Practice Makes Purpose- Sermon

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.

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.

Intro

How to walk in your purpose now. One thing about walking into something “new” is that you have to actually walk into something new. New just doesn’t pour itself out on you. It needs to be walked into. ex: Israelites, God said he had land for them. He would bring them to, not being the land to them. They had a promise they had to walk into. . With walking into new things comes either new purpose or a new or a greater weight of glory on the purpose you already have. So many people are waiting for these great, large, bush burning moments where the heavens open up and God says IT IS TIME TO USE YOUR GIFT. I mean it could happen but your purpose doesn’t start and end with a stage, a mic, recognition, title, position, or any of that. It begins working behind the sheep and working so hard that you begin to smell. How can we be sure to prepare and walk into the newness of what God has called us into?

How to walk in your purpose now. One thing about walking into something “new” is that you have to actually walk into something new. New just doesn’t pour itself out on you. It needs to be walked into. ex: Israelites, God said he had land for them. He would bring them to, not being the land to them. They had a promise they had to walk into. .

When we look into callings and purpose, more specifically in regards to callings of pastoral & teaching authority and age, Timothy is the book.

When we look into callings and purpose, more specifically in regards to callings of pastoral & teaching authority and age, Timothy is the book.

What is the advice Paul gave under the direction of the Holy Spirit that we can use today? We are gonna go on a journey with the bible and these verses. We’re gonna break them down to really chew and marinate on them.

Be an example, despite your “issue”

Verse 12. 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.

BREAK DOWN THE VERSE.

Despise - same meaning in greek, look down upon.

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.

YOUNG. Does not teen. Neotes νεότης. Closely related to “the wife of your youth” & . In this culture this word “young” meant up to 40.

So yes he was young but old enough to use the same word of a newly wed man so we use deductive reasoning to tell us he wasn't a teenager but a grown man.

Let’s look at this in a cultural context. I want to be sure to not interpret the text eisegetically, but I want to use this as an example. This isn’t about a number, Age isn’t an issue for us in our culture but it was for the Ephesians. The church of Ephesus had older congregants. Age was an issue but it wasn’t like a checkbox that you have to check, like once Timothy turned 40, the church would automatically appreciate him. This is about Timothy not fulfilling an expectation, or a manmade requirement. they feel he should have, age. Remember they were under the leadership of Paul, who was older and the differences of Paul and Timothy were stark in contrast.

Culturally for us, age may not be the issue that is holding you back from appreciating and respecting the calling that God has put into another person. Maybe age is not the issue why people despise you or the issue that you use to hold yourself back. Culturally, age may not be an issue for us. *LIST WHAT MAY BE AN ISSUE* you may be holding yourself back b/c of marital status, education, talent, comparison. Idk what your issue may be, you know. But here is the thing God works with people with issues.

David was young, not even invited to see Samuel and God chose him. Moses had a speech impediment (exodus 4:10) and God used him to speak to the highest authority in the country. Abraham was hard-headed and didn't listen when God said don't bring Lot, () He lied about his wife because he was afraid and God made him a father of nations. () Elijah suffered with depression and struggled with thoughts of death. He literally asked God to kill him and went to sleep and God woke him up with pancakes and water for breakfast and said I have a journey for you. (1 kings 19) All of those people were lacking and STILL GOD gave them authority and used them.

27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

"Let no one despise you for your youth"

Paul to Tim: I know how the church sees you b/c of your age, I know how they are going to treat you but DO NOT ALLOW them to. HOW? SET AN EXAMPLE.

Point 1: SET THE EXAMPLE. How to walk into the newness of your purpose or calling. Be an example despite your issue.

IDK what it is you are using as a comparison for disqualification, it may be that you are not as strong as someone else, as smart as someone else, or you may not have the resources that someone else has. It doesn't matter. These verses tell me that God uses whatever he wants, whoever He wants, whenever He wants to use it. Because at the end of the day; our boast is not in ourselves, our intellect, strength, resources but in the Lord God who has given us wisdom, righteousness, has sanctified and redeemed us through Himself in the form of a man named Christ Jesus.

The key theological point not only concerns God’s sovereign freedom to choose to love and to give himself regardless of human deserving or achievement, but also the discontinuity here between God and the world. God is no human construct, called in to legitimate human power interests, but the very reverse. His love for the nobodies and the nothings discounted as nonentities and as insignificant in the value system of the world puts the world to shame by its reversal of judgment

Thiselton, A. C. (2000). The First Epistle to the Corinthians: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 184). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

In plain English God will use the opposite of what we think He should use to bring shame to the things in the world.

where God has willed, God has skilled and where God has called, He will guide.

Paul's advice #1 : be an example

Be Devoted to God’s Word

13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

Devote yourself to public reading to exhortation, to teaching. How to walk into the newness of your purpose or calling, while God is preparing you. The most work in regards to purpose and calling is done behind the scenes contrary to popular belief.

Devote yourself to public reading to exhortation, to teaching.

This means one thing and one thing only, be devoted to the word of God. This does not mean you are more holy if you read the bible out loud while the pastor is reading. Reading out loud is cultural.

This means one thing and one thing only, be devoted to the word of God .This does not mean you are more holy if you read the bible outloud while the pastor is reading. Reading outloud is cultural.He is saying read scripture out loud, exhort using the bible. The greek word for exhortation in this context means to urge someone to do something. and to teach the word. The word needs to be taught, there is a lot that we cannot glean on our own, so the Lord gives us revelation but what happens when we are hardheaded or we think we know better?

