Title: Elders and the Congregation

Text: Various

FCF: We often struggle applying God’s governmental standards on His church.

Prop: Because God has given authority and responsibility to the qualified Elders, the church and the elders must live in mutual love.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to I Peter 5.

Between our most recent study on the pastoral epistles and before we begin our study on I and II Peter, I wanted to address a topic that seems to be of great significance to our church at this time.

Over the last 7 years our church has been carefully considering and shifting from being congregationally governed to being Elder led. We are approaching the culmination of this great work as we will be voting to approve a constitutional change on October 10th and seeking and receiving our first Elders in the coming months. It truly is an exciting time!

Overall, the response of the congregation has been incredibly positive and validating to the church leadership. And with the most recent draft of the constitution there were very few questions, suggestions, or concerns expressed.

Nevertheless, even while knowing that this is the right step for us to take, there may be some lingering uncertainty in the exact nature of how the Elders will relate to the congregation.

And that is what I’d like to address with you today. It will be a lengthier sermon as most topical sermons are. But I have tried to include some helpful tools for you today. There is a half sheet and a full sheet that you should have picked up from the front. The full sheet is simply the main texts of scripture we will be consulting today. I give them as a reference to you to quickly access and read while we press forward. The half-sheet is a quick reference I made for myself outlining what these passages say about the Elders toward the congregation, the congregation toward the Elders and what is said for both. I trust these tools will be helpful to you.

I am in I Peter 5, I’ll begin reading in verse 1. You can follow along in the pew bible on page 1367 or the version you prefer.

Transition:

As I typically structure my topical sermons – each point will be a question. I have 4 questions that I would like to answer this morning. 1 – How are the Elders to relate to the congregation? 2- How is the congregation to relate to the Elders? 3 - In the passages calling attention to this relationship, what is expected of both Elders and the congregation? 4 – Are there any illustrations that help us understand this relationship?

[Slide 3A] Let’s start with the Elder board’s relationship to the congregation.

I.) How are the Elders to relate to the congregation?

a. [Slide 3B] What are Elders?

i. [Slide 3C] Called

1. In 1st Timothy 3, Paul says that the one who desires the office of an Elder desires a good thing.

2. In Psalm 37:4 God promises to give us the desires of our heart when we delight in Him.

3. So, when we find a man that is delighting in the Lord, who is loving and seeking after Him, and he desires this office, it is an indication that the Lord has given him this desire because the Lord is calling him to this role.

4. If you are concerned that this seems squishy and that anybody could want this office – wait till I get done talking about the qualifications, appointment process, and all they do and will be judged by God for… then re-evaluate your assessment

Title: Assessing the Battlefield

Text: II Timothy 4:9-22

FCF: We often struggle ministering to each other.

Prop: Because the members of the body of Christ need each other, we must minister to one another.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy 4. Today will be our last sermon in II Timothy, and the Pastoral Epistles as a whole. I have found them to be incredibly challenging, uplifting, rebuking, and exhorting. I trust that you have too.

For those of you who have sat under my preaching for a little while, you may be thinking – so 14 verses – we are going to be here a while. Well it won’t be as short as last week, but we should be able to get through these last verses in a normal amount of time.

Paul will finish the last letter we have of his with some final commands to Timothy. Within those commands we will find an incredibly relevant truth that we desperately need today, along with a particularly poignant application.

Join me one more time in II Timothy, chapter 4. I’m reading from the NET which you can follow in the pew bible on page 1344.

Transition:

Difficult as it may be to draw much from a text like this – we must look closely or we may miss a powerful message.

I.) Because the members of the body of Christ need each another, we must be among each other. (9-13)

a. [Slide 2] 9 – Make every effort to come to me soon.

i. Even though Paul is convinced he will die soon, he doesn’t know when. So, what does he do? He goes right into planning as if things will continue.

ii. There is a lesson for us here. No matter how bleak it gets – we are never at liberty to give up and resign ourselves to death or a fate we are certain of. Instead, we continue on doing what the Lord has called us to do. Until He calls us home.

iii. Timothy’s next movement, as Paul repositions his troops, is to come to Paul.

iv. And Timothy must make every effort to do that… soon.

v. Don’t delay. Why?

b. [Slide 3] 10 – For Demas deserted me,

i. Of course, we need to ask ourselves a question… a question we will be asking a lot in this text.

ii. Who is this person? Who is Demas?

iii. Demas is mentioned in Colossians and Philemon as a co-laborer of Paul’s in the gospel. These prison epistles were written under his first Roman imprisonment which occurred around 60 or 61 AD.

iv. So about 5 or 6 years later, Demas went from a co-laborer to a deserter.

v. Why?

c. [Slide 4] Since he loved the present age and he went to Thessalonica.

i. Paul doesn’t elaborate on this – but loving the present age is the reason he cites.

ii. That could mean anything from wanting to preserve his life, to earthly concerns like money, pleasure, power etc.

iii. In any case, he did not finish his race. He did not keep the faith. He did not persevere.

iv. Is it any wonder why Paul wrote this book the way he did, with such strong commands for Timothy to endure!

v. Although we don’t know for sure, tradition holds that Demas was from Thessalonica.

vi. So in all these troop movements of God’s forces aligned against the forces of darkness, Demas – went home. He quit to pursue more earthly passions – whatever those might have been.

d. [Slide 5] Crescens went to Galatia

i. So who is Crescens?

ii. We have no idea. He is only mentioned here in the whole of the New Testament.

iii. We know he went to Galatia.

iv. We don’t even really know if that is a good thing that he went there. Paul doesn’t claim to have sent him.

v. But if he too had abandoned Paul, we might think that Paul would have mentioned it.

e. [Slide 6] And Titus to Dalmatia.

i. Titus we should know well since we just finished studying an entire letter addressed to him.

ii. As a reminder, Titus was with Paul at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15 and Gal 2:1-3); He was an emissary to the church in Corinth (II Cor 7:6-7; 8:6; 16); Here we see that he went to Dalmatia after his mission was accomplished in Crete.

iii. [Slide 7] Since Dalmatia is very close to Nicopolis which is where Titus was to meet Paul after he was done in Crete – I think we can reasonably assume that both Crescens and Titus were not deserting Paul. They simply were not with him because they had gone on their own assignments.

iv. And that is why he wants Timothy to come. Much of Paul’s inner circle of companions are not with him.

v. But Paul is not completely alone.

f. [Slide 8] 11 – Only Luke is with me.

i. Luke is probably the closest companion of Paul throughout the course of his ministry.

ii. He was a doctor and regularly tended and cared for Paul’s medical needs while he was in prison.

iii. He was also a co-laborer in the gospel ministry and is mentioned in several letters from Paul.

iv. If we went by word count or verse count, Luke is the author of about 40% of the New Testament having written both the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.

v. So Luke is the only one there, but adding Timothy would still not be enough.

g. [Slide 9] Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is a great help to me in ministry.

i. Mark or John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas, and an early companion of Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey.

ii. When they reached Perga John Mark, for unknown reasons, departed the two men and went back to Jerusalem. This was a point that Paul interpreted negatively.

iii. Barnabas suggested John Mark again on a subsequent journey to which Paul refused. This led the two to part ways amicably. Barnabas took Mark to Cyprus and Paul took Silas.

iv. In Colossians 4 (so by his first Roman imprisonment) Paul has Mark with him in Rome, indicating that his status for Paul has been restored to a co-laborer.

v. And here we see Paul asking Timothy to stop and pick up Mark (probably in Asia minor somewhere) because he is a great help to Paul in the ministry. Clearly Paul has changed his perception of John Mark.

vi. Interestingly enough, it was probably around this time – perhaps even in Rome with Paul – that Mark wrote his gospel.

vii. But other troops, other generals in the Kingdom of light have also been sent away.

h. [Slide 10] 12 – Now I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

i. Tychicus was a companion of Paul in the province of Asia Minor

ii. He was sent with Onesimus to deliver the prison epistles.

iii. He was one of two men considered to replace Titus in Crete. He was ultimately not selected for that job. Instead, he was sent to Ephesus – one would think – to replace Timothy.

iv. What a strong vote of confidence Paul puts in this man to replace Timothy. Of course, we knew that since he was also being considered to replace Titus “The hammer” in Crete.

v. But it is not only people Paul needs, but also items.

i. [Slide 11] 13 – When you come, bring with you the cloak I left in Troas with Carpas and the scrolls, especially the parchments.

i. Paul needs a cloak. This coupled with the thought of Timothy coming before winter seems to suggest that Paul was not very comfortable in the prison he occupied at this time.

ii. His first imprisonment was more like house arrest while he awaited release. This seems to be worse conditions as he awaits execution.

iii. [Slide 12] So, the cloak must be obtained from Troas.

iv. From Ephesus Timothy’s most likely path of travel would take him north along the coast of Asia Minor and the Balkan Peninsula, since sailing across the Aegean to get to the pass in Corinth would have been especially dangerous. Along the way Timothy can get Mark, stop in Troas and pick up the items Paul needs, and then be on his way.

v. Carpas is only mentioned here so we don’t know anything about him other than he has Paul’s coat!

vi. [Slide 13] Paul also needs the scrolls and parchments.

vii. The reason he needs the parchment is fairly obvious. He intended to write more letters, although we have no more recorded from him.

viii. Scrolls, however, is an enigma. Some have suggested something as grand as a theological creed or confession for the Roman church all the way to documents proving his Roman citizenship. In any case, Paul needed what was written on them.

j. [Slide 14] Passage Truth: Through all this, even though it seems Paul’s life is coming to a close, he still needs God’s people around him for ministry to others and to be ministered to. That is why he calls Timothy to his side along with John Mark. Until the Lord takes him, the ministry continues, and he cannot do it alone.

k. Passage Application: So, Timothy must make haste to leave to be with Paul.

l. [Slide 15] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out we know and understand that we each are not an island unto ourselves. We as the body of Christ, in order to function as we must, cannot expect to have all gifts, or be able to say to another believer – we don’t need what God has given you. Indeed, in order to minister effectively, we need one another.

m. Broader Biblical Application: So here at CBC we need to be among one another. We realize this, still remembering the early days of the pandemic when we considered it unwise to meet in person. Although a temporary necessity, it became quickly apparent that it could not continue indefinitely. We needed each other. And not just over the phone or in a zoom chat. We needed to be with each other. So that we could minister to one another. Even now there are several out sick, or who have been unable to attend for some time because of one ailment or another. We need them among us and they need to be among us when they are able. There is no replacement for personal, face to face meeting of God’s people.

Transition:

[Slide 16(blank)] But merely being together is not enough for the body of Christ to thrive. We need more.

II.) Because the members of the body of Christ need each another, we must watch out for those who oppose us and support those in need. (14-18)

a. [Slide 17] 14 – Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm.

i. Answering the question of who is Alexander the coppersmith is a difficult one.

ii. There are several Alexanders in scripture.

iii. Mark 15:21 - Son of Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross of Jesus.

iv. Acts 4:6 – a member of the High Priest’s family.

v. Acts 19: 33 – A Jew wanting to defend Jews against accusation that they started the riot in Ephesus.

vi. I Tim 1:20 a man part of the problem in Ephesus with Hymenaeus whom Paul handed over to Satan.

vii. And finally, here a coppersmith who did great evil to Paul.

viii. Ultimately, we don’t have a lot of evidence to suggest that any of these men are the same as one another because we know that Alexander is a very common name in the Roman empire at this time.

ix. Added to this, the only time the descriptor of “coppersmith” is used is right here in this text.

x. Therefore, it is very likely that this is the only reference to this man in scripture – but there is some reason to believe that he could still be the same Alexander from I Timothy – still causing trouble like Hymenaeus.

xi. What exactly he did to Paul is unknown, although we know that he opposed the teaching of Paul.

xii. Some have suggested, believing that Alexander the coppersmith is the same as the Alexander from I Timothy, that having been excommunicated from the church he turned Paul in to the officials and even went to Rome to bear witness against him.

xiii. Although it is an attractive option to help explain how Paul got from I Timothy and Titus to II Timothy, it is mostly guessing.

b. [Slide 18] The Lord will repay him in keeping with his deeds.

i. This is an allusion to Psalm 28:4 – an imprecatory prayer of David calling on the Lord to repay those who do evil for their deeds.

ii. Imprecatory prayers get a lot of questions from New Covenant believers as we bristle at the thought of asking God to punish evil doers. How is this loving our enemies to pray that God would smite them?

iii. Well, first of all, we don’t view our prayers like the heathens whose prayers are meant to compel or invoke their god to action. We are not forming an incantation or spell to bring about calamity. God has sovereign freedom to ignore or even rebuke us for asking amiss.

iv. But also, God has promised all men that He will repay them for their deeds. Evil for evil and good for good. And so, praying that God would do as He has already said – is not praying outside of His will.

v. Paul doesn’t tell God to do it now, or next Tuesday. It may be an eschatological context in which he is referencing. Meaning the final judgment is in view.

vi. In any case, it is not wrong for us to pray that God would punish wicked men and women. Especially when we are not praying against personal enemies for personal reasons, but against enemies of God. But we should also be praying that He saves His people… who are all also at some point in their lives….enemies of God.

vii. Can we pray for the punishment and salvation of someone in the same breath? I think we can. How? In the Lord’s prayer asking for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven… that is praying exactly that. That God would either kill off the flesh of a man and raise up His spirit, or that He would punish the wicked.

viii. So, Paul prays that Alexander the coppersmith be given what he deserves. Indeed, he is sure it will be.

ix. But until that time…

c. [Slide 19] 15 – You be on guard against him too, because he vehemently opposed our words.

i. Timothy has his second major command in the text.

ii. To be on guard against Alexander. Don’t trust him.

iii. Why?

iv. He is not a gospel believer. He opposed our words.

v. In short, he is probably an example of someone who has committed the unforgivable sin.

vi. Meaning someone who believes the gospel is true but opposes it.

vii. Paul telling Timothy this means that either this man is in Ephesus now, in Troas, or perhaps even in Rome. Paul is sure that Timothy will cross paths with him. So Timothy must remain vigilant.

d. [Slide 20] 16 – At my first defense no one appeared in my support; Instead, they all deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it.

i. In the trial of a Roman citizen there would be two hearings.

ii. The first is to establish the facts of the case and determine if there is even a need for a trial.

iii. This would sort of be a formal place to debate ideas and information without the muckiness of whether the person is innocent or guilty.

iv. After that there would be a full trial to determine guilt or innocence.

v. This first defense is this preliminary hearing which was held before a magistrate.

vi. Paul is calling out some of his companions for not appearing to bear witness in his favor and thus he received a vote from the magistrate that his case would go to trial.

vii. Nero was presiding over all Christian trials at this point – and he certainly would find a Christian leader as prominent as Paul guilty and execute him.

viii. But why did all these companions desert him? Most likely because of fear. If they go, give him a glowing character witness, and the trial goes forward anyway with Paul being executed – guess who is next to stand trial?

ix. But Paul asks the Lord for mercy. Much like Jesus and Stephen ask for mercy from those who lead to their death, Paul asks for mercy upon his friends.

x. Here we note the contrast between Alexander the coppersmith and all these dear friends who were too scared to help him.

xi. Why?

xii. Alexander knew exactly what he was doing and stood in opposition. Paul’s companions fled for fear and weakness.

xiii. We may wonder if Paul is just complaining here or using this as a way to bring shame on those who abandoned him. I think though, it is the opposite. I think, having not named these people, he is writing this to assure them that he bears no grudge and that he has released them from their failure.

xiv. It is actually a sweet and kind gesture to all who would feel certain shame for abandoning the apostle.

xv. Besides, Paul ultimately did not need them. He drew strength from the one who is never weak.

e. [Slide 21] 17 – But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear.

i. As is our hope when we are alone and none are left to help – The Lord is our strength and shield.

ii. If God has called us to be and do something – He is faithful to supply all we need to be and do what He has planned.

iii. Paul was sent to the Gentiles – and where better to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ but to the courts of Rome in the heart of the Gentile world.

iv. Before the very emperor of the known world Paul would stand and boldly preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

v. And because he did this…

f. [Slide 22] And so, I was delivered form the Lion’s mouth!

i. But wait. Isn’t he going to be executed?

ii. How can he say he was delivered from the lion’s mouth?

iii. My friends, Paul is already speaking beyond this world.

iv. He has been pursued by the forces of darkness and demonic lies since Christ threw him off that horse on the road to Damascus.

v. And with His final delivery of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the very courts of Rome… the forces of darkness have utterly failed to stop what God sent Paul to do.

vi. And ultimately, the greatest weapons of the evil one, sin and death, have no hold on Paul.

vii. Why?

g. [Slide 23] 18 – The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.

i. The Lord will deliver him from every evil plan done against him, and death will not ultimately win, for His sin has been paid and His eternal life secured.

ii. This is the great hope of all who serve the Lord. That we will be broken and spilled out but delivered through the pale to the bright and glorious city of light.

iii. To live is Christ but to die is gain.

h. [Slide 24] To him be glory for ever and ever! Amen.

i. And for such a thought

ii. The strengthening and empowering of God to finish strong, to look death in the eye, to stare at the teeth of the evil one and there boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ,

iii. To know that Christ will present us faultless before the throne of God…

iv. Indeed, for this He deserves all glory forever and ever.

v. Amen?

i. [Slide 25] Passage Truth: So once again Paul emphasizes the role Christians have toward one another. Certainly, all His strength is from the Lord and that is all he needs, but genuine brotherly support from likeminded believers is a welcome gift from the Lord.

j. Passage Application: So Timothy must be vigilant against those who are not likeminded, and seek to support Paul by being with him.

k. [Slide 26] Broader Biblical Truth: The whole of scripture shows that God is indeed our strength, our shield, and even when we are utterly alone – He is all we need. But He has also given His church to protect one another from threats and support one another through trial.

l. Broader Biblical Application: And so we at CBC must protect each other from threats and support each other in trial. It should be ok for a pastor, church leader, or even mentor to say something like… “be careful of that teacher – I’ve read some of what he says and he may not have the truth.” It should be ok for all of us to warn each other to be careful of who we listen to and getting trapped in our own echo chambers too. And it should be normal to reach out and support one another when we desperately need it. If you are thinking… yeah, when the next person here has a trial that they need support in… I’ll be there… You are in luck. There are some going through some pretty tough stuff right now. It’s your chance!

Transition:

[Slide 27 (blank)] God has all we truly need. He is our strength. He is our shield. But in that He has also designed His church to function like a body caring for itself. And so we need one another’s presence, protection, and support. But even this is not the end of what we need from one another.

III.) Because the members of the body of Christ need each another, we must unconditionally love those of like faith and practice. (19-22)

a. [Slide 28] 19 – Greetings to Prisca and Aquila

i. So now Paul’s final command to Timothy of this letter is to greet people in his area from Paul and his companions in Rome.

ii. First on the list is Prisca or Priscilla and Aquila.

iii. Paul first encounters this couple in Ephesus because they too were tentmakers. (Acts 18:2) Paul would leave them in Ephesus (18) which God providentially used them to disciple Apollos (26)

iv. On Paul’s 3rd missionary journey, he returned to Ephesus and wrote I Corinthians. Here he greets the Corinthians from Aquila and Pricilla (16:9)

v. Evidentially they didn’t stay in Ephesus much longer because by the following year they had a church meeting in their home in Rome. (Romans 16:3-5) They also risked their lives to help Paul, although we aren’t sure of the details.

vi. So now, about a decade later, they are back in Ephesus and Paul wishes to greet them.

b. [Slide 29] And the family of Onesiphorus.

i. Mentioned only in this book, Onesiphorus was a dear help and friend to Paul in Rome with his current imprisonment. Paul is asking to greet his family.

ii. Now since Paul says Luke is the only one with him, we may wonder where Onesiphorus is.

iii. It is very hard to know.

iv. It is clear that although Luke is the only one with Paul – he is not the only Christian with him. Probably just the only one of his inner circle. Later Paul sends greetings from others. So we know Paul is not completely alone.

v. So Onesiphorus could still be with Paul, he could be en route to Ephesus or perhaps he is delivering the letter itself.

vi. It is hard to know. In any case, Paul wishes for a second time, goodness and kindness toward his family.

c. [Slide 30] 20 – Erastus stayed in Corinth.

i. Erastus is an assistant of Paul and someone Timothy had worked with before in Macedonia (Acts 19:22)

ii. In Romans we find out that he was originally the city treasurer in Corinth (Romans 16:23)

iii. And according to this passage, he stayed in Corinth.

d. [Slide 31] Trophimus I left ill in Miletus.

i. Trophimus is a possible brother of Tychichus from Ephesus (Acts 20,21)

ii. Here we see that he went with Paul to Miletus which is a city on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. Unfortunately, Paul had to leave him there because he was ill.

iii. So what do we make of all these descriptions of people and where they are, are going, or have been sent?

iv. It seems that Paul is encouraging Timothy and even the church in Ephesus with the news that many are still out and active in the gospel ministry. They are stationed throughout the Roman empire and are still working for the gospel. And so, Paul is showing his battle map and where the generals of Jesus Christ and His church are positioned. God is still moving… even though Paul is in prison. When Paul dies – the gospel of Christ will not die with him.

e. [Slide 32] 21 – Make every effort to come before winter.

i. But Paul’s primary general needs to be in Rome. And he needs to be there very soon. Like before winter.

ii. On the Aegean if you wait until winter to travel somewhere – then you are waiting until spring to travel somewhere.

iii. Paul doesn’t want winter to turn into spring because he may not have another spring left.

f. [Slide 33] Greetings to you from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.

i. Paul sends greetings from those with him in Rome.

ii. Every single name here does not have any other reference besides here.

iii. These may be leaders or simply members of a local church who have cared for him and helped him get these letters out.

iv. Along with many others there.

g. [Slide 34] 22 – The Lord be with your spirit.

i. This is a personal wish to Timothy alone that God would be with Timothy’s spirit.

ii. That God would give him strength to do all that Paul has commanded and to safely transport him to Paul’s presence soon.

iii. That the Spirit of God would strengthen his spirit to endure as The Spirit has for Paul.

h. [Slide 35] Grace be with you.

i. What could be viewed as a redundant phrase opens up when we realize that the “you” here is plural.

ii. Paul wishes a final hope for the grace of God to be with all who are there in Ephesus. Not just Timothy – but all the church there as they face the battle for truth.

i. [Slide 36] Passage Truth: So Paul finishes as he does most of his letters, with greetings. But these people will probably never meet. Still, Paul mentions some by name. How interesting to find how close knit this body of Christ is, and how much we need each other, that we are instantly comfortable with a person of like-faith.

j. Passage Application: So Timothy must warmly greet those in Ephesus from those in Rome. One body, united in Christ, but miles apart.

k. [Slide 37] Broader Biblical Truth: This is the glorious truth of the bride of Christ. The great sad story of it all is that as wonderful as our local bodies are – they do not compare to the whole of Christ’s bride gathered from the corners of the earth. One day we will all be together and will all rejoice in His presence.

l. Broader Biblical Application: It is that hope and that future that motivates us to greet others of like-faith and practice with energetic greetings. It is the tie that binds us together in Christian love, even when we barely know one another.

Conclusion:

So how do we apply this CBC?

Even the Apostle Paul needed the company and support of the people of God. As influential as he was, he needed the church to minister to him and to help him minister to others.

Do you realize that in about 2000 years of church history, the concept of Christ being your personal savior is probably only about 200 years old. As with all twists of truth, the concept is rooted in truth. Certainly, we all have an individual calling and election. Certainly, each of our individual souls are saved. We don’t become 1 amalgum of souls to be the one bride of Christ. But we should also not be mistaken. All of Christ’s true church share the relationship together to Christ. You cannot have an exclusively personal relationship with Christ. A personal relationship with Christ without the body of Christ is actually no relationship with Christ at all.

