We are not the divine author. God is.

I have a confession. Every time I have gotten on this stage to give a message, I have been a little scared, especially lately. I have not been scared about what I am saying and whether or not it is Biblical. On the contrary, I have been scared of the reaction the words I speak will have on the people I have come to love and enjoy being around. I know that some of the things that I have said in the past have certainly been difficult to hear, because they have been difficult to say. I know that if the world around us hears what is being said they might not like it, or rather they will not like what is being said. You see, I believe that God has this perfect plan. God in his infinite wisdom created everything. God knew what he was doing when he created Adam, and then Eve. Biologically things just fit as God intended. Genesis 1:27 says “He created them male and female.” Just saying those few words makes me nervous. Biblically did I say anything wrong? No. I stated what the Bible says. But some would suggest that by me implying that a Male and a Female are biologically intended to “fit together”, and that God created them male and female, that I am playing a politically divisive game.

That is not at all what I am trying to do. I would like to suggest that politics should have nothing to do with the Bible. Who cares if you vote Conservative, Democratic, Republican, Liberal, NDP, Bloc, PPC, Green, or even the communist party of Canada. Those political parties should not have any sway over what you think about the Bible! The Bible is God’s word, not man's! What should be said is that no matter our political leanings, and thinkings we all make up the body of Christ and this is why we need to come together and lean heavily on the word of God as our guide.

Paul was no stranger to being accused of similar things. The Jewish leaders saw him as spreading dangerous information that threatened their affluent “political” positions. So more than once they had him beaten, more than once they tried to have him killed, and ultimately they had him imprisoned through a series of tried and failed attempts to shut Paul up.

The world today does not care about those within churches who are just saying what they want to hear, however those who speak out against the sins of the world tend to be the target of the world. Possibly even a target from those who are within the church. This targetting comes about whether we talk about sexual sins, substance abuse sins, or sinning by placing things like work/money/games above God.

As I have been struggling with what to say and how to say it I couldn’t help but think of Paul’s second letter to Timothy. Timothy was young and was up against the world. The world didn’t want to hear what scripture had to say, and it certainly didn’t want to hear about Paul’s testimony. Especially since Paul didn’t have trouble calling out the sins of this world. You get this sense that Timothy might have begun to feel a little discouraged with how he was being treated by those around him. So Paul begins his letter in 2 Timothy 1 encouraging Timothy.

In 2 Timothy 1:5-8 we read Paul’s encouraging words…

2 Timothy 1:5–8 NIV

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

Paul reminds Timothy not to be timid or afraid, and to not be ashamed of the testimony of Jesus, Paul or the Gospel. One may wonder what Timothy had to be “timid” off when it came to preaching the Gospel. One thing Timothy had to be timid of was how people looked down upon him because of his age. However, I would argue this was not his biggest obstacle. His biggest obstacle was being named a church leader in Ephesus. While Ephesus was known to be a “free” city it was ultimately subject to Roman control. This is relevant because at the time of this particular letter Emperor Nero was ramping up his persecution of Christians throughout his empire, which consequently included Ephesus. Nero delighted himself in arresting and torturing Christians especially church leaders. He would execute these Christians in very public ways. Some were crucified, some were thrown to wild animals, and others were burned alive.

To speak the truth about things like drunkenness, and sex outside of the bounds that the scriptures describe (amoung other things) was to stand against Nero himself.

It is not hard to discover how the Romans and Nero lived their lives, and they certainly didn’t live their lives following the scripture.

During this time many leaders turned away from preaching the truth, Paul describes instances like this in 2 Timothy 2: 16-18, 2 Timothy 4:3-4 and then also in 2 Timothy 4: 14-17

2 Timothy 2:16-18 says:

2 Timothy 2:16–18 NIV

Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 says:

2 Timothy 4:3–4 NIV

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

2 Timothy 4:14-17 says:

2 Timothy 4:14–17 NIV

Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.

We see in these few passages Paul reminding Timothy of the destruction that false preaching can lead to. We see how people have the desire to gather around them preachers (teachers) who only teach what the world wants to hear. We also hear a little testimony about how when Paul was opposed by the metalworker, everyone who was with Paul were so scared that they abandoned Paul to defend the truth by himself. Then we see how God delivered Paul from the fate of suffering at the mouth of a lion. Christian’s were justifiably afraid to stand by someone who confidently preached from the word of God.

We remember that Paul’s response to this fear in Chapter one verse 7 was to not be afraid. Then we see further instructions throughout 2 Timothy.

