We are exploring the question:  What is a healthy church?

What does a healthy church look like?  What does that feel like?  And, what difference does that make in the real time of where I live my life? 

As we’ve been looking at Paul’s first letter to Timothy who is pastoring in…  Ephesus.  The ruins of which are today in western… Turkey.  As we’ve been studying Paul’s first letter to Timothy we’ve looked at the vital signs of love, faith, Godly men, Godly women, Godly leadership, the non-negotiable essential of living together under the authority of God’s word - the Bible - and together sharing the Gospel with others.  The Church being people - all of us have a unique God given role in that - displaying God’s glory in the world.

This morning we’re looking at 1 Timothy 4:1-16 and the vital sign of commitment.

Every one of us is committed to either one of two things.  We’re either committed to ourselves or we’re committed to God.  Every other commitment in life boils down to those two commitments - self or God.

What are the two commitments?  Self or God.

As a church we must be committed to God - and out of that comes our commitment to each other as we live out God’s purposes for us as a congregation.  Without that commitment we’re toast.

This morning we are thinking through what that commitment means for us in the real time of where we do life.

Would you read with me the first 5 verses of chapter 4?

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teaching of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving 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 thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

Verses 1 to 5 are Paul’s Warning - Paul warning Timothy - and us - warning us about how easy it is to get off track in what we’re committed to. 

Verse 1:  Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times - latter times which is the Bible’s way of saying the time since Jesus has come until Jesus comes back.  The Ephesian church was living in the later times.  For almost 2,000 years we’ve been living in the later times.

Paul warns that in the later days some people - from within the church - who we would think would know better - trusted people - maybe family members - respected - looked up to - teachers - leaders.  They’d known the Gospel.  Embraced the Gospel.  Been an integral part of the congregation.  Some people will depart from the faith.

Which has been the reality for almost 2,000 years.  Certainly that’s true today.

Paul gives a brief description of what these people were focused on - what they were teaching.  Which was a combination of Jewish tradition - Christian teaching - pagan philosophy - all mixed together and taught as truth.  It involved abstaining from foods and from marriage. 

Thankfully, Paul reminds us that food and marriage were created by God and declared good.  Important to remember that as you head off to lunch at Paul’s with your spouse.

Let’s be clear.  Paul is not writing about believers who may disagree with us or we may disagree with them maybe over points of doctrine or how we should be following God.  We have issues that we deal with in the church.  We’re all sinners in progress and sometimes we mess up and God provides opportunities for us forgive and demonstrate God’s grace and love and forgiveness and mercy.  All that’s part of being siblings in Jesus - prayerfully working together to understand and live in obedience to God.  Us learning to live together under the authority of God’s word.

Paul is writing about people claiming to be committed to Jesus.  But in reality they were committed to a form of works based religion that focused on their efforts at being right before God that took God’s grace and being committed to Jesus out of the equation.

Back in chapter one Paul clued us into their motivation.  Which was about their desire to be seen by the church as knowledgeable in matters of faith and Scripture.  They were committed to maintaining their position of importance in the church.  Committed to their own understanding and interpretation of God’s word.  Ultimately they were committed to getting their own egos stroked. 

Bottom line:  They were committed to themselves and their version of what it meant to follow Jesus.  Not God and what God says it means to follow Jesus. 

Paul writes - verse 1 - that they’re devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and the teaching of demons.  Which sounds harsh.  But it’s reality.  When we commit to anything else but God - even commitment to ourselves - we may be deluded into thinking we’re pursuing our own best interests.  But the reality is we’re only serving the interests of our adversary Satan.

That is harsh.  But it’s reality.

We know this.  Grocery stores stick the stuff we need in the back.  Where’s the milk and meat?  To get to what we need we have to run a gauntlet of ads and products that are laid out in a way to appeal to our self- gratifying desires - not our brains.  What we want not necessarily what we need.  Appealing to our emotions to get us to buy.

