Good Minister Of Christ Jesus

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you a good minister of CHRIST JESUS?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To enumerate from the Bible how to be a good minister of CHRIST.

IV. TEXT:

1 Timothy 4:6 (Amplified Bible)

If you lay all these instructions before the brethren, you will be a worthy steward and a good minister of Christ Jesus, ever nourishing your own self on the truths of the faith and of the good [Christian] instruction which you have closely followed.

V. THESIS:

To be a good minister of CHRIST, means (1) we need to teach the bible to other people as well, both believers and unbelievers, (2) we need to grow deeper in the truths of our faith, (3) we need to closely follow good doctrines of the Bible. A good minister of CHRIST is a good follower or a good practitioner of the Bible.

VI. TITLE:

Good minister of CHRIST JESUS

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Apostle Paul

B. Date written: About 64 A.D., but uncertain

C. To whom written: Timothy, Paul's true son in the faith

1 Timothy 1:2 (New International Version)

To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

D. Main themes: Advice and exhortation to a young pastor respecting his personal conduct and ministerial work

E. Keyword: conduct

F. Key verse:

1 Timothy 3:15 (New International Version)

if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Point these things out to the brothers

"If you lay all these instructions before the brethren, you will be a worthy steward and a good minister of Christ Jesus,"

Isaiah 58:1 (Amplified Bible)

CRY ALOUD, spare not. Lift up your voice like a trumpet and declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins!

Isaiah 62:6 (Amplified Bible)

I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who will never hold their peace day or night; you who [are His servants and by your prayers] put the Lord in remembrance [of His promises], keep not silence,

Matthew 28:19 (Amplified Bible)

Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

"Pointing out" has to do with instruction or teaching and "doctrine" means instruction. Instructing a fellow CHRISTian will not separate us from teaching the WORD of GOD, for only the WORD of GOD has doctrines (teachings) that can change a man's life and make it more like GOD and like CHRIST.

B. Brought up in the truths of the faith

"ever nourishing your own self on the truths of the faith"

Job 23:12 (Amplified Bible)

I have not gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed and treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

Psalms 119:103 (Amplified Bible)

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Jeremiah 15:16 (Amplified Bible)

Your words were found, and I ate them; and Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

It's great and better for us to grow deeper in our faith based on true teachings or sound doctrines rather than growing in the ways of this world.

C. Good teaching that we have closely followed

"and of the good [Christian] instruction which you have closely followed."

Proverbs 4:2 (Amplified Bible)

For I give you good doctrine [what is to be received]; do not forsake my teaching.

Titus 1:9 (Amplified Bible)

He must hold fast to the sure and trustworthy Word of God as he was taught it, so that he may be able both to give stimulating instruction and encouragement in sound (wholesome) doctrine and to refute and convict those who contradict and oppose it [showing the wayward their error].

Titus 2:1-2 (Amplified Bible)

BUT [as for] you, teach what is fitting and becoming to sound (wholesome) doctrine [the character and right living that identify true Christians].

Urge the older men to be temperate, venerable (serious), sensible, self-controlled, and sound in the faith, in the love, and in the steadfastness and patience [of Christ].

Good teachings or sound doctrines are to be followed closely by us and we don't follow people or other people's lives but the teachings founded on GOD's Words.

IX. CONCLUSION:

A good minister of CHRIST is a good follower, a good practitioner of the Bible or a doer of the Word.

James 1:22 (Amplified Bible)

But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth].