A Little Spring Cleaning

Manic Monday 

Luke continues his account of what we call Passion Week with the big Palm Sunday parade (Lk 19:28-40). Mark lets us know that what happens next went down after “on the following day” (Mk 11:12). 

Welcome to Manic Monday.

Here’s a quick recap. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey (Lk 19:35). The people went absolutely crazy in celebration as their Messiah had finally arrived (Lk 19:36-38). The grumpy Pharisees tried to get Jesus to calm everyone down (Lk 19:39). 

Christ tells them that it would be useless to do so, since creation can't help but praise God (Lk 19:40). He cries over the city as He approaches Jerusalem (Lk 19:41). The Lord then prophetically predicts its destruction at the hands of Rome in AD 70 (Lk 19:42-44).

The Golden Gate

Jesus enters through what is called the Golden Gate. No, not the bridge in San Francisco. It's a key entrance into First Century Jerusalem.

Like the previous passages that begin Passion Week, these verses are pregnant with OT prophecy. Jews have waited for centuries for Messiah to enter through this particular gate (Ezek 44:1-3). The last writing prophet of the OT let the people know that "the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple" (Mal 3:1). 

A Little Too Late 

It's interesting to note that the Golden Gate is now sealed shut. When a conquering Muslim monarch heard that the Jewish Messiah would enter through that particular gate, he had it walled and closed in the 16th century.

Jews still believe their Messiah enter the temple mount through the Golden Gate. I have bad news for both the Jews and Muslims. You missed it. Jesus passed through the gate on this particular Palm Sunday.

There’s No Business Like God’s Business

Once on the temple grounds, Jesus was furious at what He saw. The area known as the Court of the Gentiles was turned into the local mall or flea market. Non-Jews would have been unable to worship. 

Temple officials had apparently sold franchises to vendors so people could have the proper currency and sacrifices for temple worship. Of course, this all came at a HUGE markup. Kind of like buying anything at the airport.

Jesus was filled with righteous anger and began doing a little spring cleaning. This was the second time He had cleansed the temple. John describes the other time at the beginning of Jesus' ministry (Jn 2:13-22). 

A Den of Robbers

After busting the chops of the Pharisees on His way into town, this would have been a direct slap in the face of the Sadducees who were in charge of the temple. Throughout His ministry, Christ played these two rival sects against each other. This event would drive them together as allies with a common enemy.

In the middle of this crazy scene in the temple courts, Jesus quotes a couple of different passages from the OT. First, "My house shall be a house of prayer" (Is 56:7). Next, "But you have made it a den of robbers" (Jer 7:11). Just another example that there’s no business like God’s business.

A Milquetoast Messiah?

For those who like to paint Jesus as some mild-mannered milquetoast Messiah, the cleansing of the temple is a big problem. Jesus is mad. Jesus is furious. And righteously so. Not only does the Bible regularly refer to God's anger over sin, but Paul goes on to say that it is okay to be angry as long as we don't sin (Eph 4:26).

Are you like Jesus? Does sin make you angry? If not, why not? Then it might be time for Jesus to do a little spring cleaning in your life?

The Kiddie Pool of Religion

In verse 47, Luke tells us that Jesus began teaching everyday in the temple. During His three year ministry, there is no other time when Jesus acted more messianic. He dominated the temple during His Passion Week. 

Everyday He would set up shop in the courts and teach. He was forcing the issue. The people would have to choose between Jesus and the religious elite.

Jesus forces each of us to make a choice. He’s not calling us to play around in the kiddie pool of religion. He wants us to enjoy the deep end of trust and faith. What’s it going to be? Am I going to be all in? 

A Conspiracy Grows

When He cleansed the temple the first time (Jn 2), the religious officials confronted Christ immediately. Not this time. After this second instance, "the chief priests and the scribes and the principle men of the people were seeking to destroy Him" (v47). 

The conspiracy grew and solidified. Jesus must be stopped. It was coming to a boil at Passover.

But there was just one problem. "They did not find anything they could do" (v48). You see, Jesus is not only God, but He is sinless. He wasn't breaking any rules or any laws.

Hanging on His Words

The people flocked to the temple courts to hear from this amazing Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth. The city was packed with pilgrims for Passover. Many had seen His raucous ride into Jerusalem and how the wild scene at the temple. 

Now He taught. And, oh baby, what a Teacher! No one teaches like Jesus. Not before. Not since. And "all the people were hanging on His words."

But all of this would change in five short days. The people who hung on His words on Monday would hang Him on a cross on Friday.

©2017

Jay Jennings

Everybody Loves a Parade...Except the Pharisees

A Long Awaited Day

For centuries, the Jewish people had longed for this day.  The day when their Messiah triumphantly road into Jerusalem.  But as the crowds roared for Jesus as He sat on the back of young donkey, it was a bittersweet day at best.  

The Son of God would certainly begin the most messianic week of His incarnation.  But the same people cheering for Him on Sunday would be the same people calling for His crucifixion on Friday. 

A Power Trip

Luke clearly ties Jesus’ Palm Sunday parade with His Parable of the Ten Minas (Lk 19:11-27).  “And when He had said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem” (v28).  I wonder if the good doctor is tying Christ’s words about stewarding God’s blessings (v26-27) with the Pharisees whining about the cheering crowds (v39).  

The Pharisees had been blessed with a strategic position to bring glory to God and to leverage it for His kingdom.  Clearly they had not.  It had become all about them.  All about their power.  And nothing was going to pull the plug on their power trip.
 
A Visit to Jericho

Jesus’ visit to Jericho was short but memorable.  He has healed blind Bartimaeus (Lk 18:35-43).  He went to home of the notorious Zacchaeus to celebrate His salvation (Lk 19:1-10).  As He headed out of town (possibly while still in Zach’s living room), Christ told of the ten minas (Lk 19:11-27).

Dr. Luke once again reminds us that Jesus is on a mission (v28).  He will not be deterred from what awaits in Jerusalem (Lk 9:51, 53).  The author describes the route as from Jericho to Bethphage and Bethany into Jerusalem.  The trip from Jericho to Bethany and Bethphage is a rugged uphill climb.  

Remember Jerusalem is a city on a mountain.  Jericho sits on the Jerusalem highway on the way from the Jordan River valley, part of the lowest section of the planet below sea level.  Jesus‘ traveling party made the steep ascent from Jericho to Bethphage and Bethany which sat on the hip of the Mount of Olives.
 
Borrowing a Ride

Here, Jesus turns to a pair of unnamed disciples and gives them curious instructions (v29-31).  Go into the next village.  They’ll see a colt tied to a post.  This animal has never been ridden.  Untie it and bring him to Jesus.  Someone may ask what you’re doing.  If so, just tell them, “The Lord needs it.”

Don’t miss the immediate obedience of these two.  They do exactly as Jesus tells them.  It makes me wonder if I'm as I quick to obey? 

Prophet with a Capital "P"

These two “found it just as He had told them” (v32).  Was this because Jesus had made previous arrangements?  Possibly.  But I think it is another indication of the God-Man’s divinity.  In His prophetic omniscience, Jesus knew the young donkey would be exactly as the disciples would find it.  

Jesus is the Prophet with a capital “P.”  

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Christ was so spot on with His description of what they would find that He even gave them a preview of the conversation they would have with the owner of the colt.  And even more amazingly, the owner of the young donkey accepted their reason and allowed them to take the animal.  

Was this person familiar with Jesus?  Possibly.  Remember, Christ had raised Lazarus from the dead just days or weeks before in this same neighborhood. It's been all the papers and trending on social media.
 
The Prophetic Donkey

This passage actually drips with prophecy.  On top of Jesus‘ omniscient insight into the young donkey, these verses send us scrambling back to the OT.  Jesus’ choice of a donkey is anything but random.  The prophet Zechariah declared,
            Behold, your King is coming to you;
            Righteous and having salvation is He,
            Humble and mounted on a donkey,
            On a cold, the foal of a donkey. (Zech 9:9)
 
A Humble Ride

Zechariah wrote about this amazing day centuries before.  Messiah would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey.  Not a horse.  Not on a chariot.  On a donkey.  It is a sign of the  humble nature of the Jesus’ incarnation.  And there is some indication that the kings of Israel often road young donkeys as an indication of their position.

