16.

2 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

It says Remind them of these things and the them there.

Remind them.

The them are the congregants in Ephesus that Timothy's pastoring.

Remind them of these things and charge them before God not to fight about words.

This is useless and leads to the ruin of those who listen.

Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more ungodliness and their teaching will spread like gangrene.

Hymenaeus and Philetus are among them.

They have departed from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place and are ruining the faith of some.

People were fighting about words, probably doctrine and teaching the phrase empty speech.

This refers to arguments, bickering that doesn't lead to any good, and there were some congregants spreading heresy that was ruining the faith of some Hymenaeus and Philetus.

So what's Timothy?

Contending with Widespread desertion, active false teachers twisting doctrine, rising hypocrisy, arguing causing dissension and division.

This is tough for the young pastor trying to make his way, you know, but it's not nearly as difficult as where we find his mentor, paul.

So that brings us to the third thing when was Paul and what was Paul contending with when he wrote this letter?

Well, paul was in Rome when he wrote 2 Timothy and we've already learned that Paul says to Timothy while he's in Rome when he wrote 2 Timothy, and we've already learned that Paul says to Timothy while he's in Rome that everybody in Asia has deserted him, but that's not everyone who's deserted him.

Stay in 2 Timothy and go to chapter 4 of 2 Timothy.

Look at verse 16.

Look at verse 16.

Paul writes At my first defense.

No one supported me, but all deserted me.

May it not be counted against them.

That had to be tough and painful.

But there was more significant crisis in Rome which was greatly impacting Paul at this time.

When Paul returned to Rome in 66 AD, the persecution of Christians had broken out and it was rampant under Emperor Nero at this time.

There's a historian, his name is Tacitus.

He lived at this time, so this is ex-biblical, but this is somebody who was there and he wrote about the persecutions that were happening to the Christians, so I thought it would be helpful for us to hear this.

This is what he writes, and I quote Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite torture on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace.

Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths.

Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs, others were burned to serve as a nightly illumination when the daylight had expired.

End quote Christians, among other tortures, were used as human tortures at Nero's garden parties.

This was the atmosphere in Rome towards Christians when Paul returned.

And when Paul returned, he was quickly arrested.

He was thrown into the most horrific and terrible prison in antiquity, the Mamertine prison, also referred to as a Tullianum.

In the first century in Rome, prisons were not correctional facilities.

You didn't go to prison for punishment.

You were incarcerated for one of two reasons Either you were awaiting trial or you were awaiting execution, and the worst place to be held for this was the Tullianum.

And the worst place to be held for this was the Telanium.

It was an underground cistern water cistern and now it was a dungeon.

It was a round room made out of stone with a hole in the top In the ceiling where they used to lower the bucket to get the water.

Now they would lower down the prisoner into this stoned, walled cistern no windows.

We have another Roman historian who lived in the first century BC, called Solus, who saw this prison.

In fact, you can see this prison too If you ever go to Rome.

It's still there, the Mamertine prison but Solus wrote about it in the first century BC when he saw it, and I quote there is a part of the prison which is called the Tullianum, where you ascend a short way on the left.

The Tullianum is sunk into the earth about twelve feet and is constructed of stone walls on all sides.

Above this is a room with a ceiling of vaulted stone, foul from neglect, darkness and stench.

It is an altogether terrifying sight, end quote.

And this is where our Apostle Paul is.

Why is this happening to the Apostle Paul?

Well, that's the backdrop for this second Timothy letter.

There's a great bond between Paul and Timothy, great relationship.

Timothy's battling in Ephesus and Paul's thrown into a dungeon.

Listen, we've all kind of been there at some time in our life where we cry out to God and say why you know why is this happening?

And Paul's got to write a letter.

He's got to write to Timothy because Timothy's supposed to carry on the torch for Christ.

He's got to pass the baton, if you will, to Timothy.

So what do you say in a time like this?

I mean, what would you write to your daughter or your son?

How would you encourage them?

Well, he's not going to be able to say well, this is some sweet life.

We signed up for Great traveling perks, stellar accommodation, everybody loves us and supports us.

Certainly can't write that.

Let's find out how.

How is he able to write what he writes?

That's what we want to focus on Now.

Remember, second, timothy is a little different from the other letters.

That he's right.

