THESE THINGS
1ST TIMOTHY
SERMON #6
1ST TIMOTHY 6:1-12
INTRODUCTION:
THERE ARE TWO OTHER PLACES IN THE BOOK OF 1 TIMOTHY THAT PAUL USES THE PHRASE “THESE THINGS”.
BOTH OF THEM ARE FOUND IN CHAPTER 6.
TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND TURN WITH ME TO THE 6TH CHAPTER OF 1 TIMOTHY.
LET’S STAND TOGETHER AS WE READ VERSE 1-12.
STAND – READ – PRAY
1. TEACH AND ENCOURAGE A CHRISTIAN WORK ETHIC.
a. MARTIN LUTHER ONCE WROTE, "THE MAID WHO SWEEPS HER KITCHEN IS DOING THE WILL OF GOD JUST AS MUCH AS THE PASTOR WHO PRAYS -- NOT BECAUSE SHE MAY SING A CHRISTIAN HYMN AS SHE SWEEPS BUT BECAUSE GOD LOVES CLEAN FLOORS. THE CHRISTIAN SHOEMAKER DOES HIS CHRISTIAN DUTY NOT BY PUTTING LITTLE CROSSES ON THE SHOES, BUT BY MAKING GOOD SHOES, BECAUSE GOD IS INTERESTED IN GOOD CRAFTSMANSHIP."
b. SPEAKING OF HEZEKIAH IN 2 CHRONICLES 31:20-21, THE BIBLE SAYS, “HE DID WHAT WAS GOOD AND UPRIGHT AND TRUE BEFORE THE LORD HIS GOD. HE WAS DILIGENT IN EVERY DEED THAT HE BEGAN IN THE SERVICE OF GOD’S TEMPLE, IN THE LAW AND IN THE COMMANDMENT, IN ORDER TO SEEK HIS GOD, AND HE PROSPERED.”
c. THE KEY TO HIS PROSPERITY, WAS A WORK ETHIC THAT HONORED THE LORD.
d. IT SAYS THAT HE WAS DILIGENT IN EVERY DEED THAT HE BEGAN, IN HIS CHURCH DUTIES (GOD’S TEMPLE), IN HIS CIVIC DUTIES (THE LAW), AND IN HIS MORAL DUTIES (COMMANDMENTS).
e. PAUL TOLD TIMOTHY THAT THOSE WHO ARE SLAVES, OR EMPLOYEES, SHOULD REGARD THEIR MASTERS AS WORTHY OF RESPECT.
f. EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT, WE ARE TO REGARD THEM THAT WAY.
g. WHY?
h. TO HONOR THE NAME OF THE LORD.
i. REMEMBER COLOSSIANS 3:17 - AND WHATEVER YOU DO, IN WORD OR IN DEED, DO EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD THE FATHER THROUGH HIM.
j. TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE TEACH.
k. IT GOES BACK TO THE SAY ONE THING AND DO ANOTHER MENTALITY WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING.
l. THEN HE SAID THAT THOSE WHO ARE EMPLOYED BY BELIEVING MASTERS SHOULD SERVE THEM BETTER, BECAUSE THEY ARE BROTHERS AND DEARLY LOVED.
m. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FAMILY RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE.
n. THAT’S WHAT PAUL MEANT WHEN HE SAID WE “SHOULD NOT BE DISRESPECTFUL TO THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE BROTHERS”.
o. BUT BE WILLING TO GO THE EXTRA MILE BY SERVING THEM BETTER.
p. A GOOD WORK ETHIC IS EXPECTED BY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
q. THERE’S AN OLD PROVERB THAT SAYS “GOD GIVES THE BIRDS THEIR FOOD, BUT HE DOESN’T THROW IT INTO THEIR NESTS.”
r. SO LET’S HAVE A GOOD WORK ETHIC.
2. PAUL CHANGES GEARS AFTER THIS AND BEGINS TO GIVE THIS YOUNG MINISTER A LIST OF THINGS TO AVOID, OR THINGS TO RUN FROM.
a. ONE OF THEM IS…DISPUTES OVER UNSOUND DOCTRINE.
i. CO-WORKER FROM ANOTHER DENOMINATION.
ii. NEITHER COULD OUT ARGUE THE OTHER.
iii. I FINALLY TOLD HIM THAT NEITHER OF US WERE GOING TO CHANGE OUR MINDS, SO WE MIGHT AS WELL LET IT REST.
iv. THIS IS WHAT PAUL IS TELLING TIMOTHY.
v. THERE IS A TYPE OF PERSON IN NEARLY EVERY CHURCH THAT LIKES TO SEE THINGS STIRRED UP.
vi. THIS IS THE PERSON WHO WILL TELL THE SAME STORY TWO DIFFERENT WAYS JUST TO GET A FIGHT STARTED.
vii. PAUL TOLD TIMOTHY NOT TO WASTE HIS TIME ON THIS TYPE OF PERSON.
viii. BECAUSE THEIRS IS A SICK INTERST IN DISPUTES AND ARGUMENTS OVER WORDS.
SOMETHING ELSE PAUL TOLD TIMOTHY TO RUN FROM IS…
b. THE TEMPTATION OF RICHES
i. LOOK AT HOW PAUL DESCRIBED THE EFFECT OF THE CONSTANT PURSUIT OF KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES.
ii. HE DESCRIBED IT AS A TRAP.
iii. HE DESCRIBED IT AS CAUSING MANY FOOLISH AND HARMFUL DESIRES.
iv. HE DESCRIBED IT AS PLUNGING PEOPLE INTO RUIN AND DESTRUCTION.
3. THEN FINALLY, HE TELLS TIMOTHY TO PURSUE SOME THINGS.
a. IN THESE FEW WORDS, PAUL SUMMED UP THE CHARACTER QUALITIES THAT WILL MAKE ANYONE SUCCESSFUL IN MINISTRY.
b. WHETHER YOU ARE IN FULL-TIME CHRISTIAN SERVICE AS A PASTOR, OR IN FULL-TIME CHRISTIAN SERVICE AT A SECULAR VOCATION.
c. DID YOU NOTICE WHAT I SAID?
d. YOU SEE, FULL-TIME CHRISTIAN SERVICE IS NOT DETERMINED BY WHERE YOU WORK.
e. BUT BY WHO YOU WORK FOR.
f. AND IF YOU ARE A BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER, YOU WORK FOR GOD.
g. PAUL SAID PURSUE THESE THINGS.
h. RIGHTEOUSNESS
i. LEARN TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
ii. MAKE RIGHT DECISIONS.
iii. YOU KNOW, IT’S NOT HARD TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG.
iv. MOST OF US, HAVE NO PROBLEM SEPARATING THE TWO.
v. THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS DOING THE RIGHT THING.
i. GODLINESS
i. LEARN TO IMITATE CHRIST
j. FAITH
i. LEARN TO TRUST GOD
k. LOVE
i. LEARN TO LOVE, EVEN THE UNLOVEABLE
l. ENDURANCE
i. LEARN TO ENDURE; YOU’RE GOING TO NEED IT!
m. GENTLENESS
i. ALWAYS HAVE A GENTLE SPIRIT
CONCLUSION:
TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING THE MASSES FOR CHRIST, WE NEED TO BE
- WELL-INFORMED
- WELL-GROUNDED
- WELL-RESPECTED
- OUR MINISTRY MUST BE WELL-MANAGED
- WE MUST BE HARD WORKERS
- WE MUST GUARD OURSELVES AGAINST THE SHALLOW PROMISES OF RICHES.
- WE MUST PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, GODLINESS, FAITH, LOVE, ENDURANCE AND GENTLENESS.
