Class 2 from this series was used in GCT Episode 321.
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Well, this is our 4th class and
our last opportunity to enjoy
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Well, this is our 4th class and
our last opportunity to enjoy
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and benefit from the
administrations of our brother
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Stephen Palmer for today.
He will be exhorting, God
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willing, tomorrow in the Los
Angeles Ecclesia and then he
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leaves in the afternoon to go
back to Wales.
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We want you to take our loving
greetings with you, Stephen, to
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your Ecclesia and Cardiff from
all the brothers and sisters
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here in Southern California.
The 4th class title is Healthy
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Words, the example of Timothy.
We’ll ask our brother Mark
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Patterson of the Los Angeles
Ecclesia to read for US one
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Timothy chapter. 4 1st letter.
Of Paul to Timothy, chapter 4,
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and I will be reading from the
Revised Standard Version.
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Now the Spirit expressly says
that in latter times some will
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depart from the faith by giving
heed to deceitful spirits and
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doctrines of demons, through the
pretensions of liars whose
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consciences are seared, who
forbid marriage and enjoy and
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enjoin abstinence from foods
which God created to be received
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with Thanksgiving by those who
believe and know the truth.
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For everything created by God is
good, and nothing is to be
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rejected if it is received with
Thanksgiving, for then it is
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consecrated by the Word of God
and prayer.
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If you put these instructions
before the brethren, you will be
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a good minister of Christ Jesus,
nourished on the words of the
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faith and of the good doctrine
which you have followed.
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Have nothing to do with godless
and silly myths.
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Train yourself in godliness, for
while bodily training is of some
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value, godliness is of value in
every way as it holds promise
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for the present life and also
for the life to come.
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The saying is sure and worthy of
full acceptance.
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For to this end we toil and
strive, because we have our hope
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set on the living God who is the
Savior of all men, especially of
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those who believe, command, and
teach these things.
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Let no one despise your youth,
but set the believers an example
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in speech and conduct, in love
and faith, in purity.
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Till I come, attend to the
public reading of Scripture, to
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preaching, to teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have
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which was given you by prophetic
utterance when the elders laid
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their hands upon you.
Practice these duties.
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Devote yourself to them so that
they all may see your progress.
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Take heed to yourself and to
your teaching.
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Hold to that, for by so doing
you will save both yourself and
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your hearers.
Thank you brother Mark 4th class
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Healthy Words, the example of
Timothy, our brother Stephen
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Palmer.
In this class, dear Brand
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sisters, we’d like to take a New
Testament example of the way in
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which the Word of God and the
way in which we live our lives
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is brought together.
That’s what we’re trying to
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address, the gap between the
Word in our understanding and
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the practice of it in our daily
lives.
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An example I want to take is
from Paul and his epistle to
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Timothy.
We like to set the scene, really
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by getting some points about
what Paul and Timothy were like
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as people at this time.
It’ll find, it’ll provide a
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background for looking at some
of the words that Paul chooses
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to use by the Spirit to Timothy.
What we find is in Timothy that
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the apostle is speaking about
strong men.
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He’s speaking about soldiers in
Christ.
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He’s speaking about fighting the
good fight, about warring, the
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warfare.
He’s speaking about being men of
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God, all terms of robust
spiritual strength.
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But Paul himself and Timothy
were not like that naturally
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speaking.
In fact, it’s quite amusing
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really to think that how Timothy
and Paul must have smiled as
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they wrote and read these
epistles.
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For a start, the apostle Paul
was a man who was dogged by ill
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health.
He had critics in Corinth and
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this is what 2nd Corinthians 10
verse 10 says of Paul.
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What they thought of Paul.
They said his bodily presence is
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weak and his speech
contemptible.
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So the apostle Paul didn’t cut a
fine figure at all.
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He was no person that would have
been admired in a crowd.
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His bodily presence is weak, his
speech contemptible.
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By that it seems Paul may well
have had an impediment in his
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speech, just like Moses.
Remember that Moses says he
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can’t couldn’t speak because he
couldn’t speak properly and.
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And God says, well I’ll give you
Aaron who can actually say the
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words.
You can tell Aaron what to say.
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And isn’t it interesting that
God chose 2 great men?
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Moses under the old covenant had
fallen to the new to, to
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minister the word when naturally
speaking they were not
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appropriate for it.
They’re not the people that we’d
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send on a missionary journey,
are they?
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Somebody who couldn’t get his
words out properly, Somebody who
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was stuttered or stammered.
But God doesn’t do things
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according to natural principles.
He does them according to
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spiritual principles.
And this is the the twist that’s
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happening in the epistle that
Paul writes to Timothy.
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He himself was a man who had a
thorn in the flesh.
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People have speculated over what
this thorn in the flesh might
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have been, but perhaps Galatians
chapter 4 really tells us what
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it was.
Three times Paul prayed that it
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might be removed from him, but
God had said to him, no, it’s
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not going to be removed, and
don’t ask me again about it.
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That’s your answer.
Your answer’s no.
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Live with it.
It’s there for a purpose.
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It’s there to keep you on track.
It’s there to make you trust in
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the living God and not in your
natural powers.
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Paul was told, My grace is
sufficient for thee, for my
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strength is made perfect in
weakness.
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And that may be true for us.
Mind it, that some of the
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troubles which come upon us, and
some of the burdens that we have
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to bear of the chronic sort,
those that go on and on, are
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there for a purpose to remind us
to trust in God, not ourselves.
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Galatians 4.
Anyway, says verse 14.
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And my temptation which was in
my flesh He despised not nor
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rejected.
That’s reminiscent of the thorn
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in the flesh.
He spoke in verse 13 of through
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infirmity of the flesh that he
preached the gospel.
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But then the Galatians says he
received me as an Angel of God,
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even as Christ Jesus.
Whereas then the blessedness he
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spake on, for I bear you record
that if it had been possible he
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would have plucked out your own
eyes and have given them to me.
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So the infirmity of the flesh
had to do with the his eyes.
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And the Galatians were so
concerned that they would have
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plucked out their own eyes if it
had been possible and given them
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to Paul.
So clearly Paul had something
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wrong with his eyes.
It’s been suggested he was
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suffering from trachoma and
infection of the eyes which
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would cause partial blindness
and would have been disfiguring.
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Clearly something was
disfiguring because his bodily
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presence was weak.
So that was Paul.
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You see, when he did the work of
the Lord and he went from city
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to city, wasn’t like coming on a
on a Boeing 747, you know,
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feeling rather cramped for 9
hours.
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Actually the very nice seat on
the bulkhead and I could stretch
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my legs, which is easy.
This was a man who walked
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wherever he went, hundreds and
hundreds of miles, with his
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chronic problem, whether it was
his eyesight or another problem.
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But imagine that and not even
having a a freedom of
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expression, a speech which the
Corinthians thought was
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contemptible and the care of all
the ecclesias to carry around
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with him.
And so here is a man who
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naturally speaking his burden,
writing to a man who naturally
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speaking is not much better.
So when you look at Timothy in
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the first epistle and chapter 5,
we have an insight into this
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young man where we’re told in
verse 23 of first Timothy 5.
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Drink no longer water, but use a
little wine for thy stomach’s
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sake and thine often infirmity.
So yours of robust health.
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He had a chronic problem with
his stomach.
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Perhaps maybe you had an ulcer.
He’s a sort of worrying,
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fretting sort of person.
It seems he seems to bottle
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things up.
A man who was rather timid in
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himself.
Paul, when he writes to the
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Corinthians and says Timothy’s
coming, he gives them some
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advice on how they should treat
Timothy.
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He says, now, if Timothy has
come, see that he may be with
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you without fear.
Now you lay off Timothy.
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You know, he’s a very sensitive
sort of person.
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He’s the sort of person that if
he saw a lot of people in the
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room, I’ve imagined that he’d
just stay on the door.
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You know, he wouldn’t really
like to come in.
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You wouldn’t go charging in and
I’d be the centre of attention.
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He wouldn’t like that.
He was reserved and shy,
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probably a Welshman, and that
was an impediment.
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It was a real problem, you know.
