WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:06.480 The other week we spent some time in prayer during our service, and uh I think it was really impactful, at least it was for me. 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:09.279 Um, just as a group, we all spent time praying together. 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:15.359 Um and I got some feedback saying the same thing from several of us, and I thought, let's let's take a moment and do that again. 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:21.440 Um So if you want to pray with people around you, if you're like, yeah, let's pray together, um, go for it. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:24.239 You're welcome to get together, gather up, and pray out loud. 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:27.120 If you're an introvert, just don't look at anybody right now, right? 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:29.679 And just go eyes down, you can pray by yourself. 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:34.479 But um, let's pray together, and I'll just kind of lead us through what we should be praying about. 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:39.840 So, Lord, you are so good. 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:41.679 Uh, we are so grateful for that. 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:47.119 We give thanks in this moment for the things this week that we have to be grateful for. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:20.799 Lord, we just we do thank you for your salvation. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:32.640 In this moment, Lord, we pray for the sick people in our congregation, people that can't make it here tonight or in the morning because they're sick or they're having to watch online because they're being careful of their immune system. 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:35.200 Lord, we want to pray for them right now. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:58.799 Would we take a moment also to pray for those that um that maybe not are dealing with physical ailments but mental illness and just having a bad week or struggle or trying to find balance in their medication? 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:01.439 We want to lift those people up right now, too. 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:44.159 In the area. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:48.719 Um tonight I particularly just want to pray for for Calvary Travel. 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:56.560 Um I just pray for them and as they meet together tomorrow, um, let them feel your spirit move. 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:08.479 I also want to pray for the new church, Hope City that's starting. 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:16.639 Just that you um help bring your spirit, help them to be faithful to your word as they they start up a church here in Bullhead, Lord. 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:22.319 And let them reach people that the other churches around here just are unable to reach for some reason. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.879 Lord, I want to take a moment to pray for us tonight. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:37.919 As we all have come from different places, let us be here fully in your presence, Lord. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:41.919 Let us rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:47.039 We just pray these things in your son's name. 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:47.759 Amen. 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:49.120 All right. 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:51.520 Um, so let's read. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:55.199 We're gonna jump in, read our scripture here, and then we'll kind of go through it a little bit. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:59.039 But we're in uh 1 Timothy chapter 4, and let's start at verse 6. 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:04.560 It says, If you point these things out to brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister. 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:12.319 Some translation that says servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of faith and the good teachings that you have followed. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:16.079 Have nothing to do with godless myths or old wives' tales. 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:18.319 Rather, train yourself to be godly. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:29.519 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding the promise for both the present life and the life to come. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:33.120 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:42.720 That is why we labor and we strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:44.560 Command and teach these things. 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:54.240 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:58.959 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and teaching. 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:06.240 Do not neglect your gift, which was given to you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:14.079 So in chapter three last week, as we talked about it, Paul kind of, towards the end of that chapter, listed and enlisted the church. 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:18.480 He said, You need to be the pillar of truth in this community. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:23.920 You need to be a beacon to the world around you, of God and a pillar of truth. 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:28.560 Now, in the beginning of chapter four, remember when this was written, there's no chapter breaks. 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.199 It just is one letter, so it goes smoothly into it. 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:35.360 And he says, This is the six foundational things of Christ that we talked about. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:42.399 And then he says, in the first part of chapter four that we didn't read, he talks about these people that will abandon their faith. 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:55.519 They will abandon their faith because they're gonna follow deceiving spirits, and they're gonna defollow, they're gonna follow hypocritical liars that teach things, people that teach things like abstaining from marriage or abstaining from certain foods. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:02.079 Um and so he warns him about these things, and it's a chapters or verse six where we picked it up. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:16.959 Um interesting, uh few months ago, probably six, eight months ago, um, when we started moving, making the transition from me being youth minister to a senior minister, Adriana was also because being a pastor's wife is a whole nother deal. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:20.720 Um, she joined this Facebook group um that was for pastors' wives. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:25.040 And she's like, I just give some support, kind of talk to other women in similar situations. 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:27.600 And uh, and so it was pretty heavy a lot of times. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:36.319 So she tried to lighten up the mood a bit, and so she just typed in one day, like, hey, we had a crazy potluck today, and uh tell me what's the funniest thing you've seen in a potluck? 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:38.879 And people responded with all these crazy stuff. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:41.839 I'd love to spend, I can spend half the sermon talking about them. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:53.360 But some of my favorites was one lady put that they had a family um with five teenage boys that would come to church for the potluck, and every time bring one can unopened green beans. 00:06:53.920 --> 00:07:01.120 So they bring five eating machines and a single can unopened of green beans, and then the parents, and it's just you know, funny. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:08.560 Uh, there's also one lady that said, every person showed up without talking about ahead of time, every single person brought macaroni and cheese. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:09.600 Yeah. 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:11.519 And so they actually had just a fun time. 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:16.639 It was a taste, and pick your favorite of 25 varieties of mac and cheese. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:20.480 Um, I wonder what five-year-old blew out their candles and made that happen. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:23.040 Like that, it sounds just like a wish list. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:27.759 Like, if there were chicken tenders there, that would be my five-year-old's dream right there, right? 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:36.480 Um, but one of the ones that made me really think twice was there was a guy, one lady said there was a guy that showed up that they referred to as the pepper man. 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:42.800 Uh, he had determined that the pep that pepper, like black pepper, was the devil's spice. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:45.279 And he stopped every single person. 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:48.800 First, he got there early and threw away every pepper shaker he could find. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:56.079 And then he stood at the door and grilled everybody bringing in a dish to see if it had pepper in it or not. 00:07:56.639 --> 00:07:59.600 And then tried to not let them come in. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:00.319 Right? 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:01.360 This, I know. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:03.439 It's what is going on? 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:11.120 And uh, and so he would stop people in it, and she said that they actually had to start sneaking things in the back door while he was preoccupied with this. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:21.199 I'm assuming they sat this guy down and had the conversation like what we just read, that you know, that Paul says, all food is created and given to God if we receive it in thankfulness. 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:27.360 And and I'm sure, because she didn't say we are the church of No Pepper, you know, they they made this right. 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:29.920 And obviously, something was off, right? 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.120 That guy there was not quite balanced, something wasn't there. 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:35.039 But it'd be a little scary. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:41.360 What if that guy wasn't so outright odd, but he was a little more convincing? 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:43.360 Or what if he had a microphone? 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:45.120 You know, what if he was able to get up front? 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:51.440 I mean, it's easy to see these people get crazy ideas and they start teaching these things that are way off. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:09:02.399 And some people will say, oh, he must be okay because he's got a YouTube channel, or he's got a great TikTok, or he's got a lot of followers, or he's up front, or these kind of things. 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:05.360 But we need to, what Paul warns Timothy about. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:09.039 We need to make sure that we're staying with the truth. 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:11.840 And so we need to know the word of God. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:15.279 And you're gonna see this as a recurring theme. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:17.840 We need to know the word of God. 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:28.799 Now, Paul says to Timothy, the first thing he's here, he says, if you point these things out, brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister or a good servant of Christ Jesus. 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:30.399 You'll be a good servant. 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:40.960 Now, servant is a probably a better translation of the word there, but because um some people take liberty with minister because it's written to Timothy, who is training to be that minister who was in charge of that. 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:48.080 But here's the thing it doesn't just fit a minister, a guy that's preaches, or a person that serves at a church or is paid there. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:57.039 It replies to all of us because it says if you're going to be a good servant of Jesus Christ, because each of us is called to serve. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:04.000 Jesus during the Last Supper called and set the example of serving one another and said, now you do this, you serve one another. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:11.519 Um, husbands and wives, if you're married, we're supposed to serve our spouse and put their needs before our own and serve them. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:20.559 Or if you've got kids, adding discipline or disciplining our children and building a foundation for them to grow in is serving them in a different way. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:23.759 And so we are each called to be servants. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:31.679 And so even if we don't, and if we fit none of those categories, but we still talk to people, we are called to serve them. 00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:38.159 Because Jesus said, you know, if you gave somebody a cup of water in my name, you did it to the least of these, you did it to me. 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:40.559 We are supposed to serve all people. 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:44.159 And that's Jesus' kingdom, it is a servant kingdom. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:45.759 And so we are supposed to serve. 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:48.000 So how do you be a good servant? 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:49.919 And he simply lists two different things here. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:53.039 He says, point out the truth and call out the lies. 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:56.720 Point out truth and call out lies. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:05.519 Sometimes it can be very hard and extremely confrontational and very big, and it's a standalone thing where you have to call out the truth. 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:17.360 You know, it's one of those some once in a while it's a it's one where it's you against the world where you need to stand up for the truth, and uh, you know, they're gonna make a movie about this story, and and newsboys will write a song about it, and and all that kind of thing. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:27.200 But a lot of times I find that calling out the truth is less of that big upstanding confrontational moment and more being like a tour guide almost. 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:29.039 Um I went to Washington, D.C. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:43.759 with one of my daughters for a school trip, and uh we went around and we had his tour guide, and and he would show us around, he would get on the bus and he would get the microphone, and so he would tell us these things, and we would drive by somewhere, and he would go over here is this, what happened, and if you look here, that and everything. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:46.960 And you know why he was able to do that? 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:52.159 Because he'd been to Washington before, and he'd read a tour guide book. 00:11:52.399 --> 00:12:01.039 And so I figured out where we're going the next day, so I started just looking stuff up, and then I just played a game where if I could beat him to saying facts and things, right? 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:04.159 And so it's just fun for me, kind of arrogant, but it was fun. 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:12.639 Um but that's all the difference is between the tour guide and the other person was the fact that he'd been there before and he'd read a book about it. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:27.840 The thing is, a lot of times for us, when we're standing up for the truth or when we're pointing out the truth, all it is is simply showing where scripture or the book we read applies to the truth that we see in the world. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:34.159 See, if you walk outside at night and you look up and there's all these twinkling stars, you can say, Wow. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:37.120 Or if you're somebody you say, beautiful, aren't they? 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:47.440 Or if you know your scriptures, you can simply say, When I look at the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is man that you were mindful of him? 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:49.440 And you sound so cool, right? 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:50.960 I mean, isn't that what it's about? 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:53.759 But you're just quoting Psalm 8.3. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:57.679 You know, and this is what David wrote down for us. 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:06.320 And so it's simply pointing out truth is knowing the word and then keeping your eyes open to where it's fitting in the world. 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:17.360 Also, calling out the lies is simply knowing the word of God, and then when something doesn't match up, or when something goes against it, saying, that's not right. 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:23.039 You say you're a Christian, but I don't see living that way in here. 00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:24.960 Let me show you what it does say. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:29.600 And it's not, it doesn't have to be a hugely confrontational thing. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:32.080 If it's done in love, it can be amazing. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:39.759 But that's what Paul says for us to be a good servant is to point out the truth and call out the lies. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.600 And so that's what he goes on. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:47.679 He keeps going in a little bit, and he he brings up this thing it's the bad, the okay, and the godly. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:51.200 He brings up three different things the bad, the okay, and the godly. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:14:00.399 In verse 7 and 8, he says, Have nothing to do with godless myths or old wives' tale. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:12.639 Rather, train yourself to be godly, for physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for this for both the present life and the life to come. 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:14.879 And so he says, there are three different things. 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:19.200 There's things in this world that are gonna be bad, there's things that are okay, and there are things that are godly. 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:28.159 The first that's bad that he lists are irrevel irrelevant or I'm sorry, irreverent, silly myths, old wise tales as the NIV translates it. 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:33.759 There are so many myths that are just not true that pull us away from God. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:43.919 And there are things, too, that may be, you know, interesting, they may not be going completely against God, but they might distract us for it, or distract us from our relationship with God. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:56.879 Um, in Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews says in chapter 12, therefore, since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. 00:14:57.039 --> 00:15:04.159 Let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:07.519 See, he says there's two different distinct categories. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:21.679 Sin, which is things God commands us expressly not to do, and then there's things that distract us that maybe aren't sin in itself, but if it's pulling us away from God, it's something that we should let go of, that we should get rid of. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:26.320 You know, let's say our phone, that's just a tool, right? 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:27.120 It's just a thing. 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:29.679 It can be a good thing, it can be a bad thing, it's just neutral. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:37.039 But if it's something that's pulling us away from him, then it's something we need to consider getting rid of or pulling us back from. 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:38.960 And that's just simply an example. 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.080 Um, so there's the the bad. 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:43.679 And he says, the okay. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:45.679 Says this about the okay. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:49.039 Have nothing to do with godlessness, the old wives' tales. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:51.039 Rather, train yourself to be godly. 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:55.120 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:58.159 He says, for physical training is of some value. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.440 The word there is actually jimmazo, right? 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:05.679 Gymnazzo, which actually is where we get our term gym bro from. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:08.000 Um, that's a made-up turn, I'm just joking. 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:09.440 But you know what a gym bro is? 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:10.320 Right? 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:15.679 A gym bro is just a guy that lives at the gym and only eats like protein shakes and chicken, right? 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:19.360 And he it's that it I wasn't gonna point fingers, but he raised his hand. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:20.399 So, right? 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:23.840 And it just says bro a lot, which I don't think you do, so you're you're safe. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:24.559 All right, so. 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:27.200 No, but they're only focused. 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.679 He's saying don't be a gym bro, right? 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:33.039 Don't focus only on your physical thing. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:35.600 Now, he does say you should. 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:41.279 Physical value or physical training is of some value because we've been giving a gift of this body. 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:44.240 It's important for us to take care of it, right? 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:47.759 Because if we take care of it, we can do more with it. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:53.279 We can go and do more things and be ready to serve God in multiple ways. 00:16:53.440 --> 00:17:00.960 Whereas if we're not physically fit, if we're not taking care of ourselves to the best that we can, it's gonna be more limited with what we can do. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:03.039 And he says it's okay, right? 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:05.680 Physical volume or training is okay. 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:10.720 But instead, and even Paul says he refers to his body as a tent, right? 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:12.000 It's a temporary dwelling. 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:12.799 It's only a little bit. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:14.799 Or he says, we're jars of clay. 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:19.119 You know, we have this treasure and something that's perishable, something that's gonna fall apart. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:27.519 And so physical training, yeah, it's good for some things, but don't neglect godly training for physical training, right? 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:34.000 And he actually says the actual translation is exercise yourself into godliness, right? 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:37.279 Work yourself, train yourself to be godly. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:49.359 See, a lot of those gym bros will go over and over, they'll have a set routine, they'll be there every day, they've got a community people around it, and that's great in a lot of ways, but do you put that same effort into godly training? 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:50.880 Are you meeting with other people? 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:52.319 Are you working your mind out? 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:53.440 You're working your soul. 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:59.200 The other reason that it's better is that our physical body is gonna fade away, right? 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:01.519 And we all experience this, right? 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:07.119 How many of you go is like, I didn't deal with this, and then you say the last decade that you lived, right? 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:16.960 Whatever it is like for me, oh man, when I was in my 30s, I could do, you know, like the other day we got home at midnight from driving from Phoenix, and I got up the next morning like at 6 a.m. 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:19.440 and I was like, I can't do this anymore, right? 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:23.359 This is not, you know, I used to be able to like, yeah, I could drive all night and get up, no problem. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:24.880 It is not possible. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:26.720 And so I'm finding these new limitations. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:28.160 I'm sure you're finding them too. 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:31.279 And it's these things that will wear out. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:34.880 But the thing is, our spirit is not going to wear. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:43.119 It's something that will continue to strengthen, not just in this life, but in the continued life or in the life after this with Christ. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:49.599 And so don't just spend your time on physical training, but instead on godly training. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:55.839 Leave the bad behind, do some of the okay, focus on the godly training. 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:58.000 And so the way that how do we do that? 00:18:58.160 --> 00:18:59.039 How do we focus that? 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:02.400 And this says literally, exercise yourself into godliness. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:09.119 When we exercise our same way, or we exercise our spirit the same way that we nourish our spirit, right? 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:10.480 By God's word. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:12.480 Now, of course, this is nothing new. 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:15.599 You're not like, oh, wow, Jared, you just blew my mind. 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:17.839 But this is the wisdom of the ages. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:21.440 This is something that's been handed down generation after generation. 00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:27.839 Discipline meditation in Scripture is indispensable to Christian health and growth. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:31.359 It is, you can't be growing without the word. 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:35.359 And so we need to be in God's word constantly. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:38.480 Alright, Paul goes on in verse 9. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:43.680 He says, Both, oh, sorry, this is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:52.240 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the savior of all people, and especially those who believe. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:20:02.480 Now, verse 9 is kind of this odd thing because this happens several times in 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, where he says, this is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:11.039 Now, the way it's phrased here is it could mean verse 10, but more likely it probably is referring back to chapter 8. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:12.559 I'm sorry, to verse 8. 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:23.359 Verse 10 is more of a theological dense than verse 8, but verse 8 is significantly more heavy in terms of its impact on eternity. 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:24.160 Right? 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:27.359 Because it talks about the things that are eternal. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:31.920 Where in verse 10, it talks about what we're doing and why we're doing it here. 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:33.519 And this is what he says. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:38.319 This in verse 10, this is what we or this is why we labor and strive. 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:44.160 Because we put our hope in the living God, who's a savior of all people, and especially those who believe. 00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:48.000 So he says, this is why we labor and strive. 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:49.839 This is why we labor and strive. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:52.400 Um I was working with a guy for a while. 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:54.720 He was teaching me how to do drywall. 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:59.279 And uh he was teaching me this stuff, and and if you've ever done drywall, there's a lot of different steps. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:01.279 You have to cut the sheetrock, put it up. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:05.759 You will first you measure it, and then you cut it, and then you go, dang it, and you cut it again, right? 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:14.880 And um, and then you put it up, and there's certain rhythm, and then you have to do tape and mud, and then second coat, and then you you know do the seams, you text and you cut out, and there's all these different steps. 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:20.559 I think I annoyed the crud out of him because every time he'd go, okay, this is what you need to go, I'd go, why? 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:27.519 And I'd ask, okay, okay, yeah, I would do it, and I'd like follow what he said, but then I'd say, okay, why are we doing it? 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:30.079 Why do I have to drive that screw in that deep? 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:31.440 Why do I have to do this? 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:32.960 And why do I have to do this? 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:37.920 And he eventually, after going, he would look at me and he would explain why. 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:43.519 But I knew that if I knew the reason I was gonna do it, right? 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:52.480 Because I knew that I found out I had to drive those screws in and dimple them into the drywall because when I put mud over the top of it, it needed to go in. 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:56.240 If it was sticking up, it would go and click over and it'd be all messed up. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.119 And it would cost me more time and more steps. 00:21:59.359 --> 00:22:02.880 If I I know the reason why I need to do something. 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:07.279 I am less likely myself to cut corners and keep those steps out. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:09.920 And so Paul is giving us the reason. 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:12.319 This is why we labor and strive. 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:16.480 Christianity, following God is tiring some days. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:20.079 Doing the right thing gets it's hard. 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:26.720 It's our nature to go back and be lazy and slovenly and go to our own nature and not to follow God. 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:30.160 It's our nature so easily to be distracted. 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:36.079 But if we have a reason why, then we can know why we need to labor and strive. 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:37.839 And this is what Paul says. 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:41.039 This is why we labor and strive. 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:45.039 He says, because we put our hope in the living God. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:48.400 See, we work hard because our hope is in Him. 00:22:48.559 --> 00:23:07.119 Not that we have to earn our salvation, not that anything we do will affect what's going forward and our salvation, but we want to make sure we are living in such a way that others will see the hope we have in Christ. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:13.920 We want to be living in such a way that we can display what a faithful believer looks like to those around us. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:20.079 We want to live in such a way that we won't cause other people to fall away. 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:23.839 And so he says, this is why we labor and strive. 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:27.039 Now the second part of that verse kind of tripped me up when I first read it. 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:36.720 I don't know if it did to you, but he said, this is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in a living God, who is a savior of all people, and especially those who believe. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:47.920 Now, scholars and guys that do commentaries and write and interpret all this stuff, they don't have a clear, concise or like consensus about what this means. 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:54.799 Now, whenever you have a verse that you're like, okay, wait, it could mean this, it could mean this, there's this principle that we should follow. 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:58.240 And it's scripture will not contradict itself. 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:04.400 And so we need to let the clear, the things that are clear, interpret the things that are unclear. 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:07.440 So this at first read is a little muddled. 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:14.640 We're like, okay, wait, does this mean that all people are saved, but like Christians are extra saved or something? 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:17.839 Or how does that, you know, and so it's not that at all. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:23.119 Here, we need to take scripture that we understand fully and use it to interpret scripture here. 00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:33.119 You know, in Matthew chapter 25, it's this story of sheep and goats, where Jesus takes people and he separates them and he says, The sheep, you've done everything to serve me. 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:34.960 You are gonna spend eternity with me. 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:39.440 The goats, you denied me, you're gonna go where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:49.279 Very clear that we will be judged, and based on our belief in Christ, we will receive either eternal reward or eternal condemnation. 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:54.400 Um, in Matthew, chapter, I'm sorry, John chapter 14, Jesus said, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. 00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:57.039 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:02.240 So we know there is no other way to God except through Jesus. 00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:09.119 So if we keep those in our mind and we reread this, it becomes apparent that God is a savior of everybody. 00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:10.720 There's no other way. 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:15.039 God is a savior through of everybody, through Christ Jesus. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:21.440 And those that are believes, that believe in him, are fully saved, are the ones that are saved. 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:30.640 And so make sure that we find a passage where it's unclear, we use other scripture to interpret these things, to make us or help us understand. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:33.759 All right, let's keep reading, keep going here. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.359 So verse 11. 00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:37.119 Command and teach these things. 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:50.400 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, and purity, until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and teaching. 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:58.480 Do not neglect your gift, which was given through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:04.720 And so he says to them, Do not let anybody look down on you because you're young. 00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:06.480 Why did he say this? 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:09.200 Because Timothy is young, right? 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.640 Yes, why? 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:14.480 But the being the young, that's what we tend to emphasize. 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:19.359 But the truth is the emphasis is not on being young. 00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:25.359 The emphasis on setting an example, living in such a way that you're setting an example. 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:29.279 If Paul was going to write to you, what would he say? 00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:35.200 Do not let anyone look down on you because what's that blank for you? 00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:38.000 Each of us should fill in something different. 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:42.799 Don't look, because age is kind of a relative thing, isn't it? 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:53.119 I gotta tell you, when I was uh about fifth, sixth grade, I went to the store, I saved up my money, and I went to a record store, right? 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:59.759 Tower or warehouse, and and some of you guys even know what a record store is, and so you you dated yourself by that, right? 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:04.160 I had saved up my money so I could purchase one of these. 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:05.200 Right? 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:15.039 All right, now, some of you guys, I had saved up all my money so I could do this, so I could listen to the Mighty Ducks 2 soundtrack as much as I want at my convenience. 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:19.599 I still to this day have the lyrics to whoomp there it is, memorized, right? 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:23.440 I mean, and I'll prove it to you after service if you don't believe me. 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:25.440 All right, but here's the thing. 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:33.440 I this was, you know, this was seventh grade, and I remember bringing it to Youth Group, excited to show my friends what I'd got, right? 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:35.359 And I love that tape. 00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:40.880 Now, some of us, you look at me and you're like, okay, Jared, but did you ever have a record? 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:41.279 Right? 00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:42.720 Did you ever have an eight-track? 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:45.200 Like, you don't even know, Jared, right? 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:47.359 And you're right, I don't. 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:54.160 Now, if I handed this to my child with a butter knife or a pencil, they'd be like, what am I supposed to do? 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:55.039 What's the connection? 00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:55.440 Right? 00:27:55.519 --> 00:28:00.480 They don't know what it's like to have all that tape come out and you have to wind it back in there, right? 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:05.119 See, to some of you guys, you're like, Jared, you're such a baby. 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:09.119 You have tape decks, man, you don't know what it's like to scratch a needle on accident or ruin. 00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:10.559 I don't even know what the problems are, right? 00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:11.759 I never had records. 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:14.960 But to my kids, they're like, what? 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:17.680 Wait, so where you put that in your phone? 00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:20.559 Like, how does that, you know, like they don't understand. 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:24.160 See, young is simply a relative term. 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:27.039 What is it, the difference here? 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:29.599 What would you fill in that spot? 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:35.119 Because this is the thing that Paul told Timothy, you've got to overcome this thing. 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:38.559 Maybe you should ride in there, and I'm not trying to insult you guys decide. 00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:40.400 Maybe you would put in there old. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:43.759 Don't let anybody look down on me because I'm old. 00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:45.119 I'm not over the hill, man. 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:46.240 I'm in my prime. 