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2 Timothy 3:10-13, Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
In 2 Timothy 3:1-9 Paul drew a picture of what to expect in the last days before Christ returns. He says expect difficult times even in the churches heavily influenced by the godless culture, and we see much of this today. Self-love, money-love, and pleasure-love are the driving forces of our secular, materialistic culture. God wants us to be fully aware of these forces and to be strong in the Lord. I want to go back and point out some characteristics of the apostasy and decadence we face today, especially in the religious world.
Verse 5 says there will be very little life-changing gospel power. “They have denied its power.” In many cases the gospel has been gutted in an attempt to be relevant and tickle people’s ears by saying what they want to hear.
Verse 7 says there will be lots of information but little Biblical teaching. “Always learning but not coming to the knowledge of the truth.” Never has there been more knowledge at our fingertips, although some are having a hard time explaining what a woman is. But we can Google anything. We are proud of our knowledge about everything. However, many are lacking what we really need to know – God’s truth.
Verse 8 says many religious spokesmen will actually oppose the truth. “These men also oppose the truth.” They are depraved in their thinking, deceived in their hearts, and rejected by God.
Verse 13 says these men will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. This is the spiritual climate of the last days, leading up to the tribulation period when Satan, the great deceiver, will raise up the Antichrist and his sidekick, the false prophet, who deceive the world into believing he is the Messiah.
All of this is why we as a church are committed to the study of God’s Word, verse by verse, book by book. And this is why we must be strong in the Lord and put on the full armor of God. We are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against the schemes and deceptions of the devil, against spiritual forces of darkness and wickedness in heavenly places.
BUT YOU FOLLOWED!
Now let’s look at Paul’s charge to Timothy in view of these difficult days and religious deceivers. He begins in verse 10 with “But you!” “You” is emphatic. You stand out in contrast to these spiritual wolves, these deceivers. “But you followed.” Now this is just so good. Paul was the faithful leader and Timothy was the faithful follower. This is how God works – through leaders and followers. He created Adam as the leader and Eve as the faithful follower. Moses led; Joshua followed. Here Paul led; Timothy followed.
Healthy Christianity consists of faithful leading and faithful following. God fleshes out His truth and the power of the gospel in people’s lives, and He uses real life examples to prove it.
Hebrews 13:7, Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Paul was Timothy’s mentor, discipler, example, and leader. It pleased Paul to have Timothy faithfully follow his faithful leadership. The word “followed” has the idea to follow right beside – parakaleutheo. The Amplified Version says, “Now you have closely observed and diligently followed…” Paul had Timothy join him on his second missionary journey in Lystra, and Timothy followed Paul’s example throughout the rest of Paul’s ministry to this very point. Paul included Timothy in his salutations of 2 Corinthians, Colossians, Philippians, Philemon, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians. He even said this of Timothy:
Philippians 2:19-20, But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERS.
As I prepared this message I was struck with how amazing Paul’s life for Christ really was, from the time Christ arrested him on that Damascus Road all the way to the Roman prison where he now awaits his execution for Christ. He is truly the greatest leader in the history of the church. In many of his writings he challenges God’s people to follow his example. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 he says, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” Listen to this in Philippians 4:9, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” But Paul would be the first to confess he was what he was by the grace of God. Oswald Sanders describes Paul as being filled with the Spirit, “his mind was aflame with the truth of God, his heart aglow with the love of God, and his will ablaze with a passion for the glory of God.”
Warren Wiersbe cautions: “It is important in these difficult days that we follow the right spiritual leaders.” The worst-case scenario is to follow a leader who eventually disqualifies himself either by deserting the faith like Josh Harris or by immoral behavior like Ravi Zacharias. Ravi was especially bad as he used God and his ministry to hide his immoral behavior.
Any spiritual leader of any sort must be aware of how he is leading – from pastor, elders, deacons, teachers, to fathers, mothers, older brothers and sisters. Leadership is influenced by example. Paul told Timothy to be an example, a faithful leader himself. Here’s another great verse for young people to memorize:
1 Timothy 4:12, Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
PAUL’S FAITHFUL LEADERSHIP.
