In 2 Timothy 4:9-22 we come to the final section of text in this letter. Paul’s last words. Last words take on signficance, especially when the person who gives them or says them is facing death. As Paul signs off to Timothy, his last words take on extra significance as we hear of his needs, his joys, his sorrows, his comfort, his confidence and most all, his fellow workers in the gospel. Paul was not a ‘one man band’ and his final words reflect his dependence upon the Lord’s people and the grace of God to carry him home.

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Outline

• The eleventh in this series
• The context – Paul’s final words!
• The final words of others
• See how Paul spoke of ….

1. Final requests (v.9, 11-13)
2. Final sorrows (v.10, 14-16)
3. Final instructions (v.17-22)

What did Paul need most?
Grace will lead you home!

In 2 Timothy 4:1-8, we are close to the final words of Paul’s letter – although they are surely the climax of all that Paul has said. As Paul now wraps us what Timothy is expected to do, he uges him toward being diligent, fervent and constant – all in the light of the coming of Jesus, the coming of apostasy and the coming of Paul’s own death. All this so that Timothy would fix his eyes on Jesus and pursue the ‘crown of righteousness’ that will be given to all those who have ‘loved His appearing’.

Message

Outline

• The tenth in this series
• Last chapter of his last letter…
• No change in subject
• See how Paul called Timothy to be ….

1. Diligent: because Jesus is coming (v.1)
2. Fervent: because apostasy is coming (v.2-5)
3. Constant: because death is coming (v.6-8)

That all-important baton change!
What are your eyes fixed on?

Sometimes last words carry more ‘weight’ than others. As we draw closer to the end of Paul’s second letter to Timothy, his words in 2 Tmothy 3:10-17 stand out among his last instructions to the young pastor. In the context of dealing with false teachers and the prevalence of fale teaching in the last days, Timothy needed much encouragement to stick with the Scriptures. They were enough to bring him to salvation, and they would surely be enough for this next generation that Timothy was teaching. And what effect did they have on Timothy? He was faithful unto death.

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Outline

• The ninth in this series
• A rough ride ahead…
• Last letter, last words
• See the encouragements given based on….

1. Paul’s own example (v.10-13)
2. Timothy’s own conversion (v.14-15)
3. God’s own Word (v.16-17)

What effect did this have on Timothy?
Faithful to the end….

When the Apostle Paul wrotes this his last letter to Timothy, he was aware that he was living in the ‘last days’ – days when human sin and rebellion will increase and become part and parcel of daily living. In fact, ever since the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven, those ‘last days’ have been here – and so in 2 Timothy 3:1-9, Paul encouraged Timothy to have a ‘mindset’ that his ministry was to be in those days, and like a paratrooper dropped behind enemy lines, be prepared for battle – not against flesh and blood, but for the truth of the gospel.

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• The eighth in this series
• The church facing a crisis
• What of the future?
• See Paul’s teaching on the ‘last days’ and…

1. The troubles in them (v.1)
2. A preview of them (v.2-5)
3. The causes behind them (v.6-9)

Behind enemy lines…
Preparation, perseverance, purity

Paul used numerous meteaphors in the first part of this letter and also in 2 Timothy 2:20-26, especially the diea of a ‘clean vessel’. In order that Timothy might be a ‘worker approved by God’, he would need to be like a ‘clean vessel’ and it would be this, not his wisdom or strength that would make him useful to the Master – especially as he faced the onslaught of false teachers. Even then, Timothy’s response to opposition was to be Christ-like and not one of impatience. There would be no point winning ‘the argument’ if he lost his hearers in the process.

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Outline

• The seventh in this series
• Goals of faithfulness and single-mindedness
• The ‘images’ Paul has used
• See how Paul wanted Timothy to be useful by being a ….

1. A clean vessel (v.19-23)
2. A godly servant (v.24-26)

Who was Timothy to imitate?
The servant approved by his Master!

With the Apostle Paul aware that he would soon die, part of his motive in writing to Timothy the young pastor was to prepare him for the day when he would no longer be there to help him. Further to this, the church at Ephesus (like all the churches of that era) faced the challenges associated with the rise of false teachers and their associated heresies. In 2 Timothy 2:14-19, Paul wanted Timothy to watch both his talk and walk in order that false teachers might be silenced and the truth made clear.

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• The sixth in this series
• The danger facing the church
• ‘Approved by God’
• See how Paul called Timothy to….

1. Be very careful with his talk (v.14-18)
2. Be very watchful of his walk (v.19)

A leader for a crisis moment
Our high calling & great challenge!

The Apostle Paul was never one to tell someone what to do or to face danger, if he hadn’t done what he said or faced that danger himself. Sitting in his prison cell, writing to young pastor Timothy, Paul wanted Timothy to ‘do as he had done’ – that is, prove to be faithful in all aspects of his ministry and true to the Lord Jesus. How Paul did that was to encourage Timothy towards endurance, perseverance and singleminded service of the Lord. Only then would Timothy prove that the Lord will reward those who endure suffering for the gospel’s sake.

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Outline

• The fifth in this series
• Where we left off last week
• Endurance required!
• See how Paul called Timothy to be encouraged by…

1. The central truth of the gospel (v.8-9a)
2. The effective power of the gospel (v.9b-10)
3. The great reward of the gospel (v.11-13)

The battle of Waterloo
The gospel: worth living for and dying for!

Any talk about being ‘soldiers of Christ’ may be a bit ‘on the nose’ for many today. Images of the Crusades might quickly come to mind. But this was the metaphor that Paul used the most in 2 Timothy 2:1-7 as the Apostle urged Timothy to do many things that would show him to be a faithful servant of His master and trustworthy with the gospel.

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• The fourth in this series
• What we’ve noted from chapter 1
• The ‘imperfect’ first century church
• See how Paul called Timothy to be …

1. Strong in grace (v.1-2)
2. Ready for suffering (v.3)
3. Faithful in service (v.4-7)

William Booth and the Salvation Army
Your task and mine….!

As Paul wrote to the younger pastor/teacher Timothy from his Roman jail cell, his time on earth was short, and Timothy’s time on earth would soon become more complicated with the rise of many false teachings and teachers. So what Paul wanted Timothy to do was be committed to the truth of the gospel – not be like others who fell away – but remain strong like Onesiphorus who not only sought out the Apostle in jail but met his needs there. We find this is 2 Timothy 1:13-18 were we read of a man who was a great encouragement to the imprisoned Apostle.

Message

Outline

• The third in this series
• Paul’s example and what he expected of Timothy
• The passing of that baton
• See how Paul pointed Timothy toward …

1. Committed to the truth of the gospel (v.13)
2. Guarding well the truth of the gospel (v.14-15)
3. Living out the truth of the gospel (v.16-18)

That ministry of encouragement
What will you do…?