2 Timothy 4:1-22

This is the last chapter of the Bible that Paul wrote.  The book of Titus follows this book, but it was written before this final letter to Timothy.  I think there is great value in paying close attention to the final words of great men like this.  These words might not necessarily be more important than other teachings, but I do think they merit special attention as we consider what the Spirit inspired Paul to write in this final chapter.  We will be well served by following this advice.

PREACH THE WORD: Of all the responsibilities that a young minister must fulfill, this one cannot be over emphasized.  We must be men of the Word.  We must know the Word and we must make the Word known to others.  People do not always want to hear the Word, but we are called, not to give men what they want, but to give them what they need.  This world, like the world in Paul’s and Timothy’s day, needs the Word of God.  The public and private proclamation of the Word of God is the primary responsibility of the minister.  Too often, we become distracted from this priority by building projects and elaborate programs that sap us of all our time and energy.  We must protect ourselves from this trap.  God has called us to proclaim His Word as it is the source of salvation, correction, discipleship, perfection and the equipping of sinful men for the glory of God.  God is in the business of changing lives and the tool He uses to bring about that change is the faithful teaching of His Word.

PURSUE ETERNAL REWARDS: Paul was well aware of the fact that he was at the end of his ministry.  He had run well and was about to finish well.  This should be the goal of every minister.  Far too often we see men start well, but somewhere along the line they lose their way and end up finishing very poorly.  That was not the case for Paul and he wanted the same thing for Timothy and us.  What was the secret of Paul finishing well?  I believe it was his constant focus on the eternal rewards promised by God as opposed to the immediate rewards provided by the pleasures of sin.  Paul looked forward to the appearing of Christ and it was this eager anticipation for the eternal that allowed Paul to be faithful in the present.  We must set our hearts and focus our efforts on that which is eternal.  If we will do this, the disappointments of this world will fade, the suffering of this world will be made lighter and the pleasures of sin will lose their appeal.  May God help us to set our affections on the eternal.

PARTNER IN MINISTRY: I think that it is very significant that Paul ends this letter telling Timothy to come and be with him one last time and to bring Mark along with him.  The ministry by definition is a partnership with other people.  If we do not have partners in the ministry we do not have true ministry.  We might have impressive buildings and vibrant programs, but true ministry involves partnering with people to become more like Christ.  Many of Paul’s partners had abandoned him and become enamored with the pleasures of sin.  They left on their own and, in many cases, I believe their lives became unproductive and they ended up finishing very poorly.  If we are going to be faithful preachers of God’s Word and be able to finish well, we must recognize our need for partnerships in ministry and personal edification.  We need others to minister with us and to minister to us.  If we think we can go it alone, we will inevitably fail.  May God give us the wisdom to recognize our utter dependence on His grace and our necessity of the body of Christ to help us be able to live our lives to the glory of God.