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May I turn in your Bibles to 
2nd Timothy chapter 2. 2nd Timothy chapter 2. Essentially 
what we have here is practical application or implications flowing 
from Paul's instruction to Timothy in chapter 1. Remember specifically 
in chapter 1 at verse 8, Paul writes to Timothy, Therefore 
do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, 
but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the 
power of God." Essentially, Paul tells Timothy to be loyal to 
the gospel, loyal to the Apostle Paul, and in turn loyal to his 
own ministry. That is how the rest of the chapter 
unfolds. The gospel is indicated in verses 
9 and 10. The ministry of the Apostle Paul 
is in verses 11 and 12. And then Timothy's specific ministry 
and his duty to hold fast and to keep those things committed 
to him are indicated in verses 13 and 14. And then in 15 to 
18 we have negative and positive examples. Phygellus and Hermogenes 
are negative examples. These were disloyal men. These 
were defectors. They had turned from Paul. And as we saw last week, the 
close connection in verse 8 would indicate they not only left Paul, 
but they left the gospel. They left fidelity to the truth. But this man, Onesiphorus, was 
indeed a shining light. And Paul says, may the Lord have 
mercy upon him on that day. So after these examples, now 
there is a series of commands given to Timothy, as I said, 
to flesh out in a very practical way how he is to maintain fidelity 
to the gospel, fidelity to at least the legacy of the Apostle 
Paul or apostolic teaching, and how to exercise fidelity in his 
own ministry. Tonight we're going to just consider 
the first two verses under the title, The Church's Duty to Train 
Pastors. So I want to read the chapter 
and then, as I said, we'll focus on verses 1 and 2. Paul writes, 
you therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ 
Jesus. And the things that you have 
heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men 
who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure 
hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged 
in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, 
that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also, if 
anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes 
according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be 
first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may 
the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that 
Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead 
according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, 
even to the point of chains, but the word of God is not chained. 
Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that 
they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with 
eternal glory. This is a faithful saying. For 
if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, 
we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will 
deny us. If we are faithless, He remains 
faithful. He cannot deny Himself. Remind 
them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive 
about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent 
to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not 
need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. but shun profane 
and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness, 
and their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus 
are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying 
that the resurrection has already passed, and they overthrow the 
faith of some. Nevertheless, the solid foundation 
of God stands, having this seal. The Lord knows those who are 
his, and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from 
iniquity. But in a great house, there are not only vessels of 
gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor 
and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses 
himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified 
and useful for the master, prepared for every good work. Flee also 
youthful lusts, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those 
who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and 
ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant 
of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to 
teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition. 
If God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may 
know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and 
escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by 
him to do his will. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
we thank you for this, your word, and for its practical instruction 
to us as believers, to us as a church. We pray as well, God, 
that you would just fortify us and strengthen us and help us 
to be committed to the truth of Holy Scripture. On the one 
hand, as we consider these things, church life ought not to be difficult. 
You've made it very simple. You've given us simple means 
to employ in terms of public worship and the emphasis that 
has fallen upon the church. God, in the last couple of generations, 
it seems like it's become so much more difficult in doing 
church, and we just pray that you would give us clarity in 
these things, grant us guidance now, grant us the Holy Spirit 
to illumine our minds and our hearts, and we pray through Christ 
the Lord, Amen. So as I said, we have several 
imperatives or commands in this particular chapter. We'll take 
up the first two this evening. The first is the need or necessity 
to be strong, and secondly, the duty to train pastors. And when I say the need to be 
strong, Paul's exhortation here is not that Timothy hit the weight 
room and that he deadlift 400 pounds and bench press, you know, 
several hundred pounds. squat, you know, in the high 
sevens or eight hundreds. That's not the emphasis. It's 
a spiritual strength that is in view. As Paul has exhorted 
Timothy to faithfulness in each of these areas, to the gospel, 
to the apostle, and to his own ministry, that takes strength. Gospel ministry is not a place 
for the faint-hearted. Gospel ministry is not a place 
for wimps. Gospel ministry demands men that 
are men. That is what Paul tells Timothy 
in this admonition. He says, you therefore, my son, 
be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. that therefore 
indicates that this is practical implication resulting from the 
preceding. All that has gone previous to 
this, in terms of Paul's unpacking what it means in verse 8, not 
to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, or of Paul the Apostle. All of that is now brought to 
bear upon Timothy in a very special way. He says, you therefore my 
son. He underscores the affection 
that he has for him. Paul had an affinity for Timothy. He was a trusted companion. He 
was a proven comrade. He was a faithful man. If you 
turn back for just a moment to the book of Philippians, you 
see Paul's glowing words concerning this young man Timothy. In Philippians 
chapter 2, specifically at verse 19, the apostle writes, But I 
trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that 
I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have 
no one like-minded who will sincerely care for your state. For all 
seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But 
you know His proven character, that as a son with His Father, 
He served with me in the gospel. Therefore, I hope to send Him 
at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. But I trust 
in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. So there was 
a real affection, a genuine bond between Paul and Timothy. But 
as well, this language indicates a certain degree of responsibility. 
Because Timothy had a privileged position as a close associate 
of the Apostle Paul, Certainly, the demands upon him were high. 
Timothy needed to maintain fidelity. Timothy was a trusted, proven 
man. Timothy was a right-hand man to the Apostle. As Paul is 
nearing his death, he is exhorting Timothy in this letter, which, 
for the most part, is very personal. It's very much directed to Timothy. 
First, Timothy is broader in its application and speaks to 
the entirety of the Church. Second, Timothy is pretty much 
in the crosshairs. Because Paul knows that faithful 
men are absolutely crucial for the ongoing work and ministry 
of the church until the Lord Jesus returns. So he bids him, 
you therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ 
Jesus. As I said, the ministry demands 
courage, not faint-heartedness. Notice in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 
18, the very martial language that the apostle employs indicates 
to us the nature of the task, the nature of the job. What is 
it that a man of God must engage in? 1 Timothy 1.18, this charge 
I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously 
made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare. You may wage the good warfare, 
not lie down and roll over to a godless culture. Not simply 
bow to the powers that be and renege gospel truth. Not simply 
forget the truth as it's been taught to you through our Lord 
Jesus, through the apostles, in the prophetic word. Timothy, 
you have to wage the good warfare. You live in a world that is in 
opposition to God. You live in a world that is opposed 
to our Christ. You live in a world that is going 
to legislate immorality. It's interesting. It's always 
interesting to me when people that are enemies of the gospel 
or enemies of Christianity say, well, you can't legislate morality. Well, by that logic, you certainly 
shouldn't be able to legislate immorality, but they don't have 
any problem whatsoever. They legislate abortion. They 
legislate a sodomy. They legislate all manner of 
evil. And what Paul tells Timothy is that you need to wage the 
good warfare. You don't just bow down and you 
don't just submit and you don't just say, well, Christians, we 
live in this culture. Go ahead and men marry men and 
women marry women. Go out and have an abortion. 
Go out and engage in all kinds of manner of evil. No, you need 
to wage the good warfare. You need to be strong, Timothy. 
You're not to be a limp-wristed effeminate man that's more concerned 
about his own reputation or more concerned about his own whatever 
it might be. Notice in 2 Timothy chapter 4 
verse 1, I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus 
Christ who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing 
in his kingdom. You see, for Paul, gospel truth is not simply 
a matter for today. It has eternal ramifications. It has eternal consequences. 
When Paul bids Timothy to preach the Word, it is a charge that 
comes in the presence before God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Timothy is not to be a baby. He's not to be a little girl. 
Now, there's nothing wrong with being a little girl, if you're 
a little girl. Okay, let me just make that clear. I am not picking 
on little girls tonight. Do not go home and cry if you're 
a little girl and say, Pastor Butler said that little girls 
are bad. Little girls are wonderful. Little girls are excellent. My 
little granddaughter turned seven today. She's wonderful. I would 
never berate her for being a little girl. But when a grown man and 
a gospel minister acts like a little girl, sound the alarm in Zion 
because things are not well. When we've got men that, instead 
of declaring the whole counsel of God, would rather kowtow and 
bow to the prevailing opinions of men, godless men, God-hating 
men, then we've got big problems. Gill says that the man of God 
is to be strong. in the grace of God. He is to 
preach it boldly. He is to defend it bravely. He 
is to courageously oppose every error and heresy and every abetter 
thereof. Paul tells Timothy, be strong 
in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Now interestingly enough, 
this is a command that is not confined to the minister of the 
gospel. Turn for a moment to 1 Corinthians 
16, 13. It is a command for every Christian. Notice in 1 Corinthians 16 and 
verse 13 what Paul writes to the church in Corinth. He says, 
watch, stand fast in the faith Be brave, be strong, let all 
that you do be done with love. This language of be brave, it's 
actually act like a man. The ESV and the NASV are preferred 
translations here. They translate the verb act like 
men. The old King James is preferable 
to the new King James. The old King James has quit you 
like man. Now Paul is writing to men and 
women, and he is telling men and women to act like men. Not 
that women should shave their heads and, you know, look like 
a man. That's not the point. In your 
Christianity, we are to be brave, we are to be courageous, we are 
