II TIMOTHY 3:14-4:5 | ITCHING EARS

ITCHING EARS

II TIMOTHY 3:14-4:5

OCTOBER 16, 2016

 
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT’S GOING ON HERE IN PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

PAUL IS AN OLD MAN; HIS MINISTRY IS COMING TO AN END; HE SPENDS MUCH OF THE FIRST AND SECOND LETTERS TO TIMOTHY PASSING THE BATON TO HIS PROTÉGÉ; MAKING SURE HE’S PREPARED; MAKING SURE HE’S UP TO SPEED; ENCOURAGING HIM TO GET READY TO TAKE OVER THE REINS.

IN FACT, JUST AFTER WHERE I STOPPED READING THIS MORNING’S PASSAGE PAUL WRITES THOSE SOMEWHAT FAMOUS WORDS ABOUT HIS MINISTRY AND HIS LIFE COMING TO AN END;

A PASSAGE, BY THE WAY, WE READ OFTEN READ WHEN SOMEONE’S LIFE DOES COME TO AN END:

“AS FOR ME, I AM ALREADY BEING POURED OUT AS A LIBATION, AND THE TIME OF MY DEPARTURE HAS COME.  I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH.

FROM NOW ON THERE IS RESERVED FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, WILL GIVE ME ON THAT DAY, AND NOT ONLY TO ME BUT ALSO TO ALL WHO HAVE LONGED FOR HIS APPEARING.”

THOSE ARE THE WORDS OF SOMEONE WHO IS FINISHED.

BUT PAUL LOVES THE LORD TOO MUCH; LOVES THE CHURCH TOO MUCH; TO JUST SAY WHAT HE HAS TO SAY, AND DROP THE MIC.

HE WANTS TO BE SURE THE FAITH WILL CONTINUE; THAT THE CHURCH WILL CONTINUE; AND THAT THE CHURCH WILL CONTINUE TO BE FAITHFUL;

AND THAT’S WHY HE WRITES ALL THESE LETTERS TO THESE VARIOUS CHURCHES, AND TO THE LEADERS OF THESE CHURCHES, AND TO UP AND COMING PASTORS LIKE TIMOTHY, ABOUT CARRYING ON THE WORK HE HAS STARTED.

THE PASSAGE WE READ A MOMENT AGO IS ONE OF THOSE OFTEN USED AS A DEFENSE OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES BECAUSE IT HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT HOW THE SCRIPTURES ARE TO BE USED; WHAT THEY’RE GOOD FOR;

AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE TO OUR PERSONAL FAITH, AND OUR FAITH TOGETHER AS THE CHURCH.

AND IT WOULD BE FINE TO READ THIS PASSAGE IN THAT WAY – AS A DEFENSE OF, AN EXPLANATION OF, AN ASSURANCE OF, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCRIPTURES, BUT I BELIEVE PAUL HAS SOMETHING MUCH MORE PERSONAL IN MIND.

PERSONAL WITH REGARDS TO YOUNG PASTOR TIMOTHY; AND IF WE CAN SAY IT THIS WAY, A COUPLE OF THOUSAND YEARS LATER, PERSONAL TO US.

YEARS AGO, IN THE COMIC STRIP, PEANUTS, THE CHARACTER LINUS IS READING THE BIBLE, PAUL’S LETTERS TO BE EXACT, AND HE SAYS: “I FEEL LIKE I’M READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL.”

AND HE’S RIGHT; BUT I THINK PAUL’S LETTERS ARE MEANT FOR US AS WELL.

PAUL WANTS YOUNG PASTOR TIMOTHY TO REMEMBER WHAT HE’S BEEN TAUGHT; WHAT HIS MOTHER EUNICE, AND HIS GRANDMOTHER LOIS, HAVE TAUGHT HIM;

AND YES, PAUL WOULD INCLUDE HIMSELF HERE, WHAT HE, PAUL, HAS TAUGHT HIS YOUNG PROTÉGÉ.

HE WANTS TIMOTHY TO REMEMBER THE SCRIPTURES HE’S BEEN TAUGHT.

