The Second Epistle to Timothy

… tonight is from Paul's second letter to Timothy, the whole of chapter 1. If my memory serves me well, or more particularly if my records are accurate, the last time I was in this area I took up some of the cardinal features of the pastoral epistles, themes which are developed in 1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy and Titus. It seems reasonable that building upon that we should spend time this week, if the Lord will, on Paul's second letter to Timothy. Also, since four evening sessions are available, it's not unreasonable to look at an epistle where we can give something of a survey of four chapters. Many of you are youngish Christians, but you can't make any excuses on that account. If you begin at Acts 14 with the preaching of the Gospel at Lystra and Derby, and follow through every reference sequentially to the last reference of Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 4, you'll find that while there's steady, unspectacular, consistent progress, he hadn't really been a Christian any longer than most, if not all of us. So this record has been left in Holy Scripture as a guide as to where we should be at least as believers on our Lord Jesus Christ. Gift varies, rate of progress varies, but if any of us have been believers for several years, looking around, I see no reason to doubt that. The things that are said by way of instruction and challenge to Timothy are relevant to us. And those of us who are longer in the tooth than that, it's a very good reminder of things that we should have learned and applied and should be encouraging other younger believers to follow. So there's something in for us all, brother and sister alike. Chapter 1 begins, as many epistles do, with Paul's assertion of his apostleship. God gave him a special job to do. He's called an apostle because God sent him with messages for the Lord's people, which is what an apostle is, a sent one. But while we take account of that, let's just think in passing, first of all, how men generally regarded Paul, and then we'll think of what God takes account of in Paul. The local populace who knew about him would consider, first of all, that he was what they would call a political prisoner, which is unlikely to affect you and me. More particularly, those who knew anything at all about him would regard him as a religious turncoat. He'd been a very influential, powerful Jew, read the history in the book of Acts, and then suddenly, instead of rooting out and securing the imprisonment, or worse, of those who named Christ as saviour, he turned completely around and he was now the foremost protagonist of the Christian Gospel at that time. And God, by the Holy Spirit, has preserved for 2,000 years almost, this record where Paul is directed by the Holy Spirit to speak of himself in this special way. Underlying all this is the fact, read 2 Corinthians 11, the catalogue of things that the Apostle Paul suffered because he'd become a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a staggering catalogue of things that he suffered. But implicit in what Paul says to Timothy about himself is this. He's going to go into the detail, but he says, Timothy, I've trodden the way before. God has preserved me through thick and thin. When many things might have been well calculated to dissuade me from being a committed Christian, God has sustained me through everything. And the God who has sustained me will sustain you. He knew, what we learn from scripture, that Timothy was a relatively timid person with a tender constitution the kind that might easily be put off. We all vary, don't we? Some of us thrive on encouragement. Some of us thrive on gentle leading. Some of us have such a perverse temperament that we positively thrive on opposition. Whatever our personal inclination, God brings the kind of experience into our lives that if we make good use of it, it will bring us through as God brought Paul through and as he brought Timothy through. Now, in his salutation here, he says to Timothy, my dearly beloved son. Very good. When you see a special bond between an older believer and a younger believer, most of us, if we've been around it any length of time at all, can look back and give thanks to the Lord that in our formative years there was an older believer, mature, wise, with the wisdom that comes from experience, that gave us the right kind of encouragement at the right way and looking back we'll say, well, if it hadn't been for the Lord's provision in that godly man, godly woman, where would I be now? And Timothy had that sort of bond, accentuated by the fact that Paul evidently had been used to bring the young man, Timothy, to the Lord. He says we have this special spiritual bond. I was allowed of God to be your spiritual father and we've been helpful to one another ever since. And he goes into this. And in verses 3 to 6, he goes over some of the happy memories that Paul had of Timothy. We all have memories and if we are discerning, we can have happy memories of the way the Lord has led us from the first day we trusted Christ as saviour until now. One of the major issues in 2nd Timothy is that the Lord is coming soon. We haven't much time left and increasingly as the Lord's coming draws near, things are going to get worse rather than better. And when times are tough and things are difficult, one of the Lord's mercies to us is that he preserves in our thoughts memories of good experiences of the Lord and happy fellowship with those who are like-minded that will stand us in good stead in evil days. The Lord is merciful. He brings back to our memory, not that we are always sighing for the good old days as men speak of it, but if we are discerning, we store up treasured memories of spiritual blessing, good relationships, good fellowship with those who are like-minded and the Lord uses them to encourage us in difficult days. One of the things that Timothy had to give thanks for was that he'd had the right sort of encouragement from his earliest days. Grandmother, mother and then himself. Some of you, I know, had godly grandparents, godly parents and you've chosen to follow the good example that they set you. I used to live in Cheshire, geographically, for 20 years, just over the border from Lancashire where all the cotton mills were. And there was a well-known saying then, which is known nationally, internationally, a sad tale. Clogs to clogs in three generations. You'll have heard the expression. You know what it means? Someone, clogs, were worn by the lower social and financial orders. A cotton worker, starting from nothing, labouring with clogs on his feet. Worked hard, did well, made progress, finished up very successful man. Influential, powerful, rich and he'd had, he'd built up a great business and he appreciated where he'd come from, which was nothing. His son, second generation, perhaps a very small boy when his father began to build the business up. He knew the origins of his father and he appreciated it to some extent, but he hadn't gone through it himself. Hadn't quite been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he'd enjoyed blessings that he personally hadn't worked for. But some measure of appreciation. He had a son, third generation. His father, by the time the grandson was born, his father, well-heeled, well-clothed, affluent, enjoying what the grandfather had worked hard for. Sad to say, the grandson, who knew nothing about what it was to work his way up from nothing, dissipated the result of the grandfather's hard work. And so much so, as his grandfather had started with nothing, the grandson finished with nothing, back to labouring in clogs. A sorry historical picture, isn't it? Happened many times. Paul says to Timothy, I'm glad in your case there isn't this spiritual counterpart of that, but be warned, Timothy, be warned, you and me. If some of us have had the benefit of godly grandparents and parents who to some measure knew the pit from which they'd been dug, or let the grandchildren, the third generation, beware, in case we throw overboard what grandparents worked so hard to build up spiritually. It's a telling lesson, isn't it? We live in a day where spiritually clogs have gone to clogs in three generations. Now Paul says to Timothy, I'm persuaded better things of you. Godly grandmother, godly mother, they showed you the way that was right and you followed their good example. And he says, keep going in that. I move down now to verse six. Oh yes. There are some things that are beyond passing from generation to generation. Encouragement, devotion, appreciation. Yes, very good. But if God is going to give you a work to do for him, he will implant within you a gift, some capacity to work for him in the name of your saviour. See, there are some things that are not a matter of natural generation or inheritance. If God wants you to do something for him, he will give you a personal gift which needs to be encouraged, yes, but it needs to be developed. And in natural things, we know all about atrophy. If you don't use it, you lose it. It's even more true in spiritual things than it is in natural, secular or business things. So, God, Paul says, God has given you something, a capacity to take in and develop and mature and you owe it to your Lord and saviour to put to good use what he has given you to enjoy for yourself. Now, he says, what resources are available? Verse six he says, by the way, he says, I'll be very quick to recognise and to identify where that gift is developing. I'll be very happy to give you opportunities. I've noticed often these happy relationships between an older believer and a younger believer where you have that happy blend of mature experience and youthful vigour, how useful it is in the work of the Lord. And Paul says, I'll give you all the encouragement you need, but he says, the resources that you will need to employ come from on high, from heaven itself. God has not given us this spirit of cowardice. He knew that Timothy was a relatively timid man, but he says, he's given us power, love and sound mind or wise discretion. No time now. If you want to know, well, if you want to consider a development of what's involved in this verse, power, love, wise discretion in Christian terms, as with many other things, you'll have to turn to the epistle that tells us so much about the Christian assembly. And assembly principles. If you look at 1 Corinthians chapter 12, you'll read about the gifts that God makes available. If you look at chapter 13, you'll see the love that motivates everything. And if you look at chapter 14, you'll see how the gifts with which God endows individuals and local companies and in a larger sphere, how these gifts have to be used with wise discretion. Happy title or subtitle this over chapters 12, 13 and 14 of 1 Corinthians, power, love and wise discretion. Now, those resources are there. And in verse 8 he says, be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God. Or Timothy Paul says, the more you are committed to serve the Lord, the purer your motives, the greater your commitment to do what is right, the more you can be sure there'd be opposition. There'll be misunderstanding. People will misconstrue your motives. They'll say nasty things about you in a stage whisper, making sure that you're here, even though they're talking to somebody else. And the nearer we get to the coming of the Lord, the more this will be so. Discouragement to those who commit themselves to doing what is right in line with Holy Scripture. But he says, if this day, the present period, if this day is going to be a dark day, one of the things that will keep you going is the recognition of what's going to happen in that day. It's a special term, especially in 2nd Timothy. That day, the day when God will reveal everything in its true colours. The day when God will make plain his assessment of what you're doing. When the Lord Jesus Christ, your Lord and Saviour, will have taken account, at the judgement seat of Christ, of everything that you've done for him. And he will bring that into universal display. Or Timothy Paul says, you will get opposition, you will get discouragement. It won't always be easy, just the reverse. But when it gets difficult in this day, you bear in mind that day in view of which you're serving the Lord at the present time. Now we'll just have a little touch on verse 9. Yes, verse 9 is very important. When we first start reading Scripture, many things puzzle us. One of the things is this kind of thing. Notice, verse 9 says, God has saved us and called us with an holy calling. Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace. Now, hidden in that verse is a marvellous truth. When we first trust the Saviour, we are saved and we know it and we are delighted, ready for heaven while living upon earth. It may well be some time after that, before we begin to realise that there are greater matters involved than my being saved, wonderful though it is. And we begin to realise that certain dignities have been conferred upon us, we who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is referred to here as a calling. While I read many translations to get help in study, I'm glad that our simple English version lends itself to the kind of alliteration that makes it easy for us to remember things. This calling of God, this dignity that God has conferred upon us, it's spoken of as a heavenly calling, it's called a high calling, and here it's called a holy calling. And there's much food if we like to consider them. It's a mercy that we are allowed to enjoy the forgiveness of sins, knowing the Lord is our Saviour, finding his help as a friend and shepherd, we are allowed to enjoy that and then we begin to appreciate some of the deeper truths of Christianity. That's the way we grow into it. But if you look later in the verse, there's another expression, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace. Now this is looking at things from the other end. God's purpose, if you'll excuse the exactitude of this, to me, the purpose of God in Scripture is always spoken of in the singular, never in the plural. I might in a loose way or believers might talk about the purposes of God. Scripture speaks of one. God has ever had one thing in mind, the glory of his well-beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and our association with him as his companion, as his bride. Christ, the mystery concerning Christ and the Church. Everything else is geared to that end. This is what God has in mind. But in order that his purpose might be brought to fruition, it's needed the exercise of God's grace, free unmerited favour, if that purpose is to be brought to pass. Now in this one verse, we look at it from both ends. First of all, he says God has saved us and called us. That's our way into it. This is on the line of apprehension. We grow in that way. Happy are we when we begin to notice in Scripture, God telling us things as a matter of revelation. And purpose and grace in that order are a matter of revelation. God telling us what he's done and why that he's done it. But the way we grow into it responsibly is on the line of apprehension. Just a little thing, but very well worth noticing. Verse 12, we get Paul's personal conviction. There are many verses in Scripture where we might say, oh, that's normal Christian experience. Very good. But there are many things we can't learn in a crowd. Has to be gone in for personally, individually, without leaning on any props. God provides us props when we are weak. But God provides us with props or crutches so that as we develop strength, we don't need the props. And sometimes we don't like it when the props, the crutches are taken out the way. It would be a sad thing, wouldn't it, if I broke my leg and that I have to spend the rest of my life on a crutch because the leg never gained its full strength. It's even more sad spiritually if we never develop the kind of spiritual stamina and strength that means that even if the Lord chooses to remove the crutches, the props, we are still able to go on committed to the Lord to be well pleasing to him. Well, Paul had this personal commitment, verse 12, look at the detail, meditate about it, in particular this point that it's not something that he can say of Timothy. Paul can say it of himself like just one example in Philippians, for to me to live is Christ. Paul couldn't say that on behalf of the Philippians. The Philippians had to decide whether they had the commitment to say it on their own behalf. There are many things like that. We can enjoy it in company with others who have gone the same road but only if we've gone that road as an individual for ourselves. Well, he says, there will be discouragement, there will be opposition without dwelling on it. Verse 15, this thou knowest. Oh yes, in verse 12 he says, I know. He's gone through it himself but he has to say, now you know certain things that if God is working in you, the devil will also try to undo that work. He says, so beware. Take account of the opposition and make sure your personal commitment to the Lord will see you through the darkest days. In between, verse 13, he says, how are you going to do it? What do we say to the little ones? Read your Bible, pray every day. We need to say that to one another every time we meet each other. The major resource in helping us to resist the evil in the dark days before the coming of the Lord is to gain, as from God, from the Scriptures, in the power of the Holy Spirit, what he speaks of as an outline of sound words. In other words, personally in my bonnet, I suppose, I would say, generally speaking, if you are aware of someone that's trusted the Lord, soundly say, no doubt about that, I would say, within about two years, you will be able to discern whether there will be anything or nothing in the Lord's work. There are exceptions. But generally speaking, if we really love the Lord, if we study the Scriptures and get an understanding of the framework of the teaching, the doctrine of God, within about two years, we should be beginning to be useful servants of the Lord in one way or another. We don't all serve in the same way, we don't all have public offices to fill, we don't all have the same level of prominence. But there'll be something that the Lord gives you to do that you'll do with commitment. And of course, while I say this about you, you can say it about me. If I've really handed myself over lock, stock and barrel to the Lord within a couple of years, provided I'm given the right sort of encouragement from older believers, they've helped me to understand how I can take in edifying ministry and apply it in my own life, I'd say again, within a couple of years. It will become obvious whether I'm going to be anything or nothing in the service of God. Well, Timothy, if you read that chronological sequence, you'll find that he certainly developed that way. The last few verses, just a few moments. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus. Paul's talking to Timothy, but he doesn't hesitate to bring in a mention of other people that Paul has had his eye on and who've been a help to Paul, and Paul gives open thanks. Not ashamed to give credit where it's due. Now, this is not a prayer for the dead when he says, the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day. This is not a prayer, it's a statement of fact. He says, Onesiphorus, good friend of mine, provided hospitality whenever I was in the area, wasn't ashamed that he was housing, being hospitable to someone who was a public disgrace and even a jailbird. How would you feel if you volunteered to be hospitable, provide hospitality for the preacher that's coming next week and he was a well-known jailbird? How comfortable would you feel with the neighbours, having that sort of person in your house, on your visiting list? Onesiphorus didn't mind. Where he was put was for the work of the Lord. I'm delighted to give him the right hand of fellowship and provide hospitality. And Paul says, well, whether it was in his home, whether it was in Rome, wherever it was, he sought me out. And he says, a statement of fact. In that day, the day when everything will be declared for exactly what it is, the Lord will reward him in that day. That's all there's time for tonight. Trust the outline will be a help. For those who are younger, a guide as to the way we are to go. For those of us who are older, a reminder of things that we should have had by personal experience and should now be passing them on to others. For the moment, let us sing our closing hymn, number 52. …

… On the first of four sessions we hope to spend together, and in part because there are four sessions available, we are hoping to look at the four chapters of Paul's second letter to Timothy. And last night we looked at chapter one. There isn't time to recapitulate, but I understand a recording of last night's meeting is available for those who wish to hear what was said. I think it's right that even though it's a fairly lengthy chapter, I think it's right to read the Word of God. So let us read 2 Timothy chapter 2. Last night then we looked at chapter one. The last known epistle written by the Apostle Paul. Written to a younger believer to pass on godly counsel, to provide edifying instruction, and to issue various challenges. Looking around, I would say almost all of us, potentially at least, should be in the position of being classified as Timothys, Christian Timothys. And we look further tonight into what that involves. Some of us are at the stage where we should have been living with Timothian features, exemplifying them for many years. We do well to take stock as to whether we've forgotten things that we should have been practising for many years. The epistle was written about two-thirds of the way through the first century AD, about thirty years after the Lord died and rose again. There'd been time for Christianity to become established, and the various features that mark any group of people who do things together had begun to emerge. It was with great foresight that the epistle was written because so early, perhaps a generation after the Lord died and rose again, pointing out features that would be particularly true immediately before the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ. If that was true then, nineteen and a third centuries ago, it's even more true now, that we can expect the scriptures, as in every place, to be entirely topical to our own situation. Because Christianity had been around several years now, he begins by speaking of what we might term four spiritual generations. He speaks of himself, me. He speaks of Timothy, thou. He speaks of faithful men and he speaks of others also. When he speaks of himself, he's speaking of what is common to the apostolic band, the generation of those first-generation believers who were commissioned by the Lord, sent out by the Lord to act on his behalf. Following closely behind them, there were what we might term the Apostles' Delegates, not commissioned immediately by the Lord himself, but those who received their commission from the Apostles themselves, who had first-hand intimate knowledge of the Lord Jesus. And it's fair to speak of these, this second generation, in a special way, as Apostles' Delegates. Timothy was one, Titus was another, and so on. Thankfully, that generation of Apostles' Delegates did their job so well, that they were enabled to pass on to a third generation, who proved themselves to be faithful men. And then it is considered, I don't like the word inevitable, but it is certainly considered right to point out that the conditions immediately before the Lord comes, the Apostles have gone, the