Good morning everyone...Welcome kids to go to class…Have kids give high-5’s on the way out...welcome online as part of extended spiritual family. We are so glad that you all have joined us today and I am personally grateful that you all consider LRBC your church family. Hey, I do want to thank Brian Moritz and Nathanael Rittmeyer for setting up the toilets this weekend! Those guys rock! You know…I love my church family so much...it is truly such a blessing that you allow me to lead and guide you spiritually. That is not a responsibility I take lightly.

Actually, that is a responsibility that no pastor should take lightly. Although i know that there are some who do. I know that there are those that would lead out of selfish motives, instead of a heart felt call. I have actually talked to pastors who told me honestly that they had no idea what it felt like to be called by God. They told me that they weren’t even sure if they believed God called or even led people, but that it is simply the man who leads a church. In other words, being a pastor is no different that any other white collar job, especially some type of management job. I thought that was sad to be honest. However, that also allows a pastor to sway and change the way they speak depending on the winds of culture. I have personally known men who led this way, and it breaks my heart for those that they lead.

Then there is another type of pastor I have encountered. This is a pastor who truly desires nothing more than to reach the lost with the Gospel. This pastor realizes that there are lost people who are dying and going to hell every single day. You see, Hell is a real place and it would be good if we would remember that from time to time. Anyway, these pastors desire to reach the Lost with the Gospel and so they will do whatever they have to do. Actually, one of those men is named Craig Greoschel. Pastor Craig Greoschel of Life.Church has a statement that he keeps in his mind for their church. We will do anything short of sin to reach people with the Gospel. Anything short of sin…that is a pretty big basket of actions, but there is a defined barrier to what they will do…However, there is another pastor who is actually good friends, or at least used to be good friends with Pastor Craig. Pastor Andy Stanley of Northpoint Community Church in Atlanta. Well, Pastor Andy has a similar mission at their church. Andy says, “We draw circles, not lines”. The implication there is that while most churches draw lines of who can attend the church, Northpoint will draw circles that are so big they include anyone, and they have been doing an amazing job of that since 1995 when Northpoint launched. Pastor Andy has worked to build and reach so many people with the Gospel and I know there are thousands, hundreds of thousands that would look at Pastor Andy as their spiritual father…Meaning he led them to the Lord, either personally or through various church events, Bible studies, etc. Pastor Andy has a similar vision to Pastor Craig although Andy doesn’t describe it the way that Craig does. You see, Craig is very clear that they will do anything SHORT of sin, meaning sin will never be included in their mission. Andy didn’t specify that though, and it seems that maybe he should have.

You see, over the years I have actually defended Andy Stanley from various controversies where I felt people just weren’t understanding his context of a church. I get it…they are in the city and reaching people who don’t go to church. That is a unique challenge. I have even used his materials both here and at other churches. However, Pastor Andy reminds me of the old myth of Icarus. You see, Icarus and his father were imprisoned on an island and they wanted to be free. Well, Icarus’ dad made wings of bees wax and feathers. He instructed Icarus on avoiding the extremes, but once Icarus started flying he was so mesmerized that he wanted to go higher and higher, and do more and more…Well, eventually Icarus flew to high and the sun melted the wax and then he fell to his death. Icarus flew to close to the sun…Well, Pastor Andy Stanley has flown to close to the sun as well.

