WEBVTT 00:00:00.460 --> 00:00:04.580 Second Timothy chapter two and verse 14 to 26. 00:00:04.580 --> 00:00:11.640 For us is a tremendously important text, especially as it relates to the topic that we're going to in this text with the theme 00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:12.710 of Outlasters. 00:00:13.320 --> 00:00:19.260 And if I put a title on this text, it would just simply be this thought Real Christians and Real Opposition. 00:00:20.700 --> 00:00:27.840 And this text is particularly important for us as a body of believers because it deals with our attitude and approach to this world, how we 00:00:27.840 --> 00:00:34.880 stand for Christ in the midst of opposition, when others may challenge our faith, how we stay true to our faith 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:40.310 in Jesus and the thought that we've carried with this theme, this outlast, this has been this. 00:00:40.820 --> 00:00:45.880 You want to make your mark on the world, as the world strives to try to make its mark on you. 00:00:47.480 --> 00:00:52.670 Romans chapter 12 and verse two says this do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 00:00:53.000 --> 00:01:00.160 This idea of being conformed to this world carries this idea that the world wants to press you into a mold, but Jesus rather 00:01:00.160 --> 00:01:02.540 wants to shape you into his image. 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:08.240 And so, rather than being conformed to this world, we want to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. 00:01:10.380 --> 00:01:11.500 How do we stand in opposition? 00:01:13.880 --> 00:01:14.220 How do. 00:01:14.440 --> 00:01:16.440 How are we faithful to Christ? 00:01:18.080 --> 00:01:24.200 I gotta tell you, I've prepped for this series, and I've thought about this leading into the weeks I knew we were going to go into this text. 00:01:24.920 --> 00:01:29.340 One of the things that I have done personally in my life is I just have gone back and just read church history. 00:01:30.680 --> 00:01:34.700 What was it like to stand for Jesus throughout the centuries and how people did that? 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:40.120 And in the beginning when Christianity took a stand in Jesus. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:45.860 If you examine just the early church, they really had nothing going for them. 00:01:47.100 --> 00:01:50.410 I mean, they got some ragtag group of individuals together. 00:01:51.780 --> 00:01:57.060 Christianity was a grassroots movement that had its greatest effect on the slaves of Rome. 00:01:58.840 --> 00:02:01.460 They really didn't have places to gather to worship. 00:02:01.500 --> 00:02:02.820 They kind of depended on the Jewish synagogues. 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:05.470 If that didn't work well, it was just pretty much wherever they could gather. 00:02:07.900 --> 00:02:14.440 And when people became Christian, and as Christianity began to grow, the Roman Empire stood against it. 00:02:14.480 --> 00:02:16.620 And we studied in the text of Second Timothy. 00:02:16.700 --> 00:02:21.700 The reason Paul's writing this book is because he's in jail, about to lose his life because of his faith in Christ. 00:02:21.700 --> 00:02:22.660 And quickly behind. 00:02:22.760 --> 00:02:24.280 Paul is about to follow Peter. 00:02:26.740 --> 00:02:28.920 In fact, pictured above is the Roman Colosseum. 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:35.860 A place where many Christians lost their lives in this arena. 00:02:37.820 --> 00:02:42.670 One of the particular church fathers I was reading this week was a man by the name of Irenaeus. 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:50.360 Polycarp was a disciple of John the Apostle, and Polycarp discipled Irenaeus in Christ. 00:02:52.040 --> 00:02:59.040 Irenaeus received a message from one of the churches from France, and they asked Irenaeus to 00:02:59.040 --> 00:03:01.800 come and be the pastor there of the church. 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:07.980 And the reason they Asinarius Irenaeus I can imagine if this were to happen today on the phone call, how it would go down with a pastor. 00:03:08.880 --> 00:03:10.420 Irenaeus, we need you to come be a pastor. 00:03:10.620 --> 00:03:12.390 We're looking for a pastor here at our church in France. 00:03:12.460 --> 00:03:12.840 Oh, really? 00:03:12.880 --> 00:03:14.360 Okay, well, tell me about the church. 00:03:14.360 --> 00:03:14.860 What's it like? 00:03:14.880 --> 00:03:15.880 I mean, what happened to the last pastor? 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:18.460 Well, the last pastor, he lost his life. 00:03:19.540 --> 00:03:22.250 As a matter of fact, half the church has just been killed. 00:03:23.560 --> 00:03:30.780 And the reason we want you to come and share is because at this point, all of our leadership has been slaughtered and their faith in Christ, and we need someone to come and stand 00:03:31.140 --> 00:03:33.230 for Jesus for us and help guide us in this. 00:03:35.580 --> 00:03:36.250 How do you stand? 00:03:39.320 --> 00:03:40.980 I could think in a moment answering a call like that. 00:03:41.040 --> 00:03:43.740 Okay, I can go to France, lose my life or stay where I'm at. 00:03:43.920 --> 00:03:44.770 What am I going to do here? 00:03:47.060 --> 00:03:50.680 Marinus when? 00:03:50.980 --> 00:03:51.360 Hardships. 00:03:53.620 --> 00:03:55.340 How did the early church do it? 00:03:57.320 --> 00:04:03.230 And how, as we as believers could look at a passage like this that Paul is writing to Timothy, knowing his life is about to cost him. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:05.720 Real Christians facing real opposition. 00:04:05.760 --> 00:04:08.820 How do we stand in the midst of that? 00:04:08.820 --> 00:04:11.820 Knowing your faith in Jesus at some point will cost you. 00:04:13.600 --> 00:04:14.260 If you stand for Jesus. 