As For You!!!

2 Timothy 3:1-4:8

In light of questions I was asked this week, via text message and phone calls,

In light of current events and current tragedies and how we as Christians should respond,

In light of my message last week titled, “You Will Suffer”,

In light of these I undertake today to give answer, clarity and direction to those in the church and in our community and to those who watch around the country and around the world.

Outline

3:1-5 Godlessness in the Last Days

Times of difficulty

Lovers of Self

Lovers of Money

Proud

Arrogant

Abusive

Disobedient to Parents

Unappeasable

Slanderous

Without self-control

Brutal -

Not loving good

Treacherous

Reckless

Swollen with Conceit

Lovers of pleasure

Having only a form of godliness

Avoid such people

3:6-9 - The Example

Verse 6 - deceive women and lead them astray

Verse 7 - always learn but never arriving at the truth. They will not settle on doctrine and never real get to the black and white of the teaching.

Verse 8 - Men like Pharoah’s magicians who opposed Moses, this is just a metaphor comparing the men Paul is talking about. These men...

Oppose the truth

Are corrupt in mind

And disqualified regarding the faith - reprobate.

Verse 9 - Their folly will be plain to see, just as God showed those two men to frauds, so God will show these false teachers to be frauds.

3:10-17

Verse 10-11 - You however follow...

my teaching

my conduct

my aim in life

my faith

my patience

my love

my steadfastness

my persecutions and sufferings

Verse 12 - All who desire to live a godly life, (No Exceptions), persecution is a guarantee.

Verse 13 - Another guarantee is that evil people and imposter will go from bad to worse, or get worse and worse.

They will deceive others and be deceived themselves.

Deceived people do not know that they are deceived, they believe the lie.

Verse 14 - But as for you...

Continue - in what you have learned, and have firmly believed.

Knowing who you learned it from.

Verse 15 - What did he learn?

The Scriptures - which are able to make you wise unto Salvation

By faith in Christ Jesus.

Verse 16 - Because the Word of God is living and active - Hebrews 4:12.

All Scripture is God Breathed and profitable for

teaching

reproof

correction

training in righteousness

Verse 17 - So that the man of God is

Complete

fully equipped - for every good work.

4:1-5

Verse 1 - The Charge.

Verse 2 - Preach the Word!

Be ready in season and out of season to

Reprove

Rebuke

Exhort

With complete patience and teaching - from the Word.

Verse 3 - Why?

Because a time is come when people won’t listen to sound doctrine, sound teaching, biblical teaching.

They will heap to themselves teacher that will teach them what they want to hear. Things that suit their own wicked passions and desires.

Verse 4 - They will turn away from the truth and follow after lies and myths.

Verse 5 - As for you always

be sober minded

endure suffering

do the work of an evangelist

fulfill you ministry

Question one - How should we respond to the current events and current evil in the world? When is enough, enough?

We cannot respond as a fallen world would respond - Romans 12:17-21.

We must be willing to suffer persecution, reproach or rejection. - 2 Timothy 3:10-12,14.

Don’t be lead all over the place by your passions or feelings in tumultuous times. When anxiety and fear are high our feelings will betray us or lead us astray. Rather we should continue in the things we have learn and have full assurance of. - 2 Timothy 3:14

Our response and conduct should be anchored and driven by scripture. - 2 Timothy 4:1-2.

We should continue to point people to Christ, continue to preach the Gospel, continue to show the Love of Christ to those who are lost, to those who are deceived, to those who persecute us, to those who seek to kill us! - Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60*.

Question two - What should we think of all those who claim the Rapture is on September 23rd, in just a few short weeks.

No one knows the day or the hour.

Mark 13:32–37 ““But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.””

Matthew 24:36–51 ““But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

There will be a “rapture” a catching away, we don’t know when it will be, we don’t know when he will be coming, we must be ready all the time, expectant all the time, working all the time!!!!

After our text today Paul says this in 2 Timothy 4:6–8 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

Being ready for Christ’s coming is more that just believing in it or believing in Him. Those who are truly watching, truly awaiting his appearing and his kingdom, are laboring earnestly in the field and are at work when the master comes home.

Application

1. Anchor Yourself in the Word—Not in the Winds of Emotion or Speculation In a world of fear-driven headlines and rapture predictions, believers must resist emotional reaction and theological sensationalism. The Word of God is living and active (Heb. 4:12)—our compass in confusion and our ballast in storms. Application: Let Scripture—not social media, not feelings—be your filter for interpreting current events and responding to cultural pressure.

2. Respond to Evil with Endurance, Not Retaliation The temptation to fight fire with fire is strong—but the Spirit calls us to Christlike endurance, even when mocked, marginalized, or misunderstood. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them…” (Luke 23:34), and Stephen echoed that grace (Acts 7:60). Application: In the face of injustice, persecution, or deception, respond with truth, love, and spiritual resilience—not bitterness or vengeance.

3. Live Ready—Not Just Expectant—for Christ’s Return Readiness isn’t passive watching—it’s active working. The faithful servant isn’t just waiting for the trumpet; he’s laboring in the field. Paul’s final words (2 Tim. 4:6–8) show that readiness is marked by a life poured out, a race run, a faith kept. Application: Don’t just believe in the rapture—live like it’s near. Preach the Word, love the lost, and labor with urgency.