Strive to be a Man of God

Introduction:

As we shared about how we are doing, I want to encourage us to press on to know Christ. You guys are not going to be “youth” forever, for you are and will be the “men” of the church. That gives me great fear and hope at the same time. Fear because will you guys step up, and hope because some of your are already stepping up.

You are either drifting and maturing in ministry. You are either regressing or progressing. I hope all of you are growing in Christ and pressing on towards maturity in Christ. There is no coasting in the Christian life.

As we enter into September with school, work, and busy schedules, I want to remind you guys not to neglect your soul and the talents that the Lord has blessed you with.

I want to share three things you should strive for in your Christian live.

Strive to be an Example in your Ministry

Strive to be Expanding your Ministry

Strive to be Effective in your Ministry

Although this was written to a pastor, I think we can think the general principles and apply to you guys.

I. Strive to be an Example in the Ministry

1 Timothy 4:12–13 ESV

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.

1 Timothy 4:12 ESV

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

You are either setting a good example or a bad example. All of you have influence in the church. The question is whether your influence is a good one.

Timothy must have been in his early 30s, and he was despised for being young. Older people think young people are immature, foolish, and irresponsible. But you can prove them wrong if you strive to be an example. And Paul gives very specific areas

A. Speech

Are you an example in what you say? The words you use? Do your words build up? Do your words give life?

If I were to look at your tweets, your FB status updates, your instagam posts, would your speech be characterized as godly?

B. Conduct

Are you in an example in how you live? Your manner of life? Can Valor looked to me and say Daddy loves Jesus?

Can a Titus or Gabe look to you guys and say, “Kuya loves Jesus”. Can they imitate your spirituality? Your giving? The way you conduct yourself with the opposite sex? Your worship? Your Sunday attendance? Your passion to know the Lord?

C. In Love

And love is the distinguishing mark of Christian. How do you express love to people if you are not serving people? Love is willing to inconvenience oneself for the good of another’s soul.

D. In Faith

This can be translated faithfulness? Are you faithful with the little things? Prayer devotions? Faithful as simple as showing up to church? Reading the Scriptures when you are called?

E. Purity

Brothers, this is really important. Impurity will keep you from serving God. If you guys are watching porn, you guys got to bring it to light and kill it. It will plague your conscience. Get help and be willing to get help. Even as some of you begin thinking about dating, conduct yourself with absolute purity. I am convinced that one of the reasons why some people don’t serve is because of guilty and unclean consciences.

Psalm 119:9 ESV

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

Nothing, darkens the eyes of the mind so much, and deadens the conscience so surely, as an allowed sin. It may be a little one, but it is not any less dangerous. A small leak will sink a great ship, and a small spark will kindle a great fire, and a little allowed sin in like manner will ruin an immortal soul.

D. Spirituality

When is the last time you read your Bible? Not to teach? Not to prepare for a Devotion? Or Prepare for Prayer Meeting? But to feed your soul?

Psalm 119:9 ESV

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

1 Timothy 4:13 ESV

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

Character first. Then teaching. If you teach without the character, your teaching will be muzzled or silenced. It will not have the Lord’s blessing if you are not living it yourself or striving to live it yourself.

Expositional Preaching.

II. Strive to be Progressing in the Ministry

1 Timothy 4:14–15 ESV

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.

A. Serving

Don’t neglect the people who have invested in you. I have a trust. I cannot betray the trust of pastor ed, nelson, francis. They have invested in me so I can invest in others. I have invested in you in the internship so you can invest in others.

He has invested in you through side conversations so you can encourage others.

B. Immersion

B. Immersion

Practice. Immerse. Be Devoted to the minstry. Keep on serving and seek to grow in your ministry. Don’t be stagnant. Be absorbed in these things.

The picture is an athelete just devoting his life to his craft.

C. Progress

People should look at your life and say wow, “NJ has real grown the past years? He was really timid and uninvolved, but look at him now. He is serving the youth and building relationships and people are actually getting interested in the Lord because of him. Strive to progress.

III. Strive to be Effective in the Ministry

1 Timothy 4:16 ESV

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.

Illustration: NJ shared the example of Luc always asking him what is the gospel in car rides. And he remembers that experience and now he was the one teaching at the beach trip!

1 Timothy 4:13 ESV

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

Or I remember when Andrea was sharing her testimony and how Charles reached out to her when no one else did. God was using you.

Watch your Life

Are you building guardrails for yourself?

Habits have deep roots. Once sin is allowed to settle in your heart, it will not be turned out at your bidding. Custom becomes second nature, and its chains are not easily broken. J.C. Ryle

Custom is the nurse of sin. Every fresh act of sin lessens fear and remorse, hardens our hearts, blunts the edge of our conscience, and increases our evil inclination. J.C. Ryle

Habits of good or evil are daily strengthening in your hearts. Every day you are either getting nearer to God, or further off. Every year that you continue unrepentant, the wall of division between you and heaven becomes higher and thicker, and the gulf to be crossed deeper and broader. Oh, dread the hardening effect of constant lingering in sin! Now is the accepted time. See that your decision not be put off until the winter of your days. If you do not seek the Lord when young, the strength of habit is such that you will probably never seek Him at all. I fear this, and therefore I exhort you.

Watch your Teaching

Brothers, you should strive to know God in what you teach. Strive to read. Strive to be thoughtful in worship. You are welcome to attend and continue to read books with me.

You guys make fun of me, but all great leaders were readers. Look at every great Christian leader you admire, and they read. Or they were continuing to learn.

Sometimes it is a bit brutal to hear what you are saying. Theology is a little off. When your theology is off, your applications will be off.

A. Ensure Salvation for Yourself

It will confirm salvation for yourself.

B. Ensure Salvation for Others

Other people will come to the Lord through your influence. God will use you to be effective for His kingdom. What joy it gives my heart to see others come to know Christ!

God has brought so many young people to our church. They are watching you. You are influencing them whether you like it or not.

The question for you is

Are you an example in ministry?

Are you maturing in ministry?

Are you effective in ministry?

Let us pray.

So we see that Paul is telling Timothy that Christian leadership is a matter of godly character from beginning beginning to end. The ministry is a character profession. Godly character creates moral authority. Ultimately, godly character wins over those who would naturally look down on one’s youth.

Hughes, R. Kent. 1-2 Timothy and Titus (ESV Edition): To Guard the Deposit (Preaching the Word) . Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Hughes, R. Kent. 1-2 Timothy and Titus (ESV Edition): To Guard the Deposit (Preaching the Word) . Crossway. Kindle Edition.