The people prepare the donkey for the parade.  They toss their cloaks onto the colt since they don’t have a saddle (v35).  Then they lifted the Lord onto the donkey’s back.
 
The Parade Begins

The Palm Sunday parade had begun.  People began taking off their cloaks, their outer garments, and throwing them on the dusty road before Jesus (v36).  This is an ultimate show of respect.  They did not want the hooves of Messiah’s mount to touch the unpaved street.  

This would be like taking off your suit coat or blazer and throwing on a filthy dirt path so that livestock could walk over it.  Picture Sir Walter Raleigh throwing his velvet cloak over the mud for his queen.  It’s interesting to note that Luke doesn’t tell us that this is Sunday and he doesn’t mention the palm branches.  Just cloaks.
 
And the Crowd Goes Wild!

Things get crazy as the donkey riding Jesus descends from the crest of the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem.  “The whole multitude of His disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen” (v37).  

What a crazy scene!  The crowd goes wild as Messiah rides into the city!  They cheer because they have witnessed Jesus performing miracle after miracle.  Again, this will all change in just a few short days.  Many of these same people will demand this Man’s execution in five days. 

Here Comes the King!

The crowd sang, chanted and cheered as Jesus made His way down the Mount of Olives toward the Golden Gate into the city of Jerusalem.  Once again, our OT comes in very handy.  The people shout, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (v38).  

Peace in Heaven and on Earth

This is a direct quote from Ps 118:26.  The crowd cheers Jesus as King, the long-awaited Son of David to sit upon the throne of Israel.  Messiah has come!

They go on to yell, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  The people joyfully echo what the angels sang to the shepherds in the Judean hills some 33 years ago.  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” (Lk 2:14).  In other words, there is now peace in heaven because the Prince of Peace has come to reconcile God and His people.
 
Furious Pharisees

Everybody loves a parade.  Except of course for the Pharisees (v39).  Some of these goobers had made their way into the crowd.  They are like so many of us.  We like to get mad.  We take some sort of sick joy in getting fired up about our enemies.  How ridiculous and sinful is that?!?!  

Well, these Pharisees were furious.  They yell to Jesus to tell His followers to shut up and shut up NOW.
 
Let the Stones Cheer

I love Jesus’ response.  “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (v40).  In other words, boys, if he told them to be quiet it wouldn’t make any difference.  If the people stopped cheering, something else would start cheering.  The stones.  

All throughout the Bible, we read of creation praising God.  That’s what Jesus is saying.  Don’t miss the fact that Jesus is clearly claiming to be God!  

Not only is He accepting the worship of the people, but He tells the Pharisees that even inanimate objects would sing praise to Him if the crowd quieted down.  In other words, Jesus tells the Pharisees that He is God and there is nothing they can do about it. 

Let’s Go Crazy!

Do you ever find yourself in the role of playing the religious police?  Someone is OVERLY enthusiastic about what God has done or is doing in their life.  You feel they need to pump their brakes just a bit.  Let’s not get crazy about this.  Let’s be dignified in our praise.  Settle down.  

Why shouldn’t we be like King David when he led the parade for the Ark of the Covenant, dancing like fool?  

Why shouldn’t we be like the sinful woman who poured her expensive perfume over Jesus?  

Not only should we not stop these people in their enthusiastic and extravagant worship, we should join them!!! 

©2017 

Jay Jennings

Ditched by Demas

“For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (2Tim 4:10).

“No mas!”

It was the long awaited rematch between Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard. Duran was the tough-as-nails welterweight champ with the infamous hands of stone. But that night in the Superdome, Sugar Ray took control of the fight and began to taunt Duran.

Then something happened that nobody saw coming. With just seconds to go in the eighth round, the champ turned his back on Leonard and waved his boxing glove at the referee. “No mas!” That’s Spanish for “no more.” Instead of punching back, Duran punked out.

When Your Buddy Bails

So what in the Wide World of Sports does a boxer bailing in a bout have to do with an apostle in prison? According to Paul, one of his closest friends threw in the towel in the final rounds.

“For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (v10). Paul doesn’t go into specifics but his buddy has bailed. He’s been ditched by Demas.

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock

This is probably a good time to zoom out to see the context of what’s going here. It’s sometime around 66-67 AD. The place is Rome’s Mamertine Prison, Caesar’s SuperMax. The Apostle Paul is writing what will be the last letter of his life. He’s behind bars on Death Row (2Tim 1:6, 12, 1; 2:9; 4:6-7).

With his final hours ticking down like the clock on “24,” Paul fires off a frantic note to Timothy, his spiritual son and “my beloved child” (2Tim 1:2). He writes with a pair of purposes. First, he’s officially making the handoff of ministry to the young preacher (2Tim 2:1-4:4). Second, he begs his protege for one last visit (2Tim 4:9; 21).

Which brings us to Demas’ desertion. There’s a pretty good chance that Paul needs Tim because someone who’s name starts with “D” and ends with “emas” dropped out. Or as as they say in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” he’s done “r-u-n-n-o-f-t!”

Who Is Demas?

Just who is this guy and why did he abandon the apostle in his darkest hour? Looking back on his other mentions in the New Testament, Demas seems to be exactly the kind of guy who would stick by your side when the chips are down.

Just five years ago during a previous time in the big house, he was right there with Paul. In a letter to Colossian believers from prison, the apostle wants them to know, “Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas” (Col 4:14). During the same incarceration, he tells his friend Philemon that Ephaphras “sends his greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers” (Phm 23-24).

This Present World

So what changed? Why has one of the most dedicated members of Paul’s posse flown the coop? Why did Demas say “no mas”? (Okay, it probably wasn’t in Spanish but Greek.)

While the apostle doesn’t get into specifics of Demas going AWOL, he does say that he’s “in love with this present world” (v10). Paul’s buddy had a choice to make. Stay with Paul or hit the road. And it becomes crystal clear that whatever he means by the phrase “this present world,” it did not involve hanging out in a Roman dungeon.

In the prequel to this letter, Paul uses this very same phrase when writing to Timothy about the top one percent. “As for the rich in this present world, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1Tim 6:17, emphasis added).

Chasing Fads

The ESV translates the Greek word αιων/aion as “world.” Just to be clear, Paul’s NOT talking about planet. This term describes an era, age or a specific time period. It can also mean the system of practices and standards associated with secular society apart from the requirements of God.

That being the case, you can literally translate that Demas “has loved the age that now is” (v10). The Message nails it by saying Paul’s partner is off “chasing fads” (v10 The Message). Instead of standing by the apostle’s side, he’s decided to chase what’s trendy, hip, and hot.

No, I’m not saying Demas dumped Paul to play Pokemon Go while putting his hair in a First Century man-bun. He simply got distracted by the current stuff of life. The right now  in Demas’ life totally overwhelmed the eternal.

Hmm, sound familiar? Plenty of folks think the Bible is a dusty, old collection of well-intended but horribly outdated fairy tales. Church might have been good for Memaw back in the day, but I need something more chic. Gimme something current. Gimme something hip. Gimme something hot.

The Urgent Versus the Important

Don’t pull a Demas and mistake what’s urgent for what’s important. The Gospel allows us to look at life through the wide angle lens of eternity. We see what has enduring value. Just a hint, that value isn’t found binging the latest hot show on Netflix.

If you’re scoring at home, we’re talking about relationships. A relationship with God. Relationships with people. Those are SO important that Jesus said they are the secret sauce of obedience to the entire entire Old Testament (Mt 22:37-40; Mk 12:29-31). So, yeah, loving others is kind of a big deal. Like a big, hairy eternal deal.

Let’s put all our cards on the table. You and I are whole lot more like Demas than we are Paul. We’re probably the folks Jesus was talking about when He compared spreading the Gospel in various soil conditions. “The cares of the world (Gr. αιων/aion) and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word” and the Good News never thrives (Mk 4:19).

IN the World or OF the World?

So how do we live in “this present age” (v10) and not give in to it? How do we live IN the world and not be OF the world? Paul knew believers in Rome would face these very same challenges as we do. “Do not be conformed to this world (Gr. αιων/aion), but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2).

In other words, don’t let the culture shape you from the outside. Let God’s Word shape you from the inside. The only real hope of not falling for the latest fads is allowing the Lord give you a brand new mind. A mind just like His that thinks like He thinks. Or as Paul tells the folks in Corinth, “We have the mind of Christ” (1Cor 2:16).

