How to Stay True to Christ | 1 Timothy 4:1-10
Series: Guard the Treasure
Title: How to stay true to Christ
Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-10 NIV
John 15:1-5 “train to remain”
Bottom Line: We stay true to the faith by training to remain in Christ.
INTRODUCTION
CONTEXT
SERMON OUTLINE
CONCLUSION
NOTES
OUTLINES
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
MAIN REFERENCES USED
INTRODUCTION
How to Avoid the Titanic Mistake
James Cameron, director of the movie Titanic, describes the Titanic as a ‘metaphor’ of life: ‘We are all living on… [the] Titanic.’
When the Titanic set sail in 1912, it was declared to be ‘unsinkable’ because it was constructed using a new technology. The ship’s hull was divided into sixteen watertight compartments. Up to four of these compartments could be damaged or even flooded, and still the ship would float.
Tragically, the Titanic sank on 15 April 1912 at 2.20 am. 1,513 people lost their lives. At the time, it was thought that five of its watertight compartments had been ruptured in a collision with an iceberg.
However, on 1 September 1985, when the wreck of the Titanic was found lying upright on the ocean floor, there was no sign of the long gash previously thought to have been ripped in the ship’s hull. What they discovered was that damage to one compartment affected all the rest.
Many people make the Titanic mistake. They think they can divide their lives into different ‘compartments’ and that what they do in one will not affect the rest. However, as Rick Warren (from whom I have taken this illustration) says, ‘A life of integrity is one that is not divided into compartments.’
David prayed for ‘an undivided heart’ (Psalm 86:11). He led the people with ‘integrity of heart’ (78:72). Supremely, Jesus was a ‘man of integrity’ (Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:14). How can you and I avoid the Titanic mistake and live lives of integrity?
How do stay true to Christ (godliness) and overcome false teachings?
Proper diet + exercise
CONTEXT
False teachers are intentionally wreaking havoc on the Ephesians church. That’s the context for this letter. There are issues in the church at Ephesus and Paul can’t be there to straighten things out. So he sent Timothy in his place to straighten things out until he can get there. This letter represents his instructions to Timothy to help him do just that.
“If I were preaching a sermon specifically on 1 Timothy 3:14-16, the main topic would likely revolve around the significance of the church as the guardian of truth and the mystery of godliness centered on Jesus Christ. I would focus on how these verses highlight the importance of understanding and upholding the core beliefs of Christianity while recognizing the profound nature of Christ's life, message, and exaltation.” -ChatGPT 3.5
We guard the treasure of the gospel (truth and godliness) by:
Sermon Outline (by Hughes):
Remaining true to Christ and godliness requires:
Diet for Godliness (6-7a)
Reject bad doctrine
Dine on good teaching
Exercise for Godliness (7b-10)
Called to exercise
Benefits of exercise
CONCLUSION
Life-Changing Words
Nicky Gumbel
My father wanted to go to Russia before he died. We went there on holiday as a family. At that time Bibles were strictly illegal there. I took with me some Russian Bibles. While I was there I went to churches and looked for people who seemed to be genuine Christians. (Church meetings were often infiltrated by the KGB.)
On one occasion, I followed a man down the street after a service. I went up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. There was nobody about. I took out one of my Bibles and handed it to him. For a moment, he had an expression of utmost disbelief. Then he took from his pocket a New Testament, which was probably 100 years old. The pages were so threadbare they were virtually transparent. When he realised that he had received a whole Bible, he was elated. He didn’t speak any English and I didn’t speak any Russian. But we hugged each other and he started to run up and down the street jumping for joy.
The words of God are ‘more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb’ (Psalm 19:10).
Why are the words of God so precious? Jesus said: ‘People do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4). The original expression means ‘is continually coming out of the mouth of God’; it is like a stream pouring forth and, like the stream of a fountain, it is never static. God is continually communicating with us. He does so, primarily, through the life-changing words of the Bible.
Bible in One Year 2021 With Nicky Gumbel: Day 41 • Devotional
Bottom Line: We stay true to the faith by training to remain in Christ.
In conclusion, let’s ask some summary questions:
Q. What do I want them to know?
A. How to stay true to Christ.
Q. Why do I want them to know it?
A. Because there are false teachers out there trying to derail our faith.
Q. What do I want them to do about it?
A. Train to remain in Christ.
Q. Why do I want them to do it?
A. So they’ll stay true to Christ.
Q. How can they begin to do this?
A. Prayerfully read the Bible each day.
Pray
NOTES
Too busy to pray and be in the word?
This call is for all of us who know Christ—regardless of how busy we are or how demanding our occupation. Billy Graham has shared that his medical missionary father-in-law Nelson Bell (who ran a 400-bed hospital in China, often on his own) made it a point "to rise every morning at four-thirty and spend two to three hours in Bible reading. He didn't do his correspondence or any of his other work. He just read the Scriptures every morning, and he was a walking Bible encyclopedia. People wondered at the holiness and the greatness in his life." I asked a personal friend, Dr. Ken Gieser, who worked with Dr. Bell, about this, and he affirmed every word.
Consider the example of Lt. General William K. Harrison who was the most decorated soldier in the 30th Infantry Division, rated by General Eisenhower as the number one infantry division in World War II. General Harrison was the first American to enter Belgium during that war, which he did at the head of the Allied forces. He received every decoration for valor except the Congressional Medal of Honor-being honored with the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart he was one of the few generals to be wounded in action).
