How powerful is a dream?
Man! If that video doesn't get your blood pumping and challenge you to make a difference, I'm not sure what will. I'm not sure there is anything left for me to say, so I'd like to close us in prayer. Just kidding of course! My name is Brad Owen and I am the student pastor here at Lakeside. This morning we are going to continue to dig through 1 Timothy 4 as we explore why youth are the future.
How powerful is a dream? I don't necessarily mean the kind of dream that causes you to wake up in a cold sweat, although those dreams can also be powerful. I am referring to the "I have a dream" kind of dream. It's like when you have something that is most desirable, or an ideal, set in your mind.
I can remember when I was younger in life and ministry, and still an idealist, I would dream that God would somehow use me in a way that would change the world. If you were to take a minute and think about it, I bet you all could come up with a few things that you have at one point in time been brave enough to dream could happen.
Let me pray for us as we continue this morning in God's word.
God, thank you for your word. I pray that as we read and study these passages this morning, that your Spirit would move and stir in us. I pray that we would be moved to live differently as a result of your words. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Paul continues his instructions to Timothy.
1 Timothy 4:11-16 (NIV) says, "Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."
Paul, who is by now an older man, is writing to Timothy, who is now in his thirties, with instruction for caring for the Church at Ephesus while Paul was away. Paul has been pouring into Timothy, and knows that he has potential. Paul has a vision or a dream for what Timothy can do and for what the church in Ephesus can become. Let's take a look at the passage again and work through some of Paul's instructions.
Paul instructs Timothy to be bold.
In
1 Timothy 4:11 (NIV) Paul tells Timothy,
"Command and teach these things." Paul doesn't say to "suggest" these things or "talk about" these things. He says to "command" these things. With authority, communicate what I tell you. Spend time teaching the why.
Paul was instructing Timothy to create clarity of God's desire through commanding. Timothy was to bring understanding through teaching. Paul is encouraging Timothy to take charge. This church was disrupted by false teachers, and Timothy was being charged by Paul to regaining authority.
To make a clear command is to create clarity for the listener. For example, we have a 75 pound golden retriever named Samson. Samson is a great dog. However, he has an instinct for finding the muddiest part of the yard. When I let Samson back into the house after he has been outside, I know his feet are going to be covered in mud. How do I give a clear command that he will understand? If I open the door and say, "Hey buddy, come on in. I sure think you are great. By the way, please don't go into the living room and get mud on the carpet." I'm pretty sure that wouldn't create clarity for Samson.
No! As soon as I crack the door open, I give him a firm command to sit or stay. Then I give another clear command after he comes into the kitchen. "Lay down!" I guarantee that he is not going to respond in the way I desire without a clear command that he will understand.
Paul tells Timothy to stand out.
1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV) says, "Don't let anyone look down on your because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."
The term "young" in Roman and Greek culture could refer to a man up to the age of 40. Possibly the false teachers were picking up on Timothy's age as a way of attacking or depreciating his teachings. He is to set an example. In the Greek it is translated, "become a pattern". Timothy is to live a life opposite of the false teachers. Paul is giving Timothy the template for how to stand out. This list of things Paul gives are things that frequently discredit young people if not lived out. If you want to know how to stand out, listen to Paul's further instruction.
Paul instructs Timothy in how to behave so that he is respected.
In 1 Timothy 4:10 (NIV) Paul instructs Timothy to labor and strive. Living that out, working hard, is part of what it takes to stand out in our culture.
Timothy is to set an example with his speech. Everything that you say both in public and in private will be scrutinized. Paul's saying to not let idle words come from your mouth. Be intentional about the things you say. Don't talk about people. Don't participate in gossip. Instead, encourage, build up others, and speak the truth in love.
Paul instructs Timothy to watch his behavior. He is to watch the way he acts. How do you present yourself to others?
Timothy is to conduct himself with love. Do you express love for others? How do you treat those who are not like you? Do you set an example of love even toward those who hurt you or persecute you? Do you love those who talk bad about you?
Timothy is to set an example with his faith. Do you live your life with faith, expecting that God is going to care for you? Do you live trusting God to work through your life and answer you when you talk with him?
Timothy is to live with purity. This is simplicity of holy motive, followed out in consistency of holy action. Do you desire godly things and then follow up with godly actions?
Paul tells Timothy to "own it"!
1 Timothy 4:13-14 (NIV) says,
"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you."
Own God's word and focus on what God's word says. Read it regularly. Understand it. Teach It. Own It. There is nothing more important than knowing God's word. If you are focused in that, you won't get derailed by the world and by the false teachers. Do you own God's word?
During the week of camp that I help with each summer, we give the students the opportunity to hear the actual words of Christ. Then we give the students some phrases that the world might say to them that could lead them astray, because the phrases sound good to the untrained ear.
Do you own God's word, or do you struggle to identify the voice of truth amid all of the noise in your life?
In addition to owning God's word, you should own your gifts. All of us are given gifts once the holy Spirit dwells in us. The Spirit is a gift given to us by God, and then we are given spiritual gifts. Timothy was given the gift to preach, teach, and lead the church in Ephesus. This passage is telling us that as believers, we have been given gifts from the Spirit to complete the work of the Church, and to make disciples for Jesus Christ. Are you using your gifts? Are you owning your gifts?
Paul tells Timothy to "live it"!
1 Timothy 4:15 (NIV) says,
"Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress."
Give yourself wholly to all the behaviors described in the previous verses. Commit to obeying all these commandments. Commit to obeying them, and through prayer, be transformed by the Spirit to fully live out all of this. We will need prayer to live out the Christian life. We can't do it on our own.
And Paul tells Timothy to progress towards perfection in the Christian life. Notice that he doesn't tell Timothy to be perfect, but to progress toward perfection.
1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV) says,
"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."
If you know your doctrine, and also live by it, then you will be saved as well as those who are hearing. If you understand your correct doctrine, others will witness your correct understanding and will witness the life that you live.
What happens when we live out Paul's instructions and take our faith very seriously?
I can tell you what it looks like when youth live it out! See, I haven't given up on my dream of changing the world just yet. But that has more to do with the students that I get to work with, than it does my own ability to hold onto hope. The students are a continual reminder to me of how I need to live. I am learning not to limit what God can do through my unbelief.
This past year has been incredible. I have been witness to God using young people in some really incredible ways. In January, our team began praying big prayers and we prayed expectantly, waiting for God to respond. We prayed for students specifically by name to become involved. And most of them did. We prayed for opportunities for students to share the gospel with other students. We also prayed for students to respond and choose to accept Christ and become baptized. We had set a goal to have five decisions for Christ this semester. We have witness five baptisms in three weeks because our students were faithful to share the gospel with their peers.
We prayed for healing, for the sale of a home, and for God to continue to bring more students so we could share with them the love of Christ. God has responded to each of those requests and is using our students to change the world. We have students training for ministry, for the mission field, and to care for other people's medical needs. We have youth pursing their classmates during lunch to share with them about Jesus.
We have students skipping vacations so that they can share Christ. We have students paying out of their own pocket for other students to participate on trips, so that they can hear about Christ. Some of our youth have bought into the instructions that Paul has given Timothy, and they are changing their world for Christ. They are passionate, willing, hopeful, influential, dreamers who are demonstrating the love of Christ. They have chosen to live It. That is what can happen when you Live It. The students are doing the work of Christ now.
Young people need mentors, like Paul was to Timothy.
Young people, don't give up the dream. Don't allow the world to take away the joy of serving Christ. You are the future. You are the Church now. Keep it up. Stand strong in your pursuit of Christ.
But young people need some Pauls. We need those who are wise and mature in their faith, living as an example for them and encouraging them to press on.
What might happen if we allowed ourselves to dream again? To think of all that might be possible if we all allowed God to room to work without limiting him because of our lack of faith?
We need Pauls who have a dream and a vision. Who live It and challenge the youth to do the same. Church, my challenge for you is to take down the walls you have built to keep people out. Involve yourself in people's messy lives. Trust God again. Dream again. Change your world with the love of Christ. Live the Spirit-filled, earthshaking life you were created to lead.
God, I pray that you would stir your Spirit in us. God, as we go home and into the world today, guide each of us to follow Paul's instructions for Timothy. Be bold. Stand out. Own it. Live it. God, we want to see your power at work in our lives and we give you permission to work. We believe that you can use us to change the world. In the powerful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.