Personal Closing

Pastorals: Message Thirty-Eight

2 Timothy 4:19-22

ETS: Paul closed the letter with a personal touch.

ESS: We can observe the personal connections of Paul from this conclusion.

OSS: [MO: Ethical] {SO: I want the hearers to be intentional with developing close relationships with others.}

PQ: How did Paul close the letter?

UW: Ways

Intro.: Tenth Avenue North released a song a few years ago entitled, “No Man is an Island.” The chorus is as follows: “

No man is an island, we can be found No man is an island, let your guard down! You don't have to fight me, I am for you We're not meant to live this life alone! Oh, oh, oh, oh!”

Paul had a grasp on the importance of relationships and partnerships. Throughout the letter of 2 Timothy, he maintained a personal tone and point of view as he wrote to Timothy near the end of his own life. The closing of the letter not only affirms the personal nature of Paul and Timothy’s relationship, but it also reveals the close relationship that Paul had with others.

TS: Let us examine together the ways that Paul concluded the letter:

Paul concluded with a personal greeting. (vv. 19 and 21b)

Pisca (Priscilla) and Aquila- “devoted Christian couple who planted churches and nurtured believers wherever their many travels took them.” (Lea, 259) They were partners in the Gospel, first mentioned in Acts 18:2.

The household of Onesiphorus- another partner in the Gospel who was mentioned in 2 Tim. 1:16-18.

Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers likely referred to church leaders whom Paul was acquainted with and who were friends with Timothy.

APP.: Paul had personal partnerships and relationships of which he wished to both greet himself and to greet Timothy.

Paul concluded with a personal update. (v. 20)

Paul wanted to “pick up” from v. 12 the “explanation of the absence of these friends from his side was not due to unfaithfulness.” (Lea, 260).

Paul gave an update on both Erastus who stayed in Corinth and of Trophimus who was left behind due to sickness and Miletus.

Paul concluded with a personal plea. (v. 21a)

For the second time now, Paul urges Timothy to waste no time in coming to visit him. Scholars suggest that he specifically said “before winter” because the only way to arrive was by ship, and the Mediterranean was closed to transportation from November to March (Lea, 261; Kostenberger, 288)

Paul concluded with a personal benediction. (v. 22)

A benediction by definition is, “the utterance or bestowing of a blessing, especially at the end of a religious service.” (Oxford Web Dictionary)

This benediction was twofold: first, it was a personal benediction over Timothy- the “your” in the first portion is singular, referring only to Timothy; the second “you” is plural, referring to the church.

Firstly, Paul prayed specifically for God to strengthen Timothy with His presence through the Holy Spirit. “He wished that the Lord might strengthen Timothy personally so that the younger leader might faithfully discharge his task (see Gal 6:18). Only the strong presence of the Lord could sustain the hesitant disciple in the face of the suffering and opposition that lay ahead.” (Lea, 261)

Secondly, he prayed a general blessing of God’s grace be with all people acknowledging that every person is in need of God’s grace at every moment in their lives.

CONCLUSION:

Paul was a man who personally had many partners or friends in the ministry. We, too, must be people who intentionally surround ourselves with friends in the ministry. WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE. What hinders you from partnering with someone in the ministry? Let’s pray now, as Paul prayed, for a special strengthening of God over our friends, and for God’s grace to reign over all people.