1 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,520 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Lewis 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,200 Harold, assistant pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,520 County in Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Lewis as he 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:18,920 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,560 Paul is saying basically I have fulfilled my ministry. 6 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,600 If today was the last day, if I don't get a chance to see 7 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:50,280 another sunrise, I can say that I fulfilled my ministry. 8 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,160 Lord, I've done what you have called me here to do. 9 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,000 That was a question that had to come to me. 10 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:00,600 If I was to leave here today, could I say, Lord, I fulfilled 11 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,640 your ministry? I fulfilled the ministry that 12 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:05,720 you've given me. Could I say that? 13 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:08,240 Could I say that? Could you say that? 14 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,800 You know, for a lot of people, the end of their lives comes 15 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,560 before they realize it. Although some are content with 16 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:18,200 the legacy they left behind and prepared for the life to come, 17 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,680 there are others who have given little thought to these things 18 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,360 until it's too late. Today in his message, Pastor 19 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:29,000 Lewis asks you if you can say that you've fulfilled all that 20 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,320 God has called you to do in this life, You've got one chance. 21 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:34,840 To live. Are you making it count? 22 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,320 Will you finish your race? Content that you ran with 23 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:42,480 everything you had? Now here's Pastor Lewis in the 24 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,480 Book of Second Timothy, Chapter 4, with today's edition of 25 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,480 Living Waters of Grace. I want to ask you to turn and 26 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,480 your Bibles to the second, second Timothy, the book of 27 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,200 Second Timothy, and we're going to finish up chapter 4. 28 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,800 We're going to do verses 9 through 22, I think is where we 29 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,480 stopped last time. Why don't we pray and go into 30 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,000 the word? Father, there is nothing beyond 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,520 your power. There's nothing beyond your 32 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,160 reach. You are the omnipotent God. 33 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,160 Lord, There's nothing that you can't do. 34 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,480 There's nothing too hard for you and Father, we know, Lord, that 35 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,000 it's you who can pour your spirit out upon man. 36 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,600 It's you who can bring us to repentance and totally change 37 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,440 our lives. You've done it in US, Lord. 38 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,960 And Lord, we ask that you do it for those in Greensburg, in the 39 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:39,840 surrounding areas, the places where you have placed us, Lord, 40 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:42,480 to do ministry. Father, do it here. 41 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:48,240 We come to give you praise and worship both through song, 42 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,160 through prayer, and also, Lord, through the teaching of Your 43 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,200 word. Lord, teach us this morning. 44 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:56,920 It's you who speaks the truth, Lord. 45 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:02,280 It's you who teaches us, Lord. We are assembled at the foot of 46 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:04,320 the mountain this morning, Lord, and we're looking for you to 47 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,560 speak to us. I pray, Father, that each and 48 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,240 every one of us, Lord, would have something that we will 49 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,360 leave here with that would change our lives in some way. 50 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:16,840 Great way, small way, however it is Lord. 51 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,120 But in some way, Lord, may we look more like you. 52 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:26,000 May our lives change, Lord, to look more like you. 53 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:32,160 And may your Son Jesus be glorified in our lives and 54 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,320 everything that we do and everything that we say, even the 55 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:39,520 very thoughts of our heart. So Father, this morning we ask 56 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,800 that you would execute the thoughts of your heart this 57 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:46,480 morning and teach us the things, Lord, that you have to say to 58 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,440 us. What was in your heart? 59 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:53,960 Lord, when you have Paul write these verses, What did you want 60 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,240 us to hear? What did you want us to learn? 61 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,200 How is it supposed to impact us? Lord, do it in our hearts. 62 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:06,400 In Jesus name we pray, Amen. So we're in Second Timothy 63 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:11,640 chapter 4 and starting at verse 9 it reads this way. 64 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:16,839 It says be diligent to come to me quickly, for demons has 65 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,320 forsaken me. Having loved this present world. 66 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:25,400 It has departed for Thessalonica crescents, for Galatia Titus, 67 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,440 for Dematia Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. 68 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:34,000 Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for 69 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,720 ministry. And Tachakis, I have sent to 70 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,200 Ephesus. Bring the cloak that I left with 71 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:47,320 Karpis at Troas when you come. And the books, especially the 72 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:49,920 parchments, we're going to stop there just for a second. 