Persevere in the Approved Pattern

Turned to second Timothy chapter 2 we are going to second Timothy verse by verse chapter by chapter unpacking these quiet practical instructions. The elder apostle Paul is writing to his disciple and pastor the church in Ephesus.

Timothy and we come to chapter 2 verses one through seven. All right, chapter 2, second to chapter 2 verses one through seven rating now you therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus the things which you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses.

These and trust the faithful man who will be able to teach others also suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also, if anyone competes as an athlete.

He does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what I say for the Lord will give you understanding and everything I've entitled this exposition persevere in the approved pattern persevere in the approved pattern.

I was driving home from the country about a week ago in my relatively new truck and I started to hear a noise counted beneath my feet kind of in front of my feet and it Seneca Hammer was hitting on the side of the engine block and I drove further and it got louder and then the truck begin to jerk a little bit and started losing power often known, will it live don't hold as I thought about it I thought you know I think that's the transmission, and I think I need to get it checked out. That's a good thought for us this morning because you know what vehicle transmission does it takes what's given to it and it passes it on further.

It takes the power of the engine and transform its back to the continuance of the drivetrain of the vehicle so the vehicle can go forward. Well, that's the central theme is not the only thing taught in this section the central thing taught in this section is the idea that all of us are transmission. We are take what's been given to us, hold it and treasure it. But passing on to others.

Every single one of us has an important role to play in taking what we've received of the faith and practice of Christian truth and passing it on to others. Although we call it passing it on to the next generation.

Now let's look at the outline this way I. He tells Timothy, I want you to persevere in this prescribed pattern, and you must rely on sustaining grace to do this first thing Tim think you're going to have to make sure you're looking to God's power. God strength from within you and the Holy Spirit and not relying to your own natural energies in verse one a sister, Timothy Hughes. Therefore, that we have stop right there because what he's doing you saying I'll do a contractor Timothy the things I've said so far in chapter 1, I want you to be a contrast to that and you hold onto the prescribed pattern because what he did. What did he lay out in chapter 1 he laid out things like by jelly us and Hermogenes were men who had abandoned him.

He says in chapter 1, all departed from me. He said I've experienced those I've seen those who didn't stay with the prescribed pattern of seeing them fall away, and Timothy don't you be like them.

They does have a positive in chapter 1 before we get chapter 2 on this for us. He talks about how old this for us literally put his own life on the line to support him and greet him in and minister to him while he was in the Roman prison. By the way, if you haven't been with us Paul's writing this from a prison sale and he knows he's going to be soon executed and in that context, he had people falling away from him no longer supporting him some block by jelly us and Hermogenes who are mentioned in chapter 1 were likely very prominent men who went only in their church ministries but arrogantly and wickedly undermine the apostle Paul's credibility and said Wilda will call this you know he's on the wrong track. Paul's teaching some of the wrong things and that's why he's come to this fate.

Being in prison and we're really doing things the right way. That's a tough thing to handle what Paul's writing think the sink in the back drop of all of that you Timothy you be different because in my son you therefore verse one my son supported Timothy of all of those that I have high expectations for Timothy. I have the highest expectations of you. You are a true son in the faith and first and foremost, I'm convinced the text is not saying he's just Paul's spiritual son in the faith of that's true. He said you're a true son of God.

I know you're the real thing.

I know your genuine Timothy. By the way they had been together 16 years at this point is a little note of application. Here's we think about Paul discipling Timothy in the work of the ministry by doing the work of the ministry together for the 16 years and that is if you're in discipling men and women then that's what small groups are for discipleship should be occurring within the overall structure of your's your local church. You must make sure your discipling one who is a true son. That's what he saying here. I can't tell you the number of me" disciple" who turned out to not remain faithful had I a real shortcoming in my discernment of what true conversion was and I discipled men who were going to maybe an awakening a religious experience, only to find out months and years down the road.

It wasn't the real thing. They fell away when he says, you therefore, my son is emphasizing history.

My son in the faith, but even more than that your true son of God likely to ideas here. The word son it can easily be translated child. So if it does show Paul's deep affection for Timothy but again it says your God's true son also that here's the exultation about him relying on sustaining grace if he's going to persevere in the process approved pattern.

