I Timothy Sermon Notes

 

I Timothy – “The Good Fight”

“The Good Fight” – Part 14

Text: 1 Timothy 6:11-21

Date: 4/9/17

“Catching the Vision”

As Paul finishes the letter, he gives an “eyes on me” type of instruction (as if to say, be sure and catch this).

Intro:

(Read verses 11-21)

I. Catch the Vision of What’s Real

A. There are real dangers to run from

• Previous verses
• Rationalization of carnal appetites
• Allowing discontent to bring harmful lusts

He says to run!

B. There are better things to pursue (v.11)

• It means a relentless, dogged hunt on the trail of something
• Righteousness
• Godliness
• Faith
• Love
• Patience
• Gentleness

The Holy Spirit in us begins to produce this type of fruit IF WE LET Him

C. There is agony in the struggle (v.12)

• “Agonizomai” (the word we get “agony” from)
• There is much agonizing when we commit to doing what’s right (internal struggle)

D. We are accountable to the Sovereign King (v.13-16). His priorities are to be our priorities

II. Catch the Vision of What Can Be

Re-read 17-19

Ephesus was an affluent city. We too live with the trappings of affluence

2 thoughts about catching the vision of what “can be”:

A. Reject the spirit of self-sufficiency

• He says, God gives to us richly
• We are blessed by Him

B. Embrace the joy of building an eternal portfolio

• Storing up for eternity
• Balanced approach (good works AND giving money)

III. Catch the Vision of What You Possess

Re-read 20-21

A. We possess a treasure-the truth is priceless!

B. Let the treasure change you

“Just because you own a Bible doesn’t mean you’ve appropriated its truth into your life”

C. Guard the treasure

• Be diligent and stubborn regarding to the treasure
• There’s always someone offering a cheap substitute for the real thing
• Paul already mentioned those that suffered shipwreck in doing so back in 1:19
• Ephesus was the city of Heraclitus back in 500 BC with the philosophical teaching of “logos”
• For the early church, Gnosticism offered false teaching disguised as special knowledge (v.20)
• For us now, Postmodernism offers a philosophy that sounds advanced, but it’s just old heresies repackaged. (Postmodern quote and explanation of its basic premises)
• We must guard the truth within our own lives
• When we make decisions-family, education, media, vocation, service, conversations

Catch the vision of eternity!

______________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 13

Text: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Date: 4/2/17

“Contentment is Gain”

Intro:

(Personal story-illustration)

(Read verses 6-10)

I. Contentment is Gain (v.6-8)

A. Godliness is the FIRST word

• Heart toward God
• A general disposition and attitude of godliness

B. It frames life and directs the eye (edits out and focuses our attention)

• What’s important (v.7)
• Helps identify needs versus wants (v.8)

C. The gain is a quality of life that can’t be bought

• It IS the prize, not a byproduct
• It IS the place of rest, not a description attached to destination

Second, he also mentions:

II. Discontentment is Loss (9-10)

Re-read 9-10

There’s an old movie titled “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Discontentment is a “car wreck named desire”.

• “Desire” is the key word
• Desire for wealth AND what it promises to bring
• “Love” in verse 10 is connected to “desire” in verse 9 (motive and attitude)
• “The fundamental question isn’t “What do you have?”, but “What do you want?” – Charles Swindoll
• Wealth is not the problem, it’s the desire for the security, affirmation, and pleasure it promises

A. It’s a slippery slope (v.9)

• Desire opens new temptations
• Temptations lead to unforeseen snares
• Our judgment is affected (foolishness) and we ignore warnings (v.9)

B. The final state of discontentment is being overcome

• Drowning in a sea of destruction (v.9)
• Choked out by evil “kudzu” (with a taproot of desire)

III. The Decision is Ours

Read Phil. 4:11

• I have “learned”
• It’s not automatic, but a learning process
• It’s not complacency or indifference

Read on…Phil. 4:12-13

• Paul had made a decision about the way he viewed life
• He was going to be content because of Christ in him
• He still strived daily for excellence and productivity but there were 2 settled things in his heart:

A. There was going to be Gratefulness

• We begin to see the blessings
• We begin to be satisfied

B. There was going to be Generousness

• Ours becomes less “ours”
• Others begin to have more value

IV. Conclusion

It’s not about what we have, it’s about what we want!

