Awaiting the Day

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Introduction:

You now that feeling when you wake up in a panic thinking your late for work. Only to look outside it’s still very dark. And then you look at the clock and it’s still the middle of the night and you have a few more hours before it’s time to get up.

But what happens when you look outside; it’s still dark feel like you’re ok and then look at the clock and it’s the afternoon.

That’s what happened in the bay area on September 10, 2020.

You all remember the day. It was weird…and if you are like me at all, you spent part or most of that day wondering…is this the end? Is Jesus coming back right now? Maybe you prayed a prayer and you prepared yourself.

Now obviously we’re still here over a year later. And that event was local to northern california.....not the whole world. We just got a little taste of what that day might be like.

But we continue to wait.

Transition to the Text: Turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 6:11-21.

Today we conclude Paul’s 1st letter to Timothy and his instructions for how Timothy is to lead in the church of God.

Starting in September we saw that the 2 major themes were this passing of the torch from Paul’s generation to Timothy’s.

In October we saw how the shift to an emphasis on what the church is supposed to do and that is serve with all your heart.

Now we shift to some eschatology. They were dealing with the same questions as we are....when is Jesus coming back. Paul’s emphasis is on what will you do while you wait?

Introduce:

Authentic Principle: Be WISE as you await the RETURN of Jesus.

Read:

1 Timothy 6:11–21 (ESV)

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

12 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.

13 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,

14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

19 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.

20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”

21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.

Authentic Principle: Be WISE as you await the RETURN of Jesus.

1. Pick your battles. (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

Explanation: So often, as Christians we feel like we have to always be fighting. Fighting for the less fortunate. Fighting for sound doctrine. Fighting persecution . Fighting for our rights in society. And because we feel like we are always fighting, everything seems like a fight worth having or a fight we have to have.

Sometimes in our lives we believe that we have to be strong especially when it comes to temptation. We like to play dangerously close to the fire believing that we are strong enough to overcome.

However, sometime the best thing to do is run. Flee these things. Sometimes it’s fleeing people so that you don’t react in anger in the moment.

You don’t always have to fight. And in fact, standing to fight when you should really run can ultimately lead you to losing the right fight.

previously in chapter 6, Paul encourages Timothy to fight for contentment in your life. Flee discontent at all costs. Fight for sound doctrine. Fight the temptation to compromise.

In vs. 12, Paul says Fight the good fight of the faith. What is the good fight? He just told us in vs. 11. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. These are the things you should fight for.

And notice that these are character qualities. Because so much of what is worth fighting for is happening within us. And so much of what is trying to destroy us waging it’s war within.

Romans 7:23 ESV

23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

James 4:1 ESV

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

Illustration: In football, as much as I hate it, sometimes it’s better to punt and go on the defensive so you can be in a better position to go on the offensive.

In war, sometimes retreat is not defeat, but an opportunity to regroup and come back stronger.

Application: For Timothy, Paul is saying, flee from a desire to be rich. perhaps even a desire to be popular. To have influence. To be appreciated.

Paul says flee those things and focus on what matters.

Are their fights you need to flee from?

2. Serve God while you wait for heaven. (1 Timothy 6:13-16)

Explanation: Paul then tells Timothy to live in light of eternity by giving Timothy a charge to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach (the same word Paul used in 3:2 as the principle qualification of being an overseer (elder/pastor). Which is then followed by that list of qualifications that explain what it means to be above reproach:

the husband of one wife,

sober-minded,

self-controlled,

respectable,

hospitable,

able to teach, 3 

not a drunkard,

not violent but gentle,

not quarrelsome,

not a lover of money.

4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 

6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

All of these things are involved in what Paul is charging Timothy to do.

And Paul gives him a timeline: until eternity. Forever. Never stop. Never give up. Never get lazy.

And just to make it so much serious, he charges Timothy in the presence of God, who gives life to all things and of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession before Pontius pilate.

And what was that good confession? Jesus didn’t say a lot of Pilate, but what he did say is powerful: “My kingdom is not of this world.”

So often many of us live for this world without thinking about eternity.

Even in Paul’s other letters there is this theme of the future heavenly dwelling.

For Timothy, his call was to be a pastor until Jesus returned or eternity took him.

Put Paul also says, guess what, you don’t know when the hour is coming. So be ready.

But another thing is important to know…no one will miss Jesus. When he appears, you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is the One you’ve been waiting for. There will be no doubt.

He who is blessed and only sovereign, the king of kings and the Lord of lords who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

This is a beautiful doxology.

Illustration: We can get so caught up in living in this life. And perhaps you can be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good which is why Paul gives instructions for how people ought to operate in the family of God.

Application: Think about what you do everyday. The routines we get into. How much of what you do will carry on into eternity?

Now don’t be too hard on yourself, there are things that happen that change eternity and we don’t even know it.

The butterfly effect in full effect. Who knows if one seemingly meaningless act of kindness may not be used by God for enteral purposes. But let’s not get in the way.

Let’s also keep the commandment (Love Another) unstained and irreproachable.

