Companionships in Ministry

Transcript

GR 1401
03/29/2009
Companionships in Ministry
II Timothy 4:9-14
Gil Rugh


We're in II Timothy 4 in your Bibles. The Apostle Paul is drawing to a close a life of faithful service and ministry, proclaiming to men and women everywhere that there is a Savior from sin that Jesus Christ the Son of God came to this earth and suffered and died, was raised from the dead to pay the penalty for our sin. There is salvation but it is found only in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. It is not found in religious activity. The Apostle Paul was as religious as you could get, a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He was lost and without hope and on his way to hell until he came to recognize that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and He was the only Savior and placed his faith in Him. Paul is concerned that the ministry of proclaiming that message continue on after his death. He is facing sure execution in Rome, he is a prisoner there as he writes this letter. He is reminding Timothy of the importance of remaining faithful to the message of Jesus Christ, the proclamation of that message, the teaching of that truth.

Paul concluded the main portion of the letter in chapter 4 verses 6-8 and he gave a brief, concise overview of his life. His present situation in verse 6, he was facing death. I'm being poured out as a drink offering, the time of my departure has come. So as I look over the past I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. So as I anticipate the future. Being beheaded, being executed? No, I'm talking about the true future. In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. I'm looking beyond martyrdom, I'm looking beyond the events of my death to what my eternal future is. It is glory in the presence of my Savior. Not for me only, but to all those who love His appearing.

Now there are a few closing comments he has to make, some closing instructions to Timothy. And it is true often at the end of our letters even today, we write a letter to someone and we cover the material we want to cover but there are a number of things we want to touch on as we conclude that we don't have time to go into detail on. Paul is going to give Timothy several instructions here, commands, going to speak about some people he has been associated with, both Paul and Timothy. And then he'll be ready to wrap things up and send the letter on its way.

The key command in verses 9-22 is the command that starts verse 9, make every effort to come to me. The command is make every effort. And the effort is to come to him in Rome. He'll repeat that command in verse 21, make every effort to come before winter. So verses 9-22, this entire conclusion is based upon this command. Timothy, I want you, you must come to see me in Rome and I need you to do it quickly, as soon as possible. There will be some other commands given, but this command is what Paul's concern and burden is.

Back as he began this letter in chapter 1 verse 4, he referred to the fact he was longing to see Timothy—even as I recall your tears so that I may be filled with joy. You see the Apostle Paul in his humanness, if you will. We sometimes read about the life and ministry of Paul and it seems like he is a superhuman figure, but he is a man, a human being just like we are. He has weaknesses, frailties, disappointments. He desires to have his friends with him. That is an encouragement to him, it sustains and strengthens him. We sometimes get the idea, as long as I have the Lord, that's all I need. And there is a sense that is true, and he is the only one I can be assured will never leave me nor forsake me. But you know it is God's plan to bring us together as a family of believers and to be involved in one another's lives, and thus be used as His instruments to bring us encouragement, to bring us blessings, to help us during difficult times. And that's what Paul is going to be talking about as he concludes the letter. He really wants Timothy to come see him because most of those of his close associates in ministry have gone on to other places for one reason or another. And he really wants Timothy, and he want Timothy to bring another man, Mark, as quickly as possible so they can be with him along with Luke during his imprisonment.

So let's pick up with this command in verse 9, we see something of Paul's life and those around Paul in his service for the Lord. Make every effort to come to me soon. And there is a sense of urgency in this, it's a command, something he is commanding Timothy to do. You be diligent to come to me quickly, soon. So he adds that word, quickly, soon. This is not something you do when you get time, this is to be moved to the front burner, so to speak, this becomes your priority, Timothy. You make every effort, you be diligent to come to see me in Rome and you do it quickly, soon. Now what Paul has said in verse 6, I am already being poured out as a drink offering, the time of my departure is at hand. We noted that doesn't mean he is going to be executed in the next week or so. Paul is well familiar with the Roman judicial system, he has been through it before. And like our judicial system things can drag out. Paul in effect is on death row, final sentence yet to come, he knows where it's going. But it may be months, it may be a year before everything is concluded and he is executed. So there is time for this letter to be delivered to Timothy, for Timothy to wrap things up quickly and to leave and make the trip to Rome. And these trips in those days weren't easy travel time. We're talking about time needed here. But you know what? Paul won't stop until the end. So he may get executed before Timothy gets there, we don't know. Did Timothy get there in time? We read the letter and assume that he did, but you know, we don't know. But Paul doesn't quit before it is time to quit. So he's making the plan, knowing he's going to die. He's not telling Timothy, you don't need to bother coming. Luke is here, the only one, but I don't really need anybody but the Lord and nothing else matters now since my death will be coming soon. So you just be sure to carry on. No. Paul doesn't quit living and he continues on as a normal human being, and it's important that the ministry continue. So Timothy you come to me quickly.

