Selfishness

Good morning, welcome to NHCC, please open Bibles to 2 Timothy 3.

Our underlying principle- Sin is sin, and sin is destructive, no matter how seemingly insignificant, and not matter how beautifully dressed up.

Pride, discontentment, this morning- selfishness.

Read 2 Timothy 3:1-5- But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Pray.

Let’s begin by reviewing the text:

Understand- beware, take note,

Last days.

Hebrews 1:1-2- Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Words were meant to be an encouragement to Timothy in Ephesus- notice the words of v. 5.

These are not markers of the return of Jesus, but instead indicators of what life in the church, post-resurrection, will look like.

Times of difficulty.

Difficulty- Greek word the same used to describe demon possessed men coming out of the tombs in Matthew 8- translated as fierce, could not be restrained by men.

Used classically to describe animals who could not be tamed.

These are the words used to describe these last days, from Ephesus to now.

How do we prepare for times of difficulty? Imagine preparing for a hurricane.

The warning is given, then v. 5 gives the instruction- What is the necessary preparation? Avoid these people. Turn away from them.

Why should we turn away from such people? They poison the church.

Don’t give yourselves over to those who claim the name of Jesus but live out these qualities, with no hint of repentance.

What, then, is to be expected?

Long list- I count at least 19 traits of people. Let’s focus in on a few.

Appearance of godliness- people in the church will possess these traits.

Appearance- embodiment- the outer shell with nothing inside.

This is the meaningless cicada shell, left on the limb with nothing inside.

Denies, or lacks, the power of true godliness.

Once again, we find ourselves looking inward, inside the imaginary walls of our church body, deep into our own hearts, minds and lives.

Lovers of self, lovers of money, heartless (literally unfeeling- lovers who have no feeling toward anything external), not loving good, lovers of pleasure, not lovers of God.

Paul makes clear that what poisons the church, those who are to be avoided, are those with a love problem.

At the core, the issue is laid out in the beginning and end of the text- People will be lovers of self…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

In between, all the harmful behaviors of men and women. Self love leads to all of the other behaviors- a selfish disregard for others and their needs.

1. What is selfishness?

Truly well defined in our text- lovers of self. The Message- self-absorbed.

Better defined in example.

Good news for you, bad news for me.

Spouse receives a job offer.

Are we able to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn?

Maybe consider how we approach the texts of Scripture.

Isaiah 40:31- ...but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Empowering text, but to what end.

Marva Dawn- “When we wait before the Lord, it is not to receive power only for ourselves, but so that God’s purposes can be accomplished for the building up of his Body and the renewing of his kingdom.”

Are we the end, or the means to the end?

How we approach God’s Word will tend to reveal quite clearly if we are lovers of self or lovers of God.

They can wait in order that I can care for myself.

Become a bigger deal lately, it seems.

Self care, self love. We put others on the shelf in order to make sure our needs are met.

Philippians 2:3-4- Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Notice the way the text reads- Don’t be selfish, be humble and consider others to be more significant than you. There is the attitude, now how is it expressed?

Consider your own interests, but also the interests of others.

Don’t miss this- you’re considering others as more important, and you’re not being selfish. Who’s interests will arise as primary, then?

In fact, where does the text go? It gives the example of Jesus.

Is it important that our needs, our interests, our lives are being cared for? Yes. Absolutely.

But again, as a means to an end.

Conversation- on whom do they focus?

Aunt Ginger and Uncle Russ.

2. How is selfishness destructive?

Selfishness creates a horrible idle- myself.

It is not difficult to remove God from His rightful place at the top and replace Him with ourselves.

Not something difficult to be talked into.

Like getting the bigger steak. Coincidentally, we tend to want what is worse for us.

Consider the madness of placing ourselves at the center of our lives. Are we not familiar with our brokenness?

Allie Beth Stuckey- The hole in the idea of the all-healing power of self-love, self-help and self-care is that, logically, the self can’t be both the problem and the solution. If inside ourselves we find what ails us—insecurity, doubt, depression, anxiety, fear—the solution to those issues can’t be found there, too. That’s because the self isn’t the solution at all. Actually, the self is the problem.

Stated plainly, how are we going to seek answers from what we know to be so miserably broken in the first place?

First commandment comes well into focus- No other gods before me.

Why? Nothing else shares perfection with God.

Selfishness breeds misery.

When an idol is created and worshiped and loved, we live out of step with the natural and godly design of man.

Focus our attention on what is not supposed to keep our attention.

Attending a symphony and being distracted by a ringtone.

You show up to be astounded by beauty, only to be plagued by much less.

Selfishness blocks opportunities for ministry.

1 Corinthians 10:24- Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

Like crimping a hose. Selfishness creates a blockage of how God is meaning to use His people.

Remember Ephesians 2:10- For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Thus, we live outside of our purposes, outside of being God’s workmanship, when we ignore God’s call to live according to good works aimed at service towards others.

3. How is selfishness to be conquered?

Truly recognize the sinfulness of selfishness.

CNN article in July 2009- “What’s So Wrong with Being Selfish?”- Jessica Wakeman- “Women should be allowed to care about pleasing ourselves-- and only ourselves -- without being judged. What is wrong with a woman being selfish? Really. Think about it for a second. Why shouldn't we be selfish if it means we're meeting our own needs and taking care of ourselves? What's wrong with caring more about bringing pleasure to your own life than anything else?”

Is selfishness truly so bad? Is it truly sinful?

Diametrically opposed to the Gospel.

Consider what Jesus has done on our behalf, and what He calls us to.

Mark 8:34-35- And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

This is the gospel, lived out in Jesus, given to us. Deny yourself, follow Jesus.

What does this look like experientially?

1 John 3:17- But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

A defining mark of one apart from Christ, continuing in their slavery to sinfulness, is a selfish and self-seeking, closed off, walled up heart.

Thus, we recognize the sinfulness of selfishness.

Define correctly and strongly the life of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:15- ...and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

How does Paul define the life of those who live? Their allegiance has changed. No longer living for themselves, their own desires, their own pleasures, their own happiness, but living instead for Jesus Christ. How do we do this?

John 12:25-26- Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Note what is important here- hate your life in this world.

Meant to have a disdain of sorts for our lives apart from Christ, even our sin that forgets Christ in the present.

If there is no hatred for such a life, there will be no turning from it.

Love of self embraces the self apart from Jesus- Love of God puts such a life to death.

Hate your life in this world, rid yourself of it by following Jesus closely. Where Jesus is, there you are. What Jesus does, you are doing. Who Jesus loves, you are loving.

Consider the next generation.

How much time do we have with our kids?

All of this, pride, discontentment, selfishness, will be taught to our kids. From everywhere.

Are we doing the necessary work in helping them to be humble, content, and selfless?

Lead with your life, teach with your words.