00:04:18.820 --> 00:04:22.960 Second Timothy chapter two and verse 15. 00:04:22.960 --> 00:04:24.330 Paul begins with the thought of truth. 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:27.460 He says. 00:04:27.460 --> 00:04:35.140 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the 00:04:35.140 --> 00:04:36.630 word of truth. 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:44.600 Some of your translations will say study, which is somewhat accurate to the way the Greek text represents. 00:04:45.080 --> 00:04:49.860 But the word doesn't actually mean getting books and diving into these books. 00:04:49.860 --> 00:04:56.760 It's more this diligent approach to God's Word, this desire, this yearning, this don't want to put it down, just want to know it more. 00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:59.680 Just gather the thoughts of what God's Word says. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:02.200 This passion lived out through His Word. 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:10.540 Be diligent to present yourself to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word 00:05:10.540 --> 00:05:11.000 of truth. 00:05:12.620 --> 00:05:17.620 This accurately of handling in the Greek literally means to cut the boundaries of. 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:26.960 Paul was a tentmaker, and so in forming a tent, Paul would have to assimilate the exterior of what this tent 00:05:26.960 --> 00:05:31.520 would be, and he would have to cut the boundaries to define the parameters of what the tent was. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:40.540 And Paul when he begins this text for us as believers, he says, listen, this is one of the most important things that I could say. 00:05:40.600 --> 00:05:47.580 He says in verse 14, remind the body of Christ of this, please, in verse 15, accurately handle God's truth. 00:05:50.280 --> 00:05:50.780 Define it. 00:05:52.340 --> 00:05:53.600 Why? 00:05:56.520 --> 00:05:57.060 I believe. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:01.500 Truth was truth before you, were you? 00:06:03.420 --> 00:06:06.260 And there are some ways that we determine truth as people that are unhealthy. 00:06:09.860 --> 00:06:13.980 And what happens when we take one of those avenues to determine truth that leads to an unhealthy root? 00:06:14.580 --> 00:06:16.510 When you get pressed, when you get challenged. 00:06:18.260 --> 00:06:18.620 You'll back down. 00:06:20.960 --> 00:06:25.520 But if you can establish for yourself what the parameter of truth is. 00:06:27.660 --> 00:06:30.400 When the challenge comes and you know the truth is truth. 00:06:30.580 --> 00:06:35.240 Regardless, it gives you more of a foundation to solidify yourself and take a stand. 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:42.320 In fact, Paul said this in Ephesians chapter four and verse 14, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by 00:06:42.320 --> 00:06:46.400 every wind of doctrine, by trickery of men, by craftiness and deceitful scheming. 00:06:46.400 --> 00:06:48.460 But speaking the truth in love. 00:06:48.460 --> 00:06:52.580 We are to grow up in all aspects into him who is the head, even Christ. 00:06:55.540 --> 00:06:58.540 Establish truth. 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:05.700 Sometimes within our culture today, the way that we tend to establish truth in an unhealthy sense is like this. 00:07:07.340 --> 00:07:10.700 If it looks good and feels good, then it must be good. 00:07:10.700 --> 00:07:11.240 Therefore it is true. 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:19.340 Now I want you to know God created feelings and God wants you to experience joy in him. 00:07:21.100 --> 00:07:21.600 But feelings. 00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:26.170 Feelings aren't the way to determine what is true. 00:07:27.580 --> 00:07:29.130 Because this is how it would have happened with the early disciples. 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:31.650 They would have said, I believe in Jesus. 00:07:33.060 --> 00:07:34.920 Irenaeus, if you go to France, you're going to get your head lopped off. 00:07:34.940 --> 00:07:36.800 Oh, well, that doesn't feel quite as good. 00:07:37.140 --> 00:07:38.760 So I don't know that I believe in Jesus that much. 00:07:39.100 --> 00:07:40.580 Right? 00:07:40.840 --> 00:07:43.460 Or I believe this and this happened, but it looks like it might challenge me. 00:07:43.880 --> 00:07:45.960 And it was solidified upon feeling. 00:07:45.960 --> 00:07:47.780 And so now it's looking a little rocky and so I can back away. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:51.850 When the church lay down their lives. 00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:54.100 For Jesus, this was the fact that they stood upon. 00:07:54.100 --> 00:07:55.980 They saw a dead man walking. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:00.580 Their faith was not based upon a philosophy or an idea. 00:08:00.580 --> 00:08:02.580 It was identified in a person. 00:08:04.180 --> 00:08:07.920 And they couldn't deny the fact that Jesus had overcome the grave. 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:14.260 That Jesus had fulfilled everything that was promised in the Old Testament with his coming. 00:08:16.060 --> 00:08:18.960 And the truth was established outside of themselves. 00:08:21.420 --> 00:08:23.800 Truth was truth before you were you. 00:08:24.200 --> 00:08:29.140 And you aren't the litmus test for truth because truth is determined outside of yourself. 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:32.520 Feelings. 00:08:34.200 --> 00:08:34.740 And fruit. 00:08:36.520 --> 00:08:40.750 If it looks good and feels good in Christianity, we kind of mask it this way. 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:42.700 Spirit and fruit. 00:08:42.740 --> 00:08:42.840 Right? 