1 TIMOTHY 1-5 1 TIMOTHY OVERVIEW2007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 1 Timothy 1-5 1 Timothy Overview

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007. The book of 1 Timothy, written by the Apostle Paul. We know that because he introduces himself there in verse 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. And he's writing to encourage this young man named Timothy.

First Timothy is the first of three pastoral epistles, that is, First Timothy, Second Timothy and Titus. And they're called the pastoral epistles because it's the writings of the apostle Paul to men who are pastors, Timothy and Titus, men who are overseers of a particular congregation of a church where he sent them. Paul sent them to establish, to raise up leadership, to build up the saints there.

And Timothy is in Ephesus as a pastor there. He's overseeing the work that God is doing. And it's while he's in Ephesus that Paul is writing to instruct and encourage him.

Timothy is an interesting man. He was a very young man, according to verse 12 of chapter four here in First Timothy. We're not exactly sure what that means. Usually when they're speaking of youth and using this word in that culture, it would mean anybody that's under the age of 40. And so by that standard, some of us are young and some of us are not. But Timothy was a young man. He wasn't

an older, seasoned man. He wasn't a seasoned man in the scriptures so much as many others were, but he was a young minister. He was raised in a Christian home, taught the scriptures by his mother and his grandmother, we learn in 2 Timothy 3.

He hooked up with Paul as Paul went through his hometown, probably there in Lystra, and he became a companion of Paul as he traveled. And we see his name attached to many letters as Paul's writing to the different churches as he's on his journeys. He introduces Timothy as being with him and accompanying him. He was also imprisoned with Paul a few times, and he was sent by Paul to many places.

One of those places that he was sent to was a city called Philippi, and he wrote to the Philippians a little bit about Timothy. And I want you to turn there just for a moment so you can get an idea of what kind of man Timothy was. Turn with me now to Philippians chapter two.

We'll go back to Timothy in just a moment. But in Philippians chapter two, Paul is writing to the Philippians, wanting to send Timothy to them to know how they are doing. And he describes for us what Timothy is like, some characteristics that I think are important to us as well. Philippians chapter two, verse 19, Paul says, But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state.

For I have no one like minded who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character that as a son with his father, he served with me in the gospel. Therefore, I hope to send him at once as soon as I see how it goes with me.

Here Paul is writing to the Philippians and he wants to know how they're doing. He's anxious and concerned about them. And so he says, I'm going to send Timothy to you very shortly that I may be encouraged when I know your state. He's going to go check on you. He's going to come back and tell me how you guys are doing. But what he says about Timothy, three things that stand out to me is what I think is so interesting. First of all, he says, I have no one like minded.

He says, this guy, Timothy, that's coming to you, he's like-minded with me. He knows my heart. He knows what I need or what I think is important. He knows the ministry that I'm involved in, the gospel that I share, the message of the cross. He knows the things that I hold dear, the things that are important.

Paul says he's just like me. He's like minded with me. And he he knows he's fully acquainted with the ministry that I'm involved in. And so he will be able to effectively minister to you just as if I was there and answer your questions and deal with the situations just as if I was there. Not only that, but he says he will also sincerely care for your state.

He compares it there in the next verse that saying that not everybody is like that. Not everybody I could send you would sincerely care for your state. They'd be interested in what they can receive out of it and what they could accomplish or what they could do or how that would help them to their next goal and their next thing.

But he says, no, Timothy is not like that. He's not seeking his own interests. He's there and he will sincerely care for you. He really genuinely wants to see you be blessed and see you walk in the ways of God and see you grow in relationship with God. He has a sincere care for you. Not only that, in verse 22, he says he also has proven character. That as a son with his father, he has served with me in the gospel.

He's proven character. It's not just, you know, one time he did something good or for a little bit, but for the many years that he traveled with Paul, his character is proved. He was a man of integrity. He was a man. He wasn't one way, you know, in front of the crowd and one way behind the crowd. He was...

A man with proven character over the time that he had been serving with the Apostle Paul. And so this like-mindedness and this sincere care wasn't fake. It wasn't a facade. But it was a reality in Timothy's life.

