Missions Paul

Two great friends in ministry parted company over one man, who we see makes a remarkable comeback, in the verse we read today. The disagreement was because of this: ““From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.” (Acts 13 v 13) His full name was John Mark and the two great friends, Barnabas and Paul, became divided later when Barnabas wanted to bring him back into the team and Paul didn’t think it wise at that time. “They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,” (Acts 15 v 39). That was the last time we hear of Barnabas. Sadly some friends never make it back together.

What have I learnt about friendship that divides?

It happens; parting company doesn’t solve the problem; not many apologise; because God makes things work together for good, it only reveals the ‘things’ were bad, so let’s call the disagreements bad instead of declaring they were right; in division some will drift away and may never be heard of again and others may be spurred on to other things.

But as we come to read this next sentence there is a startling discovery. Writing from a Roman prison, likely facing imminent execution, the great apostle makes an urgent request:

“Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” (2 Timothy 4 v 11)

What an amazing turnaround. Yes, it does happen. Time can heal. People do change for the better. The young man who once fled from hardship had become someone Paul specifically wanted by his side during his darkest hour.

Paul had watched friends leave him for good and bad reasons now he reaches out. He wasn’t just asking for an assistant; he was reaching out for a faithful friend who had proven himself reliable and valuable to Paul.

• If you have friends who you know you can call on at a time of need then you are very rich.
• Friendship is a journey and things can go wrong but don’t discard your friend for good. With grace and time they can end up being hugely important for you.
• If you are in ministry then the greatest help you need, is not to be lifted out of your ‘prison’ or some other miraculous provision, but friendship.

Who are the “Marks” in our lives? Not necessarily those we have had disagreements over or who have left us in the past, though it could be those. But those that we can count on when life gets difficult? In the end, it is all about one thing, friendship.

In slowing down this farewell from Paul to Timothy we get the opportunity to hear the Spirit speak through God’s Word. We are going to read five simple words that show us that the power of friendship is often in the fact that you are present. Have you ever heard or said this, “I can’t believe you came to see me.” There is one better than that, “I can’t believe you stayed.”

Throughout the book of Acts, which Luke wrote, we often find passages with the word, ‘we’, revealing that this doctor was present in many of Paul’s travels. He was with him in the shipwrecks, imprisonments and many dangers. Now when others have left him, some for legitimate reasons of the gospel, others because they loved the world, we have five amazing words.

“ Only Luke is with me…” (2 Timothy 4 v 11)

If all you read is Paul lamenting then read it again. I read it as a wonderful acknowledgment of Luke. One true friend is enough. Luke lifted Paul’s mood when everyone else walked out. Paul had someone who truly saw him for who he was, who believed in him and who stood by him. Do you have someone like that? Are you that someone?

Here are 7 thoughts about the friendship of Luke.

This friendship is more than a comfort. It reminds of the value and the calling of the individual.

This friendship’s power is to walk in when others walk out.

This friendship reveals the character of God who is completely faithful.

This friendship receives as well as gives. Luke is here at the end of Paul’s teachings and life and is part of this wonderful Bible story that lasts for ever. That is quite an achievement!

This friendship chooses commitment not comfort and it this costs not only our own needs but at times our reputation.

This friendship sees beyond the temporal difficult circumstance of our ‘prisons’ to who we really are.

This friendship redefines success and finds purpose even in our darkest seasons.

“Only Luke is with me.” As we navigate our own relationships and commitments, may we aspire to be the kind of people others can count on in their final chapters. May we be someone’s Luke—faithful, present, and unwavering when the going gets tough.

We are at the end of Paul’s life. This second letter to Timothy has been filled with emotion and as we come to the end of it Paul is vulnerable as he contemplates on the people he has had in his life.

When I became a Pastor there was a sought after preacher who everyone wanted to hear. Several years ago now a friend attended his funeral. It wasn’t really a Christian funeral, in fact, one of the eulogies came from a work colleague, who said “when he started at work he told us he was a Pentecostal Pastor but then he became one of us” he then quoted something that he was well known for, which wasn’t fitting for any Christian.
What makes men and women move from such places in God to become shadows of who they were?
What do they think about when they’ve walked away?
Do they still pray?
Do they rubbish their experience of God?
Did they have anything to walk away from?

