November 17 - 2 Timothy 4:9-22 - "Deserters and Disciples"

MPC 17th November 2019.

Phil Campbell

SURVEY

According to an ABC survey last week, 70% of Australians don't trust religious leaders.

Half of those - one in every three people overall - say they don't trust religious leaders at all.

In fact, even in church; only 58% of protestants like us trust their leadership; 47 percent of Catholics. Divide into age demographics, and it's even worse.

On the ABC website Annabel Crabb says,

It seems trust in religious leaders may be a thing of the past; nearly half (47 per cent) of those aged over 75 felt it, but only 23 per cent of those aged 25 to 29.

If you want to trust someone, try a doctor or nurse (97 percent); or a scientist (93%). Whatever you do, don't trust religious leaders. If you do, stand over there with the 30 percent while everyone else has a laugh. That's pretty dire isn't it?

And look, here's another statistic from the same survey that's just as confronting. Religious belief; and this is from a survey of 55,000 Australians; religious belief is rated as the least important attribute. That defines Australians' sense of who they are. So whether you're a Christian or a Buddhist ranks behind your political beliefs, your nationality, your gender, your job, your sexual orientation and your ethnicity.

So I'm a Labor voting, British female train driver; I'm gay, and my mum and dad are from Trinidad. And oh, by the way, I'm vaguely... a Christian.

For Australians faith is not a first order thing. It's not even a second or third order thing. On a numerical scale of importance in defining your identity, religious beliefs rate 4 point six out of ten. Bottom rank.

Does that ring true of you? Is it true of your neighbours and friends?

It's just not a thing any more. And most people are glad of it.

Which makes it almost incomprehensible in our world to read Paul's closing words in his letter to Timothy that we've looked at these past five weeks,

SEND

This a series were we've been talking about the need to send and support people into gospel leadership; to be senders as well as goers ourselves. Encouraging people to put Jesus first.

How do you send... into a world like that? How do you send from a base... of half hearted believers? How do you expect anyone to go when the whole idea of serving Jesus just seems like nonsense in spite of the fact that Kanye's album Jesus is King hit the charts at number one. I mean, people like the songs. But does anyone actually believe it in a way that's going to change what we do, or where we live; or fundamentally, your sense of who you are as a willing subject of king Jesus?

See, Jesus is not king if he comes number 8 on the list after your political party, or your gender identity. Or your job. Or your sexual preferences.

Whatever comes in at number 1; that's your king. And everything else bows to it. So these days I guess it's kind of statistically odd to see someone like Paul here as he approaches the end of his life: a prisoner. After years of persecution for his message. Still willing. To give up everything. To let people know that Jesus is risen from the dead, and Jesus is king.

While so many others have deserted. Have got other priorities.

DESERTED

You might remember if you think back to chapter 1, Paul's said it before. Chapter 1 verse 16.

You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

Even those guys! Back in Ephesus.

And now in Rome, more of the same.

Pick up in chapter 4 Verse 9. Timothy, "Do your best to come to me quickly," Paul says. "Because I'm running out of help. For Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica."

Now Demas has deserted as well. Because he loved this world. Which doesn't necessarily mean that he heard there was a good party going on; or that he got offered a job with more money. Demas loves this world in the sense that he just wants to stay in it. Rather than stay with Paul and face up to the prospect of becoming collateral damage.

Because everyone, including Paul, is pretty convinced this is curtains. Jail in Rome. Charged with treason. Paul's just said, we saw it last week, the previous few verses, my race is done. The time for my departure is near. I'm on death row.

And Demas. Doesn't want to risk going with him. So he's gone to Thessalonica.

Harder to pick with the other guys in verse 10. Have they run off? Or were they sent off?

Crescens has gone. To Galatia. Titus. To Dalmatia. Probably sent off on mission. But in the context... maybe not. Either way. Paul's pretty much on his own.

Only Luke is with me. Waiting for the trial. Luke who in the book of Acts, has been travelling with him all the way to Rome. Luke. Who's famous for other reasons as well. Which we'll see in a moment.

GUARDING THE GOSPEL

Look, it's easy to think in a passage like this one it's just a list of disconnected names. Send him there. Bring him here. Most of them hard to even say. Let alone keep track of.

