Last Words: Week 3
2 Timothy 3
When we were living in Texas, one thing became obvious fast: Texans are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet… but they live in a constant state of high alert. Everything is a warning.
In Colorado, you end a conversation with, “Alright, see you later!” But in Texas, every goodbye sounds like a threat: “Alright… BE CAREFUL.”
Be careful of what, Brenda?! The iced tea? The humidity? The emotional damage from accidentally saying “soda” instead of “Coke”?
And don’t bother asking a Texan what you should be careful of because the highways will tell you.
Texas is the only place where the road signs look like they were designed by someone who survived the book of Revelation.
WATCH FOR GATORS.
WATCH FOR RATTLESNAKES.
WATCH FOR FIRE ANTS.
WATCH FOR FLOODING.
WATCH FOR WIND.
WATCH FOR… what appears to be a large bird carrying a small dog??
I’m just trying to watch the road, and Texas is like:
“Good luck. Everything here bites, stings, floods, or flies.”
And yet, Texans are so friendly while doing it:
“Y’all take care now! Watch out for the pythons!”
“Have a blessed day, and don’t let the tarantulas get ya!”
That’s the vibe.
And honestly?
That’s exactly the kind of energy Paul brings into 2 Timothy 3.
Before he signs off for the very last time, he basically tells Timothy:
“Son… be careful.”
When we were living in Texas, one thing became obvious fast: Texans are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet… but they live in a constant state of high alert. Everything is a warning.
In Colorado, you end a conversation with, “Alright, see you later!” But in Texas, every goodbye sounds like a threat: “Alright… BE CAREFUL.”
Be careful of what, Brenda?! The iced tea? The humidity? The emotional damage from accidentally saying “soda” instead of “Coke”?
And don’t bother asking a Texan what you should be careful of because the highways will tell you.
Texas is the only place where the road signs look like they were designed by someone who survived the book of Revelation.
WATCH FOR GATORS.
WATCH FOR RATTLESNAKES.
WATCH FOR FIRE ANTS.
WATCH FOR FLOODING.
WATCH FOR WIND.
WATCH FOR… what appears to be a large bird carrying a small dog??
I’m just trying to watch the road, and Texas is like:
“Good luck. Everything here bites, stings, floods, or flies.”
And yet, Texans are so friendly while doing it:
“Y’all take care now! Watch out for the pythons!”
“Have a blessed day, and don’t let the tarantulas get ya!”
That’s the vibe.
And honestly?
That’s exactly the kind of energy Paul brings into 2 Timothy 3.
Before he signs off for the very last time, he basically tells Timothy:
“Son… be careful.”
Paul, writing from a cold Roman prison cell, gives Timothy one final warning before his death. Not a political warning. Not an economic warning. Not a military warning.
Paul warns Timothy about something far more personal:
People.
Not all people, but a specific kind of person whose heart posture will make the last days “very difficult.”
This reminder isn’t just for Timothy. It’s God’s warning to us.
Let’s explore the two types of people Paul describes, and why it matters for your spiritual health.
Paul warns Timothy about something far more personal:
People.
Not all people, but a specific kind of person whose heart posture will make the last days “very difficult.”
This reminder isn’t just for Timothy. It’s God’s warning to us.
Let’s explore the two types of people Paul describes, and why it matters for your spiritual health.
1. Drainers — People Who Pull You Away From God
Paul begins the chapter with a sobering list - 22 traits that define people who will drain your faith, your peace, your time, your energy, and your purpose.
“People will love only themselves and their money… prideful, ungrateful… unloving, unforgiving… lovers of pleasure instead of lovers of God… having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
— 2 Timothy 3:1–5
These are people who consistently pull you away from God and toward confusion.
Drainers:
• Love themselves and their money
• Reject correction
• Gossip and slander
• Act religious but resist transformation
• Are prideful, reckless, unforgiving
• Betray friends
• Love pleasure more than God
• Have a counterfeit faith
And Paul’s instruction is surprisingly direct:
“Stay away from people like that!”
— 2 Timothy 3:5
This isn’t about avoiding unbelievers, skeptics, or people struggling with sin, Jesus pursued all of those people with love.
Paul is warning Timothy about people who hate what is good, refuse to repent, and actively drag others away from the truth.
Love them. Pray for them. Help them.
But don’t hand them your influence.
This isn’t coldness. It’s spiritual wisdom.
Jesus modeled this perfectly with the woman caught in adultery in John 8. He offered grace, mercy, and compassion, but He didn’t invite her into His inner circle. He blessed her, then released her:
“Neither do I condemn you… go and sin no more.”
Boundaries honor God because they protect the calling God has placed on your life.
2. Developers — People Who Strengthen Your Faith
Paul doesn’t just warn Timothy about the wrong voices—he points him toward the right ones.
