1 Timothy 1:18-20

Fight The Good Fight

 

Well today is Fathers Day: Did you know that Fathers Day is the 4th largest card sending occasion in the US – Nearly 95 million cards given this year


A) There are over 66 million fathers across the USA

B) Among these:

21% are raising three or more of their own children under 18 years old.

                   11% are under age 30.

                                         5% are 55 or over.

 

C) There are 2.3 Million single fathers in the US - Currently, among single parents living with their children, 18% are men.

 

1) Any man can be a father, but it" takes a special person to be a dad

 

D) Dads are TEACHERS: Teach w/ words & with action  "Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice

 

 

Mark Twain:  "When I was a boy of 14 my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I turned 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in 7 years."

 

One guys recollection of what he learned from his Dad
My dad taught me about religion - “You better pray that stain will come out of the carpet!”

 

My dad taught me about behavior modification - “Stop acting like your mother!”

My dad taught me about time travel - “If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!”

My dad taught me about logic - “Because I said so, that’s why.”

My dad taught me about the weather - “It looks like a tornado swept through this room!”

My dad taught me about the circle of life - “I brought you into this world and I can take you out!”

It is true that Dads are teachers !

 

My Dad has been a great teacher: He taught me what it means for a man to love God :

A) Taught me the importance of being a man of the Word

 

B) Taught me that it is ok for a man to show emotion – cry in Church or reading his Bible

 

C)  Taught me: It is better to give than to receive –

1) One of the most generous and selfless individuals I know { 2nd only to my Mother { True Servants

 

C) He taught me about integrity – letting your yes be yes and your no be no

1) He taught me about honor – Standing up in support for what you believe and those that you love !

 

D) Taught me what it means to be a hard worker :  how to be resourceful

 1)  Taught me what it means to balance family & work/ none better always there

 

E) He taught me how to play ball – How to preserve & never give up.

1) He taught me how to be wise with finances – Never been in debt – neither have I – thanks to his generosity

 

2) A father is a banker provided by nature{ French Proverb

 

F) He taught me in the way He has loved my mom

1) My dad has been & still is an awesome teacher:

 

 

I think it is appropriate that we are beginning a study in First Timothy today

A) Because Along with 2nd Timothy and Titus – very unique letters of Paul

 

B) Paul writes these letters as a Father to his sons in the faith and his sons in ministry.

1) Timothy & Titus are two young men that Paul led to faith in Christ and then trained to be Pastors

C) 1st & 2nd Timothy and Titus belong to a group of writings known as the Pastoral epistles

1) They give us important information concerning the practical matters of Church life .

 

D) These letters then deal with the care and organization of the flock of God;

1) they tell us how to behave w/in the household of God;

 

E) They give instructions about leadership:

  Their qualifications and their duties !

1) And they teach us what kind of things we need to watch out for that will endanger the purity of the Christian faith

 

F)  They are also important because they teach us important doctrinal truths about the scriptures, Salvation and our Savior.

 

These letters were written by Paul towards the end of his life from prison

A) They are very personal letters: In these letters we might say that Paul is passing the Baton of leadership to the next the Generation of Pastors

 

B) He is realizes that he is on his days might be numbered and these are some of the men who are going to carry the torch after he is gone.

 

BB) So he is writing to instruct them concerning

     how to live / what to do / what to avoid –  

C) The whole discourse provides us with a great example of discipleship

 

D) One of the last things Paul would say to Timothy about himself is found in 2 Timothy  4:7-8

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

 

 

Now Paul wanted his son in the faith Timothy to be able to have that same testimony.

A) He wanted Timothy to run well and Finish strong

 

Bb) So here in the first Chapter in v.18-20 Paul gives him some instructions on how to Avoid a Spiritual wipeout shipwreck

 

B) We will Start our formal study of 1 Timothy next time – But I felt this was an appropriate passage for us to consider – in light of Fathers day

 

1) God’s desire is that we as men / fathers – finish strong. And model how to run well to our sons Literally and sons in the faith -   Rd v.18-20

 

 

Paul’s motivation for this instruction were two men who had become shipwrecked in their faith.

A)  Hymenaeus and Alexander. We do not know much about them, although they are mentioned in Paul’s 2nd letter to  Timothy.

 

B) In 2 Tim 2:17 Paul mentions Hymenaus as one who was given over to idle & profane babblings

1) Teachings that were leading others into living an ungodly life.

