Pastoral Ministry to Pastors

First Timothy chapter 5, let's go there together this morning as we continue the series of unpacking this pastoral epistle, the apostle Paul writing to his understudy Timothy was functioning as the pastor of this church in Ephesus, though he's technically an extension of Paul's apostleship so he's focusing in a way where he's even overseeing the pastors.

He will be installing and that season will soon pass away, and then they'll only be elders or pastors overseeing the churches, but in this transition.

A lot is being said in place as to how God in Tian's for his local church is to be structured and the function model would we not do good in our day to push away all the worldly culturally relevant stuff. I'm not even go for our safe ads and gimmicks that come through the church to get back to what the Scripture says about God's church. Okay, we come to first Timothy chapter 5 verses 19 through 25 this morning misread that together Paul telling Timothy's. He oversees the church says do not receive an accusation against an elder, except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

Those who continue in sin, rebuke, in the presence of all, so that the rest will also be fearful of sinning, I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of his chosen angels to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in the spirit of partiality do not lay hands upon anyone to hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others keep yourself free from sin no longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent element's the sins of some men are quite evident gone before them.

The judgment for others their sins follow after them and those which are likewise otherwise. Rather, cannot be concealed. So again we have Timothy Giddings instruction from Paul Timothy's overseeing the churches and this is how Timothy is to pastor if you will, the pastors of the church now again the popstar took office fell away after the first in three that's there's no longer a man called of God into the office of apostle. So now we only have pastors so pastors now are to take these truths administer to pastors, one to another, or you could say like we have in our church elders would take the cruise as a guideline to have administer one to another bar called this being pastoral ministry rather to pastors pastoral ministry to pastors. So as we function as elders at Grace lacked her tears the way where to oversee one another hold one another accountable, and in effect, pastor one another. I will be were to be protective of his reputation.

That is, pastors must be protective of the other pastors reputation this window for all the church members absolutely and certainly. But Paul's going to go into actually calling someone into account for CN. So in that context to say don't even get started on an accusation unless there are certain qualifications that are met because we need to be protective of a pastors reputation look at their verse 19 do not receive an accusation against an elder, except on the basis of two or three witnesses that phrase do not receive literally means entertain not it's the idea of don't even consider it unless you have two or three witnesses.

Now this two or three witnesses.

This bit has been the standard of God throughout all time.

For example in the Old Testament era of Deuteronomy 1915 says a single witness shall not rise up against the man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he's committed all the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be conference under the Old Testament law you could not convict a man on the basis of one witness had to be two or three and then over the New Testament here something else we've seen this a few times but you have we not, here's another pattern of the Old Testament that's brought over into the New Testament church, for example, second Corinthians 13 one Paul instruction Corinth. This is the third time I'm writing to you every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses and then in Matthew chapter 18, our Lord himself feels that God line of what we call church discipline where one person is to confront someone if they will not repent of some willful open obvious sin. We don't go around searching for people sins were not running an FBI agency to find seen in the body of Christ with something obvious. First of all I'd pray about it and asked God to convict them of it. But if it didn't change then you confront them if they don't repent. The Bible says that you take two or three with you again, reaffirming that standard at the nieces that they do not listen to two or three break it before the church that they still will not repent.

Been there to be excommunicated from the church so this is the pattern that's been established.

Now, in the case of elders. There's a little bit different twist on this because the standard in the case of elders is even higher. The point is normally two or three witnesses us the standard to declare a verdict of guilty or not guilty and course that following that would be church reprimand and punishment, but with elders the accusations, not even to be considered are received until there are two or three witnesses. Did you get the difference on 23 witnesses a person can be can declared as condemned and guilty, but if it's an elder. You're not even to hear the complaint list to three credible people come to you with it now. This corresponds with the qualification of elder we been through all that already in first Timothy, where we had all of these character traits that must be evident and lack of character issues that must not be evident in a person's life if they're going to be considered an elder in the church. For example, there are many of us who could be church members in good standing, but not maybe yet qualified for the office of elder. Because there's a higher standard welt.

