Perilous Times and Perilous Men - The Way of the Steadfast

Hello everyone, I'm Dr.

Steve Holt.

I want to welcome you to the Road Church Podcast.

Each week we go into God's Word, we teach chapter by chapter and verse by verse.

And we are here to build the Kingdom of God revolution through empowering people to change the world.

So we pray this will minister to you at your heart level and change your life.

Today, be encouraged by our guest speaker.

I'm excited to be here.

And those of you who don't know me might say, wow, this is Andy excited.

Those of you who do know me know that I'm a pretty even-keeled person.

And you also know that my excitement is typically elevated through my tone, especially when I'm passionate about something.

So this morning, you'll experience my excitement through my passion for my Savior Jesus Christ, our Father, my wife and kids, and our family of believers, which are all of you.

So, how many of you know what Hair Club for Men is?

I appreciate your boldness, Chris.

I won't ask how many have participated in Hair Club for Men, just how many have heard of it.

So Cy Sperling had a convenient catchphrase.

I'm not only the president of Hair Club for Men, but I'm also a client.

Well, not only am I on staff at the road, but I'm also a member.

I worship where I work, along with my beautiful wife and kids, and we have for the last 11 years have been blessed by this place.

And so we have been so encouraged by all of the teaching that has happened by our amazing pastoral staff.

We truly are blessed.

They've done an excellent job walking us through the teaching of 1st and 2 Timothy.

I'm frequently asked what my role is here at the road, and which I reply that my official title is the facilities director.

But the Lord continues to, as Psalm 37, 4 says, and he very clearly showed me a few years ago, places new desires on my heart.

And July of last year, I was ordained as a pastor here.

And he goes on to say, commit your way to the Lord.

Trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.

He shall bring forth your righteousness as light and justice as the noonday.

My goal this morning is to first represent the Lord well.

And next to help open your heart to the truth that with God all things are possible.

That we find in Matthew 19, 26.

Paul with Christ was an overcomer.

I with Christ am an overcomer, as in Psalm 29, 11.

And God goes not to show, he does not show partiality.

So whatever one man can do, another man can do.

Whatever one man can do or woman can do, another can do.

So if you're here this morning and you need a miracle, or he's placed a new desire on your heart, I know him personally.

And I speak out provision over you in Jesus' name.

His promises are trustworthy, and his word does not return void.

Isaiah 55, 11.

God is good.

Period.

I know this building like the back of my hand.

And a fun fact is that my family and I actually attended Chapel Hills Baptist Church back in the 90s when I was in middle school.

This was prior to the addition which you all are in right now.

And when we met back then for Sunday service or for my parents' Wednesday choir practice, it was in what we call the chapel.

It looked very different then, with its mauve-colored carpet and church pews.

So when the roads started meeting here in 2014 on Saturday nights, and I attended for the first time, it was as if I had stepped back in time.

For those of you that don't know, Chapel Hills Baptist Church is who we merged with back in 2015.

And then became the road at Chapel Hills.

Last year we changed our name to the Road Church because after some feedback, we learned that people didn't know what the road at Chapel Hills was.

And I don't need to say it, but I will.

That does not help our cause.

Yeah, so I love the variety of teaching that comes from our pastoral team.

And while we don't agree on everything, we do agree on these core truths.

There's only one God who sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross.

And he raised him from the grave and seated him at his right hand.

And they together did this for me, and they did this for you.

And we as road pastors are in love with God with our whole hearts.

We are actively involved in a personal, growing, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.

And we believe Jesus is the only way to have and experience an abundant life.

And we believe in our vision to see the kingdom of God revolution in the Rockies and our mission to empower people to change the world.

So enough about me and more about God.

So I'm going to pray again because you can't ever pray too much.

So bow your heads with me as I invite the Father to join us this morning.

Father, thank you for your love, which casts out fear, your grace, which protects us and offers us comfort in difficult times and situations, and your mercy through your love and compassion.

Thank you for this brand new day that you've given to us that's never been lived out.

Full of new opportunities to experience your love and to show your love to others.

I invite you here, Father.

Holy Spirit, come and fill this place with your presence.

Guide me, Lord, as you already have, to deliver the message that you have inspired this morning.

We're ready to feast to the table with you.

I pray all of this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

This morning we're going to continue in our series, The Way of the Steadfast.

So if you would turn with me to 2 Timothy 3, please.

Paul has an amazing ability to capture what the Lord gave him in just 17 verses.

And this seems common for a good portion of Paul's writings.

As I studied this chapter more and more over the last few weeks, preparing for this morning, I found it quite difficult at times to unpack because there's so much meat in this chapter.

So as I'm teaching, be aware of what the Lord might be speaking to you directly through Holy Spirit, and be ready for Him to inspire you with content I may not even bring.

