Keeping the Faith Until Christ's Appearing
Notes
Transcript
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
We began this series with Paul’s great concern for these congregations of leading city in Asia Minor, and indeed one of the most wealthy cities of the ancient world in view And what was that coern as he draws close to both the end of his life, and of the apsotlic age - there is an urgency that with all the wealth, all the false religion of aesetic ritual, denail, mythic speculation, fanastical refelection o the law divorced from gospel salvation, that the Ephesian Christians - steward the pure gold of the gospel. What is his concern
nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.
They were endanger of exchanging the gold of the pure gospel turth and the godliness in Christ that results from it, for a religionm orality world view a philoiphy tha mixed it with the base clay. In the end in his last words he idenitifies that base alloyed mixture of the false teachers as “false knowledge, it will explode in later days here as gnosticism, and in every age grows as teh teaching of antiChrist. And so the transforming truth, the gospel that God entrusts to his church, the gospel and teh resulting way of godliness is what we must recover, uphold - it is what God entrusts to us.
O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”
And so that act of entrusting by God to every gerneration of the church, and that act of stewarding by us, is why doing church right is such an urgent matter. We aren’t given gopsel truth to embellish it, to inform our ideas a little and then devise our nice little invented ideas oabout a good spiritual life and peddle that to make us succeful and propserous, a big church. No - our duty is not to ourselves but to this truth and the children and grand childtren to future generation who must have this lifechanging deposti of the gospel. And if we are not paying attention to this deposit, this gopsel and the way of godliness in Christ, as WIlliam Barclay noted -the church is weakened and enfeebled by our inattention to this deposit, when our ethics get melded into the world’s view of politically right correct, when our faith is disotrted by attempts to make it culturally releveant - it is not just us who are the losers, but our children and our chirleen children. And because of this urgency, Paul closes this letter about stewarding the gospel, upholiding gospel truth and the resulting truth unto godliness, with some clear comands about how gospel-players in the church , both leaders like TImothy but also vibrant and struggling Christians in the pew, how they are to stay in the game, how they are to finish the race, no matter how far the church falls, no matter how intense the beattles for truth get, no matter how dark the erruptions of sin become. What is required for you and I to be gospel workers, steward of the gold of God’s mysteries - of gospel salvation and gospel godliness in Christ, when Satan through false teaching is seeking to undermine it in Christ’s church. Really know different than what Jesus said would happen with false teachers, nor what he predicted with His parable of the enemy, Satan sowing weeds in God’s good grain field, but not letting his angels uproot those weeds, but for them to remain for testing and the sake of those who might be uprooted with the false teacher but who have saving faith. How are we to stay vital in gospel misntry together?
Key Truth: Take hold of eternal life in order to be Confessors of God & of His Gospel to the end.
At the cewtnre of our text is Paul’s command which refers to stwearding the gospel, and with it he appeals to the next greatest event and ties our stewarding to Christ being manifest, his epphany, Hisecond comoig - when salvation made competel , when all will confess him, and every enemy will be defeated, judgement do away with all evil and evil doeres, and those those in grace made competlely whole, Christ will be alnd in all, and the glory and true knowledge of God will fill every molecule of creation and every part of your life and mine with like water fill the ocean. Paul says:
to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
A. The Charge & Commandment is to be A True Confessor
And just before that he says this eternal life you have from Jesus already is enabled you to make the good confession, in the presence of many witnesses. You too right, think aback to the time formerly took title of Confessor so the Name publically, signed up with God’s people. But Paul says, that act of Confessing the Name, you need to figure out how to KEEP THE FAITH now in the present, especially in these dark hours of trial, and he appeals lie the OT says, two two great wtiness:
I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
He isn’t trying to scare TImothy or us - but He is saying God’s presence is so near you - God who gives life to all things in genreal, but eternal life now already day by day to those abiding in Christ, God the Father continually provide for you, protect you, emopwer you - be encourageed And more Christ Jesus you live so in His presence, prmised to never leave us, but to come to us, he is here right beside, you. he is not astranger to the struggle to the darkness, to the erruptions of sin even in His people, and it’s not just his presence that encourages you. But here is the foundation of how we have the power and example, the model for being gospel stewards: He made the good confession before Pontius Pilate - the way you are to confess the nanme of God, in the deepest struggles - its right here in jesus pattern - He stood up in the middle of the whole world against him, of people turning politicsa dnd religion into just do what’s convientient for yourself, just live for here and now, and he made the good confession of the gospel and the kingdom and true godliness. REmember what he said to Pilate: I am King, but not like Kingdom o fthis world - I come not to testify to little truths you would fight over, political expedience, material gain, come to bear witness to ultiate truth - and I will get everryone who is on the sid of truth - be their Saviour and King. And Paul is saying, Timothy, dear Christain stweardss in Ephsus, and in Barrie, we have been called to be Confessors of teh Gospel like that!
