 1 Timothy chapter 4, beginning at verse 11. These things command and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the lane on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine, continuing them for in doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you. Now as we've been going through 1 Timothy, remember with me in its context, Timothy is the pastor of a church in the city of Ephesus, which is on the coast of modern Turkey. Paul has written to this young pastor words to instruct him and encourage him, especially as it relates to pastoring a church. He's already spoken to him concerning the fact that there are infiltrators. There are people who are entering into the church, who are bringing with them doctrines that are inspired by demons. And so Paul is writing to tell him how he is to conduct himself in the church and how to deal with people who are entering in, who are bringing in error. And so as he's been going through 1 Timothy, he spoke concerning some of the things that are being taught. He spoke concerning some of those who are leading in this particular doctrinal error that is being presented. He also began to speak with them concerning the practice of the church. Who is to be a leader? And what are the qualifications of leadership in this church? And so he spoke in chapter three about what it means to be an elder, what it means to be a pastor teacher. He also spoke about what it means to be a deacon. And so he's speaking about leadership in the church. And when he gets to chapter four, he begins to speak concerning signs of the last days, how there's going to be those who are giving themselves to doctrines of demons and all. He began to share about the importance of knowing the word of God. And in doing so, by bringing that up, he began to share with Timothy what it means to be an excellent or a noble minister. And so he's been speaking to Timothy about the kind of leader he's to be, which is to be an example for others. And that's what we're looking at here in chapter four. And so he had said in verse 11, these things command and teach. Now, when he said these things, the these things, when he says these things, it refers to the life of godliness. In other words, Timothy you're to live a godly life, but you're also to teach concerning a life of godliness. And the things that result in a believer pursuing a godly life will be found in scripture. So with that in mind, continue teaching the church how to please God. And so he's saying, this is what I'm calling you to do. I'm commanding you to do. And I want you to live in such a way that you're going to earn the respect of those who are listening to you. So notice with me as he says in verse 11, these things command and teach. So a good minister, an excellent and noble minister is to call the church to loving authority. It speaks concerning his own authority himself. He is to call the church to obedience, exercising his authority. And he understands that he's been given authority to represent the Lord. He's a called man, he's entrusted with authority. So he's to use his position, a pastor, is to use their position to encourage obedience to the things of God. That's why he would say command and teach. Now when he says command, that word command speaks of transmitting a message. It's a word that is used to speak of an order or to charge or direct or give instruction to somebody. So he's saying, this is what you do. You give instruction, you command, you direct, you give orders. So the order that you're to do is to command the church to reject ungodly teaching. Ungodly teachings that are beginning to enter in to that church there in Ephesus. But he also teaches. He teaches what God's word says. He nourishes, he equips, and he safeguards them by the word of God. And that's why today it is so important for the church to actually do Bible studies. I know that a lot of people don't understand that perhaps they're new to coming to church services and they may be out there for the first or few times and they say, I feel like I'm in school. I feel like I should have a notebook and a pencil and I should be writing notes. It feels like I'm in a class. I hated school. Why am I going to church? Well, it's because you're being instructed in righteousness. You're being instructed in godliness. You're being instructed out of the word of God. It's what you put into your practice so that your life will be blessed. And that's what a pastor's intended to do. He used to transmit a message. He used to command the church. He commands the church to reject ungodly teaching as well as he teaches what God's word says. And in doing so, he's safeguarding them. In Acts chapter 20, verse 20, the apostle Paul said it like this. He said, I kept back nothing that was helpful but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly and from house to house. But he went on in chapter 20, verse 27 and he said, I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. So the way that the whole counsel of God is communicated is verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book. So as a pastor, Timothy's been entrusted with spiritual authority and Paul is instructing him to wield his pastoral authority properly. His manner of teaching as well as the way that he lives is to communicate something to the body of Christ. What he teaches and how he lives is intended to communicate that he represents