THESE THINGS
1ST TIMOTHY
SERMON #4
1ST TIMOTHY 4:12-15
INTRODUCTION:
THIS MORNING, WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PAUL INSTRUCTED TIMOTHY TO COMMAND AND TEACH AS HE MINISTERED TO GOD’S PEOPLE.
TONIGHT, PAUL BEGINS TO GIVE TIMOTHY SOME PERSONAL TEACHING.
HE TELLS HIM THAT HE IS TO PRACTICE “THESE THINGS”, AND BE COMMITTED TO THEM.
1ST TIMOTHY, CHAPTER 4, VERSES 12-15.
STAND – READ – PRAY
YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN A DAY WHERE INTEGRITY IS A QUALITY THAT IS MISSING FROM THE LIVES OF MANY PEOPLE.
THERE USED TO BE A DAY WHEN YOUR WORD MEANT SOMETHING, WHEN DEALS WERE SEALED WITH A HANDSHAKE, AND WHEN PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO VOUCH FOR OTHERS.
BUT TODAY, THIS IS NOT THE CASE.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A GREATER NEED FOR INTEGRITY IN THE PERSONAL LIVES OF GOD’S PEOPLE THAN THERE IS TODAY.
1. BE MINDFUL OF YOUR EXAMPLE.
a. IN 1TIMOTHY, CHAPTER 4, VERSE 12, PAUL GIVES TIMOTHY INSTRUCTIONS FOR VALIDATING HIS MINISTRY.
b. BECAUSE OF HIS AGE, THERE WAS THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTING OF TIMOTHY AS A CHURCH LEADER.
c. SO PAUL WISELY COUNSELLED HIM ABOUT HIS YOUTHFUL MINISTRY.
d. THESE ARE GREAT INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY.
e. THERE ARE FIVE AREAS THAT PAUL TOLD TIMOTHY TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO.
i. SPEECH – WE NEED TO BE VERY AWARE OF WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR MOUTHS. DO YOU TELL OFF-COLOR JOKES? DO YOU INVOLVE YOURSELF IN THE OFFICE CHATTER THAT IS UNGODLY? DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE NOT PLEASING TO GOD?
ii. CONDUCT – HOW DO YOU REACT TO THINGS? DO YOU FLY OFF THE HANDLE? DO YOU RESPOND IN LOVE? WHAT IS YOUR REPUTATION? WHAT OPINION DO OTHERS HAVE OF YOU?
iii. LOVE – ARE YOU A LOVING PERSON? DO YOU FLAVOR YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE WITH LOVE?
iv. FAITH – HOW COMMITTED ARE YOU TO YOUR FAITH? I MEAN HOW TRULY COMMITTED ARE YOU TO YOUR FAITH? IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AN AFTERTHOUGHT, OR THE FIRST THING IN YOUR MIND?
v. PURITY – ARE YOU HONORING GOD WITH YOUR THOUGHT LIFE? ARE YOU HONORING GOD WITH YOUR BODY? ARE YOU COMMITTED TO A LIFE OF PURITY?
2. BE MINDFUL OF YOUR FAITH.
a. IN 1 TIMOTHY, CHAPTER 4, VERSE 13, PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY OF THREE AREAS TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO IN HIS MINISTRY. YOU AND I WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THESE THINGS IN OUR DAILY WALK.
i. PUBLIC READING – IT WAS TIMOTHY’S RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD THE PUBLIC READING, OR PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD. FOR YOU AND I, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ATTEND THE PUBLIC READING, OR PREACHING OF THE WORD. THERE IS A GREAT VOID INTHE CHURCH TODAY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HUNGRY FOR GOD’S WORD. WE MUST RETURN TO THE WORD TODAY!
ii. EXHORTATION – TO EXHORT MEANS TO “STRONGLY ENCOURAGE”. HERE WE SEE PAULS CHARGE TO TIMOTHY TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THOSE AROUND HIM TO FOLLOW THE TEACHING OF GOD’S WORD. YOU AND I NEED TO “STRONGLY ENCOURAGE” ONE ANOTHER IN THE FAITH.
iii. TEACHING – TRANSLATED “DOCTRINE” IN THE KJV, PAUL URGES TIMOTHY TO REMAIN TRUE TO THE DOCTRINE, OR THE TEACHING THAT IS FOUND IN THE WORD OF GOD. TOO MANY TIMES, WE FIND MAN’S REVISION OF BIBLICAL DOCTRINE BEING TAUGHT. THIS ONLY LEADS TO CONFUSION AND DISCORD. WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILTY TO STAY TRUE TO THE WORD OF GOD.
3. BE MINDFUL OF YOUR CALLING.
a. I THINK THAT PAUL HIT A NERVE IN 1 TIMOTHY, CHAPTER 4, VERSE 14, WHEN HE CAUTIONED TIMOTHY ABOUT NOT NEGLECTING THE GIFT THAT HE HAD.
b. NEGLECT IS A DANGEROUS THING. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT A HOUSE THAT IS NEGLECTED WILL FALL IN UPON ITSELF. LOOK AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE PLACES WHERE FAMILIES ONCE DWELLED THAT ARE NOW IN DISREPAIR. THE REASON…NEGLECT.
c. THINK OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW THAT WERE TALENTED IN CERTAIN AREAS, BUT NOW HAVE LOST THAT TALENT. THE REASON…NEGLECT.
d. THINK OF CHURCHES THAT YOU KNOW OF THAT ONCE STOOD MIGHTILY FOR THE PRINCIPLES OF GOD’S WORD, BUT NOW ARE NOTHING MORE THAN HOUSES OF COMPROMISE. THE REASON…NEGLECT.
e. PAUL SAYS THAT WE TOO CAN SUFFER FROM THE EFFECTS OF NEGLECT. IF YOU NEGLECT THE GIFT THAT IS IN YOU, GOD COULD REMOVE YOUR CAPACITY TO EXERCISE THAT GIFT.
f. THE FIRST THING THAT YOU NEED TO DO IS FIND YOUR GIFT.
g. AESOP TOLD OF A GROUP OF ANIMALS WHO EXCELLED IN CERTAIN ABILITIES. THESE ANIMALS DECIDED TO START A SCHOOL TO IMPART WHAT THEY KNEW. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CURRICULUM DECREED THAT THE EAGLES WOULD BE TRAINED TO CLIMB TREES; THE SQUIRRELS WOULD BE TRAINED TO FLY; AND THE DUCKS WOULD BE TRAINED TO RUN. IN SPITE OF ALL THEIR EFFORTS, THE ANIMALS PERFORMED POORLY. THE PROJECT FAILED! HOW MUCH BETTER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO LET THE EAGLE FIND HIS GIFT AND FLY, TO LET THE SQUIRREL FIND HIS GIFT AND CLIMB AND TO LET THE DUCK FIND HIS GIFT AND SWIM.
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