INTRO.- Command and teach! Strong words.
ILL.- It’s been said that it is not the dog’s keen smell or hearing that has endeared him to modern man, it’s his uncomplaining readiness to obey and lavish affection on his human friends.
A dog is loyal, loving, and lovable, even if his master can boast none of these qualities. The Prussian monarch Frederick the Great hit the nail on the head when he said: “The more I see of men, the better I like my dog.”
A dog’s readiness to obey. What about us humans? Are we quick to obey anybody? The boss? The police? Our Master?
Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?”
ILL.- During the War Between the States, General Lee one day sent word to Stonewall Jackson that the next time he rode in the direction of headquarters the Commander-in-Chief would be glad to see him on a matter of no great importance. General Jackson received the message and immediately prepared to leave the next morning. Rising very early, he rode the eight miles to Lee’s headquarters against a storm of wind and snow, and arrived just as Lee was finishing breakfast. Much surprised, Lee inquired why Jackson had come through such a storm.
General Jackson replied: “But you said that you wished to see me. And General Lee’s slightest wish is a supreme command to me.”
And the Lord’s slightest wish should be a supreme command to us! But often it is not. A big problem that we all have is that we are very self-centered. We prefer to do what we want, not want anyone else wants. And often, it doesn’t make any difference who that person is! However, the Lord’s commands should be supreme to us!
Paul told Timothy to both command and teach. I’m not so sure about this business of commanding people. I’ve never used that word in preaching, in the sense of telling a church that I commanded them to do something, because I didn’t think it was my role to do that and it wouldn’t also probably backfire on me.
There are some preachers today who claim to have direct inspiration from God, as in “God told me” thus and so. Consequently, they may also think they have the right to command to do “thus and so.” But it won’t float very often.
Paul said to Timothy to both “command” and “teach.” Teaching is more like it. It’s more like what Jesus did in His ministry and it’s more like the Bible teaches us to do. We must TEACH people the truths of God’s Word and then apply it to our lives. And these will make a difference in the lives of people!
PROP.- Command and teach things that affect our lives.
1- Don’t let others look down on you
2- Devote yourself to ministry
3- Don’t neglect your gift
4- Diligence will pay off
5- Doctrine is important
1. DON’T LET OTHERS LOOK DOWN ON YOU
11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
Looking down on others is prideful snobbery. I don’t like it but I’ve seen it in the world and even in our churches.
ILL.- When I worked for Safeway stores back in the early 1960‘s I had two bosses: the manager and the assistant manager. The manager acted like he knew everything and seemed to enjoy telling people what to do. The assistant manager on the other hand was quick to work side-by-side with the other employees and didn’t act bossy. NOW WHICH DO YOU THINK WAS MORE WELL-LIKED?
ILL.- In one church when a new family came into our church another lady remarked, “They are not our class of people.” I’ll never forget that prideful remark.
Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Quote from Proverbs 3:34.
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
We do often look down on young people today. Why? Because many of them do many stupid or foolish things. DID YOU? Do you remember or do you try to forget?
What’s the cure for youthful foolishness? Training. Good training. Biblical training. Moral training, etc. Don’t let anyone look down on you. How can you avoid this? Be the best person you can be! That’s why Paul said to set an example for the believers in speech and conduct, etc.
When we work at being the best person we can be as a Christian people won’t look down on you! THEY WILL LOOK UP TO YOU! So work at your faith. Study scripture. Live by scripture. Spend much time in secret with the Lord and He will make you into a better person and perhaps, the image of Christ.
2. DEVOTE YOURSELF TO MINISTRY
13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
ILL.- The first sermon I ever preached was at the Christian Church in Milford, MO. It’s about 50 miles north of Joplin, MO. I was filling in for a preacher friend. Town population 52 at the 2000 census. I had never preached a sermon in my life and I went to another friend who was studying at Ozark Christian College and asked him for help.
Not only had I never preached, I had no idea how to prepare a sermon. At that time, I had never even taught a Sunday School class and here I had volunteered to preach! WHAT WAS I THINKING?!
After it was said and done, the sermon lasted about 10 minutes, maybe 12 and most of it was reading scripture. The preacher’s wife was there that day. I think I asked her what she thought and she said, “Well, you read well!”
Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture. If a person can’t read well they don’t need to take up preaching.
13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
The idea is that the preacher must devote himself to his work of study, preaching and teaching. And this takes time, which many don’t want to do!
ILL.- I heard Dick Alexander of the LifeSpring Christian Church of Cincinnati, OH, teach about preaching to a wired generation in a class at the Ozark Christian College Preaching and Teaching Convention, Feb. 2010. He said that his best sermons took two years to prepare! WOW!
Let me explain. He would gather material and put it in a folder and let it set. As the time came to prepare that sermon he would sort through the material and use the best stuff.
