WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:01.520 Wow. 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:08.160 This looks a lot different than it did when I was kind of rehearsing these things on my back porch with no one, but uh thank you. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:18.160 Uh my name is Jack Simmons, and my family and I uh married, have kids uh 18, daughter 18, a daughter 16, and a son who's 13. 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.519 We've been coming here six or eight years, I kind of lose track. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:36.719 But uh this is my first year as an elder here, and I've known all the elders before now, uh, but have gotten to know them a lot better over the last six months or so, and I can always say it's been it's been a pleasure to get to know them and to pray for our church. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:38.320 Um, I've really enjoyed it. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:40.320 So so thank you for that. 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:42.159 Um a little about me. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:53.840 I've I've learned just in these last few months, that you guys who are into the Enneagram, I'm a I'm I'm I knew I was a number nine, which means you're like you're you're a peacemaker and you don't really like the spotlight. 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:57.280 You kind of want to be kind of left alone and not too much attention. 00:00:57.359 --> 00:00:58.399 So this is great. 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:06.000 Um and I also I've learned my friends have told me, oh, you might be a nine, but you definitely have an eight-wing. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:07.040 I'm like, okay, what's that? 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:11.120 That's like, well, you really want peace, but you can't help but keep your mouth shut. 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:16.000 I mean, you can't help but uh you can't keep your mouth shut when there's something you don't disagree with. 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:18.719 So I feel like that's a psychological disorder. 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:21.519 Like you love peace, but you can't help but argue. 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:25.439 So anyway, um pray for me in that. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:28.560 Um you guys are a great audience, by the way, thank you. 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:30.879 Um these are like real church jokes. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:38.560 So so um one of my friends who knows me the best, you know, found out I was doing this and was praying for me. 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:43.200 I won't name them, but they said, I'm I'm happy for you and praying that this will be a delight for you. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:47.920 And know that the the only time I ever understand you is when you talk about God's word. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:50.560 So again, that I think that was a compliment. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:51.920 I think that was meant to give me hope. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:53.840 So so that's that's where we're at. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:02:04.239 Um after uh after college, I spent a couple years in youth ministry and then was uh kind of pleasantly dismissed by my pastor. 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:05.519 So you need to go to seminary. 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:08.159 So I went to seminary for a few years. 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:11.840 We had some life circumstances that I didn't I didn't wind up finishing. 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:13.599 We can talk about that another time. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:30.879 But I I started at one seminary and then transferred to another one, which I loved, Westminster Theological Seminary, and uh but did never finish, uh, which means I can kind of talk about these things and I enjoy them, but I never got to the preaching classes, unfortunately for you and and for me. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:38.000 But aware of this inexperience, I talked to a few of you and uh and our pastor, Russ, and said, you know, Russ, you know, what what's it like? 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:38.879 What do you do? 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:42.719 And I'm all the more thankful that he does this every week for all the things that he does. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:44.800 I've learned that we do have a few things in common. 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:52.879 I grew up, uh my glory years were spent in a Toyota four-wheel drive listening to kind of the rebirth of country music and Garth Brooks. 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:56.560 So I like fishing like him, and I like old Broncos like him. 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:00.800 So past that, I'm not sure what similarities we might have. 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:07.360 But um uh today we'll be looking at uh 2 Timothy chapter 3. 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:15.120 And before we get to that, just a quick recap, hopefully quick recap of what we what Sam's covered in the last few weeks if you haven't been here. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.560 Uh this is likely maybe Paul's last letter. 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:24.400 He's uh his second letter is Timothy, who's a young pastor in the church at Ephesus. 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:31.439 Paul is riding from a prison, which uh probably be uh where he spends his last days. 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:33.759 I don't think he ever again breathes freedom. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:39.039 So uh up to this point, Paul has been kind of the most traveled missionary. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:43.120 Most scholars believe that he's traveled some 10,000 miles by foot. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:46.960 That's equal to walking from Los Angeles to New York four times. 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:49.680 Not to mention the distance he's traveled on ships. 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:54.960 He's been uh almost beaten to death three times, stoned once. 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:59.759 That's where your peers disagree with you, put you in the middle, and throw rocks at you. 00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:01.039 I mean, that didn't sound great. 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:07.120 Uh he's been shipwrecked uh three times, spent several nights in the Mediterranean Sea floating on driftwood. 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:08.879 Maybe he lives, maybe he doesn't. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:25.120 So that, but he did all of that because he heard this message that changed his life, and he had gone from the greatest persecutor of the Christian church with an unmatched religious zealotry to now one who could not be stopped for spreading the gospel. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:28.160 So here he is at the end, his life's work. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:33.519 He's uh kind of passing it along to Timothy at uh the church at Ephesus. 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:40.399 And so you can begin to imagine the kind of emotion and earnestness in which he writes this letter. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:55.360 Um, the gospel message had so consumed Paul's life that when he spoke to Timothy, he used words like, be a good soldier, like a farmer, a hard worker, like these were all-consuming metaphors that he he talked to Timothy about. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:01.439 And this was not some kind of religious obligation. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:08.000 I'm sure Paul knew of this passage uh in Matthew that when Jesus is talking about the kingdom of God. 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:14.720 And he says, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:19.439 Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:30.319 Jesus says, again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great value went and sold all that he had and bought it. 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:39.519 As we read Paul's writings and read about his life, he undoubtedly had this view of God's kingdom and uh God's message and the gospel of Christ. 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:57.680 Uh and so we have this final charge from Paul to Timothy, and he is really telling Timothy, hey, like myself, who viewed this message as something life-changing, you too, for the joy set before you, listen to me and do these things. 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:09.600 And so we always say here at Christ the Redeemer, and I'm glad that we do, that we are more broken and sinful than we ever imagined, and uh more loved by God than we dare to dream. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:13.040 And so it's that dare to dream that drives us forward. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:20.000 It this is no way Paul's kind of uh advice to Timothy to how to win God's favor. 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:22.639 No, it's like, hey, you know what's good for you. 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:24.000 Do this. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:28.560 Um and Paul himself kind of saw this. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:32.879 It's like Paul had tasted God's goodness, Timothy had tasted God's goodness, like many of us. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:41.120 We've tasted God's goodness, and we know that he's good, yet we we often need as many reminders as we can, like, yes, it is good. 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:43.759 We see that in Paul and Romans. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:46.000 Romans 7, a lot of you know this passage. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:53.279 He says, For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:59.199 Now, if I do what I do not want, it's no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:04.720 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:08.240 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, in my heart. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:16.240 But I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive of the law of sin that dwells in my heart. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:19.519 Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:23.279 Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:34.000 So here we have Paul saying, yes, uh, he's not some kind of pristine uh clean commander who's given his orders from an ivory tower. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:36.240 He's like, No, Timothy, I'm just like you. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:38.240 Uh I still struggle with sin. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:48.000 I mean, he wrote about it for thousands and millions of Christians to hear about afterwards that yes, I still I still go through hard times that are my of my own doing. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:50.959 Um you know, I find that true, right? 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:55.600 You probably you as well, that we need someone who can sympathize with our weakness. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:05.279 Hebrews tells us that we have Jesus, who became the great high priest, who suffered just as we we have suffered, yet without sin, so that he might help us in a time of need. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:12.000 And, you know, I find that true uh unfortunately through too much trial and error, like with my own kids. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:17.040 You know, when you're when they're little, you can kind of tell them, just do this, do that, and they just listen without questioning. 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:19.839 Well, as they get older, shocker, they question. 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:25.439 And uh it's a time you can say, Well, you know, I too have struggled with those things. 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:31.040 And sometimes I wasn't so proud of how I acted, and sometimes went well, but here's how they went. 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:40.799 And I noticed that when I'm right down there with them, like Paul was with Timothy, like eye to eye, hey, we're in this together, um, defensive posture goes away and we just talk. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:44.639 Um, so I think Timothy had that relationship with Paul. 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:46.799 Paul had that relationship with Timothy. 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:50.240 Um 27 more pages to go. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:56.720 So we'll get into this um this passage. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:04.720 But before we do, just so you know, there's good news and bad news, and you always want the bad news first. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:08.240 If you want the good news first, you're a psychopath and you're not to be trusted. 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:10.080 So everybody wants the bad news first. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:15.200 So Paul gives us the bad news first, we'll talk about the bad news first, and then we'll we'll get to the good news. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:20.799 So I'll read the passage here, the first chapter three, verses one through nine. 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:26.639 But understand this that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:48.720 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:51.279 Avoid such people, no problem. 00:09:51.759 --> 00:10:07.360 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sin and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth, just as Jonas and Jambus also opposed Moses. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:13.519 So these men also opposed the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:20.879 They will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:28.399 All right, so this is a pretty common theme in scripture that there will be hard times. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:39.279 And uh we heard Russ mention it when he was speaking of Revelation, like that the that book was full of hey, there will be hard times, there will be trials and tribulations. 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:46.879 And we heard Sam mention the last couple weeks as he's talked about 2 Timothy, Paul reminding us that there will be hard times. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:49.600 And I think that's that's good to know. 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:55.919 Like, okay, I didn't necessarily cause this, I didn't, it's it's not, it's not always my fault. 00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:58.240 There are gonna be hard times. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:04.879 And Paul's speaking very specifically here about these quote difficult times. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:07.440 There's a certain type of time that he's talking about. 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:13.120 And this word that's translated as difficult is the Greek word kalepos. 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:14.799 You know, I did my homework. 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:19.840 I'm I know that's always really smart when you can quote Greek stuff, but you can find it on Google, it's not that hard. 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:33.279 Um the the Greek word kalepos is also used in scripture and other places and in uh other Greek literature to refer to violent and dangerous animals and a raging violent sea. 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:36.799 So Paul's talking about more than just like hurt feelings here. 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:42.559 He's talking about, hey, could be the worst of times will hit you sometimes. 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:50.080 Times of despair, times of loss, uh, and they'll even be made worse by these guys if you listen to them. 00:11:50.240 --> 00:12:05.279 Uh so one of the things that Paul talks about here, and he's just as a quick disclaimer, you might read this list or see this list of, well, sometimes I'm I'm a lover of myself, I'm a lover of money. 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:06.320 Sometimes I'm proud of it. 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:07.200 Yes, true. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:11.519 Uh that would be true sometimes of all of us, I would think. 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:18.799 But Paul's talking about here, these guys, it's like their life's compass is their own ego. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:23.120 Uh there's no there's no place of repentance and turning here. 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:35.759 So John Stott, in his uh commentary on this passage, says, once Paul said that they were lovers of self and that their ego was their compass, kind of everything else falls in place, right? 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:42.480 If you if your one guide is your self-love and your self-promotion, well, of course you love money. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:49.120 Money buys all the things I want to make me prestigious and valued and and high in everyone's eyes. 00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:55.600 So, yes, lover of self leaves lead leads to a love of money, and then of course you're proud because look what I did. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:59.360 Arrogant, you're full of yourself, you're not listening to your parents. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:02.000 I always like it when scripture talks about that, right? 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:03.600 You know, that helps me as a parent. 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:06.879 It's like, hey, remember, the Bible says don't be disobedient to your parents. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:09.840 I probably pull that out way too much at my house. 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:22.240 But um, if their guide is their their love of self, then kind of all these other terrible characteristics just fall into place. 00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:40.159 Uh Paul says about them that uh in verse uh four that among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:47.360 So, now real quick, we the biblical view of women is not this, to think weak women. 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:53.840 We know in Genesis that God says he created man and woman in his own image, he created them. 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:58.480 Like he's they're equal in his eyes, uh different and equal. 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:11.360 And we know in uh Proverbs 31, like the woman is spoken of as industrious, uh, respected by her household, respected by the leaders of the city. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:24.879 So I want to give that quote apologetic, so you don't at me as the kids say, the uh the uh the biblical view of women is one of value and respect. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:38.720 But we do know in cultures there is sin and that uh women have been mistreated at times, um and and as men, but that is not God's view of the or the or scripture's view of women. 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:58.480 But in this society, uh these these per particular teachers and leaders would go in kind of at the weakest point, and they would find folks who were already burdened by sins of their own choice, you know. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:08.639 Um and when you're burdened by your own sin, like you and the you've caused yourself pain, this could be men, this could be women, the first thing you want to do is get out of it. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:15.200 Like we want out of the pain, out of depression, out of the brokenness. 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.320 And that's where these folks kind of work their way in. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:28.799 There's a particular message that resonated with these people, and uh it would be a message of has to be a message of denial, right? 00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:29.919 Oh, it's not your fault. 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:51.120 Um so any any message that we hear in moments of hurting, that especially this kind that Paul's talking about, where we're burdened by our own sin, any message that doesn't start with uh uh the grace of the God that comes from confession and repentance is a lie. 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:56.879 Um so Paul says, avoid avoid those messages, don't listen to them. 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:01.360 Paul gives two examples of these uh these kind of teachers. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:03.039 Maybe you've never heard of them. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.120 Uh I don't even know how to say their names really. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:07.440 Jonas and Jombris. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:14.559 Now, these guys aren't mentioned in scripture, but uh Jewish history doesn't let them off the hook. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:30.720 Uh Paul Paul mentions them here, doesn't mention them in the Old Testament, but the setting is uh from Exodus 7, and the the Israelites are in Egypt, they're enslaved, and God tells uh Moses and his brother to go before Pharaoh and tell him to let you go. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:32.799 You know that you know the scene. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:42.879 And he says, uh Pharaoh's gonna say, give me a give me a miracle so that I can know that uh you you are from God and that God sent you. 