Dec 17, 2023
Shepherds & Servants Part 18: Walk In Purity (1 Timothy 5:19-25, 6:20-21)

Shepherds and Servants protect the gospel, praise God for his mercy, hold to the faith, pray for the people, know God and obey his call, partner with women in ministry, lead the church, be qualified, don't fall victim to legalism, don't look down on the young, train for godliness, persist in preaching, disciple relationally, take care of widows, do not desire to be rich, pursue righteousness, and as we will see today, they are to walk in purity! And of course as we've said this entire series, this isn't just for Elders and Deacons. Yes, they are the primary targets of this teaching, but every single believer, and every single covenant partner in the local church should strive for these same qualities!

So let's look at today's topic. A very fitting one as we finish this series. Walk in Purity! Just as every believer must pursue righteousness, every believer must walk in purity! Righteousness and purity are very similar. Where as last week we looked at how to be righteous both positionally and practically, this week we will look at how to avoid impurity! Last week was what should we do. This week is what you shouldn't do! So let's look at 1 Timothy 5:19-25.

Elders and Deacons are to be blameless, without reproach. They are to be pure in their walk. In everything they do they must set an example to the believers. The believers likewise must walk in purity as they will set an example to each other and the world. If there is sin amongst the Elders and Deacons it must be exposed. If there is sin amongst the body it must also be exposed so that the body can be restored! Purity, like impurity, is easily recognized and must be addressed. Purity for encouragement and impurity for restoration! The main point is simple; A pure walk is evident and an impure walk can't be ignored. Whether in the leadership or within the church body!

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  • Dec 17, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 18: Walk In Purity (1 Timothy 5:19-25, 6:20-21)
    Dec 17, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 18: Walk In Purity (1 Timothy 5:19-25, 6:20-21)

    Shepherds and Servants protect the gospel, praise God for his mercy, hold to the faith, pray for the people, know God and obey his call, partner with women in ministry, lead the church, be qualified, don't fall victim to legalism, don't look down on the young, train for godliness, persist in preaching, disciple relationally, take care of widows, do not desire to be rich, pursue righteousness, and as we will see today, they are to walk in purity! And of course as we've said this entire series, this isn't just for Elders and Deacons. Yes, they are the primary targets of this teaching, but every single believer, and every single covenant partner in the local church should strive for these same qualities!

    So let's look at today's topic. A very fitting one as we finish this series. Walk in Purity! Just as every believer must pursue righteousness, every believer must walk in purity! Righteousness and purity are very similar. Where as last week we looked at how to be righteous both positionally and practically, this week we will look at how to avoid impurity! Last week was what should we do. This week is what you shouldn't do! So let's look at 1 Timothy 5:19-25.

    Elders and Deacons are to be blameless, without reproach. They are to be pure in their walk. In everything they do they must set an example to the believers. The believers likewise must walk in purity as they will set an example to each other and the world. If there is sin amongst the Elders and Deacons it must be exposed. If there is sin amongst the body it must also be exposed so that the body can be restored! Purity, like impurity, is easily recognized and must be addressed. Purity for encouragement and impurity for restoration! The main point is simple; A pure walk is evident and an impure walk can't be ignored. Whether in the leadership or within the church body!

  • Dec 10, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 17: Pursue Righteousness (1 Timothy 6:11-16)
    Dec 10, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 17: Pursue Righteousness (1 Timothy 6:11-16)

    There is a key quality that defines a believer's lifestyle. Rather than pursuing pleasure, or popularity, or prosperity like the world, they pursue righteousness in the likeness of Christ. Anyone can claim to be a Christian but the proof is most likely in the pudding. Do they live a life where pursuing the righteousness of Christ is at the forefront or are they clearly pursuing some other avenue. Those who are in Christ have been changed by Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tell us that we are new creations in Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us what the spirit of that new life will look like. James 1:22 reminds us that we can't just hear the word but must actually put it into practice. And Romans 12:1 reminds us that as true believers we have had our minds transformed to pursue God's will.

    The bottom line is this: if we haven't been changed we haven't been saved. And the changed pursue righteousness! Elders and Deacons pursue righteousness. Covenant Partners pursue righteousness. The church pursues righteousness. Let's examine our main passage for this morning in 1 Timothy 6:11-16. This morning we are going to see several ways we must pursue righteousness and through it all we will recognize that... In pursuing righteousness we keep the testimony of Christ unstained!

