The Priority of Pastoral Ministry

Good morning, church family.

Good morning.

My name is Luke Fawcett.

! Most of you know me by now.

I'm the pastoral intern here at Maranatha.

I've been really grateful to serve here since May.

I am honored and eager to open God's Word together.

The title of the message this morning is

The Priority of Pastoral Ministry.

The Priority of Pastoral Ministry.

And the text this morning is 1 Timothy 4.

If you're looking at your pew Bibles in front of you,

you can find our passage on page 992.

Page 992.

Follow along as I read the whole chapter.

Now the Spirit expressly says

that in latter times,

some will depart from the faith

by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits

and teachings of demons.

Through the insincerity of liars

whose consciences are seared,

who forbid marriage

and require abstinence from foods

that God created to be received with thanksgiving

by those who believe and know the truth.

For everything created by God is good,

and nothing is to be rejected

if it is received with thanksgiving.

For it is made holy

by the word of God and prayer.

If you put these things before the brothers,

you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus,

being trained in the words of the faith

and of the good doctrine that you have followed.

Have nothing to do with irreverent silly myths.

Rather, train yourself for godliness.

For while bodily training is of some value,

godliness is of value in every way,

as it holds promise for the present life

and also for the light to come.

The saying is trustworthy

and deserving of full acceptance.

For to this end,

we toil and strive

because we have our hope

set on the living God

who is the Savior of all people,

especially of those who believe.

Command and teach these things.

Let no one despise you for your youth,

but set the believers an example

in speech,

in conduct,

in love,

in faith,

in purity.

Until I come,

devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,

to exhortation,

to teaching.

Do not neglect the gift you have,

which was given you by prophecy

when the council of elders

laid their hands on you.

Practice these things.

Immerse yourself in them.

So that all may see your progress.

Keep a close watch

on yourself

and on the teaching.

Persist in this.

For by so doing,

you will save both yourself

and your hearers.

our text this morning

sets out to answer

a single question

from many angles.

What does ministry

depend on?

What does ministry depend on?

You see,

up to this point,

the young pastor,

Timothy,

has received a number of charges

from the apostle Paul

concerning the ministry.

Timothy must correct

these teachers

who love to discuss ideas

but don't arrive at the truth.

Stop speculating.

Start stewarding.

Chapter 1,

verses 3-7.

Timothy must maintain

church discipline

of Hymenaeus and Alexander.

Known members of the church.

Chapter 1,

verses 18-20.

Timothy must also

call the men

to stop quarreling

and start praying.

Chapter 2,

verse 8.

Timothy must call

the women likewise

to quit

their spotlighting

of their clothes

and their styles

and start setting

the example

of good works.

Chapter 2,

verses 9-10.

Timothy must instruct

the church

to raise up

men of character,

not popularity,

not persuasion,

who will lead the church

in sound doctrine

and faithfulness

to Jesus.

And then,

at the center

of it all,

Timothy must uphold

the gospel

of Jesus Christ

as this glue

that binds

the church together

as the household

of faith

and as the pillar

of the truth.

Chapter 3,

verses 16-18.

In light of all

of this,

how is Timothy

to fulfill

the ministry?

What does ministry

depend on?

There are a number

of answers

that we could come up with.

Maybe ministry

depends on

a comprehensive

knowledge

of the scripture.

You have to

understand the Bible

to be able

to refute

false teachers.

And certainly,

pastors must know

their Bibles.

Maybe ministry

depends on

doctrinal clarity.

You can't teach

men and women

how to fulfill

their roles

if you don't know

your ecclesiology

and your anthropology.

Certainly,

pastors must be

able to teach.

Maybe ministry

depends on

cultural awareness,

knowing the politics

and the pitfalls

of leadership

and how to avoid them.

And certainly,

pastors must understand

the world

that they live in

and minister in.

Maybe ministry

depends on skill

and counsel

or care for the body.

And later,

Paul will go on

to tell Timothy

how to instruct

elders and widows.

Certainly,

pastors must know

and love

their people.

And there are

many other qualities

that could be added

to the list.

Pastors must have

their families in order.

They should have

a healthy marriage.