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:44.420 Feels good. 00:08:44.420 --> 00:08:45.140 Looks good. 00:08:45.140 --> 00:08:46.980 Spirit and fruit. 00:08:47.020 --> 00:08:52.760 When you dive into scripture, the Bible warns us about determining truth this way. 00:08:52.760 --> 00:08:55.040 Let me let me give you a couple passages and a few examples. 00:08:55.540 --> 00:09:00.960 It says in second Corinthians 11 and verse 14, Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 00:09:01.880 --> 00:09:09.160 Had a discussion just yesterday with a lady who was talking to me about people that were using rods to get these feelings about 00:09:09.160 --> 00:09:12.880 spirits and they use these different equipments. 00:09:12.980 --> 00:09:16.600 They thought there was this ghost or some sort of spirit in this building they were in. 00:09:16.600 --> 00:09:20.740 And so they were testing it and she wanted to know what I thought about that. 00:09:22.180 --> 00:09:22.380 And. 00:09:23.280 --> 00:09:26.880 If I just narrowed it down to one thought, I would say this. 00:09:28.860 --> 00:09:29.580 Demonic activity. 00:09:31.140 --> 00:09:31.940 And spiritual influence. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:34.900 That's contrary to Jesus. 00:09:36.300 --> 00:09:39.420 Is not going to feel like a pitchfork with a red tail. 00:09:41.460 --> 00:09:42.640 It's going to feel like an angel of light. 00:09:44.180 --> 00:09:51.240 Because the best thing an evil spirit could do is to make you feel good with his presence, because you wouldn't. 00:09:51.260 --> 00:09:54.190 That situation would be more inclined to go for that spiritual feeling again. 00:09:55.260 --> 00:10:01.060 So if all of us had some sort of encounter where we had a spiritual feeling, where we just felt horrible in that spiritual feeling, we would never go back to it. 00:10:01.160 --> 00:10:08.280 But if Satan is literally trying to deceive us in a spiritual world, one of the things that Satan would hope to do in our lives, to deceive us by a positive spiritual feeling 00:10:08.280 --> 00:10:08.830 in that experience. 00:10:11.180 --> 00:10:14.900 And so it says in second Corinthians chapter 11, verse 14, talking about the spirit. 00:10:14.900 --> 00:10:16.760 Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 00:10:18.160 --> 00:10:21.780 In fact, John says it this way. 00:10:21.780 --> 00:10:21.780 Paul said it that way. 00:10:21.780 --> 00:10:26.280 John says it this way do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 00:10:27.800 --> 00:10:28.220 In First Timothy. 00:10:28.540 --> 00:10:31.220 In chapter four and the last book Paul wrote to Timothy says. 00:10:31.340 --> 00:10:39.030 The spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:40.780 That's scary to say. 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:46.220 Spiritual feeling. 00:10:48.400 --> 00:10:50.540 Does not necessitate truth. 00:10:50.980 --> 00:10:54.890 In fact, it doesn't establish truth because truth is truth outside of ourselves. 00:10:55.940 --> 00:10:56.610 Let me give you an example. 00:10:58.540 --> 00:11:02.060 If I were to say that my truth is truth based on a spiritual feeling. 00:11:03.780 --> 00:11:06.680 There is nothing that determines my truth external from those of other faiths. 00:11:09.020 --> 00:11:11.480 Meaning spiritual feeling is an exclusive to me. 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:19.700 Matter of fact, if a Hindu came in this room of their faith and a muslim or anyone of any religion, they're going to claim a spiritual acclimation 00:11:19.800 --> 00:11:21.800 to the faith in which in which they hold. 00:11:23.420 --> 00:11:24.560 Now, how do we know which one is true then? 00:11:25.740 --> 00:11:29.260 Because under the basis of a spiritual feeling that validates all faiths. 00:11:29.260 --> 00:11:29.440 Yea. 00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:33.820 All faiths cannot be true because they teach about a different God and a different truth. 00:11:36.100 --> 00:11:43.420 And so using a spiritual confirmation to confirm truth doesn't necessitate that it is truth and in fact can lead us into deceitful 00:11:43.420 --> 00:11:44.120 paths. 00:11:46.640 --> 00:11:47.820 Determining truth. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:55.060 As Paul says in Second Corinthians or Second Timothy chapter two and verse 15, it is important for us as believers cutting what truth 00:11:55.060 --> 00:11:57.020 is being diligent in truth? 00:11:57.020 --> 00:11:57.960 It is important for us. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:01.560 But laying the foundation according to feeling can be misleading. 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:03.890 And even dangerous. 00:12:06.580 --> 00:12:10.130 There has to be a way to measure truth outside of the spirit. 00:12:11.170 --> 00:12:13.450 Otherwise, we have no way to differentiate. 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:14.540 Differentiate? 00:12:14.940 --> 00:12:17.450 Excuse me one truth above another. 00:12:18.640 --> 00:12:21.880 Because all faiths claim a spiritual feeling. 00:12:23.720 --> 00:12:25.420 The second thought is this is fruitfulness. 00:12:27.340 --> 00:12:31.010 Some people will conclude truth by looking at all the good and deciding. 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:33.640 Therefore, it must be true because it looks good. 00:12:35.140 --> 00:12:41.480 I just want to remind us with that thought and thinking this morning, just challenge it, that we are all created an image bearers of God. 00:12:42.800 --> 00:12:46.040 It doesn't matter what walk of life you come from, where you live. 00:12:46.040 --> 00:12:53.220 We're all created as image bearers of God, and at points in our lives will reflect the character of God and the qualities of 00:12:53.220 --> 00:12:54.280 the way that we live our lives. 00:12:56.840 --> 00:13:03.580 Being made in his image, love and faithfulness and joy and peace. 