if you have the word of God in your hands, me the book of 1st
Timothy Chapter 5, if you've been following with us closely,
There is one verse left at the end of chapter 4 but we're not
going to unpack it in detail because we've alluded to it many
times and have drawn much from it and the first few chapters of
this book. So we're going to come to 5:1.
You know, when it comes to Preparing a message, oftentimes
the greatest struggle is not what you're going to say that is
there but oftentimes it's what you have to leave out.
And that is certainly true. With this specific message that
things were just had to be focused really because there
could have been so many other things that could be said
nonetheless we're going to trust that God has the right thing to
say to us through these verses. so, if you're there re with me
in verse 1, 1st Timothy 5 do not rebuke an older man.
But encourage them, as you would a father.
Younger men as brothers. Older women as mothers.
Younger women as sisters. And I'll Purity, let's pray.
Father, We Believe with even a verse or two, verses like this.
You have something deep to say to us.
And we lean in by faith and we ask.
Oh God. That you would grant us exactly
what your word. Has been planned to give us.
That it would transform our minds, it would renew our
affections for you. And for one another Lord made
this message, be assisted by the power of the Holy Spirit and
Lord may you cover every man. But bring to the Forefront of
our site. The eyes of our hearts, the
person of Jesus Christ and all his Beauty and wisdom.
Lord may his power be known this morning, may be felt and sense.
Lord, and may we be changed by. This is our need, this is our
great need today. Not just, for more information
about lure for heart transformation, may it come as
we seek it. So desperately, Lord, we declare
in your presence that we are indeed poor in spirit and we are
not ashamed of it. We are bankrupt without you.
We are Beggars and we know that you are merciful to give we
trust in you in this moment. In Jesus name, we pray, amen.
It's quite fascinating to see in the Bible, the different
metaphors of the Holy Spirit, ascribes to the corporate
identity of those who belong to Christ by faith.
The scripture is regard the church as many things a kingdom
A holy nation. A priesthood.
The body of Christ, the bride of Christ God's flock, God's
adopted children, just to name a few.
But what you have heard throughout this series in the
book of 1st Timothy is that on more than one occasion, God
deeply desires for his church to function as a family.
As a family, we heard it in that title that the church is the
household of God. And it is being emphasized Again
by this set of verses here which describes something quite
amazing. These practical set of commands
given by Paul to this young. Pastor Timothy tells us that he
is supposed to relate to the congregation that he serves as
members of a household. You know what that's proof of
right off the bat that's proof that God is not satisfied.
With you, and I just Gathering Together on a consistent basis,
so that we can corporately involve ourselves in some
spiritual activities as though this was some kind of a class.
No. God wants us to engage with one
another with such a deep and high level of affection,
familiarity, respect and loyalty that every single time, you
choose to come to one of the meetings throughout the week.
You would feel as though it was a home and not an event.
And the way the church can express itself as a family is
not by making the building Cozier.
It's not by getting comfy or chairs downstairs.
Where we Fellowship nor is it even about gathering in program
small groups? Though that may help to a
certain extent? The main way where we can make
this church and any church of any size actually feel like a
family Is by determining to treat each other in a certain
way to simple. Is that?
With this in mind, we must seek God's wisdom in knowing the
Dynamics that we must be committed to.
In order for us to see and experience what he has designed
for his church. And what will require of us?
Well, what it requires for any family to function
appropriately, a level of commitment, Commitment in
various areas. And here's what I want to say.
Right from the beginning, if you choose this morning to hear
these commitments, these vows these pledges that.
Each of us must take a hold for ourselves.
If you refuse it, if you reject, if you do not take it seriously,
that I have to say this boldly, but because it's true.
Nobody has the right to feel like they're an outsider in this
church. Nobody has the right to
complain. That you don't feel like this is
really something that they can connect to.
If you cannot commit to these things that will be described in
a moment. But at the same time, if you
choose to say, you know, I want to really, I really want to know
what this is. I really want to feel like a
family. I really want to be involved in
that the know this, you honor these pledges you obey them.
You commit to them and I guarantee you not by my own
opinion, but by the authority of the word of God, you will know a
deeper bond that any family, you are part of and it will be
greater than what ties you by Blood.
It will be something. That is much more significant
and profound and that is the spirit of the the Living God
that connects you with others. And so what kind of commitments
are we talking about here? It's more than you just signing
a membership sheet. Something much more sacrificial.
Something much more much more important than you having a
name. Someone a document.
Let me say this number one that must be commitment to
unquestionable. Love.
A commitment to unquestionable. Love, you know what's amazing is
that the sign of any healthy Christ influence family, is that
it provides an atmosphere in which every member senses and is
comforted and assured that they are cherished.
As we just read every person, you know what he's saying here?