And their communication

must be sharp.

On and on,

we could probably

come up with

an endless list

of things

that ministry

could depend on.

And the reality

is that 1 Timothy

commends all these

responsibilities

for pastors.

They have to know

their Bibles.

They have to be able

to teach.

They have to have

their families in order.

But what does

ministry depend on?

What will make

or break

a pastor,

a leader,

or a parent?

Amid the dangers

and demands

of ministry,

there is one

central concern.

Make progress

in godliness.

That is what

ministry depends on.

Make progress

in godliness.

And that is the main

idea of the message

today.

So beginning

in verse 1,

we see point 1.

perilous departures

in ministry.

Perilous departures

in ministry.

Last week,

Andrew emphasized

the nature

of the church,

this pillar

and buttress

of the truth.

Chapter 3,

verse 15.

And it's in fact

our confession

of scripture

that centers

on the person

and work

of Christ.

He is the center

of our confession.

He is what gives

the church

its shape

and its form.

We must not

move past that

too quickly.

Because there is

no ministry,

there is no

progress

apart from Jesus.

And if we

deviate from Jesus,

we actually

deviate from the

faith.

That's where

we find ourselves

in the outset

of our text.

Verse 1.

Some will

depart

from the faith,

Paul says.

If making

progress

in godliness

is the focus

of our text

in primarily

verses 6 to 16,

then verses 1 to 5

provide the background

for it.

It's the situation

and outcome here

contrast with,

and then they

emphasize the necessity

of godliness.

Just take note

of some of the

stark contrasts

in the language.

Some will depart

from the faith,

verse 1,

is set against

you will save

yourself

and your hearers.

Verse 16.

Devote themselves

to deceitful spirits

and teachings

of demons.

Verse 1.

It's set against

devote yourself,

Timothy,

to the public

reading of scripture,

to exhortation

and to teaching.

Verse 13.

Through the

insincerity of liars

whose consciences

are seared.

Verse 2.

It's set against

you will be

a good servant

of Jesus Christ,

being trained

in the words

of the faith

and of the sound

doctrine.

The danger

of departure

is real.

And the necessity

of godliness

is paramount.

The text says

that those who

have departed

have devoted

themselves

to these teachings.

These teachings

described as

deceptive

and demonic.

And these

descriptive words

indicate that

ideas are not

just conceptual.

Ideas are

intrinsically

spiritual.

You see,

we live in an age

where information

is everything.

It's almost

a gluttony

of information

that we have

access to.

So many ideas

and it's hard

to sift

the tasteful

from the poisonous.

Right?

We have media,

podcasts,

messages,

streaming.

And just one

minute of scrolling

TikTok or

Instagram reels,

we might have

consumed 20

different videos

without really

understanding what

it is that we're

watching or

listening to.

I was actually

in a restaurant

not too long ago,

literally went into

the bathroom

and there was a TV

in front of me.

I was like,

this is the weirdest

thing.

Why am I

watching TV

while I'm

going to

the bathroom?

But the reality

is we cannot

get away from it.

There is this

inundation of

entertainment

and information.

And it's not

that entertainment

or information

is inherently

evil or demonic

or antithetical

to God.

It's that

overconsumption

of information

begins to

dull your mind

and your conscience

away from

discernment.

Our culture

packages ideas

in a way

that makes it

nearly impossible

to think about

what we're watching.

So Timothy,

information

is not just

information.

In our passage,

the teachers

and the listeners

are not just

intellectually deceived.

They are

spiritually

bankrupt.

And here's

what's shocking

to me.

The idea

that they followed

after is not

a denial

of the humanity

of Christ.

It's not a denial

of his resurrection,

even though we see

that in other places.

It's that they

forbid food

and marriage.

This departure

from the faith

is not by

leaving the church.

It's by leaving

the doctrines

that demonstrate

the sufficiency

of Christ

in salvation.

That's where

the departure

has taken place.

You see,

they're promoting

this physical

abstinence,

but the problem

is not in singleness.

It's not in fasting.

Jesus was a single man,

and yet he commended

marriage

as God's design.

Jesus also spent

time fasting,

and yet he went

to dinner parties

and he enjoyed

weddings.

