Well, I invite you to turn today in your Bibles, if you brought your Bibles, to 2 Timothy chapter 3. Since its installation today, I thought a passage out of the pastoral epistles makes sense. Tonight we're going to come together this afternoon at 3 o'clock and come back to the Gospel of John. I'm eager to preach John 15 to you. It's such a beautiful passage of I am the vine and you are the branches. and we've come to that great text, so I encourage you. It's going to be a glorious afternoon. It's not going to snow or anything, so you should come. 2 Timothy 3 today, this is a little more challenging of a text, but I hope you'll appreciate why and how it answers today and provides us an answer for everything that we're challenged with. Notice my title of the sermon is Staying the Course in Revolutionary Times, and that's exactly what we're in. We're in revolutionary times. And I believe this passage gives us a great help and encouragement collectively as a church, emphasizing, of course, the responsibility of elders and deacons and the great responsibility and task of the church in these times. I'm going to pick up at verse 1 of chapter 3. 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 deceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Janice and Jamborees opposed Moses, so these men also opposed the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, which persecutions I endured, yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. While evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you've learned. And I firmly believe, 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. All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing in his kingdom, preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. And they will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry, for I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up 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 loved his appearing. And there ends the reading of God's wonderful word. Well, today we have, as I've said a few times, the installation of new office bearers, and I thought it would be appropriate to reflect a little bit with you on the priorities that the apostles had for the church and for the Christian ministry. I think that's very important in our times to consider and not take for granted that we understand. He is working hard in this section to explain to them that the ministry of the word is a priority and of great importance for the church. That is his great goal in this for you so that we would understand the importance of this. And I always appreciate this because notice that the apostles wrote under inspiration of the Spirit in such a way that whatever instruction they were giving in the first century, they anticipated all the problems to come, they anticipated the things that would happen, and they gave the same direction and the same course of action at all times and in all different periods. And I think that's an important point to say up front today, that in all the complexities of what's ever happening in this world and of all the challenges that we face, the mission and the mandate and the focus and the priorities have always been the same and they're always the answer. They're always the answer. And I thought this would be helpful today as we install new office bearers. The primary responsibility, you know, of the elders is to oversee the ministry of the Word. Is to oversee that Word. To ensure that the ministry of the Word is continuing faithfully. There's a lot of labor that goes on behind the scenes to continue this and to oversee this and to manage this and to keep this. They got to keep the pastors in check. That's a big job. You know that. Then you have the ministry of the deacons, don't you? Remember in Acts, the importance of the deacons. They were set apart to serve tables. In other words, there were a lot of needs in the life of the kingdom. There was a lot of hurting people in the life of the kingdom. And to keep focused on the ministry of the word for the pastors and the elders, a diaconate was set aside so that the ministry of the word would continue and not become sidetracked with every issue under the sun. So a diaconate is a great blessing to the church. It's an answer for all the charges today that the church is not concerned with the oppressed and the hurting. That's why we have a diaconate. The diaconate needs to be given that great call and attention to that. But they're providing a platform for the ministry of the word to continue. the heart of what then the apostle is saying as he's looking to timothy his the young protege and pastor and he's paul's about ready to die we'll look at here and and go to glory he knows he's at the end he's concerned that the ministry would continue to go forward and he's concerned that notice in in chapter 4 verse 5 that he would fulfill his ministry such an important point here That's the heart of this, that he would fulfill his ministry. But he's helping him to understand the ministry, what it looks like to be fulfilled, what that ministry, the challenges that will come to have that ministry fulfilled. He says that there, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. And then he's calling the next guy, Timothy, handing the baton off, passing the apostolic faith down, saying, you continue now to fulfill this ministry. It's wonderful because after a long battle, you have the veteran apostle, old, been through the war, been through the battles, and now he's ready to go home. He's done. He knows this time's over. So what's on his heart? What's on his mind as he's facing this? Well, he's concerned. Paul is concerned that all sorts of things are happening in the kingdom of darkness, all with the purpose of undoing and wreaking havoc on Christ's purpose to evangelize the nations, on Christ's purpose for leaving us here, on Christ's purpose in the Great Commission, that we would be pulled apart, that we would be pulled aside, that the ministry would lose focus, that the ministry would lose its design, and that great damage would be done in the kingdom if they did not stay focused on the calling. So the apostles were so concerned to see the ministry of the word go forward in all the assaults that would come, all the ideas, all the vain philosophies, all the movements, all the undercurrents, everything that's happening that would undermine this great truth. And it's pretty remarkable if you think about it, That here in 2021, after all this technology, after all these movements, after all these attacks, here we are still doing this. A pastor set aside to preach a word to you, a word that is living, but a word that's been inspired, a whole scripture, 66 books given to you, still being exposited to this day tells you the power of the Holy Spirit is still backing and building through this means. but we should never think we should never think that it could couldn't be taken or it couldn't be attacked it has been throughout history and we need vigilance we need people who are given to oversee and care for this and understand this and that's why it's so beneficial to preach this to the whole church today so that you understand what this is all about for if we don't watch if we don't contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints jude one if we take this like lightly there are casualties there are paul talks about it everywhere shipwrecking the faith of some and we'll come back at john tonight and talk and see how in john 15 nobody loses salvation but this very big struggle in the life of the church is serious because there are real casualties along the way so what paul does now then is call timothy and us through this to the great responsibility to serve in the church with eagerness and with great joy and purpose and meaning and to understand it. So notice here that we have a long section that I read from 3.1 extending to 4.8, which I believe is one section here, a complete section bracketed by a central command that Paul is working from and building to and working from, a central command here, a central responsibility here. You'll notice in verse one that it says, I charge you, verse four, I mean chapter four, verse one. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead by his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching. The one thing the Apostle was so focused and so concerned about at the end of his life, isn't this remarkable? You ask the Apostle, what do we do with all this stuff? I'll tell you what you do. I have one real big concern. I have one big concern that something would be maintained with all your diligence and with all your heart, that you would continue the ministry of the word and not lose heart in it. Paul had already said this, of course, to Timothy in chapter two. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. Why is Paul so concerned about this to Timothy? Well, think about the context here. It's AD 68, roughly. He is in prison for the gospel. Paul's in prison right now writing this. I don't know yet in this place and time that too many pastors have been imprisoned yet. This is the context. Paul has been imprisoned for the gospel. He's in the second Roman imprisonment. He knows it's going to end in execution. Imagine this. He really believes in his heart. He's going to die for this. He believes he's going to die and be executed. All sorts of problems he has faced along the way. Alexander the coppersmith has given him nothing but problems. You remember there was a great riot in Ephesus. This is where Timothy is. This is where he's ministering. There was a great riot in Ephesus. Because of what? The gospel ministry. Not over battling over who's the next emperor, by the way. The gospel ministry. there was a riot that it caused and he was condemning their idolatrous books they got together and burned them remember that um shrines of diana of the ephesians because paul was preaching the gospel and exposing the idolatry of the culture what happened it caused a great riot in ephesus the whole stadium filled up Thousands of people wanted Paul dead for this. Which, by the way, says, I think, we can't be afraid to expose the idolatries of the culture. That's part of the problem, that no one's doing that today. But notice here that within two years, a bloodthirsty emperor named Nero was coming. And he would begin the great persecution of the church in AD 70. That's coming. Paul has some idea that the great times are coming. And they were aware that in any given time, you could get persecution. They lived this way. They knew this. Their pressure on the church in Ephesus was huge. I mean, you could imagine, here's Timothy. He's called Timid Timothy. There's something to debate as to whether he should be called that. I tend to agree because I think we're all timid when we're faced with these kinds of challenges. How is our little church going to make it in Ephesus in the midst of this? Think of all the same concerns we have today. Think of all the things we incessantly worry about. How are we going to retain the youth? How are we going to do this and how are we going to do that? If we're too strong, we're going to offend. And if we're too strong, we're going to drive people out. Paul was always talking about love and talking about the proper approach to things. But he equally was saying, stop being ashamed of the gospel. I don't want you ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, Paul said at one point, nor of me as prisoner. See, what happened is Paul's in prison now. It was easy to distance from Paul. Say, yeah, that's not a good outcome. Not a good outcome. Share with me, Paul would say, in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. That's quite a statement. Paul's been building to this. He's been building to this. What is the solution? Think about this. In all of this mess, in all of this mess, in all of the challenges, think of the changing times we're in. Think of how complex everything's getting. That's how we feel. It's very complex. It's very confusing. Paul says this. I