Well, good morning to everyone. So good to see everyone here this morning. Some of you are back for the first time in a long time, and everybody was excited. That was nice, nice to be together again and really what we should be doing. 

We've been studying 1 Timothy for quite some time, and we're continuing through this book, verse by verse, into chapter 4 now. And this passage is kind of a reiteration of what we've been studying, what Paul's been saying. He's going over this and over this with young pastor Timothy and what Timothy needs to do to set things in order in the church in Ephesus where there were some doctrinal issues and opposition and so forth.

I was thinking this week really how important this text is to the church today. And we live in really an amazing time, a lot of things going on in our world. As we watch the news and see all the turmoil and strife even going on in our own country now, sometimes it's kind of difficult to process, to know what to do. 

On the one hand, life goes on. The sun still rises, the cows still need to be milked, and nothing's really changed here in the Northwoods. I remember when I was young learning about the time of upheaval in our country during the Vietnam War and the riots and protests and hippie movements of the late 60s and early 70s. And I asked my oldest brother what it was like to live during that time. And he said, well, I had a flat top haircut and went to work every day. And really, the vast majority of the country was not protesting, was not rioting. They were going to work every day. And that is true today as well. 

Yet somehow it seems different with all the information bombarding us, manipulating us continually through the news and social media. There's a real effort on the part of the powers that be to bring unrest, to institute a new system of government to retain or gain power. And it's unsettling.

But we are believers in Jesus Christ. We have the revealed word of God. We know what is ultimately coming on this world and what must happen in order for prophecy to be fulfilled. And so there's a tension for us as believers, a sadness and a righteous anger concerning the injustices of the world, the desire for righteousness on this earth. And yet, knowing that this will only come through the great tribulation and the second coming of Jesus Christ. 

So as we observe and live in this world, as we try to process these things and respond rightly to them, think rightly about them, it is vital that we hold fast to the word of God, that we renew our minds to the words of God, who is truth, and think his thoughts, lest we be drawn away into the wisdom and thinking of this world. 

So as I see so many in the world and even in the church being drawn into a social gospel, a social justice movement, really, and all the distraction and damage that goes with that. And as I've been studying this great section of the letter to 1 Timothy, where Paul is writing to Timothy concerning what he is to do, who he is to be, in order to be an excellent minister of Jesus Christ, to save himself and those who hear him, to guide and direct and teach his flock, to keep the church focused and growing and fruitful, I've been asking myself, what should be my response to this crazy world, to this distraction and destruction of so many, even in the evangelical church? What must I do? How must I think? What is my role? 

And I have to tell you, there's a great tendency in my heart and mind to give in to the desire to try to fix everything, to try to make things right, to correct the error, to engage in the fight, concerning particularly the woes within the evangelical community as the world has slowly, surely crept in and taken over the thinking of Christians to render them useless. 

It takes a great discipline on our part and continual renewing of the mind to the simplicity that is in Christ in order to remember and to restrain, to know that I have been called to a specific purpose, a specific role in this body for the service of this people at Living Hope Church. And I have to tell you that this text in 1 Timothy 4 is such a timely text, so refreshing to me, instructive, important, and convicting. 

At the heart of the message today is the truth that if I'm going to be a good minister of Jesus Christ, a good servant, a servant to you, to the believers of this fellowship, then I must first take heed to myself, to the doctrine, and to the application of that doctrine in my life. If I do not conform my thinking and my living to the truth of God's word, if I'm drawn away and taken captive by the thinking and means of the world, persuaded by the powerful forces of the world system engineered and conducted by Satan, then I will be useless to you as a servant of Jesus Christ. 

I want you to listen to the clear words that Paul wrote to Timothy. Even as Timothy faced all the pressures and dangers of the world, of the wisdom and philosophies of men, and the great forces working to corrupt the church and the believers of the fellowship in Ephesus, listen carefully to what Paul writes. 

Let's begin in verse 6 and kind of set the context. 1 Timothy 4, 6. If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. But reject profane and old wives' fables and exercise yourself toward godliness. 

For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. For to this end, we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe. These things command and teach. 

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word and conduct and love and spirit and faith and purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them. For in doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you. 

I'll have four points for you this morning. First, example. Second, exhortation. Third, entirely. And fourth, endure. 