But even so,

food and marriage

are not ends

in themselves.

For Paul will soon

assert that bodily

training is actually

of some value.

So what are we

to make of this

departure?

What is Paul's

point here?

It's that abstinence

and enjoyment

are not the point.

Treasuring Christ

is.

To abstain

or to enjoy

means little

if Jesus is not

the reason.

And we can think

about endless examples

in our own culture,

our own context

for this.

Why set the alarm

earlier

versus sleep in?

Why eat at McDonald's

versus choose

the salad bar?

Why sit with your

friends versus

pursue the friend list?

Why read John Piper

versus watching

your favorite TV show?

Or serve on a Sunday

versus spending it

with your family?

You see,

we may look spiritual

and feel spiritual

if that is all

the substance

of our action.

If we're just

pursuing another thing

without making

any progress

in godliness.

godliness.

So what is going

to get you

right with God?

And what is going

to keep you

right with God?

How do we make

progress

in godliness?

The answer is that

the same thing

that gets you

right with God

is the same thing

that keeps you

right with God.

It's faith

in the sufficiency

of Christ.

It's not a form.

It's not a regulation.

It's not a goal.

It's not even

progress itself.

The problem was

that these people

were promoting

this performance-based

kind of spiritual life.

Disciplining the body

was,

disciplining the body

by denying it pleasure

had become

the main strategy

for gaining favor

with God.

And in doing so,

they had departed

from Jesus.

There is much,

I think,

in this small

section of Scripture

for sinners

and saints

who struggle

with embodiment.

Many of us,

I think,

want a different image.

Food

and mirrors

and pleasure

have just lost

their taste.

Many of us

struggle with

the decay

of the body.

even while we live

and our bodies

seem to betray

every effort we make

at working

to sustain them.

So what are we

to do

with the corruption

of our bodies?

Is it better

to eat

or not to eat?

What are we

to do

with body image

and the decay

of everything?

Jesus

understands

the difficult.

Jesus understands

the difficulty

of embodiment.

When Hebrews

says that he

became like us

in every way,

it wasn't a figure

of speech.

That was

Jesus'

life.

Matthew says

that foxes

have holes

and birds

have nests,

but the Son of Man

has nowhere

to lay his head.

Jesus hungered.

Jesus felt

exhausted

from the constant

demands of the crowd.

He understood

pressure.

Pressure from enemies.

Pressure from authorities.

Pressure from family.

Pressure from friends.

Pressure from his disciples.

Pressure from temptation.

And pressure from success.

And always

the unrelenting

pressure

of this journey

to Jerusalem

where he would

break his body

and spill his blood

for our forgiveness

and redemption.

But here's

the good news.

Jesus is alive.

His bodily

resurrection

ensures

our bodily

resurrection.

Very soon

we will meet

Jesus

or he will

meet us.

And this is how

Paul says it.

We shall not all sleep,

that is,

die,

but

we shall all

be changed.

In a moment,

in the twinkling

of an eye,

at the last trumpet,

for the trumpet

will sound

and the dead

will be raised

imperishable

and we

shall be changed.

For this

perishable body

must put on

the imperishable

and this mortal

body

must put on

immortality.

that is

good news

for saints

and sinners

who struggle

with the body.

We've observed

perilous departures

in ministry,

now let's turn

to the private

life and the

public activity

of faithful

ministry.

So point number

two,

private life

in ministry.

Private life

in ministry.

Let's look again

at verse six.

Paul says this,

If you put

these things

before the

brothers,

you will be

a good servant

of Christ Jesus,

being trained

in the words

of the faith

and of the good

doctrine

that you have

followed.

This conditional

statement hinges

on what these

things are.

Whatever these

things are,

that's the condition.

And it's repeated

again in verse

11.

Paul says,

Command and teach

these things.

So what does

these things

refer to?

I would argue

that the things

that Paul tells

Timothy to shepherd

the church in

are the same

things that he's

been instructing

him with all

along.

It's the whole

of the letter,

which this previous

section illustrates.

It's this relationship

between doctrine

and godliness,

or doctrine

and the gospel

that leads to

this Christian life

and this devotion

to Jesus.

