1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:21,360 He writes to Timothy, his beloved son in the faith, who was the pastor of the church at 2 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:24,360 Ephesus. 3 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:30,600 He writes to exhort Timothy in his work. It is a book of practical instruction and 4 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:35,640 revelation from God as to how ministry ought to be conducted. 5 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:41,760 I believe the theme of the book might be stated this way, serving the Lord. Just those three 6 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:49,160 simple words, serving the Lord. You notice that Paul begins by reminding Timothy that 7 00:00:49,160 --> 00:00:56,180 he served the Lord with a clear conscience in verse 3. 8 00:00:56,180 --> 00:01:05,560 Again in chapter 2, verse 24, in instructing Timothy, he says, And the Lord's bond-servant 9 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:09,800 must not be quarrelsome, but be kind, and so on. 10 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:17,940 And again in chapter 4, he puts it a little bit differently as he speaks in verse 11 regarding 11 00:01:17,940 --> 00:01:23,840 Mark, and he says, Bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:28,640 So several times we see that specific word used, and then there are other thoughts that 13 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,640 connect with it very clearly. 14 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:39,360 If the theme then is serving the Lord, I believe the book falls into two sections very nicely. 15 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:45,640 In chapters 1 and 2, he tells us about serving the Lord acceptably. 16 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:51,640 And then in chapters 3 and 4, serving the Lord expectantly. 17 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:57,320 And so today we begin with chapter 1, beginning in verse 1, as we talk about serving the Lord 18 00:01:57,320 --> 00:01:58,320 acceptably. 19 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:04,560 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in 20 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:11,320 Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved son, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father 21 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,000 and Christ Jesus our Lord. 22 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:20,560 I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly 23 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:28,160 remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you even as I recall your tears, 24 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,920 so that I may be filled with joy. 25 00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:35,440 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you which first dwelt in your grandmother 26 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:41,960 Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that is in you as well. 27 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:47,440 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the 28 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,320 laying on of my hands. 29 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:54,600 And with that we'll stop our reading for this morning. 30 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:59,300 The title of the first two chapters is, Serving the Lord Acceptably. 31 00:02:59,300 --> 00:03:04,040 That title insinuates that it's possible to serve the Lord in a less than acceptable 32 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:05,520 manner. 33 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,000 Can God be served unacceptably? 34 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:13,720 The answer to that is yes, God can be served in that way. 35 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:18,960 We have only to look into the Old Testament for a very sad example. 36 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:24,240 Turn with me if you will to the book of Isaiah and the first chapter. 37 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,120 The Lord speaks to His people Judah. 38 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:32,640 Notice these amazing words as God addresses them in verse 10. 39 00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:40,600 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom, give ear to the instruction of our God, you 40 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,680 people of Gomorrah. 41 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:49,640 God is talking to Judah, He's talking to Jews, to His people, but He addresses them with 42 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:53,840 these strong and harsh terms. 43 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:58,360 What are your multiplied sacrifices to me, says the Lord? 44 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:08,800 I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle, and I take no pleasure 45 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,840 in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. 46 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:19,640 When you come to appear before me, who requires of you this trampling of my courts? 47 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:24,180 Well now wait a minute, who was it that commanded them to come together? 48 00:04:24,180 --> 00:04:30,200 Who was it that commanded them the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats, the burnt offerings, 49 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:31,840 the fat of the fed cattle? 50 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:35,240 It was God Himself. 51 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:41,280 But God says to His people, I've had enough. 52 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:46,840 He says in verse 13, bring your worthless offerings no longer. 53 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:49,640 Incense is an abomination to me. 54 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:56,400 The new moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. 55 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,640 Now there you have an insight as to the problem. 56 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:06,160 God says, I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. 