We turn the page with all of Scripture

Everything we are doing here on earth is preparing for eternity. However, many times we are star gazing. We are just biding our time until the kingdom is complete. We are a new creation, we have a new house from God, we are called to be ministers of reconciliation and ambassadors for Christ.

If you are not turning the pages of scripture how are going to know what it looks like to live as a new creation.

2nd Week - Big idea: The Old Testament opens the window to the new. “Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law not to abolish the law.” The whole Bible is all about Jesus and his glory. You cannot fully understand the New Testament if you are not turning the pages of the Old Testament.

Week 3 - What happens when you face opposition to the truth?

Note: at the end of chapter 2 prior to chapter 3 Paul speaks of those who rightly handle the truth in verse 15 and notice what he say’s in verse 16 “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.” (He is saying you have an infection that will kill you) He is speaking of those who have swerved from the truth.

“Opposition to the Truth is not a passing situation, but a permanent Characteristic of this Age”

Maybe Paul fears that Timothy will become over-optimistic, hoping that if he lies low for awhile, the storm will pass. But Paul gives him no such hope. We too should ‘understand this’, and be clear about the perils and troubles which will come against us if we are standing firm in the truth of the gospel.

2 Timothy 3:1–9 ESV

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

“In the Last Days”(what are the last day’s)

We may assume that Paul is referring to the future epoch last day’s preceeding the end when Christ returns. However, this is the conviction of the New Testament authors that the new age (promised in the Old Testament) arrived with Jesus Christ, and that with His coming the old age had begun to pass away and the last day’s are now here.

We are living in the last days, this is a picture of the present, not the future.

Children imitate superheroes. Elementary kids grow up and want to be like their favorite athletes. Little girls sing with their hairbrush in front of a mirror emulating their favorite singer. Teenagers follow the style and interests of pop culture. I have watched young pastors try to mimic the style of their favorite preacher.

We have all observed the power of an example.

For Many, the World Lacks any Discernible Truth

The popular Pursuit of Wonder YouTube channel (almost two million subscribers) gives an excellent concise insight on Existentialism. One segment is noteworthy:

Now more than ever we are exposed to a plethora of ideas about life. The Internet has made it so we can consume a seemingly unending amount of content on the topic of living most effectively. However, simultaneously, this access to information has also allowed the consumer to realize just how conflicting most ideas are.

In the West, the popularity of traditional religion (has) reduced as a result. (And) for many, the increasing access to information has revealed that the world is basically without any discernible truth, and most ideas about how to live are inconclusive and unreliable. It is fair to speculate that this could be a major contributing factor to the modern world's increasing levels of anxiety, cynicism, and disillusion.

Choosing between conflicting ideas of how to live has always been an issue for the individual. But in the modern world, where conflicting ideas are constantly smacking us in the face, we can often find ourselves failing in our attempt to find footing in this reality.

At birth it's as if we are all given a slab of clay. We get to choose what to mold it into. However, … there is no right or wrong way to mold the clay. Rather there are endless ways, all equally absurd, all equally meaningless

BIG IDEA: We turn the pages of scripture to know Truth from Error.

Because of the importance of living examples, it is necessary for us to know who we should follow.

There are good godly examples to emulate and ungodly examples to avoid. Paul is showing both extremes in our text today.

During my ministry it seems that I have spent more of my time retraining those who have sat under poor examples of teaching and godliness. Paul’s desire as he points out at the end of chapter 2 is that people might be granted the knowledge of truth.

2 Timothy 2:25–26 ESV

25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Note: However we read in verse 7 of chapter 3 that there will be those who never fully arrive at the truth.

HOW DOES TURNING PAGES HELP US KNOW TRUTH FROM ERROR?

1. It helps us Know how Avoid Ungodly Examples

This may seem like a dumb question of the forefront. You may be saying, well duh of course we want to know truth from error! The problem is that many of us either unknowingly or blindly.