Likewise, when it comes to accusation our finding fault that you're not even to receive the accusation as credible to their lease to three witnesses. I higher standard. Now let me talk about this for a few moments and again. I've spent a little more time here because of the pastors and others that we mentor and I want them to hear this.

I want leaders of these churches in our church plants and others to hear this well why would God say okay for pastors or elders. The standard is higher before you would even hear complaint list because the pastor teacher, the elder and general particular pastor teacher has the responsibility before God to regularly preach the word, which always include correction, reproving, rebuking, and this will almost always stir retaliation in the heart and mind of those of fleshly character. For example, here's with the pastor teacher supposed to do.

Titus 19 holding fast the faithful word. There is preach the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching so that he will be able to exhort in sound doctrine. And here's the things it gets folks upset and refute those who contradict Titus was given a tough job.

He was to straighten out the very way word church on the island of Crete and so Paul says when you get there you begin to teach the truth you got people to stand up and boldly challenge you and Todd as your guide to be able to correct them publicly to refute them. So you know what comes after that that stirs up a hornets nest of opposition to the man who has to do that and then in second Timothy 4235 we have the same kind of expectation to the preacher preach the word be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but as a sister that's our world today, though that's true in many churches is not true grace like church play. Praise God for his grace. There, but is true in many churches where they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled that once tickled me feel safe. I would be tickled. Want to come to church. I want to be blessed furnish me with the latest fad is what one scholar said you could translate this one are to be furnished with the latest fad they were queuing for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires now so you're in that context. Verse four that would turn away their ears from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you be sober in all things. Here's the phrase endure hardship working evangelist through your ministry part of the enduring hardship is the fact that you're going to get retaliated back against her doing this kind of faithful preaching and teaching ministry. Matter fact we we found out through the years that sometimes folks will let you yell just about anything at them until you begin to actually hold church members accountable for the truths that you teach and preach from the word of God on humbled men will rise up against such correction and rebuke, and often will retaliate with vexing and unsound accusations against God's elders are God's preacher that shouldn't surprise us because the Bible says in Revelation 1210 that Satan is the accuser of the brethren. That's what Mark site that's that's high qualification or characterization. What should say, of who Satan is.

He's the accuser of the brethren.

Even though we in Christ Jesus our guiltless and stand in Christ's righteousness, Satan wants to keep Cusick so it should not be a surprise to us that Satan hates God and hates God's work. He's going to make sure somebody is there to be an accuser of God's man preaching of God.

So again, what's our point. The point is, therefore, God says I want you to have a higher standard. Before you even give entertainment to a complaint because they're gonna be a lot of those. If is a faithful preacher Satan's primary target will always be the faithful preacher of the word of God and Satan's favorite ploy is to slander him. Satan will use every opportunity to twist the preacher's words and actions take them out of context and put the preacher in the worst possible light. Jesus taught this so thoroughly and precisely.

For example, in Matthew 511 Jesus says to his foster. This includes all of us. By the way, even though it's more so true of the preacher is true of all Christians. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and here it is, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me� Take that apart.

Blessed are you when people insult you, then sold us to rail against you use anything in our culture lately when somebody brings up mega biblical truth are those who just rail and scream and reviled.

They just they don't have a point that I would argument it just scream and revile. That's the kinda insulting that you sometimes may get the persecute you means to pursue you to follow after you. They're coming after you to get you the idea. Then he says they'll say all kinds of evil. That's the idea of it resorts everything they can possibly come up with to bring against you there going to bring against you folks. This is our Lord and Savior talking here is that uninteresting. My civil I know some churches and I know some Christians and I never see anything happen like that against them is probably because they're not given you the truth like they'll be given their not standing on the countercultural, counter world truth of God's word so they're not stirring much up to go along with the world was that they told Billy Sunday member, though, evangelist Billy Sunday on thinking of you are alive. I don't mean that what you heard about Billy Sunday was a baseball player. He was eighth.

He was some kind of extravagant passionate evangelist. He was known to break chair on the pulpit. Now that was back before they had amplification and I said Billy did love that to keep your attention any a lot of people didn't like his preaching and sometimes they would say better you.

