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THE ESSENTIAL OF FAITH 1 TIMOTHY 1:12-20 Pastor Stephen Muncherian January 10, 2010 |
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Please turn with me to 1 Timothy
1 - starting at verse 12 - page 162 of the blue Bible in front on you. This morning we are going on in our look a the
essentials of the church. Think with me
about essentials. How many of you have flown -
preferably in an airplane? What about
internationally? Flying involves
lines. Right? A
lot of waiting. Especially these days. Internationally - flying
involves long lines - with people who have tons of luggage. Right? There has
to be some competition - among international passengers to see who can
cram as much stuff in as possible into as many odd shaped bags and
boxes as possible. You see these
passengers moving along with those carts - screech - screech - way
overloaded. A person has to ask, “How much of
all of that is really essential?” A friend of mine travels
internationally - pretty regularly - sometimes he’ll be traveling for a
month at a time - and he never checks a bag. Everything
he needs is in one small carry on duffle bag. Think about that the next time
your packing. What is essential? Paul is writing to Timothy who’s
serving with the church in Ephesus. As
Paul deeply cares for Timothy and the believers in Ephesus - and the
not-yet-believers in Ephesus - Paul is writing this letter to Timothy
and the church - to focus them on what’s essential to be focused on if
they’re going to be effective as the church that God will use in
Ephesus - what they need to take with them as a congregation. The essentials of the Church that we need to give our lives
to if we’re going to be the congregation that God intends for us to be
here in the greater Merced metroplex. Put slightly different. Imagine the church as wheel. The essentials are spokes.
Emphasize the wrong essentials - remove some essentials - wimp out on some essentials -
get complacent about an essential - and the wheel - the church -
gets stuck - or comes apart - people get hurt - wounded.
The church becomes a place of frustration and defeat - limping along - maintaining
the status quo - rather
than a community of life
and joy and victory - rather than penetrating into
the community with Gospel - the church stops
rolling forward - fails
at her mission. People
die in sin - condemned - without Jesus. Are we together? Last Sunday we looked at The
Essential of Love. Today we’re going to go
on with Paul’s next essential - The Essential of Faith. Let’s
say that together, “The
essential of faith.” 1 Timothy 1 - starting at verse
12: Paul writing about himself: I thank
Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me - Paul - because He - Jesus - considered
me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a
blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.
Yet, I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in
unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the
faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It
is a trustworthy statement - absolutely 100% true - you can
bet your life on it - It is a
trustworthy statement, deserving
full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,
among whom I am foremost of all. Let’s Pause there.
Paul starts off his discussion of The Essential of Faith
by focusing on his own life. Paul’s Example of Faith. Let’s
say that together. “Paul’s
example of faith.” In Scripture we read about
Paul’s life as a zealous persecutor of the church.
His driven hatred of Christians is well known. Paul writes in verse 13 that he was a “blasphemer
- a persecutor - a violent aggressor” bent on the destruction of the
church. If we’d been in Jerusalem - Paul
would have had us killed and been very happy for the opportunity. Acts 9 says that Paul was on his
way to Damascus to imprison the Christians there, “breathing
threats and murder against the disciples.” Suddenly
he’s struck by light from heaven. Paul
falls to the ground and hears the voice of Jesus, “Saul, Saul,
why are you persecuting me?” Paul responds, “Who are
You, Lord?”
Paul writes here in verse 12, “Jesus - has
strengthened me… He - Jesus - considered
me faithful” God “strengthens” Paul - which
means that the enabling of faith - the very ability to have faith and
live by faith comes from God. The word
here - in Greek for “consider” has the idea of sovereign monarch
choosing to notice some peon subject and give regard to that subject -
to consider that peon worthy of the royal notice. There’s a simple and yet
profound truth here. We don’t seek after
God. God seeks after us.
We would never know God if God didn’t allow us to know Him. If God didn’t reveal Himself to us. We could never have a restored relationship
with God unless God establishes the means of that relationship - God
first sending Jesus to the cross for us. Apart
from God faith is impossible. Paul writes in verse 14: “Faith and
love are found in Christ Jesus.” Not us.
