Blaze a Trail

Were talking about beautifying the bride is we look at Paul's writings to his understudy Timothy.

You might split hairs and site. Technically, Timothy was not the pastor of the church here at Ephesus, but at least he's acting in the role of pastor until pastors are permanently established and when Paul comes to visit. He immediately becomes the associate pastor because Paul would be functioning always an apostle as the senior pastor when he shows up we get such great wisdom for how God has ordained the local church to be his bride in the world, not just you, you do rent represent the Lord, and you do beautify the Lord in the earth by your personal life. For the Lord by your marriage life by your home but nothing compares with the church corporate the local churches are God's primary means. Listen now to achieve his purpose is and bring himself glory both for time and for eternity. So when we honor the Lord both in doctrine and in practice as a local church. Then we show forth his wisdom, his power, his creativity, his beauty to the world and so were learning more about how to do that from first Timothy is Paul's writing this as Paul is journeying other places helping other church plants. He writes to Timothy, and sister Timothy. Here's what you do as you're overseeing the local church. So we begin the day. First Timothy chapter 4 beginning in verse 11 and going to verse 16 he says prescribe and teach these things. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourselves an example of those who believe until I come give attention to the public reading of Scripture to expectation. In the teaching do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the Presbytery. Take pains with these things be absorbed in them so that your progress will be evident to all.

Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching, persevering these things for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you what's a young pastor today. That's exactly what Paul is saying to Timothy here is not telling the him everything a young pastor does but is giving something of an overview in outline form of these are things Timothy I want you to continue to be about as a pastor. Now if you're not a young pastor folks listen to us various places, this is it just for young pastor. This is for all pastors for the worst things I know is all pastors who haven't learned anything there still functioning like they're just starting out and waiting for the next new thing to come around, or if you're not a pastor at all. There's great wisdom here for you. You need to understand what God would say to a pastor at first, and also there are applications for your own life as we look at this together. So I under what so young pastor do her spouse is continually called the church to spiritual values is a continuity and this is what he means in verse 11 when he says prescribe these things.

It means to keep on commanding these things to keep on Timothy teaching these things well what things is he talking about. Actually this verse, verse 11 applies to the preceding verses.

So what's Paul been talking about will, among other things, he's talked about making sure your teaching the church.

The difference between sound doctrine and false doctrine.

The difference between true teaching and false teaching. As you remember, Paul has already been exhorting Timothy about find and uproot the false teaching that's crept into the church there at Ephesus as a pastor prescribed is that is keep on doing that they'll never be a time when a faithful preaching pastor can say okay were done I don't have to ever worry about false teaching creeping in my congregation know you gotta keep on doing it now. In addition to that in verse eight above. He talked about bodily discipline is of little profit but godliness is profitable for all things so he saying continually called the church to the spiritual values of godly disciplines that other disciplines that the disciplines you have to have in the world and your workaday what life or whatever it may be.

Those are not evil but make sure you put first things first seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you is a Timothy you just keep doing that, keep teaching them that spiritual disciplines are of highest value bodily disciplines exercise programs. Those are good. I try to do those myself, but there are of lesser value than godly discipline.

Studying your Bible having your quiet time being faithful in your small group listening to the word preached with attentiveness and a humble repentance. Those are all spiritual disciplines and many other there on the highest value. Bodily discipline has some profit for now all spiritual disciplines have more profit now and last forever is what he says, Timothy.

Here's what's wrong with folks while they're still down here on this earth. They don't belong to God, but there still packaged in this unredeemed humanity was a new man in you at the new birth, but the old man is still there and every week as you live your life in your home in your neighborhood in the office at work young people in school. Problem is you leak you leak guy somebody punches a hole in a ballooning layer starts coming out you member the seal illustration of web may not be that silly, but that I had a revival meeting I call people to come down to the front. Seek the Lord and a man came down the flock front needed every time I had a meeting, Lord, fill me Lord, fill me Lloyd's cried out into the steps. There Lord filmy and finally after this went on for years.

