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Well, you can turn with me to 
1 Timothy chapter 4. 1 Timothy chapter 4. This will 
be the last message on the qualifications for elders. We looked at 1 Timothy 
chapter 3, verses 1 to 7, the qualifications proper. But here 
in 1 Timothy 4, verses 12 to 16, the Apostle Paul exhorts 
Timothy on how to conduct himself in the gospel ministry. So it 
is, as it were, a fleshing out of the qualifications in the 
life and ministry of young Timothy. So I'll read beginning in verse 
1 to the end of the chapter, and then our focus will be on 
verses 12 to 16. So verse 1, now the Spirit expressly says 
that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving 
heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking 
lies and hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a 
hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from 
foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by 
those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of 
God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received 
with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word 
of God and prayer. If you instruct the brethren 
in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, 
nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which 
you have carefully followed. but reject profane and old wise 
fables and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily 
exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all 
things, having promise of the life that now is and of that 
which is to come. This is a faithful saying and 
worthy of all acceptance. For to this end we both labor 
and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who 
is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. These things 
command and teach. Let no one despise your youth, 
but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, 
in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to 
reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that 
is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying 
on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give 
yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident 
to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue 
in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those 
who hear you. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father 
in heaven, we thank you that you've not left us alone in the 
world. You've given us the Spirit, and you've given us your Word 
from Genesis to Revelation. We rejoice in that, and we pray 
now that the Spirit of God Most High would lead us in our study 
of Holy Scripture. We ask that you would provide 
for not just this church alone, But all the churches of Christ, 
men qualified, according to 1 Timothy chapter 3, men recognized by 
the church of the Lord Jesus, and men set apart for gospel 
ministry. As we read this morning, the 
harvester, as we saw our Lord Jesus teaching in Samaria to 
lift up their eyes and to see the fields white unto harvest, 
we know that such is the case today, so we pray that you'd 
raise up men that you would fit them, that you would send them 
forth to proclaim the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord, 
for the salvation of sinners, for the sanctification of the 
saints, and ultimately for the glory of God Almighty. Forgive 
us now for all of our sin, we pray, and we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, in 1 Timothy chapter 
3, we notice the man's desire for ministry. Verse 1, if a man 
desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. He must 
have a longing, he must have a desire to undertake that particular 
work. Paul then turns attention to 
the man's personal conduct, and we see that in verses 2 and 3. And then he shows the man's domestic 
faithfulness. Notice in verse 4, he needs to 
rule his own house well, having his children in submission with 
all reverence, for if a man does not know how to rule his own 
house, how will he take care of the church of God? And then 
he moves from that consideration of domestic faithfulness to his 
experience in the faith. He must not be a neophyte. He 
must not be a new convert. Now this is hard to quantify 
because there are certain situations that we see in the New Testament 
where men were established as elders who couldn't have been 
Christians for 10 plus years. So we need to make sure that 
we are mindful of context when it comes to the application of 
these qualifications. As well, the man must have a 
faithful testimony with those who are outside of the church, 
is what the implication is. And then finally, we looked at 
his ability to teach. Though it's in verse 2, we saved 
it for the last, because it is that aspect that is not character 
or virtue, but actual gift and competency, where the man must 
have an aptness or an ability to teach. Now moving over to 
1 Timothy 4, verses 12 to 16, the apostle here exhorts Timothy 
concerning his example, his public ministry, his personal growth, 
and his perseverance. So that's what's happening. in 
verses 12 to 16. And again, I thought it would 
be a helpful sermon to cap off the study concerning the qualifications 
so that we have a full rounded view of what we ought to be looking 
for in terms of men that are set apart for gospel ministry. 
So notice in the first place, the minister's example, verse 
12. Secondly, the minister's public 
ministry, verses 13 and 14. Third, the minister's personal 
growth in verse 15. And then finally, the minister's 
perseverance in verse 16. So let's take up the minister's 
example in the first place. Notice that the apostle gives 
a prohibition to Timothy. Verse 12, he says, let no one 
despise your youth. Now Timothy was most likely in 
his 30s about this particular time. A rabbi famously said that 
a person at 30 was fit for authority and at 40 he was fit for discernment. Well, nowadays we have teenagers 
who have great discernment and 20-year-olds who like to battle 
with the pastors of the church on Facebook and show them up. 
Well, when it comes to this particular imperative, the Church of Christ 
is not to gauge the ministerial effectiveness based on a man's 
age. If you go back in the context, 
you will see why the apostle admonishes Timothy to let no 
one despise your youth. Look at verse 11. These things 
command and teach, not suggest and not recommend. See, when 
it comes to gospel ministry, the pastor, the preacher, the 
elder, the man handling the word, he's not just giving you recommendations. He's not just kind of meekly 
offering up a few suggestions. No, he commands and he teaches. Look over at Titus for just a 
moment, Titus chapter one, and see what the apostle says there. Titus chapter 1, specifically 
at verse 9. He says, "...holding fast the 
faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by 
sound doctrine both to exhort and convict those who contradict." 