heaven. You see, this understanding should motivate him to faithfully proclaim the word of God. He's to avoid the trap of substituting opinions and man's wisdom for Bible study. A lot of times you can go to church and you won't get a Bible study. What you'll get is somebody's opinion on life. Maybe even counsel from that person but not even necessarily from God's word. He's to avoid that. He's to avoid substituting his opinion and he's to avoid substituting man's wisdom for Bible study. You see, ultimately every Bible teacher stands before God for judgment of their teachings and only the things that line up with God's word will receive a proper reward. That's why in James chapter three, verse one, it says, my brethren, let not many of you become teachers knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. In first Corinthians, Paul said it like this verses 11 through 15 of chapter three. He said, no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is because the day will bring it to life. It will be revealed with fire and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he'll receive his reward. If it's burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. A teacher has stricter judgment. When I stand up and I present the word to you, I had better be faithful to what the word of God says. And so Timothy is to have the proper reverence for God's word. Isaiah 66 verse two reads, on this one will I look on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit and who trembles at my word. So this proper attitude will keep him from using the Bible to gain fame. It will safeguard him from becoming a harling. It will provoke him to feed the sheep. So Timothy, you need to remember that you've been anointed to proclaim the message of God and it's God's message. It's not yours. It's God's revealed word, not your opinion. Like it says in second Samuel 23, two, the spirit of the Lord spoke by me and his word was on my tongue. Or first Thessalonians 2.13, for this reason we also thank God without ceasing because when you receive the word of God, what you heard from us, you welcomed it. Not as a word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you, who believe. So Timothy, when you preach, preach with confidence, preach with courage. You're to command and you're to teach without wavering. You're to do so with grace, with love and with gentleness. You're to encourage and you're to exhort them because their souls are at stake. The noble minister will not avoid teaching even the more difficult passages. He does it because it safeguards the church and produces healthy Christians. So teaching God's word protects them from loss. You see, the goal of genuine Bible teaching is to lead us to a deeper fellowship with God. It's not intended to fill us with information. Keep that in mind. It's intended to fill us with wonder. And there's a difference. Filling you with information doesn't produce wonder in your heart. When the Bible's being taught properly, it ought to awaken in us how great God is. A. W. Tozer, one of my favorite authors once said it like this. He said, one important point many fail to understand is that the Bible was never meant to replace God. Rather, it was meant to lead us into the heart of God. Too many Christians stop with the text and never go on to experience the presence of God. That's true. The Pharisees were confronted by Christ because he said, you thoroughly search the scriptures for in them you think that you have life, but these are they which speak concerning me. You ransack the Bible and you go from one letter to another trying to figure out any secret, hidden meanings that you might find in scripture. You look at it, you ransack it, you totally go through it, but you're failing to see me in the midst of it and that's the whole thing. A lot of times people go to church for information, but they don't go to church and walk away with wonder of what God has done and what God can do. And so Timothy as a pastor is included by it is actually instructed by Paul to preach the word, to do so with confidence, to do it with courage, to do it because it's a holy trust. And that's what he's speaking about here in verse 11, when he said, these things command and teach. He goes on in verse 12 to say, let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. And so when he says in verse 12, let no one despise your youth, that word let. You might want to mark this in your mind if not on your Bible. Let means permit, do not permit anyone to despise your youth. So though you're a young man, don't allow them to treat you as a boy. You're to be a noble minister, you're to be an example of what a Christian truly is. You see the church as well as the world need an example of what a believer is. So many reject the message. So it's necessary to have a proper example. This could even happen in a church that's pastored by immature men where that man does not have maturity and all the church diminishes his role there. So he says, Timothy, you need to be aware that you're an example to the believer. So don't let anyone despise your youth. Do nothing that would give anybody reason to disrespect you over your age. Somebody said it means assert the dignity of your office even though men may think you young to hold it, that no one push you aside as a boy. Be a man. Be the kind of man that people respect. Carry yourself with that dignity. Young people