Especially true in the check out line.  Candy.  Gum.  What gets little kids acting obnoxious.  And parents - parenting badly - parents buying stuff for their whining kids.  Or adults buying stuff we really don’t need.  Often times what’s unhealthy for us.

Which is why we should never shop hungry and we should always make a list of what we need and stick to it.  Otherwise it’s way too easy to walk out of the store spending money on what we don’t need and probably can’t afford and all that candy probably isn’t helping us stay healthy.

We think we’re doing what we want when ultimately all we’re doing is helping the store owners make money while we’re killing ourselves.

God’s word - Genesis to Revelation - Paul’s instructions to Timothy are like God handing us a shopping list.  This is what you actually need.  Which we need to stick to - be committed to God and His list - because God alone has the perspective on life that isn’t messed up by our tendency to - spur of the moment or over the long haul - our messed up by sin tendency to go with what we want not what we actually need. 

Paul warns that these self-committed people in Ephesus were saying that what God had blessed and called good - foods and marriage - was actually to be avoided.  It’s sin. 

We sometimes wonder why our lives are so crazy and why we have so little time left over for God and things that we know are important.  Why we seem to be so caught up in things - the rat race that the rats are winning -  and deep down we know that there is really important stuff that seems to be missing in our lives.  Something isn’t right.  Maybe we’re going down the wrong shopping list.

The consumer culture of America today is based on the reality that we are committed to gratifying ourselves.  Our ultimate commitment is to self.

In these later days - the consumer culture of America has become the culture of the church in America.  Not that we’ve set out to be less committed to Jesus.  But that slowly we have become more committed to self.  To the point where - in many congregations - commitment to Jesus is just not there.  Which Paul warns - which means that - if we’re committed to ourselves - in reality we’re following Satan and not God.  A really really wrong shopping list.

It is a consistent tactic of Satan that works.  Worked then.  Works now.  If Satan can get us lured into being committed to our selves the church will stumble in our calling.  Whatever opportunities - what is good and blessed of God - what God desires to lead us into as individuals and as a congregation we will fall short of.  People around us who need Jesus won’t hear the Gospel or see it lived out in our lives. 

Starting at verse 6 - thankfully - Paul is going to give us some insight into what we need to be committed to and how to make choices of commitment in the day to day of where we live our lives. 

Paul begins with What commitment looks like.

Let’s read verse 6:  If you put this things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 

If you put this things - what things?  The words of the faith and good doctrine.  Not all that self-serving religious garbage.  If you get the brothers focused on God’s truth - you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus,

Being trained translates a Greek word meaning being nourished - being educated - having your minds formed around - wrapped around - the words of faith and good doctrine - that you yourself have followed and need to keep committed to.

The question is this:  In the day to day of our lives are we following what God says about faith and what God says is good doctrine.  Are we committed to what God says it means to be committed to Him?  What does that look like?

Every time we hear that - isn’t that pretty intense to think about?  What Jesus is talking about wasn’t too popular back then and it isn’t too popular today. Identifying ourselves with Jesus - commitment to follow Jesus faithfully and obediently - even if it means the shame of a cross as Jesus experienced that intense rejection - the shame of the cross.

What opportunities we provide for our kids, or not.  Lifestyle choices.  How we use our time.  Our resources.  Push comes to shove and those aren’t easy choices and following Jesus may not go over well so well.

All that may come down to living in way that the world - or our culture - would consider negligent - radical - intolerant - shameful.  Bottom line - ashamed of by the world verse when Jesus comes that He’ll point us out to the Father, “He’s with Me.  I am not ashamed of Him.”

We get that.  But in the day to day - that’s tough.

Jesus told a parable about a man who gave a huge banquet and invited lots of people to the banquet.  It’s an illustration showing God and God’s invitation to all of us to come and experience the awesomeness of life with God - all that God has prepared for us - all that God desires to bless us with.  Just accept the invitation.  Receive by faith what God offers us.  Draw near.  Come.  Commit.

