Gleanings from the Greeting

Read your bottles go to first Timothy as we continue in our exposition of this what's called a past all the pistol epistle means letter is a letter from the aged Paul to his younger disciple Timothy not as young as used to be.

They spent about 20 years together almost 20 years and toward the latter part of that Paul is imprisoned much of the time and his health prevents him from being as active as he used to be. So he begins to commission these younger men to take over the oversight of the church and this is his letter to Timothy, whom he has left in Ephesus to oversee the church there to get something straightened out and fixed that needed fixing in the church that we have for us. This record for all time.

Part now of our sacred infallible Scripture of many practical guidelines and insights on the church but what is the church. The church is the bride of Christ and the glory of all glories will be at the end of time when Christ returns and his bride is brought together, our bodies will have been resurrected and glorified, and then we will see the glory of God in ourselves and our Savior and will dwell with him forever and ever. However, between now and that time it's our job to humbly with great intentionality and purpose to be a part of being the bride God's called us to base our call this beautifying the broad her fashion. The way she's ordered and structured and her function. What she actually is today. That's more about we have this awesome task to follow the Scriptures, enabled by the Spirit to beautify the bride to be what he's called us to be not to be successful necessarily matter fact, if you follow God's mandates for the church. Sometimes it won't look like it's very success you and I and understand you been around long, that sometimes you decline the numbers if you're striving to be biblical and sale that that that does happen that happened. The apostle Paul happened to Jesus. It happens every church I know about that tries to be a go from a lightly blue biblical church.

I might say to a thoroughly biblically sound church and we never arrived.

We stay humble. Keep repeating to keep learning so but beautifying the brightest, what were all about. We care about God's glory through his church.

In this book is a great book for that Nepal's writing to Timothy, as I said, and we've already had an introduction covered so much so many things I like to say gambit are not going to will continue with verses one and two of first Timothy chapter 1 look at their Paul and apostle of Christ Jesus.

According to the commandment of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope to Timothy, my true child in the faith, grace, mercy and peace from God the father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now, I called the exposition of these two first verses gleanings from the greeting, this is Paul salutation hurried are his initial greeting to Timothy in this letter that again has now become part of our Scripture and let's glean some things out of it that can. We can learn for ourselves in this day.

First of all, I let's note the authority of the letter, the authority of the letter, not to subpoints here.

The first one is Paul writes with authority for Timothy's inspiration. He's tried to encourage and edify overall inspire this young minister in the task is given him and we we we know that Paul can write with authority. First of all, because Paul's position as an apostle and apostle was a temporary office that God gave the church in those very early days, that was for the founding of the church. The establishing of the church and for the writing of the finished canon of Scripture that is the New Testament. He says here very very clearly that he is an apostle notice. According to the commandment of God our Savior very strong statement you want you to know I'm not just coming up with things.

I'm not just a Christian leader who has some good ideas you want. Take note of.

No, I'm writing and I am an apostle under the commandment of God.

I was placed here. I have special authority to do this we know that Paul received a divine calling into the office and like we see throughout the Scripture. This was affirmed by the local churches. For example, that the church in Antioch was a church that prayed and fasted, laid their hands on Paul and Barnabas, and sent them out with their blessing that always should be the case. There should be no one going in the gospel ministry as a Lone Ranger, not only do they need the support and encouragement of ascending church, but I need to be under the authority and the oversight of the church elders in the church so person receives a call which should be affirmed by the local church and that's the way Paul went out and that's the way all ministers should go out. That's the way Timothy went out Timothy was chosen by Paul to go to be a board of his associates but he had a good standing with the brethren in his community and I prayed over him and sent him out. But anyway, talking about Paul's authority.

Let's get back to that deletions 11 tells us were Paul writes to the church at Galatia. He says Paul and apostle notice this not see it from the north of the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the father who raised him from the dead. So he says I have divine authority in this temporary esteemed office as apostle and then first Timothy 27 and for this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle does what he says I am telling the truth, I'm not lying as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. Why would he say I'm telling the truth because everywhere he went, imposters and false teachers would follow and try to undermine the church and gain power and authority for themselves and teach false doctrine to Paul would basically say they are the false ones I'm the true one I'm telling you the truth. God call me as an apostle. These other guys are undermining the true doctrines of grace and the true teachings of God, so you you remember the stories recorded in the book of acts. Paul is struck down while he's persecuting the church and Jesus speaks directly to him that affect the next 2615 to 16 he recounts the experience impulses there and I said, who are thou more. This is when he struck down on the ground and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But arise instead on your feet for this purpose I have appeared to you to appoint you a minister and a witness dull into the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, which is Paul I got a special role in a special office for you and that is as an apostle, a a a messenger from God, and this gives you great authority. So first policies writing this.

