Faithful Examples

Intro: Faith lived out. Stop for a moment and think about some people in your life that you are thankful for today that encourage you, sustain you, and lift you up. Maybe with good advice. Maybe just their presence when you’re down. Brothers and sisters that point you to Jesus through their words and their actions.

Now, stop for a minute and do some self-examination: Am I one of those type of people? Is my example one that people look to? And what can I do to grow to be one of those people?

CTS: Cultivate a dependence on the Lord and those that He gives to us to carry us to the end.

READ 2 TIMOTHY 4:9-22

Background:

Paul in this text is giving final personal instructions to Timothy. As the letter closes, he has some personal requests of Timothy. Why? Because Paul, as saintly as we might view him, is a man. A man who is has needs like we all do. Let us not so separate the spiritual from the physical. As a matter of fact, the physical is woven into our spiritual lives. The senses that God gives us, the hunger we have, the touch we feel, the sounds we hear, the things we see, all of these things are part of our God-given makeup. The questions we should be asking ourselves more often, is how our theology informs the day-to-day, moment-by-moment.

Paul stands here as an example to us, to remind us of the earthy needs that we have, and how important they are to our flourishing and to our endurance to the end. We need friends. We need clothes. We need food. We need books. John Stott says it like this: “When our spirit is lonely, we need friends. When our body is cold, we need clothing. When our mind is bored, we need books. To admit this is not unspiritual; it is human.”

So we must cultivate a dependence on God’s good gifts, pray for them, and encourage them in our lives.

I. Faithful Disciples (1, 13, 21a)

The first mention of need that we see in this text, and in essence drives the whole ending of this text, is Paul’s need of companionship found in his spiritual son Timothy. The request is clear. Do your best to come soon in verse 9. As we have spent many weeks talking about Timothy, this spiritual son was a disciple of Jesus, and a disciple of Paul. Paul took him under this wing, and Timothy became that spiritual son that traveled with Paul, ministered with Paul, and was sent by Paul to continue that gospel work.

Paul desired his presence. Paul desired for him to bring some basic necessities. A warm cloak, no doubt going to be needed when winter came and he was sitting in the dark damp prison he was in. He wanted the scrolls and the parchments, are, in essence, the books to encourage him. We don’t know for sure, but it could have been the OT, other writings he wrote, and blank parchments to write more.

Regardless, we see that Timothy was the one he wanted to help fulfill these needs. He knew Timothy wouldn’t fail in doing what he asked. He knew how important these things were for Paul. But above all, he wanted the presence of this faithful disciple he made, a spiritual son that he could see one more time before his death.

Application: This is a great model of discipleship.

Invite someone into your life, and have them be present with you as you model what it means to be a Christian. Do you have the gift of encouraging people with your presence? Take someone with you to do that alongside of you. As you pray, model prayer in front of them. As you proclaim Jesus, bring someone alongside you to show them how to share Jesus. As you parent, invite younger men and women into your life, a young married couple, and let them see what it looks like to raise up children in the way of the Lord. Let them see your flaws, your successes, and show them what it means to live like a Spirit-filled, grace-needy, dependent on Jesus disciple of the Lord.

Teach them. Not only do you show, but you also speak and teach them what it means to be a Christian. Show them and teach them how to read their Bible. Read the Bible with them. Teach them how to pray. Teach them what we believe and why we believe it. You don’t need a seminary degree. You just need a willing and submissive heart to the Great Commission. Teach them what you know. Learn what you don’t know together.

Send them. And the goal of making disciples is then to encourage those whom we disciple to be disciplemakers themselves. Pray for them, encourage them, exhort them. Be their biggest fan. As Paul was Timothy’s mentor, you should be that go-to mentor for them, praying alongside them, lifting them up, and celebrating their successes and how God uses them.

Transition: Timothy reminds us of what it looks like to invest our lives into others to disciple them, that they become our spiritual sons and daughters. But we also see the need for others in our lives that are our faithful friends. These may not be like our spiritual sons, but we need faithful brothers and sisters in Christ to carry us to the end.

II. Faithful Friends (10-16, 19-21)

Paul then begins to go into the reasoning of his desire to see Timothy. This is the reality of the Christian life. There will be times of extreme loneliness. Some will be because of hurtful actions, and some just because the reality of life sends people away from us. But Paul is lonely, and there have been a couple in particular that have made life harder and lonelier for Paul.

