4.2.41 9.7.2025 Begin with the Basics 1 Timothy 1.1-2

Start:

Series Overview

I have been tracing a broad theme this year.

Building the Kingdom and Building the Church.

We  began by spending  half of the year in Matthew, thought by many to be the “Gospel of the Church.” For the balance of the year we explore that theme by digging deeply into the letter and relationship between Paul and Timothy.

Paul and his protege remind us that our personal relationships impact both our individual Christian life and our personal ministry.

When I was younger I typically viewed 1 Timothy and the rest of the Pastorals through Timothy’s eyes. As I have grown older I understand things more from Paul’s perspective.

Much of my ministry now revolves around reminding the Church and its leaders of our proper role and place. I also spend a lot of time mentoring the next generation(s) of preacher-pastor-scholars. The heart of the issue for me is our common salvation and the Gospel which brings it to light. Let us begin!

Entice: We live in an informal world, don’t we?  Former rules of decorum, etiquette, and behavior have changed dramatically in just a few years. I’m not sure all of it is positive.

Not only does informality break down necessary lines of authority it diminishes the impact of genuine affection for those closest to us. I would never have called a teacher or professor by their first name. Breaking down the distance would  not make  the relationship more personal, it would take from them deserved and earned authority. 

Engage: Who has mentored you over the years? Who has contributed to your life?

Bosses?

Coaches?

Teachers?

How were they different from you? What similar outlooks did you share? The key to good relationships is balancing similarity and difference. Life would be boring and rather stressful if we only gravitated to personalities like our own. Paul understood how he was similar to Timothy and how he was different. 

Expand: The letter we will look at over the next couple of months is personal yet formal. It is both guarded and open. Paul and Timothy had both an official and friendly relationship. They lived in an age when the winds of informality had not blown down all structures of accountability. One of the things the Church needs to relearn or reacquire is the ability to be both intimate and authoritative. 

Excite: So Paul and Timothy teach us something about balance. How they were different made them who they were. What they shared makes their story and this Epistle empowering and relevant for us. Paul begins the letter with a conviction about what he and Timothy, and we all share.

1 Timothy 1:1–2 ESV

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Explore:

All relationships in Christ begin with the basics. 

Expand: Let’s discuss those basics for while. 

Body of Sermon: It begins with 

1 The Call.

Every believer has the same purpose. We do not all have the same ministry focus. 

1.1 Apostolic.

Paul is the one who trained and sent Timothy. His position is responsible. Now he is giving Timothy more responsibility. Under his call he is expanding the reach of the Gospel by including Timothy and others in his expanding ministry. 

The call is also 

1.2 Authoritative.

(command of God=decree or licensure)

In our time and place an Apostolic, Authoritative call is Biblically structured and accountable.

The next basic of faith? The call comes with 

2 The Confirmation.

2.1 Confirmed by Jesus our hope.

2.2 Extended through shared faith. 

Finally and perhaps the most basic element of our mutual faith is

3 The Content.

What we believe,

who we trust is a matter,

not

of personal opinion

but

of Scriptural truth.

The content of our faith is not up for debate.

Timothy  was Paul’s A++ student, still Paul reminds him of what the Gospel has done for each of them and where that message comes from.

Consider 

3.1 The Result of the Gospel.

Grace

Mercy

Peace

3.2 The Source of the Gospel.

God the Father

God the Son,

Jesus our Lord

Shut Down

Even when Paul is saying “Hi!” his words are filled with meaning, meaning that will be further unfolded as the letter to his delegate continues. This letter, the second to Timothy, and the letter to Titus will be filled with theological depth and passion. Passion that was founded in profound working relationships, theological depth that came from shared lives in service to the Gospel of Jesus.  

Doctrine matters.

You will hear those words a lot over the next couple of months

One of the lessons we will learn over the next weeks is that bad behavior is often an outcome of poor theology.  In this time and place I’m going to do everything in my power not to let that happen. I need your help.

Every Christian needs to know what the Gospel teaches.

Every Christian needs to know the empowering confirming reality of life in Christ.

Every believer needs to know that they are called

and how that call is worked out in their own life.

When we share those basics we are preparing

this congregation,

and empowering the Church

to continue into the future.

Paul sent Timothy teach the basics in Ephesus.

God sent us here.

Learn the basics and you will not only live a richer Christian life for yourself you will make an impact on those around you. Each of us is called to be a Timothy and a Paul one at some point in our life. Let’s enrich the Church together by mastering the fundamentals, the basics of faith.