Untitled Sermon (2)

Introduction

(4) Everything created by God is Good

4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving

Everything that God created is good. EVERYTHING

People can abuse what God has created. Food is good for the body and it is meant to be enjoyed gluttony is an abuse of that enjoyment. The beauty of nature is good loving nature so much that it becomes something that you worship is an abuse. Sexual relations between a man and a woman who have been joined together in marriage is a beautiful thing. Adultery and sexual promiscuity are in abuse of the beauty of the sexual relationship between a husband and wife. Leadership is good the hunger for power and authority and status iron abuse of the goodness of leadership.

(6) Leaders care for and feed

6 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.

· Leaders are called to care for and feed others. To do this they must care for and feed themselves.

(7) Church leaders train to be Godley and one trains the body to be fit

To train γυμνάζω (gymnazō). vb. to train, to undergo discipline. Literally, to train for physical exercise but used figuratively of spiritual and mental exercise and thereby mean to train or undergo discipline.

· Leaders are called to care for and feed others. To do this they must care for and feed themselves.

· Leaders must train themselves in godliness (living the way that God would have them to live)

(10) Leadership, the Christian Life is work

10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

The word that is translated labor suggests strenuous work that saps energy. Godliness demands energy! Hiebert notes that the word for “strive” presents “the picture of the athlete putting the last ounce of his energy into the race in order victoriously to reach the goal.”103 The use of a Greek present tense for both verbs suggests a continual outpouring of this energy. White says: “A consciousness that we are in a harmonious personal relation with the living God lifts us into a sphere in which labor and striving have no power to distress us.”