I like to have friends! I have many friends in my life, and I love them.
But, I know, when I need an advice, I run to my real friends…especially my Father.
Why?
We have many friends, they are the best at sharing good stories, good memories, but when you need to listen to the truth, only a few them, only your real friends will tell you the truth…
Lilian and I, we usually tell our children: If you want to feel good about yourselves, go to your friends, but if you want to hear the truth, come to your parents… Because we will always tell the truth to our children, because we care about them… No matter what it is…
Think about it: If you are trying to buy something, like something useless. You’re probably thinking: “It is no good…”, so you go to a friend and ask: Should I buy it? What will they say? Yes, if it makes you happy, do it. Buy it. You have to feel good, you have this right. Be yourself…and etc…
If you go to a real friend, they will help you to really think about it…..like…it’s nice, but do you need it? I think you’ll never use it….Do you not think that maybe you are wasting your money? A real friend always tells the truth…
And based on 2 Timothy 4, The message today is: “The Truth hurts…”
Oh my God. I think today you may be hurt by the truth that comes from the bible, the word of God, but it will be better for your future. The truth hurts…and as the good friend that I am, I’ll tell you a truth from the bible to us. Amen?!
The truth is like a surgery, it hurts but it cures. Lie is like a pain killer. It gives instant relief but has side effects forever…
When Paul wrote the book of 2 Timothy, he was cast into a dark, damp, cold, and unhealthy prison, from which people would only get out from with serious diseases or death.
At the time, the Emperor Nero, he set the city of Rome on fire. After that he blamed the arson on Christians. Then, a brutal and bloody persecution begins against the church. Back then there was a lack of wood to make crosses, so many Christians were crucified in Rome. Believers were tied to poles, and set on fire to light up the streets of Rome. Our brothers and sisters were killed in a terrible way.
Before Paul dies, from prison he writes this letter to Timothy and to us.
Let’s read 2 Timothy 4:1-6
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Jesus said:
Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17
Paul is not concerned with himself but with the gospel. His purpose in this last letter is to make Timothy aware of his responsibility, to:
keep the gospel (truth)
Suffer for the gospel (for the truth)
Persevere in the gospel (the truth)
Preach the gospel (the truth).
We have some truths to share today, and maybe you will feel uncomfortable, because our flesh doesn’t want to change our wrong ways…
The truth always wounds a man’s pride and denounces the malignity of his sin. The natural man does not discern the things of God, only the Spirit of God can incline our ears to hear the Word. So, please, open your ears to listen it.
Be prepared!
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. Vs 1 and 2.
Paul tells Timothy to be prepared to preach the gospel. Be prepared in season and out of season. It means, you have to walk in the right path, walk in holiness at all times, so when the time comes, you preach the gospel, through your life and by words. Be ready to be used by God.
In the same book, Paul says to Timothy:
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
Be approved before God and men. In order to speak about the truth, the gospel, you have to present yourself to God as one approved worker.
And Here, we have some truths to speak about…
How can I Walk as an Approved man and woman before God and before society?
1st lesson
- Self control
Do you have self control? When you are angry, do you shout? Or you control yourself?
The bible says: Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32
To be prepared to preach the gospel, you need to have self control.
People are looking to you, your actions, what you do, how you react in difficult situations…it’s a challenge to have self control, but The Holy Spirit can help us get it. Self-control is a part of the fruit of The Spirit.
Please, let’s pay attention to the way we respond when we are angry, when we are in trouble, when we have a disagreement ….let’s have self control and get this power by the Spirit.
To be prepared to preach the gospel, we must:
2nd lesson
- Have Character
Nowadays this is losing its meaning…people are trying to change what is moral into immoral. The world is trying to shut the truth up! It seems like if you see someone doing something wrong, you should not speak up…because they will be upset with you…NO! We need to tell the truth to the world! Also, we need to have character!
What does Character mean?
It’s the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
The bible says:
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9
The bible says that we need to walk in integrity. We need to pay our bills, we need to have a good name, we need to be friendly, we have to speak always the truth.
Let’s be practical…
3rd lesson
- Do not lie
The bible says:
For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44.
The truth doesn’t cost anything, but a lie cold costs you everything.
Lie destroys relationships… If someone lies to you, it’s hard to trust them again…Their words after a lie are worthless… Please, don’t lie.
4th lesson
- Do not use bad words
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29
(Speak about…) use your mouth to praise and not to destroy your relationship with God. You are the temple of God. Don’t say bad words…
5th lesson
- Do not make bad jokes
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:1-3
Example: Bank – Co workers – bad jokes – Good jokes… One of the managers came to ask why would I not tell bad jokes and bad words… are you a Christian?…
6th lesson
- Do not betray your Spouse
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Heb 13:4 NIV
I don’t trust someone who betrays their wife.
One day I was having a lunch with my Boss in one of the Banks that I worked, and we started to talk about Betrayal, infidelity…
And I told him: Sorry, I can not trust someone who cheats on their wives.
And he asked me: Why? I did it and I have a new marriage now.
And I had to tell him: I’m sorry boss, but how can I trust you, who betrayed someone you loved, someone you slept beside every day, someone you should protect from the evil, be her defender… If you can do that to her, whom you had a commitment to, you are likely to do this to anyone. He got angry but he accepted the truth.
Be careful of the way you are living in your marriage. The devil is trying to break your commitment and he starts with small things…and these things become big and if you don’t stop before you realise it’s too late…be faithful to your marriage!
So, when Paul says to Timothy: Be prepared! He is saying these things, and today we get these same lessons to ourselves. We have to decide: Following Jesus is not easy. We have to deny our desires every day.
And Paul spoke about those who will not listen to the truth…what they will do?
Look verse 3 and 4:
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
People don’t want to hear the truth. They prefer to rise up leaders who turn their ears away from the truth…
We always tell our children: Stay away from lies…because if you watch lies, false teachings, movies with bad words, with bad behaviour, you will start to think that the lie is the truth….if you tell a lie too many times, that will become your truth ….so be aware, be alert!
I don’t know about you, but when I speak of these things, if you get itching ears, like you are uncomfortable… It is probably because you need to change, because it’s the truth.
The truth hurts, but it’s better to learn now than to live a life of lies…
The bible says:
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3: 9-12
Dear brothers, we cannot lead a mixed life, light and darkness, truth and lies, peace and anger.
I’m not here to judge you. I’m here to speak the truth, and when I preach, I am not perfect. Do think that I am perfect, because I am not, but as Paul says in Philippians 3, I am not perfect….
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3: 13b – 14
God is so good that He gives us a new opportunity to live the truth…to speak the truth, to wear the truth, to worship the Truth, because the Truth is Jesus. He says: I am the way, the truth and the life. He is the truth, and we have to fill our lives with Jesus, because he is the truth…
The word of Jesus is the truth, and it hurts us, but it’s for our own good.
If you live the truth, you will be able to preach the gospel to others, God will use you in a Powerful way to bring light to many people.
Today you have a privilege to be transformed by the truth, and to start walking in light. Stop mixing your life with darkness…stop playing Christian…walk as a child of God, live your purpose, walk in truth and at the end of your life, you will be able to say what Paul said to Timothy in the verse 7 and 8:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
I wanna live this day when I will see my Saviour Jesus face to face and I want to listen from Him: You were a faithful servant.
Jesus is coming back….fix whatever you need to fix in your character so you can be ready to preach the gospel and to see Jesus face to face!
Fight the good fight, go and finish the race of faith, keep the faith until the end and walk in truth.
The truth hurts, but it’s for our good.