II Timothy

Here we find Paul in prison. But this isn’t anything like the house arrest that he was under earlier; this is hard time. And for Paul, it’s the end of the line. He’s old, all worn out, reflecting on his life and writing this, his very last epistle before being taken out and executed. In this letter he encourages Timothy to persevere, to guard the gospel and don’t let the passion of ministry die out.

1:1, 4 “To Timothy, my dear son. . . . . I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.”

Can you feel Paul’s longing as he sits in a wretched cell, old and alone?

1:6 “. . . . I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God.”

Are you like me and go through period of great activity, only to be followed by a lull where you can’t seem to get excited about much? Occasionally we need to fan those embers into flame or perhaps you are lucky enough to have someone close to you to do this.

1:13, 14 “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching. . . . Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you-guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

If there wasn’t a tendency to drift away from the truth, I guess Paul wouldn’t have to remind Timothy to “guard it.” If you recall the passage in Acts 20:28 the leaders are told to watch over themselves and their flock because wolves will try to enter and destroy the flock. 

2:2 “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Have you ever heard a pastor announce to or plead with the church for someone, anyone, to volunteer to teach a Sunday school class? What qualification does he look for, other than a pulse and a willingness to volunteer? We have to be careful who we choose to be teachers. James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Not only do teachers have a great impact on others, since they should know the Bible better than others, they will be held to a higher level of accountability. 

2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

Peter has a similar admonition in I Peter 3:15. We need to know what we believe, why we believe it and be able to explain it to others.

2:17 “. . . Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth.”

Do you know of anyone who was once on fire for the work of God, who has simply drifted away? It’s sad, isn’t it? And did you notice that Paul uses the word “wandered,” as if to say that it happened gradually, over time.

3:1 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

That’s quite a sentence. Does it sound a bit like the daily news? Now Paul uses the term “last days,” elsewhere the term “end times” is used. If someone asks, “Do you think we are living in the end times?” I would say yes, because the term actually means the time between the first coming of Jesus and his second. So Paul was living in the end times, and we are living in the end times. How close to the ultimate end are we? Who knows? Paul closes the above passage with the description, “having a form of godliness but denying its power.” This refers to those who outwardly appear to be thought a Christian, you know, those who go to church, participate in church gatherings and serve on committees, but there is little “fruit of the Spirit” in their lives (Gal 5:22-23).

3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

I refer you (again) to the Frequently Asked Questions section to the article entitled, “How Did You Like my Book?”

4:3 “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

Do you want to fill up the pews in your church? Start telling people what they want to hear. Didn’t we see the same in the Isa 30:10, “Give us no more visions of what is right? Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions.” 

4:6 “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Paul is reflecting on his life and ministry. Notice what he does NOT say. He does not wring he hands and lament, “If only I had taken the time to go on a mission trip, or to write an epistle to a troubled church or to mentor a young man.” He could look back on his life and say, “I have no regrets.” Isn’t that a great place to be at the end of your life? 

4:18 “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.”

Sometimes God uses death to rescue us from danger. Death is the vehicle He uses to bring us into his kingdom. This past weekend we prayed for those who were traveling. When we pray for their safety, might God reply, “OK, I’ll keep them safe, I’ll bring them home to me where I can safeguard them.”

4:20 “. . . I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.”

Why didn’t Paul heal Trophimus? For a discussion on healing, yes, you guessed it, go to the Frequently Asked Question section and read what I’ve written entitled, “Does God Heal?”