So just as there is no such thing as personal, private interpretation of the scriptures, where each Christian gets to assign whatever meaning he thinks to the text… so also there is no such thing as a personal private practice of our faith. We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord. And therefore, our lives are laid bare before one another. We must be present with one another. We must protect one another from wrong teaching. We must support one another in trial. And we must love one another – even if all we know about each other is that we are of the same faith.

And this is incredibly relevant to us today for two reasons. I’ll start with the grand reason and end with the intimate one.

The grand reason this message is intensely relevant for today is because although we live in a world where communication with anyone is mere seconds away – we are among the most isolated and independent living people that have ever existed. No one likes leaving their homes. No one likes interacting with others. The pandemic only made this excusable. And I feel bad for those who are genuinely introverted people – because those who are too lazy or prideful to form relationships with others have labeled themselves introverts to provide to themselves an excuse.

And that is all well and good in the world. But we as believers have an opportunity here, once again, to not be like the world. We have a chance at not being like the other nations. We can be so peculiar. We can be so different. How? By loving the assembling of ourselves together. By protecting each other from teaching that is in error. By supporting each other in meaningful ways, even if it could potentially mean great harm to ourselves. We could really leave the world scratching their head today by meeting a fellow Christian and instantly treating them like family.

Stop using introvertedness as an excuse. Don’t be lazy. Don’t be prideful. Love one another as Christ loved us.

The second reason which is a very intimate reason that this message is so relevant for us today, is because in a few moments we will head upstairs and partake in one of the most intimate practices of the church. Communion. A meal we share together to feed upon and be sustained by the very atonement of Christ… which He gave to us! Collectively! We the body, eat His body which was torn for us to provide a new and living way to access our God. We who are members of the New Covenant, do drink His blood which is the New Covenant which sprinkles us clean from our sin and will present us faultless before the throne of God.

In just a few moments, we all – the true followers of Christ – will go a share a meal where all of us are sustained by Christ – which is a physical sign of the spiritual truth that we are all as one body sustained by Christ.

My friends. All we need is our God. He is our strength. But He has given us a body for which we are but a member.

Before we dismiss let me give a warning.

If you plan to join us today and have never confessed Christ – please do not partake with us. This meal is a sacred spiritual meal and could have dire consequences upon your mortal life if you eat of it unworthily.

If you plan to join us today and have confessed Christ but are currently holding on to a sin that you do not desire freedom from – please do not partake with us. Christians know they are Christians because of their hate of their own sin and their love of God’s law. To love a sin with no desire to free yourself of it means that you cannot truly be sure you are a Christian.

If you see communion as a way to earn grace, get saved, please God, or otherwise merit something for your eternal reward – please do not partake. You do not understand what this meal is and isn’t.

But friends, if you desire freedom from sin, fellowship with God’s people, spiritual filling, righteousness, fullness of Christ, victory over sin, power to carry on in all God has called you to… then I beg you to come and dine. Be filled on the very truth of the atonement of Christ. Come and feast with us. And grow with us.

Title: Fulfill Your Ministry

Text: II Timothy 4:5-8

FCF: We struggle ministering to one another.

Prop: Because dying words of a great mentor weigh heavy on the hearers, we must fulfill our ministry.

Scripture Intro: CSB

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 4. As I watched the service from home last week, I was left with two very strong impressions. The first is how difficult it is to attend a worship service online. If you are joining us now online, and you are able to attend in person – attend in person. I can confidently tell you that whatever you think you gain sitting on your couch in your PJ’s, it is nothing in comparison to what you gain being here among us.

The second strong impression I was left with was the remarkable stories of God’s provision, sustenance, and our church’s love toward each other. Almost the entire time I was saying – hey, that is what my sermon was going to be on this week! Had I not been sick, I would have never known.

And so, this week, the sermon will be a hearty Amen to all that you gave testimony to last week. I want to thank the deacons for stepping up and in to make the service happen. I really appreciate Justin for basically telling me to put down the reins and let him take it. But most of all, I want to thank the Lord for His provision to us. You know most of the time when something like this happens, the lay leaders in a church kinda fight to see who has to share something. But not only did each one have something from scripture ready to share – ultimately most didn’t have to because you filled the time and then some.

Today’s sermon gives us all the reason we need to continue to do ministry toward one another. So let me properly introduce the text this morning.

First, we are coming close to the end now. We have been in the pastoral epistles for well over a year. We began our intro to the pastoral epistles and I Timothy in early July last year. If the next section of scripture pans out like I think it will, we will conclude this book next week with our 46th sermon on the pastoral epistles. Again, continue to pray for me as I seek the Lord’s will on where to go next.

Last time, Paul gave Timothy a solemn charge. A command of the utmost importance. A command Timothy must obey, no matter what. It was to preach the word. He is to be ready to patiently give deep doctrine through the proclaimed word in order to rebuke, correct, and encourage in righteousness, all God’s dear children.

He must do this because the time has now come when people no longer wish to hear it. False teachers abound because people who have abandoned the truth want them to come and instruct them in what they want to hear. They’d rather have myths that confirm what they desire than the truth that rebukes, corrects, and encourages righteousness.

So, Timothy was called to preach – so that God’s true children would be rescued from these lies.

Today, Paul will conclude his exhortation to Timothy with 4 final commands. Commands he must keep. Why? Because Paul is about to die… and he wants Timothy to live as he has lived, so he too can finish the race as Paul is.

I am in II Timothy chapter 4. I’ll read verses 1-8. I’m reading from the CSB. You can follow along on page 1344 in the pew bible or in whatever version you have in front of you.

Transition:

Today will be a lighter sermon for you. Perhaps even quite short. But the lesson of it should be heeded. This ministry we all have before us, must be fulfilled. Let me show you what I mean.

I.) Because the final wish of dying believers weighs much, we must fulfill our ministry. (5-6)

a. [Slide 2] 5 – But as for you exercise self-control in everything

i. Here we begin the second set of commands given in this short 8 verse paragraph.

ii. Paul sets these next four commands directly counter to all the people he has been speaking about since verse 3.

iii. Paul commands Timothy to be self-controlled, temperate or sober.

iv. This word can be used to talk about sobriety to substances but in all likelihood, Paul is probably referring more to Timothy not being ruled by his passions.

v. That unlike the people in the previous few verses who are ruled by their desires, that he would be self-controlled.

vi. That his emotions and passions would not override what he is to be as a faithful minster of the gospel of Christ.

b. [Slide 3] Endure hardship

i. Going back to chapter 3, Paul stated that all people who wanted to live a godly life in Christ would be persecuted. Primarily because opposition to the gospel will only increase.

ii. Paul commands Timothy not to buckle under the pressure of that assured persecution.

iii. Endure. Keep going. Stand strong.

iv. Again, this is set in direct contrast to the previous group, who desired to hear what they wanted to hear and escape this persecution.

c. [Slide 4] Do the work of an evangelist

i. There are a couple layers here that make this command a little cloudy for us.

1. We have a position in full time ministry today called an evangelist. Typically, these men come in and do a tent meeting, or a revival week and focus on preaching the gospel. They are there primarily to seek conversions or even to get people to re-dedicate or recommit themselves to the Lord.

2. Second, there is a gift in Ephesians and Acts called an evangelist. Probably what would most likely fit into our concept of a missionary.

ii. So, to which, if either of these, is Paul referring and what does it mean to do his work?

iii. Although I don’t wish to disparage anyone’s ministry, the concept of a person going from church to church doing revival meetings is not someone we can readily find in any New Testament text.

iv. And if I could go back and change the name missionary to evangelists I would, because that seems to be what is more in line with that title in scripture.

v. That being said, Paul is most certainly referring to the latter.

vi. To do the work of an evangelist is to what? Well, what is the work of a missionary?

vii. It is to preach or proclaim the gospel.

viii. Paul is not telling Timothy to assume some role between an apostle and a pastor, nor is he necessarily telling Timothy to be a traveling preacher in Ephesus. Really, all he is doing is reminding Timothy that the gospel ought to be His teaching focus.

ix. Again, this is in direct contrast to the previous group – who abandoned the truth for myths and sought teachers to teach them what they wanted to hear rather than the gospel.

d. [Slide 5] Fulfill your ministry

i. This command encompasses all the rest mentioned in this passage, and even probably, in this entire book.

ii. If Timothy is always ready to patiently give deep theology in preaching the word to rebuke, correct, and encourage God’s people, while keeping his life in order, enduring persecution, and making much of the gospel of Christ – He will have fulfilled his ministry.

iii. To fall short in any of these will mean he has failed his ministry.

iv. What is the ministry of an Elder or pastor/teacher? He is to equip the saints for the work of ministry so they can grow up into the full stature of Christ. He is to preach the word. He is to disciple his flock. He is to preach the gospel.

v. There are a great number of pastors with many strengths and weaknesses. They have different passions and giftings.

vi. But my friends, if a pastor or Elder does not do this…he is failing his ministry.

e. [Slide 6] 6 – For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for my departure is close.

i. To be poured out as an offering has references rooted in drink offerings unto God in the Old Testament.

ii. Paul makes a similar statement in Philippians, where he suffered his first Roman imprisonment.

iii. In that context he supposes that he may soon be poured out as a drink offering for their faith.

iv. Here Paul says that he is already being poured out. Meaning that his ministry, his life, is coming to a close. He has nearly finished his assignment.

v. Then he uses a sailing term noting that it is almost time for him to depart or set sail.

vi. Timothy must fulfill his ministry, first because Paul will not be alive for much longer.

vii. It is clear that Paul did not know when he would die, but he did know that he was about to leave Timothy. So, his words are meant to spur Timothy on.

f. [Slide 7] Passage Truth: So, Paul, being short for this life and almost spent in ministry, turns to Timothy with words of exhortation.

g. Passage Application: Timothy must fulfill his ministry by keeping himself in control, preaching the gospel, and enduring through suffering.

h. [Slide 8] Broader Biblical Truth: We often see throughout the scriptures the wishes of a dying man given great importance. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, and many more, have said on their death beds what needed to be said to push the living forward. And even in our lives, sometimes, the words of men and women not long for this world, have had great impact on us. So, what must we do with the last will and testament of Paul the apostle?

i. Broader Biblical Application: We too must fulfill our ministry. We should live self-controlled, enduring hardship and persecution, and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. In doing so, we join a lineage of mere men and women, stretching from creation to the coming of Christ.

Transition:

[Slide 9(blank)] And so one reason Timothy must fulfill his ministry is because Paul is about to die. But why else must Timothy do this?

II.) Because good examples of those who have gone before us are worthy to follow, we must fulfill our ministry. (7-8)

a. [Slide 10] 7 – I have fought the good fight;

i. In chapter 2 Paul likened the Christian life to that of an athlete.

ii. It seems that Paul revisits this athlete metaphor here in verse 7 to reinforce all the concepts he mentioned there in chapter 2.

iii. Paul mentioned in chapter 2 a farmer who by his diligence enjoyed the first fruit of his labor.

iv. Here Paul invasions himself a boxer who has diligently trained and trained hard to get to a fight worthy of fighting. A title bout. A championship match.

v. His diligence has paid off.

b. [Slide 11] I have finished the race;

i. In chapter 2 Paul likened the focus and endurance needed in the Christian life to that of a soldier undistracted from the world and obeying his commander.

ii. Here Paul communicates the same focus and endurance in light of an athlete who runs a race for the prize.

iii. Paul has remained focused and made it to the end.

c. [Slide 12] I have kept the faith!

i. The metaphor could potentially break down here.

ii. There is no overt reference to an athlete in a game.

iii. But perhaps the word kept is our only clue.

iv. Paul said in chapter 2 that all runners compete by the rules to win the prize.

v. And here Paul says that he has kept the faith. He has kept the rules of this spiritual race. He has remained faithful, meaning he has obeyed His Lord’s instruction in this spiritual life.

vi. Later in chapter 2, Paul stated this little poem.

1. If we died with him, we will also live with him.

2. If we endure, we will also reign with him

3. If we deny him, he will also deny us.

4. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful

vii. Of the last two, Paul did not transgress. He did not deny His Lord and He remained faithful to keep the commands of Christ, proving his faith to be a living faith that obeys His Lord.

d. [Slide 13] 8 – Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous judge, will awarded it to me in that day – and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing.

i. Because he has reached the end and his faith has been proven alive – now the crown of righteousness is reserved for him.

ii. But what is the crown of righteousness?

iii. The bible actually mentions 5 crowns awarded to God’s people at the judgement. These 5 crowns include:

1. The imperishable crown, given to those who endure in their faith.

2. The crown of rejoicing, given to those who gather joyously in the presence of Jesus Christ at his coming.

3. The crown of righteousness, mentioned here for those who set their affection on Christ’s appearing.

4. The crown of glory, given to Elders, and really any believer who lives faithfully as an example to others.

5. The crown of life, given to those who endure trial, tribulation, suffering and persecution.

iv. But here is the interesting thing. Does Paul not have a right to claim all 5 crowns here? Hasn’t he endured? Does he not expect to joyously enter the presence of God? Is he not a leader who set an example for others? Did he not endure trials? So why specifically the crown of righteousness?

v. Here is my thought. All 5 crowns mentioned in scripture are actually 1 crown known by several names. They are different aspects of the gift of the Kingdom to God’s people.

vi. Is it any wonder then, that we will throw our crown back at the feet of Jesus?

vii. In saying all this, Paul gives the second reason that Timothy must fulfill his ministry… because that is what his mentor has done.

viii. Paul will soon finish his race and Timothy must, even now, aim to do likewise.

ix. Timothy is being beckoned here to take up Paul’s mantle and mimic him as Paul mimicked Christ.

e. [Slide 14] Passage Truth: Not only is he about to die, but also, Paul has set the course. He has carved the path. Paul has set the example, and Timothy must do likewise.

f. Passage Application: So, Timothy must fulfill his ministry. He must endure, he must be obedient, he must be diligent.

g. [Slide 15] Broader Biblical Truth: In many ways throughout the scriptures this example is both absent and present. Absent in the sense that so many fathers fail to pass on their calling, their ministries, their faith to their sons and daughters. But it is also present in unlikely places where mentors come alongside their students and pass the mantle. Moses to Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Jehoiada to Zechariah, Jesus to His disciples, and in that list includes Paul to Timothy.

h. Broader Biblical Application: So, for us, we must follow in the steps of Christ our savior. We must follow in the steps of the apostles. We must follow in the footsteps of all who have gone before us. Not in their sin, but in their faith. We must fight the good fight. We must finish our race. We must keep the faith.

Conclusion:

[Slide 16] ]So how do we apply this to ourselves here at CBC? There is a ready application to those who may be our future Elders here. But what about you all in the pew? What about all the other dear children of God?

[Slide 17 9end)] A text that helps us is Ephesians 4:11-16. It is on the screen behind me.

You see it is an Elder or Pastor’s responsibility to equip all of God’s people. To equip them for what?

The work of the ministry, which is to build up the body of Christ.

That ministry, in order to be fulfilled, continues until we all attain the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.

Well what does that mean?

That we are mature people, grown up to the same stature of Christ. This will enable us not to be rocked by doctrines of false teachers seeking to undo us – instead we will practice the truth, loving one another, following Christ who is the head of the church.

After all, it is from him that we grow, stay united, and do our part – together.

When Paul commands Timothy to fulfill his ministry – it applies to all of us. We all have a part to play in building up the body of Christ. We all have a role to play in growing one another into maturity. We all have a role to fulfill in making this body function the way it is supposed to.

So as Paul fought the fight – we must diligently continue to fight.

As Paul finished his race – we must continue to endure to the end of our own.

As Paul kept the faith – we too must continue to be faithful in word and deed to our Lord’s commands.

This is the ministry we are to fulfill. And we must continue it – no matter what happens.

Title: A Solemn Charge

Text: II Timothy 4:1-4

FCF: We often struggle fulfilling our role in world growing in hostility toward the truth.

Prop: Because the command is important and needed, we must preach the word of God.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy 4. Well, here we are, the last chapter of II Timothy. As I mentioned at Wednesday Night Bible study, please be praying for me as I seek the Lord for where he would have me go next. I have a couple books in mind but I am waiting on the Lord to lead.

Last week we saw the great profit of God’s breathed out scriptures on the hearts and lives of those who are truly His. First in giving wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ. Then to complete us and equip us for every good work, God has given us His very breath to fill us with life. We are taught, rebuked, corrected and instructed to be and do all that God has ordained us to be and do. His word is a great benefit to His people.

Building on that concept, Paul will now turn to Timothy and give him, perhaps, the strongest command Paul gives in scripture to anyone.

I am in II Timothy 4 starting in verse 1. I’ll be reading from the CSB, but you can follow in the pew bible on page 1344 or in whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

So, building upon the great benefit of the God-breathed scriptures, what will Paul command of Timothy?

I.) The command to preach the word is of eternal importance, so we must preach the word of God. (1-2)

a. [Slide 2] 1 – I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus

i. Although Paul does not overtly link this text to the preceding one, the link is obvious once we get to verse 2.

ii. As the man of God, who himself will be thoroughly fitted for all that God asks by His dependence on God’s Word – what is he to do?

iii. Verse 1 serves as a grand introduction to that very thing.

iv. Paul starts with “I solemnly charge you”

v. The last time Paul used this strong of language to Timothy was in I Timothy 5 when commanding him to exercise the commands about disciplining an Elder without favoritism or prejudice.

vi. And Paul charged Timothy in the presence of God, Christ, and the elect angels. We noted that this is court room language.

vii. In this case in II Timothy, the imagery is similar.

viii. Paul in chapter 2 of this book told Timothy to solemnly charge his church there not to wrangle over words. Again, this charge is placed in the presence of God.

ix. So, based on usage, what can we determine about the strength of this command to Timothy?

x. It seems like Paul uses this language to emphasize a command that absolutely must be obeyed, to the letter, without exception.

xi. Paul is actually using invocation language. Somewhat like an oath. As we place our hand on the bible and pledge something, so Paul is invoking God the Father and the Son in this charge.

xii. As in all the cases he uses such language, the charge is typically of utmost importance.

xiii. However, unlike the other places Paul does this, he is not content to invoke only the witness of the Triune God. He goes on.

b. [Slide 3] Who is going to judge the living and the dead,

i. This expression not only takes us into a court room context, but also an eschatological context.

ii. First, the scene of this solemn charge is in the presence of the glorified Jesus Christ, seated on His throne, judging.

iii. But who He is judging is interesting as well.

iv. This is the Great White Throne. The time when all are resurrected, righteous and unrighteous, and they are brought before Christ. By the books of their lives, according to their deeds, the dead are judged and cast into the 2nd death the eternal punishment of the Lake of Fire.

v. The fate of the living, those who’s names are in the book of life, is not described until the following chapter of Revelation. But we do know, that those who are in the book of life – do not die again.

vi. Eternal life and eternal death are separated that day… forever.

vii. And so, the nature of this command connects to the very core of eternal life and eternal death.

viii. But Paul still isn’t done…

c. [Slide 4] And because of his appearing and his kingdom

i. Although the CSB adds the word because causing us to think that perhaps this is the reason for the command, in all actuality this is probably still communicating the scene in which the command is issued.

ii. Not only is it in the presence of God and Christ the judge.

iii. But it is also by or at His appearing and His Kingdom.

iv. This is saying that Paul is charging Timothy at or by that appearing.

v. And so Paul’s solemn charge to Timothy his dear son, is made in the highest court, where the final judgment will occur, and in the kingdom to end all kingdoms.

vi. The nature of this, still unsaid command, is not only connected to eternal life and eternal death, but also, to the very fabric of the coming everlasting Kingdom.

vii. Take a moment and think about that. Put yourself in that context. Stand in that courtroom, before the great white throne, on the cusp of the fullness of that Kingdom that will be forever.

viii. Do you think it might be time to listen if you were Timothy? Do you think the charge Paul has for Timothy… might have eternal significance?

d. [Slide 5] 2 – Preach the word;

i. In this section of scripture from verse 1-8, Paul gives 9 imperatives, 9 commands to Timothy.

ii. 5 of them are in this verse.

iii. As such, this command to preach the word drives the next 4. The next 4 commands following this one are fulfilled by and executed under this imperative’s umbrella. Meaning of course, that this is the primary charge of Paul in verses 1-4. So, we better understand what he means.

iv. Preach here means to herald or announce. To proclaim. It does not only mean to stand behind a pulpit on a Sunday morning, nor does it imply that only Timothy, or pastors can complete this task. This is an imperative for the whole church, Pastors especially.

v. “The word” is easily the most ambiguous part of this command.

vi. So what are our options?

vii. Well Paul could be referring to the gospel itself. He has called it his message, his gospel, and has overtly stated the gospel as early as chapter 1. Another option would be Jesus as the Word who became flesh. Paul could just as easily be telling Timothy to preach Christ. Indeed, his desire was to preach Christ crucified.

viii. However, given the context of this passage leading out from chapter 3 and the profit of the scriptures to God’s people, I think we have to conclude that the God-breathed scriptures as revealed and interpreted through the life and teachings of Christ and illuminated by His gift of the Spirit in us, is most certainly what Paul intends here.

ix. Be a herald of all those God-breathed scriptures that make people wise for salvation, and are profitable to teach, rebuke, correct, instruct, complete and equip God’s people.

e. [Slide 6] Be ready in season and out of season;

i. As the second command given to Timothy, it is clearly subordinate to the first.

ii. Let’s start at the end. What does in season and out of season mean?

iii. It means when it is convenient or not.

iv. Whether the message is popular, wanted, appreciated, applauded, or even… accepted. Timothy is to preach the word.

v. But what is meant by the command “be ready?”

vi. It is tough to translate this into English. It means to stand by, to be present, to be at hand.

vii. To put it in an idiom we may understand, it means to be locked and loaded.

viii. It means to have the message of the word queued up and ready.

ix. He is to be loaded for bear with the word of God… always.

x. But to what end?

f. [Slide 7] Rebuke,

i. To rebuke means to expose error without shadow of doubt.

ii. It means to reveal wrong thinking.

iii. To rebuke is to conclusively and definitively confound the opinion of one who thinks they are right when they are wrong.

iv. Timothy is to preach the word, the message, the God-breathed scriptures which in II Timothy 3:16 are profitable for 4 things.

v. This would be the second. We may wonder… hey where is the first one? Hang tight.

vi. Since the God-breathed scriptures are profitable to show us the errors of our own perceptions, Timothy is commanded to preach the word, which undoes those false perceptions of truth.

g. [Slide 8] Correct,

i. Following again in the vein of verse 16, correction is specifically focused on action.

ii. Timothy is not only to refute the wrong thinking in his flock – but he is also to expose and correct all lifestyles inconsistent with the Word of God.

iii. Timothy does not condemn them from an air of superiority or false piety – but rather recognizes the destruction that all sin brings upon all men.

iv. So, Timothy, by correction, pleads with all who will listen to turn from their evil way – as all those who name the name of the Lord must do.

v. Indeed, those who have been set apart for a noble purpose, must clean out their vessel and keep it clean.

vi. Timothy is commanded to preach the word which corrects all practice of sin.

h. [Slide 9] And encourage

i. Although this word on the surface does not appear to correlate to the last profitable item in verse 16 of chapter 3, I assure you that it correlates perfectly.

ii. In verse 16 of chapter 3, Paul says that the God-breathed scriptures are profitable for instruction in righteousness.

