Sermon Tone Analysis

We’re going to study Paul’s first letter to Timothy (and his second, and his letter to Titus, if we have time).

You should know, I don’t just pick books of the Bible at random; I study and I pray in order to determine the specific book we need during each particular season of life in our church family.

I could just pick a book of the Bible at random and I know it would not be a waste or a mistake.

I could have picked 1 Timothy at random and we would be well-served.

But this I believe: 1 Timothy is the book of the Bible we need at this moment in the life of this local church body.

I need 1 Timothy.

We need 1 Timothy.

I’m going to do something a little unconventional this morning.

Maybe it’s not altogether unconventional, but it is something different for me.

I’m going to confess my pastoral shortcomings (at least the ones I can pinpoint; I’m sure you can identify others).

I have been pastorally lazy.

I’m frustrated and tired.

I’ve been pastoring from a place of fear and people-pleasing (probably for as long as I’ve been a pastor).

There have been seasons when I stretch myself thin and fail miserably, both at home and at work.

In my fear and hesitancy to do anything that might upset anyone, I hesitate to do what needs to be done and therefore upset nearly everyone.

Even when I’m really trying to do everything necessary, I let people down.

In my role as pastor/elder, I’m good—real good—at keeping the status quo.

I can just preach and let everything else stay as it’s been the last several decades; that’s easy.

I’m an expert at maintaining what is.

What’s difficult is making changes, even when it’s changing non-essential stuff like 30-year-old carpet or lovely orange and green pews.

Even changing things that don’t really matter can be tough.

Better to heed the sage advice: “Don’t rock the boat.”

Rather than doing, I’ve just kind of given up.

I’ve grown tired of trying.

Pastorally, I’m fairly timid.

I’m scared.

I’m very much like Timothy.

Knowing what Timothy was like, Paul writes to him, reminding him:

Knowing what we do about Timothy, for me it’s kind of like looking in the mirror.

He’s frail.

He’s very human, with all the infirmity and vulnerability that comes along with it.

Timothy is young when Paul writes his letters to him.

Paul tells him in chapter 4 not to let anyone look down on him because of his youth.

And then, some two years later urges him to flee the evil desires of youth.

Timothy probably joined Paul’s mission team when he was in his late teens or early twenties.

So, at the time Paul writes these two letters to ol’ Tim (13-14 years after partnering in the gospel with him), Timothy would be in his mid-thirties.

In the ANE, this was regarded as being still within the limits of youth.

And this much is clear: Timothy felt inexperienced and maybe too immature for the heavy responsibility that Paul was laying upon him.

A few years before he writes to Timothy, he urges the Corinthian Christians to put Timothy at ease:

Timothy needed all kinds of affirmation and encouragement and reassurance.

Timid Timothy.

Timid Barrett.

Timothy was also physically ill (this is one area of difference between us; I’m healthy as a horse, a tubby horse, but a horse nonetheless).

Timothy suffered from a recurrent gastric problem (awkward).

Paul refers to his habitual ailments, which is fun; very nice of Paul to put that into print for everyone to read about for generations and generations.

In particular, Paul mentions Timothy’s stomach issues.

Paul even writes Timothy a prescription for a little wine:

This is the profile of Timothy that we can reconstruct from a few of Paul’s references to him: Timothy was young, self-conscious, and frail.

This should have disqualified Timothy from taking charge of the churches in and around Ephesus. “How can a kid like this lead anything, let alone a church in a major city like Ephesus?”

Timothy’s biography, however sad, kind of makes us like him.

It makes us feel not that far detached from this servant of God.

Timothy was needy.

And the grace of God was sufficient for his need.

This is the word I need to hear, the example I need.

I need 1 Timothy.

I need 1 Timothy as a resource, a guide to help me lead this church and to be a better pastor.

I’ve failed many, if not all, of you, this you well know.

If I’ve not failed you yet, I’m sure I’ll get around to it.

I’m not what I should be.

And I’m not what you deserve.

What the future holds is known only to the Sovereign Lord, and I’m trusting Him.

This much is clear: the Lord is raising up men in our local church who, I fully believe, are going to help us move forward; they’re going to help shoulder the burden and carry the load.

Some of these men will lead as elders, some will serve as deacons, others will head up ministry teams.

Whatever the future holds, please be in prayer for the men God has raised up and is raising up.

And pray for me, would you?

Pray that the Lord gives me strength.

I am needy.

I need 1 Timothy.

We need 1 Timothy.

I’m grouping myself in with you on this one; I’m not alone.

As a member of God’s family, I’ve been part of a handful of local churches: Greensburg Christian Church from ages 0-17 (the same carpet and pew salesmen that came here pushed their red carpet and orangey-greenish pews on us, too).

When I went to college, I attended University Christian Church when I wasn’t preaching at other churches on the weekends.

For a couple of years, I preached every weekend at Barnes Christian Church.

After graduation, I served as an associate pastor at Grace Community Church in Overbrook.

After a few terrible years there, I became a member of and volunteer at Fellowship Bible Church in Gardner, Kansas before coming to Rich Hill to serve as pastor/elder in 2010.

All that to say, I can call 5 different churches ‘home’ at different points in my life.

I’m thankful for each church, but let me tell you: each local church I’ve been part of is far from perfect (if for no other reason than that I’ve been involved).

Some of the churches I’ve been part of are stuck and stagnant, caught in a rut; others are growing and vibrant.

None of them are what they should be—not one.

This is why we need 1 Timothy.

Paul was expecting to visit Timothy in Ephesus soon, and would then of course, as an apostle, assume responsibility for the churches.

But Paul seems to have anticipated the possibility of being delayed, so he sends Timothy these written instructions so that Timothy would know how to regulate and direct the life of the churches:

Paul writes this:

And tells Timothy to carry out the most important tasks of a pastor:

And so Timothy does.

But this is not just a book for Timothy and for others in a similar position.

This is not merely a “pastor’s handbook”, though it is that.

This is not private correspondence, not private communication.

What Paul writes is, by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, for God’s people in all times and in every place to read (even that embarrassing bit about Timothy’s digestive habits).

It’s written to Timothy specifically, but Paul looks beyond Timothy to the churches.

One clear hint of this is that Paul’s final greeting (the last verse of the book) is plural:

This letter is for us.

Paul addresses these six main topics in 1 Timothy.

See if any of these are applicable to you, to us, to the church local.

Paul addresses:

The church’s doctrine: how to preserve it, keeping it uncorrupted by false teaching (1:3-20)

The church’s public worship: including prayer, the roles of men and women in the conduct of the church (2:1-15)

The church’s pastorate: eligibility for elders and deacons (3:1-16)

The church’s local leadership: calls for personal godliness (4:1-10), how younger leaders can ensure their teaching is listened to and not despised (4:11-5:2)

The church’s social responsibilities: to widows, elders, slaves, etc. (5:3-6:2)