  • Dec 3, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 16: Do Not Desire To Be Rich (1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19)
    Dec 3, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 16: Do Not Desire To Be Rich (1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19)

    Elders, like each of us, struggle with a desire to be rich. If this struggle is not addressed it could lead, not only to his demise, but to that of his church and his congregants as well. A love for money corrupts everyone. We all struggle with this do we not? We all want to have nicer things, more security, to be able to spend without consequence. The more money we have the less problems we think we will encounter. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The more we chase wealth the more it consumes our hearts; the more it decays our faith. That is why it is important this morning that we recognize that in order to walk with Christ as a leader or layperson, we must flee a longing for wealth and avoid being trapped in its snare. This is Paul's plea. This is my plea... fight the urge for more money, and more stuff.... do not desire to be rich but find contentment in less. Look with me in 1 Timothy 6:6-10. The main point this morning is clear... You'll never have more than when you learn to be content with less!

  • Nov 26, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 15: Take Care of Widows (1 Timothy 5:3-16)
    Nov 26, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 15: Take Care of Widows (1 Timothy 5:3-16)

    We are thankful for our widows. The word of God spends quite of bit of time letting us know that true religion means caring for widows. Just look at Psalm 68:5, Psalm 146:9, Deuteronomy 27:19, and James 1:27. There can be little doubt that it is the responsibility of Elders and Deacons to care for the widows in the local church. Paul feels that ministry to widows is so important that he dedicates 14 verses to it here in chapter 5. Let's look at our passage this morning in 1 Timothy 5:3-16. Honor widows! The main point this morning is simply... The Local Church Should Care For Widows As Their Own Mother!

  • Nov 19, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 14: Disciple Relationally (1 Timothy 5:1-2, 6:1-2)
    Nov 19, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 14: Disciple Relationally (1 Timothy 5:1-2, 6:1-2)

    When I think of pressing onward towards the prize of Christ I think of mountain climbing. There is nothing that gives me a clearer picture of what it means to keep struggling towards a goal than those who, through every adversity, keep inching their way towards the peak. I think of the men who have trained harder than most and honed their skills so that they could conquer Lhotse, K2, and the grand daddy of them all, Everest. Very few people have every reached the summit of Everest. Even fewer have done it without the help of supplemental oxygen. When you climb higher than 6000 meters, your body starts to shut down on a fundamental level. Every step takes you closer to death. Your brain could swell and you would die. Your lungs could fill with liquid and you would die. You could get hypothermia and you would die. We weren't made to go that high. Even moving a couple of feet takes every ounce of strength one has. To reach that peak you must truly press on.

    In 1996 12 people died on Everest in a matter of days. The events are captured in the book “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer who was one of the people on that exhibition. There are a lot of reasons for that catastrophe but I would think the biggest one is that instead of cutting off the climb at the predetermined turn around time the leaders kept the group going two to three hours after. By then it was too late to get down and they got caught in a storm.

    But this tragedy illustrates today's message. We all, leaders and laypeople alike, need to push each other on toward righteousness and spiritual maturity. But we must do so in a way that doesn't push people to hard to the point where they break and get overwhelmed. Yes we press on, but we press on through partnerships of grace and understanding. We aren't tyrants who make demands of one another. Rather we are brothers and sisters who gently, but firmly, lead one another to a greater walk with Christ! In other words, we are called to disciple relationally! Look with me at our passages for this morning in 1 Timothy 5:1-2 and 6:1-2. This morning I want us to see that … Meaningful Discipleship Takes A Relational Approach!

  • Nov 12, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 13: Persist In Preaching (1 Timothy 4:13-16)
    Nov 12, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 13: Persist In Preaching (1 Timothy 4:13-16)

    Let's look at the responsibility of our Elders to persist in preaching. Look with me at 1 Timothy 4:13-16. Elders, like Timothy and Paul, are to devote themselves to the public reading of the Bible, to preaching the application of the scriptures as well as to the teaching of the finer points of the doctrines in scripture. They are to practice and perfect their craft of preaching all the while keeping a close check on their spiritual condition.

    Why? Why is it so important that Elders and Pastors teach the truth of scripture, and preach the application to the people in such a dynamic way that the people can see that they take it serious? Why should they be ordained by the elders and by the laying of hands? Why must they keep a close watch on their own lives as they focus on their teaching? Look at verse 16 again. For by doing so they will save themselves and their hearers. In essence lives are at stake! Lives hang in the balance and the first responders for the souls of men on this earth are those who preach the word of God!

    For an Elder, for a pastor, nothing can be more important than teaching and preaching the word of God. They must take it serious. They must, what's the word? PERSIST in it! For if they don't, people will perish. If they don't they may indeed perish as well. The bottom line today is simple; Those Who Preach Casually And Without Much Care, Have Spiritual Blood On Their Hands!