So with that said, I want to read the chapter one time through.

But know this that in the last days perilous times will come.

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of good, having a form of godliness, but denying its power, and from such people turn away.

For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women, loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth.

Now as Janese and Jambries resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth.

Men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith, but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, in Iconium, and Lystra.

What persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me.

Yes, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

But you must continue in things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith, through faith which is in Jesus Christ.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I'm so grateful that Josh a few weeks ago covered the history of Paul in this second letter.

And you should be grateful as well because I didn't major in history or any subject really.

So if left to me, y'all would starve, actually.

I do I want to point out something that I find interesting, though.

In chapter 6 of 1 Timothy, Paul speaks very similarly to what he opens with in our chapter this morning.

So I want to do this.

I'm gonna read from 1 Timothy chapter 6, verses 3 through 5.

1 Timothy 6:3–5

You stay in our chapter this morning, 2 Timothy 3, and just watch for the similarities.

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments, of words, from which come envy, strife, reveling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men, corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain, from such withdraw yourself.

So before I start unpacking the scriptures, I would like to just tackle a phrase and word that I believe could use a little explanation.

In the last days, so I believe this is referring to the post-resurrection and Christ's second coming, which Paul is writing in and we are currently living in.

Next would be gullible women.

Paul is not saying or alluding to the fact that women are gullible.

By definition, gullible means naive, easily deceived, or tricked.

So by this definition, anyone is subject to being gullible.

So, women, please do not get hung up on this word, or you may miss the truth of what the Lord is saying.

Paul is referring back to Matthew 23, 14, and we will cover that soon.

Now, how many times in studying scripture have you read something twice or something very similar?

For those of you who are expecting a Barna report on how many times this occurs throughout the Bible, that's not my deal.

Sorry to disappoint.

Sometimes I geek out on that kind of information, but not this morning.

So if you're interested, please research that on your own time.

I do take note of it though, and I think that you should as well.

So behind me, you should see a slide of the similarities between the two chapters and how Paul kind of closes them out.

He ends his first letter here, and again years later, in his final letter.

And in verses 1 through 4, he draws the reader's attention to what kind of people the world will produce.

I resonate with Paul and his ability to be direct, not to beat around the bush.

He speaks the truth in love and carries no offense for the way these people will act against God.

Paul understands very clearly what Christ's mission is and what he says in Luke 9.55.

You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.

For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.

Paul merely says to withdraw and turn away.

So our youngest daughter, Cassidy, was brave enough to participate in Mission Colorado this year, which is led by our talented youth pastor, Joey Fulett, and his incredible team of leaders.

This is a local mission outreach where the youth are trained to evangelize and do so out in the streets and due to weather this year in Chapel Hills Mall here in the Springs.

So Cassidy impressed me with her courage to engage strangers by asking if they needed prayer for anything.

She has some powerful stories from her experience.

And she also shared how she was confused as to why people would refuse Christ or even something as simple as prayer.

All we can do is offer people the truth.

It's their choice to accept or not.

If they choose not, then we should at least be aware of their worldly behavior.

For me, this quote by James Dean describes what awareness will result in.

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

In order to navigate life here on earth, we must take the Lord's words seriously and allow him to be our captain through the stormy seas of life.

Continuing forward in 2 Timothy 3, verses 5 through 7, Paul says, having a form of godliness, but denying its power, and from such people turn away.

2 Timothy 3:5–7

For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women, loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

This pains me, actually, and it makes me angry to know that there are people who would intentionally withhold the truth from others.

In the margin, in my Bible, next to this verse, I have the word fruit written down.

And I believe everyone produces fruit, but all not all fruit is worth eating.

My family and I were blessed with a trip to Costa Rica last year, and I don't have time to go into how amazing it was.

But for this context, I want to share about the fresh fruit.

We enjoyed a lot of it.

And the mangoes?

Well, unfortunately, we missed the height of the season by about a month.

But to the untrained eye, you wouldn't know it.

And the hauler monkey family that was residing on the property while we were staying there seemed to enjoy it just fine and were picking things off the trees.

So we began collecting them and bringing them into the kitchen to indulge.

Like our mouths were watering, you know?

Only to find there were worms crawling throughout the inside.

We did a lot of picking.

Like we were, my son and I were up on the roof.

We had a stick that we could get, and we were knocking these down off the tree.

We were, we were going for it.

We really wanted some good mangoes to throw in our smoothies.

Let me read from Matthew 23:14, which I referenced earlier, that Paul references.

Matthew 23:14

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you devour widows' houses, and for pretense make long prayers.

Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation.

Those are red letter words.

Straight from Jesus, man.

You better look out.

Our role as Christ followers is to bring the whole truth of the gospel with our whole heart through vulnerability with honesty and transparency, not as whitewashed tombs, which comes from Matthew 23, 17.