But as Paul in his last days is mapping out how to best guard the gospel; how to make sure the message of Jesus doesn't die with him in a Roman prison cell; or a lion pit. He's actually got a grand ambition.

And while I'm going to speculate a bit in the next couple of minutes, I reckon there's a plan shaping up in Paul's mind that's actually turned out pretty well.

And it's all there. In verse 11 and 13. Tychicus isn't part of it. Because in verse 12, he's sent to Ephesus.

But look again at verse 11. And verse 13. And see if you can figure out what might be happening.

Paul's in Rome. Timothy. In Ephesus. A four month journey on foot and then boat. So do your best to come to me quickly, verse 9; get Mark, verse 11, and bring him with you, because he's helpful to me in my ministry; I sent Tychicus to Ephesus, verse 12, he's gone; when you come, verse 13, bring the cloak I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, and especially the parchments.

It's interesting. Just a detail. The oldest commentators, like Calvin, point out that the word Paul uses for cloak there is the only time it's used in the New Testament. And in at least one of the ancient Syrian translations it's actually translated as a book bag.

Now I just want to build you a mental picture. Luke is here. When you come, bring Mark. Bring my book bag. Bring the parchments. All those loose leaf notes we've been keeping with all the first hand stories of Jesus.

Bring the scrolls as well. With all the Hebrew scriptures on. That weave the story of Jesus together.

Because I'm not here much longer. So we've gotta guard the gospel. And pass it on. What better way. Than to get Mark and Luke together to collate stuff. And write it down. Mark. Who'd also worked so closely with the apostle Peter.

See, again it's just speculation. Speculation about when and where and how the gospel accounts in the front of your New Testament were put together.

But I think it's kind of exciting to imagine. Because it's all so immediate and fresh.

See, scholars have been saying for the last hundred years or so, and it's become so common to hear it, they say, "Well, the gospel accounts about Jesus, they're part of such a long oral tradition."

ORAL TRADITION

Kind of like camp fire stories. That people passed down through the generations. And finally, after they'd been changed and become kind of like myths... then at last they get written down. By the church.

As if the second or third century church. Produced the gospels.

Whereas instead on this view. It's the other way round. That the gospels; that the New Testament accounts of Jesus. Came together really early. Especially in the case of Mark's gospel and Luke's; and were formed from sources that were written down even earlier.

And so the evidence about Jesus actually produced the church. Rather than the other way round. Which is actually profoundly different. When it comes to a basis of faith.

Paul says Luke's here already, bring Mark and all the books and scrolls and parchments. And we're going to get to work preserving the gospel. For the generations that lie ahead. First hand stories and accounts.

Often, you'll notice, if you read Mark and Luke side by side, often sections with exactly the same words. Which is no surprise, if they're working together from the same sources.

Gospel of Mark. Fast paced version. Shorter. Gospel of Luke. Lots of the same stuff, but a few more teachings of Jesus as well. More polished Greek. Which he follows with the book of Acts. All co-ordinated by Paul in his jail cell, with the help of Timothy on the outside. All so fresh and clear; because it's been collected from first hand witnesses.

Which you might remember, is pretty much how Luke puts it at the start of his gospel...

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.  With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account...

Here in Rome. With Mark and Paul and Timothy beside me.

Like I said. Speculation. But it fits with what Paul says in 2 Timothy 4. And gives a confidence, I think, in grounding what we read in the gospels. In real people. Who really saw and heard. And really believed. Right to the core.

And in the centuries afterwards, the words they've written down for us have had exactly the same effect over and over again. On people like us.

Though not so much maybe for guys like Demas.

Not so much for Alexander the coppersmith. The metalworker, in verse 14. Who Paul says, strongly opposed our message right from the start. Although maybe. Guarding the gospel and writing it down and passing it on. Maybe that'll give another chance to Paul's deserters. World lovers like Demas.

Or everyone else. In verse 16.

DESERTED ON TRIAL

I mean, it brings a tear to your eye if you think about it. Here's old Paul. Under arrest. a while back for his first trial in Rome. There are Christians around. I guess Paul's thinking, they'll turn up. They'll support me.

Guess what.

Trial number 1. Nobody shows up. How do you feel?

All of them I guess too busy at the markets. Too busy with their kids. Whatever. Everyone. Had something much more important in the diary than showing up to support Paul in court.

Or maybe. It just wasn't on their priority list. They just loved the world. Didn't want to take the risk.

