Address—G.H. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Well, to young people, I'd like to speak this afternoon about Timothy. Before we began to read in this book this morning, one of the brothers read a little in Timothy about him, and I just like to trace a little bit about this young man and about the background that we had this morning. So let's turn first of all to the chapter we were reading in Second Timothy, chapter 1.
Second Timothy chapter 1 and verse 5 when I call.
To remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice. And I am persuaded that in thee also.
Well, here, as we had this morning, we have the background that connected with this young man. And as I look into the faces of many of you young people, I'm sure this is true about you and that there has been a background of faith in the family, perhaps a generation or two, and perhaps you had a Christian grandfather or grandmother, a Christian mother.
And now you have been brought into this world, and you have.
Have been partaker of many wonderful privileges there may be some here that have not had these privileges but I want to address you just the same because as individuals we stand before God some may have had more privileges than others but nevertheless we have the word of God we have if we are truly saved we possess a new life we all have the same power if we're really saved because.
The Spirit of God is the power for our life. And so just speaking, particularly seeing there are so many who are young people here from Christian homes, I just like to talk a little bit about what we see in the progress that was made in Timothy's case.
He profited by this when he was brought up, as I mentioned this morning. Why we find out that his mother married a Greek.
This might have been, and I'm sure it was a sorrow to his to her mother when she decided to marry a man who was outside of the place of privilege. God had told his people that they were not to make those kind of marriages. And the word of God warns us too. Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. And if there should be anyone here this afternoon and you're like Eunice brought up in a home where there is faith, but you're contemplating.
With an unbeliever, I warn you that it's disobedience to the word of God. And the law of God does sometimes come in. Yeah, in his wondrous grace, he often comes in, and the partner may be saved. Nevertheless, we're never told that the partner of Eunice got saved. We're told of what happened to Timothy. But I don't know whether Eunice had to, for the rest of her life, reap the sorrow of having married someone who was not a man of faith.
And so this ought to be a warning to us. God, as I say, is wonderful in His grace, and He often overrules our mistakes. But let us realize the importance of walking in obedience to His Word. It is the path of blessing, the blessing of the Lord. It maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it. And just because His grace is greater than our failure, it should never cause us to take a step willfully.
In disobedience to His word.
Well, as I say, Eunice had this, at least Timothy had this privilege of at least a Christian mother, a mother who believed, and this was a wonderful advantage. But then I was thinking too, how that he might say, well, how can I know what's right and wrong? Because my parents are not agreed, they don't see the same, and how can I make a decision?
Well, you know, you have to be before the Lord. Maybe that might be so.
There might be some here and you say, well, my parents aren't agreed about certain things. Well, you are responsible. You have God's word. You have a responsible ability individually to him. And so even though Timothy didn't have agreement in his home, he did have a wonderful heritage that we will look at in a moment. And that was.
That he wasn't just taught his mother's opinion, he was taught the word of God.
And that is the important thing. And I want to say to those who are young parents, how very, very needful this is to bring before our children the Word of God.
00:05:00
No doubt there were many prayers went up. It doesn't mention here about prayers and loss and Eunice's part, but I'm sure that there were because we find that those who have faith realize the need of this in their lives.
We realize how it can't take one step alone, and if we're going to walk by faith, how we have to constantly look to the Lord for strength, for wisdom, for our pathway. Now let's turn over to the third chapter here of second Timothy and the 10th verse. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith.
Long-suffering, 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. Yeah, 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. 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, truly furnished.
Unto all good works. Willis shows us something that happened from the childhood of Timothy, and undoubtedly this was because of his mother. It says from a child he had known the Holy Scriptures. And so even though there was this divided state in the home, isn't it lovely to see that Eunice took opportunity to teach this young boy the importance of the Holy Scriptures?
And, and so it tells us, he had no knees.
It says they were able to make him wise unto salvation. As it was mentioned in the meeting this morning, it is possible that during the time of his childhood, the truth of Christianity wasn't known in that home. But there was very much that he could share and be blessed by having a parent who feared the Lord and who reverenced God's holy Word. And I hope, dear young people, that this is something that we will always.
Value.
And reverence. And that is the word of God. We know that today it's being made a joke of. More and more we find people making puns on the Scripture, joking about it, quoting it in a way that is falsely irreverent. And I hope every one of us will ever continue to remember that this book is God's book. It is his message to us. It's been given to us telling us things that we wouldn't know unless God told us.