57 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:12,300 Now He says, I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts. 58 00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:14,360 They have become a burden to me. 59 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,920 I am weary of bearing them. 60 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:21,480 So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you. 61 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:26,480 Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. 62 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,760 Your hands are covered with blood. 63 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:36,440 Isaiah continues a similar theme in the 29th chapter of this book. 64 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:45,960 And he says in verse 13, the Lord said, because this people draw near with their words and 65 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:53,040 honor me with their lips service, but they remove their hearts far from me, and their 66 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:58,600 reverence for me consists of tradition learned by rote. 67 00:05:58,600 --> 00:05:59,600 What is the problem? 68 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:05,880 The problem is that while the people of Israel were going through the motions, performing 69 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:13,080 the rituals, coming to their feasts, saying the right words with their lips, their hearts 70 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:19,920 were far from God, and their lives were filled with sin. 71 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:25,200 They were serving the Lord, but God did not accept their service because their service 72 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,360 was unacceptable. 73 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:37,600 The Lord Jesus quotes verse 13 in Matthew 15-7, to the generation of His day, and He 74 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:44,160 says to them, while you are going through the rituals, and you are going through the 75 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:50,360 traditions of your fathers, your hearts are far from God. 76 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:56,080 You see, it is possible, terribly possible, for us to serve the Lord unacceptably. 77 00:06:56,080 --> 00:07:04,720 It is possible for an evangelical today to go through the motions, to sing even scripture 78 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:09,040 songs, the more popular ones these days. 79 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:15,560 It is possible to sing the great hymns of the faith, even to pray, go to prayer meetings, 80 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:22,880 to attend, even attend regularly, to talk spiritually, even to witness to other people. 81 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:28,620 That is, to do all of the right things, but with a heart that is not right with God. 82 00:07:28,620 --> 00:07:33,840 That is possible for us today as much as it was possible for the people of the Old Testament. 83 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:39,960 There are a few things that are more important than for you and for me to understand what 84 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,960 it means to serve God acceptably. 85 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:47,140 I believe that is what Paul writes to Timothy about. 86 00:07:47,140 --> 00:07:50,840 How we serve the Lord in an acceptable manner. 87 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:59,480 He begins in chapter 1 by pointing out to us six essentials to serving the Lord acceptably. 88 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:05,800 We will not cover all six of them today, but I hope at least the first three. 89 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:10,120 How do we serve God in a way that He will be pleased? 90 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:12,760 How is our service to God acceptable? 91 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:18,960 Well, the first essential is a sincere faith. 92 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:26,240 I want you to notice in verse 5, he says, I am mindful, Timothy, of the sincere faith 93 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:29,880 within you. 94 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:33,120 This is faith in a saving sense. 95 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:39,720 Paul is saying to Timothy, I know as much as I can know that your faith in the Lord 96 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:42,440 Jesus Christ is a genuine faith. 97 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:46,200 It is a sincere faith. 98 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,000 You see, there is a faith which does not save. 99 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,940 Did you know that? 100 00:08:51,940 --> 00:08:54,200 There is a faith which does not save. 101 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:59,480 It is an insincere faith. 102 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:03,760 You may be characterized by at least three things. 103 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:12,120 An insincere faith that does not save is characterized in the first place by an intellectual understanding 104 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:19,000 of the gospel without a heart commitment to it. 105 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:25,920 A faith that does not save the soul is characterized by an intellectual understanding of who Jesus 106 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:35,680 Christ is and what He has done without a heart commitment to Him and to the gospel. 107 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:37,960 This was true even in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. 108 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:42,720 Go with me to the gospel of John, and I think we see this exemplified in something that 109 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:46,120 happened there. 110 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:55,680 The gospel of John, the second chapter. 111 00:09:55,680 --> 00:10:01,320 It says in verse 23, when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover during the feast, many believed 112 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:02,320 in His name. 113 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:03,320 Now notice that. 114 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:04,320 It is the word believe. 115 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:08,640 It is the same one as John 3, 16. 116 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:10,200 The same one as John 1, 12. 117 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,680 There is no difference in the Greek word here. 118 00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:18,200 It says many believed in His name, beholding His signs, which He was doing. 119 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:25,720 But Jesus on His part was not entrusting Himself to them. 120 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,720 The word entrusting there is the same word as the word believe. 121 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:33,360 It is while they believed Jesus, Jesus did not believe on them. 122 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:37,320 He did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all men. 123 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,400 And because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man, for He Himself knew 124 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:42,400 what was in man. 125 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:43,880 What is happening here? 126 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:49,640 Well, these people believed in a certain sense because of the signs which they saw, but their 127 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:54,040 faith was a superficial faith. 128 00:10:54,040 --> 00:11:01,040 Jesus did not entrust Himself to them because He knew that their faith was ingenuine, that 129 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,640 it was not unto the saving of their souls. 130 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:09,520 I believe that this is the kind of faith that Jesus talked about in the parable that is 131 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:14,680 recorded in Luke chapter 8, as well as in other places. 132 00:11:14,680 --> 00:11:20,640 But in Luke chapter 8 and the 13th verse, Jesus explains the meaning of the seed that 133 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:26,720 is sown on rocky soil. 134 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:30,240 Without recounting the whole parable, perhaps you remember it and turn to this verse and 135 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:33,000 look at what Jesus says. 136 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:42,240 Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. 137 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:48,840 So here are people like in John chapter 2, who receive the word with joy, who believe 138 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,840 in a certain sense. 139 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:56,400 They have an intellectual appreciation for what is going on. 140 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:00,760 But it says, and these have no firm root. 141 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:08,780 They believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 142 00:12:08,780 --> 00:12:16,620 So here are people who have an intellectual understanding of what the gospel is. 143 00:12:16,620 --> 00:12:22,320 They can tell you who Jesus Christ is, but there has been no hard commitment. 144 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:31,480 My friend, churches today are filled with people exactly like this. 145 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:39,080 I heard one national speaker say recently that it was his opinion, it was only an opinion 146 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:44,720 because he has no way to prove this, but he speaks in a lot of places and he says it is 147 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:54,280 his opinion that up to 50% of the people in evangelical churches have never truly been 148 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:58,520 saved. 149 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:05,360 They have a faith, but it's not a faith that saves the soul. 150 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:09,920 It's not a sincere faith. 151 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:17,960 I believe that faith that does not save is characterized as unaccompanied by repentance. 152 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:31,800 Secondly, turn with me to Acts chapter 20 verses 20 and 21. 153 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:35,880 Acts 20 verses 20 and 21. 154 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:40,480 Paul here is telling you about his ministry and he says that he was among them solemnly 155 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:50,520 testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 156 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:57,720 Verse 21, repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 157 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:07,640 I am personally of the conviction that repentance is an inseparable part of saving faith. 158 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:15,880 Today there is a brand of gospel that I'm going to label false gospel that is preached 159 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:19,040 which does not call for repentance. 160 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,720 We say what is repentance? 161 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:28,240 The word repentance simply means the changing of the mind. 162 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:33,400 There is a call for faith in Jesus Christ today where there is no call for the changing 163 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:40,520 of the mind regarding sin and oneself and God. 164 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:45,760 There is no thorough dealing with conviction of sin. 165 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:52,080 I do not see repentance as a separate act from saving faith. 166 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,640 I am not saying that. 167 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:58,760 I don't believe that we need to repent and to believe the gospel. 168 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,440 We need to repent and believe the gospel. 169 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:05,680 There is a subtle difference there. 170 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:10,640 In saying it the first way, I'm saying that there is a separate act involved. 