Apostles' Delegates have gone, and faithful men, generally speaking, were in the past. And if it was true in the days of Timothy to speak of a generation, it's certainly true now, we must be in the days of the others also. So he speaks of these four spiritual generations. There is every instruction available that whatever our gender, male or female, whatever our age, whatever our present stage of development, there is enough resource in Scripture, there is sufficient power in the Holy Spirit to make good the truth of God in our souls, to enable us to meet every commitment, every challenge that Paul issued to Timothy. Of course, there is instruction as to how these four generations might move on. The Apostles were beginning to go off the scene. No doubt Paul was one of the last of them. And then after him, perhaps another 30 years afterwards, John went to be with the Lord, the Apostle John. But before he goes off the scene, he leaves these instructions as to the need to go on, the need to continue in the things that they knew to be true and how in fact they were to equip themselves to respond to the exhortation. Now we move on from that to verses three to six with the well-known similes. Paul says to Timothy, being a Christian is like being a soldier. Being a Christian is like being an athlete. Being a Christian is like being a farmer. He takes these up one at a time. And he says, as to being a soldier, he says, you will need to endure hardness or hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Now I understand that the word there, when it says endure, it means taking your share. When it gets tough and rough, as it does, are you willing to take your share in taking the strain, sharing the burden? Oh yes. On behalf of the Lord, you're his representative. But when the trouble comes along, are you willing to stand your ground as a good soldier or do you want to disappear into the crowd and be right on the verge of things? I'm interested in speaking of this, that in verse four he says, no man that woreth. First Corinthians chapter nine, the last few verses about 24 to 28. Paul says, you know, being a Christian, it's not like shadow boxing. It's the real thing. It's the bout itself. And when he takes up this similar thought here, he says, this is no training camp. It's the real thing. You're in a war. And he says, the overriding impulse of a good soldier, whose where he is for the right reason, is to please the one who commissioned him to enter the war, enter the battle on his behalf. I was slightly embarrassed. I've been asked the question before, but some time ago, a very old Christian gentleman, had been taking some meetings, something like this, and afterwards he said, are you full time? How do I answer without being facetious? I said what I hope any of us would say. I hope before the Lord, I've been full time since I trusted the Lord as my saviour. Being a soldier of Jesus Christ is not a part-time occupation. It affects every department of our life. I've been interested and a little saddened lately to learn some very good friends of mine who affirm most strongly that what they believe should affect every department of their life. And when they go into detail, they are absolutely certain that what the Word of God says should affect their personal life. It should affect their family life. It should affect their professional life. But sadly, they stop there. I would have thought that as well as our personal lives and family lives and business lives, it seems obvious that most of all it should affect our ecclesiastical lives, the way we behave as individual Christians and as we act collectively also. Oh yes, we're in a war. We need to apply the Word of God to every part of our lives and full time, all the time, whatever we are doing. Well, he makes this point as he moves on. And again, he takes up the matter of the athlete who must compete according to the rules. Otherwise, he will be disqualified. Perhaps the hardest simile introduced might be when he says a Christian should be like a farmer. Now, I can only understand this in the light of Genesis 8.22. I think it might be worth turning to it. We have to keep moving. Genesis 8.22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease. Now, that was the promise given to Noah. But every farmer, whether he's a Christian or not, acts upon the promises of God. A very earnest Christian farmer of my acquaintance said to me once, I'm not too concerned what weather comes as long as it is seasonal. He meant, of course, that as the scripture says, the farmer relies upon a succession of cyclical weather. You have daylight, you have darkness, you have heat and cold, you have summer and winter. And when the farmer ploughs a furrow and sows the seed, he knows that all the seasons are necessary. If the product is to be right in quality and quantity. Now, above all, a Christian must act upon the promises of God without fear or favour. And in this way, it's proper that these three similes apply to the Christian. Verse 7. Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Now, in common with other statements like this in the pastoral epistles, 1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus, this is not a prayer. It's a statement of fact. We have the writings of all the apostles, not just Paul. If we consider in the Lord's presence, the Word of God in dependence upon the Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit, we have this promise. The Lord will give thee understanding in all things. Notice here, it's the Lord in submission to him, recognising that he knows and his way is best, we find out that the Lord does indeed give us understanding in all things. And he adds to that, in verse 8, he says, the foundation of triumphant Christianity is the personal, bodily, actual resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Time and again, he emphasises this. Oh yes, Christ who died, rose again, he's ascended where he was before, he's exalted a prince and a saviour, and those who depend upon all the resources that he provides from his present exaltation have the promise of God that he will see through the servant of the Lord. Won't be easy, as we have in chapter 1, he says, wherein I suffer, don't expect an easy time, indeed, the more you commit yourself to being true to the Lord, personally, family-wise, business-wise, assembly-wise, don't imagine for a moment that if you're true to the Lord and the Lord's name in every department of your life, don't assume for a moment you'll be universally popular, just the reverse. Satan will ensure that even if you do the right thing for the right reason, with the right motive in your heart, Satan will ensure that every kind of opposition will try to put you off. The Lord himself will ensure that you're tested in every way that's necessary to demonstrate that not only your actions, but that your motives are pure. And he says, now, this day is the day of suffering, the day of rewards for the Christian lies ahead, oh yes, you'll have joy in your soul now, but as to manifest reward, that will await the day of display at the appearing in glory of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And he goes on to say this, being linked with the Lord at a time when the Lord's rejected will not make for easy living at the present time, but there is the satisfaction that the Lord, who himself has gone through to victorious session at the right hand of God, your links with him will demonstrate, will manifest the rewards that he assesses you are worthy of. Verse 14 onwards, he says, now, speak to those that you're in touch with, remind them of these things, charge them, this again, this typical word of the pastoral epistles, bring this charge, not an accusation so much, but ensure that they are aware of their responsibility to respond to these things. I try not to quote other people, in case people think I'm trying to hide behind it. A brother who was always helpful to me, made this remark, you may have heard me quote it before. I think I must have apologized for saying something that we all knew. And this is what he said, don't be afraid of repetition, but beware of recitation. There's a difference, isn't there? It's obvious. The truth of God was being repeated in the first century AD by Paul, then by the apostles delegates, and then the faithful men, even if we are down to the others also now, it's incumbent upon us to tell it again, repeat to one another as often as is necessary, the things that we all know to be true. If we don't, surprisingly quickly, they'll go out of mind, and we will no longer think that they are important. We need to keep reminding ourselves and each other of the things that we know to be true, and that we might all be compelled to see the necessity of seeing them through. How do we get there? Verse 15. When I was in my mid to late teens, I was in a Bible class. Happy to be there because the Bible class teacher was my father in the faith. He brought me to the Lord. I learned a lot from him, in demeanour as much as detailed instruction. A very unworldly man, not interested in the things of this world at all, or the times and the seasons. I was amazed when the last Sunday before Christmas, he came into the Bible class, and he said, I've got a Christmas box for you. I didn't even know that he knew of such an expression. We all waited agog. He said, this is a Christmas box for every one of you. Second Timothy, chapter 2, verse 15. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. I wasn't very conversant with the time. Of course, I memorised it then because he'd given it to me, as well as to the others. And of course, what you memorise when you're young, you don't forget when you're old. I'm always encouraged when I meet mature, aged believers who can't remember what deities are where they live, but they're still word perfect on verses of scripture that they learned early in life. Let us not only read the scripture, let us memorise it, not just to quote verbatim as ammunition, but in order that it might govern every department of our life. Well, that was a verse that I learned early. And of course, if these to whom Timothy had to address himself were going to be any use as Christian soldiers, athletes or farmers, it would only be as they were fortified and armed by the word of God in their soul. So Paul was right to say to this. He says there will be opposition. Perhaps I leave the reference to Hymenaeus and Philetus till we look at chapter three. But notice that where God is working, the devil also works. In each of these chapters, without trespassing too much, where there's a poison referred to, in the immediate context, there is an antidote. In this particular case, verse 17, their word will eat as doth a canker. We know how cancer eats away the body. Verse 19, the antidote, nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure. And again, the preservative in advance, chapter 2, 15, study to show thyself approved unto God. First of all, giving God his portion and then being fully equipped as we learn in chapter three. Now, the twin truths, balancing truths in verse 19 provide us with this foundation. First of all, the Lord knoweth them that are his, the sovereignty of God. Balancing that, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity, the responsibility of man. How often the balance between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man are spoken of in the same breath. There's no conflict, there's no contradiction. They are balancing truths, they are both true. When that rather strange organisation, chapter 2, was first brought into being, I thought what a strange name to take to itself. On enquiry, I found it was an abbreviation for 2nd Timothy, chapter 2. Very good. But those of you who shelter under the umbrella of chapter 2, you realise, don't you, that you are committing