Temple Baptist Church - 7-8-2012
1 Timothy 2:4
Introduction:
A. Verse 4 corresponds with “The Great Commission” or, as it is often called, either The Great Commandment” or “The Apostolic Commission.” The last time I preached out of this verse, we saw that the Lord wants every man who has or will ever be born to be saved. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world and that includes every one everywhere in every time.
B. This second part of the verse also corresponds with the second part of the commission: after they are led to the Lord, they are to be taught: “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have command you.” Last week, we saw that the Lord wants every man who has or will ever be born to be saved.
C. This second part of the verse also corresponds with the second part of the commission: after they are led to the Lord, they are to be taught: “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have command you.” Teaching is as important as preaching in the local church. Most church goers in the Bible Belt have very little scriptural knowledge and become a prey to the cults, neo-evangelicals, charismatics, and worldly churches. The churches that make an attempt to “teach” make sure that they only teach those things that are palatable to their members. They are afraid to teach and preach the whole counsel of God therefore leaving their people babes in Christ.
D. Preachers and churches go directly against the clear teachings of the Bible and these church members think that it is great. Just look at our small city! In the past couple of years, we have had half a dozen of these “contemporary” churches spring up and they are not gaining their membership through visitation and soul winning. They are proselyting from the more traditional churches.
E. Seven times, the Apostle Paul—in one form or another—used such terminology as “I would not have you to be ignorant brethren.” Biblical ignorance was a real problem in the early days of the church and has certainly escalated in these last days.
Amos 8:11-12 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: (12) And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
F. There are several reasons for biblical ignorance:
1. There is a lack of structured Bible teaching and preaching in many churches. Many churches in our area have gone to Quarterlies over the past 60-70 years. These Sunday School lessons have a lot of incorrect doctrinal teaching to go along with the shallowness of the writers. The best Sunday School material is the Bible. In many churches, either the pastor is afraid to preach or the people will not allow him to preach. God’s Word must have free course and be glorified.
Isaiah 28:9-10 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
a. Teaching must be doctrinally sound – vs. 9
b. Teaching must be structured – vs. 10a
c. Teaching must be systematic – vs. 10b
2. There is a lack of willingness to hear doctrinal preaching and teaching. People who are looking for a church to attend are generally looking for all of the wrong reasons. Their interest is shown in such questions as “what do you have for the young people?” If I were looking for a church, my first questions would be doctrinal in nature. You can have something for the young people and what you give them be wrong.
Hebrews 5:11-14 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. (12) For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. (13) For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. (14) But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
a. They must hear the truth – vs. 11
b. They must desire the truth – 12
c. They must grow in the truth – vs. 13
3. There is a lack of saved people in many churches. We have to be careful in this area because there is little difference between the untaught saved and the taught unsaved! People can get saved and not grow because of being in the wrong churches. People can be in the right churches and not learn because they have no Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth. The natural man still cannot receive the things of God because they are spiritually discerned. The Bible says, “Neither can they know them.”
1 Corinthians 2:9-14 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (10) But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (11) For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
a. Spiritual truth is beyond human experience - vs. 9
b. Spiritual truth is revealed by the Holy Spirit – vs. 10-13
c. Spiritual truth cannot be either understood or received by the natural man – vs. 14
Conclusion: It is important to be saved and know it but it is also important to grow up and show it!
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