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My home library contains a number of biographies: Martin Luther, John Calvin, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainerd, Charles Spurgeon, and others. The last chapter in these books usually summarizes the man’s life – his outstanding accomplishments, character, and continuing influence. Here are three final chapter titles. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ final chapter is “The Best of Men.” Jonathan Edwards’ is “The Continuing Ministry.” And George Whitefield’s is “The Measure of the Man.”
This morning we’re finishing up Paul’s last written words. How should we summarize the measure of this man we know as the apostle Paul? While Martyn Lloyd-Jones left a wonderful legacy of spiritual riches behind, Paul really earned the title, “The Best of Men.” He was an amazing human being. He first appears in Acts 7 holding the coats of men who were stoning Stephen. Acts 8:1 says he was in hearty agreement with putting Stephen to death. Shortly afterwards on Paul’s way to Damascus to arrest Christians, Jesus Christ Himself sovereignly stops Paul, saves him, and ordains him to be a preacher of the very gospel he persecuted. In Damascus Paul is baptized, immediately begins preaching Jesus, and continued to preach Jesus right up to these final words in 2 Timothy. He traveled about 15,000 miles preaching the gospel throughout the Mediterranean basin on three or four missionary journeys. During these journeys Paul endured extreme sufferings, beatings, stonings, and imprisonments. He wrote at least 12 epistles, and more than any other man, he gave us the great doctrines of the faith. Does he have a continuing ministry? Absolutely. His writings are still leading boys and girls, men, and women to the Savior he served and loved. Many of us traveled those Romans Road verses to salvation (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9-10,13). Other than Christ, the Apostle Paul seems to be the most important human being in world history.
Let’s read through these 14 verses of Paul’s final words with some comments, and then highlight five characteristics of his life. These characteristics will encourage each of us to live our entire lives, right up to the end, for the glory of God.
2 Timothy 4:9-12, Make every effort to come to me soon; 10 for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12 But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
Paul faces a cold winter there in that miserable Roman prison. Two times he urges Timothy to come soon and to come before winter, “Make every effort to come before winter” (vs. 21). He deeply misses Timothy, his son in the faith, and has many important matters to discuss personally with him. This will be the last time they’ll see each other.
Paul had some difficult thoughts and a heavy heart too. His once faithful Demas has deserted him. Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24 speak of Demas as Paul’s faithful co-laborer, but here in verse 10 Paul says Demas had somehow drifted away from Christ and fell in love with this present evil age. Paul grieved over Demas’ disloyalty and desertion. Unlike Peter, who denied the Lord but then went out and wept bitterly, we never read of Demas repenting and being restored. First John 2:15 says, “If you love the world the love of the Father is not in you.” James 4:4 says, “Whoever makes himself a friend of the world, makes himself an enemy of God.”
But thankfully, many of Paul’s followers went on to other ministries. Luke, the beloved physician, was loyal to Paul to the very end. What a blessing he must have been. He had accompanied Paul on many of his journeys, even up to Rome in his first imprisonment. Luke must have been staying in Rome during this second imprisonment and regularly came to visit Paul bringing him what he needed. “Only Luke is with me,” (vs.11).
Verse 11 also tells us of the wonderful restoration of Mark. Mark had turned away on that first missionary journey, but God drew him back and now Paul honors Mark with these words, “He is useful to me for service.” The one who turned away now proves useful for ministry. God knows how to restore His erring sheep.
Now Paul tells us in verse 12 that he sent Tychicus to Ephesus. Paul had written a letter to the Ephesian church during his first imprisonment and describes Tychicus as “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (Eph. 6:21). What a commendation coming from the apostle Paul!
2 Timothy 4:13, When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.
It appears that Paul must have been arrested suddenly in Troas and wasn’t able to gather his belongings. Facing this cold winter, he requests his cloak, which was a heavy blanket of coarse wool to protect against wind and rain. But Paul especially wants his books. Parchments, in the Greek “membranes,” were probably scrolls of the Old Testament. They were made of the skins of sheep, goats, or young calves all specially prepared for writing.