yourself to abide in every department of your life the precepts that are taught in 2nd Timothy, chapter 2. But of course, that doesn't let the rest of us off the hook. If we name the name of Christ, if we affirm faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, 2nd Timothy, chapter 2 and every other chapter of the Bible is therefore our instruction and ultimate obedience. The difficulty, I am aware, is in verse 21. First of all, verse 20. In a great house, let us be simple concerning evil, wise concerning that which is good. Nevertheless, I am not happy when believers say, 1st Timothy, the house of God in order, 2nd Timothy, the house of God in disorder. Can't be so. I know the house of God is a responsible concept. Nevertheless, we do not get the house of God in disorder in 2nd Timothy. We get man's house. We get the disorder of man's house, which, like the mustard seed in Matthew 13, has become so large, it can absorb and contain every kind of evil. So, it's the great house in 2nd Timothy and there is much, sadly, disorder in that. The safe guard, in verse 21, if a man therefore purge himself from these, the perennial debate is, is it these persons or these things? Certainly, as individuals, and we get into the individual realm in 2nd Timothy, there will be many things that a consistent believer who not only studies 2nd Timothy, chapter 2, verse 15, but applies it to his life, there will be many things he'll say, well, I can't have anything to do with that at all. The hardship comes when, with whatever patience and prayer and consultation, that you find yourself in company, at times, with persons who will not abandon the things that scripture says are evil. That's when it's hard. I, then, in such a situation, have to ask myself this, deep down, am I associated with a Christian fellowship, a spiritual fellowship, or merely a social fellowship? Or, there are, I've met thousands of believers all over the world and it's lovely to be with all believers, but if I'm going to practice what the Bible teaches, I can only do that wholeheartedly of those who put into practice the precepts that scripture presents. Oh, but I might say, when you challenge me, they're nice people, you know. I like to go on holiday with them. My children play with their children, they get on fine. Is it really that important? Oh, I've noticed a very sad trend. Many of my generation, good personal friends of mine, for many years, have preached the truth of God as absolutely essential. As long as it wasn't disputed. But now that some of the cardinal features of Christianity are being disputed, the temptation is to say, oh, well, really, I didn't know this was going to cause trouble. Perhaps I'd better keep quiet about it. Is it, in fact, as important as I thought? I don't want to rock the boat. Now, in 2 Timothy chapter 2 terms, the twin benchmarks are these. The sovereignty of God has ensured the blessing. How willing am I, as an individual, and those believers that I am declared to be in fellowship with, consistent with the truth that scripture presents? It has led to much anguish and will continue to do so until the Lord shall come. But there is this. Is the overriding consideration social, natural or spiritual? Paul said to Timothy, charge the believers you work amongst, present the importance of these things to them and encourage them in every way you can. He said, mind, don't imagine for a moment that because you're teaching them that you're clear yourself. And so he brings some personal exhortations to bear upon Timothy himself. Verse 22, he says, flee. And in verse 22, he also says, follow. In another scripture, he adds, fight, flee, follow, fight. Here, it's flee and follow. In other words, there are things to avoid. Some of you perhaps know from experience. To be in good physical health, you do well to eat certain things, take appropriate exercise and avoid other things which, for you, are detrimental to your health. Once you know that, you are well to abide by those guidelines. I wonder if any of us are tempted to think, if it's going to be as hard as this, why bother? But for one reason or another, for most of us, it's too late to opt out. We've been reading the scriptures, we've been hearing ministry, so that we know deep down things that are right and true. You cannot unlearn what you've already learned. You may feel uncomfortable when the time comes to apply them, but you cannot unlearn them. That's the trouble. Or you might say, I wish I hadn't gone in for it at the start then. If I hadn't read the scriptures and come to the meetings and heard ministry, I'd be a little innocent and I could do as I like and no one would turn a hair. That's not the way to spiritual joy. Search the scriptures, gain an understanding on the principles of 2 Timothy 2 and seek the grace and the courage to put them into practice. It's the only way or one of the ways of being a good soldier, pleasing the one who has commissioned you for the battle and the war. There will be errors to avoid, flee from them and there will be good examples to follow. As any sensible person does with their medical, physical health, so do with your spiritual health. There were things that you will realise eventually aren't good for you spiritually. Avoid them like the plague. There are things that will take time that are good for you. Go in for them. Commit yourself to them as Paul said to Timothy. Verse 24, The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach patience and going on in meekness. One of the sad facts of Christianity is, if you do the right thing for the right motive, bound to be somebody that tries to avoid the issue by saying, I don't like the way you did that. Or couldn't you have tried another way? The devil will ensure that this thought comes to mind if you don't really want to face up to the principle. Even if you don't like the way he's done it, consider the principle. And how would you have done it if you think it could be done better? Paul said to Timothy, do what you have to do in the best way and the very fact that you're younger means that other people will be looking for an opportunity to criticise. Do the right thing at the right time for the right motive and, he said, as far as lies within you. Do it in a way that commends itself to your fellow believers. But most of all, he says in verses 24 and 25, do something. Remember Meroz? Curse ye Meroz. Why were they cursed? They came not to the help of the Lord. Judges 5.23, somewhere around there. We might be tempted to think, well it's better, it's easier, if we do nothing at all. Unless the Lord has given you something to do, you cannot turn your back upon that. But the way the chapter ends is very good, it's balanced like the rest of the teaching. He says, do the Lord's work and certainly don't do the devil's work. You know, most of the time the devil can sit back, not lift a finger as we would speak of it, because we believers are doing to each other what, if we were all pure, the devil would have to do for himself. Let us make sure that we are active in positive, constructive service in the work of the Lord and let the devil do his own work, if it must be done at all. So ends chapter 2 and there is much more of the same and a development in chapter 3, if the Lord will. …

… Good evening. Thank you for coming. We begin with Hymn 278, 278. It's the expression of a desire, a good desire. Saviour, we long to follow Thee. It assumes there are others who are like-minded with whom we wish to follow the Lord. Saviour, we long to follow Thee, daily Thy cross to bear, and count all else, whate'er it be, unworthy of our care. 278. Saviour, we long to follow Thee, daily Thy cross to bear, and count all else, whate'er it be, unworthy of our care. We honor now, O Lord of Thy, the virtues of Thy law, and make Thy grace and love divine, the psalms and hymns of hope. Thy Spirit to the present still. O come, O come, O come, O come, O come, to Bethlehem. O come, O come, O come, O come, to Bethlehem. O come, O come, O come, O come, to Bethlehem. O teach us, Lord, the path to know. O praise the life within. O come, O come, O come, O come, to Bethlehem. Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof, from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers' lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Janes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth. Men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be manifested unto all men as theirs also was. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured. But out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. For all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy chapter 3 outlines the kind of character that God is looking for. in the days immediately before the coming of the Lord, and it should therefore commend itself to our study. I remember suggesting a Bible reading once, looking at three or four examples of Scriptures where the presence or the absence of a little three-letter word made all the difference. And we were going happily, seeing that where the little word thee is used, something specific is being referred to, and if the little word thee is absent in those translations which make any attempt at literal accuracy, that where the little word thee is missing, it's not so much a specific instance, but the overall character of the thing. Young men were present, seemed to be going along with anything, until someone dropped a bomb. He said, this is, of course, the inarthorous construction. He may well have been right. Soon as he said that, I could see the shutters come down on the young brother's eyes. And with one accord after the meeting, he said, we were getting on fine, until we were told that you need to know some of the niceties of English and Greek grammar to understand the Bible. Now, of course, I've been very careful to say, well, whether the little word thee is in, or whether the little word thee is absent, makes all the difference. I tried to learn from that lesson, so I hope no one switches off because the word's been mentioned. But there's no doubt, in verse one, we get a good example. It doesn't look much on the surface, but if you examine your literal translations, you'll see that this know also that in thee last days, at best, the thee is in brackets, but most editors say, well, really, it shouldn't be there. It should be, this know also that in last days, perilous times shall come. The teaching being that it's not so much any specific item, incident, or circumstance, it's the whole character of the thing that makes all the difference. There is a kind of behaviour, a kind of moral fibre, a kind of character, which will be particularly in demand of necessity in last day's conditions. It's for this reason, probably, that as long as brethren are kind and know what you're saying, it's probably true to say, if there's one chapter rather than another, that outlines what Scripture means by presenting Philadelphian character, it's 2 Timothy chapter 3. Now, being well taught, you will recoil and say, we would never claim to be Philadelphia. Oh, but you will have learned also that while you do not claim to be Philadelphia, which would make you demonstrably Laodicean, what is true is that it is right to aim, not claim, it's right to aim to exhibit Philadelphian character. Now, if you want to put this together with Revelation 2 and 3, that progressive history of the responsible church on earth, you feel free to do so. And when you come to Philadelphia, if you want an outline of what Philadelphia or character appropriate to Philadelphia, you'll find it in 2 Timothy 3. In any event, it's about Christian character that the Lord is looking for. Now, we'll move slowly through. of the kind of behaviour and the kind of character that made it necessary for the Son of God to come into the world and die at Calvary. Compare