Well, please do have a seat. Thank you so much, Neil, for starting us off so well.
If you're visiting us, you're very welcome. If you're not, we'll just about tolerate you for the evening.
We're in 2 Timothy. I've been excited about this letter for many years.
I'm excited about getting to go through it together.
I think it has so much to teach us, so much to challenge us with, so much to encourage us.
So tonight we're just going to kick off with the first seven verses.
I call this sermon a desperately needed letter.
And hopefully by the end, if you get nothing else, you'll understand why it is a desperately needed letter.
A desperately needed letter when it was written to Timothy, but also a desperately needed letter for each of us here today.
I wonder, what do you see on the screen?
What do you see on the screen?
13 or a B.
What would help you decide whether it was a 13 or a B?
A bit of context, wouldn't it?
So that is obviously a 13.
That is obviously a B.
Context really helps us get what the meaning of something is.
Or for example, say you've got this text message.
Just taking the dog out for a walk.
I mean, probably the most boring text message.
But if you set a bit of context to the text message, it may become slightly more relevant.
So if you've got this text from someone suffering from severe depression.
Just took the dog out for a walk.
That would be a reason to rejoice.
They managed to get out for a while with the dog.
If it's from your son who's supposed to be revising for important exams tomorrow, it might be a source of great annoyance.
What are you doing taking Fido for a walk when you should be doing algebra?
If this is from your dad who is looking after your dog who's just had an operation and is recuperating.
Great times.
Rover is walking.
Good to know.
Thanks, Dad, for keeping me informed.
If this is from your wife and you don't have a dog, that's a source for real concern.
She having a slight episode.
If this is in South Korea where they really like eating dogs, you might be quite terrified that Alfie might end up as a kebab.
Context brings deeper meaning and real understanding.
If we can really get behind words and why they're written and who they're written by and what they're for,
then it springs off the page and becomes much more relevant to us.
There's an ancient Greek cliche that translated says text without context is pretext.
Text without context is pretext.
So if we tonight could get behind the context of this letter, understand the characters involved in the situation into which it is written,
then I think we'll see this letter in new light.
This week, as I've really dug in and, you know, marinated myself in a kind of not creepy way into Timothy,
it's popped off the page in new and quite brilliant ways.
If we get why Paul writes this letter to this man in his situation,
then the relevance of this message will cut to our hearts, hopefully like never before.
This has been just what I've needed to study this week.
So quite apart from anything you get off it, it's been fun.
Let me pray and I'll read these first seven verses and then we'll get to work.
Father God, thank you that you know us.
You remember how we're formed.
You remember that we're dust.
Father, that you've called us to be involved in your work.
And Lord, we want to confess that at times it's painful.
At times it's far from glamorous.
And very, very often we want to give up.
And so with this letter ministered to us tonight by your spirit,
may we hear your voice.
And may you bring about categoric Jesus glorifying change.
In who we are and what we do.
Father, bless us in Jesus name.
Amen.
To Timothy, verse one.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.
To Timothy, my dear son,
grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank God whom I serve as my ancestors did.
With a clear conscience as night and day,
I constantly remember you in my prayers.
Recalling your tears,
I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.
I am 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.
For this reason,
I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,
which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid,
but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
And so firstly, I want us to look at the cast.
The cast.
Who is involved?
Well, this is written,
you don't need to be a genius to work it out.
His name is the first word in the letter,
Paul.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
And who's it written to?
It's written to Timothy.
And so let's get a bit of a sense of the timeline.
The apostle Paul who writes this letter is converted
very swiftly after Jesus's death,
burial,
resurrection and ascension.
Around 33 or 34 AD.
That is when he meets the risen Lord Jesus
on the road to Damascus in Acts 9.
He then pretty swiftly embarks on his first missionary journey
with Barnabas to Cyprus and southern Galatia.
Does this for about three years between 47 and 49
till 47 to 49 AD.
Acts 13 and 14.
