1 Timothy 4:13-16

Godly Exercise Part 3

 

We are currently studying thru the book of 1st Timothy here on Sunday mornings

A) We have camped out here in the 4th chapter to discuss – Exercising ourselves toward Godliness

 

B) In this section that we have just read Paul is giving Pastor Timothy instruction on how to be a good Minister of Jesus Christ

 

C) The Principles that Paul lays out for Timothy as a Pastor are useful for any of us who desire to be used by the Lord & live a godly life.

1) Now we have defined Godliness in the truest sense as being Christ like

 

Paul lays out NINE principles for Godly living & we have looked at 5 of them in Previous 2 studies

1) V.6-7 Proper Diet

2) V. 8-9 Focused Priorities – Bodily exercise profits a little but godliness is profitable for all things.

 

3) V.10 Keep your eye on the Prize. { Key to enduring the hard times suffering – low points

 

4) Over come your insecurities v. 12a

 

5) V.12 Be an example to be believers in word & in deed.

Today we are going to pick up with #6 - 

#6 Don’t neglect the Basics v.13

13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

 

A) When Working out certain things that never Change for maximum results.

 

B) Good diet { You have to eat right !

1) Good technique{ Doing the right exercise the right way

 

C) You can do the right exercise the wrong way and do more damage than good.

 

D)  Good balance { # Reps in your weight training and your cardio – has to be balanced

1) Those are 3 Basic Principles for bodily exercise

 

E) You Can’t get away from those things – achieve your goals

 

Well Here Paul lays out 3 basics for the Christian life

READING / EXHORTATION/ DOCTRINE

A) Paul is writing to Timothy as a Pastor – Key principles for any Pastoral ministry { Any Church

 

B) Read the Word:

1) Teach the word = Doctrine speaks of

2) Encourage using the word = Exhortation

 

C) All effective ministry is going to revolve around the word of God

1) I don’t have anything worthwhile to say – that is apart from this book

 

D) When you come here on Sundays or Wed. We are not trying to entertain

1) Not trying to impress you intellectually

2) Not trying to touch you on an emotionally level

 

E) My goal is to feed you the word of God !

1) Teach the Scriptures & encourage you thru the Word

 

That is the goal – and if those other things happen in relationship to the goal sometimes – { Fine

A)  But the goal is Reading/ Exhortation/ Doctrine

 

B) Those are the Basic that we can’t get away from.

 

C) What is good for a Pastor and for a Church is good for us personally. Exercise yourself toward …..

1) Daily diet of reading the word

 

D) Speak the word – Use it to encourage others

1) God’s word is the only truth – There is not a situation to which it does not speak!

 

E) Teach the Word: Best way to grow is to teach others

1) Take what you are learning and Pass it on.

          Mike S. 3rd Service Sunday School

#7 Don’t neglect your gifts. V.14

A) Paul referred to Tim’s gift in Ch.1:18 and will make this same exhortation in 2 Timothy 1:6-7

 

I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

 

B) It would seem that because of Timothy’s insecurity about being a young Pastor

1) He was reluctant to use the gifts that God had given him for Ministry.

 

C)So Paul had to exhort him 2  times: Use your gifts !

 

Do you realize that You have God ordained Gifts and talents ?

A) And if  the goal of godliness is being like Christ then that means we are going to be servants

 

B) And in order to serve effectively – we need to use our gifts!

 

C) My 16yr Son is Gifted with Kids{ They love him

1) Encouraged him – teach Sunday School – He does that – { Iggy the Iguana Puppet Show

 

D) Gifted with Computers – Designed the JR. High Web site { Blessed to see him using his gifts serve JC

 

You have gifts – Spiritual – Natural –

You have talents –

A) How are you using those for the Kingdom

 

B) That is the Primary reason that God has given those things to you – { The Kingdom

 

C) In the Body of Christ – Different members one body – Different gifts

1) So great because it adds diversity and color to the body of Christ

 

D) I watch my Son with Kids – and I am amazed

1) I don’t have that gift.

 

E) Watch Evan play music – Jealous – I want that gift

 

I am so grateful for the Diversity in the body of Christ – Different giftings leads to different focus

A) Different giftings means more needs are going to be met. More people impacted

 

B) My Friend Allen Rigg – Austin Texas – Lots of Artsy People –

1) One day one had an idea – Allen is going to start a new Book – Give it a theme – Build a set to match it.

 

C) So Like you women do for Retreats – Theme – decorate the  Stage to match theme

1) They do that for every new series or Book

D) So when I was there last year – Giant X { 10 commandments

1) Nehemiah Scaffolding – Construction site

 

E) Now I am not artistic at all – Look at that and think – man that is a lot of work

1) I could never think that up

 

F) But to those artistic people in his Church it is their Joy – helping in the communicating of the word.

1) They have also done the same thing – throughout their Church- Children’s ministry etc – artistic

 

My Point is this: What is your gift – You have at least one – How are you using that for the Lord

A) Helene – Music : Worship – Kids

 

B) Leroy: Football

 

C) Margy: Organization –

 

#7 Don’t Neglect your gift – Use it – glory !

 

#8 Give a 100% effort V.15

15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all

 

A) The Word Meditate means to take pains with

 

B) It carries the idea of thinking thru beforehand, planning, strategizing, or premeditating.

