Just Do It
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Some will Depart from the Faith
Some will Depart from the Faith
In chapter 1 we Paul told Timothy that there were men in the church of Ephesus who were wolves in sheep's clothing, who were accumulating positions of spiritual authority in the church, and who claimed to be experts in the law but didn’t know what they were talking about.
In chapter 2 Paul told Timothy to call people to counter cultural obedience and to unity within the church. Specifically he calls out women who had authority in the pagan temples and expected authority in the church because of it.
In chapter 3 Paul showed Timothy the qualifications needed for Spiritual leadership as a way of directly combating these evil people that wanted control in the church. He said the character of a person in leadership should mirror that of Christ’s. We also talked about how spiritual leadership in the church is a call to surrender, sacrifice, and suffer for God’s people.
With each chapter Paul is aggressively dealing with a problem in the church.
What is the problem Paul is addressing?
Why is it such a big deal?
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
The reason Paul is so aggressive with dealing with false teaching is because it is leading people away from the truth of the Gospel. It says that those who have walked away do so because they have devoted themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons. When the truth of Scripture is no longer seen as truth, the church is without defense against the lies and deceptions of satan. The Spirit has spoken that there will be people who leave the church and the truth of God’s word so they can live a lie and indulge in sin however they see fit. Paul’s urgency is a plea to us not to reject Jesus.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
To listen to the lie of satan and reject the truth of Jesus is to choose destruction and death over life and redemption.
Paul calls these men who deceive the church and lead people astray liars with seared consciences who are insincere in their relationships with people.
Liars: The messages they teach are untrue with the purpose of denying and rejecting the truth.
Seared Consciences: They do evil and hurt people without a second thought. They hear no conviction from the Holy Spirit, they have completely cut themselves off from holiness.
Insincere: They don’t care about others. Any kind of care they might show is performative and disingenuous.
These men act as if they were the devil themselves. I think of the serpent that deceived Adam and Eve. He pretended to have their best interests at heart, he denied the truth of God’s words and promised them a lie, and he did so with hatred in his heart towards God His creation.
The fruit of their lives and their character is evidence of their hearts.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
These men’s actions are proof that they follow satan and not Jesus. They are actively leading people away from the truth by forbidding marriage, requiring abstinence from food, taking the gifts of God and turning them into burdens.
For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
We have freedom in the grace of God. We are not bound under heavy burdens or restrictions but are free under grace to enjoy all that God has created within the boundaries that Christ has laid out for us in Scripture and by the direction of His Holy Spirit living inside of us.
The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.
For the Christian, we are no longer under the authority of the law but instead we are under the law of grace. We have freedom in Christ to live by the direction of the Spirit to the glory of God.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
What is the standard for spiritual leadership? That we are trained in the word of God, defend the word of God, and represent the word of God well in how we live. How do you measure up?
1 being I am strongly disagree 5 being strongly agree
_____ I understand the truth of God’s word
_____ I can confidently defend my faith to others
_____ I live out the truth taught in Scripture
_____ I can clearly communicate the Gospel to others
_____ I can explain the importance of core doctrines (The trinity, the incarnation of Christ, the virgin birth, the church)
_____ My peers see me as a follower of Jesus
_____ I am confident of my salvation based off of the truth I read in Scripture
_____ I am growing in my personal walk with Christ
If you look at these scores and they aren’t as high as you’d like, I don’t have you go through this to discourage you, but to encourage you to put in the work. You don’t get good at anything on accident. It takes hard work and dedication.
Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
We don’t suffer and toil as people without hope, but we do so with our hope set on Jesus who has been resurrected, who makes the way for all to have life in His name by the power of the cross, who gives His grace freely as a gift to all who put their faith in Him. So don’t be afraid to work hard in your faith. Don’t be afraid to sacrifice, and surrender, and suffer in your faith. Again notice I say in your faith and not for your faith. You can’t earn salvation, but you can live out your salvation well.
