Recently Lisa Adams - writing for the Associated Press - wrote this, “Christians in this overwhelmingly Muslim country went to worship services Sunday in what has become an act of bravery and, for some, faithful defiance in the face of deadly attacks by Islamic extremists.”

Today, there are many places around the world where it is very dangerous to be a Christian. In some ways - as Christian Armenians - we can relate to this - through the lives of our parents and grandparents. Even some here who have lived with this kind of cost to their commitment to Jesus Christ.

What we want to look at today comes even closer to home - when opposition to our faith comes from within - from people we love and trust and care about. Please turn with me to 1 Timothy 4:1-16 - as we’ve been looking at Essentials of the Church - this morning we’re coming to The Essential of Commitment.

Look with me at what Paul writes. 1 Timothy 4:1: But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times - latter times meaning since Jesus has come - in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.

The people Paul is talking about - “those who will fall away from the faith” - these were people in the church. Trusted people - family members - respected - looked up to - teachers - leaders. They’d known the Gospel. Embraced the Gospel. Lived by faith. But they’d turned away. Perhaps because of their egos - for love of being seen as knowledgeable - having a position of importance in the church - because of sin in their lives - they were teaching a combination of Jewish tradition - Christian teaching - pagan philosophy - mixed together and taught as truth. It involved abstained from foods - marriage - which they said was part of this sinful world and so had to be avoided. Things that Paul reminds us that God had created and declared good.

Let’s be clear. Paul is not writing about believers who may disagree with us or we may disagree with them. We have issues that we deal with in the church - and that’s part of being in the Body of Christ - prayerfully working together to understand and live in obedience to God’s will. There are times when God’s people really mess up. When God’s people treat God’s people in an ungodly way. That’s different.

Paul is writing about those who oppose Christians - from within. People following Satan and not God. In so many churches - from day one to today - even in our homes and families - people we love and trust and care about - for whatever the reasons - there are those who are against Jesus Christ and His Church. How do we respond? What commitment do we need to stay firm in our faith and reach them with the Gospel?

Look with me at what Paul says. First - in the face of opposition - we need to be committed to pursuing our relationship with God.

Verse 6: In pointing out these things to the brethren - pointing out that God has created and declared these food and marriage as good - in pointing out these things you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

We need to make the commitment to go on pointing out what is right - living by what is right. As one political campaign put it: Stay the Course. That’s what a good servant does - he or she obeys her master regardless of the personal cost. Paul says, regardless of the opposition, stick to what you know to be true - the words of faith - the sound doctrine - which you’ve been following.

Verse 7: But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.

Paul writes, don’t give in to the temptation to compromise. Sometimes we’re tempted to find a half-way point - a comfortable meeting place between viewpoints - or to smooth things over so we don’t have a conflict. But, what these men are advocating isn’t just a disagreement among brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul says what these men were teaching comes straight from hell. We can’t compromise with that.

On the other hand - verse 7 - rather than give in - On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

A few days ago I was watching one of those X-treme games competitions on TV - motorcycle acrobatics. Guys launching themselves and their motorcycles into the air off of jump ramps - doing tricks - and hopefully landing alive. To give you an example - this one guy launched himself - was completely separated from his motorcycle - hundreds of pounds of motorcycle and this guy - flying side by side through the air - on purpose. Somehow he got back on and they landed together. Probably that wasn’t the first time he tried that. One wonders how many broken bones it took before he learned how to do that kind of stunt.

The Greek word Paul uses for “discipline” is the word we get “gymnasium” from. It’s an image of repetitive hard exercise - practice - push-ups - sit-ups - calisthenics - disciplining our bodies. A commitment to doing the basics over and over again. And when we fail - or get knocked down - we get up and do it again till we get it right.

With that image in mind - Paul says we need to focus on disciplining ourselves spiritually. Physical discipline only goes so far. Spiritual discipline is “profitable for all things.” It keeps us going today and into eternity. Spiritual discipline teaches us what to allow into our lives and what to refuse. It builds us up and prepares us for the issues of life. It teaches us to love - even those who oppose us. It teaches us how to live life in touch with the living God - to live with courage and boldness and confidence.

Verse 9: It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance - this is the kind of advice that you build your life on - For it is for this we labor and strive

“Labor” - meaning long hard tiring work. Someone has said, “If anyone thinks that women are the weaker sex they should try giving birth.” Hours of increasingly painful work. “Strive” is the Greek word “agonizo” - agony - like a long distance runner - in agony - giving her last ounce of energy to cross the finish line.

The commitment to pursue godliness - living life as God intends for us to live life - that commitment requires effort - planning - action. We have to be committed - committed to study the Bible - to our devotions - to times of reading and meditation and prayer and worship and fellowship and service. We must carve time out of our frantic schedules and spend quality time with God.

For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

Our motivation is Jesus Christ - who Himself endured opposition - even to death on the cross as our Savior. Jesus who triumphed over the ultimate opposition - the worst that Satan could do - even death. When we make the commitment to draw nearer to God - He draws nearer to us. He fills us - lifts us up - walks with us - empowers us - transforms us to be the men and women that He’s called us to be. His life - His victory - becomes our life and victory - even in the face of the greatest opposition.

First - Paul says that we need to make a commitment to pursue our relationship with God. Second, Paul says - in the face of opposition - we need to make the commitment to continue in our calling.