171 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:17,800 In saying the second way, I'm saying that incorporated in saving faith is a genuine 172 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:23,000 repentance, a change of mind regarding sin. 173 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:30,400 Instead of one loving sin and desiring to sin, one hates sin and turns from it, repudiates 174 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:31,400 it. 175 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,920 There is a change of mind regarding self. 176 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:41,680 Instead of wanting to be self-fulfilled and self-realized, one understands that his self 177 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:44,680 is sinful. 178 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:49,200 There is a change of mind regarding God. 179 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:55,280 Instead of running from God and hating God, there is a turning to God and loving Him, 180 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:58,360 a desiring of God, a repentance. 181 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,080 It's a part of saving faith. 182 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:07,080 The faith that does not save is unaccompanied by that kind of repentance. 183 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,920 Repentance and faith are like two sides of one coin. 184 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:16,720 My point this morning is not the origin of repentance or the origin of faith, but it's 185 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:23,800 rather that genuine faith is accompanied by a change of mind regarding sin, self, and 186 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,320 God. 187 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:31,760 A faith that does not save thirdly is characterized as without works. 188 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:38,920 You say, wait a minute, I thought that the gospel was believe apart from works. 189 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:44,720 That is the gospel, my friend. 190 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:51,240 But faith that is not accompanied by works which follow the faith is a faith that is 191 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,860 suspect at best. 192 00:16:54,860 --> 00:17:08,440 Faith plus works is a false gospel, but faith that works is a result of the true gospel. 193 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:13,760 I believe that we see this in James chapter 2. 194 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:17,360 There are those who believe that James is contradicting Paul here, but of course that 195 00:17:17,360 --> 00:17:19,100 cannot be. 196 00:17:19,100 --> 00:17:22,200 God does not contradict Himself. 197 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:29,760 In the second chapter of James, in verse 14, it says, What use is it, my brethren, if a 198 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:36,720 man says he has faith, but he has no works? 199 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:40,040 Can that kind of faith save him? 200 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,440 That is the heart of James' question. 201 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:47,320 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you 202 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:53,160 says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, and yet you do not give them what is necessary 203 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,400 for their body, what use is that? 204 00:17:55,400 --> 00:18:03,800 Even so, faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 205 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:12,280 The faith that saves the soul results in good works in one's life, works that testify and 206 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:21,080 witness to the fact that that faith is genuine and sincere. 207 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,480 There is a faith which does not save. 208 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:30,920 Beware of that kind of faith. 209 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:37,680 John Stott from England reported some time ago on a survey which was done. 210 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:43,600 The survey reported that 92% of Presbyterians believe in God. 211 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,160 That's rather generous, isn't it? 212 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:53,040 The survey also said that 95% of Baptists believe in God. 213 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:59,040 I'm not sure where the other 5% are, but you know I can top that. 214 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:06,600 There is a group of beings where 100% of the people believe in God. 215 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,440 You find them in verse 19. 216 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,760 You believe that God is one, you do well. 217 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:15,960 The demons also believe in Shudder. 218 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:23,720 The group that believes in God 100% is the demons, but not a one of them is saved. 219 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:25,600 But they believe. 220 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:33,920 They believe in God the same way that some of you may believe in God. 221 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:38,800 The faith that does not save. 222 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:47,520 If one is going to serve God acceptably, it must begin with genuine faith. 223 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:53,840 This morning I bring this word to you not to shake the security of any of you, but as 224 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:56,320 a warning. 225 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:03,440 A warning of the terrible deceit that can give a false sense of security. 226 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:08,200 And ultimately leads one to damnation. 227 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:14,440 Because that sense of security is based upon an insincere faith. 228 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:19,480 I think it's worthy to note that Timothy's sincere faith was caught from his grandmother 229 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:21,280 and his mother. 230 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:25,560 He observed it in them and it took hold in his own life. 231 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:31,000 It apparently took hold during the ministry of the Apostle Paul when he came to Lystra. 