Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / A Cloak & Some Books | Daniel Batarseh

Transcript

A Cloak & Some Books | Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

• 0:11
  Well, we have arrived to the last portion of second Timothy
• 0:14
  together, and we trust that the Lord will help us.
• 0:18
  See Christ, even in these final verses and as we celebrate this
• 0:22
  week concerning his passion, so meet me in the book of 2nd
• 0:26
  Timothy. In chapter 4 beginning in verse
• 0:35
  19. He's a Paul says, by the spirit.
• 0:44
  Greek prisca and Aquila and the household of inessa forests.
• 0:48
  Erastus remained at Corinth and I left trophimus who is ill and
• 0:53
  my lead us do your best to come before winter.
• 0:58
  You Bullis sends, greetings to you as the Puritans and Linus
• 1:02
  and Claudia and all the brothers.
• 1:05
  The Lord be with your spirit Grace be with you.
• 1:13
  Heavenly Father, help us, help us with these verses by the
• 1:17
  spirit. Lord help us see the value.
• 1:19
  Help us see the richness of even a text like this and we pray.
• 1:24
  Lord, that you would fill us a fresh with a revelation of your
• 1:28
  wisdom and goodness and that it would transform us Lord even
• 1:32
  with these verses exalt Christ through them.
• 1:36
  Let no human words. Interfere with the
• 1:41
  interpretation and Content with these scriptures.
• 1:46
  Oh be glorified, we long for you to be blessed and pleased with
• 1:49
  what you hear and more importantly, what you see, as we
• 1:52
  apply it to our lives. We ask these things in Jesus
• 1:55
  name, amen. If we have not yet grasped the
• 2:02
  love that the Apostle Paul and the special interests that he
• 2:06
  had four other people fellow believers.
• 2:10
  Hopefully these concluding verses in this letter will
• 2:14
  confirm that truth. Truth that isn't given to us
• 2:17
  just for mere admiration. By the way, it's a truth that
• 2:20
  should cause us to be inspired. These verses are for
• 2:25
  inspiration, nine other names. Nine additional names are
• 2:31
  mentioned in these verses. As this martyr to be is ready to
• 2:35
  sign off as he's ready to go home to be with his Lord and it
• 2:39
  shows. Is this really just how much the
• 2:42
  Apostle Paul was in tune with other people?
• 2:45
  It shows us just how much she cared whether it was a desire to
• 2:49
  make people feel like they were known by his greetings.
• 2:53
  He wanted to make sure that they were comforted because he was
• 2:57
  thinking of them or updating Timothy with the State of
• 3:00
  Affairs of ministers that they both knew this this saint really
• 3:05
  cared for people. He deeply cared for the children
• 3:08
  of God. And every letter that he wrote
• 3:11
  really oozes out, that kind of love that he had for those who
• 3:15
  belong to God. And as you look at this, you
• 3:18
  might think well, how can someone, who is ready to die?
• 3:21
  Be so concerned about greeting people.
• 3:25
  Or about translating or about giving information.
• 3:28
  To another person, I'm you're about to be executed And it is
• 3:33
  no secret. It is not.
• 3:36
  It is not some foreign idea to the Bible, Paul himself.
• 3:40
  Even tells us why he is so attentive, why he is so deeply
• 3:45
  aware, why he actually cares for the littlest things in other
• 3:49
  people's lives and I want you to see it.
• 3:52
  So go to Philippians chapter 1 very quickly.
• 3:54
  And look at verse 8, Just backtrack a few books.
• 4:00
  And when you go to chapter 1, you will see the secret to this
• 4:03
  man sentiment you will see the motivation.
• 4:08
  That he had four people. It's one simple.
• 4:11
  Verse in verse 8. Paul says to the Philippian
• 4:15
  Christians for God is my witness.
• 4:18
  How I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
• 4:25
  Paul did not express a human fondness for believers.
• 4:29
  He communicated a love that came from God himself.
• 4:34
  Even called God to be witnessed to what was in his bosom, how he
• 4:37
  had an actual compassion, how he actually had this concern for
• 4:42
  others, and it could be paralleled, imagine that.
• 4:45
  It actually reflects the care that Jesus Christ himself has
• 4:50
  for his own, he can call God to Bear witness that what he had in
• 4:56
  his heart, for the people of God, is what Jesus himself has
• 4:59
  in his heart for those that he has redeemed.
• 5:02
  And I read a verse like this And you cannot help, but realize the
• 5:06
  implications of it, this is very exciting.
• 5:09
  This is glorious because of Fallen human being.
• 5:13
  Like Paul has learned a lot of that was untainted by selfish
• 5:17
  ambition. He had a love living inside him,
• 5:22
  and that excited him. To joyful.
• 5:25
  Sacrificial, living. There is a love that did not
• 5:28
  fluctuate based on somebody else's failures.
• 5:31
  It was the love of Jesus Christ running through the veins of
• 5:35
  this vessel this instrument, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and
• 5:40
  we would be rightly called foolish for looking at a verse
• 5:45
  like this and just smiling at it while we study it.
• 5:50
  Should I not cause us to seek the one who inspired this
• 5:54
  attitude and Paul to inspire us as well.
