At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. ( 2 Timothy 4:16 16 At my first defence no one took my part, but all forsook me: may it not be laid to their account. –18)

This morning I have lingered long over these magnificent and heartbreaking words. Paul is in custody in Rome. So far as we know, he was not released. His last letter comes to an end like this.

Consider and be astounded!

He is deserted. He is an old man. A loyal servant. In a foreign city, far from home. Surrounded by enemies. In danger of death. Why? Answer: So he could write this precious sentence for our souls: “But the Lord stood by me!”

Oh, how I love those words! When you are deserted by close friends, do you cry out against God? Is your God really the people in your life? Or do you take courage in this magnificent truth: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” ( Matthew 28:20 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. )? Do you strengthen your heart with this inexorable oath: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” ( Hebrews 13:5 5 Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. )?

Then let us say, “The Lord stood by me!”

Question: What was threatened in 2 Timothy 4:18 18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom `be' the glory forever and ever. Amen. ? Answer: that Paul might not attain the Lord’s heavenly kingdom! “The Lord will . . . bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.”

Question: How was Paul’s attaining the heavenly kingdom threatened? Answer: “Evil work.” “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.”

Question: How could an evil work threaten Paul’s attaining the heavenly kingdom? Answer: by tempting him to forsake his allegiance to Christ through disobedience.

Question: Was this temptation the “lion’s mouth” from which he was rescued? Answer: Yes. “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith” ( 1 Peter 5:8 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, –9).

Question: So who gets the glory that Paul did not yield to this temptation but endured to the end in faith and obedience? Answer: “To him [the Lord] belong glory and dominion forever and ever” ( 1 Peter 4:11 11 if any man speaketh, `speaking' as it were oracles of God; is any man ministereth, `ministering' as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ).

Question: Why? Wasn’t it Paul who stood firm? Answer: “The Lord stood by me and strengthened me!”