Left in the Lurch

How deep was Demas’ fascination with “this present age” (v10). Well, the apostle says he “has deserted me” (v10). Paul uses a Greek verb (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkataleipo) which paints a picture of abandoning someone in a desperate situation or leaving them in the lurch. It’s from a root word which means to leave destitute or distraught.

It should come as no shock that this is EXACTLY the same word used to translate Jesus’ heartbreaking cry from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkataleipo) Me” (Mt 27:46). Our Savior experienced the ultimate abandonment so that we never have to. You can bet the apostle counts on that as he writes Tim.

On the Road to Thessalonica

The apostle does tell us that Demas has hit the road “and gone to Thessalonica” (v10).  In the First Century, it was the capital of Macedonia. Thessalonica was a commercial hub sitting smack dab along a major Roman highway with direct access to shipping on the Aegean Sea. If this wasn’t Demas’ hometown, it certainly was a happening town.

If the name of the place rings a bell, it should. Luke records that Paul had a rather short but eventful stay in Thessalonica. Planted a church there (Acts 17:1-4). Stirred up a real hornets nest there (Acts 17:5-9). Got chased out of there (Acts 17:10). And later, wrote a couple of letters to believers there.

Crescens to Galatia

Paul tells Timothy how of a couple of other members of his team that have moved on. “Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (v10). Sure seems like the apostle sees their departures more like assignments than abandonment.

So who’s this dude Crescens? This is the first, last, and only mention of his name in the entire Bible. There’s some speculation outside the NT that he might given his life for the Gospel while on mission in Galatia.

One thing is for certain, he must have been one of Paul’s go-to guys to make such an important trip to help disciples at his very first multisite church plant in the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 13:13-14:23).

While Crescens is a bit of mystery man, the third man Paul mentions is much more familiar. Titus was one of Paul’s closest friends next to Timothy and possibly Luke. He’s clearly well-known over in the Corinthian church as well (2Cor 2:13; 7:6, 13-14; 8:6, 16,23; 12:18; 13:14).

Titus to Dalmatia

Last time we checked in on Titus, he was on the island of Crete. Paul instructs him to wrap up the work already started in local churches which included finding spiritual leaders (Titus 1:5). At the end of his letter to Titus, Paul asked him to meet him in Nicopolis to spend the winter together (Titus 3:12). Did the apostle send him to Dalmatia from there?

No, Titus was NOT sharing the Gospel with spotted dogs riding on firetrucks. Dalmatia is in southern Europe just north of Greece. It’s in the modern day nation of Croatia in the Balkans. Paul’s life may be on the line but the message of Jesus is on the move.

Step into Demas’ Sandals
 
Which brings us back to Demas. It’s easy to see ourselves as the apostle in this story. How many times has someone we thought we could trust left us swinging in the breeze at exactly the wrong moment? If you’re like most of us, you’ve lost count. You think somebody’s got your back. But when you turn around at the moment of truth, all get are crickets.

Once again, things get kinda messy for you and me at this point. Let’s all take a moment to climb down off our high horse and step into Demas’ sandals. Yeah, you read that right. How many times have I turned tail and run when times got tough? How many times have YOU quietly exited stage left when someone thought you had their back? Gulp.

Trusting in the Trustworthy

There are a couple of important takeaways. First of all, Demas’ desertion certainly breaks Paul’s heart, but the man from Tarsus knows better than to place his hope in anyone but Jesus. As he told Tim a little earlier, “if we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2Tim 2:13).

It’s no surprise that Christ’s faithfulness is a mega-theme throughout Scripture. Just before heading home to Heaven, the Lord promised us, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).

The author of Hebrews repeats God’s pledge to Joshua, “I will never leave you nor forsake (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkataleipo) you” (Heb 13:5; Josh 1:5). Hey! Look! There’s that same word Paul used to describe Demas’ desertion…except this time it has a “NOT” with it!! Our Savior will never leave you hanging. Ever.

Restoring Runaways

The other big takeaway is not making the mistake of throwing Demas under the chariot. We don’t know what happened. Even if he did punk out on Paul, we don’t know if he repented and served his Savior faithfully in the future.

Think that’s not possible? In the very next verse the apostle tells Tim to bring Mark when he comes. You remember Mark. He’s the young buck who bailed on Paul and Barnabas on their first tour (Acts 13:13). Years later, Paul wants him by his side in his final days. God loves reconciling relationships and restoring runaways. It’s one of His specialties.

When Demas said, “No mas!”

Let’s not be so quick to trash Demas. First and foremost because we’ve all been a Demas to someone’s Paul. Repent and apologize to those we’ve abandoned.

At the same time, let’s do all we can to avoid Demas’ mistake. God apparently used the guy in a powerful way before this incident in Rome. Sadly that all gets overshadowed by the day he hit the road for Thessalonica. The dreadful day Demas pulled a Duran and said, “No mas!”

Calling 9-1-1

“Do your best to come to me soon” (2Tim 4:9).

Who You Gonna Call?

You get one phone call. Maybe you need bail. Maybe your car broke down. Maybe you need prayer. Maybe you desperately just need someone be there. Whatever’s going on, you simply can’t do it alone.

You need help and you need it now. You’re in a bind. Your back’s against the wall. You’re pinned between the rock and the proverbial hard place.

Like the Ghostbusters say, “Who you gonna call?” Who’s your emergency contact. Who’s your lifeline? Who’s your first phone call? Who’s your personal 9-1-1 call?

Long before there were such things as 9-1-1, emergency numbers, or even telephones, folks still needed help in a hurry. Crank up the Flux Capacitor for 66 AD. The place is Rome’s infamous Mamertine Prison. The person is the Apostle Paul. The purpose is desperation. He needs help. Right. Now.

Drop Everything

The man from Tarsus sits on Death Row and knows he’s about to die. He’s poured his life out in worship to Jesus (2Tim 4:6). He’s gone the distance and is crossing the finish line in the obstacle course called life (2Tim 4:7). It won’t be long before he’s face to face with his Savior and receiving his reward (2Tim 4:8).

Paul can’t wait to see Jesus. He’s made that clear (2Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23). But there’s just one more thing he wants to do before that happens. He would love to see his friend Timothy one last time. “Do your best to come to me soon” (v9). Drop everything and get here quickly. Do not pass “Go.” Do not collect $200.

A Call from Paul

Imagine being THE one person Paul wants to see before he sees Jesus. I mean, the dude is on one of the shortest lists in history as a capital “A” Apostle of the Son of God! Christ personally handpicked this guy to tell non-Jewish people that God’s Messiah is for everyone (Acts 9:15; Rom 1:5; 11:13; 15:16; Gal 1:16; 2:2, 7-9; 3:8; 1Tim 2:7; 2Tim 4:17).

Paul has made three tours of the Mediterranean Rim telling people about Jesus. For Pete’s sake, He’s will have written 14 (and some say 15) books of what we now call the New Testament.

Paul’s Contact List

Put yourself in Tim’s sandals for just a moment. The apostle could have reached out any number of biblical VIPs in his time of need. I mean, he certainly had Peter and the other ten apostles on speed dial. He was friends with Jesus’ kid brother James (Acts 15:13; 21:18).

How about his original traveling buddy Barnabas (Acts 11:25; 13:1-14:28)? Titus certainly has the credentials (2Cor 2:13; 7:6-14; 8:6-23; 12:18; Gal 2:1-3; 2Tim 4:10; Titus 1:4). Silas would have to be near the top of the list (Acts 15:22-18:5; 2Cor 1:19; 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1). Don’t forget Apollos (Acts 18:2-18; 1Cor 4:1; 16:12; Titus 3:13).

Paul could have called Aquila and Priscilla (Rom 16:3-5; 1Cor 16:19; 2Tim 4:19). Maybe Epaphras (Col 4:12; Phm 23) or Epaproditus (Phil 2:25-30; 4:15-18). He and Philemon go way back (Phm 1). The apostle could always count on Tychicus when the chips were down (Eph 6:21-22; Col 4:7-9; 2Tim 4:12; Titus 3:12).

We see a little later that Dr. Luke is already by his side (2Tim 4:11). The apostle also goes out of his way see if Tim can get John Mark to come with him as well (2Tim 4:11). You might be surprised to see Mark mentioned. Let’s just say Paul and Mark’s relationship is…well…complicated (Acts 13:13; 15:37-41). And these are just a few of the names in the apostle’s contacts!

