Wage the Good Warfare (1 Tim. 1:18-20)

Outline: Wage the Good Warfare (1 Tim. 1:18-20)

1. The call to wage the good warfare
2. The means meant to help us wage the good warfare
3. The result of failing to wage the good warfare
4. Application

Summary:   As Timothy's "commanding officer," Paul gave this charge: stay in Ephesus and confront the false teachers (vv.3-7).  This was an urgent order entrusted to a reliable soldier.  However, carrying out this order would be no easy task, which is why Paul uses military language (wage the good warfare!) to describe the serious effort that Timothy must exert.  This effort is a form of internal warfare, a fight to keep one's faith sincere and conscience clear.  The failure to wage this warfare is disastrous (v.20) but the reward for doing so is glorious (2 Tim. 4:7-8).  We must remind ourselves that every order in the service of our Lord is to be carried out in love (1:5).  But this love is a hard fought love. Underneath this love is a battle that must be fought and won in our hearts (faith and a good conscience).  Every time the flag of love is raised, witnesses may know that a battle has been won in the heart.

Main Point:  We must wage the good warfare, a type of warfare that begins in the heart!

Discussion Questions:

• What is the charge being entrusted to Timothy? (cf. vv.3-7)
• Why do you think Paul uses military language (charge/order, warfare)?
• What means or provisions must Timothy utilize in order to wage the good warfare?
• What does it mean to hold the "faith"? To maintain a "good conscience"?  What is the relationship between faith and a good conscience? (v.19)
• How might a culture of discipleship help believers maintain a good conscience?
• Ponder this statement: "Every time the flag of love is raised, a battle has been won in the heart."
• How does one make shipwreck of his or her faith (v.19)?
• What can we learn about church discipline from from v.20?

Application Questions:

• Do I see my Christian life as a call to wage the good warfare? Explain. 
• Is there anything I am currently doing that my conscience is uneasy about?
• How is the death of Jesus good news when I have a troubled conscience?

Prayer Points:

• Praise Jesus for waging the good warfare on our behalf and empowering us to do likewise 
• Confess anything you are currently doing that is troubling your conscience
• Ask God to help you and your church family to maintain clear consciences and to come to him honestly and quickly when our consciences are troubled
• Ask the Holy Spirit to make unbelievers in your spheres of influence aware of their sin and to empower you to tell them the good news about Jesus and the power of his blood to cover shame and guilt and to purify consciences

Good News for Great Sinners (1 Tim. 1:12-17)

Outline of 1 Tim. 1:12-17: The Gospel is meant to produce...

1. Gratitude
2. Conviction
3. Hope
4. Praise

Summary:   Even 30 years after his conversion, Paul seemed to have never lost his gospel awe.  In fact, Paul was continually filled with gratitude for Jesus' saving grace, confidence in Jesus' willingness to save sinners, hope for those who are still lost in sin, and praise to the God who designed so great a healing balm for the soul.  In short, Paul couldn't get over the privilege it was to be saved by and entrusted with the gospel.  Have we lost our gospel awe?  May Paul's testimony help revive our awe for the gospel such that the fruits of the gospel (gratitude, conviction, hope, and praise) may be freshly manifested in our lives.  

Main Point:  It is a marvelous privilege to be saved by and entrusted with the glorious gospel.

Discussion Questions:

• According to vv.12-14, why is Paul so grateful?
• With Paul's track record, how could Jesus judge him faithful (or consider him trustworthy)?
• What is the clear statement of the gospel set forth in v.15?
• What do you think contributed to Paul's confidence in this gospel? [hint: Consider Paul's testimony and what Paul has seen the gospel do over the past 30 years of his life in ministry]
• How should we understand Paul's claim to be the "foremost" or worst of sinners?
• What was Jesus' special agenda in saving Paul (v.16)?  How might Paul's example bring hope to those who think their sin has put them beyond salvation's grasp? 
• Read v.17.  Do you think this is a fitting way for Paul to end his testimony?  Explain.  