You may remember William Tyndale, that great translator of the English Bible, was in prison awaiting his martyrdom in 1536 when he wrote a letter asking for a warm hat, warmer coat, and a lamp for the wearisome darkness. Then, much like Paul asking for the books and parchments, Tyndale requested his “Hebrew Bible, Hebrew grammar, and Hebrew Dictionary.” God’s men love their books.
2 Timothy 4:14-15, Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.
Calvin called Alexander an evil man, “a dreadful example of apostasy.” Paul doesn’t hold back in exposing this enemy of the faith who must have attacked Paul’s character and his teaching. Whatever he did, he vigorously opposed Paul’s teaching and was still at his wicked schemes as Paul tells Timothy to be on guard against him. There are times when apostates need to be called out and God’s people need to be warned against them. Journalist Megan Basham has done this service for us in her great book, Shepherds for Sale, warning us of men like Andy Stanley, Russell Moore, and of the left-wing curriculum “After Party” being sold to churches and colleges to draw evangelicals to a leftist, progressive mindset. There are always wolves like Alexander opposing God’s truth and we need to be alert and warn others.
2 Timothy 4:16-18, At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul knew the pain of desertion in his final days, but he also knew he was never deserted by his God who stood right there with him in that prison cell and strengthened him in his soul. God rescued him from the lion’s mouth, a metaphor of death, the jaws of death. All this time Paul never abandoned his mission of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, even in prison. He believed what he wrote in Romans, “If God be for us, who can be against us.” He was heaven bound. Paul lived ultimately for the glory of God, which should be the desire of all of us.
2 Timothy 4:19-22, Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. 21 Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
Have you noticed all these names? Paul was a man of many deep and abiding friendships in Christ. He wasn’t an ivory tower academician. He loved God’s people. In verse 21 he urges Timothy, “Come before winter.” One man preached a whole sermon on that request. He said, “We like to think that Timothy did not wait a single day after that letter reached him at Ephesus but started at once to Troas where he picked up the books and the old cloak in the house of Carpus and headed up to Rome.” Paul’s final beautiful words to his beloved Timothy are assurances that the Lord and His grace are in you, with you, empowering you, and keeping you (vs. 22).
Paul was certainly “the best of men.” These final words of a seasoned soldier reveal the pulse of Paul’s heart. These five takeaways from these final words should encourage and challenge each of us to live for Christ right to the end of our lives, by God’s grace and for God’s glory!
HE NEVER LOST SIGHT OF GOD’S PURPOSE FOR HIS LIFE.
God called him to preach to the Gentiles the glorious gospel and right up to the end Paul just kept doing that. He was focused. He wasn’t like the cowboy who jumped on his horse and rode off in all directions. He never got distracted. He had to deal with church problems, heresies, mistreatment, and imprisonment, but he stayed focused on his purpose to preach the gospel!
Even here in his final words of 2 Timothy 4:11 he’s thinking in terms of ministry, and in 4:17 in the face of death he’s concerned about fulfilling God’s calling in his life. We don’t have an apostolic calling like Paul had but beware of being distracted or de-railed from seeking God’s kingdom first! Stay on target for God. Stay focused on God’s ministry for you.
HE LOVED OTHERS AND WAS COMMITTED TO THEIR SPIRITUAL WELFARE.
Paul refers to 18 people in these few verses. Paul loved people. He loved God’s people, and he prayed for them constantly. He was no ivory tower academician who never mingled his heart with fellow humans. True, some relationships were deep disappointments to him, like Demas.
But others were greatly encouraging to Paul. He sent many into various ministries. Mark turned back on the first missionary journey, but failure for Mark wasn’t final. “Bring him with you, Timothy!” (2 Timothy 4:11). Paul deeply loved Timothy like a father loves his son. He wanted to spend some time with him before going on to glory. Mark recovered with the help of his uncle, Barnabas. Papias, an early church leader reported that Mark served as Peter’s interpreter in Rome and wrote his gospel from Peter’s remembrance.
Have you ever failed? God is full of grace and mercy to His children. Aren’t you glad God gives us opportunities to prove ourselves, even after failure? When David Livingstone, missionary to Africa, attempted to preach his first sermon, he went blank and told the audience, “I have forgotten all that I had to say.” But someone encouraged him, and he went on to blaze a trail through Africa with the gospel.