And then notice in chapter 2 at verse 15, "...speak these things, 
exhort and rebuke with all authority, let no one despise you." Not 
arrogance, not authority based on who you are, but as a minister 
of the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord, as one who is tasked 
with preaching the word of the living God, you're not suggesting, 
you're not recommending, but in the language of 1 Timothy 
4, verse 11, these things command and teach. What could be the 
possible temptation for older members in the congregation? 
Who does this young buck think he is? Who does this young man 
think that he is telling us how we're supposed to function when 
it comes to the church of the living God? Paul says to Timothy, 
don't entertain that. Don't be kowtowed. Don't shrink 
back from doing your job. Be faithful. Let no one despise 
your youth. The church is not to respect 
age, but rather the ministerial the ministry of the man of God 
himself. As well, the admonition is not 
for the good of Timothy's self-esteem, but it's so that the message 
is not marred. In other words, it's not about 
Timothy. It's not about his fulfillment. It's not about his therapeutic 
relation to the life of the church. No, if Timothy's youth is despised, 
if that becomes the issue, then the people of God are not receiving 
the word of God. Everything that Paul admonishes, 
everything that Paul exhorts, everything that Paul does in 
his life, in his ministry, and in his instructions to his young 
companion, Timothy and Titus, is for the advancement of the 
cause of God and truth. It is for the proclamation of 
the word, because Paul knows how important that word is. So 
he tells him, let no one despise your youth, but then notice, 
but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, 
in spirit, in faith, in purity. The example is imperative in 
the Christian life. We look around at others and 
we see their example. Turn to Philippians 3 for just 
one specimen passage. Philippians chapter 3 at verse 
17. Paul says, brethren, join in 
following my example and notice, note those who so walk as you 
have us for a pattern. In other words, watch and observe 
the apostolic minister, but then as well, watch and observe those 
who carry out what he does. And then notice the rationale 
or the reason. For many walk, of whom I have 
told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are 
the enemies of the cross of Christ. There's no shortage of bad example. There's no shortage of bad people. 
There's no shortage of those out there you could follow into 
a life of debauchery and sin. But when it comes to finding 
example in the church, you have to scope them out. You have to 
find them, you have to locate them, and when you do so, follow 
their example. So back in 1 Timothy chapter 
4, let no one despise your youth, but rather Timothy, you function 
as an example to the believers. What's Paul's point? The best 
way to overcome what may be perceived as a weakness in terms of Timothy's 
youth is a life demonstrable of Christian maturity. In other 
words, if he's faithfully doing what he's supposed to be doing, 
no one should care how old or how young he is. If he is fulfilling 
the task that God has entrusted to him, then no one should worry 
about whether he's in his 30s or whether he's not. Notice what 
he goes on to say. He says, but be an example to 
the believers, and then he lists a whole host of things. Remember, 
the same sorts of things that we find in 1 Timothy 3, verses 
1 to 7. So what Timothy is supposed to 
exemplify according to verse 12 here, and what we've seen 
is the virtues or the characteristics of a godly man in 1 Timothy 3, 
1 to 7, again, is something every Christian should aspire to. Every 
man, every woman, every boy, every girl that professes faith 
in Jesus Christ should want to be what Paul envisages in these 
particular passages. When it comes to the selection 
of men for the eldership, they must have proven demonstrable 
evidences that they live in light of these things. And so, in other 
words, Timothy possesses these, and as a result, Timothy can 
now model these things and exemplify them. He has these proven aspects 
of faithfulness in his life, and he can function in an exemplary 
manner. So he says, in word, be an example 
in word, his general conversation, the way that he conducts himself 
with reference to his tongue. There are prohibitions throughout 
the New Testament on the way that a man uses his tongue. There's 
multiple admonitions in the book of Proverbs. And as Bridges comments 
on one of the Proverbs of Solomon, it is wise to think twice before 
we speak once. And I think that's what's in 
view here in terms of in word. Notice he then says, in conduct, 
which is consistent. Not only what a man says, but 
how a man functions or how a man lives. Philip Towner says, conduct, 
that is, manner of life, how one lives, was a natural counterpart 
to speech in Greek and Jewish moral teaching. Together they 
encompassed most of the observable life. And especially for the 
teacher, the manner of life was to correspond to what was professed. Makes sense, right? If you profess 
saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, you fall under the admonition 
to let your conduct be worthy of the gospel. So therefore, 
you will seek to be faithful in light of what God has said 
concerning ethics that are consistent with having received the gospel 
of free and sovereign grace. Notice thirdly, he is to exemplify 
love, love to God, love to men. Love to God, love to the brethren. 
Jesus says in John 13, verse 35, by this, all men shall know 
that you are my disciples. If you subscribe to the second 
London confession of faith of 1689. That's not what Jesus said. Even as much as we might want 
him to have said that, he says, by this, all men will know that 
you are my disciples if you have love for one another. So Timothy 
was to exemplify love in the congregation. And then notice 
he says, in spirit, this is absent from the modern translations, 
but with reference to the emphasis here, Poole says, in zeal and 
warmth of spirit, truly inflamed with the love of Christ and for 
his glory. And then he says, in faith, be 
an example of faith, saving faith in Christ, faithfulness in the 
Christian life, and seeking by God's grace to be consistent 
with what the word says. And then the final aspect at 
the end there of verse 12 is impurity. And that means chastity 
or sexual purity. Look at chapter 3 and verse 2. 