He was so worried perhaps about
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others and now they react to him
that that he went back into his
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shell and he had to be drawn out
and others had to help in that
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respect.
The Corinthians had to make
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allowances because he was the
one who was going to help them
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to put their problems straight.
Perhaps not the sort of person
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that we would imagine could have
helped us to timid.
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What could he contribute?
And if you look at the second
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epistle and chapter one, this is
brought out by the apostle who
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sees in Timothy talents which
are being hidden and obscured by
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this natural fearfulness and
timidity.
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He had a good upbringing.
He had known the truth from a
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child.
His mother and his grandmother
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had had instructed him well.
He had a good foundation, but he
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wasn’t using it.
But we might be in that
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position.
There’ll be some of us here who
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are third and 4th and 5th
generation Christadelphant.
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So we might have a long
upbringing, as it were, a
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tradition which has served us
well.
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But it’s the point of whether we
are using that potential anyway.
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Chapter one of Second Timothy,
he says in verse 5, when I call
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to remembrance the unfeigned
faith that is in the that dwelt
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first in thy grandmother Lois
and thy mother Eunice.
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And I am persuaded that in thee
also.
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Wherefore I put thee in
remembrance, that thou stir up
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the gift of God, which is in
thee by the putting on of my
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hands.
But Timothy had been given
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spirit gifts.
Paul had laid hands upon him and
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conferred certain gifts, but
they were lying dormant in a man
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who had a spirit, it seems from
verse 7, of fear.
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For God has not given us the
spirit of fear, but of power and
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of love, and of a sound mind.
Oh, I don’t know whether you can
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feel for Timothy, because you
may not be the same sort of
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person that he is.
Some of us might feel closer to
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Timothy because we are fearful.
We worry.
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We worry about the problem, we
worry about how we’ll cope with
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it.
We worry what we’ll say.
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We worry about our children, we
worry about our work.
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We worry about the ecclesia.
And part of that is feeling
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well.
It all depends on me.
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If I do it wrong, wrong, dear.
And what we’re focusing on is
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ourselves as opposed to God.
We’re not putting or trusting
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God.
How many times have we thought,
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well, I must speak to people in
work about the truth?
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But, you know, we’re frightened.
We’re frightened actually to say
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anything.
You know, they’ve got to laugh
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at me, aren’t they?
You know, it gets onto the
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subject of creation and
evolution, you know, and then a
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situation that probably arises
the very day we’re worried about
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it because God is going to test
us now.
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And you know, it, it’s a big
thing this.
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Are we going to say something
about about the truth?
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It’s like a it’s like a great
mountain to climb.
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It’s like the Assyrians have
camped around us just to say
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something about the truth.
We say it.
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They haven’t started laughing.
So that’s interesting what he
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said.
Did I hear you right?
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You said that was interesting.
And all of our fears have melted
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away.
And well, how silly we were to
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think that was such a big thing.
And so often our problems loom
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so large because we are focusing
on the problem, on ourselves and
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00:15:30,320 –> 00:15:33,280
not upon the God in whom we
should trust.
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00:15:33,600 –> 00:15:38,200
And what Timothy had to do in
verse 6, it’s to stir up the
218
00:15:38,200 –> 00:15:41,000
gift.
The the word stir means to
219
00:15:41,000 –> 00:15:46,320
rekindle a fire, the flames that
died right down.
220
00:15:47,480 –> 00:15:52,920
If you think of a bonfire or, or
the charcoal on a BBQ, you know
221
00:15:52,920 –> 00:15:56,480
it gets covered with ash and you
don’t really know if it’s a
222
00:15:56,480 –> 00:15:59,240
light.
And then you blow on it, and the
223
00:15:59,280 –> 00:16:04,320
ash flies off all over the food,
and the flames and the heat come
224
00:16:04,320 –> 00:16:07,800
back.
You rekindle a fire.
225
00:16:08,560 –> 00:16:10,960
And that may be the situation
that we’re in.
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00:16:10,960 –> 00:16:13,400
There may be some of us here who
have been brought up in the
227
00:16:13,400 –> 00:16:16,160
truth.
So are parents, and so have
228
00:16:16,160 –> 00:16:20,560
their parents.
And yet the zeal and enthusiasm
229
00:16:20,560 –> 00:16:26,320
and our first love, well, it’s
got down to the embers, and even
230
00:16:26,320 –> 00:16:30,520
the glow is fading.
And before it goes out, it’s got
231
00:16:30,520 –> 00:16:35,880
to be stirred up.
That may be the spirit of fear.
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00:16:36,200 –> 00:16:40,000
Our problems are too frightening
for us that we’ve gone back into
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00:16:40,000 –> 00:16:46,080
our shell and that are useless
as far as the work of the Lord
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00:16:46,080 –> 00:16:48,440
is concerned.
That’s not what we’ve been
235
00:16:48,440 –> 00:16:51,040
called to.
We’ve been called to power,
236
00:16:51,440 –> 00:16:56,120
love, a sound mind.
Well, you know these two men
237
00:16:56,120 –> 00:16:59,640
that are corresponding with one
another, neither in the best of
238
00:16:59,640 –> 00:17:05,280
health, Paul robust in spirit,
Timothy fearful and weak.
239
00:17:06,440 –> 00:17:09,720
But Timothy has to rise to the
occasion and put his trust in
240
00:17:09,720 –> 00:17:12,520
the living God.
And the language Paul uses is
241
00:17:12,520 –> 00:17:15,400
interesting.
The soldier that he has in mind,
242
00:17:15,400 –> 00:17:19,319
I don’t believe is the Roman
soldier at all, although Timothy
243
00:17:19,319 –> 00:17:22,079
would have been familiar with
Roman soldiers and that would
244
00:17:22,079 –> 00:17:26,480
have been a contrast.
If you look at First Timothy
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00:17:26,480 –> 00:17:36,800
chapter 1 and verse 18, Paul
speaks to Timothy as a man in an
246
00:17:36,800 –> 00:17:40,880
army speaking to somebody under
his command.
247
00:17:42,240 –> 00:17:47,120
Verse 18 of First Timothy.
One this charge I commit unto
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00:17:47,120 –> 00:17:51,080
thee, son Timothy, according to
the prophecies which went before
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00:17:51,080 –> 00:17:55,200
on thee, that by them thou
mightest war, a good warfare.
250
00:17:56,840 –> 00:17:58,680
The word charge is a military
term.
251
00:17:58,680 –> 00:18:01,680
It’s the Commission, the command
that the soldiers been given,
252
00:18:02,560 –> 00:18:06,200
and he’s got a warfare to fight.
And it’s through the word of God
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00:18:06,200 –> 00:18:07,960
that they knew what his job was
to be.
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00:18:07,960 –> 00:18:10,520
Now come on Timothy, get on with
it.
255
00:18:10,680 –> 00:18:14,120
Stir up yourself, fan the fire
into flames.
256
00:18:15,560 –> 00:18:22,640
Verse 18, War a good warfare.
Follow the words back to Numbers
257
00:18:22,640 –> 00:18:32,760
chapter 4 and verse 23.
Book of Numbers chapter 4 speaks
258
00:18:32,760 –> 00:18:36,520
about the Levites who were not
to be numbered with the soldiers
259
00:18:36,800 –> 00:18:39,320
of Israel because they weren’t
to go out to war.
260
00:18:40,120 –> 00:18:44,280
They didn’t have the same
warfare that the other tribes
261
00:18:44,280 –> 00:18:46,960
had to engage in.
But that doesn’t mean to say
262
00:18:47,280 –> 00:18:51,440
that in the service of God, the
Levites were conscientious
263
00:18:51,440 –> 00:18:55,520
objectors.
They were not they had a charge,
264
00:18:55,520 –> 00:19:00,280
they had a a military duty to
perform and this comes out in
265
00:19:00,280 –> 00:19:05,280
the language that numbers
chapter 4 uses of the Levites.
266
00:19:05,440 –> 00:19:12,000
For example, in verse 23, from
30 years old and upward until 50
267
00:19:12,000 –> 00:19:16,880
years old shall down number them
all that enter in to perform the
268
00:19:16,880 –> 00:19:21,880
service to do the work in the
Tabernacle of the congregation.
