Sermon: The Preacher’s Task

To take a copy of God's word this morning. And turn open to the book of First Timothy if you're using a Pew Bible where they're on page 992 First Timothy chapter 4.

992 if you're using a Pew Bible I'm turning open to First Timothy chapter 4 and this morning looking at verses 11. through 16 First Timothy Chapter 4 verses 11 through 16

let's go ahead and pray before we hear the word of God red and here preach this morning.

We pray O Father that you would speak to us this morning.

That you would speak and only a way that you can speak. Knowing where each of us are at knowing. where our hearts lay what is going on in the recesses of our souls?

our struggles our blindness or joys our doubts or fears

and we pray that you would Shine the Light of your word. That there would be no dark place that is left uncovered. And that we would know that as we leave this place that we have indeed heard the voice of Our Father in heaven. We have heard the voice of your son the great prophet. We have heard as the spirit applied this truth to our lives. We pray this in the strong name of Christ. amen First Timothy Chapter 4 verses 11 through 16. This is

the holy inerrant. sufficient word of God command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth. But set the Believers an example. in speech and conduct in love and faith impurity until I come devote yourself to the public reading of scripture. exhortation to teaching do not neglect the gifts you have which was given you by prophecy when the Council of Elders laid their hands on you. practice these things

immerse yourself in them So that all may see. your progress

keep close watch on yourself. and on the teaching persist in this for by so doing you will save both yourself. and your hearers the grass withers and the flower Fades the word of God is forever. Thanks be to God. amen

We've seen over. the previous weeks how Paul laid out some of the qualifications for elders in the church. He laid out qualifications for deacons in the church. We will go on to see that he will lay out some of the things that church members are to be marked by as we go into the household of faith next week. And we also see that he lays out those who are to be considered as widows in the church and those who are not to be considered widows in

the church, but the text this morning he is focused upon the preacher. The preacher is also an elder in the church. Timothy was a preacher. He was also an elder in the church a teaching Elder that is an elder that has been set aside for the proclamation of the word of God weekend and week Out Among the people of God and so Timothy because he is a teaching elderly preacher. He gets a double dose. He gets what Paul says to the elders and

now he gets what he says. the preacher why because the preacher can have an influence in the church and affect upon the church as he is teaching the church each week the word of God. And so there is even a greater concern for Paul with the preacher.

One look at this morning with the preachers to be with the preacher is to look like with the preachers to do. Will wrestle this morning with some of that and then at the end we'll look at some general applications together. I don't want you to check out this morning. I know that is. Ground, there's ground to do so you think well, this is about the preacher. What does that have to do with me what has an awful lot to do with you?

Once you to be able to see from this text as we go through it. The kind of preacher that you should expect the kind of creature that you want. The kind of preacher that you must demand. and the type of preachers that you should flee from and so there is much for you to understand this morning and then we will do some general applications for all of us at the end but three points this morning. the man the ministry and the message the man the

ministry and the message first the man. Paul is concerned with Timothy's character at the very outset. He says he is pointing out that there must be authenticity in a Christian leaders life. He is poses quote to set the Believers and example and then he details how the preacher is to set an example before the Believers in speech in conduct in love in faith in purity. Now part of the issue in Ephesus. Is this and pose addressing Timothy is Young. He is very young.

And how is it that Timothy is going to have the respect of older men, especially the elders that Paul has just finished speaking about how is he going to have the respect of those men as a young man that is preaching to them. This letter was not only written to Timothy. It's also written to the entire church of Ephesus Paul knew that as Timothy reads this then it would all be read to the entire congregation. And so he is saying to

the congregation you are to respect this man.

Timothy was no doubt under 40 years of age something as low as 25 years of age. Most likely he was somewhere in his 30s. Here to respect this man. But but how was Timothy to Garner such respect? I would say to elicit such respect. Well, it was not by haranguine the congregation. It was not by asserting himself. But what Paul is saying it is by his living. It Is by your living Timothy Frankly, it is easy to spout theology Timothy.

It's easy to digest information. It is easy to form cogent arguments Paul knows this. Well, he was a Pharisee a Pharisees for goodness sakes. That's not the way Timothy. No, my first concern is that every Christian leader be affected by the truth of Christ. Timothy. You're young.

You're young but you will be effective as a preacher if you are first affected by the truth. That is that truth that you are preaching. It has to take up residence in your bone. It has to give a life to you. It has to bleed from every poor in your body. It has to shape your living.

and the effect must be observable by those around you.

love how thanks to famously put it he was talking about the tames river in. London and as he was talking about this he set up a preacher. He said I'm not interested to know if you could set the tames on fire. What I want to know is this. If I pick you up by the Scruff of the neck and dropped you in the into the tames, would it sizzle?

or men who breathe hot but there's no fire in them. They will bring fire to Bear upon the people in front of them, but there's no warmth in them. I'll post saying this is first.

