1 Timothy 4:6-11
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How will it look to live as a pastor in this ever changing world?
How will it look to live as a pastor in this ever changing world?
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'
How will it look to live as a Christian in this ever changing world? What about my children?
Bob Dylan
Context- Introduction
Context- Introduction
This morning we are going to try and answer these questions.
Remember, again the context of what we are reading this morning.
In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.
Remember, again the context of what we are reading this morning.
Paul is writing to a young man who is serving as a minister for the church in Ephesus.
Timothy is standing in the gap for Paul.
He writes to Timothy, but he wants the whole church to benefit from this letter. This was the whole purpose. He wasn’t just writing to Timothy to make Timothy better.
He was writing to hope to further God’s glory by Timothy being a faithful church leader and Ephesus being a faithful church.
Paul’s mission was the mission of Christ.
And the mission of Christ is to build His church.
He wanted the church of Ephesus to be a healthy church, so he invested in the leader of the church of Ephesus.
And what we see Paul do with Timothy, sets the example for every one of us.
He is equipping a young man, a younger person, to accomplish much for the glory of God within the context of the local church.
So a question to consider?
Are we doing that?
Who at this church are you equipping that is younger that you know that if they do only what you have taught them to do, they will accomplish much for the glory of God in the context of the local church?
God has saved these young people (those of them who are saved) and he has given them to us to train.
And whether or not they serve for the rest of their lives in this church, or another, we still have the same job.
We have to teach younger believers how to be Christians in this world.
That doesn’t necessarily mean age either.
Younger Christians could be any age.
And regardless of age, the goal is that they would become mature in Christ.
So what do we teach them? What are the necessities that people need to know in the faith?
Paul again I believe gives us a paradigm for what to teach those who are young in the faith.
We must teach them what Paul taught Timothy and what Timothy would have in turn taught Ephesus.
And the goal is healthy believers and healthy churches.
Five things we are to teach and encourage to every believer. This is our job as a church. This is our job as Sunday School teachers, parents, grandparents, and youth leaders.
We must teach them to:
Identify the False
Feast on What is True
Reject the Worldly
Strive for the Godly
Fix Your Hope on the Living God
Five things that we should live ourselves and teach every believer.
Identify the False
Identify the False
Identify the False
Identify the False
In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.
Last week we discussed the reality of false believers and false teachers.
Here Paul picks up what he just got through saying to encourage Timothy.
Hey, if you will point these things out. if you will be diligent to keep the church pure from both false members and false teachers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus.
The goal again is to be a good servant of our Lord.
But he says in order to do that we have to do what is hard at times and thats being able to identify the false.
Whether that be false believers or false teachers, false doctrine, we need to be able to determine that which is false.
It would be a failure if someone leaves this church after having grown up in this church and not know how to identify false teaching.
If it doesn’t line up with God’s Word, its false.
Regardless of how sincere someone may be.
I heard Pastor Justin Peters this week, referencing false teachers and he said:
“These people may be sincere. But sincerity is not what matters. Truth Matters.”
Sincerity does not equal truth.
So.... As your pastor, one of my jobs is to make sure that I am guarding this church from false teaching:
What that means is a few things:
Guarding this pulpit.
That those who preach here
Guarding our time here. To make sure we are using this time in the best way.
Naming names of those who are false teachers and you will hear me do that often.
Probably the most important, is giving a steady diet of that which is true.
As a parent or grandparent, or Sunday School teacher, I encourage you to listen carefully and to watch what is shaping the people who are under your teaching?
You are also called to:
Guard what is being taught and consumed in your home.
Guard the time.
Name the names of those who are false.
Give a steady diet the truth.
And that last one, is key.
We need to teach every believer to be able to identify the false.
But we also have to teach them to feast on what is true.
Look what he says there at the end of verse 6.
In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.
Feast on What is True
Feast on What is True
In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.
Constantly nourished on the words of faith and sound doctrine.
A believer needs to feast on what is true.
Paul is telling Timothy here that he needs to be feeding daily from the Word of God. This will be a determining factor of whether or not he will be successful in ministry.
But this isn’t just for Timothy. Every believer should be growing daily in the Word of God.
Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
Jeremiah says there that he ate the Word of God. He’s not speaking literally. He is speaking of the fact that he had a steady intake of God’s Word and it was a delight for him.
That he feasted on God’s Word. It was for him as necessary as food.
And isn’t this what Jesus Himself said when he was being tempted by Satan.
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”
We live as Christians by a steady of God’s Word.
Words of the faith....Sound doctrine. these are things that you should long for as a believer.
You should desire to hear and know God’s Word that you may grow.
Peter gives a helpful image.
like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
The image here of a baby longing for the pure milk.
That’s how every believer should be.
Every believer should long to hear God’s Word.
If its being taught rightly, it will nourish our spiritual life. We will desire more and more of it.
We will find reasons to tell other things no, in order to be present where the Word of God is being taught. When we are being fed God’s Word, we will desire it more and more.
I believe this works hand in hand with the first. Once someone knows the truth and feasts on the truth, they will hardly satisfied with any less. They won’t be satisfied with the false.
But so often, its not the blatant false that we feast our minds on. Its the meaningless that occupies our time.
Its the things that don’t matter that take priority often.
I’m guilty of this as well. This is something I struggle with greatly.
There are so many things vying for our attention that are meaningless in light of eternity and in light of our sanctification.
I love sports, but by all means, sports and the outcome of a game isn’t spiritually nourishing for me, but I am guilty. I will tie my eyes to a tv screen for hours watching.