• 5:58
  Can I ask you a very simple question today as we reflect on
• 6:01
  the love of Christ this week, what would your marriage look
• 6:04
  like husband? What would your marriage look
• 6:06
  like wife? If you both share the affection
• 6:09
  of Christ, Jesus for one another what would our friendships feel
• 6:14
  like what would they be like if we all mutually shared the
• 6:18
  Masters tenderness, What kind of Aroma with this church create if
• 6:25
  every single one of us in this place had Christ's Mercy beating
• 6:30
  in each of our hearts. When you look at a verse like
• 6:34
  this, it is not just for mere observation, it is not even for
• 6:37
  admiration. It is for imitation.
• 6:41
  God Almighty, if you did it with that former terrorist, surely
• 6:46
  you can do it in me. Oh would you not want to know
• 6:49
  what it feels like to have the actual affection of Jesus Christ
• 6:53
  Living inside of you? It can happen and there's no
• 6:59
  doubt that Paul echoed what the psalmist said in psalm 16 3.
• 7:02
  When he said concerning the Saints of the land, they are the
• 7:05
  X in the ones in whom is all my delight.
• 7:09
  But as much as this man was compelled to supervise and
• 7:12
  Supply, the emotional physical and spiritual needs of others.
• 7:15
  Can I tell you something? He was a human still and Paul
• 7:18
  himself had personal wishes. He had desires he had needs.
• 7:25
  He had wants. And tucked in beautifully
• 7:29
  between these names in the final verses of our book here.
• 7:34
  He has a request. Did you see it?
• 7:38
  Look again. He says here in second Timothy
• 7:42
  when he looks forward to his departure to be with Christ.
• 7:48
  Verse 21, do your best to come before.
• 7:51
  Winter, do your best to come before winter and all this
• 7:57
  really is is an echo of to other similar cries in the same book.
• 8:01
  Do you remember what he says here in chapter 1 verse 4.
• 8:04
  I long to see you Timothy, I long to see you and in chapter
• 8:10
  4, he says, even earlier in verse 9, do your best to come to
• 8:13
  me soon. But in this final request
• 8:17
  though, it sounds similar. There is an additional There's
• 8:22
  an additional demand and that is for him to come at a precise
• 8:25
  time. Timothy, I need you to get here
• 8:27
  before winter. I need you to get here before it
• 8:31
  gets cold. I need you to get here before
• 8:33
  the air gets chilly. The question is why?
• 8:39
  Let's ask another question. Why does it really matter?
• 8:41
  Well, you'll find out in a moment.
• 8:44
  The first reason I believe why Paul was so urgent with his
• 8:46
  appeal was because travel, what's much more difficult in
• 8:49
  the winter seasons? All you have to do, is read the
• 8:51
  final chapters of the book of Acts to see the great struggles
• 8:54
  that Paul had to endure as he was sailing to Rome.
• 8:57
  And so he calls his young disciple and he gives them
• 9:01
  wisdom to say for you to have a more graceful Journey.
• 9:03
  Would you get here before winter?
• 9:05
  I need you to arrive here for your sake.
• 9:07
  Yes. And Mine.
• 9:09
  Because secondly, Paul here has already communicated that his
• 9:13
  departure is near that he is going to be with Christ and it's
• 9:18
  coming very soon. And so he makes this call, he
• 9:21
  makes this urgent appeal to Timothy get here as quick as
• 9:25
  possible. And for Timothy if he didn't
• 9:28
  come before winter, it was either before winter or never.
• 9:33
  You need to arrive here. There is a certain timeline that
• 9:36
  you're working with Timothy. You can't just leave at your own
• 9:39
  convenience. You can't just delay.
• 9:41
  You must come as soon as possible.
• 9:44
  Before going to the final point, which will be the focus of our
• 9:47
  time together. I cannot help but think that
• 9:49
  this is, this is a worthy place to pause and to consider
• 9:53
  principle that applies to all men.
• 9:56
  Yes, that's small instruction that urgent call has something
• 10:00
  to say about God's urgency for men today.
• 10:03
  What do I mean in our brief lives?
• 10:09
  There are many things that present themselves to us, that
• 10:12
  cannot be delayed to Acted upon less we forfeit the opportunity
• 10:17
  all together. In our brief lives, the Mist
• 10:23
  that it is, there are certain things that present themselves
• 10:26
  as certain times, that demands, that demands an Urgent Response
• 10:31
  less, we lose that opportunity and it evaporates never to
• 10:35
  return again. And I believe the principal one,
• 10:39
  the universal one is the call to Salvation.
• 10:44
  If Paul here makes an appeal to Timothy to make sure that he
• 10:47
  comes before winter. Let's T risks uncertainty.
• 10:52
  How much more is it urgent for man to respond to the call of
• 10:57
  Christ to be saved? That invitation that command to
• 11:03
  be saved to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
• 11:06
  Listen, it is always always coupled with an immediate
• 11:11
  response. There is no place in the
• 11:15
  scripture where the spirit of God encourages a postponed
• 11:18
  repentance. There is no place in the Bible
• 11:22
  where you see, even a suggestion that there should be a stalled
• 11:25
  surrender to his lordship, you will never see the Lord Jesus
• 11:29
  Christ preaching, you'll never see the apostles preaching and
• 11:32
  saying, repent and believe tomorrow, today is the day of
• 11:38
  salvation. You must respond.