He says be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. First of all, this is a command we made that command. By the way you if you live faithfully for Christ in the context here to be a good servant and minister in your own domain that is in the local church activities doing you gonna do that I need to keep looking to and holding to and relying on the grace God put in you and conversion. That's what he said.

I'm command you to do that, not only as to the commands in the present tense which means Timothy this never end you will have to keep striving to say Lord let me function according to the strength you give me I can't use my personal charisma and talents and when suddenness and giftedness.

We all have some of that in God does use that in the final analysis, that's not what makes an effective ministry. You have to have the spirit of God, empowering you and working through you. That's what Paul's getting it here. It's a command and it's to be a continual thing you're seeking. And also it supernaturally since the grace in Christ Jesus is what you must look to can't exactly explain that this is along the same lines of what he's been saying the Timothy in other ways earlier through chapter 1, for example, in verse six of chapter 1 he says Timothy Kimball afresh the gift of God which is in you. In verse seven of chapter 1 God's given you a spirit of power, love and discipline of the Lord Jesus, something God supernaturally has put in you Timothy which by the way, generally all Christian share. There is a unique gifting for the call to the ministry, but all of us have the spirit of God in us, and for God's children. So we have the same basic things in verse nine of chapter 1. He said you been granted grace. Verse 14 you been up entrusted with his treasure. The something placed in you that is supernatural didn't come from from the earth didn't come from your birthparents. It came in the new birth, so here again along the same line of exultation. He says do you hold up to the grace that is in Christ Jesus you must Timothy continue to work to hold to that grace burn that fuel was a young minister. You have to learn the difference in this quad process to learn when you're burning the fuel of the human ability. Your natural talents versus trusting the spirit of God to reach the hearts sustained the faithful through your preaching or teaching ministry. That's true for all of us is true for US character tried to instill the faith in your children it's extra small group leaders. It's his tribute brothers as is were talking about in the Philemon Fellowship you want to be up impact for Christ in the workplace is not just your abilities it but fact is not that it all. That's something brighter than that.

It's the treasure God put in you that old song I referred to this song a few weeks ago in my sermon the arm of flesh will fail you. You dare not trust your own good word for pastors. Good work word for elders in the church. It's a good work for word for small group leaders is a good word for any Christian who serious about having an impact on anyone else. Christ you see we leak out. Do not you can build a mountaintop of spiritual vitality. One day, just moments later be in the valley of despair and failure were the reasons for that is that teach us something about that is not us at him brothers and sisters, though we leak out.

Listen to me. We never run out to our supplies infinite. We serve a God who is rich in mercy, we have the very infinite Almighty God living in us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Timothy pauses to think that strengthened you to keep you going to, you can persevere in the prescribed pattern of what the local church ministry supposed to be a limit give you a real quick conclusion for practical application of this point. Sometimes I do this at the end but this is like a two and half hour sermon so I'm just on the one here and do some later okay I will keep you that long of a deceptive chop this thing off and pick it up later. First of all, if you feel you need God's power.

One minute you see some of you are really gifted some of your really talented. I mean, you've got personality oozing out your earlobe's you have sweet when suddenness and persuasiveness. You know how to look people in the eye care for them. If you're small but bitter Christian you can use those things to win a following or when a group of God hadn't done anything yet yeah make this opening God's doing it just didn't grow up rubbing, raising and calling to chart spending God's doing it. That's why I get back to my Thomas arm what's the prescribed pattern, the way God wants it done first so you can do you do you feel like look if you're talented and gifted to be able to lead me in our lead women are build something God will use them at the same time you got a sale. God help me that's not what really does the work. Are you with the church. Keep that balance. God didn't give you those things that you gotta walk in the reality God is it's you and me. That's why so often God calls weak men in the ministry, the people will learn not to look at him, but look at the God is working through him you feel you need it. Secondly, you sink it you see that power from God. That's in you to get this work done to make it effective for Christ. What I mean by that is you read your Bible, you you memorize and meditate on Scripture to cut try to keep the truth rich in your heart and mind your faithful to your small group in the set of the word of God you work toward God revitalize as he told Timothy earlier to kindle a French blow the hellos on the flaming keep it all. That's a command brothers and sisters.