“But you, Timothy, know what I teach, how I live, and what my purpose in life is… You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.”
— 2 Timothy 3:10
Developers are people who help your faith grow.
They don’t deplete your soul—they disciple it.
Developers:
• Teach truth
• Live with consistency
• Model endurance
• Expose you to Scripture
• Strengthen your faith through their example
Paul reminds Timothy that his life has been shaped by teachers, mentors, and spiritual fathers, from Paul himself to Timothy’s mother and grandmother.
Your growth is deeply connected to who you follow.
Your future is shaped by who you spend time with.
If you surround yourself with drainers, you drift.
If you surround yourself with developers, you grow.
This is why being part of a church family matters.
This is why CityGroups matter.
This is why spiritual mentors matter.
This is why the Dream Team matters.
Discipleship doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through proximity, consistency, and community.
Paul begins the chapter with a sobering list - 22 traits that define people who will drain your faith, your peace, your time, your energy, and your purpose.
“People will love only themselves and their money… prideful, ungrateful… unloving, unforgiving… lovers of pleasure instead of lovers of God… having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
— 2 Timothy 3:1–5
These are people who consistently pull you away from God and toward confusion.
Drainers:
• Love themselves and their money
• Reject correction
• Gossip and slander
• Act religious but resist transformation
• Are prideful, reckless, unforgiving
• Betray friends
• Love pleasure more than God
• Have a counterfeit faith
And Paul’s instruction is surprisingly direct:
“Stay away from people like that!”
— 2 Timothy 3:5
This isn’t about avoiding unbelievers, skeptics, or people struggling with sin, Jesus pursued all of those people with love.
Paul is warning Timothy about people who hate what is good, refuse to repent, and actively drag others away from the truth.
Love them. Pray for them. Help them.
But don’t hand them your influence.
This isn’t coldness. It’s spiritual wisdom.
Jesus modeled this perfectly with the woman caught in adultery in John 8. He offered grace, mercy, and compassion, but He didn’t invite her into His inner circle. He blessed her, then released her:
“Neither do I condemn you… go and sin no more.”
Boundaries honor God because they protect the calling God has placed on your life.
2. Developers — People Who Strengthen Your Faith
Paul doesn’t just warn Timothy about the wrong voices—he points him toward the right ones.
“But you, Timothy, know what I teach, how I live, and what my purpose in life is… You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.”
— 2 Timothy 3:10
Developers are people who help your faith grow.
They don’t deplete your soul—they disciple it.
Developers:
• Teach truth
• Live with consistency
• Model endurance
• Expose you to Scripture
• Strengthen your faith through their example
Paul reminds Timothy that his life has been shaped by teachers, mentors, and spiritual fathers, from Paul himself to Timothy’s mother and grandmother.
Your growth is deeply connected to who you follow.
Your future is shaped by who you spend time with.
If you surround yourself with drainers, you drift.
If you surround yourself with developers, you grow.
This is why being part of a church family matters.
This is why CityGroups matter.
This is why spiritual mentors matter.
This is why the Dream Team matters.
Discipleship doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through proximity, consistency, and community.
How Do You Make Sense of It All?
Our world is confusing. People are complicated.
Discernment is essential.
And Paul ends this chapter by pointing Timothy to the one thing that will anchor him when everything around him feels unstable:
“All Scripture is inspired by God… It teaches, corrects, and equips.”
— 2 Timothy 3:16–17
You cannot navigate people, or life, without the Word of God.
You can fake spirituality for a season, but you cannot fake fruit.
Fruit only grows when the Word is planted deep inside your soul.
If you want clarity: get into Scripture.
If you want direction: open your Bible.
If you want discernment: stay anchored in truth.
Three Questions to Ask Yourself:
1. Who are the drainers you need to set boundaries with?
You don’t have to hate them, just stop giving them influence.
2. Who are the developers you need to lean into?
Join a CityGroup. Seek out mentorship. Build godly friendships.
3. Where do you need to return to God’s Word?
Not for information… but for transformation.
Our world is confusing. People are complicated.
Discernment is essential.
And Paul ends this chapter by pointing Timothy to the one thing that will anchor him when everything around him feels unstable:
“All Scripture is inspired by God… It teaches, corrects, and equips.”
— 2 Timothy 3:16–17
You cannot navigate people, or life, without the Word of God.
You can fake spirituality for a season, but you cannot fake fruit.
Fruit only grows when the Word is planted deep inside your soul.
If you want clarity: get into Scripture.
If you want direction: open your Bible.
If you want discernment: stay anchored in truth.
Three Questions to Ask Yourself:
1. Who are the drainers you need to set boundaries with?
You don’t have to hate them, just stop giving them influence.
2. Who are the developers you need to lean into?
Join a CityGroup. Seek out mentorship. Build godly friendships.
3. Where do you need to return to God’s Word?
Not for information… but for transformation.
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