And as I reflect on those things, I recognize those are things that I want in my life. You know, I want God to be able to say that of me. Or if I was back then, I would want the Apostle Paul to say that of me, that I'm like-minded, that I understand the heart of the ministry, the heart of what God wants to do, that I have a sincere care for those around me and those that God has placed in my life, that I'm not out for my own interests,

But like Jesus Christ commanded us dying to ourselves. We're serving him and that that character would be proven and I wouldn't challenge you as well Isn't that what you want to be said of you? Isn't that the impression that you would want God to have of you that you are like-minded that you have a sincere care and that you have proven character Timothy was this type of man and

In 1st and 2nd Timothy, though, even though he was all of these things, we find him in a interesting state or place in his life. Even though he was like minded and had sincere care, even though he had proven character in Ephesus, as we go through 1st and 2nd Timothy, we'll see over and over again.

Different obstacles and things that Timothy was experiencing that really left him in a place of being overwhelmed, not knowing what to do, not really being able to do the ministry or know how to how to handle it or put things in order. Paul encourages him not to be timid. He's holding back. He's not being disheartened.

fulfilling the leadership role that he was called to. Paul has to remind him several times not to neglect his gift. And so we get this picture of Timothy. He's a solid guy, great servant of the Lord, proven character. But there's a situation in Ephesus that really just throws him off his game. And he doesn't know what to do. He's not sure how services to go. He's not sure how the church is to be run. He's not sure he's...

Not understanding what direction God wants him to go. And so Paul writes to Timothy and says, here's what you need to do. And that's what first Timothy is all about. And in this way, I think that all of us can relate to Timothy. Now, for me personally, it's easy for me to.

To relate to Timothy, because it's almost like the apostle Paul is writing this letter to me. I mean, there's times of overwhelming. That's absolutely for sure. There's times of not knowing what to do and how to work things and how things are supposed to go. Absolutely. That's that's for sure. There's times of timidity. There's times of neglecting the gift. I'm young and inexperienced. I mean, it's just like I'm Timothy. I can relate really well.

But this morning, what I want to share with you and encourage you with, and that's why I had you greet one another in such a weird fashion, is that you are Timothy. You can relate to this, I'm sure, to what he is experiencing. You may not be called to be a pastor, but you are called to the ministry. Every believer in Jesus Christ is called to the ministry. Jesus told us in Matthew chapter 28, verses 19 and 20,

Just before he was about to ascend to the Father, he looks at the twelve disciples, but also all those who were with him at that time there on the Mount of Olives. And he tells them, go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.

Jesus there commissioned every believer, every disciple, everyone who says, I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. And he says, OK, here's your task as you follow me. You are to go, therefore, and make disciples. You are called to the ministry. You are called to make disciples, to build up and edify those around you. You're called to baptize.

To lead people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, to be a witness for Christ, you're called to teach them all the things that Jesus commanded. That is your call. That is my call. It's not reserved for the pastors and leaders, but it's every believer in Jesus Christ.

In Ephesians chapter four, verse 12, Paul has been talking about spiritual leadership, apostles and evangelists and prophets and pastors and teachers. And he tells us the purpose that God gave those to the church in verse 12 of Ephesians four. It says for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry.

This is what the saints are called to do. The work of ministry, the saints, that is you and I as believers in Jesus Christ. We are the saints. It's not the select few, but every believer. And we're called to do the work of the ministry. And he's given us leaders in the body of Christ to equip us and prepare us to do that work. But it's our work. We're called to do it. Every believer is called to the ministry.

If you remember in Matthew chapter five, Jesus looks at the disciples, those who are following him. And if you want to be a follower of Jesus, this applies to you as well. He says, you are the light of the world. A city upon a hill cannot be hidden. That's the type of witness and impact that you and I are to have on the world around us. That city upon the hill that cannot be hidden, that it's it's obvious it's there. Everybody knows it's apparent. There's a witness that's being witnessed.

Sent out, portrayed, and it's unmistakable. Jesus sent out the 12 disciples to go before him and preach the gospel. But he also sent out the 72 disciples a little bit later to preach the gospel. It's not just for the select few, but every believer, whatever state you are in your life. As a believer in Jesus Christ, God is calling you and has called you to the ministry of

That doesn't necessarily necessarily mean here at this place, but perhaps in your workplace, there's a ministry that God has called you to or perhaps in your own home. There's a ministry that God has called you to or perhaps within this church or within another church that God is calling you to ministry or perhaps within your neighborhood or wherever you might be. God is calling you to the ministry.