You stroke deferring the cat the wrong way. Billy Sunday said had to hail the turnaround go right well be stroking it the right way. Well, there's some truth to that in our Lord says they're going to insult you, persecute you say all kinds of evil against you, and here's the last word I want to bring out for Matthew 511. Falsely he should still be false, but also it is going to be false, but use it.

I don't get other people to agree with them to go in there with them and do that telling lies, attempting to deceive others and put them against you, and I don't offset these things to me times, but we've had so much of that here. Grace, like church. The old rumor that to join our church. You have to bring in your tax forms your W-2s so we can see how much money you make to make shootout.

Okay, here's the test will sell this forever. Every one of you that was required to bring in your tax forms joint grace like church. Would you please stand up. Put that to rest. Okay then the time that Pam and I had the range.

Bless her heart.

The woman had severe severe emotional problems. She showed up in my yard at 3 o'clock in the morning. She had a baby in her arms.

She was screaming she be bitten by a rattlesnake. It's a long, long story we call the police.

She ends up at the hospital. I was worried about her. The next morning I go down to the hospital just to check on the lady to see if I might witness to, or be some help to her apartment and get within 20 foot if you just pacing the floor she's in such an terrible condition and I stayed there maybe three minutes and just left and somebody at the hospital started the rumor that I brought my wife in and had beat her up. And if you saw this dear lady she looked like she'd been beat up she cheap is literally sleeping in the woods. Is this a terrible and heartbreaking situation, but that went on forever. I heard over and over. We know for a fact we saw him in the emergency room he had to bring his wife enough if you ever hear the story that Pam beat Jeff up there may be something to that, but I promise you on the stack of Bibles I've never touched that lady in that way she's not to touch, but I don't touch her in that way right well and on and on and on we could go so thus the standard is higher.

So for those pastors out there and you haven't you're not in your 40th year of ministry like I am in the and there's pastors out there right now who hearing my voice or will hear my voice alone Internet sometime who hearing me say this, and here's what they're thinking will it ever end the team seal. That's what they think and what you been there.

Will it ever a will they ever quit attacking I deal with one thing after another mate with the hard thing is, is when I take something that you're not perfect that certain lot, not a disqualifying scene but they spin it into a monster to make you look as bad as they can and you just you fight and you fight you humble yourself. You try to deal with it. Here's what I want to tell all of you pastors out there and you're in that phase. I call your you're going up the bell curve, you're not of the top just keep being faithful keep preaching the word.

Keep preaching the word.

Keep standing and when you blow or mess up.

Confess it and go on.

And God will finally give you church with a just about all of you and I don't do that stuff anymore. Now if our elders are an elder needs to be dealt with.

What well-built that just a moment.

By the way, went through the text.

All right, but I want to say a lot about that because that's a big part of it and the exception to this problem would be when a church become spiritually mature. This kind of stuff practically disappears because if there is a problem. It's not it's not swept under the carpet. It's dealt with, but it's that with proper lien is not a big issue a gossiping division in the church, so we should be diligent to guard the reputation of all fellow believers cannot say that again of all fellow believers understand if you got a brother sister there in the factory there in the officer during a place in town working a lot of people in their work environment don't love God, they're probably going to start some rumor about them. Someway somehow when it comes to you. You made the place the rumor stops I'm going to defend and protect the reputation of my brothers and sisters in Christ, we really needed that revenue didn't do that in today's world.

When so much is against us. Let me just read Roland Daniel Roland's quote is a Baptist pastor hundred 50, 200 years ago, again and again noble reputations have been ruined by slander and the injustice and wickedness of the charges have been demonstrated when it was too late to repair the wrong men of lofty integrity and of stainless purity have lived under a cloud for years because of some disgraceful slander greedily called and propagated. The city was it his experience to see good men of God have to linger under a cloud of suspicion that because of lies, slander and falsehoods told about him. So Paul tells Timothy was a higher standard. Protect the reputation of the man of God II now we come to the other side of the coin were going to be bold to rebuke any continuation in CN among an elder. He says in verse 20. Those who continue in sin, rebuke, in the presence of all that.