have a tendency of having youthful pastimes. So get past those things. Don't remain a child, grow up to be a man. Be mature, be aware of who you are. Earn the respect of people. You see, if a young man can divide the word rightly, for me as an older man, one of the things that will gain a respectful hearing is if he's living out what he's giving out. But if I see him giving a study and then later on not living it, I have a tendency of thinking he's got a lot of growing up to do. I'm not gonna knock his study for a say because if he's rightly dividing the word of truth then I'm gonna receive from him. But if he wants my respect then he better live what he's teaching me. Now that doesn't mean he has to be perfect. Of course, all of us fail. Not a single one of us in this room are perfect outside of me. No, not a single person is perfect. All of us, all of us blow it. All of us fail, we understand that. But at the same time, is that the pattern of your life? Are you always messing up? Is that the way you are? Because if it is, you're not ready to handle the word of truth because it hasn't really reverberated within your own soul yet. But when you're growing up and you're growing into this and you're beginning to live it out, that's how you gain the respect of older people. I was 23 when I began to teach the word. I taught my father and a lot of adults a lot older than myself. How was I gonna do that? How was I gonna earn the respect? How was it gonna be made possible for my dad who was 47 years old at the time? How was my dad gonna listen to a 23 year old son as he divides the word? By me living out what I was giving out. By my life changing and him viewing it and as my father seeing me, seeing what I was and what I was becoming, I earned his respect. So young man, keep that in mind. When you open the word of God, it's not a hobby, it's not a pastime, it's not something you're just trying out. When you open the word of God and you're giving that word out, allow it first to run through you and then give to others that would you first have received yourself. And allow the Holy Spirit to work through you. And so that's what Paul's talking about. He's saying you need to realize that in the culture that you're ministering, you are regarded as a young man. So earn the respect. You see the Greeks as well as the Jews regarded a person to be young if they were under 40 years of age. Timothy may have been in his early 20s when he was saved and at the time of the writing was in his late 30s. So credibility is normally developed over time and Timothy didn't have a long track record. So how could he develop credibility and earn the respect? Well, Paul tells him by being an example. So we need to remember that we believers present a message that makes tremendous promises. It's a message of forgiveness that produces transformation. Paul was able to point to himself he did so earlier when he was speaking of his own testimony. When in chapter one he had said in verse 13, I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor and an insolent man. That's what I was, but that's not what I am now. And so he at one time had been in certain way but now he's no longer. So Timothy, you can be transformed too and you can live in such a way that people will respect you. Paul was an example of the possibility of a completely transformed life. You see a poorly lived life undermines the gospel. It makes it appear powerless to change. I walk up to people and I'll speak to them. I'll say as I'm sharing with them I did with my family, all my family and my friends. God says in his word that if anyone's in Christ, he's a new creation, all things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. So when he said that to them, they would view me to see whether that was true in my life. Because it's one thing for me to say all things become new. It's another thing for me to live as if all things were new. So my father watched me before he gave his heart to Christ because I told him God changed my life. So my dad as he should began to watch me. And finally one day he gave his heart to Jesus Christ because he said the transformation was real. And so as a young man, you can have an influence through that transformed life because the message that you're giving to others is a message that you're living for the Lord. And we need to remember that he needs to live a life that is consistently maturing if he's going to be effective in ministry. So he says to him, Timothy, you need to be an example. Let no one despise your youth but be an example to the believers. In what way? Well, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Be an example. That word example in the original language speaks of an image or a pattern. You're to be a pattern or an image. You're to be an example to the church. You're to be an example to the church because the church needs to see faith and how it develops and what it does. Somebody once said that example is the most powerful form of preaching. And somebody else said, where one man reads the Bible, a hundred read you and me. So he begins to say, this is what they should be reading when they're looking at your life. One, be an example in word. The word is speaking about speech. Be an example in the way that you preach. Be an example in the way that you teach. That's obvious. But also, be an example in the way you normally speak. Be an example in the way you use