He just kept doing it one little lady jumped up in the church said, Lord, don't do it. He leak's will you do to and audiotapes of the pastor part of what happens on Sunday, as there's a spiritual voltage so to your system and to my and we need that reminder we need that revitalization we make that thing.

This is wow that was a little uncomfortable, but thank you Lord, I needed that I need to get myself back to valuing spiritual things over just secular thing to get a man right there, isn't that true of you and isn't that true of me, my goodness. Why would you ever attend a church where there wasn't some rattling of your cage.

Occasionally on Sunday morning when there wasn't some stirring of conviction, we would say Lord I been thinking wrong there. That may not be an evil thing, but I've had it way up here on a scale of 1 to 10 is a nine and that's only a three help me to get what you call a nine back up at nine my little city permit worldly earthly concerns.

They can just come for a way. Well, Timothy continually called the church to spiritual values. He elaborates a little further on this point. In verse 11, and says teach these things again.

It's a present tense verse, it means keep on teaching this because look, I spiritual man does not mind the continual reminder.

Matter fact he's looking for the spiritual man wants to be challenged by the word of God. He wants somebody to help him with his own lazy rebellious flesh nature. He still has to want somebody to urge about income Simon and if he gets backslidden was to get away from it.

He can't stay out there with all these gotta get back into pastor preach again. I need the spiritual matters.

I know it's for my good and I'm never happier when you help me get realigned back to spiritual bag's seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things you'll the context of Matthew 633 I'm quoting its earthly things.

Sure your to work hard. Sure your ductwork for your employer not working to the Lord sure your to try to get have course do that all of our young men become millionaires but not the cost of forgetting what comes first. Only in balance with what comes first. Well what's pastor new Timothy is going always be the case continually call your people to spiritual values. We all leak need to get refueled, refilled on Sunday morning. It helps some of you come back on Sunday night. Some of you leak out by about three in the afternoon I know who you are and I love you.

Some of you need more preaching than your get a man you need more preaching than you're getting your flash needs more preaching than you getting what happens when a wife two weeks on a more preaching, that I'm getting some time. II Timothy secondly you going to have to learn how to deal with content you go to be a pastor preach the word of God. Timothy, you're going to have to learn how to deal with content.

He said since is it this way to Timothy. Let no one look down on your youthfulness so Timothy we know from the other text in the New Testament pertaining to him that Timothy was likely a naturally meek person. He had some natural tendencies that would maybe be a detriment to his strong leadership that you need to have as a pastor.

We brought these out at the beginning but you remember Timothy's personality really counterfeit and associate pastor role.

Maybe that a senior pastor role. We know from other text of Scripture. He was probably quite sickly from time to time. We know the apostle Paul was to so we had some physical things. It knocked him back some you might say Timothy on average had a weaker Constitution. By the way, God glories and calling weak men did a great thing. So the next time you see a man think I don't know that he's got what it takes to be a pastor. Be careful, Moses said, Lord, speech, and had about lately's table and God said God I like guys who are weak. That way the power and the glory is mine and not you.

And on top of these other things. Timothy was young, I mean, you do understand.

Paul did not have the looks three of having a surplus of decades long proven pastors help him oversee all these churches and take what he can get Timothy's will.

If you had that was faithful so we had to use a young man in put him in charge of the church at Ephesus, but Timothy did have this Timothy did have that he was discipled by the esteemed apostle Paul. Paul was older and wiser, and so the church should recognize that he might be, but we don't need to look at him with content because he was trained right Philemon chapter 1 verse nine it for love's sake, I rather appeal to you since I'm such a person as Paul, the a shushed we might say, this ain't my first rodeo deposit.

I've been down some tracks out how dealt with difficult people I've dealt with difficult issues. I've endured suffering and trials in ministry.

Timothy been trained by somebody who knew what he was talking about and secondly not only had been betrayed by Paul. He still accountable to Paul.