In 2 Timothy 1:13-14 Paul instructs Timothy by saying:

2 Timothy 1:13–14 NIV

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

In 2 Timothy 2:14-16 Paul urges Timothy with these words:

2 Timothy 2:14–16 NIV

Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.

Then we see a command from Paul. Paul commands Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1-2:

2 Timothy 4:1–2 NIV

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

I know… I keep on saying Paul directed something at Timothy. That is because the letters as we read them were addressed to Timothy. However, if you truly believe that all scripture (as in The Holy Bible from Genesis to Revelations) is indeed God breathed then 2 Timothy isn’t just a letter from Paul to Timothy. It is still scripture. God intended for you and me to see Paul’s words and God intended for you and me to be commanded by Paul’s words.

Paul, interestingly enough, writes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

It has been pointed out by academics and scholars that Paul, when he wrote this, was speaking about the Old Testament as scriptures. He wasn’t necessarily speaking about his own words. Well even if that was the case, the scriptures as they stand, from Paul’s perspective, led Paul to the conclusions that he stated in 2 Timothy. Further, just because Paul didn’t realize that God was using him to contribute to the scriptures as we know them today, doesn’t mean that God didn’t intend the Epistles to be scripture. God inspired and breathed out these words through Paul for all of us to be taught, rebuked, corrected and to be trained in righteousness! We are not the divine author, God is.

So as I stand here today, what is God saying to me through the entirety of 2 Timothy?

God is saying do not be afraid to share what the scriptures are saying. God is giving a warning that there will be a time when people will not want to hear what the Bible has to say because it doesn’t support what they think they want. Even Jesus points out this idea throughout the passage in Matthew 13:14-38. So instead of listening to the truth, they will surround themselves with false stories and narratives. People will abandon those who choose to speak the truth because the truth no longer “tickles their ears”. God is calling us as those who are charged to hold to the Good News, to Preach about the Good news. Being ready at all times. Willing to tell people what they need to do. Willing to tell people when they are wrong. Encouraging those who are around us with great patience and careful teaching. And ultimately putting on the full armour of God preparing us for every season of life as described in Ephesians 6:10-18.

So what is this good news?

Well, it starts with death and ends with life. God, in his infinite wisdom, created everything. He created man and woman, woman and man he created them. But man, through free will, gave in to sin. As a result, death was born. God, not able to look upon sin, was separated from man. But he desired for man to have the ability to be redeemed. God the Father put in place a need for a sacrifice that would atone for one's sin, but this didn’t amount to what needed to be done. So God the father put into action the perfect plan. God would send his son. He would send his son into the world to save the world and not condemn it. God so loved the world. God the son didn’t see his position as something he needed to cling to but willingly humbled himself to a position of a servant, where he died a criminal's death. He died this criminal's death paying for our sinful debt. He died so that all who would believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus was the final atoning sacrifice, and then on the third day, God elevated his son to sit on the throne with him. But God’s plan didn’t end there. He knew we would need a helper, so God sent the Holy Spirit to guide us in all we do. God, through his infinite wisdom, designed a way for us to be saved. We would just need to submit our lives to Jesus.

God knew what he was doing and saying then. He knows what he is doing and saying now. God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. His perfect plan does not change at the whim of man. We can’t just pick and choose what we want from God, if we are to follow God, we need to follow everything God says, and we need to be willing to live our lives in submission to Jesus Christ.

There is an image I often think of. I imagine standing before God and having a choice. I have followed most of the things in the Bible that we are instructed to do. I have lived this way and not that. But I have also fallen. So when I stand before the father, I have a choice. I can stand before him, claiming I am mostly good and that I have lived a life that most should be proud of. But the problem is I will fall short every time. Or I can submit my life to Jesus, being washed in the blood, having every sin cleansed from me. So when it comes time, I can stand in front of God the Father, and I will say, Father, look not at what I have done but at what your son has done.

The world, as we know it, is tempting. It offers us something that relies on the self. It offers us something that glorifies the self. But as we worship our self-pleasures and we gather around us preachers who support our self-pleasures because they themselves are bound by their own self-pleasures, we will find that we will drift further and further from what the scriptures tell us. As a result, we will find that we need to work harder to justify what the world and our desires are telling us is okay.

Before I go, I have two questions…

Are you willing to stand against the flow of our culture today, preaching the Good News, telling people what they need to do according to the scriptures, lovingly correcting them when they are wrong, all the while encouraging them with great patience and careful teaching?

Or are you going to take the easy way out, justifying why the Bible is saying one thing while you are living another way?

Let’s Pray.