73 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,360 You know, one of the things that struck me as I was reading this, 74 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:58,480 and I'm sure like many of you, when you sit down to read the 75 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:04,120 Word of God, the request that we typically make is, Lord, what do 76 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:09,840 you want me to get out of this? What do you want me to profit 77 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:11,840 from this? The scripture? 78 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:16,040 What what's what is the thing that I'm supposed to understand 79 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,120 most about this particular scripture? 80 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,440 Show me, Lord, shine the light on that thing. 81 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,000 So after reading it several times, one of the things that 82 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,760 came to my mind was this being that this is Paul's final 83 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:30,520 letter. The thing that stuck out to me 84 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:34,920 most is the fact that this letter really doesn't look much 85 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:36,840 different than any other letter that he's written. 86 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,520 Other than the fact that there's a few times where he mentions 87 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,320 urgency. What a few times that he 88 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,280 requests that Timothy come where he makes reference to the fact 89 00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:51,040 that he may not escape this particular trial or this 90 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,760 particular tests or this persecution. 91 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,120 He may not escape this. But other than that, this letter 92 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,440 really looks much like any other letter that he's written. 93 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,080 He is still writing with conviction. 94 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:06,960 He is still writing with some rebuke. 95 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,720 He is still writing with exhortation. 96 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,800 He is still encouraging the readers to be obedient to the 97 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,520 things of the Lord. He is still sharing the gospel. 98 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:19,800 It's not much different in this letter. 99 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:22,800 And I was just thinking. It made me think, well, if I 100 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,600 knew that this may be one of the last days that I would be on 101 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,840 earth today, if I didn't know whether or not I was even going 102 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:34,000 to finish the day, how would I preach this morning? 103 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:37,720 Would it change the way I preach? 104 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,640 Would it change the way I teach this morning? 105 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,400 Would it change what I do after I leave service? 106 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:48,040 Would it caused me to get on the phone and begin to call people 107 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,400 that I know, that I know I've offended and what I asked for 108 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,320 their forgiveness with some urgency? 109 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:55,760 Would I forgive those who have offended me? 110 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:02,400 Go out of my way to find them just so I can ask or let them 111 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,120 know that I forgive them. How would I change? 112 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:09,640 Would it have impact on the way that I treated you? 113 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,920 Would I be more sensitive to the things that you that you need? 114 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:15,840 Would I be more sensitive to your heart? 115 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:22,760 Would I be more kind? How would it change me? 116 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,640 And the thing that I asked myself is why? 117 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:32,840 If it does change me in any way, why don't I live that way every 118 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:35,560 day? Why don't I live that way? 119 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:37,560 Do I? Would I read my Bible more? 120 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,520 Because if I would, then why don't I do that more now? 121 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,800 And would I pray more? Would I spend more time with the 122 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:48,280 Lord in prayer? And if I and if I would, Lord, 123 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:52,200 why don't I do that now? How would it impact me? 124 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:57,440 This is a time when Paul knew that his death was imminent, and 125 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:02,480 yet he continues to be selfless in his approach, in this letter, 126 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:07,600 warning and exhorting, encouraging others. 127 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,560 Not once does he say, look, I need you to come and help me get 128 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,960 out of here. I need you to talk to somebody 129 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,800 that you may know and tell them to let me go. 130 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:20,520 Not once does he do that. Everything is about being 131 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:24,000 obedient to the Word. Everything is about serving the 132 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,680 Lord Almighty. Paul said I fought the good 133 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:31,240 fight back in verse 7. He said I fought the good fight. 134 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,200 I finished the race. I have kept the faith. 135 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:39,760 Paul is saying basically I have fulfilled my ministry. 136 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,559 If today was the last day, if I don't get a chance to see 137 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:48,200 another sunrise, I can say that I fulfilled my ministry. 138 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,000 Lord, I've done what you have called me here to do. 139 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:53,800 That was a question that had to come to me. 140 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:58,320 If I was to leave here today, could I say, Lord, I fulfilled 141 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,280 your ministry? I fulfilled the ministry that 142 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:03,480 you've given me. Can I say that? 143 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:05,920 Could I say that? Could you say that? 144 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,640 So as I continue to go on and we think about the things that Paul 145 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,640 says, one of the things that jumps out at me is the fact that 146 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:17,920 I should be living every day like it could be my last. 147 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:19,840 And I know that's not no revelation. 