Such obstinate, disruptive individuals must be avoided. To “avoid” them might even mean completely to break fellowship with them.

Of course, believers should not avoid contact with all unbelievers; the individuals in view here are those who are within the church, wrecking others’ lives. Leaders must guard the flock against wolves, and believers must avoid the example of the ungodly.

Several Questions to Ask Ourselves:

What kind of person are you, godless or godly?

Are you willing to admit when you have led someone astray? (knowingly or many times unknowingly)

What kind of person are you becoming?

Who are the examples you are following?

How does turning pages help us avoid Ungodly Examples?

*It exposes the misdirected loves

vs. 2-4

Notice that their lives are described as lovers of self, lovers of money, unloving, without a love for God.

Paul is bracketing this list of sinful practices with statements of love in verses 2 and 4.

“Everyone worships something or someone”

We all come into the faith, no matter how young or old we might be as worshipers of self. Paul mentions three glaring loves that we are all prone to at some level.

(1) Narcissism (The Love of Self) vs.2 “For people will be lovers of self”

(2) Materialism (The Love of things, money) “lovers of money”

(3) Hedonism (The Love of Pleasure) “lovers of pleasure”

Paul had pointed this glaring flaw out in 1 Timothy 6:5-10 speaking to the teachers inordinate love, especially the love of money.

3 glaring downfalls of most Spiritual Leaders in our culture today

Humility (the contrast of Narcissism). (Ravi Zacharius)

Integrity (in contrast to Hedonism).

Generosity (in contrast to Materialism)

*It Exposes the Religious Show

Notice: note that Paul points out that there is a form of godliness that may appear to be godly, however, their lives are a show and do not lead to true godliness.

They have external practices but they are morally corrupt.

The were full of empty form, empty talk, and had no substance. (1 Timothy 1:4)

The Bible is full of Examples of Religious Showmen

I think of the movie that came out a few years ago “The Greatest Showman,” headlined by Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum. It follows the story of P.T. Barnum’s rise to fame with his circus. Barnum had a natural talent for publicity, promotion. After trying his hand at various jobs, P.T. turns to show business to indulge his limitless imagination, rising from nothing to create a spectacle that became the greatest show under the big top.

There are many examples in scripture of similar religious showmen, those who have the appearance of godliness but are actually ungodly. Through the prophet Isaiah, God gave a mighty rebuke to the people of Judah.

He argued them to wash themselves, remove evil, and repent. Why? They had big religious feasts, prayers, and worship services but were not doing good, seeking justice, correcting oppression, defending the fatherless, or pleading for the widow. At which point God say’s that he will not listen to the because their hands are covered with blood. (Isaiah 1:14-17)

Listen to how James describes the pure undefiled religion that God requires in James 1:27

James 1:27 ESV

27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Note: Notice that Jesus called out the religious establishment of the day as being hypocrites and lawless.

Matthew 23:28 ESV

28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

In this sermon Jesus calls the Pharisees “hypocrites” (seven times), “fools” (once), “blind” (five times), and “snakes”/”brood of vipers” (once)

Why did Jesus reserve some of His harshest words for these offenders?

“There is a fundamental difference betwen those Paul describes in verses 1-9 and a spirit- filled and spirit-led follower of Christ.”

*It Exposes the Evil Proselyte

What is a Proselyte?

A proselyte is a new convert, especially someone who has recently switched from one religion to another.

Finally, as if their corrupt lives and religious emptiness were not enough, Paul says that certain people would also try to win converts to their wicked religion. And the way they would try to add to their number was evil.

Notice three parts: their tactics, their victims, and their mental corruption.

First, Paul says that they worm their way into households (v. 6). There method was not out in the open, it was sneaky and secretive. Beware of any religion that is steeped in secrecy.

Notice how Paul describes those who are being lead away:

Capturing Weak women - Paul is not using this description of all women but rather those who are immature and weak in their faith.

Burdened with sin - because of their unclean consciences they were willing to latch onto hear anything, even messages from false teachers, and false doctrines.