On this missionary journey,
he visits a place called Lystra.
That is significant.
Just put that in the back of your mind.
Lystra.
First missionary journey.
In 49 AD,
we have the Jerusalem Council
where everyone gets together
to work out how Gentiles are to be part of the church.
Straight after that,
they go on their second missionary journey.
But as we looked at last Sunday night,
Paul and Barnabas have a bit of a Barney,
having a Barney with Barney
over a guy called John,
who's also called Mark.
They go their separate ways.
So Paul and Silas
go to Macedonia and Achaia.
AD 49 to 52.
One of the places they revisit is Lystra.
And in Lystra,
everybody says,
oh,
we've got this guy.
He's a bloke.
You need to watch.
His name is Timothy.
Everyone speaks well of him.
And Paul says,
I'll take him along.
We need to do a little bit of surgery
before we go along
because his dad's a Gentile
and his mom's a Jew.
It's quite a recruitment process.
But he goes along.
Beginning of that,
about 49 AD.
But later on,
they go on their third missionary journey
to Asia and Macedonia,
including at least two years spent in Ephesus.
Another one for the back of your mind,
Ephesus.
Acts 19 to 21.
Things then get worse.
The end of Acts is all about imprisonments
and captivity.
Caesarea in Rome.
In prison,
he writes 1 Timothy around 59 AD.
He writes 2 Timothy around 64 AD.
And we're not quite sure of the date.
But history would tell us
he's beheaded in Rome,
64 to 67 AD.
The cast gives us the timeline.
Why is it important?
Because by the time Paul writes
2 Timothy to Timothy,
the two have had a ministry association,
a partnership in the gospel for 15 years.
Their lives have been intimately entwined.
Timothy saw what Paul did.
Timothy's brought up to do what Paul does.
15-year apprenticeship under the apostle Paul.
Secondly,
from the timeline,
at the time of writing,
Ephesus Evangelical Church is 10 years old.
It's well established.
It was planted
in the second missionary journey.
2 Timothy's written about 64 AD.
10 years old.
The banner committee got together.
They've got some new things on the wall
that they did for the anniversary.
Timothy's 15 years,
Ephesus 10 years old.
The cast
that are involved in the letter.
But we see
that Ephesus Evangelical
isn't all sweetness and light,
rainbows and unicorns.
In fact,
it's chaotic.
We know more about the church in Ephesus
than we do any other church
in the entire New Testament.
We know a whole chapter
about how it's planted,
Acts 19.
We have Paul meeting
the Ephesian elders
on the beach at Miletus,
Acts chapter 20,
where he gives them a big speech.
We have a letter
written specifically to Ephesus
which imaginatively
is called Ephesians.
About the health
and organisation of the church.
We have one Timothy
written to Timothy
who's the lead elder,
who's the pastor,
who's the overseer in Ephesus.
And we have two Timothy.
Timothy's still in Ephesus.
And they even get a letter
from the Lord Jesus himself
in Revelation.
We know more about Ephesus
than any other church.
And at the time of writing
to Timothy,
it's chaos.
And there's three reasons
the church is in chaos.
The church has gone rogue.
Let me show you
how the church has gone rogue.
Acts chapter 19.
Paul planted the church.
And it was a work
of great breadth.
Look at Acts chapter 19,
verse 10.
Paul preaches in the synagogue.
He then lectures daily
in the hall of Tyrannus.
Verse 10,
Luke's editorial comment,
this went on for two years,
so that all the Jews
and Greeks
who lived in the province
of Asia
heard the word of the Lord.
That is incredibly broad.
It would be the equivalent
of Brunsfield Evangelical Church
preached the gospel
all the time
for two years
until everybody
in the Lothians
heard the word of the Lord.
But probably size-wise
till everybody in Scotland
heard the word of the Lord.
Massive.
It's a work of great breadth.
But see Acts 19,
verses 18 to 20.
It's also a work
of great depth.
Many of those who believe
now came and openly confessed
what they had done.
This city that's absolutely
drowning in magic
and sorcery
and witchcraft.
Many of those who believe
now came and openly
confessed what they had done.
A number who had practiced sorcery
brought their scrolls together
and burned them publicly.
When they calculated
the value of the scrolls
the total came to
50,000 drachmas.
In this way
the word of the Lord
spread widely
and grew
in power.
It's a real work
of the Lord
when people are
confessing
sins
openly.
so caught up
with the holiness
of God
that they must
get right with him
and they pour out
all their sins.
They burn their scrolls
50,000 drachma.
If these people
a drachma is
one day's wage
if they're getting
the new living wage
50,000 drachmas
is about
2.6 million pounds.
Burn them.
a work
of great
depth
and a work
of great
a work of great
breadth
and a work
of great depth.
So by the time
we get to
verse 27
we get
Demetrius the
silversmith
calls everyone
together in the
trade guild
and he says
there is a danger
not only that
our trade
will lose
its good name
but also
that the temple
of the great
goddess Artemis
will be discredited
and the goddess
herself
who is worshipped
throughout the
province of Asia
and the world
will be robbed
of her divine
majesty.
Just imagine
if God worked
so graciously
and powerfully
in Edinburgh
that everybody
who is trying
to make money
out of illicit
means has to
complain because
their source of
income has
completely dried up.
If all the
strip clubs
down in
Toll Cross
started to
lobby the
city halls
because they
couldn't make
a single penny
because no one
wanted to go
because God
had worked
so thoroughly
in Edinburgh
the city
is being
completely
reformed
by the
gospel
it's a work
of great
depth
but it's
now
a work
in great
danger
so by the
time we get
to 1 Timothy
the first
pastoral epistle
to Timothy
in Ephesus
we read
some terrible
things have
happened
1 Timothy
1 verse 3
as I
urged you
when I
went into
Macedonia
stay there
in Ephesus
so that you
may command
certain people
not to teach
false doctrines
any longer
or to devote
themselves to
myths and
endless genealogy
such things
promote
controversial
speculations
rather than
advancing God's
work which is
by faith
this church
in Ephesus
has started
to teach
things that
are not
from God
so chapter
1 Timothy
3 verse 14
although I
hope to come
to you soon
I am writing
to you with
these instructions
so that if I
am delayed
you will know
how people
ought to conduct
themselves in
God's house
which is the
church of the
living God
the pillar
and foundation
of the truth
Timothy's in
Ephesus
and Ephesus
is in real
trouble
it's chaotic
it's disordered
Paul wouldn't
write verse 14
of chapter 3
of 1 Timothy
if things were
all going well
he's writing it
to say you need
to put it in
order because
it's chaotic
and there's false
teaching going
on everywhere
and so 2 Timothy
comes a little
bit later on
a few years
later maybe
5 or 6
years later
and what's
Paul saying
now keep
going
keep going
in what I've
called you to
do keep doing
what I command
it why
because the
church is still
in peril
the church is
still having
real difficulties
the church is
still roguish
and going
more rogue
Timothy is
still there
to bring
re-reformation
to
Ephesus
to the
struggling
band of
believers
that are
fragmenting
and spreading
each and
every way
just imagine
if you're
Timothy
you got a
letter from
your mentor
saying you
need to
sort it
out and
here's how
to do
it
six years
later you
get another
letter
things are
just as
bad
Paul says
keep going
keep doing
it
don't give
up
church has
gone rogue
secondly the
leaders
have gone
feral
they've gone
wild
the leadership
at Ephesus
has been
thoroughly
trained
they had an
intense
eldership
course
and the
example of
the apostle
Paul himself
for those
two and a
bit years
while he
was in
