Series: Guard the Treasure

Title: “Why & how we follow Christ when life is hard”

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:10-13 NIV

Acts 2:36-39 (Invitation)

Bottom line: We follow Christ when life is hard by remembering those who’ve gone before us.

1. INTRODUCTION

2. CONTEXT

3. SERMON OUTLINE

4. CONCLUSION

5. NOTES

6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

7. OUTLINES

8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

INTRODUCTION

Over the years I’ve learned a lot about walking by grace through faith. Men and women in past churches and places of work have had a huge impact on me. Family members and pastors, Sunday school teachers and good friends. So many good examples have shaped my thinking and way of life when it comes to following Christ.

Anita has been my greatest example. Her consistent character and wise walk have impacted me since I picked her out of the whole gym as the prettiest girl and proceeded to skate around that church gym hoping and praying we had a class together that school year. Even then I noted her sweet spirit.

Ken is another who has greatly shaped my life. His loyalty and grace are more than I could ever deserve. He too walks wisely and humbly.

I don’t mean to embarrass them today (there are times when I do:-)) I’m simply pointing to people now in my life who have significantly shaped my walk. In them I get to see what it looks like to follow Jesus fully and faithfully.

Paul is that for Timothy. They met when Timothy was 15 or 17 and now it’s about 18 years later. He’s seen Paul go through a lot and has seen his teaching, his character and his way of life on display. He learned so much from Paul.

In verse 14, Paul leads/exhorts Timothy in the imperative to “CONTINUE in what you have learned and have become convinced of” based on the source.

Paul will give him lots of reasons for why he should continue in this way.

CONTEXT

“Timothy’s continuance in the apostolic ministry was a vital concern of Paul in the Pastorla Letters. And it is the main concern of 2 Timothy 3:10-17, which has as it’s central imperative the word continue in verse 14–‘But as for you, continue in what you have learned…’ Paul grounds his call in two things—first, remembering the past (vv. 10-13) and, second, focusing on the Scriptures (vv. 14-17).” -Hughes, p. 250

We’ll focus on the first part (Remembering the Past) this week and the second (focusing on the Scriptures) next week.

SERMON

1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul essentially says, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”

Jesus calls us to follow him down the narrow way. To follow Christ is to call others to follow you as you follow Christ. This is the way.

Today we’re answering the question, “Why & how we follow Christ when life is hard.” Paul shows Timothy (and us) why & how here in chapter 3:

• He leads by example. (10-11) Timothy knew Paul very well. JND Kelly says it’s a technical term “defining the relation of a disciple to his master and can be paraphrased ‘study at close quarters,’ ‘follow in spirit,’ ‘carefully note with a view to reproducing,’ and so ‘take as an example.’” -Hughes, p. 251

• In his teaching/doctrine/beliefs. “Paul’s repeated sermons comprised Timothy’s theology. And he had observed that Paul’s life matched his doctrine.” -Hughes, p. 251

• In his way of life/behavior/habits (note that these are consistent with his beliefs). This is in contrast to the ungodly examples in vv. 1-9.

• In his character

• Purpose—Paul’s life was “infused with purpose” “Paul never chased sticks”-Hughes

• Peanuts: “One of Charles Schulz’s Peanuts cartoons memorably pictures Snoopy coming to terms with purposelessness. Linus had just thrown a stick for Snoopy to retrieve. His first instinct was to do what he was accustomed to doing—chase the stick. But he paused for a few moments and decided against it, thinking, ‘I want people to have more to say about me after I’m gone than “He was a nice guy…He chased sticks.”’”

• Faith—believe the truth and believe that the Lord will rescue you ultimately

• Patience

• Love—Others first

• Endurance—you will be persecuted if you follow Christ

• Persecutions & Sufferings

• “Don’t be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you: (1 John 3:13)

• “Race car drivers should expect some crashes, football players are not surprised by injuries, baseball players know the ball will hit them sometimes, and soldiers expect to be shot at. Christians should expect some degree of persecution.” -Hughes

• “Some are drawn to Christ buy the love of Christians, but others are enraged by their love. Instead of being surprised by op`postion, we should be surprised when we do not face any!” -Hughes

• He leads by faith. (12)

• The Lord repeatedly rescued Paul from persecution.

• The Lord allowed him to suffer, however.

• The Lord will ultimate deliver him from all future suffering.

• The Lord will ultimate deliver him from eternal suffering.

• He leads realistically. (13)

• Everyone who wants to live godly will be persecuted.