269
00:19:23,320 –> 00:19:26,960
The authorised version margin
tells you that against the
270
00:19:26,960 –> 00:19:29,960
expression to perform the
service.
271
00:19:30,320 –> 00:19:35,440
The literal Hebrew is to war the
warfare.
272
00:19:36,960 –> 00:19:41,040
Now if you don’t know, that’s
worth making a point of that
273
00:19:41,040 –> 00:19:46,240
because it is a fairly well
known connection that Timothy is
274
00:19:46,240 –> 00:19:48,760
being spoken to in terms of
numbers.
275
00:19:48,760 –> 00:19:54,800
Chapter 4, verse 23 war a good
warfare, just like the Levites.
276
00:19:54,960 –> 00:19:56,880
That’s the model that Paul is
using.
277
00:19:56,880 –> 00:20:00,680
Not the Roman soldier, the
Levitical soldier because his
278
00:20:00,680 –> 00:20:04,480
warfare was a spiritual warfare
against sin.
279
00:20:05,720 –> 00:20:09,520
He was there to serve the high
priest in the battle against
280
00:20:09,520 –> 00:20:13,720
sin.
Interestingly, the expression to
281
00:20:13,720 –> 00:20:18,240
do the work is a Hebraism as the
first.
282
00:20:18,800 –> 00:20:23,040
To war, the warfare where one
word is repeated, that’s a
283
00:20:23,040 –> 00:20:27,160
particular form of Hebrew
expression we call a Hebraism.
284
00:20:27,600 –> 00:20:31,320
So is the next.
To do the work is literally to
285
00:20:31,320 –> 00:20:36,520
work the work, to work the work.
And you find that in First
286
00:20:36,520 –> 00:20:40,520
Corinthians 16 and verse 10
where I’ve just quoted it to
287
00:20:40,520 –> 00:20:42,400
you.
Paul writes to the Corinthians
288
00:20:42,400 –> 00:20:46,080
and says, if Timothy come unto
you, see that he may be with you
289
00:20:46,080 –> 00:20:53,120
without fear, for he worketh the
work of the Lord as I do.
290
00:20:54,160 –> 00:20:57,960
That’s beautiful, isn’t it?
It’s one of those little joys
291
00:20:58,040 –> 00:20:59,640
you’d get during the Bible
readings.
292
00:20:59,640 –> 00:21:03,440
I knew about the warring, the
warfare for several years, and
293
00:21:03,440 –> 00:21:07,160
only relatively recently during
the daily readings, we read
294
00:21:07,160 –> 00:21:09,880
Corinthians and it stood out
like a beacon.
295
00:21:10,240 –> 00:21:14,720
If Timothy come, he woreth.
Sorry.
296
00:21:14,800 –> 00:21:18,320
He worketh the work even as I
do.
297
00:21:18,560 –> 00:21:22,440
And it’s the second-half of what
it says in verse 23 of Numbers
298
00:21:22,440 –> 00:21:25,640
chapter 4.
So Timothy, Paul must have been
299
00:21:25,640 –> 00:21:27,720
having an ongoing discussion
with Timothy.
300
00:21:27,720 –> 00:21:32,160
Now come on, Timothy.
Well, Timothy says, oh, Paul,
301
00:21:32,160 –> 00:21:34,480
I’ve got a real problem.
You know, I can’t do it.
302
00:21:34,480 –> 00:21:37,040
You know, I’m not up to it.
I’m not that sort.
303
00:21:37,040 –> 00:21:40,320
I haven’t got it in me, You
know, I you know, it’s just a
304
00:21:40,320 –> 00:21:41,960
burden.
I can’t carry it.
305
00:21:43,120 –> 00:21:46,560
Paul says, come on, Timothy.
Think of yourself like a Levite,
306
00:21:47,600 –> 00:21:51,840
you know, think of yourself as a
a spiritual warrior or the
307
00:21:51,840 –> 00:21:55,720
warfare work, the work you’ve
been given to Christ.
308
00:21:56,240 –> 00:21:58,240
He’ll give you the strength to
carry on.
309
00:22:00,320 –> 00:22:05,240
While we’re in Numbers chapter
4, we turn back a few pages into
310
00:22:05,240 –> 00:22:08,520
Numbers chapter 3 and you can
see a word there.
311
00:22:08,800 –> 00:22:12,720
It’s actually at the top of my
Bible where it says the
312
00:22:12,720 –> 00:22:16,960
families, numbers and charge of
the Levites.
313
00:22:18,880 –> 00:22:23,960
And if you look in that chapter,
you’ll see the word charge used
314
00:22:24,120 –> 00:22:28,280
time and time again.
It’s in verse, starts off in
315
00:22:28,280 –> 00:22:32,600
verse 7 they shall keep His
charge.
316
00:22:33,080 –> 00:22:37,480
And in verse 8, the charge of
the children of Israel, it’s in
317
00:22:37,480 –> 00:22:42,280
verse 25 and the charge of the
sons of Gershon and it’s in
318
00:22:42,280 –> 00:22:45,440
verse 28 keeping the charge of
the sanctuary.
319
00:22:45,680 –> 00:22:51,760
And so it goes on many times.
The charge that was the
320
00:22:51,760 –> 00:22:55,520
Commission they were given.
And that’s what Paul says in
321
00:22:55,560 –> 00:22:58,560
chapter 1 and verse 18.
You can follow it through in
322
00:22:58,560 –> 00:23:01,640
Timothy with a concordance.
It’s used more than once.
323
00:23:01,840 –> 00:23:07,280
This charge I commit unto thee,
son Timothy, that the war of
324
00:23:07,280 –> 00:23:09,360
good warfare.
It’s quite clear what’s
325
00:23:09,360 –> 00:23:11,800
happening.
Paul is saying, Timothy,
326
00:23:11,960 –> 00:23:16,400
Timothy, you’re a Levite.
The Levites are the pattern of
327
00:23:16,400 –> 00:23:21,720
the Saints under the law.
So we could look at the Levites
328
00:23:21,720 –> 00:23:24,520
if we had a separate study on
the Levites now we could.
329
00:23:24,720 –> 00:23:28,880
We’ve given them the clue,
aren’t we, to opening up Bible
330
00:23:28,880 –> 00:23:33,200
teaching concerning the Levites.
The Levites are portraits of the
331
00:23:33,200 –> 00:23:42,200
Saints in the Old Testament, men
and families dedicated to the
332
00:23:42,200 –> 00:23:47,640
service of the high priest, with
a Commission to wage war against
333
00:23:47,640 –> 00:23:52,000
sin and to instruct the people
in the Word of God.
334
00:23:53,440 –> 00:23:58,240
The one little expression in the
Epistle to Timothy can open up a
335
00:23:58,240 –> 00:24:04,360
whole Old Testament seen for us
and see how it apply to us.
336
00:24:08,480 –> 00:24:10,960
So that’s the spirit in which
he’s speaking out.
337
00:24:11,120 –> 00:24:15,360
Come on, let’s pan the flames,
let’s good up our loins, let’s
338
00:24:15,680 –> 00:24:18,560
stiffen our resolve.
Let’s get on with the work.
339
00:24:18,920 –> 00:24:21,040
Let’s trust in the Lord to
strengthen us.
340
00:24:21,200 –> 00:24:24,080
I can do all things, says Paul
through Christ, which
341
00:24:24,080 –> 00:24:30,480
strengtheneth me.
And so can we if we will but
342
00:24:30,480 –> 00:24:36,080
lean upon him.
Well, again, in that context,
343
00:24:36,080 –> 00:24:41,320
now we’d like to look at the
language that Paul uses to
344
00:24:41,320 –> 00:24:46,360
Timothy, because it’s it strikes
a chord with Timothy.
345
00:24:46,360 –> 00:24:54,560
Surely he uses a word four
times, a Greek word from which
346
00:24:54,560 –> 00:25:05,560
we get our English word hygiene.
These are hygienic words in in
347
00:25:05,560 –> 00:25:10,400
the third epistle of John
chapter 3, it is to be in health
348
00:25:11,400 –> 00:25:15,800
healthy words.
Let’s just note where this is
349
00:25:15,800 –> 00:25:21,480
used in chapter 1 and verse 10.
He says for whoremongers, for
350
00:25:21,480 –> 00:25:25,320
them that defy themselves with
mankind, for men, Steelers, for
351
00:25:25,320 –> 00:25:29,360
liars, for perjured persons.
And if there be any other thing
352
00:25:29,360 –> 00:25:34,960
that is contrary to sound
doctrine, according to the
353
00:25:34,960 –> 00:25:39,840
glorious gospel of the blessed
God, which was committed to my
354
00:25:39,840 –> 00:25:43,640
trust.
So those things of the world,
355
00:25:43,640 –> 00:25:47,560
adultery and fornication and
homosexuality, those things
356
00:25:47,560 –> 00:25:51,760
which pervade all aspects of
society today, those things
357
00:25:51,760 –> 00:25:55,480
which would count escape just by
reading even the front page of a
358
00:25:55,480 –> 00:25:59,640
newspaper or or just listening
to the the main BBC News on the
359
00:25:59,640 –> 00:26:02,880
radio.
It’s almost guaranteed that
360
00:26:02,880 –> 00:26:08,960
every news broadcast will have
something on this subject put
361
00:26:08,960 –> 00:26:14,480
forward in the pretence of news,
but actually winning audiences
362
00:26:14,480 –> 00:26:18,040
because of the vicarious
pleasure that it gives people.
363
00:26:20,160 –> 00:26:23,640
That’s the society we’re in.
You can’t leave the radio on
364
00:26:23,640 –> 00:26:27,360
during the day in the house.
The danger of the children
365
00:26:27,360 –> 00:26:29,960
hearing something that none of
us would want to hear.
366
00:26:31,840 –> 00:26:35,520
Now, those are the things that
he he lists there that the law
367
00:26:35,520 –> 00:26:38,440
was given against.
And he says at the end of first
368
00:26:38,440 –> 00:26:43,360
ten, that these things are
contrary to sound doctrine, or
369
00:26:43,360 –> 00:26:46,920
the word sound.
Is the word hygienic, healthy
370
00:26:46,920 –> 00:26:49,640
doctrine.
These are the things which
371
00:26:49,640 –> 00:26:55,120
pollute our minds and make us
sick in mind and spirit.
372
00:26:59,000 –> 00:27:04,120
And knowing that, why then do we
allow them to come into our
373
00:27:04,120 –> 00:27:09,560
thoughts and minds by deliberate
acts of what we do with our
374
00:27:09,560 –> 00:27:13,760
time?
They, they crowd in as it is
375
00:27:15,560 –> 00:27:19,720
without much effort, just
walking down the street, the the
376
00:27:19,720 –> 00:27:22,960
hoardings and the, the
billboards and the and so on.
377
00:27:27,200 –> 00:27:29,560
They’re contrary to sound
doctrine.
378
00:27:30,240 –> 00:27:35,840
They are unhealthy teaching.
They infect and contaminate the
379
00:27:35,840 –> 00:27:38,600
mind.
But the things which the gospel
380
00:27:38,600 –> 00:27:43,600
speaks of, they give help.
But Timothy must say, well I
381
00:27:43,600 –> 00:27:48,840
need help, where’s he going to
get it from?
382
00:27:50,000 –> 00:27:59,360
Chapter 6 and verse 3 and verse
3 of chapter 6.
383
00:28:01,960 –> 00:28:08,560
If any man teach otherwise and
consent not to wholesome words,
384
00:28:09,520 –> 00:28:13,120
even the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ and to the doctrine which
385
00:28:13,120 –> 00:28:19,240
is according to godliness.
He is proud knowing nothing but
386
00:28:19,240 –> 00:28:22,480
doting about questions stripes
of words.
387
00:28:23,560 –> 00:28:25,800
The word wholesome in verse
three.
388
00:28:26,040 –> 00:28:32,720
That’s the same word who gain
no, it means healthy, sound
389
00:28:35,880 –> 00:28:40,040
wholesome words.
It’s a wonderful tone to that
390
00:28:40,040 –> 00:28:42,320
expression.
It’s wholesome.
391
00:28:43,520 –> 00:28:45,920
Now.
That’s what people look for
392
00:28:45,920 –> 00:28:48,400
today, don’t they?
People are worried about what
393
00:28:48,400 –> 00:28:51,680
they eat.
They’re worried about the the E
394
00:28:51,680 –> 00:28:53,400
numbers.
They’re worried about the
395
00:28:53,400 –> 00:28:57,120
preservatives, about the
chemicals that are in the food.
396
00:28:57,760 –> 00:29:01,920
Understandably, people want
something that is wholesome, but
397
00:29:01,920 –> 00:29:05,520
a beautiful expression of the
teaching of the Lord Jesus
398
00:29:05,520 –> 00:29:09,600
Christ.
There’s nothing but health in
399
00:29:09,720 –> 00:29:13,720
the words of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the doctrine which is
400
00:29:13,720 –> 00:29:19,840
according to godliness.
So when we fill our minds to
401
00:29:19,840 –> 00:29:22,960
those things, the world just
can’t make any inroads.
402
00:29:24,120 –> 00:29:27,960
If you have that experience, we
have been written a preaching,
403
00:29:27,960 –> 00:29:32,840
preaching efforts we call
campaigns where say 15 people
404
00:29:33,160 –> 00:29:36,760
will go and live in a town
perhaps where there’s no
405
00:29:36,760 –> 00:29:40,800
ecclesia for a week and preach
the word.
406
00:29:41,640 –> 00:29:44,840
We have say, 30 campaigns here
in different parts of Britain.
407
00:29:45,280 –> 00:29:50,240
And some Ben and sisters, they
spend all their holiday going on
408
00:29:50,240 –> 00:29:55,880
campaigns, going to strange
towns and giving out leaflets,
409
00:29:55,880 –> 00:30:02,000
knocking on doors, canvassing,
standing by these exhibitions
410
00:30:02,000 –> 00:30:05,520
that we have.
And what you find when you’re on
411
00:30:05,520 –> 00:30:09,080
that sort of thing where you
spend a whole week, it happens
412
00:30:09,080 –> 00:30:12,320
in Bible school as well.
The whole week doing that is
413
00:30:12,320 –> 00:30:14,240
that you hardly have a wrong
thought.
414
00:30:15,360 –> 00:30:19,720
You come to the pride and think
perhaps there’s a note of pride
415
00:30:19,720 –> 00:30:21,120
in it.
But I don’t think I’ve sinned
416
00:30:21,120 –> 00:30:25,760
this week because you feel so
wholesome.
417
00:30:26,640 –> 00:30:31,480
You feel you feel right.
It isn’t really pride.
418
00:30:31,480 –> 00:30:33,160
It’s not saying look how good I
am.
419
00:30:33,160 –> 00:30:35,960
It’s you just feel right with
God.
420
00:30:36,120 –> 00:30:39,520
You feel everything is is in the
right order in your mind.
421
00:30:40,120 –> 00:30:42,560
So you get up in the morning
with brethren and sisters, you
422
00:30:42,560 –> 00:30:46,280
do the readings, you sing hymns,
you have some study out, you
423
00:30:46,280 –> 00:30:49,720
speak to the adversary, you
speak to people ridiculous.
424
00:30:49,840 –> 00:30:53,280
You carry a placard down the
road and the street is laughing
425
00:30:53,280 –> 00:31:00,160
at you and you feel good for it
because you’re suffering in some
426
00:31:00,160 –> 00:31:04,360
little way for Christ.
And you stand on a street corner
427
00:31:04,360 –> 00:31:07,120
and you shout at the top of your
head to pass us by.
428
00:31:07,880 –> 00:31:11,280
And they think you’re mad and
your brothers and sisters are
429
00:31:11,280 –> 00:31:16,480
cheering you on and you feel
wholesome, but you’re out on the
430
00:31:16,480 –> 00:31:19,240
street with the world, but
you’re not.
431
00:31:21,280 –> 00:31:24,200
You come back and you have a
meal together and you do another
432
00:31:24,200 –> 00:31:27,760
reading and you go out again.