He still under the oversight. That's what first Timothy as Paul check in on him and guiding him and giving him oversight. That's exactly what we do and anchored in transmissions we have church plants all over. We continue to mentor to guide oversee the dictatorial fashion. I'm not an apostle but in a loving, caring, helpful fashion, and that's what Timothy had with Paul in the church should recognize that he might be young but he's accountable to an older and godly man.

He's worth following and then thirdly, he says here in verse 12 Timothy let your personal conduct speak up for you. He says, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourselves an example of those who believe in other words, by watching your life over time. Yes you blunder your young your imperfect but validly say you know what he's genuine. He's real is trying to do the right things and we will follow this Timothy just hang in there. Now let's go back to the first phrase of verse 12. Let no one look down on your youthfulness so Timothy you were trained by Paul King any better than that though you're still under the mentoring and oversight of Paul really getting any better than that though you have a good pattern of behavior for the before the people.

Yet, Satan will still have the car rose and the sand ballot's who will rise up to challenge God's pastor always been that way.

Record Old Testament car rose up against Moses Corson hello my dear leader why are you calling all the shots.

Why do you have the authority for the rest of us are holy to rest of us can hear from God to know I'm doing a Jeff knob and amplification now and this is of Moses said you boys better be careful. I didn't sign up for this job. I was just keeping sheep and God told me to do this to your problems. Not me, it's God, and lists few series of events happening. God split the earth open and swallowed up Cora and all those who supported them and purge the church took a route that in the fires of hell sand ballot and Tobiah rising up against Nehemiah bill rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, but I did want Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and so on one occasion, they sent a messenger to send oxen to the Amat and said look we just need to talk about something Patrick.

We just made.

I'm concerned about some things. You know what Nehemiah said he knew what they were up to. He said I'm doing a great work and I cannot come down here Jeff knob at amplified translation. I don't have time.

I don't have time to fool with you guys cannot just say to you with joy in my heart. It's been a long time since I've seen a Cora spirit are sand ballot and Tobiah Grace lecture you know why they never make it to me are me and I was mean our elders are men lovingly look at them and say we don't do that here. If there's a scriptural failure or moral issue.

Tell us will get it fixed but we don't start movements to divide the church. Here's one thing no matter all that Timothy had for him.

There's going always be some of the Cora spirit some of the sand balance and Tobiah is around try to undermine things it in in my admonition are based on these truths, here's what I tell a young pastor be kind, be respectful to the older men, but if there still honorary and difficult and there's no real biblical violation be swayed, but look him in the eye and say it's biblical. This is what were doing. You can even get on board are going somewhere. That's how you don't let them look down on your youthfulness and also nothing will be shown but discuss impact Paul that's basically what Paul saying you saying what Paul told the Corinthians of first printed chapter 16 when he said I want you men to act like men quit acting like a bunch of junior high drama schoolgirls find out what God says build your ministry, on the word of God and have some backbone to stand on it pulses Timothy let them look better on your youthfulness there some old mall specs out there and what they're about is power and control are not about the good of the church and the glory of God you want stand up to them from time to time. III what's a pastor to do. He must hold to the priority of preaching the word you say pastor. We bring this up all the time. The Bible brings it up all the time. The Bible keeps bringing up versus 13 through 15 and then versus 13 through 15.

Here's what Paul says, until I come give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. That's a descriptive of public preaching not neglect the spirit to get within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the Presbytery.

Take pains with these things be absorbed in them. So your progress may be evident to all. Now for parts to this preaching of the word that I will talk about all right, well note note 3 main parts for parts to the first point is the first main point. First, he emphasizes to Timothy the pattern for preaching. Here's the pattern for preaching Jesus first about getting attention to reading the Scriptures. By the way, the word public reading the word Publix not in the original Greek it's it's it's added by the translators for understanding what I don't think that's wrong. I think there's a reason why God didn't put public before reading this because it includes public reading of the Scripture, but it also includes Timothy's personal study in the word of God. Both of those can be involved.

