Clarifying Widow Ministry – Part 1
1 Timothy 5:3-8
May 9, 2010

As you know Paul is writing one of the most important “How To” letters
That the church could ever study.

“I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

That makes this letter the “How To” church manual.

That is why it is utterly amazing to me how many books are written today
About church growth, church strategy, and church ministry;
That do not get their information from this book.

It seems that church growth experts would rather read
The biography of Sam Walton and the advertising strategy of McDonalds
Than study the priceless information in this book.

Now it is true, if you are looking to please the world,
Then you had better learn what the world desires.

But if you are looking to please God,
Then you had better learn what He desires.

And the blessing to us is that God was very specific
In outlining exactly what He desires the church to be.

And tonight we tackle a very important
And yet sometimes confusing issue.

That issue is “Widow Ministry”

And by that term I want you to realize that it is a two-sided coin.

On one hand it means = How the church ministers to widows.
On the other hand it means = How the widows minister to the church.

Both concepts are in view here as Paul pens this section of the letter.

Tonight, while both are seen, the primary focus
Is on how the church ministers to widows.

If you have ever read your bible all the way through, then there is no possible way that you could have missed the special place that widow’s have in the heart of God.

• Rather it was the widow that God sent Elijah to live with…
• Or the widow that Elisha multiplied the oil for…
• Or the widow whom Jesus gave back her son…
• Or the widow Jesus recognized for giving all she had…

It becomes obvious that widows are in view
Throughout the pages of Scripture.

One reason is because widows (along with orphans)
Were the extreme picture of helplessness,

And a person’s compassion was easily judged
By how they cared for those who could offer no help in return.

Since that is precisely what we are like to God,
The sincerity of our religion is measured
By whether or not we follow His example and do the same for others.

James 1:27 “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

And so we are called upon to show support
To those who cannot help us in return.

Luke 14:12-14 “And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. “But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

And that is why the benevolent commands of God
Throughout Scripture routinely deal with ministry to widows.

Exodus 22:22-24 “You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. “If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.”

Deuteronomy 27:19 “Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, orphan, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”

Isaiah 1:17 “Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.”

I think you get the picture about how important widows are to God.

When Jesus was on the cross, He only spoke directly to four people.
1) The thief on the cross (salvation)
2) God the Father (asking for forgiveness, why did You forsake)
3) Mary and John
John 19:26-27 “When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.”

• Jesus spoke to ask forgiveness for sinners
• Jesus spoke to give assurance to a repentant sinner
• Jesus spoke to assure the provision of a widow

Is there any doubt that God is concerned to care for the helpless?

And so tonight we study the first part of this text
Which deals with the intended ministry of the church to widows.

There are 5 points we will see in our text tonight.
#1 AN EXHORTATION
1 Timothy 5:3

And really, this is the whole point of the message.

Everything included in verses 4-16 is really there to just clarify this verse.

The remaining verses either tell you how to honor,
Or who is a widow indeed.

But the summation of the church’s ministry is found here.

“Honor widows who are widows indeed;”

The Greek word here for “widow”
“bereft” or “robbed” or “left alone”

And so while it is a perfect word to describe a woman who has lost her husband due to death, it is not limited to that.

John MacArthur wrote:
“The word does not speak of how a woman was left alone, it merely describes the situation. It is broad enough to encompass those who lost their husbands through death, desertion, divorce, or imprisonment. It could even encompass those cases where a polygamist came to Christ and sent away his extra wives.”
(pg. 196)

And that really opens the door.

We are dealing with a woman who has been
Completely and totally left alone with none to care for her.

Our society today says that such women
Must learn to pull their own weight.
Scripture says that is not the case at all.
When God created man, he then created the woman to be his help-mate.
But the understanding was always
That she would be provided for by the man.

She was never intended to have to earn her own way.
Her worth is demonstrated through her service to others
Not by how much money she is able to earn or contribute.

And so when a woman is truly left alone,
God intended that the church would step in and take up the slack.

The need is obvious.
All over the world we see the danger that is posed to women left alone.
How many have been forced to enter the sex market as prostitutes and such simply because no one is there to provide for their needs?

That is why the church is commanded to “Honor widows”

“Honor” translates TIMAO
“show respect for” or “care for” or “support”

It certainly speaks of the way we treat them,
But it also encompasses financial support.

That means that of all the things on the church budget,
The church must not overlook financial assistance to widows.

The church is to “Honor widows”

But even then Paul begins to narrow the field.
“who are widows indeed;”

And so we quickly learn that it is NOT a blanket command to fund anyone
Who claims to be a widow and put them on the church payroll.

They must be true widows.
In other words, to follow the meaning of the word,
They must be truly left alone.

And that is what Paul elaborates on next.

An Exhortation
#2 AN EXEMPTION
1 Timothy 5:4

Of course we all notice that word “but” to begin this verse.

Paul is about to distinguish for us what a “widow indeed” really is.

“but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God.”

In order to clarify Paul reminds us here
Of the importance of family in this step.

A woman may indeed lose her husband to death,
But if she still has children, then she is not all alone.

It doesn’t mean we withhold sympathy, nor does it reveal
A withholding of occasional benevolent help.

But the church is not to take on the continual burden
Of financially supporting widows if her family is still alive and present.

Her “children or grandchildren” must step up to the plate.

Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.”

“this is acceptable in the sight of God.”

In fact, this is one area
In which Jesus especially confronted the Pharisees.

Matthew 15:1-6 “Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? “For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’ “But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.”
(Explain)

You can see that God was infuriated by such a religion
That would spout a love for God,
But did not honor the commands of God to take care of their parents.

Matthew 23:14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.”

This angered God.

And so before a church steps in
To bear the financial burden of provision for a widow,
The responsibility must first fall to the immediate family.

In fact, even other women were accountable before the church.

1 Timothy 5:16 “If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed.”

And so while the church is commanded to take care of widows,
They are EXEMPTED from honoring those widows
Who have present family who are able to do it.

Then Paul clarifies it even further:

An Expectation; An Exemption
#3 AN EXAMINATION
1 Timothy 5:5-6

In order to determine if a widow was “a widow indeed”
We first examined her family situation.

But there is more at stake than just determining if she is truly alone.

There is another area which must be evaluated
And that is her SPIRITUAL DEVOTION.

“Now she is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day.”

Here we learn that she is not “a widow indeed” if she is not godly.

The church is looking to support those who are alone,
But instead of running to you, they run to God.

Matthew 6:25-33 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

A true widow must understand this principle.

And that is why when she is alone, she doesn’t panic
For she knows God will provide her.
But the point is that this woman is strong in faith in God.
God is her provider and she knows it.

And to evidence by her dependence on God
We see a devoted service to God.

“and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day.”

This is a woman with that patient faith of Sarah.
She is devoted to knowing and serving God.

Luke 2:36-37 “And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.”

That is what we are talking about here.

She must be devoted God, and she must hope in God.

“But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives.”

That woman may be alive, but due to her love of sin,
She is obviously spiritually dead.

A woman like that does not need to be supported,
She needs to be disciplined.

If this seems harsh, listen to the words of Jesus.
Luke 4:23-26 “And He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'” And He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. “But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.”

WHY DID GOD ABANDON ALL THE WIDOWS IN ISRAEL?

Because there weren’t any Godly widows in Israel to help.

