Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
At my first answer, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray to God that it may not be laid to their charge.
Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. – 2 Timothy 4:14-18.
Alexander the Coppersmith is a unique story from the scriptures. Not much is known about what he did to Apostle Paul and why Paul wrote about him in his letter to Timothy. One thing however is sure – Alexander the Coppersmith stood against Paul’s preaching in Ephesus.
This article is a sermon on Alexander the Coppersmith. It presents an easy-to-understand exposition on the subject matter and other points in the passage that may be missed since many are carried away by the fact that Alexander did Paul’s evil.
Sermon Outline on Alexander the Coppersmith
- Introduction
- What Alexander must have done?
- Our core mandate
- Paul’s reaction to opposition
- The need for men to stand for the Gospel
- God is dependable
- Conclusion
This sermon outline is not exhaustive but it’d give an idea about the direction to go if you want to preach a sermon like this. From the notes, you’ll discover more details and the idea of progression.
Sermon Notes on Alexander the Coppersmith
Introduction
The concluding part of Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy took a surprising twist when he mentioned a coppersmith whose name was Alexander. Apostle Paul wasn’t detailed about what this man might have done to him or his ministry. He simply said, “Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evil and the Lord will reward him.”
One clear thing is Paul would only have said what he said about Alexander because his actions impacted the course of his preaching. He even warned Timothy to be careful of him before going on to pray in the text. The story of Alexander gives us an insight into what we must face in the preaching and furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus.
What Alexander must have done?
In verse 15, Paul said,
Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
In essence, Alexander opposed the preaching of Jesus in the land of Ephesus.
From the trajectory of Paul’s writing in 2 Timothy 4, there seem to be similarities with the events in Acts 19 which involved Alexander and Demetrius. It seemed as though Alexander was an influential Jew in the city of Ephesus and rather than support Paul and his gospel, he became an opposition.
This is something we see these days. A person might come into a territory and seeing someone who seemed to share in his faith might pitch their tent of friendship with them only to get backstabbed.
Another time when Alexander was mentioned in Paul’s writing was in 1 Timothy 1:20.
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Whether all three of these Alexanders point to the same person or not, one underlying point that cannot be overlooked is that Alexander opposed the gospel and he seemed to be in a position to promote it. He was a coppersmith who obviously was one of the elite of the society. This placed him in a position where he could influence the acceptance of the Gospel in the city and for whatever reason he decided not to.
There’s a narrative that suggests despite supposedly being affiliated to the gospel, the preaching of the Gospel put a stop to Alexander’s business. As a coppersmith, he made some of the idols the Ephesians worshiped. Business was booming until Paul arrived with the message of redemption.
As more people began to turn to Jesus, it meant less patronage for Alexander. This could be true and even if it isn’t the fact remains that Alexander withstood the Gospel despite being in a position to promote it.
Our Core Mandate
As believers, we have a duty. We have to preach the Gospel wherever we find ourselves and in whatever way we can. This means even if we don’t go out like evangelists or start radio programs or hold crusades, we can support the work of missions.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus said we’ll all receive power when the Holy Ghost comes, and that power was going to make us witnesses. In simpler terms, we were all going to be evangelists. That’s the core mandate of every believer.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. – 2 Corinthians 5:18-19.
We have been handed the Ministry of Reconciliation. This means that as Christ reconciled us to God, we are supposed to reconcile men to God too. And the means through which we do so aren’t confined to preaching with microphones alone.
We can spread this message of Christ by living exemplary lives, supporting the gospel through our finances, and much more. Whatever we must do, reaching the unreached with the message of Christ should be our preoccupation.
Paul’s Reaction To Opposition
Paul’s reaction to Alexander’s opposition is pretty impressive. Rather than being apprehensive, Paul decided to leave Alexander in the hands of God. This takes my mind to the time when Peter cut off the ear of Malchus in John 18:10.
Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Peter attempted to use physical violence to fight off someone who tried to “oppose” the Lord. This shouldn’t be our reaction when we are threatened. We must follow peace, avoiding any form of physical confrontation.
We see Paul’s reaction in the first verse of our text, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:”
Paul was saying the Lord will reward him for his works. This may sound like a blessing until you understand that God takes rewards the vengeful with vengeance. In 2 Thess 1:6, we see how this plays out:
“Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you”
When someone does evil to us, the Bible is saying it is a “righteous” thing for God to pay them back with evil. That is why God also says in Ezekiel 25:12, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 10:30, and Deuteronomy 32:35 that vengeance is his.
People may think they’ve gotten away with doing evil to you but trust God to pay them back in their coin. Look at what the Bible says in Galatians 6:7,
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
If a man sows opposition, he is definitely going to reap opposition. This is the insight I believe Paul had which led him to not be bothered about Alexander the coppersmith.
The Need For Men To Stand For The Gospel
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16). It is the good news that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). As followers of Christ, men are called to boldly proclaim this life-changing message.
The Apostle Paul exhorted the believers in Corinth to “be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). Men are to be courageous and steadfast in their Christian faith, not wavering or compromising.
Ephesians 6:10-11 urges men to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” and to “put on the whole armor of God.”
Throughout Scripture, godly men are portrayed as those who stand up for truth and righteousness, even in the face of opposition. The book of Daniel recounts how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to the king’s idol, willing to be thrown into the fiery furnace rather than deny their faith (Daniel 3). Men are called to this same unwavering commitment to the gospel.
As the culture increasingly opposes biblical values, men must be willing to take a bold stand. They must be equipped with the truth of God’s Word and empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel clearly and without shame (Romans 1:16, 2 Timothy 1:8).
Only then can they fulfill their God-given role as spiritual leaders who model Christ-like character and influence the world for the glory of God.
God is Dependable
In a world that is constantly changing and full of uncertainty, it is a great comfort to know that God is utterly dependable. The Apostle Paul expressed this confidence in 2 Timothy 4:18, writing:
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
This passage reflects Paul’s unwavering trust in God’s unfailing protection and deliverance, even in the face of great trials and persecution. Paul faced many dangers and enemies as he boldly proclaimed the gospel, but he knew that ultimately, his life and eternal destiny were securely in God’s hands.
The Lord, Paul affirms, will “deliver me from every evil work.” No matter the threats or opposition he faced, Paul was convinced that God would rescue him and keep him safe.
And even if he were to face martyrdom, Paul knew that God would “preserve [him] unto his heavenly kingdom” – guaranteeing his eternal salvation and reward.
This unshakable assurance in God’s dependability is a powerful testimony to the Christian’s confidence in the sovereign, loving, and all-powerful nature of their Heavenly Father.
As the psalmist declares,
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge – Psalm 18:2.
Conclusion
I believe that this sermon on Alexander the Coppersmith covers as much of the subject matter as possible. If you have special preferences, you could send me an email at sermons@serenitywords.com.ng for a custom-made sermon.