We Serve the Lord Christ — 1 Timothy 6

0:01 Good morning. Good morning. Okay. Today, we're going to be finishing up first Timothy. We'll be looking at the sixth chapter.

0:11 But before we do, I wanted to ask the Lord for his power and blessing. Our God and our Father, we're thankful that we've been occupied so much this morning with the grace of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and Thy mercy to us. We're thankful, Father, that we are the recipients of that which we do not deserve. But we're thankful we receive it because of the finished work of our savior, the one in glory, the one that claims our devotion. We ask for thy help as we open thy word.

1:00 I need help. Help each listener to understand that you're speaking to us. Help us to understand we have responsibilities because we are the recipients of thy matchless grace. We ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. Now before we read the chapter, I just want to give a simple outline.

1:35 Four points. The first point is we serve the Lord Christ. The second point is we are to love people, not money. The third point is the secret of a contented life. And the fourth point, flee, follow, fight.

2:05 Now I understand that the new King James gives flee, pursue, fight. But I had to make it easier for you with the alliteration, so I used the old King James with the flee, follow, fight, but we'll be looking at that later. We serve the Lord Christ. Love people, not money. The secret of a contented life.

2:37 Flee, follow, fight. First Timothy chapter six and verse one. That is, many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of Christ and his doctrine may not be blasphemed. And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

3:16 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ into the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wrangling of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain, from such withdraw yourself. Now godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

5:46 Command those things who are rich in this present age, command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share. Storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life. Oh, Timothy, guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and the contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. By professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith.

6:42 Grace. We've heard a lot about grace today. Grace be with you. Amen. Now in this, the first two verses, we have a section about servant and master relationships, and I appreciate John speaking about that last week because it really belongs with chapter five.

7:10 But I just want to give an application of those two verses. It's speaking about the employee and employer relationship for some of the younger ones. The student relationship with the teacher or the professor. The relationship with our neighbors. In one Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 31.

7:44 We're exhorted, whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. Whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. You know, in doing some reading, it was interesting that in the days of Paul and Timothy, they had slaves. And they tell us that when a Christian slave was up for auction, they had a higher price because they were expected to work harder. The testimony of naming the name of Christ has responsibilities.

8:38 Whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. And in Colossians three, we serve the Lord Christ. How was your testimony and how was mine? With our neighbors? With our friends, with those that we work with or go to school with.

9:13 I just want to give the exhortation that Paul gives to the Colossians chapter three and verse 24. We serve the Lord Christ. Each believer does. How well are we representing our risen Lord? First in our walk, and then in our talk.

9:48 If we don't have it in our walk, they aren't going to listen to us in our talk. And I read the words to that hymn I Gave My Life for Thee earlier today. I was really planning to read it at this point, but it just fitted in with the theme of the meeting for what Jacob started this morning, the grace of God. But I'm just going to read it once more. I gave my life for thee.

10:26 This is the savior speaking to the believer. My precious blood I shed, that thou might ransom me and quicken from the dead. I gave my life to thee. What hast thou given to me? My father's house of light, my glory circled throne.

10:53 I left for earthly night, for wanderings, sad and lone. I left, I left it all for thee. What hast or hast thou left ought or anything for me. I suffered much for thee more than thy tongue can tell of bitterous anguish, agony, to rescue thee from hell. I've borne it all for thee.

11:36 What hast thou borne for me? And I brought to thee down from my home above salvation, full and free, my pardon and my love. I bring rich gifts to thee. What hast thou brought to me? We serve the Lord Christ.

12:05 What have we brought for him? He's worthy of our worship. He's worthy of our service. He's worthy of us all, our all, because he gave his all. But in the next section, verses three through 10, Paul gives two warnings.

13:31 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not bearing the flock. And also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore, watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. Paul was prophesying to the elders that there were going to be false teachers coming in. Coming in from the outside and rising up from within.

14:16 And Timothy is now dealing with these problems because one Timothy was written to Timothy when he was at Ephesus to deal with some of these issues. And in verse four, Paul says, These false teachers are proud, knowing nothing. In other words, they were arrogant but ignorant. And that's quite a description. But that's what, arrogant and ignorant, proud and not knowing what they were saying.

15:00 But they were obsessed with a lot of useless disputes. Reminds us of what Paul wrote in Romans one and verse 22, concerning those that rejected God's truth, professing to be wise, they became fools. You know, in some ways this reminds us of a lot of the political chatter today, and I don't want to go there. But that's what it is. It's foolishness.

15:36 But then he has the sounds of warning about the love of money. And he says in verse five that those false teachers suppose that godliness is a means of gain. In other words, by professing to be teachers, godly, they were drawing a salary, or they were getting the funds of those that were supporting them. Paul says from such withdraw yourself. And I'm going to skip verses six through eight.

16:15 We're going to come back to that. But thou, and verse nine. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and to many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. So we find that the love of money, desiring to be rich, to get rich quick. You know, a week or two ago, all the news media, all the excitement about the lottery with all its high value, get rich quick, cash in quick.

17:06 You know the odds were ridiculously, but people fall for it. And we find that people get excited, all the gambling that's allowed now on the internet. I don't want to get tied up with it, but we are dealing in a culture that's dealing with how to get rich quick. And you know, I know we know it's wrong, but sometimes the overwhelming culture, media promotion can sometimes cause people to lose their perspective. That's all I want to say.

17:59 But in verse 10, for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. We have some examples of that. In the Old Testament, in Joshua chapter seven, the story of Achan. In chapter six of Joshua, the nation of Israel had had a tremendous victory. They just marched around Jericho for seven days.

19:18 And Joshua was praying to the Lord and he says, why have you forsaken us? The Lord says, because Israel has sinned. And I will not go with you until you put that accursed thing away. And as Joshua goes through and narrows which tribe and which family, it finally falls on Aiken. Joshua says, tell me what you've done.

19:55 Aiken, he said, I saw. I saw this good Babylonian garment, it was beautiful. And I saw 200 pieces of silver, and I saw this wedge of gold of 50 shekels. And he says, I took it. I buried it under my tent.

20:24 Joshua looks at him and he said, you know the Lord said we were to take nothing of that accursed belongings. He said, it looked good to me. I took it. They went to his tent and found the goods. Aiken and his whole family and all his goods and all his livestock had a very, very sad and destructive end.

20:56 Pierced through with their greediness. Judas Iscariot in the New Testament. Three years with the Lord Jesus Christ, he saw all the miracles. He even had his feet washed by the Savior. He went out and he sold him, betrayed him, came in the Garden Of Gethsemane knowing that the Lord would be there, betrayed him with a kiss.

21:31 A sad ending, A suicide's ending. So the application is for the believer. The love of money is not only a cause of problems, cause words said, it's a very destructive problem. And the application for us is money is the number one argument for many couples in their marriage because they have different standards. For the believer, it should not be.

22:21 But the love of money, or perhaps how money should be used. Do you go into debt? Or do you wait and get what you would like when you have the money for it? I'm not talking about buying a house, but I'm talking about maybe buying a piece of furniture. I remember a conversation I had with a young man years ago, probably over twenty years ago.

22:55 And he had just recently been married and he says, we're going to go buy a dining room set. I said, well that's good. You have it saved up? Oh no, he says, I'm going to put it on the credit card. I said, really?

23:11 I said, we waited for a couple years and saved up, and bought it the dining room set when we had the money. I'm not going to be like that. We're going to get it now. And for years later, he was still paying off on the credit card for other things that he had bought. So what we're talking about is Matthew six, and I'm just gonna read it in verses 19 through 21.

23:42 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroys and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Verse 24, he says, No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

24:54 I was looking at that passage, I was thinking, well, we've got food, we've got clothing, but what about shelter, the home? But in looking at it, this word for clothing is really the word for covering. It includes clothing, but it includes shelter as well, our home. Having food and covering, we shall be content. Know, real contentment is independent of either poverty or wealth.

25:38 In Philippians four, verses 11 through 13, Paul is writing from prison and he says, Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Hebrews thirteen:five, let your conduct or your behavior be without covetousness.

26:22 Be content with such things as you have, for you have said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Contentment. What is the secret of contentment? I'm reminded of a story of a lady, we'll just call her old granny. And one day a young boy came to see a preacher and he said, Mr.

26:58 Preacher, would you please come see my old nanny? She's very, very sick. I'm worried about her. Can you help her? So he said, sure, son.

27:09 So they walked to the tenement house and climbed all the stairs to the attic. And it was cold, it was winter, and there in a corner of the attic, dear old nanny was lying on a mattress on the floor. The preacher went over and he dropped to his knee and he said, Granny, after he looked at her, he says, you're very, very sick. I don't think you're too long for this world. What do you need?

27:50 What can I get you? The dear old lady looked at him, and a slight smile rose. Her eyes shined. She said, I have Christ. What want I more?

28:09 I have Christ. What want, I more. He says, Granny, I think you're going to be with Christ today. And she went home to be with the Lord. I have Christ.

28:25 With want, I am more. The world says you need a lot more. You deserve it. God says the secret of contentment is being occupied with Christ instead of stuff. But then the last section, flee.

29:13 It's pursuing something, and it's pursuing with your effort. You know you can follow kind of lackadaisically. But you can't pursue that way. And he said, oh man of God, you're to flee the teaching of the false teachers. And you're to flee the love of money.

29:38 But pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Righteousness is integrity with others. Godliness, I think one of the best descriptions I've heard, God likeness. To reflect Christ. Faith, faithfulness, love.

30:13 Love for others. Love for Christ, love for God the Father. Don't love money, love people, and love God and Christ. Patience, steadfastness, or endurance under trials, and gentleness, a kind and humble spirit. I'd just like to turn over to two Timothy chapter two, please.