The church is not called upon to support
Any and everyone who has lost their husband.

Only those who are truly alone, and those who hope in God
And who are devoted to Him.

An Expectation; An Exemption; An Examination

#4 AN EXHORTATION
1 Timothy 5:7

Here again we see something that Timothy
Was specifically supposed to preach on.

“so that they may be above reproach”

WHO?

The church for one.
• They had to learn to sacrifice and support those widows who truly needed their support.

• They had to learn to imitate the heart of God and give of themselves to those who could not return it.

• They had to learn that supporting their widows was more important that funding the uniforms for their softball team.

Those with widows in their families for another.
• Anyone in the church who had widows in their family needed to learn to be obedient to God and honor their father and mother.

• If they were overlooking this command, they needed to repent.

• They needed to learn that supporting their momma was more important that purchasing that bass boat.

Finally – the widows.
• They needed to learn that in order to get support they had to be worthy of support.

• The death of their husband did not automatically entitle them. They needed to trust in God and seek His face before they were worthy of support.

And so Paul wanted this preached.
“so that they (all of them) may be above reproach.”

Paul didn’t want to have to reproach the church…
Paul didn’t want to have to reproach the families…
Paul didn’t want to have to reproach the widows…

All three needed to understand what was expected of them
And do it correctly.

An Expectation; An Exemption; An Examination; An Exhortation

#5 AN EXPLANATION
1 Timothy 5:8

And to close this first section of the text
Paul explains why the arrangement is the way it is.

Why it is families first and the church second.

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

It is a basic human principle that you care for those in your family.
Even a pagan knows that you provide for your family.

A lost man knows to provide for his kids.
A lost kid knows to honor his parents.

This is basic knowledge even for those who are lost.

But for those who are saved it is more than basic knowledge, It is biblical command.

God commands the honoring of father and mother.
God commands the honoring of our family members.
God commands the financial help of those in need.

Therefore anyone who has family in need,
But who chooses to push that burden off on someone else
Is not only forsaking the faith, but are “worse than an unbeliever.”

In other words, in that area even a lost person
Is more acceptable to God than they are.

And that is saying something since “those in the flesh cannot please God.”

This is a strong warning from Paul on this issue.

And it makes it extremely clear to us.

• If our church has widows that are truly alone, and are truly Godly.
• Then they must be added to the church budget.

• If your family has widows that need help, you must step in and support them so that the church is not burdened.

• If you are a widow, you must learn to trust God and let Him provide however He chooses to do so.

This is God’s intention for the church in regard to widow ministry.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 “I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

The Gentile Preacher
1 Timothy 5:1-2
May 2, 2010

Tonight we get started in the 5th chapter of 1 Timothy,
But I really think the topic of conversation
Belongs more with what we studied in the 4th.

In chapter 4 Paul first introduced
The dangerous threat of apostasy in the church.

Deception was being taught…
Deception was being believed…
Deception was being practiced…

The end result was that people were dangerously close
To falling away from the faith and becoming apostate.

The only way to fight this battle was for Timothy
To recommit himself to strong and accurate preaching.

He was going to have to preach to his saved congregation
Like every member was close to apostasy.

If he would do this, Paul said he would:
1 Timothy 4:16 “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”

And so Timothy was going to have to go on the offensive.
• He was going to have to correct the doctrine of the false teachers.
• He was going to have to confront the living of those deceived.
• He was going to have to preach the truth to everyone.

It was his calling.
It is his duty.

But just before Timothy goes on the war path,
Paul has just a little bit more advice on the subject.

That advice deals with the attitude in which Timothy goes to battle.

So we are not just dealing with discipline,
But how the preacher is to use it.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT DISCIPLINE IN THE CHURCH IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

Just as families in the world today can be dysfunctional,
Church families can also be dysfunctional.
And this was certainly true of the church Timothy pastored.

(1:5-8) – tells us there were some men who were straying from a good conscience and a sincere truth.

(1:19) – tells us there were some who had sinned against their conscience, and had shipwrecked their faith

(2:9-15) – tells us there were some women who had abandoned their natural role, in order to usurp the authority of some of the men.

Some who wanted to lead were not qualified, so (3:1-13) gives us qualifications for overseers and deacons.

(4:1-5) – tells us some were teaching false doctrines, or “doctrines of demons”

(5:6-7) – tells us some of the older widows were living impure lives

(5:11-13) – tells us some of the younger women wanted to be treated as widows, and didn’t deserve it.

Ephesus was a church with its fair amount of problems.

And so we know that Timothy was going to
Have to discipline the church.

Discipline is no doubt an integral part of both the worldly family,
And the church family.

Proverbs 29:15 “The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.”

Proverbs 23:13-14 “Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.”

Proverbs 13:24 “He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”

And what is true for the family is certainly true of the church family.
Sometimes discipline is necessary.

Even Jesus said:
Matthew 18:15-18 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Discipline is a must, and Paul is making it evident to Timothy,
That it is a must in the church family as well.
Tonight Paul reminds Timothy about how to do it.

I’ve called this sermon: “The Gentle Preacher”

Because although Timothy is called upon to discipline the church,
Paul writes these first two verses of chapter 5 to remind Timothy
That his discipline must be done in a spirit of gentleness.

This is after all, one of the key attributes of Jesus.
Matthew 12:15-21 “But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, and warned them not to tell who He was. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM IHAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.”HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS. “A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY. “AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.”

Make no mistake, Jesus confronted people.
In Sunday school this morning we saw how bold He was with the Samaritan woman in revealing her adulteries.

Jesus confronts people and their sin.
But the issue here is that He does so with gentleness.

“He will not quarrel, nor cry out”

“quarrel” translates ERIZO
“wrangling, harassing, or even brawling” – to strive

“cry out” translates KRAUGAZO
“to yell or scream excitedly” (bird squawking)

Luke 4:41 “Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.”

But when Jesus preached He did not “quarrel” or “cry out”.
Certainly He debated.
Certainly He revealed error.
Certainly He even rebuked.

But He was not a fighter.
He did not bully people, He did not threaten people,
He did not try to use motivational tactics.

He was gentle in His preaching.
Even about His death we read:
1 Peter 2:23 “and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”
He spoke truth (which could certainly sting) but the sting came from the truth, not from the way He spoke it.

This is what Paul is teaching Timothy.

Yes Timothy had to confront truth,
But he did not have to be a bully to do so.

Colossians 4:5-6 “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”

Paul even reminded the Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 2:5-7 “For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed — God is witness — nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.”

The call is to be accurate, to be strong, to be direct,
But to be gentle while you do it.

And so Paul reveals how Timothy should address various people in the church.

#1 AN OLDER MAN
I Timothy 5:1a

In chapter 1 Paul told Timothy
1 Timothy 1:3 “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,”

As Timothy set out to correct error at Ephesus,
One group he would be forced to address would be the older men.

And so Paul is pointed how Timothy is to address them.
“Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father,”

Every single man in this room knows what it means
To appeal to him as a father.

In life, for most men it is a fact,
• You never get smarter than your dad,
• You never can whip your dad,
• You’ll never be the man your dad is.

Why?
Because He’s your dad.

When you were a kid, you could pop off to your friends,
But you never popped off to your dad,
Or you found out what a belt felt like, and what soap tasted like.

There is a built in fear and respect for your dad.