Now I'm not saying that every person should know our deepest, darkest skeletons in our closet.

But as we walk with Holy Spirit and we're sharing God's truth, we defer to Him to tell us what we share and when.

We have to seek daily a healthy knowledge here of Christ so that we're familiar with the sound of his voice.

Next, Paul reaches back and grabs some history for his point in 2 Timothy 3, 8 through 9.

He refers to Janes and Jambres, who were magicians in Egypt.

It says they resisted Moses, but if we're honest, they resisted God.

And he schooled them on who was really in control.

The first eight verses of this chapter are heavy, really heavy.

And then I love how Paul in verse 9 brings the reader a promise.

But they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

These men will live out their free will, and God will prevail.

Paul is a mentor, he's a spiritual parent over Timothy.

In chapter 3 of 2 Timothy, Paul says that men will be disobedient to parents.

And in verse 10, he says, But you have followed carefully my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions.

Paul first identifies that men will be unwilling to submit to authority.

And in last week's chapter, Paul explained that an athlete wouldn't be crowned unless he competed according to the rules.

So most sports have multiple coaches that support the function of a team.

Our middle son Avery is heavily involved in baseball.

And so I'll use this as a frame of reference.

There's the head coach, the batting coach, the pitching coach, the catching coach, the health and fitness coach, whatever other coaches I might have left out.

For us, God is our head coach.

He knows the entire game.

And just as the head coach of a baseball team selects and appoints his coaching staff, so does God bring spiritual coaches or parents into our lives.

These individuals have experience in the game, can offer encouragement, correction where needed, and general support as we run the race.

Our oldest son, Riley, recently turned 18, and while he's extremely skilled in various trades, some of which he learned even from my father, I did see an area recently I could coach him, and that was his need for spiritual parents in his relationship with a very special young lady.

So my question to all of you is: do you have spiritual coaches or parents in your life?

If you do, congratulations.

And if you don't, there's no time like the present.

I want to take a minute to express a heaviness that I felt last week as after we commissioned our church champions for fathers in the field ministry.

I grew up with a loving earthly father who was fully present in my life, in my kids' lives, until he passed away in November of 22.

I hold him very closely to my heart.

And he had an incredible impact as a spiritual parent and a mentor as I grew up and well into my adult years.

I've had the privilege of mentoring a few fatherless young men over the last few years, and while they are not in their adolescent years, a fatherless boy and a fatherless young man are still the same.

Fatherless.

If you were here last Sunday, you heard the staggering statistics that Marcus, Pastor Marcus, gave us for fatherless boys.

And if you weren't, let me explain to you what the father showed me.

The future.

For many boys and young men who are absent of a spiritual father have a future that could sound like this.

Men who will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of good.

That comes straight from our reading this morning.

So I want to challenge all the men in this room.

If you're feeling a tug on your heart as I'm speaking, you know who you are because the feeling that you have in your gut.

Press into that feeling.

I'm trusting the Lord, will provide the fathers that are needed, and if this resonates with you, we have fathers in the field leaders who are at the welcome desk this morning.

Clearly, there are rules to follow for being a Christ follower.

Luke 14, 25 through 33, Jesus shares some pretty hard truth.

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father or mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, in his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost?

Whether he has enough to finish it, lest after he has laid the foundation is not able to finish, all who see him begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish.

Fast forward to 33, so likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple.

For clarification, I don't believe Jesus expects us to hate anyone, as this is against his nature.

But he communicates this about those whom most often, if we're being honest, we love more than him.

When I read this passage, I very clearly see that Jesus is trying to get the reader to understand what it will cost to be his disciple.

In verse 12 of chap of this chapter this morning, Paul says, All who desire to live godly in Christ will suffer persecution.

Sounds like a great time.

Count the cost and suffer persecution.

Count me in.

I don't think I fully counted the cost when I gave my life to Christ, to be honest.

But to be fair, I was only seven.

So I don't think I had a healthy perspective.

But honestly, when our oldest daughter Haley passed away in early 2019, I don't think I completely counted the cost.

We are up against an enemy who is a persecutor.

I never considered that I was under persecution from the enemy.

The act of persecution, the act of persecuting on the basis of religion or beliefs that differ from the persecutor.

The enemy and his little minions hate that I love God.

My beliefs differ from his beliefs.

And he did everything he could to shake my foundation and take me out.

Literally.

And because he comes to steal, kill, and destroy, which we find in John 10, 10, he was after me next.

Just two weeks after I returned from the States, to the States, from Prague, bringing Haley home.

I was on Powers Boulevard at Stetson Hills, heading north.

I can remember in my mind, I can see exactly where I was when the enemy pulled out a left hook.

He said, You can't endure this.

So why don't you just end it?

