I have something I need to share with you this morning! It is something that I have known for a little while now, but I haven’t said much about it. Some of you may already know about it, but there are others here who don’t know yet. I guess that there is no use beating around the bush, so here it is: Having kids changes your life! And the more you have, the bigger the change! I remember after having one or two kids; we had all sorts of people offering to babysit. They would say: “Just drop the kids off at our place and you guys go out and have a good time. Take as much time as you want, we’ll be fine!” But once you have three or four kids, volunteers are few and far between! Even paid babysitters are a little hard to find!
I have to laugh when I think about how babysitting has changed for us over the years. It used to be so simple; we would say “Here ya go! See ya later!” and we would be out the door. But now, if we are going to go out for an evening, we have to leave a full page computer printout of instructions. If the babysitter is going to be successful with the kids while we are away, she has to follow the instructions.
Similarly, as the Apostle Paul brings his first letter to Timothy to a close, he leaves Timothy a list of personalized instructions so that he could successfully lead the Ephesian church. Really, the purpose of the whole letter was to help Timothy to get the church back on track, but he uses this final section to review and reiterate some of the most important details. Just as we leave our babysitters a list of some the most important instructions to care for our kids while we are away, Paul gives this list of final instructions to Timothy so that he could take care of the church while he was away!
Timothy was to stay focused on these things until Paul could return to Ephesus and take over the ministry or until Jesus himself returned. At this point, Paul didn’t know if he was ever going to make it back to Ephesus, so he casts the whole section against the backdrop of the sure and certain return of the Lord Jesus Christ, which would take place at the proper time (vs. 14).
Here we find ourselves 2000 years later, and we are still waiting for Jesus to return. Therefore, Paul’s final instructions to Timothy are still applicable for the church today. While we wait for Jesus to return, these five instructions still help churches lead successful ministries and guide individuals to successful Christian lives. The five final instructions are: Flee falsehood, pursue Christian virtue, fight the fight of faith, be generous with your wealth, and guard the gospel. Let’s take a closer look at each of these instructions.
1.) Flee Falsehood (11a)
Paul addresses Timothy as “O man of God” to contrast him with the false teachers mentioned in the preceding passage. This term is a title for one of God’s true messengers or servants. It was used for some prominent Old Testament figures like Moses, David, and some of the prophets. Unlike the false teachers who were polluting the Ephesian church with their heresies, Timothy was a true man of God who taught the true Word of God.
While Timothy waited for Jesus to return, Paul instructed him to “flee these things.” This is a reference to the false teacher’s greedy and selfishness heresies that contradicted the sound words of Jesus Christ. Paul did not want him to fall into the devil’s trap and be led away from the Christian faith. If the Ephesian church was going to survive and Timothy was going to have a successful ministry, he would have to flee falsehood.
This is exactly the same for us today too. If our church is going to survive and we are going to have a successful ministry, we have to flee falsehood. It is absolutely amazing that so many so-called Christian denominations, churches, and individual Christians have embraced beliefs that contradict clear biblical truth. There are many people who claim the name of Jesus Christ, but they don’t believe in his miracles and they don’t believe that the Bible is true. Likewise, many people end up adopting theological views oppose the Bible. Does anyone know which book of the Bible has this verse, “God helps those who help themselves?” That’s right, it is not in the Bible! It’s falsehood! Or how about “Good people go to heaven!” Again, the Bible never says this! It is completely false!
Our positions on not only religious issues, but also on political, social, and ethical issues should be shaped by the Bible because it is God’s Word. There are many hot button issues today like war, abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, capital punishment, government, and money. God has something to say about every one of these issues. Whatever you do, don’t be deceived by falsehood! Know what the Bible says!
2.) Pursue Christian Virtue (11b)
Paul’s second instruction for Timothy is to pursue Christian virtue. Again, in contrast to the false teachers, Paul charges Timothy to seek the type of character that is becoming of a servant of Jesus Christ. “Righteousness” means upright conduct and “godliness” refers to a proper relationship with God. These reflect the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the faith. “Faith” and “love” are two of the supreme Christian virtues, emphasizing reliance upon God and care for others. “Steadfastness” and “gentleness” highlights attitudes of endurance in suffering and peaceful tenderness toward people.
These are the types of virtues that should characterize us as followers of Jesus, but they don’t happen automatically. We have to pursue them! It takes years of years of hard work and focused dedication to grow in Christian virtue, but we should see progress throughout our lives. How is your pursuit of Christian virtue going?
3.) Fight the Fight of Faith (12-14)
The third instruction is to “fight the good fight of faith” which is a metaphor for perseverance. The metaphor comes from the arena of an athletic contest, possibly a running race or boxing/wrestling match. Paul is encouraging Timothy persevere in his faith and to remain faithful in his ministry. Like an athletic contest, the Christian life is filled with many struggles, frustrations, and disappointments, but the prize of eternal life at the end is worth it. As a matter of fact, Christians experience some of the joys of eternal life now. That is why Paul tells Timothy to “take hold” of the eternal life that he received when he put his faith in Jesus Christ and displayed it when he was baptized—which is where he gave his “good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Just as Jesus maintained a good confession before Pontius Pilate, so Paul charges Timothy keep the faith even in the face of discouragement and suffering.
Every time I read this verse, I can’t help but think about the movie Rocky, where the Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa, a no-name boxer from Philadelphia, gets a shot the title. Even though Rocky loses the fight by split decision, he endures all 15 rounds with the heavyweight champion of the world. Rocky takes an ungodly number of blows and gets knocked down multiple times, but he never gives up. He is still standing when the final bell rings!
Will you still be standing when the final horn blows and Jesus return to earth? I know, sometimes the Christian life is like a heavyweight fight—fears and worries punch us in the gut, financial concerns and health problems put us on the ropes, conflict with people lays us out on the mat. When you are beat down and feel like giving up, look up and see Jesus hanging on the cross. When you see the nails in his hands and the blood and tears flowing down his face, keep fighting the good fight of faith!
4.) Be Generous with Your Wealth (17-19)
Paul’s fourth instruction was for Timothy to challenge the rich church members to be generous with their wealth. Unlike the false teachers who were using the gospel of Jesus Christ to accumulate wealth for themselves, Christians are to use their wealth for good deeds and the proclamation of the gospel to others.
Some Christians are blessed with material wealth, but they should not be haughty, snooty, or greedy about it. They must recognize that God is the one who gives human beings what they have and he can take wealth away quickly. Indeed, it is not wise to set ones hopes on the uncertainty of riches. Instead, God blesses some people with the means to be a blessing to others. Generosity with wealth here on earth is a means of storing up treasure in heaven.
A year and a half ago I completed a doctoral degree at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. The school was founded by a man named Ralph Waldo Beeson, who made a fortune in the insurance industry. He gave the school 70 million dollars to get started and left it another 55 million when he died. Beeson, who was a very humble man, said, “It’s the Lord’s money. He gave me the gift of making it. I am not smart enough to make that much money on my own. It’s His money, and I am going to give it back to Him.”
At the entrance to the Centennial Walk, a bronze statue of Beeson sitting on a park bench bears the following inscription: “In a spirit of love and Christian stewardship he gave away all that he possessed … to the glory of God. In the halls of this university, and in the hearts of its sons and daughters, the Christian charity of Ralph Waldo Beeson lives on forever.”
Most of us sitting here today don’t have an extra 70 million laying around to start a Christian school, but God has blessed all of us with some wealth. God has blessed some of us with land, inheritance, or a job that pays high wages, and others make just enough to provide the basic necessities. But generosity is not the final dollar amount; it is about a sacrificial heart! Are you using your wealth to store up treasure in heaven?
5.) Guard the Gospel (20-21)
Paul finishes his list of final instructions by commanding Timothy to guard the “deposit entrusted to him.” The deposit is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Timothy had been charged with the task of standing against the false teachers who were leading people away from the true faith and to proclaim the true gospel. Paul tells Timothy one last time to stand guard against the irreverent babble and heresies of the false teachers and protect the church from the deceptions that would lead it away from true Christian faith.
As Christians, it is our responsibility to guard the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must protect the message of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and the salvation of our souls. That wonderful message is constantly being threatened by increasing secularism, a blending of all religions, and other heresies. We must stand firm on the truths revealed in God’s Word and never be willing to compromise them! Will you do it? Will you join with the apostles, church fathers, and others exemplary Christians throughout the ages and guard the gospel of our Lord?
Paul gave these five final instructions to Timothy and the Ephesian church so that they would be successful in their ministry. While we wait patiently for Jesus’ return to earth, let us as individuals and as a church community follow these instructions too!