I was talking to one of our ladies
on the telephone the other day and she She said to me, she wished that she could face
things, adversity and different things
that come in her life, that she wished she could face those with
a quiet resignation or contentment, to be content with whatever comes
along, like the Apostle Paul. said, and that conversation that
we had got me to thinking about and reading about along the lines
of this thing of true happiness and contentment, what will bring
that sort of resignation or contentment. The Apostle Paul said that in
Philippians 4, 11. He said, I have learned. I have learned in whatsoever
state I am therewith to be content. Now, do you know where he wrote
that from? Prison, jail. How could he say these things?
under such circumstances. What would bring a man to such
inner strength and peace? Are you interested? Oh, I am.
My, my. I am. Turn to 2 Timothy chapter
1 with me. 2 Timothy chapter 1. Now, the Apostle Paul was in
jail here when he's writing this epistle. this letter to young
Timothy. He was in jail for preaching
the gospel. And these jails that they had
back then were not pleasant places at all, not like the somewhat
of a country club atmosphere that jails, minimum security
prisons and so forth are today. These were hard and cruel places
of torture and misery. Most often they were dark, damp,
cold, filthy places. They were dungeons. You've seen
pictures and movies and so forth of these old dungeons and prisons
that they cast their prisoners into. Miserable, terrible places. Generally, people died while
they were in prison before they served their time from disease
and so forth. Now, we have reason to believe
that the Apostle Paul had some privileges or liberties. But
to be sure, he was in jail. He was in jail. Prison. And it wasn't a pleasant place
to lay his head. Not at all. He didn't have a
feather bed in that prison. Let me tell you some of the things
that the Apostle Paul went through. He related them here in 2 Corinthians
11. He said, now I'm going to speak
like a fool. There's some people bragging
and boasting. They said, I'm going to speak
just like them. I'm going to do some bragging here. But I'm
a fool. Understand, he says, I'm speaking
like a fool. They said, are they ministers
of Christ? I'm more. He said, in labors
more abundant. We know how the apostle traveled
all over that part of the world. In stripes above measure, he
said he just about lost count. I need beatings. In prisons more
frequent, in deaths often. We believe that the apostle died
from stoning one time. He says often. I don't know if
he went through it more than once, but who knows. Of the Jews,
he said, five times I received forty stripes, save once. Three times I was beaten with
rods. Once I was stoned. Three times
I suffered shipwreck. I stayed twenty-four hours a
night and a day in the deep, in the water, treading water,
and journeyings often perils of water, perils of robbers,
perils of my own countrymen, perils by the heathen, perils
in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among
false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings
often, hunger, thirsty, fasting, cold, naked." This man went through
a lot. More than any man, I know, more
than any of us will ever come close to going through. And here
in 2 Timothy, he's writing to young Timothy from prison once
again. And he's trying to encourage
Timothy. He's writing from prison. He's the one who's suffering. And he's trying to encourage
this young Timothy to endure whatever comes his
way for the cause of Christ. Now look at it with me. 2 Timothy
1, verse 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
that is, a messenger, a bond slave, by the will of God, God
made me an apostle, he says, according to the promise of life
which is in Christ Jesus, that is, I'm a messenger of the gospel,
to Timothy. He's writing this letter to Timothy,
my dearly beloved son. They must have had a special
relationship, Paul and Timothy. He says, grace, mercy, and peace
from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Grace, holy. Timothy says, God our Father
and Christ our Lord have been so gracious, so merciful, and
they've given us peace which passes understanding. Peace,
peace. He says, I thank God, verse 3,
I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience,
that is, a conscience or a heart made pure, sprinkled with the
blood of Christ, cleansed from dead works to serve the living
God, that without ceasing," he says, I can say this in sincerity,
young Timothy, without ceasing, I think about you, I pray about
you, I remember you in my prayers night and day. Timothy, I'm praying
for you. Now remember where he is. He's
in prison. I'm in a dungeon. And he's thinking
about Timothy. Do you hear him moaning and groaning
here? Oh no, he says, Timothy, I'm thinking about you, praying
for you. God's been so merciful to us, hasn't he? And I'm praying
for you. And verse 4, he says, I greatly
desire to see you. He says, I'm mindful of your
tears. Mindful of them. And I want to see you that I
may be filled with joy. He says, I call to remembrance
the unfeigned faith or this sincere faith that is in you. See, I
think about it and it gives me pleasure. I think about it. You. He says, that faith which first
dwelt in your grandmother Lois and then your mother Eunice. And I'm persuaded that it's in
thee also. Now evidently, the last time
the Apostle Paul and Timothy saw one another, Timothy broke
down. Evidently it was too much for him seeing his buddy in jail. And Paul was probably a very,
you know, after all these things I read to you, probably a very
beaten and haggard looking man, wasn't he? Probably very gaunt.