  • Nov 5, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 12: Train For Godliness (1 Timothy 4:6-11)
    Nov 5, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 12: Train For Godliness (1 Timothy 4:6-11)

    Today we will be looking at what I consider to the fundamental passage of this series and possibly the entire letter of 1 Timothy! Every verse in this passage is filled with vital truth and application. 1 Timothy 4:6-11 says, “If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things.”

    The heading in my Bible concerning this passage says, “A good servant of Christ Jesus.” It's important for us to recognize that it is not just for Elders and Deacons to serve the church. No, we are all called to serve the church. We are called to serve one another in the church, we are called to serve the lost outside the church, and most importantly we are called to serve Christ with our lives. But how are we are to be good servants of the church and of Christ if we haven't been trained to be good servants? This of course is Paul's concern and it is what we will focus on today.

    As good servants of Christ we must be trained for godliness. We must be trained in spiritual warfare and spiritual maturity in order to successful in the mandate to reach the world with the Gospel and see lives completely transformed. In a world of darkness, lies, debauchery, disease, warfare, godlessness, paganism, and the spirit of the anti-christ, we must be trained in godliness if we are to overcome! Simply put, personal discipleship cannot be ignored if we are to be effective servants for the kingdom of God! To serve the Church and Christ effectively, intentional discipleship training must be a priority!

  • Oct 29, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 11: Don’t Look Down On The Young (1 Timothy 4:12)
    Oct 29, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 11: Don’t Look Down On The Young (1 Timothy 4:12)

    If our Leaders are to stay vigilant and steer us towards best practices for accomplishing our goals of depending on Christ to see the lost reached with the gospel and become completely transformed then they must not look down on the young. Look with me today in 1 Timothy 4:12.

    This is a common temptation within the church isn't it, to look down on the young? They are too immature, they are too wild, they aren't disciplined, they aren't focused, they are irrational, moody, and disrespectful. Sure, I get that to some extent. But if we were all honest, at times we all are the same. None of us are where we need to be with Christ, and in that sense we are all his kids. Paul's point to Timothy is simple. You are young which means in some circles you won't be respected. You have to rise above that. You have to rise above the bias of those who can't see what you have to offer because you are young. You must be so respectable that they can't ignore the truth which lives in you.

  • Oct 22, 2023Shepherds and Servants Part 10: Don’t Fall Victim To Legalism (1 Timothy 4:1-5)
    Oct 22, 2023
    Shepherds and Servants Part 10: Don’t Fall Victim To Legalism (1 Timothy 4:1-5)
    The danger to fall away from the faith into legalism is just as dangerous as the lure to fall away from the faith into liberal progressive sinful living.  We must never depart the faith to fulfill our sinful lusts nor should we ignore the call to evangelism and discipleship in order to pursue man made religious traditions.  Demons and false teachers would love nothing more for you to fall off the path towards true Christianity to chase after meaningless things which have little bearing on the kingdom of Christ. 
  • Oct 8, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 8: Are Qualified Leaders (1 Timothy 3:1-8)
    Oct 8, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 8: Are Qualified Leaders (1 Timothy 3:1-8)

    Last week we had a broad overview of the roles of Elders and Deacons. We saw that these are the two offices of leadership of the local church prescribed for us in the Bible. We went through over 20 different passages of scripture showing us that not only are there to be Elders and Deacons but that each church should have a plurality of Elders to oversee and shepherd the church and a team of Deacons to serve in the various ministries of the church.

    Today and next week we are going to be taking it one step further and show you what the qualifications are to hold these offices in the local church. And as you will see, as where these focus on Elders and Deacons, they are qualifications which all of us should aspire to. This week we will be focusing in on the qualifications for Elders as they are outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Read with me there if you would.

    You may say, that list is unreasonable. No one can live like that. How can we expect anyone to be able to have all of these qualities and attributes? This is why it is a noble calling and is not for everyone. But being an elder also takes one under the grace and mercy of our Lord. Elders aren't perfect people, they are just repentant and humble men following God's lead as under-shepherds. This list isn't who they are all the time, but it is what an Elder should look like and aspire to be. This morning we will see that though being an Elder is a noble calling, it requires a humble discipline.

  • Oct 1, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 7: Lead The Church (1 Timothy 3:1, 8, 14-15)
    Oct 1, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 7: Lead The Church (1 Timothy 3:1, 8, 14-15)

    Everything we've discussed and are going to discuss through this book is directed first to the Spiritual Shepherds and Sacrificial Servants of the Church. If the church doesn't have the proper leadership in place representing both the office of Elder and Deacon, and if those leaders aren't qualified according to scripture, it doesn't matter how energetic, exciting, wealthy, or popular your church is... it will at the least remain unhealthy and ineffective or at worst it will fail spectacularly.