Preyed on their intellectual weakness - they were intellectually weak, morally weak, and gullible by nature. These women would listen to anybody, but they were never able to come to “a knowledge of the truth.”

Choosing a time when the menfolk were out (presumably at work), they would concentrate their attention on “weak women.”

This is as old as the fall of man,” for the serpent first deceived Eve. It was also employed by the Gnostics, and has been the regular ploy of religious commercial travelers right up to and including the Jehovah’s Witnesses of our own day. (Stott, Message, 89)

Paul gives the example in verse 8 of Egyptian sorcerers who opposed Moses before Pharaoh hardening his heart. When Moses threw down his rod and it became a snake, they cast down their rods, which also became snakes. These sorcerers opposed Moses like the false teachers were opposing Paul and Timothy (and by extension those who proclaim God’s word today)

Such men are corrupt in mind and mentally warped say’s Paul.

vs 9 Evil will always come to light and be exposed for what it really is.

In Egypt God sent the plagues and eventually the sorcerers power or lack of any real true power was revealed. God would preserve his truth and evil will always be exposed for what it really is.

This makes me think of the Roman soldier at the foot of the cross. After the executioners did their worst acts of evil to insure that Jesus was dead. He made the declaration “surely this was the son of God.”

Like Timothy we must rest in God’s promises and courageously keep teaching His truth in spit of all the false religious systems that keep popping up every year.

Transition

We must avoid self-centered lives with misdirected loves and corrupt relationships, religious forms devoid of Christ’s power, and the evil tactics of false teachers.

Paul is now going to describe the better way which only happens when we start turning the pages of scripture.

HOW DOES TURNING PAGES HELP US KNOW TRUTH FROM ERROR?

2. It Helps us Know what it Looks like to follow Godly Examples

There was a clear radical difference between Paul’s lifestyle and that of the false teachers mentioned in the previous section. He reminded Timothy that he had seen and knew well of his “lifestyle,” “teaching,” and “conduct.”

Bad Examples

Today, everybody and his brother (and lover and agent) claim to be Christians. When I was a kid, God may not have gotten the recognition he merits, but today he gets more publicity than he deserves. People used to hide their light under a bushel; today it would be good if some had the sense not to share their testimony.

*It gives us a life worth following

What are you living for today?

“The Bible has a way of exposing what we truly look like, our true nature. Next week we will be in Hebrews 4:12 which describes the word of God as a sword that exposes the thoughts and intentions of a man’s heart.”

Paul’s life was lived out in the open for all to see. Paul’s purpose was to live for something greater than pleasure, money, or personal gain. Paul expressed his single minded passion to the Ephesians Elders:

Acts 20:24 ESV

24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Paul’s great aim in life was to finish the ministry, finish the race of testifying to the gospel for the glory of Christ.

Paul tells Timothy to remember his childhood the example he had been given from Paul. What must he have taken from these four virtues.

Note: What of the four virtues that Paul mentions are missing in your life today?

FAITH

Timothy had witnessed these four qualities that are at the heart of the Christian life. Timothy observed Paul’s faithfulness in ministry (in Acts 18:5-11 when Silas and Timothy arrived in Macedonia what did they find Paul doing? It says that he was occupied with the faithful witness to the gospel of Christ.

PATIENCE

Timothy knew of his patience towards others especially with the Corinthian Church.

LOVE

He witnessed his love for the churches Philippians 1:7-8 “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart … and he yearned to be with them.

ENDURANCE

He could not miss Paul’s amazing endurance as he kept on going despite endless hardships to include: beatings, imprisonments, riots, sleeplessness, hunger.

Which of these is most absent in your walk and life right now?

Perhaps you are struggling with your faithful witness in your daily life. Perhaps you struggle with what it looks like to love people as Jesus loves you. Maybe you are lacking in being hardy for the kingdom of God. We do not use that word much anymore but perhaps it is a word that needs to be revived. Are you one to run from the difficulties and sacrifices you know you are called to make for the sake of kingdom work?