You come back exhausted and you
433
00:31:27,760 –> 00:31:30,600
do another reading and and you
stay up there 2:00 in the
434
00:31:30,600 –> 00:31:36,760
morning singing hymns and you
feel wholesome because you know
435
00:31:36,760 –> 00:31:39,280
it’s the place to be.
You know of, of anywhere in the
436
00:31:39,280 –> 00:31:45,760
world this is the place to be.
And it’s not often that we feel
437
00:31:45,760 –> 00:31:54,720
like that because unwholesome
things are contaminating us and
438
00:31:54,720 –> 00:31:59,040
our homes because we’re not 100%
committed.
439
00:31:59,040 –> 00:32:02,600
It’s only when we are 100%
committed that we feel like
440
00:32:02,600 –> 00:32:04,840
that.
That’s what the Epistle of John
441
00:32:04,840 –> 00:32:06,040
says.
We didn’t have time to look at
442
00:32:06,040 –> 00:32:09,000
it in relation to our first
subject, but have a look at the
443
00:32:09,000 –> 00:32:14,320
Word to know and how we know.
We know that we’re in Christ.
444
00:32:14,920 –> 00:32:19,200
It’s when we’re 100% committed
to practising the truth.
445
00:32:19,800 –> 00:32:21,840
And that’s where the real
blessing comes.
446
00:32:22,280 –> 00:32:25,360
And it’s wholesome.
It’s healthy.
447
00:32:27,520 –> 00:32:35,480
In chapter 1 of the second
epistle and verse 13, he repeats
448
00:32:35,480 –> 00:32:40,760
this idea when he says, hold
fast the form of sound words
449
00:32:40,760 –> 00:32:44,400
which thou hast heard of me in
faith and love, which is in
450
00:32:44,400 –> 00:32:47,800
Christ Jesus.
And it seems that in verse 13,
451
00:32:47,800 –> 00:32:51,200
he’s speaking about a statement
of faith as we would understand
452
00:32:51,200 –> 00:32:57,120
it, a written record of the
truth of the gospel, a a form of
453
00:32:57,120 –> 00:33:02,400
words which he would hold fast
to because this represented the
454
00:33:02,400 –> 00:33:08,720
life giving word of God in faith
and love.
455
00:33:10,000 –> 00:33:15,840
Not a a letter to be applied
coldly, but a doctrine to be
456
00:33:16,280 –> 00:33:19,200
encouraged in through faith and
love.
457
00:33:19,280 –> 00:33:21,880
Why?
Because it was help giving.
458
00:33:24,240 –> 00:33:31,480
And in chapter 4 and verse 3,
sadly, he warns Timothy that the
459
00:33:31,480 –> 00:33:34,400
time was going to come when
people would depart from that
460
00:33:34,880 –> 00:33:37,920
statement of faith.
Shall we say that form of sound
461
00:33:37,920 –> 00:33:41,520
words, verse 3.
For the time will come when they
462
00:33:41,520 –> 00:33:47,320
will not endue a sound doctrine,
but after their own lusts shall
463
00:33:47,320 –> 00:33:50,800
they keep to themselves.
Teachers having itching ears,
464
00:33:51,040 –> 00:33:54,080
and they shall turn away their
ears from the truth, and shall
465
00:33:54,080 –> 00:33:59,560
be turned and to fables.
They will not endure a sound
466
00:33:59,560 –> 00:34:02,760
doctrine.
Healthy doctrine becomes boring.
467
00:34:05,800 –> 00:34:11,600
It is not exciting enough.
They want something new and
468
00:34:11,600 –> 00:34:16,040
they’re given something new and
they turn to fables and away
469
00:34:16,040 –> 00:34:18,000
from the truth.
It’s a sad day, isn’t it, when
470
00:34:18,000 –> 00:34:22,320
the truth, the first principles
of the truth, become boring to
471
00:34:22,360 –> 00:34:25,840
us.
Now we’ve been talking about the
472
00:34:25,840 –> 00:34:29,400
seminar series and those who’ve
been privileged enough to to sit
473
00:34:29,400 –> 00:34:32,360
in or teach the seminars.
I’ve been thrilled.
474
00:34:32,760 –> 00:34:37,080
Everybody’s experience is the
same, to see how people respond
475
00:34:37,080 –> 00:34:40,199
to the first principles of the
Word of God when they discover
476
00:34:40,199 –> 00:34:43,639
them for themselves.
Why, you just lay before
477
00:34:43,639 –> 00:34:47,400
somebody averse and say, well,
there’s a verse which speaks
478
00:34:47,400 –> 00:34:51,760
about this subject and without
all the prejudices that have
479
00:34:51,760 –> 00:34:54,679
been stripped away by the
approach that’s taken.
480
00:34:54,679 –> 00:34:59,320
They read, they’re saying, oh,
Oh dear, look at that.
481
00:34:59,840 –> 00:35:03,560
Oh, well, if that’s the case,
then what about people in
482
00:35:03,560 –> 00:35:05,160
heaven?
How’s that fit in?
483
00:35:06,800 –> 00:35:08,400
And you say, well, what do you
think?
484
00:35:08,400 –> 00:35:12,080
What’s it say?
Well, oh, so there’s nobody in
485
00:35:12,080 –> 00:35:13,840
heaven.
People come to that conclusion
486
00:35:13,840 –> 00:35:16,920
themselves.
Are they stunned by it?
487
00:35:18,960 –> 00:35:23,200
And those who accept the truth
are thrilled by it because it is
488
00:35:23,400 –> 00:35:28,280
a quick way of presenting,
perhaps by not giving sufficient
489
00:35:28,280 –> 00:35:33,160
attention, or by not allowing
the word to speak for itself, by
490
00:35:33,160 –> 00:35:34,720
getting in the way of it
somehow.
491
00:35:35,040 –> 00:35:38,160
See, if the brother presenting
is not interested, why should
492
00:35:38,160 –> 00:35:42,720
anybody else be?
If the brother presenting hasn’t
493
00:35:42,720 –> 00:35:47,520
found time enough to prepare,
why should the audience think
494
00:35:47,520 –> 00:35:49,920
it’s interesting?
No reason at all, is it?
495
00:35:52,520 –> 00:35:55,920
So come on, brethren, let’s stir
up the fire.
496
00:35:57,440 –> 00:35:59,960
Let’s make things interesting
because they are interesting.
497
00:35:59,960 –> 00:36:03,280
Let’s be interested.
They can’t complain about our
498
00:36:03,280 –> 00:36:04,800
young people not being
interested.
499
00:36:04,880 –> 00:36:11,360
If we’re not interested, we
can’t make our young people read
500
00:36:11,360 –> 00:36:13,400
the scriptures.
If we don’t read the scriptures,
501
00:36:13,520 –> 00:36:16,080
we can’t make them live the
truth if they’ve got no example
502
00:36:16,080 –> 00:36:20,600
to follow.
Suppose say, come on, Timothy,
503
00:36:21,800 –> 00:36:24,600
don’t be so fearful.
Stir up the gift.
504
00:36:27,480 –> 00:36:29,400
This is where you get your
health back.
505
00:36:30,120 –> 00:36:34,320
You’re going to get it on
tablets or drinking water all
506
00:36:34,320 –> 00:36:38,200
the time, so frightened that
something’s going to poison you.
507
00:36:38,920 –> 00:36:42,680
Get back to the word, the
hygienic word of God.
508
00:36:45,080 –> 00:36:48,120
There’s a second word we want to
look at.
509
00:36:48,720 –> 00:36:53,400
It’s the word which has to do
with mental health, Sophron, and
510
00:36:53,400 –> 00:36:59,680
it’s got some variations and
it’s translated sober sobriety
511
00:37:00,440 –> 00:37:05,240
and sound mind.
We won’t look at them all, but
512
00:37:05,480 –> 00:37:08,880
we look at the last one and
Second Timothy chapter 1 and
513
00:37:08,880 –> 00:37:13,040
verse 7.
As we’ve read Timothy, God hath
514
00:37:13,040 –> 00:37:18,440
not given us the spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of
515
00:37:18,480 –> 00:37:28,200
a sound mind, a healthy mind.
You know, an unsound mind is is
516
00:37:28,200 –> 00:37:36,520
a mentally ill mind in spiritual
terms and the power of this
517
00:37:36,520 –> 00:37:41,640
word, we can see it by
connecting it to Mark chapter 5
518
00:37:41,960 –> 00:37:47,960
and verse 15 because this basic
word of Sophron and it’s
519
00:37:49,360 –> 00:37:53,120
variations is derivations.
One of them is used in Mark
520
00:37:53,120 –> 00:38:00,160
chapter 5 and verse 15 where it
is translated right mind.
521
00:38:02,520 –> 00:38:08,720
In Timothy it’s Sophronismos and
in Mark 5 it’s sophronio or
522
00:38:08,720 –> 00:38:12,640
something like that.
But in Mark chapter 5 and verse
523
00:38:12,640 –> 00:38:17,400
15 it is recorded of a legion.
Remember the man who was mad,
524
00:38:18,000 –> 00:38:21,680
The man who lived in the
cemeteries, who ran naked on the
525
00:38:21,680 –> 00:38:26,680
hills, who cut himself.
A man that they tried to tame,
526
00:38:27,160 –> 00:38:29,720
but they couldn’t.
A man who was out of control.
527
00:38:29,880 –> 00:38:33,280
A man whose mind was racing
everywhere, filled with all, as
528
00:38:33,280 –> 00:38:36,920
if the world was in his head.
They were a legion of things,
529
00:38:36,920 –> 00:38:42,080
contaminating him, driven by
every influence.
530
00:38:43,360 –> 00:38:45,080
He didn’t have a mind of his
own.
531
00:38:46,640 –> 00:38:49,600
He had been invaded by the Roman
armies.
532
00:38:49,800 –> 00:38:57,920
They were a legion of spirits.
But he can see the Lord Jesus
533
00:38:57,920 –> 00:39:00,720
coming across the water.
He runs down to meet him.
534
00:39:01,680 –> 00:39:04,280
He must have recognised him and
heard of him.
535
00:39:04,280 –> 00:39:07,680
There would have been times when
he would have had some clarity
536
00:39:07,680 –> 00:39:10,960
of thought.
And of course the Lord sends the
537
00:39:10,960 –> 00:39:15,960
legion out into the swine.
And there’s a dramatic
538
00:39:15,960 –> 00:39:21,520
transformation in verse 15,
because when the country folk
539
00:39:21,520 –> 00:39:25,640
come to see what was going on,
it says they come to Jesus and
540
00:39:25,640 –> 00:39:30,360
see him that was possessed with
the devil and had the legion
541
00:39:30,800 –> 00:39:36,240
sitting and clothed and in his
right mind.
542
00:39:36,240 –> 00:39:38,240
And each of those statements is
a contrast.
543
00:39:38,840 –> 00:39:42,040
He ran on the hills, but now he
was sitting.
544
00:39:43,400 –> 00:39:49,080
He was naked before, but now he
was closed and he was out of his
545
00:39:49,080 –> 00:39:52,920
mind before, and now he is in
his right mind.
546
00:39:55,080 –> 00:39:58,560
So see that man sitting at the
feet of the Lord Jesus Christ?
547
00:40:00,000 –> 00:40:02,720
One of the disciples must have
given him one of his coats.
548
00:40:05,160 –> 00:40:06,560
Perhaps the Lord gave him his
own.
549
00:40:09,080 –> 00:40:14,080
There he is sat, clothed by the
Lord Jesus Christ, quiet,
550
00:40:15,560 –> 00:40:20,840
sitting, listening.
He’s in his right mind.
551
00:40:22,800 –> 00:40:24,520
You know what happens when we
have problems?
552
00:40:24,520 –> 00:40:28,520
Often we try to shut out the
problem by increasing the noise,
553
00:40:29,640 –> 00:40:36,360
by racing to and fro, by filling
our time with distractions, by
554
00:40:36,440 –> 00:40:39,840
doing everything except what we
ought to do, which is come to
555
00:40:39,840 –> 00:40:48,280
the feet of the Lord Jesus
Christ and sit and listen and
556
00:40:48,280 –> 00:40:54,800
then pray.
When we do everything but that,
557
00:40:54,800 –> 00:40:59,680
we are out of our minds.
We are being driven by the
558
00:40:59,680 –> 00:41:02,120
forces across the mountains.
Like Legion.
559
00:41:03,080 –> 00:41:07,560
We could see ourselves racing up
and down the mountains, sleeping
560
00:41:07,560 –> 00:41:17,200
amongst dead men, naked.
But God hasn’t called us to
561
00:41:17,200 –> 00:41:19,080
that.
He’s called us to the power of a
562
00:41:19,080 –> 00:41:21,920
sound mind, which is to sit
quietly.
563
00:41:21,920 –> 00:41:24,400
You know, you have to be at ease
to sit quietly.
564
00:41:26,240 –> 00:41:29,200
Now.
If we can’t sit still on our own
565
00:41:31,440 –> 00:41:34,800
more than a couple of minutes,
there’s probably something
566
00:41:34,800 –> 00:41:39,280
wrong.
If the silence worries us so
567
00:41:39,280 –> 00:41:44,040
much or our thoughts are so
disturbing that we have to talk
568
00:41:44,040 –> 00:41:47,040
to somebody, we have to race
here or race there.
569
00:41:47,040 –> 00:41:49,360
We have to put the wireless on
the television on.
570
00:41:50,000 –> 00:41:52,560
We have to go out.
We have to do something to to
571
00:41:52,560 –> 00:41:54,440
block out the thoughts from our
mind.
572
00:41:56,240 –> 00:41:57,800
Well, we’re not in our right
minds there.
573
00:42:00,600 –> 00:42:01,920
That’s what the apostle is
saying.
574
00:42:01,920 –> 00:42:07,400
Go and sit at the feet of the
Lord Jesus Christ and you will
575
00:42:07,400 –> 00:42:16,360
find wholesomeness there.
Interestingly, in Timothy
576
00:42:16,360 –> 00:42:19,360
there’s a word for sickness of
mind.
577
00:42:19,360 –> 00:42:24,400
In First Timothy chapter 6 and
verse 4, it talks about the
578
00:42:24,760 –> 00:42:28,360
opposite of wholesome words.
There are a number of words
579
00:42:28,360 –> 00:42:31,160
actually in Timothy which are
about disease.
580
00:42:31,200 –> 00:42:35,200
Let me just mention one or two.
Now we’ve got time.
581
00:42:35,480 –> 00:42:38,360
First Timothy chapter 6 and
verse four.
582
00:42:38,600 –> 00:42:43,040
In contrast to the wholesome
words of verse three, it says he
583
00:42:43,040 –> 00:42:48,000
is proud, knowing nothing but
doting about.
584
00:42:48,000 –> 00:42:52,600
Questions and stripes of words
were off come with envy, strife,
585
00:42:53,080 –> 00:42:58,200
railings, evil surmisings,
perverse disputings of men of
586
00:42:58,200 –> 00:43:02,400
corrupt minds.
And the word doting is the word
587
00:43:02,400 –> 00:43:05,600
nosio, which is the word for
disease.
588
00:43:06,520 –> 00:43:13,160
Nosology is the study of the
names of diseases, right?
589
00:43:13,360 –> 00:43:19,400
This is no seal disease that
those who have rejected the
590
00:43:19,400 –> 00:43:26,440
wholesome words are sick about
questions and stripes.
591
00:43:26,600 –> 00:43:31,480
There is a way of debating the
truth of being involved in Bible
592
00:43:31,480 –> 00:43:36,040
class which is sick and not
wholesome.
593
00:43:37,760 –> 00:43:40,520
There is a way of being engaged
in discussion, to beat your
594
00:43:40,520 –> 00:43:45,040
opponent, to catch them out, to
ask them a question they can’t
595
00:43:45,040 –> 00:43:51,960
answer, to trip them up, to
trick them, to take the
596
00:43:51,960 –> 00:43:56,160
limelight, to have people in
admiration.
