Sermon Central
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Fight The Good Fight: Studies In 1 Timothy
Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 29, 2014 (message contributor)
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1. When You Feel Like Your Efforts Aren't Doing Any Good
Contributed on Aug 4, 2015
A look at both the discouragement that comes when you're doing what's right without reward and the danger that comes when you're doing what's wrong without consequences.
WHY DO WHAT'S RIGHT? 1. With sin, sometimes we feel like we’re getting away with it. - Having no immediate, embarrassing, catastrophic punishment or consequence fall on us emboldens us to do it again. We begin to become callous. - There is a fear that first time that abates a little each ...read more
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2. Six "Myths" And "Tales" That Everyone Buys Into
Contributed on Feb 16, 2015
Paul's mention of "myths" and "tales" serves as a springboard for a discussion of six myths/tales that we encounter in our society today.
The Unexamined Lie: There are “myths” and “tales” we buy into because everyone around us is buying into them. - 1 Timothy 4:6-7. - Talk about (v. 7) the idea of buying into myths that everyone around us does. - Talk about (v. 6) the need to examine even common ideas under the light of ...read more
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3. Why Is There So Much Arguing Among Christians?
Contributed on Jan 29, 2014
There is a lot of arguing among Christians. This sermon looks at why that's largely worthless and where God would have to focus instead.
ARGUING AND CONTROVERSIES: Sometimes we act like the symbol of our faith is a bullhorn. - 1 Timothy 1:4 (“promote controversies”), 6 (“meaningless talk”), 7. - Sometimes we act like a bullhorn is the symbol of our faith – we speak loudly to drown out the other ...read more
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4. Two Big Mistakes Churches Make With Their Youth
Contributed on Feb 16, 2015
A look at two of the biggest mistakes tha the church makes with their youth.
HOW ARE CHURCHES DOING WITH OUR YOUTH? Not great. - Cite stats. TWO BIG MISTAKES CHURCHES MAKE WITH THEIR YOUTH: 1. WE DISMISS THEM. - 1 Timothy 4:12a – “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. . .” - Paul here alludes to the idea that ...read more
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5. Five Things God Has Prepared For Us
Contributed on Sep 22, 2014
A look at five things that God has prepared for us.
- There is a late scene in “Searching for Bobby Fischer” where the protagonist sees far enough ahead on the chess board that he sees he’s going to win. He graciously offers a draw, but the other player thinks he’s in the superior position. (You can find this scene by ...read more
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6. How What We Know Impacts How God Judges Us
Contributed on Feb 20, 2014
A look at our how our judgment is partially dependent on how much we knew, whether we're a Christian or non-Christian.
MORE THAN HEARING: How much we’ve heard impacts how much God expects of us. - 1 Timothy 1:13. - Verse 13 brings out an interesting phrase: “because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.” - Paul there acknowledges that part of God’s great mercy to him was prefaced on ...read more
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7. “three Ways To Run The Church”
Contributed on Feb 16, 2015
A look at the three primary church government structures.
- There are a number of ways that we could handle the passage this evening. We could talk about qualifications for pastors or for deacons (this would be especially helpful for a church entering into a pastor search process). We could talk about whether it’s necessary to be “called ...read more
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8. How To Choose A Pastor
Contributed on Jul 3, 2015
A look at two of the sections in 1 Timothy that deal with the pastoral role.
- First, let me say up front that this is not going to be an exciting sermon. I say that because the subject is one that is not particularly pressing. It is important, but most prefer sermons that focus on your personal walk with the Lord. This message deals with a corporate concern. - ...read more
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9. How Many Does God Want To See Saved?
Contributed on Dec 17, 2014
A look at God desire for everyone to be saved and the human freedom that keeps that from happening.
A CONTRADICTION? The Bible says it’s God’s will for all people to be saved, but it also says that the road is narrow. - Matthew 7:13-14; 1 Timothy 2:3-4. - Look at both passages. - Unpack each idea and its implications. THE ANSWER: Human freedom. - It is God’s ...read more
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10. Dealing With One Of The Most Challenging Bible Passages About Women
Contributed on Jan 17, 2015
Three approaches to this passage where Paul says women should be silent, along with the greatest strength and greatest weakness of each argument.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT?! On first reading, there’s plenty in these verses to raise eyebrows. - 1 Timothy 2:11-15. THREE APPROACHES TO THESE VERSES: - These are not the only three possibilities, but I would argue that they are the three most prominent. 1. ARGUMENT #1: This ...read more
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11. Why Should We ‘raise Holy Hands In Prayer’?