Public reading in this day was done in several ways. Moses read to the Israelites for remembrance, Joshua read to the people, Jesus read Isaiah during the weekly gathering. Reading out loud is a part of teaching. They read scriptures out loud because not everyone has access to scriptures which were the old testament and Paul's letters which makes up most of our NT was read out loud to the entire church. (, ) and not everyone was literate. Another thing was that, culturally even if they were reading to themselves, they would read out loud.

Something worth mentioning: God's word was always done in community, because God is community and we were made for community. So community is not be neglected when it comes to God’s word. There is a lot that we cannot glean on our own, so the Lord gives us revelation through the Holy Spirit, but what happens when we are hardheaded or we think we know better? Your calling will not include being a lone wolf and not allowing people to exhort you and teach you with the very word you claim to preach and love. Even in your times of solitude, you are with the father, the son and the holy spirit.

There is a lot that we cannot glean on our own, so the Lord gives us revelation through the Holy Spirit, but what happens when we are hardheaded or we think we know better?

Paul also says to devote yourself to exhortation. The greek word for exhortation in this context means to urge someone to do something. Devote yourself to urging the people of God with His word. Why?

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

You cannot walk in your purpose and neglect communication with God. Pastor said it, you will have the gifts, you could speak in tongues, you will still be talented, but it shall be empty and lack the breath of God. You can be an example without being devoted to the word, by the skin of your teeth, and the grace of God, He will still use you for His glory. But then you'll feel like Samson, God did what he had to do and you laid there powerless because you cut the lines of communication and the Holy Spirit was quenched or grieved.

How to walk into the newness of your purpose or calling, while God is preparing you. Devote yourself to the word.

3rd, Do Not Neglect the Gift

do not neglect the gift because of people despising you - Verse 14

14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

Story of me singing and Elizabeth saying I sounded like a mouse. I am weary of this because some people need to neglect gifts, that they have not been called to but won’t let go. Every one wants to be the limbs, and do and go until it’s time to get dirty. Everyone wants to be seen forgetting that we are the body of Christ and the most important organs are not seen. You can survive without limbs but not without organs. Your calling will be confirmed and affirmed and reaffirmed and reaffirmed again by people of authority and people of God. notice it says Prophecy & council of elders. The calling comes from God not man so we do not look for man’s acceptance but rather God’s affirmation through people who are in tuned with the Holy Spirit.

Do not allow other people despising you to cause you to want to give up on the calling that God has set before you. I say this to myself first. It is very easy to feel discouraged when people figuratively smush you and your hopes and dreams with their words of doubt. If you are called to it and God has skilled you and is growing you in your gift that is to be used for the bigger purpose He has for your life, DO NOT ALLOW THE DOUBT, the despising, the advantage taking, the issue pointing, the rumor spreading, the unbelief, the dirty looks, the whispers to cause you to neglect what GOD has put in your hands. If God has called you to it, He will bring you through it, through anything. Be encouraged, do not give up, do not neglect your gift, do not neglect your calling, do not neglect your purpose. God has not forgotten about you. Move forward.

Verse 14 - Do not neglect the gift. This is specifically for those who feel called to leadership, speaking, preaching, teaching and pastoring because that was Timothy's gift. This is how you know you are called, It comes from God, not man.

We have a job here, that it is biblical and healthy and encouraged to devote time to building your gifts and talents that God will further use in your purpose.

God works supernaturally but He also sometimes works practically. Do not ask God to provide so that you can pay bills but you quit every job and you're lazy. If he gave you a gift, you need to be responsible for what He has left in your hands.

In other words, Invest in your gift, use your gift 2X. This may look like studying and practicing in your room right where you are. Paul was very specific because he was talking about Timothy's gifts but what are yours? Spiritual gifts can all be grown the same way, studying and practicing. Talents that God uses in your spiritual gifts (because they are not the same) can be grown by studying and practicing.

Walk into the newness of your purpose or calling, by not neglecting what has been put in your hands because of the negligence of other people recognizing or respecting what God has called you for.

Lastly, Immerse Yourself in these Things

Continue to walk in the newness of your purpose or calling by immersing yourself in these.

Verse 15 says Practice these things, immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress.

Verse 15 says Practice these things, immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress.

4. Immerse yourself in these things.

The greek word for practice here does not mean the same that in did in verse 14, we see that Paul speaks about practicing, like doctors practice medicine. DO. Here in context, we see study. Immerse, εἰμί (E-MEE) means to give thyself wholly, be in it. Get lost in these things. Get lost in the word of God, get lost in the practicing your gift. Get lost in studying the word, studying your gift.

Devote/ dedicate yourself to what you feel God has called you to, do not neglect the gift but practice and immerse yourself in what God has called you. Persevere in the calling and practicing of your calling while being an example to those around you. When you are called. The reasons that people will despise you for will be seen as the exact things that stand out in how God is using you.

Young person, your authority is given by God and not man, so walk into what God has called you to and when people put obstacles in your way, watch God teach you have to hurdle jump.

Keep a Close Watch on Yourself and Your Teaching

This is for those who have the pastoral calling such as Timothy.

Keep yourself accountable. Because when you are in leadership, you are in a position of influence or a position of affect. For positive or negative.

Keep yourself accountable. Because when you are in leadership, you are in a position of influence or a position of affect. For positive or negative. Someone’s salvation is at stake.

Make sure that your teaching and your doctrine is correct because you can lead others astray.

Pastoring, leading, discipling, do as Paul did and imitate Christ so that others may imitate you. Make sure what you are saying is biblical sound and correct. Way too many people misquoting and using bible out of context to hurt and oppress people.