2 Timothy (Quality: Good)

[0:00] ...season out of season.

[0:21] Be instant in season, out of season. My dear friends, I trust this is the word of the Lord that he gave me to bring to you here this morning. I was very troubled and exercised, couldn't get nothing to bring to you and these words. They just dropped into my heart yesterday afternoon while I was gardening. And so, I looked at him now to open them up. I felt that the hymns have been sweet and confirming the one that we have had this morning. And the one that we have just sung. I thought that the fifth verse was very sweet. Fear not. Brethren, joyful stand on the borders of your land. Jesus

[1:57] Christ, your Father's Son, I bet you undismayed go on. My friends, how often we are dismayed.

[2:15] I feel that we have no real marks of grace. I can't see any evidence that we belong to the that he loves us and cares for us. Yet after we have had blessings too from the Lord, we come into these places where we are dismayed. Because of the way, because of the darkness. You say what? After the Lord's blessed you in your soul and raised you to a hope in his mercy. Yes, my dear friends. We are Lord's people are found in this dark place. We read of one in the reading. You may wonder why I read that chapter.

[3:17] I read it for this reason. Because of the pathway and the, what is said about John the Baptist. That dear man of God, who was raised up by God, born into this earth, with a work to do.

[3:41] He was anointed to go and preach the word, to prepare the way for his master. It was revealed to John the Baptist what he had got to do. And the day come, when he ventures forth to preach the word.

[4:11] And as you know, he went forth and baptized. And Jesus came to him and was baptized. And then the day came, when the dear man was cast into prison. And his life was short.

[4:38] The work that he was commissioned to do was short. But my friends, it wasn't cut short. His life was cut short. But not before the appointed time.

[4:56] My dear friends, his work was finished. And when yours and my work is finished. Then it will be the end. But the end cannot come until that work is finished.

[5:17] And it don't matter who may oppose. Or what may be, what discouraging things may be felt in the heart. And so on.

[5:32] That work must carry on. And so we see that this dear man, John the Baptist, his work had come to an end publicly.

[5:46] And here he was in prison. And here he was in prison, suffering. And he was suffering extremely spiritually. Much darkness.

[5:59] You say, what after such a life that the dear man had come into, the experiences, the blessings that he had had, how the Master had come to him, and how he'd had the blessed witness.

[6:19] After he'd baptized him, the Holy Ghost ascended in the form of a dove, and said, this is my beloved Son, hear ye him?

[6:33] What a blessed witness and evidence that the Lord was with him in the work that he did. Yes, after all these things, the dear man is in prison. And what does he say? He sends his disciples.

[6:55] And he sends them unto Jesus, the Master, the one whom he hopes in for his salvation.

[7:13] And he tells them, you see, he can't go himself, not in the body. And he sends his disciples. And he sends his disciples. And he says to them that they are to go to Jesus and say, aren't there we that should come, or look we for another?

[7:41] You see, there he's shown the condition of his heart. Ah, he was very, very cast down.

[7:52] Unbelief was great. Faith was weak. My friends, I don't throw any stones at John the Baptist.

[8:07] And neither will you, my dear friends, if you're taught of the Spirit, because you'll know by sad experience that you have to come into these very places yourself.

[8:22] Yes, the Lord brings us down. Yes, the Lord brings us down. Why is it? It's because of sin.

[8:34] It's because of the tempting devil that would deceive us if it were possible. The very elect he will deceive.

[8:46] He will try. And he will put all manner of thoughts and accusations and evidences he will bring forth to prove that you're wrong.

[8:59] And you may defend this is what was going on in John the Baptist's heart now in prison. But how did Jesus answer his disciples?

[9:17] Ah, he showed them the work that he was doing. He said, go and tell John that the things you have seen and heard, how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised.

[9:42] To the poor, the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

[9:55] You see there, dear friends, the Lord Jesus reminded his dear disciple, John, of the great works that the Christ was doing.

[10:16] And this is an evidence, is it not, of the love of Christ? It is an evidence that he cares for his people.

[10:32] And the word is preached, the gospel is preached. He told them to tell John this. The gospel is preached. Blessed is he that is not offended.