What I mean is that Andy’s church in Atlanta has recently held a conference with the attempt to reach those that have kids in the LGBT lifestyle. This is a great idea because unfortunately this is a growing population. I have counseled parents both in Lafayette, and believe it or not…I have counseled some here in Leaf River that are experiencing their kids identifying as LGBT. However, this conference, while it platformed 2 gay men that were married to each other, they never said that this was a sinful lifestyle. Actually it has since come out that for years Pastor Andy has refused to answer that question either publically or privately. Pastor Andy has flown to close to the sun in the desire to reach more and more people with the Gospel. I don’t think Andy is a horrible person, but I do 100% believe that Andy’s desire to reach the lost has caused him to loose sight of the pure Gospel. NorthPoint will not go anyway, Pastor Joel Osteen has done the same thing and his church is massive. However, it is now clear to faithful Bible teachers that he has strayed to far from the Gospel in order to reach those that only desire for their ears to be tickled. Pastor Andy Stanley’s theology, at least in this area, has become emaciated as he has desired so badly to reach hurting people with the Gospel. The problem is that when you tickle someone’s ear, and then you do not call them to repentance, you have ceased to be a faithful teacher of the Word.

That is actually what we are going to talk about today.

Watching out for Wolves: Turning Away from Truth

You see, there are some who hold to a faithful doctrine, but then they get swayed for various reasons to loosen doctrines instead of strengthening them because that is what people want to hear. There becomes a fear of offending people and so some are unable to speak the plain truth. I was in a church for a while that had a lead pastor that over time I saw him more and more leaning into what would potentially be “offensive” to someone and he began to conflate what is Biblical and what is extra. What I mean by that is, if it is in the Scripture…it is non-negotiable…if it is not in the Scripture, then feel free to change your thoughts on that topic…That’s ok, and sometimes needed. It’s the stuff in the Word of God that cannot ever change, even if people call you hateful. I was in a private conversation with a friend a few years ago. This person reached out to me to “help” me by telling me that I was being offensive in some of my pushback against the cultural beliefs, specifically in regards to the LGBT agenda that we are pushing back against. Well, this person told me that I didn’t need to be right all the time, but I needed to be loving. Another person that I was fairly close with, that Bethany and I actually counseled and her marriage was restored…Well she came at me as well telling me that I was hateful for not allowing people to just live their own lives...

What…this is not new to me…I have not changed my views…However, these people that were very upset with me came at me telling me that I was hateful because I said that marriage is limited to 1 man and 1 woman. You see, their current pastor had been walking them into a place of functionally being affirming of this sexual sin. On paper they were Biblical, but they were functionally affirming of whatever needed to be affirmed. You see, that is not loving, and frankly that is something that we are warned about. Let’s take a look at

2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV)

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Now this passage is another letter from the man named Paul. Remember Paul is a man who started his life by persecuting Christians and now is encouraging Christians to remain faithful no matter what persecutions are sent their way. Paul is encouraging this man named Timothy that he would see a time when those he is teaching will not desire to have faithful teaching anymore, and he needed to be aware of that so that he did not fall into that trap himself, or allow others who have fallen into that trap to teach at the places he was leading. See, Andy Stanley can say that he didn’t say any of the things that were said…but he allowed them into his church to begin teaching a Gospel that is not pure.

That is a problem…That is a concern for a church that is more concerned with the culture than it is with the Gospel. However, is there a place for drawing circles as Andy Stanley says? Absolutely…as long as that circle is contained by Scripture. But here is what has happened…both today, as well as 2000 years ago, people in the culture decided they didn’t want to listen to the truth…Why is that? Well…because the truth tells me that I have to lay aside my own desires in order to approach the God of the universe. This morning as we look at this passage I want to do three things. First I want to

Analyze the Warning:

See right here Paul is telling Timothy that there is something coming that he has to be ready for. Actually, by virtue of Paul telling Timothy about this, it is very likely that Timothy has already begun to see these things, but potentially was not ready to confront them, or didn’t quite understand what was happening yet. I say that because those that are wolves are very good at what they do. Do you remember way back in the beginning of this series I told you the story about the wolf up in the Yukon that walked into a yard with another dog, and pretended to be a friend until it was close enough to grab the dog by the neck and kill him. A wolf is very good at what he does. They are fantastic, expert manipulators, but they will take you out because of their false teachings.