______________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 12

Text: 1 Timothy 6:1-5

Date: 3/26/17

“Submission”

Intro:

From the beginning of human history, pride has been an ugly part of the story.

• The first murder involved pride (Cain’s)
• The Tower of Babel was also an issue of pride (we’ll make a name for ourselves)

In the story of the Hebrews, submission to God was to be the centerpiece of their life:

(2 Chronicles 7:11-16)

In I Timothy 6, Paul turns his attention to submission:

(Read verses 1-5)

The tough truth is:

I. Submission isn’t our natural way

A. We prefer to think of ourselves as being in-charge

• From an early age
• Stages of adolescence (some adults still there)

B. The Lord desires hearts that choose to submit

Read 1 Peter 5:5-7

• Peter knew about pride and humility
• Mighty hand of God (trust Him) (v.6)
• He exalts the humble in due time (v.6)

Second, he also mentions:

II. Submission to the authority of people (v.2)

(quick description of “bond-service” and slavery in 1^st Century)

• Harder concept because people are imperfect
• We have to set-aside whether they’re worthy (or not)
• We do it as a display of submission to God

A. Non-Christian authority (boss, etc.)

• As a representation of Christ
• Giving honor may simply be showing grace (unmerited favor)

B. Christian Authority

• Don’t lessen the effort
• Don’t lower the level of respect

III. Submission to the authority of God’s word

A. Decide to embrace the Bible’s authority

B. Listen only to teachers who teach the full counsel of God’s word

C. Wholesomeness and godliness should be the hallmark of our approach

IV. Conclusion

Submission is a choice, because it ultimately involves the will.

______________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 11

Text: 1 Timothy 5:3-25

Date: 3/19/17

“Honor”

Intro:

What does “honor” mean?

There are many different definitions. For example:

• To show respect
• To give a reward
• To grant a request

In the next verses, the word is used to construct some general guidelines in the church.

Read verses 3-16

I. Honoring True Widows

A. The honor of the individual

• A system was in place to take care of widows (“the Number” or “the List”)
• A woman in the official office of “widow” (on the list) took a vow of service to the fellowship (according to early church writings) and was sustained by the congregation
• Concern for their long-term well-being (not putting them into a position to renege on their vow when an opportunity to remarry comes along)

B. The honor of the fellowship

• Having standards in place displays proactive thoughts (value) (God-ordained)
• Applying the standards without partiality shows integrity
• The goal is always to honor Christ in the process (with love)

Second is:

II. Honoring Elders

Read v.17-25

A. The honor of the individual

• Respect-formally recognized and ordained (set-apart) (5:22, Titus 1:5)
• Teaching Elders-given honorarium (Ox quote from the Old Testament Law of not denying an Ox the chance to eat some of the grain as he pulls the threshing board) (v.18)
• Accusations are to be considered only if there are two or more witnesses (not gossip) (v.19)
• Elders are to be given a chance to face their accusers (v.20)

B. The honor of the fellowship

• No partiality (v.21)
• Don’t be hasty to ordain or restore (v.22)
• Time will tell (v.24-25)

III. Conclusion

A. People are top priority with God

B. It’s always right to do right

C. If we value Him, we’ll value what His word says

________________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 10

Text: 1 Timothy 5:1-2

Date: 3/12/17

“Healthy Relationships”

Intro:

In his book “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23”, Phillip Keller describes his sheep compared to his neighbor’s.

