BIG IDEA:
WHAT THE CHURCH NEEDS MOST OF ALL ARE SPIRITUAL LEADERS
WHO WILL PERSEVERE IN PRACTICING GODLINESS AND
PROCLAIMING SOUND DOCTRINE
INTRODUCTION:
Context:
Yes, it is important for men and women to fulfill their God-ordained roles in the church;
Yes, it is important for the qualifications of elders and deacons to be upheld;
Yes, it is essential for the church to be structured around proper conduct and a true confession of Christ;
Yes, it is important for the Danger of Apostasy to be recognized and combated;
But what really is the Job Description of a Spiritual Leader?
WHAT THE CHURCH NEEDS MOST OF ALL ARE SPIRITUAL LEADERS WHO WILL PERSEVERE IN GODLINESS AND SOUND DOCTRINE
I. (:6-10) IN ORDER TO TEACH SOUND DOCTRINE EFFECTIVELY YOU MUST FIRST FEED ON SOUND DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE GODLINESS
A. (:6) Feed on Sound Doctrine
1. You must Practice what you Preach
"In pointing out these things to the brethren"
The leader is one among the brethren, not above them in terms of what standards he must live by; he is never above the law and accountability
Fernando: "The Greek word used here literally means, ’to place under.’ Timothy was to place before the believers these truths so that they become like stepping stones upon which a person could traverse on treacherous ground. The task of the teacher is not simply to spoonfeed Christians by always telling them what to do. Rather, he placed truth before them so that they could use it to walk in faithfulness, while other misleading voices constantly clamored for their
attention."
Campbell: "placing truth under, undergirding"
2. The Goal = to be "a good servant of Christ Jesus"
3. The Nourishment -- "constantly nourished"
a. "on the words of the faith"
b. "and of the sound doctrine"
c. consistent with the apostolic model
"which you have been following"
B. (:7a) Avoid Worldly Fables
"but have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women."
Hiebert: "The first adjective points out that there is nothing sacred about them, while the other indicates their futile, senseless nature; they are nothing but silly fictions, fit only for senile, childish old crones to chatter about."
C. (:7-8a) Practice the Disciplines of Godliness
1. Command -- "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness"
2. Reason --
a. "for bodily discipline is only of little profit "
b. "but godliness is profitable for all things"
D. (:8b-10) Live for Eternity -- Why?
1. Because of the Eternal value of Godliness
"since it holds promise for the present life
and also for the life to come"
2. Because of the Significance of this Emphasis on Eternity
"It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance"
3. Because Living for Eternity is Worthy of All Our Effort
"For it is for this we labor and strive"
4. Because of the Eternal Nature of God
"because we have fixed our hope on the living God"
5. Because of the Universal Saving Efficacy of God
"who is the Savior of all men"
"especially of believers"
II. (:11-16) BE AN EXAMPLE TO THE FLOCK BY PERSEVERING IN PRACTICING GODLINESS AND PROCLAIMING SOUND DOCTRINE
A. (:11) Instruct Others to Focus on Sound Doctrine and Godliness
"Prescribe and teach these things"
B. (:12) Model Godliness in Your Speech and Conduct -- Continue to Be an Example!
1. Lifestyle Modeling is especially critical for Younger Leaders
"Let no one look down on your youthfulness"
2. Areas of Lifestyle Modeling
a. "speech"
b. "conduct "
c. "love"
d. "faith"
e. "purity"
3. Goal: "show yourself an example of those who believe"
C. (:13) Proclaim the Word of God in Every Way Possible
1. Proclaiming the Truth will Protect Against the Danger of False Teachers
"until I come"
2. Modes of Proclaiming the Truth -- "give attention to"
a. Public reading of Scripture
b. Exhortation
c. Teaching
D. (:14) Make Maximum Use of Your Spiritual Gift for Teaching and Leadership
1. Warning -- "Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you"
2. Reminder -- "which was bestowed upon you through prophetic utterance"
3. Confirmation -- "with the laying on of hands by the presbytery"
E. (:15-16) Summary -- Focused Intensity Will Reinforce the Effectiveness of Your Example
1. Activity of Focused Intensity
a. "Take pains with these things"
b. "be absorbed in them"
c. "Pay close attention to"
2. Sphere of Focused Intensity
a. Practicing godliness -- "to yourself "
b. Proclaiming sound doctrine -- "and to your teaching"
3. Duration of Focused Intensity
"Persevere in these things"
4. Goal of Focused Intensity
a. Makes your Example more Effective
"so that your progress may be evident to all"
1) Progress in spiritual growth
2) Progress in ministry effectiveness
Wiersbe: "a Greek military term. It means ’pioneer advance.’ It describes the soldiers who go ahead of the troops, clear away the obstacles, and make it possible for others to follow. As a godly pastor,
Timothy was to grow spiritually so that the whole church could see his spiritual progress and imitate it. No pastor can lead his people where he has not been himself."
b. Insures Salvation -- "for as you do this you will insure salvation"
1) "both for yourself "
2) "and for those who hear you"
Fee: "Salvation involves perseverance; and Timothy’s task in Ephesus is to model and teach the gospel in such a fashion that it will lead the church to perseverance in faith and love, and hence to final,
eschatological salvation. Thus both paragraphs in this section conclude with the great concern of the gospel--people’s salvation (cf. 1:15; 2:4-6; 4:10)."
* * * * * * * * * *
DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS:
1) Contrast the value of the minister of the gospel who edifies others for their eternal benefit to that of the physical surgeon who repairs the physical body for the purpose of this temporal life. What sort of preparation and study should be invested in each case?
What sort of hours and hard work are required for maximum effectiveness? What sort of honor and respect should be accorded? What sort of rewards will accrue?
2) What types of issues must a minister of the Word devote himself to and what types of issues must he avoid (or beg off debating)? How important is the concept of sound doctrine throughout the Pastoral Epistles?
3) What is the pathway to respect and to gain a hearing for the proclamation of the Word of God according to verse 12? How much time and involvement in the lives of others does it take to make this happen?
4) Do we neglect the public reading of Scripture today in our worship services? Is this just a different emphasis since we all have written copies of the Word today to use on our own? What is the difference in emphasis between exhortation and teaching? Do
we give due place to each in our public worship? Is the Word of God central in every case?
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