Notice he is the husband of one wife. When we dealt with that, 
he is a one woman man. It's intriguing when God says 
to Ezekiel the prophet that he's going to kill his wife. He uses 
this language with Ezekiel. He says, I'm going to take from 
you the desire of your eyes. Now whenever I envision Ezekiel, 
I don't know why, but I think of Mr. Alder Leaston. I think 
of an old gray-haired man with a long gray beard. Now, if that's 
the case, then however old they may have been, and actually Ezekiel, 
you can date pretty consistently how old he was at particular 
times. It is a very specific book in terms of dating and whatnot. But nevertheless, God is able 
to say to an older prophet, I'm going to take the desire of your 
eyes. Ezekiel didn't have to say, which 
one Lord? I've got a stable of them. No, it is your beloved wife. 
It is your bride. It is the wife of your youth. 
And that is the emphasis for Timothy and for the man of God. He is a one woman man. at the 
end of verse 12, in purity. And then notice in chapter 5. 
Chapter 5, Timothy is exhorted or admonished on how he is to 
deal with various people groups in the context of the church. 
How he deals with the old men, how he deals with the young men, 
how he deals with the old women, how he deals with the young women. 
Notice in chapter 5 at verse 1. Do not rebuke an older man, 
but exhort him as a father. Younger men as brothers, older 
women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity. Younger women as sisters, Timothy, 
with all purity. That's the modifier, so that 
he can exemplify sexual fidelity in the marriage relationship 
in terms of a watching congregation. Now, before we move on, I must 
make two qualifications concerning Timothy's life as an example. In the first place, brethren, 
Timothy sinned. In the first place, Timothy was 
inconsistent. In the first place, Timothy had 
his issues. He had his inconsistencies. He 
had his stumbling blocks. How do I know that? Is there 
a 1 Timothy 7 that suggests that or that describes that? No, but 
I know human nature, and I know Romans 7, and I know Galatians 
5. And I know that Timothy was not 
the holy, harmless, undefiled one the way that the Lord Jesus 
was. So when you're looking at men 
that function as examples, know that they will always, always 
let you down at some point or other. It has been well said 
that the best of men are men at best, and they always will 
come up short. The ultimate example for Christian 
conduct is our Lord Jesus Christ. But a pastor, an elder, in the 
context of the church, should function in such a way that persons 
can look at him and see demonstrable, proven, exemplifying of the application 
of these principles, and they can see that it is good to be 
like that man. Not that man the way he is and 
all that sort of thing, but insofar as he follows Christ. The second 
thing is we need to understand that example ultimately comes 
short. You've probably heard the old 
adage, I think it's been ascribed to Saint Francis of Assisi, you 
know, preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use 
words. As nice as that may sound, it's 
absolute folly. Now Francis of Assisi apparently 
had a good connection with animals, I think he was the guy that spoke 
to animals, and I'm not suggesting he's in hell, I'm not suggesting 
he was the worst guy on the face of the earth. But brethren, example 
doesn't preach blood atonement. If you follow a minister around 
all day long, and he's a really good one, and he exemplifies 
these traits at a 90% capacity or level, you're still not going 
to be saved. I think J. Gressam Maitre, as 
he typically is, is far better in this regard with reference 
to preaching. He says, we can preach the gospel, 
they tell us, by our lives, and do not need to preach it by our 
words. But they are wrong. Men are not 
saved by the exhibition of our glorious Christian virtues. They are not saved by the contagion 
of our experiences. We cannot be the instruments 
of God in saving them if we preach to them, thus only ourselves, 
nay, We must preach to them the Lord Jesus Christ, for it is 
only through the gospel which sets him forth that they can 
be saved. My virtue or your other pastors' 
or elders' virtues are not going to save you from your sins. It's 
the virtue of Christ. It's the finished work of Jesus. 
It is his perfect life of obedience. It's his death at Calvary. It's 
his resurrection from the dead. So an example ultimately will 
fall short if our goal is to see men saved. I'm not suggesting 
we live like the devil while we preach Christ. I think you'll 
understand the emphasis and the point. Examples aren't always 
great because men are fallible, but as well, the example isn't 
enough. We need to point them with our 
words to the Savior for sinners. Now notice in the second place, 
the minister's public ministry, verses 13 and 14. Notice the 
commitment involved. Do not neglect. I'm sorry, verse 
11. Till I come, give attention. Give attention to continue in 
close attention to something, to occupy oneself with, to devote 
or apply oneself. In other words, it's not just 
haphazard, it's not just once in a while, it's not just a little 
bit, but this is the emphasis, till I come, give attention to 
these particular things. Now the command governs the three 
datives that follow. So he says, give attention to 
reading, give attention to exhortation, and give attention to doctrine. 