• His were healthy and thriving
• The neighbor’s were sickly and thin
• Same species of sheep, geography, weather and natural resources
• The difference was their care
• He worked hard to create a healthy environment (and the sheep thrived)
• The neighbor was neglectful (and his sheep were unhealthy)

Paul gives another “guiding principle” for the church In I Timothy 5:1-2:

-Read verses 1-2

• The Pastor is to lead by example regrading treatment of members
• The church is to incorporate verse 1 into the DNA of the church

Like the shepherd’s description of the effort it takes for healthiness with sheep, there is effort for healthiness with relationships in a church. First,

I. The Worthiness of Healthy Relationships

A. Value People

• The descriptions are family terms, Father, Mother, Brother, Sister
• Read 1 John 4:7-11
• Love and respect

B. Value Relationships – “The sum is greater than the parts”

Second:

II. Initiative of Healthy Relationships

A. Starts with my thinking (1 John 4:9)

(Proactive love begins in my thoughts-I can’t wait for the feeling)

B. Followed by my actions

(once my mind is right, I need to act)

III. The Selflessness of Healthy Relationships

Revisit the text (verses 1-2)

There are both positive and negative directives

A. The Negative – “it’s not about me”

• Even for those in positions of authority, “it’s not about me”
• Exhort as Father, Mother, Brother, Sister
• There is a mindfulness and desire for “Christlikeness”

B. The Positive – “it’s all about others” – The bigger picture, not petty self-centered things

Lastly,

IV. The Expectation of Healthy Relationships

A. God expects it of us (re-read I John 4:7-11) The scripture mandates an attitude of love. He’s not asking or making a suggestion, He’s commanding it.

B. We should expect it of ourselves (taking ownership)

C. We should expect it of each other (healthy peer-pressure)

Closing Questions:

1. “What’s your level of health regarding relationships?”
2. “What can be better in your relationships?”

________________________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 9

Text: 1 Timothy 4:13-16

Date: 3/5/17

Intro:

-Read verses 13-16

I want to start with a story Jesus told. In Matthew 25, he described 3 servants getting sums of money from their master to hold in trust while he was gone.

The “Talent” was a denomination of currency, that represented the value of 20 years’ wages for a man.

• 1^st servant received 5
• 2^nd servant received 2
• 3^rd servant received 1

While the master was gone, they had to decide what to do with it.

• 1^st invested the 5 and made 5 more
• 2^nd invested the 2 and made 2 more
• 3^rd buried his 1 for safe keeping

When the master returned, he complimented the first 2 and rewarded them, but the 3^rd he spoke harsh words to, and punished.

The story of the “talents” is the “5-2-1 principle” and it begs the question, “What do we do with what we have?”.

Paul first mentions 3 things in verse 13 for Timothy to give attention to

• Reading (public reading of the scripture since many were illiterate)
• Exhortation (to coach along and motivate)
• Doctrine (explain and connect-the-dots)

Obviously, this was directed to Timothy personally, but was also meant for all disciples. Each of us have a ministry (certain influence and opportunity).

He next mentions 3 things I would like for us to look at today,

I. The Gift (v.14) – “charisma” – literally “a gracious gift of God”

• “The gift” is the enabling of God for us to apply verse 13 in our own personal ministry (it’s the “talent”)
• Not necessarily any ability as much as the “graces of the Spirit”-empowering and fruit (Gal. 5:22-23)
• Before any focus on “skillset”, there needs to be a focus on “mindset”
• A mind properly oriented is incredibly useful in the hands of Almighty God

Question: How can I invest what/who I am?

Second,

II. The Focus (v.15)

A. Actively pursue the things in verse 13

• Reading the word
• Asking “How can I encourage-coach along someone?”
• Asking “How can I learn to connect-the-dots for myself and others?”

B. Commit to it – “give yourself entirely to it”

• w/ Timothy (personally and vocationally)
• w/ everyone else-(daily circles ministry)

C. Don’t be afraid to take risks “evident to all”

III. The Benefits

“If we continue in them” (on-going consistency)

A. “Yourself” – you will be the one to have additional “talents” to show w/the Holy Spirit’s empowering to produce fruit.

“B. Your hearers” – Those you minister to and invest in, will also become fruitful

IV. Conclusion

“Don’t neglect the gift”

Closing Question: “What is your ministry?”

__________________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 8

Text: 1 Timothy 4:12

Date: 2/26/17

(Note: This was a special service. The sermon portion was brief as the beginning of the Covenant activities.)

Intro:

As part of our church’s Covenant Sunday Celebration, let’s take a brief look verse 12.

