A Good Servant of Christ Jesus (Banner of Truth) (Part 2 of 2)

Almost any topic like everybody has an opinion. People are quick to share what's on their minds, their voices are often loud and clear.

But how can we listen to what God has to say today on Truth for Life Alastair big challenges pastors to diligently preach the word of God were in first Timothy chapter 4 verse 12 what I discovered is that in this realm of love and faith and purity at the evil ones approaches do not respect our geography. They don't respect intellect. They don't respect style and they come from everywhere and all over the place and being alert to God and being reminded of it is of course wonderfully helpful. Rutherford deals with a save frequently in his writings. At one point. Remember, he says down with the topsail down with the topsail student student. It is a low entry to go in and Heaven's Gate and STS monies as we all need a wife and for no other reason then of course the keepers to keep us humble and when we lose that lost something greatly. I don't know if you read the works of the Robert Harris if you read the trilogy on ancient Rome. It's essentially on Cicero and I made a note of just one piece is always thinking of this is the voice of the books is two euros, the slave of Cicero and he has served Cicero all of his days. On one occasion I Cicero's stature has risen, he is on the receiving end of a dreadful, verbose string of flattery from crisis and crisis comes in and blow smoke at Cicero and the slave observes there was a time when Cicero would've sponsored such an obvious trap a mile off but I fear there is in all men achieve their life's ambition. Only a narrow line between dignity and vanity confidence and delusion glory and self-destruction instead of state staying in his seat and modestly disavowing such praise. Cicero rose up and made a long speech agreeing with crisis is every word thing you desire with a chronicler tells us was gloriously held until he became strong. But when he became strong. He grew proud to his own destruction.

So the character is said dealt with their and then Paul goes on to deal with the work itself. I want you to devote yourself.

He says to the public reading of Scripture and of course this is at the very heart of things we affirm this, we believe this I we teach it and we try and model it. It's the pattern all the way through the Old Testament and it is the pattern that is then exemplified in the ministry of Jesus, and that by way of apostolic precept, and then by their practice, and so on and in the second century, Justin Martyr, in his first apology acknowledges this when he writes on the day called Sunday all who live in cities around the country gather together in one place and the memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets of red as long as time permits. Then when the reader is finished. The president speaks instructing and exhorting the people I've enjoyed the brief time that I've been here for more reasons than I can recount but I enjoy the fact that the nobody claps were anything yet nobody claps and also there's a pulled and the there's an expectation that the reason is here's because you put a Bible on it.

As I travel the country. I'm amazed at how little reading of the Bible there is a little public reading of Scripture, though this group live you live in a rarefied world you get this, but if you get out and go to some of the other places you realize what a blessing and benefit. It is simply to do as you've committed to do and and so that the reading of Scripture's is of absolute.

This is an absolute essential and entered the Scripture being read in such a way that the individual has actually prepared to read it and understands it and doesn't stumble over all the words and doesn't change the tense when he's reading it and doesn't treat at the gender as if it is just a passing fancy. The very way in which a man stands to read the Scriptures publicly will tell you a tremendous amount about his understanding of the central place of Scripture. In the entirety of the liturgical dimensions, whatever they may be in and amongst the people of God. It is to be read and it is to be the basis of exultation.

It is to be taught and it is to be preached devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture's exultation and to teaching the late Mark Ashton, who was at the round church in Cambridge in a wonderfully helpful little book reminds us all when he says in preaching the primary aim is not not to achieve increased biblical understanding, along with a few practical ideas for applying rather the primary aim is that after the text is proclaimed, we will encounter God himself in a life-changing way, the word will make a difference. The word will produce change and those who have been most useful in the preaching and teaching of the Bible have been those who are entirely convinced of the power and the authority of the Scriptures is surely the lasting benefit of Lloyd Jones ministry Amini is it in the stuff that is on the Internet of Lloyd Jones, caused by a long long long time. Why would people still listen to this disease absolutely convinced of the power and the authority of the Scriptures never deviated from course Timothy, you realize how important it is for us now to make sure that this batten of faith of both personal character and public conviction about these things is being passed safely into the hands of the generations that come behind us. The colossal loss of confidence in the Scriptures how many people are prepared to play fast and loose with the first 11 chapters of Genesis.

