Final Words

2 Timothy 4:9-22

INTRO

NOW:

18 year old Brian

all of the baptisms we’ve had

“raised to walk in a new life”

lots of benefits to this new life...

one of my favorite benefits of being a Christian is peace… rest

THEN:

Paul, in prison… his death imminent… yet he has peace because of the new life he has been given in Christ.

Paul has come a LONG way since Acts 7 & 8

until he met Jesus on that road to damascus and jesus gave him a brand new life

ALWAYS:

In the face of evil and even death, our peace is found in knowing God and the new life He gives.

READ THE TEXT

PRAYER

BODY

in our passage today we will look at 3 things that are part of the new life we receive in Christ

3 things that Paul knew… 3 things that brought Paul peace:

1. Paul knew his Partners

some of Paul’s partners have abandoned him

some have gone off to do ministry in other places

Demas (GOOD TO BAD) Col. 4:14 and end of letter to Philemon

Mark (BAD TO GOOD) Acts 15:36-40

i’ve had a lot of partners in ministry

FaceDown

Brooke

Fuge staff (Jeremy, Tim, some that have walked away… and some that were called home early like Big John and Steph)

for the past 17 years i’ve had Sidney

Paul has had lots of partners in the gospel, but above all he yearns to see his friend, Timothy. Twice he urges timothy to come soon.

Paul has set his hope on the coming of Christ but as a human, alone in prison, dealing with persecution he wants the encouragement of his friend. (2 Timothy 1:4)

Paul’s 3 needs:

timothy (companionship)

warm winter coat

books & parchment (maybe Paul’s copy of the greek OT?)

In prison and close to death, Paul wants to study. John Calvin says, “we should note that this passage commends continual reading to all godly men as a thing from which they can profit.”

in ministry there can be times of loneliness but i am thankful that along the way God gives us ministry partners to encourage us, stand with us, pray for us...

There’s peace in knowing your partners.

2. Paul knew his Purpose (vs. 17)

“so that...”

not having a purpose

“where there is no vision the people perish” prov. 29:18

Purpose Driven Life

Toy Story (purpose was to be played with by the kids)

people need to know what their purpose is

Paul was certain of his purpose (Acts 26:16-18)

Kingdom purpose trumps a worldly purpose every time

one of our core values at heritage is kingdom perspective. we have a kingdom perspective because we know we have a kingdom purpose

Paul, at the end of his life, wants to make sure his friend Timothy will carry on this kingdom purpose. throughout this letter His charge to timothy is in regards to the gospel… he has encouraged timothy to:

guard the gospel

suffer for the gospel

continue in the gospel

and proclaim the gospel

there’s peace in knowing your purpose

3. Paul knew his Protector (vs. 18)

not a release from present danger…he’s already said his time is coming to an end (vs. 6)

but an assurance of ultimate well being.... he knows perfect peace is just around the corner in the arms of his savior.

even though many of his friends had left him, and not one person came to his defense at his first trial, Paul knew his ultimate protector was Jesus. (vs. 16-18)

one commentator asks, “if this was this Paul’s Gethsemane?” his agony was of course not the same as Christ’s. but there are some similarities:

like Jesus he had to face his trial alone. (end of vs. 16 “all deserted me”) and as it is written in Mark 14 of Jesus, “they all forsook him and fled.”

and like Jesus, Paul prayed that their sin would not be “charged against them.”

and even though his friends had fled, like Jesus, Paul knew he was not alone. (John 16:32)

the father was with Jesus and in vs. 17 Paul says, the Lord, Jesus, stood by him and strengthened him.

and what happened? because the Lord was there, Paul was able to clearly share the gospel so that all the gentiles in attendance could hear it!

able to accomplish his purpose because there is peace in knowing your protector

CONCLUSION

In the face of evil and even death, our peace is found in knowing God and the new life He gives.

paul knew this peace… and part of that peace came from knowing

his partners

his purpose

and his protector

paul ends this letter in verse 18 saying “to him be the glory forever and ever”

and then in vs. 22 his last words to timothy are “grace be with you.”

when reading through his letters in the new testament, i believe you will find that Grace is undoubtably Paul’s favorite word

how appropriate because these two words, grace and glory define Paul’s life...

paul received grace from jesus and then lived the rest of his life to give glory back to Him

church family.... this morning, i want you to know… that

we have received grace.

we have received a new life.

and we ought to live to bring God glory.

grace to us… glory to him

PRAYER