Sermon Tone Analysis

Being A Disciple in Dark Days

2 Tim 3; 1-17

    

Here we have the very last words written by the Apostle Paul.

Paul was foreseeing his departure from this world; writes to Timothy warning Him, counseling him, cautioning him that the days that he will be ministering in will not be easy days.

In fact Paul describes the days that Timothy's ministry with be in; by two different words; he calls them the 'last days' and 'perilous times'.

The phrase 'last days' sets the time frame; it has a dispensational meaning.

We are living in the NT dispensation; usually referred too as the church age.

Now in the OT you will find the same phrase 'last days', but for the sake of time; every where it is mentioned it is referring to the last days of Israel; not the church.

The OT prophets according to Paul could not foresee the concept of Jew and Gentile coming together in harmony in forming the body of Christ; which is called the church (Eph.

3; 1-9).

So when Paul uses these words 'last days' to timothy whose a pastor in a church; he means not the last days of Israel, but the last days of the church age!

Just as the OT began and ended and just like there was a beginning of the NT age; there will be a sure end to this age we are in.

The church age will end at the Rapture of the church.

Paul also used the phrase 'perilous times' to set the tone of the last days.

How will we recognize the last days?

What will be the overriding influences prevailing in the last days of the church age?

Paul tells us the times will be perilous, i.e. dangerous; hazardous; difficult for true believers.

Then Paul gets down to where the rubber meets the road and lists certain attitudes, behaviors, and philosophies that will run wild in the last days of the church age.

Notice then again; For men shall be lovers of their own selves, (selfish; living like they are the only one alive) covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Without natural affection, (ever wonder why a man can father a kid and then doesn't want to have anything to do with the child and mother?

Or have you ever wondered how a new mother can put her baby into garbage bag and just leave the babe to die?

No natural affection) trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, (Not restraining the passions or appetites, particularly the sexual appetite; indulging lust without restraint or in violation of law; unchaste; lewd) fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such turn away.

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

Ever learning, and never able 'to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

These sound like people that are in the jail house doesn't it?

Oh, But Paul tells us who these are, or at least what they want to be known as; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such turn away.

Paul isn't describing the jail house of the last days but the church house of the last days!

These people have the 'form of godliness' - That is, they profess religion, they have the look, show, appearance, but that is all it is.

There is no reality to the faith.

But denying the power thereof ---Opposing the real power of religion; not allowing it to exert any influence in their lives.

It imposes no restraint on their passions and carnal propensities, but in all respects, except in the form of religion, they live as if they had none.

Sounds like Timothy was ministering in some pretty darks days, wasn't he?

Well, we are in the same dark days that were described to Timothy.

Things haven't gotten any better; in fact they have become worse.

Michelle and I was watching a programme about same sex marriages, where the idea of legalizing it came from and the results upon society.

The first European country to legalize same sex marriages (civil unions) was scandaduave.

What is appealing about this that even a man and woman can just have a civil union and enjoy all the benefits of marriage, (tax break, sex) without the accountability of the marriage vows.

They can just leave when they want too.

Already in Europe the marriage rate has dropped 60 % from just five years ago.

The days we live in are so dark spiritually; that we just might witness the near death of marriage in the US!

We are in the last days and they aren't going to get any easier.

What can be done?

What can we do?

What should we do?

How did Paul instruct Timothy to live in the dark days?

 

2 Tim.

3: 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

 

I think what Paul told Timothy can be summed up by just one word, "Discipleship".

You have heard that word a lot throughout your life.

Chances are that you have an idea what it means and chances are great that you have the wrong idea what that word means.

The word disciple means learner, follower, apprentice, and trainee.

Did you know that there are still some professions out there that you just can't learn from a book in a classroom.

You have to go out there and roll up yourselves and work right beside the person whose the teacher.

And when they have learned by following, observing, watching, and interacting with their teacher in everyday situations then they break off and do their work.

That's what a disciple is.

A leaner, a follower, a student, a trainee who follows the direction and example of Jesus Christ.

But Jesus is not here in the flesh; man you are sharp!

But he's here through the Holy Spirit and the word of God!

That's what Paul wanted timothy to focus on and that's what we need to focus on as well.

Yes, our days are dark; yet that's still no reason for not being what we ought to be for God, which is a learner, follower, a student of our Lord.

If you are waiting for a more favorable time to be a disciple; then you will never be one!

Because there will never be a favorable time, or favorable circumstances that make being a disciple for God easy and less difficult.

I wonder how easy it would have been to be nailed to a cross?

Just because Jesus didn't cry out for mercy; doesn't mean that it was easy!

It wasn't easy but Jesus did it!

There will times when the going gets tuff, times when it feels like you are fighting all hell itself; those times when we think that they will never get earlier are the times that we need to make sure we are disciples of our Lord.

I.

The Progress that leads to Discipleship.

Before we can become disciples we must make sure that we are eligible for discipleship; which is being saved.

A disciple should be first a believer!

That sounds like a no brainier right?

Yet it doesn't stay simple when man gets a hold of it and twists it.

A.

False ideas concerning discipleship.

Some preach today what's called Lordship salvation or discipleship salvation.

These that believe this get the requirements of salvation and that of discipleship mixed up, and preach one for the other.

They say, if you are going to be saved, you have to leave and forsake you sins just like Peter and John did the nets to follow Christ.

Now, that sounds good and noble, but it is wrong because it places the emphasis on what you do, instead of what God does through Christ.

It makes salvation nothing more than just a work than man does instead of being a free gift that man receives.

A lot of good people think, well, what's the big deal, they should leave their sin anyway right?

Yes, after we are saved we are not sinless, but we should less.

The much sin you can avoid they happier you will be, without a doubt.

But here's what they don't .want to admit.

Some people will come and want to do whatever a group says as long as they don't go to hell.

And multitudes will do that, just look at the cults; if they don't perform; to hell they go.

Period!

Allah won't let you into heaven unless you have killed a Christian or Jew.

Mary won't let you into heaven unless you have taken the sacraments and paid the church your purgatory dues.

There are people who will bow down and do whatever their told.

But!!!

Just as there are people willing to do the whims of religion; there are countless others sitting watching these 'brave' souls; thinking to themselves I could never do what they are asking, so I guess I can never go to heaven!

A person thinking that leaves and the devil has the right where he wants them; thinking that their salvation depends on them doing something or being something and they face the sad fact that they can't do it.

So they will never be saved they think!

It doesn't matter if the requirement is to bum a candle, kill a Christian, kill a Jew, keep the 10 commandments, speak in tongues, abstain for certain meats, or even be a prayer warrior, be a witness, a tither, be faithful to church.

These are the wrong requirements for salvation; because they discourages more people from being saved than what you would think.

Just ask anybody, what they think they have to do to go to heaven.

They will tell you what  they think and why they can't ever be saved.

It's discouraging!