2 Timothy 4:19-21

Greet Priscila and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.  Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.  Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.  

The ministry is always about people.  It is always amazing to see the number of people Paul knows and cares about. These partners in ministry are largely unknown but played a role in the advance of the Gospel and they are known by God.  The partnerships we forge in the Gospel are vital to the mission to which God has called us.

 

YOU GREET THEM FOR ME: Priscila and Aquila were a couple that left Corinth with Paul, stayed in Ephesus, helped correct Apollos before he went on to Corinth.  Apparently, they were still in Ephesus where Timothy was currently helping to establish the leadership of the church.  They were certainly an influential and important part of what God was doing there.  This is the second time Onesiphorus is mentioned in this book.  The other time he was praised for having sought out Paul and provided encouragement and refreshment to him in the prison in Rome.  Many others had abandoned him but not Onesiphorus.  He was also from Ephesus and had done much the same thing when Paul had been there.  Paul wants Timothy to greet these precious friends.  Erastus and Tophimus Paul had left in different places for ministry or health purposes and Paul was certain that Timothy would meet up with them on his journey to Rome.  These partners in ministry had been important to Paul and would be to Timothy.  Many ministers feel lonely because they are not intentional about forging deep and abiding relationships.

 

YOU COME GREET ME: Paul’s clear expectation is for Timothy to come to Rome as soon as possible.  He does not want to pass another winter alone and, likely, knows that his execution will occur before too long.  We don’t know if Timothy made it.  All we know is that Paul loved this young man deeply and passed the baton of ministry leadership on to him.  There are many people in ministry that become partners and blessings in our lives.  However, it is also important to have a few people with whom we are very open and close with whom we do life together.  These relationships must also be built with that purpose in mind.

 

THEY GREET YOU FROM ME: The final group of people are Roman believers that are currently with Paul and likely a vital part of the church there.  Timothy may or may not know all these people personally, but upon his arrival they will be key to him as they had been to Paul.  In ministry it is important to help people build these relationships in a way that helps all parties involved.  God is at work building a body on this earth called the Church.  We are all members of one another and should be in full cooperation with each other for the glory of God and the edification of that body.

 

APPLICATION: Build meaningful partnerships with people for the advancement of the Gospel.  Forge deep friendships with a few that will be lifelong friends no matter what our geography might be.  Trian and empower others to assume our places in ministry.  Share our relationships with one another in the body of Christ.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than any of the other people of his
Read more

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God   whom I serve, as did my ancestors,   with a clear conscience, as I remember you   constantly in my prayers night and day.    As I remember your tears,   I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.    I am reminded of   your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and   your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.    For this reason I remind you   to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us   a spirit not of fear but   of power and love and self-control. It is easy for us to forget many important things especially in the face of difficulty or danger.  Paul is in prison and Timothy is facing difficult times in ministry so there are important reminders that Paul wants to make sure that Timothy understands.  God has given us everything we need to face the difficulties He allows into our lives.  These blessings from God are always available to us as long as we remember the
Read more

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Therefore   do not be ashamed of   the testimony about our Lord, nor of   me his prisoner, but   share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,   who saved us and   called us to a holy calling,   not because of our works but because of   his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus   before the ages began, and which now has   been manifested through   the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,   who abolished death and   brought life and   immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But   I am not ashamed, for   I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until   that day   what has been entrusted to me.  Follow   the pattern of   the sound words   that you have heard from me, in   the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.    By the Holy Spirit   who dwells within us, guard   the good deposit entrusted to you. There is nothing more important th
Read more