Well, good morning to everyone. Good to see you all. Some guests, some of our good friends have come from afar. Julie, thank you for the good song. It's a tremendous message. It is enough that Jesus died for me. That's really the message of the scriptures. The message of religion is Jesus is not enough. You must do and do and do, but the message of the Bible, the message from God about Jesus is he's enough. Enough that he died for me.

Well, we're in the midst of a study of 2nd Timothy chapter 3, and this is such a practical text for us today in our world. It reads like the morning paper regarding the dangerous times in which we live. The world is a dangerous and deceptive place, and the church feels the pressure, the invasive nature of the world around us creeping in with false teaching and lies and corruption. 

I was thinking this morning what a privilege it is to be in a place like this with people who love the Lord, how refreshing it is to come in and have some sanity in the midst of this world. It's truly a difficult time in our world, our communities, even within the Evangelical Church, and a person can so easily become discouraged. It seems that evil prospers all around us, and wicked men grow worse and worse, and there's rarely any justice. 

And this is the way we feel as believers in this old, cursed world, and the times are becoming more acute as we approach the coming of Jesus Christ. But it's also comforting to know that this struggle, this battle, this discouragement with the condition of the world and the men of the world and even sometimes the people of God is nothing new. 

I'd like to begin this morning by asking you to turn to Psalm 37, and we'll read a psalm of David in his time when he was fretting a bit about the evil workers in our world. 

Psalm 37, I'm going to read the whole psalm starting in verse 1, if you follow along. And listen to these words and take them to heart. 

"Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of Him who prospers in His way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret, listen to this, do not fret, it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait on the Lord they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more. Indeed you will look carefully for His place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 

The wicked plots against the just and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who have upright conduct. Their sword shall enter their own heart and their bows shall be broken. 

A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 

But the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by him shall inherit the earth, but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. I have been young," I like this verse for my children, "I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful and lends and his descendants are blessed. Depart from evil and do good and dwell forevermore, for the Lord loves justice and does not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. 

The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide. The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand nor condemn him when he is judged. Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he shall exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. 

I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a native green tree, yet he passed away and behold he was no more. Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the blameless man and observe the upright, for the future of that man is peace, but the transgressors shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off, but the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. He is their strength in time of trouble and the Lord shall help them and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him." Because they trust in him. 

We could read Psalm 73 as well where the psalmist writes that his feet had almost slipped, he'd almost lost his way, he was so discouraged when he looked at the world, the prosperity of the wicked, there never seems to be any justice and the thought was too painful for him until he went into the house of the Lord, until he saw the truth, the end of the wicked. Then he felt foolish. God is always there upholding the righteous, and the day of judgment will come for the wicked. 

In light of all that we see in the world today, in light of the growing apostasy in the so-called church, it's easy to become discouraged, disheartened, afraid, and all this trouble makes us long for justice, long for deliverance, for the fulfillment of the promises. How do we endure? How do we keep our eyes on Christ? These are the questions for Timothy and Ephesus in his time as well. Paul says evil men will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. It's not going to get any better in the world or in the church. What is the man of God to do? 

Well, there are two key words in our text that are going to answer this question that are going to be greatly encouraging to us this morning. Follow and continue. These are the answers to the questions, the struggles, the dangerous times in which we live in the church. Paul said at the beginning of this chapter, there will be dangerous, difficult times. Follow and continue. This is what the believer must do. 

Let's look at our text in 2nd Timothy 3:10. He writes to Timothy, "But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, but evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

I've given you four points on your outline this morning for our text. First, dangerous times. Second, deception in the church. Third, determined to follow. And fourth, doctrinal integrity. 

Well, in the first nine verses we've seen that Paul is warning Timothy with a promise, with a truth, in the last days in which we live, dangerous, difficult times will come in the church. We studied last time that great list of the characterization of false teachers in the church in these last days, and this was not really encouraging. It's important truth, but a bit overwhelming and distressing to come to terms with. 

The question that really matters is, what do we do in light of this truth? What is the answer to false teachers, false teaching, and the danger it presents to the church to sound doctrine to growth and fruit for the glory of God? And this is where we can take heart; we can be encouraged. First of all, we must realize and understand and believe this truth that Paul stated in verse 1 of chapter 3, the threat of false teachers and teaching encroaching on the church. And we must understand that this situation will grow worse and worse as the apostasy comes into full swing. 

So it is important that we come to terms with the danger, the difficulty we are presented with in the church at large in the context of our world, and we must know that there will be an ever-increasing deception, a more subtle and seductive deception. As the church as a whole becomes less discerning and less grounded in the truth, it will become more susceptible to lies, leading some into captivity and to uselessness as to the cause of Christ. 

I'd like for you to turn over to 2 Corinthians 11. 2 Corinthians 11, as Paul highlights this truth there as well, 2 Corinthians 11:1, false teachers were taking over the church in Corinth, threatening the fellowship there; they were undermining Paul. He writes, look at his concern, his warning in verse 3. Did you know there's another Jesus in the world? He's a Jesus of religion. He's a Jesus whose sacrifice on the cross was not good enough to save us from our sins and we have to do all these works and participate in sacraments and contribute to what was lacking in His work. If he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you may well put up with it, Paul says. 