B. Confessors Adopt a Four-fold Life-strategy: Flee, Follow, Fight, Fasten
Do you have a life-strategy? Kind of hard to say when life is about so much - and when we live for so many different things - have enjoyments that drive us, have relationships, have work, have faith - but a jumble of so many differenthtings, usually just batted aroudn life driven here and there, stuff happens we resopnd. So often we don’t have a strategy. But Paul gives Timothy a remarkable little title from the OT that changes all that.
Kind of like the move the Incredibles, in this cartoon animation they imagine the world forcing all the superheroes to retire - law suits about people being recued who didn’t want rescuing, everyone mediocre. But one of them, secretly gets his suit and becomes a superheo again. Well, Paul calls Timothy in
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
MAn of God, title only given to Moses, David, Samuel. And most interesting to Elkjah when he resusictated the widows’ son:
And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
And we who would steward the gospel here, are to share in Christ’s work of rising up spiritually dead, those sinners liek us not found forgiveness, freedom and God’s purpose in life. And we like those OT servants, are to see ourselves, male and female as the PERSON for God. And with that title you know a serious focused strategy is gong to be entrusted to you!
i. The First past or the strategy is flee. We are all fleeing something in life - some flee from social interactions. Others from hard work. Some of us flee from what’s new, others from what is routine -always novelties. Some of us flee from people not life us. But what does the Man or Woman of God flee. These things - are the particular sins that handicapped the gospel with the false teachers: petty controversies and quarrels about words - walk away don’t engage ie. Climate change Brit on the radio - that’s nice, glad for your opnion walk a way. NO what foolish ideas not to engage in. Pull you down into a vortex of argument that leads to decay. Internt interactions too. Divisive talk, religious delusioins , and peole living for financial gain. IN also spiritual life startegy, like Joseph besetting sin tempted to by Potiphar’s wife - knwo when to run.
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
ii. Follow After: Buthere you see a seocnd part of the stratgy that comlements what we turn around and runfrom. Christian worker can’t just be negative I don tothis , don’t talk with. Must be a person who follows after the most important things in life and in relationships with other people. We see this in
who follows after the most important things in life and in relationships with other people.
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
Two pairs o spitiritual values you must follow hard after: The first two are about the horizontal and vertical dimension of your life. Righteouness is about how you love your neighbour as yourself, about your outwrd conduct with nearest neihbours, your family, church family, workers, bosses, outsiders - applied godliness. The boservable behavior is their righteouenss their, And teh godliness is more narrowly your vertical relationship with God, delight in prayer life, communion with God, growth in worship, knowledge of Him and His way, HIs Word. Do you prusue a life on earth that people speak well of, do you pursue a life with God that heaven would speak well of.
Then then the second pair, says the two inward virtues you must puruse to get that kind of righteouness and godliness, is FAITH and LOVE so often as pairs in Paul’s letter. Pursue follow hard after, not the faith meaning the doctrine, but faith - like personal faithfulness to toher people and God. Puruse not love, like being love d by God, but living out that love to God and your love to other people. Quite simply this isn’t emotinal gushiness. Though not wihtout strong affectino for others, it in essence is about specific concrete self-sacrfiing self-giving action for others What are the marks of a Christian, not do I spout the doctrine as inmportant as that is , but truth unto godliness - do I love God, do I love my neighbour. Am I loyal and fiathful to them.
The thrid pair of virtue es we are to follow hard after are steadfastness and gentleness. It is certainly God’s work to preseerve us in grace to the end, but that cannot and will not happen without your Spirit empowered effort and decision to persevere! There is so much that conspires against a Servant of God to quit, laziness to quit prayer, growing in God’s Word, coldness and selfishnes to quit really caring and working for others, all this opposition comes tohte gospel - and we are to puruse follow hard after “won’t quit, stick-toitveness: And the matching pair, you need to turn ove in this memry matching strategy is gentleness. NOt weakneess, door mat deference. But strength under control, patient self-control not to give up on people, handle them with love but firmness. Like Moses sticking with straying Israel.