And he's bound to just be, some said he had an eye problem, maybe
as a result of that stoning, you know. I don't know, speculation,
but Timothy evidently broke down. It says in verse 5, he says,
Paul says, I'm mindful of your tears. I remember the way you
wept over me when I saw you last. Timothy was probably overcome
with grief and sorrow, and understandably so. This is just, we all go through
it, don't we? We all experience pain and grief
and sorrow over someone we love. It's understandable. God, Christ,
showed great pity in weeping over those He loved. He understands. He feels our weaknesses and our
sorrows. He's a man of sorrows, acquainted
with grief. But Paul reminds Timothy, look
at verse 6, he says, I put you in remembrance. I want to remind
you of something, Timothy. I want to stir up the gift of
God which is in you. which was put on you by the putting
on of my hands through God." Remember what you've been called
to. Remember the task at hand. Remember who you are now, Timothy.
You're a preacher of the gospel. And you've been called to be
a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ and a minister of the
gospel that was given to you. That's what you've been called
to. You remember this too, Timothy. Christ said that the disciple
was not above his master. Christ promised us that we were
going to go through these problems, these troubles, these trials.
He told us that we would suffer these things. So fear not, Timothy. Don't be afraid. Look at it,
verse 7. He said, God has not given us
the spirit of fear. Don't be afraid. God has given
us the spirit of power. Somebody is with us, Timothy.
If God's for us, who can be against us? Greater is He that is in
you than anybody you have to face. Remember that, Timothy. God's not given us a spirit of
fear. He's given us the power of His Holy Spirit. Power. And of love. Love. He said, don't be bitter, don't
be angry at these people that have done these things to me,
or you, or whoever. Don't be vengeful. Vengeance
is mine, saith the Lord." Do you leave that in His hand? Do
you remember what the Lord said? He said, Love your enemies. Pray
for them that despitefully use you. Remember that, Timothy. Remember this, love covers a
multitude of evils and sins. This is a good lesson for all
of us. We need to kill people with kindness, with love. Oh,
if they see your kind, your conversation, your meekness and quietness and
your love, They won't have any evil to speak of you. The Scriptures
are clear there. They won't have anything evil
to say of you. They can't find anything in you. And that's kind
of what he's reminding young Timothy of. God's given us a
spirit of love, not vengeance. Love. And it was said on mine,
he said, God by His Spirit has given you an understanding of
some things. You know some things that other
people don't. So don't go acting like you don't. Don't go acting
like a fool. You have the mind of Christ. You have the secrets of the mysteries
of the universe. You know the purpose of God,
the reason for the existence of all things. What could bother
you? God's given you true spiritual
understanding and discernment of all things. Timothy, don't be afraid. Look
at verse 8. of the testimony of our Lord.
We need that, don't we? We need to hear this. Don't be
ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Don't be timid and embarrassed
and afraid when it comes to your testimony of Christ. Stan, we
need to hear this, don't we? My soul. Don't be ashamed. Nor of me, his prisoner, he said.
Don't forget about me. You know, when everybody is out
there talking about me and you might experience persecution for standing
up on my behalf, Buddy, speak out for me. Don't forget me. Don't be ashamed of me. Don't be ashamed of me. Don't
forget about me. He says, And be thou a partaker
of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.
Take up your cross and follow Christ according to the grace
of God that's given you. And then Paul can't help but
get right into the thing he loves the most to talk about, the gospel. He just can't wait to get into
it. He says, don't, no, Timothy,
buddy, don't be ashamed of the testimony of the gospel. Don't be ashamed of me. Be a
partaker of the afflictions of the gospel. This gospel is according
to the power of God. And he's saved us. Remember who's
behind all this. Remember, Timothy, God started
this. We didn't enter this warfare
at our own charge now. God put us in this. Remember,
He chose us and loved us. Look at it. He saved us and called
us with a holy calling, an eternal calling. He wasn't according
to our works. Timothy, if God had given us
what we deserve, oh my, we'd be in hell at this moment. But
He's saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according
to what we deserve, but it's according to His purpose. He's
got a purpose for us. He sought to help us. God's got
a purpose for everybody in here. Everybody in here. A purpose. A purpose. According to His purpose
and grace. He did it all by grace. The gracious
gift of His Son, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the
world began. Not according to works which
we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, and according
to his divine purpose. See, God has given us in Christ
all things, all things. All things are ordered, our salvation
is ordered, and sure, nothing to worry about, Timothy, nothing
to fret about. should tell us that. Jehovah-Jireh. Got to see to it. Why don't we
paint that on the door lintel of our house? Got to see to it. Jehovah-Jireh. Got to see to
it. Let's paint that over our bedroom
door before we walk out in the morning. Got to take care of
it. Got to see to it. It's an old country saying, isn't
it? You know, Daddy would always say, he'd say, Daddy, would you
do something for me? He'd say, I'll see to it. I'll see to it. He just left it in his hands,
didn't he? Daddy, when Daddy said something, he meant it.