Application Questions:

• On a scale of 1-10 (10- I'm extremely grateful; 1-I hardly think about it), how grateful am I for the privilege of being saved by and entrusted with the gospel?  
• How evident in my life are the gospel effects Paul expressed (gratitude, conviction, hope, praise)? How might I grow in these areas?
• What hope is there in this passage for my current struggle with sin?
• Is there anyone in my life that I'm tempted to think is beyond Jesus' saving reach?  How has this passage helped produce hope?  Pray for an opportunity to share the good news with them.

Prayer Points:

• Thank Jesus for His overflowing grace that washed away your sin and shame  
• Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind any sin in your life.  Then ask for a cleansing flood of fresh grace to wash away any wrongdoing  
• Ask for a renewed appreciation of gospel grace and for faith and love to swell in your heart
• Ask God to save people you may be tempted to think are beyond His saving reach

Speculators and Stewards (1 Tim. 1:3-11)

Outline: Speculators and Stewards (1 Tim. 1:3-11)

1. Speculators 
2. Stewards
3. Stewards Confront Speculators
4. Big Picture Applications

Summary:   False teachers had swerved from the truth and were leading people astray.  They were poisoning the church with their bad doctrine and worthless speculations.   Therefore, Paul dispatched Timothy to Ephesus in order to protect God's flock by confronting and exposing the wolves that had got into the sheepfold.  How would Timothy do this?  He would confront and expose these speculators by being a faithful steward of truth whose constant effort was to love God and others out of pure motives.

Main Point:  Stewards must confront and expose speculators by fulfilling the aim of their charge.

Discussion Questions:

• Why did Paul urge Timothy to remain at Ephesus? (v.3)
• Name some characteristics of false teachers. (1:3-4, 6-7; cf. 1:19-20; 4:2-3, 7; 6:2b-5, 20-21). 
• What is the aim of the a faithful steward? (v.5)
• What is the relationship between love and pure motives (i.e. a pure heart, good conscience, and a sincere faith)?
• How is Jesus the ultimate steward?
• How does the gospel create stewards? (cf. vv.12-15)
• According to Paul, what is a lawful use of the law? (vv.8-11)
• Why is it so important that stewards confront speculators?
• What does this call for stewards to confront speculators say about God's care for His Church?

Application Questions:

• Am I fulfilling the aim of my charge, that is, am I marked by love for God and others?  If so, praise God and humbly ask for grace to grow all the more.  If not, take time to test and examine the purity of your motives in light of God's word, confessing any impurity, anything that is tainting your conscience, any way that that your interests are out of sync with Christ's interests. Receive forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:9) and start focusing on loving God and others with fresh vigor. 

Prayer Points:

• Praise Jesus for being the ultimate steward who always operated out of pure motives and for dying on the cross so that I could too be a good steward marked by love and pure motives.
• Confess to God ways that you have failed to fulfill the aim of your charge.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you love God and others out of pure motives.

Introduction to 1 Timothy (1 Tim. 1:1-2)

Outline: Introduction to 1 Timothy

1. Who is Paul?
2. Who is Timothy?
3. What is Their Relationship Like?
4. What Themes Can We Expect to Encounter in 1 Timothy?

Summary:  Paul, who was once a Church-ravaging, Christ-opposing pharisee became, by the sovereign grace of God, a lover of the Church and one of the most faithful and sacrificial servants of Christ and the gospel who ever lived.  Timothy, Paul's spiritual son, was a godly young man and a reliable church leader.  Timothy's priorities in life were shaped by the interests of Christ.  This sincerity of spirit was no doubt the hallmark of Timothy's character and one of the main reasons he and Paul were of such kindred spirit.  When we study 1 Timothy, we get to, as it were, "read Timothy's mail." And, as we do, we will do well to keep in mind the nature of Paul and Timothy's relationship.  May their interests shape our interests, their concerns define our concerns and their convictions form our convictions.

