Written ~ 11-04-2024
Read 2 Timothy Chapter Four
2 Timothy 4
In what is now the final chapter of the final letter Paul has written; we will see the urgency in his words. When you read through this chapter, read it as though Paul is writing directly to you. What Paul writes in this final chapter applies to each and every believer today. Read it with conviction on your heart as you contemplate your own walk with the Lord. Are you bold, courageous and confident in your faith? Timothy may not have felt very confident, his mentor was sentenced to death, he wasn’t sure if he would ever see him again, the words written in this letter would have been precious to Timothy; I’m sure the parchment this letter was written on was well worn for the many times he would have read it.
At the end of this letter, Paul also greets his dearest friends… they are the people closest to him, they were the friends who stuck by him no matter what. Many people over the course of Paul’s ministry deserted him, so I’m sure he was very grateful to have a core group of friends who loved him and supported everything he did for the Lord. These were the people that Paul left his legacy; they would carry on the work of the Lord even after Paul was gone.
Let’s begin this last chapter…
2 Timothy 4:1-2…
1 “I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when He comes to set up His Kingdom: 2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.”
As a reminder, we learned in 1 Timothy chapter one that Timothy was a young man who had recently taken over the church in Ephesus. The church was in turmoil when Timothy was appointed as lead Pastor. He had a lot to learn, and his timid personality probably didn’t help him build confidence with the congregation at first. That’s why Paul’s letters were a crucial lifeline for Timothy. He hung on every word Paul said to him over the years and now these letters were one of his most precious treasures. Even though these were letters that Paul wrote to this young Pastor, the instructions laid out in them are just as important for us to treasure in our hearts today. We need to apply them to our own lives, bring Paul’s words into our own situations.
When Paul starts verse one with, “I solemnly urge you…” what comes to your mind? The word “solemn or solemnly” means whatever is to come next has been “characterized by or causing a very serious and subdued attitude or atmosphere.”
So, Paul is setting up this last chapter with a very serious tone, these next few verses need to grab our attention and be taken seriously in our own lives. Timothy would have taken every word Paul had ever said or written to him and applied the words “I solemnly urge you,” to remind him that these things Paul was instructing him to do were extremely important.
When we look at verses 4:1-2 what were the things Paul was solemnly urging?
- Preach the Word of God
- Be Prepared (whether the time is favorable or not)
- Patiently Correct
- Rebuke
- Encourage your people with Good Teaching
Paul knew there would come a time that people would turn their hearts away from the faith they had in Jesus. He also knew that there would be those who would create division within the church and sinful behavior would become the norm for some people. So, it’s important for Timothy and for us today to continue preaching the Word of God, never deviating from its truth just because some people don’t want to listen. Paul notes in verse 4:2, “…whether the time is favorable or not…” It can be tempting, when persecution for preaching the Word of God becomes unbearable, to pull away and not pursue speaking the truth with boldness. But Paul says to be prepared for those moments, draw strength from Jesus and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 4:3-4…
3 “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”
All of us have at least one person in our lives who does not want anything to do with the truth found in Scripture. It’s possible they were open to it for a little while, but something has turned their hearts away from listening to the Word of God. These are the times that Paul urges us to continue to boldly proclaim the Word of the Lord, not to back down just because someone says they no longer want to listen to sound and wholesome teaching. There very well could be some people (the closest to you) who will follow their own desires and what you have to say about the Lord will no longer turn their attention. This is the urgency on Paul’s heart when writing this letter. These things will happen, and we must be prepared for it to happen.
It’s difficult to understand why someone would want to turn their heart from knowing the truth of Scripture. Especially when you know the truth and how God has changed your life! But it is a very sobering reality that some people only want to follow their own desires and go down a path where they look for instructors who will speak into their unholy truth and lead them further from the Lord and eventually, they will discontinue seeking Salvation. It’s quite sad, really, how many people will reject the Lord. No matter how bold we are in speaking the truth of Jesus there will be people we know personally who will never give their hearts to the Lord. Does that give us a reason to stop speaking the Name of Jesus? Never! That’s why in verse 4:2 Paul said to, “Patiently correct, rebuke (reprimand) and encourage your people with good teaching.” This applies especially when it’s a believer who is turning away from their faith in Jesus and the Good News message!
2 Timothy 4:5…
5 “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.”
The advice Paul is giving Timothy in verse 4:5 applies just as much to any of our situations as it did to what Timothy was dealing with in the church he was now leading. When we get frazzled or impatient because the message we are trying to get across to everyone we know isn’t taken seriously, it can be frustrating! Paul says though… we need to keep a clear mind. That means no matter what is going on around us, no matter how baffled we are that people won’t listen to the truth of Jesus Christ we must keep our minds clear. That means our reaction to their rejection cannot be anger, hurt or disappointment. No, we need to remain calm and stable and continue in a straightforward manner just like Paul has taught us in every one of his letters. That means we might get some push back, we might experience ridicule and persecution, but even if we must suffer for Christ, Paul says we are not to be afraid!