The unfaithful

Paul begins in verse 9 to speak of one that was formally faithful but has abandoned him. Demas. He is mentioned twice in the NT, and in those verses, he was a close associate or a fellow worker: (Colossians 4:14, Philemon 24).

Colossians 4:14 ESV

14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.

Philemon 24 ESV

24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

This must have been incredibly painful for Paul. The turn from faithful to unfaithful was the reason of falling in love with the present world. Rather than stick with Paul, he left him. Why? The going got tough. Living for Christ brought sacrifice, persecution, and even potential death. The world was too important for Demas. This reminds us that sometimes, those that even serve alongside of us will depart from the Lord and go after the world. This can cause hurt and pain and even loneliness. We should be watchful and encourage one another to endure for Christ, even when its tough.

Another person that is found to be unfaithful is actually an outright enemy of Paul. Alexander. A couple of people named Alexander are mentioned in both 1 Timothy and Acts, but since it was a very common name then, we can’t say with any certainty that these are the same. But, from context, its highly likely that Alexander was responsible in outing Paul and leading to his second arrest, the one that he is currently under. He opposed the message of the Gospel so much that he did all that he could in getting Paul and his followers arrested. He succeeded. Paul warns Timothy of him, maybe because of the place that Paul is asking Timothy to pick up his coat is in Troas, a likely place of his arrest. He’s warning him to watch out for him as he travels.

The faithful

But Paul lists a lot of names here in this text, and most of them are positive. Outside of Demas and Alexander, Paul recounts the faithful men and women in his life. He is not negative with these people. Some understandably couldn’t be with him because of distance or they weren’t allowed to be with him in his time of need at his trial. But here we see FOURTEEN people that Paul relies on to be faithful.

Crescens - not found in the rest of the NT, but obviously a worker Paul sent to minister in Galatia.

Titus - another one of Paul’s sons in the faith, and has a NT letter written to him. He apparently finished his work in Crete and was sent to Dalmatia to minister there.

Luke - one of Paul’s closest companions and friends. He essentially was Paul’s right hand man, a friend and physician to him until his death. He wrote the Gospel of his namesake and also the book of Acts, where you will find “we” being used in reference to himself and Paul moving about. Faithful friends like Luke are needed yet seemingly hard to come by.

Mark - Mark is mentioned in Acts as a companion to Paul and Barnabas, but apparently left them to go back home. Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them again, but Paul regarded Mark as one who abandoned them and did not want him along with them. This caused sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. Yet we find that Mark is restored in his relationship to Paul. Paul mentions him in Colossians 4:10, Phm 24.

Colossians 4:10 ESV

10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),

Paul desires Timothy bring Mark with him to see him, for he useful to me for ministry. Where Demas stayed in his love for the world, Mark turned and repented. There are no perfect disciples, and Mark shows us that even when we fail, God can and still will use his willing and surrendered servants for His glory.

Tychicus - described twice as ‘a beloved brother and faithful minister, we see him mentioned a number of times in Paul’s letters, often bearing those letters to their respective places (Ephesians, Colossians, and Titus). He may be sending this letter to Timothy through Tychicus, and he will take Timothy’s place as he leaves. A model of faithfulness to whatever God has for them. Though it may seem small, this letter-carrier and worker of the Lord has a great impact for the Gospel and encouraged Paul greatly.

Carpus - we don’t have any other Scripture where we find Carpus, but apparently, was a friend to Paul that kept his belongings. His home may have been a place of refuge for Paul at Troas.

Priscilla and Aquilla - fellow workers of the Lord, and are vital in Acts 18 as the house where he stayed in Corinth. These two also took Apollos, a bold witness for Christ, and completed his doctrine by giving him more accuracy. This couple and this household was great encouragement to Paul and other faithful gospel ministers. Our our homes and lives encouragements to faithul gospel ministers?

Onesiphous (and his household) - Mentioned earlier in 2 Timothy, but only his household. Either he is traveling or he may have passed away. Regardless, his home was one that welcomed and encouraged Paul.

Erastus - possibly the treasurer at Corinth, a follower of Christ.

Trophemus - Another companion, but was sick. A reminder that Paul wasn’t given power to just heal anyone, only as God ga ve it to whom he willed. Sickness is not a sign of unfaithfulness.

