It's so good to gather in the
Lord's house again, isn't it? So thankful to be here right
now. Pray the Lord will meet with us. Turn with me if you
would to First Timothy chapter one. First Timothy chapter one. Wednesday night, we looked at
verse one of this chapter, and our message was titled, Why is
Christ Our Hope? Verse one says, Paul, an apostle
of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus
Christ, Which is our hope? He said, Christ, Christ, Christ,
our hope. Why is Christ our hope? Three reasons. It's because of
who he is, what he did, and where he is sitting right now. Who is he? He is God Almighty. You ever get tired of hearing
that? He is God manifest in the flesh. I am. I just love that. God Almighty,
and if God be for us, amazing that God, what good news to hear? God can be for anybody God wants
to be for. God can be for nobody if he wants
to be for nobody, but he is for somebody, and it's us. If God be for us, who can be
against us? That's hope. What did he do? He, speaking of God, gave himself
for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world
according to the will of God and our Father. He by Himself,
through His own sacrifice, through His own death, the offering of
His own blood, He by Himself purged our sins, got rid of it,
purged our sins, and obtained eternal redemption for us. Well,
where is He right now? Our God is seated in the heavens
doing whatever He wants to do. What does He want to do? What
is He pleased to do? What is God, our Savior, pleased
to do? This is it right here. Daily, this is what makes him happy,
all right? This is what he delights in.
He delights in, and he forever lives, every day, to make intercession
for us. He daily delights in showing
mercy to us for his own sake. Christ is our hope because of
who He is, what He did, and where He is right now. Now, I want us to spend a little
time in verse 2 tonight looking at something that caught my interest. I use the word interest on purpose. I enjoyed studying this and learning
this and knowing this, and I hope you'll find it enjoyable too.
I don't know if this is a little different from the norm or not,
but I just pray this will be a blessing. Verse two, Paul said,
unto Timothy, my own son in the faith. He's writing this letter
to Timothy. who he calls his own son in the
faith. Timothy was not Paul's son. Paul called him his son in the
faith. And what he was doing was he
was expressing his deep love for Timothy. He was expressing his deep bond
with Timothy, like the bond of a family. There is a bond within
a family. But this bond is greater. It's
so much greater. As great as the bond of a family
in the flesh can be, as great as that can be, never will that
bond ever come close to the bond of a family in Christ. The bond of the blood of man
is nothing compared to the bond of the blood of Christ. It just
isn't. The love that is in man, it cannot
even be compared to the love that is in Christ. There is a oneness. There truly is a oneness. There is a unity that passes
everything else, and it's because of Christ in his people. Christ
is the bond. It's not that believers just
like other believers better, you know, like people of like-mindedness
just prefer people of like-mindedness. That's not it. Believers are
sinful flesh just like everybody else. Christ and his people is
what draws them together. The things of Christ are drawn
to the things of Christ. And there's a bond. And there's
a unity. And there's a fellowship. And
it's Christ. Even though Timothy was not Paul's
son in the flesh, Paul said, he is my son in the faith. And I can enter in, I can enter
in to what he's saying. I have, I can enter into, I don't
have a physical brother. I don't have an earthly brother.
But you all are my brothers. I mean, you might as well be
my brothers. I love you as my brother. I think as much as I
could love a brother. I have a lot of mothers. Really. In the faith. Who I love and respect. I believe
love me. I enter into what Paul is saying
here. He said, Timothy is my son in the faith. He's saying
we share the bond of believing on Christ. We share the bond of looking
to Christ together. He said, Timothy and I, we look
to Christ together. We're hoping in Christ together.
We're rejoicing in Him. We're waiting on Christ together. Verse two says, unto Timothy,
my own son in the faith. Now, let me just take a minute
here and show you what the word says about this man, Timothy. I just, tonight, this is what
I wanna do. I wanna look at the man, Timothy. I believe it'll
endear us to him. I hope it'll endear us to each
other even more. But turn with me first, if you
would, to Acts chapter 16. Acts 16 verse 1, it says, Then
came Paul to Derbe and Lystra, and behold, a certain disciple
was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which
was a Jewess, and believed, but his father was a Greek. In a moment, we're gonna turn
over to 2 Timothy, where it tells us that Timothy's mother, her
name was Eunice. As it says here, she was a believer.
And Timothy's grandmother, and her name was Lois. She had a
grandmother, he had a grandmother named Lois. She has a grandmother
named Lois. And she was a believer. But it says that his father was
a Greek. What a blessing it is to generation
upon generation share this faith, have fellowship and brotherhood
and family in the faith. What a blessing. I pray God will
give that to all of us. What a blessing. Generation to
generation. So verse one right here says,
then came he to Derbe and Lystra, and behold, a certain disciple
was there named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which
was a Jewess and believed, but his father was a Greek. The Jews were circumcised according
to the law. That was a token that God gave
to Abraham and to his seed. that represented the covenant
of grace, the covenant of mercy. And the Jews were circumcised
according to the law and Greeks were not circumcised according
to the Jewish law. So Timothy was not circumcised
because his father was a Greek. But verse 2 says, Timothy was
well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium
Him would Paul have to go forth with him, and took and circumcised
him because of the Jews which were in those quarters, for they
knew all that his father was a Greek." They all knew Timothy. He was well reported of. And
they all knew that his father was a Greek and Paul took him.