your tone. Be an example in how you speak to others. Be an example in the way you communicate. It's easy to use our tone. Even if you're saying the same words, you can use a tone of voice that communicates a lot more than that word is actually saying. You can do it. Anybody who's married knows that you can do this. You can do this with your husband or your wife if they say to you, honey, I was speaking to you. Did you hear me? The way you respond says a billion things. If you say, yeah, I heard you, that's your tone. Or if you say, yeah, I heard you, you're not going to end up sleeping on the couch. It's the way you speak. It's how you communicate. So he's saying, listen, God has gotten ahold of your life, Timothy, and he's transformed you. You don't have to stand or be seated and teach the word and suddenly jump up sweating and run up and down a platform to get your point across. Be careful about the way you communicate. Be careful how you speak. Pastor Chuck, my pastor shares how that, his wife Kay told him early on in his pastoral ministry, how he needed to depart from the pulpit every once in a while and kind of walk on the platform. So he would, because he used to stay behind like this, like I do. And then that's how we would do it. So Kay's saying, you know, they need to see more life up there, Chuck. So walk. So Chuck said, I tried it. I walked off to the side and he said, I started to speak. And then I forgot what I was saying and I had to walk back the same way. I really admire extemporaneous speakers. I really do. I wish I could do that. I can't. I'm not wondering, if I wander over here, I do it every once in a while but it's like there's a chain that, because I know how long it's gonna take me to get back to try and finish. I'm just not that kind of teacher. I taught for years in a front room seated on a chair. I always had my Bible on my lap. I didn't have a pulpit. And in my lining, in the margin, I had notes and that's how I did it. I remember speaking of margin in my Bible, that's where my notes were. I was driving years ago now when Pastor Raul, who's a dear friend of mine, Raul Reeves from Golden Springs, he was teaching a Bible study. I'll never forget when he said this. He said, what I'm saying is really important. So write it in the margarine of your Bible. He meant margin, but that's the only thing he's ever taught that I remember. I laughed so hard. I used to have to, there were times I almost got in car crashes listening to Raul. He's so funny, you know, and that was one of those things that made me laugh. But anyway, getting back to it, the way that you speak, you don't have to scream at people. You don't have to use all kinds of theatrics. The Bible is much more interesting than you are. And if the Word of God goes forth properly, people get addicted to the Word of God. They begin saying, I want to know, you see Pastor Chuck wandered away, but he had to come back because his style was not to be that way. What really mattered and what changed my life or helped to was his love for and his observation of God's Word, because that's what changes you, is God's Word. Timothy, be an example of speech. Be an example in the way that you speak. Be an example, and be careful about the words that you choose to use and how you use your speech. Proverbs 12, 18 says, "'There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, "'but the tongue of the wise promotes health.'" Proverbs 16, 24, or pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul, health to the bones. Be careful how you speak. Be careful how you communicate. Be careful the words that you choose and be careful the tone that you use. Be very careful. And Timothy as a minister, avoid certain kinds of speech. Avoid sinful speech, which would include lying or angry speech. Avoid gossiping. Timothy, avoid self-promotion where you're telling stories about yourself and all your victories and the things you know and the things you do and the people who admire you. Be very careful with that. Be careful that you don't promote yourself. Timothy, don't use profanity, course words. Don't use sexual innuendo. And be careful not to use improper jokes. Sometimes you might even hear a dirty joke from a pulpit. Ephesians 4, 29, let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth but what is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers. So your speech will reveal the contents of your heart and it will also evidence your spiritual maturity. Can you imagine? Well maybe it wouldn't matter to you. But what if, I don't even know if I should say this. Okay, I'll say it. So, no, but I think about it and it just popped into mind and maybe it's not even worth saying but as I'm reading my own notes, I begin to think about how that practically applies to me even as I'm teaching. Every once in a while I'll use a word that is so, I mean it is so far out, that blows my mind. You know, those are words nobody uses anymore. You're saying that's far out, they say far out where? You know, but when I was growing up, far out meant that was cool. You know, cool is one of the only words you can use forever. I mean even to this day, the word cool is still used to mean it's cool, right? We're not talking, man, that's cool. You mean you need a sweater? No, we all know what cool is. But what if I walked up and I started saying yo, yo dog, you know, and I learned those cool, whatever's, you