[10:46] Ah, my friends, I feel persuaded that these words that the disciples of John brought back from the Master to him were a strengthening to him and encouraging.

[11:08] I feel sure they lifted him up and renewed his faith in a precious Christ.

[11:25] Ah, my friends, it's one thing to look at these things. It's another thing to walk in them.

[11:39] You may hear of various people who are walking in these paths. And you read of them in the Holy Word of God.

[11:52] As we've just referred to John the Baptist, there is an instance. And there are those that we are living with.

[12:05] And those that gather in the house of God from time to time, we hear of various experiences and pathways that they are walking in.

[12:17] And sometimes there is a sympathy goes out toward them. And sometimes we're constrained to pray for them.

[12:33] But, my friends, it's a totally different thing to walk in. When we are brought face to face with these things.

[12:48] Oh, how real it is. Why, those of you that have known a little of the blessing of the Lord in your soul.

[13:00] And haven't you also known a little of the other side? When there has been clouds brought over your spirit.

[13:14] And the Lord's face has been hidden. Because there has been clouds between. Oh, yes, my dear friends.

[13:27] This is the way that the Lord's people have to walk in. It's not all blessing on the mountain.

[13:39] We have to go in the depths, in the dungeons. But these are the ones the dear Lord comes to. He come to save that which was lost.

[13:53] You might say, well, that don't help me. I'm in the dungeon now. I'm in the pits.

[14:04] I can't see the Lord. I feel to be like Jeremiah. Sinking in the mire. Ah, but the Lord can see you.

[14:17] He can see you. And you might be tempted and persuaded in your heart that he's forgotten you. That he's not going to be gracious anymore to you.

[14:31] My friends, that is a deceiving lie. Lie of the devil. Because if the Lord loves you, my dear friend.

[14:46] And you've had a blessed revelation of his love in the past. And felt a little sweetness in your soul. And love toward him.

[14:57] That's because the Lord cares for your soul. He has a love toward you. Do you think that he can leave you at last to sink into despair?

[15:12] In that pit and that miry place? Ah, never. Never. The Lord will never forsake that dear soul that he loves.

[15:28] That's the secret. It's not because we love him. It's because he loves us, my dear friend. We love him because he loves us.

[15:44] Oh, yes. The Lord's people would never love him if the Lord never loved them. Make no mistake about that.

[15:58] Because our ways are not his ways. We don't seek after those things. Only as we are taught by him.

[16:09] And brought to love and fear him. Why, some of us, as we are about to tread along in this pathway here below.

[16:24] And walk into dark and rugged, painful pathways. If we had known we got to walk in those paths, we would have never chose the way, would we?

[16:40] No, we wouldn't. But you see, the Lord begins with his dear people. He begins. He puts the love between them.

[16:54] And there's God in the heart. He puts the love there. And so, as the Lord leads his people along in this wilderness path, into dark ways, rugged pathways, crooked things, why?

[17:15] Do they forsake their God in it? And walk no more with him? Ah, not if grace is in the heart.

[17:27] That child of God will not turn back and walk no more with him. But rather, he'll fall down before his Lord and tell him all the troubles of his heart.

[17:43] And he'll ask the Lord to sanctify it to him and make it a blessing. And the Lord will do it. Have you ever said to him, Thou haste been with me?

[18:24] Thou haste been with me? Thou art with me? Thou hast visited me? Thou haste been with me?

[18:35] Thou haste been with me. ye in it. This is the way. Walk ye in it. Ah, the Lord sanctifies the pathway to his dear people, he does.

[18:53] Why, my friends, if the Lord didn't, how would we endure? We couldn't endure the pathway. We should give up in despair. We should walk no more with him.

[19:08] We should turn away. But we can't because the Lord has a hold on us if we're his. He lets us go so far and then he brings us. He turns us. He humbles us. He breaks down the stubbornness of our heart. He makes us willing to suffer for Christ's sake.

[19:37] He makes us willing to take up our cross daily and follow him. Ah, it's not easy, is it? But grace enables us to do this.

[19:51] Ah, the Lord is a merciful God. He is.