-Read-

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” I Timothy 4:12 NKJV

There are two goals to be discussed regarding this verse:

Second, is to lead our church to teach, preach and expect these of ourselves:

I. My goal as Pastor is to personally follow and practice it

A. Personal words

B. I need your daily prayer to do so

Second,

II. To teach, preach and expect it of us as a church

A. In Word

(Ephesians 4:15 “speaking the truth in love”-everything we do should be truthful and based on the truth “in love”.)

B. In Conduct

• Public and private
• 360 degree assessment

C. In Love

• The right kind of love
• God’s love
• Selfless love
• Guard against a clique mentality

D. In Spirit

• The fire within
• Actively seeking it and not hindering it

E. In Faith

• Believing God (Abraham-Romans 4:3)
• It’s about trust!

F. In Purity

• Mind (clean thoughts)
• Heart (what lives there)
• Body (lifestyle)

(End of the sermon, begin Covenant portion)

______________________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 7

Text: 1 Timothy 4:7-11

Date: 2/19/17

Intro:

“Reading the instructions” visual illustration (we can ignore the instructions and build something “creative”, but it won’t be the design of the creator)

Today, we’re looking at “godliness”. At this point, Paul zeroes in on a very specific principle. Godliness means:

• A reverence
• A “taking God seriously” attitude as described by Charles Swindoll
• A faith that actually means something

Let’s look at what he says:

Read 4:7-11

First,

I. Reject Worldly Fables (v.1)

• “Folk-theology” draws from many sources other than the Bible
• A recurring warning which highlights its importance (I Tim. 6:20, II Tim. 2:16, Titus 2:14)

In our day, there are many folk-theology ideas around. Here are some trouble spots:

A. View of God

• The worldly culture wants to reduce God down to a “Morgan Freeman” (Bruce Almighty film) or some other lesser form in order to define Him according to our preferences
• No! A proper view of God is a “high view” of God. The Bible records Isaiah, Ezekiel and John getting glimpses of God’s presence and they were all the same (as dead men). God isn’t a cosmic “cool guy”, He’s God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth!

B. Ideas about Heaven

• The worldly culture wants to teach ideas about heaven inconsistent with the Bible (books and movies that venture into things not in the scriptures or are contrary to the Bible)
• The stories themselves are inconsistent and are strangely void of anyone crossing over and glimpsing Hell
• Everything is Heaven (according to the Bible) is God-centered, not man-centered

C. Path to Heaven

• The worldly culture wants us to believe that Jesus is ok (even good), but not the only path
• It’s supremely important that we are not moved off-message about this. He is the only way (according to His own words-John 14:6) and it is a matter of eternal life and death whether belief is in Christ or not. Generic faith is acceptable in social life, but it isn’t redeeming faith!

D. Creation and the origin of man

The worldly culture teaches a literal six-day creation as the Bible records cannot be possible, and unfortunately many in the church (including theologians) have compromised to reconcile Darwinism with Christianity:

• Gap Theory
• Day/Age Theory
• Theistic Evolution
• Adam and Eve as allegorical characters

So, what difference does it make? My thinking affects the way I approach life.

• View of God-do I view Him as sovereign or something lesser? (which affects my attitude of being accountable to Him or not)
• Heaven and Hell-Do I really believe they are real places? (which affects my view of salvation and attitude toward evangelism)
• Path to Heaven-Do I believe Jesus is the only way? (which affects my view of everything He said/did/taught)
• Creation-Do I believe God created as the Bible says? (which affects my view of the definitions of sin/redemption/gender/marriage/family/abortion/race, etc.)

Second,

II. Discipline for Godliness

(A reverence, taking God seriously, and a faith that means something)

A. Godliness is profitable now and later (v.8)

• Present life
• Future life (and the multi-generation ripple effect of our life)

B. Godliness is superior to other pursuits (v.9)

• Many things are good regarding self-discipline, but the area of spiritual health tops the lists
• It’s something we should not be ashamed to promote (Paul’s emphasis-v.9)

C. Godliness is a process that is dependent on trusting God (v.10)

Paul uses an athletic word-picture, and in that theme:

• The Holy Spirit is our Coach providing wisdom and direction
• The Holy Spirit is our sports-trainer taping up spiritual ankles
• The Holy Spirit is our Counselor helping with our overall well-being

Lastly,

III. Making Disciples by Teaching Godliness

A. Original wording is an authoritative verb (with confidence, a humble conviction)

B. Wherever you have influence

• Home
• Work
• Sports

C. It’s in the best interest of all who hear

• Authentic godliness earns respect (not necessarily agreement) and presents an accurate gospel
• Godliness means a person carrying the answers to the “big questions” about life for those willing to see and hear

1. Conclusion

(Back to the introduction/illustration)

Are you looking at “the manual” (Bible) as the guide, or trying to create something different that the Creator describes? Godliness is what the book says…

_____________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 6

Text: 1 Timothy 4:1-6

Date: 2/12/17

Intro:

• There are many things life that are uncertain (like weather in Georgia, etc.)
• There are many things in life that are certain (death, taxes, traffic in ATL)

Paul gives us something in church life that is certain. There will be people choosing to believe false teaching. Let’s take a look:

Read 4:1-6

There is certainty:

• The Spirit
• Expressly (explicitly)
• Latter times (time between ascension and return)

What this means for us:

• We are to be aware (not just a bling hope for the best)
• We are to be diligent (proactive equipping by teaching the truth)

He gives us a pattern to familiarize ourselves with, and first is:

I. The Source (v.1)

A. Who? – deceptive spirits

1. We have a real spiritual enemy who is active, experienced and evil
2. The enemy’s method is almost never a frontal assault announcing their presence

• Deception (designed not to be easily identified)
• Plays on our personal weaknesses AND strengths

B. What? – demonic doctrine

Demonic doctrine is usually “half-truths” which are “whole-lies”.

• Often there are elements of truth in what is being said (such as Satan quoting scripture to Jesus in the wilderness) but the details are wrong, omitted or added
• In Ephesus there was an early form of Gnosticism (with asceticism) present in the church. Since asceticism involved self-denial, it probably sounded very pious and “advavnced”, but was really rooted in false teaching
• Paul often also dealt with Jewish background people in the church teaching that one must practice Judaism as a foundation of being a Christian

C. Today?

• Heretical teachings are still finding their way into the church, such as “universalism” and other culturally-driven theologies that do not agree with the Bible-we must be willing to address such false teaching

Second,

II. The Method (v.1-2)

A. There is a heeding (v.1)

• It’s the entertaining of ideas and thoughts not exactly Biblical
• Remember, it’s usually something that is “half true”
• Also, it’s designed to be deceptive, not announced

B. There is a searing (v.2)

• Literally means a “cauterizing” of the spiritual nerves, silencing their voice
• There is that moment of hesitation when a “check” or hesitation in our spirit happens (that’s the moment to stop, listen, pray, and question)
• The searing is pushing past the “check”. It’s like continuing to drive when the “check engine” warning light comes on, and never asking why it’s on. Sure, it may be nothing, but then again, it could be catastrophic for you or someone you love

C. The speaking (v.2)

• False teaching is evangelistic in nature and seeks an audience
• Growing numbers can give the false impression of “rightness”, but the amount of followers does not make something true (Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, etc.)

Lastly,

III. The Response (v.6)

A. Instruction

• In the family of God, we are to be about systematic instruction (not just random things)
• We are to be unapologetic about our basis of truth (the Bible)
• We must be willing to define some boundaries (the clear ones in scripture)

B. Nourishment

• Satan used the same method on Jesus in the wilderness, for example, there is nothing wrong with eating bread when you’re hungry, but the goal was to get Jesus to be disobedient
• We must decide that the Word of God is sufficient

C. Good doctrine

• Doctrine matters and shapes the way a person views/interacts with the world
• In the second letter, Paul calls the scriptures “God-breathed”. They are directly from Him and are not just good, but authoritative

IV. Conclusion

So, what does this mean for us today?

A. There is a certainty that the enemy will attack with deception and half-truth

• Individuals
• Families

B. The time to respond is when the spiritual “check engine” light comes on (not 1,000 miles down the road after the engine is blown)

C. We must be willing to respond according to God’s Word

• The proper demeanor
• Biblical authority
• Cognitive decision that God’s way is best

____________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 5

Text: 1 Timothy 3:1-16

Date: 2/5/17

Intro:

Personal story of the contrast between a mental image of something and the reality of it after seeing it in person. The concept of “deacons” can be the same way. There can be preconceived ideas (based on experience) instead of what the Bible specifically instructs us to do.