Look again

at the purpose

statement in 314.

He says that

I hope to come

to you soon,

but I am writing

these things

to you so that

if I delay,

you may know

how one ought

to behave

in the household

of God,

which is the

church of the

living God,

a pillar and

a buttress

of the truth.

And that truth

that the church

upholds is the

gospel.

That's the next

confession that

you hear in

verse 16.

You see,

it's Christ

that makes

teaching Christian.

That's why

the servant

imagery for

Christian ministry

I think is

so helpful.

We often

think of a

servant as

someone who

completes the

right tasks.

So you help

your mom with

the dishes,

or you shovel

the driveway

for your neighbor.

But being a

servant is not

just a responsibility.

It is an

identity.

It is who

you are.

The metaphor

might be more

clear if we

exchange servant

for slave.

It's not a

popular connotation

for modern

ears, but

this is the

meaning in

biblical language.

And the

language communicates

at least two

realities.

First, there

is a master,

Christ Jesus,

who directs our

life and our

practice.

And second,

there is this

stewardship that

we have received

and that we're

entrusted with to

multiply.

And that

stewardship, I

think, is the

words of Christ

itself.

It is the

gospel.

gospel.

And that we

multiply in

relationships.

I think these

realities are at

the heart of

ministry.

And that's why

the next command

is so important.

Have nothing to

do with irreverent

silly myths.

Rather, train

yourself for

godliness.

Honestly, I'm

not sure what

these myths

refer to.

But notice how

it contrasts with

godliness.

not sound

doctrine.

Whatever these

myths are, they're

promoting this

speculation, this

love of ideas, but

not a stewardship of

what they've

received.

Paul calls these

vain discussions

because they're

characterized by this

self-promotion, this

building up of

self.

I want to be a

teacher, and so I'll

discuss these

things.

Knowing the right

things is what

seems to get you

into the inner

circle.

people.

Or having the

right heritage and

the right family

background gives you

status with God's

people.

But that is not how

a good steward

thinks.

A steward doesn't

sit around discussing

how to most

effectively run the

master's business.

He gets to work

running it.

He does the work.

He invests and he

risks so that his

master can get a

reward.

He's not concerned

about himself.

His main concern is

the commendation of

his master.

Godly people find

their worth in God,

not in their success,

not in their growth,

not in their heritage,

or their position,

or their knowledge.

But in fact,

godliness is not an

end to itself.

Look at verse 10.

For to this end we

toil and strive.

Why?

Because we have our

hope set on godliness?

No, on the living

God who is the

savior of all people,

especially of those

who believe.

Souls are at stake

in ministry.

We work for a

particular end,

the salvation and

preservation of the

people of God.

And is there a

better thing to work

for?

What does money,

position,

and status mean

if it's not moving

us in the direction

of knowing God

and making him

known?

This end of

salvation and

preservation.

And the promise

and hope of salvation

requires us to keep

our eyes up

and to look ahead

to the goal of

eternal life.

when I was first

learning how to

drive,

straight roads were

pretty easy,

but curves were

tough.

Just a little

kind of adjustment,

teens, you probably

know this, you're

driving.

A little adjustment

makes a big

difference, right?

It's not like those

arcade games that you're

like spinning the

wheel, right?

for a while I could

not make a smooth

turn for the life

of me.

But it was because I

was like this,

looking in between the

lines and trying to

stay centered.

And there was

something that my

mom, who was

helping me drive,

used to repeat to me

that made the

difference.

She said,

keep your eyes

ahead of the curve.

Keep your eyes

ahead of the curve.

Now that's pretty

counterintuitive,

right?

I had to look

ahead to stay

centered.

But the Christian

life is essentially

that.

It's staying centered

on Jesus despite

the curves of our

flesh, the curves

of the world, the

curves of false

teaching.

And you actually,

here's the

counterintuitive

reality.

You have to look

ahead to stay

centered.

You have to keep

your eyes on

eternity.

to live well in

the present.

That is how we

make progress in

godliness.

But the picture of

progress isn't a

perfect image.

I don't want to

give you this rosy

picture.

We have an

eternal enduring

hope.

But life in this

age is not easy.

And I think that's

why Paul gives

this comparison to

bodily training.

He says in verse

eight, for while

bodily training is of

some value,

godliness is of

value in every

way.

Anyone who

understands or

has tried to

exercise and

train their body

knows that it

requires strenuous

effort over time.

Strenuous effort

over time.

Just the daily

effort to get up

and go to the

gym or get on

your cycle or go

jog around the

block is not

easy.

And literally,

when you're

working out,

you're tearing

your muscles so

that they can

build themselves

back up.

I mean, who

wants to do

that?

Maybe some weird

people, but they

enjoy the tearing.

But no, it's the

goal of growth.

It's the goal of

getting better.

better.

And the thing

is that over

time, you

actually see your

muscles grow.

You actually see

them get toned.

And then those

things that you

don't really want to

talk about, they

lessen.

And I think it's

the same with

making progress in

godliness.

It requires us to

take our hearts

and our habits

to Jesus

again and

again and

again in

repentance and

faith, saying,

Lord, help me

to please you.

But this is the

good news, that

over time, Jesus

actually becomes

better in our

hearts.

We actually want

it because we're

growing.

Our muscles, our

spiritual muscles are

getting better, and

we say, you know

what?

The flesh, that's

not even worth it.

Anger, that's

destructive.

Lust, it's

damaging.

I don't want it.

Jesus is better.

So this effort at

godliness in the

private life will

inevitably shape the

ministry activity in

public.

And that's the

third point, public

activity and

ministry.

Public activity and

ministry.

Paul here is

essentially giving

two commands.

don't get

discouraged, but

set the example.

And don't

neglect the gift, but

devote yourself to

teaching.

It's these two

responsibilities that

I think make up

ministry.

This imitation and

instruction.

Imitation and

instruction.

The question isn't

will people watch

you?

The question is

what kind of

example will they

see?

What kind of

example are we

setting?

Pastor Bobby

Jameson in his

book, The Path to

Being a Pastor, puts

it this way.

I think it's both

true and kind of

funny.

The day you start

serving as pastor

is the day that

everyone starts

watching you.

And that's true.

If you've been in

any kind of

leadership role, you

know that imitation

is inevitable.

We cannot get

away from setting

an example.

people.

And parents

probably know this

better than most.

Right?

Children do what

they see more than

what they hear.

We think, man, why

is this kid so angry

and selfish?

And he's just using

his words like

weapons?

And I'm like,

that must be me.

Oh no.

I need to change.

I had this problem

with my younger

brother.

I wasn't a parent

obviously, but I

grew up in a big

family.

There's a lot of

imitation between

siblings.

And occasionally

as a kid, I would

get into a freezer

because we had

chocolate chip cookie

dough ice cream

that was just

amazing.

And I was like,

you know, what's

the harm in a few

scoops, a few

spoonfuls here and

there?

But one day I

noticed my younger

brother opening the

freezer and taking

out the ice cream

and starting to eat

it right as my mom

is cooking dinner.

I'm like, bro, you

can't get into the

ice cream right now.

Don't you know

that you're about to

eat dinner and we

need that for later?

And you know what

he said?

You did it.

I hate that.

But it was true,

right?

Like, I did it.

He was right.

See, imitation is

inevitable.

It is inevitable.

So Timothy must set an

example instead of just

telling the church what

to do.

And it's not actually

man-centered for

Timothy to say,

follow me.

This is how God has

designed relationships,

that we imitate those

that we trust, those

that we see their lives

and we say, I want to

be like that.

You know, I'm not

sure where this person

is going astray,

where this, I can't

articulate what the

scripture says about

this nuance, but it

doesn't jive with the

person that I've

learned from.

I trust my parents

and I don't know if I

agree with what this

person is saying.

Sometimes the greatest

defense against false

doctrine and misplaced

devotion is a godly

example.

A godly example.

But imitation must be

coupled with instruction.

So Paul says in verse

13, until I come,

devote yourself to

public reading of

scripture.

to exhortation and

to teaching.

What do these three

things have in common?

It's that they're

centered on scripture.

Read it, preach it,

teach it, Timothy.

