THE LORD STOOD BY ME

II Timothy 4:16-18

I. INTRODUCTION

a) Greetings

b) Questions
Sino na dito ang ang naranasang iwanan? How about yung naranasan nang pabayaan? Or worst,
yung kalimutan? Or kayo yung nang-iwan, nagpabaya at nakalimot?

It’s okay, be honest. We are human beings and God has given us the will to choose. We have
preferences and we desire. Shempre kayat tayo nga kadwa jay kayat tayo at the same time, we
cannot force people nga kadwaan da tayo nu handa tayo kayat. That is the reality. That is how this
life works. Including the Christian walk.

Not because nga nagbalin tayon nga believers ket mayaten amin, we will still experience these
things and Today, we will also be talking about someone na nakaexperience niyan, but not in
such a way that most of you think. Hindi ito about any romantic relationship but about a certain
man’s walk of life.
c) Reading

At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted
against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the
proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I
was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and
will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever.
Amen.

d) Opening Prayer

e) Background

*It was written by Paul during His second imprisonment at Rome

*Most scholars consider it as the last letter before his martyrdom
*Our passage is Paul’s concluding remarks to the young timothy
*Paul is known as a faithful man of God, yet those whom he taught deserted him during the time
he needed them the most
but all deserted me
f) Personal note on actual life
If it happened to Paul, what more kadatayo that are young at faith. We will, at some point in
our life experience it too. And nu man mapasamak kadatayo daytoy ket may we be reminded
of the following truths laid out by Apostle Paul.

II. WHY DOES GOD ALLOW PEOPLE TO LEAVE US?

Let’s say Christian People, our friends and brethren.

a. To separate the goat from the sheep v.9-10
(Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world,
has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica)

*Demas: He had been one of Paul's closest associates along with Luke and Epaphras
(Col 4:14).
Isuna ket kasla weather-weather lang, nu mayat ti init, napudot met ti panagsirbi na,
ngem nu umayen ti bagyo ket mapan metten aglemmeng. His kind are described by our
Lord in in the Parable of the Sower Mat_13:20-21
The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and
immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only
temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word,
immediately he falls away.

*having loved this present world: out of fear, and discomfort, He chose to live and love
the word. 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone
loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

*Thessalonica: Free City (This name was also given to those cities subject to the
Romans, which were permitted to enjoy their own laws, and elect their own magistrates.)

Demas deserted the apostle to embrace the safety, freedom, or comfort of Thessalonica.
Once commentator even said that if Jesus had Judas, Paul had Demas.

Young People, expect that this may also happen in your ministry. Not everyone will
support you. Not everyone will be with you. You may even be left alone especially when
things get tougher. Never, never, and never compromise your faith in exchange to the
comforts that this world can offer. The ultimate test of true Christianity is endurance
during difficult situations. (1 John 2:19, Mark 13:13)
They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us,
they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be evident
that they all are not of us.

And you will be hated by everyone because of My name, but it is the one who has
endured to the end who will be saved.

b. To send people to fulfill the commission v. 10b, 12a

Hindi lahat negative ano. Sometimes, as part of our Christian growth and spiritual
maturity, we also need to be independent and serve in other ministries. Hindi na tayo bata
na kailangan may kasama lagi sa kahit anong gawin natin. It is also high time for us to
fulfill our commission. What is our great commission again? (Matthew 28:19-20) to
evangelize and make disciples.
 Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. But I have sent Tychicus to
Ephesus. In contrast to Demas, Crescens, Titus and Tychicus must have been faithful
and dependable, since Paul sent them to the Roman provinces in central Asia Minor.

Paul discipled them, and taught them. It is also time for them to apply what they learned.
Luke 10:2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his
harvest.

Sometimes serving the Lord can become scary nya, especially ta haan nga amin nga tao
ket receptive of the gospel. But fear not kakabsat because we have the power of the Holy
Spirit.

I admire you here in Palina. You are very active in various ministries and it is amazing.
You have so many opportunities to apply what is being fed to you by your elders, pastors
and leaders. Itultuloy yu. And those na haan pain aka experience, if there are, be like
Isaiah. Nu damagen ni Pastor Marvin, nu sino ti mapan ti kastoy kasjay, kunam Here I
am, Send Me!

c. To summon believers in our aid v.9, v.11b

Kunada garud, when one door closes, another opens enya.

