Sermon Tone Analysis
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#. *How to keep going?*
What dangers do you see in the world around you, which might threaten your faith in Jesus?
Worldly ambition – driven by a need to succeed or prove yourself?
Money and greed – must keep earning more and more, changing jobs, moving houses, investing wisely?
Sexual immorality in the age of raunch?
Relationships with non-Christians?
How will you keep going as a Christian in the face of such dangers? 1 Timothy is very helpful place for us to turn.
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*Paul and Timothy *
As we start this series, let’s put 1 Timothy in context.
Sometime around 46-48AD Paul undertook his first missionary journey.
One of the cities he visited was Lystra, in what know as Turkey.
It was the home of a young Christian man called Timothy.
A few years later, around 50AD, on his second missionary journey, Paul again calls into Lystra, and asks Timothy to join his team.
Timothy does, and so for a number of years Timothy works with Paul spreading the news about Jesus around the Mediterranean.
Timothy became one of Paul’s closest friends and helpers.
Sometime much later, around 65 AD, on his 4th missionary journey, Paul went to Macedonia and told Timothy to stay in Ephesus.
Paul himself had spent a few years in Ephesus establishing the church there, now wanted Timothy to care for Christians there.
Having left Timothy in Ephesus, and arrived in Macedonia, Paul now writes to his very good friend, to encourage him in his task.
So 1 Timothy is a letter.
Not dissimilar from a letter you might get in your letter box (if indeed you still get letters, rather than sms or email).
It is a letter from Paul the great apostle.
And it is to his very good mate Timothy.
It’s a personal letter, addressed to Timothy, and his central concern in 4:6 is that Timothy will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, because of the central position of Timothy’s life and teaching.
But it’s not a private letter.
It’s not even just a letter for church pastors or elders.
As Paul writes to Timothy he has in his mind’s eye all the Christians in Ephesus.
Because there were problems in the church in Ephesus.
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*The church in Ephesus - problems and solutions*
We get some hints of the problems in the church right up front in the letter.
Look with me at vv1-2, and think about what strikes you as I read them – READ.
3 themes stand out -
a) There seems to be an issue with Paul’s authority – Paul has to remind the church, that he is indeed an apostle.
Apostle means ‘sent one’.
Paul is an apostle of Christ Jesus, sent by Christ to the Gentiles to tell them the gospel, at the command of God and Christ.
b) Secondly, with Paul’s authority at issue, comes the problem of true and false teachers, and followers.
Paul is a true apostle and a true teacher.
Timothy is called a true son in the faith.
There are some however who are in, or have been associated with, the church in Ephesus, who are not true sons in the faith; who are false teachers and followers.
c) And thirdly the distinction between Paul and these false teachers is a salvation issue.
It shows in what is taught and practiced, but these stem from how one understands salvation.
The bottom line is salvation – intriguing isn’t it how Paul refers to God as Saviour.
We are used to calling Jesus our Saviour, and that is true, but the salvation Christ won for us is ultimately sourced in God.
And true salvation brings forth fruit and blessings in the lives of Christians – hope, grace, mercy and peace.
That’s a quick summary.
Let’s look a little more closely at how these themes play out in this first chapter, and the solutions Paul puts forward?
Let’s look at the 3 issues.
a) Paul’s authority?
In v3 Paul reminds Timothy of his command to Timothy to stay in Ephesus to deal with the problem of these false teachers – READ.
But who is Paul to decide who looks after the church in Ephesus?
Does Paul have that authority?
Doe she have any authority?
Look at v12 – READ.
Paul’s authority as an apostle, Paul’s authority for ministry, Paul’s strengths and gifts, are all from Christ Jesus.
Jesus has given Paul authority over the Christians in Ephesus.
Paul has already exercised it in tossing out 2 of the false teachers in v20.
And now Paul is passing on this charge to Timothy, entrusting the gospel to him.
OK, but why Timothy?
God has also been at work in Timothy’s life.
God has called Timothy for the task.
Look at v18 – READ.
These prophets, whoever they were, had somehow revealed God’s will for Timothy to be involved in Christian leadership.
Paul’s authority is under challenge; and Paul must re-assert his authority under God over the church at Ephesus, and to encourage Timothy that he now has that authority as well.
b) True and false teachers, and followers?
Secondly there are others who don’t have that authority, yet want it.
They are the false teachers, look at vv3-4 – READ.
These men are teaching what is not true.
Teaching myths and endless genealogies.
They build up far-fetched stories based on obscure characters in OT history.
I think of recent books like the ‘Prayer of Jabez’, and wonder if it was something similar back then.
Then in ch 4 they are forbidding people to marry; and ordering them not to eat certain foods.
They claim to teach the law, but look at what Paul says of them in v7 – READ.
These people are not teachers by God’s command, but self-proclaimed teachers.
Yet they are ignorant, arrogant and unintelligent.
They don’t know what they are talking about.
They cause controversy and futility rather than promote love, which Timothy is to do.
Of course not that the law is wrong, it is a wonderful part of God’s revelation.
But it must be used properly in v8.
In fact the phrase is really the law must be used lawfully, as a nice play on words.
These men say they teach the law, but don’t even teach the law lawfully.
They seem to be suggesting the law is what saves people.
But this is a gross error, in fact it is deadly.
Which is why Timothy must take such a strong stand against them.
c) How are people saved?
So our third theme then is salvation - how are people saved?
In fact why do they need to be saved?
If the law doesn’t save then why did God give it?
Paul writes in v8 the law is not made for good people, meaning those who have been saved because of their faith in Jesus, but the ungodly.
The law is there to define and restrain evil.
It is there for the lawbreakers, v9, and rebels, and ungodly, and so on.
Categories of behaviour which reflect the very opposite of the 10 Commandments – killing parents, killing others, sexual immorality and adultery and so on.
In fact for whatever is contrary v10, to the sort of behaviour which conforms to the gospel.
So what is Paul saying?
He is saying that the law doesn’t save people, but rather shows us our sin.
The law declares me guilty, but doesn’t forgive me.
The law doesn’t make people righteous, nor give them a good conscience.
And in vv12-17 he uses himself as an example.
Before he was converted so dramatically, Paul thought he was a law-keeper, and legally righteous.
But, when he came face to face with the risen Lord Jesus, he realized his sinfulness.
Look at v13 – READ.
How was Paul forgiven for such things?
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