00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:48.160 I'm ready to go. 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:53.440 But are you living in such a way that they won't be able to look down on you? 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:58.480 For some of you guys, and this is just a reality, you would put maybe because you're a woman. 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:05.839 And that you've been looked down on because you people said, Oh, she just can't do that because she, don't worry, honey, I'll lift that for you. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:07.519 Or whatever it may be. 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:13.759 Where you were strong and you can do these things in Christ, you were an amazing prayer warrior. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:16.559 Or maybe it's, and I dealt with this. 00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:20.079 Maybe don't let anybody look down on you because you're dumb. 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:27.519 And that's just me, because I remember dealing with teachers that just told me, Jared, you're never gonna make it in life because you can't spell. 00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:28.960 And different things. 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:34.640 And yeah, and there's just stuff, but the thing is, Paul is not worried about that space. 00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:42.000 Paul is concerned that Timothy live in such a way that nobody lives or is able to look down on you. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:48.720 That nobody is able to say, You should live in such a way that your speech is amazing. 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:55.599 That when people talk about you, because everybody talks about everybody, let's be honest, when they talk about you, they say, you know what? 00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:58.960 Chip has never says a bad word about anybody. 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:02.400 That guy is just always, he's so nice, you know what? 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:10.799 And like I can see, you know, man, that guy, he hit his finger with a hammer, and all he said was, whoom! You know right? 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:12.640 No bad word came out. 00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:14.400 The hammer didn't even fly. 00:30:14.799 --> 00:30:15.680 Whatever it may be. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:17.920 You set an example in speech. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:22.400 Or you need to set your example in life, the way you conduct yourself. 00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:27.039 That when people look at you, they just notice that you have the best attitude. 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:31.279 That when even when things get going bad, you are always greeting with a smile. 00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:33.759 You're willing to say, Yeah, I'm doing okay, but what about you? 00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:35.279 How are you doing? 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:42.240 Or maybe you need to do it in such a way that when people see you, they say, Wow, she is always so loving. 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:48.319 She gives the best hugs because she just cares so much and loves so much. 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:57.519 But you need to set it in faith that you blow people's minds with how faithful you are, with how much faith you have that Christ is gonna deal with it. 00:30:57.599 --> 00:31:02.640 We have I have a friend who tells me, um, she asked me to pray for her quite a bit, and we pray for one another. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:08.799 And uh, she tells me, she's got this other friend who always just her faith blows her away whenever she says, I can't believe it. 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:09.599 This happened. 00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:10.640 God showed up. 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:13.279 And her friend just goes, Of course he did, sweetie. 00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:19.680 And she just always has this example of somebody who's just so faithful. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:25.680 Maybe in that line, you need to put in poor or rich. 00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:35.039 I don't know what it is that you have in your life, but you need to live in such a way that nobody can look down on you because of that thing. 00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:37.759 Because none of us should be affected by that. 00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:39.200 We need to set the example. 00:31:39.359 --> 00:31:46.799 So it doesn't matter if you're young, if you're old, if you're rich, you're poor, you're a woman, you're a man, mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, any of that. 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:51.839 Live in such a way that you're set an example for other believers. 00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:55.279 Paul continues on, he basically says, stay faithful. 00:31:55.519 --> 00:31:57.599 He reinforces this entire chapter. 00:31:57.839 --> 00:32:08.720 Paul continues and says, stay faithful, faithful to the truth, faithful to God, and faithful to those that you are serving by being an example to them. 00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:18.240 So as you go this week and you take this passage and you dwell on it, how is it that you need to live? 00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:20.480 How is it that you need to live? 00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:26.400 Maybe there's somebody that you're serving in your life that you need to point out the truth to them. 00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:28.960 Or you need to call out a lie. 00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:35.359 Is there somebody, though, that you maybe an area in your life where you've been falling short and you're like, you know what? 00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:40.000 I've set an example in this way, but my language, I need to change it. 00:32:40.240 --> 00:32:41.279 My speech. 00:32:41.519 --> 00:32:44.000 The way that I'm living my life, I need to correct it. 00:32:44.079 --> 00:32:49.039 I need to live a way that nobody is gonna look down on me because I'm gonna live in such a faithful way. 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:54.160 What is it this week that you need to make a change and ask God's help for? 00:32:55.359 --> 00:32:56.799 I want to pray for you guys right now. 00:32:56.960 --> 00:32:57.680 I want to pray for all of us. 00:32:57.839 --> 00:32:59.119 Would you pray with me? 00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:08.000 Lord, we are just the process of becoming more like the people you want us to be, you've created us to be. 00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:15.680 That sanctifying work, Lord, I ask right now that you open our minds to the things you want us to grow in, the ways you want us to change. 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:24.160