Verse 15: “Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” He came to save us - sinners -
living by faith in ourselves and our works - our efforts at living life
- maybe even to live right - doing good - even pleasing God. Paul knew about Jesus -
intellectually - theologically - knew enough to reject Him and
persecute His disciples. But until God broke into
his life - Paul had no true faith in God. No
true relationship with God. Faith comes from God. Let’s say that together. “Faith comes
from God.” Rocks the ego a little bit
doesn’t it? Paul writes, in verse 12, Jesus,
“Put me into service.” A while back I was over at my
mom’s house with a group of people out on the back patio.
There were these plastic patio chairs. You know what I’m talking about? Stackable. You can get them just about any place.
Not exactly the most expensive. But
functional. I sat down in this chair and the
thing self-destructed. Just completely
fell apart. Embarrassed - and listening to
some comments about my weight - I got up - picked up what was left of
the chair. And, went to sit in another of
these plastic chairs. About 2 minutes
after I sat down that chair self-destructed - just came apart
underneath me. So, now I’m sitting on the
ground for a second time and feeling really foolish.
You can imagine when I came to the third chair I was just a tad cautious. The comfy teal colored chair you’re sitting on.
When you came in today - found your spot in the sanctuary - you believed that it would hold
you up. Intellectually you know enough
about wood and construction and where you’ve sat before - in your mind
you know that it’ll hold you up. That’s
belief - intellectually understanding about God. Faith is sitting down. Try
that with me, “Faith is sitting down.” Faith is acting on what we know to be true about God. That essential of faith - living our lives
based on what we know to be true about God. Jesus isn’t calling Paul to a
religion - or an intellectual belief. Jesus
is calling him to faith - putting his life into the hands of the Lord. Paul the foremost of sinners - deserving and
destined for God’s wrath - because of God’s mercy - is saved - to live out God’s purposes
for his life. Paul has been “put” into service
- meaning that God has placed Paul exactly where God wants to place
Paul. God has given Paul and appointment -
a position - a role - Paul is an essential working - in God’s ministry. Paul describes that ministry as
“service.” Service is the Greek word
“diaconos” which is where we get our English word what?
Deacon. Literally “deacon”
meant what? A table waiter.
Someone who prepared and served food - who responds to the
commands and desires of someone else. Next time you go to Starbucks -
imagine ordering your vente caramel macchiato and having your barista
tell you to “Get it yourself.”
Paul - the persecutor of the
church - is appointed by God - in God’s service to serve - deacon - the
church. Does God have a sense of humor or
what? In Scripture we read about how
God used Paul. Took Him all over the known
world to share the Gospel. As he traveled,
God strengthened Paul - physically - spiritually. God
had to. Those missionary journeys were
torturous - a
glimpse of hell. What did
Jesus say? “If you want
to follow Me, deny yourself and take up your cross daily.” “Lose your
life for My sake.” (Luke
9:23,24) The founder of this congregation
sweat blood doing God’s will and He told us to follow Him.
Sometimes we miss that with our little pieces of bread and
plastic juice cups. A crucifixion is a
bloody mess. A cross is an instrument of
torture. Faith - sitting down - is
committing our lives to what God has for us to commit our lives to. Placing our lives in God’s hands to serve and
live according to God’s will for us - regardless - even to death. Verse 16: Yet, for
this reason -
because God has saved me - given me faith - placed me into service - for this
reason I -
Paul - found mercy, so that in me as the foremost - sinner - look how badly I messed up - Jesus Christ
might demonstrate His perfect patience.” “Patience” - Greek word
“makrothuia - meaning “taking a long to time to explode” - Jesus Christ
might demonstrate His perfect slowness to rain down fire and judgment
on well deserving humanity - as an
example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. God saved me - is using me - as
I live by God given faith - God is using me as an example - that the
same grace that I was given won’t be held back from anyone else who
believes. Timothy had a Godly mother and
grandmother who trained him in the Scriptures. He
was raised in a Godly home - believing in God. As
Paul shared the example of what Jesus had done in his life - God
calling Paul to a life of faith - Timothy came to faith in Jesus. Knowing of Jesus’ work on the cross - taking
the penalty for our sins - Jesus giving His life for ours - God mercifully offering salvation to
us - Timothy acted on that knowledge - putting his life in God’s hands
- trusting in Jesus as His Savior and Lord. Timothy didn’t have a Damascus road conversion experience.
