Cast of Characters
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Diligence
Diligence
Diligence is a quality that the serving Christian needs and before us this morning we will see some great examples of such from Paul’s life in mission field, in ministry.
9 Be diligent to come to me quickly;
(Insert Be Diligent Picture Here)
Consider the word diligent, what does it mean?
Diligent: (adj) having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties.
(Slowing emphasis the below questions)
Having the definition of diligent, when you look at your life are you diligent? Would others say by your actions that you are diligent?
To Timothy Paul said be diligent
9 Be diligent to come to me quickly;
We have seen that before too about being diligent
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.
Becoming a Christian does not take diligence it takes faith to receive grace so that you can diligently walk in your faith.
(Transition) Diligence is not the focus of the message this morning, but the results of being diligent we see Paul’s cast of characters which we started with last week and will finish up this amazing letter today, Lord willing.
As way of reminder here are the ones we looked at, mentioned last week.
Demas who had forsaken Paul and went back into the world (2Tim4:10)
Crescens - Faithful, sent by Paul to Galatia (2Tim4:10)
Titus: Sent to Crete (2Tim4:10; Tit1:5)
Luke: Who was with Paul in Rome (2Tim4:11)
Mark: Who had left the mission field at one time from Paul and now Paul considers useful (2Tim4:11)
(Transition) - We have seen the apostate, the faithful, the restored and now may we continue to look at our cast of characters today and some closing thoughts.
Paul’s cast of characters
Paul’s cast of characters
Paul could not do the work alone. Smart is the man who enlists the help of others to accomplish the work of the Lord.
12 But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.
Tychicus (2Tim4:12; Act20:4; Eph6:21-22; Col4:7-8; Tit3:12)
He was a believer from province of Asia
act20:4 “4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.”
Was with Paul in first imprisonment (ref: Eph5:21-22; Col4:7-8)
He was a relief person sent to Crete to relieve Titus
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
And from our passage now was being sent to Timothy to relieve him to come to Paul.
Ask yourself, am I a Tychicus, someone willing to be a relief person for others?
(Expand: Teach, preach, lead, etc.)
Carpus (2Tim4:13)
13 When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.
We can know that he was hospitable and trusted.
Paul more than likely had to leave the hospitality of Carpus quickly and why left books and parchments behind
What can we learn from him? That even little tasks, taking care of someone’s possessions, is important as is being hospitable to one another.
Ask yourself, am I faithful with things that people have entrusted to me and am a hospitable person?
Alexander (2Tim4:14; 1Tim1:20.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
We can know that he did much harm to Paul, what harm we do not know.
We can know that the Lord will repay, reward him for his deeds/works.
Faithfulness can be faithful to evil things too. Satan is faithful and has many followers who are workers of iniquity too.
Is this the Alexander noted in 1Tim1:20
20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.
We do not know for sure if the same one, Alexander was a common name. But it could be.
Lesson from Alexander, Our words and our deeds matter so be sure what, who you are being faithful too, for one day you will give an account.
5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
Those who malign you will give an account to the ready judge!
Priscilla (Prisca) and Aquila (2Tim4:19; Act18:1-3, 24-28; Rom16:3-4; 1Cor16:19)
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
From here we know they are friends of Paul, but not much more but I think we need to look at the character of them.
They were faithful workers (Act18:1-3) and faithful servants (Act18:24-28)
1 After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them,
3 and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers.
So, just from these verses we know they were tent makers like Paul and that Paul stayed with them.
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John;
26 and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace,
28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
They were great husband/wife servants who worked privately to teach the truth and it had a mighty impact for the kingdom.
They even hosted church in their home
19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
and at great risk even
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;
Onesiphorus (2Tim4:19, 2:1)
19 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila and those living in the household of Onesiphorus.
We can know he is a family man
We have previously seen him before
16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains;
He was one who encouraged (refreshed) Paul, and did so while he was in prison (in chains)
Question to yourself, am I an Onesiphorus who is an encourager, a faithful family person and not ashamed of others life circumstances?
Erastus (2Tim4:20; Rom16:23; Act19:22)
20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.
We know he was in Corinth and Paul trusted him to minister there
He could be the treasurer there
23 Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.
And he could be the man who was with Timothy in Macedonia
22 And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
So, what we can know is he was faithful, he was trusted and he was willing
Ask yourself, can you be considered faithful, trustworthy and willing?
Trophimus (2Tim4:20; Act20:4; Act21:28-29)
20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.
We can know he was sick in Miletus, the place where Paul met the Ephesian elders.
He was a friend to Tychicus
4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.
Who was with Paul when the riots were incited in Jerusalem, and he was a Gentile.
28 crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.
(Transition) Some cast of characters, but there is still others, not mentioned, but one that is and we will finish with some thoughts on the rest.
Closing thoughts on cast of characters.
Closing thoughts on cast of characters.
There are those who are mentioned we know nothing about and it does not make them any less worthy of mention, but there is one we cannot but mention too.
21 Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
Eubulus, Pudens, Linus and Claudia are with Paul in Rome in prison, beyond that we know nothing.
The One who must be mentioned.
17 But 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; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth.
18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul had confidence that the Lord stood with him (v.17)
Expand on this, we may feel alone at times, but we are not
Paul knew he was a servant in which the message was preached through
Expand, we too can be vessels of honor for the Lord in which the gospel can be lived out and shared, proclaimed through.
Paul knew the Lord would deliver him (v.18)
Expand there is much evil, darkness in the world, but God protects and delivers those who are His!
Finally, Paul’s final desire
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
The final words are for your very soul, that grace be with you.
(invitation slide - find one, grace be with you)
(Song) (Prayer)