When everything was ready for the banquet the man sent out his servant to tell those that were invited that the banquet is ready and it’s time to come.  Think Jesus going to the nation of Israel with an invitation.  Follow Me.  Commit. 

Luke 14:18:  “But they all alike began to make excuses.  The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go and see it.  Please have me excused.’  And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them.  Please have me excused.’  And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’”  (Luke 14:16-24)

Jesus goes on with the parable to show the anger of the man with those that rejected his invitation and the generosity of the man as he goes on to invite the poor - the crippled - the lame - the blind - the homeless.  Which is us.  Hard to think of ourselves that way.  But it’s true.

The excuses are about the day-to-day things of life.  What in and of themselves are really good things.  But not if they come before God.  What for us can often be about the choice to seek the world verses seeking to draw near to Jesus.

Property is property.  An investment.  The man should have looked at the property before he bought it.  Maybe he did.  Maybe he didn’t.  Maybe the deal just closed and he needs to be there.  We understand economics. 

But how urgent is that compared to the invitation?  How many of us would put economic opportunity ahead of God? 

Oxen is about livelihood - what pulls the plow.  Probably he should have examined the oxen before he bought them.  Maybe he did.  Maybe he needs to be there to close the deal.  We understand the importance of work - employment - providing for our families.

But, how urgent is that compared to the invitation?  How many of us would put work - career - education ahead of God? 

Marriage is huge.  Hopefully he’d examined his wife before marrying her.  Certainly he was there at the wedding.  We get the importance of a solid marriage.  Good family relations.  A good home for our children to grow up in.

But how significant is that compared to the invitation?  How many of us would put our marriage or family ahead of God? 

We’re together?  These are excuses - choices - that place the value of our day-to-day experiences - all good things - but in the day-to-day choices of life placing those ahead of what God invites us to.  Our commitment to God.

Matthew records Jesus preparing to cross the Sea of Galilee.  The invitation is there.  Get in the boat and let’s go.  One of the disciples says to Jesus, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”  Jesus tells him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury the dead.”  (Matthew 8:18-22)

Tomorrow is the memorial service for my mother.  Should I go or not?  I guarantee you something will be happening at Creekside church that will need my attention.

But, respect for family is huge.  And Jesus knew that.  Elsewhere Jesus talks about honoring our parents.  (Matthew 15:1-9)

What Jesus is getting at is this:  People may say they believe something.  “I’ve decided to follow Jesus.”  But people will always act according to what they actually believe.  The day-to-day commitments we make in life - how we live all that out - demonstrates what we are actually committed to in our heart level relationship with God.

Think about waffles.  One big square - you - with a lot of little squares sitting on the plate of life.  Little squares that are the experiences of our lives - sports - family - church - work - whatever.  The goal in each of those squares is to be committed to Jesus first.

Or if you’re a women think spaghetti.  It’s just a difference in how process things.  Jesus is the marinara sauce that has to saturate each strand of pasta.

We need to honestly ask ourselves:  In what I’m committing myself to and why and how - what does that tell me about my commitment to God?

Jesus’ point is about the choices we make even in the most difficult family situations - any family situations - or work or school or community or wherever.  In all the experiences of our lives are we choosing to follow Him?

How do we do we make those choices?  In verse 7 Paul begins - first we need to pursue our relationship with God.

Let’s read together:  Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths.  Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance.  For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Worldly fables were legends and stories that the self-committed people in the church were using as part of their false teaching.  Paul says, “Have nothing to do with them.”  Don’t even go there.  Don’t even think about embracing any of that as something for your life.  Instead, point out the truth.  Be committed to what it means to live life with the living God. 

Choose to stay committed to God.  Regardless of the opposition - even if it’s in the church - regardless of what’s going on the culture around you - regardless of public opinion polls - stick to what you know to be true - the words of faith - the sound doctrine - the truth of what it means to live life with the living God. 

