Do you have
friends who come by the name of Phygellus and Hermogenes? Paul certainly had them
as friends. He also found them to the false and to desert him quickly. In reading time when we take communion over
this passed weekend, my husband and I came across this passage again in our
reading in 2 Timothy. Now in 2 Timothy 1:14-15 NKJV That good thing which was
committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. 15 This you know,
that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
We hear
more in 2 Timothy 3! 2 Tim. 3: 6-17 NKJV For of this sort are
those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded with
sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning & never able to come to
the knowledge of truth. 8 Now as Jannes & Jambres resisted Moses, so do
these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the
faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to
all, as theirs also was.
No doubt, Paul is speaking by the Holy Spirit. He reveals
those who creep in using the words like Bible, God, and they even mention Jesus
even if they do not believe He came.
A
subtlety is seen when the adversary spoke to Eve while Adam was not present!
These people are led by various lusts; led away what is the wayward creature of
impulse! Ever seen those who have that impulse to shop. Yes, they even lust
late at night and will shop to their hearts delight! They will drive a great
distance to find a store open for their convenience. Living
by impulse or whims is the person who turns on a dime! They see a commercial
for a certain thing and they must have it right now!
The Man of God & the Word of God:2 Timothy 3:10- 17 But you have carefully followed
my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love ,
perseverance,11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at
Iconium, and at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord
delivered me.12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution.13 But evil men & imposters will grow worse and worse,
deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which
you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 & that from childhood,
you have known the Holy Scriptures, which
are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.16
All Scripture is give by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man
of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Paul’s life was intercepted by Jesus, His doctrine from
Jesus, his faith in God, his longsuffering with those who opposed him and God’s
divine love to continue preaching no matter the cost…revealed this record of sufferings: Antioch: Acts
13:45,50 …Iconium: Acts 14:3-6; Lystra: Acts 14:19-20 ( he most likely died in
this occurrence for 2 Corinthians 12:2-3 that he was out of his body…the third
heaven he saw…the place of God’s throne. In our reading, we find 3 pairs of men
mentioned in this Epistle: Phygellus and Hermogenes: Mentioned
in 2 Tim. 1:15 …ashamed of truth:
Hymenaeus and Philetus: Mentioned in 2
Tim. 2:17-18 ---erred concerning the truth; Mentioned in 2 Tim. 3:18 Jannes /
Jambres----resisted its truth
1.
Would we fit any of these guys? In
Phygellus and Hermogenes, they were ashamed of the Gospel. Hymenaeus and
Philetus erred concerning the truth of the Gospel and Jannes and Jambres
resisted its truth.
2.
Jambres: poverty, bitter; a rebel
..Jannes…magician: magic
3.
These two in agreement resided in the
poverty of the soul where bitterness oozed….they rebelled as magicians to
imitate and cause de-generation…..of the soul!
4.
Imitators, the false, substitute everything
in Christianity. They withstand His truth with a cheap perversion / sometimes
by magical arts. They even go to the point of denying the deity of Jesus
Christ: Christian Scientists, Spiritualists, Christadelphians ( they reject the Trinity ( the immortality of
the soul), Jehovah’s Witnesses, the
Way
5.
From Verse 12: all who would live a godly
life exposes that which is ungodly, the wicked….but instead of repenting in the
face of godliness, the ungodly or wicked one turns on the godly with irrational
behavior they will mock them & slander
6.
Verse 13: evil men and impostors will grow
worse and worse. They become more subtle; not only in their methods but also in
their attacks; They become ensnared by their own false doctrine. That of Jesus
is life by the Holy Spirit generating life, by the anti-christ, apostates
slanderers, mockers in degeneration….death!!
Preach the Word: 2 Timothy 4:1-8 NKJV I charge you
therefore before God & the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living
& the dead at His appearing and His kingdom. 2 Preach the word! Be ready in
season & out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering
and teaching. 3 For the time will come
when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires,
because they have itching ears, they will heap for themselves teachers; 4
& they will turn aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Paul encouraged them to be ready in season and out of
season: be ready as the servant of Christ Jesus…fortified in faith…with a trust
in Him! We are to convince: that is to
prove or refute…by the Scriptures: the Gospel! We are to rebuke what is false!
We are to stay in the true of what God has given us! We are to exhort or encourage sinners to
believe & believers or saints to continue their ‘faith walk’.