00:13:03.580 --> 00:13:06.360 And those things are manifest in our life being made in his image. 00:13:08.740 --> 00:13:10.510 But good doesn't determine true. 00:13:12.220 --> 00:13:15.920 In fact, throughout the Bible, the Bible records thoughts on this. 00:13:15.940 --> 00:13:17.360 In Second Timothy chapter three. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:21.360 It says this holding to a form of godliness but denying its power. 00:13:21.680 --> 00:13:24.200 Looking good, but not in Jesus. 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:31.560 In Matthew 23, Jesus is talking to the Pharisees, said this woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like whitewashed 00:13:31.560 --> 00:13:37.300 tombs, which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside are full of dead men's bones. 00:13:38.880 --> 00:13:46.020 Matthew 13 and verse 24 to 30 Jesus tells the story of the wheat and the tares as it relates to the church, that within the church there will be some 00:13:46.020 --> 00:13:51.150 that grow up that is, that are wheat and others that are that are tares, and you don't know until the harvest. 00:13:54.420 --> 00:13:55.960 Matthew seven. 00:13:57.640 --> 00:14:01.000 I think Jesus gives one of the best explanations for fruit. 00:14:03.640 --> 00:14:10.700 He says this beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 00:14:11.540 --> 00:14:12.970 You will know them by their fruits. 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:16.720 Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 00:14:16.800 --> 00:14:20.360 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 00:14:20.940 --> 00:14:24.380 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 00:14:24.640 --> 00:14:29.620 Every tree that does not produce bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 00:14:29.640 --> 00:14:31.540 So then you will know them by their fruits. 00:14:31.540 --> 00:14:32.830 Now I know this is saying fruits. 00:14:33.800 --> 00:14:35.520 I'll clarify it in just a minute, but let me explain. 00:14:36.140 --> 00:14:36.380 Verse 15. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:44.600 Verse 15 is saying that based on fruit, there are those who look like they belong to the sheep. 00:14:46.420 --> 00:14:47.240 But are really wolves. 00:14:48.920 --> 00:14:52.810 Outwardly, everything looks good, right? 00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.880 You know the scary thing about sheep? 00:14:55.980 --> 00:15:01.060 Or excuse me, as wolves dressed in sheep's clothes, is that wolves never see themselves as wolves. 00:15:02.920 --> 00:15:06.410 Wolves always see themselves as misunderstood sheep. 00:15:08.220 --> 00:15:09.290 And that's why it becomes dangerous. 00:15:11.400 --> 00:15:13.740 Wolves dressed in sheep's clothing. 00:15:13.740 --> 00:15:17.800 And I realize as we go through this, I'm just this is just freak out after freak out this morning. 00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:18.800 Don't worry. 00:15:18.920 --> 00:15:20.040 We'll get to where we're going. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.020 But wolves dressed in sheep's clothing. 00:15:22.020 --> 00:15:22.140 So. 00:15:22.380 --> 00:15:25.220 So let me move on real quick and I'll come back to what he's talking about with the fruit. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:26.770 Jesus goes on and he gives another story. 00:15:27.100 --> 00:15:33.260 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father who is in heaven, will enter. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:35.740 Many will say to me, look at these good deeds. 00:15:35.760 --> 00:15:42.580 Many will say to me on that day, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name and perform many miracles? 00:15:42.580 --> 00:15:45.100 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you. 00:15:45.160 --> 00:15:47.060 Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. 00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:51.850 Like verse 22 explains the goodness of these individuals. 00:15:51.960 --> 00:15:53.580 Everything they do looks good. 00:15:56.020 --> 00:15:56.660 But in verse 23. 00:15:58.620 --> 00:16:00.110 Jesus shares an important truth. 00:16:01.800 --> 00:16:04.240 Well, everything you do looks good. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:07.380 There's the most important thing that's missed here. 00:16:08.180 --> 00:16:09.350 You do not know me. 00:16:12.060 --> 00:16:17.260 My relationship is not extended to you and your relationship is not extended to me. 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:18.880 You do not know me. 00:16:20.880 --> 00:16:25.440 When Jesus is saying here is good does not necessarily necessitate godliness. 00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:33.040 Jesus didn't come to make bad men good and good men better. 00:16:35.500 --> 00:16:37.440 Jesus came to bring dead men to life. 00:16:40.180 --> 00:16:45.540 And Jesus is saying in this passage, the most important thing that all of us could understand, that it's not based on what you do. 00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:48.620 It's based on him. 00:16:50.760 --> 00:16:52.000 Jesus has already done it all. 00:16:54.580 --> 00:16:55.400 And even in goodness. 00:16:57.140 --> 00:16:59.040 It's wolves in sheep's clothing. 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:06.060 So what's Jesus saying about the fruit in chapter seven, verse 15 and on? 00:17:08.560 --> 00:17:10.109 There is a way you can still test fruit. 00:17:12.560 --> 00:17:17.060 When a wolf comes and he declares truth to sheep. 00:17:18.740 --> 00:17:25.690 The way that the sheep test the wolf is not by looking at what the wolf does, because the wolf looks like a sheep. 00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:32.540 The way the sheep test the wolf is listening to what the wolf says and matching it to truth. 