The Good Servant (Part 1)

Last week, we discussed the problem of false teaching and the way that false teaching leads people to a distorted view of God. Inevitably that false view of God will not line up with what people see and experience in life. When that happens they leave the faith. But the problem is that they are not really leaving the true faith and the true Christ. They are just rejecting the God of the false teaching. The problem is they don’t realize that and they never give really consider the Christ of the true gospel. False teaching has devastating consequences.

So, Paul contrasts what a false teacher looks like and accomplishes now with with a faithful servant and teacher of the gospel looks like and accomplishes. Because it takes good servants, faithful to the gospel to strengthen the church to persevere in a world with so much false teaching.

If Timothy is going to be true to the gospel, then Timothy has to be shaped by the gospel. That’s why we called this series in 1 Timothy, Gospel Formed. If we are going to be useful servants, we must be shaped by the gospel. For that to happen the Gospel needs to be the most significant influence on who you are and how you see the world.

+You are who you are in large degree because of what you allow to influence you. Some of those things that you can control, others you can’t. Your parents influenced you, whether you accepted their beliefs or rejected them. Whether or not you were raised under a religious system influences you. What you read influences you. The type of tv, movies, and images you watch influences the degree that you struggle with lust. Job understood this, which is why he said:

Job 31:1 ESV

1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?

The friends you keep influences you. Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:33.

1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV

33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

The podcasts you listen to infuences the way you think. The preachers and teachers you listen to will influence your worldview. The Holy Books that you read and take as authoritative will influence who you become.

*A few weeks ago when Ravi Zacharias died, I listened to an interview by Kayleigh McEnany, the new White House press secretary, speaking about the influence that he had on her life. She speaks to how the Word of God influenced Ravi Zacharias and how Ravi Zacharias influenced her.

(Watch Video)- The Bible influenced Ravi and gave him and reason for living. Ravi with the Word influenced how Kayliegh believes about who God is and what truth is.

If you are going to be who God created you to be, believe what is truth, and impact others the way God intends. The Word of God and people who have been influenced by the word of God should be the greatest influences in your life.

So, to be a good servants of the Lord, you must be gospel influenced.

2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

I. Gospel Influenced (vv.6-10)

A. In Truth (vv. 6-7)

1 Timothy 4:6–7 ESV

6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;

We must be “trained in words of faith and the good doctrine.” Christians must be people of the book. Our truth is a truth that we get out of a book that was given to us God breathed.

What that means is that we have objective truth that God intends us to know about him. What God wants to know about him he has shown us in the person of Christ. And, he has recorded the work of Christ in the Bible. The whole Bible unfolds to point to the person and work of Christ to save sinners.

After his resurrection, Jesus spoke to two disciples that were confused about what had happened with the death of Christ. They didn’t recognize him in his resurrection body. But he taught them about who he was. Listen, how he did it.

Luke 24:25–27 ESV

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

He taught those disciples concerning who he was a Savior and Lord, through the Bible.

Here’s why this is important. God is not a subjective figment of our imagination. If you listen to the average person talk about God, it is clear they are just making up what they think is true about God. Some will say, “There is no God.” Others will say, “Ok…God created everything and then he took his hands off the wheel and doesn’t bother himself with our issues.” Others will say, “God wants to give you houses and cars and the best that this world has to offer.” The problem is that God is not whatever we want or think him to be. If God is a real, our notions of who we would like God to be has no bearing on who he really is.

Then how do we know about who God is? He has revealed himself to us in the person of Christ and in the Bible. This tells us what we need to know about who we are and why we are here.

What’s are purpose in life? Most guess to find as much pleasure as possible before we die?

What is true about man? In man basically good or basically evil? It depends on who you ask.

If God exists, is he good, evil, or capricious, like the gods we read about in Greek Mythology?

What is God to do with us? Does he want us to know him or not? If so, how are we to know him.

Is there a such thing as justice in this world. If so, how do we know what it is?

The answers to these questions is what we call doctrine. It is the truths of God revealed in his word. And, the only way to know these things is to submit to the authority of Scripture and commit yourself to knowing it.