to be like David's mighty men. The verb literally in 1 Corinthians 
16.13 is conduct oneself in a manly or courageous way. So certainly 
it's not wrong to be a little girl, but if you are a little 
girl that is a Christian, the admonition is that you act like 
a man. When we have grown men that are supposed to be pastors 
in churches and they can't tolerate any sort of disagreement without 
seeing themselves as being publicly attacked, We've gotten away from 
this passage. We need to be strong. We need 
to be able to enter into some healthy, rigorous debate. We 
need to be able to exchange ideas without getting our noses bent 
out of shape or going home and crying and pouting and sniveling 
and whining or blogging or whatever. Paul's word to Timothy is absolutely 
crucial for the Christian church today. He tells the man of God 
to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. So he is 
to be strong. This is his pursuit. He is to 
act like a man, but it's not in his own strength. It's not 
just his alpha maleness. It's not just he's a machismo 
man. He's got bravado. No, he has 
to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. In other 
words, he needs the strength and the power that originates 
in the sovereign and triune God. It's interesting to me, up to 
this point, Paul has linked power and it's giving of power but 
with the Spirit in 2 Timothy 1 verses 6 and 7. With the Father 
in verse 8 and here with the Son in 2nd Timothy 2.1. Paul is thoroughly Trinitarian. Paul certainly acknowledges all 
three persons of the Godhead through and through. And what 
he says to Timothy is to be strong in the grace that is in Christ 
Jesus. The minister is to pursue strength 
by means of communion with the Lord Christ This communion is 
nurtured by a faithful use of the means. How does a minister 
get strong? Well, he goes to pastor's conferences. 
That might help. How does a minister get strong? 
He lifts weights. That might help physically. How 
does a minister get strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus? He's in the scriptures. He's 
in prayer. He's trafficking with theology. 
He's got his nose in the places where it ought to be. And it's 
in that communion with Christ that he finds his strength and 
that he's able to do what Gil has said in that quote prior. 
He is to preach boldly. He is to defend bravely. He is 
to courageously oppose every error and heresy. and every better 
thereof." J.N.D. Kelly says, Timothy is to show 
manly resolution, but the real strength of his efforts will 
come from the grace Christ freely gives. So again, not picking 
on little girls, but when grown men occupying pulpits act like 
little girls, we've got problems in Zion. And certainly that is 
the case today, brethren. Pray. Pray that God will raise 
up men that are described here in verse 2, and men that are 
described are men that look like or fit the qualifications given 
to us in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and Titus 1, 5 to 9. Now notice, 
secondly, the duty to train pastors. Paul says, and the things that 
you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these 
to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. First, 
we ought to observe his concern. Paul's concern. Eleventh hour, 
he knows he's going to die. He knows that he's going to be 
martyred. He knows that this is not an imprisonment like the 
first imprisonment. The first imprisonment, he was 
pretty conscious and confident that he was going to be released. 
There's no hope of release for Paul. Paul knows that he's going 
to die. He says as much in 2 Timothy 
chapter 4 at verses 6 and 7. He knows this is the case for 
him. What is occupying his mind? It's 
the church. What is occupying his mind? It 
is the propagation of the gospel. What is consuming this brother 
but the reality that Jesus is building his church and the gates 
of hell shall not prevail against it? Paul is concerned that faithful 
men be identified, those faithful men be cultivated, and then those 
faithful men be utilized so that they can teach others also. Paul 
understood the doctrine of general revelation. The heavens declare 
the glory of God. The firmament displays his handiwork. Romans chapter 1 tells us that 
all men everywhere know that God exists. His eternal power 
and his Godhead have been clearly manifested through the things 
that have been made. Now they suppress that truth 
and unrighteousness, they hold it down, they want nothing to 
do with it, but they are ultimately without excuse. Paul teaches 
us in Romans 1 that general revelation is enough to reveal the being 
of God to man and it renders them inexcusable on the day of 
judgment but it doesn't reveal that information necessary for 
their salvation. That's what special revelation 
does. Paul understood this. Sinners 
that do not hear the gospel will perish in their misery and sin. 
World without end. Amen. And so the apostle in his 
prison cell tells Timothy, I want you to find the faithful men. 