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 - maybe even compromise in how we do life.  But Paul writes, don’t give in to the temptation to compromise.  Be committed to living out what you know is true about God.

Rather train - going on in verse 7 - rather than compromising your commitment - Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

The Greek word Paul uses here in verse 7 for “train” is the Greek word “gumnazo” which is where we get our English word...  “gymnasium.”

It has the idea of sustained commitment for the long haul.  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.

This - not this.

With that image in mind - Paul says we need to focus on disciplining ourselves spiritually.  Physical discipline only goes so far.  Spiritual discipline is “of value in every way.”  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:  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance.  - this is the kind of advice that you build your life on - For to this end we toil and strive,

“toil” - means… “toil”  Hours of increasingly painful tiring work.

“Strive” is the Greek word “agonizo” - which is where we get our English word... “agony.”  Endurance stretching grueling workouts.

It doesn’t matter what the danger, the annoyance, the obstacle, whatever stands in the way of our faith, our pursuit of holiness, our relationship with God - we’re pushing through and it’s going down.

In 2010 I weighed 235 plus pounds and I was gaining.  Today I’m holding at around 154.  People ask, “How did you do that?”  Answer:  God.

When I got to the point when tying my shoes was a breath taking - life threatening - experience I knew I needed to make a serious life change.

What was interesting for me was the timing of that with what God was showing me in my relationship with Him.  There were attitudes and things in my life that God was chewing at me to get me to surrender to Him.  Things that were killing me spiritually.

In losing that weight and keeping the weight off I’ve come to understand that there is a crucial interrelationship between what we do physically and what we do spiritually and what we do spiritually and what we do physically.  Discipline in one effects discipline in the other.  Commitment to being healthy in one teaches healthy commitment in the other.

Because of what God is teaching me about myself and my relationship with Him how I treat my body has a whole new depth of meaning.  Before I work out I pray:  “God, please strengthen my body by this that it will be useful for your service for as long as you want to use it.”

If I can be committed to a healthy spiritual diet - commitment to daily reading the Bible and prayer and what I choose to let into my life - if I can be committed to a healthy spiritual diet I can commit myself to healthy physical diet.  And vis versa.

Paul’s example of the physical is to encourage us in our commitment to the spiritual.  Our commitment to the pursuit of godliness - living God’s way - faithfully and obediently following God through life.  Sometimes it’s easier to wrap our minds around what we see.

Excessive eating of garbage and a lack of physical exercise produces flabby people making excuses for why they’re flabby so they can go right on killing themselves eating what’s making them flabby and deluding themselves that they’re the one’s in control of their lives and not the food that they’re addicted to.

Not that any of us would say this.  But it seems like excessive eating is an acceptable addiction for Christians.  Or that gluttony is an acceptable sin for Christians.  It’s okay if we just give a token nod to exercise and physical health.  Or, if we’re not going to discipline ourselves don’t expect good health.

Or more to Paul’s point the same is true spiritually.  There are a lot of spiritually flabby Christians out there.

The commitment to pursue godliness - living life as God intends for us to live life - that commitment requires planning - action - and whole lot of effort - toil and striving. 

It seems like there are a number of Christians who just don’t go there.  Christians who seemingly think that if something else isn’t going on in our lives - like with the family or sports or some community deal - and if we come to church and hear a sermon or something that that’s commitment.  That that’s going to grow us as in our relationship with Jesus.  Like if we hang out in a garage long enough we’re going to become a car.

What Paul is urging us to pursue in our relationship with God is to purposefully carve time out of our frantic schedules - to give God the priority in our schedules - to spend quality time with God.

It’s a serious issue that so many Christians take lightly the commitment to spend time daily in God’s word.  We be committed to study the Bible - to our devotions - regularly - committed to daily times of reading and meditation and prayer.

