Come Quickly: Making Ready for Christ's Return

Devotional

Day 1: Come quickly; make ready before winter comes.

Paul's last words to Timothy are an urgent call to action: do your best to come quickly, for seasons change and opportunities close. He names those who fell away and those who stood by him, reminding listeners that allegiance matters when winter comes. This passage charges each person to attend to what is essential now, not later, and to prepare practically for the days ahead. [48:36]

2 Timothy 4:9-22 (ESV)
9 Do your best to come to me soon. 10 For Demas, because he loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. 12 Tychicus I sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered out of the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus at Miletus sick. 21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers. 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

Reflection: What is one responsibility or relationship you have been postponing that must be tended before "winter" arrives? Write the next concrete step you will take this week to begin making it ready.

Day 2: Christ's promise: I am with you always.

Jesus' final assurance—"lo, I am with you alway"—is the anchor of Advent and every day of life. That presence is claimed publicly in baptism and experienced privately in the routine and the hardest hours; it is the comforter who stays with the faithful. Let this promise shape how one lives, works, and endures, remembering that God’s nearness is not seasonal but constant. [01:03:51]

Matthew 28:20 (KJV)
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Reflection: In which mundane moment this week do you most need to recall Jesus' nearness? Choose a 3–5 minute practice you will do at that moment to remind yourself that Christ is with you.

Day 3: Baptism publicly declares God's presence and belonging.

Baptism is the outward testimony that one belongs to Christ and claims His promised presence and guidance. Standing in the baptismal pool is a public saying, "I love Jesus," a pledge to lean on God for understanding and to be guarded and led all the days of life. This sacrament joins the memory of the dove and the voice from heaven to the believer’s daily walk. [21:50]

Matthew 3:13-17 (KJV)
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Reflection: If you have not publicly affirmed your faith through baptism, what single barrier keeps you from doing so? Identify one tangible step you will take in the next 30 days toward making that public declaration.

Day 4: Go now: share the gospel with urgency.

The Great Commission compels action—going, teaching, baptizing—not comfortable passivity. Going can look like giving, teaching, baking cookies for a neighbor, or sitting down with someone who needs to hear the gospel; it is more than money, it is presence and witness. The church's outreach—shoeboxes, offerings, missions—is a sign that Christians are to be Jesus' hands and feet in immediate, practical ways. [01:20:15]

Matthew 28:19 (KJV)
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Reflection: Name one specific person in your immediate "Jerusalem" you will intentionally reach this month and describe one concrete action you will take to share Christ with them (invite, bring a meal, offer to pray, give a shoebox).

Day 5: Jesus will come; the hour is unknown.

Advent presses the church to prepare now because the time of the Lord’s return is not revealed. This urgency is not meant to frighten but to purify priorities—renew relationship, let character reflect Christ, remove clutter, and prepare the way in the wilderness. Living ready means letting daily habits and choices bear witness to expectancy and hope. [01:22:57]

Matthew 24:36 (KJV)
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Reflection: What clutter or habit must you remove so you can "prepare the way" for Christ this Advent? List one habit you will stop and one spiritual practice you will begin this season to make room for Him.

Sermon Summary

Today began in the waters. We remembered Jesus stepping into the Jordan, and we rejoiced as Molly stepped into the baptistry to say with her life, “I love Jesus.” That visible confession set the tone for everything that followed: faith is public, embodied, and urgent.

Then we turned to Paul’s last recorded words in 2 Timothy 4. They’re not polished quotes; they’re a window into a seasoned disciple taking stock of friendship and failure, warmth and harm, loneliness and the Lord’s nearness. “Bring my cloak… bring the parchments… get Mark.” “Alexander did me harm.” “Everyone deserted me… but the Lord stood by me.” And at the heart: “Do your best to come before winter.” There’s a clock in this text—ice is coming, lanes will close, and if Timothy waits, he’ll miss his window.

I shared the picture of closing up our family’s summer cottage on Lake George: shutters on, tools lifted, the bubbler humming so the dock won’t freeze in. You don’t do those things in February; you do them now. Advent is that kind of season. We look back to the Child in the manger, we live now with the Comforter’s presence, and we look ahead to the King who will come again. We don’t know the hour, but we know the assignment: make ready.