I want you to cultivate the faithful men. I want you to utilize those 
faithful men so that they in turn may teach others also. Gordon Clark explained it this 
way. He said, Paul now looks beyond his own lifespan and indeed 
beyond Timothy's. This ought to characterize all 
of us. You know, what we had last night in terms of an annual 
general meeting was a good one. What we have right now in the 
presence or in the midst of our local churches is good. I mean, 
we're not perfect, we've got issues, we've got shortcomings, 
we've got problems, all that stuff. But brethren, we ought 
to be concerned that there is a church here faithfully preaching 
the gospel for another generation. We ought to seek, by the grace 
of God, to do what Paul bids us in this passage, to identify 
faithful men so that they can, in turn, teach others also. I 
don't know about you, and I'm sure it is the case with you, 
but I want my children, my grandchildren, and my grandchildren's grandchildren 
to have a place where they can go that are not going to engage 
in puppets, ponies, and programs, but are going to preach the whole 
counsel of God. You see, it is up to us in many respects to 
preserve what we have, but to propagate it, to look to the 
future, to look to the time when we will be no more. May God indeed 
bless this church so that it marches on once we're all dead. 
May it be that our children and our children's children will 
gather together here. They will sing hymns of praise 
to our God. and a man will come and preach the whole counsel 
of God to them. That ought to be our desire. 
We ought not to be so selfish, and so narcissistic, and so consumed 
with me, myself, and I, that we're not thinking about these 
sorts of things, or that we're not praying for these sorts of 
things. Last night we talked about church planting. Wouldn't 
it be wonderful if there were other Reformed Baptist churches 
in the lower mainland? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we 
could eventually see a church plant in Vancouver? I mean, how 
many people are in Vancouver? How many people are outside of 
Christ who need faithful gospel preaching? They need men who 
are strong, men who are not going to kowtow, men who are not going 
to compromise, and men who are going to preach the whole gospel 
of Jesus Christ our Lord. This is necessary. This is good. We ought to be mindful of the 
fact that Jesus says, Lift up your eyes. The fields are white 
unto harvest. Brethren, there is work to be 
done. May God give us wisdom and grace and a prayerful heart 
to seek to propagate his truth. Clark says, Paul now looks beyond 
his own lifespan and indeed beyond Timothy's. He is concerned that 
the church survive into the future centuries. Therefore, he instructs 
Timothy to seek out competent men who will continue the work. 
Not every Christian is competent. The men chosen must be capable 
of transmitting the gospel to others as Paul transmitted it 
to Timothy. And when he says not every Christian 
is competent, he means to teach. He doesn't mean to tie their 
shoes and chew gum. That's not what he means. And 
when it says, these things entrust to faithful men, it's not just 
faithful men are not identified because they can teach. But certainly, 
men who teach are to be faithful men. In other words, if you're 
not a teacher, or a preacher, or a pastor, or have any desire 
to do that, that does not disqualify you from being a faithful man. 
It's just not going to be a faithful man that preaches and teaches 
in the church. Everybody got that? Please acknowledge, because 
sometimes we have this idea, boy, to be really holy, I gotta 
teach. No. To be really holy, you need to get up in the morning, 
you need to kiss your wife, you need to go to work and work hard. 
That's how you pursue holiness in the kingdom of God. Whatever 
your hand finds to do, do it with your might. Whatever your 
calling, whatever your vocation, whatever lawful employment you 
have, lawful. If you're selling crack, repent. 
Don't do that. But if you have a legitimate 
job that is not illegal, a legitimate job, you may glorify God Almighty 
just as a missionary to a tribe that no one's ever heard of. 
Get it out of your head that you've got to be in full-time 
Christian service to truly glorify God. Full-time Christian service 
means being a Christian. Serve God where you're planted. 
Glorify God in your calling. Be faithful in the midst where 
God has planted you. So let's just make sure we do 
not think that every faithful man necessarily teaches. No. But the idea is that those who 
teach in the church must prove themselves as faithful men. So Paul then, I think, gives 
Timothy a specific duty. Not that I think it, but this 
is the way I want to bring it out. First, the identification 
of faithful men. Secondly, the instruction of 
faithful men. In the first place, identify. 
The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses 
commit these two faithful men who will be able to teach others 
also." This assumes that Timothy knows faithful men, doesn't it? 
I don't think guys walk into the church with a t-shirt that 
says, faithful man, at your service. No, Timothy must be able to identify 
these men. Timothy must be able to recognize 
these men. Before we can instruct these 
men in the things that Timothy has heard, so that they may indeed 
be able to teach others, we have to identify faithful men within 
the context of the church. The men must be faithful in life 
and doctrine. They must be faithful in life 
and doctrine. I think so much of what verse 
2 indicates here has as its backdrop 1 Timothy chapter 3 verses 1 
to 7, wherein we find the qualifications for the elders. A man must be 
all the things that Paul says in terms of holiness and virtue 
and character. But as well, a man must be able 
to teach. So his life and his doctrine 
must be in order. The life and doctrine will be 
seen where? It will be seen primarily in 
the context of the church. Not just in the building, but 
among the people of God. Because inevitably, faithful 
men will have people in their lives. Faithful men will minister 
to others. Faithful men will have people 
over for hospitality. And persons in the church will 
start to identify and recognize who these faithful men are. And 
then those persons in the church go and report it to men like 
Timothy. They say, you know, that brother's a real faithful 
man. That brother looks like a faithful man. That brother's 
good theologically. That brother knows sound doctrine. 