this list in verses 2, 3 and 4. Well, you could say certainly 2 and 3. You can compare that with the behavioural pattern of the brute pagans given in the first chapter of Romans. You would also get towards that list some of the characteristics of the cultured Greeks that you get in Romans, end of Romans 1, beginning of Romans 2. And you will certainly get things here that are very akin to the outline given of the condition of the Jewish nation, having a form of godliness and so on, denying the power thereof. We are fortunate in Western Europe in that, certainly for those of us who are older, we've lived most of our lives in a country basking in the aftermath, if I can use the term, of three or four centuries where, even if the Bible wasn't read, it was respected. And those who framed the laws of the land, well, all the lands in Western Europe, I suppose, were those who made the laws, framed the laws, took account of the norms of behaviour according to God as expressed in the Bible. And for three or four hundred years, this had a secondary effect. Whether or not the souls were saved, it had the effect of placing a limiting factor on the behaviour of the nations. Certainly, in the last fifty years, we've been able to see the result of a movement which started over a hundred years, I suppose, culminating in throwing the Bible overboard out of the home, out of the school, out of religion. Out of religious societies. It's not surprising then that the conduct of the general population will slide back to what it was before God's written word was published and spread throughout the nations. And so we get a count here. Things will revert to primitive, pagan conditions. Things that not so many years ago, we would have been done quietly, surreptitiously, behind a curtain, indoors, with the blinds drawn, for shame's sake, are not only tolerated now, but openly encouraged. We are certainly in last day conditions. Nothing new. We come to the point where Paul speaks of Janez and Jambres. Tell me afterwards how to pronounce it. I'll be glad to learn. Babies are named now, not so much from family tradition, but because we like the name. I won't go into that. But in the Bible, names were not only personal, they were characteristic. Whether they were the names actually given them by their parents or whether it's the names they came to be known by when their characters developed is not for me to say. Often God gave insight as to how that person would live their lives by saying to the parent, you name him so and so. And in 2nd Timothy, we see a clear trend. In the first chapter, Phygelus, Hermogenes. Second chapter, Hymenaeus, Phyletus. Chapter three, Janez and Jambres. Now, if you take Pains, easily checked up, you'll find that there's a trend, a moral trend, a moral degeneration. First chapter, Phygelus, Hermogenes, Fugitive and Luca, root meanings of words. A suggestion of movement away from the truth and the reason why the movement was attractive for what was in it for the people. When we come to chapter two, Hymenaeus, marriage, Phyletus, amiable. There were things they didn't like in chapter one, they wanted to move away from them. In chapter two, there are things they are drawn towards. And then in chapter three, Janez and Jambres, seducing and rebellious. Now, this is no flight of fancy. You can check the meanings of the words, but it's in the text. Notice in chapter one, verse 15, in the same verse where it talks about these men, it says, all they which are in Asia be turned away from me. Chapter two, verse 18, speaking of the two men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection has passed already. Chapter three. These men resist the truth. Now, there's a moral downward spiral there. In the first chapter, it says there are people who turn away from the truth. In chapter two, there are those who go to the next step. Having turned away from the truth, they accept something that is not the truth. And then in chapter three, you get two men who go a stage further and they positively resist the truth. You see, that trend is inevitable. It's, I was going to say progressive, but that's a positive word. It's retrogressive, I suppose. If you say, oh, it's best to affirm the truth. But if people aren't well instructed, haven't thought it through, very honest people, they wouldn't admit to something they haven't gone through themselves. But as long as they don't say it's wrong, well, I'm quite happy as long as they don't make a fuss about it. But Second Timothy chapters one, two and three say, if you start on the slippery slope down, you don't stop halfway. If you turn away or don't accept what is the truth, you're exposing yourself to accept something that is not the truth. And whether you foresee it or not, you will finish in the invidious position of resisting the truth. This is why I forbore from speaking of Phygelus and Hymenides last night. They're best considered as a sequence. The pair in chapter one, the pair in chapter two, and the pair in chapter three. Now we'll move on again. Verse nine, he says, they shall proceed no further. God will set a limit. God gives us the opportunity to act on his behalf in discerning what is right and what is wrong in the light of revealed Scripture. But rest, be rest assured that if we don't do what we should be doing to preserve the truth and act upon it, God will set the limit himself eventually. But it will be to the sorrow, the mutual sorrow who had the opportunity to take their place in the ranks of those who stand for the truth. Verse 10, as always, Paul says, I'm not asking you to do anything I'm not prepared to do myself. Very good thing about Paul. He doesn't, he's not the kind of delegator that gives all the nasty jobs out and keeps the nice one for himself. Whatever has to be done, he's been through it, he's done it. And he says, look, my life is transparent. You know what I teach. You know how I behave. You know my honest endeavour that the way I behave is consistent with what I say I believe. It's not for you and me to tell each other what to believe. We owe it to the Lord what we really believe. But we do owe it to the Lord and to each other to act faithfully in line with what we say we believe. And not only when there is a common consensus, we owe it to the Lord and ourselves and each other to face up to it like Paul and be able to say, now, look, you've known me for a long time, Timothy. It's near the end of my journey on earth. I'm going to be with the Lord soon if he doesn't come to take me. And you know full well that as long as you've known me, I've taught the truth and I've lived it. And it's not merely words to me. And he develops that more. And again, if you want an outline of Christian character, you have it given in chapter, in verse 10. Doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, patience and so on. Perhaps I should mention in verse nine, the comment, they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all men as theirs also was. How good are you at interpreting your own hieroglyphics? I'm not very good. A brilliant thought occurs to me in a meeting. I get my pen out. I scribble a little note in the margin, which is full of treasure for me. I know why I've put it there. Until later, like tonight. And I look at it and I say, now, whatever did I enjoy on that occasion? When you go home, write it out longhand. Put it on a floppy, whatever. But you'll remember it better. My mnemonic here at this verse, verse nine, it is S-T-S-R-T-S. Now, what does that mean to you? I can remember this one. How about this as a proposition? The sins of teachers are the teachers of sins. It's right, you know. I used to engage in a rather doubtful activity. And I began to get a conscience about it. But then, while I was half persuaded, I saw a mature, experienced, very nice, elderly Christian gentleman engaged in the sort of activity that I was beginning to get a conscience about. Clutching at straws, I thought, if it's all right for him, it's all right for me. It excused my conscience. We are all examples to each other. Let us make sure we are good examples and not bad examples in what we do and the way that we do it. This is why a particularly high standard of behaviour is necessary in those who take responsibility in local assembly life. I'm speaking of the elders and the deacons. Read them through the first epistle. You haven't got to go far, very far back. And if you wonder why elders and deacons have to be particularly whiter than white in their behaviour, it's because the majority of their leadership is leading by example. And what they have to say, if they need to say anything, will carry more weight when the way they behave is consistent with what they teach or recommend. Well, Janez and Jambres, leaders of their day, the magicians that withstood Moses, God will have the last word. He will demonstrate their folly. And indeed, at the time, judgment, summary judgment fell upon them. And again, as we saw in chapter two, if you commit yourself to live in a way that's well pleasing to the Lord, don't by any means expect an easy life. Paul says, you know me, I meant well, I did well, I spoke well, I was consistent all the way through. And yet persecutions, afflictions were my portion. Oh yes, he refers to it here. Go comb through the book of Acts and you'll see what he suffered. If you're in any doubt, read the catalogue in Second Corinthians chapter 11 of the things that he suffered for the name of Jesus. And he says, not only me, says, yes, I experienced the Lord's delivering hand. And he says, now, this is a universal principle. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. It's not just a statement of things that happen. To me, it's a statement of a commitment in character. All that will, all that set themselves, all who have this burdening desire to be faithful to the Lord, the Lord will give you the kind of experience that will purify your character. And that apart from anything you do, that in character, you'll be well pleasing to the Lord. So he says, don't expect an easy time, but at least there will be this overriding matter that you'll be well pleasing to the Lord. And he says, keep going. When I was younger, or about the age of the youngest here, where I lived, there was a group of about 70 apparently keen young brothers and sisters. Did everything together, tract bands, open air preaching, going either inland to the country or down to the sea and the beaches and going to every opportunity for fellowship and ministry, everything going fine. I've lost touch with many. No doubt, some may well be serving the Lord as best they can in their present circumstances. I don't know. Oh, but for everyone like that, there must be dozens who just stopped bothering, made their way in the world, affluence has taken its toll, married nice people, men or women who were nice, cultured. Friendly, respectable, but no spiritual interest. And out of that 70, sad to say, I could only point to about a dozen now that I'm aware of that are in any way strongly committed to what they believe. Paul must have had this fear for Timothy. He says, but continue thou. We've had it before in the book. Here it is again. Unless you pursue your Christian service and character as an individual, you'll never enjoy it in company with other peoples. I don't mean be a loner. If you are true to the Lord and follow him diligently, you will find others with whom you have so much in common. But unless initially you are prepared to do this as an individual in personal exercise before the Lord, you won't get very far. If you're relying upon the social gang to carry you along, it won't take you very far in your souls. Now, if you're going to do that, you'll need help. You'll need resources. And so in verse, well, verse 14 is important. Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and has been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. Makes a difference, you know. If you get help from someone you trust, someone you've observed over the years and got help from in many ways, you know how consistent and reliable they are. It encourages you to go on because you don't want to let them down. But of course, most of all, personal commitment to the Lord. Paul says, I know you've had a good start, like most of us, I suppose. From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures. Again, a topic in itself which there isn't time to develop in the whole. Able, the capacity of the Scriptures, able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. The Lord came into the world, lived here faithful to God. His faithfulness took him into death, even the death of the cross. God raised him by his glory, exalted him a prince and a saviour. And the one who's gone through it before is there to encourage us when we try to be faithful to him while we wait for him to come. We have the Scriptures. Again, a nice point. All Scripture given by inspiration of God. Worthy of an address in itself. The things that are unique in their class because they were brought into being by the operation of the breathing of God. Man is different to all the creatures because he received life by God breathing into his nostrils and man became a living soul. There will be a day when Israel will not only be a name but in reality a unique nation because they will be born in a day. Ezekiel 37 tells us when the breath of God coming upon them, the power of the Holy Spirit will bring them into being as a renewed nation. There are other examples. Look for them. But here the Scriptures different to all other writings that have ever been written because they've been brought into being by the breathing of God. Peter talks about men born along by a power greater than themselves bringing the revelation of God to light by writing down in principle and in detail in word as well as concept God's message for men. And he speaks of this. He uses this adjectively I suppose. All God breathed Scripture. Doesn't mean some is and some isn't. It's giving the character of the Scripture. Again, this chapter is all about character. It tells you what's right. Doctrine tells you where you're not right. Free proof. It tells you how to get right. Correction. And it tells you how to continue in the way that is right. Instruction in righteousness. That's the man of God. How many? If you haven't thought about it, let me give an introduction. Very often in the Bible times are difficult. Nothing new. The trend is opposition to God. Those who try to be true to God despised, opposed. And then you see come to light an individual who is prepared to stand for God in an evil day. Who says even if there's nobody else, even if I'm going to swim against the tide, if that's what God wants me to do, I'm prepared to do it. Of course, if I'm standing alone, I've got to examine myself very carefully. Am I alone because the trend is against God and I'm the only one to prepare to do what's right at whatever personal sacrifice? Or am I on my own because I'm an awkward individual who rubs everybody up the wrong way? If I don't consider that, certainly a lot of other people will. So the man of God has to be very sure that what he's doing has the right motive in mind. It's done in the right way at the right time and that the character that he demonstrates is that he's on earth to please God. Now, if any of us, even in a mild way, imagine for a moment that we've committed ourselves once and for all to live in a way that pleases God, totally committed to the Lord, we'll be given ample opportunity to demonstrate it. God takes us at our word, do you know? Make no loose commitments before God because he will give us the kind of experience that if we say, if nobody else, Peter did, didn't he? Lord, if everybody else deserts you, not me! He was tested on his own ministry as we all are. And if I say, I'm so convinced that this is the right thing to do that if nobody supports me, I'm still going to stand my ground. Well, so be it. Before we get through the end of the tunnel, the Lord will give us the opportunity to demonstrate the reality of that commitment. And the term that God uses about such an individual is man of God. Count them. I'd be interested how many you find. So far, I've found 12 in the Old Testament. Everyone doesn't agree. That doesn't matter. In every case, it's an individual, usually the person's name, not always. But in every case, whoever it is, has to come to the crisis point of saying, if no one supports me, I'm still so totally committed to what God wants me to do that I don't, I'm not worried about the shame, the disgrace. Or the embarrassment of standing alone. You remember one of them, Elijah, the man of God, he actually said that, Lord, there's nobody left. There's just me. It wasn't true. But before he was relieved, delivered, he had to get to the point where if it was necessary, he was prepared to be alone. Now, this is the concept of the term man of God. Sometimes the little word the is there, sometimes it isn't. We can talk afterwards how many there are in the New Testament. John 9, in an oblique way, the man who was born blind, said of the Lord, if he were not a man of God, surely he couldn't do this. He couldn't perform such miracles. Paul says to Timothy in the first epistle, thou, everybody else does that, but you, thou man of God, you're different, act different. But here it's general, that the man of God, anyone who takes the position of being prepared to stand for God when everybody else seems to be against God. Always in the individual. I've never found in Scripture the term woman of God. Are there not women prepared to stand for God in an evil day? Of course there are. All I can conclude in the light of what the Scripture says is that in the examples given in Scripture, they are usually formal occasions about official public matters. And as we've learned from Scripture, when that kind of responsibility is mentioned, it's the male of the species that is expected to take that responsibility. There is ample opportunity for women, godly women as well as godly men, to exhibit this kind of character and act in this way. What is the result? If you're going to stand for God when things are difficult, you need the end of the chapter as well. The Scriptures are geared to this end, that anyone who's prepared to stand for God, even alone, that he will be complete, thoroughly furnished unto every kind of good work. Immense possibilities. And begins in this way. Read your Bible, pray every day, and you'll grow. And the kind of committed Christian character that's necessary in the dark days before the Lord's coming are these features which are outlined in this lovely chapter, 2 Timothy chapter 3. Let us close by singing hymn 462. O gracious God, our Father, we thank Thee for Thy Word. To every sense of pleasure, the Spirit of Christ the Lord. We thank Thee for Thy Spirit that moves those men of old, who in the Holy Grail of Thy truth and love unfold. For that same one we thank Thee, the earnest and the still, who comes to Thy own children, Thy kind and will reveal. As none but Thee would do if Thy truth could impart, so none but Those He teacheth will sing it in the heart. Who may remember'st, Father, Thy gracious work, please be, that we may by Thy Spirit the truth in love receive. For we would thus be good to serve our faithful Lord, and in this day of comfort cling to His name and Word. …

… Hymn 250 From various cares our hearts retire, Though deep and boundless their desire, We've now to please but one. Hymn 250 From various cares our hearts retire, Though deep and boundless their desire, We've now to please but one. Hymn 250 With this our hearty motives cast, Through the world's deserts, Ruled and raged, All through its goddess bare, Whether the stones of troubled sea, Or all in debt to my destiny, To God's behold again. O Lord, the way, the truth, the life, Exhaust their sorrow, doubt, and strife, Drop off thy mortal weight, Henceforth as privileged by thee, Simple and undistracted be, The soul which to thee pleads. Let us of evilness recline, On that eternal love of thine, And human goals forget. Child, by the day what thou wilt say, Go forth and serve thee what is gain, Nor leave us with retreat. I charge thee, therefore, Before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead At his appearing and his kingdom. Preach the word. Be instant, in season, out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort, With all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come When they will not endure sound doctrine. But after their own lusts Shall they heap to themselves teachers Having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth And shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, Endure afflictions, Do the work of an evangelist, Make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, And the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, Henceforth there is laid up for me A crown of righteousness, Which the Lord, the righteous Judge, Shall give me at that day. And not to me only, But unto all them also that love his appearing. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me, For Demas hath forsaken me, Having loved this present world, And is departed unto Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee, For he is profitable to me for the ministry, And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloak that I left at Troas with Coppice, When thou comest, bring with thee, And the books, but especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil, The Lord reward him according to his works, Of whom be thouware also, For he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me, But all men forsook me. I pray God that it may not be late to their charge. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me, And strengthened me, That by me the preaching might be fully known, And that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, And will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Salute Prisca, and Aquila, And the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus abode at Corinth, But Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, And Claudia, and all the brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. Tonight, then, the fourth of four sessions looking at 2nd Timothy. We are aware that the selected split points for the chapters is not part of the inspired text. Nevertheless, the medieval gentleman who was responsible must have found it relatively easy in 2nd Timothy because the subject matter lends itself quite obviously to the splits where they occur between the chapters. And so we come to his final words. Not only of this epistle, but as far as we know, the last recorded written words of the Apostle Paul. In line with the pastoral epistles generally, it's another good study to fill in those many leisure hours when you're wondering how to spend your time. The charges, the exhortations, the commands. When he says, now, here is something important that I have to communicate to you. I charge thee, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, you will have noticed, I'm sure, that the way the Lord Jesus is spoken of in the Old and New Testament is always significant, appropriate to the context, once we arrive at a fair translation. And when we come to this point, the scholars present will confirm to me afterwards, I'm sure, that not this general way of speaking to the Lord Jesus, about the Lord Jesus, even there paying due tribute to his majesty, our Lord Jesus Christ, but here, more accurately perhaps, Christ Jesus. Which term always takes account of the fact that the Lord came into the world, he lived that perfect life, he departed out of this world by way of the cross, God raised him by his glory, he's now exalted a prince and a saviour, and from his present exaltation, having gone through it all himself, he is now in a position and has the capacity and the desire to encourage and help those who want to follow a similar path in measure. So, wherever we get this term Christ Jesus takes account of his present exaltation and the resources he makes available that we might follow in the right path. Things will not always continue as they are. God is long-suffering, as we know. We know from experience, happy to note it, happy to enjoy it. But we are aware, morally, that things cannot continue in the downward spiral forever. God will eventually intervene and will make his judgement known. And God will intervene personally in the person of his well-beloved son who will be manifested in glory at his appearing, the appearing of the power and the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so it says, who shall judge the quick and the dead? I understand that it's said of the cities of Paris, Rome and Istanbul, maybe others, that there are only two kind of pedestrians, the quick and the dead. I don't really think that that's what's being referred to here. It's merely saying that when the Lord comes, whenever it is, there will be some who are alive at that time and there will be some who are dead, who have died. None will miss the judgement. The dead will be raised and they will be judged for their responsible lives while they were living. We know from other scriptures what is true of individuals will be true of nations as such. Now, for those who are alive upon the earth, it will certainly be a point of climax when the Lord appears in power and great glory. Revelation 19 tells us that heaven will be opened and the Word of God, he who speaks on behalf of God because he is God, he will come out from heaven with his armies, he will deal with the enemies of God and set up a righteous kingdom. He will judge those who are alive and then finally, a little more than a thousand years after that, probably at the final judgement, the great white throne, every man will be judged according to his work. But, speaking to living believers, living believer Paul, speaking to Timothy, he said now, do not be discouraged. As we considered last night, Timothy, man of God, acting for God, being true to God when everybody else seems to be against God, you need the consolation of knowing that in the final analysis, there will be personal intervention by the Lord himself. He will set things right and it is your position at the moment, you cannot roll the tide of evil back but you in your day can testify to what is right and you can act in accordance with the truth. And he went into detail, he says now this is what you do, you preach the word. There's always encouragement to preach the word. I'm very happy indeed that in the Lord's mercy, from being a toddler, I've enjoyed reading the scriptures. That's not a boast, it's just a statement of fact. The Lord gave me the capacity to enjoy reading the Bible from my earliest memories. Many are not so fortunate. Many earnest Christian believers, committed Christians tell me for them it's hard work. Oh I pray for you if that is the case. You either enjoy a thing or you feel you have to do it as a duty. May the Lord give us all grace not only to do it because it's the right thing but to enjoy it. And when we are communicating the truth to others it should not only be that it contains the word or it's about the word but it's the presentation of the word itself. Not vain repetition of scripture verbatim although it will be largely that but that essentially it is the word that is communicated. I'm going to be hoist on my own petard now. I don't like padding out addresses with anecdotes but when I used to be gainfully employed as some used to say there was a very important gentleman used to visit me now and again knowing me to be a believer he would always ask some questions. He was very interested. Very religious man. But quite soon in every discussion he would sound exasperated and say it's no good talking to you all you do is tell me what the Bible says. Oh may the Lord help us all. That if anybody is interested and asks us questions we don't give our opinions. We don't say what worthy expositors of former or the present day say. We preach the word. Increasingly where the word is not read another little thing I suppose maybe there was a time when in speaking to anyone believer or unbeliever it could have been a fair assumption that the miracles and the parables and the narratives of the Old Testament were familiar to most people and you could immediately save time by applying the scripture. How sad that we are now at a stage in history where you can no longer assume that they know the story. You have to spell it out ABC say what the word says and then apply it. It takes longer but it's no good applying a scriptural narrative and applying it morally or for the salvation of the soul if the listener has no idea at all never heard the story before. But again the best illustration of any scripture truth I am convinced is found in scripture itself. Every necessary truth that needs to be applied to us or anybody else is illustrated somewhere in scripture the Old or the New Testament. Be instant, in season, out of season that's difficult. The general impression I get from that is the word is always in season. It's always appropriate provided you find the right one. How do I talk about the detail? I suppose I can only say the word guided by the Lord and the power of the Spirit scripture is always seasonable even if the circumstances may suggest to my natural mind that this is not the appropriate moment. In season, even if to man's thinking it's out of season. I leave you to meditate upon that. Reprove, rebuke, exhort, well we had in verse 16 of the previous chapter that it's profitable for every kind of way as we outlined doctrine, reproof, correction instruction in righteousness. Exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. Have you ever heard anyone say and it sounds so right don't give me doctrine, give me Christ. You cannot give Christ you cannot minister Christ without referring to the scriptures. The scriptures are the only source of any information that we have about the Lord Jesus Christ. We don't get it in dreams we don't get it in a flash of inspiration the complete canon of the word of God is our sole source of information about the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, we know what many mean when they say that. Not the cold, vain repetition or recitation of the text verbatim without any attempt at applying it to our souls or but let us remember that it is the word of God that is expounded and taught. Another good line right through the New Testament are these occasional references to doctrine teaching there are many of them in the pastoral epistles. Time is short the time will come when they those that you're trying to speak to will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears it's the listeners that have the itching ears not the teachers. What does it mean? What a wonderful teacher he is always telling me something I've never heard before and my ears are itching for some new thing like the Areopagites didn't they come together every day hoping to hear some new thing they had itching ears. It's dangerous to make a plea to the most gifted teacher and say please carry on giving us something new if you demand something new very soon the point will come where to provide something new the teacher has to go outside of Scripture and that's where the deal it's happened we know of cases where it's happened so preach the word in a balanced way drawing from not just a favourite line of teaching but the balanced layout of what Scripture presents and the natural mind resists the straightforward exposition of the truth and the ears and the fancy are tickled when we hear something we've never heard before beware safety edification is in the presentation of what the word of God has to say Watch watch thou I understand this is watch with intent always be on the lookout be alert you're on sentry duty Timothy you're a relatively gifted young man you have to use the talent that God has given you but it will need vigilance concentration alertness and he says this as in the other chapters means that suffering of one sort or another misunderstanding the Lord said didn't he to the disciples in those early days a man's foes shall be chiefly those of his own household what does that mean? it could mean your natural family well might the sphere where you should get the greatest understanding may well be is where the opposition arises again that may be my own fault isn't it true that if the mask slips it slips it home when I'm with other people with the brethren in the world at work I keep a tight rein self-discipline applied I don't want to give the wrong impression of what a believer is I get home I relax someone touches me on a raw nerve I blow up answer back I'm immediately ashamed but I've done it so it may be that my family who know me most and best are in the greatest position to criticise or it may be like me my family also relax their vigilance at home and because of this these things arise true in the meeting isn't it when we meet other brethren in other places we are on our best behaviour everything's fine but the brethren that we know the best and love the most when we are just together privately shall we say in local assembly that again may be well the time when we just relax our vigilance and speak to each other in a way that is most improper how sad that would be well these are pointers along the way Paul says thou he's previously called him a man of God he says you will watch your tongue oh yes not original to me or anyone here I'm sure when you're in the world watch your activities when you're at home watch your tongue when you're on your own watch your thoughts how easy it is to slip isn't it well in all those fears Paul says to Timothy and through Timothy to us he says watch be careful get on with the job do the work of an evangelist it doesn't say that Timothy has a particular gift in that direction be very easy for me whatever you ask me to join in and help with I might say oh that's not my gift I'm waiting for the Lord to tell me the way to find out what gift is you see a job that needs to be done you're willing to help it will soon become obvious whether or not you are particularly gifted in that direction the Lord will make it plain but in the meantime be available to be a help if there's any work to be done verse 6 he says I'm ready to be offered my time of service is over the time of my departure is at hand isn't that nice my exodus I'm going out I'm going away but I've done what I could as long as I was available and he picks up the teaching that we had in chapter 2 the soldier the athlete the farmer and he says I can honestly say as before the Lord I have fought the good fight definite article I have finished the course I have kept the faith yes he was in this war and picking up from the Proverbs I suppose he accepted the fact there is no discharge in this war as long as he was in the flesh he was available to the Lord to take his place in the ranks of those who defended and taught the faith he finished the course in accordance with the rules and he kept the faith it's to me it's this last phrase I didn't mention this the other night when we were looking at chapter 2 it is this phrase the answer to the third part of that trilogy in chapter 2 it is because of this phrase keeping the faith acting on the promises of God that causes me to accept without any question that the farming analogy is right in chapter 2 because of Genesis 8 22 that the farmer acts upon the fact that God has always kept his promise in giving