Paul speaks of the importance to be long-suffering and
teaching….WHY? From V. 3 there are those who will turn from the doctrine:
people will give a show of their distaste for God’s word in His holy Scriptures.
They will willfully turn away from those teachings: they will desire the
comfortable and desire to hear the very pleasing “doctrines”. Wow, what a
reward to those once infused with God’s word now choosing to be infused with
fables, for a wretched reward!!!! So WHY did Jesus give us the Holy Spirit,
because we would need to be comforted when He speaks truth and we have to
change something that is not in alignment with HIM! When the Lord speaks in His
teaching or through a prophetic word, will always be the word confirming what
the believer is praying and believing for. It will encourage the believer in that prayer they continue in and the word will
comfort them.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a
drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the
good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally there is
laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will give to me on that Day and not to me only but also to all who have loved
His appearing.
Paul’s great example here is that he was not through
with his race, but that he was still the athlete in place expecting to finish…..
he was the example of the soldier, the athlete and farmer…he continued!
1.
He also notes emphatically that he will
receive the crown of righteousness as all those who love Jesus’ appearing.
2.
The goal was now in his sight! What had
been given him, he guarded, what he gave to others, he expected them to give to
others…& it would be given in purity. That crown of righteousness is given
to those who have loved His appearing!
From
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Divine Inspiration: God speaking to us, it is given to
enlighten us, He inspires strength in us, He speaks life into our hearts when
we find the darkest days………This does not come from human intellect or human
inspiration but is God breathed into us each time we choose to read it, each
time we choose to mediate on it: to
embrace His life, we see from His perspective. Our eyes are open to the visions
of life ongoing in Him. In this day and hour we are to give God’s truth the
Gospel to others. Those obeying His commands to go…will continue to live and they
have lives that reveal fruit of His kingdom that has come. Those lives reveal
that we are one with Him….abiding in His truth, preaching and teaching in the
favorable and the unfavorable times! We appear in His peace and His joy! Amen.
An Example of
When Hopes are Crushed by: a sudden death of a spouse, by a sudden loss
of a family member, a sudden divorce, the loss of a future by extreme assaults
on one’s health or on one’s body as in walking or speaking or even the loss of
the One who would be King as the apostles experienced: Romans 5:5 Hope does not disappoint, because the
love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who
was given to us.
We
can see people who followed Jesus were crushed in their hopes because they did
not want see Him dying as the suffering Messiah but wanted Him as the conquering
Messiah! They greatly desired the Roman Empire to be removed from them, the Jewish nation.
Road
to Emmaus: Luke 24 Now behold two of them were traveling that same day to a
village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 and they
talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while
they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with
them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. 17
& He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with
one another as you walk and are sad?”
Luke 24: 18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas
answered and said to Him, “Are YOU the only stranger in Jerusalem, &
have You have not known the things which happened there in these days?” 19
& He said to them, “What things?”
So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of
Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in
deed and word before God & all the people, 20 “and how the chief priests & our rulers
delivered Him to be condemned to death and crucified Him.” 21 “But we were
hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this,
today is the third day since these things happened. “ Luke 24: 22 “Yes, certain women of our company
who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.” Astonished:
as to out of their wits….to them it was silly nonsense
Luke 24: 23 “When
they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision
of angels who said He was alive. 24 “and certain of those who were with us
went to the tomb & found it just as the women had said: but Him they did
not see.” 25 Then He said to them, “O foolish
ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!” 26 “Ought
not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 and beginning at Moses & all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the
Scriptures the things concerning Him-self.
Yes, these two began to tell Jesus what had happened to
Jesus! In their experience of the last few days, their trust in Him was not
trust at all. In their pain, they
continued to give detail after detail of their sadness to Him who asked. They
had held no strength within them. They hearts failed them! Proverbs
24:10....10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small. NKJV………………………adversity: trouble, distress
Then Jesus tells them O foolish ones, slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets
have spoken….”Ought NOT the Christ to have suffered these things and enter into
His glory?” And beginning at Moses & the Prophets, He expounded to them in
all the Scriptures the things concerning Him-self.
When Christ asked them: Ought not the Christ to have
suffered these things & to enter into his glory? Yes, Jesus had to tell them about Jesus! He rebukes them & expounds
on the Scriptures: The Jewish people believed a part for His glory and the
‘greatness of His kingdom’ but were not of those prophecies that mentioned his
sufferings and humility. They wanted a conquering Messiah. They wanted someone
with attitude for ruler-ship not for suffering!