Paul lays out a plan for spiritual leadership and gives ten areas of his life for Tmothy to follow. Each of these should have “my” in front of them, since Paul uses the definite article for each one. These areas are challenging and convicting. Do you have a life worth imitating? When they put the memorial stone over your grave, could it say: “A Life Worth Emulating?”
1. My Teaching – Know what you believe. Are you surprised that teaching comes first? Without teaching all you have is hero worship. So first and foremost was Paul’s faithful teaching of God’s Word that gripped Timothy’s heart. Think of the incredible doctrine of Romans and Ephesians. There is nothing to compare with their pure, undiluted transforming truth. Can you imagine the commentaries and sermons his teaching has produced? Teaching is number one. Nothing trumps doctrine. Teaching is the backbone of genuine Christianity. I’m glad we are committed to teaching, because I wouldn’t know what to say otherwise. In a church climate where style and impression are the biggies, we must follow Paul’s teaching!
2. My Conduct – Commit yourself to integrity. Paul was committed to doing right. He never took advantage of people. His integrity was flawless. Matthew Henry said, “He didn’t pull down with his living what he built up with his preaching.” He taught humility; he didn’t walk in pride. He taught speak the truth with your neighbor; he didn’t lie or cheat. Remember the story of the preacher getting on a bus, paying the fare, and then realizing after he sat down that the driver gave him too much change. What did he do? When he gave the driver the extra money, the driver said, “I did that on purpose. I heard you speak the other day and wondered if you practice what you preach.”
3. My Purpose – Keep your focus. The ESV says, “My aim in life.” Paul had one great overarching purpose we should all emulate – to know Christ and to make Him known. Christ was first: Philippians 3:8, “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.” And Paul woke up every day remembering his God-given mission in Acts 20:24 “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” We’re not Paul, but we also ought to wake up remembering that our purpose today is to glorify God in whatever we do, and to enjoy Him every day!
4. My Faith – Trust your God. Paul had unwavering confidence in God’s sovereignty, God’s inseparable love for His people, God’s holy and wise character. Paul believed God. Paul believed God’s revelation. He said, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced He is able to keep my soul through it all.” As Paul sits and stands and lays down in that Roman dungeon where doubts and darkness and the devil could have swamped his soul into deep discouragement, he trusted God. He trusted God in the darkness. He fought any doubts with his faith in God’s good and wise plan for his life, no matter what happens. Paul may have had times of despair, but never sulked in self-pity or charged God with unfairness.
Our friend Diane Bartel recently lost her husband Steve to cancer. She posted this encouraging song: “Day by day, and with each passing moment, strength I find, to meet my trails here, trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.” The second stanza says: “Every day the Lord Himself is near me with a special mercy for each hour.” My purpose, my faith. These are all characteristics we should all be pursuing every day, in the sunshine and the rain.
5. My Patience – Not getting upset when things don’t go your way. “Makrothumia,” what a great word. Having a long fuse before you explode. How Paul’s patience was tried every day. People crossed him, betrayed him, spread rumors about him, made fun of his speaking, and he was so patient. Patience is the fruit of faith, of trust in God. How does 1 Corinthians 13 begin to describe God’s kind of love? “Love is patient!” That’s the opposite of losing control, getting angry, especially when you are wronged. Parents need great patience. Those sweet little ones can actually get on your nerves. Luther said, “My whole life is patience: patience with the pope, the heretics, my family, and my Kate.” He didn’t know how patient Kate had to be with him as he gave away money when they could not afford it.
As you think about Paul here, the higher your esteem of him goes. He is a living testimony to the power of the gospel, of God to change a man or woman’s life.