Well, here we have the clear plan of God for the man of God. And this is not isolated here in this epistle. This is the consistent teaching of the word of God concerning how the man of God is to conduct himself in order to be a good minister of Jesus Christ. And what we see is that he is to, first and foremost, give himself entirely to the study of the word of God, to preaching, to teaching, to exhortation. And he is to take heed to himself in order that he might be an example to all. 

This is what he's supposed to do. This is what he's supposed to give himself to entirely, comprehensively. As Peter said in Acts, we will give ourselves to the word and prayer. It is in this way and only this way that a man can keep himself from the lies and deception. 

The wiles of the devil in this world can keep himself from being taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophies after the wisdom of this world, after the traditions of men, doctrines not according to Christ. When the minister of Christ strays from the central focus, this predominant role in the church, when he goes off into other things, trying to fix the world, trying to cure the social ills, trying to use the means of the world or the wrath of man to bring the righteousness of God, then all is lost, my friends. 

All is lost concerning his effectiveness in building up and equipping the saints for the work of ministry. Paul says, until I come, you give attention to reading, to exhortation, to teaching, to doctrine. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them. 

You see, my brother and my sister, there are endless dangers, endless errors, distractions, and pitfalls in this world. And the only way a man of God can keep his mind straight, can avoid these traps, can be fruitful and progress, is to continually give himself to doctrine, to the word, to renew his mind, to be discerning, to see things for how they are and know how to respond to them. 

The false teaching of this world is subtle. It's attractive. It seems good. And all the things that we can do and engage in and help others and make things right seem like a noble pursuit. But unless a man is completely continually grounded in the word, growing and progressing in his own sanctification, walking in the spirit, being an example to others, then he is defenseless against the fine-sounding arguments of men, the doctrines of men, behind which are demonic forces. 

Remember the context of this chapter. Doctrines of demons. So we see a clear instruction in this passage and consistently throughout the whole New Testament concerning how a man can be a good servant of Jesus Christ and keep himself from the lure of false wisdom in this world. 

Our first point, Paul's instruction to Timothy in our text, is that he must be an example to all. Look at verse 12. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 

The tradition and culture of Timothy's time considered a man to be young, to be immature, until he was 40 years old. Timothy was most likely in his 30s at this time, and so he faced a lot of pressure from the older men in his church and the viewpoint of the congregation, not really respecting him or considering him as an authority because of his youth. The word despise here indicates not just a feeling, but action. They were actively working against Timothy because of his youth. 

Today we might translate this verse, stop letting them push you around. That's what they were doing, undermining his authority. Paul says, don't let anyone despise your youth. And how was Timothy to overcome this obstacle? If you look at the example or the text, he says it's by example. It's by character. He says, but, don't let them despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

He's to be an example by his speech. This is true of his ministry and preaching and teaching. What he says must be consistent with the word of God, but it's also true in his words or speech in his everyday life. We must be careful to have our words match our identity and work toward our goal of Christ-likeness and witness. The Bible speaks volumes concerning the tongue. 

And James says, if a man can tame the tongue, if he can master the tongue, he masters the whole body. Unfortunately, this is a place that's so easy to fail, to speak words that are not consistent with who we are, that are not edifying. Ephesians 4:29 says, let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

I love this instruction. It's so positive. Speak words that are good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. What if we could just obey this one command? And it is consistent with who we are. At the beginning of that chapter, Ephesians 4:1, Paul said, I want you to walk worthy of your calling. The words mean equal weight. Walk, conduct yourself in a way that is consistent with who you are in Christ in light of salvation. 

It's consistent with who we are to speak words that edify, that build up, that impart grace to the hearers. But I don't know about you, but I fail in this so often. Complaining, not being thankful, selfish, not thinking of others and what would edify them. It's important for every believer, but it's of utmost importance for the minister of Jesus Christ to guard his tongue. My problem is I speak too many words. 

To speak words that are good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Timothy was to be an example to all, first of all, in his speech. He was also to be an example in conduct. This word speaks of the manner of life, how a man lives. And the next four words in the text really flesh that out. He says, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 

Love is agape; it's not pure; it's not pure. In love, in spirit, in faith, in purity, love is agape. It has the basic idea of giving oneself for the benefit of others. Self-sacrifice with an intent for the good of others. The minister of Jesus Christ is to give his life for others. He's to be willing to sacrifice himself, his own interest, because of the great love that he has for people, for the salvation of the lost, and particularly for the encouragement of the saints. 