You gotta keep working at it feel like going to church. I don't like my small group hellos flowing on the flame of the power of God in my heart that's God's prescribed means to keep me faithful God help the many brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are wanting to serve God and they go into a church and they get silly nonsense on Sunday morning and amusements and entertainments and cleverness, but they don't get the word of God. The flames not download on if you will blown on church is so important when you got until you need it and if you seek it you get it you get it you get it to me times contemplate preparing to preach on Sunday and I think Dall to do this again and literally 10 minutes into it.

I think this is the most wonderful thing in the whole world. This happens I realize I need something more than what I had going on so I did with smoke. Are you learning child of God you don't like to feel like it. And then God let you feel like it. You do what's right.

We live in a world a wicked, vile culture that says every man sees only God you've heard this expression lately.

Well according to my truth. According to my truth there is no my truth. You will have your truth God's truth. Truth is objective minutes outside of you truth that not arise within you. Truth is in God. Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life we discover truth outside of us will, according to my truth, man. Today I'm a woman tomorrow by sector that I am homesick to know all this file. Not all this he is looking God in the face and said, you will not be my God, I will be marked so that is. It's all it is not complicated. That's all it is now granted because we live in a world that is pushing this filth everywhere you watch the Olympics and they just glory and it you go to movie. Went to a movie and should have been a decent family movie and I would just glory and political correctness and all the other junk that's out there. So, yeah. Granted, there some maybe the younger people are who are innocently deceive the church. You must not be, you must not be.

The truth is found in God's word. The truth is outside of the truth is objective and we find it and we yield to it. We find great joy in a great strengthening great power and it will secondly enter outline if you're going to persevere in the approved pattern that the prescribed pattern you need to be transmitting the faith and practice to others, but that's the prescribed pattern.

If there's more to it than just that part. But that's up a key part that God saved you to bless you, yes, but to get it through you. He gave it to you to get it for you. We tells Timothy and in verse two things which you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses. These in trust, a faithful man who teach others also.

Your transmitting it forward like a transmission takes the energy from the motor and brings it on through to the drivetrain to take the truth God's given you, and give it to others when he says it this way, the things you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses willing to back up really say this I agree with the scholars very strongly that this means more than just teaching that you might find on the piece of paper. It means the way God designed the church to be structured and the function doctrine structure and function. I call it faith and practice. Okay, right doctrine, which creates the right structure which creates the right practice within the church.

These things are prescribed by God stay with them. Paul telling Timothy and then teach them to others. So little for cheesemaking when he says, Timothy you've heard me teach this in front of many witnesses would send Timothy, I talked it over and over and over how I teach the same basic thing in Corinth I teach in Rome. I teach in Jerusalem. I teach in Ephesus you seen it over the words, there is no question as to what is core our sound doctrine and what is core and sound structure and practice for the church is no question but we we we been doing over and over until you see you more than all the rest. Something one of the key points here Timothy there's no need to adapt God's truth and practice in church is no need to manipulate it to adjust it, just as I've taught the same basic doctrine my entire ministry. The same basic structures. The same basic practices over and over again you Timothy do the same thing and then teach it to other men who will keep teaching stay with the stuff he basically said this up in chapter 1 verse 13 when he said Timothy retain the standard of sound words. That means the faith in the practice faith or meaning that the body of doctrine, the faith in the practice you see me establish all the world the team if you hold to it. Then Timothy you teach some more men fell go even further with it always have to bring up G3 because it such a powerful reaffirmation beloved while making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity. Notice how you say that the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for definite article the faith, the doctrine which was once for all handed to the saints you now live in a day when Baptist and evangelical churches are not holding to the prescribed pattern is a lot of things we can do in a variety of ways but there some things that shouldn't change very fearful they were changing things that shouldn't change the Scriptures are so clear that we must not do that put put up the wheel for just a second.

As we refresh ourselves and this is over three decades old is what we is the structure from sound doctrine that we function by your grace, like church and there's just no reason for 30, 35 years to change it. Now you can say it better. You could use something other than a will and not saying that with the basic things the prescribed patterns to say there now so we remind ourselves that the standard never changes.

Because the standard must not change to meet the world. The world must change to meet the standard.

