What will your life look like at the end of your days, when your ministry is “fulfilled”? You may be just beginning your ministry, but I want you to think about what you hope he looks like at the end of your life.
When everything is over and you “fulfill” your ministry, what will you have accomplished? What words will you have said? What legacy will you have left? Who will you leave in charge? Who will be by your side? What will worry you the most? Where will your trust rest?
2 Timothy is the last letter of the Apostle Paul. He writes this letter knowing that he has reached the end of his life. Paul has fulfilled his ministry (4: 6-8) and he wants Timothy to fulfill his (4: 5): preach the word, not be ashamed, and endure suffering. As we look at the end of Paul’s life and ministry, we see that to fulfill our ministry we must understand what our needs are, what we should be concerned about, and where our trust rests. As you begin your ministry, what is your greatest need? What is your primary concern? Where does your trust rest?
our great need
If we are to fulfill our ministry, then we need friendships that are anchored in the gospel. It is true that Paul had needs at the end of his life. Sitting in a cold prison with winter approaching, he needed his cloak (4:13).
In pastoral ministry it is easy to forget that we have physical needs. After all, we are whole people: body and spirit. When we neglect our physical needs, we deny the fact that we are called to glorify God with our whole bodies (1 Cor. 6:20). Throughout history Christians have buried the dead instead of burning them because we believe in the resurrection of the body. Even so, many pastors today functionally deny the resurrection of the body by neglecting their bodies. If we are to fulfill our ministry, then we must take care of our bodies by getting plenty of rest and eating a healthy diet. Brethren, do not neglect your physical and bodily needs.
But Paul’s greatest need at the end of his life and ministry is not physical; it is relational. Paul longed for the gospel-rooted relationships he had built throughout his ministry. He notes how he asks Timothy three times to come see him (4:9, 13, 21). In fact, Paul begins his last letter by letting Timothy know that he wishes to see him, “to fill me with joy” (1:4). Throughout his life, Paul had made many friends in the gospel. At the end of his life and ministry, Paul wishes to have Timothy, his son in the faith, by his side. Others had gone to minister in different places (4:10). Only Luke remained with Paul at this time (4:10).
Of course, Pablo also knew what it was like to feel abandoned by those who called themselves his friends. Paul had already told Timothy that all “his friends” in Asia had deserted him, including Phygelus and Hermogenes (1:15). And now Demas, loving this world, had also deserted it (4:10). Likewise, at his first defense, many had forsaken him (4:16). This is a shame that we will all experience in ministry: the reality of desertion and abandonment by our so-called partners in the gospel.
As you seek to fulfill your ministry, some of the people who will hurt you the most are those closest to you.
If we are to fulfill our ministry, we need tough skins and soft hearts.
But notice how Paul responds. Instead of responding in sinful anger or bitterness, he says, “Don’t let it count” (4:16). Incredible! That is an important lesson. If we are to fulfill our ministry, we need tough skins and soft hearts. When attacks or accusations come, when we experience defections or abandonments, we need to have a tough skin, difficult to penetrate, without returning evil for evil. Rather we must respond with a soft heart. After all, you never know if the Lord will restore those friends with whom you had a conflict.
We see this beautiful grace in the very life of Paul, don’t we? Paul asks about John Mark (4:11). Do you remember Juan Marcos? He is the one who caused strong disagreements between Paul and Barnabas due to doubts about his usefulness in the ministry (Acts 15: 36-40). Yet, at the end of his life, this is the same person Paul asks Timothy to bring in because he is useful to him in the ministry.
My point is simple. Although Paul had many friends in the gospel (4:19-21), his greatest need was to fellowship with those close to him in the gospel. When you start your ministry and while you think about how you want to finish the race, who will be by your side at that moment? Who will you want to have by your side? If we are to fulfill our ministry, we need friendships deeply anchored in the gospel.