Just like you and flee a lot of thingsin ife in gerneal, but need to flee sins of minstiry mentioned here. So too you and I follow after a lot of things - just look at the digitial trail of your google searches - folloiwn after vacataions, entertainment, lusts greeds, earthly knowledge -some good some evil. But the big four a servant of God must puruse are encomapssed in these 6 spiritual virtues in three memory paris: Outward conduct, r and g; inward virtues F & L, rlationsihp squalities of S &G.
But here comes the biggest surprise in the strategy for gospel-stewarding. Fight. Now I would have put fight first. Here is what wrong now fight those people. Buttat would be counterproductive to start fighting people with the same weapons of personality, earthly arguments and words about earthly priorities and knoweldge devoid of Christ and his truth! says:
iiii.Fight - ie Isaiahcrosscountry bellville Hill - carried 6 2” like baby - floppy - st John ambulance - oxygen.. Rocky - everything to keep hands up =
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Do you believe that? It is a freeing truth in terms of those who oppose us or the gsopel or God’s truth. We don’t have to fight them per se, nor oppose them. But we are to go toe-to-toe with all atacks and compromises on what Paul calls the faith. Like he says in
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
So this is the thrid pasr tof the startegy: flee, follow after, and FIGHT iii.Fight -
.Fight - ie Isaiahcrosscountry bellville Hill - carried 6 2” like baby - floppy - st John ambulance - oxygen.. Rocky - everything to keep hands up =
Here is an important question to your life strategy- where is the fight in your life? If you don’t stand for seomthing says Bob Dylan you will fall for anything. If your fight is with people who you dislike, annoyed with, evevn hate. You got a problem, The major fight in the Srvant of God’s life is against the Lie and for the Truth. At one time lie was focused on how aere we made right with God, other times on where our dientiy lies - today - that our gender or sexual preferrnce is our dientity, other times that life is about indivuality or aquiring. Martin Luther said: “If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except that little point which the world and the Devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”
Do you knnow where that point is in your life, your family, the Church in the West in 21 Century. Well what are you supposed to do?
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Earlier Paul made this a military analogy saying battle the good battle of faith like good solider, but now it is an athletic analgoy: LIterally it reads agonize the good agony of the faith. Now that’s not your faithfulness, but for thhe apostillic teahing, the good deopost, the pillar and ground of truth the apostoilic teaching that competels the gospel - And you are to give i t your all in contending for thosde truths!
ie Isaiahcross-country bellville Hill - carried 6 2” like baby - floppy - st John ambulance - oxygen.. Or like Rocky - everything to keep hands up =
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
not military this time but athletic - agonize the good agony = SPEND AND BE SPENT
I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
Contend FOR THE FAITH = not contentious - apostolic faith since determines the course of life - think clearly about gospel, not compromise truth -withstand false teachers. The fight is the fight sponsored by the Christain Fiath. It is like when you engage in standing and dfending and explaining and seeking vicotry for the the truth - it is like it is the Faith, the Apostlic fFaith that is sponsoring you, The Faith is your patron - equip you and outfit you to win!
But then comes the last of the four part strategy:
iv. FASTEN ON - take hold: Best-selling author Annie Dillard heard of a man who, after shooting an eagle from the sky, examined it and found the dry skull of a weasel fixed by the jaws to the bird's throat. Evidently when the eagle pounced on the weasel, the animal bit onto the bird with determination. Though torn and eviscerated, the weasel refused to let go and became an airborne skull. Dillard reflects:
I think it would be well, and proper, and obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle from it limp wherever it takes you. . . . Seize it and let it seize you up aloft even till your eyes burn out and drop; let your musky flesh fall off in shreds, and let your very bones unhinge and scatter, loosened over fields, over fields and woods, lightly, thoughtless, from any height at all, from as high as eagles.
The ups and downs of following Christ. What are you holding onto? Elswehere JOhn Pipper quotes a poet saying - pictures me hunting , armed to the teeth, tramping throught the jungle going after my prey. IN search of and then holding onto conitually JOY! Well, Paul says fasten onto Eternal life - the knowledge of God the Father and Christ his Son, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the knowledge of sins forgiven, the peace of Christ, the fruits of the Spirit, the joy of service, the love of God - these are things we must grab onto and joyously hold until we arrive in Heaven. We have it now in belieing and abiding in Christ, that’s the qulaity of new life from above, day by day. But there is also the quantity of eternal ife, salvation future.
You want to keep the faith to the end, you want to keep serving, then this hope is absoltuely essential. The word take hold, is the same word that Matthew uses in recounting, Peter taking his eye s off Jesus and fodcusing on the waves that are about to drown him as he sinks. But Jesus with a type of violent grasping, takes hold of someone or soemthing to make it his own. He caught Peter like that. And we are to go through life and lve in service catching that hope, that eternal life as the anchor of our soul!