Contributed on Jan 17, 2015
What do we do with Paul's instructions for us to "raise holy hands in prayer"? Why would he ask us to do that?
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WHAT? Paul commands us to lift holy hands in prayer. - 1 Timothy 2:8. WHY DO THAT? We can use our body’s position to focus our heart’s direction. SOME "HOLY HANDS" EXAMPLES: 1. Hands lifted skyward is an expression of surrender. 2. Hands cupped ...read more
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12. Why Am I Surrounded By Problem People And Problem Situations?
Contributed on Sep 23, 2014
A look at the call to "fight the good fight."
FIGHTING: You were made to take ground. - 1 Timothy 1:18b – “fight the good fight.” - It’s a fight. It’s a battle. - You are a warrior, a soldier. - This is a spiritual battle rather than a physical ground, but that doesn’t change the need to take ...read more
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13. The Christian’s Duty To Our Political Leaders
Contributed on Oct 29, 2014
An examination of the call for us to pray for our political leaders as well as some of the reasons that we usually fail to fulfill that obligation.
THREE WAYS WE INTERACT WITH OUR POLITICAL LEADERS: 1. We complain about them. - Today this is our default position. Everyone is terrible, everything is terrible. This one’s a liar, that one’s a thief. This one is kicking puppies, that one hates babies. - And so we ...read more
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14. How Does God Benefit From Saving People By Grace?
Contributed on Aug 25, 2014
A look at why God saves by grace and how that should impact what the church looks like.
- The "reverses the line" story off Preaching Today. “FOR THAT VERY REASON”: Grace “reverses the line.” - 1 Timothy 1:16. - This verse continues with the thought from verse 15 that we discussed last week: that Paul considered himself the worst of sinners. - The ...read more
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15. If The Law Can’t Save Us, What’s The Point Of Having It?
Contributed on Feb 20, 2014
A look at how the Law is not there to get us to God, but to show us how far we are from Him.
THE POINT OF THE LAW: The Law doesn’t get us closer to God; it helps us understand how far from Him we are. - 1 Timothy 1:7-8. - Romans 3:20. - The initial thought about the Law would seem to be: it’s to get us to God, therefore it’s for the righteous. - The reality is ...read more
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16. Why Trying Is Not Enough For Spiritual Growth
Contributed on Feb 17, 2015
Paul commands us to do more than try - we are to train.
WHAT DOES A VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE LOOK LIKE? Christlikeness. - 1 Timothy 4:7a. - The goal of the Christian life is for us to literally become like Christ, not just claim allegiance to Him. - The mention of “godless myths and old wives’ tales” earlier in v. 7 is ...read more
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17. What Does The Bible Say About Drinking?
Contributed on Jul 3, 2015
A balanced look at the verses on drinking with an emphasis on our freedom in Christ.
A STARTING POINT: We all know that Baptists are generally teetotalers, but what does the Bible actually teach? THE DANGERS OF DRINKING: 1. The Bible says that excessive drinking is foolish. - Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 23:20-21, 31-35; Isaiah 5:11; Isaiah 28:1; Luke 21:34; Romans 13:13; 1 ...read more
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18. Four Things That Get In The Way Of The Church Being A Family
Contributed on Jun 26, 2015
The passage commands us to treat our church family like family. What are some of the things that get in the way of us doing that well?
WHY TREAT EACH OTHER LIKE FAMILY? We are God’s eternal family. - 1 Timothy 5:1-2. - Because we are family! - Why is this so needed today? a. The prevalence of loneliness in our society. b. The joy of being “where everybody knows your name.” c. How hard life is ...read more
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19. How Could Paul Be The ‘world’s Biggest Sinner’ When He Was So Religious?
Contributed on Aug 29, 2014
A look at how the greatest evil is often wears religious clothes and how we can avoid having that happen in our lives.
A QUESTION: How could Paul be the “world’s biggest sinner” when he was so religious? - 1 Timothy 1:15. - This passage is interesting and sets up an obvious question: if Paul was so religious and so focused on pleasing God, how could he have been the world’s biggest ...read more
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20. I’d Like To Do Something For God, But I Don’t Feel Up To The Task
Contributed on May 13, 2014
A look at how we've been appointed to service and how Jesus helps us succeed in that.
“I DON'T FEEL UP TO THE TASK": Jesus has appointed you to service. - 1 Timothy 1:12d. - Matthew 10:42; Mark 10:43-44; John 13:14; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 6:7; Philippians 2:7. a. Service for everyone. - Some think that only pastors and deacons are to serve. ...read more
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21. What Does It Mean That Jesus Was A ‘ransom’ For Us?
Contributed on Dec 22, 2014
A look at the correct understanding of "ransom" (it's not an extortion) and four key ideas that help us understand it.
PAYING "RANSOM"? Does this mean that God gave into extortion? - 1 Timothy 2:6. - A ransom is a price paid for someone’s freedom. - It’s an easy idea to get off-track on if you don’t watch it. - How so? Sometimes a ransom is basically extortion. Someone kidnaps ...read more
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22. Six Essential Elements Of Our Faith
Contributed on Feb 16, 2015
A look at six elements of "Christ crucified" - the core of our faith.
What’s At The Core? The center of the gospel is not the Bible or the church; it is Christ crucified. - 1 Timothy 3:16. - The phrase at the beginning of verse 16 is worth a moment’s pause: “the mystery of godliness.” - This can be taken two ways: a. The mystery of ...read more
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23. With So Many Christians Around, Is My Witness Really That Important?
Contributed on Jan 17, 2015
A look at how each of us are "appointed" by the Lord and the importance of the witness that each of us share.
PAUL'S ROLE: Paul was appointed an apostle. - 1 Timothy 2:7. - Unpack Paul’s unique place in salvation history. HOW MANY CHRISTIANS ARE APPOINTED? All of us. - 1 Corinthians 1:26; 1 Corinthians 12:1-30; 2 Corinthians 5:20; 2 Timothy 1:9. - We are Christ’s ambassadors ...read more
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24. Hearing The Word More Clearly In Worship
Contributed on Apr 22, 2015
Four insights on receiving more from the Word in worship.
WHY DID THEY PUBLICLY READ THE SCRIPTURE? Because most of the church could not read. - 1 Timothy 4:13. - Why does Paul command for the Word to be read in worship? During that era (and the majority of the eras since), most of the church was illiterate, as was most of the population in ...read more
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25. Two Keys To The Path To Spiritual Growth
Contributed on May 4, 2015
What are some of the keys to pursuing spiritual growth?
THREE MISTAKES CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GROWTH: 1. I’m already there. - “This is as good as it’s going to get.” - “I’m mature enough.” - “My life looks like the other Christians around me.” - We need to recognize that God has more ...read more
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26. Why Does The Government Do More Than The Church To Help The Poor?
Contributed on Jun 26, 2015
This passage on the care of widows opens up a larger question: what's the place the church should have in the care of the poor (versus the place the government should have)?
THE POINT OF THE PASSAGE: Taking care of the needy widows was a big deal in the early church. - There was a different societal structure and a lack of social safety net back then. The church stepped in to help. - Unpack some of the passage. - The passage raises a more general question: ...read more
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27. The Problem With Wearing Your Sunday Best
Contributed on Jan 17, 2015
A look at the problem with dressing up for church.
THE PAPAW ARGUMENT: You should wear your Sunday best to church because it honors God. - Put on your tie. Throw on that suit. - Find a nice dress. Put a bow in your hair. - Many Christians argue that you should wear your best to church because it honors God. “God is worth of the ...read more
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28. Does ‘abandoning The Faith’ Mean Losing Your Salvation?
Contributed on Feb 16, 2015
An examination of the difficult phrase "abandoning the faith" and its proper context of legalism, not salvation.
THE MAIN QUESTION: Does “abandon[ing] the faith” mean losing your salvation? - 1 Timothy 4:1. - This is one of those passages where the wording immediately lends itself to thinking about eternal security. What does it mean that “some will abandon the faith”? Does it ...read more
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29. How Can My Life Shine More Glory On God?
Contributed on Sep 19, 2014
A look at why God desires to be glorified as well as how we can do more of that.
DOES GOD WANT GLORY? Yes, not because He has low self-esteem, but because He wants us living for what matters most. - 1 Timothy 1:17. - John 8:50, 54; John 13:31; John 17:4-5. - There are numerous passages that speak of the importance to God of receiving glory. (See the John ...read more
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30. Why Do Christians Say There Is Only "One Mediator"
Contributed on Dec 17, 2014
Some basic apologetics concerning the exclusivity of Christ.
Isn’t That Intolerant And Arrogant? How can Christians claim there is only “one mediator between God and man”? - 1 Timothy 2:5. - John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:11-12. - Rabbi Schmuley Boteach: “I am absolutely against any religion that says that one faith is superior ...read more