Those who want to make

progress in godliness

have to be people of

the word.

Because it's the word

in which Jesus reveals

himself to us.

It's the word where he

makes himself known.

And then verse 14

gives just the flip

side of verse 13.

Devote yourself to

teaching and do not

neglect the gift you

have, which was given

you by prophecy when the

council of elders laid

their hands on you.

So he's telling

Timothy, don't be

apathetic.

Don't neglect what you've

received, this gift

that's been given.

Now there are a lot of

Bible readers who

differ on what this

gift is.

The New American

Standard Version

actually translates

this spiritual gift.

But most Bible

readers or

translators just

leave it as gift.

And there are two

other places in the

pastoral epistles

where similar language

is used in reference

to Timothy.

1 Timothy 118.

This charge I

entrust to you,

Timothy, my child

in accordance with

the prophecies

previously made about

you, that by them

you may wage the

good warfare.

prayer.

And then 2 Timothy

1.6.

For this reason I

remind you to fan

into flame the gift

of God, which was

given by the laying

on of hands.

So is this gift the

ministry itself, or is

it something that

empowers Timothy for

ministry, like teaching

or confidence in the

face of false

teachers, or a

spiritual gift?

faith?

Honestly, I'm not

certain.

But I lean towards

seeing it as the gift

in reference to

pastoring.

The laying on of

hands seems to

refer to this

pastoral affirmation

from the Ephesian

elders.

Actually, later in

chapter 5, Paul will

tell Timothy, don't be

hasty in the laying

on of hands.

And I think what he's

saying is, do you

see all these

examples of teachers

who are leading

people astray?

Do not be hasty in

affirming pastors and

teachers.

Make sure the

character lines up.

But also the closest

referent is this

ministry of teaching

in verse 13 that he's

supposed to devote

himself to.

Now, kind of in

verse 15, Paul

summarizes all that

he's been saying with

four active commands

and one promise.

Practice, immerse,

keep watch, persist.

For by so doing, you

will save both

yourself and your

hearers.

So point four,

persistent effort in

ministry.

Persistent effort in

ministry.

What must Timothy

practice?

What are these things

referring to this time?

I don't think this

actually refers to the

whole letter or even

necessarily the

substance of the

gospel.

I think this refers to

what Paul has just

said, this imitation

and instruction that

comprises the

ministry.

And notice the

connotation of these

verbs, what it

communicates in it.

He says, practice

these things.

This isn't like

preparing for a play,

high schoolers, where

you rehearse your line

and prep for the main

event.

He's not telling

Timothy to recite his

sermons until they

sound good on Sunday.

The New American

Standard Version says,

take pains.

I think the idea is

something about

diligence.

This ongoing effort

at imitation and

instruction.

And then a different

kind of verb.

Immerse yourself in

them.

Don't just engage with

your head.

Engage with your heart.

Engage with your hands.

This whole person

giving yourself to

imitation and

instruction.

What we think, what

we love, and what we

do must be conformed

to Jesus.

There's no room for

hypocrisy in

pastoring.

And the good news

again is that there

is actually visible

progress.

Christians can

actually grow.

This isn't just an

idea.

idea.

It's actually the

expectation if

Timothy gives himself

and we give

ourselves to making

progress in

godliness.

The third verb is

keep watch over

yourself and on the

teaching.

The verb implies

that temptations and

distractions will come.

It's not a matter of

the world and the

flesh and sin

getting in the way.

It's will we be

distracted?

Will we drift from

Jesus?

Persistence.

Persistence requires

stamina.

Ministry is a

marathon.

It's not a

sprint.

A lot of young

Christians in a

good way are very

zealous for God.

They're learning

theology and they're

learning the

scriptures.

But when they hit a

trial, it's like,

where did God go?

But the reality is

that ministry and

the Christian life is

a marathon.

It's not a sprint.

And every trial,

every difficulty is an

opportunity to continue

in growing in

godliness.

the sobering reality.

The sobering reality, I

think, of verse 16 is

that there are two

outcomes in

ministry.

Salvation or

shipwreck.

Salvation or

shipwreck.

I think the quote from

Pastor Paul Tripp puts

it well.