Some of our siblings in Jesus do have powerful conversion
experiences. Some of us have less dramatic
conversions. They’re all testimonies of
God’s grace. Timothy - saved by God -
discipled by Paul - trusting God with his life - became the pastor of
this church - serving God - serving the church in Ephesus. What Paul did remains an example
to us - to who? to us of a man who lived by faith - put his life in the hands
of his Lord - going and serving wherever - whenever - in whatever
circumstances God would lead him. Paul isn’t just talking about
evangelists and missionaries. If we’re a
child of God - living by faith - we’re called to service to our Lord. God used Paul as an missionary.
God may use us differently. The
bottom line is faith - willingness to give our lives totally in service
to our Lord - everyday - everyplace - in everyway.
Then - join me at verse 17 - in response to God’s mercy and
calling - all of
what Paul has seen God do in him and through him - Paul can’t contain himself. He breaks out in praise. Let’s read this together: Now to the
King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory
forever and ever. Amen. To Jesus - who is the King
eternal - the only God - immortal - invisible - but revealed in the
flesh for us. To Jesus - for who He is and
all that He has done - for His grace and mercy extended for us - for what He is
doing in us and through us - to Jesus alone be
honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. I pray that that’s your
experience. That when you see God at work
in you and through you that it just blows you away and the only left is
praise. That that’s the testimony seen in
your faith - that your life is all about God - serving God - glorifying
God In verse 18 we come to the
second part of Paul’s essential of faith - Timothy’s Call To Faith. Let’s say that together, “Timothy’s
call to faith.” Verse 18: This command
I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies
previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, We need to pause there. It
would so easy to read right through verse 18 and miss the powerful
emotions and reality of what’s being said. Paul
- the great Apostle - theologian and greatest missionary of the church
- the Damascus road Paul - who stood before rulers and the Emperor in
witness to the Gospel - prolific writer of Scripture - our great
example of faith - to
Timothy his true child in faith. The word “command” is a Greek
word - “paranggelia” - which is made up of two words stuck together to
make one word. “para” meaning next to - or
from beside someone. “angelia” is the word
we get what from? Angel - or messenger
sent from God. Grab this - Paul is entrusting
this command to Timothy - not as some grand exalted high muck-i-muck
theologian - but from the side - a fellow servant of God - a fellow
messenger of God - living by faith supplied by the same God that calls
Timothy to faith and service. This command - the instructions I’m writing
here in this letter - This
command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son. “Timothy,
my son in the faith, I trust you with this ministry and to live a life
of faith.” How would you like to hear that
coming from Paul? How would you like to hear that coming from
anyone?
I trust you. You can do it. Then Paul writes, Timothy -
previously there were prophecies - statements made by other Godly
people - prophetic words were spoken about you. Timothy, be reminded that God
has chosen you to
serve Him. God is at work in your life. How must that have felt? We can see Timothy stand a little straighter - more
confident - assured - encouraged. Think about that reality for
yourself. The life and purpose that God
gives you. You’re not an accident. You’re being here isn’t a coincidence. God calls you to serve Him.
Isn’t that a great reminder? Amen? Paul writes, “I’m
entrusting these instructions to you so that you will - what? Fight the
good fight - verse
19 - keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have
rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.
Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have
handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.” Ephesus was the most prominent city in the
Roman province of Asia. It had a harbor - theaters - a library. It was a major market place with trade from all over the world. It was tourist mecca. A major religious center for pagan and demonic
religions. It was a lot like our neighbor to west - San Francisco. To be a Christian was not popular. It
meant persecution -
isolation. The Church in Ephesus - where Timothy is pasturing - God’s people were in the middle of all this. The church had been established by the Apostle
Paul. Timothy had pastored there. John the Apostle had pastored there. It had good roots. In
the midst of Ephesus they were faithfully serving Jesus Christ. Determined
- faithful - enduring hardship. These were
not quitters. But there were some - even in
the church - who had caved in. Hymanaeus
and Alexander were two of those men. Men
who were caught up in their own egos. Who’s
desire was to be known and respected as teachers of God’s law. Hymanaeus and Alexander and
others had spiritualized
the Old Testament in much the same way that people today will claim
that the Old Testament is a collection of stories - not actual people
and events. They said - what the Old Testament - and
Jesus - really taught was a way to achieve divine purity - holiness -
sinlessness. They said that Jesus had risen
from the dead only in a spiritual sense. So
we only rise in a spiritual sense - which already took place when we
came to faith. Follow this.