This is manifest in being available to people, to give your time or resources to meet the needs of the body of Christ. And this goes right along with speaking those things which are necessary for edification. It can be correction, it can be exhortation, it can be encouragement, but the man of God is to love people. He is to give himself for the edification of the saints, speaking the truth in love, bearing the burdens and rejoicing with those who rejoice, those whom God has given him to shepherd. 

The love of God must be manifest through the life and heart of the good minister of Jesus Christ. The next three words really go together, spirit, faith, and purity. Purity speaks directly to moral character. A man of God should be pure in his conduct, but the word also covers motive, and this is where it fits nicely with spirit and faith. What is the spirit of a man? What is his motive, his intent? 

No man's going to be perfect, right? And if you want to seek flaws in a man, you can find it. But the good leader in the church is one who has the right motive, the right heart. And this can be corrupted with a lust for money or power, a self-centeredness, but it should be the heart and motive of the pastor teacher to give his life himself entirely to the needs and edification of the believers. 

And this is done primarily through the faithful study and preaching and teaching of the Word of God. And individually, being available to speak words necessary for edification, encouragement, and instruction, as well as coming alongside to bear up under the struggles of life. The word faith encompasses the man's heart as well. Paul captures this idea in 2 Corinthians 3, describing his ministry. 

Let's turn over to 2 Corinthians 3, I love this passage. This is the first, or actually the fourth through the sixth verse we're going to read, 2 Corinthians 3:4. This is how Paul understood his ministry. 

2 Corinthians 3:4, "And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life." 

A man of God must have an utter and absolute dependence on God. His faith and trust must be in God to make him sufficient for his ministry. And this is manifest in his life by a commitment to the Word of God, to teaching and preaching the truth, giving himself entirely to doctrine and study because, listen now, because he believes with all his heart in the sufficiency of the Word of God and the God of His Word. No wisdom is found anywhere else. No instruction or benefit in that which is separate from the Word of God. His faith is in God. His trust is in God to make him sufficient, to work it out, to work out His will through the ministry of the servant of Christ. 

Turn over to Colossians 2 with me, please. Colossians 2 at verse 1. Such a tremendous passage, Colossians 2 at verse 1, "For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen My face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ. And look what he says in verse 3, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

Now this I say, lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words, for though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware, lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power." 

The good minister of Jesus Christ believes this with his whole heart, that the sufficiency, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found solely in Christ. And he is discerning, he's wary concerning any false idea or doctrine that would come against the knowledge of God through His Word, that might take the believer captive and spoil him, rendering him useless. 

You are complete, Paul says, you are complete in Him. The man of God must truly believe this and look nowhere else but to this book, to Jesus, for His sufficiency. Timothy was to be an example in all these ways. And next we see that he was to engage in exhortation. 

Verse 13 in our text, "'Til I come," this is really the central verse of the text, "'Til I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to all.'" 

Timothy was to give attention to reading. This is the reading of the Word of God, his own personal reading but here particularly in the public meeting. We are to read the Word of God in this place, in the gathering of the believers, we are to hear it. And then it says he is to give attention to exhortation. The Word of God is to be read aloud in the assembly and then the preacher is to explain, to give the sense of it, and then exhort the people to apply it in their lives. 

Doctrine, teaching, give attention to doctrine. Timothy was to read the Word, he was to teach the Word, exposit, explain it, and then exhort the people, encourage them to obey God's truth. This is the simplicity of the role of the teacher. The word attention means to apply the mind to, to focus on. What is the good servant of Jesus Christ to apply his mind to, to focus on? Reading the Word, teaching the Word, and exhorting the believers to apply the Word. 

This is the heart of the ministry of the servant of God. This is the gift that God had given to Timothy. He had called Timothy to be a preacher and teacher of the Word. This was not something that Timothy had decided on his own, this was something that God had called him to do and had gifted him in particular to do. The gift of preaching and teaching, reading, exhorting. So Timothy was not to neglect this gift. He was to exercise it. He was to utilize it by the grace of God. 