Ephesus
they have
an intense
refresher
course on
the beach
of Miletus
they were
given
everything
that they
needed
I know
this is a
bit of a
paper chase
but just
flick back
to Acts
20
the first
thing we
see is
they knew
Paul's way
of life
Acts
chapter 20
verse 18
when they
arrived he
said to
them
you know
how I
live the
whole time
I was
with you
from the
first day
I came
into the
province
of Asia
he says
you know
what I
did you
know how
I conducted
myself
verse 34
at the end
of his
speech
you yourselves
know
that these
hands of
mine have
supplied my
own needs
and the
needs of
my
companions
in everything
I did I
showed you
that by this
kind of hard
work we
must help
the weak
remembering the
words of the
Lord Jesus
himself it
is more
blessed to
give than
to receive
they knew
Paul's way
of life
they had
a model
to follow
they weren't
just left to
kind of make
it up as
they went
along they
had a
precedent
and they
had Paul's
charge
verse 28
of Acts
20
keep watch
over yourselves
and all the
flock of
which the
Holy Spirit
has made
you overseers
be shepherds
of the church
of God
which he
bought
with his
own blood
that's what
he says
he shows
them what
to do
and he
tells them
what to
do
he charges
them be
shepherds
keep watch
over the
flock
they have
Paul's
charge
verse 32
of Acts
20
they have
God's
resources
now I
commit you
to God
and to the
word of
his grace
which can
build you
up and
give you
an inheritance
among all
those who
are sanctified
they don't
lack
instruction
they don't
lack a
model
they certainly
don't lack
resource
Ephesus
is a
church
that is
well
catered
for
but Paul
is a
realist
he knows
Ephesus
is in
the real
world
and that
Ephesus
is made
up of
sinful
people
and so
he gives
them a
warning
in verse
29
I know
that after
I leave
savage
wolves
will come
in among
you and
will not
spare the
flock
even from
your own
number
men will
arise
and distort
the truth
in order
to draw
away
disciples
after
them
so be
on your
guard
remember
that for
three years
I never
stopped
warning each
of you
night and
day
with tears
they had
everything they
needed
and they have
this stark
warning
be careful
be watchful
be on your
guard
there's wolves
about
and even
some of the
people in the
room who look
white and
fluffy
have
actually got
really sharp
teeth
and they'll
come and
they'll show
and they'll
draw people
away and
this flock
the flock
brought with
the precious
blood of the
Lord Jesus
won't be
spared
and once you
understand this
you start seeing
it everywhere
in 1 Timothy
and 2 Timothy
you see just
the impact
that the wolves
are having
so with
your really
well worked
fingers back
to 1 Timothy
which seems
to have moved
from the last
time I found
it
1 Timothy
1 verse 19
let me show
you a few
of these
verse 18
Timothy my
son I am
giving you
this command
in keeping
with the
prophecies
once made
about you
so that by
recalling them
you may
fight the
battle well
holding on
to the
faith and
a good
conscience
which some
have rejected
and so have
suffered
shipwreck
with regard
to the
faith
some have
given up
what about
chapter 4
verse 1
the spirit
clearly says
that in later
times some
will abandon
the faith
and follow
deceiving spirits
and things
taught by
demons
such teachings
come through
hypocritical
liars
whose
consciences
have been
seared
as with
a hot
iron
the end
of 1
Timothy
chapter 6
verse 2
these are
the things
you are to
teach and
insist on
if anyone
teaches
otherwise
and does
not agree
to the
sound
instruction
of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
and to
godly
teaching
they are
conceited
and understand
nothing
they have
an unhealthy
interest
in controversies
and quarrels
about words
that result
in envy
strife
malicious
talk
evil
suspicions
and constant
friction
between people
of corrupt
mind
who have been
robbed of the
truth and who
think that godliness
is a means of
financial gain
