15c) Be an Example - Conduct
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
The last couple of weeks we have been looking at one of my favorite verses 1 Timothy 4:12. Paul tells Timothy to not let anyone look down on him because of his youth but to set an example for the believers. This is not the typical way that a person would deal with those that look down on them. But this is the way that Paul tells Timothy how to deal with the contempt of others.
I remember meeting with with a young man who was an associate pastor at the time and he was really frustrated that his senior pastor and the church were not going in the direction he thought it should go. Week after with the same young man would voice his frustration and discontent. And each week the older gentleman that was discipling the two of us would tell him. Live out what what you want to change in your own ministry until they come and ask what you are doing.
Basically, it has to be more than just your opinion you must be a living example of the convictions you have in your heart. If you are convinced that the church should move in a direction, then you should be living out those ideas in your own personal ministries.
In the end, that never happened frustration still remained and his own ministry never took on the attributes of his own convictions.
Paul here tell Timothy Live out what you already know. You know what the word of the Lord says, you have heard, learned, and have payed close attention to the scriptures that you have been taught since you were a child. Be an example.
Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. Until I come, give your attention to public reading, exhortation, and teaching. Don’t neglect the gift that is in you; it was given to you through prophecy, with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Timothy is to be an example in five specific areas. His speech, his conduct, his love, his faith, and his purity. Two weeks ago we looked the scriptures that teach about how God’s people are commanded to imitate God, to be holy as he is holy and to imitate Jesus in their lives. To see our lives each day more resemble our savior until we leave this world.
Last week we looked at our speech and the many scriptures that tell that what come out of a person’s mouth comes from what is in their hearts.
45 A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
What comes out of the mouth is an overflow of the heart. When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees he told them this.
34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. 35 A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
What is stored in a persons heart is never neutral. It is either good or evil. It is either of God or not. Good or bad. From this place comes the out what the bible calls the fruit of a person’s life.
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit will be good, or make the tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
And when Jesus spoke about false prophets he said.
15 “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.
Speech is on of the fruit we product from the good or evil stored in our hearts. Paul gives Timothy a second way that what is stored up in a person is manifested. In a person’s conduct.
Way of Life
Way of Life
12 Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.
Timothy is not only told to have good fruit in his example of his speech but also in his conduct. Christian conduct it to be different than the conduct of the world.
Peter will also comment multiple times about the conduct of believers.
15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct;
He exhorts the believers to be holy in all of their conduct. And when they do this, it will set them apart from the lost world.
12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
As the grow in maturity their conduct will separate them from the was of the world. As they give their lives over to living in worship to God they will look less and less like the world.
1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
There is a reality that believers that are growing in their faith will be more and more conformed to the image of Jesus and less like the world. This conduct starts with the wisdom of God which is his will recorded for us in the scriptures.
If we turn to James, he says that by a person’s good conduct they will reveal their wisdom.
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.
Good conduct that he describes as works of gentleness which is contrary to bitter envy and selfish ambition. Good conduct starts with the wisdom that comes from above. From God. Wisdom that is pure and peace loving, gentle compliant, full of mercy and good fruits. It is unwavering and without pretense.
Timothy is to be an example to the believers in his conduct but this is more than just conforming to a bunch of dos and do nots. The Pharisees were know to be people who conformed to the rules but Jesus called them empty and dead inside. They were far from God and walked in the darkness.
A person’s conduct is more than just looking at the list of a person’s behavior and comparing them to some standard. The translated into conduct contains the way that a person lives. Their way of life. Why they do what they do, they consistency of it, the motivations behind it.
A Christian’s entire life is to be lived as and example but what does that look like.
Walk in the Light
Walk in the Light
In the letter to the Ephesians in chapter 5 Paul writes
6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. 7 Therefore, do not become their partners. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—
He reminds them of what they were before salvation. They were once darkness. Not that they were in darkness but they are now light. Light in the lord.
1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him.
The only light that exists is in the God of light.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
In Chris brought the light into the world, into the darkness and in him was the light of men. Paul says that believers are to walk as children of the light. This is one descriptor of the way that a christian is to live.
Paul gives a comparison between the fruit of the light and the fruitless works of darkness.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—9 for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret.
The Christian's life should consist of goodness. The believer’s actions are good and not wicked. They align with the goodness of God. Their works are also righteous. They are the right behavior and they are to have fruit that is truth. The way of life that has stepped out of the lies of the enemy.
Have you ever come to that realization after you were saved that “I cannot believe that I behaved in such a way.” Or you opened the truth of God’s word and the truth and the light show on you behavior and you were actually repulsed by what you used to think was good. When the word of truth is shown, when the light of God is brought forth what was unseen is now clear.
13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible, 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Get up and awake and Christ will shine on you. Like dawn approaching the world starts to get definition and clarity.
78 Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us 79 to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
This way of life is not easy, it does not come by being passive or complacent. It takes diligence and devotion.