• 11:40
  Now, you are held accountable with the news that you have
• 11:43
  received this glorious, good news of his love.
• 11:47
  And you even think about Jesus Christ who was approached by
• 11:49
  different men who expressed a desire to follow him, but they
• 11:52
  had their own terms of timing. Remember, let me bury my father.
• 11:57
  And each of those individuals Christ, did not even take them
• 12:00
  seriously. Because they fail to realize
• 12:06
  just how much of a priority is to deal with that information
• 12:10
  when it is given to you. I'm not saying that men should
• 12:14
  not pause and consider the cost of discipleship you should, but
• 12:17
  you shouldn't wait too long. Because tomorrow is not
• 12:20
  promised. And if today, you're in this
• 12:23
  place, maybe you've heard the gospel a thousand times.
• 12:25
  Maybe this is your first time whether it's a thousand times or
• 12:28
  the first time you have to make a decision.
• 12:31
  As soon as possible, you have to come to Jesus before winter.
• 12:38
  Not literally, of course, but the principle of it before your
• 12:41
  time Runs Out. You must say yes to him.
• 12:46
  Less you forfeit. The opportunity all together.
• 12:49
  But what about if you have said yes to Jesus.
• 12:51
  What if you're a believer in this place is that I have
• 12:53
  responded to that wonderful call?
• 12:55
  I did not delay. I've been living for him.
• 12:57
  This this concept of taking advantage of the opportunity
• 13:01
  time. Still applied to the redeemed.
• 13:03
  Yes. And in many ways and I cannot
• 13:06
  help. But think when I look at the
• 13:07
  Urgent appeal, You're here for Timothy of the wise words of
• 13:10
  King Solomon, when he spoke in that glorious Book of
• 13:13
  Ecclesiastes, that really sobers you and how you view this world
• 13:17
  and he says that they're in Ecclesiastes 12 one.
• 13:20
  Does he not remember, also your creator in the days of your
• 13:24
  youth. Before.
• 13:28
  Paul said to Timothy come before winter and here's Solomon by the
• 13:33
  spirit saying to the young reader, remember your creator in
• 13:37
  the days of your youth not before winter?
• 13:40
  But before the day's, the evil days come and the years draw
• 13:44
  near which you will say. I have no pleasure in them.
• 13:47
  I have no pleasure in them. The Holy Spirit, turns his
• 13:53
  attention to the young reader and he calls him to remember God
• 13:57
  in his youth, why? Because young people often fail
• 13:59
  to consider God and their thinking, and in their planning.
• 14:04
  It is usually those who are seasoned and life.
• 14:06
  It is. Usually those who experienced
• 14:08
  the disappointments of life and are approaching death where they
• 14:11
  contemplate God in eternity. And so there is a call here that
• 14:17
  in the prime of your life. Don't think that you have so
• 14:21
  much opportunity ahead of you don't think that there is so
• 14:24
  much for you to experience. I can tell you this that the
• 14:28
  youth are arguably one of the most difficult demographics, to
• 14:30
  convince that this life is transient and that the things of
• 14:33
  this world offers are meaningless And the Holy Spirit
• 14:37
  knows that, that's why he says you young people and that season
• 14:40
  of strength. Remember your creator before,
• 14:45
  before what the son of your strength sets before you have to
• 14:51
  face the various difficulties of a limited body before you have
• 14:56
  to experience the struggles of your schedule being filled
• 15:00
  because of growing responsibilities that come with
• 15:02
  life. The world is fully aware of The
• 15:06
  Young and the potential that they have.
• 15:09
  And even good-hearted, people try to disciple their children
• 15:13
  teachers. Well, nowadays you question
• 15:14
  their integrity, most of them, but good-hearted, teachers,
• 15:17
  God-fearing teachers, also, will look at the Young and they will
• 15:20
  say, use this time to study. Use this time to travel use this
• 15:26
  time to invest use this time to do things even take risks if you
• 15:30
  need to. But I wonder how many parents,
• 15:34
  how many teachers look at their children.
• 15:36
  Look at their teens and say, remember God, serve God, give
• 15:42
  him all that, you have now it only gets harder and harder as
• 15:45
  you grow an aged Reserve these Seasons Reserve this time and
• 15:50
  give it to him. Before winter.
• 15:56
  Before winter. I'm trying to show you today how
• 16:00
  God encourages the believer to consider every season of life.
• 16:04
  And to ask ask him to maximize the opportunities in every
• 16:07
  single one before winter comes before he comes.
• 16:13
  But we look here in Paul's urgent call for Timothy to come
• 16:16
  before winter and there is one other reason, I believe among
• 16:19
  many. And that is the reason that you
• 16:20
  and I will focus today. It is connected to verse 13.
• 16:24
  He says come Before winter. Because in verse 13, He says
• 16:32
  when you come bring the cloak that I left with carpus at
• 16:36
  Troy's, also the books and above all the parchments.
• 16:41
  Seems trivial, doesn't it? I don't think I've met somebody
• 16:46
  who says, you know, I was meditating on that verse where
• 16:48
  Paul said, bring me my cloak. And bring me my books and don't
• 16:53
  forget the parchments. You won't really find a verse
• 16:57
  like that in your devotional 365 day and night, maybe you will,
• 17:02
  if it's Spurgeon. What does this have to do with
• 17:08
  us? What is this personal request
• 17:11
  have to do with my life? What is this?
