Follow The Right Example

INTRO:

What did you want to be when you were growing up? I wanted to be Batman. The struggle is still real at 30 years old. Children love to 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. Preachers aren’t immune either. When I first started I sounded like the guy on my favorite podcast. That’s the power of example. We follow what we desire to be.

THE POWER OF EXAMPLE:

Nobody denies that ideas are powerful. And the way ideas spread is through the spoken word. It is THE most powerful form of persuasion. BUT, in terms of persuading and influencing people, just under the spoken word is the power of example. Those who can do both are incredibility powerful and influential. Jesus did both. His teaching/preaching explained his lifestyle and his lifestyle exemplified and amplified his teaching. He gave us both Word & Example. His influence was incredible as a result.

EXAMPLE AND ENTRUSTING THE FAITH:

We’ve been in a series in 2 Timothy looking at how a genuine biblical Christian faith is entrusted from one generation to the next and from that generation to the next all the way to the 3rd and 4th generations. This week, we approach a text that illustrates the power of example when it comes to entrusting the faith from one generation to another. Because of the power of example it’s crucial we know the godly examples to emulate and the ungodly examples to avoid. Our text presents us with both extremes. But from outward appearances it’s hard to tell between the two. Turn to 2 Timothy 3.

KNOW THIS: VERSE 1

Let’s start in 3:1 “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” When we last left Paul he was encouraging Timothy to be gentle and optimistic about the possibility that some of the trouble-makers in the church would repent & freed from the snare of the devil. That optimism at the end of ch. 2 is now tempered with a different kind of “certain” reality. “Mark it down, Timothy. There will be some who WON’T respond to your correction with repentance. There WILL BE times of difficulty.”

THE LAST DAYS: FUTURE AND NOW

He uses the term “last days.” When you hear that word you may think “future future” like right before Jesus returns or something far from now. That’s not the case. According to Scripture, the “last days” began as soon as Jesus ascended into heaven and the church was tasked with spreading the Gospel all around the world. Some people call it“the church age.” The point is, not only will these kinds of difficulties come in the future, they are also already here right now. So be ready. Understand the times. Don’t be caught off guard or surprised by the kind of stuff you’re going to have to do.

TIME OF DIFFICULTY NOT A “PASSING FAD”

The 2nd reason Paul emphasizes the need to “understand the times” is because Timothy might have mistakenly concluded that if he’d just lay low for a little while then the hostility towards Christianity would die down. Paul’s point is that the “end times” are not just future but they’re now. And the defining characteristic of the end times or the “church age” is a outwardly overt hostility towards Christianity. It’s still around today! The American experiment afforded some degree of safety and respect for Christians but that is soon fading away. Biblical Christianity has lost it’s influence in our culture.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE LAST DAYS? PEOPLE!

What’s so bad about the “last days?” What makes them so difficult? People! Sinful men who live corrupt lives will create difficult times. Paul describes these people in 3:2-9. There are no less than 19 descriptions of wickedness in less than 3 verses!(3:2-4). Paul’s point is that Timothy should avoid these kinds of men. They are bad examples that you (& the peeps in your church) don’t want to follow. Why? 3 things. (1) They are totally self-centered (3:2-4), (2) their religion is a show (3:5); and (3) their motives are evil (3:6-9)

THEY ARE TOTALLY SELF CENTERED: VV2-4

The first thing he does is describe their character. There’s a lot you could say but it boils down to self-centeredness. As an individual you can either center your life on the Lord or you can center it on yourself. The God-centered life produces true knowledge of God and righteous conduct. The self-centered life produces the opposite. He begins in 3:2 with their “misdirected love” (GK phileo) He says they will be, “lovers of self, lovers of money…” at the end of 3:3“…not loving good…” and in 3:4b “…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” I.O.W.their evil life flows from their misplaced affections.

CONTEMPORY LANGUAGE: SELF, MONEY, PLEASURE

To put it in contemporary terms, Paul boils down their immorality to three different types of misdirected love. They are narcissistic (lovers of self), materialistic (lovers of money), and hedonistic (lovers of pleasure). These misdirected loves – or inordinate loves b/c they love secondary things over the primary thing: God – lead people into all kinds of sinful behaviors. Avoid these examples. Watch out for it in your own life! None of us are exempt from this kind of idolatry. It’s the three great temptations that have plagued mankind since the garden. (eyes, flesh, pride of life).

TO BE, TO FEEL, TO HAVE: RICK WARREN

Rick Warren categories them as the temptation “to be” (narcissism), the temptation “to feel” (hedonism), and the temptation “to have” (materialism). Every moral failure you’ve ever experienced or seen someone else fall into is a result of one of these three temptations. Every commercial you see is targeting your passions in one of those three areas. Understand your culture! One of the reasons we experience difficulty the way that we do is because there is a war going on for our souls in these areas.