Paul’s Spiritual Son

But most of all, Paul wants Timothy. And why not? He sees the young preacher as his spiritual son (1Tim 1:2; 2Tim 1:2). God brought them together on his second tour of Turkey (Acts 16:1-3). From that point on, Tim was part of the apostle’s inner circle (Acts 17:14-15; 18:5; 19:22; 20:4; Rom 16:21).

Tim was Paul’s go-to guy for special assignments (1Cor 4:17; 16:10; 2:19-23; 1Th 3:2-6). The apostle has put him in charge of his beloved church plant in Ephesus (1Tim 1:3). He was right there when it came time to write to fellow followers of Jesus (2Cor 1:1; Phil 1:1; Col 1:1; 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1; Phm 1).

Here at the end of Paul’s life, he has two important reasons to write Timothy. One, to personally pass the baton of ministry (2Tim 2:1-4:5). Two, encourage him to drop everything and get his tail to Rome so he can see his face one last time (v9; 2Tim 4:21). Let that sink in. Not only is the great apostle entrusting you with a critical position of leadership but he urgently wants to spend time with you in his final days.

Not Afraid to Ask for Help

“Do your best to come to me soon” (v9). This little verse speaks about the apostle. While his spiritual resume certainly puts ours to shame, he’s not afraid to ask for help. He’s not afraid to admit he’s lonely. He’s not afraid to be totally transparent.

How about you? Are you one of those folks who can’t show any weakness? Nobody sees the real you. You’re like the old line from the deodorant commercial, “Never let them see you sweat.” No matter what comes your way, you make sure you put up a front that you’ve got everything under control. There’s just one little problem. You don’t.

Ain’t Too Proud to Beg

If the Apostle Paul isn’t afraid to call 9-1-1, where do you and I get off thinking we have to handle stuff alone? Are the person in your small group who NEVER has problem? When it’s time for prayer request, you always respond with something like “I’m good” or “Too blessed to be stressed!”

Hey, I’m NOT saying you should manufacture something when life is truly good. But pull back the curtain. Let folks see the real you. Let people pray for you. Let God use others to help you. Don’t rob them of the blessing to help!

Take a lesson from Paul. He’s like Temptations. He ain’t too proud to beg! He ain’t too proud to ask for help. He ain’t too proud to call 9-1-1.

Don’t Walk…RUN!!

The apostle pleads with Tim to “do your best” (v9) to come for a visit. He uses the Greek verb σπουδαζω/spoudazo, which means to make haste, be eager, exert yourself, be diligent, work hard, or do something in a hurry and give it everything you’ve got. It emphasizes the zeal to get something done right now.

Paul’s not making a suggestion. He’s not dropping a hint. This is not some manipulative moment of passive aggression where he tells Tim, “Hey, if you get a chance.” Not even close.

Σπουδαζω/spoudazo actually comes from the root word for “foot” (Gr. πους/pous). In other words, Paul is telling the young preacher to move your feet! Beat feet, son! Hurry! Don’t walk…RUN!! From the apostle’s perspective, Tim can’t get to Rome fast enough.

Red Alert!

A little earlier in this letter, Paul encourages Timothy to be a tenacious Bible teacher and, “Do your best (Gr. σπουδαζω/spoudazo) to present yourself to God as one approved” (2Tim 2:15).

Two different times, our man Paul uses this very word when asking his friends to come see him immediately.  A few verses later, he tells Tim a second time, “Do your best (Gr. σπουδαζω/spoudazo) to come before winter” (2Tim 4:21). In his letter to Titus, he writes, “When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best (Gr. σπουδαζω/spoudazo) to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there” (Titus 3:12).

Just in case Tim’s tempted to put this trip on the back burner, the apostle emphasizes the urgency. This really must happen “soon” (Gr. ταχεως/tacheos), which accents that we’re talking quickly, hastily, at once, swiftly, and with great speed.

It’s the idea of ASAP. Urgent! Red alert! Scramble! Timothy is Paul’s 9-1-1 call.

Hurry!

When Jesus shows up at her brother’s funeral, people there see a grieving Mary sprint “quickly (Gr. ταχεως/tacheos) and go out” to meet Him (Jn 11:31). In her pain, Mary didn’t mess around and wait for Christ to find her.

Paul uses this same term when describing his own travel plans. He promises the Corinthians, “I will come soon (Gr. ταχεως/tacheos), if the Lord wills” (1Cor 4:15). He writes to the Philippian church how he not only will send Timothy “soon (Gr. ταχεως/tacheos)” (Phil 2:22) and also “trusts in the Lord that shortly (Gr. ταχεως/tacheos) I myself will come also” (Phil 2:15).

Big Ideas in an Urgent Little Plea

Don’t miss the VERY big ideas Paul crams into his short but urgent little plea. First of all, nobody stands alone. Not you. Not me. Not leaders. Not followers. Not even apostles. Remember what God said to Adam? Being alone is a bad idea. Being alone is NOT God’s idea.

Second, admit when you need help. Too many of us have believed the lie that asking for assistance reveals weakness. You know the old saying, “Never let them see you sweat.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Ask for help. Use your lifeline. Make that 9-1-1 call. You certainly don’t want to be Chicken Little. But don’t soft sell your situation either.

Third, be ready to respond when someone’s alone and in trouble. ESPECIALLY when they’re alone and in trouble. Too often I’m so self-absorbed that I fail to see a friend who’s hanging by a thread. I need to get my eyes off the dude in the mirror and start looking for someone in distress. Hello, McFly!

Fourth, when I get one of those 9-1-1 calls, I need to answer. Don’t ignore it. Don’t screen your calls. Don’t let it go to voicemail. Pick up. Find out what’s going on. And when you do, “do your best” (v9) to drop everything and get there in a hurry. The paraphrase in The Message couldn’t be more blunt. “Get here as fast as you can” (v9 The Message).

Saving Your Eternal Bacon

In the end, Paul is NOT hoping Timothy will save his eternal bacon. He’s made it crystal clear in everything he’s written that his trust is in Christ and Christ alone. Paul can’t save himself. Tim can’t do it either. Salvation is Jesus’ job. Period.

In the closing moments of the apostle’s letter, he goes out of his way to make that point a couple of more times. His Savior has done it before. “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me” (2Tim 4:17). His Savior will do it again. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom” (2Tim 4:18).

Forsaken by the Father

Paul knows deep in his hear that because Jesus was abandoned, we never have to be. While He hung in agony on the cross just moments before His death, Christ shouted the opening line to Psalm 22 in Aramaic. “‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34).

The brutality and physical torture Jesus experienced is impossible for most of us to wrap our heads around. It’s what makes Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” so hard to watch.

But the deepest suffering our Savior experienced wasn’t the flogging. It wasn’t the nails. It wasn’t the spear piercing His ribcage. It was the separation and abandonment of His Dad.

Once Jesus actually took on every sin we ever committed or will commit, the Father had to turn His back on His one and only Son. Jesus’ cry from the cross is one of cosmic loneliness. He was abandoned so that we never have to be.

God is ALWAYS with Us

Fast forward a few days after the Lord’s resurrection to His final words to His followers on a mountain top. After instructing His disciples to keep making disciples, Christ makes one final promise. “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). “God with us” (Mt 1:23) is ALWAYS with us.

If you’ve placed your trust in Jesus, you’ll never be alone again. He’s with you. He’ll never ditch you. He’ll never bail on you. He’s with you ALWAYS. Don’t forget Christ came to your eternal rescue before you ever even thought of picking up the phone.

Paul holds that truth tight as he makes his 9-1-1 call to Timothy.

Jesus and the Russian Judge

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2Tim 4:8).

The Russian Judge

Growing up as a sports fan in the sixties and seventies, I was painfully aware of the infamous “Russian judge” at the Olympics. Back in a previous millennium, Cold War tensions spilled over into athletics.

In just about every event involving an evaluation of a performance, some dude from the Soviet bloc would toss out a ridiculous score ruining the chances of an American athlete. Figure skating. Gymnastics. Ski jumping. Diving. Boxing.

Some red-blooded jock from the good ol’ U. S. of A. would train for four years and deliver the performance of their lives only to see a judge from a communist country ruin any chance of a medal. You could never trust the Russian judge. Ever.