• 17:14
  Transitional verse have to offer me in my walk with the lord.
• 17:20
  Well, a Spurgeon said, Let this cloak warm you today, as you.
• 17:26
  And I consider how these things. These items these personal
• 17:31
  belongings to a man who lived thousands of years ago, hundreds
• 17:35
  of years ago has something to do with you.
• 17:37
  And I today, so let us consider thoughts from Paul's cloak.
• 17:43
  I believe, when you see this. You see this request?
• 17:47
  You see a sad thing. You see a sad thing here?
• 17:50
  Because last week, we learned that no one attended Paul at his
• 17:53
  first defense. Nobody came to his hearing and
• 17:55
  that news was especially sorrowful because it is believed
• 17:59
  that Paul was in prison in Rome. It is believed that he wrote
• 18:02
  this letter in that great City and you know that there was an
• 18:05
  entire glorious epistle, a theological Masterpiece that was
• 18:09
  delivered to Christians who are already in Rome that were not a
• 18:12
  result of Paul's Evangelistic efforts is most likely These
• 18:16
  Roman Christians were saved at the day of Pentecost because
• 18:19
  there are Romans who were there in Jerusalem.
• 18:22
  And so Paul, as you see in chapter 1, he longs to see them
• 18:25
  face to face, and he gives this awesome piece of work.
• 18:31
  Where were they? Not one could have showed up to
• 18:35
  his hearing not one out of those band of people that he mentions
• 18:39
  in chapter 16 of Romans could have come to at least be an
• 18:42
  encouraging presence. I want to, I want you to see the
• 18:46
  enthusiasm that these Romans believed our had when Paul first
• 18:49
  arrived at Rome, an axe. So, turn their quickly in Acts
• 18:53
  28 verse 14. I just want you to see the
• 18:56
  contrast. How what we've been hearing week
• 18:58
  after week is so true, that men change. people change Christ,
• 19:05
  doesn't acts 28 verse 14. Luke writes, there we found
• 19:17
  brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days
• 19:21
  and so we came to Rome there it is.
• 19:24
  They arrive to Rome. Here's the chronological
• 19:26
  recording of it. And what happens when they come
• 19:29
  to Rome verse 15 and the brothers there, when they heard
• 19:33
  about us came as far as the form of APS and three taverns to meet
• 19:37
  us on seeing them. Paul, thank God and took
• 19:40
  courage. So these men heard that this
• 19:44
  Paul who wrote this, Letter to them years before, perhaps has
• 19:47
  now arrived in to their land and so they come to meet him as he
• 19:51
  comes and they escort him into the city like royalty.
• 19:57
  They robed him with honor and dignity.
• 20:01
  And this man who went through a hell Of a ride through the sea
• 20:07
  was, was thinking, God, and he took courage, I have brothers
• 20:10
  with me in Rome, do they heard? And it says, even hear that they
• 20:14
  came as far. They traveled long and far to
• 20:17
  make sure that Paul will not arrive, without people who are
• 20:19
  ready to host them and love him and lead him into this new land.
• 20:25
  as Paul arrived to Rome there was that great eagerness and as
• 20:30
  Paul is ready to depart out of Roman to Glory, They're not
• 20:34
  there. Where are they?
• 20:39
  Where is that enthusiasm? Where's that excitement?
• 20:41
  Wears that great sacrifice, you were willing to walk and travel
• 20:44
  so far to make sure that he was greeted.
• 20:47
  What about now as he lays in a cold stinking dungeon You and I
• 20:54
  thought it was heartbreaking to see that.
• 20:55
  Nobody came to his first defense.
• 20:56
  Let me add something to it. Nobody thought as the seasons
• 21:01
  were transitioning. maybe Paul is cold and that cell we should
• 21:07
  close him appropriately. Nobody thought maybe we should
• 21:12
  cover his bruised and scarred back with a layer of clothing so
• 21:17
  that he can endure. We may not be able to get him
• 21:19
  out, maybe we did Skip his first hearing, but let's at least drop
• 21:22
  off some articles of clothing. Nobody even thought that this
• 21:28
  man, perhaps just needed something warm to sleep with.
• 21:35
  This Old Saint, as he sat in the cold dark.
• 21:40
  Hole. Awaiting his execution.
• 21:45
  Did not have any visitation. Did not have anybody who cared
• 21:49
  for him to bring a cloak. And so, what did he have to do?
• 21:53
  He has a send a letter to ask for that cloak, that was hidden
• 21:58
  away by trust, worthy disciple, named karpis.
• 22:01
  So Out Of Reach so far and we don't know why, we don't know
• 22:05
  why it was left behind in triage, but it really spoke
• 22:08
  about the kind of life. He lived that it doesn't not the
• 22:10
  quality of life. This man's life was so
• 22:13
  unpredictable. Filled with suspense.
• 22:17
  He's here then he's there then it goes back here.
• 22:21
  I mean there was no permanent place for him to reside, it was
• 22:23
  too dangerous and so that saintly had laid on on various
• 22:27
  types of materials. And I can tell you most of them
• 22:30
  were not comfortable. And his possessions went with
• 22:33
  him. One day, they're here.