What it does not, are you listened your pastor this morning. It doesn't matter to me if the whole world screams in our face, along with many professing churches screaming in our face. You must change your teaching here. You must lighten up on this doctrine, you must don't care this truth can't change.

If it can change is not truth what he says is in pieces. Timothy these things you seven.

Teach them over and over these in trust that the next part of the phrase there in your text. These in trust, faithful man. The word in trust their means to lay before he can have the idea of deposit. It has the I do not Timothy. I literally see into your bone marrow you might feel like your pastor's try do that to you for years I've literally just match this into the marrow of the bone of your heart and soul. Now Timothy take it just wouldn't take it and deposit it in more men you watch it. Now you you oversee them like I'm overseeing you and then you help them get some other faithful man and teach them do the same thing transmitting you know multiplying it forward now I'm doing great here some Siletz backup from this minute. Let's talk about a broad application of a passing on the faith or transferring the faith and practice right so backing up and looking at that general truth, but Matthew 2018 to 20, all authorities been given to me in heaven and earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations that's for all of us. That's generally true for all in some fashion. You have your role in that commission. By the way, it's radically centered and starting local churches, baptizing them in the name the father-son Holy Spirit which makes them a part of a local church congregation. So generally, were all involved.

Let's talk for just a second about parents parents parents we must be intentional that we transmit to our children to our grandchildren to our great grandchildren the prescribed pattern, including the doctrines we teach and hold and no way to structure ourselves and function as God's church. You know on the wheel illustration. The one of the spokes is called home life discipleship.

Did you notice that the bottom, spoke what it means is you moms and dads had to take the Sunday sermon whole and not listen to me, not in a rigid formal fashion but as a lifestyle fashion, bring up the truths and discuss them in your home, and therefore in doing that you're having transferred transmit the faith forward to the next generation Holland discipleship Rupp in the bottom, spoke without question in my mind the.

The best text to give us guidance on how to do this is Deuteronomy 6439 as God was telling the men of Israel what to do to keep their children in the faith. Here's what God said hero is for the Lord our God. God is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind. Stop right there.

First of all, mom and dad. You must learn to treasure the doctrine to seal.

That's one of things that we don't know how to teach us have theses boards when they preach to transmit. I mean we can teach all the mechanics and that's got to be done. God has to get a hold of you guys to move on your part to either something in you mom. And there's something you'd says these things are more important than the meatloaf.

These things are more important than Johnny scholarship on your heart. New verse seven you shall teach them diligently to your sons used to talk about the only notice when you sit in your house when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up binding them on the four head central doorpost but that aspect of you just talk about these things when you sit when you rise up. When you sit down when you walk around. You go back to bed now not only a legalistic cup of cold sterile overlord on this but look at ways you can take the Sunday sermon home and just talk about when the pastor said this while I've struggled there and I've had to repent their bond. So plan I was told that this more talk about these things. That's home life discipleship benefactors.

Ben is been my experience that even well intended fathers who try to have real stroke. Formal training in the home usually leads to young people rebelling. I need just to see it in our lifestyles that is real to us. I think that's what Deuteronomy chapter 6, among other things points to whatever else.

Deuteronomy 6 says is telling us that Christian truth God's truth affects the totality of our lives in the most familiar will and familiar parts of our domestic life all have God's truth just reverberating in its is not to be switched on at church and switched off at home. I charge you, or you listen your pastor, I charge you to be a church integrated family that your family understands the center of our life is what God is calling us to be and do in our church. You won't regret it. If you do as your children grow up. Trust me take the pastor's message. Take the small group lesson and take it home with you and talk about some things not forcefully not legalistic leave, just to shoot sit in your house and as you walk by the way it is you lie down when you rise up. This will show the children some couple important things to show them that you're serious about Sunday morning worship service.

