1 Timothy
Guard The Deposit
June 14, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
Paul’s closing words to Timothy were quite fitting and they must serve as our marching orders as well. 1 - “Flee…” things like the pursuit of money, false doctrine, sexual immorality, etc. 2 - “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” 3 - “Fight the good fight…” Endure. Persevere. Remember those who have gone before you, like Paul, Timothy, Peter, and others. 4 - “Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.” In other words, “Guard the deposit.”
Godliness as a Means of Gain, Not A Means of Gain
June 7, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
The church is to be the pillar and buttress of the truth, not the one that surrenders the truth. If we as a church, or as individuals, move away from the gospel, things begin to unravel and we lose our way. Godliness with contentment, however, is a great means of gain because it has Jesus and not us at the center, and Jesus is the Truth.
When Our Help Hurts
April 26, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
Paul’s concern for the widows in Ephesus was not primarily economic, though that was certainly a piece of it, but was primarily a concern with their relationships…first with God, then with themselves and finally with others. Paul’s motivation for reform was ultimately about the gospel, about restored relationships.
Discipline: Contending For And Reflecting The Gospel
April 19, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
God disciplines his children because he loves them. His discipline is not meant to crush us because Jesus has already been crushed on our behalf. His discipline is meant to reflect the gospel, as should the discipline in our homes and our churches.
’The Down Grade’—Further Reflections on the 2% Rule and Spiritual Drift
March 22, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
In Paul’s day as well as ours, false teachers in the church threaten both gospel and mission. If the church sets the Bible aside, it most certainly will begin to drift. Hebrews 2:1 tells us, “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.”
The 2% Rule
March 1, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
They say that 2% change goes unnoticed, but repeated enough times, there is a dramatic difference. Churches change over time, moving between a liberal gospel-less mission and a fundamentalist mission-less “gospel.” The drift is from one distortion of the gospel to the other…a little at a time. The true gospel is the restoring force we need…it does not make any 2% adjustments.
The Church of the Living God
February 22, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
Our families are not superfluous to us, and God’s family, the church, is not superfluous to him. The church of the living God is a pillar and buttress of truth and we must be wary of false teachers who threaten both the gospel and the mission.
The Office of Overseer
January 25, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
To God, the church is the most precious thing on earth, and he wants it stewarded well by a group of qualified men. 1 Timothy tells us that the qualification for elders are primarily about character. Most importantly, this group of men still remain under the chief shepherd, Jesus.
Roles In God’s Household
January 18, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
God is serious about the ordering of his household. He created the home to be ordered a certain way, with distinct roles for husband and wife. And, like the home, the church is to be ordered similarly, with distinct roles for men and women. It’s important for the health of the home to be ordered rightly, and it’s important for the health of the church to be ordered rightly.
Now, Where were we? (A Series Refresher)
January 11, 2015 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
This message is a 1st Timothy series refresher after a little break. It is a reminder that 1st Timothy is an important study for Valley Life Church because the elders want to see this church not only survive, but thrive.
For All People…
November 23, 2014 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
Paul urges believers to pray and make intercession for those in authority over them. The reason he gives is so that we may live quiet, godly and dignified lives. However, this is not about our comfort, but about being on God’s mission: His desire to have all people be saved.
Abide OR Run Aground
November 16, 2014 • Pastor Patrick Bowler
Pastor Matt Chandler recently told a group of Acts 29 pastors and ministry leaders, “We will not all make it to the end serving Jesus.” Pastor Patrick said that is why the Bible is full of warnings to hold fast, stay awake and keep on guard. It’s critical that we abide in Jesus to show that we are his disciples, because apart from abiding in Jesus we can’t bear godly fruit.