iii. To encourage here means to call near or to call to your side. It means to encourage yes – but the same way a coach would encourage a player. The same way someone would give their shoulder to a person with an injured ankle.

iv. I fear that sometimes when we say “encourage” we mean someone cheering for us or telling us “you are doing great. Keep it up. Go gettem tiger!”

v. Rather, encourage is more along the lines of – “ok, see what you did there? That was not quite right. Let me show you. Here watch. Did ya see that? Let me show you again. Ok. Now give it a try. There ya go! Great job! Now do that from now on!”

vi. That is biblical encouragement. And that is why it fits precisely with “instruction in righteousness” from 3:16.

i. [Slide 10] With great patience and teaching.

i. Pulling from chapter 2 now, Paul reminds Timothy that this will not be an easy process.

ii. He should not expect to be able to preach this stuff one time and people will correct their wrong beliefs, stop sinning, and start living rightly.

iii. If only that were the case huh? Not just for me, as your pastor, but even for me preaching this stuff to myself. Both the discipler and the disciple need to be patient, as change often comes surely but slowly.

iv. God is patient with us as He reveals Himself in layers to us. He instructs us with the same passage of scripture in an ever-deepening way. Why would we think we could improve on God’s way of doing it?

v. To instruct anyone… to believe something new, to stop believing something they’ve always heard, to stop sinning in a way they’ve always lived, or to start living rightly in a way they never have… that is going to take time. Probably… their whole life.

vi. [Slide 11] This is why it takes “great” patience. The word here is all or every. And it speaks of magnitude. The patience required to preach the word in this way, requires great patience.

vii. But it also requires something else “great”…

viii. Paul reveals the foundation from which all this is being preached. And lo and behold there is the first item from 3:16 for which the scriptures are profitable!

ix. Doctrine.

x. In order to preach the word, loaded for bear in every circumstance, accomplishing rebuke, correction, and encouragement, not only will Timothy need great patience, but he will also need deep doctrine.

xi. Do you get the impression from Paul that doctrine is important? And not just a few key points of it… not just a creed here or a statement there. Deep doctrine is the only way that people will ever be rebuked, corrected, and encouraged.

xii. Deep doctrine is also probably the reason it will take time. You can’t drill to the center of God’s teaching… you must dig, layer by layer. Occasionally a chasm will open and you will make a great theological breakthrough where many things synergize. But you will also encounter solid rock for which you are not yet equipped to make much progress. Usually, you lack God’s timing or humility to progress.

xiii. In any case, deep theology patiently given is the foundation of preaching the word of God for rebuke, correction and encouragement.

j. [Slide 12] Passage Truth: Although not some pivotal earth-shattering point of doctrine, Paul hangs his charge to Timothy squarely on the importance of it being fulfilled. It is so important that Timothy obey what Paul commands in this text, that Paul invokes the courtroom of God where the Triune God presides as witnesses, where Christ is the judge of the living and the dead, and where God’s new and everlasting kingdom has been and will be established forever. I’m not sure Paul could make is point clearer. This command with all its sub-commands, is of eternal importance.

k. Passage Application: So, Timothy must preach the word. He must always be ready to patiently give deep theology through preaching of the Word to draw out the profit of God’s word for God’s people. This is the highest aim of all church leaders.

l. [slide 13] Broader Biblical Truth: Of course, we know the scriptures as a whole from every context, assume that the words they offer are of the utmost importance to know, believe, and teach to others. They speak with authority and expect a response. To say that the scriptures testify to their own immeasurable value, would be quite an understatement.

m. Broader Biblical Application: So, at CBC, we must preach the word. We must proclaim God’s word. We must always be ready to patiently dispense deep theology for the rebuke, correction, and encouragement in righteousness of God’s people. Paul considered it so important, that he was willing to invoke the Triune God and His Kingdom to command it. You and I would do well to take such a command seriously.

Transition:

[Slide 14(blank)] But why is it so important? Certainly, Paul sees it as so, and that should probably be enough for us – but still, we wonder – why? Why must we be ready to patiently proclaim deep theology for the rebuke, correction and encouragement in righteousness of God’s people? Paul answers that next.

II.) The need for the word of God to be preached will only grow, so we must preach the word of God. (3-4)

a. [Slide 15] 3 – For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine,

i. Why is it SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO important for Timothy to preach the Word?

ii. Someday soon… (maybe now) people won’t tolerate sound doctrine. They won’t want deep theology given patiently. They certainly won’t want to be rebuked, corrected or encouraged in righteousness. In short, they won’t want the Word of God.

iii. Well, what will they want instead?

b. [Slide 16] But according to their own desires,

i. Ah. They wish to be ruled by their own passions.

ii. They will make decisions based on what they want and not what they need.

iii. They will even conflate these two and make their wants into needs and their spiritual needs- needless.

iv. When men and women are ruled by what they want, what they feel, what they think, what they know, what makes them happy, what makes them popular, what makes them wealthy, what makes them powerful

v. When they come to this place… what will they do?

vi. Will they leave the church? Will they cast off Christianity? Will they turn atheist or pagan?

vii. No…

c. [Slide 17] will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear.

i. They will question sound bible preaching without ever studying the scripture themselves.

ii. They will ignore sound bible preaching and listen to strangers who agree with what they think.

iii. They will mock sound bible preaching because they have gathered a whole army of radio, TV, and internet preachers who say otherwise.

iv. And eventually, if they can gather enough support, they will do everything in their power to remove their sound bible preaching from their lives and replace it with someone who will teach them what they want to hear.

v. My friends, as the days get more difficult… as God continues to remove His hand of mercy and allow our culture to praise and applaud sin while avoiding righteousness… As godlessness mocks godliness – such people will make sure to avoid sound bible preaching like the plague… why?

vi. So, they can continue to exist without persecution, without hatred, and satisfy their lusts to boot.

vii. And they will do all this while still wearing the name… Christian.

viii. Why?

d. [Slide 18] 4 – They will turn away from hearing the truth

i. They are absolutely tired of sound doctrine. Deep theology only made them feel lost and bored.

ii. Sound bible preaching always made them feel bad about themselves anyway.

iii. But when this guy talks – It resonates with me!

iv. Sure, he may never touch the bible… but he gives me what I need to get through my week.

v. In short – these people are absolutely upside down, inside out, backward, seeing the world… SURPRISE… exactly the opposite as God sees it.

vi. Why? Because it is the opposite of what they desire. It has already been dismissed as a wrong interpretation of the scriptures. It has already been classified as “YOUR VIEW” of the scriptures.

vii. It has already been labeled as a White, Male, Heterosexual, Privileged interpretation that does not take into account anyone outside that paradigm.

viii. In short, the truth, in their mind, is no longer the truth. They have allowed their feelings, their presuppositions, their sin to dictate what they perceive as truth.

ix. So, what becomes their truth?

e. [Slide 19] And will turn aside to myths.

i. The fastest growing religion in the world today is Islam.

ii. The fastest growing religion today in the US is “Unaffiliated”

iii. Pew research predicts that by 2035 Muslims will outnumber Christians in the world and overtake it as the largest religion.

iv. They also predict that in that time Christianity will continue to bleed numbers at an alarming rate.

v. What is happening?

vi. It is becoming less and less acceptable by the world to be a Christian who lives by the Words of God.

vii. The nominal Christians must make a choice at that point. Is this label I wear worth being affiliated with people who the world hates? How can I make this right?

viii. They turn aside to myths. And not just myths like the gods of Rome, Greece, Norway, or ancient peoples… no they are turning aside to myths even about Jesus.

ix. I have had recent interactions with people who still claim to be Christians, who characterize Jesus in skewed ways to support their own political or ideological opinions.

x. Is that not exactly what this text says? They want to have their own thoughts reinforced so they turn to myths… why? Because in mythology, they can sound religious, even using these same scriptures, to finally make their faith align with their lusts.

f. But now we must consider why Paul connects these two thoughts. Timothy must preach the word, deep theology patiently given to rebuke, correct, and encourage people. But the reason he must do this is because people will stop listening and turn aside.

g. So, is Paul saying that if Timothy does this, then people won’t turn aside? That Timothy can stop that from happening?

h. I don’t think so. In chapter 3 he said similar things about the last days and the visible church. But in that context, Paul did not so much as hint at Timothy’s actions stopping all this from taking place. He did indicate that God’s true people would recognize these false teachers and not be duped. He did indicate that God’s true people would suffer. And he commanded Timothy to avoid these kinds of people and hold fast to his faith.

i. So how are verses 1-2 and 3-4 connected?

j. Timothy must do this because if he doesn’t no one else will. Timothy must do this because if he doesn’t, the true people of God will starve for lack of deep theology given patiently. Timothy must do this because finding churches, pastors, leaders, disciplers who are doing just this… will only become more difficult.

k. Timothy must do this because even though it is God who knows and will keep His own… Timothy has a part to play in that plan. To continue to patiently instruct God’s people – so that they may be preserved. In this, Timothy is not preserving them, nor are they preserving themselves… but they take part in our God’s glorious preservation of His saints.

l. [Slide 20] Passage Truth: Paul gives Timothy the reason that he must preach the word. It is because the time will be and now is that people will stop listening to sound teaching and will accumulate teachers who teach what they want rather that what God says.

m. Passage Application: In this climate, Timothy must continue to preach the Word. He shouldn’t expect to stave off this outcome, or even curb this among the nominal Christians. But he will be a part of God’s promise to protect and keep His own.

n. [Slide 21] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out in all scripture we know that the cycle of human history has never trended upward. In Israel’s history as well as the church’s history, God does something mighty, miraculous, and all on His own, and then it gradually descends back into wickedness. Creation, the flood, Abraham, Moses, David and eventually Jesus, in all these we see the great work of God tightening these cycles and resetting things back to right. But over time, eventually, it continues to descend into godlessness as the true people of God are mixed in with those who only claim to be. It is abundantly obvious that this is happening today on a global stage. Many places that were bright hubs of the gospel are now dark places all but void of the its light. And here in the US, we are seeing it unfold just like anywhere else.

o. Broader Biblical Application: So what do we do? What can we do? Can anything stop it? Can anything break the cycle? Here’s the cool thing… where Paul hung the importance of this command, his invocation of the Triune God and His coming eternal Kingdom, that is where the hope is for the cycles to end and for Christ to finally and completely purify for Himself a people without blemish. So if Christ is going to break the cycle, what do we do until He comes? Preach the word. Proclaim it far and wide. Be ready to patiently give deep theology to all God’s true children, rebuking, correcting and encouraging them in righteousness. This is all there is. This is what He has called us to. God has said, He knows who are His and He will keep them. How amazing to think that in His keeping of His dear children, he gives us a part to play. Preach… the word.

Conclusion:

[Slide 22 (end)] So, what does this mean for us CBC?

Last week we saw our desperate need for God’s word. His very breath gives us life. I asked a tough question of all of us… I asked if the scriptures were a priority in our lives. If we need them like oxygen. If we eat them like bread. If we drink them like water. Are the scriptures a priority.

And my friends the question doesn’t even end there. If you are still smarting from that one… Today must be the knockout punch. Because even if that is a yes. Even if the scriptures are a priority to us personally… all of us cannot simply gather those wonderful benefits of the God-breathed scriptures to ourselves. We cannot simply consume the words of God without being prompted to proclaim them too.

Certainly, this is an exhortation to Timothy and Pastors as well – but really to all of God’s people. We must be proclaiming the Word of God. We must always be ready to patiently proclaim deep theology of God’s Word to rebuke, correct, and encourage in righteousness all of God’s dear children. For in doing this we are afforded the opportunity to be a part of God granting repentance and wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ and preserving and keeping His dear children from falling away.

Many will fall in the last days. Many will abandon truth. Many – and you probably know many. Not just celebrity names of people who have walked away… but you probably know people, friends, children, parents, cousins, uncles, grand-parents, who have created myths more in line with their passions.

But you have been preserved by the preaching of the Word of God by faithful people. Its profitable benefits have been mined out and given to you to grow you to the point that you have only deepened in your faith. Is there anything better to do, than to be part of that great ministry – the proclaiming and heralding of the Word of God?

As God’s people, we all have the opportunity to be proclaimers of the truth and so participate in the Lord’s finding and keeping of His true children. Let us then take that opportunity!

Find an occasion to proclaim the Word. And it doesn’t have to be a class, bible study, or long lesson. It can be something as simple as sharing what you’ve read today with your spouse. It can be praying God’s word back to him publicly. It can be singing bible verses or deep theological songs to your grand kids.

Keep finding occasions to proclaim the Word. In a dry and weary land where many do not want sound teaching… be a sound teacher.

Title: The Breath of Life

Text: II Timothy 3:10-17

Fallen Condition Focus: We often struggle being equipped or being ready to do what God would have us to, especially when faced with persecution.

Prop: Because the scriptures will help us live godly lives amid great persecution, we must hold fast to what we have learned and believed.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 3. Last week Paul finished his reality check for Timothy, that although it is possible for the opponents of the truth to be granted the gift of repentance by God which leads to a knowledge of the truth, in the last days instances of fake Christians and false teachers will continue to rise up from within the church. Timothy must be vigilant and avoid and even excommunicate those who continue in unrepentant sin or outright opposition to the gospel. Paul does finish with a hopeful statement that those who are trying to oppose the gospel will not have success among God’s true people. That their lies will be exposed and God’s people will know them for what they are.

I have stated more than once that this epistle flows in an almost stream of consciousness kind of way. But I don’t want you to think that this means this letter is aimless or wandery. Quite the contrary. As Paul turns now to Timothy to contrast his faith and practice to the false teachers, he will bring themes back in from chapter 3, 2 and even from all the way back in chapter 1. It is clear that Paul, although not breaking his stride, is laser focused on the purpose of His letter.

And although he just gave hope that the true church will not be duped by the false teachers… he wants Timothy to understand that that doesn’t mean life will get any easier for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. In fact, it is just the opposite. But Paul gives Timothy the secret to persevere. It is the very breath of God.

I am in II Timothy chapter 3. I will start reading in verse 10. I am reading from the CSB but you can follow along in the pew bible starting on page 1343 or in whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

This little transition is the last thing I wrote before editing this sermon. And my word count at this moment was 7250. On average it takes me about a minute to say 100 words. For those, not so great at math, that means this was shaping up to be a 73 minute sermon. As I do every week I did go back through and pare things down. But it is still a long sermon. But it is a powerful one. I trust that you will prepare yourselves accordingly.

I.) All who wish to live godly lives will be persecuted by a growing group of opponents, so we must hold fast to what we have learned and believed. (10-14a)

a. [Slide 2] 10 – But you have followed

i. Paul says YOU, however, YOU have followed.

ii. We get the impression that Timothy in this passage stands in stark contrast to what came before. So, what came before?

iii. Two groups of people. The nominal Christian, who are weak in faith and practice and are probably Christians in name only. This group is easily influenced by the other group, which are from among them. The opponents of the truth. Those who have slipped in to capture any who will listen to their twisted non-gospel message.

iv. Compared to these two groups of people… Timothy is wholly, completely, distinct. He is the opposite. The contrast could not be greater.

v. But how?

vi. Timothy has followed. Now what he has followed we will save for a moment, first it is important to understand what this word means.

vii. It means to know, conform to or to attend. It is a word associated with becoming a disciple. Not only to be intimately acquainted with, but even to practice and mimic or mirror.

viii. Paul is probably using the tense of this word to emphasize the continued results of Timothy’s following.

ix. But what is he following?

b. [Slide 3] My teaching

i. The possessive “my” at the beginning should be applied to all the items in the list.

ii. We may balk at Paul calling some of these things “my” and not Christ’s or God’s… but understanding the role of an apostle, for Paul to say “my” and connect it to some teaching without qualification… IS to say Christ’s or God’s. This is exactly what he means by saying “my.” A legitimate apostle is contrasted with those with a different teaching previously mentioned.

iii. Interestingly enough, the last list Paul had was 19 characteristics of the visible church in the last days. And it was not a very fun list to study.

iv. Here Paul begins a much more satisfying list of 9. And he begins with teaching. Doctrine.

v. At the risk of repeating myself, let me reiterate the position of the apostles. Doctrine is not the enemy of the church… it is the very foundation of it. Without doctrine the church does not exist. Without doctrine no man or woman can hope to reach the fullest measure of salvation from sin and death. Indeed, a knowledge of the truth, a wisdom for salvation, is absolutely necessary to be a true believer, let alone living like one.

vi. We face the dilemma of how much doctrine is required for this? But let me simply lean into the inner context of this book. What has Paul already taught as his doctrine?

vii. Salvation is by grace alone apart from works, which has been given in Christ to God’s elect before time began. God knows who are His and He keeps them. God has set apart His people for good works and a noble purpose. God’s true children MUST turn from evil.

viii. These truths are exactly what Paul means by my doctrine. And so, they are not debatable. They are not something we can agree to disagree on. These truths are what determine of you are a follower of Paul and thus a follower of Christ – or one of the two kinds of people mentioned previously.

ix. In what else has Timothy continued to mimic Paul?

c. [Slide 4] Conduct

i. This means manner of life, or way of life.

ii. In essence this is a broad term to refer to the way Paul lived.

iii. As far as words go it does not carry the precision we might hope. Does he mean apostle, missionary, tentmaker, preacher, pastor?

iv. But since we are in a disciple kind of context, it makes most sense for Paul to be referring to a lifestyle in obedience to God’s commands. Those good works and noble purposes being fulfilled in his life as an example to his son in the faith.

v. So, Timothy has followed Paul’s way of life, his obedience to Christ.

d. [Slide 5] Purpose

i. Something that has been set forth or set before. A prize, a goal, or depending on the context, the shewbread in the temple.

ii. Given the image placed here, and having no other context to really draw from, it seems that this is perhaps an allusion to Christ Himself.

iii. Afterall, what greater purpose, goal, and prize could we hope for than Christ who stands at the end of our race?

iv. Timothy has mimicked Paul’s pursuit of Christ.

e. [Slide 6] Faith

i. Faith is a tricky word in scripture.

ii. Based on its context it can mean the faith meaning the gospel itself. It can mean received faith meaning justification. Or it can mean faithfulness to a commitment or cause.

iii. In our context it is difficult to know which to assign. However, since he has already mentioned doctrine and will mention patience, perhaps this is the word between those two.

iv. A faithful allegiance to the Lord.

v. And so, Timothy has mirrored Paul’s allegiance to the Lord.

f. [Slide 7] Patience

i. The differences between the word for patience and endurance are negligible at best.

ii. So we are left to wonder what exactly Paul’s intention in mentioning two synonyms would be, and why he would separate them.

iii. As I look at this list, it seems that doctrine, conduct, purpose and faith all have a Godward emphasis. Timothy is following the teachings about Christ, obeying Christ, the pursuit of Christ, and the allegiance to Christ.

iv. And so, if we apply this patience in keeping with that paradigm, we see an endurance in that belief and practice. It endures.

g. [Slide 8] Love

i. Love then becomes the pivot point in this discussion.

ii. Not only has Timothy mirrored Paul’s love for Jesus but also his love for others.

iii. A love that is selfless and without ulterior motive.

h. [Slide 9] And endurance

i. Finally, toward others Paul has been patient and kind. Enduring insults and injury by those who he at one time trusted.

ii. People he thought were genuine converts of Christ but have fallen away. And are now opposing him and accusing him of being a false apostle because he was imprisoned for his message.

iii. Paul has been patient and longsuffering toward these people.

iv. Timothy has mirrored this from Paul.

v. In this list we see the antitheses to the list of 19 earlier in the chapter.

vi. But Paul is not done. Timothy has also followed Paul…

i. [Slide 10] 11 – along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra.

i. The difficulty here is that while Timothy surely could have mimicked Paul in all he has said, he would not have mimicked Paul in these specific persecutions and sufferings in these three cities.

ii. However, Timothy probably would have known about Paul’s persecutions there, since he was from Lystra and probably came to Christ during the same mission trip in which these persecutions and sufferings occurred.

iii. And it is not unreasonable to conclude that Timothy had, himself, endured a certain measure of persecution and sufferings for the name of Christ, up to an including his time in Ephesus.

iv. And so, Timothy did mimic and mirror Paul’s persecutions from other men for His faith and pursuit of Christ.

v. But now Paul would like to speak of these specifically.

j. [Slide 11] What persecutions I endured

i. Paul endured these persecutions. Which may seem obvious since he is writing the letter here.

ii. But I think probably more what Paul means is that his faith endured. He did not deny Christ through all this. Instead, he stayed on mission. Even in Lystra, where he was stoned outside the city and left for dead. What did he do next? He went right back in and kept preaching.

iii. But what is Paul quick to point out about his enduring these persecutions?

k. [Slide 12] – and yet the Lord rescued me from them all.

i. It is the Lord who not only preserved his life through this, but his faith as well.

ii. God knows and keeps His own. He had kept Paul – even through brutal beatings and losing everything for His name.

iii. But lest someone assume that Paul and Timothy enduring these persecutions is a sign that they were doing something wrong…

l. [Slide 13] 12 – In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

i. Ok so show of hands… who’s life verse is this? Anybody?

ii. I’m not a betting man. But If I were, I’d put a hefty sum down wagering that this is probably not included in any of the “promises of God” calendars you’d find in your average Christian bookstore.

iii. So, what do we make of this verse?

iv. If you want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus – you will be persecuted.

v. This verse doesn’t speak to degree, magnitude, or even martyrdom. Not all are blessed… that’s right I said blessed… to die for the name of Christ.

vi. But be sure… if you want to live a godly life yet not you but Christ in you… the world will hate you for it, just as they hated Christ. And you will be persecuted.

vii. If you want to live a godly life in Christ and are not being persecuted… what does that mean? Prepare yourself… because it is probably coming.

m. [Slide 14] 13 – Evil people and imposters will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.

i. The last verse was the first half of the truth statement Paul gives in this section.

ii. The follow up statement points to why the first is true.

iii. Why will Christians be persecuted for living like Christ? Because evil people and imposters (opponents and nominal Christians) will become worse.

iv. What does that mean?

v. These evil people and imposters will succeed in their endeavors. Not ultimately of course and not against God’s true church, but they will be more successful at… what?

vi. Deceiving others and being themselves deceived.

vii. Again, Paul brings us back to reality.

viii. Yes we may be able to correct our opponents meekly and yes some may be gifted repentance. But the reality is that many won’t.

ix. Yes our opponents’ lies will be discovered and all true believers will know them for what they are… but that doesn’t mean their assault will fail to take many with them, nor does it mean they will soften in their conviction toward their own teaching.

n. [Slide 15] 14 – But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed.

i. Timothy should continue to stand in contrast to these men. He should be different. How?

ii. He should hold fast to what he has been taught and learned and firmly believed.

iii. He ought not to cast aside the teachings he has heard.

iv. Due to the context, the answer for what he has learned and believed is yet to be identified but because it is the most important concept to this entire sermon, I’ll spoil it for you. It is the Word of God.

o. [Slide 16] Passage Truth: Against what his opponents had been saying, Paul relays that he has suffered, indeed all who desire to live a godly life, will suffer persecution in this world, because evil people and imposters will continue to have influence and sway in an increasingly hostile world.

p. Passage Application: In light of this, Timothy must continue steadfastly in his faith and practice. He must continue following the teaching and conduct of Paul.

q. [Slide 17] Broader Biblical Truth: Looking throughout the whole of scripture we see this truth in the Old Testament as well as the new. Those who are God’s true children will live as a peculiar and despised people in a world that continues to increase in its hostility toward the things of God. This often goes in cycles culminating in God’s judgement or an outpouring of God’s grace. In either case, we continue to look forward to the day that God will finally put the cycles to an end and establish truth forever.

r. Broader Biblical Application: Until that day, like Timothy, we must stand firm in our faith and obedience. We must continue to believe what we have been handed down through the ages from Christ. We must continue to turn away from evil and pursue Christ. This world will crumble around us, and we will suffer in this life, but in the life to come, there will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears. He will wipe them all away.