The rest also will be fearful of sinning the phrase those who continue in sin as a present active expression means its continuing action. So the idea here here's someone here's one brother who is given to sin. He's embracing sin now again we spoke about this on Sunday not quite some length. But the Bible says love covers a multitude of sins and for lack of a better way to say the average garden-variety sin is to be overlooked and to say God takes care of those things. And in Galatians Galatians chapter 6, verse one.

The Bible speaks of a man who is overtaken in a fault or overtaken in a transgression were to restore him in a spirit of gentleness. The Bible said so that's always true.

But that's not what's happening here. Here's the case of an elder of all people who said his embrace to sin. He keeps walking in it and holding onto it as if it's not a big deal and finally he has to be dealt with. Perhaps this is a case where the elder has been approached by one or two other elders and they been working on it, but he's not willing to deal with it all.

It's not gray matter. It's not a a subjective odd thing, it is clearly an open and willful embracing of CNN at this point your to be old to rebuke him for that sin. So if the efforts of private confrontation.

Do not humble him. He remains unrepentant, then a he's to be rebuked publicly publicly. He says rebuke in the presence of all our course. That's when there is a clear case when this is not promiscuous gossip now. Some things can come out even more quickly when there's public scandal, and everyone knows it already.

Those type of things would you just come more quickly to the church. For example, in Titus 310 reject the factious Man after first and second warning. The idea there. That's so public and so damaging somebody's forming a a faction in the church against the rest of the elders must be dealt with quickly.

The Bible says so that might be one that comes out even more quickly than what Paul telling Timothy here in Galatians 211 when Cephas came to Antioch I posted to his face because he stood condemned. We have Peter the apostle Peter, refusing to eat with the Gentile believers is racism. That's what we would call it racism in the church and so he stood can adjust and there was no excuse for everybody could see it wasn't something that could've been handled privately because always we handled these things privately, if at all possible. I meet folks to be brought publicly grace life church means you refused a thousand times.

The little tablet privately to get a man there, but we do do that when we have to. But in this case Peter was doing this, obviously, outwardly and openly about his not being willing to fellowship with Gentile believers.

He was saying we are of the elitist group, you might today collect GU privilege were the privileged ones where the elite and we don't mingle with you except in this case, instead of them being called the elite. They called themselves the elite we Jewish Christians are of a higher grade than you Gentile Christian and Peter went along with the rank hypocrisy.

The sinful people of that and wouldn't eat the Gentile believers. Peter honored cultural distinctions as greater than spiritual unities you listen to me in the church of Jesus Christ. There is no races there is no ethnic background.

There is no thing that makes one different than the other. The grandest level at the cross of Jesus Christ and the doughnut will all this going on in our culture� Been examining my own self and I don't know that I know everything about myself and you don't know everything about yourself, but I thought about the brothers and sisters on those who have darker skin than the brothers and sisters. I know you have lighter skin.

I continue sounding conviction that I love my brothers and sisters with darker skin, more than I love nonbelievers with lighter skin is just way I am. That's I love Christ he's changed me. You give me a love for my brothers and sister just it's been settled for me by the way will never get our culture called up Peerless we get them all converted.

That's a good thing.

Try to do by the way but anyway Peter's doing this he began to backslide for a moment and begin to view cultural distinction as greater than spiritual unity.

You see Christianity by the power of the gospel has obliterated all cultural divisions. Among true regenerate Christians all cultural distinctions become insignificant.

Anything less will not be tolerated. So Peter stood condemned. Paul said in Galatians 211.

So, he was publicly condemned right away. Not bringing that out because Paul's instruction to Timothy as if they continue in sin, bring it publicly, but occasionally and have often occasionally something so severe they are to be brought publicly right away. Like in the case of factious this are something as scandalous and wrong as discriminating in the church based on heritage or background, which is what Peter did. By the way in all of this problem between cultures or racism or whatever it is, brothers and sisters. There's gotta be a place for forgiveness.

Gotta be a place for redemption because of all records. Peter got right back up. Serve the Lord didn't do the joke anymore. Can we forgive someone unknown to serve God again in the church. What I don't want never seen anything like that it grace level.

I will make that 40 storm years ago there was one man he's been deceased a long time and he was told. Your view is not welcome here. You might get over it, or go on and it was taken care of.