• 22:36
  One day, they're there. He did not know the comfort that
• 22:39
  you and I and I and I know with a routine in life with a
• 22:43
  permanent residential place that you can call home.
• 22:46
  This man was just on the go his service to the Lord, Jesus
• 22:51
  Christ, cause them to live with such suspense.
• 22:55
  And we think to himself to ourselves is that the kind of
• 22:58
  life, I would be willing to live for my Lord.
• 23:02
  I look at a verse like that where he asked for his cloak
• 23:04
  miles away and I think what, how can I complain This man served
• 23:10
  you and he did not waste one portion of his letter to murmur
• 23:14
  about his material lack. He did not try to receive pity.
• 23:20
  He was very simple and very quiet, a true Bond slave of
• 23:24
  Jesus Christ with every meaning The sense of the meaning and
• 23:30
  like any Earthly, save would tell you, there was very little
• 23:33
  possessions that Paul could claim exclusively for himself.
• 23:37
  In fact, the longer you serve Jesus, the more he seemed to
• 23:39
  have lost in this life, don't you forget who this apostle was?
• 23:43
  This was the great revered honored Saul of Tarsus.
• 23:50
  The man who had a reputation that commanded respect from
• 23:53
  every sphere of society, the man who had an Entourage when he was
• 23:57
  traveling to Damascus, the man who had a very important vote, a
• 24:01
  vote that can that can actually make you either.
• 24:06
  Dead or alive. And that same Saul of Tarsus
• 24:10
  now. Is alone old shriveling shaking
• 24:18
  in asking for a cloak. With all that he had owned,
• 24:23
  including that wonderful reputation, it was all given
• 24:26
  away. And to the person who does not
• 24:28
  have the eyes of Faith, they might look a Paul in his
• 24:33
  condition now, And feel sad for him.
• 24:37
  But Paul again would not demand such pity because the same man
• 24:40
  who demanded a cloak knew that very, very soon.
• 24:43
  He was going to be robed with eternal comfort.
• 24:46
  And he was going to be crowned and he was going to be given
• 24:50
  Treasures. That would put all the Earthly
• 24:53
  accolades to shame. Paul had a perspective, that
• 24:57
  many Christians do not have and so he did not look here for some
• 25:01
  kind of pat on the back. He was very very in control.
• 25:06
  Paul was a tough man. I'm telling you today many
• 25:09
  Christians have a low tolerance and suffering.
• 25:13
  A very low tolerance. There are willing to serve the
• 25:16
  Lord, but the moment things get difficult.
• 25:18
  They squeal. All this menu, could not beat
• 25:22
  the courage out of him, you could not freeze him into
• 25:27
  surrender. All he did was request for a
• 25:30
  cloak. And that comes to this second
• 25:34
  Point regarding this garment. The first one was the fact that
• 25:38
  he was forgotten by those that he remembered every detail about
• 25:43
  and secondly, this this call for his cloak reminds us that
• 25:47
  Servants of God are not spared from natural course of action in
• 25:51
  life. You and I will be sadly mistaken
• 25:55
  and greatly disappointed. If we think to ourselves that as
• 26:00
  we follow Jesus Christ, that there will never be moments of
• 26:04
  waiting that as we pursue our desires.
• 26:08
  Hopefully, they're righteous. That they will be void of
• 26:11
  disruptions. It is a very detrimental frame
• 26:15
  of mind to think that if I choose to give myself to God and
• 26:20
  I choose to understand his promise of provision, that
• 26:23
  includes the exemption of common challenges, discomforts and
• 26:27
  delays. This man.
• 26:32
  This man here who was an instrument of Mighty miracles.
• 26:37
  Who is revered even by? Demons is sending a letter for a
• 26:42
  jacket. Sounds very human because he is.
• 26:50
  And that should help us as we look at these Giants in the
• 26:52
  faith to realize that they were not exempt, from normal
• 26:58
  procedures in life like making appointments and making requests
• 27:04
  and sending things and waiting for things.
• 27:08
  Paul was normal. Paul was human.
• 27:13
  Paul did not receive special treatment and Paul didn't
• 27:16
  receive special treatment. What makes you think that you
• 27:19
  and I will go through this life without things that will cause
• 27:23
  us to wonder. Lord, are you with me?
• 27:29
  Could not have God materialize, a jacket out of thin air for
• 27:31
  Paul? Could you have not just woven
• 27:35
  the rags that he was wearing there?
• 27:38
  Cannot have God done, a miraculous work and his body,
• 27:41
  where his heat arose and regulated though.
• 27:46
  The dungeon itself was freezing could not have got appear to a
• 27:49
  saint and roam like he did with ananias after Paul's conversion
• 27:53
  and command them go and see that man and provide him a cloak, of
• 27:57
  course, God could have. He's God Like, with many things.
• 28:04
  God doesn't always Implement his Supernatural.
• 28:07
  Means For his servants, just like, God can heal every disease
• 28:13
  but oftentimes he doesn't and Supernatural fashion.
• 28:16
  Look at verse 20, do you see it? And second Timothy 4, I left
• 28:21
  trophimus, who was Ill at my letus.
• 28:27
  Why? Paul, you have Apostolic
• 28:30
  Authority. You've raised the dead.
• 28:32
  You've healed so many. In fact, you were so anointed by
• 28:35
  the power of God. At one point, that didn't even
• 28:37
  need you to come to the location.
