1 Timothy 4

Announcements

The Feast of Purim Rehearsals/March 3rd date

Activity – Hi/Low/Buffalo

We haven’t met for two or three weeks. It would be good check in with students and see how they’re doing. Ask them over the last month some ups, downs, and anything weird or maybe a funny story.

Lesson (A) – Some Will Depart

1 Timothy 4:1–5 ESV

1 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, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

What are some of the challenges like these that face your generation today?

Consider some options such as witchcraft (yes, it’s actually a thing in schools right now), transgenderism (it’s “anti-body”), environmentalism (“anti-procreation”), digitalism (“anti-human connection”), dietic fads (“you are what you eat”),

In Timothy’s day, these same kinds of things are present. False teachers are talking about how holiness is only found by rejecting the material world in favor of the spiritual world. If God made marriage, and food, and He gives them to us joyfully, the right response isn’t to reject them but to be thankful for them.

Thankfulness actually increases our relationship with God. When we appreciate that God made the world “good” we have to be thankful for the good we receive. Even in a sinful world, God sanctifies it by His Word and prayer.

Main Points

The bible tells us not to deny our physical and material existence. Unlike the angels, we were made with material and spiritual aspects to our nature.

Afterall, I’ve never met a human without a body to tell me they didn’t appreciate their body.

Being against marriage, or food aren’t marks of godliness. It may be a sign of unthankfulness to God. Not even Paul is against marriage, even when he advises against it. (1 Corinthians 7).

Lent

A practical application of this is something like lent. The idea of fasting is a good thing. Fasting helps us practice a sacrificial attitude to place our Lord and others above ourselves. It can also discipline our flesh to fight other temptations.

However, protestants have been against the idea of a new feast day or season. Practicing Lent doesn’t give you more merit with God. Your merit is found in Christ. Lent doesn’t require obedience. Yet the idea behind it isn’t all bad. Especially as Americans, the idea of giving up something is foreign since we live in so much abundance.

It is best instead to be discerning in all things according to God’s Word and the Spirit within us.

Be Aware

Two thirds (66%) of young adults who were at a church for at least a year as a teenager dropped out for at least a year between the ages of 18-22. Only 34% attended twice a month or more.

Some of the reasons they left church were because:

Simply moving and attending college.

Church members are hypocritical or judgmental.

They don’t feel connected.

Political and social issues.

Work responsibilities.

Mentor Qualities

A good mentor will give you a balanced perspective. Where ideas of giving up things to become more spiritual might look good on its face, they are taught by people who are insensitive to their own conscience (seared). A good mentor be thankful, and appeal to the goodness of God, through the Word and Prayer.

We shouldn’t assume that God is unhappy in providing for us. It is His joy! We glorify Him in our thankfulness.

What are you rejecting that God has given you? How can you practice thankfulness toward God for what He has given you?

Lesson (B) – Train for Godliness

1 Timothy 4:6–16 ESV

6 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. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 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. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 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. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 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.

There is a contrast between one who leaves the faith and one who “sticks it out.”

Leaving

Devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teaching of demons

Insincerity, liars

forbid marriage/food (which is for believers!)

Unthankful

Sticking it Out

Trained in words of the faith and good doctrine

Has nothing to do with “silly myths”

Train for godliness.

Toil and strive (struggling terms) because we have hope! We are thankful.

Main Points

1 Timothy 4 has a lot to do with depicting false teachers and contrasting that with faithful teachers in the last days. Faithful teachers preserve distinctive Christian teaching concerning God and Christ. False teachers will undermine true teaching.

Note: Truth is rare. Really rare. Like, two opposite statements can’t be true kind of rare. There is only one truth. That means that there are more counterfeits than there are truth out there in the world today. New ideas are generally, if not always, untrue when it comes to the faith.

Youth

Timothy is somewhere between his early and late 30’s. He could have been my age when Paul wrote this to him. Apparently, that makes me “youthful.” Culturally, it was older men, true elders, who led by their experience and age. They were examples to follow.

Mentor Qualities

As Timothy’s mentor, Paul wants all “to see your progress.” A good mentor doesn’t hoard you to himself. He wants to encourage you to examine yourself and see that you follow the teaching, that is, the Apostle’s teaching.

A good mentor wants you to persist, but not for your own sake or for his! Those who see your life and character, and hear your love of Christ can save others.

Mentorship is vital and grounded in the precedent of Jesus’s close mentorship of the 12 disciples. Often this is lacking in the church. Don’t dismiss the generation before you. Yes, they have major flaws, but you do too! The generation after you will imitate your accusations. Don’t let mentorship become reflective of how you view God.

Be thankful for every good gift; even faithful mentors.