2 Timothy 3
My old watch broke a while back I need a new one
So I was looking up some watches on ebay the other day
I’m not sure about you if that's what you do as well it can become a little addictive
But I like looking at the photos and the details
That watch
It’s got to be analogue
It’s got to have a second hand
Tell me the date, day preferably too
It’s got to be robust, my watches get a beating
Yet it’s also got to be elegant enough
that I can wear it out and about
maybe even my Christmas shopping family are listening in at the moment
as I was pouring over web page after web page of photos of watches
something I came across like did you know that the company that makes the Swiss army knives now also has a range of watches for the purpose for the use for the Swiss military
looking at those pages, Soaking in the details
In the space of moments I became aware of what was going on
I must be a salesman dream
I was being caught up with the thing
I had to be careful even in something as simple
as looking at buying a watch on ebay
to guard my heart
the recall the words of Paul’s letter to Timothy
we’re at war
war that goes on around us
war that goes on right in here in my soul
I am to come at life as a soldier does
lengthen my view on this battle
keep in view the words of hope
Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day 2 Timothy 1:12
Paul wants us to keep in view
How Jesus is enough
Trouble is for many of us
We see ourselves as empty
So we keep on running after stuff to fill us up
We’re surrounded by it
Advertising plays on our instincts to have that thing
So much so that lifestyle becomes a product that sells itself
Australian has one of the highest take up rates
For new technology and the top sellers this Christmas wont disappoint with iphones and tablets topping the gift list
So I do what I do because I do it
I want what I want when I want it
We are all each one of us here embodied souls
We are captive to our culture
We live in a world surrounded by empty selves
Seeking to be filled with the latest and the next
We’re warned by Paul
How does the scripture shape us
Are you alert to the influences
Our culture, the family you grew up in the sins you know you struggle with and see so readily clear in others, even the struggle with pride and self righteousness
It’s all part of this war that's going on in your soul and around you each day
Are we people captured and captivated by Jesus
Does Jesus takes the centre
of the things you do and the things you view
so Paul writes to timid Timothy
2 Timothy 3:1-7
1.But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
Children of the living God
Brothers and sisters in Christ
Expect to face testing Paul tells us
Expect you will feel the heat
There will be thorns and bitter roots that will take hold
Sin will produce in us every kind of problem in relationship with one another and with God
Let alone turn us in on ourselves with bitterness to our souls
Lift up the bonnet to your soul and have a look under the hood
Here Paul guides us in the way we run at life
Those things we will take comfort in or seek out when it’s hard
Running either to escape or attack
Peace faking or peace breaking