My guess is that most of us struggle with patience. Maybe because that is what I would say! Later Paul would tell Timothy (and us) to “proclaim the message … with patience.”

The kind of patience we need only comes from an abiding love relationship with Jesus Christ. This kind of relationship is only possible as you open this book and begin to turn the pages of scripture.

Paul now reminds Timothy that the Lord has rescued him from them all.

God is the ultimate rescuer of us all He has delivered His people time, and time again. Throughout all the pages of scripture we read of His great victories over His enemies.

Though He never promises us that this life will be easy, He does promise to be with His people and to rescue them either in this life or by bringing them to glory.

As Paul is writing this letter he is awaiting the ultimate rescue from this life.

2 Timothy 4:17–18 ESV

17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul is calling Timothy to endure by the strength that God will supply, trusting in God’s great faithfulness to His people. Paul is not merely giving Timothy an example to follow, he is pointing him to the source of power by which to live.

Listen again to what Paul tells Timothy is waiting for all who seek Him.

2 Timothy 3:12–13 ESV

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Remember Jesus reminds us that we should not be surprised when persecution happens in our lives.

John 15:20 ESV

20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Note: What many miss within the pages of scripture is that much of the persecution that was happening then and will continue to happen today comes from within the faith.

We should all expect persecution to some degree.

IF WE ARE NOT FACING ANY OPPOSITION IN OUR MINISTRY, CHANGES ARE WE ARE NOT LIVING OUT OUR CALLING

HOW DOES TURNING PAGES HELP US KNOW TRUTH FROM ERROR?

3. It Helps us Know the Origin and Purpose of Scripture

We need more than an example. We need EMPOWERMENT.

Note: Notice how in verses 13-14 Paul now transitions to remind Timothy that evil people and false teachers will always be around seeking to do their worst. However, as for you here are the marching orders for Timothy:

Continue in what you have Learned and have firmly believed. (we need Godly parents raising up Godly children)

Do not forget where you learned what you have learned.

Remember from childhood how you have been taught the word. (which are to make you wise for salvation)

Illustration

Show picture of Evelyn helping with the advent story at our house. How are you diligently teaching your children the word of God mom and dad.

God will hold us as parents accountable for the spiritual growth and development of our children. This does not mean that all we need to do is bring them to the door of the church and someone else will do the rest for us.

Remember what Deuteronomy 6 says’ right after the shema, the greatest commandment to Love God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your might.

Then the we are commanded to diligently teach this to our children, we talk about it with them when we sit in our house, when we walk by the way (this means outside the house) before we go to bed and night, and when we get up in the morning. We bind them on the hearts and the lives of our children.

Remember when Daniel and his friends were taken to Babylon during king Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. It says that they remembered what they had been diligently taught at home. They were in a foreign land and could have decided to eat the kings food, who would know?

“Which are able to make you wise for Salvation through faith in Christ.”

*It gives you the Christ-Centered Purpose

Paul adds that these Christ-Centered scriptures are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Bible is a book that leads us to Salvation. Some are even used that you could use the Old Testament to lead someone to Christ. But the Apostles show us that the Old Testament can indeed make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ!

They did not have the New Testament yet.

The did not pass out the “four spiritual laws” or “steps to peace with God,” or “The Roman Road.” They taught the Old Testament to point people to Jesus.

“Remember the Bible is a HIM book’

The Old Testament anticipates the coming of Christ, and the New Testament explains Christ. He is promised from the very beginning. The first promise given that the seed of the woman would come and crush the head of the serpent. It is in the middle as Moses held a stick up in the desert with a snake head on it, and all who looked at it found healing, and now it is here at the end of the story.

Unfortunately many people can tell you the stories of scripture yet, miss the Christ-centered story line that runs throughout all of scripture.

