This weekend wasn't long enough. We blinked and here we are.
It is such a joy to see you. It is such a joy to see the
wider Maranatha community here to be with us for this Lord's
Day service. As most of you are aware, we
spent our time together this weekend to explore the amazing
legacy and life of the great Apostle Paul.
And I believe it is fitting that as we've come to this final
moment of our conference, though our time in these past few
meetings have only scratched the surface of this man's legacy,
it's fitting to consider some of his final thoughts from the
final epistle that the Holy Spirit has preserved for us to
consider. And you know that epistle very
well. I'm sure it is the book of
Second Timothy. And I invite you to turn there
with me briefly. It is in this letter that we
have one of the most astounding faith installing, joy, exalting
crescendos in all of the Bible. Most of us know it by heart,
where Paul near the end of this letter tells us by the Spirit in
Second Timothy 47. I have fought the good fight.
I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that
day, not only to me, but also to all who have loved His
appearing. Can you think of better words to
be your final recorded words on this side of eternity?
What more needs to be said? Why would you need to add
anything further? And yet, to our surprise, the
Holy Spirit shows us that there are 14 verses that follow this
incredible pronouncement. And if you just look at it, you
can see it right beginning in verse nine.
And we see these names mentioned, name upon name.
And then you come even to verse 19, and what do you find?
More names. What does the Holy Spirit have
to teach us these inclusions? I believe this is a glance that
the Spirit of God desires to give concerning Paul's dynamic
relationships, Paul's incredible love that he had for the people
of God. Let's read some of these names.
Look at verse nine. Do your best to come to me soon.
For Demas in love with this present world has deserted me
and gone to Thessalonica. Christians has gone to Galatia,
Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for
ministry. Take a kiss I have sent to
Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak
that I left with Carpus at Troas.
Also the books and above all the parchments.
Look at verse 19. Greek, Prisca and Aquila in a
household of Anissa Forrest, Erastus remain at Corinth, and I
left Trophemus, who is ill at my leaders.
Do your best to come before winter.
Ubilis sends greetings to you as the Putin's and Linus and
Claudia and all the brothers. The Lord be with your spirit.
Grace be with you. You would think that this letter
will come to a full stop, what we just read earlier.
I fought the good fight. I have finished the race right.
I've kept the faith. Yet in the mind of God, the
wisdom of the Spirit, we get a glimpse.
We get a glimpse of Paul and what he thought about near the
end of his life. And it's because I believe the
Holy Spirit wants to show us that the genuine Christian life,
from beginning to end, is experienced with and defined by
the intricacy of relationships. Paul loved God, and because Paul
loved God, Paul loved God's people.
And Paul proved to us this weekend that it is absolutely
impossible to claim to serve God and yet not open your life to
serving His people. And that way of life opens up
our souls to one of the greatest joys that we can experience, as
well as some of the most painstaking aches that we can
undergo. Paul proves that by how he
mentions these names. And as much as he was compelled
in his final recorded words to ensure of the emotional,
physical, more importantly, the spiritual well-being of some of
the people he knew. I mean, this man was an expert
at remembering names, right? And he he could he could recall
some of the things that some of these brethren were going
through and he would check up on them.
And despite the selflessness we see here Paul also making
personal request, he makes these wishes.
And there is one particular wish that is tucked perfectly in
between the final list of names in this letter.
So look here with me at verse 21.
He says to Timothy, do your best to come before winter.
The Bible doesn't waste any words.
The Holy Spirit doesn't waste any real estate in the
Scriptures. Paul tells Timothy, I'll do your
best to come to me before winter.
And this was an appeal that he made throughout this letter.
He says in the beginning of this book, I long to see you look at
verse 9 here in the same chapter.
Do your best to come to me soon. This man yearned and longed for
the personal company of his spiritual son, and he puts a
time stamp. He puts this urgency on the
matter come before winter. Why did Paul say that?
I want to present to you 3 brief reasons why.