Go down to verse 12. Paul says, "But what I do I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works." 

You see, the threat is real, the deception is dangerous. Satan's ministers are masquerading as angels of light, doing their best work from the pulpits of the churches that claim the name of Christ. And this is the real battle. This is the real battle, my friends. We see all kinds of distractions in our world, in politics, entertainment, battles, constructed battles. But the real battle is truth versus error, is salvation versus condemnation. And this is the battle being fought in the church. 

This is Paul's message to Timothy. What is the man of God to do with these dangerous and difficult times? He says, "You have carefully followed, carefully follow my doctrine, my manner of life, my purpose, my faith, my long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions." The answer to the dangerous, deceptive times in which we live is to follow. And then Paul says, "Continue." You must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 

Follow and continue. Follow carefully the doctrine, the teaching of the Word of God. If someone tells you something that contradicts this word, it is a lie. God only wrote one book. This is it. Follow carefully the doctrine, the manner of life, the purpose, faith, long-suffering, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions of the great Apostle Paul. What was the life and ministry of Paul? It was a defense of the truth. It was a consistent and fervent focus on teaching the truth, preaching Jesus Christ. 

And as a result, there was a tremendous battle, persecutions, afflictions. These things characterized his life and ministry. So what did he do in light of the great persecutions and antagonists against the truth? He persevered. He continued. He continued in the things that he learned and was certain of, knowing from whom he had learned them. And who had he learned them from? Jesus. The Lord Jesus appeared to Paul in person and taught Paul. Paul received his apostleship and doctrine from Jesus. 

Turn over to Galatians chapter 1 with me, please. In the book of Galatians, the legalistic Judaizers from Israel were challenging Paul's apostleship, saying that he was sent by men from Antioch, that he was not a true apostle. Look at verse 11 of chapter 1. He said, "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to men. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ." 

"For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood." Paul didn't go learn from a man. He didn't go see Peter or James and learn from them. "Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went to Arabia." And Paul spent three years in Arabia and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years, verse 18, "I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and remained with him fifteen days." 

Jesus taught Paul personally. And Paul was certain. He was assured. He was convinced that the gospel Jesus gave him was true, that the doctrine Jesus taught him was true. And then he lived his life, conducted his ministry in that faith, persevering with knowledge and understanding of all that he would have to suffer. 

Turn over to Acts 9 with me. Acts 9 at verse 8. An amazing story. This is a conversion of Saul, the Pharisee, the legalistic Jew, who was persecuting the church on a road to Damascus. Verse 8, after being struck down, it says, "Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate or drank." Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias," and he said, "Here I am, Lord." 

So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight." Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem." 

Ananias says, "Lord, I don't know about this deal. You know, Saul of Tarsus, he's like a wild beast," it says in Acts 8, "tearing apart the church, ripping them out of their homes, committing them to prison. He says, 'I've heard about this guy.' And here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who call on your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. Now look at verse 16. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake." 

Suffering and persecution were no surprise to Paul. Jesus had shown him all the things that he would have to suffer for his name's sake. Jesus made it clear by His example, by His words, that suffering would be the norm for anyone who would stand boldly for the name of Jesus. Verse 12 of our text, Paul says, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." Peter said, "Do not think it a strange thing that you are enduring this fiery trial as if some strange thing were happening to you." Peter told us that we are called to suffer. My brothers and sisters, suffering is a strange thing in our American evangelical culture. But it's not a strange thing for those who uncompromisingly stand for the truth, for the name of Jesus. 

On my wall in my bedroom I have a framed certificate of ordination. On that certificate it says, "Set for the defense of the gospel." Sometimes I look at that when I lay down at night and think about what that might mean in the coming days in America. But my friends, this is our calling. This is what matters, to follow after Jesus, after Paul, who stood for the truth. And because of that experienced persecution, in fact, death, they each experienced death for their witness to the truth in this world. We haven't seen anything like that in America. But we see the hatred for Jesus. This is Paul's call to Timothy. Things were tough in Ephesus. Timothy had false teachers in his church. Men with strong personalities, men who were respected, had a foothold, false prophets. And Timothy was young, he was timid by nature, but he had firm convictions from his youth. 

He was grounded in the Scriptures. He had been with Paul; he had seen the way that Paul did ministry, what he suffered. Remember, Timothy was from Lystra. What was it that happened to Paul when he went to Lystra? Acts 14:19, listen. "Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there to Lystra, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead." He preached the gospel, and they picked up rocks and pummeled him until they thought he was dead and drug him out of the city. 

However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up. What did he do? He ran, tucked his tail between his legs, got the heck out of there, right? They just stoned him to death and drug him out of the city. He rose up, he went back into the city, and the next day he was preaching the gospel. Do you suppose Timothy was there? Maybe saw this? A couple of chapters later, we see that Paul goes back to Timothy's hometown, Lystra. 

Acts 16, he came to Derbe and Lystra, and behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, so the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily. Timothy was with Paul in all kinds of ministry situations from there on out. He was a valued part of Paul's life, an asset, an encouragement. Paul trusted him; he taught him his ways. 

1 Corinthians 4:15, Paul writes to Corinth saying, "For though you might have 10,000 instructors in Christ, because they were into their teachers, their philosophers, 'I follow Paul, I follow Cephas, I follow...'" He says you might have a lot of instructors, but you don't have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore, I urge you, imitate me. Then he says, "For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ as I teach everywhere in every church." 

Why would Timothy remind them of Paul's ways? Because he was a protege of Paul. He was like Paul. He learned ministry from Paul. He followed Paul. He imitated him as Paul imitated Christ. This is really vital, my friends. Good, godly mentors, examples in the faith. Tomorrow is Pastor Krenz's 90th birthday. He's been a faithful preacher of the Word, a witness for Christ, a follower of Jesus in the ministry for 67 years. 

The pastor's been a mentor to many young men, teaching them, showing them what matters, what the focus of life should be, how to do ministry faithfully, effectively for the cause of Christ. I've met some of these men. I've read the books of some of these men. I've listened to some of their teaching. The pastor's led many into his mold, his example, a focus on Jesus Christ, his doctrine and the simplicity of Christ in the believer by abiding in Him through faith. He has stood and does stand firmly uncompromisingly for the faith and yet speaks the truth in love, the love that so abounds to others through him. 

I am thankful and privileged to be one of those young men. I've met weekly, most weeks, with pastor now for almost 20 years. And he's molded me by his love and example into his image, his likeness, as he has followed Christ. This is what Paul means when he uses the word "follow" and how important it is to have a godly man to follow. We follow Christ first and foremost, but Paul said, "Follow me as I follow Christ." It's good to have a real flesh and blood example, a brother, a friend in the faith to follow. This is how it was for Timothy and Paul, perhaps like no other pair of men in the history of the world. 

And now Paul urges Timothy to continue. What is the man of God to do in a world, in a time like this? Follow and continue. Verse 13, "Evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, but you must continue. Continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. All Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Why? That the man of God may be complete, mature, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

How can the man of God be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work? There is only one way. Continue in the truth, in the Scriptures, the things we have learned from godly men, from Jesus, from Paul, from God's Word, and remember from whom we have learned them. We must hold fast to our convictions, not wavering from the Word of God, and we must know and continually affirm that all Scripture is given by God. And that only the words of God are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 

My friends, it's not hard to recognize the theme of these pastoral epistles. Paul keeps driving home the point that what matters to the success and fruit of the ministries in the churches of these young pastors is the study and preaching and teaching of the Word of God. Only the Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation. Only the Scriptures are profitable for equipping of the man of God, for the work of ministry, for teaching, reproving, correcting, encouraging. 

So if we are to be faithful, if we are to follow, and if we are to be fruitful, then we must give ourselves entirely to the Word of God. We must take heed to the doctrine and to ourselves. We must preach the truth no matter what. There's no room for searching out the ways of the world, the wisdom of men, the philosophies and schemes of men. Rather, we must put our whole selves into the study and understanding of this book, of the God of this book, the God of His Word. Nothing more, nothing less. 

In the church, in the local gathering of believers, in the ministry of Living Hope Church, all that we do here and go out into the world and do as individuals, we must have doctrinal integrity. Our convictions must be built on the words of God, and we must never compromise our convictions. We must preach and teach the words of God, believe them, trust Him, and live in light of them. 1 Peter 2:15 says, "This is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." Jesus said, "Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth." 

It's the word of God that equips us, that prepares us for the work of ministry. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. So what is the man of God to do in light of the trouble and trials we face in this world and the church in these dangerous last days? Look at 2 Timothy 4:1. In light of all these truths, Paul's exhortation to Timothy that we'll be looking at soon. "I charge you, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing in His kingdom, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, meaning when they want to hear it and when they don't, convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching, 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, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. 

But you, in the midst of all this, but you, be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." This is what we must do. This is the call of the pastor-teacher, and it is the truth for every believer. It is our encouragement, it's our strength, my friends, it's our sanity in this crazy world in which we live. We need it so badly. It's our nourishment, our strength to continue, to persevere, to rejoice, to be filled with joy, regardless of our circumstances. It's our reason to be thankful. 

And if we're thankful, we're alright. Listen to the words of Psalm 37 again, where we started. "Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the Lord patiently for Him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret. It only causes harm." 

My brothers and sisters, we can be encouraged in Christ. We can trust Him, we can believe Him, we can follow Him, and we can continue in the doctrine, in the truth, and the privilege of ministry to bring the good news to everyone in this world. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we're so thankful for your Word, your truth. We're thankful for this place, these people who love you. Thank you for the like, precious faith that we share together in Jesus. Thank you for the work that you're doing through our lives, a witness that we can be in this world, and the truth of passing from death unto life, of damnation to eternal salvation, by hearing a message about Jesus and choosing to place our faith in Him. And we offer that to everyone as we have opportunity each day of our lives for your purpose, for your will, for your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.