That is the wonderful thing about the Bible.
God hasn't undertaken to answer all our curious questions. There are many things that perhaps we say, I wish the Bible spoke about this or that, but God didn't see that it was necessary for life and godliness. But in this book He has told us things that we would not know if he did not tell us. That is what is so wonderful about the Bible. It is a revelation. It's unlike any other book. Many, many people.
Have written books, philosophic books, put out their ideas. The Bible doesn't take the place of just putting out ideas. It gives us a revelation from God. It is his message to man, telling us all that we need to know. I say for life and godliness. And so Timothy had the privilege of being brought up in the home where the Word of God was reverenced. And I always like to think of a dear old brother that I knew, known to some of us.
Dear Brother Beg of Brooklyn and how he told me that when he picked up the Bible, he always said to himself, God's holy Word. I thought that was a very nice attitude. He didn't pick it up just as another book. It was God's holy word. And I hope that we will always have this feeling in our mind. When you go to school, you're exposed to a lot of reasonings of men.
And all of men of this world have.
Tried to find out, but when you pick up this Bible, it's God's word, it's a message from him and Timothy had this privilege and it says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. That is God moved the writers, they didn't give their own words tells us in First Corinthians chapter 2 which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom.
00:10:21
Teach it, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. I wish to just call your attention to that verse, and that it says not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth.
Some people have come to the point of saying, well, God gave the ideas, but we have to, and we have the right to put them in our own words. That isn't what the Bible says. That's why I don't like paraphrase Bibles, because they take the liberty of putting God's words in their own words. We have in God's Word the very words which the Holy Ghost has given.
And there may be and there are some difficulties in translation.
That is one thing, but to say that we have a right to take the very words of God and put them in our own words and then call it the Word of God is a serious mistake. As I say, we may have and we have different translations, because anyone who's done any translation work knows how very difficult it is sometimes to put something in another language.
But those who did it reverently, believing that they had in their hands.
The Word of God which they were attempting to translate, that was, that was a real service to the Church of God. But I just warned you about those translations that take the liberty of putting God's words in their own words. Now let's remember that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.
And it's profitable for everything that we need for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect. And I think I can say that the longer I live, the more thankful I am for this book because I find in it all that is necessary for life and godliness. There's something that speaks on almost every subject that comes up.
That there is something in God's Word for us in connection.
With that subject, it doesn't matter what it may be.
You'll find something in God's Word in connection with it. It has it covers everything that's necessary for our life in our pathway here, and that's why we need to be well acquainted with it.
Some of you have heard me say even acquainting yourself well with the stories that are in the Old Testament. You may say, well, I haven't taken the time to read all those stories. Some of them seem very difficult to follow.
But I can say this, that I have tried to acquaint myself with those stories and when situations arise in my life, I recall a king or a person in the Old Testament.
Who was placed in a similar situation and how God has shown us how that person acted in the situation and whether he acted wisely according to the wisdom of God, or whether he acted in folly. But the stories are given because not only has God-given us instruction, but He has also given us in a practical way that working out of things in daily life.
In fact, that's the reason why I was taking up this about Timothy.
Because God not only sets doctrine before us, but He sets a young man before us, a young man who had to walk in circumstances very similar to those in which we are walking today. Because God allowed in the early church almost everything to come in, to give that corrective ministry. And so Timothy walked in a similar day, and the corrective ministry is given in the Word of God.
So that we might be preserved in our day.
So he had in this precious book.
That he was brought up under all that was necessary. And then going back to what we noticed in the 10th verse.
He had become acquainted with the Apostle Paul, and from the apostle Paul he had learned.
Christianity as a child he had no doubt been brought up in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament. But as he had met the Apostle Paul, then he had learned Paul's doctrine. He said thou is fully known my doctrine because it's very blessed that we not only have the Old Testament, but we have the full revelation of the truth of God. It was given to the apostle Paul. We are told to complete.
00:15:09
The word of God. And so Timothy had become acquainted with the apostle Paul. He had fully known his doctrine. Notice first he mentions this before his manner of life. And I think this is a very important order here, just as in the book of the Acts it says they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship.