That is exactly how Paul tells Timothy to discipline an older man.
WITH RESPECT

He may need to know he is wrong.
It wouldn’t be love if you didn’t tell him, but you must respect him.

Proverbs 30:17 “The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.”

Exodus 21:17 “He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.”

Daniel gives a beautiful illustration of this very fact,
As he rebukes King Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 4:27 “Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’

Paul wants Timothy to know that he does not have the right
To embarrass or talk down to an older man.

RESPECT

#2 YOUNGER MEN
I Timothy 5:1b

It is possible that some of those younger men were teachers as well.
Rather or not that was true, it is certainly true that some of the younger men were adopting the theology of the older men.
(We’ve all seen young men strut their stuff to impress an older man)

And Timothy would have to confront them.
But when he confronted them he would have to do so “as brothers,”

Here we use the same illustration.
Many times when we grow up,
Especially if you have brothers we have fights.

But anytime we get into a fight or an argument, and took it before the judge, or your parents, we learned something.

You are not your brothers daddy. You are equals.
You didn’t have the authority to punish him, that was you daddy’s job.
It was a humbling experience to know mom and dad
Didn’t love you more than they loved your brother.

Paul told us to first discipline out of RESPECT,
Here he tells us to discipline out of a SPIRIT OF EQUALITY.

This is what Jesus had in mind as well:
Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

We are all sinners before Holy God.
None of us are better than the other.

Timothy needed to remember that
There must be equality in his confrontation.

You are familiar with the immoral brother of 1 Corinthians 5.
The one who had his father’s wife.
The one Paul told us not to even associate or eat with.

But later Paul re-addressed this issue.
2 Corinthians 2:5-11 “But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree — in order not to say too much — to all of you. Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”

Once redemption works it’s course, forgive them and let them back in,
For we are all equals in the sight of God.

Don’t let your discipline puff you up and make you feel superior,
That is what it means to give Satan an opportunity.

Remember equality in your discipline.
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 “If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”

Paul gave us a good example of this as well.
Acts 26:24-29 “While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. “For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. “King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” And Paul said, ” I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”

Paul didn’t speak down to them.
Paul didn’t call them names.
Paul just referred to himself as though they were equals.

Discipline out of respect, Discipline out of equality

#3 OLDER WOMEN
I Timothy 5:2a

Just as Paul teaches us to respect older men as father,
He tells us to treat the older women “as mothers”

We reverence our mother because of the self sacrifice,
And the love she has poured upon us.

AND BECAUSE NO ONE IS PROTECTED BY OTHERS LIKE MOM
No one allows you to talk bad about their mother,
So it is in the church family in regards to discipline.

Proverbs 23:22 “Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.”

Reverence the older women of the church.

Remember how Paul greeted the brethren at Rome?
Romans 16:13 “Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.”

This wasn’t Paul’s brother,
But rather he was showing the reverence that was deserved.

Paul gives an example of this
Philippians 4:1-3 “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”

An older woman must be disciplined, it isn’t love if you don’t,
However it must be done out of reverence.

RESPECT – EQUALITY – REVERENCE
#4 YOUNGER WOMEN
I Timothy 5:2b

We are called to treat the younger women “as sisters”
This form of discipline deals with PROTECTION.
And the real key to this is found in what else Paul says.
“in all purity”

Discipline should be fair, and it should be just,
And because it is that,
It is many times humiliating, or shameful as we read in Thessalonians.

BUT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE YOUNG WOMAN
IS TO BE HUMILIATED BECAUSE OF HER SIN,
NOT BECAUSE OF HOW WE DISCIPLINE HER.

The obvious negative example of this is found in John 8
John 8:1-5 “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”

Many have even commented that this woman
May have been half-dressed or not dressed at all.

Certainly the aim of the Pharisees was to utterly disgrace
And humiliate this woman.

THAT IS NOT THE PURPOSE OF THE DISCIPLINE OF GOD

We know the purpose for God’s discipline.
Hebrews 12:10-11 “For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

The purpose of God’s discipline is not to defile us,
His discipline is to make us righteous.

That is why Jesus was just as angry at the mob as He was at the woman.
“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”

This must be remembered when confronting a younger woman.
The aim is to protect her innocence…
The aim is to protect her purity…
BUT DISCIPLINE SHOULD NEVER BE TO HARM IT

There must be PURITY in our discipline.

Listen to what Paul told the Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 “For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

Paul is not speaking directly of younger women,
But the same attitude is involved.

And it was the intention that when the discipline was over,
That they were more pure, not less pure.

That is how we are called to discipline as well.

Respect
Equality
Reverence
Purity

Otherwise it will not be effective,
Nor will it achieve the end God desires it to achieve.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 “I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

The Eight-Point Preacher – Part 2
1 Timothy 4:15-16
April 25, 2010

Last week we began studying this text in which “The Preacher” is in view.

1 Timothy is a letter dedicated to the explanation
Of what God’s church is supposed to look like.

It is a letter written, “so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

And so as this letter is written
Evaluating the various roles and offices of the church,
It is only obvious that a section would be included
That evaluated the preacher.

While the elders were supposed to be men who were “able to teach”,
The role of preacher is not to be confused with those.

Certainly the preacher was an elder, but obviously one
Who was specifically gifted for proclaiming the word of God.

And God is very particular about what this man is supposed to be.

Throughout Scripture we see God
Very adamant about those who speak for Him.

To Ezekiel God said:
Ezekiel 2:3-7 “Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. “I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ “As for them, whether they listen or not — for they are a rebellious house — they will know that a prophet has been among them. “And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. “But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.”

To Jeremiah God said:
Jeremiah 1:17-19 “Now, gird up your loins and arise, and speak to them all which I command you. Do not be dismayed before them, or I will dismay you before them. “Now behold, I have made you today as a fortified city and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its princes, to its priests and to the people of the land. “They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.”

And from both of those callings one catches a glimpse
Of both the difficulty of the job,
And the expectation of God in the midst of that difficulty.

God expects those whom He appoints
To proclaim His words, regardless of the conflict.

And make no mistake, He is watching.

James said:
James 3:1 “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

And as for those who do it poorly, God is most certainly not pleased.
Jeremiah 23:25-32 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ “How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal? “The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the LORD. “Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock? “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who steal My words from each other. “Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ “Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the LORD, “and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the LORD.”

We are reminded that accepting the call to preach is not enough.
Once a man surrenders, there are expectations he must meet.

These are not man’s expectations, these are God’s expectations.

And here in verses 11-16 of 1 Timothy 4
Paul lists 8 of those expectations to Timothy.

These are the standard by which God measures the preacher, and therefore those by which a preacher of God’s Word is to measure himself.

We saw the first four last week.
1) HE PREACHES TRUTH
(11) “Prescribe and teach these things.”

Obviously referring to the truths about apostasy and the growing heresy Timothy should know that God’s spokesman is not allowed to be silent.

He is called to preach, and that is what he must do.
And he must not just preach what the people want to hear.
He must preach what the people need to hear.

He is to preach “these things”.

God expects that the man who answers the call to preach will do just that.

2) HE IS SPIRITUALLY MATURE
(12) “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself and example of those who believe.”

This is not a verse scolding the aged for disdaining the young.

This is a verse admonishing the young to understand that
Their age actually works against them in the ministry.

They don’t have the luxury of “Common Assumption” on their side.

When people see a gray headed preacher in his 60’s or 70’s
They automatically assume he is weathered and tested,
And that his theology is accurate, and that he is trustworthy.

But when they see a young preacher (like Timothy) that is not the case. He is often times assumed to be naïve, inexperienced, and shallow.

That meant that Timothy was going to have strive harder
To put his spiritual maturity on display.

He would have to earn their respect through display of spiritual maturity.

In that we learned that the preacher must be spiritually mature
If he is to be effective in his preaching.

3) HE FOCUSES ON ESSENTIALS
(13) “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.”

Paul said nothing of hospital ministry, administrative workshops, convention work, or community involvement.

There are all sorts of venues that can distract a preacher,
Steal his time, and grave his attention.

God’s preacher must be guarded against it.
His calling is clear.

Proclaim the Word
Explain the Word
Apply the Word

It echoes the statement of Peter, “It is not good that we neglect the word of God in order to wait tables…but we will devote ourselves to the ministry of the word and to prayer.”

He must be focused on the essential work of proclaiming God’s word.
4) HE SUBMITS TO THE SPIRIT
(14) “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.”

And the simple reminder here is that God has not only called,
But has also gifted the preacher to preach,
And so being a preacher is not an option, it is a duty.

Many think that Timothy was debating quitting at this point,
And Paul is reminding him that if God has gifted him to preach,
He will never be in the will of God unless he is preaching.

God’s Spirit has chosen to manifest Himself in Timothy as a preacher
And therefore only by preaching can Timothy fully obey God.

God’s preacher must submit to be what God calls him to be,
And of course he must preach where God calls him to preach.

And those are the first four expectations that God has for the preacher.
Tonight we see the final four.

He Preaches Truth He is Spiritually Mature
He Focuses on Essentials He Submits to the Spirit
#5 HE WORKS HARD AND IMPROVES
1 Timothy 4:15

You really have to appreciate the terminology Paul uses here.
“Take pains with these things”

“No Pain, No Gain”

As we have said there are many truths of Scripture
That do not easily yield themselves to the surface.

And there is no other way to mine out those truths except with labor.
Part of that labor is reading…
Part of that labor is meditation…
Part of that labor is seeking in prayer…

It is certainly not physical labor, but it is labor none the less.
It is mental anguish and it is absolutely required.

God knows the difficulties found in searching out His word,
Yet He expects that the preacher will exert the effort necessary.

In his second letter Paul tells Timothy:
2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
Of himself Paul said:
1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”

2 Corinthians 11:23 “Are they servants of Christ? — I speak as if insane — I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.”

Colossians 1:28-29 “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”

Many today have assumed the life of a preacher to be a life of vacation
And that reputation is probably earned,
But it is most definitely not the way God intended it.

God’s preacher is called to work hard at preaching.

Not only that but Paul says he must “be absorbed in them”

It carries the idea of a man possessed or consumed with his work.

Today people talk about the fact that a healthy lifestyle
Requires a person to separate his job from his personal life.

And I’ve heard preachers talk about this as well.
• I hang my problems on the problem tree.
• I changed my clothes.

And while our worries should be given to God,
A preacher can never fully put aside his preaching.

His sermon is always on his mind.

He cannot lay it aside, he cannot put it on the shelf, thinks of it continually
BECAUSE IT IS A PART OF WHO HE IS.

AND PAUL EXPLAINS WHY A PREACHER MUST THINK THIS WAY.
“so that your progress will be evident to all.”

Contentment is the fastest killer of progress a preacher will ever see.
No preacher has ever arrived.

We are talking about the depths of the word of God.
Can any preacher actually sit back and say, “I’ve got it all figured out?”
Can any preacher sit back and say, “I preach so good, that God couldn’t do it any better?”

No way!
Paul said:
Philippians 3:12-14 “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

This is the same mindset that every preacher has to have.
He has to be so consumed with getting better…
So consumed with being accurate…
So consumed with being faithful…
So consumed with making a difference…

That his passion drives him to work harder, study deeper,
Meditate longer, and to do it all more often.

God expects that His preacher will work hard to improve.
#6 HE EVALUATES HIMSELF
1 Timothy 16a

“Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;”

We are all aware of the constant need
For self-evaluation in the Christian life.

2 Corinthians 13:5 “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you — unless indeed you fail the test?”

If this is true for the Christian in the pew, how much more necessary is it for the Christian in the pulpit?

HIS LIFE MUST BE UNDER CONSTANT EVALUATION

And furthermore he must continually evaluate his “teaching”

It is one thing to be wrong when you tell someone how to bake a cake.
It is one thing to be wrong when you tell someone how to fix a car.
It is even one thing to be wrong when you tell someone how to treat an illness.
But if you are the one who is telling people
How to be right with God you had better be right.

(Your teaching is most certainly under the scrutiny of God)
But it must be under yours as well.

Doctrinal error should be the absolute greatest fear
That a preacher faces on a daily basis.

Angry listeners are insignificant compared to deceived listeners.

If a man doesn’t tell the truth, then he is not being a faithful watchman
And the blood of those who listen is most definitely upon his hands.

It is not ok for a preacher to not preach the truth.

#7 HE DOESN’T QUIT
1 Timothy 4:16b

“Persevere in these things”

There will be times when the opposition is intimidating…
There will be times with the task is daunting…
There will be times when the results are discouraging…

PRESS ON

This is the very heart of why Paul wrote 2 Timothy.
2 Timothy 1:8 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,”

2 Timothy 2:1-3 “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 3:12-15 “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 4:1-2 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

God’s preacher cannot get discouraged, he must persevere
In his preaching, in his study, in his evaluation.

And this is really one of the most difficult things.

Listen to Isaiah.
Isaiah 6:8-13 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.” Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people And the land is utterly desolate, “The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. “Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, And it will again be subject to burning, Like a terebinth or an oak Whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump.”

Listen to Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 15:18 “Why has my pain been perpetual And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable?”

And God answered him.
Jeremiah 15:19-21 “Therefore, thus says the LORD, “If you return, then I will restore you — Before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, But as for you, you must not turn to them. “Then I will make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze; And though they fight against you, They will not prevail over you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you,” declares the LORD. “So I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, And I will redeem you from the grasp of the violent.”

Over and over and over we see it.
God’s preacher must learn to persevere.

About a year and ½ ago I was at a point of discouragement.
(A pity party can do that to a person)

And I read an article by John MacArthur called “Keys to an Enduring Ministry”

I now keep it in my desk and read it periodically.

One point was

“2. Learn to be patient. Humble patience with people may be the most important virtue you will ever exercise. After all, your goal as a pastor should be to bring the convictions of your congregation into line with the full message of God’s Word, and their lives to spiritual maturity. And this is a process of sanctification that takes time (decades not just months or years). It only comes from trusting the Spirit’s power in using His Word as it is faithfully preached week after week, year after year.”

In short, it takes perseverance.
God expects it of His preachers.

#8 HE REALIZES WHAT IS AT STAKE
1 Timothy 4:16c

“for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”

If you haven’t noticed, Paul just brought us back full circle.

He opened the chapter with this statement.
(1) “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,”

AND HOW DID PAUL PROPOSE THAT WE FIGHT SUCH A PROBLEM?

He turned to the preacher.