Paul tells Timothy to have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. He’s talking about these silly interpretations of Scripture we see people claim as true. All over people have these weird beliefs about angels and demons, end times, the work of the Holy Spirit, things like Jesus was just a normal man who was turned into God as opposed to God in human flesh, that there is secret knowledge that if you add up all the numbers in the Bible you get a secret message. Even recently that guy in Africa who said the rapture would happen yesterday. People can twist Scripture and lie about its interpretation but Paul calls Timothy to be dedicated to the truth, to building himself up in godliness. Don’t entertain foolish interpretations or theories but dedicate yourself to living out the truth in godliness.
What does success look like in the faith?
TIm Tebow Video
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn't really matter.” ― D.L. Moody
Paul closes this chapter with some real life application for Timothy. Look at the commands Paul gives to Timothy
Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Command and Teach, Set the Example, Devote Yourself, Do Not Neglect, Practice and Immerse, Keep a Close Watch, Persist
Command and Teach
Command and Teach
Paul tasks Timothy with the responsibility of passing these truths on to his congregation. Teaching is an essential aspect of ministry. Just as Paul mentored Timothy, Timothy was expected to pass this down to the people in his charge. Not all people in the church are called to lead a congregation through teaching and preaching, but all of us should have an understanding of the truth and be able to communicate that to the people around us.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Set the Example
Set the Example
Sometimes older generations need younger generations to remind them what following Jesus is supposed to look like. God shows no partiality towards age. God called Samuel when he was a young boy, anointed David when he was a teenager, made Josiah king over Israel at 8 years old. If you have a passion to lead I promise you I will find you opportunity to do it so long as your character lines up. I have always been the youngest guy in the room in ministry and people seldom take me seriously. I can be silly and casual. I like to make jokes. But I have worked hard to set an example in my character.
Verse of the Day
Verse of the Day
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
Speech: Do the words of your mouth represent the holiness of God and the truth of the Gospel? Or are you a liar, a gossip, do you make crude jokes? Let your words be gracious, kind, and full of love. Be speakers of truth.
Conduct: How do you live your life. Do you have integrity? You will never be perfect, but does the way you live set an example for how a Christian should live?
Love: Do you demonstrate Christlike love towards others? Putting others first, empathy, compassion, mercy, graciousness, forgiveness. Does the way you love others remind people to Jesus?
Faith: Do you truly believe the truths of the Bible? What does your relationship with Jesus look like? Are you trusting in the Lord for your daily bread?
Purity: In a culture filled with sexual immorality, Paul calls Timothy to walk in purity. That same calling is relevant to us today. Do you see people as made in the image of God or as object to satisfy your lust?
Devote Yourself
Devote Yourself
Paul tells Timothy to devote himself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching. Timothy’s life was to be dedicated to this cause, representing the truth of Scripture accurately. Be unashamed of the Word of God. Unashamed of the truths of Scripture as uncomfortable as they can be to a world that is lost. This isn’t Paul telling Timothy to stand on the street corner and tell people that God hates them. This is a dedication and devotion to clearly and publicly communicating the truth of Scripture, specifically the person of Jesus and the story of our redemption.
Do Not Neglect
Do Not Neglect
Paul tells Timothy to live out the gifts that the Spirit has been producing in him. This isn’t something to do in his own wisdom but something he must trust the Spirit to lead in. We don’t have to be superman. We don’t have to have the answers to every problem. We just need to be faithful in living out the gifts and callings the Holy Spirit is leading us in. Effective ministry is done in the direction of the Spirit. How can we partner in the work that the Holy Spirit is already doing instead of asking God to agree with our plans.
Practice and Immerse
Practice and Immerse
All these things Paul has told Timothy to do, Paul says, practice and immerse yourself in these things. We are talking repetition. Put in the time, put in the reps, get in the Spiritual gym and be consistent in putting in work.
Keep a Close Watch
Keep a Close Watch
Be on guard over the content you teach and the character you live. Perspective can be a deadly thing. If Timothy started to feel entitled or arrogant, or fearful it would lead him to do something that would blow up his ministry and hurt the Kingdom.
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Persist
Persist
Run the race with endurance because there are eternities on the line.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