Every single person, every single person in your
congregation Timothy has a title of someone that belongs in a
home. Whether you're old, whether
you're young with your father, whether your mother, whether
you're a teenager, it doesn't matter, you are somebody's dad,
you are, somebody's mom, you were somebody's child, you were
somebody's sibling in the spirit nobody is left out.
There's not one category of person in the church that is
Exempt from this and that requires some of the Bible
speaks about in So Many occasions.
That there is an affection that is known amongst a family and
this is what's being emphasized here.
But here's my question. What is that?
Love feel like, let's not just be theoretical here.
Oh, I love you brother. People throw that you love.
Pizza the way you love me. You say you love everything but
what does that love feel like what does it look like?
Well, there's many places we can go.
Right, let's go to this one place.
Turn your Bibles with me in second Corinthians. 12:14.
Look what Paul says to this church and I encourage you this
morning. You got to hold on to your
Bibles because there's much scripture to discover.
Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 12, verse 14 here.
For the third time. I'm ready to come to you and I
will not be a burden. For I seek not what is yours?
But you for children are not obligated to save up for their
parents but parents for their children.
With this particular Church Paul was concerned that there would
be a stumbling block between the Corinthians and his ministry and
he didn't want to cause an issue.
So he did not demand nor would he receive any financial support
from them. Not that he would reject it at
all places, but in this particular case, they were not
very appreciative of Paul and he wasn't going to be offended by
that. Is he going to make any request?
So he said, you know what, I'm not here to put a burden on you.
Because if this is going to be some kind of a problem and it's
going to affect the way you receive the Gospel and the truth
of God's word then forget about I'll let go of any right so that
I can boast in this and a minister must exercise, such
wisdom and different seasons of circumstances as he goes along
and the call that God has called them for.
But notice what he says to them personally that you miss it.
He says here and I will not be a burden for I seek not, what is
yours but you In other words, I'm not coming to see you.
Nor am I coming to serve you? Because I have some ulterior
motive to take advantage of you and satisfy some kind of selfish
pleasure or Pursuit that I have. I don't relate to you in such a
way. I don't see you in such a
manner. You see?
A spiritual leader and a church. Does not see his congregation as
clients. Nor has his audience nor as his
fans, any person in a leadership position that does so you better
believe that they are exercising their gift and they are giving
their time for the sole purpose of personal gain.
But this man he was not just a teacher, he was not just an
apostle, he was not just a preacher know.
He was a father he told the same church you have many teachers
but very few fathers. And a spiritual father, does not
provide for his children the same way that our restaurant
caters to its customers. No, he offers his time, his
attention, his resources for them, not to get something from
them. And that's exactly what he's
saying here and pauses, I'm not doing this.
I'm not doing all of this for you to feel compelled that you
need to repay me. That that's not my goal.
I want to win your heart to love the Lord more and more.
The Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to receive for my
Ministry and my fellowship in a way that it would influence your
walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to know that every
time I step into your presence, you would sensor array of God's
love my involvement in your life is to build you.
It's the serve you. It's to fill you even if I have
to empty myself. Whenever we come into contact
with each other, Paul saying, you'll be reminded that there is
somebody on this Earth that loves you with, Christ's love.
This in that echoing the words of Jesus Christ.
Don't think for a moment that Paul here is out loving our Lord
He is just a faint example of it because our god did not pursue
us to get something from us, but to have ice.
Right. This is the Lord need your money
this morning. No, he owns the cattle on a
thousand hills. The zoo.
Does the Lord need your cold religious rituals.
If he wanted that, he would have made robots.
He wants your affection to be set on him.
As he has said, his perfect love upon you.
He wants your heart. He wants you.
Now, what you can give him necessarily obviously when we
give ourselves to him, things will flow out of that.
But God wants what's inside, more than what's outside?
We have any doubt about Paul's words.
Here, look at the next verse in verse 15.
He says to the same church. I will most gladly spend and be
spent for your souls. With great, joy will be wrung
out to make sure that your spiritual health is intact to
make sure that you are Sanctified in your love and your
Devotion. To God, I will do whatever it
takes beat me to a pulp. Use me, don't pay me, whatever
it is and we say, Amen, brother. That's what they should be.
Telling those leaders that are in training in seminary, you're
right. Pastor should listen.
The Holy Spirit. Expects it to be reciprocal.
Because look what he says. Look at these painful
heart-wrenching words. Can you feel the ache in his
heart as he penned them? If I love you more, am I to be
loved less? In other words, Paul here is in
his in his Humanity, but also inspired by the spirit is saying
I long for you to spend your souls for my sake as well.
I'm giving myself to you. But what's amazing is though,
this man, live with, such a sacrificial Spirit.