See children naturally think church is something you do seem check that often go do something else. But that's when you come home in on Tuesday thinking on that second point I've learned I need to do this but always be humble – let your children know you're listening you're repenting your applying what you heard that Mr. child no content goes there to learn how to please the Lord's powerful swing teaches them that you're getting something out of that sermon and that it's important to you that is real in your heart and your life well to not spend too much time there. So you're transferring it in your home life but also small groups in our local church that is not true here that that as you lead a small group as you participate in the small group we we start a slots is much Bible truth is we can out there, but also always be looking for that extra hungry lady or that extra hungry man in your small group are young person who just wants Lauren. You can pull them aside and they even met you have an accountability group, whatever you wanted to be so that you're helping to transfer this over now the third point here is that Tom will want to say something, but my time is too short. He says here Timothy things you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses. These in trust to faithful men, faithful men, unique kind of man and one since you can save men of super faith. What I mean by that is God's work on their hearts, and he's calling them to something more than just faithfulness as the average church member. These are men called in the ministry. I'm convinced that's really what the text to say is really what Paul intends him to find me in that come to you are raised up in your congregation that are caught in the ministry in Timothy you make sure they persevere in the prescribed pattern and then they can teach others also. This this verse.

This statement represents the first pastoral training Institute you thought about the know know it is God. God's intention has always been primarily to train men in the context of the local church. I mean notice. Paul doesn't write simply to say Timothy gets me businessman together and put get some money raised and buy some land find some good influential men who are are godly enough, but have the money in less formal Board of Directors. Let's build some brick-and-mortar buildings in some classrooms and will start this graduate school of theology seminary and will train men. I'm not suggesting that's wrong or evil. I'm just intrusive, suggesting it's not essential and is not enough. They need the equipping in the laboratory of God. The laboratory of the local church because after all we don't need a Board of Directors for school because we already have elders. It got smart. Everything in the early church that was probably brought it to the elders of Jerusalem and they they make judgments and cleared it up and fix the stuff and while we do have some classrooms that reported even essential, you might say more than that the territory had its classroom just the everyday workings of the local church. That's the class it's a both and thing you gotta leave off one leave off the formal school don't leave off the local church training list get both of which is what God's given us in our pastoral training Institute and then these men will be able to teach others also to persevere in the prescribed pattern to hold to the faith structures in the practice of what the church ought to be. Maybe we need to man. I've been talking about this to keep this in front of you, Lieut. to he was saying to them. The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore, the seafloor, the harvest to send out laborers into his heart. God give us the median were supposed to do what you told Timothy today were to take them aside and train them and equip them and teach them in the laboratory the church to carry on this work will that's the primary understanding of the text here that would be others applications for all of us rolling three Timothy positive you going to stay with the prescribed pattern, you gonna have to press the hardship as our guys go out to pasture churches and plant churches and some of them have been wonderfully successful in doing a wonderful job. Without exception there just like me they think they're going to go out there and pastor a true glory of God focus, Christ honoring bobble saturated local church. It is good, then I will have hardly any problems at all. That angle happened. That's why tell them constantly. You could have a 20 year vision that your thread you think you're going to go under your eight you think you're going to launder your 12 you'll think with this to get me this problem in the church. This will save me here whatever sometimes you don't believe Dr. Seale I believe a church in Louisiana because basically they said you got a compromise assent the doctor and he said I can't listen.

We are go. He said goodbye and then God let implant a true church that was God's plan all along. You don't know what God is going to do, but you you gotta continue.

Gotta bear through some hardship. That's part of. Let me get on with this. First of all we got understand hardship in the ministry to listen if you're a faithful minister is a part of the process. It's a part of the journey knows how Paul Borja verse three suffer hardship with me, Timothy. You know what I've gone through, you know where I am right now in this prison, facing execution, you know, it's just part of it but I like to bring point this out to tend to. Maybe church leaders and pastors out there.

Listen to me if you will persevere in the prescribed pattern.

Burning the right fuel will be hardships. God will bring you into seasons of rich reward and blessing. That's not saying that's absolute I'm saying that's a general pattern.