• We will suffer. We will be persecuted. We will be delivered.

• In the meantime, evildoers

• Will get worse at being deceived.

• Will get worse at deceiving others.

CONCLUSION

Basically, Paul asked 2 questions:

1. God, what are you saying to me? And the Lord answered him by saying he would take the gospel to the nations and suffer in the process.

2. God, what do you want me to do about it? Paul knew that he had to go to the nations. And he did.

When Timothy gets this letter, he asks them same questions:

1. Lord, what are you saying to me through Paul? And the Lord answered him by saying

1. Follow Paul’s teaching.

2. Follow Paul’s lifestyle that is consistent with his teaching.

3. Follow Paul’s willingness to endure persecution and suffering in light of eternity.

4. Remember that the alternative is to be deceived and so deceive others.

2. Lord, what do you want me to do? Continue in Paul’s ways. To hear is to obey the above and lead others to do the same.

Invitation

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Bottom line:

1. What is God saying to me right now?

2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Pray

NOTES

I. Remember My Life (3:10) - in contrast to the false teachers we read about in 1-9.

A. My lifestyle.

1. “You, however, know all about my…” suggests deep intimacy of knowledge according to Hughes (p. 251).

2. JND Kelly says it’s a technical term “defining the relation of a disciple to his master and can be paraphrased ‘study at close quarters,’ ‘follow in spirit,’ ‘carefully note with a view to reproducing,’ and so ‘take as an example.’” -Hughes, p. 251

3. “Paul was challenging Timothy to recall the deep master-disciple intimacy that had begun with Timothy’s conversion as a teenager during Paul’s first missionary journey in Asia Minor.” -Hughes, p. 251

4. “Paul’s repeated sermons comprised Timothy’s theology. And he had observed that Paul’s life matched his doctrine.” -Hughes, p. 251

5. Paul is affirming that Timothy can see the consistency between his teaching (doctrine/theology/orthodoxy) and his way of life (behavior/practice/orthopraxy). This in contrast with the false teachers like Jannes and Jambres.

6. In addition, Paul’s lifestyle was infused with purpose (Hughes).

7. Peanuts: “One of Charles Schulz’s Peanuts cartoons memorably pictures Snoopy coming to terms with purposelessness. Linus had just thrown a stick for Snoopy to retrieve. His first instinct was to do what he was accustomed to doing—chase the stick. But he paused for a few moments and decided against it, thinking, ‘I want people to have more to say about me after I’m gone than “He was a nice guy…He chased sticks.”’” -Hughes, p. 251

8. “Paul never nearly chased sticks. He was single-minded about the most important things—the gospel and Christ’s glory.” -Hughes, p. 251

B. My virtues. In addition to reminding Timothy of his lifestyle, he reminded him of his virtues—faith, patience, love, and endurance in perseverance and suffering.

1. Cardinal virtues+ are present here

1. Faith

2. Love

3. Endurance (this stands for “hope” because it leads to the next subject—persecution)

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

1. Who is God?

2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

5. How do I do it?

Let’s ask some summary sermon questions:

Q. What do I want them to know?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A.

OUTLINES

Outline Bible (Willmington)

III. THE PROPHETIC APPEAL—chapter 3

A. Turn away from the false—3:1–9

B. Follow those who are true—3:10–12

C. Continue in God’s Word—3:13–17

IV. THE PERSONAL APPEAL—chapter 4

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

1. Retell the story in your own words.

2. Discovery the story

1. What does this story tell me about God?

2. What does this story tell me about people?

3. If this is really true, what should I do?

3. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

4. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

5. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

1. Who is God?

2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

• 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)

Claude.ai

Read More

Series: Guard the Treasure

Title: How to Keep the Faith in Uncertain Times

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1-18  NIV

Bottom line: We keep the faith in uncertain times by standing tall, suffering well, following the pattern of sound teaching, and guarding the deposit together.

1. INTRODUCTION

2. CONTEXT

3. SERMON OUTLINE

4. CONCLUSION

5. NOTES

6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

7. OUTLINES

8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

INTRODUCTION

“There was no doubt that Timothy could do this. He was a prime candidate because, in Oswald Chambers's words again,

‘All through history God has chosen and used nobodies, because their unusual dependence on him made possible the unique display of his power and grace. He chose and used somebodies only when they renounced dependence on their natural abilities and resources.’