So, as we analyze this warning we should understand what

What it means to have Itchy Ears

See there is a symbolism here that we should notice. If someone had sores, they would itch and want the sores scratched to relieve the unpleasant sensation, the thing is that scratching would be the worst action they could do. You see, scratching would only make the itching worse. Think about having something like poison ivy. Now imagine that your sins are your disease. The only cure for your disease is the truth of the Gospel, but that is also uncomfortable. It seems easier to simply scratch, or listen to someone who won’t tell you the truth, would be an easier treatment plan. Here is the problem with that though. Truth brings health, but it is uncomfortable, well, not being confronted feels good temporarily, but truly only bring about more sin…just like scratching that poison ivy gets worse when you scratch it. Do you see how misguided that really is? I mean when my focus is on easing my symptoms of sin and not applying the treatment for the disease…I am hurting myself far more than I am helping. That is what it like when you seek to please the ear with non-challenging messages.

So here is the question…do you have itchy ears? Would you even know if I was up here scratching your ears instead of challenging you with the Word? Thats a question you have to figure out…I mean, I could have a great heart to want to reach the lost, and drift into accepting or affirming sin, which is the definition of scratching your ears. So…How would know? You see, this is why Paul is warning Timothy. Paul is both encouraging Timothy to not fall into the trap of scratching ears, but also to pay attention for those around him, or in the church that are doing that exact thing. Well....I asked a question about how you would know…The only way you know, is if you are in the Word of God yourself…if you are not, it is so easy to drift along and not even realize what you are listening to.

Actually I think frequently we may be listening to those that are tickling ears and not fully notice it. Listen, there are pastors and teachers all over the world that make a living by tickling ears and not challenging members. So, now that we have analyzed the warning, we should look at

How to Identify Ear-Tickling Messages:

This is an incredibly important skill that you must practice and be on guard, just like Paul tells us through his letters. You see, we live in a time where surface level, sin affirming talks are happening all over the place. In large measure you can recognize them as motivational talks…But what about when a motivational talk and a church service collide? Well then you start getting something pretty strange don’t you. I want to give you a very simple tool that will hopefully help you determine if you are listening to a motivational talk or a sin challenging sermon, ok…You’re gonna wanna write this down…You’re gonna wanna burn this in your brain.

Listen, this can be about a sermon, or a song, or anything else…Here we go…are you ready with your pen or with your phone to type or something…its really easy. Is the main focus God…or you? See, if the focus is on you, then you are listening to a great message that will make you feel good about everything that you have ever done, or might even encourage you in some way. Imagine, if Jesus would have talked to the woman at the well and she would have left saying, “He told me I was doing good in everything and I was a good person”. Then there is no life change is there? That’s not what Jesus did…Jesus revealed to her that she had fallen short of the main focus…which was God.

Now think about those teachers that you listen to online…Are they focusing on you, and what you want or you deserve...or on God and what he did for you and your need for Him? Here’s what happens when you are not paying attention to what the Scripture says, you are swayed by the culture around you because that is what you are hearing more than anything else. There is a reason there are more LGBT people today than there were 10 years ago…even more than 5 years ago. It’s not because of people having babies and people being born that way…it’s because people see it in movies, and TV shows and all over the internet so it seems normal and its worth a try to someone that can’t figure out how to be happy. Then you have pastors who want to reach those people so badly that they refuse to tell them they are living a sinful life in rebellion to God, the creator of the universe. That’s dangerous...

So what are some examples or ear-tickling messages? Well, you have the good old faithful Prosperity Gospel. Now, I should be clear here for a moment about the prosperity gospel. You see, there are some that are teaching a hard prosperity, then you have a soft prosperity which will admit the Gospel, and even preach the Gospel in between prosperity. Then of course you have Progressive Christianity which is just a repackaged Emergent Church, which is a repackaged moral relativism…which basically says whatever you do is good, because the Bible might not even be real…In other words…live your truth.

So now that you understand the warning and you are able to analyze the messages...

What are you seeking?