We’ve got to be purposefully committed to going deep in our relationship with God - to pursuing an understanding of God’s presence and work in our lives.  Learning to look for God moments.  To be aware of what He’s doing in us and in the world around us.  Learning to see life as opportunities to be used by God.

We must be committed to worship - to fellowship - to service.   To pursing God individually and together.

That may not be easy.  In fact it won’t be easy.  Because if we make that commitment to live according to our commitment to God - everything in the culture that’s under the control of Satan the delusionist - everything in the culture we live in will try to get us to compromise on that choice.  Commitment to pursue our relationship with God will require discipline and agony.

What’s encouraging is that Paul doesn’t leave us hanging on the what’s hard.  Verse 10:  For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Remember Hebrews 12:1,2?  “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us - that’s toil and striving - looking to…  Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”  (Hebrews 12:1,2)

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 - the huge blessing of that commitment is that God 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 Pursue Our Calling. 

Verse 11:  Command and teach these things.  Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers and example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.  Until I come devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.  Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.  Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.  Keep close watch on yourself and on the teaching.  Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Verse 11:  Command and teach these things.  In the face of opposition.  When you’re tempted to compromise or to slack off - keep going.

Timothy’s role at Ephesus was to pastor.  Every believer has a God given gifting and role in the service of the Church that each of us needs to uncompromisingly be committed to.

Verse 12:  Let no one despise - or condemn - you - put you down - for your youth,

In the Hebrew culture unless you were 90 something you were considered young.  Timothy is probably in his 30’s - a relative teenager.  He’s not treated as an adult - or seen as someone old enough to respect.

Yet, Timothy is the pastor of the Ephesian Church.  Whom God has called to stand up in opposition to those who have their own self-serving agenda and are teaching these false doctrines.  Who were 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.  Can you hear Timothy?  “They’re right.  What was I thinking?”

Ever feel alone?  A tad misunderstood?  Isolated?  Trying to live for God and feeling inadequate?  It is so easy for us to look at ourselves and see inadequacy where God is creating opportunity.  To have this knee jerk reaction of hesitation.

But - going on in verse 12 - but - instead - set the believers and example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.   

Timothy - get your eyes off of what every one else expects of you.  Which is what happens when we’re focused on ourselves - we start worrying about what others think of us.  But instead 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 devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.  Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.  Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 

Meaning 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 - get your eyes back on God and His call upon your life.  What God is doing in and through you.”

Our role in what God is doing in and through the church doesn’t change because we feel inadequate or because we’re struggling with issues or sin in our own lives.  Life with God is a process of learning to live committed to our relationship with God through the stuff of life.  To follow Him - to serve Him - a dogged commitment to be used by Him in whatever He calls us to do - wherever and whenever He calls us to serve Him.

As we stay committed to what God has called us to do for Him God will use even our deepest issues to bring glory to Himself.  Our progress will be visible.  To God be the glory. 

Paul’s bottom line is in verse 16:   Keep close watch on yourself and on the teaching.  Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

In Greek, these are all commands:  Command.  Let no one despise.  Set an example.  Devote yourself.  Do not neglect.  Practice.  Immerse.  Keep close watch.  Persist.

Commit yourself unswervingly to your calling because salvation is on the line.  Not eternal salvation.  But salvation from getting messed up in the crud of this world. 

Paul is writing about living forgiven - living satisfied at the deepest level of who we are - living life with the living God - what comes to us as we live committed to God.  Living in a way that draws people to the Gospel rather than driving them from it.  Living spiritually healthy.  Healthy church.

Processing all that...

C.S. Lewis said: “Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak.  We are halfhearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.  We are far too easily pleased.”

Put slightly different:  Why would we ever choose to be committed to so little when God offers us so much?  The world we live in promises us so much and delivers so little.  Committed to our own short sighted self-commitment we’re content with mud pies when God offers us unimaginable riches - unending opportunity - a forever relationship with Him.

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.