It says, I will most gladly spend Even if you do not return,
the love, I will still set my heart on you and I will do it
with joy. Can I tell you something?
You know, you have reached a level of love in your sacrifice
when you are willing to give yourself to a people and not
expect anything in return and be totally okay with it?
How much of our service is motivated by something to be
returned to us, whether it's monetary or whether it's praise
Paul, lived above that, he lived beyond that, I will do it.
Gladly never recognize me again. Don't recognize me at the church
Bank, whatever. You don't say, thank you and
don't put me up on a PowerPoint, I could care less I will gladly
spend myself for your souls. That's a testimony.
Is it not for this church that they received from a man?
A spiritual father in this way? But wouldn't their testimony be
greater if Paul felt the love of his spiritual children?
It wouldn't be a greater testimony still if these
spiritual children, loved each other and there wasn't Division
and clicks. Absolutely Because that's what
we're striving for a church to grow into a family will require
each individual to grow and selflessness and a willingness
to be empty so that others can be filled.
It's an individual commitment that must be made.
That's what we're striving for. Love streaming from every single
heart in this place this morning.
So that whenever anybody walks and they will be submerged by
Christ affection, And oftentimes that looks like big acts of
service, doesn't it? But we limit it to that failing
to see that. It's those insignificant moments
in church life, that holds so much value, but we don't see it
and there's so many examples of it and let me give you one
because you read it in the gospels, I'm sure. 1st,
Thessalonians 5 26. You ready for this?
Greet, all the brothers with a holy kiss.
You've read in, Romans you read in 1st Corinthians, you read in
second Corinthians, you read it here and you read it.
And first Peter fibrous as kiss of love, the only place where
doesn't say holy kiss. Bible really cares.
The Holy Spirit. Really cares about how we greet
each other. Doesn't he?
Greet, all the brothers don't let anybody to feel left out,
even with your welcoming. Don't let one person leave there
without being greeted. And that idea of a kiss to an
extent speaks of affection and warmth.
It's not cold, it's genuine, it's sincere.
It's felt and there's a level of cultural context here, right?
Because we know that back then, and even today, many cultures
greet each other with with a kiss on, either side of the
cheek. That's very true for Middle.
Easterners is very true for Europeans and it's not true for
many other cultures. But the idea here is not about
the way you greet necessarily You remember those days, right?
Greeting one another talk about ancient times where you have to
touch each other's elbows and look the other way.
Hey brother, how you doing with a virus that you have a night
High, 90 something percent survival rate, but here's the
thing, people get hung up on this verse about, The kissing
aspect of it. And it's not that where we have
to focus its the word before kiss and it's wholly.
A holy kiss. Do you think that the Holy
Spirit only had in mind? That you and I would greet one
another with affection and the way our culture best expresses
it do we really think that the Holy Spirit only had in mind
that when you do welcome one another and you salute one
another that it's done impurity not in sensuality that's there
but oh there's so much deeper thought in these things.
And the way to answer the question is to Simply examine
the Bible and say, well, if there is such thing as a holy
kiss, then surely the opposite is possible that there is such
thing as an Unholy kiss. And would you know it the Bible
does give examples of an Unholy kiss.
This is where you need your Bibles.
Now meet me in second Samuel. 20:9.
This is when David's kingdom was in a kerfuffle.
There is some issues going on here and there was a another war
that was ready to break out. And in this scene, joab says,
here in verse 9 of second Samuel, 20, joab, set the amasa
is it well with you, my brother? And job took a mess up by the
beard with his right hand. To kiss him.
But Amos said did not observe the sword that was in jobs
hands. So job struck him with it in the
stomach and Spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a
second blow and he died. So picture that scene joab comes
and this is a fellow Soldier. Grabs him by the beard, pulls
him in, gives him a kiss and he has a dagger that slips out of
his sleeve. And he got some And kills them
on the spot. Joab greeted him and so with a
kiss and in a certain direction that it contradicted the warm
greeting, maybe it's not clear yet and it will get clearer In
This Moment. Now, you have to go to the New
Testament and meet me in. Matthew 26, 48 to 49.
This is in that Sacred Garden scene.
We are told here in verse 48 rather of Matthew 26.
Now, the betrayer had given them a sign saying, the one I will
kiss, is the man sees him and he came up to Jesus at once and
said, greetings rabbi. And he kissed him.
What did Paul say? Greet one.
Another with a holy kiss, this is much deeper than about a
cultural way of saluting, somebody, And the Holy Spirit
has something much more important to tell us.
What did joab? And Judas do.
With their greetings. They appeared to be genuine.
They appear to be sincere but in reality, they were betrayers
filled with all kinds of evil, in their hearts, towards the
very ones that they seem to warmly greet.
So then what is the holy spirit asking of us?
He's not just asking for you to say hello to people when they
come in. He's asking that when you do
greet your brothers and sisters, that your heart would be free
from hypocrisy, that your heart would be free from deceit from
hatred jealousy and envy. Because it doesn't matter how
warm it is. It doesn't matter how many
kisses you do on each side of the cheek.
It's Unholy when you have a dagger in the other hand.
Because this is what it looks like, right?
Hi sister. How you doing?
Oh, you look so beautiful. Don't you?
But you've been gossiping about them all week. and you see
somebody else and you have that smile on your face, but inside,
you are riddled your riddled with unforgiveness and you
didn't have the courage to approach them about their sin.
So you harbored in, you said, you know, I'm just going to
greet them and that's it. Unholy.
It's an Unholy kiss. So what does that require of us?
Well, I should be able to have the confidence that every time I
come to church and I'm being greeted that, there's not one
person that is willing to sell me for 30 pieces of silver.
And there's not one person that's willing to greet me, but
they have a dagger with my blood on it, because they've been
stabbing me in the back throughout the month.
Greet one, another. With a holy kiss.
There should be no fear that there are jobs in the
congregation. There should be no fear that
they're a judases in the congregation.
There should be an expectation, not only of warmth and love, but
when those acts of greetings are performed, I have the confidence
to know that there's an unquestionable love in their
hearts, for me. What will it require for us to
be like a family? A commitment to an undying.
Uncompromised unchanging unwavering love.
Which comes to the next commitment that we must have for
one another as we're going to be a family.
That's a commitment to sanctifying inspiration.
Come back with me to First Timothy 5.
It's interesting to note that Paul's call for Timothy.
To relate to his church as a families in the context of
confronting sin. Do not rebuke.
Well when do you rebuke somebody when they're in the wrong at
least appropriately? That's when you correct.
That's when you approach. That's when you confront and
what's so, fascinating is that this tells us a great deal of a
major component A major ingredient.
That builds the church and makes relationships with, in that
church, like a home. You say, what?
Builds a home and what makes a healthy home is love sure.
But is it not true that in a home when it's so natural with
families that there's transparency?
You are the most yourself when you're at home and the doors are
closed. And the only audience in your
house and your living room is your family, right?
All guards are let down. There is an honesty. and to a
certain extent, that's what God's calling the church for A
willingness to be in your face, sometimes a willingness to
observe your life and your life being exposed to mind a mind to
your so that we can keep each other in check, you know what's
fascinating? Is that if you take it upon
yourself to look through the gospels and see the mentions of
church from the mouth of Christ. You will see that this very
little mention of the direct word church, right?
He talks about brothers, he talks about those who walk in
the will of God. Are those who belong to me?
My true mother. But If you look for the word
church and out of the four gospels, what you'll find is
that he only mentions it twice, Jesus, both times in Matthew.
The first time is when Peter had that awesome revelation of who
Christ was. And Christ said upon that
Revelation, this rock will I build my church.
And the second time is just in a few chapters later, where he
talks about the church and out of all the things that our Lord
could have explained about the practice and the habits, and the
ways of his church. He speaks about what the, you
know, it church discipline. Church discipline.
Everything out of all the things that we can speak about the
church just like, first Timothy the thing out of the mouth of
Christ. He emphasized.
He honed in on was how Believers in great detail and in a
protocol should approach one another to lead them to
repentance. Wow, that tells you a great deal
with the church is about and it's so fascinating that today
church discipline is becoming less and less of a reality. when
it's the very thing that Christ spoke about the most This
implies many things, doesn't it? Consider these two important
points at least number one that if you're a person in your heart
that longs to join a Bible believing, like a really
bible-believing Church. A God-fearing Church, a
Spirit-filled church. Then you must be aware that you
are willing to give your life to be exposed before.
Others. In such a way where you have
given them the right to confront you if needed.
In God's wisdom, he designed our blind spots to be identified by
the gracious and Wise Eyes of other people.
In our lives, making the church and irreplaceable.
Irreplaceable contribution to our spiritual health.
People who think that there are holy because they don't go to a
church because it's imperfect failed to realize the very thing
that will make them holy as the very church that they're
criticizing. God designed it that way.
Therefore, you ready for this? No man has the right to be
offended if they are in sin. And members within that church
or leadership within that church, confront them with their
attitude or actions that contradict the word of God.
That's what the church was designed for.
The very system that would wash and sanctify God's people is
where you're sitting today. We've made it about an event,
right? Just let me just be at a
distance. I want to hear the message.
Let it make me laugh or we let him make me cry.
And let me get out of here as soon as possible.
And I'll come back next week for the drive-thru sermon.
That's not how God designed it. It's not how God designed it.
But here's the second point in light of that, although it may
be a vulnerable thing, right? And maybe even a terrifying
thing, you know, yourself more than anybody else.
And, you know, your inconsistencies and, you know,
your failures and, you know, the fight that you have.
And you know what, you can fall into with your attitude, or your
words, are your actions towards others, but here's where we are
blessed. Here's where we are comforted
That the very same scriptures that call for correction are
connected to the reality that you are a part of a family.
To family. We're your family.
That's the place in which correction will take place in a
home. Think about it.
You think of this, the, the ingredients of a successful
home. You say there's love.
Absolutely. There's transparency.
Sure there is. But here's another thing.
There's safety. Their safety.
And so, I understand that there are those who are experts at
rebuking and correcting, and kicking out, but they're not
family, they're not operating as a home.
They're not operating out of that affection.
And that's why Paul here, by the spirit, deeply binds correction
with the compassion of a family. Older men is father's older
woman as mother's younger brothers younger sisters.
That's where this is taking place.
Now, we come, he begins to instruct this young Pastor on
how to deal with older men in his congregation.
And the first thing is, which includes older woman.
That there would be times that Timothy as a young Pastor would
have to confront those who are older and I don't know anybody.
Maybe you do that enjoys confrontation.
That is a difficult part about Ministry.
Pastors are not called to be nice and how you doing doing
well, and not, no, no. He's been charged by God to see
sin confronted. And deal with it.
But with a certain Spirit, you know, what's unique between a
young leadership in an older congregation is that not for
all. But often, there are older
Saints season saints that have walked through the church
throughout the years and in different Ministries and are
kind of set in their ways or I've seen things done in a
particular Manner and when it's not done the way they're used to
it can cause discomfort not for all and there is wisdom in which
older people have to provide something to a church and
there's no doubt about that, but sometimes that discomfort over a
specific thing can turn into complaints and then those
complaints Can turn into conflict very quickly and then
there's murmuring and then there's there's things that can
get really messy. and Paul says Timothy look, even older people
can have a none christ-like attitude in your church, but you
have to make sure that when you deal with that kind of an
attitude that you have the right attitude yourself, So he says,
do not rebuke an older man. A hold on, I thought Paul and
more than one place, especially to Timothy told him to rebuke
second, Timothy rebuke. So what do we have a
contradiction here? No, we have a different word for
rebuke in the Greek. This would rebuke in the Greek,
is the only time it is used in the entire New Testament and it
is much more severe and aggressive than just correcting
somebody verbally the word rebuke here speaks of striking
at Or beating upon. So it's actually verbal abuse.
And timidly. Do you have a position of
authority? You have no right to humiliate.
Those who are older than you. You have no right to disrespect
them. You have no right to embarrass
them. You have no right to tear them
apart with your words just because there's a disagreement
between you and them or even if their sin between them and other
people. You have no, right?
There is a special respect that is reserved for those who are
older than you in the Bible declares that from cover to
cover even in Leviticus. When an older man walks in and
says that the younger men should stand up and respect, And so
Timothy you better be careful and how you address those who
have walked through life much longer than you and there's so
many examples of that even when older men are found in sin,
remember Noah. I mean the Earth just subside
everything just calm down in the man becomes a drunk.
Goes to show that God can flood the world but if it doesn't
flood, the hearts of men, nothing will change.
What a picture, he drowns this entire Earth, and he leaves a
remnant of eight. People only for them to come and
step foot on the Earth again and corrupt.
It Noah. He becomes a gardener, he has a
Vineyard, he begins to drink and now he's naked in his tent.
And one of his sons comes sees, it much debate of what he did
comes out of the tent, to begin to tell his brothers and the two
brothers, who had sense, who had some reverence, they didn't even
go into the tent forward but backward with the cloth on their
shoulders and they stepped backward, and they covered their
father's shame. It would not embarrass him any
further. What a picture of how, we should
cover the sins of those who are older than us?
We're not looking to amplify what they've done.
We're not looking to shame them. We're looking to cover them and
honor them. And it's true for older woman as
well. We see an example of this in
Philippians 4. If you were here Friday you saw
this example but let's look at it and see it even in Greater
detail in the Church of Philippi and verse to Philippians 4, we
read Paul stops in his teaching and he says, I entreat you odia
and I entreat synthetic he to agree and the Lord.
So there are two ladies in the church and there's some
disagreement there. And how does Paul do it now?
Remember these letters would be read out to the church.
So you would have the leaders of the church, take up the letter
and say it out loud in front of everybody.
Just like in this kind of a setting and Paul could have
dealt with these two ladies in so many different ways.
And sometimes drastic measures call for drastic.
Methods. But in this case, there's a
disagreement and he goes, would you guys just agree?
Would you guys just agree? And he exposes them like you can
imagine the flushed face is right, you audience.
Integral gosh, Paul just called us out in front of everybody.
But look what it says in the next verse.
Yes, I ask you also True Companion.
He's writing to somebody specific help these women help
them reconcile help them, see eye to eye.
And look how he goes from correction to Commendation in
the same breath who have labored side by side with me in the
gospel together. With Clement and the rest of my
fellow workers whose names are in the Book of Life.
So the very same woman that he seeks to rebuke to certain
extent, he also uplifts in the sight of all men says they've
helped me in the gospel goes to show that you can help the
Apostle Paul and still have some issues with others goes to show
that. You can be a co-worker with this
blessed man of God and still have fleshly attitude.
Paul says, look, I'm going to correct you but I'm also going
to steam you in the same breath. What?
An example. Especially with those who are
older. Now, we can reverse this safely,
Paul told, Timothy treat them as mothers treat them as fathers
but can't we say the same and the opposite sense that those
who are older in the congregation though, the
spiritual leadership is younger, shouldn't they treat him as
their son. Right.
This is not just a one-way thing that the spiritual leadership
treats. Everybody else like family and
they just look at you. Like you're just whatever like a
babysitter. No.
So older men. Treat Timothy like a son.
How do you do that? Well, you give them verbal
affirmation, from time to time, you provide wise counsel here.
And there, you let them know that you're partnering with him
through prayer and different means.
How about older mothers? Well, there's that maternal
instinct is in there at Timothy should be open and should be a
recipient of their care, because that's how they're wired, and
not just the young spiritual leadership, but even the young
people in the church, let them mother you to a certain extent.
Let them cook for you. Let them invite you over to
dinner and and joyfully receive that.
That's the blessing of having, multi-generations, in a church,
There's so much. That's given an experience and
received an extended when you have different people of
different age groups. And so we see here that these
older people had a special respect reserved for them, but
then there's another category and that other category here is
younger men as brothers in younger women as sisters.
So what was Timothy to do as a person who is in a similar age
group as those who are young and the church?
Well, here's the plane thing that he should not walk with an
air of superiority. I'm the pastor and you're not
and we're around the same age. God called me.
He didn't call you. Can you imagine Stinks with
pride. And that Pride can manifest the
most. When there is a brother or
sister in sin and you confront that sin, how are you going to
do it? What words are you going to
choose? How will you sit down with him?
Will there be genuine affection or with the sense that you are
higher than them? Be careful, be careful Timothy
but here's a wonderful detail. That's added that you're
familiar with when he comes to the sisters.
He says in all purity In all Purity for obvious, reasons for
obvious reasons, but here's the principle.
That being committed to my communities.
Holiness is not just found in my willingness to confront them in
their sin, but also, in my willingness not to be
contributor to sin. That makes sense being committed
to sanctifying inspiration is not me willing to watch your
life and observe it and to sit you down when I need to confront
you with sin. No, it's in my willingness and
my alertness not to contribute or to bring in sin in the first
place. Because we all know that we have
the potential to not just defile ourselves, but when you are tied
in with a family, you can defile others.
Timothy, you're young, they're young ladies in your church.
You better watch your step boy. Just for Timothy.
Oh yeah. Pastors that are young.
Have to be careful. Not just men in general, hold
up. Men and women.
In this place, please realize that.
If you want to be in a church family, you have deemed it.
You have seen it as most of importance to come into this
place and inspire people and not defile people.
Here's a verse to consider, go to Hebrews chapter 12.
Look what the author of Hebrews says to this Jewish Christian
audience. See to it.
That no one fails to obtain the grace of God.
That no root of bitterness Springs up and causes trouble.
And by it many become defiled. Now, we read that and what comes
to mind, immediately? that the author is concerned
that somebody would have Resentment.
Somebody would have harbored and festering, anger unforgiveness
in their bosom and over time. You know, this very well that if
you're a bitter person that it's going to affect your
relationship with others, right? That's how we see it in there is
application in that area, but I make the case today that root of
bitterness is not the way we understand bitterness.
And this audience, this jewish-christian audience that
was so familiar with the Old Testament would have immediately
know what the author was alluding to when he had said
this root of bitterness. Oh, you're talking about what
Moses said to his people before they entered into the promised
land may be thinking? What do you mean?
Well, you got to go to Deuteronomy, 29, and you go to
do around turn around, you'll know exactly what he means here.
By root of bitterness and it'll make more sense in life.
The context of the book of Hebrews.
And Deuteronomy 29, 18, Moses preaches to his people.
And he gives them warning because when you preach you
don't just encourage you worn. And he says here in Deuteronomy
29, 18, beware. Beware lest there be among you a
man, or a woman or Clan or tribe whose heart is turning away from
the Lord. Our God to go on and serve the
gods of those Nations. Now, look at this, beware lest
there be among you a route. Bearing poisonous.
And bitter fruit. Soon Hebrews.
It's not that the root is bitterness.
It's at the root will produce bitter fruit.
You know what? The trigger thing is about a
route. The part of the plan, that's
hidden. Underground.
Unseen unnoticed, unless there's digging that takes place.
It's camouflaged, it's not seen, it's not easily identified.
We don't know how deep those roots go.
We know that they're there but we don't know how deep they go.
We know how intertwined they are, we know how in grade they
are to the soil. And that's the truth about this
root of bitterness. It's in the heart.
And you can't make it clear. Right away.
But the danger is still there. And the danger is that when you
have that kind of a root of bitterness planted in the bed of
soil, the community. That if it is undiscerning Dan
undealt with over time it will produce a certain fruit like
weeds that will choke out all the other healthy plants in
God's Garden. and so calls for a discernment from spiritual
leadership to be able to identify such a route and they
could come from a man, it can come from a woman, it can come
from a clan, it can come from a tribe within God's, holy nation
and this route. Just that those little hideous
looking things. Is so powerful that it can bring
down an entire assembly of people?
Wow, here's the question. What is that route?
Let me ask you a better question.
Would you like to know this morning as you stumbled in here
to know, if you have that route in your heart because you can
find out right now? You can know right here right
now is you're sitting there. If you are a person that has
this route that has the potential to destroy every
person sitting in these pews today, would you like to know
very easy? The way for you to know.
If you have this root of bitterness, read verse 19 of
Deuteronomy, 29. One.
Who? This is the root of bitterness.
This is how it feels like looks like sounds like one who when he
hears the words of the sworn Covenant bless himself in his
heart saying I shall be safe though I walk in the
stubbornness of my heart. This what he just said, this
will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike.
You know what I'm saying? This has the potential to
actually wipe out those who are moist filled with life and vigor
and Zeal, and those who are dead and dry and lukewarm both.
What is that root of bitterness? How do you know if it's in your
heart? So it will manifest eventually.
But it starts with a thought. And here's the thought that
every week, you hear a message, no matter how much intense it
is, no matter how much it is filled with warning and you
leave here without an inch of you being even convicted or
move. In fact, on top of that, you
feel this, I can live how I want And it will be just, okay.
It's a perverted view of eternal security.
I can live how I want. I don't have to treat my younger
sisters with all Purity, I can mess around with a girl here and
there. And God won't do anything.
He won't chastise me. He won't discipline me.
He won't expose me. You have the root of bitterness
in your heart sir. You have the root of bitterness
in your heart, young lady. Were you don't sense the fear of
God where you not respond to the word of God with trembling?
But in fact, you are deceived to say I can still live the way I
am living, though. It is in contrary to the word of
God and I will be just okay. And Hebrews, he says, make sure
that none of you have the root of bitterness defiling.
Many that kind of an attitude corrupts.
Listen, you don't think this is real.
This is real. I'll never forget the
conversation. I had with somebody that was so
backslidden. None of you here, know them.
They're not part of this, they're not here, they're not
even in this state when I begin to ask and ask, how did this
happen? This person regularly attended
church and the things he was telling me he was doing, I
thought to myself. How can you even sit and God's
house and listen to a worship song and be unmoved?
Let me get this, tell me where it all began.
So just tell me where was the turning point?
He said, well, I began to do drugs with the worship.
Team of that church. I said The Who the worship team.
We still go out and smoke and drink.
Are they still on the worship team?
And he wouldn't give me an answer.
Defiling many. Defiling many.
That can happen from the leadership with a man like
Timothy, who, did not have the fear of God in the way he
related with people, and they can happen with anybody else in
this place. and so if we're going to be a family, We're
going to be committed to sanctifying inspiration, not
just in confrontation, but in you living your convictions.
By the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is the warning. And this is the feeling that you
should have when you step into this home week after week.
I know that as I turn my back coming into the sanctuary away
from a defiled broken shattered world.
That is tempted me all week and giving me mixed messages and try
to pull me into Satan's domain. I am coming to a safe place.
I'm coming to a place where Holiness is in the atmosphere
where people walk in the fear of God, where people will help me
live above Temptation and not pull me into it.
If the church is a place of defilement where can men run
too. We're can woman run to, to find
a temporary Refuge. And so, therefore, we must be
obligated. We must fight for Holiness in
the house of God because we are a family, and that's what family
does. Again, I bring up the point.
It is a tragedy for somebody to grow up in a home where they
don't feel safe in that home. We are rest men because of that
we are rest mothers because of their negligence and their
abuse. They should arrest pastors for
doing the same in their churches.
