2 Timothy 4 verses 9-22
Last words are important. In every film where someone is dying there are usually dramatic words of instruction passed on to the living. We hold on to last words as being precious and important. I know the last words my grandfather said to me a few days before he died. They are very important to me and precious to me. I am sure you have similar such memories. In our reading this evening from 2 Timothy we have Paul’s last words to his young protégé, Timothy. Turn with me to 2 Timothy 4 verses 9-22. You know that Paul is in prison in Rome awaiting trial, which will ultimately lead to his martyrdom for the sake of the gospel. Winter is approaching (verse 21) and he sends some final instructions to the young Timothy, who is the recipient of this letter.
Verses 9-13 Deserted by his friends.
In verses 9 and 21 Paul urges the young Timothy to make every effort he can to come to Rome as quickly as possible. Paul realises that time is short and he longs to see his young friend one last time. It is not just out of sentimental reasons that he longs to see Timothy but to encourage Timothy to stand firm in the gospel and to fulfil the call of God in his life. A call which was confirmed by the laying on of hands and commissioning of the young Timothy. A fact which Paul had reminded him of previously. However, the other reason Paul wants the young Timothy to come quickly is because he has been deserted by the believers in Rome, with the exception of Luke. In verse 10 Paul begins with the word ‘For’ and now we will hear the reasons for his request that Timothy should leave Ephesus and come to Rome.
Verse 10 – Demas has loved the world more than the gospel and deserted Paul. Demas was a trusted fellow worker of Paul. In Colossians 4.14 and Philemon 24 he is described as a ‘fellow worker’ in the gospel. The precise details over his defection are not given but Paul does say that he loved this world more than the gospel. What changed in Demas’ life that he would desert Luke and Paul for the world? You know I think it is fair to say that Demas did not just waken up one morning in Rome and decide to give it all up and desert Paul. Paul tells us that he loved the world more. The world became more attractive to him than the hardships, the long journeys, the dangerous persecutions and the opposition that they endured in preaching the gospel. It may well have been that Demas over a period of time compromised one step at a time until he found himself far from the Lord Jesus, far from the gospel and he just walked away. If you look at verse 8 you will see that in contrast to Demas Paul has set his love, his hope, on the return of Christ, on eternal things. Demas allowed the world to take his eyes from the eternal to the temporal. Friends, there is an important lesson for us all there. We can be like Demas, a trusted fellow worker in the gospel and yet all the time our eyes are being distracted from the things of God to the things of this world. The world can become very attractive and is very seductive. You know we can even convince ourselves that we are not giving up on the gospel but becoming more relevant to the world in which we live. I would suspect that Demas convinced himself he was not walking away from the gospel but just from Paul and the missionary journeys. Demas has deserted his first love (Rev.2.4). You know the startling thing is that Demas has his freedom whilst Paul is in prison but ask yourself: “Who is really the free man here?” Demas may appear to have freedom but he is actually in bondage to the world. Paul may be in a physical prison but if you look at verse 18 you quickly realise that he is in fact free. Demas has been seduced by the mass of ideas, opinions, hopes, impulses, aims, aspirations and speculations of the world and he has found them more appealing than the gospel. There is a real danger out there that we sometimes fail to appreciate as Christians, especially as Christian leaders. Just because someone is today working alongside us in the gospel does not mean that tomorrow they will not side with the world and desert the work of the gospel. The world continues to be attractive to us all – hence Paul constantly reminding the recipients of his letters of the battle that they face for the sake of the gospel. Please note as well the graciousness of Paul in writing that Demas has deserted. He does not indulge in recriminations nor does he indulge in soiling his character. Nor does he deny the good work that Demas has done in the past for the gospel. It is obvious that Paul had a genuine affection for Demas and his desertion hurt him.
Paul mentions three others who have left his company but it is not that they have deserted him but have gone on for the sake of the gospel. Crescens has gone to Galatia. Titus had finished his work for the sake of the gospel on Crete and was now travelling to Dalmatia. Tychicus is being sent by Paul to Ephesus, most likely to replace Timothy as the pastor when Timothy comes to Rome. Tychicus is a trusted fellow worker of Paul as in the past he has taken Paul’s letters to Ephesus, Colossae and Timothy, and is now being entrusted with this last letter to Timothy. These three had legitimate reasons to leave Paul in prison in Rome. In verse 11 we read that Luke has remained with Paul and is obviously looking after him. In Colossians 4.14 Paul described Luke as his ‘beloved physician.’