The first one is because of the inconvenience of winter.
All you have to do is read the latter portion of the book of
Acts to see how difficult it was to travel during the winter
months. And so Paul is reminding
Timothy, look, you're going to have a much more graceful
journey if you just come sooner than later.
But it wasn't just the timing of the seasons.
It was the timing of Paul's life.
The sand and the hourglass of his days was dwindling.
His departure was near. His graduation into glory was
soon. And so he tells Timothy, listen,
it's either before winter or never.
In a sense, you can't afford to delay this, Timothy.
I need to see you. I want to see you.
And before I get to the third reason why Paul mentions the
winter, allow me to pause here and provide a universal
principle from this command. This is this is specific to yes,
Timothy, and to Paul's experience.
But oh, is there a theme of urgency in it?
Well, Paul proves to us here is that in our brief lives there
are opportunities that arise that cannot be delayed without
the risk of forfeiting them all together.
And that is certainly true when it comes to the call for
salvation. There is a spiritual winter, you
know. There is a time limit, you know,
and the Spirit of God in his Word never, ever, ever suggests
that we can postpone repentance or that we can stall in our
surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Last night there was a call for people to be saved, and it's
very possible that people, even in that call, delayed it.
And by God's grace, you woke up this morning and you're
breathing. But I want to let you know, as
one person said, that procrastination is the
recruiting Sergeant of hell. And many will be in hell.
I know that's not a word you hear often in church anymore,
but there will be many who will be in hell because they delayed
in dying to self and receiving the free gift of salvation in
the person of Jesus Christ. And this is a tendency that is
found in the earlier portions of our Bible.
You remember that stubborn man, Pharaoh, do you not?
And we think Pharaoh was uniquely stubborn.
Perhaps you can make that case, but I believe Pharaoh is a
reflection on millions specifically in this matter of
procrastination. And you see it.
You see it so clear, specifically with the plague of
the frogs. And you don't have to turn
there, but listen to these words unless you want to see with your
own eyes. Because it's almost hard to
believe that while the frogs were sitting in the beds and in
people's pots and in people's sandals and in their purses.
Finally, Pharaoh comes to Moses in Exodus 88, and we're told
here. Then Pharaoh called Moses and
Aaron and said, Plead with the Lord to take away the frogs from
me and from my people, and I will let the people go to
sacrifice to the Lord. Moses said to Pharaoh, Be
pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your
servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from
you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.
Pause Moses saying, When do you want it?
When would you like the frogs to stop harassing you?
What would you think would be the same answer?
No, why are you even suggesting another day?
Let's get this thing going and you can just imagine as he's
saying that the frogs are there crogging.
But look what he says in verse 10 and he said tomorrow tomorrow
Moses said be it is as you say so that you may know that there
is no one like the Lord our God tomorrow.
Do you know how many people I've met who said tomorrow Jesus told
people to repent and believe today.
Paul emphasize that and whenever anyone try to follow Jesus on
their terms. They were never taken seriously
by the Lord. We have to understand here that
if you're in this place and you have not yet given your heart to
the Lord Jesus Christ, do so before winter.
Not literally, of course, before your time runs out.
But what about the believer? Does this principle of taking
advantage of a reasonable time apply even to the Christian?
Absolutely, and in so many ways. There are various examples of
this in the Bible. Let's consider one of the
strongest charges from the wise words of King Solomon.
You know this very well in Ecclesiastes 12/1.
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before
the evil days come and the years draw near, which you will say I
have no pleasure in them. What?
What's happening here? You have Solomon near the end of
his sermon. It's really a sermon and the
Holy Spirit turns the attention to the young reader and he tells
the young man, he tells the young woman, remember your
Creator in the days of your youth.