just at the very
end of the letter
his closing words
Timothy
guard what has
been entrusted
to your care
turn away from
godless chatter
and the opposing
ideas of what is
falsely called
knowledge which
some have
professed and
in so doing
have departed
from the
faith
be careful
there's some
false teaching
around it's in
2 Timothy
we're finally
going to read
some of 2
Timothy
you'll be
pleased
2 Timothy
2 verse
14
keep reminding
god's people
of these
things
warn them
before god
against quarreling
about words
it is of no
value and only
ruins those
who listen
do your best
to present
yourself to
god as
one approved
a worker
who does
not need
to be ashamed
and who
correctly handles
the word of
truth
avoid godless
chatter
because those
who indulge
in it will
become more
and more
ungodly
their teaching
will spread
like gangrene
among them
are hymenaeus
and philetus
who have
departed from
the truth
chapter 2
verse 23
don't have
anything to
do with
foolish and
stupid
arguments
because you
know they
produce
quarrels
and the
lord's
servant
must not
be quarrelsome
chapter 3
verses 1
to 8
is all about
false teaching
chapter 4
verses 3
and 4
let me read
those
for the time
will come
when people
will not put
up with sound
doctrine
instead to
suit their
own desires
they will
gather around
them
a great
number of
teachers to
say what
their itching
ears want
to hear
they will
turn their
ears away
from the
truth
and turn
aside to
myths
Ephesus
the leaders
have gone
feral
those that
have been
supposed to
be communicating
the truth
are starting
to get weird
they're starting
to talk about
myths
they're quarreling
there's genealogies
there's controversies
and Timothy
is there
the lone salmon
swimming upstream
against all
this stuff
just imagine
being Timothy
some people
speaking in
pulpits
who are
preaching
anything and
everything but
the gospel
how would you
feel
well I think
on the back
of two
Timothy
we can say
this
that Timothy
seems to have
gone quiet
in a church
gone rogue
because the
leaders have
gone feral
the real strain
is seen
on two
Timothy
is struggling
under the
strain
one
Timothy
was written
about
everything
that he
should do
to organise
the church
by the time
he gets
to two
Timothy
it's gone
so bad
that he
just wants
to give
up
and I
think
when we
see that
that Timothy
is really
struggling
I think
this letter
takes on
whole new
life
few years
after Timothy
tries to
reform the
church
it's just
as bad
and the
false
teaching
persists
and I
think we
have quite
a low
view of
Timothy
actually
I think
Timothy
we think
he's a bit
of a mummy's
boy with
an upset
stomach
who always
needs to
be told
about his
mum and
his
grandmother
to keep
him going
I think
we pretty
much get
it from
2 Timothy
1 verse
7 that
we read
for the
spirit of
God gave
us does
not make
us timid
but gives
us power
love and
self-discipline
so we read
into that
that Paul
is talking
about
Timothy
and isn't
it weird
how we
have timid
Timothy
the two
kind of
go together
I don't
think
Timothy
is timid
at all
I think
outside of
the apostles
he's probably
the greatest
pastor
greatest elder
I think we
ever get
to read
about
Timothy
is a
trusted
dynamic
and good
man in a
crisis
kind of
guy
I don't
think
there's
anybody
in the
new
testament
who should
garner
more
respect
than
this
faithful
servant
Timothy
his
experience
is second
to none
he has
had
ministry
association
from the
apostle
Paul
for 15
years
he has
worked
side by
side
with
him
and
he's
been
deployed
by
Paul
as the
troubleshooter
to the
most difficult
churches
Corinth
is going
mad
who does
he send
Timothy
Philippi's
rupturing
because of
Euodia
and Syntyche
these two
powerful women
who are
factionalizing
the church
and fighting
with each
other
who does
he send
Timothy
he's an
experienced
leader
he's a
good man
for a
crisis
he's
co-authored
some of
holy
scripture
2
Corinthians
starts
Paul