Paul gets to verse 16. He says in summary keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching That it is as dangerous. Not only for the man but it's dangerous for the congregation if this man does not burn in himself for Christ. Notice when he says that in verse 16, the priority is first keep a close watch on yourself your person Timothy person before Proclamation walk before tall. That's the order. An example in speech she says an example

in how you talk. when others hear you it's becoming tall. It's right conversation. It's not gossip. It's not slander.

It's right talk.

You are to be an example in conduct. That is your outward Behavior. the model Holiness and righteousness Here to be an example in love the greatest of Christian virtues. You should be known. by your love for others preacher

and faith It's not just love but it's a love that is accompanied with boldness and Faith. He's a man that looks to Christ and often is looking to Christ and he's pointing others to Christ impurity or to be an example Timothy. You are to be a moral man. Especially he has in view that he is to be sexually pure.

how many Christian leaders of undone or undo their teaching by their example

terrifies me

how many have turned away unbelievers how many have sown lies not necessarily by what they say but by the way that they live

the greatest of greatest threats to the church is not from with thou From within and the greatest of greatest threats from within are ungodly leaders.

especially preachers we need men. Filling pulpits that make the tamed Sizzle they were dipped in.

George Whitfield was such a man George Whitfield was the great preacher of the first Great Awakening was really the first celebrity in America. He was famous in the British Isles throughout the colonies. He would go to preach and people would pack out to hear and preach. Benjamin Franklin who was no Christian would go whenever Whitfield was nearby to go and listen to him preach. and Whitfield and Benjamin Franklin will eventually develop a friendship and

a correspondence with one another. And there were people that were gathered around Benjamin Franklin one day and they were questioning him. About the fact that he goes out to hear Whitfield preach. and they said to him they said Mr. Franklin you don't even believe what he says. So why do you go to hear him? and Franklin replied I don't believe it. But he does.

He does.

the man matters Timothy live well, so you can preach well. The more one's heart is in heaven the better it will bless on Earth. Because there is no amount of knowledge. There is no amount of sermonizing no amount of eloquence that can make up for a lack of affection in the heart. You need preachers that love Christ.

Delight in Christ

That's what you want above all. And you should be praying for that. Praying that you have preachers that know Christ and Delight in Christ. But not just simply no and Delight in Christ. But that progress in Christ. That's what Paul says in verse 15. He makes it clear Timothy you are to show progress in these things. Why because he's setting an example before the people of God. He is to progress. People are are to be able to observe always

saying their leaders becoming more like the Savior that these leaders are pointing the congregants, too. Why because this is the Christian Life? The Christian life is all about becoming more and more progressively like the one we love.

And so you need leaders? That look like this. You can see that.

Now this makes something quite clear. Doesn't it that no leader in the church?

It's a perfect man. We have great Elders here. We have great deacons here at your C. We have great growth group leaders. We have great ministry team leaders both men and women in different areas Godly good people and yet none of them have arrived. None of us have arrived. Not even the person that you look at in this congregation you say that is that godliest person? I know they have not arrived. We are all just leaky vessels where

God has poured out his grace upon us and it is leaking out all of those different cracks in our lives. We're a sieve. None of us are perfected until we reach Glory. But here's the issue so many in order they are just wallowing in that. Listen, I am not what I thought I would be at this point not in Christ. It craves me. I wish I was at such. Greater level of Holiness than I am.

But you don't wallow in that. that's not a reason Jason to camp out and do mourn that you haven't progressed further than you or No, it's to be motivation. motivation that you were to progress now

To fight the good fight of faith. There's room for growth and every one of us until we reach Perfection above. And a good leader in the church understands that he is to be growing. progressively it's to be evident. As John Stott said people should be able to observe not only what they are but what they are becoming.

Can people observe about you and I not only what we are. but what we are becoming

recently read a good example of this Willy still Reverend still was a famous Pastor in Scotland had a huge impact in Scotland in the previous century and he preached in the same church in Aberdeen for 50 years. And for 50 years he preached in this church and fill reichen who is now the president of Wheaton College talks about how he went to stay with Reverend still for a few months and stayed in his house and and in his eighties Reverend still would

still preach morning and evening every week. Has he done for 50 years? And he'll reichen tells the story that they would every morning get up. He in Reverend still and they would go and they would sit at a little kitchen table and they would have their Bibles open and and Phil reichen would pepper Reverend still with all kinds of questions biblically and about Theology and about Ministry and he said routinely what would happen in the midst of those meetings there would be mornings were

Reverend still would say, I don't know the answer to that and he would jump up and he would run to the other room and he would get a few books and he would come running back into the kitchen with those books and lay them out on the kitchen table and he would say, ah Philip. We're still learning, aren't we? We're still learning. 80 years old preaching every week and he didn't stop progressing. And it was observable.

second it's not just the man. That's also the ministry that matters. It says command and teach these things Timothy what things well the same old things the old story. This is the ministry teach the truth of Christ the good deposit that I passed on to you. All these things that we've spoken about Tennessee avoid the quarrels avoid the speculations avoid the irreverent silly myths avoid the controversies avoid the additions to the gospel avoid all

these things because they're gimmicks.

For 13 until I come to vote yourself. To the public reading of scripture to exhortation. That is the preaching to teaching do not neglect the gift that you have what gift will clearly the gift of preaching teaching? And preaching and teaching what preaching and teaching the scripture. fall into the gimmicks Listen, every single generation of the church. We are told as almost always by Church experts. That we're going to lose this generation if we

don't do this. Or if we don't grab onto this new idea, but we don't have this new kind of method.

and all of those every gimmick It just denies the very means God's appointed for accomplishing his Kingdom Purpose. Let's trust God rather than men.

He's appointed the reading and preaching of his word. That's the ministry Timothy. You're to rely upon the word of God for the work of God in because that is the will of God God chooses to work by his word the scriptures alone. They alone or breathed out by god's second Timothy 3:16. They are living in active Hebrews 4:12. They are the means by which God Saves The Lost Romans 10, they are profitable for teaching for reproof for correction for training

and righteousness second. Timothy 3. It alone does not return void Isaiah 55 it alone. Neither Withers nor Fades Isaiah 40. It stands forever relying upon anything else for Fruitful Ministry is just plain stupid. stupid

and that doesn't matter whether it is preaching. Whether it is any other kind of ministry that you are engaged in. It is to be founded upon the word of God. It is to be suffused with the word of God. If you're seeking to be fruitful. for the god of the word We depend upon it nothing less nothing more nothing else.

notice A poll emphasizes the reading of the scripture. He says in verse 13 the public reading of scripture The public reading of scripture he's talking about this. Where the Church of God has gathered in the scriptures are read.

When we read the scriptures here at you, or see it's not. a precursor to the great event of preaching that's not what it is. When the word is read it goes out and the spirit attends to it and it's made effectual does not return void.

And work on this. Their pastoral interns at your sea. It isn't just the preaching that matters. It's also the reading of scripture that matters. The spirit works with the word as a thread. Because listen you're being tall when the scripture is being read here. I'm teaching you. I taught you this morning when I read the word before I started preaching. Just by the way, I inflected words. By the words that I emphasize by the words that I slowed down

on by the words that I sped through. I'm interpreting for you. I put effort into that. I think through that.

And even as I put in an effort to reading the word, so you are to put effort into hearing the word as it's read. Your mind isn't just to perk up when the preaching event begin. To perk up as the word is being read. And you're seeking to understand it and you're seeking to receive it.

Paul's not shy with Timothy here. The employees demanding language when he talks about this. He says practice these things a Murphy immerse yourself in them Timothy. This is to be your way of life. This is what it looks like to be a gospel preacher. Why? because of our third point because of the message it's in this message. That you deliver Timothy is of Eternal importance. It's the message of Salvation verse 16. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the

teaching persist in this for by so doing you will say both yourself and you're here. Implied in that Timothy is that you are to preach Christ. This is the great message. That there is no way for preaching the reading and preaching of the word to actually affect salvation unless what unless Christ is set forth. Why? Because it's only in the Name of Christ that you can be saved. It is only by believing upon Christ that you

can be saved as Peter says they're in Acts 4 when he is preaching he says for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved. This is the great task of the preacher is to prepare you for death. That's the great task. to give them Christ to help them to see Christ. To receive Christ to grow in Christ.

love a Charles Spurgeon spoke about this one time he was talking about England and he said all the no matter what road you're on in England. He said that road lead you to London. And so he said it's the same with the scriptures. every passage of scripture Leads you to Christ.

Every sermon is to lead you to Christ.

If you are not receiving Christ here from this Pulpit run or fire me. Fire me for my good and for your good. If I'm not giving you Christ. Then I'm not giving you anything. It's Christ. That's the ministry. Show us Christ. Sir, we would see Christ.