00:17:35.760 --> 00:17:37.800 The fruit of the wolf will be made known. 00:17:38.500 --> 00:17:39.070 And what he declares. 00:17:39.120 --> 00:17:39.620 Let me give you an example. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:45.900 Jesus says, A fig tree, figs, a great tree, grapes, a proclaimer of God's Word. 00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:46.860 Test what he proclaims. 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:55.680 In fact, Paul says in acts chapter 17, they were more noble than those in Thessalonica, because they received the Word of God with readiness of mind, then 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:59.080 searched the scriptures daily to determine whether or not it was true. 00:18:03.220 --> 00:18:04.810 Now let me tell you the scary part about what I'm saying. 00:18:05.100 --> 00:18:06.120 I still haven't gotten to it. 00:18:08.460 --> 00:18:09.320 What I'm saying this morning. 00:18:11.500 --> 00:18:12.920 Is that truth was truth before you? 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:13.490 Were you right? 00:18:15.320 --> 00:18:15.910 And I'm saying. 00:18:17.540 --> 00:18:20.640 Don't use yourself to be the test for what is truth. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:27.380 Feelings and goodness will not necessitate that it is true. 00:18:29.420 --> 00:18:30.450 Now, I'm not going to tell you. 00:18:30.700 --> 00:18:33.110 Don't trust in feelings and don't trust in self trust. 00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:34.910 What I have to say that would not be good either. 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:35.440 Don't. 00:18:35.540 --> 00:18:37.740 As a matter of fact, don't trust that either. 00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:47.440 We take everything that said according to the words that are communicated and we match it to a truth claim, a truth foundation, 00:18:47.760 --> 00:18:49.100 and this is where it rests for Christianity. 00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:51.020 Jesus gave us two ways. 00:18:51.020 --> 00:18:53.140 He says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:18:53.560 --> 00:18:56.400 And then he prays in John 17, sanctify them through truth. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:58.020 Thy word is truth. 00:18:59.860 --> 00:19:03.990 And the question we ask this morning, I'll tell you, I'm not going to give you the complete answer until next week. 00:19:05.620 --> 00:19:05.700 It's. 00:19:05.780 --> 00:19:06.720 How do you know God's word is really true? 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:11.680 If God's Word is true. 00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:15.940 Truth then, is determined outside of ourselves. 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:20.560 We have the litmus test for us then to examine what's being said, to determine if it's accurate. 00:19:21.460 --> 00:19:26.680 I'm going to say to you this morning, if in your head you've wondered, is God's Word, has it been translated correctly? 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:27.490 Has it been corrupted? 00:19:27.760 --> 00:19:29.500 Why are there so many translations? 00:19:29.580 --> 00:19:30.820 Can I really trust God's Word? 00:19:30.840 --> 00:19:35.780 If you've wrestled with those in your mind, I want you to come next week because I can't pour everything into it this week. 00:19:35.860 --> 00:19:38.280 But Paul lays that foundation for us next week. 00:19:38.380 --> 00:19:43.940 But he begins this week by saying to us, it's just important to know how to determine what is true. 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:49.740 And God. 00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.370 Looking towards his people. 00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:57.220 I love the fact that he has given us written truth. 00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:06.520 Because it leaves us as individuals, as corporately as a church or as the Church of God, not to define truth with this 00:20:06.520 --> 00:20:07.720 ambiguous feeling. 00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:11.730 Just hoping that all of us are leaning in the right direction. 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:16.640 But together we can look at God's Word and determine whether or not it is accurate. 00:20:20.600 --> 00:20:21.200 And trust in his truth. 00:20:23.100 --> 00:20:24.280 And so the Bible says this. 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:31.480 And verse 15, be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the 00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:32.080 word of truth. 00:20:32.080 --> 00:20:34.760 Paul at least lays it out for us where it is truth. 00:20:35.360 --> 00:20:42.520 And then he goes on further and he says in verse 24, The Lord's bond servants must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all able 00:20:42.520 --> 00:20:44.480 to teach patient when wronged. 00:20:46.820 --> 00:20:50.940 Paul then begins to lay out for us a foundation beyond the truth of God's Word. 00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:55.460 To further establish ourselves that when opposition comes. 00:20:57.020 --> 00:21:00.520 Where we live, in opposition in our lives, we hold true to the truth. 00:21:01.760 --> 00:21:05.120 Well first becomes in determining what truth is and laying that foundation. 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:08.920 The second one's truth is determined. 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:14.420 We find that identity in Christ and therefore make ourselves bondservants of him. 00:21:14.840 --> 00:21:17.740 The word for bondservant here is doulos. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.060 It's literally slave. 