Why do you think that is a special temptation for young
people? Because in their strength,
because in the sense of all the opportunities that lie ahead of
them, their vigor, their energy, they face the greater
temptation. I'm not considering eternal
matters. God, His glory, even serving
him, and countless people even bargain with God in their faith
and determined that they will give the leftovers of their
years. But even the world recognizes
the preciousness of your youth. I'm talking to the young people
today as though I'm old or anything, but I'm talking to the
young people here. Listen very carefully.
The world understands that there's a segment of your life
that should be used in a special way.
They tell you to study. They tell you to travel the
world. They tell you to invest.
They tell you to take risk. But oh, where are the teachers?
Where are the parents who can look their children dead in the
eye and say, would you give your best to God, give the best years
to God? And Solomon later on in this
chapter gives his reason why. Before the sunsets on your
strength, before you accumulate growing responsibilities through
the natural courses of life, before you come into contact
with a failing body that betrays you year after year after year,
remember your Creator in the days of your youth.
Serve God, if I may say, before winter, before it gets harder.
And it's important for all of us to seize the opportunity of
every season in life to give our best to the Lord Jesus Christ.
But that's not the main point of the message, though it can be a
message on its own. I told you that there are three
reasons I believe Paul told Timothy to come to him before
winter. The 1st is because of the
obvious ease of spring, summer, maybe fall.
Secondly, there is an urgency concerning Paul's life.
The days of his life were ticking.
But lastly, Paul saying, come to me before winter is connected to
what he said a few verses earlier.
So I hope you're still in Second Timothy.
Four, look with me here again at verse 13.
We read through it. I wonder how many who have read
these verses didn't consider the awesome implications of what he
commands in verse 13. He says here, when you come,
bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas.
Also the books and above all the parchments.
Paul had personal belongings and he desired it before a certain
time. And you might be wondering, what
in the world does that have to do with me?
All Scripture is breathed out by God and all scripture is useful
for your instruction and your transformation.
Even when Paul says bring me my jacket, my books, and especially
my parchments. I present to you today in this
brief message 4 lessons from Paul's request for his cloak,
his books, and his parchments. If you're a note taker, here it
comes #1 Paul's request shows the reality of Christian
relationships. So we see this man here making
this request to Timothy. And later on, with a heart free
from bitterness, he reveals something quite sad in verse 16.
He says that no one, no person attended to him at his first
defense. So when he went to court,
because he's in jail while he's writing this, not one believer
came to his side, not one Christian testified of his
character or his innocence. And that news was especially
disheartening since it is believed that this epistle was
written in Rome and Paul wrote a letter to Roman Christians.
Did he not? Paul even encountered these
Christians and stayed with them for a few years.
And we read this in in the past few days together of how Paul
long to go to Rome. And that prayer was answered at
the end of the book of Acts. And so I'm not going to turn
there, but if you need a reference, it's in Acts 2814 and
15 where Paul finally gets to Rome and he was given royal
treatment. People traveled from miles to
meet him, and they escorted him into their land.
That's what people did for kings when they came into their
presence. Paul received kingly respect.
And yet now you come to the end of this letter and you get the
sense that the honor he received when he arrived at Rome, there's
nowhere to be found, as he was ready to go from Rome into
glory. The people that Paul never
forgot, always remembered, seem to have abandoned him, so much
so never mind his first defense. But by way of inference, we can
also say that no one thought to provide the spiritual giant a
garment as the seasons were changing.
I wonder why nobody in Rome ever thought maybe we should bring
Paul the proper clothing. As the air got chillier and as
people were preparing for the aggressive weather, here's Paul
in a frigid, dark, wet dungeon and he has to make a long
distance call for a jacket to be delivered to him.
And throughout this letter, what you really see here is that the
apostles account of his friendships and ministry
partners is somewhat of a model of what every single Christian
can expect in their own journey with others.
I want you to see here quickly that the attitudes and the
actions that he brings up about certain individuals is almost a
preview of general realities that you and I can expect as we
seek to obey the Lord and walk hand in hand with other blood
bought Christians. So let me give you just a quick
surface level understanding of that.
