1 Timothy: Doing Church God’s Way
North Coast Church
Message #3 July 22-23, 2006 Dr. Larry Osborne
How To Deal With A Controversial Passage
1 Timothy 1:18-2:15
Sermon Outline
Note: PowerPoints and Small Group Worksheets
for this sermon are available at www.northcoastchurch.com.
● A Different Approach: More academic than usual
~ A Potpourri of Topics
~ One Very Divisive Topic!
● Here’s The Game Plan
~ We’ll cover the easy verses
~ I’ll explain the tough one as I see it.
~ We’ll learn how to deal with tough & controversial passages
THE PROBLEM:
Not every passage in the Bible is crystal clear.
~ Most Are Clear! (98%) Unless Alice in Wonderland
~ Some are fuzzy.
1 Cor 11:17-19 A way to show off our spiritual superiority!
~ A TINY PERCENTAGE are nearly impossible to figure out.
Too often, we argue over the unclear and ignore the crystal clear.
We don’t know how to agree to disagree.
THE PASSAGE:
FIRST THE EASY STUFF:
How A Good Start Goes Awry.
1 Timothy 1:18-20/ Hebrews 11:6 & Hebrews 10:25-26/ 1 John 1:9 & Jeremiah 18:1-10
► We stop trusting God and stop obeying God.
“Fight the good fight by holding on to FAITH and a GOOD CONSCIENCE which some have rejected and made a shipwreck of their faith.”
What To Pray For And Why It’s Important.
1 Timothy 2:1-7/ Proverbs 21:1/ John 14:6 & Acts 4:12/ Ezekiel 33:11
1 Tim 2:5-6 ~ For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all men. . .
► Everyone and everything.
~ Including Godless leaders!
~ We’ve traded corporate prayer for corporate politics!
► Peace and quiet.
► So that it’s easier to become a Christian.
What’s A Man to Do?
1 Timothy 2:8/ Mark 11:25/ Romans 12:8
► God wants holiness and harmony.
Lift up holy hands in prayer WITHOUT anger and disputing.
Mk 11:25
Rom 12:18
NOW FOR THE HARD STUFF:
What’s A Woman to Do?
1 Timothy 2:9-15/ 1 Peter 3:3-4/ Proverbs 31:10 & 22/ Proverbs 11:22/ Galatians 3:28
► Is this about a woman or a wife?
γΰνή ~ Singular not plural!
► Is this for then or for now?
If the dress code isn’t universal Why is “Don’t teach & be quiet?”
Prov 31:10,16,22
Buys & Sells Real Estate
Clothed in fine linen & purple
Jesus & NT radically elevated the role of women
2 Pet 3:16 ~ Paul writes some things that are hard to understand!
► How I see it.
~ I believe it’s about wives not women in general. - Husband is head of the home
~ The main context of the passage is evangelism. Scandalous dress and culturally inappropriate behavior turns people away; then & now!
~ Not allowing women to teach or lead doesn’t square with the rest of the NT and Paul’s own actions in Acts.
Priscilla & Aquila – 5 of 7 times!
Taught Apollos! – Acts 18:24-26
BUT… the role of an Apostle or Elder is always filled by a man in the NT.
Hard to convince me this was because Jesus was afraid to buck cultural norms!
1 Tim 3:1 If any man…
WHAT TO DO WHEN THE
OTHER SIDE DOESN’T GET IT
If it’s black & white and crystal clear – divide over it.
Galatians 1:8-9/ 1 Timothy 4:7, 2 Timothy 3:5 & Titus 3:10/ 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
Gal 1:8-9 ~ Let him be eternally condemned!
1 Tim 4:7 ~ Nothing to do with them
2 Tim 3:5 ~ Nothing to do with them
Titus 3:10 ~ 3 warnings and out
1 Cor 5:9-13 ~ Church disicpline
If it’s not, unity is more important than uniformity.
1 Corinthians 13:2/ 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 & 11:17-19/ Romans 14:1-13/
John 13:35 & Ephesians 4:2-3/ 1 Timothy 1:5 & 1 Peter 3:8 & 4:8 & 1 John 4:20-21
Available as a North Coast Church Podcast - www.northcoastchurch.com
1 Timothy: Doing Church God’s Way North Coast Church
Message #3 July 22-23, 2006 Dr. Larry Osborne
How To Deal With A
Controversial Passage
1 Timothy 1:18-2:15
THE PROBLEM:
Not every passage in the Bible is _____________.
Too often, we _____________ the unclear and _____________ the crystal clear.
We don’t know how to _____________.
THE PASSAGE:
FIRST THE EASY STUFF:
How A Good Start Goes Awry
1 Timothy 1:18-20/ Hebrews 11:6 & Hebrews 10:25-26/ 1 John 1:9 & Jeremiah 18:1-10
► We stop _____________ and stop _____________.
What To Pray For And Why It’s Important.
1 Timothy 2:1-7/ Proverbs 21:1/ John 14:6 & Acts 4:12/ Ezekiel 33:11
► _____________ and _____________ .
► _____________ and _____________ .
► So that it’s easier to become a _____________.
What’s A Man to Do?
1 Timothy 2:8/ Mark 11:25/ Romans 12:8
► God wants _____________ and _____________.
NOW FOR THE HARD STUFF:
What’s A Woman to Do?
1 Timothy 2:9-15/ 1 Peter 3:3-4/ Proverbs 31:10 & 22/ Proverbs 11:22/ Galatians 3:28
► Is this about a _____________ or a _____________?
► Is this for _____________ or for _____________?
► How I see it.
WHAT TO DO WHEN THE
OTHER SIDE DOESN’T GET IT
If it’s black & white and crystal clear – _____________.
Galatians 1:8-9/ 1 Timothy 4:7, 2 Timothy 3:5 & Titus 3:10/ 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
If it’s not, _____________ is more important than _____________.
1 Corinthians 13:2/ 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 & 11:17-19/ Romans 14:1-13/
John 13:35 & Ephesians 4:2-3/ 1 Timothy 1:5 & 1 Peter 3:8 & 4:8 & 1 John 4:20-21
Available as a North Coast Church Podcast - www.northcoastchurch.com
Food for Thought
For the week of July 23, 2006
(Questions and Scriptures for further study)
1. Working your way through a controversial passage that’s dividing the ranks can at times be no small challenge. When reading the New Testament it doesn’t take long to find some examples of these kinds of controversies and their adverse impact. Paul gives some ways to work through these kinds of issues in Romans 14:1-15:7. As you read through this passage of Scripture, respond to the statements below.
Identify each of the issues of controversy and their impact on the church:
What remedies did Paul give to bring back unity and work through the issues?
Have you ever seen or found yourself in a situation similar to what Paul is describing? If yes, what was helpful in the way it was handled or did you wish it would have happened differently based on this passage?
2. We all know that when controversy comes frustration can cause the situation to become more heated than need be. When the heat gets turned up, too often those involved can lose the ability to work toward resolution or agreeing to disagree. How do the following passages help us keep the situation moving toward resolution and not just arguing over the issue?
Proverbs 15:1
1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 21-26
Ephesians 4:3
Ephesians 4:29
Hebrews 12:14-15
1 Peter 2:16-17
Which of the above responses comes easiest to you? Which one might be the most challenging?
3. As a result of this week’s teaching and study, are there any issues you see less “black and white” that you may need to allow more room for those involved to “agree to disagree”? Is there anyone with whom you need to make some amends regarding a past attitude you’ve had toward them?