God had given this gift, called this man, actually making it clear through prophecy. And the elders had affirmed this by the laying on of the hands. Timothy had been called to preach and gifted to teach and he should not neglect this gift. His focus, his mind, was to be set on the reading, study, preaching, and teaching of the Word of God. 

And Paul reiterates this sole focus in verse 15 again where he says, give yourself entirely to them. Meditate. The word means to roll over in the mind like a cow chewing her cud. We are to sit and ponder. We are to work through. We are to think on the truths of the Word of God. 

It can also mean to carefully attend to, to take care of. And both of these meanings apply here. And Timothy was to give himself entirely to them. The word means to throw yourself wholly into. The servant of God is to be completely immersed, wholly consumed with the reading, teaching, and exhortation of the Word of God. That's what he's supposed to be doing, first and foremost. 

And the other demands of ministry are not to take him away from this first thing to a detrimental degree. The duties of love and counsel and being available to people must flow out of his primary concern to study, know, reckon, and teach the Word with exhortation. And these things should not be an impediment to that. 

And in this way and only this way, his progress will be evident to all. Growth and maturity, effectiveness in ministry comes through these pursuits, the study, teaching, and preaching of the Word of God and a personal application of it in his life. This is how there can be growth. This is how there can be maturity and an ability to minister effectively for the edification of the people in the glory of God. He says entirely. 

Give yourself entirely to these things. So we've seen example, we've seen exhortation, we've seen entirely. Last in our text, we see the word endure. First Timothy 4:16, "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." 

Paul has repeated again and again the focus of the Word and preaching and teaching in the life of the good servant of Jesus Christ. Again here he implores Timothy, take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Then he says, continue. Robertson says this word means to stay by them, stick to them, see them through. Them refers to these things, reading, exhortation, doctrine. Continue, endure, keep going, stick with it, do not vary, do not waver. 

This is the meaning here and really the lesson for me, for the preacher, teacher, concerning his focus and role and what he is to set his mind to. Take heed to yourself. This word has the idea again of setting one's mind to, to fasten on. Take heed to yourself. This encompasses the pastor's own personal study for his growth and his edification, his dependence on and faith in God and His Word. 

It includes the character qualities that we looked at in verse 12, our example in word and in conduct. We must not undermine the message that we preach by the life that we live. And that's true for every believer. Take heed to yourself. And again, Paul says, and to the doctrine. 

This is so amazing to me in light of the mood that envelops the evangelical church today. Doctrine is a dirty word in the church today. And yet Paul uses it so freely. It's his main focus. It's the thrust of his ministry and his exhortation to Timothy for his pastorate. Doctrine, doctrine, doctrine, because Paul believed this truth that the indicatives, the truths, the doctrines must form the basis for the imperatives, the commands, the exhortations. There can be no practice, there can be no holy living apart from truth. 

What a man believes will dictate how he lives. And the Christian faith in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus, it is more than this. It's more than believing something and living in light of it. It's truth, it's salvation. I want you to turn over to Romans 6 as an example. 

This is a text we're familiar with, Romans 6, I just want to give an illustration that's typical of Paul's writings, of all the writings of the New Testament. Romans 6:1, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 

For do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 

For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ having been raised from the dead dies no more, death no longer has dominion over Him. 

For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in its lust and do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 

This is a tremendous example of the importance of doctrine as a basis for living or application in our lives. We see this in every one of Paul's epistles, every New Testament letter, doctrine followed by application. There's doctrine teaching laying down the indicatives and following this there's an exhortation to live in light of the truth. 

Romans 6 is one of the clearest passages illustrating this truth. Here Paul tells us that we died with Christ. We were buried with Him and we were raised to newness of life. Our old man in Adam, dominated and controlled by indwelling sin, was crucified and freed from the controlling power of sin. We died to sin. We died to the law. We were released from the bondage to fear of death. We are new men, regenerated, taken out of Adam, placed into Christ. 

We're no longer under law, sin and death, but we are now under grace, righteousness, destined for eternal life. These are the great truths. These are the doctrine. These are the teaching about our salvation, of the work of God in us through our union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. 