“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.” (2 Timothy v 9-10)  

Crescens and Dalmatia were seemingly commissioned to represent missionary departures. Paul mentions them matter-of-factly, without emotion or judgment, because their leaving advanced the very cause for which Paul himself was imprisoned.

But Demas? This is where we become sad. Perhaps you know of a Demas?

Some may think it was an abandoning of his salvation. But maybe it wasn’t.

It could be simply this, the choice between looking after an old Apostle trapped in prison, going nowhere, the thrill of missionary journeys having ended, well, it doesn’t sound like fun does it? Demas needed to live his life, he needed to see the world and get what it had to offer him, he had dreams you see. If so, it hurt.

This wasn’t a fair-weather friend walking away, this was a close associate, someone who had seen the power of the gospel firsthand, someone who had witnessed Paul’s unwavering faith through previous imprisonments.

This makes his desertion all the more painful. It’s one thing to be abandoned by strangers; it’s another to be left by those who once stood beside you in the work of the kingdom.

We don’t know what became of Demas after Thessalonica. Did he ever return? Did he find what he was looking for in the temporal pleasures of this world? History is silent on his ultimate fate.

The question remains: When the cost of faithfulness rises, what will our response be? Will we, like Demas, choose the temporary comfort of this world?

The choice, as it was for Demas, remains ours.

If you had a friend who became a Demas, it will have hurt you but draw comfort as Paul looks back on those that were with him, some stayed and some left, yet he has remained faithful to God.

So purposely I am reading to the end of this chapter.

It is all of the people that surround Paul’s life.

“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. At my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.” (2 Timothy 4 v 9-22)

You will lose some people
Demas couldn’t cope any longer and wanted out so he left. Crescens and Titus left for their own reasons. Paul didn’t ask them to go, but they went. Paul sent Tychicus to preach. Onesiphorus had probably died as Paul greeted his household. Erastus had an important job in the city of Ephesus (Romans 16:23) so didn’t go into Paul’s next chapter of his life. Not everyone gets healed and Trophimus had stay behind.

You will keep some people
Luke was the writer, he’d seen it all, a fellow journeyman. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and others who are nameless, who knows who these are, except they were friends. Your friends may not be well-known but they can be highly valuable.

You will gain people
Mark returned after that earlier fall-out.

You will be hurt by people
Alexander is handed over to God, and Paul makes sure he doesn’t give a good reference.

You will remember people
Paul probably stayed at the house of Carpus, he had left his winter coat there and his books. He greets the great couple, Priscilla and Acquila.

People and the greatest of all is in the last verse, The Lord. He is with you!!

Paul’s final words are not that of a defeated man. On the contrary, he has run the race, he has fought the fight and he has kept the faith. This is not a tragic end to someone who has been ‘poured out’ but rather he believes in what looks like a ceremony to come.

“Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4 v 8)

I just saw this phrase at a podium in the U.S: May Charlie be received into the merciful arms of Jesus, our loving Saviour. How wonderful it is to see that on the BBC News.

When we die and meet Jesus we will be given the victor’s crown given to winners at athletic competitions.

• It’s a reward for faithfulness, not perfection. The righteousness isn’t his own moral achievement, but the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ.
• It’s awarded by the righteous Judge. God’sevaluation is based on truth, not appearances or politics.
• It’s promised for that day. The day of Christ’s return and final judgment.
• The promise to all. The crown of righteousness isn’t reserved for apostles or super-saints. It’s available to every believer who lives with eager anticipation of Christ’s return.

Every day we see a follower of Jesus go on that amazing journey to Jesus. Every time it teaches us to live with the healthy balance between engaging fully in this life while keeping our ultimate hope fixed on the next. We work diligently, love deeply, and serve faithfully, but we hold all earthly things lightly, knowing our true citizenship is in heaven.