If you leave the word public out so it was the common practice of the Jewish synagogue of the day for men to stand up and read the Scripture and then give an expectation so that practice came over to the New Testament church.

By the way a lot of things God brought out of the old economy into the new. But, of course, under the doctrine the brakes but the first thing is Timothy keep getting attention.

The present tense emphasis against the continual discipline in your life. Keep studying and then on Sunday, stand up and read the Bible that was really important to read the Scriptures because the people didn't have a copy. The only time they are. The Bible was when you stood up to read it from the scroll that you have in your church or in your synagogue read the word of God and in the third part exhortation. He says here reading given exultation.

The word agitation.

Here's the idea of appealing to the motion, charge them to change their thinking and change their behavior based on the word of God. The pastors today exultation charge them change your thinking, change your behavior based on the word of God and then lastly, as it is here to teaching. Teaching may have some more. The idea of a systematic explanation of the word of God as second Timothy 215 tells us to rightly divide are in the new American Standard accurately handling the word of God. Make sure your doctrine in your teaching is contextually, grammatically, culturally, historically and systematically accurate. Don't bring your ISA Jesus your personal interpretation to let the text speak for himself. That's the pattern of preaching to believe this is a priority. Follow this pattern study and read it before the people, exhort them and teach them the sound doctrine about the way it's really impossible to fully separate exultation in teaching when you teach sound doctrine. You exhort people to change their life to match it. When you exhort people to change their lives. It must be according to sound teaching the biblical.so those always go hand in hand. All right be not undersea.

Give them the pattern of preaching he get talks about the gift of preaching.

He says in verse 14 do not neglect the spiritual gift within you a couple thoughts here.

First of all all people receive a spiritual gift may, at conversion, God deposited into everyone in future conversion unique mixture gifts you have 32% exultation 45% service 25% leadership, whatever it may be. I sometimes think of that of it as a spiritual gift cocktail mix it up and he puts it in you the same Timothy Timothy you are given the spiritual gift mix that will make you a good pastor, which should remind us that we still hold to the fact that God gifts and God calls me into the ministry preaching is not just because they have a human capacity for you.

Don't neglect the spiritual gift within you now subjected believe there was likely a special anointing given to Timothy when I think of the word anointing of the Spirit. I think what's best to think about is a special touch for a special pass God just sometimes gives a man a special enabling for particular responsibility, as is Timothy.

I think you were given this special anointing if you will, may be like Paul received in acts 13 to the bodices and in the Antioch church. They were ministering to the Lord. Fasting, the Holy Spirit said, set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I called spirit just made it heaven. I got a unique role for part of Paul and Barnabas now he goes on here any says on in verse 14 do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prosthetic utterance now. I think a T Robertson this thing Greek scholar among Baptist anyway was right when he said it's best understand the phrase to mean as unaccompanied by prophetic utterance not bestowed a prophetic utterance to bet there's a big difference there.

I haven't ever witnessed anybody receiving a unique anointing because somebody prophesied it, but I think the ideas they prophesied it because the spirit made it clear God is getting you and calling you to this role so as to be accompanied not bestowed by profit ordinance. So these men of God have affirmed Timothy that God is gifted him. God has set him aside and then they themselves. The Bible says laid their hands on him and prayed for him. So Paul is trying to tell Timothy.

I know it's hard I know you discouraged. I know I do know like it's working for now, but keep on keeping on making a priority of the preaching of the word of God because God's giving you the gift people and recognize that your church laid their hands on you and pray for God to bless you in this don't throw that away.

Stay with the tax. First Timothy 118.

Paul told Timothy this command on trust you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, other people, and prophesied that you be faithful in this task by them. You may fight the good fight, so we saw the pattern for preaching, study, read, exhort, teach. He talked about the gift in Timothy's case, the unique gifting he had for his role now. Thirdly, just talk about the preeminence of preaching the preeminence of preaching.