The Ultimate Victory

A couple of thousand years ago, the Apostle Paul knew his eternal fate wasn’t in the hands of some puppet looking to rig the system against him. Despite being on Death Row in a Roman prison, he writes to his spiritual son about ultimate victory.

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing” (v8). Unlike certain American Olympians, Paul trusts in the One who will make the call on his performance.

Up Close and Personal

Just like the TV networks like to give us those up-close-and-personal feature stories about these little known competitors in weird Olympic sports, let’s take a closer look at how the man from Tarsus found himself walking the Green Mile as an enemy of the Roman Empire.

Everything changed for Paul one day outside the city Damascus. Back in the day, the apostle previously known as Saul was trying to wipe the followers of Jesus off the face of the Earth (Acts 8:1-3). He was on his way bring the pain on another group of Christ’s disciples when the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter supernaturally mugged him (Acts 9:1-8).

From Murderer to Messenger

The next thing you know, this murderer becomes Jesus’ number one messenger. An assassin becomes an apostle. In case your keeping score at home, that’s exactly the same thing Christ does to you and me. He turns enemies into family members (Rom 5:8-10; Col 1:21-22). Our Savior loves flipping the script by showing off and using “what is foolish in the world to shame the wise” (1Cor 1:27). And by “foolish,” he’s talking about you and me.

Saul the Assassin transforms into Paul the Apostle and dedicates his life to touring the Mediterranean Rim telling everyone about how Jesus has thrown the doors of God’s kingdom open to everyone. This totally freaks out the Jewish leaders who immediately put a contract out on Paul in order to shut him up once and for all.

A Letter from Prison

After a wild and crazy thirty years on tour for the Good News, the apostle finds himself behind bars (2Tim 1:16; 2:9). It’s not the first time but it will certainly be the last. Paul writes to his protege Timothy (2Tim 1:2) who at last report is leading the megachurch in the big port city of Ephesus (1Tim 1:3).

For most of the letter, the author passes the baton of ministry to the young pastor (2Tim 2:1-4:5). He hopes to see Tim one last time (2Tim 4:9, 21). He has lifted the glass of his life and poured himself out in an act of worship to Jesus (2Tim 4:6). It’s Paul’s last call.

At this point, the man from Tarsus transitions from the last drops of his earthly existence to the overflowing goodness of everlasting life with Jesus. He understands clearly that death is only a transition. His life has been a thrill ride. But now someone in the Roman government has sentenced him to die. And you thought you couldn’t trust the Russian judge!

And That’s Not All!

Paul begins talking about what will go down on the other side of eternity when he writes “Henceforth” (v8). Okay, the folks at the ESV decided to use a word we don’t hear much these days unless you’re binge-watching “Downton Abbey.”

It’s the Greek word λοιπος/loipos, which means from now on, in the future, finally, or in addition. The term refers to whatever part of the whole that remains. It’s like those informercial announcers who keep saying, “And that’s not all!” Believe me, this is WAY better than a second ShamWow.

The Keeper of the Crown

The apostle “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (v8). What’s next is a crown. A crown that Christ has kept safe until Paul’s arrival. He describes that what the Lord will give him is currently “laid up” (Gr. αποκειμαι/apokeimai). It describes something put away, stored up, reserved for safe keeping. It literally means “separately (Gr. απο-/apo-) laid away (Gr. -κειμαι/-keimai).”

In hockey, the champion wins the coveted Stanley Cup. Most of the time, they display the cup under tight security at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. But as the league is about to crown the new champ, the cup hits the road under the watchful eye of Phil Pritchard, AKA the Keeper of the Cup.

Phil stores the Stanley Cup in its protective case. He wears white gloves anytime he takes it out. Wherever the cup goes, he goes. As its caretaker, he makes sure that Lord Stanley’s legendary trophy is “laid up” for the winning team.

Heavenly Security

It’s the same with the award Paul will receive. God will personally make sure nothing happens to it before the apostle crosses the threshold into eternity. While the Keeper of the Cup does a great job, it’s nothing compared to heavenly security. Not even the British crown jewels get that level of protection!

The apostle is absolutely sure that nothing’s going to happen to the prize God will present to him. It’s safe and sound. Same for every follower of Jesus. He personally ensures its safety. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.

Not THAT Kind of a Crown

What sort of award awaits us on the other side? According to Paul, it’s “the crown of righteousness” (v8). If you’re like me, when you hear “crown,” you immediately picture a king or queen wearing one of those awesome gold lids covered in jewels. While those are pretty sweet, it doesn’t sound like that’s the kind of crown we’re getting.

The apostle uses the Greek word στεφανοσ/stefanos, which actually describes a wreath. No, he’s NOT saying Jesus is giving you something to hang on your front door during the holidays. This is the award made of leaves given to the winner of an athletic contest back in ancient times.

Crowns, Trophies, Rings, and Medals

Remember the sports analogy the apostle gave us in the previous verse. “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith” (2Tim 4:7). He’s comparing the end of his life lived for Jesus to going the distance and leaving everything on the field. He’s headed to the medal stand.

Long before there were championship trophies, rings, and medals, the winner received a crown of laurel leaves. Did you know that’s where we get our expression “resting on your laurels?” If you’re sitting on the winner’s crown, you’re doing it wrong. But I digress.

Other Crowns in the New Testament

The writers of the New Testament talk a lot about these sort of crowns. First and foremost is the “crown (Gr. στεφανοσ/stefanos) of thorns” Roman soldiers slammed on our Savior’s head as they tortured and mocked Him (Mt 27:29; Mk 15:17; Jn 19:2, 5). The King of Kings wore that crown of ridicule so that we could receive the crown of righteousness.

Paul tells the Corinthians there’s a big difference between a champ’s laurel wreath and what God gives us at the end of our race. While the crown won by race winner will eventually wilt, the prize we receive is “imperishable” (1Cor 9:25).

The apostle wants his friends in Philippi to know that they are “my joy and my crown” (Phil 4:1). He writes pretty much the same thing to the Thessalonians. “For what is our hope or joy or crown (Gr. στεφανοσ/stefanos) of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you” (1Th 2:19). What greater trophy can there be on this side of heaven that people who follow hard after Jesus after He uses you in their lives?

Jesus’ kid brother James says those who hang tough for the faith “will receive the crown (Gr. στεφανοσ/stefanos) of life” (James 1:12). Peter reminds church leaders how Jesus will give each of them “will receive the crown (Gr. στεφανοσ/stefanos) of life” (James 1:12).

And you can’t turn a page in the Book of Revelation without tripping over a crown! There’s “the crown (Gr. στεφανοσ/stefanos) of life” (Rev 2:10). Enemies of Jesus are out to “seize your crown (Gr. στεφανοσ/stefanos)” (Rev 3:10-11). Elders are seen wearing “golden crowns (Gr. στεφανοσ/stefanos)” and later “cast their crowns (Gr. στεφανοσ/stefanos)” to God in worship (Rev 4:4-10).

Championship Hats

Think of the “crown of righteousness” (v8) like the hats handed out to the victorious team after winning the championship. You know, those officially licensed lids you can order online immediately after your favorite club takes the title. It can be yours for just $39.99 plus shipping and handling.

A couple of major differences between a championship caps and the “crown of righteousness” (v8). First of all, the righteous crown is MUCH more expensive. Trust me, it’s WAY out of your budget. You can’t afford it. Second, God is buying it for you.

This Crown Comes with a Cost

The righteous crown is free but certainly not cheap. It cost God the life of His one and only Son. That’s because we don’t get one of these hats because of anything we’ve done. It’s not about our righteousness. It’s all about what Christ did for us that we could never do for ourselves.

We’re eligible for a “crown of righteousness” (v8) by placing our trust in Jesus. He lived the perfect life of obedience (i.e. righteousness) that I’ve failed to live. He died the brutal death for my sin that I should have died. He rose to a glorious new life that I in no way deserve.

The Great Exchange

Because of the victory He won for us, we receive a championship crown. It’s all part of the most lopsided trade in history. He takes our rebellion and disobedience and gives us His perfection. Martin Luther calls it the Great Exchange. In one of his letters to the Corinthians, Paul says the sinless Son of God actually became our sin so “we might become the righteousness of God” (2Cor 5:21).