That's been literally almost 40 years ago and don't try to figure out who it is but four of you might four of you might be a figure who it was but the been gone long time to trust you. This pastor will never tolerate such a notion if our gospel is not powerful enough to allow us to love each other regardless of our background and is not the real gospel is not the real gospel here something else brothers and sisters. You cannot take the truths that you and I enjoy and make them work in an unregenerate world. We want to be salt and light. That's why the church is so special because we have something the world can't do I can't live this out like we can. They don't have the power of God will publicly say that this guy continues and see in this elder he's to be brought publicly. This is so that the verse 20 so that the rest may be fearful of sinning sure about what is my watch right. The point is, it's good for the church members to see somebody publicly disciplined ever now and then to remind all of us. We might struggle with sin we not fall into sin.

But we better not embrace it and where and walk in it that's different, and I will send you brothers and sister started with Jeff knob and going through all of us. If you're humbled in your finding work for you. Our compassion is for you. Our love is for you will work with you if you bow your neck to God's truth the matter. I'm going to be this way.

That's a whole different story.

That's to be rebuked publicly. Well then he says in verse 21. Also Timothy without partiality. The rest of my points are our smaller quicker.

Let's say verse 21 assortments on the charge in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and his chosen angels.

He brings a lot of witnesses there to make sure Timothy. This is important. Don't show any kind of discrimination or partiality in any of this to maintain these principles (verse 21 without bias, doing nothing in the spirit of partiality. We are all equal before God. Paul proved he had no partiality when he rebuked Peter Peter who was functioning within the spirit of partiality. We are not to do this, we are by the way were not out to prove how strict we can be. How many things we can rebuke and when dealing with someone, a person's track record does matter.

By the way somebody whose honor God and live for God and then something comes up will probably show more grace because we know that have have had a strong and faithful witness for Christ.

Some examples of partiality in the Bible that's condemned. James had to condemn them in the church because some of them seem to favor the rich folk over the poor folks who came into the church member put James a pretty scathing rebuke to the church when they were doing that kind of thing. Another example as we talked about is the Jew and Gentile issue that went on a lot.

By the way, had to be dealt with on several levels.

The church dealt with it. Then of course Jesus rebuking the Jewish religious authorities is not being elitist and being sinners like all the rest of us in our many others, but those are three prominent illustrations of partiality in the Bible that are not allowable should never be allowed in God's church art. III pastoral ministry to pastors were to be cautious in ordination.

Verse 22 cautious in ordination do not lay hands upon anyone to hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others keep yourself free from sin is writing to Timothy nieces Timothy when when your door dating a man to the gospel ministry to the office of elder Uribe slow about that you to be careful about that because if you're not careful. If you don't need to jump diligence was too aspects. Here, the left always be aware of.

Has this man shown a clear biblical call to the gospel ministry.

Secondly has this man exhibited the character qualities necessary to going to gospel ministry. The slow Paul tells Timothy about doing that. If not, you'll share in the sins of their ministry. They will later perform.

There's been a great failure in the part of local churches. For many, many decades that I'm aware of in this very area and the consequence is great.

There's been great damage done to the cause of Christ in great damage done to the health of local churches by men who were not ever really called or qualified to be in those role. Somehow, as denominations go along.

There begins to be something of a machine arson system developed and men learn how to be good in that system versus called of God to preach the word. I did not.

It was raised in church.

I didn't know anything about Southern Baptist stuff when I was 16, 17, 18 is converted right at the right. In February I turned 19 in February February 2 19 well what they tell us 78. Anyway unconverted age 18 right 19 and I go to Baptist Church because I hear the Bible preach there and I'm drawn to that and I had some people come into my life who are very prominent people in the southern Baptist convention and they told me this, obviously not. They told me you got it made you going to get you go to big churches. You do big things if you just go along with what were tenured along with and I look, I don't think these men were evil. I don't think they were up to anything that's just what I was told.

And then I went to Mid-America Baptist theological seminary, Memphis, Tennessee, which at that time was still not technically it was a part of the southern babes convention because assembly was started so that have a faculty were every professor believed all the Bible all the way through. They believe in the narrative, Scripture, and at that time. None of our the schools could say that and when I went to that's you cut off your chances to be in the right places, and quite honestly to make lots of money.