When the Korean War began, he served as Chief of Staff in the United Nations Command and because of his character and calm self-control was ultimately President Eisenhower's choice to head the long and tedious negotiations to end the war.
General Harrison was a soldier's soldier who led a busy, ultra-kinetic life, but he was also an amazing man of the Word. When he was a twenty-year-old West Point cadet, he began reading the Old Testament through once and the New Testament four times annually. General Harrison did this until the end of his life. Even in the thick of war he maintained his commitment by catching up during the two- and three-day respites for replacement and refitting that followed battles, so that when the war ended he was right on schedule. When at the age of ninety his failing eyesight no longer permitted this discipline, he had read the Old Testament seventy times and the New Testament 280 times! No wonder his godliness and wisdom were proverbial. It is no surprise that the Lord used him for eighteen fruitful years to lead Officers Christian Fellowship (OCF)."
General Harrison's story tells us that it is possible, even for the busiest of us, to systematically train ourselves in God's Word. His life also remains a demonstration of the benefits of a godly mind's programming itself with Scripture. His closest associates say that every area of his life (domestic, spiri-wal, and professional) and each of the great problems he faced was informed by the Scriptures. People marveled at his godliness and his ability to bring the Word's light to every are marvele
OUTLINES
Outline Bible (Willmington)
SECTION OUTLINE FOUR (1 TIMOTHY 4)
Paul contrasts two kinds of shepherds.
1. GODLESS SHEPHERDS (4:1-5): Paul warns Timothy against false teachers.
A. Who they are (4:2): Hypocritical and lying religious leaders.
B. What they will do (4:1b-1c, 3)
1. Abandon the faith (4:1b)
2. Follow teachings that come from lying spirits and demons (4:1 c)
3. Forbid marriage and the eating of certain foods (4:3)
C. When they will do it (4:1 a): In the "last times" before Jesus' coming.
D. Why they are wrong (4:4-5)
1. Everything God created is good and thus should not be rejected (4:4).
2. Everything God created is made holy by God's Word and by prayer (4:5).
II. GODLY SHEPHERDS (4:6-16): Paul lists some dos and don'ts concerning Christian ministry.
A. The don'ts (4:7a, 12a, 14)
1. Don't waste time arguing over foolish ideas and silly myths (4:7a).
2. Don't be intimidated because of your youth (4:12a).
3. Don't neglect your spiritual gift (4:14).
B. The dos (4:6, 7b-11, 12b-13, 15-16)
1. Warn the church members concerning apostasy (4:6).
2. Keep spiritually fit (4:7b-11).
3. Be a godly role model in all you do (4:12b).
4. Continue to publicly read, teach, and preach the Word of God (4:13).
5. Give yourself wholly to the ministry (4:15).
6. Keep close check on your own life (4:16).
BKC Outline
I. The Salutation (1:1–2)
II. Instructions concerning False Teachers (1:3–20)
III. Instructions concerning Conduct in the Church (2:1–3:13)
IV. Instructions concerning Guarding the Truth in the Church (3:14–4:16)
A. The church and its truth (3:14–16)
B. Predictions of apostasy (4:1–5)
C. Responsibilities of a good minister of Christ (4:6–16)
V. Instructions concerning Various Groups in the Church (5:1–6:10)
A. Concerning various age-groups (5:1–2)
B. Concerning widows (5:3–16)
C. Concerning elders (5:17–25)
D. Concerning slaves and masters (6:1–2)
E. Concerning the heretical and greedy (6:3–10)
VI. Final Charge to Timothy (6:11–21)
A. Exhortation to godliness (6:11–16)
B. Instructions for the rich (6:17–19)
C. Exhortations to remain faithful (6:20–21)
W Wiersbe sermon outline
Key theme: How to manage the ministry of the local church
Key verse: 1 Timothy 3:15
I. The Church and Its Message (1)
II. The Church and Its Members (2–3)
A. Praying men (2:1–8)
1. For rulers (2:1–3)
2. For sinners (2:4–8)
B. Modest women (2:9–15)
1. In dress (2:9–10)
2. In behavior (2:11–15)
C. Dedicated officers (3:1–13)
1. Pastors (3:1–7)
2. Deacons (3:8–13)
D. Behaving believers (3:14–16)
III. The Church and Its Minister (4)
A. A good minister (4:1–6)
B. A godly minister (4:7–12)
C. A growing minister (4:13–16)
IV. The Church and Its Ministry (5–6)
A. To older saints (5:1–2)
B. To widows (5:3–16)
C. To church leaders (5:17–25)
D. To servants (slaves) (6:1–2)
E. To trouble-makers (6:3–5)
F. To the rich (6:6–19)
G. To the “educated” (6:20–21)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discovery Bible Study process:
Retell the story in your own words.
Discovery the story
What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about people?
If this is really God’s word, what changes would I have to make in my life?
Who am I going to tell about this?
Final Questions (optional or in place of above)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
Alternate Discussion Questions: Based on this passage:
Who is God?
What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?
Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)
What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)
Final Questions (index cards optional)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
MAIN REFERENCES USED
“1 - 2 Timothy,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes
“1 & 2 Timothy” by John Stott
Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus, David Platt, Daniel Akin, Tony Merida
“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)
“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner (VW)
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)
Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/
Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)
ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org
“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)
ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt