2 Timothy 4:1-22 - Series on the Epistles of Paul (127)

Well, good evening, brethren. Tonight, the study which concludes 2 Timothy, it is actually a very important study, as they all are, but I want to put this conclusion of the 2nd epistle or 2nd letter to Timothy in a very practical day-to-day application for us today. And so, let's look briefly at the background. Paul was in prison, as we know now, for the 2nd time, and he knows that his time was short and he would be executed soon.

And so, this book was probably the last book he wrote or the 2nd last, depending whether it was Hebrews, the last book he wrote. So, we're really not sure.

But this letter was definitely one of the last opportunities that he had to write to Timothy and it's recorded.

As we conclude this letter, we see that then he wanted Timothy to join him in Rome. As we conclude that, we'll see that.

But he wanted to give some practical warnings as far as preaching and as being a teacher or a minister to Timothy. And those practical warnings apply to us all in general terms, but it applies specifically to all ministers.

And basically, his warning is about trials to come. There would be trials and challenges to come. And so, the focus here of Timothy, a bigger part of Paul in this letter to Timothy, is that he mainly focuses on trials that will come on the church and on the ministry from other people. And quite often, it seems to indicate that it comes from our own members in the church.

And so, it does give the implication here that sometimes members in the church will stop being faithful ministers and will deviate.

And that could be a serious warning for us because if it happened in the past, it could very well happen again.

And so, we want to look at this because we're going to be, we need to be very careful about what happened. And quite often, what happens is because Satan wants to destroy the church and wants to destroy us all.

And so, we've got to be careful with this. We see, for instance, in Revelation 12, verse 12.

Let's just quickly turn to Revelation 12, verse 12.

That Satan was very angry. There was this describes this war in heaven that Michael fought against Satan.

And then we see in verse 12, therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you dwell in them.

Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, for the devil has come upon you, having great wrath, because he knows he has a short time.

So, whether that war in heaven already happened or is soon to happen, the point is, if it's already happened, he is really coming to us with a great wrath.

But if it's soon to happen, he is already anticipating that and he's already building up, which I think is most probably the situation today.

And so, we also see in Acts chapter 20, when Paul, at the end of his third missionary trip, and when he stopped in Miletus, and then he asked for the elders from Ephesus to come and see him.

So, we see that in Acts chapter 20, in verse 30, where he says, where he's warning them that some people come to not spitting the flock, not spitting the church.

And he says, in verse 30, also, from among yourselves, man will rise up, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves.

Now, if this happened during the time of Paul, it is obviously something that will happen during our time.

And so, instead of kind of pointing fingers to people, we, and quite often sometimes we can criticize people, but we need to look at Satan and we need to be aware who the true enemy is.

So, Paul's intent as a summary in this second letter to Timothy was to make provision for the faith once delivered to the saints to continue being proclaimed, uncontaminated to future generations, and therefore to warn about the dangers to come. And that is equally applicable to us today.

So, as we look at 2 Timothy, we can see in chapter 1, in verse 7, that he says that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but God has given us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.

It is important to consider in this context a sound mind because when people deviate from the truth, they start having a mind which is no longer sound.

And God is given us a spirit of power, of outgoing concern, and of a sound mind.

Paul then encourages Timothy not to deviate from the pattern of sound words, which he has taught. We can see that in verse 13 of chapter 1. Hold fast to the pattern of sound words.

And then in the second chapter, in verse 1, then Paul is telling Timothy, therefore my son, be strong, be courageous in the grace, in this knowledge that God has given us that is in us, which is the same one that is in Christ Jesus. We've got to have that strength of grace, graciousness, and kindness towards others. We've got to be strong in that.

And then he says in verse 2 to Timothy, commit these things that you, Timothy, Paul is saying, that you have heard, commit these things to other people, to faithful men who will be able to teach others.

So he's encouraging Timothy to keep going and keep teaching. And so the application for us today is that we must be dedicated to our job, to our calling, and we have to continuously apply our minds to invest our time and efforts to continuously be remembering what Christ is doing for us and what is God's plan of salvation for us. And then a little later, in verse 9 of 2nd chapter, he says, and we've got to end your trials for the sake of the brethren.

That day, ultimately, the brethren would be saved with the great glory through Jesus Christ.

And then, continuing with this theme, and now he starts really getting to the point in verse 14 of 2nd Timothy chapter 2, he says, Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord, not to strive about words to no prophet, to the ruin of the eras.

Now, this is quite significant. So remind the brethren that trials will come from words.

You hear the words? Arguments about words. They said, or he said, or she said, or, well, this minister said, or the leaders are no good, or whatever it is.

And he says, be careful of these arguments about words and what people said and things like that. Be careful. Don't get involved in that.

Because he says, their reasoning and the bites and the disputes and that speech will only bring the spiritual damage of the audience. It was destruction of the audience. That's why he says, he says, of no prophet to the ruin of the eras.

It will accomplish nothing except the downfall of those who listen to it.

The ruin of the eras. It's not just the ruin of those that are involved in that, but it will affect those people that are there are, preaching their ears to listen to that stuff. And therefore he says in verse 16, But shan, shan, profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. In other words, avoid these saints and these things because they'll just increase to more ungodliness. People then become unkind. It reminds me of Matthew 24. He says that people then fight one against another, how with words, with unkind words. And because, you know, the iniquitous will abound, the love of many will wax cold. Imagine if this is specifically talking in the church amongst brethren. And then he says in verse 17, Be careful because this will spread like cancer. And so these things, things that people could start saying and stories, could sometimes have just one side of the story, not hearing the other side of the story. And these things become accusatory and spread like cancer. We've got to be very careful. That's why it says to the rune of the years, to the destruction of those that listen to it. And so in verse 23, he goes on a little bit further and says, avoid foolish and ignorant disputes. That means, ignorant arguments. That means people don't have all the facts. They hear one side of the story and then they get into arguments and accusations. And sometimes for privacy, some of the facts people don't need to know, but that only starts disagreements. So therefore, he says in verse 24, and a servant of the Lord God must not quarrel. In other words, we must not get involved in arguments in these things, but we need to be kind and gentle, in other words, and be able to teach patiently.

In other words, we need to be kind and patient with difficult people, because sometimes these people are difficult, and they themselves don't know. But we've got to understand that the true enemy is Satan. And that's why it says that in verse 25, correct those people in humility, because they are opposing the truth.

Well, the truth might be, obviously, God's truth, but it might also be these arguments that have things that are not fully truthful. And so pray for them, and it says, correct them in humility, that they may come to their senses. Why? So that they will not be taken captive by Satan. In other words, that they may escape the snare of the devil. You see, the real enemy behind us is Satan. And so we've got to be careful.

Now, if Paul was warning about these things to Timothy, we can extrapolate this to our age. And we need to be careful about this today, brethren, today. And then he says in chapter 3 that in the last days, it will get worse. He says, right now, at this time of the end, will get worse. People be lovers of themselves. And he says that all around, all about self, all about what is important to me, how I feel, and if anybody doesn't agree with me, I'm prepared to destroy human relationships because I'm right.

I'm right. And then they may, let's call, be traitors. In other words, throw people under the bus and use names and start saying this person, the death, and that person, the dead, without sometimes knowing all the facts. And it says these people are, verse 4, headstrong. They're very strong in their way they say things. And they can say things in ways that hurt other people. They're high-minded, they're haughty, they're puffed up. That's what Paul says, yeah, they're proud. They have words of vanity.

That's what Paul is saying, yeah, in verse 4. And then, as we read a bit further, in verse 7, always learning and never coming to the truth. Always learning, always wanting to know what, but I want to know what happened, yeah, whatever, and sometimes certain things it's better for us not to know, or they want to know some new truth. Or they want to know some new truth. And so this is what could happen in the future. That's what Paul is saying, yeah, and I would guess, based on Matthew's 24th prophecy, that this is very probable something that is going to happen in the future.

And we've got to be careful. But then he says in verse 10, but you, but you have carefully followed my doctrine, but you followed away, persevere of long suffering. And later on, in verse 12, he says, but this will happen if we are serving Christ, we will suffer persecution. It's going to happen. And in verse 13, he says, it'll get worse and worse. You get worse and worse deceiving and being deceived. False ideas, arguments, incorrect facts. It really is very, very sad. And when you consider this, that it could happen to us, because in a sense, this is prophetic. And so as now with that as a background, we get now to chapter four.