Again, look at verse nine. Do your best to come to me soon.
He's talking to Timothy. So let me tell you this, that
there are going to be Christians in your life who bring you great
joy and comfort. That's a gift from God.
Timothy was a gift to Paul. But then he noticed here in
verse 10 that demons in love with the present world walks
away from the cause of Christ. And you better believe it, too,
that you might see Christians that once served with you and
were in leadership who will also abandoned the cause of Christ.
We're seeing that more and more, especially with leadership in
the church in the West. But we also see here that he
mentions interesting characters like Christians and Titus,
showing us that not everybody in our lives will depart because
they abandoned the faith. Some will be sent elsewhere to
serve God in other areas. And that's still painful, right?
Because we want to hold on to all the people that we know and
love. But Paul shows here that even in
Providence, some other believers will leave you.
Not because they're leaving God or the cause of Christ, but
because they're serving him elsewhere.
You have here Luke verse 11. Luke alone is with me.
Isn't it a joy to know that there are some Christians in
your life that will stick with you until the end?
They will be with you until the end and there will be guys like
Mark. Get Mark and bring him with you
for he is very useful to me from in ministry.
That wasn't true always from Mark.
Mark disappointed Paul a lot, and there will be Christians in
your life who will disappoint you.
They will, but like Paul, be ready to forgive them when they
repent. There also be men like Alexander
the coppersmith in verse 14, who don't, in moments of weakness,
hurt you or betray you or disappoint you, but
intentionally will seek out your harm.
But don't be mistaken here. Paul is not fishing for pity,
especially in this letter, because this shabby clothed man
reveals to us a secret. He reveals to us the best
relationship, a relationship that will never fail you, a
relationship that is capable of sustaining you until the end.
Look here at what he says at verse 17.
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me.
Some walk, some stage, some were sporadic, some were
inconsistent. And Paul ends his thoughts on
relationships by mentioning his best friend.
The Lord stood by me, the Lord strengthened me.
I think Paul was just saying random things here.
Is he just trying to sound poetic?
No, this man experienced it. That's one of the glories of the
Christian faith. Your Savior, as splendid and as
brilliant as he is, walks with you.
And even though you live this journey long enough and you see
crazy things from people that you thought would never be able
to perform, all that does is provide a backdrop for Christ to
shine all the more beautiful and glorious.
I'll tell you this, walking with the Lord for 10 something years
that with all the ups and downs, one thing has been sure, Christ
is more attractive to me than ever.
Christ has proven to be more faithful than ever and Paul is
expressing that here. Paul's request for a cloak
exposes the reality, the sobering reality of Christian
relations. But #2 Paul's request reveals
that servants of God are not spared from the natural courses
of life. So look, if if you're not
careful, you think that men even like Paul, spiritual giants,
Trail Blazers, get special treatment in some way and that
they get to escape common protocols and discomforts or
delays. And serving the Lord does not
promise that. Serving the Lord does not
promise that we do not pursue things through the normal
processes of life. Here's Paul and he, he in this
letter ask something that a normal person would ask, hey,
can you grab my jacket? Can you, can you make sure that
you bring from carpet something that belongs to me?
And it does us good to remember that men of God are men.
Still, it's no different for Paul here because he's doing
something that we can relate to men of the spiritual caliber.
And I thought to myself when reading Paul, asking for a
jacket could not have God materialize one out of thin air
for him. Could not have God defied the
natural law and warmed his body while he stayed there isolated.
Could not have God sent a vision like he did to Ananias at Paul's
conversion and said, hey, listen, you're a you're an
apostle. My servant is freezing.
Get up, take this jacket and go to him.
Could have got that. He could have done that and much
more. Just like God can do many things
but often doesn't use the miraculous.
Here's a hint of that. Look at verse 20 in your Bibles.
The last part. And I left Trophemus, who was
ill at my leaders. Paul saw miracles.