Now he's going to give the reason. Down in verse 21 he'll tell them that I want you to come before winter. We're going to see he needs an item of clothing that will help protect him for winter. So Timothy has to leave quickly before winter because if winter sets in travel pretty well grinds to a halt and then Timothy would be delayed for months. And Paul doesn't want that to happen, and he has need of some things that Timothy could bring. An immediate reason in verse 10, several of his close associates are no longer present with him for different reasons. So you'll note that word “for” that begins verse 10. It tells you why Timothy is to come quickly to Rome. For Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. You know Paul could have just summarized this and left Demas in a good light—Demas has gone to Thessalonica. That's what he's going to say about Crescens, he's gone to Galatia. Titus has gone to Dalmatia. Verse 12, Tychicus I sent to Ephesus. But Demas is not going to slide out, he is going to be revealed in his true condition. Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me. Demas has been a close companion of Paul, Demas was a faithful companion of Paul several years earlier during Paul's previous imprisonment in Rome.

Turn over to Philemon, the end of the letter. The letter to Philemon starts out, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon. This letter to Philemon was written several years earlier when Paul was a prisoner of Rome in Rome on a previous occasion. During that previous imprisonment in Rome he wrote this letter. Note verse 23, Epaphras my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers. I mean, Demas is in quality company here, he is joined with men like Mark, Aristarchus, Luke as Paul's fellow workers. He is there with Paul during that previous Roman imprisonment. In Colossians 4:14 that was also written during that previous Roman imprisonment. And there he refers to Luke and to Demas, who both send you greetings.

Here is a man who knows what it is like to stand with Paul during a time when he is a prisoner of Rome, but now Paul says he has deserted me, back in II Timothy 4. He has deserted me. Not simply, he has left, he has deserted. This is a strong statement. He has bailed out. Why? He has fallen in love with the now age. You know, what do we think of when we think of Demas, the man who was a faithful companion of Paul in years of service, who, when Paul was a prisoner in Rome at the end of the book of Acts, was one of those faithfully there with Paul? That he was a faithful fellow worker. No, you know what we remember about Demas? He fell in love with the present world and deserted. Terrible end. We don't know what happened to Demas from this point on. That's the last word on Demas. For 2000 years what has the church noted about Demas? He deserted, he fell in love with the present world.

That word has fallen in love, having loved means he began to love the world and continues to love it. So he has deserted and Paul says there has been no change. What happened is he fell in love with the world and he continues to be in love with the world. If we had just heard that he went to Thessalonica, you know what? We would probably have thought, there is a church in Thessalonica. Remember, Paul established a church in Thessalonica on his first missionary journey in Acts 13-14. Paul wrote two letters to the church at Thessalonica that we have in our New Testament. Maybe Demas just decided to go to Thessalonica and minister. Demas may well have been from Thessalonica, we get that from an association in another passage. We don't know. But Paul doesn't allow him any outs, no cover for Demas. He's gone to Thessalonica, but you understand he did it as a deserter. He was motivated, not out of a desire to serve the Lord, but because he had fallen in love with the now age.

We have with this present world, literally with the now age. Age and world can be used very similarly in our New Testament, the age referring to the period of time and the world referring to all that is going on within that age. So we use them somewhat interchangeably. In your margin you may have by the word world, age. This now age, this period of time and all that characterizes it, he has fallen in love with it.

You know the tragedy of that? Turn back to Galatians 1. Paul had devoted himself to the ministry of the gospel, proclaiming that Jesus Christ died for our sins. Demas joined with Paul as a fellow worker in that ministry. In Galatians 1:3, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins. Why? So that He might rescue us from this present evil age. Christ died to redeem us, to rescue us from the now age. And tragically, Demas has fallen in love with the now age, that Christ died to redeem us from this present evil age. How can you fall in love with that for which Christ died to rescue you. But that had happened to Demas. Turn further to Romans 12. A good reminder that Demas failed to keep in mind. Verse 1, Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodes a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is you spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this age, this world, literally this age. But be transformed by the making new of your mind.

There has been a breakdown in Demas, a man who is not a new convert, a man who is tested and tried. He appears first here in those that are no longer with Paul, a man who had spent years with Paul in ministry, who had faithfully stood with him during his prior imprisonment in Rome. Something has happened. What we can say about Demas is as far as the record of scripture is concerned, he didn't finish well. He got tired before the work was done. He found a reason. Maybe he said, I just feel called to Thessalonica. There is no cover with Paul—he fell in love with the now age.

Turn over to I John 2. He used the word world here, cosmos, a distinction from age, but as I mentioned we're talking about the same period of time and the same system and characterization, whether you talk about age or world. Verse 15, do not love the world nor the things in the world. Demas forgot. Do not love the world, neither the things in the world. But Demas has deserted me having loved this present world, this now age. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. You know what happens? The question is raised in our minds, was Demas saved or was he like Judas? Judas traveled with Christ for years and never was saved, he was a son of perdition, a man doomed to destruction from day one. He was around the Savior but never believed in the Savior. Was Demas a man joined with Paul in ministry who could give out the right words but had never experienced true salvation, what it meant to be rescued from this present evil age? If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away and its lusts, but the one who does the will of God lives forever. It was a cheap bargain, a terrible, trade that Demas made. Trade eternity for that which is transitory? The world is passing away, what are you thinking?

I'm not saying that Demas was not saved because I don't know, it's hard to tell. If you put all the weight on I John 2:15, if anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him. But you know Jesus said if anyone denies Me before men, I will deny him before My Father which is in heaven. And then Peter went and denied Him three times in one night. We know Peter was truly saved. You know sometimes the scripture leaves things open and we puzzle and wonder, is he saved or is he not. I was interested in reading the commentaries, and I made a note of some commentators who were sure Demas was saved and just hit a weak spot. And then other commentators were just as sure he wasn't saved and he was revealing his true character. You know, I think the Spirit of God has left it open. Paul could have, under the direction of the Spirit, closed it down. Demas is an apostate, he has fallen in love with the world and deserted me. But he doesn't say it that clearly so we wonder.

And you know what happens any time a professing believer gets into sin we wonder, is he a genuine believer or is he not. Did he truly know the Lord and is just off the track, or did he never know Him in the first place? We can't judge, I don't know. Paul has no problem in revealing Demas as he is now. He loves the now age, he has deserted me. A little bit later he is going to talk about Mark. Mark abandoned Paul on an earlier occasion, now he is a trusted companion. I don't know about Demas. If I try to put myself as I'm working on a passage like this, I find myself sitting and thinking, what would it have been like. You know, Timothy has been with Paul for years. He would have known that because he was with him in his prior imprisonment, he's been a fellow worker. You know what happens when we've been believers for a number of years, even when we've served the Lord faithfully for a number of years? We could begin to wear out, we get tired, just gets to be too much. Some of that edge is gone. I mean, not everybody is a Paul, not everybody is going to keep driving ahead. You know, Paul, I just can't do it anymore. Here I am with Paul at his imprisonment again and he's not going to come out of this. I just can't go on any longer. We'd say, give him credit. There is no slack here, the Spirit of God directs Paul in the writing of this. There is no other way to put it, he loved this present world, he's fallen in love with the world, so he deserted. There is never an excuse for that. Ultimately this is the Spirit of God speaking through the Apostle Paul. What a terrible thing for your lord and master to have to say. You've turned from your love for Me to a love for the world, you've deserted.

I can find all kinds of reasons. I find myself in the place of Demas and I can say, we all know. We sit here and say, how could Demas do that? I would never have done that. Then you think of the times that we have failed to be faithful, to speak up to be identified with Christ because we were afraid. And yet none of us has ever had our lives on the line for simply being a testimony for Christ. But sometimes we've been too afraid to open our mouths and speak for Christ. We've avoided situations when it might be unpleasant for us in testifying for Christ. But we can sit 2000 years later and say, there is no excuse for Demas. Well you understand, he's with Paul, under the intensity of the persecutions under Nero. Do you know what it means to be identified with Paul, a man about to be executed for his testimony for Christ, and you be identified with him? Demas may have been from Thessalonica. He might be thinking, I have family back there, I have people who depend on me. I just can't follow Paul, not knowing where the end is here. Well you know what it is for Paul? You start letting the things of this life have priority. Anybody who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. No, we don't go into any of that, it's just, that's the way it is. But Demas serves as a warning. You can be around the truth and not necessarily a believer in the truth. That's true if he's an unbeliever and it's a warning to all of us as believers. Don't quit early. We may satisfy our consciences by thinking, it's all right, I have good reason. But what an epitaph. Demas deserted me, he's fallen in love with the present world, the now age.