Today, we’re looking at “getting it right” concerning church leadership. We’ve previously looked at prayer and roles of men and women in worship, now leadership. First is:

I. Orderly Leadership

2 offices – (Not just 1 as Baptist often do with Deacons, but 2)

Read verses 1-7

Unfortunately, churches often elect their leadership based on wrong methods such as:

• Popularity among the people
• Position in non-church life
• Power-real or imagined

But Paul presents a process that looks different. He lays out a “proving”. We are to consider a person’s:

• Life in Christ (the walk)
• Life at home
• Life at church
• Life everywhere else
• Spiritual maturity

A. Qualified Elders (“Episkopos”-overseer)

1.The list of qualifications

• One-woman man (fidelity)
• Temperate (in control)
• Sober-minded (takes things serious)
• Good behavior (orderly)
• Hospitable (loving others)
• Able to teach (at least one-on-one)
• Not “given to wine” (literally, doesn’t need it close by)
• Not violent
• Not greedy for money
• Gentle
• Not quarrelsome (looking for conflict)
• Not covetous
• Rules his own house well (worthy of respect)
• Not a novice (danger)
• Good testimony (outside of church reputation)

2. An Elder is an “Under-Shepherd”- role is primarily spiritual leadership

Read verses 8-13

B. Qualified Deacons

(Diakonos-literally, “servant” as in table-servant-Acts 6)

The early church used a title that was normally descriptive of low-level servants and connected it to service in the Kingdom of God (originally, serving food to widows).

1. The list of qualifications:

• Reverent (dignity, worthy of respect)
• Not double-tongued (strait speaker without duplicity)
• Not given to much wine (same as v.3, literally, doesn’t need it close by)
• Not greedy for money
• Holding the mystery of faith (deep personal commitment to Jesus)
• Tested (has been watched and observed)
• Found blameless (no unresolved accusations)
• Not gossipers
• Temperate (in control)
• Faithful
• Ruling the house well (worthy of repsect)

2. Who? Since “their” is not in the original text of verse 11, the possibility and likeliness of women originally serving in “diakonos” roles is real (such as Phoebe in Romans 16:1). It is important to note however, that it was under the two-office leadership structure:

• Elder-primarily spiritual in nature as overseer – men only
• Deacon-primarily practical service in nature with both men and women

3. Best? Combining the two offices into one and calling it “deacon” (common in Baptist churches) presents a problem regarding women deacons and defining the offices. The better solution is the two-office model of the early church which obviously worked.

Second,

II. Purposeful Leadership

Read Ephesians 2:19-22

A. Tangible presence of Christ – (Cornerstone)

B. Communicating the gospel

Read 1 Timothy 2:2-4

C. Examples of grace

Lastly,

III. Powerful Leadership

Read verses 14-16

A. Temple of the Holy Spirit

B. Obedience over sacrifice (ought in verse 15)

C. Greatness (v.16)

• The possibility of “greatness”
• Not just another “fellowship”
• A Great Fellowship
• A Great Fellowship with power from the Lord

IV. Concluding Prayer

__________________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 4

Text: 1 Timothy 2:8-15

Date: 1/29/17

Intro: In recent weeks, we’ve been talking about purity of doctrine, good conscience and sincere faith. Last week, we looked at the different types of prayer and now we turn our attention to roles of man and women in a church worship service. As we do, we find ourselves positioned between;

The Ancient Greek & Roman culture of first-century Ephesus (which was the culture around those receiving the original letter) and our modern progressive, gender-confused culture of today.

• In the first century, the cultural norm was a very low view of women. They were basically treated as property. The community (including Jews) would have looked at the church and their practices as something new and ridiculous (with men and women worshipping together.
• On the other hand, our 21^st century contemporaries with a “politically correct” mindset, looks at a Bible-based church as something old and ridiculous (using an outdated “holy book” as a standard).
• The truth is, between the two cultural norms of “Ancient” and “Modern” is something beautiful and eternal; the Church.

So, when it comes to the roles of men and women in a worship service, we have a few things to consider:

Read 2:1-7

First,

I. Men with Submissive Attitudes and Godliness (v.8)

Peter said in 1 Peter 5:5 that we should all be submissive to one another ad clothed with humility. With that in mind, look at verse

A. An on-going prayer life

Leading by example everywhere

B. Clean hands (holy hands)

• Represents a heart open to the Lord
• It’s not the posture of the body as much as it is the posture of the heart

C. Without wrath and doubting

• Having no “wrath” means being “right with others”
• Not “doubting” speaks of not being “disagreeable” or always “suspicious”
• Godliness-blanket statement made back in 2:2 for all to have godliness, which is a life oriented toward God (reflecting Him to others)

Second,

II. Women with Submissive Attitudes and Godliness (v.9-11)

A. Modest-simply means “decent”

B. Moderation (discretion)

To resist the vanity and peer-pressure (Ephesian social status was represented by expensive hair jewels and clothing)

C. Silence

• Same word rendered “peaceable” in v.2
• Wasn’t a limiting command, it was an endorsement for them to be in there (an imperative form of statement)

D. Submission (v.11)

The term describes rank not value

Which leads us to the third point:

III. A Church with Godly Order

Re-read v.12-15

Godly order is not erring to the left or right. It’s honestly looking at the scripture (in context), trying to understand it the best we can (within the full counsel of the Bible) and making decisions based on its authority (regardless of where the winds of culture are blowing).

Based on that we see:

A. God created with order (v.13)

• Nature reveals gender order with male/female purposes
• Cosmological Argument (DNA etc. points to a Designer)

B. God created the Church (with order)

Read I Cor. 14:40

“Let all things be done decently and in order.”

C. We are sustained by the Lord as we go (v.14-15)

“Nevertheless” tied to “the transgression” We (both male and female) are sustained, but especially the women. “Childbearing” represents the host of increased difficulties brought onto womanhood by “the transgression” of Eve, but the Lord sustains the one following Him.

And Lastly,

D. We (male and female) are redeemed to be something beautiful

• Resisting cultural pressure (from left and right) to reflect Him
• Anchoring our positions to the Word of God
• Being clothed in humility as Christ modeled for us

_____________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 3

Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Date: 1/22/17

Intro: In the previous passage, Paul gives the command to “wage the good warfare”. It sounds like conflicting terms (good and warfare), since warfare generally means death and destruction, but he’s talking about the exact opposite.

• Not death, but saving lives
• Not destruction, but construction of something beautiful

As he continues with his instructions, he provides specifics:

Read 2:1-7

The first thing he gives are some “general orders” (like standing rules or Standard Operating Procedures).

First,

I. Keep Prayer as the Priority

• Not just as a “good idea”
• Not just for “crisis moments”
• Not just as a “thing you do at church”
• But first!

A. Four terms describing modes of prayer

1. Supplication (entreaties)

• Presenting needs to the Lord for His provision
• Mentioning both large and small needs (even those considered insignificant by some)

2. Prayer (general)

• Calling on God in a general way (most common N.T. reference)
• Can be a general group prayer in a worship service
• Can be one of those times when you read a psalm as a prayer

3. Petition (intercession)

• Informal, on-going conversation with the Lord
• Praying on someone else’s behalf

4. Thanksgiving

• Specifically giving thanks
• Especially good to do when we don’t feel “thankful” (it generates a spirit of gratitude)

B. For all people (to be saved)

• (v.2) For all those in authority
• Context of the original readers was Nero and the wicked city of Ephesus
• Today-we have no excuse for not praying for our leaders (regardless of their politics)

Second,

II. Have These Goals in Mind

A. Quiet and peaceable lives

• “Quiet” is peace around us
• “Peaceable” is peace inside of us

And conducting ourselves with:

B. Attitudes of Godliness and Reverence

• “Godliness” is a worshipful spirit
• “Reverence” (dignity) is a way of carrying ourselves with honor

Lastly, we’re to do these things through:

III. The Empowerment of Christ

Re-read v.5-7

A. He’s the sole access to the Father (John 14:6)

Paul also is referencing Jesus as our High Priest:

B. He is compassionate towards us

Read Hebrews 4:14-16

We can have real, heart-depth conversations with Him

C. His words are authoritative

When we come to the throne, we must be willing to listen and also do what He says.