I'll see to it. Don't worry about it. And you shouldn't worry about
it. Jehovah-Jireh. God'll see to it. Verse 10. He says this gospel is now made
manifest. It's been revealed unto us. Timothy,
you're experiencing the reality of it all. You heard it in theory
when you read it aforetime, when you were a young person. You
heard these stories. And you believed with your head.
Now you're experiencing it, Timothy. It's hitting home now. It's in
your heart and it's in your life. And these things are coming upon
you because of the reality of this thing. You see, Christ lives. He's real. He lives, and in him
we live and move and have our being. The gospel is made manifest
by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished
death. He's abolished death. Don't fear
them that can kill the body, and after that they have nothing
else they can Because we have eternal life in Christ. That's
not the end. Death's not the end. We have
life from there. That's just an entrance into
life itself, death. He's abolished death, spiritual
death. He's brought life and immortality
to life through the gospel. And he says in verse 11, whereunto
this gospel I'm appointed. I'm appointed a preacher. He
says, I believe in eternal appointments. I do. I believe in an eternal
God that makes eternal appointments, that all things are ordered by
our Lord from the beginning of the world. I believe in God's
divine purpose and God's divine sovereignty. I believe in that.
I believe that where God has me, he put me. He put me, not
me myself. The lot we read tonight is cast
into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. I believe
that. I'm a preacher, he says, albeit
I'm a preacher in jail. But I'm still a preacher," Paul
says. Why? Why on earth would God put
his greatest apostle in prison? Why on earth would he put John
Bunyan, such a valiant and gallant man for the truth, that lied
in a dark world in that day? Why would he put him in prison
for twelve years? Have you ever read Pilgrim's
Progress? That book is read by more people
than any other book in the world besides the Bible. God knows what he's doing. He
knows what he's doing. He's got a purpose. He's got
a purpose. And Paul says here, he says,
for this cause, I'm in prison. I'm appointed a preacher. And
for this cause, look at verse 12. For this cause, for the witch
cause, according to God's all-wise plan and providence, I'm here
in jail. for preaching the gospel of all
things, I'm in jail. You'd think they'd be bottling
it up, wouldn't you? But it's spreading it like you never probably
could have, didn't it? He said, for which cause? I suffer
these things. Nevertheless, he said, I'm not
ashamed, I'm not mad. I'm not mad at these fellows.
I'm not embarrassed. I'm not sad. I'm not put out.
I'm not torn up. I'm not worried. I'm not bitter.
I'm not frustrated. I'm not too bothered about this
thing. I've got contentment." Well, how? Paul, would you tell
us how? I want to know. How can you say
these things? How? What could possibly make
you feel this way and have such peace and courage and contentment? What could do this?" And Paul
says, it ain't what. Verse 12, he says, "...for I
know him." I have believed. I know a person. I don't know a doctrine. A doctrine
won't do this for you. A person. A person will. He says, I know a person. He
said, I don't just believe doctrine. I know a person and I believe
his doctrine. He said, I know this person and
whatever he says, I believe it. I believe it. I've seen, I've
felt, I've handled the word of life. I've spoken to and been
spoken to by a person. How about you folks? A person. a person, none other than the
Son of God Himself. I've walked with the King, Paul
says. I've walked with the King, and
he's real. He says, I'm here to tell you, I know whom I have
believed. Timothy. I know whom I have believed. I know him. He rules, he reigns,
he controls. He orders all things. He's King.
He's my Lord. The Lord's my shepherd. I shall
not I know Him. And nothing takes place but what
He has sovereignly, wisely ordained and directed for my life. Nothing. I know whom I have believed.
I've got confidence in Him. Why, Paul? He gave it to me.
He gave me this faith. I know whom I have believed.
You know, our Lord said, Believe and be saved. He didn't say,
believe facts. He said, believe me. Didn't he? Didn't he? He said,
come unto doctrine and you'll have understanding. No, he didn't
say that, did he? He said, come unto me and you'll have rest. Come unto me. Come to Christ. Believe me. And the Apostle Paul
says, I believe. I trust him. I take him at his
word. I believe what he said. I believe that all is well with
my soul. This is what we've been studying
for the past two or three Sundays, God's promises to us as believers. Like Donny Bell said, we've lived
so far below our privileges, so far below our privileges as
sons of God. We read it there in Romans 8.32,
how shall he not with Christ freely give us all? And Paul said, I believe, I believe. How about you, Timothy? How about
you, Terri? Rick? Jeanette? Why not? Why not you? Why can't you believe
like Paul did? Same Lord, same book, isn't it?