In verse 13 Paul then makes his second and third requests to Timothy. He asks Timothy to collect his cloak from Carpus and to bring it with him. No doubt for very practical reasons as winter is setting in. This cloak was what we would today call a poncho. Paul then requests that Timothy also bring with him his books and parchments. Paul does not want to waste his time in prison and so he requests his papers that he may use his time productively. Many commentators suggest that these books and parchments may well have contained copies of the OT, Paul’s letters to the churches and maybe even some written accounts of the life of Christ. Whatever their content Paul desires that Timothy collects them on his way to Rome. So we learn here that Paul desires three things whilst he is in prison – companionship, his cloak and his books.
Let me take a moment on each of these.
Companions – despite the fact that in verses 7 and 8 Paul speaks of his desire or longing for the return of Christ he also needs the companionship of his friends. The NT knows nothing of the solitary Christian. In fact the very fact that one is a Christian brings one into fellowship not only with Christ but also with his body. When our spirit is lonely we need our friends. Why? Could I suggest to you that when you are lonely you are more likely to fall into sin. Let me give you a simple little word which I personally find helpful to remind me of the dangerous times in my life. HALT. When I am Hurt, Angry, Lonely or Tired I am more open to temptation and sin. Paul is all of these at this moment and recognising the danger he needs his friends around him. He is hurt by the desertion of Demas, and if you look at verses 16-18 by the other believers at Rome. No doubt there is anger as well at this treatment by the believers. He is obviously lonely, hence his request for Timothy and Mark to come quickly. It is obvious from the tone of the writing and from his expectation of imminent death that he is also weary, tired. Friends, Paul is nothing if he is not wise and so at this moment of danger he sends for his friends. Learn from that. When you are HALT – send for Christian friends who will support you and if necessary carry you through that tough time.
Cloak – you know it is important that we take care of the practical needs of our lives. Not the greed but the needs. It was going to be cold when winter came to Rome and languishing in a prison cell Paul needed his cloak to keep himself warm. Neglecting the physical needs of the servants of God is not biblical. Neglecting our own physical needs is not biblical either. Friends could I suggest to you that neglecting our health, our sleep, proper balance in our lives is not biblical but is in fact sinful. Someone in here this evening needs to hear that and take it on board.
Books – Paul did not despise learning or study. It was a godly direction and a godly example that he was setting before the young Timothy, Mark and Luke. Can I suggest to you who are in leadership here at All Saints to set just such an example to those younger Christians. I have a good friend, who is a consultant psychiatrist, and in his study he has these words written above his desk – ‘it is surprising with how little reading a doctor can practice medicine, but it is not surprising how badly he will practice it.’ Could I suggest the same is true of Christian ministry, and I am not talking solely about the ordained ministry. Follow Paul’s example be readers.
Verses 14-15 Opposed by Alexander the coppersmith. Desertion is one thing but opposition is completely different. Paul warns the young Timothy to be wary and to avoid Alexander the coppersmith. We do not know much about this man other than he had done great harm to Paul. He may have been instrumental in Paul’s arrest and spoken for the prosecution at the time of the first hearing of Paul’s case. Whatever he had done his opposition had caused harm to Paul. Literally translated Paul writes ‘he informed many things against me.’ The use of the word ‘informed’ may mean that he had betrayed Paul into the hands of the Roman authorities. Timothy is warned to be wary of him as he travels to Rome to Paul. Paul is not surprised by opposition and again please note the graciousness with which he writes. He leaves God to pass the judgment on what Alexander has done. How often we seek to take such matters into our own hands when we face opposition. Paul is not going to be distracted from preaching the gospel by the opposition. I remember when I was playing football the manager would spend a little time talking about the opposition but he would usually finish by saying but concentrate on our game plan and we will win. Paul was not going to get sidetracked by opposition. So many Christians get sidetracked by the opposition. They go off down a labyrinth chasing opponents and all it does is take them away from the work of the gospel. Look at the last sentence of verse 15. Alexander had strongly opposed the message of the gospel. This is Paul’s concern that the gospel would be preached and that it would be heard. Don’t allow the opposition to sidetrack you – keep on message is what Paul is saying. Yes be on your guard against such opponents but Timothy don’t go picking a fight with him – if you can avoid him and his opposition. We would do well to learn from such instructions. Last year during Holy Week we had Philip Hacking in Carrickfergus preaching and over coffee with some of the ministers he said this – “the age of apathy is ended in the UK and the age of opposition to the gospel is beginning.” Jesus said to his disciples in John 15 don’t be surprised that the world hates you, persecutes you and opposes you – they hated and persecuted me first. If you were there friends then they would not oppose you. We are the enemies of this world therefore why would we become like Demas and love this world?