See, this is where it gets a little more personal, because this is where you have to realize where you are in the mix here. Are you seeking someone to make you feel better about your sin, or are you seeking someone to tell you the truth about your spiritual condition. You see you would never go to a doctor that told you that sitting around all day long was healthy would you....even though they just didn’t want to offend you…I mean we live in a culture where you are called phobic if you are honest about various situation. Look…I know I’m overweight…I know it’s not healthy…I don’t want you to lie to me and tell me that this is healthy. However, this culture desires to go to a doctor that will affirm their various illnesses as good so that they feel better about themselves. There is not a doctor on this planet that truly believes adhering to a mental illness is a good idea…but you have doctors that will cut off your leg if you tell them you “feel” like you should have been born an amputee, that’s a real thing by the way…That same thing is true at church. Many people will go to a church based on being told that their illness or sin, is actually a good thing, and doesn’t need to change. A faithful Bible teacher will tell you to knock it off…So when you listen to things online, or you search for a particular teaching, or read a religious book, are you looking for what the Bible actually teaches…or are you looking for what you want it to say. I once heard a pastor say that he never liked a particular passage and what it said, but then he finally found some obscure commentary or article that said what he wanted and so he went with that above all of historic Christianity…So…what are you seeking? Are you going to keep looking until you find a teaching that will approve of your particular flavor os sin, or are you commited to becoming more like Christ?

Some of you that are here in person or online today have been guilty of searching for what you want the Bible to say instead of what you know is true of Scripture. Some of you are here this morning and you have been all over the internet looking for some Bible teacher that will tell you that your brand of sin is ok, and you really do know better than that. Some of you know what is real and what is not. But there are others that have no idea what the Bible actually says. That’s because you have been floating on the Sunday school stories you heard as a kid or the sermons you hear on Sunday, but you’re not actually living your life day to day reading Scripture, are you? Here’s the thing…the only way for you to truly identify a preacher or a teacher or a book that is seeking to scratch your ear is if you actually know the Gospel for yourself…You must rehearse the Gospel, meaning you read and repeat the Gospel daily, otherwise you will be easily swayed…just like Adam and Eve in the Garden. You need to make a decision today to start every day with the Lord and with his word. Some of you need to make a decision to start your life with the Lord today and follow Jesus in baptism, and still some of you need to recommit your life to the Lord because you have kind of stopped paying attention to the Lord…Whatever commitment you need to make this morning I hope you will reach out and let us know so that we can know how to pray for you this week.

Lets pray (for God's humbleness in listening and strength to grow)

In a moment we are going to take communion and I want to ask you to begin thinking about those who live in unbelief…those who live with no commitment, maybe even some in this very room. Think about those who live in unbelief because they are looking for someone to tickle their ears…and how you can live as a testimony for Christ in their lives...

Now Im going to ask the Elders to come up and prepare the table for communion. Please take the elements and begin to pass these elements to the congregation this morning as I share about Jesus’ final meal.

Talk about the final meal with Jesus and the apostles. Share about how after the meal they went to the garden and Jesus simply asked them to take watch and pray. They were called to pray for many things, I would imagine for courage and wisdom and humility for themselves about what was coming. You see, Jesus knew, but they did not. Jesus twice caught them all sleeping when they were specifically asked to pray. Are you left sleeping this morning when Jesus has asked you to pray? This morning as we prepare to receive these elements I want to ask you to think about that one person that does not have a relationship with the Lord in your life. Maybe its family, maybe its a coworker, whoever it is, as we take these elements I want you to remember those that are outside of the faith and living in unbelief. I want to ask you to make a commitment to the Lord to live a life that points that person to the Lord…That’s not all though…Ask the Lord for an opportunity to share your faith with this person that you are praying about. Ask for the courage to stand and the wisdom to share the Gospel truth with this person and leave the results to the Lord.

Read:

Luke 22:14–23 ESV

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.