God is looking for a few good "nobodies" —people who know they cannot succeed in serving him in their own strength.” -Hughes, P. 195

CONTEXT

Serious uncertainties exist:

• Timothy’s struggles in Ephesus continue

• Now Paul is imprisoned with execution imminent

• Feels like the future of the Church hangs in the balance

We live in uncertain times as well:

• Threat of WW III (Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Sudan, Nigeria)

• Threat of Enemy attack on US (EMP, power grid, southern border, bio warfare, terrorism)

• Threat of civil war over the culture war (Blue vs Red states)

• Threat of corrupt leaders at the highest levels

• Threat of the basics (college; jobs; retirement; healthcare; inflation; energy indedependence)

SERMON

In light of these uncertain times, we can keep the faith despite the fears if we’ll embrace Paul’s 4 commands to Timothy also living in uncertain times. These 4 commands include:

1. Stand tall. (“Don’t be ashamed”)

2. Suffer with me.

3. Follow the Pattern of Sound teaching.

4. Guard the Deposit.

Paul believes in the power of the Gospel made possible by grace through faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. We must depend on Him. We embrace being a nobody by depending on Christ alone. If we’re a somebody, we must do the same or lose the faith.

CONCLUSION

“As a young preacher from Zimbabwe so memorably expressed it:

‘I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit's power.

The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.

The decision has been made; I'm a disciple of His!

I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still...

I won't give up, shut up, let up,

until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up

for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus.’” -Hughes, p. 194

Bottom line: We keep the faith in uncertain times by standing tall, suffering well, following the pattern of sound teaching, and guarding the deposit together.

1. What is God saying to me right now?

2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Pray

NOTES

“This was not something Timothy was to work out for himself or was entitled to enlarge. It was divine revelation committed to his care.? In the fifth century St. Leo gave Timothy's charge classic expression:

What is meant by the deposit? That which is committed to you, not that which is invented by you; that which you have received, not that which you have devised; a thing not of wit, but of learning; not of private assumption, but of public tradition; a thing brought to you, not brought forth of you; wherein you must not be an author, but a keeper; not a leader but a follower. Keep the deposit.”

1 Tim, p. 176

Kent Hughes

Other images

Mamertine dungeon

Not ashamed

Guard the gospel/deposit

Deposit

Power

Love

Self-discipline

Flame

Gift

Tears

Grandmother

Mother

Prison

Holy Spirit

To Claude.ai I wrote, “We know that in 2 Timothy of the New Testament Paul called for Timothy to come to him in Rome. About how long would that trip have taken?”

It replied:

The journey from Timothy's location (likely Ephesus or somewhere in Asia Minor) to Rome during the time of Paul and the early church would have been quite arduous and time-consuming. Here's an estimate of how long it may have taken:

- The total distance from Ephesus to Rome was around 1,500-1,600 miles (2,400-2,600 km).

- Travel in ancient times was done mostly by walking, riding animals like horses/donkeys, or sailing by ship when possible.

- Land travel speeds averaged around 15-20 miles per day on foot or by animal.

- Sea travel by ship could cover 50-100 miles per day depending on winds and currents.

So if Timothy traveled only by land, walking and riding animals, the journey would have taken around 3-4 months to reach Rome from Asia Minor, covering 15-20 miles per day.

However, it's more likely he combined land and sea travel, which could significantly reduce the time:

- A ship from Ephesus across the Aegean Sea to Athens was around 5-7 days.

- From Athens overland to the port of Brindisi in Italy was around 2 weeks.

- A ship from Brindisi up the Italian peninsula to Rome was 5-7 more days.

Using this combined route, the total journey could have taken around 1-1.5 months with favorable winds and no delays. Of course, bad weather, shipwrecks, or other issues could have extended this considerably in ancient travel conditions.

So in summary, Paul summoning Timothy from Asia Minor to Rome would likely have required at least 1-2 months of very difficult travel in the 1st century AD.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

1. Who is God?

2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

5. How do I do it?

Let’s ask some summary sermon questions:

Q. What do I want them to know?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A.

OUTLINES

Outline Bible (Willmington)

—

OUTLINE (by WW)

“The essentials for a successful ministry have not changed: courageous enthusiasm, shameless suffering, and spiritual loyalty.” -WW

