1 Timothy 6:11-12 KJV But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. [12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
I. INTRODUCTION—MEASUREMENTS
A. Measurements in the World
-We live in a world that depends of secure and unchanging measurements. In fact there are government agencies that go around doing tests on various devices to make sure that companies are being honest in the selling of goods.
-When you go to the gas pumps, you will see a seal there that lists the name of a state agency that has determined that the pump has delivered exactly one gallon of gas accurately. What if the measurement of a gallon was variable? What if one company would give ¾ ‘s of a gallon and yet say it was a gallon? The public would rise up in arms because the companies would be guilty of cheating the consumer.
-The Food and Drug Administration also has a division that spends time inspecting pharmaceutical companies to make sure that when they say that the drug has 1000 milligrams in it that it has that precise amount. Every 1000 mgs will always equal 1 gram. What if drug companies decided to have variable amounts of the contents of chemicals that went into developing the drug? It would have a huge impact on our health.
-The building industry is also regulated by inspectors who have determined that 12 inches will always be equivalent to one foot. Our world would be full of engineering disasters if the standards of measurements all degenerated into such a state of chaos.
-There are other measurements that we could explore today also. The matter of time has great impact on how airports function, how hospitals schedule procedures, and how the shipping industry works. The matter of money also has a great impact on local, national, and world economies. If there was great variability in any of these categories it would have a very negative impact on the order of our world.
B. Measurements in the Spiritual World
-The same thing can be said for the scope of the spiritual world where the traffic of men’s souls moves not just on a daily docket but on an eternal path. There are measurements that we can find in the Word of God that can help us to see which way to go.
-I have a little book in my personal library that was written in 1666. While I don’t have an original copy, what I do have is just as good—a reprint done by the Banner of Truth Trust. The title of this little book is The Godly Man’s Portrait by Thomas Watson.
-A little over 250 pages, it has twelve chapters that are directly written toward what a godly man looks like. It was quite a popular book 400 years ago when men were concerned about being godly.
-Its popularity has long since departed in our society and it isn’t likely to hit the New York Times Bestseller List any time soon. But he lists twenty-four different points in showing what a godly man looks like.
-It is a sense of measurement that helped men in a bygone era to see what God longed for in the saints.
-According to Watson, he discovered the Bible said that a godly man is:
• A man of knowledge.
• A man moved by faith.
• A man fired by love.
• A man like God.
• A man careful about the worship of God.
• A man who serves God and not men.
• A man who prizes Jesus Christ.
• A man who can weep.
• A man who loves the Word.
• A man who has the Spirit of God residing in him.
• A man of humility.
• A man of prayer.
• A man of sincerity.
• A heavenly man.
• A zealous man.
• A patient man.
• A thankful man.
• A man who loves the saints.
• A man who does not indulge himself in sin.
• A man who is good in his relationships.
• A man who does spiritual things in a spiritual manner.
• A man thoroughly trained in religion.
• A man who walks with God.
• A man who strives to be an instrument for making others godly.
-Instead of men who are pursuing the American dream, or chasing after empty pots of gold, or giving themselves a pass that leans toward laziness and checking out from responsibility, these are some measurements that are going to require work to obtain.
-But what if there were just a handful of men in this city who wanted to say, “I want to measure up to what God wants me to be!” Our churches would change, our families would change, and our destinations would change.
-My prayer on this Father’s Day 2011 is that we pursue the things that God measures men by.
II. THE MAN OF GOD
-The text that I read originates in the Pastoral Epistles, meaning that it was written from Paul to Timothy, and has emphasis on those who are in spiritual leadership.
-However, it is important to understand that every man who comes into the Kingdom of God is designated as a man of God whether he is in a pulpit or not. Every father is preaching with his life as much as he is with his words.
There is an old parable told by a Haitian pastor. He told that there was a man who wanted to sell his house for two-thousand dollars. Another man in the area desperately wanted to buy it but he did not have the means to have it. After a lot of bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for one-thousand dollars. However the reduced price came with a stipulation. The owner would be able to retain ownership of a large nail that was just above the front door.
Several years passed and the original owner decided he wanted to buy the house back. Understandably the new owner was unwilling to sell it back to him. So the original owner goes out and finds the carcass of a dead dog and hangs it on the nail right above the front door. It was the nail that he still owned. It wasn’t too long before the house became unlivable and the family was forced to sell the home to the owner of the nail.
The Haitian pastor concluded the story: “If we leave the devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it.” If the enemy has one access to just a single nail in your life, he will exploit it! Are there any nails hanging over the front door of your life? (Adapted from Character Counts—Who’s Counting Yours? By Rob Handley.)
-Don’t give the devil or the world any room to take advantage of you. If there is a single place in your life he can take advantage of. . . he will do it. Listen to the instructions of Paul.
A. Measured by What He Flees From
-When Paul was writing these words to Timothy, he uses a Greek word, PHEUGO (pronounced foogay). We get the English word, fugitive, from this root word. Literally meaning to seek safety by flight.
-You are to flee from something because it is abhorrent to your soul. Extra-biblical literature often used this word in relation to fleeing from a snake or a dragon.
-A man of God is measured by what he flees from. In some other places Paul told us that we are to flee from some things:
• 1 Corinthians 6:18—Flee from fornication.
• 1 Corinthians 10:14—Flee from Idolatry.
• 1 Timothy 6:11—Flee from covetousness and the love of money.