By the grace of God I have friends I can call upon when I face difficulties in life and ministry. Do you have brothers like that? If not, cultivate those relationships now. Find brothers with whom you can see to pray in your city. Meet frequently. Encourage each other. But especially, seek to cultivate gospel-anchored friendships among the pastors (elders) of your own church. Some of the most meaningful relationships the Lord has given me are those formed among the elders of my church.
Our primary concern
Of course, at the end of Paul’s life and ministry, he was not only thinking of himself, pitying his situation. Nope! Paul’s central concern remained the continuation of the gospel ministry. That is why he wanted Juan Marcos (4:11). Paul was concerned that the ministry of the gospel would continue through others (4:12). He notes how at the end of his life he leads others, orchestrating a faithful ministry in places where Paul still had influence (4:10, 12). Remember, Pablo is in prison. And even so, his main concern is not to get out of prison, but that the gospel continues to spread.
Paul was also concerned with his own growth in this gospel (4:13). In other words, he continues to do what Timothy was urged to do: grow in God’s words that make us wise unto salvation (3:14-17). Paul still seeks to be a man of God who is an approved worker in the gospel ministry (2:15-18). That is why he asks Timothy to bring him the books and scrolls (4:13). Paul understands that the need to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ is never ending. Brethren, if we are to fulfill our ministry, we must realize that we will never come to the point of not needing to read and study the Scriptures. We need to continue to learn, to be corrected, to be trained in justice. So, he now establishes a regular Bible reading plan and studies the Scripture. Prioritize your personal devotionals.
Some of the most significant relationships are those formed between the pastors of my church themselves.
Paul is so concerned that the ministry of the gospel will continue that he warns Timothy about opponents of the gospel (4:14-15). In other words, Paul wants to make sure that after he’s gone, the gospel continues to spread, and he wants to equip Timothy to be prepared for opposition. As you begin your ministry, he thinks of godly and faithful brothers to whom you entrust the gospel so that they too will train others (2:1-2) to continue the ministry of the gospel. That should be your primary concern. After all, you don’t know how long the Lord will give you in the ministry. So, he trains others from now on.
Our greatest trust
Even so, the confidence to fulfill our ministry does not rest in us. Our greatest trust must rest in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, when others abandon us, it is the Lord who is on our side. That is what Paul experienced (4:16-17). Paul had a particular calling to make known God’s plan for salvation; that is, his calling was to take the gospel to the Gentiles. He was faithful to that call, but his trust was not in himself, but in Jesus Christ.
While others, like Alexander, opposed him and did him great harm, it was the Lord who rescued Paul. The Lord had rescued Paul from the “mouth” of government authorities, from “the lion’s mouth” (4:17), and from all evil against him (v. 18; also 3:11). If we are to fulfill our ministry, we need to understand that in today’s culture, it will become increasingly difficult to be a pastor. But we also need to understand that the gates of Hades will not prevail against the Church of Jesus. Jesus will build the Church of him, and the gospel will advance, either through us or through others. Ultimately, like Paul, we need to trust that Jesus will save us from this evil world (4:18) when he brings us into his presence. It is Jesus who will restore all things; it is Jesus who will return and reign in the eternal kingdom on the new earth; it is Jesus who will make all things new. Our “failures” and “successes” will not change God’s eternal plan in Jesus Christ. We are privileged participants in that eternal plan by proclaiming Jesus as the risen and exalted King over all things. He is our hope, and our trust must rest in him.
We need the Lord Jesus Christ at the beginning, middle, and end of our ministry (4:22). Where is your confidence? Don’t let it rest on your own gifts, abilities, creativity, or intelligence. Don’t let it be in your own success, fame, conference invitations, or leadership opportunities. Let your trust rest in the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone should receive all the glory (4:18).
conclusion
As you prepare to begin your ministry, think about how you want it to end. Start with the end in mind. Who is there with you at the end? What is your biggest concern? Where is your confidence? Let’s build deep, lasting, and gospel-centered friendships with brothers we can call at any time and who will be with us through thick and thin. Let us leave an evangelical legacy that continues beyond our ministry by training others who will train others as well. And let us put our trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, not in ourselves, our ministry, or anything else. Grace be with us all (4:22).
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