How many are equivocating over the issues of gender and of sexuality and reversing. I would've an understanding of the Bible that it is the very word of God that it is powerful in itself that it is to be lifted up, and to be proclaimed because it introduces us to Christ as the living word Luther tremendously helpful on this quoted now in the Horatio Bonner's little book the way of peace and Luther was so wonderfully clear, wasn't he and and when he when he announced the fact that he was committed to the preaching of the word. He said that he didn't really focus on that the doctors in the end the lawyers that were in attendance, he says, but instead I focus on the servant, maids, and I focus on the children and he says well that if the doctors of the lawyers don't like it that way. Then they know where the door is and they can leave another kind word from your pastor says the Lutheran element you see this is him in Bonner's I was is another court altogether. We must make a great difference between God's word and the word of man, a man's word is a little sound which fly up into the air and soon vanishes by the word of God is greater than heaven and earth is greater than death and hell for it is the power of God and remain at the everlastingly. Therefore, we are diligently to teach God's word and we must know certainly and believe that God himself speaks with us. This is our only hope. People hear our voice would do they hear the voice of Christ.

Christ is our worship leader Christ is the preacher devote yourself to his reading to exultation and to teaching that distinction. Of course you read in the accident you that Paul and Barnabas. The reverse of the must look tells us that they were teaching and preaching the word of God is one of the chestnuts that were always asked in question-and-answer times was that really mean while it underlines the twofold approach doesn't in teaching. We're aiming to give people an understanding of God's truth were aiming to make sure that they're getting the first principles of Christian doctrine and preaching were making an appeal to people's wills into their emotions to respond then to what they have. Herod, as we have sought to provide a basis for understanding in teaching so preaching is not less than teaching preaching is teaching plus application plus the call for response.

It is as the late John Murray recorded it in a conversation reported with the William McKenzie of Christian focus and the two of them are driving in the Highlands in Scotland under Prof. Murray says to William what's the difference between a lecture and preaching, and William tries his best answer can come up with a decent answer eventually says I give up. John Murray says I'll tell you what it is preaching is a personal, passionate plea, McKenzie says in what sense Murray says in this sense, we beseech you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God. Let us be aware of thinking that we have fulfilled our calling by simply providing a running commentary through a series of verses whereby people's understanding of the text is increased and we've given them three pointers to take home and discuss over lunch, but the real question is where then is this communion with God's will is this connection that takes us all up and beyond and out of ourselves. That cannot be explained in terms of a lecture that cannot be explained simply in terms of human language and so long that it is God juicy and that's why the primary task of gathering together in the congregation of God's people. The defining the defining mark of the gathering of God's people is listening to God's word. That's Deuteronomy was I reading this morning if you're doing Murray McShane, one of the chapters. Deuteronomy 4 assemble the people before me to hear my words. That's why we've come US the average or average member of the congregation and why is it that you that you come you know to church. You don't really want to get half of the answers, but unless they're enlisted instructed in this kind is give your quote I'm conscious of the time. In a moment by Christopher Ash picking up on this very helpful. He writes the reason we gathering churches. First, that we may hear and submit to the voice of God and his word he assembles is by his command, and reassemble to listen to his word. The word of God is the driving force that shapes authentic church life. This is why the primacy of preaching in Bible teaching is not just one tradition amongst other equally valid Christian traditions is the defining mark of the assembly of the people of God unless our first desire.

When we gather is to hear and heed the voice of God in his word. We have missed the foundation point of the church." And so Paul reminds Timothy of the fact that he says this is what you have been called to.

Don't neglect this gift was given you. You were called your equipment.

You were set apart the council of elders in some form of ordination. I think we could see their and the listeners. Of course, remembers a public letter the listeners as a public reading are being made aware of the fact that Timothy was in a volunteer. He was a conscript he was operating on the basis of natural talent. He was God's man in God's place enabled by God's power to open up the word for God's people the sovereignty of God's purposes in God's provision brought with it the responsibility to make sure that he was cultivating that he was developing that he was making progress in the gifts that he's been given this a very sad thing when people who have clearly been uniquely gifted. Drift off into the misty flats either on account of flagrant disobedience or because they have just actually lost out along the way Timothy didn't simply drift with a tight go with the floor.

Esther said his sales and rather than neglect his gift is to kindle it. As Paul writes in his second letter into a flame.

Well, what should we do. He says what you need to do is practice put into practice. The practice as well. Practice these things make sure that it becomes second nature to you. I like what Al said yesterday.

I find it very hard to say no to an invitation to preach. Why, because God made him a breach of forgiveness. When I was no surprise. Preachers preach farmers farm sailor sale fissures for which woe is me that I don't preachers so we put it into practice. We might not be very good. We have some real clunkers along the way.

Every so often on a Sunday week, we find that God has decided to give us a wee bit of encouragement over most of it.

