There are scholars who resist naming John as the author of the fourth Gospel, the epistles that bear his name, and the Revelation. I do not claim the credentials of these learned students of the Bible.

But, with all due respect, there is one compelling bit of evidence that the Apostle not only links the Gospel of John, the three Epistles of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, but bridges the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation.

The key is the name by which John refers to The Savior. Our English translation somewhat awkwardly renders the name as “The Word”.

It is a well-worn metaphor, used to describe the lifetime of a person.

Paul is preparing for winter.

In his prison cell in Mamertine, he is accompanied only by the physician, Luke, who is likely recording Paul’s final thoughts for his letter to Timothy in Ephesus.

Paul is completing his letter to Timothy.

The message could not be more clear:  The torch is being passed to a new generation.

Paul is not the first, nor will be the last Apostle to lay his life down for the Gospel.

2 Timothy 4:3-4

For the time will come

when they will not endure sound doctrine;

but wanting to have their ears tickled,

they will accumulate for themselves

teachers in accordance to their own desires,

and will turn away their ears from the truth

and will turn aside to myths.

Despite how this passage begins, there are few who would disagree that not only will the time come, but the time is now.

The Ephesian church, and the church today, share in the unfortunate state being described by Paul.

The Apostle says the church will not “endure”, that is, be patient to hear sound doctrine.

Paul begins his "closing arguments" for Timothy.

Here, the Apostle urges that the Message be delivered.

Paul reminds Timothy of his spiritual roots.

First, the roots that were present in his family.

Last but certainly not least, he emphasizes the Word of God as the foundation, where the answers are located.

Sometimes, in the face of adversity, we need reminders.

We can almost become enamored with our suffering the face of adversity.

Paul write Timothy that Help is not on the way.  Rather, Help has been here all along.

He just felt Timothy need a fatherly reminder.

The second half of Paul's second letter to Timothy in Ephesus begins with a dire warning.

Difficult times will come.

Make no mistake:  We are in the last days.

Truth be told, the last days began the day the Holy Spirit arrived, giving birth to Christ's church.

The unfortunate description of the men to avoid persist over more than two thousand years.

As Paul's second letter to Timothy continues, the warnings to the young minister increase, both in number and intensity.

In this week's lesson, the Apostle goes so far as to compare the false doctrine in Ephesus to the horrific malady of gangrene.

Listen here, as Paul sounds the alarm.

When you hear the word “grace”, what comes to mind?

I strongly suspect John Newton’s soaring anthem is in the top five.

“Amazing” is one of those words, I fear, that has become brutally overused and misused. However, when applied to the grace of God, “amazing” is the most appropriate use of all.