And in chapter four, I charge you therefore, it was therefore because of all of the above, because you have been given a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind, because of the training, because of the knowledge you have, because that you know that times are going to get worse and worse, because you know that these arguments will come and will get worse and spread like cancer.

And because you know God's truth, the basic truth, and we have to remain faithful to sound teaching and sound doctrine. Therefore, Paul commands us as ministers, and obviously all as members of the church commands us. He says, yeah, therefore I charge you. That's a command. That's a solemn affirmation. And also it says, yeah, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ. So it's not just from Paul, because he's a minister of Jesus Christ. And if we looked at 2 Timothy chapter one, verse one, we see Paul and apostle Jesus Christ by the will of God.

In other words, he was hand picked by God for that job, for this job. So he's saying Paul is commanding, Paul is charging, Paul is affirming to us to say the following things. And he's giving that instruction starting in verse two. But he says, I charge you, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Some Greek grammar students say that this implies the way the composition of this sentence is, that it's talking about just one person.

In other words, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, implying it's the same person. So, and then he continues. And who will judge? And so that's he, Christ, who's God and Lord, who will judge the living and the dead. In other words, he will judge the world at his appearing, at his coming and his kingdom, at the coming of his kingdom. So Christ comes, he establishes his kingdom. At that time, at the coming, that he established the kingdom, he is going to judge.

And so Paul is saying to Timothy, he has a responsibility that you, Timothy, must fulfill faithfully. And so by extension, it's a responsibility that we, as God's ministers, must fulfill faithfully. And now he lists them out. In verse 2, he lists five key, let's call it, imperatives. Five key things that it is critical that a minister of Jesus Christ sticks to. First, he says, preach the word.

In other words, proclaim the word. Formality with gravity. The word is the Bible, is what's in the Bible, it's the text. Preach it faithfully, the whole truth. Preach God's word, the Bible, not having a book review or something like that. No, you stick your nose, we stick our nose in the Bible, the word. Then he says, be ready in season and out of season. That's the second imperative. Have a sense of urgency in any situation, in season and out of season. Well, quite often we refer to in season and out of season, meaning whether it is during God's early days, in that season, or out of that season, out of God's early days.

But preach the word, be ready to preach. But it also could imply when it is opportune or when it's not opportune. In other words, when times are favorable, when times are not favorable, in other words, be prepared all the time. Then the third imperative here is, says it's convince. That means reprove, convict, have capability to put the truth in a good, clear way, in very clear and concise and convincing manner. Then it says rebuke. Rebuke means that when error is identified, one needs to correct or admonish in a kind, loving way so that that change is seen, that there is a rebuke and therefore there is a change.

It requires a response or order restitution when the error is pointed out. And so it means you admonish and you expect a change. And then number five, the fifth exhortation in verse two, is exhort. Exhort in words, beseech and courage. And so the ministry has these five responsibilities, preach, be ready, always ready, be instant, in other words, be have a sense of urgency, convince, rebuke, exhort. And for all these five imperatives, do them all with long suffering and teaching. In other words, be with long suffering and doctrine.

In other words, what is communicated, the teaching, the doctrine. We have to do that. We're teaching in the doctrine in a kind and loving way. In other words, a patient teaching, which is the most solid basis for success in the ministry. And so Yah is very important lessons for all of us in the ministry. Is these five key actions that we need to do as ministers.

Verse 3, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. The time will come when people will not endure sound teaching, wholesome, healthy.

In other words, what we receive, in other words, the gospel. They will not receive the truth. They will not endure it. Now, it's interesting that it says the time will come they will not endure, which means they had it before, but they're not enduring and now they're deviating from the truth.

In other words, we have the Christians that were faithful and now they're not enduring it anymore and they're deviating it. Maybe it could be people or the few generations deviate from the truth. Or maybe some people have been in the church for a while and they've been very faithful ministers and then after a while something they start deviating. We've got to be very careful as we, for instance, look at 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 3. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 3, we read, Let no one deceive you by any means, for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first.

And so there's a falling away. You can look at it as falling away from as the church as a whole, but you could see the falling away of individuals, of individual people falling away.