Leadership in the

church of Jesus

Christ is not a

battle for theological

faithfulness, or

sorry, not just a

battle for theological

faithfulness, gospel

purity, and

methodological integrity.

It is also always a

war for the heart of

every leader.

Many more leaders

fail because they

have lost the battle

of their heart than

because of shifts in

their theology or view

of the gospel.

people.

And the sobering reality

is that the pastoral

epistles are full of

examples of people who

have lost the battle.

They were likely a part

of the group at one

point, but they became

enamored with something

other than Jesus.

Genealogies or

position or power or

money.

And these same dangers

can shipwreck our

ministry too.

The love of money, the

love of power, the

love of success, pride,

suffering, cynicism.

That seems pretty bleak

to be honest.

So what is our hope?

What does ministry

depend on?

It depends on making

progress in godliness.

It depends on keeping

our eyes up to Jesus,

the one who keeps us.

I want to conclude with

two words of exhortation.

There's two ways to think

about this text.

First, don't pursue

arrival.

Pursue Jesus.

Don't pursue

arrival.

Pursue Jesus.

If you pursue

arrival, goals

rather than godliness

will become the focus.

You'll be so set on

making the next

thing that you'll

miss God in the

process.

But the weird thing is

that if you pursue

Jesus,

you will never

arrive.

You'll be coming to

him again and again

and again in faith

and repentance

and worship.

And isn't that the

Christian life?

It's not arriving.

It's pursuing him.

When I got out of

college, you know,

college is this time

of an insane amount

of information being

thrown at you.

And you're working

50, 60 hours on

homework.

And for me, I was

an RA and I had a

job and I had a

fiance.

And it was like,

man, when I get out

of college, it's

going to be great.

I'm going to have

all this time for

learning.

I'm going to be set.

And it doesn't work

out that way.

There's always more

to do.

And that's actually a

good thing.

It's not a bad thing

necessarily.

It makes us return

to Christ in every

moment and say,

Lord, how can I

please you?

What is the priority?

Help me to honor

you.

Second, create

margin for learning

so that you can

make progress.

Learning isn't

about getting more

busy with books

and articles

and conferences.

It's actually the

opposite.

It's the slowing

down to reflect

and to remember

God.

Time seems to

always be the issue

with priorities.

And we all know

this kind of in

different ways.

there's another

email.

There's another

activity.

There's more

teaching, more

training, more

conversations, more

needs in our

families.

And our culture

provides, ironically,

more ways to

multitask efficiently

in all these

things.

But the reality is

that it doesn't

accelerate godliness.

Godliness happens

through persistent

effort with God

over time.

Persistent

effort with God

over time.

And progress

requires that.

So we don't

microwave spirituality.

We have to

create margin for

learning and

growing.

Let me conclude

with Titus 2,

11 to 14.

This kind of

sums up

really Paul's

message.

And it's a word

of hope for us.

He says this,

For the grace of

God has appeared,

bringing salvation

for all people,

training us to

renounce ungodliness

and worldly

passions, and to

live self-controlled,

upright, and godly

lives in the present

age, waiting for

our blessed hope,

the appearing of

the glory of our

great God and

Savior, Jesus

Christ, who gave

himself for us,

to redeem us from

all lawlessness,

and to purify for

himself a people for

his own possession,

who are zealous

for good works.

Amen.

Let's pray.

Father, how we

need you.

We're so prone to

distraction.

We're so prone to

deviate from Christ,

to make something

else our goal.

Lord, even good

things.

And you know our

hearts.

We want to please

you.

So, Lord, I pray

that you would

recenter us in our

progress and

godliness.

Help us, Lord, to

bring all of our

responsibilities,

all of our cares,

and our concerns to

you, and ask,

Lord, how can we be

pleasing to you?

And thank you, Lord,

that because of

Jesus, we are, in

fact, pleasing to

you.

Lord, because of his

righteousness, we are

made clean.

So, Lord, help these

things to motivate our

growth and godliness.

Make us godly men and

women who love you and

love our neighbor with

all of our hearts.

We ask these things,

Lord, only by your

Holy Spirit.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen.