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Good Wednesday morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends;
If all goes according to schedule I should be arriving in Bangkok sometime today, after having traveled more than 24 hours. How do you feel when you are far away from those you love? How does it feel for you when it’s a long, long time that you are separated? If you have served in the military or as a missionary or foreign diplomat or in foreign business, you understand those feelings. We’ll see those feelings in our reading today.
We’ve been with Timothy in 66ad as he’s reading a letter he has just received from his mentor and friend the Apostle Paul, who is imprisoned in Rome. The tone of Paul’s letter has changed and Timothy has an ominous feeling he will never see Paul alive again. That feeling intensifies as we read with him today beginning in vs. 9 of chapter 4 of 2 Timothy. Do you have your Bibles open so we can read together, and your notebook handy so when the Holy Spirit whispers something in your heart you can write it down? Do you agree, when God speaks into our hearts it’s worth writing down and remembering?
“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me…” Oh that’s painful isn’t it? Demas was a good friend to Paul. In his letter to Philemon Paul had referred to Demas and Luke as “my fellow workers” (Philemon 24) and in his letter to the Colossian Christians Paul referred to Demas this way “Our dear friend Luke the doctor, and Demas send greetings.” (Col. 4:14) So with that type of friendship, it must have been a painful separation as Demas deserted Paul, “…because he loved this world.”
I don’t know where Demas went or what involvements he pursed that would cause Paul to write it this way, but look around your network of friends, your city, your extended family. Do you see anyone who at one time in the past was far more enthusiastic about their relationship with Jesus than they are today? What happened to them? What other things captured their heart and drew them away so they are today far more engaged in things of this world than with things of God? If they were family or a close friend to you, the pain of their spiritual apathy is intensified, isn’t it?
John the disciple warned us about this in 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world,the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires will pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” May I invite you to a heart check today? What are the things which can draw you and me away from spiritual passion or engagements? How do you measure your spiritual temperature?
Demas had become a statistic… one of those who used to be far more spiritually engaged than now… the enticements of the world had captivated his heart and he deserted Paul for the attractions of our world. King Solomon gives us wisdom here: “Above all else, guard your heart, it is the wellspring of life.” (Prov. 4:23)
How are you and I doing with this matter of guarding, protecting our hearts, my friends?
As painful as it was for Timothy to read about Demas, it must have been far more painful for Paul to write it. While Paul then says Crescens and Titus are also away from him, we presume they have been sent by Paul on missions of taking the Gospel to Galatia and Dalmatia, on Paul’s behalf. Dr. Luke is evidently in Rome visiting Paul in prison often.
Do you see the next phrase: “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” That’s really interesting isn’t it? Mark is also mentioned in Col. 4:10 and Philemon 24 as having been with Paul. Perhaps you remember two historic events with Mark and Paul in their past.
In Acts 13 Paul and Barnabas were sent out on their first missionary journey by the Christians in Antioch. They invited “Mark”, Barnabas’ young cousin, along with them. That was 20 years ago, about 46ad. Soon Mark abandoned Paul and Barnabas returning home to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:13) Apparently the opposition they were facing was too much for Mark.
Two years later Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem to report on all that God was doing with the Gospel among the Gentiles in their missionary travels. They met with the Apostles in what became known as the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). Following that historic meeting, Paul and Barnabas began to discuss another missionary journey but they had such a serious dispute they separated and each took a different road as they left Jerusalem to resume their missionary travels.
The dispute revolved around Mark. Barnabas wanted to invite him along, giving him a second chance. Paul was unforgiving and unrelenting. Mark had abandoned them once and Paul was unwilling to have him accompany them again. So Barnabas took Mark and Paul took Silas, and they headed off in two different directions. Sadly, we have no record of Paul and Barnabas ever seeing each other again after that day.
We do, however, see that Paul’s heart softened, and he did extend forgiveness to Mark, and we find Mark is with Paul when he write to Philemon (vs. 24) and the Colossians (Col. 4:10). And here, now 20 years after Mark abandoned Paul, in Paul’s letter to Timothy we find Paul urges Timothy to find Mark and bring him to Rome and Paul writes these commending word about Mark “…he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
We have no record that either Timothy or Mark ever saw Paul alive again, but if you’ve ever been estranged from someone who used to be a friend, I hope you find encouragement here. Forgiveness is a very powerful bridge to reconciliation and even restoration.
I wonder if Timothy smiled when he read vs. 13 “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.” This verse leads many Bible scholars to believe Paul’s re-arrest had happened quickly, not giving Paul time to gather important things. Perhaps he had been hauled out of his home as he used to do when he persecuted Christians (Acts 8:1-3), dragging them from their homes and imprisoning them!
The Roman dungeon was likely damp and cold, that cloak would be helpful! His Scrolls were likely portions of the Old Testament, and the “parchments” were perhaps Paul’s collection of notes he kept as the Holy Spirit would reveal God’s truth into Paul’s heart and mind, and perhaps from which he then wrote his letters to the clusters of Christians across the Empire.
Sadly, as we discussed some days ago, verse 14 & 15 are the harsh reality of the Christian life, especially for those who are following Jesus in parts of the world which hold strong opposition to Jesus, His teachings and His Gospel. We pray today for the persecuted church in many parts of both Asia and the middle east. Reports from them today sound very much like Paul’s words in vs. 16-18. They often have no one standing with them when on trial or facing torture or even death. If you have an interest in reading about and praying for the persecution of Christians around the world “Voice of the Martyrs” is an excellent resource giving you fresh news. In the attachment area you can click to go to their website.
Paul’s phrase “I was delivered from the lion’s mouth” in vs. 17 perhaps brings images to you of the story of Daniel in the lion’s den in Daniel 6. By this time in 66ad Caesar Nero was allowing outrageous torture of Christians in Rome. Some did in fact face lions and were mauled to death. Others were covered with tar or pitch and set aflame, burned alive. The fear with which Christians lived in those days was almost indescribable.
But notice Paul’s confidence in vs. 18 “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him (Jesus) be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” What do you hear in Paul’s final words my friends? Do you see he does not fear death, not even a violent death? Do you hear his confidence that regardless of HOW Paul dies, that moment of death will be ‘departure’ from this earth and transport to God’s ‘heavenly kingdom‘! Do you hear Paul’s determination that Jesus Christ will be glorified and honored in Paul’s life and Paul’s death? Is that your hope, your aspiration as well my friends?
And then Paul’s final words of encouragement to Timothy to greet friends Priscilla and Aquila, whom you remember were so significant in Corinth (Acts 18) and elsewhere as they traveled and taught the Gospel of Jesus with great effectiveness. Even though Paul urged Timothy to “do your best to get here before winter…”, we have no historical record Timothy was able to, or ever saw Paul alive again. Which is why Paul’s final words must have been so precious to Timothy “The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.”
I imagine big tears welled up in Timothy’s eyes, as he set down the scroll letter. It had likely taken many days, perhaps weeks for the letter to come to Timothy in Ephesus from Paul in Rome. Perhaps Paul was already dead?
I imagine Timothy wrapped the letter carefully, and perhaps walked through town out to the shoreline, found a place to be alone and stared off across the water to the west toward Rome, watching the waves roll ashore. No living person had so profoundly impacted Timothy’s life as Paul. He cherished the memories… every one of them. If Paul was in fact dead, who would carry on his great legacy? The entire world had been changed by the writings, the preaching, the teaching, the courageous life of Saul Paulus of Tarsus, Pharisee turned missionary of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What now would be the best use of the rest of Timothy’s life, was the question I imagine he pondered for many days.
And what about you and me my friends? How has Paul’s life and letters impacted our lives? Regardless of your age, the place where you live, your background, family or vocation… what would be the best use of the rest of your life on this earth? May I urge us each to spend some quiet time, thanking God for this amazing man, the Apostle Paul, and how his life has impacted our world, but maybe more specifically, how his life has touched yours. And ask Jesus to show you… what difference should Paul’s life and legacy make in your life and legacy, in the time you have remaining on earth?
May I echo Paul’s final words: “The Lord Jesus be with your spirit. Grace be with you.”
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Click here to go the Voice of the Martyrs.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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