    You've all heard of churches or ministries that were at the top of the mainstream Christian world and without warning crashed like a meteor. All of them failed primarily because of poor leadership. Leadership is crucial to a church. The point is if you don't have the right leadership in place you will fail. Elders support Deacons, and Deacons support Elders. One without the other is like having distracted leaders leading the blind. And we can't afford to have leaders who are distracted, unengaged, our unqualified to lead, or they will lead the people astray and wreck the church.

    With the proper leadership we will become all that God wants us to be and reach those he wants us to reach. With poor leadership we will sink like the Titanic. Just look at Paul's purpose for writing to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:14-15. We need to know how we ought to behave in the household of God; the church, as to show the world the truth of the Gospel of Christ. Nothing about a dying or failing church brings God glory. And all churches will fail without godly leadership. The point is simple; Without both qualified Elders and Deacons leading, a church cannot succeed in bringing God the glory He deserves.

  • Sep 10, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 6: Partner With Women In Ministry (1 Timothy 2:9-15)
    Sep 10, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 6: Partner With Women In Ministry (1 Timothy 2:9-15)

    This is what I believe is one of the hardest passages in the entire Bible to exegete. Look at what Paul says to Timothy, concerning women's roles in the local church in 1 Timothy 2:9-15. We see here that there is not just an allowance for women to serve in ministry, but there is a mandate for women to serve in the ministry of the local church. And for the elders and the deacons to best shepherd and serve the body, they must partner with women in ministry. Without women serving in ministry, the church would be weak and incomplete.

  • Sep 3, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 5: Know God And Obey His Call (1 Timothy 2:5-7)
    Sep 3, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 5: Know God And Obey His Call (1 Timothy 2:5-7)

    Look at what Paul says to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:5-7. Paul reminds his disciple of who God is, who Jesus is, and what Jesus has done, and then speaks of his own responsibility to preach that truth to the unreached. And though you have heard this probably a hundered times in church we cannot escape the Bible's unrelenting pursuit to commission us into the ministry of God. When we know who he is and what he has done for us, our response is praise, prayer, and eventually it must become preaching! Theology leads to doxology which leads to missiology. The knowledge of God leads to the admiration of God which leads to the mission of God. Another way of saying it if you aren't getting the picture is that faith leads to conversion, conversion leads to discipleship, discipleship leads to transformation, and transformation leads to evangelism. In other words, you cannot have a real knowledge of who God is and the works of his Son and simply sit on the sidelines of history as people wander aimlessly into destruction. You must heed his call, get into the fight, and become a missionary, not in deeds alone, but by preaching the Word of truth wherever you go. When we truly know God we will surrender all we have for the sake of the call!

  • Aug 27, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 4: Pray For The People (1 Timothy 2:1-4, 8)
    Aug 27, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 4: Pray For The People (1 Timothy 2:1-4, 8)

    I'm sure I don't have to convince you that your leaders should be men of prayer. However, it is a good reminder for them and for us, that prayer is very important for a church, therefore it is very important for those who shepherd and serve the church. Look at what Paul writes to Timothy, the Elder of the church of Ephesus, in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, 8.

    We must see prayer as an urgent need both for our leaders and for ourselves. We must pray as a church the prayers that we see in this passage. We must see the responsibility of prayer for the church, how we are to pray for the church, and how we should pray for those outside the church. Most of all, our leaders must be praying over you as is their duty as shepherds and servants. A church, depending on Christ in prayer, pleases the Lord!

  • Aug 20, 2023Shepherds & Servants Part 3: Hold To The Faith (1 Timothy 1:18-20)
    Aug 20, 2023
    Shepherds & Servants Part 3: Hold To The Faith (1 Timothy 1:18-20)

    I want you to think about your faith this morning. What is your faith in? What does your faith do? Who has your faith made you become? If your faith is in the power of Christ who has overcome all temptations and holds the power of life in the palm of his hands, you are redeemed, and can indeed overcome any trials or temptations you may face. Unfortunately, many do not have a faith in Christ which transforms them and empowers them. Many place their faith in their own strength and ability. Many place their faith in the pleasures of this world to power their few temporary moments of elation. Many place their faith in money. Those with the Gold make the rules. And many place their faith in false gods or false gospels. This morning our hope is two-fold. That if you haven't, you would place your faith in the only true hope of the world, Jesus Christ. And then secondly, that those of you who have placed your faith in Christ, would hold strongly to your faith as if your life depended on it. Especially, those called to be Shepherds and Servants in the church.