THE PASTORAL EPISTILES 1 TIMOTHY, 2 TIMOTHY, AND TITUS 2 TIMOTHY 3 DANGEROUS DAYS 1
Signs of the Times Hypocritical Christians and Cultish Practices (2 Timothy 3:1 9) Dangerous times manifest themselves in 2 Ways Hypocritical Christians (vs 1 5) Rise of Cultic Practices and behaviors (vs 6 9) Hypocritical Christians (vs 1 5) Act religious, go thru the motions, committed to worship and works Do not have the Spirit s power so they look elsewhere Signs of the Times Hypocritical Christians and Cultish Practices (2 Timothy 3:1 9) Characteristics of Terrible Times 4 Categories 1. Lovers of Themselves 2. Family/Home Life 3. Interpersonal Relationships 4. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God 2
Signs of the Times Hypocritical Christians and Cultish Practices (2 Timothy 3:1 9) 2 Tim 3:6 9 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. Signs of the Times Hypocritical Christians and Cultish Practices (2 Timothy 3:1 9) Cult like Practices/Behaviors Promulgated by hypocritical Christians who profess one thing but live completely differently 2 Tactics they Use (given them by the enemy) Infiltration (vs6) Prey on the vulnerable who are open to being manipulated Not grounded in the word (vs 7) they ll take anything that sounds good as the truth 3
Signs of the Times Hypocritical Christians and Cultish Practices (2 Timothy 3:1 9) Imitation (vs 8) References Exodus 7, where Pharaoh's magicians imitated the miraculous signs God did thru Aaron Only imitations THEY WON T LAST Key Point: terrible times come with great distress, but they offer times of great opportunity QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/THOUGHTS? How to Fight Back in Terrible Times (2 Timothy 3:10 17) How should Timothy (and we) cope in such terrible times? 2 Ways to Cope w/terrible Times Do as I have done (vs 10 13) Trust the Word to guide you (vs 14 16) 2 Tim 2:10 11 10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 4
How to Fight Back in Terrible Times (2 Timothy 3:10 17) Do as I have done (vs 10 13) You know about my teaching He taught the truth as recorded in Scripture You know my way of life Practiced what he preached Controlled his temper Supported himself Forgave his enemies Leaned on truth of the Word How to Fight Back in Terrible Times (2 Timothy 3:10 17) Model my Attitudes My Purpose My faith My patience My love My endurance I ve been persecuted, so will you The solution? Yet the Lord has rescued me from all of them 5
How to Fight Back in Terrible Times (2 Timothy 3:10 17) We don t get saved and then get saved from pain But remember, in hard times, the Lord stands with you 2 Tim 3:12 13 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You will always be resisted Before Jesus returns, evil will increase go from bad to worse QUESTIONS/THOUGHTS/COMMENTS? How to Fight Back in Terrible Times (2 Timothy 3:10 17) 2 Tim 3:14 17 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 6
How to Fight Back in Terrible Times (2 Timothy 3:10 17) Trust the Word to guide you (vs 14 16) Let your thinking be controlled by the Word of God Bible points the way to God Continue in what you ve learned = READ THE BIBLE, LEARN WHAT IT SAYS, AND KEEP DOING IT! Bible literacy = lives changed/transformed How to Fight Back in Terrible Times (2 Timothy 3:10 17) Act on what you ve learned What s the effect of learning, believing, acting on scripture? Effect of the scriptures is to save us Not the reading and learning by itself, but by introducing us to the Savior Why does the Bible do this? All Scripture is God breathed 7
How to Fight Back in Terrible Times (2 Timothy 3:10 17) Because Scripture is God breathed, it s good for 4 Things: 1. Teaching 2. Rebuking 3. Correcting and training in righteousness 4. Equipping us Bottom Line: to cope with terrible times: Model the saints that came before us Lean on the word COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/THOUGHTS 2 TIMOTHY 4 END OF THE JOURNEY 8
End of the Journey (2 Timothy 4) Final advice and final charge to Timothy Summarizes his life and reviews his report card Summarizes his current state of affairs and offers final greetings It s a Very Important Thing You Do (2 Timothy 4:1 5) 2 Tim 4:1 5 1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS SIGNIFICANT!! 9
It s a Very Important Thing You Do (2 Timothy 4:1 5) In the presence of God and Christ Jesus How can our labors NOT be significant? Working to build the kingdom! 2 Tim 4:2 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. Do 4 Things 1. Preach the Word It s a Very Important Thing You Do (2 Timothy 4:1 5) 2. Be Prepared Don t be rude, but don t be lazy! 3. Just Do It! Correct Rebuke Encourage 4. Do it with great patience and careful instruction 10
It s a Very Important Thing You Do (2 Timothy 4:1 5) 2 Tim 4:3 4 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. Majority of people don t want to hear the truth! Turn to those who teach them what they want to hear COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/THOUGHTS? It s a Very Important Thing You Do (2 Timothy 4:1 5) 2 Tim 4:5 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Keep your head Endure hardship Do the work of an evangelist Discharge all the duties of your ministry COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/THOUGHTS? 11
Farewell (2 Timothy 4:6 8) 2 Tim 4:6 6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. Drink offering (Num 15:1 12) 2 Tim 4:7 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Fought the good fight Not A good fight, THE good fight (Eph 6:12) Finished the race Kept the faith Farewell (2 Timothy 4:6 8) 2 Tim 4:8 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 4 Things Paul is Expecting 1. Crown of righteousness awaiting him 12
Farewell (2 Timothy 4:6 8) 2. The Lord, the righteous Judge will give it to him 3. On that day 4. He ll be w/other believers COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/THOUGHTS? Final Instructions and Greetings (2 Timothy 4:9 22) 2 Tim 4:9 12 9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. Expecting Timothy to come see him in Rome Demas deserted; can almost feel Paul s heartache 13
Final Instructions and Greetings (2 Timothy 4:9 22) Crescens and Titus sent off to lead other bodies of Christ, Luke with him Bring Mark when you come Tychicus to Ephesus 2 Tim 4:13 15 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. Bring my things Final Instructions and Greetings (2 Timothy 4:9 22) Watch out for Alexander. Don t avenge me The Lord will repay him 2 Tim 4:16 18 16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 14
Final Instructions and Greetings (2 Timothy 4:9 22) No one stood up for him at first trial May it not be held against them Verse 17 he knew that the Lord stood by him Delivered from the Lion s Mouth Satan s latest scheme 2 Tim 4:19 21 19 Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. 21 Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers. Priscilla and Aquilla Onesiphorus Erastus Trophimus Final Instructions and Greetings (2 Timothy 4:9 22) Eubulis, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia 15
Final Instructions and Greetings (2 Timothy 4:9 22) Final word to Timothy important to all Christians 2 Tim 4:22 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. The hope of our salvation defined COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/THOUGHTS? 16