He said I want you to Timothy on writing in the commandment of God. I'm God's apostle that speaks of great authority but also his reputation should cause one to view him with great authority I made this point Paul is approaching the twilight of his ministry he has proven over and over his love and devotion to Jesus Christ and over and over to the calls of building the church and preaching the gospel when he wrote to Philemon, for example, he called himself Paul. The age and reason.

He said that because he knew what that mean in this culture. In this culture. Young people simply were not allowed to disrespect their elders especially especially an elder in the church so appalled by this time has greatly suffered he's endured so many things physically, emotionally, and otherwise he's maintained a long decade's long record of fidelity to sound doctrine and the sound practice in every way this man called Paul is a poet, as above, the reproach he called himself Paul, the aged, but I would add another title to this man's reputation that is Paul, the proven he's proven so he writes with authority as an apostle, but simply his reputation should speak to. He's a man that ought to be listened to. Not to be viewed with authority but not only that, notice the style here. He has an authoritative style notice. I write to Paul and apostle that's a that's a that's a stately statement if you will, according to what the commandment of God our Savior, who is our hope so. There is indeed a formal and official style to this letter that is very interesting because this is a personal letter to a dear, dear friend, young Timothy and these two guys go back almost 20 years and they've been through so much together get there such a formal and official style to that, does have the affectionate and compassionate statements that you'd expect in a correspondence between two dear friends, but also the strong note of formality and authority.

But why is that will that is because what will you be several ideas. First of all, Timothy is now taking over the this awesome responsibility of leading and overseeing this church. He wants to bear upon Timothy's heart the seriousness and the value of this task is not to be taken lightly.

In addition to that there were many already in the church at Ephesus where Timothy's ministering that were beginning to undermine Timothy. They were beginning to thaw around of questions about Timothy. He's too young. He's to this, he didn't understand that all of these things to undermine his authority. And so I think what Paul is saying is that Timothy is going to need to stand with confidence and be assertive about his own authority because Timothy just want to follow the authoritative word.

Paul's giving him thought all to give him a confidence not to be swayed and not to waffle under the pressure that he's going to experience here in the church at Ephesus. So Timothy needs to keep it in his heart and in his mind that this is unofficial and authoritative sanction he received in this letter from Paul.

It was given to him by heavens rock ambassador and apostle himself. The apostle Paul. So we see the sun note of authority is given for Timothy Sipe to help him to encourage him to strengthen him to stand with authority as he deals with things in the church, but also we remind ourselves here that all of Scripture like this letter has timeless authority. That's our second support.

It has timeless authority. The word of God is authoritative for all peoples of all times.. So this letter is of divine inspiration and carries infallible authority both for time and for eternity. Later on in the second letter Paul will write the Timothy and in the second Timothy that second letter, Paul is in prison again and he writes there to Timothy and sister him a second Timothy 316 all Scripture is inspired by God it's breathed by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, and litigated. Ephesians 219 through 20. In an interesting statement is given his or so, then you are no longer strangers and aliens that he's writing to the Gentile believers. He said you're not alien to God anymore. But you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household. Enola dispersed 20 year having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.

What does that mean why would Paul write to the church at Ephesus and say nice Christians your faith in what you are as a church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets in Christ Jesus being the cornerstone. Why would he say the foundation of Jesus when you could say that what is pointing out is Jesus has chosen to build his church through these apostles. These men who had a pasta look authority and were the men who were used as the human instruments to write the New Testament we take those writings, what they bore witness to what they have instructed us and on those truths we build Christchurch.

Therefore, it's on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, that means on the word of God. That's what it's up on the inestimable importance that the church be wholly devoted to the proper grammatical exposition of the word of God. Nothing nothing nothing nothing is even a close second to that ministry because that's the foundation stone so that has timeless authority know there's a lot of things we can say about why we trust the canon of Scripture to be God's inerrant and infallible word. For example, if if if scholars in the University are studying Homer the great Greek author of 2000 or so years ago to say. We know we have good authentic writings from Homer because we have four or five ancient manuscripts and they all match.

