Sermon for 1/21/2001
Blameless, above reproach
1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6
Introduction:
One of the powerful figures in Wall Street fell in love with an actress. For many months he was always seen escorting her about in the fashionable circles of town. Deciding to marry her, he first put a private detective to the job of looking into her former dealings and friends in order to guard himself against any rash mistake. At last he received his agent’s report. “Miss Blank enjoys an excellent reputation. Her past is spotless. Her associates have been above reproach. The only breath of scandal is that, in recent months, she has been much seen in the company of a business man of doubtful reputation.”
WBTU:
A. Last week we talked about mentors.
1. Winsome mentors attract followers
2. Strong mentors show us how to live.
3. Faithful mentors inspire hope to keep going.
B. Last week we talked about 1 Corinthians 11:1.
C. Paul had characteristics, a lifestyle that promoted good mentoring. He was like Christ. He wasn’t perfect, but he followed Christ.
D. New believers and all us of need good models to follow. We learn more by seeing than being told how to do something.
E. Above all, we learn more by doing.
F. But how do we measure maturity? We look at Christ, yes, but shouldn’t we be more specific. Maturity is measured by the godly fruit in a person’s life. What fruit? What areas?
G. The apostle Paul outlined in two letters over 20 dynamic qualities for measuring our maturity levels- 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:5-16.
H. What Paul outlined 2,000 years ago are God’s standards for maturity for all time and in all cultures. When all is said and done, it is only God’s Word that can penetrate our hearts and conform us to the image of Jesus Christ.
I. Paul wanted this process to be multiplied. Looking to Jesus Christ as Paul modeled these qualities, Paul wanted the process to go on and on as “faithful men” are “able to teach others also.”
J. To be honest it takes time and effort to conform our lives to Jesus Christ. Some are more determined than others. It is a lifetime process. No quick shortcuts are available to become a man of God. This is why Paul wrote to the Philippians: (Phil 3:12 NIV) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
K. All of us embark on our Christian journeys with a variety of backgrounds and experiences, which affect the progress we make in our spiritual lives. Some have good foundations, others do not.
L. Timothy.
1. Timothy’s father was not a believer.
2. Timothy had great role models in his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois.
3. When Timothy heard the gospel, he responded and became a follower of Jesus Christ. His spiritual growth was rapid, because he had a good foundation to build upon.
4. (2 Tim 3:14 NIV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,(2 Tim 3:15 NIV) and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
5. Timothy was fortunate. He had a good foundation to begin with.
6. When Timothy became a Christian, Paul built on that foundation with additional biblical truth- the New Testament.
7. Timothy grew spiritually by leaps and bounds. Within two years, Timothy was mature enough in his faith to become Paul’s missionary companion.
M. Many people have not been as fortunate as Timothy.
1. No good Christian heritage.
2. More like Ephesians and Corinthians and other Gentiles who came to Christ in the first century.
3. Grew up living a pagan- or heathen, irreligious life.
4. They have been ruined by alcohol abuse, drug use and sexual promiscuity.
5. They have walked according to the course of this world.
6. Now as Christians, they need to learn to “lay aside the old self”- their old ways of thinking and feeling that have been programmed to follow sinful patterns.
7. Need to put on the new self everyday.
8. The background we bring to our conversion does make a difference in how quickly our spiritual growth occurs.
N. When all is said and done, however, one thing is true of all of us. It still takes time and effort to become a man or woman of God, no matter what our heritage.
O. Know people who had a great spiritual foundation, but did not build upon it.
P. Known people who had a terrible foundation, but through time and effort they matured into a wonderful godly Christian.
Q. This raises an important question. How do we recognize a “man or woman of God”? What does he or she look like? It is an important question because who we admire will be who we model or follow in example.
R. Paul commended these men in Ephesus. 1 Timothy 3:1. Paul cautioned Timothy to make sure that each man who wanted to serve in a leadership role was a certain kind of man.
S. Titus faced the same challenge in his ministry. Paul left Titus in Crete to “appoint elders in every city” Titus 1:5. Again Paul cautioned Titus to make sure that these men who emerged as leaders measured up to certain qualifications.
T. Interestingly enough, these qualities outlined in Timothy and Titus are qualities that an employer wants in employees. Are qualities that the world admires but can never produce.
U. You say to yourself. That is nice but these are qualities or qualifications for Christian leaders. These do not apply to me because I have no desire to be a Christian leader.
V. This is a list, a character sketch, of God’s standards for a mature Christian. These are goals for every Christian. Paul simply pulled together several qualities he and other authors mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament and then compiled a marvelous profile for measuring our maturity levels in Christ.
