Sermon Notes-A Kid's Song and Timothy based on 1 Timothy 4:11-16

Here are my sermon notes from message today at Hesston MB:

A Kid’s Song & Timothy

1 Timothy 4:11-16

Introduction: As I read the passage for the first time, I was reminded of a song that I sang when I was a kid at church.  You may be familiar with this song as well.  It is called “O Be Careful, Little Eyes” (handout). I’m going to sing the 1^st verse and then talk about a few additional lyrics. Just like this song, it seems like Paul is reminding Timothy about some important things related to the church and what Timothy needs to do.

Review-Vs. 11 could refer to verses 12-16 or 6-10.  Most commentaries agree that the saying “command and teach these things” refers to what he has previously said but especially on Jesus as Savior.

Example (vs. 12, 15)

·         Vs. 12-Why does Paul say “don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young”

o   Because Timothy was young-most agree he is in his thirties^[1]

·         In the culture, age was a determining factor of maturity. However, Paul wants to make clear that authority in the community is contingent on character, not on age.^[2]

·         So Paul explains to Timothy how he can “demonstrate a maturity in life and conduct.” ^[3]

o   Speech-not just bad language, but words used to tear down, gossip,

o   Life-what he does, our actions, our behavior

o   Love-how we love people demonstrates how we understand God’s love for us, “know we are disciples by our love”

o   Faith-Trust in God, confidence, assurance, remember faith is not about how much or the intensity of it, but WHO our faith is in

o   Purity-More than True Love Waits, purity is more than physical, but also in mind and heart.

·         Timothy as a Christian leader must understand it includes both the external (speech, life) as well as the inner life (love, faith, purity) We cannot just focus on the externals.

·         Vs. 15-“See Your Progress”- People should see a change in us, but how we determine what progress is often is condemning and guilt producing.  Is my progress determined by your standard for me?  Is my progress compared to pastors or the most spiritual person? The average person? Who I pick will produce either pride or despair in my life?

o   Pictures of comparison (Jack from This Is Us and quote from Theodore Roosevelt)

§  Finally TV has created a husband and dad that is not stupid and made fun of

§  Guys, we don’t need to compare our success with others, what we drive, how big our house is, how we look, whether we will win husband or father of the year

§  Ladies, stop comparing yourself with others including the Proverbs 31 woman, how you look, what your house looks like, what you wear, how well behaved your kids are, how amazing a wife you are, your day to day with others’ highlight real on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

o   As we abide with Christ, our lives will be changed from the inside out.  Rather than compare, what if we rest instead on God’s Word and the Holy Spirit’s work in us. 

§  Philippians 1:6- ⁶ And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

§  2 Corinthians 3:18- ¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Church (vs. 13)

·         As in the synagogue so in the church, the reading of Scripture was followed by an exhortation (paraklēsis,  preaching) and teaching (didaskalia)^[4]

·         Public Reading of Scripture

o   When Paul is writing to Timothy-Not all had access to the Scriptures, Some could not read

o   Today-Church is not about lights, smoke machines, fancy props and sets, or even the charisma of the person speaking, but instead the depth and riches of God’s Word

o   The public reading of God’s Word prepares our minds and hearts for the preaching or teaching which follows. The Holy Spirit acts through the revealed truth which God has given. As the church reads and affirms what God has declared, the Spirit is freed to instruct, convict, and guide.^[5]

·         Preaching (Exhortation)

o   Preaching deals with encouragement, exhortation, comfort, earnest request;

·         Teaching (Doctrine)

o   Teaching is regarded as educational, instructional, activity that impart knowledge or skill, also could be translated as lesson, instruction, or doctrine.^[6]

o   The third thing to which Paul told Timothy to give attention was doctrine. Doctrine is a major need in churches today. Many pastors and elders prefer to speak about so-called practical matters, not doctrine. Yet doctrine is exceedingly practical. Lives are transformed by doctrine^[7]

Gifts  (vs. 14)

·         An acknowledgment of the gifts in his life and a setting apart for the ministry

·         Think about sports, professions, arts (music, drama, etc.). What often leads a person to any of these?  Someone seeing a gift and encouraging them to use that gift.

·         You are gifted--gift bestowed by God’s grace and Spirit on individual Christians^[8]

·         Timothy’s gifts were recognized not only by Paul but by a group of elders. He was confirmed and set apart “by the laying on of hands.”

Doctrine (vs. 16)

·         Watch your life and doctrine-What is doctrine? Same word used in vs. 13-“didaskalia” More focus on the content vs. activity (vs. 13)

·         What doctrine saves? sōzō,-to save, i.e. deliver or protect (lit. or fig.):—heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.^[9]

·         Only by faithfully and persistently sharing the gospel will Timothy and others be saved.^[10]

·         God alone saves (v. 10). Yet he saves by means & the one who uses and applies these means can very properly be said to save both himself and others.^[11]

Closing:  Remember the kid’s song from the beginning of the sermon.  Something I noticed was all the lyrics focused on doing (eyes, ears, hands, feet, mouth).  In the same way, we can read 1 Timothy 4:11-16 and only hear the doing.  I am not against doing. However, I want to encourage us to hear the heart (banner) or “being” behind these verses.  Many will walk away from a sermon like this and get busy trying to do the actions by trying harder, doing more. Our actions must be centered on WHO not just the WHAT.  Timothy would do the things written by Paul not because he was good, worked hard, well educated, well trained, but because an all powerful, loving, good God had transformed Him and empowered him by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s compare the two:

Timothy (YOU), be an example                     Christ was and is the best example. He changes us.
Go To Church                                                 Want to be at church
Get busy, don’t waste your gift                      All my gifts are given by God, any good I do is all God
Make sure you get doctrine right                    Make sure you get the gospel right

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^[1] Knight, G. W. (1992). The Pastoral Epistles: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 205). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

^[2] Guthrie, D. (1990). Pastoral Epistles: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 14, p. 111). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[3] Knight, G. W. (1992). The Pastoral Epistles: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 205). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

^[4] Guthrie, D. (1990). Pastoral Epistles: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 14, p. 111). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[5] Larson, K. (2000). I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Vol. 9, p. 208). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[6] Larson, K. (2000). I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Vol. 9, p. 208). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[7] Wilkin, R. N. (2010). The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy. In R. N. Wilkin (Ed.), The Grace New Testament Commentary (p. 979). Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society.

^[8] Knight, G. W. (1992). The Pastoral Epistles: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 208). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

^[9] Strong, J. (2009). A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 1, p. 70). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

^[10] Knight, G. W. I. (1995). 1-2 Timothy/Titus. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 1107). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

^[11] Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to Philemon (p. 650). Columbus, OH: Lutheran Book Concern.