They all agrees we believe these are the real writings of the great Greek writer Homer well there are two files and ancient documents of the New Testament that we can put our hands on literally today and they all agree almost to the letter on everything and no doctrine in any way, is contradicted between if you've got 2000 document's you know you have a reliable copy but listed above and beyond all those things and many other things that tell us the word of God is true and God's final authority. Is this the word of God is self authenticating. Here's what I mean by that you open this book you read this book you study this book you listen to the preaching of this book and you hear the voice of your Lord, there is a spiritual communication. There's a spiritual affirmation that come from the word of God that is beyond human intellect and beyond human understanding.

It is self authenticating. Jesus said when he was ministering on the earth.

My sheep hear my voice.

I'm telling you, brothers and sisters when I open the word of God and I bury myself and in my study through the weeks to prepare pretty skewed while I'm there I can hear my Lord's voice. From this book.

It's authoritative it's self authenticating.

So it is the final word for what were about as we make this study happen and what Paul was about when he was writing to Timothy, the first time and that is we have the authoritative word for the fashion the and the function of the broad.

He is local church and by the way, the local work of the local church.

The work of building the local church. The work of building up the local church. The work of sanctifying the local church. Everything we do strengthen and grow together and be strong in the Lord together is the foremost task of all time and eternity as you said in Ephesians 321 to him be glory in the church and the nieces forever and ever and ever. Amen. No other words God's getting glory for himself, to his church now and he'll get glory for himself, his church for all eternity is the only thing you can tangibly give yourself to. That's guaranteed to be right in the center of God's purposes and God's glory for all eternity.

Well, so we see the authority of the letter. It had a special authority to Timothy as Paul was writing to encourage him. We want understand we can just remove the Bible from its historical context. That's exactly what he was doing, but it also is sealed for us as the canon of Scripture and has timeless authority for all time. II as we continue the tech get some gleanings from this greeting noticed the mark of mercy, the mark of mercy. In verse two, he says, I'm writing to Timothy, my true child in the faith.

Grace, mercy and peace from God the father in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now if you're ridding Paul's epistles.

It's very common for Paul in the salutations in his letters to say grace and peace to you, but here and and it is true in the pastoral epistles he adds another word, not just grace and peace, but grace, mercy, and peace. No grace is that word that means God's special and unmerited favor that God just chooses to cast a unique favor on some choices. I'm invoking God death to continue to favor you and bless you in your work Timothy and then pray peace.

Of course, is what we get to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The peace we have to the gospel and because of grace is that peace we have with God that were no longer alienated and sinners before him, and judge before him because Christ took our judgment on the cross so we have peace with God and we have peace with ourselves when we fail and would be struggle and we were down, and when we are disappointed and we look at ourselves with a price God. Christ took my punishment on the cross so I can I can handle myself and have some peace of mind with myself. I have a new capacity to have peace with my fellow man.

Because now that I'm crucified with Christ and not so hung up on my rights and my viewpoint and having my way. There is a built in deference in my spirit because I know Jesus Christ so grace and peace.

That was a common thing but then he adds the word mercy, grace, mercy, and peace as he writes to these pastor and when you think about mercy. There's so many dynamics to the word mercy like there so many dynamic to the word grace projected narrow it down, you might just say that it's God's love for the miserable God chooses to love the miserable and it's his is also his his capacity and his commitment I should say to withhold from the miserable there justly deserved wrath if he if you just study the words grace and mercy throughout the New Testament, you have to come to the conclusion that often they are used interchangeably but just dovetail together so closely it might be good to spew them as two sides of the same coin on one side God has unmerited favor toward some business on the corneas so therefore he has a love for the miserable and withholds the wrath they deserve. But for me I think it's wisest and best of you. Mercy as a component of grace it's a part of the whole package if you will, of grace, mercy is contained in grace and certainly it's a part of God's overall gospel to those who are sinners, so God's unmerited favor is a favor that includes God's mercy that is loving these miserable ones.

God's love for us is equal to God's withholding of deserved wrath from us. I'm convinced Paul's mercy was put in here because he wanted Timothy to have this concept in his mind as he ministers to the if you minister. Remember, you were all about grace. All right peace but don't forget mercy if you support see the first one a mercy marks our manner think that's part of what he's getting at here saying this to Timothy. It's a part of the manner of our lives.