It can feel a little disjointed, it jumps around a bit.

It's a bumpy ride, understandably.

Yet between all of that there's a reflective, heartfelt, beautiful, emotional letter.

That there's a reflective, heartfelt, beautiful, emotional letter.

And, by the way, don't forget this, this letter is for us too.

This letter is for us too.

So enough of the front porch, let's get into the house already.

So you look at 2 Timothy.

There's a lot of points and a lot of thoughts you can extract from 2 Timothy, but I settled in on three that kept jumping out at me, so I'd like to zero in on just these three points.

The first point is you'll see that Paul reminds Timothy repeatedly about his faith.

He keeps reminding Timothy of this faith that is in him, I think, because that's what's going to get Timothy through all the trials, timothy through all the trials.

And I also think that Paul is maybe steadying himself when he's reminding Timothy of his faith and what it is for himself to get through everything.

So that's the first point Timothy's faith and our faith reminding us about that.

The second point I want to make is Paul keeps telling and keeps letting Timothy know that troubles are ahead in the Christian life.

It's inevitable there are going to be troubles.

Things are not going to be smooth and he lets Timothy know this.

That's the second point.

The third point is how do we shore up one's faith?

Yeah, there's faith in Timothy, but how do we stir it up?

How do we fan it into flame?

What is the means for us that we can do that, that we can shore up our faith, that can get us through these trials in life?

So Paul tells us the means or the source to keep those flames of faith burning.

So those are the three points.

So 2 Timothy, chapter 1.

2 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

So almost immediately in 2 Timothy, he reminds Timothy of his faith.

That's our point number one and he does it in such a heartfelt way.

Look at chapter 1, and we're going to look at verses 5 and 6.

Timothy says I mean, paul says this.

Timothy says I mean Paul says this I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother, lois, and in your mother, eunice, and now, I'm convinced, is in you also.

Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.

I, like the NIV translation says fan into flame the gift of God, or the King James version stir up that gift of God.

So the first thing Paul wants Timothy to do is to think about his faith.

He doesn't want Timothy to get discouraged.

He doesn't want the difficulties that Timmy's facing in Ephesus to extinguish his faith.

Paul wants him to remember his faith and fan it into a flame again, and also make note of this.

This is a great place for us to start.

If we're ministering to somebody that's going through a difficult time, remind them of that strong faith that's in them.

Fan it into flame for them.

So Paul says I recall your sincere faith, timothy, and the gift that you received from God.

I was there, timothy, I laid my hands on you when you received the gift.

I'm convinced it's in you.

So how is Timothy to kindle a fresh fan into flame, this faith that Paul is talking about?

I mean, things are difficult in Ephesus.

It's become hard to hold the line for Christ.

People are pushing back, deserting his teaching, quarrels bickering, causing dissension in the church.

Paul says, timothy, don't focus on that right now.

Paul says focus on whom you believe in and what he has done.

Focus on the power that's in you.

Look at verse 7 of chapter 1.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and sound judgment, for God has not given us a spirit of timidity.

Another translation says Timothy, did you forget that when you first believed in Christ, the Spirit of God took up residence in you?

And what kind of spirit did God send to you?

He didn't send a spirit of timidity to make you feel frightened or to take away your courage or your confidence.

No, no, timothy, god's given us a spirit of power, a spirit of love, a spirit of sound judgment.

This sounds very much like Romans 8.15, which says For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.

So the negative of what the Holy Spirit is not is it's not a spirit that causes you to be fearful.

Okay, so what kind of spirit is given us by Christ?

Well, we'll stay in Romans.

For that, we'll go to Romans 15.

Romans, chapter 15 and 13.

Romans 15 · chapter mention

This is what Paul writes Now in 2 Timothy 1.7.

The Spirit God gave you is not a timid spirit, but a spirit that gives you hope and overflows.

Even in tough times you have so much hope that it just overflows out of you.

Think about that, timothy.

And to drive that point home, paul reiterates it again in the next verse, verse 8.

So don't be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me as prisoner.

Instead, share in the suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.

Paul says come on, timothy, don't be afraid.

You don't have a spirit of timidity.

Don't be ashamed of my circumstances, but lean in here with me.

Share in my suffering, paul.

How am I supposed to do that?

Well, keep reading in verse 8.