As Paul says that the Timothy is here. He says keep a close watch. On yourself and preach the word. By so doing you will save yourself in your ears. How do you do that? Timothy by preaching Christ? compose say I preach Christ and him crucified I only knew Christ among you but he will say

this language here is a little shocking for us rightfully so as you will save both yourself and your hearers well this is the Apostle Paul it doesn't he say that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone what is he talking about Timothy saving his hearers and saving himself through the preached word By attending to these things. Well, of course is not saying Timothy you will save yourself by keeping a close watch on yourself rather. What

he is saying is what he was say for instance to the Philippians when he says work out your salvation with fear and trembling that is if you are a Christian if you have received Christ that now you are to continue to persevere in Christ. And so he's saying to Timothy look keep a close watch on yourself Timothy. So you continue to persevere in Christ. And in this way, you'll save yourself. And by doing this you will save your hears as

you keep close watch on yourself. And as you keep a close watch on the doctrine on what you are teaching and what you are preaching as you are setting Christ before them. Not that you're preaching actually saves them, but you are reaching out Christ to them. And as they receive Christ. And they have salvation.

Often prayer I pray more than any prayer before I get in the pulpit. almost every Sunday is Lord help me to shrink into the background. And all they see is Christ. Who they see is Christ?

It's what we need.

the man the ministry the message We just close with a few applications in light of this text for all of us. first always always make sure you enter you are in a church that preaches the word. Disturbs me greatly disturbs me. And we will have Christians who? Will get ready to move to a new area. Some of you graduating from college will do this some of you getting done with your Graduate degrees will do this some of you as you get new jobs will do

this. And you'll go out to place and you'll interview for this dream job. And you will sit down and you'll try and assess the company.

You'll tour the area you'll want to know what is the benefits package that you're receiving you look at the local schools for your children if you have children.

You'll get a realtor and have them take you around and look at houses.

And then maybe often after the decision has been made. Now, let's see if we can find a church.

Maybe not even until we've moved to that area. As if that's the last release part of the equation.

It doesn't matter. A nice schools or it doesn't matter how great your benefits package is. It doesn't matter how big your backyard is if your soul is languishing. Because you're not being fed the word of God.

What does a profit of man if he gains the whole world? And yet forfeits of soul.

You find yourself first. Whether there's a church that proclaims the word of God. Where you're entertaining going?

Don't go there. Unless you found that church or unless you plan on going to plant that church with somebody. Don't go. And listen, don't stay at a church. That has wandered from it. If you are cease is preaching the word of God ceases presenting Christ to you you run from this place. You fire me or you run from this place. You do one of the two. Do you need the word of God? That's what you need. You don't need a celebrity Pastor. You don't need the most gifted of

men standing before you don't need entertainment. You don't need the best musicians. You don't need humor for goodness sakes you need the word. You need the word. And you need it weaken and week out. I need it weaken and we go.

second if the word in our public gathering is this important for our souls. That Paul says the Timothy to devote yourself to these things. This is to be your entire life Timothy. That he says do not neglect this public reading exhort and teach this word for by so doing you will save yourself and your hearers if it is of this eternal importance. Then you need to be here. You need to be here.

This is not a nice add-on option for the Christian Life. This isn't where you wake up Sunday morning in just decide whether you feel like going today. You need to be here. And I don't say that because it's job security for me.

Say because I love your soul.

need this need this

you need to be among the people of God in the room with the people of God where you're hearing the word red and you are hearing the word preach and you are being presented Christ weakened and week out you need it.

This is an optional Gathering. Let's live like it.

And that light let's not casually walk in on Sunday mornings.

If it is as important as Paul is emphasizing you and I need to prepare for such a gathering.

If I knew tomorrow morning that I was going to meet with the president of the United States, I'd spend time thinking about that meeting this afternoon. I wouldn't wake up at the last minute tomorrow morning and run out of the house. You're not meeting with the president of the United States. those change Those failed those fall. You are meeting week in and week out here with the Living God of the universe. You're hearing from him. That's what Paul

is saying you're hearing from him. the Living God of the universe

we should prepare ourselves.

And I encourage you. Sunday mornings begin Saturday evening don't have a late night. Drowsy heads make for poor worshipers. We're meeting with God. You want to be alert when you meet with God? Now listen live it up on Friday nights or as much as Presbyterians can live it up. But on Saturday night. Let's uphold the accusations against us. Let's be boring.

Go to bed on time. Maybe even a little early. Well Sunday morning. How about you get up on time or maybe even get up a little early. Don't jostle out the door you lay out the clothes the night before if you have a teenage daughter, you lay out that her clothes the night before so she doesn't change five times. not good preparation for worship you stop in the morning and you pray.

And you take time to read the text that is going to be preach. You think through it so that your heart is all the softer for receiving the word when you come into this place?

And prepare yourself.

And you pray? Oh pray before you come.

Pray while you sit here pray throughout the service. Pray in your head over and over. Oh Lord, help me to receive what is being preached. Help me to know how to apply what is being preached. Help me to understand the greater truth of you my God as I hear this word red and preach and I'll pray for one another pray that others in this room would hear the word of God pray, you know, pray for the preacher. He be clear. They'd be effective.

Have a mentor. Who? regularly preaches at a historically African-American church And he says it's one of his. favorite places to preach because of the way that this historically African American Church gives feedback in the room as he's preaching. You know as he is preaching he said it is wonderfully encouraging to hear. Gloria Hallelujah Praise God go on preacher. He said it's not so encouraging when? He knows that he's struggling and there seems to be kind of a palpable feel

of that in the room and all of a sudden different voices start echoing the same thing in the room. Lord help him Lord help him

good prayer Maybe you could pray that in the service under your breath or in your head for my sake but I could use those prayers Lord help him. finally As a congregation, let me encourage you to hear the reading and preaching of the word astutely attentively reverently in responsively. receive it astutely insist cyst upon sound preaching no matter how old you are in the Christian life you are to want more and more of this word.

You will take nothing less than this word. You don't want to be entertained. You want the word?

And you want Christ? to listen for the wordstutely Listen attentively. Seek to understand it as your hearing it to do so you have to be attuned to it. Listen as the preacher is accountable for faithfulness and proclaiming so you are accountable for your faithfulness in listening. We both have a job here. We both have a job. I work very hard to try and make this as clear as possible to make it as effective as a possible to be the least

distracting. I can be as possible. That's my responsibility. Your responsibility is to receive it attentively. To try not to be distracted. We both have responsibility. Now listen, I understand. I understand. The preacher can be boring at times. I can be boring at times. I understand. The preaching can be unclear at times. I can be unclear at times. I understand that the preacher can be distracted in a times. I can be distracting at times.

But you have responsibility as you sit here. Try and get rid of all of those distractions from your head and your heart. and to listen attentively

Billy Graham said it well once and he's talking about prayer. He said, you know in prayer you often get distracted. He said that thought will come into your mind. He said that happens to everybody. He said let the bird fly through just don't let it nest.

You have distracting thought and worship you're thinking about what you're having lunch later today or the football game later today or what work you got to do next week or that kid over there across the room or oh I got to touch this person after the service or I can't believe they said that to me before the service as soon as you begin to have that thought and you realize that you stop. And you redirect yourself to the word.

That you are responsibility. We're in this together. They both have to be attentive.

You listen, reverently. Why do you listen reverently? Is God is speaking to you? God this is not about the preacher. This is Christ the prophet proclaiming his truth to his people. The Living Word, this is the spirit of Christ that is applying that word to your heart and to your souls. Your hearing from God. That's what's happening. And so you are to receive it reverently. As if he was thundering in this room from Heaven as he did over Jesus at his baptism.

You were hearing it like that. You receive it like that. Is speaking to you?

finally we listen responsively. As Timothy was to be affected by the word so are each of us.

to be affected

how more once said the question we should ask when we leave worship is not this it should not be did you get anything out of that? But rather the question should be will I will I obey the word of God. How must my thinking be realigned with the scripture how must I change my behavior to be fully obedient to the word? Why because we come into this place and we all want as Christians or should want us Christians to progress.

This isn't just for the preacher Timothy. this for all of us We want to progress. We want to look more like the one we love. Why? Because he is so desperately beautiful. And we want him to receive more and more Glory from our lives.

And so we listen. respond to be conformed and formed his likeness so that we look more and more like him as we progress through this life until that day that we are in glory with him who lived for us and died for us and was buried for us and resurrected for us and we now see him as he is and so we are like him perfectly

Do this together?

We sit under the word together.

Need to help each other in this help me. to help you let's pray.

Lord Our God we do. Thank you.

To our God who has given us your word.

And we're thankful that you've bound us together in community. That word comes to bear. Each of us gifted differently and informing each other's lives so that we might be conform more to the likeness. for Christ of this word how we would live for his glory? We give praise to your father. We would have our hearts as fertile ground for the planting of the word. by the spirit shape of moth us we pray. according to the likeness of our savior

It's in his name we pray. amen