He said, I want you to come. Paul met him and he was well
reported of and Paul could see something in that young man.
He said, I want you to come and minister with me. And he had
him circumcised. And what that means is Timothy
made an open announcement. I am with you. They were going
to go out and preach to the Jews. And Timothy made an open announcement
to them. I believe this. I believe this true and living
God that I'm preaching. I bow to Him. I worship Him. I want to be identified with
His way, just like we do now with baptism. That's what we
do with baptism. They all knew his father was a Greek, so he
let it be known, the Lord Jesus Christ is my King, my Savior,
and I plead his covenant. That's what I'm pleading as my
hope, his covenant. So Paul took Timothy with him
and taught Timothy. And eventually he ordained Timothy
to the ministry. And Timothy became very dear
to Paul. He loved him dearly. And it was because of his seriousness
in the work. It was because of his, if we
can say, faithfulness and devoutness to the ministry of preaching
the gospel. And don't you love whenever the
Lord, and God does it, to Him be the glory, but don't you love
it when the Lord puts a devoutness in someone to worship God? Don't you love that? Great is His faithfulness. But
aren't you so thankful when you see him put faithfulness in his
people? To preach the gospel, to hear
the gospel, to worship Christ. Timothy was a very faithful,
devout minister of the gospel. Timothy proved himself in the
work, and God put a lot of confidence in Paul toward Timothy. Look
with me, if you would, at Philippians chapter 2. Philippians 2 verse 19. Paul said, but I trust in the
Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also
may be of good comfort when I know your state. For I have no man
like minded. And if you have a center reference
in your Bible, you'll see that like-minded means so dear unto
me. I have no man, like-minded, who
will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own,
not the things which are Jesus Christ's. But you know the proof
of him, that as a son with the Father, he hath served with me
in the gospel. Him, therefore, I hope to send
presently, so soon as I see how it will go with me." The Lord
gave Paul confidence that Timothy was not in this for himself. He was in this for the good benefit
of God's people. And may that be said about us. May that be said about us. May
we not be in this for ourselves. May this be for the service of
the Lord, for the good of God's people, for the good of God's
sheep. Turn with me to 2 Timothy chapter 1. 2 Timothy 1 verse 1, it says, Paul,
an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, according to
the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus. He's writing
this to Timothy, my dearly beloved son. Grace, mercy, and peace
from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord, I thank God whom
I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience that without
ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and
day. Paul was constantly thinking
about him, praying for him. Verse four says, greatly desiring
to see thee. He said, I want so badly to see
you. When the time came, According to the commandment of the Lord,
Paul laid hands on no man suddenly. And he gave that wisdom to us. You lay hands on no man suddenly.
And he didn't lay hands on Timothy suddenly. But when the time came,
Paul sent Timothy out to preach the gospel to places that needed
the gospel to be preached. Anywhere that a door might be
opened. And that's what we still do today. Men go out. Acts 17 tells us that Paul sent
Timothy to Thessalonica. He sent him to Berea. And he
called him to come over to Athens where he was. Acts chapter 18
says Paul sent Timothy to Corinth. Acts 19 says he sent him to Macedonia. Acts 20 says he sent him to Asia. And he sent him to Ephesus. And
now think about how Men go out and they go to Danville, and
then they go to Kentucky, and they go to Tennessee, and the
word needs to be preached over in Virginia, or West Virginia,
or Arkansas, or wherever it may be. And we send these men who
the gospel has been entrusted into. And how thankful are we
for this? How thankful that God has raised up this means. Finally,
here in 2 Timothy, Paul called Timothy to come to Rome. So,
the instruction that he gave to Timothy was, and it's written
here, go do the work of an evangelist. Go spread this gospel. And we need to take that to heart. We sincerely need to take that
to heart, whether we're the ones traveling or sending and supporting
the ones traveling. We need to take that to heart.
Go spread this gospel. Go preach the truth of Christ.
