Jeremiah 44:24-47:7, 2 Timothy 2:22-3:17, Psalms 94:1-23, Proverbs 26:6-8
Today is the 24th day of October. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian and it is, of course, always great to be here with you. And who wouldn’t want to spend more time with you? And what if that is what God feels about us and that is what we learn from his Word? So, let’s dive in for today and take the next step forward. We’re reading from the Christian Standard Bible this week. And we’ve got a quick announcement at the end. So, stay tuned for that, but let’s dive in. Jeremiah chapter 44 verse 24 through 47 verse 7 today.
Commentary:
Okay. So, as we move through second Timothy Paul gave us the primary reason we are taking this journey through the Bible in the first place. But before that he contrasted two different ways of living, one that is false and will destroy and one that’s true and that will endure. So, Paul told Timothy hard times will come in the last days and there’s a bunch of characteristics that go around that. People will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traders, reckless, conceded, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, and holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. And Timothy was told to avoid those people for his own sake and to protect the community that he was a pastor of from those kinds of people. And it doesn’t take much effort to see why. I mean, that little collection, that little list of behaviors that we just read, adds up to…I mean…that adds up to a very unhealthy and destructive situation, right, in any kind of a relationship, especially in a community. And Paul describes where that road leads, like what that will look like in relationship and in community. Paul says for them, they are the ones who worm their way into households and deceive gullible women overwhelmed by sins and led astray by a variety of passions, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. So, I mean, we kind of get the picture. But the fact that we get the picture just tells us that the challenges that were in Paul’s time a couple of thousand years ago as Paul is warning Timothy about them, these are still with us today. But in contrast to all of that, Paul instructed Timothy to remember that there’s another path, a different path had been modeled for him. I mean, Timothy had heard Paul’s teaching throughout his entire ministry and he had also witnessed Paul’s life, like behind closed doors. He had seen Paul suffer persecution personally and he’d seen Paul’s faith and his patience and love and endurance. So, Paul instructed Timothy, as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who’ve taught you. And you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through Christ Jesus. So, I mean, the difference between the two paths that Paul outlined today and the characteristics that accompany those paths, they are so divergent that they are not alike in any way. And if unchecked, that first set of behaviors could be…would become a black hole that would suck the life out of any person or community. But the contrasting second path is solid, life-giving and enduring even in the face of trying times, which they were facing. And then Paul told Timothy the value of the Scriptures and how they would serve him well. And like Timothy, we’re reminded why we continue to show up every day and allow the treasurer of God’s Word to wash into our lives and carry us forward day by day. Paul said, all Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Prayer:
Father, that is why we show up here every day, for exactly that. And, so, we invite your Holy Spirit to come and inspire us and teach us and rebuke us and correct us and train us in righteousness, so that we too may become complete and whole and equipped for every good work. Holy Spirit, plant the word of God in our hearts and may it yield the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Announcements:
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And that’s it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.