3. Be generous with your time, talents and treasure. (1 Timothy 6:17-21)

Explanation: As Paul closes out his letter, he returns again to the topic of wealth. What is it with this guy?!

Timothy is now to charge the rich in this present age, to not be haughty nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

He reminds Timothy that true riches are to do good works, to be generous and ready to share.

True riches, again, are about storing up treasure in heaven so that you can take hold of that which is truly life.

The antidote to a life focused on money is to be generous. And not just generosity with your money, with your time and talents.

So while you await Jesus’ return, be generous.

The poet C.T. Studd said it best: "Only one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last"

Illustration: In 2012, I was on a mission trip to Los Angeles and were visiting the homeless. We were talking with this one guy and he was telling his story. He told us he hadn’t eaten that day so we offered to buy him lunch. But he asked if it was ok for him to split the food with a friend. While being, himself, hungry he wanted to be generous with what little he had.

It reminds me of the story of the widow.

Mark 12:41–44 ESV

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Application: So often we think of generosity as giving money. Now don’t get me wrong, money is important and I don’t want to downplay the importance of giving financially.

But let’s be honest, sometimes it’s easier to write a check than give up sleep, a Saturday or a week of work to go on a mission trip.

Serving in leadership position at church over a long period of time.

Response: What are you doing while you await the return of Jesus?

Summation:

Closing Illustration:

Today is Reformation Sunday as the anniversary of Martin Luther stood up against the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. As a result the reformation started and a return to true worship of God. With one man, it ignited a fire that spread to the ends of the earth.

Many told him to be quiet or just try to reform from within. He did try. But when the time came to stand for God or fear man, Martin Luther feared God.

His famous words, “He I stand, I can do no other.” Hier stehe Ich, Ich kann nicht anders."

Today is also Halloween. Some will say, we shouldn’t celebrate it. Others will say it is harmless fun.

There is a quote from Martin Luther that applies as well:

“The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn.”

What better way to drive out the devil than to use today as a means of calling people to Jesus.

Halloween is a time when even secular people are thinking about spiritual things.

Use spiritual realities to point people to Jesus.

This morning, I wonder how many of you are thinking about eternity. Especially if you are an unbeliever. Are you living for today only or is there a part of you that worries about what happens next?

The truth is, most of us, even Christians, don’t think much about eternity until we are on the doorstep. We are distracted by so many things.

But Jesus is coming back. The question is will you be ready.

Perhaps it’s a good time to remind ourselves of the goodness of God who saved us not based on anything we’ve done, but based on what Jesus has done.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Let us look forward to eternal life.

Jesus died for your sins and my sins because He loves His own people and will spend eternity with us in heaven.

How often do you consider your eternal destiny? if you were to die today, would you go to heaven? god wants you to and he made a way.

If that’s you, today I want to guide you in a prayer of confession and repentence. There is nothing magical about this prayer. If you don’t believe it, it won’t matter.

But if you are wondering if this is all there is and you are feeling the Holy Spirit calling you to somehting more, you can use this prayer to start your own prayer.

God, I’m tired of living for a life that will never satisfy. I’m ready to live my life now for you as I wait for eternity.

I confess my sin to you as the one I have offended. Knowing that I deserve your wrath I look to the cross of Jesus as He took my sin and died in my place. Because of this, I know your wrath is satisfied.

Cleanse me of my lingering sinfulness and help me to live for you from this day forward as I follow Jesus and shine His light through words and actions to a desperate world that needs His peace.

In Jesus name Amen.

Week 10 of 2020-2021 Sermon Series: Authentic

Servant Hearts: Awaiting the Day

1 Timothy 6:11-21

Authentic Principle: Be WISE as you await the RETURN of Jesus.

1. Pick your BATTLES. (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

2. SERVE God while you WAIT for heaven. (1 Timothy 6:13-16)

3. Be GENEROUS with your time, talents and treasure. (1 Timothy 6:17-21)

Response: What are you doing while you AWAIT the return ofJesus?

Opening Discussion:

How often do you think about when Jesus will return? What does it look like to be ready for Jesus’ return?

Sermon:

How does Paul describe the actions of the “Man of God?” (This certainly applies to women as well.)

What does Paul say about the return (or appearing) of Jesus?

What should Timothy (and us by extension) do while he waits for eternity?

What are Paul’s final instructions for the “rich in this present age?” Why do you think Paul continues to come back discussing the actions and attitudes of the wealthy?

What does true riches look like?

What is the deposit entrusted to Timothy? (See 1 Timothy 4:14)

Why is it so important to “Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions” prevalent in the church?

Application:

What battles are you picking that maybe you should let go? Is there anything getting in the way of your faith?

How can you stay vigilant as you await for Jesus’ return or eternity? How can we too heed the words of Paul to Timothy?

How much does the temptation to seek riches affect you? How can Paul’s words serve as a good reminder to keep free from the “love of money?”

How can keeping the main thing the main thing help us to “avoid irreverent babble and contradictions?”