Probably what they were saying was that when a person came
to trust in Jesus right then we died to ourselves.
So, if we died then, we were also resurrected then - to
new life - spiritually. So the body is
evil. Its a prison we need to escape from
while seeking - working for - our own
divine purity. Die to self - alive in Christ. Sounds almost Biblical - doesn't it? What they taught had most of the right
vocabulary and just enough truth to sound okay. But
it really was very far from the truth of God’s word. These guys had gone off the deep
end spiritually. They’d become blasphemers
- saying that God was doing things that God wasn’t doing.
Even speaking against what God was doing.
They’d rejected what was true. They’d
become shipwrecked. They were dragging
others down with them. So Paul had delivered Hymenaeus
and Alexander over to Satan so that they would be taught not to
blaspheme. Let him feel the warmth coming
up from hell for a while - the consequences of their sin - with the
prayer that they might turn back to God. Grab this: In
the midst of the spiritual battleground of Ephesus - this was a serious
ongoing disaster that had to be dealt with in no uncertain terms. Paul’s instruction to Timothy? Fight the good fight. Say
that with me, “Fight the good fight.” “Fight” is the Greek word
“strateian” which is where we get our English word “strategy” from. There’s organization here.
Planned dogged maneuvering. God’s
troops are led into battle with a plan for victory. “Good” in Greek means
“magnificent.” The kind of battle strategy
- a waging of war - that’s legendary. That
gets written up in the history books. Fight
the good fight magnificently - so that you set the example - so that
others will seek to imitate your success. The Christian life is hard. Its a battle - waged in the flesh - things we
see and do here on earth - but the battle is a spiritual battle - against
spiritual forces - Satan and his legions - passionate about our destruction. War is hell - or at least a glimpse of it. We’re locked in the battle with eternal consequences. The
eternal destiny of our families - our community - humankind - hangs in
the balance. Choose to step out in faith -
choose to give your life to God - to live for Him - to follow Him - at
work - at school - in your home. Choose to
stand up and be a Godly man or woman - to make a difference for Christ
- to engage the battle - and Satan will come after you with everything he’s got. He did it to Paul. He
did it to Timothy. He’ll do it to any
servant of God. A Jewish Rabbi and
a Roman Catholic Priest met at the town's annual 4th of July
picnic. Old friends, they began their usual banter. “This
baked ham is really delicious,” the priest teased
the rabbi. “You
really ought try it. I know it's against
your religion, but I can't understand why such a wonderful food should
be forbidden! You don't know what you're
missing. You just haven't lived until
you've tried Mrs. Hall's prized Virginia Baked Ham.
Tell me, Rabbi, when are you going to break down and try
it?” The rabbi looked at the priest and said, “At
your wedding.” Someone here sent me that. I will not say who. Ever watch a bride and groom at
a wedding? All glassy eyed - only seeing
each other. - passionately in love. Remember
the song, “We’ve only just begun. White
lace and promises.” Ever watch the married couples
at a wedding? The one’s who’ve been around
the block a few times? There’s wisdom
there. They know what the blissful lovers
have just gotten themselves into. Passionate love can cool. Slowly it gets replaced with the routine of
marriage until all that’s left is the routine. How
quickly the white lace can get stained with angry words and bitterness. How easily the promise can become a lonely
commitment. In Revelation 2 - Jesus is
speaking to the Ephesian church. A long
list of commendations. Commendations -
just one of which - coming from the lips of Jesus - would keep us going
for a lifetime. Then Jesus says -
Revelation 2:4 - “But I have
this against you, that you have left your first love.” That
word “left” - in Greek - has the idea of neglect - gradual abandonment. You’ve left your first commitment - strayed
from your faith. There are thousands of churches like this in
America today. The congregations meet year
after year - Sunday after Sunday - they sing hymns or choruses - they pray - listen
to sermons - recite a confession of faith that’s right on Biblically - even do outreach. But,
they have no spiritual
impact.