And then in verse 11, he says, likewise. You also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin." And then he says, therefore, based on all these wonderful things that are true, therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, rather present your members as members of righteousness to God. 

Paul gives us a list of doctrinal truths of who we now are in Christ in the first ten verses of Romans 6, then in verse 11 he exhorts us to reckon it, to count up the facts, to consider them as true, to believe what God says, and then to apply these truths in our living, presenting our members no longer to sin but to righteousness. We are new men, therefore we must live as new men. 

But without that truth, my friends, the commands are useless. It's like Colossians 3, do not lie to one another. Let me tell you what, they got that down to pagan church, don't lie, right? Do not lie to one another, why? What does Paul say? Since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and you have put on the new man, it's being renewed. 

We have a basis, we have a truth basis, and without that truth, without that doctrine, there's no sense to the exhortations. The imperatives must be based on the indicatives. We must know the truth. 

That's really the point of our text in 1 Timothy 4:16. Take heed to the doctrine. Pay attention to doctrine and apply it in your life, endure, continue in these things. And then he says, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. 

I want you to listen to Weiss' comments on this verse. He writes, Timothy, Paul says, will save himself and those under his spiritual care by giving diligent attention to the public reading of the Word, to exhortation to apply the words, and explanation of the Word. The salvation spoken of here cannot be the salvation of the sinner or the preservation of the saint, for these two are both the work of God for man. 

The salvation here is understood by the context, back in verses 1 to 3, mainly being saved from the teaching of demon-influenced men. Would you like to be saved from the teaching of demon-influenced men in our world? He says that is by the reading of the Word, the exhortation from it, and the explanation of its meaning, Timothy and his hearers will be saved from being entangled in these heresies. 

This is Satan's weapon against the church, entangling the believers in heresy. Because where there's no truth, where there's no doctrine, where there's no indicatives, then there's no commands that can be obeyed, there's no basis for it, there's no growth. 

Here's the application for our text this morning, for Living Hope Church. There are myriads of false teachings being thrust on the church from without, from within, with all demonic influence and a satanic source. There's a constant and continual battle against lies, against false teaching, infiltrating and taking captive the believers in order to ruin their witness and render them useless to the cause of Christ. 

The only effective weapon against this onslaught by Satan's world systems and his ministers is the truth. And the truth can only come from this book, from God's Word. So what should we as believers, as a church, as a local assembly be doing? Where should our focus be? What should we apply our minds to continually? 

To the truth, to the Word of God. We must read it, we must exhort one another to believe and obey it, and we must give a clear explanation of what it means. This is the simplicity of the ministry that Timothy was called to, and this is the very thing he was gifted to do. This is the work that he was to give himself entirely to, and Paul wants to be sure that Timothy understands that reading, preaching, and teaching is what he's supposed to be doing. 

Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Be an example. Focus on the Word and give yourself entirely to the preaching and teaching of it, and to the degree that we vary from this means, from this method in the church today, is the degree to which we place ourselves in danger, vulnerable to the wiles of the devil, to the doctrine of demons. 

Colossians 2 gives us a clear warning of the very thing we see happening in much of the evangelical church today. Beware. Beware. Pay attention. Does anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ? 

Our job as believers in Jesus Christ is to hear the Word read, preached and taught so that we might become discerning, that we might be able to judge right from wrong so that we might not be deceived and entangled in demonic doctrines. And the role of Timothy, of the pastor of the church, is to give himself wholly, fully to the study of the Word of God so that he might preach and teach effectively the truths of the Word and exhort the believers to apply and obey. 

And he himself must be an example of these things to men. This is God's plan. And my prayer for myself and for our church is that we would stick with God and His plan and purpose, that we would trust Him and believe Him, and that we would agonize and work and study and strive to know what is true so that we might be fruitful for His glory and that we might be a witness to men in this world. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we're so thankful, so thankful for Your Word, Your truth, so thankful that You've given us the Holy Spirit to empower us, to guide us into all truth, to lead us. Father, we thank You for the great privilege of the ministry You've given us in this world, and just pray that we would understand that You want us to depend on You, to trust in You, to look to You, to believe You, and that our growth and sanctification and fruitfulness comes through the Word and through an abiding relationship through faith in Jesus Christ. In His name, we pray, amen.