It's at the end Relying on the power of God.

Don't rely on your power, timothy, but God's.

And then this little section here is wrapped up by Paul in this glorious confession of faith we just sang about it.

Paul says in verse 12, and that's why I suffer these things of, and that's why I suffer these things, but I'm not ashamed because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he's able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.

Why, paul?

Why do you suffer these things?

Everyone in Asia is deserted, yet People's deserted you that you depended on here in Rome.

Paul, how do you do it?

How do I maintain my faith and hope?

Well, it's because I know who I believe in and I am persuaded Some translations say I am convinced.

Another way to say it is I'm completely certain that he is able to guard what I've entrusted to him.

I think paul is saying I know who I believe in and I'm certain he's able to guard, to protect, to defend, to take care of what I've entrusted to him.

I don't have to worry about my outcome because I'm certain, without a doubt, that he'll guard my life, my faith, until that day.

I don't have to make sure of it, I don't have to guard it because I've entrusted my faith.

Until that day, I don't have to make sure of it.

I don't have to guard it because I've entrusted my faith and my life to him and I'm convinced that he's more than capable of guarding it until that day.

That day refers to the returning of Christ.

That day, isn't this really Philippians 1.6?

Look at Philippians 1.6.

He says I am sure of there it is again.

I'm persuaded, I'm convinced right, I am sure of this that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Also, look at 1 Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 23 and 24.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit, soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He who calls you is faithful, he will do it.

Wow, now those are words to hold to when you're going through trials.

Look at that, he himself.

I love that, and may your whole spirit, soul and body be kept sound and blameless when Now Not necessarily at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ who calls you, he is faithful, he will do it.

He who calls you will not abandon you.

Why would he call you to believe, call you out of darkness and then abandon you?

I don't think he will do do it.

I will be presented blameless in the day of Christ.

I was dead, but he called me to life.

He called me like he called Lazarus.

He will do it.

That's what Paul is convinced of and that is why he maintains through suffering.

Look at, you don't have to turn there, but if, if, you want to, it's Jude 24.

I'm going to read it Now to him.

Who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory without blemish and with great joy.

Wow, he's going to make a stand in the presence of God's glory and we won't have any blemish.

We'll have his righteousness, and with great joy.

I'm not sure if it's the great joy of his showing us or if he's joy to present us to God.

So, paul, how do I do that?

How do I become convinced that he's going to guard me?

How do I become, you know, persuaded?

Keep reading Timothy, verse 13 and 14.

Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me.

In the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Timothy, retain, hold on to recollect what I've been teaching you.

That's how you shore up the faith.

You've got to keep your head in the Word.

That's our point number three.

When things are going difficult, go to the Word.

Hold fast to true Christian teaching.

Guard that good deposit in you, but not in your own strength.

Look what it says at the end of that verse.

Guard it through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Now, most of chapter two is a litany of instructions for Timothy.

So, verse 14, remind them of these things.

Verse 15, be diligent.

Verse 16, avoid worldly and empty chatter.

Verse 22, refuse foolish and ignorant speculations.

Verse 15, be diligent.

Verse 16, avoid worldly and empty chatter.

Verse 22, refuse foolish and ignorant speculations.

Verse 24, do not be quarrelsome, be kind to all.

Verse 25, with gentleness, correct those who are in opposition.

Then, starting in chapter 3.

And then for nine straight verses, paul gives it to Timothy straight.

He doesn't sugarcoat it.

He lets him know that hard times are coming.

That's our point number two.

Tough times are inevitable.

So look at verse one, but know this hard times will come in the last days.

Oh, great Hard times are coming.

I feel like I'm in hard times.

So then there's a list, a long list, starting in verse 2, a list of vices, 19 negative character traits and behavior in four verses.

The list ends in verse 5 with this three-word sentence avoid these people.

And then verse 8 says they are men who are corrupt in mind and worthless in regard to the faith.

Drop down to verse 10.

Paul makes a contrast between those degenerate men in those verses, one to nine, and Timothy.

He turns to Timothy and says you're not like those men.

You are not worthless in regard to the faith like them.

In verse 11, he comes back to the point number two about suffering.

He reminds Timothy.

He says, timothy, you were with me through all those trials.

He reminds Timothy, at the end of verse 11, what persecutions I endured and yet the Lord rescued me from them all.