Transition:

[Slide 18(blank)] So Paul reveals that living a godly life will lead to suffering because those who oppose God will increase in their deceiving and being deceived. This motivates us to hold fast to what we’ve believed and continue to obey. But there is another reason to hold fast to what we have firmly believed. It is because what we have received in true faith is able to equip us for the purpose to which God has set us apart.

II.) The scriptures, which are profitable to equip us for godly life, have been taught to us by those we trust, so we must hold fast to what we have learned and believed. (14b-17)

a. [Slide 19] You know those who taught you,

i. And just like that we are back to chapter 1.

ii. We’ve seen things from earlier in chapter 3, we’ve seen things from chapter 2, and now Paul goes all the way back to the very beginning of the letter.

iii. Paul spoke of the heritage of faith that both he and Timothy shared. The Jewish and maternal heritage of Timothy is what Paul is referring to again here.

iv. Why should Timothy hold fast to what he was taught? Because he loves and trusts all those who taught him those truths.

v. We can contrast this maternal, familial teaching with the weak women letting men creep into their homes to teach them the scriptures. What a stark difference.

vi. But their teaching did not rest on their laurels. They did not depend on their position to influence Timothy to receive what they taught. No. They relied on something far greater.

b. [Slide 20] 15 - And you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,

i. Paul, Timothy’s mother and grandmother taught Timothy the scriptures. From infancy.

ii. Why do we do catechism? Why do we do children’s church and Jr. Church? Why do we do foundations? Why do we do Wednesday Night?

iii. All of these ministries are designed from the ground up to equip… FATHERS and MOTHERS and GRANDFATHERS and GRANDMOTHERS to TEACH the BIBLE to our children!

iv. I want to take a brief aside and talk a little mono a mono with the parents and grandparents present.

v. We have a very simple church. We don’t have a lot of programs and that is on purpose. We don’t offer lots of “during the week” things. We don’t have a normal VBS. And that is on purpose. That is a ministry decision we have made. Why? Because as the leaders of this church we know that what Paul is referencing - what is true of Timothy – is how it shakes out for most people. The primary revealer of God’s truth to a young mind IS… not ought to be… but IS their parents and grandparents.

vi. Parents and grandparents… these ministries are for you… we have led you to water. But we cannot make you drink. I want you to think about something. Are you teaching your child and grandchildren the Catechism? Does your family as a whole attend Foundations? If not, do you replace these things with regular/daily bible study and application with your children or grandchildren? Do you replace these prompts the leadership has given with memorization of doctrine and deep study and application of the texts of scripture? If the answer to all of this is no or kinda… Why not avail yourself of the opportunity your church is giving you every single week?

vii. I know – there are no doubt many MANY reasons that you can list for not being able to do the Catechism. I’m sure there are many MANY reasons that you do not come to Foundations with your children or grandchildren. And I’m sure there are many MANY reasons that you cannot make a zoom call on Wednesday Nights. But, I can confidently say that all your reasons have solutions. Do not make the mistake of excusing yourself too quickly from these opportunities. Opportunities provided by the church leadership to equip yourself for a discussion of biblical truth and doctrinal memorization with your kids.

viii. Did you know that Jr. Church lessons tie in with Foundations bible study? Most of the time they are ahead of foundations because we move a little slower in foundations. Do you realize that your children are being taught on their level the same things we are interacting with in Foundations. Fathers and Mothers, Grandfathers and Grandmothers – avail yourself of this opportunity. You have a chance to take the same lesson they learned last Sunday, heard again this Sunday, and apply it to their life every day this week!

ix. I do not wish to boast… but in my opinion the leadership of this church have designed something that could revolutionize your family worship during the week. So here is the 10 billion dollar question… If you are doing nothing else, or have been thinking “man we really need to do some family worship and devotions together” why are you saying no to that opportunity?

x. The very reason Timothy was strong in his faith… was because his mother and grandmother taught him the scriptures from INFANCY.

xi. Parents… the time to teach your children the scriptures is not when they are able to sit through a lesson. It is now.

xii. Why?

c. [Slide 21] Which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

i. The scriptures have a huge role to play.

ii. Paul gives a multi-pronged truth statement for why Timothy should hold fast to his heritage of faith rooted in scriptural teaching.

iii. And these truth statements highlight the primacy of God’s word.

iv. There is nothing greater to teach, than the word of God.

v. Why?

vi. They are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

vii. This is a layered sentence that takes a little effort to unpack.

viii. First, the scriptures are able to give wisdom for salvation. Two points here

1. The scriptures, taught, read, preached, heard – are the means God’s uses to impart wisdom that leads to salvation. A good story is fine. Even your personal testimony is fine. But the words of God have power. They will not return to Him void. So as you give your testimony, if it does not include at least an allusion to scripture… add it.

2. The scriptures are not guaranteed to make someone wise. The scripture, taught, preached, read, heard – is not the magic pill or secret sauce of someone being given wisdom for salvation. What is responsible for this gifting of wisdom? God alone. He uses His word, yes. But He must open the minds and eyes of someone to see and receive that wisdom.

ix. Second, it is through Christ.

1. This salvation that the scriptures can make us wise for, is through faith in Christ alone

2. It is not by our wisdom that we attain salvation. It is not our understanding or affirmation of certain things.

3. Rather the scriptures open our eyes to the desperate need we have for Christ. That if Christ’s death was not given for us, that if we were not included in His sacrifice, then there is no hope for us.

4. That wisdom goes hand in hand with God’s granting repentance. We reject all other ways of seeking salvation in our own devices and cry out to God in dependance on Christ alone, knowing that our crying out does not save us… only Christ does.

x. But the profit of the scriptures for all who believe does not end at justification.

d. [Slide 22] 16 – All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable

i. First, the power of scripture is rooted in is nature.

ii. It is because they are Inspired by God. Many times we see this verse and we think in one direction. All the books of the bible are inspired by God. Which is true. But we also need to think the other direction which is how our church father’s received the text of our bible. All God-inspired or God’s breathed words are scripture. The process for deciding whether or not they were God-breathed is well-documented and not steeped in nearly the controversy that the outside world would accuse it of having.

iii. Our bible, the 66 preserved and canonized books, are God-breathed. They have testimony of God’s thoughts. They have His fingerprints all over them. How do we know?

iv. They are profitable. They give true Christians great benefit. Incidentally this is one of the standards accepted by the early church councils for what would be received as scripture. Has this text been profitable for God’s people?

v. But what profit are the scriptures beyond a wisdom for salvation?

e. [Slide 23] For teaching

i. By teaching, Paul means doctrine.

ii. What is true about God. What is true about man. What is true about sin. What is true about the world. What is true about salvation. What is true about God’s future Kingdom. All this is what the scriptures are profitable to teach.

iii. True Christians, when interacting with the Word will walk away infused with new perspectives of themselves, God, and their every day lives. They will be given spiritual insights unattainable by those who do not have the Spirit. They will find threads and connections between books and testaments that other believers have also found through the ages.

f. [Slide 24] For rebuking

i. Inherent in discovering God’s perspective on all things is an ongoing correction of our perspective.

ii. We are being washed with the water of the word. We are being confronted with a mirror showing all our mind’s flaws and failings. We are being taught to think like God. To have God’s mind on all matters.

iii. In these first two benefits of the Word God breaks through not only showing us truths we were unable to see before, but also showing us lies we’ve believed since birth.

g. [Slide 25] For correcting

i. The final two items in this verse come down to our actions. How we feel, speak and act.

ii. First, empowered by the Holy Spirit, the scrpitures reveal to us our own sin.

iii. The pages of scripture speak to the fallen condition of man.

iv. Every passage of scripture highlights not only ways we think incorrectly but also ways we act incorrectly. Practices and actions we have always done are suddenly brought into the light of God’s will and ways.

v. We come to the mirror of the word and the Spirit of God uses its sharp edge to cut us to the quick. We are struck with conviction. We stand before God realizing we are wrong. Not in such a way that we are condemned, because in Christ there is no condemnation. Rather we stand before God as wayward sons and daughters seeking his forgiveness for disobedience. Forgiveness he joyously gives to all His dear children along with cleansing from that very kind of unrighteousness.

vi. The scriptures are the snap of our loving Father’s fingers to wake us to our wrongdoing.

h. [Slide 26] For training in righteousness

i. But they are not only used for undoing what wrong we are doing but also to instruct us on what right we have neglected to do.

ii. We, by the God-breathed words of scripture, do find commands of God to perform. Kindnesses, mercies, and love we must impart to one another. Devotions, commitments, and sacrifices we must give for our God.

iii. But like John said, in Christ, we find that all these commands, either to do or not to do, we do not find them burdensome. Rather, in Christ, in His strength, in trusting Him, He gives us grace to do or not do all that scripture shows us.

iv. But what is the purpose for all these benefits of the Word? What is the result?

i. [Slide 27] 17 – so that the man of God

i. Man of God is a title that has a history of being given to prophets of God.

ii. A prophet of God took His words and gave them to others.

iii. And certainly the scriptures are profitable to the leaders of God’s people. How could they not be? Indeed, this gives insight into what exactly the primary role of an Elder/Pastor is within the church.

iv. If he does nothing else, he is wholly devoted to the personal study of and teaching of the scriptures.

v. But what is good for an Elder is ultimately good for any follower of Christ. We all seek to attain the prize of Christ. We all are being conformed to Him. And so, if the word is profitable in this way, even for those who are church leaders… how much more so for those who are church members.

vi. But why? What does the Word of God profit God’s true children? So that they…

j. [Slide 28] May be complete, equipped for every good work.

i. The scriptures’ profit to God’s children is to complete the work of God in them.

ii. They are molded and conformed to the image of Christ.

iii. They are complete. They lack nothing. They are without need or want for anything and completely equipped and prepared to do ALL that God has called them to.

iv. This is the doctrine of the sufficiency of the scriptures. And it is a BIG deal today.

v. What does it teach?

vi. If we wish to be complete, to be perfected, to be all that God has called us to be, we need only the Word to do this. Not the word plus psychology. Not the word plus biology. Not the word plus sociology. Not the word plus anything. The Word of God alone prepares us for good works and completes us in Christ.

k. [Slide 29] Passage Truth: Paul gives us in these last few verses, a positive truth by which we can be ready for all God has asked of us. It is simply this – God has breathed out every scripture to be profitable in equipping His people to fulfill the purpose for which He set them apart.

l. Passage Application: So, Timothy must hold fast to what he has been taught, namely the scriptures, and he must continue to grow by them so that He will be equipped to weather the storm of persecution and hold fast in his faith and obedience.

m. [Slide 30] Broader Biblical Truth: Holistically, we know that the bible teaches this of itself. God-breathed words are not only able to bring people to Christ to find salvation, but they are guaranteed to complete and equip all God’s people to do and be all that God has asked them to be. David speaks of this in the psalms. The prophets testify to this in their writings. Even Moses declares God’s words to be necessary for the children of Israel. They are the words of life. They are bread. They are water. They are life.

n. Broader Biblical Application: And so we must endure, we must hold fast to all we have been taught and mimic the examples given before us. But we do not do this simply to follow familial tradition or heritage. The lynchpin in all of this are the God-breathed words found in every single scripture in the text of the bible. Indeed, we are not able to be wise for salvation through faith in Christ, taught, rebuked, corrected, instructed, completed, or equipped for good works without it.

Conclusion:

[Slide 31(end)] So how do we apply this text to us today CBC? How then shall we live?

My friends, the scriptures spoken by people we know, trust, and love. The scriptures taught by those who live it out before us. The scriptures studied and applied.

They are a rich bounty to our souls. They are a feast upon which we draw life. They are able to enlighten us as to our sin. They are able to reveal to us our great need. And through the lens of faith in Christ, they can lead us to salvation. They can purify our darkest values. They can strip us bare of our haughtiest thoughts. They can cut away our deepest vices. They can create in us lifestyles of deep and rich significance for the kingdom of God. They can usher our thoughts to the throne room of God. They can press and mold us into Christ. They can fulfill whatever we have been lacking. And they can prepare us for whatever may come. And they can do all this in the midst of great persecution and suffering. Indeed, if anyone sets out to feast on the scriptures in this way, they will be hated for it.

If we at CBC ever go away from a deep, extensive commitment to the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. If we fall prey to quotes of wise men rather than the All-Wise God. If we concern ourselves with busyness, programs and productions and neglect an intentional and devoted study of God’s Word. If we skim the surface of its pages to make it more accessible and palatable for non-believers. If we start paring down certain texts or reinterpreting them to fit our culture so that we may avoid criticism and hatred. My friends, even if I am still your pastor at that time… Leave.

My friends, we must hold fast to what we have learned. Endure in what we have believed. We must cling to the scriptures and allow them to conform us to Christ, and equip us to live a godly life. But know this, if we desire this… the world will hate us for it.

But dear Christian. My fellow children of God. The very thing the world hates us for will see to it that we endure through their attacks. The very thing they despise in us, God loves. The very thing they seek to destroy in us, God is perfecting. The very thing they consider worthless and wrong, God considers righteous and great treasure in His Kingdom.

Are the scriptures a priority in your life, friend? Not theoretical… “Oh yes! Sola Scriptura! We need the bible! The Church should very much be about teaching the bible!” That’s great. But that isn’t what I am asking.

Let me rephrase.

Do you pant for it like water in a desert land? Are you planted next to it like a tree next to a stream thriving from its constant supply? As God breathed into the dust to bring life to Adam, does the God-breathed Words of scripture breathe life into you? Or are you satisfied on one meal a week? Can you hold God’s breath in your spiritual lungs for 168 hours? Are you completed by a 5 minute story with a scripture verse to match it each day? When was the last time you encountered God’s word in your personal study and received teaching, rebuke, correction, and instruction? When was the last time you came from the study of the Breath of God and knew you were equipped to do all that God has called you to?

The church today is emaciated. They are starving. They gorge themselves on self-help, Christian problem-solving books, books about the bible, and quick life hacks for spiritual success, but they neglect doing the work of studying the Word of God. And they wonder why they feel ill equipped to be what God wants them to be. And you know what?

A Christian who does not desperately need the Words of God, won’t be calling himself a Christian for much longer.

So, I’ll ask one last time and I’ll let you think about this question as we close.

Are the scriptures a priority in your life?

Title: Trouble Makers Part 2

Text: II Timothy 3:6-9

FCF: We often struggle keeping the church and the gospel pure

Prop: Because people in the last days will be ungodly and do ungodly things, we must avoid these people.

Scripture Intro: ESV

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 3. Last week, we saw Paul balance the hope from the end of chapter 2 with the reality of chapter 3. Chapter 2 finishes in hope that the opponents of the gospel and even those wayward Christians will be turned around. That they will listen and God will grant to them repentance that leads to a knowledge of the truth. But that is all counter balanced with the reality that in the last days the church will experience a time of trouble because of people maintaining some outward form of Christianity but having lifestyles that prove they are still unconverted.

Paul instructs Timothy that he should avoid these kinds of people. He should instruct and rebuke them – but ultimately if they prove that their conversion never happened by continuing to live in unrepentant lifestyles of sin, he should separate from them and excommunicate them from the church.

The goal is the purity of the gospel and the church. The goal is to prevent what Paul will talk about next.

Today, Paul will isolate a group within that class of nominal Christians, that not only appear to be godly yet without the gospel’s power, but also stand in opposition to the gospel itself. They are compared to Jewish mythical boogeymen who only destroy these nominal Christians and hasten their demise. Timothy is called to action, and so are we.

I am in II Timothy chapter 3. I’ll begin reading in verse 1 and we’ll read through verse 9. I am reading again from the ESV today but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1343 or in the version you prefer.

Transition:

Today’s message will be a good deal shorter than last week, but we will seek to wrap up Paul’s idea from last week and apply it to ourselves. Let’s dive in.

I.) What people do in last days will make Christian life difficult, so we must avoid these people. (6-9)

a. [Slide 2] 6 – For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women,

i. This is why avoiding the staunchly nominal Christian is the absolute necessity of the church.

ii. Among them are those who seek to distort the gospel.

iii. These people who have this form of godliness but their lifestyles do not show any power of the Spirit in their hearts, are not content to doom themselves in their denial of Christ.

iv. They must pass on their poison to all who will listen.

v. But where would they find an audience who will listen to them?

vi. Paul lists several who are at risk for falling prey to their influence.

vii. First it is those who allow or entertain their teachings. They are cunning and sneaky. We ought to never allow just anyone into our home to teach the word of God. So those who lack vigilance will fall prey to them.

viii. Only those who are tested, tried, and qualified ought to teach the scriptures to the church.

ix. And even then, like the Bereans did with Paul and Silas in Acts 17 – we take what they say and see if it fits with the rest of the scriptures.

x. And this includes not just people in our churches who are untested or untried but even the people on the radio, TV, and internet who we go to and hear preach or teach us. Be very careful who you allow in your home. Measure each person by the Word of God.

xi. You can get ordained on the internet in 2 weeks today. Ordained Pastor is not a viable descriptor for someone who is trustworthy. We must get more specific.

xii. So not doing our due diligence on the faith and practice of the teacher is one risk factor.

xiii. But another is a willingness to be captivated by teachings they’ve never heard before.

xiv. These men creep in and capture. They stealth in, appearing to be just like every other teacher, but then slip in their different message and captivate the hearers.

xv. You should be looking for teachers who challenge you and are used of God to bring conviction of sin and hope in Christ.

xvi. If the preacher is only telling you what you want to hear, confirming everything you already believe, making you feel good about yourself, or focusing on you and not God – then look out! This is a huge red flag.

xvii. So, risk factors for these men influencing us are a lack of vigilance for who we listen to, and a willingness to only listen to what feeds what we want to hear.

xviii. What else?

xix. Paul reveals that these women are weak.

xx. I do not think that Paul is saying that women are weak in general. Nor do I think he is saying that being a woman is a risk factor in being duped by false teachers. But being a weak woman is a risk factor.

xxi. Perhaps you remember from I Timothy, it seems that the women, particularly young widows in Ephesus, had a particularly hard time resisting these men. Not only accepting their teachings, but also being sexually immoral with the teachers and usurping the authority and teaching roles of the Elders of the church.

xxii. This is probably the only reason Paul highlights these weak women here. Not that all women are weak, but that these women compared to godly women, were particularly weak.

xxiii. Rather than guess at what he means, Paul seems to explain himself in the following phrase. What are weak women?

b. [Slide 3] Burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,

i. First, they are burdened with sins. What does this mean?

ii. That they are burdened with the guilt of sin and not able to find mercy from God.

iii. Why might this be a risk factor for being influenced by false teachers?

iv. If you are overwhelmed with guilt over sin – any message that puts that to rest will be appetizing.

v. Remember that God alone grants repentance to men. But what about messages that skip this step or circumvent this truth?

vi. Messages such as legalism where man can work their way to God and please Him with their lives. They do not need to repent for sin committed – they just need to try harder.

vii. Messages of license insisting that what is clear sin is not actually sin. They do not need to repent because virtually nothing they have done is sin. God is love – you need not repent – He accepts you just the way you are.

viii. Messages that tell us to wipe away the guilt of sin by getting over it, letting it go, or forgiving ourselves. These messages teach us that the problem of our guilt is because we still lack something after being given repentance by God. When in reality our guilt points to our lack of trust that God is right when He says – There is now therefore no condemnation in Christ. We need not forgive ourselves, for we have not sinned against ourselves. Instead, we need only to believe God when He says that those who are in Christ are a new creation. Our past sins are gone, and our new person has come. We still look back at previous sin with disgust and hatred – but not because we are still held accountable for them – rather because God has changed our hearts in the gift of repentance toward them. Indeed, that is what the gift of repentance looks like – an utter opposition to our former ways.

ix. But these women, when being overwhelmed with guilt of sin – rather than accepting that only God grants repentance – they succumb to teachings that free them of needing God’s gift of repentance at all.

x. They are also weak because they are led astray by various passions.

xi. Not only do they have this guilt of sin hanging over them – but they are also still captivated by fleshly desires and lusts.

xii. They are weak because they have not mortified their flesh. At this point their identity in Christ becomes suspect. Because all those who name the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.

xiii. What makes them weakest? They do not have a sure testimony of faith in Christ that produces obedience.

xiv. And so, when these cunning serpents – these fork tongued prophets enter and teach a message that allows for some of their passions to be fulfilled without transgressing God’s laws. And when they give somewhat plausible answers for why they are able to satisfy their lusts without sin– weak people walk willingly and happily into their trap.

xv. But weakness is not just in reference to lifestyle. It is not just guilt over sin or desire for lusts…

c. [Slide 4] 7 – always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

i. From where does a knowledge of the truth come?

ii. As Paul said in chapter 2 – it comes as a gift from God. It is linked to the gift of repentance.

iii. God must grant repentance to people. When He does, that leads them to a knowledge of the truth.

iv. And so, another reason that these women are weak, is not just that they are still captivated by lusts and guilt over sin, but that they are also captivated by a pursuit of learning.

v. Having circumvented or neglected the need for true, genuine repentance, they are attempting to find answers without the one who gives them all.

vi. And so, what do we have here?

vii. Well, if there are three groups of people in the world; those who are believers, those who are unbelievers; and those that are a big question mark, what is this text saying?

viii. Those who are unbelievers, opponents to the gospel, will have their greatest effect and influence upon those who do not have a strong testimony of faith.

ix. Those who are weak in faith and practice. Those who are enslaved by their passions and guilt and are not satisfied with the answers they have found because God has not given repentance unto knowledge of the truth. In other words, the nominal Christians not only contain these sly enemies, but are easy prey for their schemes.

x. This is yet another reason that the last days will be full of difficulty for true believers. These trouble makers will prey upon the nominal, religious, nationalistic Christian, and they will have GREAT success.

d. [Slide 5] 8 – Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,

i. Jannes and Jambres are two names which are not mentioned in the bible save in this text.

ii. Yet they were supposed to have opposed Moses. But no Old Testament scripture passage records this. So where do these names come from?

iii. These names are pulled from extra-biblical myths and legends. Pagan, Jewish, and Christian myths and legends abound concerning these two men.

iv. The records are conflicting, developing, and heavily suspect in what we can believe is true. But nearest we can understand…

v. Jannes and Jambres were the two Egyptian Wizards who were able to mimic God’s power in style but not in magnitude. Remember? Moses cast down his rod which turned into a snake. The two wizards did the same. But the snake of Moses ate the snakes of the two wizards.

vi. According to Jewish tradition, they were two chief magicians in the court of Pharoah who foretold the birth of Moses as “the destroyer of the land of Egypt.” This caused Pharoah to call for the death of Jewish young boys.

vii. They also were said to have asked Moses when he did his miracles “Do you wish to introduce magic into Egypt, the native land of the magic art?”

viii. They were also said to have made themselves invisible and flown over the Red Sea’s destruction of Pharoah and his army. They then disguised themselves among the Israelites and instigated the people to make the golden calf. Some records say they were the two servants who went with Balaam as he was commissioned to curse Israel. And it was only in Numbers 31 that Phineas finally killed them with the sword.

ix. We can clearly see Jewish Rabbis making these men into the boogey men of the Israelite people, possibly even trying to pass responsibility of Israelite disobedience in the wilderness to these two trouble makers.

e. [Slide 6] So, these men also oppose the truth,

i. And like these two, the false teachers in Ephesus are trouble makers. They are hounding the church.