THE WAY TO BREAK THE POWER OF THESE IN YOUR LIFE:

There is something you can do with your life so that these temptations lose their power. The antidote to narcissism is humility, hedonism is integrity, and materialism is generosity. When you’re driven by the passion “to be…” humble yourself. When you’re driven by the passion“to feel…” remember integrity. When you’re driven by the passion “to have…” remember generosity. But these virtues only come when our affections are properly placed in the Lord. From the overflow of our love for God come humility, integrity and generosity.” The question we must ask ourselves, “What is my greatest love?”

READ THE WHOLE VICE LIST: VV 2-4

With that in mind let’s start reading again in 3:2, “Understand this about the end times, Timothy.” “For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” Pretty serious list, huh? This was the character of the false teachers there in Ephesus. This is the example to be avoided in others. And this is the stuff to watch out for in your own life.

CORRUPTED RELATIONSHIPS:

Their misdirected loves weren’t the only problem. Their misdirected loves caused trouble in their relationships. Did you pick it up in the vice list? They are “abusive, disobedient to their parents and ungrateful…” (3:2) He adds in 3:3-4 that they’re “heartless, unappeasable, slanderous…brutal…4 treacherous…” Their sin causes them to be heartless and unforgiving. Without out a proper love for God there cannot be a genuine love for others. Instead there is just backbiting, brutality, & disloyalty.

NO LOVE FOR GOD; NO LOVE FOR OTHERS:

To put it simply, they had an insufficient love for God and an insincere love for others. Do you remember what Jesus said in Matthew 22:37–40?“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” IOW “Love God Supremely & Love People Sincerely. That sums it up.” But that’s the one thing these negative examples didn’t do. And so they were to be avoided.

THEIR RELGION IS A SHOW: V 5

You’d think this kind of person would be easy to spot & stay away from but Paul says from the outside looking in you can’t really tell. He says in 3:5 that they are people “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power...” In other words, their religion is a show!” What do you do with these people? “Avoid such people!” Stay away. They’re poison. This is why it’s so important that you practice discernment in who you associate with. Especially when it comes to professing believers. What good is it if they know theology if they don’t have love. Look for love above all.

THEIR APPROACH IS EVIL: VV 6-7

Avoid the negative examples. They’re totally self-centered, their religion is a show, and in 3:6-9, you see that their motives are evil. “For among them are those who creep into households [worm their way in. Secretive and sneaky like the devil himself] and capture weak women, [not a blanket description of all women. Unique description of a certain group in Ephesus. Word means gullible immature & weak-willed.]burdened with sins [past sins with ongoing effects] and led astray [continuous present] by various passions, 7always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”

THEY PREYED ON WOMEN:

These negatives were men who preyed on women. (the kind of men I’d like to take around the barn, lose my Christianity for a bit, and teach a lesson) They preyed on women who were intellectually, morally, spiritually and emotionally weak. The found women they could victimize easily and wormed their way in. Every cult I’ve ever studied grows this way. These are dangerous people to be around. So avoid them. Especially if you’re in a situation that causes you to be emotionally, morally or spiritually weak. It’s dangerous!

LIKE THE EVIL EGYPTIAN MAGICIANS: VV 8-9

In 3:8-10Paul compares these men with the Egyptian magicians back in day with Moses and Pharaoh. (Exod 7:11-12) “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.” Not only is their religion a sham (outward appearance but no inward power) but the likelihood that they will stop the advance of the Gospel and the Kingdom is very small. This is a truth war, Timothy. The truth always comes out eventually. So stay positive. Emulate the truth

FOLLOW THE POSITIVE EXAMPLES:

Avoid the negative examples (vv 1-9). Avoid self-centered lives with misdirected loves and corrupt relationships, religious forms devoid of Christ’s power, and the evil tactics of these evil people. Timothy was to avoid them then and we should do the same today. Avoid the negative and follow the positive examples. The positive example Paul gives is himself! 3:10 “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings…”

SOME ACCUSE PAUL OF ARROGANCE:

Some accuse Paul of being arrogant because of these kinds of statements. I don’t see it that way. I think it’s wonderful to be able to tell someone younger in the faith, “If you want to know what a Christ-like life looks like then just watch me.” Could you say that to someone? We will never be a perfect example of Jesus Christ but we are called upon to be somebody’s “living example.” The truth is, we are already fulfilling that role. The question is, have we embraced it, are we doing it well, have we invited another into the process? Paul tells Timothy, “imitate me insofar as I am imitating Jesus Christ.”