So how do we prepare? First, within: renew your relationship with Jesus. When the noise fades—and it will—what remains is your life with God. Even an undertaker’s arithmetic reminds us not to live for applause that rain can cancel. Second, outwardly: our words, work, and treatment of people are not extras. They are the sermon most people will ever hear. Character is how the world learns what we believe about Christ. Third, mission: go now. Our church is giving, sending, serving—but this is more than budgets and boxes. It’s neighbors, classrooms, teams, workplaces—the highways and hedges. If the first Advent matters to us, and the Spirit’s daily presence sustains us, then love compels us to tell others he is coming again—and to live ready.

So I invited you to respond: to say yes to Jesus, to baptism, to renewal, to a life that goes. Come before winter. Make ready now.

Key Takeaways

1. Come before winter: urgent Advent readiness Advent isn’t a countdown to nostalgia; it’s a clock reminding us that some doors won’t stay open forever. Paul’s “come before winter” tells us preparation can’t be postponed without consequence. Obedience delayed often becomes obedience denied. If God is prompting you, the time is now. [55:37]
2. Begin within: renew your relationship Preparation starts in the quiet place where you and God tell the truth to each other. Without a living heart-connection, activity becomes noise and service becomes burnout. Advent asks us to clear the clutter and recover our first love—today, not someday. [67:22]
3. Character preaches louder than pulpits Most people will read our lives before they read a Bible. Language, work ethic, kindness, and integrity either confirm or contradict our confession. Advent readiness looks like a life so reshaped by grace that people sense God’s nearness through how we treat them. [72:11]
4. Go now—mission starts where you live “Go into all the world” includes your street, your school, your job, and the places you avoid. Comfort is the enemy of calling; delay drains courage. Advent pushes us out of our seats and into our communities with good news that has both words and hands. [75:03]
5. Hope moves us to preparation Christian hope isn’t wishful thinking; it’s confidence that the One who came will come again. That certainty doesn’t make us passive; it makes us purposeful. We light candles and also light the way—for ourselves and for those who are searching in the dark. [66:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[21:04] - Molly’s baptism and prayer
[22:23] - Call to Scripture: 2 Timothy 4
[48:36] - Why last words matter
[50:05] - Paul’s final requests and relationships
[55:37] - “Come before winter”: urgency explained
[56:29] - Lake cottage story: preparing for winter
[61:38] - Advent’s three comings of Christ
[67:22] - Readiness begins in the heart
[71:43] - Outward life and character that witness
[75:03] - Go now: mission here and beyond
[78:58] - The cost of not going
[81:21] - Advent reflections and next steps
[83:30] - Prayer of commitment and sending
[92:43] - Announcements and benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
2 Timothy 4:9–22
9 Do your best to come to me soon. 10 For Demas, because he loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 12 Tychicus I sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and Trophimus I left at Miletus sick. 21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers. 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.

Observation questions

What specific requests does Paul make of Timothy (people to bring, things to send), and what do those requests reveal about Paul’s immediate practical and ministry needs?
Which people does Paul name as deserting him and which does he name as faithful or helpful? What patterns of loyalty and usefulness appear in the list?
What concrete examples of “making ready before winter” are given in the sermon (cottage shutters, storing items, leaving the bubbler on), and how do those examples help explain the urgency of Paul’s request? [56:29]
The sermon describes three “comings” of Christ (the manger, the daily presence of the Spirit, the final coming). What are those three comings, and how do they relate to Advent readiness? [01:01:38]

Interpretation questions

How does Paul’s command “Do your best to come before winter” shape an understanding of timely obedience and urgency in Christian life (not merely future hope but present action)?
Paul says “the Lord stood by me” after everyone deserted him. How should this assurance shape a believer’s response when facing loneliness, desertion, or apparent failure?
The cottage metaphor is used to show practical, seasonal preparation. How does that image clarify what “renew your relationship with Jesus” looks like in everyday practices and priorities? [56:29]
The claim that “character preaches louder than pulpits” links behavior to witness. How should a congregation honestly evaluate whether its everyday character is effectively communicating the gospel to its neighborhood and workplace? [01:12:11]