We see this in verse 15. Let's remind ourselves that good preaching has an estimable value false preaching does an estimable damage of all the spiritual disciplines in the church as important as small group ministry is you can't work harder than we work at that whatever else we may do nothing rivals the spiritual discipline of preaching the word no lesson and the people receiving the preaching of the word that though some more. Everything else that's important depends on that ministry be a witness for Christ in the school in the neighborhood and your business in the office that must come out of all that God is doing in you under the preaching of them are everything depends on the preeminence. And that's why Paul says in verse 15 take pains with these things take pains with this practice. Timothy means to keep on putting this into practice.

And if he continues in verse 15 he says be absorbed in them.

The word absorbed again is another word added by the translator just not there literally means be in them and I has now they just immerse yourself in the this thing of preaching today, we might say Timothy me up to your ears and it started with it. Don't quit and he continues in verse 15 says if you don't do that no matter what they're saying they may have some content told you you're too young you're just emotional.

You don't have enough wisdom, it may be some truth. All that is what you got understand you got a young pastor.

He may be all those things. But God may have called him to preach to you.

Are you listening if God can use Baylon's donkey.

He can use a young preacher. Be careful, you may be accurate in saying he lacks some things that you may miss the will of God and not listening to a man honoring his office a pastoring and preaching. Take pains with this timid immerse yourself in it he says in verse 15 and your progress will be evident to all. They want polishing your Timothy. Over time, slowly, you will win the support of the elect, they will see you progressing and they will follow you, literally. This this word progress. Your progress will be made evident all the word progress means literally to blaze a trail blaze a trail I don't know but I got in my mind the picture of a group of tourist and their out in the Amazon jungle and there literally away from everything and there God got lost and so they're all lost in every direction. I love versus thick undergrowth. You can see 10 feet but the God to young and vigorous man and he just begins taking out a machete and just chopping and slicing and chopping and thorn vegetation of the went shopping and slapped me take some alone time, but he starts to get Luttrell started up and all the people into a group. When he first started slashing and shopping to no good.

Was he going comp was doing that I managed will take all day to get anywhere will all die, snuggle, work, you know what he just keeps chopping and slashing and chopping and slicing and cutting before long the look of it said what you know what he's going pretty trail there now.

At least it's going somewhere so slowly one by one. I think let's get behind him.

Let's go with. That's what a young pastor's got to the there will be times when a young pastor such as under such a microscope and an attitude of relation and questioning him to drain his emotions and God will leave him. Listen to me with just enough strength to get in the pulpit and preach the word and that's what is got that I don't catch the past what I do know tell me all the stuff is going on all the stuff that's it gets them all the difficulties.

Nothing would God call you to sit look thousand one. Things are good but they can go over the pulpit must stay strong in the elect of God will follow the preeminence of preaching. Now back to that first phrase in verse 14 do not neglect the spiritual gift in you, and there's a broader implication. Don't neglect this calling to preach. Don't neglect this this discipline of preaching the word to the people God's gifted you for God specially anointed you for your church is laid hands on you port it didn't matter if you're young and some people told you content in time and it will were doing. Never conversation like this in Scripture but I don't think Grace Lockyer to the shoals following me as a young pastor when many times you probably had some content for me and you are probably right. There were blunders there were failures there were things to be repented of their things to learn, but I might add some of you were pretty immature to but we just took out her machetes and Coding and coding and coding and finally we got a trail long enough that not just we are following up with folks around the world, to get in on the trail. Keep on keeping on. You don't know what God is going to happen just pastor gets in your three year seven year nine is it I don't think it's working. We just getting started in all of our church plant. I tell our young pastor very pastor I'm talking to her mentoring have a 20 year vision. Don't you quit after 20 years, don't quit all that you don't know what God's golden lastly Roman for what the pastor to do a young preacher to do is to be balanced and take care of his body be balanced, take care of his body. He says here in verse 16 plate pay close attention to yourself. Now, the scholars would say this may this includes live right, live morally, or immediately purity purely understand that, but he's already exhaustively said that what what up in verse 12 is Artie met with that at some length.

It was with specification so I don't think that's exactly what he saying here. I think he saying here Timothy as you get this great care to your spiritual ministry. I do take place and are absorbed in preaching the word and not letting them look down on your youthfulness Timothy are also have to be in balance and take care of yourself.

You're not going to be good for them. That's the is not about Timothy. It's about God being faithfully and effectively served in the pastoral ministry and it means you've got to look to yourself. We know that Timothy had some issues physically and even emotionally some weaknesses in first Timothy 523 Paul tells Timothy drink some wine for your stomach and ablate the phrases and your many ailments. Charles Haddon Spurgeon spent the last 15 or so years of his ministry pretty much on the French Riviera in a posh condo because he was some elite God want to be pampered know he was sick but today they would probably diagnosed them as being bipolar and with chronic arm depression. Much of that was the way to the ministry.

I don't be honest, I don't think Spurgeon learned that take care of and said we would meet a much better all Spurgeon had lived 20 more years and he had taken better care of himself and the journey is the one Spurgeon rates on the sermons get back with me on that.

He still a great edified all of us guys who try to be faithful in biblical ministry today so young pastor is got to learn that lesson. I remember sitting in a graduate school class in the class was on stress SDR yes it stress I'm telling you the truth I took the whole class. I made a a in the class. When I started the class.

I did know it, stress was when I entered the class. I did know it, stress was.

I was just young, full of zeal and energy and I thought the same for me. Then I got a little older and I had church members and got a little meaner and guys that I'm going let you learn what stress it's on and I had to begin to humble myself, 60, 70, maybe even 80 hour work weeks going keep going on without damaging your physical and emotional constitution. You just would not believe how hard I fight to get our churches.

We help to teach them in look, I understand you men go out and grounded every week on the work job and I know you guys have stress. I know it's difficult for you but there's one enormous different. If you come in the church on Sunday and your empty and your burnout and your discouraged the souls of the church and the people in church.

Don't depend on your preaching. You don't want the man in the church, discouraged burnout week you wanting full of fire figure, and passionate interchange. Lastly, not yet offset about anything. But I say look, I don't care if he flies to Disney World ever. We get that hips and get rid preach flying whatever because when God in the power of the spirit. You better take care the physical vessel.

I'll embarrass or been in. They weren't telling brother Jackie that dear man completely locked himself out of the ministry giving himself holy. I'll be honest, I will ticked off about that I could use Jackie Shelton today. I need men like that in my life Timothy be balanced.

You know you got these elements take some time to look after yourself.

Now I'm going to pick up on this next week I'll just mention it were done I close attention to yourself and your teaching. I believe the reason why is got in your teaching is. I've Artie told you how much energy your teaching is going to take Artie told you to pull yourself out of that ministry, but in balance. Take care of yourself to your teaching sponsor and he says persevere in these things. I look at this church. Last phrase persisting for as you do this you will will ensure salvation both for yourselves and those who hear you alone to list them to supplement your sake, I want to listen today you making it to heaven in the ordinance and the providence of God significantly depends on the faithfulness of your preaching pastor God's ordained thus, the one of the apostle Paul said, who sufficient for such things. Your eternal soul, making it home significantly dependent upon the faithfulness of your preaching pastor, so the most righteously selfish thing you can do is take care of your pastor. Did you hear that I can I say to you I think you guys given a there the stress of the difficulties I face are just almost always self-induced on my own worst enemy.

You don't dump stuff on me know some of you tried 25 years, but you don't dump stuff on me. You try to leave me free to be the preaching pastor God called me to be but by doing so he's not writing to the church.

He says to Timothy, Timothy, if you stay in balance stay effective for me persevere strongly in your preaching and teaching but also think about yourself as you need to. Then you will assure salvation for yourself. Those in your church. I'm going to break that down, describe what I think all that means. Lord willing.

Next time we're together. What's a young pastor to do here something see better day according to the word of God