And also in 1 Timothy, and now we're now in 2 Timothy, but if you look at 1 Timothy, also chapter 4, but now verse 1 and 2, he says, Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith. It was these people that were in the faith and they departed, some departed from the faith, giving heed to different ideas. And so the point here is that people will depart, as it says in, as we read here in verse 3 of 2 Timothy chapter 4, For the time will come when they will not endure.

As we said, some will depart, there will be a falling away. So it's people that knew the truth. And suddenly they're going in some little ideas. A little idea, yeah, a little idea there. And then they go wrong. It's so sad. And he says, But according to their own desires, according to their own desires, desires which are contrary to sound doctrine, they stopped seeking God's will and now they're seeking their own will. And then he says, Because they have itching ears. In other words, they want to listen to other things. They will heap up for themselves teachers.

Turn to many teachers, many ideas that start cropping up, even in the church of God community. It is quite concerning. An interesting scripture, Yah, is in Ezekiel chapter 33. Ezekiel chapter 33. And it's an interesting prophecy. Yah, in Ezekiel chapter 33. 32, 33 verse 32. Ezekiel 33 verse 32. Or let's start in verse 31. So they come to you as people do. They sit before you as my people. They hear your words. But they do not do them. For with their mouth they shall much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.

Doesn't that look so similar to what we're reading in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 3? And he says, indeed you are to them as a very lovely song. Oh, it was such a good sermon. And one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument. For they hear your words, but they do not do them. And then verse 33. And when this comes to pass, surely it'll come. Then they will know that a prophet has been amongst them. So it's sad that this will happen.

Very, very sad. And so continuing now in verse 4. And they will turn their years away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. They will turn their years away from the truth. Again, it shows they knew the truth, but they now they turn their years away from the truth. This is very sad, brethren. And as we live in this age and we will probably see more of this, that is very sobering indeed.

And when it says they will turn their years, it means they deliberately position their years in a way that they can't hear the truth. And it says they turn aside to fables. In other words, things that are presented or shaped as truth, but they're not truth. Maybe a more current word, which has a similar meaning. I'm not saying that the root of the word is the same, but in semantics, there's a similar meaning.

Meaning is a word that we would say they turn to fake news, to fake things. You know, they turn to fables, to things that are presented as truth, but they're not truth. So they have, in a sense, a conceptual overlap. They both carry an idea of a crafted or constructed narrative. And so we've got to be careful because people follow those ideas. And this is, therefore, Paul is saying to Timothy, be mindful that many will eventually fall away. And as he gave five imperatives, in verse 2, he says, preach the word, be ready, be convinced, rebuke, exhort.

Now, in verse 5, he adds another four imperatives because, considering that we are mindful that many will fall away, he says in verse 5, but you be, and he has additional four. Be watchful. It's the six of these ones that he has, of a total of nine. So this first one in this verse, be watchful, be sober in the words, be calm, be collected in spirit, be temperate.

Maybe a word that we use today is, you know, be cool, be temperate, be sober, be watchful, be alert. The second one that he brings out in verse 5 is endure afflictions. In other words, there's going to be evils, hardships, troubles, endure. We got endure. And then the third one, he says, do the work of an evangelist.

An evangelist is one that brings good news. Doesn't say that you are going to be a evangelist or the evangelist, no, but do the work of one that brings good news. And so a pastor should be one that tries to focus on good news and encouraging news to have, let's call it, an evangelistic approach. In other words, that puts things in a way that is positive.

And then he says the last one in this verse 5 that he says is, fulfill your ministry. In other words, teach what has been given to us by Jesus Christ because our ministry, our responsibility as ministers of Jesus Christ is to teach what Christ tells us to teach. And so fulfill that. Teach what the Bible says, what the text, so fulfill, complete that. Now, as a minister, sometimes the job can be very frustrating because one wonders, are we making an impact?

Am I making an impact? But we must not think that way. We must look at it and say, we've got to go do my part and it is God that will give the growth. It's not me. It's God that will give the growth. I'll do my part. I'll be faithful doing. I'll be watching all things. I'll endure. I'll do the working evangelists. I'll fulfill my ministry. I'll do my job that I believe is the right job, sticking to the word, being ready in season and out of season, convincing, rebuking, encouraging with patience and all teaching in a patient way.

