2 Timothy 3:1-9. Warnings to a Young Spiritual Leader.

Warnings to a Young Spiritual Leader 2 Timothy 3:1-9 Aug 2021 Last week: “Instructions to a Young Spiritual Leader” (2 Tim 2) - Stay focused on the truth - Be a believer of purpose - Bear the burden of a leader in a Christlike manner Warning “Warnings to a Young Spiritual Leader" 2 Timothy 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last 2 days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their 3 parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the 4 good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure 5 rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins 7 and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning 8 but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are 9 rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 6 Whew! What a tough passage about the state of man Romans 1 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the 28 godlessness and wickedness of people…. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what 29 ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, 30 murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of 31 doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 18 Background: 2 Timothy - False teachers in the church - Last book written by Paul - Final words of mentorship to Timothy 2 Timothy 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days…. “Mark this”: know this, ginosko Properly, to know, especially through personal experience (first hand acquaintance), to know intimately, closely Luke 1 And Mary said to the angel, “how will this be since I do not know (ginosko) a man.” 34 “Terrible” times: chalepos Hard to bear, fiercely difficult to copy with because so harsh (even injurious) Matthew 8 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent (chalepos) that no one could pass that way. 8 The “Last days” : eschatos The last, final, the end-times, life after death Hebrews 1:1-2 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the 2 prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days (eschatou) he has spoken to us by his Son… Recap: 2 Timothy 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days…. 2 Tim 3:1-9: Warning to the Church! Be on the alert for: 1. Self-centeredness (v 2-4) 2. Hypocrisy (v 5) 3. Blindness (v 7) Self-Centeredness 2 Timothy 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to 3 their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, 4 not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God... 2 2 Timothy 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to 3 their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, 4 not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God... 2 2 Timothy 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. “Phileo” – friendship love People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to 3 their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, 4 not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God... • • • • • 2 Philautoi Philagyroi Aphilagathoi Philedonoi Philotheoi Misplaced love: Revelations 2 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my 4 name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 3 Tim Keller The desire of the sinful human heart is for independence. We want to choose and go our own way (Isaiah 53:6)… Even in this world it is clear that self-centeredness rather than God-centeredness makes you miserable and blind. The more self-centered, self-absorbed, self-pitying, and selfjustifying people are, the more breakdowns occur, relationally, psychologically, and even physically. https://timothykeller.com/blog/2008/8/1/the-importance-of-hell Misplaced love: Revelations 2 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my 4 name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at 5 first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 3 JI Packer “Scripture sees hell as self-chosen . . . Hell appears as God's gesture of respect for human choice. All receive what they actually chose, either to be with God forever, worshipping him, or without God forever, worshipping themselves." (J.I.Packer, Concise Theology p.262-263.) Hypocrisy 2 Timothy 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days… having a form of godliness but denying its power... 5 2 Timothy 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days… morphosis arneomai having a form of godliness but denying its power... 5 dynamis Isaiah 29 “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me..” 13 Joel 2 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Blindness 2 Timothy 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days… … always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 7 Ecclesiastes 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. 12 2 Corinthians 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4 2 Kings 6 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 17 Ephesians 1 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you… 18 Result of 2 Timothy 3 A Faith that is Rejected Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are 9 rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 8 Are we hopeless? What should we do? Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer 4 went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it 5 up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much 6 soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they 7 withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among 8 thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 3 2 Timothy 3 / Matthew 13 “Seed on the path” “Seed on the rock” “Seed on the thorns” Eaten by birds, taken away: No shoots Sprang up quickly, inside decay: Worries & riches choke plant: No fruits No roots BLIND HYPOCRITICAL SELFCENTERED 2 Timothy 3 / Matthew 13 “Seed on the path” “Seed on the rock” “Seed on the thorns” “Seed on the good soil” Eaten by birds, taken away: No shoots Sprang up quickly, inside decay: Worries & riches choke plant: No fruits Hears the word and understands it SELFCENTERED FRUITFUL No roots BLIND HYPOCRITICAL Matthew 13 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands (suniemi) it. 23 “Understand”: suniemi syniemi – together, hiemi – put, send – put together into a comprehensive whole 2 Timothy 2 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is 5 to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the 6 rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 3 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding (sunesis) in everything. 7 4 2 Timothy 2 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding (sunesis) in everything. 7 8 Remember Jesus Christ… “Remember Jesus Christ…” 1. Self-centeredness (v 2-4) 2. Hypocrisy (v 5) 3. Blindness (v 7) “Remember Jesus Christ”: Self-Centeredness Phillipians 2 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others 5 more significant than yourselves… Have this mind among yourselves, 6 which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, 7 did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of 8 men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 3 “Remember Jesus Christ”: Hypocrisy Matthew “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street 6 corners… But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. (6:5-6) 5 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of 5 your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. (7:4-5) 4 “Remember Jesus Christ”: Blindness Luke 4 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the 18 scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind… 17 John 8 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 2 What about you today? “Remember Jesus Christ…” 1. Self-centeredness 2. Hypocrisy 3. Blindness