Today, we started a new sermon series in 1 & 2 Timothy (and at least one Rabbit Trail over to Titus, the other pastoral epistle). The first major point in the series titled, "Dear Timothy..."
Growing up, Grandma sent letters from Africa every week. The purpose was to keep us up to date with what was going on and to encourage along the way. I'll always treasure her letter to me after hearing that I'd trusted in Christ as my Savior.
The purpose of 1 Timothy is found in Chapter 3.
1 Timothy 3:14-15 – I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you soon, but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
1. The Greeting (vv 1-2)
Don’t just breeze by the introduction.
This is a personal letter from Paul to Timothy, it’s also intended for a wider audience.
It’s an essential letter:
For Timothy
For every pastor
For Every Christian
The letter opens with a reminder of the hope we have in the gospel because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.
This letter has one of the clearest answers in the Bible to the question: what is the church supposed to look like?
First instruction:
2. Guard the Gospel (vv 3-11)
This is the starting point for what we must do in the church.
One of the primary tasks of those who lead in the church.
Also critical for those who are in the church.
This is where we need to Be like Batman
Who had no super powers
Was not from another planet
He didn’t get bitten by a radioactive spider
He was just a guy who, when his city was
threatened, went out and did what he could,
using all of, his resources - to guard his city.
We need to guard the gospel like Batman guarded Gotham City.
False teachers are threatening the church.
Timothy was instructed to command them to put a stop to it.
A. The Error
The error of the files teachers was some form of legalism. Ultimately, it was “a different gospel.”
It seems that it was elements of Judaism mixed in with some of the strange OT interpretations that floated around occasionally.
B. The Goal
The goal of a true teacher of the gospel and a false teacher is different.
The true teacher - the faithful shepherd
The goal is sanctification. Loving God and loving fellow believers. (Matthew 22:37,39,
John 13:35, 1 John 4:7-8 & 3:10)
Three things about true teaching: (verse 5)
1. Pure heart (Titus 3:5 , Psalm 24:3, Psalm 5:10, Romans 6:17)
2. Good Conscience
Your conscience either affirms or accuses
3. Unhypocritical faith
False teaching points away from the gospel, miss the mark, and go off course
C. The Motive
Look to someone’s motive and you’ll see much truth there. (Matthew 12:34)
And the false teachers wanted recognition as teachers. It wasn’t about knowing and exalting the Lord
The false teachers were seeking to be teachers for their own satisfaction, not for the sanctification of others.
Ultimately - what is
D. The Effect
False teachers are not only unable to truly understand God’s truth, they’re absolutely convinced they do.
The whole point of Mosaic Law: you can’t achieve holiness on your own
A right understanding of the gospel
A right understanding of Scripture
Leads you to mourn over all of your sins
Here’s your self-test.
Everyone teaches in some manner. You might not stand up in front of a group, but your life, your attitudes, your actions, your words, your texts, emails, Facebook posts, t-shirts - they’re all teaching others what the gospel is and how it affects someone’s life in real time.
Are you growing in love?
Love for Christ
Love for the Church (Christ’s Body, His people)
Love for the Lost
Guard the gospel. Be radically committed to it!
What is the Gospel?
Here it is in one minute:
The one and only God, creator of everything, who is holy, made us in His image to Know Him and glorify Him.
But we sinned, we rebelled. We did our own thing and cut ourselves off from Him. There’s nothing we could ever do or would ever do to earn our way back to Him or even begin to fix the problem.
BUT – In His great love, God became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, taking on himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn to and believe in Him. He rose again from the dead, showing that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice and that God’s wrath against us has been satisfied.
He now calls us to repent of our sins and to trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness.
If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God.
I pray we all grow in our commitment to guarding the gospel.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob
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