30:51 Chapter two and verse 22. Flee also youthful lusts, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. In verse 24, actually we'll read verse 23 because it, avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, patient in humility correcting those who are in opposition. He repeats in two Timothy what he's stressing in this chapter, and I think this chapter is a good bridge for going into two Timothy.

31:43 But then he says, fight. Not as on a battlefield. He's not even talking about using all the armor of God. But he's talking about to contend in a persevering way, to persist in spite of difficulty or discouragement. To fight the good fight of faith.

32:10 He talks about that in two Timothy again, chapter four and verse seven. But here he says, To fight the good fight of faith they hold on eternal life. In other words, to live out in daily practice the eternal life that you know you have in Christ. In the next couple verses, he speaks about having a good confession, which he had confessed in the presence of many witnesses with his salvation. In verse 13, I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things and before Christ Jesus, who witnessed a good conscience, a good confession, rather, before Pontius Pilate.

33:55 Verse 15, He who is the blessed and only potentate, the king of kings and lord of lords. Revelation 19. The one that comes out of heaven on a white horse whose robe is dipped in blood. The Lord himself coming for the battle of Armageddon. And on his robe and on his thigh was written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

34:34 He devastates the nations in that battle of Armageddon. You know, when we were in Israel, we were at Megiddo, looking down on the Plain Of Jezreel. Wide and stretching out about 26 miles long from Mount Carmel by the sea, the final battle will take place as the nations would rise in their arrogance against Israel. And the Lord descends from heaven, smites with the sword out of his mouth. It's tremendous.

35:26 We're on the winning side. And as we think of the one that is the Lord, the king of kings and Lord of lords. You know we're coming to the Christmas season and the Messiah is often sung. And every time they sing the Hallelujah Chorus, and the audience rises up, and that crescendo of song by both the choruses and the audience. King of kings, lord of lords.

36:04 King of kings, lord of lords. He's the greatest. He is the great and awesome God. But in the next verse, speaks about, I believe, God the Father, who alone is immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light whom no man has seen or can see. John chapter one and verse 18.

36:39 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father, he has declared him. Colossians one fifteen, Christ is the image of the invisible God. But in verse 17 through 19, Paul again returns to how to handle wealth. Not for those who are greedy for the love of money, but for some of the wealthier believers in the assembly.

37:57 And all that we have really belongs to God. We are stewards. We think we've earned it. We've just earned the right to have the loan of it because it belongs to God. He gives us what he feels we can handle, and we're to share it with others.

38:26 In verse 18, we're to be ready to give, willing to share. One Corinthians four and verse two talks about stewards. And it says, It is required in stewards that one be found faithful. Trusting in riches is a form of idolatry, Because God is the true source of all enjoyment. It's not money.

39:05 It's not material things. Wealthy people or rich people are not condemned for their money. They're only condemned if it's been gained dishonestly, if people are putting their trust in it instead of in God, or if they're failing to use it correctly. Verse 19, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come. Each of us, as we stand before the bema, the judgment not of our sins, but the judgment of our life since we became a believer.

39:57 What have we done, and how have we lived for Christ? How have we used our resources? How have we used our time? How have we used our gifts? How have we used our treasure?

40:17 We'll have to answer for it. But there's eternal dividends at the judgment seat of Christ. Then shall every person have praise of God. We won't all get the same because we all haven't lived the same. So as Paul gives the final charge, in verse 20 he says to Timothy, guard what was committed to your trust.

40:50 In other words, guard the gospel message. Guard the truth of the scriptures. Timothy, this is my charge to you. You're the next generation. And as he goes in two Timothy, he talks not only about what he has taught Timothy, but Timothy is responsible for teaching others, younger generation.

41:21 And they're responsible for teaching a fourth generation. That's how the gospel, that's how the truth of the word of God is passed, from generation to generation. But as we look at the outline once again, we serve the Lord Christ. How are we serving? We're to love people, not money.

41:55 We're to know the secret of contentment, and that's Christ, and serving Christ, and being occupied with Christ instead of material things. This world is passing away. I have an expression I use sometimes with others. It's all for the fire. This world is going to be burned up in a new heaven and a new earth made.

42:26 Christ. Christ has a claim upon our lives. And that claim is because of the blood that he shed at Calvary. He gave his all. He held back nothing.

42:43 I gave my all. What have you given for him? And then the final thought, flee. Flee all the follies of the world. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness, and then fight the good fight of faith.

43:16 Live for Christ. It's the only thing that matters. When we stand before our savior at the Bema And he'll review our service. There'll be things that we'll be rewarded for that we had forgotten far long ago. There'll be some things we thought we were going to be rewarded for that we won't be because our motive was wrong in doing it.

44:10 We long to see him. May we go in for serving him, shall we pray? Our God and our Father, we're so thankful for the blessings of knowing you as Father and our Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Thy word is challenging. Thy word is faithful.

44:36 Help us to go in for a living for eternity and not be occupied with the struggles of time. For we ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.