I know it is not a fun topic to think about,
But the Bible promises that false brethren are a reality.

• Some are there, and do not even realize what they are.
• Others know they are lost, and work to deceive.

These are the ones Jude warned about who have “crept in unnoticed”

But regardless if the false brethren are deceived or are deceivers
The Bible promises that they are here none the less.

They are not easily spotted.
The tares look a lot like the wheat.
Jude calls them “hidden reefs in your love feasts”

And the real question is what do we do about them?
The answer: preach word.

There is nothing like it.
Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

I may not be able to spot the false brethren are, but the Holy Spirit can.
I may not be able to confront a false brother, but the Holy Spirit can.

And when God’s Word is preached,
That is precisely what the Holy Spirit does.
He confronts those who are false.
He exposes them for what they are.
He calls them unto salvation.

Richard Jackson said, “That first year we baptized 18 or those 14, I’m not even sure all of them were saved.”

The point is, it is impossible to fully know
Who is and who is not a true child of God.

But you do know that they are not all real. (for scripture says so)

And the only way to address the problem is to preach the truth.

Preach on apostasy…
Preach on false assurance…
Preach on genuine salvation…
Preach on the fruit of salvation…

“for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”

The only way to reach someone steeped in false belief
Is for the Holy Spirit of God to reach into his heart and draw him.

But if the preacher assumes that his entire congregation is ok,
And they don’t need to hear it,
He is condemning those false brothers who have fooled him.

The stakes are high, and the preacher has to be aware of that.

He has to hit the pulpit
Worried about the salvation of everyone who hears.

And he has to be convicted that the only thing that can change their eternal destiny is for them to hear the word of God.

Romans 10:13-14 “for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”

That is the question ever echoing through his mind.

This is what God expects from those He calls to preach.
• He Preaches Truth
• He is Spiritually Mature
• He Focuses on Essentials
• He Submits to the Spirit
• He Works Hard and Improves
• He Evaluates Himself
• He Doesn’t Quit
• He Realizes What is at Stake

Never expect anything less in your preacher,
Or any other preacher,
Than that which God expects from him.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 “I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

The Eight-Point Preacher – Part 1
1 Timothy 4:11-14
April 18, 2010

As you know we are studying the book of 1 Timothy,
Because there is no book quite like it for giving clear instruction
As to the expected conduct of the church.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 “I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

I find it extremely valuable for us to study what God expects the church to be, since it is our main focus and desire to be pleasing to Him.

And most recently in our study of what the church is to be,
Paul has zeroed in on one particular person: THE PREACHER

Yes, we talked about the qualifications for the elders in chapter 3,
But you must understand, that while all elders must be “able to teach”,
It is highly likely that of all the elders,
There was still one who stood to do most of the preaching.

There is still a biblical concept to having a “teaching elder”
Or a leader among the elders.

For example:
When you study the 12 disciples, in every list given, Peter is always listed first.
Matthew 10:2 “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;”

Peter was called “the first” PROTOS.
(Obviously not the first chosen,
Since it was Andrew who took Peter to Jesus)

PROTOS indicates, not first in order, but first in rank.

Paul used the term of himself.
1 Timothy 1:15 “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”

The simple point being,
That while there is an order of elders who rule the church,
There is still a leader among them.

No doubt at Ephesus this person was Timothy.
He was the one called to “instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines” (1:3)
In (1:18) Paul told Timothy that “This command I entrust to you”

And of course the entire letter was addressed to Timothy.
And as Paul sets out to address the expected conduct of the church
It is only right that he take at least a portion of that letter
And focus in on the expectations for the preacher.

In (4:1-5) the SECTION WAS INTRODUCED
As Paul revealed to Timothy the extreme need for a faithful preacher.

Timothy needed to recognize, expose, and silence
The heresy that was being promoted at Ephesus.

The heresy involved a veiled form a legalism in which men were encouraged to abstain from marriage and certain foods (obviously to prove their piety), but the danger was that those who followed the teaching would be led into legalism and ultimately into apostasy.

Apostasy is a real threat and someone had to fight against it.
For this battle Paul enlisted the preacher.

And after addressing the issue,
He then gave Timothy some solid words of encouragement.

(6) “In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus…”

And so the understanding of the chapter is simple.
Because of the spiritual threats that stand against the church,
The church needs a godly preacher.

Paul pens this chapter to clearly explain
What God’s expectations are for this man.

I have called it “The Eight-Point Preacher”
For that is how many check-points Paul examines about this man.

And just as a precursor, for any who would ever aspire to preach, or for any preacher who may ever hear this.

Nothing is mentioned about his administrative skills
Nothing is mentioned about his innovative abilities
Nothing is mentioned about his style, coolness, or relevance
Nothing is mentioned about his education
Nothing is even mentioned about his pastoral skills

All Paul (and obviously the Holy Spirit) can focus on
Are the man’s faithfulness.

And so this evening.
Paul gets specific as to what the preacher ought to be and do.
#1 HE PREACHES TRUTH
1 Timothy 4:11

It is not hard to understand this simple admonition.
“Prescribe and teach these things.”

One would find it blatantly obvious
That the preacher is supposed to be one who preaches.

And perhaps that is why most in this position today
Have shied away from the title of preacher.

I’ve actually heard a pastor of a large church tell his congregation,
“Don’t call me preacher, call me pastor.”

And that is a tragedy, because when this man wanted to, he could preach. He just didn’t want to.

And it is no wonder.
The term “preacher” has almost become a derogatory term,
Since most people today have grown impatient with preaching. (Especially that which lasts more than about 12 minutes, or reads more than about 2 verses)

But preacher is not a negative term.

The writer of Ecclesiastes revealed himself as a preacher.
Ecclesiastes 1:1 “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”

Paul twice called himself a preacher
1 Timothy 2:7 “For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle ( I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”

2 Timothy 1:11 “for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.”

Also added to the list was a man named Noah
2 Peter 2:5 “[God] did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

And beyond that, preachers are essential to the work of salvation.
Romans 10:14 “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”

And so regardless of the negative connotation
That the world has taken on in recent years;
God still intends for the leader of the church to be a preacher.

And if Timothy was going to be faithful, he was going to have to preach.
“Prescribe and teach these things.”

Whether it was confrontation of heresy, or proclamation of God’s truth,
Someone had to explain it to the people.

For people who do not sit under biblical preaching are misinformed
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”

Preaching is a must.
If he will not preach, he is out of the will of God.

And this does not just refer to how often he speaks from the pulpit,
For there is a difference between speaking and preaching.
(Although frequency in the pulpit is seemingly becoming a thing in the past)

But the focus is on the willingness to preach “these things”

Not everything the preacher is called to preach will be unanimously received, but he is called to preach them none the less.

This was perhaps the greatest burden God placed on me as He called me to preach.
Ezekiel 3:16-21 “At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. “When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. “Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. “Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. “However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.”

That is why Charles Spurgeon said:
“It were better to break stones on a road than to be a preacher, unless God had given the Holy Spirit to sustain him. The heart and soul of a man who speaks for god will know no ease, for he hears in his ears that warring admonition, ‘If the watchman warned them not, they perished, but their blood will I require at the watchman’s hands.’ Is the infallible revelation of the infallible Jehovah to be moderated, to be shaped, to be toned down to the fancies of the hour? God forbid us if we ever alter His Word.”

