Jesus Christ our hope!
Life as the Church: Book of 1Timothy • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:16:33
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Life as the Church
Life as the Church
We were created to worship, fellowship, grow and go together. We start today an amazing journey through 1 & 2nd Timothy, well, Titus after that too. There is so much we can learn about life as the church in these books.
Background stuff:
Author: Paul (1Tim1:1)
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1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,
Recipient: Timothy (1Tim1:2)
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2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Date: Believed about AD65
This would have been after Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome, he had spent time in Ephesus and left Timothy there and went on to Macedonia
From: Believed Macedonia to Timothy in Ephesus (1Tim1:3)
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3 As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines,
Purpose
To warn against false teachers, doctrine
False teachers, false doctrine (teaching) were infiltrating the church then, and still do today so there is much we can learn from the scripture. Paul is trying to equip and energize Timothy while warning him.
To establish guidelines for the church
Instructions regarding prayer for all people
Qualifications for elders, deacons, servants of Jesus Christ.
To instruct, encourage regarding conduct as the church
Good servants
Treatment of members and widows, elders, masters
About error and greed, warnings about riches and guarding your faith.
Paul is writing to Timothy his young protege and does not spend much time in introduction and gets to the heart of the matter right away. He did not need to get into building up to what he wanted to say, Timothy had a relationship with him so little groundwork was needed for what he wanted to convey.
The books of Timothy and Titus are not without challenges while they are dubbed “the pastoral epistles” which took heart in 18th century there are critics who believe that they were not written by Paul, but someone after the fact due to the different nature of the epistles compared to his other letters. These letters along with Philemon are personal to people not to churches (though we are using for us to learn about conduct as the church in this series).
Paul is not taking on the Apostolic authority role here and commanding, but the pastoral role here in caring and instructing.
(Transition) He starts off right from the beginning with what we are going to focus on today, Jesus Christ is our hope, for without that we all would be eternally hopeless.
So, now, for today when we think of Jesus Christ is our hope we turn to many places in scripture and see the following.
He is our hope for forgiveness of sins
He is our hope for reconciliation with God
He is our hope for conduct in the church (Holy living)
He is our provision for daily living
He is our hope, our victory over death.
While the term “Jesus Christ our hope” is only used one other time in scripture
27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
It is found in other early writings.
“Be of good cheer in God the Father and in Jesus Christ our common hope.” - Ignatius
“Let us therefore preserve in our hope and the earnest of our righteousness, who is Jesus Christ.” Polycarp
(Transition)
So let’s get into it now: Jesus Christ is our hope:
Our hope for forgiveness
Our hope for forgiveness
Man has a problem, scripture points it out. But God sent Jesus as our hope, our solution to man’s problem
Man’s problem- Sin
All have sinned (Rom3:23; 1Jn1:8-10)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
And in 1Jn it says, paraphrase that We are liars if we say we have not, do not sin, but if we admit, confess God is faithful to forgive us.
Sin’s consequences (Rom6:23)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(expand on that)
God’s solution, our hope, Jesus
Takes away sins (Jn1:29)
If you had a problem and someone offers a simple solution to the problem and points it out to you, what are you going to do. - John knows the problem and sees the solution and points it out. Or should I say points HIM out
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Redeems us, forgives us (Eph1:7)
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
(expand) riches of His grace!
Man’s response to hope offered (Mk16:16, Act2:38, 22:16; Rom6:3-6)
Repent, be baptized. Be baptized calling on His name
And then look, or be reminded of this passage.
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
Man’s continued sanctification (Act8:22, 1Jn1:7-9)
22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.
(expand) - repentance is not just a one time thing, it is for salvation, but for sanctification it is a continual thing.
7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Look out if not accepting God’s hope, God’s solution to man’s problem.
God’s warning (Jn8:24)
24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
(Transition) Jesus is our hope for salvation, hope for salvation from the guilt of our sin burden. Jesus is our hope for a reconciled relationship with God.
Our Hope for reconciliation
Our Hope for reconciliation
There is sin problem, sin solution and Jesus Christ is our hope for that solution and that brings us to a reconciled relationship with the Father.
Man’s longing, desire for fellowship with God.