Okay, a little encouragement, but then right back to the persecution.

Paul keeps the pedal to the metal.

Verse 12, a very famous verse about what to expect in the Christian life.

It says, in fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Again, that's our point number two.

This goes hand in hand with the Christian life persecution.

He doesn't say some of the Christians may be persecuted.

Paul says all and will be.

And just in case, timothy, you thought that maybe down the road things will turn around and get a little better, paul says in verse 13, evil people and imposters will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.

The NASB says but evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse.

Timothy, don't expect things to get better.

They're going to get worse, paul, what's Timothy to do?

Just grit his teeth and bear it.

No, come back to point number three again how to shore up that faith, how to fan it into a flame.

Stay in the word, timothy, verse 14.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed.

You know those who taught you and verse 15, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

How great is that?

That's the ballast in our ship that holds us through the storms of life, to give you stability so you don't get tossed here and there.

Continue in what you've learned, keep reminding yourself of what you have learned and whom you have learned from beloved.

This is why it is so important to stay under sound preaching that holds a high regard for Bible teaching.

Do you know how blessed we are to be able to come to this church where they have a high regard for biblical teaching?

That's not common, that's rare.

We are truly blessed.

And our worship we referred to it before.

They're hymns we sing.

We're basically singing the Bible.

Forgive me, I digress.

Paul doesn't digress, though.

He stays on point.

He continues to drive the importance of the word.

Our point number three.

Look at it.

Verses one and two of chapter four.

Verses one and two of chapter four.

I solemnly charge you before God in Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of his appearing in his kingdom, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and teaching.

I solemnly charge you Solemnly.

We don't use that in our vernacular today.

What's Paul saying?

Timothy, I'm placing you under a serious obligation before God and Jesus, who ultimately judge everyone.

Preach the word.

I don't think you can get a stronger command from Paul than that.

Timothy, your congregation's pushing back.

They're questioning your authority.

They're questioning your teaching.

They're bickering.

They're talking amongst themselves about this and questioning your teaching.

They're bickering, they're talking amongst themselves about this and that, and some are teaching hypocrisy.

But you, timothy, you preach the Word.

I solemnly charge you.

You preach it, whether the people like it or not.

You correct them, you rebuke them.

Also, encourage them with patience and not being just critical, but teach them.

Verse 3 and 4, though, basically say they're not going to want to hear it, and verse 5 says it really doesn't matter what they want to do.

Timothy, exercise self-control.

Look at verse 5.

But as for you, exercise self-control in everything.

Endure hardship.

Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Don't get crazy, timothy.

Don't lose your temper.

Don't get sideways, thrown off track.

Exercise self-control.

And then I love the last words from Paul.

They're so direct Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

That's it.

Do the work, timothy.

Do your job, finish the work.

I think this subject maybe triggered something within Paul to think about his own ministry, as he's telling Timothy to do the work to fulfill his evangelistic obligations and to fulfill his ministry.

I think it's tricked something in Paul, because the next 13 verses, from 6 to 8 to the end of the letter, except for a couple of greetings and closing, is filled with a lot of pathos, sadness.

Listen to verses 6, 7, and 8, as he's just reminded Timothy about his ministry and fulfilling it.

Paul says for I'm already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is close.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but to all those who have loved his appearing.

Now, as I said in the beginning, this letter is a little disjointed.

It jumps around a bit, understandably so, in verses 9, and then it skips to verse 11, and then it skips to verse 11,.

Paul has some last requests the request of a dying man who is alone in a dark dungeon 12 feet underground with criminals and it doesn't smell really well.

He's on death row and he knows it.

So what are the four things that you would ask for in this situation, four critical things that you would want.

What does Paul want?

What are the four things that are foremost in his mind and his heart?

Well, look at verse 9.

The first thing Make every effort to come to me soon.

He doesn't say hey, timothy, you think you might get a couple of days off.

You can come down and see me.

Make every effort to come to me soon.

That makes sense.

Makes sense.

He'd want to see his dearly loved son to come to him.

One more time.

He reiterates it in verse 21.

It just kind of throws it in there, kind of at the end, where the greetings are hey, make every effort to come before winter.

Not only does he want to see Timothy, but he wants Timothy to bring somebody.

But he wants Timothy to bring somebody.