One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one hope with his calling. Why
not you, Joe? Or why not me? I wish we could
come to that point. Why not me? I think I will believe
and see what happens. The psalm says, "...how I have
proved them o'er and o'er." You know, we have, whether we realize
it or not. Look at you. Everybody in here just about
has got two automobiles, you've got a refrigerator and cupboards
full of groceries, you've got beautiful, healthy children.
Most of you are healthy, me, rich and increased with goods,
aren't we? The Lord has just said, here,
what do you need? Here, take some more. What do
you want? Here, take that too. Here! Every now and then we'll
get a little, stump our toe. Mindy gave me this illustration
this morning. She said, the grace of God and the mercy of God is
kind of like salvation of God is kind of like an old bum and
a beggar coming up to a man's house and the man taking him
in, giving him a good meal, washing him up, cleaning him up, giving
him a good meal, giving him a bed to sleep in, just lavishing him
with everything. I mean, old bum, he doesn't need
this old bum. The bum messes his house up.
But he does all this for that old bum. And the next morning,
the bum See you later. Walks out the door. Heads on
down the street. And he's out on the street. And
some folks start bad-mouthing the guy in the house. And the
bum shines in. Or the bum, you know, gets a
little hungry after that. He said, why doesn't that old
rascal give me something else to eat? He's got all that food.
He didn't have to do what he did for me. But the bum comes
right back. And here's real mercy and grace.
And the man lets him in again. and gives him another meal, and
washes him up, and cleans him up, and gives him a suit of clothes,
and all this, and gives him a bed to sleep in, and speaks kindly
to him, and so forth, only to have him turn around and grumble
again. What if he went out the door and said, Boy, I didn't
like that food. This soup doesn't fit right. What should the man
do? So much for you, man. I didn't
have to do that to you. God Almighty, what has he done
for us? Every one of us, right? Every
one of us in here. Oh, my soul. My, my, my. The Apostle Paul
says, God has abundantly blessed us. Oh, I know whom I have believed,
and he's a gracious, merciful, kind Father who has given us
all these things. And he's spoken peace to my heart.
He has revealed himself to me in a special and powerful way
in the gospel. And yes, I know whom. And if
we'd just open these big eyes, we'd see whom. We'd see whom. If we'd just get in this book,
we'd see whom. It's a whom. It's a person at
work. Doctrines don't work in our lives.
Concepts, principles don't work in our lives. A person works
in our life. A person gives. A person bestows. A person comforts. A person gives
peace. You see? It's a person at work,
living in this work. And this is how miraculous it
is. This person is alive in this book. Not only the wisdom of
God, the power of God. could do such a thing. Could
he manifest himself in such a way so as to be real, real? And look at what the Apostle
said, I know whom I believe. Persuaded. I've got a firm persuasion
that he's able. I mean, he's the Lord. He's the
Lord. And I'm persuaded he's able.
And this is what real faith and trust is all about. This is what
it's all about. A heartfelt persuasion that what
God says here is true for me. Over and over, we've been talking
about this for weeks now. The Lord said over and over again,
oh, he of little faith. Why is it that you don't believe?
Nancy, why is it that we don't believe? I mean, we read it over
and over again, don't we? Sunday after Wednesday, the same
promises over and over again, yet the very next day, the next
hour, we're fretting and worrying. Christ said, why is it that you
don't believe? Oh, you little thing, how long must I bear with
you? The promises of God are sure. Believe them. Believe them. Believe them. And he says, just
believe like a little child, just believe in the peace of
God. He said, Mary, didn't I tell
you if you just believe that you could see the glory of God
himself? He said, according to your face
there'll be nothing. If you refuse to believe me, then maybe I just
won't show you some things that I'd show you otherwise. Does
that make sense? I've used this illustration before. It's like
a child, a father saying, son, I'm going to take you to the
ballgame tomorrow. And the boy says, well, I'll believe when
I see you. And the boy comes up and says, Dad, you sure he's
going to take me to that game now? Son, I told you, now don't
bring it up again. Just rest in my promises. Alright. And that night he said, Dad,
I just don't believe he's going to do it. Dad, you going to take
me? I have a half a mind not to.
I told you I would. Okay. I'm going to show you what's
going on. I'm going to show you what's
going on. Hmm. Okay, I'm going to go ahead and
close this. you