W. Many times in the Church of Christ/Christian churches we use these passages as a checklist of prerequisites for elder or deacon. My friends, nobody lives up to all of these the way that Jesus did. Every elder must fully meet every prerequisite on this list in order to make the cut. We miss the main point.
X. This is for men. OH, is it?
Y. I have some homework for you. Go home and read through 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 and think about the areas that you are weak in? Can you identify the factor or factors that are holding you back?
Z. What are your areas of strength? How can you mentor others in this area?
AA. Don’t get discouraged. See this as an opportunity to become the person of God that you really want to be.
1. Satan is there telling you that you can’t.
2. (James 4:7 NIV) Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.(James 4:8 NIV) Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
3. God is also there telling you…
BB. Let’s look at the first characteristic this morning.
BB. 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6
Thesis: This morning we are going to ask 6 basic questions of being blameless or above reproach.
For instances:
1. What?
A. Blameless- Free from fault, free from condemnation, free from censure.
B. Above reproach- Living a life without blame. Reproach- Legal term for “able to be held,” Ability to hold in prison.
C. Nothing against this person.
D. No reason for anyone to attack his reputation.
E. John Ashcroft. If you were called before a Senate sub-committee and they discussing to approval or disapprove of your appointment to some high position, could they say anything against your life? If they had time and could research your whole life, would they find anything that would make them want to not approve of you? John Ashcroft is going to be approved, but not without some question of his character? People respect him.
F. Or would the Senate pass a bill of censure upon you (Censure- a strong disapproval, do not listen to this man or woman).
G. If we are going to have any positive Christian influence on others- our families, our friends, and those we work for and with- we must be liked and respected. In other words, we must have a good reputation.
H. (Phil 2:14 NIV) Do everything without complaining or arguing,(Phil 2:15 NIV) so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe(Phil 2:16 NIV) as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
I. (Prov 22:1 NIV) A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
J. This is a summary quality- the result of living out the other qualities mentioned in these two lists.
K. If we are going to be convicted, may we be convicted of being a Christian of the highest quality.
2. When?
A. At all times. Not just here in this place, but at all times maintain our blameless character.
B. This is how we build a blameless reputation.
C. Vocabulary must be clean at all times.
D. His concern must be genuine at all times.
E. His motives must be honorable at all times.
F. His word must be good at all times.
G. His promises must be true at all times.
H. These things would ruin that person’s reputation for a long time.
L. Danger of censure.
3. Where?
A. Not just in this building, but outside this building is where a person’s reputation is made.
B. When Saul was in Damascus, blind, Ananias did not want to go to him to preach the gospel to him. The reason is because Saul was religious but outside the synagogues doors, he was a devil against all Christians.
C. Just because one comes to church, it does not mean that they are a Christian.
D. It gives all of us a bad reputation, when one is outspoken for Christ and comes to church, but at other times and in other places, this man or woman does not act in a blameless manner.
E. Danger of censure.
F. A Question to get you thinking:
1. Do I get positive feedback from those closest to me that would indicate I have a good reputation- from my wife, my children, my friends?
2. Do not go to people who are “Yes,” men or women.
3. Go to people you know. How do all of you know what I am really like? The facts are, you don’t.
4. How well do you know yourself? Go to wife, husband. Go to children. Go to trusted people in church.
4. Who?
A. This does not mean that a blameless person is sinless, but that he has a reputation of being above reproach.
B. When the apostles and church at Jerusalem where looking for deacons to wait on tables, “seven men of good reputation.”
C. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
D. We must be more righteous than the people of our time to have a good reputation.
E. Job, blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
F. Timothy
1. When Paul came to Lystra on his 2nd missionary journey, he met Timothy.
2. (Acts 16:2 NIV) The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
3. Note three things:
a. People were talking about Timothy- not negatively, but positively.
b. Several key men were talking about Timothy. Not just one person but several.
c. People were talking about Timothy in Lystra and Iconium, in more than one location.
4. In all places at all times. He was the real deal.
5. Why?
A. Danger of censure. The church has no voice.
B. Gives us all a black eye.
C. Bad reputation among professing Christians is a victory for Satan.
D. It produces harm in the church. Bad model.
E. When it is someone of influence, a bad reputation breeds hypocrisy- insincerity.
F. Want to be honored by men, want to be seen by men, want to show men, when underneath it is all a masquerade.
G. God knows you and your heart.
H. (John 5:44 NIV) How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God ?
Conclusion:
A. How?
B. Jesus was completely blameless.
C. Jesus meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
D. (1 Pet 2:22 NIV) "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
E. How can I be blameless? Plan of salvation.
F. Begin to build that life that is blameless, above reproach.
G. Christian, are you blameless, above reproach, if not come forward and seek forgiveness, repent.