• 28:38
  They just wanted your handkerchief and they laid it on
• 28:41
  the sick, and they were delivered and demons were cast
• 28:43
  out. And Paul, you're telling me the
• 28:47
  man that I saw and was inspired by throughout that book of Acts
• 28:50
  left his friend sick and my letus.
• 28:53
  Why do you command for his well-being?
• 28:57
  Why didn't you command for his healing?
• 29:00
  When you put an end to his suffering once and for all
• 29:04
  because, as much as Authority Paul had, he was still
• 29:07
  surrendered to a sovereign. God, who knows?
• 29:09
  What is best? And there are times in which God
• 29:13
  in order to prove his power and his love.
• 29:17
  Will heal instantly. Like he saw eutychus raised from
• 29:22
  the dead, after he fell asleep in a church service.
• 29:25
  And God's miraculous power so created.
• 29:28
  That is not limited to your body.
• 29:29
  It's even, it's even applied. If he Wills to the very thing
• 29:34
  that covers your body. Do you remember the Israelites
• 29:36
  were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years?
• 29:39
  Do you know what? Deuteronomy 29 5 says, let me
• 29:41
  read it to you. God says, I have led you 40
• 29:43
  years in the wilderness, your clothes.
• 29:47
  Your clothes have not worn out on you.
• 29:48
  And your sandals have not worn off your feet.
• 29:52
  When we think of the Miracles in that Journey, we think about the
• 29:54
  Manna From Heaven, the water coming from the raw, the sea
• 29:56
  splitting. Have you ever considered the
• 29:58
  fact that they wore the same shoes for 40 years and it didn't
• 30:00
  have any mark? They wore the same outfit and it
• 30:05
  was in perfect condition as though they had just bought it.
• 30:10
  And there are times in which God has proven that he can heal, he
• 30:13
  can raise the dead, he can even command your shirt to stay the
• 30:17
  same, but there are also times in which sickness seems to stay
• 30:24
  Like his friend here in my leaders.
• 30:27
  And there are times in which even the most faithful of God's
• 30:29
  servants. Need a cloak.
• 30:34
  And it's not at their disposal. I'm sure.
• 30:37
  Paul made a request for God to perform the same miracle for the
• 30:42
  remnants of those Israelites. But, no, he also knew that God
• 30:46
  works through human procedure and means and Providence.
• 30:50
  And so, he does what you. And I would do send a letter for
• 30:53
  a friend, to bring a jacket. I also see with this request for
• 31:00
  a cloak that contentment of Paul.
• 31:03
  The contentment. Don't you see how concrete it
• 31:05
  is? Do you see how this man is?
• 31:08
  So humble? So simple.
• 31:10
  He lived his life with such ease.
• 31:13
  Why? Because when he says, make sure
• 31:15
  that you bring the cloak that I left with carpets at Troy as he
• 31:18
  didn't say. Bring me a new one.
• 31:21
  Hey, on your way to Rome. Would you stop by the store and
• 31:24
  get me brand new cloak? He didn't make unrealistic
• 31:28
  demands for certain goods and services Paul was so, so so easy
• 31:34
  to please. He didn't struggle with that
• 31:38
  that poison of covetousness. You do not live his life, always
• 31:42
  wanting. He was not high maintenance.
• 31:46
  Paul was so calm because there is a calmness that you and I
• 31:50
  inherit when we are satisfied in Jesus Christ.
• 31:55
  I want to tell you that this Grace, this Grace were Paul just
• 31:59
  says, can you bring what I already have?
• 32:01
  Please just, just make sure you. Don't forget it that quietness,
• 32:07
  that, that simple attitude is learned.
• 32:12
  Even this giant had to learn it because he says in Philippians,
• 32:16
  does he not and Philippians 4:11?
• 32:18
  I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
• 32:22
  I've learned that, that's not intrinsic, that's not That you
• 32:25
  and I have automatically. That's something that we are
• 32:28
  discipled into that some of the Holy Spirit.
• 32:30
  Teaches us, overtime, and Paul had it in every situation.
• 32:35
  I'm to be content. My requests are very minimal.
• 32:41
  I enjoy whatever God has determined for my life, whatever
• 32:46
  season I'm in. Look at this man and I think to
• 32:50
  myself. Oh, oh.
• 32:53
  To be so calm and such confining circumstances with the authority
• 32:58
  that he had, he could have made demands on people.
• 33:01
  He could have exercised Pride, he could have acted, like, many
• 33:07
  people do today and Ministry. Putting demands for high
• 33:12
  honorariums, on people putting a number on their service for
• 33:16
  Christ as preachers. I cannot even fathom the thought
• 33:21
  Jeremiah Burroughs who was a Puritan wrote in the rare Jewel
• 33:24
  of Christian contentment. Listen carefully, quote,
• 33:27
  contentment is not by addition. But by subtraction seeking to
• 33:33
  add a thing, will not bring contentment instead subtracting
• 33:35
  from your desires until you were satisfied.
• 33:38
  Only with Christ brings contentment.
• 33:42
  He goes on to say my brethren, the reason why you have not
• 33:46
  gotten contentment in the things of the world is not because you
• 33:49
  have not enough of them, that is not the reason.