Paul tells Timothy to be trained “in these words of faith and good doctrine.” (v.6)

How do we do that? This is why preaching and teaching has a central place in the worship of Evangelical Christians. It is why we place the pulpit in the center of the worship center and not to the side, because it is the center piece of worship. It’s why so much of our ministries are centered first around Bible teaching. It’s why we have Sunday School curriculum, study through books in men’s and womens’ Life Groups. It’s why we teach the Bible to our children in Family Worship. If we misunderstand who God is, then every thing else will be wrong from there.

That’s why he tells Timothy to avoid irreverent, silly myths that were circulating around and being taught by false teachers. Stick with Christ and the Book!

But, our faith doesn’t in being trained in truth. Being trained in truth affects who we are. It leads to our growth in godliness.

B. In Godliness (v. 8)

We can see a connection between the two in one of the first passages I learned as a child was Psalm 119:11

Psalm 119:11 ESV

11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Paul actually encourages us to train in godliness.

1 Timothy 4:7–8 ESV

7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

The word “train” tell us something about the experience. The word “train” here means exactly what you think it does. It means “to discipline oneself or control yourself.” “Make yourself obey.”

When you hear you are going to have to be trained for something, what do you know immediately? 1)This is not going to be easy. 2) It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s something that I’m going to have to work at on an ongoing basis in order to achieve.

Paul relates it here to training your body. Olympians train their whole lives often for one shot at glory. Since most of us are not Olympians I’m going to go another way with it. “How many of you have ever tried to lose weight?” It’s not easy. It’s not like you can go to the Lord and ask, “God, I’d like for you to take away 30lbs. And God says, “Sure.” And you wake up needing smaller pants.” No. God will help us but it is going to require some action on our part.

Recently I’ve lost between 20-25 lbs. What I learned in the process is my body doesn’t like to obey. It doesn’t like to be disciplined. It likes to sit on the couch and watch TV. It likes to eat ice cream and play golf. It does not like to lift weights, run, and eat less. But, when I do that training there is value to be gained. I feel better. And, I fit in smaller pants.

Paul makes the point. If we will work that hard for the value of losing a measly 20lbs, how much harder should we work for the value being godly! Paul says, godliness has greater value and bodily training because it has value for this life and for the next.

+So, if our workouts are more intentional than our quiets times we have things upside down. Maybe working out isn’t your thing, if you will work harder to make a dollar than to know God and live for his glory you have things upside down. If you will work hard to raise children than to know God, you have somethings upside down. All those things are good and hard and require training. Nothing will ever give you a larger payoff than training for godliness.

Just like losing weight is simple, moving more and eating less. Training in godliness is simple. It’s time in the word. It’s consistent prayer. It’s scripture memory. It’s journaling, fasting etc. What works for you. Get a plan and stick with it.

C. With Hope (vv. 9-10)

1 Timothy 4:9–10 ESV

9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 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.

What motivates us to consistent training in truth and godliness? Our lives are grounded in a relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s because we believe what the Bible says about people. The Bible teaches that we are made in the image of God, but sin has made us rebels and enemies with God. It has separated us from God and bring physical and spiritual death. And, while our bodies will die our souls don’t have to.

Because God is a God who is just and must judge sin. But he is also a God of mercy and love. So much so that God sent his Son, god himself, to enter into humanity. He lived a perfect life on our behalf to earn the righteousness for us needed to live forever in relationship with holy God. God still enforced justice, but he did it by placing our sin on his son. Jesus died our death so that we could live his life. And, he rose again showing us that in him is true life for this life and the one to come.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

We know that our living God is a Savior! He is a Savior for all people, especially those who believe.

Here’s what that means. Remember that I told you that God is who he is regardless of what anyone thinks about him?

*Let’s say you had a King a land who came from the proper lineage. The bloodline and success was in order and he was installed according to the rules of the land. He is the king. The question now becomes are the people going to submit to his authority. He’s especially the King to those who bow the knee, but he’s still the King of those who don’t.

Jesus is the world’s Savior. He’s the world’s King. He’s the only way to be made right with God. He’s the Savior of all people, especially those who believe and find forgiveness and eternal life. And for those who don’t, he’s still the only Savior they will ever have.

He is our hope. And because he is be toil and strive to know his truth and to live in vibrant on going relationship with him.

The influences of Truth, Godliness, and Hope shapes us to be the Good Servants of God.

II. Gospel Influencers (vv.11-16)

A. Through Conduct (vv. 11-12)

B. Through Worship (v.13)

C. Through Devotion (vv. 14-16)