So that’s the strategy, but before Paul closes with two bits of practical advice, he wants to give you the ultiate encouragement for emplying this strategy. And this is the emotional climax of the letter, he digs deep into his liturgical tool box and pulls out this most imporessive doxolgoy. This great God - whois overflowing fountain of goodness, blessing happiness, who is Sovereign, who is King beyond any opwers your up against now, This Lord of all bosses and big whigs, this one who aline is and has and dsines pure light - who manifest Hisnmelf to Moses but even more fully in the image of His Son - who has fully made the living God known - rejoice as He is with you, as he with His hnour and ominon makes hismelf known among you. Though your calling is immense, the God who calls you is far greater - and he will enable you to do it."
C. The Closing Personal Applications: : Giving & Guarding
give life -so will preserve and maint life, sustain TImothy through every moment… Example of Christ = Christ has the witness par excellant - X’s done what’s asking Timothy to do =
Through out this letter on stewarding the gospel, Paul doesn’t want to stay in the realm of merely teaching empty words and general conepts. A real battle is playing out with real consequences for the peope of Epehsus, for the future of Asia Minor. And so everytime Paul has mentioned false teachers, he always follows it up with perosnal words to Timothy and to the church. In fact in most of Paul’s epistles, before the closing he injects his last personal and specific instructions. It remind my of a moive in which a young father get scancer and before he dies, he makes a video of all the little pieces of advice, like how to shave wish he could give later. Well now comes some of Paul’s most imoportant advice based on living out the message of this letter!
We have seen one of th most imopratnt words in this letter is the action of parakaleo; and hear Paul gives an even stronger form of this action. A militry word - Chatge Command the rich. NOw he isn’t talking down on the rich, he’s not addressing the sin of DESIRING TO BE RICH. He is saying there already people in these congregations who are rich. In fact taht is how they have homes with large common rooms to actually meet in as a church. And he doesn’t pass judgment on someon for being rich, but acknowsges God does freely give riches and even that those things he puts in our hands, are not be all given away or to be denied liek the gnostic asethiecs would say. God gave them to be enjoyed by oursevles and otehrs. Hold them loosely but blessing from God. But listen to his parting charge to the congregation:
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
Imagine it one of the wealthy cities in the empire. A church in home of someo f the more wealthy citizens, some slave owners, some slaves. And this letter is read aloud in their home with the whole church gathered. And that word share - koinonia - fellowship - cements it - God always give enough to be generous - no tmatter how little or much you have - focus your life on the riches of good works, the grace of giving, the being genreous and knoinonia in comuntiy. You have an overflowing Good God - overflow with the same goodness to tohers.
Paul is saying if you who are rich, most of us here to night, don’t use it the way God intends, clench it tightly, become haughty and set your hopes on the earthly wealth itself, - the blessing of the Lord will become a curse to you.
The Puritan Cotton Mather, alarmed by the trend toward materialism in New England society, made this statement in his famous book Magnalia Christi Americana: "Religion begat prosperity and the daughter devoured the mother." Mather was noting a common, though not inevitable, effect of Christianity. Authentic conversion to Christ so changes people's lives that bad habits fall away, and they become better workers and managers as they live out the Scriptures, resulting in economic prosperity. But tragically, in many cases the new prosperity and material wealth devour the same Christianity that gave them birth - especially in the second or third generations.
This cannibalism by prosperity, so to speak, has haunted God's people throughout history.
The Puritan Cotton Mather, alarmed by the trend toward materialism in New England society, made this statement in his famous book Magnalia Christi Americana: "Religion begat prosperity and the daughter devoured the mother." Mather was noting a common, though not inevitable, effect of Christianity. Authentic conversion to Christ so changes people's lives that bad habits fall away, and they become better workers and managers as they live out the Scriptures, resulting in economic prosperity. But tragically, in many cases the new prosperity and material wealth devour the same Christianity that gave them birth - especially in the second or third generations.
This cannibalism by prosperity, so to speak, has haunted God's people throughout history. The apostolic church itself was not exempt, especially in centers like Ephesus. When Christianity came to Ephesus, it was already a rich city, one of the wealthiest in the ancient world. Quite naturally some of the Ephesian converts were "rich in this present world" (v. 17). Some, in fact, were wealthy slave owners (cf. 6:2). And Christianity went on to make them even richer as they abandoned wasteful excesses, managed their households better, and profited from the hard work of converted slaves. As a result the jaws of prosperity opened wide, ready to devour a fresh harvest of the rich.