Verses 16-18 Unsupported at his first defence. Not only had Paul to contend with some of his closest companions deserting him he also had to cope with the believers at Rome not giving him any support during his initial trial hearing. Look at what he writes in verses 16-18. Again note the graciousness with which he writes of this incident. He asks that God would not hold it against them, echoing the words of Christ from the cross – Father forgive them. No one was prepared to stand alongside Paul and support him as he faced the allegations of the court. At that time the Christians were alleged to be cannibals, and atheists in that they did not worship the emperor or idols. They were also accused of horrible crimes against the state and civilised society. Paul stood accused of such and when he looked around for support he found his brothers in Christ fleeing. Yet in verse 17 he states that he was not alone because Christ was there beside him giving him the strength he needed to endure such hardship and not only to endure but to preach the gospel in such a situation. Friends could I suggest to you that this was a lesson Paul had learned over many years of ministry. This was something that he had experienced time and again in his life. Time and again he had experienced the strengthening of the Lord Jesus to endure and to persevere for the sake of the gospel. There were times when Paul had fled and there were times when he had stayed and endured the persecution but each time he preached the gospel. Before Agrippa, before Festus and now in Rome before the magistrate. This was a lesson borne from a life of obedience. This was a truth which could only be learned in the cauldron of persecution. Paul knew the strengthening and protecting hand of the Lord in shipwreck, through famine, through beatings and now through desertion. For Paul entering what the Psalmist called the valley of the shadow of death, he did not fear – why? Because he knew the reality of Christ being with him. We have seen he is lonely, he is in need of physical help and comfort but he trusts his Lord in this situation. It is not that Paul is not feeling frightened, nor alone etc. He feels all of those hence asking Timothy to come quickly. Yet through all of this he knows that peace promised by Christ and the promise that Christ would never leave nor forsake him. Question is do we know such strengthening and peace in times of trial? May I suggest the reason we don’t often experience such is because we go with our feelings over and against what the word of God teaches. I don’t know what you are like at All Saints but in HT too many of the believers spiritual thermometer is set by their emotional thermometer and not the Word of God. Paul trusted Christ and His Word in this situation and this enabled him to have confidence that Christ would keep his promise to bring him to glory, no matter what he had to go through to get to glory. Turn back to verse 6 – here we see that Paul expects to die and yet here in verse 18 he is confident that God will rescue him and bring him to the glory of heaven. This is not pie in the sky, heaven when you die belief. Here is Paul in prison, cold and wet, deserted and alone, facing trial and possible death and yet his confidence is not in his defence, not in his legal team but in the promises of God in Christ Jesus. What about you? What is your trust in this evening when the tough times come? When you find yourself abandoned and alone where will your strength come from? When the persecution comes against you with an overwhelming force that you feel like you are in prison and on trial for your very life – where does your strength come from? Paul’s came from an assured trust in Christ to keep his Word.
Verses 19-22 Paul concludes the letter with greetings from different people and a blessing upon Timothy and all the believers who receive the letter. Paul has received grace from Christ and he returns glory to Christ (verse 18).
Conclusion
What can I say in conclusion to this passage? I think we should remember that opposition and persecution will come our way as Christians. When it does we should not be surprised that some of our fellow workers in the gospel decide that they love the creature comforts and pleasures of this world more than they love the gospel and desert as a consequence. When such things happen we should turn afresh to the promise of Christ to never leave us nor forsake us and on that rest our souls. From that draw and gain strength so that at every opportunity we may, like Paul, preach the gospel and complete the great commission that we are called to fulfil. We should heed his warnings to the young Timothy to be wary of and if possible avoid those who oppose the gospel. Not because we are frightened of them but because we can so easily become sidetracked and taken away from our main task – preaching the gospel. We should continue in all circumstances to proclaim the gospel because it is priceless and because it alone is eternal.
So can I encourage you all this evening, whatever circumstance you presently find yourself to stand firm in the gospel, rooted and grounded in Christ and his eternal word. Have eyes open to the seduction of the world in which we live and realise how easy it is to drift away and fall in love with the world and to desert our first love – Christ. Don’t be like Demas who for the sake of creature comforts and pleasures gave up the glory of heaven. Is that not what satan did when he rebelled? He gave up the glory of heaven for the sake for temporal riches and the eternal consequences for him – hell. Gather friends around you when the persecution and prison cells come. Gather round and support those in the dungeons at this moment. Through all of it trust the word of God and that He alone is faithful to what he has promised, no matter what our feelings or our minds tells us – 1st Good Friday illustration.
Amen.