Paul laid. I mean, never mind laying hands.
There are people who saw the power surging from Paul, that
they allowed his skin to touch handkerchiefs.
They brought it to their sick, and they were healed.
That's the kind of guy we're talking about.
And what does Paul confess? Your Trophimus?
I left him. I'll at my latest.
Can't you have healed him? Oh, this is a sobering reality
for those who claim that every time you pray for healing, it
has to happen. If it doesn't, then your faith
is weak. Also, is Paul's faith weak?
No, Paul didn't perform miracles on demands.
Paul proves here that he, just like you, depended upon the
sovereignty in the Providence of God.
And yes, he believed for the best, but he also trusted in the
wisdom of God. And there are times when the
Lord can heal in an instant. I believe he can do it.
I've seen him do it. Paul's seen him do it many
times. And there are also testimonies
of God preserving the footwear and the clothing of his people,
namely the people of Israelites. Have you ever considered that
miracle in the Exodus? When you think about the
miracles of the Exodus, what do you think about the man that
coming from heaven, the water gushing from that rock, the
miracles that were so unique to that journey?
And I never hear this miracle being brought up when the Exodus
is studied. It's one of my favorite
miracles. Here's the reference.
Let me read it to you from Deuteronomy, chapter 29, verse
five. The Lord says I have led you 40
years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out
on you and your sandals have not worn off your feet.
That's a miracle. Imagine not having to change
your shoes for decades, not having to worry to buy anything
else for your back. God even says I preserved your
clothing during that whole wilderness journey.
Could God have provided Paul a cloak?
Surely, But he doesn't. In the concluding chapter of
this book, we learned that sometimes sickness stays and
sometimes you and I have to endure inconveniences like Paul,
who was cold and could have used a miracle with his raiment like
the Israelites did with their clothing.
Thirdly, Paul's request confirms that true contentment is found
in Christ alone. Don't allow yourself to miss the
concrete joy and satisfaction that Paul exudes even in this
request. You're saying What do you mean?
Notice again at verse 13, he says bring the cloak that I left
with Carpus at Troas. You know what Paul could have
said? Timothy, on your way to me, can
you stop by the outlet mall and buy me a new jacket?
Paul was very low maintenance. Paul even in other instances
shares that he could have made demands as an apostle.
He could have got royal treatment and asked for it and
he could have gotten it, but he refused to do that.
Paul was a true servant. I remember hearing this from
somebody and I'll try to spare the details, but I'll give you a
general idea because I believe so many are so far removed from
Apostolic Christianity. This individual told me that
they were hosting an event for a specific holiday of the year and
so they reached out to a worship team that they have never met,
but we're hoping they would come to help make this event an
exciting 1A Worshipful one. And he told me that this worship
team came back with a document listing all their requirements
if they were to be part of this event.
What do you think those requirements were?
I'm not making this up. I'm what you're about the year.
I'm not making this up. We want these specific colored M
and Ms. in the green room and also these specific brands of
potato chips, and those are only two of many.
Sounds like Apostolic Christianity, right?
Sounds like something Paul would do, right?
Bring me the cloak that I left. Why?
Why was Paul's cloak left? Why didn't he bring it with him?
Have you read this man's life? It's so unpredictable.
One day he's here, the next day he's there.
One day he's stoned, the next day he seems to have a private
resurrection. He's just everywhere.
The rhythm, the rhythm of his life.
I mean, he never knew the comfort of a routine.
And so just as he was spontaneous, you can imagine
what his possessions were like, where they were found, where
they were left behind. This man was sold out for Christ
and yet we see here that in his request he learned to be
satisfied with the lot that God had ordained for him.
And the beauty, the beauty of that is that there is a
wonderful calmness that you enjoy and inherit with Christ
centered satisfaction. It's helpful to realize that
this is not something that you and I as Christians
automatically learn. It's not like that contentment
is realized the moment you come to Christ.
