Sermon Tone Analysis

Why Work?

As we have taken on the study of 1 Timothy, we have looked at key verses that summarize the passage we are studying.

I have found it helpful when reading scripture to look in the text for the reason or purpose the author wrote that portion of the Bible.

In this passage we read, verse 10 gives a summary of this whole discussion of later ties and is a pointer to why Paul even brings up the possibility of departure from the faith.

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.

Paul tells what he does and why he does it.

Paul and Timothy toil and strive.

That is what they do.

They do this because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

This is the reason they toil and strive.

Why do you work hard?

Some of you are very committed to Jesus Christ and to the church.

Why?

Some of you have a low commitment level when it comes to the Jesus and the church.

Why?

This “why” question is important.

The connection between what a Christian does and why he does it is this term “godliness.”

We mentioned it last week in Chapter 3 and it shows up again in Chapter 4.

A godly person is one who believes and acts on that belief in the things of God.

The world would call such a person a religious person.

I have heard testimonies of people who are not Christians speak about a person they know that practiced what they preached and lived a truly Christian life.

That is a godly person.

A godly person is doing kingdom work.

A godly person is doing kingdom work because their hope is in the living God…

A godly person is doing kingdom work because they have their hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Where is the toil and strife in that?

It must be a wonderful thing to live for God, to do what he wants, and to work to help people deal with sin…

But it isn’t…always.

Look at what Paul and Timothy had to contend with.

Within the church were people who were devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons.

This was unbelievable, but true.

Within the church were people who were insincere liars who didn’t have a conscience.

This was unbelievable, but true.

Within the church were teachers who said that you were committing sin if you married.

What?

Within the church were those who were telling you what to eat and what not to eat.

They did not do as dieticians who were trying to keep you alive.

These people were saying, “Thus saith the Lord.

Don’t eat these foods that God created.”

Paul is informing Timothy that he is going into a battlefield.

He is going into Ephesus, a city where he will have to work hard and deal with a lot of strife.

If you care about yourself, you will run away from a place like Ephesus.

Your blood pressure is going to go up.

If you care about the people, the church, you will enter into that fray with open eyes.

It will be a battle and there will be strife.

Why would you want to do so?

Because your hope is in God.

The way that Paul tells Timothy this indicates that Timothy had an ongoing hope that started in the past and continued unto the present.

The living God gave them a living hope.

We toil and strive hoping we can make a difference.

Paul said to Timothy, we toil and strive because we hope God will make a difference.

What this means in a practical sense is that Paul determined he was going to fight this battle God’s way.

What was God’s way?

Paul and Timothy were going to promote godliness.

They would promote right belief and encourage people to live out their faith in the right way.

Timothy’s job was to put these things before the church.

When Timothy had done this, he needed to let God work.

Timothy not only had to put these things before the church, he had to guard himself about fighting battle that were not worth fighting.

Timothy had to avoid the distractions that come with irreverent, silly myths.

He needed to train himself in godliness so that he could train others.

In other words, preach sound doctrine and encourage good behavior.

This holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.

If sound doctrine and good application are put before people, what will happen?

Jesus said it will fall on four kinds of soil.

Some won’t understand and will soon forget.

Some will like what they hear, but won’t act on it because they are afraid of what people will say or do.

Some will like what they hear and start using it, but soon get diverted from following through because the care and concerns for this world or the desire for riches will block out a person applying the truth.

Some will hear and respond.

Their lives will be changed.

What makes the change?

The Spirit of God.

That is why Paul tells Timothy that their hope is in the living God.

They had experienced change in their own lives, so they knew what God could do.

Their hope was that God would cause some to respond.

That some would not respond was a given.

These were the ones who made kingdom work toil and strife.

The fact that some would respond drove Paul and Timothy to put up with the toil and strife.

The God they set their hope one the living God, was the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

People have gone crazy over this statement.

Some have used it to say that because God is the savior of all people, all people are saved.

Others have used this to say that God is not the savior of all people, he is only the savior of those he chose or elected to believe.

Still others will say that God will save any who come to him, but only those who believe will be saved.

As we embroil in these controversies, we miss the whole point of the verse.

God can save anyone who believes.

Paul is not addressing universalism or predestination and election.

He is telling Timothy that when he goes to Ephesus, he will face strong opposition from people who do not believe the gospel and do not live godly lives.

He is telling Timothy that both the false teachers and the crowd, (those trying to decide between what Timothy will say and what these false teachers will say,) are open to salvation through the living God who will save whosoever believes.

Do you want to help people?

Promote godliness.

Do you want to make a difference in people’s lives?

Talk about Jesus and talk about the life Jesus wants them to live.

Leave it up to God to make the difference.

You can’t change anyone.

I would hate to face what Timothy had to face.

These deceitful lying people who were telling people that marriage and food were sinful to eat, the very things God initiated and created.

These things that we are to be thankful for were put down by these manipulating people.

I would hate to deal with that.

Yet I have and you have.

Not everybody in church is a believer.

Not everyone has sincere motives.