In 1 Chronicles 12:32 we are told that there were men of the tribe of Issachar who had understanding of the time in which they lived and could give the nation of Israel direction about what they should do.
We as followers of Jesus need to also be aware of the things going on in our nation and in the world and be able to help the church know what to do.
In Matthew 13:33 Jesus tells us to be alert about His Second Coming.
In Ephesians 6:18 Paul tells us to be alert and keeping praying for all God’s people.
In 1 Peter, Peter encourages us to be alert.
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming.
1 Peter 4:7
The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
That are several things in these 1 Peter passages about being alert that we need to notice.
They are connected with praying. We are to be alert so we can pray with godly understanding.
They are connected with Jesus’ Second Coming. We need to be aware that Jesus is coming back and be prepared.
They are connected with having a sober spirit. Sober means to be focused. We are to live life focused on Jesus, His word, and His will. We are not to just live life zoned out and not paying attention.
Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 about noticing things about the last days.
The term “last days” is the time after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and before his Second Coming. We are living in the last days. When Paul shares with Timothy some things to look for in the last days, we are to pay attention. We are further into the last days now than when Paul wrote this letter.
In 2 Timothy 3:1 Paul says that these last days will be days of difficulty.
We are not to be surprised and caught off guard by things like:
Natural Disasters
Persecution of Christians
Human-Based Views of Life
Rejection of God-Centered Values
These are not to discourage us. They are to remind us to be alert and to continue to serve and obey Jesus.
Paul mentions three changes that will occur in the last days.
2 Timothy 3:2a
People will be lovers of money, lovers of themselves.
A Change in Affection
People will be materialistic.
People will see the accumulation of wealth as a means of self-esteem and something that gives their life meaning.
Today in our nation personal debt is a huge problem. It is a leading cause of divorce. It helped lead to the Great Recession that we are still trying to get out of.
Materialism directs our affection to money and things and away from God.
Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:10 that the love of money is the “root of all kinds of evil.” He also says that it has caused some to abandon their faith in God.
Jesus tells in Luke 12 to lay up treasures in heaven, not on earth.
People will be self-centered.
This is called humanism, which teaches we don’t need God to be good and ethical. When we elevate self-love over everything, then our love for God and the things of God is lowered. This makes us vulnerable to selfishness, immorality, and sin.
The fact is that the essence of all sin is loving ourselves more than we love Jesus.
In Romans 12:3 Paul tells us “not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.” In today’s language we are told to “get over ourselves.”
2 Timothy 3:2b
Boastful, proud, abusive
A Change in Attitude
The change in affection leads to a change in attitude.
People will become boastful. They will point to themselves and exalt themselves and their accomplishments over everything.
1 Corinthians 1:31
Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Paul quotes from Jeremiah 9:24 to remind us that the only thing we have to really boast about is Jesus.
People will become proud.
The word proud here literally means someone who always has to be in the spotlight. They want others to notice them. They are always the best, they are always first, and they are always right.
James 4:6
But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Do you know what part of that verse blows me away? It is not that God gives grace to the humble. It is that God OPPOSES the proud. Having God oppose you is not a good thing!
People will become abusive.
The word translated abusive means to blaspheme. That means to report something that is meant to hurt someone.
Many will become people who have to be first and best, who want to be noticed by everybody and will do whatever it takes to make that happen.
2 Timothy 3:2c-5
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather then lovers of God - having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
A Change of Action
The change in affection which leads to a change in attitude leads to a change of action.
They love pleasure. They are religious. They have no godly power.
These are people outside of the church who talk about spiritual things but are focused on themselves.
These are people in the church who want things like they want them for their comfort. They serve Jesus out of duty, not out of a passionate love for Him. We are told to have nothing to do with people like this.
Paul is not telling us to staying away from people whose affections, attitudes, and actions are ungodly because they have no knowledge of or relationship with Jesus.
He is telling us to stay away from people whose affections, attitudes, and actions are ungodly inside the church. People who claim to have a knowledge of and relationship with Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Remove the Walls is about being people whose:
Affections Are For Jesus
Attitudes Are Like Jesus’
Actions Reflect Jesus
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about being alert and understanding the culture around us so we can help the church do God’s will.
Alertly Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
No comments:
Post a Comment