ii. And they are able to mimic the style of the gospel in its message – but they lack its power.

iii. They have disguised themselves as the church having a form of godliness but they are the enemy of the church as they deny the gospel’s power.

iv. How did they get here though?

f. [Slide 7] Men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.

i. Their minds and their faith are both lacking.

ii. Their minds are corrupted. This is the same word we use for the doctrine of depravity.

iii. However, when we talk about the depravity of man we are mostly referring to man’s inability to seek, desire, or otherwise come to God without God’s intervention. God alone grants repentance, right?

iv. But here, this depravity more refers to the same kind from Romans chapter 1. Where God gives people over to a depraved mind. What does that mean?

v. They have been duped as well. They have fully believed and accepted what they are teaching as the truth.

vi. While some false teachers peddle their teaching knowing it is false. Most of them have gotten high on their own supply. They have believed, hook, line and sinker, what they are teaching. And if we see this as the same as Romans 1, this is actually, ALSO, a judgment of God for their opposition to the truth.

vii. In this, their faith – their trust – their confession – is proven to be null and void.

viii. In order for faith to qualify it must believe the same things the apostles taught and must conform to the same lifestyles the apostles lived. Paul will get into that in the next section when he turns to Timothy to show him how he is to oppose such teachers. But before he gets there, Paul wants to comfort Timothy and the church

g. [Slide 8] 9 - But they will not get very far

i. With such a dire picture of difficulty in the church in the last days because of these kinds of people… both the false creepers and the weak confessors… it may leave those who are God’s true children in fear for what could happen.

ii. But Paul lovingly finishes a section as daunting as this with hope. He has done similar things before, even in this very book.

iii. And of what does He assure Timothy and the true church there in Ephesus?

iv. Although these opponents of truth will have influence that is powerful among those who are weak – ultimately they will not succeed.

v. Not because we are strong – but because the power of the gospel works to make us strong in the truth – in faith and in practice.

h. [Slide 9] For their folly will be plain to all as was that of those two men.

i. Just as Jannes and Jambres were eventually seen to be lesser compared to the true God, Just as the sword of the Lord in the hand of His servants slew these wizards, so also these false teachers – though duping many of the weak – will be defeated by those whom God has made strong.

ii. The Spirit of God in us will enable us to see their deception and keep us free of their lies.

iii. The Lord knows who are His… yes?

iv. So those who name the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.

i. [Slide 10] Passage Truth: So last week, we saw that people who look godly but are not actually converted have always and will continue to infiltrate the church. These people we have labeled nominal Christians – or Christians in name only. Paul expands the text here to show that among this group of nominal Christians, there have always been and will continue to be a group whose intentions are not simply to appear to be godly, but will also seek to reshape a new gospel for themselves and lead astray whoever they are able. Ultimately, they will be unsuccessful, but that doesn’t mean Timothy can be idle.

j. Passage Application: Timothy must avoid all nominal Christians. Especially those who seek to reshape the gospel and lead others astray. He can be comforted in the knowledge that they will fail to succeed against the true church – but the fulfillment of that, requires his avoidance of them. Both refuting their teaching in meekness and putting down their influence by shunning the teachers in excommunication.

k. [Slide 11] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out from this text is easy because Paul has already begun that discussion. Although pulling from extrabiblical material, the concept is purely scriptural throughout. Even in 2nd Timothy he has alluded to Korah’s rebellion. We have seen this same truth appear in Joshua, Judges, and the stories of the Kings. Those appearing to be true Israelites, worshipers of God, have abandoned Him for something far less. So the cycle continues. It repeats itself. That even in the New Covenant community, there are still those who merely look like God’s people but lack His power in them. Among them still are those who wish to undermine or question God’s truth.

l. Broader Biblical Application: And like Timothy we as a church must be vigilant against such a threat. Of course, heavenly vigilance gifted by our God does not express itself in violence or arrogance. Rather it expresses itself in a meek and kind desire for purity. Purity beginning in our hearts and going out from there to the rest of our local church, and even beyond to the whole of the visible church. We ought to have a desire to see the church protected against false teaching and teachers. They will arise, mostly, from among us. So we must be ready to meekly refute their teaching with the truth and suppress their influence with rebuke and church discipline. Avoiding such men will ensure the purity of the church and thus the purity of the gospel preached from the church.

Conclusion:

[Slide 12(end)] So taking Paul’s point from last week, that nominal Christians will infiltrate the church, and adding to that this point that from among them will arise those who oppose the truth, how then shall we live?

With Timothy we are to avoid these people. But what does that look like?

Paul has already answered this question in chapter 2.

To the nominal Christian, those who say all the right things, mentally agree to all the points of doctrine we do, those who come to every service, those who perform every ritual, but are still enslaved to sin, living burdened by their guilt, seeking knowledge and never arriving at the truth… what should we do with these weak people?

We must instruct them with diligence, patience, and meekness. We must rebuke them when we see them practice sin. We must call them to repentance. And knowing that God alone grants repentance that leads to a knowledge of the truth, we must pray for that end. Our goal in ministry here at CBC should be to get as many people out of, and keep as many people out of the middle question mark group that we can. Part of purifying the church is sorting out the backslidden from the never converted. This is done through church discipline which in its earliest stages is simply rebuke and instruction. But at the end it will either restore the weak confessor to strength or it will confirm that they were never truly a believer. If the second is the conclusion, that is where we must avoid these people. They must be excommunicated from us for the sake of the purity of the gospel and to protect the rest of the church still in that question mark group.

Ultimately it is this unknown middle group that are most susceptible to the lies of false teachers and opponents of the truth. This is the second group we must avoid. A group from among the nominal.

But lest we think we should militantly or violently address this group – Paul commands Timothy to meekly instruct his opponents. Knowing full well that they will not succeed in their corruption of the gospel. Either they will fail and their lies will be seen and understood by all, or they will be granted repentance which leads to knowledge of the truth.

Ultimately, Paul declares the victory of God’s true church over and above all that oppose it. God knows who are His. He will keep them. And what is the human responsibility of that keeping?

Avoid these people. Instruct them toward repentance and faith, but if they will not listen, they should be excommunicated and treated as unbelievers.

As the last days continue to roll on, the church will see many more deny Christ either by forsaking what they have confessed as truth or by forsaking Christ by living lifestyles of unrepentant sin. Yet we know that the true church of God will not fail. We will not succumb to the teaching of false teachers, nor will the nominal be able to remain so for long. But rather than rest in this knowledge, we are tasked with actively avoiding these people in the church. We ought to be concerned with the purity of the visible church of God hoping to bring the true church and the visible church closer to being the same thing. We do this by preaching and teaching the truth, living it out in our lives, and avoiding those who cannot or will not do likewise.

With this Paul’s antidote for false teachers is complete. Both instructing and refuting them meekly and avoiding those who have shown themselves to be deaf to the calls of God, these are sure ways to help protect the true church from their influence. But Paul will speak to personal protection against false teaching and even dead faith next week.

For now, it is enough for us to have a godly vigilance. Desiring the church and the gospel to remain pure. May we do this meekly hoping that God will gift repentance rather than judgment to our opponents and the nominal Christian.

Title: Trouble Makers Part 1

Text: II Timothy 3:1-5

FCF: We often struggle keeping the church and the gospel pure.

Prop: Because people in the last days will be and do ungodliness, we must avoid these people.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 3. This letter is so different than the previous Pastoral Epistles. I have mentioned before that the letter goes on almost in a stream of consciousness sort of way. Paul will continue from the previous thought given to Timothy. A thought of hope for Timothy. Last week, he commands Timothy to instruct gently with patience and meekness all those he comes into contact with from believers to opponents. The reason, of course, is that perhaps God will give them the gift of repentance leading to faith.

But as a reaction to that hope given in the previous verses, Paul will now pendulum swing a little with a dose of reality for Timothy. Not contradicting what he just said, of course, but helping Timothy to understand what he is up against.

This sermon could have been very, very long. It is only 2 points but would have been well over an hour and a half. So, I have shown you mercy and divided it up into two sermons. Even though my seminary professors would cringe at me giving you a 1 point sermon… You are welcome!

So, we will begin with the first 5 verses of this chapter and add the following 4 verses next week.

I am in verse 1 of chapter 3. I will go ahead and read the entire text to verse 9. I am reading from the ESV but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1343 or in whatever version you have.

Transition:

So although this sermon is not very, very long… It is still long. Let’s dive in and see the counter point to the hope that Timothy’s opponents may yet be granted repentance.

I.) Who people are in the last days will make Christian life difficult, so we must avoid these people. (1-5)

a. [Slide 2] 1 – But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

i. As if to blunt the hopeful expectation that a soft word of instruction will see many opponents turn from their wicked ways and repent, Paul wants to adequately prepare his dear son Timothy for the far more likely scenario.

ii. Paul predicts, that although there is a hope that his opponents will turn with gentle correction, the opposition to the truth of the gospel will only increase in the last days.

iii. Written only a few years before the beginning of the Jewish revolt, some may see this as fulfilled in the 70AD destruction of Jerusalem. Others may look to the future and say with certainty that this has still yet to happen. I am not saying that either of these are necessarily wrong.

iv. However, I think Paul means to indicate a perpetually present application of these truths. What I mean is that what he is about to describe as a “last days reality” was certainly occurring in Ephesus when Paul wrote these words.

v. Since the ascension of Christ and the giving of the Holy Spirit, we have been in “the last days”

vi. And while that is, in some sense, still the future – we know this because Christ has not arrived yet – it is also always the present because He could return at any time. It is also the past because the church age has begun.

vii. I don’t want to get into a long eschatological discussion here, but one thing is certain. Paul does not write to Timothy to warn him of something that will be over in 10 years. Nor does he write to him for something that is a couple thousand years away. Paul writes to warn him of the age in which they both lived.

viii. In that age… there will be times of difficulty. Danger, aggression, persecution, and particularly, danger to the purity of the gospel message.

ix. But why will there be such great danger?

b. [Slide 3] 2 – For people will be

i. Why is there a great danger? People.

ii. Even though Paul just talked about getting along with people. Even though he just told Timothy not to engage in foolish and ignorant disputes and to be at peace with God’s people and to be a good and patient teacher and gentle instructor of opponents, Timothy must not think for one second that that will make people better for it.

iii. His performing perfectly will not stop people from being what they will be.

iv. It is a lesson to us. Perhaps we left last week thinking – yeah, if I am gentle and kind to sinning people or opponents of the gospel, that will probably lead the world to be a better place! Maybe if we all just got along – the world could be better! Maybe if we just treated one another with dignity and respect, all this would be fine.

v. NO!

vi. God’s people live this way because God lives in them. They have been granted repentance. They have been given the knowledge of the truth. They serve a new master.

vii. That is the only reason they live this way. But ultimately – it will not change the world.

viii. People often think of this world as a sinking ship and we need to plug the holes or at least get the lifeboats ready for everyone. They need to starting thinking of this world as it was in the days of Noah. How many were saved? How many were lost?

ix. The world is doomed to get worse and worse and to lead to difficult times for God’s people. Why?

x. People. People are not the solution… they are the problem.

xi. How can I say that? People will be…

c. [Slide 4] Lovers of self

i. As Paul begins this list of 19 items, we must not look at his description here as 19 characteristics of every person. It isn’t like the fruit of the Spirit, where it is all or nothing. He is giving 19 characteristics of mankind in the last days.

ii. This word means to be self-loving, self-centered, or selfish.

iii. With phrases like “be sure to take time for yourself” “mecation” “going to find myself” “love yourself” “forgive yourself” and other common words of “wisdom” we have floating around our culture today – it is easy to see this is prevalent today.

iv. Although aging, it is still a popular Phycological teaching that many of life’s problems come down to people’s lack of self-esteem. Again, the bible depicts a world not devoid of self-esteem but rife with it. Either the bible is wrong, or our Psychologists are only making the problem worse. Given that suicide rates among young adults who have been fed this “self-esteem” therapy for the better part of 40 years has not changed, and has actually gotten worse – it seems that the answer is what the scriptures have always taught.

v. Mankind does not need more esteem for himself. They don’t need to think more highly of themselves. In fact, in this list, do you know how many deal men lacking humility? 4 out of 19. That means that in the description of people who will lead to difficult times for believers in the last days, around 20% of that description has to do with self-exaltation.

vi. And so much of the scripture is devoted to commanding God’s people to be lovers of God and others. The Shema in Deuteronomy 6 and the Command to have no other god before God are all in play here with regard to self-love.

vii. In a world full of people who are self-consumed – True Christians will be hated because they are not just posing as a person who loves others. They are actually selfless people. How appalling.

d. [Slide 5] Lovers of money

i. This word means money-loving or covetous.

ii. As we know, we cannot serve God and money. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil practices. And the Love of money stems from a love of self which is, at its core, idolatry.

iii. The scriptures do not teach that Christians must be poor or shun money as evil. But there are heavy cautious for how to use and treat money.

iv. Certainly today, in every economic system, in every kind of organization, and in the very values and worldviews of many – Money holds the love of many captive. And no matter how much they have, it is never enough.

v. And in a world where many are consumed by the almighty dollar – True Christians will be hated for being prudent with their finances, staying out of debt, giving a lot of money away, and living on less than they make. How old-fashioned.

e. [Slide 6] Proud

i. This word means prideful, arrogant, or boastful.

ii. It is our second of 4 words related to self-love or self-worship.

iii. Although the nuances of this word and the next are subtle, perhaps we would best understand this to speak of our behavior. This would be a more obvious and pronounced arrogance.

iv. Someone who boasts in their accomplishments or touting their fame.

v. In Washington DC we find examples of these. But perhaps we need not leave our own mirrors to locate a boaster.

vi. A mind shaped by the pages of scripture knows that all its accomplishments would be nothing without Christ and are useful only for Christ.

vii. In a world full of people promoting themselves – True Christians will be hated because they are always “beating themselves down” or “not giving themselves enough credit” when it actuality, they simply give all credit… nay… all glory to whom they know it is due… The Lord God almighty. How disappointing.

f. [Slide 7] Arrogant

i. This word means assuming or haughty.

ii. The primary difference here would be not the behavior but the attitude of pride.

iii. It is their demeanor, the way they carry themselves. They condescend to the lowly peons. They see themselves as the authority on everything in which they speak.

iv. They are always the teacher and never the student. Such are the arrogant.

v. God’s word tells His people to have the humble mind of Christ, who although is God took the nature of man on Himself and submitted himself to grow in wisdom and favor with men.

vi. Even though the God of the universe, his mother taught Him to walk and talk.

vii. We also must submit to learn, even from those who are our students.

viii. In a world where many consider themselves superior to others – True Christians will be hated because they are always the learner and never the authority. Indeed, unless it is core to the gospel, they are gentle with every subject they speak on. How deplorable!

g. [Slide 8] Abusive

i. This word means slanderous, railing, reproachful, or blasphemous.

ii. The Amplified and NASB translate this to revile

iii. The CSB translates this as Demeaning

iv. The NLT translates this as scoffing at God – clearly taking the more “blasphemous” approach.

v. Although it is difficult to decide if this is a Godward or humanward focus, perhaps that doesn’t actually matter.

vi. A person who is abusive in his speech to God or other men would certainly fit in with this list.

vii. God’s word teaches His people to speak gently to those who oppose and correct meekly those who sin. Harsh tones or abusive language and actions, intimidation, and the like should not be named among us.

viii. In a world where many yell, scream, fight and beat others down with their words, just to get what they want – A True Christian will be hated because they have a strength that does not express itself normally in loud yells or backhanded compliments – but in kindness and sound thought. How irritating.

h. [Slide 9] Disobedient to their parents

i. The word for disobedient means one who will not be persuaded or is uncompliant.

ii. Does this belong in such a list? It seems like such a small thing next to the rest. And yet of those listed in Romans 1 who will not enter the Kingdom of God – this same adjective is listed.

iii. Disrespectfulness and disregard for parental authority is what is in view here.

iv. But God’s people are instructed not only for children to obey their parents, but also for parents to raise their children in nurture admonition of the Lord.

v. In a world where the parental role is being replaced by doctors, state officials, and experts, probably a direct result of their role being so diminished for so long – True Christians will be hated because not only do they expect their children to obey them, but they continue to give honor and respect to their parents well after they are out of the home. They listen to their parents, even when they disagree. They trust and love their parents, even when they cannot see how they could be right. How sad!

i. [Slide 10] Ungrateful

i. The word means to be unthankful or without thanksgiving.

ii. This manifests into being complainers, grumblers, gripers.

iii. People who are unpleased with everything rather than thankful for what they are given.

iv. Of course, God’s word instructs God’s people to “in everything – give thanks”

v. The heart of this is that all that is given is from God. God being all powerful sovereign from whom all blessings flow – He is the Father of lights, who does not change, and every good gift comes from Him.

vi. So we must in all things, give thanks.

vii. In a world full of complaining, whining, entitled miscreants wanting redos and apologies from people and companies that don’t fulfill what they wanted – True Christians will be hated because they are grateful for what they have. They count their blessings. And when they don’t get what they want – they know they deserve FAR LESS that what they got. From paychecks to restaurants, to Christmas day to unanswered prayers – they give thanks… always. How despicable.

j. [Slide 11] Unholy

i. This word means impious, or unholy.

ii. To be unholy would simply mean people who are not pious. People who are not disposed toward an upright or righteous lifestyle.

iii. People who have no regard for living set apart.

iv. Of course, we just came from a text where Paul reveals that God has set His people apart for an honorable purpose. To display good works which He has prepared for us before time began.

v. In a world full of people who love sin and are proud of it – True Christians will be hated for lifting up the standard of the word of God not just for other men to follow – but for them to follow as well! God’s law is the law. God’s ways are the only way. That is the Christian motto. God said so – that is why. And it may not be the best “argument” but when the God of the universe says to do or not to do something – is there room for argument? How narrowminded.

k. [Slide 12] 3 – heartless

i. This is, perhaps, one of the more difficult words to define. It means devoid of natural or instinctive affection, without affection to kindred

ii. Yet several translations translate this unloving or without love.

iii. So certainly, we should view this word as unloving and perhaps, as the ESV translates, heartless – but specifically in reference toward those who are our flesh and blood.

iv. Indeed, frequently murders and acts of violence are carried out against people known to the assailant.

v. But what does God say toward those who are His?

vi. In I Timothy we learned that it is the responsibility of the family to care for their own flesh and blood.

vii. Believers ought to foster relationships with their blood relatives, regardless of their spiritual status. Caring for and helping when they can.

viii. In a world where the wisdom of the day is to write people out of your life if they are hurting your mental state because they don’t agree with your decisions – True Christians will be hated because even while their kin, their own blood despise what they are, they still care for them when they are sick, provide for them when in need, and pray for them to be given repentance and faith. How fruitless.

l. [Slide 13] Unappeasable

i. This means to be unwilling to make a treaty, implacable, irreconcilable. Several other translations have unforgiving.

ii. To be disagreeable to the extent that you are unable to appease or placate someone is what is intended. This could be when you wrong them in that they are unforgiving or even just in all matters they do not come to agreement easily.

iii. It is a “my way or the highway” kind of person.

iv. But the Lord tells His children to be gentle, flexible, meek, and mild. There are certainly areas that we cannot bend – but those are probably fewer than we think.

v. Overall, we ought to give deference to people and forgive easily. Why? Because God through Christ has forgiven us of so much more.

vi. In a world where it seems the more unyielding you are the more people listen – True Christians will be hated for making agreements easily, compromising on things they can, and gently disagreeing when they cannot. They will forgive quickly and bear no grudges. How naïve

m. [Slide 14] Slanderous

i. This word means treacherous, informer, traitor. Other translations have malicious gossips.

ii. This word is the same word we use (in its noun form) for the devil.

iii. The idea is that people will falsely accuse and spread lies about people.

iv. They will pass on information that they know is not true or that they have not confirmed to be true – all with the motive of self-promotion or the destruction of another.

v. God tells His people to speak well of one another and not to gossip or lie. He tells us to bless those who curse us. He tells us to have our words garnished with honey.

vi. We should use our tongues to build up rather than tear down.

vii. In a world where so many are like rabid dogs waiting to pounce on any shred of gossip and news so as to disparage their enemy – True Christians will be hated for holding their tongue and only speaking well of others. How silly.

n. [Slide 15] Without self-control

i. This word means incontinent or intemperate

ii. The idea is that this person acts without restraint. They don’t know when to stop.

iii. This is an overarching way of life and does not necessarily include vice.

iv. It can be all things actions, words, and substance and activity.

v. Many supposed mental illnesses and emotional problems have been cited as the reason for our inability to control ourselves as humans. For whatever reason we are not able to do, say, think in a culturally acceptable way.

vi. This is all well and good when applied to cultural norms – but when it is applied toward sin – we simply cannot accept this to be true for God’s people. Why?

vii. Because God tells us that the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control.

viii. Self-control is commanded throughout scripture for God’s Children and is made possible for God’s children through His indwelling Spirit.

ix. No Christian, when faced with a command from scripture, can reasonably conclude that it is impossible for him to fulfill. Him alone? Of course. But with God all things are possible.

x. In a world where everyone acts without thinking and blames their lack of control on everything but themselves – True Christians will be hated for remaining steadfast in their reasoning and decisions, basing all things on the word of God and keeping themselves restrained in all their daily affairs. How quaint.

o. [Slide 16] Brutal

i. Another seemingly difficult word to define in this list. It means savage, fierce, or ferocious, but many translations translate this brutal, with only the NLT translating it cruel.

ii. Most likely the translation of brutal and cruel are to avoid cultural difficulties over the words savage, fierce and ferocious.

iii. Nevertheless, brutal and cruel capture the action and the motive behind this word.

iv. Related to lacking control, this has to do with how people will treat each other. They will be without restraint. Abusive in word and action. They will be cruel affording no mercy and seasoned with no grace.

v. They will take no prisoners. They will give no quarter.

vi. But God’s people are told to love… even our enemies. And to pray for those who use us. Yes even those who are brutal are to be prayed for by those who are Christians.

vii. In a world where steam rolling your opponent is every bit as acceptable as agreeing – True Christians will be hated for loving peace and never desiring violence. They aren’t warmongers nor are they quick to settle disputes with their fists. How cowardly.

p. [Slide 17]Not loving good

i. This word means not a lover of good, or possibly not a lover of good men/people.

ii. By inference other translations say haters or opposers of good or good people.

iii. Goodness is defined by God. His Character and action, His person and Work.

iv. And so such a one not only cheers for sinful behavior but despises those who deny it for themselves. They are not content until everyone agrees and participates in ungodly behavior.

v. But God’s people ought to love good, because true goodness reflects on their Good God.

vi. Instead we despise evil – opposing it at every pass. First in our hearts and then in the hearts of others.

vii. In a world turned upside down where right is wrong and wrong is right – True Christians will be hated because they stand opposed to the consensus. They are the idiots and the uninformed. How close-minded.

q. [Slide 18] 4 – treacherous

i. The next word means a betrayer or traitor.

ii. The idea is a person who is two faced, one way in one situation and another elsewhere.

iii. They will lie, cheat and steal even their own family to get what they desire.

iv. But God tells us to have our yes be yes and our no be no. To not have weighted scales, to pay what we owe, to deal honestly and fairly.

v. We must keep our word and not swindle and cheat.

vi. In a world where many deem it necessary to lie, cheat, and steal to get your way to the top of the ladder – True Christians will be hated because they are faithful friends who are compassionate truth tellers. They keep their promises and are reliable employees. How ridiculous.

r. [Slide 19] Reckless

i. This word means falling forwards, precipitate, or rash.

ii. The idea is a person who does not look ahead to see where he is going and trips over something as he runs.

iii. A person who is reckless is headstrong and careless. They do before they think. They act before counting the cost.

iv. God’s people are told to count the cost, plan and pray. They are told to trust and walk by faith but not with reckless abandon. They depend on God and carefully move according to His leading.

v. In a world where you must act on something quickly or you might miss out – True Christians will be hated for being wise with their actions and calculating their decisions. They will make choices based on God’s word and will not be rash and impulsive. How unfortunate.

s. [Slide 20] Swollen with conceit

i. This word is difficult to capture the meaning. At its core it means to besmoke or possess with fumes. But when applied to a person it speaks directly of conceit or being puffed up or swollen with pride.

ii. It is our fourth and final word dealing with self-love and pride – and it is a perfect passive participle. Indicating not only that it is an action that the person had done to them but also that it is something that has been done in the past.

iii. There is a subtle cue here that part of the trap of the devil to do his will – is Satan’s inflating of a man’s view of himself.

iv. But God’s people are to esteem others more highly than themselves. To be humble and be desperately in need of God and others. Much of the scriptures work to deflate our pride and put us in our place.

v. In a world where many consider their opinions to be as important as anyone else’s, in a democratic world where we all get equal say and the loudest and largest win – True Christians will be hated because they know that they were once children of wrath. That they were broken imagers of God, worthy of destruction and death. And that the only reason they are not that way anymore – is because God has made them new. How slavish!

t. [Slide 21] Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

i. This word means pleasure loving, a lover of pleasure

ii. In the last days people will be consumed with the pursuit of their own happiness.

iii. If they aren’t happy – then something in life needs to change.

iv. But God’s people are told to count it joy when we fall into trial. They are told to be content in all circumstances. They are told to find joy and satisfaction in the Lord alone. Oftentimes this means denying our own happiness and pleasure.

v. In a world where everyone and everything can and should be sacrificed to make yourself happy and to bring yourself pleasure – True Christians will be hated for living for the honor and glory of their King. They will deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. And they will suffer for His name… with joy. How stupid.

vi. But the last descriptor of these people is perhaps the most shocking of all of them.

u. [Slide 22] 5 – having the appearance of godliness,

i. Every kind of person in this list can go to church, sing the songs, say all the right things and go home and be any of these.

ii. Fidelity in our words and rituals does not equal fidelity with our hearts and lifestyles.

iii. God told Israel, I am done accepting sacrifices from you – I want obedience.

iv. These false teachers in Ephesus had long discussions and heady battles about nonessentials and profane discussions. They were neck deep in religion – but their lives were void of love for God and His people. They only loved themselves, money, and pleasure.

v. [Slide 23] But denying its power.

i. My friends, our churches are full of these kinds of people.

ii. They confess with their mouths all the right things- but by their lives they deny God’s power to change them.

iii. This is why church discipline exists. The purity of the gospel and the restoration of the sinner.

iv. The power of God, the gospel of Christ, is on display in a person who is a set apart vessel meant for noble purposes that cleans itself of dishonorable things and is prepared for good works.

v. Indeed all who name the name of Christ MUST oppose evil.

vi. Confession of Christian truth and obedience to God’s commands are a complete package. To lack either is to deny Christ and embrace idolatry.

vii. That is why we must…

w. [Slide 24] Avoid such people.

i. Our churches will be full of people who commit sins.

ii. Christ in us does not change the fact that we sometimes sin. But we no longer practice sin if we are in Christ. The power of sin has been broken, and the penalty of sin has been paid.

iii. Christ has conquered sin and defeated death.

iv. And so, to deny Him in word or deed, is to deny these truths.

v. That is why we must avoid, shun, or excommunicate people who live unrepentant lifestyles of sins like these 19.

vi. In a world where many come to church, say all the right things, mentally affirm all the right things, and perform all the right rituals – in a world where church leaders look for bodies to fill the pews opting for shallow maturity and wide numbers – True Christians will be hated because they will desire to correct and confront sin, even to the extent of removing people who are ungodly and unrepentant. They will fight to keep the testimony of the church and of Christ pure, by not allowing MERE confessors to continue in their churches. How… unloving. How intolerant.

x. [Slide 25] Passage Truth: So the primary truth set out in the passage thus far is that the last days will be difficult for God’s people because the visible church has been and will continue to be infiltrated by nominal Christians.

y. Passage Application: So Timothy must do his best to avoid such people. Neither to succumb to their teaching or allowing their influence. He must resist their particular brand of Christianity that looks something like the real thing but is lacking the power of God.

z. [Slide 26] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out to the rest of scripture we see and know that among God’s chosen there have always been those who look like God’s chosen. Israel as a nation was chosen, but as the New Testament reveals – not all Israel is Israel. Even in Numbers 16 we saw that Korah and his companions assumed that all of them were part of the holy assembly. God disagreed. And although we’d like to hope and think that in the New Covenant community things would be different. Unfortunately, Paul reveals that this is not the case. Among the visible church, a people built of those who confess the right things and have some form of godliness… there are many in the last days who will deny the power of the gospel by living lives powerless against sin. Although the true church will never be free of the presence of sin in this life – God changes the disposition of His children toward sin. They MUST turn away. They must clean out their vessel. A faith that is alive will produce good works. Why? Because they have been planned for all God’s true children to do since the beginning of time.

aa. Broader Biblical Application: And for us at CBC, we must follow Paul’s command and avoid such people going forward. The first step is not avoidance of course. First we instruct – as he told us to in the last chapter. First we approach with correction, rebuke, reproof and instruction in righteousness. First we attempt in meekness to implore them to repent and crucify their flesh and follow Christ. First we patiently warn them that sin only brings death. But when all meek and humble correction fails, when we have exhausted all the steps of church discipline endeavoring to call that person to repentance. That is when the last step is exercised. We must avoid them. Why? Because it is no longer about their personal restoration. Now it is about the purity of the gospel and the true church. God’s church must be purified. And what Paul presents here – is the great purification of the church.

Conclusion:

[Slide 27(end)] Even though this is only 1 point of 2 in this passage. Even though this is not quite a complete thought from Paul. How then shall we live CBC? What shall we do with this?

Well I think after last week we may have come away with great hope. And well we should have. We come away from a discussion of our opponents being gifted repentance and faith and we think – wow! That would be awesome! And it would. And it is possible. It happens.

But Paul doesn’t want us to be naïve. We are in the last days. And because of that, we will see great apostasy. Although some will go from opponents to brothers… most will go from supposed brothers to enemies. The worst part is that they will remain Christian in name. They won’t even deny spirituality. They won’t even deny Christ overtly. Sure some will. Some will actually leave the church entirely. In some ways that is better.

But many will remain in the church, confessing to the same truths. They sing the songs, they say the right things… but their lifestyles are a mess. And it is only a matter of time before someone sees it. If you are living in any one of these 19 things – my friends, you aren’t going to be able to keep that under wraps for long. Eventually, it is gonna come out.

So I have two very short applications from this text today.

Avoid these people.

And.

Avoid being these people.

Title: For Honor

Text: II Timothy 2:20-26

FCF: We often struggle meeting the purpose of our calling.

Prop: Because we have been seta apart to be useful and ready for good works, we must flee sin and be like Christ.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 2. Last week, Paul began his instruction on how to deal with these false teachers in Ephesus. He told Timothy not to engage them in their disputes about nonessentials or profane chatter, but instead to focus on being a diligent, approved, unashamed, and accurate truth teacher. This was his opponent’s failure. They strayed from the truth, and they have led themselves and others to ruin. But then Paul gives the comfort and exhortation. The tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. God knows and keeps those who are his AND everyone who names the name of the Lord must turn away from evil. Although a paradox both of these are absolutely true. God’s keeping work does not negate our responsibility to obey.

In many ways, Paul restates this exact point again in different words to finish out this chapter. But rather than stay in the realm of the non-specific… Paul moves directly to how Timothy and all Christians should deal with all men. Those in the church, those who are in the church but we are not sure of their spiritual state, and those who oppose us. How do we then live toward these people?

Paul says all this and much more in our passage today. I am in II Timothy chapter 2. I’ll begin reading in verse 20 from the CSB, but you can follow in the pew bible on page 1343 or whatever version you prefer. If you do not have a bible of your own, you are free to take a pew bible home with you.

Transition:

Unfortunately, our first step into the text this morning poses for us a perplexing problem. So let’s dive in straight away.

I.) Since we have been set apart to be useful and ready for good works, we must purge ourselves of dishonorable things. (20-21)

a. [Slide 2] 20 – Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay;

i. Paul presents a metaphor to Timothy. Here is the difficulty with metaphor; unless it is fully explained, many times metaphors are not easily understood.

ii. So, we face a difficult challenge here. How far do we press this metaphor? Does every component in the story correspond to a present reality? Does every detail need to be included?

iii. If Paul does not spell out each detail and what it means in real life, how does that effect how dogmatic we can be on the understanding of the text?

iv. The answers to these questions are not easy ones. However, there is an interpretive principle that I do think helps us here.

v. [Slide 3] Context is King. If we can understand what Paul has been saying and will be saying, it should help us understand how far we can or should press this metaphor.

vi. [Slide 4] First let’s understand the metaphor plainly and then we will attempt to grasp its components.

vii. Paul speaks of a wealthy home. In wealthy homes, there are bowls, utensils, vases, plates, and other household items that are made of precious metals. But even in a wealthy home, they do not use expensive vessels only. They also use vessels of clay and wood.

viii. If we were to put this in our understanding we could say, In a rich man’s home, not everything is a top dollar item. There are some things there that a common person would own too. Rich people still buy toilet paper. Perhaps even the same brand you do. They still buy plastic trash bags. They still buy Drain-O. They still buy furnace filters. No matter how wealthy they are, they still need common household items.

ix. Why?

b. [Slide 5] Some for honorable use and some for dishonorable.

i. No matter how you spin it, there are some uses of utensils that all of us have.

ii. There are honorable uses for vessels of precious metal. We probably would not eat hot dogs and hamburgers with silver forks and China. We would probably not buy a gold-plated plunger for our toilet. Nor would we use leather for our trash bags.

iii. Typically, the dirtier, and more disgusting the job, the less money you want to spend to accomplish it. We use plastic bags for refuse and water to flush our toilets. These are relatively inexpensive things to deal with a really gross problem.

iv. In fact, in the first century, by wood and clay vessels, Paul is probably referring to chamber pots for collecting human eliminations.

v. Even wealthy homes had these.

vi. So here is our challenge with this metaphor. What is the house, what are the vessels (precious and common), what is honorable and dishonorable use mean in real life? And we have even another layer here. Paul uses a similar metaphor in two other places in his corpus of writing. And both of those writings had already occurred.

vii. II Corinthians 4:7 – Paul compares God’s people to earthen vessels in which God has placed His treasure.

viii. Romans 9:21-24 – Paul contrasts God’s people as earthen vessels meant for special purposes, which were formed form the same lump of clay molded into jars meant for common purposes.

ix. So, in the limited pool of Pauline metaphors – Not only are God’s people always earthen vessels, but the precious vessels are never mentioned.

x. Let’s let all these questions hang for now. Let’s get to how Paul applies this metaphor.

c. [Slide 6] 21 – So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable

i. Paul now, utterly shatters that metaphor. How so?

ii. Although today we do have self-cleaning toilets that reasonably keep the inside of the bowl clean, they are quite expensive and do not clean the outside of the toilet.

iii. And certainly, in the first century, there was no such thing as a self-cleaning chamber pot. Even to empty it, they would need to go to the river to do so, or at least bury it in a field.

iv. Even gold and silver vessels could not clean themselves if they were to get dirty or be ill fit for their purpose.

v. So the metaphor steps into comedy as we imagine a bowl scrubbing itself thoroughly to rid itself of any remnants of dishonorable things.

vi. What is clear here is that although Paul’s previous metaphor in verse 19 had God’s sovereignty first and human responsibility last – Here Paul flips them.

vii. Paul first establishes human responsibility.

viii. He tells Timothy, if anyone would wash himself thoroughly from dishonorable things…

d. [Slide 7] He will be a special instrument

i. You will be (future tense) a vessel or instrument used for a special purpose.

ii. This phrase depending on which pot we are talking about strikes us rather odd.

iii. For a golden vessel or clay pot to clean itself is odd enough. Now we have this pot being cleaned to the point that it is fit to be used in the future for a great purpose.

iv. But if we are talking about wood or earthen vessels used for human eliminations, this seems quite odd within the metaphor.

v. I don’t mean to turn your stomachs this morning – but how clean would your toilet have to be for you to use the seat as a plate to eat your next meal? Or the toilet bowl for your bowl of cereal? Could you ever get it clean enough?

vi. This is perplexing indeed.

vii. So, for now, let’s leave this and move forward.

e. [Slide 8] Set apart

i. Try though I did, I cannot for the life of me understand why there is no translation that does not render this “having been made holy” or “having been set apart”

ii. This is a perfect passive participle. Much like in verse 26 where the text says “who has taken them”. Same exact morphology but is not translated “taken”

iii. For me, the proper understanding of this word greatly helps us to interpret this passage.

iv. So it should say - “if anyone would cleanse themselves of dishonorable things, they will be a vessel for honor having been set apart.”

v. If all that is maintained we have a present condition, promising a future use, based on a past work done to us. Which looks exactly like verse 19 only backward.

f. [Slide 9] Useful to the Master

i. Diving back into the metaphor ever so slightly, we see that an instrument, set apart for something honorable, that cleansed itself from dishonorable things, is now useful to the master for the purpose for which it was set apart.

ii. Meaning that unlike the passages in II Cor 4 and Romans 9 – Paul is not saying that believers are wood and earthenware. Rather those are Hymenaeus and Philetus. How do we know they are vessels meant for dishonorable use? Because that is what fills them. Dishonorable things.

iii. God’s people in this passage are the gold and silver vessels. Set aside for noble purposes. And as long as they cleanse themselves of dishonorable things, they will be used this way.

g. [Slide 10] Prepared for every good work.

i. Again, we can add to this participle “having been” prepared for every good work.

ii. Finally, we understand what dishonor and honor means. Blurring the lines between metaphor and reality Paul has said what this vessel’s special use is. A vessel that has been set apart, that cleansed itself of dishonor, its special use is to bear fruit. It is to hold good works.

iii. We have been made to be golden Spiritual Fruit bowls – Displaying the grace and power of God in our lives.

h. And so even though this metaphor can perplex us, it seems that Paul is simply restating what he did in verse 19 only in backward order. Yes, God knows who are His, but also all who call on his name must depart from evil.

i. In the same way, all who purge themselves of evil, will be those used of Him, because He has set them apart for honor.

j. [Slide 11] Passage Truth: So, Paul reveals a truth here that endures to the end of this passage. That truth, is that God’s people have been set apart, so they can be useful to their Master, and prepared to display good works. In response to that truth, what is Timothy’s responsibility?

k. Passage Application: Timothy must purge himself of all uncleanness. He must actively depart from all that is dishonorable. Paul will continue to open up to us exactly what that looks like – but at this point that is where Timothy must begin.

l. [Slide 12] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out to the whole of scripture, this is essentially the same thing he says in Ephesians 2:8-10 where Paul shares that God saves us by grace through faith, not of works, but as a gift so that we can do good works which God has prepared for us to do before time began. This is the entire purpose of God selecting and working within the line of Seth, through Noah, to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, David, and then finally Christ. God’s divine appointment and setting apart for His service is His side of the equation.

m. Broader Biblical Application: Our side is this…. we must be cleansed of dishonorable things. Although we only have a hint of what this means, we can reasonably conclude that if good works are what is to fill our cup, then dead works and evil deeds are what must be purged. Experientially we know that this is an ongoing process to stay pure and remain pure. We must continue to turn away from evil teachings, lifestyles, and those who preach and practice them.

Transition:

[Slide 13(blank)] But it seems like we need a little more specificity here. This is the second time in a few verses that Paul has referenced a purging or opposition to evil things. But what specifically ought we to purge? And what are these good works that should go in its place? Paul addresses both in the next two verses.

II.) Since we have been set apart to be useful and ready for good works, we must flee sin and pursue holiness. (22-23)

a. [Slide 14] 22 – Flee from youthful passions,

i. Up to this point in this passage most of Paul’s words have been conceptual.

ii. He speaks of working hard, reminding, being diligent, being committed, playing by the rules.

iii. For many of these Paul simply said – I trust the Lord will give you understanding on all this.

iv. And most recently he told Timothy that God’s true people oppose evil and purify themselves of dishonor. But what does that mean?

v. So, Paul gets practical.

vi. Flee. Youthful. Passions.

vii. What are young people consumed with today? I think our answers could be quite varied. Everything from sex, drugs, and rock and roll to entitlement, rashness, laziness, arrogance, seeking praise and a following, and desiring to fight and argue.

viii. If it is a normal young person’s lust… it is a good bet that it is not worthy to be pursued by anyone who claims the name of Christ.

ix. These are the dishonorable things that must be shed.

b. [Slide 15] And pursue righteousness

i. Rather we should be pursuing righteousness. Holiness, and godliness.

ii. Jesus said that the Kingdom of God and His righteousness ought to be our first pursuit. And Paul, as he should, agrees with His Lord.

c. [Slide 16] Faith,

i. Just as righteousness is God’s and must be obtained from Him, so also faith is not something conjured from within but is rather a grace of God to us.

ii. Faith that believes His word and trusts Him without faltering.

iii. This is what Timothy must pursue. It is the true antidote for his timidity. It is faith and hope in what God has said and what God has done.

d. [Slide 17] Love,

i. An attribute of God. One in which we have no part unless He loves us first.

ii. For us to pursue this love is not in the sense of being lovable to God. For that is not possible and is ultimately ineffectual.

iii. Rather it is the pursuit of God’s love. That we may have His love for Him and for one another.

e. [Slide 18] And peace along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

i. Peace could certainly be used here as a cessation of hostility between God and man, but to pursue this is impossible. Rather as with the others this seems like the pursuit of something God grants in His Son through His Spirit.

ii. It makes sense then to combine it with the following phrase as it explains the true focus of that peace.

iii. It is toward and with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

iv. We might remember the last time Paul mentioned this where there is some uncertainty that not all those who call on the name of the Lord are truly His people. And yet, Paul makes plain his meaning. It is those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. It is those who have been set apart. It is those whom the Lord knows are His.

v. The word pursue continues throughout the text as the command for all these qualities.

vi. Indicating that they are in fact – as with the fruit of the spirit – 1 pursuit not many.

vii. We cannot divorce righteousness from faith, or love, or peace with our brothers and sisters.

viii. Indeed, to have all but one is to fail them all.

ix. And so youthful passions are the dishonorable things we must clean from our silver vessel and these things must go in. These are what we have been set apart to be and do.

f. [Slide 19] 23 – But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, because you know that they breed quarrels.

i. Again, Paul makes mention of this to Timothy in the discard pile.

ii. Based on the two kinds of discussions Paul references in verses 14 and 16 it seems like he has combined both of these into one.

iii. Foolish disputes would go along well with profane chatter since they are ungodly. And ignorant or silly disputes would go along with the wrangling of words.

iv. All of these things, avoid them, stop them, reject them. Why?

v. All they do is start fights. That is the opposite of being at peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

g. [Slide 20] Passage Truth: Once again, the primary backdrop of truth for this whole discussion is that God has set apart His people to be useful and prepared to do good works. So, if Timothy is truly a child of God, what will he do?

h. Passage Application: He will discard the attitudes and actions of immature people living lives ruled by their passions, and will instead pursue heavenly virtues that can only come as gifts from God. He will receive these in order that he may minister to the body of Christ with them.

i. [Slide 21] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out from our text, we know that God has this mega theme throughout scripture with the expectation of His people living differently than the world around them.

j. Broader Biblical Application: And so for us at CBC, we must not be controlled by our culture. Rather, we should flee passions bred in immaturity. Not just sexual dalliances but even disputes, arguing, a critical and judging spirit, arrogance and vain glory. All of these ought to be washed clean from us by the blood of Christ. Instead we should see holiness, love, faith, and peace with all people who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are the body, and we ought to be united. Not in arbitrary “get-alongedness” ignoring failings or false teachings. But unity in holiness, truth, love, and peace.

Transition:

[Slide 22(blank)] So we have seen some applications of this teaching that we must purge ourselves of sin and be ready for good works. We have even seen what some of those good works are… but Paul has one more set of put off, put ons for us here.

