Sermon Tone Analysis

*2 Timothy 3.*

*INTRO:*

- call to Timothy to guard the faith, the truth, the Gospel, the doctrine.

- The truth was under attack (2 Tim 2:16-18) people deserting the faith (2 Tim 1:15).

- Why was there this urgent call to teach, to uphold and defend the truth?

- because there was going to be an all out assault on the truth, a great turning away.

- This was happening in Paul's day but he is speaking of the future, the last days - there will be a great apostasy.

*READ 2 Tim 3:1-9*

- Have you ever considered the possibility that whole way you envisage the way God is going to do things may be wrong?

- The disciples were thrown by Jesus' death even though they He repeatedly told them - they thought everything was going to be great, Jesus reigning victoriously, closed their ears to "bad news" and so were unprepared.

- we need to be careful we are not likewise looking for a scenario that will not unfold.

- Many speak of a great end time revival of the church ruling over the world and handing it over to Jesus at His return - only one problem with this - it is not the truth!

It is not going to happen! because the Bible states otherwise.

It is a human idea with no foundation in Scripture.

- The Bible speaks clearly and consistently of an end time apostasy, many turning away from the faith.

(*Matthew 24:9-13; 24:23-26*/ Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.

Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.

But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him.

For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

Behold, I have told you in advance.

So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them./*1

Timothy 4:1,2* /But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,/*2 Timothy 4:3,4* /For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths./*2

Thessalonians 2:3* /Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,/)

- terrible times - those who prophesy good times at the end are wrong!

- Is this not what we see now?

This indicates we are near the end.

Does this mean that things have gone terribly wrong?

No, everything is occurring just as God has planned and said it would happen.

- Are we to be discouraged?

(*Luke 21:16, 17, 28* /But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all because of My name.

But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”/)

- let me tell you that things are not going to be hunky dory - terrible times are coming!

The Word of God says so.

It may not be pleasant to hear but to me isn't it better to know what is coming than to blithely carrying on and being overcome by disaster - be like disciples who were thrown when Jesus died

- If you know difficult times are coming you can be prepared for them (cf.

Gen 41:28-36).

We must store up a rich deposit of God’s Word to sustain us through this difficult time (cf.

13-17; Amos 8:11-13).

- to be forewarned is to be prepared (cf.*1

Thes 5:4* /But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief/)

 what makes times terrible?

?war, famine, natural disaster - no, the moral condition of man.

Just as it was in the days of Noah and Lot (*2 Peter 2:7,8* /Lot was oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),/)

- people thought all was going well but the righteous groaned at what was going on around them - Do we?

Look at what Paul describes - it is 21st century NZ!

The last days will be difficult days - a difficult period, a season of danger - the  danger of falling away, of being deceived

*Marks of the world:*

- so what marks the people living in the last days?

- love self - taught to! even in churches - "can't love others till you learn to love yourself"!

- self-esteem - really euphemism for pride.

- boastful - assertiveness promoted as a virtue - bolshy young people, arrogance never dared when I started work

 - from this arrogance flows the next two - abusive and disobedient to parents - we are rebels at heart (cf.

conceited v.4)

- ingratitude - systemic in our society - never have we had so much but never have we grizzled so much!

Govt not doing enough.

Compare yourself with the third world: roof over our heads, food to eat, clean water, freedom of conscience, social welfare system, complain about health system - we should be thankful that there is one!

- people expect everything as "their right" - there is no appreciation or thankfulness, they think that it is their due.

Not thankful for their pay, they are always militating for more.

Never satisfied with the multitude of luxuries they have, they always want a new one, the latest model etc.

- unholy - no reverence for God - nothing is regarded as sacred.

We think we are God and that we are accountable to no one but ourselves.

-  wicked - it speaks of one’s lack of inner purity.

No regard for God or man.

All are summed up in an all consuming preoccupation with *self!*

- How different Jesus’ way! (cf.

*Luke 9:23-25* /And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?/).

- all for self and no thought for others: unloving, unforgiving, speaking badly of others

 - no control - unrestrained violence as each seeks his own- This selfishness affects their relationships with others (2 Tim 3:3) and with God (2 Tim 3:4).

When /self/ is the center all other areas ore corrupted also.

- if it feels good, do it!

just do it!

Indulge yourself, treat yourself, you deserve it, buy now pay later - no restraint, no denying yourself, no control of desires, appetites or urges.

Evident in drunkenness, addiction, indulgence, appetites.

-You tell whether people of the world or of God by what they love:

                   

lovers of self in fact they have no love at all but without: love or love of good or love of God.

They are lovers of pleasure.

Rather we should be haters of self, money and pleasure and be lovers of God and good.

what do we love?

self, money, pleasure - all are selfish (love is directed toward others) and characterized by a total lack of love - God is love - total absence of the expression of what is God's character.

If we loved God we'd love others, seek others' good not our own

- what an accurate description of our society today! - selfishness, pride, arrogance, assertiveness, rebellious, ungrateful, lacking self  discipline

 - but they were not irreligious - all form but no reality.

No power, just going through the motions.

Deny its power - mainline churches full of liberal theology which remove all that is supernatural - rationalism rules.

Religion won’t die out in the last days - many will be religious but few will be truly godly, truly love Him.

 - this is what characterizes the last days - do we not see it all around us?

We are in the last days!

- what should be our response?

?get alongside, get to know them, show them what nice people true Christians are, mix with them in friendship evangelism?

NO! HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM!

There is no power of resurrection life, no new life, no new creation, no transformation - "I" is still on the throne, not Christ.

Such religion is futile.

We are to have no patience with it.

Not try to persuade them, or debate with them or even have contact with them (cf. 2 Tim 2:22) - Paul strongly /commands/ to avoid such people at all costs.

We are to evangelize the lost, but those claiming godliness but denying the reality of His Being, life and power are to be avoided.