First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu at Ko olau August 24, 2008 The Rev. Dr. David C. Stoker. Come Before Winter - 2 Timothy 4:6-22

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1 SERMON OF THE WEEK First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu at Ko olau August 24, 2008 The Rev. Dr. David C. Stoker Come Before Winter - 2 Timothy 4:6-22 T his weekend Pastor Dan has returned from sabbatical. Next weekend Pastor Sim returns from his sabbatical. Local schools are starting up again, college students are leaving for classes, and folks are getting back from vacation. All of this makes for a sort of a start-up time of the year. It is really a decision making time for what we will give our attention and energy to in the next few months. All of this brings us to the scripture lesson today in 2 Timothy. Paul is writing from a dark, dank prison cell in Rome. He has been placed under arrest for preaching about Jesus. He knows the sands of time are running out for him. His execution by the Romans is probably not far off. So he writes to his beloved friend, Timothy. Paul has taken fatherly pride in watching Timothy grow and mature over the years. He really wants to see Timothy one more time. Scholars believe that Paul's second letter to Timothy was the last letter he ever wrote. This letter was written maybe weeks, perhaps even days, before Paul's death by execution. It is, in effect, the last will and testament of the Apostle Paul. It is a letter that is very personal in nature. Unlike Paul's other letters it is not addressed to a church-like the church at Rome, or Corinth, or Colossae. 2 Timothy 4: The time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 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 only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments. Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Make every effort to come before winter. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. In this text please notice in verse 21 the phrase, Come before winter. This verse served as the text from one of the most famous sermons 1 ever preached by Dr. Clarence McCartney, who was the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA. The session of his church thought so well of his sermon that they asked him to repeat it every year in the fall. And so he preached that same sermon 37 times in that church. I never plan to preach any sermon 37 times, but I believe his point was a good one, and I want to share it with you in a few moments. However, before I do, I want us to pay attention to the things Paul actually asked Timothy to bring. These are things that mattered to Paul, and if they mattered to Paul, they should matter to us. First Paul says, 'Timothy, please come as soon as you can, and when you come, bring my parchments.' Understand please that in Paul's days parchment was very expensive. Usually the only things written on parchments were holy words. And so Paul was asking Timothy to bring him his Bible. He was asking for the Scriptures. Paul loved the Scriptures. Paul was a great student of the Scriptures. We know that because Paul was a Pharisee.

2 A nd the Pharisees devoted their lives to the study of the scriptures. Paul loved his Bible and often quoted the Old Testament in his letters. And so he was saying, 'Timothy, above all else, bring me my Bible.' Friends, Biblical ignorance among people today is so sad. That is one of the reasons we are beginning E100 in just four weeks here at First Prez. Each one of us is going to be challenged to read the 100 essential passages of Scripture. You will get a punch out card like this, to keep a record of the 100 passages. And because the staff feels so strongly about this, we have each written at least five daily devotions to accompany the passage for the day. And because a member of the church feels so strongly about the Bible, he or she has anonymously donated the funds to have the 100-page booklet printed up and 800 copies distributed to you in two weeks. We want everyone to get on board with this. We hope small groups will use this material. We believe it is going to change our congregation. I read a quote recently that I want to share with you. "A Bible that is falling apart is usually owned by a person who isn't." And I believe that is true. So don't let the Bible just sit on the shelf at your home. Get it out. Read it. Get yourself into Sunday School or a small group so that you can study it. Paul said, Timothy, please bring me my Bible while there is still time. And then Paul says, Timothy, when you come, bring my books. The word that Paul uses here is the W Greek word 'biblious'. It sounds like the word 'Bible'. But he is not really referring to the Bible at all. In the Greek the word 'biblious' means simply 'books'. Paul is referring to other kinds of books than the Bible. In Paul's day, books were very expensive. But it is quite clear that Paul must have amassed a small library for himself. That is not so surprising, after all he was a student of Gamaliel who was, in fact, the best-read teacher of that day. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37 We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with our strength and with all our mind. Paul believed that. Paul loved God with all his mind. Now Paul never suggests that a person has to be a learned, highly educated person in order to be a Christian. No, not at all. But what Paul does say is this: That once you become a Christian, you will never be satisfied with staying ignorant. So Paul says to Timothy, "Please, bring me my books while there is still time. I thought of some questions you and I need to know the answers to. These answers can be found in books. 1. Isn't one world religion as good as another? 2. Do science and Christianity conflict? 3. Why does God allow suffering and evil? 4. Can an intellectual person believe in miracles? 5. Does God really hear and answer our prayers? 6. What happens to us 2 when we die? Do you want to know the answer to these and other questions? Read a book! You will find help there. But the troubling fact is that the average American watches 28 hours of television each week, which adds up to 1,456 hours of television each year. And how many books does the average American read in a year? Three! Paul says, Timothy, do your best to come before winter. And when you come, bring me my books. And then Paul says, Timothy, when you come, please bring my cloak and bring yourself. You see, Paul wanted that cloak in order to warm his body, but even more, he wanted the friendship of Timothy to warm his heart. Did you see the survey down in the corner of the page of U.S.A. Today the other day? It says 44% of the American people say that the most fulfilling personal relationship in their lives is with their pet! That is so sad. You see there is nothing that matters like friendship. I thank God for the friendships I see in this church. In small groups and ministry teams and choir and youth advisors and usher teams, Sunday School teachers, deacons, elders. Those are relationships that really matter. So those are the key things Paul is thinking of in his last days - the scriptures, his books and his friends. Now what is the main message I believe is in this passage? I believe the key phrase is found in the sermon title: 'Come before winter'.

3 W hen I hear this phrase it raises three questions in my mind. The first is: I. WHY COME BEFORE WINTER? Why was it so important that Timothy come to Rome where Paul was in prison before winter? Well, I believe there were several reasons. First, a very practical reason. The cell Paul was imprisoned in was not centrally heated. It was a dark, damp place. He was free to have visitors come to see him, which was a concession to his prominence and to the fact that he was a Roman citizen. However, he would need a cloak when winter came. The winters were cold in Rome. He tells Timothy he has left has cloak with Carpus in Troas. So come before winter and bring my cloak. And there was another practical reason. Ships in that region of the world did not sail during the winter months. Paul traveled most often in grain ships. In Paul s day these ships were like a floating corn crib. They set up high in the water and were unstable and top-heavy. You would not want to be on that kind of boat in a stormy sea. So the timetable of travel was urgent. The third reason I believe is a very personal reason. Did you catch it in verse 11 when Paul said, Only Luke is with me. And so Paul says, I want you to come, and when you come, I want you to bring Mark with you for he has been useful to me in ministry. You know, there comes a time in life when you like to have around you all of the people who love you the most. One of the real tests of friendship is M availability. Friends are available when you need them. People sometimes ask me what I say when I go to the hospital to visit someone. Friends, you have said it all when you arrive! By just being there you are saying, 'I care about you. If you want to talk, we will talk. If you want to pray, we'll pray. If you just want to seat here in silence, that's okay. Paul said, I need my friends here with me. Only Luke is with me. Paul felt the need as his life was nearing its end to have his close friends around him. I hope you are hearing that haunting phrase Come before winter right now, and God is speaking to you. It might have to do with a relationship, like Paul with Timothy, or it might be God saying to you and me that there are some things that must be done now. They cannot wait. They should not wait. Alexander the Great was once asked what the secret of his success was and he said, It was because I acted without delay. Whatever needed doing, he did it then. Procrastination and delay are like barnacles on the underside of a boat. They drag us under even though they are not actually moving. A marriage dies most often not from some big traumatic event, but from every day neglect. The spiritual life is built brick by brick, day after day with faithfulness in the disciplines of reading your Bible, prayer, worship every Sunday, small groups, Sunday School classes. All of those things build a spiritual life that 3 is active and vital. Without them, our spiritual lives are just a hit and miss thing. Some things need to be done, and done now. But there is a second question that I wonder about as I read this urgent request from Paul to Timothy. II. WOULD YOU HAVE GONE? There is an old story about the devil. He was getting discouraged because he was