The Others

February 7, 2021

2021 – The Others

Paul’s Last Letter 2

The Journey to a Crown

This morning, we are moving from Philemon to Paul’s last letter; 2 Timothy. I say it is his last letter but, we don’t have everything Paul wrote throughout his life. He was an eloquent writer. No one knows how many other things Paul may have written in his life. When I say we are going to study Paul’s last letter, I mean the last letter we have in the New Testament. But it does sound like his actual last letter.

Last week, in our Paul biography, we noted that Paul was in prison in Rome, twice. The first was recorded by Luke at the end of the book of Acts…

Acts 28:28-31Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen." Paul lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

At the end of the two years, historically, we think, Paul was released. He did go on his mission to Spain, which he had planned years before. But he is arrested again by Nero. He is put on trial. But this time, the atmosphere surrounding his trial is very different… Nero is blaming the Christians for the fire that consumed a ¼ of the city of Rome. Nero is actively persecuting Christians. Both Peter and Paul are caught up in Nero’s net and are martyred around 67 AD.

Paul writes his last letter, 2 Timothy, awaiting the verdict of his trial which led to his death.

2 Timothy 4:6-9 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 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. Do your best to come to me soon.

These words certainly have the feel of someone’s last correspondence. “Timothy, hurry up and get here… it is not going to be long.” I choose to do this paragraph in 2 Timothy first because it sets the tone for the rest of the letter. Paul’s last words of wisdom for Timothy.

Paul, like me, knows the importance of a good metaphor. In Paul’s closing words, he uses a series of metaphors about how he has lived his life. Life-metaphors shape how we live our lives. How we process who we are is important. Paul wants Timothy, as well as us, to think of our lives it these metaphors. In these four verses Paul uses 5 metaphors about how he has lived his life. Let’s go quickly through these 5 metaphors thinking about how we might understand these metaphors for our lives.

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Metaphor 1 – A Sacrifice

2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering…

In the Old Testament, there are instructions about how you offer various animal sacrifices. At the end of offering these animal sacrifices the worshipper would offer a small drink offering… they would pour wine on the altar as the ending of the sacrifice.

Numbers 15:5-7…and you shall offer with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, a quarter of a hin of wine for the drink offering for each lamb… the drink offering you shall offer… is a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

A hin is something close to a gallon so a ¼ him would be a quart that is added to the end of the animal sacrifice.

Here is the metaphor Paul is creating. He has lived his life as a living sacrifice. We know this from Romans 12:1… offer your body as a living sacrifice. Then, at the end of the sacrifice Paul is being poured into the fire as the closing of the ceremony. Paul is near the end of his sacrifice to the Lord. His life is being poured out as the closing drink offering!

Paul is metaphor-ing his life as… sacrifice. Paul considered his life as a pleasing, aromatic sacrifice given to please his God!

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Metaphor 2 – A Journey

2 Timothy 4:6 and the time of my departure has come.

There is a fascinating Greek word here for departure is analusis. It is the picture of a boat being untied from a dock… The boat is being released from its moorings to go on a journey. The same word - verb version - is used in Philippians 1.

Philippians 1:23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Paul views his life as a journey. Death, then, is this next part of the journey. He walks his life up to the dock… releases the boat and continues the journey to be with Christ.

The journey metaphor views life as a continuation of life from this age to the next age.

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Metaphor 3 – A Race

Many translations break verse 7 into two metaphors; a fight and a race. But it is probably just one metaphor, as the YLT translates.

YLT2 Timothy 4:7 the good strife I have striven, the course I have finished…

This is one of Paul’s favorite athletic metaphors! There was a course set before him. It was his life which ran the race.

Remember from last week… what course was…

Acts 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

God had set a course before Paul… to take his name to the Others. That was his race course. Paul finished the course. Paul accomplished his purpose. Paul ran the race. Paul finished the course.

Paul’s life was run with a purpose of taking the LORD’s name to the Others! The race metaphor for his life…

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Metaphor 4 – A Jar

2 Timothy 4:7 I have kept the faith.

I see the metaphor… Paul has this jar… perhaps a clay jar… in this jar is the precious thing Paul calls… faith. As Paul has finished the race course, he has carried with him this jar of faith.

There are a couple of ways we can understand the faith in the jar…

Paul has kept faith. Paul has been loyal to his purpose. Paul has never given up or slacked off! Paul has given 110%. Paul was willing to suffer… Paul has kept faith! He has been Faithful to keep running.

But I think it more likely means…

Paul has kept the faith. The faith; the Gospel; the Good News that God has brought salvation to the others; the reconciliation of the world! Paul has not deviated from the “faith” of the Gospel. While running the course he carried the jar of faith the whole way. Paul’s message has never changed about a God who has come close to us! Paul has never changed the Good News of The Gospel. Paul has kept the faith! He has delivered the jar of faith to the Others!

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay…

Paul views his life as carrying the glory of God… shining from this jar… Paul has kept the jar of faith unbroken to the end of the race!

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Metaphor 5 – A Crown

2 Timothy 4:8 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.

Those who run the race… to the end… faithfully… will receive a crown; a stephanos; a wreath; a laurel. This crown was given as a prize to the winners of the public games.

The stephanos of righteousness…

Because Paul ran the race faithfully to the end, he is declared right with God! The stephanoshas the flavor of immortality. Because Paul has been true to the faith; because he carried the jar to the end, he will be declared forever right with God.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Note carefully, what Paul says.

--Paul has finished the race course. He has crossed the finish line… He is near his death.

--At his death, there is laid up a crown that will be given to him on… The Day. The Day when the LORD returns to redeem the earth.

--On that Day, all those who love his revealing will also receive the stephanos.

--Paul, as well as all those who love the LORD, will receive their crown of righteousness on… The Day!

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

After the race is done… all who have won will be gathered together with the Lord to receive their crowns of righteousness… together!

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Let’s bring these 5 metaphors together as one…

Metaphor 1 – A Sacrifice

Metaphor 2 – A Journey

Metaphor 3 – A Race

Metaphor 4 – A Jar

Metaphor 5 – A Crown

Paul’s life was poured out as a sacrifice on a race-journey, carrying the jar of faith all the way to the end to receive the crown of righteousness! Every step of the race Paul carried the glory of God for the Others. That was his race. That was his course. That was his crown. Paul viewed his life as a journey to be finished faithfully by spreading the Gospel to the Others!

Let’s live in this metaphor for a moment. My life – your life – as a journey… A Journey to a Crown.

--Journeys have beginnings… perhaps in your baptism.

--Journeys have difficult parts and beautiful parts… tough sections you have had to travel.

--Journeys can have traveling companions… a family, a spouse, a church

--Journeys require preparations… we study… we learn skills

--Sometimes you may get lost… know how to find your way back on track.

--Sometimes you need to ask directions… men don’t

--Each day have I gotten closer to the destination… I feel the end getting closer.

--I encourage others on their journey… “Come join me on the journey…”

--I receive encouragement from others to keep going… “Come on Tim… keep it up!”

--Journeys need purpose… I need to know why I am going there. I need to know that it is worth the effort. I need to know the reward for getting there. I know I am called to bring the jar of faith to the Others. That is what I do!

--The boat gets untied… I cross to rest…

--On: The Day… I hear my name. I step forward. Jesus places the stephanos on my head… “Congratulations! You have won the crown of righteousness!”

Paul’s last words to Timothy are words, we too, need to hear…

The Journey to a Crown

Tim Stidham

February 7, 2021

Los Alamos Church of Christ