Notice the apostles doctrine comes before fellowship. Here the apostle apostles died.
When my doctrine comes before the manner of life, because I've heard young people say, oh, they're such a nice Christian, but did you put the things in its right order first of all?
Are they walking in the truth?
It says in that early part of the Acts that they didn't seek fellowship outside of the apostles doctrine, but they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship. You see the order and you and I need to acquaint ourselves with God's Word, find out the path marked out in the Word, and then this leads us to the right kind of fellowship. Otherwise we'll be saying, well, I can go along with.
Person and that person, they're nice Christians. Well, we're very thankful and ought to recognize all that we see of Christ in every believer whom we meet. But we need to always put doctrine first. We always need to remember that God has marked out a path in his Word and he would have us to walk in obedience. And the measure of our fellowship is limited by the apostles doctrine.
The measure of our enjoyment of walking without.
Others is according to the truth of God. And so here Paul Timothy had become acquainted with Paul and he had learned Paul's doctrine and he had seen to in the apostle a manner of life. And here I pause to speak a little bit to those of us who were older here. What an important thing for us as we seek to help our young people getting hold of the truth. They're going to watch us.
We present certain doctrines to them, and then they're going to see whether this effects our lives. As Paul lived before Timothy, Timothy listened to what he said, and he saw that he really believed what he said, and he was walking in it in his own personal life. And I think this speaks to my heart. Perhaps it speaks to the hearts of some who are older here.
That we have a great responsibility, just like the older Levites did.
The younger ones were given the harder work of bearing the vessels and so on, and the service in the Tabernacle. But it says the older ones were to keep the charge of the Lord. They had a responsibility as they grew older. And may the Lord exercise those of us who were older, that is, our younger brethren, watch that. They will see that what we profess is carried out in our lives in a practical way.
And then there was a purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience. I think this is beautiful to see this in the apostle Paul that.
As he walked before Timothy, Timothy could see, here's a man that has real purpose. Here's a man of faith, Here's a man of long-suffering and of love and of patience. He saw those moral characteristics manifested in him. Nor did he think that the path was an easy path. He discovered that in following Christ one could expect persecution.
One could expect that it would not be easy, and we know that when Paul.
Of own preached he never told the young believers that following Christ was a path of fun. He told them that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the Kingdom of God.
As Paul came and preached in these cities, he said in every city bonds and afflictions abide me. And so he was accustomed to that kind of suffering for Christ's sake and young people.
You may see much more difficult days than you have already seen. Sometimes we wonder if the Lord leaves us here a little longer, how much difficulty there may be if we really want to follow Christ. I believe it's going to become more difficult. And I'm not trying to set before you an easy path, but I'm trying to set before you a very happy path, the apostle Paul.
00:20:00
When he came to the end of his life, he finished his course with joy.
Oh, you say, didn't he have a lot of sorrows? Yes, but he finished his course with joy. That was the ambition of his life, if I might put it that way, he said to the elders of Ephesus. There's two ambitions that I have in my life.
And that is, he says that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify of the gospel. The grace of God said there's two things I want. I want to have a happy ending to my Christian life and I want to fulfill the service the Lord has given me to do. Wasn't that nice? No wonder as he approached the end of his life.
Why he could say that it was a time for him.
When he when he was happy and he was just about to be offered as we learn from this second epistle of Timothy. And so here we have then the character of Timothy's home. He was brought up in the home where there was faith. He was taught the Holy Scriptures. He became acquainted with the apostle Paul. Now let's turn back to Acts chapter 16 and we'll read a little bit about Timothy's meeting with Paul here. First verse.
Then came.
He to Derby and Lystra and behold, a certain disciple was there named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman which was a Jewess and believed, but his father was a Greek, which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Well, I'll just read those couple of verses. Here we find the truth that Timothy had learned.
Had affected him, it says. Here he was well.
All reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Well, here we find something of the personal life of Timothy. He not only then had been brought up under the influence of God's Word. He not only had been brought to put his own trust in the Lord, but we see here that he had a testimony before others.
That was very commendable.
And you know, dear young people, it is true that the Lord does restore, and if we get away from the Lord, he graciously restores. But it's lovely to see one like Timothy who went on consistently. There can be in our lives, as the Scripture speaks of it, those years that the counter worm hath eaten. There can be lost time.