So, as we close,

Question: Is prayer a priority in your life? Is it first?

_____________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 2

Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-20

Date: 1/15/17

Intro: Paul continues with setting up and defining certain basic principles for church life. Today we’ll look at three of them:

Read 1:12-20

First,

I. Paul as a Pattern

(personal illustration of Mom sewing and using “patterns”)

There is much to learn about Jesus by looking at Paul’s life:

A. He received mercy (v.13)

Mercy is not getting what we deserve (justice withheld)

B. He received grace (v.14)

Grace is getting something we don’t deserve (the added bonus)

C. He received patience (v.16)

Throughout the scriptures God is described as “longsuffering”

Question: What does it mean for us?

• He has dealt with me/us the same way
• That’s the way we can expect Him to deal with others (whether we think they deserve or not)

Second,

II. Wage the Right War

A. Pastors and churches are under charge

• Church life isn’t to reflect the culture, it’s to reflect Jesus
• He has personally designed and charged His church

B. Faith is a priority (one of two priorities mentioned in v.19)

• The right dependence (as we learned back in v.5)
• Timothy had it and he was to hang on to it
• Which is dependence on the Lord for real, and not just in word (individuals and our church)

C. Good conscience is a priority (second of the two mentioned in v.19)

• The right values (as we learned back in v.5)
• We are to cultivate a “sensitive awareness” of the Word of God
• We are to hold high what’s important to Him

Question: What does that mean for us?

It’s simplicity of purpose. Our mission statement “Making Disciples to Engage the World” is an expression that.

• Dependence on the Lord
• Bible-based disciple-making

Lastly, Paul gives a clear example of what to do when someone continues to go against the Word of God. In that unfortunate circumstance:

III. Let the “Rejectors” Go

A. Continuing in error and sin

• Either they aren’t listening to the Holy Spirit, or
• They have not been converted to begin with

B. Two reasons for doing so (letting them go)

• For their own benefit (v.20)
• For the benefit of the fellowship (2 Timothy 2:14-18)

So, as we close,

We are mandated by the Lord with a simplicity of purpose. It’s going to take all of us together to accomplish it.

Where do you fit within that purpose?

_______________________________

“The Good Fight” – Part 1

Text: I Timothy 1:1-11

Date: 1/8/17

Intro: Barna Research (1999) – A pool of American teens where:

• 82% claimed to be Christian
• 70% actively attending church
• 63% agree that Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and Jews and all other people worship the same god with different names

There is an urgent need for us to understand, speak and teach truth. Our culture is full of competing ideas and philosophies. So was the context of Timothy’s ministry.

He was sent to pastor a church that was in the middle of affluence and worldly philosophy-Ephesus.

In Paul’s opening he quickly lays out the challenge and specific goals.

Read 1:1-11

There was a group of leaders and influencers who needed correction:

A. They didn’t understand the purpose of the Law (v.8-9).

B. They didn’t understand godly edification (v.4) and had turned to:

• Fables
• Creative history
• Idle talk

However, Paul clearly gives three things as the goal (v.5).

First,

I. Love From a Pure Heart

(The right motives)

A. To please God-(no pride)

B. To love others without pretense (authentic love)

C. No hidden agendas (honesty)

Second,

II. Love From a Good Conscience

(the right values)

A. One that is healthy (one that’s properly attended)

B. One that has proper calibration

(If the calibration is off, we get the wrong reading)

And also,

C. One that is sensitive

(There should be a tenderness)

Lastly,

III. Love from a Sincere “Unhypocritical” Faith

(the right dependence)

A. Our trust is to be in the Lord

(our first choice, not second…or third)

B. Our guidance is to come from the Word

(The revealed truth of God)

C. We must resist distractions to both A & B

(and there are many!)

Close: Take a prayerful inventory. Are there right motives in your heart? Right values? Right dependence?

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