You see, Paul warned his young protégé Timothy that the last days would be characterized by an excess of religion.  That’s right, an excess of religion.  Listen to his warning:

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  (2 Timothy 4:3-4, ESV)

Notice that people will “accumulate for themselves” religious teachers.  Accumulate (“heap” in the KJV) is a translation of the Greek word, episoreuo, which appears only here in the entire New Testament.  The word, episoreuo, literally means “to heap up or accumulate in piles.”  What a picture the Bible paints!  People piling up as many preachers as they can accumulate!

But isn’t that a good thing?  Don’t we need more preachers?  My answer is, it depends.

Notice the preachers described in our text are characterized by three things.

First, they are described as tickling the ears of their hearers.  That is, they say what people want to hear and refuse to say anything that might offend or alienate the listener – even if it means refusing to speak the truth (truth, after all, does sometimes offend).  Their message then, is little more than “I’m okay, you’re okay, everyone is okay, and God is okay with everyone.”  Hardly the message of the Bible.

Second, these preachers are described as being suited to the passions of their listeners.  Dr. John MacArthur, in describing these preachers and their listeners, states:

"They follow their own desires and flock to preachers who offer them God’s blessings apart from His forgiveness, and His salvation apart from their repentance. They have an itch to be entertained by teachings that will produce pleasant sensations and leave them with good feelings about themselves. Their goal is that men preach 'according to their own desires.' Under those conditions, people will dictate what men preach, rather than God dictating it by His Word."

Third, these preachers turn people from the truth and point them toward myths.  The Bible is no longer the authority – the individual is!  And he will surround himself with preachers who agree with his point of view, however disconnected from God’s truth it may be.

What is the solution?  It’s right there in the preceding verses:

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  (2 Timothy 4:1-2, ESV)

The preacher is to preach the Word of God!  Not his own ideas.  Not the preferences of others.  Not the traditions of the church.  Not the wisdom of man.  Not the philosophy of this world.  Not what is popular or acceptable or politically correct or in vogue.  Preacher, your text is the Bible and your message is the Word of God!  Preach the Word!

Of the many things that could be said about Graceway, my great desire is that our church is and will remain a church for those who love the Bible.