So we got to do that, but it's God then in the end that gives the growth. It's not us. Then he goes on up to verse 6. And this is Paul now saying, for I'm already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand. So Paul had a preliminary hearing during this time of imprisonment, and he was now expecting a further hearing, a final one, and therefore his death, as he says, and my departure is at hand. But when he says a drink offering, it implies that, and by the way, because he was a Roman citizen, a Roman citizen could not be crucified.

And so therefore implies that he would not be crucified, but it would be decapitated. And that would the blood would pour out, and that would be like a drink offering. Therefore, yeah, is a figurative reference to a libation. And so Paul is saying, I'm going to be poured out as a drink offering, my blood is going to be poured out. And remember, a drink offering is not something that that that the ministry could drink afterwards. I mean, there are other offerings that they could eat, but not a drink offering because it would be poured out. And therefore, this a drink offering means that Paul would have no personal gain.

It was just implying that now, Timothy, you will have to carry on. There's no personal gain for me by this death. And so in verse 7 says, I have fought a good fight. He has remained faithful. I have finished the race. I've kept the faith. Now, we know that his mission when you read in Acts, when he was given his mission that he would have to go to the Gentiles and to kings and to Jews.

And he had done that. He was now presenting himself before kings and in courts. So he had completed the race. He had done it. But what race has God got for you and I? What race have we got before us? Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 1. It says, therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

What is God? What is God got in store for you and I? We don't know. But for one, the race is for us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. And that is important. We've got to be focusing on that. And Paul was saying, I've completed the race and I'm going to die soon. But my conscience is clear. I've done what God wanted me to do. I've been faithful to his word. And I think that's what we all need to come to a point.

He says, OK, I've done what God wants me to do. I'm being faithful to his word. I'm not deviating. I'm not going on to false teaching and false doctrine. I'm staying on track. I'm staying the path and I'm faithful. And look at John 17, verse 4. In this case, in John is Christ himself saying in John 17, verse 4, saying that he had finished the work. That's just free John 17, verse 4. It says, I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do. I've done the job. I finished the race. And so we also have a job to do. You and I don't really know what God ultimately wants us to achieve ultimately as in this life.

But one thing we do know is that we've got to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So, but, you know, there's certain things God wants to achieve to help in a family, to whatever it is God wants us to do. And the family, whether it's a physical family, the spiritual family, God wants us to do specific things. Each person's got a different role than God has given that specific person. God's given different people, different talents, and different abilities.

And so we got to do what we can with the abilities God's given us. We all have different roles. We all have different talents. So let us just not kind of be negative on ourselves, but let us say, let us say, hey, I'm trying my best. I'm fulfilling the job that God's given to me to do. And that's what I'm sticking to it. And I'm not deviating.

Now, verse eight. Finally, there's laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

And so, yeah, we see Jesus Christ in verse eight will come and we'll all see because we know, he says, Jesus Christ is coming the clouds for all to see. So we'll all will see. And it says, we were given to me a crown of righteousness. We gotta strive to be righteous.

Look at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter five. Matthew chapter five will start read at one of the Beatitudes here, which is in verse six.

Matthew five, verse six, it says, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. We have to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Now, understand it's not self-righteousness because if it's my own or your own or our own self-righteousness, then we would not need to hunger and thirst for it.

It's God's righteousness. Look at also in verse ten, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.

Not self-righteousness sake, but God's righteousness sake. Look at verse 20. He says, For I say unto you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and fetuses, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. And so the righteousness that we have to have is the one that we seek from God. It's God's righteousness.

That's why we read in Matthew six, verse 33, it says, But seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, that is God's righteousness.

And then we are in this section of Timothy. It also says, 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse 8, and says, Which the Lord, the righteous judge. Jesus Christ is the judge, and He is the righteous judge.

Look at Matthew 5, John 5, verse 21.

For as the Father raises the dead and gives love to them, even so the Son gives love to all to whom He will.

For the Father judges no one, but He has committed, in other words, He's delegated all judgment to the Son.

That all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

And so, other people say, How well are you honoring the Son? And you're therefore dishonoring God because you're honoring the Son now.

He says, If you honor the Son, you're honoring the Father. And so it is important.