You are Timothy. This letter is to you because you are called into the ministry. God wants you to make disciples and be a witness and an example. He wants you to teach those around you all that Jesus commanded.

And so there's a few portions of scripture that I want to look at here in Timothy to help us understand our call, to help us understand our role and to help us fulfill the ministry that God has placed in each of our lives. First, back in First Timothy, chapter one, looking at verses three and four, it says this.

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification, which is in faith. The first point that we learn from Paul writing to Timothy is that God has you there for a purpose.

God has you there for a purpose where right where you are. He has you there for a purpose. There's a reason for you being where you are.

For you being in the occupation that you have and being in the particular office where you work or being in that classroom that you're in or being within that family or within that home or within that neighborhood or within that church, there's a reason that you are exactly where you are. God has a purpose for you.

For you being right where you are, even if you don't want to be there. We get the impression from Paul's writing to Timothy here that he would have rather been with Paul. He would have rather been there and and seeing the exciting things that God is doing. But he's there in Ephesus and things are difficult. There's obstacles and he's all confused and doesn't know what to do. And Paul says, no, you need to remain there in Ephesus.

God has a purpose for you where you are. I would encourage you to look around you.

There is ministry to be done. God has you there for a purpose. Sometimes we think, well, if only I could get, you know, once I start serving in that area or that ministry, then I'll be able to to be involved in ministry. Or if I could get out of this job and get to this other job, then I could, you know, really minister or if I could do this. But but understand that God has you right where you are for a purpose is a reason why you're there.

And it's to do the work of the ministry. God may send you out. He may instruct you and call you out and he'll move us around and call us to different ministries at different seasons in our life. But for right now, he has you where you are. Let your life be lived as a ministry wherever you are in your workplace, in your home, at the church, in the grocery store, at the ballgame, wherever you happen to be.

You know, Alfredo used to sing a song called, Let My Life Be Like a Love Song, as he would lead us in worship. And I love that song. And the idea behind it is, let my life, my whole life, be like a love song to you. That everything I do is telling Jesus, I love you. We have the tendency to segment our lives or compartmentalize our lives.

And at work, I'm this way and I'm this kind of person and I do these things and I talk this way. And then when I'm at church, I talk a different way and I don't use the same vocabulary that I use other places. And I minister this way or I use these encouragements. Or when I'm at home, I'm a different type. I say different things. I have different routines. And there's all these different alter egos that we have. But God says, look, let your whole life be lived in

In ministry, you're not called just to ministry at church or at home, but everywhere you go, you're a minister. You're a representative of Jesus Christ. You're an example, a light, a city that's set upon a hill, whatever environment you might happen to find yourself in.

God has a purpose, a reason for you being right where you are. So stay there. Be content there until God speaks to you and moves you on. The second thing I'd like to point out from the book of Timothy is also here in verse chapter one, verse 12. It says, And I think Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has enabled me because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. First, Paul tells us, hey, God has you there for a purpose. The second thing we learn here in verses 12 and 13 of chapter 1 is your past does not matter. Your past does not matter. Understand that your background doesn't matter. Paul says...

I'm in the ministry, but I used to be, formally, I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, an insolent man. He would torture Christians until they renounced the faith. He would seek them out to imprison them. I mean, he was a great warrior against the church of God. That's his background. That's his past. But he says there at the end of verse 13, but I obtained mercy. Because that's what we find in Jesus Christ.

As Paul is introducing this letter, we read there in verse two, he writes to Timothy, a true son in the faith, and he says, grace, mercy and peace to you. And it's important for us to recognize and understand my past doesn't matter. My current doesn't matter.

Because of what we find in Jesus Christ, grace, mercy and peace. Grace is getting what you do not deserve or being blessed in ways that you do not deserve. It's God pouring out wonderful things that we don't earn and we can't earn that we're not worthy of.

Salvation is one of those. But there's much that God pours into our lives that we do not deserve. And in particularly what we're focusing on this morning is the opportunity for ministry. Paul didn't deserve to be involved in the ministry. He was a persecutor of the church. He caused people to blaspheme the name of God. You and I don't deserve to be in the ministry.

But God gives us by his grace, the opportunity, the privilege of taking part in the eternal status of people's lives, the eternal impact on the people around us. Grace. Mercy. Mercy is not getting the punishment that you deserve. You and I deserve punishment for our sin. But what we find in Jesus Christ is mercy. That he does not deal with us according to our sins.

