December 8, 2019
Morning Service

Last week in both services we covered a total of two verses.  Paul emphatically called out Timothy to “Preach the Word” and it took both messages to break that down.  Our main objective as a church and as individuals is to invite others to share the same relationship with Jesus Christ that we do.  We have been given a gift and been asked to pass it on.  We are to be ready to share our personal testimony along with the gospel message that God created us, loves us and has a purpose for us to fulfill in our lifetime.  Heaven is in our sights for the future, but this message impacts us right here and now where we are at this moment.  This message can change our entire lives and those around us as well. We are to share this message to this dark world in which we live where life can seem to be very cruel and unforgiving.  It is a message of hope.  Jesus said this in the gospel of John:

Joh 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

            Jesus is our hope.  A life spent following Him is a life with great abundance.  We are allowed to know Jesus, our Creator and Savior, in a personal and intimate way.  He gives us peace beyond understanding even in times of extreme trial by walking right beside us.  We are given a purpose which is to share the love of God with the entire world.  That abundant life is what we are seeking here this morning for ourselves and it is the reason for the season of Christmas.  Our future hope lies in heaven, but Jesus came that we may live this life in abundance as well.  Paul has made it crystal clear that we need to share this good news with this world that is hungering and thirsting for it.  If we don’t who will?

  Our enemy who comes to “steal, kill and destroy” is doing his job very well.  News of a mass shooting doesn’t even shock us anymore.  Such tragic events are now the normal instead of something that is unbelievable.  He has desensitized us to these truly horrific events.   He has our society so upside down that there is confusion on every front.  The abundant life is one that knows the truth and abides in it.  Jesus said this in also in John’s gospel:

 

Joh 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  (32)  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

            We “know the truth” by the study and application of God’s Word in our lives.  It is our treasure map to real happiness and contentment.  The truth is what sets us free from being deceived by our enemy’s plan and gives to us the abundant life.  As we now continue in this letter from Paul, he speaks of a time that I believe we are now living in which he spells out this plan to destroy us by pulling us away from the truth.

 

2Ti 4:3-4 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; (4) and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

 

 

 

            Many false teachers are among us at this time doing precisely what Paul has prophesied.  They are preaching and teaching exactly what everyone wants to hear.  It sounds biblical but it is far from it.  They give the false impression that God was created for us, and not us for Him.  Their message is “health, wealth and happiness” excluding scriptures like we just read in chapter 3.

 

2Ti 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

            The abundant life Jesus came to give is not free from suffering and persecution; Jesus warned us that it is part of the package. The truth must be preached.  Sin is sin and will bring consequences from God.  It makes no difference if we don’t want to hear that or not; it is the truth.  As a preacher of this Word, I have a responsibility before God and you to teach the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  Some of that truth is difficult for us to handle, but that does not make it any less true.  Paul now instructs on what we are to do in this era of only teaching tolerance over truth.

 

2Ti 4:5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

            Paul is saying, “Timothy stay the course.  Be careful and on guard choosing your path wisely knowing that afflictions are coming but don’t let them take you off track.  Preach the Word fulfilling what God has called you to do.  In the midst of confusion be the voice of truth.”  He is telling each and every one of us the same thing this morning.  “Don’t get sidetracked with all the false teaching, but stay in the fight and don’t give up.  Set your sights on following Jesus no matter what the cost is by abiding in His teachings.”

            Our world is full of “white noise.”  There are new ideas and issues coming up daily that we can so easily get distracted by.  Our busy world cries out to us for our attention.  Give attention where needed, but keep God first in your life and don’t lose sight of the goal that lies ahead of us. 

Paul now makes an awesome analogy about his life as he knows the end is near.  He has no regrets.  He has lived the abundant life.  He has fought the battle with courage and longsuffering and now has his eyes fixed on the hope of the future and the promise of heaven as our eternal home.

 

2Ti 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.  (7)  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  (8)  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

            Paul speaks with confidence that he has been faithful in his calling to preach the word.  As he sits in the shadow of martyrdom, he does so calmly knowing that his death will take only a moment, but his reward is eternal.  He compares his life to that of being “poured out as a drink offering.”  A drink offering consisted of wine being poured out on the altar as a sacrifice to God (Ex. 29:41).  The fragrance of the sacrifice was viewed as being pleasing to God.  I love this symbolism of Paul’s life being poured out on the altar.  He was “presenting his body as a living sacrifice to God as his act of worship (Rom. 12:1).  This symbolizes what the abundant life really looks like.  It is a life given to something that is bigger than us that really matters.  As we follow Jesus and love Him by keeping His commands, we play a part in building the kingdom of God.  He will use our words, actions, and our sufferings to make a difference in the lives of others.  (Bill Tuttle story).  Keep the focus that Jesus has come to bring us life more abundantly and has commanded us to share that with others until we too have “finished the race and kept the faith.”

 

Heavenly Father thank You for calling us to this abundant life and please open our understanding to all that really means.