October 28, 2007 2
Timothy 3:14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become
convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from
infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God‑breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
There are three letters within the
New Testament that are specifically written to pastors about the pastoral
ministry. They are 1st and 2nd
Timothy and the letter to Titus. All
three of these are written by Paul under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Our text for consideration this morning comes
from the 2nd letter we have from Paul to Timothy. The background of the times and people that
Timothy would have to deal with is written throughout the letter. Chapter two introduces us to false prophets -
2 Timothy 2:18 Hymenaeus
and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the
resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.
Chapter three continues to warn about the type of people
Timothy would have to deal with.
2 Timothy 3:1‑5 There will be terrible times
in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boastful, proud, abusive, 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 than lovers of GodC
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
It is within this backdrop that Timothy was being called
upon to shepherd a little flock into the kingdom of heaven.
BUT AS FOR YOU - Paul starts out
with in today=s
text. He was writing to encourage and
strengthen and instruct this young man in how to respond to these
problems. Little human Timothy was not
being called on to fight without any weapons.
God doesn=t leave us alone to fight against evil. He doesn=t expect to fight against Satan
naked. You=ve
got weapons - but you need to be equipped with them and use them. So Paul says to Timothy -
Continue In What You
Have Learned
I. You=ve had it from infancy
Timothy was unique in that his
father was a Greek but his mother was a Jewess.
In spite of this Timothy was not a recent convert to Christianity. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:5‑6, AI have been reminded of your sincere
faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and,
I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into
flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.@
His mother and grandmother took it upon themselves to raise Timothy in
the faith - and the Holy Spirit blessed their efforts - even though the father
was seemingly not influential in his spiritual upbringing. Paul also mentions in today=s text how Timothy had been brought up
in the faith Afrom
infancy@. In light of all of the fanatics who were
claiming to have new revelations and understandings of the Scriptures, Paul
told Timothy not to start thinking that this faith or this Word of God which he
had been taught was somehow old or outdated.
The same Word which grandma and mom taught him and the same Word which
Paul gave them was all he needed. So
stick with it. Continue in what you
have learned.
Continuing in anything can be
difficult. I know one of my relatives
who had a home that was half painted for over a
year. The tile in the entryway was under
construction for about the same amount of time.
He would start projects but then seem to get bored with it and move on
to the next project - which left his house half finished on many fronts. We tend to do this because we get bored with
the same old project or get discouraged over the lack of progress. The warning from Paul to Timothy - and to us -
is not to let this happen with our faith.
AContinue
in it.@
It=s difficult because so often we seem to
be plowing the same ground and making no progress at all. Week after week we end up confessing the same
sin time and again that we know we shouldn=t
be doing. Year after year we cover the
same life of Christ throughout the church year.
We think to ourselves, AI=ve heard this before. I=ve
been confirmed. This is all old news to
me. I read this chapter and book of the
Bible before.@ So some of our members don=t come to Bible study and some don=t come to church all too often. It might even happen that when a Mormon
knocks on your door and says, AI
have a new testament of Jesus Christ - one you=ve
never heard before,@ in your
mind you might think - Ahmm,
this could be interesting! Something new!
I think I=ll check
it out.@ College kids will see a church that has a lot
more kids their age and seems to be progressing with a great building project -
but the denomination is one that is well renowned for their liberal approach to
God=s Word.
Their services seem to be more social gatherings than offering any sort
of Biblical growth, but their members are happy and excited about what is
happening there. So they think to
themselves, AI know it=s not the best teaching, but I=ll just try them out for a little
while. I need a change of pace.@
The same could run true when you run into the meditation life of a
Buddhist or the devotion of a Muslim. It
looks intriguing. So you think to
yourself, Amaybe I=ll try it out.@
The devil tempted Adam and Eve to
go away from the clear Word of God which they had and offered a much different,
tantalizing, and ultimately damning interpretation of what the Tree was
for. They should have stuck with what
they had. There=s
something to be said for a doctrine and teaching and practice based on the
Scriptures that has stood the test of time - that has been accepted and taught
throughout all centuries in the Church.
When Martin Luther Astarted
the Reformation@ he didn=t
set out to start a new church. He wasn=t
attempting to teach anything Anew@ at all. Instead, he and the Reformers made it a point
to say that they were not departing from the ancient Church - but simply
teaching what the Church had always taught according to the Scriptures. The Anew
Lutheran faith@ was
defended as the same faith of Augustine, Nicene, and many other church fathers
as found in the Scriptures. All they
were trying to do was to get more and more into the Scriptures and continue in
it. Anything less from any of us - any
laziness - any curiosity - any delving into heathen religions or even Christian
religions that we know are not in keeping with the Scriptures in order to try
something Anew@ is just plain sinful. It is flirting with disaster. If you want to try a new
pair of pants or a new hairdo, that=s
great. But when it comes to God=s Word, don=t
think you need anything new or inventive. Instead of delving into the next self help
book on the market that may be a best seller, why not just stick with the
Scriptures that you=ve had
from infancy? Continue with it.
