An encouragement to Paul

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER 2020 AM

2 TIMOTHY 1 VERSES 15 - 18

Today we are thinking of Onesiphorus.  These are uncertain days.  When Paul wrote this last letter to Timothy I am sure that he didn't know what lay ahead.  I am sure not one of us thought this year would be like it has been.  Last week we were thinking of encouragement.  Jesus spoke to his disciples who were concerned and worried.  He told them not to be worried for their heavenly father knew the things they needed before they asked for them.  Onesiphorus was an encourager to Paul.  Is there someone you could be an encourager to today?  Maybe someone who has been forgotten about, has been isolated, out of the way for a while  Paul was going through a dark time in his life.  He hadn't a friend in the world - verse 15.  "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. ... I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." (Phillipians 4 verses 11 and 13)  "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God." (2 Corinthians 3 verse 5)  Paul was not depending on his friends.  King David encouraged himself in the Lord.  In this passage in 2 Timothy Paul thought of some fair weather friends - Phygellus and Hermogenes.  These are the kind of friends who will leave you in some desert situations but there are others who will stick with you through thick and thin.

The sympathy in which he acted.  Onesiphorus showed an interest in Paul who had fallen on hard times.  Paul had been arrested, accused, placed in prison.  He could see his friends leaving him but one.  He was in this terrible prison and it was down to him to get himself out of it.  Onesiphorus had concern for Paul.  He hadn't heard from him for a while.  The news was he had been arrested and placed in prison.  Somehow he had fallen on hard times.  These 2 men are named here has having departed from him.  The sympathy we should have on our hearts today.  Think of the Old Testament and the house of Naaman.  Naaman was a mighty warrior, a great soldier, well respected but he had a problem - leprosy.  It had taken over his body.  Naaman had a maid in his house, every time she saw Naaman she saw him as he really was.  There was a sorrow in his heart.  Behind closed doors his life was falling apart.  He didn't know what to do.  There was sympathy in that maids heart.  She had been taken captive from Israel and placed in Naaman's house.  She said to her mistress "if Naaman would go to the prophet he would be healed."  Joseph also was sold into slavery in Potiphar's house then cast into the prison house.  The warden could see that the Lord was with him and put him in charge of the prison.  One day Joseph meets the butler and the baker from the king's palace.  He had an interest in these men who had fallen on hard times.  He had a sympathy for them.  Think of the Good Samaritan.  A man left for dead on the road side.  The priest and the Levite came by but both passed over on the other side of the road.  They looked but didn't do anything.  No sympathy for the man.  Maybe they were in a hurry or maybe scared in case he was a decoy and if they stopped to help they would be ambushed too.  Then there comes a Samaritan and he had time for the man.  He went over and took care of the man.  1 Corinthians 13 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."  Have we time to encourage someone else today?  The reason we meet together is to encourage others as well as listening to God's word.  The Psalmist David said "I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me; refuge failed me, no man cared for my soul." (Psalm 142 verse 4)

The search that Onesiphorus makes - "he sought me out very diligently and found me."  His heartfelt sympathy was now turned into action.  Maybe we have concern for someone but never turned it into action.  He wanted to see Paul for himself.  "he oft refreshed me" verse 16 and "how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus" verse 18.  Why were these other 2 men named?  Maybe they tried to justify themselves.  We get those kind of people, they are with you until hard times come but then they filter away.  Maybe that is why Paul pointed them out.  Onesiphorus said 'I want to see this man face to face.'  He had heard enough from others but he wanted to see him for himself.  Think of David - he had cared for his men, listened to their complaints, worked with them, fed them, comforted and tried to do everything possible for them but there came a day when they turned against him and were ready to stone him to death.  David had to encourage himself in the Lord.  Onesiphorus went to find Paul.  It meant leaving his family, his loved ones, his workplace.  A sacrifice because he wanted to go and encourage Paul.

The sincerity of his search.  Here he was now in Rome.  It was not going to be easy to find Paul.  He was "not ashamed of my chains".  Paul was in prison for preaching the unsearchable riches in Christ.  He preached of a Saviour who came into the world to save that which was lost  God's son left heaven's glory and stepped into this world to die on a cross to save mankind.  Jesus came not to condemn the world but that the world might be saved.  It is only through him that we have the means of salvation.  Paul could say "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ."  When Onesiphorus came to Rome he searched the various prison houses.  He put in time and effort to find Paul.  No doubt there were those who were walking away from Paul, they were ashamed of him.  Are you going to search for someone today who has been left behind?  Imagine this man going around askng for Paul the evangelist.  People turned away from him.  Joseph in the prison house encouraged the butler and the baker as they considered their dreams.  Joseph drew alongside them and asked them "why are you so sad?"  He had the welfare of these men on his heart.  The Good Samaritan had the same welfare on his heart.

The succour that it brought.  Put yourself in Paul's shoes.  He is lying in a cold, wet, prison cell.  Imagine the encouragement he received.  Only company he had were the Roman soldiers he was chained to.  Imagine being told there was someone to see him.  "He oft refreshed me"  Imagine the meeting that day.  That was such an encouragement to Paul.  Would you encourage someone today?  Maybe there are those sitting behind closed doors today.  Maybe God is asking you to go and encourage someone today.  Matthew 25 verses 34 - 40 "Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in; Naked and ye clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me.  Then shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me."