2 Timothy 3:1-9

1 But understand this (“Realize this”) , that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

The last days do not just refer to the “last days of the age” but refers to the entire time between the completion of Jesus’ redemptive work and now.

Hebrews 1:1–2 (ESV)

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets (OT), but in these last days (NT) he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

1b. there will come times of difficulty.

Listen I'm not so naive to think that this same message hasn't been preached, the same things haven't been said every single time something has happened in America... or there has been some sort of unrest or devastation in the world, down through the generations since Christ came.

However, when you listen to the words of even secular resources, there is a different air about the way that we are beginning to observe and talk about our world...

I saw this News Report last night…it says that...

Today the world is on the brink and the white house is panicking...

The United states now sponsoring a double proxy war against the Iranians and the Russians, China’s eyeing Taiwan and North Korean weapons were just discovered in Gaza.

The state department has issued a worldwide travel warning to all countries… when's the last time that's happened… Americans aren't even safe in France. Our allies are being mobbed by angry Muslims, our military bases are under attack in Iraq, and we just had to shoot down two Iranian made missiles.

How was your week? While this right now breaks…. Putin is in China meeting with XI where they're coordinating Mideast policy… two American carrier strike groups are in the Mediterranean and Biden just tested one of our new nuclear weapons, detonating the massive bomb in Nevada and we keep catching middle easterners sneaking across the secure southern border….

Axios reports top officials say this has been the quote “ the heaviest, most chilling week since Biden took office”… the Biden administration is quote, “rattled” according to this report…

Doesn't that make you feel safe… they say this matrix of crises poses an epic concern and historic danger…. Washington fears these wars could spread but have No Fear…

Last night Joe Biden announced that He is a War Time President….

NOW I’M AWARE THAT WHAT WE CALL THE NEWS TODAY, WE WOULD HAVE CALLED PROPAGANDA 25 YEARS AGO….BUT AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE REPORT I JUST READ...I WANT YOU TO LISTEN NOW TO THE WORDS OF MATT 24:6-13.

Matthew 24:6–13 (ESV)

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

My dad used to say all the time that “Things are beginning to get gloriously dark!”

A couple of weeks ago, as we were on our way to Branson during our senior adult trip… My Son Levi ask me seven or eight times probably over the course of the 10 hour trip….Are we there yet?

After about the third time of disappointing him I changed my answer from “No”....... to “We are closer than we’ve ever been”

And folks, You need to hear me this morning....We are closer that we have ever been to the end of the last days!

Paul continues…He says that not only will you experience great difficulty but....

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...

Not we just read a in-exhaustive list of attributes that will apply to people who profess to be believers in the last days…

And the key to understanding this list is to filter all the characteristics given through the initial term given in verse 2, “that people will be lovers of themselves.”

Now in the same way there are many people in this place this more who profess to know Christ...

But hear me…the point that the Word of God is making is when the “center of gravity in a person shifts from God to self, that there is a life of self centered, self focused, self-fulfilling sin that awaits them.

Self love leads to materialism and the accumulation of things becomes a means of gratification. Self centeredness produces prideful, boastful people…filled with conceit…the Word says..whose number 1 priority in life is what they want.

Paul says that abusive language (gossip, divisiveness, slander and accusation) will take place amongst professing believers…and will be used to heap injuries on others.

The list goes on....and Paul says that is all of this....

5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Now Paul is referring to the christian leaders in Ephesus as he pens the Words of God, but the same is true for us today!

And that is…that there are many people, some of you here today even, that profess to have given all that you are to Christ but the truth is you have not.

You say all the right words, you give off an appearance of Godliness…but your life proves to that you have denied to essence and the truth of what it means to be a follower of Christ.

You live your life for you. Not for Him!

6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,

Describes victims of false teachers and truth.

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.

Just as Pharoah two magicians…false believers will find themselves corrupted in mind - depraved (fallen)

That avenue through which the truth can reach their will will cease to function.

This led to Paul’s second statement, the evaluation of their faith content as worthless or rejected. The term for “rejected” is used in the New Testament to describe someone whose actions or abilities prove the person unfit for spiritual usefulness (see “disqualified” in 1 Cor 9:27).

It is an apt term to use in reference to false teachers whose empty professions were only a caricature of the true faith.

9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

1, 2 Timothy, Titus ((2) What They Do (3:6–9))

The “folly” of the heretics was probably more a reference to the conduct of the heretics than to their doctrines.

***Don’t let your charisma outrun your character***