He doesn't deal with us according to what we've done and how we've lived. See, your past does not matter. In Jesus Christ, there is grace. There is mercy. And therefore, we find peace. Peace is that rest or that harmony that comes from being right with God.

Having a right relationship with God, that God's not at war against us and we're not at war against God. But now we've been brought back into right relationship with God. We have grace, mercy and peace through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And so our background, whatever you think it is that holds you back. Well, I can't share the gospel because, you know, I have this thing in my life or I can't really encourage people and share scripture with them because, you know, I was involved in that or or I have this or I have that.

The past, the things that we've fallen short in, the areas that God has delivered us from, the sin that we've been set free from, the background that we come from, the education or lack of education that we have, none of that matters because of grace, mercy, and peace. Whatever your background is, you are qualified for the ministry. Look at what Paul says there in verse 12. He says, "...I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry."

Paul says, I'm not worthy. I was used to be this way. But Jesus Christ enabled me. He gave me exactly what I needed. He counted me faithful. I wasn't faithful, but he counted me faithful. And he put me into the ministry. And that is the same state that you and I find ourselves in today. You and I are called to the ministry.

We don't have what it takes, but Jesus Christ enables you through him. You have everything that you need to do the work that he has set before you. He counts you faithful. You and I are not faithful. We fall short, but he counts us as faithful and he uses us to do his work. He put us into the ministry.

So God has you right where he wants you. He has you where you are for a purpose, for a reason. And your past, your background doesn't hold you back. It doesn't matter. It's covered in the grace, mercy and peace that we find in Jesus Christ. Thirdly, we go now to verse 18 here still in chapter one of First Timothy 118. It says this charge I commit to you, son.

Here Paul tells Timothy, really he reminds him of the prophecies that were previously made concerning him. It's something he reminds Timothy of a few times in the letters of 1 and 2 Timothy.

He takes Timothy back. He says, Timothy, remember back at that time, there was that time, perhaps the service that was taking place or this prayer meeting and the elders laid hands upon you and they were praying for you. And there was this prophecy that was spoken for the specific things about your life and your call and the ministry that you're going to do and accomplish in the way that God wants to use you. Timothy,

Remember that time. Remember as they laid hands on you. Remember as that word was spoken. Remember what God has specifically said about your life. And that's the third point this morning for you and I. Because Timothy, you're Timothy. And God has specific prophetic instruction for you. God has. Understand that.

Believe that God has specific prophetic instruction for you. Now, it doesn't have to be in the same situation that Timothy experienced it. God can speak it to your own heart as well. Remember how Paul began the letter. Chapter one, verse one, he says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God.

Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ because God commanded him to be an apostle. Men didn't lay hands on Paul and say, you're going to be an apostle. It was something he received directly from the Lord. We find that in the account in the book of Acts. Also, as he retells it several times in Galatians and so on. It was something that God specifically spoke to him that he was called to be an apostle to the Gentiles.

It was a specific prophetic instruction for Paul. And God has that for you. Specific prophetic instruction for you and for your life. Our life is a ministry and we need to be able to say the same thing.

Like Paul says, I'm an apostle by the commandments of God. I need to be able to say, Jerry, a pastor by commandments of God. That it's not, you know, Tom's choosing or, you know, we didn't gather together and vote, but this is what God commanded. I am what I am because this is what God has told me to be.

At one point in my life, I was Jerry, a paychecks employee by the command of God. It doesn't have to be related to this building and this property or or the religion or or clergy or anything like that. I was a paychecks employee because God commanded me to be so. We need to be able to say whether it be, you know, I'm.

A mom and I'm commanded by the Lord to stay at home and raise my children or I'm commanded to be here in this office, in the workplace. I'm commanded to be here serving in this way or commanded to be here on the mission field. It's not reserved for the elect or the few or only those who are, you know, full time doing the work of God. That's all of us. God has specific prophetic instruction for you. He's interested and concerned about the details of your life.

Where you live and where you're employed and how you live and the things that you do. He's interested and concerned about those things. And he has specific instruction for you to give you direction, to give you insight, to give you the understanding of the way that he's called you to minister and serve and meet the needs of others. You know, there's people around you that have tremendous needs and you don't necessarily know what they are. On the outward, they might look great.