Main Point:  1 Timothy was written by the apostle Paul to his spiritual son, Timothy; therefore, the themes encountered in 1 Timothy should be read with and informed by a constant awareness of the Christ-centered, mission-minded nature of their affectionate relationship.

Discussion Questions:

• Who is Paul? (see Acts 7:58; 8:1; 9:1-22 ; 26:12-18; Gal. 1:11–2:10; Phil. 3:1-11)
• Who is Timothy? (see 2 Tim. 3:13-15; 1:4-6; 2:1-2)
• Describe the relationship between Paul and Timothy (1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 3:10-11; Phil. 2:19-24)
• How might the nature of Paul's relationship to Timothy shape the the nature of our own discipleship relationships and parent-child relationships?
• READ 1 Tim. 3:14-15. What is Paul's aim in writing 1 Timothy? 
• READ through 1 Timothy in one sitting. What themes surface as you read through the letter? 

Application Questions:

• What was one thing that was particularly helpful to me in this sermon?  
• How might Paul's relationship to Timothy inspire me in my own discipleship relationships and/or parent-child relationships?

Prayer Points:

• Thank God for giving us His word in general and 1 Timothy in particular.  
• Thank God for how profitable His word is for teaching, reproof, correction, and for training in righteousness.  
• Ask God to help us grow in godly sincerity so that spiritual relationships at FBC can me marked by the affection and sweetness that we see in Paul's relationship to Timothy. 
• Ask God to powerfully shape us by the truths we learn in 1 Timothy so that we can relate to one another beautifully as the household of God called to be a pillar and buttress of the truth. 

The Promised Priest (Psalm 110:4)

Outline: The Promised Prophet

1. The Shadow: Melchizedek
2. The Reality: Jesus Christ

Summary:  As Christians we recognize that Jesus came to us not only as the Son of God but as the promised Son of God.  Last week we considered Jesus as the promised Prophet.  This week we meditate on Jesus as the promised Priest.  And, as we meditate, we learn that Jesus is of an order that is completely different than that of the Old Testament levitical priesthood.  For Jesus is a high priest "after the order of Melchizedek."  Melchizedek, as a "priest of God Most High," was a type, a picture, a shadow of the ultimate and greatest high priest, Jesus Christ.

Main Point:  The high priesthood foreshadowed in Melchizedek is brought to reality in Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

• Review: the whole Old Testament is ultimately about ____ ? (cf. Luke 24:25-27,44)
• In Gen. 14:17-20, what can we learn about the rather mysterious person named Melchizedek?
• What does Psalm 110, especially v.4, teach us about the coming Messiah?
• Read Hebrews 5:1-10; 6:13-20; 7:1-28.  How does the writer of Hebrews seek to establish the legitimacy of Jesus' high priesthood?
• As new covenant believers, what blessings and benefits do we get to enjoy and celebrate since we have Jesus as our great high priest? (It will be helpful to read and meditate on the following passages as you answer this question: Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:14-16; 7:25-27; 9:11-14).  

Application Questions:

• Have I been confidently drawing near to the throne of grace to find mercy and help (cf. Heb. 4:16)? Why or why not?
• What blessing of having Jesus as my high priest is particularly impactful right now? Explain.

Prayer Points:

• Praise Jesus for His perfect, once-and-for-all sacrifice that made it possible for us to enter confidently into God's holy presence
• Praise Jesus for being a faithful and sympathetic high priest who speaks to God on our behalf
• Confess ways you have been slow to draw near to the throne of grace to find mercy and help when your sympathetic high priest sits there so able and willing to help you
• Ask God to grow your understanding of what it means for Jesus to be our great high priest and for a stronger confidence to more readily draw near to Him for mercy and grace. 

The Promised Prophet (Deut. 18:15-19)

Outline: The Promised Prophet

1. Promise 
2. Fulfillment 

Summary:  As Christians we recognize that Jesus came to us not only as the Son of God but as the promised Son of God.  We believe that Jesus' arrival came after hundreds of years of anticipation.  Therefore, Jesus' arrival is a breathtaking testimony of God's faithfulness in fulfilling the promises He made.  Among those promises was the promise to send a prophet like Moses.  God fulfilled this promise when He sent One final prophet, One who is greater than Moses, One whose words all people are called to heed, One who would lead His people into the Promised Land.  Jesus Christ is the Prophet we've been waiting for.

Main Point:  Jesus is the promised Prophet spoken of long ago.

Discussion Questions:

• What do we learn about how we should read the Old Testament from Luke 24:25-27,44?
• Define what a prophet is from Deut. 18:18-19.
• What do we learn about the promised Prophet from Deut. 18:15-19 & Deut. 34:9-12? 
• Read John 1:20.  What were people even in Jesus' day expecting?
• What do Acts 3:22-26 & Acts 7:27, 51-52 teach us about the identity of the promised Prophet?
• What does Heb. 1:1-2 teach us about how Jesus relates to the prophets who came before Him?
• How does Matt. 17:1-13, Jesus' transfiguration, show Jesus' superiority over all other prophets?
• "Jesus is greater than Moses."  While statements like this were fighting words to many Jews in Jesus' day, they are good news to all Christians today.  Why?

Application Questions:

• How aware am I that Jesus is the fulfillment of hundreds of years of God's promises?  How should the fact that Jesus came make me think about and feel toward God?
• How should I respond to Jesus knowing that He is the promised Prophet?

Prayer Points:

• Praise Jesus for all the ways He is greater than Moses 
• Praise Jesus for being the one who can change our hearts and lead us into the Promised Land
• Confess ways you have not been heeding the words of Jesus, God's promised Prophet
• Ask God to help you listen more carefully and wholeheartedly to His Son, the promised Prophet

The Letter to the Church in Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22)

Outline: The Letter to the Church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22)

1. Rebuke (vv.14-17)
2. Correction (vv.18-20)
3. Promise (vv.21-22)

Summary:  We now focus our study on Jesus' final letter, His letter to the church in Laodicea.  Laodicea, of all the churches, was perhaps the most unhealthy.  They were so self-deceived and so self-reliant that they failed realize just how disgusting their spiritual condition had become.  In a word: Laodicea was lukewarm and Jesus was sickened when he "tasted" the stagnant waters of their halfhearted devotion. Jesus counsels them to come to Him as the true source of all value, security and vision.  Jesus then lovingly urges them to repent in earnest, so that they can again enjoy Him in genuine fellowship.            

Main Point:  All churches and Christians are called to conquer their lukewarmness by earnestly repenting of it and by coming to Jesus as the source of all value, security, and vision.

Discussion Questions:

• How does Laodicea's witness compare to Jesus' track record as the "faithful witness"? 
• What is it about Laodicea that Jesus finds so repulsive? (vv.15-16)
• How do lukewarmness (v.16), self-sufficiency and self-deceit (v.17) relate to one another?  
• What is Jesus counseling the Laodiceans to do in v.18?
• Reread 3:14-22.  Do Jesus words strike you as loving? Explain (cf. v.19; Heb. 12:5-11).  
• What does the picture of Jesus knocking at the door teach us about what Jesus is like? (v.20)
• What promise does Jesus motivate the church with in v.21?

Application Questions:

• Do I consider Jesus words in 3:14-22 to be loving? Why or why not?
• Is there any evidence of self-sufficiency or lukewarmness in my life? Explain.
• Am I looking to Jesus as the source of value, security, and vision in my life? Explain.
• How does Jesus want me to respond if I have been lukewarm?
• According to v.20, how willing is Jesus to fellowship with me after I have sinned?

Prayer Points:

• Confess any self-sufficiency or lukewarmness God has exposed in your life
• Praise Jesus for loving us enough to say hard things to us and to call us to repentance
• Praise Jesus for loving us enough to pursue fellowship with us after we have dishonored Him 
• Acknowledge Jesus as the true source of value, security, and vision
• Ask God to help you conquer lukewarmness and to be faithful in our devotion to Him