It pays to devote yourself to your ministry or to whatever ministry you’ve been given. WHAT’S YOUR MINISTRY? What is your ministry to people? Are you giving it your best shot, doing your best? Are you seeking to please the Lord and bless people in your ministry? This is what we’re called to do regardless of our ministry.
ILL.- Professor Eastman, in his Men of Power, tells of how the great scientist, Louis Pasteur, often conducted his experiments at the gravest risk to his own life. When someone commented on the courage such a course required, the famous scientist’s simple reply was, “What about duty?” DO YOUR DUTY! FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY!
3. DON’T NEGLECT YOUR GIFT
14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
ILL.- Susan Boyle, age 48, of Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland. REMEMBER HER? She thrilled England and the world when she stood on that stage competing in the Britain’s Got Talent contest on April 11, 2009, and sang, “I Dreamed A Dream.”
That was the most watched youtube clip for 2009. In only 9 days it had been watched over 100 million times. I probably watched her sing 20 times in a row and couldn’t help but be a bit weepy. Why? Because she was so backward, so humble and yet so very talented!
She “wowed” the audience and she’s wowed the world since that time. Elaine gave me her CD “I Dreamed a Dream” and it’s excellent. THAT WOMAN IS TALENTED!
Don’t neglect your gift. Susan Boyle, backward as she may seem to be, has a gift. She is a very talented singer and no doubt, has already made some big money as a result. However, I don’t she started out singing to make money. I think she did it because she loved to sing.
I Peter 4:10-11 “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
Don’t neglect your gift, whatever it is. Use it to serve others, to bless others and to praise God.
What’s your gift from God? What is it that you do well? Sing? Play a musical instrument? Teach? Are you quick to serve or do things for others? Your gift may be serving and you must it to serve others anyway you can. Whatever you think your gift is, don’t neglect it. Use to God’s glory in serving others.
4. DILIGENCE WILL PAY OFF
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.
Be diligent in these matters. Diligence pays off. What are we talking about? Persistent. Persevering. Industrious. Studious. Untiring. Zealous.
ILL.- A manager and a sales rep stood looking at a map on which colored pins indicated the company representative in each area. "I'm not going to fire you, Wilson," the manager said, "but I'm loosening your pin a bit just to emphasize the insecurity of your situation."
What did he mean? It could be that man wasn’t working hard enough. Work ethic is sadly missing in some places in America or with some people.
ILL.- A preacher friend said to me many years ago that a neighboring church couldn’t find their minister. My friend said, “I know where he is. He’s at the local swimming pool, getting a tan.”
Another preacher friend quizzed me about my ministry one time, asking, “Do you work 40 hours a week?” I said, “Yes, I do.” He said, “Well, you would be surprised how many ministers don’t.”
ILL.- TO ALL EMPLOYEES: Due to increased competition and a keen desire to remain in business, we find it necessary to institute a new policy. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: We are asking that somewhere between starting and quitting time and without infringing too much on the time usually devoted to lunch period, coffee breaks, rest periods, story telling, ticket selling, vacation planning, and the rehashing of yesterdays TV programs, that each employee endeavor to find some time that can be set aside and known as the WORK BREAK.
Diligence pays off no matter what kind of work you do.
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.
5. DOCTRINE IS IMPORTANT
16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
ILL.- In a cellar in Cologne, Germany, after World War II were found these words on the wall:
I believe in the sun,
even when it is not shining;
I believe in love,
even when I feel it not;
I believe in God,
even when He is silent.
THAT’S DOCTRINE. I believe in many things, but many of these won’t save a person’s eternal soul. I believe in apple pie, baseball, Chevrolet, etc. and not necessarily in that order but they won’t save me.
ILL.-The great English preacher, Charles Spurgeon, said that the greatest compliment ever paid him was spoken by one of his outspoken enemies who said: “Here is a man who has not moved an inch forward in all his ministry. At the close of the nineteenth century he is teaching the theology of the first century, and is proclaiming doctrine current in Nazareth and Jerusalem in the first century!”
ILL.- Old Southern Baptist preacher, Vance Havner, wrote a book entitled, “On This Rock I Stand.” He said, “I believe the Bible is the Word of God. I don’t understand it all but I stand on it. I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the grave. I believe that Jesus Christ is the answer to every problem: past, present and future.”
That’s real doctrine. That’s the kind of doctrine that will save a person’s soul! 16Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
CONCLUSION--------------
Command and teach.
ILL.- Evangelist Gipsy Smith was British; died in 1947. He was born in a gypsy tent six miles northeast of London. He once told of a man who said he had received no inspiration from the Bible although he had "gone through it several times." "Let it go through you once," replied Smith, "then you will tell a different story!"
When the book goes through us, heart and soul, we will command and teach it like never before. We will live it as we never have before.
Steve Shepherd, Jonesboro Christian Church, AR
jonesborochristianchurch@suddenlink.net