Because this is a home, there's no room for abuse, there's no
room for manipulation. There's no room for being Sly
and sneaky and deceiving whether it's in sexual sin or any other
sin, including money. Want to know what the three
things that bring them pastors, fame, money, sex, And it goes
the other way around. It's not just leadership as you
just heard. It's the men of the church.
The younger sisters should feel protected and safe.
And it's not just for the men of the church, the woman of the
church should also, the men should be comforted to know that
my sister's will not lower me. They will not entice me, they
will not seduce me. I'm safe here.
Now if we think for a moment
that this is just Pastoral Epistles, just for the pastor,
let's go to one final scripture as we close in 1st
Thessalonians. All the, the letters with the
letter t or together. So Thessalonians, just behind
Timothy. Look at verse 14 of chapter 5 in
1st Thessalonians. First Thessalonians 5, 14 and we
urge, you Brothers, not just leaders, not just pastors.
We urge you Brothers, the Brethren and the church.
We urge you Brothers, admonished the idol.
Admonish them, you know, the idol, the lazy.
Those that just stay in one place for out throughout the
years and they don't, they don't get active, they don't get
involved, They don't serve the brothers, not just the leaders,
the brothers are say, come on man, what are you doing?
Get up. I haven't seen a Zeal in your
heart for such a long time. What happened admonish them.
Encourage the faint-hearted just like today.
There's some Believers that are more scared about this covid
thing than others. What do we do?
We encourage them, we encourage them in light of the word of
God. We encourage them in light of
Truth. What just the leaders in the
sermon? Oh, you encourage the
faint-hearted, help the weak, and here is an application for
all of it as a family be patient with them all.
Be patient. Takes time for somebody to
change. We would like in a snap of the
finger. Yes.
And it can happen, but be patient.
And as a church, we can testify. I'm sure you can say, Amen to
the fact that this place feels like a family, right?
Amen. But there's still more, there's
still more for this church, to explore its experience and we
got to be patient as it grows as new people come in with
different personalities, be patient.
But as long as we are bound to these commitments, we will be on
the track. We will be on the path to
knowing what God longs to see in this place and what he Longs for
us to feel and to know. And to experience, we are a
family by the grace of God. We Are Family.
Let's pray. father, this morning, we've
heard you, so clearly With a set of verses like this, we feel the
sharpness of your sword. And yet we Rejoice that this
sword wounds only to heal God in this place.
May we be a people who are committed to an unquestionable
love and who are committed to his sanctifying inspiration.
Maybe be a people that strive for nothing less than a
spiritual family. Thank you for the relationships
in this home. Thank you that there is a group
of people here who are not satisfied with just coming to an
event. Thank you that there's a people
here who want everything that you've designed the church to be
for themselves. Lord, we pray that you would
protect this home. Lord, help us believe by faith
that no matter what the size is, it can still be a family.
We asked oh God, that you would show us how to be intentional.
How does to be involved in each other's lives?
Lord, we pray that everything from our greeting to one another
To knowing the great needs that people would have that needs
much intervention and provision Lord, may be fragrant.
With the love of calvary. We ask Lord that if there's any
person in this place. That doesn't feel as though this
home is their family. Let them sense the love in our
hearts. And Lord.
If there's anybody in this place that doesn't feel like they're a
part of this family. Not for the reasons that we just
heard about for the reasons of salvation.
Let them hear your call this morning in this moment.
Let them hear your call to be adopted to have a name in The
Book of Life but also have a name amongst the children of
God, please. Lord your Holy Spirit can use a
message as practical as it was to save a soul.
We believe that. And we ask that your spirit
would do just that, even in these brief moments, God, we
praise you for your wisdom, Lord, we praise you that in
every verse you could speak to our lives, so deeply And we give
you honor and Glory. Oh God, you are a wise God,
you're a loving. God, you're perfect.
We acknowledge you in this moment as we worship without
song or tune, just from hearing the word.
We Want To Praise Your Holy Name.
We thank you so much. Father that you've guided us,
and that your promises are true. That when we honor your word,
you will honor our lives and solo we submit a fresh.
We allowed this word to wash over us and to cleanse us and to
purify us. Lord, if we haven't known it
yet, let it be known. Now that as we look at when he
one another as we see each other, as we greet each other,
as we do life with each other, that we would see one another as
fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters.
Only you can do that work in our hearts, to take strangers from
different cultures and backgrounds and make them feel
like our own. May it be so by your grace in
Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
Only you can do that work in our
hearts, to take strangers from different cultures and
backgrounds and make them feel like our own.
May it be so by your grace in Jesus name, we pray.
Amen. Amen.