November 14, 2021

Wolves Come to Church

Anthony Gammage – 2 Timothy 3:1-9

Sermon Quotes

2 Timothy 3:1–5
[1] But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. [2] For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, 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, [5] having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Acts 2:15–17
[15] For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. [16] But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

[17] “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;

Hebrews 1:1–2
[1] Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

“Any human not transformed by the redeeming work of Jesus Christ lives out of self as center…[with] our self as center, arrogance, entitlement, and deceptive ways with words have led to polarization and dehumanization…and have sorted precious humans by earthly categories of politics, economics, race, education…”” -Diane Langberg – Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church

“Power” defined – Having the capacity to do something, to act or produce an effect, to influence people or events, or to have authority.

  1. To be human is to have a voice – Abuse of power silences that self and the words, feelings, thoughts, and choices of the victim
  2. To be human is to be in relationship – Abusive power violates and shatters relationship. It brings betrayal, fear, humiliation, loss of dignity, and shame. It isolates, endangers, creates barriers, and destroys bonds.
  3. To be human is to have power and to shape the world – Abuse quashes and removes power.

-Diane Langberg

“Only the gospel offers a radical solution to this problem [sin]. For only the gospel promises a new birth one creation, which involves being turned inside out, from self to unself, a real reorientation of mind and conduct, and which makes us fundamentally God-centered instead of self-centered. Then, when God is first and self is last, we love the world God loves and seek to give and serve like him.”
-John Stott

2 Timothy 3:5-7
Avoid such people. [6] For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, [7] always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

1 Corinthians 5:9–11
[9] I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—[10] not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. [11] But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

2 Timothy 3:8-9
[8] Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. [9] But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.