00:21:21.180 --> 00:21:23.980 And this slave can be defined one of two ways. 00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:30.660 Someone who's been bought with a price, which is what Jesus has done for us, or someone who willingly gives up their life to become a slave as an individual. 00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:32.700 Now. 00:21:32.800 --> 00:21:33.340 Why would you do that? 00:21:34.980 --> 00:21:42.140 Our picture of slavery is based on the 1830s of America to 1860s, or whenever slavery began to the 1860s when it ended. 00:21:43.660 --> 00:21:48.620 But in Rome, slavery wasn't localized to one individual ethnic group. 00:21:48.620 --> 00:21:50.320 Slavery extended to everyone. 00:21:51.580 --> 00:21:57.200 And slaves were treated differently in some cases than they were in American society holistically. 00:21:57.460 --> 00:22:04.620 And so in Roman society, some slaves were treated so well that they began to realize that if they went out and they got a job in the workforce, they could never have it better 00:22:05.340 --> 00:22:06.940 than where they have it with their master. 00:22:08.930 --> 00:22:11.340 And so they become their slave. 00:22:13.020 --> 00:22:15.840 Their identity belongs to them. 00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:19.780 And Paul saying, once you've established truth, this is what happens in your life. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:22.800 You become one who belongs to Jesus. 00:22:22.820 --> 00:22:29.390 You have given your life to him because you realize not only not only is His Word truth, but Jesus is truth. 00:22:30.620 --> 00:22:33.660 In John 15 when Jesus was talking about the spirit. 00:22:33.820 --> 00:22:38.160 Since we know as believers we do have the spirit indwells within us. 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:40.420 Jesus says this is what the Spirit's going to do. 00:22:40.840 --> 00:22:47.860 He says in verse 26, with the spirit comes whom I will send to you from the father, the spirit of truth, who goes out from the father. 00:22:48.220 --> 00:22:50.300 He will testify about me. 00:22:50.320 --> 00:22:51.920 Meaning, here's the job of the spirit. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:57.930 Here's how you know the Spirit of God is really at work within the people of God, is that it is making much of Jesus. 00:22:59.720 --> 00:23:00.930 Like if you if you belong somewhere. 00:23:01.560 --> 00:23:03.980 That doesn't make everything about Christ. 00:23:06.020 --> 00:23:08.810 And Jesus says that's not what his spirit's about. 00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:12.840 Jesus. 00:23:15.080 --> 00:23:18.700 Comes to give us truth, to give us freedom in him. 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:25.820 And Paul goes on further and he says this now flee from youthful lust and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out 00:23:25.820 --> 00:23:26.320 of a pure heart. 00:23:29.540 --> 00:23:34.620 Paul talks about our relationship to Christ and immediately begins to relate that relationship to those around us. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:37.940 Listen to stand for truth. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:40.420 It's important to have a community that's truth based. 00:23:42.340 --> 00:23:49.240 Because when the going gets tough, you need one another to lean upon, to encourage you to strengthen you. 00:23:49.240 --> 00:23:54.620 And so he tells Paul, listen, Paul, run away from everything that's going to pull you from this truth claim. 00:23:55.400 --> 00:24:02.660 And Timothy run away from everything that's going to pull you from this truth claim and pursue this with those who genuinely love 00:24:02.660 --> 00:24:03.860 Jesus to. 00:24:07.600 --> 00:24:08.380 The call on the Lord. 00:24:09.600 --> 00:24:10.340 From a pure heart. 00:24:13.760 --> 00:24:15.560 Paul and calling us to community. 00:24:17.600 --> 00:24:20.150 Also then points out something significant about the community. 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:22.580 What are we centered upon? 00:24:24.600 --> 00:24:25.140 It's the heart. 00:24:27.360 --> 00:24:33.890 We focus on Christ because Jesus, he by his power in us, transforms the heart. 00:24:36.560 --> 00:24:43.340 Paul points out the character of the heart and not the religious activity of the people who are gathering. 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:49.380 I find that important for us as a community in Christ to recognize. 00:24:50.940 --> 00:24:55.480 Because when the Bible talks about being corrupted in Scripture, listen what it says in Colossians two. 00:24:55.520 --> 00:24:56.300 This is Paul's warning. 00:24:56.760 --> 00:25:03.810 Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink, or in respect to festival or new moon or Sabbath day, 00:25:04.120 --> 00:25:06.220 things which are mere shadows of what is to come. 00:25:06.220 --> 00:25:08.280 But the substance belongs to Jesus. 00:25:08.380 --> 00:25:15.640 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting and self-abasement worship of angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen inflated 00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:19.040 without cause by his fleshly mind and not holding fast to the head. 00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:20.520 You see what Paul is saying? 00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:21.820 He he's saying listen. 00:25:21.820 --> 00:25:24.020 In religious context, this is what they focus on. 00:25:24.360 --> 00:25:29.600 They focus on feeling and the self abasement and delighting and inflating yourself in the mind. 00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:33.620 They focus on legalism and the festival of moons and the celebration of holidays. 