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:50.159 And so that's where we pick up this story of Jonas and Jomrus in Exodus 7, although they aren't mentioned by name, I'll just read it. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:54.879 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:59.440 Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:06.640 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret acts. 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:09.839 For each man cast down a staff, and they became serpents. 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:12.480 But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:17.279 Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:21.039 So that's Jonas and Jombres, those those wise men. 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:24.720 Now, note these guys were leaders in their society. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:29.680 They were the kind of men that kings would turn to for insight and wisdom. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:36.400 Uh they were respected, they were powerful, but Paul says, hey, those those messages won't save you. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:39.759 They'll just lead you to a greater burden and a greater pain. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:41.519 Don't listen to them. 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:46.319 Um so that's the bad news. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:49.599 Um let's talk about the good news. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:53.519 So let's read the second half of this passage. 00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:11.119 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, which persecutions I endured. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:13.839 Yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:16.000 Yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:25.920 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:40.160 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learnt it, and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:54.079 All scriptures God breathed, uh sorry, all scriptures breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete and equipped for every good work. 00:18:54.720 --> 00:19:07.119 So, the bad news is that for all who follow Christ, there will be treacherous and trying times brought about by treacherous and trying people with a very difficult message. 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:15.200 Paul gives Timothy a greater hope and us a greater hope, and how we are to live and hope through these times. 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:22.240 And what Paul is saying here is two simple things, I think, in other words are actually passive. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:24.079 He says, remember. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:28.160 When these times hit, when your worst times hit, remember. 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:30.160 Remember, remember. 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:31.759 Remember who you are. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:34.240 Remember what you've seen in me, Paul. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:36.480 Remember that remember my life. 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:40.480 These terrible times that I live through, but God rescued me. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:44.799 And he's saying that to Timothy. 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:47.200 Uh Timothy, remember those who have loved you. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:59.200 We know from elsewhere in uh in the scriptures that Timothy's grandmother and mother raised him on the scriptures, and that uh he gained wisdom from them. 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:14.640 So now our young people who are going to college a bit, and some of you who are just growing in your own independence, uh, you will undoubtedly have times where your doubt arises and that you will think, does God really love me? 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:17.759 I mean, if God really loved me, I wouldn't be going through this. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:18.880 Those times will come. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:21.279 They come for every adult and they come often. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:23.119 But remember who you are. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.680 Remember who God has declared you to be. 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:31.119 From the beginning, God has always reminded us to remember. 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:45.920 When Adam and Eve sinned and were cast out of the garden and God's justice, banished from unbroken fellowship with him, God made them garments of clothing so that they remember, hey, I still love you. 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:48.799 You've broken our fellowship, but I still love you. 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:50.160 I have not forgotten you. 00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:52.720 God, God wanted them to remember. 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.319 Remember the story of Noah. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:21:10.720 Because of the evil of the world, God cleansed the earth, but said to Noah and his family, like, I'm gonna put my rainbow in the sky so that you'll know that I always love you and I will never do this again, and there will be a different plan for redemption. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.880 God put that there that they might remember. 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:16.559 And he says to us, he says to Timothy, remember. 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:21.680 Remember Jacob as he wrestled with God uh in the Old Testament. 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:25.759 Uh that was his personality, like one who was a great manipulator. 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:35.759 Like he already knew the promises of God, but he couldn't stop kind of manipulating his own circumstances and trying to bring about what uh you know the desires he wanted. 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:42.000 And he wrestled with God, and God kind of touched him in the hip somehow and made him limp for the rest of his days that he might remember. 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:47.920 Hey, you're never going to win this wrestling match, but I have a better plan for you than you can have for yourself. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:50.720 That was God's way of telling Jacob to remember. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:22:02.880 All through the history of Israel and through the Old Testament, um, under Moses, Joshua, all the kind of horrible kings through David and Solomon, Israel had that Ark of the Covenant. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:14.480 Now, if you remember from your Bible history, this was this big kind of golden box with angels' wings on both sides of it covering that they always had with them to remind them that, hey, God is always with you. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:16.960 And in this box, there was the manna. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:24.480 Remember as the Israelites were kind of wandering around the desert, they were thinking, we're going to die. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:25.440 We've got no food. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:28.319 I mean, it's the desert, you know, there's nothing around. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:34.000 And they thought, God doesn't love us, and God made the food, the manna, fall from the heaven. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:43.680 And so God commanded them, hey, keep that manna in this ark of the covenant, symbolic of my presence, so that you'll always know I care for you and then I'll always provide for you. 00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:44.960 He wanted them to remember. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:49.279 Also, in that same ark was the uh the Ten Commandments. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:56.480 He wanted them to always remember that, hey, I've called you out of the world to be my people, this to be a holy people set aside for me. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:58.480 Like, don't forget, remember. 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:03.680 Um, there are all these feasts and festivals in the Old Testament. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:05.359 Like, look them up, they're awesome. 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:10.079 Um they were designed by God in detailed precision. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:15.680 Like, do do these things exactly these way, these ways, so that you'll remember certain things. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:17.519 And there's always these feasts, right? 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:20.799 So first they would sacrifice like the fatty parts. 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:24.160 You know what the fatty part of steak smells like, right? 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:25.519 It smells delicious. 00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:31.839 But they would they would burn these first, and it would all scripture would always say it's an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:39.440 So you get this vision of this like delicious smelling smoke rising to the sky and filling the camp thinking the Lord is pleased. 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:49.759 And you know, the scientists have shown us that the uh there's the sense of smell, like how that's tied to memory and emotion. 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:52.960 Like it's a it's our greatest how am I trying to say this? 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:59.039 That uh that smells have a stronger link to memory and emotion than any of the other senses. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:06.720 So God designed these festivals and these feasts so that we might remember like all of these blessings that He had given the people of Israel. 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:15.759 And he prescribed these to happen every certain amount of time, every few years, but to go on as long as there were people so that they might never forget his provision. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:19.599 Um of my friends say to me, You like you like the Old Testament. 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:20.160 You love it. 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:31.200 Well, I do, but I only love it because it kind of loved me first as you know, through some of my darkest and deepest times where I don't really feel like studying or really dissecting things. 00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:33.519 Um, I was like, you know, I'm just gonna read this. 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:35.039 I'm gonna read it like a book. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:44.000 And there are always like these wonderful things, wonderful pictures of redemption and uh God's grace that come out of these obscure places. 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:47.599 So maybe that's maybe that's something for you. 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:52.559 Um if you're you know in those places, just pick it up and read it. 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:57.680 Read as fast as you can, like a story, like a book, like a story that it is. 00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:02.960 Um Paul says uh about this uh scripture. 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:06.559 He says that it is breathed out by God. 00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:12.559 This word breathed out is it's it's really just one word in Greek. 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:14.559 It's theop neustos. 00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:22.319 Again, not hard to look up, but theop neustos, like theo, like from theology, like God, where we get God. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:31.359 And neustos from the from the Greek word like pneuma, where we get like words like uh pneumonia, you know, lungs, breath. 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:44.160 And so this is like a one-word thing, like it's it's God breathed, like a more that's kind of the more literal translation that maybe some other past, I think the NIV translates it that way, that that this word is God breathed. 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:48.000 And this is a remarkable claim that Paul is making. 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:56.240 Because you remember in Genesis when man was created, humans were created, like God breathed life into them. 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:59.759 So he's saying that Timothy, here's your hope. 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:18.319 Keep listening to this word, because the very God who breathed life into you also breathed out his story for you, that you always might have hope, and that you may be made perfect and complete for everything that he has for you. 00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:25.039 Um, in other passes, similar to the passages like Psalm 46, 10, you probably know, be still and know that I am God. 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:36.720 So God says, Remember in these dark times, Timothy, remember who you are, who I am, and keep listening to my God-breathed word. 00:26:37.119 --> 00:26:53.680 Um, because we are more sinful than we'll ever know, and more love than we can ever imagine, God reminds us that our hope in these treacherous times is to remember and listen to his immutable, unchangeable word. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:55.519 Like that's that's great news. 00:26:55.680 --> 00:27:15.200 Like in treacherous times brought about by kind of the wisdom of the world, which is always growing and always changing, but never really arriving at the truth, Paul says to Timothy, remember and listen, and you will have hope. 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:16.880 So let me pray for us. 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:39.759 Father, I thank you for your word, and even as we go, may you continue to whisper to our hearts the truth that we are beloved and that we are hidden in Christ, and that when he appears, we also appear with him in glory. 00:27:40.880 --> 00:27:47.359 Continue to whisper to us what it means to be adopted children of the King. 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:54.319 We thank you for your goodness and pray that you might constantly remind us of who you are and who you have declared us to be. 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:55.359 In your name we pray. 00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:55.839 Amen.