• 2 Timothy 2:22—Flee from youthful lusts.
-This is still good advice in our generation. We live in a sensual, idolatrous, money-loving, lustful society. Every device the devil can use, he will do so to subvert our souls. We have to flee!
-But in 1 Timothy 6, Paul was talking about fleeing from the clutches of greed. He introduces the subject in 1 Timothy 6:6-10:
1 Timothy 6:6-10 KJV But godliness with contentment is great gain. [7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. [8] And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. [9] But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. [10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
-Flee from it! It is a deadly trap that has been promoted to the highest level in America. Greed will hide itself than before the man ever realizes it, the trap has slammed shut and he is caught on a maddening treadmill.
-In his book, Counterfeit Gods Tim Keller writes:
Why can’t anyone in the grip of greed see it? The counterfeit god of money uses powerful sociological and psychological dynamics. Everyone tends to live in a particular socioeconomic bracket. Once you are able to afford to live in a particular neighborhood, send your children to its schools, and participate in its social life, you will find yourself surrounded by quite a number of people who have more money than you. You don’t compare yourself to the rest of the world, you compare yourself to those in your bracket. The human heart always wants to justify itself and this is one of the easiest ways. You say, “I don’t live as well as him or her or them. My means are modest compared to theirs.”
You can reason and think like that no matter how lavishly you are living. As a result, most Americans think of themselves as middle class, and only 2 percent call themselves “upper class.” But the rest of the world is not fooled. When people visit here from other parts of the globe, they are staggered to see the level of materialistic comfort that the majority of Americans have come to view as a necessity.
-The Lord had many warnings about greed and yet most of us rarely even consider that we might be given to the sin of greed. In two other places, Paul characterized greed as a form of idolatry (Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5).
-I am measured by the things that I flee from and in the context of this passage; I am to flee with all of my strength against greed!
-At the end of the day, a man will never be measured by how many hours he spent at the job, by how much money he made, or how many possessions that he owned. The real value of a man’s life is what he fled from.
-You will discover that in fleeing there are some virtues that pour into your life. You will discover godliness, contentment, humility, perseverance, and a host of other things that God will bless you with.
B. Measured by What He Follows After
-The second thing that the man of God is measured by is what he follows after. We are to follow after these things with the same amount of energy that we have used to flee from the trappings of this world.
-The word that Paul uses gives the indication that it is to be a lifelong pursuit that we are never to stop pursuing. Make it the goal of your life to achieve these six things:
• Righteousness
• Godliness
• Faith
• Love
• Patience
• Meekness (Gentleness)
-A man of true faith will find himself coveting and pursuing these everlasting possessions of the soul.
-A man who is following after these kinds of things will find an incredible spiritual focus in his life. It is hard to get a man who is focused to be turned aside from his goal.
C. Measured by What He Fights For
-Fight the good fight. . . agonizou ton kalon agona. . . Literally agonize the good agony. Paul is informing us that every step of the way, there will be a fight to contend with.
-There are adversaries that if you would see them would terrify you. . . but you don’t walk by what you can see, you walk with confidence and trust in the Lord.
1 Timothy 1:18 KJV This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, . . . . that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
Zechariah 10:5 KJV And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Ephesians 6:10-13 KJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. [11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
-Don’t check out on the fight! Our generation needs fighting men more than they ever have before. Stay at your battle stations and do the right thing.
There was an experiment that took place almost thirty years ago at the National Institute of Mental Health, funded by your tax dollars if you had a job 30 years ago. The experiment took place in a nine-foot-square cage designed to hold 160 mice. Over a two and a half year time frame the colony of mice grew from eight to 2,200. As the population grew, the researchers, led by Dr. John Calhoun began to observe changes in the mice’s behavior. The summary was this:
• Adults formed in cliques of about a dozen mice per group.
• The males who normally protected their territory withdrew from leadership and became uncharacteristically passive.
• The females became unusually aggressive and forced out the young.
• The whole “mouse society” became disrupted. After five years all the mice had died even though there was an abundance of food, water, and resources, and an absence of disease.
While we aren’t mice, there are some similarities in the way that the males in the mouse society and the human society are related. As men there is a tendency to want to “check out” and let the world pass on by. (Adapted from Charles Swindoll, Improving Your Serve.)
-George Barna has identified some troubling statistics for the church at large in America:
• Women are twice as likely to be involved in discipleship in the church as men are.
• They are 57% more likely to attend Sunday School.
• They are 56% more likely to hold a leadership position.
• They are 54% more likely to participate in a small group.
-A godly man is measured by what he fights for! We cannot become disconnected and isolated from the house of God. We have to take the fight to the devil!
-I looked back over some of the things that I have preached to you in the last couple of years and there are three dominant things that seem to surface:
1) Love for apostolic doctrine and lifestyle;
2) Prayer;
3) You are in a spiritual battle!
-There are some things that we ought to be willing to fight for in our generation.
• Fight for your own personal identity as a man.
• Fight the battle for personal holiness.
• Fight the fight for your family.
• Fight through the pain of living in a fallen world.
• Fight for some close godly friends.
• Fight for a strong faith.
III. CONCLUSION—THE POWER OF A FIGHTING FATHER
A Personal Illustration was used.
-Father’s it is time for us to be measured by what we flee from, follow after, and fight for!
Philip Harrelson
June 18, 2011