[20:06] Be instant in season, out of season. God. This word was spoken by Paul to Timothy.

[20:27] And Paul was one that was deeply taught by God. As you know, he was a man of years.

[20:41] and persecuted the church of God. But the day came when the Lord said, thus far, no further.

[21:00] He cut right across Paul's path and he stopped him dead. How did he do it? by his almighty power.

[21:11] He caused Paul to stop. And he showed him a little of the great almighty power of God.

[21:25] Now he says, it's hard for thee to kick to kick against the prince. The Lord was showing him where he was, what he was doing, how he was persecuting the church of God.

[21:41] The Lord laid him low. And in a moment, the dear man had to acknowledge the greatness and the power of God almighty.

[21:57] And what was the effect? Why? It humbled him. He did, and it made him willing to serve the Lord. He said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

[22:12] This is the power, the work of grace, almighty power. While this dear man, he was deeply taught of God, struck down, cut down, delivered, commissioned to preach the word.

[22:32] He suffered much for the word of Christ, for the name of God. The Lord said to him that he should suffer much for Christ's sake.

[22:47] And so, the dear man had to prove it. He had to go into prison. He had stripes, many stripes laid on him. He suffered many things for the word of God.

[23:04] So the dear man, he knew the pathway. And here, he was speaking to, writing to his Timothy, the son in the cave.

[23:21] One that had been sent forth to preach the word. And now, Paul is instructing him. And he's telling him to preach the word.

[23:37] And to be instant in season, out of season. You see, Paul knew. He knew that Timothy would have to come into these pathways and these experiences more and more.

[23:54] doubtless he'd been in them already. But here, Paul is saying unto him, be instant in season, out of season.

[24:12] Why? When we're in season, when we feel the love of Christ in the heart, it's an easy matter.

[24:25] It's an easy matter then to serve our God, to follow him, is it not? Why?

[24:36] There's no foe. There's nothing to injure it. not when the love of Christ is felt in the heart and he is present.

[24:51] We're strong men in faith. But my friends, we're not often there and we're not long there, are we?

[25:03] We're more often in the latter part of the text, out of season. Ah, and Paul knew this pathway, this experience.

[25:23] He had walked it out. John the Baptist, as we've noticed, he walked it out, out of season. He knew that this dear man Timothy, he would walk it out, ah, deeper and deeper.

[25:46] As we journey along, so it will be with you and I. If we are born of God, we shall not escape it, my friends.

[26:00] We should be out of season at times. And why is it? well, is it not to try our faith?

[26:14] Look at dear Job. Look how deeply he had to walk in these solemn things when Satan was permitted to try, perplex him and strip him of all his wealth and his pleasures and his family.

[26:37] Oh, the dear man, he had wound upon wound out of season.

[26:50] But did he turn back and walk no more with his God? what did the dear man say on one occasion, though he slay me?

[27:03] Yet, well, I looked at him. He couldn't give harm. He was brought very low. And his wife even tempted him and said, curse God and die.

[27:24] Ah, but the dear man couldn't. The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away.

[27:37] Blessed be his name. It's all in his hands. He controls it. He knows what is best for me. He'll all end well in his hands if he deals with it.

[27:54] And so it proved, even with Job, though he'd lost so much, yet he had more at the end than he had before.

[28:07] You see, the Lord turned the tables. Satan had to go. The Lord came again and he restored unto Job the joys of his salvation.

[28:22] He blessed him spiritually and providentially. Yes, he did. He blessed the dear man, but he had to walk in that path.

[28:38] He had to walk deeply in it. That was his pathway. That was his lot. That was appointed for him. What a mercy it was too.

[28:51] The mercy for us, for you and I, that it was left on record in this blessed holy word of God. Has it never been a help and an encouragement to you to press on in the way?

[29:07] Ah, my friends, the Lord is a wonderful working God. He knows the very pathways that you and I are walking in and what we are going to come into.

[29:25] He foresaw all this. He caused his blessed word to be written for our instruction, for our help.

[29:37] By the way, oh, what a help it is to help us press on, isn't it? Why, if we had a word of God, if it were possible to have a word of God with all the blessings and the uprightness and holiness why, it would cut us all off, wouldn't it?

[30:12] But no, the Lord has been pleased to leave it on record of the state of man by nature, the condition that he is in, the conditions that he is found in, the workings of unbelief, the workings of Satan, all these things are put in the word of God, and here and there the Lord brings us face to face with these things, as we are journeying along and walking along, and we have to say, yes, that's just where I am.

[30:53] Oh, it's a wonder of wonders, it is to me, how the Lord comes and he reveals to us that he knows all the things that we are walking in, he knows all the things that are taking place, he sees the stumbling blocks in the way, he sees the unbelief, he sees what this and that one says, ah, and sometimes they are permitted to touch us, but the dear Lord doesn't leave us, he comes again and again, but my friends, these things are real, they are not light, they are painful, they are heavy when we have to walk in them, they are, but oh, how blessed when we can look back here and there, and as not the

[32:02] Lord said, thou shalt remember all the way that I have led thee, these forty years in the wilderness, things, and how sweet it is, my dear friends, here and there, when we're unable to look back and see where the Lord has led us and brought us through, how he dealt with it, when we were near to despair, ready to turn back, said we wouldn't do this, we wouldn't do that, and the Lord came just at that time, and he stopped us, he changed our mind, he turned our feet round, to follow him in his way, what you say in that pathway that was going to cause me pain, yes, the Lord humbles his people, and he enables them to say thy will be done, thou know his best, if this is the way

[33:10] I walk in it, the Lord is with me, yes, the Lord grants those blessed evidence, is here and there that he is with you, he does show his dear people the way they are to walk in, he does correct them, be instant in season, out of season, when you're out of season, then, when these things are getting on top of you, what are we to do, why we have to flee to him, what you say, when I'm out of season, I don't feel the Lord is here in me, when I see a black cloud between me and my God, yes, still go, the God is still there, there, my dear friends, naturally, as we live on this earth, and we have days when it's dull, there's clouds in the sky, the sun can't shine through, it's hidden, it's still there, isn't it, still there, though we can't see it, that's how it is spiritually, my dear friends, there may be dark clouds between us and our God, but the dear Lord is still there, then we should take courage and call upon him, for he does hear, and though he may tarry, though he may not answer directly, he hears, tarry, wait for him, the Lord has surely come, he will reveal himself, he will give that help, he won't leave you to despair, no, be instant, out of season, still come to him, still tell him the pathway you're in, tell him the darkness you feel, tell him the sorrow you feel in the heart, because you can't see him, because you can't hear his voice, because you can't feel his presence, ah, the Lord hears, he does, and he marks his people, he doesn't cause them to bear one, one thing more than his, than his according to his will, no, and he doesn't hold back one moment longer than his will, that is to come and bless and reveal himself and encourage and help, oh, the Lord comes ever so low, he does, he helps his people, helps them, you can't come any lower than that really, can you, he helps, he helps, in the inward man, when you're cast down, when you're out of season, when you're ready to turn back, and he says, perhaps, will thou go away also, it might be just a simple word like that, and it's whispered in your conscience, just at that moment, when you're thinking of turning back, and can't walk with the lost people any longer, fear you can't gather anymore, because you don't get nothing, because you feel dark and unlike his people, will thou go away also,

[37:46] Thomas was brought into this path of unbelief, he said, I will not believe, I refuse to believe, unless the Lord comes himself, you see, the Lord had, had been put to death, he had been buried, Thomas knew this, he had risen from the dead, dead, and some of his dear people knew this, and they told Thomas, but he wasn't going to believe that, oh no, he says, I'm not going to believe that, I want to see him for myself, I want the evidence before my very eyes, and the Lord heard him, we don't really ask the Lord to come and reveal himself to him, but he did, he made it abundantly clear that he'd heard the thoughts of Thomas, and heard what Thomas had said to his fellow men, he said,

[39:07] Thomas, reach hither thy finger, he showed him his hands and his feet, that was enough, that was enough for Thomas, that broke his heart, my Lord and my God, that broke down all his unbelief, the Lord knows how to come when we're out of season, and he restores his dear people, may the Lord bless a few things through his name, say, amen.