"A kind heart as well as a generous hand is demanded of the rich." Or as Calvin put it: "A man's opportunities to do good to others increase with the abundance of his riches." Awesome opportunity lies before our affluent generation as we enter a new millennium - "to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share."
"A kind heart as well as a generous hand is demanded of the rich."
But look at the motivation he says that will keep us living like that:
But look at the motivation he says that will keep us living like that:
thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
We will not be judged by our good works or how much we give - no fear of an incomplete salvation, not performing to earn it. But when you recieve that salvation it prdouces these goods works. And we will have our grace given crowed by good works enabled by Christ but reward onthe last day And that reward - rather than the uncertain foundation of wealth in this world, is to be the driving force of our lives - to live for Christ and His goodness knowing He will say WQell done godo and faihtful servant. Those that die in Christ, their dgoods deeds follow them.
And then He turns to Timothy and says, what partin wrods for you? Well Imthy you are God’s safety deposti box, and of all the places in the world, he has depostied his treasured possession with you, the gospel take it out and use it , but Timothy gaurd it - and ekep plisihed and true and unalloyed. Save many even those who have served and wandered forth faith.
And I think you can feel it, Paul would love to be there. Paul probablyy wondering does this timid, apprentice have what it takes. All Paul can say spend yourslf liek aI spent myself for the gospel and ma ready to depart, But TImothy, Church of Epeshsus - here’s the difference maker and the reason for hope - GRACE BE WITH YOU ALL!
give life -so will preserve and maint life, sustain TImothy through every moment… Example of Christ = Christ has the witness par excellant - X’s done what’s asking Timothy to do =
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
Not just awesome witness, aswesome CHARGE = command = ministerial to uphold the FAITH - do what Paul did
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
SUms up to "watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" (). It also involved Paul's other admonitions: "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care" (6:20a) and "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us" (). Timothy was to cleave to his calling until the return of Christ ("the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ"), which could happen at any time.
C. Benediction: "
D. Riches the right way for the gospel in Ephesus = not to people who want to get rich, but to those who are already rich… vs. arorgance, exalted thoughts, HAUGHTY
The Puritan Cotton Mather, alarmed by the trend toward materialism in New England society, made this statement in his famous book Magnalia Christi Americana: "Religion begat prosperity and the daughter devoured the mother." Mather was noting a common, though not inevitable, effect of Christianity. Authentic conversion to Christ so changes people's lives that bad habits fall away, and they become better workers and managers as they live out the Scriptures, resulting in economic prosperity. But tragically, in many cases the new prosperity and material wealth devour the same Christianity that gave them birth - especially in the second or third generations.
This cannibalism by prosperity, so to speak, has haunted God's people throughout history. The apostolic church itself was not exempt, especially in centers like Ephesus. When Christianity came to Ephesus, it was already a rich city, one of the wealthiest in the ancient world. Quite naturally some of the Ephesian converts were "rich in this present world" (v. 17). Some, in fact, were wealthy slave owners (cf. 6:2). And Christianity went on to make them even richer as they abandoned wasteful excesses, managed their households better, and profited from the hard work of converted slaves. As a result the jaws of prosperity opened wide, ready to devour a fresh harvest of the rich.
"A kind heart as well as a generous hand is demanded of the rich."
Context of wealthy homes, offered for gospel koinonia as read aloud in the wealthy Ephesian homes - to the well-to-do host elders and to their mixed congregations of wealthy masters and poor slaves. We can imagine that in some of those wealthy homes there were those who took a long, painful look at themselves and repented. They turned away from the arrogance of wealth, became more humble, and apologized to their brothers and sisters. They likewise turned from hoping in their wealth and placed their hope in God. And they gave generously from both hand and heart toward the welfare of needy members of the Body of Christ. = Gospel gaurded not embellished!
Calvin wisely remarked, "A man's opportunities to do good to others increase with the abundance of his riches." Awesome opportunity lies before our affluent generation as we enter a new millennium - "to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share."
Deposit : Leo in 5th century: Calvin wisely remarked, "A man's opportunities to do good to others increase with the abundance of his riches." Awesome opportunity lies before our affluent generation as we enter a new millennium - "to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." emember that his duty is not to himself but to the truth and to his children and his children's children. If in our day the church is weakened and enfeebled by inattention to the deposit, if in our day Christian ethics are more and more melded into the world because of neglect of the deposit, if in our day the Christian faith is distorted by attempts to make it culturally relevant, we would not be the only losers, but also our children and their children. We must guard the deposit. The apostolic urgency has not diminished.