Just to be clear, there’s no righteous crown if it were up to you and me. It ain’t happening. We only receive one because of the overwhelming grace of Jesus and His substitutionary life, death, and resurrection on our behalf.

The Righteous Judge

You may be wondering what in the Wide World of Sports this has to do with the infamous Russian judge. So glad you asked. The one who’s in charge of doling out these championship caps is “the Lord, the righteous Judge” (v8). In other words, the Lord Jesus is the person who makes the call. Not some underhanded judge from the eastern bloc.

Aren’t you glad to know that the only One who truly IS righteous decides who gets the righteous crown? There’s no handwringing before the judges post their scores for the performance. No freaking out about money be exchanged under the table. No wondering if you’ll get a legit score.

It’s in the hands of Jesus. Not me. Not you. Not the Russian judge. And that’s a VERY good thing!

YOU Get a Crown! And YOU Get a Crown!

Just to make sure there’s no mistake about who gets one of these crowns, Paul goes out of his way to that it’s “not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing” (v8). It’s like Hat Day at the game. Picture walking through the turnstiles, they tear your ticket and asking you if you love Jesus. “You betcha!” Then they hand you a nifty “crown of righteousness” (v8).

There’s a good bit of debate about whether Paul is talking about Christ’s original incarnation or His long-awaited encore. While I think the apostle is talking about Jesus’ original appearance in Palestine, does it really matter? If you loved Him then, you’ll love seeing Him the next time. If you’re one of His followers and weren’t around before, you’ll love it when He returns.

Whatever the case, it’s going to be like one of those crazy Christmas episodes of “Oprah.” YOU get a crown! And YOU get a crown! And YOU get a crown! Each and every person who loves Jesus will get a spectacular crown of righteousness. Again, it’s not up to the host of a talk show. It’s not up to the Russian judge. It’s up to the Righteous Judge!

Truth for Today

So how do we apply all this? What good do these words in a 2,000-year-old letter from a Roman prison do for me?

First of all, God has your eternal reward in safekeeping until your arrival. Don’t worry about anybody stealing or damaging it before you get there.

Second, I know that my current circumstances or even any future situation have nothing to do with eternal reward. If Paul has this kind of confidence on Rome’s Death Row, I can be confident as well. Diagnosis. Divorce. Unemployment. Bankruptcy. None of them disqualifies a follower of Jesus from receiving their crown.

Third, these championship caps aren’t a limited time offer. They don’t just go to “professional” Christians and other spiritual superstars. Everybody who loves the idea of seeing Jesus gets one of a “crown of righteousness” (v8).

Finally, we can trust in the One who’s giving them out. Jesus is the Righteous Judge. Certainly NOT the Russian judge.

Going the Distance

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2Tim 4:7).

Yo, Adrian!

Confession time. I have a soft spot for “Rocky” movies. Long before the mumbling Philly street fighter morphed into a multi-billion dollar motion picture franchise, Sly Stallone created the original Oscar-winning film about the ultimate underdog.

There’s a pivotal scene in the first flick where Balboa admits to his girlfriend Adrian that he has no chance to beat the champ (as well as any thought of a sequel!). But he holds out one sliver of a dream.

“All I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody’s ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I’m still standin’, I’m gonna know for the first time in my life, see that I weren’t just another bum from the neighborhood.”

SPOILER ALERT! (Please tell me you’ve seen the original “Rocky.” For Pete’s sake, it came out in 1976!). The Italian Stallion is still standing at the end of the fight. He may have lost, but he went the distance. Yo, Adrian!

From Assassin to Apostle

There’s another story of someone who went the distance. Someone who you fought hard right to the end. Someone who left nothing in the tank when he crossed the finish line. Someone who kept his eyes on the prize no matter what came his way.

We’re talking about Paul. That’s right, the Apostle Paul. The former Pharisee and one-time enemy of Jesus who’s the subject of one of the greatest turnarounds in history. The resurrected Christ transforms him from assassin into apostle. From murderer into martyr. From trying to kill the followers of the Rabbi/Carpenter into dying for Him too.

After the resurrected Jesus blindsided him at high noon outside Damascus, Paul dedicated his life to telling everyone he met about God’s mind-blowing offer of mercy and grace through His Son. The apostle traveled the known world spreading that very Good News and planting churches.

This mission was anything but pleasure cruise. We’re talking jail, beatings, torture, stoning, shipwrecks, death threats, lack of sleep, hungry, thirsty, hot, and cold. Paul may have been beaten up but not beaten down. He never stopped fighting. He never stopped running. He never lost faith.

Like Rocky, Paul went the distance.

Paul’s Three-Punch Combination

He also wrote important letters of instruction to these new communities of believers which we’ve saved and collected in a little something we like to call the New Testament. In his very last letter, the man from Tarsus writes to a young preacher named Timothy (2Tim 1:1-2). Paul’s on Death Row in Rome (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). He hands the ball of ministry to his protege (2Tim 2:1-4:5) and hopes for one last visit (2Tim 4:9, 21).

That’s the scene as the camera zooms in on Paul. Behind bars once again. He’s pouring out the last drops his life in sacrifice to his Savior (2Tim 4:6). Like a fighter throwing a jab, hook, and uppercut, the apostle then delivers a three-punch combination as he looks back at his life just before the final bell.

“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith” (v7). Paul’s given it everything. He’s left it all on the field. He’s got nothing left in the tank. He knows that the cause was worth it all. And he’s still standing.

He went the distance.

A literal translation of the apostle’s words from Greek to English sounds more like something from another big time movie franchise. “The good fight I have fought. The race I have finished. The faith I have kept.” Call it the Yoda Intergalactic Translation. You almost expect next thing Paul to say is “Do or do not. There is no try.”

Max Effort

Let’s use the super-slomo and take dissect Paul’s impressive three punches. First he writes, “I have fought the good fight” (v7). In doing so, he doesn’t want there to be any doubt about the effort involved. He uses the verb “fought” (Gr. αγωνιζομαι/agonizomai) which means to participate in a contest in the public arena, contend for a prize, struggle incredibly hard against an opponent, fight the enemy with everything you’ve got.

It seems clear that our man Paul is a First Century sports fan. He uses this very same language when writing to the Corinthian church as he compares following Jesus to the intense preparation of an Olympic athlete. “Everyone who competes in the games (Gr. αγωνιζομαι/agonizomai) goes into strict training” (1Cor 9:25 NIV). We’re talking the same kind fierce focus and devotion to our Savior as folks like Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt had to their sport.

Think I’m exaggerating? We get our words “agonize” and “agony” from the term the apostle drops. As a matter of fact, “fight” is actually the very similar word αγων/agon. While it certainly can mean any struggle, contest, game, race, or conflict. But it also paints a picture of a big crowd filling a stadium or arena watching a contest or game, an arena, stadium.

The Athlete in the Arena

In other words, Paul’s agonizing battle has been a very public struggle. The NT is chockfull of times when the apostle’s mission to tell people about Jesus puts him at the center of citywide unrest and riots. Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:44-50). Iconium (Acts 14:2-6). Lystra (Acts 14:19). Philippi (Acts 16:19-24). Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-9). Berea (Acts 17:12). Corinth (Acts 18:12-17). Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41). Even in Jerusalem (Act 21:27-36)!

What a great reminder that while our faith in Jesus is personal, it is anything BUT private. Living for the Lord means living out loud. Like Paul, “agonizing the good agony” means swimming upstream in the swift current of our culture. It’s going to be hard. Much of the time we’re going to look different, sound different, and act very differently from the folks around us. Here’s the deal. Following Jesus will make us look weird to the world at times. There will be spectators as we fight the good fight but this is anything BUT a spectator sport!

Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is all about Paul’s superhuman effort to leave it all on the playing field. Over in a letter to believers in Colossae, he makes it clear that Jesus is the supernatural source of his strength. “For this I toil, struggling (Gr. αγωνιζομαι/agonizomai) with all His energy that He powerfully works in me” (Col 1:29). Oh, the struggle IS real. And our Savior gives us His strength to fight.

Fight the RIGHT Fight

Notice that the apostle has “fought THE GOOD fight” (v7 emphasis added). It’s not just any fight. Not “a” fight. He’s not simply walking around with a hair trigger looking to throw down at a moment’s notice. This is THE fight. It is the GOOD fight. It is the RIGHT fight.

