If You Had Weeks to Live, What Would You Say?
Imagine this: You’re sitting in a cold, dark cell. You can hear the executioner sharpening his blade in the distance. Your friends have abandoned you. Your body is broken. And you know—with absolute certainty—that in a matter of weeks, maybe days, you’ll be dead.
What would you talk about?
Would you:
- Complain about the injustice of it all?
- Rage against the people who betrayed you?
- Wallow in self-pity?
- Beg for mercy?
- Panic about all the things left undone?
Or would you use your final words to pass on what matters most?
That’s exactly the situation the Apostle Paul faced when he wrote 2 Timothy—his final letter, his last will and testament, his parting words to the church and to a young pastor he loved like a son.
And what he chose to focus on in those final days reveals something profound about what matters most in life.
Alex Kremer’s sermon on 2 Timothy introduction sets the stage for one of the most powerful books in the New Testament. And if you’ve ever wondered what you’d say if you knew death was near, what legacy you’d want to leave, or what truly matters when everything else is stripped away—this message is for you.
Why This 2 Timothy Introduction Matters
This Atlantic Gospel Chapel sermon isn’t just ancient history. It’s a window into the heart of a man facing death and choosing to focus on what matters most in life.
Paul’s situation in 2 Timothy is drastically different from his earlier imprisonment described at the end of Acts. Understanding 2 Timothy context requires grasping the dramatic shift that occurred between Paul’s two Roman imprisonments.
Alex Kremer bridges this gap masterfully, answering questions like:
- Why was Paul imprisoned twice in Rome?
- What changed between his first and second imprisonment?
- Why did Paul go from relative freedom to a death sentence?
- What historical events led to Christianity’s darkest hour under Nero?
But more importantly, this sermon addresses the timeless questions:
- What should consume our thoughts when facing death?
- How do we pass our faith to the next generation?
- What legacy are we leaving?
- Are we living with eternal perspective?
The Gap Between Acts and 2 Timothy: What Happened?
Paul’s First Imprisonment (Acts 28)
When the book of Acts ends, Paul is in Rome under house arrest. But here’s what’s interesting: it wasn’t that bad.
Acts 28:30-31: “And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.”
Notice:
- “His own rented quarters” – He had an apartment
- “Welcoming all who came to him” – He had visitors
- “With all openness, unhindered” – He could preach freely
Sure, he was under guard. But he had relative freedom. He could write letters, receive guests, and continue his ministry.
So what happened between Acts 28 and 2 Timothy?
Why did Paul go from a rented apartment where he could minister freely to a cold dungeon awaiting execution?
The answer involves one of history’s most catastrophic events: The Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD.
The Great Fire of Rome and Nero’s Scapegoat
In July of 64 AD, a massive fire broke out in Rome. It burned for six days, destroying much of the city.
The Roman historian Tacitus describes the devastation: “Of the fourteen districts of Rome, four remained intact, three were leveled to the ground, while in the remaining seven only a few mangled and half-burnt traces of houses were left.”
The people were furious. And they began to suspect that Emperor Nero himself had ordered the fire to clear space for his grand building projects.
Nero needed a scapegoat. He chose the Christians.
Tacitus records: “To suppress this rumor, Nero fabricated scapegoats—and punished with every refinement the notoriously depraved Christians. Their originator, Christ, had been executed in Tiberius’ reign by the governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. But in spite of this temporary setback, the deadly superstition had broken out afresh, not only in Judea but even in Rome.”
The persecution that followed was brutal beyond imagination:
- Christians were crucified
- Some were sewn into animal skins and torn apart by dogs
- Others were covered in pitch, impaled on poles, and set on fire to serve as human torches to light Nero’s gardens at night
This is the context of Paul’s second imprisonment.
Paul’s Second Imprisonment: A Death Sentence
Between his first imprisonment (which ended around 62-63 AD) and the writing of 2 Timothy (approximately 67 AD), Paul experienced several years of freedom. He likely traveled, planted churches, mentored leaders.
But Paul’s second imprisonment was completely different from the first.
2 Timothy 1:16-17: “The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me.”
Notice: Onesiphorus had to search for Paul. Why? Because Paul wasn’t in a known location like his rented quarters. He was hidden away in a dungeon.
