Continue In The Things You Have Learned

10-19-25

Hoonah-Hadley

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

Call to Worship Psalm 121

Daily Verse 2 Timothy 3:14

Continue In The Things You Have Learned

“But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.” There is one Lord, one God, one door, one way to salvation, John 10:9, but perhaps many reasons, many, many reasons we make the decision to enter that door.  As we are by nature consumers, we, humanity often approach the church, God, Christ, or simply a free meal, not by the necessity we need saved but because the church provides free daycare. Maybe a friend invited us, it may be a broken and contrite heart, it may be convenient, a nice date since you don’t work on Sunday, millions of reasons, but to often the moment comes and goes and we move on to the next thing. “But you must continue…” To continue is to persist, to extent, to cause to remain or last, retain. Salvation may come in a burning bush, it may come over time but in order that it may remain, last or be retained, we “must continue in the things we have learned and been assured of…” We can play the blame game, point our fingers, use surveys, but in general, for thousands of years, humanity may be good at starting things, we’re just not as good at finishing them. We loose interest, we get distracted by the next thing. Maybe you remember when you were a kid, at the 5 and dime store, there was something you had to have, you threw a fit until you got it, true to form, the next day it was in the toy box with all the other toys and you were off playing in the creek. There are things we fall in love with and become an obsession in our lives, things we retain, things that last, things we persist at.

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Every once in a while, as a child, we come across something we enjoy so much it becomes a lifetime endeavor, usually, it’s a bicycle. We could sit around and tell stories for those things, events, vacations that are the building blocks of our passions, our character, our professions, the things that get us up in the morning, that wear us out at the end of the day, the things we share with our children and our children’s children. Vs. 15 “and 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.” We just preached on this a couple weeks ago in 2 Timothy 1:5 “when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice.” The bible, Gods word is the most valuable thing life affords. Timothy is our textbook example of genuine faith that was a gift handed down through the generations. My mother saw fit to have me baptized, in Sunday School and a pew as a youngster, and I will tell you, among other things, those stain glass windows left a lasting impression on this little boy, specifically the one in the middle at the front of the sanctuary. And though I wondered off into the wilderness for about 25 years, God would have me return to it, and I have been in the grip of the Almighty ever since. We would be remiss if we didn’t stress week after week the eternal investment God’s word is in the life a child, it is without question or argument the single most valuable gift you can give.  Begin the habitual pattern of rising early, getting on your knees, praying, then reading God’s word, don’t delay, start today, it’s the greatest thing you will ever do with your life, then the things of this earth will grow strangely dim in light of His glory and grace. Rom. 12:2 “Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world… be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Our minds need renewed.

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The overwhelming theme, the subject in Paul’s letters to Timothy is faith. The essence of those letters is found in our daily verse, “but you must continue in the things which you have learned…” The moral of the story is to learn, seek, knock, ask, find what is right in this life, study it, read it, believe it, apply it, trust it, continue in it. When Satan sets a lie before you put it and the loser behind it under your feet in the name of Jesus! As much as God knows your heart, the devil knows your weakness and he’ll set that very thing before you over and over again. It's on sale, 2 for 1, it’s only $1, it looks good, feels good, it’s 5 hour energy. How bout eternal energy? There is no middle ground in Psalm 1, six verses, summed up in the final verse “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” We can call it our conscience, a gut feeling, we know right from wrong, it was wrought in us before the foundation of the earth. In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, created us in His image, for His purpose and glory, He said, “it was good.” Then that pesky little weasel slithered his way into the garden selling his wares, deceiving that first couple, the ones God gave to be stewards over all He created. In fact, this second letter to Timothy is the epitome of biblical contrast, right and wrong, good and evil. This is no secret, both are ever before us. We live in a time of ease and convenience that constantly bombards us with temptation, painting it as good. The highways and byways are saturated with advertisements, go here, go there, eat this, drink that. There are literally springs of water gushing out of hillsides near here, free for the taking and 99% of the population drives right by on their way to the dollar store to buy a can of Red Bull for $3.25. I do go to the spring on a regular basis to fill my water jugs, but I also drink Vitamin Water, “Zero Sugar” and other natural flavors.

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The one sitting at my desk says, “A threesome of antioxidants. Get your mind out of the gutter.” Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” 2 Tim. 1:5 “when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you…” Jesus when taken to task to heal someone, repeatedly says, “Your faith has made you well…your faith has made you whole.” When we read around our lesson the picture becomes more and more clear. “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith…That good thing which was committed to you…be strong…commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others…

Endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles themselves with the affairs of this life, that they may please Him who enlisted them as a soldier…Remind…Be diligent…depart from iniquity…be a vessel of honor…useful for the Master…” Paul shifts gears in chapter 3 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money…disobedient…unthankful, unholy…unforgiving…without self-control…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…men of corrupt minds…” In a conversation between two seminary students the younger had an epiphany and said, “we need to put on the armor of God, we’re living in perilous times, men are lovers of money, lovers of self…” To which the elder replied, “Men have always been lovers of money and lovers of self.” Vs. 13 “But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” Vs. 14 “But you must continue in the things you have learned and been assured of…” The bible is full of contrast, what we are to avoid and what we are to be. “But you”, find what’s right and stick with it, persist, continue. Blessed are those that meditate day and night.