I asked that brother a question and he was able to answer it. 
I've watched him in his life. He's faithful. I've watched him 
with his wife, he's faithful. I've watched him with his children, 
he's faithful. He's not a perfect man, he's not a sinless man, 
but he's a faithful man. So we've got to be able to identify 
these people, and it's through their life and doctrine, and 
this life and doctrine will be manifested in the context of 
the local church. Ultimately, it is the Scripture 
that defines for us what a faithful man is. 1 Timothy chapter 3, 
verses 1 to 7. You might think a faithful man 
is the sort of guy who takes you out for expensive lunches. 
But that's not in 1st Timothy 3, 1-7. You might think a faithful 
man is one who lies to you about how great you are. That's not 
what it says in 1st Timothy 3, 1-7. You might think a faithful 
man is a guy who gives you gifts every Sunday. Here's good gifts, 
here's good things for you. That's not what it says in verses 
1-7 of 1st Timothy 3. A faithful man is measurable. 
A faithful man is quantifiable. A faithful man is objectively 
scrutinized, and it is through the text of Scripture. We do 
not want to impose our preferences. We don't want to make anybody 
think, well, if you don't preach like Spurgeon, you can't be a 
preacher in our church. That's not what 1 Timothy 3, 
1 to 7 says. He must be apt to teach. Last 
night, I mentioned the primary emphasis when a man preaches 
or teaches is that we need to determine whether it was accurate. 
Now, that was one idea thing about a context that didn't really 
have anything to do with the full or picture. Of course, he 
needs to have earnestness. Of course, he needs to believe 
what he's preaching. Of course, he needs to be able 
to put it together in such a way that persons will understand. 
My emphasis there is that one of the primary things you ask 
when a man preaches is, was it right? Was it accurate? Was it 
doctrinally correct? especially with new preachers, 
as long as they're preaching truth, they will hopefully be 
shaped, they will hopefully grow, they will hopefully grow in some 
homiletical finesse. So my emphasis last night was, 
as long as he's just able to spout a few facts, therefore 
he's good. No, I don't believe that. I think 
there's a whole package. I was just treating something 
incidental, and I used that as one primary example. So if you 
have any questions about what I think faithful preaching is, 
It's a different study or a different sermon. We'll see that when we 
get to 2 Timothy 4. But a faithful man is measurable 
by the Word of God. Now, when we consider faithful 
men, 1 Timothy 3, 1-7 and Titus 1, 5-9 describe a man who is 
qualified for the ministry. A man who is qualified for the 
ministry. So a faithful man may not have 
all those things in place at a particular time, but he's working 
toward that. He's striving after that. That's 
what his desire is. There's a difference between 
being unqualified and disqualified. A man who's unqualified can work 
at it to be qualified. A man who is disqualified cannot 
work at it to be qualified. Let me give you an example. If 
a man is a professing Christian and that man is unfaithful to 
his wife, that man has sinned grievously against her. When 
it comes to the matter of eldership within the context of the local 
church, we certainly accept his repentance. We certainly accept 
him in terms of a penitent sinner. But when we put him in the office, 
no, he's disqualified. He is disqualified. There's a 
difference between disqualification and unqualified. Unqualified 
men can get better. Disqualified men should pursue 
the better. but they're not going to necessarily 
be in the office of elder. I hope that makes sense. George 
Knight says, Faithfulness negatively consists in their not losing, 
neglecting, ignoring, or falsifying what Paul has said, and positively 
consists in their handling accurately the word of truth. I thought 
that was an interesting statement. Not losing, neglecting, ignoring, 
or falsifying. Certainly, we would say any man 
who falsifies scripture is out, right? He's not a faithful man, 
is he? A man twists scripture and he lies about what the meaning 
is, he's not qualified as a faithful man. But the other adjectives, 
the other things that he describes here, losing, losing. What about a man who never sets 
forth the truth of the cross? A man who ignores the truth of 
the cross, a man who's got shibboleths and hobby horses to the nth degree 
and he doesn't visit the truth that is most important. What 
about men that ignore the very word that we are told to preach? But in their ministries and in 
their emphases and in their whatever it is they're doing, they don't 
visit those truths that are absolutely crucial for the people of God. 
