Being Thankful and productive in these troubled times
2 Timothy 3:10-17
Introduction-
Good morning online listeners, we are glad that you have joined us.
If you would turn to 2 Timothy, we are going to start there and use some other scriptures to launch what Apostle Paul calls his charge to Timothy.
Timothy is a young believer and Paul is trying to encourage him to stay strong in the faith and challenged him to make a difference.
Anyone here this morning want to make a difference?
To allow their life to have purpose and that purpose to please the Lord and really make a difference to those He brings and puts in our path?
Prayer-
Paul challenges Timothy and he challenges the church to be workmen that are not ashamed of the gospel, to be ones that rightly handle the truth of God and turn away from evil no matter if society is doing the wrong things or not.
He tells us to do that so that others watching us might come to the knowledge of truth and escape the trap the devil has set for them.
Before we get to the text, let’s look how Paul describes the culture-
2 Tim 3:1-7 Read from Bible slowly
Does this sound familiar?
Does this sound like today?
Every generation thinks that the new generation coming up is worse than they were-
Your parents thought you were bad and your grandparents thought they were worse.
Note Paul’s tone as he speaks to Timothy- “Mark this down” “take note” there will be terrible days in the last days- not maybe, there will be… and he tells us why.
“lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient, ungrateful, unholy and it just keeps escalating downward- treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
Grab this! “Having a form of godliness but denying it’s power”
HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM! WOW! That does not seem too Christian.
Have nothing to do with them. Is that what the Apostle Paul is really saying? Yes, yes that is exactly what he is saying if we take it in the right context.
This world is heading in the wrong direction
This world is rebelling against God. The world has a form of godliness.
Have nothing to do with that!
He is charging Timothy and he is charging the church- have nothing to do with that kind of living.
Be holy, be who God wants us to be.
Here is how the world lives- Here’s how you should be living (comparison)
Text- 2 Timothy 3:10-3:17 clearly
You have heard the expression
Cheer up! Things could be worse, so I cheered up and sure enough, things got worse.
That was the message of Paul to Timothy.
Paul was deeply concerned about what he was seeing as a trend and he did not like it and he was challenging Timothy to not be like the culture.
Some want to look at these last days and say “anything between Christ first coming and His return are considered last days.” True.
Some want to think last days as moments before Christ returns this is how society will be. True.
Hard times and hard days are coming.
If we are not ready, Christ will return as a thief in the night.
Christ could return at any time!
The Greek word translated “terrible” from verse one means it will be fierce, dangerous, frightening.
One preacher describes it as savage times as men cast off all moral restrains and society begins to disintegrate.
Buckle up Timothy- times are going to get rough!
Church, buckle up because things are changing!
Pay attention
Mark this down
Understand this and get this!
Don’t be surprised when this happens.
This is what happens when a nation turns it back on God! We have seen the nation of Israel do it repeatedly.
Reject God- get unruly, ungrateful, create idols.
Lovers of pleasure- moral collapse!
All that once was good is now abandoned.
All that once was rejected is now embraced.
Society breaks down.
“Every man does what is right in his own eyes.”
Woe to the person or god that would tell us different. That is what the world is saying.
Unfortunately that is not where the religious rebels stop.
Watch out for those that have an appearance of godliness
Watch out for moral breakdowns
Watch out for postmodern religion that takes you away from God’s fundamental truth.
Watch out for religious organizations going through the motions that will be appealing to some because they have endorsed something that does not line up with God’s Word. That will not please everyone.
Be careful Timothy! Be careful Church!
There will be false teachers.
In an attempt to be politically correct, some are theologically wrong! (repeat)
The Nazarenes work with many churches and denominations. We do not think that we are the only ones that speak the truth. There are some however, that we cannot embrace because they are wrong Biblically.
Okay, we get it, we live in a society far from God. We have many who have turned their back on God. But there are many people, many churches that hold to God’s truths and we can take some encouragement and guidance from the challenge Paul gives Timothy and us today.
Pass the Test/Follow Godly leaders
Identify the times, but don’t let culture change you, you change the culture. (repeat)
This may be the way others are acting, but you know my ways, my purpose, my faith, and you have seen me persecuted for what I believe.
In fact, I’m in prison as I write this challenge to you.
Marks of a godly person
They have nothing to hide- (10) “you know all my teachings”
They teach the truth- “you know my doctrine
They practice what they preach- Paul says “you know my faith, and my patience.”
They are not afraid of persecution- “you know my sufferings.”
Truth is, we become like who we hang around. We become what we are taught and apply to our lives. Good or bad.
Paul’s point was find godly people who follow after Christ and allow them to lead you.
(12) “Everyone that wants to live a godly life In Jesus will be persecuted.”
Some did not like what Jesus did or represented and some will not like what you stand for either.
What is happening in other countries and parts of the world will one day happen here. American Christians are not above persecution.
No one gets a get out of jail free card when it comes to persecution.
Persecution is a part of a serious Christian’s life
Remember the words of Jesus
“No servant is greater than his master, if they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” John 15:20
The greatest leader to follow is Jesus Christ, and then we are to follow those that model Jesus Christ.
Be committed to the Lord and what you have learned (14-15)
Stay the course- apply what you have learned.
Don’t get distracted by clever talkers.
Paul tells Timothy and he tells us, apply what you have learned because you know that it works.
Understand what you are going to do before the crisis becomes a crisis.
Some have abandoned the faith- what I mean by that is it never stands up to the test. It always collapses because it hinges on personal beliefs rather than the truth of God.
“Having a form of godliness, but denying its power.”
The truth of God will stand the test of time and the test of faith.
If there is no power, it is not a truth of God.
The word of God applied will sustain you because there is power in the Word of God.
God’s word is useful
(16) “All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Everything we need to get to heaven is written and found in this Bible.
What it takes to live a productive life for Christ is in here!
The Bible is the finished product of God so that we can have answers to life problems.
Does it have every answer for every problem? Probably not.
Some answers are common sense.
If you know God’s will for certain things, you can apply that knowledge to know how He would like/dislike something else.
In here (Bible)
How to know God
How to live productive lives.
Where your strength comes from.
How to be transformed
How to get to heaven.
Closing,
We never out grow this Bible. It teaches us everything we need if we will let it.
Live it
Believe it
Digest it
Obey it
And follow it- then teach others to do the same!
You want to have the upper hand of the terrible times ahead?
Read the Word
Know the Word
Obey the Word- let it be you directional guide to life
Tells us what is right- (teaching)
Tells us what is wrong- (rebuking)
Tells us how to get right and to stay right- Amen!
This world, this society is getting worse. The things of God are being challenged at every level. That does not mean we have to go there.
We do not have to reject God
Fall away from our faith
Be ever learning and never able to grasp the truths of God.
Listen
If we look at this passage correctly- we will understand
The world may get worse- Don’t be surprised.
The tough times are coming- Don’t be discouraged.
We need each other, and we need God to help us.
We may be persecuted someday, but we will not be defeated.
To live is Christ, to die is gain. We belong to Christ
Ministry in the last days will be tough- that is why we need God more everyday.
Only the strong in Christ will make it
Build your life on God and His Word and you will not only survive hard times, you will make an impact in those hard times.
We may be living in hard times, but we are not living in defeated times, we can make an impact with those we are around.