Make every effort to come to me soon
Take along Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.
No one knows if Timothy and Mark was able to reach Paul before his death ngem Makita
tayo how God works in filling the needs of his children.

Subconclusion: There are various reasons why God allows People to leave us some
negative, some positive isu nga kunan ni Paul ditoy verse 16: At my first defense no one
supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.

Kasla metlang ken Stephen idi ububeren da isuna ti bato nga kinunana, “Apo, dimo
koma ipabasol daytoy kadakuada.”

Whatever the reason as God seest fit ket haan tayo kuma nga usaren as hindrance in our
faith and ministrie nu di ket aramiden tayo nga challenge.

I want us to remember…

III. WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE US?

a. When we feel forsaken, God always remains v. 17a

(No mariknatayo a pinanawan datayo, kanayon nga agtalinaed ti Dios)
But the Lord stood with me
Though all “men” forsook me, yet “God” did not. This expresses a universal truth in
regard to the faithfulness of God. Isu daytoy ti fulfillment ti kari ni Apo Diyos since the
of testament to the new that He will never leave us nor forsake us. It reminds us that
though others may forsake us, God never will.
 Deuteronomy 31:6. Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or in dread of them,
for the Lord your God is the One who is going with you. He will not desert you or
abandon you.
Matthew 28:20b: behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age
Hebrews 13:5 for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Kakabsat, even when all else will not be there for us, adda nga kanayun ni Apo Diyos
kadatayo. Nu ti tao kaya na nga ibati ti ayayaten na, ti pamilya na wennu gagayyem na.
Ni Apo Diyos ket haan. Uray sadino papapanam, adda nga kanayun isuna iti sibay mo.
What a wonderful truth.

b. When we feel forlorn, God always reassures v. 17b

(No mariknatayo a naliday, kanayon nga patalgeden datayo ti Dios)
Not only was God stood with Paul, He also strengthened him and rescued him.
And strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully
accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the
lion’s mouth.
Haan daytoy nga jay tao nga paspasurot lang nga kanayun without any benefit wennu jay
kuto ti aso nga kanayun nga kumuyog iti dingwen ngem awan mt maited na nga nasayaat.
No! God is with us gapu ta isuna ti source ti pigsa ken comfort tayo. At times that we are
in despair wennu dagiti naduma duma nga challenges or trials, God reassures us of His
faithfulness to His children.

Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Kuna ni
Apostle Paul ditoy, I may be in Jail but God gives me strength to endure.

In times of uncertainty and doubt, God offers us reassurance nga haan datayo bay-bay-an.
John 14:16-17
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you
forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither
sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you”

Anian a nagpintas a palagip! Saannatayo a baybay-an ti Dios tapno agmaymaysatayo iti

biag. Imbes ketdi, ti Espiritu Santo ti mangiwanwan, mangliwliwa, ken mangibabaet
kadatayo.

c. When we feel forgotten, God always remembers v.18

Ditoy kakabsak ket nu pay man, nalipatan san dagiti gagayyem ni Pablo isuna gapo ta
agmaymaysa isuna nga nangsango iti panaka-usig na ket haan daytoy naawanan iti
namnama.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His
heavenly kingdom
He believed that the Lord will always remember His promises. On the basis of the Lord's
present work—strengthening Paul and standing with him - Paul had hope for the Lord's
future work. He knew God would deliver him from all temptations and plots against him.
Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in
ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who rescued us from so great a danger of
 death, and will rescue us, He [c]on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet
deliver us, (2Cor 1:9-10)

Dakkel iti pammati ni Paul iti kabaelan ni Apo Diyos. And so should we.
Kakabsat, If you are struggling today, remember God has not forgotten you. He has
engraved you on the palms of his hands (Isaiah 49:15–16).
He will walk with you through every dark valley. The God who has numbered every hair
on your head and knows every sparrow that falls to the ground is aware of every detail of
your situation.

The Scriptures contain a grand total of 8,810 promises.

And God remembers them all.
When we feel forgotten, let us take comfort in the fact that God remembers us

IV. CONCLUSION:
Just as Paul continued to minister alone, itultuloy tayo ladta kuma nga agserbi kenni Apo uray nu
dumteng dagiti tiempo nga awan ti namnamaen tayo nga kadwa tayo because God is always with
us to empower us and sustain us.

Story of a boy and his bike.

Lesson: It is not what we have that counts but who is with us.

Closing Prayer