One More Thing…

We are finishing up our study of Second Timothy, Paul's last words to the church and to Timothy. He has one more word of encouragement and grace in this passage. So, open up to Second Timothy, chapter 4, verse 16, and follow along.

This is really good news this morning. As you are standing where you are, would you take out your Bibles? If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. We are in Second Timothy, chapter 4. Second Timothy is near the end of your Bible, so open to the very last book of the Bible, Revelation, and turn to the left a little bit. You'll find First and Second Timothy.

We're going to pick it up today at verse 16. As we go through the text today, if you have questions, text your questions to the phone number up on the screen, and we'll answer those on the podcast this week.

In Second Timothy, chapter 4, our team here has been taking bets on whether or not I would get up here and teach in the first service. They recorded it on video, so we're going to show the video because I'm a little bit sick. But praise the Lord, here we are.

In Second Timothy 4:16, Paul writes, "At my first defense, no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen."

Greet Prissa or Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick. Do your utmost to come to me before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Father, this last word from Paul, I pray that you would open our hearts and our minds.

Minds to receive from You, and that You would continue this wonderful work that You do in our lives by Your word of transforming us by the renewing of our minds. We would be able to show in our day-to-day life what is Your good and perfect will in this world. So we pray that, Holy Spirit, You would be here in this place. We trust that You already are. Jesus, You said that the Spirit would guide us into all truth and teach us all things, and we pray that You would do that this morning. We ask that our lives would be affected and transformed by the working of the Spirit and the working of Your word in concert together. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, "Amen." You may be seated.

Anyone who knows me might know that I'm a little bit of an Apple fan. I've been using Apple computers since I was a kid in grade school and all the way through school. When the first iPod came out at the end of 2001, I bought it shortly after that. As soon as I could afford it, I bought an Apple laptop. Anyone who's an Apple fan knows that two to three times a year, going back for the last 20 years, the CEO of Apple would get up and give a keynote address. Apple fans would all tune in to these events; if you're a part of the cult of Mac, it's like Apple Church.

For many years, it was Steve Jobs who was the original Apple evangelist of the cult of Mac. He would get up and share about the new products they were coming out with. People who are part of the Apple fan community would know that the really good show would end the same way. Right near the very end, when you thought it was going to be over, the screen behind him would go blank, and the words "One more thing" would appear. He would say, "But there is just one more thing," and that was when everybody would cheer because it would be some great thing that everyone was waiting for.

Now, the interesting thing is that tomorrow, the current CEO will be doing a keynote address. There's a good possibility I might actually...

Watch it. It's possible I bring all that up because, as we come to Second Timothy, chapter 4, verses 16 through 22, it's as if Paul is saying there is just one more thing as he finishes up his final words. I've called this series "Last Words" because these aren't just Paul's last words to Timothy, who was one of Paul's closest friends, a disciple of Paul's ministry, someone that Paul called a son in the faith. It wasn't just his last words to Timothy; it's really his last words, period. That's a big deal because when you go through the New Testament, you find that about a third of the New Testament consists of letters that the Apostle Paul wrote. So, this is kind of a big deal that these are Paul's last words.

As he comes to the very end of this last letter, he's got one final word. I think it's a word of encouraging grace. But before we consider the one more thing that Paul has here in this passage, it's really important to be reminded of the history of the one who is writing these final words. About three decades before this final word of the Apostle Paul, we are given insight into how it all began—not just how his ministry began, but how the church began.

We have been studying for a number of years here at Cross Connection through the New Testament chronologically. We started back in the book of Acts, which is like the history book of the New Testament, in November of 2008. Over the last 11 years, we have gone through the whole of the New Testament chronologically, starting with the book of Acts and then looking at all the letters of the New Testament in their order alongside the book of Acts.

If you back up all the way to Acts chapter 2, you get to see the very beginning of the church. Jesus had promised in Acts chapter 1, verse 8, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world." Then, one chapter later, in Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit of God is poured out upon a group of 120 people. They were gathered together for prayer at the Jewish feast called Pentecost, which comes 50 days after Passover, and it was just ten days after Jesus had ascended into heaven. So, 120 people were gathered there in this room in Jerusalem for prayer.

