
Difficult Times
quarrels
Tough List
2 For people will be lovers of self,
lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive,
disobedient to their parents
(Why is this here?
In context…self is god)
ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless,
unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control,
brutal, not loving good, 4
treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit,
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
This one should just wreck us:
having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.
Avoid such people
a bit of an understatement
Connected to last week - don’t get sucked in!
Elaborates…
Creep into households
Greek world - touring teachers
Like Jannes and Jambres:
8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’” 10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. 12 For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. —Ex. 7:8-13
Look like they have “it”
Keep us enslaved
Fake, not servants of Yahweh
How do we resist?
How could we possible not get sucked in?
Paul - not only that
But you will suffer
Vs. 12
Imposters actually had him arrested
Religious self-righteousness - such a danger!
Twisted Gosepl, self-importance, persecution
Two Gifts:
Community!
Paul
Your mom and grandma
exemplars
real world examples
Deeper Gift
Scripture
from God
Made up compound word!
Useful - it shapes us
Grounds us, teaches us
That’s why we focus on it
What else could we say?
Not just head knowledge, but something that God uses to mold us
Stories become our Story
Hard-different time/culuture
But that is actually a gift
Let’s be that community for others
Let’s hear the Word
Let’s come to the table