So negatively, we are not to look at men as faithful who lose, 
neglect, ignore, or falsify truth. But positively, they need to 
handle accurately the word of truth. Now, the instruction of 
faithful men. So Timothy's identified them. 
Timothy has seen them. Timothy has vetted them. Timothy 
knows that they're faithful in life, they're faithful in doctrine. 
What's he supposed to do with this group of faithful men? He 
is to, first of all, instruct them in the things that he has 
heard. Notice. And the things that you have 
heard from me among many witnesses. Apostolic doctrine, the exposition 
of scripture, theology, those things that you have heard from 
me in the presence of many witnesses. Commentators struggle with that 
clause, in the presence of many witnesses. Some suppose it was 
Timothy's ordination ceremony. when he was brought into the 
eldership. He heard many things from Paul in the presence of 
many witnesses, and that's what he is supposed to pass on. But 
the text does not suggest an ordination ceremony. It might 
run this way. What Paul had reported was consistent 
with the Bible as a whole. In other words, what Paul was 
teaching Timothy was not some esoteric mystery that was confined 
simply to them, but rather it was the body of revealed doctrine 
given by God to his people through all ages, and Timothy heard that 
not only from Paul, but he heard it from Barnabas, he heard it 
from Silas, he heard the consistent voice of the church testifying 
that indeed what the apostle was preaching and teaching was 
in fact true. So when Timothy has identified 
these faithful men, what is Timothy to instruct them in? Is he to 
instruct them in how to give good gifts to their people? Is 
he to instruct them on how to be, you know, the most handsome 
fellow? You know, there's actually a 
pastor's website out there on how to dress. You might be thinking, 
Jim, you could probably use a stop at that website from time to 
time. But that's a strange emphasis. Would you rather have a pastor 
who had fashionable shoe wear or a pastor who doesn't ignore 
or neglect or falsify the word of truth? What's most important? 
I'd rather my pastor didn't wear shoes, if he told me the truth 
of the gospel, than have some $2,000 shoes and he couldn't 
get that right. Brethren, these are the kinds 
of things that we are facing today. I'm not kidding. There's 
actually a site with a pastor that gives recommendations to 
pastors on how they're supposed to dress. That's crazy. I'm sorry. That's just bizarre. That's not the emphasis in Paul's 
epistles. Is Timothy to take these faithful 
men and say, okay, today we're going to learn how to tie a knot 
properly. Butler uses a single Windsor. Everybody knows the 
double Windsor is the way to go. That really looks sharp. 
I couldn't do a double Windsor to save my life. I couldn't care 
to do a double Windsor to save my life. But I like to read Junius. I like to read Turretin. I want 
to read Perkins one of these days. You see, Timothy was not 
to gather these faithful men and tell them foolish things. He was to pass on the body of 
doctrine that had been passed on to him. Do you see the trajectory? The gospel had been entrusted 
to Paul. Paul in turn entrusts the gospel 
to Timothy. And now Paul tells Timothy, you 
have to find more Timothys, and you have to entrust the gospel 
to them. You have to put it in them. You 
have to teach them. You have to educate them. They 
have to know the Bible. They have to know sound theology. 
They have to know Christology. They have to understand theology 
proper. They need to know the system 
of grace. They need to know it doesn't 
depend upon Imu Wills or upon Imu Runs, but upon God who shows 
mercy. You need to instruct other Timothys, 
Timothy, so that we can keep this going. Certainly it's God's 
project. Jesus has promised to build His 
church, but He's ordained the means there unto. And one of 
those means is a faithful pastoral ministry. that could care less 
about Windsor knots, that could care less about shoes, that could 
care far more about the book of Exodus, and about the book 
of Matthew, and about the books of Timothy, and about proper 
exegesis, and proper hermeneutics, and proper exposition, because 
they know ultimately that whatever shoes they wear, or whatever 
ties they wear, That will not help their people. But when their 
people get a view of who God is, when their people understand 
who Christ is, when their people understand what salvation is, 
when they understand what God says concerning these most important 
things, it is that that brings stability. It is that which brings 
security. It is that which brings comfort 
to the saints of Christ Most High. And as well, for sinners 
out there, they too could care less about ties and shoes, but 
they could care less about their souls. So God says, preach the 
gospel so that the Spirit comes and shatters those hardened hearts 
and show them their wickedness and show them the magnificence 
and the glory of Jesus Christ the Lord. Timothy was to teach 
apostolic doctrine to these faithful men. And then notice the purpose. The things that you have heard 
from me among that many witnesses commit these to faithful men 
who will be able to teach others also. 1 Timothy 3, 2. What must the elder be? He must 
be apt to teach. He must be apt to teach. Now 
that doesn't mean every elder is going to be a C.H. Spurgeon. 