And I wish to say to you, dear young people, growing up in an age like this, with all the pressures that are upon you at school and sometimes even among the people of God, pressures to conform, pressures to not be too careful to walk in the path of full devotedness to Christ.
It's very easy to yield to these pressures. It takes real purpose of heart.
To go on for the Lord. But Timothy apparently was singular in this, that Timothy had a real desire, and his brethren noticed it, because it says he was well reported of by the brethren. They had watched this young man. They had seen him make progress in the things of God. And I do hope that you too will be faithful at the meetings and listen to the ministry of God's.
And grow in grace and in the knowledge of your Lord and Savior, and then there will be in your life that which even your brethren will recognize. It was no wonder then that when Paul came to Timothy, to Listery and Derby, that it tells us in this third verse him would Paul have to go forth with him?
Now he becomes a helper with the Apostle Paul. He not only had learned a great deal, his life now was such that his brethren were happy. And here he takes now and makes this a journey with the apostle Paul. And Paul could speak very well of this young man.
And as we think of how short life is and how we can have a really useful life for the Lord Jesus, doesn't it make us want to spend the best years of our lives for him? Derby and Lystra. It was at Lystra that Paul was stoned and taken for dead, and as the disciples stood around him, he rose up so that Timothy was well acquainted with how difficult it was and what he must expect if he was going to follow the Lord.
But he makes a decision. I know that many of you are quite concerned about making a decision about what will be your calling in life. You say, well, I'm thinking about what I want to be, what line of work I'd like to follow. I'm thinking about the partner I would like to have to share a life with me. I'm thinking about where I would like to live. And many decisions like this you may be making.
00:25:24
But what about this decision to give the Lord Jesus?
Thus His rightful place above everything else in your life. Oh, it's so encouraging. It's so heartwarming to see young people who really have a heart to put the Lord 1St. And as we think, dear young people, of the nearness of the Lord's return, the little time that's left to us, don't we want to spend the rest of our time for Him?
I'm not saying that everyone should quit his job and clothes and serve.
The Lord there are many things that we can do and be exceedingly useful in connection with our daily occupation. It's where the Lord wants us to be, and it's doing what the Lord wants us to do that really counts. God doesn't put all His lights in the same place. He may want a light in the very office where you're working. He may want you to be a help in the local assembly where you are.
It doesn't mean that you're not being useful to the Lord.
Unless you quit your job and spend all your time, you're just as much spending all your time for the Lord if you're fulfilling your daily work at the office, if that's where God wants you to be, just like the slave in Colossians, he might feel badly and say I can't do anything for the Lord. I'm a slave to an ungodly master. And the apostle Paul writes to them in the third chapter of Colossians and says.
For that slave not to feel that he couldn't serve the Lord, he said in performing that service, not with eyes service as men, pleasers, but at doing that services unto the Lord, he said, you serve the Lord Christ. And he says too, knowing that of the Lord, ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance. Maybe we'll find out in that coming day of manifestation that some slave in colossi will.
Have a better reward than some of us that have devoted all our time, as we thought, to the Lord. Because that man was going on as a light and a testimony in the place where he was slave. That was where God wanted him to be. He wanted a light in that man's home. And there was that slave and he was the light that God placed there. So, dear young people, remember it's to be where the Lord wants you to be. But Timothy was desirous to go on for the Lord.
And so when Paul visited here, why Timothy went along with him. Now could we turn over to 1St Corinthians? We read a little more in the fourth chapter.
First Corinthians, chapter 4.
And verse 17.
For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord.
Who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways, which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. But you also look over at Philippians.
Philippians, Chapter 2.
And verse 19.
But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state.
I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state.
For all seek their own, not the things that are, which are Jesus Christ. But you know the proof of him, that as a son with the Father, he has served with me in the gospel. Well, here we find something about Timothy's usefulness. Paul could speak so affectionately about him, my beloved son.
Faithful in the Lord, and he said that he would bring to remembrance his ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
Was mentioned this morning about Timothy, as it were, carrying the torch. And you know to your young people brought up in the assembly, as you have been brought up under the sound of the truth of God, there is, as it were, a torch that is given to you. There is truth that has been committed, and it says in that passage, Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.
00:30:14
Perhaps a little assembly is very small. Are you ashamed of the testimony of the Lord?