There will be for you in those latter years suite unity and blessedness in your ministry if you press on and don't compromise in the early years now. IV. You must remember your role apostle now uses three metaphors three illustrations to further emphasize the Timothy your role as God's ministry course and again there's application for all of us here now in all three of these metaphors we have one basic truth that comes out in all three events to persevere on through. That's the basic truth. But there are secondary truths with each one of these that are also important. So number one of the three metaphors are illustrations God soldier must avoid outside entanglements. Hearsay words are there in verse four he says no soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Now the word entanglements. There are vines in his dictionary says it has the idea of weaving together don't give you know if you're if you're if you're a dedicated soldier you don't know leave your life into the entanglements of other things you want to be available for your commanding officer on a moments notice so very often this is a matter of the heart. For example, there are those who would say if you have any kind of employment are gainful engagements outside of your local church here in sin with apostle Paul was a tent maker business didn't give it up to the make the money from time to time, so wouldn't just not doing secular things. It was a hard issue. I guarantee you they'll be apostle Paul could tell you I was a good tent maker. I made good money to make and I had an excellent product, but I've always know make sure I wasn't so entangled in the business that I couldn't quickly get to my minister's time to do that but I think there's no real separation between the truly wicked about our lives. When Paul was making a tent. He was still a faithful minister servant of God, but it was the matter of the heart. We must not get involved in the affairs of the world/to get entangled in hell back from the work God's calls to do by the way that's not just for the minister.

That's for you.

Small group leader.

That's for you, homemaker.

That's for you, dad your roles and duties to Christ in one heart and not being so entitled. I mean you can't do it, but guard your heart from getting to knitting together and stuff out there to begin to neglect your commander-in-chief.

You're his soldier. Your heart's joy must be Christ, not the things of the world. Another man of God and all Christians can enjoy the common grace is God's given us all that is good, but we enjoyed them, but they're never our joy will be pleasing to the Lord in all that we do. He says in verse four that he might be pleasing to the one who enlisted him as a soldier blog. This right here man I want to run when I get to stuff like this also is Timothy I got your attention now Donna pulse is Timothy your your God soldier and you didn't sign up.

You were drafted. You are getting out.

God puts you there and shot of God. If you're one of the predestined elect children of God, you didn't start this thing.

You can't stop it. Please enlisted you and you got some work to do as a dedicated soldier Jesus Christ. Good stuff. You know, but his heart with the David's in Birmingham and hopefully out of that surgery but now in full. He just got a neck for just damaging his body. He goes through so much and we tease a lot. We love each other we tease and cut up a lot of these nothing. What I just quit soca rib you can quit what you did start Sugiura listed you as his soldier.

Your drafted you have a choice in it. I love that I'm just I owned in the omnipotent love and belonging in family heated up okay be mixed metaphor. God's discipline, the athlete must complete but must compete rather by the rules. God's discipline athlete was conveyed by the rules, verse five, he says. Also, if anyone competes as an athlete.

He does not win the prize. Alyssa competes according to the ropes. That's the difference there about the soldier and the athlete had to persevere on through stuff. That's the main truth, but unique to the athlete. He brings out he has to go by the rules now.

Paul and Timothy understood this, because they were familiar with the Greek gain such and in the Greek national gains after they began in the city of Olympia in 776 BC, and the great games were to the honor of Zeus, which they call the King of all God's I've been watching our Olympics and I'm amazed at how pagan and ungodly visit time. Thank God for those who given some faithful Christian testimony so amen. What a lot of pagan wickedness and the whole thing desolate begin by the way, not saying Christian should be in the Olympics undersigned. That's why the Greeks viewed it. When I started what would happen.

The city states of ancient Greece were often at odds with each other often warring against teacher each other, but every time they would hold these great games and former truths so that their athletes could go compete in the Olympics. Not unlike modern day Olympics in that day. Only the men competed and they all competed nude, no clothing, have no idea why today women compete in our Olympics. It far too often, the women in the men complete almost nude in its shameful. God help me pound wind the world they have to wear such things to compete Olympics and help them this vulgar, just wrong is wrong. Well, that's not my point. He says the athlete has to compete. According to the rules just want to Timothy Paul what you bringing out his is Timothy there's a prescribed pattern God gave it to me. You've heard me preach it everywhere.

You know it well you hold to it you get submitted. Transfer to and make sure they hold to it. The specific doctrines that cannot be altered and cannot change kind must not be compromised under structures and practices. Every church should strive to do first and foremost, whatever else they might and they must do those things and for us based on the clear teachings of the word of God.

That's congressional worship centered on the preaching of the word and the power of the spirit. That's every member ministry through small groups that's personal strategic world missions in its home life discipleship. Those things must be done well. I'm still waiting.