THE PASTORAL APPEAL—chapter 1

A. Courageous enthusiasm—1:1–7 4 Encouragements:

1. Paul’s love. (1-2)

2. Paul’s prayers. (3-4)

3. Paul’s confidence in Timothy. (5)

4. God’s gift to Timothy. (6-7)

B. Shameless suffering—1:8–12

1. Be not ashamed of the Lord’s testimony. (8-10)

1. God gives us power. (8)

1. 2 Timothy 1:8 (The Bible Exposition Commentary): “Years ago, I read about a Christian who was in prison because of his faith. He was to be burned at the stake, and he was certain he would never be able to endure the suffering. One night, he experimented with pain by putting his little finger into the candle flame. It hurt, and he immediately withdrew it. “I will disgrace my Lord,” he said to himself. “I cannot bear the pain.” But when the hour came for him to die, he praised God and gave a noble witness for Jesus Christ. God gave him the power when he needed it, and not before.” (WW)

2. God has called us by his grace. (9)

3. Christ has defeated death. (10)

2. Four reasons not to be ashamed of his association with Paul, the prisoner:

1. Paul was called by God. (11)

1. A herald—official messenger of the king

2. An apostle—one sent with a commission

3. A teacher—shepherd to the local church

2. Paul was confident in Christ. (12)

C. Spiritual loyalty—1:13–18

1. Be loyal to God’s word. (13-14)

2. Be loyal to God’s servant. (15-18)

Outline by Merida

I. A Gospel-Centered Letter

II. A Gospel-Centered Leader (1:1-7)

A. Paul: Called by the will of God (1:1)

1. The origin of Paul’s apostleship (1:1b)

2. The purpose of Paul’s apostleship (1:1c)

B. Timothy: Shaped by the grace of God (1:2-7)

1. A personal mentor (1:2-4)

2. A godly mother (1:5)

3. The Spirit and the gifts (1:6-7)

OUTLINE by WW

Key theme: Preparation for the ministry in the last days

Key verses: 2 Timothy 1:13–14

I. THE PASTORAL APPEAL—chapter 1

A. Courageous enthusiasm—1:1–7

B. Shameless suffering—1:8–12

C. Spiritual loyalty—1:13–18

II. THE PRACTICAL APPEAL—chapter 2

A. The steward—2:1–2

B. The soldier—2:3–4, 8–13

C. The athlete—2:5

D. The farmer—2:6–7

E. The workman—2:14–18

F. The vessel—2:19–22

G. The servant—2:23–26

III. THE PROPHETIC APPEAL—chapter 3

A. Turn away from the false—3:1–9

B. Follow those who are true—3:10–12

C. Continue in God’s Word—3:13–17

IV. THE PERSONAL APPEAL—chapter 4

A. Preach the Word—4:1–4

OUTLINE by BKC

I. Salutation (1:1–2)

II. Call to Faithfulness (1:3–18)

A. Thanksgiving for Timothy (1:3–7)

B. Call to courage (1:8–12)

C. Call to guard the truth (1:13–14)

D. Examples of unfaithfulness and faithfulness (1:15–18)

III. Challenge to Endurance (2:1–13)

A. Enduring hardship for Christ (2:1–7)

B. Christ’s example of endurance (2:8–10)

C. A faithful saying (2:11–13)

IV. Marks of a Good Workman (2:14–26)

A. Faithfulness in ministry (2:14–19)

B. A clean instrument (2:20–21)

C. Faithfulness in conduct (2:22–26)

V. Predictions of Faithlessness (3:1–9)

VI. Challenge to Faithful Preaching (3:10–4:8)

A. Faithfulness in the face of opposition (3:10–13)

B. Faithfulness to God’s Word (3:14–4:5)

C. Faithfulness of Paul (4:6–8)

VII. Reminder of God’s Faithfulness in Paul’s Adversity (4:9–18)

A. Paul’s enemies and friends (4:9–16)

B. Paul’s deliverance by the Lord (4:17–18)

VIII. Final Greetings (4:19–22)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

1. Retell the story in your own words.

2. Discovery the story

1. What does this story tell me about God?

2. What does this story tell me about people?

3. If this is really true, what should I do?

3. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

4. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

5. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

1. Who is God?

2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

• 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

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

“The Treasure Principle” by Randy Alcorn

Read More

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.

1. INTRODUCTION

2. CONTEXT

3. SERMON OUTLINE

4. CONCLUSION

5. NOTES

6. OUTLINES

7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

8. 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:

1. Diet for Godliness (6-7a)

1. Reject bad doctrine

2. Dine on good teaching

2. Exercise for Godliness (7b-10)

1. Called to exercise

2. 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:

1. Retell the story in your own words.

2. Discovery the story

1. What does this story tell me about God?

2. What does this story tell me about people?

3. If this is really God’s word, what changes would I have to make in my life?

3. 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:

1. Who is God?

2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

4. 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

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

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