THESE THINGS
1ST TIMOTHY
SERMON #5
1ST TIMOTHY 4:16 – 5:21
INTRODUCTION:
WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WITH A BREAK FOR EASTER, IN A STUDY OF INSTRUCTIONS THAT PAUL GAVE TO TIMOTHY THAT WE HAVE TITLED “THESE THINGS”.
AND AS WE’VE MOVED THROUGH THE BOOK OF 1ST TIMOTHY, WE’VE SEEN THAT PAUL HAS USED THE PHRASE TO GUIDE TIMOTHY IN MANY AREAS THAT RELATE TO LIVING AS A CHRISTIAN TODAY.
HE TOLD TIMOTHY TO BE AWARE OF THE DEMONIC INFLUENCE AND FALSE TEACHING OF HIS DAY, JUST AS YOU AND I MUST DO TODAY.
HE TOLD HIM TO BE BOUND TO THE ESSENTIALS OF THE FAITH, AND TO BE BOUND TO GODLINESS, JUST AS WE SHOULD BE.
AND HE TOLD HIM TO BE MINDFUL OF HIS EXAMPLE, HIS FAITH AND HIS CALLING, WHICH IS WHAT GOD EXPECTS US TO DO, AS WELL.
IF YOU WERE TO BOIL THOSE THREE SERMONS DOWN INTO ON PHRASE, YOU COULD SAY THAT PAUL INSTRUCTED TIMOTHY TO BE WELL-INFORMED, WELL-GROUNDED AND WELL-RESPECTED.
TODAY, HE TEACHES TIMOTHY TO HAVE AMINISTRY THAT IS WELL-MANAGED.
TURN TO 1ST TIMOTHY, CHAPTER 4.
LET’S STAND TOGETHER AS WE READ CHAPTER 4, VERSE 16 THROUGH CHAPTER 5, VERSE 21.
STAND – READ – PRAY
PAUL USES TWO WORDS, ALONG WITH THE PHRASE “THESE THINGS” TO GET HIS POINT ACROSS TO TIMOTHY.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE WORD “PERSEVERE”.
HE TELLS TIMOTHY TO “PERSEVERE IN THESE THINGS”.
WHAT WAS HE TO PERSEVERE IN?
1. PERSEVERE IN YOUR CONDUCT.
a. BE CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT YOURSELF.
b. KJV – “TAKE HEED UNTO THYSELF”
c. IN OTHER WORDS, PAUL SAID TO ALWAYS BE MINDFUL OF OUR CONDUCT.
d. A MAN IN THE ARMY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT WHO WAS ALSO NAMED ALEXANDER, WAS ACCUSED OF COWARDLY ACTIONS. HE WAS BROUGHT BEFORE ALEXANDER, WHO ASKED WHAT HIS NAME WAS. HE REPLIED SOFTLY, "ALEXANDER." "I CAN’T HEAR YOU," THE RULER STATED. THE MAN AGAIN SAID, A LITTLE LOUDER, "ALEXANDER." THE PROCESS WAS REPEATED ONE MORE TIME, AFTER WHICH ALEXANDER THE GREAT COMMENTED, "EITHER CHANGE YOUR NAME OR CHANGE YOUR CONDUCT."
e. REMEMBER THAT YOU AND I ARE CALLED TO A HIGHER STANDARD.
f. THE WORLD CAN’T AFFORD TO HAVE HALF-BAKED CHRISTIANS PREACHING A HALF-BAKED GOSPEL.
g. IT’S TIME THAT WE CHRISTIANS START TO CHANGE OUR CONDUCT AND LIVE UP TO GOD’S STANDARD FOR OUR LIVES.
h. WE NEED TO BE PERSEVERE IN OUR CONDUCT.
2. PERSEVERE IN YOUR TEACHING.
a. WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR TIMOTHY TO PERSEVERE IN HIS TEACHING?
b. MOST LIKELY, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE ABUNDANCE OF ERRANT TEACHING OF THE DAY.
c. SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE TODAY, DOESN’T IT?
THE SECOND WORD PAUL USED WAS THE WORD “OBSERVE”.
1. HE TOLD TIMOTHY TO OBSERVE SEVERAL THINGS.
a. THE PROPER TREATMENT OF WIDOWS.
i. THE CHURCH HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO THOSE WHO HAVE LOST SPOUSES.
ii. BUT THERE IS AN ORDER TO BE FOLLOWED.
iii. THE FAMILY HAS THE FIRST RESPONSIBILITY.
iv. PAUL COMPARES A PERSON WHO WILL NOT CARE FOR THEIR LOVED ONES AS “WORSE THAN AN UNBELIEVER”
b. THE PROPER TREATMENT OF MINISTERS.
i. PAUL INSTRUCTED TIMOTHY TO TEACH HIS CHURCH TO PROPERLY CARE FOR THOSE WHO MINISTER IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
ii. HE REMINDED TIMOTHY ABOUT THE CONCEPT THAT THE ONE SHOULD NEVER MUZZLE AN OX AS IT THRESHES GRAIN.
iii. IN THE SAME WAY, NEVER CAUSE A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL TO BE SIDETRACKED FROM HIS FOCUS BY HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE.
c. THE PROPER TREATMENT OF PUBLIC SIN.
i. WE HAVE GOTTEN AWAY FROM DEALING WITH PUBLIC SIN IN A BIBLICAL MANNER.
ii. THERE WAS A TIME THAT WHEN SOMEONE GOT “CHURCHED”, IT MEANT THAT THEY WERE PUBLICLY REBUKED FOR PUBLIC SIN.
iii. TODAY IT MEANS THEY’VE FOUND A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN SPEND AN HOUR ON SUNDAY MORNING.
iv. WE’VE BECOME POLITICALLY CORRECT AND BIBLICALLY INCORRECT.
v. WE’RE MORE CONCERNED WITH HAVING THINGS OUR WAY THAN WE ARE WITH THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW WAY.
vi. WE WOULD RATHER DISCUSS GRASS AND ASPHALT THAN WE WOULD GRACE AND ATONEMENT.
vii. I THINK WHAT PAUL WAS BASICALLY TELLING TIMOTHY WAS TO CONDUCT HIS MINISTRY IN A BIBLICAL WAY.
viii. THIS IS THE SAME THING WE MUST DO HERE AT AUBURN BAPTIST CHURCH.