Look at the person next to you. I mean, outwardly, they look like they're doing all right. Maybe they're sleeping. You can nudge them a little bit. But you don't know what's going on on the inside. But God does. And you know, God wants to meet their need. How's he going to do that? He does it by speaking prophetically, specifically upon someone's heart that they might reach out and minister to the people around them.

With the specifics of what they need. And it doesn't mean we have to know the situation that's going on. But, hey, you know, the scriptures upon my heart and I just want to share it with you. And we didn't know anything that was going on. But God knew and it met the need administered to that person. We could go on and on in examples. The point is, God has specific plans for you. There's things going on around you. You have no idea about.

But he has specific plans because he knows what's going on. He knows what's taking place. And he wants to use you to meet the needs of others. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10, Paul says, We are his workmanship. We are God's masterpiece created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. The picture that's being painted here by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2 is that there's this path before us.

filled with good works and things that God has prepared for us to do. And they're already there. They're already set up. We don't have to figure it out. We don't have to manipulate it. It's already there. God's already prepared beforehand what we are called to do, what we're supposed to do. All we have to do then is receive this specific instruction that we know which way to go, that we stay on the path that God has laid before us, that we don't wander off and begin to do our own things.

All we need to do is hear from God what he has for us. Now, I always pick on Richard because I love him. Anytime I'm talking about things like this and lots of other things, I hear from Richard.

But I'm not you, Jerry. You know, you like have this special connection with God. And, you know, it's like you pick up the phone and what, Lord? OK, yes. And and you go that direction and and it's specific and clear. And I mean, it's just so easy for you. It's not. I don't have a better connection to God than you do. You have the same access. Timothy had the same access. Paul had the same access or called to the ministry.

And we need to hear his specific instruction for our lives. It requires that we know the voice of God.

That we have a real relationship with him. That we recognize when he's speaking to us. And I would encourage you, if you don't know, and I really mean this with all my heart. If you don't know the voice of God, if you can't recognize the voice of God, you know, your best friend calls you up. They don't have to say who they are. You recognize their voice. You know who they are. If you don't experience that with God, this is God. I know God's voice. This is God speaking to me. If you don't experience that, then all of your extracurricular activities, stop them. Put them down.

Don't shirk your responsibilities, but but turn off the TV and pull yourself aside and get in the word of God until you learn to hear the voice of God, because he wants to speak to you. He wants to direct you. He wants to lead you. You're called into the ministry and he wants to use you to impact people for eternity. But you need to hear his voice.

You need to grow in that relationship with him that you recognize his voice and recognize as he's speaking to you. And primarily he's going to do that through the word of God, through the Bible. And I would encourage you put those other things aside and get into the word of God until you can hear, until you know this is God speaking to me.

And it won't necessarily happen just one time. You know, one day I open up, okay, boom, I read a verse. Whoa, I can't believe God spoke to me. No, usually the way God works is it's as I'm consistently reading, regularly reading, spending time in his word. I learn day by day how to hear his voice. It requires a consistency. It requires a discipline.

But as we learn to hear his voice, God will give us specific prophetic instruction. Go this way. Make this decision. Handle this situation this way. He will give us what we need, addressing the current things in our lives, that we might be effective and powerful in the ministry that he has called us to. Think about this for a minute. You very well may be the answer to people's prayer.

You may be the answer to people's prayer. How many times do we pray for those in our lives, perhaps people that we love, that we would like to see come to the Lord or come back to the Lord? We say, Lord, send them someone. Send them someone who will share the word with them. Send them someone who will share the message of the cross or God's love with them. Send them someone who will be an example to them or will disciple them. Lord, send them someone. And maybe that's taking place.

For the people around you, perhaps for your coworker, someone's praying, would send them a Christian, send them someone who can encourage them, send them someone who can love them. And by nature, you know, we're like, I don't know why I'm here. This is stupid. I hate this job. You know, grumbling and complaining. And I don't even know what this is all for. But.

But the intention there, the work that God has for us there is we're the answer to the prayer. We're the Christian in that person's life to share with them, encourage them, to disciple them, to grow them, whatever God wants to do. God has a purpose, specific instructions for you, specific people to minister to and pour yourself into, specific things to share. He's a God who works out the details.

But you and I need to hear the voice of God. We need to learn to recognize his voice so that he can speak to us as we give him opportunity. As you spend time with the Lord, as you learn to hear his voice, he will speak to you. He will direct you and he will use you to bless others. What an awesome thought that is. God doesn't need us, but he desires to use us. And as we make ourselves available to him, he will direct us and guide us.

specifically, prophetically, with what God wants us to do. For the fourth point, we go now to chapter 3 of 1 Timothy. Chapter 3, verses 14 and 15. Paul says this, These things I write to you,

Though I hope to come to you shortly, but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of the truth or the pillar and ground of the truth. Paul tells Timothy, these things I write to you. What things? The things he's been writing in this book.

are very instructive as far as the way that the church of God is to be run, the way that things are to function. He says, these things I write to you so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God. This is how things are to go in the church, in the house of God. In 1 Timothy 2, he says, first of all, first things first, you're called to, the most important thing is to pray.

First of all, pray in the order of things and and the way that I'm calling you to do things and and the conduct of the church. The thing you need to do first is you need to pray. He goes on in chapter two to talk about the roles of men and women within the body. In chapter three, he talks about the qualifications or guidelines for selecting leaders, leaders.

In chapter 4, he deals with what to teach and the things to instruct the people. In chapter 5, he shares with Timothy how to treat people, older men, younger men, older women, younger women, how to deal with the widow situation that was going on, how to treat elders. In chapter 6, he deals with the employee-employer relationship and the struggle between greed and contentment that is taking place.

And so Paul says, I'm writing all these things so that you know how to conduct yourself. But specifically, he's speaking about the qualifications of leadership here in chapter 3, verses 1 through 13. We're not going to go through them right now. We'll go through them as we go through the text in the next couple of weeks. But he gives the qualifications for overseers or pastors and the qualifications for deacons. And the points from this...

is that serving the Lord comes with requirements. There's some qualifications or requirements that need to be met. We don't need to get into the details now. Again, we'll do that later. But the bottom line of these qualifications that Paul is listing is really these qualifications are the fruit or the byproduct of a person who has a right relationship with God. And that's the real qualification. That's the real guideline. Serving the Lord comes with that requirement.

You know, God wants to use you, but that does not mean that you can live your life however you want and then expect to be used by God. You need to live your life in relationship with God, in service to God, in worship of God. You need to. Jesus said, if you want to be my disciple, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. That needs to be who you are and not just in the church realm.

but also at home, that you have right relationship with God, that you're living to please God, that you're walking in accordance to what he is speaking to your heart. And at the workplace, that is not different, that you're walking in relationship with God, in agreement with his word, in obedience to him, living to worship him, to please him.

That no matter what arena you are in, no matter where you find yourself, you're a person who walks in relationship with God. That you don't have these different manners or different roles that you live differently in all these different places that you are. You know, right now there's a situation in Los Angeles with the mayor. And I'm sure you've seen it. It's all over the news and newspapers and so on and so forth.

And the mayor has admitted that he has been having an affair and that's why him and his wife are separating and blah, blah, blah.

But one of the things that I thought was really interesting as I was flipping through the channels and I saw part of an interview and the mayor is there and explaining, well, you know, yes, I had this affair and I committed this and me and my wife are separating, but none of this matters or affects my job or my ability to run the city, you know, as the mayor. There's, you know, my...

Public life and my public office and my job that I'm to do here and that's over here and in my personal life There's all these other things going on but but they don't relate to one another and they don't impact one another and it doesn't affect me in my ability to do my job or my credibility and all these things Understand man may agree with that but God does not agree with that line of thinking God doesn't want you to be living in duplicity

One way in this arena, one way in this realm and another way in one way at home, one way at work, one way around your friends, one way at church. He wants you to be the same committed to the Lord Jesus Christ in right relationship with God, walking with him, seeking the things of him. That's the requirement. If you want to be used by God, live in right relationship with him wherever you are. Seek to please him and put him first wherever you are. Otherwise, you can't expect to be used by God.

He needs you to be drawing close to him and honoring him in all you do. The fifth thing we find in chapter 4, verses 12 through 16, Paul says this, Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, to

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. We began looking at

Paul saying, God has you there for a purpose and your past does not matter. He has specific prophetic instruction for you. And it comes with a requirement. It comes with the qualification of living in right relationship with God.

So now what? I understand. OK, I accept all these things. I understand. This letter is to me. I'm a Timothy. I'm called into the ministry. Now what? Well, that's what Paul is addressing here. And point number five is do the work of the ministry. Paul says, OK, look, you've got all the way up to this point. Now do the work. You've got everything you need. Now accomplish it. Really, he's explaining to Timothy how to do the work of the ministry. We know we're called.

We know that we're called to do the work of the ministry, but how do we do that? Does that mean that I have to now start a Bible study? Well, what if I don't think I can teach? Or what if I don't think that'll work? Or I'm not comfortable doing that? Or does that mean I have to stand up on my desk at work and begin to shout out the gospel message and preach to people? What does that mean that I'm called into the ministry? How do I do that?

Paul gives us the outline here. Here's how to be involved and to do the work of the ministry that you are called to. First, he says to Timothy in verse 12, be an example. You want to do the work of ministry? You want to be involved in ministry? Then you need to be an example. That is the work of the ministry.

It's not that you have to be an example so that you can do the work of the ministry. Paul is saying, look, this is the work of the ministry. Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit and faith and in purity. Paul says, be an example. And the reality is you are an example. But the question is, are you a good example or a bad example?

Because you named the name of Christ, because you call yourself a Christian, you are an example. You are a witness. But are you a good witness or a bad witness? A good example or a bad example? Paul says, look, if you want to be involved in ministry, here's how. Be an example. Show people the way that God has called us to live.

In word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. And you can meditate upon those things and allow God to speak to you in all of those different areas on how you can be an example. Because that's how to be involved in ministry. The next thing he says in verse 13, how do I be involved in ministry? How do I do what God has called me to do? Paul says, give attention to reading, exhortation, and to doctrine.

Give attention to these three things. This word attention means to apply oneself, to attach oneself to, to hold on to or cleave to something. It means to be given to or to be addicted to. It means to devote thought and effort towards. Paul says, give attention to reading, exhortation and doctrine. What is reading? It's spending time in the word of God.

Give attention, give yourself towards, apply yourself to, hold on to, hold fast to, cleave to, cling to, be addicted to the reading of the word of God. He says, give attention to exhortation, devote thought and effort to exhorting, uplifting, building up and edifying the people around you. Give yourself to that, hold fast to that.

Live your life to build up and encourage others. He says, give attention to doctrine, cleave to doctrine, the teaching of the word of God, what God says about himself and about Jesus Christ and about salvation. You need to know what you believe and why you believe it. Hold fast to it and don't sway from it.

You want to be involved in the work of ministry? Be an example. Give attention to, devote yourself to reading and exhortation and doctrine. Some are thinking, but that's not ministry. Ministry is, you know, like sharing the gospel and teaching people and handing out tracts. That's not what Paul says. You want to do the ministry? Here's how. Be an example. Read the Bible. Encourage others. Know what you believe. Know why you believe it.

Next, he encourages him to use his gifts. There in verse 14, he says, do not neglect the gift that is in you. Hey, do you want to be involved in the work of ministry? You want to know how? Well, every believer is gifted by God. Ephesians 4.16 talks about the need of every member to do its part, to do its share.

You're a member of the body of Christ and you've been gifted by God to perform a particular function, to accomplish a particular ministry. You want to be involved in ministry? Then use your gifts. In Romans chapter 12, Paul is talking about the spiritual gifts. And in verse 6, he says, having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.

If you have a gift and you do, Paul says, well, let's use it. If prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. If ministry, then let us use it in our ministry. He who teaches in teaching. He who exhorts in exhortation. He who gives with liberality. He who leads with diligence. He who shows mercy with cheerfulness. Paul's saying, look, use the gifts.

However you've been gifted, whatever arena, whatever role that God has given to you, you need to use those gifts. And that's not limited to this property or the time where we have an afterglow. The gifts are to be used by you to impact the world around you. You might say, well, I don't know what gifts God has given to me. Then I go back to, you need to learn to hear the voice of God.

And you need to spend time with him and seek him and ask him, Lord, how do you want to use me? How have you gifted me that I may bless and minister and do my part in the body of Christ? Paul says in verse 15, meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them. If you want to be an example, I'm sorry, you want to be involved in the ministry, you want to know how to do that, well, first you be an example. You give yourself entirely.

Pay attention to reading and exhortation to doctrine. Use the gifts that God has given to you. But Paul says, give yourself entirely to these things. Wholly, completely to these things. Paul's not talking about part-time Christianity. You know, I'm a Christian 20 hours a week because, you know, it's like a part-time job. Or I'm a Christian 40 hours a week. That makes me full-time Christian, right? No. Full-time your whole life. Give yourself entirely to...

