Excellence in Ministry: Finishing Well
10 Sermons on 1 Timothy 4–6
Ministering Amidst the Crazies
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • 1 Timothy 4:1–6
We live in unusual times. Surrounded by a sea of cults, false doctrines, religious extremism, political polarization, and media madness, absolute truth seems like a lonely island—sparsely populated and uncharted on the cultural map. Of course where we find ourselves today should come as no surprise . . . at least not to those who've read their Bibles closely. Jesus and His apostles warned, more than two millennia ago, that the world would tumble down this rabbit hole, especially as the end of time draws near. Today, we live and minister amidst the crazies. And if you doubt it, just look around. This isn't your father's world anymore. So what are we to do? Bunch tightly in our holy huddles, hoping to keep the world at bay? Not on your life!
The Dos and Don'ts of Ministry
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • 1 Timothy 4:6–16
Let's see a show of hands. Who in their professional lives wants to be unsuccessful? No one, right? Most professions have a set of procedures—a list of dos and don'ts—that, if followed, promote success. Ministry is no different. Beginning in 1 Timothy 4:6 and continuing through the rest of the letter, Paul turns our attention to the one who seeks to be “a good servant of Christ Jesus,” namely, the minister. Paul starts off by outlining a list of dos and don'ts for effective ministry, focusing first on the pastor's personal ministry (1 Timothy 4:7-11) and then on the pastor's public ministry (4:12-16).
Respecting and Rebuking the Saints
Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Paul made clear the purpose of his first letter to Timothy: “So that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God” (1 Timothy 3:15). We've noted that ministry would be easier if everyone in the congregation pursued godliness. But it doesn't work that way. Some do, and some don't. Those who do, deserve our respect. And those who don't, deserve a rebuke. But how should the church go about respecting and rebuking the saints? What is appropriate and what isn't? Thank God He gave us 1 Timothy to answer these questions and serve as our guide.
What about Widows?
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • 1 Timothy 5:3–16
For the individual follower of Christ, the single most practical book in the Bible is probably James. For the church, it's got to be 1 Timothy. And as we've seen throughout our study, Paul has practically left no proverbial stone unturned, addressing a wide variety of issues confronting the church. We've also seen that these issues are just as relevant in the twenty-first century as they were in the first century. But just when we think Paul has exhausted all important topics, he comes up with one more—how the church ought to treat widows (1 Timothy 5:3-16). What he said might surprise us.
A Prescription for Pastoral Health
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • 1 Timothy 5:21–25
Like a chronic illness, a persistent falsehood often lingers in the minds of believers and unbelievers alike: God is a cosmic killjoy, and the Bible is His ruler to whack anyone having a good time. It's a lie, of course. God is the giver of abundant life (John 10:10), and His Word enables us to live fulfilling lives. It's true that the Bible is filled with thou shalts and thou shalt nots, which serve as a sort of preventative checkup. But it's also a book of “hints” rather than commands, kind of like when our mothers tell us when us when we have a cold to get plenty of rest and to eat your chicken noodle soup. Our doctors and mothers are necessary, but life is happier with chicken noodle soup . . . and in heeding Paul's hints found in the last five verses of 1 Timothy 5.
Responding Correctly to Authority
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • 1 Timothy 6:1–6
Few issues are more practical—and sometimes painful—than learning how to submit to authority. Children struggle to submit to parents. Students struggle to submit to teachers. Employees struggle to submit to employers. Citizens struggle to submit to laws. And congregations struggle to submit to pastors and elders. Submitting to authority was just as difficult in the first century as in the twenty-first century. So, let's hear and heed Paul's teaching on how to respond correctly to authority.
Contentment . . . and How to Miss It
Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Contentment is a commodity so valuable because it's so rare. Few doubt it's the secret to happiness, but most find it elusive. It doesn't rain down like pennies from heaven. And as we'll discover in this message, all the pennies in heaven and earth can't buy it. In fact, money might be the very hindrance to contentment, though it need not be. If a pot of gold is found at the end of a rainbow, contentment is only found there if you bring it with you. And that's the trick—to possess it, regardless of your possessions. To find contentment, let's take into account some of Paul's warnings on how we might miss contentment.
Contentment . . . and How to Miss It (copy)
Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Contentment is a commodity so valuable because it's so rare. Few doubt it's the secret to happiness, but most find it elusive. It doesn't rain down like pennies from heaven. And as we'll discover in this message, all the pennies in heaven and earth can't buy it. In fact, money might be the very hindrance to contentment, though it need not be. If a pot of gold is found at the end of a rainbow, contentment is only found there if you bring it with you. And that's the trick—to possess it, regardless of your possessions. To find contentment, let's take into account some of Paul's warnings on how we might miss contentment.
Clear Commandments of Godliness
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • 1 Timothy 6:11–16
Some pastors pray, either before or after their sermons, that their congregations would have ears to hear and eyes to see the truth in God's Word, adding that their hands be diligent in good works and their feet swift in obedience. It's not necessarily glamorous or exciting, but living the Christian life really does come down to one word: obedience. It can be difficult to follow God's clear commands. However, obedience doesn't have to involve a grin-and-bear-it kind of attitude, not if we keep in mind that obedience is always for our good and God's glory.
A Treasure Worth Guarding
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • 1 Timothy 6:20–21
On more than one occasion, Paul admonished Timothy to stand sentry at the strongbox of the faith, to defend the treasure vouchsafed to him (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14). Timothy was to guard the gospel with his life. But he didn't stand this post alone; Paul and the apostles stood with him—as do all Christians who protect the truth of God's Word, from the first century to the twenty-first century. In fact, everyone who ministers, whether as a vocation or as a volunteer, is commanded to “guard what has been entrusted” (1 Timothy 6:20); it's an essential part of ministry.
Let's Evaluate Your Ministry
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • 1 Timothy
Ask any student getting ready to take a final exam how he or she feels, and you'll likely get a contradictory answer. The student will be filled with trepidation because the test will reveal his or her knowledge (or ignorance) but also with elation because it's the last test of the course. What is standard procedure in education and business—the evaluation of students and employees—isn't necessarily standard procedure in ministry. Churches too often shirk the responsibility of evaluating how their ministries are doing. They shouldn't. Because churches are populated and pastored by imperfect people, we should stop every once in a while to administer an examination against the standard of God's Word. As we close our study of 1 Timothy, let's do that—let's evaluate your ministry.