“But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels” (2 Timothy 2:23).

In Second Timothy 4, Paul’s final charge to his young protege’ is to “preach the word, be ready in season and out, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (4:2).  After all, he says, in the end times people are going to be clamoring for false teachers who will say what they want to hear, who will spread myths and will shape doctrine for their own purposes.

So, God’s people–and particularly His preachers–must hang tough and “endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (4:5).

However, no quarreling please.

That’s what he said. “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition….” (2:24-25).

Tough assignment, to be sure.

Stand firm, preach the word, rebuke error, and be nice about it.

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“For this reason I suffer these things, but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (2 Timothy 1:12).

Some things you know and you know that you know them, and there is no need for anyone to say otherwise.

Try to convince me that, say, Lois Kilgore McKeever never existed. In spite of the incredible arguments you might mount and the truckloads of old records you might haul from the courthouse annex, I remain unconvinced and for a good reason.

I know her. She’s my mama.  She birthed me and did ten thousand other things for me until God called her to Heaven nearly 2 years ago.

Some things are settled forever and to debate their existence, at least for us personally, is an exercise in foolishness.

Imagine someone trying to convince a Christ-follower there is no God simply because he has never met him! Sheer foolishness.

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“I am mindful of…your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice….” (2 Timothy 1:5)  “You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermnogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15). 

A pastor friend sent a copy of his resume’ which I am passing along to a couple of preacher-hunting churches.  At the top, he posted a lovely picture of his family, and inside introduced their children in an interesting way: “Elizabeth the writer, Silas the Shooter, and Sarah the craft queen….”

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, which became the final epistle from his long ministry, he remembers certain individuals and is rather specific as to why.

Timothy he remembers as “my beloved son.”  These two men, the old mentor and the young protege, have a history.  In Acts 16:1 they meet and quickly bond spiritually.  Timothy accompanies Paul and Silas for the balance of their “second missionary journey.”  At various times as Paul writes to churches, Timothy is alongside him (2 Corinthians 1:1; Philippians 1:1;Colossians 1:1; and the two Thessalonian letters).

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(This is a continuation of our series on Second Timothy.)

“Make every effort to come to me soon…. When you come, bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments” (Second Timothy 4:9,13)

It’s not that the Apostle Paul was so elderly and infirmed that caused him to anticipate his departure from this life, but rather knowing that the upcoming trial before Caesar was not going to turn out in his favor.  “The time of my departure is at hand,” he said in II Timothy 4:6.

Now, he has not given up and he was not shutting down his ministries.  He had not chosen to sit down and wait for death to catch up to him.

Something else entirely was going on here.

Paul was extremely active from his jail cell, ministering to everyone who came near and sending out letters and other messages as the Lord gave him opportunity. That’s why we have these epistles from his hand.  This one, Second Timothy, is the final one we have. (Note: We’re not necessarily saying it’s the last thing he wrote. No one knows this. But of the epistles we have, this is the latest.)

In the four chapters of Second Timothy, we find seven final concerns of Paul, things he “needs” as his departure draws closer….

1) He needs the company of a few good friends.

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