232 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:36,480 For it does seem that Timothy was one of Paul's converts and thus he calls him a beloved 233 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,760 son. 234 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:45,240 But the groundwork was laid in his life by the home in which he was raised. 235 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:49,480 He was of a Greek father who apparently was a pagan. 236 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:56,360 But in his mother and in his grandmother he saw something real. 237 00:20:56,360 --> 00:21:02,280 I think that's a real precious privilege that is pointed out to those of us who are 238 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:03,440 parents. 239 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:05,240 We cannot save our children. 240 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:09,960 We cannot force them to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 241 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:16,000 If we could, I suppose we would force them because we know the importance of it. 242 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,380 But we can't force them. 243 00:21:18,380 --> 00:21:21,640 We cannot make our children trust the Savior. 244 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:23,860 But what can we do? 245 00:21:23,860 --> 00:21:29,040 Like Lois and Eunice, we can live such a life before them that they see what sincere faith 246 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:30,040 is. 247 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:36,040 And the groundwork is at least laid for the Spirit of God then to do a work in their lives 248 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,120 to bring them to Jesus Christ. 249 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:44,080 Maybe we'll have the opportunity to pray with them, see them trust the Savior. 250 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:50,000 Maybe it will be the Sunday School teacher or a camp counselor or a teenage worker. 251 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,320 Maybe it's an evangelist in the church. 252 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:59,520 But we have the joy of living before them the kind of faith that's going to stick with 253 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:04,040 them all their lives. 254 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:12,200 I believe that not only is sincere faith critical as the first step of the Christian life, but 255 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:16,440 it is critical for every step of the Christian life. 256 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:21,960 You see, a genuine faith is a principle of life that is vital to acceptable service for 257 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:22,960 God. 258 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:29,720 That's why in Hebrews 10 and verse 38, the writer quotes from the Old Testament prophet 259 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:43,320 Habakkuk where God says, my righteous ones, my justified ones shall live by faith. 260 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:47,920 And it goes right on then in chapter 11 to point out great examples from the Old Testament 261 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:56,880 of men and women who having trusted God for salvation went on to live by faith, a sincere 262 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:06,480 faith that gripped them and caused them to make great decisions, to take great steps 263 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:07,880 in serving God. 264 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:12,480 Their service was acceptable because it was with sincere faith. 265 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:16,200 Now going back to Timothy. 266 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:21,560 Let's notice a second essential if we're going to serve God acceptably. 267 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,480 It is a clear conscience. 268 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:30,280 And we see this in Paul himself as he writes in verse 3, I thank God whom I serve with 269 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:35,000 a clear conscience. 270 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:40,480 The conscience is the smoke detector of the soul. 271 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:47,920 It sounds a guilt alarm at the presence of disobedience. 272 00:23:47,920 --> 00:24:00,400 The conscience bears witness to our spirit either accusing or approving us in our actions. 273 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:04,760 The New Testament talks about different kinds of conscience. 274 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:11,160 It talks for example about a good conscience in 1 Timothy 1, 5 and again in verse 19. 275 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:16,880 A good conscience is one that functions as God intended for it to function. 276 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:20,760 It does what I've just explained. 277 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:27,680 But the New Testament also talks about a defiled conscience in Titus 1, 15. 278 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:36,200 A defiled conscience is one that is polluted or it's constantly overridden. 279 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:42,200 The conscience in other words sounds the alarm and the alarm is turned off and the action 280 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,200 proceeds. 281 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:51,120 A defiled conscience is one that is polluted or constantly overridden. 282 00:24:51,120 --> 00:24:55,160 And it can lead to a third kind of conscience that the New Testament talks about and that 283 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:59,560 is a seared conscience, 1 Timothy 4, 2. 284 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:02,960 A seared conscience is one that no longer functions at all. 285 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:08,880 It is hardened by callous that is built up. 286 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:14,440 The continual overriding of the conscience can result in a conscience finally becoming 287 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:20,680 insensitive to sin so it doesn't function at all. 288 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:27,320 I've heard people say as you have, my conscience doesn't bother me in this. 289 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:35,040 You know the silence of the conscience does not necessarily mean that everything is okay. 290 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:39,160 That one's conscience is not working is not necessarily a good sign. 291 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:46,160 Indeed, if it's not working at all, it's a very bad sign because it means the conscience 292 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,440 is seared. 