 

C) At the Crux of Hym’s teaching was that he believed the Rez had already past.

1) In other words – If there is no Rez – then this life is all we get – Live for here / Live for now / the moment.

 

D) Also 2 Timothy Ch.4  Paul speaks of Alexander, the coppersmith, who, he says, had done him great harm  "Beware of him.

 

E)  These two men wiped out in the faith – got off course and went astray

1) Paul is writing here to Timothy how to avoid that fate

 

 

So If you are taking notes there are 4 things I want us to consider today that Paul says about avoiding spiritual shipwrecks

 

 

 

#1 Remember your responsibilities V.18 This Charge I commit to you my son

A) Paul had been a great example to the Church of a Christian man of a leader & of a Solider

1) Now he is passing that Baton on to Timothy to Carry

 

B) The word commit means to entrust – It speaks of putting something in someone’s care for safe keeping.

1) It is used, for instance, of making a deposit in a bank. 

 

C) It always implies that a trust has been placed into someone for which he will be called to account.

1) WEDDING HAND OFF

 

The word Charge is a military term that speaks of an urgent command handed down from a superior officer.

A) Paul was the General commissioning his young protégé in the work

 

B) The soldier’s task is to “please him who has chosen him to be a soldier” and not to please himself

1) Tim. had a tendency to be Timid Paul wanted him to realize he was in a war

 

C) If we flee the post of duty we rob ourselves of opportunities to grow/ serve and glorify God

1) We have to be so careful to not cater to our flesh - by running from difficult situations –

D) Teach our kids – they want to run or quit – escape a trial or battle / when not fitting in.

1) Remember The place where Jesus wants to take us is usually different than where our flesh wants to go!

 

E) Christian growth is not always about being comfortable!

 

Timothy by nature was probably not very comfortable with being a leader

A) Scriptures reveal that he had a timid personality. But God had called him to this.

 

B) God was seeking to take Timothy in a direction that his flesh would naturally resist.

 

C) He needed to fulfill his responsibility

1) That is a key to finishing strong & staying the course

 

D) Remember your responsibilities – remember what God has called you to.

 

B) Remember there is a difference between running just to run and running to win – Be those who are running to win!

 

#2 Remember to fulfill your Potential V.18b : Command was according to the prophecies

A) In 2 Tim 1:6 Paul talks about a time when the elders of the Church laid hands on Timothy and Prophesied concerning his calling into the ministry

 

B) Awesome when God does that – My Calling !

1) Wed night here this past week – Prophecy and word of Knowledge

 

C) Now God doesn’t always do that – sometimes he uses other circumstances to reveal to us his calling –

1) Strong desire in our hearts / open door – asked to do something never pictured yourself doing

 

D) In Timothy’s case it had been a specific prophecy: He had been called and equipped by the Lord –

 

E) Paul wanted him to Fulfill his potential

1) 2 Tim 1:6 Stir up the gift that is in you by the laying on of hands

 

Basically Paul was saying to Timothy: "Be true to your name."

A) Timothy is composed of two Greek words, time  which means "honour," and theos which means "God," and so means "honour to God."

 

B) God is honored the most when we are  doing well what He has called us to do.

1) Using the gifts that He has entrusted to us – to bring honor to his name

 

C) Where has God placed you – Your Charge? What entrusted ?

1) Not a prison but a platform -

 

D) So #1 Remember your responsibility # 2 Fulfill your potential

 

#3 Fight a good spiritual Battle: V.18c

 

Ray Stedman says this  is the phrase that summarizes this entire letter: "Wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience."

 

Timothy was dispatched to fight a good campaign. A) The picture of life as a campaign is one which has always fascinated men's thoughts.

 

Maximus of Tyre said: "God is the general; life is the campaign; man is the soldier."

 

B)  Timothy was enrolled in God’s army: World is not a playground but a Battle ground.

 

D) The moment you began your Christian life, you entered a lifelong battle. Flesh & spirit / Devil

 

E)  Fight a good fight Timothy here is how: 2 things

 

#1 Holding on to Faith

A) Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

B) Faith is only as Strong as the object of our faith – Our faith is in God { Creator – maker of universe

1) Savior / Sustainer

C) Hebrews 11 We learn of those who preserved and kept going – thru faith

1) By faith: Became Pilgrims / Won battles / overcame giants/ Forsook worldly riches

 

D) Faith involves believing in the Promises of God

1) Based upon His Person: He is faithful and true

He is altogether righteous

 

Eph.6 One of the Weapons was the Shield of faith

A) Huge Shield covered the entire man! All the other armor –behind it

 

B) Faith that embraces the word of God

1) Faith believes we are righteous by Christ

2) Faith stands on the truth

 

C) As the Soldier would cling to his shield – Paul wants Timothy – cling to your faith

1) Faith comes by hearing …… the word

 

D) Faith is increased by the word.