know, what's this, Chino Valley dog? You know, I mean, it's dumb, it's dumb. You say he's dumb and you'd have reason to because that's not me, because I shouldn't do that. Now if somebody comes up and that's the way they speak, I don't have a problem with that, I really don't. But at the same time, what will happen with me as an older man is they'll say he connects real well. But so far, I'm getting caught up with the words he's using and not what he's trying to say. So you have to be very careful. And there are some things that you don't disguise with current words. You have to give it clearly so that everybody can embrace it. We Americans, and sometimes you need to think this way, we Americans have words that we use that are slang words. But if you ever were to be communicating, many of you know what I'm gonna say. If you're communicating and all like me, I teach in different countries where I need translators. So I'll be speaking in, I've spoken in Japan, I've spoken in, you name it, Germany. I've spoken in different places, India. And you need, Mexico, you need translators. If I'm up there using slang, they don't have a clue how to translate that. They don't. So they will tell me when I go up, make sure you speak clear English. Don't be using any things that are slang words because our translators are from India. Our translators are from this country. They don't know American slang. Another thing you never do is you never tell a joke, ever in a foreign country. Because they don't get it. They don't get it. Because they'll look at you like, yeah. And then you'll go, anyway, and you'll go into whatever else you were saying. So you'll learn these things, right? Speech is very important. So he's saying you need to be an example in speech. In what you're saying and how you're saying it, and you avoid certain kinds. So that the gospel goes out clearly and people have a chance to hear the eternal word that is able to transform a soul. So be very careful how you communicate and that's what he's saying. So he's saying be very careful because that's how the contents of your heart will be demonstrated and that's what's gonna evidence your spiritual maturity. Be very careful with that. Be an example in speech and also be an example in conduct. Now when he says in conduct, it refers to a matter of life that is recognized as godly. Paul had just exhorted Timothy to exercise himself to godliness because people have a tendency of following how you live, not necessarily what you say. I was asking the first service today, how many gospels are there? So I didn't ask them to answer, but how many gospels are they? Think of them in your own mind right now. And the average person, if you read your Bible, you'll say, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, right? So if I said to you, how many gospels are there? If you read your Bible, you'll say there's four. But I'd like to postulate that there's actually five. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and me. And you, because you are the only gospel people read. You realize that? You're the only gospel people read. There's Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Of course, those are the inspired gospels, but they also read your life. That's why you're able to point yourself and say, imitate me insofar as I imitate Christ. Do you want to know what it means to love? Look at the way I love. Do you want to know what the word serve to a Christian means? Look at the way I serve. You want to know what it means to be a follower of Christ? Use me as an example. That's what he's saying. Timothy, be an example, be an example in conduct and the way that you live. Why? Because people will see you, not just in the church, Timothy, they will see you in the marketplace. They will see you when you're walking down the street. They will see you wherever it is you are. That's a fact. We know that, don't we? We know that. I've mentioned to you that you never really realize how many people know who you are until they approach you in different locations that you would never have expected to see them in. I have had people say hello to me on planes as I was entering in the airport in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And I was walking on through the ramp to go to the plane so we could come back to LA and the guy who was there welcoming people when I was walking through is there at the door. He says, hi, Pastor Dave. I listened to you this morning at Skip Heitzig's church. I was there and he said, I appreciated your word. You never know that. I've encountered people in Dallas, Texas in airports. I remember a soldier approaching me, speaking to me saying keep me in prayer because I'm on my way and he tells me where he's going. I was walking into a store in San Luis Obispo, it's eight o'clock in the morning. The store just opened up. We were getting a cookie and some coffee and a guy opens the door and he says, so you really do like San Luis Obispo and I look at him, he says, I go to your church. I have encountered people in places that I would never have expected them, never. You encounter them in stores. You go to Costco, you go through with your basket and there are people in the church who have walked up and looked down to see what we were buying. I am not kidding. I am not kidding. They look at you and they investigate you and they wanna see if you're a real deal. That's a fact. That's a