THE THINGS TO EMULATE:

He doesn’t tell Timothy to emulate his personality. He’s specific. If you want to find an example to follow then you need to ask specific questions about that person. For Tim, he was to remember (1) Paul’s teaching, (2) his lifestyle, (3) his life purpose, (4) his faith in God, and (5) the way he responded to difficult people & situations. When looking for someone to emulate ask questions like, “Does their life match their words? Do they demonstrate a faith in God, a love for others, and hope in difficult times? Does this person love God supremely & love others sincerely? Do they persevere in suffering?”

THIS IS WHY PAUL MENTIONS HIS LIFESTYLE:

I think one of the reasons Paul points to the objective evidence of his lifestyle and suffering is because those are the things which tell you whether or not somebody really believes in the stuff they’re selling. The false teachers wouldn’t have been willing to suffer for what they were pushing. They were in it to GET not to GIVE. Paul was saying, “Timothy, you know I’m the real deal because my life matches my doctrine and I don’t give up when the going gets tough.” THOSE are the kinds of examples you want to follow

FIND SOMEONE WHO IS CONSISTENT AND AUTHENTIC

When I look for examples to follow I’m looking for consistency and authenticity. Do they practice what they preach? Do they believe what they say? Are they faithful to do what they said? Do they have faith that God will keep his promises? What about their patience? Are they short with people or gracious and loving? That matters! What about their love? Is it sincere and genuine? What about their endurance? Do they have tracks of perseverance or do they quit every time it gets uncomfortable? Look for this in the examples you follow. And, which of these are most absent from your life?

ARE YOU AN EXAMPLE WORTH FOLLOWING?

Are you someone worthy of being followed?Could you say what Paul said?Do you demonstrate patience with people? Which list would more appropriately describe your relationships? The one of the negative examples or the positive example? What do you do when life get difficult? Do you give up? Do you lose heart? Or do you show your kids and friends that God will be faithful even in the valley low? Of course you’ll never be a perfect example but are you willing to work hard to be someone’s living example?There are people who need you to be that for them. Will you?

THE EMPOWERMENT FOR EXAMPLING: VV 11-14

You say “I want to. But I don’t know if I can. How do you find the power to live this kind of life?” By doing what Paul has been encouraging Timothy to do since we started studying this book. He gives us a hint in the remaining 3:11-13. “…my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.” There it is. The reason Paul lived the way he did is because his heart was firmly gripped by truth of the Gospel. God keeps his promises. If he raised Jesus from the dead, delivered me in the past, he’ll do so in the future.

SETTLE THIS IN YOUR HEART:

For Paul, two things were certain about about the world the way it is. He gives the first reality in 3:12-13 “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.” In other words, “suffering is an inescapable reality for people who want to live a Christlike life and follow Christlike examples.” But reality #2is that God keeps his promises. He delivered Jesus from death, hell and the grave. He will deliver us. He was faithful then and he’ll be faithful now. Do you believe that?

THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE BELIEVE THE GOSPEL:

The degree to which we believe that truth is the degree to which we will avoid the negative examples, avoid temptation in our own life, follow the positive examples, and demonstrate with our own lives the Christlike life others so desperately want to see. We are empowered by the Gospel to live out the demands of the Gospel. Another way to think about it. Jesus is the perfect example and we are called to emulate him perfectly. But power to do so only comes from being united with him and being given his power.

JESUS WAS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE:

Think about the life of Christ as it relates to our text. Jesus gave us the ultimate example of humility, integrity, and generosity. His religion was not a show but was a demonstration of power. His motivation for outreach was not evil but loving. He taught with authority. He walked by faith. He lived with an eternal purpose. He displayed love like no one else ever had. His patience is unparalleled. He was truly innocent and pure in every way. Yet he suffered a criminal’s death where He took our judgement and give us His righteousness. Jesus gives us the greatest example of godliness.

JESUS GIVES US THE PERFECT POWER:

We need more than an example. We need empowerment. And that is exactly what our Lord provides. Through His victorious resurrection, Jesus triumphed over our greatest enemies, ascended to the Father’s right hand, and poured out the Holy Spirit. Now, as believers in Him, we are united with Him. That’s why Paul said in 3:12 we live a “godly life IN CHRIST Jesus.” We find the power in our union with Christ. That power increases as our communion with him increases. Christ lives in us. Embrace & live out of that truth!

CONCLUSION:

We have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by FAITH in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. We died with him. We are raised with him. We are seated with Him. Given his authority. By the power of the risen Christ, we press on in godliness, keeping our eyes on Him. Avoid ungodly examples, follow godly examples in so far as they follow the savior, and do it all by Christ’s mighty power. Have you received that gift? Will you repent of your sin and trust in Jesus today. His salvation is a gift ready to be received.