OPEN YOUR BIBLES TO 1 John 3:1-3 & 2 TIM 4
1. I believe it is God’s will & His steadfast desire that every generation live with the urgent expectancy that Jesus can and will return at any moment.
a. That our lives would be tempered & targeted toward holy living and righteous conduct.
b. That our hearts would be settled & spent on winning the lost.
c. On sharing the gospel… On loving the people Jesus died for!
d. It’s His love that so captures our hearts. Isn’t it?
e. He’s coming back. Soon. At any moment!
John 14.1-4 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 "And where I go you know, and the way you know."
NOTE: I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU TO MYSELF…
• That’s the promise of Jesus! A promise to hold on to!
• Matthew, Mark, Peter, Luke, Paul, John… believers for centuries, all the way through the present day lived expecting to see Jesus!
• It changed their lives and the lives of those around them!
REMEMBER, 2 Timothy has been called Paul’s Dying Epistle.
• His final words to young Timothy before he loses His life.
• Isn’t it great to see that Paul didn’t waver in his life.
• His heart was steadfast toward His God.
• We see this in his letters… in Galatians, probably the first written by Paul He says:
Gal. 1.10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
AND NOW TO TIMOTHY:
2 Tim. 4.7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
• Either way, looking forward or back, His eyes were on the Lord!
NOTE: Ever wonder why great men & women fall away?
• Have you ever known someone that you thought was spiritual strong and mature? On the outside they looked like a ROCK!
• You watched their life & thought, “I think he’s a good example”. “She sure is strong!” I really need to spend some time with him
• But through the test of time & temptation, they FELL: HARD?!
• Although outwardly they looked strong, inwardly they were weak! HERE’S THE ANSWER, the INSIGHT.
APP: Too many men & women (strong & weak) have fallen by the wayside because there is NO FEAR OF GOD in them.
• There’s not that healthy awe & respect for God or His Word or His will… Jesus’ is coming back? Ah… forget it.
• Obey? Submit? Change? I Don’t HAVE TO!
Psalm 36.1-3 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes, When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates. 3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
But that’s not Paul… He ran his race with Joy and now leaves these, His final words to his dear son in the faith Timothy… and to us.
I. (4.1-5) READY: To Share His Word
1. (1) I CHARGE YOU TIMOTHY.
a. Because ALL SCRIPTURE is inspired & profitable Timothy, I charge you…
b. You can tell, this is a very serious moment, very important.
c. It was serious not just because Paul was facing death, but even more so because they would face Jesus one day!
d. That they would have to give account for their lives before the Living God! He shall judge the living & the dead!
EVER LOSE YOUR EDGE in the fear of the Lord: Begin to remember that ONE day you will meet God and account for your life!
Amos 4.12 "Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"
1 Peter 4.17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
2. (2) Preach the Word and be ready!
a. IF there is anything lacking in the church today, it is the teaching & preaching of God’s Word!
b. There are so many other things coming from pulpits today:
c. Opinions, psychological theories, fun, games, sermonettes…
d. But Jesus told Peter, feed my sheep, tend them, feed them!
e. The idea behind the Greek Word Preach is “HERALD”.
NOTE: A HERALD was commissioned by a ruler to make his announcements in a LOUD, CLEAR, VOICE so everyone could hear.
• He wasn’t an ambassador with the privilege of negotiating.
• He was man on a mission with a message to be proclaimed!!!
The story is told about an old American Indian who attended a church service one Sunday morning. The preacher’s message lacked any real spiritual food, so he did a lot of shouting and pulpit pounding to cover up his lack of preparation. After the service, someone asked the Indian, who was a Christian, what he thought of the minister’s message. Thinking for a moment, he summed up his opinion in six words: "High wind. Big thunder. No rain." – It’s unfortunate but too many pulpits are filled in this way!
SO BE ready… when? In Season & Out of Season.
1 Peter 3.15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
• Live life with a readiness, an openness, and a willingness to preach the Word… when it’s expected and when it’s not.
• How is this possible? Make God’s Word a priority in life.
Acts 2.42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
And those of you that are leaders: Sunday school teachers, moms, dads, grandmas & grandpas… teachers, overseers… Listen carefully.