Timothy was called to preach “these things” regardless of the difficulty.

If you are in the position of preacher,
You must preach and you must preach the truth of God’s Word.
He Preaches Truth
#2 HE IS SPIRITUALLY MATURE
1 Timothy 4:12

This is an often quoted verse at venues like youth camp and what not.

“Let no one look down on your youthfulness…”

And commonly some young (and foolish) person will come back
And brow beat the older congregation;
Scolding them that it is unbiblical to not treat them as equals.

THIS VERSE IS NOT SCOLDING THE OLDER GENERATION,
THIS VERSE IS CHALLENGING THE YOUNGER GENERATION.

Paul is NOT telling Timothy, “You make them respect you, and if they don’t, then you tell me, and I’ll come tell them how out of line they are.”

Instead Paul is telling Timothy that because of his young age, respect will be that much harder to come by, and therefore
He will have to work that much harder to attain it.

Timothy was going to have to prove his spiritual maturity
In spite of his young age.

HOW?
“In speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself and example of those who believe.”

Paul lists 5 evaluation points of spiritual maturity.

And we don’t have time to fully talk about spiritual maturity,
But just to simply say, it has nothing to do with your age,
Or even how long you have been a Christian.

Spiritual maturity is based upon your humility and submission to Christ.
• The mature are those who have gone farther in killing of the flesh and denying the sinful nature.
• The mature are those who are letting go of selfishness and self love.
• The mature are those who more eagerly accept the will of God even when it is hard to swallow.

And not only was Timothy called to be mature,
But he was called to be a living example of it.

And this is how he would gain the respect of those in his flock.

It carries the same idea that Jesus spoke to the disciples.
Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”

And it carries the same reasoning as why
The overseer must be “above reproach”.

Timothy (and any preacher) must earn the respect of his congregation
By being an example of spiritual maturity.

And Paul lists five areas of observation here.

“In speech”

Because the heart is revealed on the tongue.

Adrian Rogers said, “What’s in the well comes up in the bucket”

And that is true.
Matthew 12:34-37 “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. “The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

James asked:
James 3:11-12 “Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.”

Furthermore controlling the tongue is absolutely necessary
For one who dares to teach.
James 3:1-2 “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.”

And so Timothy could not be loose at the mouth.
He had to be an example of spiritual maturity
And the first area was in his speech.

“conduct”

Obviously if he could not say carnal things
Then he could not do carnal things either.

1 Peter 2:12 “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

His life had to be the epitome of good living.

“love”

And of course this is not the gooshy emotional soap opera attribute,
But Timothy must be a tremendously self-sacrificing person.

Of all the people in the church,
The preacher needed to be an example of self-sacrifice.

And of course the degree of self-sacrifice is limitless.
Paul said:

Philippians 2:17 “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.”

Colossians 1:24 “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.”

John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

And I find this extremely valuable information today,
In a day where preachers are commonly instructed not to give too much.

I have yet to ever have another pastor, a seminary professor, or any other “mentor type” person instruct me to sacrifice everything for the church.

But I am certain I have had no less than 20 tell me not to spend so much time on behalf of the church that my family suffers, or that I don’t get enough personal time, or that I burn out, etc.

All of that advice is contrary to the calling of God upon the preacher.

Furthermore it is exactly opposite to the example of Christ.
2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

Could God’s preacher be expected to pay anything less?

“faith”

And while it is obvious that Timothy must believe,
That is not the main thrust.

We live in a day when people seem to try and compete with faith.
The charismatic movement has produced a sort of “faith Olympics” where we try to believe something more “unbelievable” than the next person and thus prove that my faith is superior to yours.

But that is childish.
Faith is not measured by what it will believe,
But by how it believes.

God is not looking for gullible people, He is looking for faithful people.

He is looking for people that will not waver, that will persevere,
And that will be consistent.

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

The preacher is supposed to be an example of such commitment.

1 Corinthians 4:2 “In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.”

The preacher has to hang on when no one else wants to.
The preacher has to endure when everyone else wants to quit.

“purity”

Here the term is HAGNEIA
And it primarily relates to sexual purity.

It was a big deal in Greek culture and it is a big deal in our day.
That in a society saturated with sexual temptation,
The preacher must be a shining example
Of one who can withstand the temptation.

And of course you see the point.
The preacher must be one who is spiritually mature,
And this must be the way he earns the respect of his flock.

And for those who are young (where respect is not automatically given)
He must strive all the more to demonstrate his maturity.

God expects spiritual maturity.

He Preaches Truth
He is Spiritually Mature
#3 HE FOCUSES ON THE ESSENTIALS
1 Timothy 4:13

It is really mind-boggling to me how far off course
The modern concept of being a faithful preacher has fallen.

It is clear in this verse what the preacher is to be consumed with.

“Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.”
Very simple.
Proclaim the truth (read the Scripture)
Explain the truth (teaching)
Apply the truth (exhortation)

And Paul tells Timothy to “give attention to” these things “Until I come”.

There were no other ministries as important as this.
There were no other jobs that should distract from this.
Be a preacher all the time.
Be focused on preaching.

COULD IT BE ANY CLEARER WHAT THE ROLE OF THE PREACHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE?

There are many other job descriptions that get thrown in this man’s lap,
And I can speak from experience,
That a man who wants to focus primarily on preaching
Will have a battle on his hands.

Some want the preacher to be a chaplain.
Some want the preacher to be a community leader.
Some want the preacher to be a miracle worker.
Some want the preacher to be Mr. Popular in the community.

BUT TIMOTHY WAS CALLED TO PREACH
(Focus on the essentials)

John MacArthur wrote of several of the reformers and early church fathers in regard to their commitment to preaching. Let me just read to you about the commitment of John Calvin.

“Calvin ministered in Geneva from 1541 until his death in 1564. He preached twice each Sunday, and every other week preached each weeknight. His Sunday sermons covered the New Testament, his weeknight sermons the Old Testament. Those sermons were recorded by a stenographer, and became the basis of his commentaries. He produced commentaries on Genesis, Deuteronomy, Judges, Job, Psalms, 1 and 2 Samuel 1 Kings, all the major and minor prophets, a harmony of the Gospels, Acts, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and the Pastoral Epistles.” (1 Timothy commentary, pg. 177)

God expects preachers to preach.

I absolutely love Peter’s response to the problem with the widows and the food.
Acts 6:2-4 “So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.”But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Don’t get distracted from preaching.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul still harps on the same thing.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

There are the same concepts.
• Preaching
• Reproval
• Rebuking
• Exhortation
• Instruction

The preacher must be focused on what matters.

He Preaches truth He is Spiritually Mature He Focuses on the Essentials
#4 HE SUBMITS TO THE SPIRIT
1 Timothy 4:14

Here it may have been that Timothy was
Already feeling some of those urges to quit the ministry.

We know by the time 2 Timothy is written he wants to quit.

2 Timothy 1:3-4 “I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.”

Which is why Paul spends that entire letter encouraging Timothy to continue.
(1:6) “kindle afresh the gift of God”
(1:8) “do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord”
(1:13) “retain the standard fo sound words which you have heard from me”
(1:14) “Guard, through the Holy Spiri who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”
(2:1) “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”
(2:3) “suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus”
(2:8) “Remember Jesus Christ”
(2:15) “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God”
(3:1) “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come”
(3:14) “continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of”
And then the “preach the word” passage at the end.