Eubulus Pudens Linus Claudia - faithful Roman Christians from the church that encouraged Paul while he was in prison.

Application: I know that is a lot of names, but it’s a reminder of the gospel’s influence through Paul. It’s also a reminder that Paul’s work was strengthened and encouraged by friends. These are people that God put in the path of Paul to minister to and also to be ministered to by. God gives us faithful friends to support and encourage. We should strive to be like the many listed here, as faithful friends to our brothers and sisters in Christ, spurring them on in their lives to faithfulness and to gospel ministry. Friends and companionship is what we were made for, as image bearers of Christ.

Transition: The neediness that we feel, and longing and love that our hearts desire is not bad. It was how we were created. God has made us to be in relationship. God provides these faithful friends and spiritual sons and daughters to continue to lift us up, encourage, and sustain us to the end. Yet, another reality stands true. These people are exactly that; people. People are imperfect. People fail. People will fail us. Sometimes people fail us, not doing so on purpose, but because they can’t be everything at once. We are limited, and our personhood can only serve so many people at once So, we are then reminded of who is left. Who is faithful when everything and everyone passes away, when the people in our lives leave us lonely?

III. Faithful Lord (16-18, 22)

In the middle of this text, center to it is this reminder, almost praise-like in its content. Coming directly after the warning to Timothy about Alexander, we hear Paul recount the one person who is always faithful, never fails, and sustains Paul when he experienced his hardest days.

Deserted but not vindictive (16):

For whatever reason, it seems that those that were close to Paul when he was imprisoned didn’t show up by his side when he was on trial. We don’t get any indication if it was because they were ashamed of Paul. It could be that no one was able to defend him anyways. Regardless, Paul expresses his emotion. All deserted me. But he also acknowledged the frailty and failure of man. Just as man forsook Jesus, even his very own disciples, he prayed on that cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He knew that man would fail him. He probably could say the same about himself. As Christ forgave Paul, he forgave others when they failed him. Are there people in your life you need to forgive because they failed you in your time of need?

Strengthened but not forgotten (17a):

When all failed him, the one faithful one who made a promise to Him, stood beside him. Those Great Commission words rang true for Paul. The promise that God would use Paul to proclaim his name to the Gentiles. The day to day entrusting himself to the Lord and God bringing him through every single day. The promises of God strengthened Him. The Spirit of God that dwelt in Him lifted him up. And for one purpose: That all the Gentiles might hear the gospel. Paul knew, that whatever came, that promise would ring true and God would bring him through.

Rescued with nothing to fear (17b-18)

Paul was rescued from those that would try to end him. But he knew that this was temporary. He made that clear earlier in the chapter. His life was coming to an end. But he also knew that whatever came, even when death was about to come, every evil deed brought against him would fail, hell would have no hold on him, and he would be brought safely into the heavenly kingdom of His Savior. No fear. All glory belongs to Him who paid every sin debt of Paul’s and ours as well to bring us to His heavenly kingdom. Glory to the one who died for me, rose again for me, and sustains me until we see Him face to face. May our praises ring loud and forever for Him.

Grace upon grace:

The very grace that began Paul’s new birth on the road to Damascus, that he received by faith alone in Christ alone, the very same grace that He proclaimed so faithfully and without hesitation, the very same grace that sustained him in beatings, mockings, scorn, imprisonment, misrepresentation, slander, hatred, and now what will soon by his own death, is the same grace that he encourages Timothy with. The Lord be with your spirit Timothy, as he was and is with mine. The grace that of the promises of God fulfilled, may they carry you until the end. Every word that Paul commanded Timothy under the inspiration of the Spirit and is now for us to day is able to be fulfilled by the grace of God through Christ.

Conclusion: We are reminded of this today, and everyday. The Lord will stand by your side. In the good days, and the bad days, in the joyful moments, and in the throws of depression and anxiety. When your enemies surround you, and when your friends lift you up. When everyone has got your back, or when no one is there. There is always that friend that sticks closer than a brother, a Savior that died for you, raised you to life, and promised Himself to you. Jesus, our Lord. So let us be spiritual fathers and mothers to the next generation. Let’s be those friends that God puts in others paths to sustain them and encouage them. And let’s teach one another that the Lord Jesus, even when everyone else fails and everything else falls away, is always enough. Glory be to His name.

Jude 24–25 ESV

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.