charge you, I give you a forceful order from God. This is no option. Before whose face you are, who is soon to be here in judgment, here's the forceful order. Preach the word. Preach the word in season, out of season. Preach that word. This is quite a moment here where he says this. In season and out of season. I don't know that I ever appreciate this more than I do right now. Think about this for a minute. It tells you there is a serious battle in the force of darkness that is ultimately at work to undermine what we do. A serious battle. What do we do with all the challenges? What have people to do with all the things that they face? What are we to be about? What are we to be people of? There's one central focus the Apostle Paul has here. There's one central command for all the things that the churches are trying to figure out today, to try to be relevant to the culture and reach the culture and do something effective in the culture. All the Apostle is saying here something very important. It's the grand goal and the grand mission statement of the church. What is it? We have to all be people. You want to make a difference in this world right now? We have to all be people committed to the truth. That's what he's saying. Committed to the truth. And we have to have a commitment to preach and teach that truth, unwaveringly. I was reading about the church in Iran, and there's a big documentary about it. Do you know the government has told them that if you meet the Christians in Iran, you'll have your heads cut off? They have threatened them to be beheaded if they gather for the preaching of the ministry of the word. What do you think they're doing? They're gathering. Albeit underground, they're gathering. Would we? Think about that for a minute, would we? Paul understood that in the constant seasons of ministry and the ministry of the Word, without every Sabbath, us gathering, without the people of God receiving the ministry of the Word, that would be the greatest damage to the cause of the kingdom of Christ. This is God's power in the earth. This is God's help to us in the earth. And so notice what he pleads here. In the good times and in the bad times. In the dangerous seasons and in the good seasons. In all these different seasons that come, which tell you that in the course of a ministry, in a course of time, there's going to be different seasons. There's going to be good seasons, and then there's going to be really bad seasons where the preaching and the ministry of the word, it doesn't seem to be being received. He says in all of these different seasons, you have to continue to be committed to that. with all you have. Notice what he says. Why? Convince, reprove, bring people under conviction. This is God's way of bringing people under conviction of sin. This is God's way of addressing the problem of the human heart. This is God's way of exposing everything that's happening in the world. And there's a goal in this. Convince, reprove, Convict people of sin with the goal of drawing out change. You'll notice those first two are negative there. And then he says, Rebuke and exhort. It's a positive dimension to this. Comfort the people. Help the people with the gospel. Encourage them. Lift them up in what the Lord has done. It's a law gospel kind of distinction that the apostle is giving here. With a goal here in this. And do it with all along suffering and patience. But the point is, continue in this. That's the charge. That's the call that he gives. I want to focus on the reasons just for a minute. The reasoning is important. Paul was not just writing this for Timothy's sake. He's writing this for you, that you would care about this a lot. And as I said, I'm really thankful for, I've said numerous times, for a church who gathers and loves to receive the word. The greatest reason is up front. It pleased God always through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. That's how he's pleased to work. That's what we've been told. That's what's inspired. But I want you to notice here the forceful order here in the Greek. I charge you from God himself. This is his directive. Before God and the Lord Jesus Christ. So literally means before the face or in the presence of. Notice the emphasis on the son in this. I charge you before the face of God and Christ. Who's going to do what? Judge the living and the dead. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, could be at any time, project's over. Project's over. Understand that. It's done. And this is where all the game playing stops. This is when all the compromise stops. It's all going to be exposed and then there's a white throne judgment described in Revelation chapter 20. Jesus is going to take his seat. And I think this is one of the most important reasons that is absolutely forgotten today in the church. Why we're doing what we're doing. What is the reason for the maintenance of the ministry? Why do you need and your children need it? Why does the world need it? Well, simple. Judgment's day is coming. Judgment day is coming. Do we understand that and do we believe that? It's coming. And he's already motivating us to the end of it that all the people who are just playing with this, it's not going to go well. It's not going to go well. So here we get to the heart of the apostle. Why is he doing what he's doing? Why is he willing to die for this? Why is he in jail for this? Well, he's sat everywhere. Knowing the terror of God, we persuade people. The whole drive is because Paul was concerned for the salvation of people. Paul was concerned for your salvation. Paul was concerned about people being saved from the wrath to come. There was a great priority and a singular focus in this ministry. This is what he said in Colossians 1. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy, that he powerfully works within me. It's a fair question. Have we lost sight in the church today that this is the greatest need? I think that's a fair question in all of our discussions and all of our talk. Have we lost sight that this is the greatest need? We're so stuck on all the cultural whims of the day. We're all stuck in all the stuff of the day. But I think we think the salvation of culture is bigger than the salvation of people. Did you hear me? I think we think the salvation of culture is bigger than the salvation of people. Keep a close watch on yourselves and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by doing this, says Paul, you will save both yourself and those who hear. Salvation. Salvation. It's mocked at today. Everyone hates that we would even believe that people need to be evangelized. This is Paul. Then he says this, second, the reason you need to persevere in this is because of the perilous times. He says, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. He says there are times, there are epochs, appointed times of distress. This is why he says just keep preaching in all of these seasons. There will be things when it's really good and the word is really heard. You may not like revival talk, but there were times when it was heard. And then there are times when it's not heard. what do you think we're in well again i'm thankful for the escadillo urc but in general we're in a time where the word is not being heard now this is something he started back in chapter three know this then the last days perilous times will come he says that dangerous troublous seasons epochs are going to come there's no way around it and it's not going to be always smooth sailing in the church it's going to be times of warfare that are really bad notice men will be lovers of themselves their interests will be only their own glory lovers of money worldly boastly proud they'll not submit their lives to jesus blasphemers they will speak out freely against the word of god they will be disobedient to parents it has a disdain for the previous generation they will write off everything they've learned their lives will be unthankful unholy unloving no real giving of the self. It's all about them. They are irreconcilable. They slander. They're without self-control. Brutal, despisers of good, haters, headstrong, traitors. They don't receive correction. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. And being friends with the world, they've made themselves enemies of God. They've not been brought under the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit. And this is going to be a time when these things are really big and exacerbated and a big problem. Again, you're in it. You're in a time like this. What does it look like? Well, I think he warns of the most dangerous season in verse 3 of our text in chapter 4. 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. According to their own, you know how that reads? Passions. According to their own passions. Because they have itching ears, they're going to heap up teachers for those teachers to come along and tell them whatever they want to hear. The whole culture will turn into following its own passions, he says. Whatever they have inwardly defined as the truth, there's no more external authority that guides them. Think about that. Whatever they have inwardly decided is true in their passion. They've gone inward. Nothing outside of them is to define them. Nothing. Well, that's our day. Truth is determined by your own personal passions. whatever direction you want to go, however you want to identify, whatever you want to do to your body, whatever you want to destroy in your body, go for it. Don't you dare tell me I'm wrong. Don't you dare tell me I'm wrong. Who are you? I define my reality. Does anyone ever stop anymore and say there's such a thing as evil desire on the inside? and in the midst of this how many teachers rise up this is the sad part how many teachers rise up and support this stuff the entire project now in the church is just to adapt whatever the culture's ideas are and somehow join them syncretistically to Christianity and look what's happening the culture's making everything bow down to it everything politics is downstream from the culture and politics is bowed down to the culture right now that's why they're legislating all this stuff but the saddest thing is the church is downstream from both bowing to whatever whim we are told to bow to C.S. Lewis warned against this about the desire for our inner ring we're all targeted and classified and put into our rings and we attack everything that is outside of our ring truth is what we need truth is what we need right now and it's not truth on our terms and it's not truth that only make us comfortable in our own ring it's truth everywhere it's truth on both sides when the culture is driven by their own passions cultures run in cycles paul says you're undoubtedly going to face a time in your ministry when they will not put up with what you're saying that's what he's saying here they're not going to listen to the truth of the gospel they're not going to come to a time when the truth will not matter they will have heard it they will say i reject it i don't like it What a pressure on poor Timothy going into the ministry, you know? Going into the ministry in Ephesus, you know, in a Christian message that is just ridiculous in a Roman culture to run around preaching a Jesus crucified when they put their gods and made statues of them was the absolute epitome of foolishness. And Paul says, you know what you ought to do, Timothy? Just keep your head down and keep preaching. Keep your head down and keep preaching. when these dangerous seasons come people will not want to hear about their need for a savior they're not going to want to hear about their sins and you know they're not going to want to hear about a need for a new birth that's for sure or regeneration of the heart by the spirit that's not the stuff you're going to be folk that people are going to want you talking about you're going to be pulled into whatever the culture is saying you need to do and christ is saying that paul is saying here, they're going to turn aside to their own fascinating narratives. That's stories. The church has been telling their own stories for a long time. But their own narratives they're going to follow. I've never seen this before, but I noticed here, he says, because of all these teachers, they will turn their ears from the truth and be turned aside to fables. You know that happened in Israel's history? It dawned on me. That happened in Israel's history. When did that happen? This. Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the land. Not a famine of bread, nor thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, from north to east. They shall run to and fro and seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it. now stay with me here for a second if you pay attention to amos he's not saying there won't be a lot of people speaking their ideas there were false teachers everywhere in israel saying whatever the people wanted to hear that was the problem that jeremiah was exposing that was the problem that ezekiel was exposing it was that there were times in when these seasons came that God also sent his own judgments and famines came of hearing the word. To find the true word in the midst of a famine and those who wanted to hear it was rare. And I think that's why Paul's saying, stay with it. Stay with it. Stay with it. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus are gonna suffer. You gotta accept that. That's what he's saying to him here. Remember, he said in verse 10 of chapter 3, you've carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured. He was stoned, by the way. And then comes this beautiful statement. Out of all of them, the Lord delivered me. You don't think the Lord's going to help you through all this? Holding on to the truth. Holding on to the gospel of our salvation. is our greatest challenge and our greatest responsibility. Why do you think in this section he's saying all Scripture is given by inspiration of God? It's profitable for teaching, rebuke, correction, and training, and right? He's saying that because he wants you to have absolute confidence in it. God gave you a God-breathed word. What's your attitude to it? From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence. And the violent take it by storm. You know, this week we saw a lot of people try to take the United States by storm. Thomas Watson once said, what violence is used for earthly crowns and empires? Men will wade to the crown through blood. Christians, he says, you have but a little way to go. A little more violence. a few more tears shed, a few more Sabbaths kept. Then your hopes shall be crowned with the beautifical sight of God. When the vapor is blown away, then we will see the sun clearly. So when the short vapor of life is blown away, then we shall behold Christ, the son of righteousness, and all his glory, we shall see him as he is. We don't take the United States by storm. We take the kingdom of God by storm with the truth. that's what he's saying. By seeing people saved from the wrath to come, by holding on to this truth, by believing it, and then by, oh, look at tonight, three o'clock. Loving one another. Loving one another. Here's the great encouragement, and we'll close. I know I'm going longer than usual. There's a reward coming. There's a reward coming. Here's what Paul says. I have fought the fight. I've finished the race. I've kept the faith. Henceforth, there's laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day. And not only to me also, but all who have loved is appearing. What a great verse. Do you love, are you looking and loving to see the Lord's appearing? He's coming. Paul spoke of that crown that Christ had given him. It wasn't just a nice jeweled crown that he would put on his head. It's not what that was. You know what it was? He told us in Philippians, Therefore, my brothers whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. Do you know who the crown was? All those whom he served. When he would get to heaven on that day and look around, recognizing them, by the way, he would see all those whom he served and say, That's my crown. And that was Christ's crown. That's why he died, to save you and loves you. And he's inspiring the ministry to continue this way. This is your crown, you servants of the Lord. Is your attitude good toward that? This is your crown, a people. That's how wonderful the gospel ministry is. That as this word is tended to, and as this word continues, It's going to make you complete. Paul concludes in verse 5, So Timothy, be watchful in all things. Endure the afflictions. Do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry. That's why God left you here, Timothy. That's why you're making vows today, brothers. It's no burden. Be steadfast. Maintaining this wonderful ministry in a world that's... They don't have answers. How many times did I say that? They don't have answers. It's crumbling under their feet. Their kingdom's crumbling under their feet. You have an unshakable kingdom you belong to. With a king on a throne that can never be toppled. Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, he said. And afterward, guess what? You too will receive the crown of glory. You too will receive the crown of glory. What an encouragement today. Hold fast. We have the words of life. Jesus said that to Peter. You guys want to go anywhere else? Where would we go? This is the word of life. We'll stay here. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your wondrous word to us and for helping us to stay focused on what's most important. We need that. We need to be challenged this way. Thank you for being faithful all these generations and all these years to maintain the ministry of the word. Let us with great receiving hearts believe it. And may, Lord, all those today, even in this place, who are struggling to believe, who are hurting, who feel all the pains of living in this world, see that this is the great balm that you've given to save, to comfort, to uphold, and to keep. Thank you for a marvelous Savior. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you.