Even Paul himself confessed that it wasn't something that he knew
right away. You remember what he told the
Philippians and Philippians 411, he says.
Not that I'm Speaking of being in need, for I have learned in
whatever situation I am to be content.
Notice his words carefully. I have learned.
It took time for me to understand it.
It took time for me to grasp. It took time for me, trial and
error, to realize that in the end, really it comes down to
Christ, who brings permanent contentment.
Whether I have the newest or not.
It doesn't matter whether I get a new cloak or it's my old
cloak. That doesn't determine the
strength of my joy. And I argue that the only way
you can grow in this quality of contentment is by One Ave.
experiencing the fulfillment that comes from personal
fellowship with Christ. And Jeremiah Burrows, a Puritan
who wrote The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, would
agree. I rarely do this, but from time
to time I love to quote some of these men, and I believe his
words are fitting for this time. Listen to what he says.
Quote. Contentment is not by addition,
but by subtraction. Seeking to add a thing will not
bring contentment. Instead, subtracting from your
desires until you are satisfied only with Christ brings
contentment. My brethren, the reason why you
have not got contentment in the things of the world is not
because you have not enough of them.
That is not the reason, but the reason is because they are not
things proportionable to that immortal soul of yours that is
capable of God himself. Yeah, that's why it's like a
vacuum in there. You stuff it and you think it's
going to stay and it disappears because that soul of yours was
made to know the one who made it.
Paul at the end of his life shows that you can no
contentment in Jesus till your final moments.
Lastly, Paul's request defines what we should treasure more
than anything. The cloak is not the solitary
item on Paul's mind. He mentions books and he says
above all the parchments. We're not told what content the
books in the parchments contained, so we are limited to
our sanctified imagination. But some would say that these
books may have included blank materials for Paul to write more
things That could be so. Some say that there were copies
of his writing so that he can spread them and share them to
others or plan to preserve them in some way.
Some also believe that Paul, being the genius that he was, as
you see in Acts, he was acquainted and educated with
philosophers and poets, and so that was the genre that he was
asking for when demanding for his books.
We're not, we're not certain, but we have more confidence.
There is more consensus about the parchments.
The parchments, which were made of more expensive material, were
very likely copies of the Hebrew Scriptures, and very likely
records of the very words of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And if that is true, then what a thing Paul does, and making that
the emphasis of his request. Look at it again.
Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas.
Also the books, and above all, above all, the parchments.
So Paul here would have been OK, I think, if Timothy had
forgotten the cloak. See, the cloak would be used to
preserve the warmth of his body, but the parchments would have
been used to kindle his soul. Are we all that surprised that
this man wanted the word of God in such confining, intense
circumstances? That doesn't shock me at all.
And although Paul felt a chilling breeze from the lack of
support from his companions, he knew that there was a fellowship
that he could know, the greatest fellowship, as he took the word
of God and ate them and breathed them in and meditated on them.
Above all, bring me the parchments.
I've heard from some that they can't get themselves to read the
Bible because they're not readers.
And from my humble observation, most of those people who say
that are also experts in politics and they read all the
articles they can get their hands on and they've memorized
sports statistics. And can I ask you a question?
If you struggle to read your Bible, let me provide an
illustration. Imagine a deceased multi
billionaire who for some reason included your name in their will
along with the contingencies for accessing their estates and
their treasures. What would you do with such a
document once it arrived at your front door?
I know I'm not a prophet. You would set aside time.
You don't wear glasses, but you're going to wear glasses.
You might even hire a lawyer to help you interpret the legal
jargon. Why?
Because you want to make sure that if your name is on this
thing that you don't miss out on the least of the rewards that
I've been preserved for you, right?
And yet God gave you a document intended for you with treasures
and rewards beyond this life. And I wonder how many of us are
eager to discover not just some, not just the surface level, not
just the first few pages, but all that God has promised you
with all the contingencies that are required for us to walk in
them. Is that true of you?
Above all, give me the parchments.
Above all, give me the Word of God.
This is an example that this man sets the Greek word for above
all there is chiefly, most of all, above all.
You see, Timothy could have forgotten the cloak, he could
have forgotten the books. But as long as he did not leave
behind the parchments. And if Timothy did not have room
to bring all the items, then bring the parchments.
I'm willing to face this winter without my cloak, but don't
leave behind the Bible, you said.
Why are you telling me this? Because if you were here at the
beginning of the conference, you know how we opened up.
This man dared to say, imitate me as I imitate Christ.
Imitate not just my actions, not just my attitudes, imitate my
appetites. It's so obvious here, is it not?
We've been challenged these past few days and seeing Paul's love
for people. But can I add another challenge
to you? Consider and reflect on His love
for the sacred writings. I want you to leave this
conference with an insatiable desire for the Word of God.
This book, every page of it, breathes, speaks, and God can
use this book to speak to you in ways as though He is speaking to
you audibly. It's amazing what He has given
to us. What visual are we left as I
conclude today about this man Paul, as we've been studying him
to the natural mind. What we find perhaps, is a
lonely, worn out man who is in a foul dungeon awaiting his unjust
execution, eagerly expecting the speedy arrival of his spiritual
son, hopefully to bring with him very simple things.
Not many possessions left in Paul's name, and those who do
not have the eyes of faith might look at this man and be sad for
him. That would perhaps be the
thoughts of some. You have to remember who Paul
was before he followed Christ. He was a man of great repute.
Saul of Tarsus, the revered Pharisee.
It's very likely that he was a wealthy man.
It was very likely that wherever he stepped foot into it, he
demanded the reverence of everybody in that place.
And this is what he has come to as a follower of Jesus Christ.
See, here's how the natural mind would think.
This is what you get for following an invisible Messiah.
But you cannot look at this with the eyes of the flesh.
You have to see it the way Paul saw himself.
You might see a dignified man to a despised man.
You might see a cold man, a lonely man, but Paul in this
final moments instead invokes us to behold a man who was
imprisoned, yes, but was not shackled by sin or unforgiveness
because the same people that he mentioned that hurt him and
betrayed him and left him, he says, may the Lord not hold it
against them. In the very same chapter you
might see a man here who have lost the loyalty and the respect
of even even Christians. But I see a man who is
experiencing the unbroken faithfulness of the Lord Jesus
Christ in his life. You might see a man who who has
pathetically, pathetically poor in this world.
But this man was also rich, rich in love, rich in contentment and
all. Very shortly after this, he
would be clothed with eternal robes and an eternal crown, and
enjoying the eternal fellowship of the master that he loved up
to his dying breath. Bring the cloak that I left with
Carpas at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.
Let's pray, Lord, we thank you that you've
allowed us in these past few days to study someone that you
intended to be studied. But we thank you that every bit,
every morsel of the Bible is pregnant with practical truth.
And Lord, we've got a glimpse of that today.
We give you glory for that. We give you thanks for that.
Lord, help us remember these truths.
Help us to realize, not to be cynical, but help us to realize
the reality of Christian relationships, that we're going
to know the good and the bad, but ultimately we have you.
Lord, help us realize that as servants of God, we are subject
to the natural courses of life. Not every day is going to be a
miracle, and that's OK Help us remember to trust you in the
mundane. Lord.
Help us remember also that there is true contentment in Christ
alone. And if we find ourselves itchy
and unstable, always looking for the newest, always looking for
the best, help us remember that contentment is not by addition,
but subtraction. And lastly, Lord, help us
treasure the Word of God. Lord, your word says, I will run
in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart.
So Lord, we pray that you enlarge our hearts for the
scriptures this day. And we believe that as we pray
these things, you will indeed help us as you strengthen Paul,
strengthen each of us in Jesus name, Amen.
Amen. Can we stand and worship the
King of Kings and the Lord of Lords?