In my 46 years of life, I've never been suicidal, nor have I ever had any kind of thoughts like that.

And praise God, I knew Jesus and had a personal, growing, vital, dynamic relationship with him.

And that his promise in the second half of John 10, 10, I've come that you may have life and have it more abundantly, gave me the strength to carry out my next move.

I first shared a few choice words with that cunning thief.

And next brought that thought captive to the obedience of the Lord, which allowed him to continue revealing his love and his plan through this traumatic situation.

I have incredible sympathy and empathy and concern for those who've experienced a traumatic event and don't know Christ because their story could sound very different than mine.

We must count the cost of following Christ.

It's our duty.

And it doesn't come lightly, but it comes with an incredible strength that only comes from Christ our Savior.

I would much rather be hated on and persecuted by an enemy who's a complete loser and is only focused on the short game than to be deceived, like we read in our chapters here this morning, by a complete loser and miss out on Christ and eternity with him.

How do you spell overcomer like we read in John 16, 33?

J E S U S.

Amen?

Come on.

So one thing I felt the Lord impress upon me was the importance of him as the author, big A author of scriptures.

While there are some incredible men who wrote down what God breathed, they are still men.

Our God is greater, and our God is stronger, and our God is higher than any other.

And he brought to life the words in this incredible book.

So as you're reading, I want to challenge you, reading and studying, I want to challenge you that you picture in your mind the Lord communicating directly to you.

I do believe the authors, small a, who put pen to paper the words God inspired, only knew what he wanted them to write because they were in a love relationship with him.

They were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Now, because they were just men, they're not much different than you and I.

Acts 10, 34 through 38 says, Then Peter opened his mouth and said, In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.

But in every nation, whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him.

The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ, he is the Lord of all.

That word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached.

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

I know there are some in this room today who don't believe here what Jesus even said in John 14, 12.

Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in me the works that I do, he will do also.

And greater works than these will he do because I go to my Father.

Come on, man.

Those are red letter words.

I get fired up over the red letter words, man.

It's real time.

It's not inspired to an author, but spoken out by the one who was there from the beginning.

So, those of you who don't believe, can I suggest that you start believing?

Because I didn't say it.

And Paul didn't say it, Peter didn't say it, the other apostles didn't say it.

It was Yeshua Messiah that said it.

And while we're not under the same persecution Paul was, we are under persecution from the enemy.

Now, because God does not show partiality, this means that if Paul was an overcomer, so can you be.

So can I be.

So, in closing, if you would grab your phones.

I want you to load these apps that I developed for becoming equipped.

I'm just kidding.

I'm not that smart.

I would like to give you what I believe are four keys to being thoroughly equipped.

First is spiritual parents.

As the great Toy Story character Woody said, if you don't have one, get one.

So much power in that man.

He did incredible things.

Unfortunately, my opinion is our society has no use for the older generation.

Don't be fooled into believing that your phones and computers and internet will always be there.

Actually, our internet's down.

Did you know that?

In this whole area.

No internet.

So, plus anymore, how do you know what's true or false?

I've often pondered what Apple was up to when they came up with their logo.

An apple with one bite out of it?

The tree of knowledge of good and evil, as we read in Genesis 2, 16 and 17.

Eve ate an apple.

I don't know.

Just my thoughts.

Key number two is meditate on his instruction and goodness.

Verse 14, continue in the things you've learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you've learned them.

Now I want to draw your attention to what I believe is a key word here.

Whom?

Whom do we learn from?

Jesus, his Father.

And don't forget this, when the world wants to creep in with its knowledge of truth, I believe Philippians 4, 8 through 9 pairs really well here.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, pure, lovely, whatever things are of good rapport.

If there's any virtue and if there's anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.

These things which you've learned and received and heard and saw in me.

These things do end.

The God of peace will be with you.

Man, I get excited.

I love that promise.

God is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good rapport, and praiseworthy.

There's been plenty of gut-wrenching times in my life, hard times, where I've drawn strength from that verse.

He is all those things and so much more.

Key number three: enter into a genuine, wholehearted love relationship with Jesus Christ.

John 15, 9 through 10, as my Father loved me, I also have loved you.

Abide in my love.

Sit in it.

It means to dwell.

Take time daily with Him.

Sit in His presence.

Your abundant life depends on it.

And how do you successfully apply key number three?

By applying key number four.

Welcome and receive from inspiration through Prayer, Bible, and Journal.

This is the playbook.

This is the blueprint.

It's the owner's manual for life.

And it's all mapped out by the big author.

If we aren't meditating in it and consuming it, chances are we're not experiencing the abundant life.

Thank you for listening to the Road Church podcast.

We pray today's message has empowered you to make a difference in your world.

For more information about the Road Church and to find more content like this, go to theroad.org.

That's thherode.org.