Shifting Culture

Intro:

This morning we begin a new sermon series I have entitled Stand Firm. In this series we are going to see that shifting culture doesn’t have to shift us. Grab your bible and turn to 2 Timothy 3:1-17.

2 Timothy 3:1–17 (NKJV)

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As we consider this passage of scripture I want you to know that with the right foundation you can withstand the cultural drift.

Moral decline, spiritual waywardness, the spirit of offense, the collapse of family units doesn’t have to dictate how you stand. Though, evil men and imposters grow worse and worse, with deception increasing all around you you can stand with assurance.

Our anchor verse for this series is found in. Isaiah 40:8

Isaiah 40:8 (NKJV)

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

____________________________________________________________________________

Submit:

Before we look fully at how to stand firm, I want you to see that shifting culture is leading somewhere. The word of God gives us insight to see what the result of the cultural shift will be. It’s mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

2 Thessalonians 2:1–4 (NKJV)

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Shifting Culture is leading to the falling away of people who once believed and the rise of the anti-Christ. The phrase falling away is the Greek word apostasia (ah-po-sta-see-ya) where we get the word apostasy. This word apostasy means rejection, the act of refusing to accept or acknowledge something. The question then arises, what is being rejected that would cause a falling away?

2 Thessalonians 2:7–12 (NKJV)

For the mystery of lawlessness (Shifting Culture) is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

We see a similarity in:

Romans 1:18-25 (NKJV)

Romans 1:18–25 (NKJV)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

If you continue to read Romans 1:26-32 to the end you’ll see the definition of cultural drift, as well as common characteristics found in those who reject the truth. 2 Timothy 3:2-6, Jude 16-19, 2 Timothy 4:1-4.

2 Timothy 3:2–6 NKJV

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

Jude 16–19 (NKJV)

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

2 Timothy 4:1–4 (NKJV)

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

What’s important to see is that the common theme in the two passages is self. Walking according to their own ungodly lust, and not enduring sound doctrine because of their own desires. The exaltation of self stands in direct opposition to God and erodes a firm foundation.

____________________________________________________________________________

Apply:

How then do we build a solid foundation so that we may stand firm and avoid cultural drift leading to apostasy? Look at Matthew 7:24-27.

Matthew 7:24–27 NKJV

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

1) The first and most important step is to hear.

Jesus said whoever hears these sayings of Mine.

What does it mean to hear? Revelation 2:11

Revelation 2:11 NKJV

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. We understand that the ear is the organ that allows us to hear sound, but in this instance its more than hearing sounds. This is dealing with the faculty of perceiving with the mind, the place of understanding and knowing. We must grasp the understanding of what is being said so that we might comprehend the meaning.

For example, Matthew 13:19

Matthew 13:19 (NKJV)

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

So, the first step to building a firm foundation is by developing the ability to hear.

How do we do this? We develop the ability to hear by listening to the preaching of the Gospel, by reading and studying the word. It is the Spirit of God that gives power to the Word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The word will instruct, reprove, and correct through the Spirit and it will lead us to righteousness.

2) The second step is doing what you hear.

A faulty foundation is one that has heard the word but does not do what it says. James 1:21-27

James 1:21–27 (NKJV)

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

So, what do see here? Doing what is said in the Word is what causes it to be planted. Hearing without doing leads us into deception. Continuing in the word brings the blessing. The result of being a doer is a life lived for the kingdom. It is evidenced by serving people and living holy.

____________________________________________________________________________

Closing

As I close let’s ask the final question for today’s message. Why does all of this matter?

Because there is a storm coming. The rain is going to fall, the flood is going to come, and the wind will blow and beat on the house that you’re building. The type of foundation you build on will determine your ability to stand firm.

Matthew 7:24-27 was a response from the previous 3 verses. The storm in our day is not only the potential second coming of Christ in our life time, but ultimately its judgement in eternity.

Matthew 7:21–23 NKJV

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Whether we stand or fall will be determined by how we build. We must build a firm foundation so that we can stand firm not only in this life, but for eternity. Next week I am going to give you practical application to build a firm foundation. You don’t want to miss it.

Let’s Pray!

Salvation

For the ability to hear to arise from obedience to you word.