Created by God for God to be in fellowship with God (Act17:26-28)
26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’
Man tries many ways to have fulfillment, oftentimes the wrong things (Ecc5:10)
Man tries to find fulfillment in money (Ecc5:10) and that is vanity as it status, position, possessions of any kind, if you want to check that out more read Ecclesiastes
Jesus, our hope, is the way, the only way to have fellowship
Christ is the only way (Jn14:6)
Just quote the above verse
Through Christ we come to know the Father (Jn14:7-9; Jn1:18)
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
We come to know God through the only Begotten Son of God, you know Jesus who is our hope (ref: Jn1:18)
Through Christ we are reconciled (2Cor5:18-20)
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Without Him there is no fellowship (close relationship) with the Father (1Jn2:23, 4:15)
23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.
add to that
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
(Transition) So without Jesus, our hope, there can be, is no relationship, fellowship with the Father.
Our Hope, our power
Our Hope, our power
Good people, the majority of the people want to be good people and want to live good lives doing good to family, friend and even employers and society in general.
We all fall short of it, today and in the world of yesterday too.
Worldly people want to live right, do right, give right.
“We hate our vices and love them at the same time - Seneca”
“We have not stood bravely enough by our good resolutions; despite our will and resistance we have lost our innocence. Nor is it only that we have acted amiss; we shall do so to the end.” - Seneca
Godly people even know the trouble of living Godly.
Paul’s description and struggle displayed (Rom7:21-24)
21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,
23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Paul described it like under the law. A prisoner to the law.
Struggle/conflict between flesh and the spirit (Gal5:16-17)
Check out this passage
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Peter denotes the warfare with fleshly lusts which wages war against the soul (1Pt2:11)
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
(Transition): when it comes to power for holy living, Jesus Christ is our hope.
Jesus Christ our hope for godly living
Freedom from law of sin and death (Rom8:2)
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
Power from the Spirit of God (Rom8:11-13)
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—
13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Power and strength to the inner man (Eph3:16, 20; Php4:13)
Ah, in paraphrase of Eph3:16 - God from the riches of His glory strength you in the inner man, more than you can think or ask (OK brought in Eph3:20 too)
Jesus, our hope, is God’s strength, God’s power to do all things in accordance to His will
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
(Transition) Jesus Christ our hope, our power and now look, our provision too.
Jesus our hope and provision
Jesus our hope and provision
In this life, our physical life there are many things we need, things that we even worry about and think that we need.
Jesus addresses this concern about worry for things we think we need (Mt6:31-32)
31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
We know here in the United States it is declared and report, “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” We want to be content, “if only I had . . . I would be content.”
We worry about food, clothing, jobs, relationships, we all want to have hope in “things” and Jesus who is our hope wants us to place our hope, our trust, our faith in Him.
Jesus is our only hope
The Father knows our needs (Mt6:32)
Jesus answers the need (Mt6:33-34; Mk10:28-30)
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
What is the promise here? These things added to you, what things? the needed things provided when we seek Him.
In Jesus there is hope, there is contentment, there is knowing God will supply all of our needs (Php4:11-12, 19)
contentment regardless of possessions or position, to have a lot or a little. Knowing that God’s riches in glory in Christ Jesus will supply all of my needs.
(Transition) Our hope, Christ Jesus gives us one more thing needed:
Our Hope for victory
Our Hope for victory
There is no avoiding it, death has entered the world and it has 100% impact on the world. But Christ Jesus is our hope over death.
Fear of death is common to man.
Some try to delay it, some try to avoid it
Some try to ignore it, or even to speak about it.
Jesus is our only hope
Jesus came to deliver us from sin and death (Heb2:14-15)
Proven by resurrection, promised in return (1The4:13-18)
Don’t be uninformed, have hope (v.13)
Believe Jesus died, and rose (v.14)
Rose and promised to come again (v.15)
Then look at the rest of this passage
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
(Transition) - Jesus Christ is our hope, do you have Jesus as your hope? Are you comforted by the words of God that give us our hope? Are you sharing these words of comfort with others.
(Invitation - Christ is our hope)
True hope, eternal hope is only found in Christ Jesus.
For He is the way to the Father
He is God’s perfect and acceptable sacrifice
His Spirit makes us aware of our sin, our separation and gives us the solution
The solution by confessing and repenting and surrendering to God’s work in Baptism
Then learning to follow His commands and walking in the hope of His love that is in you.
(Song) (Prayer)