2 Timothy 2:9: “For which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal.”
Not just a prisoner—a criminal. The charge? Being a Christian. A follower of Christ. A leader of this “deadly superstition” that Nero blamed for Rome’s destruction.
2 Timothy 4:6: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.”
Paul knows he’s going to die. Soon. This isn’t speculation. It’s certainty.
Why was Paul imprisoned twice in Rome? The first time, he was awaiting trial as a Roman citizen accused by the Jews. The second time, he was caught in Nero’s brutal persecution of Christians and sentenced to death.
Understanding this context makes 2 Timothy devastatingly powerful.
What the Apostle Paul Chose to Focus On: His Priorities When Facing Death
So here’s Paul, in a cold cell, chained like a criminal, awaiting execution. His body is probably broken from years of persecution. His heart is heavy from the abandonment of friends.
What does he write about?
Priority #1: The Gospel Must Continue (Gospel Preservation)
2 Timothy 2:2: “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Paul’s first concern isn’t his own comfort or safety. It’s gospel preservation.
He’s thinking generationally. Four generations deep:
- Paul taught
- Timothy, who should teach
- Faithful men, who should teach
- Others also
This is passing faith to the next generation in action.
Paul knows he’s about to die. But the gospel can’t die with him. It must be passed on. Entrusted. Preserved. Proclaimed.
Your Application:
What are you doing to ensure the gospel continues after you’re gone?
Are you:
- Teaching your children?
- Mentoring younger believers?
- Investing in the next generation?
- Passing on what you’ve learned?
Or will your faith die with you?
Priority #2: Timothy’s Faithfulness (Encouragement of the Next Generation)
Throughout 2 Timothy, Paul repeatedly encourages, exhorts, and challenges Timothy:
2 Timothy 1:6: “For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
2 Timothy 1:8: “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God.”
2 Timothy 2:3: “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 4:5: “But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
Paul’s concern is: Will Timothy remain faithful? Will he endure? Will he finish well?
This isn’t just about Timothy personally. Timothy represents the next generation of church leaders. If he falls away, if he compromises, if he gives up—what happens to the churches he leads?
This is why Paul’s last will and testament focuses so much on Timothy’s perseverance.
Your Application:
Who are you encouraging to remain faithful?
Who’s watching your life and wondering if following Jesus is worth it?
Are you modeling perseverance? Or are you showing them that when it gets hard, you bail?
Priority #3: Sound Doctrine (Truth Must Be Preserved)
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.”
Even in his final days, Paul is concerned about doctrinal purity.
He knows that after he’s gone, false teachers will come. People will want their ears tickled with comfortable messages rather than confronted with hard truth.
This is still happening today.
Churches compromise. Teachers water down the gospel. People choose comfort over truth.
Paul’s concern: The gospel must be preserved in its purity.
Your Application:
Do you know what you believe? Could you identify false teaching if you heard it?
Are you grounded in Scripture? Or are you vulnerable to whatever sounds good?
Priority #4: Personal Needs (But Last on the List)
It’s not until the very end of the letter that Paul mentions his own needs:
2 Timothy 4:9: “Make every effort to come to me soon.”
2 Timothy 4:13: “When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.”
2 Timothy 4:21: “Make every effort to come before winter.”
Paul is cold. He wants his cloak. He’s lonely. He wants Timothy to visit. He wants to study Scripture. He wants his books.
These are legitimate needs. But notice where they fall in the letter: at the end.
First: The gospel. Second: Timothy’s faithfulness. Third: Sound doctrine. Finally: Personal needs.
That’s living with eternal perspective.
Your Application:
What occupies most of your thought life?
- Your comfort?
- Your problems?
- Your needs?
- Your circumstances?
Or are you consumed with kingdom priorities?
The Loneliness of Paul’s Final Days
One of the most heartbreaking elements of Paul’s second imprisonment is the abandonment he experienced.
2 Timothy 1:15: “You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.”
2 Timothy 4:10: “For Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.”
2 Timothy 4:16: “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.”
People Paul counted on? Gone.
Friends who once stood with him? Disappeared.
Co-workers in the gospel? Abandoned him when association with Paul became dangerous.
Alex Kremer emphasizes this: When the cost got too high, most people left.
Only a few remained faithful:
2 Timothy 4:11: “Only Luke is with me.”
Luke—the beloved physician, the Gospel writer, the faithful companion—stayed.