But Paul had much confidence in Timothy as a preacher of the
gospel. And if we want to know what his preaching was like,
you know how different men have different deliveries and different
personalities and If we want to know what His delivery was
like and what it would have been like to listen to Timothy preach,
look right here at 2 Timothy 1 verse 4. Paul said, "...greatly desiring to see thee,
being mindful of thy tears." He preached with tears. That means he preached from the
heart to the heart. He preached as one beggar to
another beggar. And Paul said, when I listened
to you, I was filled with joy. He said, I want to see you remembering
your tears that I may be filled with joy, filled with that joy
that I have in hearing you preach the gospel. Verse 5 says, when
I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, and that
word unfeigned means sincere, without hypocrisy, not trying
to put on a show for anybody. Timothy didn't try to put on
a show for anybody. When I call to remembrance the
unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother
Lois and in thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee
also. Wherefore, I put thee in remembrance,
that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting
on of my hands. For God hath not given us the
spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
What was it like to listen to Timothy preach? It was a clear
message of power and love. Paul told Timothy, that's what
the Lord has given us. A very clear message, sound mind
of power and love, sovereign love, sovereign grace. That's what Timothy very clearly
preached, sovereign grace. the sovereign love of God in
saving His chosen people by giving His life to redeem their souls. Verse 8, Paul said, Be not thou
therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner,
but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the
power of God. He was not ashamed. He was a
partaker of the affliction. in preaching the gospel message
according to the power of God. Verse 9 says, Who hath saved
us and called us within holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made
manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who
hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel." He preached the finished, accomplished
victory and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said, Timothy,
that's the message that has been given to us. Paul said, that
was Timothy's message, and it gives me great confidence to
send him to you to preach. Timothy's message was full of
the Word. If you look with me at 2 Timothy
3 verse 14, it says, 2 Timothy 3 verse 14 says, But
continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been
assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and that from
a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to
make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works. Chapter four, he
said, I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus
Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing
and his kingdom. Timothy, preach the word. That's what he told him. I had
a man tell me that one time. Preach the word. Preach the word. He got this page right here.
That's where it is in my Bible. And he ran his finger down it
like that. He said, preach the Word. Whatever it says, preach
the Word. And that's what Timothy did.
That's what Paul instructed him to do. Verse 2, he said, preach
the Word. Be instant in season, out of
season. That means whether it's popular
or not, preach the Word. Reprove, that means prove it. rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering
and doctrine, for the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine, but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves
teachers having itching ears." He's saying, Timothy, don't be
one of those. Verse four, they shall turn away their ears from
the truth and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in
all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
make full proof of thy ministry. Make full proof of your ministry,
the ministry that's given to you. And he did. Timothy was
the first pastor of the church at Ephesus. First pastor there. And you don't have to turn to
this, but 1 Timothy 5.23 tells us that he was a sickly man. Apparently he was a man who had
many sickly infirmities. Paul told him to drink no longer
water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine
often infirmities. He said, Timothy, I know you
have a lot of infirmities. And we know men like that who
the Lord has called Spurgeon was a man who had a lot of infirmities,
but Timothy had a lot of infirmities and he was the pastor of a good
loving congregation who loved him. There's no doubt in my mind.
They supported him. They helped him in every way
that he needed them to help him. And the reason that there's no
doubt in my mind on that is because that particular congregation
was well known for having a heart to do that for brethren. I want to show you who some of
the members were in Ephesus, okay? These are some of the members
Timothy preached to. Look with me at chapter 4, verse
19. 2 Timothy 4, verse 19. Paul said, Timothy, salute Prisca,
which translates Priscilla. Salute Priscilla and Aquila and
the household of Onesiphorus. Priscilla and Aquila attended
in Ephesus. And if you know anything about
them, you'll know that Timothy was a blessed man. He was a blessed
pastor. Those two, that man and that
woman, helped so many of God's people. They were such an encouragement
to God's people. And that's who he preached to.
And he was blessed. I know they were blessed. And
this man, Onesiphorus, if you turn with me to 2 Timothy chapter
1, back a couple of pages to 2 Timothy 1, verse 16 says, The Lord give mercy unto the
house of Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me and was not
ashamed of my chain." The fact that Paul was there in prison.
But when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found
me. The Lord grant unto him that
he may find mercy of the Lord in that day. And in how many
things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, he said, Timothy,
you know very well. Paul said, Timothy, the things
that he's done for me, you know it very well because he'd done
the same thing for you. God has given that man a heart
to do that for God's people. That's endearing, isn't it? That's
endearing. That is inspiringly contagious. That's contagious. I pray that
the Lord might give us a fervent heart for the ministry. Whether
we're called to preach, whether we're called to hear, whether
we're called to be a supporter or a supportee, I pray the Lord might help us.
I pray the Lord might do for us what he did for these men
here. The love and the goodness of God that he creates for his
people in the faith. All that's in the faith. I want
to close this with Ephesians 3. Go with me over to Ephesians
chapter 3. This is Paul's letter to the
congregation that Timothy ended up pastoring. Ephesians 3 verse 14. He said, for this cause, I bow
my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the
whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant
you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened
with might by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell
in your hearts by faith that ye, being rooted and grounded
in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth,
and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ
which passeth knowledge, that you might be filled with all
the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to
do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according
to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the
church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Thank God for the loving
family. that he has given to us in Christ
through that one same faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul expressed
it to Timothy, and I want to express it to you. I love you
in the faith. I do. I love you in the faith.
I pray the Lord will cause it to grow. Paul said, I dearly
love that man. May that be the case here. May
he cause it to grow. All right.