III.) Since we have been set apart to be useful and ready for good works, we must not quarrel but meekly instruct our opponents. (24-26)

a. [Slide 23] 24 – The Lord’s servant must not quarrel,

i. Remember, context is King.

ii. Paul has been talking about people who died with Christ, who endure vs those who deny and are without faith.

iii. He compares the message of truth with the word-war, ignorant, foolish and profane discussions of the group of Hymenaeus and Philetus.

iv. He specifically calls on Timothy to be at peace with God’s true people.

v. Now he says that the Lord’s servant – which could be applied to all Christians generally, but is surely applied specifically to Timothy as a Spiritual leader.

vi. He must not quarrel.

vii. But with who is Paul referring? In some sense, he has already spoken with reference to those who are true believers. So who else is the Lord’s Servant and minister of the gospel not to quarrel with?

b. [Slide 24] But must be gentle to everyone

i. Everyone. All men.

ii. The minister of the gospel ought not be quarrelsome to any. Indeed, it is a qualification of an Elder to not be quarrelsome.

iii. And this is not just to those within the church, it is not just to those of whom it is evident that they are believers. It is with all men.

iv. Those whom it is not evident that they are believers. They have made a confession but their lives are suspect. They are in this list. It is not the place of the minister to quarrel with them.

v. What about those with bad theology? What about those with clear contradictions in their lifestyles?

vi. Well, quarreling with them is NEVER the answer.

vii. What is?

c. [Slide 25] Able to teach

i. A true minister of the gospel should relish the opportunity to take someone from ignorance to understanding. To train up someone in the ways of the Lord.

ii. A minister of the gospel should chomp at the bit to have the chance to deepen the understanding and wait for God to click the lights on for the slow of hearing.

iii. This includes not just instruction but rebuke, reproving, correction, and instruction in righteousness.

iv. And this kind of teaching without leading to quarreling takes what?

d. [Slide 26] And patient

i. You betcha it does.

ii. Do you know what the single most consistent theme of my 11 years of ministerial teaching and counseling is? People do not listen.

iii. By the grace of God, for the most part, I have yet to become cynical and assume it of people. I remain hopeful that they will listen. But by and large – people don’t.

iv. At first.

v. But God is gracious in that he has, at times, had people I have counseled, people who have rejected my advice initially, come back and thank me for it later.

vi. I can tell you that is a gift from God. Because sometimes it feels like you are wasting your time trying to teach people His truths. And usually just when you start to think such a selfishly sinful thought… it is just then when people come with thankfulness for your input in their lives.

vii. That gives me as a minister of the gospel of Christ, the patience to continue on, without being quarrelsome and beating people over the head…

viii. But what about those who don’t even claim to be Christians. What do you do with them?

e. [Slide 27] 25 – instructing his opponents with gentleness.

i. Gently, in love and humility, with the great authority of the scripture alone, instruct ignorant, profane, and ungodly people.

ii. Those with whom you disagree so sharply. If you are not careful you can either attack them to undermine their argument, or even dismiss them without dignity of their person.

iii. My friends, even those who we think do great damage to the gospel with their foolish arguments, will have no effect on it in reality. Christ’s gospel will go on unimpeded

iv. So, what then? Shall we attack someone who has no power to overthrow the truth? Can we not see them for what they are, for what we once were? Blind and dead?

v. Even the greatest opponents of the gospel of Jesus Christ deserve to be instructed with gentleness. Corrected… with meekness.

vi. Some say, but Jesus did not instruct the Pharisees in this way. Surely there must be an occasion for us to speak harshly to our opponents as Jesus did to His.

vii. We forget that Jesus knew something about His opponents that we do not know about ours.

viii. What is it?

f. [Slide 28] Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.

i. Jesus knew that the Pharisees had committed the unpardonable sin.

ii. That they were opposed to the teaching of Christ even though they believed it to be true.

iii. Jesus knew each and every Pharisee He rebuked, would never repent. And so, He spoke harshly to them as having the keys to the kingdom yet denying others entry and not going in themselves.

iv. But our opponents – we cannot see their heart.

v. Some of the most aggressive opponents of the gospel of Jesus Christ, have been changed by grace to believe. From Lee Strobel, to Augustine of Hippo, to Paul the Apostle, to the thief on the cross. These men, all of them, tried to make a mockery of Christ.

vi. And they failed utterly. In the end, they were broken and empty and repented of their sin.

vii. We do not know whether the person we see today, uttering insults on the name of Christ, may yet be our brother or sister in Christ, foreordained and predestined before the foundation of the world, chosen in Christ, having been set apart for honorable use.

viii. How could such a person be called for honor?

ix. Because all men who repent, and are led to a knowledge of the truth are granted both repentance and knowledge of the gospel by God Himself.

x. Repentance and knowledge of the truth are not things that we innately possess nor have the ability to do. God must grant them to us. And up to the very moment He does – that heart can be black as oil and spout venomous attacks on their God and King… but when God breaks a man… there is no turning back! There is no unseeing what has been revealed.

xi. Paul was on His way to kill Christians. Lee Strobel to disprove Christ, Augustine to spit on his upbringing and the thief had already mocked Christ to His face– and God said… ENOUGH! You. Are. Mine!

xii. My friends, these stories not only give us hope for all men – no matter how far gone they appear – but they also reveal to us the foolishness of dealing harshly with opponents.

xiii. For all that separates them from us is God’s granting of repentance.

xiv. And what is the fruit of repentance?

g. [Slide 29] 26 – Then they may come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil,

i. They must come to their senses. Why?

ii. Because they don’t even know they are in a trap!

iii. They have been lulled to sleep in a perfectly comfortable prison.

iv. There are cracks on the walls – but they do not see them.

v. They are blind! They are dead! But when God grants them repentance and a knowledge of the truth- all of a sudden the lights are on! They realize that they are headed for hell. And they need a savior.

vi. They are trapped.

vii. My friends we cannot deal harshly with opponents of the gospel. Why?

h. [Slide 30] Who has taken them captive to do his will.

i. They are just obeying their master… like we are.

ii. We clash because our masters are different not because we are better or they are worse!

iii. And God through Christ has made a way to be free of the slave master Satan with his traps of sin and death.

iv. Christ has conquered sin and defeated death.

v. Mankind is naturally a slave to the will of Satan. But when God opens their eyes and pulls them out of that trap, when he grants them repentance and understanding of the gospel –

vi. They have a new master….

vii. And that my friends, truly, is the only difference between the elect of God and present-day unbelievers.

viii. And this is why we must instruct. We must correct. We must teach the truth meekly. With power but in control. Not attacking the person but their false beliefs. Being kind and gentle. Perhaps God will grant them in our speaking or after – repentance and faith.

i. [Slide 31] Passage Truth: As is hinted with his opening remark, God’s servant must behave in certain ways. This is because they have been set apart for this use by the Lord.

j. Passage Application: Timothy, as a minister of the gospel, must not be quarrelsome but rather instruct patiently and meekly, especially toward those who are his opponents.

k. [Slide 32] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out, all of scripture points to this truth. That we are to be remade image bearers. Not due to our creation by God, but rather our re-creation by God in Christ. That has propelled us as set apart people to not only be able to do what God has asked, but to succeed in doing what God has asked.

l. Broader Biblical Application: So we must teach the truths of the gospel and correct, rebuke, and exhort with gentleness, and love, and kindness… knowing that God is the one who works in the hearts of men. We must not fight with people to prove our point true or their point wrong. Why? Because we know that ultimately it is GOD alone who grants repentance to men. Why? Because they are enslaved to the Devil unable to see the trap they are in. And there are no words of ours that could ever shake them of this… unless the Lord does to them grant… eyes to see and ears to hear. So why fight with them? Will all our thrashing do more for them than God can? Will all our slices with harshly spoken words aid God in His work? God forbid we think it does! A soft word spoken with authority of God’s word is what God requires of His people. Not because it will guarantee His work… but because we have been set apart for this purpose.

Conclusion:

[Slide 33(end)] So what can we do today CBC with such a passage? As far as applications go there are, depending on how you see it, around 7 or 8 applications here. Shall I conclude with an 8 point rehash of all that Paul has said to Timothy?

Or shall I just say this.

God knows who are His. And all His dear children have been set apart to be useful to Him and prepared for good works.

All His true children are golden and silver vessels designed for a noble purpose.

His children have been chosen in Christ, not only to display the excellencies of His grace in this life, but forever in the life to come.

We are made For Honor.

So friends, If you name the name of Christ… why are you wasting yourself on youthful passions? Why do you continue to fight and dispute, and argue and quarrel over nonessential or ungodly things? Why do you continue to pursue the gratification of putting people in their place? Why must you be right all the time? Why must you be first all the time? Why do you continue to complain and grumble when things are not done the way you would have them done? Why are you filling your golden serving bowl with garbage and dung?

Dump it all in the fire! Even our opponents do not deserve this vitriol and rage. We were once just like them. But… God.

Only when your golden dish is empty and cleaned thoroughly, can it be used for its intended purpose. To display the manifold graces of God, in holiness, faith, love, and peace. Not quarrelsome. Not arrogant. Not always insisting on your way. Not selfish. Not lewd. Not out of control. But godly.

My friends… We as God’s people were made for honor! So, clean out your bowl… and fulfill your purpose!

Title: Diligent, Approved, Unashamed, Accurate, Truth-Teachers

Text: II Timothy 2:14-19

FCF: We often struggle getting distracted by less important or ungodly discussions.

Prop: Because God keeps His dear children from succumbing to spiritual disaster, we must know, understand, and teach the message of truth accurately.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 2. Paul has already set the stage for the coming discussion of the false teachers plaguing Ephesus. He has already drawn attention to the gospel of Christ. He has brought up the resurrection and Kingship of Jesus. He has discussed apostasy and rejection of truth. And he has brought suffering for the gospel, the true gospel, to the forefront of all this discussion. All of this is in an effort to prepare Timothy to take Paul’s mantle, as he is sure to be executed soon for proclaiming the gospel of Christ.

And so Paul and his readers are ready for a comparison of the centrality of the message of truth with the fringe teachings of nonessential things and the ungodly teachings of these false teachers.

Above all, our well-known, AWANA verse shines brightly in the text as the main point of application for every single believer. And there are truths from both sides supporting its command.

I am in chapter 2 of II Timothy starting our reading in verse 14. I’ll be reading from the NET which you can follow in the pew bible on page 1343. We will read through verse 26 since this is one large thought Paul has for us.

Transition:

This is a lengthier sermon, so we need to move briskly so you don’t power down on me. So let’s dive in!

I.) Nonessential and ungodly discussions lead to spiritual disaster for all, so we must know, understand and teach the message of truth accurately. (14-17a)

a. [Slide 2] 14 – Remind people of these things

i. Here we see Paul swooping in and out of commands to Timothy and to the people.

ii. He has just said for Timothy to remember the gospel of Christ, to keep it at the forefront of his mind and cling to it.

iii. Now he exhorts Timothy to teach that same principle to others.

iv. In a sense, Paul takes the concept of depositing what He has taught to other faithful believers who can teach it also, and he applies it directly to Timothy.

v. Not only must he remember the gospel of Christ, he must remind the people of the gospel of Christ.

vi. To remind here has the idea of quietly reminding or suggesting. As far as commands go, this is a fairly benign thing to command. The strength of the command comes to Timothy, in that he is to remind the people. But the actual reminding Paul is recommending is a positive, instructive rather than corrective kind of reminding.

vii. Paul sets this against a follow up command…

b. [Slide 3] And solemnly charge them before the Lord not to wrangle over words

i. The second command is for Timothy to solemnly charge or to seriously exhort. To command. To spur.

ii. This is the opposite of the softness of remind but is actually quite aggressive. Perhaps it inherits corrective force here.

iii. Especially when we consider that this charge to them is in the very presence of the Lord. God Himself is in the audience of this command being given. As if they are in a court room and they are being commanded to do something before a judge.

iv. But what is the command?

v. To not engage in word-war as the Greek compound word would suggest.

vi. This is one of only two places in the New Testament that this word or its word family is used. The other is in I Timothy chapter 6.

vii. While it is not a large pool to draw from, we can be fairly confident that Paul is not forbidding fighting with words but rather about them or concerning them.

viii. In other words, Paul is euphemistically saying – Command them not to get in arguments over semantics and petty little things.

ix. So, call to their mind instructively the words of the gospel of Christ. That He was the God-Man, having been raised from among the dead ones, and a descendant of David, the eternal King and sin and death conqueror. Instruct them and remind them about these things. But other things that matter much less –

x. Do not get embroiled in endless debates about such matters. Why?

c. [Slide 4] This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen

i. Paul has analyzed the risk to reward ratio and there is never a time when fiery debate over things that are not the gospel ends in a greater reward than was risked.

ii. Instead, it brings people to ruin who listen.

iii. Wait. Did you catch that?

iv. We might expect that it would bring people to ruin who are doing the battling. But no… it is bringing to ruin the people who listen.

v. What does that mean? How does this change what Paul is saying?

vi. There is a time and a place to discuss and even winsomely debate the finer points of theology. But to do so publicly seems out of bounds.

vii. Assuming the debate is done in humility and love toward one another and not in the presence of many people so as to lead the hearers astray… we certainly can and should do this. Why?

viii. It is the glory of the King to search out a matter. It is the glory of God to conceal it.

ix. It seems that it is an inborn trait of ours to wrestle with every single word in scripture to draw out as much meaning as we can. The fire burns in us to know God to the fullest. We are not finished with scripture when we only have the foundational principles of Christ crucified for sinners. We wish to build upon that foundation and understand the mind of God.

x. I am convinced that there is no sin in this.

xi. Where does sin enter?

xii. When we discuss/debate these things arrogantly and without love for our disagreeing brother. When we elevate non-essential things to essential things. And when we do this before others and not privately. This is where we can do great damage. And all for what?

xiii. No profit. The only predictable outcome is the ruin for those who hear you.

xiv. So, Paul turns his attention back to Timothy. How is Timothy supposed to remind them? How can he be sure to remind them what is important and what is sound?

d. [Slide 5] 15 – Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker

i. And here comes our AWANA verse right? In fact that is what Awana means. Approved workmen are not ashamed. So here is the challenge. Let’s see if we can understand this verse in its context. Why?

ii. Because in Awana we’ve used this verse to talk about memorizing our verses and understanding God’s message.

iii. I am happy to say that the message in context is somewhat the same.

iv. First, make every effort means to be diligent, to be devoted, to work hard. It is the image of the farmer from verse 6.

v. Be diligent to the extent that when you present yourself before the Lord, the judge, for evaluation, what will he find? What will be your assessment?

vi. First that you are approved. You are an acceptable worker. You have done your due diligence. You have not been lazy.

vii. Second…

e. [Slide 6] Who does not need to be ashamed,

i. The word here means irreprehensible or blameless.

ii. Be so diligent that when you present yourself to God, he finds you both positively as a worker who has been diligent and accomplished his tasks, and negatively is without any fault or blame.

iii. This is not saying perfection, but it is speaking to no patterns of fault.

iv. But what is the work that Timothy is to be diligent in? What is the labor that he diligently devotes himself to so as to bring no cause for blame upon himself?

f. [Slide 7] Teaching the message of truth accurately.

i. There are three levels of any subject of learning. Whether that be reading, writing, and arithmetic, or simply learning a job or trade… each subject of learning must be approached at three basic levels.

ii. First is knowledge. Remind yourself of the gospel of Christ Timothy. Recall the sound words of the gospel. Know them backward and forward. This is essentially, memorization and familiarity.

iii. Second is understanding. Compare those words to other teachings that you hear. Isolate those teachings which are not as essential and debate those humbly and lovingly but not to the extent of the sound teachings. Those cling to and defend, the others hold loosely. This is essentially comprehension, comparison, drawing connections between truths known, and even prioritizing them in importance.

iv. Third and finally is wisdom or mastery. And it is what Paul says here. To know the truth so fully and completely, and to know the counterfeit so fully and completely, that you are able to express the sound truth eloquently and without error. The student never stops learning, but a student that never learns something to the point of teaching it, has never truly learned it.

v. Such is Paul’s intent for Timothy. Exercise diligence and mastery over the truths of the gospel to the extent that you can teach it without error.

vi. In this, we see the mantra of AWANA come forth but to an even greater degree. This is how all of us must seek to approach the gospel. In knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. So that we can not only know it but teach it.

g. [Slide 8] 16 – But avoid profane chatter,

i. What exactly is Paul cautioning here?

ii. Is it more idle chat? Is it more public debate over the unnecessary things?

iii. Based on Paul’s word choices here, I don’t think he is repeating himself.

iv. Rather, I think he is building on the concept of wrangling over words.

v. The word profane means wicked, heathenish, or unholy.

vi. But what does profane chatter mean? Is he talking about anti-God speech? If so, why would Timothy even be tempted to participate? Why wouldn’t he avoid it like the plague?

vii. It seems, based on other uses in scripture, that what this word came to mean was more along the lines of ungodly or wicked behavior. Behavior associated with the heathens. And so, the chatter or empty discussion of these wicked things comes down to people discussing the lawfulness of sin.

viii. To the extent that they begin to undo God’s clear commands and subvert them to give them less force.

ix. This is not overt speaking about disobeying God…

x. Rather this is the more subtle questioning. Like the serpent in the garden… “Has God said?”

xi. Let’s debate over whether or not homosexuality is really a sin? Surely the bible doesn’t mean women cannot preach? I think drunkenness is fine for a Christian; change my mind! Being physically intimate before marriage is not what God has forbidden in fornication?

xii. This is the kind of profane chatter that Timothy is to avoid. Why is it profane discussion? Because it takes the command of God and moves it into something that we can debate.

xiii. Why should Timothy avoid this?

h. [Slide 9] Because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness,

i. Is that not the truth?

ii. Now… let me clarify. It is not inherently wrong to question the teachings of God about these matters. However, there is a difference between asking, “What has God said?” and asking “Has God said?”

iii. One seeks answers and the other questions God’s law because they do not wish to accept its truth.

iv. The person doing the questioning will stray further and further into ungodliness. It begins with questioning the validity of God’s word and will end with outright lawbreaking.

v. When a supposed brother says, let’s discuss whether or not homosexuality is a sin… where do you go with that person? Pretty much you say … Well God calls it an abomination in Leviticus. So… the end. If they pursue you to try to disprove all that… at that point I think you have to warn them that their desire to vindicate a sin that has always been called a sin since the beginning of the church, is a dangerous path to tread. Why?

i. [Slide 10] 17a – and their message will spread its infection like gangrene.

i. Not only will they succumb to the practice of lawlessness but

ii. They will also convince others to do the same.

iii. Why?

iv. Mankind loves their sin. And they desire above all else, to keep it.

v. And even people who have been raised in the church and made a profession of faith in Christ… even they can succumb to such infecting and ruinous teachings. And before you know it… they prove themselves to be gangrenous black… needing to be cut off.

j. [Slide 11] Passage Truth: Paul to Timothy informs him that wrangling over non-essential things and having endless discussions questioning God’s revealed law and will, is of no profit and will ultimately undo the hearers and lead those who endlessly discuss them into greater and greater ungodliness.

k. Passage Application: Opposed to this, Timothy must be diligent to know, understand and teach the gospel in purity and power, while putting down or dismissing various discussions that distract from or contradict the gospel message.

l. [Slide 12] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out from this passage we find how many thousands of pages were written at the time of Christ about the Old Testament? The Talmud, the rabbinical writings, the discussions over the proper ways to wash your hands. Some of them even attempting to excuse certain sins that they could not seem to keep, like adultery and divorce. And through the history of the church how much time has been spent debating how many angels can fit on the head of a needle, or which eschatological position is best. Not to mention the discussions of modern Christianity questioning core tenants of established gospel truths and established words of God. Have we not seen Paul’s words fulfilled in all this? Have we not seen these people profit the church very little? Leading many astray? And even going deeper and deeper into ungodliness? How many Fundamental Baptist preachers have committed adultery with their secretaries? How many scholars have thought their way out of Christianity?

m. Broader Biblical Application: My friends, we must heed the words of Paul to Timothy. Put down non-essential public debates. Stop quibbling and fighting over things that are not gospel related teachings. We must stop quibbling over spiritual gifts, eschatological signs and timelines, dress standards, wine and beer standards, movie standards and so much else that simply doesn’t matter. But we must also avoid empty discussions retreading and questioning established truth and revealed will and laws of God. Endlessly going back and pulling apart what the church has always believed is a profane and endless discussion that will ultimately only lead to ungodliness. Rather, we should study the gospel. We should know it, understand it, and we should teach it accurately.

Transition:

[Slide 13 (blank)] Rightly understanding the danger of becoming enthralled with nonessential debates and truth questioning discussions is only half the motivation we need to commit to knowing, understanding, and teaching the message of truth accurately. The other half of this, is that God knows and keeps His own in His truth.

II.) God knows and keeps His own in His truth, so we must know, understand, and teach the message of truth accurately. (17b-19)

a. [Slide 14] 17b - Hymenaeus and Philetus are in this group.

i. The group are those who have questioned the clear holy commands of God and have come away as ungodly practitioners of sin. Still worse, they do so in defense of their behavior as lawful and without sin.

ii. But who are these men?

iii. Hymenaeus, assuming he is the same one mentioned in I Timothy – which is almost certain – is the same man who was said to have shipwrecked his faith.

iv. It is the same man whom Paul had handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

v. It is obvious that in the intervening years since Paul handed out that sentence… Hymenaeus has yet to learn.

vi. Philetus is a name we are completely unfamiliar with. His name means beloved or friend. Some bitter irony there.

vii. So, what is the theological backdrop behind these men concluding that they could live sinful lives without issue?

b. [Slide 15] 18 – They have strayed from the truth by saying that the resurrection has already occurred,

i. We’ve referenced this several times and all the pieces have consistently come together to fit the conclusion we have come to.

ii. These men believed that the resurrection either

1. Had occurred already with Jesus at his crucifixion and the dead rising.

2. Was a spiritual resurrection only occurring in the resurrection of Christ.

3. Or is some sort of Israelite resurrection of the nation.

iii. So, what does that mean? Well, if the resurrection has happened already, it means that the eternal Kingdom of Christ has already begun. Meaning that Christ reigns over all things.

iv. The logic train from that goes completely bonkers when they conclude that the old dispensation of God’s law imposed upon His people has been done away with.

v. They are now free to pursue any passion they wish.

vi. From ladies becoming something like pagan priestesses, teaching and sleeping around, to people rejecting marriage and abstaining from certain foods.

vii. But the worst part, is not that they have done this to themselves… but also

c. [Slide 16] And they are undermining some people’s faith.

i. Some people are actually succumbing altogether and questioning or even rejecting Christ.

ii. Why?

iii. Because if our gospel leads us to absolute freedom to do whatever we want… can’t I do that without Christ? Furthermore, if we are already in the New Kingdom… aren’t our sides already kinda chosen? Why continue to choose Christ?

iv. And it is clear that Paul understands that his words here could impose fear on both Timothy and any who would read this.

v. Indeed, to finish here (as I almost did when carving out which text to teach on) would be to leave us in a state of worry and fret.

vi. How can anyone be saved? How can anyone keep believing if such a tangential teaching can be abused to the point that people walk away from more essential matters?

vii. Paul needs to explain a somewhat paradoxical doctrine to us. And he will do it in one verse.

d. [Slide 17] 19 – However, God’s solid foundation remains standing,

i. God’s solid foundation is a building term. Probably referring to a house. This is the first metaphor of two that Paul will have in the next three verses. Both have to do with large or wealthy houses.

ii. Paul quotes or references a number of Old Testament passages in this single verse.

iii. [Slide 18] While it is difficult to isolate exactly what Paul is talking about in reference to the foundation, it seems as though he could be referencing Isaiah 28:16.

iv. This text indicates that the foundation is actually Jesus Christ, or even the gospel of Christ.

v. But what does this foundation have on it?

e. [Slide 19] Bearing this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,”

i. The foundation bears a seal. A seal is a mark of ownership. It is like a signature. This foundation, this great house is owned by God.

ii. But what does the seal say?

iii. This is a quote from a passage in Numbers 16.

iv. [Slide 20]The context of Numbers 16 is when Korah gathers a group of followers that think that they would make better leaders than Moses and Aaron. They specifically mention how they are all a part of this holy community and how there is no reason that some should be given exalted positions in God’s community. They should all be given authority to lead.

v. [Slide 21] After praying to God Moses states that in the morning the Lord will make known who are his. So, by implication that is knowledge that God has.

vi. [Slide 23]Jesus says something similar in John 10:27-28

vii. God knows who are truly His.

viii. So, what does this mean?

ix. Although from our perspective it is possible for all of us to deny Christ. From our perspective each of us are fragile and could walk away from the faith at any time.

x. Even from the Israelites perspective that day as many died in Korah’s rebellion, when they cried “What if the earth swallows us too?” God knows who are his.

xi. What does this imply?

xii. [Slide 24] That God will never lose any that are truly His. There is never uncertainty with God. He didn’t accidentally kill anyone who was innocent of the rebellion. He didn’t swallow 1 too many in that day. And He isn’t waiting with bated breath to see who will endure. He won’t accidentally allow one of His people to wander astray never to be found again.

xiii. He has already chosen the bride for His son. They are His and those who are His no one can snatch them from His hand… yes… even those in His hand cannot undo it.

xiv. But what is the other side of this paradox?

f. [Slide 25] And “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.”

i. This is probably an amalgam of several Old Testament texts. Both in reference to confessing or naming the name of God and in departing from evil.

ii. [Slide 26] But held in the context of Numbers 16 – God commanded all the Israelites to separate themselves from the tents of Korah and his nearest accomplices.

iii. What does this mean?

iv. Even though God knows all who are His and as Moses said, would make plain who are His by who is judged and who isn’t – the requirement was still that the people of Israel step away from the tents of Korah. They did this, and then Korah was swallowed into the earth.

v. This is the human responsibility side.

vi. [Slide 27] How do we look in the mirror and know… we are His? How do we look at our neighbor and know… he or she is one of His sheep?

vii. Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord MUST turn away from evil.

viii. Paul puts this in the imperative. It is a command.

ix. So, what is Paul saying?

x. Well to turn away is not the same word for repent. We may be tempted to think this means repentance. It doesn’t. Instead, Paul uses a word with a variety of different nuances.

