2 Timothy 03: Paul's Exciting Guarantee

Ever wondered what it truly means to stay grounded in faith during trying times? Join us on the Bible Breakdown Podcast as we unpack 2 Timothy, chapter 3, in an electrifying episode titled "Paul's Exciting Guarantee." Pastor Brandon brings the powerful words of Paul to life, revealing a stark portrayal of the last days where people become increasingly self-centered and ungodly. We confront the difficult reality of staying true to godliness amidst widespread hypocrisy, using Paul's poignant parallels with Janice and Jambres. But it's not all dark, as we find hope and encouragement in Paul’s reminder of his teachings, lifestyle, and unwavering faith—even under persecution.

In this enlightening episode, we further dismantle the misconception that a godly life equals a problem-free existence, a myth often perpetuated in American culture. Through Pastor Brandon's insights, we explore the real essence of discipleship, understanding that trials and challenges are integral to our journey in Christ. Drawing strength from 2 Timothy 1:7, we reflect on the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline that God grants us. Our episode concludes with a heartfelt prayer and a look ahead to the grand finale of 2 Timothy. This is an episode brimming with wisdom and practical guidance for anyone striving to maintain their faith in a world that often misunderstands or rejects it.

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Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT).
Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

Well, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon, today. 2 Timothy, chapter 3, and today's title is Paul's Exciting Guarantee. I'm being very sarcastic when I say this, but we're going to get into it in just a moment. Maybe you'll be laughing with me, or maybe this is just for me, I don't know. But before we do, as always, if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share and subscribe to the YouTube channel and the podcast. Make sure you're leaving us a five-star review. It really does help. Also, make sure you're going to the Bible Breakdown Discussion on Facebook, because the more we dig, the more we find, and they're doing an amazing job over there writing those different devotions every day and I love it. I love it so much. Every morning when I get up, I cannot wait. I get on social media. As a matter of fact, they're the only reason why I get on social media in the mornings, because we also have a Bible breakdown page that is called Bible Breakdown, and I go and I share that and I go and I share the daily devotion. So if you're not going there and reading those, man, they're doing an amazing job and it is my hope one day. I would love to put all that together into some kind of devotional. So who knows what the future holds? But you got to go there. It's amazing. All right If you have your Bible.

Speaker 1 1:03

I want to open up with me to second Timothy, chapter three, the apostle Paul. Once again, he is on death row. He's not going to be with us much longer in this letter, and so he's going to write about the dangers of the last day, and then he is going to give a solemn, just charge to Timothy, like do this, timothy. And it's just, he knows the end is coming and so he's not mincing words, he's saying what he knows he needs to hear, and he's going to make what I'm very sarcastically calling an exciting guarantee. But it's important that we hear this today. I feel like there's no letter in the Bible, maybe other than 2 Peter, that really helps us to bring course correction and perspective to what it is to be a Christ follower. I think we need to hear this today because it will help us kind of go oh well, thank goodness. And we're going to talk about it as we move on, but let's get started.

Speaker 1 1:54

2 Timothy, chapter three, verse one, says this you should know this, timothy that in the last days there will be very difficult times, for people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving. They will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and will hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, love, pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. So stay away from people like that. They are the kind who work their way into people's homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth. These teachers oppose the truth, just like Janice and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith, but they won't get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Janice and Jambres. So wow.