597
00:43:58,160 –> 00:44:03,080
And that is completely and
utterly false, unhealthy, and
598
00:44:03,080 –> 00:44:08,400
nothing at all to do with
Scripture study, but everything
599
00:44:08,400 –> 00:44:14,200
to do with the pride of man.
The whole point of Bible study
600
00:44:14,680 –> 00:44:19,200
is to minister wholesome words
to build up faith.
601
00:44:24,040 –> 00:44:27,400
So Timothy was being told, don’t
be distracted by these
602
00:44:27,400 –> 00:44:29,520
questions, which are trick
questions.
603
00:44:29,800 –> 00:44:33,680
You’ve stopped arguing about
what somebody meant by that and
604
00:44:33,680 –> 00:44:36,280
how somebody else has
interpreted it and you get lost
605
00:44:36,280 –> 00:44:44,760
in a morass of words to no
prophet rather get back to the
606
00:44:44,760 –> 00:44:47,960
wholesome words of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
607
00:44:47,960 –> 00:44:50,640
That’s not but it gets Bible
study a bad name, doesn’t it
608
00:44:51,480 –> 00:44:55,960
that be drawn into that
fruitless and prophetess
609
00:44:59,040 –> 00:45:06,760
charade.
Chapter 2 of Second Timothy, we
610
00:45:06,760 –> 00:45:11,320
get another idea of this sort of
disease of the word, because
611
00:45:11,320 –> 00:45:14,960
this is the apostles showing
Timothy the stages that the
612
00:45:14,960 –> 00:45:17,960
ecclesia was going to descend
into before it wouldn’t endure
613
00:45:17,960 –> 00:45:19,680
some doctrine.
You know, it was the IT was the
614
00:45:19,680 –> 00:45:24,600
beginning of the rot that was
setting in Bible class, given
615
00:45:24,600 –> 00:45:29,920
over to to questions, to no
profit, not aimed at ministering
616
00:45:29,960 –> 00:45:34,640
and edifying, but just an
intellectual curiosity.
617
00:45:35,520 –> 00:45:41,640
The whole point of Bible study
is to minister wholesome words
618
00:45:41,960 –> 00:45:49,600
to build up faith.
So Timothy was being told, don’t
619
00:45:49,800 –> 00:45:52,480
be distracted by these
questions, which are trick
620
00:45:52,480 –> 00:45:55,240
questions.
You’ve start arguing about what
621
00:45:55,240 –> 00:45:58,880
somebody meant by that and how
somebody else has interpreted
622
00:45:58,880 –> 00:46:04,040
it, and you get lost in a morass
of words to no profit.
623
00:46:07,400 –> 00:46:10,760
Rather, get back to the
wholesome words of the Lord
624
00:46:10,760 –> 00:46:12,880
Jesus Christ.
That’s not, but it gets Bible
625
00:46:12,880 –> 00:46:17,080
study a bad name, doesn’t it?
It’d be drawn into that
626
00:46:17,200 –> 00:46:23,440
fruitless and prophetess
charade.
627
00:46:27,320 –> 00:46:33,080
Chapter 2 of Second Timothy.
We get another idea of this sort
628
00:46:33,080 –> 00:46:37,040
of disease of the word because
this is the apostle showing
629
00:46:37,040 –> 00:46:39,800
Timothy the stages that the
ecclesia was going to descend
630
00:46:39,800 –> 00:46:42,680
into before it wouldn’t endure
sound often, you know, it was
631
00:46:42,680 –> 00:46:47,480
the IT was the beginning of the
rot that was setting in fibre
632
00:46:47,480 –> 00:46:52,520
class given over to to questions
to no prophet, not aimed at
633
00:46:52,600 –> 00:46:58,120
ministering and edifying, but
just an intellectual curiosity.
634
00:47:01,680 –> 00:47:06,320
So in verse 15 of chapter 2 of
the second epistle, Paul says to
635
00:47:06,320 –> 00:47:11,160
Timothy, study to show thyself
approved unto God.
636
00:47:11,880 –> 00:47:16,200
That’s the purpose of study.
It’s not talking about study in
637
00:47:16,200 –> 00:47:19,920
the sense that we speak of it,
but it’s helpful.
638
00:47:20,280 –> 00:47:25,600
A Workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the
639
00:47:25,600 –> 00:47:28,680
word of truth.
Now This is why you can’t rush
640
00:47:28,720 –> 00:47:31,880
Bible study.
It’s not a matter of throwing
641
00:47:31,880 –> 00:47:34,840
some verses together and and
putting them down, perhaps on
642
00:47:34,840 –> 00:47:39,000
paper and or perhaps not.
If we’ve got the ability to put
643
00:47:39,000 –> 00:47:41,600
words together as we go along.
You know, they’ve got some
644
00:47:41,600 –> 00:47:42,680
thoughts.
There we are.
645
00:47:46,080 –> 00:47:48,960
Study to show thyself approved
unto God.
646
00:47:48,960 –> 00:47:51,680
You see, we want gods to prove
we don’t want brethren and
647
00:47:51,680 –> 00:47:53,200
sisters come and talk.
It’s a great talk.
648
00:47:53,240 –> 00:47:58,360
Thanks very much.
We don’t want to be
649
00:47:58,360 –> 00:48:00,320
discourteous, but that’s not
what we want.
650
00:48:01,720 –> 00:48:05,400
I mean, it’s good if they’ve
enjoyed it, but let’s hope that
651
00:48:05,400 –> 00:48:09,760
what people get out of it is
that they say isn’t the word of
652
00:48:09,760 –> 00:48:12,920
God.
Marcus, what a wonderful thing
653
00:48:12,920 –> 00:48:15,160
God has done for us.
That’s what any speaking brother
654
00:48:15,160 –> 00:48:17,840
here, I’m sure will say.
That’s that’s what we want to
655
00:48:17,840 –> 00:48:21,200
achieve.
We want the word of God to be in
656
00:48:21,200 –> 00:48:24,880
people’s minds, but it’s got to
be rightly divided.
657
00:48:24,880 –> 00:48:29,520
The lines have to be cut in the
right places for it to actually
658
00:48:29,600 –> 00:48:36,040
open up for us.
I’m just thinking of an AMA
659
00:48:36,040 –> 00:48:37,960
letter.
You know, we get them sometimes
660
00:48:37,960 –> 00:48:41,200
where they’re folded and, and
stuck around the edge.
661
00:48:41,200 –> 00:48:44,800
And I always cut it the wrong
way so that I’m reading a
662
00:48:44,800 –> 00:48:48,160
letter, you know, and I have to
keep doing this because I
663
00:48:48,160 –> 00:48:50,200
haven’t rightly divided the
word.
664
00:48:51,320 –> 00:48:53,280
I didn’t follow the
instructions.
665
00:48:54,240 –> 00:48:57,840
Open this in you know, so cut it
wherever I want.
666
00:49:01,480 –> 00:49:04,480
So we have to give attention,
and the only way to do that is
667
00:49:04,480 –> 00:49:09,520
to listen to what it says.
Verse 16 Shun profane and vain
668
00:49:09,520 –> 00:49:12,920
babblings, for they will
increase unto more ungodliness,
669
00:49:13,320 –> 00:49:15,560
and their word will eat us
death.
670
00:49:15,560 –> 00:49:22,680
A canker.
The word canker gangreina means
671
00:49:22,680 –> 00:49:30,560
to gnaw as a rodent gnaws away.
You’ve had rats or mice around.
672
00:49:30,560 –> 00:49:33,640
You see the signs.
I’ve been gnaw away.
673
00:49:34,320 –> 00:49:39,320
And this is what these false
students are doing.
674
00:49:40,000 –> 00:49:42,720
The teaching, which is not
scriptural, it’s not based on
675
00:49:42,720 –> 00:49:44,920
scriptures, It’s not trying to
rightly divide.
676
00:49:45,280 –> 00:49:48,960
It is acting as an ulcer.
There is a skin condition, a
677
00:49:48,960 –> 00:49:52,920
sort of cancer, but doesn’t
spread, metastasize.
678
00:49:52,920 –> 00:49:57,960
It’s called a rodent ulcer.
A rodent ulcer.