That's a strong contrast with II Timothy 4:8, in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day. And not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing. Then we come down to verse 10, Demas having loved this present world. Wait a minute, I thought we loved His appearing. If you love His appearing, that even shapes everything; if you love this world that shapes everything. And all that is in the world, we read about in I John 2. It's contrary to the love of the Father.

Well, that's why Demas is no longer present. That had to come as a discouraging blow to Timothy, too. You know it always hurts, no matter where you are, when someone falls by the way, doesn't it? Timothy would have served with Demas. I mean, they are close companions of Paul, they've been with Paul on different times, on different occasions. They are fellow workers. Demas has deserted? Oh no. It's like that blow in the stomach. Oh, not Demas. We have those who are just fringe people, but I wouldn't have expected it of Demas.

There are some others who are gone for different reasons and it's clear here they are not part of the desertion, but they are gone. They can't be there to help Paul in the ministry and be an encouragement to Paul. Crescens has gone to Galatia. Paul had established churches in Galatia on his first missionary trip, so Crescens has gone there. We don't know anything else about Crescens, this is the only reference. We are reminded there are other people who have been part of the ministry with Paul. Titus, now Titus becomes better known to us because the letter that follows II Timothy in our Bibles is Titus, written earlier than II Timothy to a young man named Titus. He was sent to Crete to help establish the churches, get them firmly founded there. A man that Paul had great confidence in. In Titus 3:12, when I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis. This is an earlier letter, before his imprisonment. But you see he has confidence in Titus. He sends him there, then he'll have somebody else come and replace him and he wants Titus to come and be with him at Nicopolis, another city. So we can appreciate Titus, the ministry that he has. But now Titus has been sent to Dalmatia. In Romans 15 Paul said that he carried his ministry as far as Illyricum. Illyricum would be the region of Dalmatia. What used to be known as Yugoslavia, now has been broken up into three basic regions there, one well known from the news—Bosnia. It would be in this region as well as Croatia and Herzegovina, that region there is where Titus has gone

The point Paul makes is, I'm down to one. Verse 11, only Luke is with me. Now there are other people around because when we get down to verse 21, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, all the brethren greet you. Because there is a church in Rome, remember. There would be people there but with people in the ministry you have a closer bond to. And the only one of that ministry circle that is part of Paul's regular ministry and has been with him at various times and in various places, and he depends upon, only Luke out of that group continues with him in Rome. And we know Luke well. Colossians 4:14, he was with Paul at his previous Roman imprisonment. He is called in Colossians 4 the beloved physician. Isn't God gracious? Now Paul is going to get beat up numerous times with a variety of instruments, he is going to be cast into prisons, he's going to be left for dead. Isn't it gracious of the Lord to give him a well-loved physician to travel with him? Now I would have probably told the Lord, I would appreciate it if you would avoid the physical things that would make me need the physician. But the Lord hasn't forgotten Paul. What a comfort for Paul to be in a Roman dungeon and have his close friend, Luke the physician, there with him, to help care for him. Meet his needs as well as share the ministry. Luke wasn't just a physician, here's a man who has given up, in effect, his practice to wander with this itinerant preacher. He's the one the Spirit of God used to write the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. And he picks up on Paul's travels in Acts 20. We know that because in Acts 20 the writer of Acts begins to talk, we did this, we went there. Up to that point it has been more the outside observer. Luke has been a faithful companion of Paul's, was referred to in Philemon 24 as well. And mightily used of the Lord in the writing of scripture.

He's the only one with Paul right now. May well indicate that Luke also was Paul's penman for I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus. Not only is he used as the human author of Luke and Acts, he's also probably what we call the emanuensis, penman to whom Paul would have dictated what we call the pastoral epistles.