But notice Paul’s response to those who abandoned him:
2 Timothy 4:16: “May it not be counted against them.”
No bitterness. No resentment. Just grace.
That’s what Christian martyrdom looks like—facing death with grace, even toward those who failed you.
Your Application:
How do you respond when people let you down?
When friends abandon you? When the cost of association with you becomes too high and people distance themselves?
Do you respond with bitterness? Or with grace?
What Matters Most in Life: Lessons from Paul’s Final Message
As we look at Paul’s last will and testament, several themes emerge about what matters most in life:
1. Relationships Matter—But Not All Equally
Paul mentions specific people throughout 2 Timothy:
- Timothy (his spiritual son)
- Luke (the faithful friend)
- Mark (once rejected, now restored—”he is useful to me”)
- Onesiphorus (who wasn’t ashamed of Paul’s chains)
- Demas (who loved this present world)
- Alexander (who did him much harm)
Paul invested in people. Some remained faithful. Some didn’t. But the investment mattered.
Your Application:
Who are you investing in?
Not just surface-level friendships, but deep, discipleship relationships where you’re pouring into others’ spiritual lives?
2. Suffering Is Part of the Christian Life
2 Timothy 3:12: “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
Paul doesn’t sugarcoat it. Christian martyrdom—whether literal death or the daily dying to self—is part of following Jesus.
Your Application:
Are you surprised when following Jesus costs you something?
Are you expecting comfort and ease? Or have you counted the cost?
3. The Gospel Is Worth Dying For
Paul could have recanted. He could have denied Christ and saved his life.
He didn’t.
Why? Because the gospel is worth more than his life.
2 Timothy 2:8-9: “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.”
The gospel can’t be imprisoned. It can’t be stopped. Even if Paul dies, the message lives.
Your Application:
Is the gospel worth your life?
Not just physical death (though for some Christians, that’s the reality), but the daily sacrifice of your comfort, reputation, convenience, and desires?
4. Finishing Well Is What Counts
2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”
Paul can say this. Not everyone can.
Some start well but don’t finish.
Starting well doesn’t guarantee finishing well. But finishing well requires starting well and persevering.
Your Application:
How’s your race going?
Are you running with endurance? Or are you coasting?
Are you keeping the faith? Or are you compromising?
Will you be able to say at the end, “I finished the course”?
5. The Crown of Righteousness Awaits
2 Timothy 4:8: “In the future there is laid up 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 loved His appearing.”
Paul’s eyes are on eternity.
He’s not focused on escaping execution. He’s focused on the crown awaiting him.
That’s living with eternal perspective.
Your Application:
What are you living for?
This life? Or the next?
Temporary rewards? Or eternal ones?
Are you living like eternity is real? Or like this life is all there is?
Understanding 2 Timothy Context: Why It Changes Everything
Understanding 2 Timothy context transforms how you read the letter.
Without context, you might read it as generic spiritual advice.
With context, you realize:
- These are the words of a man facing death
- This is a spiritual father’s final counsel to his son
- This is the church’s inheritance—Paul’s last will and testament
- This is what consumed Paul’s mind in his final days
- This is what he considered most important to pass on
It changes everything.
Every word carries weight. Every exhortation matters. Every warning is urgent.
This isn’t casual correspondence. This is a dying man’s final message.
Alex Kremer emphasizes: We should read 2 Timothy as if Paul wrote it directly to us—because in a sense, he did.
These aren’t just words for Timothy. They’re words for the church. For you. For me.
Passing Faith to the Next Generation: Paul’s Strategy
One of the most critical themes in 2 Timothy is passing faith to the next generation.
Paul’s strategy is clear:
1. Personal Investment
2 Timothy 1:2: “To Timothy, my beloved son.”
Paul didn’t just teach Timothy doctrine. He invested in him personally. Loved him. Mentored him.
2. Model What You Teach
2 Timothy 3:10-11: “Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!”
Timothy didn’t just hear Paul’s teaching. He saw it lived out.
3. Entrust to Faithful People
2 Timothy 2:2: “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Look for faithfulness, not just talent.
4. Remind Them of Their Heritage
2 Timothy 1:5: “For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.”
Timothy came from a heritage of faith. Paul reminds him of that.
Your Application:
Are you passing your faith to the next generation?
For Parents:
- Are you modeling authentic faith?
- Are your kids seeing you pray, read Scripture, live out what you believe?
- Are you talking about spiritual things naturally in everyday life?
For Mentors:
- Who are you investing in?
- Are you looking for faithful people to pour into?
- Are you thinking generationally—not just about today, but about who will carry the torch after you?
For Everyone:
- What will be your legacy?
- What will people remember about your faith?
- Will the gospel continue because of you? Or will it stop with you?
Practical Steps for Living with Eternal Perspective
Alex Kremer’s sermon on 2 Timothy introduction isn’t just information. It’s a call to action.
Here’s how to apply it:
This Week:
- Reflect on your priorities – If you knew you had weeks to live, what would change about how you’re living now?
- Identify one person to invest in – Who can you mentor? Disciple? Pour into spiritually?
- Audit your time – What percentage of your time/energy goes to eternal things vs. temporary things?
- Write your own “last will and testament” – What do you want to pass on? What matters most to you?
This Month:
- Study 2 Timothy – Read the whole letter multiple times. Let Paul’s final words sink deep.
- Listen to the full sermon – Hear Alex Kremer’s complete message here
- Have a conversation about legacy – Talk with family/close friends about what you want to be remembered for
- Identify compromises – Where have you been loving “this present world” like Demas? What needs to change?
This Year:
- Develop a mentoring relationship – Commit to regularly investing in someone younger in the faith
- Memorize key passages from 2 Timothy – Let Paul’s final words become part of your thinking
- Evaluate your race – Are you running to win? Or just running? What adjustments do you need to make?
- Live like eternity is real – Make decisions based on eternal values, not temporary comfort
Christian Priorities: What Should Consume Your Thoughts?
Paul’s example in 2 Timothy reveals what Christian priorities should be:
Not:
- How comfortable am I?
- How can I avoid suffering?
- What do people think of me?
- How can I get more for myself?
But:
- Is the gospel being proclaimed?
- Are people coming to faith?
- Is the next generation being equipped?
- Is sound doctrine being preserved?
- Am I finishing well?
- Is God being glorified?
That’s a radically different set of priorities than what our culture promotes.
Your Application:
Make a list:
Column 1: What actually occupies most of your thought life?
Column 2: What should occupy your thought life based on Paul’s example?
How do they compare?
What needs to change?
The Bottom Line: Paul’s Last Words Matter
Here’s why Paul’s last will and testament matters for you:
Because you’re going to die too.
Maybe not as a martyr in a Roman prison. Maybe not under Nero’s persecution.
But you’re going to die.
And when you do, what will have mattered?
- Your career success? Won’t matter.
- Your bank account? Can’t take it with you.
- Your reputation? Will fade.
- Your comfort? Won’t exist where you’re going.
What WILL matter:
- Did you know Christ?
- Did you live for Him?
- Did you pass your faith on?
- Did you finish well?
- Did you live with eternal perspective?
Paul, facing death, focused on what mattered.
You, facing life, should do the same.
Because one day—maybe tomorrow, maybe decades from now—you’ll be facing death too.
And on that day, you’ll wish you’d lived like Paul did: focused on the gospel, invested in people, living with eternity in view.
Don’t wait until you’re in the cell to get your priorities straight.
Live now with the end in view.
That’s what Paul’s last will and testament teaches us.
That’s what matters most in life.
Experience the Complete Message
This blog post only captures a portion of the historical context, biblical depth, and personal challenge in Alex Kremer’s teaching. To hear the full sermon with all the details about why Paul was imprisoned twice in Rome, the dramatic shift between imprisonments, and the full introduction to 2 Timothy, listen to the complete message here.
Whether you’re beginning a study of 2 Timothy, wrestling with your own priorities, or wondering what it means to live with eternal perspective, this Atlantic Gospel Chapel sermon will challenge and inspire you to live like what matters most actually matters.
About Atlantic Gospel Chapel: We’re a Bible-teaching church in Atlantic, Iowa, committed to proclaiming the whole counsel of God’s Word with depth, clarity, and relevance. We believe that understanding 2 Timothy context and passing faith to the next generation aren’t optional extras but essential elements of faithful Christianity. If you’re looking for teaching that takes Scripture seriously and challenges you to live with Christian priorities rooted in eternal values, we’d love to have you join us.