There’s no change
in people’s lives - no change in the community around them. They’re serving Jesus. But
they’re hearts have grown cold. The passion for Jesus is gone.
Jesus says that
they’ve left their first love. God’s people got distracted. How easy is it for us to focus on our own
stuff and comfort and friends and family and commitments and desires
and wants - all the while deluding ourselves that we’re serving Jesus. In America today God’s people are working at
upgrading their standard of living while our communities are going to
hell. God’s people are whining about how
hard it is do what God calls them to while people are dying without
Jesus. We live in a constant
battle to resist the pressures of our society which are designed to
cool our love for God
- to weaken our commitment - to disable us for the battle - to
shipwreck us - not with obvious heresies like a Hymmanaeus or and
Alexander - but with an American lifestyle subversively tugging our
passion away from the greatness of God’s love - His grace - His mercy -
our salvation. Paul writes “Fight the
good fight.” Here’s how:
“Keep the faith.” Hang on. Cling
tenaciously to your commitment to God with every ounce of who you are. Daily give up yourself to God.
Keep your conscience good - listening to God.
A conscience is like a compass -
it resists any attempt to keep it from pointing north.
A conscience in God’s hands points us towards God. It insists that we do right and turn from
wrong.
In
other words a good conscience is an obedient heart - a life surrendered
in faith to God - that wants to do what’s right. A
life devoted to the study of the Word - to prayer - to all the basic
things that keep us open to God speaking to our hearts.
So that when God speaks - tells us how to live - we’re
listening and allowing Him to guide us. So
we keep in the faith - obedient - serving Him - fighting the good fight. Two
last thoughts about the essential of faith. A while ago I was
driving back from a Bible study. It was about 11:30 at night. I was sick and really tired and in a hurry to
get home - and not exactly driving the speed limit. I was doing 70 when I passed the Police Officer parked on the side of the road. Of course my reaction - like everyone else's -
was to slow down. But of
course it was too late. Brilliant strategy. Right? Slow down
after you get nailed. The officer asked me the usual question, “Why were you doing 70 in
a 50?” I said, “Well, its late. I’m tired and I’m wanted to get home.” What could I say? “Oh no Mr. Policeman - sir - I was
traveling at just the correct speed when I blew your doors off.”
So I said, “Well, its late. I’m tired and I’m wanted to get home.” I agreed with him. I
should have. I was wrong.
Then - and I still
can’t believe this -
he warned me to slow down and let
me go home - a
merciful thing to do. Ever
have that happen? The prophet Amos - writing about what it
means to walk with
God - to live by faith - Amos writes, “Can two walk together
unless they are agreed?” (Amos
3:3) We can’t walk with God - live by faith in a relationship
with Him - unless we first agree
with Him about what that relationship means. We dwell in sin. God is holiness. How
can we walk together unless God establishes that relationship? On
a road to Damascus God calls to the Apostle Paul. An invitation to a relationship based on faith.
Paul was a great religious man - but he still needed God’s grace and
forgiveness. Paul is our example. Not of the drama of a Damascus road conversion
- but of the need we all have to put our lives - through Jesus Christ -
into God’s hands. God calls us through
Jesus Christ into a relationship with Him. To
accept His invitation means agreeing with God that we’ve broken His law of holiness - that we do
live in sin - that there’s no way in
creation that we should ever expect to walk with Him through the days
of our lives. We need His grace - His
forgiveness - given through Jesus Christ. When
we accept the invitation of God - Jesus Christ our Savior - God makes
us to be blameless before Him - He enables us to live in faith - to surrender our
lives to Him. For me it was through a 5 day
club where I learned that I needed Jesus as my Savior - a prayer I said
kneeling by the side of my bed - asking Jesus into my heart - giving my
life to Him. I don’t know how He’s called you.
The Holy Spirit saying, “I want you.” Maybe He’s calling you today. You need to respond to that call. Not intellectually. Not
believing in a religion or a church. But
trusting - by faith - in the Savior who died for you. Last thought - a take home
question. Homework for you and God. How goes the battle? How’s your commitment? Your
faith? Does God really have all of who you
are?
_________________________ Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. |