148 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,040 I mean, we've hear that all the time, but how often do we really 149 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:27,840 heed it? I've heard it before, but how 150 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,800 many times do I walk away and forget that I've heard that and 151 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:32,440 I just go back to doing what I was doing? 152 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:36,600 So that's how this letter is impacting me. 153 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:41,000 So as Paul gets into the letter, he goes he starts here verse 9 154 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,800 and he says be diligent and to come to me quickly for Demas has 155 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:49,080 forsaken me having loved this present world and has departed 156 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:54,440 for Thessalonica. Demas Demas was actually a Co 157 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:58,120 laborer with Paul. He's done some ministry journeys 158 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,920 with Paul. He ministered with Paul. 159 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:04,960 He served in the missionary with Paul, as a missionary with Paul. 160 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:09,600 But yet he comes to this point and you was seeing when, when 161 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:14,360 Paul needs him the most, he betrays Paul, he abandons Paul, 162 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:18,600 he deserts Paul. So we look at forsaken, you 163 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:24,280 know, he says demons has forsaken me, He has renounced 164 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:30,880 me, He has turned away from me, He has deserted me, having loved 165 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:33,360 this present world. And and then there's some things 166 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:37,600 that will cause us to desert either each other or desert the 167 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,640 Lord. But one of the things I just 168 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:43,080 want to be clear about is that as we take this journey, as we 169 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:47,120 continue to live the Christian life, please know there's times 170 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:48,640 that it's going to be lonely for us. 171 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,000 It's going to be lonely. There's times when we're going 172 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,680 to have to stand and we will look around and we're standing 173 00:10:55,280 --> 00:11:01,920 by ourselves and we have to make a decision just because we were 174 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,520 abandoned, are we going to abandon the Lord? 175 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:09,280 Would it be easier to do that? Of course, Demas is going back 176 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:11,680 to Thessalonica. Thessalonica is like a New York 177 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:15,880 City, it's like a Las Vegas, it's a party town. 178 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,640 It's a worldly town, it's a sinful town. 179 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,960 I don't know about you, but from time to time I get these, these 180 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:27,880 these these emails or text messages and right on the title 181 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,400 it says vacation in Sin City. Now why would I want to rush 182 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:37,600 there? But I get these sometime, you 183 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,160 know, I look at my phone and say vacation in Sin City. 184 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:45,200 They actually advocate and they market that if you come here and 185 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,800 vacate and have a vacation, you will have all the ungodliness 186 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,960 you want. And yet we have people who flock 187 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,240 there. The world will do that. 188 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,280 But this is saying that demons did it because demons turned 189 00:11:58,280 --> 00:11:59,840 back. Persecution can do that. 190 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:04,440 Sometimes persecution can cause us to turn back and to turn away 191 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,960 because of fear. It's a lot more easier to just 192 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:09,680 go and seek the pleasures of the world. 193 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:12,840 I mean, that sounds better than to be locked up in a stinking 194 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,640 cave ready for have my head separated from my shoulders. 195 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:20,000 And demons is saying, look, I'm sorry, I can't be with you 196 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:21,600 anymore. I can't be associated with you 197 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,760 anymore. But he was not the only one that 198 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:28,760 have forsaken Paul. So demons has forsaken Paul. 199 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:32,080 He has forsaken him. And you know, the one thing that 200 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:36,000 we must understand and feel really good about is that we, we 201 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:41,200 do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our 202 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:47,360 weaknesses, but who was in all points tempted as we are, yet he 203 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,040 was without sin. That's what the Bible tells us 204 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:54,840 in Hebrews chapter 4, verse 15. So if we consider that, then we 205 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:59,720 know that when Paul called out to the Lord in his time of being 206 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,720 forsaken, not only could the Lord respond to him out of his 207 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,360 grace and his sensitivity and his love for Paul, but even out 208 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,080 of experience, Jesus knows what it's like to be forsaken. 209 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:16,200 He knows what it's like to stand alone after he has done all for 210 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,160 everybody else. And yet when in his time of 211 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,880 need, he was forsaken. And I'm sure Paul felt like 212 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:24,920 this. I have preached the gospel to 213 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,240 these, to these men and women. I have done things for them. 214 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,080 I didn't even take money from them in many cases. 215 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:33,760 I just wanted them. I just wanted them to, to, to 216 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,880 understand that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. 217 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:40,360 I just wanted them to understand that and I wanted their souls 218 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,160 saved. And in doing that, He put His 219 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:46,320 own life on the line time and time and time again. 220 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:52,080 Yet in his time of need, he was forsaken and so was our Lord and 221 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,240 Savior Jesus Christ. He understands that. 222 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:59,560 I say that to say to you that when you are in your time of 223 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:03,160 need, when you're in your time of feeling forsaken by everybody 224 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:08,640 else, being by yourself, after you have poured out to others, 225 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,480 know that when you cry to Jesus, He understands. 226 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:14,800 And he doesn't just understand because he's a God who knows 227 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:16,400 all. He understands because he 228 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:20,760 experienced it on the night in which he was portrayed, the 229 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:24,560 night, night in which he was arrested, everyone forsook him. 230 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,600 The 12 people that he poured the most of his life into forsook 231 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:34,320 him. So he knows exactly what you are 232 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,440 saying to him when you cry out. He hears your heart. 233 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:41,760 He knows, he knows. So he goes on. 234 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:45,760 He says crescence is in, you know, now the next few people, I 235 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:49,240 want to make this point, Demons was the one that he mentions by 236 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,520 name that forsake that have forsaken him. 237 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,840 But the next few people that he's going to talk about are 238 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:59,560 going to be men that he actually reassigned or he dispatched to 239 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:02,160 different places, OK, for ministry purposes. 240 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,720 And so he says crescents. Crescents left for Galatia and 241 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:11,360 Titus for Dalmatia. Now, first of all, Galatia, Paul 242 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:13,720 had established a few churches there in Galatia. 243 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:17,920 In fact, when you go to the book of Galatians, you know, you will 244 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:22,360 see that Paul is writing to the churches, not church, but the 245 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,360 church is of Galatia, of Galatians. 246 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,280 And there at that particular time, they had a great need for 247 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,440 someone to come and do ministry because there were Judaizers 248 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,840 coming there and was trying to get them to follow another 249 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:36,200 doctrine. They were trying to tell them 250 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,320 that look, you got to do more than just believe in Jesus 251 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:40,240 Christ in order to be saved. I mean, you need to be 252 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:41,800 circumcised. You need to do this, you need to 253 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,680 follow all Moses, all these things. 254 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:48,280 In other words, Jesus plus some of the things that we see even 255 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:51,720 now, Jesus plus but no, Paul's saying don't follow no other 256 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,480 doctrine. In fact, even if I come and if I 257 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:56,920 say something other than the doctrine that I first taught 258 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:00,960 you, then I should be accursed. And if anyone else comes and 259 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,760 teaches you any other doctrine, they should be accursed. 260 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:10,120 But this is where he sent Crescents who is a faithful Co 261 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,960 labor of his. Now Galatia, you know it is is 262 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,640 now Turkey. And then he said he sent Titus 263 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:20,800 to Dalmatia. Dalmatia is one of these coastal 264 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,760 regions off of the off of the coast of the Adriatic Sea. 265 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:29,840 And Dalmatia actually used to be Yugoslavia and now it's one of 266 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,360 the it's a part of the Republic of Croatia. 267 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:35,560 And of course, we know Paul spent a lot of time there and he 268 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:39,200 planted many churches. So Paul is dispatching people. 269 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,760 Crescents, you go here and continue to do the work that we 270 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:44,960 began. And Titus, you go here and 271 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:46,840 continue to do the work that we began. 272 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,760 In fact, he says in verse 11, the only one that is with me is 273 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,040 Luke. Now we have to remember that 274 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:56,920 Luke is more of a personal physician and personal chaplain 275 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:59,200 for Paul. And I say personal chaplain 276 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,880 because in many of his imprisonments and many times 277 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:06,280 that when, when, when when Paul was in prison, Luke would be the 278 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:09,319 one that would be there with him to minister to him during the 279 00:17:09,319 --> 00:17:11,960 time that he's in prison. So, you know, I kind of refer to 280 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,560 him almost as Paul's chaplain to some degree, you know, because 281 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,240 when he's in ministry, when he needs him the most, Luke is one 282 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:20,599 of the faithful people that he can count on to be with him. 283 00:17:20,839 --> 00:17:24,160 But also is the fact that Luke was a physician. 284 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:26,359 In fact, he was called the beloved physician. 285 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,320 Luke was a doctor. So Paul had some health 286 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:31,360 challenges. We don't know exactly what they 287 00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:32,720 were. The Bible's not very clear on 288 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:34,400 them. People have different theories 289 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:36,240 about what they were. Some people say malaria, Some 290 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,240 people say he was, you know, partially blind. 