6. My Love – Love people, even when they are taking shots at you. Do you want to learn how to love people? Study Paul! Paul stuck with people, wept for them, and poured out his life for the believers. He wanted what was best for them. In nearly every epistle he assures God’s people of his love for them. His love covered all kinds of petty offenses and allowed him to rise above jealousy, bitterness, and strife. You see love oozing out of Paul’s heart each step of the way in his love for Jews and love for Gentiles. His love wasn’t indulgent, though. He loved people enough to rebuke them when they were going astray. He loved Peter enough to confront him there in Galatians 2. In 1 Corinthians 4:14 he assured those erring Corinthians he admonished them “as my beloved children.”
7. My Perseverance – Hang in there for Christ. Many would have quit long before Paul. He was stoned, whipped, jailed. The test of a man’s character is what it takes to stop him. The only thing that stopped Paul was the edge of a Roman blade. Paul knew trials and pressures and opposition were part of God’s will and he hung in there. He knew and believed all things were working for his good. It is a God-honoring endurance that goes through life’s fiery trials knowing the glory lies ahead.
8. My Persecutions – Expect persecutions. Paul assures Timothy and us in verse 13 that everyone who wishes to live for Christ in this world will be persecuted! Persecutions and suffering are not electives for the believer. That is one thing you should count on. The world is not a friend of grace. If you’re going to live for Christ, you’re going against the grain. Every believer who genuinely wants to follow Christ must never be surprised at the world’s reaction to you. Verse 12 assures us that we are living in enemy territory, hated by Satan and the world, and we must never be surprised at various kinds of persecution. Jesus also said, “In the world you will have tribulations. Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Persecutions combine with suffering.
9. My Sufferings – Rejoice in sufferings for Christ. Imagine asking Paul for counsel on how to manage all the pressures of our modern life that have us so stressed out. If you want stress, spend a day with Paul. How did he handle it? We never hear Paul whining nor griping about how hard he has it. Here’s a sampling of some of his sufferings.
2 Corinthians 11:23-27, Are they servants of Christ? –I speak as if insane– I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
When Paul called Timothy back in Lystra, that young man had no idea what lay ahead. But I’m sure Paul told Timothy it wasn’t going to be a cakewalk. Do you know how much the New Testament talks about suffering? First Peter 5:10 says, “After you have suffered for a little while….” Suffering is assumed. When God called Paul, He told him in Acts 9:16, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my sake.” In Revelation 2:10 Jesus said, “Don’t fear what you are about to suffer…. Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.” I wonder how many of those martyrs who burned at the stake for their faith claimed this promise.
10. My Deliverance – Know Christ will always deliver you. Why does Paul go back to these three cities? Because Timothy could identify and remember some of the trials Paul went through. Lystra was Timothy’s hometown. They stoned Paul in Lystra and took him outside the city thinking he was dead, but he wasn’t. He got up and went right back into the city (Acts 14:19-20). On the second missionary journey in Acts 16 he returned to Lystra and called Timothy to go with him. Paul says the Lord delivered him out of all these sufferings, and he says the same thing in 2 Timothy 4:18 when he writes, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” That’s how Paul viewed his life. He believed that whether through life or through death, his Lord would rescue him and bring him home. The amazing thing about Paul is that he keeps rejoicing in all his afflictions: “I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.” (2 Corinthians 7:4c).
GROWING END TIMES DECEPTION.
2 Timothy 3:13, But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Paul was a faithful leader and Timothy was a faithful follower. But Paul in verse13 wants him and us to be fully aware and to stay on the alert. Men with evil motives and imposters or magicians, sorcerers, literally wailers, and will not go away. In fact, they’ll increase. So, follow Paul’s example and keep your antennae up! And never forget, the only way you can tell the true from the false is to feed on the Word of God, your sword of the Spirit.
SO WHAT?
Are you determined to live godly in the power of the Spirit? Are you developing a life worth emulating? Grade yourself on Paul’s Big Ten. How’s your patience? How’s your perseverance? Is your purpose crystal clear – to know Christ and to make him known? Do you love Christ enough to be willing to suffer for His cause?
Most importantly, do you know the transforming power of Christ in your life? Have you been born again? Do you know that your sins are really forgiven? Can you confess that Christ is your Savior who died in your place, for your sin, and rose again?