Knowing it’s your responsibility as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ to “work at telling others the Good News,” how does that make you feel? Does it ignite enthusiasm and joy? Are you willing to do all you can to get the word out that Jesus is the only way to the Father and that He is the only source of Salvation? Or do you run the opposite direction, fearful of confrontation? (If this is you go back and read 2 Timothy 1:7-8.)
Paul knew Timothy was having some difficulty showing his authority to the congregation at the church in Ephesus, but he continually encouraged him. That’s why Paul said not to be afraid, God gave Timothy the specific ministry of leading the believers in Ephesus to a fuller knowledge of Jesus and the Scriptures and he was to carry out the mission God had placed on his life.
It’s the same for you and me. God has placed within each of us a mission to carry out for Him. Unfortunately, we can go through our entire lives ignoring that mission because of fear and timidity. But once we step into the plan that God has laid out for us, it’s then we will grow to new bounds! We will see so much clearer how God’s hand will move. It is up to you and it is up to me to step out in faith and do what God has placed on our hearts to do for God’s Kingdom.
2 Timothy 4:6-8…
6 “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing.”
With the new realization that this letter is the very last letter Paul wrote before he would be executed has me reading these words of Paul in a completely different light. In verse 4:6 he even says, “…my life has already been poured out…the time of my death is near.” And I didn’t get it! I never realized or focused on the fact that Paul knew this would be his final letter. He was trying to cram in as much instruction and encouragement as he could in his final words. Think about this for a moment…In the spoken word you can experience the urgency of what is being said by hearing the tone in someone’s voice. By reading words on paper, you can sometimes lose the intensity, the tone of urgency can be lost if you’re not seeking to understand what that person is trying to get across. What if you went back and read the whole Book of 2 Timothy out loud? Read it with intensity, read it with the urgency that would have been in Paul’s voice. You may feel the same way I do; you might read the words differently; you might sit up a little straighter and pay attention to what Paul is telling you.
So, let’s examine closely how Paul was feeling, knowing this would be his final letter and that his death was drawing close. Verses 4:7-8 show us exactly where Paul’s state of mind was, I would imagine he was quite bummed, knowing death was coming…But he was also eager to see His Lord (see Philippians 1:20-26), and Paul is expressing that he feels confident with the mission God placed on his life.
- I have fought the good fight
- I have finished the race
- I have remained faithful
- My prize awaits me
- I am eager to see my Lord
Paul did what God asked him to do, he proclaimed the Gospel message without retreating when persecution caused him intense suffering. Paul remained faithful and courageous to the very end.
This final letter should give you hope, this letter should give you encouragement, this letter should embolden your walk with the Lord.
If by reading the inspired Word of God does not ignite a flame within you to get out there and spread the Gospel message in a way that fits your personality, your talents, I don’t know what will! All of us play a very important role in serving the Lord with all our hearts, minds and souls. I want to encourage you, if you haven’t already found how God is going to use you for His Kingdom, then ask Him to show you! Then be willing to step out in faith and do what He asks. Your life will never be the same. We should all be eager for the Lord’s return. Or if death comes to us before His return, then we should have the same attitude as Paul, that we fought the good fight. That means we did all we could to make sure the Name of Jesus was spoken through every single one of our actions and words. And by our life, people are drawn to the Lord! We should want to finish the race or the task that God has set before us to accomplish for His purpose. When we remain faithful to the Word of God, He will show us His Power, His Mercy and His Grace in everything we do or say.
Will you have the same confidence as Paul when you come to the end of your life? Will you be able to say that you fought the good fight, that you finished the race with your faith intact? Are you confident that you will receive the crown of righteousness from the Lord? Are you looking forward, with eagerness, to the coming of the Lord? Meeting your Savior face to face?
For everything Paul did for the Lord while on earth, he never “won a reward or a prize,” instead he was beaten, thrown in prison, mocked and ridiculed. But at his death, his reward, his prize was presented to him by the Lord Himself. Wow. That should be our same goal, not to receive accolades here on earth but to eagerly await the “prize” Jesus will be giving to us for our faithfulness!
I’m going to end this study right here… with the thought on our minds of what we should be doing for the Lord. How can each of us be more like Paul?
I hope you’ll read through the remaining verses of this chapter and just as Paul concludes his letter, I will too…
“May the Lord be with your spirit. And may His grace be with all of you.”
~AMEN~