291 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:42,120 Some people say that he had rumor rheumatoid arthritis or 292 00:17:42,120 --> 00:17:43,880 whatever it is. But people really don't know 293 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:48,360 exactly what his his health problem were. 294 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:52,840 But we do know is that Luke was the beloved physician that is 295 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:55,800 always there to assist him and help him. 296 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,200 But Luke also served as a scribe for Paul. 297 00:17:58,360 --> 00:18:01,360 So when Paul would pour out his heart, it was Luke that was 298 00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:03,960 writing. Luke is also one of the only 299 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,360 gentile writers that we have in the New Testament. 300 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:10,800 Luke is actually the the author of both Acts and the book of 301 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,880 Luke. Luke is the author of both of 302 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:17,400 those books. So he said I only have Luke with 303 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,960 me. And then he says get Mark and 304 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:25,120 bring him with me for he is useful for me, for to me for 305 00:18:25,120 --> 00:18:28,200 ministry, which is really amazing because if you remember 306 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:32,240 back in the 12th or 13th chapter, the book of Acts, it 307 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,480 was there when they took Mark with them. 308 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:39,120 Paul and Barnabas took Mark with them on the 1st missionary 309 00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:44,040 journey and the first resistance that they ran into, Mark said, I 310 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:47,000 had enough of this. I can't deal with this. 311 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:48,600 I don't have the stomach for this. 312 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,400 And Mark quit and went back to Jerusalem. 313 00:18:52,360 --> 00:18:56,240 You know, we can look at Mark and say, hey, you know, why'd 314 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,120 you abandon him, man? But the truth of the matter is, 315 00:18:59,120 --> 00:19:01,400 is that Mark just wasn't there yet. 316 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:05,360 He just wasn't there yet. Like we said last week, we all 317 00:19:05,360 --> 00:19:07,320 mature at different levels in the faith. 318 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:09,560 We all mature at different levels. 319 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:13,240 Mark had not got to that point and he went back. 320 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:18,880 But this story is a story of reconciliation because we know 321 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:23,760 that in Colossians chapter 4 around verse 10, Paul names Mark 322 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:28,400 as one of the Co laborers that was with him or that worked with 323 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,760 him in ministry. And also in Philemon, we know 324 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:37,320 that Mark is named actually named with demons as one of the 325 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:40,840 faithful workers that was working with Paul. 326 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:46,200 So see, just because Paul or or or Mark had a tough start, he 327 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:47,760 may have been kind of weak in the beginning. 328 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:49,160 That doesn't mean that he stayed there. 329 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,120 He was strengthened, the Lord strengthened him. 330 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,400 The Lord caused him to be bolder, and He can do the same 331 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,440 thing with us. You know, just because we have 332 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:01,320 some problems at the beginning of our ministries or we have 333 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:04,120 some problems in beginning of walking with the Lord, doesn't 334 00:20:04,120 --> 00:20:07,800 mean we're going to stay there. The Lord has the power to 335 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:11,600 strengthen you. He has the power to mature you 336 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,320 in the faith. As long as you continue to 337 00:20:14,360 --> 00:20:20,160 follow Him, continue to seek Him, He's able to cause you to 338 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:23,560 mature in the faith. I am still looking to mature in 339 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:25,040 the faith. When do we get there? 340 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,200 We don't get to the point of being totally perfected until 341 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:31,200 Jesus Christ comes back. That's when we finally get 342 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,360 there. But until that time, we are 343 00:20:33,360 --> 00:20:36,720 being sanctified. We are being matured, we're 344 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,040 being developed in the faith. So this is a story of 345 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,160 reconciliation. Now we know, first of all, 346 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:46,840 Timothy had to be Bolden. He had to get more boldness in 347 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,840 his heart for the gospel and for the work. 348 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:54,680 But Paul also had to soften his heart and the Lord did a work on 349 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:56,800 both. And that's the way it should 350 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,280 happen in ministry. For those of us, we are brothers 351 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:04,920 and sisters in Christ. We should not have life long 352 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:08,520 contentions with each other. That just shouldn't happen. 353 00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:09,960 I'm sorry, but it shouldn't happen. 354 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,760 Even my mother would get to a point where me and my sisters 355 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,200 were arguing and fighting with each other. 356 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:17,960 She would get to a point and say, OK, that's it. 357 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,400 You guys are going to make up and that's just all there's to 358 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:21,920 it. You going to get this stuff 359 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,600 behind you, You going to forget about all this and we going to 360 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:26,880 be a family. Even she would get to that 361 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,680 point. You know what, in Christ there's 362 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,680 so many places where we are told that we are to reconcile with 363 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:38,240 our brother quickly and Mark and in Matthew 5, he says reconcile 364 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:42,240 with your brother quickly. If there's an offense, we know 365 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:44,520 that he gives us a process for reconciliation. 