Now, that exhortation and doctrine are public ministry sorts of 
things, so is reading. Paul is not saying, I want you 
to have your QT, your quiet time. I want you to have your devotional 
hour. Not that he's saying don't. I 
think every minister worth his weight is going to be a man who 
goes into secret with his God in terms of searching Scripture 
and in terms of prayer. But that's not the point or the 
emphasis here. The reading is the public reading 
of Holy Scripture. See, we don't do that because, 
again, the command post for Reformed Baptist headquarters sends down 
a written liturgy, and thou must subscribe, and thou must do all 
this. No, it's from the Scripture. 
Deuteronomy chapter 31, there was an emphasis on gathering 
the people of God together once every seven years, including 
the little ones, and reading to them the law of God. In that 
post-exilic situation in Nehemiah chapter 8, as the people are 
getting back to their sorts, as they're getting back in terms 
of the city being rebuilt, what do they do? Nehemiah has the 
brothers take the Word of God and they read it. They build 
a pulpit for them and they read the Word of God. And it says 
that everybody's ear was to the book. And so there is this emphasis 
on the public reading of Scripture. Revelation chapter 1, at the 
very introduction, contains a benediction, a blessing, a beatitude. Blessed 
are those who hear or read and hear the words of this prophecy. 
There is this emphasis on the reading of Scripture. See, back 
in the first century, they didn't have this beautiful Cambridge 
Bible. Cambridge came along in the 1500s. That's when they started 
printing Bibles. And even in the 1500s, they didn't 
do the wide margin goatskin like I have here, that unfortunately 
is falling apart. So in the early church, they 
didn't have Bibles. And so how did they get the Bible? The pastor in the church would 
read the Bible. He would read scripture. Again, 
it wasn't just filler, but that's the way the people came into 
contact with the word of the living God. So the Old Testament 
shows this. We see evidence of it occurring 
in the New Testament. And in terms of the purpose of 
public reading, it was for corporate instruction. The people of God 
would be instructed through the reading of Scripture. But as 
well, corporate identity. Isn't that what binds us together 
here this evening? What binds us together in this 
church? Obviously our faith in Jesus 
Christ, which we learn of through this book. So this book helps 
promote and produce in us a corporate identity. And then as well, it 
would produce corporate regulation. In other words, God's Word is 
the standard for how we are to conduct ourselves in public worship. So the reading of the scripture, 
notice in verse 13, give attention to it. Secondly, give attention 
to exhortation. This is emboldening another in 
belief or course of action to encourage them or to exhort them. 2 Timothy 4, verse 2, preach 
the word, be ready in season and out of season, convince, 
rebuke, and what? Exhort. In other words, exhortation 
isn't just a suggestion, it isn't just a recommendation, but it 
is an attempt by the grace of God and the power of the Spirit 
to move the will of man to compliance with the word of the living and 
true God. So it's not just a lecture, it's not just a study, it's not 
just a passing on of information, but we should be affected by 
the Word and seek by grace to put it into practice. That's 
what he means by exhortation. And then, of course, teaching. 
You need to teach the Word of God. You need to teach the doctrines 
of the Christian faith. You need to teach the people 
of God who God is, who man is, who Jesus is, what redemption 
is. That's what's supposed to occupy 
the public ministry of the church, brethren. It's not puppets, ponies, 
and programs, or whatever the modern equivalent is today. Whatever 
we need to be doing as a church, we must always be doing this, 
reading, exhorting, and doctrine. That's the main emphasis of the 
church of the Lord God Most High. It is to pass on the truth of 
God because it's the truth of God that shapes the people of 
God and conforms them by the Spirit onto the image of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Philip Towner again says, these 
were certainly not innovations in the worship services, but 
rather activities that needed to be continued or possibly resumed 
in view of the disruption caused by the false teaching. The currency 
of confusing and contradictory doctrine calls for ongoing instruction 
in the apostolic traditions, theology, and ethics to ensure 
conformity with the will of God. I think he's on to something 
there. Turn back to chapter 1. Look at chapter 1 at verse 3. 
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, 
that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 
nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes 
rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose 
of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, 
and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have 
turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding 
neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. And 
then notice in chapter 1 at verse 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, having faith 
and a good conscience, which some, having rejected concerning 
the faith, have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, 
whom I deliver to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. 