What I'm saying is, the system is such that good man and I believe men who love God imaginal got to get started in the flow of the system I had and I'm so glad that I was ignorant because I don't know that I would've had the spiritual conviction to stood against the divide know what outstanding I'm so glad God did let me go with the system. My point is in that system. A lot of men get ordained and set aside for gospel ministry because they fit the system, not because they fit God's qualification because I can make the system go back and make the machine work, not because they fit with the Scripture says, let me clarify this and balance this out. There are some great and godly men in southern Baptist life and I thank God for. I do think the machine is broken beyond repair but I think God for the good men, and the good people who love God and southern Baptist work well he tells Timothy.

Keep yourself free from sin here. I think primarily he's talking about when you ordained this man, he goes out and he makes a mess of the default in the sea, and he's not able to pass the long-term it hurts the church her skull to Christ you send with him the grace letter to the shows. Let that be mindful to you as we decide who were going to bring before you to pray over them, ordaining them to gospel ministry. We need to take this very shift were to be very careful, cautious about ordination. What Roman for be wise in measuring sanctification.

Be wise in measuring syndications is verse 23 a very unique thing, but in the flow of all Paul is saying here. It makes good sense for 23 Timothy no longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. First of all, nieces, Timothy. Be careful about how your defining your own sanctification. Timothy was a most dedicated young minister. I mean he he wanted.every he wanted to cross every T he wanted to be pure and honorable before the Lord, and this included him saying I will never touch a drop of alcohol. If there's a tiny tiny possibility up a bit of alcohol could intoxicate me and I'm not going to touch it meant fact that was the Nazirite by all of the Old Testament to really be set apart dedicated to God had with the calling Nazirite file and one of the convictions of the Nazirite bow was absolute abstinence from all intoxicating beverages. Then of course the elders of the church. First Timothy 23 are not to be addicted to wine. The point is you not to use wine as a social beverage or not to enjoy its intoxicating nature don't have time to go to all of it. But in this day the water was often impure. It wasn't healthy just to drink water but the fermentation of alcohol in the wind help to kill the bacteria.

It was a safer thing to do. So here's Timothy Timothy St. Timothy you need to be balanced on this. You're thinking it's godly to abstain from all alcohol 100% but you've got a medical condition. Timothy you got a need that you need to be a little more balanced in your view of taking this wine because of your medical condition. We do know from the balance of teaching in the New Testament on Timothy that Timothy was a young man prone to anxiety is a man prone to stress and probably melancholy they would call it maybe would say depression today and even more than the average person.

So you had that kind of physical and emotional composition to the fact that his job was one of the great and awesome responsibility with irksome detail.

So now he has stomach problems you got stomach problem you don't have stomach problems Nexium Tagamet Zantac toms whatever it is. This river is very common. So he says, Timothy go down to the drugstore and Bassam Zantac.

That's a defect would St. take a little wine your your commitment to be holy and sanctified is a good one, but you're out of balance on you going to you not will be effective for God.

If you let the stomach problem get worse and worse and worse. So the point is, be careful when you start defining what exactly it means to be holy and sanctified some balancing truths that matter in some of these areas. This was a good practical specific one for Timothy.

Couple things I want you to understand this of course was medicinal in nature. For Timothy, this is not a biblical permission to use wine as a social beverage.

Sorry, but some more concerts and more. That's not what this is. Secondly, and there's also men who've gone all over the world and back to say that this had to be wine that had no alcohol that had no alcohol. It wouldn't fix this problem.

It was alcoholic. One was not a permission to use it as a social beverage and it is not a nonalcoholic one is being referred to. Point is, don't become so out of balance in your personal pursuit of holiness that your emotional and physical well-being is jeopardized is very important we fulfill God's will and God's calling in your life and for that in this case you need a little help with your stomach like a little wine notice a little one for your stomach will be careful in your cautious in your ordination. Be wise in your measurements and creation of yourself and for others. Others, not much will dimension this decision is in verse 24 for the sins of some men are quite evident going before then the judgment for others their sins follow after it naturally sometimes God. It is probably just splashes a man's woman's sins before everybody sometimes to live their whole life and nobody ever knows it will be extended exposed at the judgment, it will be exposed to.