Speaker 1 3:11

Paul opens up this chapter with saying hey, look, folks be crazy. And folks are going to get crazier. And, as a matter of fact, did you notice what he says in the last days there will be difficult times. So he said hey, listen, don't be surprised when difficult times come. Can I tell you how many times I have lost respect in people's eyes when I say the thing everybody I know is either coming out of a battle, they're in one, or they're going into one. And I say well, pastor, you know that's just a lack of faith. You shouldn't say we're going, we're all, we're just blessed, we're moving from mountain to mountain, from glory to glory, as they would say. And I say well, actually the Bible says in the last days, and anything after the resurrection of Jesus could be considered the last days. Can we just get that out of the way? All right, I know there's in the world of end times doctrine, you've got people who look at all these different things, but technically, anything after the resurrection of Jesus can be considered the last days. And he says in the last days there will be difficult times. So it is not a lack of faith to quote God's word. And so he says there's going to be difficult times. Let me tell you. Let me tell you how. You know folks can get crazy and they're going to get crazier, and they're going to get crazier, crazier, crazier, and they're going to. They're going to think that they're godly, but they're not. That's crazy to me, because I know people who think they're godly and they're not. And then I always have to check myself and go wait a minute. I'm trying to pursue God, am I not? So you have to be careful when it comes to that kind of stuff. But he says we're going to have it. But look at what he says. I love this part. He says in the last times, folks be crazy.

Speaker 1 4:54

Verse 10,. But you, timothy, certainly know what I teach and how I live and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love and my endurance. You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured and you know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, iconium and Lystra. And here's his wonderful, exciting guarantee yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Thanks, paul, I appreciate that. But every but evil people and imposters will flourish, they will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.

Speaker 1 5:36

All right, if you're not looking at this in your actual analog Bible or whatever, then I'm going to go back. I'm going to read verse 12 and verse 13. We're going to let it marinate. We're going to come back to it at the end, because we have something wonderful that happens at the end of this chapter. But he says in verse 12, yes, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and imposters will flourish, they will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. Wow, now, that's not a binary. That doesn't mean that's the only thing that ever happens always, but it is something that does happen. So we're going to come back to it, because I think Paul is focusing on this so much that we're not going to do service to this chapter if we don't come back to that. But let's finish, because this is powerful and this is amazing.

Speaker 1 6:28

Verse 14, but you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy scriptures from childhood and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. Here it is. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong with our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and it teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work Wow.

Speaker 1 7:03

So I want to take just a second before we end our time together and I want to focus on those two sections right there, because I feel a sense of of need and of honor to be able to just really expose a hot button topic. Now, if you've been listening to the Bible breakdown for very long, you know that my interest is not to be. You know the the $10 word would be salacious. I don is not to be. You know the $10 word would be salacious. I don't want to be scandalous. I'm not interested in having a gotcha statement and I'm not looking for any headlines or anything like that. I am not that guy. I am no social media influencer, nor do I want to be. I just love Jesus, I love his word and I want you to love his word as much as I do, and so I'm your friendly neighborhood tour guide through God's word.

Speaker 1 7:42

But when God's word says something powerful, we can't just walk right by it. So there's two things I want to talk about real quick. First of all, I want to read it one more time when he says in verse 12, yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Now, persecution means when you experience something bad because of something else. So it doesn't mean having a bad day, it doesn't mean getting sick or whatever, and those things can't happen. But persecution is when you experience something bad because of your relationship with God. We have to be so very careful because now and I know we have people listen to this all over the world. So there's other parts of the world where you are legitimately experiencing persecution and I want to speak to you first, if you're listening in another country than the United States.

Speaker 1 8:26

God's word says that if you're going to live a godly life, you're going to experience persecution. So I want to tell you there's nothing wrong with you. There's something very right with you If you are suffering persecution, if you've been disowned by your family, if you are on the run from people who are Muslims, if you're on the run from people who say you have to deny Christ or you can't work here, you can't live here, you can't live at all. You know what. We're proud of you, wherever you are in the world right now. If that's what you're dealing with right now, we, as the body of Christ, we are so very proud of you, and God's word says it's going to happen, so you haven't done anything wrong. It actually says that evil people and imposters are the ones who will flourish. They're going to deceive others and they're going to deceive themselves. So you keep strong, you keep moving forward, you keep fighting the good fight of faith, and God's going to reward you, either in this life, but definitely in the life that is to come.