679
00:49:58,560 –> 00:50:02,680
It gets its name from the fact
that it gnaws away through the
680
00:50:02,680 –> 00:50:06,040
skin.
Slowly but surely it gnaws away.
681
00:50:08,040 –> 00:50:14,240
And I saw a patient once who
came in to see the surgeon and
682
00:50:14,320 –> 00:50:18,480
she had this problem for a
number of years and she covered
683
00:50:18,480 –> 00:50:22,480
it over.
She’d put lint on it and cream.
684
00:50:22,480 –> 00:50:30,240
And when she took off the Linton
cream, the chest wasn’t there.
685
00:50:32,320 –> 00:50:35,600
All that were there were the you
could see the bones of her rib
686
00:50:35,600 –> 00:50:39,440
cage.
The flesh had gone and she just
687
00:50:39,440 –> 00:50:43,160
covered it up.
Over a couple of years, she’d
688
00:50:43,160 –> 00:50:47,840
been so frightened to face up to
the truth of what she had she
689
00:50:47,840 –> 00:50:51,960
had not sought out.
But the surgeon said I can’t do
690
00:50:51,960 –> 00:50:57,880
anything for you and he sent her
home.
691
00:51:00,040 –> 00:51:08,640
They can’t do anything for you.
Their word will eat Asda a
692
00:51:08,640 –> 00:51:12,880
canker.
What a dramatic warning then to
693
00:51:12,880 –> 00:51:14,560
a man who was concerned about
his health.
694
00:51:15,560 –> 00:51:19,920
Stay away from that prophet.
Let’s debate and dispute, which
695
00:51:19,920 –> 00:51:23,760
arises from the philosophy of
men and is not the wholesome
696
00:51:24,000 –> 00:51:27,720
listening to the Word of God.
Though I wonder what our Bible
697
00:51:27,720 –> 00:51:30,400
classes are like in relation to
this epistle.
698
00:51:30,400 –> 00:51:35,480
Brethren, sisters, do they match
up to what Paul is speaking to
699
00:51:35,480 –> 00:51:41,160
Timothy about?
Well, let me just finally draw
700
00:51:41,160 –> 00:51:46,200
attention to this last word that
is used in Timothy.
701
00:51:46,200 –> 00:51:49,320
It’s a characteristic of this,
these epistles.
702
00:51:49,680 –> 00:51:55,120
It’s the word eusebia, and it’s
translated in all those places
703
00:51:55,680 –> 00:52:00,520
by the word godliness doesn’t
have the word God in it.
704
00:52:00,680 –> 00:52:04,200
So it’s not a good translation.
Literally, it means good
705
00:52:04,480 –> 00:52:09,720
devotion.
I’ll see how Paul brings all
706
00:52:09,720 –> 00:52:13,680
these threads together in
chapter 4 of the first epistle.
707
00:52:19,040 –> 00:52:23,600
In the at the end of chapter 3,
he has spoken about the mystery
708
00:52:23,920 –> 00:52:29,560
of godliness.
That’s the Word, the mystery of
709
00:52:29,560 –> 00:52:35,680
that good devotion which is what
we are trying to achieve, that
710
00:52:36,000 –> 00:52:40,080
bridging the gap between our
belief and our practice.
711
00:52:41,200 –> 00:52:45,600
The mystery of good devotion was
manifested in the flesh.
712
00:52:47,920 –> 00:52:53,200
The Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us, and we beheld
713
00:52:53,200 –> 00:52:55,800
His glory.
The glory is of the only
714
00:52:55,800 –> 00:53:00,800
begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth.
715
00:53:02,800 –> 00:53:06,960
The mystery of godliness was
seen in the Lord Jesus Christ.
716
00:53:07,880 –> 00:53:12,440
But in chapter 4 the record
begins, not with the Word now,
717
00:53:12,800 –> 00:53:18,840
but with the Word But but the
Spirit speaketh expressly that
718
00:53:18,840 –> 00:53:22,520
in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith.
719
00:53:24,280 –> 00:53:26,480
We don’t dwell on that.
That’s the warning.
720
00:53:26,680 –> 00:53:30,280
How are we going to combat it?
Verse 6.
721
00:53:31,960 –> 00:53:35,480
If thou put the brethren in
remembrance of these things,
722
00:53:36,080 –> 00:53:42,240
thou shalt be a good minister of
Jesus Christ, nourished up in
723
00:53:42,240 –> 00:53:47,680
the words of faith and of good
doctrine, were unto thou hast
724
00:53:47,680 –> 00:53:52,080
attained nourished in the good
doctrine.
725
00:53:53,320 –> 00:53:57,800
That’s the antidote.
Verse 7 Refuse profane and old
726
00:53:57,800 –> 00:54:03,720
wives fables, and exercise
thyself rather unto godliness.
727
00:54:05,200 –> 00:54:10,560
For bodily exercise profiteth
little, but godliness is
728
00:54:10,560 –> 00:54:14,600
profitable unto all things.
And there’s your definition of
729
00:54:14,600 –> 00:54:18,760
godliness.
Bodily exercise, physical
730
00:54:18,760 –> 00:54:23,720
gymnastics profits little.
Literally for a little time it
731
00:54:23,720 –> 00:54:30,240
does profit.
Keeping fit is a good idea if it
732
00:54:30,240 –> 00:54:32,440
reduces our risk of heart
disease and so on.
733
00:54:32,440 –> 00:54:35,560
Isn’t that a good thing?
If we can live a little bit
734
00:54:35,560 –> 00:54:38,720
longer to serve the Lord, then
surely we should.
735
00:54:40,040 –> 00:54:42,680
But it’s a little.
A study was done in the United
736
00:54:42,680 –> 00:54:45,840
States to estimate how many
extra years of life we’d have if
737
00:54:45,840 –> 00:54:49,120
you could remove one disease
after another.
738
00:54:49,120 –> 00:54:52,320
These are actuarial calculations
for the insurance industry.
739
00:54:52,400 –> 00:54:55,040
They calculate that if you
removed heart disease at a
740
00:54:55,040 –> 00:54:58,800
stroke, that’s not what you want
to do.
741
00:54:58,800 –> 00:55:02,440
If you remove heart disease, If
you had a vaccine against heart
742
00:55:02,440 –> 00:55:06,000
disease and you gave it to
everybody, how many extra years
743
00:55:06,000 –> 00:55:10,760
would we live on average?
The answer was 7.
744
00:55:13,000 –> 00:55:16,880
If you took away cancer or
cancer, the answer was 2.
745
00:55:20,680 –> 00:55:23,360
If you took away all the disease
and accidents, the answer was
746
00:55:23,360 –> 00:55:30,000
about 30 years.
It profits a little for a little
747
00:55:30,000 –> 00:55:35,680
time, but godliness is
profitable and to all things,
748
00:55:36,760 –> 00:55:41,640
having promise of the life that
now is, and of that which is to
749
00:55:41,640 –> 00:55:44,680
come.
It has a promise of the life
750
00:55:44,680 –> 00:55:47,960
that now is.
Because if we are wholesome in
751
00:55:47,960 –> 00:55:52,080
mind, then that is a wonderful
state to be.
752
00:55:54,280 –> 00:56:01,440
Imagine sitting clothed and in
our right minds at the feet of
753
00:56:01,440 –> 00:56:06,800
the Lord Jesus Christ.
But a wonderful position to be.
754
00:56:08,160 –> 00:56:10,920
It is profitable for the life
that now is.
755
00:56:10,920 –> 00:56:15,080
It is Peace of Mind.
But it also has promised of
756
00:56:15,080 –> 00:56:23,880
eternal life, that unending life
of fullness and joy to be with
757
00:56:23,880 –> 00:56:26,760
the Lord Jesus Christ now and
forever.
758
00:56:28,280 –> 00:56:32,920
That is the day that we hope to
attain to by the grace of God.
759
00:56:34,120 –> 00:56:38,520
This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation.
760
00:56:39,240 –> 00:56:43,360
For therefore we both labour and
suffer reproach, because we
761
00:56:43,360 –> 00:56:47,680
trust in the living God, who is
the Saviour of all men,
762
00:56:48,440 –> 00:56:54,880
especially of those that believe
these things, command and teach.
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