In other words, Paul has wasted his time and energy on stuff that doesn’t matter. I wish I could say the same. Too often I get distracted by things that have no eternal value. I allow myself to get sucked into silly and meaningless skirmishes that steal my strength from what God calls me to do.

How about you? Do fight stupid little battles that pull you away from the real war? Do you major in the minors? Just a reminder of the mission Jesus has given us. Love God. Love others. The Lord said so much Himself (Mt 22:37-40; Mk 12:29-31). As a matter of fact, He says our love for each other lets the world know exactly Whom we follow (Jn 13:34-35). Just before He headed home to Heaven, Christ commanded us to make sure we tell everyone we meet all about His message of grace and goodness (Mt 28:19-20).

Failing to Fight

Then there’s my little problem of failing to fight at all. Too often it’s just too much trouble. Passivity has been a problem in my family for a VERY long time. It goes back to my first father Adam failing to put up his dukes when a talking snake started whispering sweet nothings to his wife (Gen 3:1-7).

Too many times I follow in Adam’s footsteps and fail to fight for what’s right. Fight to pray with my wife. Fight to tell my kids about Jesus. Fight to spend quality time with those I love. Fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. For Pete’s sake, at least the Beastie Boys fight for their right to party. I must be intentional and get off my blessed assurance to fight for what has eternal value.

Fight. Don’t just fight any fight. Fight the right fight. Fight the good fight. Fight to the final bell.

Go the distance.

Kicking to the Finish Line

The second punch in Paul’s furious final combination actually takes us out of the squared circle and onto the track. “I have finished the race” (v7). Picture highlights from SportsCenter. It’s the end of the Olympic marathon. The winner lays it all out in one final and unrestrained race to the tape. Paul’s words are NOT describing some runner who’s barely broken a sweat who’s high stepping to victory. Not in the least. We’re talking crossing the finish line and immediately collapsing.

Once again, the apostle pulls an image from the sports world. He uses the word “race” (Gr. δρομοις/dromos), which can specifically mean a race course, a running track, or generally describe a mission or any activity that involves continual and serious effort.

When Paul and his team rolled into what we know now as Turkey for the first time, he told folks there that just before John the Baptizer “was finishing his course (Gr. δρομοις/dromos),” the prophet made it clear that he was NOT the Hero God has promised (Acts 13:25).

Years later, the apostle hustles together a quick meet-up with the Ephesian church leaders. He makes it clear that he’ll give it everything he’s got to keep spreading the Good News. “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course (Gr. δρομοις/dromos) and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

Running the Obstacle Course

Life is much more like a marathon than a sprint. It’s the ultimate endurance race. Sure, there will be times to pick up the pace, but this race is all about stamina. Think of those extreme obstacle courses with all sorts of hurdles and barriers. You have to run through water, slog through mud pits, climb ropes, and crawl under barbed wire.

That pretty much describes life for most of us. It’s an endless series of obstacles. There are the little bumps like sick kids, car repair, and broken water heater. There are those massive mud pits like job loss, bankruptcy, disease, and death of a loved one. American Ninja Warrior looks like a little kid’s Slip-n-Slide compared to the obstacle course called life.

Life Comes at You Fast

There’s one huge difference between these extreme tracks and our time here on the planet. You really can’t quit life. Oh, you might give up and sit down between the barbed wire and rope climb. But that doesn’t push pause on existence. Whether you’re moving or not, the folks at Nationwide nailed it. Life comes at you fast. Very fast.

Paul is a great example of just how quickly life moves. One minute he’s on a black ops mission to snuff out Jesus’ followers in Damascus. The next he’s on mission as one of them. From that point on, he put his head down and took on every obstacle life through his way. He may be locked up on Death Row at the end of his life, but he’s sprinting to the finish.

Jesus’ Finish Line

With the checkered flag in sight, the apostle knows his race and finish is actually based on the one run by his Savior. It’s interesting that Paul uses the very same word for
“finished” (Gr. τελεω/teleo) that Jesus shouted from the cross at Calvary. “It is finished (Gr. τελεω/teleo)!” (Jn 19:30). For you grammar nerds out there (yeah, I know who you are!) both of them are in the perfect tense. It’s the second person perfect active τετελεκα/teteleka in 2 Timothy. Meanwhile over in John, we see the third person perfect passive of τετελεσται/tetelestai.

In the ultimate act of love, Jesus successfully breaks the tape of performance in our behalf. He perfectly fulfills every one of His Father’s commands that we failed to follow. Christ defeats the obstacle course of obedience that kicked our tails. If that’s not enough, He paid the full brunt of our punishment for that disobedience. The cross was more than a place of Roman execution. It was also Jesus’ finish line.

Go the distance.

Playing by the Rules

Step back into the ring with Paul during the final round and check out the knockout blow. Here’s the third punch of his Christ-following combination. “I have kept the faith” (v7). The apostle wants Tim to know that he’s played by the book. He’s followed the rules. No low blows. No cheap shots. Don’t mistake his intensity for a willingness to take short cuts or play dirty.

We’ve already seen how the man from Tarsus has placed his trust in who Jesus is and what He has done. Paul writes here that in the last days on this side of eternity, he has complete confidence in Christ. The practical application of that faith trusting in what the Lord tells him to do. As the Lord, He’s the Boss.

Weak Faith in a Strong Object

I express my trust in Him by doing what He tells me to do in the strength that He provides. Will I fail? Will I stumble? Will I fall flat on my face? You betcha. But Jesus gives me the mercy and grace I find nowhere else to keep on keeping on.

We’re able to remain faithful because of our Savior’s unshakable faithfulness. Earlier in this very same little letter, Paul drops the lyrics to a First Century worship tune which goes a little something like this…
“If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him;
If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He will deny us;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful
For He cannot deny Himself” (2Tim 2:11-13).

Building to Code

In other words, it’s not so much about the strength of our faith. It’s ALL about the strength of the object of our faith. There’s better one in whom to place our trust than God. That’s how He earned the nickname of “the Rock of our Salvation” (Ps 89:26; 95:1). Grab hold of that Rock. He’s not going anywhere!

Jesus made a point of saying that doing what He says is the best way to prepare for the storms of life. He compares practical application to the wise dude who built his house into the bedrock. The hurricane hit the home “but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock” (Mt 7:25). You could say that he built it according to code. He played by the rules.

The Buffet at Golden Corral

To often I pick and choose the commands I want to keep. It’s like I think I know better than God. There I go listening to the whispers of the satanic snake just like my first mom did (Gen 3:4). Following Jesus means obeying what He says. It’s not like picking only your favorite from the buffet at Golden Corral. On a related note, do you think there’s a Chocolate Wonderfall in Heaven? But I digress.

Paul has come to realize that God’s commands actually bring joy and blessing instead of stealing it. They’re guard rails on the narrow road. Here at the end of his life, he has played by the rules. He has lived obediently. He has kept the faith. He has kept it to the very end.

Go the distance.

A Life Well Lived

As the apostle looks back, he sees a life well lived. “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith” (v7). He fought for the right cause and left it all on the field. He ran the obstacle course God placed in front of him and crossed the finish line. He played by the rules, trusting in the goodness of God in the process.

What about me? Am I fighting the good fight?  Will I fight to the last bell?
Am I running the race with everything I have no matter what comes my way? Will I run through the finish line? Am I keeping the faith? Will I continue to trusting in Jesus until I see Him face to face?

Let’s turn Paul’s words into a daily prayer. Lord Jesus, give me the strength today to fight the good fight. Give me the endurance to finish the race whenever that day may come. Give me a willing heart of obedience to love God and love people.

Christ, allow me the privilege to go the distance. Just like Rocky. Just like Paul.

Bottoms Up!

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come” (2Tim 4:6).

Last Call

The glass is almost empty. Just a sip or two remain. You hold it up and swirl it around a couple of times. There was a time when it was full. Maybe a little too full and overflowing down the sides. But it’s just about over. It’s last call and there are no refills.

Sounds like the kind of stuff that has filled country songs radio stations for decades, doesn’t it? From Hank Williams to George Jones to Luke Bryan. It’s where we get such classics(?) as “Light at the End of the Bottle.”

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come” (v6). Is this the last declaration made at the end of a long night by some pour dude getting his drink on? Has someone sufficiently drowned their sorrows and needs to call an Uber?