As we face our own challenges, losses, and even our own mortality, we can do so with Paul’s confidence. The race we’re running has a finish line, and the Judge waiting there is both righteous and gracious.

May we live today worthy of that eternal reward.

One of the sports headlines for yesterday was this: “Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury is biggest fight in boxing and must happen, says promoter Eddie Hearn”

Eddie Hearn said, “I don’t really have many regrets but I think we would always kick ourselves if we never saw that fight. For me, it’s a must. Tell me a bigger fight in boxing?” – Hearn says AJ is “fired up” and “has a lot to give”.

Big claims right there!

Boxing and humility don’t really go together do they?

Well let us look at a very humble statement in this next verse.

Paul says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4 v 7)

The “good fight” isn’t about winning arguments or defeating enemies, but about battling against discouragement, temptation, and the urge to quit when the way grows difficult. It’s the daily choice to love when it’s hard, to serve when it’s costly, to hope when circumstances suggest despair.

“I have engaged in conflict chained to this Roman soldier. I have never quit. I have never slackened in my commitment to Christ. I have journeyed far and wide to tell others of Him.
I know what it is to conquer against the odds. I have stayed the course.” That’s what Paul had done.

I had coffee this week with a man who is facing his biggest fight ever regarding his health. He is having to lean in to God more than he has ever done. The battle is raging for him.

What are you facing today? The biggest fight ever? Who will win?

Then Paul switches to that of a runner.

Another sports headline at the same time said this, “Keely Hodgkinson could end her career as one of the greatest athletes of all time” Sebastian Coe has predicted on the eve of the world championships in Tokyo.

We understand these images as did Paul when it comes to the Christian fight and the race.

Paul kept the faith, not merely intellectual belief but active trust in God’s goodness even when imprisoned, abandoned by friends, and facing death

Today, we’re still in our own race, fighting our own good fight. The question isn’t whether we’ll face difficulties, but whether we’ll meet them with the same steady resolve Paul demonstrated.

What fight is God calling you to today? What step in the race lies before you?

Some days are just overwhelming aren’t they? Paul is pouring out his heart to his spiritual son. He knows more than anyone what it is to be beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned and yet always focused on the mission. He is not writing theory but from his own experience.

“But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.” (2 Timothy 4 v 5-6)

Effective ministry demands mental and emotional stability. We must maintain perspective when circumstances seem to overwhelm us. Alongside that we must continue to evangelise even when going through tough times. There is no time to back down but we must, with perseverance, continue to be faithful to the tasks God has set before us, especially during the tough time.

This is why Paul writes, speaking from his own experience of his life, for him it has been like a drink being poured out. This is wholehearted devotion.

Today your life with God will cost you, it will ask you not to hold anything back and most importantly it will be about God being glorified even during the pain and death. I went to sleep last night hearing of the death of Charlie Kirk in Utah, USA. He discharged all the duties and he absolutely poured out his life. Today, all around the world, others will follow. They follow Paul who knew where he was going. He faces death with remarkable peace. He’s not in denial about his circumstances, nor is he bitter about his suffering. Instead, he demonstrates the confidence that comes from a life well-lived in service to Christ. Paul’s not being morbid. No, he is finishing well because he lived well. He has been focused, faithful, and fully surrendered to God’s purposes.

Paul’s example inspires us to live with intentionality, share the gospel boldly, and pour out our lives as offerings to the One who gave everything for us and so does the life of Charlie Kirk.

We are now drawing to the final part of Paul’s letter to Timothy. It has to be the most sobering and urgent of messages not only for his spiritual son but for us here in our generation.

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4 v 1-4)

Against this eternal backdrop of the second coming of Christ and the final judgment, Paul brings charges to Timothy. It is a charge to all Church leaders today.

“Preach the word”  – If you want to be known as faithful in ministry, then the central point of your life is this: the proclamation of God’s revealed truth. Not human wisdom, not popular philosophies, not even well-meaning moral advice, but “the word.”

“Be prepared in season and out of season” – You have to be ready no matter what circumstances are taking place, you have to turn up and deliver God’s message, whether people are receptive or not.

“Correct, rebuke and encourage” – Ministry requires both the courage to confront error and the compassion to comfort the hurting.

“With great patience and careful instruction” – The manner matters as much as the message.

Here’s the big question: Why?

There will come a time and it is now:-

• When people will not want to hear what they need.
• When people will shop around to find teaching to validate their behaviour.
• When people will choose to avoid anything that challenges or convicts sin.

There is still only one anchor, it always has been so, the eternal Word of God and our courage to live in the certain hope of Christ’s appearing.

It seems that here we are in 2025 and we are reading instructions dated 2,000 years ago and yet they are so relevant to us. How much we need to take heed of what Paul says to Timothy.

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of Godmay be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3 v 14-17)

Timothy is urged to hold fast to what he has learned, not because it’s trendy or popular, but because of its source and his own experience of its truth.

Notice Paul’s emphasis on relationship: “you know those from whom you learned it.” Faith isn’t just about abstract doctrine; it’s rooted in the testimony of trustworthy people. For Timothy, this included his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5), as well as Paul himself.

Who did you learn the Bible from? I heard someone declare that they love people more than they care about what the Bible says. Who said it? A preacher! This is the threat to us today. It was the same for Timothy’s generation. Hold on and don’t change what you have learnt was the instruction from Paul.

The Greek word literally means “breathed out by God.” It’s not that human authors were passive instruments, but that God’s Spirit worked through them so completely that the result is both fully human and fully divine in origin.

The word “all” is emphatic, not just some portions, not just the parts that seem immediately relevant or palatable, but all of Scripture carries this divine authority. This includes difficult passages, historical narratives, poetic books, and prophetic literature.

Paul outlines four key ways Scripture serves believers:

Teaching : It establishes the doctrinal framework for faith.

Rebuking: It confronts us with truth that may be uncomfortable but necessary.

Correcting Scripture helps realign our thinking and behaviour with God’s standards.

Training in righteousness: Like a coach training an athlete, Scripture develops spiritual maturity over time.

Scripture doesn’t just give us information; it transforms us into people capable of representing God effectively in the world.

There’s no area of Christian service or moral living for which Scripture fails to provide adequate preparation. This doesn’t mean it gives specific instructions for every situation, but it provides the principles, wisdom, and spiritual formation needed to navigate any challenge faithfully.

Last evening, the CEO of Release International and a good friend, Paul Robinson, was interviewed by Canon J John. It is a most moving interview and everyone should watch it. The quote in the title above was from Rose who spoke to Paul as she relived being set on fire simply because she was a Christian. You can access the video here:

http://bit.ly/4p7lKK3

There are many Rose’s today and they bring huge challenge and encouragement to us all. The Apostle Paul of course knew all about persecution. He reminds his young protégé that following Christ isn’t a path of ease, but one marked by persecution and hardship. Yet within this sobering reality lies profound encouragement.

“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹ persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. ¹² In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, ¹³ while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3 v 10-13)

Paul points to his own sufferings in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, places where he faced rejection, violence, and exile. But notice what he emphasises: “the Lord rescued me from all of them.” Not that the trials were avoided, but that God’s faithfulness carried him through each one.

The uncomfortable truth Paul shares is that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” This isn’t pessimism; it’s preparation. When we encounter resistance for our faith, whether subtle mockery, professional challenges, or family tensions, we’re not experiencing something unusual. We’re walking the same path every faithful believer has travelled.

Meanwhile, Paul warns that “evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse.” The contrast is stark: while the world grows darker, believers are called to shine brighter, holding fast to truth even when it costs us.

The key is found in verse 10: “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance.” Paul lived what he preached. His words carried weight because his life backed them up.

Today, let’s ask ourselves: Are we prepared to see the world through the perspective of Rose? Are we living with such authenticity that others can see Christ’s character reflected in our daily choices?