Paul's Request for His Cloak & Books | 2 Timothy 4 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh | Maranatha Shabiba 2024

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

Deuteronomy 29 · chapter mention

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?