Second Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Why More Selfishness in the Last Days? 1.Technology providing more convenience 2.Advertising creating consumer culture 3.The entertainment media portraying and redefining “normal” living 4.The prevailing worldview reprogramming people’s conscience 1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Robert B. Reich The American Prospect The great conflict of the 21st century will not be between the West and terrorism. Terrorism is a tactic, not a belief. The true battle will be between modern civilization and anti- modernists; between those who believe in the primacy of the individual and those who believe that human beings owe their allegiance and identity to a higher authority; between those who give priority to life in this world and those who believe that human life is mere preparation for an existence beyond life; between those who believe in science, reason, and logic and those who believe that truth is revealed through Scripture and religious dogma. Terrorism will disrupt and destroy lives. But terrorism itself is not the greatest danger we face. Issue Date: Quoted in National Review

Portrait of a Selfish Generation

Vs. 2 “For people will be… lovers of themselves” Amplified: “people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self- centered” The Message: “people are going to be self-absorbed”

Vs. 2 “For people will be lovers of themselves” I had a little tea party this afternoon at three. 'Twas very small, three guests in all, just I, myself and me. Myself ate up the sandwiches, and I drank up the tea. 'Twas also I who ate the pie, and passed the cake to me.

Vs. 2 “For people will be… lovers of money” Message: “money-hungry” It is selfish when we think the only purpose of money is to acquire things for ourselves.

Vs. 2 “For people will be…boasters, proud” Boastful (pride expressing itself in words) Proud (pride expressing itself in attitude) –Haughty, disdainful of others – “Stuck up” This is selfish because it is motivated by making one’s self appear important and minimizing the importance of others.

Vs. 2 “For people will be… blasphemers” ESV: “abusive” A related word refers to those who blaspheme God, but this word refers to scoffing at and heaping scorn on other people. This is the selfish because it is attacking the value of other persons.

Vs. 2 “For people will be… disobedient to parents” “contemptuous of parents” This is selfish because it is refusing to acknowledge the parents who gave us life, as if we owe no one our respect.

Vs. 2 “For people will be… unthankful” Literally, “Without grace” This person is selfish by pretending to be self-sufficient, refusing to acknowledge the help received from others along the way.

Vs. 2 “For people will be… unholy” NLT: “They will consider nothing sacred” Without the common decency that even unbelievers have This is selfish in that the highest authority these people recognize is their own desires.

Vs. 3 “…unloving” Unloving –Literally: “Without natural family affection” –ESV: “Heartless” These people are selfish in they are perfectly willing to meet their own needs at the expense of those they should be caring for.

Vs. 3 “unforgiving, slanderers” Irreconcilable –unbending, unforgiving, unappeasable This person is selfish in flatly insisting on his own way without regard to others. Slanderers –NASB: “malicious gossips” –Related to a word for the devil and the one from which we get diabolical This person is selfish in his willingness to destroy another person’s reputation to accomplish his own goals.

Vs. 3 “without self-control, brutal” Without self-control –Amplified: “loose in morals and conduct” Brutal –Without the slightest sensitivity nor sympathy Both too soft and too hard at the same time: too soft on themselves (self-indulgent), and too hard on others. Selfish in that the only pleasure he cares about is his own and the only pain he can feel is his own.

Vs. 3 “without love for what is good” NAS: “Haters of good” “There can come a time in a man's life when the company of good people and the presence of good things is simply an embarrassment.” —William Barclay Selfish in that they resent the presence of anything that shows them up; they would rather good did not exist than to be made to look bad or feel guilty.

Vs. 4 “traitors” Numerous translations: “treacherous” Willing to betray their friends Selfish in that they will stop at nothing to get what they want

Vs. 4 “reckless” Headstrong, rash, driven by passion Selfish in his unwillingness to consider the consequences for himself or for others.

Vs. 4 “conceited” Amplified: “inflated with self- conceit” Message: “bloated windbags” This person is selfish in that he never bothers to consider the value or contributions of others in his life.

Vs. 4 “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” Amplified: “[They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God” Message: “addicted to lust, and allergic to God”

How do we STOP being so Selfish? Luke 10 – a story

The Parable of the Good Samaritan Luke 10 Featuring the art of Henry Martin

Luke 10:30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Luke10:31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Luke10:32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

Luke 10: 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Luke 10:35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’

Luke So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” 37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

©2003 Sermons4Kids, Inc. and Henry Martin All Rights Reserved Free use for ministry purposes permitted. Not to be distributed for profit.

How do we STOP being so Selfish? Luke 9 – a recipe

Luke 9: Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

Desires 23.Then He said to them all, “ If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Rejecting the life based on self- interest & self-fulfillment. Amplified: “disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests” Deny 23.Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow

Daily 23.Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow

Direction 23.Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Translations That May Have Been Used: Abbreviations & Copyright Info AMP or Amplified: © Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ESV: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. HCSB: Holman Christian Standard Bible © 2001, Broadman & Holman Publishers, LifeWay Christian Resources 127 Ninth Avenue North, Nashville, TN JPS: The Holy Scriptures (Old Testament) By the Jewish Publication Society All rights reserved MSG or Message: The Message © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson NAS: Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NAS) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE. Copyright 1960, 1988, by The Lockman Foundation, California. All rights reserved. NAS95: Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NAS95) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE. Copyright 1960, 1995, by The Lockman Foundation, California. All rights reserved. NET: The NET Bible, New English Translation (NET) Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998 By Biblical Studies Press, LLC. All Rights Reserved The Holy Bible: The NET Bible(r) Copyright © 1998 By Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved NIV: Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by The International Bible Society. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. Scripture quoted by permission. NJKV: Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NKJV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW KING JAMES VERSION. Copyright (c) 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved. NLT: Quotations designated (NLT) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW LIVING TRANSLATION Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois, All rights reserved. New Living, NLT, and the New Living Translation logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. NRSV: Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NRSV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION. Copyrighted 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, and are used by permission. All rights reserved. Phillips: J.B.Phillips, "The New Testament in Modern English", 1962 edition, published by HarperCollins, is presented here with the kind permission of Mrs Vera Phillips and the J.B.Phillips estate RSV: Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (RSV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: REVISED STANDARD VERSION. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1973 by National Council of Churches of Christ. All rights reserved. Weymouth: WEYMOUTH NEW TESTAMENT: NEW TESTAMENT IN MODERN SPEECH by Richard F. Weymouth 3rd Edition (1912)--Revised & edited E. Hampden-Cooke YLT: Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible by J.N. Young, 1862, 1898 (Author of the Young's Analytical Concordance)