I read the other day that in China now, if you want to attend church you've got to scan in at the door. Finger print ID. That goes on the government database. You wanna turn up next Sunday? Invite a friend maybe?

If you're a Chinese Christian and you order a Christian book online through WeChat, you'll be invited to a tea session with the local authorities. For another kind of we chat. I'd just be ordering Harry Potter I reckon.

When it came to Paul's first trial, nobody showed up to support him. Nobody. Was prepared to take the risk of identifying with him. Feel the weight of his words in verse 16...

16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. ... May it not be held against them.

Now look, I'm a preacher. And I know what I'm meant to say here. I'm meant to say, don't be like them. Don't be like Demas. The deserter. Don't be like everyone else. Deserters in Paul's hour of need.

Stand your ground. Be bold. Be a hero. But instead of saying that, I want to say, take some comfort from what Paul says next. Because look, there's always a trend to read any book and picture yourself as the hero. We love doing that. But most of us, I reckon, are a bit more inclined to be like the deserters.

So maybe it's helpful at that point to remember first of all Jesus. On the cross. Deserted. Even by Peter. Remember his words? Jesus said, "Father, forgive them. For they don't know what they're doing."

On Paul's lips. Everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.

See, this is a gospel of grace and God's mercy.

And so when we do fail; when we fall into loving the world and wanting to hold on to it... this is still a gospel that says, father forgive them. Don't hold it against them.

We run away like Demas, we deny. Like Peter. We don't speak up when we could and we should;

Father, forgive us. Let's look ahead at next time.

And look, so often, when we stuff up, Jesus steps in.

Which is exactly Paul's experience. In verses 17 and 18. When everyone else lets him down. Jesus... steps in. In a way that for Paul is very real. Read his words.

17 But the Lord stood at my side andgave 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.

Trial number 1. Paul got to stand tall and tell the Roman court what he was on about. The Gentiles. Heard the gospel. And in thef end they didn't throw him to the lions after all.

Although trial 2, they might.

Whichever way it goes, Paul says, I'm confident. That the risen Jesus will raise me too.

18 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.

Win-win. Either rescued in Rome. Or rescued in heaven. Paul's fine either way. As long as it brings honour and glory to Jesus, Paul's happy.

So we've made it to the end of the letter. And Paul signs off with a bit more of a roll call. These last 11 verses mention 17 people by name. More than half of them here in the sign off.

Which is an encouraging reminder that in the end Paul's not totally on his own with Luke and Timothy and Mark. It's not everyone who's jumped ship and failed. There are still people who are prepared to put Jesus not number 5 on their list of priorities, but number 1. Willingly sent by Paul, or left behind leading while Paul moves on.

People like Priscilla and Aquilla. Who are kicked out of Rome in Acts 18; and are sent on to help Timothy in Ephesus. Greet them. Says Paul. And the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus. Is in Corinth. Trophimus was sick.I left him in Miletus. You, Timothy, make sure you get here by winter. And then there are these four Romans with Paul. Eubulus, and Pudens, who sounds like he's got a weight problem; Linus and Claudia. And all the other brothers and sisters with them.

Maybe sometimes you wonder if the gospel has a future. I'm sure the question passed through Paul's mind. On his own. At his trial. Deserted by everyone. Maybe if was just up to you. Or just up to me. Things would be pretty ragged.

But by my count in spite of all the talk of deserting, Paul's got 14 of the eighteen names he mentions... who he can actually really rely on.

Take a look.

Timothy. Luke and Mark. Tychicus at Ephesus and Carpus at Troas. Priscilla and Aquilla in Ephesus. Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus and Claudia.

We're not all going to write a gospel. But maybe when ordinary Christians take courage... maybe when as ordinary Christians we revisit our priority list... maybe when as ordinary Christians we say, I can trust what I read about Jesus and I need to build the core of my identity around him... and not my racial heritage or my career choice or my hipster styling; but around Jesus. Maybe we can keep things going. Promoting Jesus. Proclaiming Jesus. Just as we're able. Speaking just the right word at just the right time in a way the Holy Spirit just loves to set up. Then maybe we can all be just a little bit more like Timothy... every day.

Table of Contents

SURVEY

SEND

DESERTED

GUARDING THE GOSPEL

ORAL TRADITION

DESERTED ON TRIAL