293 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:56,200 There are people in our society today who do heinous things, perverted things, inhuman 294 00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:02,040 things, and they say it doesn't bother my conscience. 295 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:07,120 That is an awful statement to make because it indicates a seared conscience that is no 296 00:26:07,120 --> 00:26:10,580 longer doing its work in their lives. 297 00:26:10,580 --> 00:26:15,700 In contrast to that kind of a conscience is a clear conscience. 298 00:26:15,700 --> 00:26:25,600 A clear conscience is one that okays the actions or what signals that the offense that has 299 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:30,760 been made has been properly dealt with can be either. 300 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:39,680 A clear conscience may approve my actions or a clear conscience may result from my having 301 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:46,920 been accused by it and my properly dealing with that guilt so thus it's cleared now. 302 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:50,800 Paul says I serve God with a clear conscience. 303 00:26:50,800 --> 00:27:01,560 To serve God, my inner voice must be satisfied that I have done what God can approve. 304 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:07,000 A Sunday school teacher was teaching in her class regarding conscience on one occasion 305 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:14,600 and she said to her children, what is that small voice you always have with you? 306 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:19,280 The little boy's hand immediately shot up and she said yes. 307 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:22,840 He said a transistor radio. 308 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:25,600 Well he missed the point in that. 309 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:30,360 That is sometimes though the clearest voice that some people have with them. 310 00:27:30,360 --> 00:27:36,080 Only it's not transistorized anymore, it's a boombox. 311 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:43,080 My friend that inner voice, that's the most important voice. 312 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:48,300 You say well my conscience perhaps is defiled. 313 00:27:48,300 --> 00:27:53,720 Maybe you'd have to say today your conscience has become seared because of persistent overriding 314 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:54,720 of that inner voice. 315 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,440 You say what can I do about it? 316 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:00,080 Well God can deal with it. 317 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:08,400 By confession, by admittance of your sinfulness, by telling God what you have done, agreeing 318 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:17,440 with Him, then by doing whatever is necessary to make restitution, to ask forgiveness of 319 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:24,320 people, those are important steps to the clearing of the conscience. 320 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:28,280 First we begin by confessing it to God. 321 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:33,480 Then if there are other people who have been offended, who are involved, the conscience 322 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:38,240 is not clear until we have made a right with them. 323 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:45,160 It may involve going back to someone who owns a store where you worked at one time and making 324 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:51,840 right with them what you did wrong in that store. 325 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:59,600 Or it could be that you'll have to write the IRS, a dear IRS letter and say I owe you 326 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:03,260 some money. 327 00:29:03,260 --> 00:29:10,200 You cannot serve God my friend unless your conscience is clear. 328 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:14,680 And it will not be clear until sin has been thoroughly and properly dealt with in your 329 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:15,880 life. 330 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:26,720 It begins by confession to God that it must also mean restitution or asking forgiveness 331 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:28,680 of those that you may have offended. 332 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:32,120 You say I don't know if I can do that. 333 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:40,880 Then you'll have to suffer with an unclear conscience until you're willing. 334 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:46,760 Paul says I serve God with a clear conscience. 335 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:51,040 There's a third essential if we're going to serve God acceptably and that is found 336 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:58,400 in verse 6 where he tells Timothy to kindle afresh the gift of God. 337 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:04,700 The word gift here is the word charisma and refers to undoubtedly the spiritual abilities 338 00:30:04,700 --> 00:30:09,220 which were brought to Timothy by the Holy Spirit. 339 00:30:09,220 --> 00:30:13,680 These spiritual gifts are bestowed upon believers for service. 340 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:19,760 It is found in the singular here, the gift of God, because I believe there is a sense 341 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:27,600 in which each of us while being the recipient of perhaps several gifts in various measures 342 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:34,120 have that one summary gift from God. 343 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:40,120 The combination of several abilities given by the Spirit, the gift of God, it is the 344 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:46,680 equipment that you and I need to serve God in our tasks in this life. 345 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:51,680 That gift is given that we might employ it in the power of the Holy Spirit in serving 346 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:53,640 the Lord. 347 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:55,080 It is to be dedicated to him. 348 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,160 But the danger is this. 349 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:04,200 It is the possibility of becoming careless or cold in our service and allowing that gift 350 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:07,400 to be underdeveloped or underutilized. 351 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:16,240 What a tragedy that is for a gift from God to be underdeveloped or underused in our lives 352 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:20,000 when it's given that we might serve him. 353 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:21,000 Timothy was given a gift. 354 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:27,520 It was given to him when hands were laid on him, which was specifically done in apostolic 355 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:28,520 days. 356 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:36,760 The laying on of Paul's hands brought to him the Holy Spirit and the gift. 357 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:45,400 And yet Timothy apparently had in some measure failed to utilize that gift. 358 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:51,680 And so Paul says to him, kindle it afresh, that is, fan it into flames. 359 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,240 Stir up the smoldering embers, Timothy. 360 00:31:55,240 --> 00:32:04,200 In the ancient world they did not have matches to start fires. 361 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:10,600 A fire was kept over from one day to the next by glowing coals. 362 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:18,320 It was necessary when a flame or heat was desired to kindle those coals, to fan them 363 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:21,200 into flames once more. 364 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:23,640 That was Timothy's condition. 365 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:28,400 It may not have been a reprimand, just an exhortation. 366 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:33,640 But it does seem that Timothy lacked something here in terms of zeal. 367 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:40,640 I believe that if we're going to serve God acceptably, it must be with a fervent zeal 368 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:44,120 for the Lord. 369 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:49,120 Every one of you that is saved today has a gift from God to serve him. 370 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,720 But what is your zeal like? 371 00:32:52,720 --> 00:33:00,400 Your zeal is the motivation of that gift. 372 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:09,080 Your zeal is the fire within your bosom that impales you to serve the Lord. 373 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,520 That zeal needs to be fervent. 374 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:16,120 General William Booth said, the tendency of fire is to go out. 375 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:23,080 Watch the fire on the altar of your heart. 376 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:29,520 Wesley said, if I had 300 men who feared nothing but God, hated nothing but sin, and were determined 377 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:35,480 to know nothing among men but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, I would set the world on 378 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:40,280 fire. 379 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:47,240 One heathen said to a missionary, he was a convert by this time, he said to the missionary, 380 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:50,200 send us men with hot hearts. 381 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:57,440 Beloved, if we're going to serve God it must be with a zeal that is hot. 382 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:00,920 What's your zeal level today? 383 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:07,160 What's the temperature down in your heart? 384 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:13,720 Are you serving God with a zeal that is fervent or do you today like Timothy need to fan into 385 00:34:13,720 --> 00:34:16,000 flame that zeal? 386 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:22,560 It's cool, it's smoldering there, and needs to be hot. 387 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:30,240 If we would serve God in a manner acceptable to Him, our service must be characterized 388 00:34:30,240 --> 00:34:34,960 by zealous willingness and service. 389 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:41,400 It must be characterized by a conscience that is clear, so that we've properly handled 390 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:48,320 the offenses and we're not serving God with a nagging guilt. 391 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:52,480 Then our service must be characterized by a genuine faith in God who are willing to 392 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:59,360 be involved in something that is God sized and for which we can't take credit alone. 393 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:02,280 God must get the glory. 394 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:06,160 Are you serving God today acceptably? 395 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:09,400 Is your faith genuine? 396 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:15,320 Or is your faith the kind of faith that will not save your soul? 397 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:22,280 Let's bow together in prayer. 398 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:29,800 Because Father in Heaven, you know our hearts and you know exactly what you want to say 399 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:34,560 to us about our heart's condition. 400 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:38,600 It's easy for us to blot out the voice of the Holy Spirit. 401 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:40,960 Forgive us. 402 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:49,160 Lord tune our hearing that we may hear that inner voice of God's Spirit and they respond 403 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:54,600 to you as we need to, that we might serve you acceptably. 404 00:35:54,600 --> 00:36:22,600 In Jesus' name, Amen.