We must not miss the Hero of the Bible

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

*It Gives you the God-Breathed Origin

Literal Interpretation is “BREATHED OUT BY GOD” Theopneustos

Consider for a moment the implications of something being breathed out by God. We have several picture throughout the Bible of God’s breath or breathing.

The spirit worked through biblical writers to pen God’s word entirely and exactly as He intended. Just as God spoke the universe into existence, so He breathed out His word in Scripture. In fact a better word than inspiration is expiration. God breathed out His holy word.

We must understand first and foremost that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:20–21 ESV

20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Breath - takes on several different senses in scripture. You have breath as a noun meaning the air we inhale and exhale in respiration of actuating the principle of life.

Genesis 1:30 ESV

30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

Human beings are understood as having the common attribute of breath given by God at creatin.

Genesis 2:7 ESV

7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

You have the story in Ezekiel 37:5 of the dry bones that God breathed life into.

You also have the picture of Jesus breathing on the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit.

John 20:22 ESV

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

“All Scripture”

Neither Man or the scriptures are breathed into God, bu the scripture was breathed out by the very breath of God. I would suggest that using the term inspiration falls short of what it means that the word is breathed out by God.

WE ARE TO CONTINUE IN THE TOTAL SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURES

There are many today who believe in the inspiration of scripture but deny their belief by their practice.

We do not merely believe scripture we must Use it in our daily lives.

BATTLE FOR THE INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE

The trustworthiness of scripture lies at the very foundation of our trust in every other doctrine of believe that we hold as fundamental for Christian hope and life.

Without it our assurance in Scripture’s full truthfulness and total trustworthiness is thrown into question. Doubt naturally follows for the preacher of God’s word: How can I know whether the passage I am preaching is reliable?

All faith and practice depend on whether we can trust God’s word and whether it si God’s word at all or in its entirety.

The truthfulness of the text reflects the truthfulness of its Divine author.

The spirit of God is called the spirit of truth. John 15:26

John 15:26 ESV

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

John 1:1,14

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Now if God can come down to earth, fully God, and fully man, then carrying the biblical authors so they can speak truth through His word is a small thing in comparison.

The product of inspiration is an inerrant text of Scripture. So far as it has been faithfully copied, translated, and passed down, it is inerrant in its copies. (And it should be noted that the copies we possess are very accurate.)

inerrancy means Scripture is “wholly true” in all that it affirms.

You cannot affirm that you believe scripture’s inspiration but deny it’s inerrancy.

Pay attention to this key difference between a full inerrancy view and the limited inerrancy view. The full inerrancy view says,

“All Scripture is our inerrant authority.”

Not so with the limited view, which says instead,

“Only when Scripture addresses matters of faith is it our inerrant authority.”

*It Gives you a total transformation from the inside out.

Scripture meets the deepest need of our soul. People need God’s word more than man’s observation and practical suggestions. More than another self-help group or moral modification session.

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (Continue in the Totally Sufficient Scriptures (3:16b–17))

This charge to continue learning, trusting, and believing the Christ-centered, God-breathed, totally sufficient Scriptures is followed with the charge to proclaim this life-changing message of God, the gospel, the written and living Word declaring the truth about the incarnate Word.

There is no other book on planet earth that can truly transform you life for all eternity.

CLOSING

Start on the Inside

If a farmer doesn't plant seeds, he will never harvest a crop. It doesn't matter how weed-free his ground is; he must also plant and cultivate good seed.

In the same way, we can only reap a harvest of purity and integrity by planting the good seed of God's Word into our lives. I'm not talking about merely reading the Bible.

I'm talking about allowing the Holy Spirit to plant the truths of Scripture deep into our hearts and minds through consistent Bible reading and memorization, meditation and prayer. To be effective, and to remain pure, truth must be planted in our hearts daily

How are you sowing the words of Truth into your heart each day and then broadcasting it into soil that desperately needs to hear the Truth not the Error.

Matthew 13:23 ESV

23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”