Paul loved God’s people. He poured himself out for them. He wanted them to grow and mature. He longed to see them honoring and glorifying Christ. Do you find yourself growing in your love for other believers, blessed by their faithfulness, grieved when they make bad decisions?
HE NEVER STOPPED HUNGERING TO LEARN AND GROW – vs. 13.
Paul had a need to read! “Bring the books and parchments.” He was hungry to read and study. A Christian leader needs his books.
John Wesley told his Methodist preachers either to read or get out of the ministry. He expected them to be reading five hours a day. He confronted one flagging preacher with this reproof, “What has exceedingly hurt you in time past, nay, and I fear to this day, is want of reading. I scarce ever knew a preacher (to) read so little. And perhaps by neglecting it you have lost the taste for it.”
Daniel Webster wrote about reading in America. “If religious books are not widely circulated among the masses in this country, I do not know what is going to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused, then error will be. If God and His Word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendency. If the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will. If the power of the gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of this land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness will reign without mitigation or end.” (www.goodreads.com/quotes/45253).
Martyn Lloyd-Jones credits Edwards’ sermons with highly influencing his early ministry: “The help that I derived in my early years in the ministry from reading the sermons of Jonathan Edwards was immeasurable.”
“Bring the books!” Develop the habit of reading. If given a choice between spending that money on a good book or a sizzling steak dinner, you know what Paul would have taken! Even when you’re 90 years-old and on the homeward stretch, keep reading or listening to books. Paul never stopped hungering to learn and grow spiritually. “Bring the books!”
HE LIVED WITH OPPOSITION AND DISAPPOINTMENT ALL HIS LIFE – vs. 14-16.
Alexander may have been involved in instigating Paul’s arrest and imprisonment. Paul lived with his “thorn” in the flesh. Think of the mountains of opposition he had to slice through, from the Pharisees in Jerusalem opposing him to the Judaizers chasing him from city to city and spreading lies about him, to the critics in Corinth, to the plot by more than 40 men in Jerusalem who committed to not to eat or drink until they assassinated him. Paul served his Lord with a target on his back. He lived with opposition every step of the way. First Cor 16:8-9, “But I shall remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”
It wasn’t just enemies outside the church who opposed him, but people he thought would stand with him didn’t – “All deserted me!” How would you handle that? Most of us would go into a tailspin and crash if all our Christian friends left our side for fear of imprisonment themselves. Back in Paul’s day, just having an association with him put a target on your back. But we know nothing purifies the church quicker than persecution.
Let’s review. Paul never veered from God’s purpose for him. He loved God’s people. He had a constant thirst to learn and grow. He lived with opposition and disappointment. And I love this last one – he knew and trusted the Lord as his closest personal friend.
HE KNEW AND TRUSTED THE LORD AS HIS CLOSEST PERSONAL FRIEND.
The passion of Paul’s heart was to know Christ! Philippians 3:8-9, “That I might know Christ; that I may gain Him.” God is personal. Christ is personal. And Paul knew Christ personally. And by knowing Him, Paul knew he could trust him. Christ was very real and personal to Paul as he was waiting the time he would be welcomed into glory. In the meantime, and under all the opposition and disloyalty, Paul lived what he taught. Regarding Alexander, he committed him to God, “The Lord will repay him.” He didn’t take personal vengeance. Paul knew God would deal justly with his enemies (Romans 12:19).
Paul strengthens Timothy with these closing affirming words in 2 Timothy 4:22, “The Lord be with your spirit.” And then using the plural, as the apostle of sovereign grace he writes, “Grace be with you all!”
Paul was the best of men. Won’t it be special to talk with Paul when we get to glory? There may be a long line. What a man. But really, I should be saying, “What a Lord!” It was Jesus Christ who made Paul all that he was! What did he say? “By the grace of God, I am what I am.” What about you? Does Paul’s life challenge you? I want to close by remembering some of Paul’s most memorable lines. You may have memorized them.
Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 6:14, But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
1 Timothy 1:15, It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
2 Corinthians 12:9, And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Philippians 1:21, For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.