fact. They will do that in conduct and the way that you live. When my boys, David and Joseph were little, both of them would have been less than six years old. We were in Montclair walking through the mall and I would hold their hands. And the next day in church, I gave a Bible study and I was sharing about loving your kids. And I said, you know, love your kids. I was just the same thing I teach to this day. Husbands love your wives and love your kids. Love your kids. And a woman walks up to me and she says to me, I'll never forget this. She says to me, she says, this is the first time I've been to this church. This is my first Sunday. She goes, but yesterday I was in the mall and I saw a man walking by, holding the hands of his two little boys. And I said to myself, I'd like to go to a church that has a pastor who loves his children the way that guy obviously loves his. She said, it was you, Pastor David. I saw you. In conduct, the way that you live, I am telling you, it's so loud. You're speaking so loud that people very often can't hear a word you're saying. So he says, Timothy, you're to be an example in the way that you live. People are looking at you. You see, the gospel promises a unique life, a transformed life. Your life is the proof of its power. In Philippians 1.27, Paul wrote, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. In Ephesians 2, verse 10, Paul said, we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. So, Timothy, be an example to the believer in conduct. Third, Timothy, be an example of a believer in love. This is the self-sacrificing love that scripture refers to as a copy. It's the deepest kind of love that was demonstrated when God gave his son for us. Though we were rebels under his wrath, the Bible teaches he rescued us and he redeemed us. And he gave to us a practical example of what love does. God demonstrated his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God demonstrated his love. Christ died for us. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. First John 3.16 says, by this we know love because he laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Be an example of love, God's kind of love, not the sentimentalism of the world that is pretty much an accept anything, tolerate anything mentality. You see, sacrificial love is commonly revealed in a life of service to other people. It's dying to your own need. And it's prioritizing someone else's. It's like yesterday, or rather like Thursday, when we had so many people here to minister on Thanksgiving Day when they could have been home with their families, but instead they chose to care for someone who had no family. That's love, that's the kind of love that he's speaking about. In Galatians 5.13, Paul said, you brethren have been called to liberty, only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. He goes on and he says, be an example in spirit. The word in spirit speaks of a mental attitude, a mental attitude that is revealed by humility, by warmth and by grace. It would include your exercise of your spiritual gifts, the things you speak about, your zeal for the things of the Lord, your desire to share the gospel, your overall outlook on life. Often our outlook on life is the fruit of our walk in the Lord because of what God has done for us and given, we live a blessed and we live a hope-filled life, be an example in your attitude, in your spirit. Fifth, he says, be an example in faith. This is faith in Christ that's revealed by a life that is committed and faithful to him. People come to their pastor for prayer because they actually believe that their pastor believes in God and believes in the power of God to answer through prayer. So he's saying, be an example of faith in the midst of all your trials, in the midst of your reproaches. Demonstrate to the believers how to remain unshaken. Every pastor is given opportunities to show the things that really matter. And so Timothy learned to show the things that matter from small things to great things. Years ago, and it's been a long time ago now, when we first started Turkey, our Turkey Bowl where the young people would get together, I even played at that time. That's all far back I'm going. And we had one Turkey Bowl where one of the guys broke his ankle, I believe. And me, I got my cleat stuck in the ground. It was in the grass. The grass was monstrous. I mean, it just had an attitude and no, it didn't. And it just took me down. Now actually, I slid, I had cleats on, I slid. And when I slid my foot to the left in order to turn to go after somebody, my cleat got stuck in the grass and I popped my knee to this day. I still have pain in it, you know, pity me. No, I still have pain in my knee. And when it gets cold, it reminds me of what I tried to do so long ago that I should not have done. But I came out, we have a picture somewhere. I came out the following Sunday just like this on crutches because I had to go to the hospital. They had to wrap me up. And I still remember when I walked out, everybody's laughing like, what happened to you? And that was my last football game I ever played in. I came out like that, you know, but we've done that. That's what pastors do. That's what pastors do. I have had operations where I've come out right after the operation the next three days later, I'm doing my studies. That's what you do. My father goes home to be with the Lord. I'm there that