• Convince, rebuke, exhort…
• Some will need to be convinced. Others rebuked.
• But most will simply need exhortation OR strong encouragement.
• Now I know it’s easy to see this as just a letter to a pastor, Timothy. A man overseeing a church.
• But we’re all in a ministry of some sort!
• Perhaps not from a PLATFORM but in our PERSONAL lives!
• Either way, we need to be PLANTED IN & SATURATED BY the Word and be ready, in season and out of season to pass it on.
3. (3-5) The time will come.
a. I believe it’s safe to say the time HAS COME.
b. There isn’t just a lack of endurance, but there is a OUTRIGHT RESISTANCE to sound doctrine today.
c. There are those where so much is taught that simply appeals to the flesh of man, man’s carnality.
d. This whole prosperity doctrine, the health & wealth movement isn’t from the Word of God!
e. We should just change that to the BLAMING & BEGGING ministries that are so prevalent today!
f. Teacher after teacher on TV today is either blaming you for sicknesses or begging you for money – OR BOTH!
NOTE: At one time, Jim Bakker was the #1 TV Evangelist in the world. He perfected the delivery of this false doctrine.
• But sitting in a prison cell he reflects back on his mistake:
I’d always quoted 3 John 2, saying, ’’Above all things God wants you to prosper.’’ I loved that Scripture. It looks great on a TV screen when you’re raising funds, and I interpreted it as God wants you to be rich. But when I got to the words of John, I said, ’’Now this don’t make sense.’’ So I took the word prosper apart in the Greek and found out it’s made up of two words—the first word means good or well and the second road. It’s a progressive word, so it’s like a journey. So, here’s John saying, basically, ’’Beloved, I want you to have a good journey through life as your soul has a good journey to heaven.’’ It was a greeting! Building theology on that is like building the church on ’’Have a nice day.’’
NOTE: It’s just so sad as a pastor to see that so few people want God’s Word. Instead they HEAP UP TEACHERS for themselves.
BUT I want to commend you guys, this congregation because you want the Word.
• You’re here with open ears ready & receptive.
• And you’re acting upon what you hear… living out your faith!
• Don’t stop now. Keep growing. Keep maturing…
• Notice v5, and be watchful. Don’t let your guards down.
• Endure afflictions! Fulfill your ministry!
• Do the work of an evangelist.
NOTE: I like that. There is a difference between doing the work of an evangelist and having the office of an evangelist.
• Billy Graham was not sent to be a pastor/teacher. He’s an evangelist. Greg Laurie, DL Moody, Billy Sunday.
• But I look at guys like me, I’m not an evangelist, but I do share the gospel. And when the Word is shared, people are saved!
• And week after week we see that here at Calvary! Fun stuff.
• But I DO the work of an evangelist, even as should every one of you…
II. (4.6-8) READY: To Go Home
1. (6-7) I have kept the faith.
a. This is a man who’s ready to see the Lord. He sees the finish line and it’s just up ahead. He’s almost there.
b. Paul… a former blasphemer, persecutor, murderer. The man who calls himself the chiefest of sinners… He’s ready. Why?
c. Because he knew the power of the blood of Jesus Christ.
d. Confident in the One who saved Him & forgave him, and daily strengthened him.
e. This is the same man that wrote earlier in 1:12
2 Tim. 1.12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
2. (8) Heaven.
a. He’s looking forward to his reward in heaven.
b. Oh Lord, finally, we’ll be together.
NOTE: Do you love the Lord’s appearing? Are you love the truth that He has appeared, and that He is appearing again! Soon!
• Wow… for those that love the Lord, there is that crown of righteousness laid up for us there?!
THE TRUTH IS I know myself… I live with my daily failures. I know what lurks in my evil heart at times. I know I blow it.
• If there is ever any doubt of that, I have my kids to remind me.
• My wife Marie is there to help me remember.
• But one day, in his righteousness, I will stand before the Lord, MY SAVIOR, MY LORD, MY FRIEND.
Gal. 2.20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
III. (4.9-16) READY: To Come Quickly
1. (9-10) Demas… traitor.
a. How will we remember Demas? As a deserter.
b. He rejected the ministry for the things of this world!
We read of DEMAS 3 times in the Bible:
First, in Philemon 1:24, Demas, Luke my fellow laborers.
NEXT, here some 3 years later in Colossians, just Demas.
THEN about 6 years later in 2 Timothy 4:10
2 Timothy 4:10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica--Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.
Look at how he backslid and take note…
• He goes from fellow servant, to regular believer, to forsaking Paul, the ministry, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
AS A pastor I see so many start out so well. Oh, they’re serving, they’re spiritual, they’re strong.
• Then after a few months of trials & testings, sure they’re still around but not serving all that much, not helping spiritually.
• Then in just a few years… they’re not around anymore. Back into the world, back into the old lives…
• It’s a sad story but gives it to us as warning…
Crescens went to Galatia, but not like Demas.
• Titus went to Dalmatia where there were 101 people to reach.
• V11, Only Luke is with me… Get Mark, he is useful to me!
NOTE: Mark is useful?! Did he desert you? Didn’t he break up your friendship and ministry with Barnabas?
Remember back in Acts 13, Paul & Barnabas are on their 1st Missionary Journey.
• Sure it’s tough, but people are getting saved, lives are being redeemed.
• But it’s tough… too tough for John Mark. He decides somewhere along the way to go home, and leave the mission field.
• When they begin their 2nd journey, Barnabas wants to take Mark along, give him another chance. Paul resists!
• The argument they had was so intense that they split up.
• Paul took Titus and went one way, Barnabas & Mark another.
Now years later… we find Barnabas ministry of encouragement and patience was successful… Mark was restored and Paul agreed!
APP: This is SO IMPORTANT for those of you who feel like you’ve missed the mark. Maybe the door was open for you to do this work, or get involved with that ministry… but you feel like you failed.
• There’s hope. Jesus is not through with you yet.
• It doesn’t matter how bad your failure was.
• It’s not important how bad you messed up.
We all know a man who failed in business in ’31, he was defeated for the legislature in ’32, he was elected to the legislature in ’34. His sweetheart died in ’35, he had a nervous breakdown in ’36, he was defeated for speaker in ’38, he was defeated for elector in ’40, he was defeated for Congress in ’43, he was elected to Congress in ’46, defeated for Congress in ’48, defeated for Senate in ’50, defeated for vice president in ’56 and for Senate in ’58. But fortunately he was elected president in 1860. His name was Abraham Lincoln.
APP: Maybe it’s been one setback after another for you… 2 steps forward and 10 steps back.
• Just when you get a victory here, you’re blindsided over there!
• With some defeats. With the stumbles. With those falls.
• God is shaping you, forming you, developing you.
• And there is hope to be restored and even stronger…
• Let John Mark be an encouragement to you.
Phil. 1.6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
V12-13 – Tychicus is in Ephesus…
• Bring the cloak and the books… Paul wants to spend is final moments studying the Word… His final examination is just up ahead.
V14-15 – Alexander really hurt Paul and now he warns Timothy.
IV. (4.17-22) REMEMBER: Jesus is With Me
1. (17-18) I trust in the Lord!
a. When everyone forsook me and left me… I had the Lord!
b. He stood with me, and strengthened me!
NOTE: you know, I’ve found this to be true in my own life so many different times! The Lord showed up in a powerful way.
• It was when I was alone, feeling isolated and abandoned.
• And it’s when you feel let down. When your friend sort of forsook you.
• When you sense that special person wasn’t there for you.
• In those time of serious sicknesses and lasting loneliness.
• You find yourself feeling a bit alone…
• That’s when the Lord so often makes His presence known to those who choose to see
AND FOR Paul… the message was preached and the Gentiles heard.
• And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work! AMEN!
• And then… as a good pastor does, Paul goes on.
Prisca & Aquila – husband & wife ministry team.
Onesiphorus – we met him in 2 Timothy 1
Erastus – he might have been the treasurer in Corinth.
Trophimus was a friend of Tychicus (Acts 20:4)
Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy… No Claudia & all brethren.
And Paul’s final words… The Lord be with your spirit.
• GRACE BE WITH YOU! Final words… GRACE.
• I leave with the very thing that changed my life. GRACE.
• God’s unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor!
• After all is said and done, GRACE BE WITH YOU!