Doesn't mean every elder is going to be a full-time preacher. Doesn't 
mean that every elder is going to preach every Sunday, you know, 
a couple times a week. Doesn't mean that, but he must 
be able to handle the Word. He must understand Bible. He 
must understand theology. Because whether it's in a public 
setting where he's preaching to a huge church like this, or 
he's in a private setting where he's expounding the Word of God 
to somebody who just went through a great trial or calamity, he 
must be apt to teach. And this is the purpose by which, 
or for which, Timothy is to identify faithful men, he is to commit 
or entrust these things, to the faithful men so that they will 
be able to teach others also. He must be able to teach. He 
must be able to perpetuate the ministry until Christ's return. That ministry is encapsulated 
for us in the Great Commission. Have you ever considered that 
this is what Jesus says? Go therefore and make disciples 
of all the nations. That's evangelism. We evangelize. We tell sinners the truth as 
it is in Jesus with a view to making disciples. But it doesn't 
stop there, does it? It's not just come to Jesus and 
then everything's cool. What does Jesus continue to say? 
There are two legs with reference to the Great Commission. Go therefore 
and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the 
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So we've 
got them saved, converted, baptized. Now they're in the church for 
what? teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded 
you. You see, the task of discipleship 
is not done when the baptistry is empty. The task of discipleship 
has just begun. People are converted, they go 
into churches, and what do they do in the churches? They are 
about learning. They are about understanding. 
They are about being taught the things that Jesus has commanded 
for their well-being and for their strengthening. Paul has 
a view to this in Ephesians 4, 11 to 16. In Ephesians 4, 11 
he says, "...and he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, 
some evangelists, some pastors and teachers." And there's a 
threefold purpose here. One, for the equipping of the 
saints. Two, for the work of ministry. 
Three, for the edifying of the body of Christ. That is the three-fold 
function of pastoral ministry. Now, I know it's very common 
in our day to say, no, what the pastor does is equip the saints 
so that they can do ministry. That is true, but that's not 
taught in this text. There are three coordinate things 
going on here. This is the role of the pastors, 
of the ministers, of the elders in the church. It's three. Again, 
I think that pastors ought to instruct people so that they 
do ministry. I truly believe that, but I would not go to this 
text to support it. Not at all. This text teaches 
three things that elders, or pastors, or ministers are supposed 
to do. You see, the common reading today is that He Himself gave 
some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors, teachers, 
and they say, for the equipping of the saints, so that now the 
saints can go do the work of ministry. That's not it. The three things that pastors 
do is for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, 
for the edifying of the body of Christ. And then notice, till 
we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of 
the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure, the stature, 
the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children 
tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine 
by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness of deceitful 
plotting. But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things 
into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body joined 
and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to 
the effective working by which every part does its share, causes 
growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." You see, 
this does not happen. Maturation of whole churches 
does not happen without the Bible and theology. You know, the saints 
of Christ may like for a time just to eat Twinkies. But the 
saints of Christ know they not only need Twinkies, they need 
steak, they need broccoli, they need all that rudimentary nutrition 
so that they can grow strong physically. Right? If you only 
come and you only hear the same pat answer, the same little thing 
every week, you're probably not going to grow any more than if 
you just shove sugar down your throat and you want to get big 
muscles. It's not going to happen. You've 
got to pack on the protein. You have to eat meat. You have 
to eat dairy. You have to put amino acids into 
your body because they are the building blocks of muscle. You see, the same is true in 
the church. You do not attain a level of maturity based on 
sermonettes for Christianettes. Seven minute pep talks is not 
going to satisfy the soul of God's people for any amount of 
time. You need meat, and you need broccoli, 
and you need good things to fuel your spiritual life. And that's 
the purpose in view in this section. So Paul tells Timothy, find faithful 
men. When you find faithful men, entrust 
gospel truth to them, so that they may in turn teach others 
also." In conclusion, we need faithful pastors, men serving 
in gospel ministry, who are men of strength and of courage. Men 
of strength and of courage. Again, not some alpha male bravado 
machismo, but men who spend time with Christ. Men who spend time 
in the Word. Men who spend time in prayer. 