an apostle
of
Christ
Jesus
by the
will
of
God
and
Timothy
our
brother
to the
church
of
God
in
Corinth
together
with
all his
holy
people
throughout
Achaia
he also
writes
Philippians
Paul
and
Timothy
servants
of
Christ
Jesus
to
all
God's
holy
people
in
Christ
Jesus
at
Philippi
together
with
the
overseers
and
deacons
he gets
his name
on the
front cover
of
Colossians
he gets
it on
one
Thessalonians
two
Thessalonians
and
Philemon
he's
helped
he may
have only
been
inking
the
quill
but
that's
more
than
any
of
us
are
going
to
get
to
do
so
Timothy
co-authored
scripture
he's a
trusted
apostolic
emissary
so
the
person
carrying
the
letter
also
carries
the
message
of
the
letter
we
read
in
1
Thessalonians
we
sent
Timothy
who is
our
brother
and
co-worker
in
God's
service
in
spreading
the
gospel
of
Christ
to
strengthen
and
encourage
you
in
your
faith
1
Thessalonians
is
written
to
strengthen
and
encourage
the
believers
in
their
faith
and
it's
sent
with
Timothy
who
does
exactly
what
the
letter
should
do
in
the
flesh
encourage
and
strengthen
you
in
your
faith
he
is
also
an
exemplary
model
of
a
believer
these
words
in
Philippians
I
hope
in
the
Lord
to
send
Timothy
to
you
soon
that
I
also
may
be
cheered
when
I
receive
news
about
you
I
have
no
one
else
like
him
who
will
show
genuine
concern
for
your
welfare
for
everyone
looks
out
for
their
own
interests
not
those
of
Jesus
Christ
but
you
know
that
Timothy
has
proved
himself
because
as a
son
with
his
father
he
has
served
with
me
in
the
work
of
the
gospel
so
wonderful
bio
from
the
apostle
Paul
himself
so
he
sent
to
Ephesus
and
Ephesus
has
got
worse
and
so
then
we
get
to
Timothy
some
years
later
and
in
it
there's
twenty
eight
exhortations
twenty
eight
imperatives
Timothy
is told
to fan
into flame
to not
be ashamed
to join
with Paul
in suffering
to keep
the pattern
of sound
teaching
to guard
the good
deposit
to be
strong
in the
grace
of Jesus
Christ
to entrust
the gospel
to reliable
people
to reflect
on what
Paul is
telling him
to remember
Jesus
Christ
to keep
reminding
people
of the
gospel
to warn
people
before God
about
quarreling
to do
his best
to present
himself
as an
approved
workman
to flee
the evil
desires
of youth
to pursue
righteousness
love
and peace
don't have
anything to do
with foolish
and stupid
arguments
be aware
of the times
and the trouble
in the last
days
don't associate
with those
who have
sham godliness
continue in
what you have
learnt
preach the
word
keep your
head
in all
situations
be on
your guard
why would
Paul write
those commands
because
Timothy's
struggling
why does
he need
to preach
the word
because he's
gone
quiet
why does
he need
to be
on his
guard
because
there's
people
there
who
want
to
devour
the
flock
of
God
why does
he want
to
why does
he talk
to continue
in what
you've
learnt
because he
wants to
give up
why would
Paul write
such clear
instructions
if Timothy
was doing
fine
you wouldn't
write this
letter
I'm a
you would
write I'm
about to
go
Timothy
see you
at the
end
you wouldn't
write this
which is
just
do this
keep doing
this
be on
guard
about
that
Timothy
is on
the brink
of giving
up
wouldn't
you
after six
years
when things
haven't got
any better
surely as
Paul sees
and hears
about the
problems in
Ephesus
the chaos
in the
church
the
disruption
in the
leadership
the strain
on Timothy
he says
I must
write him
a letter
don't shrink
back
don't sit
down
keep on
going
do what
I've
charged you
to do
this is
not a
pointless
correspondence
Paul is
not writing
one of those
Christmas
letters that
everyone gets
and nobody
cares about
this is to
be real
courage
given
to
Timothy
who's
struggling
so with
that in
mind
let me
read you
the first
the
three to
seven
again
I thank
God
whom I
serve
as my
ancestors
did
with a
clear
conscience
as night
and day
I constantly
remember
you in
my prayers
recalling
your tears
I long
to see
you
so that
I may