 

 

.#2 Having a good Conscience

A) I find a great deal of misunderstanding, even among Christians, on what the conscience is.

 

B) Many feel that the conscience is given to us to teach us the difference between right and wrong.

C) Wrong:  the conscience is given to us, rather, to resist any deviation from the truth,

1) from the right and the wrong that we know.

 

D)  If you think it is given to us to indicate what is wrong or what is right, you will begin to rely upon your feelings to determine right and wrong.

1) That is where many go astray -- many young Christians, especially.

 

E)  They think their conscience is their feelings; and if they feel something is right then they do it.

 

 

The conscience is given to us so that when we know what is right and what is wrong, it insists that we do the right and avoid the wrong.

A) What teaches us Right and Wrong?  God’s word !

 

B)  Conscience is God's preacher in your bosom. Conscience is the voice of authority

 

C) It is not a little night-light, it has the power of a searchlight. It is the Lord's lamp.

1) It detects the missiles of sin and they home in on our lives.

 

D)  It is avenging. It can create fearful remorse so that all your bones ache. { David Psa32

1) It creates self-abhorrence, self-condemnation, bitter regret & the apprehension of wrath.

C) Works in conjunction with the Guilt of sin and the conviction of the Holy Spirit

 

D) In other words, a good conscience is a synonym for an obedient heart which wants to do what God says is right. That is what Paul is talking about

 

E) Wherever God speaks, and you know what he tells you to do, regardless of what your flesh or your feelings say, obey; do what God says.

 

F) That is the way to maintain a good conscience.

1) Which is part of waging a good warfare.

 

 

Christians who “become shipwreck” in their faith do so by sinning against their consciences.

A) Not listening to the conviction of the HS – Ignoring the guilt of sin

 

B)  Bad doctrine usually starts with bad conduct, and usually with secret sin.

 

C) These are people who know the truth, but because they have not chosen to obey it, they not only have wandered away,

1) they have eventually damaged their faith.

 

D) They start believing wrong instead of right. They know what is right, but they are no longer able to do it.

 

#4 Learn from the shipwrecks of others

A) Why does it happen? 4 symptoms

 

B) Earthy focused: rather than heavenly focused:

1) Temporal over the eternal

2) Happiness over Holiness!

 

C) How many can relate to this scenario: Young couple married when they were first married held to the faith.

 

D) But then they got involved in their careers, and began to prosper. Husband & wife are both working.

1) There were school fees, and a mortgage to pay off.

 

2) There were certain standards to maintain, and the pressures of work.

 

Dd) Both were so busy and hardly seeing one another or the children, and Sunday was their free day.

1) So they started to miss services and miss their Bible reading, and they let go of their faith, and today they are nowhere.

 

E) The world is full of people who have fallen in the fight of faith because they didn't hold on.

1) Do not think that that cannot happen to you when it has happened to people far better than you.

 

 

 

 

2) Neglecting devotions:

3) Lack of accountability:

4) Self confidence:

 

 

Interesting time in the life of our Church: 3 groups of men

A) Young men 15-30 / Older men 55 and above / Middle men 30 -55

 

 

 

 

What are you modeling for your sons – Literal and in the Faith

Here is the sad confession of one father. "I took my children to school but not to church. I taught them to drink but not of the living water. I enrolled them in Little League but not Sunday School. I showed them how to fish but not to be fisher of men. I made the Lord’s Day a holiday, rather than a holy day."

"I taught them the church was full of hypocrites and made the greater hypocrite of them and me.

"I gave them a color TV but provided no Bible. I handed them the keys to the car but did not give to them the keys of the kingdom of God. I taught them how to make a living but failed to bring them to Christ who alone can make a life."

Hymenaeus & Alexander –

Delivered to Satan – A form of apostolic discipline w/a view to spiritual benefit.(?) (Stibbs, Search the Scripture)

 

2 Cor.5:5 “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”