Or do you realize what a privilege it is that the truth of God has been committed to you? And now Timothy, as I say, he's passing it on just as we have in Two Timothy, chapter 2. It says the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou a faithful man who shall be able to teach others also. And so we find that Timothy.
Pass these things on as I look back in the days when I was a young.
And there were young men who talked to me sometimes I thought that I learned more from those who were younger because they seemed to feel closer. And as they tried to help me in the things of God, it was a real blessing. And who can tell the blessing that you can be to other young people? Who can tell? Here I stand here. I'm quite a bit older, but I'm sure that if there was a young person your own age came to you and sought to bring before you some of the precious.
Truth that is dear to us as gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. It might even mean more to you than what I could say. And so here was Timothy, now a young man.
And he was sent here to Corinth, that he might try and instruct the Corinthians. There must have been some very discouraging things there. Timothy saw things that must have grieved him, because there were things going on at Corinth that must have saddened his heart. But Timothy had a desire to be useful, and so he was sent there. And as we have in Philippians, Paul could speak so.
In such a.
Way about him. Notice he says I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state. Perhaps I hear a young person say well, but when I try to speak about these things, I don't find many that go along with me. They think that I'm too narrow in these things. Well, Timothy stood very much alone.
But Timothy had a love for the people of God. He had a love. I like that little word.
Naturally, that is, he didn't do it because he had to, as it says in Peter's epistle, not by constraint, but willingly. He had a love for the Saints, he had a love for the other young people, and it was just natural to him to let his heart overflow as he talked to the other young people and brought before them the truth that had become precious to him, and he talked about it to others.
I'm saying these things to you, dear young people.
Because as some of us realize we get older, it's a great joy to our hearts to see young people grow up, value the truth, want to walk in it, encourage other young people in this path. And I think Timothy is set before us in this way in the Scripture as an example of this. And so the apostle Paul could encourage him in visiting these Saints of Corinth and again in visiting them at Philippi so that.
As a young man might encourage them in the path of faith, he naturally cared for their state. That was his whole desire to see them going on. I sometimes think of the illustration that is given in the Psalm of Solomon, the desire that the Saints should be like a watered garden. We all know when there's a garden and it's watered and cared for, how beautiful it looks.
Well, be a desire of the apostle was the same.
Would be like a watered garden. And so let us turn over now to Timothy again.
First Timothy, what was read to us this morning in the 4th chapter.
First Timothy, chapter 4 and verse 12. Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in Word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Meditate upon these things, Give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt save thyself and them that hear thee.
00:35:03
Now here we find the apostle exhorting Timothy as to some things that were necessary in his own personal life.
And we've been speaking about Timothy, how he was brought up in this home and how he was brought to the Lord, how he became a useful young man. But oh, you know, there's so many dangers. And don't think that when you decide to follow the Lord, that's the end of the dangers because Satan is going to be busy. If there's a young person this very day who says, well, I really want to follow the Lord more than I have been. I want to give him more of a place in my life than I have in the past.
I want to tell you the enemy is going to be busy. He doesn't want to see you go on like that, and so he's going to do all he can to introduce things into your life that will hinder you from going on and being useful and going on in a happy way with the Lord.
So here we find Paul exhorting Timothy as to his own personal life.
He says that no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers.
Timothy had to watch his own life because we know very well that when people speak to us, we can't help but look at their lives. We look to see if their own lives are consistent with the things that they are saying. And Timothy needed to be exercised and that his own life was such that when he sought to minister the truth, his life was an example of it.
And Word in the things he spoke in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
How often we can do things, we can speak perhaps out of turn, and say something that spoils all that we wanted to say and do. And so it tells us here we have to watch our words. And then it says in love, sometimes there's a lack of showing of love, isn't there? And how often this can be.
A real hindrance if we if there isn't that showing of love in the manner in which we seek to do things.
And then it says in spirit, in faith, in purity, well, how often we have to watch this young people in purity that there isn't something allowed in our lives that's just a little bit shady. Oh, how sad it is to see a young person who has gone on quite well, and then something just a little bit shady comes in and spoils his testimony. So Timothy had many, many things that were very, very commendable.
But Timothy, Paul says to Timothy, Timothy, watch your own personal life. People won't despise your youth if your life is an example. If they see that you're going on in a way that is honoring to the Lord yourself, why, they'll listen to what you have to say.