And look also at verse 30, still in John 5, verse 30, He says, I can do myself nothing as I hear a judge, and my judgment is righteous because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me.

Say, Christ judges with righteousness because He seeks God's will.

And then continuing in 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse 8, it says, The crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give to me.

So, Christ will give to Paul and give to us the crown of righteousness, because He says, And not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

And so when is He going to give it to us? On that day, on that day.

When is that day? Christ's appearing, that He is coming.

And yeah, it's a very powerful scripture that proves that people don't go to heaven immediately when they die.

Because it says, It will give to me on that day, that He's appearing, that He's coming.

In Hebrews chapter 11, at the end of Hebrews chapter 11, verse 39 and verse 40, it says, And all these faithful men that Hebrews chapter 11 is, a description of a lot of faithful people, and all these having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, did not change to spirit beings.

God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

In other words, they did not receive the promise, as we read in verse 13 of Hebrews 11.

These all died in the faith, not having received the promises.

And so we know that when Christ comes, He says, My reward is with me.

That's in Revelation 22 verse 12.

And in Revelation 11 verse 18, let's just turn to that one. Revelation 11 verse 18, which is obviously, he are describing the time of the seventh trumpet. If you read in verse 15, he says, And the seventh angel sounded, and it says, The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever.

So that's the last trump. That's the seventh angel sounding. That's the seventh trumpet.

That's when it's basically a pivotal moment in which the God of this world ceases to be the God of this world.

Now, Christ is the God of this world. Now, the kingdoms of this world, it says, have become the kingdoms of our Lord. And therefore, it says, as Christ comes, there are a number of events that are going to happen.

And in verse 18, it describes those events that happen at Christ's coming.

And one of them, it says in verse 18, is that you should reward your servants, the prophets and the saints.

It was the reward of the servants at following as part of the events related with this seventh trumpet, which is at Christ's coming.

Let's continue now reading as we conclude 2 Timothy. Paul now says in verse 9, Be diligent to come to me quickly. And so Paul is saying, Timothy, come to me. It was you and Ephesus, come to me.

And it says, because, we understand Demas as forsaking me. Now, Demas was of Paul in his first imprisonment.

And we read, for instance, in Colossians 4 verse 14, that salutations were also from Demas.

But now, at this time, he says, he's forsaken Paul. And that ties in to the point of this message, that some that were in the church left, some that were in the truth deviated from the truth.

And it says, Demas has forsaken me. And that is very sad to Paul. And then he says, having loved this present wall and has departed for Thessalonica.

And then Cressus, it's the first time that this person is mentioned, went to Titus for Dalmatia.

And so, Titus appears, yeah, that Paul had sent him on a mission to Dalmatia, which in other areas is called Illurikum, or possibly where today is called Yugoslavia. So, Titus appears to have been sent on a mission by Dalmatia. So, therefore, he's not with him. And he says in verse 11, only Luke is with me. Now, Luke is the man that was working with Paul. Luke also is the writer of the Gospel of Luke. And he also is a writer of the book of Acts, the one that wrote it. So, Luke, yeah, is with Paul. So, it's like as if Luke was Paul's scribe, in a sense, or writing maybe a number of the letters that Paul wrote, because as we see, sometimes Paul says he couldn't see so well, but he just signed at the end.

So, he was working with Paul, and he was in Rome, and in a sense, he was involved in the work. Mark, on the other side, he says, yeah, get Mark. Now, Mark is John Mark. Then we read in Acts 15, 37 and 39 that had parted away from Paul. But now Mark was working with Peter, and he's saying, get Mark here. So, we can see that Mark would bring with him certain stuff, either him or, but very probably, Mark, because Mark was working with Peter. And so he says, because he's useful for me in the ministry. Now, he was just about dying.

So, what could it be that was useful for him in the ministry? Well, it's because Mark, working with Peter, was very probably involved in getting the material from Paul that he wrote for the canonization of the New Testament, which was initially done by Peter. So, that is a possibility. That's why it says in verse 13, bring the cloak that are left with coppers and throwers when you come, and the books, especially in the parchments. Because then, those books and parchments, probably things that had been written by Paul, or maybe other material, and they were to put that together for the first canonization of the New Testament.