be filled
with joy
I am
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
for this
reason I
remind you
to fan
into flame
the gift
of God
which is
in you
through the
laying on
of my
hands
for the
spirit
for the
spirit
of God
and I
fear
but gives
us
power
love
and self
discipline
doesn't that
change how
you read
that
fan into
flame
why does
he need to
fan it
into flame
because he's
going out
the fire
for serving
the Lord
Jesus
is going
out
smoldering
away
getting choked
out by all
these things
so what does
he say
fan it
into flame
keep on
going
how does
Timothy
feel
he feels
all alone
against this
great
swathe of
falsehood
that's coming
against him
so what does
Paul do
he says
I'm praying
for you
Timothy
and then
he connects
him to
all these
relationships
verse 4
Paul says
we're close
I'm with
you in this
I recall
your tears
I long
to see
you
and when
I see
you I'll
be filled
with joy
nobody's
filled with
joy when
they see
Timothy
in Ephesus
they go
oh here's
the old
school guy
who's just
not moved
on from
Paul
what does
Timothy do
he says
think about
your grandmother
Lois
your mother
Eunice
you know
like those
pictures you
take of
your loved
ones when
you're away
remember
them
verse 5
I'm reminded
of your
sincere faith
what does
he say
at the end
of the
verse
and I'm
persuaded
this faith
now
lives
in you
could
it
be
that
Ephesus
has got
so bad
that
Timothy
even
doubts
that he's
a Christian
because it's
gone so
bad
this
outstanding
Christian
leader
against
such
brutal
relentless
opposition
does his
quiet time
in the
morning
and feels
God is
far away
and that
he's
just a
sham
and not
the real
deal
I am
reminded
of your
sincere
faith
which I'm
persuaded
now
lives in
you
fan it
into flame
the gift
of God
which is in
you through
the laying
on of my
hands
I didn't
get it
wrong
Timothy
you're not
in the
wrong
place
you're not
unequipped
or incapable
of doing
this task
and so
what is this
letter really
all about
it's about
continuing to
do the right
things even
when everything's
going wrong
that's what
Timothy
is about
that even
when the
church is
crumbling
around your
ears
keep doing
what's right
even when it
looks like
it's all
going wrong
Timothy
wants to
give up
Paul says
fan it
into flame
trust in
the spirit
God has
given you
that gives
you power
to continue
love for
those that
are unlovable
and self
discipline
that even
when every
part of you
wants to
give up
you say
no I
must
for the
sake of
the Lord
Jesus
so what
are we
to make
of this
letter
well I
did a
little
cartoon
it looks
like this
it's the
good ship
Brunsfield
which has
been renamed
the SS
complacency
and I
think this
is what
this letter
tells us
it tells
us not
to be
complacent
about our
church
you can
imagine
Ephesus
so proud
we were
planted by
Paul himself
we had
two and a
half years
of his
itinerant
ministry
amongst us
I'm sure
everyone
thought
we're gonna
be fine
they're not
fine
it's all
gone wrong
the wheels
are falling
off
Brunsfield
has a
great past
planted well
been involved
in loads
of good
things
seen
seen people
grow and
mature and
come to
faith
but let's
be very
clear if it
can happen
to Ephesus
evangelical it
can happen to
Brunsfield
evangelical
God's
working in
the past
is no
guarantee
for the
future
good churches
go bad
and so
what's the
remedy
don't be
complacent
we can't
be
complacent
we've got
to keep
on investing
investing in
each other
investing in
the scriptures
investing in
the work that
God has
called us
to do
because it
won't just
happen
and things
get weird
very quickly
when we
take our
eyes off
Jesus
don't be
complacent
about the
church
secondly
don't be
complacent
about
yourself
I'm
sure
when the
elders of
Ephesus
gather on
Miletus
nobody thought
they would be
a false
teacher
nobody
oh yeah
Paul we
get it
we get
you
we'll
continue
it
don't
worry
five years
down the
line
they're the
ones
preaching
myths
they're the
ones
causing
controversies
they're the
ones
confusing
the
sheep
when we
finished
Cornhill
Dick Lucas
spoke to
us at
the
graduation
ceremony
and he
looked at
all of us
and he
said you're
now the
most dangerous
people in
the world
don't be
false
teachers
it's quite
a warning
he said a
few other
things it
was quite a
long sermon
actually but
that's the
two things I
remember
with the
gospel in
your hand and
the ability to
teach the
bible you're
dangerous
don't be
false teachers
so what have
we got to do
we got to keep
digging into
this word
we've got to
not take the
gospel for
granted
we've got to
make sure that
what somebody's
saying here
matches with
what's going
on here
because if we
start to
drift even
just a
degree
down the
line we're
miles away
from the
lord jesus
and are
just teaching
what is
not right
don't be
complacent about
yourself
don't be
complacent about
your leaders
i could speak
after 10 years
of gospel
ministry
that there are
times when you
just want to
give up
when you're
on the
bus and
you go
past
car phone
warehouse
and you
go
i'd love
to work
in there
pretty much
because you
only have to
see most
customers once
where the
imagined
loneliness
of christian
leadership is
paralyzing and
the strain is
almost too
much
do you
ever think
i'm sure
the people
in ephesus
never thought
that timothy
cried every
night when he
thought about
the work that
he had to
do and the
strain that
was bearing
down on
him and
the fact that
he was all
alone in it
because everyone
else had gone
everywhere else
so keep
remembering
leaders
the leaders
of the
church
keep
remembering
each other
keep
remembering
that there's
really difficult
times
that even
when it's
really hard
and things
are going
wrong that
we would
hear what
paul says
to timothy
that even
when it's
all going
wrong keep
doing what's
right
be praying
for each
other be
investing in
each other
keep on
encouraging
each other
do you know
paul and
barnabas had
a bit of
a stramash
timothy
would give
anything to
have barnabas
by his
side in
ephesus
somebody who
is the
son of
encouragement
one more
story and
then i'm
done i
remember when
i came to
the church
good times
27 years
old didn't
know anything
and i
remember one
dear old
boy came
up to me
first sunday
and he put
his hand on
my shoulder
and i thought
oh this is a
touchy-feely
church it
wasn't it
was fine
um he
said to
me we'll
never tell
you you're
doing a
good job
but if you
don't hear
from us
just assume
that you
are and
at the time
i thought
oh that's
quite it's
quite encouraging
it's not
encouraging at
all because
encouragement
unsaid is
discouragement
it's just
true and
so whatever
anybody does
here
whether it's
their first
go or their
five thousandth
go if you've
got something
from it then
to encourage
people is a
really good
idea scary
thing is is by
the time we get
to revelation
ephesus is still
in trouble and
what does jesus
say keep doing
the right things
even when it's
going wrong
let me pray
father god we
want to keep
going we want
to keep the
gifts that
you've given
us burning
brightly for
you used by
you for your
glory father
we don't want
to be those
that give up
and sit down
we don't want
to be those
that get
sidetracked and
start wandering
off into myths
and difficulty
we don't even
want to be
coasting
lord
father we
want to be
dynamic
believers part
of a vibrant
community
that is making
real gains
in and for
your kingdom
so lord may
you keep
encouraging us
may we keep
looking to your
son depending
on your spirit
and encouraging
each other
and father may
we do all of
it for the glory
of the lord
jesus that even
when it goes
wrong would we
keep doing what's
right would we
keep doing what
you call us to
do and would we
trust results with
you and we
and would we
say that if
we've got jesus
we've got more
than enough
father bless us
and help us
in jesus name
amen