Paul has clearly set forth the authority of business. His instruction and the authority he wants Timothy to have as he instructs and corrects people who are trying to undermine his leadership. However, the man of God must carry himself also in a spirit of mercy knowing that we as God's ministers are nothing if we had not received mercy, mercy must be our manner is not just leave this with the man of God the minister. Are you a parent you have authority you to be instructing no course loving and affirming and encouraging and correcting, but as a Christian parent.

Mercy must always be there. They must see that tone in our hearts Intervoice mercy must mark our manner.

Are you in head of something at the officer at the at the school are are in the community and there's a place for authority certainly is there folks you want to honor you as a place for correction, and certainly instruction but mercy should Marcus were different kind of people. I think he saying that the Timothy now balance aware that we live in a culture that has warped and twisted and perverted everything the Bible teaches about compassion and about mercy. So let's understand that mercy here does not equate ministerial cowardice that pastor who never deals with sin that pastor who never hold anyone accountable. That pastor who would never enforce biblical order discipline to those who refuse to repent. That's not mercy that's the fear of man is a real difference in moms and dads don't you be intimidated by your children. Don't let the concept of mercy bring you to a place where you lose your authority and expect them to auto obey you and honor you as their parent.

Let's hold these things in balance.

You say you're not Charlotte showing true mercy or true love by helping a sinner remain in sin or by giving a handout to a slaw who's too lazy to work. So let's be in balance. Mercy is always in our tone, and in our hearts, but it must be a mercy that is carried out according to biblical truth… And here's why world gets rock all the compassion and all the so-called mercy we see from these from the liberal so-called progressives today is a warped none true definition of mercy and compassion, and it's going to dig a hole that they can't get out of, and they want to drag us down in there with will. Nevertheless, mercy must mark our manner.

Secondly, our second subpoint mercy, of course, is our message. It's definitely our message. There is no gospel ministry without the message of mercy listen. It's a mercy to tell a man that he's a sinner that's a mercy that's a gift of mercy. It's a mercy to tell a man that he deserves divine wrath and judgment for his sin.

It's a mercy to tell a man that that God has cast unmerited favor toward sinners, even those that are most miserable as center. It is a mercy to convince a man that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. Mercy is our message as we administer the gospel. Are you leading a small group are you head of a household are are you a member of society and have friends that you influence then make sure your men are smart by mercy and remember that your message is always full of mercy. It's a mercy of God that Christ would save us mercy is inherent in the gospel we preach the gospel of grace is the gospel of mercy, but thirdly the third subpoint here. Probably Paul's writing you this young Timothy and he knows what's coming. He knows the difficulties the polls the snares the trials are coming so we mark out the fact that thirdly, mercy is our mainstay. It keeps us on course.

It holds us up so Paul is here invoking a blessing on Timothy when he says make may grace be upon you make may peace be upon you, but also may mercy be upon Paul again is in his later years.

He knows what Timothy is going to be facing the great difficulties that await them. He knows about the battles from within his moment his own heart that Timothy's going to face mass say to you that a minister needs mercy to lift him from despair over his own weaknesses from despair over his own failings from despair over his own struggles.

He's assaulted it his own heart and in his own mind concerning these and he must learn to be a constant repent or and continually cast himself on the God of all mercy, if not after about six months, or pastor equipped is interesting when we had our last elder nominations in the church. All of us who are existing elders re-examined ourselves in every single elder Abad I can say that emphatically, but I'm almost certain. Every single elder one time said to me pastor. I don't think I'm qualified because if you take the qualifications in a straight, legalistic sense. We all feel disqualified it in for Amanda standing and preach about a holy God and in the wonders of the gospel and for man to lead a church to be true and honor the Lord and to walk in the kind of disciplines. The word of God gives us and to know himself that he wrestles himself and he struggles himself. The only way he can make it himself on the God of mercy. Think Paul understands that well I'm convinced that's part of what is telling Timothy you going to need to know that the God of mercy, called you and commissioned you and by the way, are you listening to me. God delights in using weak vessels as his ministers battles from within course. This includes physical infirmities. We know from the that the text of Scripture that Paul faced many physical and emotional difficulty.