The Holy Spirit of God was poured out upon them just as Jesus had promised. At the end of the day, that group had grown from 120 to three thousand. Three thousand people in one day were transformed by the grace of God, a move of the Spirit of God. A very short time after that, the number grew from 3,000 to 5,000. There is discussion among Bible teachers and scholars as to whether the 3,000 simply increased to 5,000 or if another 5,000 were added. Whatever the case, the church was on a very steep incline, moving upward, and God was doing a magnificent work.

However, there in the city of Jerusalem, the epicenter of Judaism, there were issues and problems. As you go through Acts chapter 3, Acts chapter 4, and Acts chapter 5, you see the response of the Jewish religious leaders to this move of the Spirit of God. They sought to stop it; they sought to destroy it. They brought in the leaders of these Christians, the leaders of what was called "the Way." They identified them as the followers of the Way, probably because of Jesus's teaching recorded in John 14, where He says, "I am the Way."

They brought in the leaders of the Way—Peter, James, and John—and they forbade them from teaching or preaching in the name of Jesus. Not only did they forbid them, but they also threatened them with violence. They threatened to beat them, which they did. They threatened to imprison them, which they did. They even threatened to execute them. When it got to that point, one of the old Jewish sages, Gamaliel, objected. He spoke wisdom when he said to the religious leaders of Judaism, "Listen, if this movement is a work of God and you fight against it, you will find yourself fighting against God. If it is not of God, it will come to nothing."

There is great wisdom in the words of Gamaliel. He had seen these kinds of uprisings before, and he said, "If this is not of God, let's just leave it alone; it will fizzle out. If it is of God and you fight against it, you will find yourself fighting against God." In that moment, it seems like the wisdom of Gamaliel kind of won the day for a moment, but there was at least one person who...

You probably have even heard the counsel of Gamaliel. He happened to be the primary pupil of this great teacher, Gamaliel. His name was Saul of Tarsus. He was a young man at the time and he heard his teacher say, "If you fight against this and it's of God, you will find yourself fighting against God."

However, Saul was so committed to the faith of his upbringing, a faith of his fathers. He was so committed to his Phariseeism. He was of the religious sect in Israel called Pharisees, who were one of the most ardent followers of the traditions of Israel and of the law of God. Therefore, he made it his aim to destroy the followers of the Way.

We see this really come to fruition in Acts chapter 6 and Acts chapter 7. There was a young man by the name of Stephen, who was an early preacher of the gospel and a servant within the church. In Acts chapter 6 and Acts chapter 7, we see some of his ministry. It really culminates in Acts chapter 7 when he gives a very long message, the whole of which is basically recorded for us in that chapter.

When he talks about the resurrection of Jesus and the power of Christ Jesus of Nazareth, the people listening to him were filled with wrath. The scripture says that they pulled him outside of the city and stoned him to death. We read at the end of Acts chapter 7, verse 58, that those who were stoning Stephen laid their clothes down at the feet of a young man named Saul. It was Saul who effectively oversaw the execution of the first Christian martyr.

After overseeing the execution of this first Christian martyr, he became an outright persecutor of the church. In Acts chapter 8, verse 1, it says, "At the same time, a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." Devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Saul, this zealous Pharisee, was absolutely convinced that those who followed Jesus of Nazareth had to be stopped. He became the chief persecutor of the early church and made havoc, as the Scriptures say, of the church. As a result of his persecution, we are told that the Christians started to scatter from Jerusalem, moving into Judea and Samaria.

It's really interesting because Jesus had said in Acts chapter 1, verse 8, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses of Me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and then to the uttermost parts." What ultimately forced them to move out from Jerusalem to go to Judea and Samaria was the havoc caused by Saul of Tarsus persecuting them. This shows how God can work all things together for His plan and purpose.

When Saul saw this happening, he couldn't accept it. He thought he would be able to stamp it out in Jerusalem, but now it had moved to Judea and Samaria, and not just there; it had spread into the outermost parts, into the Gentile world. In Acts chapter 9, Saul, who was indignant and angry over this, is described in verse 1: "Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, the capital of Syria."