Men who spend time in the corporate means of worship and supper and 
those sorts of things so that they're strong and able to boldly 
proclaim and defend and courageously attack those who disagree or 
those who defect from the truth of the scripture. The world, 
the flesh, and the devil are serious adversaries. Effeminate 
men are not going to engage these enemies properly. And then the 
men aspiring to gospel ministry must be faithful. They must be 
faithful. And I've said to the guys who 
meet on Saturday morning, I think foundational to biblical eldership 
is biblical churchmanship. A man aspires to be a gospel 
minister, he will be a faithful churchman first. Jesus taught 
this principle very clearly. He who is faithful in little 
is faithful in much. Secondly, we learn from this 
by implication the danger of false teachers. The danger of 
false teachers. I mean they're in this very passage 
later on in the chapter, Hymenaeus and Philetus. They have strayed 
concerning the truth, saying, The resurrection is already past, 
and they overthrow the faith of some." It is a dangerous thing 
when men depart from the truth of God. It is a dangerous thing 
because it has damning influences upon the hearts of those who 
believe lies. Thirdly, we need to understand 
the pastoral ministry in the plan of God. You see, what we 
find here is the outworking of God's plan to save sinners. You 
say, how is that? Well, God has decreed to save 
a great multitude that no man can number, from every tribe, 
every tongue, every people, every nation. A very excellent summary 
of this is in our confession in chapter 3 of God's decree. Paragraph 5, rather, speaks of 
God's predestination of sinners unto life. And then Chapter 6 
makes this statement, as God, I'm sorry, Paragraph 6 in Chapter 
3, as God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so he hath 
by the eternal and most free purpose of his will foreordained 
all the means thereunto. There is, in the plan of God, 
a particular office tasked with making known the glorious gospel 
of Jesus Christ. Now this isn't to minimize personal 
witness, personal evangelism. It does not minimize the reality 
that sinners sometimes open the Bible and they read and God gets 
a hold of that. But since in the wisdom of God, 
the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God 
through the foolishness of the message preached to save those 
who believe. I understand in my absence a 
couple of weeks ago, Pastor Cam took to Titus chapter 1. Paul 
indicates this, eternal decree fleshed out through the means 
of preaching. Titus 1.1, Paul, a bondservant 
of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith 
of God's elect and the acknowledgement of the truth, which accords with 
godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, 
promised before time began. It's a reference to the decree. 
Before time began, God promised to save a people from their sins. 
That's not forced, that's not imposing the confession upon 
them. The confession is rightly elucidating or rightly drawing 
out from this passage the reality of the decree. It says, promised 
before time began, but has in due time manifested his word 
through preaching, which was committed to me according to 
the commandment of God our Savior. Now, on the one hand, I certainly 
do not think ministers of the gospel ought to puff themselves 
up. We ought never to overemphasize 
the ministry. God was very successful and very 
able to speak truth through Balaam's ass. The Lord Jesus said that 
God was able to raise up stones into sons of Abraham. So on the 
one hand, we don't want to overemphasize and amplify the pastoral ministry. 
But on the other hand, we don't want to diminish it either. God 
has purposed all of the means thereunto. And one of those means 
is the identification of faithful men in the context of the church, 
taking the collected body of revealed truth and putting it 
into them, entrusting it to them so that they may in turn teach 
others also. It really is a beautiful thing. 
And this is the simple means by which God has promised to 
affect the world for his glory. The church is to identify the 
churches, to cultivate the churches, to utilize. And notice that this 
particular command is not optional. This ought to be something that 
churches do. This ought to be something that 
churches undertake. This ought to be something that 
churches actively pursue. There we have 2 Timothy 2, verses 
1 and 2. For the believer, I encourage 
all of us to be strong. All of us need to act like men. Quit you like men. Be brave, 
be strong. There are a lot of assaults and 
a lot of attacks against our Christian faith. Paul tells us 
the same thing in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10 prior to getting to 
the whole armor of God and the very particular elements. He 
gives this general exhortation, finally my brethren be strong 
in the Lord and in the power of His might. We need to be men 
of God, women of God, who are brave, who soldier on, who persevere, 
and who do so until the end. Until our Lord Jesus comes, or 
until our Lord Jesus brings us home through death. And for the 
unbeliever, I want you to see that God has an eternal plan 
and He has purpose to save a multitude. And one of the means that He 
uses is this simple means of gospel preaching each and every 
Lord's Day. Testimony, parental influence, 
all these things indicate that God genuinely, God sincerely, 
God does desire the salvation of sinners. And He has purposed 
all the means thereunto. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for your word, and we thank you for your loving 
kindness and your grace, and we pray that you'd help us to 
comply with this mandate. Help us to identify faithful 
men. Help us to cultivate them, and 
help us, God, to see them teaching others also. We ask that you 
would go with us now. We pray that you would keep us, 
and that you would cause us to glorify you in this world, and 
we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.