• 33:53
  But the reason is because they are not things proportionable to
• 33:56
  that Immortal, soul of yours, that is capable of God himself.
• 34:03
  You will never be content and adding more because what only
• 34:07
  can fill that void is the one who made it.
• 34:12
  And Paul learned that more and more and more.
• 34:17
  If you are not growing in the Years with a knowledge of how
• 34:20
  Christ satisfies you and I are not doing it right?
• 34:24
  If we started out in our walk with the Lord greatly satisfies
• 34:28
  and you know that if you truly been born again, nothing else
• 34:31
  seems to have mattered at that season, right?
• 34:34
  But if you've left that and now you are starting to get edgy And
• 34:39
  and becoming ungrateful. Something happen along the way
• 34:44
  because Paul learned it. As he went on, Paul grew and
• 34:48
  greater contentment. Reverse Christians were
• 34:53
  groaning. Greater discontentment Then we
• 34:56
  are not knowing satisfaction in Christ.
• 34:59
  We have to go back to the basics.
• 35:02
  Bring me my cloak. Who would have thought that
• 35:05
  would have been so much, but what about the books?
• 35:08
  What about the parchments? What we're on those books.
• 35:11
  What what did they carry? What kind of information you can
• 35:14
  imagine? It's not told so there's great
• 35:16
  speculation about it. Some would say that when Paul
• 35:19
  requested for the books, what he was asking for was blank
• 35:22
  material so that he can write more letters before his
• 35:24
  departure some would say that it included some of his already
• 35:28
  writings and he wanted to preserve them and pass them on.
• 35:32
  And some would even suggest no, no.
• 35:34
  Paul was a learned, man. He was aware of his culture, he
• 35:37
  was aware of philosophies and Poets.
• 35:39
  And so he just wanted different genres so that he can educate
• 35:42
  himself. That is Up For Debate.
• 35:46
  But one thing that there is a general consensus on is the
• 35:49
  parchments the parchments he says oh would you make sure
• 35:53
  especially that you bring the parchments?
• 35:56
  Why? Well the books or Papyrus?
• 36:00
  There are more readily available but the parchments were much
• 36:04
  more expensive. The material was made out of
• 36:06
  animal skin and that understanding helps people
• 36:10
  realize that what he's probably asking for most likely For the
• 36:15
  Hebrew, scriptures. And perhaps some recordings of
• 36:19
  the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 36:22
  Bring me. The scriptures.
• 36:26
  I want to hold them in my hand, I need them.
• 36:30
  You see when he required the cloak, that would preserve and
• 36:34
  protect his body, but when he asked for the parchments, those
• 36:37
  would be the means to warm his soul.
• 36:42
  Are we all that surprised that Paul in these dire conditions in
• 36:46
  the midst of such tense circumstances wants to study the
• 36:50
  Bible? Wants to read and meditate and
• 36:55
  grow in the knowledge of God in his word.
• 36:59
  Although this man felt a chilling Breeze because of the
• 37:01
  absence of his friends, he knew that there would be a fellowship
• 37:05
  that would come from the Living Word of God, bring the
• 37:09
  parchments to me. Because the word of God is a
• 37:14
  primary means in which God consoles, your soul, my brother,
• 37:17
  the word of God is God's. Primary means for you to have
• 37:20
  the armor necessary for Spiritual battle.
• 37:22
  It is the window in which you and I look through this world
• 37:26
  and see Christ and fellowship with him and him fellowshipping
• 37:31
  with us. I've heard from some people that
• 37:35
  they can't get themselves to read the Bible because they're
• 37:37
  not much readers themselves. But I can't read the Bible
• 37:41
  because I don't read. I'm not much of a reader and
• 37:44
  some of those people if they're honest who say they can't read
• 37:48
  the Bible, they can't get themselves to focus seem to do
• 37:51
  just fine with news articles. And memorizing sports stats.
• 37:58
  For some reason, when it comes to the Bible, they can't give 10
• 38:00
  minutes of attention to it. If that is you, if you're a
• 38:05
  person who says, you know, I just, I don't know why.
• 38:08
  Doesn't really Draw Me In. Let me just ask one simple
• 38:12
  question just one very simple question.
• 38:15
  If God in his Heavenly wisdom has ordained that his means of
• 38:19
  communicating with this world. Would be through a book even
• 38:23
  though there are other means. And even though there would be
• 38:25
  developing Technologies to come if God has determined for all of
• 38:29
  time that my will my person, my character, my nature, my person
• 38:36
  would be known through a book. Wouldn't that be enough for you
• 38:39
  to say? Let me read it.
• 38:44
  Would not be enough for you to say.
• 38:46
  I will honor his method and I will read him and know him.
• 38:53
  Think about it. If it is true that the
• 38:57
  parchments were the scripture, is this is a very powerful
• 38:59
  statement Paul is making, you know why?
• 39:01
  Because before he makes that request, he emphasizes the
• 39:04
  parchments, he said, especially the parchments, which means in
• 39:08
  the Greek, chiefly most of all above all you see, Timothy he
• 39:13
  could have forgotten the cloak, he could have left behind the
• 39:16
  books but there's one thing he could not fail to bring in those
• 39:20
  were the parchments. If Timothy only had limited
• 39:23
  space and he had to choose Who's out of all the items?
• 39:26
  One Paul would be satisfied. If he only came with those
• 39:31
  parchments, Paul was willing to endure the winter season without
• 39:36
  a cloak as long as he had the book.
• 39:42
  When I think about that, I wonder this past few weeks, I've
• 39:45
  been challenged by the love of Paul for people, but would you
• 39:48
  open your heart to another love that he had?
• 39:50
  And it was a love for the written word of God.
• 39:55
  Bring me the parchments. As we close this book.
• 40:01
  As we? Put an end to the series in 2nd
• 40:04
  Timothy. What visual are we left with?
• 40:07
  You know, what you and I are left with a lonely worn out,
• 40:10
  man. Shivering in a dungeon awaiting
• 40:14
  his unjust execution. Eagerly expecting the Speedy
• 40:19
  arrival of one of his most faithful disciples to hopefully
• 40:22
  bring a jacket, a few books and portions of the scriptures.
• 40:29
  And to the unbelieving mind or to the spiritually immature,
• 40:32
  they would look at this and they would see something that is
• 40:36
  quite disheartening and sad. Paul.
• 40:44
  You could have become someone as a Pharisee of the Pharisees man.
• 40:49
  you had such an advantage, unlike very few in Israel, you
• 40:53
  could have really, really made it the connections, the
• 40:58
  resources, the respect that you had, and you threw it all the
• 41:02
  way for what To be in this. This is what serving an
• 41:07
  invisible Messiah gets you. That is the world's perspective.
• 41:15
  That is the carnal understanding.
• 41:19
  Heaven has a completely different idea of what we see
• 41:23
  here with Paul and it is found in our final text this afternoon
• 41:28
  to Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews 11 teaches us, what
• 41:33
  faith lives like what it looks like.
• 41:37
  What it does. And Hebrews 11 36.
• 41:44
  About those who have lived, a life of faith in Christ.
• 41:47
  You know what it says others suffered mocking and flogging
• 41:51
  and even chains and imprisonment they were stoned.
• 41:55
  They were sawn into, they were killed with the sword.
• 41:59
  They went about and skins of sheep and goats destitute
• 42:02
  Afflicted mistreated pause there.
• 42:06
  This material is not speaking about luxurious clothing.
• 42:12
  Speaks about miserable conditions, like Paul.
• 42:18
  This is what faith will get you. Yes.
• 42:19
  Sometimes you will be able to close the mouths of lions and
• 42:21
  you will see great, armies flee, but the Bible is very honest.
• 42:25
  You want to live for Christ, this is how it can end up for
• 42:27
  you. And then look what it says in
• 42:30
  verse 38 of whom, the world was not worthy.
• 42:36
  Of whom the world was not worthy wandering about in deserts and
• 42:40
  mountains and in dens and caves of the earth, it's as though the
• 42:43
  holy spirit is trying to say something as you reading this
• 42:45
  list of things that nobody would dare to volunteer to endure.
• 42:51
  God wants to make sure that these who have experienced this
• 42:56
  outcome of their faith. The world is not worthy of them.
• 43:02
  The world would scorn them the world would shrink from them,
• 43:05
  but from Heaven's perspective, Christ and All His angels look
• 43:09
  down and say, they do not understand who is walking in
• 43:13
  their midst. They do not understand the honor
• 43:18
  that they will have, when they come into my presence.
• 43:20
  They do not understand, how they will be esteemed for all of
• 43:23
  eternity. The world is not worthy of such
• 43:26
  men of such who of a man stuck in a jail cell, forgotten and
• 43:30
  abandoned. Yes.
• 43:33
  The world is not worthy. and you and I as we close this book,
• 43:38
  have to consider That the end of this thing for you may be very
• 43:44
  similar. And if it is Remember that you
• 43:49
  can do contentment. You can know a concrete comfort
• 43:54
  from Christ. And though the world may see you
• 43:57
  as a waste, as a loss of potential.
• 44:03
  Christ through his word says they're not worthy.
• 44:06
  They're not worthy, they do not realize, who is among them.
• 44:11
  But we thank you for your word. We thank you for the mention of
• 44:16
  the cloak, the books in the parchments.
• 44:18
  We thank you. That there is so much for us to
• 44:20
  consider of own lives through them.
• 44:24
  Lord with this time together. through stammering lips and a
• 44:31
  limited vocabulary Lord, we trust that your word would have
• 44:34
  its effect in our hearts. But we worship you that there is
• 44:39
  not one detail of your word. That is without purpose.
• 44:44
  You speak to us in all things and we pray that you would open
• 44:47
  our eyes to see these things in your word.
• 44:50
  Well, we thank you for our time and second Timothy together.
• 44:52
  Thank you for all that. You've taught us.
• 44:56
  And Lord, we just pray that as we as a church move forward to
• 44:58
  another book. You would lead us perfectly into
• 45:03
  that book. Whatever it is that you long to
• 45:06
  teach us as your people. Please lead us perfectly in it.
• 45:10
  The Lord before then, we worship you for what you've given us
• 45:13
  now. We worship you for the past few
• 45:16
  weeks, and months how you've spoken to us through this
• 45:19
  precious epistle and we give you all the glory.
• 45:23
  Lord, we magnify your name as we worship you today.
• 45:27
  In Jesus name, we pray. Amen, let's stand and Worship
• 45:30
  the Lord shall we?