I read a book last week, The Radical Disciple by John Stott. By his own admission, the thoughts in this small volume are his final formal message to the body of Christ at large or, as Stott says, his “valedictory message” . . . he’s ready to “graduate”. At eighty-eight he acknowledges that his writing days are over, as will soon be his life, and he wanted to leave some last thoughts for us followers of Christ to consider. There’s something about reading a man’s last words that can be particularly inspirational . . . especially if they are the final words of a “life well lived.” Such is the case with the closing chapter of 2Timothy.

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2Timothy 4:6-8)

What struck me this morning though was the contrast between verse 8 and verse 10 . . . between Paul and a companion of his, Demas . . . between one who “loved His appearing” and one who “loved this present world” (4:10).

As Paul gets ready to lay down his weapons in the good fight he has fought . . . approaches the finish line of the marathon he has run . . . prepares to enter into the rest that comes from having kept the faith . . . he also looks to the prize. There’s a crown of righteousness ready to presented to him by the Lord, the righteous judge. And, Paul says, “It’s not just for me but for all who have loved and anticipated His second coming.”

That’s one way to live life . . . with an eye to the sky . . . longing for the return of Lord of lords and King of kings . . . ready to trade in the pursuits of the day for the glory of the kingdom at the drop of a hat . . . or the sound of a trumpet. That Paul’s mind was set “on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2) is evident in his writings and in what we know about how he lived his life. For him, to live truly was Christ . . . to die, he viewed as immeasurable gain (Php. 1:21). He loved the promise of Jesus’ appearing . . . His coming again in the clouds for His people . . . His establishment of His throne upon the earth . . . of that time when all things would be established new . . . when there would be no more suffering, sorrow, pain, or tears . . . when he would behold, face to face, the Savior who had redeemed this “chief of sinners” (1Tim. 1:15) . . . when he would bask facedown in the glory of the Lord he had sought to faithfully follow. The crown of righteousness would be a bonus . . . the “main event” would be “His appearing.”

And then, there’s Demas . . . Paul says that he had “forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica” (4:10). I guess there’s at least a couple of ways to understand Demas’ love for “the present world.” First, it might simply be that he wasn’t ready to die . . . that he too recognized that Paul’s time was coming to an end and that being associated with Paul could have dire consequences . . . and so he left for Thessalonica. Maybe he continued to “serve the Lord” there . . . but his reason for going was that he desired the things of life more than the Lord of the life. The other interpretation could be that, beyond just wanting to save his own skin, he felt that there were still “places to go, people to see, things to do” . . . his desire for “living life to the full” clouded the “abundant life” offered by the One who had promised, “He who loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matt. 10:39). Regardless of the exact motivation, Demas forsook Paul . . . bailed on the apostle who longed for Christ’s appearing because he longed for this present world.

Paul “loved His appearing” . . . Demas “loved this present world”. Kind of marks two ends of a spectrum . . . kind of begs me to consider where I stand in regards to that spectrum. There’s a lot to like about “this present world” . . . family, friends, mission, blessing . . . all from God’s good hand. But oh, there’s so much more to look forward to . . . to His glorious appearing . . . to worship in His holy presence . . . to being home. Oh, that I would love His appearing more than this present world . . . by His grace . . . for His glory . . . amen!