Luke 24: 28 Then they drew near to the village where
they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But
they constrained Him, saying “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went into stay with them. 30 Now it came to pass,
as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it,
& gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened & they knew Him; &
He vanished from their sight. ( you will
only recognize Jesus in that which you have spent time in relationship in
speaking with Him, praying and walking the path less traveled)
Luke 24: 32 and they said to one another, “Did not
our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, & while He
opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they rose up that very hour & returned
to Jerusalem, & found the eleven & those who were with them gathered
together, 34 saying, “ The Lord is risen indeed,& has appeared to Simon!”
35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road & how he
was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Report from Emmaus: The two now told the group in the meeting at
Jerusalem all that Jesus had revealed to them. What was done to Jesus by men of tradition frightened
those who followed Jesus. There were few
who was at His side at the Cross. And these two are those who went to Emmaus
leaving Jerusalem…behind.
They had chose ….to leave that which held as controversy, adversity & pain.
They chose to move away from it. But in speaking with Jesus on the roadway,
they asked Him to abide with them that evening! Then He became their HOST! They
gathered strength in those Scriptures and truth. In His mode of hospitality He gave them the kingdom of God. Now with eyes
opened to the Scriptures Jesus who
taught them ….their Teacher again made
clear to them what was before
them! What is given by the spirit always
remains….one who dies will know if they are in heaven or hell…for their spirit
man will reside there…like in..Luke 16:19-31 of the Rich man and Lazarus.
Paul was held in prison and chains, but the Lord held
place in Paul's heart. So too, when we choose to allow Him to come, He will host
His presence in our hearts by His word. He announces appointments, and precise
wisdom to prosper in the road on the way to meeting Him at His coming. People
will come and go in our lives, but our focus is on Jesus, the giving of truth
and His peace and see change come for the good! We must go forward in Him, always expecting growth and joy. We expect to touch other’s hearts with a
confirmation of our salvation in God, our encouragement is we are on the right
path and are comforted in His goodness where safety is secured!
I have a heart desire to close with this about people
and situations that can occur either weekly, monthly or even daily. Our family
is in Texas at this time. They were with a group of families for the 4th
of July to celebrate our independence as a Republic planned by God Himself. In
this celebration, the heat of the day wore on strongly. A little guy about 4
years became faint by the latter part of the day. They were not sure of what
fluids he had taken in, but they carried him to the water to cool him
down. The youngest of the four children, the mother held tunnel hearing when
our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter spoke. She knew they would speak the life of God into her young son. They named life in Jesus Christ. They called
healing in His name. They spoke against evil and death as many ran to his side
as he became limp in that heat. But our son-in-law, daughter who were the first on
the scene with one other guy who turned out to be paramedic off duty continued to work on the child. The
family knew our family and received their words of truth and help in the Lord. The
mother kept her tunnel hearing of truth and did not hear lies of the enemy.
Our granddaughter brought up the rear while the activity continue and it was later when she was asked with all going on, and Jesus proclaimed in the little boys’ life, how she
kept her peace. And she responded that we cannot help others if we are in
chaos. She spoke to the ten year old whose younger brother who fainted in the heat of that day. Quinn spoke " Jesus said in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are
the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” The Lord not
only wants us to know His peace, but also He wants us to distribute His peace. She spoke she had to be in the Lord’s peace to
do what needed to be done for the little four year old in dire straits.
So well spoken by a young girl with God’s wisdom.
The body of Christ needs healing and needs those who
sow seeds of peace instead of discord. If we want peace in our churches and
homes, then we must be the ones who are the peacemakers. We do not need a false
friend. We require Jesus. And if we obey the Lord and walk in His light, His
peace will come to our entire family. “And all thy children shall be taught of
the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isaiah 54:13). By
following the Prince of Peace, we can bring His peace into our midst. Isaiah
54:13 NKJV And all your [spiritual] children shall be disciples [taught by the
Lord and obedient to His will], and great shall be the peace & undisturbed
composure of your children. [see John 6:45]
I pray that we would all in a situation where a person's life is
hovering between life and death, that we resist the false friends, choose life
in Jesus and continue to be strong in His love, peace and power. For then we distribute His peace
indeed. Well said, and yes, well done, prayer answered, as the young boy walked out
of the hospital at 2 am the next morning, invigorated with God's life, ready to live long in Jesus. Amen.
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