00:25:33.620 --> 00:25:40.800 What you eat and drink, he says in First Timothy chapter four, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking 00:25:40.800 --> 00:25:47.980 lies and hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God 00:25:47.980 --> 00:25:51.920 hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believed and know the truth. 00:25:53.700 --> 00:26:00.840 So again, he's saying seduction and the spirits that feel good marriage and what we're going to do with marriage and making laws over forbidding 00:26:00.840 --> 00:26:04.000 of marriage and abstaining from meats. 00:26:04.080 --> 00:26:08.640 It's all forms of legalism, rules and rules to make yourself more godly. 00:26:09.340 --> 00:26:16.600 You know, I love I love what Jesus does in Matthew, in the sermon on the Mount, in chapter five to chapter seven, because he comes in to the religious 00:26:16.600 --> 00:26:21.500 leaders who think they're living this law to attain to God for his acceptance of them. 00:26:23.280 --> 00:26:29.540 And Jesus comes to into these chapters and he says this you think that if you commit adultery, you've done wrong. 00:26:29.600 --> 00:26:32.960 But I just want to tell you who've lusted in your heart, you've committed adultery. 00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:37.560 You think doing murder is wrong, but you who have angered in your heart you have committed murder. 00:26:39.320 --> 00:26:44.860 And what Jesus is saying about the law is we as people think that we can create this system of rules to please God. 00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:49.200 But God's standard is far beyond any amount of laws you could ever add to your life. 00:26:50.320 --> 00:26:57.400 To assume that the Jewish Old Testament laws were the extent of what God could place upon people in the holiness he demands is ridiculous 00:26:57.400 --> 00:26:58.120 for us. 00:26:59.780 --> 00:27:02.320 And in fact, that's exactly what Jesus says in Matthew. 00:27:03.800 --> 00:27:10.840 He's raising the bar of the standard and saying, listen, these laws are far beyond what you expect in 00:27:10.840 --> 00:27:14.180 your Jewish living of legalism and religion. 00:27:17.800 --> 00:27:19.020 What God's really interested in. 00:27:20.900 --> 00:27:21.700 It's not. 00:27:23.100 --> 00:27:24.480 Your legalistic religion. 00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:27.460 Because no matter how much you do. 00:27:28.760 --> 00:27:30.460 It doesn't transform the heart. 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:34.360 I mean, you can do all day long in your heart. 00:27:34.540 --> 00:27:35.220 Never be in it. 00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:41.420 Or you can do all day long in the very purpose and reason for which you do it is really to gratify self. 00:27:43.420 --> 00:27:44.480 It's not to honor Christ. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:49.440 It's just to get what you want from God and to make him your sock puppet. 00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:56.420 Jesus reaches to us. 00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:59.160 Jesus reaches for the heart. 00:28:01.520 --> 00:28:05.980 Which is why when you read in the context of Scripture, when Paul lines this out, he begins to describe it. 00:28:06.040 --> 00:28:09.550 We're going to see in just a minute what he describes for us as far as the matters of the heart. 00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:12.220 When you read about the fruit of the spirit. 00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:18.160 It's not rules to obey it's characteristics expressed from the heart love, joy, peace, patience and Galatians. 00:28:19.100 --> 00:28:19.740 Kindness. 00:28:19.880 --> 00:28:21.020 Gentleness. 00:28:21.480 --> 00:28:22.240 Can I tell you as parents? 00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:25.060 As parents. 00:28:25.580 --> 00:28:28.650 It's a good way to mimic this in your relationship to your children. 00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:36.940 Like when your kids do something and you're really proud of that, your kids, when they come up to you don't just gratify the fact that they accomplished the task, but 00:28:36.940 --> 00:28:42.780 take the time to acknowledge within your children the thing that was expressed within their heart that allowed them to accomplish the task. 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:51.740 So your diligence, your perseverance, the way that you looked at that, how you approached the way you were caring for one another in that those things within your heart, 00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:52.840 that is what made that beautiful. 00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:56.240 And I'm glad you accomplished the task to. 00:28:57.340 --> 00:28:58.960 But I love the way your heart expressed itself. 00:29:02.460 --> 00:29:03.400 Why do we do all this? 00:29:06.580 --> 00:29:08.680 And Paul says in the last point. 00:29:11.080 --> 00:29:11.880 The Lord's bond servant. 00:29:13.820 --> 00:29:14.740 Must not be quarrelsome. 00:29:17.460 --> 00:29:22.060 We'll stop there and just say, Timothy, I know, I know, I'm about to lose my life. 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:29.640 And I know probably many thing the rage within you would probably want to stand up and just start fighting those people that take my life. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:33.160 But the Lord's bond servant. 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:35.740 Must not be quarrelsome. 00:29:37.540 --> 00:29:38.360 Be kind to all. 00:29:39.820 --> 00:29:43.220 Able to teach patient when wronged. 00:29:45.080 --> 00:29:47.370 With gentleness, correcting those who are in opposition. 00:29:49.340 --> 00:29:52.530 If perhaps God may grant them repentance, leading to the knowledge of the truth. 00:29:54.200 --> 00:30:02.660 And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. 00:30:02.660 --> 00:30:03.740 Church. 