2 Timothy 4:19-22 says,...
Today
marks the last day in the books of Paul in the Bible. We moved to the
Oglesby Union Church in October of 2014 and I started a Sunday morning
series on the book of Titus. It was in January of 2015 that I started
going through the book of Romans on Wednesday nights at our weekly
prayer meeting. I also started to cover the books of Paul in these
daily devotionals going through them in the order that Paul wrote them.
Today, I finish up Second Timothy and there is a sadness as I feel like
I won't hear from Paul again but I know better. It has been a great
journey with him and I hope so with you also.
Today's verses are 2 Timothy 4:19-22, which read,
v.19-21 - Greet Prisca and Aquilla, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.
Paul gives Timothy and us another list which he has done so many times before. This is another list of names. He is handing off the ministry to Timothy and the ministry is all about people. It is not about a building or of a corporate organization but it is individuals that he was able to tell the gospel to and they received the faith God gave them to see and believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Some names are more recognized while others are just names that we read and have to wait for heaven to know more about.
Prisca and Aquila have been with Paul for awhile. They started in Rome and then went to Corinth and then to Ephesus and then back to Rome and then back to Ephesus. They were tent makers by profession like Paul but they were also gospel spreaders like him also.
Onesiphorus was the one who searched Paul out in prison when others had abandoned him. Erastus was a travel mate of Timothy at times when Paul had sent them out on assignment. Trophimus, sick and left in the seaport city of Miletus, traveled with Paul from Greece to Troas. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia are unknowns other than their names are in Latin so they could be members of the church in Rome. Yes, Linus is a Biblical name!
Paul instructs Timothy to come before winter and remember that he was to bring his cloak that he had left with Carpus in Troas. Paul's humanness comes out as he longs to have the some comfort of warmth in that cold dark dungeon cell in Rome. Paul then says,...
v.22 - The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
These are such fitting words for Paul's recorded last. How many times has he focused on the Lord? How many times has he encouraged the Lord to be attached to another person? How many times has he said the word "grace?" How many times has he wanted grace to be bestowed upon another or others? The "you" is plural here so he is not only speaking of Timothy but also the members of the church in Ephesus where he is serving. What is most needed in life? We need the Lord and we need His grace. Paul starts by talking about His Lord and he ends the same way. Paul speaks of God's grace to the cross of Christ and the resurrection of our Lord from start to finish.
What will be your final words? I know this is impossible to answer but what would you want them to be? Would you want them to be about the eternal love of your life? Would you want them to be a message to others that God has sent you to love to continue to look to Him? His words come out of our lives when we put them into our lives. A plug to continue to be immersed in Jesus as Paul was from start to finish so what is on the tombstone even speaks of Him to others. Let's pray.
"Lord, what a journey with Your beloved servant Paul who met You on the road to Damascus. He had one agenda but You had another and Yours when followed turned the world upside down. Thank you for Paul being the man he was so that we could see another dedicated follower of You. Keep us on the trek to not only tell others about You but to see them grow in maturity in their faith to also tell others of You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
Today's verses are 2 Timothy 4:19-22, which read,
v.19-21 - Greet Prisca and Aquilla, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.
Paul gives Timothy and us another list which he has done so many times before. This is another list of names. He is handing off the ministry to Timothy and the ministry is all about people. It is not about a building or of a corporate organization but it is individuals that he was able to tell the gospel to and they received the faith God gave them to see and believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Some names are more recognized while others are just names that we read and have to wait for heaven to know more about.
Prisca and Aquila have been with Paul for awhile. They started in Rome and then went to Corinth and then to Ephesus and then back to Rome and then back to Ephesus. They were tent makers by profession like Paul but they were also gospel spreaders like him also.
Onesiphorus was the one who searched Paul out in prison when others had abandoned him. Erastus was a travel mate of Timothy at times when Paul had sent them out on assignment. Trophimus, sick and left in the seaport city of Miletus, traveled with Paul from Greece to Troas. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia are unknowns other than their names are in Latin so they could be members of the church in Rome. Yes, Linus is a Biblical name!
Paul instructs Timothy to come before winter and remember that he was to bring his cloak that he had left with Carpus in Troas. Paul's humanness comes out as he longs to have the some comfort of warmth in that cold dark dungeon cell in Rome. Paul then says,...
v.22 - The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
These are such fitting words for Paul's recorded last. How many times has he focused on the Lord? How many times has he encouraged the Lord to be attached to another person? How many times has he said the word "grace?" How many times has he wanted grace to be bestowed upon another or others? The "you" is plural here so he is not only speaking of Timothy but also the members of the church in Ephesus where he is serving. What is most needed in life? We need the Lord and we need His grace. Paul starts by talking about His Lord and he ends the same way. Paul speaks of God's grace to the cross of Christ and the resurrection of our Lord from start to finish.
What will be your final words? I know this is impossible to answer but what would you want them to be? Would you want them to be about the eternal love of your life? Would you want them to be a message to others that God has sent you to love to continue to look to Him? His words come out of our lives when we put them into our lives. A plug to continue to be immersed in Jesus as Paul was from start to finish so what is on the tombstone even speaks of Him to others. Let's pray.
"Lord, what a journey with Your beloved servant Paul who met You on the road to Damascus. He had one agenda but You had another and Yours when followed turned the world upside down. Thank you for Paul being the man he was so that we could see another dedicated follower of You. Keep us on the trek to not only tell others about You but to see them grow in maturity in their faith to also tell others of You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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