1. To go away

2. To depart

3. To desert

4. To withdraw

5. To revolt

6. To shun

7. To flee

8. To cease

9. To vex

10. To fall away

11. To keep oneself from

xi. So, what is the common theme in all these? Opposition. To turn away from evil, is to hate it and fight it. To be appalled by it.

xii. So, let’s put the whole thought together…

xiii. We know we are the Lord’s when we are successful in obeying His command to fight off and hate, be appalled by or depart from our own wickedness.

xiv. If we are unable to succeed in doing that… then the validity of our confession of the name of the Lord is immediately called into question.

g. [Slide 28] Passage Truth: Paul shows another truth in this passage that is profoundly impacting. Christ is God’s foundation. God has sealed His foundation with His holy seal which states that He knows who are His. His judgement will not fall on those who are actually His and who stand on the foundation of Christ.

h. Passage Application: But as the human side of that, Timothy must continue to teach and cling to the sound words of Christ while putting down, avoiding, and departing from ungodly teachings and those who teach them.

i. [Slide 29] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out from this, we know from scripture that God is the sovereign one. Meaning that it is absolutely outside the realm of possibility for God to lose one of His elect ones. We may wrestle here with election or the human side of apostasy – but we cannot argue the plain truth here in scripture. God will not lose any whom He has chosen. And that is a great comfort to us. Especially when we see so many reject their faith and walk away. When they die in that rejection we can say – well I guess they weren’t actually His. Because we dare not say, well I guess God lost one.

j. Broader Biblical Application: But we also cannot forsake the human side of this as well. God provided the Israelites with truth. He is about to reign down judgment on Korah… so step aside! And certainly, logically, one could conclude that if they had not stepped aside God would have swept them away too. But, although this makes logical sense, it is checked against the teaching that God will not lose any of His own. What does that mean? Although we are comforted by the truth of God knowing His own and keeping His own, it does not absolve us of our responsibility to cling to Christ and reject false teachers and their teachings. A promise of God’s work does not give license for passivity. Both God’s will and human responsibility work in concert with one another. How? Well, that is maybe a finer point that we can debate another time, in private with humility and love toward one another.

Title: Worthy of suffering

Text: II Timothy 2:8-13

FCF: We often struggle in the Christian life to endure suffering and trial.

Prop: Because the gospel of Christ is worth suffering for, we must continually cling to the truth of the gospel.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy 2. Last week, Paul came back to some key concepts he mentioned Chapter 1. In different words now in chapter 2 Paul gives Timothy the same commands as before. He tells him to be ready to suffer for the sake of the gospel. Through illustrations he emphasizes that the Christian life is full of struggle. It is full of suffering. Not just the suffering of sickness, and pain, such is the human experience, but mostly suffering for the sake of the gospel of Christ. Paul is saying all this knowing that he is about to ask Timothy to join him in Rome. The place of his current confinement. Paul is calling on Timothy to suffer for Christ, not in the theoretical someday, but in the practical and close future.

Having stated this, Paul now turns to emphasize how the gospel is worthy of suffering, both in its truth and in is promises. In its correctness and in its reward the gospel is worthy to proclaim despite the cost. The gospel is worthy to be clung to, no matter what.

This is where Paul takes us next. He will show us that suffering for the gospel is a fitting activity for those who are in Christ.

I’ll start reading again in verse 1 of chapter 2. I am reading from the NET starting on page 1342 if you are in the pew bible, otherwise follow along in the version you have.

Transition:

I listened to a sermon recently. In it, the preacher conveyed a short illustration that I would like to use also.

A friend of the famous martyr Jim Elliot once flew with a pilot over the site in Ecuador where Jim Elliot was killed. As they flew overhead, the pilot said “That is where Jim died.” The friend replied, “No it isn’t.” The pilot, somewhat taken aback said, “Yes, it is , I was the one who flew him here and collected his body after. That is where he died.” The friend said, No. I was with Jim when he died. It was in a little church in the US several years ago. He was crucified with Christ that day. It wasn’t him that was living after that. It was Christ living in him.

To understand the gospel, and to truly know Jesus Christ in a personal way, is to have been crucified with Christ, yet live because Christ lives in us. So with Paul I say…

I.) The gospel of Christ is worth suffering for, so we must keep the gospel at the front of our minds. (8-10)

a. [Slide 2] 8 – Remember Jesus Christ,

i. Paul calls on Timothy to exercise his memory. He calls on Timothy to recollect all that Paul has taught him regarding Jesus Christ.

ii. The teaching he is supposed to entrust to faithful people who are competent to teach others also… the teaching that he heard in the presence of many others as witnesses, this teaching is… Jesus Christ.

iii. About this Jesus Christ Paul wants to highlight two truths.

iv. As we head into both of these items we need to recognize the order that Paul sets the title Jesus Christ.

v. While I will say, that in most contexts, the difference between saying Christ Jesus and Jesus Christ is probably negligible. It seems that in this text it is done with purposeful intention.

vi. Christ as we know is not Jesus’ surname, but is a transliteration of the Greek word Cri;stoV which means anointed one or Messiah.

vii. So when we say Christ Jesus we mean, The anointed one of God, Jesus. And when we say Jesus Christ, we are saying Jesus, the anointed one of God.

viii. In subtle nuance it is generally accepted that placing Christ first gives slight emphasis on His deity, and placing Jesus first places slight emphasis on His humanity.

ix. In our previous 7 verses, Paul uses the name Christ Jesus.

x. In that section Christ is the source of grace for us, He is our commander, he is our prize. These are all roles of authority and divinity.

xi. And so, when Paul switches to Jesus Christ in the middle of this and then back again in verse 10– it is a subtle indication to Timothy and us that Paul is going to shift his focus from Jesus the son of God to Jesus the son of man.

xii. So, as we move forward here, we need to pay particular attention to the humanity of Christ and His work in that humanity. Since Paul is calling on Timothy to suffer, we should also view Christ’s work through that lens. When we do, we see Paul make an powerful point.

xiii. So right off the bat, before we move on, what do we need to remember about Jesus, this God-Man, who was the anointed one of God?

xiv. What was He anointed to do?

1. He was anointed to be our Savior.

2. He was anointed to conquer sin.

3. He was anointed to be our prophet to teach us the ways of God and our priest to keep us clean of sin.

4. He was anointed to be the hope of the nations.

5. He was anointed to bring us into peace with God.

xv. Jesus’ humanity is central to His salvific work. If He was not truly human – our sins still condemn us, and God must still rightfully judge us for them. If He was not truly human – we have no prophet to teach us the truth of God’s Word, and we have no priest to represent us before God.

xvi. But what else must we remember about Jesus, the Messiah of God.

b. [Slide 3] Raised from the dead,

i. This is a HUGE statement for SOOOOO many reasons.

ii. First, this is a fairly large stumbling block for Jews. Why? Because God cannot die.

iii. It also brings up some pretty heady theological issues for US. If Jesus is God and Man. 100% of each. How could He die?

iv. Is it possible for God to die? Of course not. For God to die would mean the universe would cease to exist. For God the Son to die would mean the universe would implode.

v. So how is it that Jesus died?

vi. His divine nature allowed his human nature to die. Again – the necessity of Jesus being human.

vii. A second rather large item in this is that the Greek for this says something to the effect of “having been raised from dead ones” raised is a participle and dead is plural. What does this mean?

1. First, that Paul wants Timothy to remember Jesus as the “having been raised” one. As much as we love the cross and should speak of it often – any image of Jesus hanging there still is fundamentally opposed to how Paul commands Timothy to remember Jesus. He is not the dying savior. He is not the dead Savior. He is the risen Savior. Our crosses should always be empty along with our tombs. Because Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Paul wants to emphasize the risen-ness of Christ. He is a living Savior. This has particular significance as Timothy is being called to suffer for the gospel. The fact that Christ is the firstborn among many brothers to rise from the dead, gives Timothy hope that to suffer for His name is not to suffer in vain.

2. Second, when Paul uses this phrase “from the dead” dead is plural here. What does this mean?

a. I’ve wrestled with this and in some ways, still am, but I think I am fairly confident that when Paul says that Jesus was raised from the dead – to get the full picture – we should translate this “having been raised out from among the dead”

b. In the 1st century most people believed in a spiritual realm where your soul was imprisoned after you died. Even many Jews believed this. With that backdrop, Paul is saying that Jesus’ spirit broke out of this realm. Or rather, that he was broken out of this prison.

c. What does this mean? That Jesus as the human anointed one of God would experience death in every way that a human would. Not only pain and agony, not only his body expiring, Not only his body being buried in the earth but also his human spirit descending into the realm of the dead. But the realm of the dead had no power over Him. Why? Because He was not JUST a man –He was GOD! The true and eternal master of the realm of the dead.

d. And so, God has freed us from death, he has freed us from Satan. By Jesus being raised up from among the dead, he has provided for us a path in that all that are in Christ are raised up with Him.

e. And so, for us, death has died. It has lost its sting. It is not a prison, but rather it is merely a gate we must walk through to go into His presence.

viii. Remember Jesus… the conqueror of death, the curse breaker, the firstborn among many brethren.

c. [Slide 4] A descendant of David;

i. Since he has been raised up from among the dead, he is now an eternal King.

ii. The order Paul puts these two truths in is, perhaps, significant. Remember that he is raised and that He is still a descendant of David. This affirms Christ’s continued existence as the God-Man. He is still united in two natures. It also paves the way for the Davidic Covenant to be fulfilled.

iii. Inherent in this teaching is that He is Lord of all. All things are under His feet or are being put under His feet.

iv. He is the King of the Jews, the covenant keeper, the fulfillment of many promises. He is the future for Israel. He is their redemption and their hope. He is the spring that will rise up in Jerusalem. They will remember the one whom they have pierced and they will mourn in repentance.

v. It also means that He will come again. For to be raised from among the dead and be a descendant of David is to be the King forever. To reign over the whole of God’s people.

vi. Jesus, an actual, physical descendant of David, fulfills all of this.

d. [Slide 5] Such is my gospel,

i. The message that Paul has preached – this good news – this saving faith – is that Jesus has conquered sin and death and is the living King of all things.

ii. This is significant groundwork for Paul to lay because the primary false teachers Timothy is opposing in Ephesus, which Paul will be addressing before the end of the chapter, not only are living lawbreaking lives but have concluded that the resurrection of all the dead has already occurred.

iii. Meaning that the church is currently in the full-kingdom state and are free to live as they wish, possibly even concluding that if Christ is King, and they are able to do something, then it must be ok since He would stop it if it were not ok.

iv. So, Paul begins with this groundwork that Christ has been raised and that He is King. But he will still deny the conclusions of these false teachers. More on that in the coming weeks.

e. [Slide 6] 9 – for which I suffer hardship to the point of imprisonment as a criminal,

i. These simple truths that mean much deeper things are the reason that Paul has been imprisoned.

ii. They are the reason he has been regarded as a criminal.

iii. Yes, HE is bound…but if death could not hold CHRIST…

f. [Slide 7] But God’s message is not imprisoned!

i. Jesus, the message of God cannot be imprisoned in any Roman cell if even the realm of the dead could not keep Him.

ii. Jesus the gospel of God cannot be bound.

g. [Slide 8] 10 – So I endure all things for the sake of those chosen by God,

i. So, Paul endures everything he has for the sake of those chosen by God.

ii. Why?

iii. If God would not spare His own Son. If the Son submitted to the will of the Father for the sake of His beloved, for the sake of His chosen ones, to suffer and die for them…

iv. Should Paul endure anything less? Should it be a great tragedy for Paul to suffer for Christ’s chosen bride?

v. Indeed, there is but one choice. To endure for the sake of the elect.

vi. To what end?

h. [Slide 9] That they too may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus

i. Paul makes it plain, that the elect to which He speaks are both those who have confessed Christ already and those who have not.

ii. Paul’s mission has always been to find God’s people.

iii. And just as Christ from heaven came to seek and save His bride… so Paul through suffering went to find her also.

iv. But not just for conversion – but to the eventual eschatological salvation. The salvation Paul speaks of here most assuredly is salvation in the ultimate sense. Glorification. How do we know?

v. He continues…

i. [Slide 10] And its eternal glory.

i. This is the end of it all.

ii. This is the finish line.

iii. Not just to be converted into Christ, but to reign with Him.

iv. To be wed to Him.

v. To inherit what He has. This is the future of the elect of God. And it is a future worth enduring all manner of suffering.

j. [Slide 11] Passage Truth: So, Paul’s primary teaching here for Timothy, as he prepares him to suffer for the gospel, is to emphasize to him that the gospel is worth suffering for. He has spent his life suffering for it and even though he is in prison for preaching it – its power continues to ripple through the world. Christ Himself has conquered sin and death. He is the current King. This is the gospel and it is worthy of full adherence. It is worth a little suffering to proclaim for the sake of the elect of God that they may obtain salvation in Christ.

k. Passage Application: So, what must Timothy do? Remember. How important is this simple command? Timothy I am calling you to suffer for Christ. How do you prepare for that? Remember who Jesus is. Remember what He has done. Not even death could hold him. He has been raised from among the dead, Timothy. He is now the fulfillment of prophesies made thousands of years ago! He is the Son of David. The Son of Man. The Son of God! Timothy… Such a gospel is worthy of suffering. Remember. Call to mind the gospel of Jesus Christ.

l. [Slide 12] Broader Biblical Truth: Looking to the rest of scripture we find that this gospel has been considered worthy of suffering by countless people. Even more as we trace back throughout the history of the church, those recorded and others unrecorded. Countless thousands have been massacred in the most disgusting ways by those who would not believe. IS IT WORTH IT? They certainly thought so. Not because these men and women were living for their best life now! But because they KNEW… that since they had been crucified with Christ, their life did not truly begin… until they were dwelling with Christ in His Kingdom.

m. Broader Biblical Application: CBC, how can we prepare to suffer for this gospel? The writing is on the wall my friends. It is only a matter of time before the world rightly recognizes us as a threat to their way of life. We who would dare preach freedom from sin to someone who loves their sin and wants to keep it. Such teaching cannot and will not be tolerated. And the church will either have to equivocate and stop preaching these messages or they will suffer. And make no mistake the teaching of Christ conquering sin and death and being the King of Kings is central to that whole discussion. Christ died to free us of sin, not simply its penalty but its power and eventually its very presence. So how do we prepare ourselves to face certain suffering? Recall Jesus Christ. We must put His person and work at the forefront of our minds. May our days begin and end with a meditation on the God-Man and His conquering of sin and death for us. May our days begin and end with a mediation on His Lordship and Sovereignty over all things. When the beginning and end of our thoughts are tuned to this… suddenly, suffering for His name… is a joy. How could it not be?

Transition:

[Slide 13(blank)] And so we see that the gospel is worthy of our suffering. And to prepare for it to be so in our lives, we must continually keep the truth of the gospel at the forefront of our minds. But it is not enough to simply recall it. Indeed, we must cling to it.

II.) The gospel of Christ is worth suffering for, so we must hold fast to the gospel. (11-13)

a. [Slide 14] 11 – This saying is trustworthy:

i. Paul will now take the opportunity to synthesize for us all that he has said into another one of his trustworthy sayings.

ii. This is our last trustworthy saying of the Pastoral Epistles.

iii. And it reads like a poem. This could mean it is a hymn, a creed, a confession, or some kind of well-known saying in the church at the time.

b. [Slide 15] If we died with Him, we will also live with Him.

i. Inherent in this phrase is the doctrine of substitution. Christ died our death – in the fullest way. So, we are baptized into His death. We die with Him.

ii. If we are those who have died with Him… what is true?

iii. We will also live with Him. Now what does this mean?

iv. This is to be raised into a new life. This is the promised resurrection to come.

v. Paul sets this in a future tense. That it has not yet happened. Already Paul begins to chip away at the teaching that the resurrection has already occurred. By putting this statement in the future tense, Paul shows that he is primarily talking about a physical resurrection.

vi. Just as Christ has been raised from among the dead, so also, we are now raised spiritually to new life, and will soon be raised from among the dead.

c. [Slide 16] 12 – If we endure, we will also reign with Him.

i. So, Paul says in this saying that if we endure, if we finish the race, if we fight the good fight, if we keep the faith, then we will also reign with Christ.

ii. Just as Christ is a descendant of David and rightful King eternal, so we, His chosen bride, will reign by His side.

iii. His words of endurance transports us to the present. If we are enduring… what?

iv. We will reign with Him. Again, in the future. We are not reigning with Him now.

v. So, Paul says if we died with him (past) and are enduring (present) then We will (future) live and reign with Christ.

vi. But now the hymn takes a negative turn.

d. [Slide 17] If we deny Him, he will also deny us.

i. As we saw in the first chapter, the same themes return.

ii. God’s true people, those who died with him and are enduring will live with him, and will reign with Him.

iii. Those who do not endure are those who will deny him.

iv. This is in the future tense. If we will deny Him… meaning that they are not denying him now but if, they sometime in the future, do deny him…. This is the only tense that Paul could use to express this thought. It is, from the author’s perspective, the “possible” future.

v. If we do deny him? Then what?

vi. He will in the future deny us.

vii. [Slide 18] But there is another layer here. The Greek language has 3 voices. In English we have active and passive voice. I bought the car vs. the car was purchased by me. But in Greek they have what is called a middle voice. Active voice emphasizes the action of the verb the subject is performing. Passive voice emphasizes the action of the verb the subject is receiving.

viii. [Slide 19] But Middle voice emphasizes the subject and their participation in the action they are performing.

ix. Oftentimes this means that they do the action to, for, or by themselves.

x. [Slide 20] So, in this passage, the denial of Christ is something that will be done in a special sense toward themselves. They are certainly denying Christ, but their part in that denial is emphasized.

xi. Indeed, to denounce, or deny is an action one must always do by themselves or even to themselves. Oftentimes middle voice is for an action used to their benefit – but here, certainly it is to their destruction.

xii. So, when we deny Christ for ourselves, likewise, he will deny us for Himself.

xiii. Yes – Christ’s denial of the deniers is focused on His part in that activity as well. There is some reflexive element to His denial.

xiv. Knowing this helps us enter into verse 13 and to understand it.

e. [Slide 21] 13 – If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful

i. If we are unfaithful, not believing, or without faith.

ii. This is an action. It is a verb.

iii. And in it we see this as a further expression of denial. But it is not in the future but rather in the now. In the present. If we are not believing, or, if we are without faith.

iv. What is true?

v. He remains or continues to be faithful. He continues to be trustworthy. This is not a verb. The verb here is remains. He remains what? The adjective – faithful. That is a characteristic of His that never changes.

vi. So, what does this mean?

vii. [Slide 22] There are three basic options for how to view this last line.

1. Certainly, the most popular view, is that this is meant to be a comfort. That despite temporary lapses in trust or faith, Christ is always faithful and will never deny Himself by breaking His promises to preserve His people.

2. A second, somewhat middle of the road interpretation, is that regardless of what men do, should every Christian on earth end up being unfaithful, Christ is still faithful. Meaning that the song breaks from God’s response to men and focuses on His character at the end.

3. A third, and more ancient view is that Christ’s faithfulness as the judge prevents Him from making exception for unbelief. If a person denies the Lord, or if a person does not endure in belief, Christ is faithful to keep His promise of judgment on such a person. To extend forgiveness in spite of their faithlessness would be to denounce Himself.

viii. Certainly, each interpretation is true. So regardless of where we land this morning, it can be supported from the rest of scripture.

ix. But looking strictly at the context of this book, I believe the third option seems to fit best for several contextual reasons.

1. The context of II Timothy is in regard to Paul passing on the mantle and for Timothy to take over, but peppered throughout are the warnings of men who were thought to be faithful but have turned out to be apostates. We have already seen this in Phygelus and Hermogenes. And we will see others, even before this chapter’s end. To be unfaithful or not believing is not a condition that the saved are usually described as. In fact, the opposite. The believing ones are those who will not perish but inherit eternal life. And so, for the “unfaithful” or those “without faith” to be a reference to saved people who have stopped believing for a time or sinned in some way, would be odd here. It is far more likely to refer to these men whom Paul is singling out by name.

2. The preceding couplet begins with a past condition with a future promise of hope. It then moves to a present condition with a future promise of hope. This next couplet begins with a future condition with a future promise of punishment, so for it to finish with a present condition with a future promise of hope breaks the pattern abruptly. However, if it finishes with a future promise of punishment, it would complete the pattern.

3. The preceding line of this proverb very clearly has those who are apostates and their eventual outcome of being rejected by Christ. And as we noted, for Christ to deny us for Himself, seems to indicate that there is some Christward action of His denial of the deniers. This second statement of Him remaining faithful, seems to indicate what that Christward action is. Namely, to maintain His own faithfulness.

x. For the final point, let’s finish verse 13

f. [Slide 23] Since he cannot deny Himself.

i. First, we do not know if this was included in the hymn. It actually seems like it is less of a hymn and more of Paul’s explanation to the ending of that hymn.

ii. Some translations have set off this poem but have excluded this line from it to show that they too see this not as part of the original poem or proverb.

iii. It seems best to read this last phrase as giving us the answer to this question. Christ is faithful to God the Father and does not denounce Himself when He what? Keeps His promise of judgment to the faithless.

iv. John 3:18 – The one who believes in Him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

v. My friends – Jesus will not denounce Himself and give to those who are unbelieving life. Rather He will remain faithful and give to the unbelieving, condemnation.

g. [Slide 24] Passage Truth: So, Paul, through this well-known hymn, continues his teaching that suffering for the sake of the gospel will not prove to be a fruitless cause. Indeed, within these promises of both having died with Christ and enduring in belief, there is promised reward. We will live with Him. We will reign with Him. On the other side though, for those who deny Him or are without belief, there is the certain expectation that He will remain faithful and rightly judge those who are still in their sin.

h. Passage Application: So, Timothy must endure. He must hold fast and cling to the gospel of Christ. Not just to think about it and keep it at the forefront of his mind, but to rest in it, even when the suffering seems too much to bear.

i. [Slide 25] Broader Biblical Truth: The bible is clear. Those who are believing are those who will not perish. Those who are enduring are those who will reign with Christ. This life is the proving ground. The furnace in which all the dross is purified from His people. But if all you are is dross… it will all burn away. Nothing will remain.

j. Broader Biblical Application: So, my friends, how do we prepare ourselves for suffering, knowing that to suffer for the gospel is a worthy cause with rich promises and blessings to follow? How do we get ready to do this? Not only must we keep the gospel before us… but we must also keep the gospel under us. It is both our light and our path. It is the narrow way and our guide. Christ is both the prize and sustainer!

Conclusion:

[Slide 26(end)] So what does this all mean for us today CBC? How can we apply this text?

We must remember and proclaim the death and resurrection of Christ. We must cling to and hold fast to His conquering of sin and death and His lordship over all things. He is both our light and our path. Our road and our bread. We who were baptized into His death will be raised in His life. We are sustained in His atonement and because of that, we will reign with Him someday.

My friends, it is by providence of God that we celebrate the Lord’s Supper today. A time when we not only remember Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us, but by this our faith is fed, filled, sustained by feasting on the reality of the atonement in physical signs. All our senses partake in the invisible truth of God’s sustaining power in the gospel of Christ.

So let us Remember Jesus Christ and all that He has done today.

After I pray, we will sing two songs to prepare us to Remember Christ and partake in His sustaining atonement.

Then we will have the men come forward and pass out the elements to each person. Remember that to eat and drink when your confession or your lifestyles do not conform to the gospel of Christ, is to eat and drink judgment upon yourself. But to eat and drink to be refreshed, sustained, and empowered to defeat sin and obey God is a marvelous reason to join us.

Before we partake of the bread, we will have a testimony of how God miraculously saved one of us. I will comment on the bread and we will eat.

We will do the same for the cup.

Afterward we will have 1 more testimony and then open the floor for more testimonies. After which we will close with a prayer of thanksgiving. Because we are to eat and drink in THANKFUL remembrance.

Once again – be sure to partake only if you know you are a follower of Christ, and desperately wish to be sustained by communion with Him and His bride.

Let me pray.