There were actually two canonizations of the New Testament. The first one was done by Peter, and the other one was later done by John. I do have a sermon on the website entitled, How the New Testament Was Canonized, which I made on August 31, 2024, which covers this aspect a little more clearly in any greater detail, too. So, that was probably why Mark was to come, and he wanted the parchments and the books. He says, and Tychus was sent to Ephesus. Well, Paul was writing this letter, and he probably sent it with Tychicus.

Because we know Tychicus was sent before carrying Paul's letters to the Ephesians. We can see that in Ephesians 6, 21, and 22, to the Colossians, in Colossians 4, 7, and 8, and to Titus, in Titus 3, verse 12.

And now it appears he was sent to carry this letter to Timothy. Why do we say that? Well, it's because it appears that Tychicus was sent to Ephesus to relieve Timothy, because Timothy was the pastor in Ephesus, so that Tychus could be there to relieve Timothy, so that Timothy could come to Paul, as Paul says in verse 9 of 2 Timothy chapter 4, to Timothy, be diligent to come to me. And so he would send Tychicus there with the letter, and then Timothy would come.

That's why he says, and Tychicus was sent to Ephesus, so that Timothy would be relieved from his responsibility. To come and help Paul in whatever. Paul wanted to share with Timothy before he died. Verse 14 and 15 says, Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. In other words, he says he did me much harm. He charged me with much evil. It appears that it implies that Alexander the coppersmith was the one that brought charges against Paul in court.

And so he did Paul a lot of harm, as he says, by the Lord repaying him according to his works. And you, Timothy, verse 15, also must be aware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. And so be careful when you come, because when you come through different areas and you become Alexander the coppersmith is aware of it, aware of it, and he's around. And so, yeah, we have people that that are against the church and the work, and they have not been quote unquote put aside.

They still causing trouble. And it says, you, Timothy, must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. Verse 16, at my first defense, no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against him. And so at his first court appearance, when it appears, therefore, Alexander the coppersmith kind of brought the charges against him, at his first appearance, court appearance, nobody was with him. And so, let, as he says, may not be charged against them or forsook me. But thus, in a sense, we know that that's what happened to Jesus Christ.

They all left Christ, even Peter, as we know. And also, we know it's Stephen Strahl. Paul was the one that was consenting for Stephen's death, that we read that in Acts 8, verse 1. And so Paul says, well, let it not be charged against him, because he knows he did the same thing at once upon a time. 4, verse 17. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. So when he was in this court appearance, God helped him, God gave him the words so that the message might be preached fully through me.

And so, we were members of that trial, people of different provinces of Rome, and it was of that known world that heard the Gospel, heard him defend and preach it there, and that all the Gentiles might hear. And so, that probably was widely publicized as well. And so, people knew about that. Also, I was delivered out, you see, God delivered me, stood with me. Also, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. Now, as a Roman citizen, he could not be thrown into an arena.

So, could it be a euphemism for Nero? He says, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion as a euphemism, implying not to write directly how well I was delivered from Nero. He just said, out of the mouth of the lion.

Or maybe, he could imply, out of the mouth of Satan that was trying to destroy me in previous times. Verse 18, And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for his heavenly kingdom. In other words, God will deliver me as long as he wants me to continue living according to his plan. And then, then it will, when it's the end, when God says, okay, you finished the work and the race is finished, then you let him go.

So, God will be with him until the end. That's what Paul was assured. Yeah. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. And then, verse 19 through 21 and 22, Greet Priscilla and Achille, and the household of a messifrus. He rushed to stay in Corinth, but, Trophimus, I have left in my letters sick. He just shows that not everybody was healed immediately. So, he's saying, Greetings, do your utmost to come before winter. So, he said, come before winter because in winter, it'll be difficult to travel. So, I want to see you before I die. And then, Ibulus greets you, as well as Purdens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

And he concludes, then, the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. That means, Yoria is in the singular, to Timothy. Christ be with you is more along the lines of you all. In other words, it's in plural. And then, he says, Amen. And so, this is the end of this letter. Once again, a very important letter, a warning letter, to be aware that there's going to be people that are going to attack the church in one way or another.

And like he says, at the time of the end, this will get worse. So, we need to be close to God and we need to be aware of that. And we've got to stay faithful till the end.