And it is possible that since Paul wrote this in a negative connotation;
“Do not neglect” that Timothy was contemplating quitting
At this present time already.

Timothy may have wanted to turn his back on the preaching ministry
And instead choose something that seemed easier to accomplish.

But here Paul encourages Timothy that if he does that,
He will be outside of God’s expectation for him.

HOW DO WE KNOW GOD WANTS TIMOTHY TO PREACH?
Because God gifted him to do so.

“Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you”

God doesn’t just hand out his gifts with no expectation.
When God gives you a gift, he expects you to use it.

We have all read Paul’s section on the body.
If eyes don’t work the body is crippled…
If ears don’t work the body is crippled…
If feet don’t work the body is crippled…
And if the mouth doesn’t work the body is crippled…

Neglecting your spiritual gift is not an option
And the same is true for the preacher.

God gave it and God expects it to be used.

Not only that, but the church expected that gift to be used.
“which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.”

In Paul and Timothy’s day the ministry of prophets was still a viable ministry and apparently God had spoken directly through a prophet to announce that Timothy would be a preacher.

The church had then confirmed that calling in Timothy’s life by laying their hands upon him, thus setting him apart for the gospel ministry.

We still today lay our hands
On those God has called and equipped to preach His word.

This signifies that we see a gift in them
And that we confer the authority of the church to them,
And thus promise to support them as they leave behind their labors
In order to minister for the kingdom.

And because this has happened for the preacher,
He dare not turn back from his calling.

1 Corinthians 9:16 “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”
And so there you have four points of evaluation for the preacher.
We’ll get the last four next time.

But God expects that this man:
• Preaches Truth
• Is Spiritually Mature
• Focuses on the Essentials
• Submits to the Spirit

This is the calling and these are God’s expectations for him.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 “I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

The Good Servant
1 Timothy 4:6-10
April 11, 2010

We all understand from our study of Scripture
That there are few roles as important as the role of “servant”

Matthew 20:25-28 “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Galatians 5:13 “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Just basic Bible study yields the obvious conclusion
That servants are key to Christianity.

They are honored above all else, and indeed we are all called to serve one another.

And I suppose the only way you could compound that concept
Is when you realize that we are not just serving each other,
But that we are also serving Christ.

And if we had a desire to be good servants of one another, how much more would our desired increase if we realized that we are serving Christ?

Colossians 3:22-24 “Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

And so while our service sees fellow believers as the initial recipients of our labors, we must all understand that in reality it is Christ that we are truly serving.

After all, Jesus said:
Matthew 25:37-40 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”

And the obvious reality is that everything we do here
Is in reality a service to Jesus Christ.

Our service of others is really our service to Him.
Our love of others is really our love to Him.
Our sacrifice for others is really our sacrifice for Him.

In the sense that we are servants, we are in reality servants of Jesus
And this is what Paul wanted Timothy to focus on in our text tonight.

He wants Timothy to be “a good servant of Christ Jesus.”

And therefore Paul gives Timothy the criteria
By which we measure a good servant.

Timothy was pastor of the church at Ephesus, and as such he had a tremendous responsibility.

While his title may have called him “pastor” his role was still “servant”.
What he did was in service of Jesus Christ on behalf of His church.

And Paul wants him to know how to do that well.

And so while in one regard any and all servants could draw some valuable information from this text, the true application is for those who serve as pastors or overseers of the church.

Paul is telling them how to do their job well.

And this is tremendously valuable information for the church.

Obviously it is valuable for me, for I am the one called to fulfill these verses.
But it is also tremendously valuable for you as well, that you may know what a pastor should be and do.

The church today has gotten confused as to the role of a pastor.
Many have forgotten that the pastor is an “under shepherd” of Jesus Christ.

And as such his role is primarily to feed the flock, to protect the flock, and to nurture the flock. (All those requirements that God revealed to Ezekiel in ch. 34)

But today most think the pastor is simply one who pets the flock.

They think a pastor who is popular with all the people…
A pastor who is always positive and even enabling…
A pastor who pampers and coddles and relates well…

They think this is what a pastor is supposed to be.

But we must not forget.
In serving as a pastor, while our service is received by the flock,
Our service is really for the Lord Jesus.

Therefore, it is not the flock who dictates how we serve,
But the Lord who dictates how we serve.

And so the study of passages like this tonight are extremely valuable to the flock as well, as it enlightens them to the type of leader they should seek, and encourage.

So tonight we listen to Paul outline what it means to be a good servant.

There are three main points I want to make about a good servant

#1 HE LOVES TRUTH
1 Timothy 4:6-7a

One obvious attribute of a good servant of Christ is that he loves the truth.

And here Paul reveals 4 areas in which that is evident in his life.

1) HIS SPEECH (6a)
“In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus,”

Here Paul indicates that for Timothy to be a “good servant”
He must first of all be faithful to reveal certain truths to the flock.

He says:
“In pointing out these things to the brethren”

What are “these things”?

Well, they are what is talked about in the first 5 verses of the chapter.
Namely the threat of apostasy and how it occurs.

Apostasy is Real
Apostasy is Promoted
Apostasy is Subtle

Paul told Timothy that apostasy is far from some minor problem.
People really do fall away from the faith.

They do this because there are scores of false teachers who have seared consciences who are teaching the doctrines of demons.

And in their deceptive teachings they are deceiving some who claim to believe and actually leading them away from the faith.

Apostasy is a real threat
Apostasy is a real danger

And Timothy needed to point these things out to the brethren.

Certainly a preacher does not try to scare his congregation
But there are some dangers that they must be made aware of.

While topics like apostasy are not the most joyful to cover,
If Timothy is to be faithful he must cover them.

Coupled with that is the exposing of the heresy that is being taught.

At Ephesus a very subtle form of legalism was being taught.
Some were teaching that in order to get close to God, men had to abstain from certain foods and even marriage.

It might have sounded like true sacrificial worship, but it was rooted in heresy and extremely unbiblical.

And if Timothy was to be found faithful,
He had to make sure that his congregation
Knew why that teaching was wrong.

“In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus.”

There is no room for a pastor or preacher
Who does not expose error and explain why it is wrong.

Titus 1:9-11 “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.”

Now there are two reasons why men commonly fail at this task.
1) It is not fun to expose heresy (commonly it is believed by many)
2) It is not always easy (it requires diligent study and work)

But a pastor cannot be a “good servant of Christ Jesus”
If he does not fulfill this task.

So a good servant is evaluated by his speech
2) HIS STUDY (6b)
“constantly nourished on the words of the faith”

This really links very closely to the previous point.
If he is going to be able to expose and refute false doctrine
Then he obviously must know the truth.

In order to know the truth he must be a man who is “constantly nourished” on it.

This does not speak of his requirement to feed the flock.
This speaks of the necessity of feeding himself.

In his book on preaching MacArthur quotes an anonymous essay about the importance of the preacher as a studier of God’s Word.

(Read Quote)

Paul told Timothy:
2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

When you have questions you ought to take them to your pastor.
And he ought to be embarrassed or ashamed if he cannot answer them.

The inability to rightly divide God’s Word
Is not a consequence of poor intellect,
But rather a consequence of laziness.

It was impossible for Timothy to be a “good servant of Christ Jesus”
If he was not “constantly nourished on the words of faith.”

His Speech
His Study
3) HIS SOUNDNESS (6c)
“and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.”

Again, this ties very closely to the first two,
But indicates one who has studied well
And as a result has an accurate doctrine.

He hasn’t just studied, he has studied and found the truth.

The truth found in Scripture is often compared to a diamond or a jewel lodged in the earth.

Psalms 119:11 “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.”

2 Timothy 1:13-14 “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”

Therefore the job of the pastor is to mine out those nuggets of truth.

And any preacher will tell you that the Bible easily yields up some nuggets
And seems to greatly conceal others.

I can’t tell you the time I have spent mining on some chapters of the Bible
Like Romans 5 or Romans 7 or John 6

But if a pastor is to be faithful, he must do the work.
He must study the text to find the point.
If he studies, but fails to find the point, he is not a “good servant”

One of my favorite passages on this topic is:
Proverbs 2:1-6 “My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

This has to be the practice of a pastor.

And not just to have true doctrine, but then to also follow it.
Paul says to Timothy
“the sound doctrine which you have been following.”

He has to study the truth long enough to know the truth, and then he must follow it.

Otherwise he is not a “good servant”

His Speech, His Study, His Soundness
4) HIS SELECTIVENESS (7a)
“But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.”

And this is another great truth that a preacher must learn.

GOD DID NOT PUT YOU IN HIS PULPIT TO SPEAK ABOUT
ANYTHING THAT YOU FIND INTERESTING.

God put you in His pulpit to declare His Word.

If a person didn’t know better today,
He would think that good preaching requires
Just as much time reading Newsweek and Zig Zigler
As it does reading God’s Word.

I was flat out amazed the other night watching Joel Olsteen.
He must have quoted 30 illustrations / one line quotes

Such is the equivalent of NOTHING

In my estimation he talked for 35 minutes about nothing.

Paul will later tell Timothy
1 Timothy 6:20-21 “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge” — which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.”

A “good servant” cannot fill the people’s minds with useless information
And cute stories that are powerless to help the people.

If the sheep live on grain you can’t feed them a diet of straw.

That was what God said to Jeremiah
Jeremiah 23:28-29 “The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the LORD. “Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?”

If Timothy was going to be “a good servant of Christ Jesus”
Then he had to love the truth.

He had to study it, he had to discern it, he had to preach it, and he had to avoid everything else that took away from it.

He Loves Truth
#2 HE LIVES GODLY
1 Timothy 4:7b-9

The command is exceptionally clear to Timothy here.

“On the other hand discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;”

Paul is here drawing on the culture of the day.

The Greek culture was one that put a very high emphasis
On the training of the body.

They worked their body, they disciplined their body, it was important to them.

And I don’t know if you have ever seen a person who is addicted to personal fitness, but it is literally a discipline.

They make themselves get up at all hours and in all sorts of weather to push their bodies to do what they want them to do.

And to be a great athlete it takes a tremendous amount of discipline.

Well, with that present day mindset Paul reveals to Timothy
That he must learn to think the same way.
Only not about physical fitness, but rather spiritual fitness.

“discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;”

It was this that Paul had in mind when he wrote:
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

It was a similar picture that the writer of Hebrews had in mind
Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
And the idea of both is that just as an athlete disciplines his body So the man of God must discipline his soul.

He must push himself to be godly.

And then Paul puts it all into perspective.

(8) “for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds for the present life and also for the life to come.”

(This is the verse I cling to every time Lenny wants me to go run with him)

But what Paul is really doing is shaming those ministers
Who don’t strive for godliness.

How is it that an athlete can sacrifice so much to achieve a crown that perishes and you won’t work just as hard to achieve a crown that will endure for all eternity?

Paul is reminding Timothy that he must live a godly life.

And of course the reason as obvious.
Failure to live godly completely undermines your ministry.

1 Timothy 1:18-20 “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”

You cannot be “a good servant of Christ Jesus”
If you do not set a godly example for the flock you are striving to lead.

Paul would go on to say:
(9) “It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.”

Meaning, there is no room to argue with such logic.
Any pastor that argues with the necessity of godliness if foolish.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”

He must live godly
This is what makes a person “a good servant”

He Loves Truth He Lives Godly
#3 HE LABORS FOR ETERNITY
1 Timothy 4:10

And here Paul gives a little motivation to the concept.

He has thus far challenged Timothy to:
• Preach what is hard to preach
• Study harder
• Be more accurate
• Be more selective
• Discipline yourself more

To say that can be overwhelming is an understatement.

WHERE WOULD TIMOTHY FIND THE MOTIVATION TO DO SUCH THINGS?

“For it is for this we labor and strive”

Paul is about to tell Timothy why such “labor” was required.
He is about to tell him why he must “strive” so hard in the ministry.

There is a reason.
“because we have fixed our hope on the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.”

There is a reason Timothy (and any other pastor) should work so hard at his service to the Lord.

HE IS WORKING FOR ETERNITY

HIS OWN ETERNITY
“because we have fixed our hope on the living God”

• If Timothy has truly forsaken this life…
• If Timothy has truly let his dreams and riches in this life go…
• If Timothy has truly placed his hope in eternity for reward…

Then why not go all the way and fully forsake the comforts of this life for the glory of the next?

Don’t hold anything back.
Don’t reserve anything.
Live this life like you are really living for eternity.

And when you set your mind on eternity
You will find the strength and the stamina to study harder,
Dig deeper, preacher more accurately,
And discipline yourself more.

Athletes do this.
They absolutely ruin their lives for months at a time
In order that they might receive a few minutes of glory later.

They regulate their sleep
They regulate their diet
They regulate their free time
They regulate their amusement

The sacrifice what most of us find enjoyable for the sake of something later.

Paul wants Timothy to do the same.
Focus on the hope of eternity.

But not just his own eternity.
THE ETERNITY OF OTHERS
“who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

To bring some understanding to the statement:
This is not universalism.

But in one sense God really “is the Savior of all men”
• They are not in hell today…
• Satan does not have them now…
• Their lungs still work…
• Their heart still beats…

He is very much a temporary Savior to all men.

But “especially of believers”

For He is the eternal Savior of those who believe.

And Paul’s point to Timothy is that his service
Has eternal consequences, not only for himself,
And not only for the lost, but also for the redeemed.

Everything Timothy did in his ministry
Effected the eternity of himself and those around him.

HE WAS MAKING AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE

And this required diligent study, amazing devotion, and Godly discipline.

Coupled with the fact that there was the real threat that some who claimed to be believers really weren’t, and therefore were extremely susceptible to apostasy; Timothy had to be even more committed.

What Timothy was doing mattered to the sheep,
And so he had to make sure to do his job well.

He had to be “a good servant of Christ Jesus”

And that meant:
• He Must Love Truth
• He Must Live Godly
• He Must Labor for Eternity

Anything short renders you less than useable to the Master.

And while this is primarily an admonition to pastors,
Obviously there are things that can be brought into every life.

Those who are the most useable are those
• Who are truly devoted to their ministry.
• Who sacrifice to do the word that God has for them to do.
• Who have an eternal mindset about what they do,
• Who will endure any hardship.

It is this type of devotion that makes us all good servants of Christ.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 “I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”