Facebook is another thing that can occupy our time that can be a total waste of time.
Twitter. Instagram.
Netflix. The News. Politics. The stock market. TV in general. Spending inordinate amount of time on the phone
All of these things are
Paul encourages Timothy to be constantly nourished on the words of faith and sound doctrine.
We are to be constantly feasting on the truth.
At times, we are more in know when it comes to the last episode of a tv show. Or the last game. Or the latest antics in the political realm than we are on the word of God.
If we are going to grow as a believer, we are going to have to feast on the Word and make it our delight.
Listen to what David said about the Word of God in
Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to Your ordinances, For all things are Your servants. If Your law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me. I am Yours, save me; For I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I shall diligently consider Your testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection; Your commandment is exceedingly broad.
Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to Your ordinances, For all things are Your servants. If Your law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me. I am Yours, save me; For I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I shall diligently consider Your testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection; Your commandment is exceedingly broad. O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.
Are you feasting on the Word? or something else.
We have to be able to identify what is false but to be honest, that won’t happen apart from feasting on the truth.
Reject the Worldly
Reject the Worldly
But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;
The best explanation for what he is saying is like an old wives tale.
A myth.
A worldly wisdom.
Paul commands the young minister Timothy here to have nothing to with worldly myths.
The word for worldly here can be translated in a few different ways.
worldly, Profane, and godless.
Paul commands Timothy, don’t meddle in these worldly things.
Don’t pay any attention to the things that are godless.
Pay attention to the truth of God’s Holy Word.
His Word is sufficient.
Because has perfectly given us truth here, we have no need to borrow worldly wisdom.
We have the wisdom of God right here.
Reject the worldly. Reject the world’s doctrine.
Reject it appetites.
Reject it.
The world has a doctrine. Last week we learned, theirs is a doctrine of demons and it flows from deceit.
A true believer must reject the worldly.
Fourthly,
Timothy, Church
Strive for the Godly
Strive for the Godly
The end of verse 7, he says:
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4
On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;
He goes on to say
1 Timothy 4:
for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Rather, than getting caught up in the myths of the world.
Rather, he says discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.
Train yourself.
The word in Greek is gymnazo, Which is where we get our word gymnasium.
A place for exercise and training.
He is saying train yourself. Discipline yourself towards godliness.
He is calling for spiritual fitness. Disciplined people who are godly.
But its hard.
Spiritual disciplines are exactly that. It takes discipline.
Don Whitney Spiritual Discipline of the Christian Life.
Bible Intake, Prayer, Worship, Evangelism, Serving, Stewardship, Fasting, Silence and Solitude, Journaling, Learning, Persevering.
Worship, Evangelism, Serving, Stewardship, Fasting, Silence and Solitude, Journaling, Learning, Persevering.
Those are hard. They take discipline, and it comes from a daily commitment to discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.
This kind of life will look extremely opposite from the world.
What would it look like? To be committed to:
I
Bible Intake- to be a diligent student of God’s Word.
Prayer- to be diligently committed to one of The Christians greatest and most often neglected priviledges.
Worship- to be fervently faithful in worship
Evangelism- to be someone who shares the gospel regularly
Serving- to be a servant of the church. To love your life for other.
Stewardship- to be a faithful steward of God’s money he has given you.
Fasting- to give up a physical need to remind ourselves that we are dependent creatures.
Silence and Solitude- getting alone to reflect upon the truth of scripture.
Journaling- writing to remember
Learning- constantly learning.
Persevering- keeping the faith.
These things are good forever.
for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
1 timothy 4:
Physical exercise profits in this life, but thats it.
Godliness is profitable now and in the life to come.
We need to earnestly strive for the godly.
We must teach them to:
Identify the False
Feast on What is True
Reject the Worldly
Strive for the Godly
Fix Your Hope on the Living God
Fix your hope on the Living God.
Fix your hope on the Living God.
It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
We strive for godliness in a fallen world.
We labor to be godly in a godless world.
We pray with out ceasing.
Its work. Its strenuous effort to be godly.
It means:
We worship on days when its hard.
We love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We preach the truth in a world that hates.
We don’t ever quit serving, giving, evangelizing, fasting and praying.
The Christian Life that he is describing is so different from what this world desires.
The world desires immediate satisfaction and happiness.
The Christian life he is describing is so different from what I see in my own life. We give ourselves away so cheaply.
He is promising eternal joy.
How will we ever do this?
We fix our hope on the living God.
We have hope because our God is the living God. Thus ours is a living hope.
But who has the hope.
Says here he is the Savior of all men, but he isn’t preaching universalism. He is not saying that all are saved.
So in what sense
Now, All people do experience in some way God’s mercy and grace. The very fact that anyone is living is a testament to God’s grace.
We experience common grace. Grace common to all people. (Family, memories, the sunlight, creation, breathing, living) There is grace that is common to all but only those who believe have God’s saving grace.
There will be people in hell.
The Gospel message is preached to all. We proclaim the Gospel to every man.
We beg them to be reconciled to God.
And Those who believe are saved.
Thats what he means by:
He is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe.
O
Believers have a living hope that we can fix our minds on.
We have a Savior who lives.
We live in an ever changing world, but a few things don’t change.
Jesus is the only hope for mankind.
And the expectation of believers has never changed.
How do we live life in this world? How do we expect our young children to live as believers in this world?
Identify the False
Feast on What is True
Reject the Worldly
Strive for the Godly
Fix Your Hope on the Living God
We’ve asked the question on how to live. The question now is: will we die having been faithful to do these things?