And now what about his devotions? The 13th verse says, Till I come give attendance to reading. Well, this is another thing that's greatly neglected in this day.
I believe that someone just said to me not long ago, no use expecting people to read anything that's very long in these days. Everybody wants something that's short and concise and people don't want to take time to read. And we see the lack of it, don't we? Because we do need to read God's word. We need to be thankful for the precious heritage that has been given to us in the written ministry that God in his goodness has preserved for us.
People that we value it. I know that with most homes the daily newspaper comes in and someone just said to me the other day, well I had no objection to the daily newspaper but said I spend far more time over it than I should. And how easy it is to do just those things. And you can get so enveloped in all the things and we do have to do more reading in connection with our business.
Business is changing, professions are changing, and it's hard to keep up. Anyone.
In the professional or business world knows that you have to do so much reading to keep up with all the constant changes all but let us be careful if we don't allow this to hinder us from taking time to the reading of God's precious Word. And I believe too, that precious ministry. You say, well, later on I'll have time, but I'm going to speak to you as one who's a little bit older. Perhaps I do have a little more time, but I don't.
Retain it as well. What I read when I was younger is what I remember. As I get older, I can read it than I can enjoy it, but I don't retain it as well. You when you're young, your mind is young and you can retain things. And so I want to encourage you like Paul, did Timothy give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine? You say I don't like reading things about doctrine. They seem kind of dry. I like sensational things and.
00:40:22
That kind of books I like to read, but doctrine always seems to me dry all there never was a time when it's more necessary because it says that in Timothy later on in addressing Timothy says the time will come that they will not endure. What sound doctrine? Sound doctrine is being given up. Large parts of Christianity are giving up.
Sound doctrine to be surprised how many there are.
Who teach that our blessed precious Lord Jesus Christ could sin, and then how that a new teaching has come in that questions the full inspiration of the Word of God.
There is attacks being made on the very foundations of our faith, and you and I need to be well acquainted with our Bibles and with the precious truth of God. Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
And he's told neglect, not the gift that is in me. If God has given you something to use for him, use it. Paul had to say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry that thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it. Here was a gifted young man in the assembly of colossi, but the Saints were not benefiting by his gift. Maybe he was successful in his business, I don't know. I suppose he was. If he was gifted, he very likely could be successful. But the Saints weren't benefiting.
By his gift it was neglected. And here is a little exhortation to Timothy. Neglect, not the gift that is in me. The talent can be buried in the earth, even by a real believer.
And then meditate upon these things. This is another thing. It's becoming harder. As someone has said, the art of meditation is almost a lost art. And so it's getting harder to find time to meditate. Used to be a time when you could in public transportation and so on, when you could just meditate a little bit. But we know that today with the busy world, you put your hand on the wheel of your car. You can't meditate because you just have to watch what's going on every minute.
And it's so hard to find time to get just to meditate upon these things. Give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear unto all. And then he says, Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine. In other words, he says, Watch your own life, Timothy, Watch that you don't let any of the truth of God slip away. And now he said.
Thou shalt both save thyself and them not hear thee. Oh, what a blessing Timothy could be. What a blessing he was in the early church because of these things.
And so Timothy then was exhorted in all these things as to his own personal life.
Now let's turn over to this chapter. We're reading again Second Timothy chapter 1 and the 13th verse.
Old fast, the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. I believe this is an important verse. We'll likely come to it in the Bible reading, but I just wish to speak briefly about it. Uh, I believe in the new translation it reads have an outline of sound words. We may not be able to remember all the details of the truth of God.
Sometimes a person brings up a detail and you you say, well, I just can't remember that particular.
Passage or that detail, but it's a very important thing to have an outline, to have an outline of the truth. And in these days, especially when the truth is slipping away, it is needful for us to have an outline of the truth of God. That's why I say the importance of reading the Scriptures, of reading the precious ministry, of attending the meetings until we have an outline of the truth.
In other words, could I say?
That we know what we're standing for. The truth of God is being attacked. Do we know what we're standing for? Well, Timothy is exhorted in this direction. And I believe it's important that we should hold fast the form or have an outline of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love. It was not just to have it intellectually, not just to have it in his mind, but in faith and love.