00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:08.360 The early church didn't have a lot going for them. 00:30:10.600 --> 00:30:16.050 But within three centuries, they saw the very city that took Paul's life become the capital of Christianity. 00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:24.180 I'll look at a text like this and think, God, how can you work in our lives knowing that we fight battles to? 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:28.780 And this is where Paul explains this. 00:30:28.780 --> 00:30:30.040 And I just want to encourage you this way. 00:30:30.040 --> 00:30:36.140 As a church, you should strive to make it hard for people to hate you. 00:30:39.380 --> 00:30:44.500 When people think about you, they think of something, right? 00:30:44.660 --> 00:30:48.260 And hopefully, hopefully if they stand in opposition, it should be this. 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:50.960 They love Jesus. 00:30:52.660 --> 00:30:55.140 They don't agree with, but they absolutely love me. 00:30:57.940 --> 00:31:03.240 Make it hard for people to hate you in your love for Christ. 00:31:05.660 --> 00:31:08.350 You may live in a society where you feel unwelcomed. 00:31:10.360 --> 00:31:12.130 And you know what our tendency is as people. 00:31:13.880 --> 00:31:17.500 As in that aggravation to make them feel unwelcomed back. 00:31:18.840 --> 00:31:20.490 But I want you to know we should have the liberty. 00:31:20.520 --> 00:31:23.830 Not not to be silent in that, but just to simply say, hey, hey, that feel unwelcomed. 00:31:24.800 --> 00:31:27.170 But I just want you to know I love you more than anything. 00:31:28.420 --> 00:31:29.660 I care about you. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:36.890 Paul says this is what happens with within our lives in verse 26, and they may come to their senses. 00:31:37.220 --> 00:31:39.610 This is this is what he's saying in this word for senses. 00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:40.270 It's kind of insulting. 00:31:40.280 --> 00:31:41.720 So don't repeat this to people. 00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:47.060 But this word for senses means a drunk becoming sober. 00:31:47.860 --> 00:31:48.080 All right. 00:31:48.100 --> 00:31:52.060 So when you meet someone that opposes you, don't be like, man, you're just drunk, don't do that. 00:31:52.840 --> 00:31:54.160 But that's Paul's describing that. 00:31:54.300 --> 00:31:57.260 You know what it's like when you talk to someone that's contrary to you. 00:31:57.520 --> 00:32:00.520 You feel like, did I get the crying drunk or the angry drunk here? 00:32:00.540 --> 00:32:03.980 But I feel like I'm beating myself in the head because you are not getting what I'm trying to say to you. 00:32:07.780 --> 00:32:08.260 But gentleness. 00:32:11.800 --> 00:32:14.380 Gently correcting them. 00:32:15.500 --> 00:32:17.060 Showing them the truth. 00:32:19.960 --> 00:32:22.060 It's not determined by spiritual feeling. 00:32:24.220 --> 00:32:26.500 If it were, every religion in the world would be validated. 00:32:29.120 --> 00:32:30.160 It's not determined by fruit. 00:32:31.640 --> 00:32:35.400 If it were, every belief system in the world could have some sort of validation. 00:32:38.300 --> 00:32:40.920 Truth was truth before you were you. 00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:44.360 And truth is measured out outside of ourselves. 00:32:44.380 --> 00:32:45.500 It's more than a feeling. 00:32:45.540 --> 00:32:46.140 And this is what I believe. 00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:49.580 We base it on feeling when the going gets tough and that feeling isn't so good. 00:32:49.580 --> 00:32:51.020 What we're going to do is tuck tail and run. 00:32:51.320 --> 00:32:58.400 But if we look like Seipel's, look at the resurrection of Jesus and the truth claims of who God is, and we lay our foundation outside of ourself on the hope 00:32:58.400 --> 00:33:03.880 that rests outside of our self, and a foundation that is way more secure than simply self. 00:33:03.880 --> 00:33:05.320 But rest in the power of God. 00:33:05.320 --> 00:33:07.820 When challenges come, you can stand. 00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:13.460 And as you stand, you think about the way you stand. 00:33:15.180 --> 00:33:17.340 Because just as the grace of God has come into your life. 00:33:20.140 --> 00:33:21.750 So it can the lives of others. 00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:25.840 As you gently share with them. 00:33:27.020 --> 00:33:27.880 Here's the beautiful ending. 00:33:31.140 --> 00:33:32.800 Today if you were to go to the Roman Colosseum. 00:33:35.560 --> 00:33:39.020 There is a specific gait in which the emperor would stand. 00:33:41.340 --> 00:33:42.740 And that would be the place where he entered. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:49.460 And he would sit down and he would reside over the games and he would determine whether someone lived or someone died. 00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:54.400 On the battlefield would be Christians. 00:33:56.040 --> 00:33:56.800 Living or dying. 00:33:59.220 --> 00:34:06.320 And today, if you were to go to the Roman Colosseum, you would see that there is a cross standing at the 00:34:06.380 --> 00:34:10.080 gate where the Emperor would enter into the Colosseum. 00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:15.130 Rome became a place for the beauty of Christ. 00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:17.760 Your home. 00:34:19.060 --> 00:34:22.699 Your community, the people around you love and care about. 00:34:24.760 --> 00:34:28.980 Second Timothy is the explanation on how that battle is won. 00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:31.360 May we live. 00:34:33.260 --> 00:34:34.310 And love and grace. 00:34:35.940 --> 00:34:37.600 Reaching out to those we care about.