He wants to just keep us where we need to be. Immerse yourself immerse yourself there's a wonderful verb is not merit yourself in. Immerse your mind in the truth of God in the same way that the body is immersed in the air that it breeds and as you do so that Hannah clause is so that all may see your progress memories as a people are watching you. Timothy don't let them despise you because you're young, stick with the program. As I've outlined it. If you will actually follow this plan if you will go through this training process enabled by the grace of God, then you will discover that people will actually see that you're making progress. Remember Paul when he writes that he goes into one of his great purple passages and any bikes off a little bit and he says now that I have already obtained all this, or I'm already perfect, but I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

That's exactly what is urging his young with tenant to do here. He doesn't want him to be parading any apparent successes that he sad he does wanted him to be trying to curry favor with people by telling them what it what a hopeless and and and miserable creature.

He is like your right like Uriah Heep and David Copperfield. The congregation know they know that it did.

They understand that any progress in the pastor will they will ascribe to God's grace. They will know that the journey is difficult to be far more alert 11 many of us are prepared to include them in our struggles and in our challenges so that they might see our progress and along with others, magnify the grace of God, who has chosen to put his treasure in an old clay part so that the triumph might be seen to belong to God and not to us. Persist in this persistent's for by so doing you will save yourself says in the Bible, you can save yourself.

Go back and tell your people. I've been saving myself. The signal pastor you told is only God can say no, no. It's in the Bible. I conceive you to all the pastors under conference and lost his mind.

That's why we interpret Scripture with Scripture, resident we know exactly what he saying here. The amazing grace of God. People say to me.

So who do you listen to. I see me tonight about that is mewling to listen to it twice, but I preach four times every Sunday listening to me and I know me I know who I am.

I know what I'm like I am my congregation sure you sure I listen to lots of other people all your folks I listen to them to. I love them all. But the fight to the matters worse, even ourselves every so often I think about the fact that God may only have put me in pastoral ministry for me to make sure I go to church. Think about ever been on vacation in Florida writing a bicycle at 7 o'clock on a Sunday morning he right on the need to go and then UNIX that is. But I should go and then your next size don't want to go and then UNIX that is maybe the only reason you ever go is because you're the past persistence so long obedience in the same direction. You know how it goes. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Sunday Sunday Monday Tuesday Sunday and it never quits never quits no greater calling no greater joy of greater privilege world better together than anyone of us is on our own so you say to each other that is heeds the Bible seek to help one another since your that we run all the way through the tape. Remember Simeon.

He said to him, Simeon, you're an old man are you don't need to keep on like this and he said well shall I not run with all my might know that I see the finishing tape.

In view so let's encourage each other. That way, Truth for Life Alistair Begg words of encouragement for those who are in ministry. Alister will close our program with prayer today so please keep listening. If you are a pastor or a youth leader or a Bible study teacher maybe your just looking to dive deeper into your own study of God's word. You can read transcripts of hundreds of sermons preached by Alister, simply visit Truth for Life.org and click on the sermons option in the top menu bar there. You're able to select sermons by topic by Scripture or by series.

The sermon has a transcript, you'll see it right below the player. When you choose a message or you can select the has transcript filter to browse all of the sermons by Alister that have a transcript was we been learning to be good servants of Christ Jesus, we need to be students of God's word. It's important for us to not only study the Bible for ourselves but to teach it to our children or to others.

The book we been featuring this month God's Bible timeline.

The big book of biblical history is a helpful resource for teaching the Bible. It's great for explaining the Bible to young children or teenagers or even to adults by learning from hundreds of colorful pictures and illustrations. This book is organized into 18 different timelines. Each of them presenting a unique era in biblical history. For example, there is the period between creation and the flood, there is the time of Samuel and Saul, there is the era of the exile lease timelines. Beginning Genesis and track all the way through the formation of the early church and all of the timelines make it easy for us to understand how one era flows into the next. There's even a timeline for the period between the Old Testament and New Testament were God was seemingly silent and as a bonus. The book includes a pullout poster that shows a quick overview of the storyline of the entire Bible.

The book God's Bible timeline is a wonderful reference tool for anyone studying or teaching the Bible but it's only available for a few more days, so be sure to request your copy when you give to support the teaching you hear on this program.

Visit Truth for Life.org/donate now, here's Alister. Close with prayer father, thank you for the justice the clarity of the Bible.

Forgive us for lack of clarity that's our part but thank you that just a small boy could understand this and so we pray that in understanding we may have income to increasingly depend upon the power and enabling of the Holy Spirit to conform us to the image of Christ. Help us Lord click close the gap in our lives between what we say and what we are helpless to watch our lives and our doctrine to do so closely.

Thank you for one another. The encouragement of the seller commend ourselves to your fresh seeking the forgiveness of all our sins. In Jesus name Bob Lapine what happens when God's people forget about God will find out tomorrow as Alister begins a series called more jars of Clay Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life learning is for