So I think Towner's right. In the midst of a church that's 
been infiltrated by false teachers, in the midst of a church that 
has been infiltrated by false men, by deceptive liars, by men 
who have no business whatsoever in the Christian pulpit, Paul 
tells Timothy, get them out of there. And what you do in their 
place is what you should always do in the context of the local 
church. Give attention to reading, give 
attention to exhortation, and give attention to doctrine. That's 
what the church is supposed to be about, not these guys who 
have no business whatsoever intruding into places they do not belong. So the specific directions in 
verse 13, and then notice the basis of his ministry. So in 
terms of his public ministry, he wasn't self-appointed. Timothy 
didn't wake up one morning and say, I wanna be a cowboy, but 
he couldn't stand, you know, horses. And so he thought, well, 
okay, I'll go ahead and be a pastor. That's not what happened. Or, 
wow, I want to be an astronaut, but he was afraid of heights, 
and so he chooses the pastoral ministry. Or he wants to be a 
plumber, but he's kind of a bigger guy, and he can't fit into those 
sewers and whatnot, so he'll go ahead and be a pastor. That's 
not it at all. He was not a self-appointed man. Any man that is in a pulpit 
that put himself there is a man you should run far from. That 
is not the way of God's appointment. It is the church that recognizes, 
it is the church that sets him apart, it is the church that 
brings him into that place of ministry. So notice in verse 
14, do not neglect the gift that is in you. The public ministry 
that Timothy was called to engage was to be continued. He was not 
to neglect the gift. In other words, God gave you 
that gift, Timothy, so that you'll use it. God gave you that gift, 
Timothy, not so you'll parade the gift and say, wow, aren't 
I a gem and a gift of the church? No, but you utilize and minister 
consistent with the gift that has been given to you for the 
edification of the saints, for the salvation of sinners. Notice 
the origin of this gift. It's kind of an interesting turn 
of phrase, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying 
on of the hands of the eldership. The gift given to Timothy was 
from God. This is what's called a theological 
passive. It is God who gave the gift to 
Timothy. And prophecy was given by God 
to others concerning Timothy's giftedness for ministry. Remember 
when Paul comes into Lystra, in Acts chapter 16, the apostle 
hears about Timothy, and it says that Paul wanted Timothy to go 
with him. That is such a beautiful statement 
concerning Timothy. If the apostle Paul comes to 
your town and wants you to accompany him, on his journeys, you're 
doing okay, you've got a good reputation. But notice in our 
literature, 1 Timothy 1, 18, this charge, I commit to you, 
son Timothy, notice, according to the prophecies previously 
made concerning you. So before they had a 1 Timothy 
3 with qualifications by which the church could validate or 
vet or confirm a man who was gifted to the ministry, there 
was prophecy made by or given by God within the context of 
the church to set apart men for the ministry. Notice as well 
in 2 Timothy 1 at verse 6. Therefore, I remind you to stir 
up the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on 
of my hands." Not that Paul is magic, not that Paul conferred 
this, not that Paul conveyed this to Timothy, but having been 
alerted by God through a prophet that Timothy was the man, they 
laid hands upon Timothy. And so back in 1 Timothy 4 at 
verse 14, he says, which was given to you by prophecy with 
the laying on of the hands of the elder's ship. And then notice 
in the third place, his personal growth, his personal growth. In other words, a man who is 
in the ministry should grow in his understanding of the Bible 
and theology, right? I think that makes pretty good 
sense. If you have an old doctor, you'd probably like to know that 
he's on Google once in a while reading new research, right? That just makes sense. Or if 
you have an old mechanic that, you know, cut his teeth on a 
66 Camaro, you'd sure like for him to be a bit more up to speed 
on your 2021 Camaro. You want men that engage in professional 
activity to keep up with and to continue to excel, and the 
gospel ministry is not different. In other words, gospel ministers 
should be reading, they should be growing, they should be meditating 
upon the word, they should be learning theology and the Bible 
each and every day. Notice what Paul says in verse 
15. Meditate on these things. Improve by care or study, practice, 
cultivate, take pains with. To fix one's mind on something, 
think about, meditate upon. Now brethren, if a man is called 
of God, that's not tough. If a man is called of God and 
fit to fix Camaros, he wants to read about Camaros. If a man 
is a farmer, he wants to read about his craft and learn and 
grow in a manner consistent with it. If a man is called by God 
and set apart by God in order to preach the Bible, that man 
loves the Bible, that man loves theology, that man doesn't look 
at it as a chore. It is rather a blessed privilege 
that he gets to undertake it. And so notice what Paul says, 
meditate on these things, and then note the language, give 
yourself entirely to them. Literally, be in them. Be absorbed in them. The minister of Christ is to 
meditate upon the Word of Christ and be absorbed in it and with 
it. Again, if a man says, well, you 
know, I just don't really like to read. Now, it may be more 
of a chore at times. It is work. It is the case that 
all of us have the ebb and flow in our professional lives where, 
you know, certain times there's a fever pitch and other times 
because of stress and pressure and all that sort of thing, it's 
a bit more difficult. But a man who's resistant to 
reading and to praying and to seeking, to strive, to learn 
more of Christ and his word, that might not be the best choice 
in terms of an elder in the church. You want a guy that is meditating 
upon these things. You want a guy who is given to 
these things. And then notice that your progress 
may be evident to all. This isn't that he parades himself. This isn't that he just recites 
scripture so that everybody is dazzled and they say, what a 
wonderful minister. That's not it. But again, if 
your mechanic is keeping up with the literature requisite for 
your car, That's evident, right? Hey, you did a good job. Well, 
same with the pastors, same with the elders, same with the man 
that's preaching the Word of God. That progress, personal 
conduct, but the understanding of Bible and theology, that should 
be evident to all. It shouldn't be the case that 
ministers are stagnant. It shouldn't be the case that 
moss grows from them. It shouldn't be the case that 
they say, well, You know, I did my hermeneutics. I did my Greek. 
