Oct 25 Jeremiah 51:15-64 2 Timothy 4 Psalm 119:97-104

2 Tim 4:7-8

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.

Paul could sit back and look at his life knowing this… He did everything he could have done for the gospel. He fought well – he ran the race well.

He could take stock of his life and know that, despite setbacks he did what he could.

I wonder… could we say that? Or would we have regrets about what we had done? Would we see the missed opportunities and the wasted time?

Would we look back and wish we could do it again, and this time we’d run the race better?

It’s a hard question to answer… but I do know this. What’s happened has happened. How you’ve run up to this point you cannot change. But you can change how you run from now on. If you’d regret the way you’d fought in years to come… now’s the time to change it.

2 Tim 4:9-11

Do your best to come to me soon.

For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.

It’s not how you start that matters. It’s how you finish.

Oh dear, Demas. It was going so well. We don’t know much about this guy other than he was mentioned as an Apostle in Colossians and Philemon and a fellow labourer. And now Paul says he’s deserted him and ran off to Thessalonica.

Why? “in love with this present world” could be taken a few ways. It may mean that the flesh proved enticing and he left his faith for the world… but you’d think Paul would be a little harsher on him is that was the case. Paul’s not one to hold back on such things.

What’s more likely is he loved his life and been alive in this world… and when Paul is in such risk of becoming a Martyr he ran for his life. What a shame it is to run so well and to turn your back on it.

Also mentioned in this passage is Mark. Now Mark and Paul had parted ways, which again may have been due to fear (or homesickness). The situation over Mark was so volatile, Paul and Barnabas came into serious conflict over him. But here is Paul saying Mark is useful. Over the years, Mark had come strong again and was on the right track and the situation had been mended. Mark may have made errors early on, but his race became a strong one. The unreliable person became trusted.

And then there’s Luke… faithful and steadfast.

I wonder, which one do we relate to most? At times we may have touches of all three.

Hold fast. Be steady like Luke. If you’ve made mistakes put them right like Mark. But don’t be like Demas…

And as for Alexander the Coppersmith in verse 14…. you certainly don’t want to be that guy!