He wanted to ensure that if he found any who were of "the Way," whether men or women, he might bring them down to Jerusalem. In his mind, this needed to be stopped. His teacher, Gamaliel, had warned him, saying that if he fought against this and it was of God, he would find himself fighting against God. It was almost as if Saul responded, "Listen, Gamaliel, I understand what you're saying, but this is absolutely not of God."

Thus, he made it his chief aim to destroy those who were followers of the Way. He received letters of consent from the high priest to go to the synagogues of Damascus to find any who might be followers of the Way and bring them bound back to Jerusalem for trial, regardless of whether they were men or women. He didn't care about that level of distinction. So, he journeyed to Damascus, and we read in Acts...

As he journeyed, Saul came near Damascus. Suddenly, a light shone around him from heaven. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" If you fight against this and it's of God, you will find yourself fighting against God. I want to suggest to you that that's a fight you will not win; it's not a good plan.

So, Saul, lying on the ground outside of Damascus, asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The Lord replied, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." I want to suggest to you that when Saul heard those words, "I am Jesus," his heart might have skipped a beat.

In the agrarian society that Saul lived in, in Judea, they would plow their fields with a plow pulled by oxen. Sometimes, the ox would not do what the plowman wanted it to do, so the plowman would carry with him a long pole with a pointy end called a goad. If the ox wasn't doing what he wanted it to do, he would use the goad to get it moving. Jesus was saying, "I'm trying to do something here, and you're kicking against the goads. It's hard for you to kick against the goads."

Saul, trembling and astonished, asked, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" The Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the city, and you will be told what you must do." I’ve shared it before; I think this is almost as if Jesus is saying, "You go to your room, and I'll be with you in a few minutes." All the parents in the room know that one. How many times have I used that? I have four kids. "You go to your room, and I'll be with you in a few minutes."

Can you remember when you were a kid and had to go to your room and wait?

How many of you remember when your mom would say, "You wait until your dad gets home"? The Scriptures tell us that Saul went into Damascus, and he was blind; he couldn't see because of the light that shone upon him. He was led by the hand into Damascus and spent three days blinded by himself.

During that period of time, I suggest to you that he was going through his mind all the things he had done in opposition to the way of the one he just met on the road to Damascus. He was reflecting on everything he thought he knew about God from Judaism, probably assuming, "Well, I'm done. That's it for me."

But then God spoke to a faithful Christian named Ananias, who lived in Damascus. God told him, "Ananias, I want you to go and pray for this man Saul. He’s waiting." Ananias was a little concerned and said, "Lord, I've heard about this Saul. I don't know if this is a good plan." The Lord reassured him, saying, "Don't worry. He prays, and you have a message for him—a prophetic message."

So Ananias went to pray for Saul, and he delivered the prophetic message found in Acts 9, verse 15: "Saul, you are a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. You will suffer many things for my name's sake."

From the earliest point of his conversion, Paul received two major prophetic announcements from the Lord. First, he was told, "You are a chosen vessel of mine. I have elected you to be my vessel to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and even the children of Israel." The one who was formerly a persecutor of the church would now preach the faith he once sought to destroy.

The second message was that he would suffer for the Lord's name's sake, even in the way he had made other people suffer. The one who was formerly a blasphemous persecutor, an insolent man who had caused the suffering of many Christians, would now suffer for the name of Christ that he sought to destroy.

Point number one on your outline: one of the greatest evidences of God's mighty...

Power is our transformation. We really see this in the Apostle Paul. Saul was so drastically transformed by his interaction with Jesus on the way to Damascus that his life took a complete 180-degree turn in the opposite direction. As a sign of this transformation, he would no longer go by his given name, Saul, which was a great name in Israel. He was Saul of Tarsus from the tribe of Benjamin. There was another Saul from the tribe of Benjamin; he was the first king of Israel. So, he had a great name, but he decided he would not carry that name any longer because he was more focused on another name—the name of Christ.

We see this amazing transformation from Saul to Paul, from persecutor to Apostle. One of the greatest evidences of God's mighty power is our transformation, our testimony. The testimony of how God has taken us from being blind and lost to those who have been found by Christ is powerful. Your lives are this amazing testimony to the mighty power of God. For some of you, it's more tangible than for others because your life before Christ had a certain tone to it. But then Christ comes in and transforms us from the inside out, and that testimony is powerful.

I think this is part of the reason why we read in Revelation chapter 12, verse 11, that they overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. Our testimony is powerful in showing what God has done in us. Never neglect sharing with people what God has done in your life, transforming you. It's an amazing story—the transformation that God is able to bring.

So, Saul, the zealous persecuting Pharisee, becomes Paul, the passionate Apostle. A former terrorist becomes a preacher of Jesus. That is the headline over Paul's conversion. He was a terrorist who brought havoc to the church, and now he becomes a chief evangelist. After that point, from Acts 9 onward, we see that this man Paul joins forces with other passionate evangelists.

Individuals like Barnabas, Silas, Luke, Titus, Timothy, Gaius, Priscilla, and Aquila played significant roles in the early church. For the next thirty years of his life, we see Paul going forth into the world of his day to preach the gospel. Jesus told him through Ananias, "You're going to bear my name among Gentiles, kings, and even the children of Israel." So, he went out to bear the name of Jesus before the Gentiles.

Paul embarked on his first missionary journey with a man named Barnabas, as recorded in Acts chapter 13. They traveled to a region known as Galatia, which is in southern central Turkey today. In this area, they preached the gospel and planted churches in the cities of Lystra, Iconium, and Derbe. After this journey, they returned home.

On his second missionary journey, recorded in Acts chapter 16, Paul was accompanied by a co-laborer named Silas. This time, they went to a place called Macedonia, where the chief city was Philippi, followed by Thessalonica and Berea. They continued to plant churches as they preached the gospel. From there, they moved down into Greece, where they preached in Athens and then went to the city of Corinth before returning home.

Paul's third missionary journey, described in Acts chapters 18 and 19, took him and Silas, along with others, into the region known as Asia Minor. The chief city of Asia Minor was Ephesus, located in coastal southwestern Turkey today. Paul preached the gospel in Ephesus and stayed there for three years, teaching every single day in a school. As he taught, his disciples went into the surrounding regions to plant churches.

It is very likely that while Paul was in Ephesus, the seven churches of Asia mentioned in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 were established. These included not only the seven churches but also others in cities like Philadelphia, Smyrna, Sardis, Thyatira, Hierapolis, and Colossae.

While Paul traveled, preached, and planted churches, he also pastored them in a unique way—through writing letters, which we call epistles. I am so grateful that he wrote these epistles because they are life-transforming. The Word of God through Paul, as he writes to the Galatians, continues to impact lives today.

First and Second Thessalonians, First and Second Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, Philemon, Titus, and First and Second Timothy are all letters attributed to Paul. Though Paul considered himself to be the least of the Apostles, he writes in First Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 9, that he saw himself as the chiefest of all sinners, as noted in First Timothy, chapter 1, verse 15. He understood that he was saved by the grace of God for the purposes of God, to fulfill the plan of God for the glory of God. The same is true for you and for me if you've put your trust in Jesus.

Point number two on your outline is that we have been saved by the grace of God to fulfill the purposes of God for the glory of God. Do you realize that you have been saved by the grace of God, not of yourselves, not of works, lest anyone should boast? You are saved by the grace of God for the purposes of God. He has a plan and a purpose in this world, and He desires for you and me, as those who have been rescued by His grace, to fulfill that purpose for His glory.

Paul gave himself entirely to this mission from the moment he heard the words, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." He knew he was a recipient of God's grace. The God that Saul of Tarsus knew, as he read through the Torah and the Pentateuch, was not necessarily gracious in the way he later understood. Paul realized it was purely by God's grace that he was transformed. He states in First Corinthians, chapter 15, "I am what I am by the grace of God, and His grace toward me was not in vain. I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

In response to God's free grace, Paul labored to be pleasing and glorifying to the One who graciously rescued him.

His life was transformed by the grace of God. He looked back at the terrible things he had done, such as presiding over the execution of Stephen, persecuting Christians, and overseeing their false trials and executions. He realized he had to leave that behind and lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus had laid hold of him. For the rest of his life, he sought to live in a way that would honor the grace of Jesus.

This begs the question for us: Has the reality of God's grace towards us—towards me and towards you—hit us enough for us to realize how great His salvation is? Has it ignited in us a passion for serving and following Jesus? Paul labored faithfully, even in light of looming persecution. Remember, Jesus said, "You are a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel, and you are going to suffer for My name's sake." From day one, Paul knew he would suffer for the sake of Christ.