Just be sure your sin will find you out. Aren't you glad for grace. Aren't you glad and by the way, I'm not suggesting that sins that you struggle with that are mostly private, are to be splashed in front of anybody I don't want to know you go to God in repentance with him do that between you and him.

Sometimes in God's providence. David sin with Bathsheba and splashed before that is recorded in Scripture forever.

Other men have committed adultery and take it to their grave there being nothing hidden that will not be exposed.

The Bible says. I think the context what is telling Timothy's Timothy as you deal with men as you correct and reproving publicly rebuked me and you can only deal with what's been exposed God's province will expose what you're supposed to do with this obviously can't do that we don't know. Verse 25.

Same basic thing like was also dates that are good are quite evident and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed. That means in the ultimate sense one day everything will be exposed.

So let me conclude this thought attained me in for just a couple more minutes not.

It is these two verses tell Timothy that you can only be responsible Timothy in the church for those things that are manifest will think you can see. Secondly, this is a warning to all of us that nobody is going get by with sin in this life or in the next are in both the be exposed. But here's what came to my mind so strongly meditating on this.

There's hope. Only in Christ there's hope.

Only in Christ because notice how much sin is mentioned in this text of Scripture in verse 19 he says the be sinful people bringing sinful accusations against pastors in verse 20 he said they'll be sinful pastors who continue in sin that need to be publicly rebuked before all in the last part of verse 20 he says sinful church members ought to be warned that since elders can review before all, they too can be held accountable for their sin. Then he says, Timothy. Be careful there's a temptation to sin and ordaining an unfit man for the office of ministry in the church.

Then in verse 22 Timothy take a lot for your summons Timothy, you're falling into asceticism you're getting into the fleshly sandbox being so strict with this wine thing and you need a little medical needs of your body.

Then lastly says in verse 23, 24, all sins will one day be revealed. Here's what I must figure.

See it everywhere. CMC and CMC NCN are all sinners and welding Savior.

Romans 323 and 24 looking on your screen for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. God made everyone of you is the height of his creation. He made you to bear his image and different reflect his unique dignity, holiness and character to the rest of the universe and every one of us fall short when he made us to be of aren't you better verse 24, but being justified as a gift. Your justification standing just before God is a gift God can give you why. By grace unmerited favor, God chose God chosen, and in inauthentic aspect of his holy nature. He has this capacity to sinners and say I'm choosing to show them some favor. They don't deserve that rights justified as a gift by his grace, God said I'm a just God, I can't just say that I can actually have a vicarious atonement for you, so Juan has to take the blast of your retribution that you deserve the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Jesus died on the cross and took the blow in our place redeeming us from sin's power and sins consequence, including eternal loss of hail. So is Paul's writing to Timothy every verse CMC NCN sent to patients in today sin sin sin by God for Jesus Christ. Thank God for our Savior. Thank God for our redemption. Thank God for grace. Thank God for the gift of God through Jesus Christ. My charge to you this morning. Use do you know him. Have you come to him throwing throwing all your hope and everything else aside, don't put any hope in walking to the front of this church don't put any help in retaining a prayer after pastor don't put any hope in going to those baptismal waters. You are in Christ and Christ alone on your deathbed screaming at you rights as I got news for you. I can't baptize you in the ICU unit, but Christ can save you can't limit him to anything he's always available. He's right there in the pew next to you. You can come to him if I gave you some hoop to jump though, you'd analyze the hooping to you. I didn't jump the just right Jesus and salvation. They are not who is a person serve a risen Savior. He's in the world today.

I know that he is living whatever men may say, see his hand of mercy I here's more secure and just the time. I need him is always near. Would you turn to Christ. Now by faith from your heart is still Christ I trust you not works, not an ordinance in the church not doing better. I cast all my hope and all that aside I come. Bankrupt as a sinner. Christ safe me. Listen to me listen to me so shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, if you look to him, he will in no wise cast you out. People say