Being an example, reading and exhortation and doctrine, using the gifts that God has given to you entirely. Now, if you think that God only wants to use your gifts here in this place on this property, understand this is just a small percentage of your life, of your week, of your days. There's so much more that God wants to do beyond this place here.

in your workplace, in your family, amongst your neighborhood, or wherever you might happen to be. God has you there for a reason. He wants to use you. He's gifted you. Be an example. Spend time in His Word. Lift up those around you. Hold fast to the doctrine and give yourself entirely. Don't change from...

from day to day and from situation to situation. He's not talking about part-time ministry, but every one of us is called to full-time ministry to represent Jesus Christ, to reach out and minister as he gives us opportunity wherever we go, wherever he sends us, wherever we happen to be. We're all called to full-time ministry, wherever you are, whomever you're with. You're called to do the work of ministry.

Finally, point number six, the end of the book, chapter six of First Timothy, the last two verses, verses 20 and 21. Paul says, Oh, Timothy, guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge by professing it. Some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

Paul tells Timothy, point number six, guard what was committed to your trust. Timothy, guard what was committed to your trust. I find it completely amazing that God would commit anything to our trust, that he would take people,

And he would place them in our lives. He would place them in our trust. He would give us charge and responsibility. These are the people I want you to encourage and disciple and minister to. These are the people I want you to share the gospel with. These are the people I want you to be an example to. These are the ones I want you to raise up in my ways and teach how to obey the commands that I gave. I just, why would God commit anything to our trust? We don't, of course not.

But he enabled us. He counts us faithful. He put us into the ministry. He has committed ministries and people and situations to your trust. So guard it, Timothy. Guard what God has given to you. Because there's a danger of people falling away. That's what he says in verse 21. He says, by professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith.

There's the danger of straying, of being shipwrecked, of walking away from the faith, of being destroyed. There's the danger, great danger. So guard what has been given to you. Guard what God has entrusted to you. Keep it safe. Protect it. God has called you to be an influence in people's lives. Guard them. Protect them from the things of the enemy.

God has called you to start that Bible study, guard it, keep it from what Paul is talking about, the idle babblings and the things that are falsely called knowledge there in verse 20. There's lots of that. There's lots of nonsense and and philosophical things and psychological things and and all kinds of things that we could bring up and and that people believe and teach and share and minister with. That's falsely called knowledge. Paul says, look, guard what has been given to you.

Protect what is yours. The idle babblings Paul deals with several times in the first and second Timothy, because there was a lot of talk. There was all kinds of nonsense going on and things that were causing division and arguments and contentions. Paul tells Timothy, hey, guard against those things. Those same problems that were in Ephesus are in our day as well. So Paul says to you, Timothy, guard your ministry.

Guard what God has entrusted to you against idle babblings. Guard your family against what is falsely called knowledge. There's lots of things that are falsely called knowledge. You need to guard your ministry. Guard your family. Some parents will say, you know, my children have to make their own choice. Not while they're under your roof.

Joshua 24, 15. Joshua says, as for me and my house, we're not going to serve those other idols. We're not going to chase after those things. That's not what we're going to do. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Guard your family against what is falsely called knowledge. Guard your family against the idol babblings. Guard your family against the deception of the enemy. Guard your ministry. Guard those that have been entrusted to you. Guard them.

God has entrusted them. You will give an account for them and how you ministered to them. Guard them. Protect them. God has put them in your care. Do you understand that? Does that blow your mind? God has entrusted you with something. Take care of it. Preserve it. Do the work that God has called you to do. You and I are called to full-time ministry right where we are. It doesn't matter where we've been and what we've done, our background, our past, our

God has right now specific instructions for us, prophetic instruction, how to minister, where to go, what to share. But we need to live our lives according to the qualifications and right relationship with God that we may do the work of the ministry and guard the thing that was committed to our trust. I love that verse in Colossians.

417, when Paul is throwing out his encouragements and he says, Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it. This morning, Timothy, I encourage you, take heed. You have received ministry from the Lord. You have calling to ministry and a work that God has called you to do. Take heed that you may fulfill it. Walk in it.

and do the work that God has called you to do.