Graham didn’t divert much from his series on 2 Timothy this morning neither did he ignore the glorious event that we remember this Palm Sunday.
Palm Sunday
2 Timothy 4:1
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
Intro
In the opening verses of 2 Timothy 3 Paul warned Timothy,
But mark this: 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 God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
I have no idea what such people would think of today’s verse. One who has no confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit, who has a form of godliness but who denies its power, must have little excitement over his appearing and his kingdom rule.
1) Our Past
Jesus claimed to be the Messiah and his entry was a declaration of his kingly rule. The crowds understood his claim and cooperated in the drama by hailing him with the predicted greeting, waving palm branches, and putting their clothing under his feet.
We look back to this, but it is not only a past event. This triumphal entry is the beginning of something that carries in to the centuries following that date, and into the centuries ahead of us.
2) Our Present
(a) In our world.
That is why believers pray “Thy kingdom come.”
(b) In our lives.
What would you be saying if you put your clothing down for someone to walk over?
Each Palm Sunday Christians again invite Jesus to ride into their lives again as Lord, as King.
He does ride in and take residence. We live “in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus.”
See Revelation 3:20-21 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
John 1:10-13 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
3) Our Future
The rule of Jesus will finally be seen in completeness when he judges and when he appears.
(a) “in view of his appearing and his kingdom”
Does this refer to the future or to the rule of Jesus in Paul’s day and ours? The following scriptures might help us come to a conclusion.
1 Timothy 6:13-15 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time- God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
2 Timothy 1:9-11 who has saved us and called us to a holy life- not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope- the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
(b) “in view of”
This means Paul knew he was living with the consciousness of this truth. It is a truth that should shape how we live, not just how we think.
We had a nice surprise this morning. Pastor Matt from The Gathering preached for us at The Teaching Service, while Graham hung out at The Gathering. He delivered an excellent message on “Thankfulness”.
We’re now onto 2 Timothy 3 from verse 10, in Graham’s preaching series.
2 Timothy 3:10-17
1) Example
Paul’s example, verses 10 to 11
Timothy’s example, verse 14
My example and yours.
2) Our Example despite of opposition
The last days are terrible times for those who follow the Truth. (But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. Chapter 3 verse 1). They “will be persecuted”
3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
3) Our Example is sustained by God’s word. All scripture is God-breathed
“All scripture”
Strictly speaking refers to the Old Testament as the works that now make up the New Testament were in the process of being created. Christians now accept this principle to apply to the New Testament too, even though Paul’s words did not exactly include the NT.
“God breathed”
The point of course is not the explanation of a technique but of the source of this revelation. Peter says something similar.
Is all of the Bible true? No!
Well, it depends upon what is meant by the question. Often when it comes from a ‘God-dodger’ (atheist) they have their own meaning loaded into it. I believe the scriptures are a gift of God to us, the manufacturer’s handbook. But I do not believe that all that is in it is true.
See the incident in Job when, after a great personal disaster, he is visited by his friends. First of all, is this an account of events or is it a book of philosophy which presents, through Job’s friends, the dominant philosophies of the day?
Whether literal or not, the first of the friends to speak talks rubbish, and we are meant to realise this. Job pours out his grief and Eliphaz the Temanite replies unsympathetically.
Job 4:12-21 A word was secretly brought to me, my ears caught a whisper of it. Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on men, fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake. A spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body stood on end. It stopped, but I could not tell what it was. A form stood before my eyes, and I heard a hushed voice: ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker? If God places no trust in his servants, if he charges his angels with error, how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth! Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces; unnoticed, they perish for ever. Are not the cords of their tent pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’
Eliphaz tells of a special revelation he received. The revelation came to him in terror and spoke of condemnation and a god that does not value or love people. Many would recognise this as a demonic visitation. It is preserved for us to make us wise, but it is not true. It is to be compared with the rest of scripture and its consistent message of God’s grace culminating in the redemption bought by Jesus by his death on the cross.
Another problem is if we take poetry in the Bible and attach literal meaning to it, or some of the metaphor that we find in scripture. When Jesus spoke to the woman from Samaria in John’s gospel Jesus was saying something literal about what God is.
John 4:24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.
But there are also metaphors. The Bible does not teach his eye-balls have little legs to run about on.
See 2 Chronicles 16:9 (New American Standard Bible) For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
Nor does the Bible say that God has wings, or is a giant chicken!
See Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Nor is God a building.
See Psalm 61:3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
See 2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Though it is important to know why we can be confident the Bible is from God, it is a more important thing is to know that it is to our guide for living.
Timothy was told to remember who had showed him what was in the scriptures - people. His grandmother and mother. See 2 Timothy 1:5
I 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.
He is told to remember who the scriptures come from in the first place, God himself.
See 2 Peter 1:20-21 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
He is told to remember what the scriptures can do, they can equip us for “every good work”.
They remind us how to live. 1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
They teach us how to live. Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
The scriptures penetrate to the inner person in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
The Teaching Service and The Gathering will be coming together at Archbishop Holgate school for a joint morning service on the following dates: 25th April, 23rd May and 27th June.
The services will begin at 1030am at Archbishop Holgate. There will be no services at St Laurence’s School or at Elim Corner on these dates.
Click the link for a map to Archbishop Holgate.
We’ve come a little further in our study of 2 Timothy this week, 2 Timothy 2:22-3:9.
2 Timothy 2:22 - 3:9
1) Truth is declared
2) Truth comes through repentance
3) Truth comes in power
1) Truth is declared
Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Not quarrelsome. Again, a person with and experience of the truth will have a calm confidence. The teacher (verse 25) does not argue, but instructs.
The is a place for wondering, for speculation, and discussion. But there is also a place for declaring, proclamation.
2) Truth comes through repentance
“In the hope that God will grant them repentance” verse 25.
The huge significance of this comment is easy to miss when the reader is following the flow of this part of the letter.
If it is God who grants repentance this gives us a clue to how we can pray for someone, either for an unbeliever or a backslider. We may wonder about the tension between a person’s free will and the call of God on a person’s life, but this at least seems to be clear. I can pray for someone that God will grant them repentance. That gift is God’s to give.
What of the person who wants to wait until the end of their life before turning to Jesus, those who think that they can plan a deathbed repentance? I tell them they can not presume that the ability to repent will be there for them then. The capacity to turn in faith might not be theirs then. That is why the Bible stresses the ‘now’ when it comes to repentance and turning to God.
3) Truth comes in power
Speaking of the last days, Paul must have meant that age in which he was living, which began with the crucifixion of Jesus. That he believed he was living in the last days is evident from his phrase “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” This is an instruction about how to behave in the present, not is some future time.
What sort of Christianity had Paul encountered when he visited Ephesus earlier? A powerless one!
See Acts 19:1-7
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? They answered, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. So Paul asked, Then what baptism did you receive? John’s baptism, they replied. Paul said, John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
When Paul was at Ephesus and wrote to the believers in Corinth he began his first letter to them by stressing the importance of the power of the Holy Spirit. I wonder if the near missing of this truth and experience had made Paul more aware of the need to stress these things.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
The power of the Holy Spirit had been important to the early church in Jerusalem.
See Acts 6:3-5
Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
Some people in out day deny that the power of the Holy Spirit is for out time.
See 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
These gifts for the church will cease when the perfect comes. The perfect has not yet come.
We live in great days, the days of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit throughout the nations.
Acts 2: 16,17 “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people …”
Partnership with other churches and other Christians is good, but not at the expense of truth.
“They are the kind…” (3:6)
What kind? Is it the whole list or just the last point about denying the power of the Holy Spirit?
See the awful description of those who reject the Holy Spirit.