It's been decades for anybody to tell me that's not balanced biblical understanding of the structure and function of a true local church allowed to so we we agree with that but the Linda what to do as they come to give a wink and a nod to the foundational things and they go to these fun thing. The foundational things are lost and soon the faith is lost as soon as no longer church as John MacArthur says we have to call them non-churches. Well, I'm fighting that we never go that way.

Amen.

I'm finding that we never drift that way because of the strong current. That was the pull is that what he says the athlete must works go according to the rules now the rules of ancient Greece for the great games was you must be a true born Greek with the parallel there there rules to be in God's kingdom must be true born again son daughter God. Secondly, you must swear before Zeus that you put in 10 months of rigorous training, and thirdly you and abide by the regulator regulations. The rules of your particular contest. There's one contest called the ultimate fighter event in the ultimate fighter event you want. If your other the God your fighting gets quit or if he died, but their roots. You couldn't poke at his eyes. You can body you break his neck could do those things I miss literally the truth so Paul knew that Tim if you knew how the rules of the athletes in the Greek gain 40 certificates same way in Christianity, there's the prescribed pattern been handed down from the father through me and the other apostles.

Timothy you hold to it and you prescribed it to others and make sure they hope to it as they multiplied brothers and sisters.

It should care for you really should care to you if the church is done right. I care deeply.

I've given my life for it, so grateful that you given your life to join me in that pursuit.

So God has his regulations for the church. We don't get to make up our own rules and we don't get to change the rules and we must not abandon the rules we must as he's Artie reiterated that in chapter 1 verse 13 retain the standard of sound words now third metaphor he uses here as he says to continue on know what kind of role here to play these is verse six the hard-working farmer ought to be the first to share receive this year the crops will lock the soldier in verse four. There's must be a faithful duty and a perseverance on through like the athlete in verse five. There must be a faithful commitment to your job and oppressing on through now. The hard-working farmer just obnoxious farmer.

He's working hard today, but there's uniqueness to what's at the end of this verse he'll be the first to receive his share of the crops.

I think he's emphasizing that Timothy the man God calls into the ministry. If there faithful they're going to have more hardship than the average Christian church member. Satan points his missiles at the leader, Timothy, if you won't quit. You keep holding to the prescribed pattern, pass it on to others.

Just like the hard-working farmer nobody questions that the hardware hard-working farmer who owns the land, who does the work nobody question that he should receive the first of the reward of the harvest, by the way will be careful how I say this.

These folks are trying to push socialism and communism on us. The Bible teaches personal property rights. That's what Jesus was talking about you all the proper you grow the crop. You get the first reward. Now that you can share it after that.

Be gracious with the idea that it's not really yours is not really your probably best not of God, socialism and calmness and violates a basic principle of Bible truth, let's get our point to me for their there's a sense in which if you'll stay faithful. There's rich rewards coming to you down the road. Rich blessings so through the new birth in our discipleship under the ministry of the word and helping one another. We have the Holy Spirit in us. We have a treasure in us.

We have the doctrines we've learned in the Spirit's power and now are slow to take that empowerment. The spirit of the truths we know what it transferred all this like the transmission of the car receives it pushes it on to the drive as I took my truck to the shop as I go down there and since like somebody's beaten on the engine block with a hammer and as I went further got louder than it started jerking and losing power.

I limped into the service department here. So, to what I need you guys do on the Judah. I was convinced it was a transmission I need you to check out the transmission if they did they check out the transmission. It was fine it was the motor transmission no. But as I was thinking about that and think about our Texas week. I thought no doubt about it I was.

This will give an account for the deeds done in the body and one of the key things that the judgment seat of Christ. We as Christians will give an account would be that God's going check out your transmission.

You transfer the streusel of your children to teach them to your children. Children that you make sure they were sitting under Sam preaching you have transfer these truths to those in your small group than those in church with you were all a part of the transmission process, you will be examined partly I will be examined by the way, at a much higher standard than you did you pass these things on the prescribed pattern, including the doctrines, the structures in the pattern of biblically spiritually healthy local churches you think it's just coincidence that this was my text when I came back from a July break on promotion Sunday not.

I didn't say this up, but God want us to be stirred up by the way I do this a lot because it's true.

So many of you in my opinion, get good marks as one of God's transmitters, list ourselves afresh to do steel for the glory of God