The Final Words of

a Great Disciple

Discipleship Group Questions for October 24, 2004

2Tim. 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing.

Questions for Reflection:

1. “My life,” says St. Paul, “has reached the point where it must be sacrificed.” The word he uses for drink offering is the verb “spendesthai” which literally means to pour out as a libation to the gods. Every Roman meal ended with a kind of sacrifice. A cup of wine was taken and was poured out to the gods. It’s as if Paul were saying, “The day is ended; it’s time to rise and go; and my life must be poured out as a sacrifice to God.” He didn’t think of himself as going to be executed; he thought of himself as going to offer his life to God. How do you and I think about our lives? How generous are we with our lives?

2. Paul goes on to say: “The time for my departure has already come.” The word “analusis” he uses for departure is a vivid one.

It tells something about leaving life. It’s the word used for unyoking an animal from the shafts of the cart or the plough. Death to Paul was a release! He was going to exchange the confines of a Roman prison for the glorious liberty of the courts of heaven!

It’s also a word used for loosening the ropes of a tent. For Paul it was time to strike camp again. Many a journey he had made across the roads of Asia Minor and of Europe. Now he was setting out on this last and greatest journey; he was taking the road that led to God.

And finally it’s a word for loosening the mooring-ropes of a ship. Many a time Paul had felt his ship leave the harbor for the deep waters. Now he’s to launch out into the greatest deep of all, setting sail to cross the waters of death to arrive in the haven of eternity!

So then, for the Christian, death is:

· laying down the burden in order to rest;

· it’s laying aside the shackles in order to be free;

· it’s striking camp in order to take up residence in heavenly places;

· it’s casting off the ropes which bind us to this world in order to set sail on the voyage which ends in the presence of God.

Please discuss.

3. Paul says “I have fought the good fight!” The word he uses for fight is “agonizomai” and it means “to engage in intense struggle, involving physical or nonphysical force against strong opposition — ‘to struggle, to fight.’”

Literally the words, “I have fought the good fight” are “I have agonized the good agony.”

Have you and I “agonized the good agony? Have we “fought the good fight?” Have you?

4. Paul then said, “I have kept the faith!” Paul has been obedient to the faith and has transmitted it in tact!

He has continually urged Timothy to “keep the faith” as he has and now Paul begins to lay back his worn out old body and release it to God’s gentle embrace. Have you and I kept the faith? Please discuss.

5. The real question here is what effect have they had upon you and me?

How do you want the rest of your life to go?

How much time are you and I going to spend in the wasteland of our fears or our failures?

How much more time are you and I going to remain stuck in the shadowlands of our obsessions, our addictions - in our arrogance and our peevishness?

God has a plan for you and me and it’s noble and grand. It’s mythic in proportions.

We’re being called to the side of our Lord into the thick of His ongoing battle to establish His Kingdom here on earth! To the magnificent battle lines of God’s cause.

Will we join Him? Paul, in these his last words, is calling to us to join him in this grand adventure. Will be heed his words or will be turn away sadly and live out a sad and pathetic life focused on our fears and our dreams? Please discuss.