THIS, OF COURSE, WOULD BE THE JEWISH SCRIPTURES, AS THERE WERE NO CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES YET; NO GOSPELS; NO NEW TESTAMENT…

HAVING SAID THAT, HOWEVER, IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT WHAT PAUL SAYS HERE TO TIMOTHY ABOUT THE JEWISH SCRIPTURES OF HIS DAY, WOULD PERTAIN EQUALLY TO THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES AS WELL, ONCE THEY WERE WRITTEN, AND TO OUR READING THEM TODAY.

WHAT PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY IS TO REMEMBER WHAT HE’S LEARNED:

“BUT AS FOR YOU, CONTINUE IN WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED, AND FIRMLY BELIEVE, KNOWING FROM WHOM YOU LEARNED IT (MOM, GRANDMA, PAUL), AND HOW FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD YOU HAVE KNOWN THE SACRED WRITINGS THAT ARE ABLE TO INSTRUCT YOU FOR SALVATION THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.”

NOTICE, AND THIS SOMETIMES GETS LOST BY THOSE WHO MAKE THIS A TREATISE ON THE SCRIPTURES THEMSELVES;

NOTICE THAT PAUL IS MORE INTERESTED IN TIMOTHY BELIEVING NOT IN THE SCRIPTURES, BUT IN THE GOD TO WHOM THE SCRIPTURES POINT…

AND NOT FOR THE SAKE OF JUST BELIEVING THE WORDS, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF SAVING HIS SOUL, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, ABOUT WHOM THEY ARE WRITTEN.

WHILE PAUL HAS A HIGH REGARD FOR THE SCRIPTURES, AS WE’LL SEE IN A MOMENT, IT’S NOT BELIEVING IN THE BOOK THAT PAUL COMMENDS TO YOUNG PASTOR TIMOTHY, BUT BELIEVING IN THE GOD OF THE BOOK, AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.

PAUL IS RIGHT IN WHAT HE SAYS TO TIMOTHY NEXT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCRIPTURES:

“ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, AND FOR TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, SO EVERYONE WHO BELONGS TO GOD MAY BE PROFICIENT FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.”
THE BIBLE’S IMPORTANT, PAUL IS SAYING, BUT IT’S ONLY A MEANS TO AN END, TO FAITH, AND WORKS, AND SALVATION.

AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE A PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, BUT WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE BOOK, WE BELIEVE IN THE GOD OF THE BOOK.

THE BOOK IS BUT A TOOL FOR GETTING US TO FAITH IN GOD, TO A LIFE LIVED IN SERVICE, AND TO THE SALVATION OF OUR LIVES FOREVER.

BUT WHERE PAUL GOES NEXT IS WHY I AM TELLING YOU THAT THIS IS A PERSONAL LETTER BETWEEN A RETIRING PASTOR, AND ONE JUST GETTING STARTED – AND AGAIN, ALL BECAUSE PAUL WANTS TO BE SURE HE’S LEAVING THE CHURCH IN GOOD HANDS.

AS SOMETHING OF AN OATH, AS IF PAUL WAS STANDING BEFORE A JUDGE, HIS LEFT HAND PLACED FIRMLY ON THE AFOREMENTIONED SCRIPTURES, AND HIS RIGHT RAISED UP AS IF IN COURT OR AT A SWEARING IN, PAUL SAYS THIS:

“IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS THE JUDGE OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, AND IN VIEW OF HIS APPEARING AND HIS KINGDOM…

I SOLEMNLY URGE YOU: PROCLAIM THE MESSAGE; BE PERSISTENT WHETHER THE TIME IS FAVORABLE OR UNFAVORABLE; CONVINCE, REBUKE, AND ENCOURAGE, WITH THE UTMOST PATIENCE IN TEACHING…”

(SO HELP ME GOD…) I THREW IN THE LAST PART ON MY OWN.

BUT IT REALLY IS AS IF PAUL IS AT ONCE TAKING THE OATH, AND ADMINISTERING IT TO TIMOTHY AT THE SAME TIME, OF WHAT HE IS TO DO;

AS IF THIS WERE TIMOTHY’S ORDINATION TO THE MINISTRY.