How needful that these things lay hold of us, that the truth of God gets so hold of us that it touches our very hearts. It affects us in our personal lives. Faith as God for its object and in love which is in Christ Jesus.
00:45:13
Then just one more passage in second Timothy, chapter 4, verse one. 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 lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having itchy.
Years, 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.
Here is Paul's closing charge to Timothy. He said he charges him before God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He reminds him, I believe, of the time when his life would pass into review. And dear young people, our lives are going to pass into review.
Everything that we have said and done and thought is another day going to pass into review at the judgment seat of Christ. And it reminds him that the results of our lives will be in display when the Lord Jesus comes again and sets up His Kingdom to place. Our place will be in connection with faithfulness to him. So Timothy is exhorted to give up.
No Preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season.
How often they'll say, well, that's not the right time to say it, but it says be instant in season and out of season. It's important that we should maintain and stand for the truth of God. And in these last days it tells us they will not endure sound doctrine. You've noticed, I'm sure in what I've been talking about this afternoon, the importance of doctrine. And I'm pressing this because one sees that giving up in Christendom.
Ground doctrine. We meet Christians over and over again and we see how that they have, in a simple way, put their faith in the Lord Jesus, but they don't know anything about Christian doctrine, and you hardly know how to begin. They haven't laid hold of even the simplest things. They don't know the security of the believer. They're shaky on so many different things that are so important to us. Oh, dear young people.
Such a privilege to be gathered to the name of the.
Lord Jesus to have his precious word, to have the truth of God ministered to us. But there's a day in which we live and everything is beginning to slip away. People don't want to listen to it. Just last Lord's Day, young man came up who once attended the Sunday School and he's got into something. He, I believe he's really saved, but he felt you hardly know how to begin. He's so mixed up on everything that's important to the truth of God and yet I believe in.
Ways touch the hem of Jesus garment. I saw their affection for the Lord Jesus. But you know very well he's more he's more anxious to go into a place where there's a lot of excitement than to hear the sound truth of God-given out. He doesn't he doesn't want that. He wants excitement, He wants activity. And so it says here, they'll heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. They'll turn away their ears from the truth and turn unto fables.
And what's Timothy to do? Watch thou in all things, in your afflictions. It's going to cost something. He says. Do the work of an evangelist. And may I just give this little word here? I'd rather enjoy this thought, brethren. Why does it say this in second Timothy? Our brother mentioned this morning that this was probably the last epistle that Paul wrote. Why does it say this? Well, some have taken from it the thought that Timothy was not really an evangelist, but he's encouraged.
To do that work, personally, I don't believe that that's the thought because it says make foolproof proof of thy ministry. But I believe that there's a tendency to give up gospel effort in the last days. There's a tendency for us to say, well, seeing we should be occupied with giving out the truth of God, we can sort of become a little LAX about the gospel part of it all. Brethren, I do believe that we need to be.
Energetic in the gospel, I don't believe there's anything more refreshing than to tell out to poor sinners. The wondrous grace of God were never to forget the rock from whence we were hewn and the pit from whence we were digged. I love to see young people who have a heart for the gospel, who long for the salvation of souls. I don't think there's anything more refreshing than that. That kind of thing. Now I know it's becoming harder to get people into gospel halls. It's getting harder to get people.
00:50:17
People interested in the gospel, but let's not give up just because we're in the last days do the work of an evangelist. And after Paul exhorting Timothy so much about the importance of doctrine, one of his last charges is and don't forget the gospel, Timothy, don't forget the gospel. That's important. And may the Lord grant that as we maintain and stand for, by his grace, the precious truth of God.
That will ever keep our hearts fresh in that wonderful.
Message of redeeming love and grace, reaching out to poor sinners that they might be saved, all to young people. I just want to encourage you in these last days. It gives my heart joy to see so many young people, young men and young women here at these meetings and to see that you have some valuation of the truth of God. May the Lord help you to continue to value the truth. And the Timothy's life might be an example.
To you it was not an easy one. But when I meet Timothy another day in heaven, I'm sure that he's going to be glad that he didn't give up. Even though all Asia turned away from Paul, even though it became so difficult, I'm sure he's going to rejoice at the grace given to him to continue in the truth. May the Lord keep us too, in these last and closing days.
Walking in the truth that God has revealed and made known to us.