He talks about being downcast and discouraged almost to the point of despair, but he didn't despair a doctor about his physical struggles and illnesses. Certainly exasperated by the that the pole of the ministry and he's already going to write the Timothy about the stomach problems. Timothy is had your stomach problems be a Baptist preacher are not only battles from without, but Paul a rift within rather but Paul knows about the battles from without, that he will face. Second Corinthians 1128 and 29 Paul writing about his own minister says. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches who is weak without me being weak and he was led into sin without my intense concern.

Paul knows what Timothy is about to realize more thoroughly that is that the pastorate is a 24 hour day, seven day a week burden. There's no true times off because the care and the concern never leaves a man of God's heart.

Paul knows more than eating the whole of the faithful pastoral ministry.

So here he prays that Timothy will be sustained by special dose of mercy from God.

On a personal note, can I say to you that in my 38th year of ministry here that I feel like my strength and my effectiveness is greatly due to the gracious mercy you've shown me. I mean that very genuinely. You've love to me. You supported me. You take care of me generously, all these things when there is always been. Perhaps I have not seen the ministry disqualifying sin. But you see my shortcomings.

You know me and my struggles and you sense God's call and you supported me and so your gracious mercy is the reason I'm still standing. You know why the average pastor stays in the church 18 month we were Pam and I were just talking about a dear man of God that that that we both know through the years and that he's pastoring in his elder years. And Pam was a 25 he's now pastor 25 different churches and a lot of times I don't know the record of men's hearts. But I do know I know pastors and I do know churches, many, many, many times a pastor moves from one church another just to catch a breath just to get on out from under the weight just to get some relief for little while it it is a great testimony to your mercy toward me that I've made it 38 years here, and I thank you for that.

You're to be commended for that because it's just true. Alright, so Paul says not only grace and peace. Like I normally tell the churches what Timothy for you.

I'm invoking grace, peace and a lot of mercy.

You're going to need it. In this task before you.

III another gleaning from this reading is the blessedness of a faithful disciple. The blessedness of a faithful to solve this just pours out of the text it believes with this blessedness, Paul feels because of Timothy's faithfulness over the years.

He calls Timothy here in our text, my true child in the faith.

First part of her two to Timothy, my true child in the faith. Now the word truly. Here is a word that something that is the opposite of illegitimate there illegitimate child children in the faith people we thought were true, the turned out to be true, but the Timothy. He says you're my true child not couple thoughts are. First of all, he was Paul's true child by conversion first support by conversion, he was converted under Paul's ministry are at least very closely associated with current Paul's preaching. As Paul journeyed to his hometown of Derby and the near town.

The blister then of course he came with Paul about a year and 1/2 after he was converted. Paul came back through the region.

He goes with Paul and Paul disciple Timothy for the work by having Timothy accompany him in the work we just sent word to their pastoral ministry is at least 75% call not talked to the graduate school of theology I attended in the seminaries and graduate schools of theology that community and those are good things, and those are helpful things but that is a small thing compared to being trained in the work for the work. If you're going to have a major surgery and the doctor comes in and you talk to him or her for little while, and you say tell me something Doc, are you how long you been doing this well I've never really done any surgery. Never operate, never opportunity. But I tell you what I've studied. I've read I've written.

Doctoral thesis is I've got documents and articles in the highest medical scientific journals, stained is a great man of knowledge in the area of surgery. I've studied intensely. I just never done it. We are going to gonna call a great big timeout.

I want to make sure yes is here. She's been a medical school, but they been in the operating room with a master surgeon for years and been on their own for you. Amen. You want to be trained for the work in the work that's a lot of what we try to do here anchored in truth missions and grace life churches to help other brothers by associating them with the work and that's what the true church conference is so important because and I hear I hear it so many times I want say to use only ties good. You don't hear because you're not out there, but here so many times from these pastors and their members. We mixed it up with your guys at grace like church. We got to know the members of grace like church.

It helped us grasp what we wanted to be as church because it's call is much us, or more so that it is tall.

Their bond was very deep. That's Paul and Timothy their connection was very precious about a fact he calls Timothy his child might affect the other times in in this epistle, and in second Timothy also sometimes the translators use the word son, which is Timothy or my son in the faith. It's that's not a good translation. Actually, it could going the way, but the best translation is not son it's child because there's a tender closeness and affection here.