366 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:49,560 Matthew 18, he gives us a process for reconciliation, but 367 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,760 the beginning of that process is to go to that brother, not just 368 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:58,600 avoid them, don't talk about them, don't backbite them, go to 369 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,000 them. Let's resolve this. 370 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:05,120 That is not of the Lord. When two people or how, 371 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:09,720 regardless of how many people have contentions for extended 372 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,720 periods of time and they're never resolved, that is not of 373 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:14,960 the Lord. That is not the Spirit of 374 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:19,400 Christ. He was denied by Peter three 375 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:25,480 times, yet after his resurrection he said go get 376 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:29,120 Peter and bring him with you to Galilee. 377 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,680 Don't leave him out. I'm not casting him out. 378 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,560 I'm not forgetting about him. Go get him and bring him with 379 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:37,520 you. I'm reconciling with Him. 380 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:42,120 I want Him to know I've forgiven him and that's what we should be 381 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:44,440 doing with each other. Either I need to call you or you 382 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,800 need to call me, but we need to reconcile. 383 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,600 We need not to be allowing this thing just to last forever and 384 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,520 ever and ever. You talking to your people about 385 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,080 what happened and somebody else talking to their people about 386 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,280 what happened. Let's sit down and talk with 387 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,840 each other and let's love on each other the way Christ 388 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:06,600 intended so that we can do the work of the ministry. 389 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:09,120 And that's exactly what happened. 390 00:23:09,120 --> 00:23:12,480 Paul is basically saying, he said I need, I have need of him. 391 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:16,600 I have use for him for ministry. And that's exactly, and this is 392 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,560 what gives the devil a black eye, because the devil knows 393 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,560 that we have use for each other that we add to each other's 394 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:24,680 ministry. Just the evil one knows that, 395 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,280 our enemy knows that. And So what he's going to try to 396 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:31,280 do is to keep us separated so that your ministry can't bless 397 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,480 me and my ministry can't bless you, and we can't serve together 398 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:37,840 to be a blessing to whomever the Lord has sent us here to be a 399 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:41,160 blessing too. Paul says I have need bring him 400 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:43,480 to me. I have need of him for ministry. 401 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:46,480 But it took him a while to realize that. 402 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:51,680 Let us not take us that long to realize that we need each other. 403 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,240 So let's reconcile. Let's reconcile quickly. 404 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:00,560 This has been another encouraging edition of Living 405 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:04,160 Waters of Grace. Pastor Lewis Harrell has shared 406 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:08,480 some good reminders for us to learn and walk in today as he's 407 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,360 teaching through the books of First and Second Timothy. 408 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:16,040 There are useful practices and advice that the Apostle Paul 409 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:18,400 offers to Timothy in these books. 410 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:22,440 From a fellow pastor, Paul imparts some wisdom to Timothy 411 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:27,080 about solid leadership and what some of the criteria should be 412 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,480 for leadership. There are specific passages 413 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,280 directed towards men and women, respectively. 414 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:36,840 And All in all, there's much to gain in coming to an awareness 415 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:41,800 of God's heart for each person and God's purposes for each one. 416 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:45,200 We're happy that you've taken the time today to listen and 417 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:47,840 invite you to come here the next edition. 418 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:51,200 In the meantime, when you have some time to spare today, go 419 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:55,640 check out our website, calvarychapelonline.com. 420 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:59,800 There you'll find additional messages as well as a variety of 421 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:04,080 resources and information about how to meet with us in person. 422 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:07,880 We're also on Facebook, so you can be a part of what we share 423 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,920 there as well. You can stay plugged in with 424 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:15,160 this ministry via YouTube to watch previous teachings or tune 425 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:18,920 into our live stream. Living Waters of Grace is a 426 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,760 ministry of Calvary Chapel Westmoreland. 427 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,960 Before we go today, we ask that you share this program with 428 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:31,280 others and invite them to listen on Grace FM at 91.7. 429 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,840 That's all we have for today, but we're so glad that you've 430 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:37,880 been with us. There's more to dig into here in 431 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:42,040 First and Second Timothy, so let's gear up for some more 432 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:46,720 great teachings from Pastor Lewis next time here on Living 433 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:47,880 Waters of Grace.