What did that suffering look like? In 2 Corinthians chapter 11, Paul talks about some of the suffering he endured. He mentions that five times he received forty lashes minus one. This was a traditional Jewish punishment within the synagogue and the Jewish community. If someone did something worthy of punishment, the typical Jewish punishment of the day was to be whipped forty lashes minus one, as forty was considered a little extreme. So, he received thirty-nine lashes. If you do the math, that means he was whipped a total of one hundred and ninety-five times. We can't even grasp that level of suffering.

But it wasn't just the Jewish punishment. Paul also states in 2 Corinthians 11 that he was beaten with rods three times. This was a traditional Roman punishment. So, not only had the Jews whipped him one hundred and ninety-five times, but he also endured beatings with rods three times.

Times by the Romans, he says in that passage, once he was stoned with rocks. Now, not stoned like in the 1960s era—some of you guys went through that—but stoned with rocks. This happened on his first missionary journey when he was ministering in Galatia, Lystra, Iconium, and Derbe. He was in one place, and they didn't really receive what he had to say, so they dragged him outside of the city and stoned him with rocks. I can only imagine that he was having a very surreal experience because he presided over Stephen being dragged out of the city. It's a little déjà vu.

He mentions that five times he received forty lashes minus one. Three times he was beaten with rods, and once he was stoned with rocks. He was shipwrecked three times. This was in Second Corinthians eleven, and after this, he was shipwrecked at least one more time, making it four times in his life and ministry following Jesus. Then he says in Second Corinthians 11:26, "In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils at sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." Besides all the other things that come upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches.

Do you think Paul experienced a little bit of stress? I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. He endured a little bit of stress.

I'm thinking about this, and I stumbled on an article last week that kind of made me laugh a little bit. It stated that 60% of Millennials say that life is more stressful now than ever before. Millennials are those born between 1980 and 2000. I'm like the senior class of Millennials. So, 60% of Millennials say that life is more stressful now than ever before. The top 20 stressful scenarios reported by Millennials include losing your wallet, arguing with your partner, commuting, traffic delays, losing your phone, arriving late to work, and slow Wi-Fi.

Oh, the humanity! Your phone battery dying, forgetting passwords, credit card fraud, forgetting your phone charger, losing or misplacing your keys, paying bills, job interviews, your phone screen breaking—oh, the height of terrible stress! Credit card bills, the check engine light coming on, school loan payments, job security, choosing what to wear, and washing dishes. That's such a terrible day. I was late to work because my phone charger was gone. I had to sit through traffic, and I couldn't figure out what to wear. This is the most stressful time ever. Life is so hard.

We have a saying in our house: "Life is hard, Evangeline." Those who know Evangeline understand why. So, it makes sense when you read Paul's experience in 2 Corinthians 11. It makes sense that he would write in 2 Timothy 3:12 that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. He had experienced that for thirty years; that had been his everyday experience. Now, he is facing his very last trial, and he writes in 2 Timothy 4:16, "At my first defense, no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them."

This is Paul's "one more thing." Just one more thing, Timothy, before I go. One more thing, and it is a word of encouraging grace, though it may not at face value seem like a word of encouraging grace. I want to explain to you why it is a word of encouraging grace. When he says, "At my first defense, no one stood with me; all forsook me, but may the Lord not charge it to their account," why is this a word of encouragement?

I think this is a word of encouragement because of what was previously said in the last section about Demas. In 2 Timothy 4:10, it states, "For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed."

For Thessalonica and Alexander the coppersmith, verse 14 states, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words."

Now, could you imagine being one of Paul's close associates, and for one reason or another, some circumstance made it so that you weren't there at his moment of trial? Then you read these words: "Demas forsook me, and Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm." Shortly after this, you hear the news that Saul has been beheaded for his faith. Paul the Apostle was beheaded for his faith shortly after the writing of this final letter. I would suggest to you that you would have what psychologists refer to as complicated grief.

I think one of the most difficult things to endure is the death of a loved one by suicide. Some of you have experienced that. I have had people in my life who have committed suicide, and I have been there alongside others to try and help them walk through it. No one who has endured the horror of someone close to them taking their life has not had the questions: What if I had been there? Was there something more I could have said? Was there something more I could have done? This is complicated grief; it kind of compounds the grief.

I suggest to you that there are a lot of people in Paul's life—close friends and associates—who, for one reason or another, weren't there at his moment of need. Paul is graciously releasing them here in this word: "May it not be charged against them."

Point number three: those who understand grace are most often the most gracious, and Paul understood grace. He knew when he needed to say a hard word. The word about Alexander the coppersmith was a tough word; it needed to be said. The word about Demas was a difficult thing; it needed to be said. Perhaps, we don't know for sure, maybe that word led to Demas recanting, repenting, and turning back to the work. We don't know, but Paul understood the grace of God so much, and he is gracious in this very simple word: "May it not be charged against them."

Releasing them their depth, that they might feel they own. He had received great grace from the Lord, and he was therefore greatly gracious. That should remind us that, having been the recipients of God's free grace, freely we have received, we need to be those who freely give. Grace is not something we see very often in our culture, so when you are gracious, it stands out to people. It really does.

He continues in verse 17, "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me so that the message might be preached fully through me and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." Point number four: The Lord will stand with and strengthen us to fulfill His purpose and plan. The Lord stands with us and strengthens us as we are fulfilling His plan.

Now, thirty years before Paul wrote these words, he was standing and watching a mob stone a man to death. While this was happening, we read in Acts chapter 7, verse 55, "Stephen, as he's being killed, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed up into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." He said, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

Then the mob cried with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord. They cast him outside of the city to stone him, and the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They stoned Stephen as he was calling out to God, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." When he had said this, he died.

I suggest that that whole picture lingered long in Paul's mind: "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." In verse 18, "The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever. Amen." The Lord delivered me out.

Of the mouth of the lion, we can't be exactly sure what Paul is alluding to when he says the Lord delivered me out of the mouth of the lion. Some think that he's talking about his interactions with Nero, who was the Emperor at this time. Others believe he is referring to deliverance from the Jewish leaders, while some might see this as deliverance from the enemy, the accuser of the brethren, who goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.

It doesn't necessarily matter exactly what Paul is speaking to here when he says the Lord delivered me out of the mouth of the lion. What matters is that Paul knew he had been and would be delivered by Christ Jesus. Take that in light of the fact that he knows he's about to die; the time of my departure is at hand (2 Timothy 4:6). He understands he is not getting out of this situation with his life, and yet he, with great faith, says the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom.

Point number five: we will be preserved unto and glorified in God's heavenly kingdom. That is our hope. Our hope is not this world. Church, I think it needs to be said, and we need to be reminded constantly, our hope is not this world. It's not our IRA, 401(k), Social Security, or Medicare. It's not retirement in this life; that is not our hope. If that's your hope, it's not a good thing to hope in. Our hope is that we will be preserved unto and glorified in God's heavenly kingdom.

This was Paul's hope. A few years before this, he was imprisoned in Rome during his first imprisonment, and he wrote a letter to the church at Philippi. In Philippians 1:19, he writes, "For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and a supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death."

For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. That's faith. God is going to be magnified in me, whether it's in my life or by death.

To me, to live is Christ, to die is gain, and so to Him be the glory forever. Second Timothy 4:18.

Finally, he gives these last little greetings: Greet Priscilla and Aquila, the household of Onesiphorus, Erastus, who is in Corinth, and Trophimus, whom I have left in Miletus sick. Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers. Farewell. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Paul's final message is about grace. He was the apostle of grace. Grace be with you. Amen.

Father, we thank You for Your grace. None of us standing here today are deserving of Your grace, but we are so grateful for it. We are thankful that You, who knew no sin, became sin for us so that we might receive Your righteousness and be able to stand before You as righteous because of what You have done and accomplished by Your grace.

So, God, we pray—I pray—that You would pour out in abundance Your grace upon us, Your church. We who have freely received Your grace should freely give it out to others. Fill us with Your grace so that it would overflow from us to others.

God, we thank You. I thank You for the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul and all that we have learned as we have gone through his letters over the last several years. I pray, God, that You would continue through these words to transform us. We praise You, Jesus. It is in Your name that we pray.