You're my true child but not only through his conversion in the discipleship, but he's proven to be a true child of the faith by character by character. Paul had had many folks through the years as he preach the gospel professed to be a follower of Jesus Christ professed to be devoted to Jesus Christ, only to be proven over time to be a false professor to be a counterfeit example in second Timothy 410. He says for Dimas, having loved this present world, has deserted me. Christians has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia and then verse 16. They said that my first offense. No one supported me. So Paul knows what it's like to have men who have committed to serve God and man. He said I'll go with you Paul and I preach this gospel with you standing with you and things get hard in space. Get difficult and I see Paul being stoned and left for dead in some of the side know that we need to hang around circle, not Timothy.

Timothy, by all record of Scripture was faithful continually and devoted to the Lord and Paul he never one time is it recorded in Scripture that he wavered are that he waffled. He stayed steadfast in his faith. He honored the apostle Paul to the end. He was a true friend. A true brother, a true co-laborer, and a true subordinate Depaul and they created a deep, brotherly love and affection in this so strongly comes out in this narrative. This letter, Paul writes to Timothy, I couldn't help in my study this week thinking on this. Think about how so many of us have been together for so long and how there's a specialness in the preciousness there is a blessedness the being a true disciple. Some of you will remember that when you asked me to be your senior pastor about 30 years ago I was the associate pastor begin senior pastor that I knew they were serious issues in this congregation and I knew to address those biblically would cause lots of difficult difficult days and it did and I remember saying to a man in our church. Okay you want me to be your pastor. You want us to do the things the Scripture says when he gets real tough are you gonna go run and hide in the tall grass. Are you will stand with me and he stood with me.

I know what that feels like to have good men and good ladies is a pastor elitist by the Scripture will be faithful with you even though you will fail at times and even though you struggle at times your center to and I can assure you, child of God and friend in church member.

I'm a sinner but I repent or I will be humbling girl was the Lord deals with my sin.

But I know something about this and so many faces came to my mind this week of good men and women who are a blessedness because there are blessedness to me because they proven to be faithful disciples through the years. That's what Paul's feeling. And that's what he's expressing I go to Psalm 133 verse one behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity because I something to get you know that the great majority of congregations. People will go to those congregations functional currencies and die and hardly ever experience the blessedness of that verse, but we experience it so much here is such a wonderful thing to experience. It is a beautiful thing. Actually this verse from Psalm 133 verse one is in the context of the anointing all y'all been put on the priest, and when I put the anointing oil on a priest. It was a special olive oil with four spaces special spices it had the most beautiful, delightful and pleasing fragrant's is what the writer is saying here when brothers in Christ gone together, and marched together and more together, and bleed together and try to get a hold each other to get a lift each other up together and help each other and just keep going on for Christ eventually their becomes this blessedness, this delightful this this pleasantness is beyond description. Only thing the writer of Psalm 133 could come up with these. If you have beautiful and how wonderful it smells when they bring up that special oil is it that's what real Christian discipleship feels like when you're together one with the other race like church. I hope you recognize that the whole where along the way from perfect, but we have been allowed to experience some things together that are far too rare when they ought to be very normal and natural. God has been good to us. My last one. The last gleaning from this greeting is the supremacy of Jesus Christ, the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Notice how the words appear easy. He gives this. It's an affectionate and personal letter but again it has a formal and authoritative tone as he says Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. According to the commandment. And here's the phrase that unique of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope so wording it like that God our Savior Christ Jesus our hope he's really saying that all one they're all equal.

This speaks of the supremacy of Jesus Christ Jesus our Savior and East God. God is our Savior.

Jesus is 100% God as if he were not man at all. And at the same time sees 100% man is if you are not God at all. John 14 versus seven through nine. He's trying to get this over to his disciples of his deity and of his co-inequality to God the father. He says if you had known me, you would've known my father also.

From now on you know him and you sing me if you see me you know him now.

Philip said to him, will Lord, show us the father and it will be enough for us.

Jesus said to him, have you been so long, have I been so long with you and yet you have not come to know me, Philip. He who has seen me has seen the father, the supremacy of the deity of Jesus Christ. Now that's a glorious doctor.

We could preach on that for hours, but the context here is this this helps Timothy with a practical problem. He's going to face in the church and that's the problem of incipient encroaching Gnosticism Gnosticism because of the word gnosis, which is the word knowledge, and there begin to be this teaching that we get to the church that would say you know those of us who have superior knowledge can take the teachings of Christianity and we can mix it with some Judaism are failing the other way we can mix it with them. Greek Roman philosophy and we can find. We can present to you this higher form of living we have the knowledge and so they were elitist. That said they had this hard knowledge that the regular man could not obtain. And so you would have to go to these elites and learn of them and be their subjects more or less to know how to live your life right what they basically did was reduce Christianity down to a philosophy, a knowledge about how to live.

