Guarding our Character
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Intro:
- Last week we started discussing the importance of guarding the deposits that have been deposited into our lives
some of those deposits we talked about were, the word of God, the Christian heritage, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the knowledge and understanding of ministry. These are some of the things that we can see in our own lives. People invested into our lives, they deposited different things with the expectation of returns.....
Now for Timothy, we talked about how he was raised by women who had great faith in God. They poured into the life of Timothy from a young age teaching him about God and the word of God. Now Timothy had travelled with Paul on his missionary journey’s when he was younger. Paul poured into the life of Timothy what it looked like to walk with God, what it looked like to serve God, what it looked like to stand up for God.......
At some point Timothy had hands laid upon him by the elders as a confirmation of what God was doing in his life. It must have been evident that God had gifted Timothy and had called him to the ministry, to be leader and pastor some day. These were some of those deposits that were deposited into the life of Timothy. He was called to Guard those deposits
O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—
Transition
now at the time Paul is writing this letter, Timothy is the Pastor of the church in Ephesus. During this time there were those who rose up who were teaching false teachings. Paul would encourage Timothy through this letter to correct those false teachers, to correct the things that were being taught.
Paul is telling Timothy to Guard His calling as a Pastor.... in guarding his calling as a pastor, it would naturally lead to the guarding of the people he was over.
In this letter Paul would give Timothy an exhortation of What the Role of a Good Pastor is.....
1. Role of a Good Pastor
a. To teach sound doctrine
he is told to correct false teachers (1 Tim. 1:3-4) 1 Tim. 3:2, 1 Tim. 4:13, 1 Tim. 6:2-3
b. To guard the spiritual well being of the people
From false teachings (1 Tim. 1:3-7)
From becoming spiritually shipwreck ( 1Tim. 1:18-20)
c. To instruct the people ( 1 Tim. 4:6)
in sound doctrine
in practical living or practical ministry 1 Tim. 5-6- Honor Widows, Honor Elders, Honor Masters, error of greed
in the qualifications of leadership 1 Tim. 3
Timothy is to guard these things in his own life. These would have been the very things that he saw and learned from the life of Paul.
Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
Paul is telling him to guard the pattern of sound words which he heard from Paul. Paul gave Timothy a pattern to follow.
this is that deposit that we are talking about. Now Paul not only talks about the Role of a good Pastor, but he also talks about the Character of a Good pastor. And Timothy would need to guard his character as well.
2. The Character of a Good Pastor
- Our Character is developed both by the things that have been deposited into our lives, as well as what we deposit into our own lives.
and this is what we are going to talk about today. The need to build on that investment. Building Godly Character in our lives is building on what others have invested into my life.
Transition
I. What is God’s desire for our Character? ( Rom. 8:28-29)
A. God’s heart is to cultivate a Christ like Character in us
that word “conformed” speaks of being fashioned into an image, God is seeking to model and shape our lives to be like Christ.
B. How Does God Creates Christ like Character
Thru Circumstances (Rom. 8:28)
- He cultivates our Character thru the circumstances in life. All things work for our good, where I was born, to who I was born to, what Church I grew up in. Etc.
All things also includes....
suffering
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
hardships
trials
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
change of seasons- Ecc. 3:1-8
think of the life of Joseph and Job or Paul just to name a few. Life’s circumstances were used to directly shape their hearts and minds which would flow out through there actions. That is God shaping Godly character.
2. Thru Exercise
But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
The word “exercise” here is gymnazo, where we get the English word, gym, or gymnasim. it is speaking about working hard, being discipline, of training, of working so hard it produced sweat.
- so not only is our character developed by our circumstances but also by our discipline. In other words just like a person would be disciplined to produce a well built body through exercise and eating well...... so the same effort is to be enforce by us spiritually.
- to be disciplined spiritually speaking. To be disciplined to exercise the word of God
But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
- to be disciplined to pray, disciplined to spend time in worship with God, disciplined to study God’s word, to memorize it. This all takes hard work. But this hard work will naturally build up spiritual muscles and Godly character.
- there is also the need to remove things from our lives. There is the need to be self disciplined to remove anything that is not good for me spiritually.
3. Thru the Word of God
it is the word of God that is able to mold and shape our minds and hearts. It is the word of God that can reveal the evil things in our hearts.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
II. How does God want to use our Character? ( 1 Tim. 4:12)
A. To be an example for other believers to follow
do not be despised. Timothy because of his age might have been despised or looked down. Youth speaks of the age of a person who would be eligable for the Roman army. up to 40 years old. Timothy was probably in his mid 20’s to late 30’s.
the word “example” speaks of a model forged by repetition
it means that a person will set up an example for others to see and imitate based on the consistent habits we have set up in our lives.
in other words, Paul is telling Timothy to set up good consistent Godly habits in his life that will establish a good model for others to follow and will silence those who look down at his age.
Godly Character will silence critics. It doesn’t matter how old you are, Godly character along with spiritual maturity will speaks volumes to those around you.
This is what Paul is telling Timothy to Guard. To Guard his character.
How many of you know that when a person loses his character , he loses his influence and platform in the lives of people?
B. What does a Godly example look like?
1. Walking in good speech ( word)
- having speech that is above reproach.
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
2. Walking in good conduct
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3. Walking in love
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
4. Walking in the Spirit ( attitude)
speaks of having the right attitude in our dealings.
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
5. Walking in Faith
6. Walking in Purity
-having purity of heart, mind and actions.
III. How do I guard my Character?
here Paul is talking to Timothy about Guarding his calling as a Pastor. But the same exhortations that Paul gave Timothy can be applicable to our lives.
a. By building Good habits ( 1 Tim. 4:12) 1 Tim. 4:8
b. By giving attention to the word of God (1 Tim. 4:13)
c. By not neglecting what has been poured into me (1 tim.4:14)
d. By meditating on God’s word (1 Tim.4:15)
e. By giving ourselves entirely to pursuing God (1 Tim. 4:15)
f. By taking heed to the word of God (1 Tim. 4:16)- self examination
g. By continuing in the things poured into me (1 Tim. 4:16)
the by product of Guarding my Character will be......
I will set up an good example for others to follow
My spiritual progress will be evident to all
It is a safety net for us
It will affect the lives of others