Sunday. You know, I didn't allow myself any time to mourn. I just came back to the pulpit because that's what pastors do. An example, an example. Look, it's tough. It can be hard and it can be heartbreaking. It can be loss that you wouldn't believe. And some of the things that you've gone through, I have too. And yet we stand up here and we give the word, why? Why? Because it's a word of life. Because it's a word of truth. Because somewhere, somebody may know that that man up there has got a broken heart. But he's telling us about the love of God. And that's an example to the believer. You can make it. You will make it. God's on your side. And that's what we do sometimes. And so you have faith. And Christ is in us and he gives us the strength and we hold fast. In 1 Corinthians 15-58, therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. He goes on and he says, be an example to the believers in purity. The word purity speaks of moral excellence. It speaks of sexual purity. There should be nothing in your contact with women that would give rise to scandal. And there are opportunities and I won't go into them, but I remember, I'll give one example. I could give several, but I'll give one. I remember teaching how that, to me it was funny. Again, this was over 30 years ago, 35 years ago. And I was teaching and I said, you know, when my wife Marie gave birth to my son, David, when she gave birth to David, she was going through labor. And I shared with the church, I said, and I started to sing a song to her along with this guy on the radio, bad move. Because Marie looks at me and she says, I like the way he sings it a lot better. Which is true, obviously. That was funny. Then I think it's funny now. She's just going through labor. You know, you women are mean when you go through labor. Anyway, so I said, you know, so Marie says, I like the way he sings it better than you. And I just got kind of quiet and I just, yeah, you're right. I should, and even though it was romantic and I was enjoying the moment, you're right. I should leave that alone. Well, I said that. And again, you gotta remember, I was like 31 years old, 32 years old when I gave that message. And I'm in the back and a woman walks up to me and she takes me by the hand. I used to stand in the back and she looks at me and she says, something like, you could sing that to me if you'd like or something like that. And I looked at her like, mama, you know. The mean woman's trying to take me, you know. There are so many opportunities that over a lifetime of ministry, Timothy will have to fail, to fail. That's why Paul had said that a bishop and elder is to be a one man woman, a lover of one woman. That's what protects the church and Timothy be a model of that. Be a model of someone who loves your wife. Now I've had people over the years who have said, you know, can't you leave her out of your sermons? But if there's anything people here know, they know I love my wife. And that's an example I would hope to you husbands, love your wives. And the wives, reverence your husband. That's what that is. It's not like, oh, right here. This is, oh, I haven't spoken about Marie yet. Let's write her in here. It's just out of the abundance of the heart. And so he's an example of that. You see, his heart was purified by faith and it's pure towards others. One of Satan's devices is to attempt a minister to enter into an improper relationship. The minister needs to be aware of his own flesh and the minister dies to any temptations that he may experience. And one of the things you do is you think about the things that will make you into a better man. And Philippians four, verse eight, Paul said it like this. He said, finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report. If there's any virtue and if there's anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. Give yourself holy over to these kinds of things. Be an example of purity that they might see that you're a person who has moral purity. Verse 13, till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you which was given to you by prophecy with the lane on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them for in doing this, you will say both yourself and those who hear you. And so when he says, till I come, give attention to reading, exhortation and doctrine. The idea of reading the word is amplified with the task of appealing to their feelings through passionate exposition and practical application. So a seventh thing is an excellent minister uses the word of God to equip the disciples. Now when he says this, and I'll make this brief because I just looked up and noticed I'm going long and some of you are already asleep. So when he says give attention to reading, what were they reading? Okay, the answer very briefly, briefly as they were reading the Old Testament. This is referring to what I'm doing right now, public reading. This is called public reading in scripture. That's what he's referring to. So when you are ministering, give attention to public reading. But he also speaks about exhortation and doctrine. So let the open reading of the word of God and the exhortation and the doctrine all have a passion to it, which encourages people to see the importance of this and the value of it. And so what they would do is they would take the Old Testament and they would show Christ in the Old Testament. That's what they would do in their open reading of scripture. But during this time, there were several letters that had already started to circulate. You had the book of James. You had first and second Thessalonians, Romans, Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, Philippians, and the book of Acts that were already written. You have Matthew and Mark. You had an early date for Luke and these were in circulation. By the time 1 Timothy was being written and sent out. And so they would also have letters that were read in churches that could circulate because there were messengers who were sent to churches and some of them would deliver letters. In Colossians 4.16, I'll give an example. It says, when this epistles read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. So the Colossians had a letter but they were to give that letter to the Laodicean church and the Laodicean church would give their letter to the Colossians and that's how it was. So that's how the first century churches began to gather and to preserve the epistles that we find in the New Testament. By this time or later on, little later on, Paul's writings were already recognized as scripture according to 2 Peter 3.15 and 16. So what are you to do? Devote yourself to public reading of God's word. Devote yourself to exhorting the people and devote yourself to teaching through God's word. All of this is done under the gift. So he says in verse 14, do not neglect the gift that is in you. Spiritual work is accomplished by the Holy Spirit using Spirit-filled believers. So don't get so busy that you start ministering in the flesh because that will lead to burnout. What should you do? Well, meditate according to verse 15 on these things. Care for, practice and cultivate the things that I'm giving to you. He said, an excellent minister is dedicated to the things of God. Give yourself to these things completely and totally be absorbed in them. Remember, your ministry is not your hobby. Your ministry is service to God. So be devoted to it completely. And he finally says, take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Concentrate on your personal walk with the Lord and practice what you're preaching. Because in doing so, you save yourself as well as those who hear you. By obedience to the word of God, you're demonstrating that you've been born again and perseverance will always reveal genuine faith. And your godly life and your teaching will demonstrate the power of the gospel. Young man, if you want to be a teacher of the word of God, take heed to these things. Take heed to the things that Paul wrote to this young pastor in the Church of Ephesus. When I began my ministry back in 1973, I didn't begin the ministry with this attitude of having this church. I didn't begin that way. I began with the attitude that my mom and my dad needed to be taught the word of God. I got saved in 1970 at the very end. Went into the army for two years and got out. In 1973, I started going to Bible college. I noticed that my parents were not growing in their faith. They were going to church on Sunday, but not growing in their faith. I was a new believer and I began to think perhaps I ought to share with my dad what I'm learning. I was going to Biola at that time, Biola College. I was learning Bible. I was taking Old Testament, I was taking New Testament doctrine. And I started praying, Lord, should I teach my dad and my mom that's taking too much upon myself? Probably not. Probably would offend my dad if I said, dad, I want to teach you the word. A woman down the street named Claudette Romero, who was around my mom's age, walks up to me and she says, David, she goes, you're going to Biola now, right? And I said, yes. She said, would you teach me what you're learning? She goes, I'm hungry to know what God's word says. I took that as God speaking to my heart for my parents' sake. I went and spoke to my dad. And I said, dad, I'd like to teach a home Bible study. Would that be OK? And my dad said, yes. So I started a home Bible study in Norwalk in 1973 with my parents and a few neighbors and my sisters. A year later, my brother got saved. When my brother got saved, I started driving out to Ontario from Norwalk to teach him. There never were more than just a handful of people. He was inviting friends from his job and a young lady shows up. That's how I met Marie. Just teaching the word. We eventually moved that Bible study from Ontario into the city of Montclair. So we went to Montclair and I was teaching in a home. There was a little boy there, six or seven years old. He used to come stand at the door and kind of look at everybody as we came in and sat down. He eventually got a little more nerve and he walked up and he would rub the lady's legs because he liked the feeling of their nylons, little perv. His name was John. He now works for me, John John Mata. But I met him when he was six or seven years old. He's now 49. But he used to go to that Bible study. Not as an attendee, it was in his parents' home. All these years, all these years, we never started a Bible study to grow this. We started a Bible study to grow sheep so that they would know Jesus. They would love Jesus. They would have hope in Jesus and they would give Jesus to other people. You are not the result of my ambition. You are a grace gift to me from my God. And I love you. Love you. And you should have a pastor that you can respect. I pray to God to be that someday.