Application questions

There is a Biblical call to “come before winter” — where might God be urging you to act now rather than later? Name one concrete step you will take this week toward that. [55:37]
Renewal begins within. What one spiritual habit (daily Scripture, regular confession, a fixed time of prayer, a brief Sabbath practice) will you begin or restore to deepen your relationship with Jesus? When will you start? [01:07:22]
Character matters in everyday life. Identify one specific habit of speech, work, or relationship you will change so others sense Christ through you (for example: a kindness you will practice, a truth you will stop excusing, a work-ethic improvement). What is the first concrete action you will take? [01:12:11]
Mission begins where you live. Name one person, place, or context (neighbor, coworker, team, classroom) where you will intentionally “go now.” What will you do there in the next 30 days? [01:15:03]
If public confession or baptism is the next step in your walk with Christ, will you take it? What obstacles keep you from saying “I love Jesus” publicly this week, and how can someone in the group help you move forward? [21:04]
Hope should move us to practical preparation. Choose one Advent discipline (lighting a weekly Advent candle with a short family/devotional reflection, weekly fasting from a distraction, a weekly intentional act of service) you will adopt to keep hope active. When will you begin? [01:06:42]

(Use these questions to guide about 60–75 minutes of discussion. Start with the Bible reading, spend time in observation, move to interpretation, and finish with application commitments.)

Sermon Clips

It is almost a stream of consciousness writing. He writes and he tells us of those who have fallen by the wayside. Those who were in ministry and left. I think I told you that about a month ago, I talked with a peer who had announced his retirement, and it was his last Sunday, and he called me to tell me about all the things that had happened, and one of the things that we spent the most time about was all those who started with us as pastors, as preachers, going to school, going to seminary, and how few of us there were at the end. [00:52:18] (49 seconds) #FaithfulFewRemain

Then Paul talked about standing on trial, and everybody left him. No one was there to support him, but begging the Lord, begging the Lord that this not be held against them because of the difficult days. He talked about the harm that some had done, and then he said, please tell the people, Pucilla and Aquila, send them my greetings, and please know that those who are here with me send greetings to you. To him be the glory forever and ever. [00:53:17] (43 seconds) #ToGodBeTheGlory

And then for today, I want you to see this. That there is urgency in his words. Scholars tell us that through some of the dating mechanisms that they find in this letter, this letter was written in late fall, early, late fall, early winter. It would take a few weeks for this letter to be delivered. It would take a few weeks for Timothy to get to him. Ice was coming. Not just winter. Ice that would shut down the shipping lanes, the traveling lanes. And he would not be able to get to him until spring. So there is urgency in Paul's words. [00:54:23] (59 seconds) #UrgentAdvent

But it was a cottage. There's no insulation in it. There's no heating system. There's no cooling system. The first cottage did not have indoor plumbing. The second one does. Thank you. That it does. I'm glad he saw the wisdom in doing that. But it is a summer cottage. And so when I went to the lake in the fall because I love being on the lake in New England fall time. I love being on the lake in the fall. I had to get there to make preparations for winter. [00:57:59] (45 seconds) #WinterizeTheCottage

And so our foundation when you walk down our steps you can actually see into the basement because there are points of contact and then there are some open places where the water can run through. And when it runs through into our basement during the winter it will freeze. And our basement is downstairs that is open has all of the stuff that we use during the summer and all of my grandfather's tools and everything has to be propped up so when that water goes by and it freezes it will not ruin them so they can't be sitting on the ground. [00:59:24] (48 seconds) #ProtectYourFoundations

The pump has to be taken care of. The electricity has to be arranged so that there's only one outlet on because we keep an outlet on on the dock because we we plug in a bubbler a bubbler just has a little fin that goes like this in the water about at that speed it keeps the water moving so that the ice will stay away from the dock. [01:00:13] (26 seconds) #KeepWaterMoving

So you see I have to go up and spend about a day making ready and making preparations for winter. That's what Paul is doing in this letter. He is saying come quickly and you have to do it now you have to make ready because winter is coming. Come now. Come now. The season of Advent is about making ready about making preparations about things happening not next week not next month not next year but making preparations now. [01:00:38] (49 seconds) #MakeReadyNow

God loved his children so much and he had sent prophets he had sent messengers he had sent mighty acts that cannot be defined in words like the massive exodus like taking care of the children of Israel Israel when they spent 40 years in the desert or when they crossed the Red Sea or when they won great battles that God had done all of this and yet the scripture tells us that in our hearts we the people turned away from God and so in God's plan he knew that we would do this he decided that he would send his son his one and only son into the world to offer to us a chance of salvation. [01:01:54] (61 seconds) #GodSentHisSon

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