All right, who else? Luke is with me, Timothy, you hurry up and get to me. And then verse 11, pick up Mark and bring him with you for he is useful to me for service. Now we're not sure with Demas how it all ended up. Since this is the last word from Paul and Demas drops from sight, we don't know for sure what happened to him. Mark was an early traveling companion of Paul on that first missionary journey. He joined Paul and Barnabas, he was probably the young “go for” that had to do what these men needed done. But you know what? In Acts 13 he turned back, he couldn't take it. Remember on that trip Paul had some physical problems, there was opposition and persecution. The young man, Mark, evidently decided that this wasn't what he was looking for, so he turned back. When it came time for the second missionary trip, Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement. Mark is the cousin of Barnabas. Barnabas wanted to give Mark a second chance. Paul said, no way, I'm not taking someone who bailed out. And their disagreement is so strong that Paul and Barnabas ceased being traveling partners. And as far as we know from scripture, they don't travel together again. Paul takes Silas as his new partner, Barnabas takes Mark and they go on. As I shared when we did the book of Acts, I don't think that that indicates that Paul was wrong, and the follow-up here doesn't show that Paul didn't think that God could ever use Mark again. But he was not the kind of person for Paul, Paul had to have someone he knew could be trusted. Mark recovers and becomes a trusted, faithful worker.

Turn back to Colossians 4. And he has been for a while. Back in his previous imprisonment when Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians. Colossians 4:10, Aristarchus my fellow prisoner sends you his greetings and also Barnabas' cousin, Mark, about whom you received instructions. If he comes to you, welcome him. So no hard feelings. Paul not of the opinion that Mark can never be used again of the Lord. He could not become the close traveling companion of Paul, but they could become close associates in ministry. And here he speaks well of him.

Look down in verse 14, I referred to Luke the beloved physician sends you his greetings, also Demas. There Demas joins with Luke. Good company Demas was in but he didn't make it to the end. Luke is the beloved physician. But here you have Mark, spoken of well.

Over in Philemon 24, Mark is one of those who send greetings and is identified as one of Paul's fellow workers. So he is involved with Paul again. That's an encouragement. Here a young man starts out, he stumbles, but we ought not to give up on him. Somebody stumbles, somebody has failed, that doesn't mean they are written off and never can be used of God in ministry again. And even when they have to be dealt with firmly, and certain ministries may be shut down for them for a while, doesn't mean it's a lifetime sentence. So Mark stumbled. As Paul evaluated it and scripture records it, it was a serious failure. But it's one from which he recovered.

Back to II Timothy 4. And so in this chapter you have Demas who has just bailed out, and you have Mark and the testimony of one who has recovered from a failure. And incidentally in I Peter 5:13, Mark is identified as a close associate with Peter. In fact, Peter refers to him as my son, Mark. They have that close bond. And that's why people believe this Mark is the author of the gospel of Mark and probably acquired most of his material from Peter, with whom he had such a close relationship in ministry. So not only does he recover, he is used of the Spirit of God to be able to write one of our gospels, the gospel of Mark.

Verse 12, but Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. You know, there is constant activity going on with Paul. We say, Paul, why did you send everybody every place? Why didn't you just keep them with you and let Timothy stay where he is? Well Paul has his reasons. Tychicus is on his way to Ephesus. Now we know Tychicus was a native of Asia, from what we are told in other portions of scripture about Tychicus. He becomes a traveling companion of Paul toward the end of the third missionary journey, where he surfaces. So we don't know a lot about his background. He was the one who carried the letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Colossians during Paul's prior imprisonment. In Ephesians 6:21 and Colossians 4:7 he is identified as the one who had been given the responsibility when Paul wrote from prison the letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Colossians. It was Tychicus who took those letters and delivered them. He may also be the one who is carrying this letter to Timothy. So when he says in verse 12, Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus, it's from the viewpoint of Timothy when he is given this letter. He is told Tychicus has come at the instructions of Paul. And since he bore the other letters, it would be from prison, it would fit that he would be bearing this letter.

You know we're reminded, the scripture once Paul was converted was concerned to follow Paul and his life and ministry and give a record of that. It doesn't follow the life and ministry of Peter, it doesn't follow the life and ministry of the Apostle John, even though evidently they have significant ministries going on and are used of the Lord in significant ways and have written portions of our New Testament. John wrote the gospel of John and the book of Revelation and the epistles of John. So they are major figures, but the New Testament is focused on following Paul. But we oughtn't to get the idea the ministry is Paul. As important as he was, there are many people used in many ways and even around Paul here is Tychicus. Well, he's not very important. Paul, under the inspiration of the Spirit has a letter written, Tychicus' responsibility is to deliver it to the people Paul tells him to deliver it to. Anybody can do that, right? I mean, deliver this. Do you have to be a man of godly stature and thorough biblical knowledge to deliver a letter? But Tychicus couldn't have known how important that was. For 2000 years the church has been studying those letters that he delivered. Here we are today benefiting from the ministry of Tychicus. It looked like a little thing but it had to be done with excellence as one who is serving his master. And in the scheme of things, what a major thing it was.