Verse 11: Prescribe and teach these things. Again Paul is saying - in the face of opposition keep going - stay the course. Don’t shrink back from continuing to share what is right - which was Timothy’s role in the Church.

Now, some of you may be saying, “Well, Paul’s writing to Timothy the pastor. I’m not a pastor. So, this doesn’t have anything to do with me.” But all believers who’ve come to Christ have been given a spiritual gift - a calling and a place of service in the Church. So, what Paul says to Timothy we all need to hear. We all need to be faithful to doing what God has called us to do.

Verse 12: Let no one look down on your youthfulness,

Let’s understand the importance of that statement.

Acts 16:1 tells us that Timothy was “the son of a Jewish believer, but his father was Greek.” That word “but” is powerful. We’ve heard this, “Lav mart eh. Paitz, guess hai eh.” Timothy is only half ethnically correct. And, his father - the Greek - isn’t even around. He’s either dead or he’s left. Imagine the stigmatism. Timothy lives between two worlds - Jewish and Gentile - probably not accepted into either.

Timothy’s mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois are believers. They taught Timothy the Hebrew Scriptures and about their faith in Jesus. Timothy came to faith in Jesus under Paul’s teaching. Again he’s caught between two worlds - religiously looked down on by the Jews and yet not part of the gentile religions.

He’s young. In the Hebrew culture unless you were 90 something you were considered young. Timothy is probably in his 30’s - a relative teenager. Not treated as an adult - or seen as someone old enough to respect. Yet, Timothy is the pastor of the Ephesian Church. He’s opposed by those who have their own agenda and are teaching these false doctrines - making an issue of Timothy’s age and background.

Scripture describes Timothy as a young man struggling with his self-identity - struggling to understand who he is - lacking in self-confidence - internalizing stress - overly critical of himself. We can hear Timothy saying to himself: “They’re right. I am young. What was I thinking to get myself into this spot? Who am I? Maybe I misunderstood God.”

It’s easy for us to do that when we face opposition. To question ourselves and how we’re living for God. Paul encourages Timothy, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness”

Going on in verse 12: but - instead of looking down on yourself - rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Timothy - get your eyes off of what every one else expects of you and renew your commitment to doing what God expects of you. Live God’s way and you’ll know God’s approval and blessing which is infinitely more important.

Verse 13: Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.

God’s calling on our lives isn’t about us. It’s about what God is doing in us an through us. We need that reminder when things get hard. Timothy needed to be reminded. Elders in the church - recognizing that God had called Timothy to ministry - these elders had laid hands on Timothy - spoken words of confirmation of Timothy’s calling to teach the word of God and to pastor. Timothy - get your eyes back on God and His call upon your life.

Verse 15: Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.

Pastors who are worth listening to on Sunday morning don’t just get up and ramble on and on about something that came to mind Saturday night. A pastor spends hours to prepare a sermon - hours in study - research - prayer - wrestling with the text and going over and over the teaching in his mind - allowing God’s word to touch and penetrate his heart - to transform him first. Then working to introduce and explain the practical meaning of the text. That’s pain and absorption with his calling that transforms the life of the pastor.

Commitment to our calling - especially when we have to struggle with our own sin and issues in our lives - that pain and absorption will bring noticeable growth. God’s growing of our lives.

Paul’s bottom line is in verse 16: Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

Thinking this through for us today. I’d like to share two observations.

First, we should be impressed with Paul’s emphasis on the positive.

Paul emphasizes what’s right - what God has created and made good - what God has set apart for our enjoyment and use. He gives Timothy a positive plan of action that focuses on developing Timothy’s relationship with God and how Timothy can serve and be used by God.

That’s so contrary to how we normally react when opposed. We all fall into this trap. We want to defend ourselves. To gossip. To slander. To cry foul. To lash out and criticize back. To engage in debates and write letters refuting false teaching. I’ve seen some absolutely scathing letters criticizing individuals or churches. But, the only thing that all that accomplishes is to wound, alienate, and further distance people from the Gospel. It’s a useless tragedy in the church - in our homes and families.

This is a challenge for us. Let go of the negative. Emphasize the positive of what God is doing.

Second, we should be impressed with Paul’s focus on the personal.

In at TV sitcom there’s a major problem and in 30 minutes - including 10 minutes of commercials - everything is okay. It would be so easy to choose a sitcom approach to the Christian life - to just show up on Sundays for services - to be content in our experience of Christianity - to serve quietly in our own little corner of the church - everything wrapped up so nice.

But, living life in touch with the living God in the midst of this world is not easy. Trying to live rightly before God costs - and sometimes it means struggles in our relationships with others - sometimes it means letting go of relationships and things that we greatly value. Running doesn’t advance the Gospel. Hiding doesn’t lead to victory. Choosing the easy way doesn’t bring growth in our lives. That’s not God’s way.

The issue here is what God wants to do in our lives in and through all this. That’s what we need to be focused on.

In verse 16 - Paul’s bottom line - when he’s talking about ensuring salvation - he’s talking about living with God. Being delivered from evil, set free from hatred and bitterness and all the things that come as we focus on being wronged and the evil around us. Paul’s talking about living with a sense of fulfillment, healing, spiritual maturity, purity, love, grace, forgiveness, growing in the Lord. Living in a way that draws people to the Gospel rather than driving them from it.