not tempting enough people to go to hell. So he called together three of his junior devils, and asked, "What can I say that will win people to me and away from heaven?" "Well," said the first, "Tell, them there is no God." "Oh," said the devil "That won't work. There are too many evidences of God all around us." "Well," said the second, "Tell them there is no heaven." "No, that won't work," said the devil. "Deep in people's hearts, they know that there is a glorious life to come for those who trust God." "Ah" said the third, "Tell them there is no hurry." "That's it," said the devil. "With those words, we shall win the day!" I do not preach to frighten, but we need to make some decisions today, for not one of us knows what tomorrow will bring. Sooner or later, winter will come whether we are ready or not. And there are things that we need to be doing. Maybe you have never taken the time to really understand the Bible, and a voice is calling you as it did Augustine, Take up and read. Maybe even, Take up and read to 3rd graders. That might be the voice of God calling you.

4 M aybe there is the voice of family husband or a wife, a son, daughter, brother or a sister-who is calling you to notice them. Maybe they need a little more of your time. It can make all the difference. It is no secret that the family is in massive decline in this nation while some parents spend more time with hobbies or shopping than with their children. Maybe God's voice is calling you today to a new relationship with your family. And calling you to do it without delay. Recently, a man whose wife died very suddenly said to me, I didn't even get to say, 'Goodbye.'" Goodbyes are important. But sometimes we don't have the luxury of knowing when we are going to see a person for the last time. Some of you have seen in my study a black and white photograph of a distinguished-looking man. Some have asked if he is my father. He is not. He is a college professor named Dr. Bernard Boyd who influenced me to go into the ministry. I am eternally grateful to God for that man. He changed my life and brought out the best in me. I do remember the last time I saw him. It was a Friday afternoon. We were in his driveway. We had just spent the afternoon raking leaves in his yard. As I was about to leave I turned to him, and totally out of my character at that time, I gave him a big hug and told him I loved him and was grateful for our friendship. I got a telephone call Sunday night in my dorm room that he had a massive heart attack on Sunday morning after preaching a sermon, and died. I am so grateful that the Spirit of God moved me to tell him that I loved him. And I am glad that I did then and did not wait until another day, which never would have come. That is why in my family we always end almost every phone conversion with, I love you. I love you is not just something we say at Christmas time, or on a birthday. One of my challenges for you to do is to say all your I love you's, now. We all know the feeling of putting off, of procrastinating and waiting too long. How many letters have never been written? How many phone calls have never been made? How many compliments have been left unsaid? How many I'm sorry's remain unspoken? How many thank you's have never been uttered? How many I love you's still need to be said? A very popular movie this past year was the Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. They are gentlemen in the twilight years of their lives who decide there are some things like seeing the Pyramids, or jumping out of an airplane or driving a race car, that they need to do before they kick the bucket. And some of the unfinished business were things that needed to be said like, "I love you" or "I am sorry". Enjoy this video clip of "Say What You Need To Say." And that brings me to the third question. 4 III. DID TIMOTHY GO? Did he get there before winter came? Was there a time of great fellowship when Paul, Timothy, Luke and Mark were all together in Paul's prison cell before the end came? Did Paul once again enjoy his books before it was over? Was he warmed by his old cloak as the winter's chill set in Rome? The truth is, we simply do not know. I would like to think that Timothy put the letter down and began immediately to go to Rome before winter. It was a journey of some distance, as you can see on this map. Things were busy in Ephesus, for Paul had left Timothy in charge of the ministry there. But, did Timothy say, like so many of us, 'I would like to go before winter, but, I am busy with things here. I must clear up some things here in Ephesus before I can go to Rome.' One of the sins of our lives is what we call the tyranny of the urgent. The things that we think we must do now sidetrack us from the really important things we should be doing. Some things need to be said now, done now. The opportunity is today, not tomorrow. Life is lived in the now, not yesterday, not tomorrow. Some of us this morning are faced with opportunities that demand we act now, and if we do not, we are going to be living with the consequences for the rest of our lives. Dr. McCartney in his famous sermon suggests that Timothy delayed and did not make it to Rome before winter. Timothy was intending to go, but he had just a few things to clear up first.

