This Week\’s Sunday School Lesson, \”A Message To All Believers\”, 2/25/2018

THE MESSAGE TO ALL BELIEVERS

1 Timothy 6:11 – 2 1

CHARACTER OF A CHRISTIAN
V:11. \” But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. \”
A. Believers are ambassadors of Christ and representatives of the kingdom of heaven.
1. The world sees us before they ever see the inside of a church.
2. As opposed to pride and the love of money, the Apostle Paul gives the
attitude and character that believers should have as representatives of
Christ.
3. Timothy, at the time of Paul\’s letter to him was in his late 40\’s and the pastor
of the Church at Ephesus.
B. Paul gives us six characteristics of a Christian role model.
1. Pursue righteousness is conforming to God\’s standards.
a. Our aim and goal should be to follow God\’s commands.
b. The world\’s standards don\’t measure up to God\’s standards.
2. Pursue godliness which is well directed reverence.
a. It means to reverence God with all our outward actions.
b. Others should see a sermon of righteousness in our actions.
3. Pursue faith which means to trust God in all our decisions.
4. The first and second greatest command given by Jesus is to
Love God with all you heart and to love your neighbor as yourself.
5. Perseverance (patience) is an attribute we have to learn by doing.
a. God works on His time.
b. We have to learn to trust God\’s timing.
6. Gentleness is an inward grace of the soul and a calmness toward God
in all situations.

BE STEADFAST AND UNMOVEABLE
V:12. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. \”
A, Give your best efforts in all your struggles, trusting God with the outcome.
1. Life as a Christian is not always easy, but God has the solution to all
our problems.
2. When faced with opposition, always speak the truth in love which
is the Word of God.
B. Our testimony to the goodness of God is important to all who will listen
to us.
1. We never know who in the crowd is in need of a word of encouragement.
2. We never know who in the crowd need godly wisdom to make the right
decision.
2. We should not be discouraged when people do not want to hear the
Word of God.
3. We have a promise from God that His Word will not return void.
4. God presents us with the opposition of the devil to strengthen our faith
and those around us.
5. We are commanded to let our conversation be with grace seasoned
with salt.
a. With grace so we can show kindness and tolerance to unbelievers.
b. With salt so that unbelievers will hear the truth.

PROCLAIM YOUR FAITH IN JESUS
V:13-16 \” I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 which He will bring about at the proper time — He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. \”
A. It is God who ordains each believer to work He called us to do in Jesus Christ.
1. We have obtained eternal life though our faith in Jesus Christ.
2. We were baptized in His death and resurrected in the newness of life.
B. We have the confession of Jesus Himself before Pontius Pilate that He is
the Son of God and king of kings.
1. Jesus confessed to Pilate that he had no power over Him.
2. Jesus had the power to lay down His life and the power to take it up again.
3. Since Jesus is Lord over our lives we should have no fear in
keeping His commands.
C. We have the assurance that Jesus Christ will come again and judge the
living and the dead.
1. Our salvation is secure in Jesus Christ .
2. As evidence of our faith we must honor Him with all our being
regardless of our personal situation.

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RICH
V.17-19. \” Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. \”
A. God is no respecter of person.
1. To much is given, much is required.
2, God has a reason that He allows some to become rich and some to remain poor.
3. Those who are rich must over come their love for money, power and authority
to see their purpose in life.
B. The purpose of the rich is to be rich in good works.
1. With much money, you can provide the finance for works of the Church.
2. Whatever we ask the Father in Jesus name will be given to us.
3. God uses the rich in the Church to provide for some of the needs of the Church.
4. One of the spiritual gifts is generosity.
5. The more we do for others in need, the more treasures we store in heaven.
6. Life does not exist in things. It exists in the heart that can let go of things.

GUARD THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
V:20-21. \” O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called \”knowledge\” —
21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.\”
A. The mouth can be a finely tuned instrument for Christ.
1. Every believer has been given hope in Jesus Christ.
2. We have been given the ability to be enlighten by the Word of God
through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
3. We have been made special by the gift of the Spirit.
a. To the world, the Word of God is foolishness.
b. The world cannot understand the wisdom of the Lord.
B. The world is focused on unsound doctrine, half truths and idle gossip.
1. The believer equipped with the Word of truth can bring light in
this world of darkness.
2. We are not isolated from the world around us.
3. We can speak the truth in conversations that start in ignorance.
4. We can ensure that Word of God proceeds from, our mouths in
any conversation that we are involved in.
5. Our motto should be that from us they shall hear the truth that will
set them free.

THANK GOD FOR THE WORD OF TRUTH

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