Sermon Tone Analysis

——Please open your Bibles to the book of 2 Timothy, chapter 3 verse 14——

A few weeks ago, I found myself outside the gates of the new LDS Temple in Pocatello, Idaho holding a sign that said “Is Mormonism Christian?”

This sign yielded more quick responses than I normally get when just handing out tracts.

Virtually everyone who responded cried out “yes, of COURSE we are!”

Some were curious – why would you say we AREN’T?

Most drove away before I could answer, but it’s a fair question.

What makes someone a Christian?

Numerous answers could suffice…perhaps we may say “the one whose sins are forgiven,”

Or “the one who adheres to historic Christian doctrine & creeds.”

I think of a Christian as a disciple of Christ.

To be a disciple of Christ in our age is to abide in His teachings.

Where may the seeking soul find Christ’s teachings?

Of course, in Scripture.

500 years ago – in the days of the Reformation (which we often celebrate on October 31st…NEXT Sunday)…

The Christian Church was recapturing the primacy of Scripture.

Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone — is a bit of a battle-cry for us Protestants

This stood at the center of the Reformation because Christianity witnessed the results of detaching Christian life from the Scriptures.

After the era of the Roman empire, literacy rates in the West dramatically dropped.

Access to Scripture became increasingly scarce, because so few people could actually READ

(some scholars say only 2-3%, most of whom were monks)

Because of this – manmade myths and doctrines slithered into the church.

The church became increasingly superstitious.

Seeming magic trinkets (called relics, often body parts of saints) were pregnant with special spiritual significance and power.

The centrality of Christ was eclipsed in the church by the supposed need for Mary and the Saints.

The common means of grace were obscured, replaced with high rituals and peculiar objects.

But by the hand of providence and the kindness of the Lord, Christians began to realize: Scripture alone must be the basis for our doctrine and practice.

And why is that?

Well, what anchor is there in human speculation?

Man can invent all matter of stories and myths to whip up feelings of hope or guilt…

But what of these corresponds with reality?

How can we know?

Scripture is not only the test of such things, but was eventually seen as the only sure foundation for the doctrine and practice of Christianity.

As the precious doctrines continued in the Bible were rediscovered, faithful men stood their ground upon what Scripture said, convicted of this truth:

Scripture ALONE may bind our conscience, convicting us of right and wrong.

No human has such authority.

No pope can spin up his mind’s opinion in such a way as to bind the hearts and conscience of men.

And so education and translation efforts abounded – to bring Scripture, which had for so long been out-of-reach — into the hands of Christians.

This small spark of conviction concerning Scripture forcefully exploded into a robust understanding of doctrine, and a fierce opposition to false teaching.

Brothers & sisters: we desperately need such a spark in our day.

This morning: my aim is to draw your sight to the excellency of God’s Word.

To lift up your eyes to behold the radiant perfection of God's Law.

That we may daily be brought to the foot of the cross, that we may give our old man over to be burned, and live in newness of life.

That our hearts may learn to delight in that which is delight worthy.

That we may see our Lord with greater clarity.

May your heart burn in the light of the Holy Word.

May you plunge headlong into its fire—drawing both conviction and comfortfrom it.

May the Holy Spirit cause our dulled hearts to be razed, and our souls to ever drink from Scripture: to read, memorize, and meditate on it.

Let’s read 2 Timothy 3:14-4:4 and then pray:

[Read Text]

Let us consider the background to our text this morning: 2 Timothy is very likelythe last letter written by Paul

Paul is in prison - awaiting likely execution.

And he writing to Timothy, his "beloved child" in the faith who was ministering to the church in Ephesus.

In chapter 3 verse 1—Paul gives Timothy this warning:

2 Timothy 3:1–5 —But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Avoid such people.

Paul is trying to be helpful to Timothy in HIS context…Timothy needs to be PREPARED for these things:

For people who are proud…who love themselves…who are depraved and wicked.

When these people arise, there will be times of difficulty…But Paul continues to contrast this with the character of Timothy (in verse 10):

2 Timothy 3:10–13 — You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me... [verse 12] Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Here we find a divide: the vileness of evil men who grow in iniquity and those who follow in the teaching of Paul.

Paul warns Timothy: All who are godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted at the hands of ungodly men.

It is in this context that Paul continues on into our first few verses this morning:

[Read Verse 14-15: "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."]

Paul commands the young minister: “Continue in what you have learned and become convinced of…”

Timothy, by the quickening work of the Spirit, has become CONVINCED and CONVICTED of true things taught to him from childhood…

Things contrary to what evil men believe and practice.

Paul encourages him: CLING desperately to these things.

Don't neglect them.

Don't let them atrophy in your soul.

Don't let them fade away.

Continue in them.

Verse 15 – “how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings”

Timothy grew up being acquainted (or familiar) with the "sacred writings" (under the instruction of his Jewish mother and grandmother).

To grow from infancy into a mature knowledge of the Scriptures.

To be acquainted with them from a young age.

Oh – the grace on display.

The kindness of the Almighty.

What a blessing.

Parents: you have been given a great and terrible responsibility.

To give your children the sweet words of God’s instruction.

To raise them to be acquainted with the sacred writings.

To model meditating on God’s Law, day and night… [Pause]

Better for a child to know Scripture than to sleep in a BED.

Better for a child’s heart to be a library of God’s teachings than to everbe able to quote a single line of Star Wars.

Parents—Do not neglect this: teach the Word to your children daily.

God has given your family an awesome privilege, to have ACCESS to His Word.

Yet we squander it so we can fill our minds with trivial worldly nonsense.

Stop it.

Christian, stop wasting your days and your evenings.

Stop tuning your heart to delight in the world.

Tune it to love GOD.

Spend your nights on your knees with your CHILDREN!

The greatest things you can do to raise your children is to pray for them, live imitable lives, and teach them the Scriptures.

Oh – what a privilege you’ve been given.

Do not squander it.

[Pause]

The Apostle then continues to further describe the character and efficacy of these "sacred writings":

[Read 2nd half: you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus]

These are writings which are able to make you "wise for salvation."…

“Wise for salvation.”