2 Timothy 2:23-3:13 Taking Discipleship Seriously – Rooted against the wind

High wind is a problem

Blow windows out of van on Pikes Peak

Common winds of 100 mph Pikes Peak /\

Highest wind speeds:

Tornado

302 mph; 135 m/s) during the 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado in Oklahoma on 3 May 1999 is often quoted as the highest-recorded surface wind speed.[6] However, another figure of 512 kilometres per hour (318 mph)has also been quoted for the same tornado

Hurricane

Cyclone Olivia on 10 April 1996: an automatic weather station on Barrow Island, Australia, 253 MPH

Highest not tornado/hurricane wind ever recorded: Mount Washington in NH – 231 MPH - 6,288 ft above sea level in the US on 12 April 1934

Two newer ones

A: According to the National Climatic Data Center's list of annual average wind speeds, the windiest U.S. city is Dodge City, Kansas, with an average speed of 13.9 mph. Other windy cities include Amarillo, Texas (13.5 mph) and Rochester, Minn. (13.1 mph.).

Blow people off the road (especially around elevators)

Blow tree on camper

Yet in high places with extreme wind we also have some of the oldest trees alive thrive. Bristlecone pines of up to 4,800 years old. Survived. They may look small, but they are very old. They dig deep into the rocks – rooted and secure.

And so we – winds are certain – need to be rooted deeply

I. Be Rooted against the Wind: Things will only get worse

A. Expect hard times

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

1. Understand / don’t be surprised

2. While waiting for Christ times will continue to worsen – have been in the last times – grow worse

3. It will be hard

B. From ungodly people

Because of people – not a goody / goody environment – what should be expect?

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 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,

1. Self- oriented

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, … ungrateful, … 3 … without self-control, … 4 … reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

2. Against others

(ESV) 2 Timothy3 2 For people will be … abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, … 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, … brutal, … 4 treacherous, …

3. Against God

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 2 For people will be … unholy, 3 … not loving good, 4 … … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

C. Deceitful ungodliness

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 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.

1. All the above in the form of religion

2. Some level of religiousness, but not connected to a living / powerful / acting God

3. Deceive the gullible

4. Seeming intelligent / seeming to seek for truth / unable to get there without submission to God

D. Reject them

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. … 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.

1. Avoid them / don’t accept them in the fellowship of believers / too dangerous / misrepresent the truth

2. Avoid them / They oppose the real truth

3. Avoid them / they will come to their appropriate end / God is real / Will be exposed for what they are

II. Be Rooted against the Wind: Embrace the true

A. Live as a model of the true

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

1. Live a different type of life / modelled

B. Practice the truth you say you believe

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

1. Life reflects what is been taught

2. Purpose in life aligns with teaching

3. Consistency and purpose – life style

C. Let your inner man reflect the true

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

1. Internal life matches with teaching

2. These are the very things needed when the wind blows

3. Faith (trust in God) / patience (enduring trouble)/ love (heart for people – even enemies) / endurance (just staying at it)

D. Willingly suffer for the true

(ESV) 2 Timothy 3 11 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.

1. Endure the persecutions

2. Knowing Christ is there for help

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.

3. This is the norm for the Christian life

4. This in contrast and because of the evil opposers

5. Which would you be – persecuted or deceived

III. Be Rooted against the Wind: Rescue who you can

A. Not being like them 2 Tim 2:23

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome …

1. Don’t fall into the trap

2. Engage in foolishness

3. Don’t fight or disagree just to be disagreeing

B. Maintaining the Godly character 2 Tim 2:24-25a

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. …

1. Not having their attitude of winning an argument / quarreling

2. Be kind (to everyone)

3. Teach them

4. Don’t react but endure their evil

5. Correct them but do it gently

C. Helping others be set free 2 Tim 2:25b-26

(ESV) 2 Timothy 2 23 … 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.

1. Only God can do the work

2. Need to repent so that they can begin to see the truth – not really an issue of the mind at all – but a spiritual problem

3. If God works – come to proper Godly senses – escape from their current ensnarement – had been captured alive.

4. Their problem is that they are bound by Satan to do his will – mind control

5. Only God can bring them to their senses so that the can repent and embrace God’s truth.

6. This is our role – With the proper Godly attitude seek to teach and correct their thinking through the Word of God – Then we seek that God will bring them to their sense and enable them to escape Satan’s snare

We can’t say too often or too much that our foundation is in Christ.

The gospel. Christ’s death and resurrection for our sake.

May the deacons come forward

Deacons come forward remove the sheet and stand at the front

As a body, the assembled church is to remember this death of Christ One way that we do this is by taking bread and juice as they did on that night before His crucifixion.

(NKJV) Matthew 26 26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

The bread broken – a symbol of Christ’s broken body as He died for us

The juice – a symbol of Christ’s blood poured out as a sacrifice and payment so that our sins might be forgiven / covered over. Through His blood we have a new relationship established based on a new covenant – centered in the death and resurrection of Christ.

We are secure. Regardless of the winds that blow. No matter how bad the world gets. No matter the opposition. Let the winds blow – we are rooted in Christ.

So now We reflect on Christ’s death in our place

Let us examine ourselves in light of His work on our behalf.

We respond to Him as He speaks to us.

We invite every Christian that is seeking to live for Christ to partake with us.

You don’t have to be a member of this local church, but must be a Christian and be seeking for Christ to be honored in your life.

The deacons will serve you a double cup – Bread in one / Juice in one

Please hold the bread and juice until all have been served – then we will pray and eat and drink together.

Spend the next few moments reflecting on Christ and what He has done for you. Confess your sins to Him. Embrace the fact we are rooted in Him.

SPECIAL MUSIC How Great the Father’s Love for Us.

Pastor descends

The pastor gives the deacons the plates of bread/ juice

Deacons serve the congregation

Return and place the plates on the table

Stand at the front The pastor will serve the deacons the bread / juice

The Chairman of the deacons will serve the pastor

Pastor places the plates back on the table.

Pastor: “Please stand with us”

XX pray and give thanks for the broken body of Jesus

XX pray and give thanks for the Jesus’ blood

Pastor: “Let us take the bread and juice together”

You may be seated.

Deacons return to their seats.

Pastor ascends to the pulpit