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Morning Message Text: 1 Timothy 2: 1-7
The Appeal Renewed
1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.
5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.
6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.
7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
Morning Message:
We must all ask ourselves, why are we really here? Let me start by saying that whatever reason you have for coming here today, I am glad that you are here. I truly believe that no matter our reasons or intentions, God draws us to worship. Whatever it is that gets you up on Sunday morning and into these pews God will use for your betterment. With all of that said, God does have a purpose for His church. Why does the church exist today? In 2 Timothy 2: 2 where Paul charges young pastor Timothy to “entrust truths that he has been taught to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others “gives insight to the purpose of the church worldwide.” At this point in my sermon preparation and writing I realized a minor detail that I had overlooked. I was supposed to be preaching from first Timothy, and I just realized I was in the wrong place. Or am I in the right place according to God’s will?
Understanding what the church is not can help. The church is not the New Testament modern-day continuation of the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people. Israel did not morph into the church. Israel was, is, and always will be “the apple of [God’s] eye” with a specifically appointed, eternal purpose. The church is also not an organization created by man to ensure that a Christian version of religion endures through time. Yes, there are religious aspects of the church, but its purpose is greater than religion. Finally, although all true members of the church should be members of a local Christian fellowship, the church is not just the people who gather in houses of worship on the weekends. The church is not a physical building.
Instead, the church is, first and foremost, an invisible, spiritual reality. It is the organic union of all who have been given new birth by the Holy Spirit as a result of faith in Jesus Christ. As Paul writes, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” (1Corinthians 12: 13). We all come to faith in Jesus in different ways. Some believers have dramatic testimonies of coming to faith in extraordinary circumstances, like Paul. You all know how Paul came to Jesus, right? But there is also beauty in the testimonies of those who were raised in believing homes and received Christ in their youth. Timothy was one such person. Timothy’s parents had what we might call a spiritually mixed marriage—his father was an unbelieving Gentile and his mother a Jewish believer. Paul likely led Timothy’s mother and grandmother to faith in Christ, meaning that these two women instructed Timothy in the Scriptures from a young age. The result: a young man ready, willing, and able to follow Jesus and to serve his people. What kind of faith gets transferred from one generation to the next? What characteristics will most likely be caught by succeeding generations? We need to hear this so that we can find ways to live out our faith that makes an impression on the next generation. As I read these, I gained a better understanding of why Charlie Kirk made such a difference.
First, we must have Authentic Faith. A faith that is consistent, that is walked out day by day, and that is sincere draws people to it. Children and grandchildren are the first to see us as we really are. Despite our imperfections, are we living the faith that we claim to believe? The world knows that we are not perfect, but does what we believe in shine through? Do we stand for what we believe?
Second, Abiding Faith. That genuine faith first lived in Timothy’s grandmother and then his mother is significant. Lived means abided or dwelt in. In other words, this kind of faith has staying power; it is permanent. Eunice’s and Lois’ faith inhabited their life (as did Paul’s); it was ever present in them in good times and bad. Abiding faith is especially evident in troubled times. How the adults in the family respond to adversity reveals to the next generation whether the faith that is proclaimed in one’s home really works.
Third and fourth: Aroused Faith and Absolute Faith. Aroused faith is a faith that can’t keep quiet. It is so moved by the Lord’s work that it must tell others what God has done. An aroused faith will be shared even with the youngest of children, and this helps mold them. Here is where today’s church is truly falling short. I used to say that it was good Presbyterians that were afraid to show emotion when moved by the Holy Spirit, but I have come to the realization that this is the condition of the church overall. Absolute faith is simple to explain, but difficult to live. This kind of faith understands Christ’s future promises to be fact—and lives like it.
So, what is the true church? We are every believer who makes up the church. We are the Body of Christ. So, the purpose of the Universal church is to continue the work Christ began on earth until He returns at the end of the age. By extension, we can then say that the purpose of individual, local churches (gatherings of Christ followers) is to carry out the purpose of the universal church in their communities. Put simply, the church is to be the hands and heart and eyes of Jesus on earth while He is in heaven. Christ, however, remains the head of the church, giving nourishment, direction, and instructions to the members of His body on earth as they “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything” that He commanded. That is the purpose of the true church. It sounds like an impossible task. With God nothing is impossible, but we must be serious about the commandment that Jesus gave us. It takes contagious faith to carry out the purpose of Christ’s church.
In Christ’s Love and Peace,
Pastor Bob
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