You know, we don't know sometimes. We think, it's not that important, it doesn't make that big a difference. We don't make that decision, our Lord makes that decision. You don't know what you're doing and the impact it has and how God uses that. And you may not live to know that. Tychicus didn't know that 2000 years later we'd be studying letters he delivered. Paul just sent him on another difficult trip, I have to travel all the way from Rome where I am with him in prison just to deliver a letter to the Ephesians. Anybody could have done that. But important.

And so you see these people that play a role, we're just reminded the ministry is going on. It's not a one-man show. The scripture is concerned to follow the ministry of one man and the way God is using him. And it is unique and special, but that's not all there is to the ministry going on, that's not all there is even to Timothy's ministry.

We looked at Titus 3:12, when I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me. And it may be, just as Paul had earlier sent Tychicus or Artemas to replace Titus at Crete, so Tychicus is sent to be Timothy's replacement in Ephesus. Then he'll continue on the ministry. So he's a quality man and used of the Lord.

Verse 13, some instructions for Timothy, another command. The command is bring. When you come, bring. Bring, strong command. The cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books and especially the parchments. For some reason Paul had to leave some valuable possessions in Troas. This causes some to believe that Paul as probably arrested at Troas. We don't have a record of it because the book of Acts concludes its record prior to these events. But he had to leave some possessions you normally would keep with you, which causes some to think he was arrested in Troas, didn't have opportunity to take some of these things with him. And so a believer there by the name of Carpus, we know nothing else about him, but here is a faithful man and he's faithfully keeping the possessions that Paul left there. He's a man who can be trusted, he's a man Timothy doesn't have to be afraid to go see. There are others he will have to watch out for, we're going to get warned about that in a moment. But he appears in scripture because he is keeping a garment and some written materials.

The cloak. Here's what they say. It was a heavy, circular-shaped cape made from goat hair, hide or coarse wool. It would be like what we might call a poncho, just a circular thing with a hole for your head to come through. You could put it on for the rain. This would have been a heavier garment, valuable garment. The average man would have only one of these, that's why Paul sends for it. You know in our day we have throwaway clothes. Some of you are old enough to remember even when your parents sewed your socks when they had holes. Can I imagine telling my wife, I have a hole in my sock, would you sew that? Throw it away. But we remember the times we didn't have the kind of modern things today that produce clothing, and the cost is relatively cheap. This was an expensive item and a man would have had only one of these. And it's not like he's in prison and he says, I left by cloak in Troas, to buy me another one. You can understand the cost involved. Paul lived on a budget, he's going to have Timothy stop in Troas. We're talking about travel 2000 years ago to pick up a cloak and bring it. But it's important. And remember, verse 21, winter is coming. And this is very important to have a heavy garment, this is what you put on, you wrapped yourself in. The Roman prisons, they weren't concerned about heating them, they weren't concerned about air conditioning them, they weren't concerned about the dampness. And you went there, you went there at your own expense. You didn't go there and say, I didn't bring my cloak, could you get me one; I didn't bring my clothes.

I shared with you, when I was in another country a number of years ago, the pastor there told me they always kept a bag of essentials by the door. Why? Well if they come and arrest you in the middle of the night, they don't give you time to pack. So on your way out the door you can grab your bag, because if you don't have pants and you just have your pajamas, that's what you have when you're in prison. You have whatever you wore when you left. If you had a toothbrush when you came, you have a toothbrush. There is no supplying you with toothbrushes and so on. So Paul was in that kind of situation. So he needs his garment.

And then he wants the books and the parchments. Lots written about the books and the parchments, and when you see all that written about them you can summarize in a statement, we don't know what they were. The books refer to papyri, we can say that. It could have been in the form of a scroll, rolled up, with cheaper material. It could have been in leaf forms, where they were beginning to cut it into the form of what we call a page. The other, the parchments, were made out of some kind of animal skin, so they were much more durable. Some believe that the books, the scrolls, could have been portions of the Old Testament scripture; the animal hides may well have been in the form of a book and they could be bound on the edge. Maybe some writings Paul had done, some of his notes. We don't know.

I think it's interesting. Here is Paul with the end of his life in sight, he doesn't say I left some books and parchments with Carpus in Troas, give them away to those you think may be able to use them. Paul won't be done until he is done, until he goes to the executioner's block. He is about the work of the Lord. I mean, Paul, you're going to be dying. Do you want me to cart all this stuff to Rome? I can understand the cloak, but couldn't you do without the books and parchments? It's hard enough to travel without carting all this stuff along, and you're going to be dead. Then what am I going to do? Cart it someplace else? For Paul, my life is not over yet. I can see the end, it's coming, but my life is not over yet. So my work continues on. We don't die before we die. Good for us to remember in the service of the Lord. We keep on going. Paul can't do everything he used to do, he's in a dungeon in Rome, but he can do what he can do in the ministry and service of the Lord.

He concludes with a word of warning to Timothy. We can conclude quickly because he says, Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. And he uses the same word he uses in the middle of verse 8, that crown of righteousness which the Lord will award to me on that day. Well, Alexander is going to get an award, too—the wages of sin is death. The Lord will pay him according to his deeds, he has done me much harm. Imagine Alexander having to stand before the Lord. Paul is one of my choice servants, you did him much harm. Is says something about your character, your worthiness of judgment and the severity of your judgment.

Exposed a great light and so opposed to the light that the Spirit of God was giving through Paul that he did him much harm. He is a coppersmith, a metal worker. Not just limited to copper or bronze, but he was a metal worker. Maybe at Troas, since this follows the comments at Troas. You picked us up at Troas and you be on guard, verse 15, against him. That's another command. The commands here were make every effort, verse 9; bring, verse 13; be on guard, verse 15. All to do with having Timothy come to see Paul. Be on guard against him yourself. So it may be that Alexander led the opposition to Paul at Troas that resulted in his arrest. We don't know. Alexander was a common name. Some connect Alexander to the Alexander in I Timothy 1, who was turned over to Satan to learn not to blaspheme. And some suggest when he was put under discipline and excluded from the fellowship that increased his animosity toward Paul and his desire to do what he could to make Paul's life and ministry more difficult. Well it's an interesting scenario, we just don't know. Like I said, Alexander was a common name of the time. He is identified specifically here as the coppersmith or metal worker, which seems he might be distinct, he's not the one put under discipline in the first letter. At any rate, whoever he is, Timothy will know him. You be on guard against him because the potential is he could do the same thing to Timothy and Timothy would end up coming to Rome as a prisoner. So you watch out for him. He vigorously opposed our teaching, the message of the gospel, he couldn't stand. So he did all he could to oppose Paul in the ministry of truth. So Timothy has to be careful. And whether it is at Ephesus, whether it is at Troas, wherever Alexander is, Timothy will know. You know it seems like the opponents go on and win. Here is Alexander still free. Paul is awaiting execution in a Roman prison, he had to send for his winter cloak, assuming he survives the winter. And Alexander is still free. There is no justice.

Verse 14, the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. We don't want to get short sighted. We sometimes think it doesn't pay to serve the Lord, I try and have more trouble, more difficulty. I lost my job, the wicked didn't lost their job. I got a serious disease, and this vile person didn't get a serious disease. Wait a minute, the last chapter hasn't been written. We are awarded for faithfulness. When? Verse 8, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day, the coming judgment day. That's the only time that matters. I have to be careful I don't look around and become envious of the wicked, or I may become like Demas and fall in love with the now age and its appeal. I am to be loving his appearing and have my whole life, my ministry shaped by that right up to my last breath, even as Paul has demonstrated here.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your grace and goodness. Thank you, Father, that you are always faithful to us. You never leave us nor forsake us, we are never abandoned by you. Lord, we would desire to have the desire of our life, our hearts, our minds to be faithful to you. Lord, we would not think ourselves above failing, and we would take heed lest we are proud and arrogant in thinking we stand and not able to fall. Lord, we learn from Demas, we learn from Paul, we learn from Luke and Mark and these faithful servants. Lord, may we be faithful to the conclusion of our life, that we might finish well and that the testimony of our life is that we have fought the good fight, we have finished the course, we have kept the faith. And our hope is the appearing of our Savior. May our lives be shaped by the coming of our Lord, even as we serve you until He comes. We pray in His name, amen.