But here's what Paul's sporting activity. God is our Savior, the words you didn't get this from some man who talked to his so-called elite knowledge, God himself has invaded your life, what man can match that suggest the uniqueness of Christianity is not a system of knowledge or teaching. It is God changing us by his spirit coming into our hearts so maybe sitting here this morning Christianity view is nothing more than jumping through some hoops dotting a few eyes and cross Utilities and try to be decently moral and ethical. That's not it has God change your heart. God touched your life. God is our Savior. He tested Timothy C. Every true Christian is in situ is in contact with God himself. So we do not need the so-called higher learning of somebody lead to some Gnostic teacher. What we do need today is just the faithful teaching of God called pastor teachers who are not elitist and we are the Bible we all can read in the Holy Spirit get up. All of us understand it. And furthermore, God help us all understand it by calling men to teach the once for all delivered truth that is given to the saints in the holy Scripture. There is no need for the elitist group were all on a leaky equal plane spiritually. Let's go back to the Old Testament prophecy about the church age. Jeremiah 3133 and 34, but this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord says I will put my law within them and on their heart I will write it. God writes it on your heart. No elitist man and I will be their God and they shall be my people, and they shall not teach again. Each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. You say that that that that the junior boy was 11 years old and the church.

The spirit of God is wrought upon his heart is bleeding on Jesus Christ, knows God. Just like the 80-year-old theologian Conoco. We don't have to succumb to some elitist mentality were all learning and growing together. We've all been invaded by the same holy God, therefore, were taught of God that your pastor teacher faithfully teaches you not my thoughts. These thoughts then God is teaching you, not me were taught of God.

He says see that just completely takes the props out of the arrogant false teaching gnostics that were coming to the church but hasn't it that folks look Satan has come up with nothing new. He just repackages it was the Roman Catholic Church done for the year, years they say here's the elitist, the Pope and his cardinals will get the truth and will tell you what to do, which is Gnosticism. What does the some parts of the charismatic movement.

Do on the holy anointed man come sooner to me and I'll make sure you get the anointing and you get the feeling I've got the higher level. The rest of you will submit to me this is not, and by the way, badness, evangelicals can get thereto with preacher worship and other things. So when when Paul writes to Timothy and uses the phrase God is our Savior.

He is asserting the deity of Christ is also pointing out there's no need for you Timothy to give one tiny word of attention to these arrogant men who will sneak into the church saying they got the inside and you must submit to their teaching. Why, because God is our Savior.

One final word about the supremacy of Christ. Not only is he God. Not only is our Savior. But notice the last phrase of verse one and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope to skim over that. Paul's point is he's our only hope he's not one of many hopes he is our hope.

You see, forgiveness of sin.

We hope for and we get that through him knowledge of God is obtained through him fellowship with God is known through him, not there some elite teachers insights but through him as I preach to the word of God. He is made real to you, and through him you know these things and obtain these things stream for the journey to make it in this world where now it's common thought that anybody home to the Bible. This is the discourage of society make it to the difficult journey through Christ. He's our strength. These are all in all, how are you going to find joy beyond temporal things and beyond circumstances that come your way through him through Christ. How are you going to have a future future eternal home through Jesus Christ. How you can know one day your body resurrected and perfected and glorified in you have eternal blessedness with God forever, because they don't happen.

It's through the it's all through him.

Jesus Christ is our hope you see the connection to our hope is our connection to him.

So can I charge you this morning the Cisco the first when I mention forgiveness of sins. Have you obtain forgiveness of sins through him. Have you received it through him. Do you know forgiveness of sins through him. If you don't you don't know it because he's our hope some you folks are teenagers or young people you put this off. You've been toying around the law thought content you this morning.

You need to go to Jesus.

Now is a Jesus. Today I put my hope in you. I place my faith in you today because you're my only hope. And I say to you. The Bible promises us that who ever believes in him will not be disappointed. He will become your Lord and your Savior and by the way he has a God -sized load of mercy for you God sized load of mercy, I will forgive you. I will save you. I will make you my