In verse 11, he says Only Luke is with me.

Bring Mark with you, for he is useful to me in the ministry.

So first, timothy, you come.

Second, bring Mark.

What else, paul, what else do you need?

Verse 13, when you come, bring the cloak I left in Troas with Carpus.

The third thing Paul wants is his cloak.

In the Greek that means a warm, thick traveler's cloak, possibly hooded.

Had to throw that in there because I'm in the fashion business.

Winter is close coming.

Nothing worse than shivering in a damp, cold dungeon unable to get warm.

He's asking Timothy to go several days out of his way because Troas is not on the way to Rome.

Okay, paul, I'll make every effort to come to you.

I'm going to bring Mark.

I'm going to stop off in Troas, I'm going to stop at Carpus' house.

I'm going to pick up your cloak.

Is there anything else you need from Carpus or anything else you left behind in Troas?

Have you ever been asked this scenario If you were on a deserted island and only had one album you could bring, what would you bring?

Or if you were on a deserted island and you only could bring one book, what would that book be?

Well, I believe the next thing Paul asked for, the fourth thing he requests Timothy to bring, is the most important.

That's obvious.

This will be obvious.

It's what he treasures the most.

It's what we all should treasure the most, and I know we do.

I believe this because it's been evident in what we've been looking at in this letter, verse 13, timothy, when you come, bring the cloak I left in Troas with Carpus, as well as the scrolls, especially the parchments.

What is this?

Some translations say books, especially the parchments.

Books, especially the parchment.

Scholars agree that the books or scrolls are either notes or maybe letters he started or parts of scripture, but the parchments and this was written on more expensive paper, long, lasting paper the most likely is sacred scripture.

So Paul left some important stuff at Corpus's house his traveler's cloak for winter and the books in the parchment with God's word written on them.

Cloak for winter and the books in the parchment with God's word written on them.

Look.

Paul's saying Timothy, look, I'm no different, I'm like you.

My faith, in these conditions can start to be like embers in a dying fire.

I need my cloak wrapped around me for warmth and I need God's word to envelop me and warm my soul so I can fan into flame my faith.

I need the word Timothy, into flame my faith.

I need the word Timothy.

Bring the word, bring the book, especially the parchments.

In the few last verses Paul comments on his trial when no one stood by him and all deserted him, but the Lord stood with him.

He also lets Timothy know that the Lord will rescue him from every evil work and bring him safely to heaven.

And then there's a few greetings and this letter comes to an end.

Chronologically, this is the last letter we have from Paul.

According to early Christian tradition not the New Testament Paul was executed in Rome during the reign of Nero, around AD 64 to 67.

Somewhere.

Tradition holds that Paul was beheaded rather than crucified.

As a Roman citizen, paul had the legal right to a quicker and less degrading execution, but biblically this is all we have.

His story ends here.

We don't know if Timothy ever made it to Paul before his death.

So what are we to make of this?

This last scene we have Paul's life.

Paul's life is this he's alone.

People that he spent time pouring into time and effort hoping that they'd support him in time of need deserted him when he needed them the most.

He was abandoned.

He most likely is on death row.

I mean he wrote I'm already being poured out as a drink offering.

The time of my departure is close.

He's in the most terrifying prison condition 12 feet underground stone walls everywhere, no windows, a less than efficient sanitation system, damp, dark and cold dungeon with criminals.

This is where the great apostle of God ends up Seemingly like a tube of toothpaste with everything squeezed out of it.

Yet he's in good company.

We know of someone else who was abandoned and deserted by his friends in his most needful hour alone, abandoned with criminals.

And because of that man and what he did on the cross, paul's able to have hope that overflows out of him even in his distress.

What seems like to the world a most pitiful ending is the most glorious shout to those who are in Christ.

In Paul's highest pinnacle of fleshly distress and despair, his faith appears at its highest.

He is confidently affirms that God is his Redeemer, all the way to the end, because I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to him until that day.

All the glory is to God.

Oh God, thank you for the Apostle Paul and the work that you did.

In the chief of all sinners, you show how great your love is and that it's all you, god, you who called us, will do it.

Oh Lord, may we have the faith and trust, as we go through our trials, to overflow with hope, no matter what, so that we would bring you glory.

I pray this in Jesus' name Amen.