the full cycle of the seasons every year each of which is appropriate to some stage in the development of whatever is being grown henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness oh yes the crowns of scripture more homework for you if you haven't done it before the crowns of scripture one pointer there are crowns which are displayed as a right by the king say and there are crowns which are deserved which are earned scripture speaks of many of them and personified I suppose in Stephen whose name means crown wherever crowns are bestowed and this again is related to the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ after the rapture before the appearing each servant of the Lord will have been interviewed personally by the Lord some people think appraisals are something new you know the word might be new but it's been in scripture from the start that the Lord will give an appraisal interview to every responsible believer that's lived on the earth and will make his assessment and will bestow honours and these honours will be displayed when the Lord appears in power and great glory now there's something consistent about these crowns which are earned bestowed because they've been deserved and it's this each crown is appropriate to the way in which the individual has served the Lord can't follow them all through I'll give you this one we've read more than once that the world is becoming increasingly unrighteous we know it we live in an unrighteous world Paul foresaw this and included in the scripture those servants of the Lord whose service involves acting righteously in an unrighteous environment will be given a crown of righteousness again what does that mean? the Lord John's epistle tells us is the righteous judge we are told that for a thousand years act 17 30 31 he will rule the world in righteousness and he will be delighted to associate with him in his day of glory those who have been righteous in an unrighteous generation and he will say look at them these were the few who were righteous in an unrighteous day and it is right that they should have the kind of crown which displays the kind of righteousness that they assured in their life and service upon earth the only other one by way of passing just to clinch it like Stephen in act 7 we learn in the book of Revelation there will be some who are faithful unto death and they will be granted a crown of life follow them through it's absolutely consistent that the crown bestowed to the faithful servant is entirely appropriate to the circumstances and the difficulties through which he served which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day again the emphasis in this last epistle as far as doctrine is concerned the term that day this day can be so horrible that day is going to be glorious the day when everything will be revealed in its true colours when the Lord Jesus Christ will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords this is personal it's individual as he said before but he says not just me I'm not unique he's already called himself a pattern in the first epistle hasn't he I'm not unique I'm not boasting about anything that isn't available to any believer and he says not to me only but unto all them also that love has appeared oh what does that mean some believers love his appearing and some don't and those who do will be blessed honoured, rewarded and the ordinary common rank and file like me will have nothing to show it's not saying that at all it is speaking of normal Christianity surely it is normal that a believer loves the appearing of their Lord, Saviour and Master in this sense when we look at the unrighteousness in the world when we see the double dealing and the hypocrisy when we see when we hear the name of the Lord taken on lips as an oath and a curse and blasphemy instead of with honour and homage we long for the day when he will be given his right place when everything that hath breath shall praise him when he will be given due honour I'm sure that is what it is it is consistent it is normal Christian thinking to mourn at the present day and to long for the day when he shall be given his rights it will occur chronologically at his appearing in power and great glory but we instinctively long for that day and however lacking in spiritual intelligence we are it's the instinct of the normal Christian attitude and then just for a few moments he launches into some comments about individuals I'll come back to the individuals in a moment but just before that verses 16 and 17 at my first answer no man stood with me notwithstanding the Lord stood with me I haven't looked at the prepositions closely here others may have done and can tell me afterwards but the truth is right whether or not I'm hanging it on the right verse you tell me in the Acts there are times when the servants of the Lord well it's doubtful whether they are doing the right thing they may be making mistakes maybe they're not always acting in the right way for the right motive nevertheless those who have committed themselves to the Lord's service the Lord stands by them and supports them oh but there are other occasions where not only does the Lord stand by us through thick and thin but because what we are doing is right and in accordance with his will he can identify himself with us in what we are doing in other words it's a greater thing to have the Lord standing with us than standing by us I leave that for you to pursue in other scriptures verse 18 the Lord the one in control the master he will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom oh yes his confidence was in the Lord David remember King David well maybe before he was king he was fleeing for his life and we read that when he had nothing else to rejoice in instead of him he rejoiced in the Lord one of the reasons we are allowed to feel lonely and unsupported is to remind us that if no one else is available the Lord is always available maybe that's sometimes why the crutches are removed and we are given the opportunity to stand apparently on our own feet so that we realize whoever else whatever else the Lord will be with us and Paul had learned that for himself the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and then this last phrase to whom be glory forever and ever amen speaking in round terms there are about 20 doxologies in the New Testament epistles beginning from Romans 1 now purists amongst you might tell me afterwards they aren't all doxologies some of them are eulogies well you can explain that to one another afterwards what we do know is this in a variety of circumstance the apostles through every kind of difficulty and in every kind of blessing the circumstances are such or in spite of the circumstances there is a spontaneous upflow and overflow of praise and worship to the blessed God are our lives like that if the difficulties arise if opposition presents itself if we get discouraged do we find opportunities for praise and worship not as an act or as a formula but spontaneously overflowing in the presence of the Lord. Notice this one comes out of the sense of the Lord's deliverance in difficult circumstances and check the other 19 and you'll find that this follows a variety of circumstance a sense of the Lord's presence in blessing and in difficulty resulting in this upflow and overflow of praise again a very good example to follow Priscilla and Aquila as always found together what a happy thing it is if in the Lord's work and in fellowship that husbands and wives are together in what they do Just to pick out some of these individuals before we close I'll start at the bottom and I'll take these in ascending order of appeal Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil the Lord reward him according to his works this is not a prayer for fire and brimstone to come down from heaven upon Alexander because he opposed Paul not a bit it's a statement of fact Alexander did he what he chose to do Paul says I did what I found to be right before the Lord I can leave it to the Lord to put other matters right no personal animosity no personal feeling he can afford to leave the finality to the Lord but Alexander the coppersmith he didn't start at all on the Christian path and he had a very bad ending how bad how sad doesn't start on the Christian path and his end is judgment condemnation eternal death how sad having been in touch with the apostle the great apostle Paul in verse 11 you have another one Mark Mark I think we've met all these kinds of individual Mark started well he had a little stutter a hiatus and we lose sight of him for a while but he ended well one or two of us one or two I've met make a good start keep going never put a foot wrong and appear consistent all through their life Mark wasn't like that but I think it's all the more commendable that even though there was that slight stutter in his career of working for the Lord that to him was given the privilege of committing to writing the exposition of God's perfect servant the gospel by Mark again God chooses servants differently to what we would perhaps I might have questioned whether someone better fitted could have been chosen but the Lord said no he started right had a little bit of a difficulty in the middle but he came good again and he finished well let us not be discouraged if we recognise that we've made mistakes done things we regretted afterwards it doesn't finish our service forever it just means that we have to pick up the threads again and like the Nazarite we have to let our hair grow again and we are ready for service once more well he had a stutter but he ended well Demas well he made a good start he was in that helpful little group that went round with Paul on his travels but sadly having made a good start he fizzled out began well but finished poorly Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present world let's finish with a good example dear Luke Luke the beloved physician he's one of those cases isn't he from when you first hear about him he's helpful active, diligent available, supportive and fully involved in the work of the Lord there's no reason at all why our service for the Lord in the way we express our fellowship one with another shouldn't begin rightly continue steadily it's always better to be steady than spectacular and then finish the days consistent grateful to the Lord for grace given to continue in the way that it is right these examples are given that we might be alert to the opportunities available, the way lives the way service can be patterned and always we are reminded the word is in our hands the Holy Spirit is in our hearts and while we wait for the Lord to come we love his appearing and preach the word in season and out of season while we wait for him to come let us sing our closing hymn 3-1-6 we are by Christ redeemed the cost his precious blood be nothing by our souls esteemed like this great good and so on thus far by grace preserved each moment speeds us on the crown and kingdom are reserved where Christ is gone 3-1-6 we are by Christ redeemed the cost his precious blood be nothing by our souls esteemed like this great good worth the last worth our own with all its bearish stone and thou Lord Jesus our Lord is still the poor our earth and vessels fray the world itself grows old but Christ our precious cross will take and freshly mold he'll give his body fire a fresher mind his own he'll build the whole creation smart and precious strong thus far by grace preserved each moment speeds us on the crown and kingdom are reserved where Christ is gone when cloudless morning shines we shall his glory share in pleasant places other lines the home of hell to him our weakness flees through tribulation soar and sees the but of his wings till all below and when we've run the race and fought the faithful fight we then shall see him face to face with saints in light …