 

C) These things refers to everything that Paul has been saying in this section – the first 7 Principles

1) Meditate on these things – Contemplate/ think about – Pray in –

 

D) Greatest problems in American Christianity especially here in So. Cal – so busy

1) We don’t do this – Hear a message – God speaks to us in Devos / We don’t pray it in

 

E) So eager to get off to the next thing! Get on with our day our agenda

 

That is why What Paul says to Timothy is so important for all of us. Meditate on these things

A) When it comes to ministry and walking in godliness there is some forethought involved in it

 

B) Time that is spent in Prayer / time that is spent in contemplation –

1) Time Praying thru “ Lord what are you seeking to do in my life? – What teaching me ?

C) Lord how can I be more effective as your instrument

1) How can I use my gifts more effectively for you?

 

Meditate on these things AND GIVE YOURSELF ENTTIERLY TO THEM.

A) There is no room whatsoever for ½ hearted ministry – ½ hearted service / or ½ hearted following of Christ

 

B) I picture in my mind the Olympic athlete:

1) There is a commitment / a Devotion / an Intensity that is giving to their calling

 

C) We need that in the Church today: A Holy Passion to pursue God

1) A diligence to draw near to God/ to serve God / to Know Him more and make Him Known

 

Now it is obvious that there is not a person here who can put in the time and devotion that an Olympic Athlete does to his Sport

A) That is there life – that is almost all that they do

 

B) We have Jobs to go to / families to run / ministries to take part in

 

C) My point is this – When it comes to the time that we give to exercising ourselves toward godliness –

                         Give it your all

 

Football game { Leave it all on the field

Basketball – All on the Court

A) No reserve – That should be our heart when it comes to seeking God, serving God

 

B)  Lord I have 15 minutes – You have my full and undivided attention

 

C) Seek God with Passion and Discipline –

1) Serving God – Give him your best effort

2) Worshipping God – Do it with a whole heart

 

 C) Lord I am teaching SS this week – Give it my all.

 

I am Teaching JR/SR Bible this year at School –

A)First assignment – Inductive Bible Study for Phil 1

 

B) Many in the class did the Bear minimum – I Challenged them on it – Dig Deeper

 

C) CCS Our Goal – Students growing the way Jesus did Luke 2:52

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

 

D)  Grew Wisdom – academically

     Grew Stature – Physically

      Grew in favor with man – Socially

     Grew in favor with God – Spiritually

 

B) Now in order for that to happen – Encouraging the students – in the 1st commandment

 

Mark 12:30-

“you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.”

 

C) Love God with all my Heart and Mind – Give Him my best when it comes to my academics

1) Nothing ½ hearted

 

D) Jesus said to Peter – Give Caesar the things that are Ceases – to God the things that are God’s

 

E) The time you spend seeking the Lord – Give Him your Best – Full Heart – Full attention

1) Awesome Rewards

 

Now notice Paul says – Meditate on these things and give yourself entirely to them- that your Progress may be evident to all.

A) This is something that we don’t always think about in terms of our Christianity

 

B) God is looking for and expecting progress-  He is looking for and expecting Growth –

 

C) That growth and progress should be evident to those who are around you.

In other words they should be able to see that there is fruit in your life ! – Growth –

A) They look at you after a year and they can see areas where you have grown

 

B) They can see areas where you appear to be more like Christ.

 

C) Someone my say: But they can’t see my heart

 

Proverbs 4:23

“Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it spring the issues of life.”

 

D) The issues of life – How you live and conduct yourself is reveals where your heart is at

1) Out of the abundance of the mouth the heart speaks

 

So it is not necessarily true that – no one can see your heart –

A) The Bible says your heart is on display – everyday it is revealed in how you live and how you talk

 

B) Seen in the things that are your priorities –

 

C) The Lord says: I want to see and I want others to see your progress –

 

D) So meditate on these things and give yourself entirely to them.

Finally #9 Pay attention to details.V.16

“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”

 

Now the Word Salvation that Paul uses here is not talking about redemption –

A) Timothy was already saved and so were most of his hearers

 

B) The Word Salvation used here is speaking about fulfillment growth, maturity & deliverance from evil

 

C) The Phrase Take Heed = Pay close attention to.

 

In most gym’s there are mirrors all over the place

A) They are not there so that people working out can constantly check out themselves or see their muscles growing

 

B) No those mirrors are there to help you make sure that you are doing exercises the right way

 

C) Not arching your back – when should be straight

1) Full extension on reps –

 

D) Well Spiritually there is a place for self evaluation

 

 

 

Timothy, and every spiritual leader , must examine constantly the two great areas of concern:

A) one’s life and one’s doctrine; failing to do this would mean peril for both Timothy himself, and those in his congregation.

 

B) Without giving heed to his life, Timothy might suffer shipwreck (as in 1 Timothy 1:19). 

 

C) Without giving heed to his doctrine, Timothy might lead others astray, or leave them short of God’s salvation.

 

The Last principle in Exercising ourselves toward Godliness – Pay attention to details

A) Bible encourages us to not be self focused or consumed except in this area

 

B) How we live and what we believe –

1) Make sure it is right and true !

 

C) Don’t assume Ok!