5 T hings like ordaining the elders in Miletus, celebrating communion in Colossae. When he finally gets all these matters handled, he goes to the travel agent to get his ticket. And the agent says, Sorry. It's too late. It's wintertime now. It's too cold. The sea is too rough. Can't go now. Wait till after winter. There will be no boats sailing for Rome until spring time." All through the anxious winter Timothy worries and waits. When spring finally arrives Timothy is on the first ship sailing west. And when Timothy finally gets to Rome, he wonders, Am I in time? Dr. McCartney imagined this amazing scene where Timothy goes to the prison and says to the jailer, I'm here to see the Apostle Paul. And the jailer says, You must be Timothy. You haven't heard Paul was executed last winter. And the jailer said, Timothy, he was looking for you. Every day, every time when I would go to his cell to take him his meal, he would always say, Timothy, is that you? Has Timothy come? And when Paul died, the last words he said were, Tell Timothy, my beloved son in the faith, that I love him and I always will, throughout all eternity. Now, how would you feel if you were Timothy and you hadn't made it in time? We can all relate to that, can't we? We all know the feeling of putting off and putting off and then it's too late. But please don't misunderstand me. I'm not trying to lay a heavy guilt trip on us this morning. But rather, simply raising this question for us to grapple with. What is God asking you to do? What is the thing God is calling you to do right now in your life? What is the step God is asking you to take? Here we are at the beginning of what I believe is going to be a spiritually exciting season in the life of our church. And the devil is already telling you - Don't let the preacher get you all worked up. There is plenty of time for everything! Plenty of time later to read the Bible, join a small group, say 'I love you' to someone, say 'I am sorry to someone.' Friends, if God is telling you to do something, you need to say yes'! You know what it is: to join the church, to teach that class, to sing in the choir, to work with the children or youth, to make a financial commitment to the church, to get in that Bible study, to join a small group, to commit your life to Christ. You know what it is. If you need to say, I'm sorry to someone; if you need to say, I love you to someone; if you need to say, Yes to God, don't procrastinate any longer. That is my challenge to you this morning. Don't put it off any more. Life is too short, too fragile. Just do it now! Anne Weems is a Presbyterian poet. She is married to a Presbyterian pastor. And she has a wonderful gift of being able to put some of life's feelings into words. She has experienced both the death of her 21-year-old son, and the death of her younger sister. This is how she put down on paper her feelings about the death of her younger sister. My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a 5 tissue-wrapped package. "This," he said, is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure, on it was still attached. Jan bought this the first time we went to New York City, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion. He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you are alive is a special occasion." I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning home. I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life. I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends, and less time in committee meetings. I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event-such as losing a pound, or the first Camellia blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties. Clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party-going friends'. "Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary.

6 I f it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I'm not sure what my sister would have done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out more often for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing- I'll never know. I'm trying very hard not to put off anything that would add laughter and luster to my life. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself every day, every minute is...a gift from God. Let us pray: Gracious God, we give You thanks for speaking to us this morning, and pressing upon our hearts those things You would have us do in the coming moments and days. Thank You that your Holy Spirit moved Paul to write this letter to young Timothy years ago. Now move in every heart today to do what needs to be done, and to do it now. In Jesus' name. Amen. 6