Speaker 1 9:22

Now, for those of us who live in the great United States of America, many of us will look at that verse and we'll go see, I had a bad day at work. See, I've got a cold. See, my kids yelled at me today and it's because I'm living a godly life and listen, those things are not good and those things are things that happen in life, happen in life. But the day is coming, as a Christ follower, when we will suffer persecution, not because we had a bad attitude or because crazy Christians are still crazy, but because of our stance and our love and our unashamed faith in Jesus Christ. So the question would be when is the last time you stood for Christ in a way that caused other people to not want to be around you Non-Christians. Now, I'm not talking about being a jerk, I'm not talking about that, but I'm saying when you were unashamed of who you were in Christ, unashamed of your pursuit of Christ, and it caused other people to feel uncomfortable. Now, once again, I'm not talking about being a jerk, I am talking about being a jerk. I am talking about being unashamed.

Speaker 1 10:28

God's word says everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted. When is the last time your pursuit of godliness made somebody else feel uncomfortable? You didn't stick it at them, but you said this is my pursuit of God, because it says evil people and imposters will flourish, they will deceive others and will be deceived themselves. That's the first question. When is the last time your pursuit of God made somebody else feel uncomfortable? And then the second one is verse 17. God uses all these things to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. You know what God is preparing you and equipping you to do in every persecution and when we read God's word and God's word convicts us he is equipping and preparing us for every good work. God's got a plan for our lives and that plan is to do good work, to do good work for others.

Speaker 1 11:22

In the United States of America we've got this thing so backwards where we think that if we live a godly life, we've got this thing so backwards where we think that if we live a godly life we'll never have a problem, everything will always be great Whenever, everything is good, and that we think that the gospel is all about us. The gospel begins with Jesus. The only thing we bring to our salvation is our sin. And then, once we receive salvation, then it becomes about us growing in God so that we can go and reach others. So it is just for a very little while about us and then it becomes about others.

Speaker 1 11:53

The American gospel says that if you believe enough, you have faith enough, then you'll always be healed, you'll always have all the money in the world, you'll never have a problem, you always get the promotion, and that you are the center of your universe. Does that sound like the Bible? No, rather. The Bible says in this life you will have trouble. In this life you will have persecution. In this life, bad things are going to happen. God's word is going to tell you you're wrong sometimes, but he will heal you and equip you and prepare you to do every good work for others. And then we begin to realize that that's the greatest thing in the world, because the greatest blessing in life is not to receive but to give. And so I think we have to be very careful as Paul is finishing this letter, the last letter he's going to write, and this is not new to the American culture. This is going on in the first century as well, so it doesn't make us a special kind of evil, it just makes us human. Well, so it doesn't make us a special kind of evil, it just makes us human because it was going on in the first century.

Speaker 1 12:49

The city that Timothy lived in was a very, very successful, very wealthy city in Ephesus. But it was wealthy because of their paganistic, worldly worship. And Paul is saying don't be like that, realize you're going to stand out, and we don't stand out by being horrible. We stand out because of our love for God, and that that love compels us to love others. And when we do that, man, that's how we fight the good fight and that's how we keep the faith. So I wanna ask you this question when is the last time that your godly pursuit of a godly life stood out, not once again, to be anything negative, but it's like I'm not ashamed of who I am in Christ, and I love you enough to tell you and if it hasn't in a while, think about why.

Speaker 1 13:34

Let's pray together, god, thank you so much for today. Thank you, god, that you lead us in every way. Thank you, god, for the guarantee, because sometimes, god, we need to remember we didn't do anything wrong that brought some of these things on us. Sometimes it's because we're doing something, so very right. But, lord, we thank you for that. And we thank you, lord, that no matter what valley we walk through, you are with us all along the way. We celebrate you In Jesus' name. We pray Amen. Amen, what God's Word says in 2 Timothy 1, verse 7, god has not given us a spirit of fear and intimidation, but of power and of love and of self-discipline. God loves you more than you can imagine, and so he tells you the whole truth. Amen. I can't wait to see you tomorrow for the grand finale. 2 Timothy, chapter four.