No, we’re not talking about the end of the night at your favorite local bar or craft brew pub. This is Paul describing the end of his life in a Roman prison. The apostle is not knocking back a beverage at last call. He IS the drink. His glass of his life is just about empty. He’s poured himself out as an act of worship to Jesus. Long before Maxwell House came up with their catchy slogan, Paul’s life has been good to the last drop.

So, bottoms up!

Caesar’s SuperMax

It’s somewhere around 64-67 AD. Thirty years since Jesus rocked the world by walking out of the cemetery. The former Pharisee has spent the last three decades spreading the word about the tsunami of grace that started in Palestine and rapidly inundating the Mediterranean Rim.

But this message of God’s love is actually quite dangerous. It challenges the religious establishment of rule-following. As a result, Paul regularly finds himself behind bars. Each time before, he got out. But this time is different. This time he won’t be leaving with his life or his head.

So the man from Tarsus writes what he knows will be the very last letter of his life to his spiritual son Timothy. He’s on Death Row in Caesar’s SuperMax in Rome (2Tim 1:12, 16; 2:9). He realizes full well that he’s in the final round of what has been a very good fight (2Tim 4:7).

In these final words, he hopes Tim can make it to the prison and see him one last time before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21). We really don’t know if they ever saw each other again on this side of eternity.

Paul’s Last Letter

Paul has just spent most of this last letter passing the baton of ministry to the young pastor (2Tim 2:1-4:5). How to handle spiritual con artists (2Tim 2:14-19). How to make sure he’s ready to go when Jesus calls (2Tim 2:20-21). How to steer clear of pointless controversies (2Tim 2:22-26). Warning him of the danger right around the corner (2Tim 3:1-9).

Reminding him of all he’s learned over a lifetime of hanging out with his mentor (2Tim 3:10-13). Making it clear that God’s Word has given the apostle’s protege a very particular set of skills (2Tim 3:14-17). Caring for the followers of Jesus means giving them what they need and not necessarily what they want (2Tim 4:1-4).

Paul sums up all of these instructions in what we might call his Final Four (2Tim 4:5). One, stay composed and on your toes. Two, hang tough and watch God work. Three, keep spreading the news. Four, full speed ahead and finish the mission.

No More Appeals

Which brings us back to that nearly empty glass. The apostle writes, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering” (v6). This is the end. Barring some unforeseen miraculous move by Jesus (hey, it’s happened before!), his life is coming to a close. Death is right around the corner.

His Roman captors have cranked up the Roman execution machine. The process has begun. Paul understands that clearly by using the term “already” (Gr. ηδη/ede), meaning now or at this moment. No more appeals. He’s run out of options. His death has moved from possibility to probability to certainty.

The Final Toast

The apostle sees his life as “being poured out as a drink offering” (v6). Believe it or not, this is actually just a single Greek verb: σπενδω/spendo. It means to offer a drink, pour out a beverage, or offer a liquid in sacrifice. Ancient writers used it when describing two enemies sharing a drink in peace after a period of war. It’s how the authors of the NT paint a picture of giving one’s life in sacrifice or spilling your blood in a violent death while serving God.

Paul is making the connection to his living his life as an act of worship with the system of worship and offerings in the Old Testament. When God gives His people the meticulous details of sacrifice, He wraps up just about every act of worship with a drink offering (Ex 29:40-41; Num 15:1-7; 28:1-15). It’s like lifting your glass for the final toast.

New Names, Feasts, and Vows

The first time we see a drink offering made is after Yahweh changes Jacob’s name to Israel. Right after he gets his new ID, Israel builds an altar to God and “poured out a drink offering on it” (Gen 35:14).

It was the final toast when the Israelites celebrated the Firstfruit Feast (Lev 23:13). The drink offering was the closing sacrifice at the end of each day of the Booth Feast (Num 29:16, 19, 22, 24-25, 27-28, 31, 33-34, 37-38) It’s how God wanted the sacrifice at Passover to wrap up (Num 28:16-24). It’s the last offering made during the Nazirite vow ceremony (Num 6:15, 17).

There were those dark times when God’s people played footsie with false gods poured out drink offerings to them (Dt 32:38; Is 57:6; Jer 52:19). Joel warns Yahweh’s chosen folks how these times of spiritual infidelity will lead to a time when they won’t be able to make the liquid sacrifice (Joel 1:9, 13). But because God overflows in grace and mercy, they can toast him again the moment they do a 180 of repentance (Joel 2:13-14).

Good to the Last Drop

Meanwhile back in a Roman dungeon, the apostle sees the final drops of his own life as his final toast to his Savior. He wrote something very similar to his friends in Philippi the last time he was doing hard time. “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering (Gr. σπενδω/spendo) upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all” (Phil 2:17). In other words, when the glass of his life is finally empty, it will be worth every drop.

Bottoms up!

Wiggling off the Altar

That’s not the only time Paul connects the dots between pouring your life out in sacrifice as an act of worship. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1-2). As someone once said, the only problem with living sacrifices is that they keep wiggling off the altar. But given the overwhelming grace of God, how could we do anything else?

The Last Toast at the Last Supper

That picture of emptying a cup as an offering drips all through the Bible. That’s why Jesus grabs His glass and at dinner with His posse the night before His own execution. “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” (Mt 26:28; Mk 14:24). It was the last toast at the Last Supper on the last night before His death.

The Son of God loves us so much that He was willing to spill His own precious blood on our behalf! He gave everything He had to come to our rescue. He emptied His cup as a drink offering for you and me. Paul pours himself out as an offering in an act of love and worship to the Savior who did it for him. It’s the last offering. Jesus invites us to do the same.

Free Eternal Refills

It’s at this point that you might wonder why in the world anybody would be stupid enough to pour out a perfectly good drink? Why waste a full glass? Here’s the secret. God has something SO much better for you. He can’t refill my cup if it’s still full. That’s why He invites me to die to my own selfishness and empty my life as an act of worship.

Once my glass is empty, Jesus fills it to the brim with overflowing life. “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). As a matter of fact, Christ will make sure that the cup He fills will never ever run out and we’ll never be thirsty again (Jn 4:13-14). Forget free Slurpees at 7-11. Pour yourself out as drink offering and enjoy a never-ending glass of the Living Water. We’re talking free eternal refills!

Bottoms up!

A Divine Appointment

Meanwhile back on Death Row, Paul tells Tim that the sands in the hourglass of his life have just about run out. “The time of my departure has come” (v6). The apostle understands that his execution date is actually a divine appointment. Roman officials think they’re in control of day their prisoner will day. But the former Pharisee knows full well that God is in charge of that calendar.

The writer of Hebrews tells us, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb 9:27). Paul knows it’s now only a matter of time. Same for you and me. We may not walking the Green Mile with a death sentence hanging over our heads. But our time here on the third rock from the sun is limited on this side of eternity. Let’s make the most of it by loving God and loving people. Let’s pour ourselves out as an offering.

Cruising off to Paradise

The apostle doesn’t pull any punches. He knows death is right around the corner. But he sees what’s ahead with an eternal perspective. He calls it his “departure” and uses an interesting Greek word (Gr. αναλυσις/analusis) in doing so. It describes a breaking up, breakdown, or a dissolution into parts. It’s actually where we get our word “analysis.” You analyze something by taking it apart and breaking it down.

Paul’s analysis of his own date with death is that it’s only a transition. You see, the term is also a metaphor of untying a ships lines from the dock before setting sail. He understands that the end of life on this side of eternity is only a transition to the next. It’s bon voyage and time to sail away into the afterlife. And if you’re wondering, Royal Caribbean and Carnival have no cruises that come close to this trip to paradise.

We see the apostle use a very similar word in when he writes about the win/win he faces when it comes to life and death. “I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart (Gr. αναλυω/analuo) and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account” (Phil 1:23-24). Cruise away into Christ or stay here tell more people about Him? Tough call.

Don’t Knock It Back, Pour It Out

So as he’s about to cruise into the afterlife, Paul lifts one last toast. Instead of knocking it back, he pours it out. It’s a one final tribute to the One who poured Himself out for us. The One who lived the perfect life we failed to live. The One who died the death we should have died. The One who rose to the new life we don’t deserve. Let’s raise a glass and pour ourselves out as an offering in obedience to the Lord.

Bottoms up!