15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
This way of life it to be one of careful attention. To be on the watch, be vigilant. This is a sign of wisdom,to be mindful of the life we live. Why? because the days are evil. The world around the believers in the bible times and in our own time has much evil around.
We are to make the most of our time. How to you make the most of your time? You must do something valuable with the time you are given. Each and every day every person is given the same 24 hour period. Each person has the same day. Some will have more days than others but each person is to use the number of day they have to do things of value.
Today it could be said that most of what we do does not have much value. What is valuable? It is doing the things that God’s word tells us to do. Things of eternal value. There will be a day when everything is we do is tested and only that which was of value will make it through the test.
Pay attention, make the most of the time, do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.
We take the word of God which provides God’s will. We take the truth and we pay attention to it. Devote ourselves to it and we are to walk as children of the light as children of Jesus.
Contend for the Faith
Contend for the Faith
To the Philippians Church he wrote
Philippians 1:27 (CSB)
27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. ..
Here we are told that as citizens of heaven, as temporary residents here we are to live our lives worthy of the gospel of Christ. The good news of Jesus. That any man or woman that come to believe in the word’s and claims of Jesus. That he came into the world to save sinners. That any person who believes that they are saved from the punishment that they have earned through their own sinful and selfish desires. The gospel the hope of each and every believer that when we die we will be glorified in heaven.
What has more value than the Gospel? Each believer is to live their life in light of that reality. And the result is a church of God’s children that are united.
27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, 28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your salvation—and this is from God. 29 For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.
When a church is filled with people who are living out their lives in a worthy manner to the Gospel, they will stand firm. They will stand in one accord. And they will contend for the faith of the gospel. Contend, to struggle side by side together for the good news that Jesus saves. And when the struggles come as they did to Jesus, the church will stand together without fear from the opposition.
Christians are to live as children of light contenting for the faith.
Live in the New Life
Live in the New Life
To the church in Colosse he wrote.
1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
A christian is to live with their mind seeking the things above. Set your minds on the things above, not on earthly things. Christians are to live here in the reality of there. But while we are here we are to put off evil and put on good.
5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices
These are all things that we know at the surface level is something that must be removed from our lives but how often do we fail to do so. How often to we take down the altars to our idols but not the high places. Like the time of the kings in the old testament. Many times they would remove only part of the things people used to worship false God's only to have the worship come back later.
We leave close connection and don’t fully remove them. These things are to be put to death. To be removed from a Christian’s life. Not blended into the Christians life, not covered up but put to death. To never be raised again in their life.
But when we are pt put off something we are taught to put on something else in its place.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. 11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. 14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.
We are to put on our new self, a new self that unifies all believers in Christ. We are to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Being a people of forgiveness and above all putting on love. These are all thing that are to be in a a live of a believer.
It is fueled by the word of God.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Conclusion
Conclusion
What ever you do in word or deed. What you speak and what you do. Do it in the name of the Lord. Everything that we do and say is to be done in the name of the Lord. It should align with his word, should bring glory to him. What you post on the internet, what you speak to your family, how you do your job at work. Everything is to be done as representatives of the Lord.
There were many descriptors of the good fruit that come when a person lives this way. In the scriptures today there were over 26 descriptions of the life a believer is live and at least 17 Scriptures of the opposite.
These are just a few of the ways that the bible describes the fruit of those who live in obedience to God’s word and love.
Walking as children of light, being holy and separate from the world, paying close attention to the way we live, living worthy of the gospel, contending for the faith, and doing everything in the name of the Lord.
This means that we are not taught to stay the way we are. God drew you to himself and saved you form the condemnation you deserved. Without and regard to your merit because there was none. Amen. Sinners are saved by the grace and mercy of God by faith in the saving work of the Son, Jesus. But we are not to stay there. We cannot come to the place that, well since God saved me the way that I am, I am ok to stay the way that I am. That’s not what we see here. We are to no longer live in the ways of darkness. We are to no longer slander our savior by professing him to be Lord to the world and then living in sin. In both our words and actions. Every day we are to grow in our likeness of Jesus. Our speech and our behavior is to look more and more like the Son of God.
Are there areas of your life that you know are not what God wants but you have come to be ok with that? Are you hearing for the first time that God’s word tells us that we are to remove those things. We will have a time to confess and repent of those to our Lord in a minute.
Spend some time this week meditaing on God’s word and seeking the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the areas of your life that are no aligned with GOd and be encouraged in the areas that are in alingment with God’s will for you life.
We are to be a progressing people. We are to practice these things and grow in them. Just like Timothy.
15 Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all.
Timothy is instructed to be an example in the way that he lives his life. He is to walk in the light that is in him. He is to live a life worthy of the gospel contending for the faith. He is to live in the new life.
21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Communion
Warning
Children, Lost, Sin
19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Prayer
Song
Closing
Blessing/Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.