November 5, 2023 - 2 Timothy 4

Paul left young Timothy with a charge always to be ready to preach the word, whether in season or out, and that with patience. For, Paul writes, “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (4:1-4). Sound familiar at all? New Age (which, actually, is not new at all; it’s been around for millennia, only in various forms) – the paranormal – crystals – increase in the use of magic – mother earth myths and rituals – this religion and that – new movements and cults – and on and on it goes. How desperately our world needs the gospel!

As for Paul, he could say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (4:7) and this even though many of his companions had deserted him: “Luke alone is with me. . . . Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm . . . At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me” (4:11-16). Yeah, but Paul could also testify, “The Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it” (4:17). How about an OT hymn, this morning?

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side-- let Israel now say--

if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us,

then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;

then over us would have gone the raging waters.

Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth!

We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

–David (10th century B.C.; Psalm 124:1-8)