I did my Hebrew. I did that all about 10 or 20 
years ago. I don't need to do that again. You know, I read 
A.W. Pink's Attributes of God when I first got saved, so I 
don't really need to know any more about theology proper. If 
that is the attitude, it is contrary to what Paul says to Timothy 
in 1 Timothy 4 at verse 15. Meditate on these things. Give 
yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident 
to all. And then finally, notice the 
minister's perseverance. His perseverance in verse 16. Take heed to yourself and to 
the doctrine. See, personal conduct and your 
appropriation of the word of God. God had regard for Abel 
and his sacrifice. Never miss that. He had regard 
for Abel and his sacrifice. Take heed to yourself and to 
your doctrine. In other words, there ought to 
be personal growth, maturation in Christ, the development of 
Christian ethics, the application of the Word of God in one's own 
personal life. But as well doctrine. There are 
new things in theology, not because the Bible's changed, not because 
theology changes, but because men are fools and they want to 
attack the Word of the living God. If a minister does not keep 
up with that, he is not going to faithfully help the people 
of God on a consistent and regular basis. Again, so much of this 
would be so obvious if we went into another career field, and 
yet we come into the church and it's perfectly acceptable for 
ministers to be lazy. for ministers to not keep up, 
for ministers to not give themselves entirely to these things, and 
ministers to not take heed to themselves or to their doctrine. 
And for whatever reason, ministers are like politicians, you can't 
get rid of the bad ones. For whatever reason it is, we 
oftentimes pick the worst cretins among us to rule over us, whether 
in church or state. So with reference to Paul's admonition, 
take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. John Calvin said 
at the present day there are many, or there are many, who 
are well nigh sickened by the very name of preaching because 
there are so many stupid ignorant men who blurt out their worthless 
brainwaves from the pulpit. Take heed to yourself and to 
the doctrine. In other words, understand the 
truth of the Bible, understand Christian theology, all the better 
if you have, say, a confession of faith that outlines the contours 
of that theology, and make sure you hold fast to that, and make 
sure you don't depart from that, and make sure you preach that 
message faithfully. And then in terms of perseverance, 
look at what he says, take heed to yourself and to the doctrine, 
continue in them, continue in them. The things specified here 
are non-negotiable, and they are to be pursued over the long 
haul. It's not just starting well, 
and it's not even just finishing well, it's consistently being 
well all along the way. That's the admonition for the 
minister of the gospel. And the faithful minister is 
not faithful because he is successful or famous, but because he perseveres. John Newton, the man who wrote 
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like 
me, made this observation. If opposition has hurt many, 
popularity has wounded more. That is a very powerful statement. If opposition has hurt many, 
and it has, popularity has wounded more. I'm not sure that every 
man has the capacity for 5,000 members in his church. Obviously, 
C.H. Spurgeon did, but not the rest 
of us are C.H. Spurgeon. God is wise. God knows 
how to give out what is needful for his people. And then look 
finally at the reason given. Take heed to yourself and to 
the doctrine. Continue in them. And here's the rationale. Here's 
the reason. And it might surprise some of 
us. For in doing this, you will save both yourself and those 
who hear you. Is Paul an Arminian? Has Paul 
abandoned his Calvinistic principles? Has Paul thrown off or jettisoned 
the sovereignty of God? Is Paul no longer subscribed 
to Romans 9, 16 that he wrote, it doesn't depend upon him who 
wills or upon him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. Now he's 
suggesting, he's actually saying that a minister can save himself 
and save those who hear him. Is that what Paul is saying? 
The Lord God Almighty saves, but He does so through what? 
Through means. So the God who's ordained the 
end has also ordained the means. And the means by which God is 
well-pleased to save sinners is through the message preached. 
1 Corinthians 121, Romans 1017, faith comes by hearing and hearing 
by the Word of God. He doesn't mean that the minister 
has the ability or power or sovereignty or efficacy to save himself and 
those who hear him. But as a faithful minister, a 
man who preaches the word of God, it is that word that God 
uses to draw sinners unto himself. Listen again to John Calvin. 
He says, and as the unfaithfulness or carelessness of the pastor 
is ruinous to the church. Look over at chapter 1 at verse 
19, "...having faith and a good conscience, which some having 
rejected concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom 
are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that 
they may learn not to blaspheme." When there is a bad minister, 
it has a bad effect upon the people of God. So ergo, when 
there's a good minister, we can conclude that it may have a good 
effect upon the people of God. So back to Calvin, and as the 
unfaithfulness or carelessness of the pastor is ruinous to the 
church, so the cause of salvation is justly ascribed to his faithfulness 
and diligence. True, it is God alone that saves, 
and not even the smallest portion of His glory can lawfully be 
bestowed on men. But God parts with no portion 
of His glory when He employs the agency of men for bestowing 
salvation. That's the way we understand 
1 Timothy 4, verse 16. For by so doing, you will save 
yourself and those who hear you. See, Calvin says God's glory 
is not diminished in the use of means. Rather, God's glory 
is magnified in that he uses earthen vessels. He uses cracked 
pots to proclaim the glorious treasure of the gospel of Jesus 
Christ, the Lord. The Geneva Bible comments at 
verse 16, faith is by hearing and hearing by preaching. And 
therefore the ministers of the word are so said to save themselves 
and others for that in them the Lord has put the word of reconciliation. So it's not Arminianism, it's 
not Pelagianism, man doesn't save, but rather the idea is, 
is be a faithful minister of the word, because God is pleased 
in the use of that word to call sinners unto himself. So that 
when that word is faithfully proclaimed, and when God does 
his work of saving sinners, it is in the language of 1 Timothy 
4.16, as much as if the minister has a hand in saving them. And I think that's the emphasis 
that we are to take away. So in conclusion, the conduct 
of a faithful minister, not only here, but backing up to verse 
six, the need to instruct the church in the truth of God. Notice 
in verse six, if you instruct the brethren in these things, 
you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ. See, the definition 
for a good minister of Jesus Christ isn't tough. It isn't 
hard. It isn't if you have 250 people 
in your church after the first year. It isn't if you have a 
building that costs, you know, the size of a small city. That's 
not the way to quantify the gospel ministry. If you instruct the 
brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus 
Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine, 
which you have carefully followed. Secondly, they need to reject 
heresy. Look at verse 7a. but reject 
profane and old wives' fables. Don't have truck with false teaching. Don't give them a hearing. Don't 
let heretics preach. Guard the pulpit, Timothy. Reject 
those things that are contrary to the word of the living God. 
It is absolutely mind boggling what passes for Christian preaching 
today and what passes for so-called discernment among the people 
of God today. Sermonettes of 15 to 17 minutes 
are wonderful. Oh, it was so profound. And oftentimes 
it's what Moody would have referred to as birdbath theology. Birdbath theology means it's 
about that deep. We've got the Pacific Ocean in 
the Bible. I mean, far more than that. We've 
got riches. We've got Christ in whom all 
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. We ought not to have 
birdbath theology or sermonettes for Christianettes. Notice he 
needs to exercise himself towards godliness in verse 7b. As well, notice in verse 11, 
the need to command and teach, not suggest and confuse. Something I'm recognizing that 
is just bad when it comes to the Bible and theology is vagueness 
and ambiguity. Brethren, the task of the ministry 
is to explain the Word of God. It is to take the hay and put 
it to where the horses can eat it. It's not to dazzle them. It's not to impress them. It's 
not to cause them to be amazed at the erudition of the... No, 
preach the Word. Preach the Bible. Preach good 
theology. Don't be vague. Don't be ambiguous. 
Don't be in a ministry of confusion rather than education. As well, 
Timothy must be an example. Timothy must engage in the public 
ministry commanded by God. Timothy must have been gifted 
by God and vetted by the church. He needs to devote himself to 
the truth of God and to progress further in personal piety and 
public usefulness. He needs to embrace the gravity 
of this position and conduct himself accordingly. Verse 16 
also underscores the grave condition for gospel ministry. James tells 
us in 3.1, let not many of you be teachers. Why? We shall receive 
a stricter judgment. See, I don't know that there's 
other professions out there. This is where it does differ 
a little bit. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine of plumbing. 
Not that plumbing is unimportant, brethren, but there isn't this 
admonition or rationale provided. For in doing so, you'll save 
both yourself and those who hear you. I mean, you will from some 
temporal disaster, but in terms of eternal weight, that is different. And then the conduct of a faithful 
congregation. Now I'm not saying this because 
I feel like there's any deficiency. This is not, hey, this is how 
you should be to me. Last time I preached this sermon, 
it was when we brought Michael Kirkpatrick into our eldership. 
And so it was an admonition to our church with reference to 
Michael Kirkpatrick. As well, it was an admonition 
to the Surrey Reformed Baptist Church with reference to Michael 
Kirkpatrick. So I'm not giving this list because 
I think I want to somehow passively, aggressively tell you that you 
should be nice to me. I feel like everybody here is 
really nice to me. I feel like everybody here prays for me. 
I feel a real connection. I feel a real love. I feel like 
there's no other place I'd rather be. So do not interpret this 
little list as Jim Butler's got some vacancy in his soul and 
he wants to harangue the people of God and make them, that's 
not it at all. But I think if we can look at 
the marks of a faithful minister, there ought to be consistent 
with that. the marks of faithful congregations. So in the first place, the Church 
of Christ will receive the Word of God with joy. Again, there's 
ebb and flow. There's times when we're tired. 
There's times where, you know, it's not the same. I get that, 
brethren. I understand that. I realize 
that sometimes young moms are up late at night with their children. 
That's perfectly acceptable. I don't go, wow, that guy yawned 
when I was in, you know, Act 4 then. No, that never happens. But you will receive the Word 
of God with joy. If God is pleased to furnish 
His church with spokesmen for Him, and they actually get it 
right, they actually expound Scripture properly, and they 
teach you theology properly, that's a win-win situation. Again, brethren, there's deficiencies 
in all churches. There are problems in every church. Wherever you have humans, there's 
problems, and that's the reality of it. But if God in his infinite 
grace and mercy has raised up men to proclaim the truth, and 
they are doing that the way that God calls them to, that's a win-win 
for congregations, and they should receive that word with joy. Secondly, you will reject heresy 
with earnestness. It's not just the pastor's job 
to refute heresy. Not just the pastor's job to 
resist the encroachments of the ungodly world, and oftentimes 
ungodly so-called church, with all of their intrusions into 
sacred and holy things. We have to exercise discernment. We have to have a Berean spirit. 
We have to examine the Word of God. Remember the Bereans? They 
were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica. Why? Because 
they examined daily the things spoken to them by Paul. They 
had the Apostle Paul and they're checking chapter and verse. And 
Paul doesn't say, oh, you're not supposed to do that because 
I'm the Apostle Paul. No, check it, discern, understand 
the truth, understand the counterfeit. And the way to spot the counterfeit 
is by knowing the true thing. As well, you will pursue those 
virtues commended by God. It's not just the pastor who 
has to do what is said in this chapter. It's not just the pastor 
who are men who aspires to the ministry to not be greedy for 
money. I mean, that's all of us. We're 
all in this together as it were, and we're all supposed to be 
pursuing Christian virtue and ethics. And then I would suggest 
you will value and prize the public means of grace. You will 
value and prize the public means of grace. Certainly, there's 
private things that you can do. You should read your Bible every 
day. You should pray every day. You should have a family altar 
if you are a family. You should read scripture with 
your bride. You should pray with your husband. You should do all 
those things. But brethren, do not neglect 
the public worship of the living and true God. If God has set 
apart a class of men who have as their particular emphasis 
the public reading, the public exhortation, and the public teaching 
of Holy Scripture, then you should avail yourself of each and every 
opportunity. I have quoted this before, both 
Ryle and Spurgeon. Ryle says, preaching is an ordinance 
of which the value can never be overrated in the Church of 
Christ. But it should never be forgotten that there must not 
only be good preaching, but good hearing. I mean, if Spurgeon 
fell out of heaven and he erected a pulpit out in the middle of 
the wilderness and he proclaimed with the tongues of angels and 
no one was there to hear him, it wouldn't make any difference, 
brethren. So if there is preaching, there 
should be hearing. And Spurgeon's comment on Mark 
4, 24, the parable of the soil. Again, you may have this committed 
to memory. I've quoted it so many times. 
He says, here, it is your wisdom to know what God says. Here, 
well, God's teaching deserves the deepest attention. It will 
repay the best consideration. Here, often, waste no Sabbath 
nor any of its services. Use weekday lectures and prayer 
meetings. And then finally, here, better. 
You will grow the holier thereby. You will find heavenly joy by 
hearing with faith. For those interested, we're getting 
to the 10 commandments in our study in the book of Exodus this 
coming Wednesday. This is important stuff. Does 
the Bible speak with reference to Christian ethics? Oh yeah, 
it certainly does. It gives the 10 commandments 
in chapter 20, and then from 21 to 23, there is extensive 
application of those principles to the body politic with reference 
to life in the land for the nation of Israel. as our confession 
rightly understands, that that judicial law has expired with 
the Commonwealth of Israel. But there is a general equity, 
there is wisdom to be found in chapters 21 to 23, to inform 
the Christian mind, even in the 21st century, of matters not 
only individual, matters not only familial, matters not only 
ecclesiastical, but matters civil, in terms of the political order 
in which we conduct ourselves. And then the final observation, 
you will value and prize the ministers of the public means 
of grace. There are several passages in 
the New Testament that underscore this. So hopefully the saints 
in Surrey do this with reference to Mike Kirkpatrick. Well, brethren, 
there is the list of qualifications, 1 Timothy 3, one to seven. There is this sort of exemplifying 
of those aspects in 1 Timothy chapter four at verses 12 to 
16. Going forward, we remember the mind, or rather the words 
of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 9. Remember that scene 
where he looks upon the multitudes and he feels compassion for them 
because they were like sheep having no shepherd. So on the 
heels of that, he says to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful, 
but the laborers are few. pray that the Lord of the harvest 
will raise up laborers and send them out. So Jesus does that 
very thing. And then he installs the 12 apostles. He invests them with authority 
and he sends them out to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not 
that we have apostles, but we are looking for elders. God be 
merciful to us and provide that so that we can do the work of 
ministry. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for its clarity 
at the point of the officers in the church. We pray, God in 
heaven, that you would bless men serving in Christian pulpits 
all over the earth. Uphold them and encourage them 
and strengthen them and cause them to be faithful. As well, 
our Father, increase in our churches a heart to receive the truth 
of God's holy word, a desire to conform by the power of the 
Spirit to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to seek to 
take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ 
our Lord. We ask now that you would go with us, cause us to 
enter into this week with hearts filled with gratitude to you 
for what you've done for us in the gospel of our salvation. 
And we pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. We'll 
close with a brief time of meditation.