THEN, AND AGAIN THESE ARE THE WORDS OF AN AGING MAN, A SAINT, ONE POSSIBLY AWARE OF BOTH HIS IMPENDING END AS A MINISTER, AND MAYBE HIS END AS A MORTAL – THAT HE WON’T BE AROUND MUCH LONGER;

PAUL TRIES TO IMPRESS UPON YOUNG PASTOR TIMOTHY JUST HOW IMPORTANT ALL OF THIS IS, BECAUSE, WELL, BECAUSE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN OLD MAN, THE WORLD MAY BE HEADED FOR TROUBLE;

AND WELL, YOU – YOUNG PASTOR TIMOTHY, MAY BE THE ONLY THING STANDING IN THE WAY OF IT GETTING THERE, AND SOON.

SO LISTEN UP (PAUL’S WORDS):

“FOR THE TIME IS COMING WHEN PEOPLE WILL NOT PUT UP WITH SOUND DOCTRINE, BUT HAVING ITCHING EARS, THEY WILL ACCUMULATE FOR THEMSELVES TEACHERS TO SUIT THEIR OWN DESIRES, AND WILL TURN AWAY FROM LISTENING TO THE TRUTH AND WANDER AWAY TO MYTHS.”

ON MONDAY OF THIS PAST WEEK, ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMIC STRIPS IN THE NEWSPAPER, ARLO AND JANICE, HAD THIS TO SAY.

IN THE FIRST FRAME, JANICE IS READING FROM HER PHONE.

IN THE SECOND FRAME, ARLO BEGINS A QUOTE: “SENATOR DANIEL PATRICK MOYNIHAN SAID: ‘YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR OPINION…’

THEN IT CONTINUES IN THE THIRD FRAME: ‘BUT YOU’RE NOT ENTITLED TO YOUR OWN FACTS.’

FINISHING UP IN THE FOURTH FRAME ARLO SAYS: “OF COURSE, THAT WAS BEFORE FACEBOOK.”

WE ARE A PEOPLE, A SOCIETY, AN AGE OF “ITCHING EARS.”

WE ARE LISTENING, AND READING, AND HEARING, ALL KINDS OF STUFF, ALL THE TIME.  OUR NEW NATIONAL PASTIME IS FACT CHECKING.

BUT THE APOSTLE PAUL IS TELLING YOUNG PASTOR TIMOTHY THAT THIS IS NOTHING NEW.

THAT PEOPLE HAVE OFTEN, ALWAYS, TURNED FROM THE TRUTH, FROM SOUND DOCTRINE, AND ACCUMULATED TEACHERS (AND OTHERS) TO “SUIT THEIR OWN DESIRES.”

“AS FOR YOU,” PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY, AND IF I MAY BE SO BOLD AS TO SAY SO, US – WHAT PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY AND US, IS THAT WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE:

“OF SOBER MINDS, ENDURE SUFFERING, DO THE WORK OF EVANGELISTS” –

THAT IS, LITERALLY, BEING GOOD NEWS TELLERS, (AND) “CARRY OUT OUR MINISTRY FULLY.”

PAUL SAYS – DO IT FOR THE CHURCH; DO IT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD; DO IT FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORLD.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN OUR ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE SCRIPTURES, OF THE BIBLE, IN OUR PERSONAL AND PUBLIC LIVES.

WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE BIBLE IS THE BEST SELLING BOOK EVER, BY FAR.

HOW NEARLY EVERY HOME OWNS AT LEAST ONE, AND ON AVERAGE, MOST HOMES OWN FOUR OR FIVE BIBLES…

HOW PEOPLE STILL GIVE BIBLES AS GIFTS, HOW IT IS THE MOST RENOWNED BOOK EVER, AND QUITE LIKELY, THE LEAST READ BOOK AROUND.

SOME OF THE CLASS MEMBERS OFFERED AS TO HOW, WHILE TRUE, THAT THEIR FAMILY BIBLES MIGHT BE GATHERING DUST AT HOME, STUFFED WITH FAMILY MEMENTOS, KNICK KNACKS, PHOTOS, ETC. MANY OF THEM WERE NOW READING THE BIBLE ON THEIR DEVICES…

OR AT LEAST, THEY WERE GOOGLING CERTAIN SCRIPTURES THAT THEY ONCE REMEMBERED BY HEART AS CHILDREN; OR WHEN IN NEED OF INSPIRATION OR INSIGHT, OR WHEN CALLED UPON TO LEAD A DEVOTION.

THE TRUTH IS, WE ARE BEING INUNDATED WITH INFORMATION; WE ARE CONSTANTLY BOMBARDED WITH NEWS, EMAILS, TEXTS, IM’S, TWEETS, CHATS, BLOGS, ETC.

WE SEE, WE READ, WE HEAR MORE INFORMATION, MANY OF US, IN AN HOUR, THAN MOST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD LEARN IN A LIFETIME.

WE ARE INSTANTLY CONNECTED, CONSTANTLY INFORMED, AND INCESSANTLY RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM EVERY POSSIBLE SOURCE, PERSPECTIVE, OPINION, VANTAGE POINT, ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE ALONG THE SPECTRUM.

OUR EARS ARE ITCHING AND READY TO BE FILLED, CONSTANTLY, WITH INFORMATION THAT SUITS OUR OWN DESIRES (AND PLENTY OF IT THAT DOESN’T!!).

AND WHILE WE ARE ENTITLED TO OUR OPINIONS, WE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO OUR OWN FACTS.

WE WOULD DO WELL, IN THIS OL’ AGE OF OURS, TO HEED THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL ABOUT THE SCRIPTURES; ABOUT SOUND DOCTRINE; ABOUT THE TRUTH.

AGAIN, NOT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORDS, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF FAITH, FOR ACTION, FOR SALVATION.

AND NOT JUST OUR OWN, BUT FOR OTHERS, AND FOR THE WORLD AS WELL.

BECAUSE IF THIS IS, AS I HAVE SUGGESTED, A PERSONAL LETTER BETWEEN THE APOSTLE PAUL AND YOUNG PASTOR TIMOTHY, AND TO EACH OF US AS WELL, THEN PAUL IS EXPECTING US TO HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME;

PAUL’S EXPECTING US TO BE THE CHURCH, THE FAITHFUL, THE BELIEVERS, THE EVANGELISTS – THE GOOD NEWS TELLERS AND DOERS – IN THE TIMES THAT ARE COMING, AND ARE NOW HERE.

PASTOR AND PREACHING PROFESSOR, DR. TOM LONG TELLS A STORY OF MEETING A CHURCH LEADER FROM A FORMER IRON CURTAIN COUNTRY AT A DINNER PARTY, SHORTLY AFTER THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL.

THE MAN SPOKE ENCOURAGINGLY ABOUT THE VIBRANT FAITH AND COURAGEOUS COMMITMENT OF CHRISTIANS IN THE OLD SOVIET UNION, BUT HE ALSO SPOKE OF THE FEARS OF YEARS OF BEING WATCHED AND UNDER SUSPICION IN A CONTROLLED SOCIETY.

“KGB-TYPE AGENTS INFILTRATED THE CHURCH,” HE SAID.

WE WOULD GO TO CHURCH MEETINGS AND KNOW THAT SOME OF THE PASTORS PRESENT WERE REALLY AGENTS POSING AS CLERGY, LISTENING TO WHAT WE SAID, REPORTING EVERYTHING.  THERE WERE SPIES IN OUR MIDST.”

“SPIES?  POSING AS CLERGY?” A MAN AT THE TABLE ASKED.

“YES,” HE REPLIED, “BUT OF COURSE, WE KNEW WHO THEY WERE.”

“YOU KNEW WHO THEY WERE?” THE MAN SAID WITH SURPRISE.  “I THOUGHT THEY WERE SECRET AGENTS.”

“OH, THEY WERE, BUT WE COULD TELL,” HE REPLIED.  THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THEIR VOICE THAT GAVE THEM AWAY.”

SOMETHING IN THEIR VOICE.

LONG SAYS HE HAS OFTEN THOUGHT OF THAT DINNER CONVERSATION, AND WONDERED:

IF THERE’S SOMETHING IN OUR VOICES, AS CHRISTIANS, THAT WOULD “GIVE US AWAY” IN THE WORLD.

SOMETHING SO DISTINCT IN WHAT WE SAY, AND HOW WE SAY IT, THAT PEOPLE COULD TELL WHO WE ARE;

THAT PEOPLE COULD TELL THAT WE ARE CHRISTIANS, JUST FROM LISTENING TO US.

YOU SEE, WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WITH “ITCHING EARS” AND THE WORLD IS LISTENING.

WHAT ARE THEY HEARING FROM US?