II.
It is for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus
ABut
it=s all Biblical,@
you say? Here=s
the thing. Almost everyone claims to have
the truth. Everyone claims to have the
Bible and be faithful to God=s
Word - right? Even members listen to a
lot of TV and radio preachers who are said to Apreach
straight from God=s Word.@
The thing is that the devil did too.
He knew the Scriptures rather well as he quoted here and there with
Jesus - didn=t he? Plenty of church quote
God=s Word left and right. Even in the WELS the mantra for years was, Awe teach God=s
Word in it=s truth
and purity.@ But is that what we want to be our key catch
phrase? Doesn=t
every church claim that? Is that why we
read them?
The key reason
WHY God wanted Timothy to stick with the Scriptures and what he had been taught
was rather simple. Paul said to
continue in the Scriptures because they Aare able to make you wise for
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.@ Let=s
stop and really consider this phrase. It
makes several assumptions. One is that
there is a damnation and that we need a
salvation. The key reason the Scriptures
were given were to rescue sinners from hell.
This is clear throughout the Old and New Testament. The first chapters of Genesis set the stage
as they picture the colossal fall of Adam and Eve into sin. The book of Revelation then
bookends with pictures of sinners being either rescued or burned eternally.
The way out from this damnation
that the world is headed to is very simple.
Paul told Timothy the key to salvation was to read the Scriptures. Why? Because the Scriptures give the wisdom for salvation. In other places Paul called it a foolish
wisdom. In other words - it=s not based on how smart you are or how
many Bible passages you can memorize and quote.
It=s
not based on reason. It=s not
based on the ability to add numerals together or read legibly even. It=s
based on a hidden wisdom that can only be revealed by a miracle of the Holy
Spirit implanting it in the brain of a spiritually dead puppet of Satan. What is that wisdom that plucks us out of
hell? It is the wisdom that salvation
comes through faith in Christ Jesus.
This is an awesome thing to think
about. The God who demands perfection
and gives us bodies and souls to do good works - He offers a salvation from sin apart
from what we can do. He offers it
through faith in somebody else that came from heaven and lived two thousand
years ago. Through the simple words
spoken in this God inspired book the Holy Spirit reveals to us that God took on
flesh and lived and walked among us. The
Holy Spirit reveals to us that God went to the cross. He tells us that the cross and the flesh of
Jesus Christ was the place where God=s
eternal wrath and justice paid for the sins of the world. Through time and eternity God=s Word lives on to be read and spoken -
in which the Holy Spirit convicts hearts of sin and then shows them a
Savior. This is what the Bible revolves
around. (John 20:28) Wisdom comes on people when they recognize
who they are and who Christ is and they are brought to trust in that Christ for
their salvation. Everything
that God demands of us - perfection and holiness - and everything that God
threatens us with - hell and damnation - is taken care of in Christ. God gives us this righteousness when we
believe and trust in this wonderful promise of salvation in Christ. This is foolishness to the world yet wisdom
to God and to us.
It=s
this simple message of the Gospel that makes the Scriptures so powerful and
unique. Any other religion will offer
rituals to go through - good works to perform.
Only the Holy Scriptures offer to us a suffering Servant and a Holy
Savior who does it all for us. This is
the unique gem of the Scriptures which make us holy and righteous in God=s sight and rescue us from God=s own threats of hell. It=s
this message that gives us confidence to live to the glory of God. It=s
this message that gives us hope at the time of death. We know where we are going when we die when
we believe in Jesus - when we have faith.
This is why we need to continue in the Scriptures - because this is the
only book that offers us Christ - the remedy to sin, death, and the devil. You=ve
got this wonderful gift - the same gift that you were given years ago at your
baptism and that was taught to you through grade school and catechism. Nothing needs to change with it - because it
is a perfect and complete message. This
is why Paul wanted Timothy to CONTINUE in what he learned. This is why the Scriptures are so precious to
us - they offer and give us Christ in Word and sacraments. This is the key to fighting Satan with the
righteousness that you are given in Christ.
III.
It is God breathed and profitable
Everything revolves around this
righteousness - which brings us to the final reason Paul told Timothy to
continue with the Scriptures. All Scripture is God‑breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Do you remember when David
was supposed to go to war with Goliath?
Saul offered him to wear his armor.
David didn=t refuse him because the armor was too big. He refused it because he
wasn=t used to
wearing it. He
hadn=t worn it
before. It was not the time to try
something he wasn=t
used to. He had to go with what he had
been TRAINED in - the simple clothes of the shepherd and the sling. It wasn=t
until later that David became a warrior - trained in using the armor of
battle. Then I have no doubt that he
went into battle many times with the armor that was provided soldiers.
What=s
my point? The Scriptures serve a purpose
- to give righteousness and to train in riighteousness. You have the righteousness of Christ
already. It was given to you - as to
Abraham - through faith in Christ. You
are covered in Jesus=
blood and forgiveness. That is why God
gave us His Word. But the Scriptures don=t end their purpose there. The Holy Spirit inspired them to also train
us in that righteousness - how to live with it and like it - like David would
learn to use the weapons of war. Not
only do the Scriptures teach us about the righteousness we have in Christ -
they teach us how to reflect that righteousness in our living. They teach us what sins need to be repented
of, how to live an upright life, and what is right and
what is wrong in God=s
eyes. God gives us a heavenly view of
earthly activities, so that with an eternal perspective we can tell what is God
pleasing and what is not. The more we
study the Scriptures, the more we are able to discern what is right and wrong
and how God wants us to fight sin and Satan on the way to heaven.
In 2 Timothy 4:2‑3 Paul said
to Timothy, APreach
the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourageCwith great patience and careful
instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up
with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will
gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears
want to hear.@ In the face of all this, Timothy was told to
continue in the Holy Scriptures and keep on using what He=d been given to equip his congregation
to fight in the righteousness of Christ - the Law and the Gospel.
Consider Paul=s admonition to Timothy to what drives
people to churches today? Is it - Awho gives me the best music? Who gives me the best fellowship? Who gives me the best building? Who gives me the most practical advice for
living? Who makes me feel good about
myself? Or is it Awho gives me Christ crucified and risen
for my salvation?@ Most often those who attend the most
happening churches will remark, Ait
didn=t seem
like church. The preacher didn=t >preach=
at me. He just talked to me in every day
language. He made God much more down to
earth.@ And so the competition begins to get more and
more members. We have to appear more trendy, more happy, more hip. If baptism causes divisions, we don=t talk about it. If the Lord=s
Supper seems stuffy and antiquated, we only do it twice a year or so. If God seems to judgmental, well we just talk
about Him in more positive terms - talk about what is good for us and what God
likes instead of what God condemns and God hates. Then we have the God we want. Then we have the God that attracts and doesn=t offend - who is more like us. Then we don=t
have to worry so much about what is AScriptural@ and more about making God more
reasonable and practical. But then we
have to ask, Ais that
really the God who revealed Himself in the Scriptures?@
Throughout all of the trends and
the phases of American religion, God gives us a simple reminder. Preach the Word. Why? All Scripture is God‑breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. It=s
all been given by the Holy Spirit - to THOROUGHLY equip us for every good
work. Does a Bible study have to have a
jazzy title in order for people to come?
Was a simple study of the book of Philippians too boring for you? Too basic? Not applicable enough? Does a sermon have to have a flashy title for
you and a hundred stories from modern day life for you to listen? How can you say studying God=s Word or the stories of the Bible are
boring? Is that a problem with the
Scriptures or a problem with you? The
Mormons claim their new revelation because it applies to every day living. That=s
a lie too. Way back in Paul=s day he declared that the Scriptures
were able to thoroughly equip you for every good work; the same old Scriptures
that had been used for centuries; they were more than good enough to correct,
rebuke and encourage. If it was true
then, it is true now also. The Word and
the Holy Spirit is still active and living today whenever you get into it.
The moment you were baptized you
were thrown into a battle you didn=t
realize was going to occur. You became
at war with yourself. You became at war
with the world. You became at war with
Satan. These are mightier foes than Goliath
in many cases. David was granted a
victory by using the sling and the stone - weapons he was familiar with - and
God granted him the unlikely victory.
Your sling and your stone are the cross of Christ and His
resurrection. With this simple and seemingly
weak weapon you have been given victory of Satan - the Goliath of hell. Yet even though Satan has been cast from
heaven and is on a death march to hell, he has not been sent into hell yet -
and there are still thousands of his soldiers who are still ready for a
fight. With the sling and stone of
Christ in your hands, the Holy Spirit is offering you more weapons to fight
with in His Scriptures - weapons to rebuke, correct, and train in
righteousness. It would be foolish and
lazy for you to not use these